SmokeyDog

It's been several months since we moved to Texas. I can certainly say everything is bigger in Texas. The high school my sons go to is about three times the high school size that they went to in Issaquah. Sports are extremely important but so is education. A lot of emphasis is placed on education which is great. So if you do both there is plenty of help, all you have to do is take advantage of it. Easier for me to write about than getting my two to realize that.

 

Work is challenging, you don't realize how much you forget when you are away from something especially SQL Server. I've been learning alot or should say remembering a lot plus learning new stuff. Sure is a ton of stuff they add to the product in SQL Server 2005. But it's enjoyable in that it keeps my mind fresh. I miss the Puget Sound beauty but not the rain, that doesn't mean we don't get rain, just that when it rains it's in buckets not days and days of springles. The heat though I can leave, it's middle of October and we are still running the air conditioner.

 

Well that's it for now.

Well, after 12 years we're moving back to Texas. The job so far has been great and I can't say enough about how good the people are. It's tough to leave the Seattle area but I'm looking forward to being excited again about my work. I couldn't say that the last few years. Perhaps the "Vote them off the island" was a reason for that, not sure but I know for sure I didn't like what it did to people. It didn't build team spirit and after a while watching folks either leave or be forced out was painful. I think I realized after leaving that I enjoy working in a group where everyone wants everyone else to succeed. It's a great feeling at the end of the day when you watch your teammates succeed because the whole group succeeds. I'll miss the folks that I worked with and the beauty of the Puget Sound but alas a new challenge is sometimes good for the spirit as well as the soul.

 

My weight, well let's say that I'm leaving with less than I came with but not as much as I hope I would of left behind. :) 

 

It's been long time since I've updated my blog. Thought it was about time.

 

After 12 long years, I've decided to leave Microsoft and accepted a job with bank in Houston, Texas. This is quite a change for me because it's the first time in 30 years that I'm not working for a company where technology is their main focus. The bank uses technology very heavily and is a premier Microsoft shop but for me it's a chance to start using some of the stuff that I have been exposed over last several years. Working at Microsoft you become very specialized in what you do and know. You don't really get a chance to learn the variety of products that the company creates, thus in a real world (I'm sure some will disagree with this) the focus isn't on writing the products but rather using them to accomplish something that makes a business successful. I felt after 12 years at MS, that it was time for a change. Although it was hard to leave my friends and the Seattle area, I think in the long run this is a good move because it allows me to focus on regaining some of the skills that were slipping away.

 

On the weight front. Well, that hasn't been going as well as it should be. With all the events going on in my life, it's hard not to eat. That's my stress reliver, so I'm trying to just maintain until life gets a bit less crazy. So, I've gained weight but at least I know what I need to do to get rid of it, thanks to Sound Health.

 

Movie wise, well so far this year has been a disappointment. I think there is less good movies this year then I've seen in a long time. Even Spiderman 3 was just ok, not great, just ok. Hopefully, the summer will have some better ones.

 

 

This one dragged on and to be honest I don't think it took off until the last 15 minutes of the film. You sort of knew Billy Bob was going to take off but they tried to put the suspense into the film of him not going. Interesting that they let him fail and then his wife is the one to push him.

I'm not exactly sure what they were trying to do with this film. Was it suppose to be a family film to talk about how tough life is and what it means to have a dream, I guess that is the message but I think they made it a little too unbelievable if is the case. I'll point out an example, he needs 50,000 dollars to purchase rocket fuel. Well he's a farmer and has mortgage his house multiple times, where is he going to get 50K, but then all of a sudden they drop it and he now has the fuel. Huh? There is quite of bit like this in the story. The last part of the story is when he goes up into Space and they lose contact with him, but alas he comes back in time to go on Jay Leno.

 

Is this a great story naw, not really. Anything offensive (by that I mean raw violence, in your face sex, language that makes your ears turn red) no! So, how would I describe this film - think "Field of Dreams" meets "Apollo 13"

 

If they spent more time on the space aspect and what happened to him afterwards they could of done some interesting things. Ala, X Files.

 

This one is sort of a silly movie but it's what I'd call a great date movie. There isn't anything that stands out in this one, but it sort of non-offensive film that I enjoyed. I like Drew Barrymore (the new Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan replacement for these type of films) though so what I can I say. Her and Hugh Grant seem pretty good together. Best description is a feel good movie same as you get from "You've Got Mail" starting Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. I like the jab they take at the Has Beens of the 80s. 

 

Updated: I ended up taking my son to this film, he's 16, I wanted something that I wasn't going to be offensive and felt opps made another mistake (he sees a lot of films), well he liked it, laughed quite a bit, and like the music. So, that raises it a bar in my book. I've included the Youtube video on the homepage of my space.

I wouldn't consider this one Marvel's best but it's ok for the special effects. It doesn't really have a great plot and the acting is pretty cheesey but it's a comic book so what did you expect, (Spiderman perhaps). Might be a good one to wait for on DVD. Nicolas Cage has been better but this was his pet project so I hope he had fun. This movie reminds me of what they use to call a B movie on a Saturday afternoon. Is it the worse I've seen this year, no not by a long shot.

Well, my weight loss program officially ended on Friday. I'm still trying to decide if I want to add more sessions, but considering I belong to health club it seems a bit silly, but maybe a once a week thing, might make sense to reinforce that I'm going.

 

I didn't lose as much as I wanted but then again I had lost some 60+ pounds at one time before my knees gave out and I had tons of problems. Then the stress and anxiety took over and I started to eat more than I probably should. At least now though my knees are somewhat ok so I appreciate that. I still want to lose the extra 20 I gained back but not at the expense of my knees.

 

Would I recommend the program, absolutely, the folks are the best!