Cold to warm, back to cold!! (What the heck!)

I'm sure that all of you are aware of the weather situation in the great state of Missouri. I would love to see some snow though. As you all know Lilly is now 5 years old and I have yet to be able to take her sledding! I mean come on, where's all the snow been! Every year since Lilly has been old enough to comprehend what it means to go sled riding (since she was 3) she's asked me if we where going to go. I always tell her "Well, if it ever snows." I think the closest she's ever come to riding a sled was at Bill's on the hill by his house. I remember as a child that this use to be a yearly ritual for me and my friends every winter to go to Forrest Park ball field's and sled. There was always some kind of snow. But anyway, enough complaining about that. I'm sure that one day I will get to take her, snow willing.
I was informed today that I would be going to Ft. Lauderdale Florida in January. I don't know what to think about this. A lot of you are probably wondering if I'm nuts or something. Let me assure you that I'm not. I mean come on, I spend probably about 80% of my time with these people already. What makes them think I want to spend my other 20% with them. Me and about 10 of my fellow managers, engineers, and upper management would be going. At first I'm thinking, I don't know. But then the President of NCC starts in with the agenda. First we will fly down there on Friday, right after work. Next, after we are all settled in, we will be in a conference for most of the day on Saturday. (I'm not liking this deal yet!) Then, after all that is finished he starts in with the cool stuff. He has already chartered two deep sea fishing boats (I'm thinking about it now!). Then he says we'll all go out and just have a good time! I thinking to myself, "Is this my boss?" Don't get me wrong, I like working for the guy, he's a great person, but he can be a little anal retentive sometimes. After I thought about it for a little while, I guess will go. Who knows, I might have fun. It's a first for me anyway.

Everyone could use a good laugh now and then!

Redneck Logic

> Two Poor Boys from Georgia, Bubba and Jim Bob , are sitting at their favorite bar, drinking beer. Bubba turns to Jim Bob and says, "You know, I'm tired of going through life without an education. Tomorrow I think I'll go to the Community College, and sign up for some classes." Jim Bob thinks it's a good idea, and the two leave. The next day, Bubba goes down to the college and meets the Dean of Admissions, who signs him up for the four basic classes: Math, English, History, and Logic. "Logic?" Bubba says. "What's that?" The dean says, "I'll show you. Do you own a weed eater?" "Yeah." "Then logically speaking, because you own a weed eater, I think that you would have a yard." "That's true, I do have a yard." "I'm not done," the dean says. "Because you have a yard, I think logically that you would have a house." "Yes, I do have a house."
"And because you have a house, I think that you might logically have a family." "I have a family." "I'm not done yet. Because you have a family, then logically you must have a wife." "Yes, I do have a wife." "And because you have a wife, then logic tells me you must be a heterosexual." "I am a heterosexual. That's amazing, you were able to find out all of that because I have a weed eater." Excited to take the class now, Bubba shakes the Dean's hand and leaves to go meet Jim Bob at the bar. He tells Jim Bob about his classes, how he is signed up for Math, English, History, and Logic. "Logic?" Jim Bob says, "What's that?" Bubba says, "I'll show you. Do you have a weed eater?" "No." "Then you're a queer."



Dr. Smith



A flat-chested young lady went to Dr. Smith to see about enlarging her breasts. Dr. Smith told her, "Everyday after your shower, rub your nipples and say, "Scooby doobie doobies, I want bigger boobies." She did this faithfully for several months, lo and behold, it worked! She grew great boobs! One morning she was running late, got on the bus and realized she had forgotten her morning ritual. Frightened she might lose her lovely boobs if she didn't do the little rhyme, she got right out there in the middle aisle of the bus and said, "Scooby doobie doobies, I want bigger boobies." A guy sitting nearby asked, "Are you, by any chance, a patient of Dr. Smith's?" "Why, yes I am. How did you know?" she replied. He leaned closer, winked, smiled and whispered, "Hickory dickory dock!"

How many times have you ever needed this store!?!?!?!?!

A poem to share and maybe a little more......

A Different Christmas Poem


The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight.The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep. In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,And I crept to the door just to see who was near.Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight. A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child."What are you doing?" I asked without fear, "Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!" For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night." "It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the darkest of times.No one had to ask or beg or implore me,I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers." My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ', And now it is my turn and so,here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile. Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red, white, and blue.... an American flag.I can live through the cold and the being alone,Away from my family, my house and my home.I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat. I can carry the weight of killing another,Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..Who stand at the front against any and all,To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall." "So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I'll be all right.""But isn't there something I can do, at the least,"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your wife and your son."Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,"Just tell us you love us, and never forget. To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,To stand your own watch, no matter how long.For when we come home, either standing or dead,To know you remember we fought and we bled.Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."


LCDR Jeff Giles, SC,
USN30th Naval Construction RegimentOIC,
Logistics Cell One
Al Taqqadum, Iraq


I just thought that I would share this with everyone. Don't forget about our troops during the holidays.


I would also like to write about something else. I just got done reading D's post. First let me start by saying thank you to her for doing the right thing. There's no need to hide any of the stuff that's going on. I believe that it's better to be honest than to lie or even bend the truth. I also pray for my family (Me, Mindy, and Lilly) that everything will turn out for the best.
I would also like everyone to know that I haven't given up on them either. I love my family more than anything. I did what I did because I think it's best for them and me in this whole situation as of right now. I will never give up on them. Giving ourselves space is a wonderful thing sometimes. It gives us all time to think about what's really important to us. I think there is a few songs out there that reference to this statement and boy is it true, "You don't realize what you got until it's gone."
If I could say that I've learned anything from this whole situation it's that sometimes it's better to be yourself than to try and please people all the time. Remember this, don't ever be afraid to be yourself and love truly, one doesn't work without the other. We need to remind ourselves daily of this in more ways than one.
Now that I'm done writing about that I thought it would be nice to say once again, THANKS!!!, to everyone for being there for me and my family. Love you guys.

Bearded or not... (Argggggg....)

As most of you guys know I'm attempting to grow a beard. I just don't know about it though. At first I asked myself why am I even doing it? Then I so remembered (on a drunken night) that I received $2 in tips at Bill's bar for agreeing to grow one. It's funny how that works. But anyway, It almost makes me feel like a pirate or something. It's only been..... I believe 5 or 6 days since I started the actual growth process and it kind of sucks! But because I said that I was going to do it I'll keep it for at least a couple of weeks(as long as this damn itching goes away in the next couple of days!!).

I thought that some of you might find this interesting. I'm going to show you what I do, well not what I do because that's boring, but what goes on at National Cart(my work). Oh, this is not what my day generally consists of. It's usually a little more involved, but since I have a slow day I thought it would be cool to do.

This is a robotic arc welder. I actually brought Lilly into work once and when we were walking I asked her if she wanted to see a robot. With a natural 4 year olds response being, "You guys have a robot?!" I replied "Yeah we do." Totally not prepared for what I was about to encounter, we walked up to this robot and I said, "Well, there it is." She says, "I don't see any robots daddy." I then say, "It's right in front of us", as I point to the robotic arm. Wait, here it comes, she then said, "Daddy, that's not a robot, robots look like people!" Dumbfounded and shocked by her response, I then thought, Mr. Obvious!! I then proceeded with a 15 minute conversation with, what seemed to be about an hour, Lilly about how all robots don't just look like people. Needless to say I learned something that day.

Below is the actual process for welding a side rail for a Cart Coral. You know, those things you put your shopping carts in at Wally World or the grocery store.

The next picture is the process for welding the "header" as we call it. This is the part of the Cart Coral that has the sign on it that usually says "Please return carts here." So simple, but aren't those guys doing a great job!! What you don't see is me behind the camera with a whip saying, "Hurry up darn it!!

The next one directly below is just simply some carts that we make for Lowe's Home Improvement stores. You know, those things you put your lumber and crap on.

These below are some items that have yet to be powdered coated. If you ever notice when you go into Wally World right by the front doors a park bench. Yes, these are the same ones, just bare metal. Woooooooow!!! Amazing isn't it?

I don't know, maybe it's me, but do you think someone has way to much time on their hands or what? Interesting as it maybe, have you ever seen such comedy in a bathroom stall??

Ever wondered what they do with all the old shopping carts from stores, well wonder no more, we buy them for little or nothing and make a retarded profit just by fixing them up. This is only about 1/5 of the used cart supply we have here. Inside the building there is about 5 times this many.

No, we don't work for the city or state but we do make stop signs for Target. Ours look so much prettier, don't you think???

Well, I've just about used all my break and lunch time so that I could take you guys on a tour of National Cart Company. So I better get to work.

Bill's Bar and Furniture Shop...

So anyway, Chris is right. Me and Bill are back to building stuff. Last night we fabricated some bar table components (which I would have to say are just marvelous!). We should be able to finish those tonight. We were talking last night also about what else you see in a bar?? We couldn't think of anything. So I went online and was looking around, didn't find much but did come across some ideas for bar stools. Bill originally wanted me to fabricate them out of metal, but I'm going to see what he thinks about these that I have attached. If you would notice the big one (he he), it's my favorite. Let him know what you guys think and if you have anymore ideas.

What's up with the weird dreams??

I'm sure that I am not the only person that has weird dreams, but I've been having some very disturbing ones. I've been having a lot of "deja vu" dreams if you know what I mean. You know were you dream something and then swear you see it a week later, or at least you think you do. One example is I was standing on the shop floor at my work watching employees going about their business and then just all of the sudden BAM it hits me, I've seen this somewhere before. I don't know why I'm even writing about this because it's probably just all in my head. Plus I'm still pissed off that the dream I had about winning $56,000,000 in the lottery hasn't come true. But anyway, what can you do?!?!
I'm sure that I'll have something even more useless to write about tomorrow.

The greatest thing I ever learned was to love and be loved in return

Man was this weekend a good time or what!? I had just a great time with everyone. I think I may have had just a little to much to drink, but whatever it was still fun. I would like to throw out a special THANKS!! to Dave for his comment. That means a lot to me. It just makes me realize how great my friends really are, (let me wipe the tear, sniff, sniff). Don't let anything I write give anyone the wrong impression though. By know means will I ever push blame on anyone. That is not my intent. I'm just trying to express how I feel. It's kind of corny, you know. I'm still new at this. Anyway I should keep this short because I'm a busy camper today. Again, thanks to everyone for everything, I truly do love all you guys. I have to come to know all of you, not just as friends, but my family. Thanks.

What can you do.......

I'm not sure what I'm writing this for. Maybe it makes me feel better just to sit down and poor out my thoughts. Let's see, what's on my mind.... Well for starters work is finally going pretty smooth. Then I guess there is my life outside of work. Things are pretty hard to handle emotionally sometimes but I know it's for the best. Sometimes you just feel like it's all pointless to even fight for but then again you start (or at least I do) thinking about what's really important to you in your life. For those of you that know me you know what I mean. The most important thing to me is my family and friends. Not because somebody told me I had to care and love them but because I choose to for who they are and what they stand for. I am very fortunate to have the people I do in my life. I just wanted them to know that because I may not say it enough. You know who you are. Anyway, I just wanted to sit down and write these things because it makes me feel a little more at ease about things in general, but then again what can you do except write or talk about it.