Go Where?

It has dawned on me that a few people may have saved the link to this website years ago before the ayraud.com url was purchased.  What difference that that make you ask?  Simple, I'm trying out something new, so you may be missing it.  Click on www.ayraud.com to see...

Ex-Relationship Benefits

I've been dealing with a former employee and claims regarding unemployment.  It occured to me that people in relationships should set up these types of agreements.  For example, if our break-up is not mutual, the dumped party shall retain 6 months of relationship benefits unless they enter into a new relationship before 6 months expires.  You know it's an awesome idea.  In fact it would completely change the honesty level of people when you talk to them. 

"Did you and Amy break-up?" 

"Yes, and it totally was not mutual, she dumped me because I'm a self-absorbed ass - isn't that fantastic!!!" 

It would also reduce the odds that your boyfriend/girlfriend would cheat on you with one of your friends or siblings, or anyone else for that matter - why you ask? 

"John, I'm breaking up with you because I've been seeing your brother for 2 months behind your back." 

"Oh, ok.  Well, you better move out into my brother's apartment, and don't forget to remind him we'll need to use your guys' bed for the next 6 months - say every other night for an hour or so, he can just sit in the family room and watch t.v."

Three Quarters of a Century

This being the 750th entry since switching over to Aaron's Nebraska Server, thought I'd look for something entertaining.  Ok, actually I just found this by accident and I had no idea I was at entry 750, but it worked out either way.  I've always liked Jackie Chan, and I knew he had numerous films before he became an "american film star" but I had no idea he was absolutley insane.  Watch.

 

Concerned For Another Reason

So I saw this video today (how I saw it is explained in the expanded section).

 

Now the problem. This is a video of Chris Crocker. In case that doesn't help you, it's the guy, yes guy, who did some video on youtube about "Leave Britney Alone". If you still don't know who it is, nevermind. Regardless my massive concern is this is a guy. Yes, it's time to be made fun of, but he makes a slighly attractive female. Sure, talking, walking, moving, turning, etc... would likely make it painfully clear it's a guy, but yet again, not the point. That's just scary.

Continue reading "Concerned For Another Reason"

Waiting Till I Get Married

So Aaron posted a comment that he thought I meant the "CV joint" on my Nissan.  Likely referencing my comment that it was the "CV axle".  Sadly, I meant axle.  Once the stupid little boot wears off of the CV joint there is a small window of time in which you can get your vehicle in there, get it re-lubed and the boot fixed.  If not, the joint grinds against itself.  Usually you don't make it in time and the joint dies - which you learn when you hear the clicking sound as the joint rubs against itself.  Me?  Well, if you are loathing the mess of just trying to drop your car off, get it fixed, get back there, etc... then you don't go - for months and maybe a few more months.  Which ultimately is not good and then you have to fix CV axles.  Hey, I didn't write it down that way.

Buddy Can You Spare Some Time

Yesterday was a massive cluster as far as time was concerned.  Unfortunately I didn't realize it until the day was almost over.  On Monday when I came into work I noticed my computer's clock had not changed with the time change, so I changed it.  A few seconds later the server realized it was "wrong" and changed it back.  I asked that the IT guy fix it and I went on my merry way to Eagle County to do some work.  I came back to the office yesterday morning, totally forgetting about the clock issue.  My day mainly consisted of numerous phone calls and one meeting.  For the most part my telephone calls happen at times other than when they are scheduled, so it was no surprise they weren't at the "scheduled" times.  My meeting was scheduled for 10:00 a.m. and at 9:30 a.m. we got a call that people were showing up for the meeting.  I walked in at 10:05 a.m. and the meeting was going, not surprising because it sounded like everyone arrived early and started.  Two hours later the meeting ended.

Later that day I had to go to the post office, I left at 4:00 p.m. to get there way before they closed.  The first revolving door was locked, which was a surprised (especially when I almost ran into it), but the regular door next to it was open.  I walked in and the main inside doors to the post office were closed with shades pulled down.  They were locked and I looked in disbelief as I read the signs that said they were open until 5:00 p.m. - ok, then why are they closed?  There was a sign that there was another post office open late, until 6:30 p.m. so I walked to my car and started driving to that post office.  A few minutes later I caught a glimpse of my car clock.  I was startled and had to look again as it said it was 5:20 p.m.  How?  10 minutes ago it was 4:00 p.m. and I was going to the post office!!!  It literally took me 3 or 4 minutes to figure it out, which doesn't sound long until you have to sit there for that period of time trying to determine where you lost an hour?  Alien abduction?  Cosmic Wormhole?  Space/Time Distortion?  Daylight-Savings Change Screw-up?  We have a winner!!!  Oh, the rest of my day, such as the meeting - yup, I was late, but because they called and said people were showing up at 9:30 a.m. I thought they were saying people were early, when actually they were showing up late.  The calls, never noticed a difference.  The post office - really closed since it was after 5:00 p.m.

Later that night Tiffany made a comment about doing something Friday night.  I sat there and thought it may be too late since tomorrow was Friday.  It was a minute later Tiffany said something that reminded me tomorrow was actually Thursday.  Crap.

I spent yesterday an hour behind and a day ahead.  Wow, pathetic.

It's All In There

So no guesses regarding the pictures?  They are in fact different people and they are taken from different movies - but one will replace the other in a sequel...

I just got back from Eagle County again - always a pleasure.  If only they could make them closer, it takes 3 1/2 to 4 hours to get between Fort Collins and Eagle.  I've also hit a wall on a few different work trips I've taken lately.  Yes, going out with the people I'm meeting is fun, but when you get back to the hotel the fun stops.  T.V. sucks, in general, but even more so when all the newspapers are read and you have nothing else to do.  Plus I'm never 100% convinced the hotel room isn't just covered in millions of crap germs floating around - like the starship Enterprise sucked into a "living plasma", I'm just sitting there cooking like a large crockpot in the last 200 visitors' leftover skin, coughs, sneezes, etc...  Ok, I'm making myself sick now.  But you get the point.  But the cookies they make and give out at the hotel are awesome.

Deadlines for lots of things are hitting this week, so it's a busy time.  However, this past weekend Madison did get to do some more soccer practice and I couldn't have enjoyed it more.  Specifically they did 3 on 3 games during the second half of practice.  They were divided up and Madison and her friend Cami were on the same team along with one other girl - this was the only all-girl team.  One of the older boys was on the other team they played against, plus another boy and a girl.  The older boy (and why his parents or the coach didn't say anything I don't know) started making comments like, "all girls, this will be easy", "we're going to crush them" - overall VERY arrogant.  The result?  The all girls team won 2-0.  When the boy team got down to the last couple of minutes they even reached the point where they were ignoring the girl on their team and only trying to pass the ball or throw it in to the other boy - which obviously made it even worse since the girls only had to cover two people now and they clearly were already fine when they had to cover three.  I just don't like it when boys make comments about how much better they are than the girl teams simply because they are boys and generally can kick harder or run faster.  That may be the case, but that isn't the only part of soccer, just ask the older boy when he was getting up off the ground after Madison stopped the ball with her foot, rolled the opposite direction and took off around him.  I'd say foot work and smarts will get you farther in soccer than just kicking it hard.  Then again, I'm way biased...

Cloning?

 

 

Pop quiz - these are different movies, are they the same person?  Are they the same role?

For A Small Fee

The first what I would deem significant repair to our Nissan was required today.  Now, it wasn't end of the world major, but it was irritating major.  A couple of weeks ago the "battery" and "brake" light went on in the car.  I was not happy, but I had to run in somewhere, an hour later the lights were off.  I'll admit I smelt a rubbery smell and was concerned about the alternator, but I figured the car self-repaired itself.  That's right, I'm sticking with that story.  Yesterday, the lights came on again and I noticed a dimming in all the lights.  Now, I'm sure this isn't unusual, but in all the cars I have owned the alternator has been the biggest pain, so it also is the item I'm most "in tune" with.  Something else could break and I wouldn't know, but the alternator, I have a slight chance of knowing when that happens.  So I tell Tiffany last night that I need to bring the car in to make sure - now I've actually helped replace an alternator before, but that was on a 1978 Ford Courier, and I was not up to any guess work on this car.  So in it goes today.  The results?  It's the alternator.  Ahhh.  It only enters the major irritation because I had them repair it there - at the dealer.  I know, shut up.  I won't throw Tiffany under the bus on this because ultimately she did sort of back off of the cheerleader stance for the dealer, and I'm the one that made the appointment, so I'll suck it up.  Of course while it was in there I was informed the cv axles need to be replaced.  I ultimately said no to that because I found a place to do that for 60% less.  Really if I wanted to get bent over by the dealer that much I would just wear a t-shirt to prison that says, "Hey, I'm a child molester".  I also thought about selling the car, but I'd get almost nothing for it, and frankly I may "sell" it to Micauley in two years (that's another parental discussion I seem to be losing).  So what's the difference between Micauley driving my old car and someone else's old car?  I know what's happened to my car, I know what's been fixed, I know everything about it - so all things considered, it's still better.  Then again, maybe if I wait a couple of weeks the CV axles will "self-repair"...

All the People, All the Time

Some people may know that occassionally I teach a class at Colorado Christian University usually in business law or business management, but once in a while they throw in an unusual one.  Well, I just finished Business Law a couple weeks ago and received the "evaluation" the students turn in.  There are 15 students and 14 of them gave me the highest marks possible (let's not break my arm trying to pat myself on the back), the part that throws me is there is 1 student that entered all the lowest marks possible and entered remarks such as "relied on tests for grades rather than actual assignments" and "no feedback".  Very odd in that I almost think they entered the comments for the wrong class.  Out of 455 points they had two quizzes worth 10 points each.  Um, really?  You could not take the quizzes and still get an "A" in the course.  Comments?  Every student got comments unless they got 100% on the assignment, because then I figure what am I going to comment on.  "Hey, nice job.  I've got nothing to correct or tell you to do better since you got it all right, but I don't want you to say I didn't give you any comments, so here you go."  Now, I've had a disgruntled student here and there in the past, which I don't take personally as the law of averages is bound to give you someone that will be unhappy no matter what, but they generally are unhappy about one specific thing and they usually have not done well in the course overall, so part of it could be dissatisfaction in general.  However, this student has done ok and their comments don't seem to fit with reality, so I continue to be very curious if they commented on the wrong class.  Guess I'll never know.

Bottle Math

Ah, the sun must be coming out, because the more the sun shines the busier we seem to be.  Saturday Tiffany and McKaiden were down in Denver, meanwhile Madison, Micauley and I cleaned the house.  Yup, that's right, cleaned the house, and I'm not talking about, "picking up dirty clothes and dusting without moving anything.  I mean full on scrubing corners of the shower with a toothbrush, vaccuming vents and cleaning under beds.  Sparkling I tell you.  Madison started a soccer clinic this weekend and we made it home in just enough time to have people over for another game night.  We played a variety of games, including one we haven't played for YEARS!  Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.  Yes, it's a game and the first time we played it, it was horrible.  This time around we added a few more people and it was marginally better, if only because some of the questions were really funny considering the relationship status on some of the people there.  Otherwise, I could probably go another 7 years.  Overall a very fun night.

Sunday was just a busy and now the week begins.  Only difference is that Tiffany is busier than ever.  Last week she was gone most every night, and so far this week, it's looking like every night this week as well - is it something I said?

It's Just Funny

I blame my parents and Micauley for getting me to watch this - but turns out it's pretty funny.  Oh, it may take a long time to load depending on whether your system will stream it:

 

Maybe I Like Jimmy Kimmel After All

So I went onto youtube to look for the next video to put over on the left (you did notice there is a new video there every week didn't you) and found something totally unexpected.  If you ever go onto youtube you know that they flash up videos that people are watching right now.  Generally I ignore those as they tend to be a total waste of time.  Well, this time as I was typing in my search, one of them caught my eye.  I thought it was Jimmy Kimmel giving Matt Lauer on the Today Show a hard time.  Turns out I read that wrong.  Instead I discovered some songs/clips from his show that I'll admit were so over the top they were funny (oh, it takes a while to load and it's fairly inappropriate):

 

Really, Last Entry

I'm sitting here waiting for Tiffany to get home, but after the kids have gone to bed.  I was watching Blade II.  It really isn't that good, I actually like Blade III better, but that's probably because of Jessica Biel, but I digress.  In short, it's about a mutant strain of vampires called reapers that are killing off the vampires and they convince Blde to help them kill off the Reapers.  Are you starting to understand why you missed it at the Oscars?  So the movie just ended and the end credits are rolling - pretty good end credit song - and one of the last lines that I happen to catch is "No Real Reapers Were Harmed In The Making Of This Film."  Now that there is funny, I don't care who you are...

AHHHH, AHHHH, AHHHH, no wait

I just got online to pay our credit card.  We use it like a debit card and then pay it each month - yes, just to get the free rewards.  It's actually a pretty good deal if you pay it all off each month - free stuff.  Anyway, I logged on to confirm our balance before I sent the payment in and it was WAY more than I calculated - like more than twice as much.  I about freaked out and just about called them to figure out what the hell was going on.  Then the light clicked - oh, I charged our airfare and deposits on our apartments in Europe last week - oops, ha ha, isn't that funny.  No, no it's not.  That's just scary as hell if you forget...

You're Lucky You Are Five

So yesterday morning McKaiden got up before I left for work.  He was barely awake and waddled downstairs to get some cereal.  As he is standing there and I'm about to walk out the door he says, "Dad, you have a spot with no hair on the back of your head."  I reply, "Yes, I know".  I put my coat on and turn for the door.  He calmly says, "I wouldn't get my hair cut there again, they cut it all off in that one spot."  I tried not to laugh and just said "that's not why there's no hair there, but thanks buddy."

I'm Rick James...

It's late and I'm trying to finish the Vegas video.  Not gonna happen tonight, but I am 95% done.  So I figured I would see if I can upload a draft version.  Still some edits to do and spellings to correct, etc... but at least it's something.

Ok, first attempt failed.  I made it as small as possible and it came out at 12 mb, I've changed formats and it's now 4 mb - I don't even want to know how crappy it'll look, or if you can open it, but here it is.  Oops, seems even the horrific looking 4 mb version doesn't even want to upload - I'll keep trying.

Double Mint Twins

A couple of months ago we went to see Dane Cook.  Well, part of that adventure resulted in us having a few, or possibly more, drinks.  In fact this is where the now infamous "keep them coming" request originated.  So when I saw Danica Patrick, the Indy car driver at our restaurant, I'm sure everyone (including myself) thought there was a substantial chance I was wrong.  Well, days have now passed and I continue to look at the picture I took of her - I told her I thought she was Danica Patrick, which of course she just laughed at - and after dozens of reviews, I still think it's her.  My proof?  Danica at an interview, Dancia at the restaurant...

    

And That's The News To Me

Lots of little happenings (and one big one).  This weekend was the regional mock trial competition for northern Colorado high schools.  I managed to stay there for part of Friday, but I was sick for most of last week and it peaked on Friday & Saturday, so I didn't go on Saturday.  Fortunately it went away on Sunday and all is well.

Micauley bought chocolates for his "valentine".  Did I want to give him a giant bag of crap about it, oh yes.  Did I?  No.  I suspect he's nervous as hell about it, but little does he know there will be 20 of these "girlfriends" before he gets out of High School.  I'm sure eventually they may even go on a "date", but not yet.

McKaiden cracks me up - he is very into the Wii.  We rented The Legend of Zelda and he is up there riding horses, sword fighting, calling eagles, etc... and I have NO idea how he figured all of this stuff out.  It's not an easy game, but he loves to play it (so does Micauley).

Madison got her girl scout cookies yesterday.  Let me re-phrase that, Tiffany and her dad picked up every known girl scout cookie on the planet and unloaded them in our hallway, dining room, living room and office.  Tiffany organizes the cookie boothes and apparently cookie distribution so the entire troop's cookie orders are boxed up and sitting in our house.  I hate thin mints - that's right I said it.

I teach my last class tonight for Business Law.  I can never really complain, they are one night a week for 5 weeks.  By the time you start to think they take a while, they are over.  The students are entertaining this time and it's been pretty fun, but it'll be nice when it's over because I literally don't see Madison & McKaiden on Tuesday when I'm teaching.  I leave with Micauley at 6:30 a.m. and they are still in bed, I get home around 10:30 p.m. and everyone except Tiffany is in bed. 

Finishing up some scheduling issues with our Italy & Paris trip for this summer.  Stupid dollar, the trip might be less expensive if we paid with gum wrappers.  I wonder if the EU slips ever and calls the dollar a peso, you're right, I doubt it, the peso is probably worth more.

Tiffany signed up to do the Avon Breast Cancer Walk this summer up in the Rocky Mountains.  Because apparently walking 39 miles isn't hard enough, they decided to put it in the middle of the mountains.  I'm laughing because my butt gets tired driving 39 miles in the mountains, I see bicyclists looking dead tired riding a bike in the mountains, umm so walking?  Who's the Nazi that came up with that idea?  Oh, a breast cancer survivor?  Fine, make me look like an ass...  I put a link on the side to her Walk Site because she has to raise a ridiculous amount of money to even do it - and maybe it's me, but if they figure out how to beat breast cancer, wouldn't that solve almost all cancer?  Oh well, Good Luck!!!!

And the Winners Are...