Dave's Pilonidal cyst has *reared* its ugly head (arh arh... get the pun). Poor kids in a lot of pain. Seeing the doc this PM. Hope that it doesn't require surgery, but that is a distinct possibility. If this leads to more missed school, that complicates his situation much more. I'll leave early to pick up Rach to go to our SB game while Dave is at the doctors. Busy, busy, busy at work...life is soooo hectic.

A glorious day and a hot week ahead. Weather is sunny and warm for the entire week. We have three games this week and Rachel has 5. Try to get in a practice today for pitchers. It would be a great day for it.

First softball game of the season and we lost. Not a bad loss though. They won by one run in their last at bat (6-5). We played against maybe the toughest pitcher in the league and we kept up with them the whole game. Rach hit a double and a single... and Becca hit a MONSTER HR. Next game is Monday.

Watched the movie Contact on TV last night. An incredible underated movie. Not your typical Star Wars/Aliens movie. The essence of this flick is the juxtoposition of science vs. religion... Faith vs. Physical evidence. In the end, the "pure" scientist must rely totally on faith to explain her voyage. While the movie Contact is great. READ the novel by Carl Sagen... its far deeper and significant.

Happen to tune in to see some of CNN Crossfire. It was Dr. Joycelyn Elders v. Rev. Falwell. Falwell actually blurted out "Dr. Elders, you are a NUT CASE". What an egotistical self centered, intollerent jerk this Falwell is. How presumptuous is this guy that he assumes that everyone must adopt HIS "Christian" values. We are not all Christians are we... and he does not have a monopoly on the interpretation of values!

Elders is a couragous women for speaking her mind. She says what most people feel... no holds barred (e.g. "Surveys indicate that 70% of men masturbate. The other 30% are lying"). Nice job Joycelyn. You are a breadth of fresh air. Shame on CNN for constantly cutting her off for stupid commercial breaks. Hope that wasn't intentional. Human sexuality is really a fascinating topic.

Haven't blogged in a couple of days. Nothin to say. Weathers been nice 'n hot, works been a little slow. Softball team had its first scrimmage, and we did great (won!).

Finished the job. Looks pretty good! Check it out!

Been ripping up the carpet in the livingroom, dining room and hallway this weekend. You can see all the action if you check out the Laster webcam. Nice wood floors underneath that have been protected by the carpet and matting. We bought a couple of Jute mats at Pier1.

BTW. Leaped into first place on one of my fantasy baseball leagues... floundering in 8th in the other.

I lost my temper with my son last night, but he just pushes the envelope with all his electronics and computers. He needs to be more focused on school at the moment. But... I regret getting so angry with him. I need to patch it up.

I have seen some very interesting debates on the internet broadcast of Tim McVeigh's execution. I really don't know where I stand on the issue, but the debate is an interesting one. Maybe it should be broadcast... bring back public executions. If people see the cruel, barbaric nature in ourselves, maybe we would think twice about capital punishment. Maybe public execution would serve to be more of a deterent (i doubt it)? It certainly will bring the debate about capital punishment front and center. If we are going to do it, why are we so ashamed that it is done behind closed doors. Then there is the first amendment argument. How can the government stifle such news reporting on 1st amendment grounds. Maybe it is considered obscene... If showing the act of making love is obscene, surely one man putting another to death is. Then again, we see this acted out on TV and the movies everyday, why can't it be seen live? It seems to me that if we are so ashamed of what we are doing (executions) that we are compelled to do it behind closed doors, we should not be executing people at all.

Feeling alot better. Its Friday, I have made it through a tough work week. Next week will be back to full staff (minus my CSR). The crazy dude from Rochester is coming, and that will make things interesting/fun. Hoping to go out to dinner/movie with wifey and party down!

Coaching girls softball... is it great or what. Besides just loving the game, I have a great group of kids. They are happy, fun to be around, try hard, talented group of girls (with only a couple of exceptions). They are easy to coach, want to learn, take instruction well... and are there to have fun. The season hasn't started yet, but I have enjoyed the practices and I hope they have also. I think it will be a great season... my last season coaching since our rec league has no program for Rachel next year. My goal is to be more layed back than previous years, and just have fun with it, and put less pressure on the girls and myself to win games... (we will see if I can really do that).

Ugh, I feel like all my biorythms are at a low. Physically have a stomach ache and muscle pains (pulled something at softball practice), mentally and emotionally drained at work. Meeting today... and I know I will run into some kind of conflict.

Random... Psychologists have developed so many disorders and disabilities and syndromes, that they seem to be used as excuses (or crutches) rather than remedies for peoples problems (IMHO).

Another Monday, and I am not going to be a happy camper. Very shorthanded at work and covering for 2 other people.

Besides being pissed off about work situation, yesterday I raked the lawn and did spring clean-up for most of the day. Now my arms are aching and I have a big open blister on my hand that is nagging me.

Oh, well, I should just stop bitching and get to work, I suppose.

It's 3:45 AM, and I'm up doin this... Cats been scratchin at the door, so I put em out. Went out to a mexican restaurant with a friend from work and his girlfriend. Had some serious marguiritas and steak quesadillas. They were great, but as usual, that mexican food just lays in the ole stomach like a brick all night. Whew. I guess I'll down some Tums and back to bed.

Came across Joe Jennet's **the ageless project**. Great idea, Joe! Its hard to find Bloggers of our generation, but they are out there. Thanks for doing this. Hope to see mine posted on your site.

Wasted the entire morning messing around with pics I took from our Day At NY Mets Shea Stadium. Check out the link to see them. Note the panorama shot (3 pics stitched together). Lot's to do today, including getting equipment and uniforms, and calling the girls for our softball team. Better get to it.

Looks like I won't get that cooperation that I had counted on (see last post). Feels like I have been turned on and stabbed in the back. Next week will be tough at work. But that's the way it goes.

Fun, fun night at the NY Mets game last night. Besides spending Q time with my daughter and Gordon & Bethy, it was a great game. 1-0 in 10 innings. Mets won at their last at bat with a manufactured run. Ziele walks, Shinjo bunts him over to 2nd, Ordonez hits a hard liner down 3rd scoring Ziele for the winning run. Great pitching, good defense, some exciting plays. Just a great night, and a great game.

That ride home at 1 AM through a heavy fog was a bit of a bummer, though.

Back to work. That new "team mermber" didn't quite work out. Now I am looking for other options to get the jobs entered and some CSR support from others in the organization. Hopefully I'll see if I can get the cooperation from another department.

It's Friday, get through the day, have some nice plans for Sat. night... Kids have off next week... get my Girls Softball team off the ground with some phone calls, get equipment, and practice starts Tuesday.

Oh, yeah... Rach did make the middle school softball team, and was made co-captain. She's pumped (so am I). What a great confident, fun loving, smart kid.

The day from HELL. Walked in, we screwed up a print job, our main production mac is screwed up, accounting's Winblows computer got screwed up, new CSR is out sick, I'm running around like crazy trying to fix both machines at the same time at opposite ends of the building.

I hate our Winblows machines. When working, they are not that bad, but when they get screwed up, you can waste a whole day on a simple problem. Today, I put in a modem, and all the networking got screwed up. The NIC card drivers got completely corrupted because I put in a modem... figure that out?

Only saving grace is that I can look forward to going to a Met game tomorrow evening with my daughter. Hope the weather holds out.

What's new... got hair cropped real short (nuthin but peach fuzz left on top!), Softball practice was real nice in 70 degree weather, BTW, Rach finds out if she made the softball team at school today (she will).

Monday AM - New week. Should be a busy one. We have a new Customer Service Rep starting in Digital, probably will ice a deal on almost $100K worth of file servers and network hardware, softball practice, Mets game Thurs., Claire's working all week... WOW!

Good weekend in Fantasy Baseball... 2nd and 3rd place in my two leagues.

Last night - Passover at Sis, Diana's house. Skipped the religious ceremonies as we do not have traditional religious convictions, but joined my sister Di, and Laura's family and my folks afterwards. Everyone looked real well, and in good spirits. Had a real fun time. Especially staying late at Diana's. After Parents and Bergers left, we stayed later, playing chess, and having some good conversations with the David and Marty.

Disturbing news... one of my nephews is doing something that will potentially have an extreme negative impact on the rest of his life. That has been real disturbing to me. How can a parent let his/her son make such a poor, life altering decision? IMHO, they are taking this far too lightly. I know that a person needs to do whats best for himself, but the needs of other family members (esp. ones in crisis) should also be of concern. I wish I had a better relationship with my nephew, I would really like to talk to him about all this, but I know I cannot. The whole family dynamic here is really troubling... but who am I to judge???

Saw the movie Pollack, about the Avant Garde artist. Interesting movie, about a lousy guy. Not a great movie, but one that help you to understand his art. We saw his work at the MOMA museum last month, and it was a thrill to see his painting. I really like this kind of art and music. Though if I listen to Free Jazz at home, it drives everyone out of the house.

Yesterday was a gorgeous day. Warm, sunny. Had a nice dinner with Claire at a Sushi bar. Today, have a new team member starting at work. Let's hope it works out. Another Fantasy BB draft at 5 PM. Guess I'll just have to come home early ;-) . Big deal... I have to go in to work on Saturday.

Hoping to catch movie Pollack this weekend.

Much better day today at work. Held my emotions in check. Acted much more rationally than I had last couple of days. I definetly got more accomplished that way. Isn't there some kind of saying that its better to fight fire with water than fight fire with fire??? If not, I just made one up! Bottom line is, maybe I can work things out at work, but I also need to be cautious and be aware of other options.

Fantasy BBall... clinched a big deal. Ten player trade. That was fun.

My work situation is getting more and more frustrating. I wish I could elaborate more, but that would not be a good idea at the present. I do need to keep my emotions in check in order to try and make the best of a bad and worsening situation. I'll try to do that and keep other options open at the same time. I have remained at MJ for this period because of my respect and friendship with its principal... but it appears that his commitment to me and the department is faltering. Not sure why, because we have been succesful (profitable).

Back from Roch. Nice trip. Diaczenko family get togethers are a lot of fun, as long as the family does not fight. Thankfully, they did not. The three nephews, Mike, Mat, Jay, are, and always have been, the center of attention. This has been so since they were babies, children, teens, and now that they are adults with families of their own. Its not much different from when they were 16. Joking, physical, goofy as hell. Got lots of pics and will post them sometime this week. New babies including twins from Mike and Ilene.

Mom and Pa Diaczenko are so oblivious to the modern world. They have such a different set of sensibilities and values and cultural veiwpoints. Its amazing. Not bad ... just different. They may as well be from a different planet.

Was able to listen to the Uconn Lady Huskies on the radio... too bad they lost. They were awsome in the first half, then fell apart. Oh well. This year is over for them, we'll see about next year.