It's been a week since I have journaled here. A lot has happened, but I will try to keep this note brief.

Work - first week on the new job. With that comes anxiety, anticipation, meeting so many people and trying to remember their names, figuring out what my priorities should be when so much needs to be done. As with anywhere, there are some obstacles to overcome, but, I think I'm going to like this place. Some good people here including some old friends. It'll take a few weeks to get all this straight in my head, but with every day, I feel more and more comfortable.

Play - Chilled out after the intensity of my first work week. Saw the movie Minority Report with Tom Cruise. Great flick. Sorta Sci-fi with an incredible vision of the future. Then today, went to NY Mets game. Incredible, exciting game with the Mets winning 5-4 in a come from behind victory.

Other - Dave's graduation! He did it. Graduated HS with honors. Finished up on a high note. Very proud of him. Mom and Dad came up to attend, and so did sister Di and Andrea. Nice to have the family close to celebrate. They put on a huge party for the graduation class. Kids partied from 10PM to 4 AM. See pics here.

Finally, the damn DSL is down again, and I am fed up with SNET taking their sweet-ass time to keep this up and running. We were down for an entire week a couple of weeks ago, and we have been down all weekend, and they haven't even returned my call. Soooo.... it'll be out with DSL, and in with Cable modem. We'll see how that goes. Meanwhile, trying to get along with the dial-up modem speeds. Grrrrr....

For at least a week now, NY City has been salivating over the prospect of Yankee pitcher Roger Clemens coming to bat against the New York Mets. Mets fans were hoping to see Clemens get beaned as retaliation for throwing at Mets star Piazza two years ago! Its been a circus for a week as that has been the big talk of the town. Today, it was like a scene from Gladiator, as the crowd cheered as Clemens walked to the plate... everyone hoping to see blood drawn in the batters box.

Well, what happened was Mets pitcher Shawn Estes threw at him, all right... threw so far inside, that the pitch actually went behind Clemens fat ass... missed him completely! I've got to wonder if that was done intentionally... show the fans and teamates that he was willing to throw at Clemens... yet do the right thing, and not actually try to hurt him. Then the Mets did the right thing and beat the crap out of Clemens on the baseball field. With Estes and Piazza hitting HR's, and having Clemens leave the field injured after sliding into 2nd base. Mets beat Yanks 8-0.

Ahh, Vacation this week, before starting the new gig. To Do's... Read a book, excersize my ass off at the gym, see a couple of movies, go down to the shoreline with wife one day, have lunch with M&D and some friends, learn a new programming skill that I can use at work (PHP), prepare myself for my new job which starts one week from today. That should fill up the week just fine. Wish there was some baseball in town.

Went to see the great Wayne Shorter Quartet in Hartford last night. For those who do not know, this Jazz master made his mark as the saxaphonist and main composer for Miles Davis's most innovative band in the '60's, followed by the co-leader of the great Weather Report fusion group in the 70's.

His current quartet consisted of an incredibly fluent pianist Danillo Perez (first time I have heard him), the great John Pattitucci on bass, and Brian Blades playing drums. They played only about 4 or 5 extended compositions, for less than 1 1/2 hour. Leaving us yearning for more. The musicianship was just incredible. Perez in constant motion on piano, laying the groundwork for Shorters sparse yet perfect playing (especially his beautiful stoccato phrasing on soprano sax). Pattitucci's pyrotechnics and melodic acoustic bass added a full deep tone to the quartet, and Blades wild playing of his entire set, constantly changing between sticks, mallots, and even bare hands. It seemed they were all always soloing, yet never soloing...Very free, "out there" playing, yet within a compositional framework that often blended jazz, ballads and classical influences.

We ended up at Black-Eyed Sallys... a blues club in Hartford. Good food and drink. The group played a so-so blues set, that got a little tiring after a while. I guess it would be pretty difficult to follow up musically, after the incredible performance of Shorter's Quartet.

Yes! My DSL is back. Last Friday, a thunderstorm took out our DSL... fried some wiring in the house. Also smoked a microwave oven, DVD player, an ethernet hub, maybe screwed up Dave's computers, a telephone, a lamp, some light switches... whew! Loosin' the DSL, though really sucked. Had to live with dial-up connection for 4 days... thought I was gonna die!!! Mother Nature took away my geek toys... life's tough!

Guess its safe to talk of it now. The nightmare of the last couple of months is nearly over. I'm talking about my employment at Miller Johnson Printing. The company has been in a financial downward spiral. Its been an extremely unpleasant place to work. New management will come in shortly, and it was obvious that I was not going to play a role in the companies future.

The search for a new job was long and difficult, but at last a deal was struck. I was offered a position as Vice President of Technology at Sweet Waverly Printing. A fine company of good people, making sound business decisions, in need of getting to the next technological level... and I'm the guy to do it!

Good bye and good ridence to (the new) Miller Johnson... Hello, Sweet Waverly. I anxiously await meeting the challenge ahead. Its a new beginning for me, and I intend to make the best of it!

The full story has yet to be told. Perhaps it is best to wait till a clean break has been made... Stay tuned to the Brain Drain for further details!

Rolled my own Sushi this morning for a Memorial day party this afternoon. I knew those techniques perfected in the '70s would come in handy!! Made California rolls, smoked salmon rolls and Brooklyn rolls (lox 'n cream cheese). A new experience!

Me used to be angry young man
Me hiding me head in the sand
You gave me the word
I finally heard
I'm doing the best that I can
I've got to admit it's getting better
A little better all the time (can't get no worse)

Lennon, McCartney - Beatles - Getting Better

Very likely will get some good news today...been patiently working towards this for a long time. I feel great sense of anticipation.

There must be some kinda way outta here.
Said the joker to the thief.
There's too much confusion.
I can't get no relief.

Bob Dylan - "All Along The Watchtower"

How about my Mom. An incredible woman. Suffered two strokes. Last one less than a month ago. According to Dad's last report, she is already up and walking on her own with a cane. She fought back like a prize fighter... down but not out. Just worked her butt off, excersize, physical therapy. She did it quietly, unassumingly, no complaints, no self-pity, never looking for sympathy. Through all this Mom has kept her great sense of humor, upbeat demeanor...a real inspiration. Love you Mom!

Time to rant on the Catholic church, and the service we attended. At the mass for Bobby's funeral yesterday, the priest conducted his service with a complete lack of emotion. He delivered his prayers and sermon in a monotoned drone. There was no attempt to memorialize Bob, no gesture to console the family, no spiritual message relating to Bob's life or death (and there were many opportunities to do so). Just a dull verbatum reciting of biblical verses and prayers. The alter boys (one of which I consider a friend) went about their work in an emotionless robotic like trance, while the paritioners knealt on cue and marched single-file to the alter to receive communion like hypnotized cult members. It was all so uninspired and lacked any spirituality. It was just appauling.

Start with this as my impression of Catholisism... add to that what we have learned about Priest's passions for violating young boys... and, I can't for the life of me understand why Catholisism remains so popular! I guess they have just mastered the art of brain-washing the masses, generation after generation. I will probably burn in hell for eternity for such blasphemous statements. Forgive me.

Bobby's wake... absolutely incredible. Maybe 1500 attendees. Everyone came out to pay tribute to Bob. The Union, the runners, the parachutests. All who knew him wanted to be there and pay their respects. He was that kind of guy.

Funeral... The priest really blew this one! This guy knew nothing about the family, of Bob's heroics, of what Bob meant to others (obviously, not even caring enough to find out beforehand). There was no tribute to Bobby in this ceremony, only sanctimoneous evangelizing of Jesus Christ. Thankfully Bobby's sister gave a heartfealt eulogy at the end of the service. It was a beautiful day at the cemetery, and his parachuting buddies did a flyover at the grave site. Touching and sad moment.

My tribute (and my way of dealing with the sadness) was to run in solitude, and push myself to the limit. I think that's what Bob would do in a similar situation. Can't get over that we will never see him again. So sad for Lisa and the Kids.

Good friend Bob Bonadies died suddenly when his parachute failed to open. He fell 12,000 feet to his death. This may have happened while trying to help his student deploy her own chute. Bob lived life to the max, and perished doing what he loved most. We will always remember you, Bob. We love you Lisa.

Isn't it strange how the warm glow of vacation quickly vanishes and gives way to the harsh reality of day to day making a living grrrrrrrr!

Regarding that its getting more and more intollerable. I have a strategy for dealing with the situation, and I am dogedly pursuing that endeavor. I am being cryptic at the moment, but maybe someday the tale will be told on the Brain Drain.

I think my obsession with weight loss has been a mental diversion from the stress of my work situation. Now that I have reached my weight goal (and way beyond), I can't seem to let go... it has been a struggle to stop loosing weight, and go back to eating normally. Damn, a strange problem deal with.

Ahhh! Vacation. Just what the doctor ordered. Having a great time. Barbs place is great! Hittin' the fitness center daily for a hard workout... then the pool. Then the beach, then out to dinner... you get the idea! Caught a great Fla. Marlins game. Couldn't be better. Off to the beach again...

Put up my weight loss web page. Lots of referals to my web site are from people searching for info on calculating Weight Watcher food points. That info is now here.

Its been a real stressful couple of days. Not going into detail here, but I just barely saved my job, and I was forced cut someone elses. A close associate and friend. Sometimes, making a living can suck.

Been stepping up the excersize. Ran 2 miles, power-walked 2 more. I have found that this is the best stress reliever. Eating only lasts while your doing it, and drinking can provide relief untill you crash... but excersize really does melt away that stress.

Long time, no post. Been extremely busy. Feel good, feel healthy, feel upbeat. Been excersizing, eating good, feel like I am at the top of my game (right now, anyway... all that could change in a heartbeat). Seen some good movies. Finished up the dreaded taxes. Still feel optimistic about possible changes comin' down the road, maybe for me and the wifey (more on that later, maybe).

Of course, Fantasy Baseball in full swing. I am in 3 leagues, and commish 2 of them. Even started one up with all my Internet WW friends from the GoaD BBS. At the moment I am in 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the 3 leagues... pretty cool.

ONE MORE WEEK till Vacation. Boy, I am looking forward to that. Already gettin ready. Bought some luggage, took out some clothes and bathing suits. Gotta cop some tix for a Marlins game. Wooooohoooo.

Haven't posted here in many days. A lot has been happening, some good, some bad, some not meant for posting here (at least not at this time). Here is some of the good.

Attended a breakfast at Rockville High to celebrate, as the principal said "The best and brightest" of RHS - Kids that made High Honors. And, do you believe it? Both our kids were being honored! Here is a picture from the event.

Took the afternoon off friday to go to Quinnipiac University. We were all impressed by the school. The small class size and community, the well equipped communications lab, the emphasis on student development. As opposed to UCONN, the large student population and class sizes, not really having the Communications program that Dave wants... maybe Quinny is a better fit for Dave. Quinny would be VERY expensive, it would be much more difficult to fund for 4 years. But, this might be the most important investment that we can make. This experience could shape his entire adult life.