The Empirical Manifesto

I won't bore you with the details of this particular adventure. Suffice it to say from the time we were released early from work on Thursday due to the ice storm which hit most of the midwest, I was on the phone day and night for the next three days with multiple trips to work initially preparing for productivity without electricity and finally bringing up the environment once power was restored. I'm taking a much needed day off, as I haven't really had one all weekend. I know, "Wah." But between my family not having power and trying to field all the calls at work, it was exhausting.

All right stop, Collaborate and listen

Special thanks to galinda822 who hosted my family during the power outtage. We showed up early to watch BSG at her house and the kids played online games on her computer. The wife and kids slept in relative warmth and comfort that evening at her home. For some dumb reason, I wanted to 'hold down the fort' at the house and slept in my bed. It was 46-degrees when I awoke. Brrr.

Ice is back with my brand new invention

Of course work woke me up and after a quick office visit, I arrived onsite at galinda's to whip up buckwheat pancakes and eggs. Her frying pan is so awesome, and her spatula so thin, I was able to create amazing eggs over easy for the ladies. Later, when galinda & my wife went shopping, and my children were looking for some activities to participate in outside, I decided to do something I had never had reason to do before. I shoveled snow. Well, I attempted to. Because the two-inches of snow were atop two-inches of ice, it was quite the effort. Either way, I was not only successful in this endeavor, I was able to provide my body the workout I would have otherwise missed that day. Thanks galinda for having us!

Something grabs a hold of me tightly

I'd handed out my business card to all my neighbors so they'd have my cell phone. I rec'd the call at approximately 1400 that our power was back on. Not too bad, really, considering all the other neighborhoods which were still without. My wife's cousin Troy was deployed from Wichita to Saint Louis to augment the power company in getting the rest of the city restored. His 'peacetime' mission is as a registered Tree Doctor. During emergency times, however, he's a civil engineer who travels to trouble spots with a team to get entire cities up and running. He was able to stop by last night for a nice visit after work. I asked him if he thought there were any demographics involved in having brought up out neighborhood three days prior to other neighborhoods and he looked at me as if I were dumb for asking. I feel that out of everyone who could afford to replace the entire contents of their refrigerator, and afford to leave town, or take off work or stay in a hotel that we should really be the last ones to have our power restored. The poorer neighborhoods don't really have that option. Sorry, just me in a flash of liberalism.

Then I flow like a harpoon daily and nightly

I dreamed last night I was oiling my rod in front of drax0r & vember as they were having a conversation. I was the size of a pr0n-star but they wouldn't be distracted, even while including me in their conversation. It took both my hands. I was quite proud.

Will it ever stop? Yo - I don't know

I'm getting rid of the Bengal's. We're having a singularly unique problem that we have yet been able to solve, and that the cats have not grown out of yet. My wife has been frustrated with this for months, but I've been able to push it off. I lost that battle last week, when Niobe urinated on little girl's Cinderella, Tinkerbell, Snow White, and [some other Disney] Princess dress. I've carved out a Gallery Album for them here. They'll be going back to their brothers and sisters. I will miss them something fierce.

Turn off the lights and I'll glow

Called ProfessorTom yesterday afternoon and my wife and I had a nice chat with him. I guess we talked about half an hour or so. The bastard hadn't posted in so long I felt he deserved some verbal abuse. As is usual for Mr. Tom, his basket runneth over. I think this also marks the first time my wife has acknowledged his presence. So we should write that down or something.

To the extreme I rock a mic like a vandal

And lastly, I read a book to my daughter last night where a boy went on an overnight cruise with six girls. It didn't seem a very age-appropriate subject. The title of this little gem was 'Strawberry Shortcake meets Rainbow Sherbert."

Light up a stage and wax a chump like a candle.