It?s been several days since I have updated this site. So I have a quite a few things to add. - UT Vols won a good one last Sat against Memphis. Actually, the last several games these two teams have played against each other have been fairly close. It was good to see UT?s running game come alive. We will need a balanced attack against GA this coming weekend. Being a UT fan and living in GA, this is an important game for me. Ainge is really getting confident (sometimes a bit too confident). - Oak Ridge lost their game ? very surprising. I don?t think the head coach is going to have a long career at OR if he doesn?t get the team to become more consistent. I?m glad they beat Jeff County ? and they have to beat Farragut. - I added a slip on grip cover to my Glock. It makes a big difference in how the gun feels in my hand. Much more secure. Easier to pull back the slide. And I believe it helps with reduced recoil. - My wife has started her part time job. I hope it will be a good thing for her. The extra money will come in handy ? just so we can feel a bit more comfortable with buying extras. - The other day, my son pushed my thumb all the way back to my wrist. We were wrestling. I heard my daughter cry (she sounded hurt). She was also in Nick?s room but as I was busy with Nick pouncing on me, I didn?t see what happened to make her cry. So I told Nick to stop for a second. He didn?t listen to me. He saw that as an opportunity to get me. As I was standing up to go check on my daughter, he tried to surprise me and ended up grabbing my thumb. It was an accident ? but the point is that he didn?t listen to me. My thumb and hand turned nearly black (from bruising). It has been very sore. By Sunday (yesterday), it started to get better, but I accidentally hit it and it has been hurting worse again. I know the thumb is not broken, but I think a ligament was torn. And it did negatively affect my eight lifting. I hope it gets better soon. - I had gone easy for one week with the weights (sometimes it?s a good idea to give your muscles a bit extra rest). Last night, the 300 lbs was fairly easy to bench. I almost got 350 lbs ? very, very close. I do wish I was bigger though, but I don?t think I will get much bigger. At 42, I think I have come close to peaking. Kind of disappointing. - Over the weekend I spent a good amount of time surfing for best prices on 9mm ammo, but I have to say (begrudgingly) that WalMart still has the best prices. - I need to fix the yard edger. I meant to work on it over the weekend but never got to it. Maybe I will have time today, but I doubt it. Stacey works this evening and Nathan has a ball game. Maybe Tuesday afternoon I can get to it. - I need to find some type of defensive weapon for Stacey to have in her purse. I feel it could be potentially dangerous for her when she gets off work at 10:00PM (or later). As long as she walks to her car with someone else, I feel she will be safe. But I would rather her have some kind of pepper sprayer (or mace sprayer) in her purse. I gave her my brightest flashlight (125 lumens). It is extremely bright and could temporarily blind an assailant. I also put in extra batteries in her purse. - I highly recommend the Surefire brand of flashlight. Top quality in design (best pure white beam I have ever seen) and build/quality. With my points, I will get the defender II model. - I had a new front sight put on my Glock. It helps. When I went shooting Sat morning, I learned a couple of things with how better to aim. And last week, I learned an improved shooting stance/new way to hold the pistol with both hands. I am looking forward to going shooting again as soon as possible. - I am worried about my brother. I am concerned he will not get his job back ? that the strike will cause permanent problems. I am praying for him. - My father-in-law seems to be recovering well from his bypass surgery. But he needs to continue to be careful with his recouping ? he shouldn?t get too eager to do things he shouldn?t yet do. I wonder if he will need/want to change his life some. Stacey told me that some woman told him, ?you don?t care for anyone but yourself, do you Richard.? He needs to figure out some things and get on with changing some parts of his lifestyle.
Additional:
I left work on time today (2:00PM) and made it home in 30 minutes - this is a very good time - I should say "score" because I think o fmy drive times almost s a competition. I made it home in time to meet my two youngest kids at the bus stop. I pulled in the garage, brought in my lunch pail and my fat boy pack, cleaned out my lunch pail (I laughingly call it that - it is actually one of those old Igloo coolers - I got it as a high school graduation gift from the next door neighbor). I empited my pockets in my desk drawer, put my Glock in my pocket and walked down to the bus stop. (Note: I keep my pistol concealed on me - I DO have a legal license to carry it!!). My 6 yr old daughter always come running up to me for me to pick her up and toss her in my arms. I love that.
One thing strange happened. My next door neighbor (who is sometiems friendly, sometimes not) was especially unfriendly when I saw him at the bus stop. I nodded and spoke to him and he turned and walked off. Pretty damn rude. I'm sorry but I have noticed a lot of the people living around here are snobby. But at least the neighbor across the steeet spoke to me.
Typical day at work too - my boss did not say one word to me all day. Some manager!! I sat in my office and busted it all day long. My wife tells me that I am not firendly enough, that I need to smile more. I tried it for a while (felt like a damn fool the whole time walking around smiling) but it didn't seem to help. Not too many friendly people at work. Most are either busy brown nosing, but some really work hard. The only good thing to happen in a while is that more people are coming to me for help on all sorts of different things. I do like that.
I've got to get my kids started on their homework. And my 9 yr old has a ball game this eve.
I will stop here. More later.
In this edition, I want to discuss my arthritis.
I had MRI's taken a few weeks ago. Last Friday I found out the results. Multiple tears in cartilage, both knees and both shoulders. The rotator cuff in my right shoulder is so worn out, the arm slips up and down (in and out) in a very painful way. In some areas, the cartilage is practically gone. The Dr categorized my level of arthritis in these areas as a three (on a one to four scale, with one being "mild pain" and four being "stay in the bed pain").
I can have some minor surgery to help clean up the scarring in the cartilage. But honestly, aside from helping to reduce swelling, I don't think it would help too much. When I get older, I will have both knees replaced. The Dr. says for now the best treatment is regular pain management and quarterly steroid shots. I am also working with the Dr on pain management.
Oh well. It could have been much worse.
I think I will continue to build up muscle around all these joints. Maybe this will help some. The damage is being done anyway.
So, I can currently bench 300 lbs (now I know at least eight times) Not too bad for a 42 yr old skinny white punk. I'm working on 380 lbs (that's my goal/the weight bench's limit). I'll continue to exercise in a slow and careful manner so as not to jolt or tear anything, but to build support. Like I said, I go very slow and with good form. The proper form can make all the difference between a bit of gain or a lot of pain. I have to decide about some of the exercises (to determine which ones are ok, which ones I should not do). I will continue to work out my core (very important): crunches (front crunches on a swiss ball, side crunches on the floor, no full situps) - to keep a size 35 waist, pushups (slow, detail-oriented reps - not high numbers) (I once did over 1500 pushups in just over one hour). I'm not sure about suicide presses (using dumbbells - typical 60 lbs workout weight). Bicep curls (50 lbs workout weight, up to 80 lbs for final sweat poppers) may have to go. Any overhead lifting will stop. Shoulder lunges stop. Tricep pushes will continue. And walking. At least I am cutting down the time it takes to exercise.... I feel very depressed about having to cut back. I have really enjoyed this stuff.
So yes, this bothers me quite a bit. Oh well, I will get over it.
It is interesting that all the time I have spent on upper body (and not on the lower body) doesn't seem to have made much negative difference with the aches and pains I now face. I currently weigh 196 lbs (at 6'1"). I wonder what I'll weigh in one month....
I'll quit whining. More later.
My son Nathan
several years ago
(in the red shirt).
This is one of my
favorite photos
of him.
2001, in Big South
Fork - on the
one yr anniversary
of my dad's death.
My brotherand I went hiking -
my dad loved to
hike.
My favorite pistol:
My home defense:
Second post - thought I would see what it's like to write in the eve.
Since I get up week morning pretty early (4:30AM), I go to bed kind of early. I don't watch much tv but I do like to read. Lately I have been reading books by:
Lee Child, Nelson DeMille, Wilbur Smith. I also read a good deal about guns, techno information to learn more.
My gola is to own a store back in my home town of Oak Ridge Tn. The store would msotly be an indoor shooting range. I would like to also sell guns, ammo, knives and related equipment. I am trying to figure out if it might work. I am learning about how to create a business case, with federal loan backing. But first, I am trying to figure out if that town would financially support such a business. More on this later.
Since it is 6:40PM, I need to circuit the kids to see how the homeowrk is going. Then I plan to exercise. Then to bed.
Sometime I will write about my nightly ordeals - trying to sleep, my dreams, my thoughts. It can get kind of hairy.
My name is Neil. I am 42 years old. The most important thing to me is my family, my wife and children. I have three kids, ages 6 (girl), 9 (boy) and 12 (boy). My life fairly much rotates around for them. I am proud to be a husband and father.
I never knew if I wanted children, but when my wife became pregnant the first time (she ended up miscarrying), I knew my life needed this change. This may sound strange, but I am still not completely over the miscarriage (which occured in 1993).
I work full-time. I used to have a job I was proud of - manager over a group of technical writers. I enjoyed that job. The globalization efforts of my company eliminated that department and I was lucky enough to keep a job with the company. I say "lucky" because I make a pretty good salary (especially for someone who needs to finish his BS). I have an AS degree and am fairly close to getting the BS, but right now, I'm fighting the need to finish the BS - mostly because I think it is "BS."
My current job is ok. I sit at a computer and create schedules and keep a close eye on fairly important items for my company. I used to be known as a "fast riser" or "high potential" employee, but somehow I screwed this up and now my opinions are not as imprantant to upper mgmt. Back when I was thought of as a top notch employee, I was awarded the company's President's award (top honors for my company - it was really a big deal). I'm not sure how I since screwed up. I am not "liked" as I once was. I am no longer one of "the guys" people counted on. But I guess as long as they pay my salary I will stay. The best part of my job involves my schedule - my boss (who does not like me - hey, maybe this is where the "shunted" feelings come from) allows me to come in early (between 5 and 5:30AM EST) and leave around 2:30PM. Since being transferred to Atlanta, I am fairly tight on how late I stay each day. This is for two reasons - the later I stay, the traffic gets MUCH worse, and I want to be home for my kids. Maybe this is one of the reasons I am on the "bad" list - because I do not stay at work until 8PM every evening, brown nosing the VP's. But my time with my kids is too important for this stuff. Perhaps I should move on, but I don't think I am ready to do this. More on this later.
I was transferred from Knoxville, TN to the Atlanta facility in June 0f 2005. This was a VERY tough transition for me - personally. If my kids and wife weren't with me, I wouldn't have made it.
My hobbies include (in no specific order): whatever sports or interests my kids are into at any given time, my guns (I love to shoot and I am very responsible with my guns), weight lifting.
I am a Christian. I don't know how I could function without Christ by my side.
I live in a nice house (much nicer than I dreamed I could ever have). I hate to admit it, but I am proud to have made it possible to buy such a house. I know I should not be proud. But I am mostly proud for my wife and kids. Our house is four bedroom, three baths, two story. The master bedroom has a fireplace, setting room and vaulted ceilings. The bathroom for this bedroom is bigger than the master bedroom of my first house.
INSERT - After reviewing this part, I started feeling very guilty because I bragged and did not add a "thank you" to God for making all these good things possible. Please forgive me Father for being proud and for not giving you the thanks you so much deserve.I have a strong case of OCD. I will get into that later.
I own a nice collection of guns. I have a legal concealed carry permit - and I do carry most times. Mostly, I carry my Glock 9mm (model 19). It is a very good pistol. Great design, shoots well (I'm a decent shot) and easy to clean and oil. I am not some kind of "lunatic" runnign around with a gun. This needs to be clear. I carry for two reasons: to protect my family, and to support my rights as a citizen of this country (as the 2nd Amendment give me the right to do so).
I have bad arthritis and my knees and shoulders are torn up - a lot of torn cartlidge, etc. My Dr explained that my arthritis is categorized as a three out of four (with one being "cold weather affected" and four being "bed-ridden"). My hands are starting to go. I just found this info out last Friday, but so far it really hasn't bothered me. I still lift weights. I can bench 340 lbs. I am trying to get to 380 lbs. (the max my weight bench can handle). I can bench 300 lbs at least five times. Not bad for a 42 year old, skinny, white boy. The problem is that I stay sore - and I take medicines to help with the pain (and to fall asleep). This is spooky (I will explain later).
I was born fairly poor, categorized as a poor, white trash kid, raised in a semi-rough part of town. My birthplace (and the town I lived in until I was 40) is Oak Ridge, Tennessee. I knew at an early age I was poor and seen as trash. It bothered me some. But I finally figured out that studying in college would greatly help me. I did and now I make a good salary. I am not rich - far from it (and I don't really care if I ever get "rich"). I am a lot better off than I ever dreamed I would be (I sure hope I don't jinx myself and go broke today since I've mentioned these things). But we get by pretty well. I have (knock on wood) maintained a great credit rating and I am not in debt up to my eyeballs (though the money does go by very quickly). I am paying for two vehicles, and I keep the typical bills and costs. Attn any thieves: Don't get any idea you can rip me off - I keep a close eye on my accounts and bills. We get the kids what they need (and a lot of what they want). My kids are very well behaved and are not spoiled at all (I am very adamant about raising them properly).
One more note - I am very protective of my wife and kids. Their safety and well-being are most important. I love my family very much. I can't wait to see my kids this afternoon and evening. But trust me, none of us are perfect. I do need to include some explaination about my twelve year old. Hopefully by writing this stuff down, I can better figure out how his mind works so that I can help him more. For the most part, my kids are normal, well balanced kids. But my twelve yr old has some issues. It is my responsibility to help him in every way possible. I do not want him growing up with the same insecurities and problems I had/have. I want him to be happy. I will get into that more.
I have spent enough time at this for now. I will definitely come back to it. It feels good to write down things. I have a lot to say and to try to explain. Maybe it will do me good to try to explain my craziness. I will get into this more later.
I will try to figure out how to make thisi "blog" viewable (I guess I want it to be found by people searching these sites). I would like to have a couple of honest pen pals.
A little bit more about myself: Christian, conservative (I like to argue current affairs), gun owner, 6'1", 196 lbs, size 35 waist, my hair is starting to get a bit thin in the back but I still have a full head of hair, green eyes, dark brown hair, semi-techno, fully hetero, love 70's rock (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zep), and I like to joke. My two worst habits are: I still smoke (ultra lites) and I drive like my ass is on fire.
That's it for now.
