Phil Jackson Visit June 29, 2008
Posted by emuleman in Thoughts, Work.Tags: chicago bulls, harley-davidson, los angeles lakers, personal, phil jackson
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Phil Jackson with Sales Manager Allan Frank
Well today at work we had a visit from Phil Jackson, the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, and former coach of the Chicago Bulls. Jackson guided the Lakers to three titles in his first stint as their head coach from 1999-2004, and guided the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships in his nine years as head coach from 1989-1998.
His former player from the Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan wanted to purchase a brand new Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycle as a gift for Mr. Jackson for being inducted into the basketball hall of fame. Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time, and was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation, and was instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s.
My first impression was that I couldn’t believe how tall he was. He made everyone seem small standing next to him. He impressed everyone with how friendly and down to earth he is. It was very exciting for us all to see him walk into the store, and was the highlight for everyone today.
Phil Jackson with Alex
Phil Jackson with Nadya
Angel’s Graduation Party June 21, 2008
Posted by emuleman in Family.Tags: BBQ, Family, niece, Samoan
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Well today Monica and I and of course baby Kyle went to Angel’s graduation party. Angel is my niece. My sister Tina is married to Kimo, who is Samoan. In usual Samoan style they threw a very big party. Several Samoan relatives also graduated, so the party was for a total of five people, which meant there was quite a lot of people and they had to throw a big party. They rented out the clubhouse in my sisters complex.
There was a huge BBQ, and my Brother in law Kimo was busy grilling everything from steak, chicken and short ribs. If that wasn’t enough food they topped it off with a full size roast pig. I don’t think I have seen so much food in one place before. My best guess was that there was at least 125 people there. They had a bouncer for the young kids to play in, and a D.J. playing some good party music for the rest of us. It was a very fun event.
Congratulations to my niece Angel. She told me she wants to study in the medical field, and we all wish her success in her new endeavor! Thanks to my Sister and her family for hosting such a wonderful party!
John McCain Wants You, Baby Alex June 19, 2008
Posted by emuleman in Thoughts.Tags: Iraq, John McCain, moveon.org, politics
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Have you seen the new ad that Moveon.org has produced? It is designed to make you believe that if John McCain is elected President poor baby Alex who is still in diapers is heading to Iraq. It almost is too outrageous to believe, but it is an actual ad. Take a look for yourself.
Once again they are trying to manipulate people and steer them away from the real issues. They took John McCains comments and distort them into something else. The basic premise of the ad was a conversation between Senator McCain and the late Tim Russert last January. McCain told Russert that U.S. troops are needed around the world, but we have to keep them safe. The Q-and-A went like this:
Russert: President Bush has talked about our staying in Iraq for 50 years.
McCain: Maybe 100. We’ve been in South Korea and Japan for 60 years. That’s fine with me as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed.
John McCain’s infamous “100 years” quote has been played out and taken out of context for far too long. We all know the point Senator McCain was making: that we may have a troop presence in Iraq long after the war is over. His suggestion was that Iraq would become a country like Germany, Japan, or South Korea, home to an American military presence meant to keep the peace and show the flag. It’s the same point Barack Obama has made when he said a military presence would be necessary even after he has pulled out combat troops. Moveon.org is entering dangerous territory by lowering the political dialogue to the level that they have.
I am glad I am smart enough to know that my son Kyle is safe from being sent to Iraq, even if McCain becomes the next President. We all know that the U.S. Military is a completely voluntary service, and I seriously hope that the major conflict and senseless killing in Iraq will be over by the time Kyle reaches the recruitment age of eighteen.
So rest assure, John McCain is not going to snatch baby Kyle from the arms of his mom and force him to go to war. But if Kyle does grow up and become a soldier, both Monica and I and ninety year old retired President McCain will be very proud of him for his choice of public service. 
Happy Kyle June 13, 2008
Posted by emuleman in Family.Tags: Family, life, son
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Not much new information to post today. I came home from work and Kyle seemed to be in a pretty good mood. I grabbed the digital camera and he seemed happy to talk. He seems fascinated with the camera, and just stares into it, ignoring anything else around him. Maybe he will be a movie star, huh?
Monica started feeding him green peas today, and I guess it was a roaring success. Kyle seems to enjoy everything we feed him, and doesn’t mind eating at all. Seems he has a love for food like his Dad.
Sad news about Tim Russert’s death today. Only 58 years old. It goes to show that you never know the time or place when death will happen. You need to remember that from time to time. It makes you appreciate all the important things in your life. Your family, and friends and your life. We all get so busy and tend to forget the really important things. The rest of the stuff really isn’t all that important.
Becoming a Dad just changes your attitude a bit. I realize that I don’t want to miss out on Kyle’s growing up. I want to be a big part in his life , and want to try and be the best Dad that I can.
It’s hard to not get wrapped up in all the stressful unimportant priorities in your job, and unnecessary worry. Lately once I get home, irritated from being stuck in traffic and upset about being home 30 minutes later than usual , everything melts away when I see my son Kyle talking to me. I realize all the rest is really not that important.
I took this video after coming home late from work. I am so lucky to have a wonderful wife and son. Such a perfect little family.
Ten websites to waste time when you are bored June 11, 2008
Posted by emuleman in pc games.Tags: bored, stupid, waste time, websites
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How many times have you been hanging around either waiting for something or just plain bored? I have found several interesting website that can keep you occupied for hours. I will suggest that nobody try these games while at work. You might lose track of time and end up getting fired! Some are more fun and challenging than others, and some are just plain stupid. I have included a list that should easily waste several hours of your life. Just click on the name of the game to try and play these games yourself. But be careful, you will waste time!
I have just posted a part 2 of ten additional websites to waste time on. Please make sure to check them out at this link here.
Ever want to design your own Roller Coaster? Well if so this game is for you! Produced to teach children about physics and g-forces, Roller Coaster puts you in the shoes of an intrepid theme park designer who must build a big dipper that thrills but doesn’t make the passengers throw up, or worse, black out.
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If you like clicking bubble wrap till there is no more to click, you will love this! Your computer screen can become a giant piece of warp and you can satisfyingly click all the bubbles till there are none left. Fear not though, you can create a new sheet by clicking on “Fresh sheet”. If you are feeling nervous, then there is a manic mode where the bubbles will pop simply by waving your mouse over them. Empty headed and aimless fun, I love it!
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“Senses Challenge” is on-line test provided by BBC, where you can test your previously learned knowledge on various optical illusions. They call them optical illusions for a reason, so don’t get too frustrated. It’s all for fun, remember?
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This game is fun, but gets harder as you complete the different levels. All you need to do is CLICK AND DRAG pieces to move them. Pieces can only be moved forward and backward. Get the blue piece out the exit.
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This will take you a long time to complete for two reasons. Firstly, there are lots of “questions” to answer. Secondly, if you get something wrong you have to go all the way back to the beginning. If you have any sort of work-shy tenacity then you won’t be able to resist starting all over again.
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Netdisaster really is simple. After you type in the address of the site you want to destroy, you can select any number of disasters from the drop-down menu. The rest of the fields, like whether you can control the destruction or whether the destruction is self-repairing, depends on the type of disaster you want to see. Some disasters even have sounds. When you load the disaster, you’re taken to the site you submitted and a toolbar is added to the top of the screen. From the toolbar, you can reload the site, to change the disaster. There are so many choices that it could take hours to look at all of them, and decide which websites to demolish.
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Use your mouse to guide your black square around the screen, picking up other black squares along the way Try to avoid red squares. Pick up as many black circles as possible for extra points or bonuses. Red circles give you penalties – like evil squares, increased speed, biq square of minus 1000 points. A very fun game that is very addicting.
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You played with it as a child, but why stop there? We know you crave to create, so we’ve built a computer Lite-Brite for the peg artist inside all of us.
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What can I say about this one. Our soon to be departed President is free falling down on bubbles. You need to help move the President as he falls down. You can also choose Hillary, Obama or McCain.
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Make sure your sound is turned on for this one. After all the horses appear, click a horse to make him start or stop his part. Mix and match for unlimited musical possibilities! (Well, ok, after a while it doesn’t seem very unlimited).
Well there you have it. Hope you have fun for hours playing around with these websites and do nothing but waste your time.
Kyle’s new haircut June 9, 2008
Posted by emuleman in Family.Tags: Family, haircut, life
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Well this past Saturday June 7th 2008 Monica decided it was time for our son to get a much needed haircut. With the help of her Grandfather they proceeded to trim his hair with a electric trimmer.
I knew that maybe they cut it a little short when Monica called me at work. She told me that they just cut his hair. I said that’s great. She then told me I better not call him a “peeled egg”. That term is a favorite of my Mom’s whenever someone gets their hair cut a little shorter than expected. I knew right then that it was cut a little too short.
Well he still looks cute, even with the “peeled egg” haircut. At least his hair seems to grow quite fast. We have already given him four haircuts, and he is just turning five months old next week. I am also thinking that the hot months of summer are coming, and he will be more comfortable with less hair. Sometimes we used to pick him up from the crib or his bouncy seat only to find the back of his head very hot and wet with sweat. Now since his haircut he seems to be happier and not as hot and sweaty.
I will let you all be the judge on whether his haircut makes him look like a “peeled egg”. Here is a short video of Kyle we made today highlighting his new look. Enjoy.
Recession fears threaten workers vacation plans June 6, 2008
Posted by emuleman in Family.Tags: economy, recession, vacation
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Experts offer 10 ways to take a necessary break
The slowdown in the U.S. economy is threatening a necessity for workers: vacations.
According to the annual Yahoo! HotJobs vacation survey, 51% of respondents said they plan to skip taking a vacation this year, opting to save money instead.
Not a Frivolous Matter
“Vacations are usually the first thing to go when people feel job or economic pressure,” says Joe Robinson, a trainer in work-life balance and author of “Work to Live.” He continues, “We’re programmed to believe that free time is worthless, a frill to shove aside, but vacations are as important as watching your cholesterol or getting exercise.”
Skipping a vacation can also be bad for your employer.
Milo and Thuy Sindell, founders of Hit the Ground Running and authors of “Job Spa,” say, “You are not helpful to the company and your coworkers when you are not operating at full capacity. Vacations help you to get rejuvenated to come back to work at full capacity.”
Make It Work With Less
For those tempted to skip vacation this year due to financial worries, experts recommend the following tips:
- Remind yourself: Vacation is not a luxury. “You owe it to yourself, your family, and your company to take care of yourself by stepping out of the office for at least a few days at a time,” says Liz Bywater, president of the Bywater Consulting Group, which helps improve organizational performance.
- Put aside some funds each week. “Even $50 a week [or less] can add up and make your trip happen,” says Robinson.
- Plan leisure activities near home. “Stay at home and read, garden, hike, jog, bike, or whatever you like to do but never have enough time for during the weekends,” say the Sindells. “Or be a tourist in your own city.”
- Try home-swapping. You can swap with someone you know in another city, or use an online service, such as homexchange.com or even vrbo.com (Vacation Rentals by Owner). “It can have the look and feel of a vacation at a much more affordable housing cost than paying for hotel or resort lodging,” says Michael Haubrich, president of Financial Service Group and an expert in financial planning for career issues.
- Keep the itinerary simple. Travel columnist Donald D. Groff recommends selecting a destination within 200 miles (a three-hour drive) from your home. If you’re traveling by plane, fly nonstop whenever possible. “The sooner you get to your destination, the sooner your relaxation begins,” Groff says.
Stress-Busting Strategies
The economic downturn is also adding to workers’ stress levels. Nearly a third of the respondents (31%) are worried by how the economy is affecting their workplaces, and 34% said they feel pressure to improve their performance for fear of being laid off.
With 55% of respondents admitted to being “burned out” by work, stress and fatigue add another threat to vacations. Experts say you can prevent the threat in the following ways:
- Start small. “Start with an afternoon off to do something you really enjoy, even if it’s just a walk at the beach or a visit to a farmer’s market,” says Beth A. Levin, author of “Making a Richer, More Fulfilling Life a Reality.”
- If planning is a burden, don’t. “Instead of planning a vacation, just take time off to be at home and figure it out each day as you go,” the Sindells suggest.
- Enlist back-up support. Ask a trusted coworker to back you up while you’re away and offer to return the favor, Bywater suggests. “It’s much easier to relax when you know someone’s got you covered.”
- Choose according to what you need. You may need a peaceful retreat from stress, or you may benefit from something more active and exciting. “Avoid the kind of vacation that will leave you even more exhausted than before,” she adds.
- Give yourself a deadline. “Stop thinking about it and just do it,” says Bywater. “Think of it as ‘doctor’s orders.’”
Source: Tom Musbach, Yahoo! HotJobs
Ed McMahon, 85, Fights Foreclosure on Multimillion-Dollar Home June 4, 2008
Posted by emuleman in Family.Tags: foreclosure, mcmahon, recession
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Just another indication that our economy is in a recession…….Erik
Ed McMahon, who for decades appeared as Johnny Carson’s sidekick on “The Tonight Show,” is fighting to avoid foreclosure on his multimillion-dollar Beverly Hills home, according to published reports.
He was $644,000 behind on payments on $4.8 million in mortgage loans when a unit of Countrywide Financial Corp. filed a default notice Feb. 28 with the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office, The Wall Street Journal first reported late Tuesday.
McMahon, 85, has been unable to work as a pitchman for various products since he broke his neck 18 months ago, said his spokesman, Howard Bragman.
“There are plenty of people affected by the weak economy, bad housing market or bad health,” Bragman said.
McMahon has been in “very fruitful discussions” with the lender to resolve the situation, Bragman said. But it’s unclear whether McMahon and his wife, Pamela, will remain in the home.
A spokesman for Countrywide declined comment to the Los Angeles Times.
The six-bedroom, five-bath house is in a hilltop gated community overlooking Mulholland Drive called The Summit and is listed for sale at $6.25 million. It has been on the market two years, according to real estate agent Alex Davis, who has the listing.
Source: Associated Press
L.A. Harley-Davidson Womens Expo June 1, 2008
Posted by emuleman in Work.Tags: expo, harley-davidson, Work
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Today we had our Los Angeles Harley-Davidson Womens Expo at my work. It was quite busy, and we did end up selling a few motorcycles, so overall I would call it a success. Quite a few people showed up, we had motorcycles lined up down the street. We also had a very good band playing Rock n Roll, as well as good food. Thought I would post a few photos for you to enjoy.
Sleepless nights June 1, 2008
Posted by emuleman in Thoughts.Tags: baby, infant, sleep
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Well the last few days have been a challenge. We have had several weeks of Kyle sleeping from bedtime to around 6 a.m. This is usually the time Monica and I get up anyway. But the last week has been different.
Around 4 a.m. Kyle has been waking up and getting fussy in his crib. He isn’t crying, just making weird little sounds as if he is dreaming or irritated. Just enough to wake the both of us up. The doctor told us we need to teach Kyle to self soothe when he gets fussy. That basically means we are to leave him alone and not cater to him. This of course means I cannot get back to sleep until he does. A few times he did managed to fall back asleep within a few minutes, but my sleepless nights continues.
Schatzi has been jealous about us giving Kyle most of our attention. Now at around 4.30-5.00 a.m. she starts to meow right out side our door. This is really getting annoying. She will continue to do this until one of us gets up, opens the door and tells her to shut up. She usually does stop after we tell her to stop.
So now I am already kinda awake, but figure I still have a couple of hours left before I have to get up and get ready for work. Now another fun thing has been happening lately. Ducks!
We live in a complex that has small lakes and streams that makes it very pleasant. We also have quite a few ducks who live here as well. Ducks seem to wake up around 4-5 a.m. just like Kyle and Schatzi. Of course one male duck will challenge another male duck to a territorial dispute right out side our bedroom window. Now I have to deal with loud quacking, and water being splashed around. This usually goes on for a few hours also in the morning.
Anyway it seems I have been running on just a few hours of sleep a day. Usually around 4-5 p.m. I feel as if I am ready to fall asleep. Of course I am at work. Hopefully this routine will end so we can finally get some sleep.
