So it goes...

I've got our friend Susan's laptop as she dropped it off for me to try and rid it of it's nasty virus she picked up. It was called Internet Anti Virus Pro. What it would do is spoof itself as an anti virus scan program that gave false positives about viruses being on the laptop. After a little searching on google, I was able to download a program called Malwarebytes and it successfully removed the bug. It's amazing how you can pick up these nasties no matter how well your puter appears to be protected. In any case, it makes the case again that I should start my own business of "last ditch computing" where people came to me because they couldn't get their puter working. I would attempt to fix it and my price would be related to the level of success I achieved. It would be way cheaper than computer geeks, but wouldn't come with any guarantees. I enjoy it to a certain extent, mostly because I think everyone should be allowed bug free computing. That and ...

Just a short, last post of 2008. The Project AngelTree gift dropoff went fine. A bit underwhelming for me actually. I guess I didn't know what to expect, but what I experienced wasn't it. It felt good to serve though and I'll likely do it again next year. Christmas with the MN Landwehr clan was a blast despite the stomach bug making the rounds. I'll detail that trip tomorrow. Memories of 2008: 1. Poconos/Philly/NY Trip with the Landwehr Clan. A Blast! 2. Canada Trip with Steve and Dave. A Blast with lots of big fish! 3. Erin's Graduation trip with Mom and Steph in Redlands, LA and Santa Barbara. 4. Victoria BC business trip 5. Kalahari with Neufangs/Landwehrs for Thanksmas 6. Growing closer to our Friends Steve & Jill, Brad & Patty 7. Our Tuesday Night Live experiences at Church. Awesome family time! 8. Crystal River Canoe trip with Ben and myself. Bonding time! 9. Stephanie's Graduation Celebration in St. Paul. Congrats Steph! 10. God's Blessings th...

Me and my Niece Gray-Gray. So it's been 3 months since I last blogged. What's a guy to do? I'm a little bit lazy, a little bit busy and my kids dominate the computer. In this busy Christmas season, I wanted to get some of the thoughts from my head onto paper, albeit virtual paper. Did I gripe about last winter on this blog? As I recall, I did...quite a bit. Well, some things never change. Old man winter has struck hard with a vengance this December, and we're still two weeks from being into January. We just dug out from a 12" snowfall yesterday (for 29" in December thus far.) and are looking at another 5-7" tonight into tomorrow. Oh, and Tuesday some more. All I beg for is mercy. Some observations from the storm yesterday. I saw a guy on Fountain Ave. using a shovel on the hood of his car to dig out. A shovel, not a broom. It makes me laugh to think that this may be the same guy that washes his car once a week in the summer. Or, maybe not. Winter seems t...

Those of you who have seen Monty Python will recognize this line. It merely is my attempt to kick start myself into writing again. Somebody needs to kick me into gear. I will try, honest. Blogging off, hopefully not for the last time. :-) Jim

As a family, we watched the Marx Brothers in "A Day at the Races" last night. I love those old movies and I think it's important to expose the kids to them. The humor in them is so pure. Some innuendo that goes over the heads of the kids, but for the most part its Groucho's snarky sarcasm, Chico's scamming and broken/bad English, and of course Harpo's physical and facial gymnastics. They're all masters and I laugh till my sides hurt every time I watch them. Went to Metrobrook Church for service this week. Quite refreshing to see what a vibrant, urban church is doing. Lot's of servants doing God's work in the inner city. Feeling that nice weather brain bloc. Gotta go shoot some hoops with Sar! Blogging off... Jim

Well, since I've managed to find every reason under the sun not to write for the last few weeks, I thought I'd post and try and rekindle something...anything. It's been a brutal winter and now is turning into a brutal spring. I know it goes "April showers..." and all that, but why do they have to be accompanied by 40 degree cloudy days? It's killin' me. On the upside, I did go out and get a new fishing reel and license today. Ever looking forward to the chance to wet a line, I thought I'd at least be prepared if the situation arises. What is it about people at Wal Mart? Is it a shopping requirement to be 40 lbs overweight and dress as badly as you can to shop there? I've even seen people in their pajama bottoms. Nice. Real nice. Maybe it's just because it's become the new K-Mart and this is just the bottom of the barrel. People nonetheless, but don't people have any dignity anymore? It's sad really. I hate shopping there. Unfortunat...

Struck down with Pink Eye, I've been relegated to staying home today and not spreading the joy. Conjunctivitis is something I thought only kids got, but alas, here I sit. I feel fine, but from what I've read, it's highly contagious, and so I opted out of work for the day. I go to the Doc in a half hours, oh joy. What is it about the Dr.'s office that I've come to hate? Is it the old magazines. The viraly infected pens used to fill out the reams of paperwork? The scrutinous, personal questions the Nurse Practitioner/Doctor ask? The comfy paper gowns? The prostate charts on the wall in the room? Or is it the knowledge that it's all costing me and my employer way too much for all of it? I think its safe to say it's all of these rolled up like red cross gauze together that make any trip to the Doctor an unpleasant one. Perhaps the most memorable trip to the Doc was a few years ago when I went in for what was later diagnosed as pulsatile tinnitus. Basically that ...