Casey's World

I thought we had bad tornadoes...

2005-06-24T15:40:00.000-05:00

I found this site with some pictures of tornadoes and other interesting weather phenomenon. I thought this would be a timely post, considering we are right in the middle of tornado season. Hopefully we won't get any bad storms this year, like we did a couple of summers ago.

TGIF!!

» Bizarre Clouds...

My Music Tastes...

2005-06-17T10:36:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across a very cool little plugin yesterday: Audioscrobbler. This little service will send your music playing history to Audioscrobbler's servers, so that other people can see what you're listening to at any given moment. They have plugins for just about every audio player out there, including my music player of choice: iTunes)

I've also found another site that will allow you to put your currently playing track on your blog/website. I am constantly listening to music while at work, so this is a pretty neat little tool for me. I hope everyone enjoys it, and let me know if you sign up so I can see what you're listening to!!

Links:
» My Music History
» List of Players Supported

Uplifting Weekend

2005-06-13T11:28:00.000-05:00

Crawdad at the creek

Our Promise Keepers trip this past weekend was great! It's always an uplifting experience to worship with 20,000 men.

We also had a little free time to play around on the farm. We swam in the creek, caught some crawdads, rode four-wheelers, and ate good food. We had a great time, but I just wish it were longer...

» View More Photos

Promise Keepers 2005...

2005-06-09T11:03:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow morning Billy, Allan, and I are driving up to Fayetteville for Promise Keepers. I'm pretty excited about going, even though I went to a Promise Keepers conference in Dallas a few years ago.

There's just something about being in a stadium with thousands of other men who, just like you, are committed to being better. Not only committed to being better fathers and husbands, but more faithful believers and stronger leaders.

I'm also excited because I get to go see my parents and a lot of my other family that lives up in Northwest Arkansas. They all live up on a farm, so we might get to do some four-wheeling and other fun stuff. I can't wait!

Hard work finally pays off!

2005-06-02T15:15:00.000-05:00

The new Grace Chapel church of Christ website has finally gone live! This marks the end of a lot of hard work and many hours spent tweaking the site to get it just right.

Of all the sites I've developed, I'm most proud of this one. I really feel like my design and programming skills were best utilized on this project.

We did run into a few problems with our first hosting choice, ReadySetConnect. We had originally planned to go live on Friday, but due to a networking mix-up courtesy of ReadySetConnect, our site did not display once we transferred the domain name over. So, I spent all weekend trying to get in touch with someone from their support staff, with no success. They, without a doubt, have the WORST technical support I've ever seen. As of this post, I still have not heard back from them since Friday. So, we switched hosting companies and everything worked like a charm!

If you're looking for a website hosting company, I would steer clear of ReadySetConnect...

Xbox 360 Specs Video...

2005-06-01T12:40:00.000-05:00

I'm sure most of you have heard about the new Xbox 360 that will be coming out sometime this year (maybe by Thanksgiving?). I stumbled across this video today and it cleared up some of the fuzziness surrounding the Xbox 360's specs.

I'm not much of a gamer, but I do like to keep up with the newest technology that's out there. I'm always interested in the latest news regarding any kind of gadget. For all of you who are gamers out there, which do you think you'll buy: the PS3 or the Xbox 360? Let me know in the comments...

I love long Weekends...

2005-05-31T15:42:00.000-05:00

Alan with his Coach of the year award

Well, this weekend was great! My friend, Alan, was driving through Little Rock on Saturday, so he stopped in and spent the night with us. We had a great night of eating and hours of ping pong. We also found out that he won coach of the year for the Metropolitan Nashville Public school district. That's pretty amazing for his first year!

Billy preps the rocket for launch

We also got a chance to go up to the cabin and goof off. Billy, Allan and I launched a couple of rockets in our spare time.

All in all, a good weekend. I'm ready for another one already!!

Store Wars!

2005-05-19T10:20:00.000-05:00

This is hilarious! It's a Star Wars parody that takes place in a super market. I thought this post would be appropriate today, considering Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith came out last night at midnight. The movie has gotten great reviews so far, and is supposedly the best movie of the three prequels.

I probably won't go see it until all of the hype and crowds die down. If you've seen the movie, let me know what you think of it in the comments...

One Man's Trash...

2005-05-09T10:47:00.000-05:00

This weekend we had a garage sale. It was a HUGE success! We had people coming from near and far just to peruse through our junk. My wife and I have only been out of college for two years now, so when she suggested that we have a garage sale I was a little skeptical.

"Surely we don't have enough stuff that we'd be willing to sale...", I though to myself.

Boy was I wrong! We made over $300 on things that had been taking up space in our attic, closets, and various drawers throughout the house.

Now, what to do with the money... Oh, that's right, gas still costs a small fortune. Oh well, at least we won't go broke this summer.

» More Books

Breath of Fresh Air...

2005-05-02T13:12:00.000-05:00

Boo & Bingley Playing Tug-of-War

Sorry there hasn't been much posting lately. I've been busier than usual at work, and I've also taken on a couple of extra projects in my spare time.

This weekend we finally did get to relax a little bit. We went up to the cabin and had a good time just hangin' out watching our dogs go crazy. Our dog, Boo, is just about as crazy as they come. He loves getting to hang out with my mother-in-law's Cavalier King Charles, Bingley. We got a good laugh out of the two of them playing around this weekend. Their favorite game to play was tug-of-war. They would go and go for hours...

Well, the weekend's over and Monday calls. I better get back to work...

Free Stuff: Mac Mini Style

2005-04-26T08:13:00.000-05:00

My New Mac Mini

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EDIT - Well, I've decided to sell it. The money is just too tempting, plus my wife's car needs new tires!! ~~I'm selling it in my Half.com store if you're interested...~~ SOLD!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, it came yesterday. What free item was it this time, you ask? It was an Apple Mac Mini, valued at $599. Not too shabby!! It's from the same company that I've recieved all of my other free stuff from, Gratis Network. I'm still debating on whether or not I should keep it or sell it. $599 is a LOT of money to turn down. Here are the pros & cons:

Pros:

Macs are very easy to use, and have a nice, clean interface

I've never had much Mac experience, and this would give me some much needed experience

Would be very handy for editing Video in the future

Would give my wife and I separate computers to work on

I would be eligible to upgrade to the newest version of Mac OS X: Tiger for only $9.99

Cons:

Would either have to buy a new monitor, or buy a KVM switch (which costs $$)

If I didn't buy a KVM switch, I would have to buy a keyboard and mouse

It would really need a memory upgrade to do any kind of powerful video editing

As you can see, this isn't a cut & dry decision. So, while I think this through, why don't you check out some more photos, and tell me what you think I should do in the comments...

More Photos:
» Back of the Box
» Specs

My Free Stuff Pictures/Proof:
My Free iPod
My Free Flat Screen TV
My Free Desktop PC

Get Your Own Free Stuff:

Am I really this boring?

2005-04-25T13:06:00.000-05:00

My life as Art...

This is a pretty cool site I ran across the other day. This site has some questions you can fill out to determine what you might look like as a painting. As you can see, mine's pretty boring, but maybe yours will be more interesting. Let me know what they look like...

Happy Birthday to Me!!

2005-04-21T14:02:00.000-05:00

Lego Birthday Cake

Well, I'm 24 today. It seems that with every year, birthdays become less and less of a big deal. Family & friends always go all out to celebrate with me, but it's just not the same as it was when I was turning 10, or better yet...16. Wow, that was an exciting time. Well, I'm going home from work early today, so talk to you tomorrow!!

Manly Retreat to the Cabin

2005-04-15T14:53:00.000-05:00

Me with a World Record Trout (Yeah right!)

Well, this weekend me and the guys from my RAMP Group are going on a trip. We'll be heading up to the wonderful town of Heber Springs, AR on Saturday morning for a day of hiking, fishing, and whatever else we want. I think it will be a good time for our group to connect once again and recover our sense of purpose. It will also be a good time to answer some important questions about our group:

Why do we meet every week?

What's the point of this group?

How can we help each other draw closer to the Lord?

So, pray for us and let's just hope I actually catch a fish that big!!

iPod Mini Falls Out of the Sky!

2005-04-13T08:20:00.000-05:00

This is unbelievable! Yesterday as I was getting ready to mow the yard, my wife comes walking into the garage with a package that came for me. I wasn't expecting anything, so I was curious to see what it was. When I opened up the box, I saw this note sitting inside. Underneath the note was a brand new iPod Mini. No way!!

Now, the story of how I came to win this Mini starts back in February. In our neighborhood, there are many houses being built. I like to go running about three times a week, on average. I had heard about Pepsi's Free iTunes Song giveaway, so I started to look around the construction sites to see if I could find any Pepsi caps with iTunes codes on them. The thirsty construction workers who know nothing about technology turned out to be a gold mine! I have probably gotten about 50 free songs altogether. Well, for every song that you redeem on-line, Apple will enter you in a daily drawing to win a free iPod mini.

So, there you have it. I'm a winner! Needless to say, I gave the Mini to my wife because I already have one and she's been wanting one for a long time...

Here are some more pictures:
» Back of the Box
» Mini in Box
» Pepsi Logo on the Back

And then there was one...

2005-04-11T13:26:00.000-05:00

Well, I had a great friend and colleague leave to pursue another job on Friday. He's going to a company called ABC Financial.

He's really taught me a lot over the past year, and it's going to be tough without his expertise to fall back on. I'm really going to have to step up and fill in the areas where he worked the most. It will be difficult, but hopefully it will pay off in the end.

By the way, if anyone knows of any good .NET Web Developers with experience in VB.NET and C#, give me a shout in the comments. Thanks!

Fun Cabin Weekend

2005-03-29T09:29:00.000-06:00

Boo & me going on a Walk

This weekend we all decided to take a break and go to the cabin. My in-laws have a cabin located right next to Sugar Loaf Mountain in Heber Springs. We had a great time! We spent a lot of time relaxing and watching some college basketball.

My brother-in-law, Billy, decided that he wanted to showcase some of his manliness and chop down a dead tree behind the cabin. So, he proceeded to use his newly purchased axe to chop away. Several hours later, he did it! I was pretty impressed...

» Billy's Chopping in Progress

I love going up to the cabin. It's such a blessing to have a quiet place to retreat to when life gets too hectic. Here's to hoping that we can go back soon!!

Port-a-Pup

2005-03-21T09:00:00.000-06:00

This is a picture of my dog, Boo, trying on a puppy life preserver. He's pretty cute, and he's getting bigger every day! Until next time...

Here goes nothing...

2005-03-18T14:45:00.000-06:00

Well, I've gotten some other free items from this company, so I figured I'd give this one a shot too. In order to get this 1 GB iPod shuffle for free, I have to refer 3 friends. If you want to try and get your own FREE shuffle, just click the link above and get 3 of your friends to join. If you want proof that this company is legit, then view my picture links below.

My Free Stuff Pictures/Proof
My Free iPod
My Free Flat Screen TV
My Free Desktop PC

Get Your Own Free Stuff:

Shooting off some Steam...

2005-03-07T12:54:00.000-06:00

Well, yesterday me and some of the guys decided to go out to the shooting range and pop off some rounds. It was great fun...we did some skeet shooting with shotguns and a little target practice with my Father-in-Law's Winchester 30-30. Now that baby has some kick to it! My shoulder is really sore today from all the shooting.

I probably hadn't shot a gun in at least two years, so it was good to get outside and demolish some clay targets!

Here are a couple more pictures of my brother-in-law acting crazy:
» Billy
» Billy with a sore shoulder

Baby Got Bible...

2005-03-03T14:16:00.000-06:00

This video is stinkin' hilarious! It's a parody of Sir Mix a Lot's song from the early 90's: "Baby Got Back". I thought it was pretty good... Enjoy!!

» Baby Got Bible (13.5 mb) - Windows Media Format

» Dan Smith's Website

New Star Wars Leaked!

2005-02-24T09:44:00.000-06:00

Wow! These pictures from the new Star Wars look pretty cool. Hopefully they won't be taken down any time soon... If you don't want to spoil the movie, don't view!

» Star Wars - Revenge of the Sith *Link Down*

Survivor Palau

2005-02-15T14:44:00.000-06:00

As most everyone knows, Survivor Palau starts up on Thursday! I have gotten quite caught up in the "Survivor Fever" in the past, and I'm sure this time around won't be any different.
We're going to some friends' house to watch the premier, so we're hoping it will start off good. If anyone else watches the premier, post your thoughts in the comments...

Survivor Links:
» Survivor (Official Site)
» Survivor Fever
» Survivor 10 Links/News

Cutest Puppy Ever...

2005-02-10T07:31:00.000-06:00

I'm sure there will probably be some disagreement out there, but I would have to say that Boo is the cutest puppy ever! I've never had a dog, so this is a very different experiece for me, but so far I'm loving it.

Last night, he had a HUGE milestone! It was the first night that he didn't cry at all! Does anyone else out there have a dog? If so, post about him/her in the comments...

More Pictures:
» Boo 1
» Boo 2
» Boo 3

We got a puppy!!!

2005-02-07T08:34:00.000-06:00

On Saturday afternoon, my wife and I were taking a nice, quiet nap, when Allan called to tell us that he found the cutest puppy for sale. So, I crawled out of bed and drove up to Conway, AR with my wife to look at this puppy. When we saw him, we just had to have him!

He's a Schnorkie (half Schnouzer, half Yorkshire Terrier) breed and he's six weeks old. We named him Boo Radley, after the character in "To Kill a Mockingbird". I'll keep everyone updated on his progress...

Arizona & Back Again...

2005-02-01T14:06:00.000-06:00

Well, last Thursday (1/20/05) I found out that my Grandad was in the hospital with congestive heart failure. He was down in Arizona visiting his brother at the time, so I hopped on a plane and went to see him. It was a blessing to see other family members that had also made the trip. I had never been to Arizona before, so the desert caught me off guard. It's a very beautiful place that was so different from anywhere I'd ever been before.

My grandad ended up getting released from the hospital, and he now has to take a lot of medication to keep his condition from getting worse. Please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers...

» See more pictures of my Arizona Trip

Gratis at it Again...

2005-01-21T13:35:00.000-06:00

Well, Gratis has done it again! This time they have targeted Mac users by offering Free Mini Macs! I've already received some free stuff from Gratis, so I know they're legit.

My Free Stuff Pictures/Proof
My Free iPod
My Free Flat Screen TV
My Free Desktop PC

Get Your Own Free Stuff

Jib Jab at it Again...

2005-01-19T13:38:00.000-06:00

From the people who brought you "This Land" and "In DC" comes "Second Term". These guys are pretty funny, and the best thing is: they make fun of both sides!! Enjoy!

Watch it!

Apple Innovates Yet Again...

2005-01-11T15:11:00.000-06:00

Apple announced two new products today: the iPod Shuffle and the new Mac Mini. Here are my first impressions of both...

iPod Shuffle

This little gizmo comes in two different storage capacities, 512 MB and 1 GB. It stores all music files on a USB flash drive, and therefore would probably work very well for active users who like to run with their iPods. I currently have a 4G 20 GB iPod and frequently use it while I run. After about 17 minutes, mine starts to skip. I have my songs encoded at 160 kbps, so that's why I can't get the full 25 minutes that Apple claims.

As far as the usability of this little device, I'm not exactly sure I would like it as my primary music player. If you're looking for a device that will allow you to listen to some of your music collection skip-free while running or exercising, then maybe the iPod shuffle is for you.

Mac Mini

Here is Apple's other newest offering, the Mac Mini. It's TINY, and so is its price tag at $499. This is Apple's latest attempt to compete with the likes of Dell and other low-priced PC vendors.

I think this could definitely be a good starter Mac for most people. It includes the iLife suite of programs (some of which might run a little slow on this scaled down machine). There are two different variations of this machine, one with a 1.25 GHZ G4 processor, 256 MB RAM, and a 40 GB hard drive. The other has a 1.42 GHZ G4 processor, 256 MB RAM, and an 80 GB hard drive. So, like I said before, if you're looking to do simple tasks with a Mac (e-mail, internet, word processing, etc), then this might be a good switch for you. Another fact worth noting, the $499 price tag does not include a monitor. If it weren't for my free Dell Dimension 4700, I might be switching soon...

The Freebie Train Keeps Rollin'...

2004-12-17T08:56:00.000-06:00

WOW! I've done it again, but this time it was a free computer! The folks over at Gratis Internet have already hooked me up with a free iPod and a free 27" TV. I can now add a free Dell Dimension 4700 to that list.

I'm really excited to start working on upgrading it. It came with a P4 2.8 GHZ processor, 512 MB of DDR2 memory, PCI Express, 48X CD-RW, and a 40 GB hard drive. Not too shabby! I'm going to install more memory, a media card reader, and a DVD Burner for starters. I'll keep everyone updated on my progress. In the meantime, check out some of the pictures below:

» PC in the Box
» PC in the Box(2)
» PC in all its glory!
» PC up close
» PC Spec Sheet

If you want some of your own free stuff, sign up using the links below:

Christmas Time's a Comin'!

2004-12-15T09:17:00.000-06:00

Isn't Christmas time wonderful? Family, Food, presents... what could be greater than that? I love the fact that everyone gathers on this day to celebrate the birth and life of Jesus. Whether they know it or not, He's the reason they can be thankful this month.

You like my stocking? My wife made it. Can you believe how great it looks?!? If I were to make a stocking, it would look terrible.

Well, anyways, let me know what your plans are for the Christmas season. God Bless You & Merry Christmas!

Survivor almost Over...

2004-12-09T14:38:00.000-06:00

This is the time of year when Survivor starts to get interesting. Tonight is the last episode before the finale, and we are having several friends over to watch it with us. I don't normally get sucked into too many reality shows, but Survivor seems to suck me in every season.

I'm really pulling for Chris (the only guy left), because I always like to cheer for the underdog. It's quite amazing that he's actually still around, considering he's surrounded by all women! I'm looking forward to hanging out with some friends, eating some good food, and seeing what happens! Tune in, and post your opinions in the comments...

Back from Orlando...

2004-11-24T11:10:00.000-06:00

If you look at the picture above, you will know exactly how it felt to be me during the past two weeks. I just returned from a two week training boot camp to receive my Microsoft Certification. It was incredibly difficult! We covered about 6 months of material in a two week span. I did end up receiving my MCAD certification, but missed my MCSD by one exam! So, I will have to wait two weeks until I can give it another shot.

Overall, it was a pretty stressful trip, but a co-worker and I did get a chance to go to Downtown Disney on our only free night. I had been there before, so it was pretty cool to go again.

Being away from home for two weeks was pretty rough. It made me realize how much I am blessed, and how much I have to be thankful for. If you feel blessed this year, consider giving back to others who need help. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Orlando Pictures:
» A Volvo Made of Legos
» A Volvo Made of Legos(2)
» Nessie Made of Legos
» Planet Hollywood in Downtown Disney
» Tropical Fish at Rainforest Cafe
» A Delicious Meal
» Some GOP HQ by our Laundromat
» GOP HQ(2)
» GOP HQ(3)
» Our Instructor with his Birthday Cake

My Free Stuff so far...

2004-11-16T21:01:00.000-06:00

Click on a picture to view more info...

Only in America can you get cool things like iPods, TVs, Computers, and other stuff for free!! I actually have already gotten two free items from Gratis Internet's sites. Back in September I received my free iPod with very minimal effort. Then, in October I received my free 27" Sony Wega TV for free also. It actually wasn't that hard to get my free items. I signed up on the sites, completed an offer, and referred some friends who did the same. When you fulfill the requirements, they send you a free item. If you're interested, sign up using one of the links below...

Off to Orlando...

2004-11-05T09:21:00.000-06:00

Well, I leave for Orlando on Sunday and I won't be back until the 21st. That's a very long time to be away from home. I'm going to be there for a two week Microsoft Certification course in .NET development. I'm training to be a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD). This will be a very beneficial step for my career path, but it will also be a big sacrifice to be away from my wife for that long.

I was excited when I first heard that the training is in Orlando, but then, after looking at the training schedule, I realized that we only get one day off for the entire two weeks!! So, it's going to be a long haul, but I feel ready. If you know of any good places to eat or play in Orlando, post a comment for me.

Stay tuned for some pictures...

The Telltale Nation...

2004-11-04T08:55:00.000-06:00

WOW! This county-by-county map really shows you what the majority of America stands for. You'll notice how Pennsylvania is mostly red, but the few counties that have more population made the decision.

I find the entire electoral process quite interesting. On Tuesday, as I was punching my ballot, I paused for a second and was amazed by how great our country really is. To think that I could have a direct say in who leads our country, is very empowering to me. To all the people who didn't vote I ask...why not? Was it laziness or apathy or indecision that caused your lack of participation? I honestly cannot understand the person who would forfeit their right to choose our nation's leaders. Well, that's enough of Casey's soap box for one day. Until next time...

The Better man wins out....

2004-11-03T08:04:00.000-06:00

What an exciting night!! Kerry is still hanging on to Ohio, but you might as well call it a clear victory for President Bush! I'm extremely excited, and encouraged to know that our nation still believes in having a man of character in the White House. I really feel that America will be much stronger because of this decision. After all of the hype and doomsday predictions about this race being so close, it all amounted to nothing. I proudly supported George W. Bush, and I pray that God will lead him and our country into the future...

EDIT - Kerry just conceded to Bush!!! GO W!!!!

Look what I got...

2004-10-29T08:07:00.000-05:00

My 27" Sony Wega TV came yesterday!! I was so excited!! The picture is great, and DVDs look excellent on it! The best part...it was FREE!! I got it from freeflatscreens.com. Click below to sign up...

More pictures:
» Picture 2
» Picture 3
» Picture 4
» Picture 5

Free TV on the Way...

2004-10-22T16:02:00.000-05:00

Well, my free TV has officially shipped!! I can't believe it!!

I'll post pictures when it comes...

UPDATED - New TV!!!

2004-10-18T13:53:00.000-05:00

Well ladies & gentleman...it's official. I'm getting a new Sony Wega 27" Flat Tube TV from freeflatscreens.com. I got my 8th referral yesterday afternoon, and when I looked on the site this morning I saw this:

So, hopefully it won't take too long for them to order and ship my TV. I'll keep everyone posted on the events that follow...

» My current status

If you want to sign up for a free PC from the same company that created freeipods.com and freeflatscreens.com, then sign up here:

» Free Desktop PC
» Free Flat Screen
» Free iPod

---------------------
UPDATE

My status changed from "Processing" to "Sent to Vendor" at 12:20 today. That means I should be getting my TV within the next two weeks!!

» My Latest Status

A Great Weekend...

2004-10-18T08:55:00.000-05:00

Wow! This weekend was great!! We went down to Auburn to see my wife's grandparents, and to see an Auburn game. Our seats were excellent, the game was exciting, and the weather was perfect! I can't wait to go see another game next year. It was definitely a wonderful weekend...

Pap & I

» See the rest of the Pictures

Another Football Weekend...

2004-10-14T08:41:00.000-05:00

Once again, it will be another great weekend for College Football. One interesting matchup will be Arkansas vs. Auburn(#4). As you can probably see from some of the images here on my blog, I am a fan of both Arkansas and Auburn. This will be a win-win game for me, because not only am I going to Auburn to see the game in person, but I'll get to see my two favorite teams go head-to-head.

My father-in-law and I will be driving to Auburn tomorrow morning and staying with my wife's grandparents. Then, on Saturday morning we will proceed to Jordan Hare Stadium and seat ourselves on the fourth row of the 40-yard line. Can you believe it?!? We have incredible seats, so hopefully I'll be able to get some good pictures to post out here first thing next week. PIG SOOIE!! WAR EAGLE!!

Matchup of the Year...

2004-10-01T08:30:00.000-05:00

7:45 PM ET on ESPN

Some might not agree with me when I say that Auburn(9) vs. Tennessee(8) is the matchup of the year. As a matter of fact, most college football fans can't agree on anything! There are several reasons that I believe this will be an excellent game:

Both teams are undefeated

Both teams are ranked in the top 10

Both teams have a long tradition of success in college football

That being said, I would just like to predict that Auburn will come away victorious. The reason for this bold prediction is quite simple, Tennessee fans are annoying. All the Orange and White lunatics running around, naming all their dogs Smokey is quite annyoing. But nothing is more annoying than the checkered end zone. How cocky can one team be?

WAR EAGLE!!!

D.C. & Back Again...

2004-09-29T11:05:00.000-05:00

Me on the steps of the Supreme Court Building

Well, we made it! D.C. was excellent in every way! We got to see just about everything we wanted to see, and had time left over to do some shopping!! I would highly recommend visiting D.C. to anyone who hasn't been before. It was pretty inexpensive (considering all the museums & monuments are free) and you can get around town on the metro for pretty cheap.

My favorite site would have to have been the White House. I love getting to see it up close like that. The entire capital was pretty heavily guarded. We saw policemen everywhere, and even saw a few police snipers!! It was a little surprising, but definitely made us feel more safe. Overall, it was a great trip!

» Changing of the Guard Video
Location: Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (1.5 mb)

D.C. or Bust!

2004-09-21T15:27:00.000-05:00

My wife and I are going to Washington, D.C. this weekend. I'm so excited! I've only been once, and it was for a very short time. So, hopefully I will get my fill of historical facts and information!

We haven't been on a vacation together since our Honeymoon, (almost 3 years ago!) so I'm excited about us getting to travel together. We fly out on Friday morning and come back on Monday evening, so we should have a good amount of time to see everything we want. I'm super excited and I'll let y'all know how it turns out!! See ya around...

The Moment has Arrived...

2004-09-16T09:45:00.000-05:00

I finally got my iPod!! It's pretty cool, but most of all, it was FREE!!! I got it from freeipods.com. Here are some more pictures:

» Pic 1
» Pic 2
» Pic 3
» Pic 4

» Sign up for your own Free iPod

The same company has a free flat screens & a free desktop PC website, click below to check it out:

Chicago Trip Revisited...

2004-09-13T14:16:00.000-05:00

Well, my wife had a great time! She said that they went to the Art museum to see some paintings by Seurat. He's famous for a painting called "La Grande Jatte."

La Grande Jatte

They also went to a new place in Chicago called Millenium Park. It's a cool place that has weird, futuristic sculptures everywhere. This one is called "The Bean."

They also went to the Shakespeare Theatre and saw "The Merry Wives of Windsor." She couldn't stop talking about how awesome that was!

They had a great time, but I'm glad she's back! :)

Off to Chicago...

2004-09-10T13:32:00.000-05:00

Well, my wife left for Chicago early this morning. She and her dad are going up there to have a fun weekend. They got tickets for a Shakespeare play, and she was really excited about that!

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with myself this weekend, now that she's away. I think I'm going to play golf with a co-worker tomorrow morning, and I will definitely watch the Hogs vs. Texas game tomorrow night. Other than that, I'll probably just relax!

I just got a call from her, and they had just eaten at Uno's. I'm so jealous!! I've only been to Chicago once, and I ate at Uno's. They have some of the best pizza I've ever tasted!

Free iPods Update...

2004-09-08T13:34:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally got my five friends to sign up via freeipods.com So, now I'm just waiting... We'll see what happens, and I'll keep you posted.

» Status 1

» Status 2

» Status 3

If you want to sign up for a free iPod, click here:
http://www.freeiPods.com/

Or click here for a free, flat screen:
http://shrinkster.com/2df

Click here for a free, desktop PC:
http://shrinkster.com/1gt

Harding Revisited...

2004-09-03T07:57:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had the day off, so I went to Harding with my wife. She had a couple classes to go to, and I just hung around campus. It was great getting to see the ole' Alma Mater again, but it was also weird seeing unfamilar faces walking around campus just like I used to.

I also got to go visit my old barber, Uncle Bob. For the past year I've tried to find a barber in Little Rock that is as good as he is, but they just don't exist!! Just as in any other barber shop, we talked politics, women, & just life in general. It was great!

All in all, it was a great day off, but now I'm looking forward to this weekend, and going to the cabin!! Woo hoo!!

My wife goes back to school...

2004-08-27T09:06:00.000-05:00

Well, this was my wife's first week going back to school. She really loved it! She's getting her "Masters of Science in Education with an emphasis in English." (Now that's a mouthful!) She really enjoys it and she's glad to be back in the college environment.

Our RAMP Groups start back again on Sunday night. I'm really excited about my group of guys and how much we're going to learn from each other this coming fall. I only have three guys this year, but I know we're all going to have so much fun! Well, that's all for now...

Free IPods...

2004-08-18T11:39:00.000-05:00

Free iPods?!? Could it be true? Some company is actually giving away iPods for people who sign up for trial offers? Yes. It is actually true. If you don't believe me, visit the following sites:

"Making Free IPods Pay Off"

http://www.freeipodguide.com/

It's quite interesting... If you want to give it a shot, click the link below.

http://www.freeiPods.com/

Or click here for a free, flat screen:
http://shrinkster.com/2df

Gmail...

2004-08-17T08:35:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I got my gmail account now. After my wife saw my gmail account, she just had to have one! So, I got her one too. It's really great, so easy to use, and I get 1 GB of FREE storage!

I also figured out how to import all of my old Hotmail messages into it. There's a cool tool called gExodus that helped me do it. I'm really excited about it!

Anyways...what have I been up to? Well, not much really... Just work & more work. Oh, except for this past weekend. Me, my wife, and her brother & his girlfriend decided to go to Six Flags Over Texas this past weekend. It was so much fun!! We left on Friday morning at 5 AM, and got there at about 10:30. We got to ride all the rides and the weather was perfect! It was about 85 degrees all day, and the park wasn't that crowded. We rode the Titan (Another Picture) and it was the best ride ever!! It is 250 feet high, and reaches speeds of up to 85 mph!

The next day we all went to Grapevine Mills Mall and shopped all day. That was pretty cool, and I got a new pair of shoes for work. After that, we decided to drive back home. All in all, it was a fun, but busy weekend!

Beautiful House!

2004-08-11T09:58:00.000-05:00

Well, this morning was great! I received an invitation to get a Gmail account! Gmail is only the coolest new e-mail service around! I'm really excited, but now I've just got to figure out how to transfer all of my old messages from my hotmail account. We'll see how it goes...

Our House

I'm really excited about the new railing that my dad helped me put up. My wife has painted it and now it looks great! Here are some pictures:

If you're bored, check out this cool video!

4th of July Weekend...

2004-07-14T07:49:00.000-05:00

The Fourth of July weekend was awesome! First of all, my parents came down on Thursday and my dad helped me work on some projects around our house. After the work, we all went to Pops on the River to see the 4th of July fireworks. It was pretty awesome!

From there, we went up to Fairfield Bay to hang out with all my cousins & family from my mom's side. It was a blast!! We went skiing & kneeboarding on the lake, and we also jumped off some pretty high cliffs. All in all, we had a great 4th of July. Happy Birthday America!!!

Mary Beth & Mom at Pops on the River

Me jumping off a HIGH cliff!!

My Cousin Brad doing a flip

The Whole Family

Bowling was great!!

2004-06-28T12:53:00.000-05:00

Well, on Wednesday last week, our department went bowling. It was a blast! I hadn't been bowling for at least a year, so it took me a while to get the hang of it. In the first game I bowled a 121. In the next game we had to granny bowl on the first throw of every frame. So, I shot a VERY LOW 61. For the third and final game, we had to bowl with our opposite hand on the first throw of every frame, and I shot a 73.

So, over all, not the best bowling performance, but it was very fun! Enjoy the pictures!

Just relaxing between frames

Nice form!

Me after throwing a granny shot

Our bowling team, The Pinheads!

Cool Picture...

2004-06-24T07:31:00.000-05:00

I thought I would just add this cool picture on here...

My father-in-law & brother-in-law in the Grand Tetons

Bowling today!!

2004-06-23T08:33:00.000-05:00

Our group at work is going bowling today! At 2:00 we're all stopping work, and driving to Millennium bowl to bowl for a few hours. It will be a nice break from work, and will help us to get to know some of the new people in our group.

I really enjoy working for a boss who understands the need for a break every once in a while. It really makes everyone else work harder. I'll let ya know how it goes!

» Millennium Bowl

Lazy Cabin Weekend...

2004-06-21T07:58:00.000-05:00

This weekend was just a lazy cabin weekend. We all decided to go up to the cabin on Friday night and hang out. So, that's what we did! Nothing exciting happened really, we just played some games and watched some movies. Well, there was one exciting thing that happened on Saturday... Mary Beth was walking Bingley out in the backyard, when they came across a snake skin. Billy & I picked it up and it was over six feet long! It was close to the house, so we thought maybe the snake went under the deck. We then proceeded to try and hunt it down. We never found it, but we're all more cautious now!!

Problem Solved...

2004-06-18T18:42:00.000-05:00

Well, I did have to go back into work today, but only for a couple hours. I got the problem at work fixed, but I still only got to play 6 holes. Oh well...most people don't even get any Fridays off!! :)

Golf Interrupted...

2004-06-18T12:10:00.000-05:00

It was a lovely morning today. Allan and I went out to Longhills golf course for a round of 18 holes. We were on Hole #3 when I got the call... One of the websites I support went down and they needed me to come in...ON MY DAY OFF!!! So, that's where I am right now, trying to figure out this problem. Wish me luck, and I'll keep you updated...

» Here's a fun website to go to in the mean time...

Pistons Beat Lakers

2004-06-16T07:21:00.000-05:00

I watched the final game last night. Detroit dominated the entire game. I'm not really a Pistons fan, but I do not like the Lakers at all.

I used to be a big Kobe Bryant fan, but that was before he got cocky. If you watch him in interviews, he just seems to think he is the best player who ever lived. Even Michael Jordan (Who was the best player who ever lived) didn't act that way. Anyways, it was a good game and I'm glad the Lakers lost!!

Strongbad's E-mail...

2004-06-15T12:24:00.000-05:00

This is a funny site I go to often. It's kind of bizarre, but still pretty funny!

» Strong Bad's E-mail

My New Nephew...

2004-06-15T07:19:00.000-05:00

My wife and I went to Atlanta this weekend to see my sister's new son, Carter. He's really cute! We had a good time getting to see everyone, even though it was a pretty short trip.

My wife and Carter

My sister, Carter and I

Billy's Sword

2004-06-11T09:53:00.000-05:00

My brother-in-law, Billy, took his first step into authentic manhood last night. Billy and his dad are going on a father-son adventure trip to Montana tomorrow. So, his dad wanted to present him with something that would symbolize his entry into training for manhood. He got Billy the coolest sword I have ever seen!

I'm excited for him, and I hope they have a great time on their journey...

» View More Photos Here

First Blog...

2004-06-11T09:44:00.000-05:00

This is an historic moment! My first blog...ever! I've read all about blogs in recent news, but never actually tried it. I think I was always uneasy about complete strangers reading my thoughts (I still kind of am). Stick around for more interesting (hopefully) details about my everyday life.