Snow Day

Last week we had snow here not once, but twice in one week. This was the first time I can ever remember that happening. I later heard that it was the first time we have had snow twice in the same month in 62 years around here. Wow. When it came Monday, I knew it wouldn't stick to the roads as it ad been too warm for it to. Yards and such it stayed.

Thursday though was really up in the air as to how bad it would get. First it was raining here, then sleet, then snow, and it just kept changing. It was sleet for half an hour or so, and then snow for like 45 minutes. It was weird.

My boss sent us home early, because as he said the roads can get bad quick around here in that weather. To me, there are two main type of drivers in that weather. 1. Idiot (like me) who were raised here and know they can't drive on the slick roads, and prove it. 2. Yankees who think they know how to drive on the icy roads, but have forgotten. So I was glad to get out of there early.

Once I got home, I realized I had nothing to drink, so I decided to drive the almost one mile to 7-11 to pick some up. I get there, and I saw some guys had a table outside setup to sell some sort of product. I felt bad for them, they probably picked the worst day to setup.

Once I got back home and got settled in for the night it was pretty relaxing. It was funny to see one the dogs, Juno, outside trying to catch as many snowflakes as he could. Running around like a maniac in the backyard. The next morning the street were clear yet again. Almost no ice anywhere around me. On the way to work as I went over one hill I actually got a very cool view of all of these houses below me and their snow-capped roofs. A rare visual treat to be sure.

I am impressed

Walking through my boss' house the only remnants left over from the Super Bowl/birthday party are the helium balloons. Three weeks later they are still doing really well, and flying at the end of their strings'. For the most part they still look full, and not all depressed and wrinkled.

Balloon technology has made real strides from when I was younger. I remember on the rare occasions I would get a helium balloon from someplace, like a pizza parlor. The next morning that son of a gun would be so deflated it would be floating at about half the height it was the night before.I was always depressed at how little mileage you got out of them back then, but now...wow they are great.

It's not dead yet!

About a week ago I noticed that my truck's battery light would flicker on when I got it revved up to about 3000 RPM. Red lights flickering on your dash is never a good sign. I knew that it was going to be my alternator. 95% of the time that is exactly what it is. I was hoping it would be one of those rare times it wouldn't be.

Maybe the connections are loose? Pop the hood open. Nope.

Maybe the water is low in the battery? That is the problem. It was low, I filled it. Took it out for a drive, and the light still flickers on. Damn.

I bite the bullet and take the vehicle to get looked at. I get call about an hour later. Yep it is the alternator going bad. So I tell them to go ahead and replace it. Then I think to myself that it seems like I just replaced that thing not to long ago. My memory is faulty on when I bought things. I get mad when a shirt gets a hole in it, and then I think on it, and realize I bought the shirt like 10 years earlier.

So I get it fixed, and people continually ask me when I am going to get a new vehicle. Heck for three years I've been saying I don't know how much longer I am going to keep my truck. But I really enjoy not having had a car payment in a decade. Plus, what I spent to get my truck fixed was like a car payment for 2 months? Something like that. I am going to keep it for a bit longer I think.

Super Bowl Post Script

One last thing I've been wanting to say about the Super Bowl. Here in Dallas for the past nearly two weeks now sports writers and talk show hosts have been commenting how bad the fan must feel about how close the Cowboys were, and they could have been the ones to take out the Patriots. Maybe, maybe. Honestly though, if you ask me, if the Boys has made it to the Super Bowl, I don't think they could have beaten them. I don't think they could have gotten near the pressure on Brady the Giants did. The Giants' secondary may be a little suspect, but the Cowboys, even more so.

The actual game

Now for the game: I loved it. I really wanted the Giants to win. As I told a few friends it was totally worth all the hype, all the hyperbole, all the fanfare, all the build-up to see the Patriots get knocked on their collective asses in the end. To have them go undefeated all the way to the Super Bowl and then lose was a delicious moment.

Why I wanted them to lose:

1. Totally selfish, another win would have put them closer to the Cowboys total
   
2. They were caught cheating, and karma is a bitch, so suck it.
3. Belichick is a total ass and deserves it.
4. Boston is getting a little big in the sports britches, and I like to see them get knocked down a peg or two, especially with the Celtics looking to make a serious run at a championship.
5. I think Eli Manning has taken a lot of crap (a lot of it deservingly, some not so much), and I enjoyed him sticking it to the masses

So bravo, Giants. Job well done.

Super Bowl Par-tay

For the second year, my boss hosted a Super Bowl party at his house. This year his wife made it a duo Super Bowl/Birthday party for my boss. I didn't realize this, so there were a bunch of people I didn't know, but I didn't really care I was focused more on the game.

I was pleasantly surprised that the party was catered. The highlights for me was the pulled pork barbecue and the grilled beef tenderloin. The venison chili was ok, and the dumplings were sub par (Dumplings have to be pretty damn good for me to rate them high though).

They also had what I was told are "the best cupcakes you'll ever have." What were they? Fucking cupcakes. Maybe the best bought cupcakes I've ever had, but not even close to the best ever. Plus I had an Abbott and Costello routine going because I was confused:

"They're Sprinkles."
"Yeah, I can see they're sprinkles. Who makes them?"
"Sprinkles"
"No shit, I said I can see the sprinkles on there. Who makes them."
"They're called Sprinkles."
"Yeah, they have Sprinkles on them, thats what I would call them too."
"They are called Sprinkles."
"Ooooh."

I am not smart.

Goings on

Last week, two things happened to me that are fairly rare:

First, I had a Big Mac from McDonald's for the first time in 10 years? 12 years? It was still about as average as I remember it. But it did fill me up, and it served its purpose. So, "Yay?"

Secondly, for only the second time since I was 12 years old, someone besides my regular lady cut my hair. The last time was a total disaster. This time went swimmingly. I went to Sports Clips.
Besides getting my hair cut by a pretty hot girl: I spent about the same amount I usually do on a hair cut, got all of the bells and whistles on this haircut (neck and back massage, and some other stuff), it was also a hell of a lot closer. So overall a great experience I may even go back..