Happy New Year!!

Be safe. Talk to you all tomorrow.

Merry Christmas

--ok, I'm outta here til next year.

--To all my blogging friends, I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and a great New Year. Happy Chanuka, too.

--I enjoy sharing my silly, boring existence as your average suburban family guy.... and I very much enjoy seeing into your lives, as well.

--Be safe and healthy. Fof3.

Look at my kids again...right here!

--Almost here.

--Christmas is coming and the geese are getting fat. Please put a penny in the old man's hat. <---Does anyone else know this one?

--Despite the illegal NY transit strike, I am filled these days with true, genuine Christmas Spirit. Ralph Kramden said it best during on the episodes of the Honeymooners. "Christmas is a special time... people are filled with the spirit. You bump into someone in the street and say 'excuse me, Merry Christmas."

--We New Yorkers are a lot tougher than a transit strike.

--Since I am the only one here that watches either of the Apprentices, I really shouldn't get into this. But I will. Martha's finale was last night and talk about anti-climactic!! She announced the winner in the most hum-drum, low-key sort of way possible. She made her dead-from-the-neck-up daughter look like Rip Taylor last night. <--you let me down, Martha.

--Knicks almost the worst team in basketball.

--Fof3 plays basketball tonight. <---plan on scoring 30 points tonight.

--Baby Tara is doing great. Her slightly older sister is not adjustong well, though. <---Uncle John will show her the most attention when I get over there and then let her take me to the new baby....like a big sister should.

--Caitlin, Liam and Noelle almost done with school til next year. (06!)

--Starting in January, I plan on changing up the blog a bit. I'll start responding to your posts with a follow up post the way you all do to me. I'll also try to find a new look for the page.

--Anyhooo... gotta run...talk to you all tomorrow.

Less than a week away...

--Christmas that is. And my vacation. Hurry up.

--NYC transit strike. Bites. Coldest time of year, tourists from all over the world, Christmas shopping. Strike. Lovely.

--No one else can comment about Randall on the Apprentice? Missed a chance to show some class.

--Rangers still clinging to first place. Barely.

--Kids got a fish Sunday. Fof3 took Caitlin to the pet store to get a fish for her Secret Santa kid and, yes, they coaxed me into getting them one, too. A Betta fish. Blinky.

--Congrats to Fo3's sister, Anita who had a baby last night. (Her 4th child) Tara Patricia. <--Welcome to the world, Love Uncle John.

--Caitlin had a great basketball game on Sunday. The girls lost by 2, but played brilliantly. Another game tomorrow night.

--Liam, my man... I love you.

--Noelle, my little morning angel buddy sweetheart princess. <--You rock.

--Mof3 ... you're the greatest. What did you get me for Christmas?

--Our date turned out to be a trip to Toys R Us and Starbucks. <---We actually had a lot of fun...no kids.

--Getting ready for our big Christmas party. It's gonna be the biggest ever.

--That's it. Leave some word here for me. I appreciate your posts and comments and I thank you for reading.

TGIF!!

--What a long week.

--Apprentice last night... some Christmas spirit, Randall. For those of you who didn't see it, DT chose Randall who is very well educated and successful and probably deserved it over the woman with the broken ankle. He was superior. But... immediately after the celebration, DT asked Randall if he should hire her too... he was very impressed by both of them. Randall said no, and that was it...DT said he would have but didn't. Not very classy, Randall. I hope your first business venture ends up with you in jail. (ok, that's a bit harsh.)

--The Christmas Show was great last night. Liam was the most figgety shepherd of all time, though. Noelle was gorgeous and Caitlin was spectacular...as she always is.

--One of our friends from here, Suzy, lost her sister to encyphilitis yesterday. We are all very sorry.

--Shife... can your Blues muster a win over the second place Flyers tomorrow night....please?

--Gonna take Mof3 to the movies and dinner tomorrow night..... a good old-fashioned date. Kong? Narnia? (No gay cowboy movies for me.)

--Next week there will be a primetime gameshow on...gonna try to watch.

--Missed basketball last night. Can't wait for next Thursday.

--That's about it... let me know what's doing woth all of you... and Bigmama, thanks.

Hello from LI, NY

--Wow. I just saw a video from CNN.com of a man catching a baby from a thrid story window. The mother of the baby tossed him out because their apartment was on fire and the man made a perfect catch....then gave the baby CPR!! Awesome. (You'll have to find the link for the story on the right side of the page.)

--Big school Christmas Party tonight. (Not Holiday party or Winter Gathering.) <---Catholic school.... lots of songs about the birth of Jesus, the angels and star and Drummer Boy and Wise Men. No editing....like the school in CA that modified the words to Silent Night.

--Gonna miss basketball AND the Apprentice Finale tonight. <--Some video professional I am...can't even figure out the VCR.

--Needing some more ideas for Mof3's Christmas gift. <---She still won't go for a dog. SCROOGE!

--Congrats to the millions of Iraqi citizens who voted today... Democracy, you're gonna love it.

--OK, not much else... LATER!!!

Hi again...Tuesday

Hi all.

--Thanks for the compliments on the kids' picture to you-know-who-you-are. The rest of you....hrrrrmppphhh!!

--Shife...when games end the way the Blues-Rangers game ended the other night...you have to chalk it up to being "not your year." It is however, (so far, anyway) "My year." <---"Ugliest game I've ever seen." -Jaromir Jagr.

--Week and a half to Christmas. (Again, not holiday, not xmas, not winter solstice....just Christmas.)

--Fof3 listening to Bryan Ferry right now.

--Liam made his first Penance on Saturday and he did great. We went to lunch with friends and then a Christmas Party later on. <---Adults only.

--Caitlin took a Truffles Making Class last night. <---She had lots of fun. I have trying to convince her to take a cooking class offered in the neighborhood, but so far she has resisted.

--Noelle...I love your "ocean" project.

--Gonna watch "It's A Wonderful Life" with the family this weekend. <---They're ready.

--Rangers play tonight.

--Mof3 still working out that bod... <---Looking good, Mama.

--Trying to convince Mof3 of getting a dog for Christmas. <---So far, no go.

--That's about it...leave word... later!!

TGIF!!

--Finally, a not-very-busy workday. First one like this in a while. This is our busy season.

--Fof3 played hoops with the 40+ gang last night. I did better than the week before. After each game, I assess what it is that I need to work on... this week revealed to me that I need to use my hands in a stronger way, drive to the net more and limit the amount of bad passes I make. <--These come from fatigue, something that is improving each week.

--Because of basketball I missed the Apprentice. Mof3 says it was very good and next week's finale ought to be great. We, of course will not see it (or play basketball) as it's the Christmas Show at the kids' school. <--Yes, Christmas show, not Holiday show. (By the way, I'm not sure of the etomology of the word Holiday, but wouldn't it appear to be derived from Holy Day?!!?)

--Snowing in NYC right now. Not as much as they had predicted, but it is coming down.

--Congratulations to my man, Liam who makes his first Reconciliation Sacrament tomorrow. <---Better bring a Snickers bar with me, it's gonna be a lomg confession. <---Haha, Liam, just kidding...you're a good boy. (And I know I can't eat Snickers in Church!!)

--Fof3 listening to Bob Seger now. <---Underrated singer.

--Spooky thing happpened to Caitlin. At yesterday's drama class, the kids were asked to improvise a scenario with an"emergency". They came up with a plane crashing on a runway. She and her friend told us all about it last night, then we saw the tragic runway accident in Chicago. <---Caitlin is freaked out about it.

--Pray for the family of that little boy. Tragic.

--My New York Rangers are .... ready for this?..... In FIRST PLACE overall in the NHL. #1. <---Shife, Blues vs. Rangers tomorrow.

--Hello Big Mama... thanks for visiting yesterday. Nice to meet you and your family via YOUR blog.

--Ok, enough about you already, how about me? Me? I gotta get SOME work done today. Stay cool, .... and warm. OUT!!

What snowstorm?!?

So much for the big snowstorm of 2005.

--My kids did something that beought bad memories (bad ones!). They psyched themselves out into thinking today would be a snow day. Liam told me last night that he didn't need to lay out his clothes for today because he'd be able to lay around in his jammies and play videogames all day. Noelle asked if I coulds stay home from work in order to take them sledding. When I asked her about school, she replied, "Not gonna happen. Buses won't be able to drive so they'll cancel snow."

--They were more than a bit disappointed when we woke them up this morning and there was hardly any snow. Gosh, I remeber that feeling.

--Rangers win 3-1. Blues need to beat the Isles tonight. <--Come on, Shife.

--Bad MNF game last night. Seahawks 42-0 against the Eagles.

--Suzy in Florida...praying for your sis.

--Mr. Shife has a funny bit in his blog today about the cold. Check here.

--Looking forward to basketball on Thursday. I wish I could play more than once a week.

--Fof3 listening to the O'Jays right now.

--Still don't know what to get Mof3 for Christmas.

--Macy's heard my rant the other day, apparently. I told some friends that the only reason stores and such are going secular at Christmas was because they thought it would be good for business. I ranted that the pendulum had swung the other way and the really savvy move was to reintroduce Christmas and Christian imagery. Macy's has done it this year. Humbug to Walmart and Target and Mercedes.

--Fof3 has changed to Bill Withers music now.

--Caitlin wants to run a fund raiser for school. Get this: A fashion show. Kids showing off fashions for spring, summer, etc. <---I am sure you'll do a great job, Sweetie.

--ok, gotta get to work now...thanks for reading. BYE!!

Start of another week 12/5/05

Hi kids.

--Snow... not much, but enough to get me out at 9am shoveling my walk and driveway ... and Charlie across-the-street's too. He's an old man who came over Saturday to thank me for doing it....last year!!!! (Somthing tells me that Charlie saw the forecast for Sunday and had to get his ducks in a row so I'd do his property again.) <---I'm on to you, old man!

--Friday was our school's Christmas Party. We can still call it a Christmas Party...we're a Catholic school. No Xmas, no lower case "c", no Holiday Party or Winter Gathering. It was a great time. I laughed more that night than I have in a long while.

--Saturday was our Christmas Tree Lighting in town. We count sown as the Christmas tree is lit, we watch Santa Claus and his Mrs. drive thru town on horse-carriage and we witnessed the Living Nativity. Despite the cold, we had lots of fun and met up with friends. Then he fam went home and watched Racing Stripes. <---Great family movie with many funny bits.

--Sunday was chore day. Caitlin babysat for friends and was great. <---Never doubted you for a minute, honey.

--Liam is reading a book on Jackie Robinson and Noelle just completed her big project on "UnderSea Life on Earth".

--Mof3 is still working out and looking better than ever.

--Fill me in on your weekend. I love reading every post. Fof3. :)

TGIF!!

--Another Friday. Not a day too soon.

--Rangers win again...2-1.

--Bruins win 3-0 vs. Ottawa. Godd win for them.

--Fof3 played hoops last night and actually did quite well. <---Getting a little more stamina every week.

--Apprentice. Missed it. Mof3 must fill me in.

--Malverne's Christmas Tree Lighting tomorrow. We close off the main road, have choirs, Santa arrives on a Clydesdale-pulled Sleigh, store-owners welcome everyone in with cider and cocoa and stuff and a living Nativity scene in the Lutheran Church. It's a great day to be a Malvernite every year.

--Listening to Aswad. Raggae, mon.

--Caitlin, my daughter..you are a genius and I hope you enjoy your well deserved day off today. <--Hooky.

--ok, gotta get going... working fast today in order to start the weekend early.

--Later!!!!

December 1st

--Hi gang. What's doin'?

--Martha Apprentice was good again last night. I quite enjoy that program...too bad it won't be renewed.

--December1st. <--- Monthly train ticket: $169 Monthly parking ticket: $65 Monthly subway ticket: $80 Thought of being off between Christmas and New Year's: Priceless.

--Glad to see that the US Capitol has re-renamed it's Christmas tree to Christmas tree. For a dozen or so years, it was a holiday tree. Nu uh. (Our Secret Santa has been changed this year to: get this.... Winter Wishes. <---This is when NYC ad execs making 6 figures by a "holiday" gift for underprivileged kids from Harlem. Santa STILL doesn't come for these poor kids. <---Great job. (I sign the card Love, Santa Claus anyway)

--Tonight the Donald Apprentice is on. I'll miss it...playing over 40 basketball. (The over 40 refers to our age, certainly not how many points we score!)

--Been busy lately with Maxwell House. (I am in NYC doing spots for Canada. Canadians LOVE the Zamboni machine!

--Trin, Shife, Lo, ???, Mother of 2 boys, Caitlin, Peggy, Todd, Ken, Jeff, Conundrum, Andraste, Suzy. Whazz Up?? (Is that still IN?)

--Fof3 listening to Royskopp right now. If you are unfamiliar, change that. They are great.

--Gotta get moving... commercails to make. Later.