Homeowner

I really shouldn't complain about it, but I need to vent. Being a Homeowner has so many advantages. For example, walking around in my skibby's at any hour of the day is HEAVENLY!!! Waking up whenever I want is great!!! Also, deciding when I'm going to clean is great too. Also, nothing beats coming home after work to your own home. There's just something to be said about having your very own sanctuary.

BUT.............doing maintenance on your home SUCKS!!! I'm freakin' sick as a dog the last few days. I have a headache, my throat is buggin', and when I smile too big, it feels like my lips could literally split in half because they are so chapped. On top of this, our tub is leaking. I know this because our floor has two black spots by the tub, which leads us to beleave that our tub is leaking water onto the floor boards under our linoleum. So, today, despite my nasty cold, I have to lay on the bathroom floor, along with who knows what else from little Sammy's trips to the bathroom, and re-caulk our bathtub, so the leaking will stop.

Just for the fact that I have a house to repair, I shouldn't complain. Life could be much, much worse. :)

Sa-weet Website!!!!

When I was a kid, I religiously watched Punky Brewster and Silver Spoons. I remember watching Punky Brewster EVERY day after school. Julie's show as a kid was Little House on the Prairie.

Inevitably, after several great seasons, just about every show will try something in desperation, to bring the ratings back up, and bolster up new watchers.

For any of you out there that watched Happy Days, there was an episode several seasons in, that "The Fonz" was water skiing (in his leather jacket of course),came upon a shark, and jumped over it, while skiing.... Well, needless to say, that's pretty lame. Because of this ridiculous sequence of events in that episode, 40 years later a website has been built, called "Jump the Shark."

Some shows are considered good enough to have never "Jumped the Shark". But most, unfortunately, have fallen victim to ratings desperation. On Silver Spoons, the main character , Ricky Schroder, went through puberty and became "Rick". Punky Brewster however, is considered to have never "jumped". For Julies show, Little House on the Prairie, it jumped when the Ingles moved to the city.

From same character/different actor, to a birth or death, to a new kid in town, many shows eventually fall. If you're curious to see if your childhood show ever "Jumped the Shark", check out this website at:


http://www.jumptheshark.com/index.jspa

Reading

This is what I am privileged to see of Julie, about half of my life - the top 40% of her face. Doesn't this picture look like the Girl From Limberlost? (One of the books Julie read about a week ago). My wifey is reading CONSTANTLY! Sometimes I'll be laying in bed with her, and I'll want to talk with her about something, and she'll tell me to wait until the book is done, because there is only a couple pages left. Well, one day she pulled this on me........so I agreed to give her some space. The next thing I knew, I looked over, and she was into another book already. THE BRAT!!! How can someone do this? When I finish a book, I have to sit and relish in the fact that I've actually read something over 100 pages. I also have to discuss it with someone, because I'm so proud of myself.

At Thanksgiving, Me, Julie, Carrie Minert, and Jeff Minert sat around my parents kitchen table, and discussed books that we've read, and books that we loved or hated. It's funny, because when Julie and Jeff were talking about books they enjoyed, Carrie and I were talking about how difficult it is for us to actually complete a book. It really doesn't matter how good a book is, I'm still going to look at the last page to count how many pages I have left. When I close the book I'm reading for the night, I always look at where the bookmark is at, to gage how much I have left to read. Why is this? Am I missing the point? Is it a Johnson thing to be so inpatient with reading? Maybe it's just a personality thing. When I read, even if I'm entertained, it still feels like somewhat of a chore. Is my imagination not vivid enough to really enjoy the book? Am I a dullard, because I don't get enveloped in a story?

A stand up comedian that I love, Jim Gaffigan, talked about how he was always so proud of himself for finishing a book. He said that he'd find ways to work it into conversations. He also jokes about how "readers" always say in a snooty tone........."the book was much better than the movie". Then he says, "You know what I enjoyed about the movie? No reading". I can totally relate.

I guess Julie finds escape and fun in reading though, like I do in Football and watching sports. I guess, to each his own............

Love ya Julie........ :)

White Elephant

Every year, my work has a "White Elephant" gift exchange. Normally, I get something really cheap and lame. This year, however, I decided to give one lucky co-worker an amazing treat. I've enlarged, autographed and framed the picture to the left. Yeah, I know, it could be too much...........but that's just the kind of guy I am. :)

The Video is working now............See below

My Top 25 Movies of All Time

1. SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
2. GROUNDHOG DAY
3. PEEWEE’S BIG ADVENTURE
4. SANDLOT
5. ROCKY 3
6. ROCKY 4
7. DUMB AND DUMBER
8. OFFICE SPACE
9. TOMMY BOY
10. NAPOLEON DYNAMITE
11. JERRY MAGUIRE
12. BACK TO THE FUTURE
13. THE FUGITIVE
14. DIE HARD 1
15. MATRIX
16. FERRIS BUELERS DAY OFF
17. ACE VENTURE – WHEN NATURE CALLS
18. PRINCESS BRIDE
19. LAST SAMURAI
20. NACHO LIBRE
21. CINDERELLA MAN
22. THE ROCK
23. CHRISTMAS STORY
24. SO I MARRIED AN AXE MURDERER.
25. BREWSTERS MILLIONS