My sisters

This is a picture of me and my three older sisters. Obviously I am the best looking one in the front.



I had a very interesting childhood being the only boy and being the youngest. If you were to talk with my sisters I am sure they would tell you that our mom and dad used to let me get away with a lot more than they did when they were my age. I don't know if it is necessarily true. Perhaps it is true or perhaps I was the angel of the group that didn't need to do the rebellious things they needed to while they were growing up. I guess we will never know ;)

In any case, my family was relatively and oddly absent from much drama. Sure there was your typical everyday drama but nothing that I would classify as catastrophic to the familial unit. That is until mom died a few years ago. It didn't happen until the very moment that mom died. It was like there was a thin veil covering all the insecurities and troubles of each family member.

It was as if mom was a matador on her way to heaven. All this time she had been able to keep the cape over our eyes. When she was no longer there to hold the cape, the family went bonkers, nuts, crazy, wacko. Whatever colorful metaphor you want to use, it happened to us.

Never in a million years did I believe that we would have disagreed or were more deeply hurt by who would get what of mom's after she died. I only say this to warn anyone reading this post that still has their mother and father and that has siblings. Death and money do strange things to people.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that what I experienced after mom died was unusual. I am merely saying I was unprepared for it. All three of my sisters were destroyed when mom passed. I had no idea it was going to affect them how it did.

The best advice I can give anyone that goes through this in the future is to try to have as much patience and understanding as possible. Stay true to love you built up with your siblings over the years.

To my wonderful, beautiful and loving sisters I say this. No matter what I said and no matter how I said it, always know that you are my family and I love you truly and deeply. I only wish the very best for you and I will always be there for you whenever you need me.

I see mom in every one of you.

Also know that no one in this world has everything figured out. I realize that we are all making our way in the world just as anyone else would be. Just as I will always love my children and wife, so shall I always love and cherish having you as my family.

With all my love,

Your brother

Finished project....the basement stairs

So on a whim I thought it would be an interesting project to put indoor/outdoor carpet on the basement stairs. I mean really they couldn't be any worse. I didn't take a complete before picture but I think you can see what I mean.




So I went to Lowe's and bought 20 feet of this typical gray indoor/outdoor carpet for about $1.50 per linear foot. I bought some carpet glue as well. After a few hours of gluing and stapling. Voila!

The latest project

This weekend I started to renovate my basement. I am using DRYLOK latex based waterproofing paint on the masonry brick walls. This particular brand of paint is very gritty and requires a specific brush to apply it. As with most projects I am kicking myself for not doing this sooner. Not only will it help keep the basement dry it is signifcantly improving the look and feel of the basement.

Also, I relocated the cable modem and wireless router to a hidden place in the basement so as to hide a bunch of unsightly wires. I also mounted the cable connections to a higher place so the conceal the wires within the rafters.

I am also going to be sealing/painting the floor. I will provide before and after pictures when everything is done.

Anna Nicole Smith Funeral......on TV?

So there I was. Flipping through the channels when I noticed that every one of the major news stations (CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, etc) was covering a funeral. Well, I had to find out which dignitary or world leader or person of great importance had died.

Was it a former President of the United States? Was it someone that had found the cure for a disease or won the Nobel Peace Prize?

No, no...it was Anna Nicole Smith. Who is Anna Nicole Smith? That is exactly right. Let's see if we can give you a little background on Ms. Smith. She is a former Playboy Playmate of the Year. She married an elderly gentlemen because of love not because he was filthy rich. She had a son who died a strange death and a daughter whose paternity is in question.

So why is it that millions of Americans are being subjected to watching her funeral. I am not talking about just the funeral itself. We are talking about watching the "red carpet" of who is attending. We are talking about watching the hearse deliver her casket to the grave site. The news stations are spending an enormous amount of time talking about her and her life.

wars/genocide/starvation/catastrophic results of tornadoes...and this is the headline news of the day....

WHY!?!?!?!

This is everything that is wrong with our world today.

This is the world in which we live?

I recently visited Atlanta on a business trip. During my travels I discovered something that might not be limited to just my way of thinking.

When I am sitting or standing in an airport or a mall or even in my front yard, I feel uncomfortable when I look at women and children. The discomfort comes from what I perceive to be the thoughts of others.

I look at children when I am away from my own children because it helps me remember the sweet times. I see other parents walking or talking or playing with their kids and I fall in love with my children all over again. Being a father has changed me forever. I look at people differently. I look at the world differently.

Yet when I look at children I try not to stare too long because I don't want their parents thinking I am a child molester that wants to steal their kids. I don't blame them if they think this way. I think this way when I am with my kids. I give anyone the evil eye that might be looking at my kids. I remember a time when B told me that there was a man that had been looking at JC in a weird way for far too long . I wanted to hunt him down.

As far as looking at other women, it might just be a passing glance when I noticed a weird hat or perhaps it was something they said that caught my attention. The point is that when this happens I find myself quickly looking away because I don't want them thinking I am some pervert or stalker.

Why do I think this way?
Do other people think this way?
Am I being paranoid?

Personally, I believe I think this way because it is the world in which we live. We live in a world in which grown men of all ages are caught on Dateline NBC trying to engage in lewd acts with a minor (13). We live in a world to where women are objectified.

Drink a Budweiser and you will have lots of pretty half-dressed girls around you. Breastfeeding in public is perceived by many as indecent while music videos objectifying women are winning awards.

What do you think?