bhmstuff

Transformers :: Revenge of the Fallen

2009-07-09T21:24:00.000-04:00

Sonya and I snuck out today and watched Transformers :: Revenge of the Fallen. I was planning on reviewing the movie in detail this evening, but I'm just too tired and we're waiting on dinner. So, this is my promise (you now have it in writing) that I'll be writing more about the movie sometime tomorrow.

Scam Alert - 1800Flowers.com

2009-06-21T07:35:00.007-04:00

I'm sure you've heard of 1800Flowers.com, right? Well, if you haven't you are better off. Sonya and I have used them a couple of times and we've never really had any complaints... until now.

For Mother's Day this year, we thought we'd send flowers to Sonya's mom in Louisiana and to my mom here in Maryland. Sounds pretty simple right? Go to the web site, pick out the flowers you want to send, enter your credit card information and *VOILA*, flowers are sent to their doorstep. Well, that was all well and good, but there was something else going on that we didn't know about.

So, what's the problem you ask? I'll tell you. The other day I was going through our bank statement, like I do on a regular basis, and saw a random charge for $38.99 from company called "TLG*LiveWell". I had no idea what this was, so I asked Sonya if she remembered making a purchase from someone of that name. She said she had never heard of it. I did a little research on the good ol' World Wide Web to see what was going on.

I entered "TLG*LiveWell" into Google (I suggest you try it one day to see what I'm talking about) and found, I'm guessing, thousands of people who have experienced a similar "random" charge from this "TLG*LiveWell". All of which had no idea who in the hell they were. It turns out that 1800Flowers.com is in cahoots with them and somehow, some way, they sell your credit card information to them. Now, I'm not sure how they can do this, but I suspect that when Sonya was completing the purchase on the 1800Flowers.com web site there was a checkbox somewhere that needed to be deselected or our information would be available to them. She doesn't remember seeing that, but it was probably there (and probably impossible to see when you're finishing your order).

After doing a little research, I found that LiveWell is a subscription service that sends you coupons (electronically or via snail mail) for online or in-store shopping. I'd never heard of it and I DEFINITELY wasn't interested in their services. So, after digging a little deeper, I found their contact information and decided to give them a ring. Their representative told me that someone named "Sonya" had made a purchase through 1800Flowers.com and during the checkout process signed up for a membership with LiveWell (again, to her knowledge she didn't). It turns out that the first 30 days are free and you can cancel at anytime, but after that period you will be charged, in this case, $38.99. I have no idea if this was going to be a monthly or yearly charge. From the stuff I read online different people were being charged different amounts at different intervals.

I told the representative that we weren't interested in this service and, after his long rant about how we could save so much money with their service, offered to cancel our so-called "membership" and refund us the $38.99. I then proceeded to tell him that this was a shady way of doing business and that they must be ripping people off left and right. Judging by his tone, he had heard all of this before from a number of people.

What's the moral of the story? Well, I don't really have one except for when you make a purchase online, make sure you know EXACTLY what you're getting and who is going to have access to your information. Luckily I caught this random charge while going over our bank statement and was able to correct the issue. I can't imagine how many people out there just continue to pay and pay and when they realize it, it's too late.

Rant complete... don't use 1800Flowers.com. They suck.

iGots an iPhone

2009-06-18T08:35:00.005-04:00

I know it's not that big of a deal to most people because it seems like everyone has one nowadays. But, it's a big deal to me. Sonya and I finally ditched ol' VW (Verizon Wireless) and switched to AT&T. We've been thinking about making the switch for a while now and we finally pulled the trigger. And here's what we're now using to blow up other people's cellies:

We decided to go with the iPhone 3G. Because of the release of the iPhone 3GS this week, Apple / AT&T dropped the price to $99.00 for new customers and those customers who were eligible for an upgrade. It was a deal we really couldn't pass up. With two iPhones (both with a data plan), 1400 minutes per month (with rollover minutes) and 200 text messages each, our phone bill is going to be within a few dollars of our Verizon bill. Pretty crazy seeing as we only had one data plan (my Blackberry) and a run-of-the-mill flip phone (Samsung Alias).

So far, we're very happy with the decision. Sonya absolutely loves what the phone can do and she's already asking me why we didn't make the move sooner. I've been talking about it for what, two years now? I knew she'd come around.

OK, For Real This Time...

2009-06-16T07:01:00.002-04:00

I wanted to try and write this last night but the time just slipped away from me again. I was, however, able to get a post up on Lilly's blog (http://lillymccoy.blogspot.com) so the night wasn't a total wash. I just got tied up in the world of the web. I've got a pretty project that needs to be done by the end of July and I've been trying to work on it every chance I get. So, with that, and spending time with my family, time seems to be dwindling these days.

But, I think I've found some motivation. Sonya actually started a journal over the weekend. Not so much a blog because she's actually writing it in a book. She thought about going online with it but she doesn't want to open herself up like that just yet and she wants to be able to give Lilly something when she gets older. Something to document her feelings throughout the parenting process. She's doing a great job with it and I really enjoy reading it. Hopefully one day Lilly will too.

There are so many things to write about that I don't know how to prioritize them. So, what I'm going to do is just write about the first thing that comes to mind on a daily basis (isn't that the whole point of a blog anyway?). I probably won't write too much about parenting or being a dad unless it doesn't involve my actual experience as that what Lilly's blog is for. So, here's the first of what I hope to be a long line of posts from yours truly. Now, if I could just get in a rhythm.

Oh yeah, I'm also trying to get back into hitting the gym in the morning. Made it there today at 5:30 AM. Ran 2.5 miles and worked up a really good sweat. Maybe, just MAYBE I can get all these things going on a consistent basis. Here's hoping!

Orioles Magic

2009-04-09T08:42:00.007-04:00

When I was younger there were few things I liked more than watching the Baltimore Orioles play baseball. I always wanted to be like Cal Ripken, Jr., my childhood hero. I worshipped this guy, and still do to some extent. When he retired I lost a lot of interest in the game. Especially since the Orioles haven't been able to put together a contender in years... and I mean YEARS. What's it been now? Eleven losing seasons in a row? It really makes it tough to stay interested.

Until now.

For some reason, I'm more interested in baseball this year than I have been in a while. Maybe it's because the Orioles front office is actually trying to build a team the right way instead of signing stop-gap, washed-up veteran re-treads (thanks for your contributions, Kevin Millar). The team is a lot younger now with a lot more potential. And for the first time in a long time there are a number of prospects in the O's farm system. I believe the Orioles have six prospects that are currently in the Top 100, including the No. 1 overall player, Matt Wieters.

It's definitely an exciting time to be an Orioles fan. It helps when they start the season 2-0 against the New York Yankees. A team that is becoming known for signing those same stop-gap type players only for 10x more the money. How's that $260 million for Sabathia and Teixeira now, Yanks fans? I know it's early, but this might be one of the few bright spots the Orioles might experience this season.

Oh yeah, I wanted to mention that I won a bet on Opening Day. My friend Matt, a dreaded Yankee fan, bet me that the Yanks would win on Opening Day. The loser would have to purchase some sort of shirt from the other team and wear it to work. So, since the Orioles won 10-5 on Monday, Matt will soon be wearing a Nick Markakis shirt to his place of business. Enjoy that day, Matt! Could have been worse for him I guess... could have been a Red Sox shirt.

Top Ten Favorite Cartoons (from my childhood)

2009-04-06T09:52:00.002-04:00

I've been seeing a lot of things on Facebook regarding Top 5 lists. Things like, Top 5 movies I could watch over and over again, Top 5 books I've read, etc. etc. I saw one recently that was Top 5 cartoons that I grew up watching. But since this is the Monday Top 10 (that's right 10!) I'll have to expand that list a bit. So, here's the list for this week.

Here are the Top Ten Cartoons I Grew Up Watching:

10. Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears
9. Scooby Doo
8. The Flintstones
7. Looney Tunes
6. Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
5. Smurfs
4. Thundercats
3. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
2. Transformers

And the number one cartoon I grew up watching -

*drumroll*

1. G.I. Joe - A Real American Hero

Be sure to check back next Monday for a new Top Ten.

Must Haves

2009-04-01T14:23:00.010-04:00

A friend of mine sent me a link to one of the most ridiculous (and gross) products I have ever seen (the product was called Squeez Bacon - that's right a type of bacon paste in a bottle - but enough about that). While I was upset that he sent me something so disgusting, I would later thank him because it led me to one of the greatest products ever. A true "Must Have". Ladies and gentlemen I give you the one... the only... Tauntaun Sleeping Bag!

Can you believe something so cool exists? I mean, how could you not want one of these things? If you're questioning whether or not you need one, let me review a few of the features provided by the folks at ThinkGeek.com:

classic Star Wars sleeping bag simulates the warmth of a Tauntaun carcass
built-in embroidered Tauntaun head pillow
glowing lightsaber zipper pull

This has to go down as one of the greatest things ever. Not only because it's a Star Wars product, but because it let's you get up close and personal with one of the most important creatures in The Empire Strikes Back. Hell, without the Tauntaun to save Luke's ass from the bitter cold Star Wars wouldn't be half of what it is today! Think about it... the Tauntaun single-handedly saved the franchise. Who'd a thunk it!

So, if any of you dear readers are looking for a good birthday gift idea for me this year you know what to do. Now if I could just get my wife to dress up like Han Solo when she tucks me in at night... err... wait... nevermind.

The Tauntaun Sleeping Bag is available at ThinkGeek.com. Click here to get yours!

In the Words of Huey Lewis... We're Goin' Back in Time!

2009-03-31T13:48:00.005-04:00

Thought it might cool to take a small trip down memory lane. I was just thinking about my childhood the other day and how so many things have changed since then. The biggest of them all of course is... THE TOYS! Many times I've walked down the toy aisle at Wal-Mart or Target just to see the shelves filled with gobs and gobs of crap. Granted, a lot of the things in stores nowadays I haven't heard of but some of the classics are still around... only they're nowhere near as cool.

See, back in the day, toys weren't "shit", they were "THE" shit. We had so many things on our wish list there's no way your parents could afford them all unless they won the lottery or were astronauts on the space shuttle. Stuff like He-Man and Castle Greyskull, Optimus Prime and the Constructicons, the Atari 2600... need I say more? But, one of the BEST lines ever made was a REAL American Hero... good ol' G.I. Joe. Now, if you don't know what G.I. Joe is or what it's all about then you should probably be arrested for treason. It has to be one of the greatest product lines ever made. So many figures with an infinite amount of accessories. Vehicles that could cover any kind of terrain and survive the worst conditions known to man. I'm talkin' big boy stuff here. But, there was one item in this line that I would consider to be the "Holy Grail" of sorts. Something that would cause every kid, boys and girls alike, to become green with envy and despise you because in their eyes you were the luckiest person on the planet. Behold the U.S.S. Flagg!

This was the MOTHER of all vehicles when it came to G.I. Joe and I was lucky enough to have one. My mom and stepdad surprised me with it one year for Christmas. When I saw the size of the box it came in I nearly crapped my pants. Now, I know what you're thinking... Chad must have been a spoiled little brat when he was a kid. Well, that very well could be true (we all know it isn't), but at least I was a brat with a friggin' aircraft carrier in his living room!

I kid you not, this thing was close to 6 feet long and weighed a ton. And forget about moving it when it was all put together. Wherever you decided to build it is where it stayed. Unfortunately I assembled it in the kitchen and it was covered with spaghetti sauce and gravy because we had to use it as a makeshift table until we could hire some migrant workers to move it to the living room. That's how big this thing was!

The Joes and I had many a good time on the deck of that ship. It made me feel like a part of the team... like a REAL American Hero. What I wouldn't give to still have that monstrosity sitting in my basement. I'd probably still be the talk of the town... or divorced. But at least I'd have this little baby downstairs to keep me company.

Monday is now "Top Ten" Day!

2009-03-30T08:48:00.009-04:00

Since Monday is so difficult for me to write something, I figured it'd might be a good idea to have a theme of sorts to follow. So, I'm going to make a random Top Ten list each and every Monday for you to enjoy. Hopefully, it will allow me to keep up each and every Monday.

So, here's the first of many "Top Ten" lists from yours truly:

Here are the Top Ten things I'd rather be doing right now besides working:

10. Playing flag-football
9. Taking a nap
8. Killin' terrorists in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare on XBox
7. Laying on the couch watching Star Wars Episodes IV, V and VI
6. Racing Go-Karts at the indoor go-kart track
5. Eating a soft pretzel from Auntie Anne's at Christiana Mall
4. Driving just about anywhere with Sonya and Lilly
3. Playing golf (even though it's INSANELY windy outside)
2. Cookin' a pot of gumbo with Sonya

And the number one thing I'd rather be doing right now besides working -

*drumroll*

1. Hanging out with Lilly

Be sure to check back next Monday for a new Top Ten. I haven't decided yet what it will be, but I'm sure something will come to me eventually.

Remind Me...

2009-03-25T11:01:00.003-04:00

.. to never take off two weeks from the gym again.

This morning Sonya talked me into heading back to the Y. I haven't been since the Friday before Lilly was born (which was March 6th I think). I had made it up to 5.25 miles before then so I know going back this morning was going to be a bit of a letdown. But, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

My goal was to run for 25 minutes and run at least 2 miles. I was able to do it without any problem. Although, my iPod died about 30 seconds in so I had to do it with no musical motivation. I think it's on its way out (but don't tell Sonya that 'cause the last thing I want to do is have to buy a new one).

Anyway... so it's good to be back on track again. It's only one day, but you have to start somewhere. Also, I weighed myself this morning for the first time in a couple of weeks. I've dropped a total of 18.4 pounds! I find that UNREAL because of Sonya's parents being in town for over a week and cooking everything under the sun... and of course I HAD to eat it to be polite!

More to come...

I'm a Daddy!

2009-03-16T14:35:00.005-04:00

In case you didn't know, I became a member of the Daddy Club (thanks for the welcome, Ken) last Monday. Lilly Hamilton McCoy, my precious daughter, was born at 1:00 PM on Monday, March 9, 2009. She weighed 6 lbs. 11 oz. and was 20" long. I could be biased, but she is pretty damn perfect in my eyes. Except, she got her father's nose. But, it looks good on her because everything else is so cute. Me, I'm hideous and I just can't pull it off.

Anyway, I've spent the past week at home with her and Sonya. We've been trying to develop a daily (and nightly) routine to keep our sanity in tact. Especially Sonya's once I go back to work later this week. It's been quite a learning experience thus far. Learning what different cries mean, how to adjust your schedule to revolve around a baby that requires you to do EVERYTHING. But, I wouldn't trade it for anything. It's been the best experience of my life without a doubt and I'm already scared she's growing up too fast. I guess I'll just have to learn how to deal with that.

A while back I created blogs for each child (boy or girl). So, I'll be updating Lilly's blog with stories and photos as often as I can. Here's a link to it:

Lilly McCoy's Blog

I'm hoping to have the first post up this afternoon. This has been one of the first days I've touched my computer since she's born and I just haven't made time for it. You'll have to forgive me as I'm trying to be a good dad!

More to come...

Ain't Technology Grand!

2009-02-21T06:05:00.005-05:00

I've been doing some research on how I can use my recently purchased XBox 360 as a Media Center. What's that? You don't know what a Media Center is? Here's a simple explanation. A Media Center, be it a gaming console or computer, is a place where you can store and view any and all of your various types of multimedia (i.e. Photos, Music, Videos, etc.)

By default, the XBox 360 is already setup as a media device. The only problem is, the hard drive capacity, especially in the model I have (60 GB), isn't really ideal for doing something like this. We ALWAYS want more space... the bigger the better! Recently a friend of mine gave me a couple of external hard drives that he no longer had any use for. The drives are 280 GB each. Still not the biggest you can buy now, but definitely an upgrade over the hard drive that came with my XBox.

After doing some reading, I found some information on how to use an external hard drive as a storage device for the 360. I had to format the drive I wanted to use to FAT32 (not really the latest technology, but this is the only file system that the 360 can read). Then, all I needed to do was copy movies, music or photos to the external drive and plug it into one of the three USB ports located on the 360!

The only hang-up (if you want to call it that) is that it takes a pretty long time to rip a DVD to a format the 360 can handle (I prefer MPEG-4). On average, it takes about three (3) hours to encode a movie. So, I've just been starting one every night and it's finished in the morning when I get out of bed.

If you're interested in doing something like this and you're tired of shuffling around your DVD cases, it's really not that hard to setup. All you need is an XBox 360, an external hard drive and a couple of pieces of free, that's right, FREE software. Here's what I used to get everything up and running:

1. To format the Hard Drive to FAT32, I used CompuApps SwissKnife V3 (download)
2. To rip / encode DVDs to an appropriate format, I used a program called HandBrake (download)
3. If you run into copyright issues with the DVD, there's a program called DVD43 (download)

** You should only encode movies that you have purchased. Duplication of movies is EXTREMELY frowned upon, but it doesn't hurt to have a backup of them now does it!

X-Box Live Revisited

2009-02-17T05:56:00.008-05:00

I finally decided to man up and buy an X-Box 360. What took me so long you ask? Well, money was the biggest factor, especially since our lives are about to be turned upside down when Baby McCoy decides to join us. But, after some discussion with my wife and a couple of extra bucks in the account from some side work I was able to buy one of these little beauties.

I had a hard time deciding between the 360 and the PlayStation 3. I went back and forth between the two for a few weeks. They both have so many great things to offer but it really came down to the online play. I know a lot more people with 360's than I do the PlayStation so it was pretty much a no brainer. However, I've had the system for a few weeks now and I've only played online with friends one time... and that was a game of fast-paced, super intense UNO (yes, the card game). It's downloadable on X-Box Live and is a BLAST. Especially when you play with a couple of kids who think they know it all.

Anyway, for those of you out there who frequent X-Box Live, my gamer tag is "White-Bread". The thought has crossed my mind about changing it because my wife said it could be viewed as racist. I don't see how, but then again, I've been using it since the launch of X-Box Live and maybe I'm just ignorant. I've posted a poll to find out if ANYONE out there feels the same way she does. Would like to know your thoughts.

Today is Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T05:52:00.001-05:00

I've got to be honest. Valentine's Day has never really been that big of a deal to me since the days of swapping those little cards in grade school. Sure, it's nice to be able to spend it with someone you love but it just seems like it's become so gimmicky and cliche'.

But this year, it's a little different. I've had it in my mind that I didn't want Sonya to go into labor until the 14th of February or later. Reason being, we're scheduled to have our orientation / birthing class this morning at Christiana Hospital and I want to be as ready as possible for the big day. I think after this a lot of my nervous feelings will subside and I will be able to focus more on helping Sonya get through these last few weeks.

I've been saying all along (since we found out the approximate due date) that we will have our son/daughter on February 21st. I'm sticking by that, because I don't know how much bigger that baby can get in Sonya's belly. According to everything we've read (I mean, Sonya's read), the baby should be hovering around 6 lbs. 8 oz. right now. Not hard to believe when you look at her belly.

Wish us luck at our class this morning. Should be a fun, eye-opening experience.

Two for Tues... err... Wednesday

2009-02-11T17:47:00.000-05:00

What's that? Two posts in one day... in a span of 10 minutes? That's right! But, unfortunately, this is just a quickie. Wanted to say Happy 29th Birthday to my wonderful wife, Sonya. I'm pretty sure she reads this so I figured it'd be a nice touch.

Happy 29th Birthday, Sonya! Last one before the big 3-0!

Shameless Self-Promotion

2009-02-11T17:24:00.001-05:00

I haven't really had a lot of time to write lately with everything that's been going on. So, I thought I'd just show off a little somethin' somethin'. It's not that big of a deal, but I think they turned out great.

I asked a friend of mine to help me with a logo and business card for my company, Big Head Media, a while back. We bounced ideas around for a while and finally came up with a solid concept. I left the design work up to him since he has more experience with identity and print design. Here's the finished product (keep in mind, I had them printed with a glossy finish on front, matte finish on back and rounded corners).

Many MANY thanks to Matt at Guttata Design for all his hard work and assistance. Hopefully one day I'll be able to repay him for everything he's done.

Gran Torino...

2009-01-28T11:47:00.000-05:00

... could very well be one of the best movies I've ever seen. Clint Eastwood has proven to be a fantastic director and he doesn't disappoint in this one. For those of you who have the time (and the money, because prices at the movie theater are ridiculous nowadays) I HIGHLY recommend going to see this movie. I promise you it will not disappoint.

Here's the official web site: Gran Torino Web Site

Check it out! Now!

One Hell of a Week

2009-01-21T11:55:00.000-05:00

So, it's Wednesday and this week has been absolutely brutal for me. Sonya and I are having carpet installed in our house this week (thanks to a Christmas bonus) and we had a couple of squeaks in the floor of our nursery that needed to be looked at. My dad sent a couple of his guys over to take a look and see if they could fix it. They figured out the problem pretty quick and determined their course of action to fix it. I stood there, watching to see exactly what was making the floor squeak so bad.

Turned out to be a small problem. The nails that were driven into the bottom plate of the interior wall separating our guest room and nursery were not in the right place. Each of them missed their corresponding floor joists and they had worked loose. So, every time you step, the nail rubs and you hear a god awful noise.

The solution was to cut the nails so they wouldn't squeak anymore and secure the wall to the floor with some screws. Good idea right? Well, we all thought it was. But, it's not a good idea when you don't know about a sprinkler line running in that wall. It was no more than 45 seconds when water came gushing out from under the wall. And let me tell you, water was EVERYWHERE!

It covered most of the floor upstairs. The nursery, guest room and hallway. Luckily I had already removed all the carpet for the installers (call me cheap, but I figured I could do it myself) so we didn't have to deal with that. We were grabbing everything we could find to soak up the water. I had to run down to the basement to shut the water off. Luckily the main valve is in a place that's easy to get to or we would have had even bigger problems.

Long story short, I had water coming into my living room in two places. There were a bunch of spots on the ceiling that were wet and would have to be repaired or repainted. Luckily, my dad has a lot of contacts so we were able to get a sprinkler installer there pretty much immediately to fix the cut line so they could get everything cleaned up.

Yesterday and today painters came by to repair the drywall and paint the ENTIRE ceiling over again. I just had it painted at the end of the summer, so that was money down the drain. Our house is a complete mess and won't be any better until Friday when the carpet is installed and we can FINALLY clean it from top to bottom.

Of course, to top it all off... Sonya's parents are coming into town Friday afternoon. It's going to be a rough couple of days between now and then!

Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009

2009-01-15T12:07:00.000-05:00

I know I know... it's a little late to be saying goodbye to last year (approximately two weeks late). The truth is, I haven't been making the time to write. I know that's no excuse, but when you've got workouts, home improvements, two jobs and a pregnant wife (who's due in less than two months now) some things happen to fall by the wayside.

But, that's going to change in 2009. Not only am I going to be updating this blog more regularly, but I've already created blogs for each of the names we have chosen for our first born. I'm not going to share those just yet, but they'll be unveiled soon enough.

So, I hope those of you who check in from time to time will continue to do so. I plan on writing on a number of different topics... fatherhood, childhood, work (technical jargon that most of you will disregard), movies, etc. etc. Stay tuned.

I Never Thought I'd Hate Anyone...

2008-11-05T14:31:00.000-05:00

... but the chick that wrote the following blog entry is officially on this VERY short list. If you have a moment, and don't mind getting a little upset, have a look here (feel free to just read the initial post, and for more entertainment, read the comments that follow):

Words from a Whacko

Now, it takes a lot to really get me angry, but I can't recall the last time my blood was close to boiling because of someone's naivity. (sp?) I came across this girl's insanity one day while looking for reasons why people hate Sarah Palin. I've never understood why people were so hung up on this woman getting nowhere near the White House but everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Until now.

She talks about Palin being "selfish" for bringing a child with Down's Syndrome into this world. For "choosing" to have the child, rather than having an abortion. Are you freakin' kidding me (I'd have rather used the other word, but I vowed to clean up my language now that I am a father-to-be). Here's the part that really set me off... and I quote:

"Congratulations, you've doomed him to a lifetime of suffering. A short lifetime, mind you, because most Down's kids have shorter lifespans and are highly susceptible to anything going around, but it's still pretty much a given that they're going to suffer for as long as they live. They won't be able to keep up with the other kids, they'll be developmentally stunted both physically and mentally and it's all your fault for having brought said kid into the world, knowing what he'd have to face."

This upset me in a way that I can't even explain, because she obviously has no concept of what Down's Syndrome is, and most likely has never met someone who has Down's Syndrome. You see, I know about it, because I have a 23 year old brother with it. He's the sweetest kid you'll ever meet. I say kid because he's my little brother... not because of his mental capacity. He's actually one of the smartest people I know, and can manipulate someone in a second to get his way. And he's extremely happy! Go figure... he's not suffering. This kid just had open heart surgery (for the second time in his life) and never complained for one second. He is very independent, lives in a group home with two other mentally-handicapped guys, has a job, makes his own money, etc. etc. I can't say enough good things about him. In fact, I'd say he's experiencing the complete opposite of suffering.

You see, I've always viewed Down's kids as care-free. Most have such an innocence to them they feel that everything is right in the world. Hell, the only thing my brother really worries about is what he's having for his next meal. He's not suffering because he doesn't know any better. His idea of normal is completely different than your's or mine... and I envy him for that.

What does all this mean? Why am I writing about this? Well, I'll tell you why. This closed-minded, half-brained twit is preaching about something she doesn't fully understand. Her lack of knowledge about Down's Syndrome and those who "suffer" from it is WAY off base and she needs to be told so. In fact, I'd highly recommend that she take some time to volunteer and spend time with a Down's Syndrome child and see what a joy they are to be around. I think "suffering" will be the last word that comes to mind.

As Promised...

2008-10-22T08:43:00.002-04:00

... here are the pictures the nurse gave us last night from the 20 Week UltraSound. We saw a lot more than these images show, but I guess the paper is expensive because they only gave us three. It's OK though, they tell the story pretty well.

Profile (October 21, 2008 - 21 Weeks)

Profile with Mouth Open (October 21, 2008 - 21 Weeks)

Feet (October 21, 2008 - 21 Weeks)

Last night's UltraSound confirmed the due date of March 4, 2009. That day will be here before you know it.

20 Week UltraSound Tonight!

2008-10-21T16:36:00.001-04:00

Sonya and I will be going to the hospital tonight for a twenty week UltraSound. It's very exciting to say the least. Tonight, if we wanted to, we could find out if it's a boy or a girl. We're going to do everything we can to keep it a surprise. If we happen to find out by accident (it's not likely, but it happened to my sister with her first), we haven't decided if we're going to keep it between us or spread the news. I guess we can decide that on the way home.

I'll be sure to post a photo later (most likely tomorrow, since I don't have access to a scanner here at home). Let's hope for the best!

Vacation is Over

2008-10-08T23:37:00.001-04:00

Sonya and I got back from vacation yesterday. We went to Louisiana to spend time with her family and attend her 10 Year High School Reunion. It was definitely nice seeing some of her old friends and seeing a few new faces. It made me think of how my graduating class missed out (we're currently at 13 years and counting without a function of any sort).

Now, we're back in Maryland and I'm playing catchup with e-mail and other work-related goodies. Been on the go since 5 AM, and I'm finally hitting a wall. Guess I should hit the hay... big day tomorrow. Work, then we're going to the hospital for the next ultrasound. We "could" find out what our baby is, but I think we're going to hold off. Should be exciting to say the least!

'Til tomorrow...

Plyometrics X... and more stuff

2008-09-02T22:29:00.000-04:00

Today is Tuesday, and that means that Plyometrics X is the workout of the day. And boy did it kick my ass this time. I gave it everything I had and then some. Getting in shape sure can be tough. For those of you who don't know, plyometrics is defined as: a type of exercise using explosive movements to develop muscular power, esp. bounding, hopping, and jumping (thank you, Dictionary.com). Plyometric workouts are especially good for athletes who want to improve their performance on the field (or track, or whatever). I've already noticed an improvement in my lateral movement in the few short weeks that I've been on the P90X program. This program is definitely all it's cracked up to be, and I look forward to doing it every day.

And now on to more important things. Tomorrow is Wednesday, and we'll be one more day closer to football on Thursday night. Not to mention Flag Football starting up this weekend (more on that later). So, I've got to hit the sack and save some energy for tomorrow's workout and practice.

September is Here

2008-09-02T09:22:00.000-04:00

That's right! I've finally flipped my calendar to September and you know what that means! Football starts this week! Thursday night as a matter of fact. It seems like such a long time between the Super Bowl and Week 1... especially because every other professional sports seems to last an entire year (i.e. MLB, NBA, NHL). But, it doesn't matter anymore. I've subscribed through NFL Sunday Ticket from DirecTV (and added the SuperFan package so each and every second will displayed in beautiful HD. Thank God Sonya and I bought a new television a while back. Well worth the money if you ask me.

On a separate note. Week 1 of P90X is in the books as of last night. I've been on the Nutrition Plan for just over 3 weeks and I've lost 12 pounds. I can't wait to see the results when the full 90 days have passed.

P90X: Day 1

2008-08-14T09:27:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my first official workout on the P90X program. It was a Chest and Back workout that was madeup of a variety of push-ups and pull/chin-ups. I knew it was going to be difficult but DAMN I had no idea it was going to be like that. I think it was just over an hour long with small breaks in between exercises. I was drenched with sweat about twenty minutes in.

I am pretty sure this was a smart idea on my part to take on this program. The diet is outlined very well and the workouts seem to be no joke. Today I will be doing the Plyometrics routine which is cardio-based and focuses on a variety of powerful movements to enhance performance in sports. Hopefully I'll be able to knock it out of the park.

And by the way, the soreness is starting to set in from yesterday's workout. Ugh.

The Journey Known as P90X

2008-08-12T07:23:00.000-04:00

I meant to write about this yesterday but I just couldn't find the time to squeeze it in. My plan was to write about P90X, a popular workout / diet regimen that a friend told me about not too long ago. He has a pretty good write-up on his blog: http://blog.ventaur.com. Check it out if you want specifics.

Before I started the program, I had to get a couple of things in place and complete the Fitness Test. The test was comprised of exercises that focused on certain strengths and abilities to see if I was capable of completing the program. I passed the test pretty easily, but that does not necessarily mean that I am in good shape. Above average? Yes. Where I should be? Probably not.

So, I had to change around my eating habits pretty significantly. Luckily the program outlines everything so you are NEVER guessing. I've been forced to restructure everything so that my body is being "fueled" instead of "fed". So far so good, though. It's only my second day and I've been going strong with a high protein / low carbohydrate diet. Hopefully I won't get too bored down the road.

I'll post the aftermath of my first official workout tomorrow. Should be interesting.

June 28th - My First Day of Fatherhood

2008-08-08T05:59:00.001-04:00

The 28th of June goes down as one of the most important days of my life for this was the day that I found out I was going to be a father. My wife woke me up early that morning showing me the results of a pregnancy test. Seeing as I was half asleep, I didn't think anything of it until she nudged me a few times to get my full attention. We were both overcome with a sense of joy (and relief) because it was the first day of "parenthood".

The thought of being a father didn't really sink in until we went to my wife's last ultrasound. At just under eight weeks, the baby was roughly the size of a grape and we could already see it's heartbeat. Seeing it all on screen is a moment that I will never forget.

It's hard to explain what I was feeling at that moment. Thousands of thoughts were running through my head as I sat there and watched that tiny monitor:

"How am I going to do this?"
"I wonder if it's a boy or a girl?"
"Am I ready to be a father?"
"Can we afford to have a baby right now?"

That's not all of them, but you get the idea. Now, roughly a month later, I can honestly say that my mind has settled in to feelings of happiness and excitement. I find myself thinking about taking them to the zoo, throwing a ball around in the back yard, helping them with their homework.

It's an amazing feeling and one that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. My wife and I are so excited to have started this journey... and I couldn't think of anyone else I'd want to experience it with.