Merrry Christmas & God Bless

The Christmas Story
St. Luke 2: 1 – 14


And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a

decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of

Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is

called BethlehemTo be taxed with Mary his

espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days

were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought

forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes,

and laid him in a manger; because there was no

room for them at the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding

in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and

the glory of the Lord shone round about them;

and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold,

I bring you good tidings of great joy,

which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of

David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the

babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a

multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Leonardo da Vinci. Adoration of the Magi.
1481-1482. Oil on wood. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy.

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace,
good will toward men.

Props

Liberalism is a Mental Disorder.  I gotta give props to this guy.  I only wish I could be so eloquent.  

Do you Sudoku?

Sudoku is an addicting puzzle that I came across about two months ago in our local newspaper. I had never seen anything like it. Since I began solving the puzzles regularly, I’ve noticed more and more people doing the same. I’ve never been very good at crossword puzzles, and word-searches give me a headache; but this is one puzzle I can sink my teeth into.

The object of the puzzle is to fill in the missing numbers ( 1 - 9 ), keeping in mind each row, column, and 3x3 box can only have one of each number. The Level of difficulty is dependent upon the quantity of numbers given to you. (The below picture was captured from a program I purchased from http://www.sudoku.com/.) Here is an Easy puzzle.


(click on the image for a larger version to print and try yourself)
More free puzzles can be found at http://www.websudoku.com/.

Once you get the hang of it, it can be quite addicting, especially for someone with an OCD personality like me. I've become pretty proficient at the Medium level. But there are far crazier levels than I would care to try just yet.

Do you Sudoku?

Promotion

Well, since all of you are always the last to know… I’ll tell you.  

Natalie got the job!!

In case you have no idea what I’m talking about…  Natalie has been a General Manager for Denny’s since September 2004.  This October, she came across a company memo about a position opening up with the corporate support team as a Management Training Consultant.  It’s appeared to be everything she wanted but didn’t think she could get it because she was pregnant.  Of course they can’t discriminate for that reason, but if you have two or more candidates who seem equal and one is pregnant, which one would you pick?  

I bugged her and bugged her to apply anyway.  She did, she came, she saw, she kicked ass!  Her panel interview went very well; that is to say, she blew their socks off.  She had the option to go first and she took it so she could set the bar; and it paid off.  After her interview and five minute presentation (which she gave on how to make the best chocolate chip cookies), she knew it was in the bag.  Bringing a tray of the finished product probably didn’t hurt either.

She got the call last Friday (the interview was the previous Saturday).  We were, of course, dieing of anticipation for that whole excruciating week.  When they called, they said they wanted to call her that day and tell her she got it, but they had to go through the proper channels first.

She starts January 18th.  She will be responsible for coordinating the management training and conducting workshops for Denny’s stores from San Luis Obispo County through Los Angeles County (California), and all of Utah (I know… Utah?)  She gets a big fat raise, a company car, and expense account, and a laptop.  Now I’m going to have to get her a desk and share my office.  But I don’t mind… I am SOOO proud of her.  They will train her up until she takes maternity leave, and she will hopefully commence to consulting when she returns.  She will be traveling a lot, but my schedule is flexible enough, we’ll be able to manage with Baby Colby coming.

Yeah!!

Memories

If you read this, please post a comment with a COMPLETELY MADE UP AND FICTIONAL memory of you and me. It can be anything you want — good or bad — BUT IT HAS TO BE FAKE. When you’re finished, post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people DON’T ACTUALLY remember about you

Thanks Hel.

24 Weeks Down & Counting

Isn't she beautiful?

What is in a Name?

What is in a name?  A lot, if you ask me.  While I don’t believe an individual’s personality, lifestyle, and future is determined by the placement of a name upon them, I have often found myself considering its significance.  Matt, George, Gary, Kristen, Mary, Hope, Faith, Star… When you hear theses names, do they conjure up an image?  Do you imagine someone you already know with that name; or, perhaps a stigma attached to the one who bears it?  How often do you ponder “That name doesn’t fit” when you meet someone?  I won’t insult anyone with my own preconceived notions of “Name Stigma.”

I was given the name Jack Eugene Dorris at birth.  A name I am proud to bear, now; but, once was a time in my youth that my name tortured me.  Tormented by my first name as it is the subject of many, many nursery rhymes.  Ashamed of my second, Eugene, for the stigma attached, “Nerd.”  And even harassed for my surname’s close relationship to Doris Day and how easily twisted it can become “Dorkis.”  All reasons evident to the youth.  However, I’ve come to appreciate my name; the name given to me after my grandfather, Jack Eugene Sturges.  (The Sturges Family—the subject of a blog to come, eventually.)

Once aware of the significance of my name, and in contemplation of procreation, I gave considerable thought to a Jack Eugene Dorris, Jr.  Jack, a strong name in its own right (or am I just delusional?), paired with the pride of its heritage, created a sense of warmth and meaning to my existence.  Modesty aside for a moment, I am quite proud of the man I have become.  Not for my wealth (or lack thereof), and not for the smart choices I’ve made in my past (few and far between), but rather for the growth as a person that my life’s path has given me.  And because of that, there is a sense of passing along that wisdom achieved to my offspring with the name.  I want my son to be every bit the man I am today and more; and, by giving him my name, a passing of the torch is instilled.  But, alas, this will not come to pass; for I am the only one who embraces the implications.  (It must be delusion, eh?)

Over bouts of discussion with Natalie and members of the family, a name for our first born has come to light.  The name originated as a lark in the entertainment of naming twins while visiting my family up north.  Premise: If you’re having a boy and a girl as twins, what would a cute set of names be?  Brie was quickly tossed into the ring for the girl.  But, what would compliment Brie for a boy?  How about Colby?  We all laughed at the thought of naming our children after CHEESE.  The funny thing is, the longer it sat with me the more I loved it!  Colby Jack Dorris.  It’s perfect!  Baby Colby, Cole, C.J.—it fits.  Granted, we are setting our child up for a lifetime of harassment; but what doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger.

What do people think when they hear your name?

Catching up!

Okay, I lagged. It's been a while since I posted anything of substance, especially about the baby as promised. But in my defense, we've been busy as hell and inconvenienced a bit. Nonetheless, I apologize for my tardiness.

We moved!
We have been talking about moving for a while. The tiny, tiny two bedroom house we were renting in Morro Bay for the last couple years was perfect for us in the beginning. We didn't have much when we married, but we quickly grew into our new home and managed to fill it up to the brim with our own sense of style and charm. Then, with the expectation of a baby on the way, we realized there wasn't any room left for a third and all that comes with a little one. We tried to find a place in San Luis Obispo, closer for both of us to work, but there was nothing to be found to suit us. I did fall in love with a nice condo in SLO, but when I told the owner we were expecting a baby, she said we were not what she was looking for. So I called HUD and reported her for discrimination! Ha ha!

Then, on the way to visit Natalie's parents one night, who lived about forty minutes away, I decided to take us by a house I saw in the classifieds. It was half-way between our house and theirs, and the same distance to SLO we were already used to. It was perfect, so here we are! A nice, big three bedroom, two bath house in the middle of an apple farm in Templeton! Out in the country where it is so peaceful.

The only thing I can't seem to adjust to is the lack of broadband availability. I've been so spoiled with having a high-speed internet connectionfor the last five years, going back to dialup is ruining the internet for me! Our only alternative is satellite (we had to get DirecTV, too) but I don't want to spend $100 a month for internet access.

Promotion
Natalie came across a company memo for a position we think would be perfect for her. Right now, she is General Manager for Denny's. It took some convincing for her to take this job in the first place, its not what she wanted to do after getting her Bachelors Degree in English, Minor in business, and a Degree in Culinary Arts ala Pasadena School of Culinary Arts' Le Cordon Bleu program. You don't usually spend $50,000 on an education to work in a Denny's restaurant. But it was a necessary step on the corporate ladder. Now, a regional training position (She loves to train) has opened up covering from Morgan Hill to Long Beach (California) and all of Utah. Its 40% travel, but she can work from home, which would be good for the baby. My schedule is pretty flexible, so I can be home when she is traveling, and her parents are only 15 minutes away.

She had a phone interview a couple weeks ago which went well. Now, she has a panel interview on December 10 where she'll have to give a five minute presentation on something other than Denny's. What could she tell them about the company they don't already know? So, she's going to teach them how to make perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies! Samples included, do you think bribery will work?

D-Day
The date of determination was not as expected. We weren't able to get the ultrasound done that day, but rather a couple weeks thereafter. But it was an AWESOME experience. Watching the little one moving around inside Natalie's belly was cool.

Now, for the moment you've all been waiting for...
It's a BOY!!!
As the ultrasound technician was explaining she would try to determine the sex of the baby for us, POP, clear as day, there he was, proudly showing off his manhood. No shame, just like his daddy. "Okay, don't get too excited, that could be the umbilical cord." POP, there he is again, and again. He must have been happy to see us!
Now we get to start buying baby furniture and decorating his new room!

Some friends of mine have just had their first child, too. Makoto and Sydney Takigawa have brought to life little Kai Ethan Takigawa, a boy born November 15.

Congratulations to the DoSyd!!

There's so much more, but I'll save it for other blogs!
Wish her luck, think good thoughts, and keep us in your prayers!

I'm Batman

Here’s a snipit of my excitement from work on Thursday night.
Police say men forged traveler's checks (second article down)
That’s right…  if you read the article, you’ll notice I work at Denny’s.  What it didn’t point out is that I am a manager, not a cashier.

This made for an interesting shift.

raed tihs

cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rsch eearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs psas it on !!

Found a funny

Blog bouncing again and came across this...
the brink of insanity - my journey thru mental illness: a little Friday funny (i stole it from James )

Cool Illusion

Everybody loves a cool illusion, right?

OMG

Disturbing.  

That’s all I can say.
(hint: if she gets stuck, just grab her with the mouse and throw her lose.)

Thanks Ollie for sharing.

D-Day

D-Day is coming.  No, not that D-Day; but Determination Day.  I’m speaking of Natalie’s ObGyn appointment in which we hope to find out whether we are having a boy or a girl.  Oct. 29 is D-Day.

I am getting pretty anxious, but she seems to be keeping her cool about it.  Considering she is the one to read the last page of a novel when it starts to get slow so she can decide if she wants to keep on reading, you would think she would be as anxious as I.  

Boy, boy, boy, boy…  Can you guess what I’m hoping for?  She thinks it’s a girl and is afraid I’m going to be disappointed.  “Don’t get your hopes up,” she says.  But I say it right back to her.  I’m just afraid that if it is a girl, she’ll have me wrapped around her little finger.  At least with a boy, I know all the tricks… I’ve been there, right?  Right?!?  We’ll see.

Natalie’s belly is growing so fast.  We bought a new digital camera so we can take pictures and send them to everyone and post them on the website.  Can you guess how many pictures we’ve taken of her progress?  NONE.  Don’t ask me why.  We’re just so busy, we’re letting this slip by.  I’m afraid that if we don’t stop to smell the roses soon, our kid is going to graduate and move out!

I’ve been following another couple’s journey parallel to ours.  It’s nice to see someone else sharing your thoughts.

Awesome.

San Diego

Ah. The big city. Natalie and I are here for her ten year high school reunion.

Games

I came across the oddest, yet addicting collection of little games ever!  
Thanks to Kim!  It’s amazing what you come across when you’re blog-bouncing.

Awakening

I came across these lyrics and it struck me as the awakening of a Liberal turning Conservative.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change
Courage to change the things I can
And the wisdom to know the difference

I am not like I was before
I thought that nothing would change me
I was not listening anymore
Still you continued to affect me

I was not thinking anymore
Although I said I still was
I'd said "I don't want anymore"
Because of bad experience

But now I feel so different
I feel so different
I feel so different

I have not seen freedom before
And I did not expect to
Don't let me forget now I'm here
Help me to help you to behold you

I started off with many friends
And we spent a long time talking
I thought they meant every word they said
But like everyone else they were stalling

And now they seem so different
They seem so different
They seem so different

I should have hatred for you
But I do not have any
And I have always loved you
Oh you have taught me plenty

The whole time I'd never seen
All you had spread before me
The whole time I'd never seen
All I'd need was inside me

Now I feel so different
I feel so different
I feel so different

I feel so different
I feel so different

Feel So Different, Sinead O'Connor


Wake up Dem-Followers.  Your leaders are just buying their time, claiming they are your friends and looking out for you.  But the truth is all they want is your vote.  They don’t really care what the their efforts do to our country.

Grantipatico

Everyone say hi to Grant!

(Sorry... just playing with my camera phone --> blog posting)

Did you know you could post a picture and/or message straight to your blog from you cell phone?

The Blame Game

While politicians and the media alike play the blame game, the inconvenient facts always seem to get lost, and/or ignored, in the shuffle.  Case-and-point: Hurricane Katrina relief.  While corpses are floating down the street and starving, homeless people are awaiting their help, high-profile attention-mongers are quick to point the finger at who is responsible for this devastation.  Was it President Bush’s fault the levees broke, the poor populous didn’t escape the wrath of nature, and relief efforts were slow to arrive?  Or did the Governor of Louisiana and the Mayor of New Orleans wait to long to ask for help?  Maybe FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) didn’t have a clue what to do, or the Department of Homeland Security—FEMA’s parent organization—was unprepared even after the wake of 9/11, leading us to believe they have accomplished nothing in the last few years.  

Let’s review the facts.

August 28:
President Bush declares a State of Emergency for Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina is classified a Cat-5.  This allows state and local government of Louisiana to coordinate with FEMA and organize pre-emptive disaster relief efforts.  FEMA prepares food, water, and medical supplies and personnel for the disaster.  The governor can also mobilize the National Guard at anytime, even without this declaration.  

The public is given an optional-mandatory evacuation order.  They are told to leave, but can stay if they want or can’t get out.  Emergency shelters are established for those who don’t have the means to leave.

Question: If the public was unable to get out on their own, why weren’t they provided the means?  How many public transportation vehicles were left idle during this time?

August 29:
Hurricane Katrina hits while stubborn citizens lay-in-wait at home for their chance to brave the storm.  (Who’s going to win?)

August 30:
The neglected levees break from the pressure of storm-water run-off.  New Orleans is consumed by the flood created by this break.

FEMA and the Red Cross are a mere mile away with food, water, and medical relief; but the state’s Department of Homeland Security (that’s right, the state agency—not the federal) denies FEMA and Red Cross access to the area for fear that the aided public would not leave the area, but rather attract more people looking for aid.

August 31:
The Governor of Louisiana meets with President Bush on Air Force One where the President offers more Federal assistance.  The Governor asks for twenty-four hours to decide.  (WHAT?!?)

Need I continue?  There was, is, and will be a continuous breakdown of good judgment and common sense at the state and local levels of Louisiana.  And now the incompetence of these officials to maintain their jurisdiction and protect the public has cost the lives of thousands.  

What I want to know is why the President of the United States is to blame for the ineptness of one state of fifty, one city of thousands, and a few officials of millions.

Meant to Be

I haven’t told many yet, but my wife and I are expecting a child next April.  Our first doctor’s appointment is Monday (9/29).  We suspect she is about 9 weeks pregnant to the best of our recollection.  This is great news, but I am finding it difficulty getting excited this time around.  No, I don’t have any children yet.  But we were already expecting this November.  That’s right, she had a miscarriage.  It was devastating to us both.  We haven’t been planning for a child, or even really trying; but when we discovered she was pregnant, we were ecstatic.  We’ve talked a lot about having kids but were not going to try until I was done with school, but things happen—and they happen for a reason, I believe.

A quick aside, Natalie (my wife) and I put our lives on hold while attempting to purchase a well-established local business over the past few months—since shortly after her miscarriage, actually.  Difficulty in finding the financing necessary due to the current owners bookkeeping methods forced us to back out of the deal.  This business was a shared dream of ours and we worked very hard to put together a deal to make it work, but we just couldn’t make it happen.

Having two major disappointments in a row—the miscarriage and the loss of the business deal—we were finding it difficult to make sense of things.  Family members offered their support and all proclaimed “it wasn’t meant to be.”  Neither of us wanted to hear this.

Nevertheless, here we are again with another life-changing event.  I hate to admit it, but it makes sense.  We learned a lot about ourselves through these trying times.  Dealing with the grief of losing an unborn child and the vulnerability of exposing yourself to the business world only to be rejected can crush your spirit a bit.  But the truth is, had we acquired the business, we would be in dire straights as it would have taken both of us to make it work, and she is in no condition to give that kind of effort.  So far, the pregnancy has been difficult for her.  She is very fatigued and nauseous most of the day; and being the bread-winner in the family means she can’t take any time off work right now.  

We are anxiously awaiting the doctors appointment on Monday to make sure everything is alright.  In the meantime, I’ll continue my going to school during the day, working at night, and keeping things up at home in my spare time.  Wish us luck!

SHARK!!!

SHARK!!! Okay, now that I’ve scared Grant away, I can tell you the truth about our fears—his and mine.

Cows:
While adored by many for their colorful markings, complacent demeanor, and grass-grazing laziness, there is a darker side—a side not seen by all but by a select few of us who have the keen sense to see past those big brown eyes. What we see is a vast, cavernous void—vacant of thought, contention, and scrutiny. They have no soul; they are the devil’s children. Mindless automatons without a notion of what it is to be alive. Arguably, this can be said for many animals; but how many animals can you recognize to take no joy in life? Dogs and cats will frolic and show pleasure and pain, vermin too (yes, I’ve seen calves being playful; but only to do battle like Klingons). I think you would see a pleasuring mean-streak in a snake if you could see the smirk on their pointing faces. But cows have no joy. Why? Because a long time ago, they sold their souls for some cud to chew on—I don’t know.

Sharks:
Sharks are scary. Living on the Central Coast of California, I’m aware of the threat they pose. But in most cases, if you leave them alone, they will do the same. (I said ‘most’). They are unpredictable, and territorial; but do they have a soul? Grant’s fear is of violence and the threat of being eaten alive. That is a valid fear as much as the fear of a plain crash or being buried alive. However, his fear prevents him from sticking one little toe in the ocean, panic stricken that a shark will beach itself to take his leg.

So what am I afraid of? A cow isn’t going to eat me, right? I’m afraid of the hollowness below. I’m afraid of what they lack and what they represent. Anyone can be afraid of death, I’m afraid of what’s beyond; and cows represent that for me. I’m not so much afraid for myself, but for the large number of people in the world who have not yet discovered their soul and those who have chosen to disregard it. I’m not alone in my fears, either. The creators of South Park would have you believe that cows are evil aliens.

Mooooo….

Welcome to Rooney Ville

Welcome, welcome, welcome. And thank you for coming by Rooney Ville, home of my first blog. hehe... blog... I feel alien saying it... blog. Okay, that's enough. -blog-

First off, should anyone actually come across this blog, they shall wonder, what is a Rooney? I can't answer that. Oh, maybe I can... it is a name given to me by a long-time friend of mine, Gary Grant Morris, about fifteen years ago. (Yes, Grant, fifteen years) It started as Jickaroon (derived from my real name--Jack); it then stretched into Jickarooney; and as you can guess, I lost the Jick somewhere and never went back to find it. Granted, Grant is the only one to call me Rooney since he granted it to me, but I grant grant when grant the grant..... Uhhh.... what happened there? I think I lost conciousness, er somethin'. Better move on...

Now, why did I start this little spewage? Oh yeah, I was jealeous of you-know-who (the previously mentioned person I won't mention again) being able to express his opinion whenever he felt like it. I have an opinion, too. Albeit similar to his in most cases, it is still mine. I taught him everything he's forgotten. Wait, that didn't come out right. Am I obsessing? This must be what they meant by neurosis. I gotta quite drinking before I get on the internet. Better move on...

If you are still reading this I've either intrigued you, or you're one of those who watch bad movies all the way through hoping it will get better. Hopefully, it will. Better move on...

Too much to say in this first posting, so I can only ask that you try me another day. I may not have given you any reason to, but if you know me... you're scared not to.