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Here we are shutting down 2005. Just look at the year with all its glory, dreams, disappointments, debt, and that snide grin that tells you time is really not on your side.

Autopsy of the year:

• Failure is in the eyes of the beholder. If you are on a team caught up in patterns of failure and don’t understand why you are the only one who see it… maybe your right. Find a new team.



• Computers are a curse. There is not a single person I know whose computer is not crippled in some way by hackers or really bad software programs. Linux or Apple? Maybe you’re not hacked, but you aren’t necessarily communicating well with the masses on that other more dominant O/S and office package. I just don’t understand how the world of common users get on with it.



• America is beautiful. Remember the indian with a tear on his cheek because people were polluting the country? I saw the beautiful country he cried over as we made a 15 day tour of as many states this past summer. It is a crime to destroy such a breathtaking place as our country… seeing the high plains and north central US showed it isn’t too late. You should make the trip when you can. We are human, so we will be the parasites we are and tank the environment but there’s a long way to go.



• Busy-ness is a sin. It keeps us from seeing what is really important. There are many vices we hold and some are worse than others. If you are in full blown reaction mode and spend most of your time outside work fighting the fires that have been burning in your absence then you’re right in it with me. I don’t have any answers, but acknowledging you have a problem is the first step. Perhaps come up with a schedule and read a book that doesn’t have anything to do with work, take a walk or shop if that is your thing, make a bird house or draw a picture. DON’T spend that precious time sucked into the TV or video games. (or writing a stinking blog )



• Quik-Trip is special. No matter where you go, there is nothing that warms the heart like a good coffee or soda from the local Quik-Trip. No matter where we go outside Atlanta (except Tulsa where QT is based) is just not quite up to par. That first QT sign on the trip home brings feelings of hope and comfort to the GA Wheadons!!



• Sometimes seeing is believing, and sometimes believing is seeing nothing at all. It’s all inside, there’s something you really earnestly believe in but just can’t muster up the will to make it happen. It doesn’t take much of a person to see a sure thing and ride the wave. It takes a lot of courage to believe in something and take the plunge even though nobody shares or cares in your vision. Just don’t leave family in the dust. “Funny things, trains… it doesn’t really matter what direction or place they are going… the really important thing is deciding to get on the train.” (I love The Polar Express movie and book.)



• Some things just need to be forgotten. Unfortunately parents don’t lose their minds soon enough and some latent memories leak out to people who really don’t need to hear them. Thank goodness my record is perfect and there is no dirt to be spread about me… it’s my sisters I’m worried about.

Finishing Up:

• The Legend has 235,000 miles on it and still passes emissions!!



• I passed my Lotus Domino R6 certs with flying colors



• Santa DID NOT bring me a bag of coal.



• The phrase that pays: Multi-tasking (verb) The process whereby productivity is increased while at the same time quality is decreased.(HAH!)



• I was the proud winner of a Gelato maker this year… yup! A Gelato maker with gaping wounds inside the cylinder which made it useless. A prize that fit perfectly in our trash can. (Courtesy of 104.7 the Fish’s regifting contest.)



• I had it all planned out, my workshop in the basement would move to the garage. The basement would be cleared out and refinished so Jodi would have a nice office and scrapbook area to herself… no more impending doom on me because I trashed the office. Just like clockwork at the next meal… “Rich, I really need us to get the garage cleared out so I can park the car there.” (PARK THE CAR IN THE GARAGE? What is she thinking?)

nuff said.

C’mon 2006, I’m ready for you. (I think, maybe)