11/30/2008

The last day in November f 2008 turned out to be successful. I hope all of my days are successful, but this day turned out to be extra special. I watched football today, as I do most Sundays this time of year, but he exciting thing is that I made plans to chill with Christine on Friday of this week. It officially became a week consisting of a full schedule. Everyday in my planner is fully scheduled. Don't get me wrong I love it.
And my fantasy football team did great as well. Last week lost my lead but regained it this week.

11/29/2008

Keeping clock for the Columbus Grove girls basketball scrimmage as well worth my time to me, because it gave me a chance to see the team an initial time before the regular season commences next Tuesday. They are supposed to field a darn good team, but that was before our key big post player who recently broke a bone in her ankle. She informed me today that she may need surgery, and she will be out until at least January, maybe longer. I think we will still be good without her, but we just cannot reach our potential without her. We may never reach our best possible ability level anyway, as nothing is for certain, but I feel if the coach does a good job then we will be pretty good. I desperately wish I could light a fire under the team, but Chad emphatically said that he doesn't want me to talk to any of his players. Some concerned players were shouting instructions to their kids, and even that irritated Chad. Whatever. It is his team this year.

11/29/2008

I have a full plate of thing to do today and all of next week. I will keep this up to date whenever it s feasible to do so. Have a nice day!

11/28/2008

Delphos St. Johns had a convincing win this afternoon in the state football championship. It feels somewhat like a college football game since we were able to watch the game live on television (thanks to STO.) I am getting ready to go outside and gather hickory nuts. I did that for onl 40 minutes already this morning before the bitter cold chased me indoors. The weather appears to be much nicer as the sun is shining. Hopefully the brisk and cold wind has subsided.

11/28/2008

The Ohio High School football state championships are on Sports Time Ohio live starting with Delphos St. Johns pretty soon. Go Jays. I will talk later!

11/27/2008

Happy Thanksgiving to all, and may everyone who will participate in Blah Friday's (tomorrow) shopping excursion survive and return back home safely. The day after Thanksgiving is maybe the largest shopper turn out day. The madness begins before the sun comes up, as many department stores open their doors early. One year I went with Mom to try to get some bargains. That is correct we got up before the sun did and went to the Lima Mall. You can realize the crazy stunts that are done just to get into a massive lineup outside store doors as close to the front as possible, and when the doors open it as pandemonium to get everything that you wanted to in the store before moving on to the next. The faces of shoppers are blank as everyone is in their on little world, trying to strategically plan where you head next. There are some goo deals to be had, but the supplies are typically limited. When the day is over you need to ask yourself if it was really all worth it. Sure you may end up saving yourself $10-$20, but going at a later time and date will save you headaches. I said that I went one year, and to be perfectly honest that was enough to satisfy me for a lifetime. The undertaking of that event made me feel that much less sophisticated. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and shopping the day after Thanksgiving is not worth the hassle to me!

11/26/2008

Hey,se what I mean about thing changing in an constantly in my busy life. No I'm not planning to go to either football game on Friday or Saturday, but I did make plans to go to TKO's with Brian Saturday night. More than likely Mike will join us. Odds are that I will get to see Ashley. That alone will make the whole trip a success. I told you how playing cards is a fairly regular thing for me to do. Well it turns out that we are going for a visit to my aunt and uncle's house this evening, and cards are on the agenda. They think cards are fun, as I said most of my relatives do, and we will converse as we play. Cards are a social event, and while my aunt is does not know how to play solo, we will probably play euchre or pinohcle. They are fun as well.

11/26/2008

As much as I would anticipate going to the Delphos St. John's state championship football game or a similar game of Liberty Benton, neither game is going to happen. Going or not could change in an instant though, because in today's technological age (with various means of communication- mainly the cell phone) plans are liable to change even at the last minute. At this time though the games will not be on my agenda of things to do. But playing cards is. Ironically cards are always near the top of my to do list. I will be sure to listen to the high school playoff events on the radio however, bot Friday and Saturday. College basketball has some good games on television tonight. Amateur basketball is my favorite thing to watch, and high school basketball season is ready to start. I love it.

11/25/2008

It was a very tiresome evening at the hospital. I lost my buddy at the gurst services desk for about a month. He went to visit his daughter and also some lady that he loves in South Carolina.

11/25/2008

I met a very interesting group of nursing students, who go to Rhodes State University here in Lima, at St. Rita's cafeteria during lunch. Hopefully I made seeveral contacts, and one person says they will try to get me in at Ada High School. I will keep my fingers crossed!

11/25/2008

It seems like the principal at Pandora high school could read my mind, because he called this morning to move the assembly from December 2 to December 4. It coincidese with my schedule even better!

11/25/2008

Well its very early morning on Tuesday, and I have so many different things running through my head right now that I cannot sleep. I am too excited. My schedule is so packed that I cannot help but focus on the stuff, and it is not like I am not liking a hectic schedule. In fact I even added to it a dinner with some friends on Monday evening. I touch base with Laura on Saturday, because I was scheduled to speak to her occupational therapy classes, at the University of Findlay, on December 1 at 1:00. I wanted to be certain with her, and it is a good thing I checked in, because she asked me to come in at 10:00 instead. That is totally fine with me, because I am glad to do it. I will just stay in Findlay then, because at 6:00 I scheduled a dinner meeting with friends at Cheddars. Then Tuesday Dec. 2 is an even more eventful day. I will be speaking to Pandora High School grades 11 and 12 at 9:30, and then going to an earlier shift of volunteering at St. Rita's Medical Center. The earlier shift is so I can go to the Columbus Grove Lady Bulldogs first game at 6:00. Then Wednesday the 3rd I am going back to UF. That's all next week. Today I've got to talk to Jim and Christy before volunteering. Friday I( may be going to a football game in Canton. And this Saturday I'll likely be attending a different football game in Masslin with my uncle and cousins. It is State Championship week for high school football. I love being busy! But I also love to sleep. I just have to put those thoughts on hold till morning.

11/24/2008

I feel competition is important and necessary in everyone's life. It not only deems a great importance in sports but practically any facet of life. Life can be better if you remain competitive in daily happenings. When it does not exist due to lack thereof an opponent, you can have a contest with yourself using past statistical data. You can try to better yourself or get more right answers than last time. The thing even more important is learning to set goals for yourself and working to achieve them. Any positive influence or coach's job is to get members of the team believing in a goal. If you as coach set a goal for your team it means nothing. A successful team leader does not set the goals for his team, but his or her task is to get the player to believe that it is something that they want to achieve themselves. It makes more sense striving to achieve a personal goal rather than trying reach a certain level that someone else wishes you to achieve. Competition generally has me thinking athletics, because sports dominate much of my thinking. However it can be parlayed to work in every topic. Being competitive and setting goals are essential tasks as far as I am concerned.

11/23/2008

It is official, Rob, Lisa, and the kids have officially left to head for home. The disappointing thing is that home to them is in Cincinnati. I wish that they lived significantly closer, but I have learned accept that My nephews moving closer will always be something to yearn but not actually happening. Their Dad, Rob, has a job down there, and there is not many jobs in his line of work around here. My sister is a Registered Nurse so she would have no trouble finding a job anywhere she goes. I'm not going to think much about Lisa and the boys moving closer, because I will only get upset about the whole thing. They will hopefully get a quality education in the city. I am sure I will see them a lot either way, it would just be so much easier and more frequent if the distance separating us would be smaller, but I will no longer focus on that subject.

11/23/2008

Yesterday was a very fulfilling day. I went to Frickers in the morning to get some breakfast. And I know what you are thinking already: Frickers does not serve breakfast food! That is the same thing I was thinking, and I was preparing myself for some hot and spicy breakfast consumption as I was driving to Findlay. I was thinking that a mild wrap would need to suffice for an early morning snack. But I had no prior knowledge of the breakfast food buffet they would have available. Eggs, toast, and potatoes were at the beginning of the line, and ham and sausage finished out the lineup. Oh yeah I cannot forget my personal favorite: biscuits with gravy over them. Frickers was having a special breakfast for OSU v. Michigan game day! Yummy The game turned out as advertise, a convincing Buckeye win. The first half though went back and forth though. The OSU defense played well though and they had a midway touchdown lead. The family gathering afterwards was refreshing, and getting to see the relation grow is phenomenal. I am going to first Mass this morning, and then coming home to my sister's family will make for an enlightening start to the week (Sunday.) She has all of her boys with her... even the big one (Rob- her husband:-). Take care.

11/22/2008

It is the Saturday before Thanksgiving and that means two things for sure. The main event clearly is the football game between The Ohio State University versus the University of Michigan football game. Being a huge Buckeye it means this is a day of massive festivities. It starts out with me going to Frickers to hang with Brian and his crew of Findlay friends. The people Brian hangs around have become my friends too, over time. I feel that even if Brian was not going to be there today that I would venture that way, because it has been done before when he was out of town on business. It is tradition, and we would not want to mess with that. Once a recurring event happens more than two consecutive years it becomes a tradition in my book. Oddly enough I am not drinking beer today (because of my blood pressure problems) and that is breaking tradition, and I am also not crashing at Brian's tonight which is a traditional event. That is because I am driving home. We'll see how doing things differently goes, and oh well traditions are made to be broken anyway. I am attending a Schroeder thanksgiving party at my uncle Wayne's house. I'm guessing that Ohio State wins against arch rival Michigan today by a score of 34-10, but anything is possible I guess. That is why they play the game.

11/21/2008

Last night a realization hit me like I was going full throttle and smack. I ran into a brick wall! I made a mental note of these conflicting happenings a time or two before last night, but during the meeting last night I really felt lost. I knew where I was and a mental break don was not occurring, but the eye opener happened after my Sir Knight friend shared a tidbit of information with all of us. He is a faculty member of Delphos St. Johns school, and he said there may be only a couple of Fourth Degree knights from Delphos attending or marching in Ottoville Knights of Columbus christening (of sorts) mass due to the Blue Jays football game at the concurrent time on Friday. It is confirmation in Ottoville. It slipped my mind. I normally would have enjoyed going to the game, but I am committed to marching with many other Sir Knights. I guess I will just hope the Blue Jays win, so I could maybe go watch them do battle for another state championship next Friday. I do love high school sports but enjoy participating in my church groups too, and it is odd that the two would overlap. I have to be ready to go and up town, by 5:30, because we are meeting at church to car pool towards Ottoville.

11/20/2008

It was a good time had by all at the Fourth Degree meeting. The attendees were no more than ten people, and it was rather interesting. Tomorrow evening we march at Ottoville parish. We is the Bishop Newman Assembly, and I think there will be 14 from St. Anthony Parish. Hopefully there will be a large turnout.

11/20/2008

There is a 4th degree K of C meeting that I'm going to this evening. Must get ready...

11/20/2008

Last night my uncles Wayne and Karl came over in the evening to play cards with Dad and I. When I say cards I, of course, mean solo. In fact I cannot think of a time in recent years when four or more guys got together, including me, to play cards when solo did not consume part of the time. I have played solo a few times with a mixture of men and women, also. However sometimes when females are involved we end up playing euchre, pinochle, or some other card game. Solo is not a gender game at all, but barring relatives, it is usually safe to say that when women are involved solo is not the name of the game. Anyway, back to the discussion of last evening. It has been a couple of months since they have been over together to play cards, and normally it is every couple of weeks. When we get together humor always comes into play. In fact, funny times, comments, and laughter are staples of the Schroeder side of my family. Laughing about stuff makes any situation bearable, and if you cannot joke around about or poke fun at yourself then times will be boring. we are not the conceited stuck up kind of people, because we can and often do poke fun at ourselves. I like to associate that characteristic or way of life as being lighthearted and easy going. If humor is used correctly it leads to comfortableness in any place or in any situation. As it goes I turned out to be the big winner last evening. That alone makes the evening even more enjoyable.

11/19/2008

I am extra happy today for some reason, and I do not concern myself with the mystery of why. That question seems rather insignificant. There is no reason to strain my mind in order to figure it out. I probably spend more time than most people in thought the way it is, and there is no reason that I should not be able to experience happy times without much thought. However thinking is important to me. Deep thinking is usually a commonality for me. I am caught in a paradigm. Everything needs to have a reason, but at the same time I feel tired and want to take a backseat to thoughts. I'll try relaxing that's all you can do anyway...try your best. I think about stuff way too much!

11/18/2008

Volunteering was exceptionally good today. I met many new friends and ate with Dawn. I did not see her in about a month I believe. Her and Doug are expecting a baby in February. That will be neat little happening I am sure. I volunteered as a greeter for the first couple of hours today, but then I moved back to the guest services desk (which is my main post.) I was honored to see Gary and Diane tonight. Although it is slightly sorrowful since his mother is deathly ill, but dying is not uncommon for those elderly people. Gary understands this, and he is just hope this does not turn into a long drawn out thing with lots of suffering. Maybe the best thing that happened to me was talking to Christy briefly right before before I left. I got to meet her friend Emily, too. They hopefully will be able to go listen to me speak at Pandora in a couple of weeks. After leaving the hospital, I went directly to a K of C meeting at my Church. As in most cases I played cards (solo) afterwords, and I turned out to be the big winner in our cluster of five guys. I only won slightly over a dollar, but it is a status thing about being the winner, at least to me it is. Win or lose solo is fun, because it is socially a grand thing to do.

11/18/2008

I woke up this morning about 6:30 against what I would have liked to do, and it was freezing in our house. I don't know why it is but after my blood pressure altercation (and hospital stay) I am almost always chilled. Maybe it i s the medication I am on for blood pressure, or maybe it is due to some faulty body temperature regulation. Either way it does not matter, because this morning I was extraordinarily cold. Immediately I got bundled up and went to tend the outdoor wood burning furnace.

11/17/2008

Here finally is a picture of all three of my nephews at once. The picture is from a month or two ago. Pictured on the far left is Andrew. He is in some pre preschool. He likes it. In the middle we have Nicholas, and he is about 7 months old now. On the far right, wearing two watches, is Grant, and he is in his terrible twos. He went through a phase of a couple weeks where he wore two watches all day and night everyday. The hilarios part of it is he has no knowlege as to what time it is or what happens aat certain times. His latest quirk is that he wants to wear a belt, that is too big for him around his waste. Grant is going to be mischievous I can tell it already.

11/17/2008

The weather we are having fascinates me. The fact that I know colder and worse weather is on the way makes this weather sort of amusing. It seems like mother nature is flirting with accumulating snow. Today we had a beautiful dusting of the white stuff, but then the sun soon appeared vanishing any visible snow. I usually like it when there is extreme winter conditions, but this ear it is a little different. I have a handful of talks lined up for the next couple of months. Everybody knows that schools frequently get delayed or canceled. That messes with speaking opportunities. In other years it seemed okay to me when the weather posed problems. Also weather plays havoc on high school athletic schedules. I am absolutely crazy about viewing high school basketball, and I often plan my schedule accordingly. That can become all disorderly when there is travel problems.

11/16/2008

I am really looking forward to speaking engagements forthcoming, and I anticipate making a difference in lives. Hopefully with upcoming presentations I will get some great contacts who will give recommendations to other schools. That, I have found is the best way to contact schools. Administration from places I have been talk to nearby administrators, and that eventually will lead to more changing of lives. I am patiently (it's tough for me as patience runs thin at times) waiting for Heather to send out recommendation letters from Columbus Bishop Hartley. I understand that she is very busy, but it has been a month since I spoke there. School administrators are in the latter of two pinnacle times for planning for presenters to come speak to high schools, and I do not want too miss this golden opportunity to impact lives. She does many important things for her school as the goddess of public relations, but I am begging her to please send the information. Will you pretty please send the letters?

11/16/2008

A bunch of 4th degree Knights of Columbus marched at 8:30 mass this morning, and we at breakfast in the church basement. It was a good time, and I have fourth degree function upcoming on Thursday and Friday evenings of this week. It was a good first day of the week and will continue all day and evening. I enjoy watching football, and being a Sunday this time of year means NFL football watching for me.

11/15/2008

Today was awesome, speaking to the Columbus Bishop Hartley varsity basketball team before their scrimmage over in Kalida this morning. Randy, their coach comes back to scrimmage his dad, Dick's team, sometime each season. I spoke, a good five minutes with the legendary coach (Dick) as well. Randy was a great ball player in his day (he looks like he is still in excellent shape-- he could likely outplay most high school players,) and he is doing a great job, from what I hear, coaching. He requested that I get his players in the right mindset toward basketball. I think I was successful in improving not only team morale but other facets of life, too. Hopefully the boys will be better suited toward facing the challenges of today's society. I only spoke for about 15 minutes or so, as the team arrived later than expected, and hopefully Randy thinks I did a good job. The team was very receptive, as that has never been a problem of mine. Everywhere I go to speak receive my audience is always very attentive and in tune with what I am saying.

11/14/2008

Staying home turned turned out to be pretty darn near perfect. As a sports crazed guy the night was like making the Dean's list in college, because although things could be slightly better (as you could receive a 100% instead of 95% in class) but they turned out to be acceptable. I guess every situation in life can be classified as acceptable when dealt with positively, so a better way to describe the situation is that it turned out great. See I have a stereo and television in my room. The TV was muted while we switched radio channels between two football games as my Dad joined me. At the same time we flipped between the Boston Celtics game and the Cincinnati vs. Louisville football game. So that is four games at one time, and if the Celtics won ( I think they did but failed to catch the ending) that means three of the four teams that I wanted to win did. Delphos St. Johns and Cincinnati won, but Ottawa lost ending their improbable playoff run.
Tomorrow (Saturday) morning I get to go to Kalida to speak to the Bishop Hartley boys varsity basketball team, because their coach (Randy) called me today and made the request. His Columbus team scrimmages his dad's team in Kalida every year. I'm excited!!!

11/14/2008

Tonight something so rare will likely happen that it is noteworthy for mentioning in this post. I WILL LIKELY STAY HOME ON A FRIDAY NIGHT. Usually my life is busy with different things to do, but tonight I will stay home and listen to the Ada Bulldogs vs. Delphos St. Johns Blue Jays playoff football contest. I should be a good one. I'll be rooting for the Jays even though Ada is in the Northwest Conference (the same one as my home town Columbus Grove team) and Grove plays them every year, because I have more contacts and friends in Delphos.

11/14/2008

Last night was great, and it included a great game, too. The Columbus Crew won their soccer match. I'm just kidding! No actually they did win, but that is not the game I was talking about. Soccer was on a side television in the sports bar, and I just caught a glimpse of it as I was watching the main event. Football is much more popular, and last night the division rivalry between the New York Jets and New England Patriots. Brett Favre and the Jets won in dramatic fashion, as the game went into overtime. I am sort of a Favre fan, but unfortunately Thomas Jones had a successful game also. I do not have a personal vendetta against or dislike him in any way, I actually think he is kind of cool, but the second place in points person in my fantasy league has Jones at running back. I am significantly ahead in points, but the second half of the season could be different. And I guess I am sort of greed, because I want to make my lead as large as possible.
The night seemed to go by smoothly though, because I saw Ashley. I have only been to TKO's on several different weekends, and ironically they have had three different managers. Ashley is now the manager. I inquired if this meant she would be they next one to quit (since the manager position of that place has such a great turnover rate,) but Ashley confirmed that she would be there for awhile. She is an admirable person, because she is always a joy to talk with. She is dedicated too, because she puts in power hours at TKO's as well as taking college courses a Owens. If Ashley stopped working there I would lose all interest of going there to hang out.

11/13/2008

Many good sitcoms on NBC tonight. Good because they are funny, and at time I find myself laughing. The Office is my favorite. There are many comical happenings in that show. Dwight gets my vote as the most hilarious character. Earl is also a blockbuster in my book. Randy makes the show, in my opinion. Randy is Earl's brother, but he is the way I would picture Lenny from the book, "Of Mice and Men." We studied that book in high school, but I cannot honestly say that I completed all the readings. I have a dislike for reading books, but usually classroom discussion of the books gave me a valid enough understanding to pass the evaluations. To my knowledge I only have read three novels in their full: Larry Bird's two autobiographies and "The Watson's go to Birmingham." The latter is a great story. I should include my autobiography, it is not yet complete, but I am writing, reading, and living it. It is not really good to be proud of not reading that much, it does not set a good example for students, but what is done is over. And I was not suffering in my academics in school, but I was just lucky enough to be able to deduce things logically through reasoning.
Tonight I'm going to Brian's, and hopefully I make it to TKO's to visit with Ashley. She is an awesome person. I am recording the NBC shows tonight.

11/12/2008

Wow... I think that the cold is here to stay. It is not an overbearing frigid cold, at least not yet, but it is cold enough to require a winter coat. The short sleeve or shorts day appear to be over for this winter. I like wearing shorts year round, at least indoors. I suppose that could still be done if I were to stay in the basement, but that is not feasible. We do have an outdoor wood burning furnace that circulates hot water into our basement, and with a blower hot air is spread throughout he house. I like burning wood even though it requires labor to cut down trees. On occasion, when the tree is too thick, we are forced to split the wood, and that soon becomes taxing since we do not own a wood splitter. Correction we do not own an electric or gas powered device to separate the wood. Instead we use a maul and wedges, and that takes some time. It is worth it though, because warmth from wood burning is the ultimate. It is very economical too, because less propane is needed to keep it warm. Whether it is due to my taking of blood pressure medication or some other reason is not known, but I am extraordinarily cold this year. I feel the need to wear long pants and sleeves all the time. In fact I will soon maneuver myself to the basement for a quick warm up!

11/11/2008

I met Johnathan and his mom for lunch today at the hospital. That was fun, interesting, and hopeful all wrapped into one meeting. You see, I used to be an athlete, and when we were in eighth grade at St. Anthony a great rivalry was held against Temple Christian school. John was their best player. Now he is their eighth grade coach and I might help him out this year.
After lunch was what made the day super exciting. Let me back up a little bit, and as you probably already know, if you know me, that I thrive on making presentations to high schools. I went to Patrick Henry's football game on Saturday at BGSU, which they won. The Patriots play again this Saturday at the same location, but I will not be attending this time as prior festivities are already scheduled. Oh well life is busy, but their game against Liberty Benton should be a good one. Back to the telephone conversation: he is going to allow me to come and speak to his students on Friday, December 19.

11/10/2008

I am home now! The shopping excursion was very successful, as I bought two pairs of jeans.
Grant cried when we left, and that is sort of interesting. That is all for tonight.

11/10/2008

It is Monday morning but not a usual one. It's not as if the air is foul smelling down here, but the deviant setting, much different than the norm, has me bright eyed so early in the morning. I usually do not get much more than five hours of sleep at any one period of time (as those who are affluent with this blog or me are well aware of) at home, an when I am in unusual surroundings that token amount of sleep seems to get cut short. Oh well, I am not tired... at least not yet! There is so much to be excited about. My nephews seem to ha matured significantly since I saw them last (around two weeks ago.) In fact we are taking the oldest one to pre school later this morning. I think taking in the school setting a few hours each day three times per week has helped him grow a bit. While Andrew is at school today, my Dad, sister, and I are going shopping. I think I would like to have at least one, maybe two, more pairs of jeans like the ones I am currently wearing. I am one who usually does not anticipate shopping, but I am indeed looking forward to it this time. I am also so proud of Andrew, because he is so proud to show me where his school is. Anxiously looking forward to the day when I can have my own kids (hopefully,) but that moment will come in His time. Right now I have my three nephews to enjoy.

11/9/2008

I am at my sister's place in Cincinnati for two days and overnight tonight. Therefore I will not be writing much until I get home late Monday night. This computer and surroundings are foreign to me.

11/9/2008

Patrick Henry be Winford (21-0), and Liberty Benton annihilated Archibold. Man the Craft kid is really something to watch. The Patriots and Eagles will square of next week at a site yet to be determined. After dropping Curt and his nephew off at their homes I went back to Brian's in Findlay. Prior to the second game today we ate at Frickers where I met several interesting people. The most interesting conversation was with an Ohio State Alumnus who was dressed in the University of Michigan attire! WHY??? I also met the Wayne Trace football coach at Frickers. I briefly went out in Findlay after getting beat in a few games of pool by Brian. I met a super col person named Jenny at Uncle Bucks, and she graduated from Ottawa Glandorf high school in 2002.

11/8/2008

Going to the Patrick Henry then Liberty Benton high school football ggames a Bowling Green today with Curt. We'll catch the first half of the OSU game first.

11/8/2008

I will be gone from from my home until Tuesday, and blog entries will likely be scarce.

11/7/2008

My parents are treating me to dinner tonight, and that is most likely because I am their favorite (and only:-) son. We will probably be home in time to listen o the two high school games that I am interested in.

11/7/2008

Things change so rapidly, as stated last night, in this technology crazed age. Let me explain a scenario for you that demonstrates my situation a little more in depth. Wednesday morning I awoke, and though nothing about this weekend. After I spoke to a group in Delphos I had made plans to go with people to the St. Johns football game scheduled for Friday night (today), in Kenton. Thursday those plans changed. Plans quickly changed yo me going down to Dayton to watch Lima Central Catholic lady T-birds play in state semifinal volleyball action, and then I would come back to catch the high school football playoff game between Ada and Pandora, at Bath. Talking about T-bird volleyball: even though I was rooting for St. Henry in last weekend's regional final contest. I still have friends at LCC. The Redskins lost their leader at the beginning of game one (due to injury), and they lost the match in five games. Taking nothing away from LCC though, because they have been very successful these last two seasons including a state championship last year. I am hoping they can repeat as state champions this year. Those plans went to the wayside. Then I was just going to go to Bath to watch the game.. Now I am just going to listen to the games on the radio, but I will only hear parts of both. Their start times are identical, and they are on different stations (obviously.) It will be tough flipping back and forth.

11/6/2008

My fantasy football players all performed well tonight except Edwards. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, because Heather was planning to mail out some recommendation letters to various schools and some pictures to me. No football games seem likely that I'll attend tomorrow, and things change always in the age of cell phones...

11/6/2008

WOW!!! I over did it hauling and stacking wood. My back is greatly sore and I exhausted myself. It was a good day to work out in our woods, because it was not too cold or hot. I started sometime this morning before 7:00, and the temperature was around 70 degrees (a lightweight jacket was worn.) I put the trailer away about 1:15, and I only stopped to eat. It was a little warmer after lunch (I discarded the jacket,) and the mercury registered in the low 70's. My back is sore, and maybe that is a tell tale sign that I am getting older. Nah! I'm still in my 20's, and am only knocking on the 30 year old door.
I think I am going to the Delphos St. Johns high school playoff football game in Kenton tomorrow. If I do, coupled with Saturdays planned events, it will make a full weekend of football. I am only anticipating basketball season though. I got my season ticket order form in the mail today! That only gets me more excited. I love basketball.

11/5/2008

Speaking today was an awesome experience. Todd, an athlete from Ft. Jennings (that I recalled playing against in eighth grade basketball), was there amongst many other quality contacts. One person actually graduated from The Ohio State University at the same time as I. She was probably one of the younger ones there. Michelle too was younger, and she went with Melessa and I across the street to pick out a T-shirt. I am planning to attend the Delphos St. Johns football game on Friday. I like watching sports, and Greg giving me a ride to the game would be appreciated. The people talked about so far were young, but most people in attendance were slightly more seasoned. In fact my greatest contact made was as old as my parents, and she is going to get back to me about possibly speaking to Van Wert schools. Speaking to high schools is something I am more comfortable doing. I just feel more at ease when high school aged people are my target audience. When feeling relaxed I feel my message is more clearly heard.

11/5/2008

I am going to Delphos Rotary club today to hopefully make some contacts. It should be an incredible time, and I have to get going...talk to you later...

11/4/2008

Right now it s looking extremely dismal for McCain and outlandishly awesome for Obama. I hope the newly elected Commander in Chief has great success pulling our country out of the economic funk that currently exists.
I have made plans for Saturday afternoon and evening with Curt, who lives in Cygnet. We are going to a couple of high school playoff contests.

11/4/2008

Today is election day, but going to vote is only a minor piece of my day. Don't get me wrong now, I have voted on every opportunity I've had since turning 18 years old. On occasion I go up town to stand in line to vote in the early morning, before voting actually begins. That is unnecessary, and this morning I will likely go up to vote just before I go to volunteer. When I get to the hospital I have to call Ashley and Curt. Both of those phone calls have me excited. Ashley is someone I have known for a little while now, and we are going to figure out a time we can hang out sometime. And odds are that my Ashley time will not be this Friday evening, because my second phone call will in all likelihood involve plans for that night. Curt spoke to me Sunday about quite possibly going to the High School football playoff game between Pandora and Ada. That game is scheduled to be played at Bath. I also will probably see Jim at some point. Then I volunteer but am lined up to leave early so I can make a Knights of Columbus meeting. Typically those meetings entail cards afterwards, but everybody may want get home early to see election results come in. True they will not change whether we watch them or not, nut it is always fun to see. The best thing about the elections happening today is that it will temporarily the political jargon on television and radio!

11/3/2008

Monday feels rather good, even though I am rather tired. I gathered hickory nuts for a while this morning with Dad. Every once in awhile you come across one with a worm hole in it. Still even cooler, yet more unusual, is a half gnawed away shell with the nut missing. Those come from red-jimmies or squirrels. Living in the country, as opposed to an urban dwelling, leads to much more of wildlife habitat evidence. I am sure there are dis advantages to living in a rural place, if you speak to the city dweller they would be easily noted, but I love living beside wooded area. Sometimes, really most of the time nature is appreciated.

11/3/2008

I cannot seem to fathom how lucky I am. A five letter word explains much. There is so much construction going on continuously in my life that it is occasionally difficult to tell which way to head. Sometimes things cause me to want to help, and it is most times rather, and I sort of take a backseat roll so as to not get in the way. Although most of my characteristics remain the same, that is one area that the accident has changed. The five letter word is FAITH, and that is what keeps me so emotionally balanced. Using my intellect, ingenuity, and story, coupled with my faith, is a good way to bring happiness to everyone.

11/2/2008

Today was an exciting Sunday. I watched some football today (what else would I do on Sunday in November:-) with my cousins, and then with Brian at BW's. The Cincinnati Bengals broke their losing streak with a win today over Jacksonville. The highest point in my day was stopping to see Ashley. She is an awesome person. I was a pleasure to see Sara and John as well. She is a friend from college whom I have not seen in a while.

11/2/2008

The election coverage, in the media networks, on the presidential contest has become heightened, and with the ballots being cast in merely two days it is only going to get worse. Frankly it is getting rather sickening. I am a big fan of sports, and I cannot watch a major game without being inundated with political jargon every commercial break. You know it is getting bad when the halftime agenda for Monday night football entails interviews with the two major presidential candidates. It is simply an unmistakeably grotesque. Lies, lies, and more lies galore; that is hat the campaigning consists of. Oh well after Tuesday the craziness will subside after the election. That only a possibility that could happen, and we might have candidates who are claiming fallacy in the end result. There may be recounts (even three counts:-)! It happened in the last election. A little bit of suspense in competition is to be expected, it is even appreciated (from someone who is a sports enthusiast), but the parties campaigns have taken it to another level. The strategy and work done to win an amateur sporting contest is admirable and laudable, but the constant lies said to get votes and the tearing apart he opposition is sad.

11/1/2008

It was a very exciting match today, and LCC won. St. Henry lost the first two games, and fell short of victory in the deciding game five. Good luck to LCC as they try to defend their state championship from last year. I felt bad for the Redskins as one of their best players went out with injury at the beginning of play. It was not too detrimental as she returned later but did not play. LCC has another great team this year.

11/1/2008

Possibly I am going to a tailgate party before the volleyball match today. It makes no difference on whether or not I go to the game, because I would not miss this for the world, and Frank is picking me up a ticket for $6 at at St. Henry school. At least I previously paid him for it after Wednesday's semifinal match. It's a battle between the St. Henry Redskins and LCC T-birds, I have ties to both schools, but I'll be pulling for the Redskins. I have a much better friendship with St. Henry faculty and administration. In reality I wish both teams could win, but the excellence of competition will not allow that. The hope is that both teams play well, and the dream is that the Redskins play extremely well. I am hesitant to call LCC an underdog, because I would say they are not, and they ran a perfect record to a state championship last season and have been perfect thus far this year. Their work and success is well respected. However, as in watching sports in general I end p cheering for the underdog. With that said... GO SKINS!!!