Of interest to no one, but read by you...

Merry Christmas.

Last night we joined my Mother at her church's annual Christmas dinner and program. On the way home at the Briley Road/I-40 intersection a big red sign was flashing in sequence something to the effect of, "It's not Happy holidays, It's Merry Christmas, and if you don't like that, just deal with it." Something to that effect. Amusing to say the least, but sad how far removed the true meaning of Christmas is from the hustle and bustle most celebrate.

Most people do not realize that Christmas is simply a precursor to Easter as the Birth of our Saviour, and the Death and Resurrection represent the Christian story that gave us the gift of eternal life.

On other fronts, and few little tidbits...

-Our home has been featured on the front page of the local news channel for the better part of the week under the Holiday Photos tab. Not to beat a dead horse, but we hung Christmas Lights this year, not Holiday Lights. Click here to see: http://www.wsmv.com/index.html

-I have been waiting the better part of 5 years to get my hands on a stainless steel Rolex Daytona. This watch is the rarest of all Rolex's and can be sold the same day on e-bay for 2-3 thousand more than the retail price due to its rarity. What makes it unique is several things including the fact that Rolex hordes this watch and will release only a few per year to retailers throughout the world. The stores can get one in, and it may already be 2-3 years old based on its serial number even though it is still a brand new watch. In other words, you could get one and still not have the most up to date version. Which makes my decision that much harder as the one I got on Friday is the latest serial number series with all the changes and upgrades Rolex made 3 years ago as they started changing the entire oyster series of watches. So there it sits on my nightstand, in its original packaging, oh don't get me wrong I want to keep it in the worst of ways, but the business sense says that maybe I should sell it and take a nice profit. Here is the thing, it can come in either a white or black face, and I always wanted the white face. Which is what I got. I do however have an in with another store that I helped the manager out on a little business thing so he is going to hook me up as well. I would be a fool not to buy that watch as well, and then I would have 2, I can sell one of them and still have the other to wear and enjoy. I always stated that if I ever got my hands on this watch, I would not sell it. I need to be a man of my word and keep the watch and wear it proudly.

-I read that the reason spends hours searching for presents is that they don't know how to express their feelings towards another any other way, and as such use presents as a way to present their feelings towards another. Interesting thought.

-One Hundred Dollar Bills. I saw a story on Today yesterday (I think it was today) about a man simply known as "Secret Santa" in Kansas or something who each Christmas season would hand out $100 bills to complete strangers. For years he was not known, however I guess last season due to weakening health he revealed himself and then recruited others to do the same upon his passing. What a legacy to leave behind, impacting people's lives in a positive manner.

No matter what you end up doing today or tomorrow, my hope and prayer for you would be to know the true meaning of Christmas, and what it represents in terms of eternal existence. If you don't know, or are searching, reach out to someone, anyone, even me to ask more questions. All the presents in the worlds won't get you eternal salvation, only a one on one personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ can do that, and it is only a conversation away.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

A Christmas Party to be remembered

Last night we had our Christmas Open House. I will start off by saying that my wife put a tremendous amount of work into this thing, between the planning, the addressing of all the invitations, preparation of food not to mention the fact that she decorated the house almost entirely by herself.

We sweated every detail up until about 15 minutes prior to the official start, and then the fun began.

The small Jazz Trio I hired off of Craigslist showed up and got themselves set up. I still wasn't dressed for the party, but I went in and talked to them for a few minutes asking to have a "Charlie Brown" sound to the music they played. They hit this one so far out of the park, let me tell you they were awesome. Anyone can stream audio from iTunes off a playlist, but live music that engages people, making them stop and listen, and better yet make requests. Let me tell you, live music was AWESOME.

Now, on to our guests. We sent out over 100 invitations. We tried to make the party early enough in the month to head off other parties, but I guess those other parties thought the same thing, so we were competing against other parties, however we had to the best of our ability 61 people come and celebrate with us.

My sister (WB) has her annual Halloween gathering, and I know in the past she has invited everyone from the President to the governor of Florida so I took a page out of her book and invited our State Senator, our State Representative as well as our Mayor. I am proud to say I am 3 for 3 in those people showing up. Now in all fairness to my sister, I know all 3 of these people through organizations I belong to, as well as a committee I am a member of so perhaps I had a leg up!

The party started at 6 and it went strong until around 9:30. We had people here up until 10:00. We had hired 2 girls to help out with keeping the food tables stocked, the garbage moving as well as the drinks flowing as well as to clean up after the party, and I will say that they were worth every penny. We like to have parties, but the cleaning up after always sucks, not this year. We actually went into the bedroom to watch TV while they finished cleaning up, and when they were done we were left with a house that if you didn't know just had a huge party, you wouldn't.

Needless to say, it was a great time, and one that I look forward to doing again next year. A lot of work and planning, but worth it.

For now, take care...

I love having a family who blogs...

The fun thing about this weekend has been checking in on the blogs to see what has been happening in other parts of the house. WB is on top of things as she documents each and every activity, and I like to check in to her site to see what I have been missing.

WB is so awesome, she should get some sort of reward or something for Sister of the Year, or something like that.

In other news, I planted a wine cooler in WB's purse this morning prior to departure for church. The original plan was for her to discover it during the church service thereby creating laughter from her, however she opened her purse on the way to church and busted out laughing. It was still funny, but would have been funnier if it had been discovered at church.

I will try the same prank tomorrow as she leaves for the airport. Wouldn't that be funny for airport security to make her dispose of the beverage, and she instead chugs it down right there, seeing as she is a raging alcoholic.

For now, take care...

A Complete Holiday Season in Four Days

As I write to you we are gathered in our home sitting in front of a fire in the fireplace, everyone in pajamas just simply enjoying each others company. Well, except for the fact that CAL is still talking about how he thinks he can beat me at Madden '08 on Wii. Last night I slaughtered him 98 - 69.

This is really nice. The family together again enjoying each other. It has been 17 years since this happened.

I hope it isn't another 17 years for this to occur.

Take care...

The best $32,000 money can buy...

Let me start off by saying that I am not against making as much money as possible as long as it is done with honesty and integrity, and not at the expense of poor people.

But I also think our priorities are a little screwed up as a nation.

I live in a really nice area. Williamson County located in Middle Tennessee has more than its fair share of really wealthy people. My home is dwarfed by the Mansions that line the streets all throughout Williamson County, and therein lies the topic for today's discussion.

Vince Young, the second year quarterback for the Titans just purchased a home in The Governors Club, an exclusive gated community just 3 short miles from my home. Odds are he spent well over a million for it, as most homes start at about a million. Now, I have no issue with the fact that Vince Young gets paid millions for tossing a football around. In fact, I am proud of the fact that as a nation we can have a job like that and get paid for our talent.

But, that is also the issue.

While I am not a proponent of teacher's unions, I will say this, there are good teachers in this world with whom we insult with the measly amount of money they are paid.

For crying out loud, these are the people we have put in charge of educating our children.

And they get a mere morsel compared to a professional athlete who gets to play football for a living.

We as a society place more importance on that athlete, and lament an injury sustained by them on the field more than we do the teacher who is charged with spending 40 hours a week with our children to teach them the things we want them to learn. And yet we are content to allow them to be paid so little for a task so important.

But I digress.

I think good teachers should be paid better than the average for in them lies the skill and talent to provide our nation the next generation of doctors, lawyers and leaders. Perhaps even another teacher or two. There are a limited number of pro athlete positions available, I think we should place more emphasis on what is truly important.

For now, take care...

Bill Draper is perhaps the hardest headed man I know

This past year we relocated our office to a building in Nolensville Tennessee. During this transition period, I as the sole administrator had the task of making sure each and every vendor we dealt with was notified of the change, and saw to it that address changes were made to insure timely billing as well as payment.

Since I am head of three different companies, this task was done using three different notices that were printed on 1/4 sheet neon colored paper. The notice stated our move, our new billing and shipping address, as well as a thank-you for each vendor's support during 2006.

With InCite Group, Inc., we also changed our operating name to InCite Homes to more accurately reflect the fact we built homes. The notice that went with all InCite bills included a little tidbit about the name change as well. With the exception of 2 vendors, Sunbelt Rentals and Gallatin Electric, the transition went smoothly. The old PO box that was being used expired on 8/15/07 and all mail that was sent there was marked as "Not Here" and returned.

Since I pay the bills for the companies, I contacted Gallatin Electric regarding the fact that I had not received any bills from them. They stated they had mailed them, but to the wrong address. I reminded them that they had been sent numerous address change notices, and their failure to correct the address was not my fault, and as such I would not be paying any late charges.

Enter Bill Draper.

Bill Draper is a ego driven hard headed man who has proven himself a liar and a man of questionable integrity. For you see, Bill Draper will not reverse the late charges, even though he himself admits the odds are pretty good that in fact if every other vendor of mine got the address change slip, Gallatin Electric probably did as well. Now Bill Draper portrays himself as an honest man, however he has lied to me personally on 2 occasions, and he won't even admit his fault when caught in a lie.

I don't know how much you know about utility companies, but they are a regulated industry. All the rates are set in stone, and any change to them must be approved by a governing board. It is not like your local gas station of food store that can raise and lower prices based on competition. There is a bright side to the rates being governed, when the utility makes dumb decisions or rash decisions in its purchases, it cannot pass that rate on to the consumer.

Which makes the late charge the icing on the cake. The late charge, an item cooked up by greedy people to stick it to honest people. Now, granted, there are people in this world who are about as credit worthy as a cock roach, and as such a late charge is appropriate, however for the majority of law abiding bill paying people, the late charge is a way to say "F#$* you" for being a good customer.

For you see, I didn't have Gallatin Electric chasing me down to pay the bills, no rather quite the contrary, I had to call them to alert them to the fact of their mistake in not changing my address, and then I requested the bills be faxed at once so that they could be paid.

But Bill Draper, our power hungry ego maniac had spoken, and the late charges stand. For you see, I don't have just 1 account with Gallatin Electric, but in fact have had 43 accounts during the last 18 months. That is right, 43 accounts.

Hey Bill Draper, I am going to petition the city to fire you. I am going after you and your job. I want to see you having to collect unemployment rather than a paycheck because in my book, you sir are a shining example of what a scum bag truly is.

Yes Bill Draper, you are a scum bag. Hey, do me a favor, quote me on it. For your little act of ego is going to cost you dearly, as I will do what it takes to see that I am righted in this matter, and ALL late charges are reversed. And them, I am going after the cost of my time, and I will propose it be taken from your measly little paycheck. I am not some scum bag resident who routinely pays his bills late, not sir I contacted you to make sure my bills were paid because that is what is important to me.

Bill Draper, do the right thing.

R.I.P. Kitty Kat

As you may have read on my sister's blog, yesterday I had to put my cat down. She was not doing well, and you tell she was suffering. She had the final laugh because as she left she had her tongue sticking out at the world. She was a good cat and she is missed.

I got home today from work, and there was a card from the vet's office offering their condolences. I thought that was very nice. Of course, they didn't think to include the $113.00 it cost to have the procedure done.

Oh well. For now, take care...