January 2008

There were 55 posts published in January 2008 (this is page 2 of 6).

Pandora threatens my wallet

Have I mentioned how much I like Pandora? I’ll be working away and listening to my R.E.M. Channel (and Cake Channel, and many others) when some amazing song will begin playing and I’ll drop whatever I’m doing to see whose song it is so I can go out and buy it. So far, Pandora’s turned me on to Muse, The Killers, Kings of Leon, We Are Scientists, The Shins, Jude, Miracle Legion, Sam Prekop, The Redwalls, Pete Yorn, Bishop Allen, Broadcast Debut, Keane, The La’s, Pernice Brothers, and Kashmir, to name a few. Out of those I like The La’s, Pernice Brothers, Keane, and Kashmir the best, I think.

In short, I am hopelessly, irresistibly hooked on Pandora. Its introduced me to more music in two weeks than the month I’ve had Sirius radio, or the years I’ve listened to WKNC, or anything else I can think of, for that matter. I feel compelled to buy music again – something that I more or less swore off a while ago as a waste of my money. I actually feel hip again, believe it or not.

Pandora’s gotten me excited about music again. I’m loving it, baby!

Birthday recap

Oh yeah. Scott reminded me that today is my birthday.

I woke up to a birthday breakfast cooked by my lovely wife and son. Then I opened my cards and presents and shared my lap with my beautiful daughter.

After that, it was off to see the real estate attorney to go over the offer we made on the house today. This was followed by a work conference call, after which the family took me out to lunch at “Backpack Yogurt,” as our kids dubbed it long ago. My cheeseburger left a lot to be desired but the company couldn’t be beat!

Around 3PM I hit the road for Annapolis, happy that the traffic was light due to the federal holiday. I arrived at my hotel around 9 and was promptly upgraded to a luxurious, 600sf junior suite on account of my birthday.

Now I’m gonna sneak out to the neighboring Irish pub for a pint before chatting with Kelly one more time and retiring for the evening. Maybe next year I’ll take my birthday off and stick with just the fun stuff!

Househunting

Kelly and I made an offer today on a house in Raleigh’s Historic Oakwood. We’re hoping to buy a hundred-year-old house within a stone’s throw of the guv’nor’s mansion. Getting Hallie and Travis closer to their school, Conn, was one big reason we looked in Oakwood. We’ve also always wanted to live in that area and circumstances have now made that possible.

We’ve got a lot to do between now and then to actually complete the move. An offer is a long way from a closing, though. Hopefully things will go smoothly for the transition.

If you know anyone who would like a great home with a phenomenal yard in a vibrant North Raleigh community and within walking distance of Durant Nature Park, let me know (Geez, do I sound like a real estate agent or what?)

Once more to Annapolis

I’m mid-trip on my way to Annapolis to conduct two days of training. I’m hoping the weather makes it a pleasant stay, but freezing rain and snow/sleet is predicted for tomorrow. Since I won’t be driving for the next two days, all I hope is that everything’s melted by the time I head home Wednesday evening.

Freezy stuff tomorrow. This time they mean it

Looks like the “weather event” that didn’t take place earlier this week may take place tomorrow. The question is exactly where it will take place, but then again, that’s always the real question about forecasts, isn’t it?

For the record, too, MT.Net recorded .51 inches of rain yesterday. That was good for adding 130 gallons to my rainwater tank before it was full. I probably could’ve collected another 150 gallons if I’d had the storage capacity. I’m a water-collecting fool.

Heroin Diaries

On a tip from my buddy Chris, I checked out Nikki Sixx’s book The Heroin Diaries. Its a walk through one of the darkest periods in the life of the Motley Crue bassist. In the mid-80’s when Motley Crue was topping the charts, Sixx was secretly wrestling with the demons of heroin addiction. Though its not a pretty picture, it is compelling reading. I’m amazed Sixx had the presence of mind to keep a diary when he was so strung out.
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Water, water everywhere

It was a wet, bone-chilling day today but not a snowy one, fortunately. Though it rained practically all day, I was disappointed I could only capture 130 new gallons of rain into my tank before I had no more capacity left. Maybe Kelly’s right: maybe I do have a “problem.”

Today’s rain got me thinking again of this N&O story about a potential new water source for Raleigh. A Raleigh company called Eagle Water has rights to up to 58 million gallons of water per day (mgpd) being pumped from the PCS Phosphate mine near Aurora, NC. The problem is the company has no way to get it here to Raleigh where its needed. Not only that, the company needs to sell at least 25 mgpd just to make a profit. Pump anything less and they lose money.
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