2009 Already Sucks

2009 isn't even here yet and it already sucks...Let's see where to start!  It always starts with "Many other companies"  yeah!  The company I work for in order to save costs in 2009 have decided to:

1. Not give any raises in 2009 (which would be for 2008)
2. No longer contribute any type of match to 401k funds
3. Cut back it's North American workforce
4. Employee insurance premiums have gone up
5. Insurance/prescription deductibles have increased
6. "Further cost saving measures to be forth coming"

Which would be fine if the price of groceries went "down", the cost of Heat & Electric went "down" repair, maintenance, gas, mortgage, insurance and everything else went "down" but of course it won't!  So going into 2009 I'm making less and it's costing more than 2007.  Thank you "Corporate America"  Oil companies, Lending institutions, Car makers thanks for the demise of western civilization!  Let's not cut at the top where most of the "waste" occurs cutting personnel or salaries, bonuses at the VP level and above...no let's cut the hours of $8/hr part-time personnel.  Great thinking!  Take a lesson from the 'Great Depression Era' Let's be opening the windows on the executive floors of the big glass towers..."take that big step for the team!" as they always preach to everyone else.

Happy New Year!

Monday again?

Another Monday morning, hmmm these seem to be coming every week or so!  The Christmas season is now officially in the 'past' all the celebrations, parties and what not are done, whew!  Saturday was crazy with 20 adults/9 kids running about the house, (sure glad it only comes once a year).  Sunday was a day of rest, watched the Packers beat the Lions, not that it matters as it was pretty much the battle of the losers.  As both teams are done for the season as are the Bears, if the Vikings follow suit they will be done after next weekend.  Brett Farve is retiring "once again" one would think he could make up his mind and stick with it...Oh well he's the Jet's problem now to deal with.  Now it's on to the New Year celebration, well that's no longer such a big deal any longer...probably be in bed by 10:00pm but hey, it'll still be the new year in the morning.  The best part is that it's only a 3 day work week for me!

Spent a couple hours on Sunday making the 2008 to 2009 transitions on GNO web site, replacing content from 2008 with that of making a fresh start in 2009.  Created a new Photoshow on Roxio and linked to site, as well as Google calendar, and a link to Dave's Den.  At least I got a little jump on the New Year updates.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Still on the modified schedule at work, going in around 10:00am rather than 5:00am which will be on case on Wednesday and then the following Monday.  It was a nice break from the norm for a couple of weeks anyhow.                

Good Morning Wisconsin

It's a very odd Saturday morning in Wisconsin for December, through the night the temp raised into the 40's (yes, above zero).  Most of what snow was on the ground is nearly gone here.  The fog is so thick that I can barely see the flag that is lighted in the front yard 40' away.   There is a winter weather advisory out from 3pm - 6am Sunday morning calling for freezing rain, changing to snow with a possible 3-6" by Sunday morning.  Hey if you don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes and it'll change!  At least my drive and sidewalks are back to bare pavement for the next 8 hours!

Friday started out with snow blowing water packed, wind driven snow off the drive and walks, oh what fun!  Then I made the mistake of going to the store to pick up a couple of needed items.  I forgot that it was 'Vulture Friday' after Christmas with the craze's that #1 don't know how to drive on a sunny day in July, #2 are out Christmas shopping for cheap (crap) to give next Christmas, Yikes!  In any case I got what was needed and then got my ass back home.

Once home I then had to start setting up tables, chairs and what not for my wife's family Christmas gathering that some how ended up at our house.  "here I thought Christmas was over until next year, Yeah!"  I did have some time later last night to make a photoshow from the 'archive' pictures and post on the Roxio Photoshow Site.  I still need to make some updates to the GNO web site, swapping 2008 for 2009, creating some links to photos, photoshows as well as a couple of other simple changes, most likely this will not happen until Sunday some time.  I suppose time to shower and start preparing for the days 'festivities'  Oh how wonderful!

Merry Christmas

More rapid than Eagles his

coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, 

and called them by name:

"Now Dasher!  Now Dancer!  

Now Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Doner

and Blitzen!"

To the top of the porch, to the

top of the Wall!

Now, dash away, dash away!

Dash away all!

Merry Christmas!  It is a bright, crisp (-2) and clear Christmas morning here in the den, well...outside the den to be exact!  The 24th went very nicely, got out of work about an hour earlier then expected.  Came home and then over to my sisters house for dinner.  Home around 10:00pm Boomer & Einstein got there presents, big bag of assorted stuffed toys, ropes, balls and the like they both had a blast trying to play with everything at the same time.  Just like kids with new toys!  Shrimp, cheese & crackers for a mid-night snack.  I got a couple new games for the PS2 so that will keep me busy for a while.  

Christmas Day is one of the few days that is for  me a totalling relaxing day, don't leave the house sit around in sweats, play games, watch tv, eat and nap.  Made standing rib roast in the rotisserie and it was delicious!  Well it's about nap time and then a little game playing.  That is pretty much Christmas at the 'Den'...  

On with the festivities.

Wise Old Bird

"The wise old owl, sets in a oak

the more he saw, the less he spoke,

the less he spoke, the more he heard,

why can't we all be like that wise old bird."

That has always been a favorite of mine and how true.  Not to sound like a broken record but yes there was more snow to clear this morning, was suppose to snow all day, but was pretty much over and done with mid-morning.  On the bright side of all this, the temp got into the 20's today....whew, 20's like a heat wave!  One more day for this week, tomorrow will most likely be a 'long' day having have everything out for Thursday through Monday.  But it will be nice having the 4 day weekend.  According to "NORAD" Santa is on his way in about 6 hours.

Speaking of Santa, I received an early Christmas present from the county today, yes...the annual property tax bill.  Well Wha-hoo!  Just what sort of a sad kinda joke is that?  Oh yeah, Merry  *$#*ing Christmas!  They couldn't get it out at the end of November or next week after Christmas...NO, it has to arrive the day before.  Just one of those "just to piss you off" things! Okay, got that off my chest.

I was going through some old CD's and came across one that had a bunch of old photos, most of which were either actual photos that had been scanned into the PC a few years ago, there were some that came from Seattle Film Works CD's that I used when I still used and actual 35mm 'film' camera.  That was a pretty cool find, I exported from disk to HD and did some re-arranging of the photos.  Once that was done I uploaded them to my Picasa Web Album.  Nice to always move forward, but every once in a while stopping and taking a look back brings back some forgotten memories.  As the days pass there is getting to be more behind then there is forward. Something to think about now and again...

Well, I guess that I've put in my two cents worth for today, so with that I will end this as it began with another favorite...

"But those behind cried  "FORWARD"

and those before cried  "BACK"

Monday mornings

Ah!  Monday morning...don't you just love Mondays, well it's -13 temp add the wind chill and it's colder then a witches tit.   Bit of a repreive on the snow today then round 3, I guess it will be is suppose to arrive Tuesday into Wednesday, well how wonderful is that!  Good news is that with the snow the temps will actually get above the 0 mark for a couple of days anyhow.  I've got a couple of hours yet before having to trek out into the cold & snow to go to work.  Work, now there's a 4 letter word for ya!  The first 3 hours will be spent fixing the crap that was messed up since Friday.  Shouldn't complain, at least it pays the bills...well most of them!  With this being the week of Christmas it's a short week, only 3 days and then a 4 day weekend, so that is the bright side!

Spent two days working on photo albums on Picasa getting things organized and ready to go.  Currently there are 44 Public albums and I sent out invites to friends and family for viewing.  Now it's just keeping up on it each time photos are taken and up-loaded.  Which isn't so bad to do, not as bad as going backwards and filling in information, adding tags and descriptions on over 50 albums dating back to 1999.  The public albums can be view at the following link:

davhandy public photo albums

I like this feature as it allows me to keep photos available to view on the GNO web site that I would not be able to post there do to size limitations.  I'm able to link to 'historic' photos, and have slideshows playing that would not be possible other wise.  Have more space without having to spend money on a site that does not provide any type of monetary support for itself.  This is a very good thing!  I created and have been doing the Great Northwest Outdoors web site for a number of years now, space has always been a concern.  I tried pay sites but of course they never keep the pricing affordable, starts out that way, but not when it comes time to renew.  So we'll just see how all this pans out over a year and go from there.  BTW here is a link to the GNO web site as well:

Great Northwest Outdoors

Well it's getting about time to get ready and head off to work for the day.  That's about it for now, more later.    ..."keep your stick on the ice"

Dave's Den

Welcome to Dave' Den

My work area

Snow & Cold

Just got back in from removing snow off the driveway.  All I can say is brrrrrr!  It was a balmy -10 temp with a -34 wind chill I do believe colder than that at times, I'm sure in an hour or two I will once again be able to feel my feet and hands.  Of course if you live in the snow country, once everything was put away, garage door closed and 4 layers of outerwear removed and hung to unfreeze and dry...that familiar rummble of the snow plow going past and filling in the end of driveway could be heard.  One of these years I've got to get a job with the county so I can be the 'stuffer' rather then the 'stuffe'!  Snowplow drivers and Waitresses both have the 'sick' sense of timiming...  Of course it is once again snowing as well right this minute, with another big storm working it's way here from the west coast.  Well the hell with it for now, it can wait!

Starting a pot of split-pea soup that will be on the menu for the next 3 days!  I'm going to make a drink and sit down and watch some football this afternoon and think of some more to add to this my first blog of blogs on Dave's Den.  I've been working for the past two days on uploading and organizing photo albums to 'Picasa Web Albums' as well as doing some updates on Great Northwest Outdoors web site, which I will most certainly continue my endevours on both of these projects as well, on this cold & snowy Sunday in Decemeber.