cool. you hang in there.

You would think I'm safe because I am a family member...BUT
I'm close enough that I get used as the example they don't play favoritism on family, but not close enough I get any of the benefits of family. Brother Bob has worked there and go fired twice. Nephew that is CEO was given the choice of resigning or getting fired. He resigned. A little over a year later he was hired back and his brother quit because of it.

My brother George that passed from MS was a fantastic salesman. He was offered a sales job, but my president brothers wife a stock holder (but no other association with the company) said he would have to shave his beard. He said, "You don't like beards do you?" She said an emphatic "No!" He then said, "Well then, I suggest you don't grow one, and if that is a real stipulation I don't want the job." There were people already working in sales that had a beard.

Started at the company right out of college. They put me in the machine shop. After a couple of years I realized I was never going to be included in the company besides just working there so I started my beard. Have had it ever since. I have a picture somewhere of me standing by the machine I was running with the 5 o'clock shadow stubble from my beard just starting. It was the last non-bearded picture taken of me.

Ok so the I9 is filled out I can now work in the country legally seems like just last week I was anyway. Next up fill the cup test I think.

My wife was trying to explain some of the silly federal laws about a new employee.

It is good to have you back on the taxpayer roles. We need your tax dollars. I see my taxes I am stuck with every paycheck. Since 1972 I have been employed paying taxes all but 4 business days. I see all the deductions other people get because of their decisions in life and I don't get any of them expect the basic deduction of myself.

When I was single there was a nice tax advantage to married couples. That changed when I got married. My taxes went UP for no other reason than I got married.

I guess April 15 is approaching and I have to do my taxes again. Maybe if they simplify the tax forms again it make it even more stupid complex.

how simple is "what ever you made send it in"?

That is almost what I pay now. Zero deductions.

What I should do is mortgage my house and go buy a new Cayman GT4. Of course my wife would kill me and if I am dead I can't drive the GT4. Bad plan.

Well that was an interesting trip. Back to normal and back in the office.

We left last Friday for my wife's grandfathers funeral that was near Lincoln, NE. Got back last night about 10:00pm. It is weird, but i have had enough of eating out for a while.

Richard, how can someone be a network manager and not know how DNS works? I also wonder if the IT director knows the difference between internal and external IPs. Are you sure you don't work at the same company as the BOFH? Sounds like the same management.

I am not a fan of frequent dining out. On our trip to Spain, we rented apartments in Barcelona and Valencia so that we could "eat at home" whenever we wanted. It made it more enjoyable picking and choosing when we wanted to eat in restaurants.

I haven't smoked. 16 days today :)

Spent the day *****ing about politics which is a total waste of time.

GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!!
The not smoking part.

When people ask me how I voted, I usually just say I voted "No."

I voted for James Mattis.

I vote for beer and pizza!

Smoking is a waste of time, lots of money, and health. Arguing politics is a total waste of time.

... and health.

I dont know how people have the time for that, and at all caring for that.

Aren't muffins just cup cakes without icing?

When I go stay with friends in Round Rock I always defer to them as locals for good places to go eat. I have yet to go to the donut place in Round Rock with the huge donuts. The only time I "requested" going someplace it was the famous Salt Lick BBQ. It was okay and they gave you LOTS to eat, but as far as BBQ goes it wasn't greats. However all the other places we went were delicious.

There was a mexican place that had what they called Puffy Tacos. The shell was like a soft taco except the flour tortilla was puffy like a sopapilia. They were really good.

The only problem I had was they are big eaters and everywhere we went served way too much food for me. I felt like places needed a kids version of their menu items. Went to one place that was Mongolian BBQ. When I gave the cook my bowl of stuff to stir fry they commented I needed to put more in my bowl. They each had 3 times what I did. Then they couldn't believe I didn't go back for seconds. Can't imagine why the are big people.

I don't know anyone in Spain so would be at the mercy of the internet and people I met. Friend toured europe and ended up at an small place off the beaten path in Budapest, he said the food was really good but...He ended up getting robbed by thugs. Said that ended up making the dining experience way too expensive.

I have alot of friends who are "big eaters", and it always seems like their wives are "tiny eaters". My eyes are usually bigger than my appetite, and my problem is a lack of saliva to help get it all down (compromised salivary glands from radiation treatments years ago).

Pcardude....good on you for trying to quit smoking, there are alot of reasons not to smoke, and so far, no one has convinced me of a good reason to smoke.

Was waiting in a drive thru at a Chilis one evening. Just happened to notice...Every group that came out carrying a leftover to-go box was thin, and the ones without a leftover box the people in the group were overweight. Moreover, after I noticed and started watching all the people leaving and there was not an exception.

I used to go by Chilis and pick up hamburgers to take to have dinner with my brother with MS when he was wheelchair bound. He really liked their hamburgers.

He also liked the hamburgers from a place that made the best Calzones in town. The calzone place never reopened after the shopping center they were in got hit by a tornado. Haven't found one anywhere nearly as good. The big difference was they ground the ham they put in with the sausage, onions, and mushrooms. I've thought about ginding up my own ham and taking it to a local place that makes pretty good calzone and see if I can get him to use it and see the difference. He buys his ham already sliced and says it would be a hassle to get some and grind it. He has probably lost the grinding attachment off his hobart dough mixer.

When I worked at the pizza place in college we used the grinder on the dough mixer to grate the cheddar we put on nachos. The pizza cheese, a special mix of mozzarella, cheddar, and provolone came already grated.

One thing that stood out when we were in Spain is that most people were not over weight. It was like turning back time to when I was young. Back then, someone carrying 20-25 lbs too much weight was considered overweight then. Now, well, it's a bit more.

I smoked for a few years when I was young. I also drank quite a bit when I was in the Navy. I quit both before I got out of the Navy. Best decision ever.