GD Anniversary

Today is the anniversary of my severance from GD. As part of the terms of my relatively lucrative severance agreement, I was not supposed to say anything bad about General Dynamics, or recruit their staff, or work for some of their competitors for one year.
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As if a multi-billion dollar defense contractor had anything to fear from me. But now the year is up.
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I wouldn't worry if I were them. They owe me a pension and I want them to be around when I retire.

Forward Progress

Do you ever have days when everything clicks? From 8:30 this morning to 5:30 tonight, it was all good... a very powerful day.
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You have to take the time to appreciate a good day like this. Reflect on why things went so well. I'm thinking that when you eliminate the negative environment, and start to think the positive thoughts, you get flooded with the good stuff.
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I won't be putting up any sand bags to stop this flood.

Thanks to Eric

Eric Rumpf from the Rumpf Design Group dropped by tonight with the plans for the Sundance elevator.
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Eric is one of the all time good guys..... a real professional with tons of talent, who is not full of himself. He has a great sense of humor and is fun to be around. If he is working for you, then good things are going to happen. I really respect him.

Choices

To the paranoid losers out there. You know who you are.
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You'll get treated the same way that you treat others..... No better, no worse. So it's up to you if you want to get your ass kicked. I'm from Lynn....
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Plus I'm Irish....
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It's been said that the Irish hate to fight... until they get into a fight. Then they love it. I learned a lot at the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 10, when I was a young man. My patience is getting short.

Roman Addiction

All week you look forward to Sunday night to see the next episode of Rome on HBO. Then they show repeats!!!
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Damn... it's still great.

Personal Improvement

I have to confess that when people tell lies, and try to manipulate me, I tend to overreact.
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That's just the way I am. It's kind of my pet peeve. Really sets me off. Gets my Irish up.
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I'll try to be the bigger man, and not be so damn vindictive. Common sense says that vengeance gets you nowhere.
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It's not easy.

Triple P

I'm pretty sure that I'll look back at this day as being one of the great ones. ....
Pivotal to a Positive Position.

Whatever

Joanne is making me watch Brokeback Mountain with her. And I am definitely grossed out. She says that I have a double standard because watching Lesbians doesn't bother me.
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OK
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She's right.

At Rest

I found out today that the graphic that I like so much... of the peaceful Maine Matinicus Double Ender lobster boat... is the work of Christine Knight Coombs from South China, Maine, and entitled "At Rest".
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If you found solace from that work, I highly recommend that you visit her web site. http://chriscoombsart.com

Opening Doors

Interesting opportunities are cropping up. Getting the calls. It's weird how one door opens when another closes, but nonetheless this theorum is valid. I wonder how long it will take before science validates the law of attraction.
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We have already proven that the universe is composed of various combinations of atoms - all of which have different degrees of attraction to each other. We are truly one with each other and with the universe. How our thoughts and actions affect the interaction of these atoms has not been defined scientifically, but certainly philosophers and religious leaders have filled the void with perceptions of this truth.
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My own experience tells me that the coincidences of life events are too bizarre to be left to random chance. Something guides the synchronicity of circumstances that affect us daily. Calling it God suits me. You can call it anything you like, but something is pulling the strings.
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Time for a scotch.

Sure Cure for Stress

Feeling stressed out?
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I highly recommend a large, pepperoni, garlic and extra cheese pizza from Vesuvius Cafe in Marblehead. Sure cures the hell out of me.
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Course there are some side effects. Like feeling like a fat shit the next day.

Saturday

Even though Thursday has so much significance as the Nanepashemet Peep of the Week day, I have to admit that Saturday is my favorite day.
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Sunday is good, but you always have that nagging..."What the hell do I have to do at work tomorrow?" ... feeling. I don't know about you, but that "tick, tick, tick" stopwatch sequence on the Sixty Minutes program on Sunday night always is a downer for me. It means that the fun weekend is over.
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But Saturday is perfect. You have your Friday night blowout behind you, and a leisurely Sunday morning in front of you... and nothing but Saturday in between. Even when I work on Saturday, it's always an informal, get something done and out of the way day.
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There's always a chance that Joanne and I will get to see some of the kids on Saturday.
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Saturday is the best bet to catch some work on the Tender.
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I usually fish in the summer on Saturday.
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Saturday night is the best night to have dinner and hang with your friends.
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It's Saturday. Rock on.

PEEPS - week 8 - 2007

Today was particularly stressful. While I don't believe in Black and White, today the shades of grey were excessively dark.

Truth is relative, but you cross the line when you get to half truths. My problem is that I am just too nice of a guy..... then people get caught off guard when they see what a crazy prick I can be. I should be more of a prick all of the time to lessen the shock.

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week

Tom DiMatteo (automatic Lagavulin rule)
Jennifer the Atlanta Delta passenger
Rose Nyguen
Eric Johnson
the Puerto Rican Porsche Driver
Bill Hillegas

Screw it. I can't shake the Mr. Sunshine image overnight.

Fortitude

Between San Juan and Atlanta, we had some very revealing meetings with the carriers for Darwin. The projects we are pursuing take a good deal of incubation before they hatch, but Eric Johnson and Jay Ohanian are definitely up for the task. Not everybody has the intestinal fortitude, patience and insight to make money in this industry and market.
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Today is POTW day. Those unfortunate/lucky individuals will have their glory/disgrace by 8:00PM this evening. Have a nice day.

Panera Bread

In Atlanta with Jay Ohanian at a Panera Bread accessing the net for free. This chain could be my office away from home. Good food, healthy selections, free internet... a good find.

Lapse

Sorry for the lapse in posts. I had to go to Puerto Rico Sunday morning for two business meetings and got home at 3:00 AM this morning after a huge screw up where the connecting flight crew didn't show up in Charlotte, delaying a 9:00 PM departure to 12:00 midnight. Plus, there was never an opportunity to log on. I know this is boring and of no interest to you, but it must be entered for the record.
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After all, this blog is destined to be a side bar in the Akashic Records of man's existence on earth.
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As for this blog getting sluggish, I agree. There actually are some extremely exciting and stressful things going on which I can't reveal at this time for a number of confidential reasons. Hang in there, things will pick up when the coast is clear.... probably in the next few days.
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BTW, Puerto Rico on business is the pits! I'm sure that if you are on the tourist trail, you can find nice places, but the Marriott Courtyard in downtown San Juan is as painful as anywhere, and the area creeps you out with the bars on all the windows and barbed wire in great abundance. I get a kick out of Joanne who was semi-disappointed that I didn't take her.
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I took out some frustration by trying to race a Porsche with my rented Nissan Altima. The guy didn't even realize that I was trying to make the challenge.

Dinner Party

Had a nice visit with the DiMatteo's tonight. Joanne did her magic in the kitchen and created an unbelieveable pasta with lemon, asparagus and red peppers - along with her usual superb pork loin roast. Tom and Laurel are great company.
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Tom also brought me a bottle of Lagavulin... you know what that means! He is the first automatic Peep of the Week for 2007.

Tax Time

Time for our government to keep the money that they've taken from you all year, and ask for more. Strike that.... Take more.
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It's enough to make you lose your sense of humor.
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Regardless.... the latest undetectable by radar fighter jet that the Air Force is developing costs $28M each... and we are making over 300 0f them.
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It costs money to kick the shit out of anything that enters our air space.
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So let's pony up. It's tax time.

Rejection

After about two months of correspondence, I was rejected by the last two book agents that I was dealing with. What's up with that? Don't they realize the huge opportunity that they have passed up? Not to mention the money, prestige and honor???
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Obviously fate has picked another as yet unknown agent to represent the "Nanepashemet Boatbuilding" book. I'm sure that the worthy agent will appear as soon as I conduct the next email blitz.
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All of the book publishing pundits say to expect a lot of rejection, but this book has too much to give to humanity to go unpublished for long.

Loss Update

5 lbs. in two weeks. At this rate, I'll be at my desired weight in 20 weeks. That's four months.... July!!!
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They'll be some awesome topless cookouts this summer.
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Now I have to figure out what to do with the hair on my back.