Katelyn's Christmas Collage

Kate seemed to have a good Christmas. There were no eardrum piercing screams or high pitched vulgarity.
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Happy Holidays Katelyn!

Tighty Whities v. Boxer Shorts

I remember that my father wore boxers. But my brother and I never had a pair that I recall. We only had tighty whities.
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My boys wear boxers exclusively, while I have carried on with my tighty whitey briefs. Joanne bought me three pairs of Tommy Hilfigers for Xmas.
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It will be interesting to see which choice that the grandkids follow.
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Maybe it's a generational thing.

Merry Christmas

Hope all of the Peeps had a fun holiday. I'd have to say that this year was particularly low key and pleasant. It was the first Christmas in 30 years that Ryan wasn't on point for Christmas morning. He and Courtney came over by 11:00 AM.

Then the usual crew showed. The roast beef was awesome and Joanne's new Rachel Ray Furi knives made short order of the slicing chore. It was Jay Turner's first Christmas in Marblehead. All in all, no incidents, nothing particularly annoying. A nice day except for a wicked head cold that took root in me.

Literary Agent

For my new book, I'll need a new book agent. This time I'm going to be a little picky. Peter Rubie suggested that I talk to John Silbersack at Trident Media, and I'm going to check out a few others.
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The book will be a daily journal that details in words and pictures the process of building a traditional wooden boat. The story will have technical details which will allow the reader to construct a Maine Peapod Lobster Dory for sail and oar, but will also have insights into all of the issues that confront the Builder who tries to maintain family relationships, friends and outside career obligations.
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It will be in greater depth than a “how to” book, and will be non-fiction which I prefer due to the strange and bizarre nature of the non-fiction genre.
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The intended audience will reflect those who seek the need to inspire their daily thinking, as well as those who may technically wish to take on this kind of project. Sound familiar, Peeps?
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If you wish advance copies or want your name mentioned in the book, please send me cash.

Peep Greeting

Click here for a Special Holiday Message from a special Peep.
Careful with your celebrations.

Christmas Eve

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I'll have the usual insecurities to get out and buy some additional stocking stuffers, even though nobody in my family needs absolutely anything else.
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We'll start out with Cocktails and Dinner at Jellison's. Last year we really kicked back and had a great time... we never got to any of our other obligations.
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We'll leave Jellison's and head to Murray's, then end the evening at Bruett's great new home. The trip home from Bruett's in previous Christmas Eve's were harrowing affairs. Ten mph down West Shore Drive with two hands on the wheel.
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I'm hoping this year to behave myself, but the Nance Nog cannot be denied. Should be alot of POTW at Bruett's. The infamous Murph will definitely be there. It is always a highlight event.

Jumping the Gun

I know that Christmas isn't here yet, but I've been thinking a lot about New Year's Resolutions. 2007 is just giving me a good vibe.

Old Clothes

I hate to throw stuff out. I'm always thinking that I may need it for something someday. This is a real weakness. It's an assumption that you won't be able to take care of your needs in the future, so you should hoard your resources now.
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Sometimes, things like old clothes have all sorts of memories attached to them so that I can't throw them away. It's like if I don't see the clothes, then I'll forget the memories behind them. This too seems pretty neurotic.
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Sooner or later, I muster up the guts to put the clothes into a plastic bag and haul them to the Salvation Army dumpster. Hope today will be one of those days.

Rainy Saturday

A great day to do nothing. Business is shut down for the most part. We'll start up the day after Christmas with a lead paint certification inspection and a meeting with Eric and Steve Livermore on design issues for the Sundance move.
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So I got a haircut and am planning to actually clean around the house. Joanne is giving me dirty looks while I blog this, because she got up and got into action in the heavy cleaning routine. It's hard to just jump in though.... I have to get my big toe wet first.
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Can't work on the tender when it is raining, because I have to move stuff into the driveway to make room.

General George S. Patton

This guy had a brutal management style. But millions lived, who would otherwise not have survived the ravages of WWII because of his audacity.
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Christ says to turn the other cheek if someone offends you. Practical advice to exterminate the pattern of revenge and retribution.
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So often it is the opposite tack from what our ego demands, or comfort level urges, that is the prudent course of action.
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"L'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace"
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Patton offended his peers, his superiors, and his men. But his passionate and forthright actions saved the world. Thank God for assholes like General George S. Patton.

Finally Friday

I'll admit that I am tired. Between the effort to get Darwin out front in the market, and the Sundance move, there has been a lot of mental activity. With every step forward, there are always raised expectations and setbacks. These are taxing to the vitality of a body.
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I am looking forward to kicking back and low keying the Christmas celebrations. Fat chance of that!

Mild December

I don't remember a milder weather approach to Christmas. The shallow pond next to the Darwin Wakefield office has a skim coat of ice in the morning which is completely melted by the afternoon. Although the temperature dips below freezing at night, 50 degrees is the daytime norm. Very Unseasonal. There have been years when we skated at Parker's Pond in Nov. Not this year.
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Too bad I'm so far behind on the Tender. I could varnish in these temperatures, but I haven't had the luxury of getting into the garage and putting the hours in.

Merry Christmas for the Politically Correct

I don't know about you, but I'm getting pretty sick of saying "Happy Holidays". "Merry Christmas" makes a lot more sense.
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Why?
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Because December 25 is a national holiday. Everybody has it off. It's Christmas Day. It is a day of peace on earth, good will toward men. Most of everything we do on Dec. 25 has nothing to do with your religion or your cosmological beliefs.
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Santa is not Jesus, and Jesus never saw a Christmas Tree. There were no reindeer in the frigging manger.
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So... Merry Christmas.
If you don't like it, then screw you.
Joy and Peace.

Tao Te Ching

"Get rid of wisdom and reason
and people will live a hundred times better
get rid of kindness and justice
and people once more will love and obey
get rid of cleverness and profit
and thieves will cease to exist
but these sayings are not enough
hence let this be added
wear the undyed and hold the uncarved
reduce self-interest and limit desires
get rid of learning and problems will vanish"
- Lao Tzu

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Simple Rules for the Chosen

POTW Selection criteria for future reference...

Did the Peep do something stupid?
Did the Peep do something annoying?
Did the Peep do something inspiring?
Is the Peep living and not dead?
Is the Peep a Human and not an animal?
Did the Peep give John Nestor a bottle of Lagavulin in the past seven days?

So you see, it's easy to become a repeat Peep of the Week every week by invoking the automatic Lagavulin gift criteria. Much more difficult to fill the other criteria.

Peep of the Week - 7

This week's Nanepashemet Peep of the Week selection process proved to be quite a conundrum.
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Since I just announced that anyone who asked to be a POTW would be automatically denied, I expected that no one would be stupid enough (not to mention annoying enough) to ask to be named a Peep.
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Enter Murph, alias Michael Murphy, who sent me the following comment....

"Hey Jay I want a POTW Nomination…IF I drink a ton of Nance Nog do I get one?"

Stupid and annoying, yet subject to automatic denial. It's sort of like an endless loop.... like infinity. What would you do if your were me? Keep thinking about it until your head throbs in wild palpitations??? I already tried that.
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Stupid and Annoying, yet against the Peep Rules to make him a POTW!!!!
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So I made Murph a Peep. I know that it is wrong, so DEAL WITH IT!
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Announcing....

NANEPASHEMET PEEPS OF THE WEEK - 7

• Michael Murphy
• Dave Fortier (automatic Lagavulin Default Rule)
• Emily Roach
• Peter Brown
• David the Waiter at the 99
• Tammie Pham
  

There it is. The toughest week yet. I won't be so magnanimous the next time one of you tries a fast one like that. I'm exhausted.

POTW Nominations

So far, only a few hundred nominations for Nanepashemet Peep of the Week.
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Must be that people are busy during the Holiday rush.
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It doesn't matter. POTW Thursday waits for no man and doesn't take a day off.
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Tomorrow is the big day.

Patience

I heard some news today that I'd love to tell you about, but I'm going to wait until Feb. 28. After that date, we may be unleashing the fires of hell.

Microsoft Project

Just sent the revised Sundance Project Schedule to Mike, Eric and Sparky. I formatted it in Microsoft Project, and had to reacquaint myself with the ideosyncracies of that program.
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Project is a bear to work with. It is so packed with features, that it is far too complex and requires detailed knowledge and regular use. If you worked with it everyday, that would be one thing, but to come back sporadically every couple of months and try to fire it up is really painful.
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Years ago, I developed a Gantt chart program that worked in an Excel template as an alternative to Project. At that time, Project was even worse to work with. I'll admit that it has become easier, but it is still a program that is too complicated for casual use.