Lucky and Happy

Yesterday, in an ambitious bike ride up Hurricane Mountain Road, I shifted quickly down to 1st gear and threw the chain.   Even though I had my allen wrenches with me, I had no idea how that chain was configured on the Shimano gear shifter, and opted to have Joanne bring the F150 to pick me up.
~
Afterward, we followed my intended route but spent a decent amount of time on Hurricane Mountain since some guy had flipped his sports car and the ambulances and wreakers held everyone at bay.   While I was stuck on the side of the road, about 25 rallye cars had roared past me and I suspect that one of them misjudged the tricky turns in this road.
~
At any rate, I felt lucky compared to that driver, with the top of his car all squished.
~
Had my chain not flipped off, it would have been a decent haul back and I probably would have overdone it again, so I was happy with the mishap.  So Day 4 of no carbs laid off of the cardio for the most part.
~
I'll try to repair the bike and rev it up for Day 5.

POTW Week 30

Day 4 of no carbs.   I didn't think that I would be able to walk this morning after my 35 mile bicycle debacle, but I feel surprizingly well

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 30th Week of 2010

Doug Maxfield
Pat Piscatelli
Mike Nestor
Tyler Gill
Jill Phillips
Christos Laganos

So I think I'll give the bike another spin today.

Pushing the Limit

Peeps...
You have got to FREAKING BACK OFF!!
~
All or your emails and vm's about whether I stayed off of the carbs for the 3rd and crucial day in a row.
~
To answer your annoying, irritating, neurotic and sometimes nasty inquiries.... I sailed through the day like gangbusters... not a carb in sight.
~
I started the day with a 15 mile easy bike ride - my normal New Hampshire loop.  Pedaled through with nary a problem.   So in the afternoon, I mapped out a new 20 mile loop and tackled that.   A bit more challenging, but a Mountain of a Man doesn't know how to quit.... which can be mighty painful at times.
~
After 15 miles I was pretty spent and thankful for the drivers who were swerving wide to avoid my erratic pedaling behavior.  But I'm sitting here typing this... proof positive that I again dodged cardiac arrest.



No carbs again for me tomorrow... but maybe no bike rides either.  Have to see if I can get out of bed.
~
I think about my old Lynn English and UMASS classmate, Christos Laganos, who regularly embarks on 100 mile bike rides in the mountains, and my roommate from UMASS, Bob Towne, who is a nationally ranked ultramarathoner and 100 mi trail runner, and my old partner, Harvey Rowe, who routinely scoops up all of the hardware in his Triathlon age group
~
Where have I gone wrong?    These guys have literally got me sucking air.
~
This working for a living routine has got to go... I have to get back into shape.

Jim L. said...
Jay, I remember those dorms out in Amherst were often ripe with a pungent oder, which explains why you thought Laganos was in classes with you. However, I believe I passed out once or twice at his pad in the Back Bay when he was at Northeastern.

Your right, though, about that working for a living, it is constantly getting in the way of my attempts to get into shape. My bike seems to collect more dust than miles.

Weighty Issues

I'm on my second day of no carbs, and its going pretty good.
~
Mike says that no carbs is for pussies... but he's in his twenties and has no freaking idea what's in store for him.
~
Until I was 28, I could eat anything I wanted, with no weight repercussions.  But then, two things happened.  My metabolism changed, and I didn't need so much food or drink, and my career pressures increased and required  more lunch and dinner events.   Plus with family and job responsibilities came far less exercise.
~
So... I heaved on the beef.   Big time.
~
And once you get to a certain overweight and out of shape state, you start to get injured really easy when you do get the chance to do any meaningful exercise.   
~
Another problem that I had was that I used to be a competitive runner, and my ego wouldn't allow me to jog slowly.   So when I began a running routine, I would invariably find a time when I picked up the pace and strained something or threw out my back.
~
Now it appears that keeping off the carbs will do the trick.  I did it before and lost about 20 lbs., then went back on the pizza and mac and cheese lifestyle.   Can't say that this won't happen this time either but I'm going to try and make a run at it.

Pisc said...
Exercise every day for 1 hour, get your heart rate up to 130 and keep it there for 20 minutes. Dieting is for broads, just eat right. Start by having oatmeal for breakfast and some milk. Makes you sh*t proper and set you up for the rest of the day. a 12 to 1 work out will kill your appetite and keep you from jamming food late morning. Have a Muscle Milk before 11 and run with that for energy. Do not eat soy protein. Go with whey.

Yes, I am into this.

northshorewaterman.com said...
Dude, you're old. Stop trying to get to muscle beach. Build yourself a throne; get yourself a goblet (may want to have it bedazzled)and sit back and enjoy all you have created. Think of the lobsters and bluefish that could have met their maker during the allotted 'exercise' time. And for the record, worrying about soy protein vs. whey is for metro-sexuals.
________________________________________________________

Some harsh and cutting remarks from the WaterGuy.   Probably true though.... except for the Whey.  No Way on the Whey, Doug.  You are Way off... about Whey.

Vacation Plans

I was thinking of taking a couple of days off and heading up north - through Coastal Maine and then over  to North Conway.   Not sure when I'll go.  
~
Since I'm the owner at Nanepashemet Telecom, I can take any freaking time off that I want. 
~
So don't push me. 
~
I'll go when I feel like going. 
~
I just don't feel like it right now.
~
One thing that I am going to do is immediately lay off of the carbs.  It's not that I can't get into my pants... it's just so damn hard to button them.   And I'm not going to a larger waist size.   I'm going to go with cardio burns and no carbs until I need a belt to keep the pants from falling down.  The hell with a scale.  I don't care about losing lbs.  ..... just want to be able to grab any old pair of pants from my closet, and put them on with no issues.

Sound the Alarm

It's official.
~
The Gulf Oil Leak is over.  They can't find anything else to clean up.
~
We are damn lucky.... having dodged the Pandemic Swine Flu and the Greatest Environmental Disaster in History in the last year.
~
What was it that Chicken Little said???
Was it "The sky is falling, the sky is falling"?
~
So far, the Obama Administration has had some alarmist tendencies.  Is it some sort of plot to convince us that you should depend on the government for all of your needs?   Or is it poor judgement of the facts? 
~
I suspect a combination of the two

Bachelorette Behind Us

I let my guard down last night and watched the season finale of  "The Bachelorette".

~

Being a Mountain of a Man means that you are not afraid to look like a girlie man from time to time.  Even if it really looks bad.

~

Ali chose Roberto and sent Chris from Dennis, MA packing for home a day early.

~

I called it five minutes into the program.

~
Now that this is behind us, I will be resuming my normal rough, tough, hard to bluff and damn good looking demeanor.

Maria Rowen said...
According to Askmen.com, rough and tough with a little bit of fluff is the perfect combination for the perfect man. They recommend 2-parts John Wayne/1-part Nathan Lane. So when the mood hits, just saddle up your sturdy steed while you sing about surrey with fringe on top...

Review of Hooked

I was starting to feel guilty because I hadn't been to Tina's restaurant, Hooked, even though Mike and Katelyn had brought us home a clam plate from there.  So during a lull today at lunchtime, I asked Joanne to call for some takeout.
~
Another brilliant move by the Mountain of a Man!
~
Joanne got the Spinach Salad with Shrimp.   I was a bit more diet and health conscious, so I ordered the Fried Haddock Sandwich.... with a side of Onion Rings..
~
My considered culinary opinion is that the food was Freaking Delicious and Wicked Good.
~
Joanne just kept making happy sounds as she bit into her shrimp, and I was wrestling with a huge piece of perfectly cooked haddock that wouldn't come close to fitting in the tasty roll.  Which is always a plus.  The rings were great too - not greasy and with cornmeal coating that let the onion come through.
~
When Tina was telling us about the place.... How you could hang around and have a beer or a glass of wine while you waited for your order... I was silent with polite skepticism.  Didn't initially buy into it.
~
But the place really pulls it off... if I ordered dinner for takeout, I would definitely come early and down a beer in the pleasant upscale surroundings at their sitdown ordering area (aka... bar.)
~
There is a good chance that Hooked gets named as a Nanepashemet Official Endorsement in the  Favorite Local Seafood Takeout category... but we have to wait for the statutory probationary period.

POTW Week 29

August is usually a downer month for me, because I typically start the summer with thoughts of all types of things that I will do, and how many fish I will catch, and then I get stuck working for a living and all of a sudden it is August.

ANNOUNCING.....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 29th Week of 2010

Lew Anne Publicover
Jeff Previte
Hector Brito
Alex Watts
Jeff Dolloff
Chelsea Clinton

This August, I'm expecting big things, huge things... a real breakthrough.
We'll see in thirty days.

pisc said...
caught my first Bonito last night on a Hopkins, way off of South Cape Beach. The Hopkins is a preferred lure of your friend who wishes not to be mentioned. Baited the tail with squid (night trolling on the surface with a beacon). Strong surf had the bathtub we were in rocking.

Did not hit terra firma until 9:40. full five hours of sea legs. Not so sturdy today. But got a new one. The august we remain the best. Sorry Obama.

Dark and Stormy Evening

It's saturday evening and we had a real fun day with the grandkids in the Wall's pool.  I was teaching Will the Butterfly stroke, because if he only knows freestyle and backstroke, he'll be falling behind the other 3 year olds.
~
After a full day of watching Joanne chase toddlers and change diapers, you can really work up a thirst. 
~
So it's obviously time for a Dark and Stormy, the classic summer cocktail, and a Nanepashemet Official Endorsement.
~
Even though I am out of the preferred Ginger Beer, Stephans, I have plenty of the Gosling's Ginger beer which is an acceptable substitute.  The one thing that can't be substituted is Gosling's Black Seal Rum which is surprizingly affordable.  And you really shouldn't forget to add a fresh lime wedge.
~
I'm particularly blessed tonight, because I have ample supplies of all of the required ingredients on hand.
~
And there is no chance that I can drink to excess, because I'll be nodding off by about 8:00PM anyway... so there is just enough time for one or three.

Saturday Morning Recount

I told you that I would let you know how the week went as I was ruminating that it would be a big one on Monday morning.
~
It's not often in business that the deal you are targeting lands in the timeframe that you think it will.
~
But that wasn't the case this week, as Nanepashemet Telecom ended up with a purchase order from a 1st Tier National Contractor to begin work on a significant amount of sites in the Mid Atlantic Region.   And we assembled a killer tieam to immediately implement this work.  All done without a blink, skip or glitch.
~
That's not to say that the week didn't contain the usual amount of bullshit.  More like typical chickenshit.  Bullshit would be a complement.... but it was predictable and will be managed according to plan.
~
So now, Washington and Baltimore will feel the power and efficiency that New England has already experienced in the presence of Nanepashemet Telecom.   I have another feeling that August will be a breakout month here in New England as well.

Clean Up Confusion

With the "Greatest Environmental Disaster in History" as BO has described the Gulf Oil Leak on the decline, ABC News has reported the decline of the cleanup jobs in the area.
~
From people complaining of economic turmoil because of the spill, to people complaining of economic turmoil because the spill has gone away.
~
This is confusing.
~
Two weeks ago, an oil spill the size of Kentucky was supposed to wreck havoc.... now they can't find oil to clean up. 
~
I must have missed something in the last week.

Narcisstic Image

Boring
Classless
Selfish
Dishonest
Predictable
~
If you think that this describes you, look into the mirror and behold a sad narcissist.
~
All of these schemes will backfire.....  No matter what thoughtless, self serving actions you take. 
~
The only way to escape the karma in your future is to stop thinking about yourself all of the time and try to think in the best interest of the others.

Yacht Scare

Not much more  press these days on the Gulf oil spill.   Now that the source has been plugged, nature seems to have taken over and the oil is being dispersed and absorbed.  After all... it's a natural substance from the earth.
~
The big scare.... that this would destroy the Gulf forever, and that this is the worst environmental catastrophe.... seems silly in retrospect.
~
It was so similar to the Swine Flu, and the Bird Flu before it.  Lots of scares by the Obama administration about a "Pandemic".
~
But now the Obamas are hiking in Maine and planning a return visit to Martha's Vineyard.  Things seem a little relaxed.   Maybe Kerry will spin the "Isabel" up from Newport and take them for a sailboat ride.   Hopefully, all of the Rhode Island maintenance is complete and his tax bill that he always intended to pay is all settled.
~
What type of maintenance does a new $7mil. New Zealand built yacht require anyway?????   A little Lemon Pledge while keeping up with the dusting should do the trick.   I hope that Kerry got a warranty from that New Zealand boatyard for all of the money that he paid them.
~
Poor Senator Kerry.... If the Gulf disaster wasn't such a bust, nobody would have focused on his yacht maintenance problems.   The Dems can't come up with another scare soon enough for the Senior Senator from Massachusetts.

2nd Adirondack

I haven't made a big deal out of it, but in between the important stuff, I have been assembling Joanne's Adirondack chair from the duplicate parts that I cut when I made Kate's last fall.
~
Have the third coat of Marine Varnish on and it is starting to look pretty good.
~
My ulterior motive is to get the space in the garage to try to get serious about working on the Marblehead Gunning Dory again.

Persuasive Pints

I had a wicked urge for some Ben and Jerry's after dinner tonight, so I headed up to the Marblehead Community Store  and bought a pint of Cherry Garcia.... and a pint of Chocolate Fudge Brownie... and a pint of Chocolate Mint Cookie.
~
I would have bought more, but I was worried about hitting the top of the credit line on my Visa card.
~
The Chocolate Fudge Brownie got the nod, and it was wildly satisfying.  The other pints are still in the freezer.  Calling me..... Taunting Me.....

Big Week Feeling

I have the "this is going to be a big week" feeling going on this morning.
~
Which is not surprising given the stuff that Nanepashemet Telecom has on its plate.  It will be interesting to be sitting here on Saturday morning, six days from now, recounting the events of this week.

Maria Rowen said... 

Ben & Jerry…’Taunt’me. Tempt me. Tantalize me with your gooey goodness and your fanciful flavors… Today the peep preference points to Pistachio Pistachio...but tomorrow this peep plans to get her Banana Buzz on… 

Tuna Lips said...

Why, Missy Rowen, you speaks real perty. I likes gooey goodness . . .shucks, Ise blushin' red.

Yacht Yarn

I was shocked to hear about Senator John Kerry's new custom built yacht......A $7million dollar beauty, built in New Zealand and moored in Newport, RI.
~
If nothing in that first sentence irks you a bit, then please read no further.   In fact.... get the hell off of my Blog!!!!
~
I don't care about Kerry's wealth.  I'm trying to get some myself and would never berate anyone for their possessions.
~
But if you are in the market for a product or investment, and you ignore the needs of your surrounding community who could benefit by your purchase, that shows a lack of loyalty and class.
~
If I have a friend who owns a restaurant, or sells insurance, or brokers mortgages.... that's who I buy from when its time to spend my money.   As long as the cost and the quality is reasonably the same, it is an act of disloyalty to ignore the economic offering of my friend or associate.
~
So now Kerry decides to drop $7m of the Heinz ketchup fortune into a sailing yacht.   So who does he buy from???  Not a New England Boat yard, where such a job would keep a town in employment for a year.  No.   He shops it around and has it made in New Zealand.   Probably saved a little cash.
~
At least he doesn't moor it there.... not that he chose his home state of Massachusetts.   Seems that if he moored it in MA, he may be subject to taxation in the state that he represents, so he chose Rhode Island.  He obviously has no intention of ever spending a mooring dollar in Massachusetts since the name of his yacht, as painted on the transom is "Isabel ~ Newport".
~
I used to like Kerry, but lost it for him when he misrepresented his war record during his Presidential run.  He seems like he is really out for himself, and this yacht yarn exemplifies this.
~
Seems like it's time to retire to Newport for the senior senator from Massachusetts.

Abbie's Keeper

The row never happened because Brady and Katelyn  wanted to help me pull the traps.

~

So we headed out to Halfway Rock and hit the bait pollack pretty good, landing about twenty in an hour or so.  Then we pulled all of the traps with six keeper lobsters... a pretty good haul.

~

The fog was a challenge and we headed into the Boston Yacht Club to grab a cocktail or three with something from the grill.  Joanne came down for a couple of chardonnays and then Nancy Bruett, Abbie Bruett and My Friend Who Doesn't Want His Name Mentioned in the Blog showed up on the porch with tales of Abby's landing of a 42", 26 lb. Striped Bass outside of Brown's Island.

~

That inspired Brady, Katelyn and I to live line the pollack slowly around Browns and Naugus Head, then over to the Power Plant on the way back to the Salem Harbor Mooring.

~

Nothing.

~

The day belongs to Abbie.

Pisc said... 

What did she catch it on? Not pollock?
Live lined pogeys this morning in Hull Gut. Boated three keepers. Lots of fish out there.
Take your Lobster while you can, that industry in MA is shut down.
Obama! 
_________________________________________________________________________

MFWDWHNMITB says that he and daughter Abby caught 4 mackerel and, minutes after live lining with one, hooked onto the keeper down by Brown's Island.

POTW Week 28

It's a perfect day for a row in the Tender.   But I have to wait for my Blackberry to charge because I'll need to field some Nanepashemet Telecom calls while I'm on the water.

ANNOUNCING....

Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 28th week of 2010

Brady Boyle

Tom Raiche

Bill Hillegas

Tina Rhodes

Amanda Johnson

Kristen Champagne

Such plans are always subject to change.

Cosmic Chess

They say that timing is everything.
~
Timing is probably another word for luck.
~
And I don't believe in Luck... good or bad.
~
So when all the slots started to fall in place today, I didn't attribute it to timing.   It seemed like it was the culmination of facts and events that built deliberately into the opportunity that coalesced today.
~
It wasn't that we were lucky to be in the right place at the right time.... there was a series of events that extended back years that led to precisely the situation that presented itself today.  Once again, judging whether the individual events were good or bad now seems almost foolish.
~
So now, the deal that is in front of Nanepashemet Telecom is another step in this incredibly complicated cosmic chess game.... and it's our move.

Getting to the Good Stuff

As much as I really like working, I could do without it.
~
If economic necessity wasn't in the mix, I'd be pretty busy boatbuilding, blogging, writing, fishing, touring, and maybe even working out.  But working to make a living, really puts a crimp in my lifestyle.  To the point where I hardly ever get the chance to do the other stuff.
~
I suppose that if I never had to hustle to make ends meet, then I wouldn't cherish the stuff that I really want to do.  Maybe it wouldn't be important.  So work might just be the glue that sets priorities straight.
~
Does this make sense?
~
So I'll continue to work and hope to make a score so that I can quit someday, and get to the good stuff.

PIsc said...
Get after Tierney and stop daydreaming. 102 days. 

Detour from Arkansas

Hat's off to Tuna Lips for setting me straight on the big Clinton shun.   Do you ever wonder why the Clinton clan went straight to New York after Washington DC and never seem to show up in Arkansas?
~
I once had the occasion to have lunch in Little Rock and got a pretty good dose of the distain that the locals there have for the Clinton's.   There was a burger on the menu at the pub that was touted as the "Best Burger West of the Mississippi".  The undercaption read..."And unlike Clinton, we ain't lying."
~
When I asked my local guests, who were project managers at Alltel that we were doing a network upgrade for, what that might signify.....they went on a tirade about Clinton that had me a bit taken back.   I had expected a bit of local loyalty.... especially towards an outsider like me from New England.
~
I'll bet that the contingent from Arkansas will be pretty small at the upcoming nuptials.

No Invitation

So far, Joanne and I have not been invited to Chelsea Clinton's wedding.
~
Naturally, we are shocked, perplexed, and not a little hurt.
~
Why Chelsea?  Why are we being left out and shunned????
~
Is it because of all of the bad things that we've said about your Dad and Mom?   Is it because you've invited the Obamas and are afraid we might do something embarassing?  Is it because Nanepashemet and Oprah in the same reception room might steal all of the attention?????

~
I can't believe this.  Can't believe that you would would be so shallow.

Tuna Lips said...

Hek, its festival seatin' at most of these back country nupshals, I always finds me a bridesmaid who is preggers and get my funky chicken goin', in case we can reach agreement, i gots no worries, she being all ruint and such. And alway keep a clean nose fer casin' the joint, it gets nutty enough thems fergets the jugs o' shine and balless chickens (the frenchies call 'em cape ons) that folk brung along. You stock yerself a party whilst partying. Good times. Hooooey!

Farewell to Jack

We lost a great friend last week when Jack Dog, Katelyn's Pug, passed away.
~
The problem with having pets is that their lifespan is so much shorter than ours.   And when they go downhill, it's usually very rapidly.  It's so heartbreaking to see them deteriorate and suffer.
~
During their short life you love and care for them so completely.  When they leave, they leave you with a huge hole of grief to fill.
~
So it is with Jack.  It seems like just a day ago when he would sit on one knee with Ronick the cat on the other, and both would be resting perfectly content.  Now they are memories.
~
In a little while, the grief that Katelyn and we have about Jack will be replaced with happy thoughts of the joy that he gave us.
~

We'll miss you Jack Dog.

Pisc said...
Sorry for your loss. Good pooch, that Jack.

POTW Week 27

So they apparently have capped the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico.  I never had a lot of interest in geology, but the fact that the earth's crust holds back such enormous pressures, makes me think that our foothold on the surface is tenuous at best.  That just below the surface is a seething, oily mess that could blow anytime.   Kind of like a Mel Gibson telephone conversation.

ANNOUNCING.....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 27th Week of 2010

Kelly Light
Art Krieger
Mel Gibson
Earl Scruggs
Tyler Gill
Russell Archer
Heading to FreshAyer and hope to get a nice Harbor Row in today in the middle of another weekend heatwave.

Clean the Decks

Around 3:30 PM today, I racheted back Nanepashemet Telecom and resolved to get out on the WhaleEye, put some new boatrods that we bought for baitfishing in place, and maybe troll for some Blues for an hour or so.
~
But when I got onto the boat, I noticed which a disorganized trash pit it was.   I pulled trash out of compartments that was years old, and there were about three cases of empty beer cans.    Then I emptied the compartment under the center console and found all sorts of stuff that I didn't know I had.
~
The stainless steel boat grill was particularly gruesome and I brought this back ashore for some serious cleaning.
~
The basic issue here is that when you finally get some free time to go fishing on the WhaleEye, you really really don't want to spend it cleaning.    And this compounds itself over the season and even years.  But after a while, you have to bite the bullet and clean up.

A Tad UnAmerican

I've been trying to stay out of this immigration debate.  Mainly because I don't blame Hispanic people who want to come to this country.  Oops..... I guess you're supposed to call them Latinos now.
~
If you believe the anthropologists, we are all immigrants on this continent.   Even the Indians... I mean.... Native Americans.
~
But we are supposed to be a nation of laws... not of men.   That is one of the hallmarks that keep us free, and keep us from falling under the dictatorship of a particular person or group.
~
And we have a specific set of laws regarding how people can enter this country as a legal immigrant.   If we don't like these laws, we have the legislative ability to change them, but to look the other way while others break them, or to condemn those who seek to enforce the laws.... this seems to be a tad Un-American.
~
So the story that I saw today on ABC News (yes.... I am a glutton for punishment)... about Latinos who feel threatened because they are on a list of illegal immigrants, and make a critique that they feel like they are being hunted, has me stymied.
~
Tell me the problem with making a list of people who have broken the law, and tell me why they shouldn't be apprehended and forced to comply.   If you don't agree with the law, then follow the Democratic process and change it.
~
I guess I'm just one of those narrow minded conservatives.

Rambo said...
You are the New American. We spin this shit all the time.

Goofy Dufus

So I'm right in the middle of the zoning hearing tonight, literally surrounded by hostile elderly condo owners who were giving me stares that made me feel that they thought rather ill of me.  Like they would inflict some pain if we were in a less civilized culture.
~
I always try to keep a happy countenance in situations like this.   Make the people think that I am some goofy dufus who doesn't realize that he is right in the middle of a crowd that would like nothing better than to separate his gonads from the rest of his man tackle.  Poor Skippy... he would never be the same.
~
Then, just as the testimony gets a little dicey, I start getting text messages from some of you misguided and irritating Peeps saying stuff like,  "How's it Going?"
~
I know that many of you are probably getting sick of the characterizations of myself as a "Mountain of a Man"..... but who else could maintain a Goofy Dufus posture while enduring the most annoying text messages ever during a very ackward moment????    
~
I mean.... you have to be a Mountain of a Man to pull this stuff off.
~
Anyway, with the vote count in question, we succeeded in getting the hearing continued so that we can provide additional information.   Unfortunately for Nanepashemet, we are on a lump sum contract and can't charge by the hour for this one.   Or this permit process could be getting pretty lucrative by now.

Vituperation Resumes

It's back out to Western Massachusetts tonight for yet another hearing regarding my evil plot to build a tower for my wireless telecommunications client.

~

We will be advocating to erect a monstrosity that will reduce property values, wreck the views, produce a fall down hazard, destroy human health, and even increase illegal drug traffic in the area.

~

I truly believe that all of these arguments are bogus, and that the vituperation and anger that is heaped on me is a bit unfounded...... But at least I get a fee for doing it.
~
Before I head to the hearing, I have to get an inspection sticker for the Nanepashemet F-150 because the current one expired in June.  I'd hate to be breaking the law on the way to carrying out my evil plot.

True Liberal

James Carville, Democratic Pundit, says that the Democrats have a three pronged strategy to keep control of the US House of Representatives.  The three prongs are "the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost".
~
Even though I don't agree with his politics, I like Carville, because he is a true man of his convictions.
~
He is not a Spin Doctor or a Thought Police Agent.  He doesn't try to twist stuff to fit a liberal agenda.  He believes in his cause, but clearly sees the facts that affect it.
~
He is critical of Obama where he feels its appropriate, especially with the lack of leadership with the Gulf BP Spill, and points out that the Democrats and BO's administration have lost the faith of the majority of the country.
~
I would contend that most liberals would simply deny this and put a spin on.
~
It is refreshing that he describes the facts as he sees them, rather than manipulate and force feed in propaganda fashion.
~
I know some other liberals that fit Carville's mold.... but generally they are the exception.

Gibson's Rants

Do we care what Mel Gibson says and does in his private life?
~
Not even a little bit.
~
He is one hell of an actor, director and producer.   Who cares if he has a fight with his wife and she tapes his shit talk????   That's personal and private and should only be between husband and wife. 
~
In every marriage, people say stupid stuff that they don't mean,  but they depend on the trust and privacy of their partner to let them vent out their craziness. 
~

The whack job here is his wife, who has violated inner privacy of a marriage.  To let even one other person into this personal space proves that you really have no hope for the marriage.  It is the ultimate betrayal of a relationship.
~
When Joanne and I were first married, we lived in a low budget Western Mass apartment complex where all of our surrounding tenants were newly weds.   As screwed up as you thought you were in working out the kinks in your marriage, those thin walls told me that everybody had the same whacky behavior.... or much worse.
~
The sanctity and intimacy of a marriage requires that you care enough about your spouse to work out these emotions within the privacy of the both of you alone.  Otherwise, your love is not genuine.
~
So I feel bad for Mel Gibson, and total distain for his wife who exploited their intimacy.  He is screwed up like everybody else, including those self righteous GMA reporters who seem so disturbed at the contents of his spouses tapes.   But those phonies are a whole other post.

Tuna Lips said.....
Amen. What i finds pardoxifying is his truculence at her havin' them nice boobies. Wherever thems ponderous melons comes from, I am praisin' the baby Jesus fer thems orbs of pulchritude are here on this earth.

Jim L. said...
It seems apparent that Mad Max is the real whack job in this relationship. The wife had no reason to have any hope. Having been battered, she took the course she felt she had to take.

That is a good take on the situation, Jim... and makes me agree that we don't have all of the facts.  I just think that she appears to be a bit more on the exploitation side.... and thus has violated the marital trust by going public.   Can't believe that Gibson performed all of the irrational ranting, and she probably wouldn't be taping her own bullshit remarks.

Tuna Lips said...

Yer thinkin' is spot on there, Jimbo. No uhn of sound cogitatin' lambastes a gal fer havin' them perty cans, and sharin' them with the rest of us is a simple corporeal work of mercy. She autta be canonaded a saint.

Studly Tender

The rowing was going good but it was too rough to fish outside of the harbor.  So I circuited Marblehead  Harbor twice for a total of 6.67 miles.
~
Course after six miles I found myself at the Boston Yacht Club dock and noticed that the outdoor bar and grill was open, so I called Joanne to meet me on the porch and downed a couple of Mount Gays and Coke before the last half mile.
~
The Tender performed well in the rough outer harbor chop and also received the usual oohs and ahs from passing boaters and people at the BYC Dock.  There must be something lodged deep in the human psyche that makes people attracted to natural wood and varnish.  Too bad it's so damn hard to maintain.
~
At any rate, the Tender is back and looking studly even with an overweight, middle aged rower at the oars.

Rowing with Purpose

High tide this morning is at 10:30, and I'm thinking seriously of breaking through the lethargy and getting a vigorous row in.
~
The Tender is finally ready and suitable for public view.
~
I'll take my fishing rod for trolling, launch at Riverhead Beach, and row out to Marblehead Rock which .is about two miles away.  I have an ulterior motive with this route choice, because I had 4 pots at Marblehead Rock, and could only locate three when Tommy O and I hauled yesterday morning.
~
It would be nice to land a keeper striped bass during this workout.  We only netted two keeper lobsters this week, although a lot of critters ended up in the traps including four shorts, three skates, a large flounder, two rock perch and about six huge snails.   So if we weren't so picky about just getting lobsters, it could be considered a fine catch.

To Do

Everytime I tick off something from the To Do List, I get a bit of satisfaction.
~
But then some low lying item, that didn't seem too important before, looms forward as a high priority.  And the cycle begins anew.  By the time you tick off this item, you have stuff on the list that you never even thought existed before.
~
It's not bad when you have a lot on your To Do List.  The ticking off and adding lets you maintain your position in the flow of things.

POTW Week 26

We are at the half way point in the year.  How are you doing on your New Year's Resolutions?   I'm failing miserably which is pretty much standard operating procedure as far as resolutions go for me.  But the difference this year is that at least I recall what the hell I resolved to do back in January.
~
And there is still the chance that I can get back on track. 
~
Ok .... not much of a chance, but anything is possible.

ANNOUNCING.....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 26th Week of 2010

Lisa Panakio Rowe
LeBron James
Megan Erhardt
Pauline McBurney
Paul Dulong
Evelyn at the New London Building Department

It's way overdue, but all of the refurbishment of the Columbia Herreshoff Tender is complete as of today, and I'll probably get a rowing workout in tomorrow from Riverhead Beach.  Got to get the guns toned up.

Suicide Stance

I know that I put the scare into many of you Peeps at the thought of my Mojo being a little low.
~
But there was no need for widespread panic!!!!
~
Just because my fastball lost a little zip, I get all these calls and emails from Peeps looking to off themselves... to jump off the Tobin Bridge, or open their veins in the bathtup, or something gruesome like that.
~
The official Nanepashemet position on suicide is a thumbs down.  Definitely not cool and not suitable Peep behavior.
~
So..... Cut the Crap!!!
~
The fact is that the Mojo Meter was tracking pretty positive today.   Took care of a lot of details, picked up a nice receivable in the mail, and got a great RFP opportunity.
~
If you killed yourself, you would miss the tally of this week's lobster trap pull.  Which is precisely why Nanepashemet has adopted it's progressive anti-suicide stance.

Missing Mojo

Peeps... Sometimes I feel like I've fallen off my game.... that I've lost my Mountain of a Man Mojo.... that my fast ball has no movement.
~
It's a lousy feeling.
~
For instance, Al Gore left his soulmate, Tipper, just before the bombshell hit about his  attempt to get his "2nd Shakra" released by a $500 masseuse.    ..... And I stood by and said nothing.
~
Or Lindsay Lohan is going to the Big House after attending a Court Hearing with "F**k U" printed on her fingernail.   .... No comment from me.
~
Or the POTUS decides to sue the State of Arizona because the state wants to enforce immigration laws that are ignored by federal agencies that are supposed to work on behalf of the states.  ..... And I just let it slide.
~
Or a Downy Woodpecker was seen a couple to times on the Feeder this weekend.  .... And I never even boasted a little with a Blog post.
~
This can't be good.
~
We all have our ups and downs.  I suppose  that  even a Mountain of a Man has to spend a little bit of time in the valleys.  So maybe I should be patient.... but when I come back, it will be with all cylinders firing.
~
Only now... it just seems like a couple of cylinders are missing a spark.

Pisc said...

2nd Shakra, I am gonna have to use that. Thanks.

Palin Apology

Levi Johnston says that he lied about all those bad things he said about Sarah Palin.
~
"Last year, after Bristol and I broke up, I was unhappy and a little angry. Unfortunately, against my better judgment, I publicly said things about the Palins that were not completely true,” Johnston said in the statement to People Magazine  “I have already privately apologized to Todd and Sarah. Since my statements were public, I owe it to the Palins to publicly apologize."
~
Now it is only a matter of time before ABC News and Good Morning America issues their apologies about all of the lies and untruths that they have advanced about Palin.

Hazy Start

Back to work after a long summer holiday weekend.  Have it hit it hard.  I'd hate to tally the amount of beers that I consumed over the last four days.  It won't be hard to keep a resolution to cut down.
~
But now, it's time to refocus, and see if I can get some business response from my customers and vendors who are probably as hazy as I am.

Design Flaw

There's a design flaw in the Pram.  The front rides lower than the back and water rushes up through the centerboard slot in a quick row causing the Pram to fill with water and swamp before I can get all the way to the WhaleEye.
~
I don't mind a little swim in the Harbor, but I hate it when my wallet gets wet.
~
The problem should be solved by capping the center board slot with a seat panel that I've been thinking of making anyway.

POTW Week 25

The cookout at Clarke's didn't disappoint.
~
And Dave Clarke's craftsmanship and sense of design is of the highest calibre.
~
When Nathaniel made me a Dark and Stormy, my night was complete... and the fireworks over Marblehead Harbor had get to begin.
~
ANNOUNCING....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 25th Week of 2010.

Nathaniel Clarke
Paul Perocchi
Jay Darcy
Ryan Nestor
Jimmy O' Shea
Mark Vona

Happy 4th of July.

Memorable Meal

Lobster count for the cookout at O'Shea's was 10 including a three pound beauty.  The work it took to harvest them made them even better. 

~

We boiled them in the turkey fryer and combined wth Jimmy O'Shea's award winning chowder, and Tommy O's steak tips, it was a meal that we will remember for a long time.

Plan for the Fourth

The July 4th holiday is wicked big here in Marblehead.
~
There is an undercurrent of history here because of the committment that Marblehead had to the Revolution and the part that Marbleheaders had in significant operations including the battles in Boston  and Trenton, NJ.
~
Mike came home from Europe last night and had some great stories to tell about London and Majorca.  And Kate is already home with JackDog.
~
This year, we'll have the grandkids over and Mike and Kate will be helping out.  After some FreshAyer, Tommy O, his brother Jimmy and I will be pulling the traps and sneaking a few trolls down Bluefish Alley.
~
I hope that we will end tthe afternoon with ten or more lobsters.  Jimmy, who is an award winning chef at Bobby Brynnes down on the Cape, is in charge of cooking up this batch of  tasty critters and some will undoubtedly end up gracing a pot of macaroni and cheese.
~
I'm also really looking forward to seeing the fireworks tomorrow from a cookout at Dave and Debby Clarke's newly renovated house down by Marblehead Harbor.   Dave owns Essex Builiding and his work is very high quality, and since I appreciate great craftsmanship, I will be happily viewing his latest work.
~
Plus their son, Nathaniel and his squeeze, Meghan are here from DC.  Both qualify for the coveted title of Superpeeps and I always look forward to hanging out with them.
~
And the weather looks very accommodating for these great plans.

Tuna Lips said...
Sounds like a right fine time to be had, Had by some, that being. Unless you choose to snap a few polearoids of some fine breasted gals and share them with us, sorta a made in the USA salute to Uncle Sam! I support this keragjus effort on yer paart, you gofer it, Boomer! USA! USA ! USA!

Lauren Rathbone said...
This month's Coastal Living Magazine has Marblehead featured as one of the top 10 places to celebrate fourth of july. Happy 4th .

Tufted Titmouse Return

This morning, after an absence of about a year, we had a sighting of a Tufted Titmouse at the Feeder.
~
I know what you are thinking, Peeps. ... "How can J stand the excitement and just calmly enter this on the Blog???"
~
What do you want????  Do you think that a Mountain of a Man loses his composure just because of the return of a few Titmouses (Titmice?) to his Feeder????.
~
I do admit that my hands are trembling.

Waterfront Offerings

Land Offerings

Lobster Count

Tommy and I pulled the traps tonight and came up with five keepers and eleven shorts  Some of the shorts were borderline.
~
That's one keeper lobster for every two traps that we pulled.  I'm no marine biologist, but sixteen lobsters  in one ten trap haul seems like a lot.  Especially given that there are dozens of other traps in competition with ours.
~
The sea bottom around Marblehead seems  to be crawling  with these delectable criitters which taste so good when steamed and served with drawn butter.
~
If we maintain this ratio, we will harvest abount 10 lobsters per week and over 100 lobsters over the remainder of the summer.  I'd estimate that over 2000 keepers will be taken from Marblehead waters this summer by recreational and commercial lobstermen.
~
Can the fishery sustain this???  Like I said, I'm no  marine biologist.  But my guess is that these crustaceans are holding their own.  And as long as the regs against taking shorts, bigs and females are honored, there will be enough to go around for the time being.

Doug Maxfield said...

2:1 thrown back vs. kept...you ol' sea farmer you. Just keep tending your crop until they're big enough for the pot.

Evil Plot

Last night at a hearing of a Planning Board in Western Massachusetts, a Board member pinned back the President of a Condominium Association who has asserted that my client's tower would drop the property values of his Condo complex.   The Board member asked him to substantiate this claim.  Give some evidence where this has happened.
~
Didn't expect that to occur.  Usually we are subject to unprotected assault as the perpetrators of evil towers at these hearings.  People can make all sorts of wild and insulting claims with no pressure to legitimize their assertions.
~
For instance, we were accused of aiding to the drug traffic in the area, and it was stated that we should  pay a monthly stipend to each owner at the condominium.   Both of these points were new highs/lows for me at hearings like this.
~
The Board Member's question.... to actually explain an inflammatory remark.... was a refreshing change.  
~
We will eventually get the approval to build this tower, after hearings throughout the summer and the expense of substantial legal fees.   And the condo's value will not be diminished, nor will drug traffic pick up in the area, nor will the tower make people sick, nor will it fall down and kill someone.
~
This too shall pass, as I inflict my evil plot to build wireless towers and wreck the lives of all in my path.

Lobsters for the 4th

With the help of Tommy O, we dropped all ten traps at strategic places off of the islands in Marblehead Sound.   The competition for the tasty crustaceans seems pretty intense with traps all over.
~
I avoided the mud around the Salem Harbor Lighthouse this year because of all of the gross, jelly like stuff that grew around the traps.  Even though the area was productive, some of the alien life forms kind of turned me off from fishing that area.
~
Had a little engine trouble, where the connectors to the battery had corroded and it was difficult to get the charge necessary to turn over the engine.   Mark Ryan of Ryan Marine jumped on that one and fixed it today for which I was really grateful.   It's nice to have a boat mechanic service that you can trust and actually gets work done promptly.
~
We'll check the traps tomorrow and hopefully there will be Lobsters for the 4th.

European Vacation

Mike has gone to London and will probably find a pub to watch the England-Germany World Cup Soccer game today.  That is also probably the only way that I could sit through  an entire soccer match without actively seeking out a freshly painted wall to watch for dryness.
~
But hanging out with a packed pub full of drunken, screaming Brits has a certain appeal.
~
I won't be watching the match on TV here Stateside.
~
After London, Mike is supposed to head down to Majorca in the Mediterranean Sea for the rest of his single guy vacation.  I'll bet he has some stories to tell when he gets home for the 4th of July.    And I bet that Joanne and I don't hear the best ones.

POTW Week 25

I keep telling you Peeps to play the hand that is dealt to you, run a new play everyday... that everything happens for a reason.... and that everything happens for the best.  That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 25th Week of 2010

Emily Engardia
Maria Rowen (Automatic Lagavulin Rule)
The Counter Clerk at Winchester Fishing Company who claims that Bigfoot has been seen three times on Cape Ann.
Doug Maxfield
Wayne Webster
Kathy Peabody

Did you happen to notice that we had an automatic selection this week????  Maria Rowen came through big time with the unexpected and highly appreciated gift of the King of Scotch.  Like I said... everything happens for the best.

Needs, Trends, and Gaps

I was thinking of changing careers this morning... Maybe I'll hone my acrobatic skills and join the Cirque du Soleil.   They probably have a slot for an overweight, middle-aged white guy, because I never see one in their ads.
~
That's why I'm such a good businessman.... I have this inate ability to spot the needs, the trends, and the gaps.
~
But then again, I can't leave Nanepashemet Telecom.  The Apple IPhone is the killer technology that will tultimately drive the demand for the wireless antenna site infrastructure that we provide.  Just have to be on the right surfboard when this big wave hits.

Business Rhythms

So I started the day today by going to the Dentist.  Never a good start of the day.  I was anticipating taking care of some odds and ends and didn't hold a great deal of hope for business advancement.
~
Wrong.
~
We were awarded a job by one customer, got some great insight and indications of new business with another and closed out two construction jobs in Dedham and Jamestown, RI.
~
That' s why I always get irritated with people who claim to know so much about business.   Because you never can really predict what will happen on a day to day basis.  Sure... you can pick the trends, and try to influence decisions.  But the actions of business seem to follow a rhythm of their own.

Tuna Lips said...
Ise finds them highjenists often has large jugs which is prime fer spectatin' whilst in that funny blue chair with the plastic fer spillage, if ye knows what I thinks.

Now, like my pappy, I tends to loosen my drawers when so reclinified, not fer no particular reasonin' cept to ease the persure of my gut against my sciatica. Feller can't be blamed fer payin' to relax, exspechally when the stress of someone pokin' arounf yer mouth is upon ye.

I "ll say it again, I did not have genital contact with that big jugged tooth lady's pants or any part of her garmentery. I is not an animal!

Cyber Bad Mood

I've decided to cool it on Facebook.
~
You post something stupid that gets misinterpreted, or you say something sarcastic that just comes across as mean spirited, then people respond with a little trash talk that pisses you off, then you're sitting there in a bad mood.... for no freaking reason whatsoever!!!!
~
There is enough legitimate stuff in my life to get pissed off about.   Stupid shit in Facebook isn't one of them.
~
So I've decided to cool it on Facebook.   If you want to aggravate me bad enough, you can always leave a comment on this pathetic blog.  But then again, this Blog is about me pissing other people off.... it's not supposed to be the other way around.

Lauren Rathbone  said...
I am so mad at facebook right now..I got that spam virus and it sent my friends emails and postings suggesting a weight loss plan, or a free iphone, or some acai berry thing. And people have been emailing me or texting me all day asking if I think they are fat..WTF..


Jim L. said...
Don't let trash talk throw you off your game. That's how Larry got into other player's heads. It only worked when they let it.


Shake it off and have a good weekend.

More White House Beer

My friendly "Thought Police" on Good Morning Anerica are all aghast over the critical remarks made by our commander in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, about his impressions of President Obama.  Naturally, if you read the article in The Rolling Stone, it is no big deal, under normal circumstances.
~
But the cries for his resignation are bellowing from our elite liberal thinkers.  Imagine opining that Biden and Obama have some faults!!!
~
Regardless, the General has protocols that have been crossed, and he should be replaced
~
BO has the General on the carpet in the White House this morning.   Let's see if a beer can solve this one.

Lauren Rathbone  said...
I wanted to let you know, that I purchased the sam adams perfect pour glasses for Fathers Day, for both Jason and my DAD. I was a big hit, and worth the drive to JP to get them. Even though I got really lost trying to find the brewery with two angry kids..So thanks the blog inspired my fathers day this year. Hope you had a good one.

Maria Rowen said.....
Ah…the written word is Mc-Chrystal-clear and better than any open mic mischief with Senator BiteMe… But once again America looks bad and that’s not good… And we lose a four-star… because whether you like it or not…the boss however ‘dis-engaged’ is still the boss… So bring on the beer and while you all opine I shall owine…cheers!

Division 1 Endorsement

We found some time during a slow day at Nanepashemet Telecom to get to the Winchester Fishing Company in Gloucester and replenished the lobster trap supplies.  The came the call from Ben Martin to meet he and Scuba Steve Lewis down at the Three Cod to say goodbye to Benny before he made the drive to Texas A&M..
~
I was never a big college football fan, but now that the Nanepashemet Blog has an official endorsement for an NCAA Division One team.... namely the Aggies of Texas A&M, we'll be keeping close tabs.
~
Benny will be missed in these parts.

Tuna Lips said....
Reminds me of the time ole One Tit Tammy passed. Sure, she was about 98 oounds soaking wet, more close to 70 towards the ends, but that gal, bestruck by carsinoma given a 2 pack a day Winston habit, never lost her fire, to the very end. Would not consort with "outsiders", and, assma soaked lungs be damned, sheed a sucked the crome offa trailer hitch to the day they found her face down in a puddle nearby the pond we watered ole Sal, Pappy's mule, back when we was relocated to the swamp cuz o' Pappy's love of nature and the local folks asking him to get to the swamp. Good times.

Recommended Hits

Peeps...
~
Don't you ever get sick and tired of reading this pathetic Blog????
~
It's not such an  outrageous question...... even I look for a  little variety once in awhile.  I'll admit that I check in with some other blogs almost daily.   The authors are not as neurotic as I am, and sometimes they skip a few days between posts.... while I have averaged 1.39856 posts per day for the past four years here at good ole Nanepashemet.
~
The first Blog I usually check is Harvey's Thoughts, which features the stylings of Harvey Rowe, an accomplished attorney and claims adjuster who has a strong committment to Catholic values and practices what he preaches.  Harvey is an old partner of mine and a trusted friend, and I highly recommend that you Peeps check in with his "Thoughts" if you want a dose of centered and moral values.  Plus he is pretty sharp on his insights on pro sports.
~
The second Blog that I usually check is Northshore Waterman, whose author is Doug Maxfield from Essex.  Doug likes to make people think that he is the consummate Blue Collar fisherman from Cape Ann, when in reality he is a highly skilled English major touting from St. Michael's College in Vermont.  His wife, Sarah, is also a wicked smart Harvard grad.   That said, Doug gives great insight  into the life of a Cape Ann Fisherman, and he's pretty funny too.   Doug was best buds with my son, Ryan  at St. Mike's and I bought the WhaleEye from him.

~
Peeps...
~
I really don't give a flying flip what you do with your free time.   But  if you are going to spend it wasting away in Cyberspace,. you could do a lot worse than giving these insightful  Blogs a look every once in awhile.
~

Traps Set

Out of the ten traps that I had last year, I lost three and only three were ready to go into service today.   The other four need additional line and painted buoys.
 ~
Plus I have to head up to Gloucester to the Winchester Fishing Company on Washington Street which is the Lobster equipment supplier to replace the three lost traps with lines and buoys.
~
But three traps are out there... and I can't tell you where, but they're in a place that we pulled some nice lobsters last year.   The largest had me and Tommy O all psyched.  About five pounds of beautiful crustecean, but then it lifted its tail and it was covered in eggs.  A FEMALE!  
~
Since I abide by all laws and regulations, this beauty was set free.   Hopefully in a few years, I will be harvesting her offspring.

Pure Soccer Excitement

It's official.
~
Soccer is much more exciting than watching paint dry.   And I don't care what color paint it is.... or what the paint is drying on.
~
Doesn't matter if it is oil-based or latex.... Soccer is still more exciting.
~

If you don't believe me, paint a wall right next to your TV and turn on the World Cup.   You'll find yourself watching the TV way more than 50% of the time.

TommyO said...


Excellent observation.


Linda and I were yukking it up while reading your comparison. TommyO and Linda.

Grillwork

Lots of people dropped by to celebrate Grandson Will's birthday today.  As usual, Joanne did most of the work, but I manned the grill.
~
And that's something.... right?
~
The secret of good grilling is that you need both high heat in the 500 degree range and low heat in the 300 degree range.  So you sear the meat for the first couple of minutes at high heat on both sides then patiently slow cook the meat at low heat until it's done to  rare, medium, or well done.
~
But the real secret is to pay attention.
~
You can't be knocking down beers and carrying on with the company if you expect to produce some good grillwork.  I use a timer and constantly turn the meat at five minute intervals.  Chicken takes three times as long as everything else and hotdogs and burgers go on dead last.
~
If you're trying to talk to me while I'm grilling, and I seem aloof and unattentive... that's because my mind is on the freaking grillwork.  I'm sure that whatever you are saying is totally interesting and relevant, but it can't be more important than screwing up the meat.

POTW Week 24

Epoxy Resin is the preferred modern glue for boatbuilding.  But it is tough to apply, hard to finish, requires multiple coats of marine varnish to keep it from deteriorating due to UV rays, and if it is pierced, it peels and causes substantial sanding and refinishing.  I think that I am leaning toward a preference for paint these days.
~
But if the epoxy is done right, it looks the balls.

Announcing....
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 24th Week of 2010

Sue Sue Raiche
Ray Allen
Ben Martin
Kobe Bryant
Carrie Paige
Linda O'Shea

I'll epoxy the seats in the Tender tomorrow morning after I drop three or four of the first lobster traps of the season.

Big Move for Benny

Big News Peeps!!!!
~
You remember Mega-Super Peep, Ben Martin, who is the offensive line coordinator of the Official NCAA Football Team of Nanepashemet, Merrimack College???
~
Ben just accepted a job as the Offensive Line Coach at Texas A&M in Houston.
~
Way to go Benny!!!!
~
This is a trip to the big time and Ben really deserves it.   Not only are the Aggies of national caliber in football, they also are at the apex of NCAA Division 1 Track and Field.
~
This is just another example of the power of the Nanepashemet Blog.  As soon as we designated Merrimack as an official endorsement, great things happened to Ben.
~
But now we probably will be leaving Merrimack and giving the endorsement to Texas A&M.  I have to think about the implications of this for awhile.

Great Grandkids

The Grandkids are coming over this weekend.  Their visits have become the highlight of our life.  I know that most of you think that I live for this pathetic Blog.... and I'll admit that the Blog has its place.... but since we are the proud grandparents of the best Grandkids in the World, that takes the priority.
~
We'll get them out to see their Dad at FreshAyer, and Kate and Mike will be dropping over to hang out with them.  Since Will has only just turned three and Ethan is 1 1/2, it is hard to see how that have gained centerstage in such a short time, but they have  great personalities and are really fun to be around.
~
Will is proficient in Latin and Greek, and Ethan likes to solve polynomial algebraic equations.  And they both love to chase tennis balls.
~
Just kidding.... except for the tennis balls.
~
I'd like to teach them how to build boats, and play the guitar, and a whole bunch of other stuff.   But in the end, they are on their own path, and will move to a destiny of contribution and fulfillment that meets the unique requirements of their time in this life.  I'm just happy that we are in the mix.

TommyO said...
Looks Great

Corporate Shelter

BP is screwed up. 
~
A huge, international corporation with nobody who can speak on their feet.  Their Swedish President comes in and says he is concerned for the "small people".  Then they send their Chief Executive, Tony Hayward, who testifies in Congress that he is significantly without the facts.
~
Guys... .this is the fight of your lives.  You really should come to the game ready to play.  Even if you are doing a good job at this clean up project, your communication skills negate anything.
~
I think of the years that I spent in a Fortune 500 corporation, and the clueless, corporate-speak phonies that I had to endure.... You could almost transpose their faces onto these BP losers.  In a corporate shelter and just incompetent on their feet.

Finals Outcome.

Celtics lost in a hard fought game 7 against the Lakers.  This was a classic series between the most storied franchises in professional basketball.  It was worth staying up late to watch.

Leak Before Links

President Obama has played 6 rounds of golf since the oil leak broke - less that 60 days ago.   I haven't had the time to get a single round in, but then again, I've been pretty busy at Nanepashemet Telecom.   Does this seem petty on my part????  I guess maybe it does.
~
When you get to be President, you get the perks.  Case in point - I asked Paul McCartney to drop by the house last weekend for some beer and barbeque.   Absolute no show.  Yet Obama had both Paul and Bono over recently for a meal that I bet he totally expensed.
~
BO - you've got to get serious.   Kids are still being shipped back from the Middle East in body bags, Pelicans and Shrimp Boat fishermen are in for some serious shit.   If I were you, I'd give the links a rest until you at least take care of the leak.

Cessation of Hostilities.

Sometimes I think I overdo it with the "Mountain of a Man" stuff.
~
But then I have days like today when I realize just what a Mountain of a Man that I really am!
~
I had left the house in the F-150 around 7:00AM and headed south through Boston and Providence to the City of Groton, Connecticut...... A trip I have made far too many times over the last year and a half.
~
The drama unfolded about 10 o'clock this morning as I advanced into the sanctorum of the enemy.  After a quick stop in the Men's Room, I was fully prepared to engage in mortal combat and win what was legally and rightfully mine.

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When the Building Department Counterclerk saw me, she slowly rose from her chair, picked up some plans and documents that were bound in elastics, handed them to me, and said..... "Here you go."

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Thus ended the epic confrontation after months of struggle.

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I'm sure the trauma and the bad dreams will fade with time.

Glorious Quest

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." [Psalm 23:4]
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Yes Peeps....
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I'm facing my Demons and heading back to the City of Groton, Connecticut tomorrow morning.
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If I were a Norseman, they would probably be writing a Saga about it right now.   Don Quixote has nothing on me.
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Once again, I will be boldly striding into the City Hall, seeking relief for my beleaguered telecom customer.  Whether I emerge victorious, or again be sent in shame with my tail between my legs.... only time will tell.
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But a Mountain of a Man doesn't back down.... no shying away from adversity.... no avoiding conflict or controversy.   Tomorrow, we will again make the Glorious Quest.

Rubber, Road, and Oil

This is where the rubber meets the road for President Barack Obama.  The oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico is not a hazy 10,000 page piece of legislation like the Health Care Bill.  You can see and touch the oil slicks, and it will take the management and marshalling of specific physical resources to effect the cleanup.

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If he has the management ability, the cleanup will solidify his Presidentcy.....or expose an unfortunate shortcoming.
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A big part of project management is communication of the plan progress to stakeholders.  Not only does the Federal Government need to effectively plan and implement.... it also has to communicate the results effectively.