Well Happy New Year everyone!

I hope you all had a happy and safe holiday season this year. 2004 is gone, and now we start filling in 2005 with everything we did not get to accomplish in the last year…and then some.

One of the christmas presents we got for the house this year was a Sportscraft Foosball Table.

A little background…

For years at my Uncle Gene's house we would always play foosball with all the uncles and cousins in the family. It was great, lots of beer and lots of laughs. Being way too young to consume beer…we would only get to "play" now and then between quasi-fistfights of brotherly love. (My dad has 6 brothers and a bunch of brother-in-laws)

They were great memories and they all just came out as I kicked my dad's ass in the innagural run our of Foosball table; 2 games to 1.

You really work up a sweat playing Foosball, I tell ya. This year is going to be lots of FUN!

Cheers!

Popularity: 11% [?]

With the latest news of a Mess Tent being shelled and 22 US Troops being killed. I realized how close to home the war can be.

My girlfriend is a US Army Staff Sergeant, she is a medic on a Recruiting mission. Her best friend Monica, just got in country Saturday for a year of deployment.

Learning of this attack,made me humble for what these men and women do for us.

I am in support of the war and support of the Troops…although I wish they get treated a bit better…. GW you listening?

Monica's boyfriend, Matt will join her for a year's worth of deployment in January. These two people I have gotten to know quite well in the past 6 months and are very, very cool.

I gave each of them an Archangel Michael Medal (Protector of Medics and Infantry) with the Army Crest emblazoned on the back, when we met after Thanksgiving. I am not very spiritual…but I felt this was the right thing for the situation. We can all use a bit of protection in one form or another in life.

I have almost joined the service a few times in the past 6 years. The latest reason for not is obviously a good one. I have too much to walk away from right now.

Call me old fashioned (at 24), but I feel that we all need to give a little to our great land. Our forefathers fought in every major conflict prior to our time….this is our time.

"We do it, because somebody has to!" "Adapt and overcome!"

Hooah!

Here is a group picture from November:
Left to right :: Matt, Monica, Me (Mike) and Samantha

Popularity: 9% [?]

Well, 2 weeks ago I got a summons for Jury Duty that started on 11/29. It was telephone standby and I called in on sunday to see if I needed to go in on Monday…I did not. Monday night I called and I indeed needed to go on Tuesday.

I sat in the jury pool from 8-11:30am before my name got called. I then sat in the court for 2 hours while they interviewed jurors. (SO BORING) They interviewed 6 then sent them off and called up 4 more. We broke for lunch and they interviewed the remaining 4. I had managed to sneak by and not get called for 10 names, untill it was time for alternates. I got picked, naturally.

So I had to report, today Friday 12/3 at 9:30am. I sat around untill 12:30 and they called us all into a room….The case was settled. LOL

So I sat around for 2 days, and now I am good for 6 years. Could have been worse, but I still lost time for work.

The funniest part of this little adventure? I ran into a friend I had not seen in like 4 years! She was on the same case. It was good to see you Diana!

Popularity: 10% [?]