Looking for suggestions

I don’t post often enough. Sorry for the long delay. I’ll be honest and tell you that I have not felt like saying anything about anything. Brain is still working but I have not felt like sharing for whatever reason. Mostly it is my attitude and nothing physical.

I have thought about starting a bulletin board (chat room) where we could be on-line with whom ever. I don’t know if I will do that or not. I don’t know if I could stand the chatter of some people I know. Do you know what I mean? I have kept this blog mostly about current happenings in my life on a personal level just so that those who care will be up to date (since so much is going on) and also to give them an opportunity to say hello. I also like the ability to add other things such as the videos etc. Well not to many of you take the time to say hello or make any comment at all. I am not sure if you are even coming to the blog site. I am thinking of any other way in which I can engage you since so many of you live so far away. I thought this would be easy. It hasn’t worked out that well. I don’t know why.

I hate to discuss politics or religion and that leaves little else. Philosophy might be a good place but that gets confused with religion by some people and I don’t want that to happen. I am open for discussion on other subjects if anyone is interested in making a comment about that.

My day today

Chris went with me today to see the Oncologist. I learned that it is still too early for a determination about the tumor on my lungs. Although there was a 2 cm spot still there at the last scan, the scan was taken too early as the radiation treatments continue to work up to 90 days after the end of the treatments. The doctor who ordered the scan jumped the gun. So now we are going to wait until the 19th of Oct for another scan and after that a determination will be made as to the need for further treatment. The tumor may be gone totally. I hope that is what happens. I wanted to get this posted for those of you who are following my health problems.

I am still quite busy putting together the Limited Liability Partnership with my friend and also doing some computer work and keeping my self busy.

I am now watching the hurricane heading towards Galveston and I hope it is not as serious as it sounds.

Our weather here is great, still a little warm for me. My brother will be in Florida visiting with his daughter Karrie and her husband around his birthday on the 30th of October so I will get to see him at that time. Karrie lives on a golf course so maybe we will get out for a round. Chris tells me no way Jose because he worries about me out in the sun and even the little bit of walking that has to be done to play golf. I tried to tell him that we use carts (he doesn’t play) but he doesn’t listen too pretty good.

He actually thinks he is the Dad now.

Also, my baby sister will be down for a visit on the 13-17th of Oct and I will enjoy that.

Hello again!

Hope all of you are doing great. Everything is going well. I have learned that I will have to have Chemo therapy instead of an operation to get the balance of the cancer in my lungs. The lung doctor would not permit an operation because she felt I could not handle the effects. I see the Oncologist on Wednesday and let you know what they say i.e., how much- how long- what kind etc.

There have been several birthdays this past week and I was busy enjoying them.

I am, as most of you know, busy in a business venture and it is keeping me pretty active also. I feel much better when I am doing things.  Don’t you?

~ Best Little Steakhouse in Florida ~

I'm VERY excited about this restaurant starting up again!

For those of you reading this that don't live in Florida and have no past experience with Bridd or his steakhouse chain - you will have no way to know why this is exciting. But trust my father and I about this one!

I was the first male waiter to ever work at Bridd's steakhouse. It was absolute torture to be surrounded by good-looking young girls in tight jeans and t-shirts everyday, but I dealt with it. Every day was a challenge.

Bridd's restaurant had a major impact on my life. Let me start by saying that I only worked at one of 15 thriving locations. Knowing how big this was in the past makes me excited about the potential now. But anyway - I worked at only one location. The experience was rewarding and quite fun.

Back then I had only just begun to show an interest in country music. Working there and hearing the live country band playing every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night pushed me over the edge. Country soon became my favorite music genre and remains as such today.

The atmosphere was awesome. Good music, incredible steaks (not like anywhere else), and the biggest bar I'd seen anywhere. The bar was raised up so you could watch the band playing from up high. And everyone seemed to know each other. You've all heard the "Cheers" song that says, "Sometimes you wanna go, where everybody knows your name." Well, this restaurant and country bar was exactly that. It was a place for regulars to feel at home.

I know it will be a big success and am shocked it took Bridd so long to get back into the restaurant business. He is definitely a people-person whose personality played a HUGE roll in the restaurants success. I remember him standing at the front door greeting people, shaking their hands, and welcoming them to the restaurant. Everyone knew who the owner was and they appreciated his attention and obvious interest in their experience at his establishment. I sure hope he is as hands-on as before.

Now you guys need to get that massive stuffed bison back into the front window. That thing was huge and quite a conversation piece.

Oh, the good thing that I didn't mention is that this restaurant is opening up in the exact same location and building as it occupied previously. This is a big deal. A well-designed marketing campaign will bring loyal customers back quickly, and the same friendly and casual atmosphere will keep them loyal.

In my opinion there is NO real competition. I know of 2 country bars and neither compares to what Bridd's place has to offer. Bridd will have live country music, line dancing and the best steaks in town. The other places are VERY commercial. I've been to one, and have heard all about the other.

Good luck on this venture!

I'm excited for you guys and will be a regular myself. I'll also give all my clients gift certificates as closing gifts to get the business some exposure to new customers.

An odd couple to say the least

How could the couple who own the St Rita’s nursing home near New Orleans, abandoned their patients and go by themselves to higher ground. I would think they would rather die trying to get those people out than to leave them to die such a horrible death. I don’t even hear the charges being made as harsh at all. What the hell is going on in this world? They should be burned at the stake or something near to that. Can you even image lying in a sick bed as an invalid and the water is rising and there is no one there to help you. This couple should be punished as severely as is possible.

Very Interesting

I noticed a charge of $12.95 on this month Verizon phone bill and looked it up and it was for (Nationwide Voice Mail) which I never ordered. The company was ILD whom I immediately called and had the service cancelled and they said they would credit me with 2 months of $12.95 because they charged me last month also. I actually had to go back and look up last month's bill before I realized that I had paid for this service one month already. Now here is the primary reason I am mentioning this. This service was added to my phone bill (Slammed) without my permission and I was even so unattentive I never noticed it the first month. My recommendation is everyone should check to see if they may have been (Slammed) with an additional charge for a service not requested.

I have been told by my doctors that I am still not a candidate for surgery on my lungs to remove the balance of the cancer that the radiation did not remove. Instead they are going to put me on Chemotherepy. They will notify me when to come in to see the Hemotology/Oncology doctor for testing and recommendations on the chemo. Although I have to have this treatment I am remaining optimistic this will cure the balance. I have heard so many stories about the side effects of chemo I will have to wait to see exactly how it will effect me.

I feel better today than I have for awhile. I am busier and of course that has a good affect on me. I hope all of you are well.

New thing are happening

Well, my friend Bridd asked me to give him a hand installing some new equipment on his computer and also to install some software. It has been a major task as some of the software I have never seen before i.e. Bar Code Printing. He sells to about 2,000 Walgreen drugstores small items which they in turn sell to their customers. Each shipment must contain a bar code label to place on each item that can be scanner at the cash register. I had never installed a thermal label printer and it didn't go smoothly. I also have been attempting to install a scanner on his computer that I have been using on my computer for 2 years and I can’t get it install, Oh well tomorrow is another day and I will get the job done.

For those of you who may be interested, I am starting a business venture with my friend Bridd. He has a wholesale distributorship now that is very successful and at one time he had been in the restaurant business. The restaurant (12 locations) was a Country Western Style TEXAS STEAKHOUSE where you can watch the food being prepared out front and the best dam steak and sauce you have ever eaten in your life and they were successful for more than 15 years. For reasons which I will not explain here, he got out of that business and has been out of it for about 8 years or so. He has decided to do one again and I am going to be a minor partner. I am very familiar with his restaurants from the past and this is going to be a fun thing for me. I have needed to be busier than I have been these past few years and this is just what the doctor ordered. There are investment possibilities for any of you who might be so inclined. Send me a personal email or call me and I will take the time to explain. This is a winner. Should you decide to contact me please understand that I know a contact from you does not imply any commitment. There are questions to be answer but in private conversation not here.

Needing someone to blame

Why are people blaming Bush for not getting relief into the disaster area? Is it not the local politicians, Mayors, Councilmen, Governors, Senators and community leaders who are responsible? Oh I know the Corp of Engineers were responsible for building proper dikes but the money comes from the state and local governments as well as the fed’s. The National Guard can be called upon by the Governors of those effected states. Sure Bush can add his punch to the whole things but I see enormous problems with those effected states and the emergency programs they had in place. Bush is a becoming an escape-goat for all those mean tempered people who need someone to hate.

I hope those predictions are too high.

Let’s hope your predictions are wrong Chris but you are probably not. Here we sit in a warm and comfortable area wishing the best for those people and tomorrow we could get hit ourselves. Life brings us good and bad and I know there are those who think we shouldn’t temp fate by living in areas so prone to these dangers. My feelings are that I would rather exchange a little unknown danger for the good that I feel by choosing to live here in Florida. In fact most of my life I have lived by that attitude.  My decisions have always been the same even when other people wanted me to do something else.

I gave a little money (as much as I could afford) but they need so much. I hope others are giving their best also.

I predict 12,000 - 15,000 dead

This is my less-than-pleasant prediction. Hurricane Katrina hit a city that couldn't afford to be hit. What were they thinking anyway? Building a city below sea-level seems suicidal. And isn't all of Norway below sea-level? These areas are not meant to be inhabited by land mammals.

So I predict 12,000 to 15,000 dead. Only time will tell. And I hope my prediction is way too high. The real question is not how many are dead, but is this area worth rebuilding? Isn't this natural disaster a message to enemies of the United States? Wouldn't flying a fully-fueled 737 into one of the levies be an excellent terrorist tactic? Now imagine 80% of New Orleans NOT being evacuated. Imagine how many would die in a terrorist attack that comes without warning.