Nightmare (burger) King

I have tried to ignore it, but I cannot anymore. It gives me the willies! I am refering to the Burger King “Wake Up With The King” ad.

To summarize if you have not seen it:

This man wakes up and sitting next to him is a man dressed as the old 80’s Burger King mascot. Dressed in the BK colors and wearing a very freaking head that sports a grin that I cannot describe. I guess, imagine you are Jack, and the giant is about to eat you, and is very happy about it. That is the smile. Before the man can go running from the room screaming, the king hands him the new breakfast sandwich with enough greasy meat, cheese, and calories to make Calista Flockhart gain 50 lbs and then drop over from cholesterol overload. This seems to work though, because the man takes the sandwich, taste it and likes it. Him and the king have a good laugh and then hold hands.

When I was single I have to admit I woke next to some scary people, but nothing to this degree. Really, my first reaction would be lashing out, and pissing my pants. That is one scary freaken face! What else does this show us? That if you wake up a man with food, he will forgive the intrusion, and even put out. Waking up to food is good, and of course there are other ways to wake me and get me to put out. Just don’t do it in a Burger King mask!

I like offbeat ad campaigns. Mountain dew points? Good ads there. I just got in my X-Box after spending months collecting 550 bottle caps. I don’t even drink Mountain Dew! BK’s Subservient Chicken (http://www.subservientchicken.com/ ) is a great time waster, I highly recommend it. For some reason I do not find the guy in the chicken suit as scary as a demonic king waking me up. Even if he does bring food.

Ready to Rumble!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am intelligent, out going, open-minded person. I am well read but I also enjoy my television shows. The new TV season has begun. So far, nothing that has thrilled me. Most of my favorite shows are gone. Buffy, Angle, Firefly are gone. (All Joss Whedon shows, but I still have his monthly X-Men comic) Smallville tends to be monster of the week. Charmed is ok. (Yeah like my arm really has to be twisted to watch that one!) My favorite show is “Dead Like Me” on Showtime. Joan of Arcadia is good. BBC’s Coupling is very funny. I don’t mind something funny, but I do tend toward the more “make you think” shows. Biographies, nature shows, ancient mystery types.

Any laughing you hear in the background would have to be my friends and co-workers. They are laughing because they know what the other television show I watch. I never miss WWE Raw on Mondays.

Yes, I am a big wrestling fan. I have heard it all. That it’s silly. Yeah so. It's fake. Yeah, its no more real then that sitcom everyone has been watching. I love my weekly dose of mindless violence and idiotic storylines. Oh wait that does sound like a sitcom! They just need the wacky neighbor!

Sometime in the future I even want to go to a live WWE event. I have not done that since high school. Maybe that is what is going on. I’m reliving my teenage years. Wrestling, Dungeons and Dragons, 80’s music, fascination with breast. Things you only do when you are young.

With the new television season, WWE has started a fantasy-wrestling league. Really silly, the matches are predetermined anyway. Who would want to pay $9.95 to participate in that! Well my yearly football league didn’t happen this year. Not that I’m big into football. I only know a couple players. (Go Brock Lesnar!) I just liked being part the group competing. So, what the heck, I spent my $9.95! Registered under the team name “Fainting Goats”.

Right now I am waiting for the first weeks results. I am wondering how am I am doing compared to the thousands who also spent their money. It was suppose to be posted this morning. I think I am doing pretty well. The top prize is an actual WWE championship belt. (Hmmm, my woman is rolling her eyes again.) I doubt I will do that good as #1, but it would just be cool! Imagine what fun role-playing can come out of that! Not just in the bedroom! I can see me doing the flying elbow off my cubicle onto Steven as he pleads for mercy!

I will update here when I find out the scores and let you how the Fainting Goats are doing!


*** THE FAINTING GOATS ENDED WEEK ONE AT #15 OUT OF HOW MANY THOUSANDS ARE PLAYING. DAMN NIDIA ONLY EARNED ME 2 POINTS! WILL UPDATE NEXT WEEK.***

Quote of the Week

In a call center, you tend to only hear half the conversations. So in honor of his birthday this week, I present Winston’s quote of the week, as over heard by Steven and I:


"One moment ma’am, I’m pulling out my tool."

The Long Promised Canoe Trip Blog

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale,
a tale of a canoe trip.
That started from Eaton Rapids,
aboard a canoe not a ship.
The leader was an ex-navy man,
his intentions brave and sure.
Seven customer reps set off that day,
in three metal canoes, three metal canoes………
The weather was very nice,
but the tiny boat got tossed.
If not for the speed of Steven's crew
the canoe would be lost; the Canoe would be lost.
The boat hit ground on the shore of Grand River
with Larry, the Winston too,
Steven, and his Wife,
Olympia, Rufus and Alice,
here on Larry's Canoe Trip.

I could not work in my office building, if not for my group of friends there. They make it more then tolerable in an intolerable situation. A prime example was yesterday at the weekly (uh bi-weekly maybe, I can’t keep up) meeting. Maude Flaunders had decided to go over the call numbers with us for the last 3 months. We answered 18,000 out of 20,000 received the first month. 18,000 out of 19,500 the second month. And 18.000 out of 24,000 the last month. Maude explained that if we can just knock 20 seconds off each call…

That is the type of thing that would drive me loco if I did not have my friends to talk to about this. Okay, more then talking, more like tearing it apart and making fun of it. (“I think I detect a pattern in the amount of calls we answer each month!”)

Part of the reason we get along so well is that we not only work together, we play together. Golf outing, Wally’s wake. Winston’s birthday party. The future promises bowling, card night, some type of party involving costumes and singing, and a night of running around the local bar scene wearing panda costumes. (Steven: We will be thrown out of the bar! Me: What are they going to say, don’t ever show your panda face here again?)

Mid-Aug of this year I mentioned a nice little canoe trip I like to take about once a year. The river is slow but steady, no real rapids, and is always a great little trip. Usually takes between 4-6 hours. Got a couple of bites of people interested. Set up a Saturday morning meeting time at the local Meijers. Grabbed breakfast and headed out. My friend Ivan planned on coming with us, so I stopped at his place first. This was before the golf scramble so I was actually bummed he could not make it.

Got to the meeting spot, then we loaded up into two cars and drove to the park. Now without Ivan, that left us with an uneven number of people. We would either have one person in a canoe by themselves or three people in one canoe. Alice volunteered to be the monkey in the middle. Everyone chipped in for canoes and beer then we were driven to the landing to start our trip.

The purpose is to canoe back to the cars. The time was around 10:30. The park estimates it at four and a half hours. I cautioned that it usually takes longer. The only one who was even worried was Winston, who had to be at an appointment before 5. I told him of course we would be done waaaaay before then!

We split into our canoe groups, Steve and his wife, Olympia and Rufus, and Winston, Alice and me in the last canoe. I took the back seat to steer, Winston in the front seat to be the navigator and lookout, and Alice in the middle doing her best Cleopatra imitation. All loaded, and we pushed off.

In a fine example of boatmanship, we went about 3 feet before we tipped over.

I hadn’t figured out the problem at this point, but I started to after a few miss launches. Winston was very nervous and kept over shifting his weight. Looking back I should have realized there would be problems when he put on his way too small life vest a half hour before we got to the river.

Got everything reloaded into the canoe (cooler, food, towels, shoes, Alice) In between fits of laughter, this very nice wino helped push us off.

We went about 100 yards before we ran into trouble. About 1 minute after I opened my beer.

I guess I did not really explain to Winston that he is the lookout in the canoe. That when we are heading something in or above the water, he needs to let me know so I can dodge it. Like a tree. Winston and his damn trees. I will take partial blame for this, not briefing him on his job. I also have to note he might have been distracted, Rufus was right in front of us, and he does have a nice ass.

By the time I saw the tree hanging over the water it was too late. I fell out, but Winston took the blunt of the tree. It was one of those events in life were everything goes to slow motion. I watched Winston’s ordeal. That tree took unwanted privileges with Winston that day. It was not pretty.

The river was a little fast at this point, so the other two canoes collected everything that was dumped out of the canoe (cooler, food, towels, shoes, Alice). Steven managed to save our canoe as it rocketed down the river. I am very grateful for this service because I needed that canoe to finish the trip.

After about an hour of resorting, looking for Winston’s glasses (yeah, never found them) we got back moving. Winston was now in the Cleopatra seat with Alice in the front. I got another beer.

Went about an hour before we hit a rock, Winston, moved the wrong way. I was sick of getting dunked in water at this point. So, I drank more beer. It helped.

We reached a resting point and had lunch. Alice made these great sandwiches. Then it was time to move on. Winston and I got in the canoe. Steve, being a gentleman helped Alice in the canoe. I really am not sure what happen this time, just that I and only I ended up in the water.

“What the hell are you guys doing”, I yelled when I resurfaced. Was really funny.

The rest of the trip was non-eventful. Well, Rufus did have problems walking in the mud during a rest stop break. That was messy. Winston made it to his appointment on time. No one drown.

These are the people that help me survive work everyday. Steven said that every time he does something with me outside of work, it’s an adventure. Good, wouldn’t want life to get boring. It is not just I; everyone in the group is fun. I may sound like a snob, but let others in the office be jealous and uptight. We have fun at work and at play. We will canoe again, and Winston promises to be waiting for us at the bar when we are done!

YEAH NATIONAL PIRATE DAY

Halloween 2003
CAUSE MY LADY WON'T LET ME SHOW THE "FIREBEAR DRUNK IN A DRESS, HALLOWEEN 2001", ANYMORE. (EMAIL ME, I'LL FORWARD IT TO YOU!)

Do the Twisty!

Another request from the acient past. In short, Twisty is still one of my bestest friend, and we have been through everything together. Still the wildest person I know. If she would just gain that 50 lbs for me! WoooHooo!

La Vida Twisty
She's into cyber chatting
Mlive and private messangers
I feel a premonition
That girl's gonna chat all night
She's into new chat names
New kicks in the monitor light
She's got a new addiction
Playing both male and female
She'll make you very frustrated
Want to throw your
CPU into the rain
She'll make you beleave its real life
But then soon you’ll realize
Its all just in your brain


CHORUS:Mlive ChatOut
She's livin' la vida Twisted
She'll wear your fingers down
Livin' la vida Twisted
Her hair is devil red
And her fonts the color of mocha
She tease you with her words
Livin' la vida Twisted
She's livin' la vida Twisted
Woke up in North Bay City
In a crowded hotel room20 people on the floor
Everyone’s money gone
She must've slipped out while I was sleeping
She never drinks the water
And makes you orderFunny pink drinks
Once you've had a taste of Mlive
You'll never be the same
Yeah, it'll make you go insane

CHORUS:Mlive ChatOutShe's livin' la vida Twisted
She'll wear your fingers downLivin' la vida Twisted
Her hair is devil redAnd her fonts the color of mocha
She tease you with her wordsLivin' la vida Twisted
She's livin' la vida Twisted

Okaly Dokaly!

I was approached by one of our managers, Maude Flanders. Now Ms. Flanders is a new manager in our office. Been here about 6 months. I like her, very gong-ho. Opened minded and ready to take input. Don’t let that scare you though, I am sure this office will kill all of those delusions within a year!

Ms. Flanders wanted me to write a little blurb concerning the Negative Nickels game currently in effect in the call center. The concept is explained further down so I will not get into specifics here. I wish I could say she bribed me, tortured me, wore a red blouse with lots of cleavage, but no, she said “You write soooooo well!”. (Yea, I’m easy)

So I took a few minutes and wrote what I thought was fun, and effective. I felt it really summed up everyones feelings of the game.


Negative #&%*! Nickels
If you’ve visited or walked by the call center and wondered, the rumors are not true, CIC is not counterfeiting US dollars for profit and personal gain. So what is up with all the fake money?

Each bill represents a negative nickel. Sometimes when we are dealing with a member, it can be frustrating. Every once in a while, when we get frustrated, an in appropriate phrase or word may be verbalized after the call ends. To help us keep these to a minimum, and to keep a positive environment we are now playing a little game called “Negative Nickels”.

The rules are simple. Anytime you yell at your computer screen for being slow, pay a nickel in the cup. You throw your coffee cup at a co-worker; pay a nickel in the cup. You finish a call and call the member a #*%#$, a $$##! and a %$@*&-%$&#@ ,pay a nickel in the cup.

The game has gone over well. Helping make us more aware of our negative reactions and how to correct them. While many of us went through our first month’s worth of nickels in a week, we are already seeing results.


I liked it, short, funny. I passed a copy to Maude, who said she would look it over. Later she let me know she had done some “tweaking”. Hey I like a good editor!

I got “Flanderized!”. I recognize one sentence as mine.


Negative Nickels
If you’ve visited or walked by the call center lately and wondered what’s up with all the fake money, rest assured, Customer Accounts (CA) is not counterfeiting US dollars! The dollars you see are part of a game being played to raise awareness about how perceptions are conveyed. The name of the game is ‘Negative Nickels’—even though play money is used—and the rules are pretty simple:

If you finish a call and a negative comment slips out…pay a nickel in the cup!
If a conversation with a coworker results in a bit of a ‘bashing’…both pay a nickel into the cup!
If you yell at your computer screen…pay a nickel into the cup!

Two objectives of the game are to HAVE FUN and CHOOSE OUR ATTITUDE. Of course, staff gets a payout of a few laughs along the way in addition to the benefit of improved customer service.

At the end of each week all the play money is gathered up and converted to something positive, usually treats for the Customer Accounts staff.

So far, the game has gone over well. Granted, some of the CA staff were broke at the end of the week, but that’s okay because they start fresh each week. Adding some light-hearted fun, while focusing on attitudes, has made for some constructive improvements for both staff and customer.


I just had to laugh at all this. Told her great, glad I could supply her an outline, just don’t put my name on it!

Note: Sorry for the recent slow down of posting. I seem to have a bum wrist, and can only type so much.

09/11/01

It seems a whole lot longer then 3 years ago. Closer to a life time ago.

11 Sept 01. Tuesday morning I had taken a 2-day job working on a golf course. I forget the technical term for what they were doing to the greens. Once a year they take a machine to the grass that takes plugs of grass out of the ground, then fill the holes with sand. This keeps the grass from getting too tight and allows water the flow through. Mine, and a friend of mine named Chris’s, job was to take snow shovels and scoop up the grass and dirt plugs and put them in the bucket of a bulldozer.

Not my usual type of work, but I need and wanted the distraction. That summer had been awful for me. Had my heartbroken twice over a two-month period by two different women. Ah memories! Was really feeling down on life. Figured a little physical labor job would do me good.
Chris was a good guy, early twenties; just starting to make his was in life. I hadn’t seen him for about 3 weeks, when I had walked out of a job with an HMO for ethical reasons. Chris’s big news was mixed, his girlfriend was pregnant.

We were catching up, scooping dirt on the 3rd hole when a golf cart drives up with water. The guy driving tells us that a plane hit one of the Twin Towers. What do you say to that? Was unbelievable really. He told us he would let us know if he hears more.

Hole 5, He comes out and tells us that a plane hit the second tower also.

Hole 6, The pentagon, and something about a plane crashing in Pennsylvania.

Ok, this is a joke. We are out on the course, no news, phones or radios. This must be the practical joke they play on us. Too outlandish to be true. I was in the navy. When we were out at sea, all the news came through our department. We once started the story that Madonna had died of a drug overdose. Come on! Nothing is funnier then that! Of course, then we notice that there are no airplanes flying over. Weird since the airport is only about 2 miles away…

We all know it was true now. I did not know anyone directly who died that day. Someone’s brother, someone’s friend, lawyer, uncle. I looked up some numbers, called some people from high school and the navy. Called a couple ex’s. I remember the feeling. I have had it before. When the shuttle blew-up. (Midterm exams, high school) When I heard about the Oklahoma bombing. (My brother called, just said turn on the TV) Those don’t compare to the World Trade Center though.

12 Sept 01 Wednesday. Life goes on. I was back on the golf course with Chris. Time to finish the bottom 9 holes. Still seemed really quiet. Chris was in shock. He told me he could not do this.

How he could be out there working, when all those people were dead.
"We don’t have a choice." I told him. "We are still alive."

I never saw Chris again. We talked on the phone a couple times after. I hope he is doing well. I assume he is still trudging through just like the rest of us. Still alive.

I couple weeks ago I was in New York City. I visited ground zero. What hit me most was just the size. The huge expanse. No, I didn’t take pictures. I had enough pictures in my mind of planes flying toward the towers. It easy to put it together.
The impression that bothered me was that people seemed to treat this as some natural disaster, not the location of a mass murder. If I ever go back to NYC I am sure I will visit there again, though. How can I not.

Ug Skittles

Skittles and me don’t get along. I am talking about the candy, not some dog or cat named skittles.

This is why. When I was about 15-16 my mom bought a big bag of skittles and put them in the candy jar in the living room. Picture me coming in. Young, studdly child of the 80’s. Mullet with a rat-tail in the back, waking up before you go-go, not caring what Frankie says. I grab a big handful of the candies, thinking they are M&M’s.

It wasn’t pretty.

The candy shell covering chocolate I expected was not there. Instead of a crunch I get a soft chewy mouthful of glob! I ran to the kitchen with multi-colored droll covering my chin. I spit the glob in the trash and recovered from the traumatic incident.

20 years later I still get chills when I see a Skittles’ commercial or pass a display at the store. I am scarred for life.

So please, I beg of everyone, label your skittles. Don’t let what happen to me be repeated!

Golfing In Hell

This was my first year going to the company Golf Scramble. I was promised it would be fun. (No one told me how much fun it would be.) I am not the world’s best golfer, I average about once a year. I enjoy it, fresh air and beer. Usually a good combination. So as soon as the date of the event was announced I started procedure to be at there. I mean, I am always up for a good time.

Step 1: Get the day off. That wasn’t very hard. I just asked. Done.

Step 2: Get on a team. I added my name to the “Golfers looking for a team” list. The only other person on this list was “Goose”, our companies director. I figured I would put myself out there, somebody would pick me up. Then I started to get paranoid, a couple days pass, no one says a thing, Goose and I are just seating there. Then a co-worker asked me why don’t I form my own 4-person team? “You are an organizer, Larry, very pro-active. Just do it!” I am only human; stroke my ego, do I not respond? I contacted my fellow “Dance of The Fainting Goats” teammates. (I will explain that, but not in this post.) Only one of them was willing to do the golf thing, that was Winston. So cool. That’s two of us.

Team Member #1: Winston.
Winston is a good guy, smart, single, 40ish, has a job, owns his own car (Everything my single female friends say they are looking for) and nerdy, geeky, lives with mother (Everything my single female friends say they are not looking for) and one of my island mates. He went canoeing with us earlier in the summer, even though he had never been canoeing before and is deathly afraid of water. (Sorry, had a cold chill) He had taken up golf earlier in the year so hey, why not.

Team Member #2: Goose
Okay, I was starting to feel sorry for him. No one wanted him on their team. Who wants to golf with the big boss? So I asked him to come over to our team. After a minute of hesitation, he agreed. Didn’t cross my mind that no one would want to golf with Goose, guess I wasn’t paying attention. Oh well not the first time.

So now there were 3. I asked around, no one was interested. I asked my other island mates, they were already on teams. Except Steven. Steven is not big on company events. That’s why he was not a Dancing Goat. He then complained that when the golf event comes around he ends doing extra work that day to cover the people golfing. To me that was a reason to go golfing. Oh well.

I called my friend Trent. On vacation. Ok, that left Ivan.

Team Member #3: Ivan
Ivan was one of the first people I meet when I got out of the navy 11 years ago. Someone I really looked up to at one time. Over the years he has gone into some downward spiral. Bad relationships (comes from dating models) Worse jobs. I’ve had problems with him in public before, being out of control. He is on an anti-depressant now and swears he is not that person any more. He is also the person I golf with once a year. How could it not be a good choice?

So with a full team, it was time for a name.

Step 3: Team name.
Took about half a minute. “The Pirates of Puttzance”. I even bought a pirate flag to hang from the golf cart. We were set.

Step 4: Getting to the golf course.
Set up to leave work at noon. Then they wanted us at the golf course by noon so I changed to 11:45. Then my doctor wanted to have blood work done that day, so I changed to 11:15. Then Ivan calls and says he wrecked his car, I need to pick him up. Now I’m leaving work at 11:00. Why did I come into work?

I managed to get everything done, and got to the golf course at noon.

Step 5: Golfing
You would think this would the easy part. A nice quiet afternoon with friends, couple beers, lots of jokes. Well, Ivan drunk too much, which caused me to get pissed and drink more, causing the afternoon to end a little lackluster.

Step 6: Killed Ivan
Ok, I didn’t, but thought about it. Besides being an ass in front of my co-works and bosses (uh yeah, he is with me) He managed to far exceed the expectations of the usual alcoholic.

The highlights include:

Ivan screaming, “Take your shirt off!” to a couple female golfers. When that did not get a response he followed it with “Take your pants off!”

Ivan raiding the golf course kitchen after the 9th hole.

Ivan running the golf cart into a tree, almost killing Winston. (It has been noticed that Winston and trees seem to attract each other. Yes, the canoe story will be posted sooner or later)

Ivan so drunk he could barely walk, ending our golfing 3 rounds early.

Ivan trying to push Goose and I’s golf cart into on coming traffic, while we were in it.

Ivan disappearing for closing ceremonies. (Oh wait that was a good thing)

Ivan passed out on someone’s back lawn.

Having to save Ivan from the police before they arrested him for public drunkenness. (And I stopped this why?)

Ivan talking about the four of us golfing together at another time.

Ivan dropping hints about getting a job in our office (yea, that's going to happen!)

And my all time favorite…

Ivan grabbing Winston and I’s balls through the entire day.

Its done and finished. I am more upset that Ivan had no respect in the position I was in. Around my co-workers and bosses. I’m more upset about that then anything. Maybe bad judgment on my account also.

And I got to listen to Steven still complain about no one being left to cover telephones during the Golf Scramble.

Hey! Can’t wait until next year’s Golf scramble. Maybe by then I’ll be talking to Ivan again!

My bad Emeniem song.

This is old. Was posted on the Mlive message board (that no longer exist) in 3 parts. It was too big to be posted in one. So by request I'm putting it here! And yes, I'm pretty sure I was drunk when I wrote this.


2 addicted chatters go round the outside/ round the outside, round the outside Guess whos back, back again/ Firebear’s back, tell a friend/

Guess who's back, guess who's back, gruess who's back/ Guess who's back...

I've created a monster, cuz nobody wants to/ see Larry no more they want Firebear I'm chopped liver/ well if you want Larry, this is what I'll give ya/ a little bit of me mixed with some booting/ some gagging that'll quiet the room up quicker then a/ stalker when I get stalked in real life by an Ex’ when I'm not cooperating/ when I'm rocking the room while people are chatting / you waited this long now stop debating cuz I'm back, I'm on a VIP and chatenating/ I know that you got a job Norm but your wife is a sleep again at the computer / So the Idiots wont let me be or let me be me so let me see/ they tried to shut me down by writing email, but hey who would they hate without me/ So they try and try, and still don’t get to me/ so you can bite/ I don’t care, been here a while and not going away and get ready cuz this s***'s about to get heavy/ I’m still VIP soF*** YOU MRANGRY_!

Now this looks like a job for me so everybody just follow me/ cuz we need a little controversy, cuz it feels so empty without me

Little kitty’s feeling rebellious/ embarrassed, she still wants a man like Elvis/ chatters start feeling the prisoners helpless, 'til someone comes along on a mission and yells "party"/ A babester is short, could start a short revolution, trying to be nice in the chat/ so let me just revel an bask, in the fact that I can’t get everyone kissing my ass/ and it's a disaster such a catastrophe for you to see so damn much of my ass you ask for me?/ Well I'm back (batman sound) fix your chat room, tune it right and then I'm gonna/ enter in under a new name and surprise you all/ The center of singleville back for the winter/ I'm interesting, the best thing since a chat party/ Infesting in your life ears and nesting/ Testing "Attention Please" feel the tension soon as someone mentions me/ milk for 10 cents blumonkey for 2 cents netrunner is free/ A nuisance, who sent, you sent for me? Who needed the VIP?

A tisk-it a task-it, Nuckin will clear the room from who’s talking this s*** that s***. TheRealWART you can get your ass kicked/ worse than them little Guest bastards, and Twisty/ will stomp some butt/ GR, spinning the tracks/ sitting in your rocker watching the room spin by/ If You don't know me, you're too new let go its over, nobody messes with me/ Now lets go, giving you the signal March 1st is the Mardi Gras Party/I'll be there with a whole list full of surprises/ I've been used, abused and still acting like a Prince/ But sometimes it seems to get alittle deep/ everybody only wants to discuss me/ So this must mean I’m around too much, but its just me I'm just being me/ Though I'm not the first VIP to cause controversy/ I am the worst thing since MRWaffle, to guard the room so selfishly/ and use it to keep people talking and having fun (Hey)/ there's a concept that works/ 20 million chatters may emerge/ but no matter how many fish in the sea what would you do without me?

(Hum dei dei la la Hum dei dei la la... la la la) X2 "Kids"

I am happy

As we prepare to go out, she turns and ask me, "How do I look?"
After a brief second, she laughs at herself. It s that little laugh that makes my stomach do a flip.
"You look wonderful." I reply with complete honesty.

She knew what the answer would be. It is always the same answer. She never looks bad. At 6:30 AM, 9:00 PM, sleeping, cooking, driving, watching TV. She always looks wonderful.
No other person in the world is as lucky as me. She is the reason I get up in the morning. That I come home every night. When I have to spend a night away from her, I hate it. I don’t want to do it. I spent my whole life looking for her, and now that she is here, I don’t want to miss a thing. That’s our song. That’s my life.

I could not be happier spending time with world leaders, movie stars, or authors. Just being in the same room with her, doesn’t matter if I’m reading a book and she’s on the phone with a friend, makes me happy. Holding hands with her, even after almost two years, thrills me.

Now we can go back to the regular blogging. I just want to put in to perspective why all the little things, politics, stupid rules at work and in the world mean nothing. It is all left behind, when I walk into our home and there she is.

Even after a day running around with kids and washing the dog, she looks wonderful.