Halloween Inventory

"H" is sitting down making little piles with all of his candy. He claims he knows how many pieces are in each pile in case either myself of "The Wife" try to sample any for safety reasons.
I spent the last hour and a half walking the neighborhood with "H" & 3 of his friends. During this time I made several observations:

These 4 kids sauntered slowly up each driveway and then slowly sauntered down the driveway to the next house.
When I was a kid Halloween was similar to a timed Olympic event. We ran from house to house, we knew we had a limited amount of time and the goal was to get as much candy during this limited time.

Houses should not give out animal crackers, potato chips or pretzels. Halloween is about sugar, artificial coloring & flavors. No healthy stuff or stuff that you would pack for your kids school lunch.

If you are trick or treating with a girl, and you kiss that girl, you are too old to trick or treat. Go home. Yes, I saw this happen tonight.

Parents do not follow your kids house to house in your car. Get out see what your neighborhood looks and smells like. When I was a kid (I'm starting to sound like my Dad now) my parents took an hour and a half once a year to go trick or treating with us.

Have your kids make their own costume, don't buy one at the party store. Wearing your basketball uniform is not a costume. "H" wore his soccer uniform not his basketball uniform in case you were wondering.

I need to get off the soapbox and go check to make sure "H"'s candy is safe....

Goose Is A Blogger As Well

Gooses's class had to write a persuasive essay for an assignment.
The teacher created a blog for the students to post them on. I must say that she is much smarter than I was at 14. I would have been a better student if we had an automatic spell check back in the 8th. grade, not the manual version called a dictionary.
Read it here.......................
Goose was also inducted into the Junior Beta club last week. Her community project will be either volunteering at the animal shelter or a retirement home.

Already Upgraded The MP3 Player

I have traded in my RCA MP3 player for an ILO that comes with 256 Megs of storage plus my 64 Meg SD card. I've got a 120 of the all times greatest songs ever stored with room for another 30 or 40. Plus the head phones are a heck of a lot more comfortable.

120 psi

Frick's World had another expensive week. As you recall the pressure relief valve on the hot water heater had been leaking & I had rigged up a MacGyver style water removal system that consisted of a garden hose, funnel, duct tape & wire. Well the plumber was impressed with my system but he was there to fix the issue not admire my handy work. The short version is that we have 140 psi water pressure coming in from the street the main PRV was only stepping the water down to 120 psi. Apparently household fixtures are designed for 80 psi. This explains why every time the kids take a shower they are pressed up against the wall from the water pressure. This 120 psi was hammering the hot water heater and caused the prv to fail. All this being said I was not that concerned because I bought American Home Shield to cover expenses like this. Well 120 psi in the house is not with in code and American Home Shield only covers items that are within code. To make matters even more depressing to bring our plumbing up to county code we have to install a back flow water tank.
So far this month the household maintenance tab is:
Refridgirator Starter Relay Switch $180.00
Hot Water & Main PRV & Parts & Labor $350.00
October Total $530.00

Brookwood Broncos

"H"'s fall basketball team came in second place in the fall tournament. They won their semi-final game last night by 1 point. The team they faced in the finals was the only team that they lost to all year. Their team came together for this game and played tight defense they only lost by 4 points. It is amazing to see some of the skills that 10 years already have. "H" is planning to play winter basketball.

Livestrong and Live with a thicker wallet?

Check out this e-bay link.....

There seems to be a secondary market for these yellow bracelets.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Is it right or wrong?
If the original $1.00 from the bracelet went to cancer research is that all the money that should go to cancer research or should people donate from the re-sale of these.
Just a few questions that some people need to ask themselves.......

This Just In Blackberry Etiquette

Fast Company has put together some guideline for our Blackberry users:

It has come to management's attention that wireless email devices have begun to hinder employees' interpersonal communication skills. In light of that, the following guidelines update Chapter 3 on email.

Conditions of Use: It is generally acceptable for supervisors to send wireless emails while meeting with underlings -- but not vice versa. Employees may not email at any engagement where the CEO is speaking; during off-site "trust exercises" that require colleagues to catch each other; and at "nonconfrontational" meetings with clients.

Mealtimes: During meals with colleagues, the use of wireless email devices is encouraged in the awkward lull between ordering and receiving food, and while awaiting the check. Employees generally should not, however, attempt to eat and email simultaneously.

Notification: In an effort to prevent workplace violence, the Company asks employees to silence devices at all times in the office.

Ergonomics: Many employees have taken to emailing, hunched over, with both hands, device nestled between the legs. The legal department has determined that this activity, though not technically harassment, could embarrass fellow employees. Hence, the Company now requires devices to be used above the waist or on the knee. Three or more "zone" violations may result in harsh disciplinary action.

Addiction: Though wireless communication is not technically classified as an addiction, the Company has started a support group for employees who derive pleasure from being tethered to their email at all times.

DMB Central Park DVD

I spent the last few hours flying out to Dallas. Watched most of DMB's Central Park DVD as I munched on a $4.00 bag of crackers. Well Frick's World is on the mend, we got the fridge repaired. It was not the compressor (which is under warranty) it was the switching module, the $180.00 switching module. The repairman said that in the last year his fridge, washer & water heater have all crapped out. I'm thinking to myself how good of a repairman can this guy really be.
"H" is playing in the basketball tournament. They won yesterday so they play on the semi-finals next Friday night. "H" had a couple of solid assists and even took in a bloody lip as he went for the ball. No blood no glory...............
I finally bought an MP3 player (Thanks for the birthday money Aunt Jo). Its nice small and included an armband for when I'm running. I also found a nice piece of software for converting files to MP3's. It even lets you set the bit rate for reduced file size and hey its free.

New Stuff

Check out the Google Desktop. This lets you search text, IM, Web History & Outlook folders on your local drive. It does take a while to index the content, but is really handy.

For all of you number crunching/watching nerds check out Worldometer.

The New Frick's World Fridge

As we near the end of the week the madness continues. The 2 year old "Fridge" has taken a nose dive. Right now we are living out of a cooler. The repairman will call in the morning with the dreaded 2 hour window in which he will be here. If we are not here for the repairman the next available appointment in next Wednesday. So right no it appears that the appliances is winning out over Frick's World.

Here's a couple of jokes that I can tell the repair man, maybe he will laugh and go easy on the bill

Why are married women heavier than single women?

Single women come home, see what's in the fridge and go to bed. Married women come home, see what's in bed and go to the fridge.

Why did the child fall off the bicycle?
Because someone threw a fridge at him.

You might be a redneck if you have to go outside to get something from your fridge!

Why Marketing Rules!!!!

Did the "Kerry Edward" campaign stumble on the magic bullet? Are these being given away to all of the Senior Florida voters? "Remember to take your pills and to vote for Kerry". Some one in the marketing department deserves a corner office for this one.

Have you seen the "Bride of Wildenstein". This women has spent a million or so on plastic surgery and her husband still left her.

In Memory Of......

Huntfish sent me this one & it was one that I had not seen yet.

Have you ever noticed that when ever you remove all the decorations from the "Christmas Boxes" that there is always one remaining piece of plastic holly or poinsettia leaves left in the bottom of the box. I repacked 6 "Christmas Boxes" yesterday and every single one of them had a piece of plastic foliage left in the bottom. How come?????

I'm not saying that I was decorating for Christmas already, but the wife is already listening to her Christmas CD's. Its going to be a long holiday season.

Why Can't I See The Sun

Want to know why. Well I'm glad you asked. I can't see the sun because there are wet clothes drying outside the window, hanging from the arbor, hanging from anything more that 4 feet off of the ground. Well to get to this point in the story lets go back to Friday.
Friday afternoon I get an e-mail from the Fraud Department of our MasterCard. The wife calls them only to find out that some company that we have never heard of is hitting our account for $5.00, $ 9.00, $7.00 consistently. Well since we only buy big ticket items these charges are not from us. To stop this madness we have to close this account and open a new account with MasterCard. Unfortunately they told us that any outstanding balances will carry to the new account. I thought that I was on my way to beating the system.
Friday night after I get home I go down into the basement (The Men's Den) and I notice that some of the cardboard boxes are collapsing. I figure that this was a result of the flood from the hurricane rain (Hurricane Rain sounds like a song). So Saturday morning we decide to tidy up the basement. We start removing the crushed boxes and we notice water standing on the floor. Guess where it was coming from, the water heater is leaking from the pressure relief valve. No big deal I decide to replace it, well I can't because who ever plumbed the house has soldered the outflow pipe to the valve and then run the pipe up into the rafters and out the side of the house. The drain is 5' above the water tank. With gravity being as such I have no idea how the water is going to flow "UP" 5' all I know is that it is dripping onto my basement floor. No big deal 10' of garden hose, a funnel, and some duct tape (Man I love Duct Tape) and I was able to drain the water out through the dehumidifier drain (With all the hose it looks like I'm making Moonshine). Now its time to go though these boxes of water damaged goods, "H" is wanting to keep toys (junk) that has been stored away for the last 2 years. If I can keep this I will play with it everyday, I promise. It is amazing how mush stuff you can accumulate over 18 years. Some of this crap we have moved into 4 different living dwellings, bit you never know when we will need this crap.
Its now Sunday and the wife is doing laundry and she hollers that the dryer is not drying. I go upstairs (out of the Men's Den) and do the normal troubleshooting, Is it plugged in? Is it turned on? Is the vent clogged? Well the answer to these questions lead me no closer to getting the dryer to dry. Well what I know about dryers will fit into a thimble and have room left over for all of China. I have watched enough HGTV to know what to do next I remove the back of the dryer and lo and behold there are wires hanging loose in the back of the dryer. Turns out that the Thermostat has become brittle after 14 years of use and cracked at the connector. This is the same connector that the hanging wires should fit snuggly into. So that my friends is why I can not see the sun.

HOV2 HOV3??????

I flew out of Washington Dulles last night. For the most part there is one main road into the airport "66". At 4:00 PM this becomes HOV2 (meaning 2 people must be in the car). I am racing down "66" at 3:45 towards the airport looking around for a homeless person to pick up in case I'm still on "66" at 4:01 and would then be in violation of the HOV 2 rule. There are even HOV 3 roads in Virginia as well. At this rate there will be a HOV 1 for cars with only person in them. Traffic & HOV is such a big part of life in Virginia that it even has its own website.

Oh and by the way there are no gas stations on "66" to refill your rental cars gas tank.... Don't ask me how I know this.

Ray Is On The Way

I just saw the previews for this. Jamie Fox has the looks of Ray and movements to match. The movie comes out on October 29, 2004.

Try This

While sitting in a chair take your right foot and begin moving it in a clock-wise direction. Once you have this going take your right hand and in the air with your finger trace the number "Six" your foot will change direction everytime

Give Martha A Shout Out

Martha Stewart
Prisoner number 55170-054
Alderson Federal Prison Camp
Glen Ray Road, Box B
Alderson, West Virginia 24910

Its Raining

I am back in Virginia and you guessed it... "It's Raining". I am going to rent my services out as Chief FricksWorld Rain Maker. I can visit drought ridden areas and bring rain and in the winter I can bring snow.

I don't know who this guy is but I found this on BlogSpot.

Peter Kay's Universal Truths.

1) Triangular sandwiches taste better than square ones.

2) At the end of every party there is always a girl crying.

3) One of the most awkward things that can happen in a pub is when your pint-to-toilet cycle gets synchronised with a complete stranger.

4) You've never quite sure whether it's ok to eat green crisps.

5) Everyone who grew up in the 80's has entered the digits 55378008 into a calculator

6) Reading when you're drunk is horrible.

7) Sharpening a pencil with a knife makes you feel really manly.

8) You're never quite sure whether it's against the law or not to have a fire in your back garden.

9) Nobody ever dares make cup-a-soup in a bowl.

10) You never know where to look when eating a banana.

11) Its impossible to describe the smell of a wet cat.

12) Prodding a fire with a stick makes you feel manly.

13) Rummaging in an overgrow garden will always turn up a bouncy ball.

14) You always feel a bit scared when stroking horses.

15) Everyone always remembers the day a dog ran into your school.

16) The most embarrassing thing you can do as schoolchild is to call your teacher mum or dad.

17) The smaller the monkey the more it looks like it would kill you at the first given opportunity.

18) Some days you see lots of people on crutches.

19) Every bloke has at some stage while taking a pee, flushed half way through and then raced against the flush.

20) Old women with mobile phones look wrong.

21) Its impossible to look cool whilst picking up a Frisbee.

22) Driving through a tunnel makes you feel excited.

23) You never ever run out of salt.

24) Old ladies can eat more than you think.

25) You can't respect a man who carries a dog.

26) There's no panic like the panic you momentarily feel when you've got your hand or head stuck in something.

27) No one knows the origins of their metal coat hangers.

28) Despite constant warning, you have never met anybody who has had their arm broken by a swan.

29) The most painful household incident is wearing socks and stepping on an upturned plug.

30) People who don't drive slam car doors too hard.

31) You've turned into your dad the day you put aside a thin piece of wood specifically to stir paint with.

32) Everyone had an uncle who tried to steal their nose.

33) Bricks are horrible to carry.

34) In every plate of chips there is a bad chip.

35) Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit;
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

The season is over

It appears that Rafael has turned himself into the Cobb County police for his second DUI. His people are saying that he does not have a drinking problem, I would agree it sounds like he has a driving problem that is brought to the surface when he is drinking. I wonder if one of Goose's teachers got popped for DUI that they would let them wait till the school year is over before turning themselves in for their jail sentence.
Read More Here

I'll Try Better

I have been very slow in posting.
I took a new position at my company starting on Sept. 7 th.
Since that time I have flown 12 connection, on Delta (even got a few upgrades), spent 14 night in 12 different hotels, had a flooded basement, painted a livingroom, installed track lights in the kitchen & turned 40.
My plan for my 40th birthday gift was to get a tattoo, well when it came down to it I decided to get a weight bench instead. The original tattoo plan was for me to get the Cat In The Hat on me and the wife was going to get Green Eggs And Ham on her. Well there is not a bunch of Kindergarten teachers sporting ink so I changed my plans.
I got some new jeans as well I went from a size 40" down to a 34" (I've lost 70lbs in the last year). I still have an American Express gift check which will go towards some new weights since I can already lift the 100lb. set that has been in the family for the last 40 years or so.