Bad for your wallet websites...good for the economy of some .com

So I have this problem...kind of like video lottery, but I lose a lot less money, and when I do spend money I get something I "really need" in return.

If you look to the right of this blog you will notice some links...Steep and Cheap and Whiskey Militia. I hit these sites at least once a day. Some of the stuff is ridiculous and I would never need it, but sometimes you can score a really good deal on outdoor gear or clothes.

Lately, I have re-found a website I used to hit up a lot, but for some reason it forgot about it...it is woot.com. They usually have electronics, refurbed MP3 players, speakers, computers...etc.

I have bought 2 new MP3 players in the last 5 weeks off of WOOT.COM, and together they have 9GB of memory, one plays video, pictures and music and both together cost less than $70.

The first ever MP3 player I bought about 6 years ago had 64mb internal memory and a card that doubled it!!! I payed $120 for that. So if you wait for a little bit longer you can pick up that 60GB video I-Pod for $50 on some website.

The Robber and Steve Nash with a "ba-ba".

MAXIM THE ROBBER...

So the other night Maxim, Brecken and I were screwing around in our master bedroom and Breck found a nylon stocking...which as I write this I can't think of what would have prompted Steph to actually need to wear nylons...but whatever...it was lying on the floor so I put it on Maxim and about 10 minutes of insanity ensued. I have video that I should post of the 2 boys running around with a nylon stocking over their heads, but I am afraid Children's Social Services would be knocking at our door tonight...here is Maxim's best Nixon impression.

STEVE NASH WITH A "BA-BA"

When we were in Phoenix we watched a lot of Suns basketball and it dominated the local news because Shaq had just been traded there a week or so earlier.

We saw a lot of Steve Nash, and I have always liked him...kind of the same reason I always like Bird...hard working, not overly gifted sizewize, just plays his heart out every night, and he's got cool hair.
After years of not caring about the NBA, I have actually watched a few games this year, basically because it was the only sport in HD that was on TV.

I have to say I am looking forward to the NBA playoffs this year, I can actually tell you the last time that happened. It was the 1996 NBA Playoffs...the year the Bulls went 72-10...my roommate Rahn and I hated Michael Jordan and wanted nothing more than the Sonics to ruin their record year. Chicago won the series 4 games to 2, and Jordan was named Finals MVP. I still don't like him...Shawn Kemp, Detlef Schrempf, Hersey Hawkins, Sam Perkins, GARY PAYTON, and George Karl on the bench...ahhh those were the good ole days.

Anyway, I talked Steph into buying Brecken a Nash jersey...she was so against it, because she hates most jerseys, but she caved in. This morning she put the jersey on Breck and was bragging on how cute he looked.

So just in case, Steve Nash Googles himself today...I thought he might be proud to see some crazy-haired bottle sipping kid from South Dakota was rocking his jersey.

Easter Sunday.

We have been doing this thing before we put the boys to bed where we tell our 3 favorite things about the day. Of course, Brecken just runs around and pays no attention during this very special family time. There are times when it is tough to come up with 2 things, and then there is days where 3 is not enough.

Easter Sunday was one of those days where you added a couple extra things to your list.

Maxim sang in church, and he actually moved his mouth, we were so proud. I have no idea what song they sang now that I think about it, but he did a good job up there, and we have pictures to prove it.

We then went over to my cousin Mary's for Easter ham. Mary is like a cooler more laid back version of Marth Stewart, kind of like Martha without the East Coast snobbery. So I always giver her a hard time about her presentation of the table/meals/home layout...etc. She earned a 9.8 this year. Of course basketball was on so most of us watched Davidson put their Cinderella-magic to work on Georgetown.

Brecken ate a few bites of ham and some potatoes, but his big deal for the day was the amount of candy...in his reach...that could be eaten without parental supervision. He was on a continued sugar buzz for at least 7 hours.

I'm not sure how chocolate and the death/resurrection of our Savior go hand in hand, but believe me...Brecken is glad they do.

The Easter Weasel did stop by Mary's with a load of eggs and the kids ran around looking for eggs with more candy. It took Brecken only 1 egg to discover that if you throw the egg with all of your almost 2 year old might on the concrete it breaks open and the candy spills out and it is free for the taking. (As illustrated in the picture to the right.)

The kids and adults had fun and I think they found all of the eggs.

After the festivities we headed back home. Brecken fell asleep for 30 minutes and when he woke up he was ready for round number 2. We played outside until the sun went down and then grilled hot dogs.

We played a family game of baseball in the front yard...Maxim got a couple of good hits and Brecken cried each time he didn't get to be the batter.

Finally around 9:30 p.m. the sugar wore off and they both crashed.

Actually all 4 of us crashed.

Other People's Pain Is Sometimes Funny...

As most of you know I worked in TV for a number of years, and bloopers were just a part of the job, whether it be your fault or someone else's fault they always made someone laugh...not always us.

Thought you would all like this one...as a couple of what seems like "has been" news reporters go at it right during the live shot.

Easter Weasel.

Cassidy this post is for you.

About 8 or 9 years ago my oldest niece Cassidy lived in Alaska...one Easter they came home to the lower 48. She must have been expecting bunnies, chocolate, and eggs, but for some reason I messed with her and told her I had never heard of the Easter Bunny, but we did have an Easter Weasel.

The folklore goes like this....the Easter Weasel runs around stealing eggs from chickens and colors them then hides them all over, and it is the kid's duty to find them, and the chickens are totally cool with the kids keeping them.

So started a tradition...the tradition of the Easter Weasel.

E-Weasel also likes to eat the ears off of any chocolate bunny given to children of the family on Easter. Grandpa Bob started that one long before Cassidy was born.

So this post is dedicated to the Easter Weasel, or Easter Ferret in some parts of the world...I couldn't believe it when I found 2 pictures of the Easter Weasel on the Internet.

Happy Easter...and by the way this weekend is not a celebration of Spring or about the bunny or the weasel.

Happy St. Patrick & Survey Results

Hey, it's March 17th...whoop-te-O'doooo.

Some of you remember my Halloween posting where I poked some gentle fun at adults who dress up in costumes to go to work. I still think that is stupid...and generally I don't get the hype around St. Patrick's day either...although I am much more tolerant of green wearing folks if Irish-descent.

I must work around too many women...as there is little Leprechauns wishing me a happy spring in plants around the office, green M&M's in candy dishes and today I might be the only one in my wing of the building that isn't wearing some sort of green.

I guess I have been this way since high school...I'm not Irish, I'm not Catholic and the closest thing we have to a Leprechaun in our family is my Uncle Skipper.

So forgive me if I choose to not pretend I'm Irish today. I do hope the Cubs win while wearing green uniforms, and also I hope the Chicago river looks nice...dyed green...enjoy it Aaron and Sheila!

Survey Results:

-62% of you found this website by word of mouth...12.5% because I begged you to come here

37.5% of you visit the website for reasons other than listed in the multiple choice...an amazing 25% come here because of my writing ability and my good looks.

-Only 18% are from the Huron city limits...2 folks do come from Hoth and 1 from Endor.

-Most people considered us friends or relatives...about 54%...only 6.3% thought we were insane.

-Most of you dedicated readers have been reading the site for a year.

-94.3% of you thought the solid rock anchor of the family was someone else besides me.

-An equal number of majority would like to see more long form essays and pictures of Steph

The most loved team from all readers is the Vikings bringing in 28.6% of the votes.

-And J. McCain would win the election, but just narrowly over SMELO-Land weather anchor Jay Trobec...he actually only won by 2 votes...I think if Volesky would be the VP on Trobec's ticket he would win...hands down.

Thanks for playing.

Survey Results...next week.

The 1st ever LOL survey is going well...the results are some what funny and most of the answers I expected.

I'm going to let the survey and the website stew for the weekend and early next week I will release the information.

I feel a bit like Neuman the mailman from Seinfeld..."When you control the mail, you control....information!"

Click below to take the survey...you know you want to!!!

Click Here to take survey

Living On Liquid Survey...the first ever!

So I always have to take surveys with my job asking me how I like this or that, or how helpful this meeting was or this conference could be better with.....

I thought I would spread my pain to the readers of this website with the first ever Living On Liquid survey.

It should only take 5 minutes to do, unless you have a hard time reading, then it might take 12 minutes. The excitement of taking a survey will make the time fly by.

Thanks...Oh yeah, most surveyors say that this information will better help them serve the survey taker...I won't lie to you, there is nothing in this survey that will help anyone!

Click Here to take survey

The best way to put kids to bed.........

Is to make them work/play outside for 7 hours.

For the last 2 evenings the boys have not gone inside until the sun goes down, which has been so nice...they may be a bit on the muddy side, but that's what boys do.

Monday night we played outside with every outside toy we own, it was like Christmas all over again opening up the storage shed where their toys are. They put a couple miles on their electric Jeep, and ran over some small shrubbery and into a couple of trees.

Then I started a fire in the burning barrel and it was ON. Both boys are pyromaniacs! OK, all 3 of us are. We burned everything, including this wooden snowman that Steph told me to throw away the other day...Maxim would have burned the deck if he could have lifted it! We had flames jumping 5 feet out of the barrel.

Last night, with the help of our neighbor and her chainsaw, and my chainsaw which wasn't working very smoothly, we cut up a tree that the utility linemen cut down for us. It was a 40' evergreen that was dirty and annoying...a very pretty tree...in someone else's yard. Maxim and Brecken hauled branches for 2 hours...without complaining! In fact, they asked to help...I'm not sure if they are my kids. By the end of it we had a huge pile of branches that they were jumping into and crawling through.

8pm rolled around and they ate like rabid wolves, then took baths and both went to bed without incident...which never happens in our home.

Thank God for spring!

PHX Update 1.4...the final installment.

Back to reality.

I sat down at my desk this morning to a week of mail, 67 newspapers, about 80 e-mails that I didn't respond to last week, and my coffee mug had some funky mold growing in it. Somehow I was relaxed and didn't notice the time fly by...all of the sudden 5 pm...time to go home...and I actually enjoyed the day.

PHX was beautiful and Steph and I needed some time alone away from everything. I couldn't believe how relaxing it was, even though I had a very full schedule while we were down there.

We came back just in time for winter to be on the way out the door and it looks like spring is right around the corner!

While Steph was in town today the utility came by and chopped down a big evergreen we asked them to cut down, as it was growing into the power lines, the only problem is now I have to clean up the mess! Lucky for me I watched Ax Men on the History Channel last night, and I know how to take care of felled trees, I just need a little bit more equipment and I could start a logging company!

PHX Update 1.3

This would have came a long time ago, but we were having a blast!

We just got back from our 2nd Phoenix Coyotes hockey game of the week...we loved the atmosphere around Jobing.com Arena. The Yotes lost both games we went to this week and the Cubbies lost the game we went to as well. We actually thought about going to the Suns game last night, but decided to hang out downtown right by ASU's campus, and we watched the game...SUNS LOST!

I think the Mayor of Phoenix will ban us from the city.

Anyway, we are ready to come home to see our boys, and get settled back into the cold weather...kicking and screaming.

We will post some pictures and video through out next week.

PHX Update 1.2

Do we have to come home?????

PHX Update 1.1

The Cubs new import from Japan, Kosuke Fukudome, broke out yesterday...a day after being harassed by some bums in White Sox jerseys in right field at HoHoKam Field...the Spring Training homefield for the Cubs. Fuku missed 2 foul balls that he should have had for outs, and also had a very poor day at the plate.

But on Monday, he went 3-for-3, including a solo homer with one out in the third and an RBI single in the fourth. I hope he works out...it was cool when he went to bat everyone chanted "FOOOOOOO".

I might have Steph talked into catching one more game.

We went to a super nice Italian restaurant this evening...Tomasso's...we didn't understand a thing our waiter said for about the first 10 minutes!

Tomorrow we head to our 2nd resort and have most of the day to ourselves.

PHX Update 1.0

This is Steph...and one of the pools on the property of the Arizona Grand Resort. For the record...Steph sat by the pool all day yesterday...she looks really dark. I spent all day listening to speakers...I look really white.

Weather is good the Cubs game was fun.

Will tell you about more later.