Been a while

Hi again, dear old friend

I sure did enjoy typing stuff on this blog.  Enjoyed learning and doing the one thing that I dreamed of someday pursuing, writing.

But life gets in the way and the next thing you know you're an old bastard and although you're a pretty happy guy, you realize that there's just a whole different set of priorities that come with really growing as a person and a family.

But I still thought about coming back periodically and putting my thoughts on this wonderful, fun and sometimes elucidating thing called a blog.

Well, I am one hell of a happy guy.  Found a wonderful (and really, wonderful) girl, have two little doggies and business is going well (in spite of the prevailing crap economy lol).

I did a little traveling this last year and I want to put some of the trip up.  Why not put it up here?

Sweet P at O'Hare ready to board, first leg to Japan

We flew Japan Airlines and it was simply the best flight I've ever been on.  Super polite, extra comfortable seats, we drank like fish and they didn't care!  Great flight, I highly recommend it.

Me in my underwear at 4am talking to the guys at the office.  She couldn't resist.

We visited Mt Fuji

You'd think I could figure out how to rotate this.  But apparently not...

This was the last pic because it was, I kid you not, 28 degrees and there was a 40MPH wind.  The cold was unreal.  Literally took your breath away.  I ran back to the warmth of the store thing after this.  Yes I am a wimp.

Thomas Pedicini

Visited New York. Stopped by the 9/11 memorial. Found Thomas Pedici on the list of names. Took a photo. I remember you Thomas...  More later.

Axiom

If you have to call someone to determine if you've pissed them off...

You have.

The preceding was a PSA from Captain Obvious

Delirious Happiness

“Happiness is a warm puppy.” 
- Charles M. Schulz 

I think I've lost my ability to blog with any effectiveness.  I still enjoy putting words down but it seems like I could once envision what to write and some part of my brain just took over and crafted the words needed into finger motions which produced that vision.

That doesn't happen anymore.

Now I have an idea, begin to consider ways to articulate and something happens like Ali jumping around being cute or Halle playing hide and seek or my beautiful sweet girl will do something that will just derail all thought and I end up doing everything but writing down that idea.

It's not that I don't have ideas.  It's not that I can't write or take a few minutes to do what I'm doing now, it's just that something has happened and planning seems to be going out the window in favor of some really good stuff.

So I want to just say this; if you are reading this, be happy.  It's a choice.  Trust God, because you might not have a plan but he does; for you.  I may post something or I may not, but regardless of who you are and what your situation is, I hope good things happen in your life.

And I hope you're happy.

-Stew 

Merry Christmas 2013

Verti Gaaaaaaaag!

Had a little surprise a while back.  It was pretty scary too.  Imagine just cranking along, going about your daily business and suddenly you start feeling a little queasy.

Next thing you know, you can't walk.  The world is spinning and you're puking anything that gets near your stomach.

I had vertigo.  It. was. horrible....

Turns out it was a benign form of proximal vertigo that comes and goes on

it's own.  Scared the beJesus out of me.  Doc prescribed me something and I'm feeling a lot better.

But I tell you, going through this really makes me appreciate living.  Whereas I would once write off a day that wasn't going well, I now take a little more time to understand what's going on.  I can perhaps see the bright side of that downside.  It's helped me, perhaps it can help you too.

Berzerk!

Remember this game?


Play Berzerk

Many quarters perished in the (vain) pursuit of escape.  Berzerk is sad by the standards of today's games but the strategy and tactics are timeless.

Ironically in the current world of free games, this one would never survive.  But when a kid, and a quarter had to be earned by mowing the lawn, cleaning something, picking up five bottles from the roadside and getting your parents to take you to a store that would give you the redemption, the amount of time spent per quarter was a HUGE factor.

It's laudable that gaming publishers figured out that with the advent of ubiquitous access, giving the game away, getting the user hooked and then offering an in-app purchase would work.