Oh happy day

Let the heat rise... from my tongue.

Bayba Ruby

Meet Bayba (tan) and Ruby (black). About 10 days ago, Nic and I were
minding our own business on a nice bike ride. At the furthest point on
the trail,these two kitties emerged from the bushes. We rescued them,
and then they captured us. Now they're part of the family.

So I have 2 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 gerbils... but only 1 wife. Nicola
keeps me too busy to date.

All too easy

Using the iPhone to blog is all too easy. Kinds leaves me with no
excuse to update this blog every now and again.

We'll see.

Where do I vegan? With a blog.

OK, so the blog about eating plants is up, up and away. Tell your friends. Tell your enemies, unless you don't want them to become healthy, that is.

A perfect night to... bask in the rays of a TV?

So I just got back home from taking the dogs for a walk with my daughter. It is arguably the most perfect temperature outside right now. We've had a few decent evenings this summer, but this one gets my vote. Little-to-no breeze, 70 degrees, comfortable in terms of humidity... perfecto.

The sun was already down when we headed out, so by the time we headed back it was nearly dark. Walking through the 'hood, it was dark enough that the large screen TV (like the size of a wall) of this one house lit up the living room and half of the front yard. Then I noticed another. Then another. I realized that our house was about the only house "in the dark." About.

And then I realized that there was, like, nobody outside. Everyone was in their living rooms, squinting at their moving walls, getting a TV tan. For six or seven blocks–nobody but me, my daughter, two dogs and the crickets.

How sad. August is almost out of wick. The number of perfect evenings are few, and then its about a four or five month wait.

So, for tonight anyway, I'm glad I don't have a TV that could double as a billboard.

The NEW Helio "Total Happiness Guarantee"

It is now August 26.

You may want to read my post "Stranded in the Ocean" first. But a quick recap for those of you keeping score at home: ordered phones from Helio in May, canceled in June within the 30 day trial period, still have the devices and a growing file of records from my phone calls to Helio.

I just spent 44 minutes and 27 seconds on the phone with Helio for my 6th call to get this one issue resolved. With each call I have been keeping a note of the time, date, person I've talked to, etc. So here's round 6, and I've still made no progress.

Helio offers a "Total Happiness Guarantee (middle of the page, toward the bottom)." So you order their products and, if not satisfied, return them within 30 days for a full refund. I called for the first time on June 11 to cancel my account. We're closing in on a full 3 months since that call and I have yet to receive the mysterious RMA slips that I need to return the devices for credit.

Each of the 6 times I have called I have spoken with girl service reps, all sounding about 18 years old. I just spoke with a supervisor, Jackie. She sounded 20ish, though the way she was arguing with me she may still be in high school. She is an unprofessional smart alec. She also struggled with finding the word "expedite," though its quite possible they are not allowed to use such a dirty word at Helio.

So what sucks is the fact that I cannot receive my refund until Helio receives the devices. I cannot send the devices until I receive the RMA slips from Helio. And Helio can't seem to figure out a way to get the RMA slips to my house, though the devices made it here without 6 additional calls.

I am totally not happy. They can't guarantee happiness. So, I will give you the "New Helio Total Happiness Guarantee" from a Helio customer's perspective. The new guarantee is much shorter, too. If you want a guarantee that Helio will make you happy, don't do business with them. Done.

Tell your family. Tell your friends.

Helio: Korean for ridiculous.

It is official - summer is over

While we'll have our 90's, we'll have our humidity, we'll have our thunderstorms for the next month or even two, the summer time is officially over. 

Tomorrow morning the kids head off to school for the '07 - '08 school year.  The kids are saying their farewell's tonight to late nights and lazy mornings.  We're trading in our "what would you like to do tonight's  for "did you get everything done?'s.  The cushy life is on hold for now.

This 2007 summer has been good in most ways.  I personally feel like it has been long, which is a good thing.  Winter is fine, as long as there is snow on the ground, but I prefer hanging out with summer.  Like not a little.  Like, a lot.

Busyness is here.  Let the games begin.

Blogged with Flock

Those days

100_1501.JPG,
originally uploaded by lyndonperry.

This photo is date stamped August of 2003. Four years ago. Those four years aren't as big a deal for me, but for Shea and Shanna, it is a third of their life. The physical difference in them from the date of this shot to today is dramatic.

One trait I love about these kids is the fact that being pulled around in a little trailer on the back of a lawn mower tractor is good entertainment in their book. To an extent that is still true today, though they'd rather be on the tractor, driving. But even at 10 and 11 they would get a kick out of this same ride.

Shanna's "cute" has begun its metamorphisis into "beautiful." She probably wouldn't want dirt smudged on her face now, or at least not want a photo taken while in that condition.

Shea's "cute" is becoming "handsome" and "rawk starish." He'd have the same smile, but you may not see his eyes now with his shaggy do. You certainly wouldn't see his forehead. And the length of his body, which has practically doubled since this shot, wouldn't fit comfortably in that position any longer.

I love those days, but I love who they are now, too. You can't have both, so I'm glad we at least have the ability to capture the "those days" with photographs.

Time to (plant) launch the veggie blog

There were overwhelming results from the poll I posted for a blog about vegan eating. Five total votes. I can't remember, but I think one of those votes was mine. Thankfully the poll calculates the results for me. I just don't have time to wade through the votes to come up with the conclusion on my own.

So the most voted for title is "Where Do I Vegan." I'm still going to think on it some, but I'll probably go ahead and launch it as such. From day to day Nicola and I field a number of questions about eating plants, so I'd like to launch it sooner than later. It will be nice to direct people to one place online to give our story and provide a bunch of links.

So thanks to the four of you who voted. From that poll alone it is clear - this is going to be one popular blog. Hope Google is ready for the bandwidth drain.

Here I am, and its your fault

So, with me and my "A" posted, I have my "A"ssociate Degree. Nicola was being sneaky on Wednesday of this week and sent out a load of emails to friends and family to let them know, and to nudge them to congratulate me. She did a very good job. Throughout the day I was receiving text messages and emails from people who I am quite sure I hadn't informed yet, so I knew something was up.

Although only about 3 people actually read this, I'll post this as if to reach everyone that sent some form of congratulations to me. I have to admit that while I did take the effort to sign up and attend classes and do the work to get the grades, I had the help of many people. There have been countless times in the past few years where I have had to turn down activities with friends and family to study. It paid off, of course.

So though I've been given the pat on the back from many of you, I'd like to say, "hats off to you." Its true that I did make it to this important milestone. I know I got here because of many of you. Be sure to stay 'til the end of my biographical film to see your name in the credits. As with this blog, that film is going to be huge!

Especially to my family, Nicola and Shea and Shanna, thank you, thank you, thank you. You have all pitched in and sacrificed to gimme the juice to cross the finish line.