Well, I keep hearing from everyone that I’m supposed to be creatively writing “something” in the blogs.  Obviously the team doesn’t realize that accounting and creativity don’t usually go very well together.   In fact, it usually means that you’re spending time behind bars.  That being said, going through an audit with three auditors, being in an office with no windows knowing full well that there’s sunshine out there somewhere, and looking at numbers all day, creates a lot of pent up insanity that should start coming out.  What’s appropriate?  Good question.  What insanity should I allow to come out before they’re bringing me a beautiful new white jacket with shiny silver buckles?  Hmmmm.  I guess you’ll have to keep coming back to find out exactly what that’s going to look like.  If you know already, let me know.  I’ll use that thought to run with.  Or you could come back to see if I have survived everything.  That’s always a thought.  Maybe that will be my latest and greatest topic, Survival!!

I love working from home; well, until today.  Just as I logged in to get a head start on emails, there was a big thud.  I ran to the window to see a robin all shaken up, on my deck.  I think it is a daddy robin (no red tummy and not a baby).  Well, after a few moments of holding its mouth wide open, it hobbled over to the tree where its friends hang out.  Does that mean he will be okay?  Did he break his jaw?  Darn window, why did I wash it yesterday?

You know, I have always had an oversensitive place in my heart for animals.  I must confess I could never watch “Lassie” and to this day (don’t tell my kids), I cannot watch Bambi.  The moment I see smoke coming out of the forest, I know something bad is going to happen, and I don’t want to know the rest.  Something about an innocent animal suffering is beyond my coping mechanisms.

Today has been pure agony.  What do I do?  What should I do?  I cannot pretend it didn’t happen.  I swear the birdies are actually crying for their distressed little buddy.  And when I take a break from staring at my laptop, I have to peek through the blinds.  Every time my hopes are dashed; the poor soul has not moved in over 10 hours!   Whom I think is his lover or whatever you call them in the avian kingdom, keeps coming over to him with food and then flies away. Will she eventually leave him?  Is he hurting?  How long will this go on?  I hate this.  I mean really, it is just a bird and I have enough work to keep myself distracted.  But alas, even after pulling the blinds down and smearing mud on the window (so they know it is an impenetrable surface), I have no relief.  Thank goodness we don’t have any cats!

I will be working from the basement tomorrow.

So here I am at a Technology company blog … why in the world am I reading about ponds?  Great question!  It’s one that I really don’t have a good answer for, except to say that my wife and I are in the process of re-building our back yard pond, and I have some information to share about our little project … which by the way is not so little … nor have we in any way reached our destination! 

After a lot of grunting and groaning, a couple of beers (actually a few) and a soak or two in the hot tub, we ended up with a very muddy hole about 7 ft in diameter; 2 ft deep, and no particular plan of attack.  We could have just opened the phone book and dialed 1-800-WEFIXPONDS or better yet, called the local landscape yard to deliver enough dirt to fill it in and plant flowers.  But alas … we saw the light … and the challenge … and decided that the “journey” would be worth it.  Besides, our grandkids want to see fish in our back yard again … other than the dead ones we often throw on the barbeque!

So where does the journey to becoming a happy pond owner start?  The Internet of course!   It also helps to visit a pond place or Home Depot if you’ve got some close by.   After a little research and some creative thoughts your pond like ours, may end up with a waterfall, bubbler, stream, bog, fish, filtration and whole bunch of rocks. 

When all is said and done the effort to date has been well worth it.  If you don’t hear from me again, I’m probably stuck in the Bog!

I did it.  I never thought I would or could, but I did.  Cancelled my HD satellite TV subscription 2 days ago.

You did what?!?   That’s right!  Its gone baby gone.  I guess I’ll have a lot more time to work…um…work…work…crap.  I wonder if I can cancel my cancellation when the “Loyalty Care Team” tracks me down and likely offers me even more than 20% off my subscription if I stay.

As you can tell I’m going through withdrawal.  I’ve been considering cancelling TV for some time now, as I feel the time I spend flipping channels to “come down” at night after a good days work, could be put to much better use.  I’m looking to be more productive, find more balance and explore more creative endeavors instead of plugging in to the “Read Only” world of TV.

I know my wife and kids already appreciate it and I’m confident that I’ll find more rest and rejuvenation with activities that give back.  In the end, I think Toggle will find I’m more productive and you will definitely see a lot more blog entries posted by yours truly!

Now if I could only figure out how to stop drinking coffee?