Blog is moving

I'm relocating my blog over to WordPress. Just more features that impress me. You can visit it @ http://joshlowe.wordpress.com/. It's now titled "Oxi is a Moron", until I come up with something better. Thanks for visiting!

~J~

A Haunting...er, sort of

I'm happy to report that our ghost hunting investigation/ tour was a hit! We showed about 1/2 hour early and had our fill of appetizers from Olive Garden, Kellys, etc., not to mention wine & punch...box wine ain't all bad either! lol

Anyway, the tour was of the Phoenix/ Mid-City Hotel in downtown Bloomington, IL. It was a hotel from around 1903 - 1950's. The place was essentially untouched since the 60's. Our tour guides were dressed in early 1900's attire, and were very knowledgeable about the hotel. Our tour kicked off around 5pm.

We went upstairs to the main lobby of the hotel. The first thing I noticed were the original guest ledgers from the 1900's. I opened one book to the date of 12/31/1941 - 1/1/1942. Very cool. The floors were littered with newspapers from the 60's. I've never seen so much wallpaper either...lol.

We made our way around that floor, performed some techniques involving a pendulum, electro-magnetic meters & dowsing rods. We all had minor experiences here. Nothing ground-breaking. Then we made our way to the 3rd floor (2nd floor of the hotel).

The upstairs had 26 rooms. They were creepy to say the least. Zero light up there. So the flashlights were essential. My wife & I branched off from everyone else. She saw a shadow in one room, we were introduced to a Korean War vet in another room via our spiritual medium. He took a fancy to brunettes. Unfortunately, that was about it. I wasn't once uneasy nor did I experience anything. I was disappointed about that, but it was a great tour anyway.

After the tour ended, we decided to talk with the medium. I expressed to her that I was very interested in participating in any future ghost investigations. Not tours, but "real" investigations. I have always been fascinated with the paranormal & the supernatural. If there is a legitimate group forming in Bloomington-Normal, I want to get in on the ground floor (so to speak).

After that, Megan & I decided to drink & eat some more before we fully got our money's worth. At night's end, we had had a great time. We look forward to the next tour, which is a walking tour of downtown. We'll be there.

I Sense a Disturbance in the Force...

So Megan & I have decided to go on a ghost tour-type thingy in Bloomington tomorrow. It is apparently in the upstairs floors of an old-ass flower shop. There will be a psychic who will show us how to tap into our ability to "sense" spirits, as well as a seance or ghost hunt, or something. Plus there's booze & food from different restaurants that will be there. Score!

I'm pretty psyched, because I LOVE shows like Ghost Hunters, Most Haunted & Ghost Adventures. Always have been an avid paranormal buff. Now I will (hopefully) get to experience something first-hand. I just hope it's not a total fake!!

Learning to sense spirits might be cool, but I'm sure it's just a form of meditation toget you to a point where you hear & sense everything around you to "feel" like there's stuff happening around you. I AM convinced that the "training" won't convert me into a certified paranormal medium, though it sounds like a cool experience. But I might be seriously pissed if I wake up Monday morning and start seeing dead people!

Quarantine...been there, seen that.

So, my wife & I went to see this movie "Quarantine". Yeah...if you've already seen films like "28 Days Later" or "I Am Legend" or any other "some unknown virus turns people into killer zombies" type of film, then you've seen the likes of "Quarantine". Stay home.

Synopsis : A camera crew have been trapped in a building secured by the intelligence bureau due to the outbreak of a virus that turns humans into blood suckers...no shit.

There were very few moments where you could blatently anticipate the "holy sh*t" moment upcoming. I could immediately pick out the characters who would make it through until the end of the film. The movie itself was filmed in a familiar POV reference (think "Blair Witch Project" or "Cloverfield"). My wife was actually naucious at the end of the film. Very shakey, lots of camera movement. In the end, the film was fun. It could have easily been a rental though.

Frighteningly, I enjoy these "bio-terror" films. Some of the plots are not too far off from reality when you think of all the mutations we conduct with genetic studies today. The most frightening outcome was "I Am Legend"'s cure for cancer. Great solution, however it has a mutation that will zombify all of humanity and wipe the human race from this planet. Jesus...just think about all the drugs/medicines that the FDA approved thinking they were fine. Now links are showing child immunizations a possible link to Autism. And I'm quite sure that sterioids & estrogen are boosting cancer in women. Not to mention anti-persperant deoderants...they block you from sweating out crutial toxins from your body. And as a result, the toxins build up in your lymph glands. Hmmm. Time to wake up people!

ISU Homecoming

As sad as it is to admit, this year was one of the first homecoming events I've been to since graduating from ISU in '97. It was a great time. Unfortunately they hosed the football game in the 4th quarter, but all in all it was a fun & lively homecoming this year.

Hell, I was even on the clock with the Secretary of State's office the entire time. I worked a booth where we issued license renewals, ID's, sticker renewals, etc. Handed out lots of free "junk", met a lot of nice people and ate a ton of great and FREE food! And the college kids were just walking around with cases of beer out in the open!! I guess the town of Normal is loosening up a bit on their anti-drinking crack-downs. That would have NEVER happened when I attended. As for the ISU Homecoming events in the future, you can guaran-damn-tee that I'll be attending from here on out!

Go Redbirds!

Chicago Cubs Baseball...It's Fantastic!

really?!  3 & out?!  ugh, must be painful.  but i didn't really have any doubts it would happen.  100 years of tradition has to mean something.

What a bomb (pun intended)

Sooooo, Megan & I went to see Tropic Thunder this week.  What can I say other than...it sucked!  I love all 3 of these actors, but their characters were just dumb.  As was the entire "plot".  

Jack Black plays a heroine-addicted fat obnoxious actor who's overly "hollywood".  He is the star of movies where he plays all the characters (think The Klumps w/ Eddie Murphy) and they all sit around farting.  That's it.

Robert Downey, Jr. plays a method actor who undergoes a pigmentation surgery for his role as a black man.  And I just scratched my head the entire time as to WHY this character needed to be played by a white man?  Or why he needed to be black?  I guess it's all part of the "fun" with this movie.As described in an online review as "blaxploitation-era negritude".  Pretty much.  

Then we have Ben Stiller's character.  He plays a washed-up Rambo movie 1 through 20 type actor (Tugg Speedman) who's looking to resurect his career.  Long story short, the cast is great, but the characters are weak as hell.

I won't bash this film too bad, since I had 2 free tickets to go to the movie.  They were a gift.  I could have used them to see "Burn After Reading" (which I hear is an 'out there' funny movie), but I chose TT.  Here's what happens in a nutshell:

SPOILER (hardly) ALERT!

the 3 actors just aren't 'feeling it' on the set.  so the real hero (Nick Nolte) who's there as a consultant tells the virgin director to "take them (actors) into the shit" and film their reactions guerilla-style.  so they go into the Vietnam jungle, where they think they are being filmed...well, they're not.  Turns out it's 'real' combat.  And Stiller's character gets caught and taken as a POW to a heroin production camp (see what's coming?).

The rest of the team of actors decide to "cowboy up" and rescue Stiller.  Lots of "finding yourself" crap happens, a few laughs, and Stiller is rescued.  Oh, and Matthew McConaughey plays Stiller's agent.  And his concern throughout most of the film is whether or not Stiller's character gets his TiVo installed in his house.  Seriously?!

I forgot to mention the best part (or only good part) of the film...it's bat-shit crazy Tom Cruise as a Jewish TV executive.  Mouthy, drops "f-bombs" like it's a night over Bhagdad...he's awesome!  Even screams at the terrorists over the phone and hangs up on them...priceless!  Oh, and don't forget the "Play'a" dance Cruise does in his office.  Hits the remote and music & lights come on to some hip-hop song.  Watching white men dance to hi-hop = priceless!

So veterans beware.  This film has moments where you will think they are poking fun at war.  There will be times where you feel they think Vietnam was a joke.  But the underlying tone of this film is just stupid.  Love you Stiller, Love you Black, Love you Downey, Jr.  But this script was one in which you simply say..."Pass".   Lesson learned.

Yeah, this about sums it all up...

UGH! F'n MySpace PORN!

i am SO SICK of MySpace porn disguised as "Friend Requests". and you can't even navigate through the site without pop-ups and shit invading your screen. i'm done with MySpace anyway. facebook & Troopspace are the future of social networking anyway.


seriously...i waste more friggin' time logging in and viewing friend requests than i do anything else on MySpace! it's my biggest concern for when Troopspace starts getting larger and larger. but facebook has a great handle on it, so i'm sure we'll do the same. the verification pop-up screen that requires you to type in an authentification word seems to deter much of the bot spamming.


why doesn't MySpace utilize this service? your guess is as good as mine. MySpace has died into a site for desperate band homepages and "real women" doing useless activities in front of a webcam that's supposed to be "erotic". don't believe me? read this and see for yourself. if you're not between the ages of 12-19, you don't belong on MySpace anyway!

i was never a MySpace guy to begin with (you can see that for yourself by going to my page). i hardly EVER check it anymore. i recently created a profile page for my website Troopspace.net in order to help "spread the word", but all i get is spam, spam, spam requests. F'n annoying!

Unbe-Fuckin'-lievable!

Oh, now this is classic. Now I have a spy...

Yeah, it appears that "someone" (and I have a sneaking suspicion I know who "someone" is) called my director and complained that they were required to work the counters in the driver's license facilities on days when they weren't traveling. They wanted to know why I was in my office and didn't have to do the same?!

Really?? Why is everyone in my shit?! First off, bullshit. I have yet to see any of these office gnomes out helping THEIR facility staff when I visit. But one person comes into my facility and catches me in my office (either replying to relevant emails, on the phone assisting another facility employee or developing a presentation on my computer...because that's what I do) and they assume I'm sleeping or wasting tax payer dollars. Guess what, you have NO F'N idea what I do. Want to know what I've done this month? Read my f'n activity report...talk to the staff in my facility...confront me! But noooooo. Instead they call the director and snivel like a little bitch behind my back. That's mature and responsible. I'm sure "whoever" reported me has a valid reason. And it's not because they are jealous or anything. Pussy.

So besides all of the work that REQUIRES ME to be in my office behind MY COMPUTER, I have taken it upon myself to also help out the staff here by processing applicants, answering phones to a sickening degree of politeness, and shooting my middle finger in the air SO HARD. Happy?

Can you see this? Because I'm doing it as hard as I possibly can...

Holy Complicated Batman!!

Wow...I just spent the better part of an hour trying to upload a customized layout for my blog here. Had no idea that there was such a difference between a "layout" and a "template". One is in XML format where the other is in HTML. And I GUESS the two don't make good bed fellows.

Regardless, I tried to choose a LAYOUT that wasn't so irritating that it would chase off what (if any) readers I have. There are a lot of cool ones out there for FREE though. And kudos to those designers. I'd have no idea how to create a custom graphic like these. Bravo.

So yeah, I pretty much just wasted an entire morning doing this. Oh...I DID create a test blog. This is because the first time I tried to install the new layout, it completely WIPED OUT my widgets (AKA all the links, audio blog, map, etc you see to the right of this blog post). I freaked!!! So luckily, I was able to back out without destroying everything. I then went to a site called Blogger Buster (which comes HIGHLY recommended for Blogger nOObs!) and it described how to convert the old-to-new layout while maintaining ALL of your widgets. Thank the Lord! I wasn't somehow able to save ALL of my widgets, but the 2 that didn't survive the transition were easily installed again.

So off I go again into the blog-o-sphere! Hope this layout works as well as the last one. If it sucks, I'm sure I'll hear about it. Blog on brothers & sisters...blog on!

Madden curse put to the test this season

There's going to have to be some MAJOR VOODOO this season for the Curse to maintain its legacy.

On one hand, we have the NFL's Iron Man with over 253 consecutive starts. And that's NOT counting all the playoff games. Think about that...Favre has started/played in every game since Sept. 27, 1992! An amazing feat. I'm sure he'll be fine. "Fine from what?" you ask? The Curse.

You see, on the other hand, we have the infamous "Madden Curse". For those of you who don't know the mystique of the Curse, allow me to elaborate for a second.

Since it's inception in 1989, the Madden Football game had always been graced with the goofy smiling face of John Madden. That is, until the year 2000. This is when the Madden franchise decided to use actual NFL players to market their game. The player is posed in some sort of "action pose", and is chosen based on his performance from the prior year. Not necessarily the MVP, but of the same caliber. Unfortunately, these cover boys didn't fare too well in the end.

In 2000, the players who were "lucky" enough to appear on a major video game cover were pretty stoked (I'm sure). Hell, it seems like 1/2 of the NFL players actually PLAY Madden! Who wouldn't like playing a game where you could play as yourself and dominate the competition?! That's probably a major reason why Madden now allows it's players to create a player and customize it to look like the gamer! Pretty cool. Anyway, I'm not here to review the game. You can do that for yourself. Back to the Curse.

Here are a list of players who have appeared on the cover, and how they fared:

(NOTE: the Madden NFL 2002 would refer to the version of Madden NFL released just prior to the start of the 2001-2002 NFL season, etc.)

2000: Barry Sanders (RB) - Detroit Lions: (didn't play a down and retired out of the blue)

2000: Dorsey Levens (RB) - Green Bay Packers: Madden had to quickly change covers so they chose Levens who played pretty well, was nagged by a knee-injury all season. He was released in 2001.

2001: Eddie George (RB) - Tennessee Titans: Wow, really?! I'd forgotten about him. Despite a really good season (stat wise), George was responsible for bobbling a pass that was intercepted and returned for a TD in a season-ending Divisional game against Baltimore. Oops! The next season he watched his rushing yards plummet to an all-time low and was hampered by injuries.

Starting to see a trend here?

2002: Daunte Culpepper (QB) - Minnesota Vikings: Coming off of an impressive year, Culpepper "led" his team to a 4-7 season before he took a whack in the knee and missed the last 5 games. You have to agree, he's never been the same since.

2003: Marshall Faulk (RB) - St Louis Rams: Stud! He helped lead his team to the Super Bowl 2 out of the last 3 years. But, alas, he was plagued by an ankle injury in 2002 (of course he did). He couldn't get 1000 yards this year, and the Rams dropped to 7-9.

2004: Michael Vick (QB) - Atlanta Falcons: Michael, Michael. The famous dog lover. So much natural talent and such a disappointment. Took his 13-32 Falcons (2 seasons before 2002) to the Playoffs. But, (yeah, you guessed it) suffered a fractured right fibula in pre-season (1 DAY AFTER MADDEN 2004 HIT THE SHELVES!!!) . He played only 5 games and Falcons sank to 5-11.

2005: Ray Lewis (LB) - Baltimore Ravens: Probably one of the best selling Maddens (in my opinion) because they had the Collector's Edition. And it introduced some new features. Lewis had career high numbers the previous season in interceptions and helped lead his team to the playoffs for 3rd straight season. But '04 wasn't Ray's year (and pretty much his only bad season). He didn't get 1 interception and missed the last game of the season with an owie. And in '06, he suffered a torn hamstring and missed the last 10 games, and the Ravens sucked.

I'm telling you, it's for real...

2006: Donovan McNabb (QB) - Philadelphia Eagles: Do I even need to talk about his injuries?! Coming off of 5 straight Playoff appearances, an NFC Championship & a Super Bowl appearance, he was locked and loaded with a 59-21 record. McNabb was selected for the Madden cover and just HAD to say something about the curse: "might be a trend, but I don't believe in the curse at all". Dummy. He got a sports hernia in the 1st game, opted for surgery & missed the last 7 games. Eagles finished last in NFC East. Lesson learned = Don't mock the curse!

2007: Shaun Alexander (RB) - Seattle Seahawks: Yet another awesome season that was followed by disappointment after the Madden appearance. Even made it to the franchise's 1st Super Bowl appearance. Sadly, 3 weeks into the '06 season Alexander broke his left foot and missed the next 6 games. He CLEARLY isn't the same player. In fact, he wasn't picked up by ANY team in this '08 off-season.

2008: Vince Young (QB) - Tennessee Titans: Hurt his quad in 5th game and missed the following game. Insignificant you say? Well considering that he never missed a game since middle school leading up to this event...I'd say that's a big deal!

2009: Brett Favre (QB) - NY Jets: First off, it pains me to say "Jets", as I am a raging Packers fan. But whether reality or ridiculous superstition, if an injury is going to occur (and it's GOING to occur) then I'd rather it NOT be while he's with the Pack! The Iron Man of the NFL will be putting the Curse to the ultimate test this season. While I don't wish anything bad to happen to the Legend of Lambeau, I'm VERY curious to see how this season unfolds for Favre. Not with stats, but whether or not he'll go out with injury.

Now, I know the Curse is just a "coincidence" to most of you, but let me say this. YES it's superstitious. YES it's probably just "bad luck". YES it's probably based more on the fact that these players who are selected to be on the cover are coming off of pinnacle performances of their career, and anything less the following season is viewed as "curse related". All these things are viable counter arguments to the "curse". But I'm a believer... And after this season, perhaps you all will be too!

Crackberrys Kill

Soooo, things have gone well with my new Blackberry (BB) Curve 8330. Gone well if you are asking me. Turned into a borderline addiction, should you ask my wife. She often wants to go "intervention style" on me when I am thumbing away on Sunday at her parents house.

So yeah. Things have been going so well, in fact, that I even had a dream about it! But I don't have a problem. Yeah, so what?! Hell, I can quit whenever I want!

For everyone who's "into" their berries, you understand it's potential. You empathize with those who share your passion. You know what it's like to walk out of the house only to realize you left your BB unattended in the house...all alone, unused. It's an empty, helpless feeling.

What I love about the BB is the ability to add 3rd party software. It was the biggest reason I was drawn away from the iPhone. Well, that and switching service subscribers. Now I'm glad I went with the BB. Here's a list of all the software I have downloaded thus far:

• Opera Mini (browser)
• Empower Email (must have for email, full images, active links)
  
• Fusion Voicemail Plus (visual voicemail)
  
• iBerry phone theme (awesome...looks just like the iPhone interface)
• BlackBerry Messenger (great IM service BB-to-BB)
• Viigo beta (RSS reader, news, weather, sports, etc)
• Tellme (voice activated web search)
• Vlingo (voice activated web search...I'm testing both)
• Facebook app
• ESPN news feeder
• JabpLite (mobile checkbook app)
• Google Maps
• BlackBerry Wallet (stores passwords, credit card info, etc)

These applications are just some of the many, many that exist out there for BB owners. Most (all but iBerry & Empower) are completely free! Talk about f'n sweet!

Never again will I get stuck somewhere with nothing to do. I just pull out the BB and look @ Google Maps to see my location in satellite view. Or maybe check the scores quickly (before the wife sees) using the ESPN gadget. Most likely, I'm reading email & checking my Viigo RSS feeds (that's right, RSS feeds directly to your phone!) to check the blogs of my friends on Troopspace, Blogger, etc.

And if you haven't checked out Opera Mini yet, you're missing out. It's so much "more gooder" than the BB default browser. It's a FULL web browser experience. Meaning? You get headers, banners, images...all like you would if you were on your desktop PC viewing the sites. There is no scaled down mobile feel using Opera Mini.

At the Start Page, you can enter 10 sites and quickly jump to any of them. When you launch to a webpage, the browser scales down the screen size so that you see the whole page. Then by clicking on an area (highlighted within a framed section), you can zoom in. Now you see the section and scroll up/down, left/right in order to view the page. Or, you can scale it to "Column View" so you eliminate the left/right scrolling.

Well there you have it. Ever since I've laid my hands on this one, I can't get enough. Check out some of the software I mentioned. I'm sure you'll like it. The Empower email even offers a 30-day free trial. Nothing to lose there. Take care, I gotta run. Think my BB is calling for me.

freakin' out about state layoffs!

Christ, I'm SO BORED!

I f'n HATE budget bullshit. Wha', you ask?! I'm referring to the delight of working in government. There's always politicians looking to cut our budget for some reason. And in doing so, there are tons of pitfalls.

Besides sitting here @ my desk & being completely bored out of my f'n skull, there's the threat of layoffs, facility closings, furlough days (meaning unpaid "vacation" day), compressed work weeks (5 days down to 4, but with longer hours) and my favorite...travel restrictions.


You see, I normally travel with my job because I'm a trainer. So I zip all across this great state training employees in DMV facilities. Yes, I said DMV, calm down. I know all the stereotypes: long lines, rude staff, tons of paperwork. You do know we have a special training course on how to take the worst possible photo of you, don't you?! How else do you think we catch you with your eyes closed or with your mouth open looking like a stoner?! It's a skill. lol, kidding.

Anyway, I've been "grounded" (for a lack of a better word) because of the $25+ million cut out of our budget this year. We spent like $700K in travel last year. This year we received something like $80K. Seriously! So now unless I have something specific to do @ another location, I'm having to stay put. Talk about a chicken in the pen!

Who am I kidding. It could be MUCH worse. I have a computer, I am in an air conditioned office, and I have A JOB! Can't complain much in this recession...er, "difficult time", I mean. We're not "IN" a recession, remember? Right. Just like the sky isn't blue and water isn't wet. Just remember, a politician determined that we're not in a recession, just the same as they "balanced our budget" in my state. Cut our budget, but try to acquire $100 million to "repair" the state capitol area. Sounds legit to me!

High School Reunion Ends in Drunken Haze

So I went to the 'ol stomping grounds of Effingham over the weekend. Went for the 15-year high school reunion. Yeah, we do them every 5 years because we like each other so much. lol Turned out to be a great time.

Here's a link where you can find some pics of the drunkenness that was my reunion. Side note, it was at an awesome hotel (Hilton Garden Inn - shameless plug). Had some kickass food & drinks. The bartender (also an EHS 2000 grad), who's name I have already forgotten (sorry bro, you deserve better), made a mad cocktail. And he hooked my friend and I up with some free calamari & a flat bread pizza. Good times. Needless to say, I felt obligated to party like a rockstar that night! And needless to say, I can't hang with the big boys anymore either. So sad...

On a whole other subject, I was reunited with a long LONG lost friend Kyle Lindsey. I have known him since we were in grade school, and lost touch with him right after high school graduation in 1993. It was great to track him down...even if it took 15 years! Anyway, thanks Facebook!

So, the party started with a social hour. Free keg beer (is there any other kind?) was made available, as well as a cash bar. I chose the "free" option. Sorry bartender, but there's an unguarded keg over there that I need to "investigate".

After the social hour we had a sit-down dinner. Food was pretty good. Tables were decorated with rose centerpieces (I know, right?!) and red & green hearts cut out of paper...oh, right. Let me clarify. We were the "Flaming Hearts". Flaming because we were pissed & mean (not because of our sexual orientation, thank you), hearts because we have 2 major interstates (I-72 & I-57) that intersect Effingham and will take you from North-South & East-West border of the US.

Oh, and you have no idea how much shit I've caught over my years for being a Flaming Heart! Especially college. Holy Christ! The abuse. Anyhoo...back to the reunion. So each of the previously mentioned heart cutouts had songs, movies, actors, etc. from the 1993 era written on them. Nice touch. The committee really spent a lot of time on this event. Kudos.

After dinner we had music and much drinking. Here's a pic of me with my dinner table (I'm on far-right with my wife Megan).

There's more pictures on the link I provided above. Fortunately, not many more of me. Because by the time this party was over, my proverbial ship had sailed.

After the reunion, we carried the party to a local watering hole, and later I collapsed in my hotel room, wishing I hadn't done all the damage to my body that I'd just spent the last 7 hours doing. Meh...let's just say it was peer pressure that made me do it. That worked in high school.

Logan's first steps!

Just a quick note. Logan had his 1-year birthday party Saturday (his actual birthday is July 24th). That night after everyone left (of course) he took 3-4 unassisted steps on his own. Since then he's started walking everywhere while just holding on with one hand. And he's not scared to take 2-3 steps on his own before plopping down on his backside.

Yesterday we attended a water park where Logan dragged me all over the park. He LOVED the water! I think Megan & I are in for an awakening very soon. Better recheck all the baby gates...

Conflicted...and Pissed!

As most of you know, I'm a HUGE Packers fan. But even moreso, a Brett Favre fan. I've bled Green & Gold since the day I was born. So to hear the latest from the saga of the Favre's retiring carousel, I am, to say the least, bothered.

Year after glorious year, I've eagerly anticipated the kickoff of a new season of hope with my Packers. The 95-96 Super Bowl win was a pinnacle moment in my fan-dome. What a feeling to see your team win. It's incredible. I can only imagine what it's like to BE an athlete achieving that very thing.

So now I hear the latest story that he's once again NOT retiring. Despite his tearful press conference. Despite him saying he didn't have the desire anymore. Now it's gone too far. The past 3 seasons or so, Brett's wavered back and forth as to whether or not he's going to return to play another season. The Packers have been more than patient with his antics. Every year he waited until after the draft to decide. Every year he showed up just in time for training camp. '07 was a great year for him...but does everyone remember '06 & '05?! Horrible! Absolutely dreadful.

So now he's said he wants to come back, and wonders why Ted Thompson & Mike McCarthy have not welcomed him with open arms? Really, Brett?! You can only "cry wolf" so many times before you're NOT taken seriously. The Packers have already told Aaron Rogers "you're our guy". Rogers has worked his tail off to get ready to fill the proverbial "big shoes" of Brett Favre. He knew going into this, that it would be a challenge he'd probably never fully live up to. Now Brett comes waltzing back in wanting to take Aaron's job away from him. Still wondering why you're getting the cold shoulder, Brett?! I still say he's coming back because he can't end his career on an interception.

So anyway, now he wants released from the Packers. His agent Buzz Cook notified the team Brett wants to go elsewhere. He's already essentially forced the Packers to take him back since he has 3 years remaining on his contract. So now that he's retired...er, returning, the Packers have to figure out what to do with him. They don't WANT him to play because they have moved on BASED ON BRETT ANNOUNCING HIS RETIREMENT!!! Come on! So now Brett feels he doesn't want to return to an organization where he will get (at best) a luke-warm reception. So he wants released. Gee, sorry the Packers weren't enthusiastic enough for your inflated ego, Brett. So sorry your feelings got hurt. Did you even consider how the Packers organization felt? They are only looking out for what's best for the team. Considering you already told the team you were done. Considering you already told Aaron Rogers "it's all yours now". Considering you turned in the retirement paperwork to the NFL. Seriously, what a "generous" decision to go elsewhere.

Here's what really scares the shit out of me. Who in the NFC North Division alone needs a QB?! Chicago Bears & Minnesota Vikings anyone?! I will literally vomit in my mouth if he EVER wears blue or purple!!! Even Tampa Bay & Atlanta are in need. Guess what, more NFC teams!

So it will be without question, one of the most conflicted seasons of football I've ever experienced. I never, ever suspected this day would come. To see Brett Favre in any color other than Green & Gold. I can't fathom it. Listen, for all Favre & his family have done for the NFL, the community, the fans...for all he's done, I respect him. He seems like a very humble and caring superstar. But I do not understand this behavior from such a stand-up guy. I'll watch him play for another team, quietly hoping he falls on his face. Secretly booing as loud (on the inside) as the rest of the Packers faithful. But deep down inside, I'll remember the Lombardi trophy he brought to Green Bay, and all the years I laughed, cried & cheered under his tenure.

Bon Voyage Brett. It's truly been a journey. But now you're someone else's legend to contend with.

Light the Candles!

LOGAN'S TURNING 1 YEAR OLD!!

I know, I know...it's hard to believe. Even for Megan & I who've been with him every moment of every day for the past year. It's still odd to think our tiny little newborn is now a year old. Oh s*#t...that means next is the "terrible 2" phase!

Logan is finally sleeping "better". Now he's up once or twice a night. He usually craps out around 7pm, and gets Megan out of bed around 6:30am. He usually just stands in his crib and wraps his meaty little hands around the crib rails and SHAKES them. :)

He's also learning to throw balls around. I've given him a tiny football, soccer ball & basketball. He's taken to the football really well (as if you had doubts?!). Makes me feel all warm inside. We play "smear the Q...", well, you remember that game. You throw a ball, the other members try to catch it and whoever ends up with it gets, well, smeared. Except this version is between just me and Logan.

He's an absolute riot in the tub now. He slip-slides all around and loves getting daddy soaked to the bone. He's definitely not afraid of the water. Hope to get him to the pool some more this summer.

Hopefully, Logan will be walking very soon. He's flying around the house as it is, but I think walking is right around the corner. He'll walk around with only holding your finger. Amazing how strong he's become the last couple of months.

Well, that's about it. Megan and I are eagerly anticipating his party in the next couple weekends. Small gathering of family. Just can't wait to watch him dive into that little cake! What a blast.

Saw this on the news last night. I say it's about time. They've earned it. President Bush just signed into law the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. It allows for all guardsman & reservists who have served at least 90 days on active duty since 9/11, entitlement to better GI Bill tuition assistance. The more time served on active duty, the more tuition the government will pay.

For more info on this Act, you can check out the Fact Sheet HERE. And the extension to 15 years for them to complete their studies just hits home the fact that these troops are going to be continuing their deployments for many years to come. At least the government understands this and has planned accordingly. Hopefully every guardsman & reservist that has earned this will take full advantage of it. Story below.

~ josh ~ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GI Bill

Reported by: WMBD/WYZZ TV - Sarah Barwacz

Tuesday, Jul 1, 2008 @06:09pm CST

WMBD/WYZZ TV – PEORIA -- For the first time since the Revolutionary War, half of active duty service members are guardsman, or reservists. A new GI Bill will now pay for their college education. The bill is for any service member who served three years active duty since 9-11. If you put in less time, you'll still get some benefits. For example, serving two years, means two-thirds of your education will be paid for.

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin says, “When men and women serve our country and risk their lives they're entitled to a GI Bill when they return to give them a better life."

That better life will start will a full ride to any in state university, or technical school. It also includes a housing stipend.

Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Director says, “Now it allows service members to go to private universities, something not available."

Veterans will have more time to use their money than they did under the Montgomery Bill. Now they'll have 15 years to get their classes in compared to just 10 years. Service members also have the option to pass their college education off to their spouse, or children once they turn 18.

The goal of the bill is to help reduce the number of veterans that are unemployed. This bill was a bi-partisan effort. Service members could start to see education benefits as early as August.

Startup's...oh the agony

first off, i'm still working on the startup idea. my long-time great friend edward domain & i are trying to start our own business. while working full-time at present (for someone else), i find myself struggling at times to find balance between work, family & friends. i have been married now for 3 years, and have an 11 month old son. there are a lot of risks involved with starting your own business, but also a lot of rewards.

currently, ed & i are trying to find funding for our business. we are operating a website called TroopSpace.net. check it out. if you want to show your support for the military, sign up and tell the men & women in uniform how much you appreciate them! we also have a ton of great ideas for making money, but that's not the problem. the problem is time. we don't have time to organize and implement all of these ideas. that's why we need to work on our business full-time.

i watched the movie Startup.com last night. it's a documentary style movie made in 2001 by directors Chris Hegedus & Jehane Noujaim. it's based on the rise & fall of a dot-com company called govWorks.com from 1999-2001. the co-CEO's Kaleil Tuzman & Tom Herman bring you along while they experience the high's & low's of getting funding, launching a new business, and having to fire your best friend. i learned a lot just from this show. i highly recommend it.

anyway, i guess i'm just trying to find my own balance. i really have a lot of things i want to do for the business, but only have about 2 hours each night to work on them. at this rate, it will take years before we can even launch. i have apprehension about leaving a stable job with good benefits, but i also really want to be my own boss. and the ability to earn an income based on my worth is much more appealing.

so some day when you read ed & my names in Forbes or Wall Street, you can say "I read about them in a blog back when they were nobody's". and i'll smile at you from my penthouse in the sky. :)

One Action Packed Weekend!

hey everyone,

just a reminder... don't forget, this coming week of june 14 is designated as "National Flag Week." during National Flag Week, the president will issue a proclamation urging U.S. citizens to fly the American flag for the duration of that week. so if you have one, display it proudly. if you need a flag, what are you waiting for?! plus, 4th of july is right around the corner. you'll need one by then anyway.

june 14th is also my mom's birthday. happy birthday, mom! 35, again, wow... we'll be with family all weekend having a cookout and drinking some cold ones. sounds like a great way to cap a long week @ work.

and don't forget father's day! this weekend should be spent expressing thanks to all those dads out there who have paved the way for us and taught us so much. here's to all you dads out there!

happy father's day!

NBA & Disrespect During National Anthem

UNITED STATES CODE

TITLE 36

CHAPTER 10

§171. Conduct during playing (National Anthem)

During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed there.

OK, so that's the history lesson according to The United States Code & Patriotic Customs. Most Americans know this and adhere to it. Being a US Army Veteran, I take this code of conduct very seriously, and get furious when anyone (especially US citizens) disrespect the flag & the customs during the playing of our National Anthem! Too many lives were lost in defending our beliefs and our freedoms in protection of that flag. I feel strongly for everything it represents. Many of those who did not serve in defense of our country do not and will NEVER understand what it truly stands for. Hence, this blog post...

I was listening to ESPN radio this afternoon. Michele Tafoya, a columnist & reporter for ESPN, must have read my mind. She was at the Lakers vs. Boston NBA final Game 3 last night. We shared the exact same feelings in regards to what has been an event of rising occurrence in, most notably in the indoors arenas of the NBA. I cannot comment on all other pro sports.

Any hoo...I am watching the NBA finals and see the performance of the National Anthem. As I'm watching the athletes, some staring at the floor, some wiggling in place working out the jitters, some singing the words-hand over heart...I notice something. There are cameras that scan back and forth in the faces of the players on the court, and those cameras then broadcast the players faces up on the jumbo-tron screens. As different players faces appear on the screen, the crowd reacts. Some boos pour out when Kevin Garnett's face appears, roars of applause and cheer for Kobe Bryant. There's even some goofing off, high-fiving, laughing...AND ALL OF THIS IS OCCURRING DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM!

What happened to placing your hand over your heart, facing the flag and shutting your mouth during National Anthem?! Did I miss something?! Since when is it okay for the NBA to ENCOURAGE this reprehensible behavior?! Since when is it acceptable to leave your hat on during the National Anthem, gentlemen?! Since when is it more important to watch the players faces flash on the "big screen" instead of focusing on our National Flag during the playing of our National Anthem?! And don't get me started on people talking on their cell phones!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!

I'm scared to think what are we teaching our youth by allowing this shameful behavior to continue to be displayed on national television. And all of those kids and adults AT the game are caught up in it by the NBA distracting them from what's truly important. I understand the players all have their own routine during the Star Spangled Banner, but at least they aren't disrupting the anthem.

This type of media presentation by the NBA, or any other sport who sponsors something similar during our National Anthem, must cease immediately. It is improper and disgraceful and as a veteran, I'm outraged by it. Listen, it's not all the NBA's fault. I know this, so I'll get off that soap box. It's a problem with everyday America, and we've all allowed it to escalate to this point.

So it's time to step up America. It's time to MAN UP (pardon the gender specific phrase) and show your true patriotism by not allowing yourselves to be so easily distracted during the National Anthem. It's also time to start correcting others when they are being disrespectful. Face the flag... if you must make noise, SING THE WORDS... and if you aren't in uniform, your hand goes over your heart (that's your RIGHT hand). It's time to give the respect to our COLORS & our ANTHEM that they deserve...no, demand. Now THAT would be patriotic.

1LT Josh Lowe
US Army Signal Corps...sounding off

The suspense is killing me

ok. so i have my high school reunion this summer. actually, it's a 15-year reunion. everyone wanted to get together every 5 years instead of every 10. fine with me. anyway, i'm tingling with anticipation as to who will actually show up this time.

i remember the 10-year reunion was pretty much a bust. but that was only because it was planned last-minute. those who did take over did all they could with no time, no contacts and no money! i did attend, and still had a great time. even dragged megan (my wife) down to meet a bunch of people that reminisced about stories from the good ol' days. she had no idea what we were talking about.

so this year boasts to be a much more organized affair. there's a committee, a website, location/band/food/drinks, etc. should be a sweet time. i am definitely hoping to see some classmates that i haven't seen since 1993. hope everyone shows up. i can hardly wait for everyone to see how chubby i've become. overweight lover indeed. :/

What a scam!!

well, i just got my Nicor Gas bill today. it seems that ever since we went on our "budget plan" in april of 2007 (in anticipation of the huge gas price increases, mind you) Nicor has constantly been increasing our accumulation amount. meaning, we have not had a "zero" balance since april of '07! so i've been paying the amount asked on our bill EVERY MONTH (which is $20).

hey, i didn't come up with that total. it's supposed to be devised by comparing our actual usage levels with their anticipated usage levels for the coming season. is it my fault that they grossly under estimated?!

so now i have an amount due of $865.35. rediculous. i've been taken OFF of their "budget plan" and will now get regular bills for each month. i've also asked to have my meter checked monthly so they can't estimate my use one month, then gouge me the next.

so bottom line is, make sure to read ALL of your bill. even the small print. all i want to know is, how in the hell did they ever expect me to pay off $800-plus by paying $20 a month?! they didn't. and when i asked why my budget payment hadn't been adjusted in 12 months, the response was "it should have been". no shit. it's a shady, shady business i tell you.

Results of Over-logging

this is the result of what can happen if you don't go "off-line" every once in a while. don't become a victim. it's already too late for my 10 month old son.

My name is Josh, and I'm a Technofile.

ok, answer honestly. Who do you know that DOESN'T own a cellphone or PDA in this day and age?! yeah, that's what i thought. so why do i get so much grief from everyone because i'm so "geeked" about my cell phone contract expiring!? i research phones on the internet and learn about their capabilities, i go into stores and play with the demos. i feel like a kid awaiting Christmas!

i've already decided that i'm not switching from Verizon (shameless free plug) just to jump on the iPhone bandwagon. i won't because Verizon's reception is awesome (even in my basement i have at least 3 bars out of 5) and i've never had any problems with tech support or customer service. so why leave? just for a phone? and take the risk that their phone SERVICE may or not be up to snuff with that awesome $400 piece of technology you are holding in your hand?! congratulations on signing that 2-year contract you're now locked into. you've just bought the world's most expensive paperweight! no thanks. Verizon's phones are decent enough. true, they don't have the iPhone, but no one else does (besides AT&T). and i'm not willing to give up my discounts and credits toward a new phone, just for a 2G version that's soon to be replaced well before my 2-year contract does.

so yea, i'm pretty jazzed that i get to upgrade my phone on June 23rd, 2008. and is it wrong that i have a calendar hanging in my office that i "X" off each day counting down until the 23rd?! well, probably yes. that might be a bit obsessive. but the Curve IS that cool! yeah that's right fellow Treonauts...i'm converting over to the darkside of BlackBerry. my days with the Treo 700p were enjoyable, but the time has come. after fiddling with the Curve 8330, i have to have one! oh sweet, sweet Curve. don't get me wrong. the Treo is fine...functionally. it has all the bells and whistles i wanted. but it's bulky and that f'n antenna! ugh!!!! gets hung up on EVERYTHING! the Curve is streamlined and fabulous!

i just hope they don't come out with anything cooler right after i buy my Curve...damn you AT&T...damn you.

Should I call you Logan, Weapon-X?!

Everyone, this is Logan. Logan, meet everyone. Logan is 10 months old in this pic. He's awesome!

Notes on the GI Film Festival

wow, i mean what can i say. getting to attend the GI Film Festival this year was amazing! and to be credited with official press passes was even BETTER! my friend edward domain & i walked around with our amateur cameras and video recorders, while the "big boys" tolerated us being in their way. lol no, really everyone we met as members of the press were awesome people! we got a ton of knowledge dropped on us about cameras, photography, etc. they went out of their way not only to do an outstanding job for the GIFF, but also to take time out to teach ed & i a thing or two. and i REALLY appreciated it!

we also met several celebrities who were there in support of the military. those in attendance were Gil Gerard (aka Buck Rogers), James Mceachin (actor & war hero), Gary Sinise (CSI & Forrest Gump), Karri Turner (from the show JAG), Leeann Tweeden (Best Damn Sports Show Host of Poker After Dark on NBC), Mr. Kennedy (WWE wrestler) & Robert Duvall (Apocalypse Now). i've never been around so many famous faces in all my life, let alone 1 week! it was awesome.

we rode in the same car with leeann & karri once. about 8 of us stuffed into a small SUV. the GIFF's founder Brandon Millett was even sitting on a cardboard box full of t-shirts! all of the celebrities were friendly and engaging too. it was refreshing to see. and gary sinise was so down to earth & humble. i couldn't believe it. we shared an elevator with him at the hotel. leeann was really cool as well. i even got to sit right next to her in the car. we were smashed in there, it was awful, just awful . probably more for her than me :)

well, we made a lot of great connections at the GIFF, and are hoping some of them pay off. we'll be sure to go back again next year (if they invite us back). we didn't piss anyone off too bad, so i'm optimistic that we'll get an invite again. next year, we hope to be fully funded in our media company venture and can go to the GIFF as sponsors, not press. ed & i really want to do this full-time. and if funded, we can replace our $100 cameras with some more "professional" equipment that would be taken a bit more seriously. lol

that's it for now.

Christ it's been a while!

well, logan is now 10 months old and i can't believe he's about to walk!! hell, i can't believe how LITTLE i've been on the net! wow.

my friend ed & i have since begun launching our new media company and have 2 sites running as a result (TroopSpace & Teach-Book). our 3rd partner didn't have time to launch a startup business right now, so it's just down to ed & i to make it happen. he's in san francisco and i'm still stuck here in normal, il. once we get funded (which we're actively seeking at this time) we'll launch the media company FULL FORCE! and the lowe's will happily pack up our things and take up the california lifestyle!

will post another entry here talking about my attendance at the GI Film Festival soon. until then, check out the link. lots of celebrities, lots of photos & video. still sorting it all out. talk soon!

josh...out.