The SjN Chronicles

Okay, so I'm working on changing up this place a little. I've had this site locked down for a time as I didn't even feel like dealing with it. I'm going to open it back up and get something going again. I've been busy lately working on some new interests of mine to take me away from gaming so much. It was starting to get unhealthy!

I've been learning the basics of firearms and have been shooting a lot of guns and I REALLY like that! So I might post some of my adventures out on the firing range.

I've also gotten into the sport of panning for gold. LOVE finding that yellow stuff at the bottom of a gold pan! Gotta love free money!

Anyway, I'll try to be more productive and post some things up again and on occasion, I'll do some more opinion pieces as I have had a few requests for some subjects.

Till then,
SjN - peace

Start Spreading The News...

I'm leaving today
I want to be a part of it
New York New York...

Today is the day! The Mrs and I will be packing up and heading to the city that never sleeps. I'm going to spend my birthday in one of the greatest cities on the planet

New York City! 

So, we'll be be packing our things today and getting ready for a red eye flight tonight. Breakfast in Times Square tomorrow... WIN.

 

Why New York you ask?

It's always been a dream of mine to go and visit New York City at Christmas time. Take in some sights around Rockefeller Center, sip some hot cocoa and maybe even try my hand at ice skating. With that said, my wonderful wife arranged a nice getaway to that magical place ;-)

Smooches on your head honey!

And then there's the food. The glorious wonderful FOOD! At my age, I am careful all year to make sure I eat a healthy diet, keep my svelte figure (hah!) and just try to keep the old ticker going strong.

Not on a trip to New York!

Cannolis, Black & Whites, Pizza, warm candied almonds off of food carts, KNISHES! (omg, I love a good knish), bagels with lox and top that all off with a Guinness at one of the many Irish pubs (that make up my heritage...)

Yea, dieting? Damn that to all hell. I will eat, and I will eat good!

So be watching this space. I will be posting some pics either here or over on Facebook (sjnstudios). 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

LOCAL IZ GOOD!!

Today is Small Business Saturday!

Spent an excellent morning out at the Gilbert Farmers Market! Contributed to local businesses here and couldn't be happier! Fresh veggies and some AMAZING hot sauce from Desert Smoke BBQ! The Farmer's Market is such an amazing place to visit. If you're ever in Gilbert, AZ, stop by on Saturdays and by all means, search out your own local farmer's markets! There's no better way to shop for fresh produce!

Finished up the morning at The Gilbert House with an amazing fresh steak & eggs breakfast!

Get out there and support your local businesses today! They need your help!

Thought of the Day

When I die, I don't want to go to heaven.

I want to go where dogs go...

It's a Black, Black, Black Friday...

This is how capitalists celebrate the birth of Christ.

Happy birthday Jesus.  Now give me that damn iPad...

This is what it has come to.  Every year, the same story. Hundreds & hundreds of "holiday shoppers" itching to experience their "good will toward man" take to the streets and partake in...

Pandemonium.

I don't want to be a buzzkill here but I have really come to dislike this holiday.  Where there was once magic, there is only greed, contempt and ill will toward man.

It's disgusting.

Every year, that scene up there is repeated.  Even now, as I sit and clack away at this keyboard, the local news is reporting brawls busting out at stores around town.  Other shoppers being pepper sprayed at a Walmart in California. It goes on and on and on...

It's insane yet there is no way (that I know of) to get around it. We are a capitalistic society and that's just the way it is. The almighty dollar rules everything.  It is the reason for the season. It is a god that demands worship and we gleefully comply every November 25th.

I tried to get around the mob mentality this year. I made a promise to myself to complete my shopping prior to Thanksgiving. I'm happy to report that I achieved that goal. While others are out braving the flurry of colorful expletives and crashing shopping carts, I'm sitting snug in my sweats, coffee in one hand and blogging with the other.

 I wish I could come up with a way to make the holidays into something other than a celebration of the dollar but I don't think that will ever happen. The true meaning of the holiday season has been forever lost.

Long live George...

 

What'd I do?

So I'm at the local Walmart.

As if that isn't nightmarish enough, I had to pick the one day when every soccer mom, doting dad and a gahzillion kids felt the need to be there the exact same time I was.

Hmmm, I guess in Walmart standards, that's every day.

Oh well, I needed to get some supplies so I decided to trudge through the war zone. I must admit, I was pretty proud of myself. There has been more than one occasion where I've left a full grocery cart right there in Isle 4 because I just couldn't stomach the insanity that goes along with dragging 4 or sometimes 5 kids to a grocery store.

Whoo-Hooo! I made it to the checkout lane! What an accomplishment that was! "Okay, I've got this. Almost there..." I thought to myself as I'm loading the checkout counter with Quinoa, grapes, turkey, fat free milk & Special K Chocolate Delight.

I turn around to return to my cart when I felt a small nudge at about thigh height. Looking down I see a little girl had made her way to the candy shelves right next to my cart and hence my thigh. "Oh! I'm sorry! Are you all right?" I asked bending over to make sure she was in good shape.

Everything was a-okay; that was until I looked up at the now SEVERELY pissed off demon mom one cart behind mine. I'm sure I didn't hurt her, we simply bumped into each other. No, she wasn't PO'd at that. It was the fact that I spoke to and acknowledged her. Yep that lit her fuse and it was quickly heading for an explosion. Her gaze was something I can only describe as searing. The last time I was looked at in that fashion was by my ex-wife. But that's another story.

Rather than cause a scene, I merely apologized, paid for my things and exited the situation as quickly as I could.

Moral of the Story: Folks, I understand that the world is a nasty, nasty place. And I understand your need to protect your children. I applaud your efforts. But saying "excuse me" to a child in a store does not a child molester make.

There's a lot to be said about being polite. If I had not said "I'm sorry", theoretically, it could have been perceived that I was now a rude schmuck and the tot would take that as 'It's okay to plow into people without saying excuse me'. Can't win for losing. Parents, we're not all child molesters. Honestly. Some of us are actually polite. The way it should be.

It's odd being a normal guy. The rule of thumb, when in public, eyes forward and at adult height. Never, NEVER acknowledge anyone that falls below the waistline unless they are in a wheelchair or vertically challenged.. For doing so could land you in deep trouble.

It's a strange world we live in.

The CHAMPS!

 

You're looking at the San Tan Junior High School 8th Grade Volleyball CHAMPS!!! 

My stepson Ryan (white cap) and his wife Vicki invited us to their championship Volleyball game and I must say, it was amazing! These kids are GOOD! What's even better is to actually see teenagers with a drive. With a purpose. With a goal and attain that goal.

All too often, what I usually see out of today's generation is, well, laziness! It's really hard to feel good about the future when all you see is kids mindlessly trudging about like zombies with earbuds in their ears, talking, listening to music or texting and completely ignoring the world about them.

Yes, it gave me hope that these schools are prepping the next generation of scholars, athletes, workers & leaders. It felt good.

Congratulations Ryan & the entire San Tan Volleyball team!

- S.j.N

Why Cable Companies Suck

After a power outage the other night, my upstairs Cox Cable box no longer powers up. Changing outlets = nothing, nada, DEAD.

So I call Cox Cable. (I'd rather have needles stuck in my eye). After 10 minutes of navigating through the COX IP Telephony system- 

ME: "Had a power outage and my cable box no longer powers up."

CABLE GUY "Okay, we can have a technician out there tomorrow..."

ME: "That works. I'll be waiting for him."

Then the clincher (wait for it) - - - - - 

CABLE GUY: The technician will call you before dispatching. If you don't answer your phone by the third ring, the technician will hang up and cancel the dispatch. It will then be your responsibility to call us back and reschedule"

ME: "ummmm, okay?"

CABLE GUY: "Also, if the problem if found to NOT be the responsibility of COX, you will be charged $49.95."

ME: "What time is he due to arrive..." (getting frustrated now...)

CABLE GUY: "Between 8:00AM and noon. A person over the age of 18 mus....."

ME: ((Hangup....))

These guys are just unbelievable. I dream of the day that I can get rid of cable company service alltogether. I no longer have a need for a land lines so one service is down. With services like Hulu, Netflix, Amazon & iTunes I'm slowly migrating off of standard cable TV. The only thing left is Internet access.

So for now, they are a necessary evil to be kept at arm's length.

Okay, back to wating for the cable guy....

Dang!! I've been BUSY!!!

Work has been KILLING  ME! Between Broomfield, Colorado - Redmond, Washington - Chicago, Illinois - Peabody, Massachusettes - Salt Lake City, Utah and everything thing else in between, I'm hoping to get a tiny bit more ME time!

A lot has been going on and as you know, I've always got SOMETHING to say! Get Ready - - - 

SjN is BACK!

The McRib is Back...

Ah, the McDonald's McRib.

Now, before I get into this, let me say that there was a time in my not so distant past that I adored these little sauced up miracles between a sesame seed bun.

Yea, they're good; but a cause for celebration? Ummm, not so much.

I just got back from the farmer's market and in between there and home, I heard two. TWO commercials on the radio marking the McRib's triumphant return. When I got into the house, I jammed on the TV and what do my eyes observe? Why, none other than a mouth watering commercial of a perfectly sauced up McRib decked out in pickles and onions. Yep, I'm starting to believe that if the Ark of the Covenant were ever found and the lid lifted, you wouldn't find stone tablets or swirling demon ghosts. Nope. Instead you'd witness the first ever McRib uncovered for all humanity to witness.

Honestly, I'd rather take my chances with the demonic face melting ghosts.

Americans are so hung up on the McRib, WEBSITES are dedicated to locating these gut bombs!

With a little education, one learns that these little gems are far from a cause of celebration. Check out what's under the hood of one of these monsters:

Serving Size:	7.4 oz
Calories:	500 cal
Fat:	26 g
Saturated Fat:	10 g
Sodium:	980 mg
Carbohydrates:	44 g
Sugars:	11 g
Fiber:	3 g
Protein:	22 g
Cholesterol:	70 mg

Toss in (and I'll be conservative here) a MEDIUM french fry for another 380 calories and your looking at 880 CALORIES. Oh a soda. Gotta wash all that down don't ya? Throw in a 20 oz Coke for another 240 calories  and yea. Do the math and if you're bad at math, I'll do it for you- For a single sit down lunch you're looking at 1120 calories. FOR LUNCH! Just for comparison, I usually limit myself to around 1800 calories a day when I was losing weight. I maintain by bringing that closer to 2000 calories a day. For women, that number is even smaller! 1120 calories? For one meal? That's just stupid.

The funny thing here is that the calories are probably the least of your worries. That amount of sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol is nothing to joke around about.

So...... The celebration of the "Return of the McRib" is just a bit much. And Americans wonder why they're fat. Seriously, lose the McRib and eat some grapes god's sake.