My status

Monday, December 22, 2008

Music leads us....


Ran across the fact that my .MP3 files were missing, so I went off to retrieve them and starting searching for my old favorites. I have always been amazed at the incredible ability to match songs, their powerful lyrics and various phases and times in your life. For example, there is one song that I vividly remember after my divorce that always seemed to play when I was on my road to my apartment in Ponchatoula. It was Ryan Cabrera's "On the Way Down" --- the lyrics almost mirrored my internal struggles at that desperate time in my life. I was hanging on to someone to try to ease the fall, the collapse and that person simply didn't possess the strength nor maturity to know how to help. As the lyrics rang forth, "Sick tired of this world....there is no more air....going nowhere....no direction....I took a dive in. ---- On the way down you saved me from myself....I almost fell right through but I held onto you."



On the way down
I saw you
And you saved me
From myself
And I won't forget
The way you loved me
On the way down
I almost fell right through
But I held onto you



Sometimes you look outside of yourself for the strength you need, when you truly need to look inside. Finding the truth, finding the real meaning of living and loving is much more than just finding someone to ease the pain, to distract you...finding something to make this all worthwhile. It is being that strength, more than just a safety net from going "all the way down" - It is growing, maturing and not losing sight of who you are ---



Another lyric: "I won't forget the way you loved me..."
This is a special message to those who during that difficult time were there for me in whatever way...who struggled to know me, and love me in spite of my downward spiral. In spite of myself, I grew stronger and better. :)

PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM! :P

Thank You.
Andy

Thursday, December 11, 2008

I am dreaming......of a SNOWY THURSDAY!

Woke up this morning to quite a surprise...a surprise that is slowing melting away, but a very uncommon sight to most people in Louisiana.

SNOW!!!!!!



Here are a few pics of the rare event. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!! :)
(All shots taken with D2Xs)



Katey in the snow!





Found a Meerkat hiding in the snow! hehe





Sonoma in the Snow



Backyard - Snow Pic 12/11/08







SNOW IN LOUISIANA?
Global warming, my igloo.... :)

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Refusal to be Happy?

I carry an insatiable desire to simply not be happy. Every time a situation, or a relationship grows close, I push it away to find quiet solace and isolation. It is a trait that I have worked hard to correct over the years, but I just don't know if I will ever find a way to overcome it. I have hurt a multitude of people by simply not being the person I simply am, by allowing myself to sabotage situations and not allowing myself to be loved. I need to learn to be thankful in every situation, not just work, not just during certain events but the majority of the time. I have so much to be thankful for, so much to offer to the world, so much to reflect upon that has gone right...I just need to find that balance, discover what is missing.

All those who wander are not lost...

Thanksgiving!

Give Thanks.

My son Nick was in town. (Traded out the kids --- Katey went back to NC for the week)
It was a great time. My son is getting big, he is 6 now! We had fun "finding treasure" (we went out geocaching several times) --- he is a great kid and reads extremely well, now if he would just learn to tie his shoes... "Monkey Booyeah! my little Nicholas!"

:P
Some recent pics to share:

Nick (6) and Sonoma - 11/08





Katey doing her Math outside!

Friday, October 17, 2008

Need a vacation....

We need a vacation. Time to relax, time to chill, time to just unwind.
It has been a while since I didn't have to think about problems, projects and plans for work --- even when I was recently out for another surgery, I still kept up with my crackberry and my email almost instantly. It is a hard habit to break, if it can even be done.

Dedication is a tough cross to bear, especially when I am not getting any younger.
Maybe a trip to Sonoma/Napa is still in the works this year especially with some of our projects getting pushed till December now. If not, at least a long weekend trip to see the leaves change would be nice.

One can only hope and plan..... :)

YODA speaks:
"Do or do not...there is no try......."
Hear Yoda speak!!!

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Hobby #8 - Handy Andy (Amateur DIY Work)

Columbus Day Project.

Hobby #8 - Amateur DIY'er.

I don't proclaim to be the next "Ty", but I do enjoy working on handy construction projects. This is a project that I started on my 1/2 day off yesterday and finished today. (with the exception of grouting, sealing and polishing the slate) --- It was a good project overall and I bought my own wetsaw out of the deal with a 1/2 price on a Ridgid unit from HomeDepot. Multicolor slate is a difficult material to work with since it is a natural and non-uniform stone (pieces range from 1/4" to 1/2" in width between the same box, much less the whole pallet. Add a few copper accent tiles and a mosiac border and 4" slate tiles around the 2 sides. Not a bad job overall, not truly perfect...but it is just a hobby ---

I enjoy DIY work...enjoy learning and doing.
:)

Before:
 


After:

 
Posted by Picasa


Here is some additional pics of my DIY work done after Katrina:

Slate and Wood Floors:



My good friend - Choppy!



New Cabinet Installation and floors:





Enjoy DIY work, enjoy learning and doing.

Daughter makes me proud. :)


I am very proud of my daughter, Katey as she just moved down here to live with me in August, went to a totally new school with 4 Honors classes and managed to get all A's
on her first 9 weeks report.

It is something that she is definitely "capable of", but most children do not apply themselves, study as hard, nor take such pride in their work as she does. It is that
effort, that extra bit of attention, that additional time spent away from distractions that makes the difference today and will make the difference for her for the remainder of her life.

Smiles!
Daddy