Even it Out - October 2015 Challenge

I've been going through some minor medical issues over the past couple of months. Long story short, I have the worst veins that my doctor has ever seen (based on my age and sex). While this is certainly correctable through laser surgery and sclerotherapy treatments (where they inject a solution into my legs that closes off/repairs my broken veins), it still got me thinking. I don't want to bore you with the medical details and shit. If you really want to know what I've been dealing with, talk to Doctor James Gariti of the Vein Clinics of America Brookfield location. (Quick side note - I highly recommend them if you have vein problems. The staff is incredibly helpful and friendly and they have made me feel at ease about this whole thing. I was worried about this mess, but I got through it. I've never broken anything and never had any kind of surgery. This was my first real medical issue. But hopefully everything is fixed with me now and I won't have to worry about this anymore).

I haven't really talked about it a whole lot unless you're really close with me. No offense, but people didn't need to know and I didn't want to make you worry. I wasn't dying and this issue was easily able to be fixed. But it did get me thinking. One of the reasons I had to go and get these procedures done is because of the possibility of blood clots due to vein and circulation problems. Blood clots can lead to heart attacks and strokes. And that's nothing to mess around with. Even though I'm not in the greatest shape, I'm way too young to be worrying about something like that. So if I could do something to fix it it, it was the right choice to make regardless of how much money it cost me. You can't put a price on a life. I'm not ready to die even if it costs me every dollar I have and every dollar I could possibly borrow from any bank or any government that will lend me money. That's where this month's experiment comes into play.

Followers of this blog should know that I sometimes do weekly or monthly entries when I get bored. Over the course of the last couple of years, I have done experiments like Go Bananas, The Write Month, Pickle the Day, The Drive to Stay Alive and It's in my Head. This recent health scare got me thinking that I need to try something different. Its no secret that I'm overweight and it affects every single aspect of my life. From mobility, to confidence, to sleeping and even just being alive - I can't live life like any of you normal people. I'm just different. It wasn't always like this and it doesn't always have to be. But I've fallen into a cycle that is too hard to break. Exercise isn't the problem. I don't spend hours at the gym and I'm certainly not ready to run a marathon. But I stay active enough despite my desk job. Ever since I got my new phone in February, I noticed that it keeps track of my steps. So I set a daily goal and I stick to it no matter what it takes. I've even started to raise that goal and push myself on a daily basis. I could certainly do a lot more, but it is a step in the right direction. Which leads us me to this monthly challenge.

I have a problem with food. I love it more than anything else in this entire world. I'd give up just about anything before I give up my favorite foods. I love all of the bad ones. Pizza. French fries. Mashed potatoes. Dry cereal. Gummy bears. Toast. Mac and cheese. Anything with sour cream (especially tacos and and nachos). Salty foods are a staple of my diet. Salt for days is my motto. I can't eat healthy. I can't say no to snacks. I certainly can't say no to free eats even when I'm not hungry. I'll eat until I'm tummy sick and still I'll try and eat some more. Moderation is not a word in my vocabulary, even though it is one of the keys to life. I've tried and failed a thousand times at regulating my diet. I can't do it. I hate to admit defeat and capitulate to my bad habits. But there is is a way around this. Or at least I hope that there is.

When it comes to doing something, I'm all or nothing. I love to gamble, but I can stay away from the casino. What I set foot inside the Casino, I lose control. Before I know it, I'm visiting the ATM for the second time and losing money that I can't afford to spend. But for the most part, I can keep myself out of the casino. In my eyes, that's what separates me from being a true addict. I can live without it, but it totally overtakes my life in the moment. So I decided to take the same approach with food. And that is where the Even it Out idea came to fruition.

I'm all or nothing. Once I get one bite of food, I want to eat everything that's within arm's reach. I want I want I want I want. I need I need I need I need. And I won't be satisfied until there is nothing left. But if I don't take that first step (put that first morsel of food in my mouth), I can control myself. It's easier for me to not eat it all then it is to eat only what I need to survive. Once I start eating, I don't stop even if my body tells me that it's had enough. I love food. And I'm going to show that food a night out on the town. I will wine and dine that food with the corporate credit account. But then I'll charge it to the Underhills. That is where this plan makes so much sense. Time to stop burying the lead - 

For the month of October I'm only going to eat on odd days. 

My goal is that I will reduce my calorie intake in half because on the even days, I will not eat at all. Since I will continue with my exercise plan, I hope that this will lead to weight loss. Everyone knows that the key to weight loss is expending more calories than you take in. If I'm exercising everyday and only eating every other day, I shouldn't have a problem losing weight. I have no idea if this is healthy or even if this will work. But that's the best part about it. It's an experiment. I'm doing a trial run to see if this sort of thing works for me. So I'm going to give it 31 days. As of October 1st, I weighed 369 pounds. The only way to tell if this experiment was a success is to weigh myself on November 1st and compare the results. So until then, there's not really much I can do to know if this is the right thing for me. 

But in order to keep this blog interesting, I've decided to write an entry every other day (on the even days) and talk about what I did that day instead of eating. Because when I get bored, I eat. Something else needs to take that place if I don't allow myself to eat. So let's see what happens folks. I have no idea where this is going to go. But that's the beauty of this. That's why you do experiments. You keep doing tests until eventually one of them works. You can't fault a guy for trying. So check in every other day here at the blog for an update on where this thing is going. If there's ever anything I have learned from my life it's this - there's no way to tell what's coming next. And that's what makes waking up to a brand new day so incredibly exciting. I'm sure that this, like everything else in life, will all even out in the end.

 - pookon -

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It's in My Head #20 - I'm Done Making Plans

Don't let the picture fool you - I intend this to be a positive article. I know the RMS Titanic sunk on her maiden voyage from Southampton, UK to New York City, NY. Everyone knows that. And we can talk about it in an open forum. It isn't too soon. All of those people on board would have been dead by now anyway. The ship plunged to the depths of the North Atlantic in the early morning of April 15, 1912. I know that wasn't Thomas Andrews' plan when he designed this "unsinkable" ship. This was the largest ship at the time and the disaster become more legendary than the ship itself. Everyone knows the story. If you don't check out one of the million documentaries or books about it or see the James Cameron movie. Do the latter for Kate Winslett's exposed totties alone. Seriously, she's got a real nice set. I just googled it. I would provide a picture for proof, but this is a family site (yeah right). Still, I don't think that I've ever posted naked pictures on this blog. I've come close before, but I stopped short of showing full on nudity or nipples. So I'll let you do the work on this one (trust me, it's not hard. Finding naked women on the internet is easier than finding sand at the beach). 

But back to the real reason why I started writing this article today. This is why it's in my head. I'm done making plans because God and the world doesn't really care about my plans. While one may find that to be troubling, causing them to fall into a pit of despair over this matter, I've chosen to take a different path here. I'm taking the glass is half full approach. I used to say when life gives you lemons, you say "fuck the lemons and bail." But instead I'm going to take those lemons and make the best fucking lemonade you've ever tasted in your sweet little life. And this is why - sometimes you just gotta be creative and just go with it. I'm not saying don't plan vacations, don't pay your bills or don't plan out your retirement. Do those kinds of things. But what I am saying is don't get all frazzled and out of sorts when something comes up that interferes with those carefully laid out plans. Some of the best moments of my life were completely unexpected. I don't normally plan out my adventures, they just happen. If you keep yourself flexible and figure out a way to rise and fall with the ever flowing tide, you're going to experience one helluva ride. 

And that's life at its absolute greatest. It's in a moment that you never saw coming which ends up being one of the greatest moments of your life. So what I'm telling you today is to not live life according to the plan. Because plans change. The world doesn't have a plan for you or for me. Your future isn't written yet. Doc Brown told me that. It's up to you to figure it out as you go along and never let change interfere with you living your life. I'll tell you that my life as it is today isn't what I expected it to be. There's a lot of good, but there's also a lot of bad. But at the end of the day, there's one very important thing - I'm still alive to live another adventure. And every single day that I wake up alive, I have the chance to live one more adventure. These adventures are never according to plan. What good adventure is? None of them. Screw the plans. Go with the changes and don't live your life according to plan. That's what's in my head today. What plan used to be in your head that has now been changed?
 

 - pookon -

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The Write Time and the Write Place - Just Around the Riverbend

We got down to the Carolinas on Friday night. Saturday was the Biltmore Estate and Sunday was hanging out in Columbia at some Random's house. My plan for today (Monday) was to go to the Atlantic Ocean (somewhere around Folly Beach) but the weather forecast made that a bad idea. I would go to the ocean all day, every day. To me it doesn't matter how hot or cold it was or even if it was pouring rain. I live so far away from the ocean that I'm lucky to get there once every other year. I was just in Oregon in February, so I really wanted to visit both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in the same year. While that still may happen (I've got 8 months left in the year but not a whole lot of time or money, especially because I'll be in San Francisco in July), I was very disappointed that we couldn't do it today. The two things that hindered this was that Folly Beach is a two hour drive away (so then also a two hour drive back) and the forecast was calling for mid 50s and more than 50% chance of rain. So I was overruled by the rest of the gang. What we ended up doing instead wasn't the same as going to the ocean, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

When we were looking for something to do, I started Googling "things to do in Columbia, SC." When all else fails, turn to the internet I guess. One of the things that I found was the Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park. This is where the Broad River and the Saluda River come together to form the Congaree River. This is right on the edge of downtown, and as you can see in these pictures, it really is a beautiful nature space among the concrete jungle of the city. We started out by walking over this pedestrian bridge across the river and canal. I took so many wonderful pictures that I kind of want to print out and frame to hang on my walls. Aside from that they had some placards that told about the history of the river and canal, as well as some of the old buildings in that area (such as the Columbia Penitentiary), which continued the history lesson from Saturday. I was learning all sorts of things on this trip and I was eager to continue that. Gaining knowledge is always a good thing because it does allow you to appreciate the World around you. To understand what had to happen by the hands of God or the hands of Man and what went into designing and constructing of these things makes them so much more remarkable. I'm not a God nor am I an engineer or a structural architect. I don't have the power, vision or intelligence to be on that level. So I have mad respect for anyone who is able to do something like this. 

But the best part about this was just being outside, with my family and doing something different than my normal day-to-day activities. It was a Monday, so I was supposed to be at work. But not today. Today I was having an adventure. Plus this helped me stay in line with my new goal that I set after getting my new phone. This phone keeps track of every step you take and I set a daily goal of 10,000 steps. I know that sounds like a lot, but it really isn't difficult if you just get outside and move around. I established a new step record at the Biltmore Estate on Saturday (of 17,323) and today I almost achieved my goal but I fell just short at 9,690 steps. Even so, this was more exercise than I normally get. It's a good thing to go out into the World and be active. Not only do you burn calories and hopefully extend your life, but you also get to experience more things and enjoy a grand adventure. I'm a writer and a storyteller. In order to be able to share more stories with you, I need to live them first. That's why I take advantage of these opportunities and get out there and do something. It may not always work out according to plan, but in the end it's always one hell of a ride.

We walked around the river for a few hours. There wasn't really a lot to see or do but it ended up being just what I needed. Sometimes less is more. Sometimes it is better to not have a plan or an agenda and just go with the flow. Sometimes what you didn't expect to find is waiting just around the riverbend. That's why you have to be flexible and keep an open mind (and  a good attitude) when things don't work out according to your plan. Because if you haven't already experienced this first hand, let me tell you here - the World doesn't care about your plan. The World has been here before you were born and the World will continue when you are gone. I'm not saying that you shouldn't make plans. All I'm saying is that you have to be open to new ideas and develop a way to quickly deal with change. Because change is going to happen whether or not you want it to. You have to change with it. And then, when you least expect it, that change works out for the better. It's just takes a little while for you to realize it.

 - pookon - 

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The Write Time and the Write Place - Some Lucky Folks Get This Every Night

It is natural to be envious of someone else who has something that you do not have. I would like to say that I am above or beyond that, but I am human just like every single one of you reading this post right now. I live in the outer regions of Milwaukee and I could walk to the "suburbs" if I really wanted to. But I am surrounded by concrete, buildings, stores, gas stations, man made green spaces and other city objects. Here in Wisconsin I do have the ability to easily venture into an area that is "untouched" by human hands that maintains a true and natural beauty. Every now and then I try and escape into nature and go camping for a weekend or take a moment to walk out in the park. But even when I do allow myself to take that chance, it only lasts for a moment, a few hours or a few days. It certainly doesn't repeat itself on a daily basis. That is why I was so incredibly jealous (and very upset that I would have to leave this place and go back to my real life) when I spent some time at a Random's house when I was in South Carolina.

This night was a total surprise to me and even though I'm pretty good at improvisation, I couldn't help but act a a little lost while hanging at a stranger's house. I guess they weren't really strangers because they were friends with my brother James and his wife Melissa, but these people were so Southern that I felt like Yankees like us weren't allowed to set foot on this hallowed ground. But (SPOILER ALERT), the North won the war. Sure, the South may rise again, but not on my watch M'nfer. No offense of course to the ones who are true Southerners who still believe. But it's not going to happen pal. But we can still be friends, right? I hope so, because I really like hanging out down here. To be honest, I've been spreading lies just now. Tim and Kristy did unleash some real Southern hospitality upon us and they graciously welcomed us into their home. After I settled in and checked my inhibitions at the door, I was able to enjoy the good company, good food and great surroundings that this night gave us. 

Even though it sounds like I am being a real son of a bitch for making fun of our hosts and rehashing facts from the Civil War, I really did enjoy my evening here. After all, I got free eats, dinner and a show AND I got to hang out with my entire family. What more can you want in life? This was magical and I didn't even have to deceive you in any way. But I still wish that I was in a position to have this in my backyard. I don't even have a backyard (it belongs to my neighbors downstairs - I just rent this place).  So I appreciated every moment of being here. I did not take this for granted. I understood that I was given an opportunity to experience a different way of living, if even for a brief amount of time. I'm not there. I doubt that I will ever be. But I feel like if I keep on trying, I might be able to get close. There are a lot of lakes in Wisconsin. If I am fortunate to grow old and be able to retire, I'd like to get a cabin on the lake. I would love to wake up every morning with this kind of view in my backyard. I would love to sit out on the dock and just stare out into the nature surrounding me. To play guitar and be inspired by the earth, wind and water. To sit back and listen to the sounds that present themselves on a daily basis. To just be and let it all happen. I'm not there. I don't know if I will ever be. But I do know, that for a few hours on a Sunday night in South Carolina, I got a glimpse of what it could be like. And it was amazing.

 - pookon -

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The Write Time and the Write Place - The Biltmore Estate

The whole point of this trip was to spend time with James and Melissa. If that was the bare minimum, then we achieved our goal. But even though I'm one lazy ass bastard, I do more than the bare minimum when it comes to having adventures. I like to go balls to the walls until the wheels fall off. But I can't let the wheels fall because then the car stops driving. What happens then? The adventure is over. It should never come to that, so on this trip we added a few more things to the checklist. We did things like rage, try out some new shit and also anything that my Mom wanted to do. After all, she was the one bankrolling this little endeavor. So when the boss gives orders, you say yes. Fortunately for me (although I didn't know it at the time of selection), the boss wanted to check out The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

I didn't really know anything about the mansion that George Vanderbilt uhh... built, prior to driving into the grounds. This was half on purpose and half on accident. When I heard that this was the plan, I stopped my inquisitive nature and decided to play the cards when they fell into my hands. This would allow me to live in the moment and react to every little thing that was happening around me. If I would have paid attention to history, television, my education in life and most importantly my mother, I would have known that the Biltmore Estate is like the largest privately owned house/land in the United States if not the World. I don't have my fact checkers on the payroll right now so I can't really look that up, but it really was something that I had to see with my own eyes before I believed just how incredibly ridiculous this place was.

Almost everything that I learned about this joint, I learned from a dog. While I know that sounds impossible, you just wouldn't understand it unless you took the kids version of the audio tour. They have an optional audio tour and it comes in two versions - one for adults and one for kids. I listened to the adults version for just a few minutes to know that I chose poorly. Luckily I was only on the first stop of the tour, so I went back and got the kid's version. I made the right decision. Not only did Cedric, the Vanderbilt's St. Bernard, give me a good history lesson, but he also kept me thoroughly entertained the entire time. I can't remember what he sounded like (he spoke perfect English), but in my head he sounded like Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams). We weren't supposed to take pictures inside the house, but I had to take a picture of the indoor swimming pool. Cedric told me to try out the acoustics of this room, so I sang in an opera voice. When people around me looked at me weird, I told them that the dog made me do it. Like that made it acceptable. But this isn't anything out of the ordinary for me. Everything I do causes people to stare at me.

I'd tell you more about this house, the grounds, the gardens and the winery, but what is the point in doing that? There's plenty of other things out there that can do that. You can read up on it on the internet, watch a documentary, watch Richie Rich or best of all, you can go there yourself. And if you do, make sure to get the kid's version of the audio tour. You'll thank me later. I'm not a big fan of dogs, but I kind of wish that Cedric was still alive so that we could hang out. I feel like we would have a great time telling stories to each other in the Lando Calrissian voice. We'd be best of pals and we'd always be in cahoots, using each other to get food, women and fireworks. We'd be the perfect team and no one could stop us. Of course this is all just speculation from listening to him talk for 90 minutes, but a lot can be gained in a short amount of time. So while I'm off finding out how to recreate the DNA of a deceased dog from 1902 so that we can start a unique partnership/small business/microbrewery/law firm/doggy day care/sweet shop/crime scene investigation lab/modeling agency, I encourage you to make plans to visit beautiful Asheville, NC to visit the Biltmore Estate.

 - pookon -

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The Write Time and the Write Place - Detroit Airport

I tried writing this entry while we were in the Detroit airport during a 2 hour layover, but apparently everything I wrote over the last hour just decided to delete itself (technology can be a real bitch sometimes). So let me try and figure out what I said so that I can share that with you. I'm a little upset at this son of a bitch right now. I had written 4 paragraphs of content and then when I tried to post it, it magically disappeared. I am currently operating on this new tablet and we're still trying to become friends. So I apologize if I'm a little rude and crass. Now I'm not saying that what I wrote before was gold, but I was proud of the nonsense that I came up with. The whole point of this was to write something that wasn't structured. To write something random during my adventure. I'm on my way to see my brother James and his wife Melissa in South Carolina. But we're also going to be spending some time in the North one as well.

This trip is kind of a big deal. I've been down to visit them almost every year that they have lived there (5 or 6 years now) but this one is different. This time my mom and my sister Jenny Reck will be joining me. So we're getting the band back together. We don't get to hang out as a family much anymore except for holidays and when someone dies. But this will also test the patience of everyone in the surrounding area because Jenny Reck and I come with some baggage. And not the kind of baggage that we carried on the plane. I'm talking about the baggage that follows you around like a little monster. This monster has a name. His name is Nonsense. And he never leaves the sides of the #HotMess and the #Spectacle. That's right bitches,  we're trending. So if you can't deal with the nonsense, don't even bother paying attention to anything I do. Now that we got that shit out in the open, we can move on.

I'm trying to be more random, so feel free to call me that. Yes, I understand that name already belongs to a Milwaukee bum chilling out on a park bench back in like 2004, but he's either dead or he has transfered to a city that isn't cold as balls. Seriously, why would bums ever be homeless in a cold weather city? I understand that your options are as limited as your finances, but whatever happened to stowing away in a box car or a cargo ship with nothing but the clothes on your back, some baked beans, fingerless gloves and a stick & bindle? Do bums still do that? If they don't, then that's one of the many things that they are doing wrong. If I hear that they are no longer warming up next to a burning barrel, then I've lost my faith in the modern day bums. If that is true, I'm going to start teaching classes for homeless people. Free of charge of course. Homeless people don't pay for shit. Maybe I can write it off on my taxes because I'm doing a service to the community. That way we all benefit. Hooray for profit and hooray for me!

I hate to make comparisons to something that you can't see, but the other post (the one that got deleted) was so much better. It's not even fair how much this fails to live up to that. But so it goes. That's life. Shit happens. Sometimes you create something beautiful and sometimes it is what it is. Only I know the difference, but you move on. And speaking of moving, I gotta get going because the Carolinas are calling my name. The adventure is just beginning my friends. And I couldn't have asked for two more worthy traveling companions. Here's to making memories. Cheers folks. 

- pookon -

www.pookon.com

Life is a Real Precious Thing

I recently got another opportunity to take a look at not only my life, but also the life of someone else. I don't really have too much to say about it, so I will try and keep it brief. Life is beautiful. Life is an amazing thing. You get a reminder of that when you view someone else's life through a series of pictures set to music. Of course that's not their entire life. There's so many little moments that fill in the gaps in between the life moments that were captured on film or digital device. But these are highlights of the good times. That's what pictures truly are. Besides war photographers and people who are sick bastards, who takes pictures of the sad times? Pictures offer a brief look at a moment in someone's life and it allows you to get an idea of what their time was like on this Earth. But of course it doesn't tell the whole story. 

What it does do is spark conversation. You may see a picture and then ask the person who took it for more details. You may ask a person who is in for the story that lead to this snapshot. You may find out that there were some people that were there who somehow didn't make it into the picture. They have their story. Something in the picture may catch your eye. It could be something in the background or something somebody was wearing or even the way that the photograph was framed. Either way, it's a starting point for figuring out what that person's life was all about. I got the opportunity to get to know somebody through pictures. Somebody that I never met. I liked his life. I liked his family and I liked his friends. I liked the good times that he had and I feel bad that he's gone. How can you feel an emotion for somebody that you don't know? It's rather simple actually. You put yourself in the shoes of somebody who did. If you can't do that, you just sit back and look at the pictures.

My cousin Kelly asked me to put together a slideshow for her friend Nick Schaal, who unfortunately left us too soon about a month ago. Like I said, I never met the guy, but it was a privilege to be one of the people granted the opportunity to tell his story. I didn't take this assignment lightly. I know how important these pictures slideshows are. I had a hand in selecting the pictures that appeared in my brother Timmy's memorial at his funeral and I put together one for our Grandma back in January. But this was the first time I did something for someone who I didn't know. But that doesn't matter. I don't have to know someone to know how precious their life was and how important it is to properly convey that. Every life is precious, so don't don't waste too many moments of it. Unfortunately we have been given too many reminders of how quickly it can end, so live every day by having picture worthy moments. Some day it will all end, but hopefully you get the chance to live a long and full life. Not everyone is given that chance, so be thankful for every day you get towards that goal. 

 - pookon -

www.pookon.com
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Reck Family Christmas Letter 2014

Good day Sirs and Madams. Scott A. Reck, Esquire here. Thank you for welcoming me into your homes. I come bearing gifts! Well, actually it’s the 2014 Reck Family Christmas Letter. You can consider it a gift from my family to yours. They made me do this. Well, actually they asked kindly and used the magic word please. I just couldn't say no. I’m not here to break hearts. So once again I am offering up my services. For the greater good I suppose. But I do get paid in compliments and free eats. They know how to play the game - keep the talent happy.

Kris started off 2014 with the best gift ever - UWM waived a math class and she got to join James, Jenny and I as UWM Graduates. Her degree is in Education. In March we threw her a rocking graduation party and celebrated her hard work and dedication. A lot of you were there, but let me once again thank you for the role you play in her life and always helping her to achieve her goals. She truly has been enjoying time off from studying. There is a sign on the refrigerator that says, “Hmmm, another day has gone by and I still haven’t used algebra!” No truer words have been written! (Editor’s note – she does use math. She handed me an outline and said, “Feel free to edit, add or subtract to what I wrote”. Don’t let her fool you. Math is a part of her life).

She uses her new found time taking her dog Gracie for walks, learning new music, spending time with her family and watching prime time TV. Because of how busy she was, she claims that she didn’t even know these TV programs existed even though they have been around for the past gazillion years. (Editor’s note – there’s that math talk again. Does she love it or what?) She is still teaching music at five (5!) schools for K4 thru 4th grade and also has one middle school choir. At the time this went to press, she had just finished directing the second of five (5!) Christmas concerts. She absolutely loves her job. The smiles she sees on the children’s faces and the joy in their voices is such a gift. Of course the students can be challenging (I’d like to think James, Jenny, Timmy and I prepared her for dealing with anything – you’re welcome), but the rewards are great. She gets so many hugs! And not from strangers! One of the best things that many students have said to her is that “music is so much fun!” She feels blessed. And who wouldn’t be with this family?

James is still working for Krones Inc. (U.S. Headquarters in Franklin, WI) as a Service Technician traveling the country installing and servicing high-speed packaging and labeling equipment for bottling. His job is 100% travel and he has gained a new perspective for how people in different regions of the country act and live. While on the road, he likes to send me Fun Facts of the Day (that he comes across in his travels). One of the benefits of traveling for business is that it has allowed him to visit family in Phoenix (Aunt Linda and cousins Troy + Tyler), Palm Springs (Uncle Gary + Aunt Cari) and friends in Ohio (The Mueller’s - Dan, Gretchen, Jack and Mason). The frequent flyer miles have allowed him and his wife Melissa to travel to Wisconsin on several occasions. They were also able to join us up at Afterglow this summer and we Recked cabin #2 with fun and happiness.

Melissa just completed her first year with the National Safety Council, South Carolina Chapter. She is the Training and Development Coordinator and is responsible for the Alive at 25 Program, driver instruction and training. This program is mandatory for students to receive a driving permit and is taught at 115 SC high schools. She coordinates and trains police officers that are instructors for the program and she also teaches drivers education and gives road tests for driver licensing. Having been a police officer, Melissa enjoys and appreciates her new role because it allows her to be on the proactive side of the law rather than the reactive.

Their two weimaraner dogs Baya (5 yrs old) and Tucker (6-8 yrs old) are the sweetest pair of home (w)reckers. Imagine a hurricane with sad puppy dog eyes that just wants to be your best friend. That’s Tucker. He has eaten and broken out of the front window, ate the couch, ate the kennel used to restrain him in, knocked a crockpot off the counter and shared a feast with Baya, broke through the laundry room bi-fold doors to get to the garbage, sullied the carpets which had to be ripped out... and the list goes on. But they act like perfect little angels when their parents are home. They tried to blame it on the dog, but still haven’t realized that doesn’t work.

When James does make it home to Columbia, SC for the weekend, he enjoys his time with Melissa and their friends. They have created the group “Lake Murray Packer Backers”, which is registered as an official Green Bay Packers Bar on Packers Everywhere (a site that helps Packers fans around the country find other Packers fans for games). They have even converted some “enemy fans” as they gather every week at Schooner’s. May 29, 2015 will be their 5 year Wedding anniversary, and they are celebrating it early at the Hard Rock Hotel in Cancun, Mexico in January. They are going to see the Luke Bryan “Crash My Playa” Tour. And yes, the flights were covered by frequent flyer miles. And no, the hotel was not booked with Funjet Vacations. (Thanks pal).

The ever elusive Sasquatch is still at large. I'll put that out there right away so you don't ask me any more questions about it. I thought that I found him last month, but it turns out I was just looking at myself in the mirror at 3am. "No Shave November" was very unkind to me. Not finding him is my biggest regret in 2014. If that's the worst thing that happened to me, then I suppose it was a pretty good year. I'm still at the Mark Travel Corporation (parent company of Funjet Vacations) as a Product Build Research Specialist. I recently celebrated my 7th anniversary with the company and the last year has flown by real fast as I've learned so many new things while dealing with the daily challenges of the travel industry. Just another day at the office.

From April to September (and sadly not October) I was back at Miller Park for my 13th year working for The Milwaukee Brewers (well Sportservice) as an In-Seat Waitstaff on the Club Level. I was able to make it down to Phoenix in March and got to see Brewers Spring Training for the first time since 2009. After a disappointing 2013 season, this only added to my excitement for 2014. And although things didn't go as exactly as planned (and I have the playoff tickets they mailed me to rub it in), I still went to about 25 games and helped (along with my cousins) to make The Sombrero a popular and fashionable accessory for your head.

My cat Major Korben Dallas and I still reside near 85th and Capital. Although we may never find Sasquatch, we still go on plenty of adventures that don’t leave the house. He has a lively imagination and whisks us away on incredible journeys. So we aren't giving up hope. But we are expanding our horizons. Don't be surprised to find out in 2015 that we have gone looking for the Chupacabra, the Loch Ness Monster, Rhinelander's Hodag, the Lost City of Atlantis or to search for the truth behind the disappearance of the colonists of Roanoke, VA.

Jenny Reck still works at Gramann Reporting in downtown Milwaukee. She has been there for 2 years as a Production Specialist. She enjoys her lunch breaks in the summer walking around downtown and hanging with the Bronze Fonz. Ayyyy!! She still lives on the Eastside around Oakland and Locust. She digs music and is always down for a free show. Luckily Cathedral Square (home to Jazz in the Park on Thursdays) is one of many places with something going on. If you play your cards right in this town, you can always find a good deal. You know the phrase “If it's free, it's for me?” That's wrong. It should be, “If it's free, it's for Jenny.”

But that doesn't mean she won't pay to see something she loves. I have never met anyone who was so dedicated to a band. Most people don't even know what it is to be a fan. You know? To truly love some silly little piece of music or some band so much that it hurts... With her it is Umphrey's McGee. She went to Madison in the fall to see Umphrey's 1999th and 2000th show (which was her 88th and 89th show). I finally saw them for the first time at Summerfest, and I promise you that they live up to her hype. I can say from experience that you will never quite understand it until you see it for yourself. She spends the majority of her free time raging with her boyfriend Brandon, her brother Scotty (that’s me!) and the most eclectic cast of randoms ever assembled. These characters have learned to speak Jenny Reck and help make sure that her life exists in a delicate balance.

It’s been a whole lot of the same while also being different for the Recks in 2014. We miss Timmy dearly, especially at this time of year (Timmy loved Christmas and upheld all of the holiday traditions). He’s always on our minds and in our hearts. We will once again be putting together a Rage for Timmy Concert in late Summer 2015, so pencil that in your schedule (ideally we would do it on Saturday, August 22). Keep that in mind if you want to perform some songs or help out in any way. More details will follow when we can lock down the date. While you have the calendar open, pencil in June 20th for the 39th Annual Reck Family Christmas Party. Why celebrate Christmas only once a year?!?

I leave you with a song Kris wrote entitled “Dragonfly”. She decided the best way to pay tribute to Timmy is through song. She was inspired by a poem about dragonflies and her connection with God gave her the strength to try her hand at songwriting. Timmy would be so proud of her. I won’t say any more about it here. Some things need no explanation. Check out the video below.

Happy Holidays! With love from The Reck Family,

Kris, James, Melissa, Scott, Jenny

Gracie, Tucker, Baya & Major Korben Dallas

 - pookon -

www.pookon.com
https://twitter.com/pookondotcom
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But What if She was a Robot?

I shouldn't be allowed to think about things in the middle of the night. There should be some kind of restrictive barrier put in place that stops me from voicing my opinion. If the mind is free to wander, the mind is free to consider all options. But what happens when one of those options is not human? That's when things get weird by "normal" standards. But what is normal anyway? It's governed by some thoughts or ideas that your parents, society or religion has pounded into your brain since the moment you started learning. What if they are wrong? What if in your mind and in your heart you know that even though it goes against everything that you have been told throughout your entire life, that it simply isn't possible that a human could ever love you back? We are told that love is a bond between people. That's how it has always been. The definition of love is "a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. A feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend. Sexual passion or desire. A person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart." All of those definitions reference living humans. That is when love is used as a noun.

When love is used as a verb, the word takes on a new meaning. "To have love or affection for: All her pupils love her. To have a profoundly tender, passionate affection for (another person). To have a strong liking for; take great pleasure in: to love music. To need or require; benefit greatly from: Plants love sunlight. To embrace and kiss (someone), as a lover." We do use love in many ways. I fucking love this In-N-Out burger. I love that part in Gone in 60 Seconds when Nicolas Cage drives the Mustang Shelby GT500 ("Eleanor") through the city of Los Angeles trying to deliver car #50. I love my childhood blanket. I can't sleep at night without it. We toss around love like it is just a casual word. But it isn't. In fact, it may very well be one of the most important words in the human language.

I should never be left alone. I should have either have parental supervision or a life buddy with me at all times to make sure that I don't ever get like this. Because when I'm alone things get weird. And I start thinking about how I will never find true love and how there is no girl on this planet who understands me or is able to put up with who I am... at least for now. That's because she hasn't been created yet. A lot has changed even within my lifetime. Think of something so simple as the first cell phone I had (in 2001) to the one that I'm using today as I to type this very blog post. Technology is crazy. I bet every day, something changes that advances what we know and also lays the groundwork for what we will know in the future. So who is to say that technology and innovation can't succeed where humanity is failing? So far my life I've yet to find a mate. But what if that's because she isn't meant to be human?

Robots and artificial intelligence (or at least the ground work for a truly sentient being) are part of everyday life already. Entire factories are run by machines that don't get tired, don't need a day off to deal with personal problems or don't call in sick. So what's to say that you can't take that same technology and apply it to a robot who thinks, acts and is able to love just like we do? What if we somehow give a robot the ability to have feelings. To have thoughts. To care about another individual. What if the robot could love you in a way that another human being has never done? Could you love it back even though it isn't human? I'm starting to think that I could. Because what is love anyway? It's a feeling. It's something that you really can't quite explain. When you have it, it's the greatest thing in the entire world. But when you don't have it, you search for it. You long for it. You are consumed by the emptiness that overwhelms you. Something is missing. Life just doesn't feel right. And you will stop at nothing to figure it out. 

I've been in love many times in my life. But to my knowledge no one has ever loved me back. I see other people in the world and I know that they experience love. I want what they have. So if science came to me and promised me that I could have that, I would sign on the dotted line. I wouldn't even hesitate. If a robot loved me, I would be able to love a robot in return. In fact, in some weird way I welcome a world in which that is a possibility. And why not? Its not like the current world is working out for me. I feel like I should be able to jump ahead 50 some years into the future, where the possibilities for finding love exist beyond conventional reality. Today it's not acceptable to love a robot and have a robot love you back. But who knows what's going to happen some day in the future? When I dream at night, I don't let restrictions empower my thoughts. I'm free to do whatever feels right. And I'm sorry if you have a problem with the fact that what feels right isn't always human.

Look, I'm not giving up on humanity just yet. All I'm saying is that humanity hasn't given me any hope for the future when it comes to love and relationships. I can't program a human to love me. If I could have, I would've done it already. But there is a very real possibility in the near future that I could program a robot to love me in the way that I desire. A robot that loves me for who I am. Who loves me for what I'm trying to be. Who supports my dreams. Who makes me want to try harder every single day to be the person that I know deep down in my heart that I can be. A robot who I am not afraid to show my real feelings to. A robot who will laugh, who will cry, who will get angry, who will feel emotion and pain. And she will be all that I've ever wanted her to be.

I'm telling you - she exists. You laugh right now. You call me all sorts of names saying that I'm a sick bastard for trying to love a robot and you also probably say that I'm just some drunken asshole that had too much whiskey and started coming up with some asinine ideas in the middle of the night. You might be right. Who knows. But I know. I've spent enough time on this planet to know that there aren't any humans out there for me. I'm never going to rule out the possibility of aliens; but come on - get your head out of the stars man. The answer isn't in a galaxy far far away. The answer is in the palm of our hands. And I know that science can build me what I've been searching for. It's going to happen someday. I will see to that. Because that's all I've got left to keep on hoping for in this life.

 - pookon - 

www.pookon.com
https://twitter.com/pookondotcom
https://www.facebook.com/MilwaukeeIceman

It's in My Head - #16: Life Finds A Way

When I first started this series at the beginning of the month, I'd planned to do a new one every day for all 31 days of October. And so far I have... until a few days ago. It's not that I don't have anything in my head to talk about. Trust me - there's almost too much in there. It's just that well, life finds a way of interfering with your plans. There's nothing major going on or any reason why I can't continue this, it's just that I needed a couple of days off. When I first came up with the idea for a blog series called "It's in My Head" (which was actually in February of 2013), I meant it to be a random feature on my blog that would pop up whenever an idea did the same thing. I didn't mean to do it every day. That kind of takes the fun out of it because you start writing not because you want to, but because you have to. And just like any other hobby or leisure activity, sometimes you just don't feel like doing it. There's nothing wrong with that.

But Scott, you love to write! Surely you can't be serious. I am serious and don't call me Shirley. Ok. so I'm not serious. And I'm not Shirley either. I know in the wrong light I can look like a very unattractive woman, but I'm a dude. Although you never really know what might happen someday. I heard somewhere that some West African frogs have been known to spontaneously change sex from male to female in a single sex environment. I hang out with a lot of dudes, so you might just have to go around looking up skirts if you really want to know the truth.

There's a good reason why I don't really make plans and why I'm so good with spontaneously rolling with the changes. It's life man. Every time you think you have it all figured out, it knocks you on your ass and stiffs you with the bill. Then you're kind of screwed for a while until you recover from that nonsense. But then you figure shit out and life finds a way of being good again. Then you coast along for a while until someone shuts off the electric fences and the T-Rex is now free to wander in and out of any paddock that she likes. Things were alright at first. Sure, the kids had a scare that they'll probably never recover from and now they're lost in the park, but they're with Dr. Alan Grant. Who better to lead them through Jurassic Park than a dinosaur expert? Yeah I know Malcolm is seriously injured, but not bad enough that you couldn't chance moving him. Gennaro was T-Rex food, but no one really liked the blood sucking lawyer anyway. You felt a little better when Mr. Arnold said, "Hold on to your butts" and rebooted the system, but then the Raptor fences got shut off. Now that's when all hell broke loose. Even Nedry knew better than to mess with the Raptor fences. 

But that's... that's chaos. You can't control it. You can't avoid it. You don't get to choose when it happens or the severity of the mess it brings when it erupts. All you can hope to do is survive it. So yeah, I'm still kicking strong despite taking a couple of days off. And maybe I'll continue this adventure and maybe I won't. I'm not going to decide that right now. I think I'm just going to leave it up to life to decide that for me. If there is one thing that we've learned from Dr. Ian Malcolm, it's that he's always on the search for the future ex-Mrs. Malcolm. But if there were two things that we've learned from Dr. Malcom, it's that fact that life finds a way. That idea found a way into my head today. What ideas did life put into your head?

 - pookon -

www.pookon.com
https://twitter.com/pookondotcom
https://www.facebook.com/MilwaukeeIceman

The Drive to Stay Alive Ep. 24 - A Perfect Moment in Time

I've been doing this podcast since October of 2012. Wow. I can't believe that it has been that long. Most podcasts are done weekly or monthly or have some kind of a schedule so the listeners know when to expect a new episode. Since I don't have any listeners, I pretty much do it whenever I have something to say. What is the point of talking if you aren't saying anything? I haven't had much to say lately. In fact, this episode was recorded in March when I was driving from Las Vegas, Nevada to Phoenix, Arizona in mid-March but I'm not posting it until late August. So I haven't had anything relevant to say for the past 5 months. But I did want to post this episode because the drive to Las Vegas on Sunday March 16 and the drive back to Phoenix on Tuesday March 18 was exactly what I needed at that point in my life. There's not a whole lot more I love to do than to go for a nice long drive. When I'm out there I'm free from the World and free from my problems. It's just me and the road.

When I'm alone with my thoughts I can either go to a really dark place or I can get all deep and introspective about my life. Very rarely do I think positively or or have happy thoughts. That's why I try to always do something to distract myself from thinking too much. I surround myself with various forms of entertainment to keep my mind from wandering. But I can't ignore it forever. Those thoughts are there waiting for me and they will never go away unless I address them head on and start dealing with my issues. I'm no different than anyone else. People have problems. They just have a better way of dealing with them. I've tried a couple of things but this podcast helps in a way because it allows me to talk things out loud and be held accountable for things I say or promises that I make. No one listens to this nonsense, but there is always the possibility that someone might. And that possibility it what keeps me driving on. I'd like to think that someone out there truly cares about me and what I have to say. They say everything has an audience somewhere. You just have to keep putting yourself and your work out there until that audience finds you. But until that happens I'll just keep doing this for me. So here you go Scott. Here's a reminder that life isn't all bad. There are great things that happen and for at least at one particular moment in time, everything was perfect. Remember that the next time life gets you down.

Right click and Save As to download a copy of The Drive to Stay Alive Ep. 24 - A Perfect Moment in Time: http://pookon.com/music/dtsa-ep24.mp3

Right now in this moment in time everything is perfect. I want to remember that for the times when when I need it
— Scott Iceman Reck (@pookondotcom) March 19, 2014

This is a picture of that moment in time. It probably doesn't look like much, but the picture doesn't really tell the whole story. It was the open road, the setting sun, being by myself in a strange and beautiful environment, having nothing better to do and all the time to do it in. Well, within reason I guess. I did have to be back in Phoenix by 10pm for my 11:30pm flight back home. So I couldn't take all the time in the World but it was damn near close. For the most part I knew where I was going. Here's the road - take it to get where you were going. But since I have never traveled on this path, I knew that anything could happen down the road ahead. It was my sense of adventure that kept me going. I guess that's what keeps me living. There's always another adventure waiting for me down the road and I won't be able to experience it if I don't keep driving. I still haven't figured it all out yet and I doubt that I ever will. Maybe we aren't supposed to understand life or know how we factor into the history of the World. Maybe we aren't meant to ever figure out our purpose or the meaning of life. Sometimes things happen that we can't explain or even begin to make sense of. That's when I need to go back to that place. That one moment in time where none of that matters and I just existed in the middle of a grand adventure. Back when even for just a moment, I was free.

 - pookon -

www.pookon.com
https://twitter.com/pookondotcom
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An 18-Pack of High Life Lessons

On Friday April 6, 2012 I bought a case of Miller High Life. While the buying of beer and liquor is fairly common in my life, I decided to do something a little different with it this time around. I decided that with every beer I drank, I had to share something that I've learned in life that I wanted the World to know about in 140 characters or less on my Twitter account using the #HighLifeLesson. Some of these are things that I try to do every day in accordance with my life mottos but most of them were off of the top of my head as I cracked open the next beer. If you came here expecting some stupid drunk nonsense like "Don't Cross the Streams" (although that's good advice) and other movie quotes then you don't understand me. Don't worry about it pal. No one understands me. When you break me down to the core I'm a very thoughtful and intelligent person who is very truthful and reasonable. Unfortunately there are a lot of layers to break away before you can get to that part of me. If you ever took the time to read this blog you would probably understand but no one really has time for that shit. I spend a lot of time alone because people are busy. I get it. But that's not what this article is about. This is about trying to relay some lessons I've learned throughout life that I would like to share. If these lessons help you to live the High Life then I've finally done some good in this World.

I bought an 18 pack of High Life. I'm going to see how many I can drink. And with each one I'm going to share a #HighLifeLesson (4/6/2012 7:36 pm)

1st beer - Beer tastes so much better when you have a drinking buddy. If you don't have a buddy, drink with a pet. #HighLifeLesson (4/6/2012 8:06 pm)

2nd beer - You're going to get let down a lot in life. But I bet your letdown is just a #FirstWorldProblem. #HighLifeLesson (4/6/2012 8:40 pm)

3rd beer - I'll probably never find a girlfriend unless I start looking. But even then she'll probably keep hiding. #HighLifeLesson (4/6/2012 9:19 pm)

4th beer - sitting around by yourself on a Friday night singing "Moon River" is in no way depressing. #HighLifeLesson (4/6/2012 10:02 pm)

5th beer - singing opera-style is a lot of fun, and you don't need a great voice to do it. Sing as loud as you want. #HighLifeLesson (4/6/2012 10:35 pm)

6th beer - Life is in 3D; you just need to take off your glasses to be able to see it. #HighLifeLesson (4/6/2012 11:20 pm)

I only got through 6 of the 18 beers (which is still a decent 1/3rd of a case) that night but in my opinion there wasn't too much to take away from those 6 lessons. They are more what I was doing or how I felt. There isn't much that you could use to try and live the High Life. I might have realized it on that night because I stopped this little adventure. Who knows. That was over 2 years ago. But I do know that the next 7 High Life Lessons that I came up with on the next day are ones that I'm really proud of and I will admit that I try and incorporate them into my life.

7th beer - Fake it till ya make it. Better to screw up trying than to never try at all. #HighLifeLesson (4/7/2012 7:40 am)

8th beer - take time to be wowed by simple yet complex things like fire and clouds. Makes you feel like a kid again. #HighLifeLesson (4/7/2012 10:54 am)

9th beer - put in a hard day of work so you feel no regret following it up with a hard night of drinking. #HighLifeLesson (4/7/2012 7:16 pm)

10th beer - please do not squander a moment of your youth. Once you get older, the mind is willing but the body isn't able. #HighLifeLesson (4/7/2012 7:39 pm)

11th beer - The key to life is finding a balance. Don't take on too much. Set achievable goals. And have some fun. #HighLifeLesson (4/7/2012 8:19 pm)

12th beer - don't let anyone tell you what you can or can't do. Live your dreams. Chase some whimsies. #HighLifeLesson (4/7/2012 11:21 pm)

13th beer - Don't sit around and wait for luck. Instead practice Karma. Do good and good will happen to you. #HighLifeLesson (4/8/2012 12:52 am)

The 7th High Life Lesson is from my brother Timmy. He was a firm believer in "fake it till you make it" and always encouraged me to at least try. Not many people achieve perfection and the ones that do usually won't admit it because they keep striving to be better. Once you realize that no one is perfect, nothing should stop you from trying and failing until you do succeed.

The 11th High Life lesson is one of the 3 core beliefs that I live my life by. The other 2 are #16 and #18. With this tripod holding me up, I make all of my decisions, assess right from wrong and try to lead a good life. I'm sure there are other factors that go into it but when it comes down to it, I trust in those 3 things to guide me.

The 13th High Life Lesson is very appropriately numbered. I don't believe in luck. I believe in Karma, keeping yourself open to new ideas and adventures and having a positive attitude. When you do that you make your own luck. Ever realize that when one thing goes right you end up falling into several more "lucky" situations? It's the opposite of the "when it rains, it pours" scenario. Some of my best adventures in life have happened because I put myself in a position for good things to happen. Call it what you want (be it Karma or something else) but things rarely go wrong when you do the right thing. It might not always be the easy choice to make, but if you have a good heart and a sound mind you should have no trouble choosing the right path to take.

14th beer - Nap before you rally. Trust me, you'll thank me later. You will rally 10x harder after a little nap. #HighLifeLesson (4/14/2012 4:37 pm)

15th beer - Break down barriers. Run through walls. Keep on pushing until you get there. The finish line is spectacular. #HighLifeLesson (4/14/2012 5:31 pm)

I took a week off before I drank beers #14 and #15 most likely because of #14 - at my age I need to nap before I rally. I'm not getting any younger and it is getting increasingly more difficult to rage as hard as I want to. Also it seems like I'm starting to forget things as well. I could have easily picked this thing up a few days later and continued dishing out lessons. But for some reason I didn't. Something that is more alarming is that it took me almost a year to finish up these 18 High Life Lessons (although I promise you that it didn't take me that long to finish the actual beers).

16th beer - The secret to surviving in life is this - don't be a fucking idiot. Apply this to everything and you'll be alright. #HighLifeLesson (3/14/2013 9:39 pm)

17th beer - It's ok to rage for other people, but make sure to also take time to rage for yourself. Celebrate your life. #HighLifeLesson (3/14/2013 10:29 pm)

18th beer - Slow down and enjoy today. Don't strain yourself worrying about tomorrow. You can't get there until today is over. #HighLifeLesson (3/14/2013 11:31 pm)

It's a little weird that I didn't finish this little adventure until almost a year after I started it. What happened in those 11 months that I couldn't add 3 more High Life Lessons? Life probably happened. It usually does. But I also saved 3 of the most important ones for last. #16 is so incredibly true. There are way too many idiots out there or maybe they are just regular people doing idiotic things. Whatever the case may be, you can apply this thought to just about anything and you'll be OK. It's snowing and visibility is poor? Don't be a fucking idiot - drive carefully and give yourself plenty of space between yourself and the other cars. In a committed relationship? Don't be a fucking idiot and cheat on your partner. Why purposefully hurt another person? That's no way to treat someone that was or is a big part of your life. Those are only 2 examples, but I'm sure you could think of a million more. When a situation presents itself, don't be a fucking idiot. Make the right choice.

 

#17 - I spend too much time Raging for Timmy and not enough time raging for myself. Because of that I've put my life on hold while I've been trying not to forget his. While it is important to continue his legacy, I need to create one of my own as well so people will remember me when I am gone.

The last one (#18) is the final piece that makes up the support system that keeps me standing - slow down. Life moves by real fast and if you don't stop and enjoy it, someday you'll regret it. I've already got tons of regrets and I'm only 33 years old. How many times do I sit by the lake and stare out across open water? How many times do I lay on my back in the park and watch the clouds roll by? How often do I sit with my Mom or my Dad and ask them questions about their childhood? Someday they won't be here anymore. It's sad to think about it but one day I won't be here too. So while I am here, I might as well slow down and enjoy this thing called life. We only get one of them. Might as well enjoy what little of it we have left.

 

If you've enjoyed these High Life Lessons I hope you apply them to your own life or come up with some of your own to follow and share with the World. If you're in to this sort of thing then I implore you to follow me on Twitter for this and all sorts of other random thoughts and nonsense. You can find me at @pookondotcom. And if not, I'm sure that our paths will cross someday in the future if we keep ourselves open to the idea. So until then - cheers pal. Hope you are living the High Life.

 - pookon -

www.pookon.com
https://twitter.com/pookondotcom
https://www.facebook.com/MilwaukeeIceman