Ponder This!

How Has It Been Three Years Already?

2010-01-14T08:00:00.001-06:00

Our Handsome, Handsome Boy (December 30, 2008)
Originally uploaded by Cole_H.

Ditto what I said a year ago.

Uhhhh, Is This Thing On?

2009-11-14T22:11:00.000-06:00

Hmmm, I guess ye olde blog still works. Too bad I don't feel like I have anything interesting to say...

Two Years Ago

2009-01-14T17:48:00.004-06:00

That Face (Originally uploaded by SummerTX)

Two years ago today, after a 14 hour drive, we pulled in the driveway with the newest member of our family. We couldn't be happier that we made that trip.

My Dream Girl

2008-11-18T12:51:00.000-06:00

Luke, I am your mother. (from CollegeHumor)

I'm A Man!

2008-11-08T19:26:00.001-06:00

This is too good not to revisit tonight. Maybe this will send some good mojo to Oklahoma State tonight and they'll whip Tech.

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

2008-11-05T18:47:00.002-06:00

This wouldn't be funny if it didn't have a sliver of truth:

(HT to Rex)

U.S. Presidents Are Ignoring The Constitution

2008-11-05T18:39:00.002-06:00

Will Barack Obama buck the trend? We shall see...

(Some of you will immediately blow this off because of who employs the judge, but he makes some really good points.)

I Wish Ron Paul Was My Congressman

2008-11-05T18:28:00.000-06:00

Or better yet, our president.

Fanboys

2008-11-03T19:29:00.000-06:00

This movie can't hit theaters fast enough!

The Other Options

2008-11-02T13:05:00.001-06:00

Nader's a wacko, but probably still a better choice than McCain or Obama.

No Difference

2008-11-02T08:28:00.001-06:00

People Are Assholes

2008-10-21T20:55:00.001-05:00

Both sides of the aisle have their assholes. And that's why I'll never put a political sticker on one of my vehicles again.

Vacation Photos

2008-10-19T09:03:00.001-05:00

As most of you already know, Summer and I celebrated our birthdays and our anniversary earlier this month with a trip to New York City. I finally have all the photos posted to Flickr. For your viewing convenience (ha, ha), I have organized them in to sets for each day. Have a look:

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Day Four

Day Five

OU Sucks!

2008-10-11T14:40:00.001-05:00

In case you didn't know, OU sucks!

"I'm Voting Democrat"

2008-10-11T11:56:00.002-05:00

Not far from the truth:

And no, I'm not voting Democrat. Dream on. But I'm also not voting Republican in this election...

(Hat tip to tallglassofmilk)

Decision '08

2008-09-19T22:24:00.001-05:00

I've made my choice. Have you?

Yes. Vader is a better choice than any of the dopes that are really running.

Reason No. 1,450,368 The Alamo Drafthouse Kicks Ass

2008-08-22T21:40:00.000-05:00

Because they would never encourage this kind of crap during a regular screening (maybe during a sing-along, but never a regular screening):

Coincidentally, AMC Entertainment and the Autism Society of America are testing a monthly pilot program in which movie auditoriums will have their lights brought up and the sound turned down. Additionally, audience members are welcome to "get up and dance, walk, shout or sing." The first event is this Saturday, Aug. 23, at 10am at AMC Barton Creek 14. Tickets are $4 for a showing of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Why exactly would I want to pay to go to a movie theater to watch some jackass "get up and dance, walk, shout or sing" in the middle of the movie? I don't think so, Tim. And aren't sitting in pitch black darkness and having an awesome sound system bursting your ear drums two of the best parts of going to a movie theater anyway?

My Pal Molly Needs Your Help

2008-08-21T18:55:00.002-05:00

If you've got a few bucks lying around, why don't you help a sweet, little doggie out?

New Toy

2008-06-19T20:50:00.006-05:00

In case you're not following me on Flickr or Twitter (where I do most of my online hanging out these days), you probably missed out on me talking about my new toy:

As you can see, it's getting quite the workout already:

Betty Dunkerley Is A Moron

2008-06-05T22:26:00.000-05:00

We seriously have the dumbest city council in Texas (if not America). Let's just increase the cost of new home construction for no reason! And her claim that these proposed improvements would only cost $200 is bullshit.

And please don't get me wrong. I'm all for standards that allow disabled people to get around safe and comfortably. But regulations such as those should only apply to public places. Private citizens should not be forced to conform to rules like this when the likelihood of a disabled person ever visiting their home is slim. And if Ms. Dunkerley is worried about the resell of homes that are not handicap accessible, well, I'm sorry but that's on the person buying the house. If they need it to be accessible, then they should pay for the improvements. That may sound harsh, but that's the way it should be.

And don't even get me started on the mayor's home efficiency proposal...

JerryWorld

2008-05-27T21:31:00.002-05:00

Itchin' for a tour of JerryWorld? Then go watch this video.

Twitter Is Down Again

2008-05-21T16:41:00.003-05:00

Twitter has been down for most of the afternoon again. Does it ever work anymore?

We're Gettin' A Maggiano's!

2008-05-19T19:57:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it's the little things that excite me.

(Maggiano's site)

No Way Out

2008-05-17T10:58:00.002-05:00

We went and saw Robyn at Gruene Hall last Saturday. Have a listen to a song off her new album:

Posting So Denise Doesn't Ground Me ;-)

2008-05-14T20:11:00.002-05:00

So is Twitter down this evening? Or is it just me?

(Here's where I got called out.)

With the 25th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select...

2008-04-26T17:07:00.003-05:00

...Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida (via a trade with Seattle)!

I can live with this one. They've addressed one of their biggest needs. Now how about a WR? I've been begging for one for at least a year.

With the 22nd pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select...

2008-04-26T16:39:00.002-05:00

...Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas!

Ehhh, I don't know about this one. Time will tell, I guess.

Video Test

2008-04-19T16:49:00.001-05:00

Just wondering how embedded Flickr video will work on the ol' blog...

I'm Kind Of A Geek

2008-04-13T17:01:00.000-05:00

57% Geek

How 'bout you?

(Hat tip to Linda.)

'Elitist and Out of Touch'

2008-04-12T13:14:00.003-05:00

They are all out of touch, but Hillary even more so:

"Senator Obama's remarks were elitist and out of touch," she said, campaigning about an hour away in Indianapolis. "They are not reflective of the values and beliefs of Americans."

I guess she would know all about being elitist and out of touch. And I guarantee you she knows nothing about the values and beliefs of Americans. All she is concerned about is the power that comes with the White House.

I can't wait for this election to go away.

Artie Lange Storms Off Stern Show

2008-04-10T11:03:00.000-05:00

That was crazy! I hope Artie's not done with the show, but he really needs to get his shit together. At the very least Howard needs to discipline in him in some way...

McDowell Walks Away From Scary Wreck At TMS

2008-04-04T19:25:00.001-05:00

I wish the SAFER barrier had been installed at Daytona on February 18, 2001.

Why Aren't You Using Twitter?

2008-03-30T20:25:00.004-05:00

I noticed the link to this video on the Twitter homepage this morning and thought the Common Craft folks did a fine job of explaining what Twitter is and how you can use it. This video will even make sense to those who aren't very Internet savvy. Do yourself a favor and go watch it.

And then answer this question: Why aren't you using Twitter?

Update (15 minutes later): I just saw a Twitter conversation that @r and @MeganG were having regarding how you explain Twitter to non-users. Rex sent Megan to this excellent piece he had written about understanding Twitter. Go read that too.

Wanna See How Bad My Parents Brainwashed Me?

2008-03-29T01:05:00.003-05:00

I was reading this article from Frank Luksa about Bob Hayes and decided to peruse a couple of the comments. I bet I interpreted the following comment from "tkoshot" a lot different than you would have:

Anyone who has the impact on the game like Bob did, deserves better. It seems like even the man himself did not treat Bob Hayes the way he should have been treated...

When I read "the man himself" I immediately thought Tom Landry. After reading it a second time, I'm now pretty sure "tkoshot" means God.

Told you I was brainwashed. Thanks a lot, Mom and Dad. ;-)

And yes, Tom Landry is still the man. Ask Hank Hill if you don't believe me.

Tagged Part II (a.k.a. 7 Random or Weird Facts About Me)

2008-03-29T00:40:00.001-05:00

Yep, there's a part two to the tagging tonight. My new friend from Las Vegas, Denise, tagged me to share seven random or weird facts about myself. Leave now if you don't want to be bored.

The rules for this one are pretty simple too:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules here.
3. Share 7 random or weird facts about yourself.
4. Tag 7 random people at the end of the post, linking to them.
5. Leave a comment on their blog so that they know they’ve been tagged.

OK, here we go!

a. I own three computers and four iPods (five if you count my iPhone). The computers are a Dell desktop, a Dell laptop, and a MacBook. Over the last year the two Dell's have basically started to gather dust. These days I only turn on the desktop to update Robyn's website (it's the one that has FrontPage on it) and I only turn on the Dell laptop to balance my checkbook (it's the one that has Microsoft Money on it). The iPods? A 1G iPod mini, a 1G iPod photo, a 5.5G iPod, and a 3G iPod nano. I don't know what the deal is there. They all work and I just can't stop buying them! And truth be told, I still use all but the mini on a regular basis. I don't know if I'd really classify myself as a gadget geek, but I'm certainly addicted to computers and iPods!

b. I'm a total germaphobe. I don't eat after anyone and when I leave a public restroom, I don't open the door without the assistance of a paper towel. I don't want to elaborate on this one too much or y'all are gonna think I'm weirder than you already do.

c. I'm a very picky eater. Not as bad as when I was a kid, but still pretty bad. The list of vegetables I eat is a very short one. Don't even get me started on mayonnaise. Again, trying not to elaborate too much.

d. I can't drink out of an aluminum can without making a dent in it.

e. I can move my ears at will. One at a time or both at once. I'm pretty sure I get this talent from my dad.

f. My favorite fast food joint of all time is Wienerschnitzel. Can't beat a plain, old mustard dog from The Der!

g. I turn in to a total night owl on the weekends. During the week I'm pretty good about being in bed by 11:00 at the latest. The weekends are a different story. Even if we don't go out, I'm hardly ever in bed before midnight on a Friday or Saturday night. And it's usually more like 1:00 am or 2:00 am before I head to bed. 3:00 am isn't uncommon either. Some of you may not think 1:00 or 2:00 am is really that late, but for us old people it is.

Time to pass the fun on. Summer, Megan (I'm returning the favor), Stace, Jodi, Kacey, Kerry, and Kim...y'all are it! So 1, 2, 3, go! (Don't feel bad if you don't want to participate...I completely understand.)

Tagged Part I

2008-03-28T20:40:00.001-05:00

Megan called me out and tagged me with this meme that's going around. The instructions are pretty simple:

You take each line and replace it with a single word of your choosing. Yes, just one word!! Afterward, tag seven folks.

You’re feeling: full
To your left: wall
On your mind: basketball
Last meal included: tacos
You sometimes find it hard to: work
The weather: windy
Something you have a collections of: iPods
A smell that cheers you up: cookies
A smell that can ruin your mood: skunk
How long since you last shaved: hours
The current state of your hair: wavy
The largest item on your desk right now (besides computer): plans
Your skill with chopsticks: non-existent
Which section you head to first in the bookstore: history
And after that?: sports
Something you are craving: cookies
Your general thoughts on the presidential race: sick
How many times have you been hospitalized this year: none
A favorite place to go for quiet time: den
You’ve always secretly thought you’d be a good: driver (as in race car)
Something that freaks you out a little: germs
Something you’ve eaten too much of lately: candy
You have never: skydived
You never want to: smoke

I'm too lazy to think of seven people to tag, so I'm gonna follow Linda's lead and let y'all sort it out amongst yourselves. If you do decide to participate because you saw it here, leave me a comment so I can check it out.

High Gas Prices Even Affect NASCAR Teams

2008-03-28T20:18:00.000-05:00

I don't really have any commentary on this one (other than pointing out gas prices suck donkey balls right now...but you knew that already). I just thought it was an interesting article to share. I guess I never thought that multi-million dollar NASCAR teams would have to worry about cutting travel expenses because of high gas prices...

Podcasting With The Best of Them

2008-03-25T19:54:00.001-05:00

Well, not exactly. But not bad for our first ever podcast. Check it out. And while you're at it, check out the article about Summer on Hammock.com.

And I had no idea I sound like such a hick!

(My apologies in advance to any Shutterfly/Snapfish users out there. I can't help it that I'm addicted to Flickr and think there is nothing better...lol!)

Austinites slow to file taxes

2008-03-25T19:02:00.000-05:00

Count me in as one of the procrastinators. I think it's just 'cause we have better shit to do.

Please Quit Calling Me

2008-03-01T17:22:00.000-06:00

We got a Hillary Clinton campaign call from a real live person this morning. I answered the phone and had this funny conversation.

Me: Hello?
HC volunteer: Hi, this is so-and-so. I’m a volunteer for the Hillary Clinton for President campaign...
Me: (interrupting him) Dream on.
HC volunteer: (laughing) Dream on?
Me: Yes.
HC volunteer: So are you voting for Obama?
Me: Nope.
HC volunteer: So are you a Republican?
Me: Nope.
HC volunteer: (laughing again) So are you voting?
Me: Yep.
HC volunteer: Oh, well I guess we don’t have anything to talk about.
Me: Nope. Thanks for calling. (click)

Matthews Hammers Watson

2008-02-20T21:14:00.000-06:00

Check out Chris Matthews really giving it to our former mayor. I always thought Kirk Watson was a tool.

Summer and I agreed that the majority of voters would probably answer in the same way Watson did when questioned about the candidate they support. It's sad to say it, but most people don't pay that much attention to what their elected officials do. They just latch on to a candidate for superficial reasons. They just like Hillary because she's a woman or they like Obama because he's not Hillary...

Double Dipping

2008-01-31T18:41:00.000-06:00

Laura was kind enough to point us to a NY Times article that everyone needs to read. Seriously. Go read it now!

Exactly

2008-01-26T13:56:00.001-06:00

I usually don't agree with Dave Winer's politics, but he's hit the nail on the head here:

"I didn't think it was an issue until Bill started throwing the mud so aggressively. Then I noticed that Hillary was talking about the first two terms as a plural accomplishment, as if she were in office then. The more he attacks and the more she takes credit for the first two terms, the more I think they're fucking with the Constitution."

Full post here.

And am I the only one in this country that feels 20 straight years of the Bush's and Clinton's in the Oval Office is enough? Does it really need to be 24 (or possibly 28) straight years? If you really want change, vote for anyone but Hillary. And if you REALLY want CHANGE, vote for a third party candidate.

Have You Seen This Yet?

2008-01-23T13:20:00.000-06:00

A couple of the guys at work sent me links to this video this week. It cracked my ass up! Check it:

One Year Ago Today II

2008-01-13T21:31:00.001-06:00

Home (January 13, 2007)
Originally uploaded by Cole_H (Old Skool).

We brought Thunder home.

One Year Ago Today

2008-01-08T21:17:00.000-06:00

The craziness began.

Project 365 December Mosaic

2008-01-06T20:25:00.001-06:00

Project 365 December Mosaic
Originally uploaded by Cole_H (Old Skool).

Six days later, here's my Project 365 mosaic for December. Summer and I had so much fun with Project 365 that we're going for it again in 2008. Wish us luck!

And just for the heck of it, here's a mini-rundown of my 2007 Project 365 experience:

- 26 photos of Thunder (he was totally favored this year because he's the newest baby!)
- 15 photos of Bugsy
- 8 photos of TJ
- 5 photos of Augie
- 7 photos of CJ
- 3 photos of animals that don't belong to me
- 53 food and/or drink or food and/or drink related photos
- 4 photos relating to gas prices
- 7 photos that have the word 'Texas' in them
- 30 photos that have numbers in them
- 15 photos of Summer
- 8 photos of me

The above list is pretty fun and I could go on all night, but it's really tiresome to go through all the photos and count these kinds of things up. So there you go.

Ron Paul '08

2007-12-30T17:13:00.000-06:00

Google Ron Paul.

2007 Nashville Trip

2007-12-23T21:08:00.001-06:00

In case you haven't been keeping up with us lately, we went to Nashville last week for Summer's company's Christmas party. As usual, we took a ton of photos and I posted the best on Flickr. If you've got nothing better to do, go check 'em out:

Days 1 & 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

One Year and Four Days Ago

2007-12-20T10:56:00.000-06:00

We learned about a certain little doggie...

(I meant to post this on 12/16, but completely forgot by the time we got home from Nashville.)

Our Hood Is Rough

2007-12-19T21:31:00.000-06:00

Vandals have been terrorizing our neighborhood for the last several months. Summer's vehicle is safe, but my truck doesn't fit in the garage (because it's too long, not because of all our crap!).

In Case You Were Under a Rock Last Year

2007-12-11T20:19:00.000-06:00

Dick In A Box:

Tin Star

2007-12-08T15:28:00.000-06:00

If any of you are familiar with Tin Star's recent history in the Central Texas area, you won't be surprised that Summer and I found the one in West Lake closed down when we tried to eat lunch there today...

Project 365 November Mosaic

2007-12-04T09:10:00.001-06:00

Project 365 November Mosaic
Originally uploaded by Cole_H (Old Skool).

I thought November was kinda tame, but looking back on this mosaic, we did a lot. IKEA, painting, Tuna Does Vegas, Luckenbach, Thanksgiving, football, and beer drinking. November was a pretty good month...

They Have No Clue

2007-11-28T12:51:00.000-06:00

These two bozos don't get that I don't need the iTunes Store to play music on my iPod. The iTunes Store is convenient, but I can still load music from other sources on my iPod even if I never purchase another song from the iTunes Store again. I also don't think either one of these dopes owns an iPod because it's obvious they don't know how they work.

Update: More from Charles Starrett (somebody who actually has a clue).

Pumpkin Ale: Nov. 23, 2007

2007-11-23T23:29:00.001-06:00

Pumpkin Ale: Nov. 23, 2007
Originally uploaded by SummerTX.

Summer drank a beer! Summer drank a beer!

Project 365 October Mosaic

2007-11-23T13:44:00.001-06:00

Project 365 October Mosaic
Originally uploaded by Cole_H (Old Skool).

And this catches me up.

Project 365 September Mosaic

2007-11-23T13:19:00.001-06:00

Project 365 September Mosaic
Originally uploaded by Cole_H (Old Skool).

Playin' some catch up...

Free Wi-Fi In Midtown Manhattan, Courtesy Letterman's Bosses

2007-11-16T08:29:00.000-06:00

This will come in handy next time we go back.

(via Rex)

Blah

2007-11-14T21:56:00.000-06:00

Not only do I not have anything to blog about, I have nothing to take a picture of.

Home Improvement

2007-10-29T22:03:00.000-05:00

Summer painted our guest bathroom yesterday. Check it out.

Tumblelogs

2007-10-26T20:08:00.000-05:00

As usual, Rex is on top of the latest geek "thing". If you don't already have a tumblelog, hurry up and join the club.

Big Surprise

2007-10-23T18:06:00.000-05:00

I didn't really need a report to tell me this. Common sense would pretty much tell you that this is the case.

Las Manitas Update

2007-10-17T19:56:00.000-05:00

How much money did the greedy Perez sisters (who own another building a block or two from the current Las Manitas location) get for this? I'm sure they extorted more money from Marriott than they almost did from the City...

NYC Trip - Days Three, Four, Five, & Six

2007-10-17T19:55:00.001-05:00

The rest of my NYC photos have been bagged and tagged over at Flickr.

Day Three

Day Four

Day Five

Day Six

NYC Trip - Days One & Two

2007-10-12T20:38:00.001-05:00

Photos from Day One and Day Two of our birthday-anniversary-birthday trip to NYC are bagged and tagged over at Flickr.

Stat Of The Week

2007-10-03T22:31:00.000-05:00

57-39-5: Texas' record in the Texas-OU series. And if you throw out the five wins OU reeled off from 2000 to 2004 due to Mack Brown's ineptitude, their 39 wins is even less impressive. Yep, OU still sucks.

Disclousure: I predict OU will hammer Texas this weekend. Of course, I want Texas to win really bad, but I just don't see it happening. Please surprise me, Texas.

Still No Hard Drive

2007-10-02T20:08:00.001-05:00

Apple still sucks. They just shipped the hard drive today. That SOB better be here tomorrow...

No Hard Drive Yet

2007-10-01T20:53:00.001-05:00

Apple sucks...for now.

Broke Down

2007-09-30T21:28:00.000-05:00

If you've been following my broke down (see comments for more detail) computer saga over at Flickr, here's a quick update for you.

I called Apple again on Saturday morning to get my Apple Care Protection Plan activated. They were able to verify that I purchased the Protection Plan before my original warranty expired. It took several minutes to do that and afterwards they transferred me back to tech support. The second guy was able to look up my previous case number and see what we had done on Friday night. He confirmed that the first guy determined it was my hard drive and he set me up to get a new one mailed out. I asked if I could upgrade to a larger hard drive and expedite the shipping. I also told him I'd be willing to pay the difference for upgrading and he put me on hold to check about upgrading. He came back several minutes later and said it wasn't possible to upgrade at that time. I told him that was OK and asked again about expedited shipping. Turns out they overnight replacement parts so that wasn't even an issue. He told me Apple would ship the new hard drive that day and I should have it tomorrow. Yay, Apple!

In Case You're Counting...

2007-09-21T18:24:00.000-05:00

...only 300 more days until the release of The Dark Knight.

Project 365 August Mosaic

2007-09-20T14:37:00.001-05:00

Project 365 August Mosaic
Originally uploaded by Cole_H (Old Skool).

Now that September is close to being over, I figured I'd slap together my August mosaic...

And The Number Is...

2007-09-19T12:42:00.000-05:00

...88! Mountain Dew/Amp and the National Guard will be Junior's two new primary sponsors.

Tags: Dale Earnhardt, Jr., NASCAR

Time Warner Sucks

2007-09-18T20:45:00.000-05:00

While I'm on a blogging kick this evening, please note that Time Warner sucks. Unless they get off their asses and add the NFL Network quick, I will miss the Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game for probably the first time in my life. If Time Warner gets it their way, I'll also miss the Carolina game on December 22. Losers.

Tags: Time Warner Sucks, NFL Network, Time Warner

I Cracked

2007-09-18T20:38:00.000-05:00

The boycott took a temporary break. I couldn't take it anymore. I guess round two starts today...

Note that the first attempt at the boycott did last almost a year and a half. If you know me at all, you know that is quite impressive.

For The Record

2007-09-18T20:04:00.000-05:00

I don't think Texas is a Top 10 team right now. And October 6 is really scaring the crap out of me.

Football's Oldest Stadiums

2007-09-18T20:02:00.000-05:00

If you're a college football fan (or an engineering nerd), you'll probably enjoy this article.

V The Quarterback

2007-09-10T22:49:00.000-05:00

Saw the coolest sticker on a Honda Pilot at the light at Slaughter on the way home tonight. It was square white sticker with a burnt orange Longhorn in the middle. A black V was superimposed over the Longhorn and at the bottom in black text it said "The Quarterback". Think black and white "W The President" stickers. It was very cool...

NBC Decides Against Renewal of iTunes Contract

2007-09-01T13:55:00.000-05:00

Jeremy Horwitz makes a very good argument for why NBC is so stupid.

Tumblr

2007-08-29T21:57:00.001-05:00

Tumblr test.

Bristol Night Race

2007-08-25T21:11:00.000-05:00

Way to go, NASCAR. You've managed to make Bristol boring. The COT sucks...

59-year-old Makes Div. III College Football Team

2007-08-22T11:53:00.000-05:00

Holy crap! Only in Texas, I guess...

Interview

2007-08-20T22:01:00.000-05:00

Picking up on this meme that is making the rounds in Nashville, I asked Megan to interview me. If you want me to interview you, follow these directions:

Leave me a comment saying "Interview me." I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions. If you don't have a valid email address on your blog, please provide one. You will update your blog with a post containing your answers to the questions. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions. And so on and so on.

Now, here are my questions from Megan:

1. What was your worst job ever? Why?

That would have to be the last one. But really, it was only the last two or three months that sucked. Here's the recap of how it all went down, if you care. Getting cussed at and called names will pretty much make any job suck.

However, I guess I consider myself pretty fortunate that I've never really had a job that sucked. If you don't count the last few months at the last job, I've been extremely lucky.

2. If you could pick any other time except the present to be born/live your life, what time period would you choose? Why?

Wow. How to choose? Well, at best, I'd consider myself an amateur war buff. So I'd love to go back and live during the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, or World War II. Except, screw all that fighting in a war crap. I'm probably too much of a wuss for all that. From a historical aspect, those are probably three of the most important time periods in this country.

But if I really had to choose a time period for everyday life, I'd probably go with the post-Civil War wild west. How freakin' sweet would it have been to be a gunslinger? Or hell, even just a settler in one of the western territories? Good times.

I guess I like this time period because things seemed so much simpler back then. I know most of those people really busted their asses tending to their farm or whatever, but I can only imagine that things were much less stressful back then. And after the last two weeks I just had at work, less stress sounds very appealing.

3. Name one thing you would NEVER change about yourself, and explain why.

Summer will hate this answer, but I'd never change that I am almost always brutally honest. If you don't want to know the truth, don't ask me. I have no problems telling you (the collective you) that you look stupid in that outfit, or if you're a real asshole, etc. And if I'm not offering an opinion, it's usually because I'm trying to be nice. It's kind of a 'don't ask, don't tell' situation.

Why would I not change this about myself? I have no earthly idea. I just like that quality.

Funny side story: When I was a sophomore in high school, one of the girls I grew up with was dating a senior boy. He was always a real prick to me and I really didn't like him. So for whatever reason, I told her in English class one day what I thought of him. Of course, she ran right off and told him. So later that day we're in the football locker room and he comes over to my locker. He said something like, "so I hear you think I'm a real asshole?" My answer was something along the lines of "yeah, pretty much." Now mind you, this guy was built like a brick shithouse and could have stomped my ass in two seconds. But the brutally honest part of me wasn't gonna deny what I had said. So after threatening to kick my ass and me telling him how tough he would be for beating up a sophomore, one of the juniors on the team stepped in. His locker was next to mine and he always kinda looked out for me and my buddy, Kyle (we were the only two underclassmen on the varsity). He told the senior guy to back off before he had to kick his senior ass. That was pretty much the end of that problem. Anyway, this side of myself got me in a bunch of trouble in high school.

4. What are you most passionate about? Why?

Oh, tough one. But the only answer I can really come up with will probably get me smacked upside the head: the Dallas Cowboys. Lame, huh? But there are few other things that will get me pissed off so quickly or jumping up and down in the middle of the living room. Any other time, I'm pretty laid back and don't show a whole lot of emotion. But if the Cowboys lose, don't call me or try to talk to me after the game. I need at least until Monday morning to get over it.

You can blame my parents though. They brainwashed me at a very young age. I had no chance. Plus, I'm a Texan. And in case you hadn't heard, football is king in this state.

5. If you could go back to any point in your life and do something differently, what would it be? Why?

This one is actually easy. I would go back a few years and redo college. No, not for all the partying and good times. For the school part. There's not many days that go by that I don't wish I had been a more serious student. I did my usual thing of just coasting and doing the bare minimum to get by. I passed all my classes and got my degree, but I really wish I had given it more effort. I feel like it would have made me a better engineer and able to perform all my job functions at a higher level.

Bonus question: How freaking awesome is Summer?

Eh, she's OK. (Seriously, though. It doesn't get much more freakin' awesome than Summer. Need proof? She puts up with my stupid ass every day.)

Can't. Wait.

2007-08-18T20:46:00.000-05:00

Saw a teaser trailer for this today. July '08 won't get here fast enough.

(Official movie site here.)

No 8 For Junior

2007-08-18T17:28:00.000-05:00

If any woman on this planet deserves to be called the "c word", it's Teresa Earnhardt. Bitch.

Project 365 July Mosaic

2007-08-07T20:21:00.001-05:00

Project 365 July Mosaic
Originally uploaded by Cole_H (Old Skool).

Cause I know you've been waiting on pins and needles for it.

Buy It

2007-07-21T21:02:00.000-05:00

Who wants to buy a camera bag?

Update: Sold and shipped!

Vick Indicted

2007-07-17T20:11:00.000-05:00

"The indictment also claims that in the summer of 2002, at various times, Peace, Phillips, Taylor, and Vick performed "testing" sessions at the property in Smithfield. After the testing, the indictment says, dogs that performed poorly were put to death by Peace, Phillips or Taylor. In April 2007, the indictment says, an additional "testing" session was performed by Peace, Phillips, and Vick. Afterward, it claims eight dogs were hanged, drowned and/or slammed to the ground and killed."

If this is all true, I can only hope that these jerks end up in prison getting ass raped. And then dragged out in the street and shot. There is absolutely no excuse for this kind of behavior.

Recent Random Google Searches That Have Referred People To My Blog

2007-07-12T22:07:00.000-05:00

These are some good ones:

1. "problem to ponder on steroid use"

Sorry, can't help you there.

2. "counteroffer boss pissed off"

Huh? WTF?

3. "do we need jacket in summer to go to statue of liberty"

This was from someone in New Jersey. You'd think folks from Jersey would be familiar with the weather in New York.

Project 365 June Mosaic

2007-07-10T20:21:00.001-05:00

I know y'all have been waiting for it, so without further adieu...

June Mosaic
Originally uploaded by Cole_H (Old Skool).

Today I Learned That I'm Old

2007-07-07T21:58:00.000-05:00

Did you know that the State of Texas makes drivers licenses vertical for those under the age of 21? I didn't know that until we were in line at Victoria's Secret today and the girl paying at the next register whipped out her ID to show the cashier. It was oriented vertically and I had to ask Summer what the hell that was. For whatever reason, Summer was aware of the fact that the State started making IDs like that for minors a few years ago. I had no idea.

And on a somewhat related note, I ran across a picture on Flickr the other day where the 20-yr. old photographer thought it was weird that Trix now came in little round balls instead of the "old" fruit shapes. I always thought it was weird that they came in fruit shapes for the last several years. Summer got me a box of Trix today and this photo came up again because the box says "New Shape! Same Great Taste!" While we were looking at the box, I asked Summer if there could really be that much of a generational gap between me and a 20-yr. old? Her response was that I didn't even know they make vertical drivers licenses for minors. Doh!

Central Texas Flooding

2007-07-05T18:17:00.000-05:00

Other than a soggy backyard with six inch tall grass, I didn't really think I had been affected negatively by the rainfall and flooding we've experienced in the last few weeks. That was until we took a drive yesterday and saw this.

Tags: Central Texas Flooding, Summer Flood '07

I Was Too Busy Hangin' With The Wreckers To Blog

2007-07-03T21:49:00.000-05:00

Tags: The Wreckers

I've Decided To Wait

2007-07-01T20:53:00.001-05:00

I think.

I've read some really kick ass stuff about the iPhone this weekend, but I've also read about the hell some people have gone through. Even with all the bad stuff, I still want one so bad I can hardly stand it. I even dreamed last night that I had bought one.

One thing that is totally working in my favor is that I'm not currently under contract with Cingular/AT&T, so I can upgrade to an iPhone whenever I choose. So the plan is to stay strong and keep waiting for rev. b. Hopefully, that isn't far off. In the meantime, I will do my best not to read about the iPhone every single day and that should keep the lusting after to a minimum...

The iPhone Comes To Town Tomorrow

2007-06-28T22:10:00.000-05:00

Or does it? I totally don't know what to do. Do I get it? Or do I wait for rev. b? Yesterday I wanted it. Today I want to wait.

Tell me what to do, Apple geeks.

Ice Road Truckers

2007-06-24T20:50:00.001-05:00

I'm not sure if this makes me a total redneck or not, but we just watched the premiere episode of Ice Road Truckers (it started last Sunday, but they aired an encore presentation earlier this evening) and I loved it. I highly recommend that you watch this show. The next episode is tonight at 9:00 p.m. CST. Check it out!

I've Been Published!

2007-06-23T11:19:00.000-05:00

Remember me mentioning a couple of weeks ago that I might get one of my photos published? Well, I made it in to the Great Outdoors section of the 3rd Edition of the Schmap New York City guide! Click on the link for the Central Park Carousel to see my photo. If you want to check out the full guide, go here.

Also, check out the new widget over there on the right. If you're patient enough, you should see my photo scrolling through.

Do you have 20 minutes to spare?

2007-06-22T19:17:00.000-05:00

Then watch this new iPhone guided tour video from Apple.

Rob & Big

2007-06-19T22:04:00.000-05:00

The funniest show on TV that you're probably not watching. Don't tell her I told you, but even Summer laughs out loud at this show.

Junior to Hendrick Motorsports?!

2007-06-12T16:41:00.000-05:00

Rumors abound that Junior will announce tomorrow that he'll sign with Hendrick Motorsports.

I can deal with that. I'd love to see him in their equipment. The only bad part is that he'll be teammates with that a-hole Jimmie Johnson.

Tags: Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jimmie Johnson sucks, Hendrick Motorsports