08-22-04        Life is good again. Don't get me wrong, its still tough times, but things are starting to look better. I've been working for 8 months now and got 2 raises already. Its kinda starnge, I'm bringing home less money now than when I was on unemployment, but I feel a whole lot better. Family life is harmonious and I'm hoping and praying that this light at the end of the tunnel isn't just another freight train heading my way. I've done my share of sinnin' in this world but I've got to believe that Karma has run its course.
       "Life is funny sometimes". That's a great quote by a great man. The man was my father. I guess it was kind of a take on "every cloud has a silver lining". These words have rung with truth for me in the past few months. It seems that every time life kicks me in the ass, I bounce right into a new opportunity. "life is funny sometimes".

01-08-04
       Lazy,lazy,lazy. Either that or a little bit of depression. Its been quite a month. The Ducks blew a big one, the ice storm hit, I'm looking for work again. On an up-note the kids had a wonderful Christmas and the New Year came in without the world ending. Portland has new police chief. The cops killed another lethal criminal but he wasn't a black killed by a white cop so no one raised a big fuss. Forgive me for that last comment but it seems that whenever a criminal is killed in Portland, if the criminal is black and the cop is white the racism issue is inevitably raised. That's just wrong.
       Saddam got captured. No terrorists attacked over the holidays. More Americans gave their lives for the betterment of the world. Willie Nelson made an ass of himself. Sorry Willie, I used to admire you. Maybe I still do. Looking back on my own life I guess a man shouldn't be condemned by one bad choice. or 2. or 3. Oh hell, I'm not better then anyone so who am I to say? Willie, I love ya, but I don't agree with what you said in that song.
       God bless. and a happy new year to all.

10-17-03
       Sorry for not updating this page earlier, but my time has been limited because I finally got a job. After 18 months of sitting on my butt, it sure feels good to be earning a paycheck again. The pay isn't the best but there is room for advancement and there's benny's so I can finally get some needed work done on my teeth. I have been deathly afraid of dentists for most of my life. Last year I had a dental emergency and just picked a dentist out of the phonebook. It was the best bit of good luck I had had in a long time. Dr. Boen was absolutely painless. I had a root canal done and there was no pain whatsoever during or after the procedure. I didn't even need the painkillers that she prescribed for me. As long as she is practicing in Portland she will be my dentist.

       For the last couple of weeks I have had an odd concern about political correctness. Today it came to a head when I heard about public reaction to General Boykin's comments. "My God is greater then youir god." Well, if you are a Christian then it's only natural to believe that. I'm a Christian and not only is my God greater than your god, but my God is the only God. I accept your right to believe in your god, but I don't have to accept your god. Let's look at how this great country was started. The United States of America was founded on Christian principles and beliefs. Over the past few decades our government has taken a fence sitting, chickenshit attitute toward religion, adopting the crazy notion of "separation of church and state" in fear of offending someone. Why separate the state from the beliefs on which it was founded?What sort of country would trade the beliefs that it was founded upon for the placation of the minority? In this litigious age even the government is afraid of offending anyone. Where in the constitution or the Bill of Rights does it say that anyone is free of being offended?

Nuff for now. God bless us all. Brad

09-20-03
       OH! MY! GOD! That was one heck of a game. As any Duck fan knows, Oregon has never had a lead that they couldn't squander. 21 - 6 at halftime and a 3 point game in the fourth quarter. Special teams played a huge part in this game, not from good plays, but from screw-ups. A blocked field goal returned for a touchdown, a missed extra point, a blocked punt returned for a touchdown, a fake punt hat went awry, a fake fieldgoal that didn't work. Typical edge of your seat Ducks football. I'll be very surprised if the Ducks aren't rated 15'th in next week's polls.
May all your drives end in touchdowns. Brad
09-19-03
       It's been another eventful week around this big world of ours, especially here in the States. Johnny Cash, the Man in Black left us to fend for ourselves. He was not only a great artist, but a true hometown American as well. He was both a good man and a bad man, as most of us are. He had his highs and his lows but he never let the lows defeat him. I feel the same today as I did when John Wayne died, sorry that we lost another great patriot. We also lost John Ritter this week. I hadn't thought of him very often in the last few years but I'll never forget the wacky Jack Tripper in Three's Company. Some of the funniest physical comedy I have ever seen other than the Three Stooges.
       Thankfully Hurricane Isabel lost some of her punch before she hit land. Of all the natural disasters I think that hurricanes are the most destructive. I've lived through tornadoes and earthquakes with no problem, but I would be deathly afraid of a hurricane.
Sweet dreams everyone. Brad
09-10-03
       I'm at odds with myself. Every night Will and Grace comes on the tube and I vow not to watch it. Every night I end up laughing my ass off to Will and Grace. I am totally and completely against homosexuality, but these writers are the absolute best at what they do. They're not gonna turn me, but they sure do make me laugh. Had to have a talk with the kids tonight about values, morals, and what just ain't right. I guess that's the point ...... Expose your kids to what is out there but be there with them to discuss the pros and cons of today's society. Only us, the parents, can mold our children into responsible, moral adults.
A caveat to the gays who take offense at this ......... I don't hate you, I don't want to deprive you of your so-called rights, I'm just saying that I believe you are wrong and that any influence you have on my children will be negative.
Kiss your kids goodnight when they hit the hay tonight. Brad
09-07-03
       Aw shit. Here we go again. I thought these problems were solved when the tweakers across the way got kicked out a few months ago. For the past few weeks we've noticed a helluva lot of traffic going in and out of one of the apartments in our small complex. All hours of the day and night these scuzzy looking creatures are making short stops at the apartment and in the parking lot. That and the fact that cars have been broken into a few times in the last week. Our new friends; the Multnomah County Sheriff Deputies have been here 3 times in the last 2 days. As I looked over the cop's shoulder this afternoon while he was running plates, I happened to get the names and addresses of 2 punks who left some rubber in our parking lot as they sped off. Hmmmmmmmm.
I suffered through 2 NFL games today only because I have a fantasy football team. Now I remember why I quit watching pro ball. An individualistic sport where teamwork means nothing. Its all about the money. That's why I love to watch college ball. The college athletes have a much better work ethic and are far more enjoyable to watch.
Enjoy the rain. Brad

09-06-03
       College football started this week so I feel rejuvinated. GO DUCKS!!!!! The only sport I enjoy more than college football is hockey. GO LEAFS!!!!! Lotsa stuff happening here in and around town this week. Kroeker resigned as police chief, the Gorge fire scared a few folks, and the b&b fire exploded again. Here's an inspirational story that I just love ... A 79 year old man went huckleberry picking in the forest and got lost. 8 days later he was found alive. A formal search was called off 4 days before he was found by a grouse hunter. I call him a hero unto himself. I hope I've got his (substitute positive adjective here) when I'm 79!
      There's good and bad things about living here in Wood Village. One of the good things is that there are 3 police departments patrolling our street ..... the Troutdale Police, the Fairview Police, and the Multnomah County Sheriff. One of the bad things is that the apartment complex across the street is full of hoodlums. I hate to sound like a racist but they just happen to be Mexicans. I have noticed when I watch the local news or read the paper that 98% of the sexual assaults, abductions and attempted abductions in the Portland Metro area are committed by Mexican immigrants. This afternoon my 13 year old daughter (actually my girlfriend's daughter but she's mine more than her sperm donor's) was approached by 2 Mexican guys on bikes making crude comments. This isn't the first time this has happened. We now will be taking walks together with me about 50 feet behind her. Watch the news for 2 dead Mexicans found in Wood Village or Fairview.
      We called the cops this time and I'd like to thank Deputy Stephen Dangler of the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office for his promptness and courtesy in responding to our call. Of course there was not much that he could do other than giving some very good safety tips to my daughter. I knew that would be the case but I at least wanted the cops to know that there was a problem in the area. Maybe they will get there in time to save the bleeding SOB from certain death.
Have a great day. Brad