Thursday, February 19, 2009

Maryland Stimulus Money

If you blinked while watching Fox 5 News at 10 tonight you may have missed the breakdown of how money will be spent to repair roads in the state of Maryland. Because I do not know if our web team is going to post those numbers on www.myfoxdc.com I will post them here.

This is the breakdown per county:

Montgomery, Prince George's
$39.9 Mill: Resurfacing
$12.3 Mill: Safety

Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Saint Mary's
$23.4 Mill: Resurfacing
$5.3 Mill: Safety

Carroll, Fredrick, Howard
$19.4 Mill: Resurfacing
$6.1 Mill: Safety

This is your tax dollars at work!

And your kids'...

And grandkids.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Sausage Fingers

I went out for a run yesterday with our dog Jocelyn, which I have done a few times now, but I will no longer do.
About half mile into the run she got spooked by someone walking towards us and ran underneath my feet.
Falling forward I tried to splay my hands out in front of me but my right hand didn't make it.
I landed on my hand with fingers pointed down. My 190 lb. body bent my fingers backwards on my hand in excruciating pain.
Even now, a day later, my fingers and hand are bruised and swollen, and I can't make a fist. I am 99% sure there are no broken bones, but the sausage fingers are annoying me, and I am constantly thinking about breakfast.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

25 random things about me

From Facebook to my blog.

************************************************************************************************

1. I was born at Swedish Medical Center in Denver, Colorado. My mom said I was born very easily and almost came out on the ride over to the hospital, but is glad that I didn't.

2. I was born on July 29, 1966. A famous person I share a birthday with is Martina McBride, she is much better looking than me though, and has aged better.

3. Everyone called me Randy until I went into 1st grade. I liked Matt better. My middle name is Randall.

4. Growing up I couldn't stand being picked on. And it happened quite often. I always felt like I existed just so my brother had someone to kick around.

5. As long as I can remember I have loved to draw. I would draw anything and everything. I once used a microscope to look at the tiny lines on a dollar bill and draw it as exactly as I could.

6. I've never really had any problems getting along with people, I think it's because we moved around quite a bit when I was young and I always had to make new friends.

7. I went to a Catholic elementary school that had a blacktop playground. I was knocked out once when someone ran into me. I remember waking up in the principal's office with my mom sitting there so I must have been out for awhile.

8. One of the worst things I was ever made to do as a child was take boxing lessons. I couldn't stand the idea of hitting someone or getting hit. More so the getting hit part.

9. When I was in 8th grade I took a class that required us to do a partner "project" Music Art or Drama. My partner was Isabella Huerta and she taught me how to do a salsa dance. I also fell in love with her. But I never really told her.

10. Before I ever became a Christian I argued the existence of God with my brother. He insisted that God couldn't exist because you can't see, hear or touch Him. I argued that He did exist because you can't see, hear or touch Him.

11. If I had told T.C. Johnson #9 when I was in college that might have given me an A in his class. And he rarely gave out A's.

12. I met my best friend in college. We lived together and didn't speak to each other for the first 2 months we lived in the same dorm room. I almost moved out. I am sure glad that I didn't.

13. The CEO of a company in Denver traveled 210 miles to interview me for a position with his company based on the answer I gave to a question he asked me over the phone, "Who is your hero?" I told him my dad was and that's what he liked about me. I didn't get the job (Sales). He said I could probably do the job well, but I would be more suited to work in advertising or media. He was a smart man.

14. Since graduating college I have had more jobs than I can count on my 2 hands. Everything from working in a surf/boat shop to caring for disabled adults.

15. One of the many jobs I had was as a bill collector. Calling people up and telling them to pay their bills. As annoying as you might think this job was, I actually enjoyed the challenge of finding people first and then working with them to resolve the problem and at least settle the bill for a lesser amount.

16. Because of my instability to work in one place, early in our marriage my wife and I didn't have a lot of money and had to rely on food stamps and WIC to feed Josh, our precious little boy.

17. That precious "little" boy is now 6'1" and 190 lbs. When he was born I wanted to name him Phoenix. Another thing I am glad didn't go "My" way!

18. I named our other 2 children. Kylie Devan (Yes, with an A) and Kendall Marie. Marie is Stacy's middle name. Stacy wanted to name her Toby, but I know someone at work named Toby and I didn't want to think of a gray haired older gentlemen every time I called for my daughter.

19. I have lucid dreams.

20. I used to sleepwalk. Once I sleepwalked into someone else's bed, with them in it! Luckily I woke up and got out before HE woke up.

21. I also have recurring dreams. One of them is about my father. He is still alive in my dream world and I look forward to those dreams! Another is about Gilligan's Island

22. I used to watch way too much television.

23. Living with a goal has never been my strong suit. I'd much rather just let things happen and see how it all turns out.

24. I've jumped out of a plane once and would LOVE to do it again.

25. The uncertainty of the future is okay with me. I am not scared to go back to square one if I have to.