The Elephant In The Room

Considering recent events, I've discovered that I have at least one thing in common with Tiger . . . I have lots of explaining to do.

Our similarities abruptly end there.

I've gone from 3-4 posts a week to only 3 posts in as many months. There are two reasons for that.

When I started this blog, my job had me spending at least 2-4 hours a day in my car in addition to another 2 hours of sitting by myself in physician waiting rooms. Needless to say, I had plenty time to think of pointless, rambling blog material.

Then a little over a year ago I left that job (ultimately because I was bored out of my mind!) and took over my dad's clinical research company . . . Protenium Clinical Research - Moving Research Forward!

(Shameless Plug Alert!)

There are a lot of things I love about my new gig, but one of the draw backs is that keeping a company on track drains me of time and mental capacity for online ranting, much to the Evil Empire's delight.

Then there's Facebook. Sweet, clean, easy one-sentence status updates Facebook. Let's face it - Facebook is trying to kill my blog.

Bad, Facebook, bad!

At the same time, I've reconnected with so many more friends and family in the last year via Facebook than I ever did via my blog over the last three years.

Bad, blog, bad!

And I can honestly say that in the past few months I've contemplated actually signing off and hanging a "Moved to Facebook" sign on Wade's Rantings. Though I can't say that would NEVER happen, I can say that I now have a reason to keep blogging.

Kelly and I shared a couple months ago that we're having another baby in the spring. She and I already feel the guilt of not giving our second child near as much time, thought and attention as Tate by this point in his pregnancy. I think by the time Kelly was 20 weeks along with Tate, I already had a small novel written about him on my blog.

So far, Baby Strz has all of ONE.

(Uh-oh! I think CPS just pulled up in front of my house!)

All that being said, the last thing I want is Baby Strz to spend years in therapy as an adult because I didn't blog as much about him/her than I did about Tate. I think the guilt from that alone would have me spending year in therapy in itself.

So there you have it - it may not be 3-4 posts a week but dust off that boring looking Rounders 3 template and fire up the dashboard. This kid may have to play with hand-me-down Lightning McQueen toys but at least he/she will have his/her very own blog posts!

. . . OK, now it's Tiger's turn!

400

This is my 400th post on Wade's Rantings!

So in celebration for there apparently not being anything better on the Internet for you to read at the moment, I'll share 400 random things you probably don't already know about me!

Ha, yeah right! How about we settle for just 10 instead?

1. I recently discovered that I'm a perfectionist. Apparently, I've always been a perfectionist but I'm just now becoming aware of and coming to terms with this new self-discovery.

Speaking of which, do you mind not sitting that way in your chair while reading my blog? . . . Thanks!

2. Every summer about this time when NFL training camps get underway I get really impatient for football season to start. Seriously, I'm already looking forward to kick-off weekend!

3. I have a number of short cuts that I like to take when getting around town. Anytime Kelly is in the car with me when I take one of my highly effective and efficient short cuts there's always a debate between us as to how much time I'm actually saving.

4. I want to be a Texas Ranger fan - I really do. But I just can't bring myself to endure the inevitable heartbreak. Besides, the Dallas Mavericks are already doing a good job of ripping my heart out every year!

5. Summertime is a particularly difficult time for me in my struggle not to covet because of all the ski boats I see being pulled down the road.

6. I planted some sweet potato vine in our backyard this summer and I'm a little prideful of how well it is growing. I enjoy going out at night (when it's not 400 freakin' degrees) and admire it while watering my plants.

7. I'm listening to American Pie by Don McLean while typing this post . . . and it scares me that I know every word of this song!

8. Now I'm listening to U2's In a Little While. Man, I'd love to learn how to play that intro on my guitar because Kelly thinks this song is sexy! But, of course, I'm making a big assumption that she would find me equally as sexy if I could play it on my guitar.

Bono-schmono!

9. I spent the past 3 weeks watching every stage of the Tour de France. My favorite part was anytime Tate would crawl up in my lap and watch it with me. He would point to the TV and say, "G-g-go!" I laughed every time!

10. I have to brag on myself a little . . . 160 days with no Dr. Pepper, Sprite, Root Beer or any carbonated drink of any kind is pretty darn impressive considering how addicted I used to be to those drinks.

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by!

Somebody's Been Busy!

I'm preparing to re-emerge into the blog world after being away for a few weeks due to work, vacation and life in general - I haven't even had the time to read my favorite blogs.

So you can probably imagine how overwhelming it is when I log onto my Google Reader account to find that I have over 180 blog posts to read!!!

Sheesh, you people blog a lot!

But who's complaining, right? I'm looking forward to getting caught up!

Happy Blogaversary to Me!

Two years and still ranting!

In the midst of my own busyness I completely forgot that I had my 2nd blogaversary a couple weeks ago. April 13, 2006 was my first post.

Thanks to everyone in the blogosphere for making it a fun 2 years! I love all the stories, comments and friends I've met along the way!

Play Nice or Go Home!

I'm sorry . . . but it had to be done!

I thought we were all doing a good job peacefully co-existing. I thought we were able to respect each other's personal space within cyber-space. I thought there was a certain level of mutual understanding that dictated that this is my blog and that is your blog.

What I do and say on my blog is my business and what you do and say on your blog is your business . . . so long as you don't try to conduct your business on my blog!

Thanks to on-line Brazilian computer stores, personal typing assistants who I have apparently met at the airport and those selling services on a website I dare not visit, I have reluctantly decided to add Word Verification to my Comments window!

I know, I know - Word Verification is a beating! It's a bothersome extra step you have to take when all you want to say is a quick 'hello'.

Half of the time it doesn't work because you can't figure out if one of the letters is a p or a q! That's an n - no, it's an m. How can that be a v? It looks like an u!

Beating!

But it's even more infuriating when I find spam comments on my blog!

GRRRRR!

One of these days I'm gonna bump into one of those comment spammers! And when I do, I'm gonna grab him (or her, but more than likely him) by the collar and . . . ! Well, let's just say that I will take a moment to communicate my disappointment in how he has chosen to earn a living!

And by reading some of your blogs, I know you feel the same way!

(I'm feelin' ya' PHylemon!)

Watch out, Comment Spammers! You've just been put on notice!

Happy Blogiversary To Me!

Wade's Rantings is 1 year old today!

So what do I do? Am I'm supposed to throw a party or something? Oooo, maybe there will be presents - I'm a large!

I've noticed that other bloggers reminisce on their blogiversary.

OK, then. In the past year, I've shared with you:

• My ambulance ride to the Dallas Baylor Emergency Room


• The worst album covers of all time


• Some great pictures of the Enright girls shakin' it (Sorry girls, I had to resurrect this one!)


• My beef with UPS


• My one true obsession (Grab a spoon for this one!)


• Little Man Tate Video (This one still chokes me up!)


• How I love to destroy people's irreplaceable furniture
• 20 random things I love about my wife. (This one's my favorite, of course!)


• And a bunch of other mostly irrelevant rantings.

I used to give bloggers a hard time - I know, I know - I didn't understand blogs so I ridiculed them! But I became reformed (and refined) and started Wade's Rantings because I suddenly realized everybody had a soap box to stand on but me - and why should I be left out?

But rather than having my own little corner of cyberspace to rant and rave in, I've come to realize that the greatest thing about having a blog is that you get a chance to catch up with old friends and even make a few new ones - those are the true 'blog blessings!'

So having said that, I guess I'll keep this blog going another year just to see who I bump into.

Thank you all for stopping by this year!