I resolve to...

Give Pat Sajak more credit for his work with orphans and Vanna

Transcribe Fuller's new book into Latin and possibly Coptic.

I'm going to cure at least two viral videos before they spread beyond these United States.

I'd honestly like to ride a segway at some point in '09

...and speaking of segways, I'd like to ask Vista Print why they're so desperate to print 250 business cards for me?

I'd like to start a prodigal tribute band.

I'd like to get on Brad's twitter list

I think we'd all agree that '09 wouldn't be complete without some sort of crowning or official day given to Ms. Oprah Winfrey

I'm going to say it - less talk, more rock

I'd like to earn my black belt and then give it to someone with shoes that match

Get a Worthington Wrestling hat

I'd like open a camp, name it Puchia and then host a benefit concert for the people of CampPuchia.  I'd like  Mr. Dave Wolfenberger to play a medley of Queen and Paul McCartney tunes

Take the next step in my dream of creating Vice Presidential libraries across these United States with my Alben Barkley library in Kentucky.

Get a new nickname and then stencil the first initial of my new moniker on my shirts, Lavern style.  Right now I'm leaning towards "Alben"

Release the first case of my home style quadruple malt scotch "Alben's Quad Scotch" in local pubs across Wisconsin.

let's see here....I'm just reviewing....yup...uh huh....did I mention the segway?   Yup...good....the hat...right....Alben Barkley....I think that about sums up my '09 resolutions. 

What the heck else would I want to do?  I only have 365 days people.

breakfast with my people

Party of twelve, your breakfast is ready.

Lot of pressure when you've got folks in from overseas for breakfast. 

This is why I'm writing a weblog when I should be sweating over the details of eggs and cooked pig products:

The friends in from across the pond live in Ireland.  This completely eradicates any pressure I might have felt about the food served.  Oh sure I've had food over in the Emerald Isle.  I have a back and forth discussion with my Irish friends about their food products.

Old joke:  What's the shortest book ever written?  Great chefs of Ireland.

I've heard the food is much better over there now.  Bobby Flay did a special on the food of Ireland last year...and it didn't look half bad.

So maybe I should stop writing and put the pop tarts away...

I've gotta represent for the good old USA.

And what's more American than Frosted Flakes?

Who Dey?

Apparently 11 teams got it in their heads that they was gonna beat dem Bengals.  I haven't read much on the 'ol weblogesphere this year about the local "professional" football team.  I don't really want to go on about those fellas...I just wanted to throw it out there.  It's still a silly cheer (as is waving a yellow kitchen towel...it's just not quite as silly).  And this isn't a swipe towards all of the "wait til next year" talk after the Super Bowl a few years ago, and after the Steelers beat up on the locals the last couple of years...it's just a thought.

I still don't understand how they can have a vote for the pro bowl before the season ends.  If there's a close call between two players and it goes to the one guy...and the other guy has 17 tackles (four of them for a loss) an interception and a fumble recovery all on the last game....well...that kind of stinks, huh?

This is another reason that baseball is screwed up (way behind the designated hitter).  The all star game is nothing more than a popularity contest based on offensive output.  It's in the middle of the year, one dimensional and sad.  The Pro Bowl is a bit better...but I still think they should have picked the team this week.  The MVP awards should be renamed - The best Quarterback or Running Back Award.  If defense wins championships, it could stand to reason that the best player on a defense will do more to affect the outcome of a game than the quarterback or running back...doesn't it?

So the Steelers are back in the playoffs...again...ho hum...Big Ben is hurt and he has an awful record when he's coming back from an injury.  They have a great record against one of the toughest schedules this year, but I'm still a bit nervous about their line.

Christmas Eve Eve

Today will be shows number 5 and 6.  It feels like it's getting a bit better each time (outside of that third show...something seemed a bit off for some reason) and it's hopefully going to continue in that general direction.

I feel like Brad's really done a great job writing/directing/running the show this year.  Last year he did great, but it feels like he's hitting his stride even more this time around.  He's put together a team of several dozen that he's really trusting to do a lot of things that a control freak would try to do by themself.  It's resulted in a lot of really cool stuff.

It's the picture of leadership (a rare commodity).  He's empowering people around him to own stuff, to be creative, and to be a part of something bigger than themselves.  I think one of the signs of good leadership is how things go when the leader leaves.  I've heard people brag about how things went downhill after they've left an organization and I think they're missing out on what it truly means to lead.  It's not about you.  It's not your talent, it's not your vision, it's not your charisma.  A well led organization should be able to move on without missing a beat when the leader leaves...if they've done their job of developing people around them...and not making it about them.

There are talented people out there that produce good to great work.  A great leader is willing to take a few hits or even have an event or a meeting that doesn't go as well...because she is willing to let others fail in order to help develop through trial and error.  It's what a smaller organization often does better than larger organizations.  The mom and pop store is more likely to experiment (risk) with new sales ideas than the huge box store. 

Giving away not just the little stuff, but even the big sale...or the big pitch...or the big meeting to people who aren't as good as you is both a sign of a secure leader,  and of someone who would rather develop people than their own reputation.  It goes from their individual ego or ownership of something, to a corporate or a shared thing...

It's been fun/inspiring/encouraging to watch young Bradley give up some of his control and really allow the folks around him to blossom.  He's developed a team and I think it shows.

All I want for Christmas...

I don't know about you, but I only have one day of Christmas.  Whenever I hear the song about the twelve days of Christmas I can't help but wonder how I've lived my life ignoring the other eleven.

But then I hear about all the crap that guy got and I realize that I have almost no use for turtle doves or a partridge...and I'm not sure this climate could sustain a pear tree.  I figure this guy loves birds and his family has no idea what to give him...so they keep throwing birds his way.  It's become a tradition and his true love just jumps on board.  "You can't ever give this guy anything, he has everything...just give him whatever you find at Birds R Us.  I'm giving him three of those hens from France, maybe even throw in some calling birds"

I'm not sure I'll get a pear tree this year, but my friend John is hooking us up with a Sugar Maple tree.  I'm not 100% sure what that is, but I know this will take our tree total up 50%.  Sounds like the kind of tree that produces pancake icing...  Maybe I'll be bottling genuine Ohio maple syrup this time next year...throw a little ribbon around that and give it that to the neighbors.

Looks like my Christmas '09 gifts just got planned...

Parker and Me

Parker and I have a stay at home date today.  She's kind of a cheap date (if you don't factor in diapers and clothes that she outgrows every 3 weeks).  We're just going to chat about the latest goings on with the foreign and domestic markets and then have lunch.

Something simple - maybe hot dogs and pretzels with a side of orange slices...

Later she'll doze off while I'm left somewhat offended that my date needs a nap.

I'll get to hang out with the boys for a couple of hours before our last ever (re)gifter practice.  I call it practice because it sounds more like I'm playing some sort of sport and less like I'm about to have someone powder my nose.

Tomorrow is Wrap it Up on the Road at an apartment complex downtown for folks with special needs....followed by....nothing.  That hasn't happened in a while.

And then on to the show...I think we're maybe already at 10,000 tickets claimed.  I had a friend call me and ask for ten seats together at the Sunday night show and made some calls...and was laughed at.  I have less than zero pull apparently.

All this to say that my time with my little girl starts right now...and I couldn't be happier.

Golf anyone?

Just received a gift from my partners at the golf range.

Oh sure, I own a golf range.  It's not all mine, I have a few partner.  I've never met them and don't really know any of their names...but I own a stake in a driving range in Dublin, Ohio.  Grandpa gave it to me years ago because I'm the single greatest grandson you'd ever want to have....or maybe he was just one of the all time great grandpas...  I've had the stock for a decade or so and it's paid me about 2-4% a year on the investment.

Not so great.  Typically I get a year end letter letting me know about all the problems we've had and why next year will be better.  It never is.  Who can complain about a random check coming in the mail at the end of the year though?

...and so now I got an early Christmas gift from Grandpa...

Thanks Grandpa.  I'll slice a few drives for you...

Things I'm learning while appearing in a play/mashup

1. The director totally thinks he's in charge.
2. They're really into the "lines" and the "script"
3. If you're in a scene, there's no such thing as a timeout
4. They not only want you to know your lines, but they want you to know them in order
5. They're really into practicing; only they call it rehearsal
6. Key grip is code for guy who throws meatball subs into the crowd during the big car chase scene...and at no point does he hold or grip a key
7. The Gaffer is the fella that is paid to give Joe his half hour shiatsu

just saw this...

saving some cash

Stuff I bought this weekend:

A $6 bottle of laundry detergent
6 packs of gum that cost over $1 each at most stores
a family sized frozen meal that goes for over $3
A giant bottle of juice that goes over $3
two containers of sour cream that are normally over $1 each
two oral b pulsar toothbrushes that are normally $6-$7
8 deodorants that are normally about $2.50 each
a box of 50 kitchen trash bags that goes for around $8
A bowl like can of beef stew that costs $2.75
two candy bars for the kids (they were giving out bags of candy to people and I promised them I'd save them a bag...but then they decided to give those out to...they're some pretty good kids) that are 2/$1
A bag of Ore-Ida steam and mash potatoes - I think those are $2.50ish
2 boxes of cereal that would cost around $4 each
2 boxes of Pop Tarts that would cost around $2 each
3 bag of candy to fill up the kid's stockings -$2 each

I'm guessing I'm forgetting a few things - the totals were almost exactly $100 before coupons.

I paid a total of $5.38
I should also mention that I left Walgreens with a $5 gift certificate...so I'm really sort of out 38 cents.

The first question people always ask is, "so how much of that stuff would you normally have bought?"

Honestly, not much.  Before, we bought generic paper towels and toilet paper...and whatever was on sale for a lot of the other stuff.  (you won't see those on the list because we have so much stored away)  We just started using Viva paper towels for example- they're the single greatest paper towel you could ever use...but they're WAY expensive.  We wouldn't have bought those, or a lot of the other stuff, because it was so expensive.  Annie was able to stock up on some stuff two days ago that she never would have bought before, but with the coupon and the sale...it was free. Now we can stock up - we have enough razors, shampoo, conditioner, soap, toilet paper, trash bags, kid's soap & shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and cereal to last us through the winter...of 2010.

This is stuff we will definitely use.  Not only did we save a ton of money this weekend, but this is stuff that will save us money 6 months from now when we're still not buying deodorant or toothpaste.  Our only issue now is finding space for all of our free stuff.

And we can donate some of this stuff.  We can also use the money we're saving to give to something that will last a lot longer than toothpaste or delicious tarts that fit right in your toaster...