The flu is going around the country and making the rounds at my house. It started with my oldest daughter last week. Poor thing. She had high fevers, bad cold symptoms, and uncontrollable shivers. On the second day, after not being able to get her fever below 102, we took her to the hospital. She has Influenza “A”.

Q5: Edinburgh, Scotland

She’s just about out of the woods today, but my wife started coming down with the same thing on Tuesday. Like most households, when mom is sick, everything stops. Amy is not a complainer and has pretty much stayed bundled up on the sofa for the last two days. I’ve been trying to step up and take care of the kids, help with homework, cook, etc. Man, I hope she starts feeling better soon. I STINK at the Mr. Mom thing! I’ve cooked mac & cheese and hot dogs, so I’ve pretty much exhausted my culinary skills. With everyone too sick to go out… we may starve.

Get well soon, honey! I’m almost out of clean socks.

Finally after two weeks of programs NOT running on Vista on my new computer, I decided to “downgrade” to windows XP. Programs would run fine for a few days, then crash everytime I tried to open them. Reinstalling them wouldn’t even help.  I went out on Tuesday afternoon and bought the full WinXP program ($200).  When I went to back up my files on DVD, the computer wouldn’t recognize the DVD-ROM.  Third time that’s happened, btw.  Back on the phone with tech support to fix that.  I HATE VISTA!

We talked about my computer woes on the air briefly on Wednesday and some folks recommended Ubuntu.  The info I could find on the web made it seem like it runs in tandem with Windows, not replacing it as an operating system.  Plus I’d already dropped the cash on XP, so I stuck with that.

Well, when you go backwards with an operating system, you have to re-format your hard drive - deleting everything.  The whole installation process took about three hours. No big deal I thought, but it also wipes out all your drivers for any hardware in your PC as well.  I spent the entire day trying to not only figure out what was missing, but how to figure out which specific files I needed.

The best part is that one of the drivers missing was for my ethernet, so I had no internet.  That meant doing all the searching on a different computer and burning the files on CD and running back upstairs to try them out.  Another two hours until I got the internet running.

Today I have to try to fix the video and audio drivers.  Or I may just curl up in the fetal position and cry. LOL!

I was out doing a couple of live broadcasts this past weekend and had people inquiring about my weight loss and exercise program.  I’m still in it, but I’m not seeing any real progress.

My wife Amy and I go to the gym three times a week.  On the advice of Jesse, I hit the sauna for 10 minutes to get started.  Then I do 5-10 minutes of cardio to get my heart rate up.  I do the circuits after that, and finish with another 10-15 minutes of cardio.

I usually step on the scale before I jump in the shower each morning.  I’m always somewhere between 193-195.  When I weigh in fully clothed on the air I’m usually around 198-200.

If you’ve seen the Orville Redenbacker commercial with the husband who’s wife makes him eat healthy snacks… that’s my life.  Right down to the part where he’s curled up in the fetal position crying on the kitchen floor.  I’m suffering without seeing any real results right now. LOL.

Either way, I do feel good when I leave the gym, and I’m in it for the long haul.

I was watching Celebrity Apprentice last night, and I saw a TV commercial for Garanimals!  Apparently Wal-Mart is bringing them back.  YES!

If you are unfamiliar, Garanimals is the name of a line of children’s clothing separates, started in 1972 by Garan Incorporated. Each item of clothing features a hang-tag depicting one of several animal characters, also called Garanimals. The philosophy behind Garanimals is that by making it easy for children to choose coordinated outfits by themselves (by choosing pieces with matching hang-tags), children gain self-confidence. (from Wikipedia)

As a fashion-challenged male, I have often thought that Garanimals should make clothing for grown men as well.  That would put an end to my wife asking, “Did you actually wear that to work today?” or telling me to “go upstairs and take off the white socks!” I could dress for success with confidence each morning.  It could revolutionize the fashion industry.

I’ll be setting out a set of Tigers for tomorrow!

Happy New Year!

The Chinese New Year began last week and we have officially entered the Year of the Rat. My oldest daughter was born in 1996 and this is her year. People born in Rat years are noted for their charm and attraction for the opposite sex. They work hard to achieve their goals, acquire possessions, and are likely to be perfectionists. They are basically thrifty with money. Rat people are easily angered and love to gossip. Their ambitions are big, and they are usually very successful. This is my daughter to a tee. Except maybe the thrifty part. she very thrifty with her own money, but loves to spend mine.

I’ve never been a horoscope reader and I’m not a very big believer in Zodiac, but I can’t deny how accurate it is when describing me. I was born in 1971. That makes me a Boar/Pig. (I know, Jesse… insert joke here) Check this out. People born in the Year of the Pig are chivalrous and gallant. Whatever they do, they do with all their strength. They have tremendous fortitude and great honesty. They don’t make many friends but they make them for life, and anyone having a Boar Year friend is fortunate for they are extremely loyal. They don’t talk much but have a great thirst for knowledge. They study a great deal and are generally well informed. Boar people are quick tempered, yet they hate arguments and quarreling. They are kind to their loved ones. No matter how bad problems seem to be, Boar people try to work them out, honestly if sometimes impulsively.

No one knows how old Jesse is, but let’s look at the other members of the show.

Vicky: People born in the Year of the Monkey are the erratic geniuses(?) of the cycle. Clever, skillful, and flexible, they are remarkably inventive and original and can solve the most difficult problems with ease. There are few fields in which Monkey people wouldn’t be successful but they have a disconcerting habit of being too agreeable(?). They want to do things now, and if they cannot get started immediately, they become discouraged and sometimes leave their projects. Although good at making decisions, they tend to look down on others. Having common sense(?), Monkey people have a deep desire for knowledge and have excellent memories. Monkey people are strong willed but their anger cools quickly(?). Wow is that off!

Chuck: People born in the Year of the Ox are patient, speak little, and inspire confidence in others. They tend, however, to be eccentric, and they anger easily. They have fierce tempers and although they speak little, when they do they are quite eloquent. Ox people are mentally and physically alert. Generally easy-going, they can be remarkably stubborn, and they hate to fail or be opposed. I can see it.

If you’d like to look up your birth year, click HERE.

Well, the new specs came in today. I’d been getting headaches a lot lately. Either too much time with Jesse or eye strain. I went to the eye doctor to get checked out and apparently my vision was worse than I thought.

The optometrist’s office called today saying Gillian’s and my glasses were done, so we headed over for the fitting. Gilly was really cute. She’s SO excited about her new glasses. It took forever to get mine fitted for my head, but they’re very comfortable. When the guy had me turn around and read a sign across the room, I couldn’t believe how much clearer everything was.

Driving home was a little tricky. I could actually feel my eyes adjusting as I drove. I will have to wear them when I drive and when I read or work on the computer. Fun, fun.

To the MOON, Alice!

I’m going to toss this stinking computer out the window. Go outside and kick it all the way down the street. Pick it up carry it back to my driveway… and run it over with my JEEP!

I hate Vista. I hate Vista! I HATE VISTA!

NOTHING works! Even simple things I used to be able to do on my old computer either don’t friggin exist anymore or finding them is such a chore as to not be worth it.

I’m so mad I’m going to walk to Bill Gates’ house and kick his ass!

Leaving now!