Pudgeman's Top Ten
You know, I was thinking. It is hard to beat a good webisode of
Mud & Steel. Their riveting journalism and unbelievable screen presence is rocking the world over. As a tribute to my good buds Mud & Steel here is my "Top ten things more exciting than a Mud & Steel Webisode"!
10. Hanging around a laudry mat waiting for someone to drop a quarter.
9. Watching that computer screen saver of fish in an aquarium.
8. Having front row seats at a turtle race.
7. Listening to crickets chirping while blow drying your hair.
6. Waiting for files to download on a Mac.
5. Watching moths fly into an open flame.
4. Studying for a blood test.
3. Playing solitare with a euchre deck.
2. Watching grass grow.................................in January.
and the number one thing that is more exciting than a Mud & Steel Webisode.................
PLAYING AIR GUITAR TO BARRY MANILOW'S GREATESTS HITS VOL. 7!
Hey guys I love you but please be real with me. An entire webisode about making microwave pizza and cherios for lunch! Wake me up when it's over. Be blessed beyond belief today.
And Now The Process Begins
You know, I was thinking. Most of you who read my blog know that the plant that I am working at is closing soon. In my estimation I will be unemployed by the end of July. So ever since I found out about the closing I have been sending resumes out to various companies at warp speed. I have applied to everything that I am even remotely qualified to do. Tomorrow morning I have a phone interview for a very good job. Here are the positives: I am amply qualified to do the job, this particular position would provide nicely for my family if I get it, the company that I am interviewing with is a solid non-automotive company, I have a very good friend who is quite high up in the HR department of this particular company and I think I would just plain like this job. The biggest draw back is that the company is Graham Packaging and the job location is York, Pennsylvania! Now, don't get me wrong, I am very excited about both the opportunity and the possibility of another very positive change in my life. Although Rachel and I are very willing to move, it is still not our first choice. We really want to stay in SE Michigan if possible but out of all seriousness I have been applying to jobs around here for over two years and haven't even had a serious bite!
I can't even begin to list all of the positives and negatives associated with relocating. There is something exciting about moving on and doing something very positive with my career. But SE Michigan is home to most of my friends and family. It also has one of the best churches that I have ever been aquanted with! Much to think and pray about here.
I am not looking for anyone to try and convince me to stay or to leave. I am looking for people to pray for our wisdom in making decisions for all of the right reasons. Some people look at careers and put a lot of emphasis on being happy in what they are doing. I am not saying that this isn't important but all in all I am a happy man. If I can be happy working for the company that I have worked for over the last seven years then I think I can be happy almost anywhere. I just want to do what is first and foremost God's will in my life and secondly what is best for my family. God will bless me with the right answers at the right time I just want to make sure that I stay out of the way and that I am listening for His answer.
I talked to Pastor Tom this morning who made it very clear that he had the inside scoop from God and that God didn't want me to move to York, PA! I believe that my brother needs some extra prayer today. He did challenge me with me being honest with myself about everything and to make sure that I was considering all of the positives and negatives along the way. For all of that I am thankful. Mostly for his love and friendship.
Let me end this whole thing with this. I am just doing a first interview tomorrow morning. Rachel and I have prayed about this a ton already and have decided that we will persue opportunities outside of SE Michigan and wait to see what is offered. Just because there is an offer does not mean that I have to take it and just because it's outside of the area that we want to live in does not mean that I will turn it down. Pray for us in this process and more than that be blessed beyond belief today.
Ditching The Dish
You know, I was thinking. The lovely Mrs. M and I made the decision to get rid of the satallite dish and go to cable. The biggest reason for this decision was the fact that we could not get high speed internet in our area. No DSL or anything was available with the exception of cable. So after careful consideration and quite a bit of number crunching we decided that the switch was both a good idea and fiscally responsible (we save some dough)! So right now I am blogging on our new high speed connection while using my laptop in the dining room (oh yeah, I hooked up an in house wireless network as well)!
I believe that I will probably blog more often and can certainly become more effective at a new job search.
Also, for those of you who have chimmed in about my knees. I have been doing great the last few days. The big question now is how long will it last? Only time will tell! But life here in Oakland county ain't so bad these days. It's a pretty good life when you have a fantastic wife, good kids and a reason to get out of bed in the morning! God has blessed me richly and I know that He will always provide. Be blessed beyond belief today.
The Pudgeman On Roids
You know, I was thinking. It never ceases to amaze me about going to the doctor. Almost three weeks ago I went to my internist to talk to him about my knee pain. I told him "I have severe arthritis in my knees, especially the right one, and I need to do something about it." I also told him that I had been to a doctor about 12 years ago and he told me that about the only thing that could be done to correct the knee problem was to have it replaced. Well, the good doctor told me that he wanted to do some x-rays and consider all of the alternatives. I thought that was wise so I went ahead and followed his plan of action.
Well, yesterday was my follow up appointment and much to my surprise the doctor comes in and says to me "you have severe arthritis in your knees, especially the right one." He continued to say "about the only thing that can be done to correct the problem is to have the knee replaced!" I thought to myself that I have heard this somewhere before!
Anyway, the game plan is to push the replacement off for as long as is humanly possible. He suggested that I try a steroid shot in my right knee to see if that would bring some relief. Well, it was very difficult getting the shot in where it belonged because of the knee is basically bone on bone but he finally got the needle in there. The neat thing about it was that there was a lot of ladicane in the injection so immediately after he was done there was no pain what so ever. That was the first time in a couple of decades that I had no pain at all. Now, as the night went on the ladicane wore off but there was significantly less pain in my knee then their had been. This morning the knee felt pretty darn good! We don't know how long the injection will last but the doc said that he wouldn't do it more than three times a year. I hope to push off the surgery until I'm at least in my mid fifties (about ten years) and still be able to do the things that I want to do.
So now I am just waiting for some congressional sub-committee somewhere to bring me in to talk about steroid use among mid level managers! I can't wait to sit there and say things like "no comment" and "I don't recall the events of that day"! But until that time I will continue using as long as I get results! Be blessed beyond belief today.
A Wind Down?
You know, I was thinking. Last week I was informed that our company would be "winding down" its operations here in Ann Arbor! I thought to myself why don't you just call it what it really is and that is going out of business! I must admit that I have seen this day coming for quite some time and am not surprised but why are we soft selling what is going on? I guess that's just the way that business in America really is. Things are going to be fine, God is still in control of all of it. I have been sending out lots of resumes and have been seeking the Father for what I should do next. Quite honestly as nice as it would be to move straight from this job into the next, I sure would mind about 3 - 4 weeks of unemployment before starting something else. But, I will go and do whatever it is that I am supposed to go and do. Just keep all of this held up in prayer for me and many of my fellow employees here. God will always make a way and I hope I am just smart enough to listen to his leading. Be blessed beyond belief today.
Life Is Just Plain Nutty
You know, I was thinking. I know that it has been a while since I have posted so I thought I had better do something today. Life around our place has been just plain nutty. I haven't even had time to stop and think about posting. But here I am with just a little time to say to all of you be blessed beyond belief today.
