I'm back...

Had a pretty uneventful holiday vacation, granted to me at the literal last minute by my pretty cool boss. Was able to spend Christmas morning with just me, the wife and the kids opening presents and having a QUIET day (as opposed to last year's Christmas Hell on Earth 2006 production....and that's NOT an overexaggeration). Next day, packed the Sequoia and drove to Vacaville and spent a few days with Nyleen's brother in his house with his kids and wife. My kids + his kids = LOTS OF NOISE. Considering I'm like the loudest person on the planet and I love loud music (especially drum corps), what's a bunch of noise by kids? Well...perhaps I'm a little pre-menopause or something...but it drove me nuts. Oh...and the non-stop 50 mph winds with 40 degree temps. That drove me nuts too.

New Year's Eve was spent laying on my couch watching Season 5 of 24, and then turning it off long enough to watch the ball come down with a VERY VERY sad Dick Clark stumbling through the countdown. Don't mean to be mean, seeing as though my dad is a major stroke survivor, but SOMEONE somewhere in the production booth could have, I don't know, accidentally turned Dick's microphone off. Gooooooood Lord. 20, 19, 12, 15, 10, 9, NEW YEAR!!! Come on Dick. We all love you. Don't leave us with a memory of you drooling on yourself and screwing up the countdown.

The holiday's are always bittersweet for me. I had a GREAT time watching my kids and being with my family on Christmas morning. No doubt. But tugging at me in the back of my mind that I was keeping at bay was that nagging feeling of my past--and the Christmases of my youth. Then I started missing my mom, who's been gone for freaking TWELVE YEARS NOW. Holy COW. TWELVE!!! And New Year's...I don't know. I must be some kind of a freak. I always get melancholy around New Year's. And I have NO REASON TO BE!!!! Isn't that dumbest thing? Can't explain it.

But this coming up year looks to be exciting both in my career, my business, and my family. The career is going fine, but we're about to embark on a CAD replacement for the Command Center, and I fully believe I will be in the thick of that project team. For my business, things are REALLY looking up. I have my new computer set up (complete with my 24 inch DELL widescreen monitor! It ROCKS!!!!!!!!!), and ready to start learning Pyware 3D Java. All 11 bands are on board for next year, plus several more prospects. Possible website coming. Got word from a long-time friend and "composer in residence" in China that they are wanting to start a marching band program out there to compete in the World Show Band--and they may be flying me out to meet with the school administrators. I'm announcing for WGASC. I may be announcing for DCI this summer for the Division II/III folks, but not sure yet. Will be judging my ass off again I'm sure. Writing for 2 corps...maybe 3. Just BUSY BUSY BUSY!!!!

Sorry this blog entry sort of sucks. I'm distracted here at work where I probably shouldn't be writing in my blog. But it's...it's....my 15 minute break. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeah...that's the ticket.