Musings & Observations

Updated 04-19-00

Well now.... I have always thought that it would be kinda cool to be a columnist like Steve Blow in the Dallas Morning News. I'd be able to express my opinion's and thoughts about things in general and have people actually read it. Well I've given myself the chance here. You'll find out what I've been thinking about on this page. You can also find out how my dates go here as well. Since many people have a small amount of voyeurism in them, I thought I'd just report on my activities right here.......ENJOY!

Latest stuff first

I hear from a lot of single moms. Usually it is a defensive tongue lashing. I have nothing against kids. If I am lucky I hope to have one or two. the problem is that step-kids have fathers and that means I'd be tied to some guy who my wife already considers a jerk. I'd much rather avoid this whole issue. Why have some jerk sticking his nose in my affairs just because I am with his ex-wife? It sounds like a big headache to me. Since this website constantly generates "leads", why not wait till a better deal comes along? If she has kids and is a widow or can convince me that he isn't a jerk.... That is a different story. "No kids" is not on my mandatory list nor will it ever be. It is just that I have this thing about ex-husbands and their ties to the kids.

I constantly hear from nice people. One lady suggested that my potential "greatlady" may be scared by the fact that this web site works too well. That is, I am dating too many women. This is kind of like not being able to buy a house because you have too many credit cards. The truth is, it isn't so. I have friends across the globe but as for a regular local girlfriend(s) NOT!

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One big thing that turns me off is lying. Some people love to do this and I don't know why. If I am told something I expect that it is the truth. A lady will lose creditability real fast and I'll lose interest if I she doesn't tell the truth. 

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My new gym is really nice. It is 100 yards from here and I am in there 4-5 days a week. It isn't as crowded as my old one because it is new and hasn't caught on yet. I live next to D/FW airport which is the home of American Airlines. The gym is full of flight attendants. Maybe I'll get lucky. :-)

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I am off to Chile in a few hours. I'll be in Santiago for a few days testing new phones on the network down there. I am looking forward to the trip. I have been told that it is a nice place... Supposedly I can even drink the water there.... We shall see.

I have been really busy the past few weeks. Besides starting my new job I have been searching for a new place to live and finally moving to my new place. There has been no time to keep up with this web site. 

I really like my new job and my new co-workers. The job is exactly what I expected and my role is definitely one of a team member rather than being a minion for someone else's agenda. I like that! The job involves some travel so if you are in San Diego, Newark, Kansas City, Finland or Denmark I may be near you sometime soon.

I searched for a new apartment in the same way I do most things. I defined what I was looking for / desired and set out to find it. It took time and effort to do and I am pleased to report that I was very successful. I am very happy with my new abode. The only thing I had to settle for was that I don't have high speed Internet connectivity yet. AT&T insisted that they would have their wireless high-speed system in my area real soon. I took them at their word and signed up for this apartment. Of course moving was a real chore and everything is not totally complete yet. I'd say that I have about another weekend's worth of work to do to really say things are done.

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Speaking of Finland, Johanna wrote me and said that she is all set to move to the states! I think this is a super idea..... We shall see! :-)

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So, "Who wants to marry a multi-millionaire?" I have been meaning to comment on this all month. That show highlighted exactly what is wrong with the dating / mating game. Women were lining up like crazy to marry someone they didn't even know. All they knew was that he was a multi-millionaire. Both parties got exactly what they deserved. What fools! And the executives at Fox TV should have rotten eggs thrown in their faces!

I do believe that financial stability should be a factor in considering a mate. It is one indicator of responsibility, dependability and reliability. But to marry someone just because he / she is rich.... is stupid!..

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Coming real soon....... New funny material in the Outhouse and Funny Stuff sections...please stay tuned!

I have three goals with this web site. The first is to find a wife. The second is to make the world laugh and the third was to land an outstanding new job. Early this week the third goal was accomplished and I am all excited about it. I feel like the Energizer Bunny is running loose inside me.

An executive recruiter saw my resume posted on headhunter.net and called me to discuss a position he was recruiting for. He explained what his client was looking for and I knew right away what company he was talking about. Mark's client was seeking an independent, "out of the box thinker" who was "high energy", creative, intelligent and who had experience with the Internet. These traits had to combine with a solid technical background and experience with wireless technologies. :-) 

Mark already knew of my technical background from my resume but didn't really know about the other traits. I pointed him to this web site. I knew the company was based in Finland and I knew that the Finns are straight forward and direct and that my web site would go over well with them. Indeed, a few months ago I went to visit Johanna in Finland because of my efforts here. I was not fearful at all that someone at Nokia would think I was some sort of "nut." 

A few hours after the phone call, Mark invited me to his office and he, I and several of his collogues "rapped" for several hours. They were intrigued by the web site and they insisted that I was exactly what their client was looking for. To make a long story short.... after many interviews and having to travel through an ice storm to get to some of them.... I was offered an outstanding position doing a job that will suit me to a "tee". I will soon travel to Europe for training and Johanna is going to teach me to ski! :-)

I could go on and on about Nokia and their technology and how they took the world by storm with their products. I could also talk about the fact they are among the Fortune 100 top employers or maybe their outstanding "flat" management structure.... I could go on but I need to head to East Texas. Next week I begin a hunt for a new place to live!

Where are you "great lady"?

I don't believe in love at first sight. I believe there is lust at first sight or attraction at first site but I don't believe that you can love someone without knowing them. I am amazed by all the ladies who contact me without reading the things I have to say here. One lady told me that it would be too much trouble to go through this material to learn what was in my head. In my mind this stuff is a golden opportunity to learn about me. This is the foundation of a relationship and is what leads to true love. I guess this is something that some ladies learn as they grow older. The young ones want to see a picture. The older ones read what I have to say. I need a "grown up" in her late 20's or early 30's I think.

Singles bars, the supermarket, or even the gym aren't good places for me to meet women. Sure, they are good places to seek out "attractive" people but none of these places foster communication. I know good looking when I see it, but time and time again I find out that there is no way I would want to be around a "dizzy" Barbie doll. Don't get me wrong, attractive is certainly a good thing but the ideal combination who is also interested in me is very elusive. So, I guess what I seek is rather unique and it is why I am still here 2 years later.

www.matchmaker.com is a great site to find similar minded people who are local to you. The advantage with MM is that there are essay questions and one can browse the profiles looking for a gold nugget. There are pictures as well! This is a super idea and I have come across several compatible young ladies. The trouble is that the ladies are swamped with mail. It is very much like playing the lottery. The ratio of guys to ladies is still too high but is improving. I am going to go this route for a while. I have already met some fascinating people through this tool and I hope to continue.

The truth is that as 1999 comes to an end I am no closer to finding my "better half", "great lady" or  "wife" as when the year started. There are no solid prospects but there are a lot of new virtual friends. My lady will literally be one in a million. So far I only have had 300,000 visitors. :-) I believe my patience will be rewarded handsomely. 

Do you know how many great people there are in this world? I remain overwhelmed with praise, good wishes and messages from people who love to laugh just like I do. Indeed, I have met some very special women but the physical distances involved makes things tough.

People often comment on how brave I am by doing this. They mention all the "weirdos" and unspecified dangers that lurk on the Internet. I believe that the Internet mirrors society. It is a fantastic means of communication that allows society to communicate. The same "weirdos" and dangers exist in the so called "real world" as in cyber-space. I see no distinction. The net does magnify the odds of coming across these "weirdos" but also magnifies the number of great people that I meet. I pay attention to the overwhelming majority of positive people and ignore the very few neigh-sayers and weirdos. 

As the year closes I also find myself in the midst of a job hunt. Just like in my personal life I am applying the same ideas to the job hunt. I am still employed but my company is not healthy and big changes are pending.  So far the response has been good. I expect to be able to report some good news by Valentines day.

The really outstanding thing that happened in 1999 is the booming stock market. The best thing I can say about that is AMAZING! :-)

Happy New Year to all!

There is no doubt in my mind that some people think that I am an extremely conceited person. After all, how many people go around proclaiming how "great" they are. What they don't realize is that the idea of being a "greatguy" dot com was really just designed to intrigue them to check me out. Odds are this is exactly the reason you are here. Greatguy is really a marketing tool and nothing more. Those who cannot figure this out don't interest me. The key to my success will be to get as many folks to visit as I can. My great lady will understand exactly what is going on and why.

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Johanna is a grandmother! Well OK, sort of a grandmother. Her dog Unna just gave birth to two puppies. All is going well. As soon as the pictures arrive from Finland I'll post them for all to see. :-) 

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When I first started this section I had intended to discuss my various dates and meetings. I soon found out that while this made for good reading for most of you, it didn't do me any good because some ladies can be very jealous. This was especially true for a few of the ladies I have dated. I continue to meet and date young ladies. I just don't discuss routine activities any longer for my own good! :-)

I talk with a lot of people who have troubles in their relationships. The stories range from physical and mental abuse to simple unhappiness. I honestly cannot understand why anyone would tolerate any sort of abuse. If this is happening to you, I suggest you get out NOW. There is no excuse for this.

While we can't choose our relatives, we can choose our mates.  The main reason for this web site is that it can help me zero in on a person who will make me happy and vice versa. Life is too short to be miserable in a bad relationship. I hold no illusion that this web site will guarantee success. What it does for me is provide options that I may never have had before. It provides choices. My efforts here are not to simply "get a date." I desire to make contacts that I can "screen." I believe that up front leg work will lead to a lifetime of happiness on the backside. It is a common sense plan based on communication which is the common thread of all relationships.

Simpler minds will think I am a computer geek who is really hard up for a date. Those with experience and common sense know better. I hope I will continue to hear from the latter. 

It was a cool and rainy weekend in East Texas. While Mom pondered whether Kirby is really a Tibetan Terrier or just a mutt from the pound,  I ran out to Blockbuster for some movies. I selected three winners, There's something about Mary, The Matrix, and Office Space.  

I had watched The Matrix in the theater but couldn't resist a second viewing. The concept of "what is reality" is really intriguing. The movie combined lots of action with awesome special effects and an interesting story. Anytime a movie makes me ponder the storyline I'll approve. This movie wins on all three accounts. My only regret is that there wasn't more detail to support the plot. Of course if that were done they would have had to cut out some of the action. Action sells tickets.

There's something about Mary. What a riot! If you like my Outhouse jokes you'll approve of this movie. Granny watched it with us and she and mom were roaring. Granny didn't think it was possible to show some of "those" scenes. Well, "those" scenes represent reality. The laughs we all got were real! 

In the end Mary has several choices. She does pick the right guy but things tend to work out in the movies. In the real world she might have married one of the other losers and wound up miserable with a bunch of kids. If only life was like the movies.

Ladies and gentlemen, I need to find my Mary. That is what greatguy.com is all about.  Please read on......

I spent Wednesday and Thursday with a TV camera in my face. The E-mail message I received a few weeks ago about being featured on a British TV show panned out. I wonder what will come of it? Will 2.5 million Brits think I am some sort of "desperate" computer geek?  Some surely will. I am not interested in them. If my regular E-mail (some from the UK) is any indication the results will be extremely favorable.  

I had produced a script of sorts that would help me get across the points I wanted to make about this whole effort. I failed miserably when the camera was rolling and I had to regurgitate what I had written and make it sound like it wasn't being read. Steve didn't really want that anyway because he said that I would appear something other than genuine when the rubber hit the road. I agreed. My best expression came when I got on a roll about what I was doing and why. I may have missed a few points but that seemed to work much better. I hope he and his production people can edit the material into something that works. My fingers are crossed. If it doesn't happen, I'll be glad I live in the states... LOL

The tentative air date is Saturday Dec 1 at 7:30 PM on the UK's Channel 5 network. There are between 2 and 2.5 million viewers according to Steve. The show is also expected to be sold in other markets throughout western Europe, Asia and Australia.

This afternoon I stood in the checkout line at the supermarket pondering what it would be like to look like Ricky Martin or Brad Pitt. There they were, gracing the racks by the checkout quietly selling magazines. It is a primitive, fundamental urge that everyone has and it sells magazines. I guess it has something to do with preserving a healthy and fit species. Or at a higher level it might be the desire to show off to ones friends who you are dating / sleeping with. This would be the "trophy wife / husband" syndrome. 

Either way, the advantages of being attractive are well known when it comes to the dating / mating game but I wonder if in reality it isn't a huge disadvantage. I know several very attractive single young women. Men swarm around them like honey bees around a flower. These ladies have it easy. They don't have to work at finding a mate. They are likely to pick the most attractive male. It is real easy to do. What is lacking is a fundamental connection or mental understanding. He is good looking. She is good looking. They divorce a few years later. The sex was great for awhile then it fizzled and there was nothing left to support the relationship except for maybe the kids. Game over. You lose! It happens all the time. This might explain why I receive so much fan mail from so many older ladies. They have figured all this out. If one is really interested in great sex and a lasting relationship a fundamental connection is required before hand in order to build a foundation. To me, this is logical and makes common sense. 

I'd say that I am an average looking guy. I make it a point not to swarm around great looking girls. I am not shy in the least but unless I see something much deeper in her I don't waste my time. Physical attraction is important. I am convinced of that but I think that that is something that would develop over time. I am looking for a mental connection first. This is much harder to do but with the Internet I am able to cast a huge net. Will it work? Please stay tuned.

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Greatguy, on TV? It seems that way. I was recently contacted by a television producer from the UK. He is flying to Dallas later this month to interview me for his TV show. The show airs on the UK's Channel 5. As soon as I know more details I'll post them. 

Ok, I'm back. People actually send me e-mail, fussing when I don't update this section. It is amazing. 

I have been in a very negative and introspective mood the past two weeks. I really haven't felt much like writing. I have been frustrated beyond belief with my job and it has been bothering me for some time. The story is a long one and one I am not prepared to tell just yet. I am convinced that somewhere, somehow I will find a place where I can excel and provide solid value. I guess a great lady isn't all I seek now. Just like my great lady search, I won't settle for second best. Stay tuned for more on this story.

I continue to receive lots of mail. The words of encouragement for my efforts have made me feel better the past two weeks. Thank you to all who write. As usual, the bulk of the mail is from older females with high praise for my search. Eligible local ladies remain few and far between but there is no shortage of interesting young ladies from far away. Frustration number 2 is distance.

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Folks continue to ask about Johanna from Finland. She is doing fine. I hear from her every week. She has found a local guy to date and is getting along well. I am happy for her as she really deserves a local "great guy". :-)

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I met with old friends this weekend. It was a birthday party for Jorge's son. My bad mood the past two weeks caused me to neglect Jorge a bit this week and I am sorry. Just seeing these people cheered me up and I hope they understand that my frustrations were not caused by them.

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I miss Kirby now that he is back at moms. I look forward to his return. One thing for sure is that my great lady must like dogs. I don't have anything against a cat but a dog is will be a "must have".

You may have noticed that I have added some ads at the bottom of a few of my web pages. They are for the web tracking service I use. Part of the deal is that in order for me to get their free information I have to post their ads. I am not making any money off this site. I am interested in the statistics of who visits it, when and which pages. Hence the need for  the ads.

I have had a house guest for the past few weeks. Kirby McGregor is a super dog. He is full of love, energy and mischief. The one and only plant I have has taken a beating. Fortunately, even I haven't been able to kill this plant and so I am confident that it will survive the attack of a playful puppy. To be sure, I have moved it outside, far beyond the reach of  Kirby. 

Kirby has yet to sniff out a great lady for me and I really don't expect anything to come of it despite mom's wishes. Sure he is cute and an instant attention getter, but I really need to be walking him on the campus of Texas Womens University.... Hmmmm there is an idea. :-)

I have a great excuse for not writing last week. I was busy building my new computer. I ordered the components from www.necx.com. It worked out extremely well. The problem with "building your own" is that it takes time to get everything to work together correctly. Hence, no update. Things are going now and I am a happy camper. The system is a 500 Mhz Celeron with 128 MB of RAM and a 27 GB hard drive. I am in "geek" heaven and don't miss my old puter at all... LOL 

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I really appreciate all the E-mail I get but many times I wish it had more content. I am not speaking of all the funny stuff I receive daily. I am speaking of the personal messages. The best way to get a detailed reply from me is to provide me with something to go on. All of the ladies I have ever dated have provided me with this. Simply writing and saying "great web site" is appreciated but it does not provide much substance for me to go on.

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Mom wants me to bring Kirby back to Dallas when I return next weekend. As I suspected, there is a method to her madness. The idea has nothing to do with Kirby but rather with me. Mom thinks Kirby would be an excellent ice breaker with women because he is so cute and friendly. The idea is to take Kirby on long walks where there are lots of people and see what happens. (The stuff TV sit-coms are made of.) This is not a bad idea but it is flawed in that he may assist in making contacts but he will do nothing for the quality of those contacts.  It is similar to the E-mail I mentioned above. Contacts are fine but what I seek is content and quality. Nevertheless,  I think I'll take her up on her offer. Kirby will remain her dog though because he was my gift to her and because they get along great. I am just going to borrow him for a while. :-) 

"Aren't you embarrassed to have a web site to market yourself as you do?", an acquaintance recently asked. "Not at all", I replied. There is nothing unusual about what I am trying to accomplish here. Ultimately I desire to find a great lady and live happily ever after. Is anyone any different? Many people don't put the time and effort into the task. "What would my friends think?", they probably ask themselves. I'd say that most people have the same desires as I do, they just haven't cast away their silly social taboos toward the subject of dating, mating and such. Yes my approach is a bit different but the goal is similar to everyone else's'. Actually this idea isn't that unique or unusual. Personal ads have been around for as long as I can remember. The matchmaker site is full of people with their own web sites doing the same thing. I just added a little more effort and creativity to mine. I view this as a logical problem I need to solve. Logic says that the best way to find the right lady is to cast a huge "net". That is what this is all about.

Within two years half of newly married American couples divorce. Frankly they should be the ones who should be embarrassed for their poor judgment. That is not to imply that I would never get divorced it is just that I believe that my odds of success will be much better do to my efforts. The truth is the truth whether it is posted on this web site or it floats inside my head. I am not embarrassed at all.

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I have received several letters lately complaining that I haven't been updating the musings section enough. I will try and do a better job keeping up with it. I have been really busy doing other things. 

I can't stop laughing.... The girl who finally nails you will be a lucky girl! I love a man that is witty and funny and at the same time, honest and willing to be vulnerable. Oh how I wish I was younger... I would be on the next plane for Dallas to meet you! I am enjoying your website very much and although I am a Christian and read the bible, I do not consider myself a "bible thumper" with no sense of humor. I think it is absolutely ingenious of you and very daring also (lots of nuts out there) to do something like this. Oh, if you run across any other "great guys" around 50 and up.... point them in my direction. thanks....

Jane

At least once a week I get a letter similar to this. The point is always the same. That is, "if I were a bit younger".......  Older ladies seem to know something that the younger ones don't. Of course the younger ones learn through their mistakes but by then there are kids and other commitments. I guess the biggest issue I face is fear on the part of the intelligent younger ladies. The dumb ones worry about a "vulgar joke" or maybe my glasses or my hair color. That is fine. There are plenty of guys out there for you. They are a dime a dozen. The point of this web site is to help me sift through the "clutter".  Out of all the hits I get I am sure that there are several intelligent, reasonably local young ladies who are at least intrigued by all of this. What are you waiting for?

Johanna wrote me last week and said that she wanted to put off our San Francisco trip until the first of the year. It seems that Unna (her dog) is in heat and Johanna wants to breed her this season. So much for my summer vacation. :-(  I really don't know what to think about this. I do know that she discussed her desire to breed Unna several months ago. If you notice the picture of Johanna I posted you will see her hugging Unna. When I visited Finland it was very clear to me who was most important in her eyes. Johanna's letter highlighted that fact loud and clear. Johanna is a super young lady and I enjoy our conversations. The trouble is distance. She has family, friends and a life in Finland. I have similar here. I knew that distance is an issue. If you read back through my musings this is plainly stated. There is no doubt in my mind that someone like Johanna who is local would be ideal. Time will tell.

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I traveled to San Jose last week. I had a super time attending a conference that dealt with providing Internet access through a cell phone. This is going to be sooooo neat! I got to meet some interesting people in the industry. Conferences are all about networking and finding out what others are doing and more importantly... who needs people to work for them. :-)  I believe that attending the conference was the best investment I have made in a long time.

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I visited mom and granny in East Texas this weekend. Kirby has grown and filled out. He is a bundle of joy. He is full of energy and love. I am so glad mom decided to get a pet. Kirby is ideal for her and he makes me happy as well. In fact I am considering getting a puppy sometime soon. If I can work out the details of his / her care I will do it.

Are you married yet? When is the wedding? "Maybe I'll travel to Finland when you get married." I have only been home for a few days and I have been bombarded with these statements and questions since I arrived. I suppose it is only natural. There are no wedding plans but Johanna will be traveling to the states next month. I am very much looking forward to her visit.

My trip to Finland to meet her went very well. I had a great time. Johanna was exactly as I expected. I had a pretty good idea of her from our many E-mails. I wouldn't have traveled there if I thought otherwise. She is an attractive young woman who is very much a "tom-boy". She is happy, energetic, intelligent, clever, a bit impatient (especially with my slow pace up the hills) and at times childish. She is a great cook and her and her mom kept me well fed during my stay. :-) I am very appreciative of the hospitality I received during my stay.

I was almost constantly occupied with some activity. I don't think I would ever get bored with Johanna around. We hiked, biked, rowed 30 kilometers, picked berries, went to an amusement park with friends, toured Helsinki and even watched a video. During this time of year in Finland it is light all day and night. I hiked and biked many times after midnight. Johanna is very much like the energizer bunny......or is it the duracell bunny. :-) 

Finns have a reputation as being "wooden", private, somber and drunken. Johanna is not your typical Finn. In fact I did not meet a single family member or friend of hers that in any way appeared to be a "drunk". Our visit to the summer festival was a different matter though. There were plenty of drunken Finns Tango dancing in the park.

Finns speak an unusual language which looks to me like alphabet soup. One thing for sure is that "nice" and "friendly" translate without words and her parents made that quite clear. Risto actually spoke English but was shy about doing so. Her mom managed a few words but mostly we conversed via sight, context and Johanna's translation. Several of the people I met spoke fluent English and even though I was a foreigner there I didn't really feel like a stranger.

More about Finland soon.........

I have been running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Next week I am off to Finland and there are several things left to do. I am looking forward to my trip. I am convinced that Johanna and her family are as interested in meeting me as I am in meeting them. I have spoken to many people about Finland. All of the comments were positive. Finland is not some "third world" country. In fact, the nation has a higher standard of living than the US and is one of the most literate places on the planet. Do you own a cell phone? Most people in Finland do. In fact there is a one and three chance that your cell phone was made by Nokia, a Finnish company.

Johanna is a "farm girl" however that should not fool anyone into thinking that she is not educated. She earned a BBA (partially here in the states), speaks several languages and has a well paying professional sales job. She lives on the farm where she was born and raised and I will be spending my time on the farm with her and her family. The area is very rural and we plan lots of hiking and biking along with many visits to the sauna. I plan to build a whole section on this site about Finland when I return. It will be full of pictures and interesting stuff. Please check back next month.

Folks, I am absolutely convinced that Johanna, Finland and everything associated is a "good deal". Johanna possesses substance, character and values that are hard to find You are invited to stay tuned!

Isn't technology wonderful!

It was a super Mothers Day! After all my arm twisting mom finally agreed to get a new dog. I didn't like the idea of her being alone after Mr Flake had to be put to sleep. I took her to the animal shelter and we got really lucky. We spotted a puppy in a cage that had a personality all his own. The dog has been named Kirby after the vacuum cleaner. He tends to "suck" the dog food right out of his dish. Kirby and his new owner are quite happy. Kirby

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Yesterday I worked on the Habitat house. I am not sure which is more work, hauling dirt and putting in sod or roofing. Again, I am thankful I work in front of a computer. The house is almost complete and next week is the dedication. I'll post pictures soon.

Speaking of pictures, I finally got the pictures of Johanna from Finland. I was very pleased. She is a pretty young woman and she really loves her dogs. They were in every shot. :-) If she gives me permission to post them on the web I will do so soon. I have purchased my tickets to Finland. I'll be there for a week. I am looking forward to it. Stay tuned..... :-) Johanna & Unna

I said that one of key characteristics my great lady would possess is the ability to communicate. Every now and then I get lucky. Nearly two months ago luck smiled on me. Johanna communicates very well even though English is her third language. She lives in Finland and is fluent in at least four languages. Sure, sometimes her spelling is a bit off and sometimes her grammar isn't exact but what comes across loud and clear is who she is inside. There is a bright light glowing in Finland. It is one that can plainly be seen by this guy in Texas.

After two months of conversation I will be making a trip to Finland next month. Believe it or not I have yet to see a picture of Johanna. She sent them 2 weeks ago but the mail must travel via covered wagon or slow boat from China. I know that many guys will find this hard to believe but I am going to book plane tickets anyway. I know good when I see it......or maybe "read" it is a better word.

When I get the pictures and when she OK's it, I'll post a picture for all to see. For now....... just stay tuned to this section. I will have lots more to say I am sure. :-)

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I was glad to hear that our POW's were released last week but I couldn't help but wish that Rev Jessie Jackson didn't have anything to do with it. I am convinced that Rev Jackson is nothing but a camera ham. If there is a way for him to get on TV, he'll be there. I wonder who pays for all his gallivanting? How is it that he speaks for blacks? If he is a minister, why is he not in church? I don't think he is a bad person in any way....just ....well... a camera ham.

Happy birthday Johanna!

Yes, I am still here. I have been real busy at work and on the weekends I have been working on the Habitat for Humanity house. I am pleased to report that the construction is progressing nicely. Last weekend we worked on the roof. I carried lots of shingles up the ladder...... I now know why I sit in front of a computer for a living. :-)

Without a doubt one of key characteristics that my greatlady will possess is the ability to communicate. So far the ladies I have met in person all have had this in common. They have all been able to interest me initially via E-mail. Content is key. In order for me to take an interest I need content and substance. She doesn't need to send a picture (at least not up front) but what she needs to do is to write in a way that I can clearly understand and tell me abour herself. I get lots of mail from ladies. The vast majority of it doesn't say much and as such I don't have enough time to chase after her to find out what I may be missing. I read all my mail......but with the volume I get I need to see substance to send a reply.

Breaking the ice is the key to my success but my great lady appears to be shy. She has probably thought about saying hi a time or two but doesn't want to appear too forward. In a way I am like that. If I know that a lady is interested in me I have no problem saying what is on my mind..... the problem of course is knowing if she is interested. If I don't know.... I don't say anything...hence a problem.

Some ladies love to play games in this area. I really don't mind chasing after her for a bit but either she is or is not interested. I need to know pretty quickly or I'll lose interest and move on. Once the "ice" is broken I am convinced that things will work out fine.

The trouble I have is ...... distance. I hear from different young ladies every day. I don't consider this breaking the "ice" unless it is a face to face meeting. I am very happy to chat with any and all when I am on-line. Distance is a problem though because I doubt that I could ever find my "greatlady" without lots of in person dating and a large distance pretty much prevents that..... Local ladies.... where are you? Now, this doesn't mean that I am exclusively interested in local ladies but it certainly is a salient characteristic. I encourage you to say hi as I have no clue that you exist!

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This weekend I am off to build a house. I have raised money for the project by selling homemade chocolate chip cookies. No, the house is not for me and I didnt't sell "that" many cookies. :-) I have volunteered to assist in building a house for the Habitat for Humanity project. I certainly don't know much about building houses so I am very hopeful that there will be skilled people there.  I think it will be an interesting experience and I am hopeful that a like minded potential "greatlady" will have had a similar idea. One can only hope. :-)

Do car alarms serve any purpose other then to annoy law abiding people? I don't pay any attention to them except when they annoy me. There is a car that is parked right outside my bedroom window whose alarm goes off several times a day. What is really annoying is that it goes off during the middle of the night and when the owner comes and goes. This can really foul up my day because I have a hard time falling back to sleep after being so rudely awakened. This is so frustrating and very inconsiderate to myself and my neighbors. The problem I face is that I do not know for sure which of the three cars is the offender and when I figure it out I am going to have to wait till I catch the owner coming or going so I can have a "chat" with him or her. I say DEATH to all car alarms......

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Work has been keeping me real busy. I haven't been able to update this site as frequently as I would like. I have also been neglecting some of my E-mail. Please be patient or send me another letter if I have not replied.

As for my "love life", there are several interesting possibilities. I don't talk about them much here anymore because I found out how unwise it is to discuss ones prospects when there is more than one prospect. :-) If anything serious develops I will mention it here. Until then.....all is going well.

I received a phone call from my old friend Jerry this weekend. I was so tickled to talk with him. Between   work, this web site, and all my E-mail I sort of lost touch with he and his wife Pat. I have known them for more than 10 years. I met Jerry when we worked together selling electronics for Sears. Jerry is the kind of guy who gets along with anyone & everyone. He and I hit it off from the get go. He laughs at all my jokes and we share similar social and political beliefs. His wife Pat is really quite the opposite. She is a liberal feminist and is also an ordained Minister at a nearby church. She is (or was) a Clinton supporter.......boy do I have some things to discuss with her when we get together next week. :-)  I enjoy Pat & Jerry's company a lot and am I  looking forward to getting together with them this week. Do yourself a favor. If you have an old friend you haven't talked with  for awhile.....Pick up the phone or send an E-mail greeting. You will be glad you did. In this case Jerry called me and as we were talking my mind flashed back to the fun be have had over the years.

One can never have too many friends.

I did not realize that so many people read this section. I stand firmly behind last weeks post with the exception of one thing. I stated that women liked to be lied to. Guess what.......that brought some mail my way. :-)  I am not sexist and I know that in a literal sense the statement isn't true. It is more precise to say that "some people like to be lied to".  The term women was meant to relate to a few women I know not the gender as a whole.

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My mother does not like the "Outhouse". I didn't expect she would. Granny and my aunt Sherry laugh at the stuff. The point of telling you this is that I am aware some may find the Outhouse distasteful as my mother does. So what. What I honestly hope is that I don't get dismissed just because of what I choose to laugh at. That would be soooooo wrong.

I am tired of ranting on this subject....enough is enough. If you like it great if not same thing. Just don't judge me based solely on that subject unless you can honestly say you did not laugh at any part of it.

Some days I think about ripping down my "Outhouse" and replacing it with self written poetry and Bible verses. These things would make me seem more innocuous to local ladies. More than once I had been chatting with a young lady while she is reading the "loveshack". She'd tell me how much she likes it. Then she clicks over to the "outhouse" and bam.... silence ....and that is it. I am sure that she was reminded of what her friend "Julie" told her about all those perverts and weirdo's who lurk on the Internet..... Low and behold she was talking to a filthy pervert and didn't even know it.... or so she thinks....

Dallas is the market that pulled Howard Stern and Lex and Terry of the air. (Morning radio "shock jocks") The stations who carried them said they couldn't sell ad time yet Stern had the highest morning ratings in this area. Could it be that we have a lot of phony people in Dallas? This is the buckle of the Bible belt.....hence Bible verses should sell...... Believe me.... I personally know phony people. They will laugh out loud at my funnies but wouldn't dare want anyone to know about it. How can they stand themselves? This just reeks of phoniness....please open the window.......

This is what I mean when I say that women like to be lied to. I get asked about that statement a lot. (see below) If I were to post the Bible stuff and the self written poetry and ditch the "Outhouse" I guarantee I'd have lots of locals to date. Problem is that it would be a lie to do so. I laugh at the Outhouse stuff and so do LOTS of other people. I am not a sick or perverted weirdo. I just like to laugh....That is all..... Those who seem to understand my humor live in the East or in the West but not Texas. I have a choice.....ditch the Outhouse and attract more local ladies or tell the truth and seek someone who can laugh along with me.

I WANT TO BE HAPPY......... THE OUTHOUSE STAYS!

The movie "You've got mail!" turned out to be a good one. Several of my on line friends recommended it to me so I went to see it this afternoon. The plot was a bit predictable but the fundamental idea is what I liked. The idea was that learning about someone from the inside out is what leads to true love. Despite professional differences (or just as easily, physical differences) they liked each other because of what they learned about each other via E-mail.  There were no physical or professional prejudices.  They just liked each others thoughts. This is how it should be and is what I seek! So many people do things backwards or from the outside in.  They go for the cotton candy of looks or wealth and fail to look at the person inside. I suppose this is for two reasons. The first is that learning about people on the inside takes work and many folks are lazy and really don't know how to do it. And second, good looks and physical attraction are primal drives that many people cannot see past. I must admit to possessing that second problem but I see good looks (which can be broadly defined) as only a positive trait rather than a mandatory one. Some people will not date someone unless they are models...... I wish them luck. They will probably be unhappy in a few years.

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Happy New Year To all. I wish everyone happiness and success in 1999

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