thoughts from the common man....

Is this thing on....is anyone listening?

Wow...I have a blog....who knew!

Well I haven't posted in a while; I really need to practice typing. I am slow enough to where I really gotta want to post in order to get it done.

Well here is a rundown of what is going on in the Knouse House.

1. I just finished "travel season." (This is the time in the admissions world when there are about 6 weeks of college fairs and HS visits...fun, but long). I am glad to be back in my own bed, in town with my wife, etc.

2. I have been to 2 high school football games in the past month or so...more on this later.

3. Julie is doing really well in her Masters program. She has received some high praise from a couple of professors (2 or 2 classes :), and is doing some interesting research on Dyslexia. It is neat to see others recognize her talent and intellect!

4. I sold my XBOX (Yeah I know this is a shocker, but there is more). I am trying to save up for a 360. Sold the box for 125, got a gift card from AMEX for 50 (from LaQuinta!)...now I just need to raise about 200 more to justify it to myself. It is not that we are going to go to the poorhouse for buying a new box; I just feel better knowing that I did not spend Julie and I's money on it. She tutors for shopping money, so I should mow lawns for the XBOX.... (Being a grownup stinks :)

5. I discovered audible.com!!!!! Traveling so much (I put over 4000 miles on my rental car) audio books are fabulous. I have listened to...

Jarhead by Anthony Swafford
Split Second and Hour Game by David Baldacci
The Testament by John Grisham
State of Fear by Michael Crighton
Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
Dark Harbor by David Hosp
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
Dreams from my Father by Barack Obama
The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

I think that is all of them...WOW...that is a big list (most of these were unabridged). Let me know if you want a recommendation on any of these. Nothing makes you feel old like being ecstatic over a new audio book (super dorky).

I am so thankful that the wife got me an ipod before travel season, or else I would not have listened to all of these. What a great creation! Apple rules!

6. Julie and I planted some trees in the backyard. We planted an apple tree (apparently the only type that will bear fruit in this HOT climate) and a live oak (which will take a billion years to get big). It wasn't hard at all, and hopefully they will grow and live well beyond the time we have in this house (or the time that we are on earth...for the live oak).

7. We have an enclosed backyard! We wanted to wait on this till the new year for tax purposes (crazy church workers), but the back neighbors were going to pay for the back, so we talked to our side neighbor, Judy, and she agreed to split the cost of the side. I really like the fence they put up (much better than the builder's fence). It is cedar, and really well built.

8. No more cable (satellite) around here. Just too hard to justify the expense when all you really watch is ER and Lost (THE BEST SHOW ON TV). I will miss seeing the Stros on Fox sports next year, and I will have to go somewhere to see some of the TAMU games (don't get me started), but overall it will be good. That $50 is better spent in a college fund (don't ever look at the 20 year projections for private and public schools....I'm never going to have kids...WAY to expensive :) or on a XBOX 360!

9. We got a new employee in my office. Jami is our new full time office manager, and she is great. She will end up processing over 1000 applications all by herself this year, and helps me to keep my kiddos straight (what goes to who when).

10. I want to train for a half marathon, but really fell off the wagon this fall. It is really hard to keep fit on the road. I am going to get back it and shoot for a half in the spring (in the meantime Race for the Cure is coming up, and should be a lot of fun, and for a great cause). Let me know if you want more info on the Austin Race for the Cure, and how you can help/ be apart of the team!

That is about all that I have energy for right now. No one read this whole post anyways...its HUGE!

Posted by Lee at October 29, 2005 08:50 AM