On A Reading Kick

Natalia with me a few days this weekend and still her tooth has not fallen. Maybe this coming week. She has been a little sick but nothing major. Only games played this week was Scrabble Junior with Natalia and my mom and I like this game as it helps Natalia read words, spelling and combining letters to make words. Also today I am trying out my new electric smoker and hope it works out as it requires less work to maintain during the winter months. As far as weather up here, it has warmed up a bit and no new storms expected in at least a week.

This week I got no running in or been to the climbing gym. I did however read 3 books this past week. Read Little House on the Prairie and as like the first one n the series this follows the Ingalls journey out west and always find such reading relaxing. Next I picked up Candide by Voltaire from my collections of classic books and also found this title entertaining and an insight at the times then. Last I picked up Jailbird by Kurt Vonnegut at a thrift store and quickly read it. Vonnegut does have some books I like while others are bland for me. This one was rather bland but also an insight of the times it was based on. My current book, I am re reading The Man in the High Castle.

"What can be more absurd than choosing to carry a burden that one really wants to throw to the ground? To detest, and yet to strive to preserve our existence? To caress the serpent that devours us and hug him close to our bosoms till he has gnawed into our hearts?"

- Voltaire

As far as comic books, I continue reading Howard the Duck as well as The Death Defying Doctor Mirage. I have added Mystery Girl to my normal reads to see how the story develops. As far as classic comic books I read Fantastic Four #49 which introduces Galactus. This few issues have brought us so much used in the future universe.  This week I am expecting a few graphic novels I picked up used. I am waiting for Rogue Trooper, more Judge Dredd titles and I am jumping in with Sandman Volume 1. I have high hopes for all these.

Don't forget to download the latest No Agenda Show to filter through all the lies and misinformation the mainstream media pumps out there. I can guarantee you will be a much informed, entertained and a happier person for knowing the truth from the Guardians of Reality (John & Adam). 

God, Please Make It Stop.

This was a hard week for me as I received some horrible news. A friend of mine may be diagnosed with breast cancer while a person I came to know and was family for a while passed away recently. On top of it all another close friend is having herself a rough week as well. All I can say is will God make this stop. I am a very emotional person and these things I take deep inside and impact me deeply.

After these two horrible news I eventually come to accept it and move on. I signed up for a month thus far at a local rock climbing gym and hope to make this a regular thing. No running this week as I clearly was not at peace inside. Running to me is not a stress reliever but something I feel when I am at peace inside.

This week Natalia was allowed to call me and she wanted me to read to her a bedtime story. I had none of her books around me at the time and I read to her a little on the Little House on the Prairie. I was very happy to hear her and talk with her since I won't be with her this weekend.

"An inch. 

It's small and it's fragile and it's the only thing in the world that's worth having.

We must never loose it, or sell it, or give it away.

We must never let them take it from us."

- Alan Moore, V For Vendetta

Finished reading The Castle of Llyr as part of my reading challenge to read a book in a day. Not a good book but part of  youth series I believe I read many years back. My next read is another short book in the second part of the Little House on the Prairie. I do enjoy reading these light refreshing stories. Also reading V for Vendetta this week and it has been a good read thus far. Also on a trip to a comic book shop I picked up the new series of The Death Defying Doctor Mirage and Old Man Logan #1. Old Man Logan was a good read and will be continuing to read this title.

This weekend we get ready for a snowstorm Sunday and it may cause me some hassles Monday morning but we will see what we actually receive since forecasting has not been very accurate.

Don't forget to download the latest No Agenda Show to filter through all the lies and misinformation the mainstream media pumps out there. I can guarantee you will be a much informed, entertained and a happier person for knowing the truth from the Guardians of Reality (John & Adam). 

Waiting For The Tooth Fairy

Natalia has her first loose tooth this week and very soon it will fall off. So far she is not scared and I want her to feel like it is a good thing. So I am expecting the Tooth Fairy to pay her a visit very soon. The first of many visits.

Temperatures started to rise a little bit and give us all time to clean up and get ready for maybe another storm. I hope whatever comes, we do not see power outages again. Started to run again with two shorter runs in this past week. I do hope my mood stays the same to get back running. Ran my normal route I have been doing and the second time I wanted to go see how the rails in the Etiwanda Preserve were like. No flat sections with a few very rocky sections but I will be running that again soon.

Did not read any classic comics this week but did read The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage as a recommendation from the comic book store and I will say it was entertaining.

"Books were only one type of receptacle where we stored a lot of things that we were afraid we might forget. There is nothing magical in them, at all. The magic is only in what books say, how they stitched the patches of the universe together into one garment for us."

- Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

Still slowly reading Huckleberry Finn and hope to finish it this week as part of my new years resolution and reading challenge I set myself. I can see from the first chapter why this book was banned. Rough on the story and language. On the board game front, I opened up and got to play the first basic games of Legendary Encounters Predators and so far I like what is in the box. There are many ways to play this game in one box and hoping to play it competitive soon.

Now waiting for another snow storm to hit us as it is being predicted the end of the month. Also may be joining a local rock climbing gym and hoping to get back into the sport, even if just in this aspect.

Don't forget to download the latest No Agenda Show to filter through all the lies and misinformation the mainstream media pumps out there. I can guarantee you will be a much informed, entertained and a happier person for knowing the truth from the Guardians of Reality (John & Adam). 

Back To School

Back to school after almost a month of fun with gifts and the weather. Natalia again received a few more gifts from the 3 wise men (Melchior, Balthazar and Caspar).

"I don't need a mirror to see how I look. Long ago, I realized the inner self is visible if you present yourself truthfully and authentically."

We finally received the snow storm promised. With this storm we again received a power outage that was starting to worry me due to the cold temperatures outside and lack of heat. I spent a whole night feeding the fireplace. Power was restored earlier than expected but seems this may be a trend this winter up here.

With this storm we received some good snow and Natalia got to go out sledding in peace in our "secret" area. Not so secret as it is the local spot. I am so happy to see her starting to walk her sled up and power through the deep snow.

Finished reading War Dogs and found it a bland book. Was not hoping for much but a fast read. I am now reading Fahrenheit 451 as part if my reading challenge to re read a book and a book published before I was born. Also as part of my comic book reading of classics and eventful stories, I went with Amazing Spider-Man 121 where the Green Goblin kills Gwen Stacy.

Birthday Girl

This weekend we celebrated Natalia's 6th birthday. A few days early as I do not get to spend the actual day with her but that has never stopped me or bothered me. We always have a great time together. Games with Natalia and my mom as well putting together Legos, and eating cake all weekend.

Natalia received a Happy Birthday at the church and a few more gifts along with a nice song from her friends there. Overall a quiet few days that always feel like they fly by.

"A Wasn't just isn't. He just isn't present. But you... You ARE YOU! And, now isn't that pleasant!"

- Dr. Seuss

This coming week expecting the weather to turn around and Old Man Winter to show his face.

Last Week Of The Year

The last week of this year and it has been another year to remember. This week I would say started rough and ended amazing. I would say it was a replica in short of the past year.

Day after Christmas was one I would like to forget. Without going in any details in one area, the other part was the freezing temperatures and power outage. Hours with no power and house getting colder by the minute I headed down early to help someone and drop off Natalia and had to buy a generator. Money stashed away and really couldn't afford it but my parents and me freezing was not an option. In the end the power was eventually restored much later and my house reaching 47 degrees.

My week quickly turned around as during the rest of the week I was invited to spend a great day in Palm Springs eating good food, having a nice time and got to go back inside a rock climbing gym, A day later a very nice dinner with a great person and hours later we were all off to Universal Studios. A little disappointed, as I found out the A-Team show was no longer part of the attraction and KITT could be nowhere to be found. I did get to see Shaggy and Scooby Doo as well as the courthouse in Hill Valley where Doc Brown and Marty McFly made the power to get back to the future. I even got a nice surprise to see Thomas Magnum's car.

Again I managed to accomplish my "new years resolution" of reading 30 books right at the end of the year. I again set that as a goal for next year among other things. Managed to finished reading 31 books with the last one being Coming Home by Jack McDevitt. Not one of my favorites as I was hoping the story ended different, but I am a sucker for any of his books. I will continue to make reading books a goal as well as reading classic comic books and playing good games.

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something. 

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it. Make your mistakes, next year and forever."

- Neil Gaiman

Now I look forward to spending some days with Natalia celebrating her 6th birthday and waiting for the 3 Wise Men (Los Reyes Magos). Now I have to find a box and some grass for the camels. I will say I look forward to 2016 as it may end up being a year that changes my life in a good way.

It's Christmas

Christmas is here and my first Christmas Eve and day with Natalia. It was a great day and Natalia woke to many presents in addition to her earlier ones last night from her grandparents and me. Christmas Eve spent with people I love and care and ended with a big smoked turkey and some unique gravy my dad prepared.

"Christmas doesn't come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more..."

-Theodore Geisel

No snow or any weather during the week as we were expecting some light flurries. However we woke Christmas day to a very light dusting of snow for that white Christmas. A day spent by the fire building Legos, racing cars and learning new games to play later. Even Yuli received a new toy from Santa. To our surprise Santa seems to have left his bag (or at least one of them) full of toys for Natalia. More Legos, magicians cape and a bingo game among other things. Only Takenoko hit the table and didn't get the love I was hoping for from my mom. However, the bingo game and big turning wheel was a hit and somehow Natalia managed to win the most games.

"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time"

- Laura Ingalls Wilder

This Christmas season my goal was to put myself in that spirit and regain the energies, feelings and thoughts from times past to maintain through out the coming year to share and instill inside the souls of those I care, love and share life with.

 

Christmas Week

Christmas week is here and I am looking forward to Christmas Eve. Lots of ice and getting ready as we may get some light snow a few days during this coming week and during Christmas day. One never knows up here what we will get.

Sunday Natalia sang as part of the Christmas program and said the  opening prayer at primary. It was a very nice time. During the week I had the pleasure of spending a few days with company relaxing by the fire, watching fun movies and playing games.

"The greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances"

- Martha Washington

I decided to stop reading the current superhero comics as it has been a waste of my money. So many lame stories out there to make money. I started to read the more "independent" titles and so far out of my four reads, all have been good and I will follow them. Marvel's latest reboot of the universe and remake with Secret Wars have not caught my interest and from what I read thus far, it is just lame.

This week I started to read another McDevitt book as I find him to be one of my favorite authors. Hope to have this finished by years end. This weeks classic comic book was Fantastic Four #5, where Doctor Doom made its first appearance.

Check out this great documentary about the Galactic Civil War.

Santa, Han Solo & Washington! What A Week!

Warm temperatures during last week and by the end of last week it all turned around. No real amounts of snow but the roads were very slippery. It was very dangerous in the mountain Friday and I found myself crawling at points to not slide.

Natalia had her church Nativity show and the Christmas dinner and after delaying it due to the few caught in accidents and traffic it went very well. As always a small great group of people and children that Natalia knows well. Santa made another surprise visit this year which it is always great.

The following day, Sunday Natalia and I made the wet cold drive to recreate the first continental congress with the Mountain Fife & Drums. That was a great evening with great music and short history lesson. Even got to see General Washington in his pony named Macaroni.

"Worry is the interest paid by those who borrow trouble"

- George Washington

This week I received a great surprise y being taken to see Star Wars Episode VII with some great fans. I was not disappointed at the movie but shocked to see the theater was more than half empty. In all it ended up being some great days accompanied by great people. I even go to sit in Deadpool Santa's lap for my Christmas list. I look forward to this week as it will be my first Christmas day with Natalia as due to schedule and my deployment I was unable to spend such a magical day with her.

This weeks classic comic book was Fantastic Four #13. This comic introduced us to the Watchers and this is a race I hoped made more appearances and is used today in current story lines. Hoping to see the Watchers make a obscure appearance in the movies. Also read this week Batman Hush again and find this to be a good story with many characters that I believe would make a good movie. Finished reading Valley Forge and found it to be a very good book. This last book completes my usual new years resolution of reading 30 book by years end. Now I am back with one of my favorite authors in Jack McDevitt and his newest novel, Coming Home.

Check out the Dice Tower gameplay of the new Warhammer Age of Sigmar game between Rob Oren and Sam Healy .

'Tis Beginning To Look Like Christmas

After two weeks not seeing Natalia, I was very happy to pick her up on Friday and be with her. A little late for my usual decorating and house transformation and may not get everything out this year. Slowly getting in the Christmas spirit this year. Natalia was able to see Santa twice this weekend and her joy and spirit cannot be described. Times like this I feel very lucky and happy.

Drill weekend and no drama this weekend but amazed to be asked to help. Nope, I am just sitting here doing "me". Also this week I was not able to go on a ride but did manage to make it to a game night with just 2 others but always fun. Played Sushi Go and the basic Carcassonne game along with Ticket to Ride. Again two new games I would play again.

"Friendship is a plant of slow growth and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation"

- George Washington

Saturday at March ARB while helping a few guys with some issues I had a great surprise to see 2 soldiers I served with and sent many a days with in my deployment. I was very happy to see them and talk a little. But as usual in the military life we quickly depart and move on and hopes to come across each other again.

This week comic book read was Captain America #1. Another of those "holy grail" comics and found it very good and long. A few stories of Captain America during this historic time. Also read a few other comics this week and still interested in the new Howard the Duck series and the new Captain America series. Still reading Valley Forge and thus far one of my favorites in the series as it shows the struggle of this new nation and the struggles with its brand new government not really wanting to help. I can already see why our government is the way it is now as it was like this from inception.