>2008 End of Year Blog

Tonight is New Year’s Eve 2008, and it was another good year with lots of blessings for My Shirley and Rad and me. Started off a little rough in January with multiple series of cortisone shots in my neck. Not recommended. I probably needed them from craning my neck during nightly billiards. Or gawking at girls. Now My Shirley and I play darts instead. She’s getting really good and whoops me regularly. The injections did the trick, though, and things got better from there. Recorded a radio spot for Cannon. Took some employees to the range and did some filming for Nikon. Wrote a few new articles for OpticsPlanet. Developed a comprehensive training program for most of the 150 or so employees we have here. Shot some IPSC and Action Pistol and won two out of three matches. Bought a few more guns and topped them with some new glass and other accoutrements. Scripted and did some more outdoor filming for Nikon. Fished for catfish. Raced some go-carts. Tested and broke lots of optics and other products. Got invited to bird watch in Guatemala but went on safari to Africa again instead. Met some new folks I now consider friends. Lost a couple friends way too early. Performed two love songs for My Shirley in a talent show. Recently completed CERT training with the local fire department. Built another mannequin for our showroom. Made his fingers and arm joints out of automotive bondo so he could hold a beaker with fluid like a human would. Fought some salmon. Hunted whitetail. Made a sniper shooting a gun in a ghillie suit that looks so real the local police almost shot him when they came in for an alarm call. Went on the Insanity in Vegas. Built a 10 foot rocket to show Christmas sales goal progress. Recontoured a sword and added some scrimshawed ivory with initials for a friend. Gained a niece. Gained a car and gave it to another niece as a gift. Saw my dad a couple of times in from Arkansas. Fixed and broke various mechanical and electrical devices. Hauled manure. Went on some long rides on Milwaukee iron. Watched birds for Cornell. Read many great books and saw some interesting movies. Recruited another man named Mark on my Technical Sales team who is ridiculously gifted in his field, the same as Jne, Bob, and Ryan are. Had a great Christmas party at the bowling alley. Smooched a lot with the love of my life. Lost about 12 pounds. Gained about 14. Learned a lot from a lot of people. Went to some fabulous restaurants. Cooked some fantastic meals at home. Grew a giant beard and long hair. Shaved it all off. Tried to contribute as a human being. I often fall short, but hope to do better in 2009. God bless you all. Work hard and enjoy life.