Bike Riding

So when I ws a kid I remembered riding my bike everywhere, I remember getting in trouble fro riding about 5 miles away to Reads ( a local early version of Macys or Dillards). We would ride forever and had a great time. Well I am happy to say bike riding fever has hit my house and both of my girls have the bug. Every day we ride for atleast 20 minutes and has got me biking to work, don't get excited I live 2.5 miles from the ship, but it's nice to be pedaling again. So many kids don't like riding bike and would rather be inside on the Playstation on Poptropica (kids website) so I am very happy they are riding. This weekend our big event is riding down to the gas station so the girls can get an ice cream. Pictures to follow of the great bike ride....

It's a girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well about 6 years ago it was too. The point of my entry today is just this. I have a very storng willed daughter who is now 6 and can't or won't sleep the night. Not sure if she is afraid of being alone or she hates her bed but she tries everything all night.

A typical night goes like this:

6pm Dinner
630pm Bike ride 30 minutes
7pm Bath
720-800pm calm down and 8pm 2 stories, a cup of water and bed.

1130pm Wide awake wanting to come back to our room and get in bed with us, a practice we do not want.

We then go through the song and dance ALL NIGHT until about 5am when I go to work. So that means my wife and I sneak by on 2 hours here and there, hit and miss. We already to her to get a sleep study, she's normal. Yes we're seeing a counselor for her and I'm not a big fan as she has proven nothing other than doctors without kids should not provide advice to those of us with kids.

We do know the trigger for the process, travel. She was making some progress in March sleeping the night and then we went to my in laws for Easter and last week to Knoxville to see my family. Now things are the worst they have ever been. I have to honestly say this sucks and wouldn't wish this on anyone out there. If you have ANY suggestions I'm all ears.

Satellite Radio and other cool toys

A good friend of mine recently posted on her blog a add on to her IPOD that I won't go into, however it brings up a good point about electronics. No matter what era we are in in people will always come up with cool applications for there electronics. I recently joined the crowd of people who pay for radio. I jumped on craigslist and got myself an XM radio. At first I just got it to listen to the Yankees but there are so many more channels. OK I wrestle with the notion of paying 12 bucks a month for radio and then on my recent trip to Knoxville from Jacksonville it complete validated itself and to my wife who figured it was a waste of money. Now it's stuck in her van and I need to steal it back before I start my big summer traveling to Washington DC, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and then Chicago.

Resturants and Customer Service

Why is Customer Service have to be so painful? This past weekend I went to Knoxville with my Family to see my Nephew make his "First Holy" Communion as my wife likes to call it. We went to dinner on a Saturday night with a group of 10 total. OK I get it big restaurant, Saturday night big wait. no problem! BUT when we sit and you take our order lets do each other a favor. YOU have your Kitchen check the meals for correctness and I won't bitch. In fact check each meal, the same way I check my stuff every friggin time I deliver something to my customers. Would you believe 6 of 10 meals got sent back? Now this is Knoxville not New York, you had a 1 hour wait not 4 hours and it's the Outback for God's sake. You know the menu, I know the menu, and as you say no rules just right. So get it right.

OK lemmie refocus, we send the 6 meals back and the guy comes out with a soup like he is making it all better. Nice move jackass but I would rather the meal be right, and don't bring me the Broccoli Soup, it's bad for you like all green vegetables are. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE!!!!

Bear with me I'm almost done. Bring out the ice cream for the kids. Let me back fill you if you don't dine at the Outback, The Thunder from Down Under is Brownie, Fudge, Ice Cream, Whip Cream and more fudge. Well they forgot the damm fudge. So I took it to the kitchen and asked to speak to the Manager. He came to the table, very sorry with free Onions, but I then prompted to ask in a loud but calm voice who checks his kitchen's work? He started to get nervous as most people in the room were now watching. I then asked him how many more tables were going to be wrong tonight and he assured me none. He then told me dinner was free. Nice $200.00 dinner gratis.

Now I didn't go fishing for a free meal but rather someone be held accountable for poor service. Tell me do you get pissed when you get the dumb shrug when you demand service for what you pay for?