Christmas 2005

With a crack of the wipe, and a turn of the cheek, Santa flew up the chimney. And Christmas day dawned. I think the actual arrival time of Santa was between the hours or 3am and 6am. I was awakened by a excited little seven year old boy at 7:30am in the morning. Jumping up and down exclaiming it was Christmas morning. Yeah, no coffee, no food I struggled to open my eyes and struggled harder to smile. Then my stocking was handed to me and it was like I was seven years old again myself. The joy I had longed for all season hit me like a ton of bricks and I watched in awe as my son opened gift after gift. His face was lit up like the lights on the Christmas tree. Even though Beth and I didn't exchange to many gifts we couldn't help thinking we are fortunate to have each other and a wonderful family.

Hey Ya'll

Ah.....Christmas time again. Starbucks has been one big mad house of peppermint mocha's and gift card sales. The most I sold was to a woman who bought 9 $20 gift cards. Wow you do the math. Starbucks rocks. I got a promotion two weeks ago. I am now a shift supervisor. A small raise and a little extra responsibility. I have come home exhausted from being full speed from the time I walk into the door until the time I leave. Which is great because time moves forward very quickly.

I told everyone I was working on a website. And I have been. I have a temporary page with some unedited music. I say unedited because they are mostly what you call scratch tracks. Please check out the website at www.thadhelderman.com. I have been working a little bit at a time spreading my time between designing the rest of the site and working on my cd. I have still been battling hearing my voice with the music. My vocal patterns tend to change a great deal. So I will say the tracks you hear are not the final vocal tracks. Just ideas.

Christian is so excited about Christmas. It makes me look forward to Christmas morning and watching his face light up. It makes me think of the year I got my first Transformer. I got the Optomis Prime. I did not get one of those chency plastic ones. It was the real thing. It was diecasted and it was the shizzle. If anyone is thinking of any last minute gift ideas, all I want for Christmas is a new Xbox 360, Xbox 360, Xbox 360. And a little private time with my wife. HeHe. And that is The World According to Thad.

I am Back

Well what could I possibly tell you that you haven't heard from a friend or loved one lately. Things are busy and about to get a bit more hectic. Congratulations to my wife Beth for her acceptance to HPU. She has worked extremely hard to get in for this semester starting on her birthday of all days. Christian is doing really well at school. I am working a good bit and received a small promotion to a shift supervisor at Starbucks. It will give me a couple more hours a week and a small raise. Still working in and out of Winston for Maxx. Jason and I have been enjoying working out of Greensboro the last couple of weeks. It has been a needed change of scenery for us both. I went camping the weekend of Thanksgiving and had a wonderful time. We camped in the Pisgah National Forest around the Barnett Bridge Trail. Heard some coyote's and a few deer during the dark hours. It was a good bonding time for the band. This morning it is cold and rainy as most of you have already figured out. It would be cool to see some snowflakes, I guess they are saying we could see some later today. So I hope things are well in your world. Take care. Peace

I Should Be Taking Out the Trash

I shoud be totting the garbage out right now, however it can wait a minute or two. I spent the last couple of evenings working on my first ever website. Yes I said website. The web address will be www.thadhelderman.com. Please wait a few days before you visit. I am working on a temporary homepage. It should be informative. I also have aquired another domain name for my family. My hope is to build a website for my entire family so they can view the contents and enjoy stories and pictures of one another. Yes the websites are being created by Brass Door Productions. Thats me if you didn't read any of my previous blogs. Still need to design some business cards. I made one design it look really funny. So thats whats shakin. Also I have recorded three songs for my first solo cd coming out sometime in 2oo6. Once I get comfortable with the vocals I will surprise all of you will some samples of the music. So "Dirka, dirka, shirpa, shirpa, ali muhammed" (from the movie Team America). And that is The World According to Thad.

Its Already November..Gaush!!

After days of being on my own, the crew came home without to many bumps or bruises. It was very quiet for a week. My time was spread between work, playing, and trying to get some sleep. I did miss my family while they were gone. I am so happy to wake up once again and see the little smile my son sports around with when I get up. Not much more to tell. Thanksgiving is approaching so fast. That means its time for me to start gearing up for my winter camping trip. Will be going to the mountains once again. I look forward to that very much. Which means Christmas is right around the corner. Yiks. And that is The World According to Thad.

Attention All Family

Please go to the following link www.myspace.com/thebandtravel and you can view our video Father

We follow God not by logic but by faith

I saw this posted on a devotional sight today. And I thought, "Wow that is very straight forward no nonsense doctrine." So I just thought i would share it with you.

A Passage from Psalm 39

"And now, O Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in you. Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool. I am silent; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it. Remove your stroke from me; I am worn down by the blows of your hand.

This was taken from a devotional at The Upper Room a site I found about a year ago searching for something totally different. I have spent much time at this site and find that it is a wonderful resource for me. There is a prayer request forum that I have used so many times. For me, being I don't have a home church, I feel it provides me we truthful teachings in a way I can understand. You can always go back and reread a devotional from the day before if you miss that devotional. You could even get it via email. So my point is this, no matter where you get it from(as long as you trust the source) find somewhere to get your Bible teaching. And that is The World According to Thad

A Short

I have been trying to keep up with the everyday blogging craze and have found myself just not able to communicate much lately. Each day is filled with activities that keep me from sitting down at the computer. Beth and I had a chance to catched up last night. We actually sat down and ate dinner together. Most of the time was spent on talking about new ideas and goals. It was great. I hope all of you out there whoever actually read this are doing great. Take care

Credit Reports...the real debt reminder

Reviewing your credit report is the wonderful grim reminder of how your past will eventually catch up to you. What I hate seeing are the reminders of what I have gone through the last 7 to 10 years of my life. 30 days late, collections, charge offs, and now who do you call when in need, God. So simple to make that call, right! The phone lines are always open. I would like to kick the guys butt from Castle Marketing who has lied as we payed off our debt to them in full and they said we did not. I would like to met him face to face to tell him what a dirt bag he was for ripping off two young newly weds with a new born with some bull shit photo crap. And everything else was legit. So its off to work somemore to correct all the mistakes of the past. And so many young kids are so eager to grow up fast. And that is The World According to Thad.

Its Already the 29th

Lately it seems I cannot keep up with the everyday responsibilities of parenthood and being a husband. I guess this is what real anxiety feels like. Since April undergoing massive job changes and just keeping my head above water have started to take a toll mentally. Every morning I get up it is the same thing. Rush all day, work, work, work, get home, go back to work again, and fit in sleep, checking up on family, and trying to keep my sanity. I will say I am feeling more confident about my decision to work at the music studio. I have also been beefing up my skills here at home working with my home studio. I have spent numerous hours on learning the right way to record and a lot of time figuring out how to make things work. Many of you have seen my banner. Please take it seriously because Brass Door Production will be a reality in the future. For any negative feedback please keep your comments to yourself. Obviously the biggest hurdle is getting equipment and financing. I am in the process of writing a proposal to talk to the bank about a business loan. It may sound crazy however it is something I want and will do. So a covering a prayer would be welcomed. And any donation to the cause would be welcome to. And that is The World According to Thad.

Still on the Mind

I feel like I need to clarify a few things to everyone. When I write in my blog its like writing what comes off the top of my head. Sometimes its not so great, sometimes I still may not get it right. However that is why this blog is called The World According to Thad. All of you who know me understand that I am unique in personality. I mean I generally will take a different approach to everything. I look at all sides then make my "own" opinion. Sometimes I am very wrong, sometimes I don't know what I am talking about. One thing I am not wrong about is the fact our country was completely unprepared for a natural disaster.

The way the government handled the Louisiana disaster was horrible. Listen I understand that it is not easy to run the country, there is so much you have to take care of it is not even funny.

All of our elected officials should get a paddling for their poor organization skills. Who do most politicians represent, sometimes I wonder if they know. I hope all of us will keep our eyes open from now on. Aware of the dangers of what happens when we think we are prepared for whatever may come in the event of a natural disaster, fire, tornado, whatever you get the point.

I feel like I have been able to make some peace with the Louisiana tragedy. We have come together as a production team at Maxx Production and come up with a way we can help contribute and help those in need. All you have to do is click on the "Oh my Louisiana" link and you will see what we are doing to contribute. Trying to continue to spread the gift of giving and help to those in need. The site is not fully complete yet so check it often for updates. So peace out and take care. And that is The World According to Thad.

AMI

Yesterday I had the joy of visiting AMI. For those of you wondering what that stands for it is American Media International. They are the big boys when it comes to duplicating or replicating(thats the big term I guess) in the the media business. Other than having our art work laughed at, it was a great trip. The sales lady gave us a tour of the facility. They actually make the cd on spot. Who knew! Right? And the actual audio or video(they replicate dvd also)is stamped into the cd, then a layer of some sort of apoxy is squeezed out of top of it then drys under a uv light. Brillant!! It is totally different from burning a cd at home. Then after the audio is stamped onto the cd then it goes to add the silk screen to the top of the cd. Think of a 6 color printing except for cds. I tried to find a picture of press however I didn't see anything like the one I saw there. Anyway, the process takes less than a couple of seconds to put together. It was a great time.

My Day

Someone bring my yard some water because it does thirst for water. I did get out and cut the grass and trim the hedges today. I first thought it would be a waste of time being there were only a few spots than grass was even growing in the front, I just couldn't stand the thought of looking at the straggler clumps of grass among the sunbaked grass. Found another banana spider in the bushes today. They are also called garden spiders. I had to remove him from the premise.

Then it was off to Starbucks to converse with a young couple that I met at Starbucks. We have had many short conversations about God, today's church, denominations over the last couple of weeks and finally had a chance to sit down and share our beliefs with one another for about 3 hours. What a wonderful time we had. All of you know I believe in Christ. I am open and honest about that part of my life. It was nice to share faith in a very small setting outside on the patio of Starbucks. We talked about the church of today and how the gospel according to different denominations has really destroyed people's passion of going to church or even turned them 180 degrees in the wrong direction. It was really cool. I was disappointed about the Panther's getting beat. Better luck next week guys. Anyhow take care I am out.

Upset

I am completely ashamed the federal government and their evacuation process in New Orleans. I am equally upset at the thugs and punks who are making it almost impossible to get aid to people. The fact they are shooting at national guardsman and shooting at helicopters is stupid. What the hell! If I tried to rescue you and you shot at me then I would kick your butt. I am very fired up right now. Hey George W. What the hell are you doing? Absolutely nothing. You are pathetic! Show some remorse and get all those high paid idiots to do their job and restore order. This is the US baby. Ring out your oil soaked socks and get down to business.

And the oil companies have us by the back of the neck. Wake up everyone it is time to get down to business and make a change. I can make a difference. So can you. I am tired of sitting on the sidelines and just saying okay. It is time for action. For those of us who live in NC here is your congressional chairs phone numbers and address.

Richard Burr

217 Russel Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

(2002)224-3154

Elizabeth Dole

555Dirkon Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

(202)224-6342

Do something wonderful today, make a difference.

It Could Happen to You

I was reminded today of a story of my early years that was a learning experience never forgotten. At the age of 20 I left home for independence and to find my path of life. I moved in with a guy I knew from Friday's an had to learn how to take care of myself. Other than doing laundry I generally didn't go home much. One thing my dad told me was to stay out of debt and to be smart with my money. That didn't last very long. I was independent and knew what I was doing. Uh..What an idiot. Not even a week or two after I had moved out I was headed to work and wrecked and totaled my '79 Toyota corolla. Urg. So I had no choice but to venture out wet behind the ears and purchase the maroon 1992 Chevy Cavalier. For those wondering the year this took place was 1994. Anyway, to my parents dislike I was able to purchase the car on my own with no cosigner because my parents pretty much told me there was no way in hell they would cosign for me. I was independent you know, I had all the answers. Months went on and I enjoyed my independence. Then the real world came crashing down on me when the worst thing could happen to a newly independent 20 year old, identity theft.


Much to my unknowing my roommate had secretly been going through my personal information while I was away from the apartment. This first red flag came when a cell phone bill came in my name and I didn't own a cell phone. I approached him about it and he said it was merely a mistake he made when entering names of references. What the hell? Okay, so me being young and ignorant I went along with it. The second red flag was when I received a phone call from a leasing agency asking me questions about my newly purchased kayak. Okay, hang on a minute. I knew I didn't own a kayak, however my roommate was driving around with one on his car. Holy fiddle sticks. I could not believe it. This guy who was supposed to be my roommate tried to screw me royally. I got back all my info, he went to jail, and I learned a huge lesson. Protect your stuff. Because if you don't, you could be next.

Anniversary and House Guest

As most of you know Beth and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary this past Sunday. It was a wonderul day besides being a little grouchy from waking up to early. Beth was nice enough to put our anthemn up on her blog on a song that says it all. Dear sweetie thank you for all the misery we share with one another. I love you to pieces.

We have a new house guest outside on our frontporch. It is better known as the banana spider. I took a picture to share with all of you. Warning, it is not for the fant at heart. It scared the hell out of me when I first saw it. So now we just live it alone and try not to bother the spider. My only concern it the spider having babies and that is when I would have to break out the spray. Anyway, take care to all of you and enjoy the picture of this giant spider.

The One That Got Away

Saturday afternoon I met Daryl for a afternoon and evening of fishing. We got together around 2pm and got things together and away we went. We were greeted by a very quick, strong thunderstorm. We found shelter on the Penny Road bridge. After that we set out to a point we had fished a couple of weeks before and I caught a small white bass.

Then we spent the next couple of hours searching for the right spot. We had no results. It wasn't until around 6:30pm Daryl caught a 1pd largemouth bass. About 7pm we tried a more shaded area and struck gold or I should say Daryl did. He realed in a 2.2pd largemouth bass with using a lure he had purchased earlier in the week. And let me tell you, that was the biggest bass I had ever seen in person. Then not even 30min. later he landed a whopper that he reeled in all the way to the boat and got of the hook. Now folks I am not lying when I tell you the head on this thing was freakin huge. It had to have been atleast over 5pds. That is a big fish folks. We had a great time with a few "hang ups". It was a great of fishing.

Guys Night Out

An extrodinary evening it was the past Friday evening. Christian and I set up Camp Helderman in the back yard. The weather was dry and hot. And the mood just right for our first ever camping adventure. We built a pretty good fire. No one called and complained so I think we kept the fire as low key as you can on a city block surrounded by houses. We cooked hot dogs and smores and retired the evening with a couple of books and two rounds of Uno. Christian fell asleep very quickly around 10pm. I tossed and turned for a couple of hours trying to weed out all the noises of loud radios and a great deal of noise from the Main Street cruisers. About 2:30pm Christian woke up and started looking around. I could tell he was not comfortable due to the lack of breeze and the heat. So we decided to come in and spend the rest of the night in the house. It was a great time. I know Beth put up a few pictures I put some up myself. We had a great time and hope to do it again soon.

---

---

Tuesday 8-16-05

I thought I was doing so great as a plumber but found I must have not done something right. I successfully installed a new faucet on Saturday and found out Sunday that it was leaking like a mofo. I called my brother in law Tim several times attempting to fix the problem but found it may take a little more elbow grease to get it done. At work in WS right now taking my lunch break. So thats all for now.

Night Time

Things are well. Another night at Starbucks has come and gone. Not much happening here. Just working and trying not to make Beth pull her hair out. I caught my first fish using crank bait last Sunday with Red. I caught a white bass. I wast pretty excited. Cant wait to go again. We are enjoying the new funiture we received from Bran. He rocks. I am taking Christian camping next week and I am excited. It will be his first time so I hope he does okay. Anyway, thats whats going on here take care.

Short

Such a dramatic week I dont know where to end or begin. Lots of crazy things happening. I thought those of you who may be interested in the next generation of blogging may want to check out new way of blogging by Steve. Its really cool. I really do not have much else to ponder or write about this evening so good night to all and take care.

The Eagle has Landed

I have been quiet lately. I haven't had much to say about my world. Beth would say I have said to much at times and then at times I don't speak when I need to. I have some great news. I have been working very hard. Between Starbucks and Maxx Productions I have stayed busy. Still catching up on past due bills but its coming along. I am really in to working on the computer these days. I am learning how to do html, photoshop editing, fireworks, and soon I hope to learn how to use dreamweaver to design websites. It is different from working with my hands all the time. I actually have to use my brains, ugh. So it is cool that after watching Beth all doing her stuff that the two of us may make a dynamic duo some day down the road. I have lost a lot of sleep trying to understand what in this world I am supposed to do for a living. I finally have seen how computers are essential to our world. To get to there other stuff, I will soon have the capability to have my own infinite track music studio here at home. Along with DVD creation and CD duplication. God has blessed me with a dear friend who has helped guide me(cause sometimes I feel like a blind mouse and a stubborn mule)Jason. At times we want to slit each others throats but lately he has shown me I can work on my own and has practically enabled me to be self employed. The tax thing does scare me a little , I did make a good decision last year to start have a tax preparer do my taxes. So that will be a must. So soon I will be for hire my peep's. I will be able to create DVD's , record music, and make websites. Hot Damn. And that is The World According to Thad.

Father's Day

I want to dedicate this post to all the cool kids who were at the Hook on Saturday night to here the band play. Thank you for your hospitality and we enjoyed it.

Happy Father's Day to all who are dads. I enjoyed a lounging day with my wife, son, and my in laws.

It was a solemn day having sad thoughts of little white kitty. When I was younger I always had emotional attachments to the little critters that ran around the house. Now that I am older it gets worse. I have become very fond of cats, dogs, fish, birds, you name it. I guess it is because you realize the miracle of life and understand it a bit more. It is hard to tell your son when even a little fishy dies and goes to the porcelain heaven. So to Beth and Linda who have grieved over little white kitty I am truly sorry for the sad thoughts and feelings you are experiencing. Again Happy Father's Day to all the dads out their. Peace

Another Day

Happy Birthday Greetings to my father in law Daryl and his brother Terry. I hope both of you have a great day. Well things are holding up here. The job search continues. I interviewed 2 times last week and heard back from only one. I heard from one place this morning that told me they had found someone else with more experience to work for them. I have an interview this afternoon at 1:30pm. It is a inside sales position the has a base salary plus commission. I am still waiting for the phone to ring off the hook with people eager to hire me. Its a good thing I am not holding my breath or otherwise I would be dead. So that is what is going on hear. I know my blogging lately is more like me complaining and I do apologize. This is an outlet for me to keep my sanity.

Update

Well yesterdays interview went very well. I spent a hour atleast talking and being shown around the company where I would work and that sort of thing. I think they want me to work there. They were shocked that I would consider the huge pay cut and the horrible heat of the warehouse I would work in. I think of it as a means to an end. I have been playing phone tag this morning with the lady I interviewed with. I was going to try and catch up with her again today about interview #2 and then I received a phone call from another place looking to interview me. Hell yeah. I would like to work for this company. There business profile is a restaurants equipment sales company. How ironic. I want to send a shout out to my in laws for their contribution to groceries and Beth's last Discovercard payment. Beth we finally got that debt off our back. Hallelujah. You know just so all of you know we have been received an out pouring of love from all of our family. My dad has been really understanding and not kicked us out even though we are two months behind on rent. My mom has helped with getting my cdl renewed and just keeping us afloat. Thanks to all of you for your help. It has been wonderful.

I am listening to Mindy Smith right now as I am typing this and I feel I could just start crying. She is mellow and so is my mood right now. It's funny the song playing right now one of the lines is "I am raggedy ann falling apart at the seems". Holy crap the hits you right in the heart sometimes. Just keep swimming. My new motto. I can't thank everyone enough for the out pouring of love you have shown.

Strike 3

Well it is difficult when getting up and striking out on your first three phone calls about jobs on a Monday morning. Good news is that three of my other resumes did get into the hands of people who are still looking into them. It would be nice to be like 1 out 500 applicants to get a job. If I had to take an educated guess that number is probably not a joke. I had to enter the worst job market I could have. Would someone slap me please. Ouch that hurt Nina. I will not give up hope for hope is what keeps us going. I called A & R staffing this morning and sent them my resume to get some more help. Between Monster, CareerBuilder, and a staffing agency certainly and end to these job hunt will be soon. Did I mention Starbuck's has help out a bunch. I am finally getting the hang of things. So I will just keep swimming.

Happy Birthday's to You and You

HAppy Birthday to my dear sister Jenni. I do miss her so much today on the day she was born on June 4 1973. Also Happy Birthday to my mother in law Linda. We keep her year of birth a secret( cause I don't want her to beat me up). Jenni I miss you very much and hope your doing okay. Just pretend that I baked you this cake and you can make a wish and blow out the candles. Love to both of you. Good day.

Finally

Well its Sunday morning and I am leaving for the big Roanoke show this morning. I do have a good sense of accomplishment as we completed our first CD titled "You are Here" that we are debuting in Roanoke. We are also unveiling 2 new t-shirts that we will be available to all very soon. We updated the website a little bit. We have a directory page with audio that starts with the new logo we are using. So check it out and look for more new things to come in the future. Take care.

Just keep Swimming

This morning when I woke up I felt like I was watching Groundhogs day. Each day I get up I rush to the computer to check for emails about job postings and to see if anyone has viewed my resume. I do know it has been looked at by several people. I feel like my hope is dwindling. I am so bored at times I could peel the paint of the walls. I did do some yard work this morning that didn't take up to much time. No work the last couple of days out of Winston. It really sucks right now. I do look forward to going to Starbuck's tonight just to get out of the house. I was invited to go play golf for a couple of hours and may take the person up on the offer. I know that staying at home is not for me. I hate it. I love Beth to death, I just do know how she stays here day after day. I am determined to get through this crap. If anyone hears of anything let me know.

The Blues

I am a little aggravated today. I feel awful. I lost my voice at my grandfather's yesterday and discovered I had a small case of poison ivy. The first time I had it was last October. I never had it in 30 years until last October. No calls today for interviews. I am starting to get impatient. I don't get it. I have a great background, I guess that's not how it works anymore. The job with Shwann's would not be good. To far to drive and not enough money to make it worth while. We haven't paid rent for June yet and with never knowing if CH is going to call it makes things difficult. So that's what's going here. Take care.

It takes Two

I don't usually blog out of anger or sorrow, usually just to be informative and objective. Today is a little different. I am at the end of the rope I believe. This morning as most of you know Christian had to go back to the ER due to falling off the bed and reopening a wound that was still healing from stitches two weeks ago. The look in his eyes when he fell told me all I needed to know. He knew as well as I did that he had hurt himself in the same place as before. As he began to cry my heart sank as I picked up to inspect what had just happened and sure enough the same wound was reopened. Beth came running in in horror and knew as well as I did we were headed back to the ER. For a moment at the sight of blood I got sick and had to go the bathroom for a few minutes. After I composed myself, brushed my teeth, we were on the way.


We got into a room very quick. Nana arrived to comfort all of us. We chatted for a bit and then the PA arrived. He seemed a little anxious and I became a little concerned especially when he mentioned breaking out the papoose. All was going well until he seemed a little shaky starting the stitches so at that point I had to leave the room. I know how my brain gets and I was afraid that my emotions could possibly get in the way of what the PA was trying to do. So I walked down to a waiting area and as I walked away I could hear my son screaming at the top of his lungs. Minutes later I saw the PA back at the nurses station so I walked back to the room where Beth looked pale and Christian was still crying. Beth stepped out quickly to get some water due to her having an overwhelming feeling come over her body. She told me later the nurse had her sit down due to her looking a little nauseated. I was really mad at that point because we both felt the doctor had not numbed the wound properly and caused Christian a great deal of pain he didn't need to go through.


I have been fighting off tears all morning not believing that this could happen twice in two weeks. Anyway our baby is recovering and trying to keep him settled down is another issue.
He is up playing now. I find myself keeping close watch of him making sure he won't do something else to go to the ER. So please pray for him. And anyone wanting to contribute to the Christian Daryl hospital payback fund let me know. We could use the help. Anyway take care.

Job

Just wanted to let everyone know I had a job interview today. It went well I am not sure if it is right for me or vise-versa. Take care

In a blink of an Eye..

I have struggled lately to keep up with my blogging. I have been going none stop for about two weeks. I hope to be used to the busy schedule in the next couple of weeks. I am planning on going fishing in the morning and looking forward to that a great deal. So that is what is going on and I hope all is well with everyone. Later

May 6th

The band jammed in K'ville on Friday. We had a lot of difficulty this time. Jason was sick and could barely sing. John was dealing with stomach issues. Everyone was tired and a little grouchy at times. The monitor mix(stage mix) was absolutely horrible. I took some pictures with Beth's camera. So enjoy them and take care.

A Day To Remember

An early day it was on April the 27th 2005. I awoke about 7am and the Happy Birthday's were given by my lovely wife and son. Only a few minutes later I was greeted on the telephone with the traditional birthday song sung by one Andrew Dagger. What a treat that was. I had agreed to go work with Jason on the day preceding the 27th so I met up with him about 10am and headed to Winston.


After getting to Winston Salem he and CH had been waiting on a package for days that was needed to continue with the recording process they have been working on for weeks. However the shipment was never sent and time was of the essence. After a few phone calls and discussion Jason and I jumped into Jason's van and headed to Raleigh to pick up the program he needed to continue the recording project. And off we went. We stopped and had lunch in K'ville at Bojangles and got back onto the road about 12:45pm.


We had a great time and chatted about family, friends, and work. As we got into Durham we laughed and joked and everything was going great until a "clank, clank, clank, bang, and boom"
No smoke, no fire, just silence. We cruised to the side of the road and jumped out of the van.
Instantly upon opening the hood of the van Jason discovered that the serpintine belt had broke.

Damn. That is about all we could say. The good note about this was we were only about 50 yards away from the Southpoint Mall exit so we decided to take a walk. The funny part about this is Jason had a cell phone that reached only in town in the Greensboro area, and I didn't have one at all. Mistake NUMERO UNO. Well we figured we could just go and find some calling cards and everything would be okay. Nope it wasn't that easy. We actually had to go deep into the Southpoint Mall to find a cell phone dealer due to the lack of phone cards and panic. We found a Cingular dealer and begged for help. Well they were happy to help. At the mere cost of $250 for a prepaid phone with only $25.00 of air time at $.25 cents a minute. Wow. We were fortunate that we had plenty of money due to CH. So with a quick activation and WHO HAH we were back in action. Off we walk to the van and to get some help. By this time we had called wives and Emily was on her way to rescue us.


The time was 3:30 when arrived back at the van. About 4:30pm Emily arrived and rescued us from despair. Well we knew we had a mission to complete. So off to Guitar Center to complete the transaction of purchasing the WaveLab Platinum Bundle Pack for CH. So finally about 5pm we arrived. Mistake NUMERO DOS.


If you thought the story couldn't get any better you haven't read anything yet. We go up to the Pro Audio counter and they said no one called about a Platinum Bundle Pack. Infact they didn't even have one in stock. AH HELL'S BELLS. What is this world coming too. " We had called and we talked to some guy named Jason and he said he had one in stock and he was holding it." "Well sir there is no one by that name here and we do not have that product in stock". Okay now panic and stress set in. Thank God for the salesman who helped us. He found one in Texas and was able to FedEx it out the same afternoon for it to arrive this morning by 10:30am. Well its 11:20am now and FedEx hasn't got here yet. "Blah, blah, blah, not so nice Christian words, aggravation and stressed".


So I finally got home last night about 9:30pm. I had to cancel dinner at Carraba's with my wife and my mom and stepdad. So instead of eating some kick butt italian food I had to settle for Papa John's. Hallelujah, I did get to see my mom, I didn't have to cook, and I finally got a cellphone after saying how unimportant they are.


Today has been so different. Not only did the package not show up yet, the shipping clerk at the Guitar Center in Texas shipped me the wrong package and sent the Platinum Bundle to someone else. There goes $1600 right down the crapper. You know what I have got to do today, hang out with my son Christian. He is the best. We kept him home today due to restless night of sleep. So Beth, Christian, and myself had a picnic lunch, and then it was a game of kickball after lunch. So anything that happened yesterday is nothing but a memory in time. Today has been great. So thank you to all who made it special, and I look forward to seeing you all soon. Take care.

Conversations with Tony

This morning I had to go to a training seminar for Starbucks at Goldengate Shopping Center. It was about a 6 hour training session. I had heard that Tony Wood, a family friend worked their however I didn't know I would actually get to see him.

Tony is a family friend whose house we met at on Friday nights for small group church meetings back in the mid 80's. I grew up with his kids and both my sisters are good friends with his daughters. About 3 years ago he was diagnosed with cancer. All those years he was struggling with the nasty disease I would keep up on his health report via my sister Angela. They both attend the same church. When I started talking to him I didn't want to remind him of the hell he went through for the last two to three years. However as the conversation went on he talked a little about how horrible it was going through radiation treatments. As we talked I was just amazed at how much he embraced what happened to him and had accepted he may get to meet his maker sooner than anticipated. He shared how his kids were just horrified about their father being gone. Last March 2004 he was told by his doctor's he was cancer free. He still goes back for checkups every three months. He said that would continue for the next couple of years.


On the way home the one thing that stuck out to me was the bracelet he had on. You know the yellow LiveStrong bracelet for the cancer foundation Lance Armstrong started. His organization helps fund research to find cures for cancer. I wear one myself that is a yellow bracelet. Not for looks, not because it is the in thing, because it means something more. Last year I lost my grand father to cancer. My wife lost her sister to cancer. My father in law bought the bracelets because he knew it was a great cause. Not only did he loss his daughter years ago, he also lost a good friend not to long after my grand father died. We all have a common bond. Either we lost someone close to us from cancer, or in Tony's case battled with it in his own body. So if you are concerned about cancer, be aware of the risk and get involved. And the next time you see someone with a yellow bracelet, find out what it means to them. Take care.

I Did It

Well I didn't think until I walked out of the DMV this morning that I would ever renew my cdl license. I had until 4-26 next Tuesday to get it renewed. I did it at the last possible time 5 days before it expired. Hallelujah I passed the hazmat exam and am able to drive a commercial vehicle once more. I was very afraid I would fail. I studied for two days and missed only 3 questions on the exam. I almost didn't get the eye chart. I had one more chance to read it the right way. I seriously need to get a new prescription. My ability to see small letters has gotten pretty bad. I left you all with a beautiful picture of my new license CDL Class B w/ hazmat. And that is The World According to Thad.

The Scoop

As most of you know by now I no longer work at Uno's. I had a detailed blog to present to all of you however it got messed up some how in the editing process. Thank you to all who have shown your support over the last couple of weeks. I do have a part time job at Starbuck's that started yesterday. I was truly dreading going in almost to the point of having a crisis. No other reason than I was having to start something new and unknown to me. The longer I sat and chatted with my new store manager she made me feel welcomed and comfortable. I hung out with her for about three hours. I did some register training on the computer in the office until time to go home. I do like the fact I can show off my sexy legs. I am still actively seeking a full time job too. So anyone who has any leads I need your help. I have sent out about 10 resumes all over the area. Relocation is not an option for me at this time. I would like something in the M-F range if at all possible. I do have a lot of work experience. I am not afraid to get my hands dirty. So please let me know if you have ideas or suggestions. Thanks to all for thoughts and prayers. Take care.

Wolly Buggers

As most of you know I have taken up fly tying thanks to my father in law. I finally used the new Dan vise I received as an early b-day gift. Yesterday I had the opportunity to tie some flies and other than the hackle being to big they turned out very well. I take a few minutes each time I tie to try and master the proper way to put the thread on and then the proper whip finish which is not exactly the easiest thing to do. So here are my wolly buggers for all to enjoy.

So long Friend

The world seems small some times. I had heard about the death of Al Lucas Monday morning, I did not realize he was a former Carolina Panther. Division I-AA defensive player of the year his senior year at Troy State. Sail on captain, and let your guiding light lead you to the ocean. My thoughts go out to his family. Peace

The P. Diddy Blues

I find at times my life is very uninteresting and boring compared to those of the likes like P. Diddy Combs. I just read an interesting article about how he owed back payments in child support to an ex-girlfriend lover whatever the heck she is and boy she socked it to him. I have to say it is his own fault for not taking care of his children however he must of not realized that hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn. I mean he must realize by now even if your a pop star that it does not excuse you from parental duties. But man that has to take a bit out of his money expenses. I have no pity for him. If he would have taken care of business like he should then he wouldn't be in the situation now. Take care of your children for goodness sake. They deserve it. Amen

Back to School

Well the verdict is in. As of March 30, 2005 I have been accepted back at GTCC for the semester starting in the fall of 2005. I sat down two weeks ago pondering what in the world was I going to do with the rest of my life mode. The result was the realization I need to move forward in my life. Move forward in a fashion that would bring a better financial future for the family. I still plan on playing music in the band with the release of our new CD coming in the next month I would be silly not to try and promote that part of my life. However, I know that I need to continue to educate myself in other areas of study other than music to have something to fall back on. I haven't a clue as how I am going to pay for school. I would like to bypass financial aid being I just finishing paying off a defaulted loan last year. My goal is to enroll to the culinary technology associate degree program. I hope that this is a start down the right path for me and the family. It is time to move forward. Hallelujah. Amen.

To be Grumpy or not to be Grumpy

The theme of the day shared by all this morning at work. Not to many words were spoke awaiting the fabulous threesome from our home office. It was weighing on everyone's brain the inevitable vice president of franchises, vice president of Pizza by Pubs, and regional manager. What a team huh. I was in a very grumpy mood walking in the door this morning due to being wakened by fierce lightening about 5am this morning. Troubled by the weather outside I found it hard to go back to sleep. The day went on without to many moody moments and then all of our company arrived. There is nothing like making a pizza with three very important people from the corporate office and our home office looking over your shoulder. I think I felt sweat on the brow as I made the pizza. I was overwhelmed by all kinds of "Why don't you have this"or "Why do you do it this way." We did have a huge compliment from our vp of PBP telling us the restaurant looked great and our portioning and quality was great. End of sweating. Tonight it is off to band practice. And a early start tomorrow. So take care and God bless.

Moving on Up

The last week has been a blur. Please please if you have an opportunity to go to the new Travel site please do. It is not user friendly yet. It will be very soon. As far as the Chronicles of Travel I am deciding on whether to continue with that or not. Not to many readers have left feedback so I am thinking it is not a good blog for me to continue. As for Blogger, I will continue. And as for The World According to Thad, well it is my thoughts, my ideas right, it will go on. Peace and hair grease.

Deliverance

Yesterday was very interesting. I have to share the story and update you on the neighbor situation. Friday my bandmate John called me upset and frantic. He was scheduled to move out of his trailer on the 31st of March. Well early Friday morning he awoke to his landlord ripping the bottom of his trailer off to prep for being moved. If all of us know the date was the 18th. There is a big difference in the 18th and the 31st.

So John called a host of friends to help him move out. So Saturday we arrived and of course there was John's landlord hard at work loosing fittings and literally taking the foundation out from under us as we moved boxes and furniture to different cars and trucks. We had to take some things to storage so off we went to take stuff to storage and eat lunch.

After returning to John's trailer we returned to a trailer that had no steps. Okay pause and don't go off like a firecracker. I was absolutely furious. John didn't even express any emotion. So we pulled a truck to the door just to jump into the back so we could get into the house. Finally after worrying about the safety of the dwellings we managed to load up and get the hell out of Dodge.

We did leave a little present by the old mans tractor to remind him of John. A stink bomb strategically placed for the old fart to endure while moving the trailer. In the old mans defense he is a back woods country redneck man. He is used to doing his way and he that's just the way he is. There was never a hand shake nor any paperwork ever done for John staying at the trailer. Just a verbal agreement. So beware of backwoods redneck landlords with trailers. They may try to take your foundation out from under you.

I spoke to the owners next door to us. They chewed the college boys a new one then some about there nasty dwellings and all night parties. So far they have been very polite and have kept down the noise level for at least a week. We shall see how this week turns out. Any all is well with Beth and Christian. They are my loving side kicks and we are all just chilling out this morning. And that is The World According to Thad.

The Smack Down

You know if my day wasn't stressful enough, I have to hear my wife tell me that my neighbors have thrown another beer bottle in my back yard. I feel like wooping some ass right now. I am not sure if my neighbors understand if the opportunity existed for me to crack their heads open with a baseball bat or not. Oh how I wish! I have had nothing but problems with them lately. I had to ask them to turn their music down the other night and they didn't like it but did it anyway. This with a number of multiple infractions has lead me to believe we are doomed the longer we stay here with stupid neighbors. So I started with a call to their landlord. If he doesn't respond I will file a complaint to the HPPD and go that route. With Beth being her by herself and alone with Christian I dare not raise a fuss with them. I have to control my temper. I hope they do not push me over the edge because I have been very agitated lately. Any I will updated you on the progress. Bye for now.

New Beginnings and Sweet Memories

I departed my house this morning around 9:30am to go help my brother do some things to get ready for my sister in law to move back in. Without going into private details about their marriage they have worked some things out. Good luck to you both. My brother was in a better mood than he has been in a while. He has been working frantically to get the house ready for her return and was unable to finish his biggest assignment of finishing the bathroom. He battled with the flu for the past couple of days and didn't quite get it all done. So this evening he and Brenda will say in a hotel were they can take warm baths to sooth aching bones and enjoy being together.

After that it was off to Winston Salem to help CH with a huge project he is working on. His mother is very ill and is not expected to live much longer. He had a list of hymns his mother loved so he decided to do a couple of them and let her listen to them in the hospital. His mother is his best friend and he talked for an hour about how she meant so much to him and how hard it was going to be to see her go. We tracked an instrumental version of Amazing Grace tonight. Next week we are going to work on one more. There are three songs total and I hope to get a copy of the songs when they are done to share with you. Please pray for my buddy CH and his family. Well its off to the in laws tomorrow and more fly tying techniques from DD. So have a great night and that is all from The World According to Thad.

Sabado

Judging by everyone's blog I have been reading this morning I don't think my week has been as exciting as everyone else's. It seems that Amanda Wares(my step-sister) deserves a gold medal for all of her endearment she has gone through. And we are sorry to learn of the news of your friend with cancer. A ugly nasty disease. Beth called me Friday morning with the news of Christian's diagnosis from TEEACH. I was grateful to hear he does not have Autism. My heart goes out to Beth for fighting for Christian to find answers about his makeup. You are a wonderful mother. Don't give up.


So another week of work has gone by and after yesterday I feel like I could sleep for days. One word for you "Duo". The never ending promotion we are running for 2 for $19.99 (alcohol not included). It is tiring running back and forth and preparing for a night when your expected sales are about $8500. Wow that is a great number and I am sure they hit it Friday night.


Beth is off to a b-day party with Christian. I am catching up on my internet time. So good day to all and take it lite.

Feel like Cooking Tonight

You know after working in a kitchen all day some days you feel like cooking when you get home and some days you do. Well Monday I did. I came up with some stuff right off the top of my head and I wanted to share it with all.

Pork Chops with Snap Peas
3 pork chops
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 milk
1 clove fresh garlic
2 to 30 cups of snap peas
fresh ground pepper to taste


Spinach & Leaf Green Salad w/ Homemade Mustard Vinagrette Dressing
5oz. Fresh Spinach
5oz. Leaf Lettuce
1 cucumber
1/2 red onion


Dressing:
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
2 tbs Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup mustard
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp garlic salt
fresh ground pepper to taste

Any type of yellow or white rice would do. We eat yellow rice normally so that our son will eat it. This was based on two people. Feel free to copy this recipe and add to it or take away from it. I included a picture and try it out some time it was really great.

Playing Catch Up

Thank you technology for helping to share with others about the hobbies we have. Beth has been inspiring taking pictures of all and letting me borrow the new camera she received as a gift from her folks. I am sure by know that you have seen some of the picturs she has taken. She let me use it to take a few shots last night as I work my butt off tying this dark cahill dry fly. Yes I admit I am hooked. Literally. In the last year or so I have taken up fishing. A hobby I enjoyed as a young boy, however I never knew a whole lot about it. This year for Christmas I received a fly fishing rod from DD. So know I am in the process of learning how to fly fish and the art of tying flies (lures). I showed you all a picture of a fly I tied at DD house last weekend and now I have the ability to tie them here. So here is a picture of my first without the aid of nothing but a how to book of a dark cahill dry fly. Thanks DD for the kit. It will see a lot of usage.

br>

What an Afternoon

This is post #2 for the day. It was a great and exciting day today. I went and help DD and his friend Bill wash the boat. He had some great before and after pic's which I hope he will post soon. DD was so excited and it was great to see his enthusiasm of getting the boat ready for fishing. He did get his trailer. He was mounting the seats when I left this afternoon. Then it was off to Jason's house to work on the CD. Unfortunately we got tied up in a game of Desert Storm and had to kick some booty. He and I love that game. Its a great thing he and I were not in the Army or else we would have been brought home in a body bag. I don't mean to make light of what our boys do overseas and beyond, however if it was based on the way we played the game then we would have been destroyed the first mission. I cant count how many times we hit the reset button. Unfortunately, in real war that is not an option. God bless our troops and the sacrifices they make. What a noble job they do have. So I send a shout out to all of our troops and we love you for what you do. Peace

Busy as Usual

Saturday we all awoke to something we haven't seen in a while on Saturday, the sun. Hallelujah. I hope you enjoyed my fly. I am hoping to due a little more fly tying in the future.

Daryl was going to go to Fayetteville this week to pick a trailer for his boat. Not sure if he got there or not. I had a long week at work. We have a promotion running that is bringing in a lot of business at night. On top of that I went to check out the Scott Jeffries Band in Winston Tuesday night. I also had two nights of band practice and I am going to work on our CD for the band this afternoon for a couple of hours. Its a busy time of season for me and I can tell in my attitude. I am not really to joyful about going none stop. I get tired an easily aggravated. So I am doing my best to keep cool. So take it easy and I will talk to you soon.

Learning to Tie

Check out this fly I tied on Sunday with the help of my father in law. Its pretty cool.

Winter

Well what do you know, its the traditional wintry mix that is almost like a custom in NC. It really does suck. Snow is what we like. Sleet and freezing rain are what we dislike. Big fluffy snowflakes, not water that freezes on contact. I am praying that tonight we will not be rudely awakened by the sound of the alarm that seems to beep constantly when the power goes out. The battery backup only last a few hours before going hay wire. I will be keeping a flashlight and a pair of snips handy encase of emergency. So sleep tight and don't let old man winter bite. Have a good night and stay indoors.

Howdy Ya'll

I have often wondered where the term "you cant take it with you" originated from until this fine morning reading in I Timothy(that's in the Bible in case you were wondering) and there it was in chapter 6 verse 7 and reads as follows"After all, we didn't bring anything with us when we came into the world, and we certainly cannot carry anything with us when we die(NIV). Outstanding, another one of the worlds mysteries solved simply by reading the Word. Who would of thought. We are in the process of going to Papa's and Nana's house and they do know we are coming over. Daryl and I will watch football. Linda and Beth will look at the fish and work on Linda's blog. Christian will watch all the stations he cant normally watch due the fact we do not have cable TV. And that will be our Sunday. I hope you and yours have a fine day. Later

Sunday Mourn

Sunday morning streaming video on MSNBC has a way of tugging at your heart. Watching stories of the tsunami tragedy and stories of soldiers losing their lives in Iraq remind us of the reality of the world we live in.

Beth and I are fortunate to get up every morning like today and see each others faces and find hope in everyday of something new. So many cant even begin to feel that way due to morning over lost loved ones or tragedy in their lives. Beth and I have seen much heartaches in our lives.

Together we have tried to turn those heartbreak into joy. Many days I can remember Beth talking about the loss of her sister. Many days she would tell you I still mourn the lost of my grandfather. The one thing that has been the difference is faith in our lives. It has given us something to hope for and someone to lean on in the darkest times. The smile of a small child full of life has help too. Seeing Christian bright eyed and ready to take on the world brings so much comfort. If your feeling down today remember that prayer is a great source leading to joy. And so is love.

Thank you to Beth for the new design. Its bangin. Its a fresh look with some attitude along with it. And that is The World According to Thad.

Que Pasa?!!

You have to be careful these days when typing in search engines for websites. Just the other day I was trying to find a photography website of a girl I used to work with and I ending up finding a not so nice adult site instead. It really gets on my nerves. You have to understand after having a close family member attending SA(short for sexaholics anonymous) it changes your views on what we call adult entertainment.

This week my bandmate Johns step father was killed in an auto accident. My thoughts and prayers are with you brother. I visited with John and his family the past couple of days and they are doing the best they can. Last night was spent playing Halo 2 with friends from work while trying to avoid the monsoon between residences.

I had a wonderful chat with my Granny this evening. She is still learning to live on her own without my grandfather. She has had a great deal of support from her children, grandchildren, and friends. I wear the watch she gave me at Christmas that belong to my grandfather every day. It is a treasure. Its finally cooled down a little and feels like a typical Carolina winter night. So stay warm all of you and until next time God bless.

Greetings My Friends

Well if you are reading this than that means you realize that the court of Guilford County showed me mercy and gave me an extention to Feb 9th. Thank you Guilford County. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support. Last year drained Beth's and myselfs finances and our families have come to our rescue. Your cards, gifts, and prayers and well received.



I just got back from Grandover Resort. I filled out an application and also spoke to Stephanie in Human Resources. Everything was going great until I mentioned I worked for the Holiday Inn Four Seasons back in 1992. The Koury Corporation owns Grandover Resort. Two years ago the VP of the company and former GM of Four Seasons Holiday Inn issued a memoir that no former employee's of HIFS(for short) were eligible for rehire. We thought maybe I wasn't in their computer and bada boom bada bing Stephanie in HR said there I was in their monster computer. Luckily I was a fabulous employee for them. She is going to try and bypass the memoir as she was most impressed with my application. So lift it up in prayer because Thaddeus needs some extra cash flow.


We had a blast at Beth's B-day party. That was a fun time. We ate, drank, and were happy. To those who came thanks for your hostility. Beth I hope you enjoyed the festivities. You are a beautiful 31. Don't forget Bethie I have a b-day coming soon. A new American made Fender Strat in the color blue would be great. I am sure if you sold plasma your left leg and one of your kidneys that you would be able to afford it. Oh yeah, and a couple of CD's would help. So that's a rap for January th 12th. And that is the World According to Thad.

Jan 3rd

Yawn..........look at the clock and yes Thad its time to get up and do the same thing I do every week, go to my work. Today I went with a little hop in my step. I couldn't wait to get online(which I never do at 8am in the morning)to let the Grandover Resort that they need me to work there. After much toil over what to do about money I have decided to find a part time job in the food industry to continue my quest for chefhood and to help pay the bills ontime. It will be difficult to manage family, band, work 2 jobs, have a social life, and find personal time. However I love to be challenge. Unlike a lot of people I love to work. I took a couple of steps back two years ago when I was trying to balance 2 jobs and a family because my family life was not in good shape. Today its a lot better. I am hoping to work 3 nights a week. Enough to take some pressure off of all who have help so much this year. I figure 5 days at Uno's and 3 nights at Grandover or wherever I end up will help put us back on target for the American Dream. So please, please lift us up in prayer through this time. And that is The World According to Thad

Happy New Years Day

We are the blogging nation..............................Attention fellow friends and family....Happy New Years Day...

The last two weeks have been so hectic I don't know were to start. Christmas day came like a flash and it was good. Thanks to Santa Claus for all the fine gifts he left me and the family. I really dig the fly rod my father in law gave me. I cant wait to try it out. On a more sentimental note I received a watch that belong to my grandfather who passed early this month. I received a Mindy Smith CD that is really good. What really made Christmas feel special this year was the support of all of you through this difficult time. Beth has been absolutely wonderful. She has been patient and so sweet and taken care of me. As most of you know that little Christian had an incredible time this Christmas season. He had a well needed break from Montessori. Its hard explaining to him that Christmas is over not to expect a present everytime he goes to someone's house. Thank you to my mom for all her hospitality of the holidays. She and my sisters really blessed our family with all their warm generosity. My brother in law time all I can say is YOU ROCK. Thank you for fixing the dryer. Your a darn genius. Thanks to you and Jenni for all you sweetness. I will miss you. Be careful driving home.

It was a heartbreaking year at times. Losing my grandfather was the hardest thing I think I have had to deal with emotionally in my life. He meant so much to me. Now that all of the family is going home and back to the routine it is hard to think what will I do with myself. I am holding back the tears right now just thinking about my sis leaving and thinking when the next time I will see her. So thank you to all of you how help make this season feel like Christmas. I hope to hear and see you all soon.