Buckeye Mike

Yesterday morning was hectic. Being that we are winding the project down, it has come to crunch time this week. We all have a lot to do in order to meet the deadline. My morning was already 3 hours old when I left to go get a couple of team members just before 9 am. I had already been to Home Depot and Lowe's, and needed to hurry because my next stop after this errand was to get a truck from our shop. Icy roads made the schedule even tighter as I made my way to get the guys in Daniels rental car(clown car only seats two). Stopped at a light a block from the job site, I impatiently waited the green arrow to flash so I could get moving. As I reached up to turn the radio station, I was jolted back into my seat. Another car had slid on the ice and right into me. I jumped out of the car to make sure the person driving was ok . She was. A 22 year old business traveler from Massachusetts, she was near tears as she apologized for what had happened. I told her I understood the ice, and we p...

3:30 a.m. came in my small apartment yesterday morning just as it does every morning. Normally, if I see that time on my phone it means that I am up way late, either lost in thought or too many Miller Lites. But this was different. BUZZ BUZZ BUZZ startled me as both my alarms we telling me it was good morning time. After a brief second of "why the hell is this happening" running through my head, I realized the snooze button and I weren't going to have our normal date as we do most days. No, the plane to Florida was going to leave with or without me. So I drug myself out of bed, made some coffee, showered and waited for the cab. It never came. I called and they said they didn't have me on the books, but would get someone out as soon as they could. Don't worry about it was my reply. I loaded the clown car and headed to the airport. You know it rained for a total of 7 minutes yesterday morning? Want to know how I know that? Because when I parked in the red, long term...

This day started as any other of the last few months. Up early, head to the jobsite , get to work. Since it's Thursday I knew I had the boys tonight, and all weekend too. I had a lot planned, from a Star Wars movie thon to a day at the Park of Roses with Purple and her girls. It was going to be relaxing after a week of slam city at the office. Around 8:15 it all changed. TG informed me that I had been requested on a new project for a week or so. When he told me the request came from my former boss Matt, I knew I had no choice. I was informed that I was going to be in Orlando, Florida as soon as they could book me a flight. As it turns out, that plane leaves tomorrow at 5:55 a.m. So I will be up early, grabbing a cab to Port Columbus and will be in the Sunshine State by the time my team there reports to the project. I have no idea what I am in for, but take a lot of pride in the fact that he asked for my skill set on the job. And considering the meteorologist just said snow in th...

I started to write this blog post a little earlier tonight. Being that it's Valentine's Day and I do not have anyone to share it with for the first time in nearly 20 years, it's been weird day. Normally the romantic, make some one's day kind of guy, I am missing connection with s ome one . Yet as I turned the calendar today I was ok with no one to call. I spent last evening with Purple (last years valentine) and the Little Monkey, having dinner and watching a movie that I could only watch with her. This morning I did text the Kentucky Redhead, but only because it is her favorite day of the year. But I didn't feel like anyone was missing, just the experience. No impending surprises. No look on some one's face. So I decided to just be melancholy. I came home and had dinner then started to write. But the phone rang. Most days I feel like a pretty good father. The boys and I enjoy every moment together and have some great times making memories that I hope will be...

I told Mike I would do this a while back and have been putting it off. Mike said to write about anything at all, doesn't need to be about him, but just write. I am the type of person that has a million things on her mind all at one time and sometimes it is very hard for me to write. so bear with me because this could or could not go in a few different directions. My heart speaks for me now so whatever comes, comes. Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Bobbi and I am the third in the circle with Ralph and Mike. I met both Ralph and Mike 14 years ago when I had to take a job at Burger King that I absolutely hated. At first Mike, a manager, and I clashed. lol. I didn't care much for him. Let me tell my story now and maybe it will come together some. I was a new mother of child number 2, and single. I was scared of what life was going to throw my way next, because life had always been pretty tough one me. I needed a job, so through family I took Burger King. This partic...

Is it now or never? No, but it is probably now or at some vague, distant point in the future. They say that now is the only time we ever have - yet they are being slightly disingenuous when they say this. We have plenty of nows. We cannot go back into the past and reclaim any of the nows we had then - but we will yet come to know future nows - and we should never say 'never'. That said, now is always a good time to do what needs doing. And really, truly, you know what needs doing now! Now's as good a moment as any! The preceding was my horoscope today. I have never been one who followed the zodiac signs very closely, though I know I am a Pisces to the core no matter how many new signs they come up with. But this guy, Cainer, seems to hit the nail on the head more often than not. The only way his daily outlooks could be more geared to me is if they started with "Michael". And this one was no different. Without going into too much detail, I was faced today...

This past weekend was really the break that I needed. Working 7 days a week, 11 hours a day on this project has been such a drain. I am not sure why, maybe because it feels like we are getting no where though the job is moving along as scheduled. But when I had the boys this weekend and had to be off, it was like being able to breath for the first time in months. And we took advantage of it. Friday evening I let my oldest son have a friend over. Being a pushover for the boys, I agreed to let this other kid stay all weekend. Friday night was movies and popcorn as the four boys played well together. By noon Saturday though, we all knew we needed to get out of the house and do something fun. Purple to the rescue. She invited my entire tribe to her house for movies and dinner. She had her daughters there, so the thought was they could all play together. It went well, and we had a wonderful evening. Sunday morning was big breakfast for them. Waffles, eggs, bacon, OJ, we had a great time s...

Remember your first cell phone? I do. It was 1992 and Brad and I decided that we were going to be on the cutting edge of society. So off to cellular one we went, and walked out with the newest, coolest mobile phone you could buy. Big and bulky compared to todays standard, this sleek model came with a base and a strap so we could wear it like a purse. But the best feature was the cord. Yes, phones used to have cords, even the cells. We tooled around town like big shots, him in his Cavalier and me in my 1978 bright yellow LeBaron tank. We called each other while in Meijer. We called each other while we were at Cushions. "What do you want to play on the jukebox." Then we got our first bill, and minutes weren't cheap. It would be after I got married and we had a mounted car phone before I felt so technologically advanced again. Now, in 2011, I see how far we have really come and wonder how much more we can create. I carry a work blackberry and my own "device" as wel...

Over the course of the last week, I have had the opportunity once again to do some up close people watching. There have been moments of amazement, both good and bad, and moments of epiphany, both my own and those of others. It has been a week of observation which has led to countless hours of being lost in thought. I have been accused in the past of being an over thinker, and that has been a habit I have tried to curb throughout my recent journey of self discovery. Yet there are days when the path becomes a little foggy and doesn't seem so clear. On those days maybe letting the ramblings of my mind sort things out a little is probably not a bad thing. I once was accused of being intimidating from a co-worker. And though I couldn't see myself in that role, I am all business. Still I try to set a good tone on the job, knowing that people tend to work better, harder, faster when they are in a good environment. The schedule on this project, however, has us all under the gun. We nee...

You don't have to read this blog to know that most of the country is being slammed by a major winter storm. Chances are, all you have to do is look out your window to see the wonder of mother nature in one of her ugliest forms. Here in Columbus, Ohio we have been hovering just above and below freezing for almost 24 hours, causing freezing rain and ice build up and really treacherous driving and walking conditions. I rarely let winter weather get to me. I learned to drive in the winter here. Slush and snow and sleet are part of our lives every winter, and life goes on. But from my first step outside this morning, I knew this wasn't your average winter storm. The first one was slippery and I almost hit the ground. A little later I did find the pavement with my backside. But I made it to the car and headed out. After almost taking out the vehicle next to me when I went sideways out of the parking spot due to the slippery conditions, I crept along to work. Once there I was able to ...