So I'm a Grandfather now.

So on January 22nd at 6:11PM EST I became a grandfather at 44. Her name is Morgan Alexandria Cayton and she is the most amazing thing I have ever seen.

Where have I been?

Let's just say I've been experiancing some new adventures. Life is good and I am definately broading my horizons.

Grueling schedule

Auuuug! Working from 5 pm until 8am the next morning to provide 24 hour IT support is kickin my butt. At least it's every other night.

Today was a good day

Had an interesting thing happen today, received my annual evaluation. I work for a large IT company that specializes in DoD contract work. Contractor work is pretty cut-throat at that level and it's usually everone for themselves. The base I work on seems to be above that and people seem to pull together pretty well as a team; military folks, contractors from different companies and civil servs as well. So my supervisor hand delivers my evaluation, which usually means bad news. So I'm a bit nervous as he hands me my eval to read and sign. He's got a stoic look on his face so I'm dreading the read. Then one by one I read through the items seeing one "excellent" after another. I get to the end and low and behold a perfect evaluation. Not only was it perfect but it even had added comments from both my supervisor, and the actual customer. I look up and he's smiling from ear to ear and shakes my hand and tells me congratulations. I get a job well done from the folks I work with and then my wife treats me like a king when I get home. Days like his don't happen too often, but when they do...boy life is good.

Life comes at you all at once

As we age doesn't become apparent that life is a series of peaks and valleys. At times you seem to have everything together and all is well; at others it seems like there's not enough time in the day to get it all done.I guess that's why life is such an adventure.

Lunar Event

How often is one treated to a Full Lunar Eclipse first thing in the morning followed by an exquisite Full moon that night.

August 28, 2007 was a good day.

Optimisticality

Recently, I gave a friend some advice. She is generally a very positive person and usually keeps a small group of us feeling the glass is half full. I think I just endured a fairly terrifying experience and I'm happy to report I stand behind my advice; In fact I took it.

The world of DoD contract work can be ... less secure[pun intended] than regular commercial work. In fact the process of acquiring a security clearance can be very time consuming. My company dropped the ball on my clearance and a few days ago I was placed in a status of no jurisdiction. Basically that means I could no longer work around classified material. Since that's pretty much all I do that meant I couldn't work. So I go through the humiliation of being escorted from the building and having local middle management throw around terms like leave without pay.

Proudly, rather than go on the offence I chose to simply be a part of the solution. I provided documentation showing I had been inquiring for months as to my clearance status. As it turns out, I was a casualty of our company security officer's negligence. So, conference calls were arranged and my clearance process should begin again in a day or so. In the mean time my interim status will be reinstated and I can begin working again. Throughout the ordeal I remained positive and kept the glass half full.

Considering I kept that outlook in the face of what seemed like I was loosing the job all together, I'm pretty proud of that.

It was kinda fun traveling the road less traveled, thanks Hope ;P