Vids 'n Stuff

Check out a couple of videos showcasing some of the creative and cool people I work with at Southwest Airlines. Check out David Holmes, better known as Dave the Rapping Flight Attendant. You might have seen him recently on the Tonight Show. 

And here's a group from the corporate communications office hawking our new coffee, LIFT. 

Guess who's back, back again??

Hey there. I know, I know...two months and counting without an entry. In the immortal words of Ron Burgundy, "I'm kind of a big deal. I own many leather bound books and apartment smells of rich mahogany." But seriously, I am.

That being said, I'm giving this another go. Some random observations from the past several months:

• If you find yourself feeling blue, come to my house and watch my son play the Wii. His joy at the tiniest little accomplishments is infectious! His favorite thing is to play golf and hit the ball into the ocean every single time! That's more important to him than a birdie (and why am I using so many exclamation points)?
• Working with truly wonderful and good-hearted people is such a breath of fresh air. I have a hard time calling what I do work! What a difference a year makes.
• I'm almost finished with my breakfast taco detox plan. Since moving from San Antonio it's been a slow process not scarfing down a couple of congealed meat products wrapped in enriched, gluten-laden flour patties. Mmmm...tasty.
• Man, I really like Irish Whiskey
• I'm pretty close to begin writing my first book. More on that later...
• Did I mention, how much I like the Whiskey?

Stay tuned...

Cough, Cough, What's Up?

Sorry for the long sabbatical! Life is good, very good, and I actually focused on the goodness for once! But, somewhat shocking, several people have commented on me not posting, so here comes the recap.

First, if you catch more misspelled words than usual it's because I'm high on meds battling the flu. Being sick sucks. As I lay sequestered in my room I realized that I really miss NOT being sick. The weekend is the time when I recharge the batteries. My son literally and figuratively becomes my shadow. My daughters grit their teeth as I inspect their disaster area rooms but cheer when I go out and grab donuts and buy them all kinds of crap that they don't need. Spending 48-hours in a darkened room made me realize a few things:

1. Blowing your nose every 5 minutes and having a nice, thick goatee...not a good idea. And, it's a little gross.
2. Girl Scout cookies really take the edge off the fever.
3. Disclaimer: #3 might have been caused by my flu medication, but I actually sat through the movie Billy Elliot. I think I might have teared up a bit....again, it was the meds.

Other than that, work is good, family couldn't be better, and I'm gearing up to drop some coin on my new hobby, photography. I'm purchasing a Nikon D60 and taking some classes. It's all part of my plan to corner the market on a very specific photographic need...over-80 boudoir photography. That's a joke! Or, is it?

Magic Eight Ballin'

In the continuum that is my 36-years on the planet, 2008 will go down as a "just-to-the-right-side-of-the-dial" year in Flaningan-land. Family is great. Health is great (minus the calf-tear incident that has left me with a calf muscle that clicks. Yes, CLICKS). Oh, and I also discovered that in a past life I was a vietnamese fisherman. It's a long story...

Not too bad. But, 2009 has already started off with a bang! Job of a lifetime, the discovery of a new chicken place whose food just might play a part in solving the mid-east peace crisis, and Flight of the Conchords begins anew. What more can you ask for? I blame the black-eyed peas and steamed cabbage for this run of unbridled fortune. My buddy Gary and his daughter came over on New Years day with black-eyed peas and cabbage in tow, beginning this run of luck.

Cue announcer voice, "Coming soon in future episodes of..."

• Seriously, Paul's going to learn to converse in Spanish this year. ¡Ningunas excusas! Soy muy serio sobre esto (Translation: The work cubicle smells like leathery soup). I really need some help with this.
• Half-marathon. My and my clicky calf are going to cross the finish line. 
• Fly. I am now free to roam about the country. I am taking FULL advantage of this perk of perks. I hear Cleveland is frigidly funkalicious this time of year.
• Learn how to speak "tween" so I can communicate with my oldest daughter. LMAO, TTYL, N-Y-C-W-M-R-N-O-K-M-L-G (No, you cannot wear makeup right now. OK, maybe lip gloss).
• Start giving back. Since we've moved to Dallas, I haven't given back to my new community. Time to roll up the sleeves..

Now, about that vietnamese fisherman story...

Wii Bit 'O Fun

Merry New Year to all! 2009 isn't but a day old and already I am anticipating great things to come...challenging new work, my continued path to higher learning, barbecuing all kinds of exotic new meats (Resolution #23). But, what I'm really looking forward to is not getting my a$% kicked in every Wii game by my daughters and 4 year old son.

You see, I'm what you call a video game born again virgin. The last video game I played was at the "arcade" and involved a donkey named "kong" throwing barrels at Italian guys trying to climb ladders. Yea I know, the 80s were kind of messed up. But now, I gaze in wonderment as I hit home runs in my living room, shoot virtual pool, bring heavy weight boxers to their knees, and watch my Mii character do and achieve more in 10 minutes than I ever did on the hallowed fields of my youth-**sniff**

My best to friends and family in '09 and I promise to update this thing a bit more often (Resolution #15).