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Happy Birthday Mom!!

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Valentines Day

Let me tell ya why my wifey Marla is so great, in no particular order..She gets up early every morning to feed our 4 kitties and then goes back to bed, does all the cooking and is good at it, goes grocery/clothing shopping without me, cleans the sheets/towels regularly, makes me my favorite foods upon request, generally places very little on the honey-do list, doesn't have a problem with hanging out with the boys time, takes care of me when I'm sick, is very supportive of whatever ideas I come up with and that's just the tip of the iceberg!

To top it off she picked out an inexpensive necklace and bead and said here, go ahead and pick another bead and that's your gift to me! I also had her pick out the flowers I sent to her today! I figure why not have her actually enjoy what she gets! How cool is that? I added the chocolates to the order, but she definitely makes it easy. She is obviously not high maintenance, heck we got married on the beach and she let me wear shorts!

She has been trying to decide what she wants to do with her life as far as having a career vs just having a job. She recently decided that she wants to pursue her bachelors degree in Health Services Administration, which is the field she's working in now. She's working diligently towards her goal and doing a great job! I'm very proud of her!

When it comes to sharing the load, we do a pretty good job. We have our own individual tasks that one of us usually does better than the other, but when it comes to the major tasks or obstacles, we take them on as a team.

I'm looking forward to a lifetime of great things to come!
















Love you sweetie, Happy Valentines Day!!

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DUI While Sleeping

I decided to research this topic after I heard something interesting on a Rochester NY radio show this AM. I was listening to 96.5 WCMF via Tune-In radio on my phone while I was getting ready for work, for something different.

The guy that called in mentioned that one time he had too much to drink at the Turning Stone Casino and went to his car to sleep it off, but first was careful to make sure that he hid his keys more than 20 feet from his vehicle. That wasn't his main story, but it struck me as interesting that he did that to be sure a cop couldn't charge him with a DUI. Apparently that is a rule in NY, or at least he thinks it is.

I have either read online or seen on the news here in FL where people have been charged with a DUI for sleeping in their vehicle and was curious why and what the rules are. Prior to seeing those instances were people were charged, I assumed if someone was sleeping in their car with the car off, it was perfectly acceptable and the right thing to do. Apparently that is not a good idea.

Here's a good description from a DUI attorney website in Orlando: "The problem is that DUI law in the State of Florida allows for a conviction for driving under the influence even though the police officer essentially woke you up from a nap. The officer doesn’t have to prove “driving”, as might be expected. “Driving” Under the Influence is not necessary the correct term. The State need only prove that a citizen has “actual physical control” of the car while under the influence of alcohol or drugs."

This article also goes a bit further: "...This means that if you are sitting in your parked car attempting to sleep off the effects of a night of drinking, even if the car is turned off and in park, you can still be arrested for DUI. Even placing the keys outside the car does not save you from being in Actual Physical Control of the vehicle and charged with DUI. Thus, the often repeated adage that you can put the keys on the roof of the car and sleep it off in the passenger’s seat will not work – you can still be arrested for DUI."

Very interesting. So at least in Florida the old hide the keys trick doesn't fly. There is a bit of subjectivity and another few blurbs mentioned that juries tend to be sympathetic in cases where the person was clearly sleeping it off with evidence they never drove anywhere, but do you really want to be on trial before a jury for any reason?

Apparently you better be sure not to piss off your neighbors either. "In a Minnesota case, a man was drinking at home, then went to listen to the high-end stereo in his new SUV parked outside. Simon said neighbors called police about the noise, and the man ended up with a drunken-driving charge and an impounded vehicle."

And if you think you're safe on a bicycle, think again: "A 'Vehicle' is broadly defined as any device by which a person may be transported upon the road. Based on these broad definitions, a person driving a bicycle would fall within the application of the Florida DUI laws. As a result, if you have been drinking and are not in a position to legally drive a motor vehicle, then you are not in a position to legally drive a bicycle either."

This also goes for motorized bar stools. As a side note, check out the YouTube links below for videos of this one guy 'Lawnmower Steve' I found of the same guy, getting arrested 3 times for drinking, twice on the same riding lawnmower and once on a motorized construction lift! :P There is even a Lawnmower Steve Facebook fan site. He likes to say "I know mah rights!" but apparently he didn't read this blog first....

Lawnmower Steve DUI Arrest 1
Lawnmower Steve DUI Arrest 2 and Taser
Lawnmower Steve DUI Arrest 3 Construction Lift

You learn something new every day eh?

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Same Siders

You've all seen them, maybe you know some personally, heck maybe you one of them! I sure hope not. You head out to a restaurant, it could be Applebees, it could be a high end steak house. You sit down to enjoy a meal and blamo, two people sitting on the same side of the table, with outlook not so good for others to join them. SAME SIDERS. Best case scenario they're far far away, facing the other way and it's someone else's problem for the most part, but still annoying. Worst case, they're sitting at the table directly in front of you!

If you happen to notice that you're about to be seated across from one of these travesties of restaurant etiquette, you could steer the hostess towards another table. Whew, dodged a bullet there. However, the worst is when you're seated, enjoying the ambiance and BAM, they're seated in front of you with no way out! Now you feel like you're on stage and guess what, you're the host, guest and solo star of the show! Lucky you, didn't get the memo? Bummer...

There are a few reasons why someone might do that, most completely and utterly idoitic and just plain wrong in their own special way. But I will include also include one valid, fully acceptable reason!



1) They're co-dependent and can't keep their hands off each other. Let's call that the Schmoopy Syndrome, a reference to the classic Soup Nazi Seinfeld episode. You're Schmoopy, no you're Schmoopy. When Jerry is faced with the difficult task of choosing between schmoopy and a cup of soup, the soup wins.







2) Sharing a meal. Do you share a meal at home? I agree that some places do supersize their meals and prices, but chances are you know that going in. Take the rest home, meals for a week! Or if you must, share away, tip better than you normally would for shortchanging the wait staff, but sit on opposite sides of the table!




3) Drum roll.......Perfectly acceptable, we've done it before, would do it again...Watching a sporting event at a sports bar facing a large screen TV! If you're going to a venue to watch a specific event and that's what the place is there for, by all means same side it. If they happen to have multiple screens on each side of the table showing the same game, you can call an audible and same side it, opposite side it or switch it up mid game.


4) One scenario we ran into over the weekend was an older couple that appeared hard of hearing.  That makes complete sense.  Even with hearing aids, restaurants have tons of ambient noise, making it almost impossible for the hearing impaired to have a normal conversation. 

What is your opinion on same siders?  Agree or disagree?

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Happy Birthday Marla!

Today is my super fantastic wifey's Birthday! She made a request for something different for her birthday dinner, Taco Soup. She made it quite easy on me, assembling all the ingredients and helping me cook it up last night, I just need to heat it up when I get home. Hopefully turns out good! And for an encore, we'll do up some Maggiano's on Saturday. Celebrate good times come on! Happy Birthday Marla, I luh ya bebe! :-)

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