It's Been A Busy Week, August 22, 2006

YES, MARK IS STILL ALIVE!!! It's has been an incredibly busy couple of weeks in the Chase household. School has once again started for the young one and that has been taking up a bunch of time. I've also been bringing home a lot of work lately as well. That's something I haven't had to do for a while. Hopefully, that won't last too long. Oh, and there's that little thing called the household chore list. ~~loving referred to as the "Honey Do" list~~ LOL

Speaking of work, all four of our radio stations were recently sold. So getting ready for the new owners to take over has been a bit of a chore as well. But never fear.....I haven't forgotten my friends here on 360!

I've got some blogs I've been working on, a bunch of jokes to share, and some pretty funny pics that I think you guys might like too. So Yep! After a brief break..............I'M BACK!!!!! God Help Us All! LOL

(originally posted 8-22-06 on Yahoo 360)

The Art Of Being A Nice Guy, August 9, 2006

Being a nice guy, many times, can be the proverbial kiss of death when it comes to men looking for meaningful relationships. During the course of a recent conversation on this topic, a female co-worker chimed in that most women today, especially those around 35 or younger are looking for the "bad boy" type and that most nice guys get lost in the remaining "white noise" of life. As a married 42 year old male, I really can't say if that is true or not. But in defense of the statement, I can say that I know a few guys that find themselves sitting on the sidelines because they don't have the attitude, the aggressive personality, and generally refuse to be a "player." Do these guys find themselves in that situation because they're too nice or is their prediciment simply a result of their unrealized expectations in their female "friends?" I would guess that it's most likely a combination of the two.

Ironically, the same day that this conversation took place in my office, I received this email from another 360 friend that would argue the bad guy theory. The email read like this...............

To My Few Guy Friends That I Love...

To every guy that's said, "Sex can wait."

To every guy that's said, "You're beautiful."

To every guy that was never too busy to drive across town to see her.

To every guy that gives flowers and a card when she is sick.

To every guy who has given her flowers just because.

To every guy that said he would die for her.

To every guy that really would.

To every guy that did what she wanted to do.

To every guy that regrets hurting her.

To every guy that cried in front of her.

To every guy that she cried in front of.

To every guy that holds hands with her.

To every guy that kisses her with meaning.

To every guy that hugs her when she's sad.

To every guy that hugs her for no reason at all.

To every guy who would give up their jacket for her.

To every guy that calls to make sure she got home safe.

To every guy that would sit and wait for her for hours just to be able to see her for ten minutes.

To every guy that would give up his seat.

To every guy that just wants to cuddle with his special movie partner...and not fall asleep

To every guy that reassured her that she was beautiful no matter what...

To every guy that believes in her.

To every guy who told his secrets and fears to her.

To every guy that tried to show how much he cared through every word and every breath.

To every guy that thought maybe this could be the one.

To every guy that believed in her dreams.

To every guy that would have done anything so she could achieve them.

To every guy that never laughed at her when she told him her dreams.

To every guy that walked her to her car.

To every guy that wasn't just trying to get LAID!!!!

To every guy that actually listened.

To every guy that gave his heart

To every guy that prays she is happy even if he isn't with her

Not all girls appreciate nice guys. There's not many of you left out there...and the number of ladies who appreciate you gets smaller and smaller every day too. Just be patient though. One day we'll find each other.......maybe.

Okay, so she says there aren't many left. Or is it that women are just too busy to take the time to really look? And vice-versa for the guys. Are the "nice guys" expectations too high causing them to give up too soon? In this age of instant gratification, hours spent in front of computer screens, speed dating, and general lax emotional self maintenance, I would surmise that the art of being a nice guy (or girl) is quickly finding itself in the same dusty emotional corner as the "lost art of conversation."

What type of person/personality are you most attracted to?(closed poll)

The bad boy/bad girl personality? 1

A genuine, nice, and caring personality? 10

(originally posted on Yahoo 360 on 8-9-06)

The Perfect Day, August 6, 2006

Today, someone asked me what my perfect day would be. Hmm, I had to think about that one for a minute. On any given day, it could be something different. It could be a day spent in the mountains hiking and exploring. It could a day with the kids at the lake. It could be a camping trip or it could be a day at the races. It could be alot of different things. But today I'm in a beach kind of mood.

The day would start out with breakfast on the beach. Breakfast has always been my favorite meal of the day and I couldn't imagine a better way to enjoy it than with the smell of the ocean, a cool breeze coming off the water, and a white sandy beach. After breakfast, we'd spend time just hangin' out on the beach taking it all in and drinking those fruity drinks with the umbrellas. You know the ones, the drinks that you'd never want your macho pals to see you with. LOL

By now, it's probably lunch time. So after something lite for lunch, we'll head down to the harbor to rent out one of those deep sea fishing charters. My boys love fishing and that would be a huge thing for them....and a lot of fun for the adults too!!! Kicking back, enjoying the waves, the sun, and my family. Couldn't think of a better way to spend the afternoon.

By the time we pull back into the harbor, we're all starved. Steak and shrimp sounds good for dinner don't you think? Yeah! Me too! Then, after dinner we're off to explore the beach community a bit. Do a little shopping, a little hangin' out, and in general just having a good time together as a family.

Later on, after the kids call it a night....it's time to head back to the beach for a little quality time with the better half. The stars, the moonlight dancing on the water, and a little wine. Yep! The perfect end to the perfect day!

I think on Monday when I get to work, my first stop will be HR to see how much vacation time I have on the books! LOL

Where would you spend your "perfect day?"

the beach 3

the lake 2

the mountains 2

at home 0

something else 0

(originally posted at Yahoo 360 on 8-06-06)

Too Much Time On His Hands! July 28, 2006

This is what happens when an artist has a lot of chalk and way too much time on his hands! I must say though, I wish I had some of this guys artistic talent! If you like this one, check out my yahoo photos for more samples. The album is called Sidewalk Chalk Art 2006.

(Originally posted 7-28-06 on Yahoo 360)

Tag...I'm It!, June 29, 2006

Well, yesterday it finally happened. I knew it was just a matter of time until this internet/blogging trend would finally get around to me. I've been tagged. WHAT TOOK YOU PEOPLE SO LONG??? I'm kidding! Really, I'm just kidding.

In reality, I generally go out of my way to try and avoid these sorts of thing and almost ignored this too. But then on second thought.......maybe this would be a good way to get to know some of the recent additions to my friends page if they decide to participate. So, if you're one of those I decide to "tag" and you feel like playing along.....great! If you don't want to participate, that's fine too. You won't be offending anyone, especially me. After all, I almost didn't do it either!

That said, HERE'S HOW IT WORKS..............

I was tagged by Southern Rose

Rules: Once you have been "tagged", you have to write a blog with 8
interesting facts/things/quirks/habits about yourself saying who
tagged you. Then choose 6 people to be tagged and list their
names.

NO TAG BACKS. Send out a message to those you pick to tag.

The people being tagged may be for any of the following reasons- 1)
I want to know you better 2) You're special to me 3) Haven't tagged
you before

OK, here are my 8 things:

1. At the radio station where I work, I am responsible for the one item on the radio that drives everyone nuts......commercials. That's right. I'm the one responsible for the writing and production of those little jewels that drives everyone that listens up the wall.

2. Star Wars or Star Trek? STAR TREK......Sorry Christina LOL But you still have the coolest sci-fi page on My Space! LOL I even have a rather large collection of Star Trek books. Sad I know!

3. I have a wife and two boys that I love more than anything in this world! I might not always say it often enough.....but in my world, everything begins and ends with them! Love you guys!

4. Sports priorities.....1) NFL 2)Nascar 3)college football 4)Major League Baseball

5. 12 year US Navy veteran. AFRTS, Public Affairs. Gulf War....been there done that. Saw Mt Pinatubo erupt and helped with the ensuing evacuation in the Phillipines. Met Steve Perry of Journey while doing a tour in Azores off the coast of Portugal. Loved Japan Singapore, and Hong Kong. I think young people today would definitely a better appreciation for the things they have today and the sacrafices made to preserve those things if they served at least one term.

6. Sometimes I snort when I laugh......don't ask. LOL

7. (Pet Peeve) I'm sick and tired of hearing eco whackjobs blame us conservatives for global warming. I ride the bus back and forth to work, so get out of my face!

8. I absolutely love the beach! Just the whole vibe of being there is something that, once you get it....it never ever goes away.

BONUS: Just to throw a curveball out there so that everyone doesn't think I'm a cranky old man.......MY FAVORITE CHICK FLICKS>>>>>>Practical Magic and City of Angels!

So there you have it.......More than you ever wanted to know about me and probably enough to scare you to death. Now for the next six tagging victims: Kat, Christina, Bekiboo, Lisa, Sassy, and Jerzygirl.

(originally posted 6-29-06 on Yahoo 360)

A Workout For The Brain, June 25, 2006

It has been a busy weekend in the Chase household! After our oldests arrival home for three weeks, a weekend bbq, a house full of people, the the big race from Infineon today...I decided it was time to give the brain a workout. These are not trick questions. They are all straight questions with straight answers. I hope you guys do better than I did. Maybe I should've waited until Monday when my mind would be clearer! LOL

1. Name the one sport where neither the participants nor the spectators now the score or the leader until the contests end? (and no it isn't American Idol LOL)

2. What North American landmark is constantly moving backward?

3. Of all vegtables, most have to replanted every year, However, two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. What are those two perennial vegtables?

4. What is the only fruit to carry its seeds on the outside?

5. In many liqour stores, you can buy pear brandy with a real pear inside. The pear is whole and ripe. The bottle is genuine and hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?

6. Only three words in the standard English language start with dw. Name two of them.

7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammer. Can you name at least half of them?

8. Name the only vegtable or fruit that is never sold fronzen, cooked, canned, processed, or sold in any other form except fresh.

9. Name 6 or more things that you wear on your feet that begin with the letter "S."

ANSWERS

1. BOXING

2. NIAGRA FALLS.....the rim is worn down about two and half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.

3. ASPARAGUS AND RHUBARB

4. STRAWBERRIES

5. IT GREW INSIDE THE BOTTLE....the bottles are placed over the pear buds where they are very small and the bottle is wired into place on the tree. The bottle is left in place the entire growing season. When the pear is ripe, it is snipped off at the stem.

6. DWARF, DWELL, DWINDLE

7. PERIOD, COMMA, COLON, SEMICOLON, DASH, HYPHEN, APOSTROPHE, QUESTION MARK, EXCLAMATION POINT, QUOTATION MARK, BRACKETS, ELLIPSES, AND PARENTHESIS.

8. LETTUCE

9. SHOES, SOCKS, SANDALS, SNEAKERS, SLIPPERS, SKIS, SKATES, SNOWSHOES, STOCKINGS, AND STILTS.

Have a great rest of the weekend! Talk to you tomorrow!~

(originally posted 6-25-06 on Yahoo 360)

More Email Hoaxes, June 22, 2006

Once again, the general emailing public is at it again. This time the target (no pun intended) is Target. This particular email references Target's alledged refusal to support veterans groups and causes. This email also claims that Target discontinues health benefits for military reservists called to duty. Both of these claims along with several others made in the email are completely false. The false nature of the claims have been confirmed by a number of independent sources including Forbes Magazine, The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), and theVFW. You can read the complete story on this particular email hoax at snopes.com. It comes complete with text of the original email, explanations of how the hoax started, Target's response, and links to third party websites verifying information posted on Snopes.

That said, I find myself shaking my head once again. In this day of instant information at our fingertips, I find it astonishing that some well meaning individuals can't take the time to do a little research before they click the forward button on every email that shows up in their inbox. For the record, I really am indifferent toward Target. I don't shop there very often and quite frankly could take them or leave them. In the big picture, they really don't play into my shopping habits. However, it just bugs me to no end when people do stuff like this to besmerch the reputations of others whether they are individuals or corporations. Even worse are the ones who unwittingly perpetuate the lies by fowarding these emails to everyone in their address books. It only takes a few minutes to find out if something like this "Target" email is true or not. Maybe someday they'll figure it out!

(originally posted 6-22-06 on Yahoo 360)

The Missing Element, June 19, 2006

Yes! Now all is right in ~Coronaville~!

Since I changed the look of the page, several people have told me it looks great (thank you) but, something was missing. That problem has now been rectified!

(originally posted 6-19-06 on Yahoo 360)

I'M BACK!!!!!, June 11, 2006

I'M BACK AND I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY!!!!!

Just kidding.......but it has been a while since I last posted. It's been a very busy week in the Chase Household. It all started last weekend with one of those nasty summer colds that was so bad that I spent most of the weekend laying on the couch watching really bad movies on tv.

By Monday, I was feeling well enough to go to work. I probably should've stayed home. It seemed like anything that could go wrong....did. It got a little bit better though as the day went on, so it wasn't a complete washout.

This week also saw the official end of the school year for our 13 year old. So now, we're busy finding activities for him so that we don't have to constantly listen to "I'M BORED!" If you're a parent, I don't have to tell you what kind of torture that can be! LOL This past week, I also had to deal with a couple of friendships that seem to have taken turns down paths that I refuse to be a part of any longer. That whole episode was really disappointing too because one of those people I had been friends with for almost 10 years. They made their choices though, and from where I'm sitting.....it's their problem....not mine!

We also had an election this week in various parts of the country. There were some surprising results, especially here in California. There was also several stories in the news that both excited and disappointed me.

So yes, it was a very busy week. I'll be writing about a lot of it in the week ahead. For those of you who stopped by while I was away from the computer....thanks! For those new members who joined this past week, Welcome Aboard! I look forward to getting to know each of you in the days and weeks ahead!

Til next time!

Lucky 13!, April 09, 2006

My lucky number! Why? Because today is mine and Kat's 12th wedding anniversary. That's right! Today is the beginning of our 13th year as husband and wife. We have actually been together for about 15 years. Before we actually were married, we had set two previous wedding dates, but family emergencies always seemed to cause delays. But once we were able to make it happen, it proved to be the beginning of an adventure that, through the years, would take many different twists and turns. Along with those twists and turns came a few bumps in the road. But at the end of every day, we still love each other as much if not more than we did they day we were married. So, on the day of our 12th Anniversary...to my wife, the love of my life....here's to the next 12 being as great as first 12! Love ya Baby!

(originally posted 4-9-06 on Yahoo 360)