Welcome
To My Blog
Postscript: In December, 2010 I hung up my Driver's cap for good. The road had taken its' toll. I was no longer willing to drive 180 days a year, regardless of the money and the ability to work when I wanted. I had seen America. I was tired of being gone from home for 9 months a year. I needed a rest. In 2011 I sold my truck and trailer and was unemployed for the year. However, I wasn't inactive. I traveled overseas to Asia and South America for several months. In the fall I enrolled in an online course to to become certified in Oracle, the world's preeminent database. I want to go back to work sometime in the near future as a software developer or administrator. Even though I programmed for 20+ years, my skills are dated. Fortunately, I have a little flexibility as to my future.
RollingOkie OKC, Jan 1, 2012
"114 Countries"
I've Visited
Albania
Andorra
Antigua
Argentina
Aruba
Austria
Bahamas
Bali
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Bermuda
Bonaire
Borneo
Bosnia
Botswana
Bulgaria
Canada
Cambodia
Cayman Islands
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Crete
Croatia
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
England
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guernsey
Herzegovina
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Ireland (Eire)
Ireland (Ulster)
Isle of Man
Italy
Java
Japan
Jordan
Jersey
Kenya
Kosovo
Laos
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Malawi
Malaysia
Martinique
Mexico
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Namibia
Netherlands
Nicaragua
Norway
Panama
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Rhodes
Saba
San Marino
Sarawak
Scotland
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Srpska
Sumatra
Sweden
Switzerland
Tanzania
Thailand
Tortola
Turkey (Asia)
Turkey (Eur)
Turks & Caicos Islands
United States
Vatican City
Vietnam
UAE (Emirates)
U.S.A.
U.S. Virgin Islands
Wales
Zimbabwe
Chrissy, Dad , Mom, Shelley Posted: December 24, 2008
There they are - Chrissy, Dad , Mom and Shelley. They look so happy. they probably were. My folks enjoyed seeing their grandchildren. The grandkids enjoyed going to my folk's place. By this time they had semi-retired and were living in farm-heaven out in the middle of nowhere. There was lots of room to roam. There were animals by the score. My kids got to play with dogs, cats, horses, goats, pigs, rabbits, chickens, cows and whatever else happened to wander by. Grandpa would take them out back in the evening to help him try to shoot the occasional coyote that would wander across the ridge. Grandma would show off her cute grandchildren to the neighbors. Life was good. Significance? Family.
April, Angela, Cristy, Clint Posted: June 1, 2008
Who are these wonderful children? Let me guess. This picture was taken on a family outing to Six Flags Over Texas. Everyone had a good time. I remember that being a parent during that time was wonderful and stressful all at the same time. Which one of us was going to pick up the kids after school? Who would take them to music lessons or t-ball or Junior Jammers? What about Scouts? What about homework? What about getting them to bed at a reasonable hour? What about getting them up? Clean clothes and lunch money always seemed to be an issue. I don't think I have the energy to be a parent of young children any more.
Ethel Showing Tokens for Staten Island Ferry Posted: June 1, 2008
This is my lovely wife showing me she got tokens for the Staten Island Ferry. We were probably in New York so I could attend PC Expo, one of the computer shows I liked to attend. Every year for almost twenty years we went to the Comdex show in Las Vegas during the third week of November. In April or May there would be the Spring Comdex show in Atlanta or Chicago. Pc Expo was in New York in June. Periodically there would be a show in Miami or San Francisco, LA or some other exotic place like Little Rock. Ethel and I made the show rounds. That was one good thing about being a computer guy. This picture reminds me of all the computer shows Ethel and I went to over the years. My fondest memories of the shows were when I went back to the hotel after an exhausting day and plopped myself on the bed. My wife, who had gotten up mid-morning, taken a shower, watched a little TV, ordered room service and had taken a nap would then, as I laid there trying to unwind, she would announce - "Okay, I'm ready. Let's go have some fun."
Me at Hotel - Athens Posted: November 11, 2009
In the 1990's Ethel and I did a little trip to Athens to see all of the cool things that are in Athens. While there, I booked a hotel suite in the center of Athens that had a really great balcony with an incredible view of the Acropolis, especially at night. That is the Acropolis in the background. Why is this picture so significant to me? It was because of the patio. In the picture you only see the side of the patio. The front is around the corner. It had a really nice sitting area. But the best thing was the view. Over my right shoulder is the Parthenon. At night they light that place up and it becomes a very special optical phenomenon. It is, without a doubt, the best view I have ever had from a hotel balcony. I remember sitting on that terrace, sipping some ouzo and wondering about 2,500 years of history.
RO and Ethel Albuquerque Balloon Fest Posted: June 1, 2008
The Albuquerque Balloon Fest (ABF) is a truly spectacular experience. Actually, I just like Albuquerque in general. The balloon fest makes it worth driving 500 miles to visit. It's special because it represents events, those little get-togethers that the human race does to celebrate life. What would we be without balloon festivals, state and county fairs, carnivals, mardi gras and other gatherings? Just another animal roaming the planet foraging for an existence. These events are little celebrations of life that happen all over the world. I'm happy to attend. Significance? Life isn’t just all about employment or keeping the lawn looking respectable.
RO and Ethel at Massada Posted: June 1, 2008
There may be no greater story among the Jewish people than what happened at Massada. I'm not Jewish, but the traditions of my religious practice has its' history in Judaism. There may be no more holy place for Christians than Israel. I am really glad that I was able to go there and see some of the sights that I've only read about. For someone who grew up in the Christian tradition, there is no place to visit like Israel. Significance? Israel. It’s a religious thing. I’ve been there several times. I like Jewish people and I seem to get along with them. However, I can also say the same thing for Arabs, Bikers, Blacks, Caucasians, Hispanics, Orientals, MBAs, Cops, Punks, Rockers, Surfers, Geeks, Children, geriatric patients, etc. I’m an equal-opportunity friend.
Ethel and I Ride to Jo's Pizza Posted: May 31, 2008
This is a picture of Ethel in front of the Silverwing which is in front of Jo's World Famous Pizza in Purcell, Oklahoma. We rode there for pizza. I'm not sure what makes Jo's world famous except that some foreigners who couldn’t speak English came in and ate pizza and now Jo assumes that they went home to wherever they were from and bragged about the pizza. Is the pizza good? Well... I've eaten pizza all over Italy, New York, Chicago and other famous pizza locations and if I were in the mood for pizza and pizza were the only issue involved, I'd ride on down to Purcell, OK with Ethel and get me a medium combination rather than go all the way to Italy, New York or Chicago. Significance of Jo's Pizza? Ethel and I like to ride. Over the years I’ve had numerous motorcycles and we go out and wander around the countryside on them. Sometimes I think she likes to ride more than I do. It's a couples-thing. Jo's is a nice ride from my home. Plus, there's pizza waiting. Significance? I think I’ve owned a motorcycle of one form or another every year that Ethel and I have been married. It’s something we enjoy doing together.
Boat Buddies Posted: May 31, 2008
That's our cruise boat. There's nothing like cruising. It's not my favorite form of travel because a person has to spend too much time on the boat. But it is a form of travel where I can get my wife to go along. There are places in the world that she won't go. She tells me they are "too exotic" and I can't seem to get her to change her mind. I think she's willing to go onto a cruise ship because she knows she can get a clean bed and a good meal on them. Not that she rushes out and wants to get on one. Significance? My wife's not a traveler. But, she can be talked into a cruise every once-in-a-while.
Son & Grandson Posted: June 1, 2008
That's my son and grandson and, no, the child is not his. If you have to ask why this picture is significant to me, then you probably don't have a family or, if you do, they aren't speaking to you. In this picture we're out having breakfast on a Sunday morning. What you can't see is that there are several other members of my family there. Periodically I can get a few of my children together for a meal at various times of the year other than Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm lucky to have them so close and still be willing to speak to me.
At Home with Friends Posted: May 7, 2010
This is me at home with two of my favorite friends, Chimay Ale and Mr. HD DVR remote. I spend way too much time watching TV while I am at home. Then again, what's life all about anyway? I enjoy TV and I'm usually sitting in one recliner and Ethel is sitting in another when we watch it. It's, sort of, our time alone together. We like to sit around the house at night and watch our favorite shows and talk. The Chimay Ale is representative of my favorite class of beers, trappist ales. Monk beer, or Holy Water, as I like to call them. The significance of the picture? Semi-retirement ain't half-bad.