Where In The World Is Bruce?

First off, let me begin by saying that when I found the above picture my first thought was "if I knew that Carmen Sandiego was that hot I would've looked a lot harder for her". Hot cartoon babes. It's a guy thing, what can I say?

Okay. Guess where I am. Need some clues?

• It's not the first time I've been here
• It's not on the East Coast
• It's where the good guys settled in Stephen King's "The Stand"
• It has mountains
• It's about an hour North-West of the city that hosted this years Democratic convention
• It rhymes with "Older"

Give up? Okay. One more clue. When I think about the circumstances of being sent here this time it leads me to say...

OH! Look at that. You guessed it. Boulder, Colorado.

Yesterday was my youngest daughter's birthday. She turned thirteen. Still can't believe it. I planned to leave work early to be able to spend more time with her and make the dinner she requested. At noon I had just finished asking my boss if I could leave a little early and of course she said , no problem. I went back to my office and, I swear, not five minutes passed when I got called back to her office and she handed me the phone. It was her boss. Informing me that he was asked to go to Boulder and he wanted me there with him. We had to leave RIGHT AWAY.

FUCK!!!!!!!!

We had to rush my travel orders and arrangements. I got on a 9:20PM flight out of Washington so I had time to go home, make dinner, spend a couple of hours with my daughter and family, do the cake and presents thing, and dart out the door. I got to my hotel at 2:00AM Boulder time (4:00AM my time) and had to get up at 6:00. Right now it looks like I'll be here until Saturday.

Somebody really needs to declare the "emergency" that's been ongoing for almost three months now, OVER. We really need to stop running around with our hair on fire, take a deep breath, and concentrate on fixing the problems that have been identified. Not everything that is urgent is important and not everything that is important is urgent. And some of this nonsensical shit is neither urgent nor important. It certainly isn't as important as my kid's birthday or anything else having to do with my wife and kids.

Happy Thanksgiving

I would like to wish everyone a safe, wonderful and very happy Thanksgiving.

I won't be checking in today as there will be lots and lots of family time, fun and food. Today is the "official" start of the holiday season in our house. Even though retail seems to be making progress on their insidious plot to move Christmas closer and closer to July I insist on celebrating holidays in their proper order. I use as my standard for signaling the start of the season a tradition that was started by, ironically enough, the retail giant Macy's. That's right. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

My wife will be up performing miracles in the kitchen and I will be rolling the girls out of bed early to watch the parade with me. We've done it every year since they were little just like my dad did with me.

At just before noon as the parade is coming to a close Santa Claus appears in his sleigh and I declare a loud and joyous "Merry Christmas!" as I start our household's official first Christmas CD and the voices of Frank, Bing, and Nat fill the air and mingle with the aroma of turkey dinner.

Holiday memories and traditions. I have many things to be thankful for but none more important than my family.

Have a great holiday.