Circling the bowl

While reading Kim Du Toit's site this morning, I came across this story. Sadly, I'm seeing more and more such tragedies in my old home. The newer "chav" culture is a symptom of Britain's decline, and I honestly have no desire to return - not even to present my wife and children to my wider family there whom they've never met. Murders in the UK were a rarity in my youth, and every one made national news. Now death by beat-down seems so commonplace as to scarcely warrant attention. This man was beaten to death in front of his family, and I can't imagine a more traumatic event for a young child. The barbarians aren't at the gates; they're already inside, and an indifferent, incompetent government/law system means there will only be more such victims.
When your government will not only not protect its citizens, but actively forbids them from protecting themselves, this is what happens.
I count myself lucky to have left when I did.

Citizenship....

This past Saturday, I received a letter from the INS (or its current incarnation, ICE) informing me that I have an interview scheduled on March 25th. I applied for citizenship back here... it's been almost a year, but I heard that there was a big increase in applications at the time because of the looming fee increase...
This is literally the most important interview of my life thus far. I can't think of anything I want more than to be counted as an American citizen, and if I blow it - I can't even contemplate that...
My parents told me that they were sworn in within 2 hours of their interview - would that it goes as smoothly for me! So, hopefully, all goes well on the big day and I don't blow it.
I'm pretty nervous about this. Wish me luck...

Moving

Well, its been a LONG time since last I posted.. many apologies. We've sold our house, and we closed on the new one last week. We've given the owner until the 31st to pack up and start his retirement in Havasu, and this coming up weekend we'll be tearing out the old tile and carpet, and painting the walls. Hopefully I'll be able to find time to watch the Superbowl. Next week we'll be having new tile installed, and sometime after that new carpet...
Things are going to be hectic for quite a while, as we pack our stuff/renovate/move etc...

Tennessee...

..Is where my kids and I find ourselves this week, staying with my sister and her family, and we'll be visiting with my parents in Georgia today. Unfortunately circumstances did not permit my wife to be here too.
I hadn't flown in a few years, and this was also my first time with Southwest Airlines too... since it's first come, first serve with the seating and I'm a chronically late individual, that meant I wasn't able to sit next to my kids on the first flight.
TSA was as pleasant, courteous and professional as I had heard about, which was not very...
Glad to be here though - it's good to see my family after so long (gotta be at least a couple of years).
This is their house in Harrison, TN, about 15 minutes outside of Chattanooga. A beautiful place, with about an acre of woodland for a backyard, way cheaper than it's equivalent in CA, and located in a Free State to boot.
More to come as time permits...

Happy New Year

Little bit late, but I've been fairly busy of late. This is sunset from the balcony of my wife's family's condo on Oceanside, taken New Year's Day... with our sweet new 8 megapixel Canon Powershot. Way better picture quality.
We had a nice relaxing New Years, although we didn't see the ball drop because we were playing the "Let's Make a Deal DVD game and got so wrapped up in it we lost track of time...