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TV Update

admin January 15, 2012 Entertainment Comments Off on TV Update

So what’s going to be tonight with my football game?  Remember I was recently talking about the possible cancellation of some of my favorite Harrisburg TV stations, most notably the football ones? Well, there is an update.  And tonight is the game.  And I’m not exactly happy.  There won’t be a game screened on my channel due to a financial tiff!  Verizon FiOS and CBS-affiliated stations are going at it and the situation is not looking pretty. And it’s certainly not looking good for me and other Harrisburg football fans counting on a nice night in watching the game and eating hot dogs.

But it seems like I’m not the only one who is going to be disappointed tonight.  A staggering 30,000 people are subscribed to FiOS and they will all be losing out.  It’s already WHP-TV and a couple of other channels that we’ve not been able to watch since Friday.  Well, this camper is NOT happy about that.  I hope something changes soon, they get over their financial disagreements and bring back my football TV.

Harrisburg Wellness Challenge

admin January 11, 2012 Harrisburg Health Comments Off on Harrisburg Wellness Challenge

 

So it seems like Harrisburg is taking its health and wellness seriously.  I’m definitely not averse to that.  I for sure could do with losing a pound or two myself given the fact that I’ve consumed rather a few too many chicken wings at McGraths – which is now really my favorite hang out on the nights I’m going solo.  But given that we all try to make our New Year’s Resolutions center around weight loss and healthy eating, this latest endeavor is to be welcomed.

Initiated by CaféWellTM and HealthAmerica, “Race to the Moon” has been getting willing and eager participants walk 208 million steps in two months.  The program apparently officially began in the middle of October and to date, people have clocked in a staggering 89,000 miles (which – if you’re counting – would render you one-third of the way to the moon) but I’ve not joined in yet.  Although it is definitely something I want to get involved in and encourage my kids too do as well. Neither Joanne nor I have been particularly good about encouraging the kids to eat well and exercise regularly; it’s something we definitely have to work on.

There are another three months left of the program so I’m going to try to find out how I can get involved.  I heard that there is still room for newcomers and we’ll get a free pedometer too!  And there are prizes involved too!  Now, if there is something that will push my kids to do something, it is prizes. So that’s my next task – to find out more.

 

 

My TV Stations

admin January 10, 2012 Entertainment Comments Off on My TV Stations

I was a bit disappointed to discover yesterday that two of my favorite Harrisburg TV stations might be slashed from Verizon’s FiOS network by the end of this week!  Apparently they need to renegotiate their re-transmission agreement by then, or they’re out.  This certainly does not make me happy as if it goes ahead, it will mean I won’t be able to watch my NFL playoff game over the weekend.  Given that this weekend the kids are with Joanne, it will just be one more thing to add to my misery.  I really do hope FiOS makes the right move and a renegotiation happens.

There are other shows on these stations such as “The Mentalist” and “The Vampire Diaries” that a lot of my coworkers watch but I’m not so interested in.  It’s the football that I need – I have been looking forward to my playoff games between the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots ever since last Sunday!

Still, there is a chance I’ll be going out with Marjorie again over the weekend.  It’s going okay; she just has to see if she can get a babysitter for her two girls.

Harrisburg is Too Kind

admin January 9, 2012 Firefighters Comments Off on Harrisburg is Too Kind

I think our city is too nice for its own good sometimes.  I just read this article about how our city let another municipality in the region use its fire safety truck which clearly did  not take good care of it.  It was returned apparently in even worse condition, with one of his axles broken.  But, as the city of kindness, the Remodelers Council of the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Harrisburg on hearing about this, pulled out its wallet and gave us a van worth $20,000 to be used for fire prevention and safety demonstrations with our kids.  I know that all my kids will love that so that will be another activity I will be able to do with them when they next come to stay.

I love seeing such kindnesses in my city.  After that initial donation, Harrisburg’s Fire Department’s Relief Association gave a further $15,000 to the fire department to be used to purchase supplies, equipment, etc. for the van.  And then I heard that kids at Downey Elementary School will be the first  ones to see the new van; such a shame that it is not Jake’s school.  Still, hopefully at some point soon he’ll be able to see it too.

Getting Back to Nature with the Kids

admin January 8, 2012 Nature Comments Off on Getting Back to Nature with the Kids

So, the time finally arrived for the 96th Annual Pennsylvania Farm Show.  The kids had been talking about it for a while, especially as Zach, the little one, was going to be performing.  I knew I would have fun, if only for the fact that it’s time I get to spend with my kids.  I missed them last weekend.  Well, truthfully I always miss them.

I really got a taste of agriculture here.  We were there first thing in the morning (it opened at 8am) and stayed the whole day.  We wanted to get there on the first day, because Zach was playing and anyway  I’m often at a loss for things to do on a Saturday with them that they can all enjoy.  And they really did.  Adam and Jake were also extremely proud of their younger brother.

Apart from the performance, Zach LOVED the animals – there were more than 6,000 of them! I enjoyed the exhibitions and Adam got such a laugh out of the huge butter sculpture!  Can you imagine that?  It used close to a thousand pounds of butter.  Everyone wanted to take a look at that, but, I parked myself in a good location as we got there so early. A guy called Jim Victor of Conshohocken constructed it; he started the project a couple of weeks ago!  He does cheese and chocolate sculptures too; now that might be something I could really get my teeth into!

Let’s just hope all weekends with the kids are like this.  It truly was a lot of fun and everyone felt good at the end of the day.

 

Dating in Harrisburg

admin January 4, 2012 Entertainment Comments Off on Dating in Harrisburg

I have a date tonight.  I’m meeting up with the young lady I met at the New Year’s Eve bash I courageously went to.  Well, not young lady, I’ve been told; these days in the dating world you’re meant to say “the woman.”

I first considered taking her to Muncheese but then decided that was a bit “too cheesy” excuse the pun. After reading a few reviews, I finally decided on Squires Restaurant, which received a 5 star rating along with some great feedback.  It is very popular for business meetings (that’s how I know about it as a colleague of mine had been there from work) and is said to be very nicely laid out, with good service and excellent food.

As well, when I looked at the reviews, one of them specifically said that it was a good place to take someone special.  So I hesitated a little, because it is a first date and I didn’t want to go over-the-top and come across as creepy.  But then I decided to go for it.  I’m always hesitating and not taking the plunge and my therapist and I have discussed the fact that it is very important for me to exude more confidence when meeting new people. As well, when I learned about the fireplace at the restaurant, I figured if I was having problem showing warmth and getting the conversation going, maybe that would be a bit of a help.

So here’s hoping the date goes well and the food and atmosphere provide a good setting for it!

Rain, Rain Go Away

admin January 2, 2012 Harrisburg Shopping Comments Off on Rain, Rain Go Away

It seems that 2011 marked Harrisburg’s wettest year in a long time.  The city was said to have encountered a record-breaking 73.73 inches of wet weather in 2011. Apparently it wasn’t all snow (if that were the case we’d be digging our way out of 61 feet of it!).  The average amount of precipitation per year for the city is 40.66 inches, so 2011 really did witness a lot more. So I’m hoping that this is going to be the end of it although it does seem that since we’ve only just hit January there are probably some even wetter days ahead over the next couple of months.

It’s fun.  Well, at least the kids like it.  I guess it’s probably time for me to invest in a decent umbrella though. I found a nice one online – and it’s very masculine-looking – I wouldn’t want one that will make me look effeminate; that certainly wouldn’t go down well with the kids.  I may get it from Macy’s though next time I’m at the mall as it sells there and for sure the Harrisburg Macy’s will be carrying it during this wet weather.  Either way hopefully by the end of this week I’ll have it.  I don’t like the thought of going out in this weather without it!

Happy Rainy Days from Harrisburg!

Post-Holiday Shopping

admin January 1, 2012 Harrisburg Shopping Comments Off on Post-Holiday Shopping

I sure am glad that the holidays are over.  I’m looking forward to going back to work tomorrow.  I did actually end up having a pretty good time though at the comedy I went to last night and like I planned, I didn’t stay too late either.  I also got a lady’s phone number, so we’ll see where that goes.

I wanted to get a new briefcase for work. My kids kept telling me the one I have is really old-fashioned.  I know I shouldn’t, but I do probably overcompensate in how much I want to make them happy; my therapist tells me it’s the guilt associated with divorce. Anyway, at the end of the day, I don’t want my kids to think I’m an old man; I want them to be proud of me.

So I looked at the Harrisburg mall and apart from coming out with a coffee from Subway I left without anything.  I decided instead to look for what I wanted online.  I found exactly what I was looking for – although it was somewhat pricier than I had hoped – and ordered it.  It should get here in a few days.  It is the Amerileather Traditional Double Slip-in Executive Briefcase in burgundy.  Hopefully it will suit my needs perfectly; I do like the fact that it has a strap on it as well. I guess I’ll just have to wait for the true  judgment from the kids!