Karaoke Party

For Alicen's birthday, I decided to throw a Karaoke Party for her. There is a small place in Murray called "the Karaoke Cafe" a fun little place that sells burgers and milkshakes, while you sing your heart out. I invited some of Alicen's friends and our families to come sing some songs. It was a lot of fun. I tried to upload the video of us but for some reason it would not load. We all had a blast. My cousin Danny and his wife sang and danced too Beyonce. Danny has some killer dance moves. It was really funny. Then my cousin Krista and her husband did a good job at singing black eye peas. Derek rapped the part very well. My moms impression of Tina Turner was really good and really funny. Everyone did awesome, even the kids- Kinni, Tait and Ethan sang songs. Kinni is still asking to go back to sing.
If any one is looking for a good time, I would recommend going to the Karaoke Cafe and have some fun singing. This is our second time there and we love it. Happy Birthday Allie! Hope your birthday was as much fun as very one singing.

March Madness!!

It is that time of the year again, where company productivity slows, people call in sick to stay home and brackets are won or lost. Every year a bracket is a complete bust or so perfectly filled out that winning is so so sweet. I had high hopes for this years bracket at my work. I had thought I knew my college basketball teams and who was going to be the victor. Since day one of this tournament, I have seen the errors of my ways. My bracket is in need of serious medical help, the plane has crashed and flames are now engulfing the wreckage, I am an undefinable body at the morg. I am the laughing stock of a companies bracket league. I am hurt, beaten and broken to the core. This year is a sad, sad year for the KET. I can only watch with no real happiness for those who win. But I feel the pain of the losers! The saying of the company is "you cant be any worse off the Bret." How those words sting. If only time can be turned back. All I can hold on it is the fact that next year is a new year and revenge will be sweet. Please please don't cry for me, I will rebound from this fiasco of a bracket (pun intended). those are my feelings of March Madness this year.

McDonalds

In Class a couple of weeks back, our marketing class was talking about quantity versus quality. One example of poor quality but high quantity was McDonald's. We discussed how they might serve over 1 million people a year but the food is nothing to be desired. Our class also talked about how McDonald's is going from a family fun restaurant to re-ampting to a more modern, technically advanced restaurant. How they are trying to keep up with the trends of today- having a play place for kids with Wi-Fi, Lattes for the parents, and preparing food that does not clog the arteries. Most of my class agreed that McDonald's has come a long way to better advertise and market their company.
After all the talk about food, we asked the teacher to take a poll of how many people eat at McDonald's within the last month. Out of maybe 40 people only 3 students (including myself raised their hand). Other students just started to laugh and make comments about how sick their food is. Me on the other hand, I don't mind eating at McDonald's. I rather enjoy there McDouble's and dollar menu. It was just funny to me that only three people raised their hand. Now I know that their was most likely some McDonald's closet eaters in the class room. Because there is no way that 40 plus people have not eaten there lately. Especially when you have 15 of those individuals on sports teams at the University.
Just note- I will stand up for what I believe and I believe that McDonald's might be fast food but my expectations are not high when I eat there. If certain people don't like McDonald's or avoid it all together than they are putting their standards too high. Live on McDonald's fast food.

4 years old!!

Its hard to believe that tomorrow my little girl is four years old. It feels like yesterday that I just meeting her for the first time. It is amazing how much she has grown and changed over the years. This picture is her wearing her dance cloths for the first time, in which she started a couple of weeks ago. It fun to take a moment and write about her for her birthday. I think of how she is too smart for her own good- picking the childproof locks, blaming Tait for anything and everything and how much she loves to learn. I think about how just a year ago, she wouldn't talk, now we cant get her to stop. And the conversations we have are wonderful. When I first found out that our first kid was a girl, I was devastated, but now its been the greatest thing ever. Most likely since she has me wrapped around her little finger. I am such a proud dad and love this little girl so much. I hope she has a great birthday tomorrow. I know just spending time with her will be fun. Happy birthday Kinni!!!

Technologically Inept

Today at work is the managers meeting with the executives; where they discuss the company over the year, make sure everyone understands what is needed and expected, as well as answer any ones concerns with the store they run. Every year they have the newest store manager give a lecture on a topic. Now I know you are saying "what does this have to do with being Technologically inept?" Glad you asked!!! This is where the Inept part of Intermountain Concrete comes into play.
So the manager that was up to lecture wanted to play a YouTube video from a Ken Schmidt (a visionary & former communication director for Harley Davidson). Anyway, my company is just getting pasted the ribbon tape printers. So they started off setting up a portable computer (not laptop.... a computer!). It didn't work because it had no sound, no Internet access to get YouTube.
They tried a laptop but there is no Wi-Fi in our company.
It was a mess. Finally, they came to me. I tried everything I could. I tried to email it from my galaxy phone to email. That got blocked by the firewall on our system. So I tried to get it on my own laptop through our neighbors Wi-Fi signal, I needed their password ran over to their building to find it closed and locked. No luck there. I suggested that the manager could run to McDonald's parking lot use their free Wi-Fi and download it really quick. He looked at me like I have no idea what you are saying to do. I couldn't go so I gave up on that idea. I tried to use a Thumb drive to download it onto and hook up to another laptop- but our only PC tower couldn't read the thumb drive. Oh what a mess it was. And for some reason my responsibility to find a way to get this video.
Finally, with minutes before having to leave for work, I just pulled it up on my phone and had them play it from there. Oh isn't technology great! They had to watch and listen to a small touch screen phone. At least it worked. I went to school without a phone, which was like losing my left arm. Its sad that a company isn't up a little more on technology, let alone how to use it. Good things I am around and call the technology guru (and I know barley enough to get around). But I have to remember its a concrete company. Gotta love the old school way of running things. At least the web can be found on the phone.