John Burkholder

I have been placed on a self-imposed soup and crackers lunch diet. This follows the not-so self-imposed no breakfast rule. Let me back up a little. Sometime this month, my wife ( QueenSuchandSuch ) plans to probably take the kids to maybe her mother's back in Virginia. She also might drop off the older kids at their Aunt's house in Maryland that they may not know about until we could maybe even tell them. I am only sure of one thing...I have to drive a different vehicle from the spacepod back here. Now that I have totally confused everyone as much as I am confused...let me explain. The Queen has made tentative plans to have me drive everyone to Maryland and Virginia and drive back the pickup truck that her Mom has been gracious enough to GIVE us. The last I heard, she is staying back to visit with her family for two weeks. Of course, this plan changes on an hourly basis, so I am not sure who, what, when, where or how the trip is laid out. I can only guess I will know what the p...

As I begin the change in my career path to something more suitable for my personality, I have to wonder how many other people made career changes that were fundamental in the development or booms of American and International cultures. There are well known examples such as Albert Einstein going from a patent clerk to physicist or Gene Simmons from KISS moving from a Spanish Harlem school teacher to rock God, but what about the failures of change? Mariah Carey, I suppose would qualify under that with her movie debut, but that is still in the same entertainment vein and I don't know that counts. Well, there are some (of which I hope I do not follow suit). Let's take for instance Ross Perot. Ross Perot was an IBM salesperson who decided that after IBM was not listening to his ideas, created EDS. EDS did extremely well and Ross was a bizillionaire. So, in 1992, he ran for President of the United States. With very little political background, and a boat load of money, he made the bi...

Today I have managed to sit down and relax with a couple of movies. I used to watch movies all the time but I have been preoccupied with blogging and World of Warcraft over the past year plus. Well, since I have reduced blogging down tremendously and quit World of Warcraft completely, I have found the time to rediscover an old love. I tend to watch all types of movies. There are some I love and some I hate. But today, I have managed to get into not one but two Indian movies. This is India Indian, not Native American Indian. The first movie, called " The Journey ", was about an Indian school headmaster who moves in with his son in Pittsburgh. You are privvy to the family interaction and the cultural boundaries Americans do not see. I actually liked this movie even though IMDB readers only give it 5.7 stars. The ending could have used more work. The second Indian movie was apparently a blockbuster in India named " Lagaan ". Now this movie had better ratings and accord...

Tonight I have been contemplating how exactly to get from point A (my current career) to point B (the career I would like). A few things have happened over the last few days. The Wicked Witch resigned...YAAAAA! My boss got the flu which I hope and pray I will not acquire. I am seriously thinking of just shutting down my Xanga account or at least not using it. The wicked witch resigning was actually a very pleasant surprise. I knew she had been looking around, but never figured she actually had a lead. She claims she is moving on to another company, but I am positive it was a forced resignation. The project under her control have ALL failed miserably. The main project is actually a year and a half behind. She really wasn't a good fit for the position anyhow...we have had a 54% roll-over rate and nobody even said a word. Upper management figured as long as the project is finished, who cares about roll-over. The problem with that thought process is the 54% were the people who actually...

I am sure PeppyAnnie will catch everyone up on her trip soon. Read her blog. So I often just have to take some time to figure out what is bothering me and what to do about it. Here is what I have come up with: I am tired of my current career after doing it for 21 years. I like Information Technology as a tool, and I used to like it as a career. There is too much pressure and I am on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 1/4 days a year. I can't REALLY take a vacation because, for some reason, nobody can manage to put all of the pieces together to fix the issue. People are more into the blame game, rather than fixing it. I am at the right age for a change. I am not too old yet, and I have a good idea as to how businesses as a whole run. No, this is NOT a middle-aged reflection on life and a need to go buy a Mazda Miata to make up for the things I have missed out on. This is an "I'm tired" and I need something that is not constantly on. I like providing experiences. ...

I am starting to come out of my funk. This can be attributed to the fact that today was my last day of work for the week and that Monday is a holiday, this is true. It could be attributed to the Queen getting her beloved Eddie Izzard DVD and laptop power supply. More than likely, it could be the fact that the entire household anxiously awaits the arrival of PeppyAnnie from Kentucky. Woohooo! The entire Warrior/SuchandSuch household is brimming with the anticipation of taking her to see the Bean. You know, the item Chicago is know for, the giant stainless steel bean at Millennium Park. We had a ticket to Wicked for her, but that fell through. I love doing this. I love taking people to somewhere they have never been and watch their faces as they discover a place that has only been dreamed. For me, PeppyAnnie will be in Chicago tomorrow night to watch a dream. Granted it may have to change to the Blue Man Group instead of Wicked…or we may end up buying seats at face value, but it will be ...

Have you ever had one of those jobs where everyone wants to be in charge, but nobody wants to take responsibility? ARGH! Where is my DUCT TAPE!