Just Checking In

Not a whole lot new to say this week, but I am excited for Thanksgiving and deer hunting next week.

My Dad and I shot our rifles at the range on Sunday just to make sure that they're still shooting straight. My 30'06 was shooting an inch off the bulls-eye at 100 yds - not bad. My Dad had to adjust his scope down a few inches and an inch or so to the right as he was initially shooting high and to the left. After a few adjustments he was within two inches of the bulls-eye. We rarely shoot much farther than 60-70 yards as there is generally too many saplings and too much underbrush to see clearly beyond that. Hopefully, we'll see more deer this year than we did the previous two years.

I got my deer rifle last April and I think that Sunday was only the third time that I fired it. It shoots really nice and boy does it pack a punch! After shooting about a dozen shots, my shoulder was pretty numb. I'm hoping to bag my first buck with my new rifle this year. Last year I didn't get a chance.

After Halloween, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's so much more laid back than Christmas. There's good food, family, friends and of course, football. You hang out with family, eat, enjoy each other's company, and then watch football. What more could you ask for? If everyday could be like that it would be Utopia.

Over the last few years, I've become somewhat jaded about Christmas. Not about the true meaning of Christmas and goodwill toward man, etc, but all of the marketing, commercialism, and cheapening of the holiday that goes on. It just irritates me. The commercials are the worst. I love the Lexus ones where they show a husband or wife buying their spouse a Lexus for Christmas. Come on, how many normal people really buy those kinds of gifts for people?

The other thing that annoys me is that everyone is so impatient and rude at Christmas time. The stores and malls are packed with crazed-shoppers who are always cutting you off, jumping in front of you, and just generally being miserable. I usually make one trip to the mall to do all of my Christmas shopping. I just can't bear it anymore than that. We were at the mall last weekend and it's already getting crazy.

So that's pretty much it right now. Work has been fairly laid back this week as a lot of people are on vacation for the holiday week. I'm looking forward to finishing up my week tomorrow night.