New Tank

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas day. I learned something about myself on Christmas. I learned that I cannot sit still. I was very restless as the day progressed, so I had to go out to the garage and 'tinker'. I tinkered on a, hopefully, successful CO2 injector for my new fish tank. Let's back up.

Grandma wanted to get my wife and I BOTH something for Christmas, and we needed a new fish tank at home. (The old one ended up with a small crack in the side of it).
So Grandma gave us the cabbage, and last week, we went and picked up a new tank. A 29 gallon to be exact. I like that size. Not too big, not too small.
Well, this tank has been sitting, empty since we brought it home, and of course, that gets my mind wandering on what I want to do to/with it. I really want plants....real plants. There is no pet place locally that sells the kind of plants I wanted, so I knew a trip to Lancaster to That Fish Place was going to be in the future. (That Fish Place has not given me anything to talk about them. They don't even know I exist as a person...just some more $$$).
Anyway.....I got some ideas and made a mental note of them.
On Christmas Day, my Mother-In-Law and Father-In-Law got me a new filter for the tank. Not the 'hang on back' kind. They got me the canister kind. I won't go into detail on the differences, but let's just say, the canister filters more water, faster, and you can't even hear it running.
Now I MUST get to Lancaster so I can set up this tank. I want sand substrate, I want plants, I have the filter, I need a super bright light for the plants, and I'm making that CO2 injector (out of a 2 liter bottle of soda btw).
Saturday rolls around, I'm on the air until 10am, I get home, and the wife and I decide...ROAD TRIP! With the rain, and wind, and BLECH, it took us about 3 hours to get to That Fish Place. We spent 2 hours in the store. And another 3 to get home. More travel time than shopping time. Too funny.
Needless to say, I got all the substrate I needed (black sand), I decided on a "Low Light" plant pack because they don't make bulbs to fit my tank that are bright enough, and a bunch of misc. items. Sunday is the day planned for setting up the tank. And believe me.....it took all darn day!

First I had to clean the substrate. Do you know how difficult it is to rinse sand? Thankfully, my garden hose wasn't frozen, so I was able to use a 5 gallon bucket and rinse it that way. For HOURS!!!!! The sand got rinsed, placed in the tank, and then we set up the filter.
Have you ever tried to put furniture together you purchased from IKEA? (IKEA did not give me anything to mention them here.) If you have, you know that it's not easy. First because the instructions aren't in English, second, the illustrations look like they were drawn by a kid in first grade. IKEA instructions are better than the instructions we got with this filter. BUT, we managed to get it all put together. And working! LOL.

In the end.....(took almost all day).....I finally put the last plant in the sand, and just let the water filter through, cleaning out all the blech from the sand, and the plants, and from me sticking my arm in there over and over and over again. Of course, I took some pictures. Here they are. Enjoy. I will be putting fish in there, just not too soon. I want to make sure the plants don't die.
Happy New Year! Pray my plants don't die. Pray that they grow. Big and strong. :)


Thanks for reading, and for listening to Magic 93.

OMG, TTFN, TTYL, FFILROX!

2 things I want to talk about today. First......Enough about Tiger Woods. PLEASE!! He cheated, he was unfaithful, with many different people....so what? (That's rhetorical).


OK, now the second thing. LOL.

I'm all for new technology. I love the internet. I love high tech gadgets, being able to surf the web on my cell phone, and using "Blue Tooth" technology. Last night I just realized that I'm getting older because there are things about all this new technology that I don't like....at all!
One is the new kids coming out of college that have no idea how to spell. Simple words. They rely on 'spell-check' so much, that I don't believe they ever learned how to correctly spell. Also, their grammar is terrible. Run-on sentences that go on for paragraphs, never end where they should have no punctuation sevnty too diffrent thoughts all mooshed togeter in one long sentinse that seems like it nver ends ect ect ect. (ETC....I know, I'm being saracastic).

Don't get me wrong, I am FAR from perfect when it comes to the English language, but you can understand what I'm writing.....right? I guess it's just a huge pet peeve of mine.

I also know I'm getting older because I found out my Aunt had a stroke.....months ago. How does that make me feel old? Because I found out through my sister, via email, and when I asked why no one from my Aunt's family called me, her response was, "Oh, I found out months ago on Facebook. If you had Facebook, you would have known." I can accept the fact that professionals in my field don't want to talk directly to me, so they have to email me. I can accept the fact that friends who don't want full blown conversations text message me instead of talking to me. But my own family? When someone HAD A STROKE couldn't call me on the phone? Just EXPECTED me to have a Facebook account? Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't they already know if I had a Facebook account? And they STILL didn't call me? I don't understand. I guess they don't want to talk one on one anymore. As a matter of fact, I don't think ANYONE wants to TALK anymore. Well, if anyone wants to know how I'm doing.....

1) Fine.
2) Healthy
3) Happy
4) Work is good
5) Wife is good (pregnant)
6) The dogs and cats and fish are good
7) Oh, and for those who don't answer the phone(catch #5?).....I'm going to be a Father in June. That's right, the Mrs. is expecting, and God willing all goes well, there will be a little one crying and pooping all over the place this summer.
Now when I get the phone call with, "Why didn't you tell me?" I can say, "If you just read my blog, you would have known all about it!" I'm such a hipocrite. :)

One last pet peeve. If you are going to send me a text message....make it just that please....ONE text message. If you want to carry on a conversation, CALL ME!!! LET'S CHAT A BIT!!! And can you please spell out words? I don't understand TFND, LO>L OOFFI...ROXKKSHH.


The following actually happened awhile back. Names have been changed to protect the innocent (and communicationally challenged)
My phone: HIYA. HWRU?
My message: Hey. What's up?
My phone: NUTTIN.
My message: Everything OK?
My phone: YEAA>.BORED.
At this point, I had an idea what was happening. So I did not respond. Only to have this next message pop up.
My phone: WUTCHU DOIN?
My message: I'm working. If you want to talk, just call me.
My phone: WUTS THE NUMBER?
I almost dropped my phone. What's the number? The number to call me? I HAD to ask.
My message: What number? The phone number?
My phone: YEAA. SO I CAN CALLU.

So I guess, cellular phones are only for text messaging anymore. I think we have gone BACKWARD in time, sending messages via airwaves.....telegraph?
Needless to say, they called, (after I had to give them my number, the same number they were texting me to) the conversation lasted 30 seconds because of complete silence on the other end, and I'm still in awe.
My computer at home has been broken for awhile, and you know what? I think I like it that way! You want to talk to me, call me. :) Or better yet, just stop by the house, we'll have a cup of coffee, and, -gasp-, maybe even, -gulp- TALK FACE TO FACE AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH, THE HORRRRRROR!!!!!!


And yeah, my wife really is pregnant. She's in the 13th week, so I'm allowed to talk about it now.


Wow, I had a lot built up there. Whew, thank goodness I vented.

Merry Christmas! Thanks for listening!

No, I won't play Dominick the Donkey! LOL.

Soon

Friday, December 11, 2009. This is the temp from this morning at my house. (Bottom number)


I made darn sure to text that picture to everyone on my ice fishing list. It won't be long now.
Welcome Old Man Winter! Welcome!
I received a response from my one friend in Philly, all it said was "Nice". He's not a man of many words. Then I received another from a different friend in Scranton with a picture of HIS thermometer. It read 23F with the caption, "Can't wait bro....soon!"
The pond/puddle I pass every morning was locked up (no open water), and I think this weekend, I'll be checking out all the local ponds I usually hit first. Now I just need a crazy friend to come along with me in case I decide to become a depth finder (God forbid).

Soon!

Snow Storm Question

Why is it when there's a snow storm predicted, people buy up all the Milk, Bread and Eggs from the grocery store?







Do they ALL get an unbelievable craving for French Toast?

Some of my fav Holiday Vids

I was sitting at work yesterday (Friday) and memories of Holiday video's swamped my brain. Some funny, some amazing. I want to share them with you. Something different because all I've been talking about lately is ice fishing and GeoCaching. :)

First, I think this one is SOOOO cute. Plus I like the Drifter's.





Next is a group YES ACCAPELLA group, Straight, No Chaser and their version of the 12 Days of Christmas. It's talent, humor, and good clean Christmas fun!


I remember when this aired and I couldn't stop laughing. I'm not a HUGE SouthPark fan, but this was hysterical. Ah, memories. :)




And of course, another accapella version of Oh Holy Night by Boy Band N'Sync. I just like it because it's accapella. Not because it's N'Sync. LOL.




And finally (for now), this is one of my favorite holiday tunes. I also find it amazing the story behind the recording. Look it up if you want to know. If not, just enjoy the song.



Thanks for listening to the Magic of Christmas on Magic 93. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!

Tom

Gone ice fishin'........NOT YET.

So on my home last night (Tuesday 12/1/09), I stopped to pick something up at the store, and the puddles were frozen over!!!! FIRST ICE BABY!!!!!! Too bad the ponds and lakes aren't frozen over yet....BUT....we're getting there. It was a "scrape your windshield" morning, as well as my deck was slick this morning too. I checked the long range forecast, and if it goes as predicted, we won't be on the ice until the new year. I think this is the latest I've gotten out since I started ice fishing. The earliest was a few years ago, we were out on Black Friday. THAT was a cold winter. But now....some past reminders of WHY I love ice fishing. (And to torture myself some more)

C'mon Old Man Winter!!!! Hold off on the snow, but bring the cold so we'll have some, "ICE ICE BABY"