Not so fast Chris.

Yes, your lovable web host has lost his job as the afternoon jock for Thunder1069.com.  In a format change, I was laid off.  Now, I know you are now worried for me.  Don't.  Well if you were actually worried for me you don't have to be.

Because I didn't quit - and I have gotten very close to doing so almost every day over the last 18 months since I first was fired by Cumulus - I got my severance and I will be allowed to collect unemployment.  So, I basically just got a six-month paid vacation from a job I hated.

Now, it won't actually be a vacation because I have been working on a side project on weekends for the past few months.  Now I will be able to devote my full time and attention to it so we can have a full launch soon.  So I may actually be busier than before.  And I will be happier than before. 

Good times, Great oldies!. 

I just want to warn everyone right off the bat that this is not a metaphor or something.  I actually like the smell of boogers.  I suspect it comes from the same place where you like your own farts, but not those of others - but I don't hear people talking about this as much, so maybe not.

I am currently entering about day 6 of a cold/flu - it started off weak, but then gathered strength over the weekend, much like the Nor'easter that dropped two feet of snow on my parents' (and my childhood) home.  Every time I get sick, I make the same observations about being sick, but I'm too sick to write them down.  Soon, I forget them and then rediscover them when I get re-sick.  It's my own personal Memento.

One of the most exhilarating parts of being sick is that moment - it comes every two hours or so - that you're not expecting.  It sneaks up on you and seconds before it happens you realize it is happening and all is good - until you realize what actually just took place.

Marceau, WV - A town stands speechless, their empty top-hat at their feet, after news of another mime fire spread from house to house.

A silent vigil is being held at the town square a mere 72 hours after the mime fire that killed four broke out.  News travels slowly in this small mountain town.

"Answering the phone is a ridiculous ordeal!" Kristin Baker, the 15 year old daughter of one of the mimes who made it out alive.  "Every damn time I answer the phone and its one my Dad's friends, I yell for them to speak.  'I can't see you miming over the phone!'  But it doesn't make a difference.  I have to get out of this place.  I think if I let Tim get to second base, he might let me borrow his car."

This is a quick example of Preppermint. Not sure what that means? Then find out.

We try again Monday. It looks like we are ready to go tomorrow.  We froze the code and were ready for launch today, but we forgot to setup the database on the production server, so that was today. 

Tomorrow (Sunday) we should be ready to kick off the Alpha.  I've gotten a few emails from interested parties and I will send you more info when we're up.  We'll have to create your login and password ourselves as the user profile stuff isn't ready yet - but the cool stuff should be. 

I want to reiterate that this is an Alpha release - so stuff will be broken.  Mostly stuff we haven't gotten to yet.  It's tough to do this when your full-time job and your partner's full-time job make it so you can only meet on weekends.  Throw in Playoff football and you can see how nothing gets accomplished.