XL Dose of Reality

Well since my last posting many things have changed. I used to have a dog and he is now gone. My house was filled with 7 years worth of stuff. It is now either in storage or gone (Who said there was no upside to moving). I now have a Remax sign listing my house for sale in maybe one of the worst housing markets in the history of the United States. So much for the upside...

It was surreal seeing a stranger who is now in charge of selling 7 years worth of memories stick a sign in the ground that basically says "Memories for Sale" at 80 cents on the dollar. It does not seem that long ago that I was laying eight pallets of grass in the backyard with the help of a laundry basket because I was too cheap to buy a wheel barrow. 2 kids later, 6 trees (4 survived), countless coats of paint, and finally one bad memory (dealing with the remodeling of a kitchen) all for sale.

The kids now know about the move. It was a mixed bag of reaction. AM, countless questions about living in an apartment which would be like a hotel. GM, was not so pleased with the announcement, but cheered up when we celebrated with a cake. Time will tell, but I think the kids will react better than either Jen or myself.

I started French lessons yesterday and let me just say that if there is a boy under an airplane while we are in France, I have it taken care of (guscon sous un avion).

Overall, the number of of moving pieces are countless right now. Transfer day is more like late in the year.

I Have Been Outsourced

Dear Public:

Due to current economic conditions, we have made a decision to reallocate our workforce in Houston, Texas. Through numerous discussions and meetings, we have decided to outsource all Brett Mendenhalls to France. We feel that Brett Mendenhalls will be make a larger impact on our vision of global domination if we make them in France. We plan to construct a facility for the production of Brett Mendenhalls that is 1/3 of the facility of the Houston facility. The four employees that are responsible for making Brett Mendenhalls have voiced a concern, but the tight quarters should help with the team building. One team member has asked that no foie gras or horse meat be served at the new facility in Paris. At this time, we are not able to comment whether is is possible or not. In the immediate future, we plan to produce Brett Mendenhalls that speak French. It may not be consider primo French, maybe more like Texas French. From a marketing perspective, we plan an intense campaign of Brett Mendenhalls appearing in various countries in West Africa. We hope to begin trade negotiations for production of oil from countries like Ghana, Angola, Nigeria for thousands (maybe millions) of Brett Mendenhalls.

Our plant in Houston, Texas will soon focus on the production John Millers or possibly Kevin Smiths. We think that the Kevin Smith market in Houston is growing and will some day be better sellers than Brett Mendenhalls. The employees that were involved in the production of Brett Mendenhalls will soon be retrained and reevaluated for other positions.

To our customers, or should I suggest "customer", who happens to enjoy Brett Mendenhalls, we suggest you trying our other products (ie: John Millers or Kevin Smiths). We think you will really enjoy them if you give a real shot. If you find yourself just aching for Brett Mendenhalls, well that is your problem.

Finally, we invite you to come see our new facility that produces Brett Mendenhalls. In the upcoming weeks, the company will be going to Paris to choose a production location. Prior to coming to Paris, all visitors will be required through extensive space reduction training with the final exam consisting of sleeping in the shape of an "L" on a hard surface throughout a full evening. I know that this is an exciting thought.

We appreciate your concern through this transition.

The Company.