By slhilbert on 1/23/2008 8:37 PM

Hey cats,

My birthday, and my brothers birthday is this Saturday (we are twins).   Our names are Stuart and Erick, but a neighbor girl long ago just called us both Sterick, I always felt ripped off by this because my name only got two letters in it and Erick got his whole name smashed in there.

In years past our wives, have seen to it to throw some amazing parties.   Usually these constitute surprises and what not.

This year because of babies, which are wonderful by way, we are keeping things low key.  

Because of the lowness of the keys my sister sent the following email, which I find to be hillarious.

Because I will be unable to come up for your birthday, Mom will come bearing my gifts (just as she bore you 28 years ago and just as you bore her when you talk computers).   You will notice that each gift is marked "Sterick."  This is not because the gifts are the same, I have forgotten your names, or I can't tell you...

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By slhilbert on 1/23/2008 7:59 AM

Just finished Dave Ramsey's, "The Total Money Makeover".   Very good book.  I feel I am pretty good with money but it had a number of ideas in it that I hadn't thought of.  Also a number of good arguments about use of credit cards vs. debit cards as well as a very good explanation on which life insurance plan to get and why.

Anyway, it was really good.   I think I would like to get on board with his easy to follow plan, however, I think this is going to take a team effort from Annie and I.  Therefore, I have promised to read any book that Annie wants if she will read this book and discuss it with me.

Seems like a win/win to me.

Stuart

By slhilbert on 1/18/2008 10:36 AM

Alright, so my brother helped make this video for a production class.  He needed some talent so myself, Ken and Brad got enlisted.  Look for a fat guy in blue coveralls moving a woman out of her house.  That is me.  Ken is the bum and Brad gives him money. 

Oh the joys of college.... I just remember sitting around someone elses crappy college house and wanting to go back to the dorm and play Unreal.  Yeah I am a dork.

By slhilbert on 1/17/2008 9:17 PM

I went for a run today.  I have gained some weight over the last few months so I am trying to shed some of that and get my legs back into shape.   I did a 5K today in 32:44, which is horrible.  But I didn't walk, so I met my goal.  

My leg hurts real bad.... <---Say like Napoleon Dynamite

 

Only one leg hurts, it has hurt for 2 years, so who cares....

By slhilbert on 1/17/2008 7:36 AM

I got Guitar Hero III for Christmas for the Wii.  My mom went on a witch hunt to find it, and I appreciate that.  I have played this game a lot.  Over Christmas I would suspect I played at least 2 hours a day, if not way more for 10 days.  Then I my shoulder started to hurt so I had to give it a break. 

I have been back at it as of late playing a few songs every few nights.  Anyway, I finally beat it on medium.  Of course Annie has been playing on Hard since December 29th, but she has her viola playing to fall back on.

Anyway, on to Hard.  I think I have only beaten one song on hard, but I will get it.

Stuart

By slhilbert on 1/16/2008 11:04 AM

Today is Annie's Birthday, she is a year older, a year smarter, a year wiser, a year more beautiful!  Happy Birthday Annie!

Today also is the six month anniversary of when I started my own business, Hilbert Solutions, LLC.  If I make it another six months I will be a statistically anomaly.  Things are going great and I believe I will make it just fine.  Lots of work, lots of new areas that I am working in.  I am enjoying myself very much.

By slhilbert on 1/15/2008 1:07 PM

By slhilbert on 1/14/2008 8:54 AM

Well, we got Annie's car fixed up.  It ended up being the water pump.   The water pump is located in the front of the engine, so they have to take the engine partially apart to replace it. 

This is no minor task so it cost some money to do it.  

LESSON LEARNED

I had the timing belt replaced a while back, which is also within the engine.  At that time they asked me if I would like the water pump replaced while they had the engine open. 

The water pump was working fine, but, I could save a lot of money to have it done then, and it was time for it to start failing anyway.   I said no, in order to save a couple hundred dollars.  Well I ended up spending a lot more than a couple of hundred dollars to get it replaced this time.  LESSON LEARNED

Not sure what is up with "Old Red", I started her right up the other day, but didn't drive her far.  

It snowed today so I am probably not going to take her on a test drive as I had planned for today.

Stuart

...

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By slhilbert on 1/10/2008 11:44 PM

By slhilbert on 1/10/2008 10:50 PM

So Annie came home today and told me that her car sounded funny.  I went out and checked it out and the fan was running, which is weird for a day in January.   I checked the tempature gauge and sure enough the car was running hot.... probably Van Halen, Panama hot, if you know what I mean .   Wow I didn't think I would ever be able to reference the song Panama in a blog entry... FTW!

Anyway, I added coolant think it was low, which it was, but that didn't do the trick.   I am pretty sure that the car has a thermostat problem.   Anyway, no problem, she can just drive my car, since I drive it about once a month anymore.  Well, it had a bit of trouble starting, but it got going.  

I then backed it up and it died.  It had a bit of trouble starting but then it got going again.  I drove it down the street a bit to check it out and about 8 houses down I decided I should stop and then hit the gas and see if it would die.  Well, it did.  Then it wouldn't start.  

I don't mean, wouldn't start because...

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