Heated Water No More

Hey there. Last week, I mentioned how our water heater went out. I went out and got the necessary parts to fix it and even vented my frustration via Twitter, since I had to travel to many stores just to get the parts. Well, now it turns out that I'm just going to have to get a new one. I managed to get it to work, for about a day or two. Then the pilot light went out again. I had the gas company come and check it out, since they'll do a courtesy check. The guy left me a note stating that it looks good but doesn't know why the pilot light won't stay lit. He suggested I get a plumber or private heating company to check it out. So I did. That happened tonight and the dude tells me that my water heater is 15+ years old. Daaaaaaaaaaaaamn! He was astounded that it was still working and after he checked it out, told me what I feared. I need a new water heater.

The guy was honest and told me that if he were to do it with his company, it would run me approx. $1400. That's a lot of money. He said I should shop around and I should be able to get that taken care of for less than half of their price. I thanked him and he sped away. Now, I'm on a mission to get a great deal on a water heater. He showed me how it should be connected and he said that it's a fairly easy job. The fact that it costs so much is mainly due to the fact that they need to get permits and sit around for a few days while the inspections and what not get approved. Ugh... I remember going to Home Depot and Lowes and seeing them for around $300 or so. I'm going to see if they have some kind of installation kit and maybe I'll be able to get it taken care of for a few hundred bucks instead of over a thousand. Man.... Looks like my weekend is determined. Later!

Mr. Computer Repair Man

Hey there. I've been one busy beaver these past couple of weeks. I did some fixings at home and as soon as those were done, computer repair came knocking. I started the New Year with 0 computers to fix. To date, I've fixed 2 laptops and a desktop. I have 2 more desktops at home and another 2 busted machines are on their way (another desktop and laptop). It's a hobby of mine, so I do not mind helping out friends and family. The prob is that is that I do take some family time away to get the machines done. My wife has pointed that out to me many times. Especially since I don't charge family to fix up their machines. Last night, I decided that I am. I've been fixing machines for years now, and it's usually family. I started getting requests from friends of family and I don't think I'll be doing those machines for free.

So far, I've been fortunate enough that I have not come across a machine that I was not able to get working. The only snag I came across was a computer that needed a new hard drive since the one it had crashed. The owner pretty much said, screw it, and it's sitting in my shed. lol I think I'll end up getting a hard drive for it and then selling it. I don't have a need for a desktop computer so it would be pointless to keep it and it would be a shame to throw it away. Maybe have a contest and give it to the winner??? I don't know. Still got think about that one. lol Either way, with a little extra income coming in, I'm hoping we;ll be able to save up for that dream vacation a lot sooner rather than later. Until then.... Later!

My Son is Feeling Better

A few nights ago, our baby got sick. He had this terrible dry cough that had us worried and up most of the night. We ended up taking him to see a doc but he assured us that we're doing everything right and that it's nothing serious. A few days of sickness and it'll pass. 2 weeks of a coarse voice though... I hate hearing my son like that. And it hurts even more that there really isn't much we can do to help soothe him. We've got the humidifier on, which we do clean regularly because it can get moldy. He's old enough for "baby rub" (I guess the baby version of Vapor-Rub) and that seems to have a helped a great deal. He doesn't have a fever, thank god, but he does have his hot moments. I think it's because we have him well wrapped up most of the time to avoid exposing him to more of the cold elements.

We're still not sure exactly how he got sick. I know that a general rule of having multiple kids is that when one is sick, they're all sick. They haven't been sick, but our youngest daughter has now developed a slight dry cough... I don't know if the baby gave it to her or she the baby. We anticipate a house full of sick kids soon... I just hope that one of us parental units do not. Later!

Get the Heineken Breathalyzer iPhone app and Enjoy Heineken Responsibly

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Heineken. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hey there friends.   The majority of us are old enough to go out, have a few drinks with friends and family, and have a great time.  However, many of us are not mature enough, or don't the means to advise a friend or family member they've had a little too much to drink.  You know who I'm talking about.  The crazy friend that always seems to go overboard, the uncle that never seems to know when to say no, or the the friend that seems to just want to drink the night away.  Well, having to remind them that they've had a little too much drink is now as easy as pulling out your phone.  Introducing the Heineken Breathalyzer iPhone app!

Due to the success of Heineken's Know The Signs campaign, Heineken has branched out and created an app to playfully remind our friends and family that they may be on the path to having a little too much.  Simply Download the Heineken Breathalyzer iPhone app (100% free) and have a friend or family member "blow" into the iPhone.  The iPhone will then select a "character" that your drinking buddy may be turning into.  The great thing about the app is that you have the option to choose which character to select before having your friend "blow" into the phone.  Say you're friend may show some signs of aggression.  Tap your iPhone and select "Fighter" and have your friend "blow" into the app.  Watch his or her face as this pops on the screen!

How can you not get a chuckle out of it?  But the best part is not the characters, but the fact that you have the option to see another "fighter" in action or read a story about a "fighter" type drinker.  Using humor as a catalyst, you can gently nudge friends and family to take it easy when you believe they may be on their way to a certain character type.  Or...  you can simply have fun with it.  Adjust the settings to random and the app will randomly select a character.  It's a great way to add a little more humor into an already fun night.

Heineken is doing things right by playing an active role in informing their customers to "Enjoy Heineken Responsibly".  I think it's great that they are thinking outside the box and using popular social media tools to convey this message.  This campaign has been running strong for over a year and hopefully they will continue to develop fun and creative ways to educate their customers.  If you are interested in reading up on the campaign, feel free to check out The Heineken Know The Signs website and read up on the campaign and any new developments.  Later!

My Baby is Sick

Hey there.  The baby got sick last night.  He had a dry cough and he started sneezing.  Then the phlegm started to make it's presence known.  It sucks because I know my baby is uncomfortable, but there really isn't anything that you can give them to alleviate anything.  My wife decided that she was going to stay up all night to keep an eye on him.  She did.  I went to bed around 2:30 am or so, but she went to bed at 7 am.  He wasn't too fussy, but we know that he's not too comfortable.  Luckily, we stumbled across a "baby emergency kit" while back and we bought it, just in case.  The kit has little noses, little tummies, some baby rub, among other stuffs.  Turns out that we are able to use the baby rub on babies over 3 months old.  Our boy just turned 3 months on the 6th.  We put some of the stuff on him and it seems to be working.  He's a lot more active, he's arguing with the animals on his swing and he doesn't seem to be fussy at all.  Hopefully, he'll get over the sickness.  I know it's still there and we're scheduled for a baby check up tomorrow.  Hopefully, all will be ok.  Later!