Snuggie - It Just Won't Go Away

The Snuggie just won't leave me alone. I wake up and the commercial is on during SportsCenter. I see the ad while brushing my teeth and watching the Today Show. I can't open a website without a Snuggie pop up flashing in front of me. I talk about it during lunch with Brian today. Then I come back to the office and during my daily perusal of cyberspace I run across this feature on the Snuggie. This thing is everywhere! I would bet it is advertised more than the Super Bowl right now. According to the video over 4 million have been sold, and they are about to expand their line with a "Baby Snuggie." This thing is unbelievable! Well I have to ask the Working Days... nation if anyone has a Snuggie. If you do, please chime in and let me know your review on the product b/c I am dangerously close to buying one.

Life...According to My Pentax

With all the new phones, cameras, and posting options these days, I rarely bring out my Pentax Optio 4i, but when I do, it captures some excellent images. Here is what my life has looked like through my Pentax lens over the past couple of years. Some of the names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Date: 4thish of July 2006

This was taken shortly before we arrived at Dicky Wade's beach house in Gulf Shores, or somewhere down there. The Great White Hype and I were so excited about the 4th of July that we bought all kinds of fireworks including this MAD HORNET. As we pulled up to the condo with our arsenal that would have made the Army jealous, there were signs littering the roadside that said, "NO FIREWORKS". Needless to say it was bombs away, until some rent a cop almost captured us. For those of you wondering, we did blow up the Thumper.

Date: July 2006

Wrigley Field in July has become an annual summer ritual. There is a holy touch to this place. You know that song, "If Heaven ain't a lot like Dixie, then I don't want to go!" Well "If Heaven ain't a lot like Wrigley, then I don't want to go!"

Date: Thanksgiving 2006

This is a typical reaction at the Fiser household when asked to take a family pic. Little Sister has been crying b/c we told her that she had to change, Big Sister just refuses to change, and I am telling the camera what I think about family pictures. By the way, nice pink slippers Big Sister.

Date: October 2006

A wedding we attending on the Eastern Shore in Maryland. The wedding was much like the one on Wedding Crashers minus the senator. We were trying to get a nice couples picture until "dude" decided that he was going to ruin it. I think "dude's" name is Steve (he is not innocent). Here is a story to give you an idea of how coherent this fellow was: This was a quaint destination wedding with about 50 seated guest at the wedding, and 50ish guest that stood behind the seats.The fall breeze off of the Chesapeake Bay was tickling our noses as we watched the lovely couple engage in their vows. Dude was standing in the rear and upon the pronouncement of husband and wife, his first comment was "F-bomb Yea!" as tears of joy streamed down his face. Needless to say the whole crowd turned and looked at him in aww. Now you probably understand why "Dude" looks like "Dude".

Date: December 2006




My cousin and I look so intimidating. If I were a deer, I would hide too! These should have hidden a little better!








Date: January 2007




I didn't make a very good shot on this one! Hence the crater in his stomach. Sorry for those that have weak stomachs.

Date: December 2007

The Deer Hunting Santa came early.

Date: January 2009

Caught this one napping on the job Saturday. First Muzzeloader kill. If you look closely my smile is frozen on my face from my 4 wheeler ride to go get him.

Date: October 2007

I would like to think that this was mile 24 of the Chicago marathon, but I think it was more like mile 10. My Dad is running with me giving me the Prefontaine speech, but it isn't working very well, so he resorted to the Jimmy V speech "Never Give Up, Never Ever Give Up". I was mighty close.

Date: Winterish 2008

Two stunningly beautiful women. Christopher, I am sorry, but this is the only photo I had on my camera of you. Congrats on the engagement!

Date: April 2008

Maggie trying harmonize with Mick Jagger. Mick is telling his body guard to get her out of his face. Here is a sample of Mick's killer lyrical performance.

Jay ready to slay the drum lines. Maggie...still harmonizing in the background after repeated attempts to tell her that Mick and the Stones had the stage!
















Date: January 2008





Really not sure what ole Lew Dog is doing. It was on his bachelor party, so you can take a wild stab at this one.














Date: April 2008


Right before we got rowdy at Lew Dog's rehearsal dinner. I have to say I delivered the most stunning toast of my career at this dinner.











Date: April 2008


Not sure if Max Collinswood was hitting a high note or just had something bad to eat at Lew Dog's rehearsal dinner. Whatever it is, please step away from the wife.











Date: April 2008


Knocking out some mad riffs on the air guitar before my unbelievable solo!








Date: April 2008


Mick and his lady after making up over the harmony debacle.








Date: April 2008


Me and my beautiful bride.











Date: April 2008


Alex and our dates after eating some Krystal burgers with our shirts off.





Date: April 2008


Teddy Sheffield and Max Collinswood doing what we do best.This picture reminds me of that song by Mims, "This is why I'm hot". I know that is what comes to everyone else's mind too.




Date: April 2008
Teddy Sheffield banging out some chords on the air guitar (again), and celebrating future good times to be had by all.

Alert! New Post!

Get ready Working Days... Nation, New post arriving tomorrow with pictures! Here is a little teaser...

Site Tracker

In a nostalgic move, I decided to take a moment and check out the Working Days... archives and read some of the fan comments. After viewing two or three post, I realized that the Working Days... blog is about as recession proof as the economy. In an effort to better track the progress of this magnificent publication, I have installed a site tracker. This thing is like a heat seeking missile. If you read the blog and don't comment, it will come find you and destroy you. So I beggeth you not to become a victim of the "Site Tracker" because it will find you. Also, I have decided to put some people on the Endangered Commenters List. These once thriving commenters are near extinction and we wouldn't want their fate to be like the dinosaurs. If you are on the list, a comment within the next 30 days will provide me with sufficient evidence to remove you from the list. Here is the list and a few comments about the species:

1. Sarah Fiser - My wife for those who didn't put two and two together. Where you at honey? Reading without commenting is like marriage with no commitment.

2. Jordan "JoJo" Holt - The former JoJo Orso, now married to frequent commenter Alex Holt of the "That much further ham" blog has been missing since 2006. I know that marriage has taken a toll on the commenting, but if your hubby can do it...you can. I look forward to hearing from the woman who keeps Alex from eating Krystal at 4 AM with no shirt on.

3. David "Daryl Waltrip" Weems - Upon his completion of law school, this young JD has gone missing. Some tell me he is knee deep in contracts at his current law firm. While this poses a plausible excuse, one would argue that if he has time to sun by his pool then he has time to comment. Don't become extinct DW.

4. Clare Rush - The former Clare Smith, was an avid commenter in '06. It is believed that she has gone missing for many of the same reasons as Daryl Waltrip. I would hope that with a husband that has the competence to fly fighter jets, she would have the competence to comment. Time is running out, so please don't become extinct.

5. Bridgers Family - Besides my wife, this list is full of teachers and lawyers. One would think that school must be in session, or bankruptcies must be flowing at this time of year. This famous Bonnie and Clyde duo has been spotted, but only briefly in the past couple of years. It has been in places such as Winston Salem, Chicago, and Tuscaloosa. I don't believe this is sufficient to get them off the Endangered Commenter List. A comment from this duo will solidify that this captivating duo still exist.

People that didn't make the Endangered Commenter List, but are being placed on Commenter Watch are as follows:

1. Robbie Stroud
2. Anna Fiser
3. Craig Hey
4. Matt Kemph
5. Maggie O'Connor

A special thanks to these faithful commenters who keep me going:
1. Courtney Baxley
2. Alex Holt

Don't Become Extinct, Comment Today!

Buffalo Wings - A Synopsis of the Gray Fiser Wing Career

Look out! For some of us who (might be whom right here, will someone please correct my grammar if incorrect) indulge in the delicious goodness that is Buffalo Wings, the prices are going up according to this CNN video. Although my line graph of wing consumption and 401k are strikingly similar as of late, my taste buds occasionally still tingle for those golden fried, butter bathed, ranch dipped gems. I forget, or try not to think about, how many of my meals in college consisted of wings. At the pinnacle of my wing eating career, I had 3 wing nights a week, averaging 19 pieces at each sitting. Of course, I asked for extra celery and carrots to convince myself that it was a well balanced meal. Not to mention the extra ranch and brews that provided even more balanced. Upon further review of the Nutrition, or Lack of Nutrition facts, I think this price increase might be a good thing. At 32.5 mg of cholesterol packed into a single wing, I have now discovered the origin of my heightened cholesterol levels in my blood. Since this snack looks like it will be shelved for a while, I can only dream of my favorite flavors. Here are my top 3 flavors:

1. Teriyaki

2. Honey BBQ

3. Lemon Pepper

Good thing there isn't a Buffalo Connection in Memphis because that is where I would be dining for lunch.

If you have further information on the wing crisis that looms, please comment. Long Live the Buffalo Wing!

Inauguration Day - What Came to Mind

As I watched the Inauguration coverage last night, some interesting thoughts came to my mind. I know this was a monumental day in the history of the USA, and I don't intend to diminish it's significance but I couldn't control my mind. Sometimes it is like a raging tiger wanting to pounce, and last night was no exception. So without further adoo (sp?), here are some of the thoughts that went through my crazy head:

1. Aretha...where did you get that hat? If I were Obama, I would have gotten on the bag phone and called the Pentagon to issue a code red on her wardrobe. Honestly, where do you buy a hat like that? At last glance, Niemann's didn't have any in their winter catalogue. Someone please let me know where those are sold, and I will get a petition going to discontinue the production.

2. Junior High Student Dance - With all due respect Mr. President, your dance with the First Lady was worst than my first dance with Bonnie Dunn at the 7th grade fall festival dance in the cafeteria. (sorry Bonnie, but I had not yet polished my incredible moves that I possess today) You made history by becoming the first African-American President, so from now on please dance like you are the first African American President. Please leave the lame dance moves to white dudes like the W. and Wild Bill.








3. Kennedy Tries to Steal Obama's Thunder - What would a historical day in US politics be without a Kennedy episode? For the love, can we please have an event that is free of Kennedy Drama. If the episode was legit, get well soon Senator. If not, please resign b/c this was Obama's day.









4. BET Party - One news network showed the BET Inauguration party, and I was wondering if Joe Biden and his wife attended it. Maybe they got a ride with Hilary and Bill's Caddy.







5. Preach Off - I would like to see a preach off between TD Jakes and Rick Warren to see who could bring on the spiritual heat better. My money would be on Jakes. Look how intense he is.

V.

In all seriousness...Congratulations President Obama! You have made history and I wish you the best of luck in the upcoming years. I certainly wouldn't want to be in your position.

Snuggie

Wow! It is bone chilling in Memphis today. Being a thin blooded Jacksonian, these days are unwelcome. I really don't see how people live in Sheboygan, Fargo, and Bismarck during the winter. What do they do when the temp is in the single digits...with a minus sign in front of it? Hibernate like bears? Well I did a little research to find out how people stay warm in the upper midwest during the winter, and realized that the answer was right in front of me. It has been airing on TV for the past 3 months. The solution is a SNUGGIE. https://www.getsnuggie.com/flare/next?videoID=ai195&bufferTime=5 I could really use one this morning b/c it is hard to type on the keyboard underneath a blanket. I need the little arm sleeves to let my little fingers peck away. Well since the snuggies are on backorder, it looks as if I am going to have to deal with my purple hands for a while. Until next time...peace!

Overtime Thoughts of Peyton Manning

Fortunate for most, and unfortunate for some, I am back for a daily double on the Working Days... blog. For those NFL fans out there, forget Christmas and New Years, it is now the most wonderful time of the year...The Playoffs. After watching the Cardinals drub the Falcons, it was time to settle in for the much anticipated Chargers/Colts game. Both teams are hotter than Jennifer Aniston's GQ cover shoot, and one had to go down. Not only was the game great, but we got some free football as well. If there is one thing in NFL football that I am not wild about, it is the overtime rules. I don't like the coin toss being the most dramatic situation during the whole game. The Chargers didn't win the game when Darren Sproles scampered into the end zone, they won when tails was face up on the coin at the beginning of overtime. Back to the point of the post though... I don't know if anyone caught the look on Peyton Manning's face as the Chargers drove down the field in overtime. It was a cross between a stock broker at the end of a horrendous day, and Macho Man Randy Savage before he was about to pile drive someone to the mat. I sat there and pondered what might be going through his bright red head. Here's what I think were Peyton's overtime thoughts:

1. He planning his next attack strategy in the off chance that the Chargers didn't score from the 25 yard line. I think it might have been as futile as General Petraeus strategizing over how to train Iraqi soldiers for the re-establishment of the new Iraqi government. A tough task nonetheless...see video

2. He was thinking about all those anger management brochures that his brother Eli has been sending him since they were teenagers, and Peyton cold cocked him after a game of teather ball. Pondering whether he should enroll after the Chargers punched it in for the victory. How was the media going to handle this? Would it get out to them? Once admitted, would he ever get out. The brochure did say that it has worked on NYC cab drivers for over 10 years.

3. He knew that the game was over and he was fretting over the fact that he would have to pay $15 for the first bag, and $25 for the second bag to travel to the Pro Bowl.

4. He was confused about the process of getting the grass stains out of his pants. He was thinking, "do I use cold water or hot? should I spray shout on it? should I let the dry cleaners deal with is?"

5. He was thinking about his next Gatorade commercial and what color he wanted to sweat. Purple, Black, Green, Magenta?

Whatever the thoughts, you know the intensity was there evidenced by the bulging vein in his forehead. Any one have other ideas what he was thinking about?

How Do You Read Your Books?

Yes, it has been a while since the last post. Let's blame it on the down economy instead of the holidays. Recently, I have moved buildings that I manage at Parkway from one in a suburb to downtown. It is a different world down here. Parking, exercising, and even reading books are different down here. I now park in a parking garage...yep the same one that ate the side paneling off my car. I am joining a new gym that I walk to instead of drive to now. Lastly, the way that you read a book is different. I had just finished up a delicious turkey sandwich with cracked pepper chips at home and came back to the building. I parked in the side eating garage and headed straight for the sky bridge to the building. As I approached the sky bridge, I see this person walking around with their head down and pacing as if they were mad. I think to myself, no big deal, this is how people deal with anger downtown. Well as I approached the lady, I realize that she is also smoking a cigarette...you think...aaahhh not uncommon...well upon further investigation, she is reading a book too. Now when I read, which is rarely, I usually am sitting down with a nice beverage of choice and quietly read. I've seen people read on park benches, eat lunch and read, but never have I seen someone who reads, gets exercise, and feeds the hunger for nicotine at the same time. It was an incredible sight and somehow I hope to multi task this way in the future. Just curious...how do you read your books?