The Game

In college, I couldn't stand Payton Manning. He played for Tennessee who seemed to beat OSU in every big game and I'm just not kosher with that. When it came to must-win SEC games, though, he could never come through. So he was a choker when it counted most, but somehow beat my team for the best of the second-best.

In the NFL, I've been rooting for Payton since he arrived. Classy. Smart. Damn good. I dig it. It killed me that he consistently was kept out of the Superbowl for years because of the shortcomings on the other side of the ball...because of things he had absolutely no control over. This year they finally got it right, though, and the defense came through when they needed to. At the very least I wanted Manning to get his shot. He did, and he made the most of it.

One of the more famous quotes from this football season - and maybe in all of NFL history - is "They are who we thought they were!" Well, Grossman proved he was who he thought I was, and that's an inconsistent quarterback who becomes absolutely nothing better than mediocre at best when pressured in between his flashes of brilliance. He's from the same tree as Jake Plummer when it comes to football ability and consistency. I bet $25 that he would throw an interception that was returned for a touchdown, and my boy delivered. That was a $125 return, thank you very much. He's my favorite player!

Lovie Smith had success with the run, then put the ball into Grossman's hand. On third and 2? Really? I'm not a head coach and goodness knows I don't know what was going on down there on the sidelines. From my ignorant opinion, though, it seems like both the game situation and weather conditions lent themselves to the running game and Smith got away from it. Eh, who knows. Again, I'm no NFL head coach.

The Colts really put together a team effort. Payton had a good game...not great. Receivers did their best to get open when they needed to. Addai warmed them up, then Rhodes shut them down (this really reminded me of what they hoped Barber and Dayne could turn into). And their defense rattled the bears instead of the other way around. On the other hand Chicago just seemed to melt down on offense, got worn down on defense, but got down the damn field on special teams.

Devon Hester....sweet geebis, that guy is good. In all honesty I think he has an argument, albeit mild, for the MVP of the game. He pretty much accounted for 37 yards of field position just because he was on the field for kickoff returns. When you start your drives from the 37-45 yard line area that can wear on a defense's psyche a bit. Fortunately the Colts handled their business well and Grossman didn't.

Droping a snap, good times. Hiking the ball into yourself, great times. Tripping over your own freakin feet as a professional football player in the NFL, priceless.

Vinatierri makes a 40+ yard field goal down the middle in the snow, but he misses a 20+ yard field goal in the rain. Wait, forget the distance and conditions...he missed a field goal in the playoffs! What the heck? Oh well...I guess it had to happen sometime.

The Vegas trip

Many of you know I went to Vegas for the Superbowl - good times! While I won't be disclosing all the details of the trip (uh, duh!), here are a few tidbits...

- I was originally told it was going to be 9 guys, 4 of which were my friends and the other 4 being total strangers to me. It ended up being 19 guys and six girls in three different cars. *sigh*

- All the guys on the trip ranged from 22-38 in age and spanned the majority of the professional realm. Medicine, technical, legal, banking, education, various engineering fields, and the like. Get us all on a trip to Vegas, though, and our collective age becomes 17 at best.

- We stayed at the Orleans which really was a pretty nice place for the price. The rooms and the casino were clean and well kept, the table minimums were comfortable (not too cheap, not too expensive), the drinks were mixed well, and the cocktail waitresses were much attractive. I'd definitely recommend it.

- Vegas was kind to me this trip. Maybe it felt like it owed me from last trip for taking me for $350. This time I took it for $215. Of course I gave $115 back immediately after the Superbowl, but they gave me one of the best full dinners I've ever had for it. Mmm...surf n' turf...

- I just don't like the sweet liquors. Whiskeys, rums, brown liquors...nope. Vodka and gin are for me. Oh, and Grey Goose really is that good. Really. Good.

- Latneau's been incognito for a good long while, but it was kinda like he was there because I won a Jagermeister t-shirt for screaming the loudest in the crowd at the bar. Let's see...Jager, random obnoxiousness, Vegas, alcohol, cards...yup, that's Latneau's crowd. Or at least it used to be - maybe he's changed?

- One of the guys wore velvet Corona pajama bottoms and slippers for a day on the strip. Another guy wore a yellow t-shirt, black sport coat, work out shorts, black dress socks, and brown dress shoes. Neither were me (seriously...if I were gonna do something like that, I would walk to game convention in a shower cap, shades, bathrobe, flip flops, and nothing else).

- I had a club/dance beat in my head for about 96 straight hours. A constant barrage of Usher, Nelly, Justin, new Madonna, Black Eyed Peas/Fergie, Sean Paul, and the like.

- Coming back from Vegas was like coming back from a foreign country. I had no access to the world other than the Superbowl and one hour of Sportscenter, no internet/email access, everyone spoke a foreign language, and all the landmarks were from other parts of the world.

- I. Love. The Food. Mmmm..... I really started getting used to Raspberry tarts and mochas for breakfast.

The trip wasn't insane, but it teetered on the edge of out-of-control on multiple occasions. I'm actually mildly shocked that nobody got arrested or kicked out of any establishments. It was a great freakin' time, tho...good times indeed!

And I'm glad to be back home.

It just doesn't make sense

The reserves for the NBA All-Star game were recently announced and on the list for the Western Conference are three names you may recognize...

Amare Stoudamire
Shaun Marion
Steve Nash

Yes, all three are from the Phoenix Suns. No, I'm not a Suns fan. Heck I'm not even an NBA fan and I actually actively boycott it. I do hear information and see highlights on SportsCenter and other local news, though, and I know this - there's NO WAY Steve Nash should be a reserve on the Western Conference All-Star team.

He should be a starter.

In fact, he should have been the first point guard in the entire league selected. How the heck can the two-time running MVP of the league (and one of the top two candidates for the award this year) be a BENCHWARMER???

Ugh. The NBA is retarded enough...evidently the voters are, too.

(Note: the voters for the four major sports are generally retarded when it comes to the all-star games, not just for the NBA. This particular oversight or "snub" if that's what you can call it just seems particularly silly)

Excellent!

That's what I am.

Not Consistent, no no. Excellent.

For the first time in my management career I scored an Excellent on my review. Excellents are not easy to come by in my company. A consistent means you're doing a pretty darn good job; anything outside of that requires considerable documentation. This is how most corporate stuff goes these days as many of you corporate types know. I'm just glad my work finally paid off.

Excellent!

Part of what I greatly dislike about MySpace

To the my friends who use MySpace...how much friendlier would you be if you didn't make me see this crap just to say hello?

Think about it. Every time I see one of these errors or advertisements, a turkey dies. Keep this up and we're all screwed this comin' Thanksgiving...

SAVE THE TURKEYS!!!!

Computing from home

I've been house-sitting for the past 9 days. Three dogs and a huge house out in the middle of nowhere. Hopefully this explains my relative computing absence...I've been on the various messenger services but that's really all to speak of. Part of the reason why is the extra responsibilities and different schedule. There are two other factors that led to it, though...

- Different desk/chair/peripherals. I've posted before about how much i like my computer chair. I work hard to get it just the right amount of lean and give, and my body's rather adjusted to it. So not only did I not have my normal computer chair, but the one they had has NO LEAN! Terrible. Absolutely terrible. Plus I didn't have my printer, webcam, camera, speakers, or card reader.

- No TV in the room. For the past 5 years and for 9 of the past ten years I've had a TV in the same room as my computer. I've gotten so used to it that it feels weird to be on a computer at home without it. Of course this means that any computer room or office I have in the future has to have a TV in it.

Hmmm...I wonder if I can use this to get a TV in my office at work???

Part of true genius

Part of true genius is recognizing when you're wrong and being able to admit it. My nemesis finally did that here.

Welcome to Blogger, Colleen! Glad you left the dark side! :-)

The BCS Championship - It all just went wrong

Pictures are here...

There were two things that went well regarding the BCS Championship game and preceeding pep rally - the tailgaiting, and Teddy Ginn, Jr's touchdown. In every other respect, though, it was awful. Simply awful.

The pep rally was over-crowded to say the least. Chase field holds about 48,000 people; 35,000 showed up for the pep rally, and the upper bowl wasn't open. The band was too close to the stands so anyone on the wings couldn't hear them. There was about 20 minutes of nothingness in between each 5-10 minute section of entertainment. The pro players didn't even wear OSU colors. The pep rally for the 2003 national championship was incredible...a ten. This was a 1. Total opposite end of the spectrum.

The game...we got outran (except for one), out hustled, outpushed, outcoached. We lost in every facet of the game. After Ginn got hurt it was like a two-starter swing...not only did OSU lose a key part of their offense, but it's like Florida got another starter back on defense. Their defensive ends played stronger, quicker, and faster than we practiced for or expected. Troy Smith picked the worst time to have the worst game of his life. Our defense wasn't fast enough laterally to handle their outside runs, and Leak's passing game was unbelievably on target that night. Plus the UF's receivers ran absolutely perfect routes and destroyed our zone coverage (Tressell was evidently too scared to man up on them - probably recognized the speed and was trying to rely on the boys up front to hurry up the play). Tressell also abandoned our run game which was gashing them for the most part, but when you only run about 6 times with your running backs, that means nothing.

It was just awful. I could have sold my tickets for $2500 cash profit but my aunt would have nothing of it, and since she was the benefactress and purchaser of the tickets, that was that. Sell? No. I get forced to watch the misery from start to finish.

Oh well. I doubted our #1 ranking from the get-go. Troy Smith just had a good game at the North-South bowl this weekend but I strongly doubt he'll do well in the pros. If he's anything more than a reserve QB I'll be surprised (if he can't handle the speed of the UF defensive ends, how is he going to handle the speed of the pros?).

Looking forward to next year already...

ComicCon 2006 photos

I know, it's entirely too late for these. Here they are for your viewing pleasure anyway. Enjoy!

The company dinner

Each year my company throws a fancy recognition dinner. Minimum dress is semi-formal... held at the J.W. Marriott...filet mignon is always served...that kind of thing. I try to go each year as a matter of principle - if someone is going to pay for me to have a nice free steak dinner, I'm going to eat it. I wasn't gonna go this year but a couple of people reminded me that it would be a good idea to go (ironically, more people asked if my hat was going than if I was going). Anywho, I went. I had full goatee goin' and a couple gals thought it looked pretty sexy so that's always nice.

It was a good time. Bought a margarita which was mixed on the spot and was pretty damn good (and, strangely, cheaper than the "specialty" beers they were serving). Steak was cooked well this year and was served with a nice salmon. The potatoes were a little funny this year, but that's because they weren't potatoes - they were rice. Of course I didn't know until after the fact, but that's cool. It was still quite edible.

The dessert had so much promise only to let me down in the end. It was this chocolate mint pudding parfait thing with a few berries and some chocolate stick (which I mistook for a straw...oops). I started eating the chocolate part only to find three bites into the desert the banana cream center. GAG! It was too late, though...it went down the gullet so I had to run to the sundry shop for some Benedryl. Fortunately no real complications. It's only a mild food allergy but still makes things uncomfortable.

Anywho, we moved onto the dance afterwards and for the first time that I can remember the bass wasn't blowing the place up, which means I got to stay for the whole time! I don't really dig dancing all that much...haven't since high school, and clubs freak me out...but there are some songs that get me movin' instantly. One of them is Yeah by Usher, but of course he didn't play that until the last 15 minutes of the evening. Oh well, could have been worse.

Anywho, during the dance this guy Steve (I think that was his name) who was hired this past Friday started dancing with Susan Frank, our CEO. He's a bit of a Napoleon Dynamite lookin' fellow so it made it even funnier...

Not unless the kid weighs 200 pounds

So I'm still house-sitting out here on the desert prairie and on my way home from work I pass one of those diamond yellow caution signs. You know the ones...sometimes they have a swervey arrow, sometimes they warn of a big turn ahead or a stop light...stuff like that. The funniest one I've seen was down in Tucson and it appeared to be cautioning you about families of people randomly running across the road (most likely referring to border crossers since there wasn't a neighborhood nor shopping center on either side of the street). This one was a distant second - it had a see-saw on it with regular ol' stick figure kids.

Beware of the furmious teeter-totter? Of four-year olds?

Now maybe it's just asking drivers to be cautious because we're by a park and kids might be running around. Okay, that's cool...I can understand that. Except that the park is fenced in and the entrances weren't really within kid bolting distance...or even 4-year old distance-running distance...of the signs. So unless one of the kids lookin' at that see-saw is a 200 pound gordito and is about to launch a toddler into the sky, or unless they mobilized the teeter-totters and mounted turrets on them (Woah...that ride would have kicked ass when I was younger. What am I talkin' about, that would kick ass now!) I don't think there's a terrible amount to be cautious of right there.

I bet they don't even have a see-saw in the park.

Ya' furry animal!

(Bear in mind this that this week I'm house-sitting a tremendously large house out in the middle of nowhere, taking care of three dogs, and working a 7-4 schedule this week. I'm out of it.)

I saw my Assistant Vice President of Human Resources (we'll call her AVP) walking in the building this morning when I went downstairs to grab a bite of breakfast. I noticed she was wearing a nice coat with fur around the edges and neck and wanted to politely comment on it. Instead I insinuated she's an animal. Here's how the conversation went. The comments to AVP are not paraphrased nor summarized in the least.

Eyes to brain: "Hey, she's wearing a fur coat! She must be rich!"

Brain to eyes: "It's not a fur coat, you idiots...it's a coat with fur. And she's not rich. She works for your company, remember?"

Eyes to brain: "Yeah whatever...not important. We should say something to her!"

Brain: "Say something, roger that. Great idea. Mouth, you copy?"

Mouth to brain: "Standing by for orders, sir."

Brain to mouth: "Commence with 'Nice coat, AVP!'"

Mouth to brain: "'Nice coat, AVP!' Roger that."

Mouth to AVP: "Well you look furry today!"

AVP to idiot: "Oh, my...."

Brain to self: "Ohhhh FFfffffilth. Why do I gotta be stuck with these morons..."

The good - I'm not fired.
The bad - I opened my mouth in the morning w/o enough coffee.

The irony of this all is I was so out of it this morning that I forgot to shave, so if anyone was looking furry, it was me.

Indy vs. Chi-town

What a couple games!

The first one was just painful to watch. I was really pullin' the Saints but it wasn't happenin.

The second one...wow. What a comeback! I'm soooo glad that Payton finally gets his shot - I hope he snaps off for 4 touchdowns, 300+ yards, and the win, because I just don't want to see Jones or Grossman get a Superbowl ring. Well, mostly Jones. I won't mind if Grossman wins one in a few years assuming he actually becomes a good NFL quarterback someday. I DO wish just their defense could get a ring, though.

If nothing else, I'm glad the Colts won because the match I was most dreading was Chicago/New England. I wouldn't much care who won and since I'll be in Vegas for the game I might not be able to hear the commercials. Damn...guess that means I'd have to go play cards and get free drinks. :-)

Sleeping in your own mess...except not

I'm house-sitting right now for my mom's boss and taking care of their three dogs. This morning at 2:35 I woke up to noises one of the dogs was making. Now, if it was just barking or something like that, no big deal. Wake up, figure out the sound, be pissed that an idiot dog woke me up, go back to bed. Done deal in a few minutes.

This wasn't so simple. Reno was next to my face making constant licking sounds that seemed familiar but I thought he was just being weird and tried to push him away. At that moment, though, came the tell-tale gurgles and I knew to dive out of the way. Super. Doggie vomit all over the $3000 tempurpedic mattress. So I get to be up trying to spot and wash sheets and bedspreads. The thing is, the main spot he hit is directly over where my chest is so if I don't spot it and clean it as best I can WITHOUT using chemicals on the special non-washable tempurpedic mattress cover, I get to sleep in his mess.

I was not upset at the dog for this. Sometimes they get sick, not a big deal. I went to bed pretty early last night (and it kills me to say "last night" at around 4:30), though, because I didn't sleep much at all the night before, and I only got a little over four hours from take 2.

I guess this is kinda what having kids is like.

WHEEEEE!!!!!

I gotta go check the washer. It sounds like it's about ready for liftoff for some reason.

EDIT: Apparently their washer is equipped with a 1400 horsepower Rolls Royce jet turbine for the spin cycle (or some other outrageously powerful motor that would actually fit into a washer). Maytag doesn't skimp on quality, I guess.

Seriously, why would you search for this?

Google pinged my blog today with the following search:

kissy boof

(The ping was successful because of my post on Boof Bonser, the Minnesota pitcher)

Okay, first off, why would you search for kissy boof? This is the first link that popped up in Google when running the search myself...I certainly hope this isn't what they were looking for. I know it's not what I was looking for. I don't know that I could say exactly what it was I thought would come up...I just know it wasn't that.

When I tried "kissy boof"...no results. Evidently the phrase kissy boof is nowhere to be found in the internet known to Google.

Until now. :-)

"The suicide yogurt is in the freezer..."

Uh, wut?

I'm going to be house-sitting this next week or so for my mom's boss and her husband. I've heard her talk about them strangely before, and I even helped them move a little less than a year ago, so seeing their stuff and hearing the stories should have been a primer.

But it wasn't.

A few strange quotes...

- "Here's our bathtub in case you want to take a bath. It (the tub) works."

- "Oh, and here's our shower. Just remember that the water comes out of the side instead of on top. Don't worry, though...if you forget, the water will only hit you in the face. It doesn't hurt much."

- "In case you need to vacuum, here's the vacuum. It plugs into the wall."

Is it a standard electrical plug then?

"Oh, no, I mean the hose plugs into the wall. The vacuum is actually battery-powered." (she wasn't kidding...it's really powered by a big ol' rechargable deal)

And my favorite...

- Said to me with a perfectly straight face: "You can eat anything you want...grill up some stuff, eat some pizzas...whatever. Just be careful of the yogurt on the bottom shelf of the freezer. If you eat it, you'll probably die." A slight pause followed, then she shut the freezer door and walked away. I didn't ask for an explanation.

We'll see how this next week or so goes. If things go well, great! I'll get some cash or free furniture out of it. If not...well, I guess I can always eat the yogurt...

Notes and Observations

- Nadia on 24 is pretty hot

- I'd like not to think about a terrorist nuclear explosion (or any nuclear explosion, for that matter) on our soil. If that happens any time soon, I might ask the Marines to reconsider their medical discharge; beyond that, I'd probably ask to be considered for OCS.

"You couldn't make it in the NFL"

There are some commercials out right now that show some kind of theoretical inside look at an NFL locker room. One is of a guy getting his dislocated finger popped back into place...another is of a guy going to dress for the game, finding an XL jock strap. Both end with the tag line "You couldn't make it in the NFL."

Now, I know I couldn't make it in the NFL but those reasons have nothing to do with it. I don't care about broken bones...I've literally played full speed in a game with a shattered wrist and a leg broken in two places at various times. I've broken all of my fingers (not thumbs) in volleyball and played with a cracked hip against the desires of my coach. I don't care about how I stack up against other guys in regards to physical stature. Filling an XL jock strap is by no means a goal of mine considering I'd have to weigh 300+ lbs to do so. No, none of that has anything to do with why I wouldn't make it in the NFL. THIS, however, does...



Reggie Bush, who's a freakin beast of a rookie and a heck of a football player, gets destroyed. I actually think his heart stopped beating a couple times during that sequence of events. He can play in the NFL, though, because his brain told his heart to start beating again, that all he did was get tackled and should get back up again.

If that happend to me, my brain would let me live long enough only to dig my own grave right there, then throw myself in it. That was by far the most fierce hit I've seen this year, and possibly ever.

Jack Bauer is a Vampire

I've only seen about one episode of 24 from each of the past 5 seasons. Eventually I'll watch them all. Since I hate serialized shows, though, I don't watch any episodes until I can see them all at once. I refuse to buy into the show so that the network owns your soul for that hour or two each week, then obsess about it for the rest of the week.

Until now. I watched the first 1.5 episodes of the show (missed the last half hour but read about it on the website). And that's when Jack went vampire. I wouldn't have believed it unless I saw it with my own eyes, but it's true. His cool factor just increased with me by about 700%.

*sigh*

So now I guess I gotta watch the show. I hate you all, 24 fans.

The move

Soon I'll be moving back into my own apartment. I've been chompin at the bit for months and it's a miracle that mom and I haven't killed one another (although I think I've attempted it in my sleep a couple times). I'm glad that I've been able to help out with my dad and stuff, but man, it's way long overdue that it's time for me to go.

I'll stay here until their anniversary. After that, I'm out of here as soon as I can be. There are some good apartment buys in the area I want so it happens to work out well right now.

As much as I look forward to being out of here and being closer to friends , there's one thing I don't look forward to.

I'm absolutely positively not looking forward to being alone again. I've done it before and survived, just really didn't like it. It's the silent solitude that gets me. I can turn on the TV but you can't fool your mind - it knows it's just the TV and not a real person. I can put a pillow or blankets on the other side of my bed to make it more full, but your mind knows it's just stuffing. It's what makes falling asleep a most uncomfortable proposition. Not sleep, mind you...just the process of getting there.

Oh well, I'll deal. I still utterly and completely look forward to being in my own place again. I'll just be one ridiculously tired dork.

It's over

The holiday season has officially ended at the Goodrich household. Thanksgiving is done, Christmas is done, New years is done, all family and friends are done. I've survived another season. Now it's just time for the clean up and take down.

And my folks' anniversary.

And then Valentines Day! Woohoo!!! I don't know who I'm gonna take out this year, but after two years of nothing, dangit I'm taking someone this year. I only missed one year out of the previous 14 so to miss two in a row is unconsionable. It's just a fun day to take someone out and have a good time. You don't have to be dating...it's not about that for me. It's about just enjoying the day and the company of someone else. I've done everything from a picnic to simple dinner and a movie to sunrise with donuts and sunset with hot chocolate moments to elaborate 13-hour dates with months of fore-planning. I love it all, and I look forward to a return to form this year. May you all enjoy it as much as I do!

Disciplined

I was disciplined at work today for the first time since the fall of 1999. A relatively minor offense as things go...nothing much to speak of. Just left the day with an unfamiliar, unusual, and less than pleasant tone.

I'll survive. I made my own bed. It's just more fun to have no spots on your record.

Blargh.

One million a week?

That's just about what David Beckham is going to make for the next five years...FIVE YEARS!...playing socker for the LA Galaxy in MLS. Nearly one million dollars a week.

$250 million over five years.

Are you kidding me?

That man makes more in one DAY than I do in two years. That's right. It would take me 730 days to make what he does in one. I can sincerely say that I'm not jealous...I'm really not. Money would be cool to spend if I had it, but I've never been one to be jealous of money, be it $5 or $500M. But what I can't do is wrap my mind around that figure. It's just so much money so fast. What the heck do you do with that much money?

It boggles and fascinates my mind almost as much as infinity, women, the human mind, and childbirth.

Trevor, that's just not fair

How's it work that on the same day you get a 'stang, I get a 'whoopin?

Let us eat, drink, and be merry...

The rest of the quote speaks for itself.

I'll post more on the game/experience later, but suffice it to say for now that we just got our asses handed to us. In every facet of the game.

*sigh*

And to think I could have had $3000 (well, $2500 after expenses) for my ticket if my aunt would have only let me sell mine.

To quote a friend of mine, this whomps.

I guess I can live with this...

Official IQ test? I dunno bout that. Still fairly similar in style to others I've seen, though.

Only one step away from interplanetary mental domination (the highest rating is Universal Genius...maybe one day...)


I like how the test warns you prior to beginning, though, that drowsiness/fatigue can cause lower scores. That's almost cheating...

"Oh, yeah, I'm actually smarter but I took the test at 6:00AM so my real genius didn't show up in the results."

Riiight...

2007 - A year of possibilities

The year has already started off bittersweet, ranging from a fabulously lazy New Year's Day with some very interesting and possibly hopeful news, to a far less than stellar January 2 with some news that was probably inevitable at some point but doesn't make it easier to swallow. It only goes to emphasize my point that this year is a year of possibilities. I knew that 2006 was going to be mediocre at best...it just didn't have the gumption, mettle, or makeup to be anything more, and it didn't disappoint. This year, though....this year is different. I start a new position at work in a new department to me and I get a new place to live to start off the year. I'll get to hire a new lead to help raise up. My team could win the national championship and finish a 13-0 season, and I'll be lucky enough to get to see it. I'm going to Vegas for the SuperBowl, and maybe even the UFC fights. I'm going to a convention in Long Beach with my old college buddy and some other good friends, and will mark the first true, non-convention-working vacation I've had away from home with friends in a long time. This could be an outstanding year...

Or it all could blow up in my face.

The point is there's a lot of exciting stuff on the horizon, but a lot of it could go terribly awry. While the outcome of many events and situations can be pontificated and debated for a while, what's undeniably clear is that this year is by far a year of possibilities. I'll do what I can to make the most of them.

Here's to hoping that 2007 goes from the year of possibilities to the year of ridiculous success and enjoyment. For all of us.

2006 - A year in review

My buddy Joe and I always spend New Years Day together, or at least the better part of it, doing nothing but being lazy and watching football. This year was no different. What was different, though, was our annual year-in-review. Typically we'll rehash the best- and worst-of as well as hopes/resolutions for the new year, if any; for some reason that just didn't happen this year. It doesn't feel like the end of a year without it and it's a good exercise to see where you've come from anyway, so here's my annual review. The best and worst of 2006. We'll start with the worst first (gotta leave on a high note).

Dishonorable mention: Losing my cell phone (don't ever do this); Krispy Kreme closing down in AZ and Dunkin Donuts running out of them (seriously, it happened); Not finishing my current position at work strongly (at this point I'm doing what I can to just tie up loose ends...my old team and team lead deserve better); Getting humbled by a dear friend (man did that smart, and man did I deserve it); Homemade wings (dear God, never again...); the holidays and the not funness that comes with them (I did my best to avoid it this year...at least I was able to put it off until the weekend before Christmas, but man did it hit like a brick); the continuing war in Iraq (would be higher if I had any loved ones over there); 143 straight days w/no rain (this almost made the top five but was eeked out); waiting to fall asleep every night (it's not a whole lot easier now than it was a couple years ago); blowing calls in the FMA world championships (I know people make mistakes, but I knew better)

5. System outages at work in April. For the better part of a week we had a core system outage at work, meaning people couldn't access their funds normally. Days worth of listening to people just ripping on my employees, myself, my mother, my boss, the president...whoever. Plus the longest work week I've had at the credit union.

4. Seeing my employees crying. My agents at work have some real world problems they deal with on a daily basis. This year we've survived more deaths in the immediate family and critical health issues than we've ever seen, both total and per capita. It was a draining time to be a manager, but I'm glad I could be there for them.

3. A cancelled beach vacation. Talk about getting punched in the crotch and kicked in the shins at the same time while watching someone eat you heart. It was nice to have some alone time at home, but I don't get a lot of chances to be at the beach for a week for only $150. This really put a bad light on the couple months to follow.

2. Beginning of the End at work. It started with Veronica leaving in March and finding out while I was in Vegas. Then I sensed Shannon would be leaving and it ended up that I wasn't wrong. Then Tina leaves. In the course of 6 months I go from bottom of the list to most senior supervisor. It started in April; the canceled vacation was the final straw. It's a shame, too. Maybe I'll be back there again one day.

1. The Silent Treatment. Little in this life is worse in my eyes than receiving the silent treatment. I happened to earn it twice this year from two different people. I hate it. I truly do. Scream at me, yell, punch, sign language, smoke signals, blow up my car, steal my money, rip up letters and pictures...whatever. All of that is more preferable to a complete void of communication. There's not much more detrimental to a relationship than this. If I do nothing to receive that treament, that's different. Then they can go jump off a bridge for all I care. But that's not what happened. Whether or not I actually deserved this particular "punishment" is a subject for debate I suppose, but the fact is I still did something to prompt it. I have to live with the consequences of my actions. I hurt these people and this is what I got. And that sucks. I didn't want to hurt either of these two folks to begin with, and I really don't want to hurt them now...not if it means a communication black hole.

And now for the best!!!

Honorable Mention: Judging the FMA World Championships (even if I did botch a couple calls, it was still an honor to judge a world championshp!); V is for Vendetta (I absolutely loved this movie and it was seen with my old college roommate and best friend); Seeing Wicked (what an amazing show, seen with amazing company!); Comments on the hat (by far the most widely and wildly loved hat I've worn, and the only one that's actually earned me flirts from ladies); Ohio State earning a shot for the national championship (I'm gonna die a couple years earlier for how close it was, but still...); A week at the Ritz (If my office could be a room at the Ritz-Carlton, who knows what I might accomplish in this world - they make you feel like pure, living success); the Aerosmith/Lenny Kravitz concert (just a great show); 1st Annual Penny War at work (well received by the teams, by upper management, and by the children at Phoenix Children's Hospital)

5. Being reconnected with folks from my past. Generally speaking I don't like to be found by people I went to high school with, old flings, etc. This year was a little different, though, as a few key folks and I were somehow re-united, including my sister Malissa and my nemesis Colleen. I also met with my ex-wife for the first time since the divorce and allowed her the opportunity to make her peace. It went well. I'm glad she got the opportunity she needed; I doubt we'll ever intentionally meet again.

4. Getting published. I know it's only Scrye magazine, but that's not the point. For an English teacher, getting your work published in a national publication is a mark of legitimacy. Plus I got paid which was even better!

3. Getting offered a significant raise for a new position/lateral transfer. No promotion, but a fair raise over the course of 11 weeks. Plus I essentially get handed the reigns of a department. It's good to be wanted, and after not getting a management position added to my old department plus having to cancel my vacation for the privilege while others take that same week off...it was a little vindication for me.

2. The trip to NY/Columbus/Indy. What a ride. Seeing great friends, the city that never sleeps, my oldest friend's daughter, old friends, and good company. Road trip, plane trip, long trip. Helicopters landing on the highway and Mac's quoting the Juggernaut. It all only served to let me know that I've got to get back to New York City sometime! Greg, Hayden, Tudy, Joey, Mike, and the PressPass crew...thanks for making the trip what it was!

1. The Ninja. Every now and then someone comes into your life that leaves such an indelible impression that you know your life will never be the same. Brittney Jo, Office Ninja, is just such a person. I knew as soon as I saw her that she would be trouble. I wasn't disappointed. She was the reason I maintained any semblance of sanity during the April outages. She made the canceled vacation bearable, even enjoyable. She helped me realize the versatility of McDonalds receipts and that golf courses really can be relaxing. She helped me to find a new appreciation for libraries. And she gave me the best birthday gift I've ever received....a simple, carefully made little blue wooden box. Thanks for the memories, thanks for being an office ninja with me, and thank you for being my friend. I look forward to seeing you dance again one day... I'll be in the crowd when it happens, watching you reach for the stars after the sun has dipped below the horizon.

To all of you that made the year what it was...thank you so much for the memories and the good times!!! And now for 2007...

We goin' to the 'ship!!!

Tickets finally came in the mail!

Of course, Blogger doesn't want to upload my pic of the tix right now, but that's cool. They're like 9x5 inches with desert scenes on them. We have the front row of the upper-bowl, 30-yard line. Not too bad!

Mmmm.....

"Cry on the battlefield!
Hail to the Scarlet and Grey!!!
Don't let them through that line;
We've got to win this game today!
RAH!!! FIGHT!!!
Smash through to victory,
We'll cheer thee as we go!
Our honor defend, we will fight till the end
For OhhHiiiOhhh!!!"

Happy Christmas Everyone!

>Insert Picture Of Christmas Tree Here<

:-)

Wishing you and yours the best...

Edit: When I tried posting this the first time, the new Blogger automatically assumed that I wanted Insert to be an HTML tag because it started with Less Than sign with Insert immediately following. How nice of it to edit it to just be the open Insert tag, and add the close Insert tag at the end, and delete everything else. Thanks but no thanks, Blogger. If I want to add HTML, I'll edit it myself.

The holiday not-so-funs

They finally showed up.

Neet.

Congratulations...you get to pay!

My last day in the department at work is a week from Saturday so a few of the folks from my team figured they would throw a bit of a surprise get-together for me at Applebees (sans the surprise...I found out about their plans less than 6 hours after I was originally asked to go somewhere that night). I thought that was pretty cool of them.

So tonight comes and we all meet up, but evidently they *did* keep the surprise from me - I get to pay for my dinner! Surprise!!!

I don't think they did this to spite me, and I didn't want to say anything and end up making someone feel bad. I want to think that everyone thought someone else was paying. Or maybe they just aren't used to picking up the tab for someone like that. Idunno...it was cool that they at least thought of getting together. Just awkward at the end.

Heck, maybe they expected me to buy them dinner...not sure.

Eh.

Random thoughts prior to the return to reality

- I have no desire to go back to work and am delaying it as long as possible. Which just happens to be for another 8.5 hrs. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

- The house has now been fully transformed into Christmas mode. Tomorrow the cleaning will be finished and I'll have all the gifts for my family/friends wrapped and under the tree. Tuesday my Aunt comes in, and at some point after that I'll lose my sanity. I would say that I'll let you know when that happens, but I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out on your own.

(Shut up. No, I haven't lost it yet.)

(Yet.)

- It used to be that hockey was the fighting sport that wasn't boxing or UFC. Now it's basketball. Dr. Naismith has got to be rolling over in his grave over these brawls.

- I hate personal fouls in football. Absolutely hate them. Generally speaking, personal fouls mean you're personally stupid and that's inexcusable (at a professional level). If I ever am a head coach of a football team, personal fouls will carry steep penalties with me.

- Think Pittsburgh got sick of playing mediocre ball? What a domination...

- Tom Brady and Rex Grossman are both playing with chips on their shoulders right now. The difference between the two is that Tom is actually good. I'm tellin' ya right now - Chicago's offense is playing far better than what they should be capable of and it's all gonna come crashing down at the wrong time. Rex really isn't that great, Thomas Jones is NOT good, and for some reason defenses are letting Berrian beat them.

- Why must Cleveland suck, and why must the Ravens (whom I hate) have so many players that I like...

- Christ fooled us all. He returned to earth in the form of LaDanian Tomlinson. If he walked on water before, now he just drives across it. Oh, and scores touchdowns at will...

K, guess that's enough for now.

Stupid rules

- You can't go "offsides" in soccer.

- "Jump Balls" aren't really jump balls in college hoops (this is ludicrous and should be changed immediately).

- Saying that whole "force is with you" thing in Star Wars CCG.

- Assorted TSA rules when traveling.

I'm sure there are others, but these are the ones that come to mind at the moment.

It's comin' down

Our back yard is all grass, save for one palm tree. It was planted in 1987 and the palm fronds still touched the ground it was so small. We watered it a few gallons at a time, twice a week, thinking it would grow up as plants do. This one didn't. Instead, it grew outward. Yup, our palm bush got fat. Eh, whuduya want for free?

Some years later, though, it finally grew upwards. A lot. Now it's about 45 feet tall and rather than it effectively being a tree, it's effectively being a barb-protected flag pole that nobody can use. We had our tree guy come out as he does each year or so to give us the estimate on trimming our evergreens out front and saw the palm standing tall in the back, sorely in need of a shave. Evidently he thought it was in need of A LOT of shaving. Like down to the ground.

The guy told dad that the trunk was no longer sturdy enough to guarantee that a strong wind wouldn't snap the tree - the tree had simply grown too tall and became a lever in the wind. Dad didn't exactly relish the thought of having a permanent palm tree in our house instead of the yard, and even less the thought of having the tree inadvertently relocated into house of one of our neighbors. So down it will come in January.

This, to me, will be a bit of sweet revenge. Back in jr. high and high school my friends and I used to play BYF - back yard football. This wasn't so much like football as you know it, but a cross between football, rugby, and smeer the queer. One team of three or four threw the ball aganst the fence at the other end where the opposing team was. That team then had to pick up the ball and run/pass it towards the other end. Multiple forward passes were permissable. Incomplete passes were deadball turnovers; lost fumbles and int's could be advanced. If you moved the ball to the opposite end and touched the fence while in posession, it was 3 points. If you tackled someone with the ball it was one point. If the ball went over the fence it was -1 point. Now, for the most part, we were shorter/smaller guys. I weighed all of 140 on a good day, and our avg. height was 5 foot 9. We really weren't cut out for h/s football, but you get us in the yard and we were superstars...fearless. I was like Troy Brown meets Devin Hester. And, as good of a combination as that might be, my friend Andy Wright was like Lawrence Taylor plus LaDanian Tomlinson...(yes, that's LT^2). Andy *should* have played football, but his folks wouldn't let him. They were too afraid he'd get hurt while playing in pads but for some reason they thought nothing of him tackling and getting hit without protective gear. Eh. In any case, I was returning the kick one evening and brushed off a pair of defenders to see nothing but the fence in front of me. This really should have been a warning sign since, in the back of my mind, I know we never play with less than three on a team. Right as I was crossing midfield - where the tree stood - Andy popped out from behind the tree and made me pay for my forgetfulness by introducing my back to the ground.

This is one of two times in my life I've been de-cleated, and the only time in my life I've ever fumbled the football. It didn't hurt (not right then, at least...the next morning I felt like death, though), but it definitely stunned me. I just laid there...couldn't hear anything, largely unaware of where I was and what happened. After a couple of minutes I was fine but that hit was the most fierce contact any of us had experienced to that point, and it ended up going down as the most vicious hit in BYF (lucky me, eh?). Had that palm tree not been there, though, I'd have seen Andy and...well, I don't know what I would have done, but I guarantee I wouldn't have just allowed myself to get destroyed like that.

So, palm tree, oh camouflager of destruction, it's time for me to return the favor you once paid me. I'm bringin' the pain in January, baby!

Serving your customers - what a good idea!

(Please read this post with the understanding that I really don't like waiting in lines in retails stores and banks)

(I can be patient, but that doesn't mean I'm happy about lines at all)

(At all)

Banking is a needs-based industry - you need us, so we exist. I, however, like to think of us as a service-based industry. All in all there is incredible product parity in the banking world. That being the case, the only qualities that can really set us apart are convenience and service. We build the convenience into our products, and we're a freakin' huge credit union from a branch/location standpoint. Not as big as others - Golden 1 and Navy Fed, for example - but still pretty damn big. So we're good there. That leaves service, and we focus on that A LOT. We're not a shining example above all, mind you, but we're pretty frackin' good and we invest thousands upon thousands of dollars (and this year, multiple millions) to serve our members as best we know how. Even with failing systems (*shudder*) we can still provide good service.

Apparently other retail chains don't hold to this standard. Lets take...oh, Wal-Mart for example. I go to the self-service checkout line because I hate waiting for a regular checkout line (self-service lines, btw, are one of God's gifts to me...I love them!) and accidently ring one of my items twice. My bad. I have to wait for assistance to have the item voided, though. Can't just be removed. I need a 'leet Wal-Mart employee to enter ye merry keye kode and "void" the item. Now, when you need assistance, a little red light shows up above you, the computer says (repeatedly, ad nauseum or until said 'leet Wal-Mart employee shows up) "Please wait for assistance," and you wait. Emphasis on the wait. The "assistance" I was waiting for, in spite of being less then 15 feet away and having a blip light up on her monitor, was too captivated by cutting out a paper snowflake to notice that I needed "assistance." So I waited for 6 minutes. I could have snapped her out of her focus, sure, but that would have defeated the purpose. Heck, in the time I waited I could have hacked ye merry keye kode myself! Come to think of it, that would have been the epitome of self-service. Eh. The point being, you receive a paycheck to pay attention and assist me, so for cryin' out loud, do it. Please.

I know, some of you are saying that going to Wal-Mart was my first mistake. I would normally agree, but we did have a branch at this one, I needed to make a withdrawal, and some of my folks requested specific gifts from there. I don't like my family very much sometimes.

Okay, the other one that got me was this sale item in a smaller retail store. I went in, picked up the item (heckuva buy), and...*sigh* got in line. Should have gone quickly. One customer at the counter, one in front of me, then me. The problem was that only one clerk was ringing people up, and as it happened, both people in front of me were info-searching rather than purchasing. Now, this is Friday, December 15th. It's a double-payday, it's the holidays, and it's the last payday prior to Christmas. With four people in the store, you'd figure one of them would notice that I've been standing in line for 15 minutes trying to buy one item and open up the 2nd register. Nope. I get to wait. Then, when I do get to the counter the shift manager says, "Oh, sorry about the wait, sir. Sometimes that happens."

Hmmm...so that means you *did* see me there, and you're the one in charge, and you didn't do a thing. But you're sorry at the end, after you have my money, just before I leave. How 'bout this. Try being proactively sorry rather than reactively, because frankly, I don't give two hoots how sorry you are after I've made my purchase. Idiot.

If I go into a store to give them my money, I'd like them to be happy...neigh, eager to take it. As it stands, Wal-mart I already can't stand, and I'll never go into that other store again. Serve your customers, please.

I should've gone to Mexico

Today at 1:30AM my company enabled some enhanced security features on one of their core systems - a real big deal that we've been testing and prepping for months. We knew that the change was going to increase call volume no matter what, but we were doing our best to minimize or squash any possible negative impact. As I was leaving yesterday I told my boss that I'd stay up until the changes went live and then test them live on my own account to see if all went well. If it did, great! If not, I told him I'd just start my vacation one day early so if he didn't see me in the office that meant I was heading south towards the Mexican coast.

1:45 came around and everything tested fine. I went to bed w/no concerns. I woke up and checked my email at work, though, and saw errors. Lots of errors. In just the first hour. NOT an encouraging sight, and for some reason I started to hear mariachi music in the background...

I got to work and things didn't get better. In fact they got worse as the day went on, culminating in the system shutting down unexpectedly. AWESOME! The security enhancements made the system soooo secure that even WE couldn't use it! :-)

The truth of the matter is, strange as it sounds, this is actually the smoothest "upgrade" we've had to our online system since the inception of the current program. Impact truly was minimized (save for that whole "shutting down" thing) and the support staff performed admirably. But just because it went relatively smoothly doesn't make it any easier for myself or, more importantly, my staff to hear complaints all day long. I really SHOULD have gone to Mexico...would have been more fun. So, in honor of where I should have gone, I post the lyrics to a song of one of my favorite bands, The Refreshments - the musings and recollections of the lead singer, Roger Clyne, about one of his many trips to our good neighbor Mexico...

Here comes another song about Mexico
I just can't help myself
I lost my old lady
Got my lures
Got my bobbers
Now I'm gonna go
Got off in the wrong direction
Found a hooker and lost my erection
So I had to lie
In the letter to the boys back home

Now the good guys and the bad guys
Never work past noon around here
They sit side to side in cantinas
Talk to senoritas
And drink warm beer

Holidays

Here's to hoping the holidays are treating you well, and that you found someone or someones to do something holidayish with.

It's official now - I win

We were finally able to announce at work that I received the new position and will be transitioning over as of the new year, and I can honestly say that never has a move been easier and yet more draining. Two weeks deciding whether or not to post, waiting as long as possible to see what my own management chain would offer, if anything. Two weeks waiting for the opportunity to interview. Two weeks in negotiations. Then a week of waiting for undisclosable purposes.

Seven weeks, one new job. I'm glad the waiting is over.

When we made the announcements today one of my immediate reports started crying. I wanted to hug her but that might have been awkward for both of us. She'll be fine. Others were welcoming and looked forward to my arrival.

I just look forward to the opportunity of building my own department and working myself into a promotion. Hopefully I'll be able to bring over some of my better employees along the way.

The Ritz

Here are a few pics of the place. They're not the greatest, and they don't even come close to capturing how incredible the place was. Do your best to ignore the pattern of the interior decoration - it's pretty ugly - and appreciate it for what it is.

Every day when I pulled in to have my car valet parked (for free!), the cars that lined the streets were all foreign - either German, Italian, or English. The place absolutely reeked of success. The Illinois basketball team stayed there during the mini-tournament and their coaches were across the hall from us breaking down game film early in the week. Later on started a M.D.'s conference, as well as a professional printing/publisher's conference. Everyone that walked through the doors of this place was there to either showcase their success or review other's success, and the staff there made you feel like it, too. I wasn't even staying there and they never saw my ID, but somehow they figured out who I was between the time I first walked in their doors and the first time I left. After that, every time I saw their staff..."Oh, hello Mr. Goodrich. Is there anything we can get for you? Let me get that door, Mr. Goodrich. Shall we make lunch reservations for you, Mr. Goodrich?" I'M NOT EVEN A PAID GUEST!!!! That didn't matter to them, though. They made me feel like they were better for having me in their establishment, and not the other way around. There was another gal that did happen to be staying there, and there was a local TV station that wasn't available in her room. There was a particular show she was interested in seeing but couldn't find it; after she called the front desk to inquire, they brought a 30 inch flat screen on a moving platform up to her room with rabbit ears just so she could watch the show, going out of their way to make sure she felt accomodated and served.

Out-freakin'-standing. If I ever get enough money to where I can stay at Ritz's wherever I go, they've got my business.

Besides the aforementioned heavenly cookies that they serve us after lunch, everything else they served us was equally as outstanding. Berry compote. Freshly made bread. Cointreau, melon, berries, and fresh mint. Full coffee and tea service w/good silver and all sorts of flavors and whipped cream and cinnamon sticks and honey and chocolate drops and five types of sweeteners. Orange, grapefruit, cranberry, and mango juices; and guava and peach nectars. Every kind of pastry you can think of, plus fresh apple turnovers. Hot oatmeal w/all the additives on the side. Yogurt parfaits. Full bagel service. Etc, etc, etc.

By the end of the week, I started to get the feeling like if I'd have called to the front desk and requested a harem, they'd have had one sent up for me. No request was too silly, no detail was too insignificant.

It bears mentioning

A direct quote as spoken to me in front of our group today at the training conference....

"Why don't you hold your banana in one hand and your nuts in the other and see what happens?"

O_O

HAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

"Don't give up...don't ever give up."

Every year ESPN helps sponsor the Jimmy V Classic, a basketball tournament in which the proceeds help fund cancer research in the name of the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research, and every year they play Jimmy Valvano's speech at the 1993 Espy Awards. It's not quite Brian's Song, but it still nearly makes me cry every time I see it.

Cancer is a killer. Three of my four grandparents had it. Two of them died from it, along with my uncle on my mom's side. Cancer is a bitch. My mom had a hysterectomy for pre-cancerous cells on some girl part down there, and my dad has recurring skin cancer. Given family history and the increased processing of foods, the addition of assorted chemicals into various daily-used household products, etc...I'm likely to get cancer. I can take reasonable steps to prevent it, and goodness knows I am, but sometimes there's just too high of a genetic predisposition to prevent it. My best friend and I used to joke that we'll get it since it seemed like everything people do eventually gives them cancer. But the joke has a high element of truth in it in my case; I accepted this long ago, and am quite fine with it.

I've discussed this with a fair number of you, and those of you that I've talked to about this know that, by no means, is this a morbid statement. In fact, it's nothing more than a scientific near-guarantee...a part of life that I don't directly control. I will very, very likely have cancer before I die, so I look at the efforts and donations of myself and my family as something of an investment in my future. But I'll tell you this much, folks, if I get cancer, I won't take it laying down. To the contrary, I'll put up more of a fight than a championship fighter in the ring defending his belt. I'll not stop until my 12 rounds are finished and it's licked, and maybe we'll go three extra rounds for good measure. But, should it get a sucker punch in on me, before I go down for the final count I'll look that bitch in the eye and punch it right in the mouth.

Should cancer be my fate, I'll never give up...I won't ever give up.

Trevor, I'm sorry, but the Ritz's cookies are better

I know Hilton's are good...and they ARE good...but the cookies that the Ritz-Carlton is providing are bigger, better, and offer more variety. I've tried the white chocolate macadamia nut and the walnut chocolate chip so far. Tomorrow will be peanut butter.

Sweet googa mooga, those things are good....

I don't get it...

I'm in a corporate sales/service training certification class right now with a bunch of CEOs, decision makers, and head trainers. The idea is that after I finish this week-long process I'll be certified to take the material back to my company and teach it to more peeps...COOL! No problem, I can teach! It's at the Ritz-Carlton, too, and for those that have never been to one, they REALLY take care of you well....like OMG well! I'll post more about that later with some pictures.

Anywho, you know that all of these folks have attended all sorts of assorted seminars, meetings, and conventions in the past, and all of them have probably conducted said meetings as well. What do all these things have in common? They ask you/expect you to turn your cellphones to off or some form of silent alert during the presentations. So, knowing that everyone in the room has been in these situations before, HOW THE HECK IS IT THAT PEOPLE STILL HAVE THEIR CELL RINGERS ON???

Yes, that happened. Both days so far, and I fully expect it will happen again tomorrow, and then again on Thursday.

C'mon, folks...there's only 21 others of you in there with me! Can't we all get it right? Just once?

How do you like your Gator soup?

Well-boiled, please.

My prediction...

Ohio State 38
Florida 20

Ooohh...look at all the pretty sparks!

It's generally inadvisable to put a mug with a metal strip around it in the microwave to heat up water (unless of course you're intending to blow up the cup and/or microwave, in which case, by all means, proceed).

*oops*

I didn't know we had any mugs with metal on them. Who does that?!?! I'll tell you who...the Arizona Cardinals. Leave it to them to find a way to blow something up.

Holiday Cheer - An oxymoron?

Generally speaking, I find Holiday Cheer to be a contradiction in terms - an oxymoron of sorts. I don't like the holidays. I don't like putting up Christmas decorations or Christmas lights. I get annoyed by holiday shoppers and disgusted by excessive holiday glee. I get fed up with 80+ degree holiday temperatures. The increasing commercialism surrounding the season doesn't make things any better, either. It's all just icky.

Of the 26 holiday seasons I can recall, 3 of them have been truly enjoyable. Of those three, one was because it snowed (the only Christmas I remember from Ohio), and the other two were because one of the people I was with enjoyed Christmas so much that it was contagious...you couldn't help but love the season. The other 23 holiday seasons in my living member have simply been tolerated.

Now flip the script.

This year I've found myself seeking Christmas movies and Christmas drinks and Christmas lights and Christmas trees. Looking to start holiday traditions. Playing holiday music all day long. One of my loved ones accused me of being severely ill today. I don't know why I'm like this all the sudden this year. Nothing is different to speak of, but for some reason I've got...ick...holiday cheer! *shudders*

Holiday cheer reminds me of morning chipper, and I don't do morning chipper. Heck, I barely even do morning tolerable! The fact that I'm actually exhibiting said cheer is dangerous enough as it is, and the results could end up being cataclysmic.

Brief Update

They made an offer, I countered, and now I'm waiting for their response. I hope to hear something tomorrow.

I told my boss, however, that I would be leaving the department soon. His response was priceless (and yes, this is a direct quote):

"I hate you."

Outstanding! I was so proud of that response that I typed it up, printed it, and taped it to my monitor.

AHHH HORSE MANURE!

My hit counter disappeared. I went to the statistics site and this is the message that awaited me...

*sigh*

***

Our apologies

If you are viewing this page now, we regret to inform you that the hit counter and statistical data for your account here have been lost. To continue using our service, you'll need to (1.) re-register/create a new account (below), and (2.) re-install the NEW counter code provided onto your site page(s).

Last week, PrecisionCounter experienced a major failure of the database which stores our account and statistical data. Basically, everything that could go wrong - did. We had originally designed our systems so that if our primary database were to ever fail (which it never has before) we would be able to restore service from a backup database within a few minutes. However, something also failed with the backup routines, and we discovered the backup data was corrupted and unrecoverable.

In the past year, PrecisionCounter has become a top provider of FREE traffic counters and site statistics - thanks completely to you, our customers. We'd also like to thank you in advance, for taking a few moments to create your replacement account and re-installing the new counter code on your page(s) so we may continue to serve you!

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***

Whaddaya want for free (answer: everything)?

My lowly little site had received 520 hits before I saw this message. I guess I start from zero again. Zero just isn't as sexy as 520 (not that 520 is all that sexy, but I'll take all the sexy I can get).

So for those of you that have visited before, thanks for your support and your continued readership. Looking forward to rebuilding...

EDIT: Suh-weet! Looks like I can at least choose my starting point!!!! Hail the resurrection of sexy!!!!

Bookstores - A Blogpost

I was at one of my two favorite bookstores last night - this one is a two-story Borders w/couches and chairs and all sorts of stuff on everything and you can have a coffee and sit up on the top floor and people watch - and was walking through the fiction section looking and hundreds and thousands of books I'll never read. These days you can find some rather interesting things on the covers of books. A couple of the more notables are a daisy of naked humans, butts up, in the middle of a field, as well as an extreme close-up of this girl's pink bra where the cups connect in the middle (is there a name for that?). And yes, this was the normal fiction section...not erotica or anything like that. In any case, besides...well, interesting photos, I noticed that many of the novels identified themselves by putting "A Novel" somewhere on the front cover.

This perplexes me. When you look at various classic literature, both ancient and more recent, the individual works don't identify their respective genres on the covers. Rather, they assume the reader is intelligent enough to figure it out on their own. Why is it, then, that authors/publishers/whoever feel the need to set apart their novels? Are readers dumber now (they probably are in some ways, but it's more of a rhetorical question)? Are the lines between poetry, reference text, and novels blurring?

Meh, whatever. If I get something published I guess I can do whatever I want with it. Until then, I'll assume you know what the heck you're reading (save for this post).

And for what it's worth, strange book covers aside, last night was probably the most enjoyable visit to a bookstore I've ever had.

Experimenting

I "upgraded" to the new Blogger Beta and will be trying out a few things over the next couple of days so you're likely to see some random changes for a while as I try things out.

So far all the added functionality is beneficial and the various new editing UI's are intuitive and easy to access/use. If anything sucks I'll be sure to let you all know so that you can shun the furmious bandersnatch as long as possible.

Crushes

I've had a crush on Drew Barrymore since I was four years old. ET. "Mom, who's that? She's cuuuuute!"

Yup, nothin' like seein' a cutie with an alien to make you fall in love. Heh...

Anywho, I've crushed on her from that moment. Yeah, she's had her skankier moments, but she grew up and calmed down, and now she's just cute with a side of weird. I realized today, though, that I have a second starlet crush, and have since at least 1995 - Alicia Silverstone. I don't remember exactly when this one developed, but I do remember her in Clueless. She's not the most talented actress, but she IS cuuuuute!

If most any star - sports, stage, or screen - were to suddenly appear in front of me, it'd be cool but I could at least keep my composure. If either of those two gals suddenly appeared in front of me, I'd be four years old again, wide-eyed and mouth hanging open, and without a recognizable vocabulary.

My computer is sad :-(

My MS Office files are corrupted and I can't find the disk that has the data files necessary to restore them. Most of the programs are still useable to some degree, but Outlook is shot. I'm going to be saving as much information as I can before I wipe it from the system but I may lose a few email addresses and such along the way. I'm downloading Open Office in the meantime and will be looking for a free version of Office XP or, preferably, 2003.

(If any of you have versions of this software that you'd be willing to donate, lemme know please!)

Of course, this may be an early indication of a hard drive on the outs as well...

*hurries to back up downloaded files before she blows*

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Just wanted to wish you and yours a fantastic holiday! Some of us have found recent success and happiness. Others of us have fallen upon harder times. Where ever you might fall in that spectrum, be sure to take a moment and think about what you have to be thankful for...chances are you can find something.

Take care, all, and enjoy...

And now we wait...

- Show that I'm qualified for the position...check.

- Negotiate for a company laptop...check.

- Negotiate for a raise to be offered...check.

- Negotiate for a qualifying raise to be offered...hurry up and wait.

Now it's time for the various VPs associated w/the hiring process to cloister themselves away and come up with a number for me, but I've been given no ETA so it really is just hurry up and wait.

We'll see what happens...this is by no means a done deal.

"Every girl's crazy 'bout a sharp-dressed man"

Rockers in shades and funny beards may have said it a good number of years ago, but it's still just as true now.

I looked damn good in my interview suit today!

The calm before the storm

Two hours until go time.

I'm not nervous about the interview, although I did find out yesterday as I was walking out of the office that the responsible VP has requested to conduct the interview. So now instead of a peer and a direct supervisor conducting the interview, it's the direct supervisor and a 5-level skip above me conducting the interview. This is a good change - she's hired me before and I've worked for her for years in the past - but it does kinda make my resume look rather unnecessary considering she was there for the majority of it. Just an odd feeling to have her looking at a list of accomplishments and qualifications I know she's already familiar with.

As an added bonus, I'm getting a brief massage about 15 minutes prior to the interview - good times!

What a weekend...

It started with a terrible first half of a work day on Friday, followed by me yelling at someone I love, then just feeling like dung the second half of the workday.

I got home and a buddy of mine canceled plans.

Shortly after that, I find out that a woman I used to love recently was left by the same guy that was the catalyst of the end of my relationship with her in the first place. I went completely numb. I knew he would hurt her at some point so as she tells me what happened, it's like I'm seeing the end of a movie I've already seen. There's not even feelings of "I told you so," or "I knew it!" It was more like reading lines in a history book and you've already taken the class. She speaks as though maybe she wants to make amends for past mistakes - not get back together, just make amends - so I agree to meet her for coffee. This would mark the first time I've really seen her since the split. It will likely end up being the last time I ever see her in any meaningful capacity again.

After only a couple hours sleep I'm up and off to a volunteer "Mutt Strut" for a local canine rescue shelter through work. Evidently a group of my coworkers got together for what seemed to have been a rather...well, drunken time the night before and they weren't feeling so hot. I laughed. From there, it was straight back home for The Game.

Before the game started, tho, I find out someone I love was having a much rough weekend. I was happy to listen; fortunately everything will be okay.

The game started and my heart was beating at 170 and I was sitting the entire time, unless I was at the refrigerator or the grill. Part of this was because my heart sucks. Part of it was because the game was entirely too close for comfort. Good guys win, goin' to the ship. Now it's hurry up and wait to see if we get drawn for tix.

After the game, go to watch the fights last night and have my fill of beer and wings (NOT homemade wings, thank you). Silvia won in an exhausting 5-rounder that I'm sure Munson would have nearly won (if not won) if he could have even 4 more inches of height. Hughes lost to a very quick, very game St. Pierre. Can't wait for the rematch.

This morning/afternoon marked coffee with the woman I used to love. So strange. I thought I'd come away hurt, but I wasn't. There was nothing. It was like we just recently met and we were having lunch to chat. No hint of the past relationship was evident in her, and goodness knows I felt nothing. Barely a memory came to mind. On one level, it's mildly disappointing to think that the relationship wasn't strong enough to feel anything about just a few years after it ended...it's now barely more more than a casual acquaintance, but mostly it's just nice to see the proof of what I already knew - the healing is done; I've moved on.

Get home from lunch, watch football, etc, etc.

Strange weekend. I don't want to go to work tomorrow.

Meh.

And this isn't even close to overboard!

You all know that I'm an Ohio State fan, raised by Ohio State fans, all born in Ohio, and some of which attended the great educational institution and played in The Best Damn Band In The Land. Unless you've been to Columbus, though, you don't understand what it is to be an Ohio State fan, and you likely have no real concept of the fanatacism that surrounds college football. The following pictures should give you some idea of what it's like. Bear in mind that this is quite mild compared to some Columbus displays. Not pictured is the OSU flag we had on display in the front yard.

For the pics, please click here.

Hail to the Victors!

They made it more exciting than I wanted it to be, but "The" Ohio State University beat that school up north, and Tressel beat Carr yet again. A score of 42-39 never sounded so sweet...

If you're playing for that school up north, and you're wearing #22, and you're seeing this, you're probably going to be seeing the rest of the game from the sidelines. Whoops! ;-)

The one thing I can't stand about the game is the comments of Mike Hart. As taken from a transcript of the post game press conference...

REPORTER: Why were you able to have some questions running the ball compared to last couple games?

MIKE HART: Because, you know, their defense wasn't -- their defense played good, but they're not as good as people thought, I guess I could say. We knew we were going to be able to run the ball, but we didn't put enough points on the board. There's nothing special about that defense.

Nothing special. Not as good as people thought. Well, Mike Hart, you might recall that 9 of the cats you saw trying to tackle you this year were different than last year. And yet they still were able to beat...well, everyone they played. People thought the defense would give up big points and would likely lose at least one game early in the season. And consider this - they did what nobody else was able to do to your school this year - BEAT YOU! If that ain't special, I don't know what is. Ass.

Now it's hurry up and wait to see if we're drawn for tickets to the BCS championship game. Hope it works out!!!

What the heck?

Three sets of plans canceled within two weeks spanning multiple people...what gives? Do I have leprosy or something?

*frustrated*

The national holiday approaches

I'm considering doing what would be a first for me - a live blog event. As most of you are aware, this Saturday my beloved "The" Ohio State University Buckeyes take on that other school for the right to play in the national championship. I still think that other school wins the game this year - their defense is pretty dag'gone good - but I'll still watch. Mom's turning the house into an Ohio State shrine. I'll be sure to post some pics in a few days.

In any case, if I do it, you'll get a live update on my insanity as the refs blow calls and people make idiots of themselves. If I do this, though, I warn you now - ethics, reason, and character are going to go out the window. There's likely to be swearing and cursing and general filth. This can't be helped, nor can it be held against me.

Remember that. Nothing held against me. Diplomatic immunity 'n stuff.

Why I love In N Out Burger

I went to In N Out Burger for lunch for the second time this week (yes, Greg, you can drool...or hate me, whichever you prefer). Some people think that's stupid. If you don't like the food, fine. I can accept that you're an alien. But if you do like the food and you're going to buy fast food, why WOULDN'T you go multiple times in a week? I got to thinking why I like them so much...here's what I come up with.

5. Cool cars. Corvettes and Cobras. Raw American musclecar power.

5A. Their secret menu. Being able to order something animal style or ask for a 4x4 and know what that means makes me feel like a secret agent...the 007 of the lunch world. Knowing secrets is good!

4. Cleanliness. I have yet to go into In N Out where there wasn't at least one person cleaning something. Now, granted, if you go in the middle of the lunch rush you're gonna find some dirty tables...they work quickly, but not at light speed. Still, they run a pretty tight ship there.

3. Value and price. Put their meals up against the meals at any other fast food burger joint and they're highly competitive. You get plenty of food and it's made to order.

T-1. Service. The employees get paid quite well, and for that wage they expect the best service fast food has to offer. The employees deliver. They don't have customers - they have guests, and they greet every guest that walks in the door. If you ask them how they're doing, they'll tell you and thank you for asking. They say please and thank you for everything. They work their tails off to make things right for you. And, most importantly, they never....EVER....get my order wrong. Ever.

T-1. Quality. Fresh food, never frozen. You can watch them make their fries from real potatoes. The slice the tomatoes and lettuce right in front of you. It's real beef pattied right in front of you. Fries made to order - even a little well done if you want that. Shakes that are the yum. They make four things - hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fries, and shakes (Coke makes the soda ;-) ). Simple yet delightfully tasty.

Top to bottom, they've got the right idea. I like their work ethic, and I like their food. They've earned a lifelong supporter!

Just one quick blog post...

It absolutely drives me crazy. At first I thought it was just a couple of people at my work. Then I started noticing it from a LOT of people at work. And now I just hear it all over.

"Just one quick question..."

Really? Is it really a quick question? Is it just one? And is it quick because the question itself is quick (although the answer may be ridiculously involved)? Or maybe it's quick relative to the time it takes Neptune to revolve around the sun?

You know what would make the questioning experience even quicker???? If you didn't preface it with "Just one quick question," or any variation thereof!!!

And please....PLEASE....if you insist on saying that, please don't have the nerve to follow it up with some stupid, unnecessary background information. Just ask the damn question so I can answer somebody else's quick inquiry.

In my area at work, seconds count. The funny thing is that the representatives are the ones that should be counting the seconds the most (considering there's financial gain to do so, not to mention higher end-user satisfaction), and yet they're the biggest offenders.

Heh. Irony.

Sorry. I just heard it said one too many times today.

/end rant

It's all that's there...

So much happened tonight, but as I sit down to write, all that keeps coming out is this...

I'm really cold, and I don't want to go to bed.

Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak,
Whispers the o'er-fraught heart and bids it break.

-Shakespeare (Macbeth 5.1.50)

Maybe I'll Read It

The book I mention below really has me intrigued, and it's not too big to be intimidating to read. If that goes down then for the first time in....wow, maybe ten years or so?...I will have read a novel for enjoyment.

An English teacher that doesn't really enjoy reading books. Who does that?

(And I'm still cringing at my "today is still today" bit. Friends don't let friends blog tired.)

For One More Day

I went to Starbucks today for the first time in a while and realized how much I miss just sitting there with good company sippin' on a coffee and talking and laughing. Coffee is gooooooood...

Got the coffee today. They were fresh out of company tho.

In any case while I was waiting in line for my drink I saw they were selling Mitch Albom's novel For One More Day. I had no idea who the author was (although a little mild research reveals I've at least heard of his best sellers, and that whole "best seller" part indicates, if nothing else, he has an audience of best buyers so he must be serviceable, unlike Trevor's runningback corps ;-) ) or what the book was about, but the title got me thinking - if I could have just one more day with someone I'd lost, who would it be? And would I actually want to do it?

I've lost a lot of family and by a lot I mean nearly all of them but , but I moved away from "home" when I was four years old, so I really wasn't close with any of them to speak of. I've had a lot of broken friendships/relationships, and while there's a few of them I would like to have one more day with, for the purposes of my discussion here I'll limit the prospect pool to the deceased.

That leaves two options that come to mind. The obvious choice would be Stuart, my dear friend who was killed in a drunk driving accident on the way home from a California vacation on Memorial Day weekend. I'd love to have him back, but I don't need to. I made my peace w/that one long ago. The one I don't understand and I'd be curious to chill with for one more day would be James, another elementary and high school friend who took his own life. He was pleasant, relational, had an incredible gaming mind, and simply brilliant in his own way. His death was an absolute shock as we all found out on Christmas a few years ago.

The real question, though, is would I really want to do this?

Nope, not a chance. Let the dead be dead. That's easy for me to say since I've never lost a parent, I don't really have any siblings to lose, and I have no wife or children. I think that if I'd lost any of those, it's entirely possible such a decision would be dramatically more difficult. Nonetheless, it seems that exchanging that one day's experiences for what's likely to be many days or weeks of additional grieving is a bad trade-off. Generally speaking, I don't see any sense in reopening those old wounds.

What did I just do?

I "emailed" my sister. Found her on MySpace (which I still can't stand, by the way, regardless of what happens with sis). Tomorrow - which is technically today, although I don't believe that tomorrow comes until you wake up, and given my extremely recent inability to get to a state which I can wake up from, it means today is still today by my definition - is her birthday. She'll be 27.

I didn't know what to say to someone I haven't spoken to in over a year (maybe it's over two years now?) and haven't seen in almost 5 years, so I simply offered a Happy Birthday and told her I missed her. I don't know if I'll hear back from her. Part of me wants to. Part of me is terrified to. So now I guess I'm just waiting on the whims and caprices of the birthday girl.

OMW, did I seriously just say "today is still today"? By my definition? I must be retarded. Or a genius. Possibly both, but I doubt it.

Alright ima stop now.

Torture

For someone that hates the process of going to bed and falling asleep - not being able to get to sleep.

Anyone tried the new beta Blogger?

If so, lemme know how it works for you? What's new that you actually use? Anything work particularly well? Particularly poorly?

That'd be cool

I think it would be really cool if one of my stories actually came true...

(And lest life play a cruel joke on me, I think I'll clarify that the story doesn't come true unless I'm the lead male role. I'm not gonna have some random Joe receive the benefit of my stories....)

I can't stand MySpace

Broken or errors out half the time.

Too damn much advertising (TruE dat...).

Webcam shows I don't wanna see which spawn emails I don't want to get.

Awkward editing interfaces.

Top 8's and all the arguments that start because of them.

"Friends."

The MySpace network is a freakin' goldmine and the originators are have made a truckload of cash. Bravo! Now please leave.

Woahhhh... talk about unexpected!

The following IP showed up suddenly in my visitors list....

gateway.decipher.com

I'm baby retarded

This is largely intentional, mind you, but it's true. When it comes to the birthing process I know to create babies and prevent them, and that's roughly it. Make a baby, 9 months-later the catcher gets down below the equator with the mit, pushy pushy, and poof! Baby!

Yes, I know it's not like that for real. But in my mind it is.

I've never witnessed it nor have I seen a birthing video, and no, I'm not missing anything. I don't care what you say. I don't need to see it, hear it, smell it...nope, no sir. If I ever become a father I'll totally become like Mister Baby Know-It-All, but for me to get from ignorance to bliss it will take the love of a good woman and a child of my own. Nothing less will accomplish such an otherwise impossibily difficult feat.

This was confirmed when I saw video of a pregnant woman's naked stomach on the TV. I gasped and pointed. Totally freaked out. Then I left the room.

The experience reminded me of a time when a girl I used to care about very much went into early labor. She hopped in the car w/her mom, her bf, and myself and we flew to the hospital. I guess she had a contraction or something (or maybe she was just scared) because it was way after hours but one loud scream-n-shout later, that door magically buzzed open and up the elevators we went.

As they wheeled her to whatever room she was going to we passed by a birthing room - empty, of course. I saw a birthing...chair? Table? Aparatus? Idunno what it's really called, but it resembled a medieval torture device. Stopped me dead in my tracks on sight. I stood there in terror, jaw dropped, stupified and bewildered that life could actually come out of a contraption like that, gripped with confusion to the point that I couldn't bring myself to look away - so much so that her mom had to come and find me after she realized I wasn't with them in the room. Then after she finally brought me into the room where her daughter was I saw these little black paddles on her stomach and I freaked out because there were beeps and jellies and buzzers and wires all over the place and I wanted the baby to be okay and her stomach was big and I'd never seen any of this crap before (nor have I since, thankfully).

Her mom turns to me and says, "It's okay, Scott. The baby's just stressed?"

"How the heck can a baby be stressed when it hasn't even been born yet??? Is it hearing her parents' discussions about bills and stuff?"

"No, stressed physically."

And no, I'm not making this up. That all really happened, and I'm still totally weirded out by baby stuff to this day. A couple years ago someone at work explained to me what an episiotomy was...I damn near fainted.

Baby stuff is just icky. Until, of course, it's my baby with my lady :-)

Sorry all...it's just work

I've been totally neglecting my blogging for some time now as work has been sapping the energy out of me, and by the time I get home I largely just haven't given too hoots about much of anything.

Totally blah to the max!

Okay, so now that the 80's time warp has passed (what the heck didI just say???), here's a synopsis of the past couple of weeks:

I cancelled my vacation so I could manage my team through the four halves of two seperate projects we were piloting at the same time. What ended up happening, though, is only one of the four halves was actually implimented while the two project managers went on vacation.

The Auditing dep't. started our sales incentive audit, and boy howdy did we bomb it....baaaaaadly. Oh, so badly. I did receive a commendation from the VP of Auditing, though, for being the only guy there that could actually help with issues. And all of my incentive payouts were accurate.

Through an unusual series of circumstances I became the most senior supervisor in the department.

Each supervisor has a lead representative to help them manage their team and develop them into leaders and future management. My lead was recently promoted to supervisor and is now my peer. Not only that, she was the unanimous favorite, and simply blew the other candidates away.

Our workforce supervisor's been out of the office for various reasons, and I happen to know how to interact w/the workforce system and data. I stepped in to save the day.

Noticing a pattern here?

So I've decided I'm going to get a raise to the tune of 20-25%. That's quite a bit, yes, but I'm no longer your average bear, I've proven myself head and shoulders above the rest of my peers, all of my peers have been in position (and largely in company) less than seven months, the state unemployment rate remains near to 3% yet we continue to be in the top three contact center markets in the nation. All of that works to my favor. I've informed my boss of this so he's well aware, and I've actually got another vice-president angleing to steal me away from him and essentially build a second contact center in the credit union - it would be mad hours like now, but the pay would definitely be there, and probably months sooner than what can be arranged where I'm currently at. So while the decision of stay vs. go isn't yet made, the decision of make more vs. not is definitely made - they only part about that in the air is will I start making that in one month or four.

So sorry about my lack of attention. It's just work. Back to my regularly scheduled blogging.

Who's the boss? I'm the boss!

Man, that just sounds weird.

Boss.

Me? Are you kidding me? A boss? I'm the idiot with a Nerf dart gun in his desk, a beach scene with real sand and sand castle on top, and little Marine Corps men all around. I'm not a boss. My title doesn't say Manager. Not yet, at least.

But my team didn't get that memo and decided to play a bit of a practical joke on me for Boss's day. While I was in a meeting they moved my desk. Completely. Everything on it, they moved to an empty sup's desk. It was a pretty good stunt, and I was honored that they would appreciate me enough to do something like that.

But me? A boss? They pay me a compliment by saying as much and acting like I'm their boss, but it just feels weird. It would be kinda like saying I was the boss as a teacher - sure, I run the class as I see fit, but the boss is the principal.

Just the same, I was thankful. I'm thankful my team, even though they call me boss, still knows me well enough and felt comfortable enough to play a joke on me as my gift and know it would be appreciated.

Snatching Defeat from the claws of Victory

Up 23-3 through three quarters.

Your defense creates 6 turnovers.

Their offense doesn't score a touchdown.

Last year's Mr. Money placekicker with a chance to win the game.

And yet they still find a way to lose, 24-23. It's the worse regular season collapse ever from one of the most, if not the most pathetic franchise in the NFL over their entire existance.

These Cardinals find ways to snatch defeat from the claws of victory. They *should* be 4-2. Instead they're shitty.

Lyrics, I have none

I've always wanted to be a songwriter or lyricist. I've tried on many occasions, a few even being serious attempts...all have been dismal failures. I've written poetry before but I can't force it or write anything of significant quality upon command - it's something that just happens when it happens. And when I *do* write poetry, it's not lyrical at all. Much of it is reminiscent of e e cummings work, which really doesn't lend itself to any lyrical style I'm familiar with or that's easy on the ears.

It's not so much the rock star image that appeals to me, or the free women and beer (although that's not *all* bad), but the communicative aspect - ideas and concepts just sound great via song and lyric rather than prose. It has such a powerful impact on how we view things. Think it's not true? Tell that to John L. Williams when he cashes his royalty checks and commission checks. Not sure who he is? I guarantee you've heard his stuff. Ever watched the Olympics? That's his theme song. How 'bout Star Wars? ET? Raiders of the Lost Arc? Superman? Yup. All him. Try watching any of those movies w/no background music or score and see how different of an experience it is. I'd be willing to wager that heart rate and blood pressure are statistically different with and without the music. And that's just MUSIC...not even words!

Then there's the actual lyricists, the ones that put into words so many ideas that I think of but only know how to write in paragraph form. They convey them (what seems like) effortlessly while strumming a guitar and make people so clearly understand what was going on in their head and heart. I'd love to be able to write a girl a song someday just for her, but that's just not one of my gifts or talents. I'd love to be able to tell my boss "Take this job and shove it..." with a country twang, but, simple as that lyric is, when it comes to songs, I can't come up with anything that sounds even half-way descent to me. Music just seems to move so many people (iPod, anyone?), but I can only reproduce it, not create it.

So until such a time as a lightning strike awakens the lyrically dormant portion of my brain, I guess I'll just stick to karaoke and sloppily playing chords on my guitar that someone else wrote. I may not be able to think of anything original but at least I can carry somebody else's tune.

Good for a laugh

One of my favorite clips EVAR!

The reality of postponement

During dinner today my aunt was all excited and broke out a bag from her suitcase full of lots of clunky stuff and sported a smile ear-to-ear.

"It's Christmas early!"

Oh, joy. Gifts good. Christmas...not so much.

Among other gifts, she gives each of us a Christmas cd to listen to on the way to Oceanside next week. The problem with that is I'm not going to Oceanside any more. We originally rented the condo during a week that was particularly free of scheduling conflicts at work. No matter what I wasn't going to get to take a whole week, but four days was definitely doable.

Then the changes at work came, and both pilots of two new technologies being implimented at work were moved to Oceanside week. I'm on the project team for both technologies, and the team I manage at work is part of the pilot team for each project. Translated - no vacation for me. No good leader ditches his team during a week like that.

Although I knew that the vacation was now out of the picture, the reality of it didn't truly hit me until I saw my aunt and my folks all happy and giddy and smiling about the trip. So now I have a week to listen to an Irish Christmas CD and contemplate where I'd like to go for my next vacation attempt (and when) while my family enjoys a beachfront condo in SoCal (and I potentially duck-and-cover at work if something goes wrong with the new toys).

So no, Brooke, I don't have your birthday off :-(

Anybody got any vacation ideas for kinda cheap?

Words of wisdom from my aunt

Me: "Woah, how'd he get there?"

My Aunt: "Probably by stupidity. Sometimes it can get you where nothing else can."

So true. Sooooo true.