Under the Table and Blogging...

Movies & Books...

2011-02-28T19:13:00.002-06:00

The movies I saw in February were:

The King's Speech - Two word review 'Very Good'...

Red - Review in a word 'Okay'...

Gnomeo & Juliet - Review in a word 'Cute'...

I slacked on books. I am reading 'Twelve Ordinary Men' by John Mac Arthur. I am learning a lot so far.

It's time to play the Feud!

2011-02-15T18:34:00.002-06:00

I am a long time 'Family Feud' guy. My favorite hosts have been Ray Combs (moment of silence for Ray Combs) and John O'Hurley. I remember being an avid watcher as a kid on sick days and winter break. Then there were the summers when it was on after 'Montel Williams' and before 'Studs.'

These days I only have 9 channels and being on sabbatical leaves me with a lot of time and not a long I don't have a lot of programming options. Watching 'the feud' has become a staple of life the past couple of months. It is on from 3-4 and I rarely miss an episode. It is quality time with an old friend.

There is one thing I cannot get over. If the family doesn't with Fast Money the prize is still $5.00 per point. It has been that way since I was young. I have spent a lot of time thinking about this. I am unable to believe that the powers that be haven't increased the amount in 20 years.

Another random item is that Joey Fatone is the announcer. Not the host, the person who at the start of the show says 'Live from Universal Orlando, it's 'Family Feud.' Good to see he's getting some post N'Sync work.

Feeling 'Lost'...

2011-02-07T15:03:00.002-06:00

I am not exactly sure when the final season of 'Lost' came out on DVD. What I do know is that I received it for my birthday in early November. I love 'Lost' and it ranks amongst my favorite shows of all-time. I have watched the first five seasons multiple times through, but here it was February and I hadn't even taken the plastic off season six.

It wasn't because I hated the final episode or felt like 'I wasted six years of my life' as many people felt. It was because it contained the final fifteen minutes or so of new footage I would ever see. The DVD extras contains a segment titled 'The New Man in Charge,' which *small spoiler alert* gives a little bit of background on Ben & Hurley's activities following the final episode. The longer I went without watching it the longer the show still existed for me.

My cable went out during the blizzard last week, which prompted me to put in a DVD. I unwrapped the plastic and finally popped in the DVD. I liked what I saw during 'The New Man in Charge,' and now 'Lost' is officially over for me.

Next up in the end of another one of my favorites, 'Friday Night Lights.' The fifth and final season starts airing on NBC in April. I don't know what I will do without Coach and Mrs. Coach in my tv world.

'Those balls aren't on fire'...

2011-02-05T18:05:00.002-06:00

Last week Jennifer and I saw Cirque du Soleil Dralion. Cirque de Soleil shows are one of the fifty coolest things you could ever see. This was the third one I've seen. I have included the trailer above. This way you can get a visual sense of the acts I write about along the way.

Everything (except for the clowns. I hate clowns) was awesome. Every act is jaw dropping. The problem I have is with the clapping. The appropriate reaction to every moment of the show is this.

But I never know exactly when it is okay to clap. If I whoop it up while the lady is flipping around (without a harness) on a hula hoop suspended above the stage will I mess her up? If I lose my crap during the juggling display will I cause the performer to drop the pins? So instead I end up sitting on my hands politely clapping at the end or at pauses during the performance.

The rest of the crowd follows the same pattern with the polite clapping. Again, this is some of the most amazing stuff we've ever seen. The audience reaction doesn't do the performance justice. I wonder if the performers feel under appreciated. There wasn't even a standing ovation at the end.

It seemed as though most people while they were clapping were leaning over to their neighbor saying, 'That was cool but those balls, hula hoop, rope, trampolines, rings etc. aren't on fire.' Has having weird/crazy/amazing things at our finger tips on YouTube inhibited our ability to appreciate incredible when it is right in front of our faces?

January Books...

2011-02-01T12:13:00.002-06:00

I read three books in January. Before I get to those I have one more movie to add.

'The Town' - As he plans his next job, a longtime thief tries to balance his feelings for a bank manager connected to one of his earlier heists, as well as the FBI agent looking to bring him and his crew down.

I read 'The Town' at the end of last year. For the most part the movie was a good retelling of the book. Of course the book offered a lot more depth and background. Also, the end of the book and the movie were very different. I felt the book ending was more fitting than the movie ending. I did enjoy the movie, and recommend both it and the book.

Books ---

'The Blindside' - Michael Lewis - The movie based on the book was a huge hit. The book is an excellent read. For the most part the events in the movie are all part of what was in the book. It is ordered a little differently & some 'Hollywood-ing' in the movie. The book provides more detail on the story of Michael, but it also provides a lot of information on football and the recruiting process. Those elements weren't explored in the movie. As a sports fan I enjoyed that information in the book.

'How Lucky Can You Be' - Buster Olney - (from Amazon) "acclaimed sports journalist Buster Olney tells the remarkable story of the successive tragedies that befell Coach Meyer but could not defeat him. Laid low by a horrific car accident that led to the amputation of his left leg below the knee, Coach Meyer had barely emerged from surgery when his doctors informed him that he also had terminal cancer. In the blink of an eye, this prototypical 24/7 workaholic coach—who arrived at the gym most mornings before 6 a.m.—found himself forced to reexamine his priorities at the age of sixty-three."

Another great read for sports fans, coaches, dads, moms, sons, daughters. It is a book for everyone.

'Giving' - Bill Clinton - This is a book about Bill Clinton's life after the presidency. He has spent his time on raising and giving money to all sorts of different causes. He highlights the different things he is involved in, but most of the book is stories about people who are making a different in the world. It ranges from Bill and Melinda gates to kids in Brooklyn, to school teachers in Africa. The stories are inspiring. I found it interesting to read about all the different ways to get involved, the sheer number of causes that are supported & how much there is to do help people.

January Movies...

2011-01-26T21:35:00.003-06:00

I saw five movies this month.

'Easy A' - After a little white lie about losing her (Emma Watson) virginity gets out, a clean cut high school girl sees her life paralleling Hester Prynne's in "The Scarlet Letter," which she is currently studying in school - until she decides to use the rumor mill to advance her social and financial standing.

Review in a few words - Solid date movie.

'Going the Distance' - A romantic comedy centered on a guy (Justin Long) and a gal (Drew Barrymore) who try to keep their love alive as they shuttle back and forth between New York and San Francisco to see one another.

Review in a word - Meh...

'Despicable Me' - When a criminal mastermind uses a trio of orphan girls as pawns for a grand scheme, he finds himself profoundly changed by the growing love between them.

Review in a word - Cute...

'True Grit' - A tough U.S. Marshal helps a stubborn young woman track down her father's murderer.

Review in two words - Good stuff...

'The King's Speech' - The story of King George VI of Britain, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it.

Review in a word - Excellent...

My Voyage to Unemployment...

2011-01-05T12:53:00.002-06:00

December 15th was my last day at the company I worked with since shortly after graduation in 2001. My voyage to unemployment actually started about two and a half years ago.

The main function of my job was facilitating and managing most things that had to do with training for new customer service associates. There are four major customer services centers. They are located in Chicagoland, Charlotte, Orlando and The Woodlands (near Houston). Two and a half years ago the company decided it was going to move most customer service out of the Chicagoland office.

With this decision and the way the economy was I felt my job was at risk. It wasn't something I worried about on a daily basis, but would always say that if I showed up to work one day and they said that it was it for me I wouldn't be totally shocked. The day ended up being October 25th. The company had been bought out, and with a merger came additional uncertainty about my job. So when the important HR women sought me out that day I knew exactly what was coming. She shared my position (with most of my team) was being eliminated, my last day would be December 15th, went over the severance information, said I could look for other roles in the company & sent me on my way.

As I mentioned I was not totally surprised. It isn't the best time to be looking for a job, but it isn't always a bad thing to get shaken out of our comfort zones. While there have been some challenging times since I found out, I do believe this is an opportunity. I did interview for one position before I left, which I did not get. It was humbling to know that after 10 years of often exceeding expectations they didn't want me twice.

I have severance for a little while, one loan with very generous terms and no other debt. For being unemployed I am in a good place. I am interested to see what is next.

2010 The Rest...

2010-12-31T14:53:00.006-06:00

TV Show -

'Lost'

Album -

Live in Las Vegas: Dave & Tim (it's the only album I bought)

Blog -

Kate McGroarty who spent a month living at the Museum of Science and Industry. The Blog starts at the end and works its way back. Well worth a read!

Reads -

Meals that Can Change Your Life - Relevant...

The Invention of Air: The Myths of Young Michael Jordan, Deconstructed - deadspin...

The Color Purple - Bill Simmons...

We Worship the God of Security - USA Today...

9 Things to Know Before you Turn 30 - Relevant...

2010 Videos...

2010-12-30T13:19:00.000-06:00

Video of the Year ---

Other Videos ---

How to Start a Revolution

'Lost' 'Inception'

'Lost' 'Wonder Years'

Viral done right

Weezer featuring Hayley Williams

And do yourself a favor and checkout anything by the PS22 Chorus http://www.youtube.com/user/agreggofsociety#p/a/8441E0589D28C5E1/1/qjPfy8yuCHU

2010 Books & Movies...

2010-12-29T12:43:00.009-06:00

Books -

"Fearless" - Max Lucado
"The Shack" - William P. Young "More than Enough" - Dave Ramsey
"Churched" and "Beattitudes" - Matthew Paul Turner
"Becoming the Answers to Our Prayers" - Shane Claiborne & Jonathan Wilson Hartgrove
"Columbine" - Dave Cullen
"Exponential" Jon & Dave Ferguson
"The Life You've Always Wanted" - John Ortberg
"Searching for God Knows What" - Donald Miller
"Crazy Love" - Francis Chan
"The Town" - Chuck Hogan

Favorites -

Movies -

(Not all of them were released in 2010, but I saw them for the first time in 2010)...

Avatar, The Imagination of Doctor Parnassus, 500 Days of Summer, Fan Boys, Sugar, Up in the Air, Alice in Wonderland, The Blindside, Iron Man 2, Leap Year, Toy Story 3, Twilight: Eclipse, Inception, The Other Guys, New in Town, Sunshine Cleaning, Youth in Revolt, Social Network, Date Night, The Killers, How to Train Your Dragon, Megamind, Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows, She's Out of my League, Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Fighter.

Favorites -

Overheard...

2010-12-20T12:57:00.000-06:00

I had to do a class evaluation today. The girl beside me didn't fill in any bubbles. She wrote in huge letters "RETIRE" across the whole sheet.

The men don't even look like men. They look like Bea Arthur wearing black jackets.

He's like a sasquatch. A coked out sasquatch.

Thumbs -

I saw 'The Fighter' and thought it was good. I enjoyed the family dynamic, the old hometown/legend angle and the film overall. Christian Bale and Amy Adams were excellent.

I also saw 'Voyage of the Dawn Treader'. I have mixed feeling about this one. I loved the 'The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe'. It is one of my favorite movies. I have not enjoyed 'Prince Caspian' or 'Dawn Treader' nearly as much. It isn't that they are bad movies or even bad interpretations of the books, but it feels as though something is missing. The first one was magical. I felt as though it captured the imagination of Narnia. The second two movies haven't had that. They've been entertaining adventures but Narnia has been neutered.

Amused...

2010-11-21T14:50:00.000-06:00

On Leadership...

2010-11-16T16:40:00.002-06:00

"Could this be what leadership is often about—not asking people to take a risk for you, but rather taking one for them? That is what leading is."

"BEING A TRUE LEADER isn't always glamorous. There are not always hundreds of people wanting to be like you and do what you do. We can witness this in the book of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah is the account of the rebuilding of Jerusalem. During the restoration, enemies threatened to attack the city as the wall and gates were rebuilt; it wasn't necessarily the safest place. That is one reason the average Joe didn't immediately sign up to live there.

Jerusalem living also meant leaving a previous place of residence, which had one's farm and livelihood. At this point, Jerusalem was not yet finished and business would have been slow. But we read that the leaders lived in Jerusalem, and the rest drew lots. These leaders made a sacrifice. Someone had to live there and start the process of creating a once again bustling city.

Could this be what leadership is often about—not asking people to take a risk for you, but rather taking one for them? That is what leading is. We learn how to do this in its purest of forms through Jesus and his substitutionary death on the cross. He calls us to lay down our lives for others, because He has laid down his for us. Have you been a leader lately?"

This devotion is adapted from shortdailydevotions.com.

Millennials Fight Back...

2010-11-08T19:06:00.003-06:00

I found this article in the Red Eye today. It is snarky and sarcastic, which I enjoy, but I think the points the author makes are interesting.

Sandals in Office Not the Problem - Stephen Markley

I recently read a Bloomberg Businessweek story by Teddy Wayne, plugged on the cover as "Millennials: the New Office Morons."

Armed with prosciutto-thin anecdotal evidence, Wayne makes the point that my generation doesn't know proper etiquette in work environments. He backs this incisive point with pictures of Warren Buffet in a suit and Mark Zuckerberg in sandals.

I single out the Businessweek article only because it's the latest in the rising trend to dump on Millennials as spoiled, lazy, entitled jerks, who listen to their iPods at work.

But while we're making generalizations, boy do these other generations sure think a hell of a lot of themselves!

And why not? After all, they've done such a great job.

They spent 30 years creating a political and economic system that let wages stagnate and income inequality spike. Then they started working more hours, which made them more miserable, so they quieted their personal dissatisfaction with a bunch of useless crap like gargantuan homes and gas-guzzling SUVs. And because they failed to innovate anything other than useless financial instruments that made only 1% of them richer, they started running up mountains of debt.

But you're right: Millennials do spend too much time at work on Facebook!

Speaking of debt, they left a pile of it for us so they could cut their own taxes and fund their retirements. They charged everything they could on credit cards and bought the biggest homes they couldn't afford in useless, unsustainable suburban wastelands that we'll one day be stripping for the copper wire.

But I know: our generation totally doesn't know how to dress for the office! Did you see Bill wore a T-shirt the other day? What's up with that!

In fact, these previous generations did such a phenomenal job in the business world they managed to create the most unequal society since the 1930s, nearly collapsed the entire world economy, sent a great chunk of my generation to two really awesome, really helpful wars, and did it all while completely ignoring the overheating climate, soon to be the most catastrophic environmental crisis in human history!

Now that's what I call business savvy! To think of all that we could learn from you.

See, I have anecdotal evidence, too. While you guys take your fourth cigarette break of the day, I'm thinking of the people I know, the ones I've come of age with--smart, motivated and always dreaming big even as they understand that the rigid structures of the workplace, the pre-conceived notions and prejudices have as much to do with success or happiness as drinking a gallon of egg nog has to do with running a marathon.

So I kindly ask previous generations to shut the hell up while we prepare ourselves for the long, arduous battle of figuring out how to pick up the dirt that you dropped.

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/off-the-markley/2010/11/yeah-all-those-other-generations-have-done-such-a-swell-job.html

A Bit of the Hot Stove...

2010-11-04T11:35:00.001-05:00

Yesterday it was announced that Sandberg is leaving the Cubs organization, and Cubbie Nation is an uproar.

When Sleepy Lou Pinella stepped down as Cubs manager during the season Cubbie Nation was hopeful that either Joe Girardi or Ryne Sandberg would be the next man for the job. Instead General Manager Jim Hendry gave Mike Quady the job. Quady, who replaced Sleepy Lou on an interim basis, led the team to a 24-13 record to close out the season.

For the past several season Sandberg has been making his way through the Cubs minor league system as manager. He's managed A, AA & AAA. Many believed he was being groomed as Sleepy Lou's replacement. Cubs fans are angry about about the decision not to hire him. Obviously Sandberg is upset as well. Following the Quady announcement he declined multiple positions within the organization.

Many are pointing the finger at Jim Hendry. There is nobody less sympathetic to the Cubs plight than myself, but I will give Hendry a break on this one. Quady going 24-13 was the worst possible thing to happen. If the Cubs finish out the season as they did under Sleepy Lou Quady gets a 'Thank you,' offered another role and the Sandberg era begins.

As it happened Quady got a dead ass team to play for him. Players went public with their support of him remaining the manager. The team showed signs of life for the first time in two years. Hendry was in a difficult spot. I can't say that he wanted to hire Quady. I think he had to. Quady's deal is only two years. If it is a disaster what is 2 years when the team hasn't won anything in over 100?

Slowly...

2010-10-12T22:08:00.002-05:00

I am slowly working my way through Nelson Mandela's biography. I found this text to be thought provoking.

'There is little favorable to be said about poverty, but it was often an incubator of true friendship. Many people will appear to befriend you when you are wealthy, but precious few will do the same when you are poor. If wealth is a magnet, poverty is a kind of repellent. Yet, poverty often brings out the true generosity of others'...

Someone Stole my Lunch...

2010-09-06T17:57:00.003-05:00

It is the busy season at work, which means I have to go into the office. In an effort to save money I have been bring my own lunch. Wednesday was a long and busy night. I did not have a chance to eat my lunch until 6:00. I opened the fridge to discover it had been stolen. Whoever took went through it first, because my yogurt was left in the fridge. My Coke and microwave meal were gone, but my yogurt remained.

I felt violated. I can't imagine what it feels like if you are a victim of a car or home invasion. I wasn't please with the situation, but hopefully whoever took it really needed it.

Thank you....

2010-08-22T21:41:00.000-05:00

Overheard...

2010-08-19T22:59:00.002-05:00

Oh no! That little girl is going to get the Don Draper special...

I am hoping between Jesus and Nelson Mandela I get enough inspiration to not be a piece of crap anymore...

Other than the swearing Jesus would be proud of me today...

Congrats Scottie!

2010-08-14T20:19:00.001-05:00

Reading...

2010-08-10T20:46:00.002-05:00

I recently finished Donald Miller's 'Searching for God Knows What' for the second time. I am moving on to Nelson Mandela's autobiography.

I was inspired to read it after watching 'Invictus,' which was pretty good. Anything with Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman has a good chance of scoring well with me though.

Facebook, you don't know me at all...

2010-08-08T20:21:00.002-05:00

One of my 'Recommended Pages' at sign in was 'Running.'

I had a nice weekend. Friday night my girlfriend and I had a homemade meal prepared by yours truly. The rest of the evening consisted of being lazy and watching TV.

Saturday the Great Bambino and co. came over. We spend the afternoon at the pool and then dinner in the evening. The rest of the night consisted of watching 'Transformers' and being lazy.

It was a nice way to spend a few days.

An Oldie but a Goodie...

2010-08-04T17:28:00.002-05:00

I am going to try to finish the last two quarters of the year strong on the blog.

Overheard ---

'I am not sure I should be the sex guy, but I am open to it'...

Grocery Store ---

Once upon a time when I was a good and amusing Blogger one of my friend B's favorite bits was when I posted my grocery purchases. I think this is a nice way to ease back in.

My Purchases -

2 Good N Plenty

2 Mike and Ike

Tombstone Cheese

Gino's East Cheese

Popsicles

Purchases of the lady behind me -

Raspberries

Blueberries

4 Vitamin Water

Broccoli

Healthy Choice meal

Big bottle of Mudslide

She was literally disgusted by my purchases. She was staring so hard at them I felt the need to say something to her. I said, 'I'm not the healthiest eater' and shrugged.

Overheard...

2010-06-07T20:01:00.002-05:00

"VINCENT, HOLD MY WEAVE!"

I don’t have giant cans but I imagine they are difficult to work with.

You are right. He already knows you are a jackass.

I see your sex and porn and raise you sack tapping.

How I was Found...

2010-05-22T15:18:00.004-05:00

'Lost' ranks as one of my favorite shows ever. I was not someone who watched it from the start. The premise didn't appeal to me so I didn't watch the first several episodes. By the time the buzz started and friends started hyping it up it was too late to start.

Friends continued to watch and the buzz continued. The show was frequently in the 'news' in the second season, mostly for bad reasons. Huge breaks in-between new episodes, poor episodes and constant complaints about the writers 'making it up as the went along' (more on that later). This sort of buzz didn't make me want to start watching. Then I moved to Charlotte. I didn't have much of a life when I was there, which meant I had a lot of time on my hands. I started watching at the start of season 3. That's right, I started watching 'Lost' with no background at the start of season 3. It was the season where they did 9 episodes, took a huge break and came back with the remaining episodes.

I watched the 9 episodes and decided I needed to know what was going on. I figured I could watch season 1 and season 2 in the gap between new episodes. I bought them and it took me about 6 days to get through both. I was all in from that point on. It has been a beautiful relationship ever since! Season 1 is one of my favorite single seasons of tv ever. I re-watch it at least twice a year.

There is a common thread between some people who still watch the show, people who never watched the show & people who used to watch and stopped. That common thread being a lot of complaining. I'd like to address the most common complaints I hear.

1. All of the big breaks between new episodes, moving days & times etc. certainly didn't help the series. Certainly valid if people jumped off the band wagon.

2. Season 2 was brutal. If you re-watch season 2 you noticed that very little happens, and that each new episode contained about 7 minutes of stuff you already saw. To be honest if I would have had to watch it as it aired I don't know if I would have stuck with it. Watching it on DVD certainly helped my cause. Season 2 also led to complaint #3.

3. They are making it up as they go along. I encourage any current or past 'Lost' viewer to download Bill Simmons podcast (The BS Report) from May 14th. He interviews Carlton Cuse for about an hour, and he (Cuse) addresses a lot of these things.

He admits that during season 2 and the start of season 3 the writers were spinning their wheels. They did not know how long they had to drag the story out. He said that once they were given the end date during season 3 they could put everything together. The second part of season 3 things really picked up, and ended with the very memorable 'Through the Looking Glass' finale with the flashforward.

As far as making it up he says that they had a framework in place for the story but things change. Some of those things were out of his control. He talks about how they had a long storyline involving Locke and Mr. Eko that would span a few seasons that they couldn't finish because the actor who played Eko wanted off the show. He also talks about how positive the response to Ben's character was. He was slated to only be in 3 episodes. They developed more of a story for him because he was so popular.

The finale is Sunday and I don't know if it can possibly live up to any one's expectations. I believe the people who have spent 6 years researching every little 'sign' in the show and want every single question answered are going to be disappointed. Those who have focused on the characters and their journey will be satisfied (I hope).

One Episode Left...

2010-05-18T21:36:00.001-05:00

Feeling 'Lost'...

2010-05-17T20:28:00.001-05:00

*sigh* - The end is near and I am sullen...

I Know I've Been Away...

2010-05-08T22:25:00.003-05:00

But I will be back soon...

Possible favorite song of the year?

2010-04-29T23:20:00.003-05:00

'Airplanes Part 2' - B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams and Eminem...

If explicit lyrics aren't your thing stop listening about the 3 minute mark.

Love This...

2010-04-23T22:31:00.000-05:00

A few things I learned or was reminded of last week...

2010-04-19T10:13:00.000-05:00

Kobe Bryant vs. Kevin Durant gives me hoops warm and fuzzies I haven't felt in some time.

I could listen to Hayley Williams sing the Sunday funnies & be thoroughly captivated. Her voice is fantastic.

Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich is the king of fast food sandwiches. I hear Chick-Fil-A has a spicy now so we will have to see.

Good sleep is good for the soul.

I don't know what I am doing with my life.

There are two relatively random people that pop up in my dreams every few months. It messes me up every time. The dreams are not recurring, just the character. And they are never in a dream together.

'Can't Hardly Wait' still brings the funny.

It is seemingly impossible to breath out of both nostrils at the same time. It has been one or none as of late.

ESPN 30 for 30 - No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson.

2010-04-12T19:35:00.003-05:00

I am not a fan of about 95% of the things the World Wide Leader does these days. Something in the 5% is the 30 for 30 documentary series.

Tomorrow is the premier of one about Allen Iverson. The guy who put together this story is the same one who did 'Hoop Dreams'. I am looking forward to watching this.

Iverson, and is cornrows and tattoos, is the guy who ushered in the post Larry, Magic & Michael era of 'all NBA players are thugs'. This documentary looks back to Iverson's high school days, and the events of those days that shaped him into the person the public has seen the last 16 years.

Overheard & Boom - Roasted!

2010-04-08T21:00:00.000-05:00

'I had to change my facebook password so my grandma couldn't hack into my account. How many people have to say that?'

'Pulling out your name was like picking the million dollar case on 'Deal or No Deal.'

'Always good to see Mips (man nips) on Easter morning.'

'I wish I could rewind to 15 minutes ago and start this burger again.'

Boom - Roasted aka 'Keep our name out of your mouth' ---

"We're struggling to sign (first baseman Prince Fielder)," Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said, "and the Yankees infield is making more than our team."

Levine believes Attanasio should stop publicly lamenting the Brewers' troubles in signing first baseman Prince Fielder while pointing out how much the Yankees spend on salaries.

"I'm sorry that my friend Mark continues to whine about his running the Brewers," Levine told ESPNNewYork.com in a phone interview Tuesday morning. "We play by all the rules and there doesn't seem to be any complaints when teams such as the Brewers receive hundreds of millions of dollars that they get from us in revenue sharing the last few years. Take some of that money that you get from us and use that to sign your players. "The question that should be asked is: Where has the hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue sharing gone?"

Oh Ben...

2010-04-04T19:09:00.001-05:00

Early Frontrunner for 'Overheard' of the Year...

2010-04-01T11:35:00.002-05:00

'I confused myself with the options. I want to do it but I'm also self aware about the actual size of my balls'...

On Faith...

2010-03-29T20:26:00.002-05:00

I recently finished 'beatitude' by Matthew Paul Turner. In lieu of a review (because I stink at writing reviews) I am again going to share passages that stuck out as I was reading.

'Sometimes, in order to live the way Jesus intends for me to live, I have to break a few rules. They're not always my rules. Sometimes they're the rules of a particular church. Sometimes they're the rules of friends or family. Sometimes they're simple rules I have assumed to be true all my life. But when I am engaged in the journey, Jesus often surprises me by breaking a few rules.'

'Despite not being considerably moved or impassioned by his nine-to-five, that did not stop him from investing his complete self into his work and the relationships he created.'

'People make poor choices and must learn to live with the consequences. But I do believe that one or two acts of mercy could have changed these people's outcomes. Because mercy tends to that; it changes things.'

'For me, the hard-to-show mercy is intentional kind of mercy I am called to hand out daily and and willingly in the lives of those in need, in want or in pain. That kind of mercy actually takes time, effort, energy and finances on my part.'

'Sure, I've fed the homeless on Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. I support a child with Compassion International and another with World Vision. I give money when disasters hit. I put coins in the red Salvation Army cans at Christmas. I give my left over clothes and house items to people in need. But does any of this really cost me all that much? And isn't mercy something that is free but costs a lot?'

Philippians 2:1-4 (The Message)

If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care - then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

Great Movie Lines...

2010-03-23T22:43:00.001-05:00

I Opened Happiness...

2010-03-19T16:49:00.003-05:00

I had given up frosty Coca-Cola beverages for Lent. That is 46 days without a Coke. Typically I don't go 46 minutes without one. I made it 27 and 1/2 days. I couldn't make it through March Madness without my bottle. March Madness and Coke go together like lamb and tuna. What? Maybe spaghetti and meatballs works better for you?

It wasn't a slip up. This was a full fledged binge. A 'Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew' type binge. I am slightly bummed I did not reach my goal, but none of the things people told me would happen happened. I didn't sleep better, I didn't feel better etc. Interestingly enough there was a story on Nightline talking about exactly what I've been saying for years. A lot of those 'fruit' and 'health' drinks are no better for you than Coke. They are just as high in sugar and fructose. The lessons I have learned from this adventure is 1. I stink at achieving goals & 2. unless you drink only filtered water leave me alone about my Coke drinking.

Get off my lawn'd/

So this is Parenting Part 2...

2010-03-11T10:38:00.000-06:00

About a month ago I spent a weekend at the Khalari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells with around 900 students and leaders. I was in a suite with 15 junior high guys and two other leaders. Everyone arrives for the weekend on Friday night. The weekend opens with a main session, which consists of some rocking jams and a message. The students are pretty jacked up for the weekend and when you throw mass quanities of Mountain Dew and giant Pixie Stix that last thing they want to do is go to sleep.

They finally started coming down and got to sleep around 2:00 or so. 7:00 Saturday morning they were up and ready to go. They were so full of energy and being nuts and it was so early. I snuck into the shower and it was so peaceful. It was the warmest most delightful shower I think I have ever taken. I did not want to get out. I thought to myself that this is what being a parent must feel like. The only moments you get to yourself are in the shower. When I got out I said something to one of the other leaders who has four kids. He laughed and said that most of the time you are lucky to get that peace in the shower. There is always someone pouding on the door need something.

I've brought the funny to epic levels...

2010-03-04T18:21:00.004-06:00

Several weeks ago at StuCo I made a funny that made an audience of about 40 people all laugh. It was people of all demographics as well. I especially hit the very coveted 18-35 group. I allowed myself to be pretty proud of myself. The funny was 5 words of well timed perfection.

Of course there was a hater in the house. It wasn't enough to make 4o people laugh. The hater in this case frowned and said 'they didn't laugh hard enough.' That's right I have brought comedy to such epic levels that it's not enough to make large groups laugh. I am being judged on the level of laughter.

Last weekend I was at a movie theater with about 50 or so people watching a cinematic adventure. The film went out about three-quarters of the way through the movie. I once again busted out another perfectly timed 5 word funny. The entire theater laughed. The hater in this case said she wasn't impressed because the laughter was only a 'low rumble' through the theater.

Making 90 people laugh with 10 words brought out the haters. This is now the burden I bare. It's a tough but I will continue to bring the funny.

On Faith...

2010-02-28T22:22:00.002-06:00

This evening I finished reading 'Churched: One Kid's Journey Toward God Despite a Holy Mess' by Matthew Paul Turner. I enjoyed it immensely.

Here is an editorial review that gives a little background on the story.

“A funny, heartfelt portrayal of one man’s attempt to find true meaning despite his upbringing among fundamentalists who taught him that Azrael–the cat from The Smurfs–was an agent of Satan. The true miracle of this book is that its author never manages to lose his faith.”
–Robert Lanham, author of Sinner's Guide To The Evangelical Right

These are a few of the many thoughts that struck me as I read.

'According to anybody who was anybody at my church, the devil was a cunning individual. But he was also a simple creature. For instance, nothing made him happier than luring our young minds in front of the television to watch 'Knots Landing.' Hollywood was on his side.'

'"Matthew, do you really think God would use me in your punishment?" I didn't know how to answer that. I hoped he wouldn't, but I didn't know. People said a lot of odd things about God. They said he was in control, but when a teenager was killed in a car accident or a young mother died of cancer; they said he allowed those deaths to occur so other people would come to know Jesus'

'Prior to meeting Mrs. Nolan, I'd never been disliked by anyone before, especially an older woman. Old women fell head over heels for me. I didn't even have to try--it just happened. I thought I had a gift. As soon as I walked into church, women over the age of thirty-four threw candy at my feet like I was Mick Jagger and the Tootsie Rolls were underwear. But Mrs. Nolan was indifferent to the charm other women saw in me. She wasn't impressed with me. I really needed her to be impressed.

At my church and school, perception was everything. How people viewed you was much more important than how you actually were. The truth didn't matter. What people believed to be the truth mattered. I learned early on that if everybody believed I was the well-behaved, good-natured boy without a sin in the world, it didn't matter what the truth was. The truth was secondary to a person's opinion or perception of the truth. It was all about good PR, and prior to having Mrs. Nolan as a teacher, nobody stared at me too closely.'

Headline...

2010-02-23T23:14:00.000-06:00

This is an actual headline I came across...

1/3 of U.S. Skips Broadband Due to Cost, Crotchetiness

Wired News - Ryan Singel - ‎2 hours ago‎

More than a third of American adults don't have a fast internet connection at home, leaving some 80 million adults and 13 million children at a distinct disadvantage in a wired world, according to an FCC report released Tuesday.

So this is parenting Part I...

2010-02-18T15:27:00.001-06:00

In December I went to Disney World with my nephew (the Great Bambino), sister and brother-in-law. We were in the Magic Kingdom on our last night, and I received a glimpse into what parenting must be like. When we arrived we grabbed two Fast Passes for Thunder Mountain aka 'the fast train.' We had some time before our time to ride came. We got some ice cream and then my sister, bil & nephew went to ride Peter Pan while I went to go save seats for the parade and fireworks. After Peter Pan they came to where I was. I took the Great Bambino to Thunder Mountain while they got food and continued to save our seats.

We get to Thunder Mountain and we are the next two to ride and the Great Bambino says 'Uncle Keith I have to go to the bathroom.' When I asked if was an emergency tears started welling up in his eyes. We had to wait for the ride to come back. When the gates opened we hopped over the train and headed for the exit. I think it was at the point he realized that he wasn't going to get to ride the fast train. He started saying 'Oh let's go back. I don't have to go that bad.' I explained that we missed out turn so we should go to the bathroom and then we'd go back. He relented and went to the bathroom.

Now we don't have a Fast Pass and the stand by line is 50 minutes. I ask him if he wants to wait. 'It's a longer wait that Peter Pan, are you sure you want to wait?' Yes. 'Are you hungry or thirsty?' No. 'Are you sure you want to wait?' Yes. We got in line and the first 20 minutes of the wait were good. He was climbing all over the place having a good ole time. After 20 minutes he slowed down and said 'I am not sure I want to ride anymore. I want to see mommy.' I said, 'We can go see mommy now but you won't be able to ride the fast train.' He was beside himself with angst at this point. He didn't know what to do. I picked him up and told him to rest a while and then we would decide. About every 5 minutes we would have the 'I don't want to wait anymore/We don't have to wait but you won't ride' conversation. I was hoping we could make it to a place in line he would recognize, and he would know we were close. Well we made it and he loved his last ride on the fast train of the trip.

I couldn't help but thinking that this is what parenting must be like all the time. Expect the unexpected and no matter how well you plan something is bound to throw you off.

Lent...

2010-02-16T12:26:00.002-06:00

Lent starts tomorrow. I thought I would share an entry Dustin posted on the topic...

Why I NEED Lent.

The season of Lent is something that I do not remember participating in my Restoration Movement church background. In fact, I feel like the civil calendar directed our affairs more than the church calendar did, which is unfortunate. Instead of asking questions like, "what should we do during Lent or Advent this year?" it was more "what should we do during Mother's Day or the Fourth of July this year?" I hate that I missed out the guidance that the seasons of the Christian year offer us through the cycle of life, death, and resurrection that we experience with Advent, Lent, Easter, etc.

In fact, I remember perceiving the sentiment that Lent was primarily a Catholic practice by which people seek to earn the favor and forgiveness of God by voluntarily refraining from something (usually meat or chocolate) and that it was something that we Protestants should not be a part of. This is probably a good illustration of what it means to "throw the baby out with the bathwater."

Through the last 3 1/2 years with the Evergreen Community it has been helpful for my personal transformation to be introduced to this cycle and participate in it. As Lent approaches, I am ever more excited to spend an intentional time refocusing my heart and mind on Jesus. I'm excited to lay down those things that I have tended to rely on during the past year to soothe, comfort, and get me through life. If you're like me, you've found yourself relying on things other than God for your support and comfort.

This year I will be spending the 40 days of Lent fasting from beer. To many Midwestern friends, this probably sounds ludicrous. In fact, many would even question my faith for drinking beer (which comes from a cultural christianity that I have a hard time even understanding anymore). But living in the Pacific NW where there are more micro-breweries per-capita than anywhere else in the world it makes loads of sense. We hang out in pubs regularly, we brew our own beers, we follow beer blogs and tweets, we have theological conversations over pints. It's simply part of the way of life here.

But what I've noticed over the past year is that slowly, beer has gone from being a special drink reserved for special occasions and visits with friends, to simply something I drink whenever I feel like it, or whenever a new brew is released, or after I've had a particularly rough day, or when Seinfeld is on :) It's not that I drink a lot of beer at any one given sitting, or even tend to overindulge. It's simply that it's become standard fare with any given meal or tv show to have a pint. And in some way I have to ask the question, "is this something I've come to depend on?"

We discussed the purpose of fasting, whether during Lent or any other time a few weeks ago at Evergreen and basically it came down to a few things:
1. it helps us to say no to the small things, so that we will be able to say no to larger temptations when they arise.

2. it helps us to practice impulse control and rein in our desires.

3. it helps us to lay down our functional saviors and grasp on to the true one.

Even today there are people that hear that we encourage people to participate in Lent and it ruffles their feathers. They equate Lent with some kind of "works-salvation", or legalism. And truthfully it can become either of those things. It can even become a contest in spirituality in which we try to one-up each other: "I've lived off of nothing but peanut shells and watermelon juice for the last 40 days, what did you do?" But so can any other spiritual practice that we choose to participate in. Does this mean we do nothing to intentionally seek God? Should we give up praying, reading scripture, or times of silence just in case it becomes legalistic or a kind of "works-salvation"? Or course not!

And this is why I choose to participate in the 40 days of Lent. Not to mention that spending 40 days putting something to death that has become too powerful in our lives makes the season of Easter resurrection so much more powerful. I've found Lent to be difficult, challenging, and very important in my spiritual formation. I just wish I would have known about it sooner

3 days until pitchers and catchers report!

2010-02-11T14:55:00.000-06:00

These quotes are why I love the Yankess...

"The AL East can toughen you up. Hopefully it will work to our benefit. We will do what it takes to win. Look at the money we are paying out in revenue sharing. We are baseball's stimulus package. The fans of other teams have no reason to complain about us or the Red Sox or the teams that support the rest of baseball."

"The fans pay the bills, we owe it to ourselves and to them to put the best product out there."

"We have the highest payroll and the reason is we are committed to our fans to win. We just have to (bleeping) win."

Hank Steinbrenner...

"Hal and Hank, myself, everyone has a sacred obligation to our fans to make the team better in any way we can," Levine said. "The Yankee brand is important. There are fans all over the world. From George Steinbrenner on, we have to put the best product we possibly can put on the line. Cash looks at it from baseball operations, as he should. We look at it as running a $5 billion company. Really, the issue came down to, does this make the Yankees better?"

Randy Levine

Overheard...

2010-02-07T22:34:00.003-06:00

'Jim - there is nothing routine about the way I get down.'

'What? I can't go to Hawaii because Sarah Marshall has heard of it?'

'What can I bring in addition to the hotness?'

'She gets hotter every 10 seconds.'

'Happy Birthday! We have gifts of pleasure!'

'I am going to get a good wipe.'

'I think you're the one with the lover's boob. I am not the one with a lover's boob, nor did I write that.'

Lost Premier Eve...

2010-02-01T21:47:00.001-06:00

Kurt & Me

2010-01-31T20:03:00.003-06:00

Kurt Warner announced his retirement on Friday. His story is one that most people, even people who aren't sports fan, are familiar with. He went from playing in the Arena Football League and bagging groceries at Hy-Vee to winning MVPs, setting records & appearing in Super Bowls. He led his teams to 3 Super Bowls, winning one.

If you aren't familiar with Kurt Warner the football player you may be familiar with Kurt Warner the Christian. He is a big supporter of the Lord's work, and isn't afraid to share it with others.

When I was in college the Rams had training camp at WIU. The year after they one the Super Bowl I spent the summer in Macomb working at the Macomb Journal. I had the opportunity to cover the Rams. My job was to watch practice, interview players & write stories. Warner was never hotter than at that time so I did not have a chance to interview him one on one, but I did have a chance to watch him before, during and after practice every day. I also had a chance to cover the press conference he held after signing his first big contract.

From what I heard and observed he was someone who lived what he preached. He was very often the last player off the field because he was signing autographs for fans. The best story I heard involved a trip to a local Macomb eatery. Kurt and his family were out to dinner, his kids were being kids and disrupting the people around them so he paid the bills of everyone who was in the restaurant at the time, which is pretty cool.

These are some excerpts from the article I wrote about his press conference.

'To Warner contract is more than money'

Kurt Warner took a time out Friday afternoon to talk to the media about his seven year $46.5 million dollar contract, which included a signing bonus of $11.5 million.

Warner's focus wasn't on the dollar amount. It was on his faith, family and the St. Louis Rams.

"As always, first and foremost, I have to thank the Lord up above. I truly am blessed, and, it's a wonderful day for me and my family. I'm truly excited to know that my future is going to be with the St. Louis Rams, a great organization, a great team, and I think we have the things in pace to continue for a long time.

Knowing it was only a matter of time before the deal job done Warner signed for $358,000 to get into camp on time for more than just himself.

"A few of my teammates came up to me and told they were glad I was here. A lot of people outside the team said they appreciated what I did in the fact that I came in, but to me it's more than the football part of it. I am here for a bigger reason that that," Warner said. I felt that's what I needed to do show up to camp, be here for my teammates and coaches, and I wanted to be here to touch lives off the field."

Man of Science vs Man of Faith...

2010-01-28T21:31:00.002-06:00

Another one from Season 4...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAvLsy0tuqg

'Lost' lines of every other day...

2010-01-26T15:42:00.002-06:00

So I guess I am out of the book club...
Ben - Season 3

'Lost' lines of the Day - Day 3...

2010-01-24T22:51:00.000-06:00

I missed day 2...

'Everyone wants me to be the leader until I make a decision they don't agree with'...
Jack - Season 1

'Lost' lines of the day...Day 1

2010-01-22T20:34:00.006-06:00

As the countdown to the 'Lost' premier continues I am going to post classic lines from season's past each day...

Tom Friendly - See, the thing is, we're going to have to take the boy.
Michael - What?!?!?
Tom Friendly - The boy, we're going to have to take him.
(Season 1)...

'You can be my wingman any time'...

2010-01-20T21:58:00.000-06:00

Via Buzzfeed.com comes The 100 Cheesiest Movie Quotes of All Time

**Strong Language**

Overhead...

2010-01-20T17:40:00.001-06:00

He spelled fiance, "pheancie." I don't think he's ready to get married...

I'm the reason for the tear drops on Taylor Swift's guitar...

That tells me there is dark and evil dwelling in your heart...

Thumbs...

2010-01-17T20:44:00.004-06:00

I've seen a couple of movies since I last posted.

The first is 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,' which could also be called Heath Ledger's last movie. I will let imdb.com give you the summary.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a fantastical morality tale, set in the present day. It tells the story of Dr Parnassus and his extraordinary 'Imaginarium', a travelling show where members of the audience get an irresistible opportunity to choose between light and joy or darkness and gloom. Blessed with the extraordinary gift of guiding the imaginations of others, Dr Parnassus is cursed with a dark secret. Long ago he made a bet with the devil, Mr Nick, in which he won immortality. Many centuries later, on meeting his one true love, Dr Parnassus made another deal with the devil, trading his immortality for youth, on condition that when his first-born reached its 16th birthday he or she would become the property of Mr Nick. Valentina is now rapidly approaching this 'coming of age' milestone and Dr Parnassus is desperate to protect her from her impending fate. Mr Nick arrives to collect but, always keen to make a bet, renegotiates the wager. Now the winner of Valentina will be determined by whoever seduces the first five souls. Enlisting a series of wild, comical and compelling characters in his journey, Dr Parnassus promises his daughter's hand in marriage to the man that helps him win. In this captivating, explosive and wonderfully imaginative race against time, Dr Parnassus must fight to save his daughter in a never-ending landscape of surreal obstacles - and undo the mistakes of his past once and for all"...

This isn't typically the sort of movie I would choose to see. Visually it was very cool. Lots of big, bright and bold colors. The story was difficult to follow at times. I had trouble understand some the dialogue at different points. This was partly due to the accents and partly because I am hard of hearing. The nice thing was that there were 'pauses' or parts in the movie where, as part of the story, things were recapped. This allowed me to catch up on things I might have missed. Overall I enjoyed the film. It kept my attention and I wanted to see how it ended. I say thumbs most of the way up.

The first scene with Heath Ledger was a little startling considered he passed away during filming. Johnny Depp, Jude Law & Colin Farrell played the Ledger character in scenes he was unable to film. It was a unique way to film the character, and I thought well done.

The is '500 Days of Summer.' Here is the summary, again compliments of imdb.com.

After it looks as if she's left his life for good this time, Tom Hansen reflects back on the just over one year that he knew Summer Finn. Despite being physically average in almost every respect, Summer had always attracted the attention of men, Tom included. For Tom, it was love at first sight when she walked into the greeting card company where he worked, she the new administrative assistant. Soon, Tom knew that Summer was the woman with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life. Although Summer did not believe in relationships or boyfriends - in her assertion, real life will always ultimately get in the way - Tom and Summer became more than just friends. Through the trials and tribulations of Tom and Summer's so-called relationship, Tom could always count on the advice of his two best friends, McKenzie and Paul. However, it is Tom's adolescent sister, Rachel, who is his voice of reason. After all is said and done, Tom is the one who ultimately has to make the choice to listen or not.

I am not quite sure what to write about this one. I enjoyed it. I think a second viewing is needed though. I was interested in the story, I thought the supporting characters added to film & there were parts where I laughed out loud. A second viewing is required because I am not sure the movie is a love story, despite my laughter, I don't think it was really a comedy, I feel as though I need to go back and figure it out. I do give it a thumbs up.

'(He'll be) a fry cook on Venus'...

2010-01-10T20:18:00.004-06:00

'Bittersweet Symphony' came on the radio the other night while I was driving home. I can't hear that song without thinking of the last four minutes of the movie 'Cruel Intentions.' The song accompanies the scene perfectly. I decided to put together a list of my other favorite music moments in movies. Most of these are 'performance based' rather than accompanying a scene. I know there are a lot more out there, but these are some of my favorites.

I couldn't find the English version of the 'Great Balls of Fire' scene from 'Top Gun.' This will have to do...

'Lost' is almost here...

2010-01-09T16:50:00.001-06:00

'Avatar'

2010-01-07T11:26:00.002-06:00

I saw 'Avatar' on Tuesday night in the full IMAX 3D experience. When watching the trailer I commented that it would either be epically good or epically bad. I did not think there would be any inbetween. After seeing it I say it was inbetween. Visually it was outstanding. It was like nothing I have seen before. I think as far as the story goes that the 'Dances with Fern Gully' references are valid. I was invested in the story though. When the tree went down I actually felt sadness. I felt it was a touch long, which is pretty standard when it comes to me and movies. I usually think most movies are a bit long. Overall I thought it was good and I am glad I saw it in IMAX 3D. It is probably the only way to see it.

Overheard

2010-01-03T21:15:00.002-06:00

'Mom, come on, they obviously met at some sort of 'Dungeons and Dragons' event'...

'I would watch Giada pick weeds in her yard for a half hour'...

'I will not be releasing any shark sugar'...

2010 Goals ---

I have very little debt but not a ton of savings. I am going to focus on building my savings.

I would like to spend more time writing in this space. I am unable to promise anything groundbreaking, but I do want to write more.

I plan on having more Shawn Williams in my life this year. I've had years with lots of him in my life and years with little of him in my life. I prefer the lots of Shawn Williams in my life.

I'll also continuing last year's goal of 'being better at life'...

Favorites of 2009...

2009-12-30T14:59:00.009-06:00

Woman of the Year ---

Taylor Swift

Man of the Year ---

Derek Jeter

Album of the Year ---

'Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King' - Dave Matthews Band

Books of the Year ---

'Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal' - Christopher Moore

'The Unlikely Disciple' - Kevin Roose

Movie of the Year ---

'The Hangover'

TV Show of the Year ---

'Friday Night Lights' Season 3

Moment of the Year ---

Yankees win the 2009 World Series

Commercial of the Year ---

'Let a Stranger Drive you Home' - Heineken

YouTube Video of the Year ---

Stuff...

2009-12-23T13:47:00.003-06:00

Overheard -

'There is an attractive single dad with a very cute little girl on their way to the Magic Kingdom. Ovaries are exploding all over this bus'...

The 2009 North American Tour -

I've been out of town for the better part of a month. I spent two weeks in Charlotte for work that wasn't much fun. I never felt comfortable when I was there. It was really weird. Plus I got the plague, which had me out of commission for four or five days.

The next stop was Disney World, which was tons of fun. The final stop is Minnesota for Christmas.

Stories I've come across that have caught my attention -

'Seinfeld' over, but Festivus keeps giving - CNN.com

Boston mom calls 911 over son's video game habit - Yahoo.com

Bride Surprises Groom with Airport Wedding - CBS.com

Man with Knife in Chest Calls 911, Orders Coffee - CBS.com

'Tis the Season...

2009-12-07T21:38:00.000-06:00

Kicking off the season B&B Style...

There are two sides to every story...

2009-11-24T09:49:00.003-06:00

There isn't anyone who could be less sympathetic to any Notre Dame's struggles than me, but I saw this article about Charlie Weis on Fanhouse. He sat down with a reporter early Sunday morning after they lost to UCONN.

As a sports fan it is really easy to call for coaches and players to get fired or let go, but we often forget they are actual people with friends and family.

True Life...

2009-11-21T18:19:00.003-06:00

Working at home has allowed me to get reacquainted with Mtv's 'True Life' Series. It's a documentary series that covers all sorts of topics. Mtv puts describes it this way,

'Since its first episode in 1998, True Life has provided a window into the struggles, hopes, and dreams of young people. Narrated solely by its characters, each episode documents the unusual--and often remarkable--circumstances of real individuals, whether it's about soldiers returning from Iraq, deaf teenagers, or people living with autism. We've given all of them--and hundreds of others--the opportunity to tell their own stories directly to their peers in this powerful series that uniquely reflects the experiences and cultures of this generation.'

There is a lot of crap on Mtv, some of it enjoyable crap, but True Life is typically interesting and/or entertaining. I've posted one of the most memorable clips from the series below. It is probably one of the most memorable in reality tv history.

On Faith...

2009-11-17T21:13:00.001-06:00

Now I Can Die in Peace...

2009-11-13T20:23:00.003-06:00

It's been about ten days since the Yankees won the World Series. The sun shines brighter, food tastes better and the world is a better place to be since they won. It's the first title any baseball team I cheered for has won. It happened just shy of my 30th birthday.

I'll be honest it was a long 29 years and 363 days. My teams have only won 8 championships while I've been alive. The Bulls have 6 of those, the Bears won in '85 (I don't even cheer for them anymore so it shouldn't count) and Michigan won a share of the football National Championship in '97.

I was a Cubs fan until 2005. I was watching 'Baseball Tonight' one evening and they flashed the Wild Card standing on the screen and the Cubs were behind the Brewers. It was at that precise moment I stopped being a fan. I didn't enter the decision lightly. I stopped being a fan because I was convinced that they would never ever win it all.

The only team that made sense for me to cheer for was the Yankees. Even when I was a Cubs fan I always wanted the Yankees to win if the Cubs didn't. The reason was because they did everything the Cubs wouldn't, mainly doing everything they can to win every year. People wanted me to cheer for the White Sox or Cardinals (too much hate built up over the years) or the Brewers or Astros. If I wanted to keep on cheering for losing teams I would have stayed with the Cubs. Mr. Prunty even tried to brainwash me into becoming a Red Sox fan, but the Yankees were the only choice.

2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 all ended in disappointment. I still felt good about my decision though. The Yankees made the playoffs as many times in those 4 years as the Cubs had in my 25 years of fandom.

This 2009 Yankee squad was a fun team. It was a very likable team too. They were never out of game and they beat people down. They had everything you would want in a championship team. They also had a plethora of celebrity wives and girlfriends, which isn't important in real life, but is fun to have in your baseball team.

It sounds crazy but the Yankees winning is going to change my life. I have a sense of peace that I didn't have before. I no longer have to worry about that slight chance the Cubs could win it before the Yankees that was a constant source of stress. I shouldn't feel the need to lash out against other peoples' teams out of bitterness. I've spent more time rooting against other peoples' teams rather than rooting for my own. I haven't had much to cheer for.

Best Day -

Alright, what is the best day of your life?

You mean ever?

Yeah, the best day ever in your whole life. You can’t do when your kids were born. That’s too easy.

I got one. I’m seven years old and my dad takes me to Yankee Stadium, my first game. We’re going along this long dark tunnel underneath the stands, I’m holding his hand and we come out of the tunnel into the light. It was huge, how green the grass was, brown dirt and that great green copper roof. You remember that? We had a black and white TV so this was the first time I saw it in color. Sat there the whole game next to my dad, taught me how to keep score, Mickey hit one out. I still have the program.

Good day!

-City Slickers-

Overheard...

2009-11-11T15:32:00.002-06:00

Where did you go?

Confession...

Counting down to 'Lost' -

“Do you know any women who hate themselves enough to date me?”

- Dr. Cox, Scrubs

Wake Up the Echos?

2009-11-09T19:20:00.003-06:00

Brian and I had the opportunity to go the Notre Dame/Navy game on Saturday. I am anti- Notre Dame, but as a sports fan, I enjoy the experience. It is really easy to get caught up in the tradition. There is so much history everywhere you walk on campus and in the stadium.

It was a perfect day. It was 65 degrees out without a cloud in the sky. There wasn't any traffic and we got out of the parking lot quickly and without incident. The fact that I was excited about a good parking lot exit confirms I am getting old. Notre Dame lost, which capped off the perfect trip.

On the way home we stopped at the casino. I've played a lot of poker in my day but this was my first trip to a casino. I played roulette and lost Brian's money. I won two of my first four or five spins. I should have stopped there but kept playing until I had lost everything I won and Brian's money. I can see how people get addicted and manage to lose more then they planned. It would have been really easy for me to go get more money because 'I was bound to win some time.' Thankfully Brian fared better than I did. He won his initial money back, my initial money back plus $100.

The Roaring 20s...

2009-10-29T21:11:00.004-05:00

My 20s have come to an end. I was going to write and extended review of the last 10 years but decided not to. I guess you'll have to wait until 'The Keith Chronicles' hits the big or small screen.

The last 10 years have been great. I am interested to see what is up next.

Overheard...

2009-10-26T19:27:00.003-05:00

Her favorite band isn't Nickelback.
Well at least she has that going for her.

Good Times ---

Friday evening a celebration was held at The Plassman's in honor of the 4th Anniversary of Breanne's 25th birthday. Obviously the Plassmans were in attendance along with the Motleys, Williams, Brad, Andrew, Shelley, Shawn and Cathy. It was an excellent time. As time goes on we have less opportunities to get big groups together so it is nice when it happens. We ate, we laughed, we played games, caught up & played 3 inappropriate games of 'What If?'

Books ---

I finished 'The Lost Symbol' and the 'The Good Soldiers.' The Lost Symbol was okay. More than anything it made me want to spend time in Washington D.C. I didn't think it was as entertaining as 'The Da Vinci Code' or 'Angels & 'Demons,' but it was alright. The Good Soldiers was really well done. I am not a big war book guy, but this one was very well written.

On Faith...

2009-10-23T22:38:00.003-05:00

'The world is better or worse based on how you decide to live your life. You cannot not make an impact. You're working for the good of God's dream or you're not.'

That was from a message I heard 3 weeks ago and something that has stuck with me since...

Beyond Comprehension...

2009-10-17T19:41:00.002-05:00

I cannot believe that the balloon kid story is still headline news...

News & Notes...

2009-10-10T13:35:00.002-05:00

I've been working a lot and I canceled cable so I haven't had a ton of opportunities to watch the new season of TV. I have caught two shows that I have enjoyed. One of them is 'Modern Family' and the other is 'Flashforward'. Both are on ABC.

I am loving me some playoff baseball. Yankees up 2=0. Cardinals down 0-2.

'Esquire' named Kate Beckinsale the 'Sexiest Woman Alive'. Who am I to argue?

Dancin' Nancies -

Two weeks ago I attended the Dave Matthews Band concert at 'The World.' It was an excellent show and an excellent show. One of the things I enjoy most in life is going to Dave s -hows. I always have a good time and am never disappointed. This was my 14th. I hadn't been for two summers and this was the first time I had a chance to hear songs from the new album live. B was in town, if was a good day.

On the bookshelf -

'The Story' - Read the Bible as one incredible story from beginning to end.

'The Lost Symbol' by Dan Brown - The latest from the author of the 'Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels & Demons'.

'The Good Soldiers' by David Finkel - It was the last-chance moment of the war. In January 2007, President George W. Bush announced a new strategy for Iraq. He called it "the surge." "Many listening tonight will ask why this effort will succeed when previous operations to secure Baghdad did not. Well, here are the differences," he told a skeptical nation. Among those listening were the young, optimistic army infantry soldiers of the 2-16, the battalion nicknamed the Rangers. About to head to a vicious area of Baghdad, they decided the difference would be them.

Fifteen months later, the soldiers returned home forever changed. Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post reporter David Finkel was with them in Bagdad almost every grueling step of the way.

On the bookshelf soon -

'The Tao of Wu' by The RZA - The RZA, the Abbot of the Wu-Tang Clan and hip-hop culture's most dynamic genius, imparts the lessons he's learned on the journey that's taken him from the Staten Island projects to international superstar, all along the way a devout student of knowledge in every form he's found it-on the streets, in religion, in martial arts, in chess, in popular culture. Part chronicle of an extraordinary life and part spiritual and philosophical discourse, The Tao of Wu is a nonfiction Siddhartha for the hip-hop generation -an engaging, seeking book that will enlighten, entertain, and inspire.

'The Book of Basketball' by Bill Simmons - There is only one writer on the planet who possesses enough basketball knowledge and passion to write the definitive book on the NBA.* Bill Simmons, the from-the-womb hoops addict known to millions as ESPN.com’s Sports Guy, is that writer. And The Book of Basketball is that book.

Missing Lost...

2009-10-07T21:11:00.000-05:00

“You’re so damaged – just because Sarah hurt you, you feel justified in wreaking your petty vengeance on womankind.”

“Yes… yes… and I’d do it again, I tell you! I’d do it again in an instant!”

- Daisy and Tim, Spaced

Be Like Mike...

2009-09-15T20:40:00.002-05:00

I came across a link that had 23 of Michael Jordan's commercials today. This one stuck out to me as the height of my Michael Jordan crazy fan stage. it was shortly before my Michael Jordan is nothing without Scottie Pippen stage.

Interesting facts -

I owned the 'Be Like Mike' Single.
I went to Michael Jordan Basketball Camp with the kid getting hit in the butt in the commercial.
Steve Urkel was also there.

News & Notes...

2009-09-06T20:49:00.003-05:00

Overheard -

'So what you're saying is that I made it rain during church?'

Good Stuff -

Today was CCC's 20th Anniversary service. It was a pretty incredible morning. It really cool on several levels. I was glad I had the opportunity to be a part of it.

Good Reads -

These are some interesting reads I've come across over the past few weeks.

'The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University' by Kevin Roose

'Does God Have a Tim Tebow Complex?' GQ

'How Drug Cartels Work' Rollingstone

There was a real interesting story in the last issue of Rolling Stone about the break up of the Beatles. This is the story behind the story.

Josh Hamilton...

2009-08-10T17:04:00.003-05:00

I set an August 1st deadline for myself to return to blogging. Obviously it was a soft deadline because here I am on August 10th writing my first 'real' entry in about a month.

As I was checking my usual sites on Saturday morning I came across a link on deadspin.com that showed photos Josh Hamilton in a bar, in January some time, in some compromising positions with several young ladies.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Josh Hamilton this isn't just another athlete in a bar having fun. Josh Hamilton is a recovering addict who was the story of baseball last year. He also credits his faith and relationship with Jesus for changing his life.

You can watch his testimony here.

You can read more about his story of addiction and where he was before January here.

"And it's a different man from the coked-out Josh who lost nearly four full seasons to drugs before getting clean and winning reinstatement. This Josh emerged from the shadow of death last season when the Rays lost him in the Rule V draft to Cincinnati, where he was comeback player of the year. He was traded on Dec. 21 to Texas, and his play has been stunning."

This is a link to the post at deadspin (not safe for work)

Josh Hamilton claims he's been sober since October 2005. Since then he's rejuvenated his career, saved his marriage, devoted himself to Jesus, and become America's flawed, homer-derby hero. Last winter, while he was alone in Tempe, Arizona, Hambone kinda slipped.

http://deadspin.com/5332801/the-devil-is-still-in-josh-hamilton-update/gallery/

Reactions were obviously mixed -

My initial reaction was a little bit of surprise though it shouldn't have been. My thoughts then turned to all of those who were going to enjoy the fact that a man who was so public about his faith and relationship with Jesus was now like 'all the other hypocrites'.

Here is a sample of the comments from readers of deadspin. -

"Maybe if he hadn't profited so much off the born again. With the book and all the other, he put himself up there."

"I don't think anyone is happy to see an addict fall off the wagon, but the fact that he became such a soldier of Christ and then gets blasted, sucks down shots and whip cream off random chicks, and then just goes about his business for however long makes him a giant hypocrite. I doubt he admitted his lapse to his family before this."

"The only thing Josh has done is profess his faith, which he feels strongly about, and he's admittedly done so quite often. In no way has he ever implored others to join him, or condemned others for not sharing his beliefs. He hasn't forced you to listen. But somehow you guys try to act as if he has, or as if his message is now less true or less valuable. If you knew what his message was you would know that this is not only false but it's poor reasoning."

"You are a real (butt)hole for writing that article on Josh Hamilton. I hope you get hit by a truck and die. Who cares anyways whether he is out having drinks? All you are doing is trying to hurt him and other athletes with your stories. The media and paparazzi suck."

This was Josh Hamilton's statement -

"I'm embarrassed about it, personally, for the Rangers, for my wife, my children and my family. It reinforces one of the things that I can't have is alcohol. It's unfortunate that it happened. I was out there getting ready for the season and took my focus off the number one factor in my recovery - my relationship with Christ. I hate that this happened...

"I wasn't mentally fit or spiritually fit," he said. "It just crossed my mind ‘Can I have a drink?' Obviously, I can't. One drink leads to two and two drink leads to 10 or 12. When I was in AA, one saying I heard was one drink is too many and 1,000 is never enough. Alcohol just doesn't mix well with me."

It didn't surprise me that he turned out to not be perfect. I've also had a pretty good view of someone struggling with addiction over the past few years. It shouldn't have surprised me that he relapsed, and it won't surprise me when he does again.

As a follow of Christ it hit home too. Some people want to see people of faith fall for whatever reason. There are a lot of reasons, some self-inflicted by Christians, that people don't get that we aren't perfect. I know that I am not better than anyone else and neither is Josh Hamilton. We are just two sinners who by grace, mercy and forgiveness get through every day. It did remind me that when I put my faith out there for people to see there are people who are waiting for me to mess up.

Yanks/Sox Overheard...

2009-08-09T22:32:00.001-05:00

My "excitement" over the Big Papi revelation is approaching 4 hours. I may have to call my doctor...

Big Papi's day: 0 for 5 vs the Yankees, 0 for 1 vs the truth...

Jerry Hairston Jr!!! Start planning the parade!!

Ferris Bueller You're My Hero....

2009-08-07T23:16:00.001-05:00

Daily Dose of Lost...

2009-08-05T22:46:00.001-05:00

Courtesy of Ack...

“I’m disturbed, I’m depressed, I’m inadequate, I’ve got it all!”

- George Costanza, Seinfeld

Overheard...

2009-07-14T08:26:00.003-05:00

This is a mass text. Does anyone know where I am?

yeah i just made her a character on oregon trail and i hope she gets dysentry and dies. that'll show her.

My underwear smells like fireworks.

I got Rick Rolled in the bathroom.

Lots of pretty girls. is that why you watch this show?
No, there are pretty girls everywhere you look.

Lots of boobs, is that why you watch this show?
No, there are boobs everywhere. Every second person has them.

I am going to make some woman miserable someday. It is going to be great!

How many time will this be on Fox News?

2009-07-10T09:22:00.003-05:00

I'm going to be honest...

2009-07-09T18:40:00.003-05:00

Articles like this,'Banks' 'courtesy' loans at soaring rates irk consumers' USAToday.com, drive me banana sandwiches...

The article should have been 11 words 'Don't spend more money than you have in your checking account.'

98% of the time accounts are overdrawn because more money was spent than was left in the account. There is nobody to blame but yourself. A bad mortgage broker cannot be blamed for this one.

'But they should stop me if I am buying something and I am going to go over.' No, you should know what is left in your account. I came home from my freshman year of college with 7 cents in my checking account. I don't even write down what I buy and was able to estimate well enough to not go over. If I can do it, anyone can.

*stepping down from my soapbox*

Overheard...

2009-07-07T21:15:00.002-05:00

I hope to return to blogging regularly in the near future. In the mean time enjoy some 'overheard'...

You are the man.
That's what I hear.

It is the least I can do. She humors me while I am here, and I give her pee in Coke bottles.

So Lisa - are you excited about seeing what's new in child birth technology since the last time you were in?

Whewww...

2009-06-09T22:19:00.002-05:00

It has been an event 5 days.

Friday -
I took the day off of work to pack and clean my apartment. I was able to get about 92% of the packing and cleaning done between the hours of 10am and 6pm. All of my hard work was rewarded. I was able to spend the evening playing laser tag with the Prunty/Derry clan, and then hangout with Shelley at Portillo's.

Saturday -
There was no packing or cleaning to be done this morning. I had to attend Alana's wedding which started at 11. It was a most excellent time. After Alana's wedding I headed straight to B-Derry's wedding that started at 6. This was also an excellent time. Two outdoor wedding survived the threat of rain. When I got home I finished the remaining 10% of moving and packing work I had to do.

Sunday -
Sunday was moving day. My dad and three of his friends helped out. It is amazing how much easier a move is with extra sets of hands. Plus old guys know how to get things done. We finished the loading and unloading by about 3. I spent the rest of the day unpacking and getting settled.

Monday -
I had doctor stuff to attend to in the morning/afternoon. I was all unpacked out so I did not touch a thing. I spent the evening watching softball.

Today -
I finished most of the unpacking and organizing here at my new place of residence in Naperville. Comcast gave me a time between 1-4 and the guy was here by 115. I must say they have stepped up the customer service. My last 3 or 4 experiences have been outstanding.

That is all for now. Tomorrow it is back to work with this new sinus infection I've developed - Awesome!

My Life in Ruins...

2009-05-28T19:22:00.002-05:00

I've seen a few different promos for the move 'My Life in Ruins'. It stars the lady who was in 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding,' and that is exactly how each of the promos refers to her. It never says staring , but every time says 'The Star of 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' in a brand new comedy 'My Life in Ruins'.

I can't be the only one who has noticed this.

The Weekend in Overheard...

2009-05-17T18:43:00.002-05:00

I feel like I'm in a F-14. Talk to me Goose...

You are not making it rain in Beverly...

Are you going to be here for a bit or are you leaving now?
*perplexed looks*
Well if you are leaving now I will get your check. I live across the street and if you are staying I am going to run home and put on shorts...

Dudes being dudes at the intimate table...

We dimmed the lights so let me get that lamp lit for you...

You heard it here first, If 'Thunder from Down Under' comes out I am out of here...

What are you guys doing after this, going to Lookout Point?

This new Busch is pretty nice...

Rick Ankiel certainly isn't shy about showing leg today...

This guy is going to go home and his wife is going to want to know what happened...
We are changing lives B, because that is what we do...

These are the things I think about while you're at work all day...

I don't know where we are going, but if we follow the legs I am sure they'll lead us to the exit...

You're cute they'll stop...

Closing Out an Excellent Month...

2009-04-21T22:15:00.002-05:00

The NFL Draft is this weekend. I am one of those people that enjoys the draft. I can certainly do without the weeks and weeks of constant talking, mock drafts & analyzing it though. I hate watching Mel Kiper (pictured right) and Todd McShay yell at each other for weeks on end. Just give me analysis of the players and move on.

The draft closes out a great month for sports. It started with The Final Four, next baseball season started, then The Master's, followed by the start of the NBA and NHL playoffs.

Speaking of the NBA playoffs, I am at a very awkward stage of my relationship with the Bulls. They are the last professional sports team in Chicago I support. If anyone questions my fandom I will point to the two years I had season tickets during the Tim Floyd era.

I spent the entire year trashing everyone in the organization except for Derrick Rose. I refused to even refer to them as the Bulls. I called them the Derrick Roses for crying out loud. Now they are giving the Celtics a run for their money, and I feel mixed emotions. I am glad they are doing well, but I almost wish they weren't. They still aren't that good and don't have a championship mix, and I am afraid that with this 'success' Paxson is going to think they are closer than they really are. I see the same thing happening when they beat the Heat a few years ago. After that they stood pat and the next couple of years were miserable.

A Toilet Tale...

2009-04-07T13:50:00.001-05:00

I met some friends for dinner to celebrate Adam's birthday. When I arrived I needed to use the facilities. I am 29 years old and thought I had encountered every type of washroom there is. I discovered it isn't true.

This particular facility had one sink, a urinal and a regular toilet. At first glance it would seem it was a room for two, but as I looked around some more there was a lock on the door and there were no partitions of any kind between the urinal and toilet. It had an open floor plan if you will. When I walked in there was someone in there and I wasn't sure what to do - stay or leave? stay or leave? Is this a onesie or a twosie? If it is a onesie why didn't he lock the door? I aired on the side of caution and bailed.

I waited until that guy left, went in and locked the door so that the next guy wouldn't have to bear the same mental anguish I did.

It has been 15 years...

2009-04-05T14:55:00.001-05:00

It has been 15 years since Kurt Cobain died. 15 years - That is crazy...

Best Picture Ever...

2009-04-02T20:11:00.001-05:00

March in Review...

2009-03-31T10:49:00.001-05:00

I've read 8 and a 1/2 books so far this year. The total would be higher but I took 3 weeks to get through half of 'The Catcher in the Rye' before giving up.

This month I started working from home on a mostly full time basis.

I found the apartment I'll be living in when my lease is up in May.

The poker bug has bit once again, which I suppose is a good thing.

Worst bracket performance ever!

Which one are you?

2009-03-29T12:55:00.001-05:00

Are you a person who complains about the weather?

Or

Are you a person who complains about the people who complain about the weather?

2009-03-25T14:28:00.003-05:00

Overheard ---

You two are obsessed.
No we are not.
Whenever you're together it's ALL you talk about.
You're right. I like to think I have well balanced diet.
A well balanced diet?
Yes, I talk about girl stuff with you don't I?

This & That ---

I enjoyed the first weekend of the tournament. Many people are lamenting the fact there aren't any Cinderella teams in the Sweet 16. It doesn't bother me so much. There were a lot of good games and close finishes, which is all I really ask for. I am missing Stephen Curry this year though.

I am looking forward to the Sweet 16 tomorrow.

I saw 'I Love You Man' over the weekend. I was quite amused and entertained by the entire cinematic adventure. One of the best moments was when Brian broke out in full course ha's at a part in the movie, and nobody else really laughed. There were Brian's full course ha's and a few scattered light giggles.

This story is crazy - 'Twin saves sister from drowning thanks to telepathic bond'

Overheard...

2009-03-17T10:42:00.001-05:00

The Christian thing to do would have been to give him a jump.

I'm never as cheap as when we go to Olive Garden.

News & Notes -

'Role Models' is hilarious. If you haven't seen it you I highly recommend you do so ASAP.

Michigan is dancing - Let us party like it is 1997.

This will be the 14th of the last 15th year that I will be missing work or school to watch the first two days of the NCAA tournament. The tradition started in 1995. The only year I 'missed' was 2003. I remember that vividly because it was the year Marquette went to the Final Four. I picked them to go but in the first round they nearly lost. I remember being at my desk freaking out and refreshing CBS Sportsline a million times a minute.

I am feeling a bit empty because Stephen Curry will not be playing.

I am strugging through 'The Catcher in the Rye'. I don't think I am cut out for the classics. I've tried to commit to the classics several times and it never works out. Though I did enjoy 'The Winter of our Discontent'. Maybe I shouldn't write off all the classics again.

Over the weekend I learned that 7th/8th grade girls volleyball is more entertaining that girls basketball at any level.

Let the Madness Begin...

2009-03-15T18:34:00.001-05:00

The Sears Tower...

2009-03-14T11:03:00.002-05:00

A lot of people are up in arms over the renaming of the The Sears Tower. I can see why people are upset but I can't say that I agree. It doesn't make any sense for the company moving in to a large part of the building to keep it the Sears Tower. I am sure a big reason they are moving in is for the name recognition. It's good for business. If they don't get the naming rights they are just another company in the building. Also, unlike when Macy's changed the downtown Marshall Fields, there isn't going to be a boycott of the Willis Group's services. Macy's bottom line was impacted because people stopped spending money there. Willis isn't that kind of group.

People are going to continue to call in the Sears Tower anyway.

News & Notes...

2009-03-08T20:58:00.003-05:00

Weekend Update ---

Friday I spent time recovering from my Tylenol PM hangover, and spending time with Coach, Mrs. Coach, Saracen and crew.

Saturday evening Breanne and I had dinner at IHOP. You really cannot beat the bacon, egg and cheeseburger. I find it superior to the Royal Red Robin and Red Robin. IHOP uses a roll, which complements the bacon, the egg & the cheeseburger perfectly. Following dinner cookies were made, and quality time was spent catching up with Brad and Anne.

Today has been relatively relaxing. I met my friend Dana for lunch. I haven't seen her in a while so it was nice to catch up. The economy doesn't seem to be impacting the number of people at the Apple store. Our dining location was within the confines of an outdoor mall, and the weather certainly didn't stop people from going there. It was packed!

Changes ---

There have been some things happen at work, which may allow me to move back to the greater Naperville area when my lease is up in May. They are good changes, and it would be awesome if I have the opportunity to move back that way.

Pop Culture lines of the week ---

“Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I’m a dog chasing cars. I wouldn’t know what to do with one if I caught it! You know, I just, do things."
-The Dark Knight-

Where did Jason go wrong?

2009-03-03T21:49:00.000-06:00

America's favorite single dad turned into America's Most Hated last night as he shattered nice, sweet sincere, Melissa's heart into a thousand pieces. The way I see it Jason's biggest mistake was making the proposal.

The mistake Jason made was saying from minute one that he was going to find his wife on the show, and that he was going to propose to someone at the end. This was unwise for a couple of reasons. He put too much pressure on himself to be the Trista of the Bachelor's. He wanted to be the one to show that it could be done, and that you can find true love on 'The Bachelor'.

If he takes the route that almost every other bachelor has, which is the promise ring/let's see where this goes after the lights go out he would have been fine. What I mean by fine is that if he didn't propose to Melissa at the end of the show he is still a jerk, but he is not THAT big of a jerk. If he hadn't proposed, last night he isn't the guy calling off an engagement and dumping his fiancee without giving the relationship a chance, he's a guy breaking up with his girlfriend because he wants to date another girl.

Sure he's still an ass but people break up so they can date other people all the time. It doesn't have the impact of calling off the engagement.

What did you do Friday night?

2009-02-28T11:43:00.002-06:00

Kid A - I had to go with my sister to the Jonas Brothers 3D movie. How about you?

Kid B - I went to the Wizards game. It was cool and they won, but I had to sit next to this guy who kept taking up all my room.