The HB has this week off as well as part of his spring break. The wife and I have three strategies to deal with such extended breaks: 1) Put him in camp. 2) Split days--she'll go in to work super early while I keep track of the boy, then she'll get home noonish and I'll work, then we both end up working that night. 3) We'll alternate taking whole days working or hanging with the HB.
Since LAUSD is back is session, number 1 is not an option. For reasons I can't recall, number 3 was the best option for this week and today was my day to have him. The only problem is that I'm at a critical point in some projects and after taking last week off I really had to get some shit done today. So, I got up early to get a head start on some e-mail and took a looooooooooong phone call while the HB was finishing up some cartoons. He ran some errands with me (mostly getting ready for an assessment project on Fri and Sat) and did some stuff while I tried to get some work in and while we waited for the plumber (who was...oh, only about 90 minutes late). Oh, and we fit in some Wii time. I gotta get him up to snuff so he can beat the BS's ass when he comes over.
I got about half of what I needed to done before heading out to a dinner meeting. I'm totally beat now, but I better have some energy tomorrow cuz I have a ton of shit to do.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Happy Birthday, HB!
Today is the HB's 9th birthday. We started the par-tay a few days earlier when we took him and three friends to Universal Studios. The tickets were purchased from two recent charity auctions, so that was a win-win. The boys were great. No fighting, very little "gimmes", no audible bitching when we had to be somewhere or when we had to leave.
Even though he hung all week in DC with his cousin, they wanted a sleepover last night, so we didn't actually see him until today at around noon. My wife drove him there after his theater practice and it gave her and her sisters a chance to convince their mom that she needs live-in assistance. But, that's for a another post.
The HB had very few things on his birthday wishlist--he's not that into stuff compared to his peers. So, we decided to go whole hog and get him a Wii. The nephew's mom knows of a small gaming place that gets them weekly. So, she and my wife got there early one morning and got him one with a couple of games. Every one who asked, "What should I get the HB for his birthday?" was asked to get him a Wii game. He also got some cool books.
We teased him a little during lunch about what he was like as a baby, etc. He seemed to have had a good time. He's a wonderful and happy little boy (hence, the HB). Happy Birthday!
Even though he hung all week in DC with his cousin, they wanted a sleepover last night, so we didn't actually see him until today at around noon. My wife drove him there after his theater practice and it gave her and her sisters a chance to convince their mom that she needs live-in assistance. But, that's for a another post.
The HB had very few things on his birthday wishlist--he's not that into stuff compared to his peers. So, we decided to go whole hog and get him a Wii. The nephew's mom knows of a small gaming place that gets them weekly. So, she and my wife got there early one morning and got him one with a couple of games. Every one who asked, "What should I get the HB for his birthday?" was asked to get him a Wii game. He also got some cool books.
We teased him a little during lunch about what he was like as a baby, etc. He seemed to have had a good time. He's a wonderful and happy little boy (hence, the HB). Happy Birthday!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
A Very Nice Wedding
Regular reader(s) will recall the weird wedding my wife and I went to a couple of weeks ago. Last night we had a chance to go to a very cool one.
Our friends Fred and Tina tied the knot. It's her first and his second. He also brings two kids (a girl who is 13 and a boy who is 15) to the party. He's my age (in fact, his birthday is the day before my wife's) and she's in her early 30s.
The wedding took place just before sunset in a park in a marina (very close to the beach). I teased Fred that she must have serious faith in her hairdresser as it was as likely be foggy and/or windy. It was clear, if a bit breezy (being a good planer, Tina had wraps available for the women). There were about 50 people there and was officiated by one of Fred's childhood friends (he had baptized his kids and I'm guessing officiated his first wedding). As I later found out, Tina is a bit estranged from her dad, but he was there with a big smile on his face (her brother walked her up the aisle). Given how chilly it was, it was the fastest leaving group of wedding guests I've every seen.
The reception was at a local hotel, but they had recently redone this particular ballroom in California Mission style so it was nice and comfortable. As both Fred and Tina have successful law practices, they didn't scrimp on the table clothes, napkins, silver, etc. The food was great and it was an open bar (woot!). One of Fred's brothers made a terrific toast and when Tina danced with her dad they were both laughing and clearly enjoying the moment.
The wife and I danced a little and had some great conversations with the people at our table (we knew some of them). We were still a bit dragging from the DC trip and taking the HB and some of his buddies to Universal Studios as part of his birthday weekend earlier in the day (more about his birthday in an upcoming entry).
As a general rule, I LOVE weddings since they remind me of mine, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a great feeling to see two people so very much in love (and with such supportive friends and family) taking the plunge, even after Fred's first one didn't work out. A clink of the champagne glass to them both.
Our friends Fred and Tina tied the knot. It's her first and his second. He also brings two kids (a girl who is 13 and a boy who is 15) to the party. He's my age (in fact, his birthday is the day before my wife's) and she's in her early 30s.
The wedding took place just before sunset in a park in a marina (very close to the beach). I teased Fred that she must have serious faith in her hairdresser as it was as likely be foggy and/or windy. It was clear, if a bit breezy (being a good planer, Tina had wraps available for the women). There were about 50 people there and was officiated by one of Fred's childhood friends (he had baptized his kids and I'm guessing officiated his first wedding). As I later found out, Tina is a bit estranged from her dad, but he was there with a big smile on his face (her brother walked her up the aisle). Given how chilly it was, it was the fastest leaving group of wedding guests I've every seen.
The reception was at a local hotel, but they had recently redone this particular ballroom in California Mission style so it was nice and comfortable. As both Fred and Tina have successful law practices, they didn't scrimp on the table clothes, napkins, silver, etc. The food was great and it was an open bar (woot!). One of Fred's brothers made a terrific toast and when Tina danced with her dad they were both laughing and clearly enjoying the moment.
The wife and I danced a little and had some great conversations with the people at our table (we knew some of them). We were still a bit dragging from the DC trip and taking the HB and some of his buddies to Universal Studios as part of his birthday weekend earlier in the day (more about his birthday in an upcoming entry).
As a general rule, I LOVE weddings since they remind me of mine, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a great feeling to see two people so very much in love (and with such supportive friends and family) taking the plunge, even after Fred's first one didn't work out. A clink of the champagne glass to them both.
What is Fair?
After getting caught up on a day or two of the paper, I read a letter to the editor in the LA Times. To summarize, a woman wrote in juxtaposing an article on reductions in Medi-Cal fees and an ad for summer rentals in Malibu going for $150k/month (btw--that is NOT a typo). She concludes with the question, "Where is the leadership toward a fairer system?"
We'll ignore the fact that there is zero relationship between someone who can afford to rent a house for 150 large and how CA funds Medi-Cal. For the record, lots of consumer product companies rent houses in Malibu for parties during the summer so that the young, rich and famous will be photographed with their stuff. It's just as likely as the person renting the house is trying to attract this kind of money as opposed to an individual shelling it out.
Regardless, I wonder how this woman defines 'fair'? Given how she poses the question, 'fair' seems to mean that there's a limit as to how much material wealth a person can have as long as there are people who don't have enough. I'm thinking that's the definition of equal.
To me, fair is when you get what you earned and that people who bring the same things to the table walk away from the table with more or less the same. I'm not a dope. We don't live in a perfectly fair country. And while there might be other systems that make people more (materially) equal, I don't think that they are any more fair.
I think of these things when I listen to politicians talk about how they are going to fix this or that. I listen to whether their answer is to put up barriers to those who are getting what they earned or removing the barriers that make the system unfair. I much prefer the latter.
We'll ignore the fact that there is zero relationship between someone who can afford to rent a house for 150 large and how CA funds Medi-Cal. For the record, lots of consumer product companies rent houses in Malibu for parties during the summer so that the young, rich and famous will be photographed with their stuff. It's just as likely as the person renting the house is trying to attract this kind of money as opposed to an individual shelling it out.
Regardless, I wonder how this woman defines 'fair'? Given how she poses the question, 'fair' seems to mean that there's a limit as to how much material wealth a person can have as long as there are people who don't have enough. I'm thinking that's the definition of equal.
To me, fair is when you get what you earned and that people who bring the same things to the table walk away from the table with more or less the same. I'm not a dope. We don't live in a perfectly fair country. And while there might be other systems that make people more (materially) equal, I don't think that they are any more fair.
I think of these things when I listen to politicians talk about how they are going to fix this or that. I listen to whether their answer is to put up barriers to those who are getting what they earned or removing the barriers that make the system unfair. I much prefer the latter.
Friday, March 28, 2008
DC Trip Wrap Up
First, the excursion this week was a trip, not a vacation. What's the diff? If you're bringing your kids or visiting family, it's a trip. Otherwise, it's a vacation.
I would give the whole thing about a B-. On the plus side:
On the eh/negative side:
Overall, I'd say that last year's trip to NYC was the better one. But, when I go back to DC in the fall for a conference I'm probably going to stay an extra day to see some of the stuff I like but I knew we wouldn't get to (National Galley, Phillips Collection and National Museum of American History).
I would give the whole thing about a B-. On the plus side:
- I can highly recommend the Embassy Suites at Chevy Chase Pavilion. It's right on top of a Metro Station (Friendship Heights), only 30 minutes by car from Dulles and there are many palatable (but not gourmet) eating options within walking distance. The rooms were big for an ES and the included hot breakfast and happy hour are a hit in my house.
- The International Spy Museum was cool. All of us liked it and was worth the money. Since my dad worked on super-secret stuff, I like these kinds of things.
- We went to Kennedy Center and saw Sheer Madness. The wife and I were rolling out eyes quite a bit, but the boys loved it.
- Dave & Buster's. Always a hit and a short Metro ride away.
- It was the first time I'd seen the National WWII Memorial and it's very interesting.
- Seeing the other monuments (Washington, Lincoln and Viet Nam) was a good way to talk to the boys about the different wars and the people who fought them.
On the eh/negative side:
- The White House tour kinda sucked. It's not as much of a tour as a chance to walk through some rooms. No docent, no park service person to provide any context or tidbits.
- The Capitol building tour was cool, but too short and the docent wasn't exactly full of knowledge about the artwork or the sculptures. It definitely paled in comparison to the tour of the houses of Parliament we took in London.
- Our guide in the National Archives couldn't have made that tour more boring.
- The National Museum of American History was closed for renovations.
Overall, I'd say that last year's trip to NYC was the better one. But, when I go back to DC in the fall for a conference I'm probably going to stay an extra day to see some of the stuff I like but I knew we wouldn't get to (National Galley, Phillips Collection and National Museum of American History).
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Saturday Madness
Wow, now that was a close one for the Bruins, but their D really stepped up.
Just got done watching most of the 10 Commandments. Whenever I watch it I find myself humming Metallica's Creeping Death.
Off to DC tomorrow. May be able to post. Y'all know how to get a hold of me.
Just got done watching most of the 10 Commandments. Whenever I watch it I find myself humming Metallica's Creeping Death.
Off to DC tomorrow. May be able to post. Y'all know how to get a hold of me.
Donkeys Eating Their Own
The democratic primary is really deteriorating. Both sides were taking the high road early on, but as it gets down to the wire, winning the nomination has clearly become more important to both sides than winning the general election. The fight over what happens to the Michigan and Florida delegates makes this pretty clear.
First, I want to say that the DNC must be run by complete fucking idiots when the best way they can think of to punish politicians and political hacks is by taking away the vote of people in their party. How does that make sense?
Right now, even though Clinton has a slight lead in votes cast, Obama has the delegate lead. Since the delegates are assigned proportionally (and sometimes by a formula that takes into account how blue a country or congressional district has been recently) and there are some caucuses left (where Obama kicks her ass), it's hard to imagine how Clinton can take the lead in delegates. As you see more and more "establishment" super-delegates siding with Obama it makes it even less likely than Clinton can win at the convention.
OK, back to Michigan and Florida. Obviously, since he's in the lead Obama has nothing to gain by having those states re-vote and I'm sure that he can come up with lots of technical reasons why they shouldn't. But, it makes him look petty. Sure, in the beginning of February Clinton was more popular in those states, but Obama's campaign has clearly caught on since then and even if he still lost those states (and it's not guarantee that he would), he wouldn't lose by so much that it would cost him the nomination.
Clinton, on the other hand, should STFU about having the previous tallies count. Neither campaigned in Florida and Obama (and others) weren't even on the ballot in Michigan. There's no way in hell that those results should be considered a true reflection of the sentiments of the primary voters in those states. Did she do better then than she would now? Probably. But, we can't turn back the clock. If she wasn't so cocky about the election back then she could have fought the DNC to come up with another way to punish the state parties.
When the campaigns start bickering about technicalities in voting and who started this, the candidates look small. While McCain and his bodyguards are in Iraq, Obama and Clinton should be making a positive impression on voters with their economic plans, getting us out of Iraq, etc. But right now, they'd rather play petty politics. It's the democrats that will suffer for that.
First, I want to say that the DNC must be run by complete fucking idiots when the best way they can think of to punish politicians and political hacks is by taking away the vote of people in their party. How does that make sense?
Right now, even though Clinton has a slight lead in votes cast, Obama has the delegate lead. Since the delegates are assigned proportionally (and sometimes by a formula that takes into account how blue a country or congressional district has been recently) and there are some caucuses left (where Obama kicks her ass), it's hard to imagine how Clinton can take the lead in delegates. As you see more and more "establishment" super-delegates siding with Obama it makes it even less likely than Clinton can win at the convention.
OK, back to Michigan and Florida. Obviously, since he's in the lead Obama has nothing to gain by having those states re-vote and I'm sure that he can come up with lots of technical reasons why they shouldn't. But, it makes him look petty. Sure, in the beginning of February Clinton was more popular in those states, but Obama's campaign has clearly caught on since then and even if he still lost those states (and it's not guarantee that he would), he wouldn't lose by so much that it would cost him the nomination.
Clinton, on the other hand, should STFU about having the previous tallies count. Neither campaigned in Florida and Obama (and others) weren't even on the ballot in Michigan. There's no way in hell that those results should be considered a true reflection of the sentiments of the primary voters in those states. Did she do better then than she would now? Probably. But, we can't turn back the clock. If she wasn't so cocky about the election back then she could have fought the DNC to come up with another way to punish the state parties.
When the campaigns start bickering about technicalities in voting and who started this, the candidates look small. While McCain and his bodyguards are in Iraq, Obama and Clinton should be making a positive impression on voters with their economic plans, getting us out of Iraq, etc. But right now, they'd rather play petty politics. It's the democrats that will suffer for that.
Happy Birthday, Iraq War
Sorry for the blogging delay. We're taking the HB and the nephew to DC tomorrow, so between getting ready for that, wrapping up work stuff and the tournament I haven't had all the extra blogging time that I've wanted.
As I reflect on the 5th birthday of the War in Iraq, I'm struck by how much time, effort, money and lives we've spent and what's been gained from it. If you are of the opinion that Saddam Hussein was a menace to the world and was *this* close to blowing up all of his enemies (or obtaining weapons that could do so), then this whole thing is an unqualified success. Likewise, if you think that our foreign policy should be to depose dictators who treat their populations like shit, then the mission has been accomplished.
I'm of the opinion that the whole thing was a gigantic mistake and I don't think that our policy makers know what "winning" is there (I know that McCain can't define it). Best I can tell, we've swapped one totalitarian regime for another in terms of women's rights and religious freedom. Also, we created a situation where Al Quaeda could flourish where it had not previously. Interestingly, the Bush administration crows about the fact that local Sunnis are NOW fighting against Al Queda. Great, only five years to get without shouting distance of the status quo.
We broke it, and now it's so fucked up it's hard to leave without it imploding militarily (though now that most areas have been ethnically cleansed, it might not be as big of a deal now). And the powers that be in Iraq don't want us to leave because it's our reconstruction spending that props up the economy. Something tells me that no matter the outcome of our election, we'll be putting another candle on this cake next year.
As I reflect on the 5th birthday of the War in Iraq, I'm struck by how much time, effort, money and lives we've spent and what's been gained from it. If you are of the opinion that Saddam Hussein was a menace to the world and was *this* close to blowing up all of his enemies (or obtaining weapons that could do so), then this whole thing is an unqualified success. Likewise, if you think that our foreign policy should be to depose dictators who treat their populations like shit, then the mission has been accomplished.
I'm of the opinion that the whole thing was a gigantic mistake and I don't think that our policy makers know what "winning" is there (I know that McCain can't define it). Best I can tell, we've swapped one totalitarian regime for another in terms of women's rights and religious freedom. Also, we created a situation where Al Quaeda could flourish where it had not previously. Interestingly, the Bush administration crows about the fact that local Sunnis are NOW fighting against Al Queda. Great, only five years to get without shouting distance of the status quo.
We broke it, and now it's so fucked up it's hard to leave without it imploding militarily (though now that most areas have been ethnically cleansed, it might not be as big of a deal now). And the powers that be in Iraq don't want us to leave because it's our reconstruction spending that props up the economy. Something tells me that no matter the outcome of our election, we'll be putting another candle on this cake next year.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Friday Madness, #1
Crazy morning, so little time to blog.
Got the Davidson and Western Kentucky upsets. South Alabama's got some work to do against Butler. I was a bit over optimistic about St. Mary.
Tennessee's game was way too close. Their rebounding has been for shit the last couple of weeks. Like USC, they're gonna run into a team that wants it a little more and might get beat.
Saw that Bill Richardson is going to endorse Obama instead of the wife of his ex-boss. Interesting how all of the Democratic establishment is coalescing around Obama. If he has a majority of the super-delgates on his side, Obama will win the nomination. I don't think there are enough primary/caucus delegates up for grabs for her to make up the difference.
Got the Davidson and Western Kentucky upsets. South Alabama's got some work to do against Butler. I was a bit over optimistic about St. Mary.
Tennessee's game was way too close. Their rebounding has been for shit the last couple of weeks. Like USC, they're gonna run into a team that wants it a little more and might get beat.
Saw that Bill Richardson is going to endorse Obama instead of the wife of his ex-boss. Interesting how all of the Democratic establishment is coalescing around Obama. If he has a majority of the super-delgates on his side, Obama will win the nomination. I don't think there are enough primary/caucus delegates up for grabs for her to make up the difference.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Thursday Madness, #4
The night session didn't have many good games, either. West Virginia vs Arizona was OK, but WVU was in the lead the entire second half. SO, the Duke/Belmont game was the only one of the day that came down to the buzzer. Hopefully, tomorrow's games will be a bit more competitive.
The HB's home from school tomorrow. I'll be chasing him in the am (the wife will take the afternoon shift). Normally this would mean that I would miss the games. But, he got busted giving short shrift to his piano lessons, so he's lost his electronics privileges for Friday and Saturday. Guess that means I'll be able to squeeze in some tourney watching.
Yes, I noticed that it's the Iraq War's 5th birthday this week and the democrats are putting on an excellent exhibition of eating their own. I'll try to get to those topics and more tomorrow.
The HB's home from school tomorrow. I'll be chasing him in the am (the wife will take the afternoon shift). Normally this would mean that I would miss the games. But, he got busted giving short shrift to his piano lessons, so he's lost his electronics privileges for Friday and Saturday. Guess that means I'll be able to squeeze in some tourney watching.
Yes, I noticed that it's the Iraq War's 5th birthday this week and the democrats are putting on an excellent exhibition of eating their own. I'll try to get to those topics and more tomorrow.
Thursday Madness, #3
OK, the Kansas St./USC game messed me up. K-State completely out hustled SC and wore them out.
We got the end of the Duke/Belmont game. I thought Belmont's coach choked. They were winning with a bit more than a minute to go. Each time they got possession, he called a timeout. That ensured that Duke could setup their defense to stop Belmont's one scorer, which they did, instead of creating a mismatch so they could increase their lead. Duke missed a critical free throw, but it didn't matter as the Belmont coach kept letting Coach K out coach him. I feel badly for his players.
We got the end of the Duke/Belmont game. I thought Belmont's coach choked. They were winning with a bit more than a minute to go. Each time they got possession, he called a timeout. That ensured that Duke could setup their defense to stop Belmont's one scorer, which they did, instead of creating a mismatch so they could increase their lead. Duke missed a critical free throw, but it didn't matter as the Belmont coach kept letting Coach K out coach him. I feel badly for his players.
Thursday Madness, #2
So far, not so bad. Lost out on the Kent St. - UNLV game, but the others have held up.
Gonna run to interview some dude. Should be back to watch the late games (but put them on DVR, just in case).
Been even getting some work done.
Gonna run to interview some dude. Should be back to watch the late games (but put them on DVR, just in case).
Been even getting some work done.
Thursday Madness, #1
The early games seem to be going to form, now that Xavier has tightened up their defense. Kansas and MSU are rolling. I've had the games on DVR, which allows me to fall behind some when the phone rings, but then fast forward through the commercials.
I've been making pretty good progress on my list of things to do. I figured a list would be useful so I can claim that I was fairly productive during the day. I've also been re-writing a proposal for a client which I'll be able to buy some time on since they need to get me information, and they are always slow.
Hope that your bracket hasn't been busted yet.
I've been making pretty good progress on my list of things to do. I figured a list would be useful so I can claim that I was fairly productive during the day. I've also been re-writing a proposal for a client which I'll be able to buy some time on since they need to get me information, and they are always slow.
Hope that your bracket hasn't been busted yet.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
March Madness
OK, I've been a bad blogger this week. I've been a bit swamped at work and have had to drive to a bunch of meetings, hence taking away my 'puter time. But, enough with the excuses. I'll blog a bunch today.
Thursday and Friday are happy days as they are the first two rounds of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. As the owner of my own company, they are officially company holidays. So, I'll set my HD-DVR on CBS for the day and start watching the games around 11. Two clients have INSISTED on meetings, so I scheduled them during the breaks in the game (between 2 and 4) on both days. I guess this is a good thing as it will prevent a 2-day drunk.
Tonight I need to get my picks into the various pools, so here we go:
SOUTH
Round 1:
Memphis
Miss St.
Michigan State. Funny story. A woman I slept with in grad school went to Michigan St. She insisted that the Spartans were THE MSU. So, me and a buddy came up with about 15 more MSU schools (Mississippi State, etc.). This week, I was looking at a bracket online and they has Mississippi State more or less spelled out, but Michigan State as MSU. Of course, I sent her the link.
Pitt
Marquette. Damn...I drew Kentucky against them in my Rotary pool, hm...maybe I should revisit this as an upset.
Stanford
St. Mary's
Texas
Round 2:
Memphis
Pitt
Stanford
Texas
Round 3:
Memphis
Texas
Final 4
Texas
WEST
Round 1:
UCLA
Texas A&M
W. Kentucky
UConn
Purdue
Xavier
WVU
Duke
Round 2:
UCLA
UConn
Xavier
Duke
Round 3
UCLA
Xavier
Final 4
UCLA
EAST
Round 1:
UNC
Indiana
Notre Dame (I can't believe I just typed that)
Washington St.
St. Joe's
Louisville
South Alabama (Butler's just too over hyped)
Tennessee
Round 2:
UNC
Wash St.
Louisville
Tennessee
Round 3
UNC
Tennessee
Final 4
UNC {sniff}
MIDWEST
Round 1:
Kansas
Kent St.
Clemson
Vanderbilt
USC
Wisconsin
Davidson (they're at home and Gonzaga has a loooooong way to fly)
Georgetown
Round 2:
Kansas
Clemson
USC
Georgetown
Round 3:
Kansas
Georgetown
Final 4:
Georgetown
FINALS
UCLA
UNC
CHAMP--UCLA
Thursday and Friday are happy days as they are the first two rounds of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. As the owner of my own company, they are officially company holidays. So, I'll set my HD-DVR on CBS for the day and start watching the games around 11. Two clients have INSISTED on meetings, so I scheduled them during the breaks in the game (between 2 and 4) on both days. I guess this is a good thing as it will prevent a 2-day drunk.
Tonight I need to get my picks into the various pools, so here we go:
SOUTH
Round 1:
Memphis
Miss St.
Michigan State. Funny story. A woman I slept with in grad school went to Michigan St. She insisted that the Spartans were THE MSU. So, me and a buddy came up with about 15 more MSU schools (Mississippi State, etc.). This week, I was looking at a bracket online and they has Mississippi State more or less spelled out, but Michigan State as MSU. Of course, I sent her the link.
Pitt
Marquette. Damn...I drew Kentucky against them in my Rotary pool, hm...maybe I should revisit this as an upset.
Stanford
St. Mary's
Texas
Round 2:
Memphis
Pitt
Stanford
Texas
Round 3:
Memphis
Texas
Final 4
Texas
WEST
Round 1:
UCLA
Texas A&M
W. Kentucky
UConn
Purdue
Xavier
WVU
Duke
Round 2:
UCLA
UConn
Xavier
Duke
Round 3
UCLA
Xavier
Final 4
UCLA
EAST
Round 1:
UNC
Indiana
Notre Dame (I can't believe I just typed that)
Washington St.
St. Joe's
Louisville
South Alabama (Butler's just too over hyped)
Tennessee
Round 2:
UNC
Wash St.
Louisville
Tennessee
Round 3
UNC
Tennessee
Final 4
UNC {sniff}
MIDWEST
Round 1:
Kansas
Kent St.
Clemson
Vanderbilt
USC
Wisconsin
Davidson (they're at home and Gonzaga has a loooooong way to fly)
Georgetown
Round 2:
Kansas
Clemson
USC
Georgetown
Round 3:
Kansas
Georgetown
Final 4:
Georgetown
FINALS
UCLA
UNC
CHAMP--UCLA
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Weird Wedding
First, I wanted to let you know that the Anteaters got their asses handed to them by Fullerton last night, so another year passes without UCI in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
A good friend of mine (let's call him Neil) got married yesterday. Neil's my age and I've known him since high school. He joined the air force after high school (his dad was in the service) and came back a bit frazzled. Neil found a good job, battled the bottle a bit, but then met Lisa. They met in a bar, natch, and she manages a big restaurant. The wife and I have double-dated with them and they are clearly a good match. Interestingly, after the first time I met her, Neil tells me, "She doesn't mind swearing, except god-damnit and fuck." OK, whatever, everyone has their limits. I later noticed she wore a easily noticed cross and had a funky tattoo on her right calf.
Their original wedding date was in the fall, but they had to reschedule so she wouldn't be either 9 mos pregnant or nursing during the ceremony. I guess they wanted to get the baby thing out of the way....or not.
The ceremony was at a Calvary church, so figured it would be on the conservative side. It was weird that the ceremony seemed very canned and the minister had a creepy "just drank the kool-aid" look on his face. Lisa's dad walks her down the aisle. He wears a mid-60s buzz cut and when asked who is giving away the bride, he responds like replying to and order, "I am." Then, he walks back to his seat. No hug, peck on the cheek or anything.
The Jim Jones follower goes through some VERY conservative wedding vows. She gets to do everything to support him (the only word left out was obey) and he gets to be the leader. I looked at my wife and said, "She just agreed to be his third base coach."
After the ceremony, we chit-chatted a bit with some friends, then my wife took the HB to rehearsal and I headed to the reception. Everyone had some drinks then made our way to the dinner hall. There, they ran through all the wedding traditionals, bouquet throw, garter, cutting of the cake, etc. Then it comes to the father-bride dance.
You'd think that he was the 6 y.o. being forced to dance with his 90 y.o. aunt. They stood about 3 ft from each other and didn't say a word through the whole song. The music stops and, like at the ceremony, he walks right back to his seat.
Later, I ask the best man if the guy was a marine sergeant. He say, "Not marines, but I think about that rank in the army." If they have a girl, I hope that Neil has a better relationship with her.
So, here's to Neil and Lisa. To a life of love, happiness and peace.
A good friend of mine (let's call him Neil) got married yesterday. Neil's my age and I've known him since high school. He joined the air force after high school (his dad was in the service) and came back a bit frazzled. Neil found a good job, battled the bottle a bit, but then met Lisa. They met in a bar, natch, and she manages a big restaurant. The wife and I have double-dated with them and they are clearly a good match. Interestingly, after the first time I met her, Neil tells me, "She doesn't mind swearing, except god-damnit and fuck." OK, whatever, everyone has their limits. I later noticed she wore a easily noticed cross and had a funky tattoo on her right calf.
Their original wedding date was in the fall, but they had to reschedule so she wouldn't be either 9 mos pregnant or nursing during the ceremony. I guess they wanted to get the baby thing out of the way....or not.
The ceremony was at a Calvary church, so figured it would be on the conservative side. It was weird that the ceremony seemed very canned and the minister had a creepy "just drank the kool-aid" look on his face. Lisa's dad walks her down the aisle. He wears a mid-60s buzz cut and when asked who is giving away the bride, he responds like replying to and order, "I am." Then, he walks back to his seat. No hug, peck on the cheek or anything.
The Jim Jones follower goes through some VERY conservative wedding vows. She gets to do everything to support him (the only word left out was obey) and he gets to be the leader. I looked at my wife and said, "She just agreed to be his third base coach."
After the ceremony, we chit-chatted a bit with some friends, then my wife took the HB to rehearsal and I headed to the reception. Everyone had some drinks then made our way to the dinner hall. There, they ran through all the wedding traditionals, bouquet throw, garter, cutting of the cake, etc. Then it comes to the father-bride dance.
You'd think that he was the 6 y.o. being forced to dance with his 90 y.o. aunt. They stood about 3 ft from each other and didn't say a word through the whole song. The music stops and, like at the ceremony, he walks right back to his seat.
Later, I ask the best man if the guy was a marine sergeant. He say, "Not marines, but I think about that rank in the army." If they have a girl, I hope that Neil has a better relationship with her.
So, here's to Neil and Lisa. To a life of love, happiness and peace.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Zot, Zot, Zot
Besides the usual reminders to give them money, I've had a couple of opportunities to think of my undergrad alma mater UC Irvine this week. Irvine was an odd school to go to. It was right in the middle of VERY conservative Orange County but attracted its fair share of non-conformists, most of whom seemed to congregate at the campus radio station and newspaper, which shared the same floor above the cafeteria.
A couple of days ago I heard from the guy who was the music director at KUCI while I was the program director. He came from a well-to-do family, so he always had plenty of money and drugs. He was good looking enough that he also attracted some excellent female attention. We didn't hang out a ton, but we enjoyed some of the same music and was a fun dude to be around. He was on the few who made his way into the music business after graduating. So, it was a surprise to hear that he was now doing film work. He didn't share any details of this, but the advent of music downloading has really shrunk the size of the record companies. Since he's still in LA, I look forward to having a couple of beers with him and getting caught up.
In other Anteater news, the basketball team is in the Big West tournament finals against Cal State Fullerton. The winner goes to the NCAA tournament, something Irvine has NEVER done (Fullerton had a great run in the tournament about a million years ago. OK, 1978). One of the cool things I got to do at the radio station was be the play-by-play announcer for the basketball games. There were a couple of years that the team was really good, but there was always someone better (usually UNLV) even though they had some players who made it to the NBA. Who knows, maybe this year is the one (we'll find out at 8pm).
A couple of days ago I heard from the guy who was the music director at KUCI while I was the program director. He came from a well-to-do family, so he always had plenty of money and drugs. He was good looking enough that he also attracted some excellent female attention. We didn't hang out a ton, but we enjoyed some of the same music and was a fun dude to be around. He was on the few who made his way into the music business after graduating. So, it was a surprise to hear that he was now doing film work. He didn't share any details of this, but the advent of music downloading has really shrunk the size of the record companies. Since he's still in LA, I look forward to having a couple of beers with him and getting caught up.
In other Anteater news, the basketball team is in the Big West tournament finals against Cal State Fullerton. The winner goes to the NCAA tournament, something Irvine has NEVER done (Fullerton had a great run in the tournament about a million years ago. OK, 1978). One of the cool things I got to do at the radio station was be the play-by-play announcer for the basketball games. There were a couple of years that the team was really good, but there was always someone better (usually UNLV) even though they had some players who made it to the NBA. Who knows, maybe this year is the one (we'll find out at 8pm).
Friday, March 14, 2008
Home with the Bug
It wasn't me with the bug, it was the HB. This is the first time he had to stay home from school sick two days in a row (W & Th). Being the good parent, I e-mail his teacher yesterday and got his math homework. Yes, the HB was THRILLED with me for that.
As such, things have been crazy (hence no blogging) in terms of the wife and I arranging schedules and getting our work done. The HB's at the age where he doesn't require constant attention when home sick, so that helps. I just took his temp and he's good to go for today. I'm glad to hear that because he has a call back for his group's new play and he's very excited about that. We also have an Indian Guides whoo-rah tonight. That'll be a game time decision based on how he feels after what's shaping up to be a long day.
While checking the basketball conference tournament score of my undergrad alma mater, I noticed that all three of my wife's alma maters (who play in same conference) were in action. I teased her that they should name the tournament after her. She chuckled and poured herself another glass of wine.
As such, things have been crazy (hence no blogging) in terms of the wife and I arranging schedules and getting our work done. The HB's at the age where he doesn't require constant attention when home sick, so that helps. I just took his temp and he's good to go for today. I'm glad to hear that because he has a call back for his group's new play and he's very excited about that. We also have an Indian Guides whoo-rah tonight. That'll be a game time decision based on how he feels after what's shaping up to be a long day.
While checking the basketball conference tournament score of my undergrad alma mater, I noticed that all three of my wife's alma maters (who play in same conference) were in action. I teased her that they should name the tournament after her. She chuckled and poured herself another glass of wine.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Doc Report
I did see my surgeon yesterday he said:
1) Things were healing nicely.
2) I could start exercising again (YES!)
3) I could lose the bandage.
4) Keep doing the water/vinegar soak for another week.
5) One week after that, start massaging the area with moisturizer to prevent scarring (he said that the Vitamin E creams don't work for shit).
6) It would take one year (!) for it to fully heal. My sense is that he and I have different definitions of heal. Mine is, "Doesn't hurt and no visible sign of injury." I think his is, "Underlying tissue is as strong as it was before surgery."
Yesterday, the HB had a bad stomach ache (actually, he had had it for a few days). We kept him home from school since there has been a bug going around school. My wife took him to the doc and he couldn't find anything visibly wrong. So, after getting a couple of shots (flu and chicken pox), the HB got a q-tip up the ass for a sample. I believe he's gonna think twice before wanting to stay home from school again. He was feeling much better today.
Today I went furniture shopping with my wife and sil (the HB hung at the nephew's working on their Wii technique). We actually found something to buy with reasonable fabric. I couldn't be happier as I had no intention to going to any more furniture stores. I do really like the style of the couch and love seat. The fabric's not my fave (though, at least it's red), but with a child and dog, the perfect fabric is not in the offing.
My wife, the clean nut, found a rug that she liked THAT ALREADY HAD A STAIN IN IT. The place gave us a good deal and said it would be 'professionally' cleaned. I insisted on the money back guarantee. This just doesn't sound like a good idea.
1) Things were healing nicely.
2) I could start exercising again (YES!)
3) I could lose the bandage.
4) Keep doing the water/vinegar soak for another week.
5) One week after that, start massaging the area with moisturizer to prevent scarring (he said that the Vitamin E creams don't work for shit).
6) It would take one year (!) for it to fully heal. My sense is that he and I have different definitions of heal. Mine is, "Doesn't hurt and no visible sign of injury." I think his is, "Underlying tissue is as strong as it was before surgery."
Yesterday, the HB had a bad stomach ache (actually, he had had it for a few days). We kept him home from school since there has been a bug going around school. My wife took him to the doc and he couldn't find anything visibly wrong. So, after getting a couple of shots (flu and chicken pox), the HB got a q-tip up the ass for a sample. I believe he's gonna think twice before wanting to stay home from school again. He was feeling much better today.
Today I went furniture shopping with my wife and sil (the HB hung at the nephew's working on their Wii technique). We actually found something to buy with reasonable fabric. I couldn't be happier as I had no intention to going to any more furniture stores. I do really like the style of the couch and love seat. The fabric's not my fave (though, at least it's red), but with a child and dog, the perfect fabric is not in the offing.
My wife, the clean nut, found a rug that she liked THAT ALREADY HAD A STAIN IN IT. The place gave us a good deal and said it would be 'professionally' cleaned. I insisted on the money back guarantee. This just doesn't sound like a good idea.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Back to the Doc
Not sure which time zone Mr. Blogger operates under, but it's Thursday night here in LA and tomorrow I'm back to see the doctor. Things seem to be healing OK, though I've had a small bit of bleeding the last couple of days. Don't know if that's from the stitches dissolving, the tape coming off, or what. If I can quit doing the bandage thing, that would be fine. I'm generally the good patient, so whatever he says is OK with me. I figure I'm getting a chili burger out of it no matter what.
I'm watching SportsCenter and they are totally parsing Favre's words about his retirement. Dudes, get over it. He is DONE. Yeah, Jordan came out of retirement, but he was much younger. And comparing football players to boxers and their faux retirements is a joke. It's not like he needs the money. The most telling thing that Favre said was that he still wanted to do the three hours on Sunday, but not the other stuff. Nothing is going to change that and he has way too much pride to embarrass himself. There is no realistic better situation for him. He's just man enough to admit that retiring is a hard thing for a pro athlete to do.
The HB wanted to watch some American Idol tonight on the DVR. I don't know the original broadcast date, but the "men" were all singing songs from the 80s. Either they know that women who like sappy songs do most of the voting, or they're a big bunch of pussies. Regardless, they all sucked. Best I can tell, all those guys are going to be singing on commercials this time next year.
I'm watching SportsCenter and they are totally parsing Favre's words about his retirement. Dudes, get over it. He is DONE. Yeah, Jordan came out of retirement, but he was much younger. And comparing football players to boxers and their faux retirements is a joke. It's not like he needs the money. The most telling thing that Favre said was that he still wanted to do the three hours on Sunday, but not the other stuff. Nothing is going to change that and he has way too much pride to embarrass himself. There is no realistic better situation for him. He's just man enough to admit that retiring is a hard thing for a pro athlete to do.
The HB wanted to watch some American Idol tonight on the DVR. I don't know the original broadcast date, but the "men" were all singing songs from the 80s. Either they know that women who like sappy songs do most of the voting, or they're a big bunch of pussies. Regardless, they all sucked. Best I can tell, all those guys are going to be singing on commercials this time next year.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Hillary's Fingers and Toes
Last night Clinton picked up three out of four states, but I'm not sure she picked up that many delegates since a third of the Texas delegates get assigned based on caucuses where Obama's leading. The math just is not working in her favor, unless she practically sweeps the rest of the states, which isn't likely.
What she needs are the Michigan and Florida delegates. But, the party slapped those states on the wrist for jumping the gun on their primary dates. The candidates didn't campaign in either state and Obama wasn't even on the Michigan ballot. Clinton will look particularly craven if she tries to resurrect those votes. But, I have an idea for her.
If I were running her campaign, I'd approach the DNC and the Obama camp and say, "These people need to vote. Let's split the cost a hold a primary that counts." This would make her look like a hero.
What's Obama going to say? I don't have the money? Proportionally, it will cost Clinton more since she doesn't have the same amount of cash on hand. They should be punished for breaking party rules. There's gotta be a other way to punish the state parties without disenranchising voters. Besides, after 2000 in Florida, democrats should be VERY concerned about disenfranchising voters.
If Obama won either won, it might put HIM over the top for delegates at take away her ability to claim the super delegates (which I don't think she would win anyway). That's Clinton's risk, but she doesn't have much of a choice at this point.
What she needs are the Michigan and Florida delegates. But, the party slapped those states on the wrist for jumping the gun on their primary dates. The candidates didn't campaign in either state and Obama wasn't even on the Michigan ballot. Clinton will look particularly craven if she tries to resurrect those votes. But, I have an idea for her.
If I were running her campaign, I'd approach the DNC and the Obama camp and say, "These people need to vote. Let's split the cost a hold a primary that counts." This would make her look like a hero.
What's Obama going to say? I don't have the money? Proportionally, it will cost Clinton more since she doesn't have the same amount of cash on hand. They should be punished for breaking party rules. There's gotta be a other way to punish the state parties without disenranchising voters. Besides, after 2000 in Florida, democrats should be VERY concerned about disenfranchising voters.
If Obama won either won, it might put HIM over the top for delegates at take away her ability to claim the super delegates (which I don't think she would win anyway). That's Clinton's risk, but she doesn't have much of a choice at this point.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Favre Hangs Them Up
Unlike previous years where he kept folks waiting, Green Bay Packer Brett Favre officially retired today. His personal story is amazing (c'mon, a kid from a backward-ass country fuck town in Mississippi being the star quarterback in Wisconsin?), he battled a vicodin addiction and his wife went public with her breast cancer fight. And he was fun to watch on the football field. Last year, with inexperienced receivers and no running game until the second half of the season, he made straw out of gold and took The Pack to the NFC championship game against the eventual Super Bowl champion Giants.
Don't get me wrong, Favre was a very good quarterback. However, there's something about the country's love affair with the Packers (the last NFL team in a small city) and personally with Favre that makes (made) him a Teflon QB. Let's face it, Favre threw away the game against the Giants and had a bad interception against the Eagles in the 2004 playoffs. His playoff record was 11-9, only 2-5 since the Super Bowl win, and 2-3 record in the last 5 at Lambeau in the playoffs. OK, Jen has just disowned me.
I've seen the appeal of Favre up close. My best man's wife is from Oconomowoc and has to wring out her panties at the mention of Favre. Along with Reggie White, he resurrected football on the Frozen Tundra.
In the final analysis, I think Favre was a very good, but not great QB. Hell, he wasn't the best quarterback in Green Bay history. That would be Bart Starr, who won 2 Super Bowls plus three other pre-Super Bowl championships.
I will give him credit for going out on his terms. It's rare that an American athlete does that and it is admirable. I wish him well.
Don't get me wrong, Favre was a very good quarterback. However, there's something about the country's love affair with the Packers (the last NFL team in a small city) and personally with Favre that makes (made) him a Teflon QB. Let's face it, Favre threw away the game against the Giants and had a bad interception against the Eagles in the 2004 playoffs. His playoff record was 11-9, only 2-5 since the Super Bowl win, and 2-3 record in the last 5 at Lambeau in the playoffs. OK, Jen has just disowned me.
I've seen the appeal of Favre up close. My best man's wife is from Oconomowoc and has to wring out her panties at the mention of Favre. Along with Reggie White, he resurrected football on the Frozen Tundra.
In the final analysis, I think Favre was a very good, but not great QB. Hell, he wasn't the best quarterback in Green Bay history. That would be Bart Starr, who won 2 Super Bowls plus three other pre-Super Bowl championships.
I will give him credit for going out on his terms. It's rare that an American athlete does that and it is admirable. I wish him well.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Book Tag
Face update: Pretty much the same. Didn't notice any reduction in swelling today, but also did not feel the need to take any Tylenol. The incisions have been easy to clean with minimal discomfort. Not digging putting on the big ol' bandage each day, especially since I have meetings three days in a row. But, that's how it's gonna be.
Jen tagged all of her readers with a Book Meme. In this meme go to page 123 and type the 5th sentence. So, here goes, from John Grisham's Playing for Pizza:
Her life was certainly a mess.
Tag ya bad self!
Jen tagged all of her readers with a Book Meme. In this meme go to page 123 and type the 5th sentence. So, here goes, from John Grisham's Playing for Pizza:
Her life was certainly a mess.
Tag ya bad self!
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Bachelor Party Review
Before getting to last night's festivities, a quick health update. The wound is doing much better. I changed the dressing yesterday afternoon and nothing looked hideous. It felt really good to get that big thing off and replace it with something lighter. I didn't feel the need to take any Tylenol until around 2pm. I slept well last night and the swelling has gone down considerably.
Last night was a blast. I picked up my buddy Joe and we met up with a few other guys at what would be the last stop (we essentially made a cricle) at 2 pm. The best man's wife drove us to the official first stop and we were drinking beers by 3. As one dude said, you can't drink all day unless you start early. I had decided before leaving my house that I would NOT be staying at the hotel, so I made sure that I ate something at each stop and had a least one diet coke to go with my beers. That plan worked well as I didn't get drunk (though kept a good steady buzz) and was more than sober enough to drive Joe and myself home.
It was a good group of guys, many of whom I hadn't met before. We had a bus take us from place to place (we went to 5 different micoro-breweries) and had some growlers of good beer while traveling from bar to bar. Joe, being Mr. Life of the Party, gave us all 'frat' names which he wrote on our cups. Due to circumstances, I was Fuck Face. One guy, who initially gave some bad directions to the driver (but was pretty good after that) was Shit For Brains, which we chanted each time he talked to her after that. It was that kind of night.
A few people bought shots for the guest of honor, which turned out to be a bad thing as he ended up puking by around 8 when we got to the fourth place. By that time we were close enough to the hotel for the bus to drop him and the best man off there. The rest of us hung there and then the last stop until about 10. This worked out well in that we had an 8 hour party and I was still in good shape to make it home by a little after 11.
I hear the HB and my nephew stirring, so I'm gonna head downstairs now. Have a good Sunday.
Last night was a blast. I picked up my buddy Joe and we met up with a few other guys at what would be the last stop (we essentially made a cricle) at 2 pm. The best man's wife drove us to the official first stop and we were drinking beers by 3. As one dude said, you can't drink all day unless you start early. I had decided before leaving my house that I would NOT be staying at the hotel, so I made sure that I ate something at each stop and had a least one diet coke to go with my beers. That plan worked well as I didn't get drunk (though kept a good steady buzz) and was more than sober enough to drive Joe and myself home.
It was a good group of guys, many of whom I hadn't met before. We had a bus take us from place to place (we went to 5 different micoro-breweries) and had some growlers of good beer while traveling from bar to bar. Joe, being Mr. Life of the Party, gave us all 'frat' names which he wrote on our cups. Due to circumstances, I was Fuck Face. One guy, who initially gave some bad directions to the driver (but was pretty good after that) was Shit For Brains, which we chanted each time he talked to her after that. It was that kind of night.
A few people bought shots for the guest of honor, which turned out to be a bad thing as he ended up puking by around 8 when we got to the fourth place. By that time we were close enough to the hotel for the bus to drop him and the best man off there. The rest of us hung there and then the last stop until about 10. This worked out well in that we had an 8 hour party and I was still in good shape to make it home by a little after 11.
I hear the HB and my nephew stirring, so I'm gonna head downstairs now. Have a good Sunday.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Morning Report
I got some reasonable sleep last night (thank you Tylenol PM) and feel OK this morning. Though I normally sleep on my right side (same side as the surgery), I did pretty well on an elevated pillow on my back, left side. The swelling seems to have gone down a bit, or at least not gotten any worse.
The Rotary fund raising event went well last night. By the time it was all said and done, I think we cleared about $20k.
Yes, lots of people asked me what happened to my face ("I got in a fight with a guy who had a scalpel"). A few ribbed me in that a few (4?) years ago a had a bike wreck where I fractured my nose and lacerated my lip the same week we hosted the NZ students (Man, why are you always doing stuff to your face?"). But, it was all in good fun and I did get up on stage to make some announcements ("So, a Rotarian, a Lion and Kiwanian walk into a bar...") and thank the people who made the evening so successful.
I pretty much stuck with doctor's orders and only had a few sips of wine at the club and a couple of sips of homebrew when we got home. Our babysitter is my neighbor's daughter. He's also in the Rotary club so we hung for a little bit while the kids finished up their movie.
The comedians were very good, as they usually are there. The only small negative from the night was while one guy was doing a hilarious bit on cat's in heat, I was laughing so hard I could feel a little bit of blood dripping under my bandage. I put some pressure on it and it stopped pretty quickly.
I am looking forward to taking the big bandage off today and getting it cleaned up. It will make things much more comfortable for the bachelor party tonight. I'm thinking I'll take it pretty easy on the beer and drive home tonight instead of staying at the hotel.
The Rotary fund raising event went well last night. By the time it was all said and done, I think we cleared about $20k.
Yes, lots of people asked me what happened to my face ("I got in a fight with a guy who had a scalpel"). A few ribbed me in that a few (4?) years ago a had a bike wreck where I fractured my nose and lacerated my lip the same week we hosted the NZ students (Man, why are you always doing stuff to your face?"). But, it was all in good fun and I did get up on stage to make some announcements ("So, a Rotarian, a Lion and Kiwanian walk into a bar...") and thank the people who made the evening so successful.
I pretty much stuck with doctor's orders and only had a few sips of wine at the club and a couple of sips of homebrew when we got home. Our babysitter is my neighbor's daughter. He's also in the Rotary club so we hung for a little bit while the kids finished up their movie.
The comedians were very good, as they usually are there. The only small negative from the night was while one guy was doing a hilarious bit on cat's in heat, I was laughing so hard I could feel a little bit of blood dripping under my bandage. I put some pressure on it and it stopped pretty quickly.
I am looking forward to taking the big bandage off today and getting it cleaned up. It will make things much more comfortable for the bachelor party tonight. I'm thinking I'll take it pretty easy on the beer and drive home tonight instead of staying at the hotel.
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