Today a co-worker was walking down the hall, passing a conference room where I was in an all-day meeting. She knew I was in the room, not from a calendar or from overhearing about it in the office. She knew because she heard the sound all of you have heard before (from long distances even!)...she heard me laughing. Yes, the very identifiable sound of joy and humor from my body. She walked in...with a huge grin...telling me how she knew that laugh (even just after a month of knowing me!) and knew I had to be around. Then she said something I don't think I ever realized before about myself. She said, "you are always laughing." We are always our own worst critics and I usually see myself as a "glass half empty" kind o' gal...but for some unknown reason, I AM always laughing. Its one of my favorite things to do...I want it to be a part of everything I do...maybe I don't know myself quite well enough. Just maybe, I am a more positive person than I give myself credit for.
Some people have had to "get used" to my laugh...some miss it when it isn't around too often...some people identify me by the sound of it...but all I know is that I love life when it's a constant compainion of mine.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Took My Sweet Time
Other than a traffic report this past week (on myspace blog), I have been remiss on my blogging for quite some time. I really shouldn't be so cruel to my readers. I know more people read this than I actually know (not myspacers), so I definitely should be more responsible. But I gotta admit, moving makes me a dull girl. I haven't been doing too much exciting since I have been here cause I am shopping for furniture way too much and I have been unpacking boxes and trying to organize the new place. I have gratefully been able to spend some q-time with a lot of my friends (which I am ecstatic about!) and am falling right back into life here in the DC metro area.
I need to write my annual Christmas letter which should give everyone the 411 on my life, so I don't want to write it all twice. So, this blog is short...but I do have some parting words (well, a short story and some parting words!), a bit sappy and philosophical...
At Thanksgiving (at my uncles' house in Penn), I was asked what I was thankful for this year. The list could be very long, but I decided on one that is truly specific to this year. Change. I am so very grateful for the ability in our lives for change. Change of outlook, change of location, change of attitude, change of body, change of spirit...whatever you can think of. But that as human beings we are able to affect change in ourselves and our lives. This year has seen great change in my life in so many ways. I am awed by what has transpired. I didn't get married or have a child or anything like that. But so much has truly been altered in some way or another. We can all do it...its not easy and in many cases it can be painful. But I have seen that through pain, great things can grow.
I need to write my annual Christmas letter which should give everyone the 411 on my life, so I don't want to write it all twice. So, this blog is short...but I do have some parting words (well, a short story and some parting words!), a bit sappy and philosophical...
At Thanksgiving (at my uncles' house in Penn), I was asked what I was thankful for this year. The list could be very long, but I decided on one that is truly specific to this year. Change. I am so very grateful for the ability in our lives for change. Change of outlook, change of location, change of attitude, change of body, change of spirit...whatever you can think of. But that as human beings we are able to affect change in ourselves and our lives. This year has seen great change in my life in so many ways. I am awed by what has transpired. I didn't get married or have a child or anything like that. But so much has truly been altered in some way or another. We can all do it...its not easy and in many cases it can be painful. But I have seen that through pain, great things can grow.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Oh, My Moving Ways
(I know for some of you, this is just a repeat of an email...but I wanted to make sure all of my readers heard the good news!)
About a year ago, I made the decision to move to the Vail Valley of Colorado to become a General Manager of a performing arts center. I was very excited about the opportunity and very excited to be out west. As some of you know, it has been a tough year professionally for me. I have struggled on so many levels, I cannot even come close to listing them all. But I had forged ahead, maying the best of the situation.
About two months ago, I made a decision. I couldn't continue my life, struggling along. I needed to find a way out of the situation. Because I have moved so many times in my adult life, I also decided that I couldn't blaze a new trail again. My 32 year old body and spirit couldn't start over again. Not now. So, after a lot of soul searching, I decided that I wanted to dedicate myself to creating a home in the Washington, D.C. area (aka...I am hoping to not being writing a "moving" email to all of you again for a long time to come...well, at least not a moving out of the DC area email, but hopefully a "i've finally grown up and own something" email!). I know, I left the DC area last year for a lot of reasons. Sometimes you need to leave something to realize what you had.
Today I accepted the position of Project Manager (Product Development) at a well established online curriculum development company. I will be managing projects pertaining to building online contents for grades K-12. The kicker of this whole email is that I will start this position on NOVEMBER 12th! Yes, in just two short weeks, I will move my life and myself to DC again! They offered a sizeable bonus for me to start in that short time, so I decided it was worth the extra money to shorten my stay here in the Vail Valley.
I will miss some good friends, the skiing, and one of the most beautiful places on Earth. But I will regain a life that I have yearned for over the past few months and a job that I feel ready to tackle. My Dad is famous (at least in the family) for saying, "learn something new everyday." I am very excited to say I am going to get that opportunity once again in my new job.
I will be moving into some corporate housing for a couple of weeks when I first move to DC, so I will not have a new address right away. Once I have found some housing, I will definitely give everyone my new address. My phone will ever stay the same.
I am very excited to start this new chapter of my life. Thank you all for your support and love throughout the past year. Oh, and all that live in the DC area...expect a Welcome Home dinner party come January (I know that's really why you love me!).
About a year ago, I made the decision to move to the Vail Valley of Colorado to become a General Manager of a performing arts center. I was very excited about the opportunity and very excited to be out west. As some of you know, it has been a tough year professionally for me. I have struggled on so many levels, I cannot even come close to listing them all. But I had forged ahead, maying the best of the situation.
About two months ago, I made a decision. I couldn't continue my life, struggling along. I needed to find a way out of the situation. Because I have moved so many times in my adult life, I also decided that I couldn't blaze a new trail again. My 32 year old body and spirit couldn't start over again. Not now. So, after a lot of soul searching, I decided that I wanted to dedicate myself to creating a home in the Washington, D.C. area (aka...I am hoping to not being writing a "moving" email to all of you again for a long time to come...well, at least not a moving out of the DC area email, but hopefully a "i've finally grown up and own something" email!). I know, I left the DC area last year for a lot of reasons. Sometimes you need to leave something to realize what you had.
Today I accepted the position of Project Manager (Product Development) at a well established online curriculum development company. I will be managing projects pertaining to building online contents for grades K-12. The kicker of this whole email is that I will start this position on NOVEMBER 12th! Yes, in just two short weeks, I will move my life and myself to DC again! They offered a sizeable bonus for me to start in that short time, so I decided it was worth the extra money to shorten my stay here in the Vail Valley.
I will miss some good friends, the skiing, and one of the most beautiful places on Earth. But I will regain a life that I have yearned for over the past few months and a job that I feel ready to tackle. My Dad is famous (at least in the family) for saying, "learn something new everyday." I am very excited to say I am going to get that opportunity once again in my new job.
I will be moving into some corporate housing for a couple of weeks when I first move to DC, so I will not have a new address right away. Once I have found some housing, I will definitely give everyone my new address. My phone will ever stay the same.
I am very excited to start this new chapter of my life. Thank you all for your support and love throughout the past year. Oh, and all that live in the DC area...expect a Welcome Home dinner party come January (I know that's really why you love me!).
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Preview: What Winter Looks Like
I took some pics as I was driving, on my way to work. They aren't the best shots, but I wanted to give everyone a preview of what winter looks like just in case anyone forgot. It will melt this week since we are going back into the 60's, but snow is now a fact of life for us mountain people, until at least June! Enjoy the View! (I am becoming Barbara Walters...help me now!)
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Snuggled in Bed
I am laying here in bed, waiting to go to work. Nothing really to do, nothing really to say. I am just a bit bored, but in a good way. The temperatures have dropped dramatically in the last week. We are now in the high 30's during the day and low 20's at night. We are getting snow in the mornings before the temperature rises just high enough to turn it to rain in the late morning. So, this morning is my first morning of cold temperatures and flurries in the air and I love being just cozied up in my bed covers up to my chin, just being snuggly while the weather is cold and a bit dreary outside. You know what I am talking about, right? All I am missing is a cup of hot cocoa and really that is just because I am too lazy to go stand in front of the stove and heat some up.
We haven't had a good snow yet, but I think it might be coming in the next week or so. Getting used to these very odd seasons is a bit of an adjustment for me. This past weekend I busted out the winter wardrobe...washed the sweaters and the snow pants and all. And it is only mid-October! As the rest of the country has been dealing with a heat wave, we are getting hunkered down for the snow coming!
I am getting excited though...ski season is only about a month away!!! Yeah, I am getting excited. Last year I only got on the mountain about 9 or 10 times. This year I am changing that! I am gonna try to ski at least once a week if not 2 or 3 times a week. It's gonna be a challenge, but I really want to take advantage of my benefits here...I haven't done that enough and I have really regretted it. Especially now that I have friends that I can go do stuff with...watch out!
And I definitely need to start snowshoeing. Yeah, I can hear some of my readers snickering right now...snowshoeing??? Yeah, its hiking in the winter...that's it, that's all. They actually have 5k's for snowshoeing out here and that isn't a leisurely hike. That is literally running in snowshoes! Now that is crazy insane (I don't like to run generally, why would I do it in 10 degree weather with big "mitts" on my feet!). But to go out and do a good hearty snowshoe, that sounds just great. You know the feeling of going out in the middle of winter, in the woods, just the complete silence of sound and movement...oh, that is such an amazing feeling.
I really do love winter...it is my favorite season. And up here it is gorgeous. Having snow until June...that just doesn't seem natural, but what can you do when you live in the mountains? Not much. I really do hope that I take better advantage this year, getting out into nature instead of spending too much time working or at home. It's my resolution for this season...I really hope I attain it.
And my standing offer...come visit...come see what is amazing about the mountains. If you ski...you know why you would want to come...some of the best snow in the US! If you don't, come snowshoeing or snowman making or snowball fighting or sleigh riding or just seeing more stars than you will ever see in your life again. My place is always open for visitors and I cherish my time with those that I love. As we all know, until April, I am pretty much hibernating up here cause of work. So come visit little ol' me in my winter wonderland!!!
We haven't had a good snow yet, but I think it might be coming in the next week or so. Getting used to these very odd seasons is a bit of an adjustment for me. This past weekend I busted out the winter wardrobe...washed the sweaters and the snow pants and all. And it is only mid-October! As the rest of the country has been dealing with a heat wave, we are getting hunkered down for the snow coming!
I am getting excited though...ski season is only about a month away!!! Yeah, I am getting excited. Last year I only got on the mountain about 9 or 10 times. This year I am changing that! I am gonna try to ski at least once a week if not 2 or 3 times a week. It's gonna be a challenge, but I really want to take advantage of my benefits here...I haven't done that enough and I have really regretted it. Especially now that I have friends that I can go do stuff with...watch out!
And I definitely need to start snowshoeing. Yeah, I can hear some of my readers snickering right now...snowshoeing??? Yeah, its hiking in the winter...that's it, that's all. They actually have 5k's for snowshoeing out here and that isn't a leisurely hike. That is literally running in snowshoes! Now that is crazy insane (I don't like to run generally, why would I do it in 10 degree weather with big "mitts" on my feet!). But to go out and do a good hearty snowshoe, that sounds just great. You know the feeling of going out in the middle of winter, in the woods, just the complete silence of sound and movement...oh, that is such an amazing feeling.
I really do love winter...it is my favorite season. And up here it is gorgeous. Having snow until June...that just doesn't seem natural, but what can you do when you live in the mountains? Not much. I really do hope that I take better advantage this year, getting out into nature instead of spending too much time working or at home. It's my resolution for this season...I really hope I attain it.
And my standing offer...come visit...come see what is amazing about the mountains. If you ski...you know why you would want to come...some of the best snow in the US! If you don't, come snowshoeing or snowman making or snowball fighting or sleigh riding or just seeing more stars than you will ever see in your life again. My place is always open for visitors and I cherish my time with those that I love. As we all know, until April, I am pretty much hibernating up here cause of work. So come visit little ol' me in my winter wonderland!!!
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Yogi Decides to Visit!
Two facts that I am aware of:
1. I live in the mountains of Colorado.
2. Bears live in the mountains.
BUT HOLY SHIT!
We were closing up the theatre around 11:00 pm tonight and I looked out our glass doors and there was Yogi, walking down the middle of the street in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Minding his own business...not even concerned that I came running out of the building to go get my co-worker to see the bear. He just kept strolling down the street...
Yes, I live in the Wild, Wild World of Animals!
1. I live in the mountains of Colorado.
2. Bears live in the mountains.
BUT HOLY SHIT!
We were closing up the theatre around 11:00 pm tonight and I looked out our glass doors and there was Yogi, walking down the middle of the street in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Minding his own business...not even concerned that I came running out of the building to go get my co-worker to see the bear. He just kept strolling down the street...
Yes, I live in the Wild, Wild World of Animals!
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Actober...stupid baseball
I blame Notre Dame. I do. It's all the domers fault.
If they could actually play even decent football, I would be wrapped snuggly in the blanket of college football. But, no, they have to be 0-5 and probably on their way to 0-8! I am dismally disappointed each weekend, barely able to stomach 3 quarters of viewing. I am having to find another diversion in the fall. What could that be?
Damn baseball.
How depressing...
Ok, so I am upset about my Irish...they have greatly disappointed me, I really don't know even how to react to this season. I am dumbfounded. But would I be following baseball anyway. Yeah. Actually, I know who to blame...Z. It's all his fault...if he wouldn't have challenged me to watch baseball this summer, I wouldn't be asking questions, like why is there a website (www.actober.com) for the playoffs...isn't the month spelled October!? I leave this special type of misery at his doorstep.
My Cubbies are in the playoffs. They stumbled in like a drunken Notre Dame fan after Michigan trounced on the Irish, but they are in. The Brewers fell apart worse at the end of the season and so by default, the Cubs get to play in October. Its been 99 years since the Cubs last won a World Series and they are going to make it at least 100.
Most baseball pundits are calling for the Cubs to make it to the National League Championship Series by beating the D'backs...I was shocked. The Cubs have not played well against Arizona this year, but our bats have been heating up recently. Most assume that even with the D'backs stellar pitching that they won't be able to slow Soriano and company at the plate. Could it be so? The first year I watch baseball, I get the distinct pleasure of watching baseball into late October???
I'm not counting on it. I am excited to see what happens though...I will be in front of the TV tonight, watching the biggest pitching matchup of the series: Webb and Zambrano. It would send a distinct message if the Cubs could crack the bat against Webb, supposedly the best pitcher in the NL.
I make no prediction...I am a baseball playoffs virgin...I leave that kind of action to baseball whores (Z to name one). I am just anxiously awaiting my first real playoff baseball experience in October. Can the Cubs give me the October pleasure I deserve? Or will I be left wanting more come next week and not a Cubbie in sight to fulfill me? We will see...go ACTOBER!!!!
If they could actually play even decent football, I would be wrapped snuggly in the blanket of college football. But, no, they have to be 0-5 and probably on their way to 0-8! I am dismally disappointed each weekend, barely able to stomach 3 quarters of viewing. I am having to find another diversion in the fall. What could that be?
Damn baseball.
How depressing...
Ok, so I am upset about my Irish...they have greatly disappointed me, I really don't know even how to react to this season. I am dumbfounded. But would I be following baseball anyway. Yeah. Actually, I know who to blame...Z. It's all his fault...if he wouldn't have challenged me to watch baseball this summer, I wouldn't be asking questions, like why is there a website (www.actober.com) for the playoffs...isn't the month spelled October!? I leave this special type of misery at his doorstep.
My Cubbies are in the playoffs. They stumbled in like a drunken Notre Dame fan after Michigan trounced on the Irish, but they are in. The Brewers fell apart worse at the end of the season and so by default, the Cubs get to play in October. Its been 99 years since the Cubs last won a World Series and they are going to make it at least 100.
Most baseball pundits are calling for the Cubs to make it to the National League Championship Series by beating the D'backs...I was shocked. The Cubs have not played well against Arizona this year, but our bats have been heating up recently. Most assume that even with the D'backs stellar pitching that they won't be able to slow Soriano and company at the plate. Could it be so? The first year I watch baseball, I get the distinct pleasure of watching baseball into late October???
I'm not counting on it. I am excited to see what happens though...I will be in front of the TV tonight, watching the biggest pitching matchup of the series: Webb and Zambrano. It would send a distinct message if the Cubs could crack the bat against Webb, supposedly the best pitcher in the NL.
I make no prediction...I am a baseball playoffs virgin...I leave that kind of action to baseball whores (Z to name one). I am just anxiously awaiting my first real playoff baseball experience in October. Can the Cubs give me the October pleasure I deserve? Or will I be left wanting more come next week and not a Cubbie in sight to fulfill me? We will see...go ACTOBER!!!!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Summer Vacation (s)
Oh, how I love summer vacation! And for me...that is actually vacations!!!! Everyone that has known me for like, 2 seconds knows I travel...a lot! I just cannot seem to stay in one location for too long, otherwise I just end up going even more crazy than normal. I really don't know what the problem is. But my friends and family don't complain 'cause they actually get to spend time with me in person...not just have my marathon IM conversations or phone chats. I mean...holding the phone up for that long or scrolling through my massive messages, it can be tiring, I am sure! So my visits actually make those instances worth it...in person we usually at least eat for a distraction. Ok, ok...enough of my charming sarcasm.
I love visiting everyone...it is what makes my world go 'round. I just don't know how to get along without see those near and dear to me on a regular basis. Seeing new babies...new boyfriends...new wives...new houses...or just hanging out. This summer has been quite the whirlwind of activity and we aren't done yet (and in "we" I mean, the royal we...just me!).
First, I went to Cincinnati...the friends I love, the city I don't. It's okay that Cincy is an abomination of a city 'cause it is redeemed by having some of my closest friends. I was able to eat ribs at the best ribs joint in the Midwest; spend a day out on a beach (a lake, yes, but still a beach with real sand!); go to a Bowling for Soup concert (loved it!); and just hang out with friends. Not as many people live there any more (they left like I did!), but still had to see those that were there. I even drove to BFE Kentucky to see a good friend, his wife and their new house. Now that is dedication...crossing the river is a sure sign of it!
Then, Detroit. Didn't really see much of the city, but spent a lot of quality time with friends from Butler. Melissa (college freshman roommate) was getting hitched and I had to be there. I have known her for over 14 years (damn, we are old!). I'm not at all bitter that she has had 2 cracks at this love thing...not at all. :-) She is happy and it definitely showed that day. My default pic is actually from her wedding photog...quality work! It really was a jog down memory lane in so many ways and I loved it. It is amazing as you get older how time does seem to pass by quickly. It can't be 14 years since I "slapped back Snapples" in a college dorm room while everyone around me was getting roaring drunk. Or when Melissa and I hog-tied one of our friends for a reason that neither of us can seem to remember! Or seeing the monkeys at the Indianapolis Zoo whack off in the corner of the cage on our first freshman orientation trip. Ah, memories...
Last week was New York and Bucks County, Pennsylvania. My sis met me out East for a week of relaxation and family time. My sister is truly my best friend and I am glad that we got a chance to travel together again. Our last trip was to San Fran like 10 years ago. We are extremely different and I think we both wanted to do some damage to each other at points during the trip, but at the end of the day, I love being with her. The first thing we did when we got to our uncles' house was show each other all of our new stuff that we brought (guys...I think this is a girl thing and you will probably find it odd, but we do it, accept it as truth and move one). It's just something that we do whenever we see each other. Oh, the trip...we have a great time. Spamalot on Broadway, shopping in Soho and up Fifth Avenue (both of us came home with a little blue bag from Tiffany's), going to my favorite Italian restaurant-Max, seeing tennis at the Open, seeing my DC tennis friends, spending 4 hours just going to and from Stanten Island...I could go on, but I won't. And just spending time in the city. I had forgotten how much I love being in the city, any city at all. I just felt a little at home in all of the hustle and bustle.
Next up on the travel agenda: DC! Yeah, it will be my third trip back since I moved, but that's ok. I love to be with everyone and this time I have a real reason: another wedding! Yeah, how is it that at 32 I am having another wedding spree? One more in October too! I am sure I will be busy the whole time with seeing friends, going shopping and generally having a grand ol' time. I can't wait...I really just want to jump on a plane right now! I am so excited.
Well, that's a wrap up of my summer travels. Maybe next year I will actually go on a trip where no one I know lives...an actually touristy vacation. I don't do them often, but I think I am due one. Where shall I go??? Tropical...Asian...European...Alaska??? Yeah, no idea...I don't plan past the next trip. If anybody has suggestions or wants to join me in a little getaway, let me know.
I love visiting everyone...it is what makes my world go 'round. I just don't know how to get along without see those near and dear to me on a regular basis. Seeing new babies...new boyfriends...new wives...new houses...or just hanging out. This summer has been quite the whirlwind of activity and we aren't done yet (and in "we" I mean, the royal we...just me!).
First, I went to Cincinnati...the friends I love, the city I don't. It's okay that Cincy is an abomination of a city 'cause it is redeemed by having some of my closest friends. I was able to eat ribs at the best ribs joint in the Midwest; spend a day out on a beach (a lake, yes, but still a beach with real sand!); go to a Bowling for Soup concert (loved it!); and just hang out with friends. Not as many people live there any more (they left like I did!), but still had to see those that were there. I even drove to BFE Kentucky to see a good friend, his wife and their new house. Now that is dedication...crossing the river is a sure sign of it!
Then, Detroit. Didn't really see much of the city, but spent a lot of quality time with friends from Butler. Melissa (college freshman roommate) was getting hitched and I had to be there. I have known her for over 14 years (damn, we are old!). I'm not at all bitter that she has had 2 cracks at this love thing...not at all. :-) She is happy and it definitely showed that day. My default pic is actually from her wedding photog...quality work! It really was a jog down memory lane in so many ways and I loved it. It is amazing as you get older how time does seem to pass by quickly. It can't be 14 years since I "slapped back Snapples" in a college dorm room while everyone around me was getting roaring drunk. Or when Melissa and I hog-tied one of our friends for a reason that neither of us can seem to remember! Or seeing the monkeys at the Indianapolis Zoo whack off in the corner of the cage on our first freshman orientation trip. Ah, memories...
Last week was New York and Bucks County, Pennsylvania. My sis met me out East for a week of relaxation and family time. My sister is truly my best friend and I am glad that we got a chance to travel together again. Our last trip was to San Fran like 10 years ago. We are extremely different and I think we both wanted to do some damage to each other at points during the trip, but at the end of the day, I love being with her. The first thing we did when we got to our uncles' house was show each other all of our new stuff that we brought (guys...I think this is a girl thing and you will probably find it odd, but we do it, accept it as truth and move one). It's just something that we do whenever we see each other. Oh, the trip...we have a great time. Spamalot on Broadway, shopping in Soho and up Fifth Avenue (both of us came home with a little blue bag from Tiffany's), going to my favorite Italian restaurant-Max, seeing tennis at the Open, seeing my DC tennis friends, spending 4 hours just going to and from Stanten Island...I could go on, but I won't. And just spending time in the city. I had forgotten how much I love being in the city, any city at all. I just felt a little at home in all of the hustle and bustle.
Next up on the travel agenda: DC! Yeah, it will be my third trip back since I moved, but that's ok. I love to be with everyone and this time I have a real reason: another wedding! Yeah, how is it that at 32 I am having another wedding spree? One more in October too! I am sure I will be busy the whole time with seeing friends, going shopping and generally having a grand ol' time. I can't wait...I really just want to jump on a plane right now! I am so excited.
Well, that's a wrap up of my summer travels. Maybe next year I will actually go on a trip where no one I know lives...an actually touristy vacation. I don't do them often, but I think I am due one. Where shall I go??? Tropical...Asian...European...Alaska??? Yeah, no idea...I don't plan past the next trip. If anybody has suggestions or wants to join me in a little getaway, let me know.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
0-2 and I'm ok about it
My Irish...I wish I was writing today about how Weis and my boys had proven all of the doubters wrong and how they are standing today, 2-0 against two early season tough challenges. "Weis and his wizardry have created another stellar team able to beat the likes of Georgia Tech and Penn State with young inexperienced players." Something like that would be grand. But its not to be...
We are 0-2. And badly, 0-2. Not one single offensive touchdown (even though yesterday should have seen that event except for some surprised receivers not being able to hold onto the ball) in two games. We have rushed this season for -8 yards...this team is so talented it can run negative yards!!! The penalties...oh my...late in the game yesterday they had more penalty yards than actual offense. It's abysmal, it really is. Is this the team that I have loved since my childhood? The famed Golden Dome and Touchdown Jesus?
Yup, it is and I am still proud to wear the gold and blue. As horrible as the above statistics are, I am actually quite upbeat about the future. Yesterday, Charlie ran the offense in a very conservative manner. Why you ask? He started the golden-boy Jimmy Clausen, high school phenom extrodinaire. You don't send in a true freshman quarterback and air it out. Not smart. Slant passes, short drops-quick passes. Keep it simple. Set up your quarterback for a low level of success. Yeah, Clausen lost his first start since pop warner football...that's ok. He will definitely see W's in the future, no doubt in my mind. He will continue to improve...he definitely showed poise beyond his years yesterday. Yeah, he was sacked numerous times...but he scrambled quite well under extreme pressure all night. The O line is just not being able to protect him. His improvement this year will be great...by the end of the season I think we will look back at this game and not be able to recognize him.
It's always hard to see your team flounder and just be down right bad. But at the same time, I'm not a Michigan fan. We will get better with a very young team. More experience = better play and hopefully some W's. Michigan...well, they have a senior quarterback and was touted as one of the best teams in the land pre-season. They are 0-2 with losses to a Div 1-AA team and Oregon. Yesterday's game was horrendous...they lost worse than ND, surprisingly that is possible. They have little hope for real improvement, especially with Henne out with a leg injury. Michigan is ND's biggest rival...I rue the days that I can say Michigan is worse than ND and for two weeks, I have been able to say that even with ND's laughable performances. That makes me pretty damn happy.
So, next week is the game of the season for me...Notre Dame v. Michigan. Biggest rivalry for ND fans and every year it is an amazing battle between two powerhouses. Yeah, not this year. My dad and I were contemplating if the game will even get TV coverage at this point. The two most storied college football teams are going head to head, with someone having to come out with a win. Both teams coming in playing horrible ball. Does anyone really have to ask who I call for this game? Yeah, no...ND. With Henne out and the Irish improving (question that all you want...they played infinitely better yesterday than against G Tech), I think ND can do it. It is a hostile working environment up in Ann Arbor, but Weis will allow Clausen some more choices in the offense. I am looking forward to our first offensive touchdown against a defense that let Oregon have over 600 yards total offense.
Go Irish!
We are 0-2. And badly, 0-2. Not one single offensive touchdown (even though yesterday should have seen that event except for some surprised receivers not being able to hold onto the ball) in two games. We have rushed this season for -8 yards...this team is so talented it can run negative yards!!! The penalties...oh my...late in the game yesterday they had more penalty yards than actual offense. It's abysmal, it really is. Is this the team that I have loved since my childhood? The famed Golden Dome and Touchdown Jesus?
Yup, it is and I am still proud to wear the gold and blue. As horrible as the above statistics are, I am actually quite upbeat about the future. Yesterday, Charlie ran the offense in a very conservative manner. Why you ask? He started the golden-boy Jimmy Clausen, high school phenom extrodinaire. You don't send in a true freshman quarterback and air it out. Not smart. Slant passes, short drops-quick passes. Keep it simple. Set up your quarterback for a low level of success. Yeah, Clausen lost his first start since pop warner football...that's ok. He will definitely see W's in the future, no doubt in my mind. He will continue to improve...he definitely showed poise beyond his years yesterday. Yeah, he was sacked numerous times...but he scrambled quite well under extreme pressure all night. The O line is just not being able to protect him. His improvement this year will be great...by the end of the season I think we will look back at this game and not be able to recognize him.
It's always hard to see your team flounder and just be down right bad. But at the same time, I'm not a Michigan fan. We will get better with a very young team. More experience = better play and hopefully some W's. Michigan...well, they have a senior quarterback and was touted as one of the best teams in the land pre-season. They are 0-2 with losses to a Div 1-AA team and Oregon. Yesterday's game was horrendous...they lost worse than ND, surprisingly that is possible. They have little hope for real improvement, especially with Henne out with a leg injury. Michigan is ND's biggest rival...I rue the days that I can say Michigan is worse than ND and for two weeks, I have been able to say that even with ND's laughable performances. That makes me pretty damn happy.
So, next week is the game of the season for me...Notre Dame v. Michigan. Biggest rivalry for ND fans and every year it is an amazing battle between two powerhouses. Yeah, not this year. My dad and I were contemplating if the game will even get TV coverage at this point. The two most storied college football teams are going head to head, with someone having to come out with a win. Both teams coming in playing horrible ball. Does anyone really have to ask who I call for this game? Yeah, no...ND. With Henne out and the Irish improving (question that all you want...they played infinitely better yesterday than against G Tech), I think ND can do it. It is a hostile working environment up in Ann Arbor, but Weis will allow Clausen some more choices in the offense. I am looking forward to our first offensive touchdown against a defense that let Oregon have over 600 yards total offense.
Go Irish!
Monday, August 27, 2007
Surpise, Surprise...Superbad!
If there was one movie that I would have put on the list of "Definitely Not Seeing" it would have been Superbad. The coming of age story of "can the classic nerdy, socially inept guys lose their virginity before they graduate?" really just is not up my alley. So, what happened last week? I went and saw Superbad. In my defense, a guy asked me to go and paid for it...it wasn't totally my choice.
The most surprising part of this situation is that is really was pretty damn funny. I am shocked and amazed, but I have to freely admit that a good portion of the movie did move me to laugh. Is it cinema at its best? Clearly not...it dropped f--- over 200 times (more than Scarface), it has more hand drawn pictures of penises than any one person really needs to see, and who really needs to watch the blood on the pants scene. But laugh I did. It dips about 45 minutes into it and doesn't pick up again until the last few minutes, but I do not regret spending some time watching it. Superbad wasn't as bad as I thought...imagine that.
The most surprising part of this situation is that is really was pretty damn funny. I am shocked and amazed, but I have to freely admit that a good portion of the movie did move me to laugh. Is it cinema at its best? Clearly not...it dropped f--- over 200 times (more than Scarface), it has more hand drawn pictures of penises than any one person really needs to see, and who really needs to watch the blood on the pants scene. But laugh I did. It dips about 45 minutes into it and doesn't pick up again until the last few minutes, but I do not regret spending some time watching it. Superbad wasn't as bad as I thought...imagine that.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Flicks and Pages
I would usually do separate blogs for these two topics, but why? I'll just combine since I clearly didn't take the time this weekend to sit in front of my computer and do it!
Flicks
I have gotten back to my movie watching ways recently. Tivo has plotted against me, making me watch shows I have recorded instead of popping in a DVD and watching it. Ok, that is really all my fault, but I would rather blame a piece of electrical equipment than actually own up to my own inability to get off the couch, open up the case and insert the disc in the player. Lazy with a capital L. Here are my lame, but infinitely exciting reviews of some films I have watched.
Next time, you can look forward to reviews for The Hustler, A Fistful of Dollars and Y Tu Mama Tambian on the flick side of life. I might try to actually catch a current film...you never know! For Pages, I have two choices for my traveling pleasure: Nickle and Dimed (probably not going to NYC either since it is quite the serious tome about the working poor in the US) and Those Who Save Us. Of course, I may end up finishing Kite before I review again...
Flicks
I have gotten back to my movie watching ways recently. Tivo has plotted against me, making me watch shows I have recorded instead of popping in a DVD and watching it. Ok, that is really all my fault, but I would rather blame a piece of electrical equipment than actually own up to my own inability to get off the couch, open up the case and insert the disc in the player. Lazy with a capital L. Here are my lame, but infinitely exciting reviews of some films I have watched.
Bobby-I finally got around to this flick. Being a history buff, I of course, wanted to watch it. The cast was also intriguing, since it pretty much was jam packed with stars. Can Lindsey Lohan act? Is Ashton a believeable hippy druggie? Demi a raging alcoholic diva? Well, for full disclosure, I must admit, I started watching the movie on Friday night and actually turned it off mid-way through and read my book for about an hour. I think that might be telling. I finished it on Saturday morning. Great to learn the incidentals to a historical event, but not all that intriguing of a movie. Lindsay married a hobbit to save him from Vietnam. Does that really take chops to portray? Not really. It wasn't a horrible film, but it just didn't hold any mystique or have any amazing attributes. It was just a way to pass 2 hours, that's about it.
Capote--This was a good flick. The reason being: Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Not a news flash, I know. I am just getting around to this one and I should have seen it before. His portrayal of Capote is amazing. The nuances, the gestures...really a great portrayal of the historical character. He carries the film and really makes it worth a recommendation. I even want to read In Cold Blood because of it. I would definitely put it on your list...maybe not the absolutely next movie you watch, but something worth getting off the couch for, really.
The Squid and the Whale--Just Say No! I was a member of the movement in the 5th grade, wore the green shirt with pride (my sad, pathetic elementary days...such fond memories!). I stand by the slogan today. This movie is a mess. Its kind of indi...so many may not have heard of it. I almost feel bad bringing the movie to your attention; your ignorance of the flick is probably best. But at least now you won't make the mistake of taking a peek and possibly doing yourself a disservice and renting it. It just is very random and not all that interesting. The one thing I pulled from this movie: us children of the 80's really must have been suffering internally to have grown up with those clothes, the cars, etc. Very frightening!
PagesCapote--This was a good flick. The reason being: Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Not a news flash, I know. I am just getting around to this one and I should have seen it before. His portrayal of Capote is amazing. The nuances, the gestures...really a great portrayal of the historical character. He carries the film and really makes it worth a recommendation. I even want to read In Cold Blood because of it. I would definitely put it on your list...maybe not the absolutely next movie you watch, but something worth getting off the couch for, really.
The Squid and the Whale--Just Say No! I was a member of the movement in the 5th grade, wore the green shirt with pride (my sad, pathetic elementary days...such fond memories!). I stand by the slogan today. This movie is a mess. Its kind of indi...so many may not have heard of it. I almost feel bad bringing the movie to your attention; your ignorance of the flick is probably best. But at least now you won't make the mistake of taking a peek and possibly doing yourself a disservice and renting it. It just is very random and not all that interesting. The one thing I pulled from this movie: us children of the 80's really must have been suffering internally to have grown up with those clothes, the cars, etc. Very frightening!
A Thousand Splendid Suns--This is the new book by the author of The Kite Runner. I had been told that Kite was depressing and so I decided to skip that read, but then saw this one and the dust jacket synopsis intrigued me. So, I picked it up. Great book. I love learning about a new culture, new time period, etc. He is very good at pulling you into a new world. He paints the picture starkly. But I must say, some of what is in there is just personally horrifying. I try not to be culturally biased. My way of life is not everyone's way of life. But I could not read and not feel a sense of horror of the Taliban years of Afghanistan. We have horrors here in our own culture, though. I know I have been horrified by these stories as well, but the overall sanctioned acceptance of the horrors brought to life in the book astound me. I guess I take it a bit more personally being a woman. I had some difficulty reading it at night before I would go to bed since I really didn't want those thoughts running through my dreams, etc. This is a good read, but definitely difficult at times. I was at Borders yesterday and I picked up Kite to read, but it definitely won't make it in my bag for my vacation next week. It will most likely be worth my personal discomfort, but not when I am sitting next to a pool sipping a cocktail!
Well, these are my reviews. I am sure that not all that informative or exciting, but nonetheless a free service from you trusty friend, Mischa! Really, I do this to get out of having to write about my boring life...Next time, you can look forward to reviews for The Hustler, A Fistful of Dollars and Y Tu Mama Tambian on the flick side of life. I might try to actually catch a current film...you never know! For Pages, I have two choices for my traveling pleasure: Nickle and Dimed (probably not going to NYC either since it is quite the serious tome about the working poor in the US) and Those Who Save Us. Of course, I may end up finishing Kite before I review again...
Monday, August 13, 2007
No, it can't be true, can it?
I have heard a nasty rumor around the valley...that at high elevations the aspen trees are already starting to turn? How can it be? We got our last snow at the end of June and the signs of fall are rapidly approaching? Did we have a summer? My head is spinning.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Champagne and Popcorn Dreams
I am sitting in my office at 11:00 pm, waiting for a special champagne dinner to end (so I can help clean up!), sipping champagne and eating some Pop-Secret popcorn. I am trying to have will power and not go eat the fabulous free dinner at 11:00 pm at night. The chocolate cheesecake that is just sitting there for my enjoyment. No, my 100-calorie pack of popcorn is my friend. Yeah, yeah...the weakness...the champagne. But how many offers of nice champagne do you get?!
I have nothing witty or amazing to tell you about. So, a random assortment of my deep thoughts will have to do. (the popcorn makes me philosophical).
-Barry Bonds and the homeruns...yea, rah, yea, he made it. He has taken the record from Aaron. The bastard stole it from the hero. Has he attained it completely unfairly?--yes. Did MLB do anything about it?--no. 1 + 1 then = 2. Does he deserve the coverage?--yes. OJ probably did commit murder back in the 90's, but guess what...he is still a free man and always will be. Barry Bonds will be the reigning king of the homerun ball until someone else has learned to dope even more ingeniously. Case closed, end of story.
-The Midwest in the summertime...is beautiful! I spent the weekend in Cincinnati a couple of weeks ago and it was low 80's all weekend. I went to Detroit last weekend for a wedding and it was gorgeous, even getting a bit nipply on a rainy morning. I obviously need to spend more time in the Midwest during the summer. I have judged it unfairly. (yeah, that champagne is kickin in!!!)
-Grandpa update...he has his prosthetic leg and is doing great!! He has been able to visit our land up in the UP. He can get in and out of the car and is transferring from his wheelchair into a seat like a pro. Now that is a happy 90th birthday! We were all scared he wouldn't make it to this point, so I just have to say how happy I am for him!!! He is such an inspiration to me...
-Tomatoes!! I decided to attempt to have a green thumb this summer and actually potted a couple of tomato plants. I love, love, love tomatoes and homegrown are the best. So, why not give it a shot. Well, I have had a few green ones sitting there for weeks and was getting discouraged that they would ever turn red. I am ecstatic to report that today, one turned a lovely shade of putrid greeny-orange. Yeah, you were expecting me to say red...gotcha! But I have no doubt in a day or two I will have a red, ripe cherry tomato to pop in my mouth. Woohoo!
You know, kettle corn and champagne aren't that bad together. You don't believe me, I know...I wouldn't either. But its better than gaining the weight I am trying so hard to lose...so it will do for tonight. How is it that I am in a good mood after working 12 hours? I don't ask these things...I just accept it as a little gift. Everyone...smile!!!! I am!
I have nothing witty or amazing to tell you about. So, a random assortment of my deep thoughts will have to do. (the popcorn makes me philosophical).
-Barry Bonds and the homeruns...yea, rah, yea, he made it. He has taken the record from Aaron. The bastard stole it from the hero. Has he attained it completely unfairly?--yes. Did MLB do anything about it?--no. 1 + 1 then = 2. Does he deserve the coverage?--yes. OJ probably did commit murder back in the 90's, but guess what...he is still a free man and always will be. Barry Bonds will be the reigning king of the homerun ball until someone else has learned to dope even more ingeniously. Case closed, end of story.
-The Midwest in the summertime...is beautiful! I spent the weekend in Cincinnati a couple of weeks ago and it was low 80's all weekend. I went to Detroit last weekend for a wedding and it was gorgeous, even getting a bit nipply on a rainy morning. I obviously need to spend more time in the Midwest during the summer. I have judged it unfairly. (yeah, that champagne is kickin in!!!)
-Grandpa update...he has his prosthetic leg and is doing great!! He has been able to visit our land up in the UP. He can get in and out of the car and is transferring from his wheelchair into a seat like a pro. Now that is a happy 90th birthday! We were all scared he wouldn't make it to this point, so I just have to say how happy I am for him!!! He is such an inspiration to me...
-Tomatoes!! I decided to attempt to have a green thumb this summer and actually potted a couple of tomato plants. I love, love, love tomatoes and homegrown are the best. So, why not give it a shot. Well, I have had a few green ones sitting there for weeks and was getting discouraged that they would ever turn red. I am ecstatic to report that today, one turned a lovely shade of putrid greeny-orange. Yeah, you were expecting me to say red...gotcha! But I have no doubt in a day or two I will have a red, ripe cherry tomato to pop in my mouth. Woohoo!
You know, kettle corn and champagne aren't that bad together. You don't believe me, I know...I wouldn't either. But its better than gaining the weight I am trying so hard to lose...so it will do for tonight. How is it that I am in a good mood after working 12 hours? I don't ask these things...I just accept it as a little gift. Everyone...smile!!!! I am!
Monday, July 09, 2007
Sports Blog...All in One!
I haven't blogged in a while and I really am overdue...
So, let's just get the sports blog out of the way and then maybe later this week I can whip up a life update blog. Or at least something that doesn't include some sort of ball (well, you know what i mean!).
Tennis
Yes, it has been that time of year again: Wimbledon. My favorite tournament. Because of constant rain delays, I rarely got to see any live tennis. But we can't be too choosy. I watched what I could: before work, after work. I even tracked scores while at work.
But today, oh, today. Some of the best tennis I have watched in a very long time. Men's final: Federer (#1 in the world) v. Nadal (#2 in the world). Now, the grass definitely favors Federer, but Nadal has vastly improved his game so he can compete on the fast surface. Now, everyone knows I am just kinda in love with Rafa Nadal...oh, beautiful man. Love him! Anyway, I would root for him just for sake, but to root for him to beat Federer who has won 4 straight Wimbledon titles and the cockiness to prove it? Oh, yeah. I was pulling for Rafa. It wasn't to be, but it went 5 sets and was just beautiful. A lot of times when you get #1 v. #2, you just don't really get high quality tennis...one will dominate due to surface or mental strength, etc. But today both players were just masterful. A win by Rafa would have completely made my day, but great tennis comes awfully close to the same thing. (And I got to cook while watching...two of my favorite things!).
So, now we are going to start up the US Open Series leading up to the US Open in Aug/Sept. My sister and I are going to go for a little trip to NYC for the Open, so I will be following all of the leading events. Its prime tennis season and I am so ready to be sucked in!!
Baseball
A few months ago I promised to give baseball a fair shake this summer. I have argued (pretty successfully, I might add) that baseball is not a sport and that to call it so is just wrong. I have always bored watching this GAME and didn't have much respect, gotta admit.
Mid-year report: Well, it is now the All-Star break and I have watched quite a bit of baseball. I decided to go back to my roots and follow the Chicago Cubs. Being that they are on WGN, I can see most of their games. Also, I did follow them briefly when I was living back in Indiana, so it seemed to make some sense. I have tried to watch some other games too...just to get the full perspective. I actually went to a Dodgers/Cubs game in LA with my friend Larry.
I still stand by the "non-sport" designation, but I have been enjoying myself. Its great learning something completely new and it is kind of interesting. For instance, I now know that there are 8 current teams that have never won the World Series. I know that the Cubs are above .500 and are threatening a struggling Brewers team for the NL Central Division lead. I know that the season is way too damn long. I know that baseball still isn't a sport! Haha...
I actually found myself enjoying a game a couple of weeks ago that had 1 run scored in the whole game...now that is a scary admission...and neither team was the Cubs. And that run was a homerun in the 8th. I'm a big person and can admit these things. I won't hide my excitement when I see Theriot go 4-5 against the Rockies and the Cubbies pull out a 10-9 win in the bottom of the 9th. Did I watch some of every game of the Brewers series just to see if the Cubs could match up against the division leaders? Yup...ok, I am admitting way too much!
I am not going to give a verdict yet...since we are only half way through the season. Will I keep up my watching and my ESPN.com following of the Cubs and baseball in general? For this year, I do think I will. Am I a lifetime fan of baseball from here on out? We're pleading the 5th until the end of the season. Are we sure we have to have another 70 or so games of baseball?
Football does start before the end of the season...now, that is something to look forward to!
So, let's just get the sports blog out of the way and then maybe later this week I can whip up a life update blog. Or at least something that doesn't include some sort of ball (well, you know what i mean!).
Tennis
Yes, it has been that time of year again: Wimbledon. My favorite tournament. Because of constant rain delays, I rarely got to see any live tennis. But we can't be too choosy. I watched what I could: before work, after work. I even tracked scores while at work.
But today, oh, today. Some of the best tennis I have watched in a very long time. Men's final: Federer (#1 in the world) v. Nadal (#2 in the world). Now, the grass definitely favors Federer, but Nadal has vastly improved his game so he can compete on the fast surface. Now, everyone knows I am just kinda in love with Rafa Nadal...oh, beautiful man. Love him! Anyway, I would root for him just for sake, but to root for him to beat Federer who has won 4 straight Wimbledon titles and the cockiness to prove it? Oh, yeah. I was pulling for Rafa. It wasn't to be, but it went 5 sets and was just beautiful. A lot of times when you get #1 v. #2, you just don't really get high quality tennis...one will dominate due to surface or mental strength, etc. But today both players were just masterful. A win by Rafa would have completely made my day, but great tennis comes awfully close to the same thing. (And I got to cook while watching...two of my favorite things!).
So, now we are going to start up the US Open Series leading up to the US Open in Aug/Sept. My sister and I are going to go for a little trip to NYC for the Open, so I will be following all of the leading events. Its prime tennis season and I am so ready to be sucked in!!
Baseball
A few months ago I promised to give baseball a fair shake this summer. I have argued (pretty successfully, I might add) that baseball is not a sport and that to call it so is just wrong. I have always bored watching this GAME and didn't have much respect, gotta admit.
Mid-year report: Well, it is now the All-Star break and I have watched quite a bit of baseball. I decided to go back to my roots and follow the Chicago Cubs. Being that they are on WGN, I can see most of their games. Also, I did follow them briefly when I was living back in Indiana, so it seemed to make some sense. I have tried to watch some other games too...just to get the full perspective. I actually went to a Dodgers/Cubs game in LA with my friend Larry.
I still stand by the "non-sport" designation, but I have been enjoying myself. Its great learning something completely new and it is kind of interesting. For instance, I now know that there are 8 current teams that have never won the World Series. I know that the Cubs are above .500 and are threatening a struggling Brewers team for the NL Central Division lead. I know that the season is way too damn long. I know that baseball still isn't a sport! Haha...
I actually found myself enjoying a game a couple of weeks ago that had 1 run scored in the whole game...now that is a scary admission...and neither team was the Cubs. And that run was a homerun in the 8th. I'm a big person and can admit these things. I won't hide my excitement when I see Theriot go 4-5 against the Rockies and the Cubbies pull out a 10-9 win in the bottom of the 9th. Did I watch some of every game of the Brewers series just to see if the Cubs could match up against the division leaders? Yup...ok, I am admitting way too much!
I am not going to give a verdict yet...since we are only half way through the season. Will I keep up my watching and my ESPN.com following of the Cubs and baseball in general? For this year, I do think I will. Am I a lifetime fan of baseball from here on out? We're pleading the 5th until the end of the season. Are we sure we have to have another 70 or so games of baseball?
Football does start before the end of the season...now, that is something to look forward to!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Simply a Good Day
You know how you feel when you have just had a good day...just simply that...not extraordinarily unique, not shout from the highest mountain...just a wonderfully simple good day? That is how I feel right now. Did I do anything amazing or out of the ordinary? No. Did I just enjoy a day doing mundane life stuff that just simply made me happy? YES!!!!! I will prove nothing amazing transpired...just good.
- Started the day at 7:30 am. (Yeah, no longer can sleep in, but what can you do?)
- Made spice muffins from scratch (first time I have baked in a while...felt so good!)
- Slipped back into bed to read a bit...fell a sleep for a wee nap.
- Showered, dressed in a simple sun dress, got ready, ate lunch.
- Walked the Vail Farmer's Market, finding only 3 "farmers" stands, but got some yummy tomatoes, corn and pea pods!
- Went to Blockbuster to pick up a few new movies (Blood Diamond and Little Children)
- Stopped at Home Depot and Wal-Mart for some flowers, plants, supplies and dirt!
- Called my Dad...it is Father's Day!!!!
- Had some juicy watermelon for a treat.
- Walked to the library, returned some books and got a couple of new ones (a novel set during the Bubonic Plague and O, Pioneers!)
- Walked to our local lake, sat in the grass, under the bright blue sky and sun, read a few chapters of O, Pioneers!
- Came home, made dinner (BLT and corn on the cob...wonderfully delightful)!.
- Played in the dirt, planting all of my new flowers! (which I will probably kill, but it is nice to have other life in the condo with me!)
- Talked with my sister.
- Watched Blood Diamond.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Maybe I am Not That Old...
This past weekend, I made the trek down the mountain to Denver to go to The Police concert. My friend emailed me about some tickets a co-worker was trying to sell and we decided to go. Why not? It's only $55 and it is to go to the most anticipated concert of the season. Being an 80's lover, I figured it was right up my alley.
I found out that I am not all that old and decrepit. Yeah, there were songs I definitely knew...but I realized that they weren't songs I knew because I experienced life while listening to them. I knew songs because they are such a part of modern pop culture and I have heard them replayed over and over again. Roxanne...much beloved song...1978. I was 3!!! Even my older brother wouldn't probably have been listening to it in the house since he was only 8. Message in a Bottle-1979. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da-1980. At least Wrapped Around Your Finger and Every Breath You Take were released when I was 8!
I know we all have bands like this...we just know some of their music so well and then another half of their repertoire, not so much. I had this experience at my first Journey concert. They actually played their music kind of in chronological order and I was lost for the first half of the show. I was wondering if I had a great misconception of who I thought was Journey. Then they hit the 80's music and I was home, but I had never even been exposed to their 70's stuff.
So, about the concert...it was fun...the music I did know was pretty good. Sting still sounds like Sting. Minimal stage...3 huge screens in the front. Not much chatting. Concert was a little under 2 hours. Had a good time...but didn't have an earth-shattering, amazing time. Definitely glad I didn't pay $250 for tickets as so many had. But I had a friend at the concert who was 5-10 years older than me and she lived this music. She had the greatest time and was glad to have plunked down the money.
For a day, though, I didn't feel so old...there was actually some 80's music that was even a bit before my time. And I got to see a legend perform some great music. All in all, a good time had by all.
I found out that I am not all that old and decrepit. Yeah, there were songs I definitely knew...but I realized that they weren't songs I knew because I experienced life while listening to them. I knew songs because they are such a part of modern pop culture and I have heard them replayed over and over again. Roxanne...much beloved song...1978. I was 3!!! Even my older brother wouldn't probably have been listening to it in the house since he was only 8. Message in a Bottle-1979. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da-1980. At least Wrapped Around Your Finger and Every Breath You Take were released when I was 8!
I know we all have bands like this...we just know some of their music so well and then another half of their repertoire, not so much. I had this experience at my first Journey concert. They actually played their music kind of in chronological order and I was lost for the first half of the show. I was wondering if I had a great misconception of who I thought was Journey. Then they hit the 80's music and I was home, but I had never even been exposed to their 70's stuff.
So, about the concert...it was fun...the music I did know was pretty good. Sting still sounds like Sting. Minimal stage...3 huge screens in the front. Not much chatting. Concert was a little under 2 hours. Had a good time...but didn't have an earth-shattering, amazing time. Definitely glad I didn't pay $250 for tickets as so many had. But I had a friend at the concert who was 5-10 years older than me and she lived this music. She had the greatest time and was glad to have plunked down the money.
For a day, though, I didn't feel so old...there was actually some 80's music that was even a bit before my time. And I got to see a legend perform some great music. All in all, a good time had by all.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
In My Own Backyard
I know, I just blogged...but I know you want more!
Quickey...
This is what is in my backyard right now (sorry the pics aren't better...not enough light if you can believe that!).
I knew a rodeo would be back there every Thursday of the summer (no, I am not kidding!), but rides...a Ferris Wheel...maybe I could walk over and get some yummy, sticky cotton candy as a treat!!!
Quickey...
This is what is in my backyard right now (sorry the pics aren't better...not enough light if you can believe that!).
What Can One Girl Fit Into a Weekend?
A couple of weeks ago I decided it was time to return to the sunny land of California. It had been over 2 years since my last visit and now that I live much closer to the land of palms, I figured it was time. My parents had been wanting me to visit for some time and so for all of these reasons (and more I won't bore you with), I found the flight and made it work.
I originally thought it would just be a visit to San Diego (where my parents reside), but I had not seen my sis' new condo and so a visit to the OC was necessary. Well, then I found out that my friend, Larry, who lives in Germany, was going to be in Orange County for the Saturday of my visit. Michelle now goes into planning mode. How do we maximize the visit and make everyone relatively happen and completely wear myself out? I'VE GOT IT!
I will book a flight that leaves Denver at 7:10 am on Saturday. Now to some that seems like a reasonable flight time, right? Let's remember that I live 2 hours away from that airport! Yup, I got up at the lovely time of 2:45 am (!) to get to the airport for my flight. At least it is a direct flight. Let's have my sister pick me up, drive me to the OC, look at her condo for 2 seconds, take a shower (give a girl a break...not gonna take a shower at 2:45 in the morning!), and get ready. What am I getting ready for, might you ask?
My drive up to Northern Orange County to meet Larry so we can drive up to LA for the Dodgers/Cubs game!!!! Again, seems simple enough...yeah, no. Then let's get stuck in at least 15 miles of traffic on the 5 and get to Dodgers Stadium (paying $15 to park!) at the top of the 5th! Yeah...good times! The Cubs has already scored their 4 runs...we at least got to see the Dodgers score a couple and the Cubs did win. And of course, there was beer!!! Larry kept this girl well supplied and also bought very nice tickets, so I actually followed the game and enjoyed! No one is more shocked by this admission than me! The game portion of the story must end with the continued traffic on the 5 coming home too...I was missing my mountain small town at this point!
After the game, it was back down to southern Orange County and dinner with my sis. (Now let's review though...how much sleep have I gotten? Answer: 3.5 hours; how long have I been awake at this point? 18 hours. How much alcohol did I consume...that makes me utterly tired after the buzz? 4-5 beers). Ok, armed with this knowledge...yeah, Mischa is dead tired. My poor sister had a lousy date! Good thing she loves me dearly and got to spend the rest of the weekend with me.
Ok, this has gotten into so much detail, you guys are probably dead tired. I will speed this up! The rest of the weekend included shopping, shopping and oh yeah, shopping! I do so miss that living up here in the mountains, so my sis and mom and I did some damage. I took an early Father's Day hike with my dad which was fun times. We went to Point Loma (peninsula of San Diego where a lot of military is and a national monument site), did the hike, went down to the tide pools and stood in the ocean. I love spending time with Daddy-o! I went to see Pirates 3 with the parentals and it was okay. Nothing to write home about or see again. Could have been worse though...a lot worse! And last but not least, I laid out in the sun and got burned in 45 minutes. Let's just say a lot of men were staring at my chest yesterday and it wasn't because of my more than adequate rack... Still smarting from that little venture, but I will be tan soon enough!
My last little adventure of the trip was my return drive. I decided that I wanted to spend as much time with the fam as I could, so I took a late flight Tuesday night. Well, hail decided to hit Denver and of course, delayed my already late flight. I got to my car to start my 2 hour drive at 1 am!!! Yeah, this girl just doesn't seem to like to do this the easy way ever.
I really enjoyed my trip down south and found that I had missed the good ol' state of California. Gotta make sure to visit more often and of course, visit In-n-Out more often (2 times this trip!!!). I'll post some pics when I get them from my Dad.
I originally thought it would just be a visit to San Diego (where my parents reside), but I had not seen my sis' new condo and so a visit to the OC was necessary. Well, then I found out that my friend, Larry, who lives in Germany, was going to be in Orange County for the Saturday of my visit. Michelle now goes into planning mode. How do we maximize the visit and make everyone relatively happen and completely wear myself out? I'VE GOT IT!
I will book a flight that leaves Denver at 7:10 am on Saturday. Now to some that seems like a reasonable flight time, right? Let's remember that I live 2 hours away from that airport! Yup, I got up at the lovely time of 2:45 am (!) to get to the airport for my flight. At least it is a direct flight. Let's have my sister pick me up, drive me to the OC, look at her condo for 2 seconds, take a shower (give a girl a break...not gonna take a shower at 2:45 in the morning!), and get ready. What am I getting ready for, might you ask?
My drive up to Northern Orange County to meet Larry so we can drive up to LA for the Dodgers/Cubs game!!!! Again, seems simple enough...yeah, no. Then let's get stuck in at least 15 miles of traffic on the 5 and get to Dodgers Stadium (paying $15 to park!) at the top of the 5th! Yeah...good times! The Cubs has already scored their 4 runs...we at least got to see the Dodgers score a couple and the Cubs did win. And of course, there was beer!!! Larry kept this girl well supplied and also bought very nice tickets, so I actually followed the game and enjoyed! No one is more shocked by this admission than me! The game portion of the story must end with the continued traffic on the 5 coming home too...I was missing my mountain small town at this point!
After the game, it was back down to southern Orange County and dinner with my sis. (Now let's review though...how much sleep have I gotten? Answer: 3.5 hours; how long have I been awake at this point? 18 hours. How much alcohol did I consume...that makes me utterly tired after the buzz? 4-5 beers). Ok, armed with this knowledge...yeah, Mischa is dead tired. My poor sister had a lousy date! Good thing she loves me dearly and got to spend the rest of the weekend with me.
Ok, this has gotten into so much detail, you guys are probably dead tired. I will speed this up! The rest of the weekend included shopping, shopping and oh yeah, shopping! I do so miss that living up here in the mountains, so my sis and mom and I did some damage. I took an early Father's Day hike with my dad which was fun times. We went to Point Loma (peninsula of San Diego where a lot of military is and a national monument site), did the hike, went down to the tide pools and stood in the ocean. I love spending time with Daddy-o! I went to see Pirates 3 with the parentals and it was okay. Nothing to write home about or see again. Could have been worse though...a lot worse! And last but not least, I laid out in the sun and got burned in 45 minutes. Let's just say a lot of men were staring at my chest yesterday and it wasn't because of my more than adequate rack... Still smarting from that little venture, but I will be tan soon enough!
My last little adventure of the trip was my return drive. I decided that I wanted to spend as much time with the fam as I could, so I took a late flight Tuesday night. Well, hail decided to hit Denver and of course, delayed my already late flight. I got to my car to start my 2 hour drive at 1 am!!! Yeah, this girl just doesn't seem to like to do this the easy way ever.
I really enjoyed my trip down south and found that I had missed the good ol' state of California. Gotta make sure to visit more often and of course, visit In-n-Out more often (2 times this trip!!!). I'll post some pics when I get them from my Dad.
Monday, May 21, 2007
End of the Road...this year
As all of my sports-minded friends know, the Bulls lost last Thursday and their season is done. For those that aren't sports-minded, sorry, another sports blog! Yes, it has been 4 days since the loss, but I have worked all weekend and just haven't gotten around to writing this blog yet.
Of course, there is disappointment that the Bulls couldn't get past the Pistons after taking 3 of 4 regular season games from them. That they blew their easy ticket into the Eastern Conference Finals by losing to the Nets on the last day of the regular season, hence setting up the meeting with the Pistons in the 2nd round and allowing Cleveland to be there for a 2nd time in a row. This is all stuff that doesn't put a smile on my face, for sure.
BUT, it is what it is. I last blogged about the Bulls when they were down 0-3. They finished the series with 2 wins. Two very convincing wins. Some may say that it was actually a dip in the Pistons' drive to win (as they are prone to do...see last year's Eastern Conference Finals). They wouldn't be completely wrong, but the Bulls had something to do with it too. Yes, Detroit's defense was not as strong, but the Bulls' offense finally came alive. In the first half of Game 4, they shot 72% and ended the game at 54%. That's not just Detroit getting lazy. Then in Detroit, for Game 5, they were pretty even until late in the 3rd quarter. Gordon and Heinrich again decided to show up and shoot the ball well. The Bulls' defense (which was 4th in the country for opponents field goal percentage) kicked some ass and held Detroit's guards down. Sheed got a few T's. Billups road the pine with some foul trouble. The Bulls had something to do with why the Pistons were not playing their best ball and getting two very necessary wins to preserve some pride in this series.
Right when you thought the Bulls had made it a series and might at least be in the elite number of teams to force a game 7 after being down 0-3 (as they were at home and should play better, right?), they were stymied by the Pistons and by themselves. Terrible shooting throughou the game (the 3-ball was pretty much non-existent even after taking around 30 of them in the game!) and panic at the end did them in. Yeah, the Pistons were on top of their game, but the Bulls kept it within reach the whole game...until panic set in and they couldn't seem to figure out what a decent look at the basket. In the last minute when it was decided, all of a sudden, "oh, I can hit a 3." Yeah, too late!
The Pistons know how to playoff ball...the Bulls don't. They showed their metal by beating the Heat in the first round, but they had been there before. They knew how it felt to be there and to be on the losing end. They hadn't been to Round 2 against a playoff ready team (previously, 4 straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals). They learned a lot this year...some triumph and some defeat.
But no team in the NBA is as set up to vastly improve on this year as the Bulls for next season. Because of the Curry trade to the Knicks, they get a lottery pick in the draft (not likely to be in the top 3, but at least a chance and no other playoff team has that!). Hopefully a big man can come our way and help out with position and scoring down on the blocks. We have some great trade value...of course, Paxson needs to be smart about who he trades, as to not alter this team's chemistry too much. Inside presence is necessary. PJ Brown kicked some Piston ass in the first half of game 6 with 20 points (and mysteriously rode the pine in the 2nd), but he is Old with a capital O for the NBA. Wallace is great on the boards and D, but can't buy a bucket at the stripe and doesn't know how to create offense on the block. The Bulls need some presence down there to open up the shooting for Gordon and Heinrich on the perimeter.
I finally have some hope for my young Bulls and am back to watching the NBA. Many people knock the thug league, but if you have a team like the Bulls (could possibly say a thug-less team!), you would be watching too. Great ball, the way it should be played.
Of course, there is disappointment that the Bulls couldn't get past the Pistons after taking 3 of 4 regular season games from them. That they blew their easy ticket into the Eastern Conference Finals by losing to the Nets on the last day of the regular season, hence setting up the meeting with the Pistons in the 2nd round and allowing Cleveland to be there for a 2nd time in a row. This is all stuff that doesn't put a smile on my face, for sure.
BUT, it is what it is. I last blogged about the Bulls when they were down 0-3. They finished the series with 2 wins. Two very convincing wins. Some may say that it was actually a dip in the Pistons' drive to win (as they are prone to do...see last year's Eastern Conference Finals). They wouldn't be completely wrong, but the Bulls had something to do with it too. Yes, Detroit's defense was not as strong, but the Bulls' offense finally came alive. In the first half of Game 4, they shot 72% and ended the game at 54%. That's not just Detroit getting lazy. Then in Detroit, for Game 5, they were pretty even until late in the 3rd quarter. Gordon and Heinrich again decided to show up and shoot the ball well. The Bulls' defense (which was 4th in the country for opponents field goal percentage) kicked some ass and held Detroit's guards down. Sheed got a few T's. Billups road the pine with some foul trouble. The Bulls had something to do with why the Pistons were not playing their best ball and getting two very necessary wins to preserve some pride in this series.
Right when you thought the Bulls had made it a series and might at least be in the elite number of teams to force a game 7 after being down 0-3 (as they were at home and should play better, right?), they were stymied by the Pistons and by themselves. Terrible shooting throughou the game (the 3-ball was pretty much non-existent even after taking around 30 of them in the game!) and panic at the end did them in. Yeah, the Pistons were on top of their game, but the Bulls kept it within reach the whole game...until panic set in and they couldn't seem to figure out what a decent look at the basket. In the last minute when it was decided, all of a sudden, "oh, I can hit a 3." Yeah, too late!
The Pistons know how to playoff ball...the Bulls don't. They showed their metal by beating the Heat in the first round, but they had been there before. They knew how it felt to be there and to be on the losing end. They hadn't been to Round 2 against a playoff ready team (previously, 4 straight trips to the Eastern Conference Finals). They learned a lot this year...some triumph and some defeat.
But no team in the NBA is as set up to vastly improve on this year as the Bulls for next season. Because of the Curry trade to the Knicks, they get a lottery pick in the draft (not likely to be in the top 3, but at least a chance and no other playoff team has that!). Hopefully a big man can come our way and help out with position and scoring down on the blocks. We have some great trade value...of course, Paxson needs to be smart about who he trades, as to not alter this team's chemistry too much. Inside presence is necessary. PJ Brown kicked some Piston ass in the first half of game 6 with 20 points (and mysteriously rode the pine in the 2nd), but he is Old with a capital O for the NBA. Wallace is great on the boards and D, but can't buy a bucket at the stripe and doesn't know how to create offense on the block. The Bulls need some presence down there to open up the shooting for Gordon and Heinrich on the perimeter.
I finally have some hope for my young Bulls and am back to watching the NBA. Many people knock the thug league, but if you have a team like the Bulls (could possibly say a thug-less team!), you would be watching too. Great ball, the way it should be played.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Stumping for the NBA (and a little Bulls analysis too!)
The NBA—the forgotten major league. Yeah, everybody believes that the players are thugs. Just look to Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony and you have perfect examples of the thug look and mentality (the body art is amazing!). Not gonna deny that the NBA's image has definitely been tarnished over the last decade. Overpaid thugs playing not-so-amazing ball at times. I agree that the college ranks can put on a better show 9 nights out of 10 usually, but guess what? College ball is over and there is no football (oh, and baseball is in the first quarter of the season…). Why not watch a little NBA playoff action? If there is a year to do it…it's this year. Some of the big stories below and of course, a little Bulls blogging for good measure.
- To complement one 2006 finalist going down, why not mention (at least) the annihilation of the 2006 World Champion Miami Heat? Now, everyone knows that they are a bruised team…yes. But to go down in 4 to a bad road team? Also, a young team that has no paint presence outside of the offensively deficient Ben Wallace? The Bulls have to get some credit for taking them down in 4…not for winning…but how they won. All knew the Heat couldn't withstand a 7 game series (especially without home court), but the shutdown is what is remembered. Bye…bye…Heat.
- I must comment on the Lakers and
My Bulls. I had such hope this season. I think I just got too excited and bought into the hype a bit too much. But they're my team…how could I not? Its been 9 long years since I saw a trophy hoisted on the shoulders of one of the great teams of all-time…I wanted to have that hope again. Instead, the nemesis of my youth is back again…mocking us.
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