This collection of entries is from February 2006.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Let the good times curl!It may be Mardi Gras.
It may be Fat Tuesday.
It may be Shrove Tuesday.
It may be Paczki Day. (or is it?)
For me it's the first night of a 5-week "Spring Fling" in-house Curling Tournament at the North Shore Country Club.
If you read this entry about my last time out on a sheet you never would have believed that I was doing this.
read more of this entry »
Dreams die. Some die harder.
Well, this is no longer a dream of mine. If I can't deliver a stone in the conventional manner and have to use "The Stick", I will never be in the Olympics. With that in mind, now it's more of a curiosity. Now, I'm seeing if this sport can last with me and not a flash-in-the-pan thing... though I've always been interested in the sport.
Everyone has been divided into 6 teams (A through F), so we were on 3 of the 4 sheets. It turns out the the guy that "introduced me" to the stick at the open house is the Vice Skip on my team. And my cousin - who got me into this to begin with - was on the other team we played. The game will be up to 8 Ends (instead of 10 Ends).
OK, one lesson learned: When you're a second, you have to sweep up to 6 of your 8 stones (because the other 2 you're delivering). That's a lot of sweeping. SUCKS. MUCH more physical than I had thought.
On the plus side, I had purchased some grippers to go over my shoes for traction. Never slipped once - worked like a charm. The Stick? Well, i need some work. My issues: Speed, arm position, aiming, and releasing, in that order I think.
The game takes about 2 and a half hours, the other team concedes in the 8th and we win 9-4.
OK, this is something that I need to do for the 5 weeks and see how this progresses. « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 11:25 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Monday, February 27, 2006
The IdiotI've never been a fan of Frank Thomas.
Now, he may be destined for the Hall of Fame. He really did contribute for years for the Chicago White Sox. He was a big deal.
Was.
He also could have had this city wrapped around his little finger. If he would just shut-up, or say a few things a certain way. Maybe even actually do a few charity things. No. He squandered what he had. He got hurt. He stopped producing meaningful numbers. He wasn't a go-to guy, he was a goat.
His time had come a long time ago, passed, and yet he lingered a bit too long. When the team finally gets together and wins the World Series for the first time in 88 years, his 35 games/109 At-Bats/.219 average barely contributes.
And now he's in Oakland.
Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams called former slugger Frank Thomas" an idiot'' over the weekend, because Frank continues to whine about the way he was treated. A selfish man, who refused to play first base, who hadn't played a full season since 2003, didn't like the way he was treated.
Yeah, we treated him well. Too well. He should have been gone years ago under that "diminished skills'' clause of his contract.
Idiot. Shut-up and play for your new team. You're showing your whining to your new team now, and I hope they're listening. No "I" in "team", my friend.
posted at 01:40 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Pure happinessDear Jackson,
When I saw you today, I saw something that I had never seen before in my life. Mind you, I haven't hung around people your age. At all. Ever. So, every time I see see you, I see something new, somebody new.
You are getting older, and you're still changing - something that's going to happen for years.
But I saw something that I just don't know how long it will last. And your mom's have better start videotaping you. In close-up.
While you are playing.
Because I have never seen the emotion of pure happiness when you're being played with. You scream and howl with such delight. But the kickers are your expressions in between each outburst, as you wait for the next silly face or tummy raspberry or whatever. You almost know what's coming and you just can't wait for it to happen. And you don't know it, but you do something with your mouth that makes you look like E.T. (maybe someday you'll get to know what a movie is and who E.T. is).
But the screams, the noises, there's just an untouched purity about them. There's no worldly knowingness that, oh, here comes mommy again, oh yeah, that was fun, what else do you have to make me happy.
I don't know how long this will last. I know it won't last forever. But we have to capture this. Wouldn't that be great? Bottle it - to open in the future when your giggle is needed to cheer someone up.
I'm doing my part, using my iRiver to grab some MP3's of your sounds.
It brightens up anybody's day if they can hear it. It's wonderful.
Try not to lose what you already have that we all want.
With love,
Uncle Michael
posted at 10:10 PM | Link | Uncle Michael § |
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Wolves 8 - Barons 0
read more of this entry »
We got to the game over a half an hour late - and we walk in to hear Wayne Messmer just doing the National Anthem - it turns out DePaul's basketball game ended later than it normally did, pushing everything out in time.
I really can't tell you what happened during the game because I can't explain the play. The team didn't really appear to be all that different, but apparently it was. They weren't quicker, they were just getting to the puck better, they were passing better, they were shooting better. How else can you explain this losing team's 8-0 shutown win? We scored on both of their goalies like we knew what we were doing. In the meantime, the Barons were barely taking shots all game. It was a pretty clean game, too. Felt like it went fast because of the lack of penalties.
HUGE crowd - 16,607 fans - the 10th largest crowd in franchise history. Has to be because of Group Sales.
(Boxscore - Gamesheet)
WAIT... the strangeness doesn't end there...
During the First Intermission we had a wedding on the ice. Vladimir Len, or Vlad, is an off-ice official that sits in the box below us, usually as the Penalty Timekeeper. He's marrying a fan that sits over to the left of the visitor Penalty Box, Holly. The team even had a press release about them, and it was shown on the scoreboard and broadcast as part of the game over Comcast cable.
You know - I couldn't do this. I could get married at Comiskey, but I couldn't get married at a hockey game.
Wedding Bells to Ring at Wolves Game on Feb. 25
02/13/2006
The Chicago Wolves will host an on-ice wedding during the first intermission when the team battles the Cleveland Barons at the Allstate Arena on Sat., Feb. 25, at 7 p.m.
Holly Braun, a Wolves season-ticket holder since 2001, will marry Vladimir Len, an American Hockey League off-ice official and former team season-ticket holder, in the eight-minute ceremony. Wolves season-ticket holder “Tattoo” Ron Gac (GACK), an ordained minister and tattoo artist, will make the bond official.
The Wolves will provide the newlyweds with flowers and a wedding cake, courtesy of Jewel-Osco, and a night’s stay in the Presidential Suite at the Wyndham Hotel in Rosemont.
Braun and Len – a Chicago native – met at the 1999 International Hockey League All-Star Game in Cincinnati and have been attending Wolves games together for five seasons.
The Wolves game – along with all regular-season and playoff contests – and ceremony will be televised live in the Chicago area on Comcast Cable. Log on chicagowolves.com for the channel designation in your area.
For more information or tickets to the game, call 1-800-THE-WOLVES. « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 11:11 PM | Link | Wolves § |
Twilight Zone at the OasisWe were on our way to the Wolves game from Chelby & Damian's and had to make a pit stop at the Lake Forest Oasis on the Tri-state Tollway. While we were there, we decided it was cheaper to eat at McDonald's than to try to buy food at the Allstate Arena.
Let's just say that the Oasis turned into the Twilight Zone.
First, there were about a half-dozen school busses parked on the northbound side. Looked like High school kids, but it was a weird group - normally dressed kids mingled with kids dressed-up. What's that all about? What kind of event were they at?
Then we saw something that we just couldn't figure out:
2 Amish Families. Eating dinner at McDonald's. At an Oasis.
Think about it. (For those of you that don't get it, here's the question: how did they get there?)
Let's put the cherry on the top - how about Bill Kurtis stopping for Ice Cream, something from Panda Express and a drink from Subway? (He was going southbound, so maybe he was going home from somewhere).
Actually, maybe it wasn't two Amish families, but it was one woman with 4 kids... without a man being around? Or maybe it was just extended family of the first family...
Great people watching while we eat...
posted at 07:01 PM | Link | Mundane | 1 comment § |
Connor's 2nd
We drove up to Wisconsin to our friends Chelby & Damian's to celebrate their son Connor's 2nd Birthday. it was a nice family and friends gathering, that - believe it or not - was actually scheduled earlier in the day so that we can go there and take off to drive to the Wolves game tonight. Wow! Thoughtful! So we had sloppy Joe's, talked about everything, watched Connor open his presents. Oh, the cake was cool, too - it was a construction site.
It's a bit of a ride to get up there, but it was just nice being with them.
posted at 05:35 PM | Link | Friends § |
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Back on the meds...So, I started re-taking my blood pressure medication after yesterday's doctor visit.
The problem is that it's a mild diuretic.
Great. All day at work, it's work-work-work, go to the bathroom, work-work-work, go to the bathroom, work-work-work, go to the bathroom, ... rinse and repeat...
Hope it doesn't last long. I don't remember how long it was when I was finally back to normal last time on these. Also, this is half the dose I used to be on.
posted at 10:36 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
The next step to make things rightI visited another someone today that I haven't seen in a while - my doctor.
I haven't been there in 3 years. This is probably worse than my dentist, though. Why? I have high blood pressure and during this time I haven't been on medication for it.
I've been slowly and slowly feeling worse. I don't exercise. I've gained weight. I don't exactly eat well.
Blood pressure? 144/100 - 144 is better than I'd thought it would be, 100 is worse than I thought it would be
I need to try and fix the things I can before "something" happens from neglect.
So, I'm back on some medication - the same drugs, though in half of the dose I used to take. Things change, I guess.
I'm getting older. I want to... be around longer.
There are places to go, things to see, things to do, things to be.
I've got to turn this around. Back in a month for a physical.
posted at 07:24 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Wi-Fi Chicago?I am in the far Northwest Suburbs of Chicago, but I'm so jealous at this great piece of tech news. I read this Chicago Tribune article that the City of Chicago is going to seek bids to blanket the city with Wi-Fi access! It's going to be the largest in the nation, with San Francisco only covering 35 square miles, and Philadelphia's proposed system covering 135 square miles - Chicago is going to cover 228 square miles!!!
posted at 07:39 PM | Link | Technology § |
Monday, February 20, 2006
Monday gasA couple of things about our cars and commutes.
We have only one gas card - for Mobil. We both have Speedpasses - the best little piece of consumer payment technology out there. So, needless to say, when we get gas, it's been exclusively Mobil.
there are quite a few Mobil stations in our area, and in what may be some collusion-thing, they all change their pump prices at the same time, always to the same price. When somebody doesn't, we always joke and say "they must not have received the fax".
So every station near our house has the same gas price. Further away, you run into different municipalities that could (though I have never checked this out) tax rates, so the prices may be 1-2 cents off.
Now, another thing to share is that I have only used one grade of gas in the lifespan of my 1997 Infiniti I30 - premium. I started it out that way, it's always run GREAT, so I'm not changing it, even when the damn oil prices were skyrocketing.
Now that I'm working in a different building, my commute takes me a different route, past a different Mobil station.
It took me a few weeks to verify that this was indeed happening - the price changes at this station were different.
It turns out that - for the last 4 weeks, at least - this station would drop their premium pump prices by 4 - 6 cents, while keeping the other grades the same price - each Monday. The next day, the prices would all be back in order.
Needless to say, I've been stopping each Monday on the way home to fill-up, whether I needed to or not, to take advantage of this odd pricing scheme. I really would like to know what the "why?" is behind this. I really don't care, since this fits my needs very well! I'm just curious...
posted at 07:36 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Pain and frustrationOh my God, I'm in pain today. Things that didn't hurt last night hurt today. My right knee really hurts to the touch - because I fell twice on it as I jammed it into the ice last night. It's got a nice bruise on it and it's swollen. My right thigh is killing me. The whole leg feels "odd" since the falls. But, I think I just figured-out why the thigh hurts - I think kit's from my several attempts on pushing-off the hack last night. I'm so out of shape that I hurt myself. Great.
My left thumb tip is a little discolored after I jammed it hard into the ice on the first fall. I thought it was interesting that when one of the people from the club came over to me after the fall, the first thing he asked was "how are your fingers?" which I thought was odd since my knee was killing me. It must be a common injury.
My abdomen hurts, too. It's like a muscle pull. Like I twisted rpidly trying to get my legs underneath me one of the time I fell (or even all the times.. .I'm thinking back and it was at least 3 times)
I slept pretty well, considering. I still have pain around my right eye, exactly opposite where my head hit the ice. Deceleration injury. that's the only thing I could think. I'm not a little "foggy" today, but something isn't the same as 24 hours ago. Nothing feels wrong but something doesn't feel right. But, I keep checking myself and there's nothing major wrong or different. I'm not concerned. Perhaps I should be.
I realize that there's an emotion that's present that explains how I feel about last night.
Publicly humiliated.
That's how I felt about my total lack of ability to do something that everyone else (at least, oh, 60-70 other people - based on ticket numbers to go out onto the sheets to "try it") was somewhat able to do. It didn't matter age, sex... maybe height. It didn't matter - I couldn't do it.
And no one would actually get down on the ice and help me, show me, put me in the proper position. I was left to flounder - in front of everyone, leading to frustration and now what I think is embarrassment.
That's why I feel so awful about last night. I'm depressed and hurt and hurt.
posted at 01:02 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Another dream shattered
It's that time of season. It's the Olympic Winter Games.
Ever since I was a kid, watching Wide World of Sports with Jim McKay on Saturday afternoons, back when the show really presented the wide range of sport, I always watched curling.
I really got sucked-in 4 years ago watching the Olympics in Salt Lake City.
I really felt this was a game I could play. It had simple rules, and simple skills to master. I could really dig playing this game. Maybe I could get somewhere playing it, even. How cool would it be to get good enough at it to play in the Olympics?!
Let me tell you the story of how I could have died tonight, playing a sport that looked so cool and so easy to play.
Yes, I went curling tonight.
read more of this entry »
My cousin joined a country club that has one of the few curling houses in the area, and once I found out that 1) he was curling and that 2) they were having an open house, I think the phrase he used is that I "freaked".
I had to do this. How cool was this going to be?!?!!
So, we show up at the club, and there was got to be almost 100 people there, almost all were new to the sport. It was great! The members were going to take groups of 8 out onto one of the 4 "sheets" they have to learn the fundamentals - how to push off and deliver a rock, and how to sweep.
Part of our 8 were family or friends of ours (theirs) that we knew through the years. This was going to be fun.
We learned how to push off the "hack" - the toe-thing that you push against to get your body moving down the sheet the deliver the rock (stone). We first learned without a stone, just to understand the mechanics - place the right foot onto the hack, just like a starting block for a running race. Stand straight up, and squat straight down. You would hold the rock in your right hand (you wouldn't be picking it up - it's over 40 pounds!) and you'd hold on to a stabilizing brace with your left hand (or a broom - that's how your supposed to do it) and just push-off with your right leg.
Piece of cake.
WRONG.
I'm the only one who can't do it. I can't control it. I can't stay straight. I can't stay level, I start to roll... what the hell is going on? I just can't get stable. And everyone in the group is doing fine. Everyone can do this - except me. I look down the other sheets. Everyone is doing this - except me.
Frustration sets in. My joy has gone away. It's not fun being here any more.
We learn how to sweep. Turns out it's a little awkward - the best way is to face the direction of your movement, but the rapid brushing takes a lot out of you and I feel totally uncoordinated. Some ties the rocks just fly by - it's hard to keep up.
We break up and go back inside where after a Short wait, we're going back out into new groups to play at least one end of a game.
I'm first to throw.
Let's just say that I'm allowed 2 tries since I rolled over on my back and the rock didn't make it past the 1st half of the sheet. The second throw, same thing, but the stone makes it into the house somehow! Still don't feel good about this - how can I compete if i can't control what I do!
Now it's my turn to sweep. You know what's going to happen.
Yep, my legs come out from underneath me, and I slip and fall forward, my right knee hits the ice hard, my arms are flailing and I hit the ice jamming the tip of my left thumb. Hurts like hell. Difficult to stand - the lower half of my right leg feels week. I hobble back to our team's end.
Obviously, my shoes suck. I'm not gripping the pebbled surface of the ice well enough. I'm loosing my balance trying to move with the stone and sweeping at the same time.
We eventually change ends.
Still can't deliver worth a damn. No one really helps me - they don't understand what I'm feeling or what's happening. In fact, everyone thinks this should be a piece of cake and no one offers a clue on how to correct this in a way that makes any sense to me. Nothing seems to fit. I can't get myself into any position that looks like anybody else. Weird.
then I go out to sweep and it happens.
I'm moving down the ice. The stone is a bit quicker than I was ready for. I'm trying to stay with it. I'm feeling like I'm reaching too much...
when my feet slip out from underneath me
This time, I'm flying backwards. Fast.
I hit the ice. Hard. With the back of my head.
I know I stopped, but I swear that the rest of the place stopped. It got quiet and too many people are starting to try to get to me. I hear them yelling to stay down, but I feel intact, and instinctively sit up. I can feel -no, taste - something in my nose, it's a weird sensation. I never lost visual, I never saw stars - just felt like this was a crazily hard whack to the head like I've never experienced before. People got to me and started asking me the same questions that I expected them to, how many fingers, follow the finger, just sit there a while (I really wanted to say "I'm... Batman!! but no one would have understood the inference to the Snickers commercial of a few years ago.. ("Not going anywhere?")). One of the guys that is with me came from down the sheet because of the sound my head made hitting the ice. I could feel something dripping off the back of my head. Fortunately, it was cold and not warm - water from the ice and not my blood. I didn't crack my head open like so many feared.
I got up. I was shook. Everything just added-up. I needed to go back inside, sit down, get something to drink (non-alcoholic!) and try to get back to normal.
i didn't want to play anymore. I couldn't do this. I'm too frustrated. What I thought I could do, I couldn't.
It looked simple, almost easy. I could have cracked my skull open hitting the ice and never had another thought again. It really shook me and scared me.
I must have sat there for over an hour. Dejected. Watching my cousin and his friends and the rest of the party having fun on the four sheets of ice.
When my cousin's game was over he started talking to some people. Before long, Two things happened. First - and importantly, i was introduced to a guy named Craig who introduced me to "The Stick". This little device - allowable in the club and even in some tournaments - allows a person to clip this stick over the handle of the stone, the person then WALKS toward to hog line and delivers the stone from the end of the stick, in a manner not too different from shuffleboard, but with a twist of the wrist at the end.
Now all of a sudden, I'm delivering stones pretty near like everyone else. the stick is typically used when people have back of leg trouble. One problem - I would never be able to be in Olympic Competition - the stick is not allowed.
I think I can live with that.
The second thing that happened was I was able to use my cousin's wife's (oh, hell.... Myrina's) "grippers" or foot coverings. It's a soft rubber crepe shell that you put over the sole of your shoe.
Let's just say the traction was like night and day. I might be able to sweep with these. If someone just would have done this two hours earlier, the night would have been so much different.
And thus, my problems were solved. Except for my extensive pain, my bruised well-being, my shredded ego, my staggering disappointment.
I'm spent and upset. I haven't felt this since... I wasn't able to fly on NASA's KC-135 "Vomit Comet" in Houston decades ago with my friends, to do zero-g experiments for some high school students... but that's another story.
Nonetheless, it was a feeling of another dream shattered.
Something that seemed so simple, wasn't.
I hope I can sleep OK tonight. I hope that nothing got screwed-up in the gray thing inside my skull.
But, I just can't think of the disappointment right now. « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 11:32 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Friday, February 17, 2006
Less tickets on sale todayThe White Sox put up tickets for sale to the general public today. They also said that - for the first time on franchise history - they have sold 2 Million Tickets before Opening Day.
We already have sell outs:
All games available except Sunday, April 2 vs. Cleveland Tuesday, April 4 vs. Cleveland Saturday, May 6 vs. Kansas City Friday, May 19 vs. Cubs Saturday, May 20 vs. Cubs Sunday, May 21 vs. Cubs Friday, July 7 vs. Boston Saturday, July 8 vs. Boston Sunday, July 9 vs. Boston Thursday, August 10 vs. New York, which are sold out.
posted at 09:24 AM | Link | White Sox § |
Thursday, February 16, 2006
The start of making myself rightYou know where I went today? Went to see someone that I haven't seen this millennium?
What's the big deal?
He's my dentist.
Yep, had x-rays, teeth cleaning and a discussion of what to do next. For the first time this decade.
Feels good getting the "sweaters" off my teeth. Yes, there was some discomfort during the cleaning since he had to work a bit to get everything done.
What's next? I have to get all four wisdom teeth pulled. I knew this before.No surprise. No new cavities. That was sort of a surprise. No gum problems. That was a surprise. I just need these teeth out. I'll do it - all at once, if possible.Don't know when... let's see how much my procrastination kicks in.
posted at 07:23 PM | Link | Mundane § |
You, too, can be shot by the Vice President
A found a little ditty in Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn's blog. I am always amazed at 1) what items people jump on from the latest current events and 2) how people decide to share their vision.
If you go to this website, you, too, can show up in the middle of a CNN article, right in the middle of a certain event, just like me!
posted at 12:42 PM | Link | Odd § |
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Feelin' better
Well, I have to admit... I might be bummed about the White Sox tickets, but I just got this Happy Valentine's Day picture from Jack, and how could you not feel good looking at a picture of that little guy!
posted at 02:07 PM | Link | Mundane | 1 comment § |
WE DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE A SEASON TICKET HOLDER...I'm full of all kinds of emotions right now, the major ones are anger and hurt.
For the first time since becoming a Split Season Ticket Holder for the White Sox since January of 1996, Carol and I will be missing Opening Day.
Why?
read more of this entry »
Because the White Sox all of a sudden are HOT in Chicago, and season ticket sales have skyrocketed, to the point of having a standby list (if you want Post Season tickets as well). There are too many people for the seats available.
Since we're split-season, we don't get all of the games, in particular opening day. We have a Split Season plan that is just weekends only (a friggin' WONDERFUL package for watching baseball). Since Opening Day is traditionally a weekday game, we never got tickets for that game, but at some point in the pre-season, before the public could buy tickets, we got the option of buying tickets for Opening Day.
This year, Opening Day is Opening Night, Sunday night April 2, and is the actual kick-off of the baseball season - it will be the first game played anywhere, broadcast on ESPN that night.
Let's ignore the fact that this game is a SUNDAY (meaning a WEEKEND game) because this game was actually on Monday the 3rd, and ESPN and MLB asked to have it changed to Sunday. (So, because it was originally a Monday game, it doesn't qualify as a "Weekend" game for us weekend-only people).
Because of the bloat of season tickets, the White Sox did not offer us the ability to get any tickets to that game.
Today, all Season Ticket holders were able to buy single game seats for any game. We were to be emailed a special password to get into Ticketmaster website to purchase tickets after 10am. The public doesn't buy tickets until the 17th.
I logged on early and noticed that the Suite and Scout Seat Season ticket holders got an hour before we did to purchase tickets. I waited for my Password email to show up - and it NEVER did. Instead, about 10:25 I received and email from someone at the White Sox about a bogus link that was mailed-out but the passwords we were given were still OK to use.
That's when I knew i was in trouble. I immediately replied to the person on the email and got a somewhat prompt reply saying that the password was my account number.
Too late. It was an hour into our session, 2 hours after tickets were being sold this morning.
I didn't have a .
I wonder how many season ticket holders bought additional seats because they could when the rest of us schlubs never had a chance?
And if you aren't a season ticket holder? FORGET ABOUT IT. AIN'T NOTHING LEFT TO BUY.
I've been so damn excited and giddy about the team winning the World Series, especially in such convincing fashion.
But, as they say, "be careful what you wish for."
I feel that, even though I am a Season Ticket Holder, I am not being treated like one because I'm a Slit-Season guy and not a Full Season guy.
We have been treated fine for the past 10 years - but not now. « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 11:25 AM | Link | White Sox § |
Monday, February 13, 2006
HD Puppies
It's time for the annual plop down on the couch and watch the 130th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on USA Network.
yes, it's Carol's favorite time of the year.
Except it got even better because we found out that Universal HD is re-broadcasting the USA feed - IN HIGH DEFINITION!
Yes, puppies in Hi Def.
Actually, I'm having trouble with it - the dogs look a bit more, how can I say this, mucous-y? Even their eyes look weird.
Maybe it's just me - Carol is just digging this...
posted at 07:25 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Join the crowd
Dear Jackson:
What an interesting day! Do you remember that big building we were all in today? It was all bright and nice and the ceiling and lights were way up in the air? That was a really special place - it's called a church. The church has a name - it's called Old Saint Patrick's Church, and it's a very cool place. It was built a long, long time ago (dedicated on Christmas Day, 1856), and it's one of the few buildings to survive the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which you'll learn about some day (believe it or not, a moo-cow was involved!) and in 1977, Old St. Patrick's was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means that it really is a special place.
Now, almost all of those people there were there not only to see you but support you as well. You see, you did something today that I know you don't understand. Do you remember seeing a man in a white robe? He was a really nice guy, but he poured water all over your head. You didn't seem to mind at all, and neither did that other baby Reese that was there. But see, that water was special and by having that man pour that water over your head made you special, too.
The whole thing was called a Baptism, or even a Christening. Someday you'll learn more about it.
In the meantime, just know that you're loved by many people. And you kind of joined a club today, though it really is much more than a club. A REALLY BIG club...
And me? You know, I got a new title today. I'm not just your uncle, I am now your Godfather, too.
Someday - and that day may never come - I'll call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day... whoops... umm, sorry about that... maybe someday when you're older we'll talk about that, too, and about this guy named "Don"...
So, bud, I'm sorry but if you thought you were stuck with me before, you're really stuck with me now.
We've just got to get through this anti-guy thing, even though you were REALLY a good boy today. Everybody really loved you today - you won them over. It's just that us guys are having a hard time being with you because you seem to be getting upset with us. We all love you and just want to be with you.
I really liked the outfit you had on at the restaurant after the baptism, the one with the Scottie on it.
Anyway, you are a special little boy. And I promise that I will do whatever I can to help you get through your life.
See you real soon.
Your uncle,
Michael
read more of this entry »
Want to know how special of a day this was?
It was a day when Melinda and Diane had their son baptized at historic Old St. Patrick's Catholic Church.
That's how special it was. « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 08:04 PM | Link | Uncle Michael § |
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Wolves 1 - Phantoms 6
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Just because we won last night, why should I believe that we could win two in a row?
Nope - can't go two in a row.
Left early again... with only 4 minutes left in the game this time, and only one goal under our belkt... which Carol & I didn't see because we had to let somebody our row while the game was in play.
Listen and remember one thing: "WAIT FOR THE WHISTLE"! Don't stand up while play is going on - it's dangerous!
Big crowd - 11,804 watched the loss.
(Boxscore - Gamesheet) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:26 PM | Link | Wolves § |
Strong women
After watching the Canadian Women's Hockey team beat Italy 14-0, I'm convinced they could possibly beat the Chicago Wolves.
posted at 01:32 PM | Link | Olympics § |
Friday, February 10, 2006
XX Games open
The games are open.
I love HDTV.
Why American 70's/80's music to march the teams into the stadium?
Did Luciano Pavarotti actually sing or was it tape? He sure wasn't straining at all. There wasn't enough close-ups for a definitive answer.
posted at 11:04 PM | Link | Olympics § |
Yo-ooooooo, Mike!The "guys" that I go down to the deli every morning for coffee (or whatever) showed up at my cube. One of them, quietly, fake yells "Yo-ooooooo, Mike!"
And immediately I was taken back to my childhood, when Paul and Albert would come to my house, stand in the gangway between the houses, and yell my name, just the same way. It was a kids-style doorbell, specifically for me. They'd alway come over before we walked over to Steinmetz to play ball on one of the diamonds (or even fast pitch against the stairs at the front of the school)
It was a wonderful, if not brief, trip back in time, to a time of warm sumer days, no school, and baseball for hours with your friends.
posted at 08:57 AM | Link | Work § |
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Wolves 1 - Crunch 3
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Oh, God.
Nine games out of the last playoff birth...
The team has NEVER missed a playoff, they've been that good.
I guess we got spoiled.
This team SUCKS. It's painful to watch. there's only a glimpse every so often of what these guys can do. It's not just the Atlanta draft picks, even the non-Atlanta Wolves-Contract players suck. We don't have a goalie worth a damn.And we've had SIX of them!
I stay to watch my movies (open to closing credits), I stay to watch my sporting events.
We left during the second intermission and missed no scoring (big surprise!)
We're straying from the team. Give us hope! Show us something! Don't play so desperate!
(Boxscore - Gamesheet) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 09:10 PM | Link | Wolves § |
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
BullFor a few years now, Carol & I have been watching Bullriding on TV.
Then we started to watch the PBR and paying attention to some of the riders.
Then we started watching Beyond the Bull on TLC, a reality show about three riders toward the end of the 2005 season.
I think we got pushed over the edge, and started researching the PBR's Built Ford Tough Series in town on April 21,22 - The Jack Daniel`s Invitational (presented by Johnsonville Brats!) We have baseball on Saturday, so we could only go to the first night on Friday the 21st.
Then came the next hurdle: ticket prices. $100/$50/$30/$20 $100 for downstairs! We had to go to the balcony to get $30 tickets! For our first PBR event, we weren't ready to pay $100 a seat!
So, we got our tix and we're looking forward to this. Last time I went to a rodeo, I almost died from my allergies and sudden onslaught of asthma. It wasn't fun.
posted at 10:16 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Monday, February 06, 2006
Ah, busy againGetting busy again at work. in the middle of an audit.
Would rather be busy regularly than peaks and valleys of activity/inactivity.
posted at 02:20 PM | Link | Work § |
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Super Bo-ringIt's Super Bowl Sunday!
Super Bowl XL!
I am the proud owner of a 55" Sony HDTV!
What am I doing today? Going to my mom's with Carol and Diane, Melinda and Jackson... to watch on her old, out of focus 27" Zenith. The focus is so bad, that a couple of weeks ago, Diane - who doesn't know ESPN's Suzy Kolber doing sideline commentary at a football game - wanted to know why her first name was "Buzy". The "S" had bloomed so much on the screen it looked like a "B". Since then, we just call her "Fuzzy Kolber". The scores and clock is always a problem because you can't really tell the difference between a 3, 6, 8, or 9.
Compare that to HDTV. *sigh*
Why am I not home? Well, we did invite the family over, but 1) Jack's a little young, 2) Melinda has a big presentation first thing tomorrow, so let's chalk it up to "family harmony".
The game was... OK The officiating was THE WORST I HAVE EVER SEEN FOR ANY FOOTBALL GAME. Ridiculous. Oh, yeah, like Roethlisberger actually scored that touchdown. No wonder Holmgren was upset at the half.
Commercials: OK. Some were good, none were absolutely great. Budweiser (specifically, Bud Light) takes the day in general. Pepsi? No, not this year. Best Network Commercial? Robert Palmer and "Addicted to Lost". For some reason, I've been pissed in past years - especially when the game is on Fox - at the amount of commercials the hosting network airs. Somehow, ABC didn't bother me. Maybe it was the shows.
Of course, earlier in the day, we had to watch Puppy Bowl II, this year with the Kitty Half-Time Show. Goofiest idea ever. A three-hour long show, started at 1pm CST, and was repeated 3 times in a row. Pretty damn cute, but... no way in hell I could watch reruns. I thought the half time was a little long.
Speaking of half-time, sorry folks. Rolling Stones didn't do anything for me. I expected them to kick ass. I've never seen them in person. If this was indicative of their live shows... then I guess I don't have to see them in my lifetime... or theirs.
We left early and we were able to see the last 5 minutes at home in HDTV. At least it was 5 minutes.
posted at 09:18 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Blowing SnowWe've had over 40 consecutive days of above average temperatures. The average temperature has been around 10 degrees above the normal average. that's all over. They're using the word "blustery", and it's been snowing for a while.
It's not as bad as Detroit. I mean, they're getting hit with snow. That's gotta screw-up traffic for Super Bowl XL tomorrow.
I've been enjoying the temperatures. Next week, the forecast is showing single digits overnight toward the end of the week. I've always said that Mother Nature always wants balance. I've seen it too often during baseball season as we (usually) freeze in our seats, but just depends what happened over the winter and even the summer before. Everything just seems to average itself out.
posted at 01:35 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Friday, February 03, 2006
Pinewood
A guy at work brought in his "son's" Pinewood Derby car. Finished 3rd, but placed 1st in Creativity.
Yeah, like his son made the car. Still pretty damn cool, though.
posted at 01:37 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Thursday, February 02, 2006
A real podcast in prime time tonightSo, I was watching tonight's CSI. A killer is on a PC in his garage. He goes into Google to find out info about the guy that he killed. What comes up in the search results? Rocketboom. Yes, my favorite daily video podcast. Then he clicks on the link and launches the most recent podcast! And there's Amanda Congdon doing her show, only in front of a faux Las Vegas strip backdrop instead of the world map taped to her wall.
Very bizarre seeing the most popular daily video podcast cross-over into Prime Time drama!
posted at 09:35 PM | Link | TV § |
Phil says...six more weeks of winter, if you believe the German superstition.
Even though there was no sun (but there's a shadow???), it was supposed to get up to 48 degrees today in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
Now, I wonder how large Phil's "domain" is? Is the prediction just for that region or the nation? If it's not the nation, then why do we have to see the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's Inner Circle roust this little guy out of his hibernation, lift him into the air for all to see, and basically scare the crap outa him?
Do we need regional groundhogs for more accurate predictions? (Phil's in a rut - according to the Groundhog Club, Phil has now seen his shadow 96 times, hasn't seen it 14 times and there are no records for nine years.) (Holy Christ, he's been doing this since 1886!). Shadow = 6 more weeks of winter, No Shadow = Early Spring.
A bit off-topic, but did you guys know that the movie Groundhog Day was actually filmed in Woodstock, Illinois? (Oh, and Bill Murray's character is named Phil, too)
Update: This just in: Cloudy Groundhog, Brookfield Zoo's resident meteorologist, didn't see her shadow.... Early Spring!
posted at 07:29 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Flooded Kitchen, Take 2those of you who know me, know about the time when I was in my first unemployment run, I had ran some water in the kitchen sink... and never turned it off. I went upstairs and was on the computer for an hour or so, then came downstairs only to find out that the sink was clogged and it overflowed, flooding the kitchen, moving water into the family room and dining room. I had to go buy a shop vac to try to get the water up in the kitchen and try to dry out the carpeting in the other rooms.
Let's jump forward a couple of years now. To last night.
We had bought a Rubbermaid drink jug that holds about 2 gallons of water that we filled-up with filtered water and put into the fridge. It has a plastic spigot on the front to pour out the contents.
I went into the fridge last night to grab a glass of ice cold filtered water. I played with the plastic spigot handle "thingie" and spun it around so the "paddle" faced out, to make it easier to hit when filling up a glass.Big mistake.
I closed the fridge door, set my drink down in the family room, and went into the powder room to... use it.
I came out and then I heard it. Carol had been sitting on the couch but didn't notice.
It sounded like running water - like the faucet in the kitchen sink was dripping. It wasn't.
The sound was coming from the fridge.
I ripped the door open and saw that the shelf on the door had depressed the "paddle" on the spigot of the water jug. Opening the door lets go of the paddle and the stream stops.
It just gushed over a gallon of water all over the inside of the fridge, which really doesn't contain the water all that well, and have released more than half of the gallon onto the floor. Our brand new, Brazilian hardwood floor.
We scrambled. I grabbed a ton of towels that happen to be dry, still sitting in the drier. The bunnies freak and just go home to stay out of the action.
Carol, swearing and upset, takes charge and dries out the floor - all the way under the fridge and in the main part of the kitchen. She empties the fridge, shelf by shelf from underneath the path of the streaming and splashing water.
So, the kitchen didn't flood. The hardwood was saved. And we got rid of a lot of old stuff that we'd never eat... or shouldn't eat. It only took about an hour and Carol is still talking to me. The bunnies came out of the cage and went into the kitchen - together - to check out what had happened.
It sure wasn't as bad as the first time, but it sure came up in conversation a lot.
posted at 09:06 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Time for a Lucky Nose Wiggle! (x 2 for us!)posted at 07:31 AM | Link | Memes § |
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