Myself the Poet (circa 1988)

My dad found this somewhere and brought it over to me a few weeks ago. I really don't want to hold onto the paper version of this so I thought I would post it here. I don't really remember writing it or what it was about, but the date on it 2/12/88, Period Seven.

THE GAME

The shadows of the past raced through his mind
He remembered when he once tossed a ball on this floor
He remembered the noise the ball made as it trickled through the net
He remembered how his career was shipwrecked on this floor
He always was driving to do his best
His spirit was always strong, he would never give in
He always had that winning sparkle in his eyes
His hustle trumpeted every time he walked on the floor
He loved the game like it was a dear friend
But his dear friend scorned him into tireless games
To where he didn't get anymore enjoyment from his friend
This turmoil was ended when he sought a new friend

Trying to get back into the swing of things, but I am making no promises

Ok, so I may be addicted to a little site you may heard of . . . facebook. Yes I am in my 30's and yes I know that many people (including my bro Adam) think that it is a total waste of time, but regardless it has hooked me.

The thing is, now that I am involved, is that I don't fully understand why this is so popular with college and high school kids. The site is great for reconnecting with old friends, ones from high school and college, but for kids already in high school and college, I am not sure I see what the attraction is. They see most of their friends on a daily basis and with cell phones and text messages they should be able to stay in contact with each other, so there should be no need to "facebook."

For me and my friends, who live hundreds and thousands of miles apart, and in some cases haven't talked in . . . oh lets say about 20 years, it provides a place to reconnect, see photos of our grown-up friends and their families, and get updates and for me in particular schedule our 20th high school reunion.

Yea I spend more time on there than I should . . . I am "Johnny Facebook" according to Adam and I do have some friends that I have never talked to, but all-in-all it has been fun. It has been nice to travel back in time a little and chat with old friends and teammates.

Weird Headline

Saw this today on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. It made struck me funny.

I know, I know, people were killed and it is overall a sad story. Lives were changed and broken, but still the people at the PP-G have to do better at headline writing. When I saw this I thought of Yosemite Sam and his wife getting into it. And really, didn't the marriage end way before the "shootout?" I doubt that the shooting was the actual end of the marriage. It ended lives, but not the marriage.

Shoveling Snow Theories

I have a theory when it comes to shoveling snow.

It goes something like this: When you are trying to get a car removed, or create a path to walk (when the snow is over a foot). Shoveling snow is fine. When it comes to a few inches shoveling snow is NOT and I repeat NOT necessary and in fact can be very dangerous. Let me explain.

When you shovel snow that is only a few inches deep, what you have done is remove the "traction" you get when you walk (like down steps or down driveways). This especially happens when you first get freezing rain or if you know you have ice under the snow. Ever slipped in a parking lot where they have removed the snow. This is what has happened. When you remove the snow you actually make it easier to create a nice sheet of ice for someone (mainly me) to fall down on. All traction is lost and people can die.

So anyway I have attempted to explain this theory for years to Renea. "Don't sweep or shovel the snow. It will just make it more slippery." and over the oh, let's say 12 years, she has ignored me, and this past weekend it almost cost me my life.

Renea mentions that the back steps are icy. I don't ask if she has cleared them off, knowing that she doesn't subscribe to my shoveling theory and has probably cleared them off anyway (which is the reason WHY they are icy). I head out the back steps to the car, knowing that they are icy, but not expecting miniature ice rinks on each step. I hit the first step and that is the last step I hit with a full foot. The next 9 steps only pieces of my boot hit and bounce off the steps as my arms are flailing about trying to keep me upright and hanging onto the railings. I look like Bambi on ice as I hit the concrete last step and amazingly I am upright. I am sore today and my back felt like giving out all day, but I survived.

Now I am convinced that Renea is trying to kill me. It is a slow painful way she is attempting to do it, but she is doing it. Trying to slowly drive me crazy by not listening to the shovel theory and also by trying to make me crack open my melon on some large ice steps as I leave the house . . . I forgot to mention that her and Owen came out the front of the house huh. Yea she is trying to kill me.

Swim’min

So it is March already. You know what that means!!!! Madness in a few weeks.

I started swimming again in an excercise-type manner and now I know why I waited so long in starting up again after almost 15 years of not swimming in any sort of exercise way. I got 1,050 yards in in about 30 minutes last Tuesday. My arms felt like two 30 pound weights were attached to them. I didn't sprint (or even think about it). My whole goal was to get 1,000 in (or 40 laps) and I hoped to do it in 30 minutes, which I did. This is going to take some time to build back some stamina and get back into some sort of swimming shape. Last Thursday was easier and even this Tuesday was a little easier as I got 1,200 (48 laps) done in 30 minutes.

Usually there are at least 2 other people there, none of which I know, so the fact that the pool isn't crowded makes it easier to feel relaxed about the situation. I know it is stupid to worry about what other people think of your tired and flailing freestyle, but for some reason it makes me a little self conscience, but I am slowing getting over that aspect realizing that no one is even paying attention to me. I know I am not paying attention to anyone else, I am too damn tired to be looking around the pool. I am just trying to breathe.

Oscar shoud wear Phone Fingers

Phone Fingers
My friend Tim keyed me into one of the most bizzare products ever for your iPhone. If you EVER see someone wearing these while using their phone, you have my permission to take a shovel and smack them up-side the head. I am not sure if I am more disturbed by the product or by the photo gallery on their web site. Good news is . . . no more messy fingerprints at the crime site.

Oscars Smoscars
So the Oscars were on last night. Yea hardly even watched them (neither did anyone else). When you haven't seen any of the films and never will (I am talking to you Atonement and There Will Be Blood) and haven't even seen the movies of the people nominated for Best Actor and Actress, you don't have a lot to watch for. So I watched (10 minutes) for John Stewart and even he couldn't do anything to make me interested, so I moved on to . . .

Dexter
Oooooh. Now this is a show that I could watch. It lives on Showtime and has set up duplicate residency on CBS (kinda like Rich Fraudriguez). For those of you who are pay-cableless, you might want to give it a try, although I will warn you . . . it is pretty graphic. It is about a CSI-type lab guy that investigates serial murders in Miami, but the twist is is that Dexter is a serial killer himself. For example, last night there was a guy who killed a kid when he was drunk driving and for some reason he was released on some technicality and Dexter did some research on him and found that he had done this numerous times before, so he took justice in his own hands and murdered him. So as you can see it isn't like he kills people just to do it, he justifies it to himself that he is 'helping' society by getting rid of the people no one will miss that have done bad things. I will keep watching, as long as I can remember it is on Sundays at 10, which reminds me I need do the DVR now.

Sleeping, Tipping and the College Perspective

Tipping
Adam over at his blog is trying to set some sort of record for comments at the end of his blog and instead of giving in and feeding the ego I thought I would just write my comments here and he can come over here to my blog to read them (although you need to look at his blog as it contains a cute video of my nephew Drew).

Tipping at curbside pick-up? Do you or don't you. First if I have to walk in (a la Bob Evans and pick up my food. Definitely no tipping. They didn't do anything except put my food in a bag. No tip for that. If the person has to come out to my car and they are fast about it, I will tip but usually just a 10%, I mean all they did was walk it to the car. The person getting the tip here should be the dude who cooked it. To save that awkward moment when a server is trying to rob you of more money for a tip I pay with the debit card, almost always. Just to save myself from having to get those $4 in change back only to leave $3 smackers.


Good Description of College
Tony Kornheiser in referring to the students and faculty protesting the Presidential situation at William and Mary.

“Gotta love that. That is what college outta be. That is what they outta do. Totally out-of-touch adults and self-indulgent children.”

This is a great quote and anyone working on a college campus knows that he hit this EXACTLY on the head.


Owen Catching On
Remember when, just a few blog posts ago I talked about Owen and waking up in the middle of the night. Well no one can ever accuse him of being dumb. After I answered his calls of "Mommy!" for a couple of days, only to follow them up with unsympathetic views at 3:00 a.m., apparently the boy needed to clarify who he is really calling. So now when yelling for "Mommy" at 3:00 a.m. he calls out for "Real Mommy." which is his way of saying "not you daddy and your attitude at 3 a.m." Which is fine for me, cause when Renea finally snaps (oh and she will snap) that little guy will suddenly be calling for his "Daddy!"

Clinton Visit and More

Presidential Visit
Former President Bill Clinton was on campus last night, campaigning for his wife. There are some cool things I have had the opportunity to do in this job and getting to see a former president close up is one of them. Agree or disagree with his politics, under his leadership the country was as good as it ever was and compared to the latest regime it makes it those 8 years even greater than it was. This was my vantage point for the shoot.

Winter Weekend
This weekend we had Winter Weekend, which is basically a homecoming in February for people who played winter sports. We had an alumni basketball game that usually ends up being a good time. Seeing old friends and even people you don't really know, but have that 'basketball' connection with as we are part of a smaller faternity of former players.

I have been working out for the past few months, but NOTHING gets you prepared to run up and down the floor in an actual game. I got tired in a hurry, hit a few 3's was short on a few more, but our team ended up winning.

What was especially fun for me was having Owen there to watch. He really hasn't seen his old man in any 'action' (at least that he remembers) so it was nice to have him there.

Taste the Smoke?
FOX used this promo to advertise for the 50th Daytona 500. The promo is well done, the special FX are awesome, but Taste the Smoke as the tag line? Really? That is what you want to go with? Who came up with that line? Taste the smoke . . . and while you are at it how about Licking the Ashtray. Ewww. There has got to be better taglines that that. Come on FOX you paid all that money for NASCAR rights and all you can come up with is "Taste the Smoke?" BLECK

Snow Day

So when did we get to be such big babies about snow? Seems like every time there is just a few inches of snow school gets called off. Now it isn't that I am not about being safe. I want kids to be just as safe as the next person, but come on. I remember it was a treat when we had a snow day, and now it seems like every other day there is a 2 hour delay or school is called off. I seriously doubt that the weather has gotten worse in the past 20 years (remember global warming) so it has to be that the people in charge are babies and "don't want the kids to suffer in the cold and snow." Man-up and make these kids go to school. Unless the roads are impassable then send the rug rats to school and quit teaching them that when the weather is bad you get a day off, cause once you hit the real world there are no 2 hour delays cause it is 10º outside.

Fans
I know WVU fans are getting a bad rap nowadays, but I don't mind. Lump us into that catagory with Philly fans. I don't mind, and as bad as WVU fans look a petition by Patriots fans to have the Super Bowl played over actually makes us look good.

Blah Blah Blah

You call that a hot wing
So I tried the KFC "hot wings" yea there is a problem with these and it is kinda big problem . . . they aren't hot. I am not talking about them being 'mild' or 'medium' or that the hotness of them is just at a low level for me (since I love hot stuff). I mean there is no hint at all that these contain any type of spice. They are PA-THE-TIC. Basically they are the 'wing' version of the KFC extra crispy. DO NOT BUY THESE. Awful. Now I know that in the fast food world that 'hot' has a different meaning than at a sit down restaurant where they can say things like 'death wings' and make you sign a waiver, but come on people. At least make me feel like you made an attempt to make them hot. Geez after eating these I don't even feel like they tried. Chicken LOSERS.

Tiddy Bear
This is real. Seriously. This is a real product. Don't you want to make driving fun again?


LOST
So if you watch LOST keep reading. If you don't, why don't you? Don't give me that crap that you missed too much to catch up. They play recap shows all the time, plus all the seasons are out on DVD. Nuff excuses watch this show. ok. moving on.

Things are really getting good for this show. One of the things that makes the show good is that we now know when it is ending. They have an end game in mind. There are 46 episodes left and for some reason, now more than ever the show has a ending in mind and you know that every show is pushing you towards that ending. I think sometimes with TV shows they walk around aimlessly (with filler shows, we had a few of those with LOST over the years) while having success and never drive you to an ending. Especially when they don't know when/if the show will end. It is sad that LOST only has 46 episodes left, but it also allows the viewer to expect and know when the ending will come. Much like a book or movie rather than a show like Friday Night Lights or Hanna Montana (that is for you Adam).

I have been a bloggin fool lately, thanks for coming back and reading after much time off and inconsistent posts. As the fiber commercials say, I will try to be more regular in my posts.

Super Bowl Ads kinda sucked huh?

Trent, Adam and I were discussing the super bowl ads last night on the podcast (Episode 124), and we were in agreement that for the most part the ads were average or below average at best. I gave them a B-, C+ and both Trent and Adam believed they were worse than that. (I guess that is why my students must like my grading.) Anyway there is a funny article here that discusses the 10 Lamest Super Bowl ads.

I actually think the best ad surrounding the Super Bowl was the Perfectville ad that ran the next day with the ’72 Dolphins:

But of course in my opinion this is a rip off of one of the best campaigns ever, the Nike Welcome to Bracketville Ads, "Stay as long as you can." (I looked everywhere for a video of these ads and couldn't find one of them) I am always amazed at March Madness time they don't continue to break those ads out. One of the best ad campaigns over the past 10 years.

Sleeping Problems

I guess when you have a child there are always problems with sleep. Most of the time it involves you not getting any as a parent because you are up with your child, typically feeding them or sitting with them if they are awake. As the child gets to be a teenager you are not sleeping for other reasons. BUT, as a child between the ages of, um let's say 4-16 you should be able to get a few nights of good sleep without being bothered. Not with my son Owen. For some reason in the middle of the night, and the ability to get out of bed. He will shout out, "Mommy!" Thank god it isn't Daddy. The reasons he will call out for his mother are many. Here are just a few:

1. "I am hot." Usually I follow up this one with "Then take your covers off." But that doesn't always satisfy him and usually results in us yelling back and forth through the wall. "I can't take my covers off." "Yes you can." "No. I can't." "OWEN, YES YOU CAN."

2. "I have to pee." This is a little more understandable. He has to go. He recognizes that he has to go, and he is only scared to go to the bathroom by himself. Ok fine. I would rather get out of bed for 60 seconds while he goes then be changing sheets at 3 a.m.

3. "Can you make blue blanket cold?" Yes this is odd to me too, and not something I do for him, this is his mother's thing and even she has finally stopped doing this. Now I know what the next question is. What does he mean by this. Well in our odd little child's mind it is the equivelent of flipping your pillow over, although this entails taking blue blanket and shaking it in the air to get it "cool." Now I know the science and research behind it is a little sketchy but apparently it works. He now shakes his blanket in bed and bangs the bed against our wall which makes his mother turn into some strange sleepless monster. Oooooh the wrath she wields at 3 a.m.

4. "Can you put my pillow on my head?" Yes another strange request. The kid likes to sleep under his pillow and for some reason feels that he needs to wake us up to do it.

These are all I can think of now as I struggle to keep my eyes open due to making blue blanket cold.

HA HA

I can't stand the Patriots and as predicted by me on the podcast (episode 123), the 18-0 Pats lost to the Giants. I am not sure what exactly it is I despise about them, maybe their arrogant coach (who left the field with :02 left on the clock), their glamor-boy QB, the dirtiest player in the NFL safety Rodney Harrison, or their now obnoxious (once loveable) fan base. The Boston area fans have become some of the most arrogant and dislikable fan bases of all time. I want to look at them as a group and then pull Nelson from the Simpsons and give them a collective "HA HA. You're 18-1."

Worst way to wake up

I woke up this morning in maybe the worst way possible . . . ok so maybe not the worst way (fire, burglary, tornado, hurricane are a few worse ways) but for anyone who has had a cramp in their calf, they know what I am talking about. Dead asleep at 6:40 a.m. and all of a sudden it feels as if I have been shot in calf. I couldn't stretch it out, I couldn't reach my toes to try and pull it out of the softball-like knot. I couldn't even bring myself to feel the knot in my calf. Renea thought I was having a heart-attack.

"Are you ok? What's wrong?"

"AAARRRGGGGG"

"What is it?"

"CRAMPPPPP!!"

I could bearly get the words out. Lying there for what seemed like forever, in actuality it was closer to 60 seconds my leg and muscle finally relented and I got out of bed and was able to stretch it out.

Now the biggest fear when getting the cramp is that it will return and soon. So all morning I have been on edge thinking that that the next move I make will bring me down. And of course when relaying the story the answer is bananas. "Eat bananas that will make it go away." Little too late for that advice.

YEEEEEOOOOOWWWW!

Ok, this morning I needed a kick. Specifically a caffeine kick, so I decided to go to Speedway and pick up a coffee. I saw as I was walking through the door a Shockwave Energy Coffee (with more caffeine) so I thought, "Let's try it." So I poured myself a cup and was on my merry way.

I am not a huge coffee drinker, but on occasion I will have a cup and lately, when it is cold, I find myself drinking it more and more. Usually caffeine doesn't bother me. I could drink a Mountain Dew right before bed and be ok. But man, this Shockwave stuff was STRONG. Within the first 5-10 sips it started to hit me, and what it made me do is drink it faster and that might have been the problem. I downed a 20oz cup of coffee in less than an hour and I was flying. It is 2:30 p.m. and I am still buzzing. So take care in drinking some of this. Rarely does something claim that it will do something and actually back it up.

Also as a little tip that was forwarded to me by my buddy Frank. Stephen A. "Cheese Doodle" Smith has a "online blog" (as opposed to an offline blog). Now I am not suggesting that you read the blog. I wouldn't do that to you, BUT skip straight to the comments. Most of them are very funny, some are written by some ignorant fools, but most are in jest. Enjoy!

XBOX back!

Ok, because of my paa-thetic blog postings as of late I didn't write about my XBOX dying. Partly because I was heart broken and partly because I am lazy (yea I said it).

Any-who, a couple of days before the new year my XBOX got what is known in gamer circles as "THE RED RING OF DEATH" (I am contractually obligated to say it like that) which basically makes your XBOX an Atari circa 1980. Luckily XBOX extended the warranty (out to 3 years from its purchase date) on all 360s this summer so mine was covered. The process to get it fix was relatively easy. But the time the XBOX was gone and how long it took the get just the box for me to mail it back in took forever. I called them to report the RED RING on the Sunday before New Years. I didn't get the box to ship it back in until Jan 9th. I then took it directly to the UPS store to drop it off and I tracked it (or stalked it, whatever you want to call it) until it arrived in Texas. I called last week to check on it, they said, or rather the automated voice said, that it had been repaired and I would see it in 3-5 working days. The gave me no stalking number so I could follow it so I had to just wait.

Well yesterday it came back. FINALLY! And I am not real sure who was more excited. Me, cause well it is my XBOX. Renea, because I am not coming to bed the same time she goes and therefor not pestering the hell out of her until I fall asleep, or Owen who seemed to be the most excited about it because he now gets to play his motorcycle game.

I have to say I was a little surprised about how excited Owen was. I mean he liked playing the games and all, but he certainly isn't addicted to it like me, or so I thought. He couldn't wait for me to get it all plugged back in and to put his game on (and it isn't even a full version of a game, just a demo).

Overall I didn't have to pay for anything, and plus Microsoft gave me a free month of XBOX live to make up for the month I missed.

So now all is right. I can now take the frustrations of the day out on the University of Michigan in NCAA football, the Patriots and Tom Brady in Madden and all of those little kids online in Halo 3.

(I do have to point out this though, when my iPod broke a few years ago, I mailed it back in a box Apple overnighted and 2 days later I had a new iPod, Apple still rocks in my mind).

Water Flavor Packs

I am not a big water drinker, but I have tried over the past few days to add more water to my day and drink more of it. One thing I started buying about a year ago was the little packs of flavor to add to your water. Some of them are pretty good and some, not so much, but I have found what may be my favorite flavor . . . Grape. Kroger's brand grape to be specific. It doesn't make the water purple, but more of a cloudy color and it really adds a nice flavor to the water. It doesn't make it seem like watered down grape juice. I have had it the last 2 days in the water I take to work out. It is pretty good. I highly recommend it if you have an aversion to water "straight-up" like I do.

Little Perk

I enjoy listening to music at work. Sometimes it gets boring listening to the songs in my iTunes and also the songs on Pandora (see below) but I have Sirius radio now and I have been listening to it for the past few weeks. It is nice (when it works) and it gives me a ton of variety. My 2 favorite stations for music: Radio Magaritaville and Coffee House Café. Both are good "working" music stations. Helps me relax. What I would prefer is using headphones so I could crank it up, but then I wouldn't be able to answer my phone and people who come into my office with no appointment (actually that wouldn't be so bad about the latter.)