September 2004 - Posts
Wrong war, wrong place, wrong time. I think I've heard that before.
Yesterday's Cubs game really pissed me off. The Cubs are up 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and Hawkins gives up a triple and a double to tie the game up. The Reds won it in the twelfth with a two run dinger. It looks like Hawkins is rising to Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams status. So far he's had nine blown saves this year. We're now a half game back in the wild card behind the left-for-dead Astros. With four losses in the last five games it looks like the can't win Cubs are back. I really hope they prove me wrong but I've heard this song before. It pains me to write this but I think the Cubs finish two games back. Being a Cubs fan really sucks.
I took this survey that determined what occupation I would be during the medieval times. And the winner is...
Your distinct personality, The Black Knight, might be found in most of the thriving kingdoms of the time. Your overriding goal is to win. You approach each task or situation as a contest to be won strategically and efficiently. Because you can control your feelings, it is not unusual for you to charm, as well as successfully delegate tasks and responsibilities to the more emotional types. You are often concerned with what's in it for you. You seldom involve yourself in activities where you can not foresee a reward for your investment or effort. On the positive side, you can be analytically empathic and logically persuasive. On the negative side, you may be unemotionally manipulative as well as impulsive. Interestingly, your preference is just as applicable in today's corporate kingdoms.
All ye beware of Jorriss - the black knight!!
Where has this country gone. It seems like we have become our own worst enemy. Some of us hate our president so much that they are willing to go to any length to discredit him. Take for instance the forged documents that have left Dan Rather and CBS with a whole lot of egg on their face. Scott Hanselman has a great blog post that covers the reasons why this forgery is a forgery. In short they used Microsoft Word to create the document. They weren't even smart enough to use a typewriter. And CBS wasn't smart enough to look at the documents objectively. They were in too much of a rush to provide Kerry with ammunition.
My point is this, vote for someone who you believe in. Don't vote for Kerry because he's not Bush. Vote for Kerry because you believe in his healthcare package or in his raising of taxes. Vote for Bush because you believe in his Agenda for America or in his stance on terrorism. Vote your morals. Vote your pocketbook. Vote your beliefs. Vote intelligently.
"Witness at all times; if necessary use words."
St. Francis of Assizi
Today, my darling wife turns twenty-seven. Happy Birthday my love!
I've heard all the stories
I've seen all the signs
Witnessed all the glories
Tasted all that's fine
Nothing compares to the greatness of knowing you Lord. oh no,
Nothing compares to the greatness of knowing you Lord, oh no...
I see all the people
Wasting all their time
Building up their riches
For a life that's fine
But nothing compares to the greatness of knowing you Lord. oh no,
Nothing compares to the greatness of knowing you Lord, oh no...
And I find myself just living for today
Cuz I don't know what tomorrow's gonna bring
So no matter if I rise or fall, I'll never be alone
Oh no...
Nothing compares to the greatness of knowing you Lord. oh no,
Nothing compares to the greatness of knowing you Lord, oh no...
Song: Nothing Compares
Artist: Third Day
Album: Come Together
On my way to work yesterday I got rear ended, hard. There wasn't much damage to my car, only the bumper got messed up. After the accident I was really 'fuzzy'. I went back home where Lucy got pretty worried. I called the doctor and he said that this is common and I should take some Alieve. Right now my neck is real sore but I'm glad to be back in the office. I'm also thankful that I'm okay, it could of been much worse.
Last night was incredible. Lucy and I were at Walt Disney World for the Night of Joy (it my seventeenth NOJ) festivities. Of course the UM/FSU game was also last night. But we were prepared, of course. We had WAP blowing up on the phone and we also had a portable TV at our disposal. We started NOJ with a Sonicflood set. We tried to enjoy ourselves but we were full of anxiety waiting for the game to start. The remainder of the night went like this: Watch a series, move to another part of the park, check the game on the phone, get worried, watch a series. This happened all night long.
When the fourth quarter started we were at the first Third Day set and both of us lifted four fingers in the air. I kept checking my phone the entire fourth quarter until three minutes were left; I had to flip the TV on. By this time the first Third Day set was over and we were met by a couple of other Miami alumni. We huddled around that small TV and watched one of the most remarkable comebacks in Hurricane history. Berlin drove the Canes down the field in less than two minutes and the Canes scored their first touchdown of the season with thirty seconds left. FSU couldn't do squat in the final thirty seconds so the game goes in to overtime. By this time Third Day has started their second set which turns out to be the exact same set as the first one.
In the overtime period the Miami switched their defensive starters with the those of the Baltimore Ravens. On the third snap of the OT period Rix dropped the ball and the Hurricanes recovered. At this point we are bordering on insanity. All they have to do is kick the field goal to win. I told our crew "They should run the ball up the middle then kick it." They did exactly what I thought they would, mostly. Gore takes the ball up the middle then bounces it to the left. Eight yard gain. "Now, they're going to run the ball to center it in the hash marks," I screamed aloud. Gore takes the snap to and attempts to run the ball to the right, sees the defender, bounces around the end and takes it to the house. We all start screaming like mad, right in the middle of the Third Day set. Canes win 16-10. Incredible. Everyone around us was staring wondering what drugs we were on. All night FSU fans we all around, taunting us; laughing at us. They is an old saying, he who laughs last, laughs best. We'll we're are still laughing.
After sixteen hours of putting up storm shutters Hurricane Frances decided not to show up in South Dade. Which is fine with me. But just as you thought it was safe to open a window here comes Hurricane Ivan! Ivan is a completely different storm than Frances. Where Frances was large and less powerful, Ivan is small but deadly. So far it has completely leveled Granada and Florida is right in the middle of the <disembodied voice>CONE OF PROBABILITY</disembodied voice>. Great. Just what I wanted, another hurricane that looks like Andrew.
Throughout this whole ordeal I'm still running. Last Thursday I ran four miles. Monday I ran/walked two (I was with Lucy so I had to take it easy). And yesterday I ran five miles with a time of 49:39. Not too shabby.
I'll be leaving for Orlando in a few hours for Night of Joy/Rock the Universe. And yes I will be missing the UM/FSU game. (But don't fret. I've got a portable TV that will fill me in. And yes I'm TIVOing it.) So if you are going to be at either Night of Joy or Rock the Universe drop me a line and we'll hook up. Just in case you were wondering Ivan is messing up this too. If Ivan gets too close to Miami on Saturday Lucy and I will skip Rock the Universe and race home to gear up for the storm. I know that God has his hands on this but I can't help but worry about this one. There is no doubt about it, right now Ivan is nasty.
Here we go again. Another hurricane (Frances) is knockin down our door. This one is huge, 180 miles wide and projected to hit the Palm Beach area at the moment. We should get a watch in our area sometime tonight or early tomorrow morning. Lucy and I are ready. Last night we rummaged through the grocery store to find canned food and water. We got what we needed. Now I've got to go through the plywood shutters and see if everything is there. I really hope everything is there. All we can do now is wait, watch and pray.