So I'm in Utah on vacation, sick as can be with my morning sickness and feeling very sorry for myself. I took a minute (the only good thing about morning sickness) to check blogs and found this post, from Jessica (of doorbell-ditching, DDRing, Primary Presidency fame). If you are either
1) dealing with infertility
2) irritated with the not-so-fun parts of pregnancy or
3) have any inkling of ANY baby that needs the best parents I know
Go here.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Nice day at Air Tour Madrid
We had today the release of the OnAirTour here in Madrid.The ambient was excellent. Doors opened at 9:15 with a fantastic breakfast. We had first the key-note by Enrique Duvos, well you can check all the agenda here.
Apart from the Gurus or Flash-Flex-evangelists (depends on the religion ;-]), there was a lot of people known, at least referring to people working on IT on Madrid: People working for iMaste, Carlos Rovira, others from Telecommunications (Panel, SHS Polar), Media (Refr3sh, Wysiwyg, Genetsis Partners), Consulting (CapGemini, etc). So, many people who is currently developing applications with Flash, Flex, HTML, Javascript or Air.
So the ambient there was quite nice. We had wifi all the time, there was gaming area, and a continuous lunchtime area. I had the oportunity to talk with Ryan Stewart about the Air Tour. All the sessions were nice also, specially the introduction of Serge Jespers, telling us the spanish he can talk.
I hope they make the same for Thermo presentation.I Hope You Come Up With Something Good
Today's status is left as an exercise for the reader.
Explanation: It's a Monday, it was a busy weekend, and my vacation is so close, I can smell it. So, you probably have more creativity than I do right now. Come up with something amusing. Then laugh at it. Then credit me for encouraging you.
Oh, and let's not forget that Davidson pushed Kansas to the brink last night, only to miss a last second shot and lose. Why is this important? Because I watched the game rooting for Davidson the whole time, but thinking that if Kansas managed to win, my bracket's Kansas-Memphis final might actually make some money. It turns out that if Memphis beats Kansas in the final, I finish tied for seventh place, missing the money by one point.
Special Blog Bonus: A big tip of the hat to Brad for his link to Garfield Minus Garfield. It's darkly amusing.
Explanation: It's a Monday, it was a busy weekend, and my vacation is so close, I can smell it. So, you probably have more creativity than I do right now. Come up with something amusing. Then laugh at it. Then credit me for encouraging you.
Oh, and let's not forget that Davidson pushed Kansas to the brink last night, only to miss a last second shot and lose. Why is this important? Because I watched the game rooting for Davidson the whole time, but thinking that if Kansas managed to win, my bracket's Kansas-Memphis final might actually make some money. It turns out that if Memphis beats Kansas in the final, I finish tied for seventh place, missing the money by one point.
Special Blog Bonus: A big tip of the hat to Brad for his link to Garfield Minus Garfield. It's darkly amusing.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
La historia de los Baltimore Ravens
Como no hay blog que se precie que, al menos una vez, cuente algo interesante y como este blog lleva unos días recibiendo un número de visitas bestiales, me veo en la obligación de escribir algo que despierte minimamente la curiosidad de los que se conecten.
No sé si a estas alturas a alguien le sorprenderá si confieso lo mucho que me molesta cuando alguien habla, sin conocimiento ninguno, de “lo ignorantes que son los americanos” o “lo poco que saben de historia” o cualquier otro cliché que ni se corresponde con los norteamericanos que he conocido a lo largo de mi vida, ni hace justicia a esta larga lista de “ignorantes” sin los que nuestra cultura hubiese sido bien distinta:William Faulkner, Martin Scorsese, Michael Chabon, Stanley Kubrick, Eugene O'Neill, Paul Auster, Woody Allen, H.P. Lovecraft, Thomas Pynchon, J.D. Salinger, David Lynch, Stan Lee, Jack Kerouac, Arthur (y Henry) Miller, Barry Gyfford, Ray Bradbury, Francis Ford Coppola, Orson Welles, Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Allen Ginsberg, Toni Morrison, Cormac McCarthy, Richard Matheson, David Mamet, Richard Ford, Howard Hawks, Truman Capote, Robert Wise, Stephen King, John Cheever, Clint Eastwood, Herman Melville, Edgar Allan Poe...
(y los que me dejo)
(y si no cuento mal... hay hasta cinco premios nobel en esa improvisada lista)
(quedaos con el último nombre)
(y si no cuento mal... hay hasta cinco premios nobel en esa improvisada lista)
(quedaos con el último nombre)
Todo esto viene porque quería contaros una historia. A mediados de 1996, la liga de fútbol americano de Estados Unidos, la llamada NFL, decidió mover una de sus franquicias a la ciudad de Baltimore, la cual llevaba 11 años sin contar con ningún equipo en la máxima categoría.
Los propietarios de la liga hicieron una lista de 100 posibles nombres para el nuevo equipo, nombres con los que el público de Baltimore pudiera identificarse. Después de varias rondas de selección, hechas por ciudadanos de Baltimore, más de 30.000 personas eligieron que lo que mejor les definía era El Cuervo de Edgar Allan Poe, ya que el escritor había vivido en Baltimore durante la última parte de su vida. Desde entonces, hay un equipo en la liga conocido como los “Baltimore Ravens” cuyos jugadores llevan dibujado en el casco aquel ave que repetía “Nevermore” en el original de Poe.
Los propietarios de la liga hicieron una lista de 100 posibles nombres para el nuevo equipo, nombres con los que el público de Baltimore pudiera identificarse. Después de varias rondas de selección, hechas por ciudadanos de Baltimore, más de 30.000 personas eligieron que lo que mejor les definía era El Cuervo de Edgar Allan Poe, ya que el escritor había vivido en Baltimore durante la última parte de su vida. Desde entonces, hay un equipo en la liga conocido como los “Baltimore Ravens” cuyos jugadores llevan dibujado en el casco aquel ave que repetía “Nevermore” en el original de Poe.
30.000 personas que conocen “El Cuervo” de Allan Poe, aunque sea por orgullo de conciudadanos, son suficientes como para no llamar “ignorantes” a todo un país. Tentado estoy de ir mañana por la calles de Madrid preguntando a la gente quién escribió “El Cuervo” y ver así si es verdad que nosotros, los europeos, somos más cultos que los pobres americanos.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
DAVIDSON!!!
From the archives:
Time is infinite and life is finite, therefore the probability that you are alive at this exact moment is zero.
Explanation: Just a little food for thought on your weekend. I don't remember where I found this quote, but it doesn't really matter, because the probability that anyone else is alive to read this is zero.
Special Blog Bonus: DAVIDSON!!!
I gained three points on the field last night because my bracket was the only one of 139 in my pool to have Davidson advancing to the Elite Eight. Unfortunately, last night's games only boosted me from 100th to 85th place. Therefore, while I STILL believe there's a chance I can finish in the money, I am forsaking my pool and rooting for young Mr. Curry and his teammates.
Now for a moment of deep personal pain, brought to you by ESPN.com:
As a high school student at Charlotte Christian, Curry grew up a fan of the ACC and wanted to follow in his parents' footsteps at Virginia Tech. Dell Curry was a star with the Hokies before he played 16 seasons in the NBA, and Sonya Curry was on the volleyball team at Virginia Tech. The Hokies offered Stephen a scholarship but with the catch that he play as a walk-on for a year.
Curry wanted to play right away, so he chose Davidson, the small school (1,700 students) about 20 miles north of Charlotte.
Time is infinite and life is finite, therefore the probability that you are alive at this exact moment is zero.
Explanation: Just a little food for thought on your weekend. I don't remember where I found this quote, but it doesn't really matter, because the probability that anyone else is alive to read this is zero.
Special Blog Bonus: DAVIDSON!!!
I gained three points on the field last night because my bracket was the only one of 139 in my pool to have Davidson advancing to the Elite Eight. Unfortunately, last night's games only boosted me from 100th to 85th place. Therefore, while I STILL believe there's a chance I can finish in the money, I am forsaking my pool and rooting for young Mr. Curry and his teammates.
Now for a moment of deep personal pain, brought to you by ESPN.com:
As a high school student at Charlotte Christian, Curry grew up a fan of the ACC and wanted to follow in his parents' footsteps at Virginia Tech. Dell Curry was a star with the Hokies before he played 16 seasons in the NBA, and Sonya Curry was on the volleyball team at Virginia Tech. The Hokies offered Stephen a scholarship but with the catch that he play as a walk-on for a year.
Curry wanted to play right away, so he chose Davidson, the small school (1,700 students) about 20 miles north of Charlotte.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Nine Minutes of Friday Fun
I found this video about forklift driving online last night during the basketball games. I'll warn you - it is gory and twisted, but still pretty amusing.
Spring in the Northwest
View from my patio, March 27, 2008.
Ooh, I bet you are all wishing you lived in Spokane right about now.
Quick Quote #21
Seth has taken to issuing this warning (garnered from a new Dora movie): "Weememboh, Dad, watch out da witch!"
So Much For That Bruce Pearl of Wisdom
Apparently, declaring the University of Tennessee as my secret weapon was a mistake.
Explanation: Yes, it's another basketball post. I am terrible at picking first round games in the NCAA tournament. Every year, I find that I do poorly until the Sweet Sixteen and then pick up momentum and finish just out of the money. (Except last year where I got everything right for the last three rounds) So, my thought process with this bracket was to choose an unlikely team for my Final Four, intentionally going contrary to what the rest of the field was predicting. I know full well that most people think North Carolina will win the championship this year, but I just feel like there's a big game where UNC will come up short. So, I chose Tennessee to make it to the Final Four. Yes, after ranting about how bad the SEC was this year, I chose Tennessee. Don't ask. Anyway, my secret weapon got thumped last night by Louisville. Therefore, I'm in a heap of trouble.
On the bright side, I have Davidson beating Wisconsin tonight. I'm the only one in the pool who picked this game, and those three points will really help. Sure, I won't win the pool, but it will certainly make me look more competitive. Go Davidson!!!
Explanation: Yes, it's another basketball post. I am terrible at picking first round games in the NCAA tournament. Every year, I find that I do poorly until the Sweet Sixteen and then pick up momentum and finish just out of the money. (Except last year where I got everything right for the last three rounds) So, my thought process with this bracket was to choose an unlikely team for my Final Four, intentionally going contrary to what the rest of the field was predicting. I know full well that most people think North Carolina will win the championship this year, but I just feel like there's a big game where UNC will come up short. So, I chose Tennessee to make it to the Final Four. Yes, after ranting about how bad the SEC was this year, I chose Tennessee. Don't ask. Anyway, my secret weapon got thumped last night by Louisville. Therefore, I'm in a heap of trouble.
On the bright side, I have Davidson beating Wisconsin tonight. I'm the only one in the pool who picked this game, and those three points will really help. Sure, I won't win the pool, but it will certainly make me look more competitive. Go Davidson!!!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Crime has a Bossa Nova Beat
"Well, folks, there you have it. A day in the life of a superhero and his sidekick. It's a very long day, the tights are uncomfortable; I think we covered that before. Map light, convenient and essential. A lot of working of villain motifs. Crime has a Bossa Nova beat. Leap before you look. Remember 'denouement'. Other French words: 'inconvenient', 'nonessential'… oh… I could go on and on… But time's a-wasting and evil's out there making hand-crafted mischief for the swap meet of villainy. And you can't strike a good deal with evil. No matter how much you haggle! We don't need to look for a bargain; goodness is cheap because it's free, and free is as cheap as it gets. Cut!"
Source: This is a monologue from The Tick. If you don't know anything about The Tick, here's the first episode:
Parts 2 and 3 of this episode are here and here.
Source: This is a monologue from The Tick. If you don't know anything about The Tick, here's the first episode:
Parts 2 and 3 of this episode are here and here.
Portfolio in Adobe Photoshop Express
This is the way a portfolio should look like in the new Adobe Photoshop ExpressCheck it out here.
The interface and Look&Feel of the app looks great, as the Getting Started Video. Amazing!
I´ve making some trials with this fascinating site. I have to say I had some problems to upload photos in Firefox, or perhaps I should say I should have had net identification control in Explorer, hahaSo I just created a new Album called Portfolio and uploaded photos from works I have there. I shared it and all right! Easy!
Check it out also the way you can mail your galleries like here:
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Midnight Visitor
Let's just start off by saying...we are sleep Nazis. Our kids are Ferberized and Baby-wised and they sleep through the night and take great naps all without any sleep aids from us and certainly nowhere near our bed, from 4-5 months on. Ryan is not-so-pleasant in the middle of the night and I am a girl who needs my naps and we work hard with our kids till they figure it out.
So why is it that for the last 2 months, this little thing:
ends up in our bed most nights of the week?
How do you say no to the soft skin, sweet little hugs, and "Puh-leeeze?"s that creep into our room every night around 2am?
(We've gone soft! Don't tell Dr. Ferber. )
So why is it that for the last 2 months, this little thing:
ends up in our bed most nights of the week?
How do you say no to the soft skin, sweet little hugs, and "Puh-leeeze?"s that creep into our room every night around 2am?
(We've gone soft! Don't tell Dr. Ferber. )
Status of the Famous: Buster Keaton
Ever wonder what a famous person would have as their instant messaging status at work? Well now you'll know! Jeremy's Status Message proudly presents, Status Messages of the Famous:
Famous Person: Buster Keaton.
Explanation: Buster Keaton was a famous silent film star, so naturally, his status would be blank... because the movies were silent. Get it?
Here's a montage of Keaton's work:
Famous Person: Buster Keaton.
Explanation: Buster Keaton was a famous silent film star, so naturally, his status would be blank... because the movies were silent. Get it?
Here's a montage of Keaton's work:
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Cotilleos...
Como la noche se avecina de trabajo duro y como hoy ha sido un día triste (aunque a mi, casi de pasada me ha ocurrido alguna buena cosa), haré algo que no me gusta demasiado, desvelar chismorreos que me han llegado.
Hoy estuve con un par de personas que venían de trabajar en The limits of control, la peli que mi -imposible encontrar un superlativo de "admirado" que se ajuste- Jim Jarmusch ha rodado en España y me han contado algunas cosas impagables.
- Que Bill Murray es un cachondo mental y un tipo encantador
- Que Jarmusch también lo es
- Que ver trabajar a Christopher Doyle es un alucine, aunque el tipo está un poco "para allá" y no se quitaba una levita que le cubría hasta los pies aunque el resto del equipo estuviera en mangas de camisa. (¡Ah! ¡y que está casado con una china!)
- Que Bill Murray se pilló una bicicleta y se dedicó a recorrer Sevilla
- Que Tilda Swinton es un encanto pero que Isaach de Bankolé no lo es
- Que Bill Murray no pudo quedarse a cenar el último día de rodaje y, para compensar, le dio dinero a cada departamento para que se pagaran una cena a su salud.
No sabéis la envidia que me ha dado escuchar esas historias de Jarmusch rodando por Madrid y Sevilla y lo mucho que añoro los tiempos de cortometrajista-para-todo en los que nos daba igual frío que calor, que interior o exterior porque lo divertido era estar arrastrando trípodes y demás. Recuerdo que hace más de un año, Aitor y yo nos apostamos en el María Cristina de San Sebastián, esperando para ver si cazábamos a Jarmusch saliendo y que ese día se nos ocurrió un documental sobre dos colgaos que buscan a Jim Jarmusch por todos los rincones de la ciudad... no puedo quitarme de la cabeza lo divertido que habría sido tener tiempo ahora y habernos lanzado con mi vieja Canon XL1 a perseguirle por todos lados...
Jim Jarmusch, me debes una. La próxima vez no te me escapas.
Hoy estuve con un par de personas que venían de trabajar en The limits of control, la peli que mi -imposible encontrar un superlativo de "admirado" que se ajuste- Jim Jarmusch ha rodado en España y me han contado algunas cosas impagables.
- Que Bill Murray es un cachondo mental y un tipo encantador
- Que Jarmusch también lo es
- Que ver trabajar a Christopher Doyle es un alucine, aunque el tipo está un poco "para allá" y no se quitaba una levita que le cubría hasta los pies aunque el resto del equipo estuviera en mangas de camisa. (¡Ah! ¡y que está casado con una china!)
- Que Bill Murray se pilló una bicicleta y se dedicó a recorrer Sevilla
- Que Tilda Swinton es un encanto pero que Isaach de Bankolé no lo es
- Que Bill Murray no pudo quedarse a cenar el último día de rodaje y, para compensar, le dio dinero a cada departamento para que se pagaran una cena a su salud.
No sabéis la envidia que me ha dado escuchar esas historias de Jarmusch rodando por Madrid y Sevilla y lo mucho que añoro los tiempos de cortometrajista-para-todo en los que nos daba igual frío que calor, que interior o exterior porque lo divertido era estar arrastrando trípodes y demás. Recuerdo que hace más de un año, Aitor y yo nos apostamos en el María Cristina de San Sebastián, esperando para ver si cazábamos a Jarmusch saliendo y que ese día se nos ocurrió un documental sobre dos colgaos que buscan a Jim Jarmusch por todos los rincones de la ciudad... no puedo quitarme de la cabeza lo divertido que habría sido tener tiempo ahora y habernos lanzado con mi vieja Canon XL1 a perseguirle por todos lados...
Jim Jarmusch, me debes una. La próxima vez no te me escapas.
Dios se nos ha muerto (II)
El día ha ido pasando y los teléfonos han ido sonando y, poco a poco, todo el mundo se ha enterado de una noticia que llevaba silenciada desde el domingo. Impagable el que hoy TVE haya alterado la programación para emitir La niña de tus ojos.
Como decía, el día ha ido pasando y la sensación de orfandad ha ido aumentando. Hacía semanas que se sabía que esto podía ocurrir, pero desde hace unos días la idea de todos era que Azcona iba a salir para delante. De hecho, el rumor era que, nada más darle el alta, se había vuelto a casa a escribir.
A ver las cosas que mañana escribe la gente... ¿Apostamos a que algún miserable con hueco en algún periódico aprovecha la desgracia de la muerte de Azcona para poner a parir al cine español?
Como decía, el día ha ido pasando y la sensación de orfandad ha ido aumentando. Hacía semanas que se sabía que esto podía ocurrir, pero desde hace unos días la idea de todos era que Azcona iba a salir para delante. De hecho, el rumor era que, nada más darle el alta, se había vuelto a casa a escribir.
A ver las cosas que mañana escribe la gente... ¿Apostamos a que algún miserable con hueco en algún periódico aprovecha la desgracia de la muerte de Azcona para poner a parir al cine español?
Dios se nos ha muerto
Estoy a camino entre dos sitios pero tengo que sentarme 5 minutos a esto. Acabo de recibir un SMS que esperaba que nunca llegaría; Rafael Azcona se nos ha muerto. Hoy, los guionistas estamos más huérfanos que nunca...
Todavía recuerdo el día en que vino a la escuela de cine y alguien le pregunto por cómo hacía para escribir "Muy fácil, encendiendo el Macintosh" respondió el genio riojano.
Todavía recuerdo el día en que vino a la escuela de cine y alguien le pregunto por cómo hacía para escribir "Muy fácil, encendiendo el Macintosh" respondió el genio riojano.
Chewbacca the Hair Challenged Animal
FREE HAT
Source: Today's message comes from the South Park episode of the same name. Just read the Wikipedia page - it's convoluted, but quite amusing.
You can watch this episode online!
Special Blog Bonus: It's LEGO Eric Cartman:
You can see some more LEGO cartoon characters here.
Source: Today's message comes from the South Park episode of the same name. Just read the Wikipedia page - it's convoluted, but quite amusing.
You can watch this episode online!
Special Blog Bonus: It's LEGO Eric Cartman:
You can see some more LEGO cartoon characters here.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Lovecraft me ha visitado
Ya sabía que tanto cachondeo en entradas pasadas con el bueno de H.P. no iba a traerme nada bueno. Cuando todavía estaba sacándome la arena de la playa del bajo de los pantalones me he conectado y he visto esto, una conexión al blog desde Providence...
¿Será culpa de esto?
¿Será culpa de esto?
Monday Summary
(Seriously. By the time I get my kids fed and dressed and deposited various places, I have NO desire to do anything but lay on my bed. This is the worst "morning sickness" I've ever had. Even blogging seems annoying. But for posterity's sake...I will nobly carry on.)
Events that need documenting:
I meet Bridget.
You'd think that two bloggers hanging out for the first time would actually take pictures. But no. Ours had no working batteries and Bridget didn't think of it, till we were running out the door to catch our plane. You'll just have to believe us that we met.
We had the best time. Her house is beautiful, her kids were beautiful and SUPER friendly, and her husband was such a great guy. She made us dinner (no, I actually had just thrown up, Bridget, so I was feeling better...) and she and I had no problem talking the night away. It would be wonderful to live by her and hang out regularly.
Portland trip
So, Portland was beautiful (despite the weather) and the company treated us so well. We ate lots of yummy food and stayed in a gorgeous hotel.
But it just so expensive to live there. To get a house like the one we have now (in a cul-de-sac, with good schools and some sort of yard), we'd have to spend $200,000 more! It was so depressing...not to mention nauseating, as we wove in and out of streets, while I tried to navigate us. Blech. We finally chucked the house-hunting and spent the rest of the afternoon walking around downtown Portland.
Ryan got his offer from the company. He should get another offer on Thursday, from a Spokane company and we'll compare and be ready for a final decision, hopefully, by then.
Ryan puts on a party
When Ryan does his Elder's Quorum activities, I have at least three people say to me: "I'm sure it was YOU who did such a good job on this." Um, no. All the organizing, decorating, creativity....all him. It was fun, well-attended and had really good food. (Potluck! Yay!)
We started out the day with some Easter Egg coloring:
Easter Sunday
I miraculously felt good yesterday, which was a blessing because between choir practice, choir performance (which included a solo), having to find last minute nursery help, cooking Monkey Bread, Cheesy Potatoes, Strawberry, Key Lime and Lemon Pie...I didn't have time to be sick. Or take pictures. I sent Emma down, before church, to take them for me. This is what she came up with:
We had a nice Easter dinner with the Daines and Ryan's uncle Doug and Aunt Marcie.
Events that need documenting:
I meet Bridget.
You'd think that two bloggers hanging out for the first time would actually take pictures. But no. Ours had no working batteries and Bridget didn't think of it, till we were running out the door to catch our plane. You'll just have to believe us that we met.
We had the best time. Her house is beautiful, her kids were beautiful and SUPER friendly, and her husband was such a great guy. She made us dinner (no, I actually had just thrown up, Bridget, so I was feeling better...) and she and I had no problem talking the night away. It would be wonderful to live by her and hang out regularly.
Portland trip
So, Portland was beautiful (despite the weather) and the company treated us so well. We ate lots of yummy food and stayed in a gorgeous hotel.
But it just so expensive to live there. To get a house like the one we have now (in a cul-de-sac, with good schools and some sort of yard), we'd have to spend $200,000 more! It was so depressing...not to mention nauseating, as we wove in and out of streets, while I tried to navigate us. Blech. We finally chucked the house-hunting and spent the rest of the afternoon walking around downtown Portland.
Ryan got his offer from the company. He should get another offer on Thursday, from a Spokane company and we'll compare and be ready for a final decision, hopefully, by then.
Ryan puts on a party
When Ryan does his Elder's Quorum activities, I have at least three people say to me: "I'm sure it was YOU who did such a good job on this." Um, no. All the organizing, decorating, creativity....all him. It was fun, well-attended and had really good food. (Potluck! Yay!)
(Okay, this picture makes it look boring--thanks Greg--but it was super fun).
Easter SaturdayWe started out the day with some Easter Egg coloring:
proceeded to the Ward Easter Egg hunt, at someone's gorgeous mountainous yard:
Easter Sunday
I miraculously felt good yesterday, which was a blessing because between choir practice, choir performance (which included a solo), having to find last minute nursery help, cooking Monkey Bread, Cheesy Potatoes, Strawberry, Key Lime and Lemon Pie...I didn't have time to be sick. Or take pictures. I sent Emma down, before church, to take them for me. This is what she came up with:
We had a nice Easter dinner with the Daines and Ryan's uncle Doug and Aunt Marcie.
Theyhadababyitsaboy
I'm an uncle! (again)
Explanation: So, in the middle of my 2008 NCAA Tournament Spectacular, my sister-in-law went into labor and since my wife and I were the on-call babysitters for Easter Sunday, my blogging paid the price.
While my new nephew Luke is adorable (and healthy!), I'm frustrated that I couldn't proclaim Davidson over Georgetown as my sure-fire guaranteed upset lock of the century. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Stephen Curry is my new hero!
Now is probably a good time to mention that I am the only person in my entire pool with Davidson making the Elite Eight. Bummer I'm down to my Sweet 10 and Elite 7 already, huh?
Explanation: So, in the middle of my 2008 NCAA Tournament Spectacular, my sister-in-law went into labor and since my wife and I were the on-call babysitters for Easter Sunday, my blogging paid the price.
While my new nephew Luke is adorable (and healthy!), I'm frustrated that I couldn't proclaim Davidson over Georgetown as my sure-fire guaranteed upset lock of the century. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Stephen Curry is my new hero!
Now is probably a good time to mention that I am the only person in my entire pool with Davidson making the Elite Eight. Bummer I'm down to my Sweet 10 and Elite 7 already, huh?
TED: Ideas worth spreading
I found TED luckily as always, downloaded the pdf of 200 pages and just begun to read it.It looks like a conference from creative minds answering questions as
Who are we? What is our place in the Universe? What is life? Is Beauty truth? Will Evil prevail? How can we change the world? How can we create? What´s out there?...
For many of us creating things It looks very interesting, at least curious, besides the way they answer questions is highly constructive and has to do with design. I would say the pdf looks like one of those storyboards I do with my moleskine whenever I plan a website.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Like Rabbits...
Look what the Easter Bunny dropped off yesterday:
(He's a little presumptuous, don't you think?)
**This should explain the lack of posts. One doesn't feel exceptionally entertaining during this lovely nauseated period. Sorry.)
2008 NCAA Tournament Not-So-Spectacular - Day 4
My apologies, but this was a crazy day and for now all I'll post are my fearless predictions:
North Carolina over Indiana
Oklahoma over Louisville
Tennessee over Butler
Vanderbilt over Clemson
Davidson over Georgetown
Memphis over Oregon
Michigan State over Pittsburgh
Texas over St. Mary's
Yes, I'm picking Davidson over Georgetown. I haven't gotten anything else right yet, so maybe I can hang my hat on this one. Speaking of hats, Willie blew up yesterday's cardinal picture to find this:
North Carolina over Indiana
Oklahoma over Louisville
Tennessee over Butler
Vanderbilt over Clemson
Davidson over Georgetown
Memphis over Oregon
Michigan State over Pittsburgh
Texas over St. Mary's
Yes, I'm picking Davidson over Georgetown. I haven't gotten anything else right yet, so maybe I can hang my hat on this one. Speaking of hats, Willie blew up yesterday's cardinal picture to find this:
Saturday, March 22, 2008
2008 NCAA Tournament Spectacular - Day 3
Jeremy's Status Message presents the NCAA Tournament Spectacular! Full NCAA Tournament Coverage! Take an inside look into this expert's thought process in picking today's games!
From the archives:
Wheel of Morality, turn, turn, turn. Tell us the lesson that we should learn. And today's lesson is... "Do not back up. Severe tire damage"
Explanation: This is one of the many morals generated by the Wheel of Morality on Animaniacs. Don't think too hard about it. Just check out my Saturday picks!
No. 7 West Virginia vs. No. 2 Duke:
I have Duke advancing to the Sweet Sixteen, not because I think they're all that good (as exhibited by their first round squeaker against Belmont) but because I don't think any of the other teams in the Washington, D.C. pod are better. Arizona put on a great show and quieted their doubters in the first round, but their tournament run ends today.*
No. 11 Kansas State vs. No. 3 Wisconsin:
Bye bye O.J. Mayo. Kansas State knocked off USC, but now faces a tougher test in a Wisconsin team that will continue to do everything in their power to STAY OUT OF WISCONSIN. Sure, there are breweries there, but people can only take so much Brett Favre and cheese.
No. 6 Purdue vs. No. 3 Xavier:
I know Xavier is the three seed, but Baylor looks like a team of destiny. It was enough of a story for them to get to the Big Dance, but their stunning first round upset of Purdue shocked everyone. Look for Baylor to continue their run and advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 4 Washington State:
Notre Dame and Winthrop both cruised in the first round, just as I predicted. I'm out of Trading Places jokes, so I think it's time for Winthrop to go home. Amazing fact: Notre Dame's 68 points in their first round game was more points than their football team scored all of last season.**
No. 6 Marquette vs. No. 3 Stanford:
Both Stanford and Marquette looked good in the first round, but this game is in Anaheim, and that's a huge advantage for Stanford. Look for the Cardinal to roll. Hey, speaking of "cardinal", here's a story for you:
On most mornings, I eat my breakfast cereal in our den, which has two windows looking out on the woods behind our house. Given the orientation of the house, the morning sun shines brightly onto the branches. Certain times of the year, we have some cardinals which greatly enjoy perching on the branches visible through my window. They sit there, an even brighter red than usual due to the sunshine, and mock me through the window because my camera is inevitably upstairs. On most days, I just sit and sulk because I know they won't be there by the time I return with my camera. On other days, I go get my camera, only to find the cardinals long gone when I return. Last year, I actually left my camera downstairs for just this purpose, and eventually managed to snap a few cardinal pictures.
Well, yesterday morning a cardinal paid me a visit, and it was too pretty to pass up. I put down my cereal and sprinted upstairs to get my camera. And when I got back, the cardinal was still there! I took some quick pictures, only to realize that I needed the telephoto lens, which (of course) was still upstairs. I sprinted back upstairs and got the telephoto lens, and then sprinted back downstairs and changed lenses. The cardinal was on a different branch, but still there! I got two pictures of him before he took off, so all of my running was worthwhile! Here's the original, followed by the edited version.
No. 8 UNLV vs. No. 1 Kansas:
I love the Running Rebels, but not when they run into the top seeded Jayhawks. Kansas will keep on rolling. Jock, caulk, Marshall Faulk!
No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 4 Pittsburgh:
Michigan State is just too strong in the tournament. Temple learned that on Thursday. Now it's Pittsburgh's turn. Fo shizzo my Izzo. Spartans to the Sweet Sixteen!
No. 9 Texas A&M vs. No. 1 UCLA:
It was a real nail biter, but the Mormons knocked off the Aggies in the first round. If Mitt Romney were still alive today, he'd be so happy! Oh well. UCLA is going to mop the floor with BYU and send them back home to their wives. All of them.
*Now might be a good time to mention that I made all of my picks before the tournament began. As a result, they may not match up perfectly with the actual games being played.
**This fact probably isn't true, but isn't it sad that you had to think about it?
From the archives:
Wheel of Morality, turn, turn, turn. Tell us the lesson that we should learn. And today's lesson is... "Do not back up. Severe tire damage"
Explanation: This is one of the many morals generated by the Wheel of Morality on Animaniacs. Don't think too hard about it. Just check out my Saturday picks!
No. 7 West Virginia vs. No. 2 Duke:
I have Duke advancing to the Sweet Sixteen, not because I think they're all that good (as exhibited by their first round squeaker against Belmont) but because I don't think any of the other teams in the Washington, D.C. pod are better. Arizona put on a great show and quieted their doubters in the first round, but their tournament run ends today.*
No. 11 Kansas State vs. No. 3 Wisconsin:
Bye bye O.J. Mayo. Kansas State knocked off USC, but now faces a tougher test in a Wisconsin team that will continue to do everything in their power to STAY OUT OF WISCONSIN. Sure, there are breweries there, but people can only take so much Brett Favre and cheese.
No. 6 Purdue vs. No. 3 Xavier:
I know Xavier is the three seed, but Baylor looks like a team of destiny. It was enough of a story for them to get to the Big Dance, but their stunning first round upset of Purdue shocked everyone. Look for Baylor to continue their run and advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 4 Washington State:
Notre Dame and Winthrop both cruised in the first round, just as I predicted. I'm out of Trading Places jokes, so I think it's time for Winthrop to go home. Amazing fact: Notre Dame's 68 points in their first round game was more points than their football team scored all of last season.**
No. 6 Marquette vs. No. 3 Stanford:
Both Stanford and Marquette looked good in the first round, but this game is in Anaheim, and that's a huge advantage for Stanford. Look for the Cardinal to roll. Hey, speaking of "cardinal", here's a story for you:
On most mornings, I eat my breakfast cereal in our den, which has two windows looking out on the woods behind our house. Given the orientation of the house, the morning sun shines brightly onto the branches. Certain times of the year, we have some cardinals which greatly enjoy perching on the branches visible through my window. They sit there, an even brighter red than usual due to the sunshine, and mock me through the window because my camera is inevitably upstairs. On most days, I just sit and sulk because I know they won't be there by the time I return with my camera. On other days, I go get my camera, only to find the cardinals long gone when I return. Last year, I actually left my camera downstairs for just this purpose, and eventually managed to snap a few cardinal pictures.
Well, yesterday morning a cardinal paid me a visit, and it was too pretty to pass up. I put down my cereal and sprinted upstairs to get my camera. And when I got back, the cardinal was still there! I took some quick pictures, only to realize that I needed the telephoto lens, which (of course) was still upstairs. I sprinted back upstairs and got the telephoto lens, and then sprinted back downstairs and changed lenses. The cardinal was on a different branch, but still there! I got two pictures of him before he took off, so all of my running was worthwhile! Here's the original, followed by the edited version.
No. 8 UNLV vs. No. 1 Kansas:
I love the Running Rebels, but not when they run into the top seeded Jayhawks. Kansas will keep on rolling. Jock, caulk, Marshall Faulk!
No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 4 Pittsburgh:
Michigan State is just too strong in the tournament. Temple learned that on Thursday. Now it's Pittsburgh's turn. Fo shizzo my Izzo. Spartans to the Sweet Sixteen!
No. 9 Texas A&M vs. No. 1 UCLA:
It was a real nail biter, but the Mormons knocked off the Aggies in the first round. If Mitt Romney were still alive today, he'd be so happy! Oh well. UCLA is going to mop the floor with BYU and send them back home to their wives. All of them.
*Now might be a good time to mention that I made all of my picks before the tournament began. As a result, they may not match up perfectly with the actual games being played.
**This fact probably isn't true, but isn't it sad that you had to think about it?
Friday, March 21, 2008
Up Up To the Fraser Hill!
Let's Go Up To Fraser Hill!!!
This time.. i pay a visit to FRASER HILL!! yeah.. Hill again. hwahaha, my friend Msg me day before i go fraser hill, i tot as cold as cameron or genting.. but i'm wrong.. but at least is NOT HOT. hehehe.
Fraser Hill Landmark!! the Fraser Hill Clock Tower!! proven i'm here.
Archery!! Nothing much can do up here.. shoot lor..else go back hotel jor.
Archery!!! arrgg.. i can't get the bull eyes. you know why???
She dun let me.....-_-
Horse Riding is available in fraser hill...my first time ride on horse. is it ar? while i still a child i think i ride before.. can' really remember.. haha
Row Row Row your Boat.. oh ya.. don't forget something.. better bring.. you won't know what is going to happen next...
Ya.. Umbrella!!! just a while after we started.. heavy rain strike... then.. we having WAR among boat.. end up?? WET LOOK ... pity those who already out of cloth... hahaha
here where our accomodation is..SilverPark Resort.. well.. we expect worst than this.. but still better than our expectation.
here is our Vegetarian BAK KUT TEH!!! O.O", is our Dinner. not bad the taste.. just.. no meat.. T___T
Night time?? to celebrate 2 birthday Star.. hahaha.. what happen is really crazy... we were Mixing our own Cocktails.. using... London Dry Gin, Five Plus Skin ,Wine, Pepsi,Olong Tea, Orange Juice.. and...more..the result is.. Stunning.. both of them K.O.. haha
The Road here is 1 Way. yupe you didn't get me wrong.. is One Way!! so check your time before going time.. there time for "GOING UP" and "GOING DOWN".you arrived early? WAIT lor, you're late? same thing. still need to wait.
This time.. i pay a visit to FRASER HILL!! yeah.. Hill again. hwahaha, my friend Msg me day before i go fraser hill, i tot as cold as cameron or genting.. but i'm wrong.. but at least is NOT HOT. hehehe.
Fraser Hill Landmark!! the Fraser Hill Clock Tower!! proven i'm here.
Archery!! Nothing much can do up here.. shoot lor..else go back hotel jor.
Archery!!! arrgg.. i can't get the bull eyes. you know why???
She dun let me.....-_-
Horse Riding is available in fraser hill...my first time ride on horse. is it ar? while i still a child i think i ride before.. can' really remember.. haha
Row Row Row your Boat.. oh ya.. don't forget something.. better bring.. you won't know what is going to happen next...
Ya.. Umbrella!!! just a while after we started.. heavy rain strike... then.. we having WAR among boat.. end up?? WET LOOK ... pity those who already out of cloth... hahaha
here where our accomodation is..SilverPark Resort.. well.. we expect worst than this.. but still better than our expectation.
here is our Vegetarian BAK KUT TEH!!! O.O", is our Dinner. not bad the taste.. just.. no meat.. T___T
Night time?? to celebrate 2 birthday Star.. hahaha.. what happen is really crazy... we were Mixing our own Cocktails.. using... London Dry Gin, Five Plus Skin ,Wine, Pepsi,Olong Tea, Orange Juice.. and...more..the result is.. Stunning.. both of them K.O.. haha
The Road here is 1 Way. yupe you didn't get me wrong.. is One Way!! so check your time before going time.. there time for "GOING UP" and "GOING DOWN".you arrived early? WAIT lor, you're late? same thing. still need to wait.
2008 NCAA Tournament Spectacular - Day 2
Jeremy's Status Message presents the NCAA Tournament Spectacular! Full NCAA Tournament Coverage! Take an inside look into this expert's thought process in picking today's games!
Apparently Washington State did not appreciate my Trading Places joke yesterday.
Explanation: Washington State came out in halftime of a tied game versus Winthrop and outscored them 42-11 in the second half. So much for my 13-4 upset.
Instead of dwelling on how I did yesterday, which I think may be more annoying than people telling you about their fantasy football teams, I'll just give my Day 2 picks, listed in order of start time.
No. 15 American vs. No. 2 Tennessee:
As I have always said, it's un-American to root for Tennessee. Then again, as Bruce Pearl reminded me the other day, he and Pat Summitt have combined for SEVEN national championships. You can't pick against a tradition of success like that.
No. 10 Davidson vs. No. 7 Gonzaga:
I'm a sucker for Davidson. Last year, I was awed by Stephen Curry's tournament performance. Throw in the fact that his father is Dell Curry, one of Virginia Tech's greatest all-time basketball players, and I'm as excited about an underdog as I've been since the Earl Boykins days at Eastern Michigan. Go... (researching)... Wildcats!
No. 10 Saint Mary's vs. No. 7 Miami:
As a Virginia Tech Hokie, I cannot in good conscience root for the University of Miami. So, I'm taking Saint Mary's in the upset. Go... (researching)... Fighting Magi!*
No. 12 Western Kentucky vs. No. 5 Drake:
So, in college, we played a volleyball tournament in Kentucky. I had never been to Kentucky before, so I was a little nervous about what it would be like there. When we stopped for gas, the attendant at the gas station was named Cletis. My first interaction with someone in Kentucky, and his name was Cletis! Drake's, on the other hand, makes delicious snack products like Yodels and their emblem is a duck in a chef's hat. It's not that I took issue with Cletis. I just like Yodels more.
No. 10 South Alabama vs. No. 7 Butler:
Isn't "South Alabama" a little redundant? That's like naming a school "Liberal Vermont," "Sunny Florida," or "Ohio State Recruiting Scandal." Plus, I'm pretty sure Butler has scored an upset or two recently in the tournament. I have to go with them. And if they win, I get to say "Butler did it!"
No. 15 UMBC vs. No. 2 Georgetown:
I find it amusing that two schools that are just a few miles apart have to travel to North Carolina to play each other. I also find it amusing that UMBC is in the tournament and the University of Maryland is not. Regardless, Georgetown will move on to get crushed by my new hero Stephen Curry and the Davidson team he carries on his back.
No. 15 Austin Peay vs. No. 2 Texas:
First of all, I can't pronounce "Peay." Second of all, any school with "Austin" in the name should be in Texas, not Tennessee. Third of all, the Texas is going to squash this team like the Wonderlic squashed Vince Young. I can say stuff like that because my college never faced such an embarassment over a superstar quar... Let's just move on.
No. 13 San Diego vs. No. 4 Connecticut:
Given UConn's terrible performance the last few times I saw them in the tournament, I'd be nervous to pick them again. Since I have never seen San Diego in the tournament, though, I'll go with the stronger program. Just for the record, I'd much rather live in San Diego than in Connecticut.
No. 16 Mount St. Mary's vs. No. 1 North Carolina:
Sure, the Mount is a 16 seed. Sure, they're playing UNC in what is essentially a home game for the overall number one seed. The facts are the facts: Mount St. Mary's comes into this game with a better 2008 NCAA Tournament record than UNC.
No. 11 Saint Joseph's vs. No. 6 Oklahoma:
Oh, this is embarassing. I just looked up Saint Joseph's University to figure out where they were only to discover that the campus is less than 20 miles from my house. See, that is exactly why I'm picking Oklahoma.
No. 13 Siena vs. No. 4 Vanderbilt:
My wife went to Vanderbilt. Yes, I married a 'Dore. I know "Hokie" doesn't make much sense, but at least it doesn't require additional punctuation. Now that I think about it, last year, I picked against Vanderbilt and they won anyway. Of course, last year I won my basketball pool, too. Go Siena!
No. 9 Oregon vs. No. 8 Mississippi State:
Ah, the bitter rivalry between Oregon and Mississippi State continues. Yep, the Ducks and the Bulldogs - rivals in nature and on the basketball court. Once again, I'm going with the Ducks. What can I say? I love Yodels.
No. 9 Arkansas vs. No. 8 Indiana:
The moment I first saw this matchup, I said "there's no way I'm picking Indiana, because their coach left in the middle of the season." So, I'm picking Indiana. I think the SEC is THAT bad.
No. 14 Boise State vs. No. 3 Louisville:
If they were playing on the blue turf, I would pick Boise State without thinking twice. Since there is no turf at all, I'm going to go with the basketball school instead. Oh, and I'll lay even odds that Brian Brohm is hurt during the game.
No. 12 Villanova vs. No. 5 Clemson:
Any team that can wear purple and orange and still get to the ACC Tournament finals has my vote. This reminds me of Bob Knight's leprechaun story - funniest thing I've never heard.
No. 16 Texas-Arlington vs. No. 1 Memphis:
I'm walking in Texas-Arlington. Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale. Walking in Texas-Arlington. But do I really feel the way I feel? Nope. I'll stick with Memphis.
*This is a joke. I have no idea what the Saint Mary's mascot is.
Apparently Washington State did not appreciate my Trading Places joke yesterday.
Explanation: Washington State came out in halftime of a tied game versus Winthrop and outscored them 42-11 in the second half. So much for my 13-4 upset.
Instead of dwelling on how I did yesterday, which I think may be more annoying than people telling you about their fantasy football teams, I'll just give my Day 2 picks, listed in order of start time.
No. 15 American vs. No. 2 Tennessee:
As I have always said, it's un-American to root for Tennessee. Then again, as Bruce Pearl reminded me the other day, he and Pat Summitt have combined for SEVEN national championships. You can't pick against a tradition of success like that.
No. 10 Davidson vs. No. 7 Gonzaga:
I'm a sucker for Davidson. Last year, I was awed by Stephen Curry's tournament performance. Throw in the fact that his father is Dell Curry, one of Virginia Tech's greatest all-time basketball players, and I'm as excited about an underdog as I've been since the Earl Boykins days at Eastern Michigan. Go... (researching)... Wildcats!
No. 10 Saint Mary's vs. No. 7 Miami:
As a Virginia Tech Hokie, I cannot in good conscience root for the University of Miami. So, I'm taking Saint Mary's in the upset. Go... (researching)... Fighting Magi!*
No. 12 Western Kentucky vs. No. 5 Drake:
So, in college, we played a volleyball tournament in Kentucky. I had never been to Kentucky before, so I was a little nervous about what it would be like there. When we stopped for gas, the attendant at the gas station was named Cletis. My first interaction with someone in Kentucky, and his name was Cletis! Drake's, on the other hand, makes delicious snack products like Yodels and their emblem is a duck in a chef's hat. It's not that I took issue with Cletis. I just like Yodels more.
No. 10 South Alabama vs. No. 7 Butler:
Isn't "South Alabama" a little redundant? That's like naming a school "Liberal Vermont," "Sunny Florida," or "Ohio State Recruiting Scandal." Plus, I'm pretty sure Butler has scored an upset or two recently in the tournament. I have to go with them. And if they win, I get to say "Butler did it!"
No. 15 UMBC vs. No. 2 Georgetown:
I find it amusing that two schools that are just a few miles apart have to travel to North Carolina to play each other. I also find it amusing that UMBC is in the tournament and the University of Maryland is not. Regardless, Georgetown will move on to get crushed by my new hero Stephen Curry and the Davidson team he carries on his back.
No. 15 Austin Peay vs. No. 2 Texas:
First of all, I can't pronounce "Peay." Second of all, any school with "Austin" in the name should be in Texas, not Tennessee. Third of all, the Texas is going to squash this team like the Wonderlic squashed Vince Young. I can say stuff like that because my college never faced such an embarassment over a superstar quar... Let's just move on.
No. 13 San Diego vs. No. 4 Connecticut:
Given UConn's terrible performance the last few times I saw them in the tournament, I'd be nervous to pick them again. Since I have never seen San Diego in the tournament, though, I'll go with the stronger program. Just for the record, I'd much rather live in San Diego than in Connecticut.
No. 16 Mount St. Mary's vs. No. 1 North Carolina:
Sure, the Mount is a 16 seed. Sure, they're playing UNC in what is essentially a home game for the overall number one seed. The facts are the facts: Mount St. Mary's comes into this game with a better 2008 NCAA Tournament record than UNC.
No. 11 Saint Joseph's vs. No. 6 Oklahoma:
Oh, this is embarassing. I just looked up Saint Joseph's University to figure out where they were only to discover that the campus is less than 20 miles from my house. See, that is exactly why I'm picking Oklahoma.
No. 13 Siena vs. No. 4 Vanderbilt:
My wife went to Vanderbilt. Yes, I married a 'Dore. I know "Hokie" doesn't make much sense, but at least it doesn't require additional punctuation. Now that I think about it, last year, I picked against Vanderbilt and they won anyway. Of course, last year I won my basketball pool, too. Go Siena!
No. 9 Oregon vs. No. 8 Mississippi State:
Ah, the bitter rivalry between Oregon and Mississippi State continues. Yep, the Ducks and the Bulldogs - rivals in nature and on the basketball court. Once again, I'm going with the Ducks. What can I say? I love Yodels.
No. 9 Arkansas vs. No. 8 Indiana:
The moment I first saw this matchup, I said "there's no way I'm picking Indiana, because their coach left in the middle of the season." So, I'm picking Indiana. I think the SEC is THAT bad.
No. 14 Boise State vs. No. 3 Louisville:
If they were playing on the blue turf, I would pick Boise State without thinking twice. Since there is no turf at all, I'm going to go with the basketball school instead. Oh, and I'll lay even odds that Brian Brohm is hurt during the game.
No. 12 Villanova vs. No. 5 Clemson:
Any team that can wear purple and orange and still get to the ACC Tournament finals has my vote. This reminds me of Bob Knight's leprechaun story - funniest thing I've never heard.
No. 16 Texas-Arlington vs. No. 1 Memphis:
I'm walking in Texas-Arlington. Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale. Walking in Texas-Arlington. But do I really feel the way I feel? Nope. I'll stick with Memphis.
*This is a joke. I have no idea what the Saint Mary's mascot is.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
2008 NCAA Tournament Spectacular - Day 1
Jeremy's Status Message presents the NCAA Tournament Spectacular! Full NCAA Tournament Coverage! Take an inside look into this expert's thought process in picking today's games!
Let the Post-February Chaos begin!
Explanation: Well, that other phrase is copywritten left and right, so I'm stuck making up my own term. I chose this over "Third Month Mahem."
OK, let's get to the good stuff. Here are my picks for today's games, listed in order of start time. Read my predictions carefully, as you will certainly have an opportunity to mock them at a later time.
No. 14 Georgia vs. No. 3 Xavier:
Does anyone have any idea of what to make of Georgia? They went 4-12 in the SEC and then won 4 games in 4 days to win the SEC tournament. Of course, this is a weak SEC and they didn't beat either Vanderbilt or Tennessee in the tournament. Plus, the SEC Tournament was in Atlanta. I have to go with Xavier as the higher seed here - the "X" makes it sound cool.
No. 16 Portland State vs. No. 1 Kansas:
I didn't know Portland State was a real life actual school until I started typing this. Therefore, I will pick Kansas. I am, however, rooting for K.U. to lose just so I don't have to hear anything about rocks or chalk.
No. 12 Temple vs. No. 5 Michigan State:
This is the first of the dreaded 5-12 matchups, but an easy pick: Michigan State always plays well in the tournament. Temple does have John Chaney and Bill Cosby going for them, but neither will be on the court. I do like those Jello Pudding Pops, though.
No. 11 Kentucky vs. No. 6 Marquette:
Kentucky started off the season horribly, but finished strongly in the SEC. Their only losses since January 22 were at Tennessee and at Vanderbilt, and then to Georgia in the SEC tournament. The key word here is "SEC." Meanwhile, Marquette is a Big East team. I have to remind myself, because I forget that every year. In spite of the Ashley Judd factor, I have to go with the better conference here.
No. 11 Baylor vs. No. 6 Purdue:
I could say that the Big Twelve is a better conference than the Big Ten this year, or I could note that Purdue has done much better against ranked opponents, though. Really, though, I'm pulling for Baylor because they're a "feel good" story.
No. 9 Kent State vs. No. 8 UNLV:
I don't care how many years it's been since 1990, I can't pick against UNLV.
No. 13 Oral Roberts vs. No. 4 Pittsburgh:
If the mascots were battling, I'd pick Oral Roberts. Unfortunately for them, they're not. Go Panthers!
No. 14 Cornell vs. No. 3 Stanford:
I'm guessing this is the best academic matchup in the tournament. Unfortunately for Cornell, this South Bracket game will be played in Anaheim, California.
No. 11 Kansas State vs. No. 6 USC:
Michael Beasley vs. O.J. Mayo. I don't like O.J. Mayo because of his last play as a high school player so I'm picking K-State.
No. 15 Belmont vs. No. 2 Duke:
The bad news for Belmont is that they're facing Duke. The good news is that they're not facing Secretariat.
No. 13 Winthrop vs. No. 4 Washington State:
Sure, Winthrop has made noise in the tournament, but more importantly, Dan Akroyd played him in Trading Places.
No. 9 Texas A&M vs. No. 8 Brigham Young:
Aggies vs. Mormons. I'm picking the Mormons. Why? With Romney out, they have to win something this year.
No. 14 Cal State Fullerton vs. No. 3 Wisconsin:
Just for the record, let me say that I always mess up my Wisconsin picks. Every single freakin' year. With that disclaimer, I think they'll roll in this game.
No. 10 Arizona vs. No. 7 West Virginia:
Everyone is saying that Arizona shouldn't be in the tournament. That's reason enough for me to pick them. Plus, they have a very low probability of getting Pittsnogled in this game.
No. 12 George Mason vs. No. 5 Notre Dame:
Every idiot in the country will see "George Mason" and assume that they're going to pull an upset. They're like the new Gonzaga. Plus, this is a 5-12 game, so there HAS to be an upset, right? I have a secret weapon, though. I hate Notre Dame and they always screw me over in my pool. Therefore, I'm picking them. You're welcome, George Mason fans.
No. 16 Mississippi Valley State vs. No. 1 UCLA:
I read "Mississippi Valley State" and remembered that Jerry Rice went there. Good for them. They're going to get slaughtered.
Let the Post-February Chaos begin!
Explanation: Well, that other phrase is copywritten left and right, so I'm stuck making up my own term. I chose this over "Third Month Mahem."
OK, let's get to the good stuff. Here are my picks for today's games, listed in order of start time. Read my predictions carefully, as you will certainly have an opportunity to mock them at a later time.
No. 14 Georgia vs. No. 3 Xavier:
Does anyone have any idea of what to make of Georgia? They went 4-12 in the SEC and then won 4 games in 4 days to win the SEC tournament. Of course, this is a weak SEC and they didn't beat either Vanderbilt or Tennessee in the tournament. Plus, the SEC Tournament was in Atlanta. I have to go with Xavier as the higher seed here - the "X" makes it sound cool.
No. 16 Portland State vs. No. 1 Kansas:
I didn't know Portland State was a real life actual school until I started typing this. Therefore, I will pick Kansas. I am, however, rooting for K.U. to lose just so I don't have to hear anything about rocks or chalk.
No. 12 Temple vs. No. 5 Michigan State:
This is the first of the dreaded 5-12 matchups, but an easy pick: Michigan State always plays well in the tournament. Temple does have John Chaney and Bill Cosby going for them, but neither will be on the court. I do like those Jello Pudding Pops, though.
No. 11 Kentucky vs. No. 6 Marquette:
Kentucky started off the season horribly, but finished strongly in the SEC. Their only losses since January 22 were at Tennessee and at Vanderbilt, and then to Georgia in the SEC tournament. The key word here is "SEC." Meanwhile, Marquette is a Big East team. I have to remind myself, because I forget that every year. In spite of the Ashley Judd factor, I have to go with the better conference here.
No. 11 Baylor vs. No. 6 Purdue:
I could say that the Big Twelve is a better conference than the Big Ten this year, or I could note that Purdue has done much better against ranked opponents, though. Really, though, I'm pulling for Baylor because they're a "feel good" story.
No. 9 Kent State vs. No. 8 UNLV:
I don't care how many years it's been since 1990, I can't pick against UNLV.
No. 13 Oral Roberts vs. No. 4 Pittsburgh:
If the mascots were battling, I'd pick Oral Roberts. Unfortunately for them, they're not. Go Panthers!
No. 14 Cornell vs. No. 3 Stanford:
I'm guessing this is the best academic matchup in the tournament. Unfortunately for Cornell, this South Bracket game will be played in Anaheim, California.
No. 11 Kansas State vs. No. 6 USC:
Michael Beasley vs. O.J. Mayo. I don't like O.J. Mayo because of his last play as a high school player so I'm picking K-State.
No. 15 Belmont vs. No. 2 Duke:
The bad news for Belmont is that they're facing Duke. The good news is that they're not facing Secretariat.
No. 13 Winthrop vs. No. 4 Washington State:
Sure, Winthrop has made noise in the tournament, but more importantly, Dan Akroyd played him in Trading Places.
No. 9 Texas A&M vs. No. 8 Brigham Young:
Aggies vs. Mormons. I'm picking the Mormons. Why? With Romney out, they have to win something this year.
No. 14 Cal State Fullerton vs. No. 3 Wisconsin:
Just for the record, let me say that I always mess up my Wisconsin picks. Every single freakin' year. With that disclaimer, I think they'll roll in this game.
No. 10 Arizona vs. No. 7 West Virginia:
Everyone is saying that Arizona shouldn't be in the tournament. That's reason enough for me to pick them. Plus, they have a very low probability of getting Pittsnogled in this game.
No. 12 George Mason vs. No. 5 Notre Dame:
Every idiot in the country will see "George Mason" and assume that they're going to pull an upset. They're like the new Gonzaga. Plus, this is a 5-12 game, so there HAS to be an upset, right? I have a secret weapon, though. I hate Notre Dame and they always screw me over in my pool. Therefore, I'm picking them. You're welcome, George Mason fans.
No. 16 Mississippi Valley State vs. No. 1 UCLA:
I read "Mississippi Valley State" and remembered that Jerry Rice went there. Good for them. They're going to get slaughtered.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
.
Debajo de nuestras piernas había metros y metros. Estábamos sentados en la cornisa, con los pies colgando sobre el vacío.
Javi encendió dos cigarros a la vez y me pasó uno.
- Hay dos tipos de personas, a los que les han partido la cara y a los que todavía se la tienen que partir.
Quise preguntarle a qué tipo de personas pertenecía yo, pero no me atreví y, en su lugar, le pregunté que por qué lo había hecho.
- ¿El qué?, dijo Javi
- Ya lo sabes
Tiró el cigarro al vacío y se apartó del borde, como si temiera que le fuesen a empujar.
- Me apetecía. Tenía ganas de probarlo
Yo también tiré el cigarro y también me levanté. Nos encaminamos a la puerta.
- ¿Y si yo también lo pruebo?
- No te lo recomiendo, el suicidio es un lugar solitario.
Javi encendió dos cigarros a la vez y me pasó uno.
- Hay dos tipos de personas, a los que les han partido la cara y a los que todavía se la tienen que partir.
Quise preguntarle a qué tipo de personas pertenecía yo, pero no me atreví y, en su lugar, le pregunté que por qué lo había hecho.
- ¿El qué?, dijo Javi
- Ya lo sabes
Tiró el cigarro al vacío y se apartó del borde, como si temiera que le fuesen a empujar.
- Me apetecía. Tenía ganas de probarlo
Yo también tiré el cigarro y también me levanté. Nos encaminamos a la puerta.
- ¿Y si yo también lo pruebo?
- No te lo recomiendo, el suicidio es un lugar solitario.
Status of the Famous: Samuel F. B. Morse
Ever wonder what a famous person would have as their instant messaging status at work? Well now you'll know! Jeremy's Status Message proudly presents, Status Messages of the Famous:
-.. --- - -.. --- - -.. --- - / -.. --- - -.. .- ... .... / -.. .- ... .... -.. .- ... .... / -.. --- - -.. --- - / -.. --- - -.. .- ... .... / -.. .- ... .... -.. .- ... ....
Famous Person: Samuel F. B. Morse
Explanation: Morse's status is the text "Dotdotdot dotdash dashdash dotdot dotdash dashdash" in Morse code. Get it? The Morse code translates to Morse code! After a second translation, Morse's status is "Sam I am."
While searching United States Patents, I came across Mr. Morse's Patents Number 1,647 and Number 6,420. Fun stuff.
By the way, I used this site to generate the Morse code above. I should also mention that the Morse estate in Poughkeepsie, NY, is a good place to eat Chinese food with your coworkers.
The Last I'll Care About Baseball This Year: The Yankees eeked out an 11-0 win over Virginia Tech yesterday. Say what you want about George Steinbrenner's legacy - I'll forever be grateful that he set this in motion.
LEGO Creation of the Day: This scene has it all: a castle invasion, pouring lava, a crocodile in a tarpit. Fun for the whole family!
-.. --- - -.. --- - -.. --- - / -.. --- - -.. .- ... .... / -.. .- ... .... -.. .- ... .... / -.. --- - -.. --- - / -.. --- - -.. .- ... .... / -.. .- ... .... -.. .- ... ....
Famous Person: Samuel F. B. Morse
Explanation: Morse's status is the text "Dotdotdot dotdash dashdash dotdot dotdash dashdash" in Morse code. Get it? The Morse code translates to Morse code! After a second translation, Morse's status is "Sam I am."
While searching United States Patents, I came across Mr. Morse's Patents Number 1,647 and Number 6,420. Fun stuff.
By the way, I used this site to generate the Morse code above. I should also mention that the Morse estate in Poughkeepsie, NY, is a good place to eat Chinese food with your coworkers.
The Last I'll Care About Baseball This Year: The Yankees eeked out an 11-0 win over Virginia Tech yesterday. Say what you want about George Steinbrenner's legacy - I'll forever be grateful that he set this in motion.
LEGO Creation of the Day: This scene has it all: a castle invasion, pouring lava, a crocodile in a tarpit. Fun for the whole family!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Change of Plans
So I had another post planned, but I don't feel very good and I'm stressed out and I'm packing to go to Portland tomorrow, because Ryan has a great job opportunity there and so they are flying me out, so that I can get excited about moving to Portland.Should I?
(Get excited, I mean.)
..
Él tenía insomnio y ella se hacía la dormida. La estaba acariciando los brazos mientras recordaba que ese día había vuelto pronto a casa.
- Un día con poco trabajo, pensó.
Tatuar aquella frase en la pierna de la chica gorda no había supuesto más esfuerzo que el intentar olvidarlo. La frase era: "Soy un ser para el olvido".
Siguió acariciando las manos y ella extendió los dedos para que él pasase sus dedos por los suyos.
Sin que él pudiera quitarse de la cabeza a la chica gorda, empezaron a hacer el amor.
Yeah, That's Right, You Blouse-Wearing Poodle Walker
Bonjourrrrrrr, you cheese eating surrender monkeys!
Source: From The Simpsons episode Round Springfield, where budget cuts at Springfield Elementary School forced Groundskeeper Willie to teach a French class.
Explanation: Today's message is a long-distance dedication from Steve in Poughkeepsie to his favorite person from Surrenderville, Europe.
Special Blog Bonus: I am always amused by the selection of ads that appear on my blog, but today's was really worth mentioning. Apparently, my site is an ideal place to advertise for shoes that increase your height.* OK, I'll admit it. I've been "lifting". I wear them to boost myself up to 6'8".
Here's a Far Side to help you forget about your altitude deficiency:
Important Scheduling Note: At 3pm today, the New York Yankees play at Virginia Tech. You can see the game live here.
*For those of you keeping track at home, my advertisers think you are a short single Christian who likes Napoleon Dynamite.
Source: From The Simpsons episode Round Springfield, where budget cuts at Springfield Elementary School forced Groundskeeper Willie to teach a French class.
Explanation: Today's message is a long-distance dedication from Steve in Poughkeepsie to his favorite person from Surrenderville, Europe.
Special Blog Bonus: I am always amused by the selection of ads that appear on my blog, but today's was really worth mentioning. Apparently, my site is an ideal place to advertise for shoes that increase your height.* OK, I'll admit it. I've been "lifting". I wear them to boost myself up to 6'8".
Here's a Far Side to help you forget about your altitude deficiency:
Important Scheduling Note: At 3pm today, the New York Yankees play at Virginia Tech. You can see the game live here.
*For those of you keeping track at home, my advertisers think you are a short single Christian who likes Napoleon Dynamite.
Monday, March 17, 2008
How to overcelebrate a minor holiday
1. Put little green footprints leading from the window to the landing on the stairs. 
2. Fill a pot with gold foiled candy and rainbow Skittles, with a box of Lucky Charms.
3. Feel sorry for the teachers who have to deal with these kids on their breakfast sugar highs:
4. Dress your darling kids (and yourself, sorry Zeeny!) in lots o' green.
5. For dinner, invite friends to share in the feast of Corned Beef and Cabbage, Irish Soda Bread,
and Lime Jello with Gold Nuggets (pineapple chunks). (Click on the dishes for links to the recipes).
6. Make these ridiculous leprechaun ears (thanks, Betsy), so your kids can look like this:
7. Set the table in all the green WalMart has to offer
8. Since in the their sugar-induced coma your children probably learned nothing at school, provide them a "Charming Math" worksheet, where they go through bowls of Lucky Charms, sorting and adding all the marshmallow shapes they find.
9. Finish off your pointless holiday celebrating with this yummy treat: Pistachio Dessert:
10. Thank your mom for all these fun holiday traditions; ridiculous amount of work...fun memories for everyone.
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