I think that...

What did I do to deserve this?

2009-07-18T11:51:00.002-05:00

I have the theme from "Arthur" stuck in my head. Why? Why? Why?

When you get caught between the moon and New York City
I know it's crazy, but it's true
When you get caught between the moon and New York City
The best that you can do is fall in love

A day late, but...

2009-07-05T21:54:00.001-05:00

I couldn't let our most patriotic holiday pass by without our most patriotic rock anthem. Enjoy!

Unbelievable.

2009-06-27T22:11:00.001-05:00

U.S. vs. Egypt highlights

U.S. vs. Spain highlights

From the Onion...

2009-06-17T17:30:00.000-05:00

The Timewaster

2009-05-16T22:19:00.004-05:00

Occasionally, I'll entertain the idea of getting rid of my computer. I go through moments where I think I simply spend too much time on it. I'm having one of those moments.

However, instead of just impulsively giving it away to someone (not exactly uncharacteristic of me), I'm going to figure out just how much time I've been spending on it. Or, more accurately, I'm going to find how much I use it by severely limiting my time on it. So, for this next week, I'm going to limit myself to 1 hour a day using the ol' computational device.

That may not seem like a big deal, but since getting laid off in October and my wife getting hurt in December, my time at home has multiplied, as has the computer time. So, I'm going to see what happens when I am counting those minutes a little more closely.

And who knows, I might actually follow up on this post and let you know how it goes. Please, folks, push back from the edge of your seats. That's just plain dangerous.

A good read

2009-04-23T23:17:00.003-05:00

This is completely random, but I ran across a great feature on ESPN.com about a 73-year-old college basketball player (and yes, you read that correctly). It's not what you'd expect, but it's really a fascinating and well-written profile of a man and the way he views his own life. It's pretty long, but well worth it.

The Legend of Ken Mink

Thank you, NutriSystem

2009-04-23T15:39:00.002-05:00

Thank you, NutriSystem, for freely giving us one of the most moronic lines that I've ever heard, much less in trying to promote a product. My disbelief at the line - and the number of people who had to get stupid in order to let it get on air - may have stunted my ability to remember the exact wording, so I apologize for that. Even so, I can't let it pass.

So without further ado (or Adu, or Edu)...here's what one of their "successful" clients enthusiastically remarked about all of those wonderful NutriSystem meals:

"Each meal was better than the next!"

Time for my annual post

2009-03-29T22:06:00.003-05:00

Hi.

I just saw a commercial for a morning show in Austin where they happily announced that on the next show, "we'll tell you who our favorite Osbornes are!" Who can decide?

I've been trying for 15 minutes to figure out a clever way to say that I managed to plow into the bedroom dresser in the middle of the night while on my way to the bathroom. Actually, the best part is after I walked into the dresser, I slammed my head into a picture box on the wall, opening a nice little gash on the bridge of my nose. It hoited.

My beloved US Soccer team almost lost to El Salvador last night, causing yours truly to get himself in a tizzy. Thankfully, they came back from 2-0 down with 15 minutes to play to tie the game and avoid a massive upset. They have the chance to improve on that performance this Wednesday against Trinidad & Tobago, but I know you know that.

And the winner is...

2008-07-12T22:50:00.001-05:00

...clearly my sister, who actually checked my blog only 4 days after I wrote the post. I was honestly thinking it would take a month.

That's right, this also clearly tells us that she's got nothing better to do than to check my blog, even though she's in a daily battle with 4 (or 5 or 6...whatever) children and snakes. Let's hear it for my sis! Even my wife, whose browser opens my blog as one of her home pages, didn't notice. I think she'd given up hope.

And Will, you almost had me convinced that you'd checked the blog less than 30 minutes after I'd posted, but then again, I'm completely lying.

I don't know about 20 pounds of Elgin sausage, but I'll think happy thoughts toward your direction, cko! And I'll throw in a prized uh...well, I'll think of something.

Congratulations everyone! The next prize will go to the person who guesses when my wife will see this post and whether she will: (a) say something to me right away; (b) not say anything at all about it to trip me up; or, (c) 'rig' this part of the prize-giving to correspond with someone's guess.

So it's a two-parter this time, and all the kids are welcome to join in.

New Stuff at the "Chair"

2008-07-07T11:18:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I'm admitting that maybe I'm not updating this thing so much anymore. There, I did it. I feel so much better.

I've been a little busy...I'm all married and stuff now, you know? In fact, today is our one monthiversary, so celebrate with us.

So here are some very quick updates for you folks - and be sure to enter the contest (details below).

- I live in a small town now. The smallest town I've lived in before this was, in population terms, 80 times larger. It's an adjustment.

- My lovely wife is, at this moment, in a Biology class too complicated for my little brain. It's her second-to-last undergrad class, and she's going to kick its butt. She'll take her degree-clinching class in the fall semester, and we'll party like it's 2008 or something.

- I'm not taking any summer classes, though I'm taking two in the fall: "Intro to Advanced Mathematics" and "Mass Media & Society". After somehow salvaging two B grades in Calculus I & II, I'm waiting until I forget every bit of that knowledge so I can ramp up the difficulty level of Calculus III. Oh, man, I don't even want to think about Calculus III. Should I really be a math major? We'll see.

So here's the contest. Since, rightfully, no one in their right mind would actually check this blog on a regular basis, be the first to leave a comment and I'll come up with some appropriate prize. However, this contest is limited to those who: (a) aren't married to me, and (b) don't use something that pulled this automatically, like Bloglines or some such RSS reader. Feel free to comment, though, on your excitement at the (cough!) return of this blog, and the vague non-exciting nature of the so-called "contest" and "prize".

Check out the Orange Chair for the latest in year-old thoughts on your favorite game. I actually started this post purely for the purpose of showing you the cool 2007 highlight video of US Soccer. You know you want to see it.

Worthy of a Blog Post

2008-02-13T09:06:00.003-06:00

I know I haven't been around in a while, but hey, this is worth blogging about. Enjoy! I'll try to be back before another 3 months...

In the most delightful way

2007-11-06T16:37:00.000-06:00

Here's some random trivia that I just learned, through methods you need not know.

Did you know:

(1) that Mary Poppins was an acerbic and vain character in the book series? The kids in the book were drawn to her magical abilities, but otherwise she was a nasty person.

(2) that the book that Bambi was based on was much darker and brutal than the movie?

So, is the song stuck in your head yet? BWAA HAA HAAAAAAAAA!!!!

Baby Momma Drama

2007-10-18T16:25:00.000-05:00

Nah, not really - just trying to get your attention. After all, my last post is kind of a tough act to follow. :-)

But allow me to offer some insights into my life these days. In a word, it's busy. I feel like I'm in constant motion. I'm putting lots of miles on the ol' Civic with my three-night-a-week school habit. Sometimes I'll stop by the apartment after work, most of the time I'll just go straight to San Marcos. I'm a little familiar with the commute at this point.

Here's the crazy part. Me and the future Mrs. Knox (232 days, 23 hours, 12 minutes, 58 seconds - but who's counting?) hardly get to see each other. My schedule is ridiculous during the week, so weekends are really our only time together. Most couples start slowly as far as being around each other and then progressively spend more and more time with each other. For us it's been the opposite. Bummer.

That said, it does make the future look brighter, does it? (Lots of editing helped this sentence turn out blandly.)

You kids be good now - maybe I'll blog again before December or something.

I have an annoucement...

2007-09-28T23:12:00.000-05:00

I'm engaged.

Gaze upon the happy couple! Gaze!

Good news in sports...no, really.

2007-09-21T16:08:00.000-05:00

I thought this was such a great show of sportsmanship, I'd share it.

Here's the backstory - some time back, two English soccer teams, Leicester City and Nottingham Forest, were playing in a League Cup game. The League Cup is a really big deal to these teams...it can be compared to the playoffs in American sports.

Well, during the first match, Nottingham Forest was ahead 1-0 at halftime when a Leicester defender had a heart attack and the game was 'abandoned', as if it never happened.

They replayed the game the other day, and even though they had every right to start off fresh, Leicester's team officials had the idea to allow Forest to score without any opposition so the match would immediately be 1-0. Here's a quote from the Leicester City owner:

"It was a gift from everyone at Leicester City for the way Forest behaved in the first game," Mandaric said. "We wanted to show that morality and fair play are not dead in the game."

How's that for fair play? At the beginning of the video is the surreal scene of the goalkeeper for Forest walking through the defense, giving a high five to his counterpart, and hitting the ball into the net. In a game where goals come at a premium (much to the chagrin of many Americans), that's pretty good stuff.

A peek inside the numbers

2007-09-06T10:34:00.000-05:00

I have no earthly idea why this came to mind the other day, but just to tell you a little bit about myself as a younger 'zilla...

When I was a kid, I used to keep track of all sorts of stats, which was perfect since my favorite sport was baseball, which is all about the numbers. I used to 'play' baseball in my room, which consisted of me propping up baseball cards in the 9 positions of the field (made easier with thick carpet), using folded board game boards as the outfield wall, and 'throwing' a pitch (a.k.a., a paper wad) from the pitcher to the batter. Then, the batter would hit the ball. If the 'ball' would hit a fielder's card on the fly, then the batter was clearly out. Otherwise, I'd make up some scenario for how the at-bat played out. Naturally, I'd keep stats on how all of this transpired, even going so far as to decorate my 1st grade yearbook with baseball lineups.

I'm sure it must have been quite amusing for my older brother and sister as they passed by my room, hearing me commentate the action as I played. This sort of thing repeated itself when I had a little Nerf Hoop as well. I also played balloon tennis, but we'll talk about that some other time. Or not.

Frankly, if Texas A&M (or TexAandM) had nearly the winning percentage in real life that they did in my little imaginary games, they'd actually be as good as most Aggies predict their (name a sport) team will be in (insert year, always in the future).

But anyway, I wasn't even thinking about these examples when considering my stats preoccupation. Here's one for you: I had a bunch of Charlie Brown/Peanuts cartoon books, and it's possible that I might have gone through them, painstakingly making note of how many times a character would show up in the comic strips. Yes, it's true. I still remember that Charlie Brown only ruled that stat in very early books.

And yes, I spent a lot of time playing by myself. Why do you ask? :-)

Sorry to interrupt...

2007-09-02T15:51:00.000-05:00

I know you're too busy keeping your eyes on the Detroit Shock vs. Indiana Fever WNBA playoff series, but I thought I might check in and provide the obligatory update.

My adventures at Texas State started on August 22 and it's been good so far. I'm taking Calculus and Intro to Fine Arts, so that takes care of my free time on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. It's going to be a challenge figuring out a reasonable schedule of doing homework, hanging out with friends (including my Special Friend), and just plain relaxing.

Naturally, because of this, I just finished watching a soccer match on Telefutura, where they talk that there Spanish language. I had reached the "uh...I'm too stupid" point on my Calculus homework and had to put that on pause until I find out how to do some of these problems. Paging Dr. Pepper...Dr. Ryan Pepper...

Enjoy your weekend. Don't be such a stranger now.

More humor

2007-08-23T10:52:00.000-05:00

My favorite comedian...Brian Regan.

You deserve some humor

2007-08-22T10:41:00.000-05:00

Well, Well, Well...If It Isn't A Family-Owned Retailer

Where do you live again?

2007-08-08T21:52:00.000-05:00

The Brown Eyed Girl and I went to Sea World yesterday, and on the way there she said something that made me start thinking about how many different places I've lived in my life.

Suffice it to say that the number is ridiculous, or at least I think it is. I have moved 23 times. 23. That includes 11 times in the past 13 years that I've been in Austin.

I know there are folks who have done it a lot more than me, and I don't see how they can stand it. I know I'm pretty sick of it myself. One of these days, I'm gonna go nuts and live somewhere for over 2 years or something crazy like that.

Sea World was great, by the way. Maybe they have an efficiency I could check out...

Whoopsie...

2007-07-26T14:17:00.001-05:00

Why?

2007-07-20T14:04:00.000-05:00

As you may or may not know (or care), I review contracts for a homebuilder. During the course of my day, I see the earnest money checks that people give us.

A number of couples will have both the husband and wife's info on the check, which obviously makes sense. But I just saw a check that baffles me as to why they even bothered, so maybe you can help out. Their names were listed on the check as:

JOHN SHAW
MRS. JOHN SHAW

Naturally I changed the names to protect myself, but anyone have any ideas why someone would do that? I really want it to be because this exchange occurred:

WIFE: Honey, when you reorder the checks, can you make sure my name is on them this time?
HUSBAND: Sure.

(cut to 2 weeks later, checks have arrived)

WIFE: I thought I told you to make sure my name was on these things.
HUSBAND: Your name IS on them now.

(WIFE slaps HUSBAND silly.)

Dave & the Math

2007-07-19T08:58:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe I wasn't watching Tuesday night. In my sickness haze, I forgot about MuteMath on Letterman...seems like by his response they could very well be invited back. This is a moment where I'm thankful for Youtube.

So I'm also a fan of Mike & Mike in the Morning, the very popular nationally-syndicated (and televised) ESPN radio show. Incidentally, they were also on Letterman Tuesday night, which is nice. Why? Because sometimes at work I'll listen to clips of their shows. Well, I just started the Wednesday morning show and what was the first thing I heard? "Typical" by MuteMath. Very nice. I'm still listening to the show, but I've already heard "Plan B" as well.

Other than missing my favorite band on national TV, I'm trying to get past being sick. In fact, you might even say that I'm sick of being sick. I've had a nasty cold and subsequent ear infection for over a week now, and I'm still not back to feeling good. It's a lot better than it was, but it's still annoying. Wah, wah, wah. I did get a good night's sleep last night, so I've got that going for me.

In other other news, my mom is coming into town tomorrow, so she'll meet you-know-who (and I think you do). It's hard to get excited about much at this point since I'm kind of dizzy and my head feels like it's twice its actual size, but I am looking forward to it. That will also signal that we've met each other's complete immediate family, so that's a good thing.

So what's new with you?

Meet the parents

2007-07-09T14:45:00.000-05:00

So it's Family Month here at Zilla Central. Me and the Brown Eyed Girl are going to the Metroplex to stay at Dad's place on Friday night, where she will be subjected to more Knoxes than a person should really have to withstand. Since Dad has a pool, these are always good times to test my theory about water displacement: that is, I can cause a lot of it. (Not so much a theory as a stone cold fact.)

So if she survives all of that, Mom will be in town the next weekend, just for the heck of it, apparently. Or that she wants to meet the woman crazy enough to be my girlfriend. One or the other.

Poor Brown Eyed Girl - there's no telling how much of this she can take.

In other news, I am now on Facebook. If you don't know what that is, don't worry, but if you do, look me up. We can be friends. Or something. While I strongly considered going by the handle "Creepy Old Guy", I decided to stick with my given name. Feel free to find me.

Hi there.

2007-06-30T23:57:00.000-05:00

All together now: Awwwww...

Luby's @ 4pm. Be there.

2007-06-27T10:48:00.000-05:00

I get to see my Brown Eyed Girl tonight. This is very good news. I haven't seen her since Sunday. SUNDAY, I tell you!

In other news, my brother's birthday is tomorrow. I think he's 60 or something, but I should use my observational skills and logic to confirm it. Let's see...he goes to bed around 8pm, is losing his hair, wakes up at 4 or 5, and I think he mostly watches documentaries, the Weather Channel and Military History Channel. Yep, he's definitely in his 60s.

My sister's birthday is on Sunday. Not sure how old she is, but she really likes 80s music and thinks that current bands all sound the same. She listened to U2 long before any of us had any idea who they were. Bono's 47, by the way, and they were toddlers when they started. Just fyi.

I, on the other hand, am a spry 35. The salt and pepper look is growing saltier, but at least it seems to be sticking around. Really I don't care about the gray - I just want it to stay on my head. I got up from a chair last night and suffered leg cramps for 15 minutes while my 24-year-old sister rushed for ibuprofen and consoled me.

Good golly, we're old. :-)

Anyway, I get to see my Brown Eyed Girl tonight. Did I already say that? I can't remember, but I do feel an amazing urge for the Lu Ann Platter.

Dos a Uno.....

2007-06-25T08:40:00.000-05:00

While I was having a great time with my lady friend yesterday afternoon, the U.S. soccer team was busy beating Mexico...again. This time, to win the Gold Cup Tournament, which is the championship of the region, so it was an important match. It's always a big deal when the teams play, but given the scarcity of tournament situations where it can happen, it's even sweeter when it happens in that environment.

One of these days, I'm going to a U.S - Mexico match so I can see our boys beat them in person. But for now, here's Benny Feilhaber's ridiculously glorious goal that put us in the lead for good.

Those who aren't soccer fans wouldn't immediately grasp how big a deal this rivalry is. One of the great aspects of it is that the Mexican team virtually never gives the U.S. any credit after getting punked by them again and again. It's crazy.

Understand that when the teams play in the U.S., it's extremely rare for the Americans to have any real home field advantage. Case in point - for yesterday's match at Soldier Field in Chicago, it was estimated that the Mexican fans outnumbered us 3 to 1. It's just that way almost anywhere in the States. Given that, even with that advantage in the U.S., Mexico has scored a grand total of 1 goal in the last 9 matches with us outside of Mexico. One. And that was yesterday.

But still, you get post-match comments from Mexican players and coaches that say things like "we were clearly the better team, we just didn't win" or "they were lucky", "we're obviously superior to them", etc. It's a wonderful example of delusional behavior, and here's hoping that they keep approaching those matches with that same attitude. Is the U.S. clearly the better team? Not on paper, but then again, that's why they play these things...if the Mexicans ever have the proper mental approach against us, we're in for some losses against them outside of Mexico, but for now, that seems unlikely.

And I like that.

I'm a little concerned

2007-06-18T14:04:00.000-05:00

Hey, she's coming to church with me on Sunday. You know who I mean - the Brown Eyed Girl.

That reminds me: if anyone on the pastoral staff happens to be reading this, could we avoid handling snakes in the service this weekend? I'm trying to assure her that we're not a bunch of wackos.

I appreciate it.

I R A Bobcat

2007-06-14T10:45:00.000-05:00

I'm officially registered for cla$$e$ in the Fall at Texas State University - San Marcos. One of the great things about San Marcos is its proximity to the Brown Eyed Girl (psst - we need more pics) - for some reason, I think that my "to school" and "from school" routes won't be of the most direct variety. Huh. Just a feeling I have. You folks know how intuitive I am.

The classes? Calculus and Intro to Fine Arts. Could there be any two different classes? Feel free to explore that question in the comments. Also, I am seeking more ideas for appropriate college attire and other assorted antics I could partake in. Dr. Pepper suggested that I should at least go to an interest meeting for joining a frat. Please help me out here - I'm just trying to fit in.

As if I needed a bigger head

2007-06-12T13:14:00.000-05:00

In today's fortune cookie: "Rarely do great beauty and great virtue dwell together as they do in you."

Take that, humility!

Tacos!

2007-06-11T15:19:00.000-05:00

Well, me & my little sis are safely embedded in our new apartment. The contrast between this one and my old one is pretty dramatic. It's only been 5 nights, but so far it's easily the quietest place I've ever lived. How many apartment complexes do you know of where you wake up to birds chirping, as opposed to cars going by, people stomping on the floor above you, etc.? It's a little nutty, but hey, I like it.

She's got all of the rest of the apartment (living room, kitchen, her room) looking spiffy. Mine looks like I just moved in 5 minutes before you see it, so it has that constant "time warp" feel to it. I'm thinking of keeping it that way. Come on, who really needs to actually know where their belongings are?

So after last night, I have confirmed that I am an expert bowler who can't be messed with. Because of my impeccable (and repeatable) form, it's quite possible that I will bowl a perfect game the next time I bowl with the Brown Eyed Girl. Of course, it's also possible that I'll bowl a 20. Actually, it's even more possible that I simply won't care - I just really like the company I'm keeping.

Need some help...

2007-06-04T23:49:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone, with all the hubbub (bub) happening around our hero, I forgot to mention to the general public that I would really appreciate some help moving this Wednesday evening. I'm moving to an apartment that is: (a) on the first floor, and (b) less than 5 minutes away. I don't have a lot of stuff, and except for the 12 armoires and 4 tables made of lead, nothing is too terribly heavy. This thing should go relatively quickly.

Of course, relatively is a relative term. Or maybe it isn't. I'm confused now. See what you've done?

Anyway, if you can pitch in for an hour or hour and a half, let me know - comment, call, email, etc...plus, as an added incentive, you might be able to meet my girlfriend. This would be your chance to talk some sense into her. If you help me move, it might save her life. Please, folks, have some mercy on the poor woman.

Thanks!
The Mgmt.

Move along, nothing to see here

2007-06-03T23:53:00.000-05:00

Hey kids, the U.S. beat China 4-1 in the Global Game yesterday. Apparently it was being broadcast on one of them there television networks, but I didn't notice. I can't remember what exactly I was doing yesterday...must have been laundry or something like that.

Speaking of laundry, remember that wallet that I had in junior high? You know, the tri-fold one with the velcro? Anyway, I just found the little picture-holder that I apparently had in it, and boy, I've got some good ones in there. Yoinks. Yoinks, I say!

(What did that have to do with laundry? Honestly nothing, but I'm not good at segues. Or Segways. Wait a sec...that may not be accurate - I've never tried to ride a Segway. So strike what I just said. Well, half of it at least.)

So I'm sitting here just thinking my normal thoughts - wishing I had the voice of Don Williams - and it occurs to me that I'm tired and should actually go to bed. It's pretty much way past my bedtime and certainly past my curfew.

As always, friends, there are Tabs and Frito Pies in the lobby. Tip your waiters! Thank you and good night.

News Flash, Part 2: Evidence!

2007-06-01T22:37:00.000-05:00

News Flash

2007-05-31T17:20:00.000-05:00

Hi. I've been fairly detached on the blog lately, but wanted to finally share something with my reader(s).

Here's the deal. I've got a girlfriend. She's cool. I hope you'll get to meet her. The Orange Chair is bitter about not having me around the place as much anymore, but I haven't told it yet about my future roommates. The Chair should be happier then. And we do know that it's all about the Chair.

Here's to uMelody and lots of rollover minutes.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have a place to live

2007-05-30T08:34:00.000-05:00

Whoo hoo! The apartment is ours. The lease starts Friday the 1st, and Sarah will likely be moving in on the 6th. Now that the finding-a-place part of the drama is finally over, I have to shift to figuring out the logistics and getting help in moving. Not NEARLY as stressful, but still necessary. I'll be figuring all of that out today.

Score one for the good guys

2007-05-28T21:47:00.000-05:00

It's been a very good day.

Our hero also needs some sleep

2007-05-28T00:46:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I raised the white flag when it came to finding a duplex. I went over to an apartment complex not far from my current one, and right next to Hope In The City, on Saturday to see what I could see. I put in the application and a couple of checks so now it's just a matter of getting the paperwork processed to see if we get the place.

Assuming that goes through, I think it will work out for the best that we won't be in a duplex. Apartment living, while it has some serious downsides, is really pretty easy. I won't have to worry about joining a health club to get my treadmill fix, there's a pool for Sarah & Josiah to enjoy, and maintenance issues are likely dealt with a lot faster in an apartment. I'm tired of it, yes, and it might get a little cramped this year, but I'll deal with it...

It's late - I go bed now.

Our hero needs a home

2007-05-24T23:15:00.001-05:00

He's doing really well in many things, however, he's having a little trouble with the whole finding-a-place-to-live task.

I've been looking for duplexes (1/2 of one, that is) with the idea being that my 3-year-old roommate would have a backyard to play in. Well, after weeks of searching, of having things falling through, etc., it's become frustrating.

I really don't want to move to another apartment, but my lease here ends June 17 and at this point, that's not far away. I may be down to having no choice. Ugh. I really, really, really, don't want to do that. But, if that's what's left, I will.

Anyway, if you would take a moment to pray for me on the subject, I'd appreciate it. A 20 or 30 minute prayer should suffice. I'll wait here.

Thankfully, that's not the only thing going on, and our hero is having a wonderful time otherwise. Someday I'll actually say something here about it. Or not. We'll see.

Bwaa haa haa!

Sorry

2007-05-20T17:28:00.001-05:00

I haven't been posting much because there's just not much happening. I guess I'm just boring lately.

Or something like that. Heh heh heh.

Who wants ice cream?

2007-05-16T13:45:00.001-05:00

I do!

A good day for our hero

2007-05-15T08:44:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was great.

Found out that I got an A on my trig final, which I'm really happy about. I had fun with my little sister, who is in town looking for a job (by the way, if you would pray about that I'd really appreciate it!). There are other good things, but I'd rather not write a novel at the moment.

Today has potential, too. I'm supposed to find out at 11am whether or not I'm going to get the duplex that I've put down a security deposit and application for. Why at 11am specifically? I've no idea. My suspicion is that the agent who is running things is putting me off because they have someone else they'd rather get in to the place - which is quite possible considering I'm working with a realtor and they get commissions from these sorts of things.

The place is literally just down the street from the day care where my nephew will be going so it seems like an ideal spot. I'm praying that if it's not the best place for us, that God will shut that door and open a ventilation shaft.

Little sis and I will also be visiting the Owens Sausage Singers tonight, and that's always fun.

That's all for now - if you like our hero, pull for more good news later this week. He's got some stuff going on that could make things even more fun.

School's.....out....for.....a few months!

2007-05-11T20:04:00.000-05:00

Not sure about that trig final - I didn't study a couple of things that were on it, so I could have been lucky on those items and gotten them right, or messed them up royally. Hmm. Either way, I think I should get no worse than a B on the test, which I believe would still secure the old 'A' in the class. We shall see.

I don't know if I've reported this info here, but I've decided not to take any classes in the summer. I was planning on taking Calculus, but I'm going to take a break for a bit before hitting Texas State in the fall - life's going to be busy enough with other things...lots of other things...without me taking a class. Life's really going to be crazy in the fall, so I'm going to hang on to some sanity while I can.

In other news, God is good.

Other than that? A little of this, a little of that. You know how it is.

One down, one to go

2007-05-10T14:19:00.000-05:00

Biology is done...got meself a B. I am pleased with that.

Tonight is the trig final, and I'm aiming for an A. Here's to hitting the target!

A little of this and a little of that, and that's all folks.

It's 1:15 am - Let's talk about basketball

2007-05-07T01:15:00.000-05:00

That's right, campers! I'm awake. WIDE AWAKE! WHAAAAAAAA!

My air conditioning has stopped functioning properly - a fact I realized at about 10:30 "last night". My legs are killing me from playing 75 hours of basketball in the last 48 hours, and here I am, uncomfortable and typing. My brain is also running at high speed, and I've got a test that I really need to take tomorrow (ahem! later today) that I didn't really study for. The test is the least important issue on the table, though, as I do have until Tuesday (ahem! tomorrow!) to take it.

I do have one story that I can share with you at this point. On Saturday, I played in the 3-on-3 basketball tournament that served to raise money for the various mission trips this summer at church. I'll summarize the day by saying that I had a lot of fun playing with the guys I played with. We were all really unselfish with the ball and I think we had the best chemistry out of all the teams, even though we were not remotely as talented as many of them. We ended the day 2-2, and considering who we played, I was really happy with that. I'll spare you most of the details, but do allow me to tell you my dramatic injury story.

We were playing in what would be our last game, against a very good team. The score was 1-1, and someone passed me the ball on the wing (45 degree angle to the basket) behind the three point line. As I was catching the ball, I could feel a sharp pain in both of my legs as I was setting up. I winced at the pain, but at the same time noticed that the guy guarding me didn't close down on me to take away my shot. So, in my last heroic moment on the court, I hit the three and keeled over in excruciating pain all at the same time.

I literally couldn't move my right leg at all, and the left didn't feel much better. My quad muscles were severely cramping and I just stood there, unable to move. I tried to shuffle off the court, but my right leg wouldn't bend at all. As I stood there, quite helpless, the rest of the guys surrounded me. One let me hang on to him for balance while another grabbed my right leg and pulled back on it, trying to stretch it out. Another ran and grabbed a chair so I could sit down, seeing that I wasn't able to move.

So after I sit down, one of the guys on the other team starts to beat on my right quad in a massage-like fashion. Picture the scene - we're playing these guys in a game, I go down, everyone rushes over, I'm sitting in a chair on the court, and the other team is taking care of me. Ryan cracked everyone up when he said out loud to everyone, "Well, this isn't the most bitter rivalry, is it? Not exactly Texas versus Texas A&M over here."

So thanks to everyone, but especially the superstar massage man, I was able to finally shuffle off the court. Someone gave me a banana and some water and I sat on the sidelines, watching my team wear down in the end due to the fact that we had no substitutes to hang with our opponents.

When you think about it, I went out with a bang AND a whimper. Top that!

Great googly moogly

2007-05-04T08:32:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was quite a busy one, but it was great.

I woke up an hour earlier than usual, and decided to attack the treadmill. I barely survived, but it was a lovely hour of my time.

Then I went to work, where I was very productive for large amounts of the day. Well, somewhat productive for short amounts. Okay, I went to work. Will you stop hassling me?

I went to lunch with Stephanie, which was a lot of fun. Whoo hoo!

After work it was off to Trig class to take a test. The funny thing is that it was the first test that we actually took in class. The rest have been in the testing center outside of class. So I think I did well on it - I did a better job of studying for this one (since the last one bit me) and I felt good about the way I worked the problems. We shall see - the result could possibly downgrade the day into 'really good' status.

So, after work, I went home for a little bit. A little of this, a little of that, and it was time to go to the concert. Naturally, MuteMath was in town...I love that habit of theirs, always coming to Austin. The show was fantastic and I got to indoctrinate Stan into the MuteMath lovers club. Also, I was 'this close' to getting a free ticket.

After I'd already been to the ticket booth and bought mine, there was a guy wandering around outside and asking people if they had tickets. Apparently he'd brought a group from Dallas and he had extra tickets that he couldn't do anything with, so he was giving them away. Well, Stan hadn't arrived yet, so I said that I have a friend coming and next thing I know, we've got a free one. So being the champ he is, Stan paid me half, and that enabled me to buy the live DVD that the band was selling. Sweet.

So there you have it. I went home, did a little of this and a little of that, and went to bed. Full day.

New Post

2007-05-02T14:24:00.000-05:00

eHarmony actually has some interesting articles about relationships and such. That's surprising to hear, I know, but it's true.

In the words of Howard Jones, "What is love anyway? Does anybody love anybody anyway?" (This is the benefit of having music playing at the office.) Seriously, the Best of Howard Jones is quality stuff. What Is Love, New Song, Like To Get To Know You Well, Everlasting Love...man, that boy had some good songs.

AC Milan is up on Manchester United 2-0 in the second leg of their Champions League semifinal - they're in the 40th minute. I know that you come here for that sort of update, so I'm just trying to help, man.

Hey, here's something: I just had a bit of a great surprise for the fall. I got some much needed subsidized loans from the financial aid folks at ol' Texas State. I believe I'm correct in saying that the subsidized loans are the type where you don't have to make any payments (and interest doesn't accrue) as long as you are at least a half time (6 hours) student.

Frankly, I wasn't expecting to get anything through the school - because I have a decent paying job, in my experience it's been hard to get any sort of $$. So, now I have some more debt to deal with. Whee? No, actually it's great news because I simply don't have the funds to just pay for it at this moment and I surely didn't want to rack up credit card debts because of school. I like to use my credit cards for the medical debts I have, you see. Oyich!

So there you have it, dag nabbit.

Perhaps a different analogy would be nice

2007-04-29T19:51:00.000-05:00

From a broadcaster of a sporting event I'm watching at the moment...

"The last few minutes of this game are going to pass like a kidneystone: slowly and excruciatingly."

I like that stuff you made up. Wanna go out?

2007-04-27T22:53:00.000-05:00

Previously on "I think that..."

After getting a good kick out of the shot block by uMelody*** last year (see above link), I decided to give it another whirl this year. This time, I done got acceptipated. So after crafting the most ridiculous profile imaginable - that is, I answered truthfully - I am now awaiting the flood 'o chicks that's coming. You might not want to stand really close to me. It could be dangerous.

(Mental note: 'chicks' is probably not a preferred term. Try to increase usage of 'hot mamas' or 'honeys' to compensate for mistake.)

Slow week

2007-04-27T13:54:00.000-05:00

Nothing all that fascinating going on here...you?

I likey

2007-04-23T11:17:00.000-05:00

A conversation between God and the archangel Gabriel:

"You know, I just created a 24-hour-period of alternating light and darkness."

"Wow," replied Gabriel, "what are you going to do now?"

"I think I'll call it a day."

That last post

2007-04-20T22:25:00.000-05:00

Has nothing to do with the fact that I like that cereal. Really. It's actually all part of a super-secret code that I'm using to communicate deep, personal things about myself. It's really complicated. It's so secret I'm pretty sure that no one will be able to understand it. Unless you're willing to take a shot at it.

So, reader, tell me what you think it meant. This oughta be good.

Back in MY day...

2007-04-20T22:13:00.000-05:00

When I was a kid, I used to like Quaker Oats 100% Natural Cereal. I saw it not long ago at Costco and grabbed it. I still like it.

I'm just sayin'.

Trig test results - Part III

2007-04-19T16:48:00.000-05:00

I don't really think my test grades are high on everyone's list of things they want to know, so this is directly pointed at the person who requested a post giving the grade, in language that they can understand. That is, assuming that you know your children's ages.

More accurately, it's all about what you think I think your children's ages are.

My grade was (I think):

(2 * (Oldest 4 children's ages)) + (2 * Davis) - Bethany - Sam.

And I just realized that if you add up the ages of the Blonde Army, you get an interesting number...a familiar number, even.

It's such an outrage!

2007-04-19T14:49:00.000-05:00

(Dear reader, the attitude adopted by the writer of this post is ridiculous. He has no actual reason to be upset at all, but he's working to entertain himself because it's the middle of the afternoon and things are slow at the office. Please humor him - he gets like this occasionally.)

AUGH!

I went over to ACC during my lunch break because I have to get a counselor's OK to register for the next semester. GOSH! So I waited, like, 50 MINUTES for a counselor to saunter back from their lunch break, as they mocked the poor sap who was patiently waiting with nothing but love in his heart. Their JOB is to take care of the students FIRST! They shouldn't get to eat, too!! EXCUSE ME, but I PAY YOUR SALARY!

And by the way, do you know how long 50 MINUTES is? It's like, almost, like A WHOLE HOUR! Yeah, I'm not kidding! Don't doubt me, I'm good at math!

Speaking of waiting PATIENTLY, I still don't know what I made on my last trig test! Can you BELIEVE that? Isn't the professor concerned that I care what I make? I WANT TO KNOW NOW!

SHEESH! It's HARD to be so understanding sometimes!

I work and I slave...

2007-04-18T09:49:00.000-05:00

What's a guy got to do to get some comments on his blog this week? I mean, I've posted about Trig class, people. Trig! Is there anything more comment-worthy? I think not!

So I was in Trig class last night, and boy, howdy! We learned about Trig.

(Now if I can't get some good comments going after that, I just don't know what I'll do.)

But after my fun with cosecants, I went to a little celebration that some work folks had at Eddie V's at the Arboretum. I should quickly note that this was a free meal for me, because I would have had to take out some sort of loan otherwise. Considering the fact that I am not feeling well at the moment, I almost didn't go.

However, I did go and it was the right move. The food was really, really good. My head was throbbing and I felt like I was carrying a bag of bricks, but the 12 ounce filet I ate tended to help me feel better about life. I also had some good laughs, specifically with my boss, so that was fun.

There were appetizers everywhere. Oysters, shrimp (approx. the size of your head), fried lobster, calamari, crab cakes, etc., etc., etc. Just ridiculous.

Naturally, we topped all that off with some great side dishes and desserts, which included Godiva chocolate cake and a plate of Pyro-Bananas-N-Ice-Cream. There was even a champagne toast during the evening. You know, just in case it wasn't gaudy enough already.

It wasn't Jack-N-The-Box or anything, but it was still decent. Let's just say that I slept very well last night.

A little ha ha for you folks

2007-04-17T10:57:00.000-05:00

Most of the time, articles on The Onion's website are alright, but it's the headlines that are great. This one from The Onion Radio News is probably my favorite:

Paranoid Optimist Thinks Everyone Is Out To Get Him A Present

Well, that was interesting

2007-04-16T19:34:00.000-05:00

I'm not terribly sure how to feel about that test - it's one of those where I could have gotten a C or a perfect score. Can't figure which. It took me an excessively long time because my brain has been running a little close to "Full" status lately.

I'll likely find out Thursday what I got. I probably could figure out how I did by looking in the book and looking up the type of problems that I had questions on, but I'm moving forward, baby, not backward! Besides, I've got homework due tomorrow.

Not a problem. Hopefully.

2007-04-16T09:42:00.000-05:00

I haven't done much studying for the Trig test that I've got to take today, even though I've sat down a few times to do it. Just hasn't worked out...

I don't think it will be a major problem, but one thing is that each of the tests have actually been more difficult than I thought they'd be, even with the fact that I've done well on both of them. Oh well, we'll see what happens, now, won't we? (I mean 'we' in the royal sense)

Speaking of something I wasn't speaking of, there's been a theme to a couple of my recent post titles, namely "Weirdness, Park" and "Not a Problem". Anyone know the connection? Just a little quiz for your Monday.

Have fun.

Yeah, it's a good movie

2007-04-13T23:39:00.000-05:00

If you haven't ever seen it, watch Amadeus. I just saw it again after 20-something years and it's remarkable. I think it won 247 Oscars. Really.

gribbity-groo

2007-04-12T02:17:00.000-05:00

Here we are, back again at 2 in the morning...not sleeping, naturally. Too much running around in my brain, and it can only take so much thinking. The smoke coming out of my ears is a sure sign that something's wrong. I must need an oil change.

So while I normally wait until I have something to say (regardless of how goofy) before I post, at this point in our program, I'm typing to give myself something to do. This causes a dilemma for you, the reader. Do you dare continue reading? How bored can you stand to be, friend?

Here's a bit of news that's not really news...I talked to my boss today (make that yesterday) about me going to Texas State in the fall and what that might mean schedule-wise. The reason it's not really news is that I don't know what my schedule will (or even might) be. He said we'll make it work. So there you go - a few useless sentences leading to a non-conclusion. Hanging in there?

On the random thought trail, I've been meaning to sit down and hash out a "why I like soccer" entry, either here or at the woefully neglected Orange Chair Chronicles. The Chair is so upset with my lack of posts that it's not talking to me anymore. Inanimate object relationships aside, I get asked about why I'm this big soccer fan these days (or more specifically, how it actually developed), and it would do me some good if I actually tried to figure it out myself, because I think I've yet to give a solidified answer to the question. There are a lot of little pieces to the puzzle there. It's like most things with me - I'm not great at coherent self-reflection, so when I'm faced with a question like that, even as unimportant as that, I normally just ramble. It's more amusing to watch me with a serious question. Goodness.

On a related note, but still dealing with things you wouldn't hear about unless it was 2:30am, I'm going back and forth with the notion of trying to write for an online soccer publication. I say "publication", it's really just a glorified blog, albeit an extremely popular one, and it might be something I'll try to do. I like writing, though I generally only write when I'm really motivated to, as you've likely noticed with the sporadic nature of this here blog. Who knows. It's sort of a toss-up on whether I enjoy writing for the entertainment of others or just to amuse myself. I think it's more the former with a definite influence of the latter.

See, I wouldn't bring out a sentence with "former" and "latter" on you during normal business hours. I don't communicate that way when I'm awake. Apparently I'm more formal at this time of night. Hey, I'm wearing a tux. What's going on here?

In other other news, my boss said toda...yesterday...that our team is going to Six Flags. That's seriously cool. So, on Friday, May 18, if you're looking for me to do something during the day, which you wouldn't because I'm normally at the office anyway so why would you even ask, I'll hopefully be on the Superman ride for about 12 straight hours. Plus, the company is paying for it. How about that?

Alright, I'm going to give this sleep thing another chance. It's 2:45am, and I've probably had about an hour of sleep so far. Boy, oh boy, will I be fun in Trig class tonight after work...

Weirdness, Park.

2007-04-11T19:08:00.000-05:00

There are strange things happening with the local TV broadcasts. For example, the Fox station's sound is coming through almost in a stutter. It's hard to explain.

But that's nothing compared to the vexing ABC in Espanol that I'm getting. The odd thing is it's not happening on all shows, but for example, right now, that horrid George Lopez show is on and it's in Spanish. It's also happening on Dancing With The Stars, which actually made me watch for a minute or so, just to see how someone tells Billy Ray Cyrus to buzz off in Spanish.

So, if any of you are broadcast-TV types, are you having some issues with such things? Or is my TV some sort of magical portal to another land?

The confession & the announcement

2007-04-03T22:40:00.000-05:00

I, the guy who writes this blog, skipped class last week. Yep. I did. Didn't go to either Tuesday or Thursday's version of "Learn that Trig!"

I was feeling very overwhelmed last week...lots of stuff going on...and frankly, I couldn't deal with any more stimulation. Not even a cosecant could save me. But I'm better now. I'm once again friends with the triangle.

Here's a small, insignificant piece of news for you folks: I was watching an infomercial the other day and I purchased a ready-made family online. Yep, it's true. Coming this summer to a city near me, my sister and her little boy will be moving in with Uncle Todd. I don't know how Ron Popeil acquired the rights to my sister, but somehow it happened. I think the spray-on hair addled my brain.

That's my little sister, in case there's confusion, and no, you haven't met her. Unless you live in Elgin, that is. In that case, you have. Everyone in Elgin has met my little sister. I'll welcome my big sister to stay over anytime she likes, particularly when she gets sick of dealing with that 3rd child of hers (the 3rd child is always the most problematic), but she won't be the one with the permanent headquarters at Chez Zilla.

How will this change my day-to-day routine? Hardly at all, I suspect. Seriously, does living with other people change things? I don't think so, especially when one of those people is an active 3-year-old boy.

So, here's your first look at my future roommates...

Your Daily Dose of Inspiration

2007-04-02T22:35:00.000-05:00

If life hands you a lemon, let me know, because I really like lemons.

Being me

2007-03-27T22:05:00.000-05:00

You know, it happens quite often that people will stop me on the street and say, "Todd, how do you do it?" Naturally, because I'm so talented, it's hard for me to imagine being someone who is trying to attain my current level of performance. What can I say? I just do it. But, because I'm a people person and generous with my gifts, I will make an effort to share my wisdom with the common folk, in simple terms they can understand.

Of course, that's the moment I realize I'm standing in the middle of the street talking to myself, and what I really heard was a somewhat perturbed motorist screaming, "what are you doing?" You'd think that would break my upbeat mood, but not really.

You've just got to stay positive, people. Think about it, won't you?

College 2: Electric Boogaloo

2007-03-21T11:21:00.000-05:00

Though they clearly have no idea what they've gotten themselves into, Texas State University has decided that I can come play at their house in the fall of 2007. Apparently, I'm a Bobcat now. Go team.

Those math dorks down there won't know what hit 'em. On the other hand, I have no idea how I'm going to juggle work and school at this point, so any prayers toward that end would be much appreciated. Specifically, pray that God will smite them if they don't offer the classes I need at night. Or if you have less vengeful prayer ideas, that might work, too. I guess anything's possible.

Now, in honor of being back on a four-year college campus, I will join a fraternity, wear a baseball cap backwards, shave my beard in favor of a crummy-looking goatee, and wear the shirt from our latest mixer with Delta Delta Delta. I will also consider substituting cologne for deoderant.

If you have any other good ideas on how to fit in on campus, I'm all ears.

2007-03-14T18:14:00.000-05:00

Hey, join my little group for the NCAA Tournament 'bracket challenge'. It's free and stuff. Hurry!

Click here

XXXV & C

2007-03-12T08:27:00.000-05:00

Hey campers, it's my birthday. Let's all go out there and make it a good one, shall we?

Edit: Moments after posting this (moments ago), I got online and saw that I made a C on my Trig test. Not the grade kind of C, the Roman numeral kind, baby! It's already a good day.

Tick...tick...tick...

2007-03-10T09:55:00.000-06:00

Waiting for my Trig 2 test results. Sounds medical, doesn't it? Let's hope the boys at the lab give me the thumbs up.

Update 'em if you got 'em

2007-03-08T10:02:00.000-06:00

I got a call back from the transfer advisor at Texas State, and I have an appointment next Tuesday, where I'll have the chance to see if I can make her brain spontaneously combust. My pile o' transcript goodness could be lethal to an amateur. I hope she's prepared. She seemed so nice on the phone...such a shame.

I'm currently at a point that I might as well classify as "Domino Time." I've been doing my best (okay, my worst) to push it back as far as possible. The school thing affects work and they both affect where I'd live. That's the incomplete and quite simplified version. (In the coming weeks, it could get a heck of a lot more complicated and stressful, and I'm actually aiming for that to happen. If it doesn't get more complicated, I'll be very disappointed. Confused yet?)

The immediate issue for me is the work/school issue. Because I'm pretty much out of basic courses to take, it seems that the chances are slim of finding night availability on the classes I need from this point. Naturally, that means that I need to figure out how to make this happen while still doing my job. Since I'm actually someone's assistant, that's basically an 8 to 5 gig. I'd rather not have to leave the job for something else - I like the people here, I make decent money, I have good benefits, and I can leave work at the office. After I sort some things through with the advisor on Tuesday, I'll tackle the work angle with my boss. Hopefully we'll figure something out.

So, other than school, home, work, and church, nothing is really changing. "I've seen dominoes..."

Call me Ishmael.

2007-03-06T16:18:00.000-06:00

A peek into our hero's brain...

There's a sales guy at my company that seems intent on calling me "Scott" whenever he sees me. I really don't see him much, but the last time I ran into him was actually at a party that he was hosting, and as a proper host, he was schmoozing with everyone, as salesmen are wont to do. So he came by the table where I was, called me "Scott", and someone on his staff (who I was chatting with at the table) corrected him.

So today when I saw him, I was once again transformed into Scott. I could tell that he wasn't sure about it, because he said, "Hey, Scott, how are ya?", except that "Scott" was at a decidedly lower volume. Truthfully, I find the whole thing pretty hilarious and wouldn't even think of correcting him, even if others around me immediately think I must be bothered by this guy repeatedly getting it wrong. Why? Because I honestly just don't care what he calls me. It just makes me laugh.

I guess the moral is that if you call me 'Scott' for a while and I don't correct you, well, it doesn't bother me a bit...keep on keepin' on. However, if you're someone I care to talk to, I'll give you a heads-up on my proper name and/or nicknames.

Queequeg to you and yours.

Mediocritude

2007-03-06T16:06:00.000-06:00

I took test #4 in my wonderful (useless) Biology class, and I scored an Acceptable. So for the semester, I have 2 Acceptables, 1 Mediocre, and 1 Ridiculous. That gives me a current grade of Mediocre. I'm quite alright with that.

In other news, I'm trying to get in touch with someone at Texas State to get some advice/direction regarding transferring there. I can't seem to get a callback at this point, so I guess I'll just need to show up in someone's office and get the info I need. I was hoping to set up an appointment so I'm not killing half a day to do it, but that's not looking like reality at the moment.

Trig Test 1 Analysis

2007-02-27T19:34:00.000-06:00

Oooooh. Exciting post title!

The trig test in question is in my hands, and I can confirm the following:

1. The professor was very kind to me.
2. I mentioned in the comments of the last post that I'd rather get a problem wrong because I didn't know how to do it, as opposed to making a stupid mistake. I think I'll stand by that.
3. I need to go over my tests before I turn them in.

Basically there were 2 mistakes that I made, both on questions worth six points apiece. The professor gave only marked off 2 points on one and 3 on the other. One problem was just some odd brain freeze. I set up the problem correctly, and just left it...I never actually solved it. The other was a set up problem, but I went through and solved the problem (though incorrectly).

All hail partial credit! She could have easily docked me 12 points on those (and I wouldn't have remotely had an argument), but she only docked me 5. Our hero needs to remember this when he's a teacher.

I wanted a lot better.

2007-02-23T22:22:00.000-06:00

I just looked online, and I'm not happy with the grade on my first trig test. It's not a bad grade, but I don't get why it's as low as it is. I felt like I set up every problem correctly, but apparently I didn't. Now I have to wait until Tuesday to find out what I screwed up. Argh.

A-Typical

2007-02-20T20:30:00.000-06:00

I was just flipping channels and heard a familiar song. It was MuteMath's "Typical", but in a very unusual place...some dude was singing it on American Idol! Have the boys become that popular?

From the heart of whiteness

2007-02-17T18:03:00.000-06:00

Is there any show on TV more entertaining than the Lawrence Welk shows that they show on PBS? This is the sort of thing that I'd never have the chance to see if I had cable. I'd be too busy watching some lower level soccer league in San Marino.

Not only do you get the garish outfits that were all over these sorts of variety shows in the 60s and 70s, you also get the aging singers with ridiculous toupees who think they look years younger. Not only that, but you have his big band, who are all wearing the same one-color leisure suit. At the moment, they are all in what I can only describe as cardinal red.

People, this is beautiful stuff. It's public television!

UPDATE: As I hit 'publish' on this post, I saw a glorious example of what I'm talking about. Unfortunately, when I grabbed my digital camera, it said my batteries were dead, so in the rush to replace them, I was only able to grab this shot of what mine eyes have seen:

That wasn't so bad

2007-02-13T23:34:00.000-06:00

Just got back from the Tech - A&M basketball game in College Station. In what was a complete shock to me, Tech won. A&M tied the game with a 3 pointer with just over 6 seconds on the clock and Jay Jackson went all the way down the court, pump faked a defender, and hit a 10-foot shot as time expired to win the game.

I'd been griping about going to the game beforehand for a few reasons. First, I didn't particularly want to see my team get clobbered. Second, I missed class tonight to go, which I don't like. But obviously I liked the outcome of the evening.

The funny thing is that it was the most detached I've ever felt during a game. I was so thoroughly convinced that we literally had no chance to win, there was no emotion about it. We were losing for most of the game, and that didn't bother me. We caught up and tied it, it didn't excite me. The last several minutes, which were back and forth, didn't make me nervous or anxious. I don't know if it was extreme cynicism that let me to (not) respond like that or what, but it's definitely unusual. Maybe I'm a cyborg.

I have my doubts.

2007-02-10T20:31:00.000-06:00

I just read online that another C.S. Lewis book will be adapted for the big screen and released next year. And no, I'm not talking about Prince Caspian, although that's happening, and could be quite good.

I'm talking about The Screwtape Letters, which has a spectacular chance of being really mediocre. How can you adapt that book into a movie?

Fun Soccer News

2007-02-09T22:46:00.000-06:00

USA's 2-0 Victory Against Mexico Hits New Rating Highs for Soccer

ESPN2 & Univision Each See Impressive Numbers and Records Set as USA Improves Home Record Against Mexico to 7-0-1 Since 2000

CHICAGO (Feb. 9, 2007) - Televised soccer hit new rating highs on Wednesday night for the broadcast of the U.S. National Team's 2-0 victory over Mexico on ESPN2 and Univision from University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. For U.S. Soccer, the victory on the field continued the team's dominance of Mexico, but also highlighted the incredible gains the sport is making elsewhere.

ESPN2's broadcast was the most-watched U.S. game in the team's history, outside of the World Cup and World Cup qualifiers. The network earned a 0.7 household rating, which translates to 1.1 million viewers and comes on the heels of the network’s impressive 2006 World Cup ratings. Even more impressively, the game averaged a 1.0 rating during the final 15 minutes as the USA iced the victory.

On Univision, the match also set records with more than 6 million total viewers. The U.S. victory was the No. 2 most-watched Spanish-language sports cast in history, beating every Super Bowl among Hispanic Adults 18-49, Men 18-49 and Total Viewers.

For the entire night, Univision was the second largest broadcast network among all Teens 12-17 with 573,000 viewers (beating ABC, CBS, NBC, CW), the third largest broadcast network among all Adults 18-34 with 2,074,000 viewers (beating CBS, NBC, CW), the fourth largest broadcast network among all Adults 18-49 with 3,617,000 viewers (beating NBC, CW) and the fifth largest broadcast network among all Persons 2+ with 5,931,000 viewers (beating CW).

In Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world, nearly 1.2 million viewers watched KMEX-TV’s broadcast of the USA's shutout win to make it the highest-rated program of the night beating out “American Idol,” “Lost” and “CSI: NY.” Additionally, the U.S. victory was the No. 1 ranked program in its time period among Men 18-49 in San Francisco and Dallas, and No. 2 in New York and Chicago (again, against competition like "American Idol," "Lost" and "CSI: NY").

The victory for the USA continued the team’s dominance of Mexico this decade. In nine games played outside of Mexico since the year 2000, the USA is 8-0-1 with an incredible nine consecutive shutouts. That total includes the USA’s 2-0 victory against Mexico in the second round of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan.

On Wednesday night, in front of a sold out crowd of 62,462 fans, the USA defeated Mexico 2-0 behind goals from Jimmy Conrad and Landon Donovan.

Stop my brain, I want to get off

2007-02-05T03:19:00.000-06:00

When I was a teenager, I used to have a lot of trouble getting to sleep. I'd lay in bed and my thoughts would be racing from one thing to another, and I just couldn't relax. It was maddening. But at some point in those years, I learned to pretty much stop thinking about anything while in bed, and sweet slumber would commence much more quickly.

But now, here I am, sitting in The Orange Chair at 3:23 AM, completely unable to sleep because of the same thing. I think I dozed off for about 20 minutes after initially getting in bed, but I've been awake for the past 3 hours or so. It's not the best way to start off the work/school week. I've got a biology test Tuesday night and I really need to not be dozing off during it.

The most annoying, and most prominent, feature of my sleeplessness is the imaginary conversations that I carry on with people, which really manages to stimulate the noggin. These conversations aren't out loud, by the way...just thought I should mention that. No less strange, but at least not out loud.

My yawns are getting more frequent now, so I'm going to give it another shot. And if it doesn't work, I'm sure I'll have a conversation with you about something, so stay sharp.

Without further ado...

2007-01-27T16:38:00.000-06:00

The Human Brake Pedal

She sat front and center of trig class, and before the class even began, I had a sense of her function. As class went on, she would consistently stop the professor from moving on by asking a lot of questions, some of which could honestly be considered very basic math concepts.

I was on the left side of the class, and some of the people behind me would let out a sigh and grumble when she would interrupt. I can understand the frustration, but I felt sorry for her. She's likely closer to my age than the 18-year-old omniscient kids behind me (not a criticism - I knew everything then, too) so I sympathized.

She obviously felt a little lost and I can relate to that. After all, if I'd stayed in that Calculus class, you could have called me the Human Dropped Transmission. As lost as I felt, I never would have asked a question in that class. You know how dumb I have to feel about something where I won't even bother trying to formulate a question? Purty dum, I tell you.

The best thing about the Human Brake Pedal is that she'll assure that I grasp Trig thoroughly. Since it's all about me, I appreciate that fact. Thanks, HBP. I'm pulling for you to get an A.

Sneak Preview

2007-01-26T16:55:00.001-06:00

This weekend, I will extol the virtues of the Human Brake Pedal. Stay tuned.

Coming...soon?

2007-01-25T14:41:00.000-06:00

Stuff from the L.A. trip. It's really hard to believe that I was still there Monday. The rising tide of angst that happened with the Calculus episode pretty much killed any happy thoughts about the weekend. But I'm better now.

No less busy, though. I have my first Trig class tonight and I also have to take a test in Biology, which is utterly ridiculous. I'll post sometime over the next few days, throw some more pictures on here from the trip, and catch you kids up.

Gotta run...

Humility

2007-01-24T12:46:00.000-06:00

Well, maybe we'll wait on Calculus for another semester.

I went to my first class on Monday and didn't understand a thing that was going on. It's probably the same feeling that I would have if I tried to read a Stephen Hawking book. I'm sure I could recognize most of the words, but when they were thrown together, I'd be completely lost.

Even so, that wasn't the biggest problem. This is where the past comes catching up (it seems to do that), because due to my indecisiveness/laziness in earlier semesters at ACC, I am at the point where if I withdraw from a class, it's a problem. Given that add/drop is traditionally only allowed during the first week of class (which was actually last week), I thought I was stuck. I couldn't withdraw, and with the really bad start to class, I would have to be half drowning the entire semester. Considering I plan on taking several Calculus classes, I don't need Calculus I to be that painful.

Thankfully, as I found out around lunchtime, ACC extended the add/drop deadline to today, which means that I was able to add trig and drop calculus. I took trig before, but that was in 1988-89, my junior year of high school. It's been a while, but I already know that I feel much better about that than if I was stuck in a class I had no chance in. Gotta work my way back down the math road and remember the basics before I get to the harder stuff.

Score one for the protagonist.

A pic from the weekend

2007-01-23T15:57:00.000-06:00

I found this picture from the game online and decided to add a little personalization...

I'm no cabbage!

2007-01-22T00:58:00.000-06:00

I had a fantastic time at the US vs. Denmark match on Saturday. We sat with "Sam's Army", the singing, noise-making loons who support the team. There were a few drums and we basically sang and shouted the whole game. It was glorious, and there's no chance that I'm going to go to a game and sit with the regular folks again.

Anyway, more about my time in L.A. after I get back. Getting up relatively early and getting to the airport in the morning...

See you in Texas, amigos.

On my way...

2007-01-18T14:36:00.000-06:00

In just a few hours, I'll be heading to L.A. for the first time. I'm excited about the trip. I know you'll be watching the U.S. vs. Denmark game on ESPN2 on Saturday @ 4pm, so I don't even need to remind you to look for me. I'll be with "Sam's Army", the (hopefully) hyper and rowdy group that will be singing and making noise the whole match. We're behind and to the side of one of the goals, I do believe, and it's my understanding that we're all supposed to wear red. So look for the large Texan in a red shirt and wave if you see me.

See you kids next week. Hopefully I'll have some good pics to post.

Hey hey hey!

2007-01-16T19:27:00.000-06:00

Man, you're like my school schedule tomorrow...no class!

Beat the system, man.

2007-01-14T23:08:00.000-06:00

Yeah, I waited until the last minute (or week) to do my defensive driving to clear my speeding ticket. I had kept putting it off because I had planned on doing the two-night comedy defensive driving at Gatti's. You know, pizza and stuff.

Well, because I'm going to L.A. this Thursday (whoo hoo!) I wasn't going to be able to do the Gatti thing this week, and it's all due next Tuesday. So, I went poking around online to find something that I'd be able to fit in this week before I left. I wasn't looking forward to the 6+ hours that I'd have to spend doing it.

Ha! I started just 2 hours ago and I'm finished. I love how lax these folks make this sort of thing. Here's what I mean...I started the course, and it's one of these deals where you're supposed to have to stare at one page for a couple of minutes. They regulate this with a little timer that ticks down the time until you're allowed to click 'continue.'

So, Todd thinks to himself, "how are they keeping this time...through their server or through my computer?" The answer, gloriously enough, is through my computer.

Here's how I went through about 200 pages of text, videos, and 144 questions in 120 minutes:

1. Brought up the 'next' page. Copied all the text.
2. Pasted into Wordpad.
3. Looked at the timer to check how much time was left.
4. Moved computer clock past that amount of time.
5. Clicked 'continue'.
6. Repeated 1-5 until end of chapter.
7. Got to end-of-chapter quiz, used "find" in Wordpad to find answers.
8. Moved on to next chapter (12 in all)
9. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I didn't even watch hardly any of the videos. The questions about the video content weren't exactly difficult, and when you got one wrong, it would give you another question, which was just as likely to be simple.

So there you go. Finished online defensive driving. A lovely experience.

Spend it like Beckham

2007-01-11T15:57:00.000-06:00

Yoinks.

This is about a soccer player, but it feels more appropriate to start this discussion here rather than in the dynamic soccer-themed Orange Chair Chronicles because of the impact of what happened today.

Did you hear the one about the cultural icon of the world's most popular sport coming to our humble domestic league? Well, if you didn't, you will. And you won't have to be watching a TV show where they talk sports or have British accents to do so, either. Turn on any of the trash tabloid shows, and they're sure to have stories about this.

That's right, Posh & Becks are coming to America (That's Victoria "Posh Spice" and her hubby David), and I am really excited about it. The title refers to the early reports of...get this...a 5 year, $250,000,000 deal for David Beckham's signature on the dotted line for the L.A. Galaxy of Major League Soccer. All those zeroes....wow.

First, on the money side, the vast amount of those $$ are clearly not going to be spent by the L.A. Galaxy to have Becks play his customary right midfield for the squad. The details that we don't know will someday tell us that much of that money is coming from corporations who want him as a spokesman.

For those who aren't big followers of the sport here, and yes, I see those hands, a bit of background is in order here. Major League Soccer (heretofore referred to as MLS) is quite unique in the American sports landscape in that it actually is a 'single entity' league. That's not something from Star Trek, it just means that the league itself actually signs the players, pays their salaries, and owns their rights. Strange, huh? But that's just the beginning of the fun.

The really interesting stuff, relatively speaking, is looking at the changes that have occurred literally over the past two or so months that have allowed this type of move to occur in the first place.

1. A big change in the still strange MLS player acquisition rules. (In fact, a goal of mine over the next week is to figure them all out so I can explain them to all of the people who are constantly asking me about them. That's no one, by the way. Yes, I'm bored, but I'm also interested in this stuff.)

Anyway, the move couldn't have been made because MLS has had a salary cap of something around $2,000,000 per team. You heard me...per team. Note the lack of zeroes in comparison to the Beckham financial package. Also, there's been a player maximum salary (which the league has ignored for about a dozen players) of something around $250,000...can't remember the exact figure at the moment, but that's close.

So what changes have been made? The big change is called the Designated Player rule, and it just came into effect a couple of months ago. Everyone has been calling it the "Beckham Rule" ever since it's been discussed in soccer circles, namely because of Beckham's public declaration that 'one day' he would want to play in the U.S. Of course, if I'm not mistaken, he's said similar things in other countries he's visited as well.

Back to the point. The Designated Player rule gave each team a slot that they could use to sign someone at any salary while only taking a $400,000 hit on their salary cap. In other words, the league would pay the first $400,000 per the single-entity thing, and the team could spend a jillion dollars (which the Galaxy seem to be doing) to get whoever they want. Now most teams aren't going to have the bucks, whether within the ownership or their corporate friends, to pull off this sort of move. Beckham opened a soccer academy in L.A. about a year ago, so it's been speculated for some time that L.A. would be the team to get him (if anyone could).

2. Changing the policy of corporate sponsorship of team jerseys. This may seem strange, but it's definitely playing a role here. Around the world, the major professional clubs will rarely have their team name on the front of the jersey, but a corporate logo of some sort. For example, unless you follow the sport, you wouldn't really know what team's shirt is on the left here. You do, however, know that AIG is their sponsor. And some small American company called Nike. The other spot, tiny though it is, is the team's 'crest'. By the way, this is Manchester United's uni.

So until (again) a couple months ago, MLS teams weren't allowed to do this sort of thing. They had sponsors on the shirts, but in sort of out-of-the-way spots, like small patches on the front, and maybe something lower on the back. But you still saw "L.A. Galaxy" on the front in big letters.

No longer. The league is now allowing for teams to sell that space on their jerseys, but an interesting thing is that the league set a minimum amount that teams can accept for it. In other words, you won't be seeing FC Dallas with the tasteful picture of an orange chair on the front of their shirts anytime soon. My $25 commitment just won't cut it.

And make no mistake, some giant corporation will have their name plastered on the front of those Galaxy jerseys and they will sell hundreds of thousands of Beckham jerseys worldwide. The fact is, the biggest piece of the Beckham pie is the off-the-field ventures. Look for L.A. Galaxy tours to go through cities that don't have MLS teams. Look for Galaxy tours through other continents. This is a marketing and media bonanza, folks.

But back to the $$$ and sponsorship...we'll find out at some point that adidas or some such company was behind part (or most) of the financial package here.

By the way, early rumors are that since the announcement of the signing this morning, over 2000 season tickets for next season have been sold. Here's where another fact gets brought up...Beckham isn't even going to be here for the first several months of the season, because he's still a Real Madrid (Real as in 2 syllables) player until August. That's when he becomes a 'free agent' as we call it, and that's when he comes over. So the Galaxy have sold 2000 season tickets to see a guy that will play for about 2-3 months of this season.

I'll save most of my further musings about this for the Chronicles, but this is big...really big.

Me and My Switchfoot, the Sequel

2007-01-07T12:59:00.000-06:00

Upon further review, I have more thoughts on the Switchfoot CD.

First, let me say that I did like Nothing Is Sound, because it's a quality record with some good songs, but in retrospect, it's my least favorite recording of theirs. I think some comments from Jon Foreman (lead singer/songwriter/pretty boy) about this new one being their most 'honest' album are somewhat telling. It's interesting comparing songs like "Oh! Gravity" with "Stars" from the last one, and "Stars" just seems muted in comparison. "Gravity" is more manic and aggressive, both musically and vocally. Check out the video here to see what I mean.

I think after the explosion of The Beautiful Letdown (something like 2.5 million sold), maybe Nothing Is Sound was an attempt to write more radio-friendly songs? Even if that's not the case, Oh! Gravity takes what was good on Letdown and multiplies it...I think it's a superior record.

That said, "Amateur Lovers" is quite easily the worst song that they have ever bothered to release, and possibly one of the worst songs I've ever heard. It sounds like someone lost a bet, so they had to include it. The sad thing is that it's dead in the middle of the CD. At most, it should be a hidden track (hidden from the public, preferably), and it literally ruined the rest of the CD the first time I listened to the whole thing. I liked the first 5 songs pretty much immediately, but then didn't like the rest because track 6 had poisoned it. I honestly tried to listen to it 5 times before making it all the way through. It's impressively lousy. Thankfully, that atrocity is in the middle of two of their most interesting/great songs, "Circles" and "Faust, Midas and Myself."

Other than that, lyrically, they are as strong as ever. If you're a fan, you're going to hear the same themes you've been hearing all along: striving for meaning, wanting to impact the world, and general hopefulness. Even so, I think there are deeper, sharper and more interesting lyrics on this record.

Some notes on some other tracks:
Dirty Second Hands - who says you can't combine huge-sounding 70s prog-rock riffs with a banjo intro that weaves throughout the song?
Awakening - what "We Are One Tonight" wants to be when it grows up. I'll be surprised if this isn't a hit single.
Circles - epic...this one goes to 11 on the stereo
Faust, Midas & Myself - aside from the wacky title (which does make sense), a really cool song about realizing that he has everything he could want in life in the 'routine' things, and a reminder to take advantage of the one life we've got.

There you go. The boys are coming to La Zona Rosa (a terrible choice, in my humble opinion) in March. I've done all I can do.

Me and My Switchfoot

2007-01-05T10:36:00.000-06:00

I'm biased in a lot of ways when it comes to Switchfoot. I discovered their first CD in 1997 when I was doing my once-a-month (or so) routine of going to Family Bookstores, grabbing about 10-20 demo cds, and mining for some good music. I remembered being somewhat stunned at what I was hearing. It was just really fresh and different from the same ol', same ol', and I bought it. After about 3 months of listening to "The Legend Of Chin" front to back every day without skipping a song, I saw them in concert for the first time.

Indeed, this is the band that I babbled on about for years to anyone who dared listen to my ravings. As you surely know, my current "would you please just shut up, Todd?" band is MuteMath, but I still love me some Switchfoot. I've only really had 3 "WYPJSU,T?" favorite band/artists over the past 25 years. It's a valued spot. Who wants to guess who the first one was?

Anyway, what about this latest CD? I like it. I like it a whole lot. I've had it about a week now and I'm still listening to it constantly. Considering my above example of how long I listened to their first CD, a week may not sound like a lot of time. But frankly, in these days of music-by-iPod shuffling, I just don't listen to whole CDs anymore.

I've been trying to figure out what I think is different about this CD, and that's hard for me because I am frustratingly lousy at describing or even generically categorizing music. I end up saying something brilliant like "it's great."

So it's great. That's what I'm saying. I'll probably post more about it, including my thoughtful analysis of their absolutely worst song ever.

'Tis the season!

2006-12-22T11:32:00.001-06:00

So yesterday I came home from work to find a box at my front door. It was from Meyer's Sausage (mmm...Elgin sausage...) and it was addressed to the girl that I believed lived at the apartment before me. So this doesn't get too confusing, we'll call the girl Jane Smith. That's not her real name, I'm just lying to throw you off. Don't hassle me about this.

Now on the address label of the package above where it said "Meyer's Sausage", there was the name Sally Smith. So I figured ol' Aunt Sally*, who works at Meyer's, was sending Jane her yearly supply of questionable meat products but didn't know that Jane had actually moved.

Being the honest doofus that I am, I called the number for Meyer's on the package and asked if the name Sally Smith rang a bell. She said it did, so I asked to speak with Sally. Apparently Sally's a regular customer, not an employee, and after I explained the situation to the lady on the phone, she said that she'd tell Sally that Jane doesn't live here anymore. Naturally I was happy to hear that, but I was more concerned about the status of this package I had. I tried to give it back, but the lady on the phone said "just keep it."

Merry Christmas to me!

*Not necessarily Jane's aunt. This is artistic license run amok.**
**Did you know that 'amok' is an Indonesian word? There are very few of those that we use in English.

Operation LP

2006-12-19T16:32:00.001-06:00

In the boring time in between last semester and the next, I've decided to work on a new project - converting my albums into the wonderful world of digital music.

Yes, kids, I want to hear The 77s "All Fall Down" on my iPod. For that matter, Operation Cassette will be close behind, but I'm reaching farther back into the memory and working my way toward the present on this one. Of course the first step is buying the record player, since I haven't had one in many, many moons.

Hopefully by the weekend I'll be knee-deep in record-y goodness. I'm not skipping town for the holiday until Sunday. By the way, what are you doing for the holidays?

(Update - I went to Fry's to buy the record player I've been longing for. AND IT WAS SOLD OUT. AAAAAUUUGGGHH. The duplicated letters indicate more frustration.)

"Success, Success!!"

2006-12-18T08:16:00.000-06:00

(Name that movie...and if my sister doesn't get it right, I'll be very disappointed)

It's official. I gots me a couple of them 'A' grades this semester. It's all part of my nefarious plan to make good grades. BWAA HAA HAA!

Hee hee

2006-12-07T11:00:00.001-06:00

One down, one to go

2006-12-06T10:14:00.001-06:00

I turned in my English essay, and I'm somewhat proud of myself for my haphazard work on the intro and concluding sections. I barely passed the 'coherent thought' test and moved on. I didn't need to work terribly hard on it, and I didn't. I feel good about the content of the paper, anyway. And with the Lit class done, it's time to finish off Sociology, the subject that has become more and more annoying as I've gone farther into the textbook. I'll be really glad when that's over...hopefully I'll get through the study material and take the test by Saturday.

WAKE UP! Now that I've bored you with the all-too-frequent and all-too-specific update about my book-learnin', I can say that I'm rewarding myself (a.k.a. 'wasting money') going to Los Angeles in mid-January. I'll be staying with RocketMan and the future Mrs. RocketMan and oh, yes, GOING TO THE FIRST U.S. SOCCER MATCH SINCE THE WORLD CUP. As you probably noticed, I used all caps there to indicate my relative excitement about this. We should have a new coach (it better be Jurgen, baby) and it'll be a blast. This will be my first experience spending any meaningful time in California. I don't consider 8 hours in the LAX international terminal all that meaningful...

Now that I've bored you with school AND soccer, I'll sign off for now. Toodles.

Sweeping up

2006-12-03T10:39:00.000-06:00

We're hurtling toward the end of the semester here and I'm in the stage where I'm just taking care of the odds and ends that are left.

Like the midterm, the Literature final is a two-parter, and like the midterm, I aced the multiple-choice section (having done about 1/4 of the work I did on the midterm, honestly) and now it's left to the essay. At this point, I could get a barely passing grade on the essay and still make an A in the class. Now I just have to sit down and write something semi-coherent. It's moments like this where I wouldn't mind having really low standards for my own writing. It grates at me when I don't think something that I've written is really good (luckily you're spared such quality here).

As for Sociology, just one more test to go, and I have about two weeks to take it. That class is officially on the back burner until I get the Literature essay done. Considering the essay is due in 3 days and I haven't started it, that's probably a good course of action.

I'm looking forward to next semester because of the Calculus class. Dr. Ryan Pepper will be tutoring me as I attempt to not be completely lost during my first day of class. We'll see how that goes. I'm not particularly looking forward to having to actually go to a class (Monday and Wednesday nights), but I might as well get used to it. It's likely that the next couple of years will see my weeknight free time drop to zero. But, that's still some time away, so I'd better enjoy myself while I can...

What's all that white stuff?

2006-11-30T14:09:00.000-06:00

I present to you the front yard of my mom's house this morning...

Joke o' the day

2006-11-28T08:48:00.000-06:00

I get a joke of the day email, and occasionally they are pretty good. From today:

A husband and wife are getting ready for bed. The wife is standing in front of a full-length mirror taking a hard look at herself.

"You know, dear," she says, "I look in the mirror, and I see an old woman. My face is all wrinkled, my hair is grey, my shoulders are hunched over, I've got fat legs, and my arms are all flabby." She turns to her husband and says, "Tell me something positive to make me feel better about myself."

He studies hard for a moment thinking about it and then says in a soft, thoughtful voice, "Well, there's nothing wrong with your eyesight."

Services for the husband will be held Saturday morning at 10:30 at St. Anselm's Memorial Chapel.

I think that...

What did I do to deserve this?

A day late, but...

Unbelievable.

From the Onion...

The Timewaster

A good read

Thank you, NutriSystem

Time for my annual post

And the winner is...

New Stuff at the "Chair"

Worthy of a Blog Post

In the most delightful way

Baby Momma Drama

I have an annoucement...

Good news in sports...no, really.

A peek inside the numbers

Sorry to interrupt...

More humor

You deserve some humor

Well, Well, Well...If It Isn't A Family-Owned Retailer

Where do you live again?

Whoopsie...

Why?

Dave & the Math

Meet the parents

Hi there.

Luby's @ 4pm. Be there.

Dos a Uno.....

I'm a little concerned

I R A Bobcat

As if I needed a bigger head

Tacos!

Need some help...

Move along, nothing to see here

News Flash, Part 2: Evidence!

News Flash

Ladies and gentlemen, I have a place to live

Score one for the good guys

Our hero also needs some sleep

Our hero needs a home

Sorry

Who wants ice cream?

A good day for our hero

School's.....out....for.....a few months!

One down, one to go

It's 1:15 am - Let's talk about basketball

Great googly moogly

New Post

Perhaps a different analogy would be nice

I like that stuff you made up. Wanna go out?

Slow week

I likey

That last post

Back in MY day...

Trig test results - Part III

It's such an outrage!

I work and I slave...

A little ha ha for you folks

Well, that was interesting

Not a problem. Hopefully.

Yeah, it's a good movie

gribbity-groo

Weirdness, Park.

The confession & the announcement

Your Daily Dose of Inspiration

Being me

College 2: Electric Boogaloo

XXXV & C

Tick...tick...tick...

Update 'em if you got 'em

Call me Ishmael.

Mediocritude

Trig Test 1 Analysis

I wanted a lot better.

A-Typical

From the heart of whiteness

That wasn't so bad

I have my doubts.

Fun Soccer News

Well, Well, Well...If It Isn't A Family-Owned Retailer