Sunday, May 31, 2009

Half way through the year

It has been a tough a year but I hope it gets better. It has been a tough year for a lot of people with a lot of things going on in there lives. The economy hasn't been great. On the plus size gas prices are less running less than last year. However, I have seen them slowly rise as the summer travel time approaches.

This blog is up and running strongly again. Lately it has touched on books, Beau updates, hockey, NBA, the NFL, and whatever I feel comfortable writing about. Which is great, but there are ideas for blogs that never get written just because I am not comfortable.

I hope to blog about some articles I have written soon, and I have been saying that for a while now. The fact is I haven't written anything new. Sure, I have wanted to write new articles and I do have some ideas. I just haven't been able to get them out yet. I've also missed the boat on a few articles s well.

Some good news is over the first half of the year I have read more than I normally do (probably in a year). This has allowed me to have some new blog ideas, hopefully better myself and situation, and made me a little better read. I have started a work on a certification. Is it the right certification? Does it have the right accreditation? I don't know. I hope it will help my day job career. If not I don't feel it can hurt it. I have also started volunteering for another great non-profit organization. It is something positive in my life and I think it came around at a right time in my life. A lot can happen in six months. May they be better things for me, the blog and for you. Even if things have been great for you over the last six months they can always be better.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Lakers-Magic NBA Finals

The Los Angeles Lakers are back in the NBA Finals this year they will meet the Orlando Magic. The TV ratings probably won't be as high as last years ratings with the Celtics and Lakers. However, with Boston and Los Angeles storied history it is quite understandable. The ratings probably won't be as high as if Cleveland had made the finals. The superstar pull of Lebron James, who is well on his way to becoming an NBA great.

However, the Los Angeles Lakers are coached by Phil Jackson, who coached the Bulls to glory with Michael Jackson, and some more titles with the Kobe-Shaq Lakers. These Lakers don't have Shaq, but they still have a very talented Kobe Bryant still. Pau Gasol may not be Shaq but 18.9 ppg and 9.6 rpg are not a bad compliment from the 7' center.

The Orlando Magic have a star in Dwight Howard who averages 20.6 ppg. The Magic also have balance scoring from Lewis, Turkoglu and Nelson. Viewers should turn into this series since the Magic did eliminate the Celtics and the Cavaliers. The Lakers have a storied history and the Magic are working on building there own history. It should be a fun series to watch. The NBA appears to be filling up with stars.(Stats from Fox Sports)

Friday, May 29, 2009

T.O, Romo, Twitter and Breaking News

It must be May for the NFL, the draft is over and still about 8 weeks until the preseason opens. This week the Associated Press made a story "T.O. doesn't mind going nameless with Romo" on Wednesday May 27. I read the article on Fox.



Apparently the story got Terrell Owen's response at the Bills practice to Tony Romo not mentioning his name after his practice with the Cowboys. Tony apparently only referred to Terrell as he. They play on different teams now. What T.O thinks of Tony Romo doesn't matter. What Tony Romo thinks of T.O. doesn't matter. Great job AP, now referring to someone only as he is news. Heck there are times I would rather be referred to as he.



However, in the same article the Associated Press dug deep for some of the best in depth T.O. coverage by quoting T.O.'s twitter page. Maybe, I should check Twitter for breaking news or exclusives. It is funny the media digs so hard to make up some sort of meaningless rifts. When they could fill the same same space with a positive article about a player's charity or youth camp.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Beau Torbert Update-5.27

The Sioux Falls Canaries continue there slow start 4-8 so far in this young season. However, Beau Torbert's bat has begun to sizzle. Beau is batting .362 with 17 hits in 47 at bats. Beau has two doubles and a homer. Beau leads the teams in runs batted in with 9. Torbert has a stolen base and has scored five runs.

On the negative side Beau has committed one error. Stats are from Americanassociationbaseball.com. He is 10th in the league in batting. The season is still young so it is a little early to look at where he is among the league leaders. It's still early to look at standings, too. However he is hitting well in this young season. More Beau Torbert updates to come..

Monday, May 25, 2009

Memorial Day

This blog will probably read like the blog I wrote last Memorial Day. I hope everyone has a safe Holiday, and have had a safe weekend so far. I hope between the cook outs, gatherings, and other good times that yo have the opportunity to reflect on the Holiday.

I'd like to say a thank you to those in the armed forces. Thank you for those sacrifices you all make. I know lots of them are still in places where it is not peace time. I hope peace comes to those areas and those who are there can come home safely. Even in peace time, these brave men and woman, make sacrifices to attend deployments, trips, trainings often leaving behind their families for days, weeks, and months. When the orders come they answer the orders.

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard I am thankful for each and everyone of you. Some of you are lucky to have really cool jobs, some of you have the jobs that need to be done, you face the dangers most of us will hopefully never have to face(thanks largely to what you do), some of you do important research that makes the world better, you all make impacts on your communities (Toy for Tots-comes to mind but I know there are other programs), you help fight terrorism, you help with law enforcement, rescues, humanitarian efforts, and more. Even the part timers, the Reserves, I am proud of what you do. I am proud that you answer the Nation's Call. I am proud you step up in times of natural disasters and other emergencies and help so many. I am thankful and proud of the job you all do everyday.

To those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, I humbly thank you. I offer my condolences to your family and Brothers and Sisters in Arms.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

First Beau Torbert Update

Keeping the Blog Alive, I decided to go ahead and write my first Beau Torbert update. Stats are from canariesbaseball.com and are through 5/19/2009.

The Sioux Falls Canaries are off to a 2-3 start. Beau is hitting .333, getting 7 hits in 21 at bats. Beau only has one extra base hit so far a double. Torbert has scored two runs and driven in a team high seven runs. Beau also has a stolen base.

The season is still young for Beau and the Sioux Falls Canaries. More updates to follow.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

A Pretty Good Resume

I didn't know John Furia Jr who died Friday at 79 according to the AP. But he must have had a good resume for a screen writter. It is old school TV by today standards, but the shows he wrote on bring back a lot of memories for me. Yes, I am sure some of his shows I watched were reruns years after they first aired.

His resume included Bonanza, a show I remember watching over at my Grandfather's house in the summers of my youth. We watched a lot of westerns and baseball. He also wrote on The Walton's. I used to watch the Walton's after school when I lived in Florida. It would have been one of my favorite shows. He also wrote on Hawaii-Five-O and Kung Fu. I watched Hawaii-Five-O more than Kung Fu, but I remember watching Kung Fu with my older brother. He also wrote on The Twilight Zone, a show I still enjoy watching.

His career touched my life a little through the TV screen, if by nothing else providing some memories of TV watching from long ago.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Another Writer In The House

My step son is on his way to Charleston, West Virginia today to find out if his short story won the state competition! Way to go Ben! He has already won for his school and county. This is quite an accomplishment for him. I can remember he had struggled in the past writing things and apparently this story came to him quite easily. I know things are already decided but I wish him the best of luck. I hope he has a wonderful day in Charleston!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Simple Music

I bought a CD yesterday, a rare event these days, but something I evidently did quite a bit of in the past. It was "Shady Grove" by Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. It is a collection of folk songs recorded between 1990 and 1995 between two musicians(occasionally more). Songs from long ago, played on guitars, banjos and mandolins. The CD was incredible in my opinion.

Yes, I am a fan of Jerry and the Grateful Dead. I also listen to a lot of different music. But this disc is simply, two musicians, playing old time music. Great music and the music performed in a way that you feel the emotion of the song. I like that in music when you can feel it.

"Shady Grove" was a CD that had been on my radar for a while, but for some reason or another I never bought. It was definitely worth the wait, and I wish I had purchased it earlier. It wasn't what I expected, but that is fine. It is a wonderful collection of songs.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Crosby-Ovechkin show

Hats off to Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby! The Capitals went up 2 games to none on the Penguins due to Ovechkin's hat trick. Washington won 4-3. However, Crosby scored all of the Penguins goals.

Two of the most promising stars in the NHL delivered in this playoff game. Hat tricks are not that common and two in one game is even rarer. Many times match ups featuring two stars don't live up to the hype. In this game the two stars exceeded the hype. Ovechkin and Crosby were obviously the games first and second stars.