Today, I ventured out with my 2 boys to get Christmas gifts for their mother/my wife, and also pick up a few things we needed for around the house. As today is December 13th, I quickly discovered this was a GIANT mistake.
Our first stop was Barnes & Noble. There were approximately 4 million people at Barnes and Noble. Maybe I'm exaggerating by 1 or 2 million, but there was a lot of people there. Luckily, we were able to find our way through the crowds and get our gifts there in just under an hour. Had that been the end of it, life would have been good.
Next, we had to go to Target to get 1 or 2 more gifts, but mostly to get some household essentials. There were roughly 47 million people at Target...I'm only exaggerating a little there. We got our items within 20-30 minutes, but couldn't find an electric pencil sharpener. We needed one for our home school room. I waited for 5 minutes to ask an employee, and then he walked away from me without offering any help...my blood pressure was elevated at this point! The kids had been pretty good, so I agreed to let them look at toys...I'm a stupid, stupid man. Of the 47 million people at Target, 32 million were in the toy section, so it was extremely difficult to keep track of the kids, because of course, they had to look at different aisles. Each time they switched aisles, I would have to negotiate 75 carts to find them again. By now, my blood pressure was way up. We checked out, which luckily went really quickly and proceeded to Staples to get the electric pencil sharpener.
On the way to Staples, there was a stalled vehicle, which was backing traffic up on one of the main roads through town. So it took twice as long to get to Staples as it should have. Once we got there, I was relieved that there were only 10 people in the store...not exaggerating at all on that. We quickly found our pencil sharpener with the gracious help of a store employee and were done with our shopping. Phew...glad that's over.
I mostly wrote this to whine, but I suppose I should somehow wrap this up. Next year, I'm doing all my shopping online...or at Staples.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The Teflon President-Elect
As I was reading about the scandal involving disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, I was less than shocked to see that President-Elect Barack Obama claims to know nothing of these events. It seems that Obama always knows very little when it comes to scandals involving those around him.
Let's look back, shall we? There was his America hating Reverend, Jeremiah Wright. Mr. Obama said that the Jeremiah Wright on those tapes was not the Jeremiah Wright he knew, and that he was never in church when Wright said horrible things about this country. And the media said, well, that's a good enough explanation for us.
Then there was his relationship with former terrorist Bill Ayers. Obama said Ayers was, "just a guy from the neighborhood." When it was discovered that Ayers and his wife hosted the launch of Obama's State Senate campaign, the media was forced to investigate a little. It was also discovered that Ayers and Obama served together on the board of the Woods Fund of Chicago. But, after that, the media concluded that Obama and Ayers "weren't close".
Then there was Tony Rezko. The Chicago area businessman who was indicted for using his connections to the state boards to demand kickbacks from businesses that wanted to do business with the state. It was discovered that Obama had purchased a house for $300,000 under the asking price. On the same day Rezko's wife purchased the adjacent property for the full asking price. While Obama acknowledged bringing the purchase to Rezko's attention, he denied a coordinated offer. Later, Obama purchased a 10 foot wide strip of Rezko's property for $104,500, around $60,000 above the assessed value. According to Chicago Sun-Times columnist, Mark Brown, "Rezko definitely did Obama a favor by selling him the 10-foot strip of land, making his own parcel less attractive for development." Obama acknowledges that the exchange may have created the appearance of impropriety, and stated "I consider this a mistake on my part and I regret it." Again, this was largely ignored by the media, or looked upon by some as a good real estate deal.
Now there's the controversy with Blagojevich. According to FoxNews, the timeline of the alleged events suggests that some in Obama's camp knew what was going on with the attempt to "sell" Obama's Senate seat. Blagojevich was looking for the promise of a job and cash to appoint the correct person.
Will this stick to Obama? I'm sure it won't. Either the media will ignore it, or someone in the Obama transition team will take the fall. Then, Obama will reiterate that the had no knowledge of this and that will be the end of it. The media has spent so much time spinning for Obama, that they can't let anything touch him now or they will look worse than they already do. The media will continue to do their part to ensure that Obama remains "The Teflon President-Elect" and eventually "The Teflon President."
Let's look back, shall we? There was his America hating Reverend, Jeremiah Wright. Mr. Obama said that the Jeremiah Wright on those tapes was not the Jeremiah Wright he knew, and that he was never in church when Wright said horrible things about this country. And the media said, well, that's a good enough explanation for us.
Then there was his relationship with former terrorist Bill Ayers. Obama said Ayers was, "just a guy from the neighborhood." When it was discovered that Ayers and his wife hosted the launch of Obama's State Senate campaign, the media was forced to investigate a little. It was also discovered that Ayers and Obama served together on the board of the Woods Fund of Chicago. But, after that, the media concluded that Obama and Ayers "weren't close".
Then there was Tony Rezko. The Chicago area businessman who was indicted for using his connections to the state boards to demand kickbacks from businesses that wanted to do business with the state. It was discovered that Obama had purchased a house for $300,000 under the asking price. On the same day Rezko's wife purchased the adjacent property for the full asking price. While Obama acknowledged bringing the purchase to Rezko's attention, he denied a coordinated offer. Later, Obama purchased a 10 foot wide strip of Rezko's property for $104,500, around $60,000 above the assessed value. According to Chicago Sun-Times columnist, Mark Brown, "Rezko definitely did Obama a favor by selling him the 10-foot strip of land, making his own parcel less attractive for development." Obama acknowledges that the exchange may have created the appearance of impropriety, and stated "I consider this a mistake on my part and I regret it." Again, this was largely ignored by the media, or looked upon by some as a good real estate deal.
Now there's the controversy with Blagojevich. According to FoxNews, the timeline of the alleged events suggests that some in Obama's camp knew what was going on with the attempt to "sell" Obama's Senate seat. Blagojevich was looking for the promise of a job and cash to appoint the correct person.
Will this stick to Obama? I'm sure it won't. Either the media will ignore it, or someone in the Obama transition team will take the fall. Then, Obama will reiterate that the had no knowledge of this and that will be the end of it. The media has spent so much time spinning for Obama, that they can't let anything touch him now or they will look worse than they already do. The media will continue to do their part to ensure that Obama remains "The Teflon President-Elect" and eventually "The Teflon President."
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda
Here's another one for the kids...though I like these types of movies too. "Kung Fu Panda" is better than your usual Dreamworks animation movie, in that it doesn't just rely on humor to carry a relatively crappy story. While it is funny, I found it also had a good message about following your dreams and learning to believe in yourself.
The story centers around Po, an overweight Panda working at his father's Noodle Soup Restaurant, who is chosen as the Dragon Warrior by the Kung Fu Master, much to the dismay of the Furious Five (Tiger, Mantis, Crane, Monkey and Viper). The remainder of the movie centers around Po being accepted by the furious five, and their grouchy master, as well as learning to believe in himself as the Dragon Warrior. In the end, he faces off against the villain, Ty Luong (not sure about that spelling), and he finally comes to understand what it means to be "The Dragon Warrior."
"Kung Fu Panda" features the voice talents of Jack Black, as the Po the Panda. Normally, I can't stand Jack Black, but he was excellent as the voice of Po. Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, Jackie Chan and Ian McShane also provide voice talents for this star-studded cast.
I found this film heart-warming and funny with a good message. My kids loved it and will watch it as often as we'll let them over the next few days I'm sure. Overall, I'd give it 4 stars. Some of the fight scenes may be a little intense for smaller children, so I think the PG rating is warranted. I would say this one is ok for kids 5 and older.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Earning his card
On Monday evening, I was watching Monday Night Football, when I randomly decided to check what was on The Golf Channel. I flipped over and immediately saw Wil Collins hitting his tee shot into a par 3. Why is this interesting? Well, because I went to high school with Wil Collins. We played on the same golf team, though I was no where near his level as a player. Wil was our best player on a team that won 3 straight state titles (I was only around for the first 2, and didn't really contribute to either of them).
The event that Wil was playing in was the PGA Tour Qualifying School event. The top 25 finishers earn their tour card for the next season. Only the best of the best get to play the PGA Tour. Needless to say, it's extremely difficult to get a card. When I tuned in, Wil was -17, 2 shots off the magic number, which was -19. He made 2 birdies and sunk a 20 foot putt on his 18th hole to finish inside the top 25 and earn full playing privileges. It was his 7th try at Q School, and the first time he's made it through.
Though we weren't really close friends, it was really cool to see someone I've known for a long time reach the top of his profession. I called one of my high school buddies and we talked while we both watched the final few holes. I couldn't help but remember all the times I would see Wil grinding away on the driving range, hitting ball after ball, while my friends and I screwed around on the golf course. He always had a drive that few could match. Now, his drive, hard work and dedication has brought him to the highest level of his profession. Very cool indeed!
I don't know how he's going to do this coming golf season. I do know that I, and most of us who were on those golf teams will be tuned in and rooting for Wil to have a successful season and hopefully a long career.
The event that Wil was playing in was the PGA Tour Qualifying School event. The top 25 finishers earn their tour card for the next season. Only the best of the best get to play the PGA Tour. Needless to say, it's extremely difficult to get a card. When I tuned in, Wil was -17, 2 shots off the magic number, which was -19. He made 2 birdies and sunk a 20 foot putt on his 18th hole to finish inside the top 25 and earn full playing privileges. It was his 7th try at Q School, and the first time he's made it through.
Though we weren't really close friends, it was really cool to see someone I've known for a long time reach the top of his profession. I called one of my high school buddies and we talked while we both watched the final few holes. I couldn't help but remember all the times I would see Wil grinding away on the driving range, hitting ball after ball, while my friends and I screwed around on the golf course. He always had a drive that few could match. Now, his drive, hard work and dedication has brought him to the highest level of his profession. Very cool indeed!
I don't know how he's going to do this coming golf season. I do know that I, and most of us who were on those golf teams will be tuned in and rooting for Wil to have a successful season and hopefully a long career.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Sports Musings
I know not everybody is a sports fan. I love golf and football. I actually play golf. I was too much of a wimp to ever play football. Anyway, lots of stuff has happened in sports I care about lately, so I'm going to get caught up a little bit.
Denver Broncos: The Denver Broncos are now 8-5 and are on the verge of winning their division and advancing to the playoffs. I say "on the verge", because even with a 3 game advantage, they've proven that no lead is safe. They are one of the most confusing teams in the league. One week, they get whipped by the Oakland Raiders, who are awful. The next week, the beat the New York Jets, who are very good, in New York. I've decided that this team is just going to be inconsistent. They are very young, with about a dozen rookies getting playing time this season. Even though I ripped him 2 weeks ago, coach Mike Shanahan has done a terrific job getting this team ready to play. The rest of this season should be interesting...time to sit back and try to enjoy the ride.
Peyton Hillis: Who's Peyton Hillis? He's the 5th Denver Broncos Running Back to be lost for the season to injury. He'll be replaced by Tatum Bell, who 1 month ago was selling Cell Phones in Aurora, CO (I'm not making that up). Peyton Hillis was a 7th round draft pick who only got to play because the 4 guys in front of him went down. In his limited time, he proved he could play in the NFL at a top level. Hopefully he'll heal in the offseason and be ready to go next fall.
Michelle Wie: Michelle Wie earned her LPGA Tour Card this week at the 5 round LGPA Tour Qualifying School. Michelle hit the scene as a 13 year old and has had quite a few ups and downs. The ups are that she's nearly won several LPGA tournaments. The downs...she's never won an LPGA tournament. Over the past year or 2, it seems like Michelle as either withdrawn or been DQ'd from more tournaments than she's finished. Known for her length off the tee, she's even tried her game against the men 7 or 8 times, though she's never made the cut. Now 19, she seems to be growing up. I am rooting for her to recapture her game, win some LPGA events and be as great as we all thought she'd be when she was 13.
South Dakota State Jackrabbits: Yes, Jackrabbits...not angry Jackrabbits, not Fierce Jackrabbits, just the Jackrabbits. My alma mater has now completed it's 5 year transition to NCAA Division I athletics. The football team finished 7-5 in their first year in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, good for 3rd place. Not bad for a team picked to finish 6th. Now it's basketball season. The men's team continues to struggle against good Division I competition, with a 4-5 record. However, the women's team is now 8-1 and receiving consideration in the rankings. I'm anxiously following both teams, hoping the women continue to play well and make a run at the NCAA tournament and hoping the men's team is able to improve. The Jackrabbits will be on the Big 10 Network on Wednesday against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. I'll be tuned in, anxious to see how they do.
Denver Broncos: The Denver Broncos are now 8-5 and are on the verge of winning their division and advancing to the playoffs. I say "on the verge", because even with a 3 game advantage, they've proven that no lead is safe. They are one of the most confusing teams in the league. One week, they get whipped by the Oakland Raiders, who are awful. The next week, the beat the New York Jets, who are very good, in New York. I've decided that this team is just going to be inconsistent. They are very young, with about a dozen rookies getting playing time this season. Even though I ripped him 2 weeks ago, coach Mike Shanahan has done a terrific job getting this team ready to play. The rest of this season should be interesting...time to sit back and try to enjoy the ride.
Peyton Hillis: Who's Peyton Hillis? He's the 5th Denver Broncos Running Back to be lost for the season to injury. He'll be replaced by Tatum Bell, who 1 month ago was selling Cell Phones in Aurora, CO (I'm not making that up). Peyton Hillis was a 7th round draft pick who only got to play because the 4 guys in front of him went down. In his limited time, he proved he could play in the NFL at a top level. Hopefully he'll heal in the offseason and be ready to go next fall.
Michelle Wie: Michelle Wie earned her LPGA Tour Card this week at the 5 round LGPA Tour Qualifying School. Michelle hit the scene as a 13 year old and has had quite a few ups and downs. The ups are that she's nearly won several LPGA tournaments. The downs...she's never won an LPGA tournament. Over the past year or 2, it seems like Michelle as either withdrawn or been DQ'd from more tournaments than she's finished. Known for her length off the tee, she's even tried her game against the men 7 or 8 times, though she's never made the cut. Now 19, she seems to be growing up. I am rooting for her to recapture her game, win some LPGA events and be as great as we all thought she'd be when she was 13.
South Dakota State Jackrabbits: Yes, Jackrabbits...not angry Jackrabbits, not Fierce Jackrabbits, just the Jackrabbits. My alma mater has now completed it's 5 year transition to NCAA Division I athletics. The football team finished 7-5 in their first year in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, good for 3rd place. Not bad for a team picked to finish 6th. Now it's basketball season. The men's team continues to struggle against good Division I competition, with a 4-5 record. However, the women's team is now 8-1 and receiving consideration in the rankings. I'm anxiously following both teams, hoping the women continue to play well and make a run at the NCAA tournament and hoping the men's team is able to improve. The Jackrabbits will be on the Big 10 Network on Wednesday against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. I'll be tuned in, anxious to see how they do.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
A Chili weekend
No, I didn't spell chilly wrong, though it is very chilly here. This weekend was all about Chili (and family).
For several weeks now I've been looking for an opportunity to make my famous chili. Ok, well, it's not famous, but it's one of the few things I can cook that I think is actually sorta good. I learned it from my mom when I was in high school, and have since adapted/modified it. Yesterday, I tried several new things with my chili, and I think it may have been the best batch ever.
It's a fairly simple recipe. I put 2 cans of diced tomatoes with spicy green chili's, with a couple of cans of chili beans, and 1 lb. of meat in. Then I add water, spices and cook all day in the crockpot. So, the new stuff I tried yesterday was I replaced ground beef with ground turkey. To spice up the blandness of the turkey a little bit, I added my wife's secret turkey seasoning and some garlic salt, then browned it. Then instead of normal chili beans, I included 1 can of black beans. I really like black beans. Finally, to spice it up a little bit, I added some Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Garlic Powder and chopped onions. I seasoned it all afternoon with black pepper and chili powder, and then served with some hard rolls. I think we all enjoyed it, and I'm really looking forward to leftovers this week.
Then tonight our church had a Christmas Sing-along followed by a hot dog and chili supper. The sing-along was a lot of fun because Nicholas went up front and sang with the other kids. Nicholas has asperger's syndrome (a high functioning form of autism), so he typically doesn't do that sort of thing. We were so proud of him! Then we ate our chili supper. The organizers of the event each made their own recipes, so I got to have 2 different types of chili. Both were really good, and we got to have some good conversation with our fellow parishioners.
Overall, this was a great, Chili weekend!!!
For several weeks now I've been looking for an opportunity to make my famous chili. Ok, well, it's not famous, but it's one of the few things I can cook that I think is actually sorta good. I learned it from my mom when I was in high school, and have since adapted/modified it. Yesterday, I tried several new things with my chili, and I think it may have been the best batch ever.
It's a fairly simple recipe. I put 2 cans of diced tomatoes with spicy green chili's, with a couple of cans of chili beans, and 1 lb. of meat in. Then I add water, spices and cook all day in the crockpot. So, the new stuff I tried yesterday was I replaced ground beef with ground turkey. To spice up the blandness of the turkey a little bit, I added my wife's secret turkey seasoning and some garlic salt, then browned it. Then instead of normal chili beans, I included 1 can of black beans. I really like black beans. Finally, to spice it up a little bit, I added some Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Garlic Powder and chopped onions. I seasoned it all afternoon with black pepper and chili powder, and then served with some hard rolls. I think we all enjoyed it, and I'm really looking forward to leftovers this week.
Then tonight our church had a Christmas Sing-along followed by a hot dog and chili supper. The sing-along was a lot of fun because Nicholas went up front and sang with the other kids. Nicholas has asperger's syndrome (a high functioning form of autism), so he typically doesn't do that sort of thing. We were so proud of him! Then we ate our chili supper. The organizers of the event each made their own recipes, so I got to have 2 different types of chili. Both were really good, and we got to have some good conversation with our fellow parishioners.
Overall, this was a great, Chili weekend!!!
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