Okay, maybe not.
But I did squeak into the playoffs in my money league as the fourth seed in the main playoff bracket and have to play the #1 seed this week. And that was despite my ridiculous decision to start Marques Tuiasosopo at QB instead of Trent Green. Fortunately, all of his interceptions and fumbles caused the guy in 4th place to lose, as his opponent racked up 18 points with the Jets defense.
Now I'm in the playoffs and I'm happy to have a chance at winning some money, but all this talk about the Colts resting their players has me nervous. Edgerin James and Marvin Harrison are what got me this far and now Dungy might rest them? Crap. It'll be even worse next week since I'll either be playing for the win or for third place and the Colts will be out here playing the Seahawks. Not only will I hate to have to chear against my fantasy team, but it's probably going to be a pretty uneventful game as both the Colts and the Seahawks will likely rest their starters and not show too much to the opposing team due to the likelihood that they face each other in the Super Bowl.
Injuries Suck
Well my knee has healed itself to about 99%. I was even able to run a few miles yesterday for the first time in a while with no ill effects. It's still a bit tender if I smack it so I try to avoid doing that.
But just as one injury heals, another comes in its place. I was up at the mountain snowboarding today. They hadn't gotten any fresh snow in over a week so only a portion of the mountain was open. I hit a few jumps, but mostly spent the morning trying to get better at riding fakie. By nature, I'm a goofy-footer which means that I stand facing the left with my right foot in the front of the board. Well, I'm trying to get better at riding while facing the other direction (essentially backwards).
I would practice this on the flatter sections near the bottom of the mountain and, usually, after about 10 seconds or so I would fall or switch back over to my normal stance. As I got more comfortable with this, I started riding fakie a bit faster and trying to carve back and forth a bit more. And that's how I caught an edge and twisted my body in two. My lower body twisted one direction, my upper body went the other, and now I'm left with what is likely a slight separation in my ribs. I didn't hit the ground hard or anything so it's not a bruise or fracture, more like a separation. Either way, it hurts like hell and now I'm here nursing another small injury.
We're do for another big dose of snow late this week and into next week. Hopefully this heals in time. I'd hate to have to pop Aleve in order to go riding.
You didn't think I'd not go, did you?
But just as one injury heals, another comes in its place. I was up at the mountain snowboarding today. They hadn't gotten any fresh snow in over a week so only a portion of the mountain was open. I hit a few jumps, but mostly spent the morning trying to get better at riding fakie. By nature, I'm a goofy-footer which means that I stand facing the left with my right foot in the front of the board. Well, I'm trying to get better at riding while facing the other direction (essentially backwards).
I would practice this on the flatter sections near the bottom of the mountain and, usually, after about 10 seconds or so I would fall or switch back over to my normal stance. As I got more comfortable with this, I started riding fakie a bit faster and trying to carve back and forth a bit more. And that's how I caught an edge and twisted my body in two. My lower body twisted one direction, my upper body went the other, and now I'm left with what is likely a slight separation in my ribs. I didn't hit the ground hard or anything so it's not a bruise or fracture, more like a separation. Either way, it hurts like hell and now I'm here nursing another small injury.
We're do for another big dose of snow late this week and into next week. Hopefully this heals in time. I'd hate to have to pop Aleve in order to go riding.
You didn't think I'd not go, did you?
Note to Self
Self,
In case you haven't noticed, the house you moved into last summer has a very light-colored carpet throughout the upstairs and on the staircase. It's almost white.
So why do you insist on running up and down the stairs with a full cup of coffee in your hands?
Why?
In case you haven't noticed, the house you moved into last summer has a very light-colored carpet throughout the upstairs and on the staircase. It's almost white.
So why do you insist on running up and down the stairs with a full cup of coffee in your hands?
Why?
Project: Holiday Spirit (update #2)
This past Friday night, Kristin and I went to see the play The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge and came away very impressed. The play was being performed at a small local theatre in north Seattle and consisted of 8 actors playing about a dozen different roles. According to the Playbill, the play is also being performed in several east coast states and England. This was its first showing on the west coast.
The entire play consists of a courtroom trial, taking place on Christmas Eve one year after the events of Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol. Scrooge is in the process of suing Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future for a laundry list of crimes including breaking and entering, kidnapping, assault, attempted murder, and emotional and psychological cruelty.
We haven't gone to see a play in ages and this was a nice reminder that just because it's a local theatre doesn't mean that the actors aren't up to snuff. Many of the actors in the play had been on television and starred in numerous other performances, and their experience showed, as each of them were both entertaining and entirely convincing in their portrayals.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Christmas play without a happy ending or a "lesson learned". And there is. At one point in the play the woman who collected money for the poor in the opening of A Christmas Carol was on the stand testifying against Scrooge's greed. His cross-examination (too cheap to hire a lawyer, he represents himself) asks her why she only feels the need to collect money on behalf of the poor one day a year. Surely the taxes he pays all year round do more to feed and shelter them than the little bit she does one night a year? And, along those same lines, why is it his nephew only invites him over for dinner one night a year? What's wrong with the other 364 days a year? Why not even on Ebenezer's birthday?
And so is planted the seeds for argument. Did Scrooge lose his Christmas Spirit? Or is he simply tired of seeing people dust their's off just one day a year?
The play is laugh-out-loud funny and also a bit of a thinker. And it's definitely a nice alternative to seeing a rendition of the original for the umpteenth time. If it's playing near you, I highly recommend seeing it.
The entire play consists of a courtroom trial, taking place on Christmas Eve one year after the events of Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol. Scrooge is in the process of suing Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future for a laundry list of crimes including breaking and entering, kidnapping, assault, attempted murder, and emotional and psychological cruelty.
We haven't gone to see a play in ages and this was a nice reminder that just because it's a local theatre doesn't mean that the actors aren't up to snuff. Many of the actors in the play had been on television and starred in numerous other performances, and their experience showed, as each of them were both entertaining and entirely convincing in their portrayals.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Christmas play without a happy ending or a "lesson learned". And there is. At one point in the play the woman who collected money for the poor in the opening of A Christmas Carol was on the stand testifying against Scrooge's greed. His cross-examination (too cheap to hire a lawyer, he represents himself) asks her why she only feels the need to collect money on behalf of the poor one day a year. Surely the taxes he pays all year round do more to feed and shelter them than the little bit she does one night a year? And, along those same lines, why is it his nephew only invites him over for dinner one night a year? What's wrong with the other 364 days a year? Why not even on Ebenezer's birthday?
And so is planted the seeds for argument. Did Scrooge lose his Christmas Spirit? Or is he simply tired of seeing people dust their's off just one day a year?
The play is laugh-out-loud funny and also a bit of a thinker. And it's definitely a nice alternative to seeing a rendition of the original for the umpteenth time. If it's playing near you, I highly recommend seeing it.
Group Pee
Kristin and I went into the city Friday night to do some shopping and see a play. After picking up our tickets at will call, we walked around the block to a bar & grill to get a quick bite to eat. And things were going well. The place actually had my favorite beer, Moose Drool, on tap so I was pretty happy with our selection. Not to mention the food was pretty good too.
And then I got up to visit the restroom. The door was locked. While I'm standing outside the bathroom a guy comes up, probably late 30's and dressed well. A guy's guy, no doubt. He asks me why the bathroom is locked. I tell him somebody is probably in there. And so begins the weirdest conversation I've ever had with a complete stranger. Here it is, as close to verbatim as I can remember it.
Him: Why would he lock the door. I never lock the door. There's no reason to. This way someone else can come in and take a pee while I'm washing my hands, no sense in making people wait.
Me: Yeah, you got a point there.
Him: Unless he's taking a dump.
Me: Well, yeah, nobody wants to share a cramped space when that's going on.
Him: But still, if he's not taking a dump, there's no reason all three of us can't be pissing at the same time. There's plenty of room around the bowl.
Me: (starting to have fun with him) Heck, a fourth guy could just piss in the sink, too. I mean, really, just run the faucet, right?
Him: Yeah, this is bullshit that we have to stand out here and wait for him to finish. Unless he's taking a dump, of course.
Me: (now completely just egging him on) Why not just go at the same time with a woman too. I mean, we can all aim well enough, right? They ought to leave the door unlocked too. This waiting around sucks.
Him: You're totally right. Well, she would have to aim pretty good too and be kind of flexible to give us enough room to really avoid a mess, but you're totally right. Why not go with a woman?
And just as he was done saying that the woman's bathroom door opened and a lady came out and went back to her seat. My quirky companion in line for the men's room quickly jumped at the chance to use the woman's room. Seconds later, a man exited the men's room and I was finally able to go. And so I did, right after locking the door.
And then I got up to visit the restroom. The door was locked. While I'm standing outside the bathroom a guy comes up, probably late 30's and dressed well. A guy's guy, no doubt. He asks me why the bathroom is locked. I tell him somebody is probably in there. And so begins the weirdest conversation I've ever had with a complete stranger. Here it is, as close to verbatim as I can remember it.
Him: Why would he lock the door. I never lock the door. There's no reason to. This way someone else can come in and take a pee while I'm washing my hands, no sense in making people wait.
Me: Yeah, you got a point there.
Him: Unless he's taking a dump.
Me: Well, yeah, nobody wants to share a cramped space when that's going on.
Him: But still, if he's not taking a dump, there's no reason all three of us can't be pissing at the same time. There's plenty of room around the bowl.
Me: (starting to have fun with him) Heck, a fourth guy could just piss in the sink, too. I mean, really, just run the faucet, right?
Him: Yeah, this is bullshit that we have to stand out here and wait for him to finish. Unless he's taking a dump, of course.
Me: (now completely just egging him on) Why not just go at the same time with a woman too. I mean, we can all aim well enough, right? They ought to leave the door unlocked too. This waiting around sucks.
Him: You're totally right. Well, she would have to aim pretty good too and be kind of flexible to give us enough room to really avoid a mess, but you're totally right. Why not go with a woman?
And just as he was done saying that the woman's bathroom door opened and a lady came out and went back to her seat. My quirky companion in line for the men's room quickly jumped at the chance to use the woman's room. Seconds later, a man exited the men's room and I was finally able to go. And so I did, right after locking the door.
Legend of Heroes
My quest for an Xbox 360 two weeks ago didn't net me a shiny new console, but I did come across a copy of the PSP game Legend of Heroes which I had been looking forward to. Not only was I excited to go home and dust off my PSP (literally) but the game looked to have real promise from the previews I had read.
What do I have to say to it now? Bah-humbug!
This game is so utterly bland and holds so tight to the by-the-numbers role-playing formula that it ought to have been packaged with a set of watercolors and a brush. I wasn't expecting "high art" and knowing that it's once again another Japanese-styled RPG that pits little kids on a daring adventure, I wasn't expecting a great script. But man alive, can't they do better than this?
You want to know how boring this game is? I'll tell you.
I came home from the Seahawks game last night and took a brief nap. I then woke up, made a full french-press of extremely strong coffee and actually fell asleep playing this game (mid-battle, no less!) despite being into my second cup of coffee.
So far I've purchased 5 PSP games since the system has come out and this will be the second one I sell back to the store at a loss. I knew the PSP was expensive when I bought it, but I didn't think it would keep on costing me.
What do I have to say to it now? Bah-humbug!
This game is so utterly bland and holds so tight to the by-the-numbers role-playing formula that it ought to have been packaged with a set of watercolors and a brush. I wasn't expecting "high art" and knowing that it's once again another Japanese-styled RPG that pits little kids on a daring adventure, I wasn't expecting a great script. But man alive, can't they do better than this?
You want to know how boring this game is? I'll tell you.
I came home from the Seahawks game last night and took a brief nap. I then woke up, made a full french-press of extremely strong coffee and actually fell asleep playing this game (mid-battle, no less!) despite being into my second cup of coffee.
So far I've purchased 5 PSP games since the system has come out and this will be the second one I sell back to the store at a loss. I knew the PSP was expensive when I bought it, but I didn't think it would keep on costing me.
Snowboarding Deaths
A thirty-year old snowboarder was found dead today at Alpental, the ski resort nearest my house. His body was found in a tree well and he apparently died from suffocation. Another snowboarder died last week at Mount Baker, a popular Washington ski resort several hours away and home of the World Record for most snowfall in one calendar year.
I was at Alpental last Friday and Saturday enjoying the abundance of fresh powder that had fallen last week. On Saturday afternoon I followed a skiier into a section of woods I usually ride through. I was following his line through the fresh when he caught a ski and went head-first into a tree well. I turned hard to stay uphill of him and promptly started sinking into a well of my own. I unclipped my left foot and went to push backwards out of it and my foot poked through to open air underneath the boughs of the tree and snow. I was able to get both feet out of the buckles and swim out of the hole using the board as a giant snowshoe. I then sledded over to the other guy and helped dig him out. Fortunately, another boarder decided to follow out tracks into the trees and helped me dig the skiier out of the well. It wasn't easy and, to be honest, I really don't know if he could have gotten out by himself.
Earlier this season my wife and I headed to Mount Baker on opening day to enjoy the waist-deep powder. We're unfamilliar with the mountain and I inadvertently led us to a roped-off cliff area adjacent the mountain's toughest run, "The Chute". We asked a guy who was about to duck the rope and tackle the cliffs which was the easiest way down from there and he suggested The Chute. Both my wife, a timid intermediate skiier, and I were thankful that there was a way around the cliffs and although The Chute proved far too steep and narrow for her abilities (she slid down on her butt carrying her skis while I carried her poles) it was much better than the alternative. Last week a snowboarder opted for the alternative and died shortly after ducking the rope and suffering fatal head wounds.
People die in fatal car accidents every day yet it never makes me stop to consider my driving habits. But when a couple of guys die doing the same things I like to do and at the same places I like to do them... it produces a very uncomfortable feeling. I tend to think of myself as a cautious snowboarder, I stick to areas I know well when I'm alone, I always have a radio with me, and I wear a helmet, but still... one can't help but wonder.
Of course, the obvious difference here is that the guy at Mount Baker ducked a rope and headed into a notorious section of cliffs -- something I wouldn't ever do on purpose. And there seems to be conflicting reports that the guy who died today at Alpental was on a closed run. But still... sometimes it hits close to home and you can't help but wonder if you're really any different than the unlucky ones. I bet neither of those two guys thought for a second that they would die that day. Really makes you think about what you're doing.
Not enough to stop doing it, but enough to take stock of how I do it.
I was at Alpental last Friday and Saturday enjoying the abundance of fresh powder that had fallen last week. On Saturday afternoon I followed a skiier into a section of woods I usually ride through. I was following his line through the fresh when he caught a ski and went head-first into a tree well. I turned hard to stay uphill of him and promptly started sinking into a well of my own. I unclipped my left foot and went to push backwards out of it and my foot poked through to open air underneath the boughs of the tree and snow. I was able to get both feet out of the buckles and swim out of the hole using the board as a giant snowshoe. I then sledded over to the other guy and helped dig him out. Fortunately, another boarder decided to follow out tracks into the trees and helped me dig the skiier out of the well. It wasn't easy and, to be honest, I really don't know if he could have gotten out by himself.
Earlier this season my wife and I headed to Mount Baker on opening day to enjoy the waist-deep powder. We're unfamilliar with the mountain and I inadvertently led us to a roped-off cliff area adjacent the mountain's toughest run, "The Chute". We asked a guy who was about to duck the rope and tackle the cliffs which was the easiest way down from there and he suggested The Chute. Both my wife, a timid intermediate skiier, and I were thankful that there was a way around the cliffs and although The Chute proved far too steep and narrow for her abilities (she slid down on her butt carrying her skis while I carried her poles) it was much better than the alternative. Last week a snowboarder opted for the alternative and died shortly after ducking the rope and suffering fatal head wounds.
People die in fatal car accidents every day yet it never makes me stop to consider my driving habits. But when a couple of guys die doing the same things I like to do and at the same places I like to do them... it produces a very uncomfortable feeling. I tend to think of myself as a cautious snowboarder, I stick to areas I know well when I'm alone, I always have a radio with me, and I wear a helmet, but still... one can't help but wonder.
Of course, the obvious difference here is that the guy at Mount Baker ducked a rope and headed into a notorious section of cliffs -- something I wouldn't ever do on purpose. And there seems to be conflicting reports that the guy who died today at Alpental was on a closed run. But still... sometimes it hits close to home and you can't help but wonder if you're really any different than the unlucky ones. I bet neither of those two guys thought for a second that they would die that day. Really makes you think about what you're doing.
Not enough to stop doing it, but enough to take stock of how I do it.
So Cool, So Obnoxious, So Christmas
I don't even know what to say about this other than I am thrilled I do not live next to this guy.
The following link is to a 3-minute video of Christmas lights set to music. It's very impressive, no doubt, but also slightly disturbing that someone would actually go through this much trouble and show such utter disregard for their neighbors.
Tis the Season... I think...
The following link is to a 3-minute video of Christmas lights set to music. It's very impressive, no doubt, but also slightly disturbing that someone would actually go through this much trouble and show such utter disregard for their neighbors.
Tis the Season... I think...
Project: Holiday Spirit (update #1)
Well, here we are, December 8th, and the house is fully decorated, the tree is up, the lights are hanging outside, and I anchored our arm-waving Santa with several 10" tent stakes and so far he's withstanding our nightly 40mph gusts. Last year, I had to pick him up out of the dirt and snow every morning and put him back together again as if he was some lost relative of Humpty Dumpty.
Last Saturday we completed the first of our weekly "lets do something Christmas-y" events. We went to Pacific Place mall in Seattle and watched the fake snow fall. Every night throughout December in this mall, fake snow falls from the rafters for 15 minutes. But it's actually a lot better than it sounds. The mall is 4 or 5 stories tall and is shaped like a "D" with a very tall empty-air section in the center. Machines near the ceiling spray a fine mist of bubbles (smaller than a pea) that fall slowly to the ground while being hit with spotlights and backed-up by loud Christmas music. Some of the bubbles fall slow and move around on the air currents from the ventilation system while others glom onto one another to form "big flakes" that fall faster.
While soap bubbles may not sound like an ideal imitation for snow, you can't tell that the snow is fake until until it lands on you. Only then can you tell that it's actually micro-sized soap bubbles. And yes, we did actually drive over several inches of the real stuff upon backing out of our driveway to go into the city that night to see the fake snow, but it was still very spirited and very cool. People everywhere stopped for 15 minutes and looked up at the falling snow and smiled, and laughed, and posed for photos. Children were running around catching it, and even some of the elder folk in the mall stopped and smiled and looked like kids again. If ever so briefly.
They then trampled said little kids en route to the Build-A-Bear store.
Last Saturday we completed the first of our weekly "lets do something Christmas-y" events. We went to Pacific Place mall in Seattle and watched the fake snow fall. Every night throughout December in this mall, fake snow falls from the rafters for 15 minutes. But it's actually a lot better than it sounds. The mall is 4 or 5 stories tall and is shaped like a "D" with a very tall empty-air section in the center. Machines near the ceiling spray a fine mist of bubbles (smaller than a pea) that fall slowly to the ground while being hit with spotlights and backed-up by loud Christmas music. Some of the bubbles fall slow and move around on the air currents from the ventilation system while others glom onto one another to form "big flakes" that fall faster.
While soap bubbles may not sound like an ideal imitation for snow, you can't tell that the snow is fake until until it lands on you. Only then can you tell that it's actually micro-sized soap bubbles. And yes, we did actually drive over several inches of the real stuff upon backing out of our driveway to go into the city that night to see the fake snow, but it was still very spirited and very cool. People everywhere stopped for 15 minutes and looked up at the falling snow and smiled, and laughed, and posed for photos. Children were running around catching it, and even some of the elder folk in the mall stopped and smiled and looked like kids again. If ever so briefly.
They then trampled said little kids en route to the Build-A-Bear store.
More Completed Games
The seasons have officially changed and the mountains received far too much snow for me to ignore them in favor or cold-weather mountain biking. So I flipped down the seat in my Element where my mountain bike took up residence for the past 7 months and I waxed up my snowboard. And since I have the luxury of being in the 6th week of my seasonal vacation from work, it's safe to say that I've been getting a lot of use out of the snowboard too.
And I've been playing a lot of videogames too. I have a couple more to add to the growing list of games I completed during this recess from work. Work that includes playing and completing videogames. Yes, life is good. Very good.
Test Drive: Eve of Destruction - Xbox
This has to be considered one of 2005's best sleeper titles. It got zero pub, nobody was talking about it after it came out despite its $30 pricetag, and nobody is talking about it still. And I'll tell you right now, it's a damn fine game. The gameplay is all about demolition derby racing and as weird as this is to say, it's actually a pretty deep experience. The Career Mode is huge, complete with a country town to drive around (buy new cars at the salvage yard, upgrades at the autobody shop, race for money at any number of places) and your home -- a single-wide trailer, a couple of beaters in the dirt driveway, and a flock of chickens running around. The real action is out of town at the game's many raceway/arenas. There, players compete in dozens of different demolition racing events. All of which are available in 4 person multiplayer as well. From straight up racing to demolition derby to oval-track racing with boat trailers and school buses. You can even play soccer with the cars. And sprinkled throughout the experience is a collection of very funny, and very impressive clips of real cars and people partaking in these exact events. Combine all of this fun with some impressive graphics (480p) and a pleasantly surprising physics engine and you got one of the best games nobody has heard of this year.
Resident Evil 4 - Gamecube
In stark contrast to the game mentioned above, everyone knows about this game. And everybody knows how good it is. Likely to receive plenty of "Game of the Year" accolades, RE4 is not only the first game in the series that I completed (19 hours total gameplay), but it's the first one that I could stand to play for more than 30 minutes without breaking a controller. It may have taken them the better part of a decade, but Capcom finally got the camera and controls right. And boy did they! RE4 plays well, has compelling gameplay throughout its length and just looks and sounds fabulous. Definitely one of the best-looking games on any current-gen system. Also one of the funnest. While the story is complete nonsense, the game completely embraces its videogamey-ness and gives you a really fun time. It also has several unlockable bonus games, a great weapons selection, and an impressive lack of fetch quests. If you haven't played this game, you must. And now that it's out on the PS2 as well as the GC, there's no reason not to.
And I've been playing a lot of videogames too. I have a couple more to add to the growing list of games I completed during this recess from work. Work that includes playing and completing videogames. Yes, life is good. Very good.
Test Drive: Eve of Destruction - Xbox
This has to be considered one of 2005's best sleeper titles. It got zero pub, nobody was talking about it after it came out despite its $30 pricetag, and nobody is talking about it still. And I'll tell you right now, it's a damn fine game. The gameplay is all about demolition derby racing and as weird as this is to say, it's actually a pretty deep experience. The Career Mode is huge, complete with a country town to drive around (buy new cars at the salvage yard, upgrades at the autobody shop, race for money at any number of places) and your home -- a single-wide trailer, a couple of beaters in the dirt driveway, and a flock of chickens running around. The real action is out of town at the game's many raceway/arenas. There, players compete in dozens of different demolition racing events. All of which are available in 4 person multiplayer as well. From straight up racing to demolition derby to oval-track racing with boat trailers and school buses. You can even play soccer with the cars. And sprinkled throughout the experience is a collection of very funny, and very impressive clips of real cars and people partaking in these exact events. Combine all of this fun with some impressive graphics (480p) and a pleasantly surprising physics engine and you got one of the best games nobody has heard of this year.
Resident Evil 4 - Gamecube
In stark contrast to the game mentioned above, everyone knows about this game. And everybody knows how good it is. Likely to receive plenty of "Game of the Year" accolades, RE4 is not only the first game in the series that I completed (19 hours total gameplay), but it's the first one that I could stand to play for more than 30 minutes without breaking a controller. It may have taken them the better part of a decade, but Capcom finally got the camera and controls right. And boy did they! RE4 plays well, has compelling gameplay throughout its length and just looks and sounds fabulous. Definitely one of the best-looking games on any current-gen system. Also one of the funnest. While the story is complete nonsense, the game completely embraces its videogamey-ness and gives you a really fun time. It also has several unlockable bonus games, a great weapons selection, and an impressive lack of fetch quests. If you haven't played this game, you must. And now that it's out on the PS2 as well as the GC, there's no reason not to.
Breathe Easy, Washingtonians
As of 12:01 this morning, the nation's toughest anti-smoking laws took effect here in Washington. Under the new rules not only is smoking prohibited inside public buildings (anywhere in which someone is employed), but smokers are not allowed to light up outside within 25 feet of the doors either.
Why the 25-foot rule?
This clause is the vampire-like fangs on this toothy law. Take shopping malls for example. They've been smoke-free for a very long time. Most of them well over a decade. But whenever you left the mall, you'd walk head-first into a giant cloud of smoke. Why? Because all the smokers were congregating under the awning outside the doors. Now, thanks to this 25-foot rule, smokers can't do that. Sayonara toxic clouds!
Granted, there are areas like the historic Pioneer Square district in Seattle where there's a bar or storefront every thirty feet or so. Are smokers going to have to stand in the middle of the street to light up? Perhaps they'll have to go in the alley? My guess is we'll see them hang out in their cars a lot.
If I sound elated with this new law, it's because I am. Smokers have never minded being the reason so many people have to hang their clothes outside to "air out" after a night out, so I'm not going to miss their presence. That being said, it is kind of odd to witness what amounts to in my opinion as lawful, citizen-approved discrimination in a day and age when everyone is so overly sensitive to other people's feelings.
Oh welll... screw 'em! I've Febreezed my club clothes for the last time!
Why the 25-foot rule?
This clause is the vampire-like fangs on this toothy law. Take shopping malls for example. They've been smoke-free for a very long time. Most of them well over a decade. But whenever you left the mall, you'd walk head-first into a giant cloud of smoke. Why? Because all the smokers were congregating under the awning outside the doors. Now, thanks to this 25-foot rule, smokers can't do that. Sayonara toxic clouds!
Granted, there are areas like the historic Pioneer Square district in Seattle where there's a bar or storefront every thirty feet or so. Are smokers going to have to stand in the middle of the street to light up? Perhaps they'll have to go in the alley? My guess is we'll see them hang out in their cars a lot.
If I sound elated with this new law, it's because I am. Smokers have never minded being the reason so many people have to hang their clothes outside to "air out" after a night out, so I'm not going to miss their presence. That being said, it is kind of odd to witness what amounts to in my opinion as lawful, citizen-approved discrimination in a day and age when everyone is so overly sensitive to other people's feelings.
Oh welll... screw 'em! I've Febreezed my club clothes for the last time!
Jersey Nation
There's a hysterical article over at ESPN.com on the "Page 2" section about the wearing of sports jerseys by fans, in public. Patrick Hruby lays down some guidelines on when it's appropriate to wear a jersey, and by whom (read: never, and only by pro athletes) and although I do have a couple Seahawks jerseys and do wear them on game day, I do agree that they shouldn't be worn in public for most of the reasons Patrick mentions in the article.
But regardless how you personally feel about this fashion faux-paus, it's worth reading. Here's an excerpt:
Here's the link to the article.
But regardless how you personally feel about this fashion faux-paus, it's worth reading. Here's an excerpt:
Baseball managers wear game uniforms. Basketball coaches wear business suits. Football coaches once wore suits, but now dress like golfers. Golfers dress the way tennis players used to, before they started dressing like basketball players, cocktail waitresses and Catwoman. Catwoman's outfit isn't sparkly enough for male figure skaters, and NASCAR drivers would probably wear figure skating costumes if a sponsor anted up enough dough. Athletes in every sport essentially wear numbered pajamas, which makes all of these fashion and jersey rules seem totally arbitrary.
Here's the link to the article.
Fantasy Update: On the Bubble
This coming weekend is the final week in the "regular season" for Fantasy Football leagues, with weeks 15 and 16 of the NFL schedule serving as the "playoffs". Right now, things aren't looking too good for my two teams. Both leagues I'm in consist of 12 teams, with the top four meeting in the playoffs.
In my money league with my friends in NJ, I slipped back into 5th place this week with a win over one of the lowly teams in the league. A couple of losses from some teams ahead of me, not the least of which was my wife Kristin who watched helplessly as her QB, Matt Hasselbeck was given half the night off last night on account of the route in Philly. So, the situation is thus: I need to win and score at least 18 more points than the guy who is currently in 4th place to leap-frog him. If he loses and I win, I'm in. But that's not likely since I'm playing the 3rd place team and he's playing the 10th place team that I just beat 71 to 42 this weekend. The first three spots in this playoff bracket have already been clinched, but a whole bunch of us are fighting for the 4th spot. Fortunately, two of us have a ton more points than the rest so tiebreakers favor me.
Things are a bit more complicated for me in my freebie league. And that's fine since there's no money at stake and I've only been half paying attention to it this year. In that league, I'm in 6th place, playing the 3rd place team. Only two spots have been clinched and although I have a worse record than those in 4th and 5th place, I have more points than most of them (go figure). It's not looking good though as the guy currently in 4th place is playing the worst team in the league and even if I win, two teams will still likely have better records than me.
Last year, in the money league, I ended up finishing in 5th place and cursed Trent Green's slow start as the reason for my missing the playoffs. Well, here I am one year later, and I'm once again cursing Trent Green's slow start. I really have to draft a different QB next year.
In my money league with my friends in NJ, I slipped back into 5th place this week with a win over one of the lowly teams in the league. A couple of losses from some teams ahead of me, not the least of which was my wife Kristin who watched helplessly as her QB, Matt Hasselbeck was given half the night off last night on account of the route in Philly. So, the situation is thus: I need to win and score at least 18 more points than the guy who is currently in 4th place to leap-frog him. If he loses and I win, I'm in. But that's not likely since I'm playing the 3rd place team and he's playing the 10th place team that I just beat 71 to 42 this weekend. The first three spots in this playoff bracket have already been clinched, but a whole bunch of us are fighting for the 4th spot. Fortunately, two of us have a ton more points than the rest so tiebreakers favor me.
Things are a bit more complicated for me in my freebie league. And that's fine since there's no money at stake and I've only been half paying attention to it this year. In that league, I'm in 6th place, playing the 3rd place team. Only two spots have been clinched and although I have a worse record than those in 4th and 5th place, I have more points than most of them (go figure). It's not looking good though as the guy currently in 4th place is playing the worst team in the league and even if I win, two teams will still likely have better records than me.
Last year, in the money league, I ended up finishing in 5th place and cursed Trent Green's slow start as the reason for my missing the playoffs. Well, here I am one year later, and I'm once again cursing Trent Green's slow start. I really have to draft a different QB next year.
My 15-Second Workout
I don't know who or what I was listening to or reading the other day, but I recall mention of a 15-second workout. As someone who used to spend up to 40 hours a week training for triathlons, my first thought was, well... remember what I said the other day about trying to avoid profanity? I'll let you use your imagination as to what I first thought.
But then I got to thinking about my own workout regimen of late and how the mountain biking I did all year didn't help me lose any weight (I wouldn't mind losing 5 to 10 pounds, nothing serious). My legs certainly got stronger, but it was really my upper body that needed to tighten up. So I thought about the pushups I was doing nightly earlier this year. Nothing impressive, just about 30, sometimes 40 pushups at night before bed. Every now and then I would feel good and do them in the morning too. But then I skipped a day and lo and behold it's been months since I've done them.
And that's what gave me an idea. What if I did just 20 pushups every other hour all day long? It would only take about 15 seconds every 2 hours; I can do it anywhere; I don't need to change my clothes for fear of getting sweaty; and it will be over before I know it. Surely I can spare 15 seconds, right?
So, starting at 9am yesterday, I dropped and did 20 pushups. No problem. 11 o'clock came around and I repeated the process. And so on and so forth throughout the day. I skipped 7 o'clock by mistake because I was caught up in the excitement of watching the Seahawks completely embarrass the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, but I resumed the plan at 9pm and then did 30 for good measure prior to going to bed.
My total for Day One in my new 15-second workout plan was 150 pushups. After about 50 or so I started to feel a nice little tightening in my abs and my shoulders and chest and when I woke up this morning, my upper body was feeling a bit tighter than normal. Could the old-fashioned pushup really provide this much work to so many muscle groups? Could this be the miracle workout everyone seems so anxious to buy on television?
At 9am this morning, I dropped and did another 20 just like yesterday and although my arms and chest are feeling the effects of yesterday's efforts, it felt good to push through the soreness that was there. I'm not sure how much this will actually help, but I know that I usually tire at about 40 or 50 pushups if I try to do them all at once. If splitting them up throughout the day can get me to 150 or more, then that's what I'll do. Now I just need to ask a personal trainer if this "bite-size" approach will net a bigger benefit than just doing one set until I collapse on the ground. I tend to think it is.
But then I got to thinking about my own workout regimen of late and how the mountain biking I did all year didn't help me lose any weight (I wouldn't mind losing 5 to 10 pounds, nothing serious). My legs certainly got stronger, but it was really my upper body that needed to tighten up. So I thought about the pushups I was doing nightly earlier this year. Nothing impressive, just about 30, sometimes 40 pushups at night before bed. Every now and then I would feel good and do them in the morning too. But then I skipped a day and lo and behold it's been months since I've done them.
And that's what gave me an idea. What if I did just 20 pushups every other hour all day long? It would only take about 15 seconds every 2 hours; I can do it anywhere; I don't need to change my clothes for fear of getting sweaty; and it will be over before I know it. Surely I can spare 15 seconds, right?
So, starting at 9am yesterday, I dropped and did 20 pushups. No problem. 11 o'clock came around and I repeated the process. And so on and so forth throughout the day. I skipped 7 o'clock by mistake because I was caught up in the excitement of watching the Seahawks completely embarrass the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, but I resumed the plan at 9pm and then did 30 for good measure prior to going to bed.
My total for Day One in my new 15-second workout plan was 150 pushups. After about 50 or so I started to feel a nice little tightening in my abs and my shoulders and chest and when I woke up this morning, my upper body was feeling a bit tighter than normal. Could the old-fashioned pushup really provide this much work to so many muscle groups? Could this be the miracle workout everyone seems so anxious to buy on television?
At 9am this morning, I dropped and did another 20 just like yesterday and although my arms and chest are feeling the effects of yesterday's efforts, it felt good to push through the soreness that was there. I'm not sure how much this will actually help, but I know that I usually tire at about 40 or 50 pushups if I try to do them all at once. If splitting them up throughout the day can get me to 150 or more, then that's what I'll do. Now I just need to ask a personal trainer if this "bite-size" approach will net a bigger benefit than just doing one set until I collapse on the ground. I tend to think it is.
White Man Can't Jump In
Microsoft's advertising campaign for their new Xbox 360 game console has shifted from thirty-second clips of people jumping rope and having massive water balloon fights to actual gameplay. As much as I enjoyed watching the skills on display with the rope jumping and the pandemonium contained within the urban water balloon fight, the newer commercials are not only far more successful in demonstrating the product, but they're also funnier.
One particular commercial stars footage from Project Gotham Racing 3 and players are playing online and asking one another where they're from. After a couple states and countries are mentioned, one decidedly British voice pipes in that he's from a place called "first place" and that the others aren't likely to ever see it. It's a very clever bit of polite trash talking and, when this bit of comaraderie is combined with the incredible graphics on display, it does a very good job of making the viewer want to buy an Xbox 360 right away. The commercial then fades to black and Microsoft's new tagline "Jump In" blips onto the screen.
As a longtime fan of the Project Gotham Racing series (I was touting it as my favorite racer back on the Dreamcast when it went by the preferred name of Metropolis Street Racer) I want the game tremendously and it alone is the reason, as of right now, that I want an Xbox 360. And therein lies the problem. I want an Xbox 360 but cannot have one. Microsoft wants me to Jump In, but apparently my vertical leap isn't what it used to be because I can't seem to find anybody willing to sell me one.
I went on a quest last Thursday. I figured that with it being 10 days since the launch of the Xbox 360 that if I went to all of the major stores in the area and was there, out front, when the doors opened, that perhaps I would find one. The fact that I was conducting this quest in Microsoft's backyard made my optimism seem that much more deserved.
7:00, Fred Meyer, Issaquah
I waited outside for the doors to open and when they did, I and one other guy rushed to the electronics department to see if they had gotten any in yet. It's been 10 days since the launch of the console and not only had they not received a single one since the launch, the manager I spoke with has gotten no word from Microsoft or anybody else about when new deliveries could be expected.
8:00, Target, Issaquah
A large crowd was waiting outside Target for it to open. Many of us were there for the Xbox 360, while several others were there waiting for the latest Matchbox Cars. Who knew? The doors open and several of us take off fast-walking through the store towards the electronics department at the rear of the store. I took the scenic route through the ladies underwear section (okay, it wasn't that scenic, it was Target after all) and arrived their first. Nothing. After some milling around in a disappointed stupor I found a manager and asked him. They hadn't received a single console since the launch and weren't expecting any before the New Year. Several customers begin gossipping about a purported quarrantine.
8:30, Best Buy, Bellevue
I stopped at the Best Buy where Bill Gates himself handed out some Xbox 360's just 10 days earlier, thinking they opened at 9 o'clock. A manager was outside smoking and informed me that the store didn't open till 10 o'clock and that they hadn't received any since the launch and didn't expect any at least until next week.
9:00, Toys R' Us, Bellevue
I battled downtown traffic and made it to the Toys R' Us in time for their opening. One other guy who used to work at Bungie was there also. He too mentioned rumors of a quarrantine but was hoping that this particular store would have some systems. The two of us race-walk stride for stride into the "R Zone" when the doors open and are instantly met with mockery by a butter-faced clerk behind the counter. They hadn't received any systems since the launch, so the manager who approaches says, and apparently 400,000 systems have been found to have faulty hard drives and are quarrantined. They told us there is the chance of getting one later that day when deliveries arrive, but they wouldn't count on it.
10:00, Circuit City, Bellevue
Last chance saloon. Nada. I couldn't find anyone who would give me a straight answer as to whether or not they had even gotten in any since the launch, but everyone I spoke with was in agreement that they'd be surprised if they received any before Christmas. I tried telling them that I used to be able to dunk a volleyball and that I wasn't going to re-sell it on Ebay, and that all I wanted to do was Jump In with the British guy who was in first place on the commercial, but they didn't care.
Nobody cares.
I know it's a long time before the Playstation 3 comes out next year (don't believe the Spring, 2006 nonsense; it will be September at the earliest) and that Microsoft has plenty of time to get a sizable installed user base for their Xbox 360, they are in the process of defeating their own purpose of launching the new system so early. After all, for every one person you hear saying how much fun their having with their Xbox 360, there are a half-dozen more like me who are growing exceedingly frustrated with Microsoft's inability to live up to their own self-generated hype.
As one person had written on a message board I frequent, this isn't about "overwhelming demand" it's more about "underwhelming supply".
Microsoft reportedly shipped roughly 400,000 systems to North America for the launch of their system and reports from several news sources are citing Ebay officials that over 40,000 Xbox 360's have so far been sold on Ebay with the average console fetching over $200 more than retail price. I didn't want one bad enough to forfeit my choice of games and accessories to Gamestop and Electronics Boutique, and I'm sure not going to pay some greedy Ebayer top dollar for one either.
And maybe I'm being naive and old-fashioned, but I shouldn't have to either. Microsoft has been talking about how important getting a head-start on Sony is in the next-gen console war, but here they are, apparently searching for a misplaced set of ignition keys.
One particular commercial stars footage from Project Gotham Racing 3 and players are playing online and asking one another where they're from. After a couple states and countries are mentioned, one decidedly British voice pipes in that he's from a place called "first place" and that the others aren't likely to ever see it. It's a very clever bit of polite trash talking and, when this bit of comaraderie is combined with the incredible graphics on display, it does a very good job of making the viewer want to buy an Xbox 360 right away. The commercial then fades to black and Microsoft's new tagline "Jump In" blips onto the screen.
As a longtime fan of the Project Gotham Racing series (I was touting it as my favorite racer back on the Dreamcast when it went by the preferred name of Metropolis Street Racer) I want the game tremendously and it alone is the reason, as of right now, that I want an Xbox 360. And therein lies the problem. I want an Xbox 360 but cannot have one. Microsoft wants me to Jump In, but apparently my vertical leap isn't what it used to be because I can't seem to find anybody willing to sell me one.
I went on a quest last Thursday. I figured that with it being 10 days since the launch of the Xbox 360 that if I went to all of the major stores in the area and was there, out front, when the doors opened, that perhaps I would find one. The fact that I was conducting this quest in Microsoft's backyard made my optimism seem that much more deserved.
7:00, Fred Meyer, Issaquah
I waited outside for the doors to open and when they did, I and one other guy rushed to the electronics department to see if they had gotten any in yet. It's been 10 days since the launch of the console and not only had they not received a single one since the launch, the manager I spoke with has gotten no word from Microsoft or anybody else about when new deliveries could be expected.
8:00, Target, Issaquah
A large crowd was waiting outside Target for it to open. Many of us were there for the Xbox 360, while several others were there waiting for the latest Matchbox Cars. Who knew? The doors open and several of us take off fast-walking through the store towards the electronics department at the rear of the store. I took the scenic route through the ladies underwear section (okay, it wasn't that scenic, it was Target after all) and arrived their first. Nothing. After some milling around in a disappointed stupor I found a manager and asked him. They hadn't received a single console since the launch and weren't expecting any before the New Year. Several customers begin gossipping about a purported quarrantine.
8:30, Best Buy, Bellevue
I stopped at the Best Buy where Bill Gates himself handed out some Xbox 360's just 10 days earlier, thinking they opened at 9 o'clock. A manager was outside smoking and informed me that the store didn't open till 10 o'clock and that they hadn't received any since the launch and didn't expect any at least until next week.
9:00, Toys R' Us, Bellevue
I battled downtown traffic and made it to the Toys R' Us in time for their opening. One other guy who used to work at Bungie was there also. He too mentioned rumors of a quarrantine but was hoping that this particular store would have some systems. The two of us race-walk stride for stride into the "R Zone" when the doors open and are instantly met with mockery by a butter-faced clerk behind the counter. They hadn't received any systems since the launch, so the manager who approaches says, and apparently 400,000 systems have been found to have faulty hard drives and are quarrantined. They told us there is the chance of getting one later that day when deliveries arrive, but they wouldn't count on it.
10:00, Circuit City, Bellevue
Last chance saloon. Nada. I couldn't find anyone who would give me a straight answer as to whether or not they had even gotten in any since the launch, but everyone I spoke with was in agreement that they'd be surprised if they received any before Christmas. I tried telling them that I used to be able to dunk a volleyball and that I wasn't going to re-sell it on Ebay, and that all I wanted to do was Jump In with the British guy who was in first place on the commercial, but they didn't care.
Nobody cares.
I know it's a long time before the Playstation 3 comes out next year (don't believe the Spring, 2006 nonsense; it will be September at the earliest) and that Microsoft has plenty of time to get a sizable installed user base for their Xbox 360, they are in the process of defeating their own purpose of launching the new system so early. After all, for every one person you hear saying how much fun their having with their Xbox 360, there are a half-dozen more like me who are growing exceedingly frustrated with Microsoft's inability to live up to their own self-generated hype.
As one person had written on a message board I frequent, this isn't about "overwhelming demand" it's more about "underwhelming supply".
Microsoft reportedly shipped roughly 400,000 systems to North America for the launch of their system and reports from several news sources are citing Ebay officials that over 40,000 Xbox 360's have so far been sold on Ebay with the average console fetching over $200 more than retail price. I didn't want one bad enough to forfeit my choice of games and accessories to Gamestop and Electronics Boutique, and I'm sure not going to pay some greedy Ebayer top dollar for one either.
And maybe I'm being naive and old-fashioned, but I shouldn't have to either. Microsoft has been talking about how important getting a head-start on Sony is in the next-gen console war, but here they are, apparently searching for a misplaced set of ignition keys.
Eye-Rolling Moment #3,247
Brought to you today by the jackass who updates the Summit at Snoqualmie ski resort's website.
Dear Sir or Madam,
Can you and all those like you please cease your idiotic attempts at hipness and hereby refrain from referring to snow as "pow pow". It makes you sound ignorant, makes your company look amateurish, and makes me embarrassed to be reading your website, let a lone pay good money to have a season pass at your resort. "Pow Pow" is so ridiculously stupid that Saturday Night Live actually had a skit with Jonny Mosely in which even he made fun of the phrase. And that was several years ago, during the 5 minutes at which time people knew who Jonny Mosely was.
I try really hard to avoid using profanity in my blog but checking your site for updates on the snow conditions is making it harder and harder for me to keep this PG rated. Help make the word a better place to live by making the Internet a safer place to read.
Just call it powder. It's good enough to not need your embellishment.
Thank you.
Dear Sir or Madam,
Can you and all those like you please cease your idiotic attempts at hipness and hereby refrain from referring to snow as "pow pow". It makes you sound ignorant, makes your company look amateurish, and makes me embarrassed to be reading your website, let a lone pay good money to have a season pass at your resort. "Pow Pow" is so ridiculously stupid that Saturday Night Live actually had a skit with Jonny Mosely in which even he made fun of the phrase. And that was several years ago, during the 5 minutes at which time people knew who Jonny Mosely was.
I try really hard to avoid using profanity in my blog but checking your site for updates on the snow conditions is making it harder and harder for me to keep this PG rated. Help make the word a better place to live by making the Internet a safer place to read.
Just call it powder. It's good enough to not need your embellishment.
Thank you.
Say Anything: Tis the Season
There seems to be a giant push this year to reclaim the lost art of wishing someone a "Merry Christmas". I've seen several talking heads on television lately railing against people who say "Happy Holidays" and the like. They complain about the secular nature of Holiday plays at schools; they lambast the need for the government to put up a Holiday tree; and fire literally spews forth from their mouthes upon mention of the so-called "two reindeer rule" which, according to some statute, requires all religious displays to be accompanied by several secular symbols on government property.
I know you're not asking for my opinion but you came to my blog willingly and at least once every couple months, you could expect for me to post something semi-political in nature, so here it is.
Everyone involved in this discussion should save their breath because the point is moot. Christmas may have the word "Christ" in it but aside from the order in which those first 6 letters are arranged, there is absolutely nothing religious about this holiday. They want to argue about whether or not a blue spruce is a "Holiday" tree or a "Christmas" tree. Hello? It's a friggin tree! It's no different than a pumpkin or a turkey -- it's a symbol. That's it. There's no meaning to the damn tree. It's decorative. Like a shamrock on St. Patrick's Day, only much bigger.
In my household, we don't celebrate Christmas because we were raised as Christians. We celebrate Christmas and say "Merry Christmas" to each other because it's tradition. The calendar says December 25th is Christmas Day and being that we were both raised in households that celebrated Christmas in lieue of some other religious holiday we to this day celebrate Christmas. And we proudly celebrate the tradition of setting up a tree and giving gifts to one another and decorating the house and dressing a little nicer because it's a fun tradition. Because that's what we do. To us, it has nothing to do with religion and hasn't for a very long time. And it needn't either.
There are a number of holidays with religious origins that involve exchanging gifts in December. It doesn't matter what they're called or which one you particularly subscribe to and acknowledge because, combined, they all give people a reason to partake in a shared experience. The reason people started saying "Season's Greetings" is because it's all about the season. It's about adding warmth to winter and about wrapping up the year on a good, kind, and generous note. That's what this season is about. It's not because stringing 8,250 lights on your roof is a uniquely Christian thing to do, or because ringing up $7,000 worth of credit card debt is a Christian thing to do: it's an American thing to do. Hell, I would guess that even the most casual of Christians out there would agree that these things have absolutely zero to do with Christ's birth.
But yet we all do them (some with more restraint and good taste than others) because it's tradition. And I will keep on celebrating Christmas as a totally secular holiday, no different in my eyes than Thanksgiving or Independence Day, because it' a tradition that is worth keeping. It's a shared experience. I love the look of the neighborhood this time of year. I like going shopping for people and seeing the snow fall and I like the smells of the season. These are things worth celebrating and embracing regardless your religion. So what does it matter whether people say "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas"?
I'll tell you why it matters. Because while the majority of Americans fall under the umbrella known as Christianity, not all do. Personally, I don't wish strangers "Merry Christmas" because I have no way of knowing whether or not that person is a celebrator of the light-stringing, credit-card-swiping season. I say Happy Holidays to co-workers or store clerks or whomever because I respect their beliefs, whatever they may be. I know it's hard for a lot of Christians to believe -- especially the rare few who attend church more than twice a year -- but religion makes some people uncomfortable. And while I have no doubt that wishes of "Merry Christmas" are meant with no ill will, it is a sign that you're not respecting the chance that the other person may be of another faith, or simply someone who doesn't wish to celebrate any particular holiday. If you don't know for certain, don't say it. It's not about you being put-out and having to bend to the will of the secular minority, but rather you being a respectful human being and acknowledging the fact that not everyone is like you.
I do not consider myself Christian, but I take no offense to anyone who says "Merry Christmas" to me, so long as they know that I do celebrate the tradition of that particular holiday season. But if you don't know me, "Happy Holidays" is preferred. Why does it matter? It matters because one shouldn't presume that everyone is just like them. And to be perfectly honest, Christians aren't exactly making a great name for themselves these days. Assuming someone is a Christian can be seen as highly offensive. After all, how many Christians out there wouldn't be insulted if someone just assumed you were Jewish? Or Muslim?
Life, and the Holiday Season, is a lot easier if you just leave religion out of it.
Happy Holidays.
I know you're not asking for my opinion but you came to my blog willingly and at least once every couple months, you could expect for me to post something semi-political in nature, so here it is.
Everyone involved in this discussion should save their breath because the point is moot. Christmas may have the word "Christ" in it but aside from the order in which those first 6 letters are arranged, there is absolutely nothing religious about this holiday. They want to argue about whether or not a blue spruce is a "Holiday" tree or a "Christmas" tree. Hello? It's a friggin tree! It's no different than a pumpkin or a turkey -- it's a symbol. That's it. There's no meaning to the damn tree. It's decorative. Like a shamrock on St. Patrick's Day, only much bigger.
In my household, we don't celebrate Christmas because we were raised as Christians. We celebrate Christmas and say "Merry Christmas" to each other because it's tradition. The calendar says December 25th is Christmas Day and being that we were both raised in households that celebrated Christmas in lieue of some other religious holiday we to this day celebrate Christmas. And we proudly celebrate the tradition of setting up a tree and giving gifts to one another and decorating the house and dressing a little nicer because it's a fun tradition. Because that's what we do. To us, it has nothing to do with religion and hasn't for a very long time. And it needn't either.
There are a number of holidays with religious origins that involve exchanging gifts in December. It doesn't matter what they're called or which one you particularly subscribe to and acknowledge because, combined, they all give people a reason to partake in a shared experience. The reason people started saying "Season's Greetings" is because it's all about the season. It's about adding warmth to winter and about wrapping up the year on a good, kind, and generous note. That's what this season is about. It's not because stringing 8,250 lights on your roof is a uniquely Christian thing to do, or because ringing up $7,000 worth of credit card debt is a Christian thing to do: it's an American thing to do. Hell, I would guess that even the most casual of Christians out there would agree that these things have absolutely zero to do with Christ's birth.
But yet we all do them (some with more restraint and good taste than others) because it's tradition. And I will keep on celebrating Christmas as a totally secular holiday, no different in my eyes than Thanksgiving or Independence Day, because it' a tradition that is worth keeping. It's a shared experience. I love the look of the neighborhood this time of year. I like going shopping for people and seeing the snow fall and I like the smells of the season. These are things worth celebrating and embracing regardless your religion. So what does it matter whether people say "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas"?
I'll tell you why it matters. Because while the majority of Americans fall under the umbrella known as Christianity, not all do. Personally, I don't wish strangers "Merry Christmas" because I have no way of knowing whether or not that person is a celebrator of the light-stringing, credit-card-swiping season. I say Happy Holidays to co-workers or store clerks or whomever because I respect their beliefs, whatever they may be. I know it's hard for a lot of Christians to believe -- especially the rare few who attend church more than twice a year -- but religion makes some people uncomfortable. And while I have no doubt that wishes of "Merry Christmas" are meant with no ill will, it is a sign that you're not respecting the chance that the other person may be of another faith, or simply someone who doesn't wish to celebrate any particular holiday. If you don't know for certain, don't say it. It's not about you being put-out and having to bend to the will of the secular minority, but rather you being a respectful human being and acknowledging the fact that not everyone is like you.
I do not consider myself Christian, but I take no offense to anyone who says "Merry Christmas" to me, so long as they know that I do celebrate the tradition of that particular holiday season. But if you don't know me, "Happy Holidays" is preferred. Why does it matter? It matters because one shouldn't presume that everyone is just like them. And to be perfectly honest, Christians aren't exactly making a great name for themselves these days. Assuming someone is a Christian can be seen as highly offensive. After all, how many Christians out there wouldn't be insulted if someone just assumed you were Jewish? Or Muslim?
Life, and the Holiday Season, is a lot easier if you just leave religion out of it.
Happy Holidays.
A Holiday Dedication
Something very strange happened last week. I decided to embrace the "holiday season". Usually, I'm a total grump around the holidays and can't stand the constant fuss and having to decide who to visit when and who to stay with and where to eat dinner, and blah, blah, blah. Usually, my secret for a happy holiday season is to spend Thanksgiving snowboarding and Christmas out of the country, preferably surfing in Costa Rica. It's worked in the past, and it was a marvelous pair of holidays.
But this year is different. The combined lack of fresh snowfall last week and my newly-developed penchant for being a powder snob forced Kristin and I to stare the turkey in the eye and cook dinner for ourselves. Last year was one of the worst snow-seasons on record in the northwest and we spent Thanksgiving at home then too. The two of us were in our new house, vegetating on the couch in front of the television with a buffet-style spread of snacks, cheeses, and dips positioned all around us. It was easy, relaxing, and fun. And probably disgusting to anyone who may have seen it. And we would have done it again if not for Paragraph 15 of Section E, Lines 5 through 12 in the Patriot Act requiring for all citizens to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving at least once every 5 years, for fear of deportation. And although there is a clause exempting families containing vegan head-of-household, we didn't qualify. So we cooked the turkey.
Like I said, something strange happened. I decided to welcome the idea of having a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I actually got excited about it. I spent Monday night picking out recipes, and then most of Tuesday grocery shopping, at which time I bought enough food for a small army -- another requirement outlined in the Patriot Act. This rule was hand-drafted by the President himself, and is known by his initials as the G.W. Rule. You may have heard of it referred to as the Gluttonous Wallowers of America rule, in which all Americans are required to purchase at least 5 pounds of food for every one person attending their feast. Well, I obliged. Again, as nice as British Columbia is, I'd like to remain a citizen of this country.
And as the hours ticked by, I got ever-more excited. I spent most of Wednesday cleaning the house and cooking pumpkin soup, apple-cranberry pie (from scratch, beotch!), and my personal favorite, pumpkin pie. Then on Thursday, Kristin cooked the turkey while I made a really awesome cranberry, apple and sausage stuffing and, a deserty praline sweet potato casserole, and, well, you get the idea. We gorged on great food. And I was happy.
Later that night, while flipping through the newest issue of Seattle magazine, I had a revelation. This year we would spend Christmas at home for the first time in the 8 years that we've been married. We would decorate, we would have gifts under the tree, and not only that, but we would spend the entire month getting in the spirit. And I don't mean by shopping. While flipping through the magazine, I realized that there were dozens and dozens of very spirited plays and events and shows that we could attend to really enjoy the season. To make the most of it for the entire month. As corny as that sounds.
And, yes, we are going to do some shopping (starting today, as I refuse to acknowledge Christmas before December 1st) but we're also going to do something different each and every week to take advantage of what's out there. When I was a kid, we would go into Manhattan in December and see the Christmas sights. And although the trip was always a big tease -- going to Rockefeller Center and not ice skating, going to F.A.O. Shwartz and not getting a new toy, etc., etc., -- it was fun and helped make the season a little nicer. I want to recapture that feeling again. And so we will. But, fortunately, by not having to go to New York.
So each week I should be posting about something we did with a nod towards Christmas and I'll let you know whether or not it helped get me in the spirit, or if it just plain sucked. Being that everything I have in mind is at least partially reliant on other people, the chances of sucking are always a distinct possibility. But I'm keeping an open mind.
For now.
But this year is different. The combined lack of fresh snowfall last week and my newly-developed penchant for being a powder snob forced Kristin and I to stare the turkey in the eye and cook dinner for ourselves. Last year was one of the worst snow-seasons on record in the northwest and we spent Thanksgiving at home then too. The two of us were in our new house, vegetating on the couch in front of the television with a buffet-style spread of snacks, cheeses, and dips positioned all around us. It was easy, relaxing, and fun. And probably disgusting to anyone who may have seen it. And we would have done it again if not for Paragraph 15 of Section E, Lines 5 through 12 in the Patriot Act requiring for all citizens to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving at least once every 5 years, for fear of deportation. And although there is a clause exempting families containing vegan head-of-household, we didn't qualify. So we cooked the turkey.
Like I said, something strange happened. I decided to welcome the idea of having a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I actually got excited about it. I spent Monday night picking out recipes, and then most of Tuesday grocery shopping, at which time I bought enough food for a small army -- another requirement outlined in the Patriot Act. This rule was hand-drafted by the President himself, and is known by his initials as the G.W. Rule. You may have heard of it referred to as the Gluttonous Wallowers of America rule, in which all Americans are required to purchase at least 5 pounds of food for every one person attending their feast. Well, I obliged. Again, as nice as British Columbia is, I'd like to remain a citizen of this country.
And as the hours ticked by, I got ever-more excited. I spent most of Wednesday cleaning the house and cooking pumpkin soup, apple-cranberry pie (from scratch, beotch!), and my personal favorite, pumpkin pie. Then on Thursday, Kristin cooked the turkey while I made a really awesome cranberry, apple and sausage stuffing and, a deserty praline sweet potato casserole, and, well, you get the idea. We gorged on great food. And I was happy.
Later that night, while flipping through the newest issue of Seattle magazine, I had a revelation. This year we would spend Christmas at home for the first time in the 8 years that we've been married. We would decorate, we would have gifts under the tree, and not only that, but we would spend the entire month getting in the spirit. And I don't mean by shopping. While flipping through the magazine, I realized that there were dozens and dozens of very spirited plays and events and shows that we could attend to really enjoy the season. To make the most of it for the entire month. As corny as that sounds.
And, yes, we are going to do some shopping (starting today, as I refuse to acknowledge Christmas before December 1st) but we're also going to do something different each and every week to take advantage of what's out there. When I was a kid, we would go into Manhattan in December and see the Christmas sights. And although the trip was always a big tease -- going to Rockefeller Center and not ice skating, going to F.A.O. Shwartz and not getting a new toy, etc., etc., -- it was fun and helped make the season a little nicer. I want to recapture that feeling again. And so we will. But, fortunately, by not having to go to New York.
So each week I should be posting about something we did with a nod towards Christmas and I'll let you know whether or not it helped get me in the spirit, or if it just plain sucked. Being that everything I have in mind is at least partially reliant on other people, the chances of sucking are always a distinct possibility. But I'm keeping an open mind.
For now.
Thiry Years, So What?
During the 2001 MLB season, the Seattle Mariners, on their way to a league-record 116 win season had a phrase. It was "two outs, so what?". I'd like to borrow that for a moment and change it to "three decades, so what?".
This is in response to an email I received from one of my friends last week. You see, I took a nasty fall while mountain biking a couple weeks ago and in all likelihood have a small microfracture in my knee cap. It hurt steadily for a week or so, but mostly only if I went running or if I banged it on something--which I try not to do, thank you for the advice. When telling my non-biking friends back in NJ about it, one of them asked when I was going to wake up and realize that I was 30 years old and stop doing things that get me hurt. He advised I take up "fat guy" sports like golf and softball like the rest of them.
I thought this was kind of funny and I replied by asking him a chicken and the egg type question. "Which came first, the fat or the softball?" At least I thought it was funny. But it also got me thinking about how different perceptions of age can be between groups of friends and, dare I say, regions of the country. The friends I grew up with (and would still do anything for) used to be incredibly active: running, surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, whatever. Now, aside from the rare surf session, they mostly get their exercise from weekly softball games and sunday night poker tourneys. And I often get the impression that they think of my biking and whatnot as excessive. Looking across my extended family, I can only think of one relative who I would consider active and that would be my my black-belt-wearing, marathon-running aunt. As for the rest of them, it's not because they're lazy but it's because the thought of exercise or sport just doesn't occur to them. It's not something that they think is normal for people their age.
What's so weird about this is that of all the people that I ride with here in the Seattle area, and of all the people I trained for triathlons with when I lived in North Carolina, I always was and still am among the youngest. And not nearly the fastest. Many of the people I struggle to keep up with are as many as sixteen years older than me. One in particular is pushing 60 and is lightning-quick on a mountain bike. Many of these folks think nothing of riding their bikes, or going on lengthy hikes or whatnot, at least several times a week. To many of them, the thought of not mashing pedals and hike-a-biking up over mountaintops several times a week is completely foreign. Working up a good sweat each day is as much a part of their daily ritual as brushing their teeth. In a rare example, I know of several who don't even own televisions and think of watching the tube as unusual as my relatives view endurance sports.
This is coming dangerously close to my theories behind the relative lack of team-worship in the Pacific Northwest compared to the Northeast, and since I'd like to still finish working on that article and save it for another day, I'll stop here. Hmmm... how do I wrap this up?
Of course, I don't for a second think one way to live is better. Healthier perhaps, but I won't say better. Everyone is different and everyday is different. Doing what makes you happy is a personal choice and, for me, it changes each day according to my mood. Sure, I get teased for not riding on Sundays during the NFL season, but I don't care because I am just as happy screaming myself hoarse at the Seahawks game as I am bombing down singletrack. And there are days -- albeit rarely -- when I wake up and decide that I would be happier laying on the couch all day watching movies than going for a ride. So I understand that sport and exercise isn't everything to all people.
But it is weird to see how different the mindset is within different groups of people. Especially two different groups of people who share the common link as all being friends of mine.
This is in response to an email I received from one of my friends last week. You see, I took a nasty fall while mountain biking a couple weeks ago and in all likelihood have a small microfracture in my knee cap. It hurt steadily for a week or so, but mostly only if I went running or if I banged it on something--which I try not to do, thank you for the advice. When telling my non-biking friends back in NJ about it, one of them asked when I was going to wake up and realize that I was 30 years old and stop doing things that get me hurt. He advised I take up "fat guy" sports like golf and softball like the rest of them.
I thought this was kind of funny and I replied by asking him a chicken and the egg type question. "Which came first, the fat or the softball?" At least I thought it was funny. But it also got me thinking about how different perceptions of age can be between groups of friends and, dare I say, regions of the country. The friends I grew up with (and would still do anything for) used to be incredibly active: running, surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, whatever. Now, aside from the rare surf session, they mostly get their exercise from weekly softball games and sunday night poker tourneys. And I often get the impression that they think of my biking and whatnot as excessive. Looking across my extended family, I can only think of one relative who I would consider active and that would be my my black-belt-wearing, marathon-running aunt. As for the rest of them, it's not because they're lazy but it's because the thought of exercise or sport just doesn't occur to them. It's not something that they think is normal for people their age.
What's so weird about this is that of all the people that I ride with here in the Seattle area, and of all the people I trained for triathlons with when I lived in North Carolina, I always was and still am among the youngest. And not nearly the fastest. Many of the people I struggle to keep up with are as many as sixteen years older than me. One in particular is pushing 60 and is lightning-quick on a mountain bike. Many of these folks think nothing of riding their bikes, or going on lengthy hikes or whatnot, at least several times a week. To many of them, the thought of not mashing pedals and hike-a-biking up over mountaintops several times a week is completely foreign. Working up a good sweat each day is as much a part of their daily ritual as brushing their teeth. In a rare example, I know of several who don't even own televisions and think of watching the tube as unusual as my relatives view endurance sports.
This is coming dangerously close to my theories behind the relative lack of team-worship in the Pacific Northwest compared to the Northeast, and since I'd like to still finish working on that article and save it for another day, I'll stop here. Hmmm... how do I wrap this up?
Of course, I don't for a second think one way to live is better. Healthier perhaps, but I won't say better. Everyone is different and everyday is different. Doing what makes you happy is a personal choice and, for me, it changes each day according to my mood. Sure, I get teased for not riding on Sundays during the NFL season, but I don't care because I am just as happy screaming myself hoarse at the Seahawks game as I am bombing down singletrack. And there are days -- albeit rarely -- when I wake up and decide that I would be happier laying on the couch all day watching movies than going for a ride. So I understand that sport and exercise isn't everything to all people.
But it is weird to see how different the mindset is within different groups of people. Especially two different groups of people who share the common link as all being friends of mine.
Time For Some Updates
It's been almost a week since I've posted and I have a lot to write about, but I've been so uncharacteristically lazy lately that I haven't gotten to it. I say "uncharacteristically lazy" not because I'm not a lazy person, but because I was actually lazier than normal this week. Anyway, I have a bunch of posts coming today. Let me go make some coffee and finish a couple up, and they'll be here shortly. Check back in a little while.
And, Jess, thanks for wondering where the blog updates were. Glad you're still reading...
And, Jess, thanks for wondering where the blog updates were. Glad you're still reading...
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