Merry/Healthy Christmas

So I heard that the big vote for health care is scheduled to happen on Christmas Eve. Not sure how that worked out unless the dems are hoping that a lot of republicans will skip the vote to go on vacation.

Frankly, I'm still not sure where I stand on this. Sure our medical system needs reform. It's terrible that people can lose their life savings if they get sick, but is this the best time to be doing this? I've read about Maine's failures they scare me. Can we really afford this?

There is a lot I don't know. bcbsnc and most other states plans are a mystery to me. I just hope that things work out for the best. If it does pass I just hope that everyone works together to make it a good thing, and doesn't hold out in hopes it will fail just so they can point the finger.

WGU

I've been asked to do a review of Western Governors University's online degree program. Given my background, I naturally looked first at their IT programs. The one I chose to look at most closely was the BS of IT Software focus. This was the closest thing I could find to a programming degree being offered.

My first issue was that the courses being offered seem more in line with someone who wants to understand enough about software to be a QA Analyst, but not actually write any themselves. Perhaps that's the entire focus and I just missed the point, but if not then there seemed to be a serious lack of work involving modern programming languages. I see no Java, no functional languages, no intro to frameworks of any kind. All I see are Web Programming, and Software I and II listed.

My college days were spent in similar classes, as I went to more of a trade school than an actual college and I spent most of my first few years of work learning things that I should have had in hand on the day I graduated. I made it, but it didn't have to be that hard, had I chosen the right school in the first place.

One thing I did like about the school is that it is fairly affordable. So if one of their other programs interests you then feel free to take a look. They're a not for profit school so that helps to keep the cost down.

Meds

I don't buy a lot of medical equipment. I'm not a doctor and thankfully, my family and I are all fairly healthy. If you do, check out the website linked above. I don't know much about them but I see that they have a lot of different things available.

Continuing on that them, I wonder if industries like this will suffer if the new health plan goes through? Or will they flourish given the breakdown of the big vendors and their control on things? I guess only time will tell.

Drippage

I didn't think that there was too much that I didn't know about an average kitchen faucet, but recently I discovered something new.

My mother in law's faucet was dripping and a relative of my wife, who is a contractor showed me how you can remove the handles and replace a rubber gasket to stop the dripping. I had no idea that that was even in there.

I feel like no matter how much I learn about fixing things, there is always something I don't know. Does everyone feel that way or are there people who really know how to fix it all?

Backup

There are a lot of ways to back your info these days. Some people go with online backup, others, like myself go with a portable hard drive.

So is something that happens pretty often to people? I have never had a hard drive fail on me (knock on wood). I wonder what the statistics are like. Is it like a flat tire (there are those that have had one and those that will soon) or is it less likely?

How many of you have had a failed hard drive? How many?

Oooh Shiny!

There are three aisles at any store that capture my interest regardless of what I went in for. The car accessories, tools, and electronics. I could sit in any of those three aisles for hours on end and just stare.

As it is I don't get to do that very often as I'm almost always in a hurry these days. That's why I enjoy shopping on black Friday so much. It's a whole day and I'm not in a hurry. Hopefully this year I will have plenty of time to look while I'm shopping.

Soft Outside

I think that it is really cool that someone was able to design a outdoor cushions that not only looks like a normal indoor cushion, but feels like one as well, with one major difference. That weather seems to have no affect on it. Spill a glass of water on your couch? Disaster. Hurricane force winds and 6 inches of rain on your porch furniture. No sweat.

Seriously, why aren't inside cushions made this well?

Having No Debt Doesn't Make You Rich

I realized recently that not having debt doesn't make you rich. That may seem obvious to some, but my point is more subtle. When you are living paycheck to paycheck, and writing checks for hundreds of dollars to multiple places (cars, credit cards, etc) you feel like you could own the world if you could only just keep all that money for yourself.

It turns out that it doesn't quite work that way. Once you have your debt paid off (which I don't quite yet) you realize that there are lots of important things you need to be saving for (giving to others, family vacations, your next car, emergency funds, retirement, etc) that you were just ignoring before because you had no choice.

I realized that I'm not going to be buying any isla mujeres hotels any time soon. I wasn't floored by this but it was just something that I am finally getting my head enough above water to realize. Then I remind myself that being able to save for those important things is the reason that I decided to do this in the first place. To provide for my family and make our lives and the lives of those around us better one bit at a time. I couldn't do that before, but I'm getting closer to it now.

I don't feel completely out of the woods as far as the plan I have in my head, but I can see a lot more daylight than I could a couple of years ago. I really just want to clean up my past mistakes once and for all and begin living the life I should have been all along.

I Need Back Up!!

We, like most people now, use a digital camera to take all of our pictures. The worry is that some day something will happen to the pc they are stored on and we will lose them all. To combat that, I had one of those external hard drives that I periodically connected and copied over all of our important files to be sure that we had second copies. I then kept the drive in another part of the house to be safe.

When we moved I somehow lost the cables I needed to connect it to the computer and so had no way to back up for about a year. Finally, fearing a problem, I researched buying new cords for it. Turned out that a new drive with 400% of the capacity of my old one, was barely more money than the cords.

Heavy Weight

I watched a show the other day about mattresses. It turns out that they typically weigh 20 MORE pounds when they are thrown out then when they are new. Dead skin and other more unthinkables are probably to blame, not to mention years of buried flatus's. Does that mean your mattress qualifies as a WMD? Depends on how often you eat spicy food I guess.

We actually need a new mattress. It's getting pretty old at this point, and once I got married my plan to move to the other side once my side was flat went out the window.

The Difference?

Another odd thought just struck me. How much different is rv insurance from home insurance? I would think that the same sorts of things would apply. I know that owning a camper or rv can count as a second home for tax purposes so I wonder if the insurance is similar?

Of course you won't ever get into trouble if you forget to change the oil in your house (but you might get cold depending on your heating system) whereas with an rv that could cause problems.

I also doubt that the resale value of rv's is like that of a house, so hopefully you never get "tired" of it.

Metabolism

I definitely believe that the best way to lose weight is to exercise in a way that increases your metabolism while at the same time switching to eat mostly healthy foods. The best appetite suppressant is a goal. Not too many people get fat eating broccoli and working out. The idea is that you need a sustainable lifestyle. If you try to hit it with a quick fix (diet pills, fad diets), the stats show that you will probably go back to your old ways once you lose the weight, and therefore it will all come back. Without that foundational paradigm shift, it just isn't going to be permanent, and isn't that the point?

Phat!

So at this point, most of us know that there are numerous ways to work out. Heavy weights are best for hypertrophy and HIIT is the best fat burner, but that still doesn't make it easy to design a workout.

I find myself floundering sometimes, unsure of what to do next. I'm not trying to get better at one specific sport or lose weight so I'm not sure what to do. Really I just want to be in the best shape I can be for health reasons and so that no matter what comes up, I will be ready to play. Be it pick up basketball, soccer, or whatever.

So whats the best way to go about it?

Twitter

I really like to try out all the new fads on the internet. Typically I will sign up for something as soon as I hear about it, and then ignore it until it becomes popular and then begin messing with it again. Not always but that is how I generally try to do it.

Recently I started messing with Twitter more. I signed up a year or two ago and thought that it was relatively uninteresting. Later I discovered that it was fun to follow certain celebs and see what they had to say. I thought I might need some Symantec support to help decode all the vernacular but I eventually got the hang of it.

It has it's uses.

Hits

I used to be really obsessed with how many people were reading my blogs. I used to really get excited when I ran across what would now be called a free seo service.

In the end I gave up on being too interested in it. I would love to have a blog that lots of people read everyday, but the truth of the matter is that I'm not famous enough, and I don't have enough time to spend writing really interesting posts to draw people in.

I'm ok with that at this point. Maybe some day when I have more free time I will care more again but for now, it's just not on my radar.

The Ramsey Way

God has really blessed our finances. We have been trying hard for the last few years to dig out from the debt we had accumulated through various bad decisions over the years. We were able to pay off our credit card a few months ago. I don't remember for sure what the high water mark was but I think it was close to 10k that we owed on it at one point.

Now we are building up an emergency fund so that we don't have to worry about falling back on credit cards anymore. Next up are our car loans. Based on the snowball method, we should be able to pay them both off in a year or so.

After that we have plans to save some money to finish our basement as well as saving for new cars so that we do Naot need loans again (or at least smaller loans that we can pay off quickly) for our next two cars.

On one hand, I want it to happen tomorrow, but when I step back and see how far we've come and realize where we could be 2 years from now if we are diligent, I am encouraged. God has really blessed us in this.

Kitchen

My wife and I like to watch some of the home design shows that are out there. Some of them are interesting and as most of them are only a half hour, they are a good time waster if nothing else is on.

One think I have noticed a lot is that people are moving away from the typical stone sink or countertop and getting cement ones. I have to admit that these are totally cool looking and can be made in any shape and color. Really a nice touch and totally cool.

Not that we are in the market. We aren't big kitchen people and at best, we'll upgrade our appliances but there are other more important things to be done in our house first.

The Browns 2009

Before the season began, I looked at our team and decided that a REALISTIC prediction would be 4 wins. 5 seemed too many, but I thought that 3 seemed a bit pessimistic.

Now having seen what our team is (in)capable of, I have to revise my picks. We won't win a single game this year. If we do, the other team will probably be demoted to the CFL for having lost to such a bad team.

Two years ago, I was optimistic about our talent level and thought we were close. Now I can clearly see that a total rebuild is needed and the only way we can be competitive again would be to do EVERYTHING right for the next 4 years in the draft and free agency and hope to compete again in 2013. Nothing will happen before then of note.

It doesn't help when most of our players are about as useful as spa filters in the Sahara and any talent we once had has either disappeared or been traded.

HGTV

I actually like the channel and watch a few of the shows on it. I especially love the House Hunters shows. We got into watching it last year when we were looking for houses. There are also a few other shows that are cool.

I also like that you can try and win prizes on a daily basis on their website. Most of the prizes are pretty cool with the exception of the truck accessories that I don't need. So far, not a winner, which probably won't change but I'll keep trying. You never know.

Have you ever won a really good prize? I know that it happens, and I'm just curious.

Obesity In The News

I saw this week that a study found that obesity can cause a loss of brain function over time or something to that effect. I don't think that this is the straw that brakes the camel's back for our nations health but if you haven't already started to get a handle on yours, it definitely adds another reason to an ever increasing stack of reasons why you should.

I am still of the opinion that the best weight loss pill you can buy is a gym membership along with some fruits and vegetables. Maybe that won't work for everyone buy I'm guessing it will work for 99% who give it a real shot. Obviously your doctor should have the final say on that.

Average Height

Do you ever sit around and wonder who decided what the standard height for things like door frames, shower heads, and basketball rims was? I'm sure Shaq would have something to say about these things, but of course he can afford to have a custom shower built with the shower head at 9 feet high, or even one of those custom walk in tubs if he wants it. But what about the guy who, as Adam Sandler put it, is "7 feet tall, and doesn't play basketball"? How do these people get a bed long enough for their feet to actually be on it. I mean, I'm 6'2" and I have trouble with that.

Just makes you wonder a little bit why these things aren't more customizable.

Router

I have a pretty old wireless router. I don't even remember the brand name of it. A friend of mine found it at the bottom of his closet, and while warning me that it probably wouldn't work, gave it to me for free. Not only has it worked perfectly for several years, but I have had nearly no complaints. Even online gaming with the Wii was smooth.

Not that I haven't window shopped. I'd love one of the newer more powerful ones like a Linksys router. The extended range and bandwidth would be nice. Especially if we ever get another laptop. But for now I'm happy with what I have. Not bad for a former door stop.

Lines!

I'm a total nerd. There is no question about that, but unfortunately I'm a nerd with a bad memory. I will routinely spend the time to learn something really cool, only to forget it and then not be able to recall it the one time in my life that that particular piece of knowledge would have been useful.

Frankly, it's quite annoying. One time I even turned myself into a human barcode scanner when I learned how to manually read what all those lines and spaces mean. Could I do it now if I needed to? What do you think?

Athletes

There is a lot of talk anymore about all the drug use by famous people. Invariably, the perpetrators end up in some sort of drug rehab program. Just as invariably, the same people tend to make the same mistakes over again. So, I'm wondering if drug rehab for celebrities isn't becoming like certifications for programmers. All you have to do is show up and sleep in the back of the class for three days and suddenly you're certified as a rehabilitated member of society.

It's the same for driver's license exams. I noticed one day that if you have bad peripheral vision, you can still drive but they have to stamp the back of your license. I'm sure that that stamp will be of great comfort to the family who's dog you just ran over.

Watching From A Canoe

I'm sure places like outer banks rentals love being near golf course venues. I was laughing at one point in the golf telecast yesterday when a couple of guys in a canoe, paddled near the green to watch the action from the giant lake in the center of the golf course. Talk about good seats.

I wonder if the rental place has a "golf voyeur" package or if these guys just brought their own canoe? Why were they the only ones? Is it possible that these two guys were the only ones to think of this idea? Pretty brilliant if you ask me.

Choose Wisely

Have you ever bought an extended service plan? I have only once, and I ended up regretting it. In my case it was an education issue because I bought a car warranty that I thought was a bumper to bumper total coverage warranty and in reality it was just a power train warranty. The pieces of the "power chain" on your vehicle are about the last things that will ever break so that is why companies are so happy to sell you one.

Some of these extended plans are very good. I realized recently that not having one for my cell phone is a bad idea. I have jumped through numerous hoops and wasted lots of money in the last 6 months due to broken phones that were not covered or only partially covered.

So pick and choose wisely, some of these plans are very worth it but you have to know what you are getting yourself into.

Word Play

I found out today that the word breech actually means "back side" or "hind end" which is why when a baby comes out the wrong way it is referred to as being breech.

So that got me wondering. I've often heard older people refer to underwear as "britches", and I wonder if that is just an evolution of the word breeches? Until now that word made no sense to me but I can see now where it probably came from.

So your assignment for the day is to find a way to work the word breech into you conversations, and I will not accept extra credit for calling the slow guy in front of you a breech-head or accusing him of having his head up his breech.

Table For Five?

Recently we were able to acquire most of one of those nice outdoor dining sets that you typically see on peoples decks and patios. I say "most" because we have 4 nice chairs now, but no table. Mom and Dad gave us their chairs after the table was broken in a storm in hopes that we might find a table to go with it someday. I'm sure we could at a garage sale or something like that, but I fear it will be one of those things that needs done but isn't important enough to ever do. Some things like that just feel doomed before they ever get started. It will probably take something falling right into our laps for us to ever pull the trigger.

The Missing Piece

Plenty of people in America these days are trying to lose weight. That is not suprising when you consider the latest obesity findings. A full third of the American population is said to be obese. That is mind blowing.

Most people when trying to lose weight immediately focus on food. Clearly that is part of the problem, but it isn't all of it. We all need to stay away from processed foods and focus on eating lots of whole foods like veggies, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats.

However, just as important to those is what might be considered the best diet supplement of them all. Get up and move! We spend too much time sitting around in this day and age. Too many things are so convenient that we don't burn nearly enough calories during the day. Find something active that you like to do and do it regularly!

Have it?

There are plenty of things everyone should have, like life insurance, disability insurance, clothes, and a roof. There are other things that are probably even more important that most people neglect. Notably, a good diet and plenty of exercise. You are willing to pay money to ensure that you or your family will be taken care of if something happens but are you willing to PAY THE TIME out of your time budget to lessen the likelihood that those things will happen in the first place? Why is time so much harder to spend than money? You have to spend it, so make sure you invest it wisely, and you might get more in the end.

Oils

I take fish oil almost every day. Sometimes, like this morning, I forget, but my goal is to take it regularly. I've even heard fish oil described as one of the best diet pills there is, or at least one of the few supplements that you can take that will positively affect fat loss.

I'm not sure I understand all that, but I do know that the consensus says that I'm not getting enough omega-3's so I take them. Hopefully my diet is better than most and I don't have nearly the deficit that some do but I'm guessing that I still probably have work to do.

MUW-zac

I was a little disgusted the other day. I saw the Mp3 players counter at our local store and noticed that the price of the one I currently own is now half of what it was when I bought it. Now I understand that this thing happens, but it is a bit frustrating. I really would love to upgrade as well but considering that my current player only holds a gig and still isn't full, I'm guessing I should stay put.

I also recently bought a game for the Wii recently that I expected to sell out quickly and so far every store still has plenty of copies. I guess you just never know.

More Info Needed

I have been curious lately about how diet pills work. I have never tried them but I have an academic interest in how they work. Frankly, I'm just curious about the technology. I like to understand things especially in the diet and fitness industry.

So, if you know anything about the phentermine diet pill please let me know. I don't know anything about it and I'm curious. Please leave me some info if you have any. Have you tried it, what is your opinion, what have your experiences been?

Strike It Rich

The older I get the more I realize that the above isn't very likely. It is a lot more time efficient to build a good budget, work hard and make good decisions than it is to buy lottery tickets.

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with prospecting as a hobby, or anything like that. I'm sure rock tumblers can be a lot of fun. I just wouldn't rely on them to pay the bills.

I'm excited because very soon we should be able to pay off our credit card. It has taken a while but I'm feeling very blessed at what God has done for us and how we have been diligent enough to let it happen, by making good decisions.

I can't wait to start paying off our cars next. I don't want to make the same mistakes again.

Equipment

As most of you know, or could surmise from my blog name. I love to work out. I generally prefer weight training but I'm not against trying something new, and in fact, have tried lots of different things.

One thing I've read a lot about lately may be of use to those of you that have little or no access to exercise equipment. Body weight training. There are TONS of things you can do to get a great workout that use no equipment at all. Just type "body weight exercises" into google and get started.

There, I just removed one more excuse. Soon you'll have none left.

Future Stuff

In a post earlier I was talking about what is to come technology-wise. This got me thinking about other things. How long will it be before we can take a vacation to the moon, or stay in a Stratosphere hotel orbiting the earth?

Will we ever commute via some sort of flying vehicle or will matter transportation become a reality at some point. Will we ever have the ability to send humans beyond our solar system? Will we ever colonize another planet?

I just wonder where our race will top out as far as scientific achievement. What do you think it will be?

Cheaping It This Year

We are going the cheap route for vacation this year. You won't see us in the Machu Picchu travel line any time soon. No, we're going camping for a week, assuming we actually do anything at all which is still up for debate.

The nice thing about it is that I really like camping, and we have some friends that do as well so our hope is that we can hook up and hang out for a week for relatively cheap.

There are lots of cool places you can go and tent plots go cheap even for a week. Our friends also have a camper so we can hang out inside if we need to from time to time.

Sweet Lights

I have totally fallen in love with some outdoor lighting. These LED solar powered outdoor lights that you can just stick in your yard wherever you want and then they take care of themselves. I can't wait to get a set of those.

No digging trenches and running wires and changing bulbs. These things are totally awesome. Plus their not very expensive. I saw a box of 6 of them the other day for about $50. That would be plenty for us.

Our house is in the middle of nowhere and is virtually invisible at night so I am excited about picking these up soon.

Dangerous

I have heard studies that say that prolonged heavy cell phone use can cause cancer. I'm sure that newer phones are better than the older ones but it still makes you wonder. It makes me at the very least want to halve my chances by switching ears from time to time.

It also makes me wonder about a cell tower. My aunt has one right by her house. How is that any different? Is she at a greater risk? Are we all just for being in range?

I'm hoping not but you just never know. People used to think cigarettes were fine and a lot of unsuspecting people suffered for that. It definitely makes you wonder.

Scary

I read or heard something the other day that was startling. I have no idea if it is true or not so don't quote me but I read that the human body develops cancerous cells several times throughout the life of an average person and the result of that is directly linked to the health of the person. The body will either destroy it and move on, or be overwhelmed.

If you are still looking for a reason to start exercising and eating right, isn't that enough? It's like mesothelioma where you can just actively avoid asbestos. This is active avoidance through healthy changes. It's more fuel on my fire for sure.

Amazing Memory

It still amazes me how far computer memory has come. I remember when having a 160 meg hard drive was HUGE. Now you can get a thumb drive that holds 7 gigs or more. I just can't get over how cool that is.

It definitely gives me hope that computing power hasn't reached a plateau. Just think about how much cooler things can be made as computing power continues to increase. The games we have now are already far beyond what we could imagine 10 years ago. My guess is that we'll feel the same way in another 10 years.

Fore

I saw some golf training aids on tv the other day. There were also some ads for a school that could train you to be a teaching Pro. My niece's boyfriend is doing that right now. I think that that might be an ok job, but unfortunately I'm not very good so I don't think I'd even qualify. Plus working with people has never been one of my strong suits. I just hear the word golf and I'm interested by default.

I've long said that a touring Pro has to be one of the best jobs on the planet. How much fun would that be?

New Plan

If you were to ask me what I thought about the latest Decaslim reviews, I would have to admit that I haven't read them. However, if you were to ask me what I was working on in the gym, and I would tell you that I plan to find out today at 12:30.

Pete one of the trainers here, has been working on a new plan for me, and I'm meeting with him today to go over it. I want to be consistant with my workouts and I'm happy to have a new plan. My one problem is that I don't have very specific goals. I'd love to see my abs but I'm not sure I have the body type for that, or if I have built enough muscle yet. This plan should help with those.

Stain

I had a really good Memorial Day weekend. We got a lot done and had some fun as well. We stained the deck, pulled weeds, and fit in some fun time. I did not spend any time reading diet pill reviews but the cookout I went to on Sunday was a lot of fun.

Staining the deck was a lot of work but it needed it badly. Most of the old stain had worn off, and it was relatively unprotected. It really needs a second coat but that will have to wait until next year as I don't have it in me again this Spring. At least it's better off than it was by a long shot.

The Back Nine

I played golf last night in the league for the second time. This time on the back nine. I actually played pretty well. I generally am happy with anything under 50 back there as it is really long and there aren't a lot of opportunities to score. I shot a 49 so given that and my limited schedule this year I definitely feel pleased.

Rick and Dansko played pretty well as well. They won their match and moved up in the standings. It's still early though so hopefully we can hang in there. I play again next week so we'll see how it goes.

Eye Stick

Apparently lip stick is not meant to be applied to the skin. At least not on any skin that does not cover a lip. Kerrigan, who is three, mistook the lipstick for eye makeup and and had a nice pink shade around her eyes for several days. We had no eye cream to remove it and just had to let it wear off. I had no idea that lipstick could be that hard to remove.

I wonder how many other kinds of makeup can cause such craziness. I'm guessing the messy possibilities are endless.

Molly

I need to get on the internet later and pick up some pet supplies. I've found that it is a lot cheaper to buy heart pills and stuff like that for our dog online. We have also bought frontline on there before. You have to jump through a few hoops but it definitely saves some time.

The only hang up is that you may need to call your vet and have them authorize the transaction by issuing a prescription. If they are cool with that then you can save some money, if not then you may need to look for a new vet.

Cavs

Well it's not looking good for Cleveland again. What else is new. The series isn't officially over but the Cavs have their work cut out for them.

I thought this might be the year that Cleveland finally broke through and got a title. I really hope that Lebron stays in Cleveland because he will eventually win a title. I just hope he wins it with the Cavs.

Old Fashioned Paper

I recently read my first ever book online. Ebooks, netbooks, or whatever you want to call them have never really taken off, however. To me it just doesn't feel the same, or comfortable, to read a book online.

I love audio books in the car, and the standard old fashioned paper kind but the online kind just doesn't seem to work for me. Amazon now has this hand held reader that you can get. It works basically like a PDA that you can download books onto. It's made for easy reading. It can go with you like a book but has the advantage of being online. Somehow I'm just not so sure about that either. I love the idea of having all my books in my pocket at once, like a reader ipod, but could I get used to reading from a screen all the time? The advantage of having any book I wanted would probably win out in the end.

HD at home?

Someone told me recently that if you want to watch something in HD and you have a normal lcd monitor for your computer that you can use that. Is that true? Does it depend on the video card you have? Do you have to max out your resolution?

Seems too good to be true to me. For the record, I understand that blue ray discs won't work. I'm just talking about getting an HD signal through your computer via cable or satellite.

Has anyone tried this? I don't plan to, but I was just curious. I just didn't expect that to be possible.

House Hunters

I love that show. Even now that we have moved and have no plans to willingly move ever again, I still find it interesting. I know nothing about Wilmington NC real estate or any other city for that matter but there is just something fun and adventurous about looking at new houses that captures my attention.

I enjoyed it last year when we were looking and now that we are settled in I watch less but it still draws me in from time to time. It's funny how such a simple concept can suck you in like that. TV people are smart.

Biggest Loser 7 Finale

I was pretty shocked on all fronts I have to say. Both the at home winner (Jerry) and the overall winner (Helen) were total surprises. I thought that Helen was an also-ran for sure when compared to the unbeatable Tara Costa and Mike having lost so much weight at the ranch with the added benefit of his Dad's motivation at home.

Still it was a great finale. It's always good to see people making positive changes. I just hope people aren't waiting for their turn on the show before getting started.

I'd also like to call out Buckeye Nation and ask why Erin was allowed to lose the contest for being a contestant next season? I understand we Buckeyes are getting used to finishing second but come on! I expected better!

Here We Go Again

I saw some phenphedrine reviews lately, and it just makes me shake my head. Haven't you guys learned your lesson from the hydroxycut folks? This stuff isn't regulated and who knows what it could be doing to your body. Even if it is FDA approved, which I'm not sure if it is or isn't, that doesn't mean that it's safe. Fast food is legal to sell but if you eat enough fries you'll have a heart attack. Don't expect the government to protect you. Stay informed and make good choices. Stick with healthy eating and exercising and you'll be much better off in the long run.

Money Laying Around?

I don't really like jewelry that much. Neither does my wife in fact. You would never find an "I heart jewelry" bumper sticker on her car. I hate bumper stickers too but that is another post.

No we don't really care for it much, but despite that we have collected a bit over the years. Recently we discovered a company that will take old jewelry and give you some cash for it. No not the cheesy "cash for gold" company you see on tv. These guys are Christian based I believe and some friends of ours already had some good results.

We sent in what little we had so we'll see if we get much out of it. We weren't wearing the jewelry so it's like free money to me.

Outside

I love being outside at our new house. Despite the smaller yard, and lack of woods and river to look at. It's just better for some reason. I think not having a fence helps because going out always seemed like a hassle when I had to open gates.

I also just love sitting on the swing here. I didn't care for that as much before. On a side note, isn't it amazing how those outdoor cushions can be soft without getting nasty after being rained on countless times? Ok, well I at least think it's cool.

Where To Spend On Weight Loss

The only money you should be spending as far as weight loss products goes should be on things like, workout books, fruits, and vegetables. Those are the best weight loss products on the market and have been proven over and over. Just look at what happened to all the hydroxycut customers. Now they are having to worry about their liver health. Don't take the short cuts. They only do more harm in the long run. Build a healthy body the right way, and you won't be sorry.

Inner Banks

Is there such a place as the Inner Banks? I always wonder with directionally named places if it is an attempt to differentiate or simply a lack of creativity. What is in the East wing of the White House for instance?

I'm guessing that if there is an Inner Banks, it is probably not exciting and just houses all the rentals. As far as the East Wing of the White House? I'm guessing that that is the politically correct way of calling someone liberal, or something.

Interesting

More Evidence Against The "Quick Fix"

FDA warns dieters: Stop Hydroxycut use immediately

courtesy of Yahoo News

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR, Associated Press Writer Ricardo Alonso-zaldivar, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – Government health officials warned dieters and body builders Friday to immediately stop using Hydroxycut, a widely sold supplement linked to cases of serious liver damage and at least one death.

The Food and Drug Administration said the maker of the dietary supplement has agreed to recall 14 Hydroxycut products. Available in grocery stores and pharmacies, Hydroxycut is advertised as made from natural ingredients. At least 9 million packages were sold last year, the FDA said.

Dr. Linda Katz of the FDA's food and nutrition division said the agency has received 23 reports of liver problems, including the death of a 19-year-old boy living in the Southwest. The teenager died in 2007, and the death was reported to the FDA this March.

Other patients experienced symptoms ranging from jaundice, or yellowing of the skin, to liver failure. One received a transplant and another was placed on a list to await a new liver.

There was no immediate comment from the U.S. distributor of the diet pill, Iovate Health Sciences, headquartered near Buffalo, N.Y. Made by a Canadian company, Hydroxycut is used by people trying to shed pounds and by body builders to sharpen their muscles.

Dietary supplements aren't as tightly regulated by the government as medications. Manufacturers don't need to prove to the FDA that their products are safe and effective before they can sell them to consumers. But regulators monitor aftermarket reports for signs of trouble, and in recent years companies have been put under stricter requirements to alert the FDA when they learn of problems.

Katz said it has taken so long to get a handle on the Hydroxycut problem because the cases of liver damage were rare and the FDA has no authority to review supplements before they're marketed. "Part of the problem is that the FDA looks at dietary supplements from a post-market perspective, and an isolated incident is often difficult to follow," she said.

The FDA relies on voluntary reports to detect such problems, and many cases are never reported, officials acknowledge.

Health officials said they have been unable to determine which Hydroxycut ingredients are potentially toxic, partially because the formulation of the products has changed several times. A medical journal report last month raised questions about one ingredient, hydroxycitric acid, derived from a tropical fruit. The article said it could potentially damage the liver.

Of Mice And Me

We thought at one point that this year would be our excuse to go to Disney. Our denomination is having the national convention in Orlando this year but it just didn't work out for us to go.

Frankly, it's probably for the best as our kids are still a bit too little to fully enjoy it. I'm sure though that I will be in the Orlando vacations market sometime in the next few years. Combining that with my hopes in the previous post, I'm starting to wonder if there will ever be a time that I'm not saving for something. Granted, it's better than being in debt but it's a little frustrating to think about.

It will be a great memory though, and one I really want to give our kids so I'm sure we'll try our best to make it happen.

Big and Shiny

I really want a big TV. I'm not sure why really other than HD is really cool and the giant TV wall mount LCD's are sooo cool. My hope is that someday I will be able to get one when we finish the basement. It would be the perfect addition to the new living room we want to add down there.

I really hope we can get our stuff paid off and enough money saved to do that soon, but even if everything happens exactly according to plan it will probably be a couple years. Hopefully it won't take much longer than that as I can't wait to start enjoying the space and I want our girls to have their own rooms before too long.

BUGS!!!

It's that time of year again. I need to get Frontline ordered for our pets because for whatever reason, the bugs are a lot worse at our new house despite, being on land with virtually no trees, and away from the forest and river that we used to live near.

It doesn't make any sense but the fact is, they are worse here. I have already had to remove a tick from my little boy this spring.

We also have ants like crazy. Ant traps seem to keep them under control but we can't let any piece of food stay on the floor for long or they come out of everywhere.

We also have TONS of flies, which I can thank the nearby pig farm for.

Despite all this I still love our house and and glad we bought it but it just means that we will need to take some serious preventative action for bugs once we can afford it.

Body Fat

I'm kind of excited because I have been making a lot of progress at the gym and at the dinner table lately and I'm hoping that my body fat has come down from last month. The lowest I have ever been, was about 13 percent, I think. That was back a long time ago in the days when I was trying really hard to achieve low body fat with low calories and not really enough muscle on my frame. I've spent a good portion of the last 6 months or so trying to add some muscle and I think I have, although my weight didn't go up much. My body fat, last month, however was at 17.5%. So I'm hoping that my new approach the last few months will show up in the numbers on Monday when I get it checked again. I'd be happy with anything under 15.5%, but regardless, I know I'm making progress. My goal is to got to about 10%. Progress is the key, I don't expect it to happen over night, I just want affirmation that I'm on the right track.

Leptin

Apparently the big fitness idea that has been lighting up the KVM switch of most networks lately is the hormone leptin. A lot of people in the fitness profession have blogged about it this week, and despite not being a fitness pro myself, I didn't want to be left out.

Apparently leptin is a protein based hormone that tells your body that everything is good, when you are getting enough calories, and puts you into fat storage and hungry mode when you are not. The idea then is that in order to lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit while at the same time tricking your body into thinking that you are getting plenty to eat.

This is done by employing everyone's favorite dieting technique. Cheating. Supposedly, high carb and high sugar foods really affect your leptin levels and can bring them back to normal pretty quickly. Fortunately, it takes about a week for them to come back down from dieting as well.

So if you haven't put two and two together yet, a once a week cheat day is not only good for you psychologically, but physically!

A New Goal

I have a new goal for this post. Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, has a pretty good blog that I read regularly. He is also an avid user of the Google Alerts tool, which I also use. So my goal for this post it to mention Scott Adams and Dilbert enough times to get his attention and get him to post about me.

It would probably help my efforts greatly if I had some clever idea to get Scott Adams attention or some funny line that would get Scott Adams away from drawing Dilbert for long enough to pay attention. Unfortunately Scott Adams is a much funnier person than I am and so I'm not sure if I could come up with anything funny enough. Certainly nothing Dilbert worthy.

So in closing I doubt that I will be able to get Scott Adams attention, but if I were able to get Scott Adams attention then I would like to tell him that I really like Scott Adams blog and Scott Adams cartoons and hope that Scott Adams continues to do both for a long time.

Also I would like to know how soon Scott Adams will be drawing a Dilbert comic in which the Elbonian pig somehow gets the swine flu.

Repairs

A while back we decided against making an offer on a particular house because it had asbestos siding. My thinking was that it would just cost too much to remove and I couldn't justify living in a house covered in a known carcinogen no matter how safe they assured me it was.

Recently my buddy has also been looking at a similar house and found that it is totally legal to remove the shingles yourself and take them to a facility but if you pay someone to do it, then they have to do the whole 9 yards of HazMat removal.

He also claims that the risk of needing Mesothelioma treatment from this is fairly low as a simple mask can protect you from the dust and problems only arise from repeated exposure not one time exposure.

Still, he is braver than I am. I'm still not sure I would have wanted to mess with it, short of wearing a full under water diving rebreather apparatus that took in no outside air whatsoever.

Great News!!!

I just heard about a great new diet pill!! It's called "quit blaming everything and everyone else and start taking ownership of yourself"

Turns out that when you take it, you suddenly realize that your weight is not someone else's fault, and that the best thing to do is stop eating junk and start working out.

Not only that, but vegetables, fruit and water will suddenly taste way better than sugary stuff and you will sleep better and even think more clearly!!

Sounds great doesn't it? Well it turns out that you can have results like this but it doesn't come in pill form. You have to do a bit of work. I'm still getting better at making good food choices and working out regularly. Two years ago I might have told you that I had come a long way and was far better off than I had been before that, but today I can see tons of problems with even THAT lifestyle. So over time, you will get better at this, but the point is that you have to start now.

Gadgets

I love gadgets but I rarely get to play with all the ones I want. I just costs too much to buy an ipod nano, iphone, tablet pc, heart rate monitor, and gps. I would love to have all these things but without a very cheap wholesale electronics store to go to, I'll just have to dream.

Granted I don't really NEED any of those things, but the gadget geek in me would love to play with them. There is just something cool about having a really powerful tool that almost every guy understands.

Intervals

I've been experimenting with interval training this week since my shoulders have been pretty sore and so far it has been pretty interesting. I've just been doing 3 minute intervals on the bike (1 minute hard work, 2 minute medium work) and completing about 6 intervals.

The hard part is that I don't feel like I'm getting as much done in the gym as I should because it doesn't take that long and I'm not feeling like poop afterwords. So either I'm not working hard enough, or this just is that much better than regular cardio.

All the experts will tell you that this is the best way to ramp up your metabolism with the added benefit that it doesn't affect your muscle mass that much. A good example of this is that marathon runners are usually very thin and sprinters are still muscular. Short bursts of work seem to maintain muscle better, plus your metabolism stays high long after you are done.

So we'll see how it goes. I plan to try to lift again next week. Probably with lighter weights and higher reps, just to mix things up. My hope is that I can find a way to continue the intervals as well. Stay tuned.

Some Great Writing

My good friend Dave has been busy writing which is combines two of his best talents. Story telling, and well, writing, so do yourself a favor and check out the following links

Story about Stories

Stories for Us Mourners

Dave Ramsey

In light of my most recent post, if you are looking for a good life insurance lead, then go to Dave Ramsey's home page. He has some good links to help you out. While you're at it, buy his book and read it. If you aren't already taking ownership of your finances than there is no time like the present to get started.

With the economy in it's current state, there is no reason to be taking chances. My wife and I are on pace to pay off our credit card in a month and a half and I can't wait. After that, we plan to tackle our car loans. Being debt free is hard work but I was just tired of being a slave to monthly payments. We still have a ways to go, but I'm excited about how God has blessed us with the opportunity to work on it.

Hassle

Getting life insurance is a real hassle, but a necessary one, especially if you have kids. We did it a while back and the most annoying part was the exam. Even if they come to your home and do it, it's a pain. If you could get life insurance no exam that would definitely be better for the consumer but how could the companies afford to do this?

To me this sounds similar to the home loans that caused all our bank problems of late. Companies taking more risk to get the sale and then not being able to back it up. Personally I would be a little leary of companies that offer that.

Weekly Deals

I just found a sale on the Buy.com website. Apparently they have a weekly deals section with some pretty good stuff. I personally was excited about the 250g back up hard drive. I've needed a new one of those for a while and that price is pretty good. I don't need one quite that big but I bet they will have other similar items in future weeks.

With the way things are these days you need to spend as little on nonessentials as possible and looking for sales is Money Saving 101.

Writer's Cramp

I hate writing my return address on envelopes. I don't write much any more now that we do most things on computer so it always hurts my hand if I have to do it too many times. Gone are the days as well when we used to get tons of free address label stickers in the mail in order to try and guilt us into buying something.

It might be time to consider a custom rubber stamp. I can definitely see the benefits, and with all the stamping stuff my wife has for scrapbooking, I don't think it would be humanly possible to run out of ink.

I don't think I will actually buy one, but it is a good idea. Just like a lot of things that make sense but probably aren't important enough to actually do.

Game Time

I really love the Wii. In fact, I haven't even plugged in my PS2 since we moved into our new house. (Never mind that I lost the cords, but still)

Right now I only have one game, Mario Kart Wii, but it is a ton of fun. It's nice to see Nintendo back in the main stream video game market. Don't get me wrong, I loved the playstations. I had a lot of fun with both of the first two iterations. I don't see myself buying a third as I've heard nothing good about it.

I don't have as much time for games as I used to but I'm working on that. My oldest daughter already really loves to play and I'm starting to work on our 3 year old now. The more they like to play the more video games can become family bonding.

It's a win win!!

Smartest, Smart, and Me

I wonder if the people that pay to open franchises are just entrepreneurs without good ideas?

They really want to 0wn their own business but they can't think of anything cool so the next best thing is to use someone else's idea and then at least they are running their own business. This way they have all the benefits of being the boss and making profits etc, without all that yucky creativity to have to deal with.

It also stands to reason then that the creative entrepreneurs are the smarter ones because franchises typically don' t make as much money as other businesses. Mom and Pop shops, not withstanding.

So I guess I'm really dumb in that I own no businesses and instead help to make money for someone else. At least I work for one of the smartest kind.

The Test Is The Cure?

I just went over to our local drop off site for the library to see if my book was in and while I was there I noticed a book that was waiting for someone else. I don't remember the exact title but it was something like, "Driven To Distraction: Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder"

So all you have to do to be cured of your ADD is to read a 300 page book? I contend that if you could get through the book, then you probably didn't need it in the first place.

So in hind sight, all this book is capable of, is confirming for you that you do not, in fact, have ADD.

Just making sure I understand...

Reading

My wife and I often have this argument. I read a lot of books, but with three kids I don't have a lot of quiet reading time available at home. What I do have is a 40 minute commute, one way. So I check out books on cd from the local library and read in the car.

My wife says that I cannot call this reading, that it is only listening. Granted, I am hearing the book but my argument is that if someone asks if I have read a certain book, I would be lying if I said no. My brain ingested the story, so to me that is what reading is.

She takes a different tact. She says that if listening is reading then that means that our 1 year old can read.

I contend that the ability to perform the act of transferring written symbols into language inside your head is not the reading I'm talking about.

So which is it?

So Easy A Caveman Could Do It

Good diet and exercise aren't easy, and sometimes we just need to laugh at ourselves.

(Click to enlarge)

Car Seats

I've gotten a lot of flack over the years about my position on car seat safety. Most people I know think that I am nuts. I don't think people understand the forces that are really involved in a crash and that car seats aren't magic. They are like any other device that needs to be used properly to be affective.

Watch the video below. See how much the kid moves in the very first test? That is only at 40mph and the seat is locked down tight. It still moved a ton, and that is PROPERLY installed. Imagine if that seat was very loose at all...



The next video is a good slow motion shot of what actually happens in a crash. Look at how much movement there is!!! This is a video touting the benefits of rear facing seats. I'm not even going that far but I think this proves my point about car seat installation.



In reading the comments below the video, this one caught my eye.

"Also, seat belts stretch in an accident because of the forces put on them. That's why it's important to have no more than one inch of movement in a child's carseat at the beltpath. This video shows the kind of reaction the body/carseat have when properly installed. If the harness was too loose, the child could slip right out during a crash and if the seatbelt holding the carseat was too lose the child would likely strike parts of the interior of the car."

So I'm hoping that this opens people's eyes a bit to what can really happen in a crash. It is crucially important that car seats be installed properly and safely. Yes many people don't do it and never have a problem, but in my opinion it is only because they were lucky enough never to get in a crash.

And I'm not saying that I'm the foremost authority on proper installation, but you should read and follow the guidelines for your seat and if it says no more than an inch of movement side to side, THEY MEAN IT! The force you can apply is NOTHING compared to the forces involved in a crash.

Money To Burn

I was thinking a bit ago that a good sign that someone has so much money that they can't figure out what to do with it, is that they own a luxury watch.

These people fit into one of two categories. Those that came into a lot of money quickly and therefore don't really understand how to manage it properly, and those that have become wealthy over time and have every other need locked down so they have allowed themselves to splurge.

Can you think of any other categories? I guess there is always the guy who buys a watch way out of his range just because he can't stand not looking like he has money. This usually backfires though, as a nice watch just doesn't look right with "normal clothes" like most of us can afford.

Which reminds me, did you see that Kevin Federline was so appalled that "kids can't get jeans for less than $500" that he is working on some sort of charity to help them out? Seriously, has he never been in a wallmart? Or a normal mall for that matter?

I Think I've Had Enough

I just found out this morning that the Brown's decided to trade the only player on the team that has the enviable combo of talent and experience for a crayon, roll of toilet paper, and a bit of chewed gum that has a striking resemblance to Al Pacino.

I've been very patient. I've waited as the team rebuilt time and time again and got nowhere. Coaches and QB's have come and gone and still they play the same sad tale. The fact of the matter is that the stadium sells out most games I think, so as long as ownership is making money they have no reason or desire to put a more competitive team on the field. It's the Chicago Cubs scenario, frankly.

I don't think I'll be paying much attention to the NFL this coming season. I've had enough. I'm not interested in waiting through another 3 rebuilding years so that I can watch one season where we almost make the playoffs.

Part of me wants to switch teams but the other part just doesn't care anymore. I guess I'll just watch more golf in the fall.

Hotels

Recently I had the opportunity to stay in what was probably the nicest hotel I have ever been in. That isn't saying much in my case but the fact remains that it was really nice.

It was an African themed hotel with an indoor water park. The room itself was like a small apartment. The bedroom was separate and had a door that could be closed. We had our own fireplace and full size kitchen with appliances. It was really great.

Did I mention the indoor water park? Phenomenal. It was a really great time and the park was just absolutely huge. It even had a hot tub in which you could go under a wall and sit outside in the snow. Very very cool.

Quotes

I'm not the type of person to shop around a lot for insurance. Which is odd when you consider that I do tons of research for everything else that I buy. I guess that I figure that the insurance I get is pretty comparable and that I frankly don't believe all these companies that claim (no pun intended) to save hundreds of dollars a year.

My cost is already pretty low so how could they save me much without cutting me short on coverage. Plus it's so tricky to know what they are cutting out to save money over what you have and how you go about changing your home insurance etc etc.

So there's just a lot more to it than the insurance quotes and I'm just not that interested.

Worst Job Right Now?

How would you like to be a recruiter or corporate head hunter right now? I'm guessing that the employment industry is at least as bad as the real estate one right now.

Companies aren't looking to hire and the ones that are can pay pennies because they have so many applicants. I'm guessing the percentage that the recruiters get of those pennies is not what it used to be.

Of course I don't know for sure if companies are hiring at lower rates. Frankly I doubt it, but if someone told me it was true I would probably believe it It's simple supply and demand.

Hopefully all of this will turn around soon. I just hope that the gas prices stay low when it does.

Really Cool

My wife loves scrapbooking. Frankly, I love it too as it is a very unique window into the past that allows me to remember things that I would have had no shot at otherwise. It's amazing how many little things jump out at you when flipping through one of the books that without them, would have been lost forever. It always seems like you will never forget what your baby looked like on her first birthday but when you are very used to seeing her as a five year old that baby memory fades a lot. Thank goodness for the scrapbooks and the job that my wife does keeping them up to date. It is a job afterall to do all that work for three kids. I think our kids will truly appreciate these when they get older. I know I will. I'm not sure if I even want to let them have them when they grow up. :)

Jobs Jobs Jobs

Jobs are pretty scarce these days. I'm pretty happy to have mine and I definitely think that businesses are going to get more bang for their buck these days as people work harder to rise above the layoff line when their company starts cutting costs. The funny thing is that people all seem to get pigeon holed over time. I've done lots of different jobs but at this point I'm only really qualified to be a programmer. I've done sales but my sales career was pretty short and not very successful, so I'm hoping that I can stick to my current profession.

Green Stuff

It is probably not all that ironic the being greener involves saving money in a lot of cases. Take light bulbs for instance. Compact florescent are more expensive up front but they last 5 times as long and use way less energy. There are also led lights that as far as I understand it, can last even longer. In both cases you are rewarded with both a sense of camaraderie with your mother earth as well as with a little more money in your wallet. Seems like a win win in to me.

It Might Be Mightier

When was the last time you actually went to the store and bought a pen? I can't remember having done that in ages. Probably high school or college. With all the pens given out these days it just isn't ever necessary. Plus if you work in an office like I do then you have an unending supply a short walk away. It makes you wonder if retail stores really make much money on them, but I suppose school age kids still need them, assuming their parents don't pick up the free ones whenever possible.

O-H

Despite the fact that I really wanted the Cardinals to win last night, I am very happy for Santonio Holmes. It's great to see a former Buckeye distinguish himself the way he did. That catch at the end was nothing short of phenomenal. Dwight Clark has nothing on him.

I feel bad for Kurt Warner because I respect and like the guy a lot, but he does have one ring already, and all but assured himself a spot in Canton with his play last night. The Cards have plenty of room to improve and that should scare a lot of NFC teams.

The Detroit Lions are now on the clock.

New Pills!

I'm happy to announce the release of a new weight loss pill. It will help you to lose tons of weight!!!

All you have to do exercise regularly, eat less than you use and take the pill and you will be in great shape in no time.

Now raise your hand if you can pick the completely unnecessary item out of the plan above. That's right, it's the pill. You don't need pills, in fact you are probably doing yourself more harm than good if you are taking them. Do it the right way and you will reap the benefits for the rest of your life, do it the wrong way and you may reap the consequences.

I'm not saying that all the fitness bloggers eat perfect diets and never miss a work out. On the contrary, we're all human, but I doubt that ANY take weight loss pills or would tell you that they are a good idea. If they do, run. It will be good exercise anyway.

And More Snow

We are supposed to get even more snow tomorrow. I think that I would be less annoyed if I could go snowboarding a few times here and there but so far this winter I have gone exactly zero times.

Snowboarding and Christmas are the only things that make winter bearable and Christmas is over. I hate snowboarding alone so I need to get something set up for some buddies and I to go but it has just never happened. I'm bad at planning which is clearly a me problem.

So I guess I should just pick a day and do it and hope for the best that something doesn't mess up my plans. Once is better than zero.

Asbestos

Asbestos is something that I think most people nowadays don't really think much about or if they do, are uniformed about. Including me, I'm sure that there is plenty that I don't know. We looked at a house a year or two ago that I really liked, and were considering it, when my Dad mentioned to me that it had asbestos siding. I thought asbestos was only an insulation! Apparently there are a lot of old houses like this in our area. Now supposedly it isn't dangerous unless it is disturbed but could you honestly consider raising a family in a house like that? Also, how would you ever sell it, unless to some other poor unsuspecting person, and wouldn't you feel bad about that? Do inspectors tell you this? What if the previous owner sided over the asbestos shingles and you never knew they were there? Scary stuff if you ask me. A Mesothelioma lawyer might sound like a difficult job, but it's not unlikely that this stuff may prove to be more dangerous than we thought in siding form.

Beware of Needles

I'm not really what you would call a tree hugger, but I do really love trees. I have a hard time cutting them down and generally try to avoid it. Forests just awe me and I love hiking. I wish I knew more about Wildlife trees but despite what you might think, the knowledge is not easy to come by. It's one of the few areas in which the internet has let me down. I can't really find an easy to use comprehensive site about trees and how to identify them. Plants either.

It seems like there is a hole there that needs filled but perhaps I'm just missing it.

Cards vs Steelers

I'd really love to see the Cards win this match up, and not for the reasons you might think. Yes it would be nice not to have to listen to my myriad of Steeler friends for an entire year, and as a Browns' fan it is a little hard to see the Steelers win, but that isn't why I'll be rooting for Arizona.

I'll be rooting for them because of Kurt Warner. A great Christian man who has resurrected his career when most thought it was over, TWICE. The guy is a true pro and the kind of person that I hope more young kids will emulate.

Go Cards

The Bucks

Last nights game was much more competitive than I ever dreamed it could be. The OSU defense manned up big time. Unfortunately for me, I became the victim of yet another 2 minute TD drive to beat my team in a big game (Elway anyone?)

The final statistics show that Texas still threw for a ton of yards but it didn't feel that way watching the game. I also feel that losing Beanie Wells for the second half was absolutely a killer for us. He was tearing up the Texas defense and helping us to control the clock. "If's and but's", I know but still we hung in there a lot better than anyone expected. Hopefully this will start to repair the OSU reputation nationally.

Pryor looked good running but I really hope he works his tail off this off season on his passing. He HAS to be a reliable passer to get us to the next level and he just isn't right now. He is just a freshman but it was obvious last night that late in the game he was losing confidence in his arm and missed some passes badly.

I'm very happy that we didn't get worked, but a win would have been great. Hopefully we can take it to a depleted USC next fall and get things rolling again.

Pipe!!

A couple of weeks ago we had a pipe crack above our heads here at work. Thankfully, none of us was here at the time, and my office only got dripped on. The girl down the line wasn't so lucky. She had 5 inches of standing water in her trash can. Her office furniture was soaked and she had to actually dump water out of her keyboard. Not the typical problems you expect to have on a Monday morning, but definitely adds to the lore of the most despised of weekdays. Probably not the best way to take care of your computer either.

Guys Gifts

Guys like sports gifts. In my case I love getting a gift certificate to our local ski area. It isn't huge but it's all we have in the area so I go, and it's fun. I also like getting clothes with team logos on them. For whatever reason I can't seem to have enough buckeye clothing. The Browns on the other hand are a different story. Firstly, their colors are hideous and I don't want to wear them most of the time. Second, they stink, so I'm not really all about advertising my fanhood right now. Maybe someday, but definitely not right now.

Get A Grip

I have never used tire chains but I can only imagine that it must do nothing for the riding comfort of the driver. Obviously they go a long way in keeping trucks on the road, which is great for the rest of us. My question, is who thought of this? It seems like a really good idea, but why didn't somebody marked spiked tires and make a ton of money before drivers started slapping whatever they could find in their tool box onto their tires. It seems that whatever idea gets proposed first generally sticks regardless of cost or time effectiveness. Somebody missed an opportunity there.