It was a wonderful weekend for me. It was one of those weekends where you come back to work on Monday and you don’t feel cheated. I don’t feel totally rested, but I feel like I got my full weekend.

Thursday night, we saw Coldplay in concert. Check out the Concerts page for more info on that. Friday night I had to work at the Jazz Week event and it wasn’t all bad. It was pretty slow after the concert started and following intermission, I left. Saturday was my first race of the season…4 miles. I ran it in40:57 which was absolutely awesome Congrats to Eric and Jenny as well! Unfortunately WVU beat UofL on Saturday afternoon and I’m sure that at some point, I’ll be required to sing the Mountaineer fight song for Paige. P.S., Yoda was NOT a Mountaineer. Saturday night we saw Dance Brazil which was great. See the Events page for more on that. Finally, Sunday was two church services, but I played well and the evening ended at the Neighbors for some card-playing excitement.

The Olympics are over and I just wasn’t that excited about it for some reason. I think I don’t like Winter Games because it’s winter and I don’t like snow and ice.

I think I’ve also found a new favorite beer. After Dance Brazil on Saturday, we stopped at BBC downtown and I had a Belgian Quadrupel. Beautiful. Less sweet and a little darker than the Dirty Hösen at Cumberland Brews…which makes it brilliant. And at 12.8% ABV, it’s not like you can slurp it down with a straw.

Looking forward to getting back to normal today. Of course, I’m leaving at noon so that I can meet the window guy. We’re getting new windows in the house. I’m very excited. So, maybe I can get back to normal tomorrow.

Anyway, see you in the funny papers!

• Last night, I hit rewind on a commercial about the Rent DVD and fast forwarded through a Victoria’s Secret commercial. Something might be wrong with me.
• Barry Bonds retirement: Good! Great, even! His attitude is just what baseball doesn’t need. Who knows how many of his homeruns are tainted and it’s THE MEDIA?! that has caused all his problems? Please, the guy should’ve quit last year when his knee gave up on him.
• WBC or World Baseball Classic: Ok, speaking of things that baseball doesn’t need. I’m all for more baseball during the year, but this thing is going to be simply farcical. The South African team is not fielding a player who’s been out of Double-A ball. How are other teams supposed to compete with the United States? It’s ridiculous. I hope the Cubans or the Dominicans win.
• Cheney: Okay, he shot a guy. First sitting VP to shoot someone since Aaron Burr. Does this mean we’re gonna put Harry Whittington’s face on the $10 bill? No…it was an accident let’s move on. Let’s focus on the major problems with this administration and not a hunting accident.
• Arrogant Olympians: Lindsay Jacobellis, Bode Miller, Apolo Ohno…I’m kind of glad you didn’t win. Showboating and miscreant behavior is just the sort of thing the rest of the world hates us for. The Olympics is supposed to be about good attitude and sportsmanship. Braggadocio will only take you so far.
• South Dakota Abortions: Do people live in South Dakota? I guess they do, but seriously…are we gonna have to debate Roe v. Wade for the next 30 years as well? Abortion should be legal. I know the theory that the baby is alive at conception and “partial-birth” abortion is simply a term that conservatives throw around to scare people, but more often than not, abortion is not detrimental to society.
• Museum Plaza: I think it’s ugly, but I don’t have a lot of taste when it comes to modern architecture. I know what I like and I don’t like that. I’m not saying don’t build it…I think it would be great to have something of that magnitude on the river, just don’t design it like that. Louisville is not New York or Chicago. We’re Louisville.
• Smoking Ban: Ban means to prohibit the use of. If we’re going to “ban” smoking, then we should do it. Not just for restaurants with 13% of their gross domestic product in banana sales or for stand alone buildings made from a conglomerate of brick and vinyl siding with a senior-citizen patronage and an exterior ventilation system for each table. No smoking…means no smoking. You want to smoke? Do it in your car or in your home.
• Ford and STAR: The UAW is “threatening” that Ford might leave Louisville if we want cleaner air? Well…GO! No, I don’t know what it does to our economy and Yes, I know several people who would be affected by Ford leaving town. But, I consider our air much more important than some “arm-twisting” by the UAW. I think maybe they should look at reducing some of their reliance on these ridiculous SUVs. That should save them some money.

Okay, I’ve bitched enough I suppose. Besides, don’t you people have anything better to do than read about me complaining?

See you in the funny papers!

• Grocery bagger and cashier
• Minor league baseball team intern
• Music Assistant
• Website designer

Four Movies I Can Watch Over & Over

• Star Wars
• Love Actually
• Big Fish
• High Fidelity

Four Places I’ve Lived

• Valley Station
• Buechel
• Parkway Village
• Brownstown, IN (which totally counts because I spent a week there every summer)

Four TV Shows I Love

• Grey’s Anatomy
• Family Guy
• Gilmore Girls
• Love Monkey

Four Places I’ve Vacationed

• Hilton Head Island, SC
• Cape Town, South Africa
• Pittsburg, KS
• Cancun, Mexico

Four of My Favorite Dishes

• Spicy Peanut Chicken
• My mom’s beef stroganoff and/or chipped beef casserole
• Anything from Ramsi’s
• Green Chili Wontons from the Bristol

Four Sites I Visit Daily

• ESPN
• The Boondocks
• Fitlinxx
• WERS

Four Places I Would Rather Be Right Now

• At a little bed and breakfast on the Indian Ocean near East Cintsa, South Africa
• Still sleeping in my nice warm bed next to my beautiful wife
• Beginning my through-hike on the Appalachian Trail
• Watching Hee-Haw with my sister and eating Vienna sausages at my grandparents house, circa 1981

That should about do it for this Friday edition. If you’d like to post your own set of fours, I’ve set up a category on the forum.

See you in the funny papers!

1. Can you dance? Contrary to what my wife thinks, I can not dance. I never could…it’s just not something I was ever good at. I do have a tendency to shuffle my feet (and most of the rest of my body) when Hey Ya! by Outkast comes on Aside: those of you at Julee and Gary’s wedding will remember. I also find that I dance better while sitting in a chair.
2. Who is your current crush? I find my wife incredibly beautiful and we’re still in love after having been married for 2 years 6 months 6 days 13 hours and 19 minutes. I think I’m developing a crush on a new ballet dancer though. I just haven’t asked permission for said crush yet.
3. Tell us about a dream you remember. I very rarely remember dreams. Most of mine involve me in locations that are somewhat familiar, i.e. have the same name, familiar landmarks, but for the most part are completely different. I also dream about doing things that frighten me in real life like skydiving and snake handling.
4. Do you live with anyone, or do you live by yourself? See #2…and we do that pretty well.
5. When is the last time you bled from an injury? I occasionally cut myself when cooking…but for the most part, I’m injury free.

GOODMUSIC/badmusic

GOODMUSIC: Cathedrals by Jump Little Children
badmusic: Why by Vybz Kartel
Currently listening to: Around You by Nadine Zahr (via WERS-Boston)

The Olympics starts tonight. Don’t miss a single minute. A mere 8 days until Spring Training begins.

See you in the funny papers!

I didn’t see a single second of Super Bowl coverage last night. And somehow, my life is not any less full for having made that choice. I found some time to myself. I got some laundry done, listened to a new CD that I hadn’t heard yet. I reread an old letter and read a magazine that had been gathering dust. I even cleaned up the back bedroom which had needed doing for some time. At the moment, I don’t know who won or what the best commercial was. I’m sure I’ll get that information later, but there’s something about having your own experiences undictated by national television. Now, I’m not condemning those of you who did watch it. I’m quite certain that you had a wonderful time drinking your beer and soda, inhaling your pretzels and cheese dip. I’m sure that you hung out with friends and family, enjoying every single moment. It’s just nice to remember that there are different moments to be had for every single day, and I chose mine and loved every minute of it. 

Now, I mentioned an old letter…do you remember back in November when I declared “Reacquaint Day”? It was an opportunity to reconnect with someone who you had not heard from in a while. Well, I sent my letter off and, lo and behold, I got a response. 

Mark is a varsity girls basketball coach, a bank president, a farmer and a devoted father. His faith is unswerving and his desire to share to faith is unequalled by nearly everyone I’ve ever met. His four children (all of whom I know personally) are doing amazing things. His oldest is teaching at a local high school, the second oldest is a bank loan officer, the third is finishing a third year in college and looking toward missionary work and the youngest is a fine trumpet player in high school. It was wonderful to hear from him and I can’t wait for November to roll around again so that I can reconnect with another person from my past. 

Had dinner at Primo on Saturday night after the Choreographer’s Showcase (see Events page) and it was delicious. I can heartily recommend the “Baby Barb” wine and the “Genoa” pizza…but I’d skip the caramel gelato. Sunday, I ran 5 miles in the sub freezing wind. Why do I do these things? I really have no good answer for that. Other than, I had spent most of the morning and afternoon on Saturday measuring trees in the blizzard for a geography project…which really only left Sunday for a run. Still, it’s good for me. It builds character. 

GOOD MUSIC/bad music

GOOD MUSIC: Do It Again by Nada Surf
bad music: Golden by My Morning Jacket
Currently listening to: The Closer I Get To You by Roberta Flack

See you in the funny papers!

1. Have you broken any New Year’s resolutions yet? Not really. I have been reading more and watching less television. I will say that I spent money on some sushi for lunch the other day which could be considered frivolous, but I was hungry and it was there and I have a weakness for sushi. I’m training for the Triple Crown and mini-Marathon, and I’ve still got 11 months to lose my 10 pounds…so I’d say I’m at least 3 3/4 out of four.
2. Broken any bones? Yes…I broke my ankle in 1993. I was playing basketball and went up for the shot and came down on a kids’ foot. It rolled, , and that was the end of that. Also, I broke my hand in 2002 after falling off my bike. That was a long summer with a cast.
3. When is the last time someone else broke your heart? I think the last time I had my heart broken was when I had to take Rufus to the vet. It was a day I won’t forget.
4. What is the most expensive item you’ve ever broken? Well, I think my hand and ankle both qualify. I’ve never really broken anything else that was really expensive. I suppose it was the garage door window when I was learning to play tennis.
5. What phrase are you tired of hearing over and over again? I’ve actually gotten tired of hearing myself say “It builds character” and “Kids these days”…but I suppose the words “nine-eleven” everytime President Bush gets on television are getting a little tiresome. “Nine-eleven” has become the catchphrase scapegoat for all the administration’s idiocy…and believe me there’s plenty of it.

Now for GOOD MUSIC/BAD MUSIC

Good Music: 16 Military Wives by The Decemberists
Bad Music: A Lover Like You by The Avett Brothers

Currently Listening to: Edie Carey live in the WERS Studio

We’ll see you next week. Stay tuned for information on my Geography project and for possible event reviews from the weekend. See you in the funny papers!

• Baseball season cannot come soon enough
• The orange Scotchlite ankle straps I wear when I ride my bike drive the women wild
• As a society, we should simply switch to drinking tea; green, black, red or white
• Airlines have screwed themselves with their pricing structures

GOOD MUSIC/BAD MUSIC

Good Music: Hard Hand To Hold by Willy Mason

Bad Music: Roll ‘Em Pete by Count Basie & Joe Williams

Currently listening to: Nightlight by Angela Correa (courtesy of WERS)

If you haven’t already, you should check out the books page. It now has a ratings system which may help you with your own reading lists if you desire. I’m off to find something to get into.

See you in the funny papers!