Daily Conversations

Brewers Week 5

2010-05-18T13:28:00.002-05:00

I'm done with this team. They can't get a clutch hit, can't keep games close late, play lazy defense, and are all around frustrating to watch. And so, here ends the blog for good I think. I don't feel like I've been able to create a cohesive environment here and I don't know that I have anything original or interesting to say. Facebook and Twitter have killed the casual blog. Everything is in shortened, quickly digested formats now. I'm not criticizing, merely observing. So, unless there's a compelling argument made in the comments, I think this is it. If you want to keep up with me and my musings, find me on Facebook. It shouldn't be too hard...

Brewers Week 4

2010-05-10T10:18:00.002-05:00

Liking: Craig Counsell. This guy has been a spark off the bench and in spot starts. Has some great clutch hits and provides valuable veteran leadership. A perfect bench player.

Hating: Doug Davis. Can't blame Doug Melvin too much for signing him this offseason cause Davis had decent numbers last year, but he's been a disaster this year. Really glad he's just on a one year contract, hopefully he doesn't kill us too much now that we have some positive momentum.

Apprehensive: Alcides Escobar. He's had a rough start to his first full season in the majors. Too many defensive mistakes for someone who was supposed to play great defense and he's struggling a bit at the plate too. Hopefully he can learn to be a bit more patient and let the game come to him. Looks like he's trying too hard right now.

Loving: Ryan Braun. This guy just keeps hitting. He's putting up great numbers and is the biggest reason our offense is scoring so many runs. He's also made some great plays in the field that have won games for us.

What looked like a disastrous road trip at the start, ended up looking pretty darn good as we won 6 of 10 games. We're still one game below .500 but look to be starting to click as a team. We get a struggling Braves team then a good Phillies team this week so hopefully we can win 3 or 4 games on this home stand.

Brewers-Week 3

2010-04-29T09:33:00.002-05:00

Liking: Ryan Braun. He is the future of our franchise and has been getting it done at the plate and in the field. He made some great catches in this last series that kept the team in the game and runs off the board for Pittsburgh. Glad I bought that Braun jersey this year :)

Hating: Trevor Hoffman. He's done. Has no confidence left in his best pitch (the changeup) and can't locate the fastball worth a damn. It's time for a change and I propose that Todd Coffey get a few save opportunities to see if he can turn the bullpen around for us.

Apprehensive: The middle infield. Weeks and Escobar have been playing poor defense lately which is not helping the pitching problems. And to make matters worse, they're not making up for it at the plate. I'm not giving up on them yet, but they need to pick it up on this west coast road trip.

Loving: For the 3rd straight week, Casey McGehee. Clutch hits, solid defense and an all-around likable guy. He's making teams pay for pitching around Prince Fielder which will hopefully help Prince get his offense going too.

This was a terrible week for the team. We can't keep blowing late leads like this. There's no way we should have this many losses at this point. In fact we should have at least 5 more wins. That would put us one game ahead of St. Louis for 1st place in the division. Instead we're 5 games back. If we don't turn it around soon, it's going to be a long season.

Brewers-Week 2

2010-04-23T09:56:00.002-05:00

Liking: The offense breaking out. 47 runs in the last 4 games, everyone getting involved, it's going to help the guys relax at the plate and play loose. Need to carry it over to the home stand now.

Hating: The new battery. Randy Wolf is pitching well, I'm leaving him out of this. But Doug Davis and Gregg Zaun are killing me. Zaun has been a complete loss at the plate, can't block a ball in the dirt, and doesn't seem to call that good of a game. He is clearly a downgrade from Jason Kendall. Davis has done nothing to keep hitters off balance and is getting hammered all over the park. Glad the Davis deal is only for one year and really hoping they decline Zaun's option for a 2nd year. We need Salome and/or Lucroy to be ready fast. Kottaras has also been OK and I wouldn't mind seeing him get a few more starts.

Apprehensive: The bullpen. They looked good in low pressure situations against Pittsburgh but I'm still not sure I trust them in tight situations. Hope they've built some confidence to carry into the next close game now.

Loving: Braun and McGehee. These guys have been great at picking up Prince while he starts slowly. Our run production right now is directly related to what these are two are doing and they've delivered to this point.

I really think we should have won at least one more game on this road trip. We had late leads in both the Cubs series and the Nationals series that we should have held on to. Things are looking up now though and I'm hopeful we can win 5 of 6 on this short home stand.

Something New-Week 1

2010-04-12T15:31:00.002-05:00

I often find myself struggling for things to write about here. The day-to-day thoughts end up on Facebook now. But I am a big Milwaukee Brewers fan and thought maybe this space could be used for my thoughts on the 2010 season. Every so often I'll post 4 things: what I'm liking about the team, apprehensive about, loving, and hating. So, here we go.

Liking: Balanced offensive attack. Braun and Fielder haven't really broken out with big offensive games yet, but guys like Gomez, Escobar, and Weeks have been able to pick up the slack. We're definitely scoring enough runs to win.

Hating: Our inability to close out games. Hoffman looked scared last night. Why wasn't he throwing his changeup?! It's easily his best pitch and he's trying to sneak 85 MPH fastballs by on guys like Pujols and Holliday?! He didn't seem to have much confidence which worries me moving forward. How long can a 42-year old play at a high level? I'm afraid not much longer.

Apprehensive: Greg Zaun. I'm starting to think we downgraded the Catcher position this year. He can't block a ball in the dirt, doesn't seem to call that great of a game, and has done nothing at the plate. He has made a couple of nice throws so far but it's not doing enough to help us win games. I'm going to start calling for Kottaras to get more starts or Lucroy or Salome to get called up from the minors soon.

Loving: Casey McGehee's continued success. There's a lot to like about this guy. He's such a hard worker and good guy combined with the ability to come up with some really clutch hits. He's better than the highly touted Mat Gamel. I'm thinking we should be considering moving Gamel to Right Field or 1st Base in AAA this year so he has a position when we finally give up on Hart or Fielder leaves via free agency. Or maybe we just trade him for more pitching.

Overall, an OK week. Wish we had won that game on Friday night but you're going to have some games like that throughout the season. Gotta rebound with a good road trip now.

Must See TV

2010-03-26T10:05:00.002-05:00

I have watched several seasons of Survivor over the years and have enjoyed them to varying degrees. I have to say though that this year's Heroes vs. Villains all-star show has been one of the best seasons yet. Everyone has played the game before and they all know each other's tendencies and strategies. It's easy to pick the people you like and want to see voted out because of the extra history. And so far, the votes have all been executed intelligently. I thought the Heroes made one mistake when they voted Tom off before James but that was rectified this week. I can't blame the Villains for not getting Russell out because the person who changed his vote got himself voted out in the process. Pure idiocy. Why anyone would believe a single word Russell says is beyond me. Everyone knows he is going to try and manipulate people then toss them aside...except Tyson. But Jen and I never thought he was that smart to begin with. Really looking forward to the rest of the season.

Roaming in my Head

2010-03-19T08:44:00.002-05:00

I feel like it's been a week of distractions. And yet it's also been a very productive week for me. Got a lot done at work and feeling good about the next month and finishing up my big projects for the year. I've also been serving as the drum keeper for about 2 and a half weeks now and trying to lead that group in Allen's absence. Hopefully everything goes back to normal with that tonight. Two performances in the span of 6 days is a bit irregular for us and I'll be glad to have our usual leader back at the drum for tonight's show. Looking forward to a relaxing low-key weekend in which I can unwind a bit...

Turbulence

2010-03-11T10:24:00.002-06:00

It's funny how one little comment can turn against you so quickly. We're not allowed to have opinions anymore. We're not allowed to have lives outside of our workplace. You're supposed to tow the company line 24/7 now. Ridiculous. What happened to freedom of speech? What happened to our personal life? Big Brother is indeed watching. But it's not the government, it's your employer. They can now hold our livelihoods over us for anything we do or say at any time. I think it's bullshit. And for the record, this was not spawned by anything that has happened to me but it's happening nonetheless...

Need to Recharge

2010-03-03T08:39:00.002-06:00

Put in for a week of vacation after Easter cause that coincides with Jen's Spring Break...that's a month away yet, which feels like forever at the moment...really looking forward to the time off...need to get away from work and just relax and recharge for the home stretch of the school year

At My Age

2010-02-23T09:15:00.002-06:00

Here's a list of things some famous (and semi-famous) people accomplished at my age (30):

1. Danish novelist Hans Christian Andersen published his book of fairy tales.
2. Nat Turner led a slave rebellion.
3. U.S. mariner Moses Rogers made the first ocean steamboat voyage.
4. Donald Trump persuaded bankers to lend him $80 million so he could buy the Commodore Hotel.
5. Physicist Armand H. L. Fizeau measured the speed of light.
6. Dr. Narinder Kapany invented fiber optics and designed a glass gastroscope which can be snaked down the throat for a detailed view of the stomach.
7. Bill Gates was the first person ever to become a billionaire by age 30.
8. George W. Bush was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol near his family's summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine. He pleaded guilty, was fined $150, and had his driver's license suspended.

If you want to check out what people did at your age, click on the title of this post.

Don't you tell me how I feel

2010-02-19T15:07:00.003-06:00

Even though you say "Hi" to me at work every day and empty my garbage can from time to time, you don't know me. You know nothing about my life. Your idea of what marriage and one's life goals should be are not universal, what you want in life is not what everyone wants in life. There's nothing wrong with me...in fact I'm quite happy...happier than you judging by your constant, meandering complaints. Don't tell me how I should feel about having kids or what constitutes a "family". I'm a big boy and I understand those concepts quite well...probably on a deeper and more meaningful level than you ever will...

Kick me when I'm down

2010-02-12T11:10:00.003-06:00

The last few days at work have sucked. People putting unfair pressure on me to cover up for mistakes that are not my own. People forgetting (or not caring) that they are not the only one I support. An all around disrespectful couple of days. It feels like for every one good thing I am able to accomplish there are 3 more things thrust on my plate that need immediate attention. So, today I am left to scramble to try and make everyone happy before the weekend. I'm not sure I can make it all work. Some things are just out of my control...

All That I Need

2010-02-01T16:27:00.003-06:00

I feel like the majority of my internet musings have been negative lately. And when I really stop to think about it, I don't have too much to complain about. I have a wonderful wife, great friends, and a loving family. I have a job that lets me have a very comfortable lifestyle. I have a roof over my head and food on my plate. Yes, in fact I have all that I need. I just need to remember it more often.

This week's "Why?"

2010-01-25T11:40:00.002-06:00

Why did selfish and greedy behaviors become so common? Why didn't society take these people and run them out of town? Why was their behavior allowed to prosper? Why can't the collective good overpower the minority bad? Why do we keep taking everyone else's crap and keep coming back for more?

Taking Action

2010-01-12T09:08:00.001-06:00

not gonna talk the talk...just gonna walk the walk...

We Always Hurt the Ones We Love

2010-01-06T10:46:00.002-06:00

I've had a hard time adjusting back to work this week. Got too used to being off. So I've had to put all of my energy into being cheerful and helpful at work which has probably made me less energetic at home. I feel like I'm robbing Jen of a happy husband. It's not at all her fault and I need her to be my emotional support. It's too bad she sees me at my worst more than my best. I shall have to work on that...

Fashion Etiquette

2009-12-14T13:36:00.002-06:00

I never know how to dress for certain events. In general, I'm a casual kind of guy and prefer to dress as casual as possible. But I also know some events call for very un-casual dress. I just have a hard time figuring out which events those are sometimes. For example, we went to our nephew's baptism yesterday. I really didn't know what to wear. I ended up going "business casual", i.e. what I would wear to work, button-down long sleeve shirt and cargo pants. I wouldn't say I was underdressed but I also wasn't dressed as nicely as many of the other people there. Tonight we have a holiday party for work at the Wisconsin Club. I've never been there before and it sounds sort of fancy, but I think I'm just going to wear what I wore to work today. Do I pass the laws of fashion etiquette with these decisions? Should I care?

Anti-Social?

2009-12-08T09:49:00.002-06:00

I don't think I am anti-social. I just have high expectations for people. I know what we can be and I don't see many folks living up to it. So I am cautious about letting people get too close to me. It's simple really. I don't want to be disappointed by them. In social situations where I don't know many of the people, I become an observer. I sit back and watch the interactions and try to learn what kind of people are around me. I don't say much until I feel like I know the lay of the land. Does that make me anti-social? Maybe in some people's eyes...but then those are the people I tend to be disappointed in.

3 more weeks

2009-12-01T14:15:00.002-06:00

The 4 day weekend wasn't enough. I could have gone at least 4 more before going back to work. But I only have to get through 3 more weeks and then I'll have 11 days off from Christmas through New Year's. I'm really looking forward to it. A chance to disconnect from work and just relax. There are some things we'll probably try to get done during that time but we'll be able to do them at our own pace. Now I just have to make it through these 3 weeks :)

Question Everything

2009-11-25T10:52:00.002-06:00

I've been checking out some clips of George Carlin online lately and one of his recurring themes is to question everything. Needless to say, this appeals to me. I've always been the person to question things. Not because I think someone is wrong but because I am trying to understand their reasons or thought processes. I never responded well to "Because I said so". It's a cop out answer. It implies that I am somehow too stupid to understand the reasons. I'm not. I think I'm a fairly reasonable person and I know we don't live in a perfect world. So give me the benefit of the doubt and explain to me what's going on. Collaboratively we might be able to come up with a better answer. And if not, I will support whatever needs to be done. Just help me understand it. Unfortunately, this philosophy is frowned upon in our society.

What I am thankful for, the 2009 Edition

2009-11-18T13:44:00.002-06:00

So, I've been fighting a fairly strong case of the blah's this week. Don't know where it came from but it probably started with me not sleeping well Sunday night. Never a good way to start the week. It's not that I'm down or unhappy or anything like that. I just don't feel like doing anything. This is where the "what I am thankful for" part comes in. Last night Jen had parent-teacher conferences and I was home alone most of the night. There are things around the apartment that probably should be done (empty the dishwasher, take out the garbage, etc.) but I didn't do any of them. I just kicked back and played video games most of the night. So I am thankful that I have a wife who lets me just veg out sometimes and doesn't get mad...at least I hope she doesn't :) I am feeling better today than I did the last two days. And it is in no small part due to the fact that I have someone in my life who loves me and lets me be myself. I am so happy to have found someone who compliments my life perfectly in every possible way. But just to be on the safe side, I think I'll do a little more work around the house when she has conferences again on Thursday :)

Life Marching On

2009-11-10T09:09:00.002-06:00

It's November?! When the hell did that happen?! I'm not really sure where the time went but I can't believe I have to go Christmas shopping soon. Life's been pretty good I guess. Jen has a crazy hacking cough that has lasted a few weeks now. Could be bronchitis, could be asthma, we're still waiting for a definitive answer. She sees the doctor again on Thursday. I've felt very useless through the whole thing. I want to help but I know there's nothing I can do. Hopefully she'll feel better soon.

Other than that, I've got a bowling event for Scouts this weekend, we're also going to see a concert that our fathers are in, and next weekend we'll be going to a play at Marquette. Looking forward to Thanksgiving and the extended break from work. Hope everyone else is doing well!

A Little Encouragement

2009-11-06T11:14:00.002-06:00

I've wondered sometimes if I dwell on the negative too much. I was starting to feel like maybe I needed to take things at face value more and trust that things will turn out for the best more. But when something that I thought was a bad idea came up in a meeting today, I spoke up. Turns out most of my colleagues agreed with me and we got people to re-evaluate the decision. It felt good. But what felt even better is that my boss IMed me after the meeting to say "good job". She thanked me for speaking up and thought I brought up some good points. She's been much more supportive for the last month or two now. Not sure where it's coming from but I'll take it! :)

Satisfaction

2009-10-26T14:25:00.002-05:00

I had a problem at work today that I have never seen before. Surprise, surprise it was with Windows Vista. It is incredibly satisfying to find the answer for something you've never come across before. Especially when it is something fairly complicated. Basically when a user logged in, they didn't get any of their profile information. No Documents, nothing on their Desktop, no settings. 20 minutes and a registry hack later and he was back up and running without losing anything he had before. Not too shabby for a Monday morning...

Battle the Bulge

2009-10-19T14:09:00.002-05:00

I need to find a way to get back on a workout routine. I can feel my self losing control of my belt line. I also need to start eating less. Work on shrinking my stomach again. I'll have to look into my options for setting the weight bench up in the apartment again. See if I can't get myself back in the flow of things before the holidays and all of the delicious food tests my willpower again...

When Reality Contradicts Mission

2009-10-14T10:08:00.002-05:00

How can we say good customer service is part of our mission when we expressly do things that are going to frustrate, upset, and confuse our customers? Why do we jump head first into things that are nowhere near sufficiently tested? We are walking contradictions. What agenda are we really serving? Cause it sure doesn't seem like the one in our mission statement...

Aaahhh!

2009-10-09T13:39:00.001-05:00

When will people listen? When will they realize I might actually know what I am talking about? When will my colleagues treat me with as much respect as my customers?

First Trip to NY

2009-10-01T11:03:00.002-05:00

Jen and I are heading to New York this weekend for a wedding. Neither of us have ever been there before. And honestly, if this wedding hadn't come up, I'm not sure if I ever would have gone. I think it's too big for my tastes. I don't know how much time we'll spend in New York City proper as the wedding is on Long Island. But I hear Long Island is beautiful and maybe I'll enjoy that more than NYC anyway. I'm also hoping our travel arrangements once we arrive in New York will work out. I've never had to ride in a taxi in my life. I'm sure I can figure it out if I have to but it does make me a little bit nervous. I know that's probably silly but what can I say?...fear of the unknown I guess. No matter what though, I'm sure it will be a very fun weekend!

Entertainment

2009-09-25T08:40:00.002-05:00

Surprisingly enough, I haven't seen a new movie in over a month. I know that's probably not a big deal to a lot of people but usually Jen and I find something we're interested in fairly often. The entertainment in my life lately has come from a video game that is almost like a movie. I've been playing Batman: Arkham Asylum. The graphics are awesome, the game play is good and the story is cool too. It's much more than a simple beat up the bad guys game. There are puzzles to solve and clues to find along with the normal fighting. It's a dense game too. I've finished the story part of the game but am still working on finding and solving all of hte puzzles. Which will unlock challenges that I will then try to complete. There's also some downloadable content that I may check out too.

In other video game news, Jen and I picked up Beatles Rock Band and we've been having a good time with it. She's much better than I am but I'm getting a decent handle on the drums. I'm also looking forward to getting a new hockey game soon. I don't think I've had one since like 1999. Should be fun to slam some guys into the boards!

The Question of the...Month?

2009-09-14T14:24:00.002-05:00

So the question I've been getting a whole lot lately is "How's married life?" Honestly?...it's great! I am so fortunate to have found someone that allows me to be myself and puts up with all of my foibles and gives so much of herself for me. Being with her is what makes me smile every day. I love her unconditionally. And that makes me one of the luckiest people on Earth.

Do what you mean and mean what you do

2009-09-03T08:24:00.002-05:00

It may be a cliche but I am a firm believer that actions speak louder than words. Too often people say what they think you want to hear and their actions don't back up anything that they've said to you. Words mean nothing to me anymore. Actions tell me everything I need to know about a person. I've found since taking on this philosophy, I'm much more laid back in meetings and such as I know none of it means anything until there's action to back it up. More times than not, words are false. Which is hard for me as I tend to be an overly honest person. It may be my fatal flaw. But this is just another example of how I'm different from many other people and I have to adapt to it.

The Rich and Famous

2009-08-28T10:14:00.002-05:00

Have you ever wanted to be a celebrity? Or maybe just wealthy enough to do whatever you want whenever you want? I think most people have had these thoughts at some point in their life...I know I have. Not that I am unhappy with my life, it's more a curiosity than anything else. I think the 24-7 spotlight that comes with being a celebrity would be a bit much, but I think it could be fun for a while. But to be quietly wealthy, to have the means to help good organizations anonymously, travel when I want, own whatever house I want, whatever car I want...that would be pretty darn cool. I don't think I'd even have anything that extravagant. A cool house on Lake Drive, a nice car (under $100, 000), and I very well may still work. The only difference would be that I wouldn't have to put up with too much crap at work cause I wouldn't really need the job :) But alas, wishful thinking is probably not very productive...

At the Movies

2009-08-18T08:21:00.002-05:00

In the last few weeks, I've had the chance to take in several movies, some in the theater and some on DVD. Jen and I borrowed all of the Harry Potter movies from my brother and watched them all within about a 2 week span. They're OK I guess. But they didn't hook me into wanting to read the books. The fourth and fifth one seem to be the best of the bunch to me with The Order of the Phoenix being my favorite thus far. We also saw the new Harry Potter movie in the theater. I can't quite put my finger on why, but it wasn't as good as the two before it. Not a bad movie though. We also saw Funny People, the new Adam Sandler movie. It was a bit more...adult than I expected. It also has this interesting mix of funny and serious and...sadness. It was good though and I really enjoyed some of the home footage of a young Adam Sandler. Then there's G.I. Joe...I haven't seen it yet but I'm interested. I say that, however, knowing that it could be absolutely terrible. I just want to give it a chance. My only expectation is for it to be a fun action movie. Hopefully that's not setting the bar too high :)

My car

2009-08-13T09:13:00.003-05:00

So, I've had my car for almost 7 years now. It's a 1999 model so it's just about 10 years old. I like it, it's served me quite while the whole time I've had it, but lately it's costing me time, money, and stress. In the last month, I've had a plugged drain for the air conditioning system (which caused water to leak in and completely soak the floor on the passenger side), a motor for the AC fan die, a broken floodlight, warped rotors on the brakes, and a busted power window on the driver side. I guess these things just come with age but I am really hoping it's all done being broken for a while now.

Forgive and Forget

2009-08-05T13:24:00.002-05:00

So apparently some people were pretty upset about not being invited to our wedding. For the most part (there are a few exceptions), these are people who we barely ever see anyway. Jen and I both have large families and we were trying to keep the guest list to a manageable and, frankly, affordable number. So hopefully those of you out there who feel slighted by not getting an invite can forgive us...and understand how difficult it was to draw the line where we did.

Back At It

2009-07-29T09:14:00.002-05:00

Well, the wedding went very, very well and we had a wonderful trip to San Diego. No horror stories and I think I enjoyed the wedding and reception as much as anyone else. We've gotten a few compliments on the ceremony and food and especially the cake. So it sounds like everyone else had a good time too. Now I'm back at work and things are going fairly well. The next month is going to be rough as construction gets finished and I have to get computers and things moved back into their proper places. I also need to get my labs ready for the start of classes yet. Should be...interesting...

Another One for the Ages

2009-07-14T09:30:00.003-05:00

We had my bachelor party this last weekend. It was one of the most fun nights I've ever had. At one point my side literally hurt from laughing so much and so hard. And that's what was so great about it...it was real. No alcohol induced false comedy, no fake allusion of sex with a stripper, no fake people. I don't get the whole traditional bachelor party. It just seems so...manufactured. Not my idea of fun. Instead I have great memories from a great night with absolutely no regrets of any kind. Thanks to everyone who was able to be there!

Meaningless

2009-07-08T09:21:00.002-05:00

I'm having a harder and harder time finding meaning in my job. People do not truly respect or understand what I do. I am a servant to them, no better than a janitor. It's getting old...it got old a while ago. And where do I go from here? It's seeming more and more like there's nowhere to go. I want to do something more...be something more...but it doesn't seem like those opportunities are coming anytime soon. Maybe I just need to pay my dues a bit longer...I don't know...I just want something that I can feel passionate about...something that I want to come to everyday...but maybe that's a pipe dream...

Two Weeks

2009-07-02T08:08:00.002-05:00

OK, a little more than two weeks. But the wedding planning is ramping up again. We've been picking up those last few things we need and starting to pay the bills. The big one for the hall and the food is getting paid today. The marriage license is getting picked up today too. We're getting closer to printing programs and the cake topper is pretty much ready to be dropped off at the bakery. I was looking through the ceremony we are going to use again and I feel very fortunate that we got an officiant who let us adapt things to what we wanted. I'm not the most religious person in the world and I was glad to take some of the God elements out of things. Not that we took them all out, I just didn't want something that didn't really reflect our beliefs. It will be the ceremony that we want which will make it all the more special. Almost there...

The Floods Have Come

2009-06-22T12:53:00.002-05:00

I took last Friday off from work and traveled up to Scout camp in the Nicolet National Forest for the weekend. Friday morning I got an e-mail saying my office had flooded from the rain Thursday night. I wasn't really sure what that meant. Turns out the whole basement of the building I work in flooded with about 2" of water. That may not sound like much but when you have computers on the floor it can be devastating. Fortunately they were all in boxes and the cardboard seems to have done a pretty good job of protecting them from any damage. My carpet is still soggy in a few spots. I'm not sure what they are going to do to dry it out. I'm a little worried about mold/mildew setting in but I guess I'll just have to wait and see...

Visiting the Parents

2009-06-15T15:50:00.002-05:00

Went to spend some time with my parents yesterday since they will be on vacation for Father's Day next weekend. My dad is looking really good again. He says he's lost about 25 pounds and it definitely shows. He looks a lot slimmer than he has in a while. I'm really happy for him. I hope he can keep it up. I think it will help a lot with some of his other medical issues. It was a good visit. I'm still amazed though at how different their relationship is from that of Jen and I. Different generations with different ideas of what a relationship should be I guess. Makes me feel all the more lucky to have waited and found the right person for me.

Last Night

2009-06-12T08:44:00.002-05:00

I played poker against live players for the first time last night. I had played a little online just for fun (all fake money of course) but last night was the first time I sat in a room with friends and played face-to-face. I did pretty well for myself. The stakes are not really high, but I came out a couple of dollars ahead. I also think I got pretty lucky. I was actually sort of surprised at how well I did. But that's the name of the game I guess. All in all, it was a good time and look forward to doing it again.

Getting Closer

2009-06-01T15:19:00.002-05:00

Well, Jen had her second bridal shower this weekend and the wedding keeps getting closer and closer. People keep asking if we're nervous but my answer has always been a quick "No". Not sure what being nervous would accomplish and I know she's the right one. If I were nervous about it, I wouldn't have asked her to marry me in the first place. We're both very excited for the wedding and are looking forward to it. The one nice thing about it being over?...people won't keep asking if I'm nervous :)

One way or another...

2009-05-22T15:48:00.004-05:00

...it all works out. It's amazing really...but it's true...somehow it always works out...that's it...that's my thought for the day...I leave you with this very funny comic from xkcd.com (click on the image to see the whole thing)

Heroes

2009-05-13T09:35:00.002-05:00

I never really had a "hero" growing up. There was never one person who I held up above all others. Truth be told, I was very fortunate in that there were many people in my life who served as positive examples and mentors over the years. You could say I had several "little heroes". They have come and gone in my life, some have moved away, some have passed away, some are still right there for me whenever I need them. And yet for the last 6 years I've found myself in a mentoring role through Scouting. I still have a hard time thinking of myself as an "adult" sometimes so it's weird for me to realize I am in that role. Ultimately, I'm just having fun with a group of great young men. I would never expect anyone to see me as their one and only beacon of shining light but I hope that I can be one of those "little heroes" to a new generation.

Temper, Temper

2009-05-06T08:16:00.002-05:00

Our emotions can get the best of us...all of us...we're all susceptible to letting emotion override logic. But the best thing you can do is to realize this and do everything in your power to keep those emotions in check. You're not going to be successful 100% of the time but the less "blow ups" you have, the better. Hopefully this all seems like common sense to anyone reading this but it continues to amaze me how many people know they are prone to overreactions and yet they continue to do it. They just can't stop and think...control their temper...be objective. Even more amazing to me is how these people get management positions...

Letting Go

2009-05-01T09:45:00.002-05:00

There are all kinds of crazy folks in this weird, weird world in which we live. But you know what?...you've gotta let it go. Don't give too much of yourself to these people. By getting upset or sucked into their craziness, you play into their game and invest yourself in something that has no possible way of ending happily. So let it go. Put it behind you and move on. I do my best to follow this idea...I'm not perfect...but I'm trying...

Catching Up

2009-04-20T13:34:00.002-05:00

Why is there always so much more work when you get back from vacation? There are processes in place that would allow things to get done while I am away and yet people just don't follow them. So after being off for a week, I have a pile of things to do right away. At times I feel discouraged from taking a vacation just so I won't have to play catch up when I get back. And I never really come back to work refreshed after a vacation because I know there's a bunch of things that will have to be done "right away" because I was gone for a week. Fortunately, today wasn't too bad (I've had much worse) but it still was stuff that could have and should have been done while I was gone. Oh well...

Break!!!

2009-04-08T10:15:00.002-05:00

I have been looking forward to this for a while now. I took next week off from work to coincide with Jen's Spring Break. I need the time off. Just to get away and stop thinking about this place and recharge a bit. I plan to do wedding stuff and hopefully relax and sleep in as much as possible. Probably won't be any updates to the blog for a little while. hope everyone has a great Easter!

Falling Through the Cracks

2009-04-03T13:20:00.002-05:00

I feel like I've been more forgetful lately. Things keep slipping through the cracks of my mind and getting left behind. I have been trying to keep a running list of things that need to get done at work so that I don't forget about anything important. All jokes aside, I'm getting old. The ol' brain just isn't what it used to be. So I will try to keep the lists up to date and hopefully won't forget anything too important in the coming weeks...wait...when is my wedding again?! :)

Kopp's

2009-03-27T15:49:00.002-05:00

In my ever so humble opinion, the best burgers in Milwaukee. I know there's lots of places that claim they have the best but Kopp's beats them all as far as I'm concerned. Pair that with a Butterscotch shake and you got yourself one of the best meals ever. Mmmm...burgers and ice cream...*drool*...

...

2009-03-23T12:16:00.002-05:00

Meant to put something up last week...couldn't really think of anything to say...Wisconsin is out of the tournament...so is Marquette...Bucks rapidly falling out of playoff picture...hoping the Brewers can get healthy in time for the start of the season...wedding planning continues to go well...that is all...

Loving Spring Break

2009-03-12T08:24:00.002-05:00

Ahhh...Spring Break...it's been a good week. The students and faculty are gone and I have had lots of time to get caught up on some things. It's been much more laid back and...calm. Other than that, wedding plans continue and we get to taste food with our caterer this weekend! Should be fun and delicious. We're also getting the parents together for dinner this weekend so they can all meet and discuss any wedding stuff that they want to talk about. So everything is going well and I'm looking forward to everything coming up!

Planning

2009-03-04T08:37:00.002-06:00

Well, Jen and I have been in a little bit of a lull in the wedding planning lately but it's going to start picking up again soon. We did book airfare, a hotel and a rental car for our honeymoon this week. We weren't going to do anything too fancy but we received a very generous gift that allowed us to splurge a little. We're both looking forward to it very much. We still need to figure out what our ceremony is going to consist of, meet with our DJ, probably meet with our photographer again, do our invitations, register for gifts, and probably figure out a bunch of other stuff yet. But we're getting through it and haven't fought or argued about anything yet :) Just four and a half months left!

Rain + Melting Snow =

2009-02-26T15:41:00.000-06:00

lots of water

Not Much to Say

2009-02-19T08:15:00.002-06:00

It's been a pretty blah week. Not bad, not good, just another week. Last week I had a really bad sinus headache which I was able to clear up with some Sudafed. This week the headache has been gone but my sinuses/nose have still been plugged up. I'm trying not to become reliant on the drugs so I haven't taken anything since the headache went away. I think it's getting better but not all the way there yet. I've also been falling asleep much earlier at night (usually on the couch) than I normally do. Not sure what that is all about but it may be related to the whole sinus thing. OK, I realize none of this is very exciting so I will end it here :)

Valentine's Day

2009-02-10T14:07:00.003-06:00

With the magic of another Hallmark holiday rapidly approaching, I feel the need to once again publicly give thanks for the wonderful relationship I am in. No, I will not be going all out to buy expensive flowers or candies or get reservations at the fanciest place in town. The love that Jen and I have for each other is real. I tell her I love her every day and I try to do things that show that love as much as possible. They don't have to be grandiose gestures. They can be simple things like doing the dishes while she works on things for school or listening to her talk about her day and holding her close after the bad ones and smiling with her after the good ones. I don't need a single day to show her how I feel. I do it every day and plan to forever and ever. So, yes, I'm thankful. Not for the gifts I might receive or because I somehow feel validated on this non-holiday. But for being happier than I ever have been and for knowing what true love feels like. And, of course, that Jen feels the same way about Valentine's Day that I do :)

Teaching the Old Dog New Tricks

2009-02-06T11:49:00.003-06:00

How much can we change? Are we just the person we are and it is almost impossible for us to change? Or can we really become someone different? I believe it's all a matter of will power. I think we can be whatever we want to be. If we're strong enough...if we really want to...if we consciously make ourselves into what we want. I guess time will tell on this but I know I can be the person I need to be.

Let's do this...

2009-01-30T08:37:00.002-06:00

...right here, right now...let's take a stand...do the right thing...think it through...use logic...don't overreact...don't freak out...find the truth and defend it with your very life...

Speaking Up

2009-01-16T14:47:00.002-06:00

It continues to amaze me how complacent we are as a society. When something is wrong or unjust, we tend to just sit back and do nothing about it. And I know why. No one wants to put themself out there and be the one who "rocks the boat" or gets in trouble. But think about how many truly horrible things have just sort of slipped under the radar this way. It's scary really. And I find myself caught in the middle of this more times than I would like. I cherish my job and my professional relationships, so I sit back silently when I really want to speak up. It's frustrating to say the least. But it is what it is. If you speak out too much, they'll simply take your voice away. I wish we could speak out more as a group but so few are willing to step up. I guess that's just part of the American workplace and I'll have to learn to live with it.

Happy Holidays!

2009-01-05T11:32:00.003-06:00

This will be short. Just wanted to say the holidays went well for Jen and I and we have made some more progress on wedding stuff. Work is crazy now as some of the help I was supposed to have while I was out on vacation fell through. So this week is going to be nuts but this too shall pass. Hope everyone else out there had a good holiday season!

Stay Out

2008-12-18T09:15:00.002-06:00

Have you ever had a day/week/month at work where you had so much to do that you dreaded someone walking into your office? Not because you're anti-social or unfriendly, but because you know they are just going to add on to the already long list of things you have to do. That's what my week has been like. And it is going to continue through the rest of Winter Break. There's so much to do that I just want to stop answering my phone and e-mails and hide somewhere that I can start attacking my already long list. I know that's going to be impossible but boy would it be nice...

Not Much to Blog About

2008-12-10T15:14:00.003-06:00

I don't have a lot to say. Nothing super exciting going on in my life right now. That's not to say it's bad. I'm happy, just nothing really new to report. Need to do some Christmas shopping yet but not too much. Other than that, same ol' same ol'...

Busy

2008-12-04T15:38:00.003-06:00

Yikes...things have been crazy lately...the move went well, we are pretty much settled in (faster than I thought) and Jen and I are still getting along splendidly. Hopefully we can keep from driving each other nuts :) Work has been insane too. We've had a few people quit in the last couple of weeks which has significantly increased my workload. But the feedback has been very positive so far. And I think there is going to be a bit of a change in my job coming in the next couple of weeks. Still doing support but for different areas. I am looking forward to it...I think...change can be scary :) But it should mean a little more money and a chance to establish new relationships with people. Other than that, Christmas is coming faster than I thought possible and we still have that wedding to plan. Always something to do...

The American Workplace

2008-11-18T08:55:00.002-06:00

I have found, sadly, that it is better to say nothing in the workplace than it is to have ideas or critical thoughts. I'm not sure how we got here. Somewhere along the way innovation and analysis became taboo. It can be very frustrating. When I see an inefficiency or a better way to do something, I want to enact it. When people don't do their jobs, they should be held accountable. But these philosophies do not hold up in the American workplace. If you speak up about them, it is your job that is suddenly on the line. Our society has become so thin-skinned that no one is allowed to have a critical thought. The American dream used to be that anyone with a good idea could succeed. Now good ideas are stifled. Sure there are probably a few people who have "changed the system" and become huge successes. But I would be willing to bet that for every one of them, there are hundreds of folks who got in trouble or outright terminated for being "insubordinate". I base all of this not only on my own experiences but those of some of my closest friends and colleagues. And we wonder why our country has fallen behind in science and industry...

I Need a Vacation

2008-11-11T14:55:00.002-06:00

Work has been crazy busy...my living room is full of packed boxes waiting to move...I have to move everything on a day when I already have stuff going on...I'm not sure when I'm going to be able to clean my old apartment...we have a few things to figure out for the wedding yet...I've got a deadline looming to get a newsletter out for Scouts...Christmas is rapidly approaching and I haven't even thought about gifts yet...it all just keeps piling up...

All I want to do is get in a car with Jen and drive until we're sick of driving, hang out for as long as we feel like, and come back refreshed and ready to take on all of this crap. Sadly, there is no possible way that can happen right now. We'll be going up north to see my family over Thanksgiving which will be nice but not nearly as relaxing as just the two of us getting away together. We'll just have to soldier on until things slow down a little more. Hopefully that will come sooner than it feels like right now...

Packing

2008-11-04T14:36:00.002-06:00

It's amazing what you find when you're getting ready to move. Last night I was trying to go through a bunch of stuff and figure out what I needed/wanted to keep and what I could get rid of instead of moving. I found some pictures that I forgot I had which brought back some fun memories. But I also found stuff I was holding on to that I realized I just didn't need to anymore. Stuff from high school that I thought meant something once upon a time, but it turned out it was really nothing. It was therapeutic in many ways. And it made me realize just how happy I am now with the way my life turned out. I am a very lucky man and I am extremely excited to begin this next phase of my life. Now I just have to actually get the moving part done :)

Falling Behind

2008-10-30T09:33:00.002-05:00

About 2.5 to 3 years ago now, I started a pretty good workout regiment that helped me lose about 15-20 pounds. In the last couple of months, I have fallen well behind on that regiment. I've gained some of the weight back but that's not the worst part. Recently, I've realized I'm not sleeping as well as I did when I was working out on a regular basis. I don't have the energy that I used to. It's probably not helping my stress level either. I need to get back to it but I'm not sure when I will have time to right now. Hopefully after we're done moving there will be more time. I'm setting December 1st as my target to get back to it. Wish me luck!

Dodging Bullets

2008-10-24T13:14:00.003-05:00

There are a lot of bullets out there and you never know when one is going to hit you. We are constantly under the threat of attack from sources we don't even know exist. It's bullshit. Everyone thinks they are the most important person on the planet and if they don't get their way, they'll throw anyone and everyone under the bus to try and get it. Needless to say, I've felt like Keanu Reeves in the Matrix lately...only less successful..."Whoa"...

Invisible

2008-10-15T15:35:00.002-05:00

Many, many years ago (more than 10), there were times that I felt like people wouldn't even recognize if I was in the room or not. I'm not sure how to describe it beyond that. And maybe every adolescent person feels that at some time or another. But I realized this week that I am invisible no more. I have the love and affection and attention of a very special person. And for that, I am very thankful. Work has been pretty terrible this week but having that person to be with and to talk to has made a tremendous difference. There is nothing that can really bring me down and keep me there when I have her in my life. So, thank you Jen. For everything you do and you are. You keep me going when I would otherwise want to give up. Sorry if anyone else read through all this mushy stuff :)

Starting Off on the Right Foot

2008-10-06T15:45:00.002-05:00

Why do some people feel the need to bring down a relationship they know nothing about? As I have told various friends and colleagues about my engagement, they often wonder why I am getting married. As apparently, in their world, marriage "ruins" everything. It would be one thing if I thought they were kidding and just giving me a hard time (and some of them definitely are) but these people are not. They try to tell me how the relationship changes when you're married and I won't be as happy as I am now. And I know marriage isn't perfect. We're going to have to learn a lot about each other yet. But that doesn't mean I won't be happy. And why would you even try to talk me out of my happiness right now? Just because you're unhappy, doesn't mean I will be. Let me enjoy the best thing that has ever happened to me. I know I have made the right decision. I know that, no matter what happens, I am and will be happier now that I ever would have been without Jen. So screw you guys. I'm in love and looking to spend the rest of my life falling deeper and deeper in love.

NOTE: There have been very many people who have wished me nothing but congratulations and happiness. Thank you for that. Unfortunately, it's the negative people that stick out in my memory.

Nobody Told Me...

2008-10-02T14:57:00.002-05:00

...that planning a wedding would be quite like this. Jen and I had a place picked out for the ceremony and reception and when we went to book it...it was already booked for all three dates we were interested in. Ugh. But we're both staying pretty positive about it and we already have a few ideas for other places to check out. So we should be doing that soon. I feel like this is going to be the hardest part. Once we have a location and a date, everything else should fall into place pretty easily. Of course, I'm probably fooling myself by thinking that way but we'll see :) Right now every free moment I have is spent thinking about the wedding and moving. Jen and I will be moving in together Dec. 1 in hopes of saving some money for the wedding. So, yeah, life is going to be pretty busy for the foreseeable future. I'll try to keep updating the blog at least once a week, but I make no promises.

Quick Update

2008-09-25T09:46:00.002-05:00

Yikes, life has been busy lately! Lots of stuff going on at work and in Scouting. Plus Jen and I have started to think about and make very early plans for our wedding. We don't have a specific date yet but a general time frame and we are going to look at a hall next week. If we like it, hopefully we'll be able to book it and have a definite date. Once that's done, we can start looking at caterers, and cake makers, and flowers, and photographers and everything else. Other than that, we're going to the Brewers game tonight and I am happy to say they are back into a tie for the last playoff spot. Should be an exciting game tonight. Hope everyone else out there is doing well too!

Big News!

2008-09-18T14:20:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure what the etiquette on this should be but I am terrible about calling people with news. So, I'm putting it out here for anyone who may read this. Hopefully you won't be too offended that I didn't call first. Jen and I are engaged! We are both very excited and happy. And before you ask, no, we don't have a date set yet. I proposed to her on Tuesday night so I think we're both still basking in the glow of the awesomeness right now. We have both already told our immediate families, some of our friends and it sounds like Jen has already called some people too. She's so much better than me at these things. Maybe marrying her will teach me a thing or two :) There are definitely some people I need to call but things have been pretty busy the last couple of days. I should have some time tonight. That is all for now...

Thank You

2008-09-10T15:14:00.002-05:00

Most of the people that this post is about probably don't read this blog, but I felt compelled to write a quick thank you to all of the people who have helped me meet the responsibilities and deadlines of my role in Scouting over the last year. Last night, 8 people showed up to help fold and "seal" over 500 newsletters. And this is nothing new, they've been doing it all year for my chairman and I. It is awesome to know I have that kind of support and it makes my decision to try and do this newsletter one more year that much easier. It feels good to know there are people willing to pitch in and help when the need arises.

Another Catch Up Post

2008-09-04T15:34:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to do another quick post to catch everyone up on my life. Jen and I spent time during Labor Day weekend with each of our families. A cookout on her side and a camping trip on mine. Jen had her first pizza pudgy-pie and I think she was happy with the results. We also played some extreme croquet (croquet through the forest with lots of hills and branches and logs to get in the way) and I even won a round! Lots of food as always and it was all over too soon.

Work has been busy the last two weeks. Lots of things to do. Most of them I am able to keep a handle on and not get too stressed out. But every once in a while something big happens and things start to feel like they are spiraling out of control. There will still be lots to do for the next few weeks. But hopefully it won't get to me too much.

I have also decided to continue as an Adviser in Scouting next year. I had every intention of taking a year off to get away from some of the politics but my youth chairman this year wants to continue next year and I really do enjoy working with him. He's a good kid and we can do some great things together next year. So, I will have that going on for at least one more year.

So, that's the catch up. Coming up, I've got training and singing for Scouting this weekend and two weddings the next two weekends after that. Life will not be boring :)

Step Back From the Ledge

2008-08-29T11:26:00.002-05:00

Ever have to deal with someone that you're pretty sure is walking the edge of clinically insane? There is a woman at work who seems to fit the bill. Her perception of reality is clearly different from most everyone else's. Makes supporting that person quite difficult. She thinks she knows what the problem is before I even get there and she doesn't listen when it's clearly something else. Sometimes she makes up a problem in her head so that she can use it as an excuse for why she didn't get this or that done. And she lies. Like the time she called me to say her keyboard wasn't working and when I went to replace it, water dripped out of the one that didn't work when I picked it up. I asked her if she spilled something on it and she said no, even though liquid was definitely coming out of it. Apparently in her reality, keyboards leak on a regular basis. The other problem with her is that she can not deal with stress at all. She panics, she gets emotional, she freaks out. All but impossible to deal with her when she is like this. I'm still trying to figure out a gameplan for how to deal with her next breakdown...

A Brief Catch-Up

2008-08-18T09:58:00.002-05:00

It's August...that means work is crazy busy and there's a mad dash to get everything done before classes start on the 25th. So you won't be hearing much from me in the next week. I will be working a lot of extra hours including the coming weekend. But I had a really great visit with an old friend over the last 4 days. It was great catching up with him and his family. And I think between that and the wonderful effect Jen has on my life, I've been energized enough to get through the week from hell that is to come.

Being a Fan

2008-08-05T14:12:00.002-05:00

I don't write a lot about my love of sports here or the hometown teams. Mostly because I figure no one really wants to hear my very amateur thoughts, predictions or ramblings. But it's been an interesting summer for Wisconsin sports. Here are the things I am not going to talk about: the Brett Favre saga (it's been done to death and everything that could possibly be said already has been), the Richard Jefferson trade that the Bucks pulled off (the NBA has devolved to the point where I have a hard time following the sport anymore), the upcoming Marquette basketball season with Dominic James at the helm once again (overrated player, new coach, lucky to make it out of the first round of the NCAA tournament in '09, if we make it at all). No I want to talk baseball. It's been a long time since the Brewers were relevant in August. Most of my life in fact. I was 3 years old the last time they were in the playoffs. Needless to say, I don't remember it at all. They teased us last year with a fast start and a stumble to the finish, once again missing the playoffs. This year looked like it might be different. They started off OK, had a bad stretch in the first month or two, then came on fast. That push was bolstered by the acquisition of CC Sabathia who has been great since coming over. But once again they are playing poorly and losing ground on the playoffs. It all came to a head last night with a dugout scuffle between two Brewers players. I am becoming more and more pessimistic about their chances for this year too. Here's what I would like to see happen to help fix the situation:

I think Prince Fielder needs to go this offseason. He already openly complained about the money he is getting from the Brewers this Spring. His numbers this year are well below last year's and his defense seems to be getting worse. It's starting to look like last year was a fluke. And from what I saw last night, he started the fight in the dugout. He's becoming a bad fit for the team and the city. Not sure what his trade value will be this offseason but I would think we could get some major league ready arms to fill out our rotation/bullpen. The unfortunate thing about this is that our best option to replace Fielder, Matt LaPorta, was traded to Cleveland in the deal for Sabathia. If Gamel can play first, we may have another option though.

Second, Ned Yost has to go too. He was a terrible manager last year which led in great part to our second half collapse. I thought he was doing better this year but clearly he's lost the team if they are fighting each other in the dugout. I don't think the players respect him or get any great insight from him. They just walk all over him to get what they want. He probably should have been gone after last year and this year might be the year they pull the trigger. I'm not sure who I want to see as the new manager. Might be time to promote from within and look at someone like Frank Kremblas or Don Money who have both had a lot of success in our minor league system, often with the players who are now on the major league roster.

Finally, we have to make a really strong push at re-signing either Sabathia or Sheets. It's hard to know exactly what we will get out of Gallardo coming back from major knee surgery and Parra is good, but not an ace yet. We need a top of the line pitcher. My preference would be to go after Sabathia but I think he'll be the more expensive player. Sheets might be a bit of a health risk but we need one of them back. And if we do trade Fielder, we'll have a bit more money to sign one of these guys.

So that's it. There are some other little moves we'll probably need to make but these are the big ones. I am still holding on to a thin strand of hope for this year yet but I think these moves make us a better team. Plus, if we do make the playoffs this year, that will probably mean Yost is safe for another couple of years. Should be an interesting couple of months here in Milwaukee!

The Dark Knight

2008-07-28T15:18:00.002-05:00

I was not a huge fan of Batman Begins. It wasn't a terrible movie but it wasn't my favorite Batman movie either. I did not like Christian Bale's gravelly, growly voice as Batman, I hated the Urban Assault Vehicle (UAV) that was the Batmobile, I didn't like Michael Caine's smartass Alfred, and I thought Ra's al-Ghul was overly simplified and watered down compared to his comic book version. It wasn't all bad though. I thought Gary Oldman was great as Jim Gordon and the Batman origin story was well done. Having said all of that, I was not sure what I would think of The Dark Knight. I guess I would say I am a Heath Ledger fan, I think he was a talented actor and had no problem with him being cast as the Joker. But I wasn't sure what direction they would take that character. So I kept my fingers crossed as I went to see it yesterday. Turns out this one is much better than Batman Begins and pretty darn good overall. It's not perfect but it's getting closer. The voice still bugs me, especially in some of the scenes where he is talking to his allies. The UAV makes a brief appearance and the new vehicle that comes out of it is really cool. Caine's role is more limited and a little more subdued this time around. They do a good job with Harvey Dent and the special effects around this character are amazing. Oldman is still a solid Jim Gordon. But the thing that brings it all together, the most important thing about this movie, the thing they had to get right, is Ledger's Joker. The characterization is near perfect. The right balance of dark humor and absolute madness. It's easily the best live action portrayal of the Joker we have seen to date. Everything is right, from the characterization to the voice to the mannerisms to the wardrobe. It's wonderful. I do have a couple of things I didn't like about the movie though. First, I am not impressed with the Rachel Dawes character. I just find nothing likable about her. I thought it might have been Katie Holmes portrayal of the character in Begins, but it's not. Maggie Gyllenhaal is, believe it or not, worse than Holmes was. And I don't think that's her fault. I just don't think the character was written well. My other complaint was with the way the movie ended. I won't give anything away here but it seems to me they had a couple of other directions they could have gone in that would have been better. All in all a good movie though, and I would recommend going to see it for Ledger's performance alone.

One last note, thanks to everyone who called, e-mailed or otherwise messaged me yesterday to say Happy Birthday. It was very much appreciated. Thanks for thinking of me!

Decisions

2008-07-24T11:44:00.002-05:00

Those of you know me, know that I can be a bit indecisive from time to time (and that may be an understatement). But recently I have made some decisions in my life that have turned out really well. I won't bore you with the details, but I have put myself in a position to enjoy life more. It really was just a matter of figuring out what was important to me and letting those things come to the forefront of my life. Deep enough for ya? :) I just decided to stop letting the craziness affect me so deeply and spend time with the people that make me happy and help me enjoy life. It's been refreshing. And even though work this week has sucked royally, my life outside of it is so good that it can't keep me down for very long. Hopefully this is a little more upbeat than my last post :)

Everything's a Fight

2008-07-22T11:12:00.002-05:00

At least that's the way it seems lately. Maybe it's returning to work after being out a couple of days and having to catch up on a bunch of stuff, but I can't help but feel like I'm fighting a losing battle. The people who were supposed to be there to help out in my absence...didn't, the people who need help should have come to me a long time ago and things wouldn't be as bad as they are, and trying to get anyone to take any kind of responsibility for these situations is even worse. It was also a fight for me just to get out of bed this morning. I knew my day was going to end up the way it is and I just didn't want to deal with it. I just wish people could use a little common sense. The only thing that hasn't been a fight lately is my relationship with Jen. She continues to astound me with everything she does and everything she is. I can only strive to be as awesome as she is and hope I get close. Hope everyone else is having a better week than I am...

"The Last Lecture"

2008-07-11T14:45:00.003-05:00

The following is an excerpt from a lecture given by Randy Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon, after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It is included in the book "The Last Lecture". You can click on the title of this post to go to his home page. I am posting this because...well...I like it :)

"And the other Jim Graham story I have is there was one practice where he just rode me all practice. You’re doing this wrong, you’re doing this wrong, go back and do it again, you owe me, you’re doing push-ups after practice. And when it was all over, one of the other assistant coaches came over and said, yeah, Coach Graham rode you pretty hard, didn’t he? I said, yeah. He said, that’s a good thing. He said, when you’re screwing up and nobody’s saying anything to you anymore, that means they gave up. And that’s a lesson that stuck with me my whole life. Is that when you see yourself doing something badly and nobody’s bothering to tell you anymore, that’s a very bad place to be. Your critics are your ones telling you they still love you and care."

Ahhhh...

2008-07-10T09:00:00.003-05:00

Well, it's been a while since I've given everyone a bit of a life update. Things have been busy but good. The 4th of July weekend was chock full of fireworks, fun and food. And things are starting to slow down. This week hasn't been quite as hectic and I've had the chance to relax a bit more. Also got to see Wanted with Jen (a good, very entertaining and innovative action movie, story is not great but adequate, I thoroughly enjoyed it) and spent some time with a friend and former co-worker last night. It was good to catch up with him and chat about...well everything :) Movies, comic books, relationships, life...it was a good night. But I must admit I am a bit sad today. A little because some things at work aren't working quite the way they are supposed to and I am getting a bit frustrated. But mostly because Jen is volunteering out at Scout camp today through the weekend and she has a bridal shower for her sister on Sunday. Which means I won't get to see much of her this weekend. For the last year, she has been the light at the end of the tunnel every week. It was always easier to get through the work week when I knew I would get to spend most of my time with her over the weekend. I will get to see her Friday night as we are taking my Dad out to dinner for his birthday but then she'll have to go back to camp. It's OK, I'll survive. And in many ways I admire her willingness to help but it will feel sort of lonely not having her around. I've been spoiled by her I guess. She is far too good to me and that was quite apparent on our one year anniversary. I still owe her big time. The good news though is that it will give me a bunch of time to clean my apartment this weekend. It is in sore need of a good hose down :) So that's my life at the moment. Hope everyone else is doing well!

When someone really cares...

2008-06-24T09:40:00.002-05:00

...it's the little things that show it. They hold you a little tighter...a little longer. They make you smile without even trying. They listen...they share their thoughts...they're honest. They don't go around behind your back and rally people against you. They don't talk smack about you when you're not around. They are not two-faced. They don't try to sabotage your relationships with other people. They don't covet what they could never have. I have learned a lot in the last year about the people in my life and who they really are. In some messed up way, I am thankful for the life lesson...

Lots going on, nothing to say

2008-06-12T09:14:00.002-05:00

I've been quite busy the last couple of weeks. Between a death in the family and a bunch of Scout stuff going on, I've had a pretty full slate. This weekend is no different but I have Friday and Monday off from work so that should help me from feeling too overwhelmed. And yeah...nothing else really to say. I'm looking forward to my life slowing down a bit again. And that's about it...

"Getting" People

2008-06-03T08:51:00.002-05:00

I think one of the hardest things to understand is the human mind. It's one of the reasons I hate psychology. The idea that we all can be labelled and compartmentalized seems ludicrous to me. Our minds are far too complex for it. And so one of the hardest things to do is to really understand people. To know where they are coming from, what they want in life, what makes them tick. It's dangerous really. There have been more times than I can remember where I thought I knew someone and then they did or said something totally unexpected. Psyches are so fragile. It can be quite scary. The opposite is true too though. It can be amazingly rewarding to instinctively know what someone wants or needs and provide it for them. The joy of making someone you care about happy can be very powerful. I guess I'm not sure where I am going with all of this. Except to say that we are all unique and everyday we must strive to better understand our husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, families, friends, co-workers and any one else we may come in contact with.

The Beat Goes On

2008-05-28T08:25:00.002-05:00

Life has been pretty busy lately. It's all been good stuff though. Two cookouts over the weekend...too much food...sore muscles from lots of volleyball...good conversations...and plenty of time to catch up with old friends. Went to the Brewers game last night. Great game to be at. We were down early, chipped away with a run here or there late in the game, and won in "walk-off" fashion with a very exciting play at the plate. And of course I did all of these things with Jen which make them all infinitely better. Looks like things will stay pretty busy in the coming weeks (or at least weekends), but it should all be good. Now I just need to find some time to catch up on sleep :)

The Long Goodbye

2008-05-21T09:03:00.002-05:00

I am terrible at saying goodbye to people. Sometimes, it's cause I don't want to leave that person, sometimes it's cause I feel like we have more to talk about, and sometimes I just can't find the words that sound right. It's funny really, I can be incredibly articulate when I need to be and other times I am completely speechless. I do think it's something I have gotten better at but I am still far from perfect. I just feel awkward about the whole thing. Maybe "goodbye" is too definite for me. Maybe I need to go with "see ya later" or "see you soon" or the ever popular Nelson Muntz send off "smell ya later". This all may seem to come out of nowhere and sound a bit silly. And it does sort of come out of nowhere...I'm not really sure what made me think of it. And it is a bit silly but that's the point...I feel silly that I can't handle some of the basics of human interaction sometimes. Sorry for my rambling today...

Listening Skills

2008-05-13T13:45:00.002-05:00

Is it just me or do fewer and fewer people have appropriate listening skills? You can tell people the same thing over and over again and they just don't get it. And then when they do something different from what you told them and don't get the result they desire, they whine and bitch like little children. It's getting very annoying. Sorry. I really need to get out of end-user support...

They just don't understand

2008-05-05T13:05:00.003-05:00

I don't think I communicate well. I have a hard time verbalizing what is going on in my head sometimes. I've actually known this about myself for a while now but I haven't figured out how to fix it yet. I know that I am different. That my thoughts and reactions and feelings are not the same as most people. And I'm not saying I want to change that. I am actually quite happy with the person I am. I just wish I could explain it better to other people. Just another of those things I need to continue to work on in order to improve myself. Hopefully, the people I care about the most will bear with me as I try to be a better me.

No news...

2008-05-02T08:50:00.002-05:00

...is good news I guess. I really don't have much to say this week. Everything is going well right now. There is a pretty good chance I will be up for a new position at work this summer which will challenge me and increase my skill set and my salary. And it will be working with some good people too. Sooo...yeah...everything here is good. Hope everyone out there has a good weekend!

A Few Updates

2008-04-22T11:15:00.002-05:00

First off, to allay any concerns over my last post, it was simply an attempt at some creative writing. Nothing terrible has happened recently, work is going well, and I'm not depressed or down about anything right now. Sorry if it caused any undue worries :)

Life is actually quite good right now. I had an awesome review today and things at work are really looking up at the moment. I have Thursday and Friday this week off and am really looking forward to a couple of days to decompress. Unfortunately Jen will be going to a conference this weekend and I might not get to see her until Sunday. But we are going to a Brewers game tomorrow night so at least I'll get to spend some time with her this week. So...yeah...life is real good right now and I'm looking forward to this summer. I hope all of you are healthy and happy too and enjoying life!

It Never Was

2008-04-17T09:52:00.002-05:00

It started so simple
An idea...pure and magnificent
And as is common with an idea so good
Others flocked to it
But with each new person
Came new ideas
New changes
New complications
The idea was lost
No longer plain and clear
But mutated into something unrecognizable
What it is now
It never was meant to be

My dreams dashed
I sink back into monotony
Hoping to never think so foolishly again
Armed with the knowledge
That anything new or fresh
Would be altered
Warped
Corrupted

But knowing full well
One day it will come again
And against my better judgment
I will share it with the wrong person
And it too
Will never be
What it was supposed to be

I have waited so long for this...

2008-04-08T15:00:00.002-05:00

...to find someone who I connect with on every conceivable level...someone who holds the same morals and values and work ethic...someone smart and funny and compassionate and loving....someone who fits into my arms like the final piece to a puzzle...someone who shares the same interests and wants to do the same things in life...someone I can love with all of my heart. I may have very little experience in relationships, but I know now that the wait was well worth it. And I think it makes what I have now all the more special. Sometimes life-long dreams can come true. I will never give up on them again...

Back to work too soon

2008-03-31T15:22:00.002-05:00

I had an awesome vacation last week. The Grand Canyon is far cooler in person than I could have expected (and my expectations were pretty high to begin with). I can't really even put it into words. Ask to see some pictures next time you see me. It's not quite the same as being there but they do it more justice than I could by trying to describe it. We had good days at a Brewer's Spring Training game and the Phoenix Zoo too. So now it's back to work and the crap that comes with it. I have a lot of catching up to do yet and am not looking forward to any of it. It was great spending so much time with Jen and I miss her already. Well, I guess that's it for now. Hope to catch up with everyone soon!

Sogginess

2008-03-18T13:26:00.002-05:00

It's another wet day here in wonderful Milwaukee. With all of the snow melting over the last 3-5 days and the rain this morning, there's plenty of water to go around. And all it does is remind me that I need a new pair of shoes. These have developed a bit of a hole in the bottom and my right foot can get quite soggy. I wish buying shoes wasn't such a hassle. It's one of those things where I have the hardest time finding the right style and comfortable feel. I wish I could just buy them in bulk sometimes when I find the right combination. Oh well.

Anyway, I work through Thursday this week and then I am off for about 10 days (including the weekends). Jen and I will be off to Phoenix for part of that to see the Grand Canyon, among other things. It should be awesome. It will be nice just to get away for a few days and see something different. Plus it's one of those things that I would be upset if I never did it. So, the blog will be pretty quiet for a while. Oh yeah, I got my iPod Touch this last weekend. I am really happy with it. I now have a simple yet sophisticated way to carry around some of my favorite pictures and show them to whoever I bump in to. So, next time you see me, ask to see some pictures if you're interested. I'd be happy to show you!

Hindsight Isn't Always 20/20

2008-03-14T14:57:00.002-05:00

I think we all tend to think of things in the context of "the good ol' days". As if everything in our past was so much better than what it is now. That can be true sometimes but it's probably not as true as we want to believe. Sometimes I think about past jobs, friendships, experiences, etc. and I realize that they aren't always what I thought they were. But I convinced myself that they were good cause I think at the end of the day, we all want something good from our past to hold onto. And that's OK...it's certainly better than the alternative...but I also don't want to lie to myself about what things were really like either. Hmmm...I'm not sure what made me think of these things. It might sound like I'm a bit down or depressed by this, but I'm really not. I guess I'm just feeling...pensively nostalgic...

The School of Common Sense

2008-03-05T13:22:00.002-06:00

I work at a rather large University. You would expect people here to be "smart". And they are in a very academic way. But I question whether any of them can actually apply that intelligence in any kind of real world environment. If I had a nickel for every time I heard some one say "We're not a tech school, we teach theory and research", well I'd have an awful lot of nickels. The problem is students who graduate from here don't get jobs for being able to recite theory. They get a job based on their abilities to be productive. We need to find the balance between theory and practice or else we are doing our students a huge disservice. Why do I, as a 28 year old technology person, see this when so many others don't? It baffles my mind really. People have such a hard time seeing past their own research or project or office...it's amazing really. Not enough of our leaders are truly visionary. Everyone's in it for their own agenda...their own advancement...their own glory. If people genuinely cared about our mission as a College, then the answer would be clear. Unfortunately, this is not the way the word works. Just one more thing to get used to I guess...

Have you seen me lately?

2008-02-27T09:03:00.003-06:00

I haven't felt like myself for the last few weeks. I'm not really sure what it is. I just get frustrated easily and I find I have less and less patience for the little things. Things I was always able to shrug off before. Work has been frustrating, Scouting has been...annoying, I don't sleep well anymore which upsets me more than anything. I just feel tired. Like I need a break from the world. And it comes at a bad time. Things are ramping up in my life right now and I just don't want to deal with any of it. The only time I am truly happy right now is when I am with Jen. Everything else is just counting down the days/hours until I get to see her again. Hopefully this is just a temporary funk...cause right now everything is a chore.