Rapture

This made me chuckle.

Disclaimer: I've never actually seen an episode of Jersey Shore. But unfortunately, I do know who Snooki is, and I know enough to realize that this is funny. Ha!

Read more...

Countdown

The countdown is on. This beauty shall be mine:

Unfortunately, it won't be mine today, but on November 15. I have to wait until I'm eligible for an upgrade with Verizon. But, considering how long I've been waiting to ditch my crappy Blackberry and get my hands on an iPhone, one little measley month is not that torturous!

I've had a Blackberry for several years now. I got my first one (a Pearl) in 2008, not long before Michael and I were married. At the time, it was just.so.cool to be able to have internet! and e-mail! on my phone, so I was a happy camper. 

When I was eligible for an upgrade again in March 2010, I went into the store knowing that I wanted to get a Blackberry Tour. The sales guy tried to sell me on a Droid, which at the time were still fairly new and not as commonplace as they are now, so I stood my ground and told the guy to get me my Blackberry!

I regretted that decision shortly after. 

I soon realized the limits of my Blackberry compared to other phones, and when I started voicing those limits out loud, one of the digital guys at work said (and I'm paraphrasing), "Get rid of the Blackberry. You have to get an iPhone or a Droid." *BIG, HUGE SIGH* I've hated this Blackberry all along, and have been not-so-patiently waiting for my next upgrade to come around. At the beginning, it seemed impossibly far away, so knowing that there are only FOUR MORE WEEKS left with this piece of crap  is great. Plus, Apple decided to give me a little present and release the iPhone 4S just as I'm getting ready for my upgrade. Hooray!

Anyone in the same boat as I am, not-so-patiently waiting for the iPhone? Any who prefer Droid? Is there anyone who is actually loyal to Blackberry at this point (seems rare)? 

For all of you who are enjoying your new iPhones today--color me jealous. 

But not far behind.

Read more...

A Royal Pain in the Ass

I don't even know why I watch the morning news, really. On any given day, I could name at least one thing that pisses me off about the coverage, or lack thereof.

It just so happens that for the last two months (or has it been four?), the most aggravating thing of all has been the "Countdown to the Royal Wedding." I'm sorry, but before I head off to work in the morning, I do not need to know that there are 67 days remaining until Will and Kate tie the knot.

This frustration has only increased with time.

So, you can imagine that when I turned on my TV to find that the Today Show--not only Meredith Vieira, but THE ENTIRE TODAY SHOW TEAM (minus Al Roker. I guess he's not worthy)--was in London this morning, my head almost exploded.

I get the appeal of watching the wedding. I understand the fascination, and the excitement. (Though I'll admit that, in the day and age of DVR and YouTube, I don't quite get the wake-up-at-3-a.m.-for-coverage thing, but I digress.) But I do not support the complete and utter TAKEOVER of an entire news broadcast for weeks and weeks. How many times have we heard about the mystery of Kate's dress? Do I need to see video of delivery trucks pulling up and unloading 20-foot trees for decoration inside Westminster Abbey? And I'll tell you right now, I do not give a rat's ass about the hotel room decor where Kate Middleton will spend her last night as a commoner.

In the 25 minutes I had it on, there were two minutes worth of actual news.

I can't tell you which states have been most impacted by the deadly storms in the South, but I can tell you that Kate and Harry attended a second wedding rehearsal, but Will didn't show because he felt confident after the first one.

STOP THE MADNESS.

Alas, the wedding is tomorrow. It's finally here. I suspect (hope! pleasepleaseplease) that come Monday, we might be able to return to some semblance of normalcy. Yes?

In the meantime, Nora is brushing up on her British accent and enjoying a spot of tea and crumpets. She's pumped.

Apparently she didn't get my memo. I better not catch her awake at 3 a.m.!

Read more...

It's Like Russian Roulette

Just about a year ago, I posted about a Continental Flight 3407 that crashed near Buffalo on February 12, 2009. I was feeling greatly affected by this particular crash, quite simply because it had happened so close to home.

Earlier this week, the NTSB released their official report about what happened that night. Last year, it was widely speculated that the weather, which had been tremendously icy, was the likely culprit.

Now, the NTSB has told us what really happened. It wasn't the weather. Instead, it was pilot error, and the circumstances surrounding those errors are tremendously disturbing to me. Apparently, the pilot and first officer were acting completely unprofessionally, not paying nearly as much attention to landing the plane as they should have been. Not only that, but when the alarms began to go off signaling that the engines were losing thrust, the pilot not only didn't do the right thing, but did exactly the wrong thing.

It's clear that both pilots in the cockpit were too inexperienced to be flying a plane by themselves. The pilot apparently failed five competency tests and was still being allowed to fly planes with passengers on board. It was reported that he lied on his employment application and only reported one failure on the tests. HOW is this possible? Why aren't the results of these tests recorded in some way that can be easily referenced and checked by airlines looking to hire pilots?

The whole report makes me absolutely sick to my stomach. These 50 people did not have to die that night, but they did, and unfortunately it was at the hands of these two pilots.

I feel horrible for all of the families who lost loved ones. As one family member says in the article, "When it's something that could have been prevented, and clearly it could have been prevented, that's really a hard pill to swallow."

I also feel really terrible for the pilots' families. Not only did they lose people that they loved, but they also have to live with the knowledge that their family members were responsible for this whole tragedy. I know that can't be easy.

Whenever I'm talking to people about my fear of getting into a car accident, a lot of them tend to respond with something like, "Well, just drive carefully and you'll be all right." My response to that is always, "I'm not so worried about myself--I'm worried about the other people driving out there." Now, this rings true for me and flying as well.

Are we to accept that when we get onto a commercial airliner, we are playing the lottery? I mean, hell--we could get lucky and end up with a seasoned, expert, hero pilot like Sully Sullenberger, who was responsible for saving the lives of 155 people when he safely landed a plane in the middle of the Hudson River. Or, we could end up putting or lives in the hands of someone who has failed numerous competency tests, doesn't know what the hell he/she is doing, but somehow still managed to slip through the cracks and become a licensed commercial pilot.

It is disturbing. It is scary. And it's not fair to the people walking onto planes every day.

When we sit down, fasten our seatbelts, and push back from the gate, we have no idea who is in that cockpit. We have no idea who we are trusting with our lives.

Read more...

Conan Rules, Leno Drools

I'd like to tell you all that I predicted this. And I sort of did.

You see, I knew that Leno's primetime gig was never going to last. Still, I could never have predicted what a clusterfuck of a situation this whole thing would become.

Conan has effectively been thrown out on his ass for no reason at all, except that Jay Leno is a selfish douchebag. It is being reported today that Conan has officially signed paperwork that releases him from his contract with NBC. And so it's over. OVER FOR NBC, anyway. I hope that Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" and the network burn to the ground. I don't watch anything else on NBC, and I have never been so grateful to not be supporting a particular network.

NBC's treatment of a man who was a long-time, dedicated employee is completely sickening to me. I know it's not the first time someone has been wronged for the sake of "business," but the way this has played out has been ludicrous.

The worst part of it all is that Conan O'Brien is truly a class act. I loved his statement released earlier this month, when all of this controversy really started to pick up. I especially loved the end (after several paragraphs of expressing his disappointment and explaining his position):

Have a great day and, for the record, I am truly sorry about my hair; it's always been that way.

LOVE.

Conan has handled himself with grace and poise throughout the whole process during which NBC completely screwed him over. (To be fair, he does get $45 million out of the exit deal. Not too shabby!)

Most frustrating is the fact that everyone knows that NBC and Jay Leno are wrong... except NBC and Jay Leno. Jimmy Kimmel made an absolute fool out of Leno (on Leno's own show!) last week. And then, just this morning, I saw this clip on Michelle's blog:

Perfect.

Here's hoping Conan ends up with a much better gig and Leno falls in the ratings (AND off the face of the Earth).

TEAM CONAN, baby. TEAM CONAN.

Read more...

Abra Cadabra

If I exercised a little magic, do you think Kate Gosselin would finally go away?

Because this......is ridiculous. Seriously? The cover of People Magazine? Again? Who gives a crap about this woman and her kids' struggles, how she's dealing with Jon's drama, and how she's making room for romance? Who cares?

Oh, and that weave/extension action she has going on? Terrible.

Read more...

On Fire

I don't often get too riled up about the news. But this? This story grates on every last nerve in my body.

In case you haven't been following this throughout the YEARS it has been going on, long story short: David marries Bruna. They have a son, Sean. When Sean is four years old, Bruna tells David she is taking Sean on a vacation in Brazil to visit her family. She is supposed to be back in two weeks, but never returns. (Note: This is called kidnapping.) David files charges and begins court proceedings to try to get his son back.

Meanwhile, Bruna remarries a rich Brazilian businessman, and builds a cushy new life for herself and Sean, not thinking for one moment how she has taken this boy from his father. Then, what do you know? She dies during childbirth. Instead of being returned to the U.S. to live with his dad, courts repeatedly keep Sean in Brazil with his stepfather, even though the rulings all seem to go in David's favor. Stepfather's side argues that Sean is happy, has been living with his stepfather for most of his life, and that he should be left alone because he wants to stay in Brazil. Oh, and Sean is now nine. Nine years old! This shit has been going on for FIVE YEARS.

Throughout it all, David has flown to Brazil and back a bajillion times to try to bring his son home, only to face another setback that keeps the boy with his stepfather. Repeatedly, David thinks he's going to get his son back, only to have his hopes dashed. What an emotional rollercoaster. Not only that, but what a waste of time. It has already been five years. Every day that goes by is another day that David and Sean are apart. Every day is another inch of space between them, another mile in the road to repairing their relationship.

This is the biggest clusterfuck of a situation. What is the deal with the Brazilian justice system? I mean, seriously. Remind me to never, ever go to Brazil. I wouldn't want to take the chance that I would find myself at the mercy of their courts.

Let's recap what this story has taught us:
1) If you want to kidnap a child, do it, and then flee to Brazil.
2) Don't forget to kidnap a child who is as young as possible. That way, the child will view you as his parent, and the courts will argue that the child is accustomed to this life, and is happy, so he should stay with his kidnapper.

The judge, who blocked the latest ruling that stated Sean needed to be returned to David within 48 hours, said today that he wants to put Sean on the witness stand. They want to hear from Sean and figure out what he wants to do.

A nine year old.

A nine year old who has been kidnapped, and has been living with his stepfather since he was four.

Surely these judges are smart people. Surely they can see how messed up this thinking is? Yes?

I understand that this child has a life in Brazil, and that he is probably happy. But it doesn't make it right. The only reason Sean was given the opportunity to get so comfortable in this situation and grow attached to his stepfather is because of the Brazilian government's mishandling of this case from the very beginning. The court is responsible for this mess. And it is its duty to fix it.

I just can't stop shaking my head. The whole thing is ludicrous. It's like saying that Jaycee Dugard should have stayed with her captor, because after all, she had been there for 18 years and she had made a family for herself; she had kids. Why not keep things status quo?

Ridiculous. It infuriates me. I'm all fired up.

Bring this child home.

Read more...

Ketchup Day

Can you believe that it has already been two and a half months since I last did (my first) Ketchup Day? If you ask me, we're long overdue.

New to Ketchup Day? It's basically just a collection of short thoughts to get me "caught up" on my blogging. Things I want to tell you, but don't really constitute their own blog posts.

Lots of random tidbits coming your way...
______________________________________________________

We are Texas-bound this weekend! And of course, the temperatures there have decided to plummet just in time for our visit. LOVELY. And all I really wanted was some comfortable 60-degree days. *sigh* Oh well, we will pack accordingly and make the most of it.

We saw an episode of Man v. Food where Adam visited a place in San Antonio that makes 3.5 lb. cinnamon rolls. This I've gotta see.

Here's hoping we have drama-free travel! Keep your fingers crossed for us.

And if you have any last-minute San Antonio/Austin suggestions, certainly let me know!
______________________________________________________

At home, we are all decked out the holidays. Following the tradition we set when we first moved into our place, we put up almost everything the day after Thanksgiving. We have a few little things to do, but we'll get that done sometime next week.

Our tree:

I was boycotting Christmas music and Christmas spirit before Thanksgiving (I kept telling Michael to "respect the turkey"), but now I'm letting it all in. The Christmas carols are blasting in the car on a daily basis. Holiday season is in full swing!
______________________________________________________

There is still plenty of time to sign up for the holiday round of Operation Baking Gals, if you haven't already. There are several spots left on our team, and it would certainly be nice to be at capacity. Shipping dates are from now until December 16, so head on over to the Baking Gals website and register to bake for Team Heather Drive!

I posted the announcement for this round right before Thanksgiving, so I'm hoping that the slow registration is just because people forgot about it. Right? Riiightt? C'mon people... get into the holiday spirit and help a guy out. Brian needs cookies! :) And if you don't bake, there are plenty of store-bought items that would be much appreciated over there as well.

If you've never participated before, now is a good time to start! I signed up for my first Baking Gals round last December, and look where I'm at now. Ha!
______________________________________________________

A few blog housekeeping items:

From now on, when you leave comments on my blog, you'll have to do a quick word verification before clicking submit. I'm sure you've seen this feature on other blogs before. I like to keep things easy for all of you commenters, so I avoided adding it for as long as I could, and spam comments were never really a problem. But for some reason, spam comment activity has really picked up here at Heather Drive, and it's getting ridiculous! So, to make it easier on me, and more pleasant for everybody reading/leaving comments, I have to ask you to complete that extra word verification step now. I hope you don't mind.

Secondly, I'm planning on doing another blog redesign soon, so that'll be fun. I don't know--I just feel like I have to change things up every six months or so. Stay tuned for that!
______________________________________________________

This Tiger Woods stuff is insane. All because he crashed his car into a tree. Talk about one thing leading to another...
______________________________________________________

We saw The Blind Side on Wednesday night. It was adorable. Sandra Bullock was awesome. It's a must-see. You don't have to be a fan of football; you just have to be a fan of humans. The generous and compassionate ones. And it's a true story, which makes it even better.

Aside from the film itself, it was one of the most miserable movie theater experiences I've ever had. We got there late and the theater was unexpectedly packed, so we were forced to sit in the third row. My neck and back were KILLING me. So if I can enjoy it despite those conditions, you have to know it's good, right?
______________________________________________________

I did the most adorable Christmas photo shoot with my nephew, Hunter, last weekend. He's six months and is at a rather perfect age for the vision I had going. I want to share a photo or two from it, but the pics are being used for their Christmas cards, and I don't want to spoil the fun for those of you who read this blog and are going to be receiving one. :)

But... soon! All you need to know for now is that he is *so cute*!
______________________________________________________

Alright, I think that's it. I feel like I'm forgetting something, but if I am, I'll just have to wait until the next Ketchup Day... or form deeper thoughts about the subject so that I can designate an entire blog post to it. ;)

Once again, I have grand plans to blog during our time in Texas, but that's dependent on 1) whether we have free WiFi at our hotel, and 2) my mood. Needless to say, it's not a definite. But I'll almost certainly be tweeting regularly, so you can keep up with me by checking out my Twitter feed over there ------>

I'll be back before you know it, y'all. :)

Read more...

Twilight Zone

I'm going to go out a limb here. I do not mean to offend. I only seek to understand.

I do not get the Twilight obsession. At ALL.

I feel like I am the only person who hasn't read these books. (And I'll tell you right now, I will never read them.) But even if I had, I think I can safely say I would not be lining up outside of a theater at midnight tonight. I'm confident in saying this, simply because I've never been that into something in my entire life.

Well, actually... I loved New Kids on the Block. I collected their albums, posters, t-shirts, earrings, magazines. I even had NKOTB bed sheets. Among friends, I claimed Joey McIntyre as my husband for games of "school" and "house." My mom and aunt took my cousins and me to a concert and I screamed my head off for two hours. I was obsessed.

But I was also eight.

On the Today Show this morning, I watched as women fell all over themselves, screaming, jumping, drooling, panting, and nearly passing out at the sight of a Twilight actor (I couldn't even tell you which one) outside at Rockefeller Plaza. I'd love to tell you that these were tween girls, and some of them were. But there were grown women, too. Adults.

And I'm sorry, but I just don't get it.

What is the big deal? Why are people so crazy and obsessed with these books, these movies, these characters? People talk about them like they are real. From an outsider's perspective, I have to admit that it's a little disturbing.

I see t-shirts, I see online "badges," I see quizzes. Are you Team Edward? Or Team Jacob?

Personally, I'm Team WHO THE HELL CARES.

For those who got sucked into the books and enjoyed them, great. I would never fault anybody for that. Lord knows I've read (and liked!) some crappy books in my lifetime.

It's just the other stuff... the extras, the insanity that I just can't comprehend.

So here I am, going against the grain. At midnight tonight, I'll be sleeping soundly in my bed. This weekend, I won't be anywhere near a movie theater.

And I'm totally OK with that.

Read more...

Coach Jaur-Gone

I haven't talked about the Buffalo Bills much this season. Truth is, there hasn't been all that much to talk about. Nothing positive, anyway.

Until today.

We received word this afternoon that our head coach, Dick Jauron, has been fired.

This brings me great joy. In fact, excuse me while I go and do a happy dance.

.....

*AHEM* Sorry. I'm back now.

You see, this is great news. I don't pretend that this will fix the season. But the Bills need a fresh start, and it's about damn time they get rid of Jauron. Most Bills fans were calling for this to happen WEEKS ago.

And now I don't ever have to see him and his "stone face" ever again.
This is what he looks like. ALL. THE. TIME. Seriously. This is his only facial expression.

Trent Edwards throws an interception that is returned for a touchdown?

STONE FACE.

The Bills score a touchdown to win the game?

STONE FACE. Except in this situation, he might mix it up by throwing in a slow clap instead of the crossed arms.

I hate it. I want to see emotion. I want to see passion. I want to see excitement. I want to see ANGER.

When the offense earns nine false start penalties in a single game? I want to see someone throwing shit on the sidelines. I want to see a headset being ripped off and thrown on the ground. I want to read lips that might say something along the lines of, "WHAT THE FUCK?!"

Because at home, these are the things even the fans are all doing.

When a player repeatedly makes mistakes that significantly contribute to the team losing games? I want a coach who will grab that player's face mask and scream in his face. There needs to be fear.

Or something.

So we'll see what happens. I wish our owner would fork over the money to bring in someone good, but it's looking like our defensive coordinator, Perry Fewell, is likely to get promoted to the position. And if that's the case, well, let's see what he can do. The defense is probably the best element of our team. Sure, they often allow big plays in the fourth quarter that end up losing us games. But that's because they're exhausted from being on the field so damn much. (Since our offense blows.)

The Bills have a long way to go until they'll ever be good again.

But this feels like a step in the right direction. Finally.

Read more...

H1N1

Months ago, I mocked the hysteria surrounding the swine flu.

I still mock it.

But now, the virus has traveled from afar and made its way into my world. First, there were cases at work (though thankfully, no one in my department has fallen victim... yet). Then, my aerobics classes were cancelled for an entire week, and upon return, my instructor told us she had been taken down by the swine. Last week, we were told that our 2-year-old nephew possibly had it (it turned out that he didn't). This morning, we learned that a friend of ours is down for the count.

So, even though I don't understand the oh-my-god-we're-all-gonna-die mentality that some people are choosing to adopt, I have to admit that even I, a non-germaphobe, have started to take more precautions than usual.

It's not that I'm usually a dirty person, but I'm not one to carry hand sanitizer, or think twice about partnering up with a stranger in aerobics class, or avoid touching public door handles and knobs. But now? Now I am one of those people.

It's not that I'm afraid of something serious happening. I just don't want to be sick. It doesn't sound fun. Not at all.

My aerobics instructor said H1N1 made her the sickest she's ever been. She was laid up in bed for an entire week, and said she could do nothing but sleep and watch TV. She said, "I should have bed sores!"

So um, no thanks.

Our friend, Mike, says the way he feels now is the worst he has ever felt. EVER. Mike's situation is exceptionally crappy because his wife is due to give birth in less than a week. He has essentially been confined to his basement (thankfully it is a "man room" so it's not all that bad) so that he lowers the risk of infecting his very pregnant wife, which would be decidedly dangerous. What's worse is that if she were to go into labor in the next couple of days, it's very likely they won't allow him into the hospital to watch his baby be born. This blows my mind. Needless to say, we are praying for the late arrival of their baby girl.

Again, I say... no thanks.

The media continues to make a huge deal about all of this, which is extremely irritating to me. Every day, the local news talks about swine flu, swine flu vaccine, swine flu deaths, swine flu statistics. Who's high risk, who's low risk, who should go so far to hijack an ambulance to get a vaccine, and who shouldn't even bother fighting the mob. (OK, so I exaggerate. But still.)

As for me, I'll stick to my hand washing. My hand sanitizing. My extra Vitamin C.

I see you, Swine. You don't want to mess with me.

Read more...

Crime and Punishment

Let's talk capital punishment.

John Allen Muhammad (perhaps better known as the "D.C. Sniper" or "Beltway Sniper") is set to be executed in Virginia tonight. Although I was still in college and was living approximately 400 miles from Washington, D.C., I was gripped by the story of these random shootings, and remember following the coverage closely. I vividly recall seeing "breaking news" reports of shootings outside a Home Depot, a shopping center, a Ponderosa, a school, and gas stations. In those weeks, people were actually scared to get out of their cars to pump gas. Unbelievable.

By the time Muhammad and his accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, were arrested, they had killed 10 people, and injured three others.

And tonight, Muhammad will pay the price for his crimes--like his victims, he too will die.

So here I sit, debating the issue of capital punishment in my mind. It's an issue for which I don't have strong feelings either way. Or I guess it's more accurate to say that I identify with both sides.

I understand the need for justice. In this case, Muhammad took 10 lives, so isn't it fair that his life also be taken from him? Perhaps.

I'd like to think that life in prison is a much harsher punishment, but I suppose it depends on the circumstances. I don't know much about prison life for people convicted of murder, but I know that I've heard things about how prison "isn't that bad," and "some prisoners have it better than we do." Yada yada yada. I honestly don't know how much of that is true.

The other thing is that I'm not sure life in prison is the punishment I hope it would be for people who are incapable of feeling remorse. Let's take Scott Peterson for example. I would love to think that sitting in his jail cell for the rest of his life--in a prison that overlooks the very bay into which he dumped his pregnant wife's body--would be the ultimate torture. I would like to believe that he thinks of the beautiful wife and baby boy that he killed, and that having to live with that is punishment enough. But he still denies the crime. He doesn't seem sad. He, too, will be put to death for his crimes.

In a situation where the murderer is a sociopath, or has other mental issues that prevent him/her from feeling remorse or regret, compassion or sympathy... is the death penalty a better answer then? Is taking away "freedom" a harsh enough punishment? What about those who are sentenced to life in prison, but then get paroled?

For those who believe in Heaven and Hell, the ultimate punishment comes after death. Can I argue with those who want that fate to come more quickly for the murderer? Not really.

Frankly, I sort of wish that these decisions were left up to the victims' families. Not the convictions, obviously... but the choice between life in prison and death. The families are the ones who will continue to suffer for the rest of their lives because of what was taken from them. So doesn't it make sense for them to decide the fate of the person who robbed them of a future with their loved ones? It won't bring their loved ones back, but I think that if one of these options will help them to sleep better at night, they should get to choose.

I'm sure that many of these family members would feel much like I do--that death is the "easy" way out, and that letting the murderer rot in prison for the rest of his/her life is preferable. But given that for me, this is a (thankfully) hypothetical scenario, it's hard to say how I would feel if I were actually in those shoes. Trying to imagine it, I can also see the other side. I could see how I would be so filled with rage that I would want that person to pay, to "suffer" in the same way that my loved one suffered. An eye for an eye.

I see both sides.

And I don't know if there is a right or wrong answer.

Read more...

Notes Left Behind

Has everybody seen this story?

Heartbreaking, but amazing.

A 6-year-old girl was diagnosed with brain cancer. Somewhere along the line, she lost her ability to speak. Sadly, within just a few months, she had died.

And that is when her parents started finding notes--hundreds of notes--hidden all around their house. Notes that their daughter, while dying, had written and tucked away for them to find after she passed.

OH, MY HEART. 'Tis broken.

The story is here. Now, her parents have put together a book about Elena and her notes. All proceeds from the book sales benefit The Cure Starts Now.

I just can't get over the wisdom that some children have at such an early age. The fact that she would think to do this for her family... wow. What a gift.

Read more...

Retire. Return. Repeat.

OH, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY.

I cannot believe I am talking about this guy. Again.

Photo Source: ESPN

Oh wait, yes I can. Because I predicted it.

I'm feeling the need to point you to this post from last year. And this one, too.

I honestly believe that Brett Favre is trashing his own legacy. Instead of being remembered as a great football player, he will be remembered as the guy who just couldn't let it go.

I'm annoyed at what this could mean for the future of football. How many more times are we going to see this? How many players will now pull "a Brett Favre" to get whatever they want?

Let's say you're a football player. You're not happy with the team you're on. So you pretend you're retiring. Then, just as a team is entering a new season, you create a media frenzy and pick a new team. Any team. But no... not just any team. Pick your old team's biggest rival. Yes, that oughta do it. And don't forget to somehow convince this new team to pay you $12 million a year.

I actually feel really sorry for his new Vikings teammates, who've all been in training camp for three weeks, busting their asses. Now, Brett Favre plops himself in the middle of it all and takes the attention away from everything and everyone else. Lovely. I feel especially sorry for the guys trying out to make the team as quarterbacks. He just effectively stole the dreams of some young kid who was hoping to make it (just as a third stringer!). Guess what? There's no longer space for that guy on the team.

I am just SO SICK of hearing about Brett Favre. I didn't think it was possible, but with this latest "coming out of retirement," he has officially surpassed Tom Brady on my NFL Shit List.

Congratulations, Brett. You now annoy me more than any other NFL personality. You should be proud. And good luck when you play at Lambeau Field, you schmuck.

Read more...

A Thousand Words

Yesterday, my internet buddy, LJK-C, posted a link to a photo collection by the Boston Globe that chronicles President Obama's first 167 days in office. Beautiful, poignant photos that I pored over, drinking in every detail--in one image, I even noticed my favorite campaign photo framed on the President's desk. *LOVE*

When I look through these photos, I feel so much pride.

But this post isn't about that. Well, it's not about my pride.

(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

It's about his.

(I'm referring to the little guy.)

I first saw this photo a few months back, on some random news site or blog, shortly after it was taken. I saw it again while watching NBC's "Inside the Obama White House" special with Brian Williams.

While perusing this photo collection, I came across it for a third time. And I'll tell you... its power isn't lost on me. Every time I see this photo, I am deeply affected by it.

If you don't know the story behind the image... This little boy is the son of a White House staff member. He was at the White House for a visit, and had the chance to meet the President of the United States. As he stood, looking at Obama, he asked the one thing he really wanted to know.

He had recently had his hair cut, and he wanted to know if the President's hair felt like his own. And President Obama, in a way that I think truly demonstrates his character, bent over to let the little guy feel it for himself.

Pardon me while I go grab a tissue.

When I look at this photo, and I read the story, it's about so much more than the haircut.

That little boy--a black little boy--was likely sizing himself up against the President. And for the first time ever in our country's history, he was able to conclude: He looks like me. The color of his skin, and even the texture of his hair.

When I think about how that 4-year-old boy represents thousands and thousands of children who can now draw the same comparisons--it touches my heart.

For Obama, bending over and letting the boy feel the top of his head was a simple gesture. For the little boy, it was so much more than that. As a small child, he may not fully understand, but I think that some day, he will.

And seriously, now... what a beautiful moment to have caught on film.

That's right; I love it so much, I wanted you to see it twice. ;)

Oh, and can I just say... to be the Obama White House photographer? DREAM JOB. You know, if I had the talent.

Which I don't.

Instead, I'll live vicariously through Mr. Souza's photographs...

Read more...

MJ

I cannot even believe that Michael Jackson is dead.

I heard the news that he was hospitalized, in cardiac arrest, and critical condition. I didn't think any of that sounded good, but I don't know... I guess I still didn't think he would actually die.

Then Michael received a text message from a friend that said "RIP Michael Jackson." I turned on CNN, checked the CNN homepage, MSNBC, etc. and couldn't find anything that said he had actually died. I saw that The Drudge Report and TMZ were reporting it, but I was not going to believe it until it was reported by more reputable news sources.

I kept checking the news and Twitter on my BlackBerry as we drove to my in-laws' to celebrate my father-in-law's birthday, but found nothing new. Just tons of speculation. As we walked in the door at Michael's parents', they said that Michael Jackson's death had just been confirmed on the Nightly News.

So sad.

In a lot of ways, I feel like the "real" Michael Jackson, the one everyone loved, "died" many years ago when he became so weird. But it's still hard to believe. I'm kind of in shock!

You see, Michael Jackson is part of my earliest memories. I absolutely *loved* him and his music as a child. I have no idea how I was introduced to it all, but I was the definition of a crazed fan... at the tender age of two. TWO!!

My grandma brought me a Michael Jackson t-shirt when she came to visit, and I loved wearing it so much that I would cry when my mom would take it off of me to wash it. Even as a toddler, I knew how to put on the record player and put the needle on it to play his albums.

When "Thriller" came out, my dad bought me the Thriller disks for my Viewfinder. I looked through them, and apparently started crying and was totally freaked out about the pictures of him as a zombie/werewolf. HA! It was a little too much for my 2-year-old self. But instead of taking away the disks, my dad simply took an Xacto knife to them and cut out the scary images. After that, I happily cycled through them on my Viewfinder, every once in a while coming to an empty slide that I had to click past. :)

In the years that followed, we have countless home videos of my brothers and I dancing around like goofballs in the living room to "Beat It" and "Billy Jean" and all of the other hits.

As I got older, I still loved all of the music he released. His performance at the SuperBowl--loved it!

Now, of course, I still love all the classics. We had several of his songs played at our wedding. In fact, Michael and his friend (one of our groomsmen), Jason, did a short MJ impression. Jason is really good at it, he has even mastered the moonwalk.

I was saddened to learn about Farrah Fawcett's death, but was particularly bummed to hear about the King of Pop. His poor family.

RIP Michael Jackson. You were an amazing performer, and quite frankly, a legend.

Read more...

No Hugs Allowed

Here is my latest entry on a list of "Things That Make You Go, 'Hmm'":

An article in yesterday's New York Times discussed a new trend among teens to, get this: hug each other. Apparently a lot.

So often, in fact, that schools across the nation have started banning the action. Banning hugs. (Full article here.)

Upon Googling to find you the link to the NYT story, I learned that this isn't really such a new phenomenon. Here's a Time article from November 2007 that reports that an eighth-grader served two detentions in a week for hugging her friends.

Am I the only one who thinks this sounds completely ridiculous? They're hugging, not shooting each other up with drugs. Certainly this world (especially middle schools and high schools) could use a little more love and a lot less hate, right? What's the harm in hugging?

Remember this guy? He offered free hugs to people on the street and turned himself into a YouTube sensation. His "hugs campaign" sparked many other people to do the same, all around the world. Hugs are good, not evil.

School administrators claim that it's difficult to draw a line between appropriate and inappropriate hugging, so it's easier to place a ban on hugging altogether. Really? I look back at my high school days, and although we didn't use hugging in the same way (or as often) as it seems teens do now, it wasn't hard to see when innocent, platonic, friendly hugging turned into all-out groping (or heaven forbid, making out *shudder*). It seems to me that should the sexually charged touching happen, it would be pretty easy to pick out among the rest in order to tell the two lovebirds to knock it off, no?

Not only that, but my god... how much time and effort must they put forth into enforcing these stupid bans on hugs? One of the articles says that some schools have placed time limits on hugging. Anything over three seconds is unacceptable. Whaaaat? Again, I say... really? So, if two students hug in the hallway, is there are a teacher or administrator standing over them with a stopwatch?

I. just. don't. get. it.

Now, I'm not a teacher or an administrator, but I can only imagine that these people have much more important things to worry about. Like, say, THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN, for one. If I was a teacher, and I was told by my administration that I had to give detention to students for hugging in the hallway in between classes, well... I think I'd be pissed.

As far as I'm concerned... hug on, kids. HUG ON.

Read more...

You're killing me, America

On Tuesday, Oprah announced that in order to "help people out" in this time of economic suffering, she was going to give everyone in America a free dinner. Or, rather, KFC was going to give everyone in America a free dinner.

All people had to do was go to Oprah's website, download the coupon for a chicken dinner within 24 hours of the announcement, and drive to the nearest KFC. Next?

Cue pandemonium.

My eyes and ears can't believe what they've been seeing on the news. People waiting in lines for HOURS to get their free KFC dinners. Lines of cars forming down the block. All for a meal that I'm told costs $4.00. And not only that, but it's f-ing KFC, for crying out loud. It's not even good.

Are you kidding me, America?

I find myself trying to understand why people are driven to do this. Is the economy so bad that people are that desperate to save four freakin' dollars? Do people love KFC that much? Is it just because the almighty OPRAH is behind this?

And now, KFC has had to go so far as to cancel the promotion since they couldn't keep up with the demand.

I like a good deal as much as anybody. I'm a bargain hunter. If I can avoid paying full price for something, I do. But, two things: 1) You will never catch me redeeming a coupon for KFC. I don't care if it's free. 2) $4 worth of savings anywhere is not worth the hassle of waiting in a huge line. Time is money, people. Time is money.

Couple all of this with the fact that overall, America is overweight and seemingly addicted to fast food, and this whole story just kind of saddens me. It's ridiculous, really. I'd even go so far as to call it embarrassing.

Have no idea what I'm talking about? Full story here.

(Photo from ew.com)

Read more...

Beware of the Swine

I am finding the whole swine flu issue to be extremely interesting. Well, I'm actually more interested in the public's reaction to it than I am in the flu itself.

Sure, when you hear about an outbreak, or worse, a pandemic, it's a bit scary. Because in all likelihood, with the way our current society uses and abuses antibiotics (I used to work in a pharmacy, so I know all about that, and don't even get me started), there is bound to be a super bug that comes along and kills a LOT of people some day. I just don't think swine flu is going to be the bug to do it.

But, of course, the media turns everything into a huge deal, even if it's not.

My favorite example of the media frenzy surrounding the swine flu occurred last week. I turned on the morning news to hear: "First U.S. Swine Flu Death Confirmed." It was sad to hear that an infant had passed away, and the news kept going on and on about how big of a deal it was that someone from the United States had died.

When I got home from work that day, I turned on the evening news, only to find out that the infant who died was actually a Mexican baby who was visiting Texas. She had not received the medical care she should have, and had basically just come over the border from Mexico. So, I mean... does that really qualify as a "U.S. death"? I don't think so. But leave it to the media to take something and run with it.

Truthfully, I think this swine flu thing has been blown completely out of proportion. From what I've seen and read (repeatedly, since it's such a huge story), this flu is no more dangerous than the regular strains of flu that circulate every year. So why are people freaking out?

Wash your hands. Often. Try to reduce the amount of times you touch your eyes. Keep your distance from people who are ill.

Isn't this all common sense? C'MON, America. Get a hold of yourselves. This isn't the bubonic plague.

Read more...

Oh Deer!

For about 10 minutes every morning, I sit on the couch, eat my cereal, and watch Saved by the Bell television news. This week, I've mostly stuck to CNN's American Morning, because every time I flipped to Today, it was either on commercial, or Lester Holt was on. I didn't think anything of it, just that the usual crew was out this week.

This morning, I apparently turned the channel to Today at just the right moment, because 1) I saw that Matt Lauer was in a sling, 2) People in the crowd outside were all wearing deer antlers, and 3) They showed a clip of Brian Williams leaving a "get well" message for Matt and an animated deer suddenly hopped across the screen.

And since I didn't have any other TV time left, I was left to simply wonder... what.the.hell? I was wondering if the people on this show had finally lost their marbles.

Now, several hours later, I just remembered to Google. And now I know what happened to Lauer!

From Newsday:

Matt Lauer nearly collides with deer while biking
March 24, 2009

NEW YORK - A deer got the best of Matt Lauer.

The 51-year-old "Today" show host separated his shoulder while bicycling on Long Island over the weekend when he slammed on his brakes to avoid a deer and went flying.

Lauer missed Monday's show and became the butt of good-natured jokes by his colleagues. Executives say he should be back later in the week. Meanwhile, "Today" weekend co-anchor and NBC "Nightly News" anchorman Lester Holt is filling Lauer's slot.

Lauer, an avid bicyclist who took a practice ride at the Beijing Olympics, was wearing a helmet at the time of the Saturday mishap.

While this has been on my list of fears as a cyclist, it is also some really funny shit. Made even funnier by the fact that it happened to Matt Lauer, of all people. I actually don't even really like him--I just think he's kind of a tool--so I'm not sure why I even watch Today. (I don't care for Meredith Vieira, either. I'm "meh" on Al Roker. You know what? I like Ann Curry. When I was in NYC in 2004, she was super awesome to my grandmother. So, Ann Curry? You're the reason I watch Today.)

Anyway, I'd be lying if I said I didn't laugh a little. You know, since he wasn't seriously injured and all. Apparently, all of his coworkers were getting a big chuckle out of it, too.

In the spring/summer/fall, we often ride our bikes along a canal trail that goes through some pretty heavily wooded areas. And we have seen deer along the trail. There have been more than a few times when I've been speeding down one of the hillier portions, and I've thought to myself, If a deer ran out in front of me right now, I'd be in so.much.trouble.

So thanks a lot, Matt Lauer. Thanks for the laugh (and for being a good sport about all the crap you're getting). Oh, and for helping to confirm my fears. Yikes!

Read more...