Great weekend of soccer...

But we lost in the semi-finals to our arch-rival, the Dallas Texans West White team. A couple of misplays in the first half doomed us, as we were down 3-0. The second half was a different story, but it was too little too late... the final was 3-2. We had a great opportunity in the first half to equalize when we were down 1-0, and putting that one in would have made a BIG difference as anyone who knows a little about competitive soccer will attest. But it wasn't to be...

The Texans were a worthy opponent, as they also defeated the host San Angelo United team in the final later in the day. Interestingly, they had lost to them in their first game of the tournament... further, interestingly, we tied San Angelo United, 1-1, this morning... But that's soccer at this level.

Well, even if we had made the final, I think we would have been down three girls, leaving us with only one sub. My daughter was beat up, from head to toe - literally. She took a shot to the jaw that left it very sore and almost unable to eat, she has huge bruise on her elbow from hitting the ground so hard on a slide-tackle, she has a grass burn on her hip from a slide-tackle, as well as a ton of bruises on her legs, and for some reason, her big toes on both feet were getting rubbed raw... She really left it all on the field and I'm really proud of her efforts. One of our main defenders had taken a kick right below her knee that left a bad bruise, near the bone which makes it even more painful and one of our most versatile players had basically been playing on one ankle since the first game of the tournament. It was the size of a baseball at the end of the last game. We were done, but I'm sure we would have found a way to make a go of it in the final...

Good job, Tornados!

Update from San Angelo...

Aside from this hotel being VASTLY inferior to the Red Rock Casino, this has been a good trip. So far we are 2-0, having defeated both teams we played, rather handily, 9-0 and 4-1. We expected a couple of easier games, but not that easy and actually, the first game was 10-1, as we had three girls get a hat trick and my daughter scored one goal on a very nice run from the mid/right wing, but the official forgot to credit it us with one goal... go figure. Tomorrow's game will be a challenge. The game is 8:00 a.m. so that's already a challenge!

Oh, and on the hotel, it was a dump when I stayed here back in the early '80s and still one when we were here for a baseball tournament some 5 or 6 years ago. Let's just say, that a cot and a wash pan are not much lower on the accommodations scale! But we will push through...

Getting ready to play...















Daughter scores on a very nice run!

Back from Vegas!

Ok, so actually this is the second day since we got back from Vegas. Still tired and not feeling so well. And we have a four hour drive ahead of us for a soccer tournament in San Angelo, TX. Kind of a trip back in time for me and the wife, as we both matriculated to Angelo State University, a really great small state university with a great academic scholarship program.

Here's a link to some pictures from Vegas!

I Am Most Honored! - Announcement: I Heart The Blogshpere

Ray over at Mr. Besilly, was kind enough to include me in his post "I Heart the Blogosphere" . Ray is a very accomplished and extraordinary man and I am indeed humbled to be included in this list. It is an honor!

Thank you very much, Ray!

Greetings from Seattle in The Great Northwest,

Your URL has been placed front and center in today's post "I Heart The Blogsphere".

Cheers!

Ray Basile

One Man's Highway

www.mrbesilly.com

I've Been Drummed Up!

Mark over at Me and My Drum was kind enough to include this blog in his latest efforts to "Drum Up Some Link Love #3". This is his third post identifying blogs he finds interesting in hopes of spreading the word to his visitors. According to Mark, not just any blog makes his list, so I feel especially privileged to be included.

Be sure to stop by and check out his thought-provoking blog. Thank you, Mark!

In Vegas... Yay!

Second day in Vegas... yesterday was a blur. Ate too much, drank too much (oops, did I say that?), and definitely, didn't sleep enough. We went to bed early last night, if 2:00 a.m. is early.

7:30 a.m. is waaaay too early.














Red Rock Casino is a really, nice place! If being away from the Strip is not an issue, then I highly recommend staying here on your next visit to Las Vegas. The rooms are awesome and the restaurants are very good.

I'll post more pictures later today or tomorrow. I need to find a data cable for the wife's camera...

Some Extremely Sad News

I had reported previously that my family had a long history of service to this country... at least for a family that only came to this country around the turn of the century - late 1800's, early 1900's that is.

My sister informed me that a cousin, actually second cousin, from Illinois was killed this week in Iraq. I did not know Jesse, but I know he will be missed and I grieve for him today. This article from CBS2 Chicago is a very nice perspective on Jesse's life.



If you pray, please pray for Jesse's family so that they might find meaning for the death of a son, brother, uncle; of someone so young...

And pray for those servicemen and women still in harms way, that they may return safely to their loved ones.

Mostly pray that this conflict ends very soon, before more of our sons and daughters are taken before their time.

I Should Be...

Happy as a kid in a candy store! I'm going to Vegas on Sunday! Vegas, baby! Viva Las Vegas!

But, I'm not... rather not go into it, but suffice it to say I'm not in a very good mood about the trip and I DO NOT expect to be in a better mood about it by the time my flight leaves at 7:00 a.m. (yikes!) on Sunday morning.

I will be attending (really... NO really... well for the most part) the annual Directory Experts Conference sponsored by NetPro, where I hope to increase my knowledge of all things Active Directory from Microsoft.

Staying here... nice, huh?

Also, taking the wife and meeting my sister and brother-in-law there... still, I am troubled.

So there... going to Vegas and I am indifferent. Never felt like this before...

101 Cookbooks - Recipe Journal

Ran across this site in a Google ad, of all places... Heidi also has a site that showcases her photography. Enjoy!

101 Cookbooks - Recipe Journal

Club Soccer Decisions... A (Random) Parent's Guide

First in a series...

Ahhh, spring time... and soccer...

Spring usually means that the league soccer season is winding down and that there is a tournament somewhere every weekend. It is also the time to start making decisions about your child's future. If your child is new to club soccer, or has played on a PAL or Academy team, this will be the first of many more decisions you will make along the way. If your child is currently on a club team, then now is the time to weigh options and opportunities for your child's future.

In this first article, I will concentrate on this last issue, as that is what is currently on my mind. I hope to provide more insight into the mad world of club soccer in future posts, as well as some insight for the first-timers, newbies, if you will, to club soccer. In the mean time, this first article might also offer some insight for the parent new to club soccer.

By now, if your child has played a couple of seasons on the same team, you should be able to determine if your child has made progress, if the team has made progress and if the parents have made progress - and, yes, it is important, after all you spend a lot of time with some of these people and any good coach knows you recruit players AND their families. By progress, I mean commitment, sense of fair play and sense of community. As with all families and social situations, disagreements will occur. It's how those disagreements are handled and how the outcomes affect everyone, that will determine the success or failure of these "families". I won't go into how to handle these issues, but suffice it to say, equitable and fair treatment of all parties goes a long way in ensuring the outcomes meet with the goals of the team.

Progress of the player can be measured in many ways, not just goals scored or goals against average. There are all kinds of skills to look out for from dribbling to passing to kicking. In addition, how does your child play? Are they aggressive with the ball? While defending? Are they willing to mix it up and get physical? Do they bounce right back up after taking a fall? Progress of the player can also be measured by how well they take criticism and how well they take to coaching. Coaches, like you and me, have different personalities. Some want to be friends; some just want to coach. However, all of them care about your child and his/her development. Some will not mesh with your child's personality. Be aware that you're child may not be progressing for that very reason. You must find ways to make this work for you, your child and the coach. After all you are spending LOTS of money for this "privilege".

Finally, progress of the team. As with any team dynamic, the team is only as good as the weakest link. However, as a team it may be infinitely better than it's best player. The team dynamic involves commitment and goals. Does the team have goals? If so, have they been expressed to the players? To the parents? Besides practices, how committed are the girls to extra practices? skills practices? tournaments, especially out-of-town? What about the parents? We all have outside interests and soccer may not be the only activity your child is interested in and that's ok. Life does get in the way. But is it a constant source of contention? Some parents are sure their child is a soccer prodigy and soccer is the ONLY important activity. Other's are still discovering their child's strengths and talents. To that degree, latitude is necessary or there will be a lot dissension. There are club teams that are little more relaxed than others. In the end, all teams have fun, but is your CHILD having fun?

As your child gets older, you will want to see how their commitment matches their level of play. It might also be necessary to evaluate how that level of commitment manifests itself across the team. Most children will respond to challenges, especially from their peers. If they see the other team members doing extra work, most will want to also add the extra work to their regimen to get better. Therefore, it is important that team members start to take some responsibility for themselves and the team to get better. Nothing is more satisfying than watching a well-coached team, coach themselves, police themselves and, ultimately, being responsible for themselves. You should definitely be on the lookout for these positive signs.

Finally, as a parent, you need to ask yourself: What is MY level of commitment? How comfortable am I? Is the need to have a close-by practice facility more important than the need to have my child on a team that will push them to the next level? Is the need to stay comfortable greater than the need to get out of that comfort zone? If you are problem with the commitment, you might want to sit down with your child to determine their level of commitment. They may surprise you and you might realize that either you're the problem or the child is not as committed as you thought they were. Either way, you should be able to make a positive decision for both of you.

In addition, the whole issue of staying with a team may be moot, as the coach reserves the right to add and remove players as they see fit. For this reason, it is imperative that you sit down with your coach at the end of the season to get his insight and evaluation of your child. He should also be willing to tell you his plans for the team and if your child is, in fact, part of those plans. Please, and I am begging here, DO NOT take this personally. It is just your first baptism into the world of "select" athletics and throughout the rest of their playing careers, most of them will hear, in some fashion, that they are simply not good enough. That should not mean it's the end of the road. Too many splendid players are left behind at the first sign of rejection. As a parent you should have your child prepared for this inevitability. You are doing them NO favors by shielding them from the realities of "select", and later, the higher levels of sports. It's just part of the game. Along with this comes the politics and the jockeying by parents to get in good favor with coaches. Don't let that get in the way. There will always be someone trying to get in "good" with the coaches. It just happens. Be courteous, pay attention and be supportive. In the end, things usually work out for the best. As an aside, people talk and discuss things. Try to keep your thoughts and words out of reach of your child. Do not disparage another player, parent or coach in front of your child. It will only make a bad situation, worse. And could turn a good situation, bad before you know it. Keep your comments positive and with as much insight as you can muster. Keep your negative comments for your spouse or other trusted team parent. You never know if something said will come back to bite you when you least expect it.

One last thing for this first article... remind your child to always play and act like someone is watching. Someone is always evaluating players at this level...

Until next time, GL&HF!

Need Some Bead Bling?

Joe, over at Building Your MLM, Network Marketing Business asked me to give a little "shout out" to his wife's online business, Bead-Dazzle.com.

Tammy has an interesting collection of lanyards and necklaces that she designs and creates herself. Very nice stuff; great for gifts or for your own collection!

Joe and Tammy are also expecting their first, so I'm sure they will be needing some serious diaper money very soon!

Thankfully, my baby days are WAY behind me...


GL&HF!!!!

Interview with Bill Watterson | The Complete Calvin and Hobbes

I always enjoyed Calvin and Hobbes... Very funny and "on-point" about quite a few things in life, whether they were about a 6-year-old or adults. In this interview, Bill Watterson, is asked several questions by people around the world, including Lubbock, TX, while although technically, a part of the world, might as well be on a some alien planet... (I kid, I kid... I like Lubbock. Really.)

GL&HF!

Interview with Bill Watterson | The Complete Calvin and Hobbes

Movie news, trailers, galleries and box office! The Worst Movies by the Best Directors

I have seen most of these movies and I agree that not all of them are that bad... well, some are pretty bad. Some are actually good, just not great. Sometimes you have to wonder what the director was thinking when he took on this task. For instance, did Spielberg really need to do a RE-MAKE of a 50's sci-fi movie? The movie had it's moments, as described in the article, but I have to tell you, those original movies were better. I remember the first one I ever saw, scared the crap out of me... Enjoy!

Filmwad - Movie news, trailers, galleries and box office! The Worst Movies by the Best Directors

Regrets...

What if you had the opportunity to "fix" the greatest regret in your life? Would you do it? At what cost would you do it? How far would you go to fix that regret?

No matter if the regret was letting a love go or an act you committed or anything else...

What if there was a way to make it right? However, if making it right would turn your world upside down, would you still do it? What would you be willing to give up? Everything? Nothing? Just a little bit?

How many people actually get to right there greatest regret? Does it even happen? Is it 1 in a million? 1 in a billion? Never?

Will the grass be greener? Or is it that nothing was going to change, whether it was righted or not... Or will too much have changed in the time for it to still be meaningful?

Valid questions or pondering the imponderables?

Why I blog... A meme by any other name...

I've been tagged by Carol at Carol's Place for Peace. This may not be five reasons (misread the original meme), but here goes..

I blog because I wanted an opportunity to express myself and I wanted to connect to some of the people who's blogs I had read. It seemed like a whole world of opportunity was also waiting to be tapped in to, whether that was an opportunity to write and be creative, or an opportunity to make some extra income, or just an opportunity to be a bigger geek. Didn't really matter...

I also thought it would be kind of cool to "chronicle" my life, if you will. I've never been much of a journal writer or use any other means of a diary. I figured this would be a good source of material to look back on at some point in the future.

Finally, I just wanted to feel like a part of a community and to feel like I was giving something back, even if it was just to a few friends and family. I hope I never bore you and I hope, at the least, you will be provoked by something I write about.

Now for the fun part... I am tagging the following people and their blogs:

• Twoknives
• Snippy
• Just a Girl in short shorts talking about whatever
• Heather Kovar's Blog
• Building Your MLM, Network Marketing Business

As usual, GL & HF!

Sources: UT's Durant will go pro

Well, it's semi-official, but the best basketball player to EVER play at the University is going pro after only one year. However, if not for the NBA's new rule that effectively ended drafting kids right out of high school, we would not have had the privilege to watch this young man play at any college, much less Texas.

Good luck at the next level, Mr. Durant! You will be missed but you will not be forgotten...

Go Horns!

Sources: UT's Durant will go pro | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | SportsDay: Top Stories

AGLOCO Viewbar Will Suck?

Kumiko over at Kumiko's Cash Quest, weighs in on the AGLOCO Viewbar... and surprise, surprise! she doesn't like it. She does provide some analysis and a good mock-up of how she thinks it will look on her blog.

As we have previously established, Kumiko is not a big fan of AGLOCO. She is now also NOT a big fan of Google Adsense - she's been banned due to violations of the usage agreement. So I'll let you decide which way you wanna roll on this one...

Good ol' Kumiko, shaking things up...

Make Money Online at Kumiko's Cash Quest: AGLOCO Viewbar Will Suck?

Different Kinds Of Marketing ...

This was forwarded to me, so I'm passing it along. Kinda funny...

I wonder how you could fit this analogy to MLM... :D

What is Marketing...

You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and say, "I am very rich. Marry me!"
That's Direct Marketing.

You're at a party with a bunch of friends and see a gorgeous girl.
One of your friends goes up to her & pointing at you says, "He's very
rich. Marry him."
That's Advertising.

You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and get her telephone number.
The next day you call and say,"Hi,I'm very rich. Marry me."
That's Telemarketing.

You're at a party and see a gorgeous girl.
You get up and straighten your tie;
you walk up to her and pour her a drink.
You open the door for her,pick up her bag after she drops it, offer her a
ride, and then say, "By the way, I'm very rich "Will you marry me?"
That's Public Relations.

You're at a party and see a gorgeous girl.
She walks up to you and says, "You are very rich, I want to marry you."
That's Brand Recognition.

You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and say, "I'm rich. Marry me"
She gives you a nice hard slap on your face.
That's Customer Feedback.

VoteForThe Worst: Mail Bag Update 4/7/07

If you're a fan of "American Idol" or you hate it, by now you've probably heard of Vote For The Worst... It's a site dedicated to getting everyone, or a lot of folks, to vote for what most would consider the "worst" singer in the competition. I watch the show; I don't really care who wins. Personally, like any reality show, it's the "train-wreck" effect that keeps me watching. However, if you really want to see some "train-wrecks", take a look at VFTW's mail bag... Oh, my... you will cringe and you will laugh. This is the mentality of the society we live in. It's almost sad, yet mystifying. Why? comes to mind, a lot.

Some of my favorites from this posting:

Jannie:

"this is not a joke-this is a talent show!!!!"

Exclamation points for effect... four of them, even!

Erica:

"Thanks to you, Simon said if Sanjaya wins he'll shut down the show. AND THAT'S BAD! But at the same time good because if American Idol is shut down you won't have a reason to have this site. YOUR RUINING AMERICAN IDOL FOR EVERY1!!"

More exclamation points... and the reasoning baffles me. It probably baffles the writer...

Cheryl:

CLOSE DOWN THIS WEBSITE!!! AMERICAN IDOL IS THE AMERICAN DREAM!!! JUST LEAVE IT BE!!! YOUR PROBALY JUST MAD BECAUSE YOU DIDNT MAKE IT ON AMERICAN IDOL!!! YOUR PATHETIC!!! GET A LIFE!!!

All caps is nice, and the classic "GET A LIFE" says it all. Very original.

Nicole:

"*If anyone who reads this, agrees with me, please email me: xxxx@xxx.com (no spam please)"

This is my favorite, because nothing says "Hey, I r an interweb n00b" more than leaving your email address on a site and basically asking for spam... (BTW, I removed the address for this post, to protect the ignorant... i mean innocent...)

I could go on, but you get the picture. Actually this site, is better than any reality series because the train-wrecks happen every time someone sends them hate mail. America, you gotta love it!


Mail Bag Update 4/7/07 | Vote for the Worst

End may be near for Don Imus' career

I've never heard this guy on the radio, or anywhere for that matter... I know who he is and most sports fans have heard of him, however, I just don't understand the arrogance that besets these kinds of people. Nobody else can get away with saying things like this, why should he? And this time, it doesn't appear that he will. Well, at least he may no longer be doing it at WFAN in NYC...

I grew up in a time when the N-word was used derogatorily and my mother, NEVER allowed us to use the word. To this day, I do not like to hear the word and it really bothers me that the hip-hop culture has made the use of the word so pervasive amongst the youth.

I'm just very happy and proud that the children of a white mother from North Central/East Texas and a hispanic father from West Texas, are so well grounded that they do not see color.

This great country of ours is a melting pot; my own family is a melting pot - Italian, Spanish, Native American, Irish, Scottish, English, German... and that's just my kids!

I think that this headline is hyperbole, as Mr. Imus will probably end up on satellite, ala Howard Stern. That's another thing about this great country - it is the country of second chances... and third, and fourth, and so on...

End may be near for Don Imus' career | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Latest News

We Want Pre-Nup; We Want Pre-Nup...

This is a good one. Enjoy!

PRE- NUPTUAL AGREEMENTS: SENIOR STYLE

An elderly couple in their 80's were about to get married.
She said: I want to keep my house.
He said: That's fine with me.
She said: And I want to keep my Cadillac.
He said: That's fine with me.
She said: And I want to have sex 6 times a week.
He said: That's fine with me...Put me down for Fridays..

The 10 Real Reasons Why Geeks Make Better Lovers -

Geeks, ftw! Chalk up another one for us geeks. This has some NSFW (not suitable for work) links, but the commentary is really what you want to read anyway. (Don't click on the links, k?)

See folks, find yourself a geek and all will be right with the world. Yes, there are female geeks, just not as many...

The 10 Real Reasons Why Geeks Make Better Lovers -

As usual, GL&HF...

Recipe For A Good Marriage!

Very funny stuff here... Red was a classic!

RED SKELTON'S RECIPE FOR THE PERFECT MARRIAGE

1. Two times a week, we go to a nice restaurant, have a little beverage, good food and companionship.
She goes on Tuesdays, I go on Fridays.

2. We also sleep in separate beds.
Hers is in California and mine is in Texas.

3. I take my wife everywhere.....
but she keeps finding her way back.

4. I asked my wife where she wanted to go for our
anniversary. "Somewhere I haven't been in a long time!"
she said.
So I suggested the kitchen.

5. We always hold hands.
If I let go, she shops.

6. She has an electric blender, electric toaster and electric
bread maker.
She said "There are too many gadgets and no place
to sit down!" . So I bought her an electric chair.

7. My wife told me the car wasn't running well because
there was water in the carburetor.
I asked where the car was; she told me "In the lake."

8. She got a mud pack and looked great for two days.
Then the mud fell off.

9. She ran after the garbage truck, yelling "Am I too late
for the garbage?" .... The driver said "No, jump in!"

10. Remember: Marriage is the number one cause of divorce.

11. I married Miss Right. I just didn't know her
first name was Always.

12. I haven't spoken to my wife in 18 months.
I don't like to interrupt her.

13. The last fight was my fault though.
My wife asked "What's on the TV?"
I said "Dust!

Speed Up Windows Vista

Via Lifehacker, this is a good, in-depth article delving fairly deep into Vista. So if you bought that new computer with Vista or took the dive by upgrading your current system, these tweaks should give you a nice performance boost.

Speed Up Windows Vista

GL&HF!

Why My Hard Drive & Software are Obsolete - lifehack.org

Here is a good article on web-based applications. This particular writer is almost exclusively using web-based applications for all of his computing needs. I haven't quite made the full switch, but I definitely use or have used most of these applications. Obviously, there's a lot of room for improvement, but for simple tasks and the ability to access your work from almost anywhere, these applications can't be beat. Besides those apps on this list, you should also try Remember the Milk for to do lists.


Firefox OS: Why My Hard Drive & Software are Obsolete - lifehack.org

Tough at the top

You think you hate your boss? Here's why he hates you! This is from England so it's chock full of words, like pub, loo and mum, but other than that it's a fairly good assessment of what drives your manager crazy. My manager is a fair guy. He hates us all equally! Just kidding... our problem child left the company not too long ago.

Tough at the top | Work | Guardian Unlimited Money

Backup QB plan emerging for UT

A little news and analysis from Saturday's Spring Game. It looks like backup quarterback will come down to who does the best over the summer during 7-on-7 drills. John Chiles and Sherrod Harris are both up to the task and both splendid athletes, who can electrify with their athletic abilities. They will provide an interesting change of pace on offense with their ability to run the ball out of the zone read sets. Should be a fun season.

Backup QB plan emerging for UT | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | SportsDay: Colleges: Texas