I think we're getting used to "late" Church on Sundays!
1/30/11
1/28/11
Book Reviews: The Book of Basketball and Open
Last year I had several inquires from my family about presents I'd want for my birthday. They all knew that I loved sports and am a huge fan of biographies. Naturally, I got clothes and bath towels (actually I can't even remember what I got last year). Fast forward to the past month.
Rather than buying me presents, everyone was smart and gave me amazon gift cards. I've fallen in love with the Kindle app for the iPad over the past few months and the gift cards gave me the choice of several new books to read with the Kindle app. Even though I was a year late on both books, I bought The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons, and Open by Andre Agassi. I've waited a long time to read each of these sports tales and I couldn't wait.
The Book of Basketball is just that, a 700+ epic on the sport I love. I have to say I'm a huge fan of Bill Simmons. It's not just because he's a Red Sox junkie, a Larry Bird disciple, and a Reality TV nerd. He's a good writer. In this book he explores the history of the NBA. There were so many facts about players I'd heard of, but never watched. It was amazing.
Two key parts of the book that made it a must read for me. The Pyramid - Bill's attempt to rate the 96 greatest basketball players of all time. Let's just say he's realistic and brutally honest about several guys that are dear to my heart (Jazz fans may not like his comments about Stockton and Malone). No, Larry Bird did not rank #1. The other major component of the book is a breakdown of the 10 best teams of the past 30 years. My favorite team of all time ranked pretty high.
I loved the book.
Couldn't put it down.
Want to read parts of it again.
I guess it doesn't get any better than that.
The second book I read on the Kindle app was Open by Andre Agassi. There was so much buzz about this book a year ago when Agassi opened up about his life. It included scandals with drugs. Stories about women. Even a great shocker about best mullet of the late 80's/early 90's.
I have always been a fan of Andre Agassi and this book cemented him as one of my all time favorites. To think the guy was one of the 20 best players of all time and he hated tennis. It was incredible to read the story of a man who lived his life for those around him. Even with millions of dollars and global fame it astounded me how unhappy a man can be. The interesting thing about the book is Agassi wasn't asking for pity or sympathy. He was simply being OPEN and sharing the man no one really knew.
The best thing I can say about this book - I started it on Sunday and finished it on Thursday, at 3 am. I couldn't get enough.
Even though it was a year late, I couldn't have asked for better presents this time around. The Book of Basketball and Open - big praise from a sports junkie.
Rather than buying me presents, everyone was smart and gave me amazon gift cards. I've fallen in love with the Kindle app for the iPad over the past few months and the gift cards gave me the choice of several new books to read with the Kindle app. Even though I was a year late on both books, I bought The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons, and Open by Andre Agassi. I've waited a long time to read each of these sports tales and I couldn't wait.
Two key parts of the book that made it a must read for me. The Pyramid - Bill's attempt to rate the 96 greatest basketball players of all time. Let's just say he's realistic and brutally honest about several guys that are dear to my heart (Jazz fans may not like his comments about Stockton and Malone). No, Larry Bird did not rank #1. The other major component of the book is a breakdown of the 10 best teams of the past 30 years. My favorite team of all time ranked pretty high.
I loved the book.
Couldn't put it down.
Want to read parts of it again.
I guess it doesn't get any better than that.
I have always been a fan of Andre Agassi and this book cemented him as one of my all time favorites. To think the guy was one of the 20 best players of all time and he hated tennis. It was incredible to read the story of a man who lived his life for those around him. Even with millions of dollars and global fame it astounded me how unhappy a man can be. The interesting thing about the book is Agassi wasn't asking for pity or sympathy. He was simply being OPEN and sharing the man no one really knew.
The best thing I can say about this book - I started it on Sunday and finished it on Thursday, at 3 am. I couldn't get enough.
Even though it was a year late, I couldn't have asked for better presents this time around. The Book of Basketball and Open - big praise from a sports junkie.
1/24/11
36
It was inevitable.
As the calendar flipped from 2010 to 2011 I knew another birthday was just around the corner.
Last weekend I turned 36.
I guess I feel 36, if there's a feeling with this age.
To me it's just another number. Just another year.
At least my birthday was a good reminder of how much my family loves me.
Tara and the kids gave me presents and we ate some of my favorite dishes.
In the end, there was no cake and especially no candles.
36 may not seem very old, but we could start the house on fire if we lit up a birthday cake.
As the calendar flipped from 2010 to 2011 I knew another birthday was just around the corner.
Last weekend I turned 36.
I guess I feel 36, if there's a feeling with this age.
To me it's just another number. Just another year.
At least my birthday was a good reminder of how much my family loves me.
Tara and the kids gave me presents and we ate some of my favorite dishes.
In the end, there was no cake and especially no candles.
36 may not seem very old, but we could start the house on fire if we lit up a birthday cake.
1/23/11
Movie Review: The King's Speech
Going into the film I really didn't know much about the story. Ok, so the Duke of York has a stutter and can't get beyond his speech impediment. I knew that much. This story was so much more.
I am a big fan of Geoffrey Rush to start off. We saw him the movie Shine years ago and have followed his career ever since. He is a real actor (excluding his role in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies). Not someone who sells movies on his looks. This guy wins you over with his ability to become a different person. He is fantastic in this film as the speech therapist. A common man dealing with a larger than life situation.
I haven't seen Colin Firth in many movies, but he was great in this one. Playing the role of King George VI, you can totally empathize with this man who has no confidence in himself. It's amazing to see someone so powerful that can't control something most of us take for granted - his voice.
These are certainly my favorite kinds of movies. One in which the story and the relationships therein dominate the plot. It was interesting to learn a bit more of the history surrounding some of the events leading up to WWII, but this wasn't a movie about war. It was a movie about two men and how they learned to rely on one another. Great film - go and see for yourself.
1/19/11
1/17/11
Photos of the Day: Fun in the Snow
Since it's been a while since we've had any good snow (today is supposed to be near 50 degrees and raining) I dug out a few photos from last month. The kids really love getting out in the backyard for some good snow time. Enjoy!
1/14/11
NETA in Nashville
A few months ago I was asked to help with UEN's social media presentation at the NETA (National Educational Telecommunication Association - think public TV stations from around the country) conference. Now, I'm always excited to present at a national conference. It's great to show some of the great things we do to a larger audience. Plus, we've worked with the NETA folks for a few years now and they're wonderful. It worked out that Tara could come along, so we were set to head South for a few days.
When you think of the South, you think of warm weather, good food, and great people. We got 2 of the 3 on our recent trip to Nashville. When we touched down in TN on Tuesday there was light snow and it was 20 degrees outside. You would have thought there was a blizzard in town. Schools were shut down for a couple of days and the roads were pretty empty. I guess they're not used to a little powder in the air.
I wish I could tell you that my trip was full of all the sights and sounds of Nashville. In truth, it was mostly full of the sites and sounds of NETA and the Loews Hotel near Vanderbilt. The conference was great. I think our presentation went well, as people said some nice things afterwards. Even though I don't have much to do with the TV side of UEN, it was interesting to learn of the incredible things stations were doing across the country.
A few of highlights surrounding the trip:
1) Jammin' at Hippie Jack's: On Wednesday night NETA put together a fun reception at the Tennessee State Museum. Lots of great food, a chance to tour the museum (they have a mummy from 1300 BC in there - unreal), and a taping of Jammin at Hippie Jack's. This is a local TV show that's going national through all the PBS affiliates (KUEN Channel 9 shows Jammin' at Hippie Jack's on Saturdays at 10:30 pm FYI). After the show we saw, it should. Todd Snider was the act for the night. He's kind of a folksy Americana singer (think Bob Dylan without the mumble). Anyway, he played a collection of songs ranging from Beer Run (my favorite - B double E double R UN) to Tillamook County Jail. I think he mostly spoke while playing guitar, but it was fun and he's a great live act. Definitely one of my favorite parts of the trip.
2) The Parthenon: So Nashville has an exact replica of the Parthenon from Greece. I can't really explain why at the turn of the 20th Century folks from Tennessee decided to built a 5-story replica of an ancient greece monument, but they did. It was massive. There were two levels to the building. The first was mostly historic photos of Nashville and the park where the Parthenon was built. We got to learn a bit of the history surrounding the building.
Then you go to the second floor. As you turn from the stairwell you enter a large open room. Lagre columns stand on either side of you and then you see it. A gigantic 40 foot statue of Athena.
It was creepy!
Think of the scope of the Lincoln Monument, but now put a gold dress and lipstick on it. With a 12 foot snake on her side and the face of Medusa as a breast plate. This was one of the wildest things I've ever seen. Crazy thing is - you can't stop looking at it!
3) The Food: We found a nice mix of food around campus. Even though most of my meals were at the conference, each night Tara and I tried to eat local fare. I think the best meal we ate was at the Pancake Pantry south of Vandy campus. It has been on Travel Channel and Food Network before and now I know why. Famous for - you guessed it - pancakes. The house specialty was a pancake made from sweet potatoes. It was awesome!
Well, that about wraps up my trip. We arrived home earlier tonight and it was time to get back to the routine. I'm glad Tara was able to come with me. Even if we didn't spend a ton of time together during the day, it was fun to hang out and see some of town together at night. NETA was a great conference and it was neat to enjoy a little Southern hospitality.
When you think of the South, you think of warm weather, good food, and great people. We got 2 of the 3 on our recent trip to Nashville. When we touched down in TN on Tuesday there was light snow and it was 20 degrees outside. You would have thought there was a blizzard in town. Schools were shut down for a couple of days and the roads were pretty empty. I guess they're not used to a little powder in the air.
I wish I could tell you that my trip was full of all the sights and sounds of Nashville. In truth, it was mostly full of the sites and sounds of NETA and the Loews Hotel near Vanderbilt. The conference was great. I think our presentation went well, as people said some nice things afterwards. Even though I don't have much to do with the TV side of UEN, it was interesting to learn of the incredible things stations were doing across the country.
A few of highlights surrounding the trip:
1) Jammin' at Hippie Jack's: On Wednesday night NETA put together a fun reception at the Tennessee State Museum. Lots of great food, a chance to tour the museum (they have a mummy from 1300 BC in there - unreal), and a taping of Jammin at Hippie Jack's. This is a local TV show that's going national through all the PBS affiliates (KUEN Channel 9 shows Jammin' at Hippie Jack's on Saturdays at 10:30 pm FYI). After the show we saw, it should. Todd Snider was the act for the night. He's kind of a folksy Americana singer (think Bob Dylan without the mumble). Anyway, he played a collection of songs ranging from Beer Run (my favorite - B double E double R UN) to Tillamook County Jail. I think he mostly spoke while playing guitar, but it was fun and he's a great live act. Definitely one of my favorite parts of the trip.2) The Parthenon: So Nashville has an exact replica of the Parthenon from Greece. I can't really explain why at the turn of the 20th Century folks from Tennessee decided to built a 5-story replica of an ancient greece monument, but they did. It was massive. There were two levels to the building. The first was mostly historic photos of Nashville and the park where the Parthenon was built. We got to learn a bit of the history surrounding the building.
It was creepy!
Think of the scope of the Lincoln Monument, but now put a gold dress and lipstick on it. With a 12 foot snake on her side and the face of Medusa as a breast plate. This was one of the wildest things I've ever seen. Crazy thing is - you can't stop looking at it!
3) The Food: We found a nice mix of food around campus. Even though most of my meals were at the conference, each night Tara and I tried to eat local fare. I think the best meal we ate was at the Pancake Pantry south of Vandy campus. It has been on Travel Channel and Food Network before and now I know why. Famous for - you guessed it - pancakes. The house specialty was a pancake made from sweet potatoes. It was awesome!Well, that about wraps up my trip. We arrived home earlier tonight and it was time to get back to the routine. I'm glad Tara was able to come with me. Even if we didn't spend a ton of time together during the day, it was fun to hang out and see some of town together at night. NETA was a great conference and it was neat to enjoy a little Southern hospitality.
1/11/11
Freezing
It was so cold on my walk to the bus this morning that my beard froze, literally. I stood at the bus stop and broke icicles from my facial hair. I think I learned two things from this:
1) My beard needs to be trimmed if it's long enough that it retains water from the shower.
2) It is FREEZING in January in Utah before 7 am.
1) My beard needs to be trimmed if it's long enough that it retains water from the shower.
2) It is FREEZING in January in Utah before 7 am.
1/4/11
Back to Work
It finally arrived.
The holidays ended.
It was time to go back to work.
Each year I end up taking the final two weeks of December off so I can spend time with the kids and use up the rest of my vacation days. It's kind of fun to hang out, with no real schedule and enjoy the holidays. This year I tried to work on various things while I was home.
I got a few things done.
I should have done a lot more.
Still, I guess I accomplished what I was after. I spent a ton of time playing with Kennedy, Alex, and Dylan. We saw our families a ton the past two weeks. I ate a ton of good, holiday food.
And yes, now I've got a ton of work to do.
The holidays ended.
It was time to go back to work.
Each year I end up taking the final two weeks of December off so I can spend time with the kids and use up the rest of my vacation days. It's kind of fun to hang out, with no real schedule and enjoy the holidays. This year I tried to work on various things while I was home.
I got a few things done.
I should have done a lot more.
Still, I guess I accomplished what I was after. I spent a ton of time playing with Kennedy, Alex, and Dylan. We saw our families a ton the past two weeks. I ate a ton of good, holiday food.
And yes, now I've got a ton of work to do.
1/1/11
Happy New Year
Twenty Eleven, doesn't have the same ring to it, right?
Last night we partied like it was still 2010, and I guess it was, for a while at least. We took the kids over to Alicia's house for a night of food, games, and Ryan Seacrest (talk about something that doesn't have the same ring to it - less Seacrest and more Dick Clark). In spite of the Rockin' Eve changes, we managed to make it to midnight.
I was really surprised but even Dylan was going strong as the new year was born. The kid got his second wind around ten and never let up. Trust me, after chasing him around for a couple hours, I was ready to go to bed.
To celebrate 2011 Alex and I headed outside for sound fireworks and noise makers with some of the other kids. Most everyone stayed inside because it was about 3 degrees when we checked the thermometer! After a few minutes of celebration it was time to pack up the kids and settle in for the night.
Welcome Twenty Eleven, or is it Two Thousand Eleven? Let's just stick with 2011.
Last night we partied like it was still 2010, and I guess it was, for a while at least. We took the kids over to Alicia's house for a night of food, games, and Ryan Seacrest (talk about something that doesn't have the same ring to it - less Seacrest and more Dick Clark). In spite of the Rockin' Eve changes, we managed to make it to midnight. I was really surprised but even Dylan was going strong as the new year was born. The kid got his second wind around ten and never let up. Trust me, after chasing him around for a couple hours, I was ready to go to bed.
To celebrate 2011 Alex and I headed outside for sound fireworks and noise makers with some of the other kids. Most everyone stayed inside because it was about 3 degrees when we checked the thermometer! After a few minutes of celebration it was time to pack up the kids and settle in for the night.
Welcome Twenty Eleven, or is it Two Thousand Eleven? Let's just stick with 2011.
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