I have this weekend coming up off from work. It is nothing new, it happens every other weekend. The big difference between this weekend and others is that I will be home by myself. Andrea is going up to KC for a baby shower, which begs the question.....What to do?
I have contemplated just hanging out around the house. I have thought about finding some place to go outside of Wichita. Nothing has come to mind quite yet, and I'm looking. Just not that hard.
26 April 2010
22 April 2010
Up early
Every time my body finds in necessary to wake up three or so hours before I need to, I find myself compelled to write something. Even if I have nothing to write about.
This weekend coming up is the annual Concealed Revealed art auction in Topeka. We went up last year with K & M and it was great. The only problem is that I have to work, so I miss out on it this year. *sad face* It is a great excuse to get out of Wichita for the weekend, get a little dressed up, and it benefits a great cause. If you live up in the Topeka area and have nothing to do this Friday at 7:00 post meridian, shell out a few dollars at the door and enjoy the evening. Even if you don't buy anything at the auction, you can feel better about yourself for helping out the YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment. We got one little piece of art last year for not that much and it hangs on our wall in the living room and we feel good about ourselves. Every little bit helps.
This past weekend, we took a trip out to Colorado Springs to visit my brother-in-law. It was nice to get away for a three day weekend. Spent a lot of time visiting and just hanging out. We took a day trip up to Denver and walked around an open air mall. The weather was great for it, got a decent amount of pictures I have yet to get off the camera. Half way through our drive back, we decided that the next time we take a trip out there, it would be better to fly. Not better monetarily, but better time wise. The drive is eight and a half to nine hours long, and in western Kansas, that takes FOREVER! Once you get into Colorado and see something other than flat lands or rolling hills, the drive goes quickly.
This weekend coming up is the annual Concealed Revealed art auction in Topeka. We went up last year with K & M and it was great. The only problem is that I have to work, so I miss out on it this year. *sad face* It is a great excuse to get out of Wichita for the weekend, get a little dressed up, and it benefits a great cause. If you live up in the Topeka area and have nothing to do this Friday at 7:00 post meridian, shell out a few dollars at the door and enjoy the evening. Even if you don't buy anything at the auction, you can feel better about yourself for helping out the YWCA Center for Safety and Empowerment. We got one little piece of art last year for not that much and it hangs on our wall in the living room and we feel good about ourselves. Every little bit helps.
This past weekend, we took a trip out to Colorado Springs to visit my brother-in-law. It was nice to get away for a three day weekend. Spent a lot of time visiting and just hanging out. We took a day trip up to Denver and walked around an open air mall. The weather was great for it, got a decent amount of pictures I have yet to get off the camera. Half way through our drive back, we decided that the next time we take a trip out there, it would be better to fly. Not better monetarily, but better time wise. The drive is eight and a half to nine hours long, and in western Kansas, that takes FOREVER! Once you get into Colorado and see something other than flat lands or rolling hills, the drive goes quickly.
16 April 2010
Weaving Oscar
Sigourney Weaver is claiming that James Cameron did not win the Academy Award for best director or that Avatar did not win best picture because Cameron is a man and the academy doesn't like big budget films. After I read this, I couldn't help but shake my head. If Lee Daniels had won, would she have come out and said that James Cameron didn't win because he wasn't black? What about if Pete Docter and Bob Peterson won for Up? Would they have won because it was an animated film and Avatar wasn't (or....was it?) No Sigourney, Kathryn Bigelow won best director because The Hurt Locker was the best movie this past year. I will admit that I have not seen Avatar, but I did see The Hurt Locker. The reason I didn't see it is because I heard it wasn't the best movie ever like most claim it is. It is pleasing to the senses, but the story lacks. In fact, it has been compared story-wise, to Dances With Wolves in that an outsider falls in love with a native culture and defends it from the invading force from which the said character comes from. Ho-hum. The Hurt Locker on the other hand, was so intense from start to finish, that my heart rate would not slow down. Everything about it just grabbed me and didn't let go. That is the reason The Hurt Locker won for best picture and Bigelow won for best director. So, Sigourney Weaver, shut your mouth and go make Alien five. You know you want to. Maybe James Cameron can bring Dallas back to life.
Besides that, when you get into big budget films they seem to rely more on enhanced movie going experiences. They want to make the movie in 3-D and use more computers to make a real life far away land. Which is fine, but they should never be surprised when an independent or low budget movie, which relies more on story and actual directing swoops in and storms the award season. Personally, I think that Avatar should have been up for best animated film just because it relied so heavily on this computer generated world and generated characters.
Besides that, when you get into big budget films they seem to rely more on enhanced movie going experiences. They want to make the movie in 3-D and use more computers to make a real life far away land. Which is fine, but they should never be surprised when an independent or low budget movie, which relies more on story and actual directing swoops in and storms the award season. Personally, I think that Avatar should have been up for best animated film just because it relied so heavily on this computer generated world and generated characters.
14 April 2010
Traditions
The NHL playoffs started tonight, but unfortunately we don't get to watch them (unless going out to a bar is an option) because we live in the hater state of Kansas. One great thing that NHL teams do is growing of beards (unless they come in patchy [See Crosby, Sidney Cindy: dude seriously cannot grow facial hair]). It shows commitment, camaraderie, and ultimately manliness. Ever since I could grow a beard I have let mine grow out as long as the Red Wings have been playing in the post season. Whether it has been just one series into the post season or the entire post season ending with the hoisting of Lord Stanley's Cup, I have always supported them with the growing of facial hair from the comfort of the couch.
This tradition has spread out to other sports, and have even trickled down to none professional sports such as college and high school teams. Not every high school kid can grow facial hair, so other things take the place of beards such as hair dying, head shaving, or cutting hair in a specific way. I just hope that in the end, as every sport starts to pick up on this post season tradition they don't forget where it all started. On the ice. Where real men play sports.
This tradition has spread out to other sports, and have even trickled down to none professional sports such as college and high school teams. Not every high school kid can grow facial hair, so other things take the place of beards such as hair dying, head shaving, or cutting hair in a specific way. I just hope that in the end, as every sport starts to pick up on this post season tradition they don't forget where it all started. On the ice. Where real men play sports.
13 April 2010
Housewarming gift
We have a couple of friends that bought a house at the end of the past month and moved in about a week ago. It is perfect timing for them because they are going to be having a baby in June and they were living in a one room loft. Space is always needed, I suppose, when it comes to babies.
Last weekend, they had their housewarming party and had a great turn out. If it is one thing that K & M could always pull off, it is a party. There were plenty of people there that I didn't know which is how you know it is a good party, not knowing everyone there. Plenty of people brought them bottles of wine, which partly made me laugh because K is seven months pregnant. Wine is a fairly common housewarming gift, but what about those of us out there who really don't like wine? While the bottles were starting to collect, I pointed out that if (and when) we ever buy a house, I want bottles of whiskeys instead. Andrea doesn't drink whiskey, so this was more of a thought just for me.
Is it too selfish to ask for something like this? Why not get something that youneed want?
Last weekend, they had their housewarming party and had a great turn out. If it is one thing that K & M could always pull off, it is a party. There were plenty of people there that I didn't know which is how you know it is a good party, not knowing everyone there. Plenty of people brought them bottles of wine, which partly made me laugh because K is seven months pregnant. Wine is a fairly common housewarming gift, but what about those of us out there who really don't like wine? While the bottles were starting to collect, I pointed out that if (and when) we ever buy a house, I want bottles of whiskeys instead. Andrea doesn't drink whiskey, so this was more of a thought just for me.
Is it too selfish to ask for something like this? Why not get something that you
06 April 2010
Completing a series
I just finished watching Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. I wanted to watch it because it was on t.v. last week and hated it because of all the commercials. Just when a scene got going, a commercial. Bah! After watching one, why not finish watching the rest? The way that my mind works, I want to finish watching a series (be it a trilogy, a quadilogy, or an actual t.v. series). That's just who I am. No matter how many times I have seen the movie and know how it ends, I will still want to watch just because with a series it doesn't feel complete just watching one.
It's great when it comes to movies, but a t.v. series is different just because it is much more involved. Instead of three or four movies, it's three or four discs (so hours upon hours of watching). So forget it, unless you are on vacation or have lots of time on your hands. Or space out the episode watching when the series is off season.
It's great when it comes to movies, but a t.v. series is different just because it is much more involved. Instead of three or four movies, it's three or four discs (so hours upon hours of watching). So forget it, unless you are on vacation or have lots of time on your hands. Or space out the episode watching when the series is off season.
02 April 2010
Beer four
The last two weeks have been stressful at work and what better way to wash away the stress than going home and having a beer. Oh wait...I finished my beers for March half way through the month. BAH! The first true test of the case a month theory. It was tough, but I made it through. This makes me sound a bit of an alcoholic, but I swear I'm not. I didn't break out into cold sweats, wasn't overly irritable, or withdrawn.
Normally, I'm all about the quality of the beer that I am drinking but this month I am going with quantity. The main reason behind this is baseball. When I watch baseball, whether it is live, at home, or in a bar, I am all about Budweiser. My friends I go out with on Tuesday nights know me as a Guinness drinker, but when it comes to baseball, it needs to be something light that goes with nachos, hot dogs and peanuts. Budweiser is that beer for me. Now, if this were hockey we were talking about, it would be Labatt or Molson. They just go hand in hand.
Normally, I'm all about the quality of the beer that I am drinking but this month I am going with quantity. The main reason behind this is baseball. When I watch baseball, whether it is live, at home, or in a bar, I am all about Budweiser. My friends I go out with on Tuesday nights know me as a Guinness drinker, but when it comes to baseball, it needs to be something light that goes with nachos, hot dogs and peanuts. Budweiser is that beer for me. Now, if this were hockey we were talking about, it would be Labatt or Molson. They just go hand in hand.
01 April 2010
Barnstorming
The past couple of days, ESPN has been broadcasting spring training games. It isn't anything important, it's just time filler in between the morning and afternoon programs. It gets me into the baseball watching mood. I don't really care about the teams that are on right now, Boston and Minnesota, but it is a sign of things to come. Opening day is four days away (Yankees v. Rod Sox) and with the majority of teams starting the following day. The Tigers are playing the Royals in the opening series which makes me happy because I can watch the games down here without going to the bar.
The great thing about spring training games is the relaxed atmosphere. Smaller stadiums, small crowds, small towns. It makes me think of games from the barnstorming era. Barnstorming is when big name players in the twenties and thirties traveled around to smaller towns and played exhibition games. It was a fun thing to do and the players got a little more money. Back then, they didn't get million dollar contracts for ten years, they had to earn it. Most players worked other jobs during the off season just to make ends meet. It was a different time, and I wish I could have seen it. They played for the love of the game. That is what made the game important to this country and why it is considered the national past time (suck on that, football) Players may say that they still play because they love to play, but lets face it...it's all about the money.
I love having an independent league team in town. They may not be the best players, they may not bring in the greatest numbers, but they play because they want to. They have to go out and get jobs when their season is done, but they come back every year because they want to and not because they are trying to make it to 'The Show'. I want to go to more games this year, but it is hard to get people together to go in a big group.
The great thing about spring training games is the relaxed atmosphere. Smaller stadiums, small crowds, small towns. It makes me think of games from the barnstorming era. Barnstorming is when big name players in the twenties and thirties traveled around to smaller towns and played exhibition games. It was a fun thing to do and the players got a little more money. Back then, they didn't get million dollar contracts for ten years, they had to earn it. Most players worked other jobs during the off season just to make ends meet. It was a different time, and I wish I could have seen it. They played for the love of the game. That is what made the game important to this country and why it is considered the national past time (suck on that, football) Players may say that they still play because they love to play, but lets face it...it's all about the money.
I love having an independent league team in town. They may not be the best players, they may not bring in the greatest numbers, but they play because they want to. They have to go out and get jobs when their season is done, but they come back every year because they want to and not because they are trying to make it to 'The Show'. I want to go to more games this year, but it is hard to get people together to go in a big group.
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