Hooray for a Protest

I am usually not a big fan of protests run by far-left wing whackos from San Francisco. In this case I will make an exception....

The Ghetto Leprechaun

Any of you who want to laugh your ass off need to head on over to frotuss.com and check out the story about the Ghetto Leprechaun. Once you check it out, here is a "remix" for some more laughter courtesy of Mr. Hickman.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDmEGebskXk&NR

Cats are dumb...

For anyone that owns a cat, you realize that they will climb into any empty box that is laying around the house. Onyx is no exception to the rule. But you'd think that she wouldn't climb into a box that was half her size. Well...she is a dumbass and here is the proof.

An apology is in order

Recently I complained about my favorite show Lost moving very slow recently. I need to now apologize for this as the last two weeks have been great shows. My apologies to all my fellow Lost fans for straying off the path...I am now back on the straight-and-narrow and repentant.

Hangin with "The Boys"

The good news is that I don't feel terrible today. I don't feel great by any means, but I feel a hell of a lot better than I expected. I even got a chance to do the yard work today..which was about 2 weeks past due. Here is a picture of Zach and I hanging out with Scott and Ryan on the back porch last night. A good time was had by all...

A Three Bottle Night

I am going to feel so shitty tomorrow morning! This is the damage after we had Scott and Robin over tonight. They are down here in Sunny Florida from New Joisey for about a week and we decided to host them for some steaks, rice, veggies, and lots of wine. Years ago (pre-Zach) this used to be no problem, but nowadays it is a little harder to do.

More on Hoops

So everyone now knows that I am a big NCAA hoops fan...that's a given. And every year for the past five years I run the office pool where everyone throws in $10 and the winner takes all. This year will be no different as I will be passing out the sheets on Monday morning. But this year I am thinking of doing something a little more for the hardcore fans and/or gamblers that I know. Call it excellent customer service (or maybe stupidity), but I was thinking of doing a separate pool that costs at least $25 or $30 to get in. This will weed out the non-fans and give everyone a little more money to win. It would also allow me to include people who are not co-workers. Anyone interested?

Here comes the Madness

Ah yes...next week March Madness begins and all will be right with the world. There is no better sporting event than the NCAA Basketball tourney. Sure, the Super Bowl is big and can be exciting. But nothing beats the weeks of excitement, upsets and buzzer-beaters that the annual college hoops tourney brings. As usual, Thursday and Friday afternoon will involve very little work and some quality time spent at Bru's Room downing some cold beers and watching for the early round upsets. Let the games begin!

"Lost" or "24"???

As some of you know, I am a big fan of Lost. Unfortunately, I think the show has kind of "lost it's way" recently as I find myself asking more questions and getting less answers. I know the big mystery is the intention of the writers, but after a while you start to get frustrated that things are moving too slow.

Luckily, Cheryl and I became fans of 24 last season. 24 is the polar opposite of Lost in that things are always flying by and evolving by the week. Sure, it isn't as "deep" as Lost, but for some people that is your thing.

So..here is the question...which show is better? I realize that both shows are complete bullshit in their own right, but what does everyone think? I've had precious few comments recently at the Margarita Lounge, so speak up and let me know your opinion....

Bill O'Reilly and the ACLU guy

Love him or hate him, everyone has an opinion of Bill O'Reilly. I personally enjoy his show when I get the rare free time to watch it. I don't agree with him on everything, but he has some good points. I am also becoming a huge fan of Glenn Beck (Pimpbling's boy), but that is something all together separate.

My point here is that I just read Bill O'Reilly's current column (March 1st) and I thought it would be an interesting read for any of you who have kids. I think one year ago I would have ignored this story, but having an innocent little 10 pound (yes he is getting chunk-alicious) infant in my house I have become a lot more sensitive to anything involving kids. I am interested to see if any of my leftward-leaning friends have the guts to defend this ACLU guy. Here is the link:

http://www.billoreilly.com/currentarticle

Blood on the screen

About 5 years ago, it was a common situation to have blood on your screen. This was 2002 and we were in the middle of one of the worst sell-offs in modern stock market history. Every day was more miserable than the last and life sucked on Wall Street. On our quote screens at work, a stock that is up for the day is shown in green and a stock that is down is shown in red. Thus on really bad days, the screen was literally full of red...blood on the screen. Luckily for me and for investors around the world, these types of days have been rare since October 2002.

Today was a very bad flashback to those depressing days of 2001 and 2002. We were down 415 points on the Dow. I almost shit myself around 3pm when the market tanked 125 points in about 30 seconds. Something like that really scares the hell out of you, even if you are a professional who watches the markets all day. Even when it is a technical glitch like this one ended up being, it really can freak you out.

We just got our asses taken out behind the woodshed today folks...pure and simple. Sometimes its best to not ask questions, take your medicine and move on to the next day...

How fast they grow

Zach came home from the hospital at just over 6 pounds and he is already somewhere between 9 and 10. When everyone told me to take lots of pictures, they sure were right. The little dude's newborn clothes aren't gonna fit soon and the 0-3 month ones are next on deck. Unbelievable!

Payback time

As payback for locking up Onyx, I am convinced that Zach decided to be a real pain in the ass last night and keep both Cheryl and I up all night with his rather poor attitude. Somehow Onyx and Zach must have decided on payback for my actions of last night (see "I am sick" below if you haven't read it yet)...it is a conspiracy!

But it gets better.... At approx. 6:15 am, Onyx started her morning routine (about an hour earlier than normal) by sitting outside our bedroom door meowing and demanding to be fed. I put her in the garage. When I got up at 7:30 and finally fed her, she proceeded to vomit all the food back up on the floor in front of me. Coincidence? I think not. The moral of today's story is that the kitty rules the house and don't piss her off.

I am sick

I just decided to throw Onyx and Lucy together into Lucy's cage for a few minutes. Considering the cage is only about 3 feet by 2 feet and they don't like each other, this is really fun!

Enough! Please!

I know I mentioned this recently, but I am SO sick of hearing about Anna Nicole Smith. All this crap is going down less than an hour from the Margarita Lounge and I could vomit every time the media wastes MORE time on it. To use the term "circus" is really the biggest understatement of the year.

On another note, all three residents of the Lounge are doing great. Zach is behaving himself for the most part and is six weeks old on Saturday. He has already gained a few pounds and has a new nickname...Meatball.

More pictures of Zach

Here is a link for any of you who want to see more pictures of the Z man:

zachpollock.shutterfly.com

Some perspective on Iraq

I was slacking at work yesterday afternoon and decided I would do a little research on the Iraq war as well as other wars/conflicts since World War 2. As things stand now, we have been in Iraq for about 4 years and the total death toll is about 3100 US troops. Before I go any further, I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea here. I am NOT trying to trivialize the deaths of US soldiers in any way and I am NOT trying to be offensive or indicate that lives are not important. I just wanted everyone to know the actual facts and numbers that we are talking about in Iraq.

Here is the LINK where I got the numbers. The summary looks like this:

World War II (5 years) 405,000 total deaths
Korea(3 years) 54,000 total deaths
Vietnam(11 years) 90,000 total deaths
Iraq(4 years) 3,100 total deaths

So..the next time you hear someone out there say how bad Iraq is and how many Americans are dying, remember these numbers. I think these numbers show how good a job the military does in protecting lives. World War 2 averaged 81,000 deaths per year and Iraq averages 775. Deaths in wars are inevitable and nobody likes wars, but to label Iraq "unprecedented" or "the worst war ever" or any of the other crap I keep hearing in the media is just wrong. End of sermon.

Random Thoughts

I know that I have been a slacker the last few weeks with hardly any posts...my apologies. With Zach now in the house I just don't seem to have the huge amounts of free time I used to. A few observations from the last week:

1) Anna Nicole Smith threw a 7 at the craps table. I did not steal that from you Mr. Hickman...it's a long standing documented Catfisherman comment. I keep hearing about Anna every single time I turn on the TV, but I really could care less about it. Now that I think about it, nobody I know seems to give a shit about it, but it's still out there on every station. Hmmm...

2) The big deal with North Korea seems to be getting no attention on the news, which is rather surprising. I guess snowstorms, Barack Obama and Anna Nicole Smith are more important than a landmark nuclear deal with a dangerous and oppressive dictatorial regime. Sure, the North Koreans could ignore the deal like they did in the 90s, but we should at least give it some news coverage.

3) After last week's episode of LOST, it looked like some of the big mysteries of the island were going to be solved. Last nights episode completely destroyed that and threw the entire world into a state of chaos again. Can any of my LOST co-conspirators explain to me what the HELL was happening in that episode last night??!!??

4) What happened to you K-Daddy? No calls... no emails...no love for your old Florida pals? Drop me a line cause I know something's going on up there in Picksburgh....

Jeremiah Johnson

Last night I was watching Zach for a few hours while Cheryl was getting some sleep. I decided that I had seen "Waterworld" enough times and the College Basketball on ESPN was pretty boring. Enter "Jeremiah Johnson". Since it was playing in the 10:30-1:00 am time slot, I figured I would broaden my horizons and check it out. Has anyone seen this rather "interesting" movie? Although it wasn't very good, it was like driving past a car wreck....I just couldn't look away.

It was made in 1972 and starred Robert Redford. Old Bob Redford was a guy who moved out west to be a mountain man and the movie was all about his experiences in the Rockies. About 75% of the movie had no dialogue whatsoever...it was Robert Redford wandering the mountains fighting and killing indians. He ended up getting married to an indian woman who spoke no English, so the small amounts of dialogue was all subtitled. It was also interspersed with music that was considered "creepy" at the time but is rather cheesy 35 years later. I guess the best way to describe it was a cross between "Planet of the Apes" and the movie "Lost" starring Tom Hanks. Maybe it would be better under frotification...

Happy Birthday Bear!!

Today is Hannah Bear's birthday. You can't deny it - this pup certainly has one sexy mug :)

Happy Birthday Hannah from all of us at the Margarita Lounge!!

Super Bowl Sunday

Super Bowl Sunday in South Florida and it's looking like a cloudy, rather crappy day. I know the NFL loves to have the Super Bowl in warm weather cities (or domes) due to the chance of nice weather, but today it doesn't look like it's gonna work out. Since we are about 45 minutes from the stadium, things aren't real crazy around here. But then again I live in "god's waiting room" where the average age is about 100. Down in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami I am sure the festivities are already underway and people are gettin' lit up.

As for the game, I am unsure about any bold predictions. If the good Bears team shows up it should be a close game. But if the bad team shows up (the one that the Dolphins crushed 31-13), it's gonna be an Indy ass-kickin. I think Peyton is going to have a good game and get the monkey off his back...I'll take Indy by 10 points.

Guess who doesn't like wine?

This is quite an odd thing to happen around the Margarita Lounge...everyone likes wine here, right? Not quite. It seems as though Zach doesn't. Now, before you go accusing me of going off the deep end and being a terrible parent, relax...we didn't feed Zach any wine directly. Cheryl and I went out to dinner last Saturday Night (see "Mr. White Sweater" entry below). Cheryl had a glass of wine at dinner and Zach was up all night screaming after we got back and she fed him. We weren't sure if it was the food or the wine at the time. Yesterday was Cheryl's birthday, so she had another glass of wine. The exact same thing happened last night....he was up all night crying. Maybe I'll have her try beer or mixed drinks...he's bound to like something, right?

The Cycle of Life

It sure has been an up and down couple of weeks for me emotionally. The wonder of Zach's birth and the ensuing happiness has been amazing and is second to none. Yet with the good comes the bad as two of my best client's wives have died of cancer in the past week. Talk about a roller coaster. Credit to Scottie G for the title...it just seemed to fit...

The Big Game

So, I guess some big football game is being played at Dolphin Stadium this weekend? Has anyone heard about this? Hmm....

Must be Tax Time

I just bought Turbo Tax last weekend...I thought this picture was appropriate. Actually, I have to give credit where credit is due...Cheryl took the picture.

Halo

After two months of sporadic play (interrupted by the holidays and the small life-changing experience of Zach's birth), I finally beat the PC version of Halo this morning! Since Halo 2 doesn't come out on PC until Halo 3 comes out on Xbox 360, I will have to wait until later this year to continue my quest with the Master Chief. Yes, I am a dork...

My Arch-nemesis...Mr. White Sweater

Cheryl and I went out to dinner last night and everything was great. Excellent company, excellent food and excellent conversation are second-to-none in my book. We had some wine, some steak and life was good. There was a small side story, though that I thought everyone would like. This by no means dampered my evening with Cheryl and I don't want anyone to think that is the case. But I did meet my new arch-nemesis last night...and his name is Mr. White Sweater Man. Here is how it went:

We arrive at Fifth Avenue Grill about 8pm to an hour and a half wait. No problem...we head to the bar for some wine. The bar is packed and we are forced to stand in a corner of the bar. Five minutes after we get there, a big group of annoying people show up next to us..one member of the group being a gray-haired gentleman (probably in his 50's) wearing a white sweater. Mr. White Sweater decides he needs to stand about one inch away from me. He bumps me...he elbows me...he again bumps me. Never does an apology come out of his mouth.

So...Cheryl and I decide to move about six feet away from this group so I no longer need to deal with MWS (abbreviations are much easier). Five minutes later, MWS is again behind me bumping and elbowing me. But this time he feels the need to put his arm around every man in his group and tell them how much he loves them. The bumping and elbowing continue.

Finally, two seats open at the bar and we quickly grab the seats. All is good now, right? Nope. MWS is now directly next to me at the bar and I can barely squeeze in next to him. Ten minutes pass and MWS finally leaves his position next to me...I am getting excited now. This excitement lasts about 10 seconds before I feel another big bump in the back...now the group is taking pictures in the bar directly behind me. No longer does just MWS bump me, two or three other people fighting to be in the picture are also bumping into me. I finally speak up and tell them to please stop it. OK...maybe I didn't word it quite that nicely..but that was the jist of it. Shortly thereafter, MWS's group is seated on the opposite side of the restaurant and he is gone. I can finally breathe again!

Cheryl and I are seated shortly after this at 9pm and whose table are we next to? You guessed it...Mr. White Sweater Man's table! He is the devil....

Out on the Town

With Pattymelt on babysitting duty, Cheryl and I are heading out tonight for our first dinner as parents. With the hectic schedules we have been keeping (and the lack of sleep), we are really looking forward to a nice, quiet dinner at Fifth Avenue Grill in Delray. The good news is that my drinking buddy is back from a nine-month hiatus...I'll bet that first glass of Pinot is going to taste REALLY good. Good Day.

All wrapped up

I know that I am slightly biased, but he sure is a good looking dude, isn't he?

Workin' Hard

Notice anything odd with this picture? Yep, that's the little man on the desk.

Chillin' on the Couch

One Week

Well, we have survived the first week being new parents without any major problems. Lots of things happened this week and we are still not getting much sleep, but life is good around the Margarita Lounge. Outside of the Z man, the Dolphins got a new coach this week, oil prices are lower, and Pattymelt is due to arrive tonight for 9 days. It will be nice to have someone else around the house to help out. And since Cheryl is one of four kids, Patty definitely has some useful experience that we will heed.

In Cam We Trust

It looks like the Dolphins finally made their long-awaited decision tonight on jackass Saban's replacement. The big winner is Cam Cameron, who is the offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers. While he wouldn't be my first choice(Jim Mora), he was my second, so that's not bad. He is an offensive guy(good because our offense blows), has NFL experience with a good team (unlike jackass) and is young...45 years old. The only negative is that his only head coaching experience was with Indiana and he sucked. But that was quite a long time ago. And it's sure better than picking Mike Shula, Chan Gailey or Dom Capers. I give the decision a 8.5 out of 10.

Thank you

I wanted to say "thank you" to everyone for the well-wishes and gifts over the past two days. From flowers to food to balloons to clothes, you all helped make the arrival of Zach all the more special for us. Now...if I can get this no sleep thing down I'll be fine. Any veterans have some suggestions for a wide-eyed rookie?

Pictures of Zach

Click on the pictures for a bigger view.

THE BIG DAY ARRIVES!!

Last night at 10:16pm, Zachary Glenn Pollock was born at Boca Raton Community Hospital. He was 6 pounds 9 ounces and 20 inches long. Both Cheryl and Zach are doing fine and (hopefully) finally resting at the hospital by now. I just ran back to the house for a few hours of sleep before heading back in the morning. Cheryl was absolutely amazing and I will try to give everyone some details in the next week when I get the time. For those lucky people like me who have experienced the miracle of birth, it is tough to put into words what a life changing experience it is. I also don't think I have ever felt as exhausted as I do right now, but it was all worth it...we have an absolutely beautiful son that we love very much. According to everyone who has seen him in the past day, he looks just like me. I disagree as he is much better looking than I am. I will be posting some pictures this week once I can get this damn Kodak software working right.

Wow

That is all I can say this morning. I knew that the Gators had a chance at winning last night if they played well enough, but 41-14? That was an old-fashioned ass-kicking if I have ever seen one. It kind of reminded me of the 2001 Rose Bowl when Miami ran circles around Nebraska and made them look like a high-school team. All you need to do it look at this game and the Boise State/ Oklahoma game to know why college football is more exciting than the NFL. So much for those "SEC speed is over-rated" comments I have heard for the past few weeks.

DO NOT put any person in this washer

I have always laughed at the stupid warnings companies are forced to put on products due to stupid people doing stupid things. Items such as "do not drink ammonia" or "do not use razor blades near infants" always make me laugh. I guess the good people of Detroit have taken this a step further, actually sponsoring a yearly contest focusing on the dumbest warning. If you'd like a good laugh, here is the link:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/06/wacky.warnings.ap/index.html

More relief at the gas pump on the way!

It's looking like $2 per gallon gas at the pump might become a reality in the next few weeks. Oil closed today right around $55.50/bbl which breaks a very important technical support level at $56.10. That means that prices should be headed lower in the near term. We are heading for the $50 level in 2007 just like I said mt! Sure, it took a little longer than I expected, but we will be there in the next few months. I'm sure the Dems will want to take credit for this one...

You could be an asshole if....

Your name is Nick Saban. I have been stewing over this all day and couldn't wait to get home to write about it. Yes, Nick Saban left the Dolphins today to go back to the SEC and coach Alabama. This I don't fault him for. The guy was an average NFL coach at best and is probably better in college. He had a division (AFC East) that is pretty solid, realized he was in way over his head, and isn't very good at dealing with hard times. The fact of the matter is he just didn't get it done.

The problem I have with the whole situation is his ability to look you right in the eye and blatantly lie through his teeth. When you say over and over to the fans that you WILL BE the Dolphins coach in 2007, people believe you. When you tell the fans that you are NOT going to Alabama over and over, we believe you. When you go to these great lengths to prove you are a "team man" and then turn around and leave for Alabama, you are a 100% grade A prime asshole in my book. And the word "disappointed" isn't even close...the words "pissed off" and "furious" are more appropriate.

And what about some of these assistant coaches you brought with you to Miami? The guys that you promised a great five years to? The guys that moved their families to South Florida to follow you? What about these guys? Sure, some of them might move to Alabama with you or stay on with the Dolphins...but not all of them. What do you say to these guys? You didn't even have the balls to tell them to their faces...you told them all over the speakerphone this morning.

In summary, yes I am pissed off and angry. And I think I am justified in this. I hope Alabama goes 0-12 for the next 3 years and you get your ass fired. By the way...did I tell you that you are an asshole yet? Oh yeah...I covered that already...

Wouldn't it be nice...

I was just reading an article online about Gerald Ford. The article was talking about how he refused to talk in public about his personal religious beliefs. In this day and age, I found that idea a rather refreshing one. Wouldn't it be nice if people kept more to themselves instead of feeling the need to jam themselves down everyone else's throats? Think of how nice it would be if there wasn't that loudmouthed guy on the cell phone. I don't care if you are gay and want to tell everyone else. And I sure as hell don't care what your religious beliefs are, because they are probably 100% different from mine. Just a thought at the beginning of a new year...

A Crazy Day in Sports

Normally, New Years Day is known for football and hangovers. This year was no different with the great Boise State/ Oklahoma game last night. I (of course) fell asleep halfway through the 2nd half and missed it all....good thing there are Sportscenter highlights or I'd be screwed. In addition to all the great bowl games yesterday, there was Bobby Knight winning number 880, an NFL player being killed in a drive-by shooting, and the relentless talk here in South Florida about Nick Saban leaving to go coach Alabama. I'm glad I have today off to recover...

Happy New Year

On behalf of all four (and soon to be five) residents of the Margarita Lounge, Happy New Year! Cheryl and I were really lame last night and stayed in. Jen came over for a great dinner of Filet, Crab Legs, and Sweet Potatoes but she left before midnight. Cheryl and I were both asleep by 12:15. I told you we were lame old farts!

As for the New Year, this is going to be a rather interesting one for us. Cheryl is due in about four weeks and the final preparations are quickly coming to an end. The nursery is all set up and we are just waiting for the contractions to start. We are both really excited about the arrival of the little man and I will let everyone know the details (and provide some pictures) as soon as possible after the big moment.

Another Long Weekend

It looks like this weekend will be four days instead of three for me! The NYSE and NASDAQ both decided to close for the day on January 2nd in respect to the passing of Gerald Ford. It's nice to see that some traditions still endure and that money isn't EVERYTHING.

A Soggy Monday Night Disappointment (with some good off-field entertainment)

It looks like my prediction skills with the Dolphins have reached an all-time low. I was wrong again and the Dolphins lost by 3 points last night in what can only be described as "soggy" conditions. It started raining about 7:30 during the pre-game tailgating activities and didn't really stop until halfway through the 4th quarter. The good news is that I brought a couple ponchos which kept us mostly dry...my feet were soaked and my hands looked like raisins, but outside of that I was ok.

While the game itself wasn't overly exciting, most of the interesting things occurred in the parking lot and the seats. One of our very drunk neighbors during tailgating decided to insult every Jets fan that walked by us on the way into the stadium. While this is a normal and healthy part of tailgating heckling, one guy seemed to take exception with him and we almost had a little Jets vs. Dolphins fight in the parking lot before cooler heads prevailed.

We also had a girl in front of us (a Jets fan of course) who decided to fall backwards over two rows of seats after a touchdown. Usually this isn't a problem and people will catch you. In her case though she had her back to the field and fell DOWN two rows of seats toward the field. Since nobody was in those seats, it was especially funny to watch her pick herself up. I am sure her back is feeling great today...ha ha.

The Christmas Hook-up

My wife totally hooked me up today for Christmas. At 9am I opened a box holding my new iPod! I've spent most of the last few hours playing around with it and transferring some of my tunes from the computer to the iPod. While she went a little over our agreed-upon spending limit, I am glad she did.

As for the family activities, Cheryl and I went to my parents house last night for Christmas Eve. We ate a lot and I drank a lot...it was an entertaining gathering as usual. My niece Layna seems to be getting bigger every few months...she celebrated her 3rd birthday in early December and was tearing around the house as usual. Grandma made some rather dumb comments, also typical as she is now 87 years old...a good reference would be Aunt Bethany from Christmas Vacation if you are a fan of that movie.

As for today, Cheryl has been sleeping all day and I am getting ready to head out to tailgate for the big Monday Night football game against the hated Jets. I have a good feeling about tonight and see us coming out with a W. Unfortunately, it looks like it is going to pour all night. Wish us luck in avoiding the rain drops...

Today

I just heard the words "penile penetration" on the Today Show. At 8am on a Saturday while Cheryl and I were laying in bed. So much for family-oriented Saturday morning television. It all had to do with the Duke Lacrosse story which has always seemed kind of odd to me. Now considering there is no actual evidence of anything, hopefully this whole thing will disappear and I don't have to hear about any more penetrations.

Busy Busy Busy

It must be Christmas time because I am way too damn busy. When I don't even have time to make a post on the Margarita Lounge, you know I'm busy. The good news is that my Christmas shopping is now done and the new computer is up and running. I plan on wrapping things up at work on Wednesday and Thursday so I can take a nice long five day weekend. Hope everyone is having a good holiday season.

Raining Cats and Dogs

I have never in my life seen a day like today. It literally rained from the time I woke up until about 4:30 this afternoon. And not a drizzle...most of the time it was a medium to hard downpour.

As of the 6pm local news, West Palm Beach has received 8.75 inches of rain today. Luckily, here in Boynton we only got about 5 inches. According to the local weather guy, the old record for a 24 hour period was about 3 1/2 inches. Even the hurricanes from the past few years weren't this wet. This just sucks. That is all.

Another one in the books

Cheryl and I want to thank all 22 of you who made it to our big Christmas party on Saturday Night. It was by far the best party we have ever had at the Margarita Lounge. I also want to thank everyone who brought gifts and helped me add to my wine collection. As for the party itself, only at the Margarita Lounge do you need pliers and a screwdriver to open a bottle of Cuban rum brought over by the neighbor. If you were at the party, you are now laughing...if you weren't you are just shaking your head.

In any case, I gave my camera to Ria halfway through the party to take a few pictures. Many of them were......how do I say this nicely......average pictures. This one in particular though, was genius. Cheryl(and Lucy) are sitting down and Kim is talking to Cheryl. Unfortunately, if you look closely at the background of the picture, the Senator has been caught in the act. Click on the picture if you need a bigger version. Indeed a classsic Senator moment!

Eve of the Big Party

With one day left before the big Margarita Lounge Christmas party, final preparations are being made. The next 24 hours is bound to be a blur of shopping and cooking. For those of you who forgot, the time is 6:30pm. I have 15 bottles of red wine, 4 bottles of white and about a case and a half of beer ready to go. Hopefully it will be enough for the 15-20 people we plan on having over. Watch for some funny pictures on Sunday night's post.

Silly Item of the Day

Today I was sitting at my desk and looking out the window (probably daydreaming) when I saw a 75 year-old lady with one of those silly looking bluetooth headsets stuck onto her ear. She wasn't even on the phone, she was just walking around with it on her ear. Am I the only one in the world that finds those things really annoying? You are trying to have a conversation with someone and your eyes keep wandering to that thing stuck on their ear...like it's a mole or something. If you are on the phone I have no problem with it. But just walking around with it on your ear like you are someone really important is just silly. Add to it that she was an old geezer and it seems all the more ridiculous.

The best wine store

Sometime in 2007 there will be a Total Wine store opening across the street from my office here in Boynton Beach. With my well documented love of vino, yesterday I figured I would drive the 30 minutes to the nearest store in Palm Beach Gardens just to check one out before the one here opens. Plus, I have the big Margarita Lounge Christmas party next week and needed some more wine for the party, so I just had to go.

This is the sickest store you have ever seen. Rows and rows and rows of nothing but wine. I am completely hooked. If you like wine and have one of these stores anywhere near your house, go and check it out. While I felt bad cheating on my favorite local wine store (ABC), these guys just blow them away, hands down. When you go to the back of a store and there is an ENTIRE GROCERY STORE AISLE full of Pinot Noir, you are in heaven.

Lucy, The Lizard, and the Party

This is a very exciting weekend at the Margarita Lounge as we have a few things going on:

1. Lucy's first birthday. Actually, her birthday was yesterday, but we decided to celebrate it all weekend. She will be having some steak tonight and I am sure she is excited. While she has been a handful to train, she is really sweet and we can't imagine our lives without her little tail wagging every day.
   
2. The arrival of the Lizard from Raleigh. She flew in yesterday afternoon and is leaving on Sunday afternoon. Since Cheryl and Liz haven't seen each other for a while, I am sure they will be doing the typical woman/woman bonding experience of shopping all day today while I am forced to sit around and watch football. Life is rough...
3. Preparations are beginning for the big Margarita Lounge Christmas Party next week. While we are still technically in the final stages of planning, Cheryl has plenty of lists and things I need to pickup. Number one on the list is beer and wine. I think there is some food on the list but that obviously takes a back seat to the booze.
   

Dude, you're getting a Dell

Ok, so that line is about four years old. And the "dude" was arrested three years ago in New York City for possession of marijuana, quickly ending his 15 minutes of fame. But regardless of these two facts, I am now the proud owner of a new Dell computer. After almost seven years with the old HP (including a few upgrades), we decided that it was time to retire the old veteran...time and technology had finally rendered him inadequate. We have moved up to the modern world of DVD burners, all in one printer/copier/scanners and lightning-fast dual core processors. In the immortal words of K-Delish, "I'm as giddy as a virgin on Easter"...at least I think that's how it went. Let's just say that I am eagerly awaiting delivery next week!

Going different directions

Well, the Hurricanes finally won another football game last night, beating a favored Boston College team at the Orange Bowl. They closed the regular season a pathetic 6-6, their worst record in a LONG time. Larry Coker was fired today, which is a good thing in my opinion. Looks like next year is going to suck also as it will be a "re-building" year.

The Dolphins also won yesterday, but at least they seem to be heading in the right direction. Sure, they are still under .500 but they are on a nice four game win streak and still have an outside chance of getting a wild card. The big game is next week with Jacksonville in town...if we can win that game I'm going to get a lot more excited.

Happy Turkey Day

Before I get too busy with my "honey-do" list, Cheryl and I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. While the turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry, and pumpkin pie are important staples of this day, I would encourage you all to take a minute to be thankful for what you have. Remember that the vast majority of people in the world are not as fortunate as we are in this country.

With that being said, go ahead and stuff your face with food and drink lots of wine because you don't have to work on Friday. If you do have to work on Friday I apologize. Remember that this day only comes once a year. And while you are at it, a few good wishes to the Dolphins wouldn't hurt as they play the Lions at 12:30pm.

Movin' On Up

Just like George and Weezie, the Dolphins are slowly "movin' on up" in the standings from "terrible" to "respectable". With another win today over Minnesota, we moved to 4-6. Only one team in the NFL (Baltimore) has a longer winning streak right now. With a short week (we play Detroit on Turkey Day) and some injuries today, getting to 5-6 might be tougher than I thought, but I think we can pull it together. If we can get a W in Detroit and get a win the next week at home against Jacksonville we would move to .500 and at least get within a distant sniff of a wild card. With the way the AFC is shaping up right now, anything is still within the realm of possibility.

Fall

Today's theme seems to be Fall. The air had a nice Fall chill today....very appropriate for college football. Michigan fell to Ohio State. Rutgers falls to Cincinatti tonight. And Mr Hickman had a somewhat funny, although slightly bloody fall at his house this afternoon. While I don't mean to make light of someone else's bad luck, it was really funny when it happened. Here is the executive summary:

I wandered over to Casa de Frotuss today to watch the OSU/Michigan game with Mr Hickman and family. The game was excellent. The company was excellent. Unfortunately, Mr. Hickman had a few too many drinks during the game, so that by the 4th quarter he was hammered and slurring words. While making an attempt to get off the couch, he lost his balance and ended up falling (face first) onto the tile floor. After laughing quite loudly for a few seconds, I realized there was a small trickle of blood just above his left eyebrow. While it was by no means a life-threatening injury, it was something that required a little bit of impromptu medical attention. Ann was quick to help out and we got the situation under control in a few minutes.

Now, it is really not nice to laugh at someone who has just been hurt. But given the situation here, it really was hilarious. If things are a little fuzzy on Sunday, give me a call Gunther and I'll be happy to give you the details. And I hope you heal quickly...

Fins to the Left

Well, the Jimmy Buffett concert has come and gone and I don't really have much of a hangover! Since the show was on a Tuesday night, I guess I decided to behave myself. Cheryl, Jen and I ended up meeting Mark, Tammy, the Senator and a few of their friends in the lawn about 10 minutes before the show started and hung out with them all night. The show was everything that I expected...drunk people, great music, the smell of pot whisping through the air all night.

That got me to thinking about the incredible difference in a concert and a Dolphins game. In both instances there are thousands of people in one place to see a fun event. In both instances there are drunks. But for some reason things are tolerated much more in a concert environment.

At any concerts I've ever been to, the cops just stand there while the smell of weed floats by them. Drunks are stumbling all over the place and they serve beer until the show is over. At the Dolphins game you can get thrown out for doing anything and you can't even get a beer after halftime. That just don't seem right....

PWI and Jimmy Buffett

So, I guess there was a little more downside in PWI. The royalty trusts were hammered again today, this time for no apparent reason whatsoever. Time to double down here and buy more. Just panic selling...usually the last stages of a selloff. These things happen...just buy some more....

Speaking of getting hammered, the long-awaited Jimmy Buffett show is tomorrow night here in West Palm! Cheryl (being the wonderful wife she is) bought us tickets for my birthday. While I have been a huge Buffett fan for years, I am a JB concert virgin. I've taken part of the day off Tuesday for preparation and also took Wednesday morning off for the impending hangover. Wish us luck.

On a Roll

After a pathetic 1-6 start, the Dolphins are on a roll the last two weeks! How you can lose to Houston and Green Bay yet beat Chicago and KC is a mystery to me. Actually, they almost gave this game away too with some rather suspect play calling in the fourth quarter. Luckily, the defense stepped up (us usual) and bailed out the rather ineffective offense.

But a win is a win and we'll take it. If they keep playing like this, they might be able to salvage a 8-8 season. On a high note, Pimpbling and I got cut off on the way out of the parking lot by Wes Welker. If it wasn't him, it was definitely his twin brother. We would also like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Hickman for joining us in tailgating and for letting us use their (much better) seats in the second half. Looks like I'm gonna have to save a few hundred dollars more to upgrade next year.

Caffe Luna Rosa

For any of you locals who haven't had dinner at Caffe Luna Rosa, you are missing out on one of the best restaurants in the area. I took Cheryl there last night to celebrate our anniversary and it was excellent. The location is obviously perfect...directly across A1A from the ocean. But in addition to a great location, the food and atmosphere is perfect for a nice quiet night out. And their wine list is quite impressive with lots of Italian reds.

3 Years

Three years ago today, Cheryl and I each said "I do" and started on our wonderful journey of marriage. Like most marriages, there are ups and downs over the first few years, but we have gotten through all of them together. I want to thank any of you who were there with us in Key West three years ago on the roof of La Concha...it was a day we will both never forget. I feel like the luckiest man on earth today and I want to thank my beautiful wife for the best three years of my life. With the little man less than three months away, we are looking forward to many more happy years to come.

Election 2006

So we got our asses kicked yesterday. So far the Republicans haven't resorted to the same "sore loser" tactics that the Democrats used in the past few elections...lawsuits, complaints about voter fraud and voter intimidation, etc. Either that or the media isn't making a big deal about it because they got who they wanted into office. It really doesn't matter. We just lost and thats the facts....pretty simple actually. Yes...today it sucks...but hey, shit happens. You take responsibility for things and you move on. As for the next two years, I am unsure where things go from here, but I see two options.

1) Revenge. Since the Dems have had their asses kicked around since 1994, they decide it is retribution time. Cue the Halliburton investigations...cue the investigations into the Iraq war plan...cue investigations into Dennis Hastert and Tom Delay...etc, etc, etc. This route takes the country nowhere and gets nothing done but wasting taxpayer money. It also goes against the "time for a change" motto that the Dems got elected on. I hope this isn't the outcome or there will be two more years of nothing getting done and the Dems are going to lose theirs jobs again in 2008.

2) Compromise. While this can be frustrating, it seems the only realistic hope. The two parties don't like each other, this is a given. But like the election, we need to get past it. I know that the senator and mt really want to rub it in, but gloating will only work for about a week or two. I don't know one Republican or Democrat who agrees 100% with every single belief their party holds. Most people lean one way or another. If we can actually get along like adults and solve some problems, the Democrats have a much better chance of retaining what they just got. I wouldn't be too happy about that, but thats life too. Good luck.

Unbelievable

I went to Duffys this afternoon fully expecting the Dolphins to get their asses handed to them by the Bears. But somehow, the team that hasn't been around all year decided to show up today. I am completely dumbfounded how a team can beat the Chicago Bears (the best team in the NFL) but lose to the Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers. I guess it's just one of those seasons....

I would be a little more excited if the victory meant something, but it looks like this win is about two weeks too late. Even if the Dolphins ran the table and won all their remaining games (which isn't going to happen with New England, Jacksonville, Indianapoilis and Minnesota on the schedule) there would still be no guarantee that they could even get to the playoffs with the talent in the AFC this year.

Buy Low

So the Canadian Royalty Trusts have been HAMMERED the past two days due to a stupid policy the Canadian government is trying to push through on increasing taxation. Without going into the details, the sell-off has been ridiculously overdone and there is some great bottom-fishing potential here. It looks like the big selling leveled off this afternoon and some buyers even started coming in around 2pm. What does this mean to Joe Q. Investor? Nothing because Joe would never buy a stock when it was down...he would much rather wait, miss the opportunity, and buy it $3-$4 higher than it is now and miss the easy money. Good thing that all you Margarita Lounge readers are not morons and you are out there buying PWI here around 22. Look out for the beeping flatbed because I'm backing up the truck.

If you have no idea what the hell I am talking about, thats OK. I'm just trying to sound smart and throw around a lot of technical jargon. Interpretation: Take a little money out of that savings account that is paying you didly, go to Ameritrade or Etrade and buy a little PWI. Even if it doesn't skyrocket up a few dollars (which it should), it pays a 12% dividend and that aint too shabby while you await the rebound.

Bob stepping down

At the young age of 83, it looks like Bob Barker is finally calling it quits. According to this story, there will be no more "come on downs" after June. For all of us who grew up watching Bob, it is indeed a sad day.

Bat Dog

Yep...I'm one of those sick people who dresses up his dog for Halloween.

A Beautiful Day

After yesterdays rather bah-humbug weather, today has turned into a picture postcard day. Low humidity, about 80 degrees and a nice gentle breeze blowing though the open windows of the Margarita Lounge. I just finished giving Lucy a bath in the back yard. For anyone that has tried to give a dog a bath (especially one who doesn't want one), you know the hell I just went through.

My parents came over last night for my birthday celebratrion/dinner and I had only a minor hangover this morning. A few glasses of Rioja will do that...you would have loved it Scottie....

As for today, I am guaranteeing that the Dolphins don't lose. It's kind of hard to lose when you have a bye week. I've decided to head to Casa de Hickman today to help him root on his Browns. Normally I wouldn't do this, but they are playing the Jets today and I hate the Jets. Rumors are that Pimpbling might make an appearance, so this might turn into a little party after all.

No more political ads!!

OK...I have reached by breaking point. No...I'm not going to run out and start shooting people. I have finally reached the point where I am sick of all political ads. Even the ones that are from "my side" make me want to vomit. You know that feeling you get when a really sleazy used-car salesman is trying to sell you a car? Yep...thats how I feel right now. The more I follow politics, the more I realize that any politician out there would sell his mother for more political power. Vote for whoever you want to because I am now categorized as "uninterested".

So, what else is happening? Yes...Cheryl is still pregnant and she is due the first week in February. Note that Cheryl is the only one pregnant..."we" are not pregnant. That whole "we" thing always bugged both of us as "we" do not both carry the kid. Yes, there are the occasional cravings for ice cream and chocolate, but in general she has been a trooper. Cheryl has been able to feel the little man moving around for about a month, but I have only been able to feel him for about two weeks. Talk about cool!

And my 33rd birthday is coming up next week. Being a Halloween baby is pretty cool growing up, but when you get to be an old bastard like me, it kind of loses its sparkle. Actually, every year it seems to show up quicker and you feel older and older...you are ready for bed at 10pm, even on the weekends...you start seeing wrinkles around your eyes...you start getting fat. Getting old blows.

It keeps getting worse

Just when you think the Dolphins can't get any worse, they do. Yes, today I again viewed the joke of a football team that Miami is now calling the Dolphins. Since Kris was out in Texas and couldn't make it, I took Cheryl's friend Jen with me. We did some tailgating with a bunch of cheeseheads...sweated out asses off in the 90 degree heat...hung out with Paco and Taco. And the result was the same...a big, ugly loss to a team that we should have beat. I have spent the rest of the afternoon vomiting.

What was I thinking?

Well, I was wrong. Not that being wrong is all that abnormal for me, but I really thought the Dolphins could pull one out this week. As usual they fumbled, dropped passes and threw interceptions. Maybe it was that huge glass of Chianti I drank last night after dinner that pushed me to make such a bold and utterly stupid prediction. At least I only lost $20 on the game (in addition to my pride). It looks like the Dolphins have entered the losers realm of the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Lions....there's always next year, right?

Day of the Dog

What seemed like a rather boring day of football ended up being a big day for the underdogs. Indiana beats Iowa. Vandy beats Georgia. Auburn beats Florida. And the Detroit Tigers are going to the World Series. Must be something in the air this weekend.

With that said I am making a guarantee for tomorrow. I am going to guarantee a Dolphins victory over the Jets. I may be crazy and I will probably lose my $20 bet to Mr. Brill, but I have the feeling that a victory is in the cards. Go Fins!

The Office Slob strikes again

For everyone who works in an office, there is the office slob. This person is usually a man in his 40s or 50s who has essentially given up on life. He is the type of man who would wear sweatpants into the office if he was allowed. He is significantly overweight. He burps, eats loudly, steals other people's food out of the fridge, and never tucks in his shirt. He has the personality of a telephone book. We have one of these men in our office. He was hired about a year ago and he fits the bill perfectly. To protect the innocent we will call him Peter.

Now in addition to being a slob, Peter is also a dumbass. This is a VERY dangerous combination as you will now see. Today Peter decided to wash out a used gas can in the break room sink. Yes...I did type that correctly. He washed out a one-gallon GAS CAN next to the fridge in the middle of our KITCHEN at work. Do you have any idea how bad something like this stinks up an office? In addition to the smell, I can't imagine the local fire marshall would consider that a safe place to work.

I can understand occasional absent-mindedness....we all have these moments. Forgetting the dry cleaning...forgetting where you were going...typing sexual IMs to a 16 year-old Congressional page. But what type of a moron does something like this? I have been hard-pressed to think of anything quite this stupid.....

Cardinal Nation

I have always heard that St. Louis is a great baseball city. But after spending three days there during the NLDS, I found out that this is incorrect...the world "great" does not do justice to these crazy people. They are insane. Insane in a good way, but insane none the less. The highlight of our weekend had to be Paddy-Os on Sunday Night after the Cardinals clinched the series. After fighting upsteam against thousands of screaming fans to even get to the place, the atmosphere we found was much more a college football pre-game tailgate than a baseball game.

People screaming....dancing...chugging beers...you name it. We were lucky to have about 12 people in our group and everyone had a blast. The funny thing was that it was a Sunday Night. I can't even imagine how crazy it would have been on a Friday or Saturday Night.

Yeah, I went to a few of the sessions we had for our conference, but I spent a little too much time at a few of the other local watering holes. It was a long trip back yesterday but the memories were well worth a few hangovers. Maybe Pimpbling will even update his blog after what seems like forever. It's not like there is a lack of subjects from the weekend.

Head West Young Man

So, I'm heading to St. Louis for the weekend for our National sales conference. Normally these events are pretty boring, but this year should be an exception because:

1) There are some pretty good college football games on Saturday afternoon to watch.
2) The Cardinals have a home playoff game on Saturday and maybe another on Sunday. Since my hotel is directly across the street from the stadium, the city should be crazy.
3) The Dolphins play the Patriots on Sunday and there are plenty of sports bars in St. Louis.

What about this conference, you ask? You've got to have your priorities people....

Humiliation

Looks like the Dolphins are in lots of trouble. Losing to Pittsburgh was tough, but they did win the Super Bowl last year. Losing to Buffalo was harder to take. Losing to the Houston Texans is downright humiliating and embarassing. And now we have to play New England and the Jets on the road in back-to-back weeks. If we can't win at least one of these two games we are screwed. At least LOST starts on Wednesday Night!

Random Thoughts

There have been a few interesting things happening lately in the world. Here is my take on what I've been seeing on TV and the internet:

1) TO tries to commit suicide? Or does he? Who gives a shit. He makes a lot of money. And painkillers don't depress you...they make you feel really good. ESPN wasted the first 10 minutes of SportsCenter with this crappy story. Don't give him attention and the situation will go away.

2) Speaking of attention, this rule should also be applied to terrorists. Why do we continue to give these morons the pulpit they want to air their messages? We fuel the fire ourselves. Leave it off the news and focus on other things. There are other things going on in the world.

3) According to some conspiracy theorists out there, lower oil prices are a big plot by the Republicans to try and get re-elected. This one is really funny. I guess that W and his buddies now have oil prices rigged and the whole supply-and-demand thing that our economy is based on has disappeared. This is even more silly if you realize what it would take to pull something of this size off. Maybe MT.net has a theory on this one...Mark? On to the good news....

4) The third season of LOST starts next Wednesday at 9pm. I am SO addicted to this show, as Pimpbling can tell you. Is anyone else out there hooked on this show or am I just a dork?

......And the most important news item this week is.....

5) Mary Carey is running for governor of California again! Mary is a porn star who ran for governor a few years ago when Ahnold won. She actually finished 10th out of 135 cantidates, which isn't bad. This is without a doubt the best story of the week...only in America can this happen. Click here for the official site...it has to be seen to be beleived!

Lord Byron passes

The name Byron Nelson doesn't mean a whole lot to you unless you are a die-hard golf fan like me. He played in an era decades before Tiger Woods and 300 yard drives. He was widely respected as one of the great gentlemen to ever play the game of golf. He won 5 majors including two Masters, two PGAs and a US Open. But he will probably be remembered most for 1945...the year that he won 11 tournaments in a row and 18 for the year. While Tiger could someday tie or even break this record, it will always be Byron Nelson's first.

Blast from the past

I was just looking through the contents of my hard drive and came across this picture. I am sure that most of you saw this a few years ago, but it made me laugh my ass off for a while. If you can't read the words, just double-click on the picture and it will zoom in.

An Ugly, Hot Win

OK...the Dolphins are not a good team right now. They can't seem to run the ball...Dante can't seem to make consistent decisions...the secondary is really young. We sweated our asses off all day...I think I remember the scoreboard saying the heat index was about 100 degrees. But a win is a win and I will take it. Unfortunately, our buddies Paco and Taco in the row in front of us didn't show today, so it was rather quiet in Section 449. Must have been the heat. Even the annoying lady across the aisle was rather subdued today...she seemed to quickly give up on the "D" and the white picket fence by the end of the first quarter. Must have been the heat. Did I mention it was hot? Ugh. With a little luck, maybe the Dolphins can beat the Texans next week and even things up at 2-2. Lets all keep our fingers crossed.

Gameday Again!

A week after witnessing a thrashing at the hands of Buffalo, Pimpbling and I are heading south in hopes that today's game is better. It sure better be, because if the Dolphins can't beat Tennessee this week and Houston next week (two of the worst teams in the NFL), they are doomed to miss the playoffs for the fifth straight year. The good news is that I am optimistic and think we will win by two touchdowns today. Ok, maybe that's a little too optimistic given the performance of the past two weeks, but you gotta start somewhere. And yes...I am still pissed about the game last night. Why does Notre Dame always pull that crap at the end of games?

Time to wash my pants

I think I just shit myself. Cheryl is in bed and I am watching the end of the Michigan State/ Notre Dame game on the couch surfing the internet on her laptop. I've had a big smile on my face ever since I turned the game on just after halftime. It looked like Michigan State was well in control and on their way to certain victory. Notre Dame just picked off a pass and ran it in for a touchdown to go ahead by 3. Did I mention that I really hate Notre Dame? AAAAHHHH!

Life Aint that Bad

Is life really that bad right now? I keep hearing (and reading) about how bad the government is...about how bad the economy is...how prices are going up on everything...bla bla bla. Maybe I'm living in a fantasy world, but I just don't see it. Oil prices (and thus gasoline prices) are coming down. The economy and the stock market have been good for the last four years. Hurricane season has been real quiet this year (so far). Even the Republicans are looking better for the mid-term elections. And everyone now hates Hugo Chavez. Cool.

A Big O-fer this weekend

What a disappointing weekend...my record was a shitty 0-3. First, the Hurricanes get their doors blown off by Louisville 31-7. That sucked. Then my tickets to see Hootie get lost at UPS. That sucked. And then I had to sit through the Dolphins 16-6 loss yesterday from Section 449. That also sucked. After a weekend like that, you actually look forward to going back to work. And to top it all off...the Hootie tickets showed up on my doorstep this morning. Ugh....

So much for Hootie

Well, the tickets never arrived and Pimpbling and I are now Hootie-less. I have no idea what the hell happened to the tickets...maybe Joel marked them as "Overnight" instead of "Saturday Delivery". Well...it's raining anyway so I will consider it for the best.

At least I got to sit at home and watch the Hurricanes get DESTROYED by Louisville 31-7. Man was that fun. Maybe I should have gone to the concert and stood there with a lightning rod in my hands...that might be more fun than the trouncing I witnessed. It's too bad because Miami used to be a team with a potential to win the National Title every year...now they are a joke.

Well, not all was lost today. At least I got to see Notre Dame get dumptrucked by Michigan. There are few things in this world that excites me more than seeing Notre Dame lose...kind of like watching the Yankees lose a baseball game...it never gets old.

Hootie and lots of football

It's shaping up to be a real busy weekend around the Margarita Lounge. In addition to the excellent college games today and the Dolphins home opener tomorrow, I was able to score a few tickets to see Hootie and the Blowfish and Better Than Ezra tonight at the Sound Advice Ampitheater in West Palm Beach. And who is gonna argue with free tickets, huh? I have always been a fan of Better Than Ezra and I saw them live once when I lived in Cleveland back in 1998 or 1999. Hootie I have never seen, but I have heard they put on a pretty good show.

New Picture of Lucy

With all the talk of the little man arriving in February, I haven't posted much about our other baby Lucy. She is doing great, up to about 32 pounds, and is a lot of fun. She's about 9 months old now and we don't expect her to get a whole lot bigger from here. Here is a picture I took a few minutes ago in the back yard. She was deep in concentration trying to figure out how to get that bird on the neighbor's roof.

It's a boy!

After months of waiting, guessing, and friendly wagers within the family, today was the big day. The news came around 2:30pm and we are both really excited to be expecting a bouncing baby boy in early February. Cheryl has immediately been ordered to increase her viewing of the History Channel, the Discovery Channel, and all sporting events on TV.

Inappropriate Radio Ads

What's happened to radio advertisements recently? I have noticed quite a few rather crude radio spots in the last six months, mostly having to do with sexual problems. The one I heard today on the way home from work was about Premature Ejaculation. I could understand the Viagra ads. Those ads were always fairly vague...you knew what they were about, but they weren't necessarily in your face about it. This new generation of ads has completely removed any hints of subtlety and class. I just can't imagine having to explain to your 5 year-old what Premature Ejaculation is. I am looking for some feedback on the following two questions. If you are reading this, please let me know your opinion:

1) Am I right here or am I being a little too anal about this?
2) Do these ads run anywhere outside of South Florida or are they isolated to our little corner of the country?

As usual, all opinions are respected and welcomed.

Five Years Later

So here we all sit five years removed from the events of September 11, 2001. I can guarantee that the images and feelings of that day will be one of the most vivid of my entire life. I can remember walking in the back door at work and seeing the black smoke on CNBC just after the first plane hit. I can remember the chills that ran through my body as I watched the second plane hit. And I can remember the utter helplessness I felt when both towers went down. That whole day was such a surreal experience it still seems like a dream five years later. I am sure that everyone reading this could recite in detail where they were the morning of September 11. It was a time before Afghanistan and before Iraq. A time before Hurricane Katrina. A time before color-coded alert levels and a time you didn't have to take your shoes off at the airport.

As is the American way, we always have to blame someone. Bill Clinton is to blame. George Bush is to blame. The CIA is to blame. The FBI is to blame. This in indeed a shame. Why? Because Bill Clinton didn't do it. George Bush didn't do it. And the CIA and FBI certainly didn't do it. Let's all remember that. September 11th should be remembered as a tragic and sad moment, yes. But it should also be remembered for heroism. And it should be remembered for courage.

So, the next time you are reflecting on September 11th and want to point the finger at someone here at home, stop. Beacuse Clinton and Bush didn't fly the planes. The planes were flow by cowardly terrorists who don't like us. Lets all remember that they are the enemy here.

Competitive Banter

Now that's what I'm looking for! If anyone is interested in some lively and fun debate, feel free to paruse and post a comment on "Free Speech" I posted yesterday. That is the wonderful thing about living where we do...we can all disagree without shooting and killing each other like they do in the Middle East. It's good to hear from you MT...it's been a while.

Free Speech

The last time I checked, we live in a country that provides us all free speech. In the United States you are free to express yourself however you like, even if you are full of shit or completely lying. Remembering this, I am really having a hard time seeing why the Democrats and their almighty and unquestioned god Slick Willy Clinton are getting bent out of shape about this 9/11 miniseries starting tomorrow night. Even if this miniseries is completely false and full of lies, if ABC wants to run it, they can do that as a broadcaster. If Michael Moore can do "Fahrenheit 911" and a guy in England can do a movie about assasinating George W. Bush, someone has the right to run a miniseries with a slightly critical opinion of Slick Willy. Actually, I think it is funny that Bill Clinton is upset about someone not being truthful..."I did not have sexual relations with that woman".

Cheryl and I were watching the 11:00 news last night and even the guy running for Senate in Florida (Ron Klein..who is a democrat) sees no problem with it. I guess Ron is one of the few democrats that thinks free expression is still OK.

Gas getting cheaper

Good news for all you people sick of paying high prices at the pump. Oil prices seem to be heading back down, going under the important support level of $68 per barrel this week. While gas prices actually started down a week or two ago, look for more to come as there is typically a two to three week lag between oil prices and at-the-pump gas prices. Let's not get too excited...the days of $1 per gallon gas is gone, but I am much happier paying $45 to fill up the Explorer versus $60. And with the summer vacation/driving season now over, I'd look for some stability in the $2.00 to $2.50 a gallon area.

What Hurricane?

So the Canes suck. I know...I'm about two days late on this but it has taken me that long to get over the depression. Here's the best way to describe things...if it looks like shit.......and if it smells like shit....... it probably IS shit. Shit is really the best word I can think of to describe the absolutely pathetic showing that the Hurricane offense had on Monday Night against Florida State. Actually, things haven't been right on the offensive side of the ball for two years, but I figured it would eventually improve. I was incorrect. Don't get me wrong...the defense looked great, but ya gotta put the ball in the endzone to win. Hopefully the Dolphins offense looks better tomorrow night in Pittsburgh.

A Sad Day in Croc Land

It looks like Steve Irwin, known worldwide as the "Crocodile Hunter" has died. I guess he was stung by a Stingray while filming a documemntary in Australia within the last 24 hours.

Ah...Labor Day Weekend

I was just doing my typical Saturday Morning surfing, listening to some Pink Floyd when I came across Mr Hickman's post on Frotuss.com. While I could make my own attempt at a similar beautiful piece of writing, why bother when the master has said it so eloquently? Indeed, football season is upon us...the college season has already started and the big game is Monday Night when my Canes take on Bobby and the Seminoles. The Dolphins kick off the NFL season on Thursday Night against the Steelers. Life is good.

Speaking of Pink Floyd, I created a great mix last night for anyone like me that has a large library of Floyd on their computer or IPod. Some you may be familiar with, but a few (especially High Hopes and Lost for Words) are a little more obscure. You can title the playlist "Margarita Lounge Mellow Floyd" if you are so inclined. Enjoy.

1) Us and Them
2) Learning to Fly
3) On the Turning Away
4) High Hopes
5) Lost for Words
6) Comfortably Numb
7) Hey You
8) Wish You Were Here