Overall, a successful first year of soccer for the girl. She says she had fun and she wants to play next year - and that's where I set the bar. Being a year or two behind the others didn't seem to be a big issue and next year she'll be on an all girl's team.
It turns out, everyone says and thinks she's fast. Fast like stink. Greased lightning fast. Kid Flash fast. I think runners have to get up too early in the morning, so I think I'm going to put her on that all-bacon diet.
Thanks coach Shane!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Progress report
The boy's getting all the press, but the girl is doing well too. She's fastest to the ball (just needs to be less cautious around the boys). She's got great form on her kick (just needs better foot-eye coordination). She's a defensive stopper and knows how to find the right spot on offense. Hope she wants to play next year!
BTW - That's a built in effect in Paint.Net on a cropped JPEG.
BTW - That's a built in effect in Paint.Net on a cropped JPEG.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Longest day ...
Nice weekend to have the first day of summer. No real chores, just mow lawn, weed a bit, maybe wash the screens - that kind of stuff.
But first, let's go relax and play while it's nice outside. When we go to the schoolyard - the tire swings are the first stop. Each time I watch the girl play, she's learned a new trick. Before this maneuver - she was whipping the tire around and ducking under it. She was grazed once, when I called "time" on that game.
But first, let's go relax and play while it's nice outside. When we go to the schoolyard - the tire swings are the first stop. Each time I watch the girl play, she's learned a new trick. Before this maneuver - she was whipping the tire around and ducking under it. She was grazed once, when I called "time" on that game.
... and not so daring.
The boy is more rough and tumble, without so much daring-do. More of a bull - which is his secret on the soccer field. Anyways, our lazy first day of summer outside has been interrupted by sporadic, but heavy showers. Mario Karts, here we come.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
I don't know what this game is called ...
... but they can play it forever - until the boy starts to sulk. Anyways, an excuse to try out a Sony A200 to see I can start getting more/better action shots.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Short People
Went to LA and actually went to LA (instead of Anaheim) for a conference. There's really nothing much around downtown LA and they fed us each night (don't be impressed, it's actually a way of controlling expenses rather than letting people loose on the town). We did make it down to Santa Monica for a walk along the pier the last evening, but I've done the Pacific. I need to get to the other side.
progress
Made it home in time to catch the boy's pre-game warm up, followed by the game. The other team had a ringer ... well, a 4 year old with a sense of direction, anyways ... who reeled off 3 or 4 goals in his first few shifts. But the mighty Brown Bears were not to be denied.
The boy used his full arsenal, including ...
- running and not stopping when everyone else did
- being faster to the ball and knowing how to turn the corner on the flubberesque amalgamation of purple and brown
- using baby steps to push the ball through the pack and down the field
A few assists later and at least one if not two goals (you'd think we'd be able to tell wouldn't you?) later - the Brown Bears emerged victorious ... we think.
The boy used his full arsenal, including ...
- running and not stopping when everyone else did
- being faster to the ball and knowing how to turn the corner on the flubberesque amalgamation of purple and brown
- using baby steps to push the ball through the pack and down the field
A few assists later and at least one if not two goals (you'd think we'd be able to tell wouldn't you?) later - the Brown Bears emerged victorious ... we think.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Is it in you?
Looking ready for her endorsement deal - both the girl and the boy started community soccer this week. No surprise - the girl is right into it and is having no problems keeping up (although a little more "chase" and a little less "skipping" wouldn't hurt). But the boy has shown a flash as well.
Check it out here ...
http://blip.tv/file/877652#share
We'll see if this is the start of something or more reminiscent of his old man's hockey career that pretty much amounted to "first goal/first shift - and we're done."
Check it out here ...
http://blip.tv/file/877652#share
We'll see if this is the start of something or more reminiscent of his old man's hockey career that pretty much amounted to "first goal/first shift - and we're done."
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
March 31st, 2008 a.k.a. "the first time the boy sent the girl to the hospital".
Generally, the girl is mature for her age and has an advanced ability to reason and determine appropriateness. Then there are the other times ... like Sunday when she thought it would be fun to play with a quarter in her mouth.
Notwithstanding legal precedent, I'm pretty sure that's the definition of "an open invitation" for the boy to get into the mix. The end result being the girl has 25 cents (about 25.8 cents US) making it's way through her digestive system.
Based on some shady recommendations, thrice removed, I took her to emergency last night, where they quickly settled on "satiating the parent" vs "healing the patient". On the plus side, it was only 2 hours out of our evening and I was treated to a gratuitous show of checking her breathing and feeling around for the coin. On the negative side, I have a few days to go before I determine what exotic diseases I picked up from the denzions of our city's Children's Emergency.
For her part, I'm fairly confident that the girl was one of the few visitors who actually wanted to hang around a bit longer just so she could finish the "Eye Spy" challenge on the exam room wall. Her sole criteria was not getting a needle - which I'm pretty sure, I could have asked for and she would have received as some form of medical encore.
All in all, I was about to depart with a fairly positive attitude until the "doctor" (he had a lab coat and a badge - so I'm guessing "doctor" or "lost 1-hour photo lab tech") dropped the comment - "These days, we don't worry about anything smaller than a loonie." Odd, I didn't realize inflation and the time-value of money came into play in the practice of medicine.
I think I'll wait until the coin passes and send it as a tip.
Generally, the girl is mature for her age and has an advanced ability to reason and determine appropriateness. Then there are the other times ... like Sunday when she thought it would be fun to play with a quarter in her mouth.
Notwithstanding legal precedent, I'm pretty sure that's the definition of "an open invitation" for the boy to get into the mix. The end result being the girl has 25 cents (about 25.8 cents US) making it's way through her digestive system.
Based on some shady recommendations, thrice removed, I took her to emergency last night, where they quickly settled on "satiating the parent" vs "healing the patient". On the plus side, it was only 2 hours out of our evening and I was treated to a gratuitous show of checking her breathing and feeling around for the coin. On the negative side, I have a few days to go before I determine what exotic diseases I picked up from the denzions of our city's Children's Emergency.
For her part, I'm fairly confident that the girl was one of the few visitors who actually wanted to hang around a bit longer just so she could finish the "Eye Spy" challenge on the exam room wall. Her sole criteria was not getting a needle - which I'm pretty sure, I could have asked for and she would have received as some form of medical encore.
All in all, I was about to depart with a fairly positive attitude until the "doctor" (he had a lab coat and a badge - so I'm guessing "doctor" or "lost 1-hour photo lab tech") dropped the comment - "These days, we don't worry about anything smaller than a loonie." Odd, I didn't realize inflation and the time-value of money came into play in the practice of medicine.
I think I'll wait until the coin passes and send it as a tip.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Your boy will likely be 6 ft. 5 in. at age 18.
According to
http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/child-height-predictor
Based on the formula we used* there is a 50 percent chance that your boy's full-grown height will be within 0.8 inches (above or below) of this prediction, and a 90 percent chance that it will be within 2.1 inches.
http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/child-height-predictor
Based on the formula we used* there is a 50 percent chance that your boy's full-grown height will be within 0.8 inches (above or below) of this prediction, and a 90 percent chance that it will be within 2.1 inches.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Ex-NBA star Sprewell sells yacht, home could be foreclosed
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3241444
According to this story, Latrell Sprewell has been missing mortgage payments, has his house being foreclosed and had to sell his yacht. All this after having turned down an offer of $21M a year, at a time when he was making approximately $14M a year.
I'm pretty confident in voicing what I believe is the obvious question - "Latrell Sprewell had a yacht?"
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3241444
According to this story, Latrell Sprewell has been missing mortgage payments, has his house being foreclosed and had to sell his yacht. All this after having turned down an offer of $21M a year, at a time when he was making approximately $14M a year.
I'm pretty confident in voicing what I believe is the obvious question - "Latrell Sprewell had a yacht?"
Thursday, February 07, 2008
It dawns on me - as I was being shuttled in from my auto shop this morning, where I can watch the scenery and bldg's go by, rather than spend my driving time attempting to divine which lane and direction the driver in front of me is threatening - that, had I a choice in my formative years, I would not have sought guidance from medical professionals who had set up their practice in a location called "Medical Arts".
I think I would have more confidence and therefore less stress in entering the "Medical Science" bldg, or "Medical Professionals", "Medical Experts" or if you insist on a leap of vague, how about "Medical Miracles".
Other less-inspiring office labels ...
- Medical Hunches
- Medical Journeys
- Medical Hut/Mart/Stop
- Fox Medical TV
- Medical Oddities
- and of course, Medical Schmedical
I think I would have more confidence and therefore less stress in entering the "Medical Science" bldg, or "Medical Professionals", "Medical Experts" or if you insist on a leap of vague, how about "Medical Miracles".
Other less-inspiring office labels ...
- Medical Hunches
- Medical Journeys
- Medical Hut/Mart/Stop
- Fox Medical TV
- Medical Oddities
- and of course, Medical Schmedical
Monday, February 04, 2008
Friday, February 01, 2008
An Open Letter to Adobe
Dear Adobe, I feel compelled to respond to your kind regrets at the inconvenience you have caused by having to unexpectedly close due to unspecified software complications. I sincerely hope you find yourself in a position to return in the near future as we have so much more in front of us, you and I.
Despite our travails, I persist - nay thrive - on the promise of a rewarding future. Perhaps buoyed by your constant pursuit of perfection through your many upgrades - admittedly much more subtle in result and substance, than convenience. Perhaps, more so in resignation at your market dominance and reluctance to part ways for the sake of the files we've shared.
Regardless, I will wait patiently for the fleeting moments, upon which you choose to grace us with your presence and partial stability.
Sincerely yours
Despite our travails, I persist - nay thrive - on the promise of a rewarding future. Perhaps buoyed by your constant pursuit of perfection through your many upgrades - admittedly much more subtle in result and substance, than convenience. Perhaps, more so in resignation at your market dominance and reluctance to part ways for the sake of the files we've shared.
Regardless, I will wait patiently for the fleeting moments, upon which you choose to grace us with your presence and partial stability.
Sincerely yours
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Like a fish
Like a 40 pound, not quite at home in the water, PFD-packing ... flounder ... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand, luvin' it.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Not all fun and games
The girl showed a bit of interest in a chess game I brought home a few weeks ago. That picked up while we were on vacation. Now, it's a toss-up whether she'll want to play Wii or "chest" at any given time.
I'll have to really learn how to play - she already beat grandpa!
I'll have to really learn how to play - she already beat grandpa!
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