Pizza In Motion

Moving Blog to WordPress

2010-02-06T11:53:00.002-05:00

After numerous attempts to contact Google about the problems with my blog, I'm giving up and moving to WordPress. Accordingly, please follow along at pizzainmotion.wordpress.com.

I will remove each of you from e-mail updates on Blogspot. I hope to see all 3 of my followers over at Wordpress, where we hope to have less spam.

Dulles (IAD) AeroTrain Pics-Now Open!

2010-02-01T07:13:00.004-05:00

I can't imagine anyone actually still reads my blog, due to all the SPAM. I can't tell you I have a good solution, other than daily e-mails to Google and changing my password to something the Pentagon can't break. And yet, more SPAM this morning.

I was supposed to travel last Monday, when the train opened up for the first time. Unfortunately, my daughter got sick, so I had to cancel my trip.

This morning, I cleared through security and headed down the escalator to give the AeroTrain a try. There are two separate trains at the main terminal. One heads to concourse B, the other to A and C. When I arrived, there was a train waiting to go to B, where I was heading. Officials weren't letting anyone board it, so after about 5 minutes, I just hopped on the train to A, figuring I would just walk the length of B.

The train was a quick 60 second ride to A. Upon departing, we were directed up an escalator. In front of me were two signs. One directed me to an elevator for concourse B, along with C, D etc. The other directed me to the left to concourse A.

Don't be overly confused. The elevator to B is actually an elevator right back downstairs to the platform to get back on the train.

Two escalators later I arrived in concourse A. Kind of. For those that know IAD well, I was standing at the end of the B concourse, by the escalators that head up to the walkway to A. There was another sign directing me to an escalator DOWN to go to the B concourse. All of the B gates in front of me had been changed to A gates, up to the point the underground walkway bisects what was the old B terminal.

There was someone there assisting people, and I obviously looked confused, since I knew I was in B, even though this portion wasn't B anymore.

This official assured me I could just get back on the escalator downstairs, and head to B. When I said, "Couldn't I just walk 300 feet that way?", pointing in the direction of the B concourse, he said, "I guess so."

Brilliance abounds. I'm not sure which genius decided me needed to rename half of the B concourse to the A concourse, but I'm sure there's historical significance.

Anyway, enjoy the pics.

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Stupid Politician Tricks

2010-01-18T12:41:00.002-05:00

This is not a knock on the Democratic party, since the last time a politician said something this stupid was Republican George Allen calling a rival's intern macaca on video.

Martha Coakley is locked in a ferocious battle for Ted Kennedy's seat in Massachusetts. In a radio interview on Friday, she decided it would be a good idea to call Curt Schilling "another Yankees fan".

Yes, that Curt Schilling. While there are a lot of things I might call Curt Schilling, a Yankees fan probably wouldn't make the list. She tried to cover it up in the interview, but only made it worse when she stated the obvious, that Curt Schilling no longer plays for the Red Sox.

She probably missed the part where he may be one of the most beloved sports figures in Massachusetts history.

Oh, well. She didn't need the male vote to win, anyway, right?

Special Interests Alive and Well

2010-01-18T08:06:00.002-05:00

While I'm sure members of the Democratic party have really good reasons, I hope my friends who vote the left side of the ticket will agree that one of the latest changes to health insurance legislation really just isn't right.

This article in the WSJ details that, in exchange for AFL-CIO support, the Democrats have included a 5-year exception on taxing high value insurance plans.

Doesn't sound so bad, right? Well, it is if you don't belong to a union. Because, as a normal, hard working adult, I don't qualify for the discount. Only union members will receive the benefit of this exception.

I keep hearing that this is balanced legislation. I haven't spent a ton of time reading it, but the excerpts I've seen seem fair. But, this exception is crap.

Really. A union employee works harder than me, and deserves this more than me? Or, they just happened to give more money to the right politician holding his hand out.

Apologies for SPAM

2010-01-16T15:01:00.001-05:00

I've reported the SPAM to Google again. I'm hoping this gets fixed soon.

Thanks to Gleff for Another Easy Miles Opportunity

2009-12-28T10:28:00.003-05:00

Gleff picks up another easy mileage win.

Just sign up for a Frontier account, and you'll received 1500 free miles. As Gary points out, they can be spent in a number of interesting ways. And, they're free!

Pettitte Returning To Yankees

2009-12-07T08:07:00.001-05:00

Multiple sources are reporting that Andy Pettitte is returning to the Yankees for the 2010 season!

Bellagio-Something I've Never Heard Of

2009-12-05T19:11:00.002-05:00

So, a friend of mine, Russell Rosenblum, is playing in a rebuy poker tournament in the Five Diamond Poker Classic at Bellagio right now.

He called me to relay a story I've honestly never witnessed. I'm sure it's happened before, but it's a bit shocking.

There were 3 people in a hand, with the board showing 2c 6c Qd 8c (for those that don't play poker, that's the deuce of clubs, the 6 of clubs, the Queen of diamonds and the eight of clubs).

On the turn (after the 8 of clubs was dealt), one player started to turn his hand over. Everyone at the table tried to stop him, but he turned his cards over in the middle of the hand anyway.

Why, you might ask? Well, he had the 6 of clubs in his hand. Make that "a" six of clubs, since this deck apparently had two of them. The guy said he knew he had turned a flush, but wanted to double-check his cards to be sure. When he went back to look, he discovered the problem.

The deck was pulled from circulation, and was shown to contain 53 cards. Although Russell's not 100% sure his table started on time, the deck was in play at least through one break, which meant it was ordered and shuffled at least once. Possibly twice, if the table started on time.

I'm sure this has happened before, but I don't remember hearing about it. How do multiple dealers miss something like that?

Yet Another Reason to Never Fly United

2009-11-26T23:02:00.001-05:00

I have a general rule that I avoid UAL unless they're less money or a significantly better itinerary. I've also flown a different airline for more money when traveling on business and reimbursed our company the difference. Why? Because they're absolutely horrible.

From my friend Gary Leff's blog, yet another illustration of how much they suck.

Canyon of Heroes, Part 2

2009-11-15T18:21:00.006-05:00

Two more videos from the Championship parade. First one is of Andy Pettitte:

Andy pitched the clinching game of all 3 series in this year's playoffs. He has more postseason wins than any other pitcher in history. He's in the twilight of his career, and he'll be sorely missed when he goes. Here's hoping for one more year.

Second video is of the greatest closer in baseball history, Mariano Rivera. Let's hope he was serious when he said he wanted to pitch for another 5 years!

Yankees are Champions! Canyon of Heroes Part 1

2009-11-06T21:32:00.004-05:00

So, I made it up for the parade. While it was a bit cold, it was one hell of an experience. I spent a little over five hours there, and got some good pictures, along with lots of bad ones. With the tremendous crowds, it was tough to get good pictures, but I did manage a few. My apologies for the quality. Here's just a few for starters. More to follow:

The stage at city hall:

The championship trophy. Although hard to see, Joe Girardi is to the right of the trophy in a beige suede jacket with his family.

Confetti in the canyon of heroes:

Yes, you need to look closely, but that's Joba Chamberlain's head poking up at the back of the float.

The Canyon of Heroes

2009-11-05T20:49:00.004-05:00

The Yankees celebrated their 27th World Series last night. While it's only been 9 years, it seems like an eternity since we were able to stand as champions.

This marked the first year where I had the means (translated: cash) to attend a World Series game. But a combination of travel for work and the desire to actually see what my wife and daughter looked like, I wasn't able to get to a game.

I quickly ruled out going to the championship parade this morning in favor of spending time with family, which is by all measures the right decision.

But my wife encouraged me to go. My wheels started turning, and I ended up changing my mind. So, tomorrow morning, I'll wake up at 3am, and board a train to NYC at 5am.

My father brought me to my first sporting event ever when I was a young boy. Obviously, it was a Yankees game. We sat in the second deck, under the overhang. It rained the entire game. The Yankees lost 14-2 to the Kansas City Royals (back when the Royals still played professional baseball). This little boy couldn't have been happier.

We went to the concession stand to get a souvenir. My father pointed to a pencil with the Yankees logo on it. I pointed at the baseball with signatures of all the current players. We weren't a wealthy family, and obviously couldn't afford the baseball. But I kept pointing at it. And my father kept telling me how great the pencil was. I didn't believe him, but that's where we ended up. My father motioned the clerk over, "See that pencil there?" he said.

"Well, we want the baseball next to it." Boy, you've never seen a kid's eyes light up like mine did. Roughly 30 years later, I can remember that day vividly. I only hope I can share a moment like that with Catherine (my 3 1/2 year old daughter) someday soon, who told my wife last night before the game, "Mommy, you need to tell Daddy the Yankees are playing tonight. They're going to win everything!"

I started rooting for the Yankees in earnest right around the time they started getting good again. It was painful to watch them lose to Seattle in '95. But then, a core group of young players meshed with a group of veterans, and the Yankees were back in control.

I grew to love baseball in the days of Jeter, Rivera, Pettitte, Posada and Williams. While Bernie's gone, the rest are still there. I'll always love the Yankees. But the chances that *this* group wins again are slim. They're all in the 8th or 9th inning of their careers.

I suspect tomorrow will be a very special day in the Canyon of Heroes. Millions of fans have cheered hundreds of Yankees there. I'll proudly add my name to that list, and possibly even say goodbye to some of the greatest to play the game. Because some day they'll be gone. And while I'll always love the Yankees, I doubt any group will feel more like my Yankees than these.

The only thing that would make the day more special would be to have my wife, who's grown into an unabashed Yankees fan, along with me to share the day. I love you, Michelle. Thanks for always making my life special.

As an aside, I spoke with my cousin's husband (cousin-in-law???) this evening to see if he wanted to join me. I was shocked to hear that his friend, best man at his wedding, is in a coma after a heart attack at the age of 27. So, Ron won't be joining me tomorrow. Here's hoping he has better things to celebrate by the time the day ends.

IAD: Washington Dulles Airport Updates (or, What a Mess at IAD)

2009-10-30T08:20:00.002-04:00

Seems like every time IAD tries to make the airport better these days, something goes wrong.

First, it appears the new AeroTrain system is delayed again.

Second, they finally opened the new downstairs security screening area. I've been anticipating this for some time. They had years to plan the layout to make sure they got everything right.

They didn't.

For starters, if you walk into security from the downstairs level, you need to walk all the way to the other end of security to get to the first class/expert security line. Then, you have to walk 3/4 of the way back to where you started to get to a TSA agent to check your records.

There's only one TSA agent set up on the first class line, so both times I've gone through, it's been quicker to go through the regular line.

After getting through security, there are no designated lanes for expert vs. family travelers yet.

So, all in all, maybe a C- as a grade for the new security screening area? The only reason I'm not giving it an F is that I don't have to go upstairs.

Here's hoping they get this figured out at some point.

Movie: Up In The Air

2009-10-24T09:52:00.002-04:00

George Clooney stars in a new movie called Up In The Air. The movie prominently features my airline of choice, American Airlines. It also touches on the lunacy of the quest for more frequent flier miles. My good friend Gary has posted two clips of the upcoming movie on his website. They are a must-see. My wife liked the end of the second one the most. Needless to say, she has no problems *using* the miles I accrue.

Clip #1

Clip #2

element pictures

2009-10-24T08:52:00.002-04:00

element is a new brand from Starwood Hotels. I stay at Starwood properties almost exclusively when I travel. On a recent trip to Denver, I was able to stay at an element for the first time.

If you'd like to read my review, you can find it here on FlyerTalk.

Here are a bunch of pics from my stay.

Yankees Dominate Angels

2009-10-20T23:28:00.003-04:00

I've been running behind on my blog posts, missing one for the trip we took to the new Yankees stadium to see them bash the Red Sox back in September. But, after tonight's game, I couldn't resist throwing a quick post together.

CC Sabathia came back on short rest in a very important game for the Yankees. In LA, they were up 2-1 in the series. Bringing back a pitcher on short rest in the playoffs is a recipe for disaster. Historically, it never works. Enter CC. What did he do?

He just pitched 8 innings of 1 run ball. 8 innings. 5 hits. 5 strikeouts.

Oh, and the Yankees dominated the Angels for 13 hits and 10 runs.

We need 5 more wins to accomplish our goal.

Oh, and for all the people questioning Joe Girardi's decision making last night, where were you when he made all the right decisions against the Twins? And made a great decision to save Game 2 against the Angels.

The Love (and Loss) of a Pet

2009-10-20T08:22:00.005-04:00

My best friend had to put down one of his twin cats this morning after a 2 year battle with end-stage kidney failure. It was a painful set of circumstances, one that made me want to give our dog, Serena, a big hug last night and this morning.

While I had pets as a child, I had spent most of my adult life without one. Then, 7 years ago (might have that wrong, I'm sure my wife will correct me), I got my wife a dog for her birthday. I've never been a dog person, but my wife picked the perfect one, and I truly love our dog as a member of our family. I suspect I will be the one that cries the hardest when she passes away. There are days where it's hard to take care of Serena. She's a very moody dog, one that needs a LOT of attention. But it's all worth it, especially when she's showering our daughter with kisses and Catherine is giggling uncontrollably. Here's a pic from a number of years ago, her first big snow.

And one more, for good measure:

I'm proud of my best friend for rescuing two cats two years ago. He wanted to rescue two kittens and raise them. Instead, the rescue agency he got the cats from misrepresented their age. They were roughly 11 years old, and one was very sickly. He had a choice. Refuse to keep the cats, since they hadn't disclosed the age and medical conditions. He chose the other road. He gave them a loving home, one where they felt comfortable and loved by him. Myra, who he said goodbye to yesterday, leaves behind her quieter sister Zara, along with a host of memories, I'm sure.

So, for the 5 people who read my blog on a regular basis, I hope you'll consider rescuing a pet if you're so inclined. Rescuing a pet as opposed to buying one from a breeder can be harder. But it's also one of the more fulfilling achievements of my life thus far.

SPAM Post

2009-10-16T21:44:00.001-04:00

Not sure what happened, but for those that follow my blog, some spam got posted to it late last night. I've sent an e-mail to Blogger about it to figure out what happened. Sorry for the unitended (and unexplained) SPAM.

Quick Free Miles. ACT QUICKLY!

2009-10-05T19:58:00.000-04:00

Bose is giving away free miles again!

How, you ask?

Well, if you want to watch a 2-minute video found at the link above, they'll give you 150 AA miles.

If you have a BOSE store nearby and go see the demo, they'll give you 350 miles.

If you buy headphones, 1500 additional miles.

The first two are free slam dunks. So, don't miss out on 500 miles.

In Fond Memory of Roy Geddes

2009-09-23T21:37:00.004-04:00

My mother's side of the family is from Nova Scotia, just outside of Halifax. As kids, my sister and I spent many a summer (and a few winters) there with our extended family. We had 5 aunts(Emily, Gloria, Fran, Rose, Laverne) and two uncles (Bill and Eddy) who all lived in close proximity.

Our Aunt Fran was married to Roy Geddes, who we learned passed away today. Roy had been having heart problems for some time, but was still spry enough to pop out to Peggy's Cove with us the last time we visited.

When my sister called tonight, we shared some memories of Roy. It's amazing how indelible some of those childhood images are. Roy would take us out onto the lake that crept up to the back of their house. In the beginning, it was in the canoe. But as we got older, I can remember vividly a yellow paddle boat. Roy had to be in his 60s then, but he always had enough energy to head out on the lake. For me, we'd paddle out to the island in the middle of the lake to explore. This involved Roy helping me explore all the caves and lost civilizations a young boy could form in his imagination. For my sister, it was collecting worms to head out and fish. It's so easy to forget about family in the haste of everyday life. And as sad as I was to hear the reason for my sister's call, sharing those memories was a welcome moment.

I can remember a day when we were caught in the middle of the lake in the driving rain, because I had begged Roy to paddle just a little farther. He always wore plaid shirts and round eye glasses. With water spots covering his glasses, he looked at me and smiled as we made our way back to shore. I'm positive I got in trouble when I got back, but Roy just sat there smiling. I may be making up my own memories, but I remember something along the lines of, "Oh, cmon, Dianne (my mother). The boy was having fun."

For me, Roy was always about finding an adventure. I know he had other qualities for his wife and children he leaves behind. But for me, I'll always remember Roy taking the time to let me explore.

These memories make me feel like it was yesterday. After not visiting my family for 10 years, I showed up a few years ago, wife and daughter in tow. It was like I never left. Roy is a great example of the family there that loved us and help raise us.

He will be sorely missed. But I suspect that somewhere up in the clouds, he's blazing a trail through the woods. And that thought makes me smile.

A Brief Moment

2009-09-23T19:31:00.003-04:00

I hope all 3 of you reading will indulge me for a brief moment. Those of you that we call family already know most of this story.

We lived in a nice neighborhood the last 5 years or so. Or, so we thought. Ever have sand in your bathing suit after you get out of the ocean? Well, there were days in our neighborhood where we felt like that. Other days, it felt like bricks were strapped to our back, like the 4th of July night a kid in our neighborhood decided to throw an M-80 at our 3-year old daughter in our driveway (and missed, thank God).

We moved to a new house two months ago. Today, we finally finished a fence on a significant portion of the acreage (about 2 acres) for our dog and daughter to run around on. Couple that with me picking splinters out of my knees from refinishing the deck, and it's been a full week.

Well, my wife and daughter took our dog out tonight for her first big free run. I came out for a few minutes, but a daunting pile of work pulled me back inside. While I was inside, our dog ran the entire length of the fence, marked her turf a bit, then rolled around on the ground. My daughter thought that was so funny, she joined her rolling around.

How did I know this if I was inside? My wife came inside to thank me for our beautiful new home. In her words, "I just stood in the middle of the yard, looked around, and was so thankful." We shared a warm hug, and she shared the funny and heartwarming moments I missed.

Houses have always been sticks and paint to me. An investment. That probably goes back to being forced out of my childhood home when my parents got separated and my mother got separated from reality.

But I really thought that this house could be different, especially if my wife and daughter felt like it was a home.

Money can't buy everything, and it won't buy us a "home". Money bought us a nice house, but my wife's tireless efforts with my daughter while holding down two jobs are what make this our home.

So, that's it. That's my brief moment, and I appreciate you listening.

St. Regis Washington DC

2009-09-13T22:21:00.002-04:00

My wife and I enjoyed a night at The St. Regis in DC last night, thanks to the free weekends promotion Starwood ran this summer.

Due to the promo and a bunch of travel, I ended up using my free rooms at:

Sheraton Commander (Boston), 2 rooms
Sheraton Hershey, 3 rooms, 2 nights
St. Regis DC
Le Parker Meridien (New York), 2 rooms

We dropped Catherine off for a sleepover at her grandparents house, and headed downtown. Probably one of the only people to valet park a minivan at the St. Regis.

The front desk informed me they had upgraded us to a Grand Luxe room. The room was nicely appointed, with a separate seating area with a couch and coffee table, along with a king-sized bed, a sizable bathroom, and a view of an alley.

We dropped our stuff and headed to Fogo de Chao, one of our favorite restaurants. We had called and couldn't get a reservation, so we asked the concierge at the St. Regis. Surely, they could get us a table. Uh, no.

We had a backup choice, but I figured I would see if the $20 bill trick would work. So, we walked into Fogo, which was hopping busy. At least 15 or 20 people waiting for tables. My wife sat in the corner, as she said, "Embarrassed that we were trying to get in when it was obvious they were packed."

I said, "It looks like you're slammed, but I was hoping you could squeeze in 2 people." The hostess said, "Stand over there. We'll take care of you."

We were on our way back, my wife shaking her head. We enjoyed a half bottle of Taittinger champagne, and a bottle of Malbec (Luca). Satisfied, and a bit tipsy, we headed back to the hotel for a comfortable night's sleep.

We didn't get a chance to take pictures of the room before we went to bed, but we did snap some shots of the bathroom. Note the TV in the mirror. Nice feature!

Derek Jeter: Greatest Yankee Ever?

2009-09-11T22:00:00.002-04:00

Derek Jeter broke Lou Gehrig's record for most hits by a Yankee tonight. Lou Gehrig had 2,721 hits as a Yankee. Jeter now sits at 2,722.

So, it seemed like a good time to analyze where Jeter sits in Yankee history, even though he's not done writing his story. First, let's look at the top 5 Yankee hitters of all time:

1. Derek Jeter
2. Lou Gehrig
3. Babe Ruth
4. Mickey Mantle
5. Bernie Williams

Wow. That's one heck of a list. Is Derek Jeter really a better player than the guys on this list? Well, he played with Bernie Williams. Gehrig, Ruth and Mantle all won more World Series' rings.

Jeter has the second most all-star selections (10). Not sure which number is more incredible. 16 all-star selections for Mickey Mantle, or only 2 for Babe Ruth.

Jeter's in his 15th season, at the age of 35. Mantle was 37 when he retired, Babe Ruth was 40, Gehrig was 36.

We know Jeter still has some years left in those legs. He might not be the best Yankee ever today. I never had the pleasure of watching Gehrig, Mantle, or Ruth. As a Yankee fan, I feel pretty lucky to have seen Jeter's entire career thus far. I hope to be having the argument for a number of years while he continues to rack up stats as a Yankee.

And, just maybe, a couple more rings.

Double AA Miles and New Elite Rewards

2009-09-06T18:16:00.003-04:00

For those who read my blog that ALSO fly, here's a great offer from AA to finish out the year.

Essentially, AA is giving out double elite qualifying miles through the end of the year to help people attain higher status.

On top of that, for people who already have status with AA (Gold, PLT, or EXP), if you achieve certain milestones, AA will give you extra rewards, such as free systemwide upgrades, 25,000 free miles, free Admirals Club membership.

This is obviously because AA, along with all the other airlines are hurting, and their trying to keep loyal customers from switching elsewhere. Now's a great time to jump on a plane and earn status.

Tons of Priority Club Points

2009-09-02T10:01:00.002-04:00

Kudos to my flying buddy gleff for notification on this lucrative Priority Club promo.

He covered this recently on his blog.

For those that don't know, Priority Club is the loyalty program for Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Intercontinental, etc. They have a lot of domestic properties, as well as some decent properties overseas. They also make it easy to transfer points to major airlines.

Essentially, you register for the promo, then buy things from their partners. By hitting certain thresholds, you get bonus points for buying things you were planning on buying already.

Stay tuned for a post on my favorite online shopping merchant. The AA website has more merchants than any other out there. Great source for churning miles.