The Mertiverse

Birthday Beginnings

2011-12-23T14:50:00.004-06:00

I just had a birthday one week ago. In the weeks leading up to it, I found myself in a bit of a quandary. Quite frankly, I wasn't quite as happy with how I was looking. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm quite the handsome devil, but from a strictly physical standpoint, I could stand to shed a bit of blubbery goodness.

It wasn't anything that snuck up on me; it was there all along. And while I have begun making changes to address my earlier mentioned quandary, I found myself today deep in thought and really going through the priorities in my life.

Maybe it was an epiphany. Maybe it was the endorphin saying "Move faster fatty!". Maybe it was something more significant considering the proximity to Dec. 25. Whatever. Message received.

I thought about the material things in my life, because I've got my share. I thought about the friends that I have, that I have had, that have come and go in my rather short life. I've had challenges and cake-walks in various avenues of my life. But for all of that, it's help me become the person I am today (fat jokes all aside here folk...).

I hope that wherever you read this, whatever stage in your life you may be in, and whatever higher power you may speak to (or not), take in a moment and, without it being a cliche, realize that it very well could be worse.

Thanks for visiting. Maybe like my buddy, I can regain my blogging chops and post more regularly. But then again, priorities first.

As you go forth, I simply leave you with a very humble yet moving quote:

Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that. ~Norman Vincent Peale

Shazam!

Guilty Pleasure: Jumper

2011-02-07T19:28:00.004-06:00

Yes, I admit it. I really like watching Doug Liman's Jumper, the 2008 critically panned sci-fi movie featuring Diane Lane, Hayden Christensen , and the ubiquitous Samuel L. Jackson.

Honestly? The movie pretty much sucked. Let's get that out right away. Special effects aside, the storyline really needed a lot of work. Oh wait...did you know it was based on a book?

A book so bad-ass, it basically should have been the storyline. The writers of Hollywood, in their status of knowing it all, decided that Steven Gould's novel needed spicing up and to be a convoluted confusing mass of "Why the heck did that happen?".

So why do I watch movie? Because I often find myself in a realm of Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda. The books, if you haven't read them ,really develop that thing called character. Yeah, I know; it's just not a pretty thing on screen. It's not like it's never been done before [cough Forrest Gump cough ] or has ever been successful [cough Bourne Identity cough], but what do I know?

The best part of the books? The sequel was equally good. Yeah, it was. What the movie lacked, the book easily addressed. The action of "jumping" was overplayed, in the thought that audiences would be swayed by magically disappearing and reappearing. Ask yourself this: Why are the Harry Potter and Twilight series so successful? The development of the characters. The movies themselves were easily written; they followed the original blueprint!

On second thought, don't watch the movie. It will basically piss you off and you'll rant to me about losing ninety minutes of your life. Spend a few hours and read Steven Gould's little gems about a young man against the world and how he/it is changed through the course of events.

If you watch the movie, you will feel guilty. I can't attest to any pleasure though.

Shazam!

The prodigal son returns...

2011-01-09T21:22:00.002-06:00

I remember starting this blog quite a few years ago, in an effort to simply chronicle my exploits and adventures with golf. In that time, I've been fortunate to play many courses, great and otherwise, and meet many people who epitomized (and exploited) the gentlemen of golf, and vastly improved my game through hours of practice.

For all of this, I lost sight of a few things, namely the amount of time that I could have been with my family. While my coaching duties required my attention, it was the additional time that I put in beyond that required that took me away from my family. Beyond weak justifications, I finally realized that I was missing a huge part of my family due to my own actions. It was time for me to take a step away.

In the nearing two years since that time, I've played golf a total of four times, namely in charity tournaments with some buddies, but I didn't miss the game. I guess all the hours that I had put in (and away from my family) had been more than enough to satisfy the longing that I may have had.

I got an email the other day from our local golf course (the ownership is changing, and this website may quickly become outdated). Basically, there have been some positive changes made at the local golf course (new management and all) and in short, the rest of my family are interested in taking advantage of this and obtaining a membership. I guess it's funny how things go full circle. My son has a renewed interest in it, and is actually listening and following instruction. The wife is ready to take up the sport as well. All of this without my persuasion, I might add.

I'm excited about this next chapter in our lives. As I told my wife the other day as we discussed this possibility, I was always a bit jealous of the neighborhood men whose wifes would join them to play a round or two here and there. Maybe deep down, it was something I had wished for, and wow...here we are.

Pictured above, the split fairway Par-5 #11.

Shazam!

Short and Sweet...

2010-12-31T17:15:00.003-06:00

I just finished reading my buddy's latest and final entry for 2010, and it was the impetus I needed to go ahead and get a few words down on this last Friday of the decade.

Today's words? Short and Sweet. Down and Dirty. Hard and Fast. Okay, that may be a bit much, but you get the gist.

Santa Run 2010 - I must be getting old, as the trip was as good as usual, but I got hit with some road-lag or something, because after 400 miles, I was simply tuckered out and not myself. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, but was sad that my son, looking to make a sort of initiation, couldn't make the trip due to illness. Aside from that, visiting with my siblings and their respective spouses was a great joy. The lunch and conversation with my grandmother and a dear friend of mine really goes to show. Not a bust, but way too many problems this year.
Fantasy Football - As I have in years past, I partake in a college pick 'em league. Really simple: pick the winners each week, drop your lowest week, and largest total wins. Came in second last year (Shawn's picks just outdid me in the final three weeks), but this year I came out on top. It was a frisky few final weeks, but two points is two points. Shawn? He came in second. It was a fun league and I look forward to next year's competition.
Kindle - I don't want to spoil the full entry that'll probably come in a few days, but basically, this singular device has enabled me to read more than I have in the last few years. Don't get me wrong, I've read my share, but this device is, quite frankly, so easy and handy to have around, reading is simply that much easier. But more later...
Playstation Move - Santa was pretty nice this year, and I splurged on the Move. So easily put, it's the Wii that's been jacked up on Steroids and enabled with sniper vision. It works so easily and eliminates all the annoyances that the Wii had (I still have and enjoy the Wii, just differently). The 1:1 ratio of movement tracking really can create some tired arms, but it's a lot of fun. Watching my son take care of his little animal on EyePet is quite hilarious. More after further testing...

That's it for now. Yeah, I know...nothing really substantial. That's okay. In fact, this holiday, I've spent more time really trying to focus on the little things. Paying attention to my kids and what makes them smile and laugh. I guess it's those little things.

As this year closes, wherever you are and whom ever you share the entering year, make it a step forward in the right direction.

Cheers!

Shazam!

Lost in Corn: GPS Optional

2010-12-02T20:47:00.003-06:00

I so could have done the whole "It's a-maize-ing!" route, but damn I'm tired of that cliche.

In November, I made my third sojourn to Hondo, Texas. A small blip of a town, with the local high school mascot of Owls, and the notoriety of having a corn maze and some mighty fine kettle corn.

The South Texas Maize is easily one of the best family attractions one can find in the greater San Antonio area. Due to it's growing nature, they are only open September 25 to November 28 (at least that was the case this year).

The short of it? It's a big ass maze made in a corn field (though there isn't any actual corn growing in said field...). There are other attractions as well, including hay-rides, tractor trains for little ones, foods of the fried and barbecued type, play areas, and damn good freshly made kettle corn.

When you park, it is in the middle of a roped-off pasture. You walk over to a red building, pay admission, and get your wristband. As it is entirely open air, you are immediately hit with the smells of a clean pasture and comfort foods galore. Hamburgers, brisket, and turkey legs whet your appetite, deep fried steak fries tempt your greasy inhibitions, and chili to be laden upon your choice of foods all beckon your hunger. Beverages are your typical sodas and such (no beer, as this is strictly a family oriented joint), but the pièce de résistance is the kettle corn. Freshly made in a large iron kettle with propane tanks spewing hot flames, your typical wait is about fifteen minutes. They write your name on bags that are longer than your arms (for a large...only $7) and proclaim your name when your order is ready. The process of making the corn itself is one worth sitting back and taking in. The art behind it rewards your palate when the kernels hit your tongue.

But the main attraction: the maze. I've only done the maze at night, so I can't speak about how it is during the day. Pitch black, you provide the light. My first year, I had only a small cell phone with a 1.5" square screen. Needless to say, I found the nearest couple to follow and stayed with them. This year, six flashlights, two lanterns,a bag of popcorn in hand, and a posse in tow, I bring a copy of the current image/design/maze and map out my turns (past maps are posted here). Call it cheating; I hate being lost. The rest of the crew enjoy going through the maze without any problems. There are checkpoint throughout the entire maze. At those checkpoints, you can use the clues provided at the entrance (they have clues for various categories including movies, Biblical stories, and music, among others) to decided which way to go. It's about as exact as saying "three handfuls of sugar", but you can make it through. Another parent suggest on a whim to keep your hand on the left side at all times. Strangely enough, a la the fabled labyrinth, it would work. Of course, it would take you over ninety minutes to do so. I got out in less than fifteen. In the end, the maze isn't necessarily my cup of tea, but being with family and friends who enjoy it is easily a worthwhile expedition.

Anyone in the near area, take a moment one year and visit the place. You'll find yourself pleasantly surprised with the whole bit. And did I say they have some really good kettle corn?

Shazam!

Black Friday, Part Deux

2010-11-30T23:01:00.003-06:00

It was a few years ago, when I wrote about Black Friday and a death that occurred at a WalMart.

That being said, I decided, on a complete and utter lark, to make a visit to my local Wally World in an effort to simply procure a few unnecessary items and save a few bucks doing so. My rationale? The prices were super cheap, and it's the Flo; how many people are going to be there?

As Florida Evans said, Damn damn damn! I have failed to ever be so completely wrong before (and I've been wrong a few times). The entire WM parking lot was filled, and the adjoining stores' lots were filled as well. I parked at a nearby bank and walked the entire length of the lot to the doors.

I was expecting to have to wait out side, and lo my surprise when I was allowed in. "I guess we can't be grabbing things, can we?" I asked the door greeter. With a smiles, she replied with a succinct "No." Fine.

I made my way to where I thought the items would be and Damn damn damn! There was so many people there. Imagine going to a home opening football game and being jammed packed with folks intent on their purpose. That's pretty much the climate. As you can see in the video, there's not much room to mess around (the pallets hold all the sale items, and people gathered around them).

For as many people as was there (even if it seems loud in the clip), I was surprised by how eerily quiet it was. People didn't spend that much time talking to one another, almost a subtle plotting going about as to how to procure the most items. I talked to others around me, recognizing a great many people and students, saying hi to them, and offering a gentle ribbing about shopping so late.

At about five minutes to midnight, the PA announced that shoppers could "begin shopping". Amidst whoops, there was a mass scurrying, and I remember oh so clearly the sound of a DVD case hitting the bottom of a cart, but multiplied by a thousand, combined with the equally multiplied sound of hands rubbing and sliding upon cardboard boxes. It was nearly instantaneous and I nearly missed my items trying to take this in.

There were no injuries, but I did hear an interesting story later on that detailed how a woman was so firmly "asked" to replace her prematurely grabbed items before she was "escorted out of the building". I thought that was actually the right thing, but more later.

I made my way through a back aisle to grab either a DVD package or a video game, if one was available. This area was the most jammed pack area of them all. DVD's starting at $1.97 and up, it was madness. I found one of the items I wanted and quickly grabbed one. In stark contrast, I witnessed a woman who grabbed fistfulls (probably six or so cases) of DVDs, took the one she wanted, and dumped the rest on top of the pallets. Nice move, ass.

In trying to depart and pay for my items, I quickly became stuck at a major junction. It literally took me fifteen minutes to simply move out of a traffic jam between a pallet of DVDs and three shopping carts. I paid and quickly departed.

Tubing in a river, watching a sunset, volunteering for charity, and doing a Black Friday opening. What do these have in common? It's something you should do at least once in your life. Me personally, I enjoyed tubing and volunteering immensely. Sunsets I get everyday (my backdoor faces the west, suckas!). WalMart Black Friday? Unless I absolutely know for a 100% fact 1) I will be spending minimun of hundreds of dollars, and 2) that I cannot get that item any cheaper anywhere else, and finally 3) I gotta have it PDQ, then I would do it again. Otherwise, I'll forgo it.

Elements that could affect your experience would, I think, come down to your companions. If you have the right shopping buddies, it would work. It could be a fun, almost clubbing kind of deal. Aside from that, it's still a chore. A thrill ride, quietly and shifty-like-a-criminal sneaking about to get your items.

As with other things you gotta do, I now proclaim "Been there, done that."

Shazam!

Implants: Something to Chew On

2010-11-30T22:32:00.003-06:00

The story goes back nearly two decades.

In a fluke football accident, I had my tooth karate-chopped off. No jagged edges. It was simply sheared off by the likes of Kevin Little (who, funny as Fated deemed, is with a very nice lady who works in dentistry, but I digress...). I was promptly taken to the dentist that day and eventually had a crown installed.

I never truly appreciated the costs and simple benefits by having this tooth fixed. Being a prominent tooth, it's easily a big deal, more so as I make my living speaking and interacting i front of hundreds of kids everyday.

Fast forward to this summer, and my brother had a beautiful wedding. The morning after, whilst eating pancakes with the fam, I open my mouth to insert a forkful of syrup-dripping IHOP goodness when I hear a plunk upon my plate. My oldest son is immediately grossed out, followed ever so quickly by my wife. My dad felt a sense of deja vu as basically the same thing happened to him when I was a wee lad. I remember it quite vividly as we were eating fried chicken that day. Oh, sorry...

A dentist's visit was promptly scheduled and the short of the conversation can be boiled down to this:

"David, I can fix this. Now, it's not a matter of if it breaks, because it will. It's a matter of when it breaks, because it will. It may be two months, or two years; it will fail again. When it does, I won't have many options, and you will eventually be faced with an expensive fix either way."

I don't know about you, but money's tight. Period. As such, I was able to arrange finances and go with the implant. As flippant as this reads, it wasn't an easy decision. After consulting with the wife, we agreed with Doc and this would be the best long-term solution (and also the most satisfactory in regards to look/comfort/performance).

In all honesty, the extraction was a cinch. Anesthesia is a wonderful thing, and I needed only a local. The shot on the roof of the mouth was a tight pinch, but nothing I couldn't handle. The old tooth's root was pulled out.

Drill time.

Imagine if you will, someone taking a steel pencil-thick drill, and drilling into your skull. That's pretty much what the did. With the tooth out, it was simply get in and get after it. With finesse, of course.

The funniest part? As they are literally screwing in the titanium screw, there is a miniature ratchet to firmly screw in the implant without over-torquing it. Doc was more than considerate in answering all my questions (and letting me hold the tools).

Three weeks later, I'm currently rocking a prosthesis, a denture if you will. It's simply a retainer like device with a chip of a tooth up front. Hard to tell, unless you know what you're looking for. It's not the most comfortable, but it will work. Doc is more than sympathetic, but I told him, "I'd rather put up with three months of this, and have thirty years of a fine lookin' tooth, instead of [other stuff that really doesn't work well]".

What's bad? My son reminds me in the morning to put my tooth in, as any public appearance without it is "embarrassing, Dad!"

I get it...

I'll follow up when another follow-up is done late January.

Shazam!

Aaaaaaannnnnd...I'm back.

2010-11-28T21:24:00.003-06:00

A six week sabbatical was all I needed, although I didn't think I needed it, I did.

Family time, work, and some guitar playing was interrupted by some dental work, some serious reading, and a little bit o' turkey and dressing.

Our local football team did't finish quite as well as we'd have hoped for. We've had a few cold spells come through which is nice, and...

Damn if this don't sound like talking to your Granny right? Well, let's get started quick and dirty:

Dental Work - This stuff is stupid expensive, but I will pay it, lest I look like a snaggle tooth hillbilly deluxe (no offense to any hillbilly readers out there).
iTunes - They got the Beatles finally, but there are still some hold-outs. Big news? Perhaps, but it def caught my attention.
Corn Mazes - Third visit, and it's always a trip.
Kindle 3 - Over 600 books on mine (many of them the free ones). Def worth it, but this is easily another post.
Shopping. At WalMart. At Midnight. On Black Friday. - Oh yeah, it happened.

So that's the quick and dirty version. Plan is to elaborate on these guys through this week and give you plenty of reading material leading up to and through December.

Want to hear about something, let me know.

Shazam!

Mr. Goodwrench

2010-10-12T19:52:00.002-05:00

Damn if mechanics aren't expensive.

Good and trustworthy mechanic work, in my experience, can be hard to come by. I've been fortunate to never really had much need for automotive work in my short life, but when I have...sweet mother-of-pearl has the work been expensive.

No, if you read my previous entry, you know how much I like to tinker with things. Vehicles that carry my children, wife, and me need to be handled only absolutely in the most proper way. I've changed tires, wiper blades, refilled fluids, and even an alternator. But as for wheel alignments, tie rods and wheel hubs, they seem fairly easy, but not exactly my specialty.

Knowing my wheel alignment need work, I took the old TrailBlazer in. Long story short, they tie rod was jacked-up and not going to be adjusted. Cost? At this particular place, about $600. Oh, and they would throw in the alignment. Um...okay.

Frustrated, I drove home and thought about who I knew and what my options were. Bingo! I worked with a wonderful lady whose husband is a mechanic. Let's call her and him!

In short, I bought the parts and paid for the labor at a local service shop. Going this route (as prescribed by the acquaintance mechanic) saved my over 30%. Great...almost.

Apparently, the alignment and tie-rod wasn't the only issue. A persistent thumping-noise that became obvious at my last tire-change wasn't eliminated; my knowledgeable mechanic informed my ever so subtly that I had a bad wheel hub. What's that, I asked. He so patiently schooled me on what it was and what it did.

He also informed me that this was something, if I were interested, he could help me swap out in his free time. Knowing that costs are what they are, I said sure. Long story short, a visit to eBay Motors, a drop-shipment, and forty minutes at my new BFF's house got me a new wheel hub installed and removed that nasty thumping sound.

I was, and still am, prepared to pay Byron for his services. As we are simply milling around and talking (and drinking a few fermented waters), Byron quips, "Eh, don't worry about it Dave."

"No, sir; we agreed on a price and I'm gonna take care of it."

"You wanna take care of it? Buy me a twelve-pack and let's sit around and drink it."

That, my friends, is the High Life.

Poor Man's Ingenuity

2010-09-26T22:58:00.004-05:00

As I became frustrated with my Bluetooth headphones (a quirky short has developed in the left ear!), I sought a wired solution to listen to music on my phone.

After really debating what my needs were, establishing how much I wanted to spend, I ended up with these, the Sony MDR-NC7. Definitely not the highest end headphones, but you know what? They worked pretty damn nice and I can hear my music over the lawn mower.

So where does the ingenuity come into play? Well after watching a movie on Boot Camp and Outsourced on Hulu.com, it was time to bed. In a really long story I going to shorten, I was sleeping on my ottoman upstairs. Set the laptop down and headphones beside them, near one of the ottoman's legs. In a twist of fate, I rolled over and the ottoman moaned in protest and tipped over slightly, lifting the far side's legs up. No biggie...or so I thought. Rolled back and the legs obediently returned back to the floor. Cruuuunnnnch. Unsure of what it was, my jaw dropped as i saw my newly purchased headphones now had a detachable ear pad.

After a few choice words, a fitful night's worth of so-called rest, and a few more choice words, the feeling of helplessness began to leave and I was motivated to salvage the headphones. It wasn't a torn wire and simply a broken hinge. A lot of variables in play, I made my plan. A quick trip to Wal-Mart for some Gorilla Glue Super Glue and I was ready.

The surgery was difficult at first, as the headphones swivel around and flip over as well, making a steady hold of the pieces difficult. In addition, I was unable to initially locate a way to separate the broken pad (normally you can click plastic pieces over another, as the plastic gives a bit; not the case here, as I needed the glue to be completely stable and not to stretch). Finally, the pieces are apart and ready to built back together.

"We can rebuilt [it]. We have the technology."

The glued hinge wasn't going to hold all by itself; it was a little circle with only a quarter of it initially connected to frame, now glued to the frame. Too much stress. By luck, I found a very tiny screw that I utilized through the opposite side. Shazam, the phones are back to life.

I guess I wanted to share this story as it's basically something I've done many times in my life. I can't afford nor justify buying another set of headphones merely six weeks after getting these. Whether it be some simple black speaker stands for some Bose speakers I won through work, to the shared ideas implemented by friends and co-workers (yes, I'm talking to the teacher who stole my idea of using a bed sheet and curtain rod as a projector screen).

I'd call my self cheap. Sure I am. But my lifestyle allows me to be so and still get away with it. Quite frankly, it's no different from being thrifty; it just doesn't have that je ne sais quoi that thrifty has. Whatever.

I'm sure we've all done the whole PMI thing (read the title again, in case you're wondering). It works. And yes, you should be proud that you not only saved a few bucks, but more so that you would have been able to survive in a time when you couldn't just go out and buy a new thing to replace it with.

Shazam!

On the Radio...Once Again!

2010-08-26T19:03:00.003-05:00

There were times in my life when I couldn't get to the stadium or field to watch a game. Didn't really matter the sport, but I have to say that there is something almost mystical about listening to a game on the radio.

I remember the Knicks making a play-off run in the mid-90's, listening as I was driving back to Hunstville, a four-hour drive from my wife's home town. I can remember listening to various games while doing dishes at Mr. Gatti's. And most fondly, I remember listening to football and baseball games in my current town. I cannot emphasize how nice it is to hear someone describe the action so well that you can picture it all yourself.

My town's got a game tonight. And as far as I know, this is the first time in about five years or so that they have been broadcast over the radio waves. Knowing half the players (they were in my class at one point or another) in addition to my wife's nephew being a starting sophomore, I'm excited to listen to the game.

Any thoughts? Feel free to share...

Shazam!

"Skinny is NOT sexy"

2010-08-22T20:41:00.002-05:00

You'd think that the title says it all succinctly, but apparently it goes beyond.

Without getting into the grisly and graphic details, apparently the above statement is a blanket that's too damn big. The author of the above statement was criticized and lambasted for simply stating his opinion. For updating his status. For just voicing a personal "like".

I won't go near the whole social networking issues (that's perhaps another entry), but the flame war that ensued after this post, even after attempting to make light of a light subject, was...well..frankly, awkward. To the point of "de-friending" the author. Wow.

So we've got a couple of point of views here that I'd like to explore and hopefully get the juices percolating and maybe even hit a few nerves and simply open eyes to things that that were previously simply viewed with a skewed prejudice.

First, let's explore the obvious reference:

Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" could easily be credited with kick starting the whole derrière obsession for boys of age in the early 90's (that'd be me and the above quote's author). Knowing that, there are many of us with an appreciation for a lady with ample curves.

I just realized that as I am typing this, I can easily broach the whole "sexist, degrading, and simple disgusting" area. That's not the point, so please, continue with an open mind.

Why the big deal? Anyone with half a brain can realize that the media portrays women that are "sexy" as slender, skinny, perhaps athletic. Is that not sexy? We'll answer that later, but perhaps the better question is "Does that mean that the opposite of that (larger, curvaceous, etc.) is not sexy?" And there it is...

At this crux, we'll go to the next video exhibit...

An interesting thing here, if you were an Eastern or Midwestern girl, would you have been pissed off with the Beach Boys singing how they "wished they all could be California girls"? These guys simply preferred that attitude and mannerisms typical of girls from that area (at least that's what I'm getting from the song).

Personal preference. And that, my most kind and patient audience, is the answer. Silk or cotton. Ham and cheese or PB&J. Automatic or stick. What do you prefer? Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Some Like it Hot. What a Girl Wants. Okay maybe not the last one, but you should be getting the gist here. A huge hullabaloo over what? An over-reaction? Perhaps. A blanket statement? Doutbt it. A disagreement over someone's preference? Winner winner, chicken dinner.

Folks, it's not a difficult thing. Everyone has his/her preferences. Hot dog or hamburger? Vanilla or chocolate? You'll have an answer or at least most will; I've found some "weird" people who don't like ice cream.

So where ever you may be, think about what you do like and don't like, and how this may cause you to react if someone offers the opposite. Before you go there, I will though: I am not talking about going all racist or sexist or any other -ist that is simply wrong. We are talking about everyday little things that can easily be blown up into stupid arguments. C'mon people; we're losing friends on Facebook because of this!

Tongue-in-cheek aside, hopefully all this grief my friend went through will blow over and resolve itself. And for your patience and viewing/listening pleasure, I offer in closing this video by a great singer.

Shazam!

Bringing Sexy Back...

2010-08-15T23:31:00.002-05:00

I've taken a bit of a sabbatical this summer.

I'm sure that a great many of you readers who know that I'm a teacher would probably just quip "Well, you're a teacher; you get like three months off and do whatever you want to do." You would be right, if you were only talking about the weekends. Truth be told, this was perhaps my busiest working summer I've had since becoming a teacher.

But for all the working that did occur, I did take time to really to enjoy the family, traveling, and catching up on some movies.

I don't know where the blog's going to go this year. A couple of ideas are still rattling around the ol' noggin, but it is what it is.

I'll leave you with a pic of Lukers, in all his coolness. He starts his first day of school (4-K or preschool) tomorrow.

Damn I'm getting old...

The Last Practice

2010-05-23T11:40:00.004-05:00

So today's my band's last practice before our performance Friday afternoon.

We've got a short two song set list and we've got the first one down, but the second needs a bit of polish.

We've probably been working on the Beatles cover for maybe six weeks now, but the Chuck Berry tune only about two weeks.

The kicker? I play guitar on the Beatles tune, while I switch over to the skins for the Chuck Berry tune.

I've yet to post any videos of me playing, but I think it may be time...

While I'm a bit anxious to perform, I only hope that we will continue to meet regularly and play together. I know how time leads to different things, but the camaraderie and fellowship shared during our practices really allows us to vent, joke, and simply be ourselves without the typical social constraints. I know I'll do my best to continue this little thing we've got going.

Thank you, TurnDog and T-Dub; you've made this bit of work quite enjoyable for me.

Enjoy the abstract picture there. Maybe there'll be a video by the end of the week...

Shazam!

One Shining Moment for Blind Baseball Player

2010-05-15T12:39:00.003-05:00

I don't usually like to simply crib another website's entire article and just post it, but this is one of those that...well...quite frankly is a good thing.

Sure, it's one of those feel good kinda things that sometimes is overplayed out.

Good news is that that's not too often here at the Mertiverse.

Read via the link below, or if you're in a hurry, then just watch the video.

Blind High School Baseball Player Has One Shining Moment

Minority Report meets Avatar...

2010-05-13T15:33:00.004-05:00

From the TECHniMertiverse:

It's finally becoming a reality.

We've all read about touchscreen hardware on phones, computers and other applications, but they all relied on actually touching the screen.

Even my students are getting excited about the possibilities that exist with this tech.

Basically, Evoluce has developed the touchscreen concept beyond having to touch it. Within half a meter, you can interact with the screen with multiple touches/inputs.

My concept here? Combine this with the semi-transparent LCD screen, make a big honkin' tablet that'll flip up and have a centralized media center.

Obviously, the appications could be developed for hospitals, military, schools, and pretty much where something has to be displayed and changed on a regular basis.

I like it!

Shazam!

Baseball: America's Pastime

2010-05-12T22:37:00.005-05:00

Admittedly, I never played much baseball growing up.

Quite frankly, I sucked at it. I was very much afraid of that ball, which lent itself to my poor fielding. I didn't, at the time, understand the mechanics of a proper baseball swing; I would always hit line drives and never anything that could really carry far.

In high school, I discovered how enjoyable watching a game could be with friends. As an adult (with a few nephews that enjoyed playing) I learned how much fun it could be actually playing. With that came a desire to learn how to properly catch without the fear of being hit (it'll happen either way, so make the damn play!) and proper hitting mechanics.

This is my first year coaching my oldest son in baseball, and I've got to admit: I'm having quite a great time with it. I've really boned up on baseball (special thanks to my brother-in-law) and the team is doing very well. Most importantly, I think the kids are really learning some of the skills needed to play the game well, in addition to the building up of teamwork and support.

Early on, when things would be going south, some would start jeering their team mates over mistakes made; now it's more of a "Let's get it back, let's go!" kind of attitude. A lot better.

We've won more than we've lost, but I'm kind of sad that we've only got two games left. Hopefully, we finish strong.

To those of you that do know me, I'm really not missing golf right now.

Shazam!

Iron Man 2: A Review

2010-05-11T21:32:00.005-05:00

I took both my boys to see the latest offering from the Marvelverse, Iron Man 2.

A brief preface, if you'll humor me...

I've been a Marvel guy pretty much all my life. One of the first comics my mom ever bought me (for a long trip to Grandma's house) was an Iron Man comic. The red and gold suit that shot energy beams was simply beyond belief. I didn't get many more issues for a few years, but the seeds of pencils and ink had been planted. As posted previously, Jim Lee's work really helped me make a transition during a tough time after my parent's divorce.

As I still have many of those comics, my boys have picked up an enthusiasm for the comics. Dyl is a die hard DC kind of guy, with a passion for Superman and Batman. Lukers is...well...just into the whole superhero fighting bad guys kind of thing. We decided to check out the movie a la Guys Night Out.

After the obligatory purchse of popcorn and drinks, we settled in for some good seats in a not too crowded local theater. Previews were nice (The A-Team looks to be entertaining) and the movie started.

No spoilers here (for the most part); you will need to watch the movie to get the full effect. But, maybe you'll get a better standard of expectation after reading this. The story line, quite frankly, is about as thin as those fancy negligee items that Victoria's Secret sells. But what are we talking about? It doesn't really matter; the story isn't why you are there, is it? As much of a comic lover as I am, I can forgive this transfer to a new medium. Comics on the screen aren't comics; they are now movies and changes are bound to happen. That being said, the visuals, like the first movie, are well done. In the scene (you've seen this in the trailers) where Tony Stark picks up the suitcase and "armors" up, I found myself enthralled with the suit's unfolding action. Quite nice. As for the acting, Robert Downey, Jr. maintains his previous standard as Stark. Gweneth Paltrow is just as luscious as before as Pepper Potts. Newcomers to the series, Don Cheadle as Rhodey and Mickey Rourke as Ivan Vanko left me feeling a bit off. I like Cheadle's performance and felt it added; Rourke's Vanko came across as cocky and brutish, just not quite believable and not dissimilar to the typical WWE professional wrestler's conveyed bad assed-ness.

Final verdict? Go see it. The action scenes are nicely done. As my son wanted, Iron Man makes many appearances through the film (read: lots of Iron Man, War Machine, and other "machines" to watch). I would suggest taking a buddy, as there are moments when you'll probably wonder if the admission was worth it.

One final must do: Stay for the entire credits. All of it. Don't leave before the credits. Period.

Shazam!

*****SPOILER*****

PS - For anyone that did leave before the final credits, you can check it here.

Left knee, not the right...

2010-04-25T18:22:00.003-05:00

I was perusing various guitar sites that I frequent (namely Guitarz) but I came across this other site called Guitar Flame. An intersting site, but that's not just all...

Looking through it, I came across Ovidiu Oprescu's post about his friend Costin. A nice write up, but I don't know the guy.

"Why the write-up Dave?", you ask. Well...

Notice the knee on which the guitar rests.

In the short time I've been playing (and the million or so articles and pictures I've viewed studying and such), I've not seen someone play with the guitar resting on the left leg (at least for a righty).

Is that strange? I've found it to be a most comfortable position to play, but everyone else I see favors the other leg.

What do you think?

As usual, your comments are welcome.

Shazam!

iPhone Woes...

2010-04-24T09:40:00.003-05:00

Well, just in case you haven't heard about it, I've been working on a second blog, focusing on technology news, issues, and such.

The latest deals with the man who goes into a pub with the latest iPhone.

No, it's not a joke.

Check it here.

Shazam!

Decisions, Part III

2010-04-23T21:47:00.004-05:00

The water slowly rolled down the wall, dancing in and out of the scars left from the vase.

Smoke slowly curled up from the old battered Sony tv, remnants of happier times.

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod...

"You fuckin' whore. I treated you right! Why the fu... You know what? Nevermind. Jesus, why di... Argh!"

The slammed door was quickly followed by a shuffling of drawers and tossed clothings. The tell tale scraping of metal hangers on the rod indicated he was grabbing his work clothes as well.

The door flung open and it was almost comical, Don holding three suitcases, four suits in the plastic covers, and an Ogio duffel bag filled with shoes, were it not for the fact that she had just ripped apart his world.

Don was from the thriving town of Ellingera. Not too big, but big enough to blend into the background if you kept quiet. First loves, the two of them had a whirlwind romance through high school. Everyone assumed that they shared that magical moment after Senior Prom, but both were virgins on their wedding day.

Moving to the city opened Brooke's eyes to what lay beyond E-Z-Stop and City Cafe. The work blended the days and the exciting highs of city life muted the small town values that brought them there.

Jake understood Brooke. Jake showed Brooke that a wide world existed beyond just this little city. Jake was never without some excitement. Jake discussed experimenting with candy dish parties.

Don was...Don. Wasn't she beyond the simplicity that was their relationship? All they did was sit at home and watch tv. Or go to the movies. Maybe dinner at the diner around the corner. It wasn't much at all.

In for a penny, her grandmother used to always say.

The front door slammed.

In for a pound.

Nostalgiasm

2010-04-22T21:15:00.003-05:00

Okay, consider this a prelude to an upcoming post.

What is nostalgia to you?

Is it that fuzzy warm feeling you get when you encounter something from your misplaced youth?

Perhaps a tinge of guilt over that tragically unhip song or movie that you still harbor soft feelings for?

Take a moment to think about it, and even better, take a few minutes and leave a few comments.

And in case you were wondering, the rock song from this movie is "Touch" by Stan Bush.

And it is that good...

For your viewing pleasure, as you type your comments. (Note: For your benefit, I'd recommend cueing it at 1:05 or later. Trust me on this...)

Cloud Printing

2010-04-22T21:12:00.002-05:00

A repost from the TECHNIMertiverse.

I just got done reading an interesting article about Google's Cloud Printing project.

Definitely interesting, especially for those of you with smart phones and laptops not connected to printers and such.

Idea is pretty simple: Have an item you want to print, send it to the cloud. The cloud, in it's mightiness, connects to the established printer (secure and all, right?). Item is printed, and everyone smiles.

It's still in the works within the Chromium project, but I don't see this taking too terribly long. Security is probably the most important aspect here. Once that is clarified, it'll be a real nice and convenient aspect to cloud computing.

Shazam!

Minor Leagues aren't Minor

2010-04-11T20:43:00.004-05:00

Last night was the first time I've ever attended an ice hockey game.

It was, most importantly, a pleasant and positive experience for me and the family.

While the game of hockey isn't something I've been excited about before (save Colorado's championship run with Patrick Roy in 1996), this is more about the whole experience of it.

See, I've been to various professional sports. Probably not as many as my friend ReShawn, but my fair share.

Of all the professional sports, I'd have to say that that the minor leagues rock. Period. I've never had a better time (playoffs notwithstanding) at a professional sporting event than at the minors.

Baseball is perhaps the best all around. I've been to AA, AAA, and MLB games. Love them all. It was simply just a great family experience, but you could still get "adult" with it, if you get what I mean.

NFL...geez...it was a bunch of hype. I had a better time staying at home and watching the game. NBA? Well, it was better, but honestly, you had to have kick ass seats to really enjoy the experience (NFL, pretty much same thing in that regard). I've not been to a NHL hockey or MLS soccer match, but I would imagine it being quite similar.

I'm sure that the company you keep plays a big part in all of this. I've been fortunate to have had great company at all of these games. It just seems that the hokey little things that happen at the minor league games (can you say Puffy Taco race at Nelson Wolff Stadium?) really make it that much of an experience.

I'm sure that you can have a great experience at a major league sporting event; I simply can't afford those kinda seats. I wish I could, but I simply can't.

Ten bucks got me thirteen rows away from the glass. My son got high fives without being elbowed or shoved down, going to the players' tunnel at the last moment.

Maybe it's just a perspective thing, but I like the minors.

Now I gotta find out when the Missions host the Hooks...

End of an Era...Forty Years Ago.

2010-04-10T15:09:00.002-05:00

Forty years ago today...