Flapdoodling

Last Post

2011-02-13T23:16:00.000-08:00

I don't plan on posting anymore content on this blog. If you're interested in checking out what I'm up to head over to www.tendollarshorts.com.

New Video

2010-04-14T07:45:00.000-07:00

This is the video Eric and I worked om while our wives were gone at a spa day the last time they were in Utah.

This video may not be suitable for children.

Lucy's Day Off from Andy Godsey on Vimeo.

You Bastard

2010-04-09T16:32:00.001-07:00

I'm glad you didn't steal the helmet too. I hope you crash the bike and hit your head on the road.

Lucy and the Yeti

2010-03-02T19:31:00.000-08:00

On a beautiful Winter day, Lindsay and Lucy decided to go hiking up to the enchanted Neff's Canyon.

Lucy decided to explore a little of the trail.

But after exploring for a little while, she realized she was lost and separated from Lindsay. Lucy was scared.

So she ran to try and find her owner, but instead she found...

...an abominable snowman.

Lucy started to cry because she was lost and now she was going to be eaten by a yeti.

But the snow monster stopped and said "Why are you crying little brown bear?"

Lucy answered, "I'm cold and scared and I've lost my family."

"Well, that is a perfectly good reason to be scared", said the freakishly large creature. "But if you want to find your family, all you have to do is follow the trail and your heart."

Lucy was so happy that she yelled "Thank you wise gargantuan mammoth!" as she ran...

...and ran...

...and ran.

She ran until she heard the faint call of her master. "Lucy! Luuuuuccyyy! Luuuuuccccyyy where are yoooouuuuu???!!!"

She followed the call and found Lindsay. Lindsay picked up her puppy and hugged her and said "I'm so glad you're safe."

And Lucy just licked Lindsay until Lindsay got frostbite on her cheek.

The End

Ten Dollar Shorts Update

2010-03-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

We didn't have enough films to do a competition this time around. I'll set another round and do a better job of prodding people to get a film in. Sorry to those (just Libby and Jay I think) who finished. Save your submission for next time which should be in just a few months.

Crazy

2010-01-23T20:11:00.000-08:00

We've been trying to capture Lucy when she has one of her crazy nighttime episodes. This one was short, but it is very hard to catch on video (much like the Loch Ness Monster).

The Most Uncomfortable Thing That Needed to Happen

2010-01-16T08:29:00.000-08:00

Three Odd Pieces of News

2009-12-12T07:30:00.000-08:00

Patriots mascot arrested in sex sting

Steelers star Harrison's mom charged in Ohio fight

Woman, 98, indicted in death of 100-year-old nursing home roommate

Wheaten Greetin'

2009-12-11T16:33:00.000-08:00

This is what I get when I come home from work everyday.

Ten Dollar Shorts Update

2009-11-26T08:24:00.000-08:00

I toyed around with having a theme for this next submission. I'm nixing it for this time. There will be no restrictions around the theme of your film.

The deadline is coming up fast so make sure you get started now!

Any Name Suggestions?

2009-11-18T17:04:00.001-08:00

Yes or No?

2009-11-12T10:03:00.000-08:00

Since Lindsay and I are as indecisive as they come, you decide.

Should we get a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier? Vote in the poll to the right.

Ten Dollar Shorts 2.0

2009-10-27T18:50:00.000-07:00

Are you ready? You look like your ready. Well, here it is.

We are ready to set the next deadline. On or before midnight of Feb. 28th submit your short film for an opportunity to win the grand prize: $10.

Click here to get the background on Ten Dollar Shorts (TDS).

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking "There is no way he is actually going to give me 10 bucks." Well hold your tongue (or your mind's tongue in this case) and look at the visual evidence.

This is Mel. She was the winner of the last Ten Dollar Shorts submission with her short film "Screwed".

I want to change things up a little from the last time and I would like your constructive feedback. Please provide that in the comments. Here are a few changes.

While I will certainly be submitting a film and it will be reviewed, I will not be eligible to win. This will hopefully make everyone feel comfortable that the process isn't rigged.
There will be no deadline extensions. Plan ahead. Midnight on February 28th is it. Make it happen.
I'm toying around with proposing a theme. Some people will hate that and others will appreciate it since they need a place to start. Since the deadline is February, I believe the theme should be love. Before you run off and puke (Buttemucho); this does not have to be romantic love. Anyway, I'm just throwing it out there. We can do a theme, or just leave it wide open. Let me know.
We're tweaking the rating system. It will be pretty close to last time, but I want to give more to technical points and also adjust to account for the theme (if we have one). Story will still be the main factor, but it won't account for half. I will post the new rating system after we settle on #3.
People commented on the voting system and thought it should be regulated to make it a more level playing field. While I want it to be fair, I also want more people to come and look at the films. Therefore, filmmakers are encouraged to send this out to as many people that they think will take it seriously. Every judge will need to vote on every film to have their vote count. Also, if someone is obviously trying to sway the vote (perfect score for one, zeroes for everyone else) their votes will not be counted. Just like last time, those submitting films will have more weight with their votes (approx. 3 to 1) than the average voter. They will not be voting on their own films this time.
Adding on to the last point, we are adding "Super Judges". These Super Judges will be selected by me. Their votes will be weighted to be the most significant (approx. 5 to 1). These judges will not be tied with any film submitter and will hopefully provide a completely unbiased opinion. Previous TDS winners will join the ranks of the Super Judges. For this submission, their will be no more than 5 Super Judges.

Obviously we're still working out some of the kinks. Let me know your constructive thoughts and we can hammer done the rules and get to work on our films!

email questions to andy(at)tendollarshort(dot)com

Awesome Robots

2009-09-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

Check this out:

Then watch this:

Sour Cream Enchilada Casserole Recipe

2009-09-05T08:01:00.000-07:00

At our fabulous wedding rehearsal fiesta my family made one of my favorite dishes: Sour Cream Enchiladas.

Apparently several people asked for the recipe so here it is courtesy of my mom and sisters.

Sour Cream Enchilada Casserole
3 cans cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cans of salsa (soup can size)
2 cups sour cream
2 cups baked chicken, diced
2 dozen corn tortillas, torn into quarters
Cheddar cheese

Mix soup, salsa and sour cream. Put a little of this sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Layer tortillas, chicken, sauce, and cheese into pan topping with a final layer of tortillas, cauce and cheese. Baket 375 for 40-45 minutes. Serves 6-8. May add green onions or diced green chiolies to intensify.

Overcoming Fear of Spiders

2009-08-01T13:10:00.000-07:00

I've decided that my fear of spiders is irrational. As a rational being, I am taking it upon myself to overcome this fear. This is coming after a 2-day stretch where I have had to kill 4 large spiders in my basement (yes Lindsay, I didn't tell you about a fourth spider).Lucky for me WikiHow.com has a 6-step program for people like me. For your enjoyment, I have inserted my initial reactions to the proposed steps taken directly from the site in parentheses and italics.

Expose yourself and face your fears (I don't get how exposing myself to a spider is going to help anyone -AG) - You must face your fear to overcome it. When there is a spider around, don't automatically smash it. Take time to examine the spider, but at a distance that if it is life-threatening, you have time to do your justice to it.
Accept and understand that spiders are a natural part of this world - Know that spiders are everywhere, and unavoidable. You will never fully escape the presence of spiders (Two words: Nuclear Holocaust - AG).
Educate yourself on Spiders - Know which spiders native to your region of the world are harmful and know what they look like. There are very few spiders in some countries that are actually deadly. Other areas of the world have more risky varieties. For those that may be harmful, there is almost always a cure at your local hospital. (This step is not helpful for a few reasons: 1) I have a hard time taking advice from anyone who cannot put a coherent thought together and 2) "almost always a cure" isn't reassuring - AG)
Learn to overcome your fearful behavior - Spiders don't hate you because you hate them. (How the hell do you know? -AG) Even though you may daily stomp away at these pests, it isn't every day that they come plunging at you meat-hungry. Don't over-react.
Start the process of overcoming your fear - Have someone you trust and feel safe with buy some toy spiders and some pictures. To truly overcome your fear, you have to learn how to deal with spiders in your presence. Starting with something small like a toy or picture helps a lot. Sit near the person you trust and have them slowly and quietly take out the toy or picture and try to sit still for a couple of seconds. Each day when you feel comfortable, try to increase your time spent with the toy spider or picture. When you feel safe or comfortable enough, try touching the toy or picture. Again as time goes by when you feel even more comfortable, increase your time spent having contact with the toy or picture. (Too easy - AG)
When you see a spider on the wall, stand far away from it and keep looking at it 'till you stop feeling scared. Then, slowly move a little closer and stand for some time. Keep doing it till you are next to or very close to the spider. Keep in mind that it will not harm you. Then try to scare the spider away. Keep chasing it out of the window, room or whatever it is on/in. When you have done that you will feel that you are not scared of spiders anymore.

Since Steps 1 and 6 are almost identical, I think I will start there. I've never been able to touch a spider and maybe that's something I can work up towards. Then I could grab it by its leg an fling it at someone else in the room that is afraid of spiders, thus inspiring them to overcome their fear and the circle of life continues.

And the Winner is....

2009-07-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

The votes are in people and let me tell you it was close. I checked the calculations 4 times to ensure accuracy.

Without further adieu, the winner is "Screwed".

Congratulations Mel. You can collect you prize money at a time convenient for you.

As far as the next round of film submissions, I'm thinking October. Any thoughts on that?

Its Time to Review Some Films

2009-06-22T23:06:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone that put the time and effort into submitting a film. I hope this will be the beginning of a successful online short film festival.

Its now time to review the films and determine who will be receiving a nice crisp $10 bill (*Legal Note: Ten Dollar Shorts does not guarantee the denomination in which the $10 prize reward will be received. For example, it could be 2 $5 bills or 1 $5 bill and 5 $1 bills and so on and so forth).

I have created the grading criteria and posted it on the home page of Ten Dollar Shorts. The deadline for submitting your review forms will be June 30 at 11:59 PM (PDT).

Watching the Films
A group has been created on Vimeo to make watching the films easy. Please follow this link to view the films.

The review form can be accessed here

Some Important Information on Reviewing the Films:

Please submit one form per film (no more, no less). Each judge should be submitting four (4) forms for this round.
While the ratings will remain anonymous, there will be no anonymous comments. If you elect to leave comments about the film being reviewed, they will be shared with the filmmaker. Please keep comments constructive.
Those that participated in submitting films will have more weight given in their reviews. The weight will start at 2 to 1, but will increase with the number of judges. For every ten judges, participating filmmakers will receive another full vote.
If you have any questions about the process, email me at andy(at)tendollarshorts(dot)com.

Video: Entrepreneurs can change the world

2009-06-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

This is a cool video that a speaker used yesterday to inspire entrepreneurship.

The Last Extension

2009-05-27T13:56:00.001-07:00

We've had a couple more requests for extensions for my Ten Dollar Shorts project.

While I was tempted to reject said requests because I am finished with my short film, I will comply this last time.

New Deadline for Ten Dollar Shorts Submission: June 14, 2009 at 5:00PM MDT.

If you still need a login send me an email at andy(at)tendollarshorts(dot)com

Man Points

2009-05-11T20:50:00.000-07:00

I broke a hammer today. It felt very manly. In fact, I gave myself 10 man points for breaking a hammer. However, I then deducted 10 man points for using and breaking a hammer with flowers on it.

I'm comfortable breaking even.

(Looked kinda like this.)

Seahawks Remove Franchise Tag From Hill

2009-04-26T02:06:00.001-07:00

I didn't see this coming.

Maybe its for the best. I mean, any guy found passed out at a stop light because he smoked too much weed shouldn't really be the face of the franchise. But maybe something can still be worked out with Hill to keep him in Seattle.

Seahawks Select Max Unger at #49

2009-04-26T02:02:00.000-07:00

Seahawks traded the #37 pick to the Broncos to get the Broncos 2010 1st round pick. Then they traded their 3rd and 4th round picks to the Bears to jump in and take Max Unger with the 49th pick overall.

Max Unger - OT - Oregon

ESPN has him listed as an OT, but he played Center for the Ducks the last few seasons. Although he did start college out as a Left Tackle. They say he should be capable of playing anywhere on the line as a starter or at least a valuable backup.

I like this move as well since the offensive line is one of my biggest concerns last season. I wasn't convinced we should take one of the top OT's in this year's draft and this strikes me as a good compromise. I'm just a bit surprised he fell to the middle of the 2nd Round.

Here are some comments from draftcountdown.com.

Height: 6-45/8 | Weight: 309 | 40-Time: 5.30

Strengths:
Extremely versatile...Excellent size with a big frame...Great strength and power...Pretty quick...Understands positioning and angles...Uses his hands well...Smart with terrific awareness...Good mobility and range...Superb balance...Is stout at the point of attack and can anchor...Gets a decent push in the run game...Competitive and plays to the whistle...Durable...Has a lot of experience against top competition.

Weaknesses:
Not a great athlete...Doesn't always play with proper leverage...Is not very light on his feet...Struggles with speed off the edge...Allows defenders to get too close ... A Jack-of-All-Trades but master of none?

Notes:
Was born in Hawaii...Redshirted in 2004 then went on to become a four-year starter...Twice named 1st Team All-Pac-10...Played left tackle his first two years with the Ducks then moved inside to center in 2007...Could realistically play center, guard or tackle at the next level...Good all-around player who is effective and both a run and pass blocker...Doesn't necessarily stand out in any way one area but his ability to play every position along the line is very enticing...Definitely has the ability to start in the NFL but should at the absolute least be a valuable backup...One of the premier interior line prospects available.

Here is some video of Unger against Oklahoma State.

Seahawks Select Aaron Curry at #4

2009-04-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

Aaron Curry - LB - Wake Forest
I really like this pick as I think it gives us one of the best LB groups in the entire NFL. Also, it helps us deal with the Leroy Hill situation since he has been reluctant to sign a contract.

Here is some info taken from draftcountdown.com about Curry.

Height: 6-13/4 | Weight: 254 | 40-Time: 4.56

Strengths:
Possesses a terrific blend of size and bulk...Exceptional speed, quickness and athleticism...Very physical and tough...Excellent strength and power...Extremely aggressive...Outstanding instincts and awareness...Offers a lot of versatility...Reliable tackler who will deliver the big hit...Really uses his hands well...Does a nice job of taking on and shedding blockers...Superb pass rusher and blitzer...Has sideline-to-sideline range...Will attack and fill against the run...Comfortable in space...Can match up and make plays in coverage...Has a lot of experience...Durable and never missed a game due to injury...Smart...Hard worker...Team leader...Super productive.

Weaknesses:
Can be too aggressive at times and will overpursue...Not quite as tall as you'd prefer...Pass rush repertoire is limited...Marginal change of direction skills...May have some trouble when it comes to recognition in coverage....Is not particularly fluid when he is forced to flip his hips.

Notes:
Won the Butkus Award, which honors the nation's top linebacker, as a senior...Brother Patrick Pinkney was a quarterback at East Carolina...Was a four-year starter in the ACC...In 2007 he took all four of his interceptions back for touchdowns, with an average return of 56.5 yards...Could play outside or inside in either a 4-3 or 3-4 defensive scheme...A marvelous all-around player who is effective in every aspect of the game...As good as any linebacker prospect to come along in recent memory...A legitimate Top 10 talent who should be one of the most highly rated players available for the 2009 NFL Draft.

***UPDATE***

Here is a video analyzing Aaron Curry.

Ten Dollar Shorts

2009-02-13T06:36:00.000-08:00

I am starting a new project.

I miss the fact that I don't play with video anymore. For several years of my life I was fortunate enough to get paid to make videos. Now, I get paid to do other stuff and I have almost completely halted my video efforts save a few wedding videos and random, half-written scripts. I want to change that.

If you've been reading my blog, you have seen that I recently volunteered at Sundance Film Festival. One of the things I saw there was "Lunch Films". Mike Plante started the project by accident by taking a broke filmmaker to lunch and telling him to pay him back by making a film for the cost of the lunch. (Read more here)

The short films were ok. Some were really good, some were very bad, but they inspired me to start my own short film projects.

Ten Dollar Shorts is an exclusive group that submits their short films to be rated by other members. The winner gets $10 from me. Sure, not a hefty sum, but you will have won the respect and admiration of an exclusive group of elite filmmakers. Well, maybe not "elite" or "filmmakers" per se...

This first round will have no instructions about genre or topic. If you need help about what to make, feel free to give me a call. The only requirement is that the films tell a story. Its not even a requirement really, but that is what we will be judging the on: How well they communicate a story. I imagine the rating will be something like (but is subject to change pending feedback from you):

Maximum Score: 100 pts
1) Story & Plot: How well does the film tell its story? (50pts)
2) Characters: How well were the characters developed? (15 pts)
3) Creativity: Was the film original and creative? (15pts)
4) Technical: Was the film put together in a way that enhanced the story? (10pts)
5) Gut rating: On a scale of 1-10, what is your gut reaction to the film? (10pts)

So let the project begin. The deadlines for the first Ten Dollar Films online short film festival will be April 26th. Interested parties will be invited to join my group and be given access to the online film festival.

If you are interested, please email me at: andy(at)tendollarshorts(dot)com

A Note to Cab Drivers

2009-02-13T04:50:00.000-08:00

#1) Don't talk on your cell phone while driving me around. It is dangerous. And besides that, its incredibly annoying. Often its in another language and often I want to be talking on my cell phone. Consider it this way: while I am paying a fare, I am essentially renting the car and you. So get off you're phone and drive.

#2) Don't tell me that the chances of my future marriage ending in divorce are pretty good just because my marriage isn't an arranged one.

#3) Easy on the brakes. Seriously. Is it the car or your driving? Either way, fix your brakes or learn how to drive because the unnecessary harsh braking has got to go.

Wedding Lodging

2009-01-30T10:14:00.000-08:00

If any of you are interested in our plans for the wedding, you can see where we are staying the week before the wedding at our wedding blog. (Link)

We'll be updating soon with some fun activities that we are planning on doing.

Sundance Day #2

2009-01-19T08:52:00.000-08:00

Nothing really exciting happened on Day #2 at the film festival. We didn't go to see "I love you Phillip Morris" with Jim Carrey, opting instead to go home and relax.

Oh, I did meet this really cute girl at my volunteering station. We decided to get married in August. Hope you all can come.

Sundance Day #1

2009-01-18T09:51:00.000-08:00

Lindsay and I started our volunteering at Sundance Film Festival yesterday. Getting there was very difficult with tons of people filling the small town of Park City to watch independent films and stargaze. Eventually we found parking and showed up an hour late to our posts. Luckily, no one noticed or cared.

After wandering around my volunteer post for a few hours at New Frontier on Main, I found a cool job to do that let me interact with virtually everyone coming into the venue: I counted people as they came in. Sure it sounds easy, but you also have to designate if they are wearing a badge and if so, what color is it? A lot of people ask you questions and just want to chat so it was a good post for me.

After our shift, Lindsay and I hopped on a shuttle to wait in line in the freezing (no exaggeration) weather for about an hour. But we got in to the World Premiere of Spread. The movie stars Ashton Kutcher and was described as someones love affair with Los Angeles. Really, its about a guy who takes advantage of his good looks to coast through life with no job, apartment or money. Check out the IMDb description here.

Ashton and a lot of the cast was there (Anne Heche, Margarita Levieva) and answered questions after the film. Luckily the audience asked better questions than when we saw Justin Timberlake in the same venue for the world premier of Alpha Dog.

Overall, I would rate the film a 6.5 out of town. I liked the story although it seemed choppy at times. My favorite part of the film was the photography of it. It was always moving, but not in an obnoxious way. The Director of Photography spoke of it afterward and said he was trying to create the feeling of a dance which I thought was a great way to put it. If you would like to see a lot of naked women, like comedies and Ashton Kutcher, you should see the show. Although its not all comedy. In fact, my favorite parts of the movie were the more real parts that were more tragic and turbulent.

Photos

2009-01-03T17:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos I've take over the last several months that I never dumped from my camera.

Photo of Long Lake in Port Orchard, WA

Central Coast of Oregon near Florence

Our dining room

Calvin and Hobbes on the Economy

2009-01-03T13:15:00.000-08:00

A breakdown of the our current economic crisis from Calvin and Hobbes.

Hypothetical

2008-12-29T13:42:00.000-08:00

What would you do if you found $10K in a cracker box you bought from the grocery store?

This family returned it. Apparently a woman who had lost all faith in the banking system accidentally dropped off the box which was where she decided to store her life savings at the grocery store.

Police later heard from store managers at Whole Foods in Tustin that an elderly woman had come in a few days earlier, hysterical because she had mistakenly returned a box of crackers with her life savings inside. In a mix-up the store restocked the box rather than composting it.

...Lucky for her.

I've returned cash before but it was always small amounts. $10K would be tough, but I'm sure the family is comforted knowing that the money will go to a variety of fantastic items purchased from QVC and hard candy.

Yesterday's Snow

2008-12-24T15:18:00.000-08:00

It was really coming down yesterday so I broke out my video camera and shot some quality HD footage from my kitchen. Unfortunately, you can't embed in HD via YouTube so you are seeing a much worse looking version. You should have seen these flakes. They were the size of a VW beetle!

Dec. 22, 2008

2008-12-23T10:54:00.000-08:00

Yesterday started fantastic. I was home, went to the gym, ran some errands, hung out with Lindsay; it was great.

Later that night I found out a pillar of my personal foundation had been shattered. Mother's Cookies had shut their doors and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The cookies in the image below have, for as long as I can remember, been my favorite treat.

After scouring the shelves of our local Albertson's to find no trace of them, I searched my iPhone and read this article (Mother's Cookies Abruptly Shut Down) describing the demise of this icon of the dessert industry.

The only thing that could cheer me up was office supplies. I decided to put my old office chair on Craigslist. A mere 45 minutes later I had received $19 for my old chair (listed at $15 but he only had a $20 and I only had a $1) and I was on my way to Costco to grab an office chair I had been coveting.

As if I needed any more incentive not to leave my computer downstairs, this chair is amazingly comfortable.

My old chair

My new awesome chair

Investment Strategy

2008-12-18T23:17:00.001-08:00

In these crazy economic times, I think it is important to look toward the future and map out an investment strategy.

On November 24th I bought some ishares and have since made about $40.

On December 10th I went to Poker Nite and made about $45.

From now on, my investment strategy is to play poker.

SPAM

2008-12-06T11:24:00.000-08:00

Occasionally I'm forced to comb through my email in my junk folder to grab an email that was incorrectly classified as spam. Since I always get a kick out of some of the subject lines, I decided to post my top 5 junk mail subject lines that weren't too inappropriate.

#5. MBA the hottest most sought after degree

#4. noone jokes on you

#3. you are beautiful, because we care

#2. We have your shaming pics.

#1. That your wife speaks, it is necessary to be better

Pulled Apple Commercial

2008-11-29T16:21:00.000-08:00

Apparently Apple had to pull a commercial because it was misleading as to how fast the 3G iPhone really is. While I always was annoyed at Apple for making it seem like the iPhone operates faster than it does (and at Apple commercials in general) I am generally impressed with the speed of my old, 2G iPhone. PC Pro News does a spoof of the commercial here. It reports:

In the 30-second clip the iPhone is shown loading a webpage, finding its current location in Google Maps, opening a PDF from an email and finally taking a phone call.

The closing graphic says "Apple's version: 29 sec. Real World version: 2 min 21 sec." Call me crazy, but I still think 2 min 21 sec is impressive to do all of those things from a cell phone. Slow news day???

Maybe I'm losing my cynicism. That would be a tragedy.

Extinction

2008-11-25T23:03:00.000-08:00

This week, I stand on the brink of extinction.

In both of my fantasy football leagues I'm finding myself fighting just to earn the privilege of a playoff berth. With the Seahawks playing as poorly as they are and Lindsay getting so into wedding invitations and Sex in the City reruns, this is the only thing I've got.

Here's to two victories for the A-Team and if its not too much to ask, a win for the Seahawks against the Cowgirls on Thanksgiving.

CEO Letter to Taxpayers

2008-11-20T21:07:00.000-08:00

This is the clearest the bailout plan has ever been explained to me. It all makes so much sense now...

"Dear Taxpayers,

Since the government-approved $700 billion bailout of institutions like the one that employs me as CEO, there has been a debate about whether such institutions can be trusted to use this capital in a responsible way. More specifically, some members of Congress are calling for an investigation into what portion of that $700 billion will go to pay executive bonuses. I understand your concern. It was your money, after all.

I can see how paying large bonuses at this time of financial crisis may be construed by some as irresponsible. These same executives did oversee our economy’s plunge into the abyss, so why should ordinary, tax-paying Americans be forced to provide their safety net? And how is it in the taxpayers’ interest to provide a multi-million dollar bonus to someone who is already well-situated in life while that taxpayer may be struggling to make ends meet? Where is the return on that investment? On the surface the idea of giving away billions of dollars to irresponsible executives, who’s greed led to the calculated plundering of the American - and world - economy, for a job atrociously done seems almost, well, ludicrous. But every coin has two sides and, in this case, I ask you to consider the other.

By investing a large portion of the government bailout in executive bonuses we are, in turn, investing in the infrastructure of the American economy. Suppose you are CEO of a major financial institution like me and you’ve just been given a multi-million dollar check for your loyal service over the last year. Now, what will you do with that money? You’ll buy Manhattan real estate, that’s what. So now you own a very nice 3BR, 3 1/2 Bath condo in TriBeCa with a private terrace and brand new Viking range and you’ve paid top dollar for it. The surrounding property values will rise as a result of your purchase and attract new buyers to the neighborhood. The mortgages issued to pay for these condos will help support needy banks and the stores in the neighborhood will have a new customer base. Maybe one of those stores does so well that the owners open a second location uptown or in Boston? I suppose they’ll need to hire a staff to run the place, don’t you? Job creation. And maybe one of those employees in that store in Boston eventually saves up enough money to make a small investment. What then? Then he can come talk to my friends and I, the ones whose selfless actions led directly to his prosperous position.

So you see, spending a large - very large, in fact - portion of the government bailout on executive bonuses is a practical, patriotic plan for our economy. By doing so, we will directly stimulate the real estate and luxury goods markets while creating jobs, thus stimulating the economy at large. I can’t explain it any better than that. If you still cannot fathom how this could be good for you, the taxpayer, you will just have to trust our decisions. After all, we are the experts.

Sincerely,

The CEO of a major financial institution"
(via Streeter)

Obviously its not real, but it seems to explain a lot of the logic behind justifying huge bonuses for some of the people who got us into this mess. I've also heard it explained that we need to pay these guys huge bonuses so that we can keep them in these jobs as it is highly competitive. My response: I'm not sure I want those guys to keep their jobs. Hire some new guys and make their bonuses incentive-based. Sure, make the incentives HUGE, but make them difficult to obtain. I'm no expert here, but this doesn't seem too complicated.

Wedding Website

2008-11-19T11:25:00.000-08:00

The wedding website is up and running (all except for the guestbook which will have to wait for tonight).

AndyandLindsay.com

Check it out.

Also, with the new wedding website comes the new wedding blog...

Wedding Blog

Vacation

2008-11-13T19:18:00.000-08:00

According to Byron's handy dandy spreadsheets I have 5 days off vacation left for this year. And I don't have to use them for the week between Xmas and New Years b/c of my works super awesome holiday policy (Thanks Kari!). Oh, and I also have a free round trip flight on Southwest airlines. I'd like to use both before the end of the year.

Any suggestions?

A New Project for Do-It-Yourselfers

2008-11-10T20:42:00.000-08:00

I've been researching DIY electrical wiring. As I was looking for additional training, I found this interesting website that is destined to be my next project:

Jaw wiring training for the “do-it-yourselfer”

Check it out. The pictures are especially interesting...

Disturbing

2008-10-27T11:28:00.000-07:00

I don't normally blog during the work day, but I feel that this is important enough to talk about during my lunch.

A commenter on a previous post brought to my attention that one of the pictures I had posted to a previous post had been changed to a very disturbing image that, no joke, has me feeling physically ill. I have been feeling incredibly queezy ever since and would not be surprised if some of the food I managed to choke down, found its way back out.

The moral of this story is for fellow bloggers never to take the easy way out as I have and always host your own images you post on your blog. When adding an image, Blogger lets you upload the file from your computer or to put in a link where the picture can be found. However, if you use the link option, the picture can change if the owner of that link changes it. Instead, save the picture to your computer and upload it. Thus, saving your readers and you from a horrible, horrible, picture that I will NEVER forget.

California knows how to party

2008-10-16T15:54:00.001-07:00

Maybe its because I'm severely sleep deprived or maybe I'm in a little bit of shock after realizing that I now permanently live in Salt Lake, but I'm really liking my trip to California. Business meetings are going pretty well and I just had an awesome Sea Bass (not to be confused with C-Bass from Dumb & Dumber) salad at some Asian restaurant for lunch.

Life is good.

Paul Newman-athon

2008-10-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

In honor of the late, great Paul Newman, I am proposing a Paul Newman-athon where we watch all of his movies. Okay, maybe not all, but how about 4 of his best.

My proposal (open to other proposals):

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Cool Hand Luke
The Verdict
The Color of Money

Who's in?

I'm No Economist...

2008-10-02T07:03:00.000-07:00

...But I agree with this guy. Jeffrey Miron stated best what I have been thinking about this government bailout plan in his commentary on CNN.com "Bankruptcy, not bailout, is the right answer".

"The obvious alternative to a bailout is letting troubled financial institutions declare bankruptcy."

We've been hearing that letting these companies fail would endanger our entire economic system and we could face collapse. Why? I'm sure it would cause things to get worse, maybe a lot worse, but it seems that is going to happen regardless of whether a bailout is approved or not. In fact, discussions of a bailout may be what is stopping us from starting the road to recovery now, because Wall Street is hanging on to see if the government will buy their low-value, "toxic" assets at a premium for what the may be able to sell them for now.

"If these assets are worth something, however, private parties should want to buy them, and they would do so if the owners would accept fair market value. Far more likely is that current owners have brushed under the rug how little their assets are worth."

I think it is time we reevaluate what role we want government to play in our lives. To me, this plan, and the avocation for it, feels too reactionary and is getting pushed through by fear-mongering of politicians and the people who caused this problem in the first place.

I'm not interested in blaming anyone...yet. Right now, we need to make sure that we are making sound decisions for the future, instead of rushing into something that upon further reflection, might prove to be prolonging the more fundamental problem.

Childhood Memory #1

2008-09-27T12:18:00.000-07:00

My oldest sister Kari wrote a blog post recently about some of her siblings and I'm proud to announce I was selected as a featured sibling in this post.

Her pictures have sparked some memories with me from when I was a kid. I'm not one for remembering details from the past, but there is one that stuck out that I still find very amusing.

Kim was about 10 years old when I was born so there was not a lot of sibling rivalry going on with her when I was growing up (my brothers Ben and Byron are another story). She was the only one that could come up and take a bite out of my cereal that I was eating and I wouldn't completely freak out. I can remember loving to hang out with her friends and meeting all of her boyfriends, especially all the ones that could juggle.

One day Kim was getting ready for a date and it sounded like she was really excited. I wanted to help out with the date and so I started brainstorming what I could do (I'm guessing I was about 8). I decided to make her jewelry for her date so she could look pretty.

Side note about me. I'm not a "do-it-yourself" kind of guy, but I've always wanted to be. I've always thought I could make things myself and when I succeed I find it incredibly empowering. For every one success (e.g. my cool leather journal I made instead of buying one for $50 at a farmers market) I've had multiple failures (e.g. deciding I could make my own blue jeans).

I started thinking about all the resources I had available to me. Keep in mind, we think I'm about 8 at this point. I decided against sticks from the backyard and spare parts from my wrecked cars and action-figures and went with scissors and paper.

As I remember, which could be far off from the truth, Kim loved it. I presented her with the paper earrings and necklace and told them what they were for. My memory would like to believe that she actually wore them out of the house, but the details are a little fuzzy.

2008-09-16T18:03:00.000-07:00

I sit on my AstroTurf patio drinking a Corona and listening to Brett Dennen playing from a piece of plastic/composite material and wonder how easily it could have been very different from this. Not just me, my job, my fiance, my house; but life in general.

Why is my iPhone rectangular? It could just as easily been a circle.

Song change... now I'm listening to Sol' Jibe.

Back to work.

Who to Blame: Week 2

2008-09-15T17:31:00.000-07:00

I'm really hoping that this doesn't become a recurring post on my blog.

#1: God (or someone else with mysterious powers)
What the hell is the curse placed on Seattle wide receivers? Whatever it is, and whoever put it on them, knock it off. You're seriously starting to piss me off.

#2: Seattle Defense
Despite sacking J.T. O'Sullivan 8 times, we still got beat multiple times on the long ball. If I had to single one guy out it'd be Josh Wilson. I could be wrong because it is tough to tell who is supposed to be covering where, but it look like he blew some coverages to me and got burned by Sir Isaac Bruce. Pick it up man. Your killing me.

Who to Blame

2008-09-08T22:28:00.000-07:00

#1. Mike Holmgren
Remember last season when Mike Shanahan of the Denver Broncos (I think it was him) threw out a very tentative challenge flag and the officials didn't see it? Well, much like what happened on Sunday, the game went on and a play that should have been reversed wasn't. I think this was a critical moment in the Seahawk's loss because neither team had any momentum prior to that play. After that play, the Bills had confidence and it changed the rest of the game.

When you want to challenge a play, THROW THE DAMN FLAG!

#2. Ryan Suckemeier... er I mean Plackemeier

I always thought the difference between a good punter and bad punter were marginal. Not so. You'd think after getting so many opportunities to punt, Plackemeier would figure it out. Nope. Time after time he gave the Bills fantastic field position (which lead to crappy field position for the Hawks) so that it was inevitable for the Bills to score. Probability was on their side. We need a new punter. Now.

The Wedding is Off!

2008-09-04T07:13:00.000-07:00

Well, not so much off as change of venue.

Almost a month ago, we were forwarded this article from a friend: "Rosario Resort will be put up for auction". We picked Rosario because of the beautiful scenery so when we read things like "We will find a buyer who will most likely personally occupy the mansion and build condos by the water," we were naturally concerned. However, we were open to the idea that maybe new owners wouldn't turn our wedding site into a construction zone, or at least not until we were done with our wedding (planned for Aug. 16 2009).

Now we're reading articles like "Rosario Resort to lay off staff" and "Rosario Resort to close Oct. 20" which have us a lot more than just concerned. We're canceling this week.

Picking a venue to get married at was very hard the first time around so I'm trying to make it as easy as possible this time. Below is my methodology.

Google the desired location (we have narrowed down to Oregon and Washington) + Wedding
Click on the Images tab
Pick the coolest looking places

Now that I have done that, you guys can vote on where we should get married from the following three choices in the poll to the right. I've uploaded the pictures of couples that have been married at these places.

Chuck e Cheese's in Tacoma

Advantages: Incredible food and entertainment
Disadvantages: Giant Rats

Portland Fire Station

Advantages: Very Safe, Poles to slide down
Disadvantages: Firemen hit on the bride, loud noises

On top of the Space Needle (no really, on top)

Advantages: Great views
Disadvantages: Breezy, Not very original, Birds, Not a lot of space for guests

Its up to you world. Pick wisely.

Man Trip 2008

2008-08-16T22:40:00.000-07:00

In a few days, all men who are real men around the world will make the annual pilgrimage to begin the Man Trip. Man Trip 2008 will be taking place off the coast of Vancouver Island in the beautiful but treacherous Broken Group Islands.

"The Broken Group is known internationally for awesome kayaking and wilderness camping enjoyed by organized adventurers seeking escape to the remote and desolate islands within the park. Natural features of this tranquil group of islands include lagoons, sandbars, blowholes, arches and secluded anchorages. Ancient native middens, village fortifications, stone fishtraps and archaeological sites stimulate the imagination of visitors to this traditional territory of the Nuu-chah-nulth people."

What the article doesn't report about is the KILLER WHALES and GIANT SWELLS and NUCLEAR WASTE (bold, italics and caps added for emphasis and are not necessary true).

This year's man-trippers include:

T-Bone (Trip Organizer)

Kyote (pictured here with his man-crush Kelly Slater)

Ryan (the guy on the cliff)

Andy (pictured here on Man Trip 2007)

We will leave the Seattle area on the morning of Friday, August 22. We'll catch a ferry north of Vancouver B.C. and then drive to Ucluelet, where we will begin paddling. We'll paddle about 5 miles off mainland Vancouver Island to the Broken Island Group. If we're lucky, we'll get there before nightfall on Friday. We'll likely camp at the first island we come to on Friday. Saturday and Sunday will be spent paddling through the islands and camping on the remote islands. We will return to Ucluelet on Monday and make our way back to the Seattle area where we will join the rat race again.

Last year's Man Trip can be viewed here.

Preview of What's to Come

2008-08-15T15:42:00.000-07:00

I've heard the rumblings going around that my blog is "lame". Its true, but I have some exciting posts in the works. Here is a preview below, in no particular order:

I just finished "The Fountainhead" and have a lot of comments about it
I read another book called "Post-American World" which seems especially relevant given that China is kicking our butts in gold medals right now
We just had our first overnight visitors at our home
Video Tour of our new home with Lindsay as host
Wedding Update (very dramatic news (don't worry, we're still getting married (we being Lindsay and I))).
Man Trip 08 taking place next week

So stay tuned and hopefully I'll get a few of these out over the weekend.

Desperate

2008-08-07T22:57:00.000-07:00

I was so desperate to watch an NFL game, that I forced myself to watch 1 quarter of the Cardinals v. Saints preseason game. Tomorrow night the Seahawks will play against the Vikings. Hopefully I can pick it up on tv in SLC.

Jesse Ventura's Good Point

2008-07-29T22:44:00.000-07:00

I have not yet chosen who I will vote for in the upcoming election, but I thought Jesse Ventura did make a very interesting point on some show I saw him on the other night. When asked whether he would support McCain for the presidency, he said no. One of his reasons, I'm sure out of many, was that he was against voting for a president that was above the normal retirement age in the nation.

At 71, McCain would likely be forced to into retirement in many types of jobs in the US. I generally agree that if you would not meet the requirements for working an average private sector job in the country you live in, you probably shouldn't be leading that country. Maybe their should be a cap on how old you can be just as there is a limit to how young you can be (35). Not to fret though, there are many positions that the elderly can hold down. For example, this Wal-Mart greeter looks well over the average retirement age.

(click here for picture)

Goodbye Java Joes

2008-07-28T22:21:00.000-07:00

No, no, its not you, its me. I'm at a stage in my coffee drinking experience where you are unable to fulfill my needs. I needed more than the anonymous experience you offer to your customers. Sure I knew it from the beginning, the way you only had a drive-thru and no sit-down environment. It wasn't meant to be. But not for lack of trying.

I came several times a week, and you never recognized me or my car. Even when you confided in me, telling me about your trip to Costa Rica, you were so surprised when I referenced it on my next visit, replying as you handed me my 12 oz., nonfat, double-shot mocha, "Wow, I guess I've been telling just about everyone about that trip," while reaching for the mace in your purse.

This weekend was the last straw. You took my stamp card which was almost complete. Now, to be fair, it is possible that the card was complete and you took it because you gave me one free drink, only time and my WaMu online banking will tell, but still; you acted very suspicious when I asked for it back the next day. Not the kind of trust I expected from a near 4-month relationship.

So its time for me to move on. I've found somewhere else. I would feel guilty, but the way you have acted has made this so much easier on me. Good luck Java Joes. We'll always have the chocolate covered coffee beans.

Deep Thoughts

2008-07-26T09:38:00.000-07:00

Location: Southwest Flight 3049

Conversation with myself:
"Maybe I should write one of those steamy romance novels."
"No, I think you have to be a women to write one."
"Thats not fair, men could write them just as good as women."
"No, men would rather see the 'romance' rather than imagine it which would fundamentally cripple their ability to describe it in an appealing way."
"True."
"True."

Lunch Showdown of the Bloggers

2008-07-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

Having lunch with fellow blogger Bohemian Crapsody. He has made some interesting predictions about the outcome. I've posted here the Vegas odds of these events actually happening.

1) I will spill something on my nice light colored polo shirt
Vegas Odds: 4/5
2) Andy will break down in tears because he doesn't want to get married next September
Vegas Odds: 10/1
3) Lindsay (Andy's fiance) will call every 5 minutes to make sure Andy isn't doing drugs
Vegas Odds: 1/1
4) I will eat too many chips and salsa and spoil my appetite
Vegas Odds: 12/4
5) Andy will look at porn on his iPhone
Vegas odds: 1/1
6) Greg Weber will show up and throw something at me (miggs?)
Vegas Odds: That guys is such a jerk.
7) Andy will offer to pay for lunch since he owes me for the jailtime I did for not turning him in
Vegas Odds: Non-existent. GTT will pay for Andy's meal and Greg will end up doing dishes in the back.
8) Everyone in the restaurant will break out into a song/dance number like in the movies
Vegas Odds: 2/1

I've put a few thousand down on a few lines and I'll let you know how it pans out.

What's More Delicious Than Tapioca Pudding?

2008-07-22T12:33:00.001-07:00

Nothing, but Summer thunderstorms are quite possibly my favorite thing about Utah.

Election Coverage 2008

2008-07-18T06:06:00.000-07:00

I know that many of you rely heavily on my opinion while making decisions in your daily lives. For this reason, I will be posting from time to time on my thoughts on the upcoming election to further manipulate you.

I think the video below gives a voice to a demographic that we don't hear about too much today: No Values Voters.

'No Values Voters' Looking To Support Most Evil Candidate'

Superhero

2008-07-18T05:51:00.000-07:00

In light of the new Batman release, I decided it was an appropriate time to reveal to the world that I am a Superhero.

But instead of me telling you what my superpowers are and what my name is, I thought I'd let you guess. I know I'm really opening myself up here, but when you leave comments, please remember the children.

Deep Thoughts

2008-07-11T13:34:00.000-07:00

I used to keep a thought book when I lived in Minnesota. I would jot down thoughts and quotes at random, and then later, out of context, I would read them and it would be quite humorous or particularly poignant.

Lately I've been reading a blog called "Bohemian Crapsody" that has inspired me to revisit these random thoughts. From time to time I will post them here. For example:

Location: Lebanese Restaurant Bathroom, Paris, France

Thought: "Why do they have metal grates in the urinal? Do they think I am going to steal the urinal cake?"

A picture of a urinal with a urinal cake sans the grate.

Why...

2008-07-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

Do I try and immitate the accent of the person I am talking to when I know it just makes me sound handicapped?

Euro Trip - Part 1

2008-07-10T07:45:00.000-07:00

He walked up and down the train platform to become certain of his surroundings. A train went by that likely went to his destination, but he had to be sure. After all, he was in no rush.

"Entschuldigen Sie mich, sprechen Sie Englisch?" he asked the women on the next train. "Ja," she said as she stared at his hair which was matted to his forehead due to the sweat. "Does this train go to Rennweg Station?" She pulled out her map, "I am a tourist like you, but I think so." That was good enough so he sat on the train next to her as they watched a young, Georgian football team attempt to flirt with the Austrian girls on the train.

Rennweg Station was small, but had plenty of vendors and shops. The vendors advertising "1 Euro Pizza" and "Kebabs" seemed out of place next to the Burger King on the corner. Exhausted, he walked 300 yards to his hotel.

"Sorry sir but your room will not be ready for at least one more hour," the man behind the desk said in a way that implied he was not sorry at all, but was rather indifferent. "Well is there some place you would recommend for food close by?" With the same level of interest as before "Actually, it is during the 'break' so most restaurants will likely be closed. But there is a Burger King at the station."

He lay in his small hotel bed in his small hotel room which he enjoyed thoroughly because there was no wasted space. "Efficiency," he thought. "The way of the Germans." But he was in Austria. Whatever. "Whats the difference?"

Deep into the night while the rest of Vienna was asleep he stood on the balcony of his room watching lightning break over the city.

His tour of Innere Stadt, the old city of Vienna, was given by one of the men in his business meetings from that morning that had offered to take him around. The tour was just like his hotel room, very efficient and no time to waste. They walked quickly and far. Taking pictures seemed like an inconvenience so he stopped and enjoyed his new friend's company. His new friend treated him to an original Wiener Schnitzl for lunch while they discussed American and European politics.

Jesus is a Seahawks Fan

2008-07-09T09:31:00.000-07:00

Well, that may not be true, but at least I know he is not a Bear's fan.

Lovie Smith, the Chicago Bears head coach, said "Every decision I make, I consult Jesus Christ."

I don't know if you have noticed, but the Bears suck. Sure they made it to the Super Bowl a few years ago, but I'm pretty sure that was luck.

If Jesus were a Bear's fan, I'm sure he would have told Lovie to ditch Rex Grossman. Instead, Lovie and the Bears gave him a new contract this year. Ergo, Jesus is not a Bear's fan.

My worst fear: He likes the Cowboys.

Very Disturbing

2008-07-04T23:05:00.000-07:00

We went to Lindsay's parents for the 4th of July. Before dinner, Lindsay, her dad and myself decided to walk down to the elementary school about 3 blocks away to play frisbee. On the way I looked down a side street that had multiple 4th of July parties going on, but no one was on the street; no one but a cute little girl about 18 months old. She was walking towards us in the road. There were no cars on the road so there was no cause for immediate concern so I just watched to wait until her parents showed up to grab her off the street. They didn't. She got all the way to the street we were standing on which was considerably more busy so I approached her to see where she belonged. I got to her as she was trying to cross the busier street and as a few cars ripped around the corner which could have been quite devastating.

I started walking with her back down the street she came down thinking her parents would show up. I picked her up because she looked so tired. I walked into the backyards of about 5 homes that were having parties and no one knew who she was.

Soon, most the neighborhood was helping out trying to find out where this girl belonged. After 30 minutes of walking with the girl, a father finally showed up to claim the girl. He was so nonchalant that I wanted to smack him in the head and inform him that she almost was hit by a car.

What a jackass.

Your Thoughts

2008-07-04T12:46:00.000-07:00

This is my arm. (Click on the pic for a bigger view). While taking the garbage out I noticed a red line on my arm. I felt the source of the red line and there appeared to be some sort of bug bite. The line ends at the major vein running up my arm.

Also of note, I have killed approximately 2 spiders and 1 cockroach since we've lived here. Last night, I killed 1 spider and one crazy looking bug that looked like this:

Coincidence? I think not.

Normally, bug bites don't bother me, but this red line seemed a little suspicious. It actually doesn't even itch or hurt. Thoughts from anyone?

Another Offer

2008-07-03T00:58:00.000-07:00

We made another offer on a home. This one seems to be going much better than the last time and our intention is to accept their counter-counter-counter offer tomorrow morning. If all goes well we will be moved in by the beginning of August.

Tag

2008-06-26T23:51:00.000-07:00

Alright. So, I've been tagged by my sister-in-law Nicole. After doing a little research, I'm guessing that means that I have to answer the questions below and then pass it along to some other people. Usually I would ignore such a request and treat it like those annoying emails that get circulated and say you have to pass it on to 20 of your friends or your left foot is going to fall off, but since I did not get Nicole anything for her recent birthday where I believe she turned 26, I will consider this her present from me. For those of you who I tag, blame Nicole, its her fault, but I don't want to lose my left foot.

3 Joys

Mother's Taffy Sandwich Cookies
Macintosh Products
The sound of Lindsay struggling with her keys to unlock the door when she is coming home from work

3 Fears

Time Travel
$7/gallon gasoline
Midget Weathermen Bouncing on Trampolines

3 Goals

Lose 15 lbs by August 16, 2009
Learn Deutsch
Memorize key scenes from the movie "Office Space" like this one

3 Current Obsessions

Grand Theft Auto IV
House Hunting
The Seahawks

3 Surprises

I allegedly participated in the blowing up of a large, inflatable, car-lot blow-up doll (think something like this for those of you getting the wrong impression)
I'm not as liberal as you think I am
I have had Chocolate Éclair Cake for virtually every birthday I can remember

I am going to tag Lindsay (I was tempted to tag Mel and Libby, but thought it unfair to tag "your" friends) Jenn, Betsy and Kari. If you refuse to participate your left foot will fall off in a horrific attack involving Skoora the Gentle Shark.

James Dobson and Obama

2008-06-24T22:14:00.000-07:00

I saw this article earlier today on CNN and decided I wanted to write a blog post on it because it annoyed me to the very core. Now I'm not an Obama supporter or anything, I would have been offended if the comments were directed toward McCain or Ron Paul or anyone.

But then I saw this blog on Comedy Central that pretty much summed up what I was going to say. Its called "James Dobson Accuses Barack Obama of Stealing His Job."

My point is that many people would disagree with Dobson's interpretation of the Bible so what gives him the right to call Obama's interpretation a "distortion." What makes his interpretation correct? If we all agreed with Dobson's interpretation, why would there be 38,000 different Christian denominations around the world?

I haven't read Obama's entire speech, but I believe he was talking about the separation of church and state by saying that we wouldn't encourage biblical principles to shape public policy referenced in the Old Testament such as not eating shellfish and promoting slavery (Leviticus) or stoning your child for abandoning the faith (Deuteronomy); a tenet I am glad was abandoned or forgotten about with the New Testament. Dobson says Obama is using out of date principles to push support his "fruitcake interpretation" of the constitution. If I was Obama, I would have referenced principles taught in the New Testament to support the same argument. Can you imagine if we shaped public policy based on someone's interpretation of the Book of Revelation? ...yikes. I personally go for the Dismissal interpretation of this book.

See No Evil

2008-06-23T21:43:00.000-07:00

Just finished reading "See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA's War Against Terrorism" by Robert Baer.

It was interesting to read about the CIA because I never have really paid much attention. Sure I've read spy books and have seen the movies, but I always just took them for entertainment with very little based in reality. After reading this book, I would say my assessment was correct.

The CIA's main objective is information gathering and analysis on foreign entities (governments, groups, companies, people). It grew out of the Office of Strategic Services, the governments agency that gathered intelligence during WWII. After the war, President Truman loved the group so much he formed the CIA.

This book was really interesting because it gives you a perspective on how the agency has evolved over the last 20+ years. When Baer first started, the agency was tasked with gathering information in highly sensitive, highly relevant situations. Baer argues that now, the CIA is so overcome with corruption and complacency that it is incapable of contributing to our nations pressing foreign relation needs.

One illustration of this was when Baer describes the multiple groups who approached him in Iraq to help them remove Saddam Hussein from power. The US would ignore, reject and sometimes it would appear to sabotage (by waiting to respond until the last possible moment when plans could not be changed) these efforts to remove someone who we would go to great lengths and expense to remove later.

What was most concerning to me was something that appears to be a recurring theme with our government. Specifically with the CIA, we put these agents out in dangerous posts around the world, and we don't provide them with the support they need to do the job they were hired to do.

Apparently "Syriana" is based loosely on this book. I need to watch it again because the first time I saw it I was bored out of my mind. Hopefully now it will strike more of a chord.

Seahawks Odds

2008-06-22T13:50:00.000-07:00

What are the chances the Seahawks will win the Superbowl? While this question feels a bit premature, I found sites like Betvega.com throwing some odds around so I thought I would throw them out here.

1) What are the odds the Seahawks will win the NFC West?
5/6
Other NFC West teams: Cardinals (9/4), 49ers (6/1), Rams (11/2)

2) What are the odds the Seahawks will win the NFC?
10/1
Teams with the best odds: Giants (5/1), Eagles (7/1) and Vikings (9/1)

3) What are the odds the Seahawks will with the SuperBowl?
25/1
Teams with the best odds: Patriots (10/3), Cowboys (7/1), Chargers (8/1), Jaguars (12/1)

Another interesting tidbit came from Sports-odds.com which gave the Seahawks power rankings in a number of areas according to Brad Marchetti a sports handicapper.

Seattle Seahawks NFL Power Ratings
*denotes best player at position

Coaching Staff: 8.0 *Mike Holmgren
Quarterbacks: 7.5 *Matt Hasselbeck
Halfbacks:6.5 *Julius Jones
Receivers: 6.5 *Bobby Engram *Deion Branch
Offensive line: 6.0 *Walter Jones
Defensive line: 7.5 *Patrick Kerney
Linebackers: 9.0 *Lofa Tatupu *Julian Peterson
Secondary: 7.5 *Marcus Trufant
Special Teams: 5.0 *Nate Burleson

To end on a positive note, I thought I would remind you of a few events in sporting history. (Taken from Wikipedia)

In 1935, boxer James J. Braddock (Cinderella Man) defeated heavyweight champion Max Baer
In the Euro 2004 football competition, Greece, which some sports books gave 150-1 odds to win at the start of the tournament, defeated the hosts Portugal in their opening match, the cup holders France, the favourites Czech Republic in the semifinals, and Portugal again in the final to win the Euro cup in the most unexpected victory in football history.
Boxer James "Buster" Douglas, given odds of 42-to-1 by one Las Vegas sports book, handed the previously-undefeated Mike Tyson his first ever professional defeat in Tokyo, Japan on February 11, 1990 as the 10-to-1 underdog in a major upset.

My purpose in displaying these is to remind you that odd-makers are just a bunch of actuaries who sit in cubicles and most probably don't know very much about sports.

How to use my points

2008-06-21T20:40:00.000-07:00

Give me your feedback on what I should use the points I've eared on my credit card. You can select multiple items up to 30,000 points.

We didn't get it

2008-06-20T08:14:00.000-07:00

The home seller went with the first bidder since the bids were close. We're pretty bummed.

I think I need to detach all emotion from the situation, but it is difficult when you start picturing your family being raised there and what schools they would go to and how you would redo this and that.

This is how we feel...

We Made an Offer

2008-06-20T01:26:00.000-07:00

Lindsay and I made on offer on our first home today. Unfortunately, someone made an offer before us so we have a bit of competition. We're trying not to get too excited in case we lose it, but its pretty hard.

Here is the link to the listing. Make sure to go on the virtual tour to check out the basement bathroom. Simply awesome.

Concert at Paladium

2008-05-23T20:17:00.000-07:00

Lindsay and I went to a great concert the other day.

My good friend Tristan got me listening to a guy named Brett Dennen a while back and I really liked his carefree style and the message he speaks to in his music. I had the chance to see him live in Portland last year during a free concert at Pioneer Square and it was really great so when I saw he was coming to SLC I was really excited. But it gets better.

Brett Dennen was actually opening for Mason Jennings. I started listening to Mason Jennings after listening to him on the soundtrack of Shelter, a great surf film. This to me was an all-star lineup that would be hard to beat.

Mason Jenning's music is great because you listen to it and it sounds very catchy, light and easy-going. However, if you listen to a lot of his lyrics, he's got some pretty depressing stuff. One of my favorites from him is "The Flood"(give it a minute to load). Don't listen to it if you have had thoughts of suicide or are wondering if life is really worth it.

We missed the first band at the concert and it was a pretty crowded, smoky venue. These are two guys I would definitely rather see in a small, sit-down environment, but their popularity now would make that pretty difficult. We had a really great time. The music was fantastic. I would recommend checking it out when they come your way. The concert dates are listed here.

Ladies Night

2008-05-17T21:46:00.000-07:00

Lindsay went out with her friends for a spa day and girls' night out. That means virtually everyone I know that lives in Salt Lake was out of town today. Although this may seem depressing to some, I am enjoying myself thoroughly. I thought I would share with you some photos of the hike I went on today.

I learned of Adams Canyon from LocalHikes.com. After reading the description of the rattlesnakes I was half ready not to go, but what else did I have to do. Here are some shots of the hike.

Adams Canyon Hike Photos

I called this bridge "Andy's Bridge" because if I built a bridge, this is how I imagine it would look.

This little fall was cool because it all of a sudden shot over to the right and threw the water out. Hard to see from the pic, but it was really cool.

Same fall from the side.

My shoe.

Adam's Canyon Falls. This is a 40 ft fall at the very end of the trail. You have to cross the creek to get a good look. It was really beautiful.

I didn't see any rattlers or mountain lions, but I did see this guy on my way back.

Narcoleptic Fly

2008-05-16T00:05:00.000-07:00

We were having breakfast at Ruth's up in Immigration Canyon and the strangest thing happened. A fly landed on someones plate and then fell over immediately on the table. We poked it and it didn't move. We assumed it had a heart attack and died from sampling the high cholesterol food we were eating.

Moments later it flew off.

It was the strangest thing. Is it possible we encountered a narcoleptic fly?

Thoughts on a Funeral

2008-05-04T10:29:00.000-07:00

James Buse Lindblom
February 26, 1922 - April 28, 2008

I recently attended my Grandfather's funeral in Arizona. I enjoyed my time there catching up with cousins I hadn't seen in many years and thinking back on the great memories I have of my Grandparents and what wonderful people they are.

I am pretty lucky; I was able to make it down to Arizona about a month ago on a business trip and I took a day off to spend some time with him. Although he was definitely older than I remember him as a child, I found him to be warm, brutally honest and open to discussing his past. He was very feisty and it was very entertaining to visit with him while he would casually come in and out of sleep with no effort or consciousness at all.

I thought the funeral was really well done because it was done in a way I think he would have appreciated. Like my Grandmother said before I left, he would have been embarrassed if we would have made too much fuss over him and spoke about all of his life accomplishments. Instead, Aunt Marcia told stories about him for about a half hour and the Uncle Jim and others discussed their spiritual beliefs about life after death.

There was a big luncheon where a large group of cousins and friends sat around eating and enjoying each other's company. Some shared stories about him from a microphone at the front of the room. Because we moved away when I was 12 and I have a horrible memory, I don't have a lot of memories about my Grandfather that I can recite. What I do remember is playing in his backyard under the fruit trees, getting excited for the garbage can gifts every Christmas, playing Chickenfoot on his kitchen table and having phone conversations with him a few times a year where he would make sure I was doing ok.

I found this clipping from the East Valley Tribune. Be sure to click on the guest book to look at the nice things people had to say.

Besides the time visiting with family and remembering a great man, I walked away with a greater resolve to take a greater interest in others and to use whatever influence or resources I have to try and make a positive impact in the lives of others. To me, that would be how my Grandfather would want me to remember him.

Seahawks 1st Round Pick

2008-04-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

With the 25th pick in the NFL Draft, the Seahawks select... Lawrence Jackson, DE from USC.

Many mock drafts have the Seahawks selecting Kentwan Balmer, but based on a few points 1.) Balmer was only dominant last season, a red flag for Ruskell 2.) The Rocky Bernard situation will not force the Seahawks to take a DT in the first round; I believe Jackson is the better choice.

Some have called Jackson streaky, but when you are on a football team full of stars its hard to be the standout all of the time.

Read more about Jackson here.

Now I need to go watch the draft.

Seahawks 2nd Round Pick

2008-04-26T11:12:00.000-07:00

OK, I've got to be a bit quick about these last two posts because the draft is coming up in a few hours.

So.... with the 55th pick of the 2008 NFL Draft the Seahawks select... John Carlson, TE out of Notre Dame.

An excerpt about Carlson from Scout.com

John Carlson, TE Notre Dame
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 259 40: 4.70e

STRENGTHS

Hands and Concentration

Route-Running Skills

Size

AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Blocking Ability

Elusiveness with Catch

"Big, smart and highly athletic football player. Felt he caught the ball well in the under zones (can snatch away from body). Ran good routes particularly in the under zones. Not really nifty after the catch, but did show some strength and worked to finish. Inline was an adequate run blocker who gave a solid effort. Beyond the college game, I see him quickly becoming a very back up, who could well develop into a serviceable regular in time."

Carlson will add some much needed depth at a position that is integral to Holmgren's offense.

Here is a compilation of his time at Notre Dame put to Halo music. Be patient through the buildup and the repeated clips.

Rob Rang claimed Carlson is the most NFL ready TE in the draft.

Seahawks 3rd round pick

2008-04-25T00:26:00.000-07:00

With the 85th pick in the 2008 draft, the Seattle Seahawks pick… Kevin Smith from Central Florida.

Name: Kevin Smith
College: Central Florida Number: 24
Height: 6-1 Weight: 217
Position: RB
40 Time: 4.53
Projected Round: 3
Rated number 9 out of 187 RB's

The real question is, why will Kevin Smith fall to the 3rd round? Seriously, the guy was 61 yards shy of breaking Barry Sanders NCAA record for rushing yards in a single season. The only other major college player to rush for over 2,500 yards in a single season. The only thing I can think of is that this year is pretty deep at running back.

Sure, I’d love to get Jonathon Stewart playing ball in a hawks uniform, but the truth of the matter is that he will never fall past the mid-first round. If he does, Seahawks will snatch him up and spend the 85th pick on a TE or something. Not going to happen. If Stewart is lucky, he will go to the Bears. I pray, for his own sake, that he does not end up in Detroit, Arizona or Houston. If by chance he does slip past the 18th pick, Jerry Jones will get his hands on him with the 22nd pick or the Steelers with the 23rd.

But I digress. Kevin Smith will provide a strength at a position this year where we need some help and could possibly emerge as a starter. He was an All-Conference USA first-team choice and named co-Offensive Player of the Year.

At 6-1, he has good size, and he apparently plays faster than he performs at workouts, which is a relief because not too many people are thrilled about a 4.53 40 time from a premiere RB. His size also gives him strength that will help him get yards after the first hit; something Seattle has been missing for a few seasons now. Smith is proclaimed as a natural runner with very good vision and instincts. He blocks ok and can catch the ball, which should bode well in a West Coast Offense.

This is one of the best videos I was able to get of him showing his moves. (Be patient...the action happens about 30 seconds in)

One of the biggest concerns that should be on all teams seeking RBs is mileage. Some claim Smith has a lot of mileage on his legs and that durability could be an issue. Some criticize his speed saying he is slower and may not be able to turn the corner in the NFL. I think its tough to be both patient and fast, but Smith finds a nice combination of the two. His talent is also questioned because he played with a very talented offense at UCF, but who cares, the Seahawks have a talented offense that should be able to provide ample opportunities for him to shine.

Smith has had private workouts with the Dolphins and a few other NFL teams that have asked to remain nameless. There is a good chance he goes before our pick in the 3rd, but if he’s there, go get em “Timmay!”

Seahawks 4th Round Pick

2008-04-22T23:51:00.000-07:00

By my calculations, the Seahawks have a few gaping holes or areas for improvement that they will need to address in this draft. According to my sense of need the areas are ranked below with what round I think the Seahawks should address it. Keep in mind that Tim Ruskell is a draft best player available kind of guy, so any projection could be way off. Also, this is assuming that the Seahawks don’t trade away any picks.

1) TE – 2nd Round
2) RB – 3rd Round
3) DE – 1st Round
4) T/G – 4th Round

So, starting tonight with the 4th Round I will project who I hope the Seahawks will take in the draft this weekend.

With the 121st pick of the 2008 NFL Draft the Seahawks select… Eric Young from Tennessee.

Name: Eric Young
College: Tennessee Number: 54
Height: 6-4 Weight: 310
Position: OG Pos2: OT
40 Time: 5.18
Projected Round: 4
Rated number 6 out of 175 OG's

Young started the first 8 games for Tennessee at OT but sat out the last 6 due to a leg injury that he apparently is still rehabilitating from. Despite sitting out almost half the season, Young still received second team Southeastern Conference honors. He did not allow any QB sacks or rushes in the 8 games he started. Its apparent that Young made a significant impact for UT by looking at the team stats w/ Young and w/o Young.

There is no question that Young presents a risk with his injury, but the reward could be significant. The Seahawks could get a player that's rated 5th in his position in the draft that has the talent to go in the early 3rd round, a fact that some scouts say is a “ridiculous value.”

One of the biggest reasons I like Young for the Seahawks 4th pick (121 overall) is that he is very versatile. He has experience in both tackle positions and as guard, an important factor to consider with our aging offensive line.

Some links about Eric Young:

NFLDraftScout.com

Tennessee.Scout.com

Why We Should Get Rid of Cars

2008-03-21T19:34:00.000-07:00

**Please note that Seattle Automotive reimbursed my expenses as detailed in my bitch session below**

To Whom It May Concern:

When I first drove up from Portland to pick up my car I was informed that all the work that had been promised on the estimate had not been completed. They asked me to return to Seattle to have the work completed at another time. The work involved 1) Removing small scratches on my hood that were put on my car while at Seattle Automotive and, 2) Putting a clear bra on the front of my car that they did not have time to install.

I arranged for this additional work to be done on March 21, 2008 and received a verbal commitment on several occasions from Joe Schmo (name changed for protection) and others at Seattle Automotive, including the day before I arrived, that the work would be completed on that day and that I could pick up my car later that evening or over the weekend. I explained how important it was that it all be taken care of that day because I would be moving to Utah a week later and did not have any more time to spend in Seattle.

I dropped of my car promptly at 8am as planned and Joe Schmo again committed that the work would be completed on my car by the end of the day and said he would call me when the work was complete.

I never received a call, so I called Seattle Automotive at 4pm and asked if the work had been completed. The person I spoke to did not know and said they would call me back. After 30 minutes of no one calling me back I decided to show up at the garage and wait for the work to be completed. When I arrived I found my car parked outside. The small scratches were removed from the hood, but the clear bra had not been installed. They had never arranged for the person to show up and install it. So despite my calling several times to ensure that the work would be completed and being assured it would, it was not.

Please reimburse my expenses for traveling to Seattle as there was virtually no reason to make this trip.

Hotel Expense: $85.06
Gas: $18.05 (30 mpg/177 mi x $3.57)
Total: $103.11

I hope you will see my request is reasonable and will respond quickly. You can send a check to:

My address...

Please call or email me when you have mailed the check. I have attached here my hotel receipt.

Andrew Godsey

So the reason to get rid of cars is to get rid of body shops.

Seahawks 2008 Mock Draft Analysis (Post-Combine)

2008-03-12T21:59:00.000-07:00

After looking at 50 more mock drafts, I was surprised to find that so many of the mock drafts still had the Seahawks drafting a running back with their 1st round pick, although they probably were not updated since the Seahawks signed Julius Jones in free agency. I was also surprised that so many mock drafts had Jonathan Stewart still available by the 25th pick after his good showing at the NFL Combine.

I think it more likely that by addressing (or attempting to address) the RB issue, the Seahawks have put themselves in the position to draft the best player available with their first round pick. I would love to see them address the hole at TE or to add some strength on the offensive line. That being said, I believe the Jones, Duckett and Morris RB combo is risky, so if Jonathan Stewart or another premiere RB is available when the 25th pick comes around, I hope the Seahawks pull the trigger and hopefully we end up with a version of what Minnesota experienced last year with Adrian Peterson.

Balmer, Albert and Thomas are new names to me so I look into what kind of contribution they can make.

Seahawks 2008 Mock Draft Analysis (Pre-Combine)

2008-03-10T00:32:00.000-07:00

Rather than trying to put together my own mock draft for 2008, I decided to look at as many mock drafts as I could to see who they were projected the Seahwaks to pick with their 1st round pick (25th overall). Big thanks to HailRedskins.com for their Mock Draft Database. I ended up looking at 50 mock drafts and came up with these results.

Because this snapshot was done pre-combine, there is a definite need to take a look at updated mock drafts to see what they are saying. For example, because of their stellar performances at the combine, it is not expected to see Jonathon Stewart or Mendenhall go as late as the 25th pick overall. Not to mention the Seahawk's addition of Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett may have them looking elsewhere in the 1st round (like at the gaping hole at tight end).

After taking a look at another sample of post-combine mock drafts I'll post another chart indicating the major projections for Seahawk's first round pick. After that, I will attempt to break down the most likely suspects and make a case for which pick I think makes the most sense.

Bottling Pure Joy

2008-03-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

I feel like I've lived a pretty low-stress life and I've enjoyed that. My body doesn't cope well with stress and I've noticed a difference over the last couple years as I now have a job that carries with it a decent amount of stress. I've noticed I have to look harder for the moments where I can truly be stress-free.

That being said, I think I have found my ultimate stress-free moment. If I could bottle this moment, manufacture it and sell it, I am convinced I would be a very rich man. My ultimate stress-free moment is airplane takeoff.

From the moment the plane begins to accelerate to the moment that we have reached cruising altitude I'm in heaven. Pure bliss. While I don't claim to understand why this is, I believe it probably has something to do with achieving ultimate comfort by being pulled into the seat by the thrust and incline of the airplane. Perhaps I should focus my efforts on creating a La-Z-boy chair that can recreate the airplane takeoff environment.

Tell Me Who To Vote For

2008-01-28T23:12:00.000-08:00

Its time for me to decide who to vote for. Thats where you come in. I have friends on all sides of the political debate and thought I would open my mind up to those of you who have already decided on a candidate.

I am pretty open to all candidates from all parties at this point, so please feel free to include your pitch for any of them.

For those of you wondering why you should spend the time to influence me I will remind you my qualities that would make any candidate want me to be a campaign participant.

1) I'm very influential. You likely already know this because you are reading my blog and are influenced by me on a regular basis. If you sell me on your candidate, my influence could be just the momentum they need. I will probably blog about my support for the candidate on a regular basis.

2) I'm reasonably intelligent.

3) I can be a leader or a follower. If your candidate need someone to get involved and lead: I'm their man. If they need a sheep to just do as their told, I can do that too.

4) I'm hygienic and presentable. This might not seem important, but who would you rather have in your camp: Puck from the Real World San Fransisco or George Clooney? I rest my case.

5) I live in Oregon now but will live in Utah in a few months allowing your candidate to increase their message in two states (one red, one blue).

6) I have a diverse range of views that could accommodate a liberal or conservative candidate.

7) I love my country and want to see it improve.

I hope this has been enough to convince you to convince me to vote for your candidate.

**Please participate in the related poll on the right hand side of the page**

Retraction

2008-01-14T11:56:00.000-08:00

Even though the Seahawks lost in a pathetic display of athletic competition on Saturday, I have not given up on 2008 as I alluded to in my last post.

I am actually feeling a renewed sense of hope and inspiration. It just goes to show that things always seem much worse right after they happen. If you can have the foresight to look a few weeks, months, years ahead and realize that your current issues will have little effect on your life, you will be all the better for it. I'm sure I have taken at least a year off of my life by stressing about things that I can barely even remember anymore.

So, even if you ran your new car into a fire hydrant, just remember as a wise person recently told me: "Its just f***ing money." Profound in its simplicity.

I've also been asked to retract my statement about a statute of limitations on how long you can enjoy being engaged that I wrote in my last post. Consider it retracted.

Worst year ever

2008-01-12T18:34:00.001-08:00

I'm pretty sure 2008 is the worst year ever. At first I questioned this, because I just got engaged. But then I remembered that I got engaged December 27, 2007. I'm pretty sure there is a statute of limitations on how long you can enjoy your engagement and it doesn't extend into the next year.

I'm prepared to say that nothing good has happened in 2008. Except for the Seahawks beating the Redskins in the first round of the playoffs. But if they lose to Green Bay tomorrow, I'll be ready to write this year off completely.

Hopefully all of you are having a much better year.

I'm Engaged

2008-01-08T15:00:00.000-08:00

Its official ladies: Andy Godsey is off the market. My days of illicit drug use, loose women and all manner of what can only be described as ballyhoo, are over.

The woman who did this to me.

I will keep you all informed of how our engagement progresses.

Random Thoughts

2007-12-29T16:27:00.001-08:00

The feeling of inspiration often comes at awkward moments. Late at night while I am preparing for bed; watching a movie with the girl I love; in the shower. Its presence is disturbing and shatters the mediocrity that is Andy Godsey.

What separates the inspired from the uninspired? There appears to be a clear distinction between the two that can be seen in the differing actions. Or is it that different people are inspired at different areas. Is there a limited supply of inspiration that must be shared amongst all of us that have consciousness or is it endless and all of us can be inspired all the time with limitless capacity. Those that have made tremendous efforts against all odds, where does their inspiration come from? Is inspiration real or is it a product of our imagination? Maybe it can be shared or given like a gift. Or maybe it is a time bomb that is planted in our mind that is triggered in certain situations.

Can we manufacture inspiration? Would it matter? Inspiration is not wholly good. Some of the people who have accomplished some of the most disturbing acts during human existence were no doubt inspired. But by what? Can any one person be completely void of inspiration? I feel void of inspiration at this very moment. Is that wrong or bad? Should I seek to be inspired? I am definitely more productive when I am inspired, but to what end? It always leaves and I am left a broken man. Once inspired by a dream, idea, money, girl; now gone and leaving me desperate to attempt to accomplish goals that were made when I was inspired but can only be accomplished if I remain inspired. Or is that where discipline comes in? Discipline comes when inspiration leaves. By definition, inspiration is unusual; not happening often. Can you counterfeit inspiration or would that require inspiration to create?

"If at first you don't succeed, maybe losing is more your style"

2007-12-29T16:17:00.000-08:00

Christmas has been ruined for me forever. It is the day I found out I lost the championship in Yahoo Fantasy Football League 459626. I've decided 2nd place suits me better anyway.

Wednesday Miscellany

2007-12-19T04:44:00.000-08:00

For those of you who voted in the #1 male Finnish name poll; the answer was Veeti. Not that I am a seasoned Finnish traveler, but I have never met a Finn named Veeti. Maybe its because my data was a few years old (2005).

For all those who voted in the "Who will win in week 15" poll; the victorious team was the Jackals. Yes thats right, my team has once again stared down almost certain defeat and battled to earn the chance to live on another week. This week is the championship game for which I am the favorite. This could be my first fantasy football title ever. Click to see the matchup.

A lot of people ask me what I do and I usually reply "I work with patents." Its a quick easy way out of a potentially long, boring explanation. The truth is, I manage our company's services which are 1) Selling patents for clients 2) Buying patents for clients and 3) Performing a variety of consulting engagements around patents and patenting strategies. I read a blog quoting a brochure that kind of dumbed down analyzing patent infringement which relates to our company and our services. For those of you who are really interested in what I do, this is a start.

Airport Experience

2007-12-15T08:38:00.000-08:00

I had a layover in Frankfurt, Germany the other day. I swear, I had to climb/descend about 25-30 flights of stairs to get to my connecting flight. It was a weird experience. Especially because I thought Germany was the land of efficiency.

Also, when I was boarding my flight in Finland, I asked the lady behind the counter to get me an aisle seat. She asked me (read with heavy accent(type of accent is up to you)) "Do ya trust meh to book you in the seat that I would bookfer meeself?" It cracked me up and I said sure. Big mistake. Apparently she likes being stuck in the middle of a row with limited legroom next to a crazy Romanian lady. I was in 41E which has a "Be Aware" rating on SeatGuru.com.

Of course that is the nature of traveling and I don't mean to sound like I am complaining. I actually enjoy traveling. However, it got me thinking about all the airport experiences I have had and got me curious about the kinds of experiences the readers of Flapdoodling are having. Let us know your good or bad airport experience.

A Message of Hope

2007-12-11T22:32:00.000-08:00

In August you could not have convinced me that my fantasy football team would not be the team to beat. I had Alex Smith who was projected to have a breakout year at QB and Mark Bulger, Mr. Consistency, to back him up; Steven Jackson, who pledged to be the top scoring fantasy player this year; Chris Chambers, Plaxico Burress, Tory Holt; to name a few. I was to be unstoppable.

Well, I was pretty much ready to throw the season away after my first four match ups were losses. I was plagued by injuries and underperforming players. I was devastated.

As more of a project to tinker with rather than anything to take seriously, I began to mess around with my lineup. I moved Adrian Peterson from the bench (oops!) and started Drew Brees. I added Marques Colston and Brandon Jacobs. All of a sudden my team was winning.

Even though my team was winning, I was still a long shot to make the playoffs (the top 4 teams out of 10 make the playoffs). I had lost too many games up front and would have to rise from a position of #9 in the league to #4. But I started to replace my devastation with hope.

So to make a long story a little less long, I had two games left and I had to win both. One should be easy, but the other was against BeAn ToWn, who hosted a daunting 11-1 record at the time. I had already been beat badly by then earlier in the season and they were what I was fairly certain was going to keep me from reaching the playoffs. But I won. And I beat the other team that was standing in my way. Not only that, but the other teams lost who I needed to lose.

Now I sit perched in the #4 spot in the league, advancing to the playoffs where I will face the #1 seated team which is... let me check here... uh....oh, yeah, BeAn ToWn. I am again the underdog, but this time I have the confidence that this Goliath can be taken out. Of course, in order for that to be accomplished Tom Brady, Randy Moss, the Patriot Defense, Chad Johnson, etc. will have to not play like they have been all season. It doesn't help that the Patriots play the Jets this week either, but its been done before and it can happen again. I could be on my way to the *greatest comeback in fantasy football history.

The point is, if I can turn my fantasy football team around and make them into the champions they are today, surely you can do something half as cool. Don't give up.

I'll post the outcome on my blog next week. Go Jackals!!!

*Gross exaggeration

Finland

2007-12-10T20:09:00.000-08:00

I'm in Finland. Its 6:09 AM and I have been up since 12:30 AM with no signs that I will be getting any more sleep this morning. Because I went to bed at about 9:30 PM, I am predicting a significant collapse of all mental and physical capacity at approximately 2:00 PM.

You know what I found out about Finland in the winter? Its cold. Also, its dark! The sun rises at approximately 9 AM and sets at approximately 3 PM.

Other Interesting Finnish Facts:

Rated the #1 country to live in the world according to a study in Readers Digest published Oct 2007.

Finland is considered the home of Father Christmas. As such, it is home to "Santa Claus' Main Post Office".

The blue in the Finnish flag stands for its lakes and the white for its snow.

1984

2007-11-10T11:18:00.000-08:00

I wasn't an overachiever in high school to put it delicately. When reading assignments came up in English, I usually opted for the Cliff's Notes or I skipped them completely. That was a mistake. Reading is something I now enjoy tremendously. So now I am trying to catch up on some of the classics I missed out on a decade ago.

I just read 1984 by George Orwell. I found it thought provoking to say the least. Disturbing is probably a better way to describe it. Most disturbing for me was that the things Orwell was writing about actually take place. I'm not talking about government wiretapping or anything. I am speaking more to Orwell's observation of human nature. Doublethink is the idea of holding two contradicting beliefs at the same time. My first reaction is to say that this is what scientists who are really religious must be going through, but I think that is missing the mark. I think doublethink is probably something we all do. Maybe it is a survival mechanism so that we can cope with the world we live in. For example, I believe that we should shorten the expected work week. However, I often put myself (and others) in situations where late nights and working on weekends is necessary. Is this doublethink? And by discovering it do I have an obligation to resolve the dichotomy or can I in good conscience continue to ignore it?

Another idea that popped up in the book was that by limiting the vocabulary that the Party would be able to limit the cognizance of their subjects. Which raises a concern for me: by having a limited vocabulary, am I limiting the ideas which I am able to explore? I'm sure we all have had the experience when someone who speaks another language is trying to explain a foreign idiom and they say that it doesn't really translate. Does that mean that those people who speak that language have developed concepts that we cannot. Certainly there are people who can reach past the current collective knowledge of the time to explain concepts that have never been articulated before. However, for the lay person, I believe that a limited vocabulary will limit the range of concepts you will be able to have.

Ode To the Elder Man of One Year

2007-05-06T08:35:00.000-07:00

May 6th marks the day of little import
Except for a little man who lives in New York
For today is the day of all days for this man
Who lives in a hole and pees in a can
Best wishes to him as he passes another year
May there be no more herpes and no more warm beer
May he have lots of luck with the women he loves
May he have many good times with the best of his buds
May he find success in the passion he hones
May he make lots of money and then come back home
May he realize the importance in life that he plays
To all those around him through life day by day
You are great, you are wonderful as a friend you are strong
May you have that which makes you happy as another year passes on.

Happy B-day T-Bone. Love ya buddy.

Four Years

2007-03-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

Its been four years and I still think about you all the time.