Monday, March 31, 2008

MLB Opening Day...

and my boys had their first game postponed due to rain.

Congrats to Joe Torre on winning his first game as a Dodger. I have a feeling it won't be his last.

Girardi...you got your work cut out for you.

Go Yankees!!!

American Idol Flaws

I admit, I've become a huge AI fan this year. Up until today, I couldn't understand why certain people had not been voted off (Kristy Lee, Ramiele, Jason, and Syesha).

As you know if you've been watching the show, Itunes is offering exclusive downloads for their typical 99 cent fee. You can go onto the itunes store and preview the studio recordings (for the top 10 only). When you do this, you get a totally different feel for the artists.

Automatically, when Ramiele sang "Alone" last week, I hated it. It sounded as if she was screaming and yelling through most of the song. When you click on studio recording, she sounds amazing.

I think this is a flaw in the American Idol voting process. There's no telling how many people download, but Ryan Seacrest did say last week that if they tallied on the top downloads on itunes for the week, 5 of the top 10 would have been AI singers.

Many people go and listen to these studio recorded versions, which are much more polished than the live versions (except David Cook, he's just awesome). The voters then begin to vote for what the studio recordings sound like instead of their ability to perform live in front of the judges.

Thoughts?

Thursday, March 27, 2008

American Idol, 63 Days, and Some Change

Anyone watching American Idol? This is the first season I've ever really watched it. In season 2, there was a guy I knew on it. His name was George Trice. That was the only season I ever really watched even more than one episode, but after he didn't make it, I stopped watching it. I had no idea it was this addictive. Glad to see Chikezie go last night. He just wasn't my cup of tea.

Today we have 63 days left till Ladybug Widick gets here. We're officially taking name suggestions. If you got one, let us know.

I realize today why it is that I'm overweight. Not only do I need to eat a whole lot better, but its also the fact that I'm so sedentary. When I lived in Houston, I was coaching 2 or 3 sports at a time, working out, running, exercising, moving around. I don't do nearly enough of that anymore. Maybe I should get one of THESE.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Beginning Month 8, 10 weeks left

All right, for those of you that don't know, my wife is pregnant. She is getting more and more pregnant by the day. She looks so wonderful, beautiful, and happy. I still see little smiles when the baby moves, accompanied with looks of pain when the baby kicks real hard (or jumps on her bladder). The past few months have been really fun, but then again, i'm not the one carrying around extra weight.

Overall, our pregnancy so far has been rather uneventful. No problems, no concerns, no worries. However, as the 8th month has begun, we both are starting to "freak" out a little.

1. We still have not picked out a name.
2. We still have no diaper changing table
3. We wonder why people bother to register, because hardly anyone ever consults the registry before they purchase a gift (sure this neon green blanket goes with our subtle pink room....), but we really just appreciate the outpouring of stuff people have given us (we're just freaking out about the big things that we still have yet to obtain...)
4. Diapers, in a word, are EXPENSIVE. We've decided to start buying a pack every time we go to Walmart just to help get a jump start on some things.
5. From now until the baby comes, we'll go to Huntsville about 97 times. Doctor visits every other week, then every week, plus child birth classes and other classes we've signed up for.
6. Speaking of child birth classes, they start tonight. I'm the most squeamish person on the planet, so the idea of having to watch videos on child birth...um...just make sure its a few hours after I eat.
7. Have I mentioned in ten weeks we're going to be responsible for the little person that fits in those adorable sweaters and dresses and shoes people have given us?

In a nutshell, yeah, I guess I'm starting to get a bit freaked out. But I do want to thank everyone who has given us the outpouring of gifts and love and prayers. It has helped us get through the past 7 months, now help us get through months 8 and 9! Anyone who is a parent that has any advice for a first time father, I would greatly appreciate it!

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Hulu

For $1.99, you can purchase television shows to download off of Itunes, or for $9.99, you can purchase movies to download as well. I loved doing this, especially for shows I used to miss, plus, then I would have them for my ipod and on my computer saved.

However, this year, NBC announced they would be pulling shows like "The Office" off of Itunes. I didn't understand...until...I read about HULU. On HULU, you can go and view many episodes (not all, but many) of your favorite television shows, AND movies.

For example, here's a clip of one of my favorite Saturday Night Live sketches:


You can embed their clips on to blogs and other sites, but I still have yet to figure out a way to download. That's the one major drawback.

There's also over 50 movies you can watch from the site as well. And they aren't bad movies either. Titles such as Master and Commander, Ice Age, Me Myself and Irene, The Three Amigos, Weekend at Bernies, Sideways, ALL FOR FREE. Other movies on the site just have clips instead of the entire movie, but its still fun to watch if you have a spare moment during lunch.

The site has selected entire episodes of 30 Rock, Arrested Development, The Bob Newheart Show, Family Guy, The Incredible Hulk, Mad TV, SNL, Monk, My Name Is Earl, The Office, and classics such as Remington Steele, Starsky and Hutch, Welcome Back Kotter and Who's the Boss?

Its a great site, but just be careful that you don't get too caught up in it. Especially going back and watching old Saturday Night Live skits.

Happy viewing, for FREE!!

Friday, March 14, 2008

The Truth

Watch this all the way through, paying very close attention to the words. Pretty amazing.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Kristen and "Ladybug" Week 29

Hey all! Kristen and Ladybug are doing GREAT!!! I just had to post some pictures of them at week 29.



I think she looks wonderful!! We also thought we'd share some of the Nursery Pictures. Its not completely done, but here's a few:




And here's a picture of poor Chloe, who already isn't getting as much attention. She wanted her picture taken during the "photo shoot".

Monday, March 10, 2008

Some of the best music out there

I've recently stumbled upon a wonderful music program that is web based called Pandora. I encourage all of you to go and check it out.

All you have to do is simply register (its free), and you get to choose your station that you want to listen to. They have everything from Hip Hop, Jazz, New Age to Country, Rock, literally all you could imagine.

I've already heard Styx, James Taylor, John Denver, and Dave Matthews. I've also heard many new artists, independent artists, etc.

So go ahead, give it a listen, its FREE. If you like ambient new age music to listen to at your office, they got it! They got it all!

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

A Good Ole Flick

Recently, I've discovered Channel 258 on my DirecTV, which is the Fox Movie Channel. I've watched some great old flicks, movies that have reconnected me to childhood and teen years. Recently, we watched both Father of the Bride and Father of the Bride part 2.

However, on Sunday night, I recorded a movie that I hadn't seen in such a long time, and I was so excited to see it. It was the movie "Aliens'. Now, there was the movie Alien, and then there was (or were, which should be right, but isn't at this time) "Aliens". Sigourney Weaver played Ripley, a woman who had seen her whole crew destroyed by an Alien, and on this movie, she sees basically the same thing, but with a lot more action.

I also recently saw on the channel the movie "Dumb and Dumber", which was always a classic. So what about you guys? Is there a movie that connects you to your past that you always love watching when you get a chance?