A great little website educating people about eating well, local and organic.
http://bit.ly/jyhqV
4.21.2010
4.19.2010
A horrible basketball player
Having the pleasure to watch the greatest basketball players of all time; MJ, Magic, Bird, etc. I’m currently enjoying the experience of watching an NBA that is redefining the “no-mans land” it has been in for the past 10 years or so. The playoffs have been extremely fun to watch especially in light of recent events surrounding the Celtics and Heat, it almost elevates the level of play each time down the court.
Did you pick up on that word ‘almost’?
That’s right, ALMOST!
Watching the first game of the Lakers Thunder series I couldn’t help but have two thoughts.
1. Is there a bigger D-bag in professional sports other than Kobe? Maybe Phillip Rivers!
2. Kobe questions the integrity of the game of basketball.
My first point is easily understood, and debatable at best. However, let me speak to my second point.
The referee blows the whistle, eyes grow wide, hands cover the mouth and the utter look of disbelief is evident on the face of the player who just committed the foul. I know this is typical of every player in The Association, but no one does it better than Kobe on both ends of the court.
I can’t imagine another circumstance in life, where every time you made ‘quality checks’ in the workplace, that a fellow co-worker questioned your decision. Put yourself in that position. The next time you make a decision at work, felling confident, and automatically a fellow co-worker questions your decision, how badly do you want to make that persons work life a living hell?
If Kobe doesn’t get the foul on offense, simply because he missed a basket, a quick glance at the Ref. with palms facing upward, a shrug of the shoulders and utter wonderment is thrust upon a co-worker-who is just doing his job!
And heaven forbid that playing defense Kobe would actually get a foul called on him!
There was a point in the game that Kobe stepped in to take a charge, having arrived too late at the spot, he committed a blocking foul. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! It was as if someone just kicked a baby in the crowd! The reaction of Kobe was priceless. He covered his mouth and gave that look only magnified by 10x! And of course, instant replay, all the commentators called it a foul.
So this brings my point – Kobe questions the integrity of the game.
This is how he does it...
Arguing with the Referee each time down the court.
I coached a high school varsity basketball team for a few years and one lesson I always taught my guys – Don’t complain about the referees. It does no good! The pure aspect about sports is that there are clearly defined rules. Violation of those rules equal consequences. If you play your best game and the other team plays their best game, and you win, success, but if you lose, you need to work harder to play better.
Kobe bends the integrity of basketball to his advantage rather than honoring the purity of the sport. Each glance at a referee. Each shrug of the shoulder. Each palms facing upward. Not only questions a fellow co-workers ability to perform his job effectively, but sets a negative example to kids competing in sports while questioning the integrity of what sports truly are.
Kobe will be written down in the history books of basketball as a all-time great player, but when I teach my guys how true basketball players act on and off the court, I turn my head quickly away from Kobe.
I want my guys to know that playing your best equals success. I want my guys to know that arguing with someone is a characteristic of immaturity. I want my guys to know that honoring the integrity of basketball is what makes it a beautiful game!
Did you pick up on that word ‘almost’?
That’s right, ALMOST!
Watching the first game of the Lakers Thunder series I couldn’t help but have two thoughts.
1. Is there a bigger D-bag in professional sports other than Kobe? Maybe Phillip Rivers!
2. Kobe questions the integrity of the game of basketball.
My first point is easily understood, and debatable at best. However, let me speak to my second point.
The referee blows the whistle, eyes grow wide, hands cover the mouth and the utter look of disbelief is evident on the face of the player who just committed the foul. I know this is typical of every player in The Association, but no one does it better than Kobe on both ends of the court.
I can’t imagine another circumstance in life, where every time you made ‘quality checks’ in the workplace, that a fellow co-worker questioned your decision. Put yourself in that position. The next time you make a decision at work, felling confident, and automatically a fellow co-worker questions your decision, how badly do you want to make that persons work life a living hell?
If Kobe doesn’t get the foul on offense, simply because he missed a basket, a quick glance at the Ref. with palms facing upward, a shrug of the shoulders and utter wonderment is thrust upon a co-worker-who is just doing his job!
And heaven forbid that playing defense Kobe would actually get a foul called on him!
There was a point in the game that Kobe stepped in to take a charge, having arrived too late at the spot, he committed a blocking foul. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing! It was as if someone just kicked a baby in the crowd! The reaction of Kobe was priceless. He covered his mouth and gave that look only magnified by 10x! And of course, instant replay, all the commentators called it a foul.
So this brings my point – Kobe questions the integrity of the game.
This is how he does it...
Arguing with the Referee each time down the court.
I coached a high school varsity basketball team for a few years and one lesson I always taught my guys – Don’t complain about the referees. It does no good! The pure aspect about sports is that there are clearly defined rules. Violation of those rules equal consequences. If you play your best game and the other team plays their best game, and you win, success, but if you lose, you need to work harder to play better.
Kobe bends the integrity of basketball to his advantage rather than honoring the purity of the sport. Each glance at a referee. Each shrug of the shoulder. Each palms facing upward. Not only questions a fellow co-workers ability to perform his job effectively, but sets a negative example to kids competing in sports while questioning the integrity of what sports truly are.
Kobe will be written down in the history books of basketball as a all-time great player, but when I teach my guys how true basketball players act on and off the court, I turn my head quickly away from Kobe.
I want my guys to know that playing your best equals success. I want my guys to know that arguing with someone is a characteristic of immaturity. I want my guys to know that honoring the integrity of basketball is what makes it a beautiful game!
4.14.2010
what summer sometimes looks like
One of my favorite aspects of summer is sitting on the deck with the wife, grilling, enjoying one of Colorado's fine brews and having a good cigar! This year Leah has taken the great challenge of growing our own herbs and tomato's, while I will spend more time dealing with the lawn! Needless to say, we are starting out with high hopes and tons of energy!
I thought this picture captured what summer sometimes looks like.
I thought this picture captured what summer sometimes looks like.
4.12.2010
weekend
These are the shenanigans that came my way this week...
-A parade of mules
-I was told that "My neighbors dog jumped off a bridge and committed suicide."
-Used 15 dollars of gas to buy 15 dollars of Olive Oil.
-Saw my first glass mailbox from 1933
-Was almost killed by an angry southerner hauling a 15ft trailer and decided to "fake" cut me off while going 75mph on a two lane road.
-Walked out of a church after 'special music' and a movie clip portraying John Conner as Noah [From the Bible]
-Hand picked 157 dandelions from my back yard.
-Saw my neighbor's dog sitting on my porch or maybe it was the ghost of my neighbor's dog?!
-Drank a Coke out of a glass bottle
-Ate nachos and drank margaritas while watching the sun set with my wife.
This is by no means a typical weekend for me, I don't think I could handle it! But it was a fun weekend to watch the awkwardness, goodness and strangeness as it was unveiled from each moment to the next.
So I had a beer at the end of Sunday night just to process.
-A parade of mules
-I was told that "My neighbors dog jumped off a bridge and committed suicide."
-Used 15 dollars of gas to buy 15 dollars of Olive Oil.
-Saw my first glass mailbox from 1933
-Was almost killed by an angry southerner hauling a 15ft trailer and decided to "fake" cut me off while going 75mph on a two lane road.
-Walked out of a church after 'special music' and a movie clip portraying John Conner as Noah [From the Bible]
-Hand picked 157 dandelions from my back yard.
-Saw my neighbor's dog sitting on my porch or maybe it was the ghost of my neighbor's dog?!
-Drank a Coke out of a glass bottle
-Ate nachos and drank margaritas while watching the sun set with my wife.
This is by no means a typical weekend for me, I don't think I could handle it! But it was a fun weekend to watch the awkwardness, goodness and strangeness as it was unveiled from each moment to the next.
So I had a beer at the end of Sunday night just to process.
4.08.2010
Good Cigars + Good Scotch
Often I wonder about all the great/favorite writers through history, specifically the great writers of recent-Lewis, Buechner, Tolkien and can't forget about the other member in the band-Tolstoy! What made them so great? Was it their wonderful gift of words? Did they stumble upon a beauty within that God reserves for a select few? Did they possess a special power to see life through different lenses than us all?
Above all these questions I believe there is simply one fact left unchecked...they all kept a secret stash of good cigars and a good bottle of 12 year old scotch handy!
If you think about, hopefully not very long, nothing opens the lenses you view the world as wide and vivid as a good cigar and good scotch. Well, except for Tolstoy, he probably had a good bottle of Vodka.
Which is what brings me to the point of this entry. If you don't already have in your possession a good cigar and good scotch may I make three suggestions...
1. Go out to your local cigar shop, because buying nice things online was never intended by the Almighty, and pick yourself out a Padron 1926 No. 35 Maduro. Trust me! You will not be disappointed!
2. Go out to you local spirits establishment and pick yourself out a bottle of 12 Year Old Aberlour. Once again you will not be disappointed!
3. Go find your corner of the sandbox and see the world as those whom you love see the world.
Those great writers will never lead you astray! [by the way my wife is out of the house tonight, that's why I can get away with writing such things, and smoking and drinking such things!] Cheers!
Above all these questions I believe there is simply one fact left unchecked...they all kept a secret stash of good cigars and a good bottle of 12 year old scotch handy!
If you think about, hopefully not very long, nothing opens the lenses you view the world as wide and vivid as a good cigar and good scotch. Well, except for Tolstoy, he probably had a good bottle of Vodka.
Which is what brings me to the point of this entry. If you don't already have in your possession a good cigar and good scotch may I make three suggestions...
1. Go out to your local cigar shop, because buying nice things online was never intended by the Almighty, and pick yourself out a Padron 1926 No. 35 Maduro. Trust me! You will not be disappointed!
2. Go out to you local spirits establishment and pick yourself out a bottle of 12 Year Old Aberlour. Once again you will not be disappointed!
3. Go find your corner of the sandbox and see the world as those whom you love see the world.
Those great writers will never lead you astray! [by the way my wife is out of the house tonight, that's why I can get away with writing such things, and smoking and drinking such things!] Cheers!
4.04.2010
Summer = lawn care
Two weeks ago, and my grass sitting about 7 inches tall, I decided it was time to take the right of passage and buy my first lawn mower. I headed out to the local Lowe's [partly because we don't have a Home Depot close by] and after doing all my research purchased my first lawn mower. Needless to say the excitement was overwhelming! I couldn't wait to get home and start a summer of maintaining "the perfect lawn!" Knowing that lawn care requires meticulous care week after week, I quickly learned that the acuqiring of a perfect lawn is not a sprint but a marathon, which I believe is what most of life boils down to.
Quickly learning that only cutting my lawn will not generate the results I wanted, I resorted to buying a weed eater, fertilizer and spreader. Not knowing what fertilizers do what type of fertilizing, which meant more research, I am proud to announce I'm on the Scott's plan. It's great! If you are wondering where to begin as a newbie or want to revitalize your lawn, check out Scott's website they have a ton of useful information to become a proper lawn guy. I know this will be hard to believe, but after the first week of using my new Scott's plan, and just cutting my lawn, I have already received comments about how green my lawn is looking! Needless to say this left me with a weird sense of pride as a newbie.
I'm looking forward to the countless hours outside working in the yard. The sense of pride I get is a small reminder of working hard day after day and week after week to reach the goals I have for life in general. I know these are lessons I have learned from other places of life, but mowing weekly, sometimes twice a week, is a gentle reminder of life as a series of moments put together to create something worthy, and not just one big defining moment.
The current problem, which is what every lawn guy experiences, are dandelions. It's amazing how much information is on the interweb to help newbies like me. One you need to check out is lifeandlawns.com [I put the link under Lawns on my I Like... part of this blog]. After all the research, and countless of ways to deal with dandelions I learned a few tricks...
1. People use dandelions in salads. This was totally surprising to me. Apparently they are high with Vitamin A.
2. Chemical's are bad and not environmental friendly. Duh!
3. A herbicide vinegar solution is recommended as a earth friendly way to deal with dandelions.
4. Above all these practical ways to rid your lawn of dandelions, the old fashioned college try is best. That's right, the only real solution is to pull the weeds by hand. I guess this is another reminder about working hard.
This is a new and pleasant surprise to this blog for me. I never thought I would be a lawn guy...let alone write about it...but it's fun and I'm look forward to posting a photo one day of "A worthy lawn" so all the world can enjoy my hard work!
Quickly learning that only cutting my lawn will not generate the results I wanted, I resorted to buying a weed eater, fertilizer and spreader. Not knowing what fertilizers do what type of fertilizing, which meant more research, I am proud to announce I'm on the Scott's plan. It's great! If you are wondering where to begin as a newbie or want to revitalize your lawn, check out Scott's website they have a ton of useful information to become a proper lawn guy. I know this will be hard to believe, but after the first week of using my new Scott's plan, and just cutting my lawn, I have already received comments about how green my lawn is looking! Needless to say this left me with a weird sense of pride as a newbie.
I'm looking forward to the countless hours outside working in the yard. The sense of pride I get is a small reminder of working hard day after day and week after week to reach the goals I have for life in general. I know these are lessons I have learned from other places of life, but mowing weekly, sometimes twice a week, is a gentle reminder of life as a series of moments put together to create something worthy, and not just one big defining moment.
The current problem, which is what every lawn guy experiences, are dandelions. It's amazing how much information is on the interweb to help newbies like me. One you need to check out is lifeandlawns.com [I put the link under Lawns on my I Like... part of this blog]. After all the research, and countless of ways to deal with dandelions I learned a few tricks...
1. People use dandelions in salads. This was totally surprising to me. Apparently they are high with Vitamin A.
2. Chemical's are bad and not environmental friendly. Duh!
3. A herbicide vinegar solution is recommended as a earth friendly way to deal with dandelions.
4. Above all these practical ways to rid your lawn of dandelions, the old fashioned college try is best. That's right, the only real solution is to pull the weeds by hand. I guess this is another reminder about working hard.
This is a new and pleasant surprise to this blog for me. I never thought I would be a lawn guy...let alone write about it...but it's fun and I'm look forward to posting a photo one day of "A worthy lawn" so all the world can enjoy my hard work!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)