Ramblings From The Homestead

Lucky Man

2012-03-05T12:37:00.006-05:00

This has to be one of my favorites books that I've read this year,yes I know the year is young but,This will inspire you to never give up in spite of what is thrown at you.Everyone knows who Michael J. Fox is,we've all watched him grow up on "Family Ties" and loved him as Marty McFly in the "Back to the Future" series.This is his inside story about how he got to Hollywood from a small city in Canada and became one of the biggest box office draws.How he once hit with the diagnosis of Parkinson's,how he refused to let it stop him from doing what he loved.
He takes you full circle in his career,the rollercoaster that it had become and how he came out on the other side in one piece thanks to his family,namely his wife,who stood by him during the darkest of storms.
A great & inspirational read...

Ten-Tenths

2012-02-23T12:45:00.004-05:00

"Gauges jumped to life as the engines fired.Finely wrought Italian cylinders thrummed in staccato and a Hornets shriek of exhaust resounded off the heaving grandstands.Smoke billowed behind them.They were alone now,each in their own world.If they went too slow they'd lose,too fast they'd die.
Within moments they would be engaged in a solitary pursuit of the sweet spot drivers called the limit"

That is the way that Michael Cannell the author of "The Limit" describes Formula One racing in the 1950's.Back when it was a sport of pure skill that one races.Horsepower did matter but,it took skill to be able to master the cars that housed that power."The Limit" is the story of the turbulent 1961 Formula One Season.The epic battle between Phil Hill & Wolfgang Von Trips and the tragedy that befell the 1961 Formula One Season.
He takes you back to the very beginnings of their lives,the good and bad when it came to family.How their racing careers evolved from Dirt Tracks to Ovals and then to the Street Circuits of Europe & even to the streets of Cuba,where one driver was even held hostage to send a message to the Government.
He also takes you inside the world of Enzo Ferrari.A man who at times can be brillant when it comes to how to get the best out of his team,but also tortured by the deaths of his drivers as he was by the death of his son Dino,even tho he fathered another son out of wedlock.Ferrari was also under pressure to be taken to trial from most local governments where some of the street circuits because of the deaths caused by the accidents from his cars,not only spectators but drivers.Tho never convicted of anything,he still carried that burden on his shoulders.
So after racing around the world and being separated by only a few points, it finally came down to the race at Monza.It was there that the champion would be crowned,and it was there that Von Trips would lose his life giving Phil Hill his first and only championship.
This book is a great read and takes you inside the inner workings of a racing teams and brings to light the good & the bad.It also takes you inside the drivers world,how they prepare for a race and even how the wind down after.The pranks they play on one another and the ladies that follow them from track to track and will do almost anything to get next to them.
If you're a fan of racing,pick it up it's worth a read.

And you thought your job was hard.....

2012-02-21T22:36:00.003-05:00

You think you have it bad on your job,try going four on and four off with these guys...It's a twenty-four hour,seven days a week grind when you're doing the Volvo Ocean Race,until you make it to the next port or until you've finished the race and if you're lucky,get to raise the trophy...

Anything,Anytime,Anywhere..

2012-01-28T18:06:00.003-05:00

That is the motto of all the rouge former Soviet Air Force Pilots & crew that manage to ferry what ever the paying customer wants.Matt Potter got to fly with these hot shot pilots in some harrowing situations and equally dangerous countries.All the while in aging,barely able to stay airborne Antonov's & Ilyushin's.
Here Mr.Potter tells the story of one such crew and their exploits that go from the "Stans" to The Middle East and all the way to Central Africa.Mixed in within their story are more stories about other crews,some lucky to make the delivery to it's intended location & some that are not so lucky.One such crew was lost on take off and exploded right over Lake Victoria.The cause is still unknown but still suspected to be sabotage,The cargo was said to have been a Military unit headed off to deal with another government in one of the neighboring countries.Another said crew was lost under mysterious reasons when after take off,all electronics & power rendering the crippled Ilyushin a flying blind bomb.The crew did what any good pilot would do and burn off as much fuel as possible to make the landing as safe as possible.Unfortunately it wasn't enough,the crew worked feverishly to get the electronics & power back up and working,without power the landing gear was stuck in the up position and could not be lowered any other way.Nothing they did worked and the plane wound up crashing into a field just short of the runway.Again the cargo was unknown but thought to be of a Military nature
Not all the stories are tragic,some are quite funny,bordering on how in the world did they pull that off.One of those was caught on video when an overloaded IL-76 used every inch of the runway just to get airborne and happen to be caught on video

I found the book really informative,funny & exciting.You never know what lurks around the next page.It could be the next haul,Pirates,shoot outs even court.I highly recommend it.

More Awesome One Goal Commercials

2012-01-18T15:02:00.002-05:00

One Goal:Jamal Mayers....

One Goal:Marian Hossa

One Goal:Niklas Hjalmarsson

New Favorite

2012-01-18T12:15:00.002-05:00

Another addition to my favorite bands/groups.These two just rock....

2012 Update....

2012-01-10T12:50:00.005-05:00

Well it's a new year and new things to get into.First of all I have given myself a reading challenge on Goodreads of completing 10 books by the end of the year.I'm sure I will surpass that and I hope to get at least 20 or more done by December.I've just started on my first one,Knox-Johnston on sailing,and so far it's a really good one.It's really a collection of articles written by Robin Knox-Johnston for the magazine called Yachting.Good read I just wish that some of the stories he started talking about he would really go in depth about them..I bet he'd be a great person to talk shop with.

The next on I want to get to but I'm not sure that I will before the movie comes out is Hunger Games.I have a friend who just finished the book and has nothing but high praise for it.I just may have to put this one ahead in the line of what I was going to read next,or just go and see the movie and read the book after..just to compair the two.We shall see.

It Get's Better...

2011-11-21T20:49:00.003-05:00

Good things happen when you wait.I was just doing a random search through the Nook Newsstand for magazines & I found one of my favorites,Sailing World.I've been reading this one for years and now I don't have to lug around the "magazine" in my bag any longer.I can just download the digital edition and go,no more worrying about it getting ruined by the weather or anything else.So now I can read the paper edition at home and the digital version on the go.

"The engine of a car is both the heart and soul" Enzo Ferrari
"The rumble is the heartbeat of the creature"Luigi bazzi
Just started this book about the epic battle between Ford,Chevrolet & Ferrari during the 1960's and how it all came to a head at the epic race at Le Mans.Great read and I'm learning tons about the company,the cars and the people who designed them & ran them.This takes me back to all the stories my Dad told me about the time he went to Le Mans and saw the big companies run..
I really have to get there..it is on my Bucket List..

The Awesomness Continues....

2011-11-18T06:16:00.005-05:00

More awesome videos from the Blackhawks....

The newest One Goal video for Corey Crawford..

Patrick Kane's One Goal Commercial....

#30 In Your Program,#1 In Your Heart,The Eagle Get His Due...

2011-11-17T06:17:00.004-05:00

Ed Belfour,Stanley Cup winner,Olympic Gold Medal winnrer,can finally add Hall of Famer(HOF 11) to his resume.I can remember when I first became a Blackhawks Fan,during the 1990-1991 Cup run I watched Eddie stop the puck with the skill and grace that all goalies have.I also watched him get royally pissed when one would slip by him.I also remember how I felt when he left The Hawks how crushed I was and how I had to find another Goalie to root for,along with Eddie,he is one of my favorites and always will be.So I wathced as he went on to San Jose,then to Dallas and won a Cup,just a little jealous that he didn't get one in a Blackhawks Sweater,Toronto and finally before going off to Sweden.
The journey has finally ended with Eddie being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame,the best part is that he went in as a Blackhawk!!.
So congrats to the one player that made me the Blackhawks fan I am today,thanks for all the memories and for all the great games I got to watch you play..
#30 in your program # 1 in your heart...

Same Goal,Different Look...

2011-10-14T10:07:00.001-04:00

The goals the same as always..win the Stanley Cup

Summer of Reading

2011-10-02T10:16:00.014-04:00

My goal of getting a lot of books read during the Summer was a great success.I have to really admit that getting the Nook three months ago was a great idea.After finally getting a handle on how it works and then downloading tons of books(and adding more each day it seems)I let the reading commence.There was nothing better than spending a Summer afternoon outside and tearing through chapter after chapter.

So the grand total for my Spring/Summer of reading came to nine books done over the three months since I've gotten the Nook.
Here are the books that I read over that time period:

So now it's on to my Fall/Winter reading list starting with this one,just in time for the start of the playoffs:

Moose goes around one more time

2011-06-17T15:48:00.005-04:00

It was announced today that China will be competing in the VOR this year,and that Mike "Moose" Sanderson will be at the helm of Team Sanya.For fans of the race we know him from being the winning skipper of ANB AMRO from the 06-07 campaign.
The City of Sanya will not only benefit from being one of the ten stop overs for the race it will also have a local boat in the race which I'm sure will help peek interest in the boats and the race and having a skipper like Sanderson guiding the boat around the world doesn't hurt either.
http://volvooceanrace.com/news/Sanderson-to-helm-Chinese-entry/3144
http://volvooceanrace.com/ports/Sanya/4

AC 45's

2011-06-17T12:43:00.002-04:00

Was making my daily trip to The Sailing World website and I stumbled across this first had article of a guy that got the chance to actually drive one of the new AC 45's with Russell Coutts.The plus side was that he has video included in his blog,so if your a fan I'd say go over and give this one a look see I think you'll enjoy it :http://www.sailingworld.com/blogs/racing/americas-cup/onboard-russells-new-ride

Ouch!!!

2011-06-14T18:21:00.003-04:00

Well the high winds on The Bay finally go the best of the Oracle Cats.Russell Coutts & the boys were out testing when the bow got buried in the wave ahead and caused it to flip sideways and sent the crew flying and holding on for dear life.

Fortunately crew and boat are ok just will lead up to a long night for the shore crew.

Sexy!!!

2011-06-13T15:03:00.004-04:00

Only one word can describe these Cats and that's sexy.Oracle Racing has been testing two cat's on the San Francisco Bay getting a feel for what it may be like when the fleet arrives to challenge them for The Cup.

Also Puma has been on the water for a few weeks and we've finally gotten a chance to see what Mar Mostro looks like,and she's turned out to be just as sexy as her predecessor Il Mostro

I can't wait to see what she'll do during the Volvo and here's hoping Ken & the crew can capture the trophy when they make the final stop in Galway Ireland.

Big Green Machine

2011-06-03T18:30:00.004-04:00

Here's some footage from the Audi MedCup's stop in Cascais :

Cascais Trophy
52 Series
Final results
1.Quantum Racing (USA), 3+3+5+1+1+1+3+1+1= 19 points
2. Container (GER), 2+2+4+3+3+3+7,5+2+5= 31,5 points
3. Audi Azzurra Sailing Team (ITA), 5+1+2+2+6+2+4,5+6+4= 32,5 points
4. Synergy Russian Sailing Team (RUS), 1+6+3+4+4+6+6+5+2= 37 points
5. Ràn (SUE), 6+4+6+5+7+5+1,5+3+3= 40,5 points
6. Bribón (ESP), 4+7+1+6+2+7+10,5+4+6= 47,5 points
7. Audi Sailing Team Powered by All4One (EUR), 7+5+7+7+5+4+9+7+7= 58 points
8. Gladiator (GBR), 9DNC+9DNC+9DNC+9DNC+9DNC+9DNC+13,5 DNC+9DNC+9DNC=85,5 points

Next stop is Marseille France,Hopefully Ed and the boys & The Big Green Machine will be able to reel in another win.

Taste of things to come...

2011-06-02T18:33:00.003-04:00

So the first America's Cup teaser video showed the raw power that these boats have being able to sail faster than the wind and the excitement that this will bring:

Then we finally got to see four of the AC 45's Cat's on the water in Auckland and finally the teams get to test out the new boats.

So,now the testing is done and it's onto Europe for some races to lead up to the Cup.
This newest video really shows what the side by side racing will be like this Summer and it could be a preview of things to come in 2013 in San Francisco...

The Long Road Home

2011-02-25T15:09:00.005-05:00

Yesterday with the 133rd flight of The Space Shuttle Program it also marks the 39th and lat for The Shuttle Discovery.She was definitely a workhorse,From her roll out on October 16,1983 to the first time she left PAD 39A on August 30,1984 until now she has carried 252 crew members,made 12 trips to the ISS and one to MIR.
Also during her 27 year tenure,she has traveled over 142,917,525 miles and has done 5,628 orbits and has spent 351 Days 17 Hours 50 Minutes & 41 Seconds in space,this latest flight not included.

So this crew will be the last caretakers of Discovery.Taking her on her last ride into space,her last dance to The ISS and her last re-entry and landing.It's been a great 27 years full of good times and bad.
Enjoy Discovery even though it will be your last ride,your star still burns bright in our eyes

#88 In Your Program #1 In Your Heart

2011-02-17T15:04:00.003-05:00

You know him,you love him the guy who scored the winning goal in game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals:

Patrick Kane.....

Toews Visits The Auto Show

2011-02-16T16:35:00.000-05:00

Blackhawk of the Year

2011-02-15T12:27:00.002-05:00

Grit,Determination& the most Time on Ice.This is what Duncan Keith has and that what made him the Blackhawk of the Year for 2010..of course having Olympic Gold and a Stanley Cup didn't hurt,oh and a little thing called The Norris Trophy..

Waynes World,Waynes World

2011-02-11T16:27:00.003-05:00

Once again Wayne Campbell shows off the best sweater in the NHL....Party On Wayne..Party On Garth!!!!
Just as a side note he did have a Hawks Sweater on in both movies and Garth sported a Espo Sweater to boot...

Goalie Fights

2011-02-10T15:10:00.003-05:00

I know I know fighting in the NHL it's second nature right,right?? Well yes between Forwards and D-Men but,when you get a Goalie fight it's something different.
Here is one recent one between Cary Price and Tim Thomas not sure if I'd want to go up against him,Thomas that is

And here are some all time great Goalie fights:

Hextall vs Potvin

Roy vs Vernon

Emery vs Biron

Roy vs Osgood

Kolzig vs DaFoe

Worth The Wait

2011-02-05T21:04:00.004-05:00

Every team has a defining moment,a defining season.One that makes the entire season special.That was the 2009-10 season that The Blackhawks had.It all started with opening up in Finland and having an epic season from there.Then with The Olympic break and having six Blackhawks,Kopecky,Hossa,Kane,Toews,Keith & Seabrook represented there the, having three win gold(Keith,Toews & Seabrook)with Canada and one win silver(Kane) with Team USA it was shaping up to be something special.
So now April rolls around and they win the Central Division and are the number two seed in the Western Conference.
With that they rolled through the playoffs knocking off Vancouver,Nashville & sweeping San Jose in the process of making it to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1990-91 season.The after being tied in game six Patrick Kane puts the puck past Michael Leighton at the 4:06 mark in overtime.Then the party began from Chicago to Canada and in Europe where the Stanley Cup made it's world wide rounds.
Now you can relive all the great moment of that season in the great pictures and through the broadcasters that painted the picture of all the games via radio and television in the book "One Goal Achieved".I can't say enough about this book every time I turn the page a new memory comes to mind and you can instantly remember where you were when it happened and the emotions come flooding back.It's a great way to preserve such a special season that was 49 years in the making.
They have so many extras in the book like a DVD highlighting all the special moments from that all the way to game 6.They even included highlights from the parade that engulfed Downtown Chicago that June afternoon just two days after they won the Cup.Also included are highlights of the day several players spent with The Cup what they did and how whole communities came out to celebrate the magic moment of being able to hold it over their heads.
More bonus features include a replica of the ticket from game six,the rookie report of Jonathan Toews,plus player cards and a list of the hardware each player won.
Another specila bonus that they included on the DVD included in the second printing are the highlights of the Stanley Cup Banner raising at the United Center before the start of the 2010-11 season as they took on the Detroit Red Wings.
This is a must have for any Blackhawks fan,especially the ones that have been waiting for the moment they would be able to say yes,I remember where I was when Patrick Kane scored on Leighton and brought The Cup back to Chicago for the first time since 1961.

Happy Birthday Savvy

2011-02-04T15:04:00.002-05:00

He's the master of the "spin o rama",he has the saviofare,he's #18 in your program and #1 in your heart..
He's Denis Savard an to day we celebrate his 50th birthday
so I say Happy Birthday Savvy,from one of your biggest fans

2011 NHRA Season

2011-02-01T19:49:00.002-05:00

It's only 22 days until the new season...this should get you excited

NHRA Sizzle Reel from Cagnazzi Racing on Vimeo.

A New Force On The Horizon

2011-01-27T12:24:00.005-05:00

It's just been reported that Ashley Force-Hood and her Husband Dan will be expecting their first child due in August.Which also means that she will be sitting out the 2011 season.
more:http://www.dragzine.com/news/force-hood-expecting-first-child-neff-back-behind-the-wheel/

Big Buff-All Star

2011-01-27T12:17:00.002-05:00

We sure could use him now but,I for one am glad he's doing a bang up job in Atlanta & congrats to him on his first All Star nod..well done sir,well done

Sick Moves..

2011-01-20T10:07:00.002-05:00

Tomas Jurco puts on a show and shows off some sick moves during the CHL Prospects Skills Shootout...Makes you wonder if we'll see any of these tried during The All Star Game next weekend..

Cooking with The Hammer..

2011-01-19T09:58:00.002-05:00

Another successful Cookin' At Meijer episode.This time we make Swedish Meatballs with Niklas Hjalmarsson..

Just a quick reminder of how we got here....

Also going on in BlackhawksLand...they celebrated Blackhawks day down on the farm in Rockford.Jack Skille,Corey Crawford & bJake Dowell,all former Icehogs,showed up to say thank you to the fans for the support they received from them during their time in Rockford.

Bottle Cap Stanley Cup

2011-01-18T15:59:00.001-05:00

This thing is something....how cool would it be to have this in your home

Payback..Plus Two Points

2011-01-17T12:24:00.003-05:00

After a disapointing Shotout loss on Saturday Night,The Blackhawks came out on fire last night and took three out of the four points avaliable to them by beating them 6-3 during the home and home series with The Nashville Predators.
Goals Scored by:
Dave Bolland @6:38 in the first/11:58 in the second

Troy Brouwer @9:19 & 9:59 in the third

Bryan Bickell @14:08 in the third

Jonathan Toews,his 100th goal @ 16:25 in the third

The Captain talks about the determination of the team and his 100th goal..

So with this win they move into sixth place still behind Nashville but, tied in points(54) with them.Next up Detroit this weekend for an early Saturday Afternoon tilt then onto Philadelphia to take on the Flyers for a rematch of the Stanley Cup Finals.Now that the team is in good health here's hoping we can string together some wins and make it back to the Playoffs then to the Cup.

The America's Cup Cat Hits The Water

2011-01-17T07:09:00.003-05:00

The First test of the AC34 Cat's with a Hard Sail in New Zealand.

Here's a timelasp video of the Wing Sail being put together

Launching of the new AC45 Class boat in New Zealand:

An All Star Ribbing

2011-01-15T23:48:00.006-05:00

Jack Skille give Sharpie a ribbing for his All Star selection

One Goal-All Star Style

2011-01-14T06:20:00.002-05:00

One For The All Stars

2011-01-13T16:53:00.002-05:00

Just a montage showing why they made it....

Clipper Round The World Race

2011-01-12T06:29:00.002-05:00

This is done by regular people,no pros just joes getting it done,eight legs round the world in every kind of condition.I guess the question would be are you tough enough?

Sharpie Makes The All Star Team....

2011-01-11T16:53:00.003-05:00

With an impressive 2010-2011 record of 25 goals(a team leading & 4th in the NHL),19 assists & 44 points in 43 games,Patrick Sharp joins Jonathan Toews,Patrick Kane & Duncan Keith at the All Star Game in Raleigh at the end of the month.
Congrats to Sharpie if anyone deserved the nod it was him
Here's what he had to say about his nod:

Humble as always...

This just proves that hard word does pay off....

America's Cup Visit's San Francisco

2011-01-10T16:15:00.001-05:00

The America's Cup gets the tour around town

Heritage Night + Shutout= Great Night Of Hockey

2011-01-10T05:46:00.004-05:00

The 1961 Blackhawks:

L/R:Rob Crawford,Eric Nesterenko,Bill Hay,Stan "Stosh" Mikita,"Mr. Goalie"Glenn Hall,Chairman Rockey Wirtz,President John McDonough,"The Golden Jet" Bobby Hull,Ab McDonald,Pierre Pilote & Wayne Hicks

Last Night The Blackhawks Honored the 50th Anniversary of the 1961 Stanley Cup Blackhawks team:

Here are some of the highlights:

Here's the score sheet:
1st:
Patrick Sharp PPG @ 4:52 (his 25th of the season,still leading the team) Assists by Kane & Seabrook
2nd:
Marion Hossa @ 2:10 Assists by Kopecky & Sharp
Patrick Kane @ 7:19 Assists by Toews & Hjalmarsson
Dave Bolland @ 16:24 Assists by Hossa & Bickell
Niklas Hjalmarsson @ 19:04 Assists by Hoaas & Campbell
The big new of the night is that Corey Crawford stopping 29 of 29 shots,
got his first shut out of the year and his second of his career

Here's Coach Q post game:

Another bonus is thst with this win The bBlackhawks move into sixth place in the Conference & overall third in the Central with 49 points,still in striking distance but not totally safe from not making the playoffs.
Next up are The Colorado Avalanche Wednesday Night then a Home & Home with Nashville Saturday & Sunday.Then two big games coming the following weekend,Detroit then a rematch from last Junes Stanley Cup Finals with The Flyers.
It's going to be a tough January for The Blackhawks before the All Star Break at the end of the month.
Let's hope the winns keep on coming.

Our New Hero??

2011-01-09T12:48:00.001-05:00

Stan Lee has partnered with the NHL to develop the Guardian Project Here's our Chicago Blackhawks Hero...

Movin' On Up-A Well Needed Two Points

2011-01-08T10:31:00.002-05:00

With this 3-2 SO win over The Ottawa Senators The Blackhawks stop the losing slide,for now.Thanks to The Captains and Patrick Kanes Shootout goals and Daniel Alfredsson's miss that should've been a goal but rang of iron.
So now with this win they move into the number eight spot in the playoff hunt but not totally safe.Now it's onto the Sunday and facing The Islanders on a special night where they salute the 1961 Stanley Cup Team.

Post Game Patrick Kane

Post Game Patrick Sharp..who now has thirteen goals in his last twenty-one games..he leads the Hawks scoring with 24 G 18 A with 42 P

All Star Game

2011-01-07T15:09:00.003-05:00

Coach Q discusses getting the chance to coach the All Star Game..

Toews & Keith talk about being selected for the All Star Game

Post Morning Skate 1/5/11

2011-01-05T15:08:00.004-05:00

Patrick Sharp

Coach Q

Jonathan Toews

Now that everyone's back and healthy(?) this is how they feel about the games to come down the stretch....

Opie Drinks From The Cup

2011-01-05T12:33:00.001-05:00

Quest For The Cup

2011-01-05T10:06:00.002-05:00

In 2013 The battle for The Cup will take place in the waters of San Francisco Bay.It will be the first time The Race has been held in The United States since 1995 When New Zealand's Black Magic wrestled away The Cup from Young America,then helmed by Dennis Conner making him the only person to lose The Cup twice,the first time in 1983 to Australia II helmed by John Bertrand.
So now The Golden Gate Yacht Club will host the world as they attempt to win the oldest prize away from Larry Ellison & Co. New rules,new boats,new challenges.Bring them on let's see how this one will end.

Rhythm Of The City..

2011-01-04T18:51:00.004-05:00

It's interesting how when you least expect it you discover something that's always been there but you've ignored it just because you were not tuned into it.
What I'm getting at is the rhythm of the city.And what I mean by that is just the basic sounds that the city makes.The cars rolling on different surfaces.
A perfect place to get a great example of this is Charles Street.The first thing you have to know about it is that it runs one way,North & South,it's narrow in places and once you get out of downtown it opens up.Second would be that it also runs through a very historic area of the city called Mount Vernon.This section contains some of the older buildings in the city but also one of the first monument constructed for our first President.The Peabody Conservatory & The Walters Art Gallery.
Another unique part of this is that it's one of the few places that still have Cobble Stone Streets.So when you hear cars rolling it sounds like a low rumble almost like Bees in a big group.That's just one sign of the rhythm.Another would be just the motion of the cars the steam rising from the random manhole covers and the changing of the lights the honking when they don't move and how they move almost in unison.
So I guess what I'm saying is that if you just unplug yourself every now and then you may just reconnect to the natural sounds of the city,try it just to see if it works for you...

New Toy??

2011-01-04T12:06:00.003-05:00

This would be fun to have while watching Blackhawks Games,now if they could only get it to play Chelsea Dagger it would be perfect...

Return of the C

2011-01-04T08:57:00.005-05:00

Last night our Captain returns in a big way by putting in the winning goal lifting the Blackhawks over the Kings 4-3 ending the mini road trip/Mothers trip on winning note.
Toews Winner:

Game Highlights:

Whoever said that the pipes are the goalies best friend was right last night.The sound of the puck hitting the crossbars and off of the pipes rang through out The Staple Center last night.
How important was the return of Toews well,Coach Q sums it up this way:

Mom's trip with the kids & other good news

2011-01-03T12:12:00.003-05:00

This time out it's Moms turn to hang out with the guys on the mini road trip out west

John Scott's Mom

Jonathan Toews & Patrick Kanes Moms

And While we're on the a positive note of all the good things that the team is doing for the families & for the community I'd figure that I would add a couple of things that they did during the holidays for one local soldiers family who other wise would not have seen his family for Christmas,also a Blood Drive for the local hospitals.We all know that they need blood during this time just because demand can pout weight supply.So if you can please give to your local Blood Bank jut to lend a helping hand...

Blackhawks Blood Drive

Lance Corporal George Handley's surprise visit

Happy Humans

2011-01-01T11:55:00.002-05:00

Well good new is that we get Pat & Eddie together for another three years.That means more of those signature phrases we all know and love and love to recite...

Last Blog for 2010

2010-12-31T22:51:00.004-05:00

Well it's New Years Eve and this is the last blog for 2010.I just want to say that if you've stopped by just to take a look and maybe read some of the things I've written..just my ramblings I thank you for taking the time to browse.If you haven't..shame on you..lol well you won't see that anyway.
Thanks again and I hope you have a great New Years and an even better 2011
Gary Harris

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year...

2010-12-27T13:29:00.002-05:00

Well it's begun.A Boxing Day tradition starts anew.It's time for the World Juniors.A great showcase for the U20 group to not only impress the NHL Scouts but to win the Gold,Silver or even Bronze for their respective countries.

Also it's time for Team USA to defend the Gold that they won in Saskatchewan by a goal scored by John Carlson @4:21 to give Team USA a 6-5 overtime win against Team Canada.

Right now it's to early to see if they can repeat,even though The Hockey News predicted a repeat(they are the bible of Hockey News) but they've one their first game against Finland with an 3-2 overtime win.

Next up tomorrow night is Slovakia should be a good test considering the pool they're in includes Germany,Finland &Switzerland

I'll be keeping an eye on two of Team USA-Blackhawks-Icehogs players Nick Leddy & Jeremy Morin just to see how they do in the tourny....

This should be a good one I can't wait to see how this ends up..hold on to your hats....

The Ultimate Christmas Gift

2010-12-13T18:15:00.002-05:00

If I get anything,this would be in the number one slot..
One Goal Preview

Come on Santa I've been good this year..and I can find a stocking big enough to fit it...

Eight Is Still Great...

2010-12-12T11:14:00.002-05:00

Well with last nights overtime loss to the Sharks,the streak that Corey Crawford was on has stopped at 8.With his last win he tied Darren Pangs 1988 record of 8.But this isn't the end of the story.The Hawks still come out of the game with a point and Corey still has a chance to start a new streak to tie or even break Dennis Dejordy's undefeated streak and go for 9 or more...

Rockford....

2010-12-12T10:54:00.002-05:00

This is where all the blood,sweat,broken bones & lost teeth pay off.Work hard here and make your way up to the big club..

For The Love Of The Blackhawks

2010-12-06T15:05:00.002-05:00

I know it's an advert for the game for tonight,I just like the fact that they have a kid who grew up on the Hawks and the progression from kid to adult..finishing off with him throwing his hat during Kaners hat trick..perfect!!!

Flirting With History...

2010-12-02T06:30:00.003-05:00

Right now Corey Crawford is sitting at 5 wins in a row.He has the chance to break the Blackhawks rookie record of 7 and that was done by Darren Pang in 1988.The 7-5 win and, I use that term loosly,gave him win number 5 and now he's poised to either tie or break the rookie goalie record.
Now with win number six that he got last night with the 4-2 win over Calgary he's just one step away from the tie and would just need one more to take over the record.I'm really pulling for this kid,he's finally showing everyone what he's made of after being shuttled between Rockford and Chicago he's finally earned the right to be with the big club..a right I thought that he earned two years ago,but after Huet came in he was once again shifted back down..now I think he's here to stay and could be the next number one goalie to backstop the team.
Fingers crossed that he'll be able to set this record..fingers crossed that the team will be able to get him the record...
We shall see..

This Is One Reason why I like The Season Change

2010-11-29T07:15:00.004-05:00

This is just something I see everyday coming home from work.It's a monument for the 150th Anniversary for Druid Hill Park

Time To Take Over The U.C.

2010-11-29T05:34:00.004-05:00

It's time to clean up the sawdust,put the Clowns back into the car and put the Elephants back into the cages..it's time for Blackhawk Hockey to return.After a very positive "Circus Trip" they come back home much improved than when they left.Finishing out the trip Saturday night with 2-1 win over The Kings they come back to Chicago with a 4-2-0 record & with an 8 out of a possible 12 points.The overall record improves to 13-11-2 with 28 pts and 3rd in the Central.The trip rounded out like this:
5-0 W vs Oilers
7-2 L vs Flames
7-1 W vs Canucks
5-2 L vs Sharks
4-1 W vs Ducks
2-1 W vs Kings

WIth the wins over the Ducks & Kings Corey Crawford(5-4-0 2.07 GAA) registered back to back wins..I like that he's getting more playing time.I know he deserves it after waiting int he wings for so many seasons.As for the rest of the team Sharpie still leads the team in Goals & Points(15-27)but is a -6 & Kaner leads the team in Assists(15)& is a -4.The big positive is that the teamis moving forward in the right direction,which after a very rocky start is a really good thing.
Now with the boys returning home they now have to get their home record back up to where it was last year and St. Louis coming in Wednesday night is the first step to that.
So here's to a great start of a well deserved homestand & Let's Go Hawks!!!!!!

Ok I'm not a big fight fan but,this one was good one..decision goes to John Scott

Loving Music Again...

2010-11-28T17:29:00.004-05:00

I can finally enjoy something I really love once again,music.I've found a great site in Last.fm.It probably has the widest variety of music I've ever experienced.I've been stuck on this one station based on Anika Moa's music so,it's called Anika Moa Radio.
All the artist that I've heard on there have all been from New Zealand and,what a great group of artist they are I've been blown away by each one and,spending tons of money on iTunes just trying to find them all.It really reminds me of the great alternative stations we used to have in this area,ie WHFS and WTMD.
Besides the New Zealand Station,I've been listening to a lot of Jazz and also Motown Radio..those songs really take me back to when I was kid and we used to blast them in the house and dance around.
I guess for me that the bottom line is that I've finally found something I can listen to and it isn't regular radio...I've found something better,WAY BETTER!!!

It's Almost Time Kids....!!!!!!!

2010-09-05T12:36:00.002-04:00

With the turning of the calendar The 2010-2011 Hockey Season is almost upon us.Now with the release of this video of The United Center being prepped for the oncoming season is just another reason to get ready to pull out the sweaters and get ready to cheer on the champs.
With all the changes in roster this season it seem that it's going to be an uphill climb to get back to have the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup once again.So it's time to once again Commit To The Indian..and back to chant One Goal..or maybe even..One More!!
Let's Go Blackhawks!!!!!!

Howdy Folks...

2010-07-05T19:02:00.002-04:00

Well just a short update about what's been going on.I've finally gotten my gear bag(sailing bag)almost complete.I picked up a great jacket from Gill,the KB 1 Smock.I don't know what it is but I really do love pullovers and this jacket fits the bill in a big way.I still have a few more items to get just to layer under my Smock in cooler weather but,that'll come later.I also picked up two cool shirts from North Sails some new shirts they put out this year...lol
It seems that Sailing have been on the top of mind lately and now there is a new movie coming out,Charlie St.Cloud,so that means that Sailing will be on the big screen once again.I'm not totally sure if that will be good or bad.I'll break it down like this..good that it'll get the sport I love out in the public minds beyond the clubs and those fans that really love the sport and are true to the sport and want to get the word out how cool the sport really is.The bad being that the only reason that some will check out the sport is because their favorite star is doing it and because they like him ie are their fan they will do it because of him and not because they really like the sport and when they realize that it's not as easy as it looks on film and they actually will have to put in the work to not only learn but to get better will they stay or will they just stop...only time will tell with this one.I just can't wait to see the whole press junket on the entertainment show and watch the interviewers try their hands at it...should be fun to watch.
Ok that was my rant about that.....
The other thing that's been going on is that the Blackhawks have been making changes..MAJOR changes.ok we the fans know that with the cap looming they had to dump some salary and it came in the form of losing Byfuglien,Sopel,Eager,Fraser,Versteeg & Ladd plus a few prospects.In return we get three prospects from Toronto,they signed a D-Man from Minnesota.So now we have the new look Blackhawks for the 2010-2011 season and once again hope will spring eternal that they'll be able to repeat as Cup Champs.
I think as fans we're still wondering what changes will still be made in the coming months and to see how the new drafts picks will do not only in camp but in the minors and of course the Goalie situation..who will start Niemi or Huet.First they have to get Niemi to a new contract.I do not envy the task the front office has to get through this summer.
I have to admit that I hope that a couple of players wont be dealt but,after seening one of my favorite players go I've gotten used to it.
As far as Baseball goes The Red Sox are sniffing first place just a game and a half behind the (gag)Yankees..after a dismal,disaterous start.Even with the injuries that seem to plague them this year they've fought through them and plugged in players from Pawtucket and boom they're within striking distance of the(gag) Yankees.
So life is good..so far,let's see how they look when September get's here.....

One Goal Achieved!!!!!

2010-06-13T10:50:00.004-04:00

I figured I'd write this end of the season blog about my beloved Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks while I'm still riding this wave of celebration.I'll keep this one short and just give stats and a few videos.

First with the stats,here's how the boys looked this year:
2009-2010 Season Stats:
82 GP 52 W 22 L 8 OT 112 PTS(they won the Central Division and missed winning the Western Division by one point to San Jose 113 to 112)
Heres the season breakdown by the months:
OCT 8-5
NOV 8-4
DEC 11-4
JAN 10-5
FEB 4-2
MAR 6-9
APR 5-1 : winning the Central for the first time since the 1992-93 season(when it still was the Norris Division)
Playoffs RD 1:VS Nashville won series 4-2
Playoffs RD 2:VS Vancouver won series 4-2
Playoffs RD 3:VS San Jose won series 4-0
Stanley Cup Finals VS Philadelphia won series 4-2:
This video say's it all:

So finally after a 49 year absence The Cup is finally back in Chicago..Coach Q,Mike Haviland & John Torchetti and the team worked hard to reach this point and after 3 years of tearing down and rebuilding they've finally achieved their goal.
It'a all due to Rocky Wirtz,John McDonough,Jay Blunk,Stan Bowman,Scotty Bowman and last but not least Dale Tallon and the rest of the front office that worked to find the talent it took to finally bring The Cup to Chicago
So let's bask in the glow of this victory as long as we can because the 2010-2011 season is right around the corner.
It was One Goal this season..maybe it should be One More for the next season
LET'S GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pat Foly the class act that he is,give a great tribute to Maggie:

Zen & The Art Of Mountain Biking

2010-03-21T14:38:00.002-04:00

There is nothing like a good,correction GREAT Mt.Bike ride.It's just you,the road,or dirt whichever is your preference,and some tunes in you ears to clear your head and just relax you.First I have to admit that it's been a few years since I've really gone out and had a good ride.Now that I got the chance to go out and ride I realize how much I've missed it.
Now that Spring is back I plan on taking the ole bike out and get myself back into the groove.Now I'm not sure if I'm going to include riding back and forth to work...yet but I still want that to be an option one I get myself back up to speed.
Right now I'm content doing short rides.Just getting back on the bike is a plus..a plus to be able to clear the head and create a Zen like happiness..almost the same kind of Zen I get when I'm on the boat.
So I say hello Mt.Bike I've missed you......welcome back to Zen.

Endurance

2010-03-07T16:49:00.007-05:00

24 Hours of Le Mans.... This race is the ultimate race.It's 24 hours of fighting not only the other cars on the track but,mind numbing fatigue because one little mistake can cost you fractions of seconds that could turn into minutes that turn into hours.I can remember stories that my Dad would tell about the time he attended the race in 1956 and when the giants of racing ruled the track.When Mercedes Benz,Jaguar & Ferrari ruled The Circuit de la Sarthe. Many films have been made about the race and just recently I watched one that was made last year called "Truth in 24".
This has to be one of the best films I've seen in some time.They really captured what a team goes through for 24 hours during the race and what goes on behind the scenes during the days leading up to the race. I've played many racing games that included the track and I have to say that there is nothing like screaming through the Dunlop Curve and then flying down the front straight right into the two chicanes then making the hard right through the Mulsanne Corner but,nothing can come close to hearing Allan McNish describe it:

Just hearing him describe one lap around the track really gives you goose bumps,If your a fan of any type of racing I highly recommend that you check this one out.One of the best racing films I've seen in some time.

While I'm on the subject of racing....this has to be my favorite.I grew up watching the greats of the sport and I continue to be a fan to this day..this should tell you why:

If you've never been you have to go..it is an all out assault of the senses.Once you get the smell of Nitro in your blood it never leaves..cars doing 300+ mph in less than 3 seconds..what could be better....being there of course

Try it I'm sure you'll love it.

2010-01-27T16:38:00.002-05:00

If you want to listen to four funny guys,these are the ones for you.Just click on this link and prepare for the funny http://www.mikeomearashow.com/
You can also download them from iTunes and listen to them on the go,either way you'll be laughing in public and have people give you strange looks....

Stole One

2010-01-18T05:45:00.002-05:00

Well the hockey gods were in our favor yesterday.We got out of Detroit with a Shootout 4-3 win yesterday.Not only that Antti Niemi was nothing short of fantastic in goal stopping 35 of 38 shots.It was no doubt that if it was not for him we could've come out of Detroit with a L and now a W.
Patrick Sharp was no doubt the hero of the game with his game winning shoot out goal and that also made him the number one star of the game.
Game Stats:
(1) Brouwer@7:55
(1) Kane@14:55
(2) Sharp@11:10
SO Toews
SO Hossa
SO Sharp* Game winning goal
With this win the record goes to 34-11-4 with 49 games played and with 72 points.
Now it's off to Ottawa tomorrow night,then onto Calgary & Vancouver,these should be dog fights..still tons of bad blood left over from the WCF games.
It's a great time to be a Blackhawks fan.This has been a magical season so far and it's going to be a fight to the finish..let's hope that will mean Lord Stanley's Cup will return to Chicago.
LET'S GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Short Story

2010-01-15T18:20:00.002-05:00

Well I decided to start another short story.I'm still working on the title.I kinda like "Lucky #18".Just a tale about long distant cyro pilots just coming out of a sleep cycle and getting ready for a percision landing and,the habit of the Commander..and why the # 18 is so special to him....

Free Writing..........

2010-01-14T12:16:00.002-05:00

Ok I decided to give this Free Writing a shot.I've set my watch for ten minutes and decided to just go for it.
I know it's suppose to be free flowing but,the problem is that most of my really good ideas happen on my walk home-or as I like to call it my decompression walk from work.

So how to best accomplish the task at hand?I could just stop and start writing where I am-ha that wouldn't look too strange but,right now we're in a deep freeze and writing would be an issue-hard to write with frozen fingers-Spring and Summer would be better options..or I could just speak into my iPod like I'm taking a memo...ok now I would look mighty insane..alert,alert crazy man in the park......

It would be easy to write about what I may encounter on the walk home-Deer,Foxes,Hawks,Crows even a stray Dog or Cat..and the crazy inhabitants that lurk Druid Hill Park......These are the things I encounter on my typical 10 mile hike home-5 miles each way- and don't get me started on the stupid drivers..that could be a story on it's own...
Why is it when you set a time to complete a task it never seems to be enough time....10 mins goes by too fast--------

Clean Sweep

2009-12-21T08:58:00.004-05:00

With last nights 3-0 win over Detroit The Blackhawks have swept all five of the Original Six teams at home(Canadiens3-2,Rangers 2-1,Boston 5-4,Maple Leafs 3-2) and with 16-3-1 they maintain the best overall home record in the NHL and they also top the Central Division & the Western Conference with the record of 23-8-3.
To go along with the win last night the Ten Goal club accepted a new member,Dustin Byfuglien scored his tenth goal at the 19:27 mark of the game joining Patrick Sharp,Patrick Kane,Jonathan Toews & Kris Versteeg..all with ten goals each.The last major milestone of the night with The U.C. bursting at the seams with 21,781 it became the 70th sellout of the season,with I'm sure many more to come.
This isnt to say that they have it easy,with the next four games they will be tested...Sharks tomorrow night followed by Red Wings and a Home and Home with the Predators after Christmas.Then they have two more tough games with Dallas the first meeting ended with a 4-3 loss & their first match up with the Eastern Conference leading Devils to round out the year.Here's hoping that when the calendar turns to 2010 the standings will still have The Chicago Blackhawks at the top.
This is a great time to be a Blackhawks Fan.......ONE GOAL!!!!!
LET'S GO BLACKHAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!

This Is A Great Time To Be A Blackhawks Fan!!!

2009-12-17T19:00:00.003-05:00

What an amazing team,and what an amazing season so far.Who would've guessed that The Blackhawks would be sitting on top of the divison with a 21-8-3 record with 32 games played.The stats only get better,so far they have a 64 goals against which averages out to 2.06/game,the best home record in the NHL,14-3-1 & two hot goalies with back to back shutouts,last time that was done was in 1983,Esposito & Bannerman..and here's an extra stat the last time that was achieved by a single goalie was in 2002 by Jocelyn Thibault.Maybe the departure of Khabibulin while it hurt me to see him leave,maybe it was for the best and it allowed Huet,Niemi & Crawford a chance to shine,and they are shining very brightly!!
With heart stopping come from behind games and a very successful "Circus Trip" along with two very good months of results,Oct.8-5 Nov 8-4,it's safe to say that they are having a really good season.
But having plays & players like these are like icing on the cake:
Example A:

Example B:

And who can forget the big OT goal vs New York by Big Buff:

So the way it looks from here they look to go deep into the post season..barring any major injuries and a MAJOR implosion.
And to end this love fest for my beloved Blackhawks I'll leave you with this:

ONE GOAL LET'S GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One Moment That Changed History

2009-11-03T20:44:00.002-05:00

"My face is my mask"....Gump Worsley

It was 50 years ago this week that the game of Hockey changerd forever.It was on the night of November 1,1959 when a shot on goal from former New York Ranger Andy Bathgate caught the Canadiens goalie Jacques Plante in the face openning a gash in his face from his lip all the way to his nostril.Skating off to the locker room and after a twenty minute delay out skated Plante wearing a mask....and the rest is history.

Up until that moment all the goalies from the Original Six teams,Chicago( Hall),Toronto(Bower),Montreal(Plante),New York(Worsley),Boston(Thompson & Brimsek) & Detroit(Sawchuk),went without the protection of a mask.And so the famous quote from Gump Worsley.."My face is my mask".Then as the era of the mask came into play one by one the goalies began to wear them,there were still some hold outs,one of the last one being Joe Daley but even they made the decision to put one on.

The good thing is that in the 50 years that have passed the goalie equipment has evolved from sitting right on the face to having the entire head encased in a protective cage and improved to the point that they now use their not afraid to use their heads to block a high speed slap shot..something that would've never happened 50 years ago,of course that shot didnt come into play until Stan Mikita took his stick blade and bent it under a door...but that is another story completely

Best Time of the Year

2009-10-04T11:17:00.002-04:00

With the drop he slates wipped clean for one more go at the Auld Mug.So for all of the Chicago Blackhawks fans around the world,we once again dust off all of our sweaters,and all fo our good luck charms and get ready for another exciting season.
It was a very interesting off season with all of the subtractions,Khabibulin,Havlat, just to name a few..and with the big additions of Hossa and Madden.Even bigger is the Goalie situation.Here they have three top notch Goalies in Huet,Crawford and Niemi but is that enough to get them back into the playoff and maybe,just maybe to the Cup?
Fast forward to the start of the seasonand it sure did start of with a huge bang in Sweden and Finland with an impressive shutout win and a shootout loss so that just means that they come out of Europe with 3 points.Now it's back home to the states and onto Detroit where they take on the 0-2 Red Wings,wait did I say o-2?? I did didnt I..hmmmmm.
Here to another season filled with all the hope that we once again get the name Chicago Blackhawks etched in the side of Lord Stanley's Cup
ONE GOAL
EARN IT
LET'S GO HAWKS!!!

#14 In Your Program #1 In Your Heart......

2009-07-29T13:25:00.007-04:00

Last week The Red Sox retired Jim Rice's #14 making it the eighth number to be hoisted on the Right Field Facade.It joins the likes Joe Cronin(#4),Bobby Doerr(#1),Johnny Pesky(#6),Ted Williams(#9),Carl(Yaz)Yastrzemski(#8),Carlton Fisk(#27)& of course Jackie Robinson(#42). Here are his stats for the years he played in Boston: 2089 -Games Played 8225-At Bats 2452-Hits 1249-Runs 382-Home Runs 1351-RBI's 58 Stolen Bases .298 AVG On January 12 of this year he was elected into The Hall of Fame and, on July 26,2009 he ws finally inducted into the HOF.Then on Tueaday night they finally retired his number So I say congrats to the former "Captain" for finally achieving the goal that every player strives for....here's to you Jim

Do You Remember???

2009-07-12T21:01:00.007-04:00

It's hard to believe that it's been 40 years since we left for the Moon.Forty years ago this coming thursday three men,Neil Armstrong,Michael Collins & Edwin Aldrin boarded a Saturn V Rocket bound for Lunar Orbit and the Lunar surface.But I'm getting ahead of myself.This adventure started with a speech by John F. Kennedy telling the country that we're going to the Moon.A very bold challenge not only for the astronauts that would be making the trip,but for a country which at the time did not have a rocket powerful enough to even make the trip.The rocket in question was still in the mind of Werner Von Braun.Under his guidance NASA developed the massive rocket called the Saturn V.Not only was this a race to get to the Moon before the decade of the 60's was over but, it was a race to get to the Moon before the Soviets did.As a country we lost the race to be the first to get to space,the Soviets won that one when on April 12,1961 a Vostock 1 carrying Yuri Gagarin launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.Then we followed the next month launching a Redstone Rocket with Freedom 7 with Alan Shephard onboard.
Fast forward to the late Sixties.We have a new President and on with a vision one that put a man on the Moon.

So the wheels go in motion and we finally have a rocket that will be able to lift not only humans but machine into orbit and onto the Moon.After four flight to test all the systems it all came together on July 16,1969 when Armstrong,Aldrin & Collins boarded Columbia and headed for a target that was 218,096 miles away.

The launch of Apollo 11 fulfilled Kennedy's speech and started a trek to the Moon that continued into the early Seventies.
The next stop for our intrepid explorers..The Moon,which will be the subject of my next Blog...

Playlist:Songs From The Hammock

2009-07-09T07:04:00.037-04:00

One thing that I love to do and it makes life easier when trying to find something to listen to is to make playlists on my iPod.I've made many to fit the situation..for example my walk in the morning,which is 5 miles,I have a playlist that fits that mood..just something to keep my energy up and put me in a good mood.I also have a Classical & Japanese playlist too..something easy going to relax if I happen to take the Subway home after a long day at work.
My newest playlist is probably my favorite one to date.I spent a good two weeks putting this one together.Not that it was all that tough but, just trying to set the right mood.This one was made just for one thing and that is to relax even possibly fall asleep to.I even did a couple test runs and had two friends give it a listen just to get another opinion.Both gave it rave reviews and agreed that it made them both relaxed,which is what I was hoping it would've been.
I have to say that I'm really proud if this list.This has to be one of the best ones I've ever made,not rushed in the planning really thought out and it's everything that I wanted to be.
Well here is the list if you want to give it a listen you can sample the song on iTunes and let me know what you think of it.

Songs From The Hammock:
Old Blue Chair: Kenny Chesney- Be As You Are

The Life:Kenny Chesney-Lucky Old Sun

Everybody:Keith Urban-Love,Pain& The Whole Crazy Thing

Till Summer Comes Around:Keith Urban-Defying Gravity

Gravity(Live)
Belief(Live)
John Mayer-Where The Lights Is John Mayer Live In Los Angeles

Banana Pancakes:Jack Johnson-In Between Dreams

Aqueous Transmission:Incubus-Morning View

Life In A Northern Town:Sugarland-Love On The Inside

The Best Day:Taylor Swift-Fearless

Destiny:Zero 7-Simple Things

Be Like That:3 Doors Down-Better Life

Three Marenas:The Wallflowers-Bringing Down the Horse

Stitched Up:Herbie Hancock,Feat.John Mayer-Possibilties

3 Mississippi:Terri Clark-Pain To Kill

Drops Of Jupiter
Mississippi
She's On Fire:Drops Of Jupiter

Calling All Angels:Train-My Private Nation

Home:Averi-Direction Of Motion

Harwich
Goodnight,Goodbye:Averi-Drawn To Revolving Doors

Acoustic#3:Goo Goo Dolls-Dizzy Up The Girl

Long Day Is Over:Norah Jones-Come Away With Me

The Prettiest Thing:Norah Jones-Feels Like Home

Golden Age
Girl & The Ghost:KT Tunstall-
Acoustic Extravaganza

You & Me:Lifehouse-Lifehouse

Bring Me The Disco King:David Bowie-Reality

Ok That's the list I hope you like it as much as I do..it was great putting it together and finally getting the right feel for the moment
Enjoy

New Blog

2009-06-23T20:34:00.004-04:00

I must be crazy I've just started a new blog on the MLB site..so if you want to go here and take a gander...lol
http://mdsoxfan.mlblogs.com

Another Fenway Milestone

2009-06-17T19:26:00.002-04:00

Tonight The Red Sox and Fenway Park will be celebrating a major milestone.Not only is this the 109th Season played there but it's the 500th sellout at the 96 year old park.The streak began on May 15,2003 and passed the current record that Cleveland held(455)was broken with 456 on September 8,2008.I was glad to have been a part of the streak by attending a game on May 18,2008:(streak #409)

Greatest Red Sox Moment:

This is a hard question to answer.I could say when they finally won the World Series in 2004,or when Manny finally hit his 500th homerun here at Camden Yards.I could also say that one of the greatest momnents has to be when Jon Lester threw his No-No on the 19th of May but,I have to be a little selfish my greatest moment was walking up the ramp in the park heading for my seat in the bleachers .It will be a moment I will never forget.I can't even beging to describe how that felt.Even better being able to share that with friends and having them see the excitement on my face and seeing the same on theirs.I can't thank Mary & Tom enough for that.It was and is one of the best moment of my life and on I will never forget.

The Bug

2009-06-17T06:54:00.004-04:00

Everyone who knows me knows how much I love to sail.I was reading the newest Sailing Magazine and I read Robert Perry's review of this Dinghy called Bug.This Dinghy is just what the doctor ordered.This would be a great racer/trainer for kids and adults to sail on.It's stable enough for kids to learn the basics of sailing and sturdy enough for fun racing,maybe they should create a "Bug" class of racing even though I'm not exactly sure how heavy the weather could be..maybe up to 15 knts or maybe even more just to push the limits. I know if I had kids I'd buy this one just to teach them the craft of sailing and hope that they would catch the sailing "bug" like I did so many years ago...

For more info on the Bug check out www.laserperformance.com it's worth the look.

15

2009-06-15T16:29:00.004-04:00

On Sunday night the Los Angeles Lakers won their 15th World Championship.Kobe finally got that monkey,or elephant off his back by winning it without Shaq...so maybe Kobe should ask Shaq.."hey Shaq,how's my ass taste"????

Congrats on another win for the Lakers..so Kobe doubled up Olympic Gold and a World Champion Ring..08/09 was a good year for him eh??

OWNED!!!!!!! 8 STRAIGHT!!!!!!

2009-06-12T07:02:00.003-04:00

Red Sox 7
Yankees 0

Beckett(W)

Red Sox 6
Yankees 5

Wakefield(W)
Papelbon(SV)

Red Sox 4
Yankees 3

Saito(W)
Papelbon(SV)

It never get's old....SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!
YANKEES SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And They're Off...Leg 8

2009-06-07T18:00:00.005-04:00

7 boats,77 sailors & 860 miles till they touch land in Sweden.The Volvo once again took to the sea leaving Galway Ireland in a manic start as they head up the channel to Marstrand Sweden. Here are the positions of the boats at the moment:

Telefonica Black
Green Dragon
Ericsson 3
Delta Lloyd
Telefonica Blue
Ericsson 4
Puma

5,000 Horses....OHHHHHHHHH YEAH

2009-05-31T16:27:00.005-04:00

Nothing says summer to me like being or watching Drag racing.This sport has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.My best memories are being down at Capital Raceway with my Dad,Uncle and my Cousin on a hot summer night and watching them go 1320.Ever since then the smell of Nitro has been in my blood.
There is nothing better than seeing the fire flying out of the header pipes as the sound just get's louder and louder.There is no comparison.No matter how loud your tv is it will never match how loud it is at the track.
So Don Prudhomme,Don Garlets,Shirly Muldowney,Tom McEwen,Ace McCullough,TV Tommy Ivo,Don Schumacher,The Flying Hawaiian and all my racing heros..this one's for you.

What A Great 08-09 Season:

2009-05-29T09:46:00.005-04:00

What a season,finishing with a great record..getting in the playoffs for the first time since '95.Maybe we should be saying thank you to The Blackhawks for putting such a great product on the ice. I give a huge thank you to the front office for making such great decisions and bringing the roar back to The Mad House on Madison Street. I can't wait for the 09-10 season to begin.If it will be anything like this season there are bigger and better than this one was. Saying that I still say I HATE THE EFFIN RED WINGS ....so my Effin list grows bigger: Effin:Holmstrom,Helms,Datsyuk,Zetterberg,Cleary(you tool)you know..screw the whole team.....

Thank You Chicago

2009-05-26T05:39:00.004-04:00

Hockey is back.The Roar is back.The Mad House of Madison Street is back.Where back in WW2 they had their "Big Three" well,Chicago has
"The Big Four".Thanks to Rockey Wirtz,John McDonough,Jay Blunt and last but certainly not least Dale Tallon.
Thanks to them they have brought pride back to The Indianhead Sweater.We all know that it never really went away,it was just dorminate for awhile waiting for the right moment.
That time was the 07-08 season.Enter two of the brightest young talent that we've seen in some time,(Jonathan Toews,Patrick Kane),then sprinkel in a pinch of veteran talent, stir and you have the makings of a
damn good team.The results spoke for themselves they finished 40-34-08 with 88 points.They were a few games from making the playoffs but, were bumped out from them.
Fast forward one year.Chicago is a buzz about The Blackhawks.Not only are the ticket sales through the roof,the first ever Blackhawks Convention is held in July bringing fans from all over together in one place.The team was also reshaped.It was addition by subtraction.One major addition was the aquisition of former Kings,Canadiens & Capitals Goalie Christobal Huet.The other would be Defensemen Brian Campbell.
So here we are in the 08-09 season The Hawks finished 46-24-12 with a record 104 points.Reaching the playoffs for the first time since 1995. They made it past they first two rounds beating Calgary & Vancouver.
Enter The Western Confrence Finals against The Red Wings,a rival team that has been battleing it out for 83 years.As it stands at the time of this blog The Red Wings are leading the series 3-1 and can close it out with a win tonight.I havent lost faith in the boys,there is plenty of time for a comeback.
So Here's hoping the season is not over......Keep the faith Hawks Fans

Thank You

2009-05-24T13:29:00.006-04:00

This is for all the Men & Women of our Armed Services who has made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can have the freedom to voice our opinions and live our lives in peace.
So this is my way of saying thank you...rest in peace your job is done.

Keep The Fork Away Just Yet!!!!

2009-05-23T11:06:00.004-04:00

Just when the Detroit fans counted The Hawks out,they come home to The U.C. and show them they're not ready to roll over and play dead.After having a blazing hot 3-0 first period,they let them back in by playing very,very flat in the second and having Detroit come back and tie the game 3-3.It remained that score after the third sending them into OT.Unfortunately they started the third without Khabibulin in net,still not sure why,with Huet(oh god NOOOOOO!!!) in the net and without Havlat after the crushing hit he took from Kronwall:

But the Hockey gods shone down on all of the weary Hawks fans and Sharpie put one by Osgood at 1:52 into OT giving The Hawks a 4-3 OT win...

Don't get that fork out just yet..we're not close to being done

ONE GOAL......EARN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Malkins Sick Goal

2009-05-22T21:01:00.001-04:00

THIS IS JUST SICK!!!!

Hey Bub!!!!

2009-05-22T18:27:00.005-04:00

Ok,Ok I know so don't say it.I'm about to really geek it up.In my defence I really do love playing video games,just like alot of you out here do so take that.Anyway I just picked up a new one today,X-Men Origins:Wolverine and let me tell you it's a doozy.I just started playing this,so these are my first impressions of the game.
It is exactly how you want to play as Wolverine..you go in hard and fast with claws blazing.
You get to not only cut the living daylights out of people but,you get to toss them around like rag dolls while your doing it.Ok so far I've been fighting Lava Monsters and crazed people weilding flaming swords but I've sliced through them like,well you know....
Ok so far I love this game it's been really fun playing it and visually with the power of the Xbox 360 it looks FANTASTIC!!!! throw in some funny dialog and stir it up and you have one great game.
I hope to have more to say once I'm finished I should be able to give you a better overview once I'm done.
So back for more slashing and throwing.....outta the way bub!!!!!

83 Year Old Original 6 Grudge Match

2009-05-18T09:23:00.005-04:00

Here we have two Original Six team in the Western Conference Finals.This is a grudge match that goes back 83 years..a Battle of the Titans you might say.Saying that I will say that they need to bring up the intensity of this rivalry if they want to move to the finals.
I've been reading alot lately where they're saying that the goalie is the best penalty killer,I agree but you have to have some kind of defence infront of him.Khabibulin has been nothing short of spetacular in this playoff series.There have been many games where he stood on his head and saved them from losing many of the games that maybe they should've.Now to say that they have a bad defence would be wrong.They have a very good one and a power play and penalty kill that is topped ranked.
So why the long face?Well they played well enough against Calgary and Vancouver but you have to play an above average game to even get close to beating a team like Detroit.All the trick that they used to get by the first two rounds just may not work to get past this round.To quote Bruce Lee...they have to become water..modify,adapt their game to out play,out skate Detroit.Yesterday's game will be part of the learnig curve for many of the first timers to this level of the playoffs.One plus for the young Hawks are the veterns,Ladd(Carolina),Khabibulin(Tampa Bay) & Phalsson(Aniheim),all three Stanley Cup winners..a major plus and a major teaching tool for the newbies.
I know,I know it's only game one.Still lot's of time left to play but if they don't learn from prior mistakes made the clock will run out.Saying all of this I have not and will not lose faith in my Hawks.They have the talent and great coaching that can elevate thier game to another lever and quite possibly a Stanley Cup.If not this year one very soon.
So if your reading this and your also a Blackhawks fan..keep the faith our time is coming.This has been one amazing season and there are more amazing things to come
GO HAWKS GO

8 Games To The Cup.....

2009-05-17T14:29:00.003-04:00

This is what we've been waiting for.We're only 8 games away from the end of our journey.
Keep the faith Hawks Fans....
GO HAWKS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ONE GOAL......EARN IT!!!!!!!!

It's Time Once Again!!!!

2009-05-17T00:03:00.005-04:00

Rivals lock horns once again.This time if's for the right to go to the Stanley Cup.I would compair this game to the Winter Classic played on New Years Day.You have to throw out the last two games that they played during the season when they took the home and home games..they don't count now.This time every goal,every second counts.This time you leave it all on the ice like there is no tomorrow.
There have been many milestones for the Blackhawks this season and making it to the WCF for the first time since 1995,the major rebuilding of the team by Rocky Wirtz,Dale Tallon & Co.The return of the fans bringing along the roar back to the city of Chicago....all you have to do is listen durning the anthem and you will know that it's back and in a big way.
Anyway I cant wait for this to begin.This series will be one hell of a battle and I will be watching every second of it....
LET'S GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*ONE GOAL - EARN IT*

Memorial Cup '09

2009-05-16T22:40:00.002-04:00

All I can say is WOW what a game tonight..If this is what is coming to the NHL I say bring it on.Today it was Windsor vs Drummondville.It went scorless through the first twenty but,finally Drummondville got on the board in the second frame.Then Windsor answered also in the second.Then it went back and forth forcing an overtime.Finally Drummondville put one in the back of the net ending the game with a 3-2 win.
Those kids played so hard it was amazing to still see them on their feet.They have no reason to hold their heads down.What a game they played.
I can't wait to see these guys play in the NHL.

Travelogs:

2009-05-13T06:38:00.000-04:00

BOSTON:

SCOTLAND:

Random Photovideos of my past trips

Bird Watch Update

2009-05-12T19:58:00.000-04:00

Ok it's been a week or so since my last blog about the birds well, the one thing I have found out is that the species of the bird is in the Heron family,not sure of the genus yet still looking.I have also learnd that we have three females now with eggs in two of the nest,not sure about the third one.
Here are pictures of all three.Still waiting for the eggs to hatch.
more updates to follow:

Hawks Win!!! WCF Here We Come!!!!!!

2009-05-12T06:25:00.000-04:00

This is your father's Blackhawks,the '08- '09 version.Theses young Hawks,with a 7-5 win,have managed to make it past the Canucks and moved on to the Western Conference Finals,the first time since 1995.What a game it was.They fought tooth and nail and came from behind to take the series 4-2.
Highlights,well it all started with the puck drop by Tony O
and then...well here are some:

And:

This team is so impressive.They've been able to come from behind and take over games and come out with a win,not everytime but,alot of times.This is a special team they've brought the roar back to Madison Street and the people back to the team.Chicago has embraced this team and it's passion has willed this team to the WCF and only 8 games from the Cup.
At this point we as fans are so proud of our Hawks.The turn around has been incredible.Rocky Wirtz and Co has done a bang up job bringing back former Hawks back to the fold.Drafting great players,and having a great farm system and getting Coach Q to get them to gel as a team.
Rejoice Hawks Fans,Rejoice it's out time to savor this series win..they worked hard for it and now we get to enjoy it with them.

*ONE GOAL........EARN IT!!!!!*

OK WTF???

2009-05-11T15:06:00.001-04:00

I have been following the Space Program since 1969 and the Shuttle Program since 1981 and I have never,ever seen anything like I've just seen.STS-125 just left the pad this afternoon on it's way to service Hubble on last time.I have no problem with the mission it's self but I have a problem with NASA's wisdom of having a second Shuttle sitting on the pad in case of an emergency. AN EMERGENCY??? wtf? I have never know them to be this skittish before.Do they expect an accident?and even if something did happen they have a day to fuel the Shuttle,and then another day and a half at the least to reach them.
This is based on them not being able to reach The ISS.Now is NASA just covering all the bases or is this full blown paranoia.I hope that there will be no problem with the mission and it just goes as routine as all the other's have in the past few years but I just found it very,very odd this new move by NASA.
Anyway they're on their way to Hubble and so far so good...fingers crossed
let the repairs begin...where's Tim "Tool Time" Taylor when you need him???

GOD SPEED STS-125

To Boldly Go.....

2009-05-10T15:25:00.000-04:00

Where to start...first thing this movie rocks.It is a total retelling of a classic story.The cast was dead on,each had just a little bit of the original in them and all the inside jokes that if you were a watcher of the original series you got but,even if you didnt it was still funny..kirk"what's your combat traning?" Sulu"fencing"..quizical look from kirk....classic
Seeing Nimoy back on the screen was almost like pasing the torch to the "new" crew.
Anyway great story and this one could go on for sometime.Not only do we get to see where they came from and how they got together but we also go to see them gel as a team.
I cant wait for the DVD to see the behind the scenes stuff and all the extras J.J Abrams will throw in there.Kudos to him and the great film he put together!!!