Hockey games are so much fun

I am not a huge sports fan.  I could not tell you the names of more than 10 or so professional players.  It is not that I am not a loyal fan.  I have just never seen the point.  I do not receive a check from the team.  In fact, they charge me to follow them.  I have to pay for team logo items.  I have to pay to watch them live.  Nope,  I like to watch, but I am by no means a rabid follower of any sport.

Yesterday we scored tickets to see an Admirals game.  They are a local hockey team and are fun to watch.  Of all of the sports I like to watch hockey and soccer are my favorites.  Both are none stop action and, once you learn the rules, are very interesting to follow.

I left work and met the group at the game.  We got the tickets through church and they all rode in the bus to the game.

I was a little closer and arrived early.  The plan was to meet at the fountain in front of the Scope.

This picture gives you a little bit better idea of what it looks like up close.

There is a nice ledge to sit on and there were a lot of people moving around.  There was also a trumpet player at the far corner of the fountain.  He was a large black man.  He dressed like a homeless person, but looked warm enough.  The music was amazing.  When I got closer he was playing with his eyes closed and looked like he was completely absorbed in his music.  I put some money in his box and then moved away to watch the people.

Most walked right by the man.  They avoided looking at him.  A few, mostly the ones with kids in tow, would walk slowly by watching him.  None of them put any money in.  The ones that did put money in would smile and say something if he wasn't playing at the time.

The ones I enjoyed most were the college age students.  They normally walked up, put money in the box, and then interact with him.  The would speak with him normally touching the man's shoulder or back.  Those scenes raised my spirits.  The fact that the younger people would take the time to acknowledge the man, and speak to him, made my day.  I think I enjoyed watching that more than the hockey game.

It sucks getting old...

It doesn't happen often, but every now and then I feel quite old.  Normally it is my son doing something like not knowing how to use a rotary phone, but today it is more of a physical thing. 

My back hurts.  I don't think my chair, at work, has enough support.  It may be that I am not getting enough excercise.  Hell I'm getting tired just watching a hockey game on the television.

My hands hurt.  It has been getting cooler and the temperature change is making my arthritis act up.  Sometimes it hurts to make a fist.  I wince at a firm handshake.

My knees hurt.  Arthritis again.  I was pretty hard on them with all of the sports I was involved with when I was younger.

But, to tell you the truth.  The thing that hurts me the most is my ego.

Screw you body.  Tomorrow I'm going to the gym.

Last One!

Wow.  I made it.

I wasn't sure if I could keep to it or not, but I did.  Now I just have to stick to my guns and keep posting. 

I thought that I would have more trouble than I did, but finding something to post about each day was not as difficult as I thought it would be.  I'll admit that not all of the posts were high quality, but that isn't the point now is it?

Posting everyday takes a slightly different mind set.  I liked it.  I think I will try it for a bit to see how it goes.  See you next month!

Fun at the new job...

My job has changed.  Or rather, my customer base has changed.  Instead of working with newspaper reporters and editors I am working with college students and instructors.

I'll admit.  It is a bit refreshing.

Don't get me wrong.  I loved most of the customers I dealt with at my last job, but they tended to be aggressive and difficult to deal with. 

Today I had a good laugh.  An instructor called.  He needed assistance installing software for one of his students.  The software allowed the student to zoom in on text to make it easier to read.  The instructor explained that the student was almost blind and needed the software to help him read.  His major was Criminal Justice.

Small Group

One huge advantage of working day shift is having a social life.  Last week I was able to start attending small group again.  This group watches a movie one week and discusses it the week after.  Tonight was movie night and we watched "Radio".  It is an amazing movie.

This paticular small group is made up of people from our church.  Normally there is a theme.  For this group it is movies.  This is a little outside of the box.  A large number of small groups are more of a Bible study.  During our discussions we talk about how the movie relates (or does not) to God and the Bible.

We share a meal first, tonight it was spaghetti, and everyone brings a dish to pass. Then we socialize and eventually move on to the movie or the discussion.  It is a lot of fun.

Tonight, we were getting back into the car, when I thought. HOLY CRAP!!!  I haven't had a chance to post yet. 

I hope God forgives me for that little slip up.  Good night everyone.

Hunting has Changed

When I lived in Western New York I hunted quite a bit.  I preferred small game hunting (especially rabbit and pheasant) over large game (deer).

I have always found small game hunting more exciting and  lot less work.  The targets were always small and fast moving.  You had to be on your toes.  If you did score a rabbit or a bird you would field dress them, wrap the meat in a bread bag, put the bag in your pocket and continue to hunt.

Large game (when I hunted) consisted more of sitting in a spot (well travelled by the deer) and shooting them if they happened by.  I had a bad habit of falling asleep as I waited.  I've seen many deer run off as I woke up with a start.  If you do get a deer then you have to gut it and drag it back to your car or truck.  Dragging an animal that weighs as much as you do is no fun.  If you haven't had a stroke by the time you get back to your vehicle then you have to get it up on to the vehicle or into the trunk.  If you are lucky you have come with a group of other hunters and they will usually help you (provided you don't rub in the fact that you got one and they did not).  If you are unlucky...  Well, that is what they make pain killers and muscle relaxers for. 

Today they have cell phones and gps units.  I hear stories of people talking about a deer (via text) before taking the shot.  That makes hunting much safer, but takes a little of the excitement out of it as well.  Now I feel like my father talking about walking up hill both ways in the snow when he had to go to school.

Tree Update

The tree has been knocked over only once.  Jo was trying to do his leopard imitation.

Mostly it looks like this:

Or this:

There have been 3 or 4 territorial disputes for the right to camp under the tree.  At one point Athena and Joe were both there.  It was very touch and go.  Several boxing matches broke out.

I think we will wait to decorate the tree for just a little while.  I'm getting tired of saying "No Jo".