This week on iTunes

Before I start, there is just something I need to say. I can't stand the Colorado Avalanche. I can't believe the Stars are down 2-0 in this series. Hopefully they will come together, but they will have to do it on the road. Watching has been frustrating

Seems like I decided to do this at the right time. This week, iTunes is celebrating the free songs they've given away the last two years. They talk about all the ones that went on to be big. It's an impressive list.

This week there are three free selections from which to choose.
The first is Dimension by Wolfmother. If you like Black Sabbath, you'll probably dig this. It sounds good. The music transitions from sounding very familiar to something that sounds like a new twist on the genre, but overall, it is pretty formulaic. The problem for me was that I felt like I was listening to a song that was playing in the background of That 70's show. While the song was well put together, I just didn't enjoy it enough to put it on my iPod so I give it a 2 of 5. (Note: Metal fans will likely enjoy this)

The next track is Zambra by Willie & Lobo. It is the Discovery Download of the week. The talent is evident on this track, and I think this would be right at home as part of a movie soundtrack. The quote from iTunes is (..puts a Middle Eastern spin on their full-bodied, tasteful Latin Jazz and funk). If that sounds confusing, you'[re not alone, but surprisingly, it fits in pretty well. When the track began, I figured I would not be keeping it, but as it went on, I actually enjoyed it and think this would make great background music. It's not something I would jam in the car to, but that's not really the point. All in all, pretty enjoyable. 4 out of 5.

Finally, there is the Preface and Chapter 1 of Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick. The book is about how America began going beyond the simple story of the Pilgrims. This audiobook clip is about an hour and 18 minutes long, so I have not had the chance to listen to it yet and as such, will not be reviewing it. This is more of an FYI.

Last week I mentioned the Clip Show from The Apprentice. It turned out to be great. It went through all the tasks that have gone on so far and showed a lot of un-aired footage as well. If you are a fan of the show, you'll love it. If you're curious about this season, you should check this out. If "Reality TV" doesn't do it for you, then you'll probably stay away. 4 of 5.

Well, that's it for this week.

PJ

iPod/MP3 Reviews - 4/18/2006

Welcome to this week's iPod/MP3 Review.
In deciding to do this, I mentioned my favorite media player Media Monkey. This program will do just about anything you want it to. Ripping CD's (limited unless you buy the application), converting audio formats(MP3, WMA, OGG, WAV, FLAC), playlists, and tag editing are pretty much standards when it comes to media players these days and MM handles them like a dream. Where it distinguishes itself is in the organizational aspects of audio. The media library can be sorted in a number of different ways (again standard), but provides the ability to auto-tag songs based on data from Amazon.com. This includes album art which can be stored inside the MP3 file if that is available. Once you've got your tag data down, you can instantly rename the track based on whatever configuration you specify. The ability to do this with your entire library at once makes this program great. In fact my only want is that it would play AAC audio. The app will sync with your iPod, but I don't recommend this as the iPod is a very tempermental gadget. I really love mine, but the fact I've had to reload it twice based on lock-ups really irks me. I give Media Monkey a 4.5 out of 5.

Freebies:
So, iTunes is treating us to three free downloads this week although one is not available at the moment (More on that in a moment).

The first is Damone - Out Here All Night. I really enjoy this song. It's got a great rock-beat, good guitar licks without any hair-metal band solos, and the vocals aren't screaming like a ton of bands seem to do. I've always been a fan of bands with female lead singers especially in rock bands. The band sounds polished but not so much in a way that makes you feel like they would sound really bad live. The song is a lot of fun actually. The fact that they released their album on my birthday this year bodes well for them too. All in all, I'm planning on keeping this song on my iPod and would give it a 4 out of 5.

The next is MSTRKRFT - Easy Love. It is iTunes' Discovery Download of the week (Pronounced Master Craft). All in all, I'm not much for techno. It's great if you're at a club, but if you're not, it feels a little like you're stuck in a Night at the Roxbury skit. I know it takes a lot of skill to put together something like this especially with the digitized voice not sounding like a voice prompt in a call center. I'm sure this fits right into some people's style, but it's just not mine. Repetition is only good if you like what you're repeating. Therefore, I'm giving this a 2 of 5. It's probably not that bad for the style, but I don't enjoy the style. Sorry guys.

Finally, the last freebie of the week is a "Clip Show" from the Apprentice. I'd love to tell you about this one, but when you click it right now, it says "This item is being modified. Please try again later." So, I'll review it later.

Well, that's it for this week,
PJ

My idea for a new feature

So, I'm horrible at staying updated on this and on our home website. It's not that I'm lazy exactly, it's mostly that I'm forgetful. I constantly think that I should update the blog and also the website, but something comes up before I actually do it, so Karen and I have scheduled time to do a website update even if it is just to write what has happened this week. I decided that I would do something that I have been looking for and couldn't find.

I love my iPod. It hardly leaves my side and saved me on my last business trip when I wanted to zone out of business and concentrate on anything else. It has brought many an album back into my life which for a music junkie like me is great! iTunes is even growing on me. While it's not my favorite media player (that would be Media Monkey), it is very efficient in ripping cds, burning cd's, purchasing music, etc. One of the musical highlights of my week is looking at iTunes every Tuesday to see what the new free song of the week is. I have recently started doing this as I kept noticing in reviews of songs or albums that I like someone commenting, "I got this when it was the free download". So, I thought I need to start checking these out. This brings me to my idea for the new feature of my blog that will ensure that I update at least once a week. I'm going to review the free content that is provided on iTunes. So, look for a review of Damone - Out Here All Night (Note, the link only works if you have iTunes installed.) coming later today. I need to listen to it a few more times before I offer my thoughts.

Later,
PJ

Ohh... so Blogs are supposed to be updated regularly...

Well, It's been forever. No excuses, just a new update

First things first. My daughter is a genius and that will be the end of me. She is amazing me lately with how fast she picks things up. She is putting two and three word sentences together and is really becoming more communicative. It's really neat to watch all this develop.

Carter is really coming into his own as well. He just had his first cereal and is doing pretty well with that, but he's very much like his daddy in that he hates to sit still for any amount of time.

So, is it weird that I'm a big sports fan, but I don't really care about the NCAA tournament? I'm just not that interested. Every article I read tells me how wide open this tournament is and all I really care about is the same every year. Who is the highest seed that will get bumped by the lowest seed. I'm just waiting for the day a 16 knocks off a 1. I think that would be great!

I turned 31 a couple of days ago and it was very non-eventful. There's nothing of note that happens when you turn 31 unless you play in the NHL (under the old CBA). I did buy a new car stereo (This one). I just installed it today after a fiasco with the wiring harness. It sounds great and lets me use my iPod without the FM transmitter I was using.

So, the Stars are doing pretty well. Jokinen finally didn't score in a shootout, but Modano sealed the win so that is good. I only wonder what they'll do in the playoffs when there is no shootout. Should be interesting. Well, not much else so I'm off for now.

PJ

Too Long Since the Last Time

So, seeing a good friend's blog this week reminded me that I actually have one and if I updated it every once in a while, that might be better than letting it lay still for close to three months. Here I am. So, what is new with me? Well, Carter finally slept through the night for ten straight days... and then followed that up with six straight of waking up between 3 and 5 am... So, I'm tired. Karen and I have a couple of ideas of how to remind him how good sleep is at night. I'll let you know if they work. Carter developed RSV just before the holidays and it was sad. He was wheezing and coughing a lot. Here is what RSV is according to WebMD. He got better and we were able to keep anyone else from getting it. Things were great health-wise until Karen and I both caught a stomach virus last week. Luckily, we were somehow able to keep the kids from getting it.

Annabelle is in love with the Wiggles. Her favorite songs are "Hot Potato", "Bear is now Asleep", and "Do the Monkey". She loves to dance and when they are on the TV, it's almost impossible to get her attention. (hmm.. kinda like her daddy).

Karen got to go away for a weekend to scrapbook and that was a great time for her and I did pretty well with the kids while she was gone. I always knew what a great Mom she was, and how much work she put into them, but I have a whole new level of appreciation.

I got a new iPod for Christmas (after selling some stuff on eBay to make up the cost.) It was expensive, but it definitely the best MP3 player on the market. I got the one with video and 60 GB of storage which means my MP3 player has more available stoage than my computer... Well, I guess that means it's time to upgrade my computer! The video is a cool gimick, but man, they drain the battery like it's going out of style.

The NHL is half-way through and while I thought the shootout would be a good addition, I had no idea how cool it would be. These days, if the game is tied going into overtime, I am hoping for a scoreless 5 minutes so I can see the shootout. I guess it helps that the Stars are 8-0 in the shootout thanks to Jussi Jokinen. He's a rookie, but so far he has yet to enter a shootout and not score. 8 shots, 8 goals. It's really amazing to see. 6 of his shots have been the same move and the goalies seem to know it's coming, but it still beats them. The other two goals have come on moves that just make the goalie look silly.

Well, I'm off,
Talk to you soon.

PJ

Father of Two

So, the last time I wrote, I had a daughter and that was it. Today I'm the proud parent of both a daughter and a son. It's kinda weird because Annabelle is not that old, but I still can't quite remember all that we did in her first few weeks of life. It seemed a lot easier than it does with Carter, but I think that's because we didn't have a one-year old running around. That's another new development. Annabelle is walking like she's been doing it her whole life. It's really cool, but also a little tiring. Karen and I have been trying to keep up but it's difficult on little sleep. I try to pitch in as much as I can, but now that I'm back in the office, it's a little rough. Once he's sleeping through the night things will be much much easier.

OH btw, Carter was born on October 19th and weighed 6 pounds 7 ounces. He's a little bit more high-maintenance than Annabelle was at this age, but I think that's just because there is so much going on.

Well, I just wanted to check in. I'll try to write more in the coming days.

Later,
PJ

So, we meet again, Trebek....

So, a lot has happened since my last blog entry (you know the one where I said that I was going to blog more often..)

If I don't mention this first, I think my wife will dis-own me so here we go. For those who read this and don't know yet, we are going to have our son on Wednesday of this week (the 19th). That is of course unless God decides it should be earlier. Karen will be induced at 6 am (her Dr. has a cruel sense of humor). I plan to be awake for the induction and labor, but it is at 6 am, so we'll see. I am anticipating that Carter will make his appearance before 2 pm weighing 6 lbs and 12 oz. and measuring 19 inches long. We'll see.

Also, a big plug to Midas. I had to get brake work done this weekend and I went to another garage where they proceeded to tell me that I needed $700 worth of work done. I didn't like that price so I took it to Midas who quoted me much less and finished the work very quickly. I'm sorry I doubted you Midas...

Now, on to Sports:
Hockey has officially started and the Stars are doing pretty well. Modano is off to a good start and that will be key for this club. Many have suggested that he has lost a step, but that only means that he's faster than half of the NHL instead of 90%. Watching the Stars-Canucks game last night left me with only one thought.. It sure was nice that Vancouver could hire some referees to do the game instead of traditional NHL refs. The calling was horrible. Oh well, I'm sure there will be more like this..

Brett Hull retired last week in a shocking announcement. He stated that the game had passed him by. I'm filled with many emotions talking about Brett. He has always been one of my favorite players and I enjoyed hearing him talk about the game. I can't think about him without thinking about "the goal". And oh yes, Sabres fans (are there still any?) it was a goal. When you kick the puck from your skate to your stick that equals possession. The hockey world will miss him, but I applaud the way he left. Once he realized how much the game had changed and how he could no longer do what he was meant to do, he left and gave his friend and coach a give of not having to bench him... He went out with class. Click here for more.

As I was watching football this week, I saw the Cowboys almost give away another game. It's hard to believe, but the only game that they have dominated and not been in contention this season is the game against the Eagles. Every other game could have gone either way with a different bounce here or there. They could actually be 5-0 right now, or be 1-4. It's strange. I have no feel for this team whatsoever.

My fantasy football team won this week. Well, we win as long as Marvin Harrison and Jeff Wilkins don't combine for more than 80 points tonight. Both my QB's were questionable (Rothlisberger and Vick) so I picked up Mark Brunell who proceeded to get me 20 points. He might be my new starter... Well, maybe not.

After watching the Cowboy game, the NLCS came on. I watch sporadically, and the only thing I really took interest in was when Jim Edmonds get kicked out of the game for arguing a strike call that was clearly not a strike. The difference in the at bat meant the game in my opinion and that is a horrible way to decide a game. I saw how Edmonds reacted and it was in sheer disbelief at the call and then outrage as he was ejected. The Umpire, Phil Cuzzi decided that game and not according to the rules.

Michelle Wie had a rough open to her professional career. She would have finished fourth at the event, but she took an illegal drop. It's early. She'll learn.

Finally, a little basketball. I was reading this article about the new proposed dress code for the NBA and heard what sounded like good news even for Iverson through his complaints, but the words at the end of this article just dumbfounded me... Here, Marcus Camby actually had the audacity to suggest that the NBA give the players additional money to pay for the clothes they would have to buy to remain in dress code???? NBA PLAYERS GIVEN MORE MONEY???? Just shocking.

Well, that's it for today. If I don't write tomorrow, the next time I'll be able to is when I'll be a father of two. Crazy...

PJ

Hockey Hockey!!

So, tonight is the first televised Dallas Stars game in over a year. It's the first televised hockey I will have seen (other than a replay of Dallas' Stanley Cup winning game - I was getting desperate) in the same time frame. I can't even tell you how excited I am that we are finally going to have the NHL starting again. A few things I'm really interested in seeing:
1. Vojtech Polak - He has played really well for the Stars so far and looks to have a pretty good chance at making the team.
2. The shootout - All preseason games will end in a shootout regardless of the final score. I can't wait to see who takes the shots tonight and how the flow works
3. Ralph and Razor - For those who don't get to see Channel 27 or Fox Sports Southwest broadcasts, these two as a broadcast team are one of my favorites to watch and I'm glad they'll be back.
4. Modano, Lehtinen, Arnott, Guerin, Turco, Zubov. Not necessarily in that order (Actually, I'm not sure who will be playing tonight, but I hear more veterans will be in action).

I know I'm in the minority in the US when it comes to hockey, but there is something really exciting about the prospect of free-flowing hockey coming back.

On another note, this has been a premier week for a lot of TV shows. I'm currently in the act of auditioning new comedies because most of the shows I watch regularly now are Dramas. Here are some of the shows I'm looking at adding this season:

• How I met Your Mother - Really good pilot. Good introduction to the characters and surprising twist at the end of the show. I won't give it away because it's really good. Looks to be funny and I'm glad to see the return of Doogie "Suit Up!" (Also, he still looks like my friend Chris)
• My Name is Earl - Got it Tivo'd for this evening since there's no way I'm not watching the Stars Game. This looks funny in a dark sort of way. If the pilot is no good, I'm probably out fairly quick.
• Prison Break - I know it's a drama, but it is a pretty cool show to me.
• Commander In Chief - I think this has potential because I'm a big fan of Donald Sutherland. I think he does a good job in everything I've seen him in. Also interesting in how the husband reacts to being the first man... Does he get to pick a china setting like all the other presidents' wives? Is he going to get his own special project to get behind? These are answers the public needs to know.

So, with my others, it should be a full TV watching schedule this fall. Good thing I won't have anything like a new baby and a one year old to worry about...

I think that's it for today. I really am going to try to post more frequently for both of the people who actually read this. You know who you are...

PJ

Random Thoughts for Today

So, the world is crazy. Yesterday I was driving down 121 and I saw a gas station with regular unleaded for $2.50 and the thought, (Wow, that is a great price) actually went through my mind.

Team USA cut Cammi Granato yesterday from the USA women's hockey team that would have competed at the 2006 Olympics. There is an article by John Buccigross on ESPN here that explains exactly why it is a horrible thing. I completely agree. Cammi was the face of women's hockey in the US just like Mia Hamm is the face of women's soccer. It's sad for her to go out like this when she clearly has ability left. I actually saw her once at a Ft. Worth Brahamas game. I was waiting to get an autograph and there were a bunch of kids behind me so I decided to step aside and let them meet her since there was limited time, etc...

Just so you know. Even though outpost.com is now called Fry's Outpost.com, you can't actually get Fry's to match a price from outpost.com. I know this sounds really dumb, but it is there policy. Here's the story. So, I bought a video card and went to install it and it was hosed. So I took it back, but before I did, I looked online to see if it was any cheaper. And there it was for $40 less than I paid. So, when I got to the store, I figured I'd go ahead and get money back when I exchanged it. I ended up having to go back later cause I was short on time, but when I got there and showed them the printed page from the site, I was informed that they didn't match. I said, "but it's your site, and it has the exact same sku number..." He said, I'm sorry. So, I went to the back to see if it was on sale in the store. When I got back there, the price was listed at $30 less than I paid so I got back in line, and asked if they matched their own prices. I ended up getting $30 back, but I still think it's dumb that they have their name on a site but don't honor those prices.

I watched the premier of Prison Break last night and without giving too much away, I thought it was done pretty well. There were a few reaches and there were some violent areas, but that would be expected in a show about prison. I liked seeing John Doe (Dominic Purcell) in a new show as I thought his show got cancelled because of it's timeslot. But, then again, I've had a poor track with shows in the past. Fastlane, Firefly, John Doe.. all cancelled.. all on Fox.. Doesn't really bode well for Prison Break..

I updated my draft board for fantasy football today and I just don't know about one thing. I try to stay away from certain players for a few reasons. Like, I don't touch Fred Taylor anymore because he has burned me too many years in the past. (note to all fantasy football team owners: now is the time to get Fred Taylor as he won't be on my team and therefore guaranteed to have a great year. Also, I try to stay away from guys like Terrell Owens. But, I stayed away from him last year and drafted Steve Smith instead. Smith went on to break his leg and was out all last year. Owens did pretty well. Either way, I'm still planning on staying away from Taylor, but Owens is in my draft list.

Well, that's it for now. Talk to you later.
PJ

Catch-up

So, my daughter turns 1 tomorrow.. That's still really weird to me, but it's also pretty cool. She's so much fun to watch as I can see the gears turning when she's trying to figure stuff out. We are planning on getting her pictures made tonight, and then we really need to update the website. We're planning on at least doing it after her birthday.

Karen and I are loving the new house. It really does work out a lot better than the previous one and I think it's one that we will get to grow into as well. Our neighbors are very friendly and most have introduced themselves which is nice. By the time we moved out of our last house, we only knew two sets of neighbors and one of those I had been friends with for years. I had to buy a new lawn mower. The one I had would not start and despite everything I tried I just could not get it to turn over. So, now I've got one that I really like and that helps me out. I like the propelled mower...

The NHL signed a new TV deal which means that ESPN will not be the home for the NHL this year. Instead, it will go to OLN which was formerly known as "that channel you watch to see how Lance Armstrong is doing in the Tour de France". They are trying to change their image and will not be known as the Outdoor Life Network anymore. Instead it will just be OLN. The deal sounds pretty good as you can read here. I'm debating whether or not I should get the NHL Center Ice package on DirecTV or if I should watch OLN's streaming for a while first.

Looks like I was a little too eager to find someone to like in the NFL. Antonio Gates has been in all sorts of trouble with the Chargers and now, it looks like he will miss the first game of the season (Good news for Cowboy Fans!). Excuses, excuses..

I'm planning on looking at the NHL soon and doing a preview, but things are a little crazy, so I'll need to to much research. Hopefully it will be done before the season ends.

That's it for now,
PJ

Much News

Well, Karen and I finally own our new house. We had the POD delivered yesterday and were able to empty it out with the help of some family and friends. Thanks to all who helped. It sure made the time go by quicker. Luckily the rain held out until today or we might have had to hold off. We aren't living there yet because we still need to unpack everything, but that should be happening soon. I'm really looking forward to settling in. It shouldn't take too long, but I don't want to overextend Karen. She needs to remember to take it easy...

The sports world is getting crazy. Ricky Williams has returned to the Dolphins and is saying all the right things. He apologized, but he still can't really explain why he just took off. That would worry me if I were one of the Dolphins.

Terrell Owens is planning on going to camp, but he's not going to be happy about it. This guy is such bad news. It frustrates me to no end when ball-players hold out when they have signed their name to a contract. So, what we have learne about TO is that he is selffish, arrogant, and his word means absolutely nothing.

Hockey is in the news again, but I can't figure out if ESPN is leaving them far down the list on their site for spite, or because they don't see it as important as the other sports. The schedule should be out today for the NHL. I'm not sure if I will be able to attend any games this year, but it is my goal to try.

Later,
PJ

Hockey FAQ

So, on ESPN's NHL site (my favorite destination for hockey news, there are a lot of good articles about the upcoming season.

Here is a FAQ for the post-lockout fan.
This is the team by team list of how many are signed, etc.. that I posted yesterday.

I'm hoping that there is a player list soon that shows the status of each. If so, I'll post it here.

That's it for now,
PJ

Stuff - Random and Hockey

So, since I've been without my favorite sport for over a year, I think I'm going to indulge in a little extra hockey stuff today, BUT... before I begin, can you believe Kenny Rogers? I mean he's being booked for his run-in with a camera man, and while that is going on, he's actually threatening another one. Was this guy harmed by a camera in his early life or something? It just doesn't make sense. The other thing I don't get is how he is now being painted by many as the victim in all of this. I know that being a sports figure is tough. I know it's frustrating to have just about every little thing you ever do caught on camera, but Kenny is in his 40's. It's not like this is new. And from what I've seen, the cameramen (that's right, don't forget that incident included two cameramen) did nothing to provoke him. I never thought I'd agree with Jim Rome, but he had a comment about those who said how brave it was for Kenny to voluntarily go to the media during the All-Star game. It was something along the likes of Congradulations, you were able to control yourself enough not to punch a camera or cameraman for 5 whole minutes. Let's create a statue in honor of this guy. (Not an actual quote, but as good as I can remember.

Well, now that I've got that off my chest, here is some cool stuff I found out about the next season. A list of dates has been released regarding the next few events in the NHL:
July 21 - Draft Lottery (aka the Sidney Crosby sweepstakes - I still say this "happens" to go to the New York Rangers)
July 22 - Board of Governors expected to ratify the agreement
July 23 - Period for initiating buyouts begins (This lets a team pay a player 2/3 of his remaining contract after the 24% roll-back without counting toward the cap
July 23 - Period to negotiate and sign 2003 draft picks begins
July 23 - Period to negotiate with own club's restricted and unrestricted free agents begins.
July 28 - Deadline to exercise club and player options
July 28 - Deadline to sign 2003 draft picks
July 28 - Deadline to make offers to 2004 draft picks
July 29 - Deadline for initiating buyouts
July 30 - Entry Draft
August 1 - Free-Agent signing period begins.

All in all, this is going to be a very interesting time in the life of the NHL. I can't even imagine the players who will be in new cities once the season starts. Here's a good article about each team and the players they have under contract. It really looks in depth at the situation for each club. I think the main goal for the Stars is to get Mike Modano under contract. Even if that means buying out Turgeon and Guerin. I've heard that they are planning on kepping Guerin because his buy-out would be too expensive. One thing is for sure and that is the Stars are going to look a lot younger next year. The Thrashers on the other hand are in probably the most enviable position out there. They have 12 players signed for next year and only account for 14 million (Did I just say only and million in the same sentence?). A good chunk of that will go toward signing Heatley and Kovalchuk, but that will still leave a lot of room for acquiring that center that has eluded Atlanta to this point. The rest of the NHL has a lot of haves vs have nots and the only thing I can say is that I am glad I do not work for the Rangers (6 players signed responsible for $21.7 million). I really hope the Stars land the draft lottery number 1 spot, but if not, please let it not go to New York.

That's it for now,
PJ

The Locks have been broken!!!

It's almost as if the NHL decided to end the lockout the day before my anniversary so that I could focus tomorow solely on my wife. Thanks guys.. I appreciate that. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, The NHL and NHLPA reached an agreement Today! While it still needs to be ratified by both sides, it's pretty much a certainty that the agreement will be met. So, here's the thing... Rather than speculate on why this wasn't done 6 months or 10 months ago, I'm going to simply concentrate on one thing. We will have the NHL again this next season. I'm very excited because the whole landscape is going to change. Following on the lead of the NBA, the buy-out option will be there for clubs which means that some stars with big contracts and not-as-big results (Jaromir Jagr) will be bought out. I wonder who of the Stars will remain with the club. For those who do not know, my favorite teams are the Stars, Thrashers, Bruins, and anyone playing Detroit or Edmonton. I'm starting to get excited for the game again and I'm awaiting the announcement of the draft to see who will win the chance to draft Sidney Crosby. Not sure who he is? Well, one Wayne Gretzky has pronounced him as the person who will break his scoring records. I'd bet a lot (if I had a lot that is...) that he ends up in New York. (Can you say weighted draft lottery?)

I'm worried a little bit however, that I will not have as many options to watch hockey as I used to. I used to watch almost every night on ESPN, Channel 27, or Fox Sports SouthWest. I may have to get the Center Ice package just to catch all of the Stars games now. So, I'd like to see an answer to that question.

Back to the Buy-out thing, If Dallas does not keep Modano at any cost, they are foolish. I know that he isn't getting younger, but he has the opportunity to finish his career with the franchise that he started it with (albeit not in the same city), and that is rare these days. I hope he stays. Later, I'll be doing a run-down of most likely candidates for the buy-out. And, does anyone else think that Paul Kariya would look great in a Stars Jersey? I mean, he would be the Left Wing that the Stars have wanted for years.

Well, that's it for now, (It's so great to talk hockey again.)
PJ

Some Nice Stuff

So, it's been a weird week and I thought I'd share some good stuff. My daughter has been crawling for a while, but now, she is really moving. It's like herding cats to try and keep her contained in a room. It's really neat to watch her reason out solutions to problems like you know... Daddy's legs being in the way of her path to the TV. She does pretty good and sometimes, it's amazing to see how fast she can get around. We're gonna need a serious gate soon in order to keep her contained. She's almost 1 year old and I can't believe that. It's really neat to watch her learn new skills, etc...

Did you hear about the girl in Little league that threw a perfect game? she became the only girl to ever do that. And now, her jersey is going to be put into the Baseball Hall of Fame. At age 12, Katie Brownell struck out every batter she faced in order to earn the first perfect game for a girl in little league history. Click here for the rest of the story.

The NHL might have a new labor agreement soon, but this has grown into such a farce that they cannot even decide if they are close to having an agreement or not. Every report that they have reached an agreement is followed by one that says they have not reached an agreement. At this point, I think they are close, but it will be interesting to see what happens in the days to come.

Wishing well for friends who are headed off to follow God's call. Eric and Summer, we wish you all the best as you head to Nederland. We will miss you, but you will always stay close to our hearts.

That's it for now,
PJ

What is up with our world?

I'm sorry in advance for this being the most depressing blog I've written to date. Terrorism has hit our world again. The helplessness of watching the footage on TV this morning before I came into work was too familiar. I feel like this happens far too often as people have devalued human life. How horribly ironic that this should happen at the end of the Live 8 concerts that were created to promote helping eliminate poverty. How even more sad that Tony Blair was the one most interested in making poverty in Africa a thing of the past. I hope that this situation resolves itself fast, but I think we've seen how this sort of thing has gone down before. It's so frustrating because if it was a country who was attacking us our our allies, then that country would simply be a parking lot by now. But instead, these terrorists cowardly go into hiding after the "brave" ones carry out their suicide runs against un-armed civilians and children. I pray for peace on Earth, even though God may not grant it in my lifetime. Times like these make us question, but they also serve to strengthen faith. God be with those who have been most directly affected by these horrible actions. God be with all of us in the days to come.

PJ

Random Thoughts for the Week 6/24

I know that blogs are supposed to be a daily thing and it really is my goal to make that happen. I think that it will now that I've got a few things off of my plate. To that end, I'm done with School. I finished this week and to be honest, I can't believe I'm finally done. I am an MBA. I'm the first in my family to get a Master's degree which I'm pretty proud of. It was a lot of hard work, but I'm done and glad to be so. I'm not exactly sure how this will translate to my career, but it can only help and I'm looking forward to finding out where it might take me.

The band is getting ready to take off again. We are still called the band because we haven't been creative enough to find a name yet. I'm sure one will come to us at the appointed time. We start practicing next week a little more seriously and that should be good. Once we've polished some songs, we can start looking to play more often. That should come just about the time our new baby is due.

If you haven't heard, we are expecting a boy. We are very excited about it because it sort of rounds out our family. We've got a name that we're kicking around, but I'll wait to announce it until later. Want to be sure that it sticks.

Game 7 last night was interesting. I've discovered that there are a few things I am sure of regarding NBA basketball.
1. I have no earthly idea what a foul is anymore. I used to know. But somewhere between the 80's and now, I've completely lost all sense of what it is. I also don't know what travelling is, what carrying is, and why basketball is now a contact sport. I get so frustrated watching the hand-checking, mugging, etc. happen with no consequences and then when someone goes to the rim, they get breathed on wrong and it's a foul.... and the basket counts (after four steps...) I've just decided not to worry about it because I can't figure it out anyway.
2. Tim Duncan went from playoff goat to playoff MVP in 30 minutes. He played poorly in games 5 and 6. You simply have to make free throws when you go to the line in crunch time. And watching him beat himself up after missing them was even worse than watching him miss them. After game 6 I was ready to proclaim Tim as overrated. I still think that the "best power forward to ever play the game" finds a way around Ben Wallace without losing the ball every other time. I think the jury is out on him.
3. The NBA will always frustrate me because their labor impasse lasted -4 days. That would be negative four stinkin days. The NHL on the other hand is at a year and counting and while there is hope in sight, who knows with this cast of characters.

Speaking of the NHL, there was a great Terry Frei article on ESPN.com about how the NHL should completely start over. Check it out here. The only thing I would change is that each team should get to protect three players and that's it. For Dallas, I think that would be Mike Modano, Brenden Morrow, and Marty Turco. Everyone else is free game. (You know, it felt great just to type those names... I really miss hockey).

Well, I think that's it for now. Talk to you later.

The NFL?

Just when you thought that pro sports players couldn't get any more selfish, here's a story about one who is looking like my new favorite TE. http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/8552747 Antonio Gates is in mini camp for the San Diego Chargers this week without a contract. It's not even a mandatory camp, but a voluntary one. You know the ones with contracts often skip. He's there because he wants to get better. Even though he set a record for TE's last year with TD receptions and is one of the best in the game today. There are other people around the NFL who are not in camp and they have contracts. I won't name any names... but well.. ok I will. Terrell Owens and Javon Walker. Each wants more money so they are holding out. What would happen if I went to my boss tomorrow and said.. "you know.. I think I'm worth more than I am being paid. I'm not coming back to work until you double my salary. " I would soooo be fired. It's frustrating that these athletes think that the rules do not apply to them. And it's not like they are not being paid well for what they are doing. I'm all for making the most money you can, but if you signed a contract, then you can ask for more, but if the other party says no, then you get no more. Just my opinion.

Hockey News

So, a couple items of note from the world of hockey. Hockey, you say? Like the sport? Do they still play hockey? Well, they are trying. I'll start with the two sides keep meeting and now, there are reports stating that the NHL and NHLPA have both agreed to a salary cap structure and salaries being tied to revenue. This is a major hurdle in getting these negotiations done. I'm not sure that it means that the next season will still start because there are still free agency concerns, arbitration concerns, and I'm sure that the playeys want to weigh in on all the proposed rule changes. But, more and more, it's looking like a deal will get done, and the NHL will play the 2005-2006 season. I'm really glad because I miss hockey. I know, I'm probably only one of three people in Texas who do, but I think that the game is still great and I know that it can be better in the years to come.

Some concerns I have for the upcoming season:
1. What will be the new rules that the NHL will be playing under? The last official report was that goaltender equipment would be limited, tag-up offsides, and shootouts to settle ties would all be implemented. Honestly, I used to be against the shootout, but the more I think about it, the better it is appealing to me. I've seen a few Dallas Stars games, and I rank the experiences like this: Wins - Best, Losses - Bad, Ties - um.. so.. why did we pay to see this? I hate not seeing a winner. I would rather that they just started eliminating players from each side in a continuous overtime, but shootouts are just as good. If it's good enough for a gold medal at the Olympics, it should be good enough for regular season hockey.
2. What will the league do to get people to come to games? They need to do something. MAny season ticket holders are out and will not come back. Every team will face a revenue shortage as compared to recent years and the fact that there is no major TV deal in place (NBC's doesn't count) is not going to be helpful.
3. Where will I get to watch the games? Local games should be OK because as far as I know Fox Sports and Channel 27 are still handling the Stars. But, ESPN is not currently under contract to show hockey this next season. This stinks because I love the way ESPN shows hockey. They've always done a great job with the presentation and the announcers they use are fantastic as well. I've seen some of the favorite games of my life on ESPN. Wayne Gretzky's 802nd goal... Dallas Stars winning the Stanley Cup... Wayne Gretzky's last game (ok, that was ABC, but it was the same people doing the game). If it does not come back, I will be very sad.

Since that was kinda a bummer, I thought I'd finish up this entry with a good note. It has been announced that Cam Neely, former player for the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins, will be elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame! Cam is one of my favorite players of all time. He played with such energy and fire and was a lot of fun to watch. Unfortunately, his career was ended too early because of injuries. I'm very excited that he is being elected and I wishhim all the best in the future.

My First Entry

So, I'm assuming that all of these post begin with some sort of first entry. So, here goes. Things are crazy these days. Karen is a little more than halfway through her pregnancy which seems like it just started yesterday. Annabelle is getting more and more mobile as the days go by. She's about to start crawling which is just mind-blowing. I'm almost done with school which I'm ecstatic about. June 20th is my last day and it can't come quick enough. Our house is back on the market while we work out the details of the current contract. Hopefully, it will work itself out. I know it will. God has a plan, and I just need to be patient for it.

On another note, I just went to the golf range for the first time in about three years. I went with Zip and it was actually a lot better than I thought it would be. I hit my driver longer than I ever have (not that it was that long, but still...) and I hit a fairly long putt before we left. I think this is the first golfing experience I've ever had where I wasn't completely frustrated at the end of it. My major problem: All my iron shots went about the same distance. 7 iron, about 150 yds.. 5 iron, about 150 yds.. 3 iron, about 150 yds... OK, I might be exaggerating a little, but it sure seemed that way. I need to work on consistency with irons, but my driver still felt good which is something I never thought I would say.

So, I'm going on record and stating that I think we're having a boy this time. I don't have a clear reason for it, just a hunch. I think having a boy would be great, but it's still so hard to think that Annabelle won't be the baby.. Odd, odd I tell you.

Well, I think that's it for now.

Later,
PJ