Life In The Weeds

Ohio Wesleyan Men's Soccer - National Champions

I was proudly on the sidelines in San Antonio to watch our lads win the 2011 National Championship.

What a fantastic weekend of soccer.  First, OWU dismantled Montclair State 4-0 on Friday night to reach the championship.  The match against Calvin was hard fought.  We jumped out to a 2-0 lead at half and held on for a 2-1 victory. Calvin kept the pressure on the entire game and had a great chance to tie things up in the 86th minute, but it was not meant to be!

The win gave Jay Martin the most wins by any men's soccer coach in any division. This is OWU's 2nd Championship.  I could not be more proud of our great program, our current team and, of course, Jay.

Although, I must admit I am still a little sore from the alumni game on Saturday afternoon at the beautiful soccer complex at Trinity college.

mjs #11

 

Skeletoes

Have you seen seen these?  Perhaps, you have starred at someone wearing them or even mocked them?Even pointed or gasped?

They are all the rage these days and I want IN...the band wagon is moving out and I am on board.  My inspiration comes form the author of Born to Run, Christopher McDougall.  Running barefoot is the natural way to run...as a kid, even now...well, as a kid, I seem to run and perform better in bare feet.

I was getting push back from family and friends when I broached the subject of purchasing a pair...and, in some way, I was waiting for that extra motivation to buy my very own.  And, then it happened!  MY brand...MY favoritest brand in the whole wide world entered the toe-shoe market.

Oh yes, Adidas.

That was it...that was all I needed to make me pull the trigger.

Black Friday was the day.  I went to the store and stormed right to the back and asked for and 11.5 to try on.

Getting these suckers on was pure entertainment for my son, my brother and my nephew.  Let's just say, digits #4 and #5 are more like nubs, than toes...so seeing two flapping, unsupported "toes" was quite comical.  However, after a few minutes, i jammed ALL five toes in their proper spots.  They were quite comfortable...a little strange to be sure, but as I walked around the store, I could see how great they would be for running.

Cue the sales guy..."how are they?"
"great, I can't wait to go running in them"
"well, they are not for running"
"What?...then what are they for, if not for runnning"
"They are really for the gym...if you want them for running, you should buy another brand"
"NOOOOOOO."

Shoes off...no sale!  And I was so close.  I am still committed, but less motivated.  

Maybe Santa will be brand intolerant and bring me a pair for Christmas.

mj

Toddlers & Tiaras

Have you heard of this show?  It's really just an awful reflection of past homecoming queen mom's who have not made anything of their life and want their daughter to be the next Miss America (or top rated stripper in Vegas)...whatevs, I digress.

I bring this up only because the below video has two cute little girls in tiaras!  I happened across this video and it cracked me up.  As a father of four, I have filmed plenty of my kids performances...I only wish I knew how to get them of of the 8MM tapes I have stacked in my basement.

A couple of things that I observed:

• the wingman is hilarious.  She loses concentration a few times, but her dance moves are spot on.
• the mom in the background does a fair amount of coaching...and, at one point, you can see her snapping the girls back on track.
• I believe young Sophia thinks she is actually using a microphone.

 

mj

355 Million...Why not me?

Or, better yet, someone I know...family member or friend, I'll take either!

I played 7 separate tickets - one for each family member and one for my brother - I thought I was IN with lucky number SEVEN.

I must say, I get pissed when I do not win.  

Do I have all my teeth, yes.  Do I live in a trailer, no.  Do I have a job, yes.  Should these facts prevent me from winning, no!

Fact is, I did win.  One of my tickets had TWO + Powerball = $10.

I'll wait again to play when the jackpot builds to 200 Million or so...I mean, who really needs 50 or 100 million.

mj

This Winter, Make it a Full Cord

It's getting cold outside, and as such, many folks will be turning to their fireplaces for some extra warmth...there is really nothing quite like a roaring fire during the cold days of winter.

I'm lucky enough to have lots of fallen trees off the back of my property, so purchasing wood is not part of my winter routine. However, many people need to purchase wood and get it delivered.  

I am going to go out on a limb and bet that most people really do not just how much wood they are buying.  They call up and ask for a cord of wood and find a pile in their driveway when they get home...seems right?

For the record, one cord of wood equals a volume 4 feet by 4 feet by 8 feet, or 128 cubic feet.  For a visual reference, imagine a 4-by-8-foot sheet of plywood on the ground, stacked with 4 feet high of wood. 

A filled half-ton pickup is not a cord of wood.

mj

Miracle Product

Do you take your dishes out of the dishwasher and wonder if the dishwasher is working correctly?

Do you live in an area where this hard water?

Let me introduce you to a product that will make your dishes look like new when removed from the dishwasher: Lemi Shine.

Buy it, use it, love it!

mj

The Window Remains Open

There has been lots of talk lately, amongst the fellas, about "the window"...defined as "being open, during the period of time when you just might get lucky with your significant other."  Of course, "the window" can shut without discussion or expectation. Most weekend nights in the neighborhood, "the window" is a focal point of amusement.

As one gets older, it's easy to imagine "the window" starting out lower and lower...and then, one day, that poor window might find a few coats of paint keeping it sealed shut. A world with a sealed window seems a fate worse than death!

I'll provide commentary on this recent article and share this beautiful, wonderful chart: 

One in three men ages 75 to 95 remain sexually active, defined as having had sex at least once in the past year, according a long-running study of 2,783 Australian men published in today's Annals of Internal Medicine. (sorry boys, I WILL be that ONE!)

Among sexually active men, 57% were satisfied with their sex life, and 43% wanted to have sex more often (I hear that!), according to the study, which followed men from 1996 to 2009. Among those not having sex, 40% said they simply weren't interested. (I had to re-read that part a few times, WTF!)

Nearly half of all men viewed sex as at least a "somewhat (OR, CRITICAL TO SURVIVAL) important" part of their lives, the study says.

"It's defying all the stereotypes out there about old people," says Sharon Brangman, president of the American Geriatrics Society, who wasn't involved in the study. "People's sex lives do not stop just because they get old. (Praise Jesus and Alleluia!)

Here's to growing old with an "open window!"

mj

Hyundai Sonata - Review

My buddy Irish and I have been talking about what a great value the Hyundai Sonata is...it looks great and is definitely worth considering on the next car purchase.  So, two weeks ago, my brother pulled the trigger on the Sonata...

Here is a [guest blogger] review of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata:

Keeping in mind I painfully relinquished my ultimate driving machine for a more affordable and family-friendly set of wheels...that said, the marketing campaign for the Sonata seems pretty accurate to me…a LOT of car for the buck.  I got the Limited for mid 20k’s…

Even with a BMW, I never have been an “engine/power guy” so I really don’t spend a lot of time thinking about pick-up and RPM’s...no doubt, however, the Sonata is not a growler under the hood, but after those 6 seconds the car drives the same speed as any other car commuting around town.  Also, unlike an Avalanche (my other car) or Suburban where the fuel gauge moves as you watch; I have driven for a week and still have half a tank of gas!

Love the exterior styling and I’m pretty impressed with the interior.  Very comfortable, nice headroom and spacious…please note we test drove with 3 kids in the back to confirm leg room etc…Plenty of space.  My kids are not full grown however, and this won't be the primary family vehicle, but it works for the 10% of the time I’m hauling them around in this car.  Very different than stuffing them in the back of my very unpractical coupe with only 2 seat belts and no rear leg room for a Sunday Paper.

Trunk is huge…which means I can now actually fit my sticks without a six step process and probable damage to my R9 driver.

Sonata has lots of technology that was really easy to learn and implement.  Love the key-less entry/start.   More places to store/misplace my phone and sunglasses than I’ve been able to count quite yet.

Ran over a large squirrel last night, and saw no visible damage which is a good thing.  Not sure it would fare as well against your deer population which I heard is almost a 1:1 ratio with cars on the road.

Think I covered everything…here’s to Korean know-how.  Of course, my Marine father/ Korean War Vet has disowned me as a traitor!

hjs for mj

 

It's Just Money

For most people, the prospect of winning the lottery is exhilarating.  And, that's why you pay the $1 to play...for the chance to strike it rich!  But, what happens when you win?  Is it just what you expected?

Well, for a older Canadian couple (both 78), their $11 Million became too much of a "headache", so they decide to give it away.

The money was a "headache," they told the paper--mainly, it brought anxiety over the prospect that "crooked people" might take advantage of them. So they began an $11 million donation spree to get rid of it and help others.

They took care of family first and then began delivering donations to the two pages' worth of groups they had decided on, including the local fire department, churches, cemeteries, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, hospitals and organizations that fight cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes. The list goes on and on.

The couple, who have been married for 35 years, retained about 2 percent of the money for a rainy day.

"It made us feel good," Violet told the Chronicle Herald. "And there's so much good being done with that money."

Certainly, a feel good story...would you do the same?  Could you do the same?  I sure wouldn't mind having the opportunity to figure it out!

Time to buy a ticket...

mj

How Long Should it take to Shower?

...that is the million dollar question in our household lately!

When I shower, I am in/out in less than 5 minutes.  Water on...gets hot...step in...get wet...shampoo, then soap...rinse...shower off.

With four kids...three of which taking the same bus at 7:05 a.m....we are running into some shower issues.  It seems that as the kids get older, showering becomes more important in their life (as it should)...but, showering does not need to become an event.

If everybody decides to shower in the morning, we are looking at FOUR showers (including me), back-to-back-to-back-to-back  Thankfully, we have a "old war horse" for a water heater, so hot water is not really an issue, UNLESS they stay in the shower for a long time...which is what they are doing more an more.

There is absolutely no reason it should take 15 minutes to clean those little bodies! I admit, I am somewhat of a "Shower Nazi"!  I say, less than 10 minutes is plenty of time, and, THAT still feels long to me!

So, what's the answer?  And, more importantly, why do I care?

mj