Year in *YAWN* …

I’m too tired to finish up my 2008 Year in Review.  Maybe I’ll get to it in 2009 …

*Y*A*W*N*

Year in Review: Most Said Phrase …

A few months ago I started to noticed that I kept on saying this one phrase over and over again.  It sorta irked me every time I said it because it seemed like the de facto response phrase.  The most said phrase being: I’m too busy.  It’s sorta ironic since I sit here near the end of the day trying to get this out as a daily review but with less than 30 minutes to do so.  I was actually pretty busy today.    There have been times where I just didn’t care to do something and hence the phrase would just come out.  Not so good.

When I look at my life, I definitely have a decently long list of things that I should be doing.  Various home repairs, organizing and cleaning of various parts of the house.  Responding to emails from friends or family.  Researching contractors or other things of importance.  Yet there always seems to be something “more worthwhile” that takes priority.  Sometimes that “something of worth” is a TV show or just pure laziness. 

Since I realized that I kept on saying that phrase I try and do a doubletake and determine if what I’m being asked of is actually worth the time spent in doing?  Whether it’s stuff for family, friends, church or work I still wonder how do I actually rank my priorities with my time.  I do value time because it’s the one thing you can’t get back no matter what.  But sometimes I know I value laziness or TV well above actual important things. 

How easy is it to remove ones desires from time to allow the needs of others to enter your time zone?  I know it’s something I’m still learning and hopefully will improve upon.

Year in Review: Undocumented Humor …

I’m sure there were a few times when something hilarious happened to me (or us) that I just failed to document.  Whether it was because I felt something more interesting was worth mentioning, I forgot or most likely I thought I looked too stupid in the situation (hey I’m sensitive )  Anyways, here are a few that I remember:

• Just after I had sprained my ankle, I went to attend my friends wedding reception.  My mobility was still pretty bad so trying to get dressed for the event was somewhat difficult.  It was even more difficult because when grabbing my suit out of the closet I had chosen, by accident, the suit that I wore post-college job interviews.  Yes, that was nearly 13 years ago.  Needless to say, the pants do not fit anymore and I found that out pretty quickly.  Since all I could do was hop on one foot I almost immediately fell, screaming in agony not just from the pain from the ankle but also from the fact that I could not fasten the pants together.  Then I realized that I grabbed the wrong suit and that the cleaners did not shrink my suit.  It was I who happened to expand.
• The same wedding reception I was able to see several of my high school friends and fortunately we were all set to sit at the same table, Table 17.  As we proceeded into the dining room we began our search for Table 17.  We searched.  Table 15.  Table 16.  hmmm maybe it’s on the other side of the room.  Nope.  There was no Table 17.  I guess weren’t really invited for dinner after all.   Our friend, the groom, basically just told us to sit at another table that were for his “friends” but we would still be three short.  That’s when the three of us, who all happened to be married but without spouses for the event, saw three recliners in the corner with a coffee table.  That’s when we made that area Table 17.  Dinner was buffet style so it didn’t really matter that we did that.  The bride and groom didn’t seem to mind so the three of us had a blast sitting in the corner.  Eventually this became the happening corner and all our high school buddies and their wives came over to sit with us.
• Lastly, during my coffee drinking change we had some instant coffee that we had bought when Chewy’s parents were in town.  I figured I’d leave that one at home and purchase another small canister, since I was in trial mode, to take to work.  This way I wouldn’t have to carry the original jar back and forth for the weekends.  So at Target I’m looking around trying to find the coffee and I purchase a small canister and take it to work.  The following morning I heat up my cup of water and put in a spoonful into the cup.  I stir it up and wonder why isn’t the coffee disolving.  Maybe the water wasn’t hot enough so I microwave it and stir it up again.  This doesn’t seem to be working but nonetheless I still drink it thinking “Man this is some gritty coffee.”  Stupid me finally realized that I didn’t buy instant coffee but I bought coffee grinds!!!  Probably one of the strongest cups of coffee I ever had!  It was good that I bought the small canister since there was this HUGE canister on sale for the same price.  Normally I would have bought it since it was on sale and it was larger in size but figured since I was just gonna try it out first that I should just get the smaller size.  Thank goodness I did.  Now I just drink the grinds via a coffee maker at home and brought the instant to work.  Eventually I’ll figure all this stuff out. 

Year in Review – Part 2: Ailments …

It seems like as time goes by I’m slowly, but surely breaking down.  As a co-worker says “I’m just a sickly child.” which is somewhat true.  I recall that once I turned 25 I started to get injured more often as well as being sick more often.  Looking at this past year here’s a list of what I remember I suffered through:

• several sinus infections
• a handful of cold and flu attacks
• strained right bicep
• tendinitis in my right arm
• grade 2 right sprained ankle (which I’m still nursing)
• pulled right shoulder muscle
• severe allergies
• For the time ever I had a few cases of HEARTBURN!  Which if you’ve never had heartburn it really does suck.  Not that I’ve ever had a heart attack but my heartburn both happened while sleeping (not sure if that’s common or not) and I woke up feeling pain in my chest, short of breath with the inability to sit up – which is a good idea since it gets worse as one becomes vertical.  Then I fell back to sleep.

It just reminds me that as I get older my life is not infinite or everlasting.  Our time on earth is finite and every second is precious.  There is no fountain of youth or magical spell to make us physically younger.  We can be young at heart, young in mind but we will continue to age physically. 

Hopefully, I will continue to use that time wisely and with purpose.  Especially a purpose that pleases our Savior.

On a side note, a previous blog entry about “Why Do You Believe?” got mentioned by a commentator on the site asking the question.   
Though “shyeah” is a him, not a her. 

Year in Review …

As we come to a close of the year 2008, I figure I’d try and do a year in review of stuff that I might have neglected to mention or just a collection of thoughts that I’ve had over the whole year.  For the first part we shall explore how I performed in my Fantasy Football leagues.

Part 1: Fantasy Football

This was the second year that I played in two different leagues.  The first league was a 10-owner standard league.  Basically, overall rankings were based upon your weekly head-to-head match-up on who scored the most points that week.  My overall record was 7 wins and 7 losses.  Good for 5th place.  I had just missed out on being in the top-four who go to the playoffs who play for top billing.  Owners who place 5th through 8th have their own consolation playoffs where I ended up losing my first game and winning my second.  So even though my overall ranking was 5th I ended up in 7th place post-playoffs.  Not too bad since the previous two years I was in last or 10th place.

The second league that I played in was a three-player keeper league.  Meaning after the season is over we can select three players to keep to carry over into the next season.  Of the three players I kept over from last year two of them had horrible seasons this year.  Again, this was a 10-owner league and I ended up with a 7 win and 7 loss season.  However, another owner and I tied for 4th place but I had more total fantasy football points so I squeaked into the playoffs!  There, as the 4th seed, I beat the 1st seed and went to the championship game!  However, I lost the championship game by 7 points and ended up in 2nd place (dang you Matt Forte who scored that late 4th Quarter touchdown to tied the game up!).  So in recap, I was 4th overall but post-playoffs I landed in 2nd place.  Not too bad considering at the beginning of the season the owners were making fun of the fact that I had no running backs on my team.  Who’s laughing now (other than the owner in 1st place)?

It’s interesting how in both leagues I ended up with 7-7 records but they went in separate directions.  One playing for the consolation prize and the other for the whole bucket of bolts.  Oh well, both leagues were fun and it’s just too bad that this also basically means that Football season is coming to a close.  Though I’m sure Chewy is happy about that.

Merry Christmas!

From Sharka and the rest of us
Merry Christmas!

May your stockings be filled with merriment and
Gods grace and love!

It’s Inconceivable …

Well, actually it’s not that inconceivable.  But local boy Mark Teixeira signs with the New York Yankees for $180 Million over 8 years.  Scott Boras is his agent and we know he will try to get top dollar for his clients.  Teams were throwing outrageous amounts in front of Teixeira and the Yankees do what they do best.  They overspend on players and they make the playoffs yet don’t win the World Series.  (ahem Moose)  I don’t feel jaded because Teixeira didn’t sign with the Orioles.  I really didn’t think he would mostly because if you’re a client of Boras the only thing that they worry about is the dollar amount.  Which if you know you have a limited career you might as well make as much money as possible. 

I just wonder with this downturn in the economy will it eventually affect MLB and the Yankees?  They did just spend close to $400 Million for three players and they have A-Rod still on the payroll.  Is MLB on the same road as the NHL was on a few years ago?  Even the NFL let a few people go due to the economic slowdown.  Only time will tell.  And really, this only adds fuel to the fire in disliking the Yankees. 

Go O’s! 

Such Irony …

In Bethesda, MD a huge 66 inch water main pipe burst this morning on, get it, River Road.  Now that’s irony.  Folks were rescued, some treated for hypothermia but it seems like most folks are fine.  Here’s some video of a rescue and note how wide the new river is.

I wonder if Obama’s spending on improving the countries infrastructure includes the aging water main systems?

Ok, I realize that Xanga needs ads to help pay for itself so this should help.  But really, as a person who has severe allergies it’s the winter!  Even my allergies aren’t that bad right now.  One would think choosing the most appropriate ads to sell/place would actually help too.  Oh well. 

In Times of Lean Economic Revenue Determine What the Next Tax Will Be …

Let us spin the wheel of “What’s Ailing America” to see what we should tax next to help get us through these lean economic times.

spin.  spin.  spin.  click.  click.  click.

Today’s winner is Child Obesity!  What can we tax that will help stop child obesity?  Video games that cause inactivity?  Can’t do that since Nintendo released the Wii Fit. What about foods with trans-fat?  Arggg!  We just banned those.  I know!  What about non-diet soda and juice drinks that don’t contain at least 70% fruit juices!  We know that the tax on Fast Food joints might have worked so lets try this!

It’s funny how for the sake of healthy reasons folks like to target particular things to tax to help reduce consumption.  It’s not about education or awareness but what hit’s you in the pocket.  Smoking, yes it’s bad and they made a ton of money selling cigarettes.  Well if we heavily tax them then the government will get a ton of money and for health reasons maybe people will stop.  But in the mean time we’ll just take the tax revenue.  It’s interesting how the rest of the world doesn’t see it that way. 

As for this whole non-diet soda tax, it just seems funny.  Especially since they included juice drinks that don’t contain at least 70% fruit juices.  Do people even read the labels?  A 12-ounce Orange Juice has more calories and the same amount of sugar as a 12-ounce can of non-diet soda!  Oooooh, but I’m missing the point.  Soda has processed sugar and OJ is natural.  If anything they should include all fruit juices since they, along with soda can not only make our kids fat but also lead us to Type 2 Diabetes.  But our kids are fat and we don’t know how to get them thin again.  I don’t know what to do.  I need the goernment to step in and save my family by taxing a random item that when consumed in large quantities will make them fat.     Pu-leaze. 

I just wish the government would just say look we’re taxing soda because we can and we need the revenue.  Nope that’s bad PR.  Now if we spin it so we say it’s so the kids will get thin again then people won’t hound us about it.  N-i-c-e.

If we’re talking about taxing food due to health reasons why not spinach?  Spinach was a major cause of E. coli poisoning and death these past few years.  I would think death and serious illness would be something that would warrent protection.  Ohhh, spinach isn’t consumed at the same amount and cost as soda or cigarettes or fast food so the actual tax revenue benefit would be low.  Gotcha.

ug.  Why do I even try?