Photos of UGA at ASU

These are some photos from our recent travels to see the Dawgs play...first in Tempe and then Between the Hedges in Athens against Tennessee!

 

Just needed to stop before heading into Sundevil Stadium...at 4:30p, it was upwards of 100 degrees.  Just another beautiful Fall Saturday in the sun!

Our view from the SW corner of The House of Heat as ASU likes to call it.

      

As you can see, to our right and to our left we were seeing lots of RED and BLACK!  Dawg fans headed to Athens West in droves, and we had a great time!

Job Interview Advice

No, I am not looking for a new job, but I am getting pretty fed up with this campaign process, which seems to me like a pretty wide- and large-scale job interview that presidential candidates have.

I am wondering why, outside of our own job interview, what seems to be the most important job interview we experience (ok...every 4 years) is not about telling you and me why we should hire / elect them, but why we should not hire / elect his competition.

I am going to guess that if you or I were to take this strategy into our previous or next interview, we would probably not be asked for a 2nd interview. However, in the interview that shapes our country, being vague about oneself and poignant about why the other guy sucks is the one of the best tactics.

Is this just me?

I want a candidate who says screw what the other candidate utters...I am going to tell you what I have done, what I am going to do (at least plan to do), and here is why you should hire me. Sure, the other guy just said crappy things about me, but this is not about him...this is about WHY ME, and I am going to tell you why me! Sure the other guy has done some screwy things...but this is what I have done. Vote for me.

Do we have any luck of that ever happening...of actually knowing the real candidate without having to wade through the watery muck? Is this even possible? I would almost think that the other candidate would having nothing more to do than take the same approach, which would mean we would get a clear picture of the what and who and more when we cast our ballot.

This has no intention or leaning to one guy or party or the other...it happens on both sides equally. I just want to know what is up with this and would it ever work in another job interview...say when the president hires someone. Argh...

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Down 316 in 28 Minutes

If anyone were to ever make it down GA 316 from Athens to Atlanta in 28 minutes, then you are smokin'! However, falling 316 points in the last 28 minutes of the business day on Wall Street today means that they are taking Snoop Dogg's 2004 #1 hit single too literally! I am feelin' Snoop's dancing though...and just know that I am trying to dance like that right now.

This is getting uglier by the the minute...or 28 minutes on Wall Street.

I am glad that the wife and I get to take in a weekend of good times and great eats, great eats, great eats, great eats, and Little Italy (great eats, but no good links / website) in The Classic City watching The Red and Black welcome Rocky Top to the lovely gridiron Between the Hedges.

Go DAWGS!

Wow...when times get stressful and you cannot head to Athens, we have to take a breather and...

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We Saw this Coming...

Almost 9 years ago to the day, Steven A. Holmes of the NY Times wrote an article that predicted the mess in which we find our economy. The article was titled an anything but scary "Fannie Mae Eases Credit to Aid Mortgage Lending," and it most vividly states that,

"In moving, even tentatively, into this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn [HELLO, were are right here 9.30.99!], prompting a government rescue [beam me up $700b Henry P] similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's."

Maybe the article should have been "Fannie Mae Gives Homes Now, Steals Hearts Later;" "Fannie Whippin' To Be Had: Just You Wait and See;" "When You Touch the Fannie, Payback's Hell!"

While the prediction was dead on, I do not think it could have predicted, due to the disturbing amount of greed that ensued from 1999 until now, the potential Global Recession that is being discussed.

Since the stock market tanked nearly 400 points on Monday (up from -800), went under 10,000 points for the first time since 2004, and dropped another 508 points (-5.11 percent) to land at 9,447 Tuesday, I wonder how many of our Congress peeps are rethinking their Yay vote on that little $700,000,000,000 bill of last week? So much for the idea that Making It Rain will solve the years of Wall Street's and Congress' greed! Imagine how many times Pacman Jones could have made it rain with $700b.

And now that Bernanke hints that interest rates are likely to go down again, I have to wonder how long it will be before those of us who save will be rewarded with higher interest rates. Americans should revolt and SAVE anyway! Stop spending! SAVE your money! Buy things when you can pay cash for them! Do away with credit cards! Stop paying the self imposed Stupid Tax! Start figuring out how to Get Out of Debt and being financially responsible!

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Why?

I firmly stand behind 25 Senators and and 171 State Representatives, 3 of which are from Oregon. Thank you doing what was right for our country! Thank you Ron Wyden (Oregon Senator). Thank you for your Nay votes on the $700,000,000,000.00 allocated to the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA 08). Thank you for doing what was right.

See how your Representatives voted - Representative Roll Call. Two out of five OR Reps. did the right thing. Thank you Earl Blumenauer and Peter DeFazio!

I struggle to see how this is an "Emergency." When loads of greedy people in our government, on Wall Street, and in our neighborhoods have been over zealous about spending and owning homes for the past couple of years, then we end up in the situation in which we - our gov't, Wall Street, our family and neighbors, and our economy - find ourselves right now.

Rather than trying to wrangle in the vast array of thoughts I have on this topic or trying to turn a buffet joint into a tapas restaurant, which I could attempt to do from now until my next birthday (359 days from now), I just want to pose a few questions, probably questions that my 196 Congressional friends asked along the way...

- Foreclosure
- Does this bill in any way make financially over-extended Americans any less in debt?

- Credit Card Debt - Unabridged vs Abridged
- Will this bill guide people who were paying for their Credit Card Christmas in March and later of this year into fiscally responsible people who will not do the same this year or in the future?

- Unemployment
- How does this bill impact the 157,000 people who lost their job in September?

- Stock Troubles
- The NYSE struggling before the thought of the EESA 08 was discussed, and it is struggling now that Congress has passed it. So what...I have not seen anything that suggests that the Stock Market's - locally and globally - will be righted by this bill.

- Does this Big Mac make me look fat?
- Does this bill bring sense to crazy Americans? If I cannot afford this house with a normal mortgage, then I should be able to afford this house at the same price with a convoluted mortgage, right?

- Personal Savings Rate
- Sure it was ok at one time...say when my great grandparents were kickin...but over the past 3 years, the savings rate is less than 1%. So much for that retirement concept, eh pal! Sounds like we really need this EESA 08 Bad Boy to re-open those lines of credit, right Congress? And if our taxes go up, will we continue to save that 1%?

The questions could go on and on and on...but I will spare you my frustration. I am simply frustrated with the idea that this bill will in any way deal with the actual problem at hand - financial responsibility. How is the EESA 08 going to change this issue? Our spending habits are out of whack - Congress' and Americans'; impoverished, middle-class, and wealthy; minorities and majorities; Southern folk, Atlantic people, New Englanders, Midwesterners, and West Coasters; corporations, individuals, and government. We are all to blame. Yes, credit cards are too easy to get and use. Sure, home mortgages about which we are clueless and unwilling to understand are / were (we will see on that) too easy to get. Right, banks were willing to take the risk on people willing to buy more than they could afford. And Washington, DC was there encouraging this along the way.

But at some point, we as citizens and individuals have to take responsibility for our own actions and lives, which we have failed to do. Now we are in our current situation in which we are left looking like a water-drenched and mud-covered little kid looking for help. Since the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 is not going to get us out of predicament, we need to figure out how to clean ourselves.

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These directions say we go to [Tempe] Arizona!

Thoughts from 19 Sept 2008 - To The Heat I Head...

I am jacked beyond belief about Tailgate 2008 - Desert Dawg Edition. While this may not be tailgating as we know it under the shade of UGA’s beautiful North Campus and amid Athens’ gorgeous co-eds, we are slated to have a spectacular weekend in Tempe. A few friends and hordes of the Bulldog Nation are converging on invading Athens West for the weekend. We will feel at home when we make Mill Street resemble Broad Street - red and black clad fans barking loudly, discussing the finer points of our beloved Dawgs, and shouting Go DAWGS! We will make do with what ever Tempe Tailgating has to offer and represent Georgia well. Now which way to the Taco Stand?

Let me say it again...I am stoked out of my gourd about this weekend. I have been reading blogs and newspaper articles online most of the week, and thanks to a last minute grab of the Mac and PDX's free Wi-Fit, my 90-minute flight delay spent reading about the Dual in the Desert seemed much shorter - reading more blog posts and newspaper articles. Enough of this reading I say...get me to Tempe. The excitement is so rampant around the House of Davi that even The Wife is singing songs about "going to see the Doggies!" I am not making up this my friend. It is a beautiful sound to hear!

The trip has started well...Jen is safe in Tempe, and I am safely on my way now. Dinner was eaten at a red and black table with red chairs. What a wonderful start.

So I am off and going, having talked with a few people on my flight who are aware of the excitement that surrounds this Dawgs in the Desert Weekend, so this should be an indicator that things will be nuts in Athens West / Tempe. Go DAWGS! Now it is time for the Bulldog Nation to show Sparky how to...

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SEC Back-Up

Greetings from high above the Midwest as Jen and I make our way to Charlotte before our travels take us to Myrtle Beach - Charleston - Peachtree City - Alpharetta - Oakboro (rural Charlotte).  Another trip on crack, but at least I will not return to Portland and return to school.

But I digress before I even start. Is that possible? Anyway…my musings today stem from two factors. (1) I finally took the advice of my buddy Andrew and purchased Dixieland Delight (by Clay Travis), which has been part of my entertainment on my flight thus far. The book tells the tales from Clay’s 8,000 mile tour / road trip through the Southeast and the 2006 SEC football season - 1 home game at each member school - and (2) I had to be calmed while violently shaking my cozy plane seat as I was cheering on LSU who staved off elimination from the College World Series by plating 4 runners in the bottom of the 9th to beat and eliminate Rice (6 - 5).

So where does this leave us you ask?  Primary colors are great - red, yellow, blue - but seeing additional / secondary colors is a plus…they make life more, well, colorful.  That being said, we all have primary colleges for whom we devote much time, energy, and money, but I think we, like the color wheel, need secondary options, too.  What happens when you have a hankering for Chick-fil-A on Sunday when you know they are closed?  You do not vouch to never go again.  You simply find another yearning to supply your gastronomic craving and know that this is neither the first nor the last time you will encounter this exact same dilemma.  You have your primary desire, which is closed, so you find a secondary option to quench your thirst even if it is not as good as your primary drink of choice.

I am not here to help you lay out rules and hash through your options to find an alternative school for whom to cheer, but I have come to realize over the past couple of years that the Bengal Tiger Cats of Louisiana State University are my secondary color of choice.  But LSU is an SEC school you quip.  Right you are my friend, but I am not going to deny my primary Georgia squad when they meet in competition.  That would be like amputating your arm because you jammed your finger.  No way baby…that’s just not going down.  But when LSU is playing Rice, why should I not cheer for them?  My friend Molly is a Cajun, and she is one of the coolest people I know.  I have heard good things about LSU folk, and I hope to experience a night in the Bayou this October when the DAWGS head to Baton Rouge for what is expected to be a slugfest and a key game in Georgia’s run at a national title.

Quality, wholesome, jambalaya- and gumbo-making Cajuns are quality people on whom I wish no evil unless they meet my beloved Red and Black clad brethren from Athens.  You, my Bengal Tiger Cat friend, you are my Kid Sister to Georgia being My Buddy!

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Tuesdays

Most high school students are not fond of reading. However, a random moment sparked a conversation between a student and me about Jon Krakauer’s work. Krakauer happens to be my favorite author [“Into Thin Air” being my most preferred book]. Therefore, when asked for my thoughts on my favorite book, I was stoked out of my gourd.

I have no idea what prompted the Krakauer question, but I spewed my thoughts about “into Thin Air,” “Into the Wild,” “Under the Banner of Heaven,” and Krakauer’s writing in general. After sharing my thoughts, class continued with no further thought about the author.

Or so I thought.

At class’s start A few days later, the Krakauer asking student handed me “Tuesdays with Morrie” (by Mitch Albom). “You should read this,” he stated confidently. “You will enjoy the book.”

I stared at the book, read the title and back cover, and quickly reasoned that this book was similar to my favorite Krakauer works in one fashion only - human suffering. To my initial disliking, the book did not include the outdoor elements, the real danger, the sport, and the unexpectedness of humans trying to conquer nature that keep me glued to Krakauer’s every word. I had emphatically emphasized the great qualities that I drew me to Krakauer’s writings. Nevertheless, I took the book and lackadaisically suggested “I would read it when I am done with my current reading material.”

Fast-forward a week. I am bored with my book “Last Dance” (by John Feinstein), a book on the Final Four that I should love and read quickly. However, this book did not stimulate me or hold my interest, so I was left trying “Tuesdays with Morrie.”

Reading fast and Todd are antonyms, but I have read 3/4 of the book in a few days. Granted, it is a small book, and I was able to read on my flight from Portland to Atlanta.

Nevertheless, I am engrossed in a book I thought I would not like, that is unlike Krakauer’s books, and that is emotional and touching, and I am ok with these facts. I look forward to finishing the book and concluding my lessons with Morrie, and I suggest you start your class with Morrie soon…before or after reading the three aforementioned Krakauer works.

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Masu Experiement

I was hooked from my first sushi bite. It was Van Pelt who did it to me...spicy tuna, a California roll, and possibly some tuna nigiri. Kedron Kroger, no some fancy sushi joint, is where this all went down. Van Pelt dropped by my parents place to let me know he was going somewhere and that I should go with him, which was a common occurance. "Sushi?" I responded with a befuddled look on my face I am sure. He just chimmed "get in the car and let's go." The car was not some super nice ride, but rather a matte gray color Chevrolet Cavalier he called The Gray Ghost. So off we went to open my world to sushi, which I am yet to stop eating.

Fast forward many years to last Friday. After a round of frisbee golf in Laurelhurst Park with KG and a round of Carcossonne on a beautiful afternoon, thoughts, er stomachs, turned to victuals. Sushi at Masu East was the unequivocal desire of KG and Courtney.

Yes...we ate the fried bones, and they were delicious!

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FREE Cone Day :: Ben and Jerry’s

Tuesday, April 29 :: 12pm - 8pm

I shared this with you last year, and I will share it with you again this year…and every year that we keep in touch for crying out loud. What a great way to celebrate the starting of Ben and Jerry’s adventure into the ice cream business. Most places have sales to celebrate special events, but Ben and Jerry’s does it right with FREE Cone Day. The best part of this (for those who want lots of ice cream) is that you can eat as much as you want. At my first stop and Jen’s only stop last year, we saw a high school student working on his third round…of trying ALL of the flavors. You read that correctly…this guy had eaten a cone of every flavor twice, and he was now working on round three of EVERY flavor. You just have to go to the back of the line after each scoop.

On April 29, find the nearest scoop shop and celebrate with Ben, Jerry, and the throngs of fans who appreciate the best corporate [albeit green friendly corporate] ice cream. I hope to find a Ben and Jerry’s close to downtown Atlanta…where will you be enjoying your FREE cone?

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