Sorry it has been a while since I've written, but I have a bit of an excuse. I've been completely under the weather! My gosh! I haven't been this sick in almost ten years.
Last Thursday I went out to the Idle Rich Pub in Uptown for a Happy Hour. No big deal... ate dinner and was home by 9. When I woke up the next morning, I noticed my throat was hurting. In fact, I had drainage all night long - didn't sleep well.
Friday was a pretty chilly day. For those in Dallas, the weather "experts" had predicted snow/ice/fire/brimstone/etc. Of course, none of that happened. I could have worked from home, but I figured I'd go on into work (and avoid the dreaded "Weather Weanie" label). I didn't feel "great" all day, but I figured it was just the cold air.
When I got home, I knew something wasn't right. I popped the thermometer into my mouth and discovered I had 99.6 fever. Hmm... a few weeks ago, the same thing happened. I had "flu-like" symptoms and it took 2 days to shake my fever. I actually missed one day of work, too.
So, I figured "here we go again." Good thing it was Friday. If this was going to last 2 days, I was sure I'd be back at work by Monday.
Well, no dice. That night was miserable! I had fever over 100 degrees, so my dreams were-a-rockin' and my sheets were covered in sweat. I know... gross. But a few hours later, I'd awake with violent chills. This went on all night - hot and cold.
Saturday I never left the house. I drank a lot of juice, and then discovered my voice wasn't working. The drainage had given me a nice sore throat - and I sounded like a hoarse James Earl Jones! Of course, when I wasn't watching TV, I was sleeping... and of course, the description could best be described in the previous paragraph.
Saturday night was actually more of that same scene, too. It sure is nice to wake up in a pool of sweat... or shivering... and to discover, "Wow... my temperature is 101.5. That doesn't seem good."
Sunday morning I sent up the white flag. My temperature was raging, so I got on my computer and set up an appointment with Care Now. Have you ever been to one? My gosh... I HIGHLY recommend it!
Care Now allows for web check-in. What that means is you tell them your issues and hit the submit button. Within 20 minutes they call you to let you know they received your appointment, and they'll call you when they have a room available. For me, they said "in about 2 hours." So for the next 2 hours, instead of sitting in some disease-infested waiting room, I sat in my disease-infested living room watching "Deep Impact."
After I received the call that the room was available, off I went. When I arrived, I waited less than 5 minutes and then I was in my room. By the time I left, I had only been there 35 minutes at the max! That was awesome!
Diagnosis: Sinus infection that got into my lungs. Oh, and I have an ear infection.
I assumed having the antibiotic in my system around noon on Sunday that I'd be good to go on Monday. No such luck. I still had raging fever Sunday... Monday... and even Tuesday! Yep, I missed 2 days of work. My fever finally broke mid-afternoon on Tuesday.
I'm doing better now. In fact, my voice is back to normal and I haven't had a smidge of temperature since Tuesday. I'm still on the antibiotic for another 5 days. My only problem is a constant cough, but that should go away soon.
One benefit of 5 days of straight fever? I've lost 7 lbs. Shocking... I was surprised myself. I guess drinking a lot of tea and eating soup does the body good.
Or... maybe it's just I cooked myself and some things shrunk. Ha!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Sports: Baylor's AMAZING Victory!
Ok, forgive me if you are thinking, "Hey... you just wrote about Baylor." However, for those that don't really know (or care!), an amazing event happened last night: Baylor beat Texas A&M. Baylor, ranked # 25 in the AP, beat Texas A&M, ranked # 18, 116-110. Now... just to add a little more to this... Baylor not only beat the Aggies in College Station. They beat them in 5 (FIVE) Overtimes!
To put that into perspective... the game, which normally lasts a maximum of 2 hours, went over 3.5 hours. Baylor had 5 players foul out of the game. And while there are 3 referees, the game ended with only 2. One of the refs had to leave due to cramping.
This was the longest game in Baylor, A&M, and Big 12 history. The most overtimes in a game was 7, and that was in 1981! And you know what? The BU/Aggie game wasn't on TV. I watched it last night over the internet. It was amazing. It was like watching a Rocky movie... 2 sluggers going after it. Don't just take my opinion. Check this out: Andy Katz, a writer for ESPN, has a lot to say about it. Not only that, but click the video on the right to see how crazy it was:
Link
For those that are Baylor fans, you'll love this article from Katz:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=3211589
If I was only a student right now... can you imagine the craziness? I've seen YouTube videos (just enter Baylor Bears basketball) and you can see how crazy the fans have been. Would I actually burn my couch in the middle of the street? There's video that some did just that.
Now, if you want to see ESPN's interview with our coach, Scott Drew, check this out. It's awesome:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGYWWRyURwc
However, the best thing I can show you is this: The players arriving back on campus after their bus ride back from College Station.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNZ-IMUoktA
These are exciting times for the Baylor Bears. They really could make a movie about this program...
To put that into perspective... the game, which normally lasts a maximum of 2 hours, went over 3.5 hours. Baylor had 5 players foul out of the game. And while there are 3 referees, the game ended with only 2. One of the refs had to leave due to cramping.
This was the longest game in Baylor, A&M, and Big 12 history. The most overtimes in a game was 7, and that was in 1981! And you know what? The BU/Aggie game wasn't on TV. I watched it last night over the internet. It was amazing. It was like watching a Rocky movie... 2 sluggers going after it. Don't just take my opinion. Check this out: Andy Katz, a writer for ESPN, has a lot to say about it. Not only that, but click the video on the right to see how crazy it was:
Link
For those that are Baylor fans, you'll love this article from Katz:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=3211589
If I was only a student right now... can you imagine the craziness? I've seen YouTube videos (just enter Baylor Bears basketball) and you can see how crazy the fans have been. Would I actually burn my couch in the middle of the street? There's video that some did just that.
Now, if you want to see ESPN's interview with our coach, Scott Drew, check this out. It's awesome:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGYWWRyURwc
However, the best thing I can show you is this: The players arriving back on campus after their bus ride back from College Station.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNZ-IMUoktA
These are exciting times for the Baylor Bears. They really could make a movie about this program...
Gardening: Pre-Spring Chores
In the next few weeks, I want you to think about something: It's time to prepare for your growing season!
For the gardeners out there, I'm sure you're itching to move forward and start working in your yard again. Just think... in just over a month, you can start planting the spring plants.
But before all of that, there are some things each of us should be doing to prepare. In my opinion, you should take some time to walk around your yard. Take a look at how your plants have handled the winter. Think about where you want to add new plants - both annuals and perennials.
Get creative... do you normally go to a garden center and purchase plants? What if you changed that this year and bought SEEDS? Seed planting is much more economical than purchasing plants. And when it comes to disease, I've had more success with my seed-plants over those that I purchased from a nursery.
I'm not trying to gripe about nurseries... I still purchase from them. But if you can think of an area that could benefit from seeds, particularly annual flowers, now is the time to think about that. Obviously, don't plant the seeds yet... but when you do, it's very easy, and like I said, very successful. You'll reap what you sow!
If you have ornamental grasses, you should cut them back about 3 inches. If you have perennials that have died off, you should cut them back to the their base. For example, lantana is a perennial. I cut mine back every year and they flourish.
It's time to prune your trees. Take a look at how your trees are sprouting. Do you have limbs that you know won't be good for your tree or the surrounding environment? Get rid of them. How about your bushes? Do the same...
Mulch... we discussed it below. Now, think about how much you have and what you might need to add/replace. In the south, we should have at least 2 inches of mulch to protect the temperature of the soil. Mulch decomposes significantly during the winter months. Make sure your plans include to replace what is lost.
It's a good thing to make sure you take inventory of your yard prior to Spring. In an upcoming blog, I'm going to tackle an important task: Lawnmower and power equipment Maintenance!
For the gardeners out there, I'm sure you're itching to move forward and start working in your yard again. Just think... in just over a month, you can start planting the spring plants.
But before all of that, there are some things each of us should be doing to prepare. In my opinion, you should take some time to walk around your yard. Take a look at how your plants have handled the winter. Think about where you want to add new plants - both annuals and perennials.
Get creative... do you normally go to a garden center and purchase plants? What if you changed that this year and bought SEEDS? Seed planting is much more economical than purchasing plants. And when it comes to disease, I've had more success with my seed-plants over those that I purchased from a nursery.
I'm not trying to gripe about nurseries... I still purchase from them. But if you can think of an area that could benefit from seeds, particularly annual flowers, now is the time to think about that. Obviously, don't plant the seeds yet... but when you do, it's very easy, and like I said, very successful. You'll reap what you sow!
If you have ornamental grasses, you should cut them back about 3 inches. If you have perennials that have died off, you should cut them back to the their base. For example, lantana is a perennial. I cut mine back every year and they flourish.
It's time to prune your trees. Take a look at how your trees are sprouting. Do you have limbs that you know won't be good for your tree or the surrounding environment? Get rid of them. How about your bushes? Do the same...
Mulch... we discussed it below. Now, think about how much you have and what you might need to add/replace. In the south, we should have at least 2 inches of mulch to protect the temperature of the soil. Mulch decomposes significantly during the winter months. Make sure your plans include to replace what is lost.
It's a good thing to make sure you take inventory of your yard prior to Spring. In an upcoming blog, I'm going to tackle an important task: Lawnmower and power equipment Maintenance!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Cooking: 30-minute Fish Dish
Are you one of those people that want to eat healthier meals? Let's get more specific... are you wanting more fish in your diet? And, would you like to cook a dish that is EASY and QUICK?
I'm blessed with a mom who is a fantastic cook. And, fortunately for me, she loves to cook fish. A few weeks ago, I asked her some questions on cooking salmon and tilapia. Normally I grill my fish... but she told me an easy way to bake it. I took her recipe, and then added a little "flare" to it.
Here's my 30-minute recipe... preparation is 10-15 minutes and the cooking time is 15-20 minutes.
First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Also, open up cans of asparagus and green beans. Put them in a pot and heat them up. While those are heating up, melt some butter into a casserole dish. After the butter has melted, open up a large can of diced tomatoes. I used the Italian Seasoned tomatoes. Pour those into the casserole dish over the butter. Cut up some onions. You can also add bell peppers, too.
Next, place the fish over the top of your first layer. I used both salmon and tilapia. I then seasoned everything with salt, pepper, dill, lemon juice... a great seasoning to use is "Greek Seasoning." It's like an all-spice. I then poured a little olive oil over the top of everything. Crumble saltine crackers over the top of the dish.
Drain the cooked asparagus and green beans, and pour them over the top of the fish. Crumble more crackers over the top of everything, and now your dish is ready to go. Seriously, this should have taken you about 15 minutes at the max!
Place the dish in the oven and cook anywhere between 15 and 20 minutes. The fish should be moist and flaky when it's done. When you pull it out, it's ready to be served. I was able to get several meals out of it. And, if you're serving it for others, you can at least get 4 servings if not more.
This dish is easy, it's light, and I guarantee you'll love it. Feel free to add any variations to it. If you like it, let me know!
Enjoy!!!
I'm blessed with a mom who is a fantastic cook. And, fortunately for me, she loves to cook fish. A few weeks ago, I asked her some questions on cooking salmon and tilapia. Normally I grill my fish... but she told me an easy way to bake it. I took her recipe, and then added a little "flare" to it.
Here's my 30-minute recipe... preparation is 10-15 minutes and the cooking time is 15-20 minutes.
First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Also, open up cans of asparagus and green beans. Put them in a pot and heat them up. While those are heating up, melt some butter into a casserole dish. After the butter has melted, open up a large can of diced tomatoes. I used the Italian Seasoned tomatoes. Pour those into the casserole dish over the butter. Cut up some onions. You can also add bell peppers, too.
Next, place the fish over the top of your first layer. I used both salmon and tilapia. I then seasoned everything with salt, pepper, dill, lemon juice... a great seasoning to use is "Greek Seasoning." It's like an all-spice. I then poured a little olive oil over the top of everything. Crumble saltine crackers over the top of the dish.
Drain the cooked asparagus and green beans, and pour them over the top of the fish. Crumble more crackers over the top of everything, and now your dish is ready to go. Seriously, this should have taken you about 15 minutes at the max!
Place the dish in the oven and cook anywhere between 15 and 20 minutes. The fish should be moist and flaky when it's done. When you pull it out, it's ready to be served. I was able to get several meals out of it. And, if you're serving it for others, you can at least get 4 servings if not more.
This dish is easy, it's light, and I guarantee you'll love it. Feel free to add any variations to it. If you like it, let me know!
Enjoy!!!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Technology: Backing Up Your Computer
Shockingly, I realized something recently: I'm not backing up my computer.
(Wait for laughter)
Seriously... me... the guy who is probably the most conservative when it comes to life's most important decisions. In my defense, I actually thought it didn't matter because I have two 160 GB hard drives that serve as a RAID. In essence, these drives were mirroring each other. While it sounded fine (and safe) to me that the computer was being backed up, one of my colleagues pointed out that it would be catastrophic if my computer actually crashed.
Think about it: What do you store on your computer? Well, for me, I have TONS of pictures dating back to 2004. These are very important to me. I've captured most of my life in pictures and displayed them on my website for the benefit of my friends and family. If I was to lose all of that... well, in a word, it would truly be "catastrophic!"
Brian mentioned something he uses called Mozy. For $4.95 a month, you can purchase this service to back up your entire computer. It will store all of your files on their server, and it encrypts the files so that they are safe from hackers.
The process begins immediately after you purchase - the monthly fee is encompassed when you make a 1-time payment for the year (or beyond). It will begin to scan your computer and start backing up everything. The initial backup takes about 3 days, but after that it will only backup the files it knows changed each day (or files that were added). And you can schedule it to backup whenever you want (automatically).
Anyway, I thought I'd pass along this bit of info.
(Wait for laughter)
Seriously... me... the guy who is probably the most conservative when it comes to life's most important decisions. In my defense, I actually thought it didn't matter because I have two 160 GB hard drives that serve as a RAID. In essence, these drives were mirroring each other. While it sounded fine (and safe) to me that the computer was being backed up, one of my colleagues pointed out that it would be catastrophic if my computer actually crashed.
Think about it: What do you store on your computer? Well, for me, I have TONS of pictures dating back to 2004. These are very important to me. I've captured most of my life in pictures and displayed them on my website for the benefit of my friends and family. If I was to lose all of that... well, in a word, it would truly be "catastrophic!"
Brian mentioned something he uses called Mozy. For $4.95 a month, you can purchase this service to back up your entire computer. It will store all of your files on their server, and it encrypts the files so that they are safe from hackers.
The process begins immediately after you purchase - the monthly fee is encompassed when you make a 1-time payment for the year (or beyond). It will begin to scan your computer and start backing up everything. The initial backup takes about 3 days, but after that it will only backup the files it knows changed each day (or files that were added). And you can schedule it to backup whenever you want (automatically).
Anyway, I thought I'd pass along this bit of info.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Article: Baylor Bears Basketball
I'm a bit stunned these days. My Baylor Bears are 15-2, ranked #25 in the national polls, and tied for first in the Big 12! This is the team, as many of you know, that endured a terrible tragedy a few years ago when it was hit by murder and illegal activity. Here is a link explaining the entire scandal:
Link
Those that have followed Baylor for so many years were shocked. How could that have happened? Would the program survive?
In response, the University imposed major sanctions on itself. They limited recruiting... newly-hired coach Scott Drew had to get players who were already on campus playing intramural games. When the NCAA came through with their sanctions, we weren't allowed to play any non-conference games for one year. It was dreadful.
The other night I watched "We Are Marshall." It's a fantastic story of how the team literally rose from the ashes with the support of the school and community. I highly recommend it. That story reminded me a little of what Baylor has gone through these past 5 years. Waking up and reading this article this morning (on the front page of the Dallas Morning News) was a great way to start the day. Enjoy...
Baylor's men's basketball team enjoying resurgence
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Chip Brown
Scott Drew and his Baylor basketball team caught an 11 a.m. flight from Omaha to Dallas on Sunday and then made the hour and a half bus trip from Dallas to Waco watching the western 3:10 to Yuma.
Looking around, Drew saw something after a Big 12 road game he hadn't seen since 2004.
"Broad smiles," Drew said.
The Bears snapped a 25-game road losing streak in Big 12 play Saturday night with a 72-70 victory at Nebraska. The Bears improved to 15-2 and 3-0 in the Big 12 – tied with Kansas (18-0, 3-0) for first place.
It's Baylor's best start since the 1945-46 season, when the Bears started 24-2. The 3-0 league start is the best since 1997-98, when the Bears started 5-0. Baylor hasn't been ranked since 1969, but that could be next.
"There have been so many firsts," Drew said. "One day we won't have those firsts to worry about. But it sure is nice to be knocking those down."
Drew is fully aware his team is only three games into the conference season and has a treacherous five-game stretch ahead – at Texas A&M (Wednesday), Oklahoma, at Texas, Texas Tech and at Kansas. He is in no mood to say his program has fully recovered from the dark days of 2003.
That was the year Baylor basketball player Carlton Dotson was charged with murdering teammate Patrick Dennehy. Then-coach Dave Bliss also tried to cover up improper tuition payments by insisting – in a recorded conversation – that an assistant coach portray Dennehy as a drug dealer.
NCAA sanctions resulted in Drew taking over a team that could only play conference games in the 2004-05 season.
The players Drew convinced to join him in trying to rebuild the Baylor program are finally growing up. The Bears count on three juniors – forward Kevin Rogers of South Oak Cliff and guards Curtis Jerrells and Henry Dugat – as well as senior guard Aaron Bruce.
Sophomore guard Tweety Carter is the school's first McDonald's All-American. Freshman guard LaceDarius Dunn was a top-50 national recruit from Louisiana, who is second on the team in scoring (12.3 ppg) behind Jerrells (13.0 ppg).
What may be most impressive about this team is that it is 5-0 when trailing at halftime this season, including erasing a 20-point deficit at South Carolina on Dec. 19. The Bears overcame a five-point halftime deficit against Nebraska on Saturday night.
"Last year, we were in a number of close games and lost them," Drew said. "But our guys saw we could be competitive with anyone. They knew if they put the time in the gym, that this year could be our year."
The game that may have changed everything, Drew said, was a 74-69 loss to Texas in the quarterfinals of last year's Big 12 tournament. The Bears blew a 20-point lead in their final game of the season.
"Everyone was devastated, very dejected," Drew said. "The hunger from not carrying that game out carried over to the summer and improving their games. We had some confidence coming out of that experience."
The Bears continued to build that confidence by winning the Paradise Jam, an eight-team tournament in the Virgin Islands in November with wins over Wichita State, Notre Dame and Winthrop.
It was the first time Baylor won a tournament that included at least eight teams since the 1968-69 season.
"I think we've just got a swagger," said Bruce, who withdrew his name from NBA draft eligibility to return for his senior season. "We know that we've gone through a lot of tough times and a lot of really testing games. We're starting to get older, more experience, so we know just how to handle ourselves in certain situations."
Added Dugat, "We have the veterans and the depth we need to get things done."
Baylor leads the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game (9.12) and 3-point field goal percentage (.410). When the Bears get hot from outside, they are one of the toughest matchups in the league, because guards Bruce, Jerrells, Dugat, Carter and Dunn can all hit from beyond the arc.
"Baylor has some of the best 'spurtability' of anyone in the Big 12," said Iowa State coach Greg McDermott, whose team lost to Baylor, 74-67, on Jan. 12. "They can score so quickly. We burned every timeout trying to stop their runs, and it still didn't work."
Added Oklahoma State coach Sean Sutton, who lost in Waco, 79-71, on Jan. 15: "Outside of Kansas, I think you have to look at their five guys as the best collection of guards in the Big 12.
"They can put so much pressure on your defense," Sutton added. "All five of those guys are capable of going out and scoring 20 points on a given night."
Baylor gave up second-half leads in its only two losses, to No. 8 Washington State and Arkansas. Against the Cougars, Jerrells and Dunn went down with injuries. Against the Razorbacks, Baylor shot itself out of the game by continuing to gun from 3-point range despite repeated misses.
The Bears have gotten off to a 3-0 league start with Jerrells locked in a five-game shooting slump. He has hit only 2-of-18 from beyond the arc (11 percent) in that stretch, missing 14 in a row at one point. But his teammates have picked up the scoring load. Chemistry is strong. So is leadership.
Carter was due to sub in for Dugat against South Carolina because Dugat was struggling. But after Dugat scored back-to-back baskets, Carter voluntarily walked back to the bench from the scorer's table and sat down.
"It's an unselfish group," Drew said.
Drew sold his players during recruiting on making Baylor an "elite Big 12 program." Still, Drew doesn't talk about the NCAA Tournament with his players.
"With inexperience, you tend to look at the big picture too much and look at things beyond your control," Drew said. "Every team wants the same thing – to go to the postseason. We've really tried to focus on the next game and stay away from talking about the tournament. So far, that has served us well."
Link
Those that have followed Baylor for so many years were shocked. How could that have happened? Would the program survive?
In response, the University imposed major sanctions on itself. They limited recruiting... newly-hired coach Scott Drew had to get players who were already on campus playing intramural games. When the NCAA came through with their sanctions, we weren't allowed to play any non-conference games for one year. It was dreadful.
The other night I watched "We Are Marshall." It's a fantastic story of how the team literally rose from the ashes with the support of the school and community. I highly recommend it. That story reminded me a little of what Baylor has gone through these past 5 years. Waking up and reading this article this morning (on the front page of the Dallas Morning News) was a great way to start the day. Enjoy...
Baylor's men's basketball team enjoying resurgence
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Chip Brown
Scott Drew and his Baylor basketball team caught an 11 a.m. flight from Omaha to Dallas on Sunday and then made the hour and a half bus trip from Dallas to Waco watching the western 3:10 to Yuma.
Looking around, Drew saw something after a Big 12 road game he hadn't seen since 2004.
"Broad smiles," Drew said.
The Bears snapped a 25-game road losing streak in Big 12 play Saturday night with a 72-70 victory at Nebraska. The Bears improved to 15-2 and 3-0 in the Big 12 – tied with Kansas (18-0, 3-0) for first place.
It's Baylor's best start since the 1945-46 season, when the Bears started 24-2. The 3-0 league start is the best since 1997-98, when the Bears started 5-0. Baylor hasn't been ranked since 1969, but that could be next.
"There have been so many firsts," Drew said. "One day we won't have those firsts to worry about. But it sure is nice to be knocking those down."
Drew is fully aware his team is only three games into the conference season and has a treacherous five-game stretch ahead – at Texas A&M (Wednesday), Oklahoma, at Texas, Texas Tech and at Kansas. He is in no mood to say his program has fully recovered from the dark days of 2003.
That was the year Baylor basketball player Carlton Dotson was charged with murdering teammate Patrick Dennehy. Then-coach Dave Bliss also tried to cover up improper tuition payments by insisting – in a recorded conversation – that an assistant coach portray Dennehy as a drug dealer.
NCAA sanctions resulted in Drew taking over a team that could only play conference games in the 2004-05 season.
The players Drew convinced to join him in trying to rebuild the Baylor program are finally growing up. The Bears count on three juniors – forward Kevin Rogers of South Oak Cliff and guards Curtis Jerrells and Henry Dugat – as well as senior guard Aaron Bruce.
Sophomore guard Tweety Carter is the school's first McDonald's All-American. Freshman guard LaceDarius Dunn was a top-50 national recruit from Louisiana, who is second on the team in scoring (12.3 ppg) behind Jerrells (13.0 ppg).
What may be most impressive about this team is that it is 5-0 when trailing at halftime this season, including erasing a 20-point deficit at South Carolina on Dec. 19. The Bears overcame a five-point halftime deficit against Nebraska on Saturday night.
"Last year, we were in a number of close games and lost them," Drew said. "But our guys saw we could be competitive with anyone. They knew if they put the time in the gym, that this year could be our year."
The game that may have changed everything, Drew said, was a 74-69 loss to Texas in the quarterfinals of last year's Big 12 tournament. The Bears blew a 20-point lead in their final game of the season.
"Everyone was devastated, very dejected," Drew said. "The hunger from not carrying that game out carried over to the summer and improving their games. We had some confidence coming out of that experience."
The Bears continued to build that confidence by winning the Paradise Jam, an eight-team tournament in the Virgin Islands in November with wins over Wichita State, Notre Dame and Winthrop.
It was the first time Baylor won a tournament that included at least eight teams since the 1968-69 season.
"I think we've just got a swagger," said Bruce, who withdrew his name from NBA draft eligibility to return for his senior season. "We know that we've gone through a lot of tough times and a lot of really testing games. We're starting to get older, more experience, so we know just how to handle ourselves in certain situations."
Added Dugat, "We have the veterans and the depth we need to get things done."
Baylor leads the Big 12 in 3-point field goals made per game (9.12) and 3-point field goal percentage (.410). When the Bears get hot from outside, they are one of the toughest matchups in the league, because guards Bruce, Jerrells, Dugat, Carter and Dunn can all hit from beyond the arc.
"Baylor has some of the best 'spurtability' of anyone in the Big 12," said Iowa State coach Greg McDermott, whose team lost to Baylor, 74-67, on Jan. 12. "They can score so quickly. We burned every timeout trying to stop their runs, and it still didn't work."
Added Oklahoma State coach Sean Sutton, who lost in Waco, 79-71, on Jan. 15: "Outside of Kansas, I think you have to look at their five guys as the best collection of guards in the Big 12.
"They can put so much pressure on your defense," Sutton added. "All five of those guys are capable of going out and scoring 20 points on a given night."
Baylor gave up second-half leads in its only two losses, to No. 8 Washington State and Arkansas. Against the Cougars, Jerrells and Dunn went down with injuries. Against the Razorbacks, Baylor shot itself out of the game by continuing to gun from 3-point range despite repeated misses.
The Bears have gotten off to a 3-0 league start with Jerrells locked in a five-game shooting slump. He has hit only 2-of-18 from beyond the arc (11 percent) in that stretch, missing 14 in a row at one point. But his teammates have picked up the scoring load. Chemistry is strong. So is leadership.
Carter was due to sub in for Dugat against South Carolina because Dugat was struggling. But after Dugat scored back-to-back baskets, Carter voluntarily walked back to the bench from the scorer's table and sat down.
"It's an unselfish group," Drew said.
Drew sold his players during recruiting on making Baylor an "elite Big 12 program." Still, Drew doesn't talk about the NCAA Tournament with his players.
"With inexperience, you tend to look at the big picture too much and look at things beyond your control," Drew said. "Every team wants the same thing – to go to the postseason. We've really tried to focus on the next game and stay away from talking about the tournament. So far, that has served us well."
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Movie Commentary: Charlie Wilson's War
I saw this movie yesterday. I know... I know... it's been out for a while. However, I figured I'd avoid the crowds. Not a chance - I still had to sit on the top row! However, it was well worth it.
If you're going to see this movie, know this: It's VERY good. The acting is top-notch, and the writing is even better. While I'm always a little leery of people who portray "Texans," I did think that Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts were a little "over the top" with their accents.
If you don't know the story, you'll definitely leave with a great appreciation of what was done to stop the Soviets in Afghanistan. I remember Charles Wilson during his reign as a congressman from Lufkin. However, I didn't know how much he really accomplished until after seeing this movie.
Tom Hanks did a fantastic job portraying him. This is the 2nd "real lifer" that I can think of that Tom Hanks has portrayed - the first being Astronaut Jim Lovell in Apollo 13. He showed depth to Wilson, which I don't think many people thought he had if they had known him. His passion and devotion to helping the Afghans was incredible.
Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman did a good job, too. Roberts did a good job showing what a Houston socialite looks like (at least in my eyes), and Hoffman was hilarious as a gruff CIA anaylst.
For those who may be a bit on the conservative side, just know that there is quite a bit of language in this movie... Oh, and the opening scene is an eye-opener. Ha!
Overall, it was a really good movie. I'd probably give it 4 stars out of 5. Now, if you're wanting to see one that is better in my eyes in theaters, go see Juno! That one is excellent!
If you're going to see this movie, know this: It's VERY good. The acting is top-notch, and the writing is even better. While I'm always a little leery of people who portray "Texans," I did think that Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts were a little "over the top" with their accents.
If you don't know the story, you'll definitely leave with a great appreciation of what was done to stop the Soviets in Afghanistan. I remember Charles Wilson during his reign as a congressman from Lufkin. However, I didn't know how much he really accomplished until after seeing this movie.
Tom Hanks did a fantastic job portraying him. This is the 2nd "real lifer" that I can think of that Tom Hanks has portrayed - the first being Astronaut Jim Lovell in Apollo 13. He showed depth to Wilson, which I don't think many people thought he had if they had known him. His passion and devotion to helping the Afghans was incredible.
Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman did a good job, too. Roberts did a good job showing what a Houston socialite looks like (at least in my eyes), and Hoffman was hilarious as a gruff CIA anaylst.
For those who may be a bit on the conservative side, just know that there is quite a bit of language in this movie... Oh, and the opening scene is an eye-opener. Ha!
Overall, it was a really good movie. I'd probably give it 4 stars out of 5. Now, if you're wanting to see one that is better in my eyes in theaters, go see Juno! That one is excellent!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Gardening: Let's create some free mulch!!!
There is a show on HGTV called "Gardening By The Yard." Basically, it's a guy who shows you projects that he works on throughout the year in his yard. He also has guests on to discuss easy things each of us can do to make our yards shine year-round.
One thing that I've always been a big fan of is composting. I have a compost bin on the side of my house that stores "green" waste. This includes things like leaves, kitchen scraps (vegetables, coffee grounds, etc.), ashes from my fireplace, soil from unused pots, wood chips, and even manure. Yes... manure. Ha!
I use my compost throughout the year. It goes into my garden, my flower beds, and even pots outside the house (because of the manure!). Giving back instead of throwing away is the mark of a green thumb! It's pretty easy to start one up... I'll probably write a topic about that in the near future.
Back to the show: One of his topics was how to create some mulch without a lot of work. The goal is to make it now so it'll be ready in the spring. Here's what he said...
Ever walked through a forest and seen how rich the soil is? Ever notice what is on the ground during the fall and winter? Leaves! Leaves are nature's "natural" mulch. When a tree drops its leaves, the leaves fall to the ground and begin to decompose. Most of this decomposition is due to the wetness of the leaves and the mold that breaks it down. The leaves will enrich the soil and provide nourishment for the trees, as well as to seal in the moisture in the ground.
He recommended an easy project that could help in the spring. First, take a garbage bag and gather up a bunch of leaves from your yard. Stuff that bag as full as you can make it. I actually gathered enough for 3 bags. Next, seal up the bags and punch a bunch of holes in each of the bags. This will allow oxygen and water to enter/exit. Finally, spray water on the bags. I stuck the hose in one of the holes, too, to put more water in each bag. When finished, just place the bags outside so they'll capture water when it rains. I placed mine on the side of my house near my greenhouse.
The goal is for the next 3 months, the leaves will break down and you can add the decayed remains to your flower beds/garden. One thing of note: If you live in a particular cold part of the country, he recommends covering up your trash bags with leaves or placing it under a bush so the freeze doesn't kill the microbes that are destroying the leaves.
Well, good luck and happy mulching!
One thing that I've always been a big fan of is composting. I have a compost bin on the side of my house that stores "green" waste. This includes things like leaves, kitchen scraps (vegetables, coffee grounds, etc.), ashes from my fireplace, soil from unused pots, wood chips, and even manure. Yes... manure. Ha!
I use my compost throughout the year. It goes into my garden, my flower beds, and even pots outside the house (because of the manure!). Giving back instead of throwing away is the mark of a green thumb! It's pretty easy to start one up... I'll probably write a topic about that in the near future.
Back to the show: One of his topics was how to create some mulch without a lot of work. The goal is to make it now so it'll be ready in the spring. Here's what he said...
Ever walked through a forest and seen how rich the soil is? Ever notice what is on the ground during the fall and winter? Leaves! Leaves are nature's "natural" mulch. When a tree drops its leaves, the leaves fall to the ground and begin to decompose. Most of this decomposition is due to the wetness of the leaves and the mold that breaks it down. The leaves will enrich the soil and provide nourishment for the trees, as well as to seal in the moisture in the ground.
He recommended an easy project that could help in the spring. First, take a garbage bag and gather up a bunch of leaves from your yard. Stuff that bag as full as you can make it. I actually gathered enough for 3 bags. Next, seal up the bags and punch a bunch of holes in each of the bags. This will allow oxygen and water to enter/exit. Finally, spray water on the bags. I stuck the hose in one of the holes, too, to put more water in each bag. When finished, just place the bags outside so they'll capture water when it rains. I placed mine on the side of my house near my greenhouse.
The goal is for the next 3 months, the leaves will break down and you can add the decayed remains to your flower beds/garden. One thing of note: If you live in a particular cold part of the country, he recommends covering up your trash bags with leaves or placing it under a bush so the freeze doesn't kill the microbes that are destroying the leaves.
Well, good luck and happy mulching!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Ch-Ch-Changes...
Now that my focus is not on running, I'm going to change this blog up a bit. I have been wondering how much interest there is in my blog now that people aren't following my daily running routines. One major question is this: should I keep this thing going?
This past week, a friend of mine (Mike) started a blog. His mission: To write about the technology that impacts everyone. Specifically, he wanted to answer questions from people who had general "tech" questions. So far, someone has written him asking about their iPhone. Another curious lad (ahem) has asked about HDTV. Check out his blog:
www.techinlaw.com
Well, I guess it hit me. If people ask Mike a lot of tech questions, why not talk about a few things that I know or am learning about? Right now I'm learning a lot about HDTV and reading up on what might be best for me. Why not share that? A lot of people ask me questions thoughout the year regarding general yardwork or gardening... why not talk about that? Movies... heck, I see quite a few and I've always got an opinion. Sports... cooking (yes... I'm serious... I'm a pretty serious cook!)... maybe even some cool places to take a visitor here in Dallas. I've traveled quite a bit, too. I could even recommend some cities.
Where do you play in this? Send me questions or ideas. Help keep my list growing... I'm sure I'll need more topics!
Thanks for reading this, and I hope we can grow together!
This past week, a friend of mine (Mike) started a blog. His mission: To write about the technology that impacts everyone. Specifically, he wanted to answer questions from people who had general "tech" questions. So far, someone has written him asking about their iPhone. Another curious lad (ahem) has asked about HDTV. Check out his blog:
www.techinlaw.com
Well, I guess it hit me. If people ask Mike a lot of tech questions, why not talk about a few things that I know or am learning about? Right now I'm learning a lot about HDTV and reading up on what might be best for me. Why not share that? A lot of people ask me questions thoughout the year regarding general yardwork or gardening... why not talk about that? Movies... heck, I see quite a few and I've always got an opinion. Sports... cooking (yes... I'm serious... I'm a pretty serious cook!)... maybe even some cool places to take a visitor here in Dallas. I've traveled quite a bit, too. I could even recommend some cities.
Where do you play in this? Send me questions or ideas. Help keep my list growing... I'm sure I'll need more topics!
Thanks for reading this, and I hope we can grow together!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Talk about BAD LUCK...
A few weeks ago, I was speaking with my cousin Joey regarding his string of bad luck with automobiles in 2007. I did a little research, and found the actual story (including pictures). I'll link it here so you can read it and see the pictures...
Story
Now, if that's not shocking, there's more...
Two weeks after that crash, he and his wife took the insurance money and bought her a brand new car. He lives in an area of Norman where a lot of college kids are starting to rent houses. Across from him is one of those houses. After purchasing the car, he was sitting in his hot tub that night when he heard one of those Ninja motorcycles going up and down the street. His neighbors were having a party. Before he could call the police, they had moved it inside so he let it be...
Around 1 AM he heard that Ninja going up and down the street again. He called the cops and told them to shut the party down. Well, a few minutes later he heard that Ninja "skipping." The driver had lost control, and then it smashed into the back of his wife's new car. It nearly killed the driver. An ambulance was called, and then the entire party came outside to see what was going on.
If that wasn't bad enough, it gets worse. While the paramedics were working on the kid, a car decided to go around the baracades. In so doing, the driver almost hit the crew working on the kid... not to mention the kid. When the police tried to stop the driver, he pulled out a knife... which caused them to draw their guns on him!
After a few minutes, they were able to get him out of the car. Turns out the guy was higher than a kite, and they discovered he was driving a mobile meth lab! So now they had another crime scene to block off... and they had to bring in the HazMat Team!
Well, Joey told me that every story has a silver lining...
A few months later, he knew he had to buy a new car for his stepdaughter. She's a senior at Southeastern Oklahoma in Durant. He said she's smart as a whip, but a terrible driver. He thought about how the driver that crashed into his house walked away from the wreck. Therefore, he bought her a Honda Civic.
Not long after she had the car, she was coming home from college when a truck ran her off the road. She slammed into a highway bridge going 70 MPH! Guess what? She walked away... he said had she been driving her other car, she wouldn't be here today.
What a year... let's hope Joey and his family have better luck in 2008!
Story
Now, if that's not shocking, there's more...
Two weeks after that crash, he and his wife took the insurance money and bought her a brand new car. He lives in an area of Norman where a lot of college kids are starting to rent houses. Across from him is one of those houses. After purchasing the car, he was sitting in his hot tub that night when he heard one of those Ninja motorcycles going up and down the street. His neighbors were having a party. Before he could call the police, they had moved it inside so he let it be...
Around 1 AM he heard that Ninja going up and down the street again. He called the cops and told them to shut the party down. Well, a few minutes later he heard that Ninja "skipping." The driver had lost control, and then it smashed into the back of his wife's new car. It nearly killed the driver. An ambulance was called, and then the entire party came outside to see what was going on.
If that wasn't bad enough, it gets worse. While the paramedics were working on the kid, a car decided to go around the baracades. In so doing, the driver almost hit the crew working on the kid... not to mention the kid. When the police tried to stop the driver, he pulled out a knife... which caused them to draw their guns on him!
After a few minutes, they were able to get him out of the car. Turns out the guy was higher than a kite, and they discovered he was driving a mobile meth lab! So now they had another crime scene to block off... and they had to bring in the HazMat Team!
Well, Joey told me that every story has a silver lining...
A few months later, he knew he had to buy a new car for his stepdaughter. She's a senior at Southeastern Oklahoma in Durant. He said she's smart as a whip, but a terrible driver. He thought about how the driver that crashed into his house walked away from the wreck. Therefore, he bought her a Honda Civic.
Not long after she had the car, she was coming home from college when a truck ran her off the road. She slammed into a highway bridge going 70 MPH! Guess what? She walked away... he said had she been driving her other car, she wouldn't be here today.
What a year... let's hope Joey and his family have better luck in 2008!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
New Year... New Possibilities???
Well, here I am... on the back end of my vacation. Yep... today is the last day of my holiday vacation. I'm going back to work tomorrow. "OH THE HUMANITY!!!"
Overall, it's been a good holiday. I've been off since December 21. I've never taken that much time off, but it's been awesome! For one, I've enjoyed the extra sleep! Christmas was great, too. Spending time with my family and friends was special. I received some nice gifts, and hopefully everyone enjoyed the ones I gave.
As you can see in the previous blog, my cousin Angie passed away on December 24. It was really sad, but she had been in the hospital for a lengthy illness. But through her funeral I was able to reconnect with family members I haven't seen in a long time. We're hoping to all get together again this summer.
New Year's was spent in Stillwater, OK. Chandra and I went up there to visit our friend Laura. I think Laura believes she "bored us" or something, but it was really great. We didn't do a lot and ended up watching the ball drop in the comfort of her living room. I had a ball... literally... she has a dog named Pete that LOVES to play fetch. So whenever he got the chance, he'd bring me his ball (or jump on me to go get a ball) and we'd throw over and over and over. Ha!
So as this new year begins, I'm left with this: What are my resolutions? Last year, as everyone knows, I made a bold statement: 2007 is the year of running! I was VERY careful not to make any such such declarations this year. Chandra wants to run a half marathon again... so that might be manageable.
Well, the one thing that has been eating at me is this: I want to write a book. I've been told by numerous people throughout my life "you're such a good writer." I appreciate that compliment. However, it has always made me wonder: Could I write a book? I'm a big believer in that whatever you put your mind to, you can accomplish anything. So, that's what I want to put my mind to this year. I have an idea on a story... actually, I have several ideas on stories. I just need to organize "the one" and get busy.
Back to the running... I think my goal will be to be "fit." I'd like to continue to utilize my gym and be in a condition to run a half marathon, whenever and wherever that may occur. But again, it will take some dedication and commitment.
So there you go... a few of my goals and a mini-recap of my vacation. I'd be interested to hear some of your goals... maybe we can inspire each other!
Overall, it's been a good holiday. I've been off since December 21. I've never taken that much time off, but it's been awesome! For one, I've enjoyed the extra sleep! Christmas was great, too. Spending time with my family and friends was special. I received some nice gifts, and hopefully everyone enjoyed the ones I gave.
As you can see in the previous blog, my cousin Angie passed away on December 24. It was really sad, but she had been in the hospital for a lengthy illness. But through her funeral I was able to reconnect with family members I haven't seen in a long time. We're hoping to all get together again this summer.
New Year's was spent in Stillwater, OK. Chandra and I went up there to visit our friend Laura. I think Laura believes she "bored us" or something, but it was really great. We didn't do a lot and ended up watching the ball drop in the comfort of her living room. I had a ball... literally... she has a dog named Pete that LOVES to play fetch. So whenever he got the chance, he'd bring me his ball (or jump on me to go get a ball) and we'd throw over and over and over. Ha!
So as this new year begins, I'm left with this: What are my resolutions? Last year, as everyone knows, I made a bold statement: 2007 is the year of running! I was VERY careful not to make any such such declarations this year. Chandra wants to run a half marathon again... so that might be manageable.
Well, the one thing that has been eating at me is this: I want to write a book. I've been told by numerous people throughout my life "you're such a good writer." I appreciate that compliment. However, it has always made me wonder: Could I write a book? I'm a big believer in that whatever you put your mind to, you can accomplish anything. So, that's what I want to put my mind to this year. I have an idea on a story... actually, I have several ideas on stories. I just need to organize "the one" and get busy.
Back to the running... I think my goal will be to be "fit." I'd like to continue to utilize my gym and be in a condition to run a half marathon, whenever and wherever that may occur. But again, it will take some dedication and commitment.
So there you go... a few of my goals and a mini-recap of my vacation. I'd be interested to hear some of your goals... maybe we can inspire each other!
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