Wakefield wins 2...

with the Maier's in attendance...

While in Florida after our cruise my wife suggested we go to the Red Sox versus Rays game. We both enjoy watching ball games, especially when one of (if not both) our teams are playing...and decided when we go on vacation we should see if the local team of our locale is playing.

So Tim Wakefield was pitching in Tampa Bay while we were in Florida (and was the only win from the series). It was cool to be a visitor for a sporting event again...the cool thing about Tropicana Field is they have a HITTERS HALL OF FAME named after the BEST hitter in all of baseball TED WILLIAMS.

Then we also had tickets 5 days later for a game at Fenway, that Wakefield pitched again. 2 starts in a row, both attended by Letha and me, 2 wins for Wake...maybe were his good luck charm or something... :-)

Great Vacation...

the first of many for Letha and I out of the country...was to the Bahamas (only for 9 hours).

We got on the ship in Florida, sailed all night and got to the Bahamas around 8 AM. We went snorkeling and then did a little bit of shopping and sailed back to Florida at 5 PM. It was a really good and well deserved vacation.

Only 9 more REGULAR days...

until Letha and I are on vaction. The Bahamas, Florida and another trip to Universal Studios...I'm so freakin' excited. This will be Letha and I's first vacation since our wedding. Of course, I'm not counting the trips to Indiana for weddings or quick trips to New Hampshire...but I think it very well deserved.

On another note...I have lost 23.6 pounds since February 24th. I have been getting my body in shape to go to the beach...of course I still another 18 pounds to go before I am at my goal weight, which is the lowest I have weighed in my adult life. But little steps will get me there...

I'll make sure to post pictures of our vacation when we get back...

Some people are CRAZY...

but these guys are NUTZ!

On Thursday I got a call from a manager in the city that told me about this movie. Letha had read a RUNNER'S WORLD article about one of these guys. It sounded crazy when she told me about it, but it was nuts to watch the movie about their journey. We only saw 90 minutes of their journey...but it was awe inspiring. To see what they saw (even small portions) was amazing.

They had planned to run 80 days and averging 2 marathons a day...I have done 2 half-marathons (a year apart) and I don't want to do another one EVER. But to do 4 times the amount I did...a day for 2 and a half months? Then we you start the journey...it ends up taking an extra 31 days. They averaged a 9-10 minute mile for 4300 miles through 6 countries.

It was a very inspiring film to watch and I don't run. Letha found it a lot more inspiring and has decided that she wants to do another marathon at some point down the road.

Here's the trailer to the film:

Chicks and Lightsabers?

Can you do this...

I know I can't...

Cuteness...overload...

And no...that's not Kaylee in the pictures...

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot...

So I'm driving to work this morning and listening to the radio when I heard about this situation, I'm surprised I didn't run across this on Mike's blog.

Now...I am all for coming to this country to find a better way of life, LEGALLY. If you are an illegal you have no civil rights in this country. Here's a patriot of our country doing what is right, trying to get the vermin to stay out of this country. "...he began rounding up illegal immigrants after they started to vandalize his property...he said the immigrants tore up water pumps, killed calves, destroyed fences and gates, stole trucks and broke into his home..."

Now he has been found guilty of crimes against people who were trespassing on his property...this country is so idiotic. Next thing you know we'll be able to sue for spilling hot coffee on ourselves...or sue for cutting ourselves while breaking and entering...oh wait, those have already happened.

We deserve everything that is coming our way...because a lot of people in this country are looking for handouts and not using common sense.

A puppy...in Halo 3...

Thundercats...HOOOOOO!!!

It's been a while since I've blogged about anything...but this is a pretty damn cool trailer using other movies as the basis...

Wonder Who?

So I was surfing around and found this...

it is a hoax and a pretty good one at that. If you go to the guy's website that did this he explains why. It reminds me of this posting I did a while ago.

I have to admit the guy's reasoning for picking Megan Fox is right on par with how Hollywood thinks. If they had a good director they might be able to get a real performance out of her. The good news is that she is young enough to make a trilogy for WB/DC. I would be on board with watching a Wonder Woman movie...I watch every other book/comic interpretation on screen why not this one. I just wish Joss Whedon was still on this project...

So, have you ever...

run 26.2 miles before? Well, I know I haven't, but I am married to someone who has.

This past Sunday, November 2nd, 2008, my wife, Letha Maier, ran the ING New York City marathon.

The trip started on Friday (Halloween) when we packed up the car, loaded the dogs and drove 3 1/2 hours to NYC. We got there and hung out with McNear and his roommates (thanks for letting us stay with you guys) until about 3 in the morning. . .

Doesn't Drake look like he could use a beer?

Woke up on Saturday and then headed to The Javits Center (convention center) for Letha to pick up her number and chip. We then headed to lunch at Chevy's and then came home for an evening of relaxing.

Then comes 3:45 am on Sunday morning. We decided I would drive Letha down to the library, then park the car close to the finish line and head back for a nap. I got back to the apartment around 6 am and took the dogs to the dog park (to run off some energy). We then headed down to mile 8 of the race, to see Letha for the first of 3 visits along the course.





She came running up to us, with the biggest smile and jumped on me while giving me a huge hug. After giving her orange slices (and getting a quick kiss), she was off and we were going to mile 18 to see her for the second time.



At mile 18 we saw her again, this time we gave her a bag of mini Oreos and a flat Coke. This is where McNear jumped in the race to help her get thru the parts that were the slowest and most boring. McNear ran six miles with her and then jumped out before going into Central Park. She only had a little over 2 miles left to go on her own.

I will admit while I was watching people finish the race, I was worried. I saw so much pain in some of the runner's faces that it would have been unbearable to watch Letha in that much pain. I had seen her in such good spirits before, I was hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Then after seeing COW MAN...



(people wear some weird stuff...there were even Ghostbusters out that day), Letha came across the 26 mile mark. I could see she was in the best of sprits and I was so happy.

I haven't been proud of a whole lot of people in my life (yet). But watching Letha complete a marathon was one of the most amazing things to witness and was very inspirational. She finished almost 12 to 13 minutes faster than she was planning. I know if she would have really pushed herself she could have beaten it by 40 minutes or even an hour. But her goal was to finish...and that she did.

I love you Letha and am so proud of what you accomplished.

I'm not for either...

of our candidates. I am sick and tired of hearing some people act like Obama is going to save our way of life. Reality check people...it's going to get a LOT worse before it even thinks about getting better.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081030/ap_on_el_ge/fact_check_obama_ad

I haven't done a whole lot of digging on either candidate and I am not sure I'll be voting for either of them (Mickey Mouse would be better in my opinion).

Obama says we need change but doesn't really explain how that change is going to happen (see link above to see how much CHANGE is going to cost us).

McCain keeps saying he's been seasoned for the job with the tough job he's done in Washington. Yet he supports what we are doing in Iraq. Sorry, McCain we shouldn't be trying to force democracy down people's throat...no matter how much we want to. Vietnam didn't work and this won't either.

We started the mess in Iraq, we just need to stay there long enough to get something in place so we can leave and it not be taken over by radicals. I don't even care if it's a democracy or not.

I am sick of politics, both our candidates and the downfall of our great country because a few people are just THAT stupid.

The president can't to anything all by himself, he's needs other people in Washington and Washington has sold us down river without a paddle...

Animal the Speedster?

My wife made me laugh a bunch this morning by forwarding on this blog about a crazy muppet...

http://arbroath.blogspot.com/2008/10/german-police-seek-speeding-british.html

A return to form...

I can remember being little and watching Clint Eastwood movies. KELLY'S HEROES, numerous westerns, the DIRTY HARRY movies and one of my personal favorites of his HEARTBREAK RIDGE.

He has only gotten better (as a director and actor) since I've grown into a real movie fan. LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA is one of the best war movies...one of the best MOVIES period.

I had heard his latest movie was being kept under close wraps, that is until the trailer came out in the last couple of days.

It looks like old Clint is back...

Enjoy!

Anyone know...

of a good girl recording artist?

I would like to pick up some music by a woman. I would prefer that the sound was more tame than balls to the wall.

I enjoy Michelle Branch for her voice not necessarily for her sound. I want to hear something that is almost relaxing.

John Peddie or Troy Myers are the ones I expect to chime in first, but I want everyone's opinion.

Thanks!

Congratulations...

to my brother David and his wife Jennifer.

It has been 15 years ago today, that they took their vows (while I was in Washington D.C., still can't say sorry enough...but I did get to meet Sean Astin :-D and I was back in time for the reception).

Congratulations, you are an inspiration.

Hey...at least Mike didn't do what the guy below this post did...

Watch...

laugh and enjoy...and then thank me later(or thank my wife as she was the one who sent this to me). :-D

Movies...

that I have seen recently!


I finally found the time to watch THE KINGDOM. The movie stars Jamie Foxx and was directed by Peter Berg. Interesting movie that was saved by it's action sequences. I really enjoyed Ridley Scott's directing in BLACK HAWK DOWN and this movie reminded me of that one, action wise. The story is a little on the slow side but makes up for it anytime there is gun play (very realistic - or so it seemed to me) or explosions.


2.5 stars out of five

Then I think I made a mistake. I watched BODY OF LIES the same night as THE KINGDOM (both take place in the Middle East). This movie was also really interesting, as does the previous movie, it shows a little of both sides of the story. Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe are fantastic and the directing is top notch (another movie by Ridley Scott). I just wish they would have edited it down a bit. I don't need to watch people drive EVERYWHERE.



2.5 stars out of five

Then comes one of those films that is fun, gross and sweet all within 90 minutes. NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST is that movie. I do wonder what this movie would have been like without Michael Cera. He was good in it, but I think this movie would have found it's audience if it were in the art circuit. The movie is a lot of fun as you watch the main characters interact. This is going to be like EMPIRE RECORDS and a whole bunch of movie that are fun and involve a lot of music, it's going to live through DVD and be a cult smash. My favorite thing about this movie is how tastefully they handle the only "sex scene" in the movie. It keeps with the innocence of the film.

3.5 out of five

If you are looking for a movie to watch I recommend all three of these. KINGDOM for action, BODY for drama and NICK AND NORAH'S for comedy.

Enjoy!

I haven't watched SNL for a while...

but maybe I should start again. Enjoy the following videos, I know I did: