Go Tar Heels!!!!

Great game by UNC to win the NCAA Division I basketball championship.

I still can't figure out how Wayne Ellington was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four™ instead of Ty Lawson.

Lawson outscored Ellington and his 8 steals in championship game set a record.

Meet the Coach

My oldest three girls all started softball this morning with H.E.A.D. (Home Educators Association of Dallas). The middle two are playing T-Ball, and the oldest is playing Coach Pitch. I am one of the two coaches for that group. We don't have enough kids to make up even one team, so for now, we're just teaching some skills. We're hoping that more kids will come out in the next couple of weeks so that they can actually play some competitive games.

My oldest got hit in the head twice this morning. The first time, it was just one of those things that happens. She missed the ball when it was thrown to her, and it hit her right in front of her left ear. The second time, she was afraid of getting hit in the head, so she turned away at the wrong moment. In her effort to avoid getting hit, she wound up getting smacked in the back of her head. She is fine, if a little sore.

Not quite the ending I had hoped for

Congratulations to Penn State. The Nittany Lions played terrific perimeter defense to hinder Baylor's 3-point shooting most of the night. I would have loved my Bears to win the NIT, but I am proud of the way they pulled things together for the Big XII tournament and this one.

Back in Pain

I have a spot between my left shoulder blade and my spine that hurts on occasion. It feels like the muscle are completely knotted up. the past few days have been one of the painful occurrences. I think I am in serious need of a massage. If that doesn't take care of it, I may have to break down and go to a chiropractor.

Sic 'Em Bears

I went to the Dallas unofficial Baylor watching location for tonight's National Invitational Tournament's semi-final game with San Diego State University.

Ran into an old college fraternity brother, and thoroughly enjoyed watching the game with dozens of fellow Baylor Alums.

It's a Wonderful Life

Not just the title of my favorite movie, the heading of this post is pretty much true for me, as well. I have been blessed by God with a loving, supportive wife and four beautiful and smart daughters. My parents did a great job raising me and my brother and sister. My siblings are genuinely nice people who are always willing to listen and lend whatever support they can.

Unlike George Bailey, I wouldn't want to know how the world might have been different had I never been born, but more importantly, I wouldn't want to know how my life would have been different if any of the important people in my life hadn't come along.

Short Update

I'm still out here. Life has been hectic since November. No excuse for not at least posting a little now and then.

Work is work.

Family is fine.

Life is good.

I'll post more later after I get home from rehearsal.

Hope in Waco

My beloved Baylor Bears blew out they-who-must-be-hated, the Texas A&M Aggies. Maybe, this time, the program will be able to turn it around and become competitive in the Big XII. I have no delusions that we will ever be able to fight for a Division and Conference Title on a year-in, year-out basis, but there's no good reason why we can't get to the point of being bowl eligible every year.

2008 Presidential Election Prediction

After I did so well four years ago, I hesitate to put my prognostication skills to the test again, but here goes:

I foresee a win for Senator Obama, but not by nearly the margin that many predict. I have Obama winning 22 states plus the District of Columbia. That means Senator McCain will win more states (28) but they won't be the right ones to get him to 270 Electoral Votes. I have Obama at 273 EVs and McCain at 265. I believe the most EVs Obama will get is 291

If McCain does not win Virginia, I believe it's all over. I have never believed the possibility of flipping Pennsylvania, so McCain must win VA/FL/NC/OH/IN. Then, he has to pull out Colorado because I think New Mexico is a lost cause.

Here are the states I am calling for Obama with their Electoral Votes in parentheses:

California (55)
Colorado (9)
Connecticut (7)
Delaware (3)
District of Columbia (3)
Hawaii (4)
Iowa (7)
Illinois (21)
Maine (4)
Maryland (10)
Massachusetts (12)
Michigan (17)
Minnesota (10)
New Hampshire (4)
New Jersey (15)
New Mexico (5)
New York (31)
Oregon (7)
Pennsylvania (21)
Rhode Island (4)
Vermont (3)
Washington (11)
Wisconsin (10)

The iMac is Back

After going with the family to story time at Borders, we headed over to the Apple Store to pick up my iMac. Hurrah!

Initial Debate Reaction

John McCain needs to talk to the camera and not directly to Jim Lehrer.

His looking off to the right is off-putting.

Barack Obama sure does stammer a lot and uses the verbal filler "uh" too much.

Wonders never cease

Lo, and behold, they restored access to blogger at work. Just discovered this toward the end of my lunch hour.

Computer Woes

The logic board on our iMac has gone bad. Again. We had it replaced last November, but the new one has gone bad, too. It isn't under warranty.

Even with the cost of the repair, it is cheaper to repair than to replace.

Health Update

Went to the Doctor on Friday. I had lost 15 pounds since March. Cholesterol was down to 142. Bad Cholesterol is down to 88.

Doctor was happy. I'm happy.

I still need to lose about 50-60 pounds, but I've made a start.

Well, that went well

After that promise to start being more regular in blogging, I disappeared for a while again. Work has been nuts. We are short an attorney in our Division, so I've basically been doing the work of 2 people for about a month. We get our replacement on the 29th, and then once I get him trained, I can get back to only handling my duties.

Also, the powers that be at the office have once again blocked our access to much of the internet, so blogging on my lunch hour is much more difficult.