Pouting Peyton

All of New England is anxiously awaiting the annual return of the Manning face. Tune in this weekend and you're likely to spot it before the end of the first half.


Photos from Boston.com and the Boston Herald.

Just like Survivor baby - Outwit, Outplay, Outlast!

It wasn't pretty, but the Patriots hung in there and came away with the win against San Diego on Sunday. The Chargers may have more talented players, but in the end it was the calm demeanor of the Patriots and their coach that was the difference in this game. You could almost hear what was going through the Patriots' helmets on the sidelines - no need to panic - just stay loose, there's plenty of time - we've been here before and we know how to win. The Chargers looked tight, right down from the Coach to the kicker, and they had the dropped balls and mental mistakes to prove it I hope they enjoy their pro bowl. We're still on track for the only Bowl that matters. Bring on the Colts - can't wait to see the Manning face again!

Skip the movie; keep the poem

In my jet lag coma this weekend I struggled through "In Her Shoes" with Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette & Shirley MacLaine. My advice is to skip the movie and instead get the works of ee cummings from the library. The below poem is featured in the movie, and I've heard it at a few weddings as well.

i carry your heart with me

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)
i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

dutch treat

Just came back from a last minute trip to Amsterdam on business. I've been there a few times before, and always enjoy its charms with its skinny buildings lined up along the canals. It's a very liveable place with a nice quality of life - families live in the city center and kids play along the canals. This is the first real chance I've had to use my new christmas toy - I'm going to post a few of my favorite pictures that I took around the flower market.

crazy weather

Where did winter go? Here in New England it's been above freezing almost every day this winter. Trees are budding and the robins are still here. By mid-January, we should have gotten a few good snowstorms but everything so far has come down as rain. We're not the only ones with crazy weather going on. It seems our snow is getting stuck in Colorado where they clearly do not need it. Out West the Santa Ana winds nearly burned out Malibu barbie. It's enough to make you believe in global warming - check out this site for the climate project.

3 more games to glory...

Sunday was spent watching the Patriots manhandle the Jets. A classic struggle of master vs apprentice with Belichick taking Mangini to school - you may have spent your career training under this guy but it doesn't mean he taught you everything. My favorite moment was Wilfork's lumbering run towards the endzone - he was caught just shy of the promised land.

The Patriots have so much confidence in the playoffs you'd have to be nuts to bet against them. I know San Diego won big against us last year, but it wasn't the playoffs when the Pats season really starts. I'll take Tom Brady over Philip Rivers every time.

As for the other games, nobody came out like the Patriots and made a statement. The Colts were flat on offense although their defense finally returned from hiatus. As for the other games, they were a mess. You gotta feel for Romo though. If the kicker had made any attempt to block for him, he would have gotten the first down if not the TD. I was kinda hoping for a Cowboys Patriots Superbowl, with Big Bill vs Little Bill, and Bledsoe having to take over for an injured Romo. Would have made a great story

happy birthday baby

Today is Casey's 8th birthday and I'm missing my baby. Every birthday takes me by surprise - you hear people say they grow up so fast but you never really understand how true that is until you become a parent and watch a helpless little thing learn and grow and develop into a person right before your eyes.

Eight is a funny age - he's old enough now to play tackle football, but still needs a hug when he gets hurt. He's old enough to get embarrased by mom's rendition of the pussycat dolls, but still wants to sneak into mom & dad's bed for a snuggle. His favorite things are army tanks and teddy bears. His little kid innocence remains as we still watch out for Saint Nick and the tooth fairy, but he also gets great pleasure in shocking us with bad language he's picked up from friends and movies.

That's a big squash on the kid

Just watched last night's Letterman on tivo to see Artie Lange's segment. Artie was funny, but I couldn't focus on what he was saying because I kept staring at his GIANT head! On camera his head was so huge I kept thinking about Mr. Magoo. On the all-time giant head scale, Artie may have just beaten out the Jerry Lewis "steroids" head from a few years ago. I remember seeing that telethon and thinking we ought to have a side pot going for Jerry.

Other people with freakishly large heads include Dr. Phil, Starr Jones (who lost weight everywhere but her head), Nicole Ritchie and Nancy Reagan (walking bobbleheads). There are also several large head contenders in my own family including my son who at age 7 wears a men's large hockey helmet.

Live and let live

So another thing in the news bothered me today. In Massachusetts we allow gay marriage- it's been in place now for a couple of years and despite the ominous warnings, it has had little impact on my life. I have't heard about anyone marrying their sister or their dog so the slope must not have been as slippery as people suggested. So far so good, I'm happy, you're happy - but wait - there is a movement to have the issue of gay marriage go to a statewide vote. And on the last day of the legislature, they passed a vote to put it on the ballot.

From what I hear it was something that Gov Mitt Romney wanted passed to help him with his White House ambitions. But I think it's mean spirited to vote to take rights away from people. Gay couples want to keep the right to have their committed, loving relationships recognized, and we think it's a priority to take that away from them? Don't we have more important battles folks - like homelessness, bad schools, high taxes, drugs, gun violence, etc.

The measure now needs to be approved by the new legislative session. Note to our new Mass legislators - Just drop it and let people live their lives the best way they know how. If you want to champion the will of the people and the importance of voter ballot initiatives, how about giving us that income tax repeal we approved instead. It would be more beneficial than picking on families.

Troops pay for own body armor

Today I listened to a caller on Howard Stern that really upset me. The woman works at a law enforcement supply store and said that about a quarter of their business now comes from soldiers or their families buying bullet proof vests and other items that the US military isn't supplying to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. These soldiers have to pay out of their own pocket to get protection while fighting for our country!

I heard about this story a few years ago as the war effort ramped up, but assumed it was all better by now. I can't believe we are still sending these young kids over there without the right equipment to keep them safe. I did some google research and found a couple of "reasons" for the shortage - a supply ordering mistake, holdups in manufacturing, whatever - there is no excuse for letting this continue. I'm going to contact my congressman and try to get more info.

Just another example of Howard Stern's range - it's not always lesbians and retards.

Back to the bump & grind

So today I jumped back onto the gerbil wheel after a few days spent enjoying my pity party. Up before 5, grab a quickie & a shower, get moving to meet BIL by quarter of six - but he fumbles the pass again. It's my turn to drive so I gotta keep the eyelids open and don't let myself get hypnotized by the rhythmic blur of jersey barriers in the HOV lane.

It's time to crank up the organ grinder while I throw these bowling balls in the air and start jugglin'. You'd think with the markets being closed for President Ford we could ease into the new year, but no such luck. Its a "good" busy though- means we're having a hell of a year - let's hope we see the fruits on the W-2.

The brain is a wonderful organ. It starts working the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get into the office.
Robert Frost
US poet (1874 - 1963)

How was your New Year's Eve?

Hopefully you fared better than these poor people:

Woman charged with malicious castration Of course it's malicious - have you ever heard of benevolent castration?

Woman swallows spoon in laughing fit Wow that's some gag reflex on her!

Six gored as water buffalo crashes wedding Another copycat crime from a Vince Vaughn movie.

Flatulence allegedly sparks jail fight I'm surprised we haven't seen this headline more often.

Woman fakes kidnapping to avoid work Haven't we all wanted to do this at some point?

Man trapped upside down in drain trying to find keys. Looks like somebody else could use a lanyard, eh!