Poor Trapper

The dog is old and already suffers from some dementia. And now this.

We gave all the dogs baths & manicures over the weekend, but Ed got the clippers out and decided to give Trapper a haircut. He really needed it -- probably hadn't had a haircut since they got back from New Hampshire last winter.

Well, the clippers got too close once or twice, so Ed had to even it out. Oh man, did he ever even it out. The dog was a drama queen before, but now he shivers uncontrollably at times. If you look close enough, you can see some hair starting to grow back.

So that's why he's wearing a coat (which was bought for New Hampshire winters, not Virginia winters). Now if we could only do something about his breath.

Space Shuttle Atlantis flight postponed

And why do I care? First, I love everything about the space program. Second, I would fly on that thing in a heartbeat. Third, I was hoping we'd get to see it blast off from the Celebrity Millenium from somewhere in the Eastern Caribbean at 6:30 a.m. on March 15.

But because of hail damage to the external tank from a freak thunderstorm yesterday, they're going to wheel Atlantis back to the assembly building for repairs, which means no liftoff until late April at the earliest.

You don't suppose I could plan another cruise, do you?

Atlantis photo courtesy of NASA

This made my eyes hurt ...

... Talk about a lot going on in a hurry ...

Click here

Amazing Race All-Stars, Episode 2

"Miserable game, this Race."

Yet Rob and Amber are still in first place. Those words were spoken by Rob when he and Amber and Danny and Oswald missed a flight because their previous flight was delayed, moving them from first to last. Despite that, they take the leg anyway, winning 2 motorcycles after winning a trip last week. I think they are on this earth just to annoy me. Though it was nice to see there might be a crack in their bliss.

Kevin and Drew were eliminated. I had been a fan of the two in the past, but I think it was a good thing they were ousted Sunday. Drew was a whiner, didn't follow directions and seemed to quit late in the leg. He even tried to show up Phil on the mat. Very uncomfortable indeed. I felt sorry for Kevin.

And how Kentucky (the coal miners) got on this show perplexes me. Neither one seems very bright and seems to have learned nothing from past shows. Yet they are still alive. And if it's possible, Myrna and Chmyrna are getting more annoying by the day.

I'm still cheering for Danny and Oswald. Team Guido and Eric and Danielle have surprised me, though Eric's road block in the boardroom took FOREVER. He did not have an eye for detail.

Can't wait til next week. Then I'll have to catch up on 2 episodes when I get back from my cruise.

The Madness that is March

Hmmm. Dilemma. Selection Sunday for the men's NCAA Tournament is next Sunday, March 11. We'll be on a boat headed for the Dominican Republic when all the teams are announced, and we'll be in St. Thomas when the Tournament begins the following Thursday.

The problem is this: We'll be there, they'll be here. Along with the brackets. The brackets that myself and about 500 of my closest friends fill out to try and win about $3,000.

Unless we are able to fax our picks or send them by computer, this may be the first year in many that we aren't entered in the pool. I know Wisconsin's Bucky the Badger will be very upset.

But hey, sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

Let it snow II

This is our house and road at 1 p.m. ET. About 5 inches of snow on the ground. I just got done shoveling the driveway, and it's still snowing. But at least we can get the cars out.

I just hope Ed can get out of work before the masses that travel on Sunday nights hit the road. It's supposed to change to sleet and freezing rain any time now. And then be 45 tomorrow.

What a mess. But a pretty mess.

Cruisin' III

Two weeks from today. And it can't get here soon enough. I just hope the weather we're going through now stays away the weekend we leave. What it does after that I don't give a crap. Just get me on that boat...

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow ...

Only this time it wasn't supposed to be snow. It was supposed to be all freezing rain and sleet. But now we're supposed to get 3-6 inches of snow before we get a 1/2-inch glaze of ice on top of it. Yippee.

The picture is looking out the side door, near the driveway, this morning. It is quite pretty.

Chad Vader -- Day Shift Manager

These are hilarious. Six YouTube episodes so far, more to come. This link will take you to all of them.

Chad Vader

The Ice Storm cometh

Granted, this photo is from 1886, but if you listened to the weather people around here, tomorrow is going to be the end of the world -- again.

Another big ice storm is coming. I will say the weather people were pretty much right on with the last storm, so maybe people are paying more attention this time. Or not.

In any case, I'm not going near a grocery store today. Thank God I got that out of the way yesterday.

This is freaky, but cool

Hit this link, let it load and keep on clicking.

Dancing with the Stars lineup announced

I've never been a big fan of the show, but I know Ed watches it alot. Dancing With the Stars announced its lineup Wednesday for the show that premieres March 18 on ABC:

Ian Ziering: From 1990s' hit Beverly Hills 90210.
Heather Mills: Lord knows she doesn't need the money after divorcing Paul McCartney.
Laila Ali: Undefeated boxing pro and daughter of heavyweight legend Muhammad Ali.
Billy Ray Cyrus: One hit wonder country singer.
Clyde Drexler: 6-foot-7 former NBA star.
Joey Fatone: Former 'N Sync boy band member.
Shandi Finnessey: Miss USA 2004 and co-host of the Game Show Network's Lingo.
Leeza Gibbons: Former Entertainment Tonight co-host.
Apolo Anton Ono: Two-time Olympic gold medalist in short-track skating.
Vincent Pastore: Best known for playing whacked mobster Salvatore (Big Pussy) Bonpensiero on The Sopranos.
Paulina Porizkova: Czech-born '80s supermodel.

The winner will be crowned on May 22.

Cruisin' II

Slowly but surely, the day draws near. Our cruise of the Eastern Caribbean aboard the Celebrity Millenium starts March 11. But we went ahead an booked our excursions to make sure we got what we wanted.

Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic: A kayak adventure.
San Juan, Puerto Rico: City tour and a tour of the Bacardi distillery. Now that should be fun!
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas: Tram tour of the city and PARASAILING!!! I've always wanted to parasail. Can't wait.
Bahamas: Blackbeard's Cay Beach Break. Sitting on the beach will be a nice way to end our cruise.

I know we'll have a great time with Cheryl and Val. My softball friends, Tim and Jim, arranged the cruise about a year ago. There are four or five other couples going, but the only other couple we know are Quag and Todd.

Should be interesting, to say the least.

Life explained

'Nuff said.

Holy crap!

Worked out with a trainer today (you get two free sessions when you join Gold's Gym). All I can say is it's only early afternoon, I have yet to go to work, and I hurt.

But it's a good hurt. And if I do what this guy did to me when I'm supposed to do it, I better look like Charles frigging Atlas.

Working my fat ass off

Another day, another trip to the gym.

I went to the doctor in early January, and when he put me on the scales, that's all it took. I weighed 189, the most I've weighed in many years. I lost 20-25 pounds almost four years ago, but gained that back and then some.

But going to the gym every day and cutting down on what I eat have worked wonders. I'm now down to 177 -- eventually I want to get down to between 160-165.

It also helps that we have a cruise coming up in less than three weeks, and softball season will be following close behind -- and that will be the barometer that tells me if all my work has been for nothing.

More updates to come.

Amazing Race All-Stars

It's back, and not a moment too soon. The Amazing Race, to me, is the best show on television. You've got a little of everything -- comedy, drama, catfights, you travel the world for free -- and in the end you win $1 million. Now that's the life.

Episode 1 was great. It was good to see host Phil Koegan and some old faces again. Everybody hates Rob and Amber (pictured) and think their 15 minutes have turned into about 3 hours. I agree. Please, somebody, get these people real jobs. They've turned Survivor and AR into their own cable channel for God's sake. And they finished first Sunday night!!! I'm so jealous. That should be Ed and I.

I'm really surprised John Vito and Jill were eliminated. They were too. But they got lost, went to a wrong entrance and that cost them. I thought Myrna and Chymrna might go first, or baldies Kevin and Drew.

I'm cheering for Danny and Oswald (team Cha-Cha-Cha) and Kentucky (even though appear to be as Kentucky as the last time they were on). Please get rid of Terry and Ian (though I understand them a little better knowing he used to be an undercover cop). And need I say more about the Beauty Queens? They're blond for goodness sake.

Kevin and Drew were highlights: Drew getting passed by little person Charla while racing to a clue, Drew driving on a flat tire and rim, and this exchange:

Drew: "Peru is nice. It's beautiful out."
Kevin: "I'm sure it's nice in Peru. We're in Ecuador."

Can't wait til next week, which looks GREAT.

It's 2:26 a.m. ...

... and I'm wide awake. Woke up out of a dead sleep at 1:30. Don't think Ed has a clue I'm in the other room watching Magnum Force, one of Clint Eastwood's better "Dirty Harry" movies, of which I'm a big fan.

Gives me time to think about what I'll do today before I go to work. Probably not much and probably what I do everyday here lately -- go to the gym.

Dogs have been up & down with me tonight, too, though they're all asleep right now. Where I should be.

Universally loved -- and hated

This man probably saved -- and ended -- a lot of marriages.

BOISE (AP) — Hit the mute button for a moment of silence: The co-inventor of the TV remote, Robert Adler, has died.

Adler, who won an Emmy Award with fellow engineer Eugene Polley for the device that made the couch potato possible, died Thursday of heart failure at a Boise nursing home at 93, Zenith Electronics Corp. said. In his six-decade career with Zenith, Adler was a prolific inventor, earning more than 180 U.S. patents. He was best known for his 1956 Zenith Space Command remote control, which helped make TV a truly sedentary pastime.

In a May 2004 interview with The Associated Press, Adler recalled being among two dozen engineers at Zenith given the mission to find a new way for TV viewers to change channels without getting out of their chairs or tripping over a cable. But he downplayed his role when asked if he felt his invention helped raise a new generation of couch potatoes.

"People ask me all the time — 'Don't you feel guilty for it?' And I say that's ridiculous," he said. "It seems reasonable and rational to control the TV from where you normally sit and watch television."

True, so very true. Here's to Robert Adler, for whom all true TV fans owe a debt of gratitude.

Five miles up and lives to tell about it

Wow. Somebody was definitely looking out for this woman.

A German champion paraglider says she survived being lifted higher than Mount Everest by a thunderstorm that killed a Chinese paraglider in eastern Australia. Paragliding 2005 World Cup winner Ewa Wisnierska, 35, says she was lifted 32,612 feet above sea level by a storm Wednesday near Manilla in New South Wales state while preparing for the 10th FAI World Paragliding Championships next week. Everest tops out at 29,035 feet.

The Sydney Morning Herald said Wisnierska told Australian radio that doctors think she's still alive because she passed out for a while, slowing her bodily functions.

Australia has had some real whoppers lately. Last month, a diver in Australia was spit out by a shark who tried to swallow him.

Cruisin'

Three weeks from Sunday we'll be flying to Fort Lauderdale to board the Celebrity Millenium on a 7-night Eastern Carribean cruise.

Ed and I are going with my sister Cheryl and her other half Val -- and maybe as many as 10 other gay couples, some of which I know from playing softball. Cheryl and Val have never cruised before, but I know they are going to have a great time. For Ed and I, it will be our third cruise -- our first two were on Carnival.

We'll be stopping in Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; and Nassau, Bahamas.

Can't wait, especially considering the weather we're having on the East Coast right. It's 29 in D.C., which I suppose is a heat wave in some parts of the country. And my nephew, Josh, is coming from Little Rock to watch the dogs. That'll save us a couple hundred dollars taking the dogs to the kennel, not to mention the dogs will be much happier at home.

The picture above is Ed with Ronald McDonald in St. Maarten on our last cruise. Does't he look butch in all his Nationals attire?

But seriously -- is there anyplace in the world that doesn't have the Golden Arches?

Funny picture

I was just going through some old iPhoto pictures and found this picture of Bailey. She hates the camera, so getting this shot was pretty lucky.

Spring has sprung!

Pitchers and catchers have reported! Nevermind Puxatawney Phil, the real first indicator of spring is when baseball's start filling the air in Florida and Arizona.

Which brings me to my Chicago Cubs. They seem to make the news for the darndest things.

1. The Cubs announced that Wrigley Field would start putting advertisements on the 12-foot doors in the ballpark’s right- and left-field ivy-covered brick walls. Under Armour will be first. I guess it's OK, but if they start putting Victoria's Secret out there, a line will have been crossed.

2. Pitcher Carlos Zambrano backtracked on his statement that he would leave the Cubs if he didn't have a new contract by the end of spring training. Something about being misunderstood or having his comments misconstrued. While I'm in "Big Z's" corner, the guy needs to admit that he said what he said.

3. Kerry Wood. I love you man. But what else could possibly go wrong? Since the 2003 National League Championship Series you and Mark Prior have carried -- and dropped -- the hopes of a lot of Cubs fans. And now Wood gets hurt falling out of a hut tub. He says it's nothing serious, but being a Cub fan I'm already starting to worry.

The cartoon, courtesy of the late Charles Shulz, carries the feelings of a lot of Cubs fans over the years.

Tim Hardaway

My but he doeth protest too much.

Retired Miami Heat guard Tim Hardaway said Wednesday that he hates gay people, though he later said he regretted the remarks.

"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people," he said while a guest on Sports Talk 790 The Ticket. "I'm homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."

The discussion was sparked by last week's announcement that retired NBA center John Amaechi is gay.

Hardaway was working for the NBA, but has reportedly been removed from further league-related appearances. "It is inappropriate for him to be representing us given the disparity between his views and ours," NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a statement to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Smart man, that David Stern. Hardaway? What an idiot. I hope nobody's in the way when the hinges come flying off that closet because somebody will get hurt.

Cubs and "Big Z"

Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano has told the team if he doesn't have a new contract by Opening Day, he'll play the season out and become a free agent.

Arrogance? Maybe. But he seems to be a smart guy. In a time when Mark Prior and Kerry Wood were supposed to be the cornerstones of the team for years, "Big Z" turned out to be the ace. Zambrano went 16-7 with a 3.41 ERA in 2006. For his career he's 64-42 with a 3.29 ERA in 977 innings. Zambrano and the Cubs are currently due to go to salary arbitration Feb. 20, with Zambrano seeking $15.5 million and the Cubs offering $11.025 million.

Cubs' GM Jim Hendry forked over $300 million in the offseason, signing Alfonso Soriano, Ted Lilly and Aramis Ramirez to big contracts. And now Zambrano wants Barry Zito money (seven-years, $126 million with the Giants).

I don't blame him for wanting to sign now. Teams are paying big for little or no talent, and Zambrano is one of the best pitchers in baseball. What if he gets hurt this season? His value would sink -- a lot. The old saying is strike while the iron is hot. And after you've spent $300 million already, what's a few more million?

Sign him, NOW. Or like Greg Maddux, it could come back to haunt us for years.

Westminster Dog Show scandal

This is Boomer, the dog that should have won Best in Show on Tuesday night at the Westminster Dog Show. Last year he made it to the final round, but this year he was third in the non-sporting group.

Diamond Jim, an English Springer Spaniel, took Best in Show, beating out a Dandie Dinmont, a pair of white poodles, a petit basset griffon vendeen, an Akita and a Bouviers des Flandres.

Happy V.D.!

How's this for a Valentine's Day card?

Snow update IV

Well, the world as we know it still exists. The doom and gloom predictions were wrong again. We ended up with about 2 inches of sleet -- which is not bad considering how many trees are in and around my yard. Had we got the freezing rain that they were calling for, we might have ended up with limbs in and on our house. At least the dogs are having fun in this mess.

Here's a picture of the homestead.

It sucks because I really wanted the foot of snow they were calling for a week ago. I guess if I want to see that much snow I need to go to New England, where the storm is heading now -- or upstate New York. Man, more than 100 inches of snow. The D.C. area would be shut down for weeks. As it is, schools and airports are closed today. But then they sometimes close down if there's a forecast of snow.

Off to the gym I go ...

Nationals Presidents Races

Man would that be fun. The Washington Nationals are looking for part-time performers to run in their famous Presidents Races that they do between innings at RFK Stadium. Kind of a takeoff on the Racing Sausages at Miller Park in Milwaukee. If my schedule allowed it, trust me, I'd be there.

But I can say that the Nationals mascot, Screech, is one of the worst in professional sports. When you say Screech, how many people think of Saved by the Bell? Exactly. It's supposed to be a baby Eagle, but it looks like a fat, furry gremlin. Here's a picture of both. You decide.

*Speaking of baseball, and I'm always speaking of baseball, it's 47 days, 17 hours 40 minutes until Opening Day and 15 days, 19 hours, 35 minutes

until the first spring game. Can't wait.

Schottenheimer gets hosed

After five seasons, a 14-2 record and a playoff berth in 2006, Marty Schottenheimer is out as coach of the San Diego Chargers.

One month after saying he'd be back for the final year of his contract, the team basically said it was Schottenheimer's fault that offensive coordinator Cam Cameron left to become head coach of the Dolphins and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips left to become head coach of the Cowboys.

“That is absolutely unfair in my view,” Schottenheimer told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “We had no control over two guys who became head coaches in this league."

Team president Dean Spanos cited a "dysfunctional situation" between Schottenheimer and general manager A.J. Smith. Hogwash. The two just plain didn't get along, and because of that, things snowballed. What sucks for Schottenheimer is that all the coaching vacancies in the NFL are now filled, so Marty will be out of a job for at least a season -- unless he ends up on TV, where most ex-coaches seem to go.

It's not the first time Schottenheimer has been hosed. He was coach of the Washington Redskins in 2001, leading them to an 8-8 record -- after starting 3-8. When Redskins owner Danny Boy Snyder had a chance to hire Steve Spurrier, Schottenheimer took the fall.

And we all know how the Spurrier experiment worked out.

Photo courtesy Getty Images

Snow update III

The way everybody is talking, the world as we know it will end Tuesday night. Now they are calling for a major ice storm in the D.C. area. Snow all night tonight and tomorrow, with major ice accumulations overnight into Wednesday. We are under a winter storm watch, which like I said before means absolutely nothing.

My sister says Des Moines is going to get 6-7 inches of snow. Lucky bastards.

Whaddya bet the TV forecasters in all the major cities have some kind of kickback scheme with grocery stores? That's the only possible answer for the milk, bread and toilet paper crowd. The photo at right is how the world is going to look come Wednesday. Be prepared.

The King of Softball dies

Eddie Feigner, possibly the greatest softball pitcher ever, died Feb. 9 in Huntsville, Ala. He was 81.

As "The King and His Court," Feigner barnstormed the world for 55 years starting in 1946, with a team that was nearly unbeatable. Feigner threw a softball harder than any major league pitcher has ever thrown a baseball, with his underhand fastball once timed at 104 mph — some accounts had it as high as 114. The fastest pitch thrown by a major league pitcher is 103 mph.

Check out this New York Sun article: http://www.nysun.com/article/48462

Snow update II

So it begins. Now the fearless weather forecasters in the D.C. area are calling for 2-4 inches of snow on Tuesday with sleet and freezing rain. Grrrreeeeaaattt! So much for the foot of snow I was hoping for. We'll be lucky to get an inch.

How is it people who are wrong more than 50% of the time still get paid gazillions of dollars? Only in America ...

Pitchers and catchers ...

... It's almost time for baseball. And because I'm such a baseball nut, here's a shot of me and my sister Cheryl at the Metrodome in Minneapolis last season. Not much to cheer about that weekend. The Twins swept my Cubbies. (But notice the Asian couple behind us hoarding in on our picture. They must have been Twins fans. But I digress.)

But of course this year is going to be different for the Cubs. Again.

Snow update

OK. It's Sunday, and a winter storm watch has been issued for Tuesday through Wednesday in the D.C. area. Which means we'll probably get nothing from something they are starting to call "a significant winter event." A N'oreaster is going to crank up off the East Coast they say. They must be right because I went to the grocery store today and everybody was already going crazy.

I'm sorry people -- you might be stuck at home a day or two. I don't think cleaning the store out of MB&TP is necessary. Like I said before -- talk to me when we get what upstate New York is getting. Or even Iowa. But then this is the same area where people just park their cars and desert them when it snows. Really.

Softball season closes in

I actually, for a fleeting moment or two, thought about cutting down on my softball this season. I usually play in 2-3 leagues every season, which runs spring through fall. But because of my work schedule, I figured I'd go ahead and play. My schedule used to screw me up every year because I worked early on Sundays, and our league play was always on Sunday afternoon. But now I don't have to worry about that.

I coach my work team, and we play on Saturday mornings in Montgomery County, Md. (That's us above after winning the Metropolitan Media Softball League tournament last July -- www.mediasoftball.net). Playing in the MMSL was never a problem because I'm always off on Saturday. But the team that I'm really competitive with is the team I play for on Sundays, NITRO. We're a part of the Chesapeake and Potomac Softball League (www.capsoftball.org), which is a part of NAGAAA (North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance -- www.nagaaasoftball.org).

We had our preseason meeting Friday and it really went well. We decided to keep the name NITRO. (Some people thought we should change because they thought it was bad luck. Whatever.) We lost a couple of players, but we're also gaining a couple really good players, one from Boston and one from our own league who played last season for the Metz. We also voted to play in tournaments in Philadelphia (Memorial Day weekend, and we can drive!) and Chicago (pre-July 4 weekend. I can't wait!) The World Series this year is in Phoenix and has been moved to October because of the heat (the Series is usually scheduled in August). CAPS league play begins in May. Practice begins in March.

That's me in the photo at left at the 2003 World Series, which was held in Washington, D.C.

Just Jack

This is Jack Munz with his dad Chris. They live in Maine with mom Julie Munz. Chris is Ed's little brother. I can't wait to finally meet Jack, who I of course consider my nephew.

Jack appears to be a very happy child, though I know he -- and his father -- would look much better in Bears shirts. The Nationals hat Chris is wearing is a good one, though it's sad that the Nats are probably going to have a 100-loss season in 2007.

Pitchers and catchers are only 7-10 days away from reporting. It's 18 days, 21 hours, 10 minutes until the first spring game and 50 days, 19 hours, 16 minutes until Opening Day. This information courtesy www.bleedcubbieblue.com, the best Chicago Cubs blog on the planet.

And check out Chris' blog at www.therecreationist.blogspot.com.

Trying to catch up

*OK, the local D.C. weather people are already scaring everybody to get to the grocery stores as quickly as possible to snatch up all the milk, bread and toilet paper available; schools I'm sure are already getting ready to close. A snowstorm that could bring "significant accumulations" to the area is forecast for Tuesday. Um, "significant accumulations" around here is 6 inches or more. Been to Oswego, N.Y., lately? I'll bet they could tell you a lot about "significant accumulations." About 7 feet worth. Talk about needing all the milk, bread and toilet paper you can find. I never understood why people around here freaked out at the grocery store. Now if I lived in upstate New York I could understand it. Check out this Associated Press photo from www.usatoday.com:

*Didn't get a chance to blog on Friday. Survivor: Fiji looks like it's going to be pretty good. Like my sister said, there are already a couple of people to dislike, but I'll give them more time. I watched it after work Thursday night, then before I had a chance to think about it, deleted it from the DVR. I knew immediately what a Dora move that was. Ed didn't get to see it because he was watching Ugly Betty. Can you say ooops?

*Been back in the gym every day this week. I wasn't going to go today, but after talking to Ed, I think I probably will head that way. We don't really have anything planned as of yet, so off I go.

John Amaechi comes out

It's nice to see an athlete come out of the closet on his own terms. It's just too bad former NBA center John Amaechi had to wait until he retired to do it. Amaechi is coming out on ESPN's Outside the Lines on Sunday. Amaechi's autobiography, Man In The Middle, comes out Feb. 14 and is published by ESPN Books.

Most of the reaction to Amaechi's coming out has been positive. But then you have the reactions of two current NBA players, LeBron James and Shavlik Randolph:

Said James: "With teammates you have to be trustworthy, and if you're gay and you're not admitting that you are, then you are not trustworthy. So that's like the No. 1 thing as teammates: We all trust each other. You've heard of the in-room, locker-room code. What happens in the locker room stays in there."

Randolph said he was OK with it, "as long as you don't bring your gayness on me."

Ignorance on so many levels.

It will be nice when a professional male athlete comes out while he is still playing. Guys like Dave Kopay (NFL), Billy Bean and Glenn Burke (baseball) all came out after they had retired. But women such as tennis players Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, and Amelie Mauresmo are openly gay, as is WNBA player Sheryl Swoopes. Navratilova applauded Amaechi's courage. "It's hugely important for the kids so they don't feel alone in the world. We're role models."

Chris Bull, a good friend of mine who I have played many a game of softball with, is the ghost writer. Amaechi's book should be a good read. Bull also helped Bean write his autobiography, Going the Other Way. Bean went from the baseball diamonds to the softball diamonds and became a very, very good softball player. He's now one of the co-hosts of I've Got A Secret on Game Show Network.

Anna Nicole Smith

May she rest in peace. Talk about a family that's been through the ringer ...

Speaking of my sister Cheryl ...

... She too has joined the world of blogging. Check it out at www.chervablah.blogspot.com.

I can't wait for Amazing Race 11

http://www.tvgasm.com/audio/amazing_race_theme.mp3

Amazing Race All-Stars is only 10 days away. It is absolutely the best show on TV today. And the link above is to the best TV theme song today. Ed and I have entered Amazing Race three times; I also entered with my sister. But alas, there'll be no race for us. I just hope Rob and Amber DON'T win. Do not like Rob at all. And I can't believe there are no hippies. Oh well.

Ed and I will be doing the Urban Dare in D.C. in April. It's kind of like a mini-Amazing Race. We did the Urban Challenge a couple of times a few years ago, but it seems to have gone the way of the dinosaurs. Check it out at http://www.urbandare.com./

Don't forget Survivor: Fiji begins tonight. Between The Apprentice: L.A., Grease: You're the One That I Want, Desperate Housewives, House, American Idol and thank God, the return of Lost, I'll be parked in front of the TV for days (or my case, late nights). So much TV, so little time ...

I now have a shortstop

Of course trading Derek Jeter last season was an idiotic move on my part. But I at least tried to remedy that situation in my work league draft today by drafting Washington Nationals shortstop Cristian Guzman (he of the .200 batting average for most of 2005) and then trading Jon Garland of the White Sox for Carlos Guillen of the World Series runners-up Tigers. You know I can't even remember who I traded Jeter for. Talk about a Dumb Dora move ...

Here I sit all broken hearted ...

That sign is me and everybody who comes near me lately. A couple of months ago I switched from Metamucil to FiberSure (I was taking Metamucil for a medical condition from the '90s, and it's also good for bringing down cholesterol). It's nice not having to shovel a spoonful of orange-flavored sugar that tastes like bad Tang down your throat. And the FiberSure is tasteless, which makes it good for morning coffee. Even Ed decided to get healthy with a little bit of fiber each day.

Well, they don't tell you about the one side effect, which is unbelievable gas. Not smelly (thank God), but long, noisy farts that would knock anybody over who happened to be standing close. Lasts about 3-4 hours, then all is well again. Ask Ed. He'll tell you the same thing. Thank God I'm the early guy at work today and can sit here and fart in peace ...

Back to the gym ...

After shoveling the little bit of snow we did get today, it was back to the gym. Did a quick 40 minutes on the treadmill before doing some weight work and finishing off with 5 minutes on the rowing machine. Then had something called an "Extreme Blendz" smoothie that Gold's Gym has at its smoothie bar. Lots of varieties, but I missed the WARNING on the side of the cup: Drinking too quickly could cause BRAIN FREEZE! Well, no shi*t! What I didn't know is that you can cure brain freeze by putting your tongue to the roof of your mouth. It says so right on the cup ...

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow ...

Well we did get that snow overnight. About an inch. Enough to shovel the driveway a bit, but enough for Fairfax County schools to close? It stopped snowing about 5 a.m. I'm sure the roads were a little slippery, but hey, I think a 2-hour delay would have been fine. People are nuts here anytime the roads get even a little bit wet ...

Talk about random thoughts ...

... I've decided I'm going to keep a post open at work and just write down things that I happen to think about at that moment. And of course the idiocies of the people I work with.

*In the meantime, I found this sign that explains my feelings about the Cubs-White Sox rivalry in a nutshell. I cheer for all Chicago teams -- except the White Sox. I worship the Cubs and Bears, with the Blackhawks and Bulls close behind. But the White Sox? When the Cubs win the World Series this year, Chicago fans will know what a celebration is all about. I don't even count the 2005 World Series. Their fans really do remind me of Redskins fans. Truly, bitter people; sore losers. As Ken "Hawk" Harrelson would say (I can't believe I'm even mentioning him in my blog): "They gone."

*I've got to get back in the gym Wednesday. Missed a couple of days, part of it because of Sunday's Super Bowl party, and part because of the visit to H&R Block today. That didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would, and I didn't bring my workout stuff with me. I'm such a Dumb Dora because Gold's Gym is in the same little strip mall. Stupid reasons I know, but I've set a goal and plan to reach it. Got that cruise coming up, and then softball.

*Speaking of softball, check out www.mediasoftball.net. I'm the coach of the champions of the Metropolitan Media Softball League.

*One of my fantasy baseball leagues has started its draft. I just realized I need a shortstop. I can't go into the season with Ronny Cedeno, who probably won't even make the Cubs out of spring training this season. What the hell was I thinking trading away Derek Jeter last year??

*I asked my sister to check out my new blog and then asked what she thought of it. "Good, but a little long in places." Whatever Mary. She got spoiled by Ed's nice blog I guess: www.edwardmunz.com. Check it out. But you'll be back.

*So then Ed puts in his two-cents worth: "You might want to break it up a little." It's my blog, so I'll do it my way. I could just see what would happen if I told Ed how to do his blog. Hello Pot, this is kettle ... you are so black ...

The Tax Man Cometh

Well, at least in our house he comes in early February. And this year, besides paying for all the credit cards we swore we wouldn't run up last year, Ed and I going on a cruise of the Eastern Carribean. My sister and her other half and about 10 other gay couples are going to turn the Celebrity Millenium upside down. More them -- them being the 10 other couples -- than us for sure.

Still trying to get the hang of this blog stuff. It does seem like a pretty good way to pass the time. And it does help me vent a little. The Bears loss in the Super Bowl still has me a little steamed. And there's one guy at work -- a real ass -- who has done nothing but moan and groan about the Bears all season. Of course, he's a Saints fan, and still thinks the Saints are the better team. Hello!!!???? Did you see the NFC Championship Game? 39-14? I told him he reminded me of a Redskins fan and nearly went ballistic. Oh well. Some people ...

So is it really going to snow tonight? I guess we'll see. Supposed to get about an inch or two. It's only 20 degrees, so it's going to be a dry snow. My thing is, if it's going to be cold outside, why not have a foot of snow on the ground? I'm so in the minority on that one.

Only 54 days, 22 hours, 45 minutes until baseball's Opening Day. It can't/won't come soon enough.

Post Super Bowl XLI doldrums

So this is my first post on my first blog. The day after my Chicago Bears were basically crushed by the Indianapolis Colts 29-17 in a rainy Miami. We had a few people over, and we all had a very good time. Good food, lots of beer, not so good game. But it's like I told Ed (my other half of 15 years) -- it's not as bad as the Cubs losing the National League Championship Series to the Marlins in 2003. Five outs to go -- that was crushing. At least I was able to see Da Bears of Mike Ditka win Super Bowl XX in 1986 over the New England Patriots. Talk about a party -- I was president of the Zeta Eta chapter of Pi Kapa Alpha Fraternity at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

I'll get over this -- just in time for Spring Training, where I can turn my attention to the Cubs and my second favorite team, Washington Nationals. Can't wait for the Cubs to visit over July 4. And the new Nationals ballpark opens in 2008. Lots to look forward too ...