End of March 2009

Boy it seems like I have just been busy lately. My bracket is pretty much officially busted for March Madness. I had the best bracket out of everyone going into the elite 8 but that is where everything crumbled. There have been several times when I could have been sleeping but was watching the game instead. Villanova is looking good right now. Next years team to follow and ride deep into the tourney? Kansas, they had NO seniors this year, they will be a tourney tested tough team next year.

I missed last week episode of Lost. Yeah, I know, I'm pretty disappointed about it but I went to turn it on at 10 PM Sunday just like I always do only to realize that at 2 AM Sunday morning it was daylight savings time in Europe (it is AFN Europe that we get over here). One of the guys is going to try and download it on iTunes so we can watch it but I guess I am glad I read the spoilers already.

Finally pulled my big toenail off. It had a bruise under it for the past 7 or 8 weeks and was starting to come off on its own but hey, I did what any guy would do and ripped it off. OK, that is not entirely true. The first time I tried to pull it off a couple of days ago, I started going into shock. You know, light headed and dizzy and queazy in the stomach. Guess it wasn't ready then.

Well, that's about everything that's been going on here.

Currently

Well, a few days ago I posted some thoughts about the NCAA March Madness Tournament before I filled out my bracket. I ended up doing 2 brackets for 2 different Yahoo groups, 1 with the people I work with (office pool type) and 1 with the Seattle Times. I was sick and got no sleep for about 3 days before the tournament and have tried to watch as many of the games as I could, which made for some very late night since the UW Huskies didn't play until after midnight both days. Here are some stats so far:

• I am currently 1st in one of the Yahoo groups. I think I might be able to stay there.


• I am tied for 3rd in the other. I probably won't stay there.


• If Missouri goes deep I think I have a shot.


• Among ALL the people that signed up on Yahoo I am in the 98th percentile and the 84th percintile.


• I am first among the people I work with. I think that I may win that one.


• I like the Seattle Times one because you pick round by round. It is almost like a new tournament every round.

"We should make one thing very clear, There will be no midnight exodus out of this city. We're here to stay."

- quote from Seattle Sounders FC owner Joe Roth. When I read that I nearly cried. Finally someone who cares.

In other news: The insurgency has been put on hold for the March Madness. OK, not really but I am trying to watch as much of the tournament as I can. My brackets did ok yesterday.

Politics that EVERYONE can agree with!

OK, people. How about some bi-partisanship? For real, lets agree on something. I finally found a statement made by President Obama that everyone will agree with.

EVERY.

SINGLE.

PERSON.


Click here to read the article and make sure to watch the clip. That's right. Our President would like to see a college football playoff system. So would I. So would you. So would just about everyone else on the whole face of the planet. - For the record, my college does have the chance to participate in a football playoff. Well, when they are not on probation, oh and what kind of name is "Football Championship Subdivision"?

Everyone wants it.

Be sure to also read the article here where the President fills out a MARCH MADNESS Bracket!

OH, BY THE WAY

Here in Iraq the first games will probably start at about 7 PM or so. AFN sports will be carrying them. That means I will be staying up most of the night, getting a couple of hours of sleep before work the next day, taking a nap during lunch and doing it all again the next day. It truely is a good thing that sleep IS A CRUTCH!

YAY! The Brackets are OUT!

It has finally arrived. March Madness. I am filling out my bracket and thought I would share some thoughts that I have about the bracket.

• Everyone already knows that a 5 seed always gets upset by a 12 seed. That is something that you can bet on. But Arizona, Western Kentucky, Northern Iowa and Wiconsin? Know the commitee is seeding teams to make sure that it happens. It ridiculous. I say 2 out of the 4 advance. Outside chance that 3 go continue on.
• UW/UConn - Why must these 2 teams match up in the sweet 16. Great epic battle to remember but UW so far has always been on the losing end. Maybe this is the year? Realistically since I fill out my bracket to win the fantasy bracket, I'm not sure I can go with who I want to win (UW). OK, maybe I have even jumped the gun by assuming that they will both make it that far. One analyst on ESPN said that in the West Region the UW is on upset alert.
• Memphis should have been a one seed.
• How many people are going to have an all Big East Final Four? It's a very legit possibility. I am not done with my bracket yet and I already have 2 Big East teams in the Final Four. I might end up with 3 if I don't have someone pulling out a win over a higher seed (currently I do).
• Speaking of Big East, how much gas does Syracuse have left in the tank?
• Pac-10, Big-10 have too many teams in the tournament. WCC has the right amount.
• Gonzaga, by the way, is looking good. Real Good. It's too bad that they would meet North Carolina if they win their first 2 games (which I have them doing).
• Let's get rid of the play-in-game. DOES ANYONE REALLY CARE ABOUT THAT GAME?
• I currently have several teams going far into the tournament that have really good records. I believe that these teams are good. The only problem is that some of these teams every so often seem to forget that they are really as good as they are.
• I would gladly place last in the fantasy tournament if the UW Huskies could win it all.
• I placed 1st last year. Expectations for myself are high.
• I know that it is really hard for a team to beat another team 3 times in the same season (could Pitt do it to UConn?)
• I also know that the chances of men's and women's team from the same school winning it are slim (sorry UConn, Oklahoma). This doesn't mean that I won't have UConn men's team win it all (I am undecided as of yet). I believe that the UConn women's team is a given.

Those are just a few of my observations.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

So I thought I would share a couple of Irish Toasts with everyone to celebrate the day.

• May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future.
• Here's to your coffin...May it be built of 100 year oaks which I will plant tomorrow.
• May you live to be a hundred years, with one extra year to repent.

Muffins, Muffins Everywhere

So our section had the chance to put in what is known as a Class I order. Basically we could order stuff to snack on at the office. I thought that since I usually stop by the chow hall and grab a take out plate with a bannana nut muffin or two to go that I should just order them and eliminate the chow hall all together. I found them on the list and it said 24. I figured that there were 24 in a box. As it turns out there are 24 in a package and 4 packages in a box (case?). Long story made short is we have muffins in the fridge, freezer and on desks. Plenty of muffins.

Oh by the way, did I mention when I ordered plain bagels, I got plain, raisin and blueberry bagels. Yeah, you guessed it. Plenty of those hanging around also.

For My Kids - who play soccer

This was posted on the Seattle Times website. The sport section has a Sounders FC Blog. It's short so go ahead and take a peek.

Check out this AMAZING story!

This is an AMAZING story. You might have heard about it on ESPN or sports talk radio or, heck, even regular radio by now. This should make for a very interesting tournament. Oh, by the way, UConn womens team, ranked #1 is 32-0 and looks good. Real good.

Sunday Lesson

Today was lesson 29. Back home my wife is teaching lesson 27. A couple of thoughts (OK, mostly quotes) on todays lesson. Quotes by the Prophet Joseph Smith and my thoughts are in Italics and in blue.

• The lesson was titled "Living with Others in Peace and Harmony" - If only the whole world could have this lesson.
• Wherefore if the nation, a single State, community, or family ought to be grateful for anything, it is peace. - There have been periods of general peace in my lifetime, and for that I have been thankful.
• But the peacemaker, O give ear to him! for the words of his mouth and his doctrine drop like the rain, and distil as the dew. They are like the gentle mist upon the herbs, and as the moderate shower upon the grass. - Very poetic, I like it.
• We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may. (The 11th Article of Faith) - What would the world be like if everyone lived by this one principle?
• The Saints can testify whether I am willing to lay down my life for my brethren. If it has been demonstrated that I have been willing to die for a ‘Mormon,’ I am bold to declare before Heaven that I am just as ready to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a good man of any other denomination; for the same principle which would trample upon the rights of the Latter-day Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman Catholics, or of any other denomination who may be unpopular and too weak to defend themselves. - Interesting to note that the principle that will trample, will trample over all.
• Meddle not with any man for his religion: all governments ought to permit every man to enjoy his religion unmolested. No man is authorized to take away life in consequence of difference of religion, which all laws and governments ought to tolerate and protect, right or wrong. - Why is it then that many wars seem to be religiously based? The "convert or die" train of thought is clearly denounced here.

PS - I wish people would stop bringing up Prop 8 as an example in Church. As politically active as we should be, it should not be discussed in class. Of course the lessons taught in Church should be taken and applied to ones conscience and then allowed to form the basis of one's own political thoughts. That is all for now.

Tidbits

• It was in the mid 80's today. I thought of when I lived in Arizona and how perfect late February and early March were (are). Of course, soon it will be hotter then I care to remember.
• If I posted about the bruise under my big toe here is an update: it now, after 6 weeks, looks like it is going to fall off.
• On our whiteboard at the office we have a countdown. 30 days until opening day, 10 days until March Madness tips off, stuff like that.
• Had some NFL players here on a USO tour. I think it is neat that they would come all this way to see us.
• There was some other stuff I had planned on posting about but it seems like I have forgotten since I didn't do it at the time.

Just Like Home Only Not Really

On Wednesdays back home I play basketball in the evenings. Last night which was Wednesday I played basketball for the first time since leaving, no, since early June or maybe even May (had the family vacation before leaving). It was on an outdoor court that was lit up by a light on a pole attacked to a generator which caused problems trying to see on half the court. I finally got back to my room about 10:30PM.

Which of course made getting up this morning to run difficult. I managed to roll out of bed and go for a run but it was a half an hour later than usual and it was slow. I guess it was better than not doing it.

As I was leaving the court last night I walked though the barriers around it and noticed that the lights were on across the street at the soccer field. I wasn't that surprised but then I noticed that the TCN's weren't playing soccer but cricket. I thought the cricket bat (if it is even called that) was flat but I'm told that it is actually curved. I don't really know much about cricket might need to look it up and find out more.

Soreness sets in

Read post below to find out why. Mostly the calves and hammies.

Monday night soccer and no internet

So I was going to post this late last night but the power had gone out and there didn't seem to be any internet after it came back on. It was our last soccer game at our current field. They are going to put a housing unit there. We will have to share the soccer/football field with the softball field.

We played against the Ugandans again. Two of our best weren't there because of leave and mission requirements. We are, on average, probably slightly bigger than the they are but many of us have not really played much before.

The game started of with a quick goal for them after about 2 minutes or so. After a while they scored a second one. 2-0. Then we scored, 2-1. Maybe a low scoring defensive game might be ok and we could tie them or something. Then 3-1 and 4-1. Rats!

We finally managed to score again before halftime (I think) making it 4-2. After half it went to 5-2, 6-2 and might have went to 7-2 before we got goal number 3. We did eventually get number 3 and then goals 4, 5 and 6. We tied it up at 7 and then it seemed to be decided that we would maybe play 5 more minutes or maybe until the tie was broken. We ended wining 8-7.

Playing soccer is different then all the other sports that are played here. It is still competitive but it is not nearly as competative as flag football or softball. Flag football went so far as having coaches who sent in plays for the team and during softball it seems like all they do it argue about the rules.

That's how the scoring went as best as I can remember, it was kind of hard to keep track after the score was 2-1. We also rounded out our team with a few TCNs, which didn't hurt the cause.