Amusing and Unamusing Musings

Scouting

2009-07-10T14:07:00.000-07:00

Lately I've felt like an NBA scout. In between daddy day-care and writing I've been scouring the interwebs to help make the Detroit Pistons a better team in 09-10. Here's a couple of theories.

1. The Pistons have made their Free Agent splash and are done signing impact players.

It's possible that Joe D. really will hearken back to the Bad Boy days when he Isaiah and Vinnie Johnson were running things on the perimeter. Stuckey and Rip starting and Will and Ben G. coming off the bench does sound dynamic and pretty much all the guards are interchangeable so there's a lot of flexibility in the back court. But it's the front court that is woefully thin. Barring the Pistons signing another big Kwame and Max would have to split time at center (Kwame playing against the Dwight Howard's and Shaq's and Max playing against smaller line ups)and the rookies would have to play a lot of minutes (not necessarily a bad thing if they can produce). And where does Arron Afflalo fit in? Are the Pistons really picking up Deron Washington? Isn't he another G/F that adds to the logjam in the back court? I can't help but think that Joe isn't quite done. I can't imagine that he would start the season with Kwame and Max as his centers. He seems to be biding his time, waiting for the right deal with the right player. But how long can he afford to wait?

2. The Pistons are going to trade Rip and/or Arron and/or Walter Sharpe for a decent post player.

I was sold on the Rip Hamilton for Carlos Boozer trade when the Pistons picked up Gordon, but there are pros and cons to consider.

Pro. Detroit needs a low post presence and Boozer seems to fit the bill. Also, there isn't enough time in a game for Detroit to play all their guards substantial minutes.

Con. Boozer seems to get hurt a lot and there are nagging character questions. Not to mention we just signed a PF so Boozer would probably have to play the 5.

Pro. Boozer's contract comes off the books after this year giving Detroit financial flexibility in 2010. Rip has four years left on his deal.

Con. Boozer is reportedly not much of a defender while Rip is very good in stretches. Also, Rip has championship experience while Boozer has only "I came off the bench in the Olympics" experience which the Pistons already have with Tay.

So, as you can see, it's three Cons to two Pros against the trade. Arron and Walter on the other hand I could very easily see getting shipped for a serviceable big. Which is a little sad because AA is one of Detroit's best on-ball defenders. And he can guard three positions.

So we wait. But while we wait here's three keys to success for next season.

1. Stuckey

Flat out Stuckey. Does he have a consistent jumper? Has his defense improved? OK, let's stop right there. If Stuckey can consistently hit that mid-range jumper, mix in a respectable three point percentage (over 30% is doable) and play pressure defense then Detroit will have a much better year. The guy is fearless going to the rack, he's big, he's strong, he's got a good attitude. His point guard skills will come with experience, ask Billups.

2. The Rooks

Can any of these guys make an impact his season? From what I hear Jerebko is the most ready and at reportedly 6'10" 231 lbs. he can play either forward spot. He has been described as tough and versatile, sounds good. Summers and Daye are intriguing. Daye is skilled but physically lacking, Summers looks like he's ready physically and apparently is a shooter. But how is his rebounding? Does he have a post game at 6'8" 240? Ideally all three of these guys (and a greatly improved Deron Washington) will be able to contribute right away.

3. Coach K

I like him. I watched his induction and he seemed like a stand-up guy who knew what he was talking about. He's got experience. He's been on some pretty good teams ('04 Pistons World Champions) and he seems like a good fit. There is definitely going to be some pressure because he's in Detroit and Pistons fans think if you don't win the Central and at least make the ECF then you better refund your salary and get out of town. But what can I say, the bar has been set pretty high. Anyway, good luck Coach. We'll be praying for you.

THE NEWS OF THE DAY

2009-07-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

-Gave my first charge ever at a wedding this weekend. Used Ephesians 5. The wedding was outside, it was hot and I was sweating on my notes. And on my face. I did not marry the couple of course because there is no "power vested in me" so to speak.

-Stop watching Charlie the Unicorn, it will rot your brain. "We're on a bridge Charlie!"

-The saying, "You only live once" is tricky.

-It is sometimes hard for me to discuss/debate topics because a)sometimes the topic while "biblical" in concept has no real bearing on how I live my life and therefore is relgated to the unenviable position of "nice to know things that are biblical in concept but have no real bearing on my life" i.e. the validity of slavery as a biblical concept or myriad other subjects. I have never had a servant/slave and I never will. While I appreciate that Jesus never spoke against slavery as a practice I can see how "loving my neighbor as myself" would probably prohibit me from keeping slaves and b)if the subject being debated does have actual "liveable" worth I usually already have taken a position on the subject. If anyone would care to know my position I would be happy to explain it to them and have them decide the validity of my stance. I would be happy to answer any questions they may have regarding said stance and the reason I subscribe/hold/endorse said position. Intellectual/verbal fencing (while sometimes an exciting spectator's sport) has too much potential to become emotional bloodletting sprinkled with veiled (or obvious) personal attacks. I'd rather spend my time reconnecting with loved ones, interacting with them, hopefully building them up/encouraging them and maybe, just maybe, letting down my guard and really sharing my heart with the few people in this world I trust. But I'm getting ahead of myself here.

-Everywhere you live will have its good points and bad point so just go where God leads. Stop trying to figure everything out, no one can.

-People fill their lives hoping to find that one thing, that one thing that's gonna be the answer. If people are honest that is what everyone is looking for and it gets depressing for those who think they found it and it turns out that what they found just wasn't it. It's Christ, and that's easy to write and so much harder for people( particularly people with a lot of things) to accept. And christians, we want crutches.

-It' hard for me to write fiction with an outline.

-Also, get off Rodney Stuckey, haters. He came from a small college program, he began playing with the most established starting five in the NBA and he's still learning. Chauncey Billups wasn't a great point guard when the Piston's signed him. Stuckey is obviously talented so step off.

-Nighty night

Kickin' it Old School

2009-06-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

In the mid 90's this is what it was all about. Notice the impressive decor the London House was best known for. That pie was awesome, that I can tell you. Also, notice in the background of the third pic a certain couple snuggling on the "oh so comfy" couch.

RIP Fish tank.

Thanks to Brian for the pics.

Dominican Republic

2009-06-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

The DR was an amazing experience. I had never been in a place of such abject poverty.

SCORE Intl. handled the trip and our lodging and meals. We brought two boy's basketball teams, the varsity girl's team, a baseball team and a soccer team. The basic format was we would play games and then give the Gospel in between games or at the the end of the day. It was the first time that the school had ever brought girls and our girls were great both on the court and while interacting with the locals.

The pic. above was taken in a sugar cane village. The occupants were mostly Haitian refugees.We brought them food and clothing but we had to leave without giving out everything when the crowd got too rowdy. The boy in the picture's named Alejandro. Thanks to my wife and in-laws I spoke enough Spanish to get by.

The trip really helped me get my priorities straight and to appreciate what I have and where I live. I could be riding a scooter through the crowded streets of Santo Domingo with my wife and child on the back wondering what we are going to eat for our one meal of the day.

I definitely see my life differently since I got back.

June

2009-06-07T18:17:00.000-07:00

Summer is finally here. Tomorrow will be the first day back at home after a week or so of vacation.

Michigan was very nice. It is always good to see my family and spend some time with those that I only get to see once a year. The weather was colder than I expected getting down into the 40's at night. I don't remember June being that cold growing up but I have become acclimated to Florida and so maybe it was and I was just used to it.

I am currently reading "Too Late the Phalarope" by Alan Paton and I just finished "Demons Don't Dream" by Piers Anthony. Wildly different books, I know. "Demons Don't Dream" may be Phils and not mine. Phil, please let me know if it is yours so that I can return it.

I think my summer schedule will look something like this:

1-Get up, breakfast, work out

2-Chores and errands

3-Writing and/or editing

4-Lunch

5-Write

6-Run

7-Dinner

8-Write and/or edit

9-Read

10-Bed

Of course that is all subject to change. My posts have become info-dumps as of late. But at the moment I am tired and can't think of anything witty and/or interesting to say.

Goodnight for now.

May is Here

2009-05-10T15:31:00.000-07:00

-This is the month of transition for me where the school year ends and the summer begins. I have approximately 12 days left of school. The trick at this time of year is not to close up shop mentally.

-I've gotten more good reviews of the new manuscript then I expected. Currently I am only revealing the first 11 pages, but the positive input has been really encouraging.

-When I write something and then I show people what I've done and they like it I always get a little bit scared that I won't be able to duplicate the quality on the next page. This can lead to over-analyzing, but I determined just to write and not to worry. Just write.

-Someone asked me if I was going to pursue an advanced degree at any time. "If I need to," was my reply. School was really tough my last year as I was working 40+ hours a week and taking 21 credit hours and writing my senior paper on the Silmarillion of all things. Yes, I was too ambitious in my choice of topic.

-I am listening to Pandora right now. Cool site, check it out.

-Yes, I am on Twitter. No, I'm not one of "those" people.

-I can't wait to go home to Michigan in three weeks. It's way to hot here and it's only May.

-I wish I had something profound to say.

-End

NBA Playoffs: Pistons

2009-04-16T19:18:00.000-07:00

It's time for my second annual Pistons Playoff Preview (3P) But first let me address the regular season.

I told myself to hold off, not to pass judgement to soon. "Wait until after the All-Star break," I said. So I did. And here's what I learned.

1-The Iverson trade was a complete debacle for Detroit. Let me tell you, I had high hopes even though I was skeptical about trading away Billups (a great pg and leader)for ANOTHER shooting guard when we were already starting an All-Star, Rip Hamilton. But I jumped on the "We've got a bonafide superstar now too" bandwagon. Plus, it seemed like Joe Dumars had a plan for the future and like him or not Joe Dumars is a big reason I'm a Pistons fan. Good management is key to any sports franchise (see the Detroit Lions). And let's be honest here, the real value of the Billups/Iverson trade will not be realized until this summer. So, again, I have to reserve judgement. Best wishes to AI. Take care of that back my friend.

2-The Pistons look exactly how they should look right now: A group of aging vets, young, less experienced players, a largely underachieving bench (I got you Will Bynum), and a rook head coach. Nobody seems to know what to do in the 4th when Chauncey used to put the game away with timely passes, 3's and free-throws all-day. Now it's misreads, turnovers and HOW CAN WE STOP DRIBBLE PENETRATION moments.

Bigs: Their frontcourt is anchored by two aging vets who can still play (see McDyess) but logging heavy minutes wears them down quickly.

Kwame has been a pleasant surprise as of late, but he's still Kwame.

Maxiell and Amir Johnson have not improved as quickly as expected and 'Sheed is really starting to show his age.

Forwards: I like Tay, sue me. He's versatile offensively, doesn't complain and plays defense.

I also like what Walter Hermann brings to the game when he is hitting his shots and being active on D.

Tayshaun really needs to go at LeBron on Saturday. Forget the fouls, LeBron's gonna get calls anyway at least make him work on defense.

Guards: The brightest spot on the team. Richard Hamilton can still fill it up. He is an absolute nightmare when he is coming off picks and he has looked a lot better going to the basket this year.

Will Bynum has been a pleasant surprise though in the last couple games teams have been keying on him and he has struggled a little with his offense. Still, he was a great pickup.

I like Afflalo too. He is a versatile defender, hard worker and his offense is starting to pick up. He just needs time to get better.

Which leads us to Rodney Stuckey. I'm not going to lie, Stuck is the first name I look for in the box score after the game. I love this guy. People need to remember he is in his second year and is surround mostly with guys who have been in the playoffs since my house was worth what I paid for it. Just wait until he develops a consistent outside shot, then it will be pick your poison for opposing defenses. Like Afflalo, he just needs time to mature.

Playoff Prediction: Cavs in 5. I'm gonna go ahead and say the Pistons get a home win in this series. Believe me I feel like I'm going out on a limb saying it but the roster is loaded with guys with Conference and NBA Finals experience.

But you know, it's not even the talent level of the Cavs that will ultimately decide the series. It's the Pistons lack of cohesion. They look lost sometimes and you can't look lost in the NBA playoffs. The weird thing is, they seem to know it, but they can't figure out how to solve the problem.

This year has to be about patience and belief. Belief that the players and Coach Curry can solve the puzzle and patience for the future.

The Back of a Book

2009-03-31T19:13:00.000-07:00

Doesn't this sound like something you'd read on the back of a novel?

His mind wandered across hundreds of worlds, across thousands of battlefields. Worlds of air, wind, clouds and tempests, great cities rising from the backs of colossal flying creatures endlessly feeding as they soared through the trackless sky.

Worlds of fire where ash fell from the sky like rain, molten rock ran in steaming rivers and armies of scaled horrors battled each another across fields of writhing flame.

Green realms, like Aris, worlds that housed millions of life forms each more fantastic than the last.

He had brought the order of the Telek Confederacy to them all. Those who did not willingly submit were annihilated, their worlds remade to suit the needs of their conquerors. Some worlds, those who resisted too long or too bravely, were made examples. Purged of all life, stripped of their resources and consigned as refuse worlds, trash heaps, mass graves, prisons.

He had had a hand in it all. A mighty captain of House Erion; murderer of innocents.

Back from Break

2009-03-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

Spring break was great but now it's back to work.

I can't help but think the economy will rebound if we continue to throw unthinkable amounts of money at it. A trillion is a thousand billions. A thousand billions.

Number Three-I think Dwayne Wade is a great player and seems to be a good person, but the calls he got against the Pistons last game reminded me of why I hate the NBA sometimes and why I continue to support a Pistons team who won the title in 2004 WITHOUT a bonafide NBA superstar. That may never happen again. How would a team get to the free throw line?

Wade fell on Arron Afflalo and rode Stuckey like a rodeo bull. Ok I'm done. But nobody better breathe on D-Wizzle. Ok, for real, I'm done.

Michigan Basketball will continue its return to relevance next year with a great recruiting class and the return of Manny Harris and (hopefully) DeShawn Sims.

On the home front my car was so covered in pollen today I had to hose it off when I got home from school. It's probably because I have to park in an oak forest at the end of winding trail at work. I'm pretty sure I saw a bobcat the other day. It may have been a regular cat, but I don't think so.

-Goodnight

Not There Yet

2009-02-22T04:31:00.000-08:00

Turnovers turned out to be our downfall last night as we lost 71-26 to a very good Sarasota Christian team. Their 1-3-1 trap gave us alot of problems and really limited our offense. We finished the season 14-11 with a district championship and as regional runners up. We return all of our players next year as our two oldest players are only juniors.

We are very thankful for the great season that God gave to us and we are humbled by His goodness.

Thanks to everyone who came out and supported us throughout the year. We are looking forward to a great season next year and another run at the Final Four.

Friday 2/20/09

2009-02-20T10:31:00.000-08:00

NOTE-Scroll down a few posts to see new pic of District Champs!

It feels good to be able to sit and write for a moment. My life has been late nights and early mornings for the last month. If you've been keeping up with the blog then you know about the CCS Lady Lancers. Tomorrow is our "Elite 8" game against 1A power Sarasota Christian. Due to how the bracket is set up it is an away game for us, our first away game of the post season. I'm not sure how exactly it works since both we and Sarasota won our districts but I have been assured that our place in the bracket has something to do with it. Tune in tomorrow (or Sunday) to see if we make it to the State Final Four.

I have been pouring over stats, newspaper articles, game film, anything that I can get my hands on in order to scout other teams. But honestly, whether we win or lose depends more on us than them. How we play as opposed to who their leading scorer is.

I finished Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. It came highly recommended and it lived up to the hype. Great book. I was reading to some of my 8th graders and they love it. I was unsure whether or not to read it to my 7th graders but...they love it too.

Almost to the weekend. Hope you all are well and enjoying life.

Be blessed.

Cambridge Advances to Regional Finals

2009-02-18T14:25:00.000-08:00

A region basketball: Last-second shot keeps Cambridge alive
By Justin Dargahi, Times Correspondent
In Print: Wednesday, February 18, 2009
________________________________________

When Olivia Muenter missed a layup with 12 seconds left she thought she had just blown the game for her Cambridge teammates.

Then she got another chance. And this time she didn't miss.

Muenter's layup with five seconds to go Tuesday broke a 34-all tie and moved Cambridge one step closer to a final four berth with a 36-34 win over Seffner Christian.

"I didn't know how much time was left," Muenter said. "But when I missed it the first time I said to myself, I have to get it back and then after I made the second one I knew I probably just won the game."

Arielle Jadlowski's halfcourt attempt at the buzzer hit the top of the backboard.

The Lancers (14-10) jumped out to a 16-5 lead after one quarter, but the Crusaders (16-11) had a four-point lead at halftime.

Neither team led by more than four the rest of the way.

After Jadlowski gave Seffner a 34-32 lead with two minutes remaining, Chachere Moore tied it on a midrange jumper with 35 seconds left, setting the stage for Muenter's heroics.

Jadlowski led all scorers with 18. Moore led Cambridge with nine, while Muenter and Rachael Bode each finished with eight.

Cambridge 36
Seffner Christian 34

Class A region basketball: Cambridge wakes up in second half

2009-02-14T07:24:00.000-08:00

TAMPA — Cambridge used a big third quarter to break open a tight game against Walker Memorial Academy en route to a 48-33 win to advance to the Class A region semifinals.

Clinging to a 15-11 halftime lead, sophomore Rachael Bode caught fire to start the third quarter as the Lancers scored more points in the quarter than in the entire first half.

Bode scored 11 points in a four-minute stretch to help give Cambridge a commanding 15-point lead midway through the quarter.

"It was definitely a momentum changer," Lancers coach John Wilson said. "Bode hit a couple shots and with us being at home, it just built from there."

Bode finished with a game-high 17 points. Melissa Olsson added 12 and fellow junior Chachere Moore had nine.

Kristelle Lagabon led the Eagles (14-8) with 10 points.

Cambridge (13-10) faces Seffner Christian for the fourth time this season on Tuesday.

Justin Dargahi, Times correspondent

(Yes, that's right, we are playing the team we beat to win the District Championship in the Regional Semi-Finals on Tuesday. We are currently in the Class 1A equivalent of the Sweet Sixteen.)-MWVK

Lancers

2009-02-10T06:10:00.000-08:00

It has been a thrilling post season for the Lady Lancers. We entered district play with one of our best players, G Rachel Bode, injured. She suffered a severe finger sprain two days before our opening game against Tampa Bay Christian Academy. We had high hopes for this season as we were able to host the district tournament this year.

In the first round we found ourselves out of sync and down by ten at half-time to TBCA. Rachel checked in at half-time despite the pain in her finger and thanks to some better shooting and impressive defense we came back and won the game 32-26.

In the District Championship we faced Seffner Christian, a team that had beaten us badly twice during the season. We took a lead in the first quarter 10-6 with Rachel scoring all 10 of our first quarter points. But it wasn't to last. After going 0-6 from the free-throw line in the first half we went to half-time tied 14-14.

In the third quarter Seffner started out strong out scoring us by 5 in the quarter and taking a 27-22 lead into the fourth quarter. As I sat there on the bench I could feel the game start to slip away. But as the fourth quarter opened I could see that our girls were determined to not let the game get out of reach. We outscored Seffner 14-2 in the fourth quarter and made some clutch free-throws down the stretch to finish out the game. The end result was a Lancers victory 36-29 and a District Championship for Cambridge Christian. Despite the injured finger on her shooting hand Rachel finished the game with 23 points on 7-12 shooting from the field and 7-9 from the free throw line.

It was a great night.

Next up, Regional Quarter Finals at home Thursday night vs. Walker Memorial.

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T14:14:00.000-08:00

I realize that I there is no blog post for the entire month of December. However, rest assured, I am still blogging. I have been sick and with the busyness of the holidays/basketball season I have had little time to do any writing.

Happy New Year, welcome to 2009.

Hindsight

2008-11-15T17:29:00.000-08:00

My wife is out with some of her friends on a "Girl's Night Out". I think they went to Channelside to have dinner and get into mischief. Hopefully she doesn't get into too much mischief.

William crashed out early tonight and I am dreading having to wake him up and bathe and feed him. He looks peaceful rocking back and forth in his swing.

Sometimes I scoot around the interwebs and check up on old friends to see how they're doing. You see, the telephone and I...well let's just say that I would call the phone an acquaintance rather than a friend. Some might even say that I am a "bad phone talker". So I don't call anyone, usually. Okay I call some people (you know who you are) but on the whole I am, or have become, introverted (phone wise). Back to my point, I was a bit surprised to find out how little some of my old friends have changed. Now, before you get all, "I change, I grow and change every day" I'm not talking about anyone who reads this blog (conveniently) I'm talking about people I have not seen or talked to in years. I go onto their myface and spacebook pages and, wow, favorite music...the same, favorite pastimes...the same, and that quote from that movie that came out in 1999, yeah, still there.

Hmm. Before you think I am just sniping people for being consistent with their tastes let me say that consistency is good. But so is growing and changing. Growth is good. A few new favorites are ok. So are some new friends and sometimes even ways of thinking.

I'm 33 now. It's unbelievable how much my life has changed throughout the years. I think that's why I like working with kids because I remember what is was like in the 7th and 8th grade. How tough it was to be "cool" when I wore plastic framed glasses that almost hid my eyebrows. Not that I'm "cool" now but every experience of my (still young) life has shaped me, even the unpleasant times.

Share life with people. We all have it, that catalogue of experiences, emotions, and sensations that we can use to empathize with one another and build one another up. Use "you" to encourage those who are in a place in their life that you've already been in, help them navigate. Not pontificating, but giving, giving of us to help others. Not "be warmed and filled" but "hey, man, here's something real that I can share with you."

Take care.

PS
(I am cool actually)

(Just kidding)

(No I'm not, I really am cool)

November

2008-11-08T14:24:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a while. I don't like updating my blog once a month but it looks like that's how it worked this time.

Basketball season is in full swing and we have seven more practices before our home opener. We have been implementing the same offense that the Memphis Tigers ran last year, the dribble-drive offense. It's got good symmetry and lets your players be players. It also puts alot of emphasis on your players making good reads and reacting to the defense so we'll see how our players handle it.

I heard on Oprah the other day that some of her staff get together before every show and pray for President-Elect Obama. I wonder if they did that for President Bush? I'm just sayin'...

I've been posting a bit on some writing blogs which is great practice and helps keeps the writing skills sharp, but also reduces the post on AAUM (this blog). I also threw a post up on Absolute Write and I recieved alot of positive feedback.

I watched sports for most of the day today (Michigan won) rested and played with my son. I love Saturday.

TTYL

October

2008-10-11T16:22:00.000-07:00

It's hard to tell what month it is here in the tropics. October is much like September which is much like August. Sure, the rain lets up a bit and the temperature drops from the low 90's to the high 80's but that's about it. No annual color change is noticable in the foliage and leaves litter the ground only as much as they did in the preceding months. Nothing special.

Florida has two seasons, dry and rainy, and if anyone ever tells you, "Oh, it gets cold in Florida too," they're lying. Mid 40's is not cold especially when you grew up in a place where there was a real possibiliy of freezing to death if you were caught in a blizzard.

It's funny, I overheard a conversation where a mother was commenting on how cold it was at the college her son was attending...in the artic wilderness of North Carolina. Yeah, watch out for packs of marauding wolves coming down from the mountains around Chapel Hill.

I picked up Lord of the Flies from the library at school, you know, cause I work with 7th and 8th graders and I need some insight. I saw the movie a long time ago but I don't remember very much of it. The book's always better than the film anyway, well, almost always.

I'm also thinking about reading one of those vampire-love books the Twilight series I think it is. I'm really interested to see if they are well written or just gimmicky fluff written to enthrall middle school girls. (see Eragon and switch the word "girls" to "boys")

I have to go get dinner now. I really want to get working on my manuscript. It is killing me that I haven't been able to work on it lately. But when you have 160 middle school poems, memoirs and short stories to edit it doesn't leave time for much else.

New books read so far this year:

The Name of the Wind
The Lathe of Heaven
Dune Messiah
Lord of the Flies
Next, Ender's Game

-Adios

At Life's Grindstone

2008-10-05T16:52:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am again, blogging.

Getting any writing done has been really tough. I'm trying to juggle family, writing workshop, mundane things that I have to do (i.e. lawn care, laundry, et.al.)and spending quality time with the family.

I was able to spend time with a lot of my family this weekend and it was great. It was just a really chill and relaxing time. Plus, it was a distraction from the Michigan game.

I have a lot of work to do this week. Each of my eighty students submitted two manuscripts to be graded. So, I have one hundred sixty poems, short stories, memoirs and who knows what else to grade this week. Ah, well, I wouldn't trade it for teaching Algebra again.

At any rate, I should go and...do something.

I hope to continue working on the new manuscript. I just have to start scheduling an hour or so every day. I'd much rather have two or three hours to work, but I just don't think I can swing it on my current schedule. One hour will have to suffice.

Until next time

Offworld II

2008-09-20T19:50:00.000-07:00

"Sometimes doing a friend a favor forever changes the history of a billion universes."

-Finmore Williams

After fiddling with the manuscript a bit I've posted some rough draft of the redux over at offworldstory. Just use the Titan link in the Virtual Hangouts section of the blog. Comments are welcome and encouraged.

Week, End!

2008-09-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

This post's title is a command more than anything else. Man, am I glad it is Friday. Seriously, is it Thanksgiving yet?

I was a tad off about the U of M game last week, but how was I supposed to know that it was going to be a fumblefest? I am becoming a part time Buccaneers fan as the Lions are the worst team in professional sports. Are the Pistons playing yet? After the Lions it is hard to complain about reaching the Conference Finals the last six years in a row, even if we do lose almost all of them in maddeningly disinterested fashion. But guess what? The Pistons look good again this year. Go good management! I think Joe Dumars should be the GM for the Lions AND the Pistons and Chauncey Billups could play free safety...

Phil's latest post summarizes exactly why I cannot in good conscience vote for Obama, no matter how trendy. I don't really get into politics but Palin was a genius pick. Honestly, who saw that coming? Alaska? Hockey Mom?

You know I chose to write my senior thesis on The Silmarillion. It's not even a book really, not like LoTR, it's a collection of histories. It was an ambitious pick, and not a good one. There's not enough continuity.

I need to start working on my manuscript more. It's really hard to find time during the week so I have to take advantage of the weekends.

I worked out a couple of times this week and I feel good. Incredibly sore, but good.

I have to go pick up some baked ziti and garlic rolls for dinner.

Don't let the man get you down.

Redux, so far

2008-09-14T19:54:00.000-07:00

I've retooled the manuscript, a lot. Kept the same setting, some of the same characters, added a bunch of new characters/locals, and changed from third person to first. Here's a sample:

I was taken violently from my home world like so many others but I was unaware of why. I was ignorant to the vast system of checks and balances that keeps the omniverse in a constant and tenuous state of equilibrium. I failed to realize that I was only currency, another flesh-coin from some out world that had to pay its tribute to the Telek.

“Ted,” I whispered, “you there?” A chorus of stifled sobs echoed off of the cold metal walls.

“We’re dead man, dead.” A voice whispered in the darkness.

“Ted,” I whispered again, “Ted, you there?” Someone close by was mumbling what might have been a prayer. I felt along the wall whispering Ted’s name as I went.

“We’re dead. This is it. This is hell.” The voice was louder this time.

“We’re not dead you idiot. We’re in some kind of cell.” A soft voice from the black answered the morbid fellow. “This is some kind of holding tank.” Knuckles rang against metal.

“Stop it you fool,” a woman cried, pleading, “they’ll hear you.” Fear blossomed in my mind. Fear of what kept us trapped. Only once had the deep blackness surrounding us been breached. A circle of light had formed and inside the circle stood a creature out of nightmare, all scales, claws and teeth. It had reached out and snatched a gibbering man from the floor and dragged the poor fellow screaming into the shining circle, the death circle. Then, as suddenly as it had come, the light winked out silencing the doomed man’s pleas for help. Everyone began whispering after that.

The silence was palpable as I waited in the cold darkness, waiting for the death circle to shine down again like God’s wrath. Silence for an hour, then two. I renewed my voyage through the sea of bodies whispering for Ted. Listen, whisper, listen. Always keeping one hand on the solid metal wall. Despite the numbing sensation I experienced after only a few minutes contact with the freezing surface I refused to step away. The wall was the one remaining bastion of reality in the waking nightmare in which I found myself.

As I passed along I could feel knots of bodies, people crouching in groups of three or four, whispering, crying, huddled together for warmth. Other travelers passed by me unseen whispering the names of friends or loved ones, groping through the blackness for a familiar touch, scenting the air for a lover’s perfume or the scent of a favorite soap.

Thorsday

2008-09-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is again Thorsday. I really don't have much to say. I am reading The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin. So far so good, I just started it though.

My new manuscript keeps evolving. It's weird how pieces of what I've written over the last 5-7 years are now coming together into this book idea.

Some of the poetry I write I like and some of it I go back and look at and I'm like, "What is this pile?". Ah well, at least I don't hate it all.

I am probably in the worst shape of my adult life right now. I'm not sure how many times I could get up and down a basketball court. But, have no fear, conditioning for the Lady Lancers Varsity Basketball Team starts next week and guess who will working out with/coaching the team..uh huh. Btw, I really like the new offense that Coach Wilson has chosen, very organic, very versatile. It's the same offense that the Memphis Tigers ran last year.

Tomorrow we have a pep rally at school during 8th period so I don't have to teach health class. Needless to say I am overjoyed. I'm not sure if you've ever discussed the anus with a room full of 8th graders, but let me tell you, it's a treat.

Video games, where have you gone? I haven't played one in about a month.

I missed the deadline for a fantasy football league I was invited to. I felt bad, but really I don't know if I could have even spared the time.

I think Michigan will beat Notre Dame on Saturday, but not by a lot.

13-9 Michigan in a barn burner.

Remems.

2008-09-03T16:17:00.000-07:00

-Seems like the internet used to be more fun. Now I just get on to do my banking, read my e-mail, check blogs and read about sports news. Actually, I do alot on the net. Maybe I'm just so used to the internet now that it's not fun anymore. I remember when Al Gore invented the internet. It was a great day for America.

-I've been thinking alot about my past. It's been fun. I've known alot of really cool people. Though, I don't know if I have been the best friend. In fact I know I haven't.

-You know, it's hard to see yourself as you really are. Mental clarity of self, I think, is one of the greatest things anyone can possess.

-Everyday I drive into Tampa to work and I think about growing up in Roscommon, a town of, what, 800 people? I pass more people than that on my daily commute. It was a good place to grow up though.

-I never thought I would live in a home with granite countertops. I didn't even know granite countertops existed until I was in my late 20's. Now I'm a countertop snob!

-Hadoken

Here We Go Again

2008-08-30T16:58:00.000-07:00

Michigan's opening game loss this year was easier to understand than last year's and therefore less painful, maybe not to watch, but to come to grips with.

The Good: Michigan's defense in the second half looked liked a defense that can carry them until the offense get's better. Unfortunately, the defense only looked that way in the second half.

Michigan's conditioning really showed in the penalties Utah racked up and the way Michigan's defense seemed to get stronger as the game went on.

The Bad: Michigan's sputtery offense. There was a question about the ability of Michigan's current squad to run the spread offense well. Let me answer that question. No, no they can't. At least not yet.

The Ugly: The "blazing" foot speed displayed by the Michigan quarterbacks. Quarterbacks tripping in the open field. Overthrown balls, underthrown balls, dropped balls.

All-in-all this loss showed quite a bit of promise for the future. However, Michigan sorely needs the personnel adjustments/offensive upgrades that are in the wings for next year.

Go Blue!