Festivus For The Rest of Us

Last night I celebrated the first annual Masterson Household "Festivus: For The Rest of Us". Festivus as I've read stems from a Seinfeld episode, in which traditions are like no other. A bare aluminum pole represents a Christmas tree. Traditional activities include a hearty dinner (we had spaghetti and numerous desserts), feats of strength (we played billiards instead of wrestling), and the infamous "Airing of Grievances". As we entered the house dressed in our most awful holiday sweaters (I had to get one from Goodwill hours before), we got our picture taken with the pole tree. That picture was placed on a dart board, which we attached to the pole tree. We each got one dart to hit a picture, and thus had a chance to say our grievancesabout that person. If you didn't know the person, you could make something up. The person that hit my picture didn't know me, and dramatized the fact that my shoes didn't match my holiday sweater. Haha.

Jingle Bells 5K

I ran my second 5km for charity this morning for the 20th anniversary of the Jingle Bells 5K run supported by M.A.D.D. For this run, I was officially time at 26:33.2, which was an improvement of my unofficial time from the prior week at the Trail of Light 5K. I'm pretty happy with my time, which was 125th out of 298 timed racers, 8th out of 15 in my age/sex group. I felt as if I could have done better, but my first mile was hampered by the cold air, and I couldn't get my muscles to loosen up. Even though 50 degrees really isn't cold, living in Texas for a few weeks makes it so. I liked this run compared to the Trail of Lights because we got to run through downtown Austin. It started by Towne Lake and marched up to the Capitol building and back down through the streets to original starting line. An uphill battle halfway through meant an easier downhill run the second half of the race. Even though every race is different, I hope to improve on my 26:33.2.

Trail of Lights

Yesterday, I ran my first 5K. The event was called the Trail of Lights 5K hosted at Zilker Park. This annual run at Zilker Park in Austin commerates the opening lighting ceremony of the Trail of Lights. Though it was not an official a timed run, I did the math, and finished in approximately 28 minutes and 30 seconds. I spent most of the first mile running laterally trying to weave my way through traffic of over 4,000 people at the event. The second mile was where the lights began. And the 3rd mile is up and down. The most I've ever run was 1.5 miles, so to finish was a huge accomplishment for me. My first two miles felt fine, but by the time I got to the third, I was definitely slowing down. But I never stopped to walk.

Next week, I might run the Jinglebells 5K in downtown Austin so I can get an official time. My next goal is to run in 26 minutes or less.

Mexican Martinis & Breakfast Tacos

Last night, I went to Trudy's for a few Mexican Martinis with my friend ,Varsha, and her friend, Leena (I think that's her name). Supposedly Trudy's serves the best Mexican Martinis in town. If that's the case, I've probably set the bar a little too high. If you've never had a Mexican Martini, it takes the best of parts of a margarita and the best of a martini combined into one drink. At Trudy's, you are only limited to purchasing two of them, but that's because it's like 3 drinks in one martini shaker. I'm not a margarita fan because it's too sour, which upsets my stomach. And martinis are usually too salty for my taste. But the combination of the two somehow makes it 10 times better.

We sat on the patio of the bar because it was 70 degrees out last night. Yes, 70 degrees at night! The entire day was amazing. I took advantage of the nice day to do yardwork. Spent 2 hours raking leaves. And another 2 hours trimming the 18 bushes in my front yard. Then topped of the sunny day by getting dominated by my friend, Jethro, in disc golf at the Brushy Creek course near my house.

But probably the best part of yesterday was going to La Mexicana Bakery after the bars. Just a few miles south of downtown this bakery stands alone in residential and light commercial neighborhood with it's vivid neon signs (except it just says "cana" at night because the other lights are burned out). Anyways, I wasn't too sure what were going to order at a bakery in the middle of the night. But Varsha recommended getting some breakfast tacos. Not ever having a breakfast taco, I just ordered one. Big mistake...I should have ordered like 6 because it was so good. I highly recommend the chorizos egg breakfast taco (only $1.00), composed of chorizo sausage and scrambled eggs in a tortilla, topped off with some salsa. Mmmm, muy bueno.

Breed Love Odyssey

Went to the Breed Love Odyssey Tour concert last night at Stubb's with my buddy, JLaw. Performing at the concert was Talib Kweli, one of my all time favorites. And the concert also featured Pharoahe Monch, Jean Grae and K'Naan. I was mightily impressed by K'Naan. And Pharoahe put on a great show as well. Jean Grae got the crowded pretty amped. The show was supposed to feature Mos Def, but he came down with an ailment (or so they said). It would have been sweet to see Blackstar in effect. But Talib made up for it by himself, and shut the place down!

This was just the first of many concerts to come in Austin. I can't wait for the next...

I Got Punk'd

The Austin office pranksters got me good today. If being the new guy in town was bad enough, I've already gotten a bad reputation not because of who I am, but because of what I have. Here's how the story goes...

For a little background, in Rochester, I had two flat panel monitors. I don't really think much of them because I've had them for nearly 2 years now, but they are nice commodities to have. When I got transferred, they included my flat panels in the shipment along with my workstation. Little did I know, not one single person on my floor in Austin has a flat panel monitor, with the exception of one distinguished engineer who has only one. All employees have these oversized monitors that weigh nearly 100 lbs a piece. The only reason I'm the most (un)popular guy in the building is that I have flat panels, let alone two of them. I was advised last Thursday when I set my system up to lock them up with a cable lock because stuff is known to disappear in these buildings.

Well, come this morning, I turn the corner to my cubicle and see in place of my monitors, two replica cardboard cut outs, heavily detailed in colored markers (some transistors were drawn on their too for full effect...DORKS). Pretty elaborate work, I was very impressed. And along with the cardboard replacements, I get a ransom note in newspaper clippings:

jason
2 DOZEN DOUGHNUTS TO the BREAKroom on WEDNESDAY or pay dearly TONIGHT

...tomorrow, I buying my own personal lock with guard dogs. Now I'm the butt of all jokes in the area. Oh well, better to be envied than to envy.

Finally In Austin

Just arrived in Austin, TX today after a 17 hour drive, 1100 miles. I split the drive into two days. Stopped in Kansas City yesterday to visit a friend from my co-op days in Rochester, and tonight I'm chillin' at my friend's apartment. I'm pretty exhausted, but I managed to get all my driving done during the daytime of both days so I wouldn't fall asleep at the wheel. The road conditions were pretty cooperative. The light rain through Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas on Sunday kept the bugs off of my car. Today, I had clear skies through Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The only traffic I ran into was in northern Dallas due to construction.

I do miss Minnesota, but I won't miss the cold weather.

Once I close on my house on Wednesday, the new adventure will officially begin as a first time home owner.

A New Home

Only four more weeks in Rochester, Minnesota. It has been a splendid four-plus years here, but it's definitely time to move on. The past few weeks have been hectic trying to arrange everything for my move, and settling last minute issues on closing. I don't know if I'll ever want to move again. It's just too much hassle. Notifying/calling/dealing with movers, insurance companies, electricians, plumbers, banks, mortgage brokers, real estate agents, inspectors, credit card companies, cable companies, utility companies, coworkers, friends and family.

I'm pretty much 80% packed up and ready to go. Now it's just move and sign some papers on October 26th, and I'll be a first time homeowner. Texas, here I come.

Looking In Texas

I've been in Austin (Texas) for six days now and I'm finally getting a grasp of how to get around this construction filled city. Traffic is pretty bad around peak hours, but other than people complaining about it, it doesn't seem bad at all if you can avoid driving during those peak times.

Here's a recap of what I've done so far...

Saturday, Sept. 10th: Flew from Rochester to Dallas to Austin. Met up with former Rochester friends at Legends Sports Bar. We watched the Notre Dame-Michigan game because most of them were UM alumni. After the loss, I stayed there and watched a dreadful Husky game against the Cal Bears. The only good thing to come out of watching the game was meeting another UDub EE alum at the bar. Later that evening we watched the Texas-Ohio State game which was even better to watch amongst Longhorn fans in Austin. Then we went to 6th Street and went to Spill and Lucky's Lounge.

Sunday, Sept. 11th: Watched NFL all day at Krentler's house on DirecTV Sunday Ticket. All day!

Monday, Sept. 12th: Met up with my realtor and checked out about 12 houses. Turns out the only one I liked out of the 12 was the first one. Later that evening, Jethro and I went to disc golf at Pease Park. I played terrible on the rockiest course I've ever played on. You had to cross a creek 6 times, which wasn't easy to do in flip-flops.

Tuesday, Sept. 13th: Viewed 10 more houses, and found one more to my liking. However, it's a few miles north of Austin in Round Rock. Location is not good, but the quality of the house is what makes it more appealing than the one I liked the day before. I then played outdoor basketball with a few friends in Cedar Park. It was 85 degrees out at 8pm. I drenched 2 shirts in sweat and could have used a 3rd.

Wednesday, Sept. 14th: Made a second viewing of each of the two homes I took a liking to. Then stopped by the IBM in Austin. The offices are amazing. The cubicles are spacious and the atmosphere is more relaxed than it is in Rochester. I also met up with one of the teamleads there, and he's just like one of the boys. Stopped by Cool River for happy hour.

Thursday, Sept. 15th: Met with a few mortgage brokers, and stopped by the IBM Credit Union in Austin to open up an account. Then stopped by my realtor's office to put an offer on the first home I saw. The counter offer was not in my ballpark, so I am thinking of making an offer on the home in Round Rock. Also, subbed for Bob and Renee's city co-ed softball team. I was their "ringer" and pitched for them. We won 18-7!

That's it for now. Only 3 more days left in Austin before I go back to Minnesota. Doh.

Shootout

This afternoon was the beginning of our soccer playoffs. Do or die time. We scored in the 2nd minute of the game, and looked dominant throughout the game. However, we couldn't seem to put the ball in the net or anywhere close after that. The other team proceed to run like crazy the second half and scored twice on me where I basically had no chance of making a save. One was a cross where our defenders were out of position. And other was misdefended corner kick.

Luckily, we scored in the 88th minute just before time was to expire. But in this league, no overtime. We went straight to a penalty shootout.

Being that this was my first ever shootout in soccer, the adrenaline rush turned into quick nervousness after our guy missed our first penalty kick. I wasn't able to stop their first shot, so we were down 1-0. We made out next, and then I stopped their second PK with an extended left hand diving to my left. I was then back on Cloud 9. However, that bubble burst quickly after our 3rd guy missed his next shot. We were now down 2-1 with three chances left for me to stop them.

I had so many people cheering for me, who were there warming up for their games to follow as well as their friends and my friends who knew me. I would say I heard about twenty people not on my team supporting me.

But with all that said, I was not able to stop their final three kicks with barely getting a finger tip on their last ball. It's hard to end a well played season that way. But everyone on my team assured me it wasn't my fault, and they were just glad that they were not goalie.

Lucky me.

Maxima Damage

Went to the bar last night with a couple of friends. But while I was eating breakfast this morning, one of my roommates who just took out the garbage, said to me, "Did you know someone keyed your car?" And that's when my jaw dropped. At first I thought he was kidding, so I ran to the garage to inspect the damage, and saw two lovely lines span the length of my Maxima's driver's side. Then I go back in the house fuming. And he says to me again, "Yeah, what they did to your trunk is unbelievable." I'm pretty sure my jaw broke the second time it hit the floor. My trunk looked like a kindergartener trying to keep the crayon within the lines, except he had a key and the backdrop was my black car.

I can't believe there are just morons out and about. Seriously, what is going through your head. Unfortunately, the bar had no cameras in its parking lot. So next time I will be sure to park in a heavily lit area.

Took the car to the Viking Body Repair shop today, and they estimated parts and labor to be $1,900. Thank you, Mr. Rochester Jerk.

Oye, Captain!

Tell ya what, being the captain of a team is not easy work. I spent a few hours today making sure we had enough players to show up for this evening's soccer game. Luckily with the help of a few players, I was able to scrounge up a few scrubs (I mean subs), whom were much needed on a hot and humid Minnesota summer's day.

But the hassle was all worth it with a 2-1 victory over a talented team whose worst player was probably their goalie. We should have won 5-1, but a victory is a victory and I'll take it.

To celebrate, several of our team members went to the nearby Dairy Queen to cool down. The lines were unbelievable. I think a hundred people were served in the half hour we spent there, and business was still going strong after we left. Who would think ice cream would be a good idea on a 90-degree day? Okay...Me. I recommend the Banana Split Blizzard. Deeelish.

Back From Texas

Went to Austin, Texas for the July 4th weekend. And after visiting, I am heavily leaning towards moving there. Minus the weather (highs in the 100s, lows in the 80s) and the traffic (though not bad while I was there), Austin is unbelievable. The food, the nightlife, the atmosphere, the people...just awesome.

Day 1: Ate at Iron Cactus with BK, Renee and J-Law. Grabbed cocktails and watched line dancing at Graham Central Station. Went downtown to 6th street and grabbed more drinks at Cuba Libre and Oslo.

Day 2: Went disc golfing with J-Law. Then lounged around poolside at BK's house. Went back to downtown Austin for more nightlife. Met up with my college buddies from UDub, Chief and Winston. Grabbed cocktails from Aquarium, Drink, and Spill. And ended the night at a new club called Vicci, where Chief knew the bouncer and got us in for free.

Day 3: Drove to San Antonio. Visited the Alamo. Took the tour of the Riverwalk. Went back to Austin and grabbed a late night dessert at Mozart's on Lake Austin.

Day 4: Ate at Rudy's BBQ, basically a vegetarian's worst nightmare. Went boating on Lake Austin on BK's boat. Then caught fireworks at a park near BK's house.

Day 5: Flew back to Rochester, MN. It was 73 degrees when I flew in...I was cold.

One Busy Summer

Days have flown by since the semester ended in May. After coming back from Vegas, time has flown by twice as fast. Going to Austin, Texas in two weekends. Never been to Texas, so I'm looking forward to that. Then in August, I'm going back to Seattle for a wedding. The summer is going to go by before I blink.

Went disc golfing for the first time this season at a nearby park. I shot one under par. Not too shabby for not playing in over a year. Also went to Rochesterfest this afternoon for lunch, and had myself a strawberry milkshake and a seafood lango. What is a lango? Basically it's a chalupa schell with a bunch of lettuce. At least I hope that's what it is.

Back From Vegas

Someone needs to make a day after pill for a return trip from Las Vegas. Over the past 3 nights, I've gotten a total of 8 hours of sleep. Work is feeling fantastic today.

But besides the lack of sleep, the weekend was a blast. I pretty much broke even with all the games I played (slots, craps, blackjack, roulette and limit Texas Hold 'Em poker). The only exception was that I bet on the Pistons to cover the Spurs in Game 1; stupid Detroit had them for 3 quarters and forgot to play the 4th. Then I bet on the Mariners to beat the Nationals on Saturday, but they ended up losing by one run. Other than gambling, most of my money was spent on enjoying the time out there with friends I get to see once in a blue moon. Drinks and nightclubs.

I would tell some stories, but you know the saying about Las Vegas...

Soccer, Softball & Golf

Haven't been posting much lately because I've been doing one of three things over the past month: soccer, softball or golf. Every Monday I have men's company softball. Every Thursday I have co-ed company softball. Every Friday I have city co-ed soccer, and every Sunday I have regional open league soccer. Then on my off days, I find time to workout or golf.

I went golfing twice in the rain over the weekend, and have sort of lost some of my edge that I had at the beginning of the Spring. My back is a bit sore, and I don't give it much of a chance to rest with all the activities I have lined up during the week.

This weekend won't be any better on the body. I won't be playing any sports. But I will be in Las Vegas. Vegas, baby, Vegas!!! It's my buddy's bachelor party, and it will be out of control. Don't expect to read many posts about the trip here.

School's Out for Summer

Finally! Class is over and done with. Took my final exam yesterday, and a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Now I can focus on... Work?!? I guess that will be this engineer's way of relaxing. Lucky me.

So after getting my butt kicked in the exam, I headed back to work for our company league softball game. We proceeded to get our tails whipped 15-8. Our defense was horrific, thanks to a few new scrubs we have on team. All our former players have gotten injured or have moved away. We are lucky to even field a team this year. Oh well, fun is what matters, and we had a good time regardless of the score. I'd rather take a beating in Softball than take another test any day of the week.

The icing on the cake probably would have been if the Sonics faced the Spurs last night. Sorry Sonics, but the series is over before it's begun. It's been a good season. Let's go, Mariners. Oops, their season is about over too. Umm, Seahawks? Only 4 months away until the start of the NFL season.

NOS

I played my first soccer game in the Southern Minnesota Adult Soccer Association (SMASA) league. It's definitely more official than the regular co-ed city games because we have to show up with special ID cards to the SMASA games. The ID cards are used to keep track of Yellow and Red cards during the games because it's definitely more physical in this league.

I was goalie as usual for NOS (our team name, I think it stands for "Not Otherwise Specified") but that's fine by me. I'd rather be the last line of defense and not having to run much. I let one ball get by me in the first half, but it was shutout city from there on. Started out the game with two spectacular saves (not to toot my own horn), but I was out of position on the opposing team's only score (the wind helped them a bit too). In the second half we scored two goals and held on to victory.

I'm just happy to not be the reason we almost lost because I've only practiced once with these guys and didn't get to show them what I was capable of in our first practice. Thank goodness I've put their minds at ease. Well, at least for one week.

Happy Mother's Day.

Weather Changes...I Get Sick

Yesterday, snowflakes were falling from the sky. Gee, I thought it was May. The ever changing weather of the Spring in Minnesota has finally took its toll. I tried taking Airborne, but that didn't help. And now I'm sick. Ughhh.

I saw Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy in the theatres last night. Surprisingly they followed the book very closely. Sam Rockwell did a great job playing Zaphod. And my boy, Mos Def, didn't do a bad job himself...though I imagined Ford Prefect being a bit wittier after reading the book. Mos Def needs to focus on his music though. I recommend reading the book after watching the movie, instead of before. Oh well, I goofed. I guess I just wanted to know the Ultimate Question prior to.

Golden Birthday

Today is my Golden Birthday. 27 years old on the 27th of April. YIKES. Anyway you put a spin on it, it just doesn't sound good. I think the "G" is silent in Golden.

Happy Birthday, Me.

Early Present

Today, I bought myself an early birthday present. I was thinking of getting a Sony PSP (Portable PlayStation). But not until recently did my desire shift to another item. I've golfed several times in April, and convinced myself that I needed a new driver. Well, I just dropped a few Benjis on a Cobra 400SZ to complement my Cobra irons and putter. The only non-Cobra club in my bag now is my trusty 5-wood.

One of my co-workers said it best when I couldn't decide, "I would rather get the gift that gets me outdoors rather than something dealing with technology. We get enough of it at work."

Can't wait to try it out tomorrow morning. Going golfing with Samir at Northern Hills before the NFL Draft starts. Hopefully, birthday present number 2 comes when the Seahawks draft a Defensive End.

Taxes Complete

Once again I owe the goverment money. Oh well. I'm just glad to have my taxes done for this year. It's not like they are hard to do, but I just hate doing them, especially when you owe.

Golf Season Begins

Spring is officially here. I went golfing today with my buddy, Ryan, and his friend, Wes. Shot a 93 at Eastwood Golf Course in town, but I had to take two mulligans on the front nine because I took my eye off the ball both times. Not bad considering it was the first time I've picked up my clubs in months, and especially after hitting erratically at the driving range an hour before our tee time.

By the 6th hole all three of us were whining on how much we've already walked and how hot it was. Eastwood has a bunch of elevation changes so the 6205 yards of course plays more like 10,000 if you spray the ball all over the place. In fact, Ryan and Wes considered leaving after the 12th hole because it walked right pass our cars. Wusses. I couldn't leave on principle because I paid the green fees.

The funniest part of the round was at the Turn, Ryan went into the clubhouse to get a snack, so he brought in $1 in quarters hoping to buy a Snickers bar. Well, the Snickers bar cost $1.25. With a shocked reaction to the price, Ryan walked out of the clubhouse in disbelief. Well, he passed Wes and told him how much it cost. Then came back to his bag to get another quarter and told me the story. I laughed because I knew how hungry he was, and meanwhile I'm munching on a peanut butter & jelly sandwich (I always come prepared if I play 18 holes). After a failed attempt of flagging down the Cart girl, Ryan trudges back to the clubhouse with $1.25. And when he purchases the Snickers bar, the cashier says to him, "I would have loaned you the Quarter." Ryan says, "Oh, that's okay," while thinking, "Gee thanks a lot". Of course toss in a couple of expletives into that thought. Then walking out of the clubhouse, he passes Wes again, and Wes says in his Texas accents, "Dude, I didn't know you walked back to your bag to get a quarter, I would have loaned you the quarter. I thought you didn't want the Snickers after you said it cost $1.25." Oh man, I almost choked on my sandwich.

Almost.

GoSh(aved)

Moral of this story: never make a bet with yourself especially when others hear you.

Prior to the start of the NCAA Men's basketball tournament, on Selection Sunday my friend who goes by Gosh (a shortened version of his last name) was disappointed in the region and seeding the Michigan State Spartans were placed in. He thought they had absolutely no chance of making it to the Final Four because of the likelihood of playing Syracuse, Duke and Kentucky. So on Selection Sunday he said to everyone, "If State makes it to the Final Four, I will shave my head and put an 'S' into it." Then he proceeded to ask me, "Jason, you in with me? If Washington makes it to the Final Four, will you shave your head?" And there was no way I was going to make the same claim because Washington was given a Number 1 Seed. Are you crazy?

Well, when Michigan State pulled off the unlikely a weekend ago by earning a trip to the Final Four, and Gosh lived up to his word. Yesterday, I volunteered to shave his head. But the tricky part was shaping an 'S' with his remaining hair. I didn't completely shave his head bald because he would have to go to work on Monday, and still look respectable. However, I was having some difficulty shaping the 'S' because this was only the second time I've given anyone a haircut. So I asked my friend's wife to help me. I turn around for maybe 20 seconds, and the next thing I know there's this nice patch shaved into Gosh's head. Ooops. Her bad. I couldn't help laughing, but at the same time I felt really terrible.

That was a bad omen. Michigan State ended up losing to North Carolina in a poor shooting performance by the Spartans. Hair clippers = $30. Green and white hair gel = $15. One shaved head plus patch = $0. Michigan State losing = painful. One funny story = priceless.

Thank you, Dawgs!

As much as it hurts to swallow the Sweet 16 loss versus Louisville, this fan is overjoyed about how our season turned out. To be named a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tourney is only the beginning of the Washington program. I can criticize the refereeing all day long, but that will not make me feel better.

No matter what, this season has been more than successful. It is the beginning of an era in Husky basketball. Go Dawgs!

Spring Break of Ups & Downs

Unfortunately my Spring Break week just came to an end. Classes resume tomorrow. Doh.

What a week of ups & downs. Last Tuesday, I found out from my sister that my Lolo Ven passed away. Thank you for all the childhood memories. My only regret is not visiting the Philippines after you moved back there. I will miss you, Lolo.

Thursday, the Washington Huskies kept the No. 1 seed winning streak intact versus the Montana Grizzlys. The superstition bug has hit me. I can't cut my hair nor wear another shirt on game days besides my #3 (Brandon Roy) away jersey until the Huskies lose or when tournament ends. Even though my hair is already getting out of control, I'm hoping it's the latter for the Huskies being crowned as the 2005 National Champions would have a nice ring to it.

Friday, it snowed a reported 20 inches in 24 hours. I should have stayed home instead of going into work, where I got stuck in the parking lot. I had to get my roommate and his officemate to come help me push my car. That probably has been my worst driving experience in the Minnesota snow. On second thought, it would be my second worst after the time I did two 360's on the highway.

Saturday, the Washington Huskies advanced to the Sweet 16 with a convincing win over the Pacific Tigers. After shoveling the driveway for 3 hours, we also hosted a huge party at our house for our friend's birthday. Plenty of beer, DDR, college basketball, karoke, and hot tubbing. It was the first time I've ever jumped into the snow the into a hot tub. I thought it would be cool, but I found out the hard way that it's not as fun as advertised.

Sunday, finished a fantasy baseball draft with my friends back in Seattle. I will give myself a draft grade of a C+ . It could have gone better, though last year I thought my team was terrible, and I made the playoffs for the 2nd year in a row. The Mariners on my team are Jeremy Reed and Adrian Beltre. Go M's.

That pretty much wrapped up my Spring Break week. Ironically, it didn't feel like "Spring" nor much of a "Break".

Surprised on Selection Sunday

The Washington Huskies are a No. 1 Seed in the 2005 NCAA Tournament!!! This is unbelievable. After winning the Pac-10 tournament, I thought it locked us up for at minimum a No. 3 seed and possible No. 2. But when Kansas, Kentucky and Wake Forrest all lost, and a win over our conference foes in Arizona...I thought there was a 1 in 50 chance of being seeded so high. I thought it would have taken a loss by Duke today to slide into the No. 1 seed.

But when it's all said an done, I feel like our program was recognized for it's quality wins (Zona twice, Utah, Alabama and Oklahoma) and consistency through conference play. What a turn around for our program, which has been nonexistent through much of my lifetime.

Now with a bullseye on our backs, proving that we are a worthy of our seeding will be a great test for the Huskies. The door is now open for the Dawgs, no we just have to step through it. Going to the Final Four would be a dream. Then again, one dream came true today. Go Dawgs!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/ncaatourney05/news/story?id=2012348

Test This

I despise exams. I had a midterm in my electrical engineering class today, and it didn't go well. I hate the feeling of knowing that no matter how much you study, a test like today's comes along and puts you on your rear end. The test was more than doable; however, not in the time allotted for the test.

Back in the day, I used to fair better on tests than homeworks. But old habits die hard. Well, at least I wasn't the only one complaining about the test as other students were too. So I'm not the only passenger on the boats of complaints.

Oh well, one test down. One final exam to go.

Finally Caught One

After 3 winters of ice fishing, I finally caught a fish. And it's about time. If 3rd time wasn't the charm, then I was going to hang up my ice fishing rods for good. But the one thing about ice fishing is that it's really not about ice fishing.

On Day One our house (Dan, Mitch and myself) caught 17 fish, and only had to throw 2 back because one was too big and the other too small. However, the low lights of Day One included 2 broken fishing rods by Dan in a matter of 5 minutes. At least he was able to catch both of the fish that broke his poles. The other mishap of the day was when I helped Mitch try to bring up the Big One and as his line broke, one of my poles got sucked into the icehole and disappeared underneath the ice. Needless to say, I was pissed.

Day Two, the bad news is that we only caught 4 keepers and a lot of little fish which we threw back. The good news is that not only is Dan the expert fisherman at catching fish, but by some random chance he also was able to reel up the line from the pole I lost the day before. A miracle that was to even get it back. But just when I thought my luck changed, I caught the last fish of the day. Well, I don't even know if you can call a burbot a fish because it doesn't even look one.

Next year, I'll have to redeem myself by catching the Big One whom almost took my pole away.

Here are the few lessons I learned on the weekend trip:

1. How to filet a walleye/sauger.
2. Beer for breakfast is allowed when fishing in freezing weather.
3. There is such a thing as eating too much beef jerky.
4. How to play The Mexican (a drinking game with dice).
5. There's nothing nastier than a burbot (aka eelpout), and they stink too.
6. Never bet when it comes to fishing contests.

2-Minute Penalty

Why are referees blind? Tonight I was whistled for my first ever penalty in broomball in 4 seasons. And what did I do? Absolutely NOTHING. An opposing player and myself were battling for the ball on the boards; the outer edges of the rink were lined with puddles of water due to warmer weather over the past week. Well, the opposing player got his foot stuck in a water-filled hole, slipped and then tripped. The next thing I know I get whistled for interference. Everyone including the other team knew the guy fell on his own except the ref. What a moron. Being down 1-0, that penalty led to a power play goal for the opposing team. Funny how the other teams only 2 shots on goal went in. Unfortunately for us, we were not blessed with the same luck for none of our shots on goal scored. 2 minute penalty. 2-0 loss. 2 losses for our team on the year. Too weird.

Thankfully my night didn't end up a total loss for the Huskies defeated the Sun Devils in college hoops. Phew.

Where's Dr. Feelgood?

Went home early from work today suffering from a head cold. Don't know how I got sick because the night before I played on my friends' basketball team through our company league (we won that game), and felt just fine. Well I've been sleeping all day, taking my Vitamin C and other medications, but still my body feels weak.

Hopefully it's gone by the weekend.

What's a Sugar Beet?

Finally the day is over, and long one it was. Had to turn in a homework assignment in for class, chair a meeting at work, go to class, pick up a friend from the airport, and then proceed to lose in tonight's soccer game. Luckily, the night ended with a good note by watching 24 at a friend's house in which his wife has some left over Adobo I had for dinner. The day was made even longer because I didn't get home until 2 AM last night. Why?

Stupid snow. My friends and I came back from Forest River, ND last night. A trip that on average takes 6 hours was an 8 hour one for us because of the heavy snowfall last night. Ironically, it all melted today.

But what were we doing Forest River, ND? The answer is Curling. Yes, the good old Canadian sport of curling. The essence of shuffle board, bocce ball, bowling and household chores mixed into one goofy game on ice. It was the 11th annual Bonspiel, so they called the outdoor curling tournament. For being first time curlers, our team won 2 games but also lost 2 games. Not too shabby, being that the teams we lost two ended up placing in the tournament of 54 teams. Much like ice fishing, this curling tournament was not so much about the sport as it was another excuse to booze it up in the winter weather. Yeah, the crazy things you do in the Midwest. "Doncha know?"

The long trip was well worth it for it had many laughs along the way. The funniest moment was when our friend, Jesse who is from Forest River, pointed out the local sugar beet processing factory. Raised in the suburbs of Seattle, I had never heard of a sugar beet, nor did the other passenger in the car who was born in Chicago. I always thought all sugar came from sugar canes. Well, apparently Jesse tried to convince us that many farms around ND harvest sugar beets. And being as we've never seen a sugar beet before, we proceeded to laugh at her because we weren't convinced that sugar beets existed at all. Minutes later, we pull along a semitruck with an open-aired cage trailer that was completely empty, and Jesse says, "See that truck. It carries sugar beets." I glance at the empty truck, and can't resist the family sarcasm charm, "Oh yeah, I see lots of sugar beets. It's amazing how INVISIBLE they are. Those mythical vegetables, probably planted by unicorn turd."

Oh the laughs of North Dakota, Eh?

A Late Night

What a terrible week. Yesterday, I turned in my first project of the semester. This Spring I'm enrolled in a class that I thought would be easy and fun. Turns out Bizarro is teaching this class, and it's just the opposite. I've averaged less than 4 hours of sleep the past couple of days. I'm ready to crash. I'm just glad this first project is over and done with. Now onto the hard stuff.

In other news, we have another broomball game tonight. Our team is now 6-0. But we lost a key player last week because he dislocated his shoulder when he fell on the ice. As foolish as this sounds, the ice was really slippery in our last game. I bruised my hand falling to the ground, but better that than a dislocated shoulder. *knock on wood*

That'll Teach 'Em

A fellow coworker just sent this to me, and I found it rather amusing. Enjoy...

According to a news report, a certain private school in Washington recently was faced with a unique problem. A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom. That was fine, but after they put on their lipstick they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints.

Every night the maintenance man would remove them and the next day the girls would put them back. Finally the principal decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night.

To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required. He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it.

Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror. There are teachers, and then, there are educators.

2nd Time Around

Went ice skating outdoors last night for only the second time in my life. And it definitely when much better than my first time around...

When I went ice skating for the first time, I rented skates. However, I showed up late to the indoor ice rink, and as they were about to close up the rental shop, I asked the rental lady to give me a size 9. Well, I think she was a bit pissed off because she wanted to go, so she gave me some figure skates. Stupid toe pick.

Yesterday, my buddy let me borrow his extra pair of hockey skates. Minus the width and pain of a tight right boot, I was able to manage only a dozen falls. I considered it a successful night out on the ice, especially for a second-time skater born without equilibrium. I really should buy a pair skates living here in Minnesota because they have a bunch of outdoor ice rinks where you can skate for free. I like FREE.

Let Me Wear My Hat

Went to the Michigan State Spartans vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers basketball game yesterday afternoon. The Gophers may have the worst cheer in the history of college sports. It starts of fine with them spelling each letter of M-i-n-n-e-s-o-t-a. But when that's through, it is as if it pains ever fan to chant "Minnesota" three times afterwards. If you want to know what it can be compared to, just shoot a dog in the butt and listen to it howl in pain.

Well, the Spartans went on to win the game. Thank goodness because I went up to the Cities with a bunch of MSU alumni, and it wouldn't have been a fun night out if they were all pissed off.
So, we went off to the usual Lonetree/Annex bar in the Cities because they serve cheap drinks in their power hour. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the place. Yes, it has cheap drinks but I'm not as fond of the atmosphere as my friends are. And to make me hate that place even more... Since it was a frigid night in Minnesota, I decide to wear a beanie cap out to the bar which was stylish and functional for the weather. Well, the idiot bouncers there said it was policy for me not to wear it inside. What a joke. How is a hat going to harm anyone? What makes me mad is that a bunch of other guys were wearing baseball caps, and they were not forced to remove them. Great policy, jerks.

They Shoot, They Don't Score

Joined a winter indoor soccer league this year. However, it's technically not indoors. We play at the infamous Rochester Golf Dome. It's more like a huge hard plastic tarp to block out wind more than anything, but it's a lousy insulator. So, whatever the temperature is outside, it's pretty much the same inside too. With a below-zero temperature last night, you can only imagine the wonderful playing conditions.

The good news though is that our team improved our record to 3-0 with a 3-1 win last night. I was goalkeeper. And the funny thing is that our team ended up scoring ALL the goals last night. I had two one-on-one saves, one guy sweep kick me in the right shin, and another guy almost donkey-kick me in the family jewels.

Thanks goodness for that outdoor broomball game that I have tonight.

Blocked Again

What is it with me and this town? I got blocked again this weekend. But on the plus side, I didn't get blocked by my own friends this time.

I started off last Saturday by playing poker at my friend's house, Josh aka Dett Money. It turned out to be Josh's birthday too, so he planned to have a bunch of people over after poker. In preparation, he bought a keg for both occasions. Well, I proceed to win $100 after a few hours of poker as well as having my fair share of beer. When the party finally got started, Josh's girlfriend showed up with 3 other girls. One of them just kept on smiling at me anytime I said something. But oddly enough, she had a familiar looking face, however I couldn't quite figure out where I have seen her before. When we finally introduced ourselves, she said she recognized me from soccer. And that's when the light bulb turned on. We talked for 10 minutes before one of her friend's wanted to go to a bar. Oh well, so much for my window of opportunity. At least that's what I thought...

About an hour later we head off to a different bar. Turns out Josh's girlfriend picked up the girl from the party, and met us at the bar the rest of us went to. And soon enough we were talking again for most of time we were there. Well, to make a long story short... At the end of the night, I only walked away with a name and no phone number. Because her friend's unintentionally blocked by offering her a ride home at the last minute, while we were both sitting in Josh's girlfriend's car waiting to drive other people back to Josh's. And as we went separate ways, Josh gave me the What Happened? look, and returned with the I Have No Idea shoulder shrug.

Very funny, Rochester, very funny.

All Choked Up

Saw Finding Neverland last night. Wowzers, there was definitely a shortage of Kleenex in the theatre. What a great movie, if you like tear-jerkers. On a lighter note, the boy who played Michael certainly cracked me up. He was probably the worst child actor I've ever seen, but his delivery of his lines was so bad it didn't matter because he was only 4. It was like his Mom was trying to feed him lines off camera. Hilarious.

Definitely, the best movie I've seen this year. Then again, it's only been 2 weeks into the New Year.

The Sports Frustration Continues

Arrghh!!! I hate you, Seahawks. Thanks for giving fans of Seattle hope except when you play the stinking Rams. Here's a word of advice, Mr. Defensive Coordinator, "Zone defense is the worst call in 3rd and long. Pressure the QB!" You are just setting up the secondary to get burned if you let the QB have all day to throw. And Darrell Jackson, please grow a pair of hands so that you can eventually catch a ball when it thrown to you. But most of my blame lies with Mike Holmgren. I'm sorry, Coach, but you've had 6 years to turn our franchise around, and what do you have to show for it. That's right, ZERO postseason wins. As the Donald should say to you, "You're Fired!"

And thank you Huskies for also laying an egg. Just when I thought the weekend couldn't get any worse, they go ahead and blow a 10-point halftime lead to the lowly Bruins and proceed to lose by 9.

Thank you, Seattle, for making me a prisoner of your sporting franchises.

The Spartans Are Back

The Struggletown Spartans are 1-0 on the 2005 Broomball season. Pulled out a victory in sudden death OT to win 2-1. The OT was 4 on 4 with no goalies, and it took over 10 minutes to settle the game. But I felt more joy when the game was finally over, because it was a frigid day outside. We played in just above zero-degree weather. It's going to be a long and cold season.