The Visiters

The other day I was hard at work cranking out some words for my novel when a knock came to the door. Kristy was busy in the kitchen and Logan was playing on the Wii. Logan answered the door and I could hear a couple of girls. Now this is not out of the ordinary, Kristy works with the Young Women so I just expected it to be them. But then I heard the voices again and they sounded very young.

I peered around the corner and saw two of our neighbor girls Payton (age 7) and Carissa (age 6) carrying a box of fingernail polish. They asked if they could paint Kristy's nails. So Kristy stopped whatever she was doing and they all sat down. Kristy chose purple and they painted one hand purple but then Carissa chose yellow for the other hand.

They would have painted Logan's too if he would have let them. I thought it was way cute for them to come and want to serve.

SLACKER UPDATE: I also forgot about last Sunday's games. Oh well, I missed a week last year too.
Philadelphia at Seattle:
While I think the Eagles are more talented, I also think that they are hurting both physically and mentally more.  Because of this and because the Seahawks are home, I am taking them.
Winner: Seattle Seahawks

Winnah!

I have been really bad at blogging this being the most time I have missed in two years. I really don't know how I did the 365 Days Blog along with Nanowrimo especially considering I did them both my first month!

Well, I finally crossed the finish line and I have completed the Nanowrimo challenge 3 years in a row! Now my goal is to get back to blogging.

Upon Further Review: Thanksgiving Edition

First off I want to thank my dad and sister for putting on one heck of a Pre-Thanksgiving meal. The ribs and salads were all wonderful. I am stuffed!

Now to some game picks. I have to crank out some more words on my novel before the end of the night so I can eat and watch football in peace tomorrow.

Green Bay at Detroit:
The Lions will play hard but unfortunately they will will not be able to come from behind against the Packers. Should be a fun game to watch.
Winner: Green Bay Packers

Miami at Dallas:
The Dolphins could play the spoiler here with Dallas looking to take control of the NFC East. Too bad that the Cowboys have way too much talent for the Phins to overcome.
Winner: Dallas Cowboys

San Francisco at Baltimore:
I like what the 49ers are doing and I think the Raven are one of the best teams in the AFC. What bugs me about the Ravens is the losses against teams they should not have lost too. But on the other hand they are beating other top teams. Gotta pull for the Ravens in this one since the 49ers are a top team.
Winner: Baltimore Ravens

Upon Further Review: Week Eleven Picks

It's late.

I just got home after a harrowing trip down to Salt Lake City for a cousin's wedding. I'll blog about that more in length this week.

So here are some quick picks.

Cleveland Browns over Jacksonville
Detroit Lions over Carolina
Green Bay Packers over Tampa Bay
Miami Dolphins over Buffalo
Oakland Raiders over Minnesota
Dallas Cowboys over Washington
Baltimore Ravens over Cincinnati
St. Louis Rams over Seattle
San Francisco 49ers over Arizona
Atlanta Falcons over Tennessee
Chicago Bears over San Diego
NY Giants over Philadelphia
New England Patriots over Kansas City

Here's a Quickie

I have a lot going on unfortunately I have not had a lot of time to blog. The novel is progressing well, last night I hit 33,333 words and I am well ahead of schedule. And the novel has unexpectedly gone some directions I didn't think it would go. Some situations in the book have come more quickly and it looks like a MAJOR confrontation that I had briefly thought about will happen and it will be a doozy!

And part of me is not liking writing about the bad stuff that is going to happen to my main character. A lot of bad stuff is coming and it has to come so the character will grow.

Anyway, I am not here to blog about my book but to pick the winner of the NFL game tonight.

NY Jets at Denver:
Oh, this game worries me. The Jets need this game in a bad way since they sucked it last week. And I don't blame QB Sanchez at all for the loss last week. I blame the Offensive Coordinator, while at times he can be brilliant and some of his play design is fantastic but the guy does not know how to run a game. Last week the Jets should have thrown all over the Pats but they didn't. A few good throws but they should have really attacked the Pats. I think the Jets have more talent than the Broncos but the Broncos are riding high with an unconventional Tebow game. I think this week against an angry Jets team, the lack of throwing offense will cost the Broncos the game.
Winner: New York Jets*

*yeah did you think I would pick the Broncos? Especially since I will be seeing my aunt and uncle from Colorado tonight? And yes, I am already wearing my Jets gear proudly.

Upon Further Review: Week Ten Picks

It is hard to believe that I have made picks for 10 weeks already. Time sure passes by quickly especially during football season. I dropped off to a pathetic 9/14 in picking games and already this week I am 0-1. Stupid Raiders, they failed me twice!

New Orleans at Atlanta:
This game could decide the division and will definitely feel like a playoff game. The Saints are struggling on the road and the Falcons are red-hot. While I do think this could go both ways and I expect both teams to come out swinging, I am going with the home team.
Winner: Atlanta Falcons

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati:
Another game that could have major playoff implications. The under-the-radar Bengals face a true test against an angry Steelers team wanting revenge from last week. For some reason I feel that the untested and unknown Bengals will no longer be under-the-radar after this game. I just see the Steelers looking past the Bengals a bit just enough for them to get bitten. I smell an upset.
Winner: Cincinnati Bengals

St. Louis at Cleveland:
The Rams were so close last week and the Browns are just not improving. The Browns will keep it close but I think it will all come down to the running game which the Rams have with RB Steven Jackson.
Winner: St. Louis Rams

Buffalo at Dallas:
It will be interesting to see how the Bills react after a big loss at home. The Cowboys finally posted a good win unfortunately it was against the hapless Seahawks. But a win is a win and I think the Cowboys will continue their dominance over the Bills.
Winner: Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville at Indianapolis:
This is a winnable game for the Colts but I have this feeling that the Jaguars are going to cut their rookie QB loose and see what he has. The Colts are at least competitive and I think they rattle off a win here.
Winner: Indianapolis Colts

Denver at Kansas City:
If Miami can come into KC and put a butt-whuppin on the Chiefs, the Broncos definitely can. But I think the Chiefs will respond to an ugly loss especially against a divisional foe.
Winner: Kansas City Chiefs

Washington at Miami:
Winning sure cures a lot of things and Miami will come out fighting. The Redskins are in some serious trouble and unfortunately the injuries will play a major factor in the game. It will be close but the Dolphins will prove they are too much for a weakened team.
Winner: Miami Dolphins

Arizona at Philadelphia:
The Eagles sure laid an egg Monday night and they are slowly playing themselves out of contention. Head Coach Andy Reid will have them prepared to play one game at a time. The Eagles just have too much talent that they could lose to the Cards.
Winner: Philadelphia Eagles

Houston at Tampa Bay:
A lot of Texans fans are angry that experts are only grading them a "B" so far this season. They claim the running game is the best and the defense has made a huge jump from last year. Those facts are true and I agree but the Texans need to beat the teams they should beat and quit laying eggs. They should be able to beat a Tampa Bay team and to get to the next level they need to win this game. And I think they are ready.
Winner: Houston Texans

Tennessee at Carolina:
The Panthers are at home so they should win. You cannot count on the Titans so they probably should win. Guess I should flip a coin. It came up Cam Newton.
Winner: Carolina Panthers

Baltimore at Seattle:
Please Ravens don't lose your heads. This is a classic trap game.
Winner: Baltimore Ravens

Detroit at Chicago:
The Bears certainly looked good last Monday night but they faced a lazy and unmotivated Eagles defense. The Lions are coming off a bye week and once again the Lions are getting no respect. No one at ESPN picked the Lions. Now to prove that I am better than the experts at ESPN.
Winner: Detroit Lions

NY Giants at San Francisco:
Ooooo this is gonna be good. The Giants are flying high and the 49ers are playing hard and winning by pushing other teams around. I am still not convinced that the Giants are for real yet.
Winner: San Francisco 49ers

Sunday Night
New England at NY Jets:
I think I am going to die from excitement. Are the Pats sliding down? Can the Jets use this opportunity to take the division? I think the Jets play best when their backs are against the wall and I still think they are not getting enough credit. The Pats will be tough but I gotta go with the Jets!
Winner: New York Jets

Monday Night
Minnesota at Green Bay:
The Packers have to lose sometime right? RB Adrian Peterson could give the Packers fits but the Pack can gun it out through the air to keep up. The Packers continue to roll.
Winner: Green Bay Packers

Random Ramblings: Too Many Questions

And not enough answers...

Writing: I am now 9 days (I have not written yet today) into my new novel and I am proud to say that I have posted 20,773 words and I am way ahead of schedule. Like I have said before, one of the most satisfying things is when the novel begins to write itself. When story beats suddenly come out of nowhere and characters come to life. I was worried that my novel was lacking in an antagonist when suddenly the idea of turning a good supporting character into one of the main villains came to me. And it fits so perfectly and I don't have to change anything that I have written before. So when should the main protagonist discover the true antagonist?

Listening Part I: While I write I like to listen to music. I usually get distracted when I listen to Queen (I start to sing along) so I try to listen to movie soundtracks and the like. And one of my favorite bands/orchestras came out with another album. E.S. Posthumus's new album Makara is fantastic and the cover of Moonlight Sonata (featured below) is wonderful. What other music do you recommend I should listen to when I write?

Debating: So I feel that I am at a moral crossroads. I see something in the future that I feel can either turn into some sort of Dateline show or could be completely innocent. What makes matters worse is that I recently saw a Dateline episode that was basically the same thing I am seeing now and that did not end well. So what should I do?

Listening Part II: I have gone through the last five studio Queen albums and I have to say that these new remasters were well worth the purchase. The sound is so much clearer and crisp on the Miracle and Innuendo albums especially. The last two albums are bittersweet, Freddie knew the end was coming and it shows through the songs. While artistically I feel Queen was at their best on these final albums, the songs definitely had hints of retrospect, sadness and dealing with the cards you have been dealt with. So when am I going to post my reviews of each album?

Wishing: I wish I had the NFL Network so I can catch the Thursday games. I just cannot justify paying that much more a month for a TV package when the NFL Network would really be the only channel I would watch. I think I may cancel my TV when the football season ends. It could be that I am getting old but there is just nothing good on TV anymore. The bad stuff on TV clearly overshadows the good. And what TV I would watch, I can catch on the Internet. So should I cancel my TV service at the end of the season?

Calling: Speaking of the NFL game tonight...

Oakland at San Diego:

Both the Chargers and Raiders are in a free fall. Oakland is without RB McFadden and I think that is what will be crucial in this game. RB Michael Bush can also run the ball but lacks the explosiveness that McFadden has. The Chargers usually wake up at this point in the season and I think they will bounce back here.

Winner: San Diego Chargers

Singing: So a couple of Sundays ago I was attending the community choir practice and I got to hear the gospel song we are going to do. Oh boy... ...I really am going to be stepping out of my comfort zone here. A lot of dancing and hand waving and praising. I like to sing and the song is a ton of fun but the actions are not my style. I am going to have to hype myself up to do what they want me to do. I am gonna have to channel my inner Blues Brother.

And shame on you if you don't know who the Blues Brothers are. Have you seen this movie?

So there are some questions... ...now to find some answers.

Upon Further Review: Week Nine Picks

My picks were not looking good during the second half of the first games on Sunday and I was starting to sweat. But then some teams rallied and won and I scored an impressive11/13! My best percentage record yet! This week looks to be a little more tricky.

NY Jets at Buffalo:

Everyone is so high on the Bills and they have a good reason. But the Jets have held QB Tom Brady and Phillip Rivers to very little production and I definitely see that happening to QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. He has a bruised chest and I am positive that they Jets will throw Bills-castoff Aaron Maybin his way to get some sacks. If the Jets can slow the running game down they have an excellent shot at beating this team. I smell an upset.

Winner: New York Jets

Seattle at Dallas:

The Cowboys need this game in a big bad way. This could be a trap game and the Cowboys need to be careful. But they should be able to win easily.

Winner: Dallas Cowboys

Atlanta at Indianapolis:

You have to hand it to the Colts, they are playing hard. It would be interesting to see how the Colts team would have been with Manning. 

Winner: Atlanta Falcons

Miami at Kansas City:

If the Chiefs win this game it will be 5 straight. Let me rephrase that, WHEN the Chiefs win it will be 5 straight. The Dolphins will play hard but the Chiefs are one of the hottest teams in the NFL.

Winner: Kansas City Chiefs

Tampa Bay at New Orleans:

Good thing for the Saints is that they are at home. I am sure they want to win big this week so they can erase that ugly ugly loss last week. They should rebound decently against a tough Bucs team.

Winner: New Orleans Saints

San Francisco at Washington:

This is a classic trap game for the 49ers. The Redskins will play tough at home and the 49ers just need to play their type of football. It will be close but I think the 49ers will win it in the end.

Winner: San Francisco 49ers

Cleveland at Houston:

Another trap game and since this is the Texans, they will probably blow it. I am really tempted to go with the Browns here and if it was in Cleveland, I would take them. But they are not so...

Winner: Houston Texans

Cincinnati at Tennessee:

Boy was I wrong about the Bengals. I think they are playing with a great nothing-to-lose attitude and it is paying off. While I think the Titans could win this, I gotta go with the hot team.

Winner: Cincinnati Bengals

Denver at Oakland:

If it was in Denver, I would pick the Broncos. It will be fun to watch QB Tim Tebow play in the Black Hole. Even though RB McFadden is out, I still think that the Raiders will run all over the Broncos. Close by half time, blow out by the end.

Winner: Oakland Raiders

NY Giants at New England:

I am not very high on the Giants and I think they are overrated. They got pushed around by the Dolphins and the Pats will be no pushovers. I would not want to face an angry Patriots team at home. I will be rooting for the Giants though.

Winner: New England Patriots

St. Louis at Arizona:

The Rams got their first unlikely win last week and I think that will give them enough energy to win again against a terrible Cardinals team. I give the Cardinals some props for almost beating a tough Ravens team but in the end they lost and that will carry on here.

Winner: St. Louis Rams

Green Bay at San Diego:

Something is wrong with QB Phillip Rivers. He just is not the same confident QB that he was last season, it seems like he is distracted. Unfortunately the World Champions are coming to town. The Packers have to lose sometime right? This will be a close one especially since it is in San Diego but I am giving the Pack the victory since they are coming off their bye week.

Winner: Green Bay Packers

Sunday Night

Baltimore at Pittsburgh:

Oh baby. I am so glad that I do not have choir practice that night. This will be an ugly smash-mouth game full of hits and blitzes and power running. Great way to end the day. The Steelers are riding high after last week and they want revenge. The Ravens came from behind to win last week so they are both coming off positive games. So who wants it more? I smell another upset.

Winner: Baltimore Ravens

Monday Night

Chicago at Philadelphia:

The Eagles are not out of it yet. The Bears need to win to keep up with the Packers and Lions. Something has got to give. The Bears will go all out but the game resides in the hands of QB Jay Cutler versus the Philly D. I will take the Philly D.

Winner: Philadelphia Eagles

The End of the Season

Logan has his last game of football last Wednesday night.

And he played pretty well. He had four "tackles" and he tipped three balls in pass defense. He tried his hardest to intercept a ball but he just was not tall enough to snag a ball but he was able to deflect them. His team played really good at the end of the season, we figure that the game just finally clicked.

On offense Logan played Guard and he was the backup Center. I was pretty proud that he would take on kids bigger than he was. He was not afraid of taking to a kid. On defense Logan played Corner and he was real good at watching for a pass. He definitely liked playing defense better than offense.

It was kind of bittersweet at the end of the game (which ended in a tie). I was happy that he was done since it was so frigid at his last two games but we were sad since he got along real good with his teammates and his coach really liked him. We told the coach that Logan was planning on playing Flag Football next year and he remarked "I would love to have a player like Logan on my team again."

What drove me nuts about this kid of mine is that he could act like an idiot (and I say this lovingly) between plays and horse around but when it came to game time he got all serious and took the game seriously. I am looking forward to football season next year already.

Late Update

I had to blog on this historic date!

11/01/11

Isn't it that cool? I swear that I grew up during the best time of history. I got the best toys, best music, best movies and now best dates!

So I have started my Nanowrimo novel and I am happy (and yes I am tooting my own horn) that I am now at 3, 301 words! 

And I had a major distraction as my final Queen boxset arrived today. HUZZAH!  I really want to do a review on each disc. I am looking forward to rediscovering these songs.

I had a fun evening yesterday at my dad's and trick-or-treating around his neighborhood. We ate a ton of pizza and a ton of candy. And Logan was able to go around the block with his cousins and come back with a decent haul.

Logan was a Dementor this year. I did his make up even though he didn't think he needed it. 

Happy Halloween (and more)!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Logan went as a spider last year. This year he is a Dementor from Harry Potter

Today not only is Halloween but it also marks the 1-year Anniversary of the conclusion of the 365-Day Blog Challenge. And if you re-read that last entry you will also see that it was the last time that I have spoken in Church as well.

It is hard to believe that it was only a year ago that I finished up this quest. It doesn't seem that long ago at all. This year I obviously have not blogged as much, by my count, including this column, I have blogged 192 times this year. Which is ten more than if I blogged half the time during the year. So I did blog more than half the time (although that was just barely)!

I do plan on blogging a little more this year than I did last year but if I got the same amount, I think I would be satisfied enough. But don't look for a lot of blogs coming this coming month. The Nanowrimo competition starts tomorrow and I plan on cranking out my novel furiously. I even have some new music that I got just for this occasion.

I will still be blogging but it may only be once or twice a week during this coming month.

Random Ramblings: Da-Doo

Shivering: I rather would have cold weather than I would having it unbearably hot. But then I would like to live in a place that has a decent furnace. Our place gets soooo cold. It is nice in the summer because it stays pretty cool most of the time. We finally turned on our heater the other day after trying to go through days without it on.

Watching Part 1: Speaking of shivering. I watched the 2nd episode of the Walking Dead. I cannot recommend this show enough if you like your TV a bit spooky.

Writing: You are going to see this every Random Rambling I do. The Nanowrimo competition starts this Tuesday and I am looking forward to cranking out the first couple thousand words. Reaching 50,000 words really is not that bad when you average out how many words you should do a day. You need to do 1,667 words a day, I like to do more on an average because I like to take Sundays off from writing. Seriously, if you can blog for 365 days in a row, this is a walk in the park!

Meeting: I am meeting with my writer's group here in a couple of hours. Unfortunately I cannot stay to long but I look forward to getting some motivation going.

Watching Part II: Last night Kristy and I went and saw a production of "Little Shop of Horrors" put on by Utah State University. Now I love the movie a lot and I absolutely love the music. But I have not seen the original Broadway musical. This production was set in this small and tight theatre and it was a blast. We sat only a few rows from the stage and I was amazed at how detailed this small production was. The sets and costumes were absolutely perfect and the plant was surprisingly detailed and animated. It actually felt like it was its own person. I know an actor was in the plant giving its motion but the plant felt like it had its own emotion. I won't spoil the ending here if you have not seen the musical and have only seen the movie. It is a lot darker than the movie but a whole lot more entertaining. I would love to see this again.



Singing: Last Sunday I joined the Logan Community Choir with a friend of mine. He asked if I like to sing Christmas songs (which I love to do) and said that this choir is a lot of fun. We sat in the tenor section and I was overwhelmed. Luckily we were sitting by a guy that knew the music. I am really looking forward to tomorrow's session when we are introduced to a couple of new songs that we will perform. Last Sunday we started to learn "Still, Still, Still", "The Virgin Mary had a Baby Boy" and the main chorus from the Messiah. Tomorrow we learn some sort of song heavily influenced by gospel music and he expects us to dance and really go to town. Should be a lot of fun.

Upon Further Review: Week Eight Picks

Week 8? Yikes! That means that the season is half over!

I am back down to scoring an 8/13, which is still pretty decent but I would love to have a week where I only miss a game or two. In the fifteen years that I have made picks, I have never got a perfect score. Maybe this week right?

Indianapolis at Tennessee:
The Colts are at least fighting hard but I like the Titans chances at home. And if the Titan's RB Chris Johnson decides to play they definitely should win this one.
Winner: Tennessee Titans

New Orleans at St. Louis:
The Saints have a chance at improving on their score total from last week in this one.
Winner: New Orleans Saints

Miami at NY Giants:
If they couldn't defeat the Broncos at home, I doubt they can beat the Giants on the road. But it depends on which Eli Manning will show. Still, I agree with the Dolphin's RB Reggie Bush. They stink.
Winner: NY Giants

Minnesota at Carolina:
I am impressed with the Viking's rookie QB and I don't like the Panthers running defense. I small an upset here and I think the Vikings take advantage and hopefully for the whole game instead of just a half.
Winner: Minnesota Vikings

Arizona at Baltimore:
These picks (so far at least) are a whole lot easier to make this week. The Ravens are angry and will show it at home against an underachieving team.
Winner: Baltimore Ravens

Jacksonville at Houston:
Both teams got huge wins last week but I only see a letdown with the Jags. It will be a very close one and Houston will win the turnover battle.
Winner: Houston Texans

Washington at Buffalo in Toronto:
The Redskins are hurting and the Bills have never won in Canada. But these Bills are different right?
Winner: Buffalo Bills

Detroit at Denver:
The Broncos are riding the Tebow Madness Train(tm) but I think it all comes to a halt this week. The Lions need to prove that this losing steak is not a trend. Still, I think the Lions have more offensive firepower that even home-field advantage cannot take away.
Winner: Detroit Lions

New England at Pittsburgh:
Now here is a game! The Pats own the Steelers but I just don't see the New England defense holding up. I suspect that this will be a high-scoring game with the Steelers winning on a field goal.
Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers

Cleveland at San Fransisco:
Now back to an easier pick. The Browns will fight hard and maybe lead once but the 49ers are really that good this season.
Winner: San Francisco

Cincinnati at Seattle:
Seattle is a tough place to play but the Bengals are playing good ball and really have nothing to lose. I love teams that fly just under the radar.
Winner: Cincinnati Bengals

Sunday Night
Dallas at Philadelphia:
Both of these teams have been disappointment. I have such high hopes for each of these teams (especially when I pick them to win) and almost every time they disappoint. So I am going for the team that would disappoint me the least.
Winner: Dallas Cowboys

Monday Night
San Diego at Kansas City:
You have to hand it to the Chiefs for pulling off 3 wins after a 3-game losing streak. Playing at Kansas City will be tough for the Chargers who literally threw the last game away. The Chargers should play better but I see them taking the Chiefs lightly.
Winner: Kansas City Chiefs

The Crooked Man

For the last couple of weeks I have been plugging through my series of Hellboy books. All of them have been extremely entertaining and full of action but I have not come across a story yet that sent shivers down my spine. It is possible that I am hard-hearted, desensitized perhaps would be the better word. But none of the scary stories have truly scared me.

That is until The Crooked Man.

In 1956, somewhere in the mountains of West Virginia, Hellboy encounters Tom, a man who in his youth sold his sold to a backwoods demon known as the Crooked Man. Together they travel back into the dark heart of the Appalachian Mountains to confront that demon and see if Tom's soul can't be saved. 

Maybe it got to me because this was the first supernatural Hellboy story that took place in the United States, you know, close to home. It could have been because of its location in the mountains. That is kinda freaky since I live so close to the mountains. It also could be that it had to do with demons, and that can be very real to me. There are a ton of reasons, watching a witch slip into a human skin, the Mellingeon Witches (which are the settlers that disappeared at Roanoke which mixed in with the Croatan Indians) who follow and call for them while they hike to find the Crooked Man and the tense stand-off between the Crooked Man and his followers and Tom, Hellboy and a priest in a church.

While all that can be downright spooky, that is not what makes this story so spine-chilling. 

I'll never EVER go hiking in the Appalachian Mountains.

What really got me was the creepy art by legend Richard Corben. His interpretation and first appearance of the Crooked Man is what gave me a huge case of the willies. 

This fantastically creepy story is now my all-time favorite Hellboy stories. If you like to be frightened and haunted by something odd and unsettling, this book is for you. I won't give away any more details or what happens to Tom. You'll just have to read it for yourself.

Halloween Flashback

One of my favorite costumes as a kid was when I dressed up like a mummy. I remember that we took pictures of me in my costume but they were not in the large orange crate that my mom has that has all of our photos in.

My mom came over recently and she had found a mess of pictures which included me as the mummy.

The Plot Bunny

Today I met with some other Nanowrimo writers at the local Hastings.

I like to meet new people but I do find myself incredibly shy at times. And I honestly don't want to share my stories, I guess I am paranoid in my old age. We have a nice little group of writers and I am looking forward to hearing their experiences with writing. Hopefully it will motivate me when I get behind or when I am at a loss for words.

One of the members of the group gave me a real cute homemade Plot Bunny. A Plot Bunny is the term some groups of writers give to the little ideas that start off big stories. Basically, a Plot Bunny gives you a small idea and it reproduces... ...like a bunny. These little creatures will not rest until you write what they are telling (begging) you to write. Even if has nothing to do with your story, or it goes in a direction you don't think it should go, this bunny will eat at you until you do. Some just come right up and tell you what to write, some just carefully weave its way into your novel.

I just need a name for my Plot Bunny. Any ideas?

Upon Further Review: Week Seven Picks

I avoided packing up all my Jets stuff this week with a nice win by the Jets against the hated rival Dolphins. My Jets still have a ton of work to do but I did see some improvements last Monday. I am hoping that the offense just picks it up this week and they will need it against a high-scoring offense in the Chargers.

I scored a decent 9/13 which is one better than last week. I had some close calls and I am wagging my Finger of Shame at you Cowboys! They really should have had that game.

Seattle at Cleveland:
Both teams have been inconsistent this year. Seattle is better than I thought and Cleveland is worse than I thought. I see the fortunes being reversed here:
Winner: Cleveland Browns

Atlanta at Detroit:
The Falcons came away with a great win against the rival Panthers and they have some momentum. The Lions lost at the end and I am curious to see how this team reacts to a loss like that. Can the Lions prove that they are a good team by bouncing back? This will show us how mentally tough the Lions are. I think they win in a squeaker.
Winner: Detroit Lions


Houston at Tennessee:
Tough game to call here. The Texans need this win to end a 2-game losing streak. The Titans have nothing to lose and could really make the AFC South interesting by pulling a win out. And that is exactly what I think they will do.
Winner: Tennessee Titans

Denver at Miami:
So Miami wants to celebrate Tim Tebow and they are throwing this huge celebration. Doesn't he play for the other team? I am sure the Dolphins want to do everything they can to spoil Tim Tebow but from what I saw Monday night, I don't think the Dolphins have enough in the tank to take an emotional Tebow out. And Miami is terrible at home too.
Winner: Denver Broncos


San Diego at NY Jets:
The Jets need this game and I think they could pull off a win in New York. If the Jets defense can slow the running game, I think they have a chance. And I think the two former Chargers in Cromartie and Thomlinson will want to beat their former team.
Winner: New York Jets

Chicago at Tampa Bay:
Boy I didn't expect the Bucs to reply to a butt-whupping like that! Beating the Saints on their turf will give them major momentum and I expect them to come out firing against the Bears. The Bears and QB Jay Cutler looked fantastic against the Vikings but don't expect a repeat.
Winner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington at Carolina:
I am still not a believer in the Redskins and the Panthers are playing a lot better than anyone expected. It seems to me that the pressure to perform is on the Redskins and the Panthers are just playing loose. That is not to say that the Panthers are not being serious, I just think they are playing with no expectations. And that will be the difference in this one.
Winner: Carolina Panthers

Kansas City at Oakland:
This will be a lot closer than anyone thinks. If the Chiefs can slow down the run, they have a glimmer of hope. Sounds easy right? Yup, it's not. The Raiders will run, run, RUN on the Chiefs.
Winner: Oakland Raiders

Pittsburgh at Arizona:
It will take awhile for the Steelers to find their footing but once they do they will dominate the Cards. The Superbowl rematch will not even be close.
Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers

St. Louis at Dallas:
The Cowboys should have had that game against the Pats. Luckily for them, the injured Rams roll into town. The Cowboys better take them seriously.
Winner: Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay at Minnesota:
Rookie QB Ponder will provide a small spark but the Packers are just too much for them. The Packers have to lose sometime right? Not this week.
Winner: Green Bay Packers

Sunday Night
Indianapolis at New Orleans:
This Superbowl rematch will not be close either. I am sure QB Drew Brees will want to vent against the hapless Colts.
Winner: New Orleans Saints

Monday Night
Baltimore at Jacksonville:
I still think that the Jags have some talent but I don't think they have enough to take out one of the top teams in the NFL in the Ravens. And I am sure the Ravens are slobbering at the bit to take on a rookie QB.
Winner: Baltimore Ravens

Random Ramblings: *Insert Title Here*

Blogging: It seems that I just don't have enough to blog about anymore. These Random Ramblings blogs cover most of the stuff that happens to my family and I. I want to blog more, I just don't know what else to say aside from the column and my NFL-inspired blogs. I might have to resort to mission stories or comic book stuff.

Listening: For some reason the Phantom of the Opera has been calling my name. That was the first major musical I saw and from the moment I heard the music, I loved it. It also takes me back to my college days with my friend Lared where we would crank this out in the car and sing. And I usually would do Christine's part and surprisingly I could hit a lot of her notes. Now I didn't say that I sounded good but at least I could hit them!

Surveying: I know I have been pimping this out a lot lately but it really works. Since June, I have made a little over in $200 worth of Amazon gift codes. I just recently placed an order for the Queen Boxset #3, which I paid NOTHING for. It comes out in a few weeks and I am giddy with anticipation.

Singing: Speaking of singing and music, I was invited to join a community choir. They are setting up a Christmas program and they even have a baritone section! I am thrilled to be invited and I hope it is a lot of fun. It should be since we are singing Christmas music. But I hope it continues past the Christmas season.

Eating: One of the tastiest coconut-cream donuts EVER! Just thought you would all like to know.

Reading: I am plowing through my collection of spooky/horror comics and I am almost halfway through my Hellboy collection. By Yoda, I love these books. I highly recommend this set of books. The art has a spooky atmosphere and the writing is top-notch. What I really love about these books are the various folk stories from all over the world which he investigates. The strange other-worldly fairy tales and legends really make for some spooky and funny moments. If you liked the movie, you will love the books. Seriously, check them out! They are available not just in comic book form, you can also pick them up in bound tradepaperback editions and I am sure you can find them at your local library.

The Wolves of St. August, The Corpse and the Iron Shoes, the Conqueror Worm and Darkness Falls are some of my favorite Hellboy tales.

Plotting: I am getting really eager to start writing for the NaNoWriMo competition. This will be the third year in a row for me and I cannot recommend it enough. Seriously, if you have any desire to do some writing, you should check this out and try it. It is extremely rewarding. You know who I am talking to! I am meeting up with a couple of local writers this Saturday to chat and plot our novels. Should be fun!

Cheering: Logan and his football team got their first win last night in a blowout. Logan had to block against this huge kid and did really well. They definitely played like a team last night and it was fun to watch. Logan definitely like defense and he is pretty good at snatching flags. We only have two more games.

Logan and his small team. We are missing three kids. One quit, one is a bit flaky and one broke his arm.

An action shot. Not sure who that is. So let's pretend it is Logan.

Watching: I watched one of the saddest things yesterday. I watched an ESPN E:60 special on professional wrestler Scott Hall. He was always one of my favorites and it was extremely sad to see him in such condition. Have you seen the movie The Wrestler? This guy is living it. So sad, I really wish I could do something.

Watching Part II: The season premiere of the Walking Dead. Holy crap, the first thirty minutes was fantastic. I must have bitten off all my nails! I know (mostly) what is going to happen since I read the comics but seeing it in full color (the comic is in black and white) and hearing the sounds really make a huge difference in how scary it is. I am surprised at the amount of gore is allowed for this TV show but I cannot see it any other way. I look forward to the rest of the season.

Saturday's Warrior

Last night our Stake put on Saturday's Warrior. What I like about Stake productions is that while the talent may not all be there (there still was a lot of talent, don't get me wrong) the heart is there. These actors/actresses have sacrificed a tremendous amount of time to put on this show and it certainly shows.

Some members of our ward were in it and a lot of the Young Men and Young Women were in it. So Kristy, Logan and I had to attend to see and support them.

I have not seen the show or heard the music in years. Seriously, YEARS. I don't think I have heard the music since I was a toddler. My mom had helped produce this musical for our Stake in Edmonton years and years ago and the music must have been beaten into me. Once the opening song hit I immediately remembered it. And some of the songs I surprisingly remembered the words.

Our YM/YW were the bad guys.

The musical was fantastic and the cast did really well. I was especially proud of those that I knew that were in the play. I wish I had tried out (I knew it was a musical but I didn't know it was Saturday's Warrior) but there is always next time.

Afterwords, I treated the family to some Wendy's Frosties. What a nice ending to a nice evening being with friends and listening to some fun (and sometimes cheesy) music.

Upon Further Review: Week Six Picks

For the last two weeks I have mentioned that I should be better at picking the games. Now it seems that I am slowly getting worse in my picks. So instead of saying how I'll be better this week, I am instead going to say absolutely nothing.

Nada... zip...

Last week I scored an alright 8/13, I am still above 50% but I would like... ...nevermind. I'll let my picks do the talking.

Carolina at Atlanta:
I could see this going both ways. The Panthers are a lot more competitive and will be hungry to defeat a divisional foe like the Falcons but I think the Falcons will want to enact revenge for their loss last week and they will have the crowd and the veteran leadership to do it. But only barely...
Winner: Atlanta Falcons

Indianapolis at Cincinnati:
Who would have thought that Cincinnati would act more like the Bengals than the Bungles? I sure didn't see it coming at all but I do have to appreciate the fight the Bengals are coming out with and I also appreciate the taste of my foot. I thought the Colts would have a win or two by this point as well. The Colts will fight hard as always but the Bengals are at home and have nothing to lose.
Winner: Cincinnati Bengals

San Francisco at Detroit:
Now back in the Tecmo Bowl NES days this would be an outstanding game between powerhouses but fast forward a decade or two and... wait a sec... they are a combined 9-1? I do believe that the Lions are for real but I am still not sure about the 49ers.
Winner: Detroit Lions

I spent hours... days playing that game

St. Louis at Green Bay:
Green Bay has to lose sometime this season right? But not at home and not against the Rams.
Winner: Green Bay Packers

Buffalo at NY Giants:
Speaking of the ol' NES Tecmo Bowl days... here is another powerhouse game. I hated playing the Bills in that game and I hated the Giants more because they could block kicks. I think the Bills get revenge for the Superbowl loss (like winning this would really help) and they also show that they are New York's real team (that plays in New York).
Winner: Buffalo Bills

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh:
The Steelers seem to play better when they are hurt. If this was at Jacksonville, I would be tempted to pick the Jags in an upset but I am trying to improve my.... ...not going to talk about it!
Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers

Philadelphia at Washington:
The Redskins are in a good position to heap more dirt on the Eagles but I just cannot see the Eagles packing it in. Even in all their defeats, they play hard and to win. And I am just not convinced the Redskins are that good.
Winner: Philadelphia Eagles

Cleveland at Oakland:
The Raiders are still feeling the emotional effects of the passing of owner Al Davis and that will carry on back to Oakland. They will fight to win at home for Al.
Winner: Oakland Raiders

Houston at Baltimore:
The Texans really should have won last week and that hangover will carry on to Baltimore. I thought that this year's Texans would be different than years past but they are still showing boneheaded ways to lose games.
Winner: Baltimore Ravens

Dallas at New England:
Did anyone else catch the hilarious NFL Live skit featuring the Romo-coaster? For some reason, I am thinking Romo is going up on the coaster. With Bryant and Austin playing and knowing the Cowboys will run the ball on the worst run defense in league, I think I am smelling an upset here. The Patriots are still one of the best teams but they are looking a lot more human... ...and beatable.
Winner: Dallas Cowboys

New Orleans at Tampa Bay:
The Bucs should play pretty good here since they didn't go to SF last week at all. But the Saints are still the team to beat in that division. Closer than many will think but the Saints are just too much.
Winner: New Orleans Saints

Sunday Night:
Minnesota at Chicago:
The Vikings finally ran the ball but unfortunately they did it all in the 1st half again. The Bears collapsed last week in the 2nd half. So how is the NFL math going to add up here:
Winner: Chicago Bears 

Monday Night:
Miami at NY Jets:
It always seems to me that the Jets are just horrible when they play in prime time games. And Rex Ryan's Jets are only 1-4 (and losing all home games) against the Dolphins. This smells like disaster for the Jets, they cannot lose this game. The good thing is that Mark Sanchez has thrown over 200 yards and two touchdowns in each game (except for the Ravens game) and the Dolphins are easy in the middle. The Jets have to win...
Winner: New York Jets

Random Ramblings: Ugh

Sneezing, Aching, Coughing: Yeah, I have been sick the last couple of days. UGH.  It started Sunday night with a sore throat and by morning I was hurting all over. Each day has been a new symptom. Today my chest feels as if a hippos was using it as a pillow. But on the bright side, I am not sore and my throat feels much better. Wonder what tomorrow will bring.

Pondering: So I am still thinking of going back to school. And I am leaning on going back to school to learn to become a paralegal. I spoke to a recruiter on the horn yesterday and got some great information. I also spoke to our new Bishop as well. He is a lawyer and I wanted to know his opinion on a paralegal career. I got some really good information from him as well. He basically told me that if I am really good, I will be in high demand. I am checking a few other places out and we'll see what comes from that.

Coaching: Last night Logan had a football game and I was called into action to coach. The real coach's son had his wrist snapped during a play and you could hear that poor kid scream. Now this kid seems to get hurt every week and comes crying off the field. And I am ashamed to say that I thought the same thing was happening. His dad teases him and when he was carrying him off the field he was saying that his wrist was broke. We didn't know how to act, it looked like he could be dramatizing the whole incident for his son, who also likes to dramatize things. And then I saw the huge bump by his wrist. It was for real. So he called me in to coach the team. This accident really shook the boys and it was hard to get them to focus. I have to admit that I was a bit distracted by it as well. Poor kid, Logan was already traumatized when the team tried to play "skins". We didn't have enough players on our team so the other coach lent us a few of his players.

Reading: It came!

My big free X-Men Omnibus came in the mail yesterday and it is glorious! And the best part is that it is FREE! So that whole survey thing that I have blogged about? It is for real, I got my Amazon codes and the codes worked and I got my first product. Looking forward to January to get the 2nd volume free and I already have another $60 in codes waiting to be used. It looks like the 3rd Queen Boxset will be mine next month!

Brainstorming: Next month is NaNoWriMo. And I am a bit excited to get cranking on a new novel. I don't want to share the main idea (it would blow the whole mystery) but it involves a man who begins to realize that the life he currently leads is not the life he remembers. But his past life seems so ridiculous that it couldn't possibly be true. The novel will either be called "Parallel Lies" or "Secrets" or something like that.

Growing: Not only did we get some great green peppers but we also got some awesome pumpkins. We got about 8 pumpkins and we cooked on this morning to make cupcakes out of. Look how pretty they are!

Anticipating: I love Halloween. I love strange and spooky things. And I am looking forward to Season 2 of the Walking Dead. And I am looking forward to my annual tradition of reading horror comic books and novels and also watching Ichabod Crane, The Great Pumpkin and hours of the Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episodes.

Upon Further Review: Week Five Picks

Yikes, instead of scoring higher, I scored much lower. I still got over 50% of the games with a final score of 9/16. Now I am not so confident this week with my picks.

Philadelphia at Buffalo:
Now this has the makings of being a high scoring game. The Bills will want to avenge their loss against the Bengals last week and the Eagles want to show that they are the NFC East leaders. One team will not get what it wants and I see a close one with the Eagles squeaking out a win in a very hostile environment.
Winner: Philadelphia Eagles

Kansas City at Indianapolis:
You have to hand it to the Colts, they have played the last two games competitively but unfortunately they were both in losing efforts. That will begin to take its toll while the Chiefs are coming off a gutsy win. I am not a fan of the loser of a Monday Night game in winning the next week but I think the Colts have a chance against the Chiefs. It will be close but I think the Colts will win this one.
Winner: Indianapolis Colts

Arizona at Minnesota:
Sure we all know that the Vikings can get the lead going into the 2nd half but can they keep it for the whole game? I think they can, even though they will try their hardest to lose it.
Winner: Minnesota Vikings

Seattle at NY Giants:
The Seahawks are another team that I cannot call. I think they will be outclassed in this cross-country game but then if I say that, they will absolutely clobber the Giants. Sorry, Giants fans, I gotta go with you.
Winner: NY Giants

Tennessee at Pittsburgh:
The Titans saw the blueprint from the Texans and Ravens and I think they have enough talent and guts to win at Pittsburgh. But then, the Titans beat the Ravens who beat the Steelers. And we know how things add up in the NFL right? The math never works.
Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers

New Orleans at Carolina:
The Panthers will make a run at it but the Saints just have way too much firepower and just enough defense to take the Panthers out.
Winner: New Orleans Saints

Cincinnati at Jacksonville:
The Bengals proved that they will go down fighting and will take a few teams with them. The Jaguars unfortunately had to go with a rookie to win games. While I eventually think they will, I don't see it happening much this season. But this game will give them a taste.
Winner: Jacksonville Jaguars

Oakland at Houston:
The Raiders will fight hard in honor of Al Davis. Unfortunately they are going up against a team that is loaded offensively. But then these are the Texans and they usually fold after good games. I think the Raiders shock the NFL and put a pounding on the Texans in an upset.
Winner: Oakland Raiders

Tampa Bay at San Francisco:
Both teams had good wins last week and I think this will come down to the long cross-country trip, the short week to prepare and the homefield advantage. But then these are the 49ers. Better flip a coin.
Winner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (by tails)

San Diego at Denver:
The Broncos are always tough at home but the Chargers will pull away in the 2nd half.
Winner: San Diego Chargers

NY Jets at New England:
My heart wants to pick the Jets. And I think they have what it takes to pull off a win. They did it at New England last year in the playoffs. No one is picking the Jets, just like last year. The Pats will want to avenge a loss and unfortunately I think they will. This will put the Jets in a terrible situation and the Pats will want to stick to them. I hate to do this but...
Winner: New England Patriots

I hate myself now.


Sunday Night
Green Bay at Atlanta:
The Packers have to lose sometime right? But I don't think the Falcons have an edge to them. It will start close but the Packers are just too powerful.
Winner: Green Bay Packers

Monday Night
Chicago at Detroit:
The crowd will be hot and the Lions will be jacked up for this game. The Bears will try their best but the Lions will put on a show. The Lions remind me of the Saints a few seasons ago when the Saints won the Superbowl. They are finding other ways to win.
Winner: Detroit Lions

List-Mania: Queen T-Shirts

Yeah, I am still around. Just not in the mood for blogging and really nothing has happened this week. Well, that is not exactly true. A lot has transpired this week but nothing that I should publicly blog here. These things have been weighing on me pretty good lately. But enough of that, I wanted to blog about something fun and a List-Mania return is just what the doctor ordered.

I decided to combine my love of t-shirts and Queen into one List-Mania and blog about which Queen shirts I want to own.

5) A Day at the Races T-Shirt

It is my current favorite Queen album (it changes often) and it gives off a sense of grandeur and royalty. Which makes perfect sense for this band.

4) The Miracle T-Shirt

Another memorable cover (you can see it in the background image of my blog) of Queen. It is something you can stare at for hours and it amazes me how well each member of the band blends together. What is even more amazing is that picture was composed over twenty years ago! 

3) News of the World T-Shirt

News of the World has my favorite album art of all the Queen albums. You can see more of it here. I absolutely love how the robot looks like a kid and is looking up at a disapproving parent and shocked and saddened that he killed his pets. This t-shirt captures that look perfectly. 

2) Hot Space T-Shirt

Hot Space is one of the worst Queen albums but it makes one of the best t-shirts. I love the bright colors of the album cover contrasted with the dark gray background. Ever since the release of the new remasters, my opinion of Hot Space (the album) has changed. While not my favorite, it is a lot of fun to listen to. And I would be proud to display my new love of the album by wearing this shirt.

1) Flash Gordon T-Shirt

It is no secret that I absolutely love the old cheesy movie and music. But what I really like about this t-shirt is that it captures the Flash Gordon look but it also honors the album since the album cover is exactly the same as the shirt. 

The Race

It was just a few days ago that I mentioned that I was a little down for not being able to complete one of my goals for the year. Funny how life goes sometimes. Last Thursday Logan came home with some information from his school about a 5K and a 1 mile race coming this Saturday to help raise money for his school.

Now my knee has not agreed with me at all this summer and that is the main reason why I am not able to run. I have not ran or played racquetball for a couple of weeks and my knee has felt better recently but I have not put it to the test.

So we all decided that it would be fun to run the race this Saturday (today) together as a family. We didn't do the 5K race we only did the mile. And I am proud to say that my knee did not hurt at all and that I felt pretty good running.

So I am calling my goal of racing a 5K COMPLETED. Sure, I only ran a mile race but it was a race none the less. And I didn't think that I would be able to run at all so I am calling this good!

Upon Further Review: Week Four Picks

Yikes, Week 4 of the NFL means that we are a quarter way through the season! I scored another 11/16 last week (thanks to both the Broncos/Bengals for going the way I called it) but I am looking to do better this week.

Detroit at Dallas:
Sooner or later the Lions will lose and I only say that because it is extremely hard to make it through the season undefeated. But the Cowboys secondary is a little beat up and I see the Lions receivers having a monster game. The Lions are for real and this game will prove it.
Winner: Detroit Lions

Carolina at Chicago:
Carolina is a much better team than I figured and I credit the coaching staff for getting rookie QB Cam Newton ready to play. Of course they guy is extremely talented and that helps as well. But it is time to come back to Earth. The Bears defense will make a comeback this week.
Winner: Chicago Bears

Buffalo at Cincinnati:
This is a classic trap game for the Bills but for all the things I have seen and read, I don't think the Bills will be overlooking the Bengals. Beating New England will not make this team cocky, it will only instill in them a vast amount of confidence. The Bengals will give the Bills all they have but the better team will win.
Winner: Buffalo Bills

SIDENOTE: It has been a long, long time that I picked both the Bills and Lions to win during the same week. I know it is WAY early in the season but how freaking magical would a Lions/Bills Superbowl be?

Tennessee at Cleveland:
The Browns impressed me with how they won against Miami last week. Unfortunately that was against a hapless Dolphin team and I don't expect the Browns to be able to do what they did last week this week against the Titans. But the Browns are at home and I might give them another chance this week to show that they a better team.
Winner: Cleveland Browns

Minnesota at Kansas City:
I really want to pick the Chiefs here to win. The Vikings have showed me that they are a scared team. They have no heart and no desire to win. If they did, they would have won last week for sure. Personally, I think it would be easy to hold a lead. Just feed RB Adrian Peterson the ball when you have it. The Chiefs should win but the Vikings have too much talent. And I am hoping that they learned a lesson and give Adrian the ball.
Winner: Minnesota Vikings

Washington at St. Louis:
The Redskins should have beat Dallas last Monday night and it is all Deangelo Hall's fault. As long as this guy is on the Redskins, the Redskins will not progress into the playoffs. The more he runs his mouth, the more it ruins the team. I think the Redskins could beat the Rams but unless they take care of this issue, they won't be able to come together as a team.
Winner: St. Louis Rams

New Orleans at Jacksonville:
The Jaguars will fight hard but rookie QB mistakes will be too much for them to overcome. The Saints easy in this one.
Winner: New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh at Houston:
Oh, I hope this game is on TV. I have a feeling that Houston is going to come out big in this game. The home-field crowd, the air attack and the much-improved Houston D will have the Steelers on their back. For every good thing the Steelers accomplish, the Texans will trump them. Well, I hope so...
Winner: Houston Texans

San Francisco at Philadelphia:
The Eagles want to forget about that awful loss last week and the best way to wash that awful taste out of their mouths is to win. Luckily the 49ers are coming to town. The game will be competitive but the Eagles will want it more.
Winner: Philadelphia Eagles

New York Giants at Arizona:
My heart says to go for the Cardinals but I think that the Giants are rolling quietly in the right direction. It will not be easy for the Giants and they may have to overcome some mistakes or bad play early for them to win.
Winner: New York Giants

Atlanta at Seattle:
We will see how much heart the Falcons have. They lost a heart breaker last week and they have to travel across the country to face a team that won unexpectedly last week. I think the Falcons have some fight to take out a weaker team.
Winner: Atlanta Falcons

Miami at San Diego:
The good news is that Miami is on the road. But the bad news is that they have to travel across the country and face one of the better AFC teams who are still angry losing to the Pats two weeks ago.
Winner: San Diego Chargers

New England at Oakland:
Even though it really ticked me off, I was really impressed with the Raiders and how they ran against a tough Jets D. When it came down to it, the Raiders got what they needed out of the running game, out of QB Jason Campbell and also that young defense. The Raiders will have a much tougher time containing QB Tom Brady but they will be able to keep up in scoring. I think the Raiders are for real too. The Raiders score another major upset.
Winner: Oakland Raiders

Denver at Green Bay:
The Packers have to lose one some time right? But not against this team and not at home.
Winner: Green Bay Packers

SUNDAY NIGHT:
New York Jets at Baltimore:
I cannot wait for this game. The Ravens exploded offensively last week but they won't be able to do that to the Jets. The Jets D will be back to avenge their loss last week. Now I am sure that this is not going to surprise anyone but I am going with the Jets in an upset. The Ravens beat them last year at New York and the Jets are going to return the favor and beat the Ravens at Baltimore. Should be a fun game!
Winner: New York Jets

MONDAY NIGHT:
Indianapolis at Tampa Bay:
I didn't think the Colts would be able to hang with the Steelers last week and I was happy to be disappointed. But I think the Colts extended themselves far last week, both emotionally and physically. And on the road against an up-and-coming team? I am looking forward to watching QB Josh Freeman play.
Winner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers