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.