Nothing really deep or philosophical in my head, just trying to enjoy things day by day.
Today we shot the first 4 preseason segments of the Fantasy Football Guru. It was a lot of fun and it's great that we have added a professional to the team, Chuck "The King" Oliver from 790 The Zone here in Atlanta. The three of us played off each other well and had a good time. We have added his radio station as a major partner/sponsor and they will be hosting the show on their website, www.790thezone.com. We also partnered with a company here in Atlanta called The Ice Box, which is an ad specialty company. They have designed really cool baseball style jerseys for us with logos and names on the back. The show should really get some traction and we have a chance to grow regionally and nationally with the approach we are taking. Once the first webisode is edited I will add it here as well and link over to all the places it will be distributed from.
We have some really neat sponsor tie ins going as well as the ability to do live call ins from the radio at times and I think we will even be guests on some regular radio shows as well.
Who knows, maybe I'll be on ESPN one day :)
Enjoy you weekend, I will be away from the PC trying to get some much needed R&R before the girls go back to school on the 11th. Is summer really over already? Can you believe that tomorrow is August?
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
How much do kids remember?
I have no recollection of anything in my life before the age of 7. I have very fleeting memories but nothing concrete. I am pretty sure I am the exception to the rule and I know why.
My girls are almost 8 and 6. I want to believe the things I am doing with them now will stay with them forever. I know as an adult I wish I had some of those memories but the ones we are creating now are so special.
Last night was Cyd's night at the Braves' game. One thing she won't remember is how crappy this Braves' team actually is. We got to the park in time to see the starting line ups announced and when they said Greg Norton at 1B for the Braves I knew they had traded Mark Texiera. There was not a guy in their line up hitting better than .290 and the catcher is batting .096...YIKES!
Fortunately the night was not about baseball, it was about me and my girl. Cydney is very bright and perceptive, she sits and soaks everything in, being observant and then she will tell you what she thinks. It was fascinating watching her take it all in and see how spot on she was at 7 and 1/2. The night started with shopping, she wound up with a pink braves cap and a tomahawk chop thingy (G-d do I HATE that thing, I might just spend a couple hundred bucks on Gator stuff today online just to get the bad taste out of my mouth). Then we headed for the seats. Every few feet Cyd would ask how my knee was and did I need a break...very sweet kid. We got to our seats which were almost behind home plate but underneath the cover, which was great since it rained for the first 2 hours of the game. We went and got hot dogs and sat down to go through the program. We talked about players, positions, etc... Cyd brought along one of my mitts in hopes of catching a foul ball and boy did that thing look huge and cute on her hand. Through the first 6 innings Cydney feasted on the following items; hot dog, Coke, peanuts, cotton candy, blue icee and Dippin' Dots. As I told a good friend of mine, this kid is no cheap date!
We sang "Take me out to the ball game" during the 7th inning stretch and then she put her head on my shoulder and said, "Daddy, I'm tired and I need to throw up". Whoops, we hustle to the bathroom and I wait outside. Fortunately there was no throw up but I think we both learned a lesson about the amount of junk food you should ingest. As we got to the car Cyd asked if she needed to could she throw up in the car. She was very concerned that it might make the car lose it's new car smell (she is amazed it still smells good after just 2 weeks). We agreed that it wouldn't be a good idea and within minutes she felt fine.
It was night I won't ever forget and hope one that she will hold onto as well. Here are a couple of pictures while everyone still felt 100%. Oh yeah, the 'hat to the back look' was Cydney's request to look like her Daddy...that's my GIRL!
My girls are almost 8 and 6. I want to believe the things I am doing with them now will stay with them forever. I know as an adult I wish I had some of those memories but the ones we are creating now are so special.
Last night was Cyd's night at the Braves' game. One thing she won't remember is how crappy this Braves' team actually is. We got to the park in time to see the starting line ups announced and when they said Greg Norton at 1B for the Braves I knew they had traded Mark Texiera. There was not a guy in their line up hitting better than .290 and the catcher is batting .096...YIKES!
Fortunately the night was not about baseball, it was about me and my girl. Cydney is very bright and perceptive, she sits and soaks everything in, being observant and then she will tell you what she thinks. It was fascinating watching her take it all in and see how spot on she was at 7 and 1/2. The night started with shopping, she wound up with a pink braves cap and a tomahawk chop thingy (G-d do I HATE that thing, I might just spend a couple hundred bucks on Gator stuff today online just to get the bad taste out of my mouth). Then we headed for the seats. Every few feet Cyd would ask how my knee was and did I need a break...very sweet kid. We got to our seats which were almost behind home plate but underneath the cover, which was great since it rained for the first 2 hours of the game. We went and got hot dogs and sat down to go through the program. We talked about players, positions, etc... Cyd brought along one of my mitts in hopes of catching a foul ball and boy did that thing look huge and cute on her hand. Through the first 6 innings Cydney feasted on the following items; hot dog, Coke, peanuts, cotton candy, blue icee and Dippin' Dots. As I told a good friend of mine, this kid is no cheap date!
We sang "Take me out to the ball game" during the 7th inning stretch and then she put her head on my shoulder and said, "Daddy, I'm tired and I need to throw up". Whoops, we hustle to the bathroom and I wait outside. Fortunately there was no throw up but I think we both learned a lesson about the amount of junk food you should ingest. As we got to the car Cyd asked if she needed to could she throw up in the car. She was very concerned that it might make the car lose it's new car smell (she is amazed it still smells good after just 2 weeks). We agreed that it wouldn't be a good idea and within minutes she felt fine.
It was night I won't ever forget and hope one that she will hold onto as well. Here are a couple of pictures while everyone still felt 100%. Oh yeah, the 'hat to the back look' was Cydney's request to look like her Daddy...that's my GIRL!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
What happened to good comedy on TV?
I am not just talking about sitcoms though they are a part of the discussion. As I have spent the better part of the last three weeks lying around in the evening I have realized the dearth of good TV, and no it’s not just because it is the summer because there should be plenty of things to catch up on.
It seems like EVERY show on is a medical drama or a police/law drama or the dreaded ‘reality show’. Don’t get me wrong, I am bought into all of the CSI’s and I like Law & Order for the most part and I am a Grey’s Anatomy guy but where is really good comedy, with true character development and the delivery of great lines. This all came to boiling point for me yesterday in the 5:00-6:00 hour. I was home, with my leg elevated, ice water pumping through my boot and the vicodin just about to kick in. On comes one of my all time favorite Seinfeld episodes. In reality, there are so many great episodes but my two all time favorites are; “The Bet” and “The Outing”. Yesterday, “The Outing” came on. Basically, Jerry is going to be interviewed by an NYU Grad Student who somehow gets the impression that Jerry & George are gay. It is one laugh after another and left us with the classic line, “I’m not gay, not that there is anything wrong with that” and also George uttering, “I’m out baby” as he thinks of using his new ‘gay status’ to get out of his relationship. Seinfeld is about NOTHING, yet the characters are so true to life you are brought into their world of nothingness.
My other all time favorite half hour comedy show came on next, Cheers. I spent most of the 80’s rolling to Sam, Diane, Woody, Coach & Norm! It was not a great episode but it got me to thinking about my favorite parts of Cheers and it was Norm’s great entrances to the bar, usually set up by Woody. Here are some of my favorites in no particular order:
Woody: What’s up Norm?
Norm: My nipples, it’s freezing out there
Woody: What’s going on Norm?
Norm: It’s not what’s going on Norm. It’s what’s going in Norm
Woody: Whatcha up to Mr. Peterson?
Norm: My ideal weight if I was 11 feet tall
Woody: What do you know Mr. Peterson? (Or something to that effect)
Norm: it’s a dog eat dog world and I’m wearing milkbone underwear
Woody: How about a beer Mr. Peterson?
Norm: It’s a little early for that isn’t it Woody?
Woody: a beer?
Norm: No, stupid questions
Again, characters is what made Cheers amazing and the classic lines just live on.
It’s not only about sitcoms either. On my favorite list for sure is Moonlighting with Bruce Willis, Cybil Shepherd and a great supporting cast. The dialogue was witty, quick and once again you cared about what happened to Maddie and Dave. One of my fondest memories in college was going over to Gayley’s apartment once a week to watch Moonlighting and to catch up with my high school friends as college life continued to push us just a bit further down the line from each other.
TV today isn’t bad, but I think sometimes it focuses too much on special effects, the reality of the scene, etc and not enough time getting us to like and even hate the characters. Once we do everything else falls into place.
It seems like EVERY show on is a medical drama or a police/law drama or the dreaded ‘reality show’. Don’t get me wrong, I am bought into all of the CSI’s and I like Law & Order for the most part and I am a Grey’s Anatomy guy but where is really good comedy, with true character development and the delivery of great lines. This all came to boiling point for me yesterday in the 5:00-6:00 hour. I was home, with my leg elevated, ice water pumping through my boot and the vicodin just about to kick in. On comes one of my all time favorite Seinfeld episodes. In reality, there are so many great episodes but my two all time favorites are; “The Bet” and “The Outing”. Yesterday, “The Outing” came on. Basically, Jerry is going to be interviewed by an NYU Grad Student who somehow gets the impression that Jerry & George are gay. It is one laugh after another and left us with the classic line, “I’m not gay, not that there is anything wrong with that” and also George uttering, “I’m out baby” as he thinks of using his new ‘gay status’ to get out of his relationship. Seinfeld is about NOTHING, yet the characters are so true to life you are brought into their world of nothingness.
My other all time favorite half hour comedy show came on next, Cheers. I spent most of the 80’s rolling to Sam, Diane, Woody, Coach & Norm! It was not a great episode but it got me to thinking about my favorite parts of Cheers and it was Norm’s great entrances to the bar, usually set up by Woody. Here are some of my favorites in no particular order:
Woody: What’s up Norm?
Norm: My nipples, it’s freezing out there
Woody: What’s going on Norm?
Norm: It’s not what’s going on Norm. It’s what’s going in Norm
Woody: Whatcha up to Mr. Peterson?
Norm: My ideal weight if I was 11 feet tall
Woody: What do you know Mr. Peterson? (Or something to that effect)
Norm: it’s a dog eat dog world and I’m wearing milkbone underwear
Woody: How about a beer Mr. Peterson?
Norm: It’s a little early for that isn’t it Woody?
Woody: a beer?
Norm: No, stupid questions
Again, characters is what made Cheers amazing and the classic lines just live on.
It’s not only about sitcoms either. On my favorite list for sure is Moonlighting with Bruce Willis, Cybil Shepherd and a great supporting cast. The dialogue was witty, quick and once again you cared about what happened to Maddie and Dave. One of my fondest memories in college was going over to Gayley’s apartment once a week to watch Moonlighting and to catch up with my high school friends as college life continued to push us just a bit further down the line from each other.
TV today isn’t bad, but I think sometimes it focuses too much on special effects, the reality of the scene, etc and not enough time getting us to like and even hate the characters. Once we do everything else falls into place.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Finally a Championship for Philadelphia and my TV problems seem to be solved (Hallelujah)
Ok, so it's not one of the BIG 4 Leagues (NFL, MLB, NHL or NBA) but this morning my hometown is finally celebrating a championship, our first since the 1983 Sixers! Most of you are scratching your heads and thinking, who cares or what the F does he mean, or both. Well, yesterday afternoon the Philadelphia Soul (that's Arena Football folks) won Arena Bowl XXII in New Orleans. I watched most of it as I was in tremendous pain and on a pretty strong dose of Vicodin at the time, but Arena Football is fun to watch! Add on the fact that Jon Bon Jovi and Ron Jaworski own the team and I am fan. A few months ago I met Ron and we had a great conversation about the Soul and Philly in general. I am even working on a project with his daughter and one of their businesses so it was fun to fire off an email to them this morning congratulating them on the win. I'm sure there will be no ticker tape parade but hopefully this is a sign of things to come for Philly. A lot of people comment about my passion for Philly Sports as well as that of my Alma Mater, THE University of Florida. For me they are a part of me and I them. This time of year I jones for Mick Hubert saying "oh my" as Tebow plows through the FSU line or Percy Harvin rips a huge run again the Dawgs...I can't wait for Asante Samuel to pick off his first pass in an Eagles uniform or see Brian Westbrook break free for a game winning score.
In related news, the TV. I have been reticent to admit that there is a problem with my SONY GRAND WEGA. In fact, it's been quite awhile that an ugly blue haze has been slowly creeping in from the right side of the screen. At first, I blew it off but in the last couple of weeks its gotten worse and these very tiny blue dots started popping up like zits on 14 year old. Months ago I went to the web and found a bunch of people complaining about the problem but no solutions were out there. I was at my wits end and was thinking that I was going to have to sink $2500 into a new TV just 3years after getting this one. On top of that, we had the built in specially designed for the SONY specs so my options were going to be limited. At the last minute, Ilene suggested I google the problem again. Thank G-d for that one, as now I found the same people with the problem but also a SOLUTION, and a FREE one to boot. Turns out SONY had been notified of the problem and they are now including service as part of an extended warranty at NO CHARGE!!!!! Woo freakin hoo!!!!!!! Part should be in within a week or so and I will be back in full HD, digital view in time for the NFL PRESEASON!!!!!
No, Ilene does not get to take the $2,500 and spend it on something for her :)
In related news, the TV. I have been reticent to admit that there is a problem with my SONY GRAND WEGA. In fact, it's been quite awhile that an ugly blue haze has been slowly creeping in from the right side of the screen. At first, I blew it off but in the last couple of weeks its gotten worse and these very tiny blue dots started popping up like zits on 14 year old. Months ago I went to the web and found a bunch of people complaining about the problem but no solutions were out there. I was at my wits end and was thinking that I was going to have to sink $2500 into a new TV just 3years after getting this one. On top of that, we had the built in specially designed for the SONY specs so my options were going to be limited. At the last minute, Ilene suggested I google the problem again. Thank G-d for that one, as now I found the same people with the problem but also a SOLUTION, and a FREE one to boot. Turns out SONY had been notified of the problem and they are now including service as part of an extended warranty at NO CHARGE!!!!! Woo freakin hoo!!!!!!! Part should be in within a week or so and I will be back in full HD, digital view in time for the NFL PRESEASON!!!!!
No, Ilene does not get to take the $2,500 and spend it on something for her :)
Friday, July 25, 2008
Survey - you read me so you should know
In the back of my mind I have always wanted to be a writer. As a kid I used to write short stories that were mysteries; think Encyclopedia Brown meets Stephen King. I have no idea where those old spiral notebooks are today. I wish that I was a better 'collector'.
I do have one concept that I am in love with and I even have a co-collaborator/writer all picked out. It would be a humorous look at life from different perspectives. I know it would rock but I am not sure we can get to it.
Anyway, 'tepid' reader, (Stephen King calls his readers 'avid fans', I'm a little humbler) since you are already reading me for some reason, if you think a certain book or style might be me feel free to chime in. I looked at Emory University yesterday to check on writing courses and maybe I'll start there. The last class I took was "Financial Management for Non-Financial Managers" and it was thrilling stuff. I imagine a writing course would be better.
If you think otherwise let me know as well. I have lots of things I would have liked to have done in the back of my mind and it's never to late to go to med school to become a gynecologist (just a joke friends).
I do have one concept that I am in love with and I even have a co-collaborator/writer all picked out. It would be a humorous look at life from different perspectives. I know it would rock but I am not sure we can get to it.
Anyway, 'tepid' reader, (Stephen King calls his readers 'avid fans', I'm a little humbler) since you are already reading me for some reason, if you think a certain book or style might be me feel free to chime in. I looked at Emory University yesterday to check on writing courses and maybe I'll start there. The last class I took was "Financial Management for Non-Financial Managers" and it was thrilling stuff. I imagine a writing course would be better.
If you think otherwise let me know as well. I have lots of things I would have liked to have done in the back of my mind and it's never to late to go to med school to become a gynecologist (just a joke friends).
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Looking back - July 23rd, 2002
It really started on the 22nd, but I'll get to that.
We had been back in Atlanta for a couple of months. Cydney was 18 months old when we got back and we moved into a Corporate Apartment while we were selling the house back in Dallas and looking for a new home in Atlanta. I was 3 months into the new job, Ilene was adjusting to telecommuting, Cydney was going to daycare for the first time while we interviewed Nannies and oh yeah, Ilene is 8-9 months pregnant!
We found our home and are at closing on Friday, July 19th. The moving vans are sitting outside the house at 4:00 PM as we finalize paperwork. The un-packers are there, family is there to help and then as the hour approaches 5:00 PM the computers at the real estate facility go down. We are stuck, papers can't be finalized and the deal is not complete. Fortunately, the seller saw Ilene's condition (did I mention she is now almost 2 weeks late and it's the middle of JULY IN ATLANTA) and let us move in over the weekend and let us finish closing on Monday morning. Awesome, only hitch, we are also inducing labor on Monday, ASSUMING it doesn't happen over the weekend! Fortunately it did not and we closed at 9:00 AM on Monday the 22nd and were checked into the hospital around noon.
Now, Rae is a second child and all signs pointed to a quick delivery...yeah right. We learned early on that Rachel will do what Rachel wants to do on her time. She was finally delivered shortly after midnight on July 23rd, 8 lbs. 7 0z. and full of spunk came Rachel Morgan Wolchock. Naming Rachel was important and difficult for me. I lost my father the summer before and it was important for me to honor him in the naming. As some may know, in general, those of the Jewish faith will name children after someone deceased. We seriously toyed with Madison, as my father's name was Matthew but I was not comfortable with the nickname of Maddie for personal reasons. It was also important for me to incorporate my father's sister as she passed away when I was 13. So we had an R, for Ruth and the M for Matthew to play with. We came up with Rachel Morgan, or as she is known to me and a very SELECT few as Rae Rae.
It has been a wild six years. The world we live in constantly changes, but 'love remains the same'. It's hard to fathom that six years from now she will be preparing to become a Bat Mitzvah, six years from that she will be 18 and leaving the house and so on. The one thing I know is that I will always be the best father that I can be to both her and Cydney.
Here are some pics of Rae Rae over the years...enjoy.
We had been back in Atlanta for a couple of months. Cydney was 18 months old when we got back and we moved into a Corporate Apartment while we were selling the house back in Dallas and looking for a new home in Atlanta. I was 3 months into the new job, Ilene was adjusting to telecommuting, Cydney was going to daycare for the first time while we interviewed Nannies and oh yeah, Ilene is 8-9 months pregnant!
We found our home and are at closing on Friday, July 19th. The moving vans are sitting outside the house at 4:00 PM as we finalize paperwork. The un-packers are there, family is there to help and then as the hour approaches 5:00 PM the computers at the real estate facility go down. We are stuck, papers can't be finalized and the deal is not complete. Fortunately, the seller saw Ilene's condition (did I mention she is now almost 2 weeks late and it's the middle of JULY IN ATLANTA) and let us move in over the weekend and let us finish closing on Monday morning. Awesome, only hitch, we are also inducing labor on Monday, ASSUMING it doesn't happen over the weekend! Fortunately it did not and we closed at 9:00 AM on Monday the 22nd and were checked into the hospital around noon.
Now, Rae is a second child and all signs pointed to a quick delivery...yeah right. We learned early on that Rachel will do what Rachel wants to do on her time. She was finally delivered shortly after midnight on July 23rd, 8 lbs. 7 0z. and full of spunk came Rachel Morgan Wolchock. Naming Rachel was important and difficult for me. I lost my father the summer before and it was important for me to honor him in the naming. As some may know, in general, those of the Jewish faith will name children after someone deceased. We seriously toyed with Madison, as my father's name was Matthew but I was not comfortable with the nickname of Maddie for personal reasons. It was also important for me to incorporate my father's sister as she passed away when I was 13. So we had an R, for Ruth and the M for Matthew to play with. We came up with Rachel Morgan, or as she is known to me and a very SELECT few as Rae Rae.
It has been a wild six years. The world we live in constantly changes, but 'love remains the same'. It's hard to fathom that six years from now she will be preparing to become a Bat Mitzvah, six years from that she will be 18 and leaving the house and so on. The one thing I know is that I will always be the best father that I can be to both her and Cydney.
Here are some pics of Rae Rae over the years...enjoy.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
The start of week 2 @ rehab
Sounds like a line from an Amy Winehouse song...oh yeah, she would never get to WEEK 2.
This morning was my first appt. of the week and 3rd overall. Mark is on vaca so I got a fill in girl and she was certainly no Mark but I pushed ahead.
Did great on the bike this morning; the range of motion felt so much better and I was able to bang out 1.9 miles in 10 minutes (at least I think it's miles, I probably need to ask if it is set to miles or kilometers) which almost doubles the last session. Did the usual exercises at this point and the only real troublesome one was balancing on the surgically repaired leg while on a trampoline. I had to do this 10 times for 10 second intervals and my leg shook throughout.
Towards the end of the session it came down to measurement time and I was able to bend my knee 113 degrees which is up from 97 degrees last time. I am very happy there. In fact, I am overall very pleased with my progress. The only thing I still can't seem to be progressing on is taking steps going down.
More later...
This morning was my first appt. of the week and 3rd overall. Mark is on vaca so I got a fill in girl and she was certainly no Mark but I pushed ahead.
Did great on the bike this morning; the range of motion felt so much better and I was able to bang out 1.9 miles in 10 minutes (at least I think it's miles, I probably need to ask if it is set to miles or kilometers) which almost doubles the last session. Did the usual exercises at this point and the only real troublesome one was balancing on the surgically repaired leg while on a trampoline. I had to do this 10 times for 10 second intervals and my leg shook throughout.
Towards the end of the session it came down to measurement time and I was able to bend my knee 113 degrees which is up from 97 degrees last time. I am very happy there. In fact, I am overall very pleased with my progress. The only thing I still can't seem to be progressing on is taking steps going down.
More later...
Monday, July 21, 2008
Stress free living
Sounds more than nice right now believe me!
Friday night I came as close to it as I have in a long time. I spent 5 hours alone with Rachel at the ballpark. Except for the barrage of questions as we sat in Atlanta rush hour traffic down to the park it was such an enjoyable experience. With two kids so close in age I think the younger one gets the shorter end of the stick sometimes so they can act out or demand more attention' strange concept I know.
Anyway, Rachel, when she is one on one is just BANANA-DICULOUS. She is loving, affectionate and downright funny. We had amazing seats just above the 3rd base and we had a blast. Ilene asked if we went to the kids area and I totally forgot there was one! Rachel watched every pitch and cheered for the Braves every time something good happened. I even smiled when that infernal chop music came on and she did her thing. She did say, "Daddy I will only chop once so you don't get upset" and she later said, "Don't worry Daddy I will always love the Gators"...gotta love her!!!!!!
On Friday nights after the games they are doing fireworks this year. Rachel was stoked for them but I figured they would be pretty rinky dink. Was I WRONG! The display lasted a good 15-20 minutes and unlike your typical 4th of July display where everything leads to one 30 second Grand Finale this was like 15 minutes of Grand Finale. The music was great and it was a perfect capper to a great night and the start of Rae Rae's 6th birthday week.
Friday night I came as close to it as I have in a long time. I spent 5 hours alone with Rachel at the ballpark. Except for the barrage of questions as we sat in Atlanta rush hour traffic down to the park it was such an enjoyable experience. With two kids so close in age I think the younger one gets the shorter end of the stick sometimes so they can act out or demand more attention' strange concept I know.
Anyway, Rachel, when she is one on one is just BANANA-DICULOUS. She is loving, affectionate and downright funny. We had amazing seats just above the 3rd base and we had a blast. Ilene asked if we went to the kids area and I totally forgot there was one! Rachel watched every pitch and cheered for the Braves every time something good happened. I even smiled when that infernal chop music came on and she did her thing. She did say, "Daddy I will only chop once so you don't get upset" and she later said, "Don't worry Daddy I will always love the Gators"...gotta love her!!!!!!
On Friday nights after the games they are doing fireworks this year. Rachel was stoked for them but I figured they would be pretty rinky dink. Was I WRONG! The display lasted a good 15-20 minutes and unlike your typical 4th of July display where everything leads to one 30 second Grand Finale this was like 15 minutes of Grand Finale. The music was great and it was a perfect capper to a great night and the start of Rae Rae's 6th birthday week.
Friday, July 18, 2008
What's with these bike riders (it's not all about bikes and sports dear)
As my friends will tell you, if it's a sport, Gil will watch and somehow Gil even knows something about it. "What does Gil do all day" might even run through their minds...
Well, one of my favorite yearly traditions is keeping up with the Tour de France and this year was going to be pretty easy as I spent the last week in bed and I had it on TV in front of me.
On a side note, my 7 year old watched a bit with me on Saturday and she had a 'unit' of French in FIRST GRADE this year and she pronounced 'Tour de France' in perfect French diction and corrected me when I said France like an "American". She also asked me if they were in "Paris (pronounce PA - REE) yet"? Note to self - too smart, need to re-think this Private School thing :)
Back to the Tour and these idiot riders. A couple of days ago I watch this AWESOME ride by some Italian guy named Ricco. He is young, dynamic and according to the announce team, at 22, he can one day look to winning the Tour and live up to his idol Marco Pantani. Well, yesterday he reached his idol MUCH SOONER than he thought because he got kicked off the Tour for DOPING. Yes, despite the fact that these guys know that EVERY DAY they will be tested they still do it!
To us as Americans, who are watching the steroid battle in baseball and all the other crazy things people do to get ahead it's not shocking it's just DISAPPOINTING. My girls, Cydney in particular, have become fascinated with sports like I have. She might not be the world's best female athlete but she will love sports for the reasons I do, I can see that already. The other night we watched the beginning of the All Star Game together and they were announcing the 3rd basemen. Out comes Chipper Jones, who plays for the Braves (Cydney's favorite team) and they had all the Hall of Famers out at their positions so there next to Chipper was my childhood idol, Mike Schmidt (3rd baseman for the Phillies). I looked at Cyd and saw her at 7 and a 1/2 and I looked back in my mind to see me at the same age in 1977 and sitting at the Vet watching "Schmidty" and the Phils start to turn things around that would lead to a World Championship in 1980. It was a very cool and humbling experience. I also realized I did not get enough of those experiences as a kid so I have vowed to change that for the girls. I HATE the Braves but I will 'suck it up' and take them to more games. In fact, I am starting tonight and taking Rachel out to see the Nationals and next Tuesday I will take Cyd to see the Cardinals (I think I'll even teach her how to keep a score book). I even promised the girls that as long as the Braves are NOT playing the Phils I will root for the Braves, BUT I WILL NOT DO THAT DAMN CHOP - EVER!!!!!!!!!
Rest assured I'll have one eye on the out of town scoreboard seeing how my boys are doing but I'll be with one of my girls!
Well, one of my favorite yearly traditions is keeping up with the Tour de France and this year was going to be pretty easy as I spent the last week in bed and I had it on TV in front of me.
On a side note, my 7 year old watched a bit with me on Saturday and she had a 'unit' of French in FIRST GRADE this year and she pronounced 'Tour de France' in perfect French diction and corrected me when I said France like an "American". She also asked me if they were in "Paris (pronounce PA - REE) yet"? Note to self - too smart, need to re-think this Private School thing :)
Back to the Tour and these idiot riders. A couple of days ago I watch this AWESOME ride by some Italian guy named Ricco. He is young, dynamic and according to the announce team, at 22, he can one day look to winning the Tour and live up to his idol Marco Pantani. Well, yesterday he reached his idol MUCH SOONER than he thought because he got kicked off the Tour for DOPING. Yes, despite the fact that these guys know that EVERY DAY they will be tested they still do it!
To us as Americans, who are watching the steroid battle in baseball and all the other crazy things people do to get ahead it's not shocking it's just DISAPPOINTING. My girls, Cydney in particular, have become fascinated with sports like I have. She might not be the world's best female athlete but she will love sports for the reasons I do, I can see that already. The other night we watched the beginning of the All Star Game together and they were announcing the 3rd basemen. Out comes Chipper Jones, who plays for the Braves (Cydney's favorite team) and they had all the Hall of Famers out at their positions so there next to Chipper was my childhood idol, Mike Schmidt (3rd baseman for the Phillies). I looked at Cyd and saw her at 7 and a 1/2 and I looked back in my mind to see me at the same age in 1977 and sitting at the Vet watching "Schmidty" and the Phils start to turn things around that would lead to a World Championship in 1980. It was a very cool and humbling experience. I also realized I did not get enough of those experiences as a kid so I have vowed to change that for the girls. I HATE the Braves but I will 'suck it up' and take them to more games. In fact, I am starting tonight and taking Rachel out to see the Nationals and next Tuesday I will take Cyd to see the Cardinals (I think I'll even teach her how to keep a score book). I even promised the girls that as long as the Braves are NOT playing the Phils I will root for the Braves, BUT I WILL NOT DO THAT DAMN CHOP - EVER!!!!!!!!!
Rest assured I'll have one eye on the out of town scoreboard seeing how my boys are doing but I'll be with one of my girls!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Back to work
I am very happy to have gotten out of the house!
Wednesday was the first REAL day of rehab. Here's what the session was like:
Started by stretching my hamstring and quad. The quad muscle(the top of your leg above the knee) atrophies very quickly so gettign this back is key. My hamstrings, which are ALWAYS tight are more so since it now has been re-routed through my knee :). Here is an animation of the surgery if you are interested (animation, no blood for the squeamish).
http://www.sportsknee.com/aclhamstring.htm
Next, I go over to a chair device that locks my right leg in and allows me to manually use a device to bend my leg. I do this 9 times to loosen it up and then Mark comes over and measures my 10th attempt to see how much my leg can bend. This morning I got to 97 degrees on my own which is up from 90 degrees on Monday with Mark's help. I was shooting for 100-105 degrees but we will take the progress.
From there it is over to the STATIONARY BIKE. I looked at Mark with a look that said, "Are you high?". I just had surgery 5 days ago and the last time I was in a 'boot' for 6 weeks! He set the bike for 10 minutes and said "I think you will just rock and back and forth on the pedals the whole time but at least you are getting it moving". Ok, that pissed me off and I got around an entire revolution the first try and never looked back. I can't say I was Lance Armstrong but I did pedal out 1.02 miles in the 10 minutes.
From there it was on to wall slides (squats), step ups, leg raises, hip abduction and leg presses.
I was exhausted and enjoyed the 15 minute ice treatment afterwards.
Next week Mark is on vacation and I am hopeful that his replacement is regimented and tough on me.
Week ONE of post surgery is complete! Tomorrow afternoon I see the surgeon so he can smile at his work and his assistant can clean me up and hopefully remove some of the sutures and other things that are holding the knee together :)
Wednesday was the first REAL day of rehab. Here's what the session was like:
Started by stretching my hamstring and quad. The quad muscle(the top of your leg above the knee) atrophies very quickly so gettign this back is key. My hamstrings, which are ALWAYS tight are more so since it now has been re-routed through my knee :). Here is an animation of the surgery if you are interested (animation, no blood for the squeamish).
http://www.sportsknee.com/aclhamstring.htm
Next, I go over to a chair device that locks my right leg in and allows me to manually use a device to bend my leg. I do this 9 times to loosen it up and then Mark comes over and measures my 10th attempt to see how much my leg can bend. This morning I got to 97 degrees on my own which is up from 90 degrees on Monday with Mark's help. I was shooting for 100-105 degrees but we will take the progress.
From there it is over to the STATIONARY BIKE. I looked at Mark with a look that said, "Are you high?". I just had surgery 5 days ago and the last time I was in a 'boot' for 6 weeks! He set the bike for 10 minutes and said "I think you will just rock and back and forth on the pedals the whole time but at least you are getting it moving". Ok, that pissed me off and I got around an entire revolution the first try and never looked back. I can't say I was Lance Armstrong but I did pedal out 1.02 miles in the 10 minutes.
From there it was on to wall slides (squats), step ups, leg raises, hip abduction and leg presses.
I was exhausted and enjoyed the 15 minute ice treatment afterwards.
Next week Mark is on vacation and I am hopeful that his replacement is regimented and tough on me.
Week ONE of post surgery is complete! Tomorrow afternoon I see the surgeon so he can smile at his work and his assistant can clean me up and hopefully remove some of the sutures and other things that are holding the knee together :)
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
How Rosie O'Donnel became a star
Sitting here recovering and on comes Beautiful Girls. Beautiful Girls is one of my all time favorite movies. It came out just as my 10 year reunion was rolling around and it was billed about guys getting together for their 10 year reunion.
Today I have passed 22 years out of high school and it is still one of my favorites. Whether it's the interactions between Timothy Hutton and Natalie Portman or the scenes with Uma Thurman this movie just gets to me on a lot of levels.
The scene below though is classic and timeless and if O'Donnell had stuck to this she would have been HUGE (no pun inteneded), it shows her comic genius and acerbic wit and great sense of timing. It's also just sort of stuck into the movie because I think the scene was that good!
Please be aware that there is foul language and reference to nudity (ear muffs kids :)).
Today I have passed 22 years out of high school and it is still one of my favorites. Whether it's the interactions between Timothy Hutton and Natalie Portman or the scenes with Uma Thurman this movie just gets to me on a lot of levels.
The scene below though is classic and timeless and if O'Donnell had stuck to this she would have been HUGE (no pun inteneded), it shows her comic genius and acerbic wit and great sense of timing. It's also just sort of stuck into the movie because I think the scene was that good!
Please be aware that there is foul language and reference to nudity (ear muffs kids :)).
The Legend of Josh Hamilton
Over the next few days, even if you are a casual fan, you will see story after story about Josh. In case you missed it last night, Josh had his coming out party at the MLB All-Star Game's Home Run Derby.
Early in the night, I was bored by the event. After Chase Utley disappointed I was ready to run a 'remote marathon' and check out everything from HBO to Food Network. By good fortune I was drawn back to ESPN for Josh's 1st round and that's all I needed to see.
ESPN has beeb hyping Josh for good reason. He has 95 RBI at the break and his story of personal recovery is amazing. I'll leave that to the professionals but trust me, just google Josh Hamilton and heroin and you will find plenty of information. I heard my favorite reporter, Erin Andrews (that's a post for another day) interview Josh and heard him discuss his dream of being in this derby. I listened as they discussed he was using his 71 year old American Legion Coach to pitch to him and then I watched in awe as he hit 28 BOMBS out into the night including 13 in a row!
This is where the sports part of the story ended and I hope I didn't lose my readers who don't like sports.
What I witnessed was transcendent of sports. It truly was the triumph of the human spirit. As I sat, nauseous from the anesthesia and wishing it was time for another dose of pain meds I watched one man triumph where he was doomed to fail. I watched 50,000 fans of baseball rejoice in the moment and I watched Josh's fellow MLB Players watch with delight like I did as an 10 year old in Veteran's Stadium as my heroes did the same for me. They gave me hope. Last night, Josh gave me hope. Not just hope for the things that I can do, but hope for what we all can do.
Josh has dragged himself up from the bottom; from a life of drugs and addiction. So far, he has overcome his own personal obstacles to reach the pinnacle of his profession. I thought of my father and his addictions, I thought of lost friends and a future that is unclear. I thought of my recovery and what I want in my next phase. All of those things ran through my head as a 25 year old hit baseball after baseball, and people will tell you sports are not important.
Early in the night, I was bored by the event. After Chase Utley disappointed I was ready to run a 'remote marathon' and check out everything from HBO to Food Network. By good fortune I was drawn back to ESPN for Josh's 1st round and that's all I needed to see.
ESPN has beeb hyping Josh for good reason. He has 95 RBI at the break and his story of personal recovery is amazing. I'll leave that to the professionals but trust me, just google Josh Hamilton and heroin and you will find plenty of information. I heard my favorite reporter, Erin Andrews (that's a post for another day) interview Josh and heard him discuss his dream of being in this derby. I listened as they discussed he was using his 71 year old American Legion Coach to pitch to him and then I watched in awe as he hit 28 BOMBS out into the night including 13 in a row!
This is where the sports part of the story ended and I hope I didn't lose my readers who don't like sports.
What I witnessed was transcendent of sports. It truly was the triumph of the human spirit. As I sat, nauseous from the anesthesia and wishing it was time for another dose of pain meds I watched one man triumph where he was doomed to fail. I watched 50,000 fans of baseball rejoice in the moment and I watched Josh's fellow MLB Players watch with delight like I did as an 10 year old in Veteran's Stadium as my heroes did the same for me. They gave me hope. Last night, Josh gave me hope. Not just hope for the things that I can do, but hope for what we all can do.
Josh has dragged himself up from the bottom; from a life of drugs and addiction. So far, he has overcome his own personal obstacles to reach the pinnacle of his profession. I thought of my father and his addictions, I thought of lost friends and a future that is unclear. I thought of my recovery and what I want in my next phase. All of those things ran through my head as a 25 year old hit baseball after baseball, and people will tell you sports are not important.
Monday, July 14, 2008
The Journey of a 1,000 miles starts with the first step
With any great adventure you must simply BEGIN. Today I began the road back. Of course I mean my knee but maybe it means a lot of things.
Thanks to my physical therapist, Mark, I am off to a great start. This morning we stretched my leg out ans measured it and bent it and measured it. We got to 54 degrees and before we finished Mark promised I would be at 90 degrees. We went through my range of motion exercises and early strengthening ones. The final one was another knee bending exercise where we did in fact get to 90 degrees! I am excited but exhausted! I am also nauseous thanks to all the anesthesia and percocet running through my system!
Wednesday I get on the bike and even use weights!!!!!!!!
What a far cry from 10 years ago where I lay dormant for 4 weeks after ACL reconstruction.
Lots of goals will be coming from me very shortly but for now I have October 14th circled on the calendar and my goal to play 18 holes and November 14th to what should be a full recovery!
Just received my SECOND cookie bouquet, perfect timing as I was almost out from the first one that arrived the morning of surgery :)
Thanks again for all the calls, emails and posts!!!!!!!!!
Thanks to my physical therapist, Mark, I am off to a great start. This morning we stretched my leg out ans measured it and bent it and measured it. We got to 54 degrees and before we finished Mark promised I would be at 90 degrees. We went through my range of motion exercises and early strengthening ones. The final one was another knee bending exercise where we did in fact get to 90 degrees! I am excited but exhausted! I am also nauseous thanks to all the anesthesia and percocet running through my system!
Wednesday I get on the bike and even use weights!!!!!!!!
What a far cry from 10 years ago where I lay dormant for 4 weeks after ACL reconstruction.
Lots of goals will be coming from me very shortly but for now I have October 14th circled on the calendar and my goal to play 18 holes and November 14th to what should be a full recovery!
Just received my SECOND cookie bouquet, perfect timing as I was almost out from the first one that arrived the morning of surgery :)
Thanks again for all the calls, emails and posts!!!!!!!!!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention this
Tomorrow would have been Jon Barkan's birthday, his 40th. If you've followed me for awhile you might recall that Jon was taken from us way too early in December. There is not a day that goes by that I still don't think about my good friend. Most days I remember all that we shared and talked about fondly. I feel his 'pull' and guidance as I deal with the rough times as well as the good.
I took the girls to see Wall-E this weekend and there was a line that struck me and made me think of Jon. In the movie, one of the characters wakes up from what I'll call a very long daze. He comes to this realization and says, "I don't want to survive, I want to LIVE". As corny as it sounds I sat in the theater and teared up. I thought of Jon and the fact that he LIVED for 39 plus years he never merely survived.
I aspire to live up to that legacy that he left.
Happy Birthday buddy, I know you will be celebrating somewhere.
I took the girls to see Wall-E this weekend and there was a line that struck me and made me think of Jon. In the movie, one of the characters wakes up from what I'll call a very long daze. He comes to this realization and says, "I don't want to survive, I want to LIVE". As corny as it sounds I sat in the theater and teared up. I thought of Jon and the fact that he LIVED for 39 plus years he never merely survived.
I aspire to live up to that legacy that he left.
Happy Birthday buddy, I know you will be celebrating somewhere.
28 hours to go, but let's not talk about that...
Like I said yesterday, I haven't talked about sports in awhile and a lot has happened in the past couple of months and of course I have thoughts on them:
1. Tiger, the US Open, Rocco and the 'knee' - the atmosphere was amazing. I watched the Saturday round at the beach and I could not turn it off. When Tiger chipped in on 16 and that sheepish smile crossed his face it was unforgettable. The 'theater' all weekend and into Monday was great. Rocco Mediate truly enjoyed his place in the sun and Tiger showed why he is the best in the world at what he does. I am not sure why so many people don't like him, except that some people like to see stars self-destruct or fail. For me, to watch him is a treat. We followed him for a few holes at the Masters the year and you can feel his energy and charisma all around. As for the knee, I said to my brother-in-law that Saturday that something more was going on than just cleaning out stuff. Maybe because I was laying there with the same ACL tear I could see the pain when he did certain things. The weird thing about ACL's is that you can live without them. Right now I could do 6 miles on an elliptical and probably even run a bit just as long as I don't go from side to side. The pain and issues come when the knee torques into certain positions and when that pain hits it is almost the same feeling as getting your wind knocked out of you, you literally are rendered useless for a bit. To do what Tiger did is something that can't be captured in words, his mental capacity is as great as his physical one.
2. Euro 2008 - ok, so I know Americans hate soccer, but if you had the chance to watch some of Euro 2008, especially the late rounds you might be able to fall in love with 'the beautiful game'. European soccer (football) is played with style, flair and aggressiveness for the most part. Seeing how the different nations play is interesting to watch. Sure there is not the scoring we are used to and there are far too many 'flops' for injuries but the athletic ability on display is awesome. Hopefully the U.S. can look good at the Olympics and gear up for World Cup 2010 down in South Africa.
3. Wimbledon - not a big tennis fan at all. I watched the Federer/Nadal match and it was every bit as good as any tennis match I ever saw. I remember as a kid watching Borg/McEnroe and that was fun. This years final was every bit of that and more. I followed the action Sunday morning from my Treo as we were at the Georgia Aquarium but thanks to the rain in London and the length of the match we made it home to watch the final 2 sets. Even the girls stayed glued to the TV and enjoyed the match. Speaking of the rain, it's hard to believe that next year there will be a retractable roof on that Stadium Court. Don't get me wrong, it makes sense, but it certainly will seem odd seeing the roof close and there will be no more weather delays. All that seems so much a part of the history of Wimbledon.
Three is enough for now. At least my mind wasn't on the surgery for a few minutes.
Wish me luck and I'll see you on the flip.
1. Tiger, the US Open, Rocco and the 'knee' - the atmosphere was amazing. I watched the Saturday round at the beach and I could not turn it off. When Tiger chipped in on 16 and that sheepish smile crossed his face it was unforgettable. The 'theater' all weekend and into Monday was great. Rocco Mediate truly enjoyed his place in the sun and Tiger showed why he is the best in the world at what he does. I am not sure why so many people don't like him, except that some people like to see stars self-destruct or fail. For me, to watch him is a treat. We followed him for a few holes at the Masters the year and you can feel his energy and charisma all around. As for the knee, I said to my brother-in-law that Saturday that something more was going on than just cleaning out stuff. Maybe because I was laying there with the same ACL tear I could see the pain when he did certain things. The weird thing about ACL's is that you can live without them. Right now I could do 6 miles on an elliptical and probably even run a bit just as long as I don't go from side to side. The pain and issues come when the knee torques into certain positions and when that pain hits it is almost the same feeling as getting your wind knocked out of you, you literally are rendered useless for a bit. To do what Tiger did is something that can't be captured in words, his mental capacity is as great as his physical one.
2. Euro 2008 - ok, so I know Americans hate soccer, but if you had the chance to watch some of Euro 2008, especially the late rounds you might be able to fall in love with 'the beautiful game'. European soccer (football) is played with style, flair and aggressiveness for the most part. Seeing how the different nations play is interesting to watch. Sure there is not the scoring we are used to and there are far too many 'flops' for injuries but the athletic ability on display is awesome. Hopefully the U.S. can look good at the Olympics and gear up for World Cup 2010 down in South Africa.
3. Wimbledon - not a big tennis fan at all. I watched the Federer/Nadal match and it was every bit as good as any tennis match I ever saw. I remember as a kid watching Borg/McEnroe and that was fun. This years final was every bit of that and more. I followed the action Sunday morning from my Treo as we were at the Georgia Aquarium but thanks to the rain in London and the length of the match we made it home to watch the final 2 sets. Even the girls stayed glued to the TV and enjoyed the match. Speaking of the rain, it's hard to believe that next year there will be a retractable roof on that Stadium Court. Don't get me wrong, it makes sense, but it certainly will seem odd seeing the roof close and there will be no more weather delays. All that seems so much a part of the history of Wimbledon.
Three is enough for now. At least my mind wasn't on the surgery for a few minutes.
Wish me luck and I'll see you on the flip.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
2 days to go - I met my new surgeon this morning
I liked him, which is a plus. We went over my MRI and he checked out the knee and we talked about the procedure. He went over the 2 methods he does (hamstring and cadaver) and he let me choose. I stuck with the hamstring even though he told me he had harvested a nice tendon from a 35 year old guy (if he told me he was a former NBA player and I could dunk after surgery I would have chosen that option) but I was pretty set on the hamstring.
His only concern is an area on the outside of my right knee. In the injury I banged the 2 bones out there really hard and there is a bone bruise that is still visible on the MRI. His worry is that the cartilage might not be salvageable. In that case, he would remove it and then poke holes in the bone where it was in hopes to regenerate some new cartilage. The only drawback here is that I would be off my feet for 4 weeks on crutches as opposed to 1 week and then starting rehab. There's nothing I can do except wait and see what he finds...
Sitting and waiting seems to be the order of the day as tomorrow night will last forever and I don't even get to the hospital until noon for a 2:00 surgery on Thursday! No food after midnight on Wednesday, can you guess who will wake up groggy and hungry after surgery?
If I go 'dark' her for a few days hopefully that will mean the hydrocodone is working and I'm sleeping...maybe one more quick post tomorrow if something interesting happens.
I haven't talked sports in awhile, maybe we can chat about the great championships we have seen the last few months.
Also, quick shout out to my boy Marc Wolpert who survived the 'killing fields' of Day 1 at the World Series of Poker MAIN EVENT. He's a bit of a short stack headed into his Day 2 but I'm rooting for him to survive and cash!
His only concern is an area on the outside of my right knee. In the injury I banged the 2 bones out there really hard and there is a bone bruise that is still visible on the MRI. His worry is that the cartilage might not be salvageable. In that case, he would remove it and then poke holes in the bone where it was in hopes to regenerate some new cartilage. The only drawback here is that I would be off my feet for 4 weeks on crutches as opposed to 1 week and then starting rehab. There's nothing I can do except wait and see what he finds...
Sitting and waiting seems to be the order of the day as tomorrow night will last forever and I don't even get to the hospital until noon for a 2:00 surgery on Thursday! No food after midnight on Wednesday, can you guess who will wake up groggy and hungry after surgery?
If I go 'dark' her for a few days hopefully that will mean the hydrocodone is working and I'm sleeping...maybe one more quick post tomorrow if something interesting happens.
I haven't talked sports in awhile, maybe we can chat about the great championships we have seen the last few months.
Also, quick shout out to my boy Marc Wolpert who survived the 'killing fields' of Day 1 at the World Series of Poker MAIN EVENT. He's a bit of a short stack headed into his Day 2 but I'm rooting for him to survive and cash!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Surgery week - the nerves are here
I woke up in the middle of the night (2:30) in a cold sweat realizing that this is FINALLY the week my knee gets reconstructed. It's been such a ridiculous 2 months that I have been pretty ambivalent to what is about to happen, but it all hit me last night/this morning.
I am undeniably nervous. I have a new surgeon, whom I will meet for the first time tomorrow and that has me edgy. I've watched videos of the procedure dozens of times (gotta love Google) and that has me freaked out. Ten years ago I was in the hospital, staying overnight, being monitored and 'cared for'. I am thrilled things have advanced to the point where I am coming home a few hours after surgery but I will be under general anesthesia so there is always that in the back of my mind.
All in all I am ready. I am looking forward to a full recovery and getting back to my normal life of running, golf and basketball. There's just that small part of me that with each passing day grows, call it nerves, anxiety and even a little fear.
I am undeniably nervous. I have a new surgeon, whom I will meet for the first time tomorrow and that has me edgy. I've watched videos of the procedure dozens of times (gotta love Google) and that has me freaked out. Ten years ago I was in the hospital, staying overnight, being monitored and 'cared for'. I am thrilled things have advanced to the point where I am coming home a few hours after surgery but I will be under general anesthesia so there is always that in the back of my mind.
All in all I am ready. I am looking forward to a full recovery and getting back to my normal life of running, golf and basketball. There's just that small part of me that with each passing day grows, call it nerves, anxiety and even a little fear.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Independence Day
Of all the non-religious holidays today is my favorite. I'm sure that being patriotic is part of it, sure I love my country, but I can't really put my finger on it. I know part of it is where I am from. Growing up in Philadelphia we see the Liberty Bell, we go to Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed and we learn all about Benjamin Franklin. Maybe it is that sense of 'Philly Pride' that distinguishes this day for me. For the geographically challenged, Philly sits smack dab in between DC and New York; between the power of money and the power of politics. We once were the nations capitol but I would bet less than 20% of Americans would know that. We grow up with a chip on our shoulders, fiercely proud of our hometown, defensive of our sports teams yet the first to jump on them when they are bad. I left Philly when I was 11 years old but Philly never left me. I am approaching 40 and I still say "yo and youse guys", I long for Tastykakes and cheesesteaks, I still call the beach the "shore" and I'd rather be caught dead before rooting for someone other than the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers or Sixers. My childhood heroes are Mike Schmidt, Bobby Clarke, Ron Jaworski and Dr. J. I haven't been 'home' except for my father and Grandmother's funerals but I can run the Art Museum steps like Rocky in my head, sit along the river watching the crew teams or smell the Jersey Shore as if I were on Million Dollar Pier.
The Fourth brings me back to better times, before I knew the world could turn on you in an instant or that everyone wasn't your friend. Sitting with the girls today at the parade here in Atlanta I watched that same innocence in their eyes, that same youthful exuberance at the fire trucks and candy tossers and it filled my heart for them, but also made me wonder when it will change as well, because we all know it eventually does. Until then and even through it I'll be there to savor the good times and comfort them in the tough ones.
May your Independence Day be all that it is meant to be, freeing your from whatever has you shackled.
The Fourth brings me back to better times, before I knew the world could turn on you in an instant or that everyone wasn't your friend. Sitting with the girls today at the parade here in Atlanta I watched that same innocence in their eyes, that same youthful exuberance at the fire trucks and candy tossers and it filled my heart for them, but also made me wonder when it will change as well, because we all know it eventually does. Until then and even through it I'll be there to savor the good times and comfort them in the tough ones.
May your Independence Day be all that it is meant to be, freeing your from whatever has you shackled.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
there is only one way to move - FORWARD
As I deplaned yesterday what I thought was my worst fear with the knee came true...the surgeon called, in person this time, to tell me he needed to postpone my procedure once again. He was very nice and very humble and he also suggested I 'fire' him and get this thing done with another doc in the practice.
I jumped in the car and went to the office to meet with my physical therapist/trainer to help me make a choice. We looked at 3 docs in the practice and he called each one of them personally to set me up. I am now re-scheduled for July 10th, 1 day earlier, so that makes me happy. We also chose to use one of the docs who does the same hamstring procedure that I was preparing for. We looked hard at the old style procedure (patella tendon) but after sleeping on it overnight I opted to stick with the hamstring deal.
I remained calm, didn't let the adversity affect me and I moved swiftly towards my goal.
I finally believe the tower has called the pilot signaling me to make my approach and get out of the holding pattern.
I am in 2 'weight challenges' now and I hope to keep you updated as I attempt to shed these last 15-20 pounds despite the surgery.
I jumped in the car and went to the office to meet with my physical therapist/trainer to help me make a choice. We looked at 3 docs in the practice and he called each one of them personally to set me up. I am now re-scheduled for July 10th, 1 day earlier, so that makes me happy. We also chose to use one of the docs who does the same hamstring procedure that I was preparing for. We looked hard at the old style procedure (patella tendon) but after sleeping on it overnight I opted to stick with the hamstring deal.
I remained calm, didn't let the adversity affect me and I moved swiftly towards my goal.
I finally believe the tower has called the pilot signaling me to make my approach and get out of the holding pattern.
I am in 2 'weight challenges' now and I hope to keep you updated as I attempt to shed these last 15-20 pounds despite the surgery.
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