Bowling update / Weekend plans

Retalix Strikers, my bowling team, didn't bowl so well this week, or last. "Sweetie" stopped in to the bowling alley tonight with her son, "Other Two" and watched our team lose two of our three games. Last week, we only won one of three games as well, so the team has moved from first place last week, to probably 4th or 5th after tonight. Our team captain is out for a few weeks with a sore elbow on his bowling arm, so we are a player short... However, that doesn't account for our recent losses, that is due to our less than stellar athletic performance. The good news is that it is still early in the season and if we can just bowl our average or better, we can easily regain our position in first place.

This weekend my brother's wife is going out of town, and because he has to work, and his oldest son wants to play in his football and soccer games on Saturday, they are staying at home. My brother will be working at Heinz Field during the Pitt and Steelers games on Saturday and Sunday, so I get to spend time with my nephew again.

My nephew is coming over Friday night after I get done with work and is going to spend the night with me, and my kids;"Two" and "Four." I think my daughter, "Three", will be coming down as well, so I will have a full house. We may go catch up on the current movie releases at the theater, rent a movie or two, or just sit in front of the wide screen TV and play video games on the PlayStation. Saturday we get to take him to his flag football and indoor soccer games. He really enjoys soccer, but football doesn't yet seem to get his enthusiasm going.

I am really looking forward to a non-work, fun filled weekend with the nephew and the kids.

Later Lou

Nephews...

My brother has three wonderful boys. His youngest was born this past March and is still a baby. My youngest is 12 years old and in middle school, so yeah, I am the older brother.

At his oldest son's birthday last party I had gotten him a duplicate gift, a DVD that someone else had already given him. So I offered to exchange it for any other movie he wanted. He asked me to exchange it for "Meet the Robinsons", which unfortunately didn't come out until this past Tuesday. His birthday was in August, so I had to hang onto the DVD for quite some time to exchange it.

I went last night directly after work to Best Buy, where I purchased the DVD to exchange it. Best Buy is one of my favorite stores. I love to just wonder around the store gawking at all of the "toys" (i.e. TVs, Computers, Stereos, Cameras, etc...) and "games" (DVDs, Software, Cd's, accessories, etc...). Coworkers and I have taken lunch hours just to go to the store and check out the large, wide screen, HD TVs.

As I entered the store I was thinking what a great Uncle I am taking care of this without anyone reminding me, because usually I forget or postpone these kind of things and I have to be reminded a bunch of times, which is a normal guy thing I think (I am pointing out my guy-ness because it was called into question lately).

I walk up to the return counter, and I am as expected immediately waited on and asked how by the man in the blue shirt can he could help me. I said, I wanted to exchange this unopened DVD for another one. He said "Sure, no problem. Can I have your receipt, please." I paused, and said I didn't have a receipt, but that I only wanted to exchange this unopened DVD, and I didn't want any money back. He told me that they could not return or exchange the DVD without the receipt, something about how their computer system wouldn't allow it. He said because he didn't know how much I paid, he couldn't give me a credit. I suggested he give me a credit for the lowest price of the DVD, and he said, "Sorry, but without a receipt I can not process your return."

I stormed out towards the front door, only to be stopped by their "doorman" and told that he was sorry I wasn't happy, but that was store policy. I told him the policy was stupid and continued my rampage out the door.

Right now Best Buy is not my favorite store.

On a lighter note, I got to take my brother's middle son to his soccer game/practice on Saturday. He is only 4, and hasn't gotten the gist of the game yet, but he seemed to enjoy running after the ball and try to kick it in the correct direction. When we arrived at the practice field there were about 2 dozen or so teams of kids playing. It was the first time I had taken my nephew to soccer practice, and I hadn't met his coach or any of the other parents before. So I figured I would just find other kids with the same color shirt. So I looked out onto the field, and they ALL had on the same color shirt, with the same symbol on the front... no help!

We walked around the area about 10 minutes until eventually my nephew started walking onto the field. I was surprised, because he seemed hesitant to walk onto the field everywhere else we had been. I asked him if this was his team, and he nodded his head. I looked up to the coach, and asked "Do you know this little guy?" and he responded "Yeah, that's your brother's middle son." (OK, he didn't actually say "your brother's middle son", instead he said his name, but this blog is public, and I haven't asked permission to give out his name, so I took a little literary license)

They practiced a little and then had a three on three game with another team. My nephew didn't score any goals, but he had a great time, and so did I. I should have gotten my kids more involved with sports when they were young... too late now.

Later Lou

SuperBowl XL Champions

I have mentioned before that I am not the biggest sports fan of the world. But it’s hard to get away fromt the game here in the “outskirts” of Pittsburgh. Everyone at work was wearing their Championship shirts and hats, and discussing their opinions of the events of the game.

Today when I stopped at the deli to get a little lunch meat, the guy slicing the meat asked me if I watched the game. Of course, being here in Steeler’s country, I had to watch the game. I wouldn’t want to appear in the newspaper the next day like this guy:

The great news is that Pittsburgh Steelers did the unimaginable; they have come from behind, and beat the Seattle Seahawks 21 to 10 to win SuperBowl XL in a game that wasn’t decided until midway through the 4th quarter. This makes the discussion of the game much more enjoyable!

Vannoy (Update)

The scoop from Beaver Falls High School is that Mr. Vannoy returned to school Monday (1/30/2006) after national media attention for wearing a Bronco's jersey to his high school in "Steeler country". He apparently received a "massage chair" from John Elway, whose number was on the jersey Mr. Vannoy wore, which by the way is the same number that Ben Roethlisberger, current QB of the Steelers, wears. I wonder if that was on purpose or if it was coincidental? I heard from another source that the Mr. Vannoy's mother says the chair doesn't match the living room. :-) Anyway, the Friday before he returned to school the principal of the high school gathered all of the students in a group and explained that Mr. Vannoy would be returning on Monday. They were told to not to even "look at him funny", let alone touch him, or they would be expelled!... Not placed in detention, or suspended for a few days... Expelled... i.e. kicked out of the school! They were also told to not hold a protest or rally for Mr. Kelly (the teacher), or to wear shirts or buttons mentioning Mr. Kelly or anything like that. For the these last two days in school, Josh has been escorted by a police man through the school, and two teachers. During lunch they put extra staff (teachers) in the lunch room while Mr. Vannoy was eating. It sounded to me like the school officials feel our school is full of a bunch of hooligans that would want to hurt Mr. Vannoy... Which begs a very interesting question? If the teacher was the one who was wrong, and Mr. Vannoy is the victim, why are they protecting Josh from harm? Are they afraid that more paper would be thrown at him? I mean, if the teacher was truly as bad as the newspapers portrayed him, then Mr. Vannoy shouldn't have anything to fear, he should be respected for bringing to light a terrible problem within the school. Josh could be rallying the students, parents and school officials to be up in arms against this bad teacher... Instead the school had to quash a rally in support of Mr. Kelly because the students and I assume parents don't want to see Mr. Kelly let go... Reality often tells a better story than the newspapers!

Excited

Those that know me, know I am generally not much of a sports fan. I don't generally follow the teams, players or stats. I do enjoy going out and actually attending a game and I really enjoy a going to good baseball game. But for me, watching sports on TV just hasn't been as much fun. Last Sunday I was invited to watch the playoff game between the Steelers and the Broncos with someone I care about. Instead of my normal "ho-hum" attitude about the game, I actually "got into" the game. I was cheering the players on the TV, jumping up and down when a great play happened, and biting my nails on close calls. As you probably know, the Steelers won and have made it to the SuperBowl XL. This will be the first time in 10 years, and if they win, will have accomplished something they haven't done for 30 years (most of my life). Yes, I was ten years old the last time they won a SuperBowl. The playoff game was so exciting, that it really drew me in... Now I can't wait until the SuperBowl. Since the game, I have been wearing my only Steelers sweatshirt as often as possible, and I even found an old Steelers cap that I throw on to cover my hair that needs cut. :-) This week at work, we are having a SuperBowl bash (party) with wings, chili, nachos, and desserts. Everyone will be wearing their "Black and Gold", and tossing the pigskin around getting hyped for the game. I even scoured the Internet for every Steelers fight song I could find and made a CD for the party. BTW: Most of the good songs can be found at Steeler GridIron site. If you need a permission slip to wear the colors at work, school, or wherever, you can get one here! With all my newfound sports-related excitement I decided to throw caution to the wind, and without worrying (to much) about monthly costs, I ordered a DVR (Digital Video Recorder) from Comcast. After a quick call I have an free install for Sunday morning before the game! The DVR will allow me to pause the game if I need to go to the bathroom, or rewind live TV and get my own "instant replay". Of course it has many other features too, but that's not important for this Sunday, so I will save that for another story. I can't wait until Sunday, and the party at work on Friday will be, for me, the kickoff to the weekend. So don't call Sunday, Feb. 5 after 6 p.m. ET, as my TV, DVR, and attention will be on the network TV station ABC to watch the Steelers crush the Seahawks!