You have likely seen the ads on TV. I am for it, we have to do something.

Jeff's driveway in Kentucky is an adventure in itself each time you leave the house on a street bike. The grade is about 15 degrees and the gravel is like driving in the snow. I don't think the video does it justice to the difficulty but needless to say if you can navigate a large street bike down this then you are a decent rider.

These humming birds were on the porch of some Omish friends in Crab Orchard, KY. Whole swarm of them which apparently they are there all the time.

This recruiter from Robert Half Technology sent this email blast to 125 people and he just copied and pasted the emails into the CC field to share with the world. I am sure this was likely a big mistake on his part but in his line of work you would think they being a technology company would have some solution for this. There are countless CRM and Email Contact applications out there for doing such marketing and here this technology recruiter is left sending emails through the CC field.

 Poor guy, I of course filed a compliant via email to the parent company. Later that same day I got several emails and a call from a Regional Manager. Apprently this person is no longer working with them.

If your going to do email marketing - be careful. Don't blast other peoples emails all around.

Damn Swimmers Ear! Every year I seem to get it. This year I have gotten especially bad. Right now my ear is swollen shut. I have to take Motrin every 2-3 hours to keep my fever and the pain down. I went on day 2 and got some drops from the Doctor but they are a pain to get in when your ear is swollen shut.

Every year I start swimming with my son on the weekends and almost like clock work I get swimmers ear.

Tennis season begins tomorrow and I have not been able to practice all week because of it. I will need to delay my first game for a while until I can get this thing feeling better.

I am going to get the vinegar and alcohol solution out by the pool so I can prevent this in the future.

You gotta love these car companies who are now offering to lock in your gas prices at a certain amount for some period of time. (i.e. http://www.dodge.com/en/refuel)

 Rather than investing the money into developing a highly fuel efficient car or God forbid an Electric car they are spending money on getting you to use more gas! They are essentially saying, Buy our gas guzzlers and we will make up the difference with you by locking in gas prices. Oh... and your going to need to use a special credit card and jump through a few hoops for us.

Will some American car maker please make a Electric or Highly Efficient Hybrid for the average person ? Stop with all the talk and start showing up. US Auto makers are losing to people who are just being smarter then them. This is not something new, it's been going on for years now they (US Auto Makers) are just falling farther behind.

The only company even trying it seems is Tesla (http://www.teslamotors.com) whom is so small they cannot afford to make a car for the average person.

It is rare to read an opinion or general rant be someone and agree with everything in it. Sometimes I find one and like to share it.

This one was on a Craigslist posting in Seattle. Here is the orginal link http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/sea/640786074.html

Things my father taught me

Date: 2008-04-13, 9:33AM PDT


The measurement of my finger from the tip to the first joint is 1 inch...depth for planting peas.
The measurement to the second joint is 2 inches...depth for corn.
Return borrowed things in better shape than when you borrowed them.
There are two types of trouble...one is the trouble you knowingly walk into, the other is trouble that just happens...it's important to know the difference.
Walk softly but carry a big stick.
if you have to use said stick, make sure who you use it on, doesn't get up.
Grits is good.
Foul language is a sign of a limited vocabulary
Orion, the Big and Little Dippers.
Everyone is a friend until proven otherwise.
Licorice ferns, huckleberries, nettles, sword ferns.
Tabasco won't kill you even if you eat it by the spoonfull.
Don't watch the clock when you're at work.
Fish can see you if you look over the side of the boat.
Fish can hear you if you talk to loud.
Respect the elders.
Never go to bed angry.
That which does not kill you will hurt like the dickens, but it will make you stronger.
Family is the most important thing on earth.
How to play the guitar, spoons, mouth harp, and water filled bottles.
The true meaning of "Self Made Man"
If you don't know something, go to the library and learn it.
The phrases "I don't know", "I forgot", or "I tried (and failed)" are excuses.
There is a difference between an excuse and a reason, know the difference.
Take care of your apperance...even if it is just a t-shirt and jeans.
The world can change everything about you, except your point of view...unless you allow it to.

David L. McDonald
born 1936-passed 2008
precious father
beloved husband
A right good fellow.

Did you look at the picture here ? I bet you already have looked at it. If you do not know what it means then just move on and don't worry about it anymore.

If you do know what it means then:

HAHAHAHAHA!

Ok my last week was supposed to be a laid back match with a nice easy win. Ever heard the saying "Make plans, God enjoys a good laugh.", well that applied here.

 My match was against a player I have beaten before and he has not won a match this season. I wanted to rush in and get 6-0 6-0 honestly. I knew he had a weapon in his forehand if you gave him a strike. He also moves well on the court. Other than this he was pretty straight forward 2.5 player, weak serve - bad back hand - and give him enough rope and he will hang himself.

My coach tells me, stick with the kick serve. I do this. Only thing that was a problem was

1. The guy practicing against the board during the entire first set (thump thump thump)
2. The 2 players next to us ranked -3.0 and at any moment a ball would come flying at you during the match
3. there was no flat area on the court, and
4. The dog park within 20 yards of the court.

Oh yeah dogs next to the tennis court. Now I love dogs (see pic of Cody), just not on or near my tennis match. Dogs are playing and barking and playing and barking and barking and more barking. OMG! At one point the noise was so bad I double faulted 4 times in a row and gave up a game. 1st Double is irritating, 2nd is down right maddenning, and then by the 3rd you think I will never hit another winner in my life UGGGGH!

I wanted to leave it was getting so bad. But I played on. Finally the  guy stopped hitting on the board so some calm came to the game. This seemed to stop driving the dogs so mad also.

As far as my play, well the double faults I mentioned were really an isolated thing (all 4 of them). For the most part my kick serve was working well. I won the first few games on that alone actually which is rare for me to come out winning. This player in particular has a real issue with the kick serve.

Most of the points I gave up were due to playing flat footed during the round and just not being ready for his forehand when he hit it. He really knows how to put pace on the ball when returning it. He hits it real low over the net and you have to be on your toes to get it.

Another thing I kept doing was coming in too close to the net. This happened a lot on his 2nd serve. His 2nd serve was real weak and I would try to take advantage of hit and hit something deep and down the line. But several times during the first set I would rush in and then stay there 12 inches from the net. Well he was real good at hitting overheads with me that close to the net and who wouldn't be right ?

First set went to a tie break which I won 7-6. (First tie-break of the season)

The 2nd set I actually got down right away 0-2. This was right before the players next to us left. Several times we had to stop and wait for them to get their ball or we had to replay a point because a ball came flying in during our point.

After they left I started turning it on. Got my head in the game. I stopped coming in so far into to the net and got rewarded almost immediately. He did not try so many overheads and the ones he did I easily got too. Now I still screwed a few up trying to smash them but at least I was getting to them in the air. Slice seemed to work well from mid court also, my opponent is back at the baseline and I would just put a severe slice on the ball in the air. This seemed to get a winner almost every time.

Another thing I did against my coach's advise was change my serve. After he broke my serve in the 2nd set I just had to try something new. Keeping in mind I had only hit Kick Serves to him the entire first set. Up to this point I had not hit 1 power serve (throwing the ball forward and "pronating" the arm to generate speed) to him. So I throw it up and just go for it. Hit him right in the chest off the bounce. He didn't know what hit him. 40-0 in no time flat. This essentially sealed the deal from there on out. Having 2 serves is a big weapon. He won the next game on his serve and that was it.

Final was 7-6 6-3.

Regular season is over, preparing for the playoffs now.

Here are some screen shots of the division standings and then the details for the season. Green star means your in the playoffs. Some games are not complete yet so I will likely end up 3rd or 4th overall.

Ouch! 

I jammed my toenail while playing my Week 3 match. Below are images of my self treatment to drain the blood from under the nail. This was done by heating up a safety pin with a lighter and then poking a small hole in the nail.

 Nail Before the Hole

Hole Made, Here comes some blood, only about 4-5 drops came out. 

Finally what is looked like after it stopped bleeding. To me it did not change much but I suppose there was some difference.