Quick Thoughts

Haven't blogged in awhile and don't have much time, so a few quick thoughts:

1. I'm really glad that Election Day is just 6 days away. I haven't posted my endorsement yet (I know, I'll probably be the last major figure in the U.S. to endorse a candidate) but I plan on doing that on Monday. I'm still undecided as of now.

2. My mom, trying to convince me to vote for McCain, says "scissors" any time that I say anything to her about the election. "Scissors" as in the Born Alive Infant Protection Act (or whatever it's called) and how they kill these babies. As in, a vote for Obama is a vote for this act. I'm not going to lie, it's getting annoying.

3. HIPAA - the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act - (not HIPPA as so many people think) and specifically the "privacy rule" - has to be the most ill-conceived piece of unimportant legislation maybe in the history of this country. Nobody has any idea what its intent is, but anytime somebody wants to get a hospital, doctor, workplace, or worker in trouble, invariably they shout about supposed (and false) HIPAA violations.

4. Baseball postseason has been a little dull; c'mon, Rays, we need one series to last more than 5 games!

5. I'm still really depressed about the Pitt loss to (sigh) Rutgers.

6. I would be remiss if I didn't welcome into the world my first 2nd cousin on dad's side of the family. Welcome Jacob Michael Burns! Congrats to Grandpa Grubbs who is a first time Great Grandfather (although a longtime great Grandfather - that was way too easy), to Aunt Carol and Uncle Mike on their first grandchild, and specifically to Chad and Charissa. Congrats!

My Love Letter to Kelly Clarkson

Oh Kelly,

You are the one that I want. You are perfect in every way; even perfect in your imperfections. I love you as a blonde, I love you as a brunette. I love you singing r&b, I love you singing harder types of rock. You have a wonderfully snarky sense of humor, on exhibit every time that I've seen you perform. You have the "joie de vivre" that I am searching for.

I am the guy for you. You are successful, and I have no ego, so I will be able to handle that. I will do the things around the house for which you don't have the time. I will accompany on your tours and take care of whatever you need me to do.

In other words, you complete me. If I had just 15 minutes to talk to you, I am sure that I could convince you of this.

Signed,

The Future Mr. Kelly Clarkson

*off to my 5 year college reunion today! Crazy!

A Revelation at Work!

So, I haven't posted about my job. I've been there for just over 5 months now. It's good, sometimes stressful, sometimes frustrating. I work closely with three other people; the four of us have desks in a room together, and we are the union's "resource center".

So anyway, our workload is directly correlated to the number of people calling. Sometimes it gets slow, so we get to talking about stuff. And yesterday, the one male coworker, Chris, said something that I've been saying for years now. Basically, both of us are sick of this whole "breakfast for dinner" movement. Instead, we want "dinner for breakfast".

I never thought I'd meet someone else who wants this. Ask anyone who knows me well and has gone to IHOP or Eat 'n' Park for breakfast with me. I am just as liable to order a grilled cheese sandwich at 7 am as I am a stack of pancakes.

So this was a bonding moment for Chris and I!

Future Wife Trait #14 - Appreciation of Pittsburgh

This is an important one to me. The city of Pittsburgh is such a great place. It is so unique in so many ways. Think about the ways in which it is great. It has such a awe-inspiring natural beauty with the mountains and the rivers. It has great transportations options with all of the riverboats and the inclines, plus more traditional buses and something resembling a subway. It has a multitude of ethnic neighborhoods, each with its own character and personality. The architecture is top-notch, with great downtown skyscrapers like PPG Place and Fifth Avenue Place, and churches like Heinz Chapel in Oakland. Quality of life ranks among the best in the nation. It has a great sporting tradition, with the Steelers, Pirates, Pens, and good college sports. It has many things that anyone would want in their city.

There are some people who "get" this, and some who don't. And to be honest, I think there are many more females who don't get it. There are some things about Pittsburgh that people may have problems with. The weather is variable, and the sun sometimes doesn't come out for days at a time. It's way behind the times; there isn't a post office downtown where you can buy stamps in a machine with a debit card! Even Knoxville has that. Fashions are decidedly 80s. If you are a female who is interested in the latest trends, you won't find them walking down East Carson St.

So, my future wife has to understand "the majesty that is the city of Pittsburgh" (a quote that can be attributed to me, circa 2001). She doesn't have to want to live here forever; I'm not sure I want to either. But she has to inherently "get" this city; if she doesn't, she can take the "T" all the way to South Hills Village as far as I'm concerned.

Future Wife Trait # 92

So I haven't posted in awhile, and I thought I needed to say something, since that's what the people (a.k.a. Beth) want. I thought I'd give you another wife trait, and also let you know that I am prepping a big post on my presidential vote.

Wife trait #92 - The ability to iron clothes

I can't iron for the life of me. I can't even say iron. I'm from Pittsburgh, we don't say it right, we say it "arn". Anyway, I love to do things around the house. I love cooking and baking, especially desserts but I can make dinners with the best of the non-professional chef males. I get on cleaning binges every week, dusting and sweeping and polishing, etc. Doing laundry and dishes gives me a great sense of accomplishment.

The one thing I cannot do is iron clothes. I have tried everything, to no avail. Now I have to resort to getting my clothes out of the dryer immediately when they are finished and hanging them up. This leads to hot buttons that burn when you touch them. I've tried the spray stuff that takes wrinkles out; it doesn't for me. I've tried actually ironing, and I suck at it. Basically, I've gone around my adult life (when I've been away from my mom's help) looking like a rumpled mess. "Nothing stays wrinkled" - this is an axiom relayed by my cousin Frank. Well...it stays wrinkled when I'm wearing it.

So, if you are gonna suggest a girl for me to go out with, take a look at her pants and see if they are wrinkled. If they are...NEXT!

My Favorite Things: Fall Edition

Well, I am sitting at a bar in the San Diego International Airport. I am on my way home; although my flight doesn't get in Pittsburgh until 9:30 tonight (I fly through San Fran). Being in the perpetual summer weather of SoCal, it has made me appreciate fall (as if I didn't already). That, plus being on the precipice of the second best month of the year (see below)...well, I thought it was time to reveal my favorite things of the fall.

1. Fall weather - the weather and I are a good match. While I love it hot, I love it cool too (not cold, mind you). October weather is fantastic. I love stepping out of the house and feeling totally comfortable in a hooded sweatshirt.

2. Fall smells - bonfires, apple cider, just the general smell you get while walking outside. It's a little bit of freshly cut grass but more with the bonfires.

3. Fall baseball - this is thoroughly mined territory for my readers and me. I love baseball, I love the Pirates, fall baseball and the Pirates haven't gone together for 16 years now. But it is still magical to see the passion and the fire in these games. I long for the days when it will matter in Pittsburgh again; this is a good fix until it does. Plus, the drama of ending a game with one swing is just something that other sports cannot match.

4. High school football - wearing a hoodie, driving to the stadium with the sun going down, high school bands...it's a great tradition in Western PA. High school football brings back so many memories for me (remember, I was voted the class of '99's "Rams biggest fan"!). Even when I don't know the participants, it brings a rush to watch kids play football on Friday nights.

5. College football Saturdays - High hopes for Pitt this year, so there is more stress involved. But I love waking up, watching GameDay, then scanning to see what the best games of the day are.

6. NFL - Steelers. Need I say more?

7. Holiday season - the holiday season begins in earnest around Halloween.

8. Bonfires - I hit my pyro phase much later than most boys/men. I love fire, even at the age of 27 (I was never fascinated by it as a child, being so practical and cautious as to stay away for fear of my safety). Bonfires are obviously the most healthy, large-scale manifestation of fire in which one can partake. So I'll take it.

9. Darkness - I love when it's dark at 5pm! I may be the only person in the world. But it's such a peace to be out in the darkness. Added bonus for starry nights in any season.

10. College hoops - Pitt basketball being my 1A love to the Bucs, this needs to explanation. Obviously I count on this team to carry me through the dregs of post-holiday winter, but it's a fun appetizer for October through December.

11. Fall movies - after the summer movie season, full of popcorn movies, September is really lame. Then, October brings about the holiday movie season, which extends into January sometimes. Fall movies are great. Lots of arty movies, movies that directors and studios think deserve Oscar consideration. Lots of interesting fare, and this fall is no different.

Well, that's just a sampling of the reasons that I love fall. It's probably my favorite season! Even if its not yours, I wonder what you love about the season. Why don't you tell me?!?

Ranking the Months

Well, it's just after 7 am here in San Diego, but I've been up since 5:30 or so. I can't get used to the time thing in 2 days. I've been having a great time in SoCal, and will blog extensively about it in the future. But, I was thinking about this at the Angels game yesterday, so I wanted to do it. Ranking the months; which months are best and worst, in my opinion? Here you go:

12. January - not much beside bowl games and playoff football. Kind of a barren month that extends into...

11. February - my birth month, but that is all that makes it different (and a bit better) than the preceding month.

10. June - U.S. Open (golf), baseball not usually over for the Bucs fans...this month is grasping.

9. May - I don't think there is anything spectacular about this month. Horse racing's first two legs of the Triple Crown? I mean, I watch and I'm a fan, but not enough to make this month sweet.

8. April - Baseball season starts! Big plus.

7. July - I'm not a big fireworks fan, so the 4th is OK. It's hot. I like hot.

6. August - the laziest month of the year, because everyone goes on vacation during this month.

5. December - unlike other months for me, this is judged mostly on the holidays. It's hard not to be cheerful during this month.

4. September - football starts, school starts, high school football, college football saturdays, indian summer. good month.

3. November - Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, it starts the holiday season. Football kicks into high gear. Weather from October can carry over. Still get giddy with the first snow.

2. October - fall baseball, even without the Bucs, is special. College and pro football get into high gear, and college hoops practice starts. Plus, the weather is awesome. Fall is typified by this month, which is a great thing.

1. March - conference basketball tournaments. March Madness. Spring Training. "In like a Lion, out like a Lamb". Following Pitt hoops all over America. All make this the best month.