C-A-P-S!!!!!!!......

CAPS CAPS CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPS!!!!!

Meet the ke bunch...

So the May 3rd details...we are playing with a band called Everyone But Pete. But I know you all will come just to see the salsa band. And without further ado, from left to right...I'd like to introduce you all to Ashish, Dave, lilsingerchic, Dana, Jake, and Mike (back).

Mark your calendars...

As many of you are aware, I recently joined another band. It hasn't received any attention on this blog due to the fact that it's online representation isn't quite what it should be. But it's in the works...

Anyhow, AWESOME news!! We played a birthday party the other weekend, and after much crammed practice and a week of memorizing 20+ songs, it went well...well enough that we got booked for the May 3rd at the Clarendon Ballroom! Very excited...we'll be playing a Cinco De Mayo Event. More details will follow. :-D

Baseball has been very good to Tyler...

It's been a very baseball-ish month for the crew here. We went and saw the Nationals at their new ballpark on Sunday. Very nice ballpark, anyone who hasn't checked it out should definitely go. Here are the boys running the bases afterwards...



Saturday was Ty's little league season opener. Here he is up at bat...



And in older news... My 10 miler was a success. I beat the sweep vehicle...woohoo!! Ahem, sans headphones. :) I could've done without the rain, but such is life.

In conclusion, I just wanted to bring up my struggling Caps. As of tonight, they are down 2-1 in the series to the Flyers. Let's all will the Caps to start Kolzig in the next game and to knock it off with the friggin' turnovers!!! errrrrr! K. I'm done.

Hello Hayden...

Congrats to Scott and Stacy!! Just look at that poker face... :-D

Keeping the blog alive, sorta new site and running sans headphones(?!)...

So, not much to report on. Busy, busy.

In old news, the IRF site finally went live. This was built on the supah dupah CMS, Expression Engine. A few pulling-out-my-hair sessions, but generally speaking...it went smoothly. Blog pages for them are currently in development. I know, I know...you all can't wait to post! Although I'd love to take all the credit, the designer and copywriter/client/Fat Kid were awesome.

Oh, and one more thing...I have a bone to pick with this Cherry Blossom 10-miler thing. I somehow convinced myself I could do this primarily because it was assumed I could wear my headphones. No headphones allowed!! Seriously, I'm doomed.

Quality education...

It's no secret that lately I've been unmotivated when it comes to school and this experience has done nothing but solidify my belief that college is, for the most part, a waste of time and money. That is not to say I don't believe in going to school and getting a good education. It's just a very sad situation that people pay a good amount to get an 'education' that is worthless.

My case: As much as it pained me to switch my major, I decided to drop business and go into IT. Mostly just sad about the two semesters of Accounting with the meanest teacher on earth...I didn't have to do that?!!

Anyways, I signed up for 3 IT courses through NVCC since they transfer over the GMU. Well, one of those courses happens to be Multimedia Software...well, seriously now...I could teach that course. And I don't mind taking it, I realize it's a requirement. My issue is what they're teaching...it's wrong. I won't go into a long diatribe, but basically, they are teaching methods and software that isn't relevant in today's market.

After emailing the instructor about my thoughts I get a nice response basically saying 'Sorry you're disappointed. Submit your assignments using the method you're used to'. Well, that's good but it does nothing to alleviate my concern that once I do get into more IT classes in which I will be wanting to learn new things...how will I know that I won't be learning methods that weren't used back in the stone age?

Oh well...I guess that's what happens when you pay $87 per credit. Which brings me to a whole other issue...only rich people can get a good education? Ok, I'll stop there. I'm not liking the education system right now.

Various tidbits...

So, Ty's and I were sick most of last week. Poor Ty got the flu and I got something that had me coughing up my lungs the majority of the week. All is better now. So, while I stayed home with my throbbing head I was reading a book on polygamy. I've gotta mention it because it was quite the interesting read. I actually found the fact that these women along with their umpteen kids would live together in a shack to be the most disturbing of it all. Of course, the husband is off marrying whatever he can get his hands on all the while... How touching.

I almost hate to say it, but anybody keeping up with the Idols this year? (hey, being sick gets boring...TV happened to be there...) The guys blow the chics away, but I haven't decided which I like the best yet. Maybe this guy, I give this the 'best Idol performance ever' title...



And lastly, Ty's had his last basketball game of the season on Saturday. That's him getting his trophy. Go Ty! Next up, baseball... again.

Ice climbing trip '08...

So, I decided to go back to NH to do some ice climbing. If you are a dedicated reader, you will already know this was the site of my first ice climbing experience. But this time, I did take part in the ice climbing festival festivities. We decided to do the ice climbing basic course and the second day we did a guided climb. We really tried to get to the slideshows...but ice climbing is so tiring!!

The first day was revisiting Cathedral Ledge, but this time since we were taking a course...I actually learned ice climbing technique. So, I faired much better. Though I still took some 'graceful' falls.

The second day we went to an area called Frankenstein and ran laps up a route called the 'Cave Route'. It was a very very cool place...





It was a great trip. Our guides were awesome and the weather was good. Should any of you decide to take a trip up there, my recommendations:

- Peaches. A "must-go" for breakfast.
- Moose Mountain (I think?? It's something like that). They make blueberry beer, and it ain't all that bad. All their beer was good. Not to mention the nachos were pretty killer.
- Do not rent a Chevy Malibu. Oddly enough, not the best car in cold weather.

The makings of an awesome weekend...

1. First and foremost, my girl scout cookies came in!! Thin Mints kick a$$.


2. I purchased a new acoustic guitar. A nice little Martin. I've managed to not get anything done around the house because of him.


3. Came out on the positive side at poker for the second week in a row. And I'd just like to add...the ladies are rockin' the google spreadsheet. :-P


4. Having Monday off.... Such a happy ending.

Next post: the 2008 ice climbing adventure.

The end of my Swiftkick days....

Well it's been quite some time since I stepped in the keyboard nazi's basement and auditioned, but it's time to move on. I officially resigned my spot as the singer/red tambourine-ist as of Monday. Once the two Ryan's left (drummer and keyboardist), I never really got back into it and the whole dynamic of the band, both on stage and off, has never been quite right with me since.

It was tough decision to make and I'm sad about it, but I feel it's for the best.

Super Bowl highlights....

Jordan Sparks...wow...really, WOW. Her National Anthem blew me away. And I actually didn't care for her on American Idol. If I may put on my Simon hat here, I'd say that was her best performance.

Tom Petty was awesome, I dug it. The performance had the potential to rock the house, but I believe any show that has a lighted stage in the shape of heart automatically is denied the 'rock the house' rating.

Favorite commercial was the baby. (Yea, Ty's made me watch some of the game...)

Ha! You didn't think this post would actually be about football, did you?? :)

'I used to have a mom...

...before eBay slashed their listing fee's by half!' - future quote from children around the world who's mother is an eBay addict.

You know who you are. ;-P

I'm 80% with Yvon...

So, upon my daily blog perusing I came across a familiar name from the climbing scene in a techy blog. Oh, happy blog day...my two favorite worlds collided! :-D

Yvon Chouinard founded the large and awesome company, Patagonia, and was (and probably still is) an awesome climber. Which makes me proud to say, I think I share in one of his traits...

I’ve always thought of myself as an 80 percenter. I like to throw myself passionately into a sport or activity until I reach 80 percent proficiency level. To go beyond that requires an obsession and degree of specialization that doesn’t appeal to me. - Yvon Chouinard

AMEN. I can't wait to read 80% of his book.

Scenes from Massanutten

Ty's first ski lesson with his instructor, Tyler :) Short, nothing too exciting...



...and his spunky rendition of "Don't You Want Me"

A resolution I, apparently, should have made...

My poor, poor abandoned blog!! I promise to give it the TLC it deserves from this point forward. I guess with the influx of parties, holidays, general kid cuteness, and things I should have been blogging about...I got overwhelmed.

So, I'll just do a quick sum up and add pics/videos later...

With that said, hope everyone had a grand holiday! :) Ours was hectic, but good. Ty will be busy for the rest of his Bionicle crazed days building all the ones he got. Yes, this year mommy isn't spending 2 weeks glued to Lego instructions.

NYE was a good time in the always happening Waynesboro, PA. ;) And for those of you who want a nice little chuckle, I forgot my gig pants. I know I am the most forgetful person any of you probably know...but c'mon! I've reached a new low. Thank god for BigK.

Okay, so that's my holiday sum up... Stay tuned for my ski trip wrap up, video included. :D

Gingerbread time...

Ty's was hard at work this morning making his gingerbread house. Very impressed with his candy trayscaping skills. :)

Cook, cooking, and the Revolution...

...and in that order.

So, Friday night was the Dane Cook gig. It was funny, as expected. That Dane Cook, he is one silly...boy. Headed up to MD to say hello and wish my dad and Denise an early happy birthday (btw, everyone say happy birthday to my dad....Happy Birthday, Dad!!).

Saturday night was the much anticipated Iron Chef America BBQ Smackdown Royale!! I was one of the 3 panel judges. The results were unanimous...Scotty Boy Manson stole the show with his pork chops and veggie boat. (Victory speech??) Wang came in strong at second place with his chicken, potatoes, and judge fav - Lay's Kettle Cooked BBQ chips. Chairman Frost finished last with his smorgasbord of food smothered in green stuff. Pics coming soon!!

The band got a last minute booking for Sunday evening. I don't watch soccer, but apparently the 'super bowl' of soccer happened that day and we were playing the post party for the New England Revolution, one of the teams playing. Unfortunately, they lost so believe it or not, they weren't in a dancing kinda mood. Well, at least I can check "Singing for a professional soccer team" off my life's to-do list...

Scotty Boy Manson - Tragically Misunderstood, Beautifully Wounded

I think... caption contest! So far we've got:

"A Passage to Bangkok - How a Belly Dancer Broke my Four Hearts"

"Hi, this is my boyfriend, Scott"

"I'm getting sleepy, very sleepy."

"I am a cyclop mutant, son of Uranus and Gaia from the dark pit of Tartarus."

Enjoy.

Scenes from da farm...

Took the Grant Man and Ty's to Cox Farms over the weekend. They had a blast! By far, Grant has been the best of the Stables when taken out for a fun day with Aunt Mandy. :) It was the perfect day to go, and I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't too crowded. I believe the trick is to go while the Redskins are playing.