Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

We wish all of you a blessed Christmas and New Year!

Hat Trick Win

Photo by Kate McGovern
www.offwingopinion.com
Okay, we saw the Dallas Stars almost beat the Washington Capitals in DC this evening. It was almost fun. It was almost a great game.

FINE...

It was a competitive game. The Stars came back from a 4-1 deficit to almost tie the game at the end. The final score was 4-3 Caps.

Is it really asking TOO MUCH for Washington to lose ONE game? Last year, we had an 11-game season ticket package. Out of 11 games, I think they won three or four. This year, we have no season tickets, but have bought three individual games. They've won all three ("hat trick win"). So, again, would it really be too much to ask? I guess so.

Of celebrity note: Pat Sajack and what seemed like his two sons, or a son and his friend were sitting two rows and a few seats down from us. During the second intermission, Verizon Center posts text messages on the jumbo-tran. We sent in: "Pat S., if you are at the game, who's tending the wheel?" We did see him smile at the post.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. First, we spent most of Thanksgiving day with our good friends in Maryland. We flew to Minneapolis in the evening to spend a long weekend with my sister and her husband in their new house; my parents and my brother and his wife. We had Thanksgiving dinner all over on Friday with all of them and my sister's in-laws.

On Saturday, we went to Wisconsin to see my new step-niece, Gracie Marin born in October and step-nephew, Ryan Vincent born in August. I also got to see my Uncle. It was a special visit all the way around!

On Sunday, we went to the church that I grew up in. It was fun to see old friends. We also went to my brother-in-law's restaurant. It was delicious. He made special appetizers, a crab cake with two skewered shrimp with a mango salsa and steamed mussels. My main entree was one of the specials for the evening, penne pasta with shrimp and artichokes in a light cream garlic sauce. He also made special desserts, chocolate mousse, turtle brownie, chocolate crème brûlée and a cranberry/pear cobbler with ice cream.

Despite the Packer loss on Monday, it was fun to watch the game with my sister.

It was a memorable Thanksgiving!

She took the spoon....She took the spoon!

This was my refrain, horrified that I utilized the wrong utensil at our recent Anniversary dinner at Le Paradou. We celebrated at a very lovely, French restaurant that neither of us had been to before. We splurged on the 6-course tasting menu.

My major faux pas came with the 4th course, which was lumps of lobster in a wonderful sauce. The server had placed both a new fork and a spoon for this course. I confidently chose the spoon while Brian opted for the fork. As they cleared our setting and replaced the silver for the next course, much to my horror, the spoon was replaced!

Well, having survived that french table setting, we did have a lovely dinner. Here were all of the courses (#3 and 6 are the restaurant description).

The starter was a single rock shrimp in a tasty sauce

1. Diced Scallops in another delicious sauce, Served in an egg shell - it was gorgeous
2. Two Oysters in a cream sauce
3. Carpaccio of Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraîche and ‘Osetra’ Caviar
4. Lumps of Lobster served with enough sauce to warrant a spoon!
5. Squab served with an asparagus sauce and truffle
6. Stuffed Quail with Pistachios, Celeriac and ‘Cèpes’ Mushrooms with Chervil

Dessert was a chocolate ‘Crème Brûlée’ with a Coconut Ice Cream (and one additional flavor, I'm forgetting)
A small plate of nine different sweets and a cappuccino topped the evening

They knew we were celebrating our Anniversary, so during the dessert course, they brought out a white rectangle shaped plate that had spelled ochocolateoalate, Happy Anniversary, with a small, lit candle.

It was a real treat.

Technically

Photo by Jim Biever
(Packers.com)
Okay, so technically speaking, I didn't see any of the Packers' scores yesterday. I did see the last few minutes of the game and highlights of most of the TDs, but not the live game. The Packers are 3-4, which seems nearly respectable from where they started. As I mentioned in an earlier post, my husband has reminded me that when I don't watch, they win.

Also, the Cheeseheads FFootball is going to pull off their first win of the season! Long time in coming. It seems like I found the right combination to win this week. In FFootball, it has everything to do with individuals and very little to do with teams. Here's the line-up for this week:
P. Manning (IND) QB
D. Rhodes (IND) RB
T. Henry (TEN) RB
T. Houshmandzadeh (CIN) WR
M. Colston (NO) WR
M. Harrison (IND) WR
H. Miller (PIT) TE
A. Vinatieri (IND) K
Minnesota Vikings DEF

To round it out, the Dallas Stars won on Saturday and Brian's favorite Gibbs' driver, Tony Stewart had a strong win in Atlanta on Sunday. It was a good sports weekend; maybe they were helping me celebrate my birthday!

...but later is now!

One of my first birthday presents from Brian was to have two photographs of the Eiffel Tower beautifully framed. They are black and white photos, one taken during the day, one at night. Now, as spectacular as they are, Brian was even more surprised that I guessed what it was with this clue: "you have it, but you cannot use it." I guessed correctly. Alas, that was the last year that I actually received any real clues.

So, at dinner the night before my birthday I asked for a clue and he said we weren't going to be able to do what he'd planned because of the rain. A couple of additional targeted questions almost had me guessing correctly, so much so that there was almost a little white lie, because I was getting a little too close.

At about 12:01 a.m. on my birthday, I told him it was my birthday and I should be able to know what the present was. He said that I should wait until later because I had a lot of time left on my birthday. My prompt response was, "but later is now!" I did opt to wait. Although, I found out a little earlier than had been planned due to a BlackBerry phone mishap!

Anyway, as you can tell, my birthday present is a hot air balloon ride some time when it's not raining!

Congratulations!

Congratulations on the safe arrival of my step-niece, Grace (Gracie) Marin!

Guilty

It's true. I transported bagels across state lines. Maybe it was the undeniable wafting of the onion or garlic. Perhaps it was the scent of cinnamon raisin, 9-grain honey or whole wheat. However, I was once again a successful bagel courier, much to the delight of two little girls who were anxiously awaiting Ess-a-Bagel!

Santa Barbara

Instead of complaining about sports this weekend, I will tell you about our fabulous weekend in Santa Barbara, CA.

We stayed at the lovely Four Seasons The Biltmore, quite a treat. I had attended a meeting at the hotel during the end of the week. On Friday afternoon, we visited Mission Santa Barbara and we both had massages at the spa. We had dinner at a little restaurant called, Cava. We recommend trying the zarzuela - a mediterranean seafood stew with shrimp, clams, scallops, mussels & white fish.

On Saturday, we began with a very tasty breakfast at Jeannine's Bakery - Montecito. We spent most of the day exploring the Santa Ynez Mountains. The scenery was beautiful and the climate was surprisingly arid. I didn't expect desert-like vegetation so close to the ocean. Lunch was New Mexican fare at Zia Cafe. We sat outside and had fun people-watching. We also drove and walked up and down State Street several times and walked the wharf. Dinner was at Kai Sushi Shabu-Shabu. We had sushi and beef sukiyaki. Although, the shabu-shabu looked very delicious.

Bye

Yes, my FFootball team has yet to see a win. Week #6 is an interesting one for the Cheeseheads. In the league that I play in, each team has 17 players. On any given week, we play nine and bench eight. My record includes two blow-out loses, a tie and losses by one and two points. In at least a couple of games, the players on my bench actually scored more than the players I started. So, my point, with a good share of my players playing for either Indianapolis or Green Bay, I have seven players that have a bye this week. For several weeks, FFootball commissioner, Craig, has been giving me a hard time about having seven players on a bye at the same time. At this point, what do I have to lose by starting some players that have seen the pine more than the ball. We'll see if this forced strategy works this week.

The Cheeseheads FFootball line-up for this week:
R. Grossman (CHI) QB
C. Portis (WAS) RB
R. Bush (NO) RB
T. Houshmandzadeh (CIN) WR
M. Colston (NO) WR
L. Coles (NYJ) WR
H. Miller (PIT) TE
J. Carney (NO) K
Seattle Seahawks DEF

Deen-oh

One of the great pleasures in life is to be able to see regularly some of our friends that have kids. This week, I had the pleasure of having dinner with Juliette and Evie. Sometimes, when I get a call, it's Juliette and she asks, "are you coming over for 'deen-oh'?" Usual activities include playing, reading books and of course mandatory bedtime hugs & kisses. On this particular evening, Juliette wanted to read to me, "The Ugly 'W'egetables" a very endearing book by Grace Lin about a neighborhood that comes together to share flowers and ugly vegetables soup, and the young gardener learns that regardless of appearances, everything has its own beauty and purpose.

Caps Game

This is how close we were at the game! Here's a picture of team introductions at the home opener. Only Brian can capture the essence of some of these moments. Check out a few more of his pictures from the game.

Week #5

Green Bay seems to play two different games. Most of this year's stats will show a pretty close game in the first half. The second half is where the Packers seem to let the game get away. Defense seems to break down. Favre has been off a little today. A few passes going askew. One bright note is running back Noah Herron.

This is the Cheeseheads FFootball line-up for week #5.
P. Manning (IND) QB
C. Portis (WAS) RB
D. Rhodes (IND) RB
M. Harrison (IND) WR
M. Colston (NO) WR
L. Coles (NYJ) WR
H. Miller (PIT) TE
A. Vinatieri (IND) K
KC Chiefs DEF

A couple of FFootball observations so far. First of all, for the second week in a row, Vinatieri was de-activated less than an hour before the game. Also, who knew that underdog Tennessee would be beating Indianapolis?

Alexanders the Great

We went to the first Caps home game on Saturday night. Very fun! It helps, too, that they won the game, beating the defending Stanley Cup champs, Carolina Hurricanes by a score of 5-2. It was the game of the Alexanders. Alexander Semin had a hat trick and Alexander Ovechkin had two goals. Honorable mention goes to Brian Pothier and Chris Clark who both had three assists. Instead of a season ticket package, I've decided to buy fewer games, but better seats. Last night, we had great third row seats. Look for a post with some of B's outstanding photos.

Stars vs. Avs

As I described earlier, the sports trifecta is truly complete with the start of the NHL regular season. Opening night features my team, the Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche. It's a repeat game from the play-off series that ended the '05-'06 season for the Stars. Yes, I admit it's hard to cheer for a team that's from shhhhh, "Dallas." So, why am I a Stars fan? As a young girl, I grew up watching (and listening via radio) to the Minnesota North Stars. My 11th and 12th birthdays were spent at the Met Center watching a North Stars game, and being able to name all of the team's players. Maybe it's the green and gold that does it for me!

Delay by Shoe

There are no shortages of black tie events in DC. From time to time, staff is needed to fill seats at a charity dinner. Tonight was one of those nights and I drew the short straw. So, after determining that either of the two "little black dresses" that every girl must have in the back of their closet would work, I set out yesterday to find shoes. Going to my favorite shoe warehouse, Off Broadway Shoes, I actually found three pairs including the shoes for tonight's event. After getting my loot home, I pulled out the shoe box only to find that I had grabbed a wrong box and had a duplicate pair of shoes. Of course, the one that I was missing was the pair that I needed tonight. The store did not open until 10 a.m. this morning. Thankfully, it's on the way to the office. The office got a good chuckle out of my delayed arrival due to black tie shoe mishap.

Loser

My Fantasy Football team is 0-3-1. I'm a loser! As the fantasy football "league commissioner" said, close only counts in horseshoes and grenades. So my 1 point loss in this week's game was disappointing. That makes two losses of 2 points and 1 point. Very brutal.

Nearly as brutal as last night's Green Bay game. First half not too bad; second half...ummm, there's not a word to describe how bad the second half was. Dropped and tipped balls are killing the offense, and there's no way to expect them to keep up with the failure of the defense. How we still have Ahmad Carroll and Al Harris, I will never understand. Did the defense stop a punt or kick-off under 40 yards? If there were any bright spots, a 54-yard field goal by Rayner and rookie Greg Jennings has great potential.

UPDATE: Okay, as I was checking a stat, I noticed that Ahmad Carroll was put on waivers today. I guess I wasn't the only one thinking the same thing!

Sports Trifecta

The confluence of sports comes together in September: NFL regular season, NASCAR final chase to the Nextel Cup and NHL pre-season. There are never enough screens to monitor them all!

In case you're at all interested, this is my starting line-up for Cheeseheads this week.

P. Manning (IND) QB
R. Bush (NO) RB
D. Rhodes (IND) RB
M. Harrison (IND) WR
D. Driver (GB) WR
L. Coles (NYJ) WR
H. Miller (PIT) TE
R. Gould (CHI) K
Seattle Seahawks DEF

UPDATE (Packers vs. Lions): Win #1! Favre scores #400, #401 and #402. This week's observation concludes that it is not realistic to expect Packer offense to score and then negate it by weak Packer Defense. Defense must come up with bigger stops and get better on not allowing so much yardage on first and 10. The offensive line looked better; Favre was not sacked this week. Running backs must hang on to the ball, thankfully their late half fumbles did not result in points, but that was lucky.

UPDATE (FFootball Cheeseheads): As I mentioned last week, the final FFootball score/ratings aren't final until Tuesday. However, it's not a good sign when your eight benched players have scored more fantasy points than your nine starters.

Observation

I wasn't able to watch the game on Sunday; however, DIRECTV® has NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ SuperFan, which offers commercial-free game replays, showing every play, in 30 minutes or less. It's a neat feature. Anyway, it allowed me to watch the plays of the game. Among many things, I noticed there was a substantial number of dropped balls. Way too many. Rookies, yes, but if this team has any chance of turning itself around, they need to step up their game.

On another note, I received my annual notice of my Green Bay Packers season ticket waiting list. I moved up to #56,267 from #57,027. I guess that means I have approximately 74.035526315789473684210526315789 years before I'm eligible for my season tickets.

Consolation

There is usually very little consolation for a Packer loss. However, this week, it is the fact that my inaugural season Fantasy Football team, Cheeseheads (very original as I've been teased), is winning (so far). I am undefeated so far. Okay, so there's only been one game this season and I tied against the other team I played last week. But, I'm hoping for a win this week. So far, I'm currently leading, but the official score/ratings aren't final until Tuesday.

This football season, I was invited/cajoled/encouraged to join a friend's Fantasy Football league. After many years of ignoring this fad, I succumbed and am managing the Cheeseheads. There may be some drop/adds coming up. For any given week, I have 9 starters and 8 backups. Here's my current line up, as of the second week.

P. Manning (IND) QB
D. Bledsoe (DAL) QB
B. Favre (GB) QB

R. Bush (NO) RB
C. Portis (WAS) RB
T. Henry (TEN) RB
D. Rhodes (IND) RB

M. Harrison (IND) WR
D. Driver (GB) WR
TJ Houshmandzadeh (CIN) WR
G. Jennings (GB) WR
L. Coles (NYJ) WR

H. Miller (PIT) TE
V. Davis (SF) TE

A. Vinatieri (IND) K

Buccaneers DEF
Seahawks DEF

UPDATE: I'm a loser! My FFootball team lost 126-128 in week #2.

A‧BYS‧MAL

a‧bys‧mal [uh-biz-muhl] - dictionary.com defines it as "extremely or hopelessly bad or severe" although after this week's Packer game, you may see a new definition. I saw the first 10-0 before having to fly to Ft. Lauderdale on business. It was enough. Thereafter, it was just painful to hit the refresh on the BlackBerry to get the last play.

In Remembrance

As I have mentioned previously, the company I work for is headquartered directly across the street from where the World Trade Center towers stood. Although, I did not work for my current employer five years ago, I take this moment to remember the eleven employees that lost their lives that day.

As you reflect on the day, I hope you'll also join me in remembering those eleven people too.

Ocean View

Along with the NASCAR experience, I was treated to a Labor Day weekend ocean view getaway. We spent the weekend in North Myrtle Beach. The weather has been picture perfect. We had a gorgeous room, ocean view and a huge balcony. My favorite is the sound of the ocean; it's such a soothing sound.

Day Jobs

So, instead of Kahne, Johnson and Stewart, it was Sterling Marlin and Dale Jr. We strapped into the #40 and #8. Needless to say, we broke no time records and probably scared our instructors out of the car. As you can see, we were modeling the latest in fire-proof jumpsuits. Of course, helmets are important and should be worn at all times, especially when driving with us!

Seriously, it was a fun, exhilirating experience. Driving a few "hot" laps with the instructor when you're really going 150+ mph was quite a rush. It's not as easy as it looks. There's a lot more than just "turning left." You have to watch your line, hit your marks, know when to accelerate, decelerate, actually steer towards the wall, watch the flag-person, keep an eye on your gauges, passing, being passed, accomplish all of that going more than 150 mph and not hit anyone on pit road.

Anyway, we had a great time, but we've been asked to keep our day jobs!

Buck Baker Racing School

Move over Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart, NASCAR racing will never be the same as I take to the track on Saturday morning. We brave the winds and rain of Ernesto to travel to Darlington Raceway for a NASCAR ride/drive of a lifetime. My birthday present last fall was the 1/2 day ride and drive experience at the Buck Baker Racing School.

Founded solely by two-time NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion Buck Baker in 1980, we are the oldest and best-known NASCAR-type racing school in America. Our programs are designed to instill the thrill of racing in everyone - from beginners to more advanced racers. We don't use pace cars. We allow passing. And we use racing radios to provide on-track instruction for our advanced students. Plus, we're the first NASCAR-type racing school to use CD-ROM camera/data acquisition technology in every racecar. We operate at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Darlington Raceway, North Carolina Speedway, and the Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Check back for an update later this weekend! I'm afraid there will be pictures involved.

SLOPPY!

During pre-season when your team loses, it's "just pre-season" and when they win it "says something about the upcoming season." In actuality, both are correct. Regardless of a win or loss, it is pre-season. Regardless of a win or loss, it does foreshadow the regular season. Winning teams win...even in pre-season.

What did I see during the Packers pre-season game against Cincinnati so far? In one word: SLOPPY. Offensive line, again, somewhat offensive. Defense, mostly offensive too. Tipped balls, interception and fumble are not going to make this a winning team. As my husband asked earlier this evening, yes, there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

My family has started to give me a hard time. When I watch, the Pack loses. Last week, when the Packers beat Atlanta, I was unable to watch. So, they began to ask me if I would sacrifice watching the games for a Packers' win. I think that's highly unfair!

UPDATE: Suspended.
Game suspended due to threatening weather with 9 minutes left in the 4th. Or perhaps, out of compassion. Thanks for putting us out of our misery!

Five States

This has been a busy week: five states; eight nights; six different beds and/or couch; a 2.5 hour delay for crew and mechanical issues (same plane, two different mechanical issues, two airports); and 1.25 hour traffic jam on the ride home.

Let the Games Begin

Pre-season begins tonight for the Green Bay Packers. The season embarks with a lot of expectation and mostly uncertainty. Mike McCarthy takes his team to San Diego. Since it isn't televised live in my area, I will have to rely on a delayed-tape replay. Check back for some game thoughts.

UPDATE: Uninspiring.
That sums up tonight's game. Offensive line allowed Favre to be sacked or hit multiple times. Speaking of offense, quite offensive. They really need to step up their game. Defense was also less than impressive. There's a lot of work to be done before opening day. Although, if tonight is any indication, we could be in for one LONG unhappy season.

Kudos to United

Well, I flew back from Phoenix on August 10. The date perhaps has a familiar ring to it as it was the day of the thwarted airline plot in the United Kingdom. Not especially fun to wake to that news. Having planned ample time for a normal flight, I knew that it was going to be dicey making it under the new circumstances. The airport was chaotic, no doubt. Security lines were excruciating, and I again quietly thanked my United Executive Premier flying status, which expedited me to a premier line. Purged toiletries and a connection through Denver, I was less than an hour delayed. Considerably impressive for a more than unnormal day at the airport. Hats off to United.

Hot as an Oven (Part 2)

Okay, there is somewhere hotter. Phoenix. Landed in Phoenix at 7 p.m. and the outside temperature was 106 degrees. The rental company gave me a Sebring convertible, which won't get a lot of use when it's 106 degrees.

Seven Days

That's right. Seven days until pre-season starts for the Green Bay Packers. They will be in San Diego to face the Chargers on August 12.


REG-GIE, REG-GIE
Today, Regie White was inducted in to the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Sara White, Reggie's wife, made the acceptance speech saying, "It's not how we die, it's how we live, I encourage you to live like Reggie lived. His legacy will live on through you.''

Hot as an Oven

Hotter than an oven applies if it's 11 p.m. and the heat index is 94 degrees. I was in North Carolina today and the weather wasn't much cooler there either. The forecast for tomorrow is another triple digit day with humidity over 70 percent.

Ess-a Home Delivery

I finally made good on my bagel courier career (see February post). Four salt, four nine grain w/honey, four oat bran, four cinnamon raisin and three everything later, the bagels have been delivered. The next time you're in New York, check out one of the two Ess-a-Bagel locations.

"No"

While entertaining children with the average age of 3.2916666666666666666666666666667, one learns a number of ways to say a polite "no." Here are a few that might work for you.

• How about later? ("later" is defined as 20 seconds for someone with the average age of 3.29)
• I spy with my little eye... (a mere distraction method; quite effective for anyone with the average age of 3.29, for at least 20 seconds anyway)
• I don't think so. (this means, I beg you to ask me again in 20 seconds)
• Not now. (see "later" defined in the first bullet point)
• It's all gone. (by "gone," again, it means you should ask me again in 20 seconds)

My husband displays a more patient side by actually turning a "no" into a teachable moment. He is a better person than I.

Baked Wrapped Tilapia

My friend found THE yummiest (and easiest) baked wrapped tilapia recipe! It's just as good wrapped in tinfoil only without the banana leaves. Thanks Epicurious.com!

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Well, it wasn't quite in that order...actually it was more like planes, automobiles, automobiles, trains and automobiles. That was my trip to New York. Needless to say, it was a long day.

Jury Duty

I'm all for doing my civic duty. However, being summoned for jury duty this week seemed like quite an inconvenience. So, here are the top five ways to get out of jury duty.

5. You look just like Judge Wapner
4. Define "reasonable" and "doubt"
3. What evidence? They're all guilty
2. Who cares if it's just a parking ticket...capital punishment for all
1. I object!

Happy Independence Day!

As you can see, we spent the evening with special friends.

We hope you had a special day too!

I'm going to be an Aunt!

How exciting! Let the spoiling begin.

Breasted, Big Indian

By the title, one would think that perhaps a new exotic bird species had been discovered somewhere in the remote regions of Mumbai.

Nope.

This utterance actually occurred in modern day, office building setting.

As I waited in our office lobby, the building security guard and I made idle chit-chat. By definition, 'idle chit-chat' should involve topics such as the weather, traffic, a "how ya doin'?," and a hundred other safe and innocuous subjects.

Well, on this particular day, chit-chat wandered to my nationality. Obviously, this in itself is a safe and innocuous topic.

[AN ASIDE] As most of readers of this blog know, I am Korean born.

Now, when most people ask, and I 'chit' that I'm Korean, a typical 'chat' goes something like this, "you look Korean." On a rare occasion, "you look Chinese" or "perhaps a mix." All of this is still safe, innocuous, and idle and provides for a lovely conversation.

So, I was ill-prepared for the response on this particular day.

"Big."

That is, the security guard, a professed-Korean responded, "you're too big to be Korean."

Hmmmm, how does one respond? Politely, I stood there somewhat unresponsive, not really sure what the correct response from a God-fearing woman should be.

Because of my sudden silence, the security guard believed further explanation might assist. Upon which he said, "see, your wrists...too big; shoulders...too big; you're too tall..."

"...big, Big, BIG, BIG, BIG..."

Okay, I got the "BIG". Please stop saying BIG!

Apparently, further explanation still needed, he paused for a moment and said, "You look Indian."

Hmmmm. Big. Indian. Interesting.

As I mentioned, I've been called a few variations of Asian before, but never Indian. So at this point, my self-image is that of a "Big Indian Woman," apparently with Korean eye features.

Well, now that I have a complex about being too big for my nationality, more explanation still needed, he proceeded to also explain that "Koreans are flat." As he said "flat," he made animated hand motions to indicate flat in his upper chest.

Thus, we now have the title to this blog post.

So, as you might imagine, I:
1). still prefer safe, innocuous, and idle chit-chat, and
2). now prefer avoiding our building's lobby from the 3pm-11pm shift, Wednesday through Sunday.

In Search of Ark

After more than 10 inches of rain in three days (and six of those inches in one day), we are beginning to see animals lined up in twos. There were several DC locations that were closed including roads, buildings, a few metro stations, regional trains and flooded tunnels. Thankfully, I returned from a business trip to find a dry house. I think my mode of transportation to work in the morning is canoe.

Starbucks Tale

I was in Starbucks the other morning for a cup of tea with steamed milk when I ran into Christina. Christina was the former store manager at the Starbucks and now is the district/area manager for several Starbucks stores. It was the first time I'd seen her since she left the store, so we briefly said hello and I asked how things were with her. Thinking it was a boon that I'd run into her, I sent an email to a friend, who often frequents the same Starbucks. Little did I know that not only had she seen Christina, but numerous times and knew all about her comings and goings. Alas, my news was no news to the Starbucks-loyalist.

Happy Father's Day!

A very Happy Father's Day to our Dads!

Congratulations!

We celebrate with Kurt & Kendra on the safe arrival of Kira Lee on June 12!

Public office qualification requirements include ...

Not hiring illegal aliens. Moreover, I have been told that my mantra should be "Don't go to Jail".

However, due to recent trends, I have received conflicting advice. Or, as the politicians say, "a refinement of their position".

You may wonder what type of trends would cause a flip/flop...um...er....I meant to say, would cause a 'refinement' of an upstanding citizen's advice.

Perhaps it's the recent immigration bill, perhaps there were recent grass root protests, perhaps some other national political trend. Or, perhaps an issue closer to home, such as the fading facade of our moral character.

If you perceived the last item is most likely; you are correct.

As a matter of fact, it is not just close to home. The issue is the home. Specifically, the fading facade of the metal siding's character.

Yes. Like you, I am shocked, too.... "Shocked ! Shocked!", I say.

How could painting our aluminum siding corrupt such moral fortitude? Is the fading aluminum a morality play on our fading facade of our character?

Moreover...

Hang on.


"Paint-o el Side-o .... el SIDE-O ... THE el SIDE-O !!"*


Sorry, I had to give our day laborer some direction.

Now, where was I? Ah yes, now I remember.

.... Moreover, how could someone express one set of values, yet live a different set of values !?

How could someone be that hypocritical ?!

I will never know.





*Although, I am ugly and an American. I am not the ugly American parodied in the above post.
No day laborers were harmed in the making of this blog.




.

Ginger did everything that Fred did, but backwards and in heels

Well, it's been a while since my last blog. Last weekend we visited my parents for the weekend. My sister was visiting and my brother and sister-in-law also came down for a few hours. Fun was definitely had by all.

There were two new restaurants that are a must-return-to: Jimmy & Michele’s Pizzeria in Port Washington, admittedly, some of the best pizza ever, and The Perc Place in Hartford. One of The Perc Place's claim to fame is the hundreds of different sayings that decorate the women's and men's (so I've been told) bathroom walls. For instance, in the women's here's a sample:

• "Well-behaved women rarely make history"
• "First God made Adam and then looked at him and said, 'I think I can do better,' so He created a woman."
• "Ginger did everything that Fred did, but backwards and in heels."

One can only imagine what must be on the walls in the men's room!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to our Moms!

He's baaaaack!

Photo by Jim Biever
(Official Packers Website)
Mini-camp opened in Green Bay and Brett was back.

by Roger Anderson, Packers.com
posted 05/06/2006

The decision Brett Favre made to return to Green Bay this season wasn't easy, but it was rather simple.

"Ultimately I still wanted to play, I still felt like I could help this team win," Favre said. "I wondered what it would be like at home on Sundays next year and saying I could be doing that, I could be helping that team.

FINAL (I promise) Stars-Avs Series Reflection

Well, a whole day has gone by, perhaps the dust has settled and so I thought I'd be a little more rational about the Stars-Avs series. Here are the final thoughts: Stars fans, be grateful, we were finally put out of our misery by Brunette's OT goal yesterday. We went into the playoffs with high hopes for our team, only to witness some of worst hockey, goaltending, short-handed goals, blown leads, OT and, at times, puck handling, we could have imagined from our 2-seed team. I think it would have been more painful to drag the series on and win a game or two more only to go down at the end anyway. I wasn't a fan of goaltender Marty Turco going in, and this certainly hasn't helped my opinion. Over and out. When does pre-season begin?

Golfing

Maybe I'll take up golfing like the Stars who will watch the remaining Stanley Cup playoffs from their couch.

UPDATE: Perhaps that sounds a little harsh. Ask me tomorrow; maybe the loss won't be as fresh.

OT

Guerin of the Stars tied the game in the third to force OT!

UPDATE: Stars lose 3-2 in OT.

Finally, Not Finale

The Stars pulled out a win last night against Colorado, but they face almost unsurmountable odds as they're down 3-1 in a seven game series. Although, it was nice to see the Stars play with some vigor and a will to win; I fear it may have come too late, however.

New York

Today, I was at headquarters, which is located at 3 World Financial Center directly across the street from where the World Trade Center towers stood. The board dining room, where our event was held, is on the 50th floor and directly overlooks the now vacant block. There was damage to 3WFC and it was closed for repairs from September 2001 to May 2002. I can barely imagine the horror witnessed and experienced by my colleagues on that September morning as they watched the towers destroyed. It's always a poignant moment.
(Above: The view of the 3 WFC building from the observatory of the now destroyed World Trade Center.)

On the site of the former twin towers, the construction of Freedom Tower has begun. See the depiction of what it will look like when it's completed. (a little perspective, 3WFC has the green top pyramid on the left of the picture) To monitor progress of the build, visit Project Rebirth.

Alright Already!

This playoff series is REALLY not going as I'd wished. Stars lost game 3! They are down three games and have to win the next four to advance to the next round.

15th is the Charm for #4!

Photo by Jim Biever
(Official Packers Website)

Favre is returning!

Official Packers Website
Green Bay Press Gazette
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Official Favre Website

Favre News?

Photo by Jeffrey Phelps
(Milwaukee Journal Sentinal)
The speculation has once again begun in earnest as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and ESPN report that Favre will return for his 15th season. Hopefully, there will be good news to report later today!

Dallas Series 0-2

Well, game two didn't exactly go how I wished it would have. After coming back from an 0-3 deficit in the first period to go ahead 4-3 in the second, the Avs tied the game late in the third and won in overtime. Now the Stars are down two games in the best of seven and headed to Denver for game 3 on Wednesday. Hopefully, I'll have report will have better news on Thursday morning.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my bro!

Take for Granted

The Stars performance today was what not to do in the first game of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Although they scored the first two goals; that's all they would score and the Avs would have five unanswered goals. I hope Monday's game will show some improvement.

Go Stars!

Well, as I mentioned in my last post, regular season is over, but not for those that made the playoffs! Go Stars!!!! (You might wonder why I'm a Stars fan. Good question. As a Minnesota native, and therefore a North Stars fan, I still feel an allegiance to the Stars who took up residence in Dallas in 1993. Hence, my continued affection for the Stars!)

Their first round, post-season schedule is as follows:

Sat, April 22 3:00 p.m.at Dallas (NBC)
Mon, April 24 9:00 p.m.at Dallas (OLN, TSN)
Wed, April 26 9:30 p.m.at Colorado (OLN, TSN)
Fri, April 28 10:00 p.m.at Colorado (OLN, TSN)
*Sun, April 30 2:00 p.m.at Dallas (NBC)
*Tue, May 2 TBDat Colorado (OLN, TSN)
*Thu, May 4 TBDat Dallas (OLN, TSN)
*if necessary
-- All times Eastern

Wife for Sale

Okay, so the title sounds a little alarming to some, and maybe overly enticing to others.

Anyway, it's not QUITE that bad, perhaps I'm being overly sensitive. So here's the question: Would you let your husband sell a picture of you? (exhibit a)

The verdict is out. What do you think? If you have an opinion, feel free to comment.

Caps Win 6-4!

Regular hockey season is over. We went to the final home game (second to last game of the season). The Caps beat the Atlanta Thrashers by a score of 6-4. It was an exciting game. The first Thrashers goal came 11 seconds into the game; needless to say, we thought we might be leaving early. However, the Caps persevered and came out winners. Olie Kolzig was the definitely a game star, saving 38 out of 42 shots on goal; Matt Pettinger had two goals; and rookie phenom Alexander Ovechkin scored his 52nd goal of the season. Let me put 52 goals in one season into perspective. Only two seasoned players had more goals this year: Jonathan Cheechoo (San Jose) with 56 goals and Jaromir Jagr (NY Rangers) with 54 goals. Ovechkin is just the second NHL rookie to post 50 goals and 100 points. Lest you think I'm overly fawning, expand "Player Notes" under his profile.

So, out of my eleven game season ticket package, I only saw three winning games. Please don't calculate my ROI.

Happy Easter!

We celebrated Easter with friends. What a blessing it is to have such wonderful friends. We played host to hidden Easter baskets, egg hunting, cupcake decorating and lots of fun in the yard. Brunch consisted of a baked egg dish, hash brown casserole, baked french toast, banana bread, cupcakes for the kids and individual bundt cakes for the adults. A beautiful fruit dish and center piece brought by friends topped the meal.

What a different a few months makes. No peeing incidences (see Thanksgiving)!

We hope you had a wonderful Easter too.

Headlines

Packer fans woke to headlines like, "Packers' Favre Will Declare Plans for '06 Season Today" or "Packers' Favre to announce his plans Saturday morning." However, after the delayed press conference in Tunica, Mississippi, at the Brett Favre Fourward Foundation's Celebrity Golf Tournament, the new headlines read, "Favre says he still hasn't decided on future" and "Favre still unsure if he will return next season."

So for now, Packer fans continue to patiently wait to see if their three-time MVP quarterback, who ranks second behind Dan Marino on the NFL’s career list in touchdown passes (396), yards passing (53,615) and completions (4,678); holds the NFL record for most consecutive starts for a quarterback with 221 (241 including the playoffs); has led the Packers to six division crowns; and helped the Packers win the 1997 Super Bowl in New Orleans, a 35-21 victory over New England, returning the Lombardi Trophy to Green Bay for the first time in 29 years, will play a 16th season.
MSNBC Slideshow "Fabulous Favre"

Make a Difference Month

Every year, the company I work for sponsors "Make a Difference Month." This is a time for us to give back to the community a little. This year's project was at the World Vision's Storehouse in Washington, DC. Our morning project was to help sort school supplies on to pallets.

Here's a little information about The Storehouse in Washington, D.C. It serves every public school in the city as well as private schools. Last year it provided school supplies to teachers, counselors, and therapists who put them into the hands of over 79,000 students.

Thanks to corporate donors, The Storehouse is able to keep its shelves stocked with valuable teaching tools and supplies that help even the playing field for students who struggle against poverty. Donors provide top-quality overstock and surplus products, which are distributed to schools in which at least 70 percent of students qualify for a subsidized meal program.

Local volunteers provide the necessary labor to keep the shelves stocked and inventory organized and easy to find for educators. Students from Marva Boatman’s Mamie D. Lee special education school also visit the center regularly through a community-based work program. Her students––ages 12 to 15––learn basic job skills by helping to keep the shelves well stocked and orderly.

My Favorite Time of Year!

This is always one of my very favorite times of the year in Washington.

Cherry Blossom Peak

Beautiful day to walk around the tidal basin in Washington, DC.

Happy Birthday!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day and Mom D's birthday; we're posting in green! Hope you have a very special day, Mom.

Shootout at the OK Corral, mmm...Verizon Center

The newly re-named Verizon Center was host to a very exciting hockey game between the Washington Capitals and the New Jersey Devils. With less than a minute to play, the Caps scored a goal to tie the game 3-3. With the new NHL rules this year, the game went into a 5-minute overtime. With no resulting score, the game then went to a shootout. Each team was given three shots. With each team scoring a goal and the score still tied after each team got three shots, then it went into "sudden death." With the first found of sudden death, each team scored; however, on the second shot of sudden death, the Devils scored and won the game 4-3. The NHL rules conclude that "regardless of the number of goals scored during the shootout portion of overtime, the final score recorded for the game will give the winning team one more goal." It was an exciting game, unfortunately, it would only have been better if the Caps had won!

Failed Bagel Courier Career

As you may know, one of the thing New York is known for is its bagels. One of the favorites is Ess-a-Bagel, Inc. with its two locations in NYC. Shortly after getting my new job, good friends of ours put in their bagel order. However, in the three trips that I have subsequently made to NY, I have not had time to deliver on the bagel request. Hence, I may be fired from my short-lived bagel courier career.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy Birthday Dad S!

Very Un-Washington Like

My United flight from Washington Dulles to Miami was Sunday morning with 13 inches of snow having just fallen, I was more than just a skeptic that my flight would be leaving. Although, after a call to United and constantly refreshing the flight status, my flight said "on time." Brian took me to the airport and my flight boarded on time. Although we waited a little more than an hour for de-icing, we did take off to my amazement and many of my fellow conference attenders. My friends who flew American all had flight cancellations; my United flight was nearly on time. Could the difference be a Chicago-based airline versus a Dallas-based airline? One can only speculate! (PS Lest you think I escaped to a warmer climate...Miami had freeze warnings and barely hit highs in the 60's.)

Milk, Bread and Toilet Paper Beware!

Once again, the Washington area is "predicting" snow. Although, it has been mainly flurries, which are melting on contact, meteorologists are still saying 8-14 inches. Check back for an update.

UPDATE: Well, I'll hand it to the meteorologists and eat humble pie. We got 13 inches!

Double-Fisted...BlackBerry that is!

Technology has not been my friend today. My laptop finally arrived, but I could not download my contacts or my calendar. My BlackBerry also began working, but I synched it once with the desktop and then it wouldn't connect again. So, momentarily, I'm carrying TWO BlackBerrys or as most people that are close to me affectionately call it the CrackBerry. One has my contact list and the other can email. Also, I have no intranet or internet access. AND, to top it all off, I'm using Lotus Notes for the first time ever so I have no idea what I'm really doing. I'm hoping tomorrow will be a better technology day.

Cardboard...Purple...Elvis

The 6:50 a.m. Delta Shuttle to New York City, new employee orientation, several introductory meetings and the Delta Shuttle home was enough to make my first day, a full one. A poignant moment was viewing the gaping construction site that was once the World Trade Towers directly east of the building. An ever present reminder of 9/11.

The new co-workers I met in New York and my fellow colleagues in Washington are all so very kind, friendly and helpful. This new era seems like it will be a good one.

So, you're asking, what does "Cardboard...Purple...Elvis" have to do with my first day? In the new employee orientation, I learned that one of the first credit cards was actually made out of cardboard, it was purple and was issued to Elvis Presley!

The Beginning of a New Era

Well, that title sounds pretty daunting. For those that know me well, or maybe even not so well, change does not immediately come easy for me. So as I embark on this new job, it does seem like an era in some ways.

My new title will be director of federal government affairs and my responsibilities will be to manage the political involvement programs. If you are like most members of my family, the best you can do at explaining my job is that "I work in Washington, DC." If you really want to know what I do, read on! What are some of the components of a company's political involvement programs?

• Political Action Committee (PAC) – A PAC enables employees or members of groups - such as corporations and professional organizations - to pool their political contributions and support candidates who will help the organization achieve its legislative objectives. My responsibilities include raising money from management employees for the PAC and also the process of overseeing the disbursements that we give to candidates. Something that will be new to me is "PAC Match," which is a benefit offered by thePAC where all of a person’s PAC contribution is "matched" by a contribution to charity. (For example, if an employee contributes $100 to the PAC, the company will make a $100 to a charity of the employe's choice.)
• Grassroots – Organized company-wide program to inform about legislative issues important to the company, recruit and deploy the political power of constituents. In the case of a company, the constituent group could include any of the following: employees, retirees, shareholders, vendors and customers.
• "Get out the vote" (GOTV) – Organized efforts to assist employees in the electoral/voting process.

Political education is the foundation. As you can see, all of the above programs require the company to provide constant political education to their employees, retirees, shareholders, vendors and customers on why a company is involved in the political process. Without informing our audiences on the legislative and regulatory issues that we face, we can't expect them to want to support us on our grassroots efforts when we need their help or contribute to the PAC to help elect candidates that understand our legislative and regulatory issues.

So, maybe this has clarified some of the questions you've alway had about my job. Or perhaps, it's more confusing than ever! Regardless, for me, a new era embarks.

"You Can Still Change Your Mind..."

"You Can Still Change Your Mind..." has been the recurring theme for the past two days in the Exelon office. That's because these were my last two days in the Exelon office. They were days filled with mixed emotion, fond farewells and anticipatory excitement.

Thursday was highlighted by a lunch with the entire Exelon office (rare to have us all in one location) where I was presented with a card full of sentiments, a pair of beautiful black pearl earrings and a wall hanging artist sketch of my favorite Green Bay Packer quarterback, Brett Favre. Exelon also hosted a happy hour for me that evening inviting the American Express office; family; friends; and former and current colleagues.

Friday was marked with misty-eyed hugs and "see-you-laters" rather than good-byes. Yet it was a busy day of forwarding contact information, changing passwords and messages, explaining a few instructions, packing the few remaining items, and last but very last my final ExelonPAC newsletter (no easy feat).

I have many thank you cards to write and many Exelon memories to remember. As I expressed in my final note to the Exelon staff, I think it sums it up best, "I cannot begin to describe my gratefulness; it has been a pleasure working with and knowing each one of you. Exelon forever will be one of my fondest memories and I hope that you will promise to stay in touch. Of course, do not hesitate to contact me at any time. Thank you again, for making Exelon a very special place to work."

Key West and "Favre says he's leaning toward retirement"

A lovely week in Key West, Florida for a conference and then some vacation is rudely interrupted with an email from my boss forwarding ESPN news, "Favre says he's leaning toward retirement."

Minus one rainy day, the weather in Key West has been wonderful. A couple of restaurant recommendations: Louie's Backyard, Pisces, Nine One Five, The Commodore, Banana Cafe, Camille's and Upper Crust, to name a few. I've also heard that Abbondonza, A&B Lobster and Michael's are very good, though I haven't had personal experience.

The sunsets from Mallory Square or the patio deck at Louie's is incredible.

Brian's smugmug

Brian has posted some of his photos on smugmug.
http://brianshaw.smugmug.com

Tucson

Lest you think it was all study and no fun in Tucson, here are a couple of photos to prove that wrong. We had one afternoon free and I subjected friends to my unmentionable golf game. We had a blast playing best ball and not taking it as seriously to the chagrin of any golf officiando. Dinner at Li'l Abner's Steakhouse was nothing fancy, but a fun experience. We also took a tram into Sabino Canyon in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains.

Snow Bird Returns to...Snow!

After spending a week in Tucson attending the Public Affairs Institute, I returned to...snow and wind gusts up to 60 miles an hour! The week included thought-provoking discussions on:

• Bioethics (Lori Knowles)
• Terrorism and U.S. Foreign Policy (Lee Hamilton)
• On the Media (Brooke Gladstone)
• Polling – It’s Not Just for Election Night Anymore (John Zogby)
• The Great Shift of Wealth and Power to the East (Clyde Prestowitz)
• Outlook and Prospects for the 2006 Elections (Charlie Cook)

In the middle of the night, the wind caused a lawn chair to break one of the little windows in the living room. This seems inconsequential to the news that my assistant at work and his wife lost their home and all of their possessions in a house fire Saturday night. If you remember, please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

UPDATE: If you're interested in sending a note or making a contribution to my assistant, please send it to "Maurice and Andria Dotson" and mail it to our office at:
c/o Exelon Corporation
101 Constitution Ave, NW
Suite 400 East
Washington DC 20001
202-347-7500

Public Affairs Institute

No Bikram Yoga this week. I'm in Tucson spending the week with two other Exelon colleagues attending a course called, the Public Affairs Institute. The program is an educational and career-building program for public affairs professionals. It is designed to expose public affairs professionals to issues and trends that are shaping the business and public policy environments. I'm returning as a Fellow having graduated in the Class of 2005. The desert setting provides for warm days, but cool nights. The back drop is the gorgeous foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The picture is from last year (Class of '05).

Human Pretzel: The Eulogy

Well, who ever said I wasn't a glutton for (more) punishment. I can almost successfully say that I survived my second-ever claustrophobic, overly-packed, really bad smelling sauna work out otherwise known as Bikram Yoga. The class was only about 2/3 of the size of the first time that I went, definitely more manageable. I was able to complete all but one set of the 26 postures and didn't succumb to any major fainting episodes. Now, don't get me wrong; you still feel like you're going to die a very unpleasant death with your closest 20-40 sweaty, smelly friends that you've known for less than 90 minutes. AND, I can't really decide if it's good to know the routine so well that you know how many postures are left or if ignorance really is bliss. Ah, the ever famous question, will I go back for human pretzel torture #3? Always a valid question. Stay tuned...

Human Pretzel

Over Christmas, my sister introduced me to the human pretzel exercise otherwise known as Bikram Yoga. I have learned many things from my sister although forms of torture have not been among them in the past. Bikram Yoga consists of 26 postures (including two breathing exercises) twice each within the span of 90 minutes, conducted in a room heated to approximately 105 degrees. In reality, it's like a work out in a claustrophobic, overly-packed, really bad smelling sauna. As I found out Monday morning, this type of Yoga is not for the faint of heart, unless you really faint! Okay, I didn't faint, but had to sit down through a couple of postures. Although, my sister will be really proud that I didn't get stuck in any of the postures. Lest you think I jest, check out some of the Bikram Yoga postures. Well, with that ringing endorsement, I'm sure you're just chomping at the bit to find the nearest class. Never fear, just click here and go to "class finder."

Congratulations to the Badgers!

Photo by Joe Koshollek
(Milwaukee Journal Sentinal)
Congratulations to Dad D's alma mater! The 21st ranked Wisconsin Badgers beat 7th ranked Auburn in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando, FL. In Barry Alvarez's final game as head coach, the Badgers made it look relatively easy with a 24-10 win.

"One More Year! One More Year!"

Photo by Jeffrey Phelps

(Milwaukee Journal Sentinal)

I'm in the "One More Year! One More Year!" camp. After capping their 4-12 season with a win against the Seahawks, I hope we haven't seen Favre's final game. However, if we have, this is how Packer fans far and wide should remember the future Hall of Famer!

Playoff Bound: Bucs and Redskins

Dad S's Buccaneers won the NFC South Division Title while Brian's Redskins won a wild-card berth with their win over the Eagles. The two teams will play each other on Saturday, January 7, at 4:30 p.m. EST. In an earlier meeting of the two teams, the Bucs edged the Redskins by a score of 36-35.


Of Wisconsin note: Casey Rabach, the Redskin center is a Sturgeon Bay, WI native who played with the Badgers. His cousin Nick Greisen plays linebacker for the New York Giants and other cousin, Chris Griesen, plays for the Dallas Desperados. Casey's great uncle, Stan Kramer, played for the Green Bay Packers.