Rpglegend's Xanga

Mavs/Jazz

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:11:51 GMT

After work today, I'm going over to Katie's and we're going to head to the AAC for the matchup tonight between the Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz. It's a big one; I'm excited! Plus, we're going to get there early and hang out at Jack's Old No. 7 which is always fun. One can typically spot Ben and Skin from The Ticket there.

I have to be at work extra, extra early tomorrow morning, however. We're having a "Parking Lot Sale" behind the store on Main Street, Grapevine to get rid of some of the ancillary stuff we've had lying in and around the store for the last few years: furniture, nick-nacks and, of course, beads. They're making use of the few of us guys here at the office to do the heavy lifting. The normally proud and strong women around here get all of a sudden gun-shy when something physical has to get done around here! Not really - I jest. I think a few of them are meeting us there in the morning (7:30AM - that hurts me!) to haul everything out into the lot.

Anyone interested should definitely stop by tomorrow or Saturday!

Stars Update

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:28:18 GMT

Just to update on that last post, the Stars won last night and Calgary lost, so it is now official: the Dallas Stars and the Anaheim Ducks will match up in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs beginning Thursday, April 10th.

It is still possible for the Stars to catch the Ducks and get home ice, but it's tricky. With two games left, we would have to win both and have help from the Ducks. I'm assuming we own the tie-breaker with Anaheim because of the head-to-head advantage. In that case, they would have to lose outright one of their last two and either lose in overtime or in regulation in the other game (in hockey, you receive a point in the standings just for making it to overtime). It probably won't happen, but we'll see.

Home ice in hockey is a huge advantage. In my opinion, it's the biggest home advantage of any sport because it actually affects the rules of the game. The home team gets to make every shift change last, effectively allowing them to see what the visiting team is throwing out there which gives them the chance to match up player to player the way they want to. It'll be tough, but man, is it going to be exciting!

Movin' On Down the Road

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:08:37 GMT

If you're a hockey fan, this is just about the best time of year - better than any holiday, really. Basketball fans have their Christmas all over again in March, baseball fans pray all year their teams still plays meaningful games in September and those golf fanatics won't shut up all year long... For fans of the cold, here is where the fun really begins.

Being a Dallas Stars fan has been quite the mercurial place to be this season. Just two months ago, we were the toast of the league with visions of actually catching those streaking Red Wings dancing through our heads. Then March hit, and all of a sudden we couldn't buy a point. The Stars lost eight out of nine games outright at one point and dropped in the standings from second to now fifth in the Western Conference.

Now, with just three games remained, I personally am at a crossroads with what I'd like to see happen with this team. You never root for your team to lose, but as I gaze at the standings, it seems to me almost better if they could drop one more seed in the playoffs standings rather than remain in the fifth spot. As it stands, the Stars would be playing without home ice against the Anaheim Ducks - a team that has had a remarkably similar season to the Stars. Playing them would be a battle they could certainly win, but even if they did, it would almost certainly come down to a seven-game series that would leave the Dallas ice club worn and battered in the second round against, almost assuredly, the Detroit Red Wings.

On the other hand, if they were to somehow drop a point in the final couple of games to either Colorado or Calgary (but not to both!), they would all of a sudden be playing the Minnesota Wild, their sister team, in a sense. The Wild are only in the third seed by virtue of being atop the worst division in the West, which gives them an automatic bid into the top three seeds. A Stars win tonight, in fact, and they'd have a head-to-head edge over Minnesota standings-wise. This is a team they can beat - and it wouldn't necessarily take more than four games to do it, either.

Either way, the Stars have lost out in the first round for four years running. They certainly have something to prove and there are no excuses lingering for them concerning playing a tough team. They're all tough at this point, boys. Whether we stay put or move down, I can't wait to see what happens.

Happy Holidays!

Bottom Chef

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:16:26 GMT

I've decide to try my hand at learning to cook better. It's been fun so far. I've always enjoyed it, I just haven't ever had the expertise to make more than spaghetti or a mean taco salad.

So I went to Tom Thumb and got stocked up on some basics (I had less than nothing at home). Spices, vegetables, sauces, cheeses - enough to have a base, but not too much that things would start to spoil. Then I hit the Internet - foodnetwork.com has been good to me so far - in search of some easy to intermediate recipes to try. I have to say, it's been quite a success so far!

I started out with a Penne Marinara with Roasted Vegetables (that's what's pictured below). It was a lot of ingredients and it took a while, but it was worth it because it turned out great. My only mistake was putting it back in the oven after I had had some. I was trying to make it just a little warmer, but I ended up burning a little of the penne around the edges of the plate. That's okay, though, I'm learning, right?

Then on Easter Sunday, I went for dinner at my parent's house proclaiming that I would be preparing the victuals. I prepared Chicken Marinara and Fingerling Potatoes with Herb Vinaigrette. Everyone seemed to really love it, especially the potatoes! The only mistake I made was I didn't separately baste the chicken from the flour, eggs and bread crumbs. Instead, I sort of did all that at the same time. It looked like that was going to create a disaster, but aside from the chicken turning out with less of an attached breading than I would have liked, it was fine.

Finally, last night I made an Italian Meatloaf that I thought was spectacular. My mom makes amazing meatloaf - I'm a man today in part because of that meatloaf. But, Mom, you've got to try it this way sometime! The main differences are you use marinara sauce instead of ketchup (yes, I'm going to try something sans marinara soon), you saute onions, bell peppers and garlic and add spices like basil and oregano to it. It's quite yum.

I've always loved the show Top Chef. Tom Colicchio is a genius and I can't wait to eat at his restaurant, Craft Dallas. Doing this makes watching one of my favorite shows that much more interesting and it gives you a very real appreciation for these people, from their talents as chefs all the way to their spot-on palettes.

I'm off to figure out what to try next! Why do so many delicious-looking dishes have to have frakin' shrimp in them? Bleh...

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:15:10 GMT

So Baylor lost in the first round of the NCAAs, but I can live with it...I got to meet Tony Romo! Jessica Simpson was hanging out with him, too. It was pretty cool...

Yeah, Yeah...

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:21:08 GMT

Still not keeping up, I know it...

Back to Normal

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:49:26 GMT

This is nice. I always feel sort of weird about the couple of weeks after Christmas. There's such a buildup to that holiday that once it's over (really, once it actually reaches December 25th), it's feels a little like something's missing. That last week of the year is very strange to me. Not working much, people still in town that aren't normally here, people that are normally here that aren't here still, etc. Just odd, really. It stretches into the new year, too.

But now, everyone seems to be getting back to their normal lives, and I'm starting to feel like I can, too. Clint and Kelly are back from their wonderful honeymoon in Cancun; Nicole gets back tonight from her Christmas break in NY/FL; Christal, Mary and Andy have returned to their respective worlds of study; and me, I'm back at work trying to get all caught up! More importantly, I've been back at the gym for a week now, so I'm starting to finally work off all the absolute crap I ate over the holidays.

Anyway, it got so bad that this weekend I had a weird itch. I felt it imperative that I immediately procure a very long (1000+ page) book of Shakespeare. I don't know why. So I went out the very next morning and got a book that has essays on all 38 plays. I plan to read through this and then get one that has the actual plays in them and read through those. We'll see how far I get, but to this point, I'm feeling quite gypped that no one had ever introduced me to Titus Andronicus. What a gory, macabre masterpiece! Wonderfully horrific! I didn't realize Will had it in him.

New Year, New Entry...About Time

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:48:39 GMT

I haven't been blogging regularly and for that, I sincerely apologize.

...like anyone reads this anyway.

Well, since my last post, I have been to Paris (legendary!), gone through the 2007 Holiday season (very nice) and dropped another ten pounds (up to thirty!). It's all been rather good, I'd say, but rather than retell a myriad of stories, most of which I won't even recall correctly since I'm so far removed at this point, why don't I just try and keep up with my posts for a while. I'm always complaining about my mom not updating the Auntie's Beads blog enough - the least I could do is be regular with my own.

However, in an attempt to go ahead and put something current up here today, let me just say that I am better than halfway through my process of quitting smoking. I tried the patch over a year ago and didn't feel like it did much for me (not to mention they're redonkulously expensive). What did seem to work, however, was wittling myself down to the point where I was okay having just a few a day, then stopping.

I started at a pack a day (20 cigs) and I'm down to about 6 to 8 right now. I'm hoping that over the next two weeks I'll be comfortable with 5 or less and then I should be good to stop. I made it a full three months before, so I know I can do it. The major problem (*salute: "Major Problem!"*) is realizing how often you smoke one just out of boredom: to have something to do with your hands, really. I should get some toothpicks...

Off To Paris!

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 11:28:08 GMT

Well, after just a few more hours here at work, it's off to Paris for me and Mom. Can't wait! The flight will probably be excruciating, seeing as I'll have to go for around 10+ hours without smoking (considering whatever time we have to be waiting around at the respective airports), but hopefully I'll accomplish a first and fall asleep on the plane. I'm getting in a workout with Chris right before we leave for the airport, and then taking some Tylonol PM once we board. That should do the trick...

We get in at 8:45AM Paris time (seven hours ahead of TX) tomorrow morning, and Mary will be meeting us at the hotel around 2! It's going to be so much fun!

As soon as I figure out the power outlet situation and get my laptop up and running over there, I'll be posting pictures all next week here and on facebook, so check back for that.

Aux revoir, mes amis!

Quatre semaines jusqu' a Paris!

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:48:35 GMT

Four weeks until Paris!