Back from Orlando, Sharks NHL Playoffs

I made it back from Orlando, it was a good and productive trip.

I just watched the San Jose Sharks lose game 2 of the Western Conference Semi-finals to Dallas. For some reason, Versus just bugs me. Maybe it's indicative of most sports shows, but at the conclusion of the game they said something like this: "The Sharks have been a great road team this year, but they've never come down from an 0-2 deficit in the playoffs."

What does their previous years' in the playoffs have anything to do with this team, this year? I mean, it's all in the spin, but they made it sound like "they've never done it before, so it looks pretty bleak!" I think the Versus play-by-play commentators are pretty decent, much better than the crappy "homer" CBC broadcasters from the Sharks-Flames series.

Ok I'm going to bed.

Orlando Blogging

I made it safe and sound to Orlando!

After the airport, I had lunch at the House of Blues in Downtown Disney. It was pretty good, even with the Disney markup ($16 for a cheeseburger).

I got a chance to eat dinner with my good friend Becky for dinner at Kobe. The food was good, although I have to say their sauces don't compare to Benihana. I missed my ginger sauce. At Kobe, they had some sort of ranch-mayo sauce, I dunno it didn't do much for me. The other sauce was okay, but just different. Regardless, the food was good. The presentation and environment was much like Benihana, everything from their tricks (e.g. the volcano, flipping the shrimp tail in their hat, birthdays).

I've uploaded my pictures to my photo website. You can view my Orlando album here: http://photos.linuxwebguy.com/v/200804Orlando/

I'm going to bed. More tomorrow!

Tired

I'm lucky, I get to attend the SharePoint Connections conference in Orlando this coming week. It'll be good training on SharePoint, especially since we're going to be doing a lot of the work ourselves. I'll blog if I can, but it'll be light the next couple of days!

They Paved Paradise, and Put In An Old Navy

50 years ago today (April 15th 1958) at 1:34pm, a new era began in Major League Baseball. The San Francisco Giants played their first home game in Seals Stadium, former home of the minor league San Francisco Seals. On that day, the Giants beat their new west coast partners and nemesis' the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-0. Ruben Gomez pitched a complete game shutout, while the Giants rocked Don Drysdale for 6 runs in 3 2/3 innings. In the 5th inning, Giants rookie (and future 1958 Rookie of the Year) Orlando Cepeda "The Baby Bull" hit his first home run in his first major league game.

I was curious where exactly Seals Stadium stood 50 years ago. I happened to find it on Google Maps. Using the street view, it looks like the block of16th, Potrero, Alameda, and Bryant streets has been replaced by a parking lot, 24 hour fitness, and an Old Navy. Oh well, I suppose that's progress, right!

This year's Giants were picked by many to be last in the National League West. Currently, they are 6-8 and sit tied for 3rd, yet only 1/2 game from the cellar. Not exactly bad! I think I might like these kids.

My Favorite Advertisements

I know companies mean well by their advertisements, but is it possible they can get it wrong sometimes?

Just because I have Verizon Wireless as my cell phone carrier doesn't mean I would like to have some guy with a receding hairline and gray outfit following me around everywhere. Not to mention, he comes with a large crowd of random people wearing hard hats. That's kinda creepy, like a legion of stalkers, listening to my every phone call. I mean I get the point, they are trying to convey that when you subscribe to their service you get lots of people who are working for you. But can't they be more behind the scenes? Like maybe... not show them at all? Of course you can't complain since their "Can you hear me now? GOOD!" slogan.

The other advertisement slogan that really jumps out at me is the Army. I know the men of the armed forces do a great job, and I applaud them for their work. But I think they need a better recruiting slogan. If I'm a soldier, hunkering down in some rat hole, bullets whizzing past my head, dirt, mud, blood everywhere, bombs, deafening explosions... the last thing on my mind is that I'm an army of one. Does that mean I'm all alone? Does that mean I have to make treaties with other soldiers? Okay, so I get that unity means that the whole army moves together as one, but at the same time...

It was decided on Friday that I'd be going to SharePoint Connections in Orlando next week! Sweet, it's gonna be a blast. I remember seeing the huge Marriott complex when I was out there in 2006, now I'll get to stay at it! The conference figures to really teach us a few things about Microsoft SharePoint and we'll put that into practice at work.

And now... a relaxing afternoon of the Masters in HD. :-)

Butterfly

No, no, it's okay, I'm still a manly man, don't be fooled by the title.

I am moved into my new apartment, much closer to civilization, and no more 30 minute drives home from having fun in the city with all of you (or both of you, depending on what the definition of is is. Okay, just joking on that last part). I'm moved in, but not moved in.

I got listening to some old tunes tonight. When I say old, I mean back when there was good stuff. :o) Anyway, I found a song from the Seltzer collection. If you never knew Seltzer ("Modern Rock To Settle Your Soul"), you need to be checked. Seltzer 1 was awesome (dc Talk's "Jesus Freak", Jars of Clay "Liquid", PFR "Garden", Plankeye "B.C.", MXPX "Teenage Politics", and more), and Seltzer 2 followed it up with a nice hit from a group called Seven Day Jesus called "Butterfly". in addition to having a catchy pop/tune, the lyrics are awesome:

You see me it's not me
It's something underneath my skin
I wanna tear it all away,
And show the beauty that's within.
Begin to come unglued
And throw away the older me
Just give it time and then you'll see

CHORUS:
I wanna be a butterfly, flying in the sky with you, today
I wanna lose this old cocoon
I wanna do it soon, and fly away, away

So tired of always crawlin' up the tree
To fall back down again
This lovely place where I began
It's not the place I'm gonna end --
Up so before you sum up all
The missing pieces of my head
There's so much further I can get

(Repeat CHORUS)

Your wind is underneath my wing
It carries me away
It's you -- My God -- That makes me sing
When I'm on my way
Change a little every day

(Repeat CHORUS)

You take what's old and make it new
So I can be with you, and fly away, away

I like those last two lines: "You take what's old and make it new so I can be with you."

Just like a butterfly.

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Now playing: Seven Day Jesus - Butterfly
via FoxyTunes