TV Networks and suckage!

So what the hell is up with networks on Sundays? The last two Sundays, we've tried to watch football (was hoping for the Browns, of course!)

This is what I found:

That's right... Only one flipping network (Thanks CBS) showing a game!! So, NBC, ABC, Fox and ESPN, WTF!? Maybe I've been out of touch and don't understand all the contracts between the NFL and the TV networks, but I'm pretty sure both would make a ton more money if they actually SHOWED FOOTBALL!!! For two weeks now a couple of the big networks have "Paid Programming" which translates to infomercials.

It used to be that the only thing keeping a game off TV was the local team if it wasn't a sell out game. You used to be able to watch football from 1pm till about 11:30pm. on at least two if not 3 or 4 networks. Maybe that's obsessive, but why not 1pm? I know some of you may be saying you could have watched football at 1pm, and we did what some of the Bengals game (with only the hope of seeing the Browns score or, heaven forbid, a clip or two), but my complaint is really about choices. My choice to watch more than one game. The odd networks' choice to air a commercial for the ab-lounge or get rich quick schemes from home (I'm still not sure if porn is involved in either one somehow).

When you hear Hank Williams Jr singing, he has never once said "Are you ready for a George Foreman Grill?" It's all about Football....

Oh yeah........... GO BROWNS!!!

Go Browns!

The Browns are in 2nd place in the AFC North, they have a winning record (4-3), and they have won two games in a row for the first time in years. I hear you out there (especially you, Jeff) asking me "Are you really proud of that?" Heck yeah! I'm a die hard Browns fan and that means I'm tickled when they are winning and stand by them when they die hard. I have been a fan since the days on Brian Sipe, Ozzie Newsome, Bob Golic, and Coach Sam Rutigliano. I was a fan when Bernie side armed, and when The Ice Cube Stood up the Fridge. I was a fan before Bill Belichick (yes, that one) was a somebody.

For those of you who know me, I've always said that I'm not one of those band wagon jumpers, like all of those millions of Indians fans that just appeared over the last few years (no, I'm not one of them). A few years ago, you couldn't pay people to admit they like the Indians (they even made a series of movies about them!)

I like the Browns, whether they win or lose. Sure I get disapointed when they lose, but I stay with them with the hope the we will stop "building for the future" and have a great team now. If things keep going they way they are this year, the future could be now. GO BROWNS!!!!

You would think....

... that with all the money Manny Ramirez makes (2007 salary = $17,016,381 not including endorsements) he would be able to afford a new batting helmet once in a while. Or you would think that a team that makes it to the world series twice in 4 yrs, would get new helmets for the players. Apparently, Manny is a fire fighter on his off days because his batting helmet looks like it has been melted and gouged many times over. It even looks like it hurts to wear it.

I get that baseball players are a superstitious sort, but this just looks messed up. It's like the guy that has a lucky shirt that he can't wash anymore out fear it will fall apart.

I know he's a little busy these days, but maybe he could spend 10 minutes on E-Bay and pick up a new one for about $50.

We're Moving To Cincinnaticity

It is official. We're Ohio bound! I've taken a new job within P&G and we will be moving to the greater Cincinnati, Ohio area (don't really know if there is a Cincinnati in another state, but thought I'd clarify just in case).


First off, no, I will not be a Bengals fan. GO BROWNS! I may go see the Reds, but don't really follow baseball.

We're excited to be moving closer to friends and family, but are sad to leave Maine and our friends here. Lots of good times here.

We've been working hard at getting the house ready to show - so if you know anyone that wants to buy a house in Maine, we'll see if make can make a deal....

Marie and I are going down Thursday for a week of house hunting. We have been checking out a lot of sites online and think we have it narrowed down somewhat. We have attached a picture of our top choice right now. It needs a little work on the inside, and some landscaping, but we can make it ours....

We've Been Hit

This is a crappy way to start a Sunday:

The telephone rings - caller ID says Private Call.

"Can I speak to Erin?"

"Erin?"

"Yes. This is Officer --- from the Auburn Police"

"Erin is my 4 yr old daughter"

"Oh. I have a receipt that was found that was tracked to her. There have been a rash of car robberies. Can you check your cars to see if anything is missing, then can me back?"

We check all 3 cars (Grandma is in town this weekend). Marie's IPod is gone. The portable DVD player is gone. DVD's and CD's from all 3 cars are gone. Tomorrow we will call the pawn shops in the area with the list of things we had taken from us, but we assume they are gone for good.

Other than a small keying mark on grandma's car, no damage is found. Yes it could have been much worse, but it still sucks. Up till last night, we locked our car doors about half of the time. Now, we will be locking every time we get out of the car. We have had to explain to the girls including the 4 yr old, why people are bad and take things that do not belong to them.

Apparently they are investigating about 200 cars (yes 200) in the general area that have had things taken out of them over the past few days. We are not the only ones, but that doesn't make us feel any better. Probably kids taking what they could sell easily. I guess even Maine is not "the way it should be" anymore.

New signs of age

Ok... lots of questions.

At what age is it required that you must trade in your compact or mid-size car for a full size? I'm not just talking a Grand Prix... I'm talking the Buick LaSabre, the Lincoln Town Car, or my personal favorite the Mercury Grand Marquis. I know there must be an age requirement for these cars, because I've never seen anyone from age 16 to 40ish driving one. After that I lose track...

At what age does is it required to store baseball caps in the back window of your car? I'm pretty sure it is near the same age where you pick up the car mentioned above. The baseball caps are usually very flat brimmed and often mention the name of a Naval ship.



Lastly, at what age is it that you just give up looking behind you when backing up? I believe it is when you decide that you need to back into a parking spot cause it's easier than backing out. (see previous post)

The last few paragraphs set the stage for this past Sunday... We're at church. We pull in the driveway, and we see this car backing out of a space. We thought. This guy is backing out of space, across the whole parking lot, and backing into a space. He's got a big honkin' Lincoln Town Car, caps in the back window, and he's just comin back. He's not looking to see if anyone is coming at him. He's just coming. So he gets into the spot, but he doesn't stop at the normal place; Marie jokingly says, "Watch him hit the wall." I look over and see him plow into the wall and say, "Like that." We have a quick chuckle, but then this brain trust gets out of his car, and goes into church. He didn't pull up off the wall, go back to look at the car or wall for damage, or otherwise flinch at all. Apparently the wall is the signal to stop the car. And also it something he's used to, based on the reaction or lack of...

I'm trying to age gracefully, but I don't want to ever reach this age of big boat cars, flat aircraft carrier hats, bad pants, and general driving apathy. Someone kick me in the head if I start heading that way....

Not sure I want to know....

This week at the deli, we picked up some lunchmeat on sale. It was "turkey ham". I'm not sure what animal produces this meat. Is it a turkey or a pig, or some bizarre combination that occurred after eating too much fermented corn or some wild party in the barn late one night?

Don't get me wrong, the lunchmeat tastes just fine, but it does bring up some weird questions....