More Curious Than Worried

Hockey Weekend Across America – Best Day of the Year

Yesterday morning we took our daughter, Ashlynn, to the Edge Ice Arena for a free, girls-only hockey clinic. She got to put on all the pads and skate around with one of the Colorado Select Girls Hockey Association players. We got to meet Natalie Darwitz and Jinelle Zaugg of the 2010 USA Olympic Women’s team. And she came away with 2 autographed posters, a jersey, two free tickets to the Avalanche game on Tuesday and one helluva fun time. I’d like to think I’m pretty good with words, but I am having a really hard time finding the words to describe just how great this event was for us. I just really want to thank everyone who was involved in putting this together. I’ll show my thanks the best way a blogger knows how, by providing praise and links to their sites.

• Thanks to the Edge Ice Arena for providing ice-time for this girls-only event. We go there all the time for skating class and just for fun and we’re always treated well there.

• A SUPER HUGE BIG thank you to the Colorado Select Girls Hockey Association!! If you are in any way associated with the girls who play for the CSGHA, you should be VERY proud of these girls. Without their enthusiasm and great attitude, this event wouldn’t have been the monumental success it was. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! A special thank you to Taylor, who plays for the 14AAA team, for spending the whole time on the ice with Ashlynn. Click here to donate to the CSGHA.

• Thanks to Ken Klee and the Colorado Avalanche for the free ticket vouchers and a big thanks to USA Hockey and Natalie Darwitz and Jinelle Zaugg of the 2010 USA Olympic Women’s team. It was great to be able to meet them and get pictures with them. Their presence made the event even more special for us all. Thank you! GO USA in Vancouver!!

The House is Decorated for Christmas!

The lights are all strung. The extension cords have been run. I even got a cool little remote for turning on and off the lights (It was cheaper than the timer I saw). It’s pretty simple, but not bad for our first year of decorating. No one was injured and nothing was broken during the making of our decorated dwelling. Decorating that tree to the right in the picture was a harrowing experience, but then again, it doesn’t feel like Christmas unless I’ve precariously perched myself on top of something for the sheer purpose of stringing lights.

I have a feeling that in about 5 years I’m gonna need to draw up a wiring diagram for my outside lights. Between my penchant for electrical thingies and Ashlynn’s and Corrine’s love of Christmas, we have ourselves a recipe for constant Christmas decoration add-ons.

Merry Christmas!

(I’ll post pictures later this week..or maybe next week of our inside decorations.)

Week in Review: March 24, 2009

It’s nice to finally get through a relatively normal week at the new house. And it’s REALLY nice to get this posted on time for the first time in 3 weeks.

Things I Think I Liked

• Had my birthday/St. Patrick’s Day party at our house. Lotsa fun and lotsa beer.
• Meeting some cool people on Twitter.
• I really want to see this: Badass cop car of the near-future.
• Ordered my new motherboard and processor for my desktop so I can geek out with friends better. Thanks Dan!
• My new neighbor, Mike, is a cool guy.
• Chevy started production of the new Camaro.
• Found Splinter Cell for the XBox. Now I can turn my XBox into XBMC …as soon as I find the cables for it.
• Flowers are starting to spring up in our backyard.

Things I Think I Didn’t Like

• WiFi should be a free service! You hear me Starbucks!!
• Ashlynn’s leg went all tingly Saturday morning, but was better by Monday so we couldn’t get the doc to look at it. So frustrating!
• Is there anyone who likes the new Facebook home page? I don’t.
• I had to struggle through 3 REALLY slow nights at work. Good for citizens, but boring as all hell for me.
• Spent at least 3 days updating my newly installed Windows XP. Installing Ubuntu has spoiled me.
• Dealing with dozens of towed vehicles at work due to greedy tow companies!
• Hearing about police officers getting killed hits home a lot more when I work with cops all the time.

Things I Think I Think

• As I get older I care more about having friends and family around for my birthday than gifts.
• I’m gonna have to do a stand-alone post about Twitter.
• People involved in social media really seem to enjoy talking about people involved in social media.

This Week Made Me Wonder…

• How many devices can I connect my phone to at once via Bluetooth? Right now I’m listening to a podcast on my phone with my Bluetooth headset and loading a podcast on my phone from my laptop via Bluetooth.
• Would Englewood let us set up a Twitter account for the police?
• It’s getting easier and easier to find stuff to post on this weekly blog. Are these posts getting to long?

Things to look forward to

• Hanging out with my half of the wedding party tomorrow night and getting measured for tuxes.
• Finding a furry, fluffy, feline friend for family fun. (This bullet was brought to you by the letter ‘F’)
• Installing my new motherboard and processor!

Week in Review: March 17, 2009

(NOTE: I really wanted to post this on Tuesday, when it was supposed to be posted. So some of my comments are a little bit dated.)

Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to you! Happy birthday to me. One of the great things about having a birthday on a holiday is that when people wish me a happy birthday, I can wish them a happy back.

I’m now one year away from 30. I have a house; a kid; and soon, a wife. I’m ready for my 30s. Why is everyone so afraid of those round numbers?

Things I Think I Liked

• St. Patrick’s Day Parade was fun. Nothing says Irish like waving to ….. Darth Vader?
• Went to the dentist with Ashlynn for the first time. She enjoyed it and wants to go back again. She has pretty teeth.
• Someone at either Grease Monkey or Big O Tires left a flower in Ashlynn’s car seat for her.
• Mottistone was a hit at the parade, and they had beer for me afterwards in celebration of my birthday.
• Like a 13 year old’s wet dream come true, Denver now has our own lingerie football team.
• bit.ly – It lets me know when people click the links I leave on Twitter.
• Google Analytics – It’s just fun watching when, where and how people come to this site.

Things I Think I Didn’t Like

• Plumbing problems caused water to flow into our guest bedroom downstairs. Might have to rip up carpet.
  Ashlynn’s leg still hurts pretty often.
• Going have to forsake my ‘puter upgrade for preventative car repair.
• Installed XP on my desktop so I can play games. Had to call to activate it because I’ve installed it so many times.
• In the past 3 weeks, I haven’t watched or listened to any of the podcasts I like.
• I haven’t been to the gym in about 2 weeks.

Things I Think I Think

• Stress is a lot harder to deal with when I’m working graveyard shift.

This Week Made Me Wonder…

• Is it ever going to snow?!
• Will I ever be confident using semicolons? I never know if I’m using them right.

Things to look forward to

• Good beer (Guinness, Harp, Fat Tire), good friends (too many to name), good movie (Boondock Saints) tonight at my house!
• Learning how to use my sprinkler system.
• Figuring out my swamp cooler.
• Sleeping at night every night next month.
• Spring starts on Friday. Maybe spring will give us some precipitation.

Waving at Darth Vader at St. Patty's Parade

Doesn't she have the prettiest teeth?