Superman vs. Muhammad Ali

I have always enjoyed superhero movies and cartoons, but never really got into the collecting and reading of comic books or superhero collectibles. However, I do enjoy browsing through comics at stores and enjoy looking at all the posters, t-shirts, action figures and various other collectibles. After hearing Mark talk about reading the graphic novel Watchmen (I thoroughly enjoyed the movie), I picked up a cheap copy at Half-Price Books. It has been a fun read so far and I will probably read more graphic novels in the future. I have been looking online trying to find recommendations for various other comics I might enjoy and were to begin. Obviously picking up a Superman issue #1 is a little out of my price range, but I did find a scanned copy online that I have enjoyed reading when I get a little down time. While searching, I came across this issue, Superman vs. Muhammad Ali. I started thinking it would be awesome to a get a copy of this and have it signed by Ali, framed and put on display. Then I figured it would be tough to come by and expensive if I ever did come across it ( I will do some research and see if any copies are available online and how much they are selling for. Plus, getting Ali's autograph would be another obstacle). Then I found out this comic is being reprinted this Fall by Action Comics. Now if I could also get Superman's autograph on it, that would be worth something!


(*The bottom asks you to pick out the celebrities in the crowd. People like Lucille Ball, Cher, Sonny Bono, Jimmy Carter, The Jackson Five, Johnny Carson, Phylis Diller, etc.)

Guatemalan Trip Fundraising Scramble

I played in a scramble Saturday morning at Shawnee with my friends Jeff, Nate and Nate's sister Emily. While I was definitely the A-player, everyone pitched in and we shot -7. I am happy with that score looking at our group. There were nine teams and we tied for first, but lost in a scorecard playoff. I also won closest to the pin on hole #4. I was the first person to hit the green and I didn't think it would hold.
For the second place finish we each got a trophy (I will take a picture later and post it) and a dozen golf balls. For the closest to the pin, I received another dozen golf balls.
It was fun and hopefully whomever is going to Guatemala will have a safe trip.

Iceland Volcano

I am beyond fascinated with the volcanic eruption in Iceland. Apparently the ash plume has now crossed Russia and the northern Pacific and is now entering western North America. This afternoon the plume had dropped from 50,000 feet to 15,000. However, the late news tonight is the eruption is strengthening again. The impact on the economy and air travel is crazy, but I am extremely curious to see the area around the volcano after the eruption subsides.
I would love to get a bottle of the ash to add to my collection. So if any of you know any volcanic ash dealers, give them my number.

Ten Things That I've "Had it Up to Here" With

1. Sarcastic comments regarding global warming. As in "heh heh, 12 inches of snow in March, so much for global warming." I don't care what your views are or what you think is fact or not, the same worn out lines for the past decade are getting tiresome.


2. American Idol. It's not the show (because I've never watched it), it's the constant updates on the radio and newscasts as well as being made to feel I should know every contestant and winner. Hey "Idol," just die already!


3. Breaking News Alerts. I used to stop what I was doing when I saw breaking news flash up on the screen, but now it seems every mindless fluff piece is breaking news. "This just in, breaking across the wires now, 'American Idol 'updates are coming up next."



4. "Creation Science" or "Intelligent Design." It's not a science. There is no other side in the scientific community, just a few disagreements with the mechanism of evolution. Don't give me this balance bull crap. If this was the case, they would also go after other disciplines like physics, chemistry, geology, astronomy and all their related scientific theories.


5. People who name their kids with the same first letter. Nothing personal, I just find it annoying and very unoriginal...and I have close friends (and a girlfriend) that come from families that do this, but I had to let it out.



6. Bed Bath and Beyond coupons in the mail. Ok, we get it. I get 20% off on my next purchase, but do I really need three coupons a week in my mailbox. How many beds, baths and beyonds do you think I have anyway?


7. Dick Vital, Bill Rafftery, Tim McCarver, Chris Berman, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Laura Ingraham (and many many more I'm sure). Blah!


8. No water in restaurants: Most restaurants used to bring you water when you sat down, but now you have to ask for it in most places. Jeez, you'd think with global warming we'd have plenty of water to go around Mr. Al Gore! (See #1)


9. Discovery, TLC and The History Channel. These used to be my three favorite channels. But now unless I want to watch stuff explode, follow a family of dwarfs or watch cryptozoologists track el Chupacabra in the Central American rainforest's it all pretty much sucks.


10. Cigarette Butts. Whether they are flicked out of car windows and bounce off my car, piled up on the median at the stop light or laying on the green at the golf course, I've had it. I have had to resist the urge on several occasions to get out of my car at a stop light when I see someone drop a butt and flick it back into their car. I rank this right up there with dump trucks that have the sign posted on the back "Not responsible for falling gravel."

Straws and Nuts

I eat fast food (especially McDonald's) more often than I should and try to keep my trips infrequent. However, I have noticed a few odd wasteful habits McDonald's has when it comes to the drive through. About once a month I will stop and get a sundae from the drive through. Every time they ask me if I would like nuts with the sundae. I always say "no thank you." However, they always give them to me. I usually tell them to keep them, however, if I happen to get something else, they put them in the bag and I end up throwing them away. Why ask if you are going to give them to me anyway? And why is it when I order sauce for my nuggets, they always forget that?
Another waste is the straw I get in my bag even when I don't order a drink. Sometimes they give me two. If all I order is a cheeseburger, why do I need a straw? Is it so I can use it to by-pass a clogged blood vessel?
While on the subject of fast food, I am a big fan of Chic-Fil-A. The food is good and the service is better than any fast food place out there (even better than White Castle). However, it's almost too good and the service too polite. It seems almost "cultish." But as long as they're not asking me to hitch a ride in the spaceship behind the comet, I'm finewith it.

The Dumb One

Looking at my older brothers and their endless creativity through art, writing and general wittiness, I have come to the realization (and I am sure I am the last one to come to this conclusion) that I am the dumb one.

"Is that your oldest son?"
"Yes, that's Mark. He is an amazing artist, not to mention extremely bright and uncommonly funny. We are so very proud of him! Here is some of his work"
"And this one? Who is he?"
"That's Kevin. He is a very witty and creative writer. Not only that,
but is very well educated and informed. It's hard to pull one over on him."
"And who might this be? Your youngest?"
"Yeah, that's Brian. He likes to hit a ball with a crooked stick and chase
after it. Then find it and hit it again. He's special."

Indianapolis/Butler University

Julie and I attended her old college roommate's wedding Saturday in Indianapolis. It was a nice weekend and I had a chance to meet some of her old college friends. Everyone was friendly and full of frivolity (Maybe that's because everyone took advantage of the cocktail hour and open bar during the reception. Hopefully, everyone took advantage of the shuttle service back to the hotel as well). The dance floor was packed up until midnight at the Ritz Charles. The food was excellent and the stories were plentiful.

Sunday morning we had breakfast in the hotel (compliments of the wedding) and then drove down to Butler's campus so Julie could show me around. It is not a huge campus, but it is spread out enough not to feel claustrophobic. Most of the buildings are made of stone, however some look like they are made of huge slabs of concrete, with high windowless walls. They reminded me of the castle in "Shrek." I saw Julie's old house just off campus (you can see Hinkle Fieldhouse towering overhead), then saw her dorm building and finally her sorority house (the picture of her with the rock is out in front of that house).The houses surrounding the campus are old mansions, the type you would see around an Ivy League School. The fraternity and sorority houses on campus are by far the nicest I've seen, but like ant campus, you can always tell the sorority houses from the fraternity houses simply by the number of beer cans, over turned chairs, sofas and over flowing garbage cans in front of the fraternity houses.

Our last stop was the campus store where we did a little shopping. I bought a navy blue Butler hooded sweatshirt and a t-shirt with the basketball team's 2010 resume on the back.

It was a beautiful day to walk around campus and can definitely see why she loved it so much.

One the way back to Louisville, we stopped in Edinburgh at the outlet malls. I didn't get much, but I think I will probably go back in the not so distant future the next time I need to buy a few items.

(The stone house above is the Kappa fraternity house, not Julie's sorority).

The Masters

I haven't been(and won't be) home much this week to watch The Masters, so I am very thankful for my DVR. I watched it when I got home from playing golf last night and will probably watch the rest of it on Sunday when I get home from Indianapolis.
I like watching Tiger Woods play golf, I admit. However, I think this would have been one of the best first rounds of The Masters even if he wasn't in the field. Anytime you have Tom Watson, Fred Couples, Phil Mickelson and Lee Westwood on the leaderboard, that is a heck of a start. Throw in Tiger Woods and it is definitely the best first round i have seen in a long time. Plus it's Augusta National, and that looks pretty damn good in HD TV.

First Round of the Year (and first since November's Turkey Scramble)

I played Nevel Meade yesterday with a few guys from the Bats. It was our usual foursome. For any of you that have never played Nevel Meade, the entire course basically sits on top of a hill out in Oldham County(with no trees because it is a links course). Even on calm days, there always seems to be a breeze. The temperature yesterday was cool when we teed off, about 55, and the winds were gusting over 20 mph. Add to this my lower back had been having spasms (I was walking like...well...like Dad) and it was my first round in almost 4 months, I wasn't expecting too much. I ended up surprising myself by shooting a 36 on the front and finished 2-over through 16 on the back. I hit the ball fairly well considering I didn't feel like I could make a complete turn. My short game I was most impressed with. From 100 yds and in I played very well and only missed two putts inside of about 6 feet.

Oaks

We bought our Oaks tickets last night on Stub Hub. I checked Churchill's website yesterday afternoon and found 4 seats together for $70 each. Last night, they were gone. I went to Stub Hub and found 4 seats in the same section for a few bucks cheaper (Mom/Dad, they will be delivered via FedEx to your house in my name. I figured there was a better chance of someone being home. They should arrive in 2-3 weeks).
Julie and her friends have the dresses ready and are now working on the hats. I don't think I'll be wearing a suit, but I will probably at least sport a tie. I'm sure I'll have pictures to post afterwards.

First Swings of 2010

I took a ride to the driving range on River Road yesterday so I could finally get in a few swings. While I have definitely hit the ball worse, it was frustrating to feel so out of rhythm. It's the first time I've touched a club in months, so I didn't expect perfection, but still...

I have always had an unorthodox swing. Sometimes I get things to come together and work while other times it's like watching a monkey hump a football. Most times I feel I can pin point one motion or mistake and at least make an adjustment. Yesterday, however, I noticed I wasn't releasing my left side, my balance was poor, my back swing was hitched (as usual), my alignment was off, the angle of descent was either too deep or too shallow, my transition was too fast, my grip felt uncomfortable and my posture was inconsistent. That is way too much to feel when trying to simply swing a golf club.

Here is what I plan to do this year to improve my game (besides eventually getting new clubs). I have always felt watching oneself is the best lesson. Feeling your way through the problem or having someone else tell you what they see is very difficult way to dissect the issue. Being able to correlate what I feel with an actual image is priceless (that's why golf academies charge so much). I now have a laptop with a web cam, so my goal is to set this on a chair behind me a record my entire practice session. Sounds simple enough. This way I can get instant feedback and see if changes I am making are actually occurring, and if so, working.

The good news is I know what to look for. I have been around golf long enough, and know my swing well enough, to make an educated diagnosis. Many have told me they wouldn't change a thing about my swing, but the usually only tell me that when I play well. I am looking for more consistency, and hopefully, lower scores. I want a swing I can rely on even if I don't quite have the feel. Hopefully this approach will work, or at least it will be fun trying.

Updates

I haven't posted much about what is going on with me, so here is an update on all the "stuff."

• Work - I've been very busy, and a little stressed out, trying to get a handle on all the projects we need to get done at the center. On top of that, finding the money to do them is always fun. The good news is we have a few shutdown days coming up: March 30 -31, April 5-6 and May 19-20. We will use these days to get projects done we can't get done when members are around (i.e. retiling and grouting the women's steam room, retreading and painting steps, fixing leaks that requires shutting off water to the entire building). On top of all this, we are trying to get our pools up and running while at the same time going through the renovations to bring each pool into compliance with the Virginia Graham Baker Act...an extremely costly renovation. The worst part is we meet federal guidelines with flying colors, but Kentucky's law is twice as strict. Thanks Kentucky for making us spe nd an extra $100,000+. The good news is I get a PTO day for each shutdown day I work, so I can add 6 more days to my total.
• Julie is recovering from her surgery and is back at work, although she really shouldn't be. It seems the issue has been taken care of and she is extremely anxious to get back to feeling good and going back to her personal trainer and spin classes. I think we are even going to start running and hiking together when she's back to full strength. We need to get our beach bodies in shape for California in July.
• I am avoiding basketball right now because I'm still bummed out from UK's loss on Saturday. It was an extremely fun year, especially compared to the last several. Now I can turn my focus to golf and baseball for the next several months. I'm sure I'll get out and at least hit some balls this week with the nice weather. I can't wait.

That's all for now...I cranked this out in a about 5 minutes, so I apologize for any spelling errors.

Why It's Important to Me: Better Than I Could Ever Say It.

Funny Q & A from Kentucky Sports Radio

From KSR's Website:

FAQ: The NCAA Tournament
by Tomlin @ 12:30 pm. Filed under Blue Blooded Opinions

Friends,Well, here it is. And it’s pretty much the situation we all hoped for. Following our 44th SEC Title and a brand spankin’ new SEC Championship title, the Cats glide into their rightful number one seed and prepare for the inaugural weekend of NCAA Tournament play.
But perhaps you’ve never heard of this “NCAA Tournament.” Perhaps you only learned about the stellar Kentucky Wildcats this very year, and perhaps you were surprised that there was more than the SEC Championship yet to come. You must be incredibly surprised, then — but also somewhat confused by this new, next step. For you, you fresh-faced innocents, Need-to-Know Wednesday brings you Frequently Asked Questions About the NCAA Tournament. As always, you’re welcome.
—————
What is the NCAA Tournament?
When many people refer to the “NCAA Tournament,” they’re referring to the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s annual men’s basketball tournament, which is played at the end of each regular season after individual conference tournaments. It originated in 1939 and generally consists of 65 teams.
I would like to enter this year’s NCAA Tournament. I will play in San Jose on Friday.
Sorry, but the NCAA Tournament is by invitation only. You must qualify for the tournament by at-large bid or by winning a conference championship. Many times, you will have to have a national ranking to be invited.
I am nationally ranked at my local Applebee’s Golden Tee game.
That does not count.
I am also currently ranked fifteenth among my peers in concrete sales in a national competition to sell the most concrete.
Again, this does not count.
I don’t think you realize how hard it is to sell concrete. You think you’re so good, you try it. It’s really hard.
No one’s arguing that. These sixty-five teams play in a single-elimination tournament, ranked numerically based on their regular and post-season play and advancing to rounds known as the Sweet Sixteen, the Elite Eight, the Final Four, and eventually the tournament’s championship game.
What’s the clever, cute little same-letter nickname you’ve given to the championship game?
It doesn’t really have one.
I would like to know who will win this year’s tournament, please.
That’s very tough to call, since part of the excitement of the NCAA Tournament is the opportunity for teams of similar skill levels to play each other for the first time. It also allows smaller teams the opportunity to play against more storied teams.
But by your rationale, whoever is number one will win the tournament, because they are the best. Who is number one?
Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse and Duke.
You are a terrible counter. That’s four teams, stupid.
There are four number one-seeded teams: Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse and Duke. They are the number one seeds in their respective brackets.
How many seeds are there per bracket?
There are sixteen seeded teams per bracket.
But you said there are 65 teams. You really suck at math.
One game is a play-in game to take place before the tournament begins.
I would like to go see this tournament. I will be traveling to Spokane, Washington and will be enjoying the 32 games of the first round. How exciting!
Actually, you’ll only get to see four games of the first round.
You said there were 32 games in the first round.
The first round takes place in several different cities.
I am going to need to speak to someone in Spokane, Washington about a refund. Do you have that phone number?
No.
This is madness.
Yes. It’s March Madness.
You and your damn same-letter nicknames.

The Warm and Fuzzies - The Best Thing Eddie Sutton Ever Accomplished.

Buckle B's Best Bet Bracket Busters

I know this is the day before one of the best sports days of the year, the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, and this barely gives you time to use my prognostications to complete your perfect bracket. For those of you, however, that like to wait until the last possible minute to throw away $5 in your office pool, I offer these first round upsets.

• It seems everyone is picking Siena to beat Purdue now that the Boilermakers are without Robbie Hummell. I have thought about this for awhile and hate to jump on the bandwagon. Therefore, I am picking PURDUE to beat Siena. I understand this is not technically an upset based on the seeding, but it seems picking Purdue is going against the grain, therefore acceptable as an upset. Plus, I don't see Siena winning a first round game 3 years in a row.
• Georgia Tech over Oklahoma State: A 7 over a 10 is not earth shattering, but the Big 12 is THE conference this year, while the ACC is having a down year. Derek Favors is a major plus for the Yellow jackets, but he's not the deciding factor. Oklahoma State, coached by former UK PG Travis Ford, who took over for the Suttons now that the father/son duo is "Betty Ford-in it," also starts Billy Gillispie recruit, Matt Pilgrim. How could you not pick Tech?
• Missouri over Clemson: Don't really know why, so I am mailing this one in and saying "have I ever let you down before?"
  
• Two quick notes:

1. Everyone is talking about how dangerous Cornell is this year. Buckle B says don't listen to the Ivy League, it's poison for your bracket. Temple will put an end to the pretender contender Andy Bernard's Alma Mater in the first round.

2. I have gone through the bracket several times, and as much as it pains me to say this, I do not see Louisville losing to California or Duke. Louisville has proven they can play with the worst of them, but I see at least a sweet 16 run from UofL. At least if it is UofL v. Duke, somebody will lose and I'll be happy.

Titanic Survivors

Here is a picture of the Titanic survivors from the exhibit at the Louisville Science Center back in January. Notice it's all the women who survived while us guys went down with the ship. Women and children first. Bah!

"Zombie in My Pocket"

I am posting this for you Mark. I have heard it is a fun game, but have not printed it out yet because I don't have any card stock. It is a solitaire game you can play in 5-20 minutes. http://files.boardgamegeek.com/file/download/39dklh6vg3/Zombie_in_my_Pocket.pdf?

UK/Georgia & Ghost Hunters 100th Episode

I am a little concerned about the UK/Georgia game tonight, but not as worried as I would have been if Kentucky had beaten Tennessee this past weekend. Georgia is undefeated at home this year in conference play and will have added motivation tonight against Kentucky. I don't have much more insight than that, but I'm looking forward to it as usual.

I saw in the TV lineup this morning that "Ghost Hunters" will be having its 100th episode tonight on SyFy Channel (formerly Sci-Fi...I guess they thought the change made it zippier). It will be a 2 hour live broadcast from Alcatraz. I have my DVR set just in case I get too sleepy to watch it after the Kentucky/Georgia game. The broadcast starts at 9pm. I have been a little disappointed in the show the past few seasons because I feel like more of it is staged . I guess I should know when I watch a channel called SyFy it may have a little bit a fiction sprinkled in. However, it will be neat seeing them at Alcatraz. I'm sure the show will be ruined by a "celebrity" guest investigator they usually pull out for the live episodes.

2 Feet of Snow