I know it is a day early, but I won't be online tomorrow.
So I want to send a special greeting out to my mother.
I recently started practicing law at the age of 31. This is a dream I have followed for as long as I can remember. My mother has been there every step of the way supporting me and dreaming my dream with me.
My mother bandaged bruises, nursed me when I was sick, cheered my accomplishments and most of all, she has loved me. That is the most important thing. It seems so simple, but a mother's love is wonderful, complex thing. It can prop you up when you are down and it can help you soar when you are up.
Thanks mom. Thanks for always being there. Thanks for always caring. Thanks for being you.
I love you. Happy Mother's Day!
Saturday, May 12, 2007
He gets paid for this?
I am a sports fan. A HUGE sports fan. I love watching sports and I love reading about sports. Most sports columnists are just blowhards who try to be controversial or go against the grain. You understand it and you acccept it as you read most things. But occasionally, one of these guys will write something that is just hilarious. Especially when they are proven to be flat out wrong just a day later. One of the Miami Herald's writers had that experience this week. Greg Cote wrote a column saying that the dolphins should give Daunte Culpepper and Ricky Williams a second chance. Ricky Williams, of course, is the guy that quit on the Dolphins a couple of years ago right before training camp and then decided to "unretire." Since then, he has been suspended by the NFL for testing positive for marijuana use. In his column, Cote had this to say:
and this:
Williams' last uninterrupted season was 2003? The last three seasons have been "interrupted" not by injurie, but by quitting and by drug suspensions. And Cote says Williams is proven? Of course he bases this on Williams saying that he has been "sober" (or whatever you call it when you have a drug problem) for a ridiculous amount of time.
So of course, after writing this, what comes out? Ricky Williams has failed his fifth drug test.
I just find it funny. Ths guy has the ability to be one of best running backs of all time. But he can't stay on the field. Some people are being apologists for Ricky and blaming his drug use on "Social Anxiety Disorder." Apparently a "disease" that disables people when they get around a large group of people. Ricky has to "blaze" (as people called it on the radio last night) just to be comfortable. To me, it's just plain selfishness. He has a contract with the Dolphins. He has made commitments to teammates. All Ricky has "proven" is that he is untrustworthy and does not deserve any more chances from the Dolphins or the NFL!
So anyway, I find it ironic for Cote. Of course in his blog, he says he included a caveat about Ricky giving up pot. Nice backtracking there. He bought Ricky Williams song and dance, wrote a column about it, and now he looks foolish. I wonder what the going rate is at the Herald for blowhard sports columnist. Might be time for a career change.
These are two proven, productive weapons when healthy and unsuspended, which both seem close to finally being.
and this:
In Williams' last uninterrupted season (2003), he rushed for 1,372 yards, caught 50 passes and had 10 touchdowns. Draftee Lorenzo Booker is an NFL maybe. Williams is proven.
Williams' last uninterrupted season was 2003? The last three seasons have been "interrupted" not by injurie, but by quitting and by drug suspensions. And Cote says Williams is proven? Of course he bases this on Williams saying that he has been "sober" (or whatever you call it when you have a drug problem) for a ridiculous amount of time.
So of course, after writing this, what comes out? Ricky Williams has failed his fifth drug test.
I just find it funny. Ths guy has the ability to be one of best running backs of all time. But he can't stay on the field. Some people are being apologists for Ricky and blaming his drug use on "Social Anxiety Disorder." Apparently a "disease" that disables people when they get around a large group of people. Ricky has to "blaze" (as people called it on the radio last night) just to be comfortable. To me, it's just plain selfishness. He has a contract with the Dolphins. He has made commitments to teammates. All Ricky has "proven" is that he is untrustworthy and does not deserve any more chances from the Dolphins or the NFL!
So anyway, I find it ironic for Cote. Of course in his blog, he says he included a caveat about Ricky giving up pot. Nice backtracking there. He bought Ricky Williams song and dance, wrote a column about it, and now he looks foolish. I wonder what the going rate is at the Herald for blowhard sports columnist. Might be time for a career change.
Life in South Florida
It's spring time and the smell of smoke is in the air. Yes, head out the door, take a big breath and smell the acrid smell of smoke. As you can see in this article, South Florida has been covered in a blank of smoke since early in the week.
To get an idea of what it has been like, check out this picture:
There are fires all over the state as well as a really big one up in south Georgia near the Florida border. To make matters worse, the winds are steering the smoke from all over the state in the direction of Miami. But there is something about the current weather pattern that makes it just stall and hang out over miami.
It was actually kind of cool when it rolled in early in the week. From my office, I cold see it on the horizon. It looked like a really low cloud, like the really heavy thunderstorms we get in the summer. What was strange was the odd orange color. I wasn's sure if it was smog or clouds being tinted by the sunlight since it was late in the afternoon. Before I left work, my building was in the cloud. Once I got outside and got a whiff of the smoke, it wasn't cool anymore.
I'm tired of it and I hope it goes away soon. The rainy season is supposed to start mid-May, so hopefully we'll start getting some storms to put out the fires as well as some steering currents that will blow the smoke out of here.
To get an idea of what it has been like, check out this picture:
There are fires all over the state as well as a really big one up in south Georgia near the Florida border. To make matters worse, the winds are steering the smoke from all over the state in the direction of Miami. But there is something about the current weather pattern that makes it just stall and hang out over miami.
It was actually kind of cool when it rolled in early in the week. From my office, I cold see it on the horizon. It looked like a really low cloud, like the really heavy thunderstorms we get in the summer. What was strange was the odd orange color. I wasn's sure if it was smog or clouds being tinted by the sunlight since it was late in the afternoon. Before I left work, my building was in the cloud. Once I got outside and got a whiff of the smoke, it wasn't cool anymore.
I'm tired of it and I hope it goes away soon. The rainy season is supposed to start mid-May, so hopefully we'll start getting some storms to put out the fires as well as some steering currents that will blow the smoke out of here.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Shout Out!
Have to give a shout out to the Metz Family. Congratulations on the birth of your new baby girl. Julie and I love you guys and we are thinking about you.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Healing
This has obviously been a tough week for the people associated with Virginia Tech. I can't begin to imagine the emotions they have gone through. But for all events, there is always a healing process that must begin. In recent years, it seems that sports has played an important role in helping to kick-start that process. Apparently, it is no different with Virginia Tech. Last night, Virginia Tech began the process by hosting their first home athletic event since the massacre. By the luck of the schedule, the UM baseball team got to be a part of that. As an alum and a fan of UM, I am proud of the part that UM got to play and I am extremely proud of how the baseball team has handled themselves.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Quiet Skies
In a rare, but small victory for common sense out of the federal government, the FCC announced today that it will not be lifiting a restriction on the use of cell phones on an airplane during flight. I don't think much needs to be said about this. I would imagine pretty much everyone has had to suffer through some moronic conversation that can't wait ten more minutes as soon as a plane touches down. The thought of having people talking on cell phones in the cramped quarters of an airplane cabin could make even the most seasoned traveler shudder with fear.
For once, thank you federal government. Maybe this bit of common sense will be contagious (unlikely).
For once, thank you federal government. Maybe this bit of common sense will be contagious (unlikely).
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
I wanted to comment on this article I read last week in the Wall Street Journal. The article is about the construction of the Capitol Visitors Center and how it is way behind schedule and way over budget (of course it is...the government is involved). I think the concept of the visitors center is nice. I like the thought that the lines to get into the Capitol will be indoors in an air conditioned space. I like that people will be able to learn about the Capitol and its history. It is a great concept. But this quote from the article saddens me:
I got to visit D.C. as a Junior in high school and then I lived in D.C. for six weeks after my Junior year in college as an intern for Senator Jeff Bingaman. I love D.C.! It is one of my favorite places in the world. Some of the best memories I have of my summer there revolve around the Capitol. Working across the Street in one of the Senate office buildings, I saw the Capitol every day on my way to work. It was one of the first sights I sas as I drove into town looking for my apartment. Some of the interns where I lived had a running joke about the Capitol being our "office." We would even hang out on the Capitol grounds at night time. We could walk around the plazas, sit on the steps, hang out at the reflecting pool. One of the most pleasurable things I have done is hang out at the Capitol late at night, long after the crowds are gone, and gaze down the mall at the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. I was in the Capitol building numerous times. I even gave tours to constituents. My ID badge allowed me to go down some hallways that regular visitors were not in. I knew my way around. I knew where the statues were...I knew where certain staircases went. I could get around so easily. Often, I ate lunch in the dining room and would see Senators on the subway to the Capitol. And of course, I sat in on several sessions. I think most of the gifts I bought in D.C. that summer were bought in the Capitol gift shop. Needless to say, I have very fond memories of that building.
One of the coolest things about the Capitol then was the ease of getting inside. You could enter the building through most of the doors and wander through the building on your own. You could start at the Senate side and wander down toward the House side, lingering wherever you wish. You could pop in one side, stroll through the Rotunda and head to the West Front and see the view down the mall as you emerged from the building.
I knew that access to the Capitol had been tightly controlled since 9/11 and I understand why. We don't want some wacko walking in with a backpack bomb killing several hundred people and severly damaging this historic building. But it makes me sad that we are losing the "freedom" we had to enter the seat of our goverment. And now, there is talk that there will be only one access point for the public? I don't want to be an old fogie, focused on "things were better back in my day." But when I take my children there, I want to have control over the experience. I want to show them around and tell them what a cool place it was. I don't want to be part of the herd.
So I think a visitors center is a great idea. I'm all for the education. But if this is the "expense" it comes with, I don't want it. I hope that someday we can overcome our fear and open the place back up. But I doubt that will happen in my lifetime. And even if it did, we usually don't backtrack on security measures, so this is just how it's going to be.
The post 9/11 generations are truly missing something special.
Even its detractors agree that the center will be both informative and pretty.
Pretty enough, perhaps, to make Americans forget that by herding them underground into a separate facility, Congress - the branch of government designed by the Founding Fathers to be closest to the people - is putting even more space between itself and its pesky constituents.
It's likely that the two remaining entrances to the Capitol itself will be closed to all but members and staff, with all visitors funneled through the underground center.
I got to visit D.C. as a Junior in high school and then I lived in D.C. for six weeks after my Junior year in college as an intern for Senator Jeff Bingaman. I love D.C.! It is one of my favorite places in the world. Some of the best memories I have of my summer there revolve around the Capitol. Working across the Street in one of the Senate office buildings, I saw the Capitol every day on my way to work. It was one of the first sights I sas as I drove into town looking for my apartment. Some of the interns where I lived had a running joke about the Capitol being our "office." We would even hang out on the Capitol grounds at night time. We could walk around the plazas, sit on the steps, hang out at the reflecting pool. One of the most pleasurable things I have done is hang out at the Capitol late at night, long after the crowds are gone, and gaze down the mall at the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. I was in the Capitol building numerous times. I even gave tours to constituents. My ID badge allowed me to go down some hallways that regular visitors were not in. I knew my way around. I knew where the statues were...I knew where certain staircases went. I could get around so easily. Often, I ate lunch in the dining room and would see Senators on the subway to the Capitol. And of course, I sat in on several sessions. I think most of the gifts I bought in D.C. that summer were bought in the Capitol gift shop. Needless to say, I have very fond memories of that building.
One of the coolest things about the Capitol then was the ease of getting inside. You could enter the building through most of the doors and wander through the building on your own. You could start at the Senate side and wander down toward the House side, lingering wherever you wish. You could pop in one side, stroll through the Rotunda and head to the West Front and see the view down the mall as you emerged from the building.
I knew that access to the Capitol had been tightly controlled since 9/11 and I understand why. We don't want some wacko walking in with a backpack bomb killing several hundred people and severly damaging this historic building. But it makes me sad that we are losing the "freedom" we had to enter the seat of our goverment. And now, there is talk that there will be only one access point for the public? I don't want to be an old fogie, focused on "things were better back in my day." But when I take my children there, I want to have control over the experience. I want to show them around and tell them what a cool place it was. I don't want to be part of the herd.
So I think a visitors center is a great idea. I'm all for the education. But if this is the "expense" it comes with, I don't want it. I hope that someday we can overcome our fear and open the place back up. But I doubt that will happen in my lifetime. And even if it did, we usually don't backtrack on security measures, so this is just how it's going to be.
The post 9/11 generations are truly missing something special.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
It's FANtastic!
Thanks to my good friend Clay, I went to my first NBA game last night. I got to the see the Miami Heat play the Atlanta Hawks. Because Clay had his boss's tickets, we were able to sit about ten or fifteen rows up at about the top of the key. Needless to say, the seats were pretty good.
I've never been a really big NBA fan. I usually don't watch games until the playoffs start. But I will rarely turn down tickets to a professional sporting event.
My first impression was that you don't truly appreciate how big those guys are until you watch a game live. Shaq is massive and Alonzo Mourning is not what you would call small. I was able follow the game much better in the arean and was able to watch the whole court. It gave me a much better idea of what goes on during the game. For example, we were behind the Heat bench. When the ball was down on the opposite end of the floor, one of the assistant coaches was up talking to a stat guy over at the scorer's table about fouls and stuff. That was something the camera usually does not focus on or that people rarely notice.
The other interesting thing about being in the arena are the sounds that you don't hear on TV. The swish of the ball on the net. The slight ping as the ball just scrapes the back of the rim on its way in. The sound of the rim popping back into place after a monster dunk. Being able to actually hear the coaches and the players communicate. It was all pretty cool.
As for the dunking, I've been one in recent years to think there is too much emphasis on dunking and not enough on fundamentals. Well, seeing the dunks in the game changed my opinion somewhat. Seeing it live is so much more exciting and you have a much better appreciation for the sheer physicality of getting that high in the air with relatively little effort.
And of course, one of the best perks of seeing a game live are the cheerleaders/dancers. But I won't dwell on that, lest I get in trouble.
After last night, I have now been to all four major professional sports in the U.S. While living in Nashville, I was able to see some NFL games and some hockey games. I have now had the chance to see Major League Baseball and NBA here in Miami. I'm a pretty lucky guy. Hopefully, I will get the chance to go back to a Heat game, but it will be pretty hard to go back up to the nosebleeds. Those seats last night were pretty good.
I've never been a really big NBA fan. I usually don't watch games until the playoffs start. But I will rarely turn down tickets to a professional sporting event.
My first impression was that you don't truly appreciate how big those guys are until you watch a game live. Shaq is massive and Alonzo Mourning is not what you would call small. I was able follow the game much better in the arean and was able to watch the whole court. It gave me a much better idea of what goes on during the game. For example, we were behind the Heat bench. When the ball was down on the opposite end of the floor, one of the assistant coaches was up talking to a stat guy over at the scorer's table about fouls and stuff. That was something the camera usually does not focus on or that people rarely notice.
The other interesting thing about being in the arena are the sounds that you don't hear on TV. The swish of the ball on the net. The slight ping as the ball just scrapes the back of the rim on its way in. The sound of the rim popping back into place after a monster dunk. Being able to actually hear the coaches and the players communicate. It was all pretty cool.
As for the dunking, I've been one in recent years to think there is too much emphasis on dunking and not enough on fundamentals. Well, seeing the dunks in the game changed my opinion somewhat. Seeing it live is so much more exciting and you have a much better appreciation for the sheer physicality of getting that high in the air with relatively little effort.
And of course, one of the best perks of seeing a game live are the cheerleaders/dancers. But I won't dwell on that, lest I get in trouble.
After last night, I have now been to all four major professional sports in the U.S. While living in Nashville, I was able to see some NFL games and some hockey games. I have now had the chance to see Major League Baseball and NBA here in Miami. I'm a pretty lucky guy. Hopefully, I will get the chance to go back to a Heat game, but it will be pretty hard to go back up to the nosebleeds. Those seats last night were pretty good.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Final Four
Well, the Final Four is set, and I must do a little bragging. I am in second place in my Facebook group (don't ask about my other brackets) thanks to going 4/4 in picking this year's Final Four. I'm pretty sure that this is the first time I have ever nailed all four teams in the Final Four in a single bracket, and I have filled out many brackets in my time. Of course, that does not mean anything if I don't get the final two or the champ right. But I will bask in this glory for a few days at least. In case your wondering, I've got the Buckeyes beating the Gators in the championship game.
That is a very intriguing matchup. Stewart Mandel at CNNSI.COM had a great column talking about the Final Four subplot with the potential OSU/UF rematch in the final game.
Personally, I think OSU fans are scared to death of the prospect of playing UF in the final. After the basketball team lost to UF in December and after the football team got destroyed in the Fiesta Bowl, I would imaging that Buckeyes everywhere are dreading a game with UF and are rooting for UCLA accordingly. As for that Fiesta Bowl, I must confess, even though I hated seeing UF win a football championship, there was a part of me that took pleasure in the beating OSU took. As any good Miami fan, there will always be a part of me that harbors some bitterness at the way the UM/OSU Fiesta Bowl went down back in 2003. So, for me at least, even though I can't stand the Gators, it was kind of cool to see OSU come into that game as prohibitive favorites and lose, much the way Miami did in the previous game. Kind of poetic justice.
Anyway, I don't really care who wins this weekend, except of course as it relates to my bracket, so I will pull for Ohio State, if for no other reason than my Buddy Adam may never come see us if UF beats OSU again.
That is a very intriguing matchup. Stewart Mandel at CNNSI.COM had a great column talking about the Final Four subplot with the potential OSU/UF rematch in the final game.
Personally, I think OSU fans are scared to death of the prospect of playing UF in the final. After the basketball team lost to UF in December and after the football team got destroyed in the Fiesta Bowl, I would imaging that Buckeyes everywhere are dreading a game with UF and are rooting for UCLA accordingly. As for that Fiesta Bowl, I must confess, even though I hated seeing UF win a football championship, there was a part of me that took pleasure in the beating OSU took. As any good Miami fan, there will always be a part of me that harbors some bitterness at the way the UM/OSU Fiesta Bowl went down back in 2003. So, for me at least, even though I can't stand the Gators, it was kind of cool to see OSU come into that game as prohibitive favorites and lose, much the way Miami did in the previous game. Kind of poetic justice.
Anyway, I don't really care who wins this weekend, except of course as it relates to my bracket, so I will pull for Ohio State, if for no other reason than my Buddy Adam may never come see us if UF beats OSU again.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Trumped Up
As a follow up to yesterday's post, I am currently reading Rick Reilly's book: Who's Your Caddy?. I'll give my overall impression of the book when I am done (like i promised
a long time ago...and no, I never finished Stealing Elections). But the basic premise of the book is that Reilly spent a couple of years caddying for various people. Of course, one of the people who took him up on his offer was Donald Trump. The chapter confirmed a lot of the things I have come to think about Trump. Trump is an ego maniac who only values things by their monetary worth. As I said yesterday, the theme song for his show is about money and he always implies that the number and worth of the things you own are how you measure success. He usually introduces tasks by calling the company sponsoring the task as the best in their industry or they have X amount of revenue. It gets annoying. Well, according to Reilly, that's just the way he is. Everything he does has to be the best. And he'll tell you how much he spent to make it so. As Reilly notes, his golf club up in New York has the "best cheeseburger chef in the East" or something along those lines. As Reilly quipped, "they rank cheeseburger chefs?" Everything boils down to a dollar figure with Trump. That's the only way he knows how to measure something. But is he really that unique? I think many Americans are like that. We live a culture that is saturated with possessions. So the only way we can tell a difference from one another is by who spent the most on their possessions. I am fortunate enough to have an education that put me into a career where I will have to opportunity to have a nice living. I just pray that I don't measure its worth in dollar signs. I pray that I will be a generous person and that I won't get caught up trying to have what the Joneses have.
a long time ago...and no, I never finished Stealing Elections). But the basic premise of the book is that Reilly spent a couple of years caddying for various people. Of course, one of the people who took him up on his offer was Donald Trump. The chapter confirmed a lot of the things I have come to think about Trump. Trump is an ego maniac who only values things by their monetary worth. As I said yesterday, the theme song for his show is about money and he always implies that the number and worth of the things you own are how you measure success. He usually introduces tasks by calling the company sponsoring the task as the best in their industry or they have X amount of revenue. It gets annoying. Well, according to Reilly, that's just the way he is. Everything he does has to be the best. And he'll tell you how much he spent to make it so. As Reilly notes, his golf club up in New York has the "best cheeseburger chef in the East" or something along those lines. As Reilly quipped, "they rank cheeseburger chefs?" Everything boils down to a dollar figure with Trump. That's the only way he knows how to measure something. But is he really that unique? I think many Americans are like that. We live a culture that is saturated with possessions. So the only way we can tell a difference from one another is by who spent the most on their possessions. I am fortunate enough to have an education that put me into a career where I will have to opportunity to have a nice living. I just pray that I don't measure its worth in dollar signs. I pray that I will be a generous person and that I won't get caught up trying to have what the Joneses have.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Tidbits
Just a couple of observations from this past weekend:
1. How hard is it to turn of a cell phone? Julie and I went to a move this past Friday (we saw Sandra Bullock's new movie Premonition...I was very disappointed in the movie...I love Sandra Bullock and the movie looked really cool...I was extremely disappointed by the end of the movie...on the other hand, we some great trailers for new movies, including a trailer for Vacancy) Before the movie, there were three separate "ads" reminding people to silence their cell phones. I chuckled to myself and wondered if that was really necessary or if people really are that stupid. I found out it's because people really are that stupid. Of course, someone's cell phone went off during the movie. How hard is it to check your phone when someone "reminds" you to turn it off. I have a cell phone and I feel like I can't go anywhere without it, but I also think cell phones are one of the worst inventions ever!
2. Watched the apprentice on Sunday night. Prior to the boardroom, they showed the girl who eventually got fired reading her bible. In her confessional shot, she talked about strengthening herself by reading scripture and, "God willing" should would not get fired. When they showed her reading her bible, in the background, you could see her chief rival reading one of Donald Trump's books. Then they did a confessional with her saying Mona should not be reading the bible, Trump makes the decision, not God, etc. I looked at Julie and wondered if that was necessary. Sure enough, Mona (bible reader) got fired that night. I think the editors of the show were very intentional to put that in as a slap to Christianity and people of faith. Perhaps Mona has the faith to realize God may have something different and far better for her than being the next Apprentice. Maybe Mona has the faith to realize Trump is extremely greedy and, at least on the show, makes it sound like money and wealth are the ultimate measure of a worthy life. Heck, the show's theme song is the O'Jay's "For the Love of Money." This was a blatant episode of christianity mocking which I find unfortunate. I will probably keep watching the show, but it just reinforces the things I think about Donald Trump.
1. How hard is it to turn of a cell phone? Julie and I went to a move this past Friday (we saw Sandra Bullock's new movie Premonition...I was very disappointed in the movie...I love Sandra Bullock and the movie looked really cool...I was extremely disappointed by the end of the movie...on the other hand, we some great trailers for new movies, including a trailer for Vacancy) Before the movie, there were three separate "ads" reminding people to silence their cell phones. I chuckled to myself and wondered if that was really necessary or if people really are that stupid. I found out it's because people really are that stupid. Of course, someone's cell phone went off during the movie. How hard is it to check your phone when someone "reminds" you to turn it off. I have a cell phone and I feel like I can't go anywhere without it, but I also think cell phones are one of the worst inventions ever!
2. Watched the apprentice on Sunday night. Prior to the boardroom, they showed the girl who eventually got fired reading her bible. In her confessional shot, she talked about strengthening herself by reading scripture and, "God willing" should would not get fired. When they showed her reading her bible, in the background, you could see her chief rival reading one of Donald Trump's books. Then they did a confessional with her saying Mona should not be reading the bible, Trump makes the decision, not God, etc. I looked at Julie and wondered if that was necessary. Sure enough, Mona (bible reader) got fired that night. I think the editors of the show were very intentional to put that in as a slap to Christianity and people of faith. Perhaps Mona has the faith to realize God may have something different and far better for her than being the next Apprentice. Maybe Mona has the faith to realize Trump is extremely greedy and, at least on the show, makes it sound like money and wealth are the ultimate measure of a worthy life. Heck, the show's theme song is the O'Jay's "For the Love of Money." This was a blatant episode of christianity mocking which I find unfortunate. I will probably keep watching the show, but it just reinforces the things I think about Donald Trump.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Love is a Disease!
I occasionally read other blogs. There is a vast group of "mommy bloggers" out there: women who write about their families, kids, difficulties of being a mom, etc. One of them, a while back, started a movement called Love Thursday. The whole point of LT is to post something on Thursdays that represents love. Many of the mommy bloggers have picked it up.
So, without further adieu, here is my contribution to Love Thursday:
Love is nothing more than an addiction. At least according to the Today Show. There is a radio station in Miami that just broadcasts NBC all day long. It's great for listening to news and weather or for catching the start of a show if you are getting home late. Sometimes, on the way to work in the mornings, I listen to the Today Show to catch news and weather forecasts. During today's drive, I heard a segment that is part of a series Today is doing on love. One of the "experts" Today had essentially said love is equivalent to cocaine addiction.
According to this expert, the brain's chemical reactions associated with love mimic those of a cocaine high. The expert later when on to say that the brain's "love" chemicals act like any number of addictions.
In today's world where alcoholism and drug addiction are treated as diseases, Love should be a legitimate disability. I shouldn't have to go to work because I am "in love." There should be support groups for Lovers Anonymous. 12 steps to being love free.
I have always believed that love more than an emotional feel, and now I believe it is more than a chemical reaction. In the story, the the expert distinguishes between love and lust stating that different areas of the brain are involved in the two feelings.
True love is not a mechanical response to a chemical stimulus. Even though they distinguished between love and lust, I have a feeling what they measures was what we would call infatuation. There is an emotional response to love. It does make you feel good. A body may react to it in many ways. But true love goes beyone scientific measurement. No scientific instrument can measure the level of sacrifice that a committed husband or wife is willing to give for their spouse. That deep sense of commitment and devotion to another person cannot be sampled. True love, Biblical love, is far more complex than the human brain. When we equate love to an addiction or a chemical equation, we cheapen it. We show our lack of understanding of what love is really all about.
I am fortunate that I have found something more than a simple chemical in my brain. I hope you have found it too.
So, without further adieu, here is my contribution to Love Thursday:
Love is nothing more than an addiction. At least according to the Today Show. There is a radio station in Miami that just broadcasts NBC all day long. It's great for listening to news and weather or for catching the start of a show if you are getting home late. Sometimes, on the way to work in the mornings, I listen to the Today Show to catch news and weather forecasts. During today's drive, I heard a segment that is part of a series Today is doing on love. One of the "experts" Today had essentially said love is equivalent to cocaine addiction.
According to this expert, the brain's chemical reactions associated with love mimic those of a cocaine high. The expert later when on to say that the brain's "love" chemicals act like any number of addictions.
In today's world where alcoholism and drug addiction are treated as diseases, Love should be a legitimate disability. I shouldn't have to go to work because I am "in love." There should be support groups for Lovers Anonymous. 12 steps to being love free.
I have always believed that love more than an emotional feel, and now I believe it is more than a chemical reaction. In the story, the the expert distinguishes between love and lust stating that different areas of the brain are involved in the two feelings.
True love is not a mechanical response to a chemical stimulus. Even though they distinguished between love and lust, I have a feeling what they measures was what we would call infatuation. There is an emotional response to love. It does make you feel good. A body may react to it in many ways. But true love goes beyone scientific measurement. No scientific instrument can measure the level of sacrifice that a committed husband or wife is willing to give for their spouse. That deep sense of commitment and devotion to another person cannot be sampled. True love, Biblical love, is far more complex than the human brain. When we equate love to an addiction or a chemical equation, we cheapen it. We show our lack of understanding of what love is really all about.
I am fortunate that I have found something more than a simple chemical in my brain. I hope you have found it too.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Bold Predictions
Well, as I reviewed my last post before I went AWOL, I realized I had made very prescient observation:
As it turns out, he was fired the very next morning. I found out by way of a text message from Robert, about the only guy who will discuss college football with me on a regular basis. On the one hand, I hated to see Coker guy. I thought he was good for the program as far as academics and character go. But I began to see things in games this year that just left me no confidence in him. Obviously the administration felt the same way.
I was pleased with the Randy Shannon hire. My first choice was Greg Schianno. Good for him if he wants to stay at Rutgers and build a program. But I will be upset if he ends up at another major college in the next couple of years. Miami needed to get this guy. But I think Shannon will do fine. I was impressed with his recruiting class. I'm not normally a recruiting junkie. I don't pay attention to it and I don't think you can judge the quality of a class until they leave the school. But the thing I like is Shannon competed against some guys and won. He was able to sign Robert Marve out of Tampa even though the kid had commited to Alabama and was being re-recruited by Nick Saban. I was also impressed that Shannon got some big name kids to sing on signing day that other big schools really wanted. It seems Shannon is already turning things around. I hope he does.
On a side note, I saw him jogging near the house the other day. That now brings the total number of coaches I have seen jogging to two. I saw Urban Meyer jogging across campus last year while I lived in Gainesville.
On another note, I have been rolling a post around in my mind about the recent push to require young girls to get the HPV vaccination. Part of my rant was going to be about how Merck was behind this and it really did not have anything to do with public health, but rather the health of Merck's bottom line. Well, now it's too later. Merck announced that it is no longer going to openly lobby for these requirements. Of course, that does not mean they won't go through back channels. They beat me to the punch and now I won't look so smart. I think I will still give my thoughts on the issue later on because the states have not necessarily given up the push even though Merck is not showering them with cash any more.
I hope to keep providing you wise predictions of the future like these I have mentioned. Right now, I predict that it is time to go home and I will write again later.
"Probably won't save Larry Coker's job, but now he has a job for another month or so."
As it turns out, he was fired the very next morning. I found out by way of a text message from Robert, about the only guy who will discuss college football with me on a regular basis. On the one hand, I hated to see Coker guy. I thought he was good for the program as far as academics and character go. But I began to see things in games this year that just left me no confidence in him. Obviously the administration felt the same way.
I was pleased with the Randy Shannon hire. My first choice was Greg Schianno. Good for him if he wants to stay at Rutgers and build a program. But I will be upset if he ends up at another major college in the next couple of years. Miami needed to get this guy. But I think Shannon will do fine. I was impressed with his recruiting class. I'm not normally a recruiting junkie. I don't pay attention to it and I don't think you can judge the quality of a class until they leave the school. But the thing I like is Shannon competed against some guys and won. He was able to sign Robert Marve out of Tampa even though the kid had commited to Alabama and was being re-recruited by Nick Saban. I was also impressed that Shannon got some big name kids to sing on signing day that other big schools really wanted. It seems Shannon is already turning things around. I hope he does.
On a side note, I saw him jogging near the house the other day. That now brings the total number of coaches I have seen jogging to two. I saw Urban Meyer jogging across campus last year while I lived in Gainesville.
On another note, I have been rolling a post around in my mind about the recent push to require young girls to get the HPV vaccination. Part of my rant was going to be about how Merck was behind this and it really did not have anything to do with public health, but rather the health of Merck's bottom line. Well, now it's too later. Merck announced that it is no longer going to openly lobby for these requirements. Of course, that does not mean they won't go through back channels. They beat me to the punch and now I won't look so smart. I think I will still give my thoughts on the issue later on because the states have not necessarily given up the push even though Merck is not showering them with cash any more.
I hope to keep providing you wise predictions of the future like these I have mentioned. Right now, I predict that it is time to go home and I will write again later.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Time to Catch Up
Well, I said I would get back to writing more often, then I went silent for nearly three months. I did not realize it had been so long. Of course, the last post was right before Thanksgiving which was right before I started a new job and, whoosh, it's now three months later. That's right. I have a job. I've been sworn into the Florida bar and I am actually practicing law. I'm enjoying it so far. There are things I want to improve, but I feel like it has gone well so far. I hope to post on a much more regular basis, but I won't get into anything substantive until the next post.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Tidbits
Not much new to write about the last couple of weeks, but I don't want to get in the habit of not writing. So, here it is. Be glad you don't have to pay for this stuff.
Last week, we drove up to Orlando to see my cousin, his wife and their baby (though he's not much of a baby anymore). We were going to hang out and watch the Cowboys beat the Colts, but their schedule changed, so Julie and I ended up making a spur of the moment trip to Disneyworld. I don't suggest driving to Miami, spending 8 hours at Disneyworld, then trying to drive back to Miami in the same day. Makes for a very long day. But we did.
I had been to Disneyworld once before at the age of 13 (plus a couple of trips to Disneyland). It's a lot different than I remember it. For one thing, it is a lot smaller when you are an adult. And the rides don't seem as cool when you can easily spot the "magic." I guess that is why they have built some of the other parks...to keep the adults entertained. (What? You thought is was for the money?) I also have to wonder, if Disneyworld is the happiest place on earth, why did I hear so many kids crying? It's a fun place, but you take a small child, pump 'em full of sugar and take them around a park for 8 hours plus, you tend to have a few melt downs. But it was a fun day and I was glad to see my cousin.
This weekend, we drove south of Miami to Key West for Thanksgiving. It's almost midnight Thanksgiving day and I write this sitting beneath a palm tree in a sleeveless shirt listening to the breeze in the leaves. Aren't you jealous? Paradise sure has it's perks. We'll be here for a couple of days then head back to Miami.
This is one of the best football days in a while. The Cowboys easily won their game and UM finally won a game. Just might even go to a bowl game. It might be a completely meaningless game, but it will be a bowl game nonetheless. Probably won't save Larry Coker's job, but now he has a job for another month or so.
Since this is a pretty random post, I'll end it in the famous words of Forrest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."
Last week, we drove up to Orlando to see my cousin, his wife and their baby (though he's not much of a baby anymore). We were going to hang out and watch the Cowboys beat the Colts, but their schedule changed, so Julie and I ended up making a spur of the moment trip to Disneyworld. I don't suggest driving to Miami, spending 8 hours at Disneyworld, then trying to drive back to Miami in the same day. Makes for a very long day. But we did.
I had been to Disneyworld once before at the age of 13 (plus a couple of trips to Disneyland). It's a lot different than I remember it. For one thing, it is a lot smaller when you are an adult. And the rides don't seem as cool when you can easily spot the "magic." I guess that is why they have built some of the other parks...to keep the adults entertained. (What? You thought is was for the money?) I also have to wonder, if Disneyworld is the happiest place on earth, why did I hear so many kids crying? It's a fun place, but you take a small child, pump 'em full of sugar and take them around a park for 8 hours plus, you tend to have a few melt downs. But it was a fun day and I was glad to see my cousin.
This weekend, we drove south of Miami to Key West for Thanksgiving. It's almost midnight Thanksgiving day and I write this sitting beneath a palm tree in a sleeveless shirt listening to the breeze in the leaves. Aren't you jealous? Paradise sure has it's perks. We'll be here for a couple of days then head back to Miami.
This is one of the best football days in a while. The Cowboys easily won their game and UM finally won a game. Just might even go to a bowl game. It might be a completely meaningless game, but it will be a bowl game nonetheless. Probably won't save Larry Coker's job, but now he has a job for another month or so.
Since this is a pretty random post, I'll end it in the famous words of Forrest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Election Day: Part II
Today was a gloomy day. I'm disappointed by the results of the election (although we did manage to elect a Republican Governor).
It is a gloomy day becuase a member of the University of Miami Football team was killed late yesterday afternoon. This is a very tragic event. I am sad for the family of the Bryan Pata. But his death made me realize something else yesterday.
[Sidebar: People have been calling the local sports talk shows talking about how bad they feel and how terrible this is. I think this is terrible and my thoughts go out to the guy's family, friends and teammates. But I am not grieving today. I did not know him personally. Unfortunately, many young African American men are shot every day. There is probably at least one University of Miami student who dies for some reason each year. But no one calls the talk shows and talks about how sad they are. People need to put this in perspective: you may be a fan, but unless you knew the kid, you have no idea how much grief his death has caused and you need to get a better hold of reality if this is affecting you as much as you say it is on the radio. Recognize it for the tragedy it is and be mindful of the people it really affects, but get over yourself.
On another note, he was killed in an apartment complex that is less than half a mile from where we lived through law school. We actually looked at an apartment in the complex where he was shot (or across the street...I haven't seen the actual complex on TV yet, but recognize the address). It was not a bad neighborhood. It is a decent neighborhood and we never felt unsafe in three years. Knowing that, I hope people don't turn this into another story about the thugs at UM. I don't know the facts yet, but I know the kid was not in a place he shouldn't have been]
What I realized is this: elections do affect us, but not as much as we might think. On an individual level, an election is meaningless when something like this happens. In the middle of the election night coverage, they news showed shots of friends and family of this guy gathered around, shocked and grieving. Meanwhile, people at various political rallies cheered and celebrated (or commiserated depending on outcomes), clueless to one family's tragedy. I'm sure this played out in various forms all across the country yesterday as people lost loved ones, lost jobs, got divorced, etc. Whether you are happy or sad about the election, please take a moment to be grateful for the things and people you have, regardless of whether your candidate won. There will always be another election, but we are blessed if we get one more day with our loved ones.
It is a gloomy day becuase a member of the University of Miami Football team was killed late yesterday afternoon. This is a very tragic event. I am sad for the family of the Bryan Pata. But his death made me realize something else yesterday.
[Sidebar: People have been calling the local sports talk shows talking about how bad they feel and how terrible this is. I think this is terrible and my thoughts go out to the guy's family, friends and teammates. But I am not grieving today. I did not know him personally. Unfortunately, many young African American men are shot every day. There is probably at least one University of Miami student who dies for some reason each year. But no one calls the talk shows and talks about how sad they are. People need to put this in perspective: you may be a fan, but unless you knew the kid, you have no idea how much grief his death has caused and you need to get a better hold of reality if this is affecting you as much as you say it is on the radio. Recognize it for the tragedy it is and be mindful of the people it really affects, but get over yourself.
On another note, he was killed in an apartment complex that is less than half a mile from where we lived through law school. We actually looked at an apartment in the complex where he was shot (or across the street...I haven't seen the actual complex on TV yet, but recognize the address). It was not a bad neighborhood. It is a decent neighborhood and we never felt unsafe in three years. Knowing that, I hope people don't turn this into another story about the thugs at UM. I don't know the facts yet, but I know the kid was not in a place he shouldn't have been]
What I realized is this: elections do affect us, but not as much as we might think. On an individual level, an election is meaningless when something like this happens. In the middle of the election night coverage, they news showed shots of friends and family of this guy gathered around, shocked and grieving. Meanwhile, people at various political rallies cheered and celebrated (or commiserated depending on outcomes), clueless to one family's tragedy. I'm sure this played out in various forms all across the country yesterday as people lost loved ones, lost jobs, got divorced, etc. Whether you are happy or sad about the election, please take a moment to be grateful for the things and people you have, regardless of whether your candidate won. There will always be another election, but we are blessed if we get one more day with our loved ones.
Election Day: Part I
Yesterday was, of course, election day. This astounds me because Florida elected a governor in yesterday's election. This fact is probably not amazing to most people, or even interesting for that matter. The reason it is interesting to me is because Julie and I lived in Florida when Jeb Bush was reelected to his second term as Florida governor. That means that yesterday was the second gubernatorial election we have witnessed. That means we have been in Miami for four years. That is just so hard for me to beleive. Time really does fly. Fortunately, yesterday's election went much smoother than the first election we witnessed here. When we moved here, we got here just in time for the primary election. This was the first statewide election in Florida since the 2000 presidential debacle. That first election was not much better. Many places were using the touch screen booths for the first time. On that primary day, many of the machines malfunctioned and the election generally went poorly. After 2000, the result was unacceptable to many here and Jeb Bush ended up removing the Supervisor of Elections for Broward county (a substantial move since the SE is locally elected and locally elected officials can be removed by the Governor only under special circumstances).
But four years later, things went smoothly and there were few, if any, reports of voting problems here. See, people in Florida CAN vote.
But four years later, things went smoothly and there were few, if any, reports of voting problems here. See, people in Florida CAN vote.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
'Tis the Season...to Market
I walked into Publix this morning and found them setting up a huge Christmas display. At the time, the employee was stacking boxes of candy canes in a pyramid/Christmas tree shape. The display was also full of lights, paper plates and everything else you need to throw the first Christmas party of the year this weekend. There were other Christmas displays in the store and they had just put out the individual Christmas cards.
Not that any of this surprises me. We saw Christmas decorations at Bombay Company at least two weeks ago. The Toys R Us "Big Toy Book" was in the newspaper Sunday. I saw a credit card commercial this morning with a Bing Crosby Christmas song in the background. I'm actually surprised that Publix is putting this stuff out today rather than yesterday.
For years, people have been complaining about how commercial Christmas has become. (The truly ironic thing is that much of this complaint comes from Christians, yet some of the first Christmas ads I saw this year were from Lifeway, the Southern Baptist Convention's bookstore.) People make fun of, and lament, the fact that stores start promoting Christmas before Halloween is even over. Actually, what really surprises me is the restraint many retailers have shown this year regarding when Christmas is brought out. At least to my perception, I have seen very little mention of Christmas, so far.
Of course, the cynic/skeptic in me realizes that this has nothing to do with respect for Christmas. It may be respect for the dollars spent by people who complain about Christmas being promoted to early, but I really think it is another phenomenon. I have seen reports that this year saw record amounts of money spent on Halloween decorations, etc. and that this is a trend that has been going on for a while. While it won't reach the level of Christmas, I think retailers have realized they can get as much mileage out of Halloween as they do the other second tier holidays like Valentine's Day and Independence Day. So they don't bring out the Christmas stuff so early so they don't distract people from Halloween sales.
It's a pretty smart strategy, if you ask me. Most retail establisments make or break their year on holiday shopping. If they promote Halloween, they can stretch the holiday season into October, which they've been trying to do for years, but they do it without making people weary of Christmas.
As for me, I'll wait a little while longer before really getting into Christmas.
Until then, have a happy Fall and great Thanksgiving!
Not that any of this surprises me. We saw Christmas decorations at Bombay Company at least two weeks ago. The Toys R Us "Big Toy Book" was in the newspaper Sunday. I saw a credit card commercial this morning with a Bing Crosby Christmas song in the background. I'm actually surprised that Publix is putting this stuff out today rather than yesterday.
For years, people have been complaining about how commercial Christmas has become. (The truly ironic thing is that much of this complaint comes from Christians, yet some of the first Christmas ads I saw this year were from Lifeway, the Southern Baptist Convention's bookstore.) People make fun of, and lament, the fact that stores start promoting Christmas before Halloween is even over. Actually, what really surprises me is the restraint many retailers have shown this year regarding when Christmas is brought out. At least to my perception, I have seen very little mention of Christmas, so far.
Of course, the cynic/skeptic in me realizes that this has nothing to do with respect for Christmas. It may be respect for the dollars spent by people who complain about Christmas being promoted to early, but I really think it is another phenomenon. I have seen reports that this year saw record amounts of money spent on Halloween decorations, etc. and that this is a trend that has been going on for a while. While it won't reach the level of Christmas, I think retailers have realized they can get as much mileage out of Halloween as they do the other second tier holidays like Valentine's Day and Independence Day. So they don't bring out the Christmas stuff so early so they don't distract people from Halloween sales.
It's a pretty smart strategy, if you ask me. Most retail establisments make or break their year on holiday shopping. If they promote Halloween, they can stretch the holiday season into October, which they've been trying to do for years, but they do it without making people weary of Christmas.
As for me, I'll wait a little while longer before really getting into Christmas.
Until then, have a happy Fall and great Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Almost Official
I've got good news! I received a letter last week from the Florida Supreme Court. I am eligible to be sorn in as an attorney in the state of Florida. I am this close to being a licensed attorney. Even though I don't have a job yet, I am so close to ending a long journey and completing a long held dream. When the big day happnes, I'll let you know.
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