Weekly Word Association For August 30th

Here's this week's word association.

1. Call :: Phone
2. Instinct :: Basic
3. Toffee :: Candy
4. Cleaner :: Wash
5. Gut :: Check
6. Leveled :: Picture
7. Discover :: Find
8. Together :: Apart
9. Attack :: Parry
10. String :: Along

Summer League Tourney

I swear, I don't intend to leave this blog for days on end like I do.  I was going to post this on Monday.  Then yesterday....

So, Saturday was the season ending tournament for my ultimate Frisbee Summer League.  Last Tuesday, we had our first win of the season.  Was momentum on our side?  Would we shock everyone and take the whole thing?

Um, no.

We wound up only getting to play two games, and we lost both of those.  Our first game was against the 3rd ranked team in our league, and we lost 8-13.  (I take some pride in the fact that the next team to play them only got to 6.)

Then we had a bye, then we had a rematch against another team that was also low ranked.  In fact, we were their only regular season win.  We started out way behind, but then we tied it up before they scored a couple in a row to win.

But I was happy with the day.  Oh, sure, I would have liked to play more games and actually win one of them.  But I played so well.  All season I was saying that I felt like I could contribute more.  Well, Saturday, I did.  I got the disc quite a bit when I was on the field and successfully passed it on.  In fact, I can only think of one major drop, and that was in the end zone.  However, I got the D, so I made up for it on that same point.  And I scored one goal each in both games, something I hadn't done all season.  So it was the best I could hope for given the season we'd had.

And a funny thing always happens at these tournaments.  Even though we've had a horrid season, losing so much, I still want to keep playing.  I'm so bummed we don't have a game this week.  Or next week.  Depending on everything else going on, I may try to get on a winter league team.  But man, I so wish I were playing again right now.

Weekly TV Recap for August 25th

Two summer finales tonight with two more coming next week.  Time for the lull before fall, I guess.

Political Animals - They promised a big shock, and they delivered.  I couldn't believe it when the President's plane went down.  That was certainly a shock.  If the show comes back, I wonder if he will survive or not.

Stars Earn Stripes - I hate to see anyone go because they are all doing so well.  And I loved how everyone cheered for Nick when he jumped out of the helicopter, over coming his fear.  It would be easy to root against him because that would mean he was going home, but that's not what they did.

White Collar - Mozzie centric episodes are easily my favorite.  Not much connection to the episodes around it, but it was fun to have a light episode that resolved itself.  And there were so many great lines.

Covert Affairs - I'm not that surprised by the last few moments of the episode, but I am surprised at how they ended it with Joan.  Are they really writing Joan and Arthur out of the show?  That's what it looks like.  Is this going to just be the Annie and Auggie show now?

Royal Pains - I was cringing for so much of the first half of the episode.  But the last part was so nice.  The way Mr. Lawson rallied around Paige was sweet.  And the revelation at the end?  Yikes!  I can't wait to see where they go with that one.

Necessary Roughness - Captain Awesome!!!!!  Oh yeah, and in the non-Chuck part of the episode, I actually wasn't super comfortable with the tennis pro's storyline.  Not unexpected how it turned out, but not happy about how they got there.  But the other storylines?  Amazingly tense.  I can't wait to see where they go next week, especially with the teaser.  Okay, so the friend's storyline wasn't tense at all, but turned out to be the much needed light moment in the episode.

Melissa & Joey - My favorite part of the episode was Ryder's attempts to eat junk food.  And the tag at the end was classic.

Burn Notice - I was so worried that Jessie was going to be the one to turn on Michael.  Card isn't much better, but we don't have nearly enough invested in him.  That last scene where he was lying to Madeline was so good.  Speaking of which, she was outstanding in the episode.  Good to see her again.  And the ending?  The "red shirt" sacrificing himself for Michael and the team?  Great stuff.  Can't wait until November.

Suits - Wow, wow, wow.  Let me say it again, wow.  Everything we've gone through this season was to get Hardman back in control of the firm?  And he faked it?  My mind is blown.  I honestly expected him to get control at the end of the episode, not the beginning.  And I expected it to follow through the rest of the season, not appear to end tonight.  Now, Mike and Rachel.  When will those do ever get things figured out?  And when are they going to let us in on the secret of the can opener and the thumb tacks.  (Not that anything will live up to the imagination.)

Wipeout - Two hours, but since the episodes were the same people, it wasn't bad.  The person I was rooting for one the first hour, too.

New TV on DVD Reviews:
Hey Dude - Season 3   

Working Part Time

This has been an interesting week work wise.  I got another temp job, but this one turned out to be part time.  I was working at a company training their new accounting person in the accounting software, which I know how to use, but also trying to teach her bookkeeping stuff.  Furthermore, no one at the company really knew much about what was going on, so it was interesting trying to figure out my way and how they do things so I could figure out what to recommend and how to train her.

The commute didn't turn out to be so bad.  I missed the traffic going down because I went in late, and I found an alternative way home, which at least kept me moving.  It probably took the same amount of time, but when you are driving instead of inching forward, it feels like it's shorter.

All told, I got about half a week's worth of work spread out over 3 days.  It's some money coming in, but it's not what I need to be getting full time.

But it also makes me more willing to travel for a job.  I'm not sure why my attitude changed this week, but it has.  Hopefully that sticks around when I do find something.

Word Association for August 23rd

Here's this week's word association.

1. Course :: Correction
2. Delusion :: of Grandeur
3. Silly :: Funny
4. Intrepid :: Explorer
5. Candle :: Light
6. Entrance :: Exit
7. Voracious :: Reader
8. Taste :: Food
9. Bobble :: Drop
10. Horror :: Movie

Finally a Win!

My summer league ultimate Frisbee team finally got a win last night.  We had a close one last week with only six on the field.  We were ahead at one point 10-5, but they finally figured out how to exploit our weakness of being down a player and beat us 13-15.

But last night - last night was glorious.

We had lots of subs.  There were 5 women and 9 guys.  The other team only had 1 sub of each.  And I'm sure that helped quite a bit.

We started off trading points until it was 3-3.  Then we went on a two point run.  They came back with one point, so it was 5-4, but we took 3 in a row for half.

And our point streak just kept going.  Ultimately, we finished 15-6.  So yeah, not only did we win, but we won decisively.

Personally, I had a mixed game.  A couple slipped right be me on D early on, and I dropped an easy pass in the first half.  But there was one point in the second half where I was on fire.  It was a long point, with lots of turn overs.  The guy who was supposed to be guarding me wasn't sticking close to me at all, which meant I could get open easily.  And my team took full advantage of that and I was able to help move it down the field quite easily.  I did drop it once in the end zone that point, so I didn't score, but we did score at the end of that point.  On D, my guy was a handler, so he had it quite a bit, and I was able to keep a hard mark on him.

It's night like last night that remind me why I love ultimate so much.

Saturday is the tournament.  Since we're the bottom seed, we'll have some very hard games to play to start things off.  Hopefully, we have finally gelled as a team and can shock everyone by winning some of them.  Otherwise, it will be a very short day.

Weekly TV Recap for August 18th

Political Animals - A wasted episode, and it's the penultimate episode, too.  I saw the big "twists" coming long before they did.  At least someone is talking to the fiancee.  Wondering how many surprises there will really be in next week's finale.  (And is it series or season?)

Stars Earn Stripes - Yes, I got pulled into this one.  A bit too much rambling at times, but a very fun show.  I was glad they went with the two who couldn't complete the challenge as the two to potentially be eliminated.  It was the only fair way to go, but I did feel sorry for them.  Just because they had trouble swimming meant their time on the show was almost up.  I think I'll enjoy the one hour episode more next week.

White Collar - I was taking Neal at face value until that finale scene.  I wonder if Peter was right and he played everything beautifully or if he really was trying to do the right thing.  I certainly liked those scenes at the end and how they were played.  And Diana broke up with Christy?  That's a shock.  I wonder where they are going with that.

Covert Affairs - Things almost felt back to normal.  It was funny how both Annie and Auggie were under going evaluations.  Those pictures at the end are worrisome, as is Annie continuing the Simon op on her own.  Meanwhile, I'm wondering what they are doing with Arthur and Joan.  I was liking them as a happily married couple for a while, but they are in for rough times, too.

Royal Pains - So they've already written out one of Hank's new love interests?  And he's fighting with Boris now.  That can't be good.  I've got to say, I love how they are developing Dr. Sacani.  I wasn't sure about him at first, but he's a great recurring character.  How he and Divya interact is so cute.  Not sure I see them as love interests, but I like them together.

Necessary Roughness - They definitely know the truth about TK now.  I wonder how that will play out.  And I also wonder if this is the last we've heard of the other receiver.  I liked him and the side he brought out in TK.  However, I do respect the reason he walked away.

Melissa & Joey - I think that my favorite part of the episode was Ryder's hickey.  And I can't believe I just typed that sentence.

Burn Notice - We've got a name for the shooter and another dead body.  I wonder if the sniper who killed Nate also got the guy at the end of the episode.  And they got me with the real spy.  I never would have guessed it was the woman.

Suits - I did not see that ending coming.  Holy cow, that was hard to watch.  I figured they were going to kill off Mike's grandma some time, but for some reason I wasn't expecting it now with everything else going on.  And the case of the week?  That was definitely an after thought.

Wipeout - So what does it say that only two or three of the contestants on this returning Wipeout seemed familiar to me?  Guess I should pay more attention.  Or just stop watching the show.

My July Reads

Look who's finally posting what he read in July.  Links take you to my full review at Epinions.

All ratings are on a scale from 1 (bad) to 5 (great).

ALCATRAZ VERSUS THE EVIL LIBRARIANS by Brandon Sanderson - 5
On his thirteenth birthday, Alcatraz gets a package from his long dead parents - sand.  But that's not the strangest thing as his life takes some wild and crazy turns in this alternative reality book for kids.  And it's a wild ride of laughs and adventure.  I loved every minute of it and can't wait to read more.

DEAD MAN WALTZING by Ella Barrick - 4
When ballroom dancing grande dame Corrine Blakely is murdered, the police zero in on her ex-husband Maurice.  After all, he was having lunch with her at the time.  But Stacy Graysin knows her friend couldn't have done it.  Can she prove it?  The plot could have used another twist or two, but it was still a fun twirl with one of the funniest scenes I've read in a while and a climax that really brought the emotion.

RUSH FOR THE GOLD: MYSTERY AT THE OLYMPICS by John Feinstein - 3
When Susan Carol's swimming times start to drop, she becomes an Olympic athlete.  Unfortunately, the new managers she's signed with are bugging her, and her dad doesn't seem to notice.  Is there something more going on?  Can her boyfriend, Steve, figure it out?  The mystery was very, very slow to get going in this book.  Plenty of conflict, but hardly any mystery.  And when the mystery started, it felt rushed.

DEADLY SHOALS by Joan Druett - 4
Wiki Coffin and the American Exploration Expedition have reached the southern tip of South America, where they get involved in a case where a man was sold a ship, but then it was stolen from him.  Then a dead body turns up.  This book seemed to be slow moving, but many of the random events played a part in the climax.

DARKWING DUCK/DUCKTALES: DANGEROUS CURRENCY by Ian Brill - 3
The final in the Darkwing Duck comics brings in characters from Ducktales.  As they tried to wrap everything up, it just became too rushed.  Not their fault since their contract was canceled, but still not as fun to read as it could have been.

THE DAYS ARE JUST PACKED by Bill Waterson - 5
Another great collection of Calvin and Hobbes comic strips.

Word Association for August 14th

Here's this week's word association.

1. View :: Point
2. Yoga :: Stretch
3. Giggle :: Laugh
4. Raider :: Corporate
5. Summer :: Hot
6. Debt :: Loan
7. Cleaning :: Service
8. Sneakers :: Shoes
9. Thwarted :: Denied
10. Recipes :: Cooking

Weekly TV Recap for August 11th

Burn Notice - How do they still come up with plots that suspenseful?  I mean, the last commercial break, I wasn't sure how they'd save Jesse and Sam.  I figured Rebecca would be too easy as the shooter, and they proved me right.  (At least it looks that way right now.)  And yes, it was very nice to have Fi out in the field again and leave the prison stuff behind (at least for now.  I wouldn't be surprised if some of those characters came back).

Suits - Wow.  Just wow.  The writing and acting were perfect.  That was so intense I could hardly look away.  And it was perfect.  All the characters were working together so well.  You could feel the tension between them.  The ending surprised me.  They took a settlement?  That will come back.  And when it did, I figured it would be what Hardman was waiting for.  We've got a flashback next week to lighten the mood, but I think the episode after that will be very intense again.

Wipeout - That crack at Big Bang Theory?  Hilarious.  I think that's all I've got.

Common Law - Just the twist they need to lead up to the season finale.  A new doctor?  That can't be good.  Case was fine, but the way it led into the conflict with their therapy was the most interesting.  And did she really break off her engagement?  That's a shocker.

Political Animals - At this point, the only character I have any sympathy for is TJ, the gay addict.  Everyone is so focused on their own ambition they aren't event thinking about him.  Now, I do get tough love and that we're jumping into the middle of his story.  Maybe if we'd been following them for years I would feel different.  However, I really can't like any of the characters right now because of how they are behaving.  This family is so dysfunctional.

Melissa & Joey - I’m not really sure what to say about this one.  Other than Mel's Mom's comment at the end about her man being closer than she thought (Joey), it was a fairly predictable.  Some funny moments, but nothing outstanding.

Burn Notice - One scene almost had me in tears.  The emotion that Michael is displaying now after the death of his brother is amazing.  The plot itself was fine.  I wasn't in nearly as much suspense as last week, but it was still a very good episode.

Suits - Also not as riveting as last week, but the flashback was lots of fun.  And the twist that Louis was framed for the embezzlement was a twist I hadn't expected.  I wonder if they will use that to sway him next week.  Meanwhile, I wonder if they will have to jump through any hoops to get Donna back.  And what is with the can opener and the push pins?

Wipeout - All female Zone.  You rarely see that.  But I loved that log roll at the beginning.

Common Law - That was their best episode yet.  The mystery actually had me a bit confused at times.  And I loved the back story and how it all ended.  I hope it comes back next year and builds on what we saw here.

New 5K Personal Best

I ran a 5K, my 8th race of the year, on Saturday.  It was over in Ventura for their Fair.  Actually, the race was in town down, two laps up and back on Main Street, which was a fun and different place to run.  I ran it with my friends Chris and Stacy.

It was a costume race, and I got a mask to go with my Incredibles shirt, so I was Mr. Incredible.  Chris was a Ghostbuster complete with a pack that actually had light and sound.  Stacy was a cheerleader.

The pack slowed Chris down, and he and Stacy stayed together.  But I took off and ran at my own pace.  I wasn't trying for anything other than having fun and finishing.  The course was uphill one way and downhill the next, then we got to do it all again on the second lap.

I did my normal finish somewhere in the middle of things, but the amazing thing was I finished in 28:15, which is a full minute better than my 5K time in March.  Obviously, all my running this year and my training for Tough Mudder and the Disneyland Half are paying off.  Now I need to sign up for a 10K quick so I can get my goal of a 10K in under an hour.

Another good thing?  When I ran the 5K back in March, I just about died finishing in under half an hour.  I honestly felt like I had a whole lot left in the tank this time.

Now, if this would just translate to better ultimate Frisbee playing I'd really be happy.

Word Association for August 8th

Here's this week's word association.

1. Rude :: Mean
2. Leather :: Jacket
3. Headquarters :: Corporate
4. Good guys :: Heroes
5. Blowing :: Wind
6. Doddering :: Elderly
7. Instructional :: Video
8. Standards :: Government
9. Eatery :: Restaurant
10. Vampire :: Blood

Weekly TV Recap for August 4th

Thanks to the Olympics, I haven't made it through all of my shows from the week.  Ironically enough, it's the shows that will have new episodes next week that I haven't watched for the most part.  So next week will be just as long, probably, but with two episodes of a limited number of shows.

Political Animals - It was part way through the episode that I realized this is nothing but one big soap opera.  And a very liberal slant to it, too, at least as far as the politics go.  And yet I am hooked.  I feel so ashamed to say that since it's such a sudsy soap.  I don't see how it is going to be wrapped up in six episodes.  We're really halfway through the story?  I feel like we're just beginning a long, long road.

White Collar - Neal was really falling for that widow.  And I loved watching him trick her into safety near the end.  He may still be a bad boy, but he has come so far character wise, and I love it.  I'm sorry to see Ellen was shot.  Frankly, I wonder why they took so long to move here.  That's doesn't sound like the Wit-Sec of In Plain Sight.  Okay, both are TV shows, but I'd believe that over this any day of the week.

Covert Affairs - I know I want Auggie and Annie to get together, but his fiancee leaving him was so hard.  Not surprising, but so hard to watch.  Couple that with her sister leaving, and the ending was rather sad.  So, I'm curious where the main storylines go from here. 

Royal Pains - Talk about perfect black humor!  The bits with the rabbit were a scream.  Loved them!  Rest of the episode was fine, but that was great.  And I so love Evan and Paige together.  Have I mentioned that recently?

Necessary Roughness - Dani's relationship with Matt went to an unexpected place.  I wonder how they will work that out.  And I new I recognized the rodeo rider's wife from somewhere.  She was in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids the TV Show.  I liked seeing TK getting more mature.  Of course, how much is his addiction to pain killers a part of that.  I'm glad to see they'll be dealing with that now.

Melissa and Joey - I feel like this was a repeat of the theme of secrets of last week.  Yet it was so funny with so many great lines.  Definitely one of the best of the season so far.

Running Update

I haven't blogged about it much, but yes, I am still running.  I have to be since, as you can see on my side bar, I've got a month until the Disneyland half marathon.

A month!!!

That's both excitement and a bit of fear in there.  I just hope I'm ready.

I ran 11 miles on Wednesday night.  I don't know how long it took me since I forgot to recharge my watch, but I'm guessing it was somewhere in the 2 hour neighborhood.  Probably around 2:10 based on where I was finishing up my 10 mile runs.  It was a struggle.  My legs were so sore and I was so tired when I was done.  Not that I could go to sleep when I went to bed that night.

But as tired as I was, there is always a great sense of accomplishment when I finish a run like that.  If you had told me in 2009, when I did the Disneyland 5K, that I'd be doing the half marathon, I would have told you you were crazy.  In fact, I think I might have said something like that to Sue Ann.  Yet here I am.  It still amazes me how far I've come and how much I enjoy running.

Word Association for August 2nd

Time for this week's word association.

1. Alcohol :: Drunk
2. Pocket :: Wocket (Dr. Seuss)
3. Squeeze :: Play
4. Football :: Kickoff
5. Fourth :: of July
6. Snake :: Poison
7. Reduced :: Sale
8. Polka :: Dot
9. Intrepid :: Explorer
10. Paula :: Abdule