The Best Ever....

As I have been watching the NBA playoffs this year, it has taken me back to the glory days of the NBA with Michael Jordan and the Bulls, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Charles Barkley. The competition between teams like Boston and LA or Chicago and New York was ridiculous. I have spent a good deal of time watching old Michael Jordan highlight videos. He is simply...the best ever. Here are a few of my favorite commercials of all time....enjoy the magic.

I love this video...I want the song on my ipod...


I'm not posting this video because it it a little long, but worth the watch. It will give you the chills. It is called What is Love?

Here is another great Jordan commercial...Old Jordan vs. Young Jordan

Fly-Fishing the Gunpowder

On Saturday, I took Mike Q and Scotty P up to Gunpowder Falls for a day of fly-fishing. We had a great time even though the fish weren't too active. I spent some time helping Mike and Scott with their casts and they made some good progress. I made an error in judgment in deciding where to go; I took us to a stretch of the Gunpowder that requires long accurate casts. However, the scenery was beautiful and it was fun being with Scott and Mike on the river. Fishing with the collarbone wasn't too difficult because the left hand is used for line control and doesn't require too much movement. However, my shoulder did fatigue and it got a little uncomfortable. I also got to put my new waders I got at the Orvis Outlet to use. We had a great day and I hope we can get up there again shortly.

Scotty P and Mike Q casting to trout on the Gunpowder

Mike, Scotty P, and Mike Q after a fun day on the river.

Rehoboth Beach Weekend Getaway

On Friday of last week Lizzy and I, and the Qualters took off from work early and went down to Rehoboth Beach for the weekend. We stayed at Jim and Carole's beach house and had the most relaxing weekend. Friday night we grilled up hamburgers and went on a night stroll along the beach. Saturday was beautiful, after sleeping in, we went to the beach and had a great day. I even tried throwing around a football with my gimp collar bone. (I paid for it later that night). Sunday was rainy all day but provided us an opportunity to do what we went for...relax. Overall, we ate well, bought lots of clothes (and new fishing waders for me) at the outlets, soaked up the sun, and enjoyed the company of good friends. Here are some pics from the weekend.

Here is Lizzy relaxing...at least it seems that way. Lizzy had to finish this book before the weekend was over and the book was the only item of stress we encountered all weekend. Notice the cute new hat Lizzy is wearing.

Mike Q and I waiting patiently for our name to be called at the Big Fish Grill

The whole gang after finishing our meal at Big Fish Grill

Mike and Mike at the beach

Mike and Elaine relaxing at the beach

Mike and Liz wearing their new jackets on the lifeguard stand at Rehoboth Beach

The Qualters introduced us to Friendly's Ice Cream, I don't think we got enough...but it was delicious! Lizzy is still having dreams about the peanut butter from that place!

My First Crash...

My cracked $180 helmet. Don't worry, I have already replaced it . . . just need to replace my collar bone now . . .

Here I am getting ready to get in the car to go to the ER. You can see some of the road rash on my left arm...

Well, you spend enough time on your bike you are bound to eat pavement every once in a while. This last Saturday, May 19, I took a nasty spill on my bike and ended up in the ER with a broken clavicle. Saturday morning I took a nice long ride to Mt. Vernon with a friend of mine from work, Kent Forde. I was amazed at how good I felt after completing the 45 mile ride, so I decided to take my wife's invitation to go with her and Katie Palmer up to the National Arboretum. After riding around for several miles, I was on a flat stretch of road and decided to stretch my lower back. I took my hands off the handlebars, and was stretching. Just then a big gust of wind came and turned my front wheel. I tried to recover, but couldn't. I hit and hit hard. My first reaction was "My Bike!" I quickly assessed its damage which consisted of a bent handlebar. I then felt sharp pain in the region of my collar bone; I felt it, and it was obvious I had broken something up in the region as the bone was protruding out. I also noticed that I had cracked my helmet, but my head didn't hurt at all. The helmet had absorbed the entirety of the crash. I am a huge believer in helmets, it could have been bad. Katie and Liz were riding behind me and saw the entire crash. I was lucky they were there. Katie went and got her car, we put the bikes on the rack and headed home. We took the bikes off the car and Lizzy and I headed to the ER. When I walked into the ER, I showed the person at the front desk my protruding collar bone, and he gave me a look like "you should be dead." They quickly got me in and began the examination of it. They gave me a few percocets and sent me off to get x-rays. The guy doing the x-rays was pretty rough with me and I think the percocets on my empty stomach was a bad combo. I got really dizzy and felt like I was going to puke. I told the guy and he said, just stand up straight so we can get the x-ray done. I finally just sat down because I was so faint...I think I blacked out for a minute. The next thing I knew, they had me laying back in the bed and were doing the x-rays with me laying down. It felt much better. The x-ray revealed a broken clavicle. They told me I would have to wear a brace for a month! This is disappointing news to me as I have been riding a bunch and my legs feel good, and softball season just started! Oh well, at least it is only a month. Lizzy has been very good to me and has been pampering me. Getting dressed is the most difficult activity, but I'm getting better at it.

Here is a closeup of the broken clavicle.

After getting back from the ER. I have to wear button up shirts because I can't get anything over my head.

This was the shirt I got from the ER, it is the only thing I can get over my head, so I sleep in it...

The Pandemics

It is softball season!! I have put in my best recruiting efforts to form a HHS softball team this year and suffice it to say, I am pleased with the results! Our roster filled up so quickly this year I no longer have to recruit. Our roster has over 60 players on it! We decided to name our team "The Pandemics." I think our logo came together well, I found the chicken on google images, and then altered it a little to get the final product.

I am pretty happy with the results, and I believe our team is as well. I tried to make it so the chicken looked like it had the bird flu, and was coughing out a softball. We have had two games so far and are 2-0. We have a lot of great players on our team. Here are some pictures from our first few games.

The Pandemics after stomping the EPA Gang Green. It was great beating my former team

The Pandemics getting ready for game two against the ONDCP Drug Lords.

Coach Nelson giving instructions to the pink gloved Mary Kosinski

The Pandemics posing after defeating ONDCP.