Um.....yeah.

So I tried to come up with some clever and witty title to this post but I gots nuthin'. Of course, if you're reading this, I'm sure you've gotten all too used to my complete lack of a sense of humor - that is, of course, unless you're my father, in which case you think I have an amazingly well developed sense of humor. ;)

So what's been going on over this way for the last week or so?

Liz and I spent the weekend at home last weekend and pretty much vegged out. We played way too many online games but we did find some time to clean the house as it really needed it. We sat down to watch "The Italian Job," which I had gotten for Christmas. Neither of us had ever seen it and I have to say that it's a good flick. It's got a lot of big names in it and it's a pretty fun movie. It's no Groundhog Day, but, come on, what did you expect?

Saturday night, we went over to a place in Rochester where you can do some indoor rock climbing. We went through a short class on how to tie knots and how to not let your wife fall two stories off the wall. After that, they pretty much let you run free and do you as please. It wasn't bad - certainly a good workout from time to time. Some of the walls were pretty easy, but a few of them were particularly difficult. We might have stayed a bit longer but the climbing shoes they gave us were killing my feet.

Earlier this week, I found that my endless fidgeting that involves playing with the wire on my headphones caused a severe technical problem. My left headphone would cut out periodically and I found that I could only get it to play consistently if I held the wire over my head with my left hand while working at my computer. In an attempt to make my fellow co-workers believe that I'm not clinically insane (although they can probably treat that here), Liz and I made the obligatory trip to Best Buy.

I got myself some new headphones (which are truly ginormous and probably make my head look something akin to the dude with the shrunken head at the end of Beetlejuice - so much for making my coworkers think I'm normal). I also got myself a new headset for my home computer - the microphone on my old set wasn't working so well and it was interfering with my ability to play games and use my well developed sense of humor on Nate at the same time and we just couldn't have that. We picked up a copy of "Ray" (the movie, not the sitcom), but we still haven't watched it.

We also got a new clock/radio/CD player for our bedroom because the CD player in my existing one wouldn't play any CD's and you had to unscrew the case to get any CD's out of it that you managed to get in there. This one apparently includes "nature sounds." It includes "the Ocean" (apparently just a new name for the sound of snow on old televisions when your reception went out) and "Crickets" (which sound vaguely like crickets at first but them become rather creepy as you begin to realize that they don't quite sound right). Nonetheless, the urge to search your house and squash the little bugger is still there. Apparently, that's supposed to be relaxing, though. I imagine such a device would give Nate nightmares about half dead crickets...

I also picked up the new Green Day album - American Idiot. Awesome album! I haven't found a track on it that I don't like and, get this, it has songs with movements. Not movements as in "Body Moovin'" but movements as in Beethoven movements. I would have never expected something like that from a band like Green Day, but the album is totally sweet. I've had it in my truck for the last few days so I've listened to the whole thing a couple times now. I'm totally impressed.

So, after we picked up all our items (I did mention we went there just to pick up new headphones, right?), we went to the counter and I had to fend off the woman who wanted to sell us a $6 insurance policy for a $40 CD player and 5 free issues of "Entertainment" magazine. After a successful defense of numerous "No thank you's", we fled the store. Exciting trip, huh?

This wekeend, we're off to see Angie and Chris (Angie was Liz's maid of honor and roommate in college). I really don't know what the plan is, but I was informed that we were going so I guess we are. So, that should take up most of the weekend.

In a couple weeks, Liz and I will be taking a vacation out to Colorado. Sarah's boyfriend, Marvin, is out there for an internship and we're going to go see him (Liz, Sarah, and I) over Spring Break. It should be fun, but I don't really know what there is to do in Colorado Springs. We'll find out, I guess. Nonetheless, it's an excuse to leave work for a week so I'm not all that upset.

I guess that's about all I've got for now. Catch y'all later.

O'Doyle Rules!

And Then There Was None.

NHL Cancels Season

It's a dark day in Minnesota. :(

With regards to teams that are still playing hockey, the Badgers have a big two-game homestand this weekend against Colorado College, who is currently in first place in the WCHA, 5 points in front of the Badgers. With 6 games to go, the Badgers aren't out of the hunt yet - especially with a good showing this weekend at the Kohl Center. A 0-1-1 outing last weekend against 2nd place Denver didn't help matters so the Badgers will need a little help to get the top spot, but it's not entirely out of reach as the Badgers head into the homestretch.

For But a Fleeting, Glorious Moment, There Was Hockey...

Last night, there was actually hockey on TV and I watched in and cheered and laughed and yelled at the screen while my wife laughed at me. I was watching the AHL all-star game - Canada vs. USA. I knew none of the players (the AHL is essentially the minor league of the NHL) but, unlike that joke of an all star game the NFL held this weekend, these guys were actually playing to win. The fans didn't call the plays. They actually played hockey. It was great.

For anyone interested, Team USA fell behind 4-0 in the opening period in what looked like it would be a very lopsided victory for the Canadians. Little did they know that the fourth goal they scored in that first period would be the last one they'd score all night. Three goals in the second and one more in the third tied the game at 4 and sent it into an overtime shootout. 3 straight goals by the Americans coupled with 3 straight saves by the American goalie was all she wrote. It was a glorious game.

Perhaps I had forgotten how much I missed hockey season. I sure enjoyed watching that game, even if I didn't know a single player on the ice.

In recent news regarding the lockout, the team owners have finally given up on their policy that player salaries must be tied to league revenues. The players, in return, agreed to a salary cap, albeit at $52 million per team, rather than $40 million per team, as the owners wanted. So, while there is some hope that the season will be saved, a press conference has been scheduled for tomorrow (at Noon) at which the commissioner is expected to officially cancel the season.

I sure wish they'd start playing hockey again soon. That would be nice.

There's a Tear in my Beer...

Because it's a long way to the next NFL season.

Yet another side note...

I saw this on a bumper sticker this morning...

"A women's place is in the House and Senate."

No, I didn't misspell that - that's really what it said on the bumper sticker. Don't you think, if you were going to make a bumper sticker, that you'd try to use correct grammer? And exactly what does it say about the person who bought the sticker and put it on her (I'm assuming it's a her, anyway) car, that she's politically involved, yet not fully literate? Hmmmm....

Some things just make you think, I guess.

And on a Side Note...

So anyone out there stay up late enough after the Super Bowl to watch that new cartoon, American Dad? I have to admit that, apparently, it was on past my bedtime and I wasn't awake to see it. Is it any good?

Also, after playing with Picasa for a bit last night (you did get it, didn't you), I found some more really cool features. You can create web pages out of entire sets of photos with only a few clicks. It creates all the thumbnails and links for you - very nice. The only problem is that the default templates are kinda ugly. But, after looking into it a bit, you can make your own templates and they even give you all the instructions on just how to do it. Dang it, Google rocks. It didn't take me long to grab the pictures of Liz and I putting my new computer together online. You can check 'em out here. Go ahead, it's pretty geeky, but it's OK. I say so.

Yup, so that's about it for now. Like I said, just a couple side notes. Catch y'all later.

Corey

Phone Service

Oh yeah - one other thing to note. Some of you out there were adversely affected when BigZoo decided to stop their long distance telephone service. As an alternative, Liz and I have started using ZapTel. So far, so good. The rates are the same as BigZoo (or lower, depending upon the plan you go with) and the quality seems to be quite good. I haven't had any complaints yet.

So, if you're still hunting for a good long distance service to replace BigZoo, you might want to check 'em out. 2.9 cents a minute ain't too shabby. ;)

Another Week, Another Post

Well, it's been a week so I guess it's about time I blogged something. I don't know what it is, but blogging, in general seems to be down lately (and not just mine, I mean). Could be Nate's and Nick's new jobs. Could be the weather. Could be anxiety regarding the war in Iraq. Then again, it could just be indigestion.

Anyway, what's been going on recently...

Last weekend, my buddy Nate came up to visit. We had a glorious time of generally sitting around and playing video games. Truly glorius, indeed. Much fun. I always enjoy having Nate around. We had some good food and even picked up supplies to make "real" Old Fashioneds. (Boy, doesn't that spelling look wrong?)

The Super Bowl was on Sunday, of course. We had a party at our place to wrap up my fantasy football league. The league was huge this year (16 teams), but not many folks showed up for the party. That was fine with me, really. I got to enjoy the game a bit more rather than worry about gobs of people in my house. The game was a pretty good one, all in all - right down to the wire. I guess I was rooting for New England to win it but really only because I didn't want to see TO get a ring. Until this year, I'd really supported the Eagles. It's just TO that I hate so much. But, it worked out well, I suppose. He got to play and still didn't do enough to get the Eagles the title so now there won't be any, "We would have won if I'd been healthy crap." (Well, there probably will be, knowing TO, but now maybe the analysts will just mock him.)

This week has been a long one already. I've had a bit of a cold all week. I woke up a few days ago with a really sore throat and the cold is currently making it's progression. First was a sore throat, then a runny nose, then stuffiness...hopefully, it'll just go away soon.

In software news, Google recently released a new version of Picasa. Picasa is a program that helps you organize your digital images (such as those from a digital camera). It offers plenty of tools to help you touch up images, crop, e-mail, post on the net, and even print them out through online services. Every time I use it I find something new and it's just totally awesome. It's free, and it rocks. You can't really beat that, can you? (Not even with a stick, as Nate says.) Just go get it - you'll thank me.

In World news/ranting (which is obviously not as important as it's down here well below software news), I see that Bush and his cabinet have now set their sights on Iran as the next nation to "liberate." I'm sorry, but when did that become our job? Does Bush really think we'll invade, bring death and anarchy to their nation, and they'll receive us with shouts of joy and rose petals? Has he not been paying attention over the last 2 years to Iraq? I'm sorry, but I just don't get it. Bush just declared that Iran is the most threatening nation in the world in terms of nucelar arms even though it's still not proven that they're actually making weapons of mass destruction. Iran claims they're using nuclear power for peaceful purposes. Now, whether you believe them or not, the North Koreans have said that they're dropping out of negotiations (these are the multi-lateral negotiations that Bush said were the only way you could successfully negotiate with North Korea) and will pursue the creation of additional nuclear weapons. Honestly, which one would you consider to be a bigger threat? Bush can't be that stupid. There must be something else to Iran than just nuclear weapons....now what might that be?...

Gah. Enough of that garbage. Got get Picasa. It'll make you feel better if you do.

Have a good weekend, everyone.

That's Not Bad for a Quadraped

Yes, I know, Groundhog's day was yesterday....or was it? :D

I hope everyone is doing well. It's been a while since I posted to my blog. So what have I been up to that has kept me away so long? That's an excellent question. The answer? Nothing. I just haven't had much to post about, so I haven't. I've been enjoying my new computer and just generally relaxing.

Last weekend, we made a trip over to Mankato to visit Liz's sister, Sarah. She's doing well, but I think she misses her boyfriend, Marvin, who's in Colorado for an internship. Granted, Rochester isn't as far away as Colorado but, I know what it's like to have your significant other a long ways away. Liz and I spent the better part of a couple years living apart through the end of college. Ahh, the good old da...err, I mean. That was awful.

This weekend, there's going to be lots of fun at the McGlone household. Nate-Dog is coming up for the weekend and bringing his computer along. I suppose that means we'll spend all weekend cooped up inside playing video games. That'll be a blast. Sunday is the Super Bowl and we're having a party to recap the fantasy football season. Unfortunately, not many people are coming, but our closest friends from the league will be there, so I guess it's not all bad. That's okay, though. Less people simply means less work for us and more fun to have.

Anyway, I don't really have a whole lot to talk about right now, so let's just leave it at that.

Catch y'all later.
Corey