It is what it is...

SITE HAS MOVED...

2009-06-02T10:43:00.001-04:00

In an effort to make the blog more relevant as well as easier to update while maintaining two blogs, I have migrated my personal blog over to Wordpress.

Please visit http://by7am.com for the new blog.

Thanks...

Marketing on Facebook

2009-01-28T11:29:00.002-05:00

Inside Facebook had a great post yesterday about marketing on Facebook that I recommend taking a few minutes to read. While some of the recommendations may make sense for your business, others may not. As with any marketing strategy, the right solution depends on your audience, their needs, and your business objectives.

Of the ten things that are listed in the article, the 5 that stood out the most to me, particularly for any business new to Facebook, are:

Create a Facebook page - Somewhat related to my post the other day, create a page with the understanding that it will require a commitment and investment of your time to maintain. If you are willing to make the effort, then this step is a no-brainer and a must have.
Create Facebook events - If you are a business that has frequent events (i.e. open houses, tours, happy hours, public meetings, etc.) then creating Facebook events is a low effort action you can take to get the word out. When someone agrees to "attend" your event, that action will show up in the news feed of their friends virally extending your event to others.
Add Facebook share links to your website - Again, a low effort action that should be a part of any good design process (it is certainly a part of ours). Assuming the content of your site is appropriate for "sharing" then a share link makes complete sense.
Publish fresh photos, videos, and updates - I want to emphasize that it's not just posting fresh photos and videos, it's consistently posting content that your intended audience perceives as valuable. But this also circles back to #1... if you cannot commit to posting content consistently, hold off on jumping into the social media waters.
Talk to your customers - This is a no brainer. It would not be called social media if it did not require you to be social. Facebook and other platforms allow you the opportunity to hear what your customers are saying, and a chance to respond. While you must be prepared to take the bad commentary with the good, I view that negative feedback as an opportunity to turn a bad brand experience into a good one and through social media, that opportunity has become even easier than it was before.

So, start with these five, and then based on how successful you are in taking these steps and how committed you are to marketing your brand on social media platforms decide whether or not social ads and applications make sense for you. As I said before, when we (or you) develop a social media strategy, the platform and mechanisms should be determined by the audience, the message, and your business objective.

Check out the whole article here.

Hiatus

2009-01-24T09:50:00.001-05:00

It's been almost a month and I have not posted a blog entry - seems to be the theme these days. I actually had to block out two hours this morning just to make my first entry on the Grafik.com blog.

If you want to read today's thoughts on social media, you can read it here.

But honestly, there's been a lot going on in the Clark household as of late. We're in our third trimester, we've been working on the baby's room, spaying the dog, shopping for a bedroom set, cutting needless trees down, etc. When I have had time to jump on the computer, it's mostly been spent doing work or balancing the family checkbook. It's been a real test of establishing priorities and also an opportunity to learn about what's truly important in our every day lives - a subject that occupied about 30 minutes of our dinner conversation this evening.

It's really no different than how the economy has forced families and companies alike to do the same evaluation as they review their budgets. Most companies have been forced to make some difficult decisions, Grafik and WeatherBug included. I suppose the main difference between the two is that the economy is an external factor outside of our control, while our impending arrival is a beautiful and blessed choice. Either way you slice it, times are tight and smart decisions need to be made which has led to less time to spend blogging about the going-ons of the family.

That said, I'll try to do a better job keeping this up to date, particularly over the next few months as we look to welcome our new family member and we experience the joys, the challenges, and all the fun things we've heard come with being parents.

Twittering Away Christmas Eve

2008-12-24T13:17:00.003-05:00

While it took me awhile to come around, I am now officially on the Twitter bandwagon as @psubuzz (profile ID shocker, I know). No, Twitter is not the next Facebook... yet, but I wholeheartedly believe that in time, Twitter will play just as large of a role in our every day lives as Facebook does today.

Granted, I am way late in making this proclamation. I admit that I wanted to see whether or not a business model was going to be needed for Twitter to survive its first year. As it has proven, Twitter has not needed to make money to win the hearts and minds of tech pundits, celebrities, and every day people like myself. That said, am I alone in pitying the product manager charged with devising the revenue plan for Twitter in 2009? Do you not think that person's every move will be scrutinize, second-guessed, and then questioned once implemented? Will he or she get a second chance if they fail the first time around?

Anyway, that is someone else's problem to worry about at the moment... for now, I will enjoy following people like @lancearmstrong or @mashable, or people I actually know like @tonyvia or @phayes8. Twitter has become a useful means for me to follow the latest and greatest, as well begin to participate in various conversations. And on this Christmas Eve, I'll have my iPhone in one hand (Twitteriffic running), and some eggnog in the other.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Utility Room Day 2

2008-11-11T22:03:00.002-05:00

Well, about 85% of the way through prepping the utility room for painting the floor my shop vac quit on me. I had to resort to mopping the concrete and tile, and am hoping that the shop vac will be rejuvenated tomorrow so that I can begin painting the floor on Thursday.

I never knew how much "fun" it was going to be getting a house ready to move into... Now I know.

I have to admit that it's kind of creepy being in an empty house all by yourself with every sound you make echoing off the walls. It doesn't help that our house is adjoined to some creepy person that we have yet to see. We just missed this person last night when we pulled up, but until we actually see him/her, they will remain a mystery.

Good times.

Fun Surprises

2008-11-11T09:40:00.004-05:00

The fun part of being a homeowner now is that we'll learn so much about our new house. Some things may take us a few years to learn, and some you learn the first time you decide to move the mirror in your bathroom.

I guess the previous owner did not like her medicine cabinet... so it's just one more thing to add to the now long list of home improvement projects.

Sad Guys on Trading Floors

2008-10-29T14:29:00.004-04:00

With all the craziness going on with the stock market these days, this blog does a great job of bring some smiles to the teary faces...

Kevin takes a break from riding his lightcycle to check up on the Tron market.

Penn State Riot After OSU Victory

2008-10-27T10:57:00.001-04:00

Watching the various videos that were taken Saturday night following Penn State's win over Ohio State give me shivers, and not the same kind of shivers I get when I watch JoePa tribute videos, or moving Penn State victory montages, but shivers of fear, disgust, and anger.

Great, so we won a big game... let's celebrate by ripping down lampposts, uprooting shrubbery, and closing down a main street. We are... Penn State. We are... a storied football program. We have... been there before. Why on earth do we need to act like we're some Division I AA school that just knocked off Michigan (last year, not this year of course)? I'm not sure if it's the fact that the town is currently populated by a large percentage of students who don't know the history, have not experienced the winning, or what.... though one could argue that the past three seasons have not been too shabby.

Anyway, it's embarrassing as a Penn State Alum and even more embarrassing as a football fan who argues that his team is one of the best teams in the country week in and week out. Fans acting like naive, never been there before idiots, after a big win just undercut this claim.

Instead of property destruction, let's all start saving our money now and party on the streets of Miami in January.

Wedding Photos

2008-10-10T17:17:00.002-04:00

Before the weekend hits, I wanted to let everyone know that our wedding photos can be found on Facebook and Flickr. Facebook features the photos shot by the photographer, while Lauren took some time aggregating all of the photos shot by you and posted them to her Flickr account.

Check out the Flickr pictures here.

If you have a Facebook account, you should be able to access the various albums that Lauren posted to see the great shots from the photographer.

Long Run

2008-10-04T17:20:00.005-04:00

Perfect day for a run in the neighborhood. I'm not sure if it is the fall air, a stressful week, or just biting off more than I expected, but it was certainly my longest run in awhile - just under 7 miles. Time to cool off with a nice shake (thanks Rolando for the blender) and a walk with the dog. I hope all of you are experiencing this same wonderful fall weather.

Arts on the Ave & Penn State v. Purdue

2008-10-04T14:29:00.002-04:00

[I had supposedly posted an entry from my iPhone as I was watching the Penn State game that talked about the annual Arts on the Avenue held in Del Ray each year, as well as the football game, but apparently it did not post. To that end, the festival was great, we bought some art that will be used very near in the future to decorate a room, and Penn State beat Purdue to go to 6-0. All in all, it was a good day, and a great weekend. I apologize though for the blank entry until now.]

Puppy Run

2008-10-02T21:13:00.002-04:00

Took the pup for her first run tonight and she did pretty well. I took her on a one mile loop that you can see here.

Thought for sure it would wear her out, but it took a good 3 hours for her to finally settle down and curl up. Maybe next time we should try two miles...

Skins Win & FFL Progress

2008-09-22T08:20:00.001-04:00

Gameday: Skins v. Cardinals
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

As suspected, the Skins-Cards game was back and forth and required a defensive stance in the final minutes to ensure victory after a botched 52 yard field goal. The victory puts the Skins at 2-1, and squarely in the hunt in the NFC East. Next up, Dallas... IN the Big D, which should serve as a pretty good test to see how for real the Skins really are. As everyone has seen these first three weeks, Dallas is good, very good. But, after losing to the Giants in the first week (which I attribute to the team still not being familiar with the offense and a rookie head coach), beating a 'decent' Saints team, and an overrated Cardinals team, we do not have a real measure of how good this Redskins team is.

Next week, we will know.

As far as my fantasy football teams go this season, the teams have taken two completely divergent paths. In the big money league, I will sit atop the standings at the end of this week at 3-0. In my 2nd league, I will sit in the basement at 0-3. Not sure how I ended up with such good/bad teams, but as long as I can finish in the money in one of them, I'll be happy. Stay tuned.

Full game day pics can be seen here.

Game Day: Redskins v. Cardinals

2008-09-21T11:43:00.001-04:00

Three weeks into the season and I am at my first Skins game as a
season ticket holder. We couldn't have asked for a better football day
than today. The day dawned in the low 50s with a high of 80 expected.
Perfect fall football weather.

The tailgate fare was breakfast food provided by phillip and myself
that would have competed well against our traditional Penn state
tailgates. Egg and sausage casserole, bacon, eggs, sausage, and little
smokies. Doesn't get any better.

All we need now is a Skins win...

Mark Zuckerberg Speaks (continued)

2008-09-19T12:14:00.001-04:00

Ted Leonsis posted this today about Zuckerberg's post on Facebook, and I agree with what Ted is saying...

I Doubt Mark Zuckerberg Wrote This Blog Post

I don't think Mark wrote this either.

Finally, Zuckerberg Speaks

2008-09-19T07:49:00.001-04:00

To follow up on my post last Friday about the change to Facebook, it's nice to see Mark Zuckerberg finally weigh in.

Zuckerberg: 'Change can be difficult,' but the redesign stays

Basically, your options are to accept the change, or switch. Only time will tell if enough users choose the later. My thought is that like any drug, once hooked, it will be hard to stop, no matter how painful the experience is...

On the Road

2008-09-17T09:26:00.001-04:00

Wish we could have had a few more sunny days while we were here - I
know a direct contradiction from yesterday but as we pile into the car
to head home I will miss the sun.

I'll also miss the chaos that was four dogs and an eleven month old
and I'll miss laying in bed watching football while listening to the
waves outside. I'll miss David's constant smile as he crawled/walked
to everyone and I'll miss the relaxing moments with Lauren.

It was a true vacation and now it's time to head back home and hit it
hard again.

So... A dog, a wife, and a new job since the last time down here a
year ago. What will it be a year from now...

How Do Dogs Know?

2008-09-17T07:24:00.001-04:00

Rainy Day

2008-09-16T15:24:00.000-04:00

Vacation

2008-09-14T09:43:00.001-04:00

Sunrise
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

So, it's that time of year when we head down to Kitty Hawk to spend a few days with the family and get some beach and sun time. This year it's a tad more exciting with the addition of our little pup Match, and an eleven month old who is starting to take a few steps. Needless to say, it's been rather loud and crazy.

Follow along here.

Hey Facebookers... Quit Your Bitchin'

2008-09-12T09:58:00.002-04:00

A million people have blogged about this already this week, but I'm still happy to weigh in myself. What am I talking about? The new Facebook. With your friend's Facebook status updates ever-present in your life, whether it be through your IM client, browser, iPhone, WAP, etc., you instantly know when there is either a major newsworthy event, or Facebook has done something to upset their users. In this case, the final roll out of the new Facebook has been one of those events that everyone has to voice their opinion on. And you know what? I don't really care what anyone thinks about the new Facebook, so please quit your bitchin' and stop spamming me with your whining. It's just something new to get used to, and this, like most things will pass, and in the long run you will find yourself better served.

Someone yesterday wrote a fairly objective post about how a significant site redesign always incites a reaction (the source escapes me for the moment), and Facebook is actually lucky that so many users are paying such close attention. The same thing happened when USA Today integrated their social elements throughout their website as a part of a significant redesign. As I cruised through the feedback, the large majority of it was NOT good. But did USA Today crumble, give in, and revert back? No, as any good publisher would do, they reviewed the comments, separated the emotional and passionate comments from the invaluable, objective feedback. As a former product guy, I'm sure they weighed this feedback with their business objectives and have slotted some items as future product changes, and others as "good ideas, but will require more justification to implement.

What I find interesting throughout this whole process is where Facebook stands on these changes and what their users are saying. I am a big proponent of interacting with your users and not only listening to what they are saying, but talking back. Having a conversation with your users. For large publishers, this is no small task and it may require additional resources to sort through the feedback, or it may require the business owners to spend a little more time with their product, but in the end it not only gets to the root of the problem, it reinforces the brand-user relationship. So where IS Facebook on this whole change? From what I have observed thus far, invisible, not that this won't change.

I write this because I find how strongly people have reacted to this change, and how public the dissent has been to the change funny. But as anyone knows, the people who like the change will more than likely keep quiet because they are happy and can go about their business. It's only the relative "handful" of users that have been upset. "Relative" meaning that only a few hundred thousand out of the multi-millions of users have joined the various groups to protest (this figure I also read somewhere but can't remember where).

I ask all of you to accept the change, know that Facebook IS taking note in some way, and understand that progress cannot come without some short term cost. The minor inconvenience that you are suffering from at this time IS that cost... deal with it and find somewhere more product to direct your energy - perhaps by offering actual constructive feedback. Now THAT'S a new idea.

Match's First Haircut

2008-09-11T14:23:00.001-04:00

Match's First Haircut
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

Took Match the groomers today and above is the result of her first haircut. For the rest of her haircut shots, as well as pictures of all the latest going-ons, visit my Flickr site.

Coffee Shop Morning

2008-09-09T08:41:00.001-04:00

Morning Coffee
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

Despite the humidity, it's a beautiful morning to start the day at the coffee shop. There is a nice breeze, and the low clouds are keeping it in the mid 70s.

Can't help but be productive and get a head start before the craziness and distractions of the office.

Another Run

2008-09-08T20:29:00.002-04:00

I'm not sure if it's the GPS watch or what, but I've had more urges to go for runs in the past few weeks than I've had in the past few years. It certainly helps that my knees are doing OK as I mentioned in my last running post, but I look forward to running up some stats with the watch.

Today's run can be found here.

Of course, I would have gone to the gym this morning if our puppy had not kept us up all night long. Lauren and I decided to move Match to our bedroom last night (in her crate of course) and see if she would sleep better. What did we learn? We actually sleep WORSE when she's in the room and it has NO impact on how she sleeps. I don't think I ever knew how restless she was until last night

Hopefully tonight will be better...

Lazy Bird

2008-09-08T09:41:00.002-04:00

Blue Heron & Dead Fish
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

Lauren and I took advantage of the beautiful weather that followed Hanna by getting out and walking parts of the Billy Goat trail that we had not walked before yesterday morning - Section C. While on our walk along the tow path of the C&O canal we caught this lazy blue heron eating a dead fish that must have gotten caught up in the heavy rains on Saturday.

You can kind of make out the dead fish directly below the heron. The fish was actually pretty big... couldn't tell what it was though I assume it was a bass.

Jim Henson Exhibit

2008-09-08T09:26:00.003-04:00

We went to the Jim Henson exhibit on Saturday at the Smithsonian to do something fun while it rained. While a relatively short exhibit, it was still very cool to see Henson's sketches, original characters, commercials, shorts, etc. Seeing the different characters brought to life brought back a lot of memories of Kermit, the Fraggles, the Muppet Show, the Muppet Movie, and of course Sesame Street. Did you know Oscar the Grouch was originally orange??

I think the coolest part of the exhibit was reading this quote, which reminds me so much of how my approach to things...

"I believe that we form our own lives, that we create our own reality, and that everything works out for the best. I know I drive some people crazy with what seems to be ridiculous optimism, but it has always worked out for me."

I've been accused many times of being too optimistic, too forgiving, and too willing to move on, but you know, when I look at my life and how things have worked out for me, I really can't complain. I've never been happier.

Thanks for affirming that for me Jim.

Check out the exhibit while it's in town (through October 5, 2008 - my birthday, incidentally).

The Day After

2008-09-05T11:05:00.001-04:00

Old Town in the Morning
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

After the beating that the Skins took last night, I needed something to clear my mind and refocus for the day. This morning's run did the trick. I used to hate getting up early and exercising, and had even more trouble doing it outside so early, but I'm slowly getting into running before work.

My run this morning was the first time I'd surpassed 5 miles since my knees started acting up a year or so ago. Surprisingly, they didn't bother me at all, though as you can see from the chart, I was a bit slower this morning than I had been on my previous run.

Oh well, the point was to get some exercise, energize for the day, and spend some time outside before Hannah moves into the area this weekend.

If Only She was Like This All the Time

2008-09-01T21:55:00.000-04:00

Goblins, Sprites, Trolls, Oh My...

2008-08-28T08:43:00.002-04:00

Last night Lauren and I watched the Spiderwick Chronicles. When I say "watch" I mean, I watched the whole movie and Lauren caught bits and pieces of the movie in between snippets of a nap. On the whole, I have to say I liked the movie. I thought it would be too much of a kid's movie given its association with Nickelodeon and the children's books. I was definitely entertained, and hope that they continue to make movies out of the books, though my quick scan at the Spiderwick site makes me think they combined the first two books into the first movie, so maybe there's one more movie left?

If you haven't seen it yet, give it a shot. It's a movie you could watch with your kids or watch with a friend and not feel too childish.

Feeling Fall... and Other Thoughts

2008-08-27T07:57:00.003-04:00

With the temperatures in the 60s and 70s this week, and college football set to kick off this Thursday, you can't help but feel that Fall is in the air. It was nice to take advantage of our office location in N. Old Town and get out for a run last night. While attending the DC United games this summer has been great, I cannot wait to watch the Penn State game this Saturday (against Coastal Carolina). Speaking of which...

My rant of the week has to be about how ridiculous Comcast is (not surprising). After enough fans complained last season that Comcast should pick up the Big Ten Network (as DirecTV did), Comcast conceded and added the BTN to their sports pack lineup. As it turns out, the PSU game is only being televised on the BTN this Saturday, and as a Comcrap subscriber, I was very excited to be able to watch the game in the comfort of my own home rather than needing to go to a bar. But no... Comcrap comes through again with runny brown colors... They must have purchased the rights to show ONE channel and ONE game at a time. So, instead of getting the Penn State game at 12 on Saturday, we will only get the Ohio State v. Youngstown State game. If I really want to watch the PSU game, my only choices are to head to Carpool or catch the game on Comcast's BTN channel, Sunday at 11am. Thanks Comcast... as always, you continue to meet my expectation of being an absolutely worthless service provider. If my neighbor did not have the largest tree on the block which happens to stand on the SW side of our house, I'd drop you like the worthless POS you continue to be.

In other news, Fantasy Football is around the corner with both of my league drafts set to take place next week. With FF drafts taking place, it obviously means that the regular NFL season is set to start, with the Skins taking on the Gints next Thursday. I actually got my Sean Taylor #21 jersey on Monday and am ready to wear it proudly at the first game I'll get to (Cardinals game on 9/21).

BTW - the Match update is that she's doing well. She seems to have finally taken to her crate and understands that it is her home when we're not home. She will go quietly into her crate and not put up much of a fight at night when we go to sleep, which has been great... that and the fact that she can pretty much make it all night now without having to go out. Nice to finally get 6 consecutive hours of sleep for a change.

The Dog Gets what the Dog Wants

2008-08-25T17:12:00.001-04:00

Long Ride Home
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

So, I set up the car for the ride home exactly as I set it up on the ride out to Salisbury. Full sized dog crate with papers, the bottom half of the smaller crate with a rug, all for Match to sleep in on the ride home. Where does she end up? On top of my pillow on my duffel bag right NEXT to the crate with her rug.

I'm so happy we decided to devote half of the 4Runner's cargo space for our pooch, none of which was used on the long ride home yesterday...

Figures.

Our first road trip

2008-08-22T19:38:00.002-04:00

This was Match's first road trip as we went to visit Lauren's parents out on the Eastern Shore. Other than a little vomit incident in the first 5 minutes (before I had even picked up Lauren from work), she did really well. I think the one lesson we learned on this trip is that Match doesn't necessarily need to have both her big cage and the small cargo carrier. She'll be just fine in the cargo carrier next time... WAY too much space taken up by her stuff.

Pooped

2008-08-16T22:45:00.002-04:00

This is my Saturday night when one of my girls is sick and the other is totally pooped from a long day.

Fortunately I have a glass of wine in one hand and my iPhone and the remote in the other.

Cheers to the American olympians and the undefeated Skins (in the preseason anyway). Oh and I love Colt Brennan.

Two Georgians Say They Have Bigfoot’s Body

2008-08-15T12:04:00.001-04:00

Too funny... A part of me hopes this is true... and that the rest of the bigfoot clan hunt down these guys and capture a specimen of their own.

Two Georgians Say They Have Bigfoot’s Body - NYTimes.com

DC United Advances to US Open Cup Final

2008-08-13T13:27:00.002-04:00

Mix of Emotions
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

Rounded up a good group of friends last night to catch DC United take on the New England Revolution at RFK in the US Open Cup Semis. After opening the game in the first 3 mins with a goal, the pace of play slowed down a bit... before heating up for a 3-1 finish.

DC plays for the US Open Cup championship and automatic berth to the Champions tournament in September against USSL team, Charleston.

It should be an entertaining final - and it will be nice to see United get back to that place they were a few years back... on top. Now if we can only find a way to get some points in the league play...

Preseason

2008-08-09T19:25:00.000-04:00

New Dog!!!

2008-08-03T21:13:00.001-04:00

Napping with Mom
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

Lauren and I have been wanting a dog for a long time, but had been waiting for the wedding craziness to pass before thinking about a dog. Well, about a week ago, we searched the area for any kind of poodle or hybrid that would alleviate any allergy concerns that might arise. Unfortunately, there were no potential options, so we turned to an online shelter based in Missouri.

Fortunately, we found Match...

You can see the follow along with us and Match moving forward by clicking on this link to see Match's album...

Match is a Goldendoodle though we are unsure which is the dominant gene at this point. My hope is that it's the poodle so that the shedding is minimal. The beauty of the goldendoodle (besides it's look) is the combination of smarts and athletic ability, not that she'll be competing for us some day, but there is that potential...

Anyway, we're thrilled to have this new member join our family.

Big Win

2008-08-03T10:09:00.000-04:00

After 4 straight losses at home, DC finally looked organized and
mounted a strong attack. The integration of Guererro was successful
and United recorded their first shut out of the season 2-0.

This was following their first goal.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2008-07-30T09:34:00.001-04:00

I know, today must be my big movie day... actually, I was just cruising through my RSS feeds and saw that the trailer for the new Harry Potter movie was out. Check out the trailer by clicking on the link below:

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

From this quick snippet, the movie looks really creepy and just all around awesome. Can't wait to see it... Check it out in November!

Dan in Real Life

2008-07-30T09:32:00.001-04:00

We watched Dan in Real Life last night, courtesy of Netflix, and I have to say that I was genuinely surprised with how great the movie was. Steve Carell was brilliant, and the movie itself is a great reflection on putting family first, and proving that love will turn up where you least expect it... whether it's in a bait and book shop, or Match.com.

If you're looking for a movie to relax and watch with your significant other - Check out Dan in Real Life.

A Wii Bit O' Relaxation

2008-07-28T09:14:00.001-04:00

Guitar Something
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

After a stressful few weeks of wedding preparation, the actual wedding weekend itself, as well as the craziness that was Disney, it was nice to rock out with some friends on Saturday night, though my attempt at Guitar Hero was more "out" than "rock." As you can see from the blur, Ryan was rockin' out a lot more than my feeble attempt.

Guitar Hero is definitely a great game, and it's nice to see that the Wii can pretty much adapt to any game that people want, but I'm starting to wonder how many of their future games will actually use their motion sensing remotes. If you think about some of their more popular games, the Wii remote actually plugs into some sort of an adapter, whether it's a guitar or a steering wheel. At what point does the Wii turn into your average gaming system?

Of course, note that I do not own a Wii and am simply making this observation based on the limited associations I have had with the system. If I am way off base, please share your thoughts as I'm curious to hear what other people think about where they think the Wii is headed.

Try again

2008-07-23T17:10:00.000-04:00

First effort only posted the link... Let's try this again.

Testing iPhone upload

2008-07-23T17:02:00.000-04:00

My iPhone finally came in! So I'm testing the upload capability while
I'm here at the office. Will take some getting used to the typing with
one finger.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3286/2696142341_c6a2b880f9_o.jpg

One Thing After Another

2008-07-17T08:07:00.001-04:00

As if it wasn't hard enough to sleep the other night with brazillian kids running up and down the hallway, last night we had a crying baby in that room that must have screamed for four or five hours...

Fun times. Hoping we can work off the fatigue on some water slides.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Hot and Steamy

2008-07-16T11:47:00.001-04:00

After changing hotels from the Caribbean to Coronado Springs things have definitely started to look up. The staff at Coronado is much nicer than the group at the Caribbean and have gone out of their way to help. So, thank you for that.

Yesterday we did the Magic Kingdom and scored two sets of free fast passes that helped us bypass the lines for Space Mountain and Splash Mountain. We only had to wait for the Haunted Mansion which was exciting the an afternoon downpour. Last night we did DisneyQuest after being surrounded by about 20 annoying 10-12 year old girls at dinner.

Side note: there appears to be a girl's dance competition and major contingent from Brazil that have taken over WDW this week.

DQ was pretty fun, despite the fact that I lost my wedding ring for a few nerve wracking minutes. I was lost in focus kicking Lauren's butt at basketball. The kids were all very nice though, knocking me over and jumping in front of the line to play while I was on the ground looking for the ring. Fortunately, we found the ring halfway up the game where it must have slipped off.

Today, we're doing Animal Kingdom and are currently waiting in line for the African Safari where it is super hot and super steamy.

The adventure continues!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Not So Disney

2008-07-14T22:28:00.001-04:00

Little did we know when we last minute booked our trip to Disney this morning that the Caribbean Beach Resort's pool was under construction. Even after we arrived and were checking in was no mention made. It was only after we walked to our room did we notice that the main pool was covered in tarps and under construction.

The whole reason we chose to come here today after our perfect honeymoon to Bermuda was ruined was because we both knew Disney was a no brainer. Their reputation for service and excellence is unquestioned. Yet no one mentioned the pool to us. A key component to our vacation was the sun, whether it be through a beach or pool. Not at the Caribbean.

You would think that they would be more hospitable and allow their guests to use another resort's pool.

No.

So much for coming through. We have called their hotline and have been told that there is nothing they can do. Not even help us change resorts. No, we have been told that our best bet is to complain to our resort, which we will do.

Again, thanks Disney.

Not impressed with my first stay here...
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Disney Ho!

2008-07-14T14:34:00.001-04:00

We thought Bertha was going to veer off and not impact our honeymoon plans, but sadly we received a call at 6:30 AM informing us that our flight was indeed canceled. So, what did we do? We called the magic kingdom and are on our way down to spend four days with Mickey and his pals. I haven't been down there since 10th grade and only toured the magic kingdom, so four days of park hopper passes should give us plenty to do and allow for all kinds of fun.

Stay tuned for more as our adventures continue!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

The Big Day

2008-07-12T08:44:00.001-04:00

Speaking of Bermuda... (great segue right?) the big day is finally here. Over a year of planning and a few memorable moments have led to today. And while I'm super excited and hardly slept last night, I cannot wait to officially begin my life with Lauren.

This weekend has been amazing so far, and we still have the ceremony and reception to go!

It's unfortunate that you are truly only surrounded by all your friends and loved ones like this just once in your life. And last night at the rehearsal dinner you definitely feel the love and be reminded of how lucky you really are.

I am lucky to have met someone like Lauren to spend her life with me and lucky to have the family and friends that I do.

To all of you, thank you...
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

No Dice

2008-07-12T08:36:00.000-04:00

I meant to post yesterday using my Flickr pictures of our wait in line yesterday morning to inform the world that we did not get the iPhone yesterday, but in the craziness of the day did not get the chance. When things settle down and I have an internet connection again I'll upload the photos. Hopefully, by then I will HAVE my iPhone. I guess we'll see.

In any event, I'm disappointed that while we we're probably number 45 or so in line they ran out of units at number 30. So I have no idea how many they had in stock. So much for Apple's impressive launch where everyone who wanted an iphone was supposedly going to get one.

The plan now is to hopefully order one on Sunday when we get back and have it waiting for when we get back from Bermuda.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Waiting in Line

2008-07-11T08:27:00.001-04:00

Well, we rolled up at 7am this morning unsure what to expect in terms of the line here in Rehoboth Beach, DE. Surprisingly, there were already 50 people in front of us and an hour later we have about 60 people behind us. Starbucks in hand, it's actually pretty pleasant out here other than the fact that the sun is brutal. I'll probably get more sun waiting in line than I will on the beach today.

Another hour to go...
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Ocean City

2008-07-07T10:53:00.001-04:00

Dusk on the Beach
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

While we take care of a few things for the wedding we're using Ocean City as our base of operations. Amazing how quiet the beach can get after a long holiday weekend.

Having something like this at your fingertips definitely eases the stress associated with the big day.

Wrist GPS

2008-07-03T15:25:00.003-04:00

So as a treat to myself for this wedding, I bought myself a Garmin Forerunner 305 to start mapping my trail runs and bike rides. I thought since the weather was so nice yesterday I'd test it out on my neighborhood hill run.

Amazing what they can map.

Check this out.

I am particularly interested in the distance, calories burned, heart rate, and elevation. In any event, it will be fun to post these and keep track of how I progress over time.

Those Were the Days...

2008-07-03T10:13:00.002-04:00

I definitely remember making these types of runs with both Bo Jackson and Christian Okoye. It's a shame they don't make video games like this anymore...

Great Shot from Sunday's Game

2008-07-02T10:13:00.002-04:00

If you haven't seen this already, it's a great picture of the Barra Brava section from the field. Love #14.

Benny.... Olsen.... Benny... Olsen!!!!

United and Beckham Round 2

2008-07-01T09:24:00.005-04:00

While the conditions surrounding the game were a little different on Sunday as compared to last year's rain-enhanced match against L.A. Galaxy and David Beckham, the result was the same. DC crushed the Galaxy, beginning with the penalty kick below, finishing out with three other great goals from Emilio and Gallardo.

Emilio continued his torrid scoring pace, rising out of the ashes from the beginning of the season to 2nd place on the goals scored list so far in 2008 with 10.

I have another video which I'll post when I have a faster connection of the great crowd on hand and a special appearance by Beckham in the stands with us - though he was wearing less clothes than he had been earlier on the field.

All in all, the 4-1 finish, the DC summer weather, combined with a Spanish victory in the Euro finale made it out to be a long, but fun day on Sunday. I feel very fortunate that I was still able to get this time in, despite being less than two weeks away from the wedding.

Two Weeks Away

2008-06-28T22:09:00.001-04:00

That's right... after a year of planning, a few arguments, many memorable moments, and a little bit of stress, the big day is only 14 days from today. In fact, 14 days from this very moment the wedding and reception will be over, and we'll be officially man and wife. It's been an interesting 13 months, but it's been a great 13 months, and in a few weeks, I'll have even more stories to share. However, do not be surprised if the posts get to be rather sparse as things get a little crazy here in the final stretch. I'll do my best, but won't make any promises.

On another subject, tomorrow is the big Galaxy-United game at noon, serving as game 1 of a two game doubleheader on ABC, with game 2 being the Germany-Spain Euro finale. I'll be at the first one and will be hauling tukass to get to a friend's house for game 2.

Stay tuned.

Charity Event in NYC

2008-06-28T21:53:00.003-04:00

Thought this was pretty cool if you're a soccer or basketball fan.

http://aplfilms.com/NASH.mov

Kind of funny when you think that Reyna has not been healthy enough to play for the Red Bulls, yet he was able to play in this charity event...

That's What She Said

2008-06-26T16:14:00.001-04:00

Psyched to see this today.

Carell Clocks In for More Office - E! Online

It's actually pretty surprising to see how quickly (one might say meteorically) Carell's career rose with the success of The Office.

Obviously, I love the show so I am very happy to hear that it will be on for 3 more years... Though I'm NOT too thrilled to hear that there will be a spin-off. Personally, I think it can only take away from the success and reputation the American version has attained. In fact, we're almost "Americanizing" a British hit...

I'm probably being too harsh... I'm sure it will be as successful as Joey was after Friends ended.

Keyless Remote Adventure

2008-06-15T09:47:00.003-04:00

For the past year and a half, I have manually locked and unlocked the door of my Toyota 4Runner because I had thought my keyless remote was defunct. I was under this impression because I had replaced the battery, and had spoken to representatives at my local Toyota dealership who informed me that I needed a new remote, for somewhere in the neighborhood of $400. Instead of paying for a new one, I figured that I could live with manually locking the door.

One day, my brother mentioned to me that I could probably find a remote online, and program it myself to match my car. A year passed and I had never gotten around to it... until last week.

Lo and behold, I found a remote for $40, that came with Contra cheat code-like instructions on how to program it for my 4Runner. 2 minutes later, I had a remote control that worked. On a hunch, I decided to try and program my old "defunct" remote to see if that made a difference. 2 minutes later, I had TWO remote controls that worked for my car.

Lesson learned, you can buy your own remote and program it to match your car. If your remote has stopped working and replacing the battery does not work, look for the programming instructions online rather than taking it to your dealer to get a new one.

For those of you who have the 4Runner remote with Lock/Unlock/Window down, the following instructions will program your remote:

HOW
1) Driver's door open, all other doors closed, key removed from ignition switch.
2) Insert key into ignition switch, then remove it.
3) Press LOCK and UNLOCK on the vehicle door lock control switch at 1 second intervals 5 times.
4) Close and re-open driver's door.
5) Press LOCK and UNLOCK on the vehicle door lock control switch at 1 second intervals 5 times.
6) Insert key into ignition switch.
7) Switch ignition ON and OFF once to program a remote transmitter code whilst retaining the original codes or twice to program a remote transmitter code whilst erasing the original codes. Three times to check how many remote transmitters are currently registered or five times to erase all codes.
8) Remove key from ignition switch:
9) System should now lock and unlock vehicle. Once, twice, or five times depending on which mode has been selected. One to four times, slowly, to indicate number of remote transmitters registered.
10) Press and hold LOCK and UNLOCK remote buttons together.
11) Press LOCK remote button for 1 second:
12) System should now lock and unlock vehicle once to confirm, twice to indicate registration has failed.

Note: To exit programming mode: Close driver's side door or insert ignition key. A maximum of four transmitters can be programmed.

Have fun!

What could have been...

2008-06-12T10:34:00.001-04:00

Always frustrating to learn what could have been...

Back To The Future: News Corp. Launches A Weather Site (NWS) - Silicon Alley Insider

I obviously have my opinions on how we ended up in that position in '05, but at some point you have to let go of the past and focus on how happy you are with your life in the present, and I couldn't be happier.

To all my friends still there, I wish you the best and hope you do what is best for you now, and in the future.

Babysitting Little Man

2008-05-29T08:46:00.001-04:00

Ready for Bed!
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

Last night Lauren and I got to spend time with our favorite nephew who was in pretty good spirits most of the night. I think I've said it before, and I'll say it again now, you can have the hardest day imaginable at work, but when you walk through the door and see this little face looking back at you, everything outside of the present moment melts away. Combine the babysitting with watching Knocked Up last night on HBO and it's safe to say that babies were definitely at the forefront of our minds last night... Oh boy...

Not yet.

Monticello

2008-05-26T10:04:00.001-04:00

Back Lawn
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

Lauren and I thought we'd take advantage of the long weekend and gorgeous weather to shoot down to Charlottesville, and tour the Monticello grounds and house. I've always been fascinated by American history, particularly the late 1700s and 1800s. Thomas Jefferson is one of those guys that accomplished so much in his life time, that you almost feel like you will never know the whole story.

Anyway, the place was packed (shocker) and as Lauren put it, it was an opportunity to be surrounded by so many different types of people as everyone, regardless of background, is interested in these types of places. Unfortunately, after waiting nearly 3 hours to tour the house, we were a little disappointed to learn that we'd only tour the first floor... seemed like kind of a waste given how long we had waited.

Oh well, it was a nice day for a drive and it's always fun to take pictures and have a new adventure.

Finally

2008-05-25T08:20:00.002-04:00

After a four game losing streak, DC was finally able to get off the snide with a tough win over FC Toronto, 3-2. As many of the fans agree on Goff's blog this morning, Well has a long way to go as an MLS-caliber keeper. There were many instances where I grabbed Lauren's arm unnecessarily (not that she minded) because he either charged out halfway and then tried to back-peddle back to the line, or was frozen like a deer in headlights. Our loud-mouthed season ticket holder friend beside us (usually he sits behind us) was kind enough to let Zach know just how bad he was (thanks guy).

Anyway, a win is a win... and it was a nice night to hang out with Lauren and enjoy a win. I have to say that I do love being able to leave the house at 7:15, get to RFK in time for kickoff, and then be home by 9:50. One of the many reasons we enjoy living in Del Ray.

Read the full story here.

Finally someone who gets it...

2008-05-24T18:30:00.002-04:00

After going round and round with the people at Washington Sports Club a few weeks back when I discussed how ridiculous the concept was to CHARGE someone for DOWNGRADING their membership, as well as charging them to change home clubs, I had a great conversation this afternoon with the General Manager at the club over on King St. who said himself that he'd like to see the fees removed.

To recap, I joined Washington Sports Club about 5 years ago when I lived in Arlington and got the passport membership which allowed me to workout in Arlington and Germantown where I worked. Over the past 5 years they've steadily raised prices such that I'm now paying around $83/month. However, I now live and work in Alexandria and have been working out at the club on King St. with no need to workout at any other club. As Lauren and I have been trying to find ways to pinch some pennies, we decided 3 weeks ago that it was time to change to a regular membership and lower the monthly bill by $20/month to $60 something. Well, when I called to make these changes, I was informed that there was an $80 downgrade fee and a $40 home club changing fee. When I informed the account manager who I was talking to that $120 seemed like an awful lot to downgrade and change my membership they told me that when they make the changes in the system, they HAVE to assess a fee, that there was no other choice. So I responded that if they HAD to assess a fee, they could credit my account 2 months of membership free to makeup the difference. The account manager wasn't sure what he could do and thus I instructed him to cancel my membership.

After working out one morning at the YMCA, I decided that while it would be cheaper for us to both belong to the Y, their workout facilities are just not the same nor anywhere near as good as what you'd get at WSC. So, today I decided to talk to the General Manager and he was quite helpful, agreed that we shouldn't have to pay a fee when we've been loyal members and promised to take care of it for me this week. As he admitted himself, it's easier for them to get me to stay than it would be for them to acquire a new member.

Finally, someone who gets the value of a customer... It's a shame it took a few weeks of frustration to get there.

Flock

2008-05-23T11:55:00.001-04:00

Checking out Flock today... while it's been around for awhile now, I really haven't heard as much buzz about it as I would assume a social media browser would generate. I like the concept of having all of your social media accounts at your fingertips in a space you use all day long, a web browser, but am still learning how everything plugs in, and how exactly I'll use this. I'm actually posting this from Flock, after clicking on a button to post to my blog, which I like, so we'll see, I might end up using this a lot more than I anticipated. I'll do a full evaluation once I've had some time to kick the tires a bit more.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Respite

2008-05-20T10:06:00.002-04:00

Looks like the proposal madness has finally slowed down a bit and I can actually come up for air and relax somewhat, which is nice. There's a lot to take care of and it's about time I returned to my normal gym routine. While I enjoy writing and it's been fun working on proposals for the different industries, taking some time to look at the broader interactive space, and where our clients could get more involved will be a nice change of pace.

Stay tuned as I finally carve out some time to blog a little more.

Great Author

2008-05-18T09:16:00.002-04:00

Not sure if many of you have heard of James Rollins, but I stumbled upon him about a month ago between jobs and am addicted to his writing. I'm pretty much averaging about a book a week and will probably finish up his written set in the next week or so. If you like action/adventure, definitely check him out.

Late Nights

2008-05-15T10:10:00.003-04:00

Four weeks into my new job and as funny as it is, I've probably logged more hours in four weeks here than I did in two months at the old place. It's a combination of being passionate, enjoying what you're doing, and tight deadlines. A healthy mix. What makes it bearable is being as close to home as I now am. I can run home at lunch and catch that episode of Lost that I missed last week, or grab dinner with Lauren before coming back in for a "few" hours (a term I am using loosely). In any event, this has been a quick four weeks and as I've been saying, the "new guy" syndrome is no longer the case. I feel at home and very happy that I've made the switch. Kind of weird how quickly it has all faded away..

Also on the topic of late nights, Lauren and I attempted to get to the Radiohead show on Sunday night, only to be thwarted by the 4.5" deluge the DC area received Sunday-Monday. We left the house at 6:30 assuming we could be in our seats by 8:30 for Radiohead. Boy, were we wrong. What started out as typical traffic on 66 turned into a nightmare when we found out our way into Nissan Pavillion was flooded thus sending us on a crazy journey that ended with us sitting in traffic just to get into the parking lot. Finally, at 9pm we gave up and went home. Kind of disappointing considering we spent good money on the seats and I LOVE Radiohead, but nothing is worth ruining your whole week as we were sitting in traffic in the pouring rain. I heard the next day that some people sat in the parking lot until 1:00am waiting to LEAVE. Definitely a good decision to go home.

Spring, You Gotta Love It

2008-05-04T18:41:00.001-04:00

My Blanket Bunny
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

These days in the DC area are so few and far between where the air is clean, the sun is warm, and there is NO humidity. We took advantage of the day by taking a quick hike along the Potomac Heritage trail and then spending a few hours along the Potomac getting some sun this afternoon. Doesn't get any better than this...

Babysitting Duty

2008-05-04T09:00:00.000-04:00

Baby Cosmetics
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

I was called into babysitting duty last night for my favorite nephew for the first time without Lauren's help... Despite my initial trepidation, I couldn't help but be happy around this baby... even when he was a little frustrated with me for not realizing I fed him the wrong meal. Whoops. :) Not squash Uncle... I was supposed to get cereal!

Potomac Centennial Parade

2008-05-03T10:56:00.002-04:00

It was a Hat Parade
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

One of the few benefits of living on Commonwealth are the various things you witness from your driveway... I've seen Avon Breast Cancer walkers, a police blockade, the annual Turkey Trot, and today, the City of Potomac Centennial Parade. As noisy as the street can be, particularly when it's the main cut through for police and the fire and rescue squads, mornings like this make up for it.

For more information on the history of the parade, click here.

Quickly...

2008-04-29T19:21:00.002-04:00

Every day I have had the intention to post an update on the new job, the demise of the Caps in the playoffs, and the Wizards inability to close out a playoff game, but sadly, despite being 7 minutes from the house, I am working harder now than I was prior to the switch. That being said, I'm actually having more fun than I've had in a long time. After 7 days, I can say that I enjoy working with my new co-workers, I am being challenged in ways I've never been challenged, and see an opportunity to learn so much more than I ever have. To sum it up... I'm happy. Funny how things work out the way they are supposed to...

In other news, I was in a car accident yesterday at the intersection of Madison St. and Washington St. in Old Town Alexandria. Somehow, I survived 80 miles a day for 7.5 years without a single incident... and 6 days into my new job 4 miles from the house I get sideswiped. Weird. The long and short of it is that I was traveling east on a 2 lane, one way road, and a lady in the right lane attempted to turn left as I was passing her in the left lane. She claims that she was in the left lane, but logistically, it would be impossible for someone to pass to the left of her if she was in the left lane. I've traveled on that road for over 10 years and have reviewed the incident in my head the three times I've driven through that intersection since and cannot see how I she thought she was in the left lane. In any case, the 4runner sustained relatively minor, cosmetic damages while her driver's side wheel well was completely smashed. Gotta love the tank. What annoyed me most was that she jumped out of her car and started yelling at me, whereas the first words out of my mouth were, "are you ok?" Her response was, "of course I'm not OK, you wrecked my car!" Which proceeded to make me even more agitated since she was clearly not of sound mind... but oh well. We traded insurance information and we'll see what the impact is to my rate... ugh. Knock on wood, that's the last of my troubles with my crazy commute.

For those of you that I have not mentioned this to, Grafik is a Mac shop, which means that I have to learn all of the shortcut keys that I have grown accustomed to on the PC. What that has led to is me using Mac commands as I'm typing this, and PC commands as I attempt to work. It's very frustrating and I'm sure I'll have even more stories as I convert to the Mac. All in all, I really cannot comment on Macs as a whole since I do not have my final laptop yet and thus have only spent as much time as I've needed to in the past 7 days on what I have. I'll keep you posted though.

Finally, I DO have some stories to share from my experiences on Saturday trying to negotiate a lower cable bill, a lower cell phone plan, and a different gym membership, but my frustration level is so high still with that and I was so unsuccessful that I'll leave it for another time.

New Start

2008-04-22T07:29:00.002-04:00

The grand plan was to blog every day that I was off from work last week. Then of course the weather got warmer and I wanted to spend less and less time indoors. I finished off the week with two trail runs around 4-5 miles each, a trip to the gym and a 15 mile bike ride down to my parent's house. On Saturday, Lauren and I ventured out to Chesapeake Beach, MD for lunch and to check out some of the properties on the water. For those of you who have never been out there, it's a great place to do a summer weekend night dinner or get married if you live locally. The air is definitely cleaner and the people seem a tad friendlier than their neighbors 35 miles away. In any case, it's pretty safe to say that I was able to make the most of the weather before starting my new gig on Monday.

Speaking of which, yesterday was day 1 of being the "new guy" a role I had not played in over 7 years. While it's always a little uncomfortable the first few days, my new co-workers were all very friendly and are excited for me to be joining the team. After one day it's very apparent that I'll be kept pretty busy and will be challenged, which is exactly what I was hoping for... Now, if I can only get my own computer...

On to local sports... sadly, the Wizards continue to struggle with the Cavs while the Caps have now forced a Game 7, which wraps up tonight at the Verizon Center. It's definitely a first to have two DC teams in the playoffs playing games on the same night... something I could definitely get used to.

Anyway, that's all for now... more on the latest happenings soon!

Week Off, Day Two

2008-04-15T11:21:00.004-04:00

So, it's that week between jobs, that week that we all look forward to while we're working wherever it is that we're working... a week that reminds you of Spring Break in college when you don't have to worry about anything. I don't have to think about my old job, and don't have any obligations yet at the new job. So what's the agenda for the week?

Well, the "Big Week Off" started early last Friday, when the weather was in the high 70s. I was able to sneak in a long bike ride in the afternoon on my new hybrid bike before Lauren and I went to the Eastern Shore for the weekend and tasted the food that will be served at our reception on Saturday. We also checked out the church so that we could actually see where we'll be declaring our life-long love for one another. The church is "ok." It's not your traditional Catholic church with high ceilings and stained glass windows, but it's not the building that matters... it's who is standing across from you at the altar. Anyway, from the church, we went on to Salero where we tasted pork spring rolls (C), scallops wrapped in bacon (A-), mini crab cakes (A+), Baked Salmon (B), Ham and Grueyere Cheese stuffed chicken (A), and a house salad that consisted of bleu cheese, cranberries, and nuts (B+). It was definitely enough to fill up, and helped settle some of the indecision we had about certain foods. The menu is not final yet, but it's safe to say that based on what we tasted, it's going to be a VERY tasty reception!

The rest of the weekend was spent watching the Masters and Tiger fail to make a move on the final day for the first time in awhile. I was actually disappointed that Immelman was never challenged on Sunday, though he seemed like a pretty decent guy in the interviews, and you have to feel good for a guy who four months ago was in a hospital bed wondering if the tumor in his body was cancerous. Sadly, the weather itself was a bust on Sunday... cold and kind of rainy. Also watched the Caps give away Game 2 to go into Game 3 today tied 1-1.

Yesterday, Lauren took the day off and we spent most of the day running errands letting the weather slowly warm up. By the afternoon, it wasn't too bad (mid 50s), so we went down to the water in Old Town and laid out in the sun for a few hours reading. Speaking of which, I picked up a great book by James Rollins, called Subterranean. It looks like this is one of a few books that he has written, so I'm looking forward to spending more time today and the rest of the week doing some much needed reading.

So, today... I've already been to the gym and perused the Washington Post to get caught up on my local sports news. In summary, the Wizards won last night in futility as the Cavs locked up the 4th position in a bizarre set of events that had them shooting the winning free throws after the 76ers had already left the court. The Wizards will face the Cavs in the first round for the 3rd straight season beginning this weekend I think. Meanwhile, the Caps play Game 3 tonight against the Flyers and hope to regain home ice advantage. Based on what I saw on Sunday, the Caps need to shake off the mental games and play their game. The Flyers are playing a rough style that seems to shake the Caps, particularly Ovechkin, who cannot seem to get into a rhythm. That being said, if Boudreau can wake them up, there is no reason why the Caps can't take this game tonight. We'll see.

Finally, I came across this great video on Chris Cooley's blog this morning that pits Portis versus Cooley's fiancee to see who knows Chris best. I am pretty excited that Chris is blogging since he's by far my favorite Skin and a guy that seems to have no problem giving his fans a window into his life.

Anyway, time to get moving and make some lunch. I think I'm going to try and go check out another part of the Potomac Heritage Trail after lunch and see if it's going to provide a place to go trail running in the future. Have a great day everyone!

End of an Era

2008-04-11T10:33:00.002-04:00

Well, it's official... my time at WeatherBug has come to a bittersweet end after seven and a half years of amazing and memorable accomplishments. During this time period I've learned so much about product management, about building a business, and made some great friends along the way. The products that I've helped build are used by millions of people every day and have saved countless lives over the years.

For those of you who do not know, I've accepted a position at Grafik, a marketing communications firm based in Old Town as their new Director of Interactive Strategy. In this position, I will get to work with a great team to build up the interactive practice, and learn so much more about marketing and advertising. Not to mention, it's 5 minutes from our place in Del Ray.

As I shutdown my laptop and get on I-270 South one last time, I wish everyone at WeatherBug good luck and thank everyone for an unforgetable seven years.

Coming Out of a Haze...

2008-04-10T13:49:00.003-04:00

After 7 days of feeling absolutely terrible, I woke up this morning feeling as if a great fog had been removed from my head. While I am still horribly congested, I have a lot more energy and have no problem eating. Not sure if it's the weather or the drugs, but regardless, I'm happy that this craziness is almost over... I hate being sick.

Birthday Fun

2008-04-07T18:56:00.001-04:00

Grandpa's Birthday Present
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

Despite fighting some form of the flu and feeling absolutely miserable, there is something to be said for how a happy baby can make you feel. We celebrated my dad's birthday over at my brother's and this was surely the best present of all.

Big Night Tomorrow

2008-04-04T09:29:00.003-04:00

After a 4-1 win last night over Tampa Bay, the Caps have taken over the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference, temporarily. Philly plays tonight against the Devils while Boston faces off against Ottawa. The outcome of those games should determine where the Caps sit going into tomorrow night's season finale against the Panthers.

That being said, not only are the Caps finishing off their regular season tomorrow night, the Final Four tips off, AND we have DC United's home opener against FC Toronto. A pretty big night for Washington sports...

Regardless of how the season ends for the Caps, it's been an amazing run that Boudreau has spear-headed the second half of the season, and I can easily see a Crosby-Ovechkin rivalry developing for the next 5-10 years which will be great for the NHL and great for this town.

Sick... Again

2008-04-04T09:25:00.002-04:00

I'm not sure if it's the changing seasons or if Lauren continues to bring home various sicknesses from work, but I am suffering from yet another malady. I felt OK yesterday morning, but after doing a few odds and ends around the house and eating lunch, I been completely laid up by some form of flu/cold crud. I don't know about you, but when I get sick, I slip into a selfish survivor mode where I have no interest in anything but myself and feeling better.

How do you handle being sick? Any special remedies out there I should be aware of??

The Verdict Is In...

2008-04-03T10:26:00.002-04:00

Despite emptying half of the trash can that was full of dirt from our little project, the trash team decided that it was still too heavy to take this morning. So, I'll be out there again this morning trying to remove more dirt until it reaches acceptable weight standards.

Lesson learned.

Another Day, Another Dollar

2008-03-29T19:43:00.002-04:00

Saturday's Project
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

Today, Dan (pictured above) and I decided to build a patio for the the grill I got for Christmas. Four hours and $100 later, mission accomplished. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be though the blisters that are currently forming on my hand will hurt for awhile. The REAL question is whether or not the garbage trucks are going to pick up the 350 lbs. trash can of dirt on Thursday.

I know you're asking, what in the world were you doing with dirt in the trash can.... well, ask Dan... it was his idea. ;)

Local Sport News (3-29)

2008-03-29T00:27:00.002-04:00

In local sports news, the Wizards won a big game over the Kings tonight 114-108 further improving their impressive March record.

Meanwhile, the Flyers lost in OT and Carolina won big over the Trashers making it harder for the Caps to make the playoffs. I think our only hope is going to be catching up with Boston or Philly, but Boston has a game in hand at this point, so I guess we'll see how the weekend plays out.

And Then There Were None...

2008-03-29T00:24:00.002-04:00

No Big Ten teams left in the tournament. It's not that I'm surprised that both Michigan State and Wisconsin lost to Memphis and Davidson respectively, I'm more surprised at how badly they were dispatched. Wisconsin couldn't find an answer for Stephen Curry and Davidson and MSU was completely run out of the gym by Memphis. They say that this could be the first Final Four that contains all of the #1 seeds... I guess we'll see if that's the case on Sunday when play completes.

In our NCAA draft pool, my money pick of Stephen Curry is keeping me within striking distance and if Davidson somehow finds a way to dispatch of Kansas on Sunday, he could be my ticket to the cash this year. Stay tuned.

The Billygoat is Back

2008-03-27T07:49:00.003-04:00

The arrival of spring and warmer weather of course means that it's time to start the trail running again. I figured that since I had been doing 3-4 days of cardio a week over the winter that I would be able to slide back into trail running without a problem...

I finally found a web site that has a great explanation of what the hike/run is like. Click here for more information.

View Larger Map

Sadly, I was only able to run the trail in one direction yesterday and had to hoof it back on the towpath. This morning, I woke up with sore legs from the various muscles you use to maintain your balance as you make your way over the various rocks and branches. Oh well... can't wait for the next run... It's so peaceful out there, though yesterday the quiet was broken up now and again by what appeared to be Fire and Rescue were practicing something on the river as they were speeding up and down in about 4-5 different rafts.

Grenade Ho!

2008-03-25T11:07:00.004-04:00

I was racking my brain this morning about what was newsworthy or worth blogging about, and fortunately the daily crime report produced by the City of Alexandria came through for me... Directly from the report:

400 block of Crown View Drive. 03/24 between 3:00 P.M. and 3:30 P.M. The reporting person, a 48 year-old Alexandria man, reported a grenade attached to a basement window in a residence. The Alexandria Fire Department, Arlington County Bomb Squad, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Army Emergency Ordnance Disposal (EOD) responded to the scene. A perimeter was set up and several homes were evacuated. Army EOD safely removed the device from the home.

As you can see from the image below, it's not a neighborhood where one would expect to be requiring a helmet or flak vest, but there's always something interesting going on in Alexandria.

View Larger Map

If you live in the area and do not subscribe to the Alexandria enews, I highly recommend it as you learn a lot about your neighbors by the crimes that are committed... Click here to subscribe.

Easter Fun

2008-03-24T13:58:00.004-04:00

Bunny on the Loose
Originally uploaded by psubuzz

Nothing says "Happy Easter" like a baby in a bunny suit. I hope all of you had a peaceful and relaxing Easter!

Badger Fan

2008-03-22T16:57:00.000-04:00

Badger Fan

Hoping the Big Ten can continue to represent.

Bowling

2008-03-21T22:46:00.000-04:00

Bowling

Lauren is apparently bowling here...

Tournament Time

2008-03-21T16:58:00.006-04:00

For some reason this Thursday and Friday haven't felt the same as they have in past years. Not sure if it's the fact that not as many of the peeps are able to take the time off, or if it's watching it in the living room versus the "cave" of a few years ago, but it has lacked the excitement of previous years. I am sure this so-so feeling is a combination of the factors mentioned above, and changing priorities, a lackluster day one of the tournament, and a few other life changing events over the past few months... In any event, it feels like a little bit of the magic, or "madness" if you will, has disappeared for the moment. Honestly, up until Davidson's win over Gonzaga, and W. Kentucky's win over Drake, I was more interested in doing some spring cleaning than watching hoops.

Side note: how in the world is W. Kentucky beating Drake an upset? Since when did Drake earn the right to be "upset?" Makes no sense to me.

Anyway, Georgetown advances, and of my NCAA draft team (see below), only one guy (from Kent St.) has been eliminated in the first round... Could mean big things for Team B-rad...

Team B-rad
Josh Shipp - UCLA
Darrell Arthur - Kansas
Stephen Curry - Davidson
David Padgett - Louisville
Connor Atchley - Texas
Wayne Chism - Tennessee
Lazar Hayward - Marquette
Keaton Grant - Purdue
Kyle Weaver - WSU
Al Fisher - Kent St.
Keith Benjamin - Pittsburgh
James Mays - Clemson

3 Goals in 4 Minutes

2008-03-18T21:05:00.002-04:00

After a sluggish 1-0 first half DC exploded to make it 4-0 by the 68th minute. Not a bad first home game of the season.

UPDATE:Game finished 5-0 after the flurry during the second half.

Milking Cows

2008-03-15T23:04:00.000-04:00

Milking Cows

Dan has done this before.

Ragin Rabbits

2008-03-15T21:45:00.000-04:00

Ragin Rabbits

Lauren and Leslie in action. Some have rhythm and some don't. In this case, Lauren does not...

Angry Face

2008-03-12T20:00:00.001-04:00

Angry Face

What gene thinks of me blogging.

Yeah... This close

2008-03-12T19:09:00.001-04:00

Yep... 3 rows behind the bench.

Stardust

2008-03-03T09:06:00.000-05:00

Stardust

If you have not heard of the movie stardust I highly recommend you checking it out. We netflixed it and while we were thrown at first by the fantasy nature of the movie we were pleasantly surprised in the end. The cast includes Robert De Neiro, Michelle Pfeiffer, sienna Miller, Claire Daynes and a few others that you would recognize. It's a great break from reality and a fun movie to watch. Which is just what I needed last night after this weekend. Check it out and let me know what you think.

More Fun

2008-03-02T10:38:00.000-05:00

More Fun

Well, the weekend is over... But it didn't end without a little more excitement. It took a battery reset to get the speedometer working again after the car's fun on Friday.

And it Continues

2008-03-01T10:19:00.001-05:00

And it Continues

I'll have to take some better pictures with my camera but after getting about 6-8 inches of snow last night it has started again this morning (I guess it's still morning though I went to bed this morning... But I digress). It should make for some more good sledding (yes, we went sledding last night... Morning - sorry).

Snow

2008-03-01T01:31:00.000-05:00

Snow

Safe to say that we were not expecting the "snow emergency" when the group left national airport this afternoon. And when I say national airport, I mean there was a lot of subterfuge going on before we arrived here at Deep Creek. That being said, before we settled in for the evening we dealt with a stuck MDX, a stuck Mercedes, and a stuck infinity sedan in the snow up here... Snow that everyone down in Alexandria did not deal with this evening.

In any case, we all finally arrived safely, though I definitely got my fill of snow for the winter... Pictures to come. (the fact that I had to push multiple cars this evening is a little annoying and unexpected).

But like I said, I will post some pictures of the debacle when we get back.

Treacherous Drive

2008-02-29T17:14:00.001-05:00

So we are heading to the snowy mountains of MD. What's funny is that our friends back in dc won't see any of this snow. For us... We get snow.

The Big Day is Here...

2008-02-29T11:31:00.002-05:00

... and I'm all packed up. Whether or not I'm going to be appropriately packed for this mystery weekend is an entirely different matter. I guess we'll have to wait and see what is in store for the big bachelor!

Given that I have no clue as to where we are going, I am unsure if I will be able to blog about the weekend as it is happening. If I get a phone signal, I'll try and post some pictures. If not, I'll recount as much as I can on Sunday when we get back.

For those of you joining me on this excursion, I want to extend my thanks for taking the time off from work to spend this time with me. I know what it's like to work around busy personal and work schedules, so this means a lot to me.

To everyone reading at home... have a great weekend!