March Madness is officially history. I officially didn't do too poorly in my bracket choices... though I did not win, which makes me annoyed. In our little bracket competition of 14 people, I placed 3rd. Cory placed a very respectable 4th place. We both beat Brett, which was really all that we were going for... (love you Brett!)
And now, for some things we've learned from this year's competition:
1. Utah teams suck in the first round. Of the 3 Utah schools to make it into the Big Dance, only Utah State got close to winning. BYU and the U were embarrassments. Next year, I am NOT putting BYU to advance, and probably not Utah, either (though we'll see how their seasons go...)
2. Sentimentality has no place in the competition. I totally thought 'Nova was going to beat Duke... and yet since I like Duke so much, I picked them over 'Nova. Stupid, stupid. I also told anyone who would listen to me that Arizona would upset the Utes, and yet I had the Utes to advance. Next year, it's all business.
3. Memphis is overrated. Seriously.
4. So is Oklahoma. Assuming Blake Griffin goes pro, they won't even have a team.
5. North Carolina deserved to win. Aaah, it pains me to say this, since to cheer on North Carolina is to cheer on the enemy. I thought they would win it all this year, though I picked Louisville to beat them in the championship (again, with the stupid feelings clouding my judgement). I'm actually happy they won, since I believe they had the best team this year - and the best team deserves to win.
6. Big East teams are pretty good, even if they didn't make it into the championship game.
7. Do your research. Cory got UConn and Pitt confused... and put Pitt to win it all. He meant to put UConn. Not that it matters now, since they both got beat...
As always, it was fun to make picks and cheer on my teams. It was fun to write all over my bracket (which I crumpled up and threw away after Louisville lost...) I'm proud to get 3rd, though next year I intend to take 1st. The gauntlet has been thrown. In the meantime, I have nothing to watch on Saturday afternoons, and may need to take up a new hobby :)
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Glass museum
When Cory was in the lower tri's, surviving week-to-week, students in the upper tri's would always tell us that "it gets better" and that we would have lots more "free time" when he reached the upper tri's. Well, he's now 2 weeks shy of the end of 9th, and entering his final trimester. Things are better... mostly. Alas, he doesn't really have the promised free time. Instead of studying non-stop, taking anywhere from 3-10 tests per week, he's now spending all his time treating patients. Case in point -- on Wednesday he had a rotation at one of the VA (Veterans Affairs) hospitals. He left home at 7am. He got home at 10pm. He had a 13-hour day at the hospital, plus 2 hours of travel time. The experiences the school provides to the students are great... just time-consuming. So, while we don't have much free time, and I still get to see him less than I would like, it's been wonderful to watch him transition from 'student' to 'doctor.' He's growing into his own and preparing to support our family -- and I support him 100% in that. We do what we can, and catch time together whenever his schedule allows.
Yesterday was such a day. We took the day off and drove down to Corning, an 1 1/2 south of us, to see the Corning Museum of Glass. It was pretty cool. I had no idea glass was so complex!
We watched a guy blow a glass bowl, start to finish, and it was so neat to see the process:
We also watched a guy work some glass rods (in the left hand corner of the picture) into an eagle, using just a blowtorch. Wow. In the forefront of the pic, you can see some of the other whimsical creatures he's made. Impressive.
They also had an extensive museum, filled with glass everything -- from glass viles that date to the Roman Empire, to modern-day pieces (like this glass table). It was really something to see!
It was a cool place to visit, and a wonderful way to spend time together!
Yesterday was such a day. We took the day off and drove down to Corning, an 1 1/2 south of us, to see the Corning Museum of Glass. It was pretty cool. I had no idea glass was so complex!
We watched a guy blow a glass bowl, start to finish, and it was so neat to see the process:
We also watched a guy work some glass rods (in the left hand corner of the picture) into an eagle, using just a blowtorch. Wow. In the forefront of the pic, you can see some of the other whimsical creatures he's made. Impressive.
They also had an extensive museum, filled with glass everything -- from glass viles that date to the Roman Empire, to modern-day pieces (like this glass table). It was really something to see!
It was a cool place to visit, and a wonderful way to spend time together!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Confessions of a college-hoops crazed fan
March Madness is one of my favorite times of the year. It's the "official" beginning to spring, the sun is starting to shine with greater frequency, and the best of college hoops is on glorious display. It's such a great time of the year!
One of my favorite annual traditions is making my March Madness picks. This takes me many tries to get it just how I want it. I print out like 5 brackets, fill one out ... think about it ... crumple it up and throw it away ... and repeat the same process. I read any and all online advice, from college hoops experts to 'bracketologists'. Once I get my bracket how I want it, I cling diligently to it, and cheer with gusto the teams I've picked to advance. I carry it around with me for the entire tournament. When my teams win, I happily circle or highlight them (and tell everyone within earshot how smart I am) and when they lose, I angrily 'x' them out (and get sulky).
I watch as many games as possible. I watch them on TV; I watch them online, streaming live. When not watching, I check the scores online, and refresh the page about a thousand times so I am updated with the latest information. As soon as the game is final, I whip out my bracket and circle or 'x' them. By the end of the tournament, my bracket has been folded, crumpled, scribbled upon, stained with food and generally battered (and occasionally cried on).
Since it's so abused, why fill out a bracket? Something magical happens when you have a bracket and you're cheering on a team with all your might. There's always one team that no one saw coming that swoops in and destroys your bracket. The surprise, the riveting games, the buzzer-beater shots, the agony of defeat and the thrill of advancing ... that's what March Madness is all about ... and I love every minute of it. Bring on the madness!!
One of my favorite annual traditions is making my March Madness picks. This takes me many tries to get it just how I want it. I print out like 5 brackets, fill one out ... think about it ... crumple it up and throw it away ... and repeat the same process. I read any and all online advice, from college hoops experts to 'bracketologists'. Once I get my bracket how I want it, I cling diligently to it, and cheer with gusto the teams I've picked to advance. I carry it around with me for the entire tournament. When my teams win, I happily circle or highlight them (and tell everyone within earshot how smart I am) and when they lose, I angrily 'x' them out (and get sulky).
I watch as many games as possible. I watch them on TV; I watch them online, streaming live. When not watching, I check the scores online, and refresh the page about a thousand times so I am updated with the latest information. As soon as the game is final, I whip out my bracket and circle or 'x' them. By the end of the tournament, my bracket has been folded, crumpled, scribbled upon, stained with food and generally battered (and occasionally cried on).
Since it's so abused, why fill out a bracket? Something magical happens when you have a bracket and you're cheering on a team with all your might. There's always one team that no one saw coming that swoops in and destroys your bracket. The surprise, the riveting games, the buzzer-beater shots, the agony of defeat and the thrill of advancing ... that's what March Madness is all about ... and I love every minute of it. Bring on the madness!!
Friday, March 13, 2009
The proof is in the pudding
As many of you know, I work in the Office of Institutional Quality and Assessment, at NYCC (the school Cory attends). A few months ago, we got a new boss. As a getting-to-know-you exercise, he thought it would be fun for everyone in our division to complete an online questionnaire, called a DiSC profile. It's based on the Meyer-Briggs personality test, and you're supposed to answer the questions to describe your work persona. When you're done, they label you as a D (dominance), I (inquisitive), S (steadiness) or C (conscientious).
Anyone want to guess what I am?
Apparently, I am an 'S'. Coming in a very close 2nd place was D. Coming in at a not-so-distant 3rd was I. And coming in at the very bottom (meaning apparently I have none) was C.
Yep, I am an achiever. This really didn't come as any surprise.
The profile they give you also comes with some adjectives that supposedly describe you. Some of mine are: adventuresome, decisive, competitive, inquisitive, charming, confident, amiable, convincing, serene, possessive, self-assured, generous, defiant, obstinate, sarcastic.
*Sigh* It's pretty spot-on. At least I've got some positive traits in that list. When I told my mom that it had labeled me as competitive and obstinate, she just laughed. Sad... but true.
Anyone want to guess what I am?
Apparently, I am an 'S'. Coming in a very close 2nd place was D. Coming in at a not-so-distant 3rd was I. And coming in at the very bottom (meaning apparently I have none) was C.
Yep, I am an achiever. This really didn't come as any surprise.The profile they give you also comes with some adjectives that supposedly describe you. Some of mine are: adventuresome, decisive, competitive, inquisitive, charming, confident, amiable, convincing, serene, possessive, self-assured, generous, defiant, obstinate, sarcastic.
*Sigh* It's pretty spot-on. At least I've got some positive traits in that list. When I told my mom that it had labeled me as competitive and obstinate, she just laughed. Sad... but true.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Deluged
Well, it seems as if I got my wish... sort of. Our temps are at least out of the single digits, which is a definite improvement. We got a few days of temps in the 50's, but we got almost 2 inches of rain. Consequently, this is what our yard looks like:
Alas, we're in for more snow. Spring is not quite here yet... but at least it's not 5 degrees. At this point, I'll take what I can get.
Having nothing to do with the weather... I read a great book over the weekend. It's called The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester. Really, it's quite excellent. I would recommend you go out and get your hands on a copy. The storyline is great, very imaginative, and keeps you reading 'til the very end.
School work is ever on-going for Cory. There are 4 national tests that you have to pass in order to be licensed as a chiropractor. Cory has part 3 this weekend, so everyone keep your fingers crossed for him :)
Alas, we're in for more snow. Spring is not quite here yet... but at least it's not 5 degrees. At this point, I'll take what I can get.Having nothing to do with the weather... I read a great book over the weekend. It's called The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester. Really, it's quite excellent. I would recommend you go out and get your hands on a copy. The storyline is great, very imaginative, and keeps you reading 'til the very end.
School work is ever on-going for Cory. There are 4 national tests that you have to pass in order to be licensed as a chiropractor. Cory has part 3 this weekend, so everyone keep your fingers crossed for him :)
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Brrrrr
You know it's cold when the INSIDE of your door is frozen!
Believe me, I am sooo ready for spring!! Or at least temperatures out of the single digits...Thursday, February 19, 2009
Our nation's capitol
We took advantage of the 3-day weekend and turned it into a 5-day weekend. We went down to Washington D.C. to spend time with our friends Em & Brett. Thanks guys, for such a great trip! It was our 3rd time visiting D.C., but we still found plenty of stuff we hadn't seen!
Capitol Building
We went on a tour of the Capitol Building, and it was pretty neat to see the inside. This is the hallway leading to the House of Representatives' chamber (they were in session while we were there). We even saw Nancy Pelosi, on her way to session.
Capitol Building Rotunda
Old Supreme Court offices, in the basement of the Capitol Building (they don't use the offices anymore)
Cory doing his best to look like a hoodlum in front of the FBI building
The White House
The White House
Washington Monument
Vietnam Memorial Wall (so cool to see!)
Korean Monument
We rode the elevator up the Washington Monument, and the view was awesome. This is overlooking the mall, down to the Capitol Building.
White House, as seen from the top of the Washington Monument
Monument to the Marines - better known as Iwo Jima. It was so huge! Much bigger than I was expecting...
Iwo Jima
Washington National Cathedral. Very cool inside. This is where Pres. Obama came for prayer service the day after he was sworn in.
National Cathedral
Inside the Cathedral - way cool
Monument at the Pentagon Building. Each bench is designated to a specific person.
Pentagon Memorial - such a sobering place to visit
Our romantic Valentines Dinner. It was really yummy. We made the boys' favorite - chicken cordon bleu.
Cory playing around with a bottle - I snapped the picture at the perfect moment.
It was 'Restaurant Week' in D.C. and so we took advantage of it. Really fancy places that are usually $80/plate (or more) offer a limited selection from their menus, and let people come in for much less than normal price. We paid $20/plate for lunch. We ate at Il Mulino, an Italian place. Best food I've ever had, hands down. The cheesecake was to DIE for.
Ford's Theatre, where Abe Lincoln was shot.
After he was shot, he was taken across the street to the Peterson home. He died in back room of the house.
Inside Ford's Theatre
The box where Lincoln was seated.
Ford's Theatre
Em discovered how to make the Wingers sauce (and for those of you who don't know, I loooove Wingers sauce!) So we had Wingers night at their house ... it was tasty!!
We also went to see the monuments at night. Very cool! This picture is taken at Iwo Jima, and you can see the Lincoln Monument, Washington Monument & Capitol in the distance.
Iwo Jima at night
Washington Monument at night
On our way home, we stopped and did a session at the D.C. temple.
Yeah, it's a gorgeous building, inside and out.
I had a hard time narrowing down the pictures to just these; we took so many! We had dinner with my aunt & uncle and enjoyed our time with them (though we totally forget to get a picture of the evening). We also wandered through the Museum of American History and saw the original U.S. flag; the one that hung over Ft. McHenry to signify victory and inspired The Star Spangled Banner. No pictures allowed, since it's in a climate controlled room. Still very cool. It's much larger than I expcted.
Spending time with Em, Brett & Abby was just wonderful. We miss being close to friends and family, so we're happy when we can go visit people we love. Plus the history in D.C. is fascinating. All in all, one fabulous trip!
Capitol Building
We went on a tour of the Capitol Building, and it was pretty neat to see the inside. This is the hallway leading to the House of Representatives' chamber (they were in session while we were there). We even saw Nancy Pelosi, on her way to session.
Capitol Building Rotunda
Old Supreme Court offices, in the basement of the Capitol Building (they don't use the offices anymore)
Cory doing his best to look like a hoodlum in front of the FBI building
The White House
The White House
Washington Monument
Vietnam Memorial Wall (so cool to see!)
Korean Monument
We rode the elevator up the Washington Monument, and the view was awesome. This is overlooking the mall, down to the Capitol Building.
White House, as seen from the top of the Washington Monument
Monument to the Marines - better known as Iwo Jima. It was so huge! Much bigger than I was expecting...
Iwo Jima
Washington National Cathedral. Very cool inside. This is where Pres. Obama came for prayer service the day after he was sworn in.
National Cathedral
Inside the Cathedral - way cool
Monument at the Pentagon Building. Each bench is designated to a specific person.
Pentagon Memorial - such a sobering place to visit
Our romantic Valentines Dinner. It was really yummy. We made the boys' favorite - chicken cordon bleu.
Cory playing around with a bottle - I snapped the picture at the perfect moment.
It was 'Restaurant Week' in D.C. and so we took advantage of it. Really fancy places that are usually $80/plate (or more) offer a limited selection from their menus, and let people come in for much less than normal price. We paid $20/plate for lunch. We ate at Il Mulino, an Italian place. Best food I've ever had, hands down. The cheesecake was to DIE for.
Ford's Theatre, where Abe Lincoln was shot.
After he was shot, he was taken across the street to the Peterson home. He died in back room of the house.
Inside Ford's Theatre
The box where Lincoln was seated.
Ford's Theatre
Em discovered how to make the Wingers sauce (and for those of you who don't know, I loooove Wingers sauce!) So we had Wingers night at their house ... it was tasty!!
We also went to see the monuments at night. Very cool! This picture is taken at Iwo Jima, and you can see the Lincoln Monument, Washington Monument & Capitol in the distance.
Iwo Jima at night
Washington Monument at night
On our way home, we stopped and did a session at the D.C. temple.
Yeah, it's a gorgeous building, inside and out.I had a hard time narrowing down the pictures to just these; we took so many! We had dinner with my aunt & uncle and enjoyed our time with them (though we totally forget to get a picture of the evening). We also wandered through the Museum of American History and saw the original U.S. flag; the one that hung over Ft. McHenry to signify victory and inspired The Star Spangled Banner. No pictures allowed, since it's in a climate controlled room. Still very cool. It's much larger than I expcted.
Spending time with Em, Brett & Abby was just wonderful. We miss being close to friends and family, so we're happy when we can go visit people we love. Plus the history in D.C. is fascinating. All in all, one fabulous trip!
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