work, work, work

My new fav day of work is Saturday. It's not too busy because college football is not in season. And the guys that work on Saturday are hilarious.

Also lots of good sports on.

Tigers are currently in extra innings.

Draft day

The NFL draft starts tonight -- the second year, I think -- that it will be a part of the prime-time TV lineup. This thing has really become an event. The reason? For some teams it is the highlight of the year. In Detroit we used to call it the Lions' Super Bowl, although with picks like Charles Rogers and Joey Harrington, they lost at it too.

Anyway, quarterback Cam Newton is favored to be the first pick in the draft tonight. This kid led Auburn to a national title but also had some bumps in the road along the way which included an arrest and eventual transfer from Florida and his father shopping him around to colleges.

I don't care if Newton gets picked first, character issues or not, I just wonder if the Panthers have even Jimmy Clausen a chance. He wasn't good last season but neither was Troy Aikman in his first as the Cowboys starter (their record was 1-15).

All I am saying as it seems like teams give up on talent, especially QBs,, all too quickly.

I hope Clausen gets another chance with another franchise. After all, he is supposed to be the best Notre Dame quarterback since Joe Montana.

back to the bike trail

The one thing I love about Connecticut, and to be fair there are not many things, is the system of recreational trails that run through the area. We had them in our backyard when we lived in the condo. The closest place to get on is now a 10 minute car ride away.

I got out for my first trail ride of the season today. Did a respectable 22 miles. It was a pretty good ride out but I had a nasty head wind on the way back. Still, just great to get out there.

When I got home, more yard work. But nice to break it up with a bike ride.

Happy Easter

After a long week, both of us got home from work between 4 and 5 a.m. on Sunday. So Easter started when we woke up at 2:30.

We planned to meet a friend for dinner and a movie. We had an awesome time with good conversation at Cheesecake Factory, one of the few places open in Connecticut because of the holiday.

Then we went to see the Disney movie about lions (yes, it is rated G), but realized we were at the wrong theater. Maybe we will see it tomorrow.

The silver lining? Coming home to watch The Judds reality show on Oprah's channel. That family has some pretty crazy skeletons in their closet.

Not a traditional Easter, but it suited us just fine.

some fun on the horizon

We are in the middle of planning a trip to California to see a few of our friends from back in the D.

In sending e-mails and working out the details someone pointed out how sad it is that we have all gone our separate ways. We live on the East Coast, one couple moved to San Diego and two others to L.A. A few are left in Detroit.

Luckily this group is close, we keep in touch and try to see each other once a year. But it won't ever be like it used to be, which is both good and bad.

Here's to a week of fun on Cali, which may or may not include bonfires and tequila.

Killing me

The playoffs are killing me, second night at work til 4. Hope to get a real post up tomorrow. Love to all.

language barrier

Today we have the Polish Helping Hands (a cleaning service) at our house.

Erin is trying to get some rest before work and this lady is not quiet. In fact, she is loud.

She does not speak English; I do not speak Polish, so I am not sure she knows someone is trying to sleep.

Not good.

gardening

Cleaned up the flower beds, fertilized the lawn and put down red mulch. Hoping my thumb is as green as my father's.

It all made me take just a bit more pride in the house/yard.

We are getting the driveway sealed and the deck stained. It will all be so nice for hanging out outdoors.

I love spring/summer.

Playoff time

The NHL and NBA playoffs are upon us but I have to admit, aside from watching the Wings, I have been focused on baseball.

I used to think baseball was slow and boring. Guess as I've gotten older I have developed more of an appreciation for the finer points of the game.

Living in Detroit for eight years also let me focus on one team, which I still follow. The Tigers lost again Saturday, with ace Justin Verlander on the mound. Giving up three straight doubles to start an inning -- not good.

Go Wings, go Tigers and, I guess, go Bulls!

changing times

When ABC announced yesterday that it was canceling "All My Children" and "One Life To Live" it was like a little part of my childhood was being ripped away. I grew up watching those soaps, which were on in the background when we played as kids. The influence of the story lines went so far that our Barbies often were engaged in love triangles.

My mom loves both shows and my annual gift for her birthday has been "Soap Opera Digest" for more than a few years running.

I understand that the ratings have fallen over the years, thanks first to the O.J. trial and then to Soapnet, but it is still a little sad to see them go.

Erica Kane (above, circa 1979) and Vicki Lord are institutions, after all.

awesome

Got out on the bike for the first time this year. In the interest of full disclosure, it must be at least 60 degrees for me to ride and it was just over that today. It was also a little breezy. Still a great ride, albeit short, of 10 miles around the neighborhood before work.

I am setting a goal of 1,000 miles this summer. Only 990 to go.

miss bella

Woke up to the news that my niece, Bella, is back in the ER. She had seizures on the way to school and then vomiting.

This kid has gone through the ringer since being diagnosed with meningitis at 10 days. She had 50-50 shot of living back then. Now 6, she has brain damage and suffers from cerebral palsy and seizures.

She recently fell and hit her head. The doctors say her increased seizure activity, forgetfulness and mood swings can be attributed to post-concussion syndrome.

My sister's biggest concern is getting the seizures under control. As she said, they are not conducive living.

Prayers for the Needhams, who continue to wage the fight to get Bella well.

draft day

One of the perks of my job is getting to see some pretty cool things around campus.

The WNBA draft was held live at ESPN on Monday. Since it was my day off I volunteered to help out. ESPN has recently launched a website specifically geared toward the female sports fan called espnW. I worked with their reporter to gather quotes.

I talked with several players and coaches about the experience of taking part in the draft.

One highlight was chatting with Gonzaga guard Courtney Vandersloot. I told her I was disappointed when her team beat Iowa in the first round of the NCAA tournament last month. But it was fun watching her lead the Bulldogs to the Elite Eight. She is headed to the Chicago Sky. I assured her there is no better Midwestern city than Chicago, especially in the summer.

Maya Moore was the first pick in the draft and should do wonders for the stagnant Minnesota Lynx. Here she is at her news conference after she was selected.



It was great getting back to my roots and doing a little reporting. Given my love of women's hoops (I have been to at least a dozen Final Fours), I was lucky to have such a great opportunity.

first signs of spring

It isn't spring at ESPN until the geese show up. This one was in the parking lot the other day. His friend was going around looking at his reflection in the side of cars and then pecking at himself. I am sure some folks are going to wonder where those scratches came from.

These flowers popped up in the front flower bed of the house. We continue to learn what was planted here before we moved in. I love daffodils so this is a happy sight.

weekend on the horizon

Two hours from my weekend thinking of things to do.

We have brunch plans in the morning and then plan to chart out a course from our home improvement. I have to get to Lowe's and start working on the lawn -- because spring is for the doers.

Busy.

manny retires

This has to be one of the weirder breaking news stories in recent memory.

Manny Ramirez, who helped the hated Red Sox win a World Series in 2004, announced out of the blue he was retiring. Then, not shockingly, it turned out he was facing a 100-game suspension for flunking a drug test.

Baseball is mess and Manny was sort of the poster boy for this era.

P.S. Tigers win home opener.

oh yeah, books

Since quitting Facebook I have read two books and started a third. Sometimes I forget how great reading can be because it's basically what I do for a living, read and edit.

But reading books is a different kind of reading -- the kind that takes you to a different place and time, removes you from your life for awhile.

Anyway, for all you newspaper folks, "The Imperfectionists" is great stuff. All those quirky personalities you've met over the years in newsrooms are represented here. The chick on the copy desk is all too familiar.

And, completely off topic, Tigers bullpen blows.

Sonic

Is it wrong that the only Sonic in Connecticut is off the same exit as our doctor? Had to drop off some paperwork down there today so stopped for lunch. Awesome corn dog, took me right back to the Iowa State Fair. Also love the tots.

Stew Leonard's was next, a gourmet grocery store. The great find there was limeade -- yummy.

And, yes, it was Erin's birthday. Finally got this poster, from a concert we went to in 2004 in Michigan, framed.

Nice try

Irish chicks gave it all they had but, as expected, Danielle Adams (30 points) and Texas A&M were too much. Disappointing. But at least it was a good game, which is more than the men can say. That championship was hard to watch.

Went out for a nice pre-birthday dinner at Hot Tomato in downtown Hartford. Food was great, company was better.

Happy birthday to Erin, who turns 29 again Wednesday!

Irish make title game

I really wish we would have been at the Final Four last night. Watched the two upsets in the semifinals from the comfort of our living room.

First, Texas A&M took out Stanford. This was a little surprising in that Stanford was the No. 1 seed. But the Cardinal are notorious for choking.

The stunner was Notre Dame beating two-time champ Connecticut and Maya Moore. Just shocking. Even more awesome because I love the Irish. And to all those whining about Skylar Diggins being an All-American, the 28 points she put up against UConn proves she belongs. Big girl Becca Bruszewski better show up in the final (two points in the semis) or Danielle Adams is going to take over.

Men's championship is tonight. I am rooting for underdog Butler against UConn. I may live in Connecticut but I am not a Husky fan.

As for birthday-palozza, we looked for Erin's camera today but she wants to do more research. Hopefully we will have some photos soon.

Birthday-palozza

We will begin a four-day celebration tomorrow of Erin's big day -- which is Wednesday -- in the a.m. I will be getting out of bed early for breakfast out. Then we are going shopping for a new camera. With any luck, we will be be posting some photos here...

Irish rule

I would be remiss in not giving a shout out to the Irish chick hoops team which is playing in the Final Four in Indianapolis on Sunday. Muffet McGraw (yes, the coach's name is Muffet) and her team upset Tennessee to advance to the national semifinals for the first time since 2001 in St. Louis.

Erin and I were in attendance back then, when Notre Dame won a title, but won't be able to make it this weekend. Stupid house.

Anyway, GO IRISH!

P.S. They play two-time champ UConn in the semis so I am not expecting a national title.

why do I live in Connecticut?

I was a rain/snow mix last night on the way home.

None of my reletives live anywhere near us. And now that we have a house we rarely get to travel to see them.

Can you be homesick when you are 42? Just asking.