Whoopi

Really didn't have anything to blog about yesterday.

Since a daily blog, here goes.

Went to work

Took Kyle to soccer after work

This day in history "On this day in 1955, the actress, comedian and talk-show host Whoopi Goldberg is born in New York City. Goldberg earned an Oscar nomination for her Hollywood feature debut in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple (1985) and went on become the first-ever solo female host of the Academy Awards."

Decided to try and run as my hip doesn't hurt, now it's my lower back that is bothering me.  I am thinking all things attached from the lower back to the knee.

2 mile around Deer Park.  Not bad, not good.  Leg and hip felt funny, but not painful.

Home late, after 10pm, so was lazy and went to sleep around 11....
Magic number drops slightly, and I have to tally up my miles on the bike and elliptical.

Photo of the day "Whoopi"

Rack of Pork

So foggy this morning, you could hardly see the stop lights. Even by 8am , the sun hadn't really burned off the fog.  Some strange weather we are having lately.

A nice day outside I guess, but by the time I made my way to the parking lot and home, it was starting to get breezy and overcast.

This day in history "On this day in 1954, Ellis Island, the gateway to America, shuts it doors after processing more than 12 million immigrants since opening in 1892. Today, an estimated 40 percent of all Americans can trace their roots through Ellis Island, located in New York Harbor off the New Jersey coast and named for merchant Samuel Ellis, who owned the land in the 1770s.
On January 2, 1892, 15-year-old Annie Moore, from Ireland, became the first person to pass through the newly opened Ellis Island, which President Benjamin Harrison designated as America's first federal immigration center in 1890. Before that time, the processing of immigrants had been handled by individual states."

Sue spent the day painting the upstairs bathroom.  It looks really good, and all I had to do was bring up the ladder.

A trip to Costco with Luke and Sue took two wagons.  A new record of $513 and no bug ticket items.  I guessed it was going to be about $400.  When did everything get so expensive.   Luke asked for pork chops, and then we saw it.  A rack of pork, pre-seasoned, and ready to bake.

Back home, the roast goes into the oven as we put the groceries, etc away.  For the past two weeks we have done our best to go through all the food in refrigerator and freezer.  Now, we are all stocked up again, and as long as I remember to defrost something, we won't be going out to dinner.

Late dinner, as the rack of pork took 1 hour and 45 minutes to cook, and 15 minutes to rest.  Luke picked a good dinner.  CSA sweet potatoes and steam fresh corn accompany the meat.  One of the sweat potatoes has a root trailing on one end...funny, it looks like a mouse now that it is baked.

I love to cook, and I love to eat.  Everyone very happy with a fancy surprise Monday night dinner.

Photo of the day "Rack of Pork"

It was so easy a caveman can do it.  18 minutes a pound at 350 F.  Let rest for 15 minutes if you can

ACPHS

We stopped in Staten Island and Brooklyn to see part of the championship soccer match between Berkeley and ACPHS.  Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.  Both small schools who compete in the Hudson Valley Mens Athletic Conference.

We are watching the game to get a feel for the level of soccer that is played by ACPHS, a school on Kyle's radar that offer a Pharm.D program.  Being a small school, it is part of a conference that I did not even know existed.  USCAA - United States Collegiate Athletics Association.  Who knew.  

This day in history "

The Soviet Union announces that, because of its opposition to the recent overthrow of the government of Chilean President Salvador Allende, it would not play a World Cup Soccer match against the Chilean team on November 21, if the match were held in Santiago. The International Football Federation had given the Soviets until the 11th to decide whether they would play the game. With the Soviet refusal, the Federation disqualified the Soviet team from World Cup play. It was the first time in the history of World Cup Soccer that a team had boycotted over political issues.The Soviet team had played the Chilean team to a 0-0 tie in September, in a game that took place in Moscow. It steadfastly refused to play the rematch in Santiago, charging that the stadium in which the game would take place had recently been the scene of the torture and killing of Allende supporters during the coup. Allende, a Marxist, was killed during the takeover. The Soviets offered to play the game in a neutral country, but the Federation refused this compromise and the Soviet team, that had reached the quarterfinals in the last World Cup in 1970, was eliminated from competition. Despite fears that other Iron Curtain countries would join the boycott, teams from East Germany, Bulgaria, and Poland participated in the 1974 games held in West Germany.This would not be the last time that Cold War battles found their way into international sporting events. Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, President Jimmy Carter asked the U.S. Olympic team to boycott the 1980 games to be held in Moscow. The U.S. team acceded to this request."

Academics being the most important consideration for choosing a school, followed I think by the campus, and then of course can soccer fit into the mix when taking on a very difficult 6 year degree in Pharm.D.

The level of play is something that Kyle could handle, and he would likely make a mark and get playing time even as a freshman.   It was not Albany's day today, as they went down 2 goals in the first half.  The coaches appeared calm and capable, and never had a negative word while the boys played.  We left to visit Brian and Therese, and then headed home.

We did stop for a bite to eat at Brennan and Carrs.  Our usual eateries flooded by Sandy have not been able to reopen yet.  Roast Beef was very good.  I like the cheez better at Roll and Roaster.  Randazzo's, what can I say,they have the best shellfish and seafood on the planet.  That is clams, mussels, calamari, bisque, chowder...We eagerly await both eateries to make their comeback.

Photo of the day "ACPHS"

So this is where we start.  The first college team Kyle has watched play whole considering the school.  Sure, he has seen other college teams play on TV or watched a game at Stony Brook.  

Lady Bug

So I missed a blog.  It happens.

Not much going on except some nice weather for a change.  Snow almost all gone, even in the shade.

This day in history "On this day in 1969, "Sesame Street," a pioneering TV show that would teach generations of young children the alphabet and how to count, makes its broadcast debut. "Sesame Street," with its memorable theme song ("Can you tell me how to get/How to get to Sesame Street"), went on to become the most widely viewed children's program in the world. It has aired in more than 120 countries."

I watched Sesame Street as did most of my friends.  It has lasted the test of time and has recently come back into the limelight when public television became the topic of discussion.  Big Bird go the last word.

Saw a late in the season lady bug.  I think they seek shelter in the winter.  Maybe this one was fooled by the mild weather following a snow storm

Photo of the day "Lady Bug"

You Rock

I help Kyle get to school this morning as he has 2 backpacks and a large box to take Sachem East.  The ride up to the school is easier than usual, there are really less cars on the road.  I wish him luck on his HS soccer semi-final match.

Later in the day, Sue lets's me know that Kyle's soccer game got moved out east to Dowling filed at 6pm instead of in Dix Hills.  No excuse to leave the office early to catch his game.

It is getting chilly out, so a sweatshirt, jacket and gloves are needed.  I still cant believe that so many people are still living without power and/or heat in this cold.

This day in history " At dusk, the biggest power failure in U.S. history occurs as all of New York state, portions of seven neighboring states, and parts of eastern Canada are plunged into darkness. The Great Northeast Blackout began at the height of rush hour, delaying millions of commuters, trapping 800,000 people in New York's subways, and stranding thousands more in office buildings, elevators, and trains. Ten thousand National Guardsmen and 5,000 off-duty policemen were called into service to prevent looting.
The blackout was caused by the tripping of a 230-kilovolt transmission line near Ontario, Canada, at 5:16 p.m., which caused several other heavily loaded lines also to fail. This precipitated a surge of power that overwhelmed the transmission lines in western New York, causing a "cascading" tripping of additional lines, resulting in the eventual breakup of the entire Northeastern transmission network. All together, 30 million people in eight U.S. states and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec were affected by the blackout. During the night, power was gradually restored to the blacked-out areas, and by morning power had been restored throughout the Northeast."

We have been plunged into darkness on other occasions, and the most recent, hurricane Sandy has many of us thinking about co-generation.  In most cases, that will be a small portable generator to run critical lights, heating, hotwater, and refrigeration.

Kyle and his team play well, but lose 1-0 in a well played game.  Kyle, you rock.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that my MRI results are in and I have Bursitis and Tendinitis.  Now I will have to wait who knows how long to speak to my ortho so he can advise me.  Or maybe I continue to loose faith in our healthcare system and continue to self diagnose and treat.  I was rocking for a while with my fitness.  I will get back, even if I have to ride bikes and use elliptical machines.

Work is being difficult these days, and jokingly, I am contemplating a new career or at least one that does not involve being so close to information technology.  I like music.

Photo of the day "You Rock"

Click the link

You Rock http://www.jibjab.com/view/uAtaH6PjTOuCKDm1ZrR4TA?utm_campaign=URL+Copy&utm_medium=Share&utm_source=JibJab&cmpid=jj_url

Red Sky at Night, Sailors Delight

Thursday morning looked ugly, and the wake-up call from Sachem schools at 5am, a real eye opener.

Yes, school was cancelled again at Sachem due to weather.  This brings us to a total of (8) days of missed school, that will need to be made up at some point.  Good thing I didn't book that timeshare and flight to sunny Florida for the end of June.

The roads were a bit mushy and slick by the time I left the house for work at 9am.  Started my day working from home with early meetings.  So very fortunate to have phone and internet while hundreds of thousands on Long Island still don;t have power.

This day in history "On this day in 1895, physicist Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen (1845-1923) becomes the first person to observe X-rays, a significant scientific advancement that would ultimately benefit a variety of fields, most of all medicine, by making the invisible visible. Rontgen's discovery occurred accidentally in his Wurzburg, Germany, lab, where he was testing whether cathode rays could pass through glass when he noticed a glow coming from a nearby chemically coated screen. He dubbed the rays that caused this glow X-rays because of their unknown nature.
X-rays are electromagnetic energy waves that act similarly to light rays, but at wavelengths approximately 1,000 times shorter than those of light. Rontgen holed up in his lab and conducted a series of experiments to better understand his discovery. He learned that X-rays penetrate human flesh but not higher-density substances such as bone or lead and that they can be photographed."

I had an xray last week, or was that almost 2 weeks ago now.  Pain in my right leg/hip/hammy...if you read the blog, you know.  Anyway the Dr. used that inexpensive and primitive diagnostic tool to rule out a fracture.  Then he ordered an MRI (like he was ordering a pastrami sandwich at the deli).  Then the storm came.  So, earlier this week I finally got my MRI.

On my way home from work, I go to get some Chinese takeout.  Sue called in the order as I was leaving work.  Food is ready when I get there, so I hand over my shiny new credit card (just got a replacement due to FRAUD alert on my old one).  The card does not go thru.  They try again, but still no good.  I have some cash I was saving, just in case I need gas....

I think my credit and bank card are no longer usable because they were in my pocket with the cash when I went into the MRI tunnel.  The the tech never asked if anything was in my pocket.  I left my cell phone and keys in my jacket.  What a dumb ass...

The Red Bulls lose their playoff game after being snowed out the other night.  What was Henry thinking as he blew the game for the team encroaching during a PK, and then not taking the final free kick.  Luckily for us, the NY COSMOS are coming back, and will be playing in Hofstra next year....I had that ride over the bridge into NJ anyway.

Photo of the day "Red Sky at Night, Sailors Delight" (Lifted from Barbara Bartoli)

The Red Sky last night is usually a sign for mariners that the storm has gone and that brighter high pressure systems are taking over.  Time for me to start preparing for a last of the year fishing trip to Port Jeff.

Say it isn't snow

This morning Sue and the boys went back to work and school at Sachem.  I got ready for an early morning MRI at Zwanger.   I can't believe how loud that machine is.  The MRI tech asked me if I wanted music...I said sure how about Pink Floyd.  He says they have Pandora, so it should be no problem.

Well, the music was more like top 40, and it didn't really matter as the machine drowned out the music in the headphones.  Now I understand why people freak out a little from the is machine.  As the machine pulsed, I swear I felt it pelting me with magnetic pulses.  35 minutes later after a series of 7 or so scans of 5 minutes each, I was released.

This day in history "The Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapses due to high winds on this day in 1940. Fortunately, only a dog was killed.

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge was built in Washington during the 1930s and opened to traffic on July 1, 1940. It spanned the Puget Sound from Gig Harbor to Tacoma, which is 40 miles south of Seattle. The channel is about a mile wide where the bridge crossed the sound. Sleek and slender, it was the third longest suspension bridge in the world at the time, covering 5,959 feet."

The wind starts to howl and the rain starts to look a little chunky.  Well, a Noreaster in November, even the start of the month can be pretty nasty.  I am working from home so honker down and forget about the weather for a while.  

The phone rings and Sue txts me that several Sachem schools have lost power.  Early dismissal is announced so my quiet home office is going to be getting busy soon.  I run out to the bus stop to get Luke as it is now raining and snowing..

Everyone is home early, and I need to go out to pick up my CSA share of veggies.  I get there and the snow is pelting me as I look for the sign that lists what we should take.  The sign is several feet away and has the wrong list (last weeks I guess).  Not knowing how much of each to take, I guesstimate.  Driving home is hindered and dangerous as several roads in the area are grid locked with lines for local gas stations.

Luke's favorite tonight, spaghetti and meatballs.  I sort the veggies and we settle in to watch the Redbulls soccer game.  It is delayed due to snow.  Oh, by the way, Kyle's soccer game today was cancelled due to weather.  Redbulls game get cancelled.  My pellet stove keeps shutting itself down with some sort of error code.   

Photo of the day "Say it isn't snow"

LIRR delays, closures, Penn Station closed.  Friends losing power again.  Weekend tournament upstate NY cancelled.  The final year.  

P.S.  This photo was taken at the start of the snow...forecast was for rain and wind.  Extremes in our weather.  Is it a sign.  I think the new normal is for more bad weather events.  The boys will be going to school till July.