Sunday, May 31, 2009

Honeymoon Day One

The wedding was perfect. Jen is my wife. I am Jen's husband.
Everything went perfectly. We couldn't be happier with the entire day.

Last night we drove to Woodstock, VT and checked into The Village
Inn. The room is beautiful, but everything here is. It is just
perfect.

Today we had a killer massage and then went for a hike

Sent from my amazing iPhone 3G!

Our honeymoon day one

Bently's in Woodstock, VT

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Today is the Day!

I went to bed around 10:30 and tossed and turned for a couple of
hours. I think I was asleep for a few hours before waking up a little
before 4:00. I gave up trying for more sleep at 5:00. I think I'm
going to watch Star Trek on my phone until the alarm goes off.

The wedding is less than seven hours away and I can't wait!

Friday, May 29, 2009

Good night

The rehearsal dinner is over. Jen and her daughter are staying with
her folks tonight. Her son and I are at home in bed. We are all
exhausted but I still might have a hard time sleeping. I am very
excited about tomorrow. I am so ready to be Jen's husband. I waited
my whole life thus far to find someone I could share everything with.
I finally have her and tomorrow I will pledge all of my life to come
to her. I love her, and anything less would be a disservice to that
love. 13.5 hours from now we will be married and our forever will
begin. I am thrilled about that. I cannot wait.

Until then, good night and sweet dreams.

Rehearsal Dinner

Friday - The Craziness Begins!

Last night at 5:30 I officially went on vacation. Finally. Never have I needed it more than right now. Two weeks and one day off of work. I need this. Seriously, need it.

This morning we all got up early to get ready. We took my soon-to-be-step-son to his second day of First Grade Orientation. He flew into that classroom and practically dove to his seat. He is so excited. He's even more excited then I am, and I am really excited for him.

In a few minutes Jen and my soon-to-be-step-daughter (26.5 hours until I an drop the soon-to-be) are going to get some pampering of the manicure and pedicure variety. I am picking up the First Grader at 11:30 and we're going to my parents house for lunch. At some point after that the girls will join us.

Next we go to the hotel to drop off Jen and all of our mountain of stuff for the night. Then we head to the caterer to pick up the linens and take them to our 4:00 meeting at the reception hall. There we will finalize all of the reception details.

After that we head to the church for the rehearsal at 6:30 and then back to my folks' house for dinner.

After that we take the girls back to the hotel and me and the junior usher will head home and go to bed.

Tomorrow we get up at the crack of dawn and start getting ready. We will get dressed at my parents' house and be at the church by 11:00. Then at noon the magic happens and I become some woman's husband, the most amazing woman I've ever met becomes my wife, and the soon-to-be is dropped from soon-to-be-step-kids.

On November 18, 2008 I started this blog in the hope that I would be able to update it daily. So far I have been able to do that, with many of them moving to the private side in the great security minded purge. I don't know if I will be able to continue that between tomorrow and the end of the honeymoon but I will try.

Tomorrow it happens.

Let the craziness begin!

One Day Left

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Thursday

The plan for tonight was to pick up the tuxes and bring them to my parents' house. That changed when MWTux sent me an email yesterday saying my tux was ready to be picked up. Not everyone's was ready, so we still have to go back to get a certain Junior Groomsman's. Hopefully this afternoon.

Jen and I are both having trouble sleeping. There's so much going on we have a hard time shutting down. Jen was awake around 4:00 this morning and got out of bed way early to reorganize our packing situation. Hopefully we'll tire ourselves out enough tonight to get a good night sleep. I doubt either or us will sleep much at all on Friday night.

One of Jen's worst fears for our wedding appears to be coming true. Game one of the Stanley Cup Finals is Saturday May 30th. I tried to reassure her that it wouldn't start until after the reception and I was right. It's at 8:00. I haven't watched a game since the Whalercanes destroyed the universe by beating the Bruins in overtime of game seven. Tuesday night the Penguins completed a four game sweep of those same Whalers. Bruins Nation thanks you for wiping the evil ones from the face of the playoffs. Thank you Penguins. Last night Detroit finished off Chicago in five games. That means the Stanley Cup Finals are a rematch of last year's final. I would like to see the Penguins win it this year.

The plan for tonight is grab the tuxes and some items for the rehearsal dinner and bring them over to my parents' house. Then Jen and the kids and I will probably go out to eat and then head home for a quiet night and an early bed time.

Two days to go.

I can't wait.

Two days left

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

One of those might be mine.

Two cops hanging out on 93... Huge traffic jam... Coincidence?

Dennis Eckersly

Dennis Eckersley gets my vote for Baseball Broadcaster of the Year.

They must know...

They must know I'm in a huge hurry. @ the post office in Framingham, MA.

Wednesday

Today is Wednesday the 27th of May. Three days until the wedding. 75 hours to go as of 9:00am.

Last night we returned to the scene of the crime. We went out to dinner at the same restaurant we went to on our first date. It was Jen's idea and it was brilliant, as always. She figured that it would probably be our last opportunity to go on a date as an unmarried couple. We had dinner, hung out, relaxed, reminisced about that first date, and just generally enjoyed being together.

Tonight we are going to pack the few things we've picked up over the last couple of days and try to be calm and relaxed. Thursday we expect to be getting the tuxedos and dropping them off at my parent's house, which is where my half of the wedding party will be getting dressed.

Friday the craziness begins as we dot the final i's and cross the final t's and have our rehearsal.

Three days still to go. It's so close I can feel it, but it still seems so far away.

Still, I have never been this happy in my life, and it's all Jen's fault.

Three Days Left

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Heading Out

Heading out for what will probably be our last date as an unmarried
couple.

Four Days to Go

There are exactly 99 hours to go. (I wrote that at 9:00am)

Four days. I can count on one hand and have fingers to spare.

We are done (as done as we can be) with all of the prep work. The gifts are wrapped, the cards are written, the bags are 98% packed. The only items not packed are things we need this week.

There are three huge piles of stuff in the living room. One pile goes to the hall, another pile goes to the church, and the third pile goes on the honeymoon.

Now all we have to do is wait for the day to get here. It's going to be an utterly painful wait. Why can't it just be Thursday night already? From Thursday night on we have wedding work planned that should keep us very busy right up until we sleep Saturday night.

I very much want it to be here right now.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Five days left.

Happy Memorial Day

Five Days Left

Yesterday was huge. We got almost everything that was left to do done.

Place Cards? Done.
Seating Chart? Done.
Programs? Done.
Sorting things in preparation for packing? Done.
Scanning old photos? Done.

Still to do:
Loading the scanned pictures onto the digital picture frames. Then we need to finish picking out pictures of both of us and add those to a third picture frame.
Pack.

Once those things are done we will be all set, minus actually loading the stuff into the car which won't happen until the end of the week.

We're going out to breakfast right now, and then this afternoon we are going to a cookout at my parents' house. We have also added to the to-do list, buying a couple of new ties for me and a new suit for a certain 6 year old Junior Groomsman. We also have to pick up my suit at the cleaners. Jen went to get it on Friday and they said it wasn't ready because they dropped it off the truck and had to do it again. If that's the biggest hurdle we have this week then I will consider myself uber lucky.

Five days to go!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Out in Boston


Out in Boston
Originally uploaded by robj_1971
Okay, one more picture for now. (there will be a photo post later with 20 some odd iPhone shots.)

This was our dessert stop. Crème brûlée. Very good.

Busy wedding prep day

Very busy today.

Lots of wedding on the agenda today, not much time to write any of last night's events in detail so I will just borrow my morning facebook status:

The kids LOVED Star Trek and I wanna see it again RIGHT NOW! We had dinner in town with Mike and Tammy and hung out in the Public Garden for a while before going to Finale for dessert. Sooo... goooood... Today's plan is to finish off the last 4-5 wedding prep items (including packing) so that we can relax and enjoy next week.

There, I got a post in today. I might not have another chance.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Dinner with Mike and Tammy.

Star Trek

I am sitting in a Chunky's, eight minutes away from the start of my
second viewing of the new Star Trek. I am on the look out for a
reference to Captain Archer and a randomly placed Tribble.

Live long and prosper, dudes.

Saturday

Exactly one week to go. (or at least at noon it will be exactly one week)

Today though, lots going on. T-Ball... Star Trek with the kids... Dinner with Mike and Tammy...

Maybe some more packing and planning, but probably not until tomorrow.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Comments


0eccd69a
Originally uploaded by robj_1971
I received my first Flickr comment today. I was asked to add this photo to a group. The group being, Methuen MA. I feel so slick. Of course I'd feel slicker if it were taken with a real camera and not my iPhone... but still, I feel slick.

Eight Days a Week

If The Beatles song "Eight Days a Week" was calenderily accurate (I made up a new word babie! Dig me!) we would have one week to go.

Eight days. I can count it on my fingers without using my thumbs. So. Close.

Mary the Maid of Honor emailed a link to me and Jen today. Click this link here and scroll down to May 30th. Mother Nature appears to be rooting for us. Thanks!

Last night we started the long and involved process of sorting out clothes to take on the honeymoon. In other words, a laundry blitz is underway in our house.

We have another busy weekend ahead of us but we have scheduled Sunday as the Wedding Stuff Only Day. We will design and print the programs. We will scan in a ton of old pictures of us and load them onto digital picture frames so we can let everyone see how dorky we looked as kids. (There are mullet pictures in the pile. Be Afraid.) We will write out the seating arrangements and the place cards for the reception. We will Pack! All of that will get done on Sunday.

Saturday is a busy one, but mostly a fun time kind of busy. First there is T-Ball in the morning, which is a great way to kick off the weekend. Then we are taking the kids to see Star Trek. Their father might be joining us. It will be geek overload take two. I can't wait. After the movie Jen and I are going to go out to dinner with Mike and Tammy. A grown up, kid free kind of evening. Should be a lot of fun.

Monday is Memorial Day so we will be going to the obligatory cook out at my parent's house. We'll hang with the family and gush over the babies as usual. My nephew has been sick for a few days. I'm hoping he's better by then so he can come.

Tonight Jen has a hair appointment so my mother will be watching the kids for about an hour until I can get to her house to pick them up. All in all another crazy weekend, but today is the last Friday before the vacation/wedding/honeymoon kicks off next week.

I can't wait.

I installed a Flickr uploader app onto my phone and took a bunch of evening commute pictures yesterday. I mussed 'em all up in CameraBag and uploaded them. Now I am going to force them on... I mean share them with you.

Traffic in Walden Woods could be described in only one way: Suck


Walden Woods: We don't need no stinking public access. (the entrance to the park is just a short walk away)


I am a big fan of Concord Center. It's just a nice quaint little New England scene.


What is it about this building that I like? Pillars maybe? The name "Footstock" maybe?


One more, leaving the center. I tried to get some of the church and the cemetery near the rotary, but the traffic was too tricky to aim the camera. I'll get a good shot from the car someday.


Apparently the Tour de Freakin' France was run on Liberty Street on Concord yesterday. Complete with fucktards riding in triple file. I took this while passing them. I was in the left lane. The one asshole you can see who is right on the yellow line was actually in the left lane too. I should have run his stupid dumb ass over. I have no problem with biking, but if I have to share the road with you then you have to share it with me. If I have to drive single file then you have to ride your bicycle single file. I don't claim to own the road, but you sure as hell don't own it either.


Monument Street, looking left.


Monument Sreet, looking right.


And finally, my favorite of the whole batch. Jen and I went out to eat at the 99 in Salem, NH last night and I snapped this. My sweetie in monochrome.


That's it for now. Eight days to go.

Can't wait!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

A New Day

Yesterday was not a good day.

Today I got to drive the kids to school so Jen could get some extra sleep after working late last night. I feel so much better it's just plain silly.

Nine days left until the wedding. I can count the days on my fingers and have fingers left over. Yeah, that means it's close... but it still seems so far away.

Still a lot to do, but we're getting there.

I can't wait.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Hancock Tower in Boston


Hancock Tower in Boston
Originally uploaded by robj_1971
Okay, one more... again... but this time I mean it.

Of all the pictures I've taken since buying my groovy camera, this is the best one. It's also my favorite of all that don't include Jen or the kids.

My Town


CIMG0399
Originally uploaded by robj_1971
Okay, so one more before I go to bed.

This is my town. I love my town.

Yeah I know it's past my bedtime


1096
Originally uploaded by robj_1971
Jen is on call tonight. She's sitting next to me working hard and being an awesome programmer and if I had brain cell one in my head I would model my own job performance after hers.

I just want to stay up and offer some moral support to my sick sweetie. She's not feeling well and has had a rough couple of days.

So I am doing what I often do these days. Messing with Flickr. My 200 most viewed images to be precise.

I love the sky in this one. We were just minutes away from getting stuck in England in a horrendous torrential downpour.

I had to run to Canada to buy a flag. They were out. I got SOAKED.

I am going to bed now. I love you Jenny.

Woodstock


100b9850
Originally uploaded by robj_1971
If, when we go back to Woodstock, VT on stop one of the Awesome Adventure World Traveling Honeymoon Experience, this place is still available... I say we go for it.

I can't wait


100b9750
Originally uploaded by robj_1971
10 days left. I can't wait.

This photo was taken at the site of one of the many stops on our World Traveling Honeymoon Adventure.

Can't wait to go back.

Proposalversary

One year ago today Jen and I were in the back yard and I did something I'd never done before and will never do again. I popped the question. I got down on my knee and asked her to marry me and when she said yes I put a diamond ring on her finger.

Best thing I've done in my entire life so far.

A very long and successful engagement, if I do say so myself. It all ends in 10 days though. 10 days from now Jen and I get married. Then that will be the new best thing I've done in my life.

Last night we finished the favors. Now we have to do the place cards for the seating, the programs, something else that I'm forgetting (am I?), wrap some gifts, and pack pack pack.

10 days isn't really a long time, but it seems like an eternity. Hurry up calendar!

Happy Proposalversary Jenny.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Tuesday... 11 days to go

Today is Tuesday. There are 11 days left until the wedding. 10 days left until the vacation which encompasses the wedding and the honeymoon.

Jen called in sick again today. She's stuffy and achy and not feeling well. She also just got called into a meeting. Huh? What does "out sick" really mean then?

I'm not sick, but I'm probably on my way. (he said whilst popping a vitamin C drop into his gaping maw) I am still really tired. We went to bed a little after 9:00pm last night and I slept well until around 5:00am. That should charge my batteries well enough, but I am still tired and sore, and my nose is beginning to feel a little stuffy.

I just found out my annual review is tomorrow. Kill me now, get it over with. It's going to be painful. Really painful.

Today is going to suck. Tomorrow is going to suck worse.

Crud.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Not Our House

The douche bags we tried to buy a house from recently just lowered their asking price from $249,900 to 234,900.

Funny, that's less then what they would have gotten if they'd been smart and not screwed with us. Who's the moron now, moron?

After the honeymoon I want to go back and offer $180,000 and say take it or leave it.

Cameras

Yesterday Jen and I went out shopping for Blu Rays (Quantum of Solace & The Godfather Trilogy remasters) and DVDs (Shindler's List & Futurama: Bender's Game) and took a few minutes to look at digital cameras and camcorders.

We're trying to decide if we want to get a camcorder for the honeymoon. It's a good idea, but we have two digital cameras that take decent video already. Jen then said something to me that has had me thinking all day. She said, with all the money she spent on the dress it would be okay for me to go out and get a new camera.

I have two digital cameras (as previously stated 10 seconds ago). The older one was purchased in 2005 when I got my first raise. It is a Kodak Z740 Zoom with 5 megapixels and a 10x optical zoom. I LOVE IT. I have never gotten better pictures in my life. It is wonderful. The lens is just outrageously awesome. I even took some time to learn to use the manual settings and have taken some great shots with it. I just love that camera.

The second camera is a Casio EX-S10. Jen bought it for me as an engagement present. We were planning to see Rush a couple of times that summer and I had said I would like a camera that was small enough to sneak into an arena to take some shots with. This one is only slightly bigger than a credit card. It is perfect for what I wanted. It takes 10 megapixel images and has a 3x optical zoom. It's great. The pictures aren't quite as clear and crisp as the Kodak. The lense is smaller and cheaper, but I have taken some great shots with it. I love it too.

I have no real need for another camera. I will take them both on the honeymoon and use the Kodak almost exclusively, but will definitely find times when the Casio is preferable. Honestly, I don't really want another camera. I can use my Kodak for anything.

But...

If Jen really wants me to get another camera. (hehe) It couldn't hurt to maybe do some online browsing, could it? Naw, there's nothing wrong with just looking around.


Canon - Powershot 10.0-Megapixel Digital Camera (see also here): Yeah, that's right. 10 megapixels and a 20x optical zoom. Holy Cow. That puppy looks kewl, don't it?

I haven't even gotten to the SLRs yet.

I'm So Tired...

I've hardly slept a wink...

12 days until the wedding. The 12 longest days ever. Last week was the longest week of my life, but it's going to be nothing compared to this week.

To top it off, I am exhausted. I barely got any sleep on Thursday night, and then got less on Friday. Saturday we got up early to get to tee ball and meet with the DJ and the caterer, and then went home and napped for almost three hours. And still we were exhausted all day yesterday. We went to bed at a decent hour after flaking for the entire evening, and still I feel totally run down. I seriously need the long weekend to get here STAT, and I need the honeymoon right after it.

Jen is feeling sick today and is going to leave work early. I hate that she feels sick. I would much rather it be me than her. I want her to get better pronto. The bright side is that it's better she get sick now than two or three weeks from now. The down side is that she's sick and it sucks. Of course I'll probably be getting it too so I have to take care of her while I can. Chicken Noodle Soup for dinner tonight.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Do you think the show Bridezillas is scripted? I think it is.
Jen and I came home from the birthday party and started watching
Shindler's List. It is a great movie and I think I want to vomit.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Saturday... 2 weeks remaining

We meet with the DJ today. I just burned a disc with the song we want to use for our last dance of the reception. The DJ didn't have a copy of it... after today he will.

We're also giving the final counts to the caterer today. Two more large sized things we can check off our to do list.

There may also be tee ball and softball in the works today as well.

Another full day for us as we near the wedding planning finale.

Friday, May 15, 2009

I like Flickr

Something else about Flickr that makes me prefer it over Picasa Online: Stats.

Some one looked at this image today.

Greatest Movie Ever?

Is this the greatest movie since Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter?

Or is it just a new career move for Ms Deborah (aka Debbie) Gibson.

I just can't shake your love Debbie.

Wedding Page Link?

Didn't I used to have a link to our wedding page over there on the right ---------------> somewhere? I thought I did. I must have accidentally overwrote it during the big security minded blog split up.

Anyway, it's back over there. It's also right here too.

Now What

Crud...

I don't wanna talk about it anymore.

Go Red Sox.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Break Even?

(note: the bruins/whalers game seven is tied at two after three. we're in the pre-overtime intermission. i am very close to having total heart failure and trying to do something to slightly distract myself. go bruins! please win it please win it please win it)

My father sent me an email today while I was at work. My fellow Break Even guitar playing alumn Steve Wyka called looking for me. Dad took his number and emailed it to me. I was planning on calling him tonight during the Bruins game.

Jen and I decided that I should try and get refitted for my wedding tux. Supposedly I have lost a little weight and the tux I was measured for might be a little big on me now. We decided to go to MW Tux at the Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem, NH to see if my gut had shrunk at all.

We walk in the door and turn the corner into MW Tux and I hear, "Rob?"

It was Steve Wyka. What are the chances of that? I haven't talked to him since June of 2007. Almost two years. He called my old house looking for me today and then randomly ran into me tonight. Kinda freaky when you think of it.

He asked me what I was doing on July 11, 2009.

He's having a party that night.

Photobucket

What could he have possibly wanted? I wonder.

Go Bruins!


001
Originally uploaded by robj_1971
What a dolt I am. I could have sworn tonight's game started at 7:00pm. I thought I was going to miss the first period.

Nope, it starts at 8:00pm.

Go Bruins!

Please win easily so I don't have a heart attack. Thanks for that guys!

WOOHOOO!

Flickr Again

All of my Picasa photos are now on the new Flickr page. I still need to tag most of them, and try and copy and paste all of the captions I added to many of the 4,000 plus shots. That'll take a while.

I checked my Flickr stats page again and saw that I've got a couple of hundred pictures that have been viewed so far. Thanks Flickr community! However, this one is the one that's been viewed the most...

2008-09-20-21 White Mountains 428

Huh? At least it doesn't show up as "interesting." By the way, how does one mark an image as interesting?

Go Bruins!

Game Seven Fan-Boy Jitters

I forgot a picasa account. I thought I had all of my picasa online pictures moved to flickr, but I forgot the pro sports account. I started moving it over yesterday. Today some one marked one of my shots as a favorite. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

075

Tonight is game seven for the Bruins and Whalers. I am nervous. I want the Bruins to run away in a laughable blow out, but I know that won't happen. The Whale is too good and we've been too bad recently.

We're going to the tux store to get me refitted tonight. I know what you're thinking, "but it's game seven, what are you doing it tonight for?" The answer is simple, tonight is the only night with no other appointments. So I will miss a big chunk of the game. Hopefully that will reduce my stress level. If the Bruins love me they will have a 10 goal lead by the time I get to a television.

I really want another game. I don't want the season to end tonight. The Penguins have already proved me wrong on one Eastern Conference 2nd Round Prediction. The Bruins have to keep me at 50%.

Please Bruins, hang on and win tonight. We need this magical season to continue. Please give us another game. Please. Pretty please?

Go Bruins!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Another angle.

Thanks Burger King

Just like when we were kids... Movie glasses from BK.

Swine Flu Checklist

This went around the office today. Seems accurate.

Star Wars vs Star Trek

I love 'em both. This is still awesome though.

This week is dragging. 17 days until the wedding it is to be expected, but if this week drags like this what is next week going to feel like? Torture, that's what. The following week includes Memorial Day on Monday and Jen and I both have vacation days for that Friday too, so the third week is a three day week... and that will probably be the longest of the bunch.

Bruins Hockey. After game five's dominating win I felt really good. Almost confident about game six. After game six... I don't feel confident anymore. The Hurricanes controlled way too much of that game. I didn't see game four but I saw game three and long stretches of play last night looked a lot like game three.

Here are the highlights from NHL.com

The worry I feel does not stem from the Marc Savard injury, although it probably should. Claude Julien has already said he will play game seven. The worry I feel stems from their inability to get the puck out of their defensive zone for seemingly hours at a time.

Still. Game Seven. Anything can happen. I wanted one more game and I got it. Now they have to win it because I want one more series. Please.

I am going to be in full Bostonian mode for the next two days just to try and give the Boston Bruins any bit of good luck I can. Only Boston music from now through the end of game Seven.

Go Bruins

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Game Six Win

I was really nervous through most of this one. So much of the time the Bruins looked almost as hopeless as they did in Game three. But fortunately the Hockey Gods smiled upon us tonight and the Bruins take game six to force a game seven.

I can now breath easy for about 48 hours until the panic returns.

Please, Just One More Game

Did I pick the Blackhawks to beat the Canucks? I think I did. Last night the first of the four division semi-final series came to an end with Chicago eliminating Vancouver in six games.

Six games.

Tonight the Bruins and Hurricanes play their game six. The Bruins won game one convincingly and then decided to spot Carolina three in a row. Trailing three games to one in the series, the Bruins team that took game one returned for game five and utterly destroyed the Whalers.

When your team is on the brink of elimination, as the Bruins were Sunday night, there is only one thing we as fans can reasonably hope for: One more game. On Sunday the Bruins gave us one more game. That game is tonight. Tonight again we can only hope for one more game.

I've been loving this hockey season. I've been loving this Bruins team. (despite their horrid play in games 2-4) I don't want this Bruins season to end yet. Please guys, don't let it end tonight. Give us one more game.

Thanks guys.

Go Bruins.

PS: After the disciplinary fiasco yesterday, with Sucker Punching Whaler Bitch Scott Walker having his automatic suspension for an instigator penalty called during the final five minutes of a game removed in favor of a fine, I expect many a Bruins fan to be calling for the Sucker Punching Whaler Bitch's blood. Rightfully so. The Big Bad Bruin in me wants to see Shawn Thornton give the Sucker Punching Whaler Bitch some free anestheticless plastic surgury to his face. I think, however, that that would be the wrong thing to do. The game is more important. They have to stay focused on winning the game and staying alive, rather than wasting attention on avenging Aaron Ward's bone structure. Win the game guys. You can always pound the Sucker Punching Whaler Bitch's face into something resembling raw hamburger next season. Remember that revenge is a dish best served cold cliche. Words to live by.

PPS: 18 days left until I am some one's husband. We might just have to practice the first dance during intermissions tonight.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Puzzles and Penguins

Yesterday we spent Mother's day visiting Jen's mother and step father. It was our first cookout of the season and it was a good one. The kids and I spent some serious time putting together puzzles. I've never been good at puzzles and they are both better than I am. But we got all the way through both of them.

We were also introduced to a new video game that may become the next big thing around our house. It is on y8.com and called penguin waiter, or something like that. You control a penguin who is a waiter (on ice skates, of course) and you seat, take orders from, and serve other penguin customers. Jen appears to be obsessed already.

The Bruins won. I couldn't give up on them. I had to watch the game. It's too soon for this season to end. Last year in the playoffs as they faced elimination I kept hoping that they would win and stay alive for one more game. I'm back into that frame of mind now. They need to win twice without losing in order to advance to the conference finals. Game six is tomorrow. All I want from game six is a chance to play game seven. That's all.

Go Bruins. Please don't break my hockey heart yet.

19 days until the wedding. I want it now. Right Now.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy mother's day!

My sweetie wearing one of the mother's day gifts she got from the
kids. The headband was hidden under the bunk bed and mommy had no idea!

Saturday, May 9, 2009

OH MY GOD THAT MOVIE WAS AWESOME!

I can't even believe how much fun the new Star Trek movie was. It was... it was... HELL IT WAS AWESOME GO SEE IT GO SEE IT GO SEE IT GO SEE IT!!!!!

As the closing credits began (to the original series theme music) I said the only thing I could say that could describe how much I loved that move. I said, "I WANNA GO AGAIN!"

It was awesome. Every character was perfectly cast. I am thinking that the new Dr McCoy may actually be the reincarnation of Deforest Kelly. He was THAT spot on with his performance. Kirk was the perfect skirt chasing action hero. Sulu was the source of a few good laughs (as was Chekoff, who was perfect) and eventually flung that big ship around like it was a toy... and then kicked the crap out of Romulans with a sword. Uhura was an actual character instead of just the voice of the voice of the computer (see Galaxyquest)... she was integral to the movie. Finally! Scotty... Scotty... damn it if Simon Pegg filmed himself watching paint dry I would watch him watch paint dry. He was fantastic. Spock had all the conflicts that the old Spock was implied to have, including losing his temper twice. Twice! Bana was... there. Nothing special on him, but there didn't have to be. He filled a need in the film for a nut case bad guy and did it effectively.

I'm sure I'm missing some things. Suffice to say the movie is worth it just to see the triumphant return of the Captain Kirk Swaggar. Yes Swaggar needs to be capitalized there. He was perfect in the roll. Couldn't have been better.

I loved that movie and I want to see it again twenty or thirty times before it's cinema run ends. I loved it.

The Bruins however.

I got in the car in time to hear the start of the second period. Bob Bears told me that the Bruins dominated the 2nd half of the second period but the score was tied 1-1. It took 67 seconds for the best player on the Bruins, Captian Zdeno Chara, to take an idiot penalty that lead to the Whalers winning goal. Then my old favorite Sergie Samsonov put the final nail in the coffin about 10 minutes later or so and I turned it off.

I could never have imagined actually falling of the Bruins wagon, but after the horrible, terrible, embarassing performances I've seen and listened to over the last three games I can honestly see no reason to watch them get eliminated tomorrow. There is no hope, they have given up. I am now a fan of whoever plays against the Whalers in the next round.

I hope the Bruins prove me wrong, but it is 100% obvious that they will not.

Yesterday was my 38th birthday. They failed to wish me a happy birthday. In fact they showed they hate me just as much as those friggin pricks in San Jose do.

Friday, May 8, 2009

I dont see a single starfleet uniform.

Star Trek!

This is my love waiting to get into the theater. T- 46 minutes.

I love Star Trek : I love The Onion


Trekkies Bash New Star Trek Film As 'Fun, Watchable'

Happy Star Trek Day

Yup, I'm wearing a red shirt. (a normal business casual red shirt, what kinda trekkie geek do you take me for)

I saw this clip last night and remembered why Dr. McCoy was always my favorite.



Oh yeah, and the Bruins are playing tonight. If they lose I will set phasers to eliminate.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Testing


077
Originally uploaded by robj_1971
I can blog directly out of flickr now.

Probably shoulda chose a better image for the test drive though.

Manny Ramirez will be suspended 50 games for positive drug test

As reported by the Los Angeles Times, Manny Ramirez will be suspended 50 games for positive drug test.

This makes me both happy and sad. Happy because, as a fanatic Red Sox supporter, I can laugh my fat pasty white ass off at him for being dumb enough to get caught doing any kind of drugs in this steroid hunting baseball culture. (note, the article does not say he was using steroids. The test information is expected to be released at a later time.) Manny you are a doucher in extremis. Thanks for giving us another reason to be glad your dumb ass is out of Boston.

I am also sad though. Why? Because Jen and I have tickets to a game at Dodgers Stadium during the California swing of our "Tripping Around the Country 2009 Honeymoon!" (all rights reserved) and now I won't be able to booo the shite out of the twit each and every time he runs into the outfield. We have bleacher seats too so we would have been close to him... I think... or were our seats in Center field. Can't remember now. Anyway, we won't get to heckle him because he'll still be under suspension.

Thanks for the laughs Manny, you moron.

That was Painful

The Bruins sucked mightily last night. I mean colossally. Sure they went to overtime, but they had zero business even being in the game at all. There was no doubt who was winning that game at all. From the start of the second period until the game winner in OT the Whalers played perfectly and the Bruins were terrible. Absolutely terrible.

Friday is my birthday and Jenny My Love scored us tickets to see an IMAX showing of Star Trek. I am 100% excited to see this movie and to spend my 38th with the love of my life. The Bruins/Whalers game 4 is the same night. I was going to DVR the game and try to watch it a little at a time prior to game 5, but frankly after last night's suckfest I don't want to anymore. If we get home in time to watch game 5 Sunday I will watch it, but I'm not going out of my way. They were so bad I may have fallen off the wagon, and it's going to take a couple of convincing wins in a row to bring me back.

Every single player on the ice was slower then the slowest Whaler. Every single player on the ice magically forgot how to clear the puck out of the defensive zone without turning it over. Many Bruins players some how managed to forget how to stay on their feet. If not for Tim Thomas the Whale might have taken that game by 10 goals.

Suckfest indeed.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Wednesday

Last night we met with the Priest who will conduct our wedding ceremony. Everything is all set there.

Tonight we're hoping to catch a certain almost-eight year old's softball game prior to watching a certain number one seed in the Eastern Conference try to get off the schnide. Unfortunately the weather looks like crap today so the softball game will probably be rained out.

I now have a Flickr account that will eventually store all of my digital photos. No more multiple picasa accounts for me. Everything I post will be public with the exception of any images that include people who are under 18. Meaning no soon-to-be-step-kid pics, no neices, nephews, children of friends, or children of cousins. In picasa I had any album that included a picture of one of the above mentioned folks set to private and viewable by invitation. On flickr the individual images will be viewable by friends and family while everything else in those albums will be public. If you are a friend or a family get a flickr account and add me. I'll add the link to the sidebar hear after I finish moving and labeling everything.

The Bruins... oh the Bruins. Tonight is the night they put Carolina back in their place. Win game three guys, don't suck the way you did in game two. My heart can't take it!

Go Bruins!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Passing of the Torch... and horses



William Shatner (aka THE Captain Kirk) meets Chris Pine (aka the NEW Captain Kirk) for the first time.

Somehow underwhelming, but it does nothing to diminish my insane need to SEE THE NEW STAR TREK MOVIE!!!

Star Trek celebrates my 38th birthday by giving me a new flick. Thanks Star Trek!

Flickr

I think I might be making a change in my photo hosting choice. I think I might be going from a bunch of free Picasa accounts to one paid Flickr account. I'm tired of not having everything in one place, and with the wedding and the honeymoon on the horizon there are sure to be a billion more pictures coming.

Also, I just found out by accident that Flickr not only lets you set privacy settings based on pictures sets (what we old timers called albums) but you can set the privacy for individual images within a set. The pro account is $25 a year, and I didn't want to spend money on image hosting... but it is sounding more and more like a deal I am ready to make.

I have a free account, and this image is stored there:


Maybe I'll sleep on it.

Another reason to love my iPhone

A couple of weeks ago I decided I'd had it. There was one intersection on my evening commute that backed up for a mile and caused me to wait at a stop light for upwards of 10 minutes. I didn't want to do that any more.

So I was sitting at the previous stop light looking at the traffic already backed up at the next light which was over a mile away and I took my iPhone, accessed the maps app, searched for my current location, and found a way around the traffic.

Last night I was on my alternate route and saw a street sign I recognized from much further along. I took the iPhone, accessed the maps app, searched for my current location, and figured out that taking the new street puts me further along on my regular route without so many twists, turns, and narrow passes. I took it. It sped things up nicely.

The bad intersection isn't nearly as bad in the morning, but I took the tweeked alternate route for the first time today. I think it added a few minutes, but it may be worth it. In the evening it's definitely worth it, in the mornings... maybe.

I love my iPhone. I love the maps app. I love the GPS. I just love them all.

The cake situation mentioned earlier is a little clearer but we're still unsure of a plan of action. They are not closed, they are actually opening yet another storefront... I think. So they are expanding but their phone was shut off. hmmmm. Jen got in touch with the owner via email yesterday (some one paid a bill maybe?) and she appologized for being so crazy busy and wants to have the final meeting on Saturday.

Do we do it? Do we lose our deposit and just go some where else? I'm not sure. Jen had set up a tasting at another bakery for Saturday morning. I think maybe we should consider both meetings. Meet with baker #2, then meet with bakery #1 and say we're ready to bolt, convince us not to.

Just a thought.

Jen and I are meeting with the priest tonight to give him our final choices for readings and ceremony plans. One more thing to check off the list. 25 days to go.

I tried to watch the Red Sox vs Yankees game last night but they were in a rain delay so I switched over to the Penguins vs Capitals game.

Wow.

What a game!

I basically watched the second period, and what a fantastic period it was. Crosby and Ovetchkin both score, the pace was lightening fast, both goalies standing on their heads. What a game.

I just looked at the box score. Washington won 4-3. Crosby scored all three Pittsburgh goals. Ovetchkin scored three of Washington's goals including the game winner 15:22 into the third. The two best players on Earth both had hat tricks in the same game. Is that awesome or what?

Washington takes a 2-0 series lead. I don't see Pittsburgh coming back from that, but let's hope they can at least push it to seven games so we can see more and more of this matchup.

Bruins tomorrow on the road against Carolina. Figures after the first post season loss they get an extra day off. Hopefully they use the time to get seriously pissed off and they come out like mad men (like the Caps or Pens maybe?) and light up the South with an unbeatable display of hockey ass kicking.

One can hope.

Go Bruins!

Monday, May 4, 2009

Cake Trouble

Jen wanted to call the cupcake boutique today to order a birthday cake for a certain someone's 8th birthday in a couple of weeks.

The phone was disconnected.

She sent an email to the boss. The email bounced back.

She sent an email to the boss' personal address. The email bounced back.

The cupcake boutique is contracted to make our wedding cake. Our wedding is in 26 days.

To quote Will Ferrel in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,

Fuck beans.

Why do they call it a shower if no one gets wet?

Yesterday was Jen's bridal shower. It took place at my parent's house. She had a great time and was giddy with we're-gettin'-married happiness all night. Humongous thanks to everyone involved, Mary, Mom, Dad, Lisa, Charlotte, Aunt Nancy, Erin, Abigail, Nawal, Tammy, Cecilia, Yash, Martha, Jamie, Carolyn, Marisa, and... and... that's everyone other than those whom I live with... being Jen and the kids of course... did I miss anyone? I'm going to be pissed if I did. Like a moron I forgot my camera so I don't have documentation of everyone there.

Thank to Mary for planning, thanks to my folks for hosting, thanks to everyone for coming, and thanks to everyone for everything. We had fun.

Mary posted pictures, I stole two. (I feel so evil! muahahahaha!)





Now we are down to the final 26 days. While we are still enjoying the planning and the prep work we are reaching the point where we just want the damn day to be here. I wanna get married, I wanna say I do, I wanna go on our honeymoon. I'm ready.

Of course there was another event last night. One that turned out to be much less enjoyable. The Bruins lost game two of the series to the Hurricanes. The Bruins sucked worse in the second period than I've seen them suck all year. Hurricanes goalie (former Lowell Lock Monster) Cam Ward was fantastic from start to finish. The series is tied 1-1. Am I worried? Hell yeah, but then again I was worried in game four of the Montreal series too. I'm always worried.

Go Bruins!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

How long do bridal showers last?

Today is Jen's bridal shower. At 1:00 or so. The Bruins play at 7:30...

How long do bridal showers last? Should I bring my (so far) lucky Bruins jersey and Red Sox hat to the shower? hehehe

Happy Shower day Jenny the love of my life.

Go Bruins!

WOOOOHOOOO

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Tee ball game is supposed to start at 8:30. It is 8:47 and we only
have 8 players and no coaches.

Dedication, eh?

Game 1 in the Books

Bruins win game one. 4-1. It was wonderful. Game two is Sunday. I can't wait.

Today we have a tee ball game to go to. My first Padres game of the year. Later Jen and I are meeting with our wedding photographer, Pat. We're going to set up a list of must have shots for our wedding photo album. Should be fun.

Friday, May 1, 2009

We should buy this house.

Bruins lead 1-0!!!

The longest day

This has been the longest day ever. I just want to go home and WATCH the BRUINS SLAY THE WHALE!

Okay, over dramatic I know, but it has been a really long day.

Joe Corvo plays for the Hurricanes/Whalers. He is the prick of the universe. He is the only athlete on the planet Earth I honestly want to see suffer a career ending injury. He is scum.

When Ottawa went to the cup finals a couple of years ago I wrote extensively on the old myspace blog about what a piece of shit this guy is. I will reiterate some of the reasons for my distaste here.

This dates back to 2002 when the prick was playing for the Manchester Monarchs. I can't seem to find any actual news stories so we're going to have to go with the very poor reporting method of using second hand sources. Sorry.

This is a copy of a news story that was posted on the US College Hockey Online message board on November 15, 2002:

Saw this item on the Foster's Daily Democrat (Dover, NH) website. Corvo played for WMU from 95-98, and now plays for the Manchester Monarchs.

=============================

BOSTON (AP) — A minor league hockey player from New Hampshire has been charged with punching and kicking a woman in a Boston nightclub.

Joseph Corvo, 25, of Manchester, N.H., was arraigned Wednesday on charges of assault and battery, indecent assault and battery, and assault with a dangerous weapon. He was released on $5,000 bail.

Corvo, who plays for the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League, was at Trio’s nightclub early Wednesday morning when he grabbed the buttocks of a 34-year old Boston woman, Suffolk prosecutors said.

Trio’s employees told Corvo to leave the club but he allegedly returned, approached the woman near a bathroom, punched her in the face, then kicked her when she fell to the ground, prosecutors said.

The woman had bruises and swelling on her face and had to be treated at Massachusetts General Hospital, authorities said.

Corvo, of Oak Park, Ill., left the scene but was arrested at another bar a short time later.

Corvo, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound defenseman, is the Monarchs’ leading scorer this season with five goals and 14 points in 12 games. He is scheduled to appear in court Nov. 25 for a pretrial conference.

Phone calls to the Monarchs, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, were not immediately returned Thursday evening.
What a swell guy, huh? Nice roll model for the kids of New Hampshire (and Los Angeles, and Ottawa, and all of Carolina)

Here's another bit from his wikipedia page.... the fact that there is a Joe Corvo wikipedia page makes me want to vomit:

Corvo was arrested in November 2002 in Boston after he grabbed a 34-year-old woman's buttocks in a restaurant. Restaurant staff told him to leave, but Corvo returned, punched the woman and then kicked her when she fell to the ground, police said. Corvo was given a three-year suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to assault. Corvo was also suspended for three games by the Kings.
A three year suspended sentence for beating the shit out of a woman... big tough athlete that he is... and a three game suspention by the LA Kings (Manchester's parent club).

Read that again... his only punishment for brutally assaulting a woman was a three game suspention. Your justice system at work.

He is lower than scum.

Root for the Bruins to beat the Hurricanes.

Do not root for this piece of shit to advance any further than he has.

Joe Corvo is a prick.

Go Bruins!

Go Bruins Round Two!

Tonight it begins.

Bruins vs Whalers at the Boston (whateverthehelltheycallitnow) Garden!

Glory to the Black and Gold!

cannotwaitcannotwaitcannotwaitcannotwaitcannotwaitcannotwaitcannotwait