The Long-lost Bathroom Renovation

Dear loyal readers:

We are finishing the bathroom this weekend. I need that second bathroom. I need the garage back. I need to not book my weekends with our wonderful friends and have us all share our master bathroom.

I have not forgotten to post pictures or keep you from updates. There really isn't anything that has been done that's worth posting. The bathtub is in, but we are still lacking the tile for both the shower and the floor. The Hamiltons will be hard at work this holiday weekend creating what will hopefully be the biggest return of our investment so far.

xx,
Steph

Funny World Cup Pics

Just Another Day at the Office

I started a new job on the 3rd of this month. I work at a place called APMEX (American Precious Metals Exchange - www.APMEX.com). Anyway, as an employee recognition thing, the boss decided to send an employee and guest on a 4-day, 3-night vacation anywhere in the contiguous U.S. This prize included airfare, hotel, rental car, and spending cash. It's a great idea.

Now, it gets interesting. I had only been working there for about two weeks when the list of eligible employees was released. I was one of the 70 names. Great, I thought. The HR lady would draw names from a hat and if your name was picked you were out of the running. This kept everyone interested (until their name showed up on the e-mail). As the names were drawn, my name stayed in the hat. For two days, I was still in it. Everyone had worked there longer than I had, but I was still in it. You should've heard some of the threats I got from fellow APMEXers. "If you win, I'll make sure you don't enjoy your job." "I'll kick you in the nuts before you leave." I laughed them off.

I'm pretty sure they were kidding, but not positive. It was cutthroat. I kept telling myself, "You won't win. Don't get your hopes up." But my name was still there. I made the final 20. Then I was in the final 10. It was so close. The hate e-mail got furious. I asked for help with something and was ignored. Nobody that likes me would talk to me. It was like I was in the 8th inning of a no-hitter. Then I heard it. DING! New e-mail. Was this it? Was I eliminated?

Yes. I was. The end.

On the road again (the road to Omaha, that is).

College baseball may not be amazing, but it's still enjoyable. The aluminum bats don't blow my skirt up, but I guess they're okay. The MLB Draft regulations also hurt the large schools like OU and Virginia. Oh well, baseball is baseball and baseball is awesome.

OU is making its first College World Series appearance since 1995 and 10th overall (13th all-time among DI schools). Five of Cody Reine's 10 homers have come in the NCAA Tournament. The last time UVA lost two straight games was on May 14-15 in 2009 against Virginia Tech (last weekend of regular season). The last OU shutout in the NCAA tournament was in 1992 against UCLA. That 10-0 win sent OU to the 1992 CWS. The pair of three-run homers by Reine marked his eighth and ninth of the season with with runners on base. Cameron Seitzer snapped a 1-for-19 skid in the NCAA Tournament with a solo homer in the second. OU has 28 multiple home run games on the year including three in the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners have homered in 20 of the last 23 games. The four home runs on Monday marked the 13th time this season that OU has reached or eclipsed that mark in a game this season.

The Sandlot - Then and Now

The Sandlot (1993) is one of my favorite movies. Not just me, but my whole damn generation loves this movie. It was on the other day and I decided to find out what these kids grew up to be/do. For the record, most of these actors grew up and didn't do anything. They will be omitted. I will also leave out Karen Allen, Denis Leary, and James Earl Jones because we haven't really lost track of them.

Fun Fact about The Sandlot: I assumed the narrator was the guy who played adult Scott Smalls, but it isn't. The narrator is the director, David M. Evans, who also wrote Radio Flyer.

Scott Smalls - Tom Guiry

Actual age in The Sandlot - 12

Also seen in: Black Hawk Down

Fun Fact: Became a father at the age of 18

What's he doing now? Acting, kind of.

Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez - Mike Vitar

Actual age in The Sandlot - 15

Also seen in: D2: The Mighty Ducks, D3: The Mighty Ducks

Fun Fact: Mike's older brother, Pablo, played the adult Benny that stole home for the Dodgers.

What's he doing now? Firefighter in Hollywood, California

Hamilton Porter - Patrick Renna

Actual age in The Sandlot - 14

Also seen in: Son in Law

Fun Fact: Celebrity Judge at UCLA's Spring Sing in 2005 (that's all I could find)

What's he doing now? See above

R.I.P - Jimmy Dean

Yesterday, a man after my own heart was taken from this world. Jimmy Ray Dean brought to our world two of my favorite things: country music and sausage (not necessarily in that order). Rest in peace, you culinary cowboy, sausage singer, pork performer, maple-flavored musician, tubular troubadour...

Here's his biggest hit-

10 Funny British Petroleum Pics

Poodle and Bug Etsy

This week, Steph sold her first item on Etsy. I've been all over her about getting more items up on her site, but she doesn't listen to me. Check Poodle and Bug Etsy through the banner at the top of the page.

A-Team

For those of you who are about my age or a little younger, the A-Team wasn't a show we watched. As I got older, I heard jokes and stories and wondered why people kept talking about Mr. T and not the shitty Rocky III. In honor of the new movie, here is a HwH A-Team breakdown. Let's hope this movie doesn't suck.

Background: Four honorable soldiers were framed for a crime they didn't commit. They were arrested and soon escaped. While on the run from the law, they became soldiers-for-hire. They travel around the country (and the world) helping people and trying to right the wrong that was done to them.

Characters:

Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith

Leader and Disguise Expert

John "Hannibal" Smith is shown to be an unflappable and sarcastic leader. He always has a plan, but they never turn out the way they're supposed to. He uses his many aliases to meet potential clients and make sure they're not the government. In the show, Smith played the monster in shitty movies. He had to play the monster so his face couldn't be seen. He is renowned for his cunning and his calm demeanor.

Templeton "Faceman" Peck

Con-Artist and Ladies Man

Face was the least aggressive member of the A-Team. He didn't like to fight. He'd rather con someone than beat them up. He was a fan of the ladies and they were of him. He drove a sweet red and white Corvette.

"Howling Mad" Murdock

Pilot and Clinically Insane

Murdock was the best helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War. He can fly anything and has no fear. Instead of prison, he was sent to a mental institution and labeled "clinically insane." It's never quite clear as to whether or not he is insane or just a great actor.

B.A. "Bad Attitude" Baracus

Mechanic and Muscle

B.A. is the outfit's mechanic and resident muscle. He is referred to as a mechanical genius. As the other A-Teamers use subtlety and coercion to solve problems, B.A. generally uses his fists.