Merry Christmas...(from the office)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

In the middle of some crazy stuff, but thought this would be a good time to take a quick break and thank all of you for being such wonderful friends. If there's one thing this year has taught me, it is that my life would not be nearly as rich and exciting without the love and support of all of my friends and family. Often times we forget to acknowledge the effect our friends have on our lives, but I want to let all of you know right now that you mean everything to me. I consider myself a relatively upbeat, outgoing, enthusiastic person...and I credit all of that to you. You make my life exciting and worth living, and I appreciate each of your individual roles in my life.

WORK UPDATE
Poinsettia Bowl went great. Our radio air-waves were dead all night, meaning there were no issues with people trying to get hold of someone to fix the problem. I actually had to check the batteries on my radio numerous times because I was convinced there was no way the game was running that smoothly from a logistical standpoint.

The game was weird. Cal jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead with two touchdowns in 11 seconds, but then Utah scored 27 unanswered points to take control, but then Cal battled for a bit before Utah put it away late in the 4th quarter. Good game that was close enough to get some good ESPN television ratings late into the game.

CHRISTMAS UPDATE
Had two Christmases so far today! Mom's for X-Mas eve and this morning (home-made cinnamon rolls, ambrosia and orange juice), then Dad's for lunch (ham, potatoes, green beans, fruit, crescent rolls). Now I'm at the office, and about to go to airport and hotel for Nebraska team arrival at 7:30pm tonight. After that, I'm off to Miss Julie's to have my third Christmas in one day!

I hope all of you are doing well! And I promise, after Wednesday (Holiday Bowl), I will have a life again!

IT'S GAME DAY PEOPLE!

In the office on Poinsettia Bowl game-day. Morning is always slow, and then around 10/11am it picks up big time for rest of day.

Kickoff is 5pm, and it's on ESPN if you wanna catch a glimpse of Utah vs. Cal.

Otherwise, hope you all are enjoying your holidays!

Rare Job Post

I will rarely post about my job, but I know that this time of year is actually somewhat interesting to some of you, so I thought I'd let you know what's going on...

This coming Wednesday is the Poinsettia Bowl, and the teams (Utah and Cal) arrived last night at their respective hotels. We had a big team Welcome Dinner for them, and then let them settle in. This morning I woke up and met Utah at SeaWorld (Cal went to the Zoo) and took 4 of Utah's captains to a private animal interaction with the sea lions and otters. The players got to pose with a sea lion, then they had an otter crawl up their back leg, up their back, and to the top of their head...


Yep, it's my job. I'm swamped, but I can't complain about this stuff.

Tomorrow the players go to Miramar Speed Circuit and get to race the karts around 1/4 mile track and Oggi's comes in and feeds them. Tuesday they go to a lunch aboard the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum, and then they play the game on Wednesday. Pretty rough week, huh?

Balancing Life with Some Relaxation...or Trying.

Is it possible for Marc to cool his jets every now and then?

When given an option, I have always been a proponent of getting out and doing something and staying busy. It's no secret that I love being outdoors, and will almost always rather be throwing a frisbee or going to the beach than watching a sports game on TV (which is saying something, come from a sports nut). And at night, I would rather be going for a drive, grabbin' a beer, or shooting pool (or even playin some night frisbee too) than watching TV or sitting at my computer.

When I'm at home doing nothing, I get really antsy. I get lethargic. And worst of all...I feel unproductive. I don't like the feeling of sitting around on my own doing nothing. It drives me batty.

That being said, things seem to be changing for me, but in a positive way. I certainly am still the first to suggest an activity or outing, but for the first time I can remember, I have found myself sitting at home...and enjoying it. So what changed? I learned how to cool my jets.

When I'm alone, I'm always thinking of the next thing to do, or what I SHOULD be doing, or reflecting on work...or, my most frequent vice...overthinking every situation. Recently I have found myself sitting in my apartment and just enjoying the life I've established for myself. I'm sitting in my own apartment, taking a break from a busy day at work, having a day where I don't have evening plans...and just breathing. It's amazing how refreshing it is for me to just take a deep breath, look around my living room, go grab my pint of ice cream, and just jump on my huge L-shaped couch and know I have nowhere to be...and know that that's a GOOD thing.

I love being busy. I love experimenting with new activities, new foods, and new friends. I will always be an outdoors guy, looking for the next fun excursion I can create for myself (the list is growing as we speak)...but I'm developing balance. I'm noticing people who run themselves into the ground, and the effects it has on them. I want to be able to kick it and not be antsy. I want to be able to enjoy my activities to the utmost degree...and I think learning to rest and charge my battery can only enhance those times.

I probably still don't relax "enough", but I have learned to take advantage of the times I do. That's gotta be good for something, right?

LIFE UPDATE!!

Sorry for the delay in posting!

Things are crrrrrrazy at work right now. We announced the Holiday and Poinsettia Bowl teams this past Sunday, so we're all out from now until Dec. 30th. And the teams are:

Poinsettia Bowl - Utah vs. California (Dec. 23rd)
Holiday Bowl - Arizona vs. Nebraska (Dec. 30th)

Worked most of the weekend, but was still able to get out a bit and see friends. Went out to dinner Friday night to "When In Rome" (I highly recommend this place), and had a wonderful evening with great food, which was only topped by the company. A recap of the phenomenal meal:

-Silver Palms Cabernet Sauvignon (Santa Rosa) - Great bottle of wine. Full-bodied, not too fruity, great aroma, and great dinner wine.
-Cheese Plate - Great selection of thinly sliced salamis and meats mixed with some great soft cheeses. Can't remember the cheeses we had, but it was a great appetizer.
-Split an order of ravioli (we had 3-4 each)...in maybe the most phenomenal sauce I have ever had. Super rich, super addicting, and if I wasn't in a nice establishment, I probably would have licked the plate clean.
-Had an order of Tuscan Chicken (Pollo Toscana)...and it was realllly good. Chicken topped with asparagus and cheese. MMMMMMMM.
-Tiramisu - I don't like tiramisu...and this was really good.

Spent Saturday with some friends at Oggi's...just pizza and beer (can't go wrong there). I got good friends.

Other than the two games, tomorrow night is my biggest event of the year, so needless to say I have a lot to do and am a little amped up...but I don't like leaving this blog unattended (especially for all you eking by every day just WAITING for me to post some inspirational comments).

So today, I thought I'd use a line I made up when I was in 7th grade, and have used it ever since:

"Success comes before try only in the dictionary"

So simple, so corny, so 7th grade. Yet, so true.

Why We Love Suspense

Has anyone ever realized how much of a weird role suspense plays in our lives? We love suspense so much that we create products and entertainment just to extend the suspense as long as physically possible...

A Few Examples:

1) Wrapping Paper - we designed some fancy paper, just so we could hide the identity of the gift underneath for the additional 11 seconds it takes to unwrap the gift.

2) Sexy Lingerie - fancy cloth designed as a (hopefully) brief tease to what's underneath (and it ultimately ends up on the ground)

3) Action Movies - we PAY to watch action movies and cling to our seats to see if the hero survives...when we already KNOW he's gonna survive (he's the hero, duh!), it's just a matter of HOW. It's not even suspense...it's just seeing how creative a director can be in finding new ways to have the protagonist avoid 800 men firing bullets at him or how he escapes the burning building from 30 floors up...

This was what was on my mind. Bizarre. I know.

Posting Delay...My Apologies

Well, for those of you that haven't figured it out yet...I just got really busy.

Work is swamped. We announce teams this weekend (12/6), so needless to say I am neck-deep in football and everything Holiday Bowl/Poinsettia Bowl related.

I apologize for the delay in my posting. They will be scarce this month, no question about it. I am going to bed right because I am exhausted, but felt like I had neglected this too long to not at least give you guys a reason why I'm not posting my normal lists or rants.

In the meantime, I would love to get some feedback or ideas for new blog posts, what you would like to read, or hear me write about. Or just what you think so far.

Thank you all for reading!

Thanksgiving...Evolves.

So, while I was growing up, Thanksgiving was always a very traditional, family-oriented holiday. Other than the much-appreciated breaks from school and the obvious culinary gorging that occurred every November, I never experienced that giddy, childish rush that I did for other holidays like Christmas or Halloween. Thanksgiving, simply put, was nothing special for me.

I am absolutely stoked to say that times have changed. This year marks the third year in a row where I will spend Thanksgiving in San Francisco with my two siblings. If you were to look at our holiday dinner table in SF, you would notice that we have one of the most random group of family and friends that has ever assembled. But whereas Thanksgiving used to feel like somewhat of a forced holiday (not to mention a lame and somewhat confusing reason for me to wear khakis and a dress shirt to the same dinner table where I ate shirtless that morning), I actively look forward for that fourth Thursday in November to roll around.

My siblings and I have managed to become much closer as we have got older. This is especially true of me, because, as the baby, it took me some time to get on the same mature adult level that they had graced for a while without me (yes, I do call myself an adult, so keep your jokes to yourself!). In addition to my two siblings, the SF holiday consists of my brother's best friends (who also serve as my older brothers), half-siblings, quarter-siblings (that would be the half-sister of my half-brother...yep, let that one sink in), cousins of no ACTUAL blood relation, and people I've never met. All of these people come to my brother's place with three simple goals: Eat. Drink. Laugh. And let me tell you, we do all three REALLY well.

Part of the reason I love this holiday so much more now is because it now takes place in my favorite city outside of San Diego. I love San Francisco. I love seeing the lifetstyles my bro and sis lead, and it's fun just to be on their schedule for a weekend or so. They also take care of me really well. I can't remember the last time I even paid for a round of drinks for these guys...they just take out "the baby boy", and they treat me well.

I also cherish this holiday because for some reason, on this specific day, I am always "on." It's one of the days I know well before I even get there that I will be "holding court" and enjoying a bit of comedic spotlight. I am not the funniest person I know (as much as I wish that wasn't true), but man, for whatever reason, I KILL Thanksgiving. It's a great audience LOOKING to laugh, and when my material starts flowing like it does those nights, look out. My sister is always my favorite person to make laugh, because she's one of those people who, once she starts, she can't stop. And for those of you that know me well, you know the WORST thing anyone can do is encourage me through laughter. Baby Boy isn't gonna shut up now!

When Turkey Day comes around now, I no longer think "Ok, now we gotta dress up and have a quasi-bizarre formal dinner at our dinner table and pretend it's a special evening." I now get legitimately excited, because it has become an experience, an adventure, and most of all, a time that, without fail, makes me appreciate the wonderful people I have in my life. I've got some amazing people looking out for me, and even for someone who considers himself independent, there is no better feeling than having great people watching your back.

So this year, I will be flying to SF on Thanksgiving morning, my bro will pick me up at 8:00am at the airport, and the rest of the time up there will be non-stop laughter, smiles, jokes and good company. I can't wait...

...and that is so awesome.

I Got Nothin

I owe you all a blog post. I planned to come home tonight from work and have yet another BRILLIANT masterpiece for you to read (I know, I know...I'm amazing). So I got myself a bowl of Chex Mix (Traditional, although I found myself craving the Bold flavor tonight), a glass of apple juice (Ralph's brand...I roll with the best) and sat down with my laptop on my couch.

(*SIDE NOTE - I really get uncomfortable with the heat that laptops put off when they are on my lap. It is seriously one of those bizarre sensory experiences that actually makes me feel so awkward that I immediately want to shower, just to rid myself of the ickiness.)

But as I sat down, I was faced with a frightening fact...I GOT NOTHIN'. Sure, I had random fragments of thoughts I tried to turn into a worthwhile blog post, such as how I'm always energetic, or how I love meeting new people, or how it would take very little convincing for you to believe I am half-monkey.

I could have written about how I have way more respect for people who admit they know nothing about a subject, as opposed to those who speak in generalities and yet, in reality know nothing about the topic at hand. I'd much rather you say "Ya know what, I really don't know much about Obama's economic reform, so I really wouldn't add much to the conversation" than try and say something like "Obama is so liberal, I don't agree with anything he says" in hopes of that being enough to get you through the rest of the conversation without being called upon to offer any insight.

Or I could have rambled on about how I finally feel comfortable in my own shoes (metaphorically speaking...I'm still breaking in my loafers). Things are solid at work, and I feel confident and relevant in that role. I feel like I can tackle anything. I'm settled in my new place. I feel like I'm on my own two feet, and not kneeling on anyone as a crutch. My friends kick ass. I've met some great new people along the way in recent months who have contributed to the overall quality of my life...including one in particular that has played a significant role in keeping my enthusiasm, passion and zest for life at their maximum capacity.

I could rave about how USC is completely mediocre at football...but that's just too easy.

All these things crossed my mind, but alas, the writing block prevailed.

Or did it?

Teachers vs. Athletes

Alright, here it is. When I started this blog, I knew this post would surface. However, it is something I feel SO passionately about, I felt I needed to save and collect my thoughts until I was entirely ready to unload on this one. Consider yourself warned. Let the opus commence...

(*clears throat*)

There is absolutely no reason that professional athletes should make more money than the educators of our society. Period. I don't care how naive or "flowers and bunnies" that statement sounds, it is unequivocally accurate.

Before I totally go off on this, let me provide an objective disclaimer. I don't just love sports. I work in sports. I work to make the sports industry an even larger influence on public life than it already is. I am proud of what sports events like the Holiday Bowl do for the community of San Diego, as it has provided our region with upwards of $500 million in economic impact over the course of 30 years. By no means do I not see the inherent value in sports. I just think we have a serious disconnect within our societal priorities.

Sports players are some of the most physically gifted human beings in our world. Most are born with insane genes, and regardless of their chromosomal makeup, they ALL found their ultimate success because of extreme dedication and sacrifice. They now live the desirable, lush lifestyles filled with butlers, Bentleys, and, of course, Benjamins. But when I am asked what their role or contribution to society is...even on my most objective, athlete ass-kissing day...the best I can ever say is that they are entertainers.

I write this as I am watching Monday Night Football. This is an event for me to come home and watch. Tiger Woods brings people out to the golf course to watch him swing a club 70 times (or less). Kobe Bryant has people lining up out the door of the Staples Center to pay to watch him find new and creative ways to put the same damn ball in the same damn hoop. These are not great feats of societal importance. They are, quite simply, amazing displays of athletic prowess.

There is just no way for me to justify how an athlete should make more money than the educators in our world. Teachers are the shapers of EVERY future generation of our country. They serve as role models. They serve as disciplinarians. They provide wisdom and knowledge. They inspire children and young adults. They provide maybe the single most invaluable service to our society...and yet...

The average teacher's annual salary in California is roughly $45,000. The average Major League Baseball player salary is $3.26 MILLION. That means the average bench-warmer on the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates makes, on average, more than 70 times more than an average 6th grade teacher.

What kind of lessons are we teaching our children? Imagine being one of those underpaid and under-appreciated teachers, and then being asked by one of your pupils, "How come LeBron James made more money last year than you would in TWO lifetimes?" I can't imagine the feeling. And yet, true to form, the good teacher would find a way to emphasize the positive role of sports and the overall impact they have on our society.

This issue absolutely cripples me. I have given countless speeches (both in school and in public) about this, starting back when I was in 6th grade, lasting well through college. Now that I think about it, this may be the single most sensitive "hot-button" issue I feel most passionately about.

I simply just do no understand how Alex Rodriguez deserves $252 million over 10 years to swing and miss 70% of the time, and field a ground ball maybe 3 times/game?

Teachers are an unparalleled asset to our society, and the way we reward them in comparison to sometimes illiterate, steroid-pumping, drug abusing athletes is sickening. We need to recognize the superior efforts of our professors and teachers, and acknowledge our fiduciary responsibility to these societal shapers. What kind of message are we sending our children with such screwed up priorities? How do we explain to a 2nd grader, learning about space in Mr Smith's science class, that Phillip Rivers ($10 million in 2009) could probably buy the Hubble Telescope (or at last get Nike to sponsor it)?

I am not saying that teachers should be paid $3 million/year. And I am not saying that athletes should be paid $45,000/year. But that at least would make sense. The way we reward our nation's workforce needs to reflect our societal values and mores. We need to show our children that the teacher who puts in countless hours of (often uncompensated) overtime working on that next day's engaging history lesson deserves more than the boxer who, when he realizes he's losing, decides to bite the ear of his opponent.

I just can't believe how incredibly elementary this logic is. It's not like I'm asking for social revolution or for people to reconsider whether the Earth is really round or flat. I am simply trying to understand a glaring blip on our societal "Oopsies!" radar.

I mentioned at the beginning of this (apologetically long) post that I work in sports and am proud to do so. But there is a reason I am not a sports agent. I have had more than one opportunity to work my way into that field as a real-world profession, and I staunchly opposed it. I flat out denied job interviews for the same reason I have preached this entire post: There is no way I could ever purposely spend my precious time working at getting more money for professional athletes. I may appreciate sports' role in society, but I am not going to be the reason that a player says "No, no, $14 million/year isn't enough...I need another year on my deal and make it $14.5 million/year, with a $3 million signing bonus."

What's amazing is that I feel like I haven't even scratched the surface of the issue in this post. I will never stop this argument, but for all of your sake, I will at least stop this post.

Life's Little Joys

So two days ago I was at lunch with two coworkers down in Ocean Beach, and as we were leaving, it was somewhat overcast and both the restaurant and outside were slightly chilly. We got back to the car, which had been sitting in the sun, and as we got inside, each of us had that quasi-orgasmic moment where the warmth of the car penetrated our bones and we released a collective sigh of satisfaction. I love that feeling.

With that in mind, the following is a list of some more amazing (albeit trivial) life occurrences I have come to (overly) appreciate:

-You ever have one of those nights where you are laying in a warm bed, and are starting to get somewhat hot, but not warm enough to take off the covers? Is there any better feeling in the world than when you flip over your pillow to get that cool other side on your face? Oh man.

-Or how about on those cooler mornings when you wake up, and you instantly realize that the sheets and comforter are that perfect temperature that makes you not want to move, and possibly never get out of bed? (*NOTE - These days also have the potential to go straight to hell, because after that great feeling, and you actually HAVE to go to work...you may find yourself pissed at the world for the rest of the day. It's just cruel.)

-I love it when you put self-drying hand sanitizer on your hands, and once you've rubbed it in completely, you have absolutely no moisture on your hands and you have that smooth feeling across your palms (yep, I'm serious).


-I think all of us have had the day where we've been on our feet all day in work shoes, and then come home and rip those puppies off and chuck 'em to the side like they are garbage. When your feet get to breathe and not have the pressure all day on them...oh man, ultimate relief (*Yes, ladies, I'll give it to you, this one is probably better for you considering you wear heels).


-Checking off the final item on a long "To-Do" list.





-The first sip of an ice-cold beer on a blazing hot baseball day-game.




-Finishing a tough crossword puzzle with no outside help. I apologize to you non-crossword aficionados out there, but for those of you who know what I'm talking about, there is no greater temporary sense of accomplishment.




-Getting out of a pool in summer time on a sunny day and laying directly on the cement



-Filling up your gas tank and having the price and/or gallon screen display a completely round number.



That'll do for now...but don't be surprised if I follow up this post sometime with one about the little things in life that absolutely piss me off, like putting fitted sheets on a bed...

Marc's Top Fives & Tens

This post is dedicated to all you list-makers out there.

I love lists. I survive day-to-day because of lists. I am one of those people that gains the greatest satisfaction in simply placing a check-mark next to an item I have completed. Sometimes when I make my lists, I even write down items I've already done, just for the sheer sake of getting to cross it out immediately. But I digress...

The following is an assortment of lists chronicling my "Top 5's & 10's". There is absolutely no connection between the lists; these are just things I find myself ranking often and thought I would share with my oh-so-faithful readers.

Top 10 Songs (this is what we linguists call "VARIETY")
1) "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" - Otis Redding
2) "Fire & Rain" - James Taylor
3) "My Hero" - Foo Fighters
4) "Pachuca Sunrise" - Minus the Bear
5) "I Found My Smile Again" - D'Angelo
6) "Pardon Me" - Incubus
7) "Iris" - Goo Goo Dolls
8) "Barely Breathing" - Duncan Sheik
9) "When Can I See You" - Babyface
10) "Bad Girl" - Usher

Top 5 Michael Jackson Songs (this obviously needed it's own category)
1) "Man in the Mirror"
2) "PYT" (sorry Cronje)
3) "Beat It"
4) "Bad" (however, this is his best music video)
5) "The Way You Make Me Feel"

Top 5 Favorite Views in San Diego
1) Kate O. Sessions Memorial Park
2) Torrey Pines Bluffs
3) Mt. Soledad
4) Top of the Hyatt (downtown)
5) La Jolla Cove (closer to Prospect St.)

Top 5 Favorite Outdoor Activities
1) Surfing
2) Frisbee
3) Photography
4) Catch (yep, good ol' baseball toss)
5) Horseshoes

Top 5 Apparel Obsessions
1) Watches (funny I only own 2...but if I was rich, let's just say I'd always know the time)
2) Hats (yea, no surprise to any of you)
3) Sunglasses (gotta stop at every mall kiosk I see)
4) Shoes (there's somethin' so baller about a sweet pair of shoes)
5) Ties (WAY too many)

Top 5 Actresses
1) Charlize Theron
2) Jennifer Connelly
3) Tina Fey
4) Eva Mendes
5) Sandra Bullock

Top 5 Actors
1) Johnny Depp
2) Jim Carrey
3) Morgan Freeman
4) Denzel Washington
5) Gene Hackman

Top 5 All-Time Favorite Athletes
1) Tony Gwynn
2) Michael Jordan
3) Ken Griffey, Jr. (The Kid)
4) Jesse Owens (wish I could have seen him run)
5) Deion Sanders (he killed my team, but I love me some "Prime Time")

Top 5 Sports Movies from Childhood (yep, this got its own category)
1) The Sandlot (You're killin' me Smalls!)
2) Little Big League (every kdi's dream)
3) The Mighty Ducks
4) Rookie of the Year (best name ever - Henry Rowengartner)
5) Little Giants (who can forget good ol' IceBox?)

That's it for now...but, I have a feeling there will be a sequel to this blog post. Like I said, I love lists.

Business Time...Need My Business Socks.

Yep, it's business time people (both in the work sense and Flight of the Conchords sense...).

Work is getting ker-aaazy! Once November 1st hits, as most of you know, it's balls to the wall through December 31st. Lots of meetings in the office, meeting outside of the office, conference calls, phone calls...and most of all, E-MAILS GALORE! Holy hell, I go from staring at my Outlook wondering when my daily Spam Quarantine notification is gonna pop up as my only e-mail of the day...to just struggling to READ all of my e-mails by the end of the day.

We still don't know who will be playing in the Poinsettia or Holiday Bowls, and the way this college football season is going (ugh, Stanford, where did you come from?), we might not know until the final day of the season! That makes for an exciting football season for Joe-Fan, but it makes it a heck of a lot harder in the office for planning. All the work gets crazy when we know the teams, and the longer it takes for us to announce our teams, the longer we have to wait for all our planning to get underway.

Went to Naked Cafe in Solana Beach for the first time on Sunday morning. First off, I had no idea that place was even there (tucked away in a random alley across from Fletcher Cove)., but that made me like it that much more. I really liked the atmosphere with the bamboo-thatched roof, the eco-friendly stance of the restaurant, and of course, the beach proximity. As for the food, we ordered blueberry pancakes and soy-chorizo burritos, and both were phenomenal. This could certainly become a more frequent food stop on the Sawyer Dining Circuit.

A simple night with a couple friends Saturday night turned into what resembled a high school reunion at 1st Street Bar, when two friends turned into about twenty. That night reminded me of the different pockets of friends I have, and how I need to do a better job keeping in touch with everyone. We can always have the excuse of being too busy, but in all honesty, there are 7 nights/week, and going sometimes months at a time without talking to friends is really unacceptable. I have already made a more concerted effort this week to not be that friend that falls by the wayside "cuz we just lost touch". So for those of you reading this, let's make it happen!

This is sister's last week of her old job before she moves to her new post at Google. She is AMPED. Mom is officially retired and loved her first week of catching up with friends. She is also AMPED.

OTHER RANDOM THOUGHTS:
-I really wanna go see the Michael Jackson movie...is it even out anymore?
-I am going to Hodad's (claimed to have some of the best burgers in San Diego) on Wednesday for lunch, so I am very excited for this delectable lunch excursion.
-Surfed Saturday and froze my ASS off (with wetsuit). When did the Pacific become the Atlantic?
-Chargers are a LUCKY football team. However, I do think Vincent Jackson is one of the most underrated receivers in the NFL.

Sawyer Says...

I think the Yankees ruin the World Series. I don't even like the Phillies, but in this series I somehow found myself cheering for Jayson Werth & Carlos Ruiz (yea, who?) harder than I did for Boyz II Men when they were nominated for comeback artists of the year!

I think Liz Lemon should be my wife.

I think the next two years are going to be loaded with my friends' weddings. Looks like I just got cheap excuses to buy some new ties!

I think I have become too dependent on the Internet (both at work and at home). Our office went through some Internet problems today, and I was seriously pulling my hair out wanting to know what e-mails I was missing, and who I was missing on valuable gChat conversations.

I think I'm REALLY glad I don't have an iPhone or Blackberry...cuz it would make my last point even worse.

I think Twitter is silly.

I think November is the most bizarre month on the sports calendar. On the one hand, I'm not a hockey fan, the NBA is absolutely not an option, and the World Series is over and now I have to wait until next April before I can resume my miserable, eye-gouging obsession with Padres. On the other hand, college football is heating up and every game matters!

I think I'm done.

Sickness, Halloween And Bowl Season, Baby!

Being sick blows. My boss was sick early last week, and no question I got it from him. I woke up Friday morning so sick that I actually stayed home. I spent all Friday laying in bed, and most of Saturday. Once I developed a full-blown case of cabin fever and potential bedsores, I made a trek out to put the finishing touches on my costume. I told my college buddies I'd go out, and I wasn't about to bail this late in the game. I started the evening with some new friends downtown at a friend's apartment, had a great time and saw some great costumes, including an impressive Lady Ga-Ga, He-Man and a Vampire (none of that weak "look at my 6-year old fake fangs" crap...we're talking the real deal). Once I left there to meet da boyz downtown, I became acutely aware of how fast lethargy sets in. Apparently laying in bed all day with hopes of gaining some energy isn't enough. Because I'm pretty sure I spent the remainder of Halloween night walking away from my friends every 15 minutes to go blow my nose or cough up a lung in the Maloney's bathroom. Holla at a playa...

*Random funny story of the night: I'm walking downtown (dressed up as a mailman) with my head down as I'm texting. Some random dude who has no idea who I am yells "Hey mailman, you lost my letter!" (which was probably the 376th time I heard that...everyone thinks they're a comedian, but I appreciate the effort). I look up to see who the jokester is, and it's my best friend, Keith. He looks at me and says "What the hell?" He didn't even know it was me! He just thought it was funny to yell at the innocent postal worker on the streets...and it ended up being someone he knew! So bizarre. We played golf the next day and laughed about it for at least nine holes.

Last week was crazy busy (hence the sickness). Too busy to recap, but here are some highlights from before the weekend:

MONDAY - I realized you CAN eat too much at Wings 'n Things. Tom and Joel can attest.

TUESDAY - I bowled a turkey in the final frame of the final game in the playoffs of the social bowling league I joined with some friends to WIN the league! Yea, I'm a baller.

WEDNESDAY - I carved a pumpkin that was supposed to be scary, but due to an unfortunate carving accident that is somewhat traumatic, it ended up looking like a sassy female looking for some hot squash, if ya know what I mean...

THURSDAY - I ate more cookies than I can ever remember eating (thanks a lot, Julie)

Well, it's officially "that time of year" at work. As soon as that calendar turns to November, it's all out for us through New Year's. We are only 4 weeks away from the end of the college football season, so we are narrowing down the list of teams who may be coming to San Diego for the Poinsettia and Holiday Bowls. It's always exciting talk, but there is still a lot of football to be played. You know we're in our seasonal buzz when boss-man walks down the hallways at 7:30am yelling "Let's go people! It's bowl season baby!"

Lots goin' on in the family life. Mom just retired on Friday, and my sister just got a new job at Google! Crazy times for my peeps!

Do you realize we are less than two months away from 2010?

Sleepless Nights - What I'm Thinkin

(*NOTE - I am home sick today from work. Yes, me, Marc Sawyer, missed work because I'm sick. Ugh. Since I have nothing else to do, and I can't sleep anymore, I figured I'd make a blog post. So here ya go.)

*****

People always ask me "What do you think about when you can't fall asleep at night?" As we all know, this is virtually every night for me, so my answer always tends to turn into quite the opus.

Short Answer: I think about some pretty bizarre stuff.

I always end up asking myself questions that I have no way of finding out (or my own opinion doesn't cut it as a legit answer). So here's a brief look into a couple random things that have kept me up and thinking over the years (I'm sure I will either add to this post, or do a second chapter sometime later on in this blogging experiment):


Taste Test - If you and I each take a bite out of the same apple (any piece of food will suffice, but apple is the food of choice today), and I like the taste and you do NOT like the taste, what is actually occurring? Do you and I taste the EXACT same thing, and make a value judgment based on whether that is a satisfying taste? Or do we actually taste two different things based on our digestive or anatomical makeup? Do I have a specific set of tastebuds that allow the apple's taste to be appealing to me, but your tastebuds are aligned or sectioned off differently so it only grabs the sour tasting part of the apple? I'd like to think that the apple has ONE taste that, if all of us had the exact same palate, would provide us with the same sensory experience. But because we do NOT have the same palate, our tastebuds make the biological decision for us. As opposed to us tasting the same thing and then us judging it like we do a band we're listening to. I know, I know...weird.

Pain Tolerance - This is a tougher one because I know a lot of it has to do with body type. I have always wondered when someone is in a lot of pain, or if I have got hurt but realized it didn't hurt that bad, if we react the same to similar injuries, or is there such a thing as better "pain tolerance"? Let's say you and I are both of equal size and shape and muscle mass (so basically non-existent in this case, right?), and we each get kicked in the shin at the EXACT same velocity and force, do we feel the same amount of pain? Does it hurt one of us more than the other? Do we both feel the same pain, and then react differently because of our brain's makeup? Are our senses feeling the exact same amount of force and damage to our leg, and then we decide how much it hurts? Or does it feel TOTALLY different when that same kick happens? Does your body just have neurological and anatomical differences compared to mine that completely alter the sensory experience? Yes, folks, this is one I think about all the time.

That's it for now. I'm gonna go eat an apple and kick my own shin.

Marc's Endless Sports Rants

First off, I apologize to any of you non-sports fans out there reading this (although I think we all know that the total number of people reading this is smaller than the loyal fan base of NBC's "Parks & Recreation"...man that show blows). This post is just me ranting and raving about sports...And this is definitely just the tip of the iceberg in terms of things that do/don't annoy me. It's just what is on my mind today.

The Things that Drive Me Bonkers

1) Run hard to first base on a groundball. Holy hell. I don't care how much money Albert Pujols, Adrian Gonzalez or Ryan Howard is making in the big leagues...you run all the way through that base.
2) Is it just me, or has the NFL's overall tackling ability gone to hell in the past 3-4 years?
3) Why is it that Wide Receivers are now the most-talked about OFF-THE-FIELD athletes in sports? They are babies who can't catch a ball without wearing iso-toners. Gimme a break.
4) Calling all outfielders - Use two hands to catch the damn ball in your glove. Period.
5) Every time I see a soccer player flop on the ground with a fake injury to instigate a yellow card after virtually no human contact, I secretly wish the ref kicks him in the groin to keep him down there.
6) The NBA is just one big double-dribble. Point guards get away with murder. John Stockton is probably turning in his graving...oh wait...he is still alive? Sign him up Utah!
7) Palming is not a legal dribbling move...so stop it. The basketball is not a tray of wine.
8) Baseball players who chew tobacco - You're on national television, inflicting potentially countless forms of cancer upon yourself in front of impressionable youth ball players that have no other wish than to BE YOU...if you don't like it, choose a different profession.
9) Contrary to popular belief, baseball hats are NOT food. So stop folding them in half like tacos or leaving them uncurled like flat pancakes. You take the hat, you naturally curve it with the palms of your hands so each end bends to the side slightly. Not that hard people.
10) Baseball players who confuse their uniform pants with kids footsie pajamas. Manny Ramirez, CC Sabathia, Khalil Greene (that's right, you just got a Khalil Greene reference)...shape up. You wear those pants about 3 inches below the knee, and wear some high socks old school style baby!
11) Team Carousels - I mentioned this in an earlier blog post - but man, why can't NBA teams have the same returning 5 starters every year? And MLB have the same 5-man rotation? Ugh, it's hard to follow teams anymore...we just follow our players.

Things that (surprisingly) Don't Drive Me Bonkers (some of these may surprise you)

1) I like touchdown celebrations...if they are well-rehearsed, topical, and creative (I know majority of you will disagree with this one...but I love a good dance move)

2) I don't mind the backwards baseball cap in NON-GAME settings. As long as you wear your hat straight forward - no sideways crap - in the game, I don't care what you wear outside of the game. Ken Griffey, Jr. revolutionized the backwards hat when he would wear it in the mid-90's Home Run Derbies. He is the reason you will see my hat backwards time to time.

3) Hockey Fights - Anyone that grew up watching Mighty Ducks II knows how important fighting is to hockey. Just remember what Russ Tyler's brother taught Ken Wu on the streets! "Stick. Gloves. Shirt."

4) Players ACCEPTING big contracts. I emphasize accepting because although I have a huge problem with what players get paid, I do not blame them for ACCEPTING a team's offer. When Alex Rodriguez was presented an offer of $252 million by the Texas Rangers, what was he gonna say, "Uh, geez guys. That's an awful lot of money. Could you cut that in half please?"! No! I'd take the money too, if it was offered to me. I'm not saying he should have been OFFERED that money...and trust me, there is a blog rant coming about sports salaries, don't you worry.

Things I'm Torn About

1) Tennis Grunting - It takes a decent amount of effort to run down and hit a tennis ball as hard as the pros do. I have no problem with loud exhaling that may come off as a small "grunt". However, the borderline orgasmic (or pained) sounds women like Martina Hingis or Serena Williams make have no place in professional tennis. I'm not being sexist, I just haven't heard Andy Roddick or Roger Federer "enjoy" themselves that much on the court recently.

2) Talking in Third Person -Normally, this would immediately fall into the "Things That Drive Me Bonkers" category, but I have one exception...Ricky Henderson. I could listen to that numskull talk in 3rd person, all day, every day. Sometimes I think he forgets he is even talking about himself. Pure entertainment.

3) Quarterback Protection Rules - Alright, I get some of the rules that protect quarterbacks from losing their heads and limbs when they are helpless. But last I checked, their name is on the football roster...which means they are a football player. You get your butt pounded just like the guys blocking ahead of you. If you stay in the pocket and wait for a bit before getting rid of that ball, you ask for it. So unless you're a behemoth like JaMarcus Russell, or can stay ahead of the pack like the old Michael Vick (pre-jail time), you better get used to some bumps and bruises when I become commissioner of the NFL...

4) 9th Inning Closer Introductions - these are getting a little out of hand. I grew up in the glory years of Trevor Hoffman running in from center field while the crowd rocked out to "Hells Bells". These were some of the most magical sports moments in my short sports-infused life. However, it is too common now. It is a performance. And they give it to some guys that don't deserve the pomp and circumstance (yet, at least). I like Heath Bell, but he doesn't deserve his own entrance music and video in San Diego. ESPECIALLY coming on the heels of Trevor.

That's it...for now. Man, I am starting to sound like an old curmudgeon.

Just a Regular Life Update - With Some Tangents

So this is just a life update...no theme to this post. Just Marc.

Went to the 13th Annual Ballast Point Brewery Beer Festival on Saturday down at Liberty Station with some great friends...it was awesome. Despite it being quite hot (we hit the jackpot with a bench in the shade), we had a great time, and definitely took advantage of the TEN tastings that are offered with the price of admission (a respectable and relatively affordable $25). There were breweries from all over San Diego, including some I had never heard of, and some great new beers! I recommend this event to anyone who enjoys a good brew and a fun outside environment.

Next up - November 6th, San Diego Brewers Guild Beer Festival at the World Beat Center. Went there two years ago, and it was a great time. Check it out!

Other than that, I am officially settled into my new place. I got a brand new sectional "L-Shaped" couch, blew up and framed some of my photography for the walls, and feel like it's actually my place and completed! I love the place, and am very happy with the relative proximity to work and the freeways. So yay for that.

Thanksgiving is coming up, so I'm excited to make my (what has become) annual trek up to San Francisco to see the bro and sis. This is my favorite trip every year, not as much for the holiday as goofing off with the sibs. I'm the baby of the three, and I make sure I act like it (and if I don't, they don't hesitate to remind me).

A few posts ago I established some new goals for myself to stay motivated and do the things that I enjoy, with no excuses. I know some of you have stayed on me about this (THANK YOU!), so I thought I'd let my loyal readers (cuz I know all of you have bookmarked my blog and check it religiously three times/day) know how I fared in Week One.

Refresher Course on 3 Goals (including this week's outcome):

1) SURF ONCE A WEEK
-Surfed Campgrounds on Saturday from 7:00-9:30am
2) RUN 3 TIMES/WEEK
-Ran Sunday afternoon, Thursday morning, and planning on running this afternoon (will confirm later)
-UPDATE - Yep, ran Sunday afternoon
3) NEVER PUT CAMERA DOWN
-Shot night photography Tuesday & Friday, shot sunset Saturday

Sorry if this was a boring post for you readers or if it was lacking sufficient rants and ravings about random pet peeves...but it's my blog, not yours! HA!

Favorite Meals in San Diego

I love food. If I could marry food, I would (sorry ladies). And for those of you that know me, you also know that my metabolism allows me to consume virtually any quantity of food at any given time. And as you also know...all the weight goes to my feet.

Living in San Diego, there are countless culinary options to appease my ever-changing palate. Be it classic San Diego mexican cuisine, fresh seafood from the San Diego Bay, gourmet dining at local breweries, refreshing breakfast/brunch joints across the coast, or even the local hole-in-the-wall establishments who specialize in grease and deliciousness...we've got it all.

In this episode of "Marc's Food Obsession", I will be attempting to name my TOP 5 FAVORITE MEALS IN SAN DIEGO.

THE CRITERIA
1) Now when I say "favorite", do I mean a meal I could eat for the rest of my life? Or is it strictly just the best meal I've ever had, consistently? For this exercise, I define "favorite meal" as the food that, upon touching my taste buds for the first time, creates such a cathartic reaction that I literally have to put my utensil down, take a deep breath, and make some exaggerated gesture of appreciation to portray the magnitude of the culinary intensity I am experiencing.

2) I am by no means rating the restaurant. I am strictly judging off of one single dish. Granted, the majority of the places I mention would receive high marks in a "Restaurant Review", but that is of no relevance to this exercise.

3) I tried to keep the choices specific to our area. Option #4 is a bit of a stretch, as the chain also exists in L.A., but there's no way I'm leaving that one out. But, for those of you wondering why I don't have Wings 'n Things on this list...thats' why.

4) I only chose 5 meals, so there are plenty more deserving of Honorable Mention. I apologize to any snubs of your palatable favorites.

THE ENVELOPE PLEASE....
1) Mac 'n Beer Cheese - Stone Brewery

This is the most ridiculously, incredible, salivatingly tasty dish in history of the universe. Describing it would do an injustice to it, so here is the menu description - Classic Mac 'n Cheese made with Stone Smoked Porter & Garlic Beer Cheese with sundried tomatoes, basil and Smoked Porter Sausage


2) California Burrito w/ Guacamole - Rico's Taco Shop

North County kids know what I'm talking about. This is a good-size burrito with carne asada, cheese, sour cream, and....FRENCH FRIES. Yep, don't waste my time with potatoes, this is the most epic burrito in San Diego. But of course, no burrito is finished without a healthy dose of Rico's hot sauce covering EVERY bite (no exceptions).

3) California Delight Sandwich & Very Berry Smooothie - Swami's Cafe

Oh man, nostalgia. They have the BEST sandwiches, and this is my personal favorite. Avocado, jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, sprouts, Dijon, mayo on a croissant (for an extra buck). Smoothie has apple juice, bananas, strawberries, raspberries, & boysenberries. Such a refreshing meal. Yum.



4) Double Chili Cheeseburger with Fries - Original Tommy's Burgers

My best bud (aptly named Tom) introduced me to this in 2007, and man have I been missing out. It is greasy, salty, cholesterol-loaded heaven (see diagram to left). And you gotta start by using your fries to scrape off excess, oozing chili off sides. Napkins optional.


5) Western Cheeseburger w/ Bacon and Basket of Fries - Chief's Burgers & Brew

Simply put...huge burger, best flavor in town. Ridiculously thick strips of fatty bacon, perfect BBQ sauce...oh man.



Honorable Mention
Pizza Carlsbad & Sharkbite Red Ale - Pizza Port Brewing Company
Bacon Breakfast Burrito - Pipes Cafe
Red Trolley BBQ Cheeseburger & Garlic Fries - Karl Strauss Brewery


Yea...so for those of you in San Diego...go check these out.

(I'm gonna go eat my PB&J, Doritos, and apple juice-box in my office now...)

Appreciating Life

I appreciate people who appreciate life. I have found myself consistently being drawn to those who spend their time relishing the life they are living, rolling with the punches dealt to them, and doing it all the while with a smile (that rhymes...awesome).

So many of us get bogged down in the agonizingly boring day-to-day minutiae that confronts us at every turn. The small details, the random problems, the teeth-pulling interactions...those will always be there. But in no way does that define who we are or how we live our lives.

Simply put - I am surrounding myself with people with passion. This theory sounds so basic and elementary, but focusing on it and surrounding myself with these types of people has had an amazing effect on me and how I choose to prioritize and live my life. Spending time with people who genuinely appreciate life and who rarely let things negatively affect them is so incredibly refreshing and inspirational for me. I consider myself a relatively upbeat person with lots of energy, but I have never considered myself immune to falling into ruts or losing sight of why I'm happy to be living.

I have friends that have dedicated large portions of their lives to meeting certain life and career goals, and have never wavered from that path, and are now exactly where they want to be. I have friends who have strong passions and know what makes them happy, and they sacrifice other parts of their lives to make sure they allow themselves time to do the things they love.

Over the past few months, I have realized that certain parts of our lives are formalities. We will always have the annoying nuances of work, paying bills, car maintenance problems, laundry, and shaving (ugh, I hate shaving). But when you can get to the point where you accept these minor facets of life and allow yourself to see beyond them, this is when you set yourself up for success.

I can't tell you how impressed I am with the people who work 10-12 hour days and come home and are immediately ready to say "Hey, let's go out and get a drink" or "I can't wait to go on a run", or "I'm gonna cook a great dinner." They never once complain about their long day, or make excuses for why they can't go do something because they are tired or have no motivation. I really hate excuses, and I'm starting to realize how easy it is to avoid them altogether. Those of you I'm talking about, you know who you are. I appreciate every day I spend with you, because you give me perspective on what is really important to me.

I feel at my best with my friends. Again, you know who you are. This past May I was in Washington D.C. with some college friends, and I was walking with one of them at the 9/11 monument outside the Pentagon, and I just had one of those out-of-body moments where I was able to see myself...and I realized how much I loved the person I was when I was with those friends. So you UCLA kids, you have a huge impact on my well-being and happiness. Thank You.

I still have some amazing friends that I've known since high school. These guys are my glue. They know everything about me. And they still treat me with the most respect of anyone I know. We will always have each other's backs for the rest of our lives, and to have that kind of feeling of comfort and safety with your boys...it makes you feel empowered and appreciative. You guys know who you are.

And now I am meeting new people. I will NEVER stop meeting people. Talking and getting to know people is my favorite thing. The past couple months I have had the amazing opportunity to meet some incredible people, and even better, continue to get to know them. Spending time with these people immediately gives me a renewed sense of life and energy, and it is so refreshing, it's hard to explain. To those of you who have made your way into my life circle, I love what you have done for my happiness, confidence, and enthusiasm.

I love surfing. I love running. I love photography. I love cooking. I love driving. I love being outdoors. There's nothing that should get in my way of doing any of these things. And it is people with passion that remind me how possible it is to achieve all I want in my life.

I want to be successful. I'd love to make tons of money. But more than anything, I hope at any given juncture in my life, I can say I am happy. Not content. Not fine. Genuinely happy.

Here's to all of you attaining that happiness too.

Motivation - The Eternal Struggle

Recently I have found myself uncharacteristically annoyed with my lack of motivation. The reason I am frustrated is because there are certain things I have always loved doing (i.e. surf, run, shoot photography), but recently I have somehow found a way to almost entirely remove them from my free time exploits.

What the hell?

SURFING
I have been surfing since I was 13 years old. When I was in high school, I surfed every day, sometimes twice a day for four years, and it is no secret to any of you who know me (and especially that have had the experience of sitting on a board in the water with me) that surfing is the single most relaxing thing in my life (this may become a post in itself later - surfing serenity). I could never catch a wave for a whole session and still have an incredible day (and believe me, those days have happened). My surfboard is now a piece of free-standing wall decor in my bedroom corner, and I have surfed maybe 3 times in 2009. So how do I explain the fact that one of the things I love to do most, I have let fall completely by the wayside? I guarantee you any explanation I try and offer will not be a legit excuse. My biggest "excuse" is that I have moved to a place that is further from the beach than I have ever been in my life. But that is a relative statement, seeing as it would take me 20 minutes or so to get to beach. This is a matter of me being spoiled and missing the days of 2-minute car rides to Ponto/Grandview/Swami's. Other excuses include less time after work (so why don't I surf before or on weekends?), and less friends to surf with (I enjoy surfing alone, so that's bogus).

RUNNING
I have been running since before high school. I ran track. I ran during college. I started running when I came back to SD from college. But within the last two years, my love affair with running has come to a screeching halt. And it has nothing to do with liking running. It is strictly a matter of sitting at home and saying "I could put running shoes on right now, or I could cook some dinner and relax...". I really hate this. I am starting to be disappointed in myself, which is never a good thing.

PHOTOGRAPHY
And then there is photography. I have been interested in photography for quite some time, but only within the last 2-3 years have I become serious about wanting to shoot regularly and improve the quality of my work. Right now, photography is the only thread I am still hanging on to, but barely. I will still get up on a weekend and decide just to drive wherever my car takes me and shoot whatever my camera lens aims. But even this is no longer a guaranteed phenomenon. I still require some internal coaxing to make it happen.

And therein lies the problem. I, for some reason, am needing to be convinced that it is something I should be doing. Apparently "want" is no longer the driving force in my thought process, which is sad. I need to get back to what it is I love to do, why it is I love it...and just go do it. I have fallen into the extremely unhealthy rut of passively denying myself the joys of life that I so passionately cherish. You would think that statement alone would motivate me to get my ass outside and buck the trend.

So what is it? It is my life-long battle with motivation and personal accountability. Now, I would consider myself an extremely responsible, driven person. But for some reason, when it comes to my own personal well-being and enjoyment, I somehow let that stuff take a backseat, thanks to a bizarre passive attitude I have developed. What's worse is that I am aware of this problem, and yet I am still letting it happen.

People reading this will say, "Well, just get up and go do it." And to those of you thinking that...you are absolutely right. I have no argument with your logic. That is exactly what I should be doing. Surprisingly, writing or addressing your problems often gives you a new perspective on what otherwise may have seemed like a beaten-horse issue. And that's what this post has done...reminded me of how UTTERLY RIDICULOUS this new trend is, and how I need to shake it fast.

THE REMEDY
So now what? I have decided to try and hold myself accountable again. But not to the point where I feel I am forcing these activities...I just want to give myself the opportunity to do them again. So, here's the plan (and I would be more than happy if any of you decide to follow up with this and continue to encourage this process):

1) I will surf at least once/week. It will probably be weekends, but I do not want to limit my options.

2) I will run at least 3 times/week. I know, lame goal to some of you runners out there, but I need the consistency of a routine to get me started.

3) I will never put my camera down. Any opportunity I get, I will shoot something new. I am going to start putting together day-trips for myself, pointing out places I'd like to go experiment shooting (like my old days of Coronado, La Jolla Shores, Zoo, etc.).

Sounds like a bunch of poppy-cock, doesn't it? Marc writes a blog post, and by the end of it he now has a renewed lease on life and his personal joys? That's rich, I know. The obvious question now is...will I follow up?

There's only one way to find out. And I'm excited to see.

Did We Learn a Different English Language?

So we all have our vices. We all have our things that do well. And we all have things that drive us absolutely up the wall. And for those of you out there reading this that are guilty of the following linguistic crimes...you're killin' me.

Listed below are the two linguistic offenses we will address today:

1) We have a fully functional English language. We do not need to make up new words.
2) Words have proper pronunciations. Use them.

*I should also preface this by saying that I, myself, have at some point been guilty of both of these offenses. However, upon learning I was violating these two colloquial codes of conduct, I quickly altered my speech to reflect the correct change. MY VIOLATION - I thought the correct phrase was "for all intensive purposes". Then it was explained to me that the phrase is "for all intents and purposes." I felt like an idiot. Then I got over it. So my goal here is not to bash and embarrass...it is to enlighten and hopefully correct some common misconceptions about the English Language.

Issue #1 - We have a fully functional English language. We do not need to make up new words.
This is not a rant about words like Bootylicious, Dank, and Dope making their way into every day language. This is about words and phrases that people actually think are real words and phrases, but in reality are totally made up.

Here are three examples to illustrate my point:
-irregardless
-run a tight shift
-spitting image

Hopefully (but not likely) all of you realize that none of those are real words or phrases. Let me say that again...

"IRREGARDLESS IS NOT A WORD!" Ya got it? Holy hell, I got annoyed just typing that word. The word is REGARDLESS...irregardless is not a word. Don't say that word, ever.

I won't go into long detail about the other two, but here's a brief explanation. It is "run a tight ship" (not shift), and "spit and image", (not spitting). However, if you're wondering where that second phrase came from, there is a good explanation here.

Issue #2 - Words have proper pronunciation. Use that.
If I took the time to write out the laundry list of mispronounced words, my blog would eerily resemble the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, so I will limit the list to those that have the nail-on-the-chalkboard effect on me.

Mispronounced words (with ACTUAL word/pronunciation in parentheses):
-supposably (supposedly)
-excape/expecially/expresso - there is no friggin "X", ok?!
-sherbert (sher-BET)
-bowlth (both)
-cran (cray-on)
-mere (mirr-or)
-nucular (nuc-lee-er)

Again, just typing these words puts me on edge. My mom still says "both" wrong...with that damn "L" sound. I understand "crayon" is not an easy word to say immediately, but it is because we are all lazy as hell and don't take the time to ENUNCIATE OUR WORDS...they have syllables...use them.

I know, I know...I need a life. But who needs a life...when you have a blog?

Facebook

Yep, that's right, I am blogging about Facebook. By no means am I proud of the fact that the oddly-acceptable-stalking-network known as Facebook is such a pervasive medium that it has earned itself a place in my blog. But, as my boss says, "It is what it is...".

Let me first start out by saying I am a supporter of Facebook's original intentions, and that I frequent the site at least 3 times/day. The fact that I can be re-connected with my kindergarten best friend, or keep tabs on friends across the country is phenomenal. Facebook has created a new means by which people can keep in touch with people with whom they otherwise may have fallen out of touch.

But I HATE what Facebook is doing to interpersonal communication.

It is no secret that I am a talker. My favorite thing to do is to talk to people in person and get to know them. One-on-one physical interactions with friends (and strangers) provide arguably all of our best moments in life. We will never get to the point (I hope) where we start saying "Man, that was one of the best conversations I've ever had...over FB Chat". We are physical beings, needing real-life, in the flesh interactions with our friends and family...and those days are slipping away.

*It should be noted here that Facebook is by no means the first invention to have this effect. People might try and cite MySpace as the culprit, but when you think about it, you can trace this trend back to cell phones, text messages, Internet, and even as far back as the telegram. Our society has consistently and continually come up with new means of convenient discourse.

So what is it specifically about FB I don't like? I don't like that I know someone went on a cruise two weeks ago, and yet, I haven't spoken to them in two years. I don't like that I know one of my old friends just broke up with their girlfriend, and I found out through a depressing "broken heart" icon on my News Feed. And I really don't like that instead of picking up the phone and catching up with someone, both me and my friends settle for the obligatory Wall post that reads "It's been forever, how are you?!" First off, it's debatable that the person asking the question is even seriously concerned about the answer. But even if they were, do any of us really expect to come back to our FB Wall to find a narrative opus from our friend detailing the recent exploits of their lives? No, we know, without fail, the response will be "I'm good! Workin' a lot, but nothin too crazy. How are YOU?" A successfully deflected question, that now puts the onus on you to choose whether or not you want to respond (which either way, that person won't care).

People who are FB friends with me know I rarely post photos, and for the longest time, had ZERO information about myself on my profile. I want people to find out about me through me, not my FB status. Now, I finally gave in and put an actual photo of myself up there, because if someone is trying to find me, the silhouette photo of me wasn't really much help. And I have slowly put some music interests up, as well as a grab-bag list of unimportant factoids about myself.

Do you realize there was a time where if I wanted to talk to you or get hold of you, I would have had to jump on my covered wagon or make-shift bicycle and go to your house? Or even before the days of cell phones (or as my friend Branden so aptly named them "electronic leashes"), you couldn't just shoot them a text or voicemail, you still either had to find them on a home phone, or go see them.

I'm not as worried about my friends that live in Washington D.C. or Florida (or overseas), because FB, in my opinion, helps with keeping in touch with them. It's the people that live in California, and especially San Diego, that I have no excuse to be relying on Facebook. You all know how much I crave attention, how much of a chatterbox I am, and how much I thrive on making a fool of myself in front of my friends...and Facebook is undercutting those goals.

I'm not suggesting we do away with Facebook, because I think it is actually a warranted public service. I am merely suggesting we not rely on it as the primary source of communication between friends, and that we remember why we became friends in the first place. Facebook did not create our friendship, it is just preserving our line of communication. So remember the times we met, why we became friends, and why we are still friends...and use that as our base for communication.

Sorry Facebook, you ain't gonna replace me.

Sports Depression

It should come as no surprise that my first dedicated blog post is about sports. Ever since my mom taught me how to read a box score in the newspaper when I was 6 years old, I have been addicted to everything and anything about sports: the statistics, the smells, the debates, the famous plays, along with all the other pointless minutiae that single-handedly provides people like Vin Scully and Dick Enberg with the most amazing jobs on earth.

As a kid, I grew up in the sports heydays of Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Jerry Rice, Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds (when his waist looked like my waist, not when his bicep looked like my waist), and, of course, my hometown hero, Tony Gwynn. Sports were my life. I watched them, played them, and day-dreamed about them.

Sports were THE constant. I knew when I turned on the TV, I'd see Jordan and Pippen on the Bulls battling Stockton & Malone on the Jazz. I knew Junior Seau would be lighting up both the fans and the opposing quarterback at Qualcomm Stadium. I knew it was "Primetime" any time Deion Sanders set foot on the field. And I knew that regardless of how bad the Padres were, Tony would be back the next season.

I have one simple question - what the hell happened?

Sports has become a new type of TV drama. The "industry" (and who the hell started calling sports an industry?) is consumed by arrests, public tirades, drug charges, petty name-calling, domestic abuse, and players demanding more money. Sports teams have become revolving-door carousels for all players, the media has inundated us with meaningless crap-ola that we shouldn't even CARE about (and yet we do), and worst of all...no player EVER stays on the same team. Jordan finished with the Wizards. Malone a Laker. And Seau just recently began his 476th stint with the Patriots...

To illustrate my point, take a look at the TOP 7 Headlines of the day on ESPN.com:

-Limbaugh fires back; is Faulk next in Rams bid?
-Report: Players ask Redskins to back Zorn
-Pitino: Players won't lose game time over arrest
-Pujols in no hurry to talk extension with Cards
-Cavs treating flu-ridden LeBron for H1N1 virus
-Rodgers refuses to rip Packers' porous O-line
-Jones-Drew rebukes Jags play-calling

No scores. No awards. Not even a bloody trade rumor. It's about pompous jackasses (Limbaugh), power-hungry (not to mention COMPLETELY politically-incorrect) ownership (Redskins) cheating coaches (Pitino), whiny players (Jones-Drew), and unloyal players (Pujols). And just because Lebron James is a "high-profile" athlete, we now consider it huge news that he is being treated for Swine Flu? How many people in the world are getting that treatment without a single word being said (actually, he probably gets private Swine Flu vaccinations that aren't available to the general public, but that's besides the point)?

As for Rodgers...he actually did something GOOD by not ripping how HORRENDOUS his offensive line was in their Monday night loss to Minnesota (which I can say, after having watched, the fact that Rodgers left the game on his own two feet and with all of his teeth is a physiological miracle). But what does the headline say? That he is "refusing" to rip his team? As if that's a bad thing? The media is almost encouraging that he SHOULD be ripping them a new one! Drives me bonkers.

Sports are no longer constant. They are a made-for-TV soap opera, with people who confuse their surnames for their jersey numbers (SEE: Chad Ochocinco) and people who can't decide if they should un-retire for the 9th time to play for their arch-rival (SEE: Brett Favre, Roger Clemens). This stuff makes me sick.

I still love sports. I always will. But not like the 80's and 90's...

But, hey, at least I've still got Tony.

Bloggin the Dream

Blog or Bust?

Well, I've been toying with the idea of creating a blog now for about a year, and every time I came close to creating it, I always ended up saying "What am I going to write about...?" But after debating this question internally for a year, I realized there was really only one way to find out...

Which brings us to this blog. This will be a social experiment, 1) to see how (if) I stay motivated to post regularly, and 2) to see if there is actually anything interesting about me! The blog posts that ensue will be wide-ranging, covering topics that include (but certainly not limited to):

-food reviews
-photography
-sports rants
-who I'd like to be in another life
-things that keep me up at night (maybe a blog in itself)

Simply put, I'm writing about...Livin' the Dream.

Enjoy the ride.