To Muse

Vacationing in Vietnam and Cambodia

2008-01-19T12:41:00.000-08:00

Heather and I recently took a trip over Christmas and New Year's to Southeast Asia - Cambodia and Vietnam. It was an amazing trip - 17 days of serious travel. We came back fully relaxed and recharged.

Lately, we've been using Smilebox to document and share our get-togethers and special events like vacations and friends' weddings. Full disclosure, one of our good friends heads up marketing for the company but I will say it is in fact a very snappy tool and they've also integrated with your email (Google, Yahoo, MSN) and with other social media channels like Facebook, Blogger, Friendster, et al. to make it easy to 'share' across your network.

Check out our vaca...

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

Day 25, Post Op #2, Gettin' the Boot!

2007-05-22T23:10:00.000-07:00

I've been in the splint/cast for 25 days and joyfully headed to the doc's office today to get my second cast.

Once there, the ortho tech removed my cast with this crazy saw that cuts fiberglass but not your skin. I anxiously awaited to see what was underneath. The former raised stitched lines had flattened out and the skin had hardened under with scar tissue. My foot/achilles wasn't as stiff as I had expected since I had been moving it quite a bit in my cast.

Dr. Khan-Farooqi took a look and basically said it was in good shape and healing nicely. In the next few weeks, the focus was on allowing the collagen fibers to align correctly and form/bind and this would be achieved by adjusting the tension on the foot - a bit less flexed.

To my surprise and delight, Dr. KF gave me a few options. Either be in another cast for 2 weeks, go into a boot, or get into a regular shoe with some heel lifts. The latter being the most aggressive and the first being the most conservative.

He actually recommended the boot for me, as long as I was extremely careful when I was out of the boot (e.g. taking a shower or changing clothes).

Freedom at last!

Being able to walk now opens up doors - literally. My first stop was going to Starbucks for a grande black iced tea with half sugar and being able to walk out of the store with it in my hand. No more crutches.

So the plan now ... 4 more weeks in the boot (gladly) and then 4 in a shoe with lifts and then P.T.

Vegas Bachelor Weekend : Vegas baby

2007-05-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

Ian's bachelor party was met with great enthusiasm from all and a tinge of anxiety from the bachelor himself. A British stag party, as they call it, adheres to a very different set of rules from the American version - goals are to humiliate and accost the "man of the hour" as much as possible. And that certainly happened this weekend.

While the photos were scarce (on purpose), I will say that the partcipants took Vegas to a level I was proud to be a part of. I think it was the fact that some flew 5,000 miles from the UK to celebrate and honor Sir Ian while others just needed a party weekend away from the "mundacities" of jobs, spouses/partners, pets, et al.

So one "highlight" of the weekend.

We stayed at the new tower at the Palms and spent Saturday day recovering from an all nighter at Drai's. We were poolside in our cabana pounding $10 bottles of water mixed in with brewskis and daiquiris.

The pool is a scene/experience in itself - a voyeur's dream. It's a melting pot of greased up gym metros (who lube each other up), female porn stars, pasty Asian rich kids, body builder types, overweight middle Americans seeking the Vegas experience and the rest of us.

So anyway, at one point we see a strawberry haired white guy (extremely white) wearing a neon green thonged one piece suit just like Borat's emerge from the depths of the dark and tanned crowd. A sight to be seen it was!

In an instant, he became the focal point of the entire pool. People were taking pictures with their camaras and holding their gaping mouths, in horror/laughter.

I managed to snap a quick shot off as Borat was walking into the pool.

The New Borat at the Palms

Pic from the weekend.

Day 11, Post Op - 1st Doctor's Visit

2007-05-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

Today I anxiously returned to my doctor to have my splint removed and my stitches taken out. The length of the incision turned out to be longer than I expected and very Frankenstein-like.

My surgeon, Waqqar Khan-Farooqi explained that there was more damage than a typical tear which required the incision to go higher up on the leg. He had to remove 2.5 centimeters of the frayed/damaged fibers to stitch it back together, where the norm is 1 centimeter.

In this 1st visit post surgery, I got the plan of attack which is what I was most excited about.

It's ... 2 weeks in Cast 1, 2 weeks in Cast 2, a few weeks in a walking boot and then physical therapy. So it's about six weeks till I can walk without the use of crutches. Unfortunately, I won't be returning to sports like basketball for 9 months.

In the visit, I also learned that the tendon actually weakens after surgery as your body is still in recovery phase. While the sutures that keep the tendon in place are essentially as strong as kevlar it's the weakened tendon that must be protected (i.e. cast and no weight bearing) and be given enough time to heal and strengthen.

This is what makes this injury frustrating, relative to an ACL replacement. You can't influence the pace or quality of recovery by working hard in rehab. Recovery is simply left to time and your God-given genetics, which one has no control over. How unfortunate. :)

Here are a few pics from the visit.

ESPN Article on Achilles Rupture

2007-05-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

After spending many hours online OCD'ing over this injury, I found one article that actually sated me and potentially answered my question of how and why it happened.

The doctor in the ESPN article describes a common cause as the combination of a concentric and eccentric load on the tendon. The stopping and starting movements in athletes.

Eccentric means applying a load when it's already stretched (e.g. running backwards) and concentric means applying a load when it's already shortened (e.g. doing toe raises).

So injuries occur commonly when eccentric loads are quickly followed by concentric loads and vice versa. Perfect example, a quarterback dropping back to pass and moving forward or a tennis player running to the net for a volley and then backwards for the lob.

And to boot, "there seems to be a direct correlation to aging where the aging athlete, in general has less blood flow to the region."

Ah ha! 2 strikes against me. Eccentric/concentric load and the "aging athlete."

Not sure how I feel about that or how one defines aging .... aren't we all aging and does early thirties count as aging?

Link to article

Spiderman III Caught In a Web

2007-05-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

Hit the big screen last night with Ian, Manon and Yannis to see the third entree of the Spiderman franchise. It was pretty bad - terrible acting, extremely campy and way too literal in its messaging. While I do support the virtues of humility, friendship, truth and service. I don't need them to be spelled out in crayola in each scene by emotionless characters.

The best part of the evening was hitting the Fox Grill for some sangria, mini-burgs, lettuce wraps and BBQ chicken nachos. That was a great way to recover from the ten bucks I threw away at the box office.

Day 6, Post Op - Achilles Surgery

2007-05-03T19:21:00.000-07:00

Day 6 could come no faster. The intense pain has more or less gone away. It's more about stiffness, tightness in the lower leg and that is especially acute in the mornings getting out of bed. Like a nasty [insert here], it flares up.

Yah, the main inconvenience now is my mobility and the lack of my hands when I move around. Imagine trying to carry a sandwich and drink without the use of your hands. Impossible.

NFL Stars with Achilles Ruptures

2007-04-30T21:48:00.000-07:00

LaVar Arrington, LB, Giants, 10/23/06
Ronald Curry, WR, Raiders, 10/19/05
Brandon Stokley, WR, Colts, 12/10/06
Rien Long, DT, Titans, 7/30/06
Todd Pinkston, WR, Eagles, 8/5/05
Greg Ellis, LB, Cowboys, 11/14/06
Trace Armstrong, DE, Raiders, 10/1/01
Takeo Spikes, LB, Bills, 10/05
Reggie Hayward, DL, Jaguars, 9/06
Dan Marino, QB, Dolphins, 1993
Vinny Testaverde, QB, Jets, 1999

Day 3, Post Op - Achilles Surgery

2007-04-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

Today was a better day... didn't have to resort to the meds since the pain was way less intense than yesterday. The Motrin kept things in check.

I'm also getting more efficient with the crutches - moving around about the house with more ease. Going up and downstairs, though, is quite the work out and trying to balance on one leg while going to the bathroom ...

Tomorrow I return to the office. We'll see how that goes.

Night of and Day After Achilles Tendon Surgery

2007-04-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

I must say that I'll take a tendon rupture over an ACL tear any day. (am I speaking too soon?)

I was actually able to catch some decent z's the night post op. This, however, only happened after I so aptly regurgitated my Red Mill burger and fries heading up the stairs (fyi, Red Mill was voted one of best burgers in the U.S. by the Wall Street Journal). Between the anesthesia stupor, greasy burg & fries, and vomit, I was able to make peace with some rest.

So the following morning was nice - very little discomfort in the leg. This was too good to be true.

With my laptop and remote control in hand, I sat on the couch surfing to my heart's content while watching in horror as Brady Quinn dropped past the ninth pick in the NFL draft. Had to feel sorry for a guy who was supposed to be a #3-5 pick and gets dissed by a Miami team who was destined to make him the next Dan Marino. Oh, I digress.

That afternoon, Heather and I head out about town to Fremont with my new best friends, Crutches. After hobbling around town for an hour or two, some discomfort.

Was it the drugs wearing off?

Whatever it was, a burning, throbbing sensation began to settle in.

So much for a smooth and painless recovery.

I guess that's to be expected when somebody slices your leg open and sews back the largest and strongest tendon in your body. :)

Day of Achilles Surgery & Decision Factors

2007-04-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

A few more hours till my surgery at 1:30 pm PST. I'm going to be super hungry and thirsty post surgery since I was allowed no food or drink since yesterday at midnight.

Some updates from my appointment with my orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Waqqar Khan-Farooqi. Due to complete rupture of my achilles, surgery was pretty much the only option if I wanted to walk normally and return to sports.

Two options for surgery: open surgery and percutaneous surgery. Open is making a 3-4 inch incision on the medial side which allows the surgeon to have full access to the tendon and surrounding "tissues." Percutaneous is making a few tiny incisions instead of one big one.

The difference as described to me was that a percutaneous stitching is not as clean or precise of a procedure - less visibility and inability to clean up any loose ends, strands. Also, rerupture rates tend to be 3-4 percentage points higher (1-2% for open and 4-5% for percutaneous).

One downside to the open surgery is that it tends to have more complications around the wound healing (i.e. infections). However, if you are young, healthy person, you should have no problems.

So ..... open surgery was the clear cut choice.

Achilles Tendon Rupture: The Last Injury from Flag Football

2007-04-23T19:17:00.000-07:00

Well, well. It's been quite a year ...

One full of injuries that no man or woman (or animal) should ever have to endure in a lifetime let alone in twelve months. Last year, I broke my left clavicle and then six weeks later, I tore my left ACL in my first flag football game back. It's not like I've been fighting in the UFC, we're talking about flag football. Read: non-contact pass and catch. If I were a Wildebeest, I'd already be a fancy meal for some lions.

It's slightly frustrating .....given that I'm just 9 months out of ACL surgery and had just returned to my former self through a combination of metabolic based lifting, yoga and agility classes. So much for discipline and conditioning. I could have just as well sat on my couch, drink PBRs all day, and pop Ho Ho's into my mouth.

The upside? At least I made it through 4 and quarter games ... before I ruptured my achilles tendon. Woo hoo.

The way it happened is quite ridiculous. Playing QB, I received the ball upon "hut," dropped back three steps, set up, planted and then "clack!" It felt like Bruce Lee had kicked the back of my heel. Luckily, I kept my balance and released the ball on my good left foot and was able to get the pass off. Despite the catch by Johnny, I knew I was done. Done for the year, done with flag football.

I made the call to the boss of the house and we headed to Swedish Medical Center's ER. I was happy to see that they had remodeled the waiting area. I spent the next two hours getting confirmation of my fate and was sent home in a plaster splint.

Next stop ... my visit with Dr. Waqqar Khan-Farooqi, a Foot & Ankle surgeon at the Orthopedic Physicians Associates.

Dog People and Elizabeth Louise

2007-01-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

You know you've become dog people when you start addressing your dog like a person and start asking your in-laws if they got Christmas presents for the dog. I think we may well be down that path. I will have to say that my relationship with my dog, Lizzie, (otherwise, known as Lizzie Lou) is quite different than the one I had with my childhood dog. It's much more parental in nature and I will leave it at that for fear of being ridiculed by Heather for analyzing the relationship. :)

Christmas Party 2006

2007-01-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas and New Year's have gone by in the blink of an eye and I am already playing catch-up in 2007 on a number of fronts, including this blog. Heather and I hosted a Christmas party and we think it went quite smoothly: people sated by the apps and quenched by the alcoholic bevies.

Big props go to Yannis and Priscilla for helping us pick up and do the dishes at 3 in the morn.

Here are a couple of pics throughout the evening.

The HBS Crew

Baura, Happy as Can Be!

Levy's Chilling with Ian and Sara

Hello Ladies

Kellogg Boys

Internatioanal Couple of the Year, Priscilla and Yannis

Party it Up with Jenny, Nicole, and Debbie

Speed Freak Awards, Week 13

2006-12-04T06:15:00.000-08:00

Another thrilling week of NFL action with late winning field goals and outstanding play from some special athletes. Specifically, I'd like to call out three guys who demonstrated that speed does kill and who helped lead their teams to victory with their God-given talents. In fact, they are all rookies. Does it say something about youth?

Here they are:

#3 Devin Hester, 5'11, 189 - electifying 45 yard punt return for TD

#2 Jerious Norwood, 6'0, 203 - riDunkulous open field 62-yard TD run

#1 Reggie Bush, 5'11, 203 - 4 TDs and a plethora of jockstraps left on the field. The kid moves in video game speed and is jacked up (see pic below).

Kids Night Out - Ian & Manon's Engagement Soiree

2006-12-03T08:56:00.000-08:00

A QUIET DINNER AT HOME WITH FRIENDS

HARRY TOASTS THE CROWD

BERT HAMMIN' IT UP WITH HIS STORIES

LINDSEY AND HARRY, NEWLY ENGAGED

GYRO IS TEMPORARILY DOWN FOR COUNT ...

LET'S GET JIGGY PEOPLE

"WHO DA' MAN!?! PUNKY B LIKEY BILL."

MEAT PERFORMS PART-TIME AT CHIPPENDALE'S

GYRO, "SHALL WE DANCE MY FIGURE SKATER SVETLANA?"

SPUNKY BEING SPUNKY

DIRK AND IT GIRL, SUNNY

HARRY AND SVETLANA IN RAVE-LIKE SYNC

JANE SHAKES THE DERRIERE

"LOWER GYRO! POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME, IN THE NAME OF LOVE."

Pride Is Forever in Mii Form

2006-12-02T17:57:00.000-08:00

As demonstrated here, I've been spending WAY too much time playing around with this cool flash app. But it's so much freakin' fun making these Mii's of your friends and it helps when the brain can only do some much after a long night of imbibing.

To help determine who they are, each person is linked to an NFL player that matches their style of play.

In order from right to left.......

Row 1: Ray Lewis+Todd Heap, Jay Novacek, Matt Birk+John Gruden
Row 2: Michael Strahan, Dave Meggett
Row 3: Keyshawn Johnson, Mark Brunell****, Asian Pop Star+Rod Woodson
Row 4: Brian Urlacher+Chris Cooley, Steve Largent

****Please note: Mark Brunell in his prime (i.e. Jacksonville days as Pro Bowler), not as a backup with the Redskins.

Who is Who?

2006-12-02T09:22:00.000-08:00

After some fine dining at Hammer's posh pad - celebrating the wonderful engagement of Ian+Manon and Tim+Bridget, these crazy group of kids took Seattle's nightlife by storm. Their alter egos emerged to show Britney, Paris, and Lindsay that we, too, can party.

Row 1: Svetlana, Bill
Row 2: Bert, Sunny, Dirk Dracula
Row 3: Lindsey, Guy, Gyro
Row 4: Jane, Harry, Spunky
Row 5: Punky B, Humpty, Meat

Donovan McNabb Joins the ACL Club

2006-11-28T14:52:00.000-08:00

Today, Donovan McNabb, All-Pro quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles had ACL surgery on his right knee. Feeling his pain.

Two Sundays ago, he tore the ACL on a somewhat freakish play running out of bounds on a QB scramble to his right. It wasn't a force impact type injury .... it seems that a lot of ACLs are injured like this. By happenstance, you catch your knee the wrong way and it pops.

The head trainer for the Eagles is saying 9 months post surgery that he'll be back which I think is very realistic. He did have some meniscus work done but given that he's a professional athlete and will have 100% of his time devoted to rehabilitation, I'm pretty sure Campbell's Chunky Soup spokesman will be back to true form by the 2007 season opener.

Welcome to the Club Donovan and best wishes on a fast recovery.

Vacationing in South Beach

2006-11-24T18:40:00.000-08:00

Over one's time on earth, vacations become an instrumental means to detach from the realities of life and recharge those ever-aging batteries. In the four days spent in sunny South Florida in Miami Beach, Heather and I certainly took advantage of this to do just that.

We indulged ourselves with lots of sleep (yes!), late dinners, some shopping, and lots of drink (champagne at the Delano). South Beach provided the perfect backdrop for such gluttony, as the place simply does not shut down.

Here are a few pics of the places we strolled, ate at, shopped, etc.

The Pelican Cafe on Ocean Drive

-- Must try here: seared tuna seaweed salad with wasabi and a cup of cappucino

Miami Ink, tailor parlor and site of famous TLC reality show

-- Caught a glimpse of Ami and crew. Very cool.

The Carlyle, hotel

-- One of my favorite art decos in the district

The Biltmore Hotel, world reknown

-- National historic landmark with largest hotel swimming pool in the country

The Avalon Hotel on Ocean Drive

-- Houses the top seafood restaurant (IMHO), A Fish in Avalon
-- Impeccable service and food

Casa Causarina, Versace's Mansion

-- Built in 1920 and can be rented out for a sick party

South Beach beach

The Sunrise at South Beach

Hotel Victor at night on Ocean Drive

-- Sleek, modern interior
-- Swanky lounge

ACL Update, Week 10: Knee is Coming Back

2006-10-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

I am going on week 10 of my ACL recovery. Today was my 2 month checkup since surgery (a bit early) and based on the measurements, the knee and core muscle groups (quad and hamstring) are coming back. The differential in size between the thighs is only 1.5 cm compared to 5 cm after surgery. Strength (measured in centimeters) is the barometer for recovery and I need to continue the 3-4x week exercises to cut down that differential in size.

So the key question I asked Dr. Green was "how does an ACL surgery affect one's speed?" Can you return to your former self and clock that 4.2 forty time? (a la Deion Sanders)

He was emphatic in saying that he's seen athletes achieve their pre-injury forty times on average in 8 months post surgery. That's very good news.

Despite the return of speed, many athletes say the knee is still 'off'. What remains is still physiological. It's the rebuilding of nerves, blood vessels, and bone and the feedback of your knee to brain and back and forth. Having all of that in sync varies per person, ranging from 9-18 months.

Finding Your Fit, A Job That Works

2006-10-19T00:34:00.000-07:00

Having switched jobs rather frequently in the last four years (three to be exact), I've come to see what fits and doesn't fit in each particular job. The strong job market has certainly helped create more positive 'fits' than not.

More specifically, 'fits' are things like .....

The role matches your skills, interest, and career goals (higher match = more success)
Your manager (supports your development/success, can learn a lot from him/her)
Company culture (coworkers you respect and enjoy spending time with)
Growth trajectory of role and company (e.g. flat and "earlier stage"= rise faster)
Compensation (more is better)
Commute (makes quite the difference!)
Autonomy (ability to make decisions and act on them)
Participation in company success (i.e. equity, stock options)

Each person clearly places different weights on particular 'fits' and it's the weighted average of all of them that creates an overall score for happiness in a job. By no means is it scientific. It comes down to the feeling you have when you wake up each morning and head off to work.

The process of switching jobs has helped refine the values I place on 'fits' and helped me come closer to my ideal. For me, it was realizing that I thrive in certain organizational structures better than others (e.g. flatter and smaller) and truly understanding what gets me pumped (e.g. online monetization, the consumer). It's kind of like finding the beat to a song that starts to stick and then reacting to it. For the '80's kids, think 'sprinkler' and 'running man' ... at will and all the time.

Some are lucky enough to find their 'fit' earlier in their career than others. Most do not and that's ok. Many use graduate school (business school in my case) in general to discover the ideal. I know I did. I was your typical career switcher that attempted to make the move from investment banking to technology product management. It certainly didn't happen over night but it eventually worked out.

During the transition phases in between jobs, it's a great use of time to reflect and gain self-awareness of your strengths and weaknesses. Understanding this about yoursefl is so important in successful career management. It helps you make better decisions and ultimately steers you down a path that you'll be better equipped for and most importantly, a path you're more likely to enjoy.

ACL Injuries in the NFL & Other Stats

2006-10-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

I was curious to know how many notable NFL players have had ACL injuries and recovered. I did a quick Google scan and this is what I found.

It's quite interesting to see that recent medical advancements have certainly improved players' chances of returning to the field and being successful.

I've highlighted the success stories (in bold).

Edgerrin James - RB
Jamal Lewis - RB
Willis McGahee - RB
Deuce McAllister - RB
Dominic Rhodes - RB
Terrell Davis - RB
Correll Buckhalter - RB
Frank Gore - RB
Jamal Anderson - RB
Kijana Carter - RB
Greg Jones - RB
Jerry Rice - WR
Brian Finneran - WR
Lee Evans - WR
Tyrone Calico - WR
Braylon Edwards - WR
Daunte Culpepper - QB
Brian Griese - QB
Carson Palmer - QB
Antonio Cromartie - CB
Roman Harper - S
Kailee Wong - LB
Will Demps - S

I asked my physical therapist about how an ACL injury might affect your speed. Theoretically, it shouldn't because it's your quad, hamstring, and calf muscle fibers which determine speed but she does think it may marginally affect the natural knee joint motion. I'll have to bring up this point with my surgeon Dr. Green next week.

Other Stats:

Grass and turf had equal rates of ACL injuries
ACL injuries accounted for 2% of all injuries
66% of injuries occurred in games
RBs have the highest risk of injury
81% of team physicians said the ideal return to play time is 6-9 months post surgery
Nearly 100% of NFL athletes were able to return to competition after surgery

Source: Bradley, Sekiya, Kaplan. A Summary of ACL Injuries in the NFL, 2001.

Lazy Sunday: Fantasy Football, NFL, and Hooters

2006-10-08T21:00:00.000-07:00

To get the full story on this photo, you'll have to read on.

It was a good way to end the week. Wake up late on a Sunday morn', grab a short latte at your favorite coffee joint (Zoka), head to the gym to pre-burn the calories you're going to consume that afternoon, make your favorite beef stew recipe, and head to Hooters for some Week 5 NFL action. That's a lazy Sunday every guy should have .... every week.

Yes, we are at Week 5. A few comments ....

Can you believe da Bears are 5-0?!? Is it all D, not at all. Rex Grossman looks damn good in the pocket, throwing ropes off the back of his foot into the endzone and pinpoint bombs down the sidelines. I've never heard of his receivers but he's making them look All Pro (some former Arena league guy and a guy named Berry-an).

Reggie Bush. My fellow San Diegan is representing SoCal. His punt return for a TD was a display of pure footspeed. I don't think he ran the 40 in the combines but I'd have to say he looks to be the fastest guy in the NFL. I'm talking football speed. Reggie is uncatchable once he gets to the outside. If you saw his press conference post game, the Saints are paying for that speed. His Princess cut diamond earringwas the size of a small walnut.

Cowboys and Eagles. The non-return of T.O. to Philly for the battle of the NFC East. It was too much home field advantage for the 'Boys. The D-McNabb show it was. I think Donovan has dispelled all notions that he's not an accurate passer. The guy has a gun for an arm. Did you see that flea flicker pass to Reggie Brown? Preeetty.

Peyton Manning has proved again why he is the best player in the league. He can singlehandedly win a game with his arm and football intelligence; it's all about the flapping wings and the feet stuttering on his three step. Give the guy 60 seconds and he can take his team down the field and put up six and then call it a day. Granted he has a set of Pro Bowl receivers (Harrison, Wayne, and Dallas Clark) but nonetheless ... the guy wrote the manual on the two minute drill.

My fantasy results are going well despite the loss of my #1 pick, Shaun Alexander. In fact, I've come to the conclusion that he is an overrated back. I wouldn't not put him in the class of an L.T. who I think is a better athlete - better hands, better cutback ability, shiftier, faster and more versatile. Nothing against Alexander the Great but the guy had an awesome line and a passing offense that is well respected. You can't put 8 in the box on Hasselback & Co.

So Search & Destroy, the name of my fantasy team is heading into Week 5 at 3-1, not because my team is dominant but because I've had some favorable matchups thus far. I don't expect this to continue as playoffs are a different story. My strategy has been active management - picking up players in free agency who can put up points that week and have the potential to be starters further down in the season.

As I mentioned earlier, Mike D and I spent a "lovely" afternoon at our local Hooters franchise. It was a football date of sorts, mixed in with debates on the demise of Social Security and how we allocate personnel for next season's flag football team.

The food and views were equally scintillating. The wings were delicious - greasy as they come and to-die-for when doused with Ranch dressing. We did get our veggies requirements, each having a celery and carrot stick. Towards the end of the Cowboys & Eagles game, the waitresses were preparing for the WWE crowd influx (who you don't want to mess with - that's a whole other story in itself). Anyhow, part of this preparation involved an all-restaurant dance on top of the chairs with the Hooters ladies.

Mike's 007 good looks caught the eye of a waitress who pulled him up with five other patrons to shake their tailfeathers. To my delight, my trusty Treo came to the rescue and caught Mike in butter-cup form with the other unlucky blokes.

Mike's the second from right, next to the nerdy looking Asian dude. And that Asian dude is not me!

Bengals & User Generated Videos

2006-10-04T06:06:00.000-07:00

The Cincinnati Bengals are leading the NFL in not only having one of the most explosive offenses but also in the realm of Internet technology. On their website, Bengals.com, the Bengals have added a section that allows fans to upload their favorite Bengal videos.

It's a tough decision ..... video on Carson Palmer setting up on a throw to a streaking Chad Johnson or a dance routine by the Ben Gals.

Click HERE.

Dudes Rafting the South & North Fork River

2006-09-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to developing these pics of my rafting trip back in May. In other words, these were non-digital photos and I just didn't have a lot of opportunities to use up the old school film.

In looking at these photos, I hope you can ascertain that we had A LOT of fun. These dudes/bros go way back. Brian and Dobbs (half naked Jack Black looking character) are good friends from Encinitas. The three of us manned our high school football team's defense; leading our team to a stellar 1-9 record our senior year. It wasn't just about football, clearly.

We had our typical high school fun: the parties when parents were out of town, bonfires at the beach, the water weeny fiascoes, the toilet papering, et al. I digress.

The other dudes are Cam and Casey. Great guys who now have kids of their own (unbelievable!) and with whom, I shared some amazing years post college in Chicago and the best part here, my association with them led me to meet my wife Heather.

All of these guys mean a lot to me and I can say that all of their wives are very lucky women.

ACL, Week 6

2006-09-19T16:24:00.000-07:00

Major jump this week.... hit 148 degrees of flexion.

I can now start going to physical therapy once a week since I can do all my exercises at the gym. It consists mostly of leg presses, leg curls on the machine and ball, step ups, lateral side-to-side with rubber band, bike, and elliptical.

Since I'm only 2 degrees from my other leg, I'm feeling confident I'll be back on the court and field way ahead of schedule.

By end of 2006?

MBAs at Microsoft

2006-09-19T13:44:00.000-07:00

Gotta' love em. I like to poke fun because I can... (I did make eternal vows to one.)

Check out these overachievers and Microsoft's tailoring of the profiles. Microsoft MBAs.

For those of you part of the inner circle, look for two specifically that may catch your eye.

The NFL and Monday Night Football are Back ...

2006-09-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

I am very excited that the 2006 NFL season has begun and we are well on our way towards another action-packed season filled with enough drama fit for several seasons of 90210 and Melrose Place combined. I'm talking about the quarterback controversies, the injuries, the trades, the fall of perennial All-Pros, the emergence of rookie stars, et al.

Couple the NFL season with a fantasy team and your downtime is completely accounted for. I think I spent literally 5 hours on the couch on Sunday watching football with my laptop acting as a heater for my thighs.

A few things that come to mind after Week 1:

Reggie Bush is the real deal; sorry, Mario Williams, you should not have been #1
Two aspirin ain't gonna' cut it for Trent Green after that vicious hit
Kellen Winslow looks to be following in dad's footsteps; looks like he's back from his motorcycle accident
LT is the best back in the NFL, period; even though I have last year's MVP on my fantasy team, LT does it all (running, catching, throwing)
Shawn Merriman is the new Freak
Chad Pennington is proving the naysayers wrong; his arm looks pretty strong to me
As annoying as he is off the field, T.O. is a playmaker and backs up his game week in and week out. He physically dominates the secondary he faces.
Fav-ruh, it's time to hang up the cleats
And lastly.... I think Martin Lawrence is the new QB for the Oakland Raiders.

Air Guitar World Champ of 2006

2006-09-10T22:23:00.000-07:00

Check out this guy rocking it out!!!

On my shopping list asap, Tiger knit sweater.

Click HERE.

ACL Rehab, Week 4, #7 and #8

2006-09-09T18:11:00.000-07:00

This week, some big gains were made:

Increased flexion from 136 - 142; 150 is max on healthy knee
Started doing the elliptical machine
Can walk up and down stairs with no issue
Increased muscle mass in quad

In two weeks, I'll start going to physical therapy only 1x week. A lot of the exercises I can now do on my own at my gym.

Next week, I see Dr. Green for my one month check up. Will want to get the news on when I can start jogging/running again.

Cannon Beach, Labor Day Weekend

2006-09-04T17:46:00.000-07:00

This Labor Day weekend, we decided to head south for the Oregon coast, where unbeknownst to many, there are beautiful stretches of sandy beaches. Heather and I took our beloved third family member, whom we call affectionately Lizzie Lou (Lizzie is her given name). We managed to find a pet friendly resort, called the Hallmark Inns and Resorts.

The 3-day weekend was a nice escape from the doldrums of the Seattle summer weather - sunny, clear and 70's. Yah, not a lot to complain about during the summer months.

We needed an excursion away from home and Oregon answered. We did a short hike at Ecola Point, walked the beaches with Lizzie, over ate (as usual) at two very good restaurants (Gower St. Bistro - French and Wayfarer - Seafood), and strolled the quaint town of Cannon Beach.

I also managed to pop my head in the Nike Factory store but to my dismay, did not find any shoes to fill my already robust athletic shoe collection.

Here are a few pics of the weekend:

Podcasting and Apple

2006-08-31T17:22:00.000-07:00

Some commentary on my recent consumption of podcasts.

ACL Rehab, #6

2006-08-31T16:34:00.000-07:00

Today a small break through was made ... the 130 degrees barrier was broken.

With a lot of hard stretching and this blunt metal tool (sounds a bit ... yeah I know 'funny'), Sara helped me reach 136 degrees. I'm not too far off from the normal flexion of 140-150 degrees.

Log: 127 to 136.

ACL Rehab, Week 3, #5

2006-08-28T21:08:00.000-07:00

Each week, the knee has been making nice increases in flexion, about 10-12 degrees. Now, we are getting into the smaller and harder gains. I started the day at 125 degrees and ended it at 129 degrees.

I must say that physical therapy hasn't been a walk through the park. In order for me to get increased flexion, Sara my PT has to physically 'stretch' the knee and force the knee to bend. As she's doing it, she's basically tearing scar tissue. Yah, it kinda' hurts and isn't much fun as your eyes well up a bit.

At this point, I am able to walk normally (regular gait, no noticeable limp) but the leg does swell up if I am on it for too long. The left quad is noticeably smaller than the right but have been doing extra leg lifts to strengthen it.

I can see why these ACL injuries take a good 6-9 months before you are back to playing sports. Lots of rebuilding and relearning to do.

Ballard Farmers Market, Summer 2006

2006-08-27T18:33:00.000-07:00

This summer, Heather and I have taken to the wonderful fruits and vegetables that are produced in the State of Washington. Each Sunday, we head to the Ballard or University Farmers market to smell, pinch, and taste the local farmers' hard work. They really have some delicious stuff. My personal favorites this summer have been the cherries, nectarines, and peaches.

Mommy Wants a New Pair of Shoes, NFL Style

2006-08-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

So this year, I've decided to play only one fantasy football league which is comprised of friends and family in Seattle. We're using Yahoo's fantasy football platform because I've had good experiences with it in the past.

One interesting note this year is that my wife Heather is playing for the first time as a rookie. She knows I have a passion for all things football and this is intended to create more bonding time together in front of the TV on Sundays. It's going to create more trash talking for sure.

We decided to put a little wager on the season since I'm supposed to be the Kasparov of fantasy football, if I say so myself. If Heather beats me this season (total points, not head-to-head), she can go shopping for a new pair of shoes or a new handbag. I don't think she means Payless; I'm actually scared she might go Sex in the City and throw down for some Manolo Blahniks.

I'm beginning to wonder what upside there is for me. Clearly nothing monetary!

Whidbey Island, Summer 2006

2006-08-20T20:21:00.000-07:00

So my friend, Joe, found this amazing beach house on the shores of Whidbey Island. We spent the weekend gorging ourselves on smores, pasta, chips, beer, et al., laughing at one another, playing card games, and keeping our dogs from killing each other.

For some reason or another, Roxy (Joe's black Lab) and my Lizzie just don't get along. It's a bit perplexing because neither dog is aggressive and usually play the submissive one.

Despite playing ref all weekend, we had an amazing time soaking up the summer sun and catching up with old friends.

ACL Rehab #1

2006-08-16T17:43:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day of physical therapy for the new knee.

Very excited to get this going!

Sara, my physical therapist, began the session by loosening up the fluid around the knee cap and then stretching/pushing my knee towards my hamstring. This is to break up all the scar tissue around the knee joint.

Each session my progress will be measured in degrees (i.e. how much flexion can I get each time).

I started at 80 degrees and the goal was to get to 100 degrees. This part was quite painful, the joint was very tight. I ended up getting to 98 degrees (Nick Lachey), just shy of 100.

Sara made me get on the bike to warm up the joint and she challenged me to see how far I could rotate around. Couldn't get the full 360 degrees; probably closer to 270 degrees.

After the bike, I got a refresher on how to walk properly. Because of the brace, you have to relearn the correct way, really emphasizing the heel-to-toe motion.

The day was wrapped up with 15 minutes of shock treatment on my quad where they place these electrode pads on your quad which send pulsating electricity. This stimulates the regeneration of the muscles. I kind of liked the stim (the medical term), I think I'm part masochist.

Best part of this visit was that she opened up my brace to have full range. No more "Ay, ay Captain!" peg leg.

Day 11, ACL Update

2006-08-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

Went in to see Dr. Green for my second post op appointment. Things are on track: the leg is straight (better be damn straight!), swelling has subsided, and muscle strength is improving.

Good news is that I don't have to sleep with the mega brace on. Bad news is a) I still have to wear it during the day even though I don't think I need it and b) I still have to wear the "pantyhose" stocking for another week. Ladies, don't know how you do it.

Long Tail Economics

2006-08-14T01:04:00.000-07:00

Since I've started writing another blog focused on consumer Internet and technology, I'm going to periodically post links to that blog entry instead of copying and pasting every time.

This one's about long tail economics, Chris Anderson's claim to fame and his recent book on the subject.

Here's the link to my commentary: Long Tail.

Day 6, Post Operation ACL

2006-08-10T18:14:00.000-07:00

I thought I was a tough guy since I had stopped taking the meds (oxycontin) around Day 3 post op. I was doing fine until the last 24 hours, when my lower leg realized that somebody had drilled a hole into it and attached some foreign object (some other guy's tendon).

Yep, had to go back on the meds to alleviate the pain. I hope this is temporary. Hmm, reminds me of my flag football team's mantra... "Pain is temporary. Pride is Forever."

In this case, pain must be temporary. Pride what, who?

Day 4, Post Operation ACL

2006-08-08T21:56:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day. Had my first post op visit with Dr. Green. I was able to see the new knee unveiled (very curious to see what was underneath the stained and bloodied bandages). It wasn't pretty (see below). He made a total of 6 incisions (2 of which were used to drill the graft into the 2 bones and the others were to look inside the knee and smooth out the meniscus in the back of the knee). Yeah I know, probably a little too much info.

All in all, good to get the first visit out of the way and have a plan for rehab. It starts ASAP. I'll be in the brace for the next 4-6 weeks and can walk without crutches as soon as comfortable. Right now, the brace gives me zero flexion (range of motion). I'm basically a pirate with a peg leg attached at the knee and I get to sleep with this bad boy (robo brace).

Cryo/Cuff & Lizzie

2006-08-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

Whoever created the Cryo/Cuff Cooler has done a huge service for post op ACL patients. Instead of having to schlep over to the fridge and pack a new cold one every half hour, I attach a blue tube to the air cast around my knee and immediately a rush of coldness soothes the swelling.

Even with the meds, you need this beautiful device to sleep through the night since there's a ton of heat dissipating from the knee.

Lizzie has been quite curious about the knee and crutches (startled by the click clacking around the house). She hasn't quite figured out what's going on.

ACL Replacement, Finally

2006-08-04T21:39:00.000-07:00

The day started off with a 5:30 am wake up call (my alarm) and a 6:15 am check-in at the University of Washington Medical Center. The facilities/reception area resembled a new remodeled hotel lobby: clean lines, lots of natural light, open space, and modern furniture.

My surgery was scheduled for 7:20 am. Once I got the call, a tech took me into my 'room', an 8x8 space with a bed and this cool vacuum looking machine called the Bair Hugger. I find out later that it pumps out hot air to keep patients warm.

The next 45 minutes, I met the entire medical team starting with my anesthesiologist, who was a cool cat. Dr. Peter Buckley, a 60-year old+ rugby player with a British accent, and I commiserated about rugby and the reality of aging, mostly laughs. He administered my IV and asked the perfunctory questions: "What's your name? Date of birth? Which knee is getting operated on? When the last time you ate? Health problems?"

I then met the rest of the team, Dr. Buckley's resident with medical student in tow, 3 other murses, my surgeon, Dr. Trey Green, and his assistant (a young orthopedic surgeon, Addison, who also plays flag football at Memorial Stadium). Kind of funny there's a real surgeon at this Seattle hospital called Addison ...

Where was my tending Addison Sheppard from Grey's Anatomy? I prefer this spicy, redhead to the whiny, banal Meredith Grey.

Around 7:20 am, it was time to "get it on!"

Surrounded by my entourage of blue scrubs, I was a rockster rolling at breakneck speed through a series of halls and swinging doors . It was like being in an episode of ER or Grey's where I AM the first person view. Very surreal.

The next thing I know, I bust into this frigid cold operating room that could have been made for a mad scientist. There were a gazillion lamps of all shapes and sizes with tons of medical equipment and supplies on the perimeter of the room. Within a minute of digesting all of the activity (I saw the surgical team as a group of Santa's elite elves on Christmas Eve busily working in the background), I was O-U-T.

Black out. Don't remember a thing.

In the next 2 hours, Dr. Green & Co. do their thing and I wake up back in my 8x8. All in all, it was a smooth operation with very little discomfort. I think the most pain I felt was when Dr. Buckley stuck the IV in the vein on my left wrist. The whole team made me feel comfortable at every stage in the process (nice people), were extremely efficient, and in my view, the medical center deserves to be voted one of America's Top Hospitals, as rated by U.S. News & World Report 2005. Also, props to the UW Sports Medicine Clinic for all of the pre-op work and the forthcoming post-op and rehabilitation.

My resident anesthesiologist was nice enough to take a picture of the operation. The new and improved knee!

Private Equity & Turnaround Combo Strategy

2006-08-04T18:08:00.000-07:00

Private Equity Wire reported today that Hellman & Friedman, a major private equity shop, took a majority stake in Alix Partners, a turnaround consulting firm (which was valued at $800 million).

Could this be the start of a trend of PE firms partnering with best-of-breed turnaround expertise? Makes sense to me ... meld the strategic, financial engineering minds with a very specific type of operational excellence. Can't deliver those exceptional returns for investors and partners no matter how good the strategy if you can't execute on it. Common sense.

Given there aren't that many pure turnaround firms around, I'd suspect to see some more deal making in the near future.

Don't Sweat the Small/Big Stuff

2006-08-02T00:29:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you have to take a step back from the daily grind, remove yourself from all the drama, and re-examine it in the context of all that is good. I'm talking about the basics here: a bed to sleep in, food to eat, the clothes on your back, friends you can depend on, family that loves you, a strong belief in your abilities, and an active, healthy body.

In other words, everything else is basically gravy (e.g. the vacation to Seychelles, the new Lexus, that job promotion). I'm not advocating not setting goals or pursuing financial security. Absolutely not.

I just think that you can strip away some of that (since it's extraneous) and live an equally fulfilling life.

So I'll get off my soapbox and ....

Remind myself to NOT sweat the small/big stuff and be thankful for all the basics.

ACL Surgery Pre-Op

2006-07-31T22:31:00.000-07:00

Had my pre-op today, which consisted of 1) meeting with the surgeon's assistant, Ivory, who happens to be African (the irony) and then 2) getting my knee fitted for the "Robo-brace," (RB) a full-length leg contraption consisting of at least 15 velcro straps and accompanying clips that completely immobilizes any movement of the knee.

After the fitting, my physical therapist, Sara, taught me how to walk on crutches with the RB on which I found to be eerily strange. I mean, it's like preparing to walk injured knowing you're going to break your leg the next day. We then went through an education on isometric exercises for my leg muscles, ones that will help improve strength in my quad post-surgery and minimize atrophy.

So a couple of rules to abide by:

No eating or drinking day and evening before surgery; right to gorge on my "last supper"
Bathe with special soap, Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG), night before and morning of to 'sterilize' my body
Bring the Cryo Cuff, a cooler-looking device that pumps cold water through an aircast that reduces swelling of the knee, which will be my best-friend post surgery
Bring the meds; hello Vicodin or Oxycontin
Make sure to sign the knee to be operated on; yeah, that would be bad if they went in on the wrong knee

T-4 days till the surgery. Getting anxious for this to be over and get on with with rehab. I'm going to do everything I can to accelerate this process. Enough of not having the freedom to run and play sports.

MRI of Ruptured ACL

2006-07-20T15:41:00.000-07:00

As suspected, the ACL was confirmed to be totally obliterated. Looking closely at the photo, you'll notice that blobby mess between the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (lower leg bone) where they connect. That sea of blob is what's left of my ACL; it's merely strands of torn collagen. In a healthy knee, you'd have a clear picture of both bones which is connected by a black line, which would represent an intact ACL.

The positive thing about this MRI is that the other major ligaments like the MCL, PCL, and LCL were fine; no damage whatsoever. Pfew!

Road to ACL Surgery

2006-07-17T23:52:00.000-07:00

Today was the first of many visits to the University of Washington's ("UW") Sports Medicine Clinic, where they treat both the university's athletes as well as the public. I apparently fall into the latter these days.

After filling out about 20 forms on my family's medical history and my dog's as well, I was taken by a Lisa Loebish assistant with a thick Eastern European accent to measure my height and weight. Pretty normal, a shade under six feet and a girthy 180 pounds. Not my fighting weight but that's what happens when you a) become non-ambulatory and b) continue to feast.

They then took x-rays of both knees. I knew it was a soft tissue injury but apparently, you can determine other issues from the x-rays. My orthopedist, Dr. Green, then walked in the room and I proceeded to give him my play-by-play of the injury. "Nobody was open in the end zone, saw an opening, hit the gap, cut back hard on left leg, and heard a pop. Knew something was wrong when I hobbled around on one leg and felt some pain in knee. I continued to play through the entire game despite this. Was playing on more or less one leg as the left knee would buckle when weight was borne on the leg."

He responded, "That's hardcore" but was thinking, "This guy's got a loose screw in the noggin' and is way too old to be playing flag football. Stick to chess buddy."

Dr. Green asked more questions about other symptoms and conducted a couple of tests on the laxity of the ligaments. Making me extend the leg and bring it in.

Overly optimistic as I usally am, I went into this visit thinking it was an MCL injury, which 98% of the time requires no surgery. This was based on the fact that I had forward stability and incurred no swelling at the time of injury. Two good signs, usually.

Dr. Green quickly dispelled my hypothesis and pretty much concluded that my ACL was blown based on the looseness in left leg compared to the right one.

My immediate response, "So when can I get back on the field?"

"Well, it's typically 6-9 months before you can really doing any rigorous activity."

My heart sank. 6-9 months, you've got to be kidding me. I have NEVER in my life been out of commission for more than a few weeks. I seriously have had the worst luck in the last six weeks: broken clavicle and blown ACL. I might as well lose a testicle while I am at it. Yeah, let's not tempt fate by throwing out such words. Just not worth it.

I could see myself over the next 9 months .... 50 pounds overweight, slothful, pale, and playing Stratego by myself after work.

Yeah, it's going to be a b*tch of a ride post surgery, from the many tales of ACL surgeries I've come across on the net.

Anyhow, I can still pray for a miracle tomorrow when I go to get my MRI, which in reality will only confirm my lack of an ACL.

Shall I dance around on one foot in a circle in a feathered headdress and leather thong and chant for the ACL gods to deliver?

Probably should.

Can't wait for my official invitation to the OR when I return to Dr. Green's den for the good word on Thursday.

P.I.F. in The Animal Kingdom, Part I

2006-07-16T23:26:00.000-07:00

Creature of night, preys/SMS on mice or men

Cunning, sly, and red

Crazy, creative, and crane-like

Needs to be in physical therapy 24/7

Runs high, runs straight, is straight

100 mph/hour, only stops for underpants

Relentless, playful (i.e. will play with anybody), has sick athletics in DNA

Industrious, organized, mature beyond years

P.I.F. in the Animal Kingdom, Part II

2006-07-16T23:17:00.000-07:00

Pretty, diva, likes his feathers ruffled

Regal and white, has seen better days

Brawny, independent

Plays cymbals, jovial, funny

Can command respek sometimes, owns his domain, bear or mole?

Youthful, no fear, let's it hang all out

Classic Clips from 40 Year Old Virgin

2006-07-13T06:18:00.000-07:00

I admittedly haven't seen the movie but if these clips are a proxy of the movie, it's a classic already. Some damn funny sh*t between employees, a lot of "funny" business like vulgarities, racial epithets and stereotypes, et al. I don't support or condone this kind of behavior but much humor I find ... check it HERE.

"Gaining Greatness in Life and Work" Article

2006-07-12T06:40:00.000-07:00

Came across an interesting web article offering a prescription for gaining greatness in work and life. The advice is based on 20 years of research and interviews of leaders from various backgrounds and interviews. While I have come across lot of these types of 'self-help' books/advice, the simplicity of Dennis Kimbro's findings is the beauty of his work as it could be broken down into four simple tenets. Yes, a lot of these are commonsensical but nonetheless, food for thought.

I. Dream Big

Get a big dream and believe in yourself when no one else will.
Be different in your thinking; the world rewards differentiation.
Determine what you love to do (i.e. what you would do for free) and act on it.

II. Be Inner Directed vs. Outer Directed

Being inner directed is having purpose and using it to define your vision; not letting outside influences motivate you.
Focus on your area of excellence.
"You cannot succeed being like everybody else. The opposite of success is not failure but conformity. You must be willing to take the lonely road."

III. Dedicate Your Life to Lifelong Learning

Become an expert in something; because we are an information-based society, those who take time to seek out information will be rewarded.
As a leader, 90% of the time you can show up on time with a plan and succeed. Those who beat their competition are those who show up on time with a plan and commitment to carry out the plan. Think Kanye West. Yes, that was his example... the rapper from Chi-town.

IV. Refuse to Fail

Make failure never a viable option for you.
Interesting statistic: average millionaire does not find his or her dream until age 45 and does not become a millionaire until age 54.
"You are being trained to manage people and money but won't get on the fast track until you begin to manage yourself."
Greatness takes time.

Other Notes:

When making decisions, you can filter in one of two ways:" accept the circumstances as they are or take the responsibility to change them."

Gimp Herm As Fatty Jedi Knight or Evil Pope

2006-07-11T18:21:00.000-07:00

So my "friends" have a funny way of expressing their sympathy for my recent injury. Actually, it's pretty freakin' hilarious and will go down as one of the year's best Photoshop works. Not because it's a super technical creative but because it's so bad/simple, it's good. Pure genius.

Check out my square head cut-and-paste on the Pope turned to the dark side (e. g. anti-Christ black robe) or as I say a very "healthy" Jedi Knight who had a few too many Ding Dongs and is now relegated to mind tricks and his motorized personal vehicle.

Compliments to the artist: Mike Dean.

Pride Dominates 34-18 in Season Opener, Grim Reaper Claims Another Body Part

2006-07-10T18:55:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday was the 2006 summer season opener for Pride is Forever against NWA. A glorious, summer day it was ... sunny, cloudless and a warm 90 degrees on the field turf. With my collarbone feeling good (i.e. no feeling/limitation), I was ready to return to the field at 100% since my exit five weeks ago.

Without our current starters, PIF had to reallocate skill positions a bit. I moved to QB, Brian Z moved to the #4 spot and our sub Joe moved to #5. The ladies stayed in the same spots: Kellyn, Maggie, and Nicole. It was a tremendous performance by everyone, I mean everyone. Every single person made a big play or several big plays.

I'd have to single out the ladies collectively for MVP where they had the biggest impact on our play. Throughout the game, I was able to find them readily open after going through my progressions. Specifically, when the #1 or #2 receivers were logjammed in the secondary, the ladies always moved to the open space where they became easy dump offs. It was key to pick up those extra yards and completions to create future open plays by hitting the ladies. Props to Nicole for the outs, Maggie on the sweet TD catch, and Kellyn for running the turnarounds. I did have a couple blatant overthrows/picks which were mental mistakes - I tried to rush things too quickly and didn't set up properly.

Defensively, we were on lockdown with exception to two broken long plays. The score should have been 34-6. Nonetheless, we had some big INT's that kept the offense on the field and which were critical to running down the clock towards the end of the game. Mike D stepped up like Charles Woodson on a pick at right corner, as did Brian Z for a deep corner pass, and the ESPN play of the game ... think Chris Berman shouting "Whoop! She could go all the way!" where Kellyn shifted back as linebacker, plucked the errant ball from the sky, and made a b-line to the left corner of the endzone. On that play, the door to victory was slammed shut for NWA. Actually, it was shut aways back but that was simply the dot on the exclamation point.

One disappointing event in the 1st half. It happened on my QB scramble to the endzone where I made a hard cut on my left knee and tweaked it (pop sound I felt). After that point, I had to play on one leg and could not move laterally. I felt like Byron Leftwich in that Akron Marshall game where he played with a broken fibia. Somewhat dramatic I know. Cool thing was that it forced me to play more strategically, not relying on my legs to get out of sticky situations. I had to shift around the pocket like a big brown bear (think Dan Marino or Big Ben) looking for the quick throw downfield. I can dream, right?

Anyway, looks like I am out for at least 3-4 weeks before I return to any gait-like activity. Lots of RICE these days (not the white Asian kind but the gimp kind) lieing on the couch while sporting a cane minus the top hat around town. According to my physical therapist friend, I likely have a Grade II medial collateral ligament sprain (MCL). It's not actually that bad of an injury given that the ligament does regenerate and 98% of athletes incurring the injury return to their normal form. Yes, the Grim Reaper has cast another dark cloud over my summer plans.

Looks like my guitar calls me back after my departure from my clavicle mishap. Nope, you won't be finding me on the field anytime soon, but maybe at Zoka strumming my acoustic for all the Java heads and tree huggers.

Ah, life goes on.

My New Favorite Seattle Spot, Fred Meyer

2006-07-07T05:52:00.000-07:00

So was lieing in bed last night and thought about how tasty my dinner was ... a 1.4 lb ruby red ribeye that I had picked up at Fred Meyer ("FM") that evening. The grill that flame broiled this steak... purchased at FM. And then I thought about how great it was to have my watch resized that same day at FM, which now fits perfectly on my wrist; I had apparently been wearing this watch too loosely since 2000 when I bought it in Tokyo.

And then .... the new kicks I got the other day, a sweet pair of black Vans, and on sale for $39.99, at none other than FM. And then .... what about all the toys I had bought for Lizzie and even the briefs (yes, they were tighty whities, that's how I roll) a few weeks back.

All of life's little pleasantries through Fred Meyer.

The conclusion was that FM was delighting me as a consumer. Groceries, shoes, grills, towels, all the sundries, dog paraphernalia, and even a frickin' a guy who resizes watches in their jewelry department.

The point is that Fred Meyer is my new favorite Seattle hang out. I wonder what's in store for tomorrow? Couldn't help on that one.

Day 34, Back in the Gym

2006-07-06T21:48:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day back in the gym since that ominous day against Multiple Scorgasm where I was a VERY VERY girly man, breaking my collarbone on a failed TD catch in the endzone.

Happy to be back though! It felt good to be amongst the people in the testoterone filled Gold's Gym where most dudes' biceps are bigger than both of my quads put together. Rather than focusing on specific muscle groups, I did a circuit of sorts alternating between various LIGHT dumbbell exercises to ease back into the routine. I'm talking like 10 lb. dumbbell lateral and overhead raises. Yeah, pretty comedic to see me grimacing doing 10 lb. lifts. Nice thing though was that I was able to do legs at full strength.

So it's all good ... hitting the gym a few times a week now will accelerate the bone rebuilding process and strengthen whatever muscles had atrophied in my shoulder. Very thankful that I feel little pain these days and can get back to doing the things that I REALLY enjoy.

Clavicle Update, 1-Month

2006-07-05T22:52:00.000-07:00

Son of a b*tch. Went in for my 1-month check up and there is still a small gap/space between the shattered pieces and the main clavicle bone. It's unclear whether the bones will ever fuse together because of the distance.

On the bright side, this is a non-issue as long as I am able to gain full functionality of my arm/shoulder and there is no pain. Right now, I have full range of motion but am lacking some strength (no reps of 225 for awhile) and can only move so far before stretching some of the scar tissue, which causes a bit of pain. Will have to try to take it easy ... i.e. no running up concrete stairs.

Dr. Seidner's recommendation was nothing new. Basically, listen to your body. If it hurts, don't do it. And no contact sports, like tackle football or rugby. Hmm, sounds like I can still enjoy my summer outside.

Sad thing about an injury like this, there's nothing me or anybody can do to affect the recovery/outcome. It's all about letting nature run its course.

4th of July BBQ

2006-07-05T22:29:00.000-07:00

Instead of doing dinner and drinks on the waterfront (i.e. Joey's), we decided to hold down the fort and have the crew come over some lemon linguini, rosemary grilled chicken, arugula salad with light EVOO (yes, I said it to be annoying) sprinkled with Asiago, mojitos, and amazing desserts. Props to Debbie's Microsoft chocolate cookies (she used MSFT-branded chocoloate bars, what is the world coming to?!?), the very berry tart (Manon), and the homemade cherry pie from the Burke's neighbor. Good eats!

So big news from Brian and Amanda.... they got engaged the day before on their trip to Winthrop. They will now go on to produce ultra-competitive, 'focused', and physically dominating specimens that will terrorize the playgrounds. Kids beware.

On a separate note, I have been teaching Lizzie to be a guard dog and think this picture is an excellent representation of an advantageous target. "Lizzie, sic [ ]!"

Burke's BBQ - Stew & Stella

2006-07-03T21:56:00.000-07:00

At the Burke's BBQ on Sunday, our Seattle friends spent the early evening catching up on the last 12 hours of their lives; the average time some had last seen each other. You see, some had gone hiking earlier in the morning and others had gone boating the day before on Lake Washington.

The Burke's put on a monster feast: flank steak sandwiches, brats, fresh fruit salad, nacho dip, many others and classic dessert favorites - pushups, drumsticks, and ice cream sandwiches.

I think the highlight of the night was when Uncle Stewart wanted to demonstrate his 'parenting' skills with Stella. "Can Uncle Stewart hold Stella?" he confidently asked. You can see the results here. There are a couple things that don't mix with Stew, puppies and babies.

Summer Kicks Off at Tia Lou's

2006-07-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

The summer of 2006 has officially arrived and a few friends got together on Friday night to celebrate the 4th of July weekend at Tia Lou's in Belltown. It WAS NOT difficult to herd these cats to partake in strong margaritas, general goofiness, and "friendship building." These photos demonstrate a strong aptitude for all of the former. It seems as though Priscilla and Heather find themselves in front of the camera a lot.

Another Online Travel Startup, Farecast.com

2006-06-29T06:31:00.000-07:00

So here's another company that's trying to tackle the ultra-competitive world of online travel. Even though the space is dominated by the likes of Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz, there are plenty of smaller guys trying to grab a sliver by delivering a unique value proposition to the consumer through a better UI, comprehensive search (metasearch), etc. I'm talking about the Kayak, Farechase (Yahoo now), Mobissimo, and Sidesteps of the world.

Well, there's another guy in the market. A few guys from Alaska Airlines have put together a site that provides forecasting on airfares based on historical and predictive analysis. So you can determine whether right now is a good time to get a good deal on your ticket. Pretty cool.

It's a unique value proposition and ultimately pretty sticky for the consumer if they can deliver on it. Like many sites out there (a la Zillow.com on real estate), the question is how accurate is this forecasting? I'll definitely try it for my next trip. Check out Farecast.com.

Company Offsite with some Crazies

2006-06-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

Sad fact, I spend about 55% of my awake hours at my job and with coworkers. And um, this what I get to work with. This IS "how they roll." These are pics from our kayaking/wrestling offsite at Lake Union/in the Octagon.

Diggin' Digg.com

2006-06-28T06:18:00.000-07:00

hey, I may a bit behind the times but I found this new collaborative news site that allows users to rank stories (based on the # of digs, as in "i dig it!"). those top ranked stories percolate to the top of the list. think of it as tagging a cool news story and then letting the masses decide on what's worthy of being seen. check it out at: digg.com.

this is another great example of the power of user generated content (eg. 1.3 million uniques/month and growing) and scaling your user base virally. fuhgeddabout' the old school way of acquiring customers/paying for them. web 2.o!

Gates & Buffett on Charlie Rose

2006-06-27T06:19:00.000-07:00

The other night I had the pleasure of catching Bill G, his wife Melinda, and Warren Buffett on the Charlie Rose show. Some background, Warren B recently committed about $30 billion (current value) of Berkshire Hathaway stock to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the topic was primarily about philanthropy. It was very entertaining to see two of the world's richest men conversing on public TV like the good friends that they are (cracking jokes and the like).

Buffett talked about dynastic wealth and his belief towards giving away most of his assets to help those less fortunate than he. I suppose it's easier to be altruistic when you have $40+ billion in net worth. Nonetheless, it's commendable that's he giving away 2/3 of it. He also brought up another point about his wealth and his children. Strongly believing that children should have the means to do what they want in life but not to the point where they become irresponsible with money and lose sense of any reality (a la Paris Hilton). Pretty rational but I suspect Buffet's kids don't really have to work.

In the interview, it was fascinating to see how passionate and strategic Bill and Melinda (she's very articulate, more so than Bill I'd say) were about their efforts in fighting disease/poverty in developing countries, particularly focusing on areas and places that typically fall under the radar. Point being that why would you fund projects that already have lots of attention, support, and are already flush with lots of resources? Doesn't it make sense to fund those projects that live on the 'tail' and have little chance of success?

Yogging on a Sunday Morn

2006-06-25T05:49:00.000-07:00

Reminder to one's self. Please look at start time before you sign up for a 5k!!! This 8 am start time is killing me. 5 hours of sleep is NOT ideal to running well. "When in Rome" I say.

PIF Reunites for Post Season Bash at Dojo

2006-06-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

Like my mama used to say, "When you throw some bad eggs together, it's a recipe for some bad food." She didn't really say that but I needed an opening.

Our captain and CAO, Mike D (not of the Beastie Boys but of the average guy walking down the street kind), hosted Friday's post season soiree for Pride is Forever. It was an evening to pat ourselves on the back for being mediocre: finishing in 4th place out of a 13 team league. Yes, all of our moms are bragging about this as we speak. More importantly though, it was an opportunity to "acknowledge" the various contributions made by individual team members.

One observation. When I walked into the Dojo, I was taken aback. Where were the posters of the Bud Light girls? The dirty socks hanging from the drawer? The leftover pizza boxes? Oh, quite the contraire. Mike D's crib is Yuppified with a capital Y. A sophisticate of the 21st century. What toys a young, single, educated white male might possess, he does. There's the 40+ inch flat screen TV, next to that is a very prominent long and skinny wooden (and tall, 5 ft +) sculpture procured from an African tribe on the plains of the Serengenti while hunting mani-eating lions for sport (how's that for a story). In addition, there's the Miami Vice/Beach frescoes on the wall (art lover), a monster 3 burner stainless steel grill, and a hot tub just big enough for three (with built-in Crystal coolers). I'm pretty sure the bearskin rug is hidden in the closet for those uber special moments. Welcome to the Dojo my friends.

Back to the story.

The all-important awards ceremony, the highlight of the night. Unless you're on the team, you won't get these or find them remotely funny. That really doesn't matter given that my readership consists ONLY of the team (& Heather) anyways and they only read my blog because I spam them with a weekly email campaign that promises them a rev share on ad revenue.

(Drum roll)

In no particular order of course. The shining stars and what shined so bright...

Wind Beneath My Wings Award - Alison (Certificate of Achievement for being the loudest screamer on sidelines, includes the Microsoft mascot, the Butterfly)
"Look at his Eyes" and Whiteboard Award - Adam (Sunglasses and pad/pens to prevent opposing defenses from knowing where the ball is going)
OldTimer Award - Johnny (Geriatric Giftbag of Ben Gay and Geritol to keep everything in check)
Flav a Flav Award - John (Clock and Pad to make games on-time)
"Let's Look Like I Belong Here (i.e. not Panhandling on Street Corner)" Award -Maggie (Sunglass case and cords to keep glasses intact and on face)
"I'm Young and Can Drink" Award - Nicole (State-of-the-Art Beer Bong for the only person that would use it on a regular basis; compliments of OldTimer)
Special Ball for Special Kids Award - Mike D (Very Large Blow Up Football for Ages Four and under, to work on ball catching in the off season)
Twinkle Toes Award - Kellyn (Ballerina shoes (or Kilo of Coke) for strong toes when performing double feet hop move and maintaining sick athletics in blood; compliments of Senor Tintle, the Blow King of Seattle)
Little Football with Nicole's Deep Thoughts Award - Debbie (ask Nicole)
Cuervo Especial Award - Matt Krueger (Bottle of Tequila for his namesake play)
Jared the Subway Guy Award - Jamie (Subway card for three 6-inch turkey subs with all the toppings, compliments of Dean's leftover Subway points)
Enough of Your Stupid Blog, Here's a Personal Diary Award - Herman (Paper Diary so he can keep his deep thoughts to himself and Extreme DDR for off season rehab)

After our awards, the group needed to kickstart the tryptophanal lull brought on by the meat dishes (burgs, brats, etc.), Deb's famous pasta, and guac & chips. (I'm questioning the use of that tryptophan adjective).

In response, Sensei Dean barked orders for team shots. I became the makeshift bartender - throwing whatever liquor, juice, and ice lay on the counter into a blender for some ungodly concoctions.

We then made full use of Nicole's award as the beer bong went around the room. To my dismay, I disgraced my alma mater by regurgitating the last few inches of foam that came through the funnel. I think it's somewhere fermenting on Mike's ceiling. Yes, my brethren in Hanover would not have been proud and my degree is temporarily in suspension. Whatever. Actually, I was more bummed out that I got beer on my new designer shirt. J/k, not really.

Anyhow, we then took the partay to Capitol Hill at the Baltic Room where the DJ played old school hip hop and laid down some pretty nifty beats. The scene was a bit younger and more Asiany. My peeps, not really.

So the drinks continued to flow and then Dean starts to think he's the star of Hustle & Flow, "rapping" to all the songs with Aggie gang signs ablazing. Notice rapping in quotes.

Towards the end of the night, Debbie has a close encounter of the darker kind. Clearly, she was shaking her junks enough to pique the interest of this younger male. Not sure if digits were exchanged, so you'll have to get the details from her. Anyhow, we end up shutting down the Baltic Room at the 'break of dawn' (2 am in Seattle). Thus, ending another PIF night.

One final note, we did have one fallen soldier who was unable to participate in the festivities. While the airline gods were not in her favor, we did keep her anima-tensity with us throughout the night. Kellyn, you'll be happy to know you were in our thoughts as we got housed. We'll just have to dominate the summer league, claim the title, and make Vegas the next spot for PIF banquet. I'm thinking Ghost Bar at The Palms.

Latest Top Five Takeaways for Online Media & Marketing

2006-06-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

I attended an online media conference in LA and this is what I came away with...

1. Empowerment is the Path to Consumer Engagement

This is what sites like MySpace and brands like BMW and Nike do very well. They empower their user to define and control their experience in the way that they want to. Consumers have many choices today and marketers have to allow the consumer to make choices on how they want to interact with a brand and how they want to navigate within the site.

2. Social Networking = Big Numbers

Case in point. MySpace has 66 million uniques/month and expects to hit 100 million by end of year and Facebook just rejected a $750 million buyout offer. Can we say 2000 redux on valuation?

These sites appeal to the 18-24 year olds and WORK because it fulfills a fundamental need of this demographic, “personal branding.” MySpace and Facebook give kids 1) freedom of expression, 2) ability to create and control their identity, and 3) make new friends.

This is what they care about…..

3. Behavioral Targeting is Sexy but not the End All Be All

A lot of talk about BT for publishers. It tends to work well in e-commerce, for higher priced products and longer purchase decisions. Has proven to work in some campaigns and not others.

4. Be Creative in Driving Pageviews

RSS, Blogs, and Tagging are ways to create “links” back to a site. Every publisher should be doing it.

5. Ad Dollars Continue to Shift Online

Duh. We know this. $15.6 billion in Online Ad Spend in 2006.

PIF is Not Destiny's Child

2006-06-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

In Saturday's semi-final playoffs, Beyonce, Kelly Knowles and Jay-Z were not in the house (aka stadium) to take the 5th seeded Pride is Forever ("PIF") to the promised land: a tattoo on Mike D's rear. PIF is self-described as a motley crue of Microsofties and others of similar nerdiness.

The team played valiantly, played together (as always, "can we all have a group hug?"), and hung tight through both games. It just wasn't our day....

One good thing: With outstanding play, our captain, GM, and CAO (Chief Administrative Officer), Mike D, has solidified the final roster spot for PIF's 2006 Fall season. There was fear amongst the ranks that his value add (administrative duties) could be outsourced to a third party. When PIF dialed in a 911, Mike D stepped up his game and made Wayne Chrebet wish he hadn't retired. The 5'10 caucasian male from Texas went deep in the middle and made several big time catches in traffic. Stupefied on the sidelines, we watched the ball bobble a few times like a hot potato and then fall into the new mitts of receiver Dean. He even showed his 4.9 speed going an extra 8-10 yards. Glad to have you back on the team, Mike D!

Second good thing: I did end up fulfilling a lifelong dream of living a day in the life of Steve-O and Chris Pontius from Jackass and Wild Boyz. In other words, I decided to play in the first game against #1 seed Yo Mamas with my 2 week old fractured clavicle. The thought was that I'd play offense only - catch 5-10 yard passes with my dominant arm and going left only. I know, doesn't sound too impactful. And indeed, this was true. I made a marginal impact on the game.

Anyhow, that's besides the point. Clearly not real smart given the inherent risks. Apparently, that's the kind of decision making you can only obtain from an Ivy league education and b-school. Funny thing is that minimizing risk was my job in a former life, analyzing investment risk. Ah, the irony.

Luckily for me, I played through the game unscathed by further injury. The last time I do that. Never say never is the response to that. :)

Here's a non-sequiter, Yo Mamas has a very annoying, "XL & in charge" captain who's big mouth does not match his small game. He kind of reminds of one of the Jedi Knights from that Triumph the Insult Dog clip where he's berating the hardcore fans at a Star Wars premiere. Here's the video. Hilarious. Yes, totally random. Just had to point that out because I can never seem to beat his team (dating back to the 2005 RainBowl). Someday ...

Anyhow, the season is over and the stories shall continue... our big end of season banquet is this Friday and is being held at the captain's self-professed Love Shack. He also calls it his Dojo, akin to the den of the infamous Cobra Kai who terrorized Mr. Miyagi's Daniel-San.

Friday shall be an evening of indulgences, roasts, a little alcohol, serious rug cutting and possibly some debauchery. More to come; pics too!

Vegas & VooDoo Lounge

2006-06-13T22:28:00.000-07:00

Got into Vegas Monday evening, where I was conducting a session with some customers on a new product. That night, a few coworkers and I went out for a healthy Mexican dinner - fat-laden nachos and quesadillas supplemented with Grey Goose cocktails.

After a lengthy dinner (4 hours due to poor waitstaff), we decided to stay local at the hotel for the evening festivities. This led us to our only option - the 51st floor of the Rio, the not-too-famous VooDoo Lounge where we each had to pay an outrageous $20 cover. Note to management of the VooDoo Lounge, this ain't Manhatten and IT's a MONDAY night!

Anyhow, we decided to fork over the Andrew J and take our chances. To our surprise, the VooDoo delivered indeed. A bit slow at 10 but things did get hopping at the half hour mark when the DJ's kicked in the salsa/latin/dance music. Coincidently, that's also when the shots of Patron started to flow. I must say ... you take people out of the office environment and you learn a few things. There are some heavy hitters in this group - dancing machines. I won't name names.

Overlooking the entire Vegas strip with amazing panoramic views, we then proceeded to shake our junks the rest of the night. A warm breeze and city lights. Vegas style. It felt like a party you might see on Real World Las Vegas (at Rio not Palms). The pretty people out with fancy cocktails and shiny clothes.

The highlight of the evening was the creation of our own dance circle. Yeah, we were the cool kids, to the envy of all the hipsters at the VooDoo, completely dominating the dance floor with our theatrics. I must say that we brought out a big fat rug and cut it up nicely; lots of robot action and swing dancing.

To my "surprise," my broken clavicle was no longer feeling broken - thank you Mr. Tequila ... and yes, the sling came off. Apparently, that gave open invitation to perform more elaborate swing moves by other members. And yes, I did pay for it the next morning.

Viva Las Vegas.

Furry 5K 2006: Seattle's Finest 4 Legged Friends

2006-06-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday was the annual Furry 5K Walk/Run down in Seward Park. A few words to describe the scene: total chaos at registration, all shapes and sizes, and lots of poo bags and poo. After our shortened walk (feeling lazy on a Sunday morn), we made a b-line to a Wallingford breakfast joint, Julia's, for some pancakes, eggs, sausage, burritos, toast, coffee, and jam. A lot of food was ordered and subsequently eaten... thank you Heather Levy for over ordering and allowing me to keep in the tradition of overeating.

Above is a pic of the crew, from left to right. Stella, Heather, Laura & to-be-named baby girl Burke, Wiley, Manon, Lizzie, Heather, Joe, and Roxy.

To the right, are the elderlings of the pack: Roxy Levy and Wiley Burke.

Pride is Forever Advances!

2006-06-10T22:25:00.000-07:00

Today was my flag football team's first playoff game against an unsightly foe, The Aristocrats, a team that had stuck it to us pretty badly in the regular season, 28-8. They a) not only beat us but also b) publicly humiliated our team on the league's website by saying that "Big time players step up in big time games!" A quote from their player of the game who was quoting Reggie Bush of all people. Yeah, slightly ridiculous and over-the-top.

Well, this afternoon, P.I.F. played big time in a 27-0 dismantling of The Bourgeois.

Small caveat: they did only have 7 players vs. our 8 but it still would have been a blowout nonetheless.

Everybody stepped up to play an all-around solid game, not a lot of mistakes:

Adam got Player of Game honors with his multiple TD's on O and D, Shan probably set a record of INTs and return yards in a game, Kellyn was tenacious on D (as usual) pass rushing like the late Reggie White and hauled in some nice outs, Maggie was like a Jack Russell Terrier terrorizing the opposing QB, Matt owned the skinny post all day long with some post catch wiggle, Debbie grabbed flags like it was her Biznass, Nicole hung tight in the curls, John put the lock down on his zone, and Johnny caught some key passes despite his groin injury.

At the end of the day, the good guys came out, put on a clinic, and we are yet one game closer to the branding of our fearless captain, Mike, with the team moniker, Pride is Forever.

Oh yes, it's going on his left derriere!

One Lazy Saturday Morning: A New Do & Lattes

2006-06-10T20:07:00.000-07:00

There's something nice about waking up on a Saturday morning and knowing that the next few hours are truly your own. I'm talking about the simple things .... like getting your haircut and sipping on one of the city's finest lattes.

I get my haircut at Studio 229 in Capitol Hill (i. e. Chicago's Lincoln Park of Seattle) from a very hip and talented chica by the name of Trista. She's a total perfectionist which jives well with me AND most importantly, she does a mean faux hawk. My du jour cut. If you are looking for a killer do and good conversation to boot, give her a call. She won't disappoint.

Since I've moved to Seattle, I admittedly have become a bit of a coffee/latte snob. I mean, it's kinda' like once "You go [black], you never go back." Yes, random but you get the point. I'm talking about that perfect blend of espresso and steamed milk with the latte art on the creamy, silky head of the foam usually shaped in a rosetta pattern. In my short time here, I have determined that three coffee shops deliver what I call the perfect latte. They are in no particular order and you should try each for yourself to make up your own mind:

Zoka in Tangletown (Green Lake), Espresso Vivace in Capitol Hill, and Uptown Espresso in Belltown.

You won't go wrong with any of these.

Based on this entry, can you figure out the anagram for Seattle?

Bolo Yeung

2006-06-09T12:57:00.000-07:00

Based on my "purple nurple" submission, a few folks have alluded to the fact that I could be the twin and body double for Bolo Yeung, who's known as the villainous nemesis of Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon and Jean Claude in Bloodsport. Not sure this is a compliment, especially given his mug shot. See here.

Belated Gracias to My Guardian Angels: Kellyn, Maggie, and Heather

2006-06-08T16:09:00.000-07:00

When a little boy falls down and starts to cry, there’s always a mother to pick the little guy up, dust off his wound, and provide the proverbial kiss on the forehead. I’m not saying that’s what happened last Sunday but these ladies came to the rescue. It’s kind of ironic that none of the dudes thought anything was wrong; actually not ironic at all.

In my fallen state of shock, Kellyn and Maggie somehow sensed my faculties were not intact - I think my Casper the Friendly Ghost look AND loss of vision were strong indicators. Thank you ladies for making me lie down and hence, giving back my sight. Kind of important to me in the big scheme of things.

Upon regaining vision, Kellyn then drove me to the emergency room, got me into the ridiculous queue of waiting dumasses (e.g. one guy jumped off a fence and had a lead pipe go through his foot), and patiently hung out with mega-gimp until Heather arrived with a baggie of goodies. You know, like candy bars, bottled water, and mags (not the dirty kind). She’s kind of obligated to do that since she married me but nonetheless Heather did have the remarkable presence to bring me my latest read, Web Site Measurement Hacks. Yeah, I’m pretty cool.

One day ladies, I predict that you all will make a little boy feel very safe and happy that you're nearby to save the day. And lucky me, I was that kid for one afternoon. :)

Purple Nurple? Day 4 Status

2006-06-08T07:53:00.000-07:00

Broken Clavicle, Day 4: Green & Purple = Messed Up

2006-06-08T06:04:00.000-07:00

You've got to be kidding me. Only day 4.

Where's my 600 mg of ibuprofen when you really need it? Did I mention that this clavicle injury tends to be its worst in the morning? Still trying to figure that out, especially getting out of bed. I imagine it's the lack of blood flow plus the requirement of using the clavicle bone to support the entire weight of your body as you turn to stand up. Wowsers, it hurts.

Anyway, if you can't beat it, write about it. So more info than you need to know, my left bicep has turned a pallid shade of green while my left pec has turned a rich pomegranate color. I think it's nature's way of saying "You're f'd up. Here's proof." If you're lucky, I may get a pic up here. Just need to get Heather to take the pic.

Lizzie: New Addition

2006-06-07T22:45:00.000-07:00

Back in February, Heather and I adopted a 6-month old stray puppy from the animal shelter, who we affectionately call Lizzie Lou. She is a piece of work! The ham of the family, loves to taunt other dogs with toys, and has taken to the water like a true Lab. As far as breeds go, we think she's a mix of Lab, Pit Bull, and Rhodesian Ridgeback.

My Interns: Down with Grey's

2006-06-07T16:32:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, I had been unexpectedly nominated by my company's HR department to be the esteemed summer intern coordinator. I know, it sounds like a pretty big deal. A promotion it is not, but I will gladly accept the role. Let me explain. If you've ever watched Scrubs on NBC, you know what I'm talking about. Yes, it's a TV show but can one not extrapolate TV fantasy into reality once in awhile?!? I'm referring to the way J.D. plays Mother Hen to his less-than-competent interns and to his surprise learns that he wasn't Mr. Comedian with them after all, as they had been laughing at all of his jokes for his personal benefit. I'm not saying that I want the latter but the former will do just fine.

So I took two of my college interns (one female and one male) out for a sushi lunch to just chat about work and whatever else was on their mind. Truly interesting for me - as I could test my ability to relate to the kids.

So it starts out like this, “So do you guys have My Space accounts?”

Female intern says, “No. There are a lot of creepy people on My Space. I can’t believe there are older people in their twenties who are on there.”

I say, “Yes there are sketchy people on My Space. I don’t have an account but a lot of my friends have My Space accounts.”

You know who you are. Ok, moving on to the next topic.

“So I’ve been watching this cool new show on MTV called Fresh Meat. Have you seen it?”

They say, “Nope.” O for 2. Sweet. Time to break out the life-saver. Grey’s here we come.

“What about Grey’s Anatomy? I’m really bummed the season’s over.”

I already knew that one of the interns (the female one, no surprise) watched the show so I was in. We then proceeded to talk about why the show is so good: intelligent characters, witty dialogue, solid story lines, and of course the really good looking people. I will say that the show is pretty darn addicting. Plus, I have to show support for the show’s creator/producer, Shonda Rhimes, who’s a fellow Dartmouth alum. Props to her for creating something SO FRESH and filling a huge void on network TV. I have no doubt that this show has legs for the long run. The key will be to maintain character development for Meredith (obviously) and those who are interesting to me like Addison (she’s hot!), George, and Izzie. Tuning the audience into that development is the ultimate crack for TV. Enough of Grey’s.

Back to my interns, they are awesome: eager, inquisitive, and mellow cool. I look forward to being a lighter version of J.D. – helping them pull off an actionable research project and at the same time, enjoy a Mariners game and a few more Grey’s-like conversations over lunch.

Easy Tiger: NFL'er I Am Not

2006-06-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

In my first visit with the orthopedic surgeon yesterday, I was relieved to hear that there would be no surgery in the imminent future. Dr. Seidner, who's also the orthopedist for the Seattle Sonics and Storm, did surprise me by saying that a 6-9 months recovery is pretty typical. Not real happy about that statement. Mentally, I had notions of being back in the saddle in 6 weeks time not 6 months. I got this notion by benchmarking NFL players who have also sustained fractured clavicles. Hey, if the typical NFL'er can make it back in 6-9 weeks, why can't I?!?

I made this statement to a few co-workers and they basically laughed at me. Fine, I may not be 22 anymore, be in Ironman shape, or have access to the best medical help available but damn it, I think I've done more than a decent job of "living a healthy and active lifestyle." As such, I hit the grocery store early morning and picked up some calcium, boron, and vitamin D supplements to help spur the path towards accelerated bone growth. Theoretically, if I eat healthy, I'm getting the proper nutrients to do this but I figure it doesn't hurt to have some extra oomph to get those cells going. If nothing, it will at least provide me with a placebo and give me that psychological edge which may in turn create a positive physiological effect. You never know.

Broken Clavicle, Day 2: Pros & Cons

2006-06-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

So it's Day 2 of my broken collarbone, a distal third fracture to be exact. I've been trying to stay positive on how this injury will ultimately impact my life over the course of the next few months. So far, not good... let's see, I miss out on my summer flag football league, running the Furry 5K with my dog Lizzie, and participating in other summer sports like volleyball and golf. Not to mention the pain I wake up to each morning getting out of bed and the inefficiencies (2x time) to shower, get dressed, and get out the door to work each morning. This is actually my first major injury since a really bad ankle sprain my senior year in high school.

I will say that wearing a sling on a day-to-day basis does have its benefits. People generally feel sorry for you (or at least they act like it) and IT'S a great conversation starter. "So what happened?" "How did you hurt yourself?" "Are you ok?" These are the kinds of questions I'm getting walking down the hall at work, in the supermarket at the checkout line, at the gas station, and at Starbucks. All from random strangers and interestingly enough, I'd say 95% from the opposite sex. If I were not happily married, I'm thinking that this would be a very effective way to meet women. Couple this strategy with walking a dog at Green Lake, and you've got a surefire way to meet a honey. I may have to suggest this tactic to my single friends. Guys, if you want to meet the ladies, get hurt or fake an injury and make sure people have a visual. It works!!!

Anyhow, I seemed to have digressed a bit from my initial cost-benefits analysis of this injury. I sure hope somebody makes good use of the very clear takeaway from this entry.

Be back in a few, H

Oct. 1, Week 4: Fantasy Football 2004

2004-10-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

This weekend is week #4 in the 2004 NFL season. I am quite excited as I have the chance to improve to 3-1 in my Fantasy Football League, which is comprised of a bunch of sports fanatics/friends who are based all over the world. Half of us are in the U.S. and the other half is in Asia, primarily Taiwan and China.

Lately, it's been rather contentious as a few of the guys have been ragging on one another for picking up and dropping players like it's a game of Jacks. The problem is that there's a paucity of good backs in our league, due to the unusual size of our league, 14 teams. So you can see how a bunch of Type A's would get a little testy about this kind of stuff. Perfectly legal to do but it can create some tension nonetheless, especially when there's a ton of smack talk going around (i.e. your team is a pile of foul-smelling fecal matter as opposed to rosy-smelling). You get the point.

Anyway, I am happy to say that my boy and #1 back Michael Bennett will make his way into the lineup next week after the Vikes bye this week. I drafted the speedster #2 after all-world Peyton Manning and he has yet to produce points for me. Problem is that Onterrio Smith has been filling in nicely for him but fortunately for me, he looks to be serving a 4 game suspension for his reefer propensities. We'll see how this soap opera pans out.

My buddy Tim is flying in town this weekend and me and the little lady are having dinner with him and his little lady in Beacon Hill. The restaurant, called Lala Rokh, serves Persian/mediteranean (sp?) food and was highly rated by Zah-gawt's. I love to eat and am always open to new cuisines.

Well, back in a few.

Marathons

2004-09-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

So my 18 weeks of marathon training is coming to an end, 11 days till the big day. I did my 20-miler 2 weeks ago and the pain involved in that run still lingers in my memory. I am seriously wondering how many times that will be amplified after 26.2 miles. I mean, I think I'm kind of a tough guy. I sacrificed my body through years of organized football (high school and college) and rugby at business school (broken nose, finger). But this type of athletic threshold is a bit unique, it takes over your entire body and grows over time, kind of like a fungus. I can try to describe the state of one's mind and body but I would only do a disservice to myself and marathoners.

Before I began training, I thought running a marathon would be a cool thing to do (kind of like bunjee jumping or being able to put it on your resume like every b-schooler), good for my body, and challenging. What I've discovered is that it is certainly challenging. The other two I am still questioning. We shall find out in a few years when I develop chronic pain and arthritis in my knees. But seriously, it has been an exercise of serious discipline and time management. I quickly found out that one must truly organize/integrate your work schedule and social life into the training program. I have a new-found respect for elite long distance runners. Props to you ladies and gents for that kind of dedication.

With the race next weekend, my tapering continues. Thank God. Tonight I do 4 miles ....