Overheard on one of Devin's shows, "We wanted to be careful but we forgot to remember". Ah, if only adults could use excuses like we forgot to remember.....

I'm starting to have discussions and arguments with Dora the Explorer and the hyper monkey Boots. My sanity slips slowly but surely, week after week. I've actually considered sending a strongly worded email to the creators/writers of Franklin....I shouldn't care this much

I'm wishing on a star......kinda in a weird way...just rambling really...i can do that cuz there's nobody reading this....I wish there was...don't get me wrong...it looks like my biggest mistake was moving from blogger to my own hosted site.....my biggy pants was I?!?!

Joys of Fatherhood

For the past 4 minutes, lil man has been zipping and unzipping his dvd carrying bag thingy. He zips, gets to the end and goes, 'Heh, heh'. Then he zips it back and goes, 'Heh, heh'. That, my friends, is how easy a two year old can become preoccupied with the little wonders of the world.

Spending so much time with lately has been a joy, and a frustration, but mostly a joy. I understand him better. I think he listens (and obeys) me a little bit better. He definitely has become attached to me which could pose a problem once I acquire some gainful employment. It's amazing to me how he seems to treat me and Mrs. Xpinionated differently. He tends to be very needy with her. With me, he could go an hour without noticing me in the room, just playing or watching Dora or reading his books. Maybe it's because he's used to seeing so much of me now?

Oddly enough, it hasn't really hit me yet that I will be a father of two in a week's time. Natalia Elizabeth is scheduled to arrive around 11:30 am next Wednesday. I know Mrs. Xpinionated thinks that I'm not as into this pregnancy as I was with Devin. I admit that I haven't been as awed but I think that's to be expected. I also know that I tend to not get excited about things until the last minute. I'm sure next Wednesday will be just as awe inspiring the second time as it was the first time around.

One of the lessons I've learned in daddy daycare is that you don't give the kid his favorite food first at lunch.  In fact, when he's most hungry, you catch him with the food he likes least.  He's hungry enough to give in and eat it.  As he gets through it, then you start showing him the goods.  It's a win win.  The kid eats and I don't end up arguing with a two year old, which is worse than arguing with a woman -- just because of the lack of a two year old's vocabulary.  The two year old is still going to be more logical in most cases.  I should shut up now....

H-O-R-S-E cents: NBA sells slice of Americana to glue factory - CBSSports.com News, Fantasy, Video

Because H-O-R-S-E is like apple pie and virginity: innocent and fresh (not even sure what that meant, but you get the point).

H-O-R-S-E cents: NBA sells slice of Americana to glue factory - CBSSports.com News, Fantasy, Video

Heeelarious. 

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Layoff Lessons #3

Week 6 begins and still no solid leads of any kind. It's starting to get the best of me. I'm moody, short tempered, up and down and quick to be down.

I just feel like I'm starting to be identified as unemployed. Whenever we go to a friend's house, my job status comes up...something that never happened when I had a job. Folks are always asking how the job hunt is going. I understand that they are concerned and mean no harm. But I take being unemployed personally. I feel like a letdown, like I'm useless.

And I know the time I have gotten to spend with lil man is priceless. But, right now, the only time I truly feel like ol' Xpinionated is when I'm in the gym. No one there knows I've been laid off. Hell, last night when I caught the end of the Lamar Odom coming out party against Cleveland, people were asking me how I was after not seeing me for quite awhile. Just to maintain my senses, to hold on to the old Xpinionated for a little while, I lied. I said everything was fine. I didn't want to network. I didn't want the name of a friend of a friend. I didn't want to tell people what I do. I just wanted to watch my game in my old watering hole.

It sounds selfish maybe, I don't know. Maybe this is just a down time although this downer has lasted a good part of three days now.

Oh well, luckily I'm not the type to act rashly....I'll just figure it out I reckon.

Visa latest sponsor to support Phelps after apology for pot shot - World Sports Report - CBSSports.com

Visa latest sponsor to support Phelps after apology for pot shot - World Sports Report - CBSSports.com

So in 2004, Phelps' DUI gets swept under the rug for all intents and purposes.  Then, smart guy that he is, Mr. Untouchable decides to smoke weed on camera -- something most potheads wouldn't even do. 

What happens?  Visa says "He said sorry...geesh, whaddya want from the guy...some accountability or something?"  I wonder if a black athlete would be let off the hook so easy...DUI, weed smoking, and still National hero?!?

Yeah, I brought the race card into it.....sorry, but that's the only thing right now that I can see that is keeping this guy on his pedestal....

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Obama to set executive pay limits - Yahoo! News

Obama to set executive pay limits - Yahoo! News

This is something that I believe is long overdue.  Especially in the position that I'm in now with no job, it is disgusting to hear about CEO's getting huge bonuses while my tax dollars saved their job.  Something about having your job saved and receiving a bonus at the same time don't sit well with your boy. 

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Not just a football school?

Virginia Tech, known primarily for it's football team, is now making some noise as a basketball school. Granted, with two straight losses in conference play, I may be a bit premature. However, the Hokies have seven losses this year but a total of 38 points. That averages out to just under 5.5 point differential per game. It gets better. Exclude the 25 point pasting Duke put on the Hokies and you have six losses by a total of 13 points; just over 2 point differential per game. In reality, that's six losses that basically came down to a missed free throw here and there or an offensive put back given up.

This is to say that I've been watching the Hokies roundball crew from a distance the few years. This year, I've been paying more attention. We're a young team doing some nice things in one of the tougher bball conferences. Keep an eye on these youngsters!

Oh and the Hokies wrestling team is 17 - 1 and in the top 15 in the country!

Layoff Lessons #2

There is something else that being unemployed has taught me. I have a great family. My wife is doing her best not to lose her mind and has been acting as my personal hype man. If you're a patient at her dental office, she will be collecting your email and company information. Thanks love.

My son, though a handful, is great. I've literally spent a month with him every single day. No eight hour break for work. Just me and him during the day and he definitely makes me smile more often than he makes me scream. It's almost like he knows that I am busy and he goes and plays by himself. Don't get me wrong, looking for a job while caring for him has proven to be pretty difficult at times but we're managing. And I feel like I know him better than I ever have. Mrs. Xpinionated still understand his baby talk a little bit better than I do but he seems to be listening (and obeying) me a little bit more.

He's a great kid!

Persecution Complex

I'm starting to wonder if I have persecution complex, am I being too sensitive, or what? But I always feel like I end up being the asshole no matter what the situation. I get asked to do something, I agree to do it, but I apparently don't do it fast enough so I'm the asshole. That's pretty much the story most of the time.

I don't know if the job loss is making me more sensitive, depressed, or what. I know I am an emotional rollercoaster with the highs usually just a front to maintain some semblance of myself. I can't say what's going on in my head so I try to turn it off by focusing on the next hour and the next hour only. I wait for the fog of feeling useless evaporates before I ponder the future. Luckily my personality is such that my fogs disappear just as quickly as they set in. But starting this fourth week of unemployment I have definitely noticed how quickly I'm annoyed, offended, and generally ticked off.

Got to be better.....

Layoff Lessons: #1

Anything more than a two week vacation is unnecessary.

All those years I wanted to take a long vacation but I didn't realize the monotony of it. Maybe it's because I don't have a job to go back to that is making me a bit negative about it.

Understanding Female Psyche

Again I'm made to feel like I'm wrong for not asking my wife if she wanted to go to the game next Friday night. Maybe I should back up.

The owner of one of my old watering holes gave me four tickets to an Atlanta Hawks game on the 23rd. I told my wife about it and she says something to the effect of that's nice. Later in the week, I tell her that I invited two friends to the game and again she says something to the effect of that's nice. Today, my phone goes off with a text and I tell her I sent a message to another friend about the game. To which she now replies, "Inviting everybody but your family."

?!?!??!

At no point, has she ever expressed a desire to see the Atlanta Hawks. In fact, the only pro basketball games she watches are Lakers games and that's because of my die-hardness. And now suddenly....

It changes my mood because I'm made to be the uninterested father like I've done something wrong. It happens with other things....after the fact, the situation is made out to be like I'm trying to avoid spending time with my family.

Judge Joe's Fetish

In my 'transistion time', I have been exposed to a lot of daytime tv. I have a schedule if I'm watching TV:

9am - Jerry Springer

10am - Maury

11am - Jerry

Noon - Video Games

1pm - Jerry

2pm - The Steve Wilkos Show

3pm - Judge Judy (though I hate her passionately)

3:30pm - Judge Joe Brown

4pm - Judge Judy (though I hate her incrementally more at this point of the day)

4:30pm - Divorce Court

5pm - Judge Mathis

With all that said, I've noticed something with Judge Joe Brown. Every person in the audience is female. And not a broad range of females. All relatively attractive (especially the front row) and between the ages of 25 and 40 (cuz milfs and cougars are all the rage). Judge Joe is married I'm assuming. But he's taking full advantage of his fame isn't he? The last flaunting of Judge Joe's game is at the end when the audience is leaving the courtroom. All leaving are leggy, sexy, ladies whose exact purpose is still undetermined.

Maybe I should have been a judge?

In other daytime TV nuggets, the following exchange occurred:
Steve: So why did you beat her?
Guest: Because she was immature.
Steve: How so?
Guest: Because she was immature and smoked.
Steve: You beat her because she was immature and smoked?!? She was 19, of course she was immature.

I can't make this stuff up!

The Athlete Story You Don't Hear

Myron Rolle, Florida State University grad and NFL prospect, has decided to pursue his master's degree at Oxford putting his football career on hold for one year. Using his Rhodes scholarship, the graduate student is forgoing millions of dollars that would be available in just a few months for the chance to enhance himself and his community after his playing days are over. This is a great story on so many levels. The fact that this young man chooses to postpone fame, glory, and money in a consumption society for his own, and presumably in the future, his community's advancement is the real stuff of which role models should be constituted.

Great Quotes from Cops

Cop: What was your license suspended for?
Suspect: Driving without a license.

Classic.

Facing Unemployment

There is a certain amount of fear and trepidation one faces when employment is uncertain. There is self doubt, questioning, and a negative vibe for me. Am I qualified for anything? Am I caught in that scary scenario of too qualified for some jobs and under qualified for the jobs I want? Is this the time to look into career changes and if so is it possible to maintain income level while moving to something in which I'm unproven?

I don't know.

Elmo Rips the Mic - No Jive

It's great when Devin sings the chorus...a two year old yelling 'No Jive' is priceless!

BCS Success

With a 20 - 7 victory over the Cincinnatti Bearcats, the Virginia Tech Hokies ended their bowl futility of recent years winning the Orange Bowl.  The win caps a roller coaster season which saw the Hokies finish with their fifth consecutive 10 win season.  Congrats to this young team.  Next year looks increasingly promising as 18 of 22 starters return to a team that started this season with only 60% of the squad having had played a college game ever in their life!

GO HOKIES...GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE!

Watch out Hugh Hefner

DSCF4890

Originally uploaded by Xpinionated

Devin is sporting the latest in baby fashion! As he gets jiggy in his Thomas the Train robe, he shakes his groove thang lite as a feather in his Elmo slippers.

That's what we'd like to think is above. What's really going on is he is trying to touch himself after his quick shower!