What an exciting, thrilling, nail-biting, “hang on to the edge of your seat” season it has been for the Cleveland Browns and their fans, MYSELF included.
If I recall recorrectly, the team was predicted (by NFL know-it-alls) to finish last in their division. It was going to be another barely medicore season...another “rebuilding year”. And to be honest with you, when the team lost their 1st game of the year, at home, to Pittsburgh 7-34, well....it sure did not seem like any good was going to come of the season.
And then....something happened. The day after the game, the team traded the then starting QB and gave the job to 2nd QB, Derek Anderson. AND HE HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL!! The offense started clicking and the team started winning. Standout players have been WR Braylon Edwards(going to the PRO BOWL!) TE Kellen Winslow JR and RB Jamal Lewis. Remember that first embarrasing game at home? Yeah, well, THEY HAVE NOT LOST AT HOME SINCE. HOME RECORD IS 6-1. WHAT A GIFT FOR THE HUNGRY, DEVOTED FANS OF CLEVELAND. For anyone who knows anything about football, they will agree, Browns fans are some of the most die-hard, devoted, in all of football.
The team has improved greatly, but i also know what is true: they have to claw & fight for every freaking win. No win has ever come easy for this team. It’s never been a “ok. we can kick back and relax” kinda feeling like the NE patriot or INDY colt fans enjoy. It is always dramatic. And for most of my years as a fan, it is typically this way.
I’m lucky I am healthy or watching their games might have me on heart medication.
So...here we are on the last game day of the regular season. Cleveland’s record is 9-6 and they have one last chance to get into the playoffs. Of course, they could have secured their own fate last week by beating the CINCY BENGALS, but nope...they did not take care of business. So, us fans have to wait until late tonight when the outcome of the TENNESSEE TITAN vs INDIANAPOLIS COLTS play at 8:15pm est. This is the biggest game of the weekend. IF TENNESSEE WINS, they take the last playoff spot; IF THEY LOSE, CLEVELAND TAKES THE FINAL PLAYOFF SPOT. Cleveland plays the 49ers at home and the outcome of that game does not matter for the playoff picture, but i would hope they come out and crush the niners like they should!!
I will be waiting all day for the night game. I will be rooting for the COLTS big time. This is no gimme game. In fact, the COLTS ARE THE UNDERDOGS in this game.
If you want to see why: colts vs titans



GO COLTS!!! GO BROWNS!!!

2007 travels

I went quite a few places in 2007. Some for fun/relaxation and some for races. Here is a quick re-cap:

Jan - drove about 1-2 hrs to LAKE OCONEE & stayed at the Ritzy RITZ CARLTON
Feb - drove to Birmingham, AL to run the Mercedes Half Marathon (sadly, I cannot run it in 2008 as I will be in NJ)
April- drove about 2 hrs to BLUE RIDGE, GA and stayed at the "sleepy bear cabin"
May - flew to Chicago for "blog friend fest"
May-June - flew to Philadelphia for 10k race and fun
June - drove to the beach in Florida for my first ever trip to the "sunshine state"
July - flew to Seattle for fun & my first ever trip to Pacific Northwest
August - drove about 3 -4 hrs to Huntsville, AL for a 10k race and fun
November - flew to Baltimore for JFK 50 Mile race and fun
November - flew to VEGAS for....(hey, what happens in vegas STAYS in vegas)

It was a good year for travel. Looking ahead to 2008, I already know I will be taking at least 2 trips in the first 3 months of the year. And, just maybe....i will take a trip outside of the U.S. this year.

What about ya'll? Got any travel plans for 2008?

a small survey

please humor me by answering the following questions related to xmas presents:

1) did you give or receive any APPLE product (including itunes gift cards)?

2) did you give or receive any GARMIN products?

3) did you purchase anything off of Amazon?


thanks, in advance

an open letter

i don’t want you to buy a christmas gift for me. why? because the only gift that would matter is the pleasure of your company. the best gift i could imagine are just a few hours or a few days where i could whisk you away to a place just for us. a place that might overlook the pacific ocean and where we could sit comforted by a burning fire. a place where we could enjoy a spicy Alexander Valley Zinfandel and watch the famous fog roll in and cover the land....a place where eucalyptus fills the night air and make me happy to breathe again. the gift that would matter would be the gift of your words...listening to you talk about anything and everything and watch as you become emphatic and loud and then soft and your tone close to a whisper. you could buy me everything but not one single thing would come close to just the simple gift of you.

freddie and the others

at this time of the year, i love waking up, opening my blinds, sitting in bed with a cup of coffee and looking outside my window. as i look out the window, i see a sight that somehow both intrigues and comforts me. there are lots of trees and of course, they are now mostly barren. what intrigues and comforts me are these same branches that for the 3rd year in a row now, are able to keep some of their leaves. as i look around to the other branches, they are empty. but, just these few right outside my window and in perfect view, have some leaves remaining. i’m intrigued because the leaves look very delicate and flimsy. yet, even after rain and wind, they remain. they are holding on for dear life. and at this time, i am always reminded of a book i recieved when i was 13; The Fall of Freddie the Leaf. It was a book about letting go, about dying. I recieved it after my mom died. I don’t actually rememeber much about the book except that Freddie was a lone leaf..he did not want to fall. But, all the other leaves had fallen, all his friends. So, while he clung on for dear life, he was alone. When I look at these leaves outisde, i think of them as Freddies. And soon, there will likely be just one out there on the branch; one Freddie. I feel like I understand why they stay and cling on...they are holding on to what they know...but, I aso understand the need to fall...to let go...and I get that they will fall when they are ready.

morning and afternoon

This morning was rough: I had to tell someone at work that something they said to me last night was completely inappropriate and that i did not appreciate her comment. While she completely apologized and took responsibility, i was still rattled and really bothered by it. Not the best way to start off a FRIDAY! This particular individual has from time to time said some things in the past to me and whenever she does, I am baffled that such words actually come out of her mouth. Sometimes, I find this person to be quite unlikable.

Moving on: my afternoon went better. I walked over to the mall not looking for anything in particular...mainly was gonna get a sandwich at PANERA BREAD. But, then....I saw the Kenneth Cole store and sauntered on in. And then....it caught my eye....a satchel! I have been loosely looking for one because I made a promise to myself that if I got my work promotion, I would by one. Well, today was the day. It is sweeeet. It's a leather flapover portfolio bag (MENS's). I kinda chuckle to myself because being in the line of work I am in, I should really have something more feminine....but, oh well -- sorry...that just ain't me.

And you know what....it smells really fucking good. Nothing like good leather, baby!

Going All Out

Since a couple of people, Trinity and R.D. have posted their Christmas wish lists, I thought I would throw my hat into the ring as well. Hey, you never know what Santa will bring!

On the TECHNO side:

I'd love a new MAC BOOK and my very first
Digital Camera so I can post more pictures like the rest of you folks.

On the wearable side: another
COOL WATCH

Also, a gift card to Peets Coffee will do since I spend quite a few bucks ordering coffee from the west coast to satisfy my addictive, snobby need.

Other than what is listed, I could go for a hellavua training program so I can run a marathon in under 4 hours, a few more new high net worth clients so I can book another trip to Vegas with Trinity and BP and book us a suite at BELLAGIO

Also, I would say world peace, but i think just peace in my own city of Atlanta would be more reasonable. Murder rates were up in 2007. C'mon folks, it's CHRISTMAS TIME.