Make 2011 Yours

Get out there and do your thing. Make it happen.

The Claw Machine Idea

Ok, who doesn’t absolutely love the claw machine? Even if the glass chamber is filled with second-rate, ragged stuffed animals with mis-stitched eyeballs, you have to play the game at least once – whether it be on the boardwalk, at your local supermarket or at Friendlys. The concept is simple – you pay to operate a crane-type apparatus for a limited time, moving it side-to-side and back and forward until you center it over that sweet-spot – the grabbable section of the treasure. When ready, you hit a button to drop the claw and it opens and shuts hopefully on your prize and brings it into the chute for you to strut around with and eventually take home! Pure genius and exhilaration.

While my family partakes in this game only on rare occasion, my son is so enamored with the game, that he created his own version out of his toys. Impressively, he created a claw from his dinosaur ‘grabber’ toy. by piling a bunch of toys on the floor, stinging a rubber band around the grabber and onto his toy rack. This ingenuity prompted me to think, how can I make the claw machine a more regular part of every day life, because this needs to happen pronto.

Well, I can’t right now, due to lack of funding. But one day, when i become a high-powered mogul of some sort, I decided that I will purchase at least two claw machines per floor (of associates that i will manage). One claw machine will be fully stocked with snacks, bags of potato chips, pretzels, cheese doodles, cookies, and the like. It will be free to play, and workers can have a blast with this fun diversion when the hunger pangs kick in. Another claw machine will be stocked with some nicer merchandise, such as t-shirts and plush toys. This one will be a quarter or two to play for the employees. However, all proceeds will go to a ‘party’ fund. So, when the machine takes in fifty bucks or so, we’ll use that money to buy pizza or sub sandwiches for the office.

Ok, who will want to work for me?

Jim Everett confronts Jim Rome

There is a classic sports interview clip that sports fans must see. Former Rams QB Jim Everett tires of shock jock Jim Rome’s agitation and name-calling and decides to act upon it. This clip is around 20 years old, give or take. A classic. Don’t call him Chris!

Proposition for Mike Francesa from Jack

Wants to do what?

Minor League, Major Fun

Do you miss the nostalgia of the old ballpark? Want to recapture it without having to take out a home equity loan for tickets, parking, food, and souvenirs? If so, head on over to your local Minor League baseball stadium this season.

The prices are usually between $7-9 a ticket. Parking is a buck or two. The players are busting their tail to try to get promoted. Speaking of promotions, for that minimal ticket price, pick a game where there is a goofy giveaway. I just got my Reading Phillies(Double-A) schedule in the mail. There are games where they give away snuggies, a Ryan Howard garden gnome, and other fun items. There is something for everyone.  For the wrestling fan, there will be a special appearance by Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler. For the retro-head like myself, there will be a Principal Belding day (Saved by the Bell). Pre-game karaoke w/Belding to boot.

Reading is a classic ballpark, built near a railroad. It has a nostalgic feel, so much so that they call it ‘Baseballtown.’ Reading has no less than four mascots for kids to meet, take photos with and get autographs from.  Players are very accessible too, for autographs. 

Want to upgrade your game experience? Get a group to hang at the heated pool. Hungry? On certain nights, get the all-you-can eat package. Amazing deal. Look for the gluttony night promotions. These are the future All-Stars and you can get in on the ground floor.  Kids of all ages will enjoy a minor league ballgame.

And this is just Reading. Don’t even get me started on my beloved IronPigs.

technobabble

Well, it is Thanksgiving eve, and I have a ton to be thankful for.  2009 has been an amazing year. Most significantly, my family expanded in July, with the birth of our beautiful daughter, Avery.  She is a beauty in every way.  She brightens each day. 

Professionally, my career is continuing on a nice path.  I was promoted to Team Lead of my area early in the year, and I was fortunate to be able to travel to Tokyo to help train some folks.

Personally, I made a fitness goal to run a 5k race.  My initial goal was to merely complete the race without walking at all.  As I trained, I decided to try to beat 30 min for the race.  Goal met, as I did it in just over 28 min.  What a wonderful feeling.

If you are reading this, I wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Randomness

- I really wish I had more time to blog as I enjoy writing.

- Baby Avery arrived on 7/15. She is beautiful, but very temperemental, at least at this stage. Still cherish each moment.

- It is Monday A.M., why do I have 185 emails in my inbox for work? Mostly automated mumbo-jumbo that I can delete, thankfully.

- Having a blast introducing Ethan to some 80′s classic songs and videos.

- Cracked myself up thinking about what a KidzBop version of ‘Rage Against the Machine’ or even ‘Metallica’ would sound like.

- The Mets season is beyond brutal. They better get younger, smarter, and add depth in the off-season.

- Looking forward to fantasy football as a fun, but still agitating escape from reality.

- Got a visit from an old high school friend the other day. Was just great to catch up for a few moments.

- Yo, I thought I told you that I won’t stop.

- Yo, I lied.

Who am I to complain?

Who am I to complain about a job that runs at breakneck speed at times, when scores of people are jobless?

Who am I to complain about the drudgery of yardwork, when scores of people have no yard to speak of?

Who am I to complain about my New York Mets stinking up the joint and giving me agita, when scores of people have no concept of a leisure time activity?

splashing the color

We painted baby Avery’s (eta july 2009)room pink and white this past weekend. Pink on the top half, separated by a white chair rail and then beadboard paneling. I enjoyed the process. Cousin Michelle came to help out, and I involved Ethan the best I could. Susan amazed as she was using the paint roller and on the ladder touching up my gaffes (albeit at 7 months pg). The anticipation is growing and I am glad we have created a cozy haven for our upcoming addition. Was a rewarding experience.

Why Tokyo is Ichiban

My son Ethan's Philadelphia Eagles bear enjoying a day at the local shrine. See if you can zoom.

I had the recent good fortune to visit Tokyo on business for sixteen days. Here I will pontificate as to why Japanese culture has it right (compared to us):

 

 

 

 

**Superior Dining: From standard fare to upscale restaurants, chefs  take genuine pride in their craft. Each meal was a gourmet experience. They have portion sizes down to a science. Meals are generally healthy, featuring a protein, soup, salad, and vegetables. And no tipping! Outstanding service is implicit. Contrary to popular belief, the cuisine is not all raw fish. Italian, American, Chinese, Spanish, Indian, and Thai restaurants bespeckle Tokyo.

**Health Consciousness: I saw nary an overweight person, let alone, obese. Hold the sumo jokes.  Seriously, people walk everywhere.  Something small that blew my mind — The apple juice was the color of the inside of an apple, a pale yellow, and not amber like beer.  If there is such a thing as ‘fresh squeezed’ apple juice, I found it in Tokyo. Delicious.  I have a felling they don’t use the preservatives and artificial crap that we’ve become accustomed to in the US.   Japan even has a National Fitness Day, a national holiday devoted to good, clean living.

**National Holidays: Japan honors the Elderly, Children, the First Emperor, Fitness, and the Ocean – with national holidays.  Banks and major government functions are closed.

**Living life to its Fullest: People in Tokyo work and play extremely hard. While I am not one to indulge in the hedonistic realm, its nice to know that the clubs in Roppongi stay open to 7am, if you want to let loose. 

** Transit system: The subway system is phenomenal. Super clean, super quiet, and super-on-time.  You can set your watch to it.

** Discipline and Respect: To bow to others in deference upon meeting is a beautiful and eye-opening gesture. When entering an office building, you are greeted by several people wishing you a good day. Upon leaving, you get the equivalent of, ”Thank you for working very hard today.” Can you even imagine this gratitude in the US?

** Style: Tokyo is like ten Manhattans, each district with its own cachet.  I was able to briefly visit Ginza, which boasted every top shelf store imaginable, including Prada, Burberry, Tiffany & Co, and Louis Vuitton.  Asakusa was a beautiful historic district with an enormous open-air market place and legendary shriines.  Omote Sando was a mix of upscale salons and a young urban crowd.   Akihabara is the electronics capital of the world – or the ‘electric city.’  I didn’t even get a chance to visit Shibuya, Ueno, or Shinjuko, among other sites. 

**Innovation: The majority of cars were sleek in design and smart in fuel economy-usage. The vending machines boggle the mind. They always work, are reasonably priced, dispense dozens of cold or hot beverages in distinctly shaped aluminum or plastic containers. There is even a mini rubber ramp to just drop your change upon. To charge your metro (pasmo) card, you can just stack your bills to feed them into the machine. Recycling is on a higher plane in Tokyo. McDonald’s had separate trash cans for plastics and paper. The one office building had no less than nine distinct trash cans for various waste materials.  Real estate is at a premium, and so restaurants and shops are stacked six high. There are pocket doors aplenty, and you are cozy but not cramped.

We could learn a lot from the Japanese culture. Arigato.