We won!!!

So back towards the end of March, the rear passenger door of my car was backed into while parked in front of my house. I didn't see it happen, but it left a pretty obvious mark.

Undoctored File photo

Then on April 8, I witnessed the front passenger side corner get backed into. Luckily I saw it happen this time and got the guy's insurance. I noticed that the bumper from the truck that hit me on April 8 matched the damage that was done a few weeks prior, so I filed two claims, one for each date.

You can even see blue paint (from my car!) on his bumper

His insurance paid for the claim I witnessed, but refused to pay the other. And despite being low on cash because I had to pay the deductible to my insurance company for the other incident, I asked my insurance company to take them to court.

In reality, what they do is an arbitration/subrogation, where three independent insurance companies decide if the other side is at fault.

Well, the GREAT NEWS is that I just got a check in the mail for my deductible...which means that they found the guy at fault! What a relief.

I just got home from spending a bit less than 2 hours serving and bussing tables at the church's Sunday lunch. I think this was the first free meal that they've provided.

With the exception of one teenager, I was the youngest person there. It felt good to serve fried chicken, corn, mashed potato(e)s and gravy to those who showed up. There were a few too many helpers though. And the bummer was that after serving some people 2nds, we ran out of potatos, then chicken, and people who showed up about 45 minutes after the meal began just got to have salad and dessert.

I appreciated the kind words from those we were serving...but what struck me was the rudeness of two of the many people who were serving. Despite who was in the line waiting to pick up food to deliver to tables, they both jumped to the front of the line, bypassing the other volunteers. I am not sure if it was purposeful or if they were simply not paying attention, but it was a bit unnerving. After serving salad to a few tables, I decided to become a utility player. I ended up bussing, filling the coffee/juice containers for other servers, and helping with dessert.

In all, it was a good experience, and I'll be happy to help out again.

No "Free Taco" :(

Taco Bell offered a deal where if any player in Game 3 of the World Series hit a home run to left field, everyone in America would get (read: be eligible for) a free crunchy taco...between 2pm and 5pm on Nov. 1. Of course, no home runs were hit, so no deal. http://qa.tacobell.com/freetaco/

I think the amount of fine print for the deal is hilarious. And they don't cover what would have happened if an inside-the-park homerun were hit to left field, though I guess that's because it would not be a "home run" over the "left field" wall.

...Why is everything in quotes nowadays? Do quotes allow wiggle room or something?
"Prices and participation may vary."
"Batteries not included."
What happens if the quotes are excluded...?

Photos - Set 2

This past Wednesday, October 18, absolutely ruled! This time I got to sit in on the sonogram. It took about 20 minutes for the technician to get all the measurements and photos of the baby. I think I counted 56 that she took! But she only printed two, and they are below.

This is totally cool. I think the kid has his mouth open but I'm not positive. He's got an arm on his torso, and though his legs look stubby, that's only the top half of his leg that's visible. We saw it though, he does have feet!

Okay, so this sonogram is slightly haunting, but again, I am pretty stoked. He even got his hands in the photo this time...though it kind of seems like the kid is going to be a rocker.

I am now officially entirely excited about what life is going to be like 4.5 months from now. We'll have a little dude keeping us up way more than we'll want him to, but it'll be all good.

Photos - Set 1

So these two sonograms are from August 21. You can see the "thumbs up" in the top one.
I wasn't able to be there on 8/21 but I love the end results...

Next up is finding Day Care

Yesterday the wife and I learned that we are going have a son! We would've been happy either way and knowing at this point helps us get ready.

My next chore is cleaning out the red (baby's) room, so we can repaint as necessary. I think a lot less work will be required than if we were going to have a girl (read: pink) so hopefully we won't be spending too much time repainting. And then begins the infrastructure...furniture, strollers, car seats, clothing, et cetera et cetera.

We've got sonogram photos to post, but I didn't scan them last night...I'll add them in later.

Sit Down, Semantics

I think this is a great story about terminology abuse.
Illegals' term isn't divisive, it's the truth
But then, I like things unfiltered.

Mick is a Shark

Last night was the big Dave Matthews Band/Rolling Stones show at Qwest Field. Despite the obviously expensive and expansive set, it didn't do much for the sound.

I didn't take the picture.

I love concerts, and this being my first time to a Stones show, I was excited to see if they are really as energetic as I'd heard. They are. Mick is nuts. If you ever saw the tv shows from the 60's when he was on, it's the same guy. The guy moves around so much that it appears that if he stops, he'll die.

Anyway, the set is massive. Probably 50' + high and 150' wide, designed to look like the exterior of a hotel, sans the windows, with white metal spandrel panels. What you don't see at first glance are the hundreds of lights at each level, which change color and glow to the beat of the music. The stage reached from sideline to sideline, and Mick used every inch of it. The most unexpected part of the night was when the 10' x 25' center of the stage rolled forward down the deck that split the seating in half. The band "rolled" to the other end of the field and performed three songs down there, delighting those who were originally far away from the stage.

So the acoustics in Qwest Field are aweful. I'm guessing the design is intended to keep sound in the stadium, which is great (Opponents Trying to Quiet Qwest Field) for football games but not so much for concerts. The sound reverberates throughout the stadium thanks to the clam-shell roof, and of course the high-pitched noises are amplified, which isn't good on the ol' eardrums.

I could go on and on about my pet peeves at concerts, but I'll stop here.

Aside from the sound not being ideal, the show was quite entertaining. Luckily Dave's acoustic guitar-driven sound is a lot gentler and less busy than the Rolling Stones heavily-instrumented fare. It was a good time though, and that's what really matters.

The thud of reality

Being a Bengals fan, it's been a difficult 15 years. Last year, which was a breakout year, may have been better if not for the snap of an ACL. This year started off great, but the offense has slunk away in the past 2 games. One touchdown and two field goals against Tampa Bay is aweful.

But I know what the problem is: Chris Henry. The guy gets suspended and the offense suffers. He's not even a first string receiver, but he's -that- important. So important, that I wrote him a letter.

Dear Chris,
Congratulations on your football abilities. Few are born with such great hands and speed. You are one of the lucky ones, and you're being a friggin' moron about it. Going out drinking is one thing, but using Odell Thurman as a role model isn't the way to get ahead. You can't be a thug anymore, Chris, because people know who you are, and sadly enough, kids look up to you. Let that life go, come back to the Bengals, and catch touch downs.

Best wishes,
-stephen

The Golden Gate

How awesome it must have been to witness the construction of what was, at the time, the largest suspension bridge in the world. Given the technology of the 1930's, this was truly a marvel...and still is.

1 1 2 3 5 Eureka!

Cantilevering...it's what beams are doing when they are only supported on one end. Picture a diving board. I'm out there, on the edge of it.
Am I really that far out there? Maybe, maybe not, but you never know when I'm gonna jump somewhere bizarre.

The good news is that I finally got a blog up and running, but we'll see how long that lasts.