Congratulations! You did it. You helped this site reach the 1000 visitor mark. Special recognition goes to my friend Rachel who was the lucky visitor. I owe her a drink. Or so she tells me.
All I can say is keep visiting. If you do, I'll keep writing. Sometimes I'll even write things that are interesting. You'll see!
In other news, we have a new Pope. As I'm quite certain you already know, Pope John Paul II passed away recently. The College of Cardinals (Such a party school! I almost went there, but decided on UT Austin at the last second. Little known fact!) has elected his successor. Benedict the XVI is the man. I would have thought that John Paul III would have been the natural choice (I understand he's very upset.), but I guess that just shows how much I have to learn about this stuff.
Have a great day!
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Monday, April 18, 2005
Four Digits, Travel, and a Big Mistake
Hi there! Well, we're almost there. Almost, that is, to the big 1-0-0-0 on the visitor counter. It's exciting to be nearing four-digit territory, even if the number has climbed painfully slowly since its humble beginnings in the single digits. Sure, most of the visits have been me, but not all of them, and that's what we should focus on as we near this milestone. Best of luck to all at being the 1000th. If you find that you are (you'll know because the counter will say 1000) post a comment to the latest post letting me know. You'll be eligible for many fabulous prizes.
Alright, settle down now. There's more here to enjoy than just exciting play-by-play coverage of this site's visitor count. I was on the road this weekend on a sort of ziggybackride history tour.
I left my hometown of Memphis, TN, where I grew up and live currently, on Friday and spent some time that afternoon in Jackson, MS, visiting my old office, co-workers, and friends there. I proceeded out of "urban Mississippi" and into the suburbs of Utica, MS, where I spent the night at Henry S. Jacobs Camp, where I have spent some significant portion of over 20 summers of my life, plus some time in the winter months, too. There, I helped staff a weekend event for 6th-8th graders from around the region. I woke up early Saturday morning and flew out of Jackson (the Utica airport just ain't what it used to be) to Austin, TX, where I visited with friends from the camp and from my days in school at UT Austin. That night, I attended a celebration for a student affairs professional that is retiring after a long tenure shaping student life at The University. It was great to have the opportunity to show him my appreciation and to see many very close friends who were there to do the same and with whom I hope to keep in better contact from now on (and I'm not just saying that because they might be reading this!). That night, I slept in the apartment of some camp friends who are in school at UT. It sounds like it's funny that I, a mildly successful 29 year old professional would crash on the couch of a college apartment, but in truth, they keep it far cleaner than I keep my house, so it was rather luxurious! I woke up Sunday morning at 5:00 a.m. and caught a shuttle to the airport, flew back to Jackson, got in my car, caught up with a bus of kids returning to Memphis from the camp weekend and traveled with them back to Memphis.
It was rather an elegant little travel plan that emerged from a marriage of my desire to get to Austin and my laziness that kept from me from finding someone else to chaperone the camp bus. It was a fun weekend!
Finally, the big mistake. I started watching the movie "The Neverending Story" last week. I'm still watching it. This story never ends!!! Just kidding, of course, but I have always found it funny in the video store that there is a Neverending Story II. How could you possibly need a sequel if the first one never ends? And how would anyone ever get around to watching it?
Alright, settle down now. There's more here to enjoy than just exciting play-by-play coverage of this site's visitor count. I was on the road this weekend on a sort of ziggybackride history tour.
I left my hometown of Memphis, TN, where I grew up and live currently, on Friday and spent some time that afternoon in Jackson, MS, visiting my old office, co-workers, and friends there. I proceeded out of "urban Mississippi" and into the suburbs of Utica, MS, where I spent the night at Henry S. Jacobs Camp, where I have spent some significant portion of over 20 summers of my life, plus some time in the winter months, too. There, I helped staff a weekend event for 6th-8th graders from around the region. I woke up early Saturday morning and flew out of Jackson (the Utica airport just ain't what it used to be) to Austin, TX, where I visited with friends from the camp and from my days in school at UT Austin. That night, I attended a celebration for a student affairs professional that is retiring after a long tenure shaping student life at The University. It was great to have the opportunity to show him my appreciation and to see many very close friends who were there to do the same and with whom I hope to keep in better contact from now on (and I'm not just saying that because they might be reading this!). That night, I slept in the apartment of some camp friends who are in school at UT. It sounds like it's funny that I, a mildly successful 29 year old professional would crash on the couch of a college apartment, but in truth, they keep it far cleaner than I keep my house, so it was rather luxurious! I woke up Sunday morning at 5:00 a.m. and caught a shuttle to the airport, flew back to Jackson, got in my car, caught up with a bus of kids returning to Memphis from the camp weekend and traveled with them back to Memphis.
It was rather an elegant little travel plan that emerged from a marriage of my desire to get to Austin and my laziness that kept from me from finding someone else to chaperone the camp bus. It was a fun weekend!
Finally, the big mistake. I started watching the movie "The Neverending Story" last week. I'm still watching it. This story never ends!!! Just kidding, of course, but I have always found it funny in the video store that there is a Neverending Story II. How could you possibly need a sequel if the first one never ends? And how would anyone ever get around to watching it?
Friday, April 08, 2005
Dream Job? Really?
I am looking for a job. Not very actively, but I am looking. I am leaving my current post in June and I don't know what I'll do next. I'm interested in a lot of different possibilities and feel I have a lot of opportunities, so I'm not worried, but the situation has raised my interest in jobs and how to get them.
Naturally, my attention was drawn to an ESPN show called Dream Job, as I am not only a job seeker, but a sports fan. This is the 2nd season of Dream Job. In the first, sportscaster wannabes vied for an opening on the Sportscenter anchor team. My friend Micah came damn close to becoming a finalist in that competition, as a matter of fact, but I digress (surprise, surprise!). This second season of the show has former NBA players competing for the chance to be an NBA commentator for the network. Here's where I become confused and - I'm not gonna lie to you - somewhat angry.
Former NBA players are competing for a "dream job?" Are you kidding me? These guys made millions of dollars playing basketball. I'm sure you understand, but I feel the need to explain further. Their job - their whole job - was to be basketball players. That would qualify as quite close to dream job status even if they were making minimum wage for it, but they weren't. No, they were paid millions of dollars to play the game I love, and now, NOW, they are competing for a dream job?
So my first problem with this is the idea that we should get excited because one of these guys might finally get something we might consider a dream job. The second is that it's not like they are just average joes who happen to think they make good comments during basketball games (like George Costanza) and think they might make a good sportscaster if ever given the chance. As Jerry told George, "Those jobs are usually reserved for people who are in broadcasting or former athletes." To which George responded, "Well... that doesn't seem fair."
George may be right, but Jerry certainly was. Since when do retired professional athletes need a leg up over average guys to have a chance at sportscasting jobs? If ESPN wants to give away dream jobs, open it up to guys who don't already have a really good chance to get that exact job and who haven't already had what everyone else in the world would consider a dream job. Then I'll watch.
Good day to you.
I said good day!
Naturally, my attention was drawn to an ESPN show called Dream Job, as I am not only a job seeker, but a sports fan. This is the 2nd season of Dream Job. In the first, sportscaster wannabes vied for an opening on the Sportscenter anchor team. My friend Micah came damn close to becoming a finalist in that competition, as a matter of fact, but I digress (surprise, surprise!). This second season of the show has former NBA players competing for the chance to be an NBA commentator for the network. Here's where I become confused and - I'm not gonna lie to you - somewhat angry.
Former NBA players are competing for a "dream job?" Are you kidding me? These guys made millions of dollars playing basketball. I'm sure you understand, but I feel the need to explain further. Their job - their whole job - was to be basketball players. That would qualify as quite close to dream job status even if they were making minimum wage for it, but they weren't. No, they were paid millions of dollars to play the game I love, and now, NOW, they are competing for a dream job?
So my first problem with this is the idea that we should get excited because one of these guys might finally get something we might consider a dream job. The second is that it's not like they are just average joes who happen to think they make good comments during basketball games (like George Costanza) and think they might make a good sportscaster if ever given the chance. As Jerry told George, "Those jobs are usually reserved for people who are in broadcasting or former athletes." To which George responded, "Well... that doesn't seem fair."
George may be right, but Jerry certainly was. Since when do retired professional athletes need a leg up over average guys to have a chance at sportscasting jobs? If ESPN wants to give away dream jobs, open it up to guys who don't already have a really good chance to get that exact job and who haven't already had what everyone else in the world would consider a dream job. Then I'll watch.
Good day to you.
I said good day!
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Long Time, No Ride/Write
Hello Ziggybackriders! Oh, how I've missed you. So much has happened since last we were together. Unfortunately, I can't write much now, but boy oh boy, when I can...
In the last few weeks, I've been to Washington, D.C., where I met with several Members of Congress and saw some of my favorite sites in this great nation of ours. I have plenty to tell you about that. I have also helped engineer my Temple's celebration of the Jewish holiday of Purim. For those unfamiliar, I will explain the holiday later, but just know that tax season is to an accountant as Purim is to a synagogue youth director. I'm pooped!
An exciting basketball season has continued for me as a player and as the coach of a high school girls' team, the Temple Israel Lady Rabs. They're not bad! It's fun! Speaking of basketball, I have seen less of the NCAA Basketball Tournament than ever before and that makes me sad, as it is my favorite of all sporting events. I will, however, be watching the NIT Semifinals tonight as my hometown Memphis Tigers take on St. Joe's in hopes of continuing what is now a nine-game NIT win streak and securing a berth in Thursday night's championship game.
Early tomorrow morning, I'm off to Houston, TX, which is a city I could mostly do without. Exceptions to that include that it is the hometown of much of my extended family and many of my college friends from UT Austin, and that tomorrow, it is where my father will be installed as president of all the rabbis of Reform Judaism, worldwide. A nice honor and a big responsibility. Glad I'll get to be there!
Okay, that's it for now. Just wanted you to know I'm still alive (which is saying something considering my next door neighbor was shot right outside my condo the other night while I slept. He, too, is alive and well, but I mean... you know... wow!).
See you soon!
In the last few weeks, I've been to Washington, D.C., where I met with several Members of Congress and saw some of my favorite sites in this great nation of ours. I have plenty to tell you about that. I have also helped engineer my Temple's celebration of the Jewish holiday of Purim. For those unfamiliar, I will explain the holiday later, but just know that tax season is to an accountant as Purim is to a synagogue youth director. I'm pooped!
An exciting basketball season has continued for me as a player and as the coach of a high school girls' team, the Temple Israel Lady Rabs. They're not bad! It's fun! Speaking of basketball, I have seen less of the NCAA Basketball Tournament than ever before and that makes me sad, as it is my favorite of all sporting events. I will, however, be watching the NIT Semifinals tonight as my hometown Memphis Tigers take on St. Joe's in hopes of continuing what is now a nine-game NIT win streak and securing a berth in Thursday night's championship game.
Early tomorrow morning, I'm off to Houston, TX, which is a city I could mostly do without. Exceptions to that include that it is the hometown of much of my extended family and many of my college friends from UT Austin, and that tomorrow, it is where my father will be installed as president of all the rabbis of Reform Judaism, worldwide. A nice honor and a big responsibility. Glad I'll get to be there!
Okay, that's it for now. Just wanted you to know I'm still alive (which is saying something considering my next door neighbor was shot right outside my condo the other night while I slept. He, too, is alive and well, but I mean... you know... wow!).
See you soon!
Thursday, March 10, 2005
The World According to Gum
The world moves so fast. It really does get difficult to keep up with things. The news, technology, diet and exercise crazes, new products - it's almost too much to handle. Sometimes, I think we definitely make it a little harder on ourselves than we need to. That theory was proven true when I went to buy gum the other day.
Even in the realm of chewing gum, the world is spinning out of control. Flavors used to be so simple - fruit, cinnamon, and mint. But we had to make the choice tougher than that. So the mints got divided into pepper and spear. Neither of those names makes sense to me, by the way, but we won't get bogged down in that. Eventually, it became apparent that those beloved old flavors just weren't enough to satisfy the sophisticated tastes of the world's gum chewers.
The big thing I've noticed recently is that all of the gum flavors are sounding colder and colder. I think the move to low-temperature flavored gum must have started with wintergreen. (Again, I don't even know what that flavor is. I like it, but what is it based on? Is that a fruit? A plant? Or did the folks at Life Savers and Wrigley's just get together and make it up?) After a while, I guess wintergreen began to seem stale, so, of course, here comes winter fresh!
But soon our mouths got accustomed to the freshness of winter and the chewing gum industry - always on their toes - responded to this potential crisis with a flurry of wintry cold brands and flavors - Arctic Blast. Polar Ice. Even Ice Breakers. I get cold just walking down the candy aisle now!
I don't know what's next - probably just frozen pieces of metal that we can get our tongues stuck to (like in "A Christmas Story." What a great movie!). I think that would keep our mouths cool. Or maybe they'll start selling little sticks of mint-flavored ice. Now, you'd think those would melt before they even got to you, but you'd be wrong. No, they wouldn't melt. Not with the high tech packaging they're putting gum in now. What's with those individual blister packs for pieces of gum. That's the same kind of packaging as medicine! That's how important chewing gum is in our society. We take care of it as though it has the power to heal. But I guess that in our hectic world, that's the sort of thing we have to do to ease our burden. This way, at least we know our chewing gum is safe. Frosty, therapeutic, and safe!
Even in the realm of chewing gum, the world is spinning out of control. Flavors used to be so simple - fruit, cinnamon, and mint. But we had to make the choice tougher than that. So the mints got divided into pepper and spear. Neither of those names makes sense to me, by the way, but we won't get bogged down in that. Eventually, it became apparent that those beloved old flavors just weren't enough to satisfy the sophisticated tastes of the world's gum chewers.
The big thing I've noticed recently is that all of the gum flavors are sounding colder and colder. I think the move to low-temperature flavored gum must have started with wintergreen. (Again, I don't even know what that flavor is. I like it, but what is it based on? Is that a fruit? A plant? Or did the folks at Life Savers and Wrigley's just get together and make it up?) After a while, I guess wintergreen began to seem stale, so, of course, here comes winter fresh!
But soon our mouths got accustomed to the freshness of winter and the chewing gum industry - always on their toes - responded to this potential crisis with a flurry of wintry cold brands and flavors - Arctic Blast. Polar Ice. Even Ice Breakers. I get cold just walking down the candy aisle now!
I don't know what's next - probably just frozen pieces of metal that we can get our tongues stuck to (like in "A Christmas Story." What a great movie!). I think that would keep our mouths cool. Or maybe they'll start selling little sticks of mint-flavored ice. Now, you'd think those would melt before they even got to you, but you'd be wrong. No, they wouldn't melt. Not with the high tech packaging they're putting gum in now. What's with those individual blister packs for pieces of gum. That's the same kind of packaging as medicine! That's how important chewing gum is in our society. We take care of it as though it has the power to heal. But I guess that in our hectic world, that's the sort of thing we have to do to ease our burden. This way, at least we know our chewing gum is safe. Frosty, therapeutic, and safe!
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Am I the World's Strongest Man?
Maybe not, but I do like watching that competition. You know the one. It's on ESPN at like 2 in the morning and it's big guys with names like Lars and Jan wearing leotards and picking up stuff like barrels and small automobiles, and pulling wagons and sometimes even airplanes.
It's pretty crazy.
It is a little better than weight lifting, though, because the Strongest Man guys are at least lifting real things. Weight lifters are just lifting... weight. It was made for no other purpose than to be lifted. If people would stop making it, we wouldn't have to lift it any more. Anyway... my point is that the stuff they lift in the Strongest Man competition is actual stuff, so there's at least some connection to reality.
It's kind of an Amish reality, though, isn't it? Otherwise, how do you explain a man needing to tow an airplane?
"Pardon me, brother. Can thou help me move my airplane?"
"Why don't you just turn on the engines? It'll move."
"I'm sorry, but no. Thy way is not our way. Is anyone here really strong?"
I shouldn't pick on the Amish, though. It's not very nice. Then again, I'd rather the Amish be mad at me than Lars and Jan.
It's pretty crazy.
It is a little better than weight lifting, though, because the Strongest Man guys are at least lifting real things. Weight lifters are just lifting... weight. It was made for no other purpose than to be lifted. If people would stop making it, we wouldn't have to lift it any more. Anyway... my point is that the stuff they lift in the Strongest Man competition is actual stuff, so there's at least some connection to reality.
It's kind of an Amish reality, though, isn't it? Otherwise, how do you explain a man needing to tow an airplane?
"Pardon me, brother. Can thou help me move my airplane?"
"Why don't you just turn on the engines? It'll move."
"I'm sorry, but no. Thy way is not our way. Is anyone here really strong?"
I shouldn't pick on the Amish, though. It's not very nice. Then again, I'd rather the Amish be mad at me than Lars and Jan.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Stand Up and Win!
Hello Ziggybackriders! It has been far too long since we've been together! You're looking marvelous, though. I don't know how you do it!
I have so much to fill you in on. Where to begin?
I begin with the title of this post. I did stand-up comedy for the first time two weeks ago today. It was so exciting! I have been talking about doing it for a few years. I have actually been ready to get up and try it for a few months, but couldn't find a place. But then it happened. Memphis' own Stop 345/Paddy's Pub had an open mic night. It was nervewracking because all the best comedians talk about how badly their early outings went, but this was great. The material was tight and people laughed. I can't wait to do it again and again! (you are probably wondering what I talked about. You have seen most of the material in my series "The Season For Loving." This was a couple days before Valentine's day so I did all romance-related stuff.)
Last weekend, I was at the wedding of two close friends. Yes, one's a boy and one's a girl. I grew up with the guy at Camp and met the girl on an Israel trip and I actually introduced them. Hooray for me! It was a lot of fun and a very nice wedding weekend. Nice weather, too. It was in Florida.
This week, the Lady Rabs, the high school girls basketball team that I coach picked up their first win. I believe it was just the first of many, though. Stay tuned for more on the Ladies as the season progresses.
In my own basketball news, the team I play for lost for the first time this season. We have been tearing other teams apart all seasong, but were just out of sync from the get-go last night. We lost by two. Coincidentally, I didn't have my jersey, which resulted in a technical foul, from which our opponents got two points. Laundry can make all the difference.
Alright, I think that's quite enough for now. Sorry I've been absent, but the Ride goes on. Thanks for visiting and have a spectacular weekend!
I have so much to fill you in on. Where to begin?
I begin with the title of this post. I did stand-up comedy for the first time two weeks ago today. It was so exciting! I have been talking about doing it for a few years. I have actually been ready to get up and try it for a few months, but couldn't find a place. But then it happened. Memphis' own Stop 345/Paddy's Pub had an open mic night. It was nervewracking because all the best comedians talk about how badly their early outings went, but this was great. The material was tight and people laughed. I can't wait to do it again and again! (you are probably wondering what I talked about. You have seen most of the material in my series "The Season For Loving." This was a couple days before Valentine's day so I did all romance-related stuff.)
Last weekend, I was at the wedding of two close friends. Yes, one's a boy and one's a girl. I grew up with the guy at Camp and met the girl on an Israel trip and I actually introduced them. Hooray for me! It was a lot of fun and a very nice wedding weekend. Nice weather, too. It was in Florida.
This week, the Lady Rabs, the high school girls basketball team that I coach picked up their first win. I believe it was just the first of many, though. Stay tuned for more on the Ladies as the season progresses.
In my own basketball news, the team I play for lost for the first time this season. We have been tearing other teams apart all seasong, but were just out of sync from the get-go last night. We lost by two. Coincidentally, I didn't have my jersey, which resulted in a technical foul, from which our opponents got two points. Laundry can make all the difference.
Alright, I think that's quite enough for now. Sorry I've been absent, but the Ride goes on. Thanks for visiting and have a spectacular weekend!
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
The Season For Loving (IV)
Well, yesterday was Valentine's Day. I hope you had a lovely one! What follows is the final installment of the wildly popular "The Season For Loving" series that has been appearing here in this... well... season for loving. I hope you enjoy it!
Today's Topic: The Shape of My Heart
First of all, yes. I did use a Backstreet Boys song title as today's topic. It's not because I love boy bands. It fits, so BACK OFF!
How did the heart shape that we use to represent love and romance come to be accepted as heart-shaped? You know what I’m talking about? The Valentine’s Day heart (or VDH, as it will henceforth be referred to) looks very little like an actual heart. The resemblance is almost undetectable. So how did the VDH become the way our society pictures the heart? It’s especially funny, I think, because we talk about the heart being the home of our truest feelings.
Oh sure! But try to be truthful about what the heart looks like and it’s, “No! Don’t be silly! That’s not what our hearts look like! What is that, a ventricle? You’re crazy, man. I like you, but you’re… you’re crazy.”
I think there’d be whole new feel to modern romance and Valentine’s Day if we went back to using the real heart. What an image – little baby cupid firing one of his legendary arrows right through the aorta. Valves all aflutter as blood is pumped through that special someone’s cardiovascular system nearby. That’s romance, baby!
It's unlikely, but some of you may recognize this post from the cabinprayers site that I share with friends. But I wrote it, so I'll use it wherever I please, thank you!
Today's Topic: The Shape of My Heart
First of all, yes. I did use a Backstreet Boys song title as today's topic. It's not because I love boy bands. It fits, so BACK OFF!
How did the heart shape that we use to represent love and romance come to be accepted as heart-shaped? You know what I’m talking about? The Valentine’s Day heart (or VDH, as it will henceforth be referred to) looks very little like an actual heart. The resemblance is almost undetectable. So how did the VDH become the way our society pictures the heart? It’s especially funny, I think, because we talk about the heart being the home of our truest feelings.
Oh sure! But try to be truthful about what the heart looks like and it’s, “No! Don’t be silly! That’s not what our hearts look like! What is that, a ventricle? You’re crazy, man. I like you, but you’re… you’re crazy.”
I think there’d be whole new feel to modern romance and Valentine’s Day if we went back to using the real heart. What an image – little baby cupid firing one of his legendary arrows right through the aorta. Valves all aflutter as blood is pumped through that special someone’s cardiovascular system nearby. That’s romance, baby!
It's unlikely, but some of you may recognize this post from the cabinprayers site that I share with friends. But I wrote it, so I'll use it wherever I please, thank you!
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