Tuesday August 26, 2003

Okay, I guess I’m doing these once per week. Dunno.

Well, the Fantasy Football Draft was last night. That bastard Ed screwed me again. Took both William Green and Amos Zereoue right before my picks. Other than that, everything went pretty well…

For the first time, ever, I think, I got a top 3 quarterback in Daunte Culpepper, so that in itself should be interesting. Watch him get hurt now. I got Shaun Alexander as I expected, but have to go with Trung Candidate as my backup runner. Maybe if some of my other runners or receivers get good, I can trade for someone. Other than that, pretty uneventful in terms of draft.

Typical draft night, I bring 300 sheets of paper, and end up using 1 sheet. Great. You can’t drink, smoke, eat, draft, and be commissioner at the same time. The best part of last night was the setup for the draft. Jules sectioned off an area in the back, and made it like a banquet table. The draft board was at one end, and we were able to keep the smoking at the north side. Although I think only Toshi and Wayne (and Jules’s son, Anthony) are non-smokers. Ed may not be, but he always has to bust on Jim and confer and such, so he was down at their end.

Dave got along with everyone. Not sure if he drafted really well, but he got along with everyone. I forgot that he was on the Christmas Golf Outing, so he already knew Greg and Doug. Everyone showed up, and everyone showed up on time, which was so cool. And I didn’t have to work the sticker board, I was able to just sit at my chair and write down the picks. It’s good to know where people were drafted, but not sure if I would do it that way again as sportsline.com makes you enter everyone by team. It would be easier to just put four running backs in, rather than do it by round.

So I wolfed down a burger. (Maybe I should eat before next year). I drank four beers. Dead tired today. Smoked an Excalibur cigar, which was sweet, no bad taste in my mouth. I should get them all the time. Joked with the guys. And drafted a crappy team, with no players that I like. I was pushing for Seattle, St. Louis, and Cleveland Guys. And ended up all over the board, Seattle, Minnesota, Washington, Buffalo, Oakland, Pittsburgh, St. Louis

Wednesday August 20, 2003

Well, it’s that time again. A typical Wednesday morning, where I’m paranoid about the weekly meeting. I shouldn’t be, I guess. Just scared, ya know.

I just wanna put down some daily thoughts as to what happened. Not really a journal, just stuff, ya know.

The big thing that happened yesterday was that we all went over to Suzanne’s parents house to celebrate Dean’s birthday. Suzanne had a good day and was much more happy about the argument with Mom on Sunday night. Less blaming herself, and more open to the idea that it had to happened.

Anyway, on the way through the tolls, I was heading for a lane which I thought was an EZ Pass Lane. I realize that it wasn’t, and started to move back towards an EZ Pass lane. It wasn’t even as if I had to merge between cars, as the lane was open. Suzanne pipes up with, “It’s all right, all of the lanes are EZ Pass.” I give her a “You sure” look or comment, I don’t remember which, and she says yes.

Well, of course, it was not an EZ Pass lane, and I didn’t have the $12.80 needed to pay the toll. So we had to go over to the admin building. Get the slip to send the money to Harrisburg, and an EZ Pass Reimbursement slip. Sheesh. So she is pretty dead, as you can imagine. I’ll be bringing this up quite often, and torture her with it.

Other than that, everything went fine with the dinner. Usual Beyer family feast, steak and salmon, potato salad, baked beans, sweet potatoes, veggies, salad, and rolls. And then at dessert we had this Raspberry Cheese Pie, which was just cheesecake in a pie crust with Smuckers Raspberry Jelly on the bottom. Of course Barbara thought it was stupendous. Suzanne said that it came from Pennswood where Barbara works, and so naturally she thinks it’s great. I should have stuck with the pudding, angel food cake, and fruit.

We talked with Suzanne’s parents and they are coming over on Saturday night. Mr. Beyer is going to help me with the ladder and the gutters. Actually, he’s probably going to do it. I wish I wasn’t scared of heights and ladders more specifically. Anyway… We’ll make dinner for her family on Saturday night. Haven’t figured out what yet.

Oh, the other two things I found out yesterday was about the audio books. I just finished Great Expectations last week, so was eager to get a new book. I got the new edition of the Gunslinger by Steven King. It seems good. Needed a break from classic literature, and it’s a good change, as I’ve wanted to read this one. But I found out the guy who read Great Expectations, Frank Muller, was in a bad motorcycle accident. Apparently, he’s considered one of the best audio book readers in the world. I have to agree as I feel that he made me like Great Expectations even more than I would have, had I read it myself.

I am definitely going to check his work out in the future. Right now, I’ll stick with what I got. Gunslinger got good this morning.

Well, upcoming is the fantasy football draft. Still unsure as to who is going to be there. I think there’s a decent possibility that Jim is looking at Shaun Alexander at 4, based on conversations with him. He didn’t seem to be fond of Priest Holmes either, but knowing Jim he’s still turning it over in his head. I guess I’m looking at Marshall Faulk, Shaun Alexander, and Duce McAllister at the 5th pick. Second round is tougher, who knows wo could fall, especially with Michael Vick breaking his leg last weekend. I know William Green will be there, but who else… Third round, I’m hoping for Kurt Warner, which is a good possibility, but maybe less so with Vick going down.

Tonight, I may have to get Brian to come over the house and help with the final touches to the draft board. I want to put legs on the bottom to make it stand upright without falling over.

Other than that, I’m looking forward to a quiet night at home. (Cause I’m going to Bertucci’s with Dad on Thursday). Maybe go on Nifty, but that’s about it.

That’s about it from me, I think.

Cheers,

Robert