The Washington Capitals vs. History

The Washington Capitals won their 14th in a row yesterday, besting the Stanley Cup Champion Penguins 5-4 in overtime. The Capitals find themselves atop the entire NHL with 88 points, have only lost 6 times at home (3 times in regulation) and have the best player in the world in Captain Alex Ovechkin at the top in points and goals.

Sounds great doesn’t it?

Well, as someone who has been a fan of the Capitals since the mid to late 90’s knows, the Washington Capitals have a “history”. And, come April when the NHL Playoffs get under way, the Capitals are not only going to be battling whatever opposing team is on the ice, but they will be battling their “history” as well.

The recent success of the team has brought a whole slew of new fans into the Verizon Center, and has boosted Comcast SportsNet’s Capitals television ratings 150 percent.

What these new fans are unaccustomed to is the history that I speak of.

You can’t start talking about the Capitals past without bringing up their first season in the NHL in 1974-75. Their record that year was 8 wins, 67 losses and 5 ties for a grand total of 21 points in an 80 game schedule. To put that record into perspective, currently the Capitals have won 14 in a row, which is 28 points and 7 more than the 1974-75 team. It is the worst record in NHL history to this day. The Capitals failed to get more than 70 points for their first 8 seasons of existence.

Before the 1982-83 season, the Capitals decided change needed to be made. So, a blockbuster trade occurred (some regard it as the biggest trade in franchise history) and it sent defenseman Rick Green and center/left wing Ryan Walter to the Montreal Canadiens for center Doug Jarvis, right wing Craig Laughlin, defenseman Brian Engblom, and defenseman Rod Langway. Langway would blossom in Washington and the team would qualify for the playoffs for all 11 seasons he was with the team.

So the 1982-83 season began, and the Capitals finished third in the Patrick Division and made the playoffs for the first time in their franchise’s history. They ended up bowing out in the first round though, losing to the New York Islanders 3 games to 1. The Islanders went on to win their fourth straight Stanley Cup that year.

In 1983-84, the Capitals finished second in the Patrick Division with 101 points, the first time a Capitals team surpassed the 100 point mark, and won their first playoff series versus the Philadelphia Flyers (3 games to none). They then lost to the Islanders yet again (in 5 games) in the Patrick Division Finals. Still, there was something to cheer about in Washington, DC with some playoff success.

1984-85, the Capitals would surpass the 100 point mark yet again, but also lose to the Islanders (again), this time in the first round. Fans in DC were starting to see a trend here: regular season success did NOT equal postseason success.

1985-86 saw the Capitals, winners of 50 games in the regular season, beat the New York Islanders after three previous playoff series losses. They swept them 3 games to none in the first round and outscored them 11-4 in the three games. But, the next series was versus the other team in New York, the Rangers, and they ousted the Capitals in 6 games. The “history” and pain we know today was starting.

In 1986-87, the Capitals would qualify second in the Patrick Divison with 38 wins, 32losses and 10 ties. They would face the New York Islanders for the fifth consecutive year in the postseason, and would lose what many Capitals fans consider one of the toughest series losses in team history. The Capitals had the better record going into the playoffs, so they had home ice. The teams would end up splitting the first two games in DC, and the series was headed to Long Island tied 1 to 1. The Capitals would then take games 3 and 4 and have a 3 games to 1 lead going back to DC. All they had to do was win one of the next three games to take the series. It was not to be, as the Capitals dropped three straight games, including the epic 4 overtime game 7. My dad was actually in attendance for this game, and he remembers the game lasting until after 2 in the morning. After the Islanders Pat LaFontaine shot the puck at the net and it clanged off of the post and into the net, thousands of tired DC fans shuffled out the doors and made their way home in a hush. Maybe the team was cursed?

For the next few years the Capitals had many successes, coming back when down 3 games to 1 to the Flyers in 1987-88 to win in seven games but then losing to the New Jersey Devils 4 games to 3 (dropping ANOTHER game 7 on home ice). They also saw hatred for the Penguins, losing in 1992-93 and 1994-95 after being up 3 games to 1. Good feelings were quickly turned to heartbreak for fans of Capitals. Why could we not go all the way?

Well, some call it a curse. Others call it a case of “choking dogs” as Washington Post writer Tony Kornheiser coined after the horrific 1996 playoff series loss to the Penguins after the Capitals were up 2 games to none.

Then in 1997-98, led by goaltender Olie “the goalie” Kolzig, the Capitals finally made their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals. Kolzig played out of his mind, singlehandedly stealing victory after victory for the Capitals. But, the Detroit Red Wings would prove to be too much in the Finals, and they swept the Caps 4games to none.

Then, it was downhill. The Capitals would make the playoffs three of the next 4 years, only to lose to the Penguins twice and the Tampa Bay Lightning once. Because the Capitals finished in last place in the NHL in 2003-04, they possessed the first overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft. With that pick, they chose a Russian left winger named Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin would have to wait a full year to play in the NHL as in 2004-05 the NHL had its first lockout.

When the NHL resumed their games in 2005-06, DC had better things on their minds then hockey. It showed too, as night after night the Capitals would take the ice to a 50 percent or less crowd in Verizon Center, sometimes with more fans of the opposing teams than the Capitals themselves. Not only were no fans there to watch, but the team itself was not very good winning only 29 games and finishing last in the Southeast Division. But, they did have one shining star: their first round pick Alex Ovechkin was lighting up the score sheet leading all rookies in goals and points, and finishing third overall in NHL scoring with 52 goals and 54 assists. He would go on to win the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year, beating out Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby (first overall pick in the 2004-05 NHL Entry Draft).

Then, in 2007-08 the Washington Capitals, with their new uniforms incorporating the old red logo, would shake things up and General Manager George McPhee would fire then head coach Glen Hanlon and move minor league coach Bruce Boudreau into “interim” status. The word “interim” was short-lived as the Capitals won the Southeast Division on the last day of the season and made the playoffs. Verizon Center was “Rockin’ the Red” and DC was starting to notice that they did in fact have the best player in the world playing for their hockey team. Ovechkin would finish the regular season with 65 goals, an NHL best for left wingers. They would lose to the Flyers in seven games on home ice, but it is worth noting that they were down 3 games to 1 before tying the series back up. Still though, when would this team catch a break?

Last year saw the Capitals won their first playoff series since their Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 1997-98, beating the Rangers in seven games after being down 3 games to 1. FINALLY, there was some playoff success in Washington and something to cheer about yet again. Finally they caught a break. The old fans from the late 70’s were cheering. The new fans who love to root for a winner were cheering. DC was becoming a hockey town.

Well, in waltzed the Pittsburgh Penguins and Captain Sidney Crosby. This was what the NHL wanted: two of the most dynamic hockey players on the planet, on the same sheet of ice, in the playoffs. It did not get any better than this. The series did not fail to deliver.

Game 1 was a wild one, and the Capitals survived 3-2. Memorable from this game was goaltender Semyon (Simeon at the time) Varlamov’s diving stick save on Crosby, robbing him of a tip in goal. Game 2 saw both Ovechkin and Crosby trade off hat tricks, but the Capitals would win the game 4-3. Pittsburgh would then take the next three games and go up 3 games to 2. That choking feeling was returning in Washington. Well, game 6 was a do or die situation and the Caps would win in overtime off of a goal by Dave Steckel to send it back to DC for an epic game 7.

Well, by “epic” I did not mean a 6-2 series loss. What a series it was, but to have it end that way was once again heartbreaking. The arch nemesis Pittsburgh Penguins had come into DC in a game 7 must win, and they won. The game was all but over after the first period and you could almost feel the air being let out in Verizon Center.

“History” is something the Capitals will have to face until Ovechkin is hoisting the Cup over his head. It is something that is almost seemingly impossible to beat (just ask the Chicago Cubs), but something that is doable (just ask the Boston Red Sox).

Can they do it this year? It’s going to be a wild ride.

My predictions for the Oscars - Re-visited

Well, the OFFICIAL nominations are now available for this year's Oscars.

"(500) Days of Summer" was completely SNUBBED not getting ONE nomination. Shame on you Academy.

Of course the love affair that the WORLD has for James Cameron proved true for the Academy as "Avatar" produced 9 nominations, including best picture and director.

One thing is for certain, Rachel and I will be watching a few movies before the March 7th show. We have this tradition where we both watch all of the Best Picture nominees. I only have to watch "The Hurt Locker", "A Serious Man" and "An Education" while Rachel needs to check out those three films as well as "Avatar".

Here are my predictions mixed in with the actual nominations:

Best Film Editing

Me
- Avatar
- Inglourious Basterds
- Precious
- (500) Days of Summer
- Up in the Air

Academy
- Avatar
- Inglourious Basterds
- Precious
- District 9
- The Hurt Locker

Hey, look at me. I picked three correctly! I still think "Precious" will win this award, but "Inglourious Basterds" or "The Hurt Locker" could pull the win.


Best Original Screenplay

Me
- (500) Days of Summer
- Up
- Avatar
- District 9
- Inglourious Basterds

Academy
- The Hurt Locker
- Up
- The Messenger
- A Serious Man
- Inglourious Basterds

Here I got two right and I am sticking with "Basterds" FTW. Surprised at "A Serious Man" going up. It's A Coen Brothers movie though, so I am sure it's a great script.

NOTE: I chose District 9 in the Original Screenplay not knowing that it was actually an Adapted Screenplay. It is going up for the Oscar so I win.

Best Adapted Screenplay

Me
- Up in the Air
- The Lovely Bones
- Precious
- Where the Wild Things Are
- Watchmen

Academy
- Up in the Air
- An Education
- Precious
- In the Loop
- District 9

I am still going to go with Precious winning in this category but I was VERY surprised to see the Academy leave out "Where the Wild Things Are". Too smart of a movie for them I guess.

Best Supporting Actress

Me
- Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"
- Mo'Nique, "Precious"
- Diane Kruger, "Inglourious Basterds"
- Paula Patton, "Precious"
- Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"

Academy
- Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"
- Mo'Nique, "Precious"
- Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Crazy Heart"
- Penelope Cruz, "Nine"
- Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"

I got three here as well. There is no question that Mo'Nique will win this award. No question at all. It's unfortunate because I liked Anna Kendrick's performance a lot.

Best Supporting Actor

Me
- Mark Wahlberg, "The Lovely Bones"
- Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"
- Stanley Tucci "The Lovely Bones"
- Geoffrey Arrend, "(500) Days of Summer"
- Zach Galifianakis, "The Hangover"

Academy
- Matt Damon, "Invictus"
- Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"
- Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"
- Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"
- Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"

Only got two here. It would be something if Christoph Waltz did not walk away with the Oscar.

Best Actress

Me
- Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"
- Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious"
- Amy Adams, "Julie & Julia"
- Alison Lohman, "Drag Me To Hell"
- Saoirse Ronan, "The Lovely Bones"

Academy
- Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"
- Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious"
- Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"
- Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia"
- Carey Mulligan, "An Education"

Only two here as well. Still think Gabourey Sidibe gets the win. The Academy LOVES Meryl Streep though, and I am not diminishing her work in "Julie & Julia", but in my opinion her performance was more of an imitation than acting. It's possible that because the person she was portraying, Julia Childs, is often imitated. Ah well.

Best Actor

Me
- George Clooney, "Up in the Air"
- Max Records, "Where the Wild Things Are"
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "(500) Days of Summer"
- Adam Sandler, "Funny People"
- Robert Downey Jr., "Sherlock Holmes"

Academy
- George Clooney, "Up in the Air"
- Colin Firth, "A Single Man"
- Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"
- Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"
- Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"

Wow, I only picked one correct here. I have only actually seen one of these five performances, but from what I have heard Jeff Bridges is pretty good in "Crazy Heart". Good for Jeremy Renner though.

Best Director

Me
- Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"
- Spike Jonze, "Where the Wild Things Are"
- Marc Webb, "(500) Days of Summer"
- J.J. Abrams, "Star Trek"
- Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"

Academy
- Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"
- Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"
- Lee Daniels, "Precious"
- James Cameron, "Avatar"
- Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"

I only chose two correctly here, and it is highly unfortunate for Tarantino that James Cameron (loved by everyone EVERYWHERE) will win this award. I would be VERY surprised if someone else walked away with the Oscar here.

Best Film

Me
- Inglourious Basterds
- Up in the Air
- (500) Days of Summer
- Avatar
- Precious

Academy
- Inglourious Basterds
- Up in the Air
- District 9
- Avatar
- Precious
- A Serious Man
- An Education
- The Blind Side
- The Hurt Locker
- Up

I messed up and only chose 5 movies in a category that the Academy expanded to ten movies this year. "Avatar" is going to win, hands down. It's unfortunate that the competition this year is not that great as this award is really only a four movie race between "Basterds", "Precious", "The Hurt Locker" and "Avatar".

NOTE: While I did enjooy "The Blind Side" and "District 9", they have no business going up for Best Film in my opinion. I know that's the point of expanding the category, to give other films some recognition. It's almost laughable though to put "The Blind Side" up against "Precious".

My predictions for the Oscars

Tomorrow is February 2nd, 2010. Three things happen tomorrow that are major.

1) At 7 pm tomorrow, the Washington Capitals go into Boston to face the Bruins. The Capitals, winnners of 10 in a row, will try and do something that no other Capital team has ever done... win 11 games in a row.

2) At 8 pm the final season of Lost begins. The first hour is a recap of the first five seasons, and then at 9 pm the two hour premiere. Cannot wait.

3) Earlier tomorrow morning (8:30 am to be exact) the Oscar nominations will be released. Why they do it SOO early is beyond me (8:30 am Eastern time, so 5:30 am Western time). Anyway, Rachel and I are very excited as Oscar night is "the best night of the year" according to Rachel.

I thought I would take my own personal stab at the nominations and even pick winners before the official list is released tomorrow. Keep in mind that I did NOT see some of the movies that will probably be nominated (yet) so I will only do this from the movies I have seen (except where noted). Here goes (my predictions for the win will be in bold):

Best Film Editing
- Avatar
- Inglourious Basterds
- Precious
- (500) Days of Summer
- Up in the Air

I think that "Inglourious Basterds" had some very good film editing (especially the shootout scene in the pub). "(500) Days of Summer" also was a standout here as well. "Avatar" is almost a given for a nomination as James Cameron will get EVERY nomination (and probably will win) for any visual award. My pick for "Precious" is a special pick. The editing was very well done, and helped the subpar direction (in my opinion). Key scenes were all of the dream sequences, and especially some of the scenes with Mo'Nique. Helped the movie along, and made it that much more "real".

Best Original Screenplay
- (500) Days of Summer
- Up (Haven't seen it, but I know it will be nominated)
- Avatar
- District 9
- Inglourious Basterds

All were good movies, but Quentin Tarantino should pick up another Original Screenplay Oscar for his work on "Basterds". Great dialogue drives this film and never once was I bored throughout it's 2.5 plus hours.

Best Adapted Screenplay
- Up in the Air
- The Lovely Bones
- Precious
- Where the Wild Things Are
- Watchmen

I would love to see "Where the Wild Things Are" get a nomination and the win, but Precious is this years "Slumdog Millionaire" and will surprise.

Best Supporting Actress
- Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"
- Mo'Nique, "Precious"
- Diane Kruger, "Inglourious Basterds"
- Paula Patton, "Precious"
- Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"

No contest here for Mo'Nique in the best performance of the year.

Best Supporting Actor
- Mark Wahlberg, "The Lovely Bones"
- Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"
- Stanley Tucci "The Lovely Bones"
- Geoffrey Arrend, "(500) Days of Summer"
- Zach Galifianakis, "The Hangover"

Also no contest. Cristoph Waltz was haunting as "The Jew Hunter". He'll be walking away with the Oscar. Wahlberg once again showed his talents as the dad who would stop at NOTHING to find his daughters murderer. Zach Galifianakis was spot on in "The Hangover". Tucci's performance actually scared me, which it was supposed to do, so he will get a nomination.

Best Actress
- Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"
- Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious"
- Amy Adams, "Julie & Julia"
- Alison Lohman, "Drag Me To Hell"
- Saoirse Ronan, "The Lovely Bones"

Like I said, "Precious" will be this years "Slumdog" and I think Gabourey Sidibe is going to be this years Jennifer Hudson. Props go to Alison Lohman, who played a very believable "damsel in distress" in the horror film "Drag Me To Hell". Saoraise Ronan was also very good in "The Lovely Bones", and should get a nomination in my opinion.

Best Actor
- George Clooney, "Up in the Air"
- Max Records, "Where the Wild Things Are"
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "(500) Days of Summer"
- Adam Sandler, "Funny People"
- Robert Downey Jr., "Sherlock Holmes"

More than likely the Academy will go with George Clooney, but Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance was very believable. Something about his chemistry with Zoeey Deschanel. Max Records turned in an unbelievable performance as well, but unfortunately will not be recognized by the Academy.

Best Director
- Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"
- Spike Jonze, "Where the Wild Things Are"
- Marc Webb, "(500) Days of Summer"
- J.J. Abrams, "Star Trek"
- Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"

Quentin SHOULD win this award as kind of a career achievement. I left out the direcor of "Precious" as there were some key moments in that film where the direction was lacking (in my opinion). Unfortunately that director will probably win.

Best Film
- Inglourious Basterds
- Up in the Air
- (500) Days of Summer
- Avatar
- Precious

I don't know why, but at this point the best film I saw all year was "(500) Days of Summer". I guess it has something to do with the acting (which was great), the direction (equally great), and the music. I especially loved the scene when Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character is walking to work and singing with all of the people. Something about this film just struck me. "Precious" and "Inglourious Basterds" are very close, but I know I will turn some heads by thinking "(500) Days of Summer" was the best film in 2009.

"That shot hit Hillen up high. Oh mercy."

Last night the Capitals took the ice against the New York Islanders and won 7-2. 7 goals, and NO points for Alex Ovechkin. Hard to believe right?

Well, that's not the point of this post.

Late in the first period, Ovechkin collected the puck on the powerplay and fired it at the net, striking Islanders Defensemen Jack Hillen up high. Hillen instantly fell to the ice and the whistle was blown. A hush fell over the crowd as Islanders team staff were escorted on the ice, and then a stretcher was pulled out. After about 2 min or so, Hillen got up under his own power and skated to the locker room, not needing the stretcher (hey, he's a hockey player).

Watch here:


Today there are reports that Hillen was rushed to the hospital and he suffered a broken jaw and lost some teeth. He will miss 6-8 weeks, which is a huge dissapointment for the Islanders which are a team fighting for the playoffs.

Not a pleasant sight indeed, but it got me wondering...

In this particular instance Hillen was not laying out his body to block the shot, he was just unlucky. In many other instances, players do whatever it takes to get their body in front of a 100 plus MPH slap shot and try and block it away. How crazy is that?

For example, Capitals rugged fourth liner Quintin Laing took a puck to the face and also broke his jaw back on November 17, 2009. Video below (go to about 1 min into the video):


Known on the Capitals team as a shot blocker, Laing did whatever it took to not let the shot through. In this instance, that meant laying out his body and using his FACE to block it. Like Hillen, Laing suffered a broken jaw and missed considerable time. But unlike Hillen, Laing meant to block the shot.

I have played some hockey in my time and have been hit with a puck and a one of those hockey ball things. I remember once taking a shot to my shin and playing it off, only to have a huge welt there for days after. But, that shot was nowhere near the velocity of an Ovechkin shot. I cannot even begin to fathom taking a slap shot to the face. It's lucky these guys walk away with ONLY a broken jaw.

Last night Ovechkin skated over to Hillen, after the shot, and visibly felt terrible. Unfortunately, it's a part of the game and it rears its ugly head every now and then. Here's to hoping Jack Hillen has a speedy recovery and is back out on the ice this season.

Neti Pot

Well, I would blog all about the weekend except that Rachel did that already (here).

What I AM here to write about is my first Neti Pot experience.

Yesterday I went to get lunch with Scott at Wegmans (read here to see how I feel about Wegmans). While at lunch Scott started telling me how he has recently been getting headaches, and that they have been deemed by his doctor as sinus headaches. I too have been getting a lot of headaches, and taking ibuprofen to combat them. I didn't even really think about the fact that it could be a sinus issue... that is until I talked with Scott.

He recommended I try using a Neti Pot. For those who don't know what that is, it's a little pot with a spout attached to it (kind of looks like a plant watering can). Anyway, what you do is you pour a packet of this saline solution (essentially salt) into the pot, and then mix it with water. Then, you literally take the spout and put in your nostril and pour the mixture into your nasal passage. The water will then pass through the passage and come out the other nostril. You do all of this while leaning over the sink basin and opening your mouth so you can breathe. Once done pouring all of the water into one nostril, you repeat the process in the other nostril.

It doesn't sound like the most appealing thing, but let me tell you that it is quite refreshing if you are like me and have sinus issues/congestion. Let's see if it helps with the recent stint of headaches that I have been having too. I sure hope so.

Unleash the fury.

A love affair is happening in our Nation's Capital. No, President Obama is not cheating on Michelle.

No no, Dan Snyder and newly acquired Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan are not sleeping together (at least I don't think they are).

I am referring to the red-clad fans that pour into Verizon Center two to three times a week to watch their beloved Washington Capitals.

Finally, after years of "rebuilding", DC is on the map when it comes to hockey and the Capitals are near the top in the NHL. As of this morning, they lead the Eastern Conference with 68 points, one point ahead of the Martin Brodeur-led New Jersey Devils going into tonights games.

You want goals? You want lots and lots of goals? Look no further than the Caps, who have scored an NHL leading 185 goals. The second place team, the San Jose Sharks, have 14 fewer goals but have played two more games.

You want locker room drama? Nope, not going to find that here. Besides a head-turning trade on December 28 that saw captain Chris Clark and defensemen Milan Jurcina go to Columbus for 30 year old Jason Chimera, the Capitals locker room has remained drama-free. Goaltender Semyon Varlamov has missed some time over the past month because of injuries, but the Capitals keep motoring on.

Because of the departure of their captain to Columbus, the Capitals went a handful of games wondering who would take the "C". Would it be fan favorite and emerging leader Brooks Laich? Or new teammate Mike Knuble? Maybe Tom Poti would take the reigns. Or, the logical choice, back to back MVP Alex Ovechkin.

On January 6, Ovechkin took the ice wearing the "C". He became the Capitals first European-born captain, and had the endorsement of the entire team.

"He's been the face of the franchise for a long time and it's well-deserved and well-earned," defenseman Tom Poti said.

Tomas Fleischmann, fourth on the team in goals with 16, added: "We wanted it to be him to be captain."

In Alex Ovechkin's rookie season, 2005, you could look around Verizon Center and notice many empty seats and sometimes entire sections without fans. "It was bad," forward Brooks Laich reflected. "We would look up in the stands and the running joke with the players and coaches used to be, 'Hey, It's Dress Like A Seat Night.' "

Well, "dress like an empty seat night" has turned into "dress in all red and go absolutely crazy night"... aka Rock the Red.

DC is such a tough place to play for opposing teams that the Capitals own the best home record in hockey, going 17-3-3 there. And, if the Caps continue playing the way they are, the Cup run for any team will have to go through DC.

Yes people, there is a love affair in DC and it's for the Washington Capitals. Here's to hoping this affair lasts all the way up to the Stanley Cup being hoisted for the first time in Washington, DC.

Let's Go Caps!

We are pretty lucky

I am here to talk about Wegmans. Most people who live in Baltimore City/County know that Hunt Valley houses a Wegmans grocery store. And we are better people because of it. For the holidays, one of my co-workers so graciously gave me a $20 gift card to Wegmans. I had not really gone to Wegmans in awhile because I normally do my everyday grocery shopping at either the brand new Giant across from the Fairgrounds, Food Lion, or at Target. Plus, Rachel does not like Wegmans (makes her feel overwhelmed).

So, on Christmas Eve Day I decided to use my gift card and have lunch at Wegmans. I brought a book I was reading and a hungry stomach to the store, and left with a smile. I decided to go with a turkey wrap. You have three choices on what kind of wrap, so I went with the wheat wrap. Then I had them put on some provolone cheese, olives, lettuce, tomato, and some honey mustard. I also got some soup (chicken noodle). It was a very cold day out, so soup seemed appropriate. Then I got a green tea Wegmans brand drink, and paid. Yes, it was a little expensive (I think it was $9 and some change) but it was worth every penny. For those of you who have not gone to Wegmans, it has an upstairs for people to eat lunch/dinner (and maybe even breakfast?!) that overlooks one half of the massive grocery store. I went up, food and book in hand, and ate every last bite of my meal. Tasty, fresh, and filling. Afterwards, I walked around the store to check out their tea section and ended up buying two boxes of tea (decaf vanilla chai and decaf orange). I contemplated the variety of food samples they so graciously offer, but was too full from my amazing meal to indulge. Thinking about it now almost 4 weeks later, that was one of the better meals I have eaten in awhile. Derek and I got lunch there on Saturday, and it was also just as tasty.

When it comes to regular food shopping, it's definitely easier to go to Giant, but for lunch or fresh ingredients (and organic foods... they have a huge assortment), Wegmans is where it's at.

Paul Thomas Anderson's "Magnolia"

I watched a very compelling and one of the most interesting pieces of film I have ever seen last night: Magnolia. I know, I know, I am over ten years (!) late to the party on this movie, but I have always been that way about things. I sort of stumble upon things. Anyways, I digress.

Magnolia opens with three coincidences that occurred in the past.

One is the robbery and murder of a man by three people with the last names Green, Berry, and Hill. The area where the murder occurred ending up being called Greenberry Hill.

Then there is the case of the blackjack dealer who also likes to scuba dive. One night while dealing cards, a patron ends up not getting the hand he had hoped for, and jumps over the table to fight the blackjack dealer. Later, this same patron is piloting a firefighting airplane that fills its tank with water in the same lake that the blackjack dealer he previously fought is swimming in. Accidentally, the airplane scoops up the blackjack dealer while filling up with water and the dealer dies of a heart attack. Hearing this news and feeling guilt, the patron/pilot commits suicide.

Lastly, a 17 year old boy attempts suicide but is instead shot by his unsuspecting mother as he tumbles to his death. This 17 year olds parents fight constantly, and even threaten each other with an unloaded shotgun. Not being able to take it any longer, the boy loads the shotgun hoping that the next time his parents fight and they "threaten" each other with the shotgun that one of them actually pulls the trigger and kills the other. Little does he know that at the SAME moment the 17 year old decides to jump from the roof of his apartment complex, his mother actually does take a shot at her husband (not knowing the gun is ACTUALLY loaded) and the father dodges the shot, but the son who is falling right by the window to his supposed death is struck by the shotgun blast and killed instantly. Had he not loaded the gun in hopes that his parents would shoot one another, he would have survived his fall because of a net at the bottom of the building for some window washers that he did not know existed.

The narrator, who has been taking us through these events, then says "...this is not just 'Something That Happened.' This cannot be 'One of those things...' These strange things happen all the time."

Goosebumps formed on my arm at this point.

What followed were a slew of characters and events all interconnected (ala Crash or Traffic). The thing is, Magnolia was made before all of these.

There isn't really a moment when everything comes together (like in a Seinfeld episode) and all of the characters meet one another and figure it all out. No, not this time around.

But, there is a part when frogs start raining from the skies. And, Tom Cruise yells "Respect the Cock" in one of his best on-screen performances.

Like I said before, I stumble upon things. For example, the band Brand New released "The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me" and it got great buzz. I listened, never hearing Brand New before that, and then listened to the rest of their albums, missing out on them when they first hit the scene.

The same thing happened with Magnolia, me stumbling upon the film because of a book I am reading called "Rebels on the Backlot" which discussed six directors from the 90's who changed Hollywood.

From the opening frame to the closing frame, Magnolia is a film you will not be able to look away from. The performances are spectacular (with John C. Reilly standing out as a policemen who likes to narrate to himself when on the job like he's on an episode of COPS). If you haven't seen it, check it out.

The stress that is Linus

Linus is our cat. He is named after one of the most manipulative characters in history, Benjamin Linus from Lost. His name suits him well.

Every morning he scratches at our bedroom door within an hour of when I am supposed to get up. I am a light sleeper, so the second he starts the scratching, I wake up. Rachel is like a rock and doesn't budge. Sometimes I can get back to sleep after he gives up the scratching, but sometimes it's so close to the real time I am supposed to be up that I just lay there.

Once I am up, I take a shower and Linus sits on the bathtub ledge looking into the shower at the water. I don't know what it is about water, but he LOVES watching it go down the drain or run down the shower curtain. Sometimes though, he gets adventurous and decides that he wants to try and get into the shower with me. This has happened a handful of times, and the outcome is always humorous. He will jump in, start getting soaked and look for a way out. Then, because the shower curtain is in the way, he will have trouble getting out so I have to reach down and pick him up, dripping wet, and put him on the bathroom floor. Normally he is nowhere to be seen for about a grand total of two minutes, and then BAM, he is back on the ledge watching the water, licking his soaking wet self.

After the shower, I brush my teeth and whatnot, and he once again shows his interest in water (I swear, the cat should be a friggin' plumber or something) by jumping up on the counter and watching the water in the sink. Once I am finished brushing my teeth, and the water drains, he jumps into the sink to lick up the remnants. Sometimes he doesn't wait until I am finished and jumps into the sink while the water is still running, once again getting soaked.

After all of this is done, I need to get dressed, and the fun continues with Linus. We have closets in out apartment that bend when you open them (like an accordion). Linus loves them, but they're dangerous as hell. As soon as I open them, he sticks his paws in the tracking part of the closet and then moves his paws to the opening where the closet bends. Crazy cat. Next, while I am picking out my outfit, he loves climbing into the closet and playing with my belt, which hangs from a hanger. Then he hides in the littlest nook and waits. Because the closet is so dangerous and he is so interested in it, I have to lure him out of it before I attempt to close it. That can be a chore in itself since he sometimes sits there looking at me dangling a toy thinking "haha, you want me out of this closet so that you can continue with your morning. I know this, AND I am going to sit here and be cute and look at you with big eyes. I won't of course jump out of the closet until you least expect it, and then I will claw your hands at the same time." Those reading might say "why don't you just lock him out of the room with the closet?" Well, if I did that then he would scratch at our bedroom door and wake up Rachel. And besides, he is just so darn cute.

After I am done getting dressed, he bolts all over the apartment and wants to play. Uh, sorry bud, I have to go to work. I prepare my coffee and grab my lunch while dodging him as he jumps at my legs or attacks my shoes.

Then, it's time to deal with ANOTHER closet, the one with my jacket in it. Normally it's not too tough to get him out of this closet because it's small, and there are not many places for him to hide.

Finally, I am ready to leave, which is also known as "pick up a toy and throw it and then race to the door before he tries to get out". Lately Rachel has been there to pick him up, which allows me to slip out easily. But, when she leaves she has to deal with him trying to go out the door, and it stresses her out as well.

He is only a kitten, and all of this behavior is normal/cute. One day he will just plop himself on the floor in the mornings and not move until he is fed, and I will miss the days of him taking a shower with me, or trying to attack my pants leg. Rachel said her friend Jen has a crazy cat like Linus (John Locke??) and that the cat is 8 years old and still hasn't grown out of the craziness. Oh joy...

His name is Linus and he's crazy.

Swoosh

Hear that? That's the sound of your mid-20's flying by. Well, it's the sound of mine.

I don't remember turning 20 very much, but I do remember when I turned 21. I was at Towson, living in Towson Run apartments and I had a party. But, after that things kind of speed up, and 5 years of my life all ball up into what feels like 2 years or so. I have memories of my birthdays (going to Fells for one, going bowling for another, etc.), but I can't place exactly what year things happened.

I remember moving from Towson Run to Walker Manor with Kevin my "sophomore" year and having some damn good times. Kevin and I have always thought that of all the places we lived in college, Walker Manor was the best. There was just something about it. Good place to sleep, good place to be artistic, good place to be in the fall. Just an awesome awesome place. Of course there was that one night where we both heard someone threatening another with a knife in our foyer. And then the one time Kevin was drunk as hell and some guy knocked on our door asking for some money for a cab and saying he would pay us back, and Kevin handing the guy 20 bucks or something (Kevin never saw that money again haha). Or the time there was a package at the place next to ours that sat there for a good month till we decided it was ok to take the package and see what it was (for those who care, it ended up being Focus Factor, a pill that you take that makes you FOCUS more. Kevin said it worked...). Then there was the time the cops came to the door because I was playing my bass guitar and the woman above us decided to call the cops instead of come down the stairs to tell me to keep it down.

I decided I was kind of missing out on "college life" by living in Walker Manor, so I moved back onto campus to Millennium where I met Jawhar and Jake. It was pretty cool, but my room was like a closet pretty much.

From there I ended up meeting Steve Shaw in class. He needed a roommate in his Cockeysville apartment called Briarcliff. At this point, which was my 3rd year or so at Towson, I had only been to the Target in Cockeysville so I was unaware of the area. I took the place, and had some good times there.

Then, Kevin and Scott decided to make the journey to Cockeysville (as well as Rachel, Lindsay & Karen). So, I moved from one apartment in Briarcliff to another. I actually remember Scott and I putting my mattress on the roof of my car and holding it there while driving the 2 blocks or so to the new place. Highlights there include our Hween party, cookouts, making Two Orange Brains, Noah trying to steal my blanket in the middle of the night, etc.

Then, Scott and I got a place at Century, also in Cockeysville. It was quiet. Never really had any parties there, but I liked it. Hurtruss.com's amazing pepper spray incident was filmed there. Kevin moved in for a little too and crashed on our couch.

Well, every weekend we were finding ourselves downtown, and we all worked downtown too. So Kevin, Scott and I decided to get another place together. This time it was in Hampden. I loved it there. We had many parties, and it was cool living in a house. Soon thereafter, Rachel and I began dating and since they hated their house in Mount Vernon, her and Lindsay moved in as well. One big happy family. Five people in that house... you would think it would have been crazy. At times it was, but we made it work and I wouldn't change anything from the experience.

Then, Rachel and I decided it was time to get our own place. So, we first thought we would stay downtown in maybe Hampden. Then it changed to maybe getting an apartment. We decided that since we both loved Cockeysville, and on the weekends we were now finding ourselves going to the movies in Hunt Valley, or at Target... we should just live there again. So, we moved to Steeplechase, got a cat, and the rest is history. We both love it there, and are starting our lives together (awwwww).

Swoosh...

Some things you just never expect to hear...

About a week or so before Thanksgiving my mom, who lives alone in a row home in Hampden, was walking down her steps. She was wearing socks, and this coupled with the hardwood steps made her slip, and tumble down to the bottom. She actually ended up dislocating her shoulder. Now, she dislocated her shoulder previously in her life when she slipped on some ice, and I have heard that once it happens, it is more prone to happen again. Well, needless to say, she was alone lying at the bottom of her steps in some serious pain. According to her, she picked herself up, limped over to her couch and sat down. Luckily her cell phone was in her pocket, so she mustered up enough strength to call 911. Then, once the call was completed, she picked herself up again and walked to the front door to unlock it, and then walked back to the couch to wait. It's funny how the easy things like making a phone call or unlocking a door can be so tough when you have an injury like a dislocated shoulder. Soon thereafter she was taken in an ambulance to the hospital, and they put her shoulder back into place and all was fine... at least we thought.

So, normal protocol is for her primary care physician to do an Xray on her shoulder to see if there was any ligament damage from the fall, so he did. There was no damage to the shoulder, but there was something that showed up and was puzzling: two lumps in her lungs. A PET Scan was needed before anything could be determined, but this news was not favorable to my mother or the rest of our family. So, she had the scan and then had to wait about a week to find the results. It was around the holidays, but I think the waiting was not abnormal. Well, my mohter had to suck it up for Thanksgiving and try and have fun. She did, and we all had a wonderful holiday at Rachel's parents house.

Well, the next week or so she found out that she actually had Stage 3A Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. We were all taken aback. My mother is not and had never been a smoker. She is one of the healthiest people I know. Why her? The only connection would be my dad who was an avid smoker from the day my parents met till about 15 years ago or so (roughly the first 10 or so years of their marriage... they are no longer married).

Well, the news was just so unbelievable, and something that you just never expect to hear. It almost seemed like it was all a dream and that at any moment I was going to wake up. Or maybe it was a bad April Fools joke and that someone would let me in on it soon. Nothing like that happened. It was reality.

Well, over the next month or so we all spent time together and supported my mom. On New Years Eve Day, my sister and I went with her to her first consultation at Johns Hopkins, the place where she will be starting her treatment. We met with the doctor and he seemed fine. Kind of doom and gloom though, but it's not a doctors job to be emotionally involved with a patient. During the consulation, we found out that the cancer was actually in her bloodstream because it actually had spread. Not good news. It seemed like the doctor thought we already knew this information, which was not the case. When my mom got home, she decided to email the doctor and ask that if it was in the blood, then how could it still be Stage 3A? He responded saying that it is in fact in Stage 4. News to all of us.

My mother is the strongest person I know, and is continuing her strength through this all. She does live alone, which makes it hard on her (and us). But, she is not letting this get her down, still going to work, still going out on the weekends... still living her life. She starts chemo in the next week or so, and will be getting a full body treatment intravenously.

It's going to be a tough next few months, but the support we give to her and the strength she emits will be some of the best medicine. Some things you just never expect to hear...

The weekend

Well, it's Monday in these parts... and that means the weekend is OVER. It also means a recap of the weekends events is in order.

Friday after work I got home and Rachel and I quickly cleaned up our already spotless apartment in preperation for Kevin and Lindsay who were coming to hang out and see Linus. As always, Linus entertained and everyone loved him. Then we went to Noodles & Co. in Hunt Valley for dinner. The weirdest thing happened while we were there. So, Lindsay and Rachel ordered their food and then Kevin and I ordered ours. Well, when we were done ordering, we went into the restaurant area looking for our GFs. They were NO WHERE to be found. We both looked at each other like we were in an episode of Twilight Zone. So, we thought maybe they both went to the bathroom. Almost 10 min passed, and still, no sign of them. By this time, Kevin and I had taken a seat and were talking about things like "maybe we never had girlfriends" and re-enacting scenes from our lives where a girlfriend would be there (like signing a lease to an apartment) and looking crazy because we really had no girlfriends. Then, we saw the guy with our food and our GFs food going to a secret area in the restaurant. So, we followed and finally, there they were. Why they didn't come looking for us is beyond me.

Next, we went to Caribou and L & K got some coffee. Rachel didn't get anything cause she was going to get popcorn at The Charles for the movie we were going to see... or so we thought. Well, Kevin and I played checkers for like 20 min and the girls sat at another table and chatted. Then, It was 8:40 and I said we should leave soon for our 9:25 movie. Kevin was like, "you mean 9:10 movie?" Of course he was right about the time, and we had to bolt out the door and get downtown and park and buy our tickets and get our seats in a half hour. We actually did it though, so that's good. But, Rachel did NOT get her popcorn :(

We saw "Precious", and it was remarkable. Some of the most real movie scenes I have seen (ha) in awhile. Comedian Mo'Nique plays Precious' mother, and like Rachel said, "they should just hand her the Oscar right now". I don't know if Mo'Nique grew up in a house like the one portrayed in the movie, but man oh man was she terrifying. Definitely chilling to watch some of those scenes. I also thought Precious' teacher was great, and I actually liked Mariah Carey in the film too (Precious' guidance counselor). Precious herself was great, but she may be the odd one out come Oscar time. I thought the direction was good in the movie, but some of the choices of shots were questionable. Overall, definitely a good movie, and The Charles was a good place to see it.

Saturday morning Rachel and I slept late, mainly because Linus decided to scratch at the door from 7 am till we got up, once every hour pretty much. When we did get up, I worked on freelance and Rachel went out with Jackie. Then, when I was done working, I went to the AT&T store and found a new phone I want. I am getting it online though, cause it's cheaper.

Then, my sister and Jamie came over to see Linus since they were in the area. That was cool.

Then the night rolled around, and Rachel and I went to Hairspray at the Lyric. What a great show! I had only really seen Cats on Broadway, and then A Bronx Tale at the Hippodrome before this show. Hairspray was non stop music. All of the roles were acted very well. I liked the dad a lot, and I thought Seaweed was great, and of course his sister too. And, the main role of Tracy Turnblad was well done. Overall, a great show. Our seats were awesome too.

AND, I did not have the Cowboys score ruined for me. I had my headphones on at intermission, and then when we were leaving, and no one ruined it for me. But, then when we got home... I almost ruined the game for myself. I pressed a button on my cable remote, and it went to the game LIVE. Luckily I didn't see anything, and I didn't ruin it. (Oh yeah, the Cowboys won 34-14... first playoff victory in 14 years).

Sunday, Rachel's family came over for some of my pizza and the Ravens game. Good times! THe Ravens won too, so that was good for her dad and everyone. Linus was entertaining again. Everyone loves him haha.

Then Sunday night Rachel and I watched a movie (I let her pick because she was very understanding with the whole Cowboys thing on Saturday night). We watched Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Interesting movie, and I can see why there is a huge cult following. I liked it! The lead role was great, and the guy even directed the movie.

Overall, awesome weekend!

I knew it would happen

Well, the Dallas Cowboys have won the NFC East and host the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card first round of the playoffs this weekend. The game time? 8 pm on Saturday night. The same time that I am going to see Hairspray with Rachel (a gift from her parents... no fault on them at all!). The reason I entitled this "I Knew It Would Happen" is because I knew this would happen!!

About a month ago or so, Rachel told me about the Hairspray show and that I needed to see it and I agreed, having heard great things about it. She told me it was going to be playing at The Lyric Opera House in Baltimore, and that we should go. I said sure. So, then I forgot about it, till a week or so later when Rachel mentioned that her parents wanted to get us a gift for the holidays and that them getting us the tickets would be a good idea. I agreed, and thought that would be a great little night for us. Then, I looked at when the date of the show was. It was on January 9... which, if the Cowboys made it, would possibly be the night of their first playoff game. Not wanting that to be an issue, I tried to forget about that and let the season play out. For all I knew at the time, the Cowboys could have missed the playoffs entirely, or they could have gotten a first round bye.

So, the holidays rolled around and we got the tickets as a gift (great seats too!). I still hadn't mentioned to Rachel the potential of the Cowboys playing at the same time as the show because I thought, if I talk about it and think about it, it will happen.

Well, it happened. They will be kicking off the game right at the same time that the curtains will come up at the Lyric. I just have to say one thing: Thank the Lord for DVR!!

Here is my plan: I am going to obviously DVR the game so that it is waiting for me when I get home from the show. That is a fail safe thing (unless the power goes out or something). But, then there is the potential for someone to blurt out the score at Intermission of Hairspray or when we're walking out after the show has ended. With the whole world in your pocket these days, people can check on the score at any time and let others know... even while they're at the Theater. So, assuming that during the show no one will be looking at their phones for the score, I am going to bring my iPod and my headphones with me for the times I may need to get up and use the rest room, or when we are leaving. I know this sounds crazy to some, but can you imagine if I get through 99 percent of the night and I am about to get into the car and the parking attendant or something yells over to his friend "The Cowboys are up 24-10 in the fourth". Not taking that chance, I just am not. I DVR Capitals games all the time, and it is easy to avoid that score around here, being that no one really cares about hockey. But, the NFL is a pop culture thing, so the chances of the score being blurted out in public is very high.

Let's hope my plans work out and I get home Saturday night and know NOTHING about the game. I think I will be successful... I hope.

How long has it been?

Hello out there in virtual land. Rachel decided to start blogging, and said that I should join the fun and blog as well. I actually already did blog, about a year ago. It was mainly about the Capitals and their unforgettable 7 game series in last years NHL playoffs vs. the Penguins (the Pens won it in a seventh game where the Caps laid an egg).

Now, I am back. And, I am going to try and keep this blog up and running. Yes, I will talk about sports (mainly the Capitals and the Cowboys), but I also want to explore other things such as music, television, and life experiences.

We'll see how long I keep up with this. I really don't lead that interesting of a life, so there isn't much to say. Recently though, some things have come about that are definitely good and bad. They would make for good blog entries, but that is for another time...