enervation

Great weekend. Sorry for the absence. I will explain. Crazy weekend. Right now so tired. All is well. Very well. Lots of work today. Must slumber. Sleepy time. I am still alive but now i am unconscious.

week in review

Apologies for the long absence. Work and exhaustion and other unforeseen events have keep me way busy.

Let's go to the video tape...
-Warner Wolf


DOMINGO

listening;
the Acoustic Adrian Belew, Twang Bar King - Adrian Belew
Live at Red Rocks 1983 - Joni Mitchell
Miscellaneous Debris - Primus (great covers of HAVE A CIGAR and INTRUDER)
Tarquin's Seaweed Farm, Deadwing - Porcupine Tree
Live in Japan 1981 - King Crimson ( a lot material that would be on the album BEAT, before it was released. Some sick versions of those songs including an instrumental version of Neurotica called Manhattan.)

i mean, has the entire USA gone mad? The politicians behaving like babies. I read in the USA Today, that bastion of credible journalism, that people across the US South and California are getting high snorting or ingesting bath salts. What the frak? They've been made illegal in Louisiana but people drive over to Mississippi to get them! And need i remind you that Mississippi is the state that is responsible for Brett Favre as well?

Speaking of asshole QB's, Pittsburgh loves Big Ben again, after twice being accused of sexual assault and a 4 game suspension.

And NASA's Kepler space telescope, which is finding approximately ten new planets month, is looking for another inhabitable planet. I guess because the writing is already on the wall that short term economics are more important than our planet's ability to sustain life and the continued survival of the human race.


Tragedies of Kennedys, refugees, AIDS disease,
photos of Hiroshima, the Holocaust, and Kosovo, 
Tim McVeigh, Saddam Hussein, the bombing of the World Trade
hostages in Bosnia, atrocities, South Africa,
abortion and Kevorkian, Vietnam, napalm, 
Lady Di, and Lennon died, a violent crime, Columbine, 
"I have a dream that one day..."Rodney King, O.J., 
symbols of our lives and times, "One giant leap for mankind"
_Adrian Belew/King Crimson

Okay, i'm going to teach the lyrics to this song and 2 others of Belew after we read about Big Ben and people using bath salts as drugs. Because it just seems like things are getting more and more messed up by the day. I guess the citizens of the Roman Empire probably felt the same way when the slipped from a republic into dictatorship.

If nothing else, the USA Today is entertaining and light reading. Feather light. Sometimes i mix their articles in with the NY Times so that all the articles aren't so difficult.

I had a phenomenal weekend, but now it's back to work. I miss you all and look forward to seeing you come August.

LUNES

00:27

GB wins! Hanie played very well for a third string QB. Can anyone beat GB? They didn't play their best today, but they have been awesome all year long. I think the Jets can win it all. If T Rex and the Gang Green get past Pitt.

I want to see Big Ben cry.

it's 15F in Shittsburgh. That -9C. That's cold as a dead man's balls

I hope Big Ben throws 3 INT's and fumbles twice.

Yet, i do admire how he seems to have cleaned up his life. However, he would have been a butt munch not to have changed. Still, good job.

I want to see him cry like an eight year old girl with a skinned knee.

I love football. I love the hitting. I only played pick up football, but i loved hitting people. Getting hit was never as bad as you expected it to be.

LUNES

Whores in Bikinis. It just jumped into my brain, somehow. MeThinks it could be a song title. Seems like the thing would write itself.

Busy day. A lot of classes. But fun. You try to take a class one way and then it takes another route. Unexpected but still cool. ALL LEARNING IS GROOVY. All Love too.

More than this
-Peter Gabriel

Tired...so tired. Sleep well everyone.

MIERCOLES

So much work. Brain no working. Word forming...... too difficult. Why i laugh?

JUEVES

Students really dug the Belew lyrics. Much work. Exhausted. Had dinner with Paloma. Post and sleep.

with head down in the pig mire
singing, "Keep on digging"
-Pink Floyd

Healthcare, Carrier Pigeons, Cookie and Green

Cookie the Tiger / Oxford University Press

SABADO

So, weekend! I get to be a slug. Maybe as many as 31 hours next week. With the exception of the day long intensives, that would be a record.

Taught Menchu y Teresa yesterday, so now i've seen all my students. They're all back from holidays

<> <> <>

Give me your hungry, your tired your poor I'll piss on 'em
that's what the Statue of Bigotry says
Your poor huddled masses, let's club 'em to death
and get it over with and just dump 'em on the boulevard
-Lou Reed

The US healthcare news makes me sick. Oh, well. *Now i am out of healthcare terms i can pun at you with.

In much better news, Paloma and i went out for tapas last night. The food was great; grilled veggies and rare tuna. We had some nice red wine along with it. We talked and laughed and philosophized til 12:30. We had a great time. She had Yoga early this morning so we called it a night and she dropped me off on her way home. She has a car. We're going to get together next Saturday. So, that's the Paloma report for this week. Her life is as busy as mine. But things are good. I told i would drop her a line by messenger pigeon. Paloma means dove, or pigeon. Hee hee!

i also told her in a text that someday our love child would rule the world. She still went out with me again. It must truly take a special kind of woman to fall in love with me. Truly.

Okay, coffee with my ex-boss Lydsay Buckingham at 17:00. Then Ashley is throwing a semaforo (traffic light party) at 22:00 where you wear green if you're single and red if you're taken. I think i'll just take a yellow sticker cause this is kind of a confusing time for me.

What have we done? Maggie, what have we done?

-Pink Floyd

I miss Bill Clinton. Bring back Bill! Hell, i'd probably take Nixon over the current mess.

Vale! it's 15:50. Enough. I must make like a Peyton Manning wide receiver and get in motion.

DOMINGO

I had a great time with Lyndsay Buckingham. It was nice to see her. Her husband, Javi joined us around 19:00 and then when went to Plaza Alcala. Lyndsay is promoting one of Oxford's Characters, Cookie, a tiger hand puppet. So, we went down and shot a photo of him on my hand in front of the big arch.

Then i went Ashley's party. I hung out a lot with my friend Carolyn from Long Island who i hadn't seen in weeks. I saw American Laura, the Babylon sisters, everyone was there. It was a blast.

Today? Plan lessons. Get ready to teach til i drop. 8 hours at the University alone. Bring it on....

Watch the Pack beat the Bears. Try to stay awake and hope the Jests beat the Steelers.

I loathe the Steelers.

J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets!

I predict an all green Superbowl! Last, check this out. People are insane.

St. Paul bar to roast bear for Packers-Bears game
PUBLISHED Sunday, Jan 23, 2011 at 1:53 am EST
SN Icon Sporting News

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A sports bar owner in Minnesota is showing his support for the Green Bay Packers in this weekend's game against the Chicago Bears in a very literal way — by roasting a bear.
Blake Montpetit, the co-owner of Tiffany Sports Lounge in St. Paul, says he plans to cook a 180-pound black bear in a pig-roaster over hickory and charcoal on Sunday. He says his cousin shot it in northern Wisconsin during bear hunting season, which runs in September and October, and then froze it.
Montpetit says he planned to serve the meat to customers, but the state health department rejected the plan because the meat is unprocessed. Instead, customers can take photos with the roasting bear.
After the game, the meat will go to his cousin's party in Somerset, Wis.
-- The Associated Press

The Sanity Party

Crazy Harry; Muppet/Politician

MIERCOLES

Music. Constant companion and elicit lover.Which makes it that much more spicier.

WOW! i am listening to the Fripp solo on 21st Century Schizoid Man in Central Park in 1973. Ridiculously intricate, wildly entertaining. i am still pissed at Mum for not taking me to this show. I was five but i still would have gone nuts. But she did take me to see Fleetwood Mac when i was in 6th grade in 1979 at the Nassau Mausoleum . That was f*^king awesome! Is it any wonder i became a drummer? So that said bygones Mum!

Tired. I go a sleeping.

JUEVES

Listening to the Jimmy Chamberlain Project: Life Begins Again. It's ridiculously good. An all-star cast. He's an exceptional drummer. He was a force to be reckoned with on all of the Smashing Pumpkin Albums. It took me months and months to be able to play Mayonaise decently. And play it we did with Homer and the Doughnuts. Jim, Kev and I. I loved that band. That was the first time Jim and i started playing as a band. Before Wayward Platypus. Before Cerebral LapDance. These are all bands or projects we've played together in. There is no one i have played with longer than Jim. It's difficult to remember not playing with him. It's been over 15 years.

Wow! The Chamberlain Project Album is Proggimus Maximus.

O brave new world that has such people in it!

-Shakespeare

Okay. Now i just shuffled the 219 King Crimson songs i have on my Mac. So different. So innovative and dissonant yet it somehow makes sense.

When i listen to music i think i finally understand how Mum sees math.

The song Industry is playing. 1984. Math for the ears. I can see it when i close my eyes.

I count therefore i am.

Sleepiness.

Me Voy a cama.

Have good night and a pleasant tomorrow.

VIERNES

Knowledge is a deadly friend

When no one sets the rules.

The fate of all mankind I see

Is in the hands of fools.

-King Crimson

Like the Republicans in the House who voted to repeal healthcare! Morons. Part of me loathes going back to the United States. Politically, the US is off its nut. How can those with so much wish to deprive those without of decent healthcare? It makes me sad. It enrages me. Someday i'm going to leave the US and live somewhere else. Oh...wait. Already done that. Twice.

Shit. Time for a new plan.

I'll come back and run for president! That's the one. I'll start the Sanity Party. Tina Fey can be my Vice President / Concubine! Once i convince her to lift that restraining order she placed on me.

Street Beater

For reasons i'll never understand, i've been walking around for the past two weeks hearing the Sanford and Son theme song in my head. Maybe because i have been living so ghetto and hand to mouth with the long holidays. Either way, here's a flash from your past;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WqazleR3FE This was actually written by Quincy Jones and is called Street Beater. Much better than "Wife Beater" i guess.

And i also inadvertently found this. So this is for you Mum (Wink wink)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydv6j9CrPGo Hysterical!

Ahh.... memories. The 70's were awesome.

I am tired. Off to see Atleti and Real Madrid play the 2nd leg of the Copa Del Rey. They are down 3-1 aggregate and need a 2-0 result to win or a 2-1 result after full time to send the game to extra time and maybe penalties. I'm just going to watch it here in my barrio.

70's Trivia: In the 1940's Malcom was a bus boy in the one of the Harlem night clubs where Redd Foxx used to do stand-up comedy.

So now it's come to this...

Like the solitary pine
On a bare wind blasted shore
We can only grow the way the wind blows
-Rush

I am trying.

But the dentist was supposed to put in my new corona (crown) but it didn't fit. So two more weeks. Damn, i'm dying for a steak. And Citibank said my credit card would finally work but it didn't. So i emptied my account to pay for the crown (they asked me to pay before the doc saw me) and then never even got my crown.

Damn you! Damn you all to hell!
-Taylor, The Planet of the Apes



Listening to;
Twang Bar King - Adrian Belew
The Live Anthology - Tom Petty Agenda -
John Wetton Survival - Bob Marley
Out of the Tunnel's Mouth - Steve Hackett

So i started doing this thing where every week i send Little Awesome Annie a song or two via email. Sue plays it for her and sees if she likes it. So far; Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen), Fish Head (Adrian Belew) and Jammin' (Bob Marley.) Annie LOVES music. And she's effusive emotionally. She's so much like me, it's frightens me (and i think it scares the hell out of Sue, which may be why she's so agreeable to me being a part of Annie's life.) Whatever the reasons, it's a great thing. When i Skype with Sue and Annie, Annie always mentions videos and eCards i've sent her (at Sue's mention of course, she is only 3.)

I guess i was three once. But i'm not sure. i think i only age in even numbers. So next June doesn't count (Woo Hoo!)

End Transmission.

Now it's come to this
Wide-eyed armies of the faithful
From the Middle East to the Middle West
Pray, and pass the ammunition
-Rush

Off Season

Domingo

The song is over
-The Who

SEAHAWKS at BEARS
11:36 1st Quarter. Soldier Field Chicago 19:17 GMT +1

I only got home to watch from the 11:30. I saw them pull Carlson off with a head injury. Not good.

Now it's 14 - 0. This is getting out of hand quickly. The snow isn't helping either.

Morrah, Carlson's replacement dropped a pass on his first play.

Babs dropped an interception on the SEA 1 yard line.

Ilegal Motion on Martin, Man.

What an ugly quarter of Seahawk football. Give thanks and praises that is over.

STOKLEY 1st down catch! What? Holding on Okung. Son of a whore!

They have to punt. And Hester is waiting. I'm not feeling very good about this game. Olsen is crushing Seattle. Someone please make it stop.

C'mon Jay Cut - Up, throw a pick. Ugh, the fucker just ran one in. 21-0.

Pass interference. A SEA first down!

Lotsa snow.

SEA 0/5 on 3rd down. WR just not catching the ball in the snow.

5:12 2Q Brock sacks Cutler and the ball comes loose but CHI recovers. But then CHI punts to the fucking SEA 1/2 Yard line.

If SEA can go to the half 21-7 i would consider them lucky,


21-0. half

Da Bears get the ball. Three and out. SEA ball.

If they have any trick plays, whip them out this half.

No trick plays. Three and out. Hass was lucky he wasn't just picked off.
Trufant took a knee to the side of the head. Just forfeit the game . Before someone dies.

Yikes. Trufant is still on the field after a commercial break. He's going out on a board like Carlson did. Bad news. Last Saturday was Seattle's day. Today is not. Wow! Not at all.

It will all be over soon.

Washington brings it back 62 Yards. Hass is in the 2 minute Offense.

Interference on CHI. Robinson is down.

28 - 3

Oy! Finally on the Board. Onside kick? Nope. It's still only the 3rd Q?!

Damn. Run Forest Run! And take the game clock with you.

Curry picks a wild cat pass off. Stupid of Mike Martz. I hated him when he was in St. Louis.

Jennings for interference.

I switched to the radio audio instead of Fox. It's in sync exactly.

Mike Williams has been blanketed. Por Fin (finally)! TD Mike Williams. 28 - 10 thought

Onside! How many minutes left. Nice kick off by Mare.

Uuugh. I hope the Jets play better than this. That would suck if that game was a blowout too.

11:20 to play.

6:17

35-24.

They came back a bit. They never quit. All in all, it was a great year. I never i would say that back in DEC!

++++++++++++

So, i helped Miguel Angel with his presentation. He has a new position at work (promotion) and he needs to give a presentation in London on Wed. We'll meet for an hour or two on Tuesday. He'll be just fine. But it was complicated IT infrastructure stuff. So i actually really had to use my brain. Something i usually don't use to any great extent. But it was fun. I've been where he's been.But, A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away....

Dirty Sanchez! First down.

He always says to me, "My friend, you really enjoy your job."
"I do," I say. That's why i'm here."

Why are we here?
Because we're here
Roll the Bones
Roll the Bones
-Rush

Ooh. Full week this week. Like 8 hours tomorrow.

Money is helpful. Reading is educational. I am edifying.

Enough!

LUNES

ugh....so much work.

MARTES

ugh....up so early to go to dentist

Sunday Skinny

i was half right. BAL lost but GB won. I hope i am half right again today and that SEA wins and NE loses.

Against all probability, if the Seahawks defeat Da Bears, they will have a home game for the NFC Championship as a 9-9 team.

Nuts. Maybe it's their year. Maybe it isn't. It's already been enough of a wild ride to viewed as a successful 1st season for Pete Carrol, holding the team together with glue and spit. Carrol says he wants Hass back next year. This surprises me. It'll all be worked out in the off season, which is hopefully still a few weeks away.

The days itinerary:
Shower. Teach Miguel Angel for 1.5 hours. Get paid. Come home. Watch Game. If you're watching the game today, wear some green and blue. You bet i will be. The same jersey i wore for the Rams and the Saints games. It's the old blue throwback. 81. Robinson. Going for 3 in a row.

54F That's 12C. That's warm.

PREDICTIONS

watching Pitt/Balt. I hate Dan Jerkoff. Worst announcer ever. My bunghole has a better vocabulary.

Predictions

Balt over Pitt
GB over ATL
SEA over CHI
NE over Jets

i wish i was wrong on the 4th one. I despise all Massachusetts teams.

That's right! Three away teams win!

This post is sponsored by www.bet_recklessly.com

60F

Seahawks fans see off the team on Friday

Keys to Seahawks victory

1. Stop Forte and don't let the bears run. They are 11-1 when they rush effectively

2. This means you make Cutler the one who has to beat you. He has no playoff experience. If he melts down and throw picks, this could mean 7 for the Seahawks

3. Get an early lead and make the Bear come from behind. This puts more pressure on Cutler and can lead to mistakes.

4. Keep pressure on Cutler. The 'Hawks sacked him 6 times in their win over CHI this season

Lynch and Forsett need to have a good day so that Hass can throw the ball down the field.

5. It would really be helpful if Tatupu is cleared to play. They are not the same D without him.

Last night i taught at the University and then it was Rob and Ignacio's Bday. It was great fun. Lotsa fun people. It was kind of crazy.I caught the Metro home at 6:00 when it reopened.

Tonight; chill and watch Steelers/Ravens and some of ATL/GB. Come on packers. Seattle wants a home game for the NFC Championship baby!

Tomorrow; teach one student for an hour and a half. Then the game.

It's been was 60F today. The weather has finally been nice after days on end of rain. I never bring an umbrella, but have had to the past few weeks. Primavera (spring) is coming. Hang in there, those of ye in the northeast. I saw a pic of the Sheridan's back porch. CRAZY amounts of snow. Maybe i should think about living somewhere warmer in the USA. Sure.... but then no Lobster fishing!

The sacred and the bizarre

Friday! One class canceled - One moved to Sunday (But i told him i MUST leave by 18:30 for the Seahawks game!) SO i get to sit on my ass til i go to the University.

Real Madrid beat Atleti 3-1 on a bunch of horrible no calls. Why do i bother? It's so obviously fixed so that Real Madrid beats them. There are widespread accusations of Franco fixing matches in the 60's so that Real won.

Okay, in unrelated absurd news; this is a clip of Katy Perry's band playing a 25 second clip of the obscure and ludicrously difficult Rush song, Cygnus X-1. The original clocked in at over ten minutes. This is probably the last song on earth i ever would have imagined the "California Gurl" playing. I also now fear i may have caused Kevin to have a heart attack when he read this. Sorry old sport! Sorry Heather! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tG-K2TXk_w

4 Derbys in 2010 / 2011

One more day o work. I teach like 7 hours manana.

But i have some new classes which is cool.

I lost some classes. That's life. I teach an hour less a week and make 2E less a week. That's a nice trade up!

Was supposed to see Paloma tonight but she has to work and is still knackered from her trip to Argentina and heading straight to work. She has a yoga training session this weekend. So i'll see her next week.

Sarah, Raul and Brian and i are meeting in Sol at 21:30 to watch the first leg (ida) of Atletico / Real Madrid in the quarter finals of the Copa del Rey. Yeah! 4 games between the two sides this year. 4 Derbis! They haven't met in the Copa(cabana) in 17 years. It must be my last year here!

Me so special.

Requiem for Lola: the lost verse Greco/Manilow
She lost her virginity and her whisky
now she has a big behind!
at the Copa...
Copacabana
dumber than folks from Louisiana
At the Copa
Copacabana
Music and fashion were always in traction
at the Copa......
don't do hard drugs

Something Happened

Leia Kills Jabba

Stuff happened. Nothing worth mentioning. Spanish people drive me crazy. I'm still having fun, but pull me off the grill cuz i'm done.

At the Copa
Copacabana
Full of guys
who once hit on your Nana
-Traditional

I have some new students. If i can find a bus to take me to their office park in the middle of nowhere.



At the Copa
Copacabana
where old guys
stuff their pants with bananas

Sorry. Just kind of inspired. Tired. Feel like my rooms been wired.

Music and fashion
were always in traction
at the Copa....
Don't do hard drugs (Copacabana)

Yea. Some days my writing is much more engaging than others. But the Family Guy version of Return of the Jedi, well that was just brilliant.

Afterglow

DOMINGO

Thank you all for the dozens of emails, shout outs on Facebook, IM's, phone calls (Mum), etc. It was an overwhelming outpouring of support. Even my friend from grammar school, Tara, said she thought of me during the game. I was a Seahawk fan 30 years ago. That's just depressing! The Seester said she was being rung and texted like crazy. Even our 90 year old Great Aunt Nunnie called Melissa to spread the love! We are very lucky to have such great friends and family.

American Laura and i watched the Ravens/Chiefs on the Internet and had a pizza. She liked my new place. I'll take some pictures as soon as i find out where i packed my camera.

Aaron Rodgers is a great QB and the Pack was right to cast off Favre for him. IF they win, which is still a big IF at 14-10 GB, the 7-9 Seahawks will be the only division winner to survive Wild Card Weekend.

21-10 GB!

SEA beats CHI, GB beats ATL and the Hawks get a home game for the NFC Championship!

Fuck you Mike HomeGrown - Fuck you Mike HomeGrown - Fuck you Mike HomeGrown! (It's supposed to be a kind of dance song)

Eagles down by 5. Go GB! Watching American football makes me feel like i'm back home. But by the time i come home, there will be a lock out for the 2011 season.

Steeeeempy , You EEEEEEdiot!
-Ren and Stimpy.

Williams intercepts! GB moves on.

Seattle is the only Division winner to advance this weekend!

Epic.

See you in Chicago. Sunday 16 January, 13:00 EST, 19:00 GMT+1.

Now where the hell are my pants?

Enjoy the week. I'll be back. Same time. Yadda station.

THE NAME OF THIS BAND IS THE TALKING HEADS - TALKING HEADS. This live album is one of the best live albums ever. With Adrian Belew. Back up singers. Just complete and weird as all Hell.

i miss playing. Margarita and i have talked about jamming again soon.


Time to switch off. The Xmas season is finally over. God rest ye merry gentleman. In other words, fuck off! Enough with the holidays already. I yearn to get back to some normalcy. At least i worked 10 hours a week during the break. I know very few teachers who worked at all.

So things are good. I just vegged a lot this weekend. It was a nice break. And the Seahawks. It's nice to live in a comfortable place. Back to work! i enjoy what i do. Being able to help people learn things is.... just .. kind of magical. I am proud to be the second in a line of teachers, like Mum before me.

OK. Me go sleeping now.

LUNES

22:53

Ugh. I fucking hate Spain. Everyone is back after two weeks off. I had 5 classes canceled for tomorrow. Some sick. Some on business trips. Some just being wankers and they can't handle going back to school and taking two hours of English class a week. But i picked up another two private students. That's the way to go. Frak the academies. i'll still have an okay week. It's annoying. They are so fucking lazy here. I'll still have at least 19.5 hours this week. The holidays are unending. No wonder their economy is in the basura (trash). But i will survive. I always do.
.
Time to cook dinner

7 - 9: The Worst NFL Playoff Team Ever

check out the cat with the neon green coat hugging Babs



Seahawks / Saints Jan 8, 2011 22:30 GMT +1 Play by Play as entered by me in real time. Edited this morning for typos, accuracy and to omit foul language and expletives. Most of them.





The Lynch does a flip after breaking 8 tackles and running 67 yards on an off-tackle run.




Seahawks / Saints Jan 8, 2011

22:30 GMT +1

Big Pass play to Colston, 32 yards.

Then a pass goes off the hands of Obomanu and Hass is picked. This is a bad start. NO on the SEA 35.

Bush gets a first down on a screen on third and ten. Horrible.

Interference on third and three. Thurman mugged him.

10 - 0. Ugh. Where's the Scotch? This getting away from the Hawks quickly.

< - - - >
Robinson out to the SEA 45. Leon Washington needs to have a big day. SEA hasn't rushed the ball yet. Wonderful.

Nice catch and run by Obomanu. But they are looking at his wrist.

I am wearing my old school blue jersey with the prozac Seahawk. 81. Koren Robinson.

The Lynch with a power run!

Harper with a defensive hold! First down. TD to John Carlson! Wide open. 6 plays 57 yards. Hass 4/4.

Now the Hawks need to start playing sound football.

Hass wants to pass Krieg for all-time Seattle wins before he leaves (he needs 2 wins). And he won't be back next year.

17-7. Fucking Julius Jones.

Obomanu! 1st Down.

Interference on Robinson. 1st down.

Morrah with almost a 40 yard catch on a heave and catch play. Then TD catch by Carlson. 17-14. It's an offensive slugfest.

Seattle needs to slow down the NO offense.

Hawks D needs to force a turnover!

Carlson pretended to fall down and then stood up for the TD, Untocuched!

NO punts for the first time. Then SEA goes 3 and out.

Julius Jones fumbles! SEA ball on the NO 19.

3 plays to Lynch and SEA settles for a FG.

17-17

But that was a wasted opportunity with a short field. New ball game.

The SEA D looks fierce.

Sack by Brock!

SEA ball.

TD Pass to Stokely! YESSSSSSS! 24-17

40 yard pass play but Trufant punished him on the tackle.

SEA 24 - NO 20. Holy Crap!!!!

38 yard TD pass to Mike Williams! 31 - 20!

NO self-destructed that series with an intentional grounding call.

Hawks on the move. FG. 34-20. Obomanu dropped an easy catch that would have been the first down.

SEA is on a 27 - 3 run. Whoa!

But this last twenty minutes can't go by fast enough for me.

What a hit by Jennings and Babineaux to prevent the first down!

The Seahawks D held on fourth and inches! The defense is possessed. Ball on NO 36

Williams drops a pass and then they take a penalty on an FG attempt (offsides) and have to punt. Maybe a good thing. 53 yard FG is not a gimme for Mare. SEA doesn't want to give up a TD on special teams. NO is at the SEA 36. Start of the 4th quarter. Is any lead really safe vs. NO? When you are SEA?

Yet, 2 NFC West teams have been to the Super Bowl the last few years. SEA and ARIZ.

Man. Technical Foul on a retaliation. Fuck.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

TD NO. 34 -27. 13:11 left. Unlucky numbers. Someone hold me. They need to eat up the clock.

Nope. NO ball.

This is torture. It burns! It burns!

34 - 30. The D saves them. They gotta burn some time this series. They only burned 45 seconds off the clock the last time.

C'mon Leon. Bring one back. Stopped at the 30.

C'mon Hawks. 9 minutes. Can they pull off the upset?

Stokley! 1st Down. Keep those chains moving!

Ryan to punt. Downed at the 12. Hold. Half the distance on a penalty!

5:03

D D D D D D!

False start and a time out to avoid delay - caused by the 12th Man!

Saints to punt.

4:20 on the clock.


Lynch 67 yard monster run TD, breaking 8 tackles! 41 - 30.

This has been a wildly entertaining day. So everyone who complained that 7-9 was unfair - well of course it is. But that's the system. But if they knock off NO, this is one of the biggest upsets in Playoff history. Not like the Giants over the Pats in the Super Bowl, but big.

TD NO. They have to go for two.

STUFFED. Dfense!!!!

Okay, Carlson eats up the ball on the onside kick.

Run it out. Fly time fly!

The Seahawks win 41 - 36. I can't believe my eyeballs!

Pete Carrol has won the biggest NFL game of his life. And the Seahawks shock the entire country. Incredible. See you in Atlanta or Chicago! I hope it's Chicago!

This makes up for the fixed Super Bowl loss in 2005. ESPN had it ranked as the 5th largest Playoff upset ever. Giants/Pats Superbowl was #2. Jets over Colts in the Super Bowl was #1.

Roger Goodell just poured himself a Martini and said "See, I'm always right!"

And to anyone who says the Seahawks didn't deserve to be there today;

Eat my shorts
-Bart Simpson

Spaniversary

Today is my 4th Spaniversary. I have lived here 1,461 days. That's never ending. Who knew my Exile would last so long? Not i, your honor. Not i.

I taught. We went to J&J's. We saw Margarita play a gig. She was awesome.

On another note, i think i have unwittingly brought a few people together to jam next weekend.

Back in the Playoffs

• First Seahawks playoff game since 2007 season. Woo hoo! I like the Hawks +10.5. I think they have a chance to win, but it's a long shot. Betting is legal here but i don't think they have football Americano. It's difficult to remember that the 'Hawks used to be in the playoffs every year.
  
  Here's the skinney;

1. RB's Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas are out for NO. This means Reggie One Fraudulent Heisman in Hand is worth two in the Bush and Orange Julius Jones will get most of the work. Jones was cut by the Hawks earlier this year. Jones is a shadow of the back he once was with Dallas. Bush has been hurt, has very few rushing yards, and doesn't respond well to being pounded by defenses. But he is a threat to catch slants and crap like that.
   
2. The Saints are 0-3 all time in Road playoff games. Qwest field is a nasty place to play.
   
3. The Saints have a short week and have to fly 2,097.29 miles. It's the equivalent of a 14:30 start, Central Time.
4. Brees passed for 4,620 yards and had 33 TD's, but also had 22 INT's.
   
5. NO looked awful vs. Tampa in NO, but they really had nothing to play for as Atlanta losing to CAR was improbable. Tampa also crushed Seattle in TB.
   

FOR SEATTLE TO WIN

1. They have to not commit turnovers and force at least 2.
   
2. Forsett is key. He's more mobile at RB. Lynch is the a nice switch as a battering ram
3. I would start Hass and then bring in Whitehurst maybe every third series to keep The NO defense guessing. It's risky, but the Hawks are playing with house money.
4. Knocking Brees out of the game wouldn't hurt.
   

And the answer to Sunday's trivia question, the only team to ever play in the NFC and AFC Championship Games; The Seattle Seahawks: AFC '83 season, NFC 2005 season

Matchup

	NO	SEA
W-L	11-5	7-9
Avg Points	24.0	19.4
Avg Points Allowed	19.2	25.4
Home Record	5-3	5-3
Road Record	6-2	2-6
Division Record	4-2	4-2
Conference Record	9-3	6-6
Complete Standings

Passing Leaders

New Orleans	CMP%	YDS	TD	INT
D. Brees	68.1	4620	33	22
C. Daniel	66.7	16	0	0
Seattle	CMP%	YDS	TD	INT
M. Hasselbeck	59.9	3001	12	17
C. Whitehurst	57.6	507	2	3

Rushing Leaders

New Orleans	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD
C. Ivory	137	716	5.2	5
P. Thomas	83	269	3.2	2
Seattle	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD
M. Lynch	165	573	3.5	6
J. Forsett	118	523	4.4	2

Receiving Leaders

New Orleans	REC	YDS	AVG	TD
M. Colston	84	1023	12.2	7
L. Moore	66	763	11.6	8
Seattle	REC	YDS	AVG	TD
M. Williams	65	751	11.6	2
B. Obomanu	30	494	16.5	4

Team Averages & NFL Ranks

TEAM OFFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	NOR	373.0
	SEA	298.0
Yards Passing	NOR	277.6
	SEA	208.8
Yards Rushing	NOR	94.9
	SEA	89.0
TEAM DEFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	NOR	306.3
	SEA	368.6
Pass Yds Allowed	NOR	193.9
	SEA	249.6
Rush Yds Allowed	NOR	112.3
	SEA	118.9

Head to Head Matchups (Since 2001)

Series tied 2-2
Nov 21, 2010	NOR 34, SEA 19
Oct 14, 2007	NOR 28, @SEA 17
Sep 12, 2004	NOR 7, SEA 21
Sep 7, 2003	NOR 10, @SEA 27

Three Kings Day

The Seahawks are in! Party at my house 22:30 Sabado - If you just happen to be in Madrid. Tomorrow is a holiday. I am finally grateful for one.

Tonight is the eve of the Epiphany, the third major holiday of the Xmas season in Spain. In the Franco days, tomorrow was the days you would get presents.


It's been a nice night. I saw Maria. She's been through hell since her cat died. We had a good time.


God bless me, every one.

And you people.

Always.

Double Fantasy

DOMINGO
19:22

It's the final weekend of the Fantasy Football Championships. It looks as though the Wilton Analog Kids (Kevin) will be third. And my team (Madrid Mad Dawgs) is battling someone called Team Collins for the championship; Stupor Bowl I. The playoff match ups are two weeks long.

Seattle and St. Louis play for all the marbles tonight.

LUNES
0:21

The Giants just dodged a bullet with GB settling for a FG after 1st and goal at the 1 yard line (or the .923 Meter Line.) It's 3-3.

GB 10 - 3. Bad for the Giants. Two more hours til the Seahawks start! Stupid NBC. Stupid flex schedule. Stupid US time zones. Normally games are at 19:00 and 22:00.

Washington has scored and made it 17-14. And the Pack is still up 10-3. The Giants are on life support.

Class tomorrow at 16:30 and at 19:00. So i can stay up all night suffering through the Seahawk game. The first team to make the playoffs with a losing season? We shall see. It's up to Fatback. or Weisswurst.

The Packers are in. The Giants are out. The league needs to do something about this. The Giants and The Bucs bith go 10-6 and miss the playoffs whereas the NFC West Champ will not have a winning record.

Trivia Question; name the only team to play in both the AFC and NFC Championship Games.

After being down by 12 points after week 1 of the Fantasy Football Championship, The Madrid Mad Dawgs have won Stupor Bowl one with a tremendous 178 points, for a two week total of 297 points to Team Collins 253. I took some risked and gambled on a few pick ups and it paid off.

I am the champions
I am the champions!
-Homer Simpson

Thanks to all of you who played for the last 17 weeks. It was really fun. Fantasy baseball starts in 3 months!

Next year i will be home for the NFL Season. And the MLB playoffs.

Home.

If the Seahawks win, they play New Orleans at 4:30 on Saturday. That's like a 10:30 start for their players. That would help.

Good night everybody. Enjoy the game. Go Seahawks!

2010 in the Bin

Pulpo Paul makes his WC Final prediction

• Paul The Octopus predicted 8 World Cup game winners. Then he died
• The BP oil spill destroyed the Gulf of Mexico
• Obama got the health bill passed. What this means, no one knows
• The New Orleans Saints won their first Super Bowl
• The Giants won their first World Series since moving to SF all those years ago
• The Simpsons began its 22nd season
• It was my last full year in Madrid
• Somehow i learned the Metric System
  

there's no place like 2011

Iceland, April 3, 2010

SO much more to do. Said goodbye to Pete. It's just me now, from Lost to the River. Fallado. Fucked.





Same as it ever was
-The Talking Heads

i see UConn is in the Fiesta Bowl. CT always makes me think of Mexico.

The Governor of Pennsylvania is f^*king A@*hole who likes to rob old ladies and shag little puppies. And he's wuss.

Bed. Tomorrow's going to be crazy.

JUEVES

15:45

listening to

Deadwing - Porcupine Tree
8 Days Later - The Pineapple Thief
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures

18:13

The Police just came to my door. Looking for Emilo. No one named Emilio lives with us. Elena is not home. She is NEVER not home. Looks like a setup. But i gave them my drivers license. They asked for my passport. I said it was at my new flat. Luckily i had a photocopy to give my new landlord (that i made 4 hours ago.) If they checked the stamps in my passport i would have been screwed. 15 years of sales, a lifetime of thinking creatively saved me. I am a little shaken. And the movers will be here in 1:50 minutes. My life. My fucking fucking fucking life. But i was lucky. Okay - next. Vomit (nerves), shower, finish pack and then blow this Popsicle stand for a new life. There's no place like 2011. There's no place like 2011!

I should take her flat screen with me. Fucking whore. Or let the cat outside. Ah, but he's asleep and so stupid. Look at him. Time to vomit.

Put on Permanent Waves. Breathe. Breathe.

SABADO

17:15

Happy 2011! I went to a party with the gang from J&J's and had a great time. Then we went to Peor. Then i went home at 7:00. But i am still bitter that we don't all have personal space ships yet. When i was young, i really thought that would have happened by now.

Thursday was Polly's birthday. We went to Fabula, a bar, and when that closed at 2:00 we went to J&J's, went in the back door, and were there until 7:00.

I need to stop waking up at 15:00 or 16:00 in the afternoon. I need to organize my room. I need a glass of water.

SO today is the beginning of the rest of my life. The last months in Madrid. Am i terrified about coming back to the US? Yes. Of course. Change is always scary. But i'll survive. I need to start looking for a job via Internet.

But before i look at where i'm going, i should look at where i've been.

>I lived in 5 different flats in Madrid this year.
>Spain won it's first World Cup.
>Rush played Moving Pictures in its entirety (the Camera Eye!)
>An Earthquake devastated Haiti (even moreso)
>Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano caused havoc for European air traffic
>Spain was ridden with Metro strikes, air traffic controller strikes, etc. You would think with unemployment at 20% here people would be happy to have their jobs
>Greece and Ireland had to be bailed out financially
> Wayward Platypus recorded Brunch with the River Man as a three piece band
>From Lost to the River is done, 2 1/2 years later
>I began teaching at the Graduate level in IEDE's MBA program

Quite a year. It was exhausting. I'm going back to sleep.