To Nerd-dom and Beyond (or Mad Max Beyond Nerd-dom

For the first time ever I have officially spiralled down into the depths of sports geekdom and joined a fantasy football league. For those of you who are unaware of this sect of sports fan, they can be spotted with a calculator and the latest box scores complaining about how many "touches" Alge Crumpler is getting with the Falcons this season...It's the equivelant of mathmaticians discussing the actual value of pi (unless they are also concerned with Eli Manning's touchdown to interception ratio).

Anyways, it's a geeky hobby, and yet I've been really getting into it. The only problem was that the draft was on Saturday and I missed it. As a newbie, I'm sure my day would have gone something like this:

But instead, I was left at the mercy of the computer selection...The computer, I came to learn, has a great sense of humour. While he did manage to pick Peyton Manning, he went on to select everyone who has ever washed one of Manning's towels. And unless I get points for least number of grass stains and minimal perspiration it's safe to say it will be a long season...Updates to follow

On the adventure front, I will be heading back to Queen's for my first time since graduating. In two weeks I will be back at Homecoming, which some of you may remember as the site of a car burning last year. I'm not sure where I'll be staying when I actually get there, but when I asked my former roomate A.J. he suggested "the drunk tank". I can't see how this weekend could possibly go wrong.

Listening to - "Cathedrals" by Jump, Little Children (suicidal children apparently)
Reading - The Ludlum still...moving onto Faulkner

Down & Out

Unfortunately our rugby team received some awful news this week as one of our players died in a car accident while in Arizona. Without going into too many details, this kid was one of the friendliest and most fun guys I had the pleasure of meeting, and he still had his whole life ahead of him. It's unfortunate that people can be taken from this earth so quickly. I just want to remind everyone to stay safe on the road and buckle up.

Fear the nostalgia

Lately I've been a pretty big fan of the "create your own station" option on Yahoo music. In theory it's an awesome idea. I pick the type of music I like, they play it, I rate it and they keep playing stuff based on my selections...Sounds great you say? Well that's where you'd be wrong!

The problems for me started when somehow Huey Lewis and the News snuck into the mix.

For me, Huey Lewis will always remind me of Michael J. Fox skateboarding while holding onto the tailgate of a truck in Back To The Future...and who doesn't love Back To The Future?? (There are so many conversations we could have about that movie but I'd never finish). I decided to rate Huey as a "I Like It"...fairly neutral I thought but enough to let the fine people at Yahoo Music know that Huey and I had a sort of connection. Bad idea...from this point on every 5th song has been another Huey Lewis selection, and in between these are all the favourite hits of the 80's like "Take on Me" by A-Ha, "Drive" by The Cars and "Charma Chameleon" by Culture Club

Damn you Lewis! Damn you to hell!

Listening to: Anything but
Reading: "The Paris Option" by Robert Ludlum...so tough to put down

Why haven't I written?? Because I don't like you...yes, you

Just kidding of course, I love you all, each and every one of you....but especially you (don't tell anyone). As to why I haven't written in awhile, you can chalk it up to a lack of:

a) time
b) motivation
c) inclination
d) reading/writing abilities
e) All of the above

It certainly hasn't been for a lack of things to say. Most of you may already know that I have officially booked my trip to New Zealand for three weeks in November. I'll be doing a week by myself on the North Island, then meeting up with my good friend Andrew Kilmer on the South Island where we'll tour around for two weeks....nonsense and shenanigans will surely ensue as those of you who know both of us can attest to.

I haven't planned a single thing for the South Island, but the North Island schedule looks something like this:
1) Auckland - Spend the day here doing any of a million things
2) Waitomo - This place is famous for its caves full of glow worms. I plan on taking it all in on a five hour rafting, abseiling, tubing type trip (www.caveraft.com)
3) Rotorua - More of an stop over than anything, but I'll probably hit up the thermal pools that I understand reek of sulphur...yummm
4) Taupo...Situated on a beautiful lake, I'll spend a day kayaking and general sightseeing. Day two will be spent doing the Tongariro Crossing (www.thetongarirocrossing.co.nz) in Tongariro National Park...Home of Mt Doom for all you Lord of the Rings Fans!!! Yes I'm a geek, as if you didn't already know.
5) Auckland again for another day before I head off to Christchurch on the South Island and meet with AK-47

I'm sure I'll have tons more to add about this trip both before and after I get back...I'm more pumped than a grade school basketball.

I also bought a new/used car. It's a 2002 Hyundai Sonata, and it makes me look a lot richer than I really am. I haven't actually taken posession of it yet, so picture will follow.

That's all for now...Let me know what you are all up to. I'll try to keep you all in the loop a little more frequently. I've been pleseantly suprised to hear that you guys have been checking this thing out, and I love it.

For all of the boys going to Homecoming: HELICOPTER!!!!!!

Later

Listening To: "Someday You Will Be Loved" by Death Cab For Cutie
Reading: "The Paris Option" by Robert Ludlum