Schick Happens

No home for Halloween

2011-10-31T20:16:00.003-04:00

Nothing new to report on the house, except that our closing is all set tomorrow. I am a little disappointed we couldn’t have the house ready for Halloween tonight, as the thought of handing out candy seems like the quintessential homeowner activity. No one comes to the door of an apartment so I was looking forward to the chance to carve a pumpkin on the porch and hand out full-sized candy bars to make us the cool house on the block. Alas, it will all have to wait until next year.

As lame as it sounds, there is nowhere else I’d rather be on Halloween than at home handing out candy to little kids. It seems that the holiday has evolved into being more adult centric as the years go by, with a bunch of my friends having costume parties and dressing up in more elaborate costumes than I ever had as a kid. I never liked getting dressed up; all I wanted was the free candy. With no candy on the horizon from a costume party these days, Tracy and I skip them altogether. In fact, we made the mistake of going to a Halloween party a few years back with no costumes and we were the awkward couple at the back of the room.

So all you adults out there can have your parties with your fancy costumes. Someone has to stay and hand out candy!

Rethinking Playoff Baseball

2011-10-14T21:11:00.007-04:00

I seem to be writing more and more about baseball these days, and I guess I have the 2011 Tigers to thank for that. With the AL Central title in the books, I have been watching nearly every game in the last few weeks as the playoffs become more intense. As crazy as it may have sounded a year ago, I think I am slowly becoming a baseball fan. It has been a long and strange journey (save that for another post), but I find myself enjoying the game more and more.

As a result of my newfound love of our national pastime, it seemed crazy to pass up an opportunity to watch playoff baseball in person. After unsuccessfully trying to buy tickets for the division series against the Yankees, I was lucky enough to snag two tickets for game 5 against the Rangers. It turned out to be the ideal game: Verlander was on the hill and the Tigers won an exciting 7-5 game.

I’m not normally a fan of online gimmick sites, but this one was too cool to pass up. Be sure to check out our seats from the game, and admire my eating skills!

The time is now

2011-10-08T20:55:00.004-04:00

I’m not sure why I write a new season preview for my Sharks each fall. It seems that constantly repeat what I said the year before: last season was a disappointment and this year should see a decline in performance since the core group of players is a year older. I also like to complain that GM Doug Wilson doesn’t make any significant free agent signings and assumes he can grow young talent. However, I can’t believe I’m going to say it, but look for the Sharks to improve this season. I know – I just saw those pigs fly by as well.

Every offseason, I can always rely on Wilson standing by while the marquee names are shipped around the league. I’ve never felt he was a bad GM – quite the contrary, in fact – but he always seemed to err on the side of caution than take a risk once in awhile. But this year, he swung for the fences and signed the biggest defenseman free agent he could: Brent Burns. Another thing that never changes in each preview is complaining about a lockdown defender that opponents have to scheme against. Burns is that guy, and pair him with existing guys like Vlasic or Boyle and you might have one of the better pairings in the league.

On top of that, he also decided that any sluggish performances from last year wouldn’t be tolerated this time around. Dany Heatley never seemed to fit in San Jose, and it was painfully obvious last year. So Wilson sent him packing and brought in Martin Havlat, who will add some grit which is desperately needed.

The Sharks have rightly earned the reputation of playoff underachievers and another trip to the conference finals won’t help matters again this year. Even a trip to the Cup finals might not be enough to stop the doubters, and I think this is the year they can make the leap. I think San Jose finally has the defense to go along with its potent offense, and provided Niemi can stay healthy, there should be no more excuses to stop the Sharks from being Stanley Cup champions.

Where the Heart Is

2011-10-01T21:58:00.006-04:00

I am please to write the following sentence that strikes both fear and excitement in my heart: We will be homeowners! We placed an offer on a house in Pittsfield Township and after a couple counteroffers, we have a tentative deal in place. Closing is expected to take place in exactly one month, so we’ve got some feverish planning to do in the next four weeks.

I should say that we were incredibly lucky to complete this process in the amount of time we did. We officially started looking back in late August, and now we have a deal in place six weeks later. I have heard horror stories from Tracy’s friends that they had several deals fall through at various stages of the process to be left more heartbroken and defeated with each disappointment. However, once we settled on the house we wanted, we put in a bid and everything seemed to work out.

I thought we would have a hard time agreeing on a house together. I assumed our preferences would be so different that it would take months to reach a consensus. But it turned out to be really easy. At the beginning of the process, we met with our realtor and she set up a filter for some basic criteria (3+ bedrooms, attached garage, etc.) and it produced some 50 homes in our searching area. We slimmed that down to about 10 viable candidates and I suggested we rank our favorites independently and then compare afterwards. Somehow, we both had the same house as our #1.

The house itself is located really close to the house I grew up in when I lived in Saline the first time. It’s two stories with four bedrooms and a finished basement. It has a decent-sized yard that backs up to a pond, and the neighborhood is pretty quiet. While it does have some improvements that need work (stupid half bathroom with the door opening the wrong way), it is in good shape for being 15 years old. I’ll try to post more pics once we get the keys.

Photo: Home sweet home!

Foo Fighters were Fricken Phenomenal

2011-09-22T19:56:00.004-04:00

I have mentioned before that I can count on one hand the number of concerts I have attended in my life. As embarrassing as that is, I have slowly begun to improve these numbers by going to more concerts in the last few years. So when I say that I attended my best concert ever, I would understand your apprehension. But let me try to convince you otherwise.

Tracy and I went and saw the Foo Fighters at the Palace and it was nothing short of amazing. I’m not ashamed to say I’ve had a man-crush on Dave Grohl for some time, and this only further deepened my love for him. They played for three hours and at the end of the night, we could only come up with one song we wanted to hear that they didn’t play.

The concert was part of the Wasting Light tour, which is the group’s latest album. It’s really solid all the way around, especially given that it was recorded in Grohl’s garage. I’m pretty sure they played every song from the album, as well as the rest of their most popular hits throughout their career. The highlights were an acoustic version of “Long Road to Ruin,” the extended version of “Stacked Actors,” a cover of Queen’s “Tie Your Mother Down,” and the encore finale was our wedding song, “Everlong.”

Since the Foos seemed reluctant to leave the stage, we didn’t leave the Palace until after midnight and arrived back home after 1 am. No matter – it was worth it and would see them again if they decide to tour again. The next time you see me I’ll probably be wearing my concert T-shirt, which I’m unlikely to take off for the next few months or so.

Qwik to Disappoint

2011-09-19T21:29:00.006-04:00

Oh Netflix, why I waited so long to sign up is still a mystery to me. I have loved watching a ton of movies conveniently delivered to my mailbox, discovering new TV series and I have finally been able to fulfill my desire to watch all the Oscar nominees for best picture the last two years.

When the company announced higher prices last month, I was annoyed, but begrudgingly understood that times are tough and the Post Office isn’t getting any richer these days (in fact, Netflix might be one of their biggest customers). I didn’t flip out the way some people online, and I surely wasn’t going to drop them altogether. However, the company announced yesterday that it would be splitting off the DVD-by-mail side of the business into its own company, Qwikster.

We decided to drop the streaming service back when they announced the price increase. We noticed the selection was slowly getting smaller over the last six months or so, and with the announcement that Starz was dropping all its movies next year, things certainly weren’t looking great. Besides, it was easy to forget about your instant queue, since there wasn’t a tangible reminder like a red envelope sitting on the entertainment center.

I know Netflix has been trying to force subscribers to use the online services, but I really feel like a second-class citizen with this latest move. I just hope Qwikster is here for the long run and not just the beginning of the end of DVDs.

Ten years later

2011-09-11T15:33:00.006-04:00

As we approach the ten-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks, it seems that the media is adamant that we relive one of the darkest days in American history ad nauseam. I will spare you my account of the day’s activities (as I posted them on the five-year anniversary) since it seems that every network wants you to watch their show.

It makes me sad to see all the networks exploiting a tragedy as a way to grab ratings. Everyone has his or her unique story and perspective to share about 9/11; why should I care what Anderson Cooper has to say about it? We all lived through it together and I would imagine everyone’s memories of that day are still as fresh as they were on September 12.

I know everyone deals with grief differently, so I hope I am not coming across as callous. I would rather watch a discussion on where we are as a country ten years later and whether our nation is safer than it was on that fateful day.

Hanging with Johnnie

2011-09-02T19:42:00.007-04:00

While our honeymoon may be over (literally, not in a proverbial sense), there is one part of the trip that is still with me. While we were on the ship, we both decided to splurge and buy one semi-expensive souvenir from our trip of a lifetime. Tracy had little trouble determining what she wanted (a Swarovski crystal bracelet), but I struggled with my selection.

I knew I didn’t want something kitschy but that was the extent of my parameters. I first came across my selection at the duty free shop, but dismissed it as something that wouldn’t last as long as Tracy’s bracelet. But eventually she convinced me it was something I would never buy otherwise. The choice: Johnnie Walker Blue whiskey.

There is a little bit of background to keep in mind about this choice. The reason I was even aware of JWB was from the Tony Kornheiser radio show, whose podcast helps me get through the workday. He always goes on and on about how it is his drink of choice and it is the best whiskey you can buy. I also attended a whiskey tasting aboard the ship and we sampled a few different brands than I had tried before. One of the attendees asked the host the best whiskey on the market and he also confirmed JWB.

I felt like such a high roller buying this expensive whiskey from the ship, since it comes in its own wooden box. But I decided to wait until I got home before sampling.

Last week, I opened the box for the first time and it was impressive in and of itself. It is silk-lined and contains a small booklet describing how it is made. Even the bottle has a unique serial number.

So I took my friend over to my buddy James’ house and we decided to get classy and trashy at the same time. I poured each of us a glass and I attempted to reenact the tasting procedure from the cruise. And as TK would have demanded, we listened to Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic.”

While I’m still an amateur whiskey taster, it was pretty obvious the quality of JWB. Unlike other whiskies, it doesn’t have the sharp bite and instead goes down super smooth. It also has more flavor than other whiskies, with a subtle mossy flavor. I typically don’t drink it straight, but if they all tasted as good as JWB, I would start.

Back in the grad school saddle

2011-08-29T21:49:00.001-04:00

Remember when I used to go to school? Yeah, I can’t either. It’s been so long, Eastern renovated the English building on campus while I’ve been away. Buy hey, it wasn’t entirely my fault! The first semester I missed, there were no classes offered that I needed for my degree. Last winter, I was registered for a class, but it was cancelled due to low enrollment. The second semester off turned out to be a blessing, as I doubt I could have focused in class leading up to the wedding.

This time around, I’m enrolled in another elective, since it was again the only class available for me this semester. I am both excited and nervous for it. The excitement is for the topic of the class: Rhetoric of War, as my history degree leaps for joy. The apprehension is because the course is listed in the other track of my program. In case you forgot (don’t worry, I had to give myself a refresher too), the Written Communication program has two tracks, Professional Writing and Teaching of Writing. This class is listed in the latter, which is obviously not my program.

My concern is I don’t know anything about teaching, aside from what I’ve learned from my wife anecdotally. I wouldn’t know how to create a lesson plan or devise a reading list for potential students, and hopefully Tracy would be willing to help me. Since it is a topics class, I don’t think this is the case, but I love to imagine the worst-case scenario. And to think I considered becoming a teacher at one point!

My old Michigan home

2011-08-15T19:41:00.009-04:00

With one major life event complete earlier this year, it seems like now is a good time to tackle another. With our apartment lease set to expire next May, Tracy and I decided to start looking at houses. Planning the wedding was fun and exciting, but the thought of homeownership is daunting. There are so many things to consider it is overwhelming. Add to the fact that the housing market in Michigan is so dire that there is added pressure to pick out a good one or risk being stuck with it for a long time.

We plan to start looking around the Ann Arbor area first, since we both love it and would like to continue to call it home. If we can’t find anything here, then the plan is to expand the search to the Plymouth/Canton area. I suppose I should mention we’ve been going to open houses before we left on the honeymoon, but now we’ve got an agent and we’re finally ready to get serious.

My biggest concern is picking out the right house that will be our home for some time. Tracy and I want to have kids at some point and it will have to be able to accommodate future Schicklets. As someone who moved several times growing up, I know how hard that can be on a child’s social life, and I want to do everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen to my children.

We’re both excited to starting finding a place to call home, but I am starting to realize how much I will miss having a maintenance staff on-call at all times. I am not handy whatsoever and the notion of having to make repairs should be quite the challenge. So be sure to stay tuned for updates and the eventual horror stories of how I flood the basement or short out the entire electrical system. At least I know how to mow a lawn!

Playing with Portals

2011-08-05T20:51:00.000-04:00

Despite being a gamer, I don’t really seem to write about them much on here (aside from Guitar Hero/Rock Band). Looking through the archive, I was surprised I didn’t bother to write about my favorite game on Xbox: Fallout 3. I guess that will have to wait for another day, as this post is dedicated to my favorite game of the moment, Portal 2.

As the number would suggest, this is the follow-up to Portal, which became a surprise hit in 2007. I didn’t discover it until much later until it was available as a download from the Xbox Arcade. Regardless, I love any game that has a snide sense of humor, and the developers at Valve certainly made me laugh. The basic plot is you are trying to escape from a science facility that is run by an evil computer named GLaDOS. She has set up a series of tests that require you to use a portal gun that creates entrances and exits on flat surfaces of the room. Problem-solving and constant put-downs ensue.

Portal was considered an add-on to the Orange Box and therefore was very short- maybe five hours long. This time, Portal 2 is a full game and contains a much deeper storyline, as well as two-player co-op. Thankfully, the humor also returns and GLaDOS has cemented herself as one of the more entertaining and certainly one of the most memorable characters in any game I’ve played.

The game is a total blast and was a welcome relief from all the first-person shooters that seem to overwhelm the shelves these days. I seem to recall a ton of puzzle games back in the early Nintendo and Sega days that seem to have gone the way of the two-button controller. Why is it so hard for studios to release a game that requires some creativity and not just the ability to blow off zombie heads with a shotgun? Tracy and I are always looking for a game that allows split-screen co-op and I think this is the only one we’ve managed to find that we both enjoyed.

Getting back on topic, Portal 2 is definitely a unique game and enjoyable to those who wouldn’t consider themselves gamers. I will leave you with my favorite rant from the game, delivered by the man in charge of the science facility. If you don’t find this funny, then this game isn’t for you.

Summer Winds of Change

2011-07-30T08:49:00.008-04:00

I’ve posted on here before about how I’m not the biggest baseball fan in the world. But I can appreciate some of its finer points and can tolerate heading out to a Tigers game once a year. Although I’d hate to admit it, I think Tracy’s love of America’s pastime has begun to wear off on me.

When we first met, I thought her love of baseball and my apathy towards it might be a point of contention, but that never came to pass. She tolerated coming to Michigan football and ignoring Sharks games on TV and I would tag along to our annual trip to Comerica Park. It was the perfect sporting détente.

This summer, I have found myself getting interested in following the Tigers as they make a run at the AL Central title. I’ve been checking the scores almost daily and tuning into a game or two per week. We’ve already been to one game this summer, but we’re heading back downtown in September for Tracy’s Dad’s birthday.

In addition, since I can’t pass up an excuse to go on a roadtrip, I proposed we visit the Tigers’ minor league affiliates this summer and she gladly accepted. We’ve already seen the West Michigan Whitecaps (A) in Grand Rapids and the “world famous” Toled MudHends (AAA), with the Erie SeaWolves (AA) left for next month. Once those are complete, the next step might be the four other Central Division teams.

Tracy noticed my change of heart and asked what led to this sudden interest in her sport. I’d be lying if I wasn’t trying to score some points with the wife, but I think it fills a need in the otherwise empty summer sports schedule. I can drift in and out of the schedule and not feel like I missed too much – perfect for our busy summer schedule.

Baseball is still behind hockey and football in my eyes, but it is solidly in third place and way ahead of the NBA. As much as I didn’t care for the sport as a child, I think it is every father’s duty to teach his child the game of baseball.

The Trip of a Lifetime: Recap

2011-07-19T08:47:00.009-04:00

Nice to see you again, Internet (seriously, Wifi on the boat was practically non-existent). Tracy and I are getting back into our routine after being away for nearly two weeks on our Honeymoon. I jokingly called it “the trip of a lifetime” before we left but I it would be hard to come up with a better description. We had an incredible time and left with memories that certainly will last for a long time to come.

I’ll start with the second leg of the trip first, since I assume that is more interesting to people. I had been on a cruise once before when I was a teenager, but I don’t remember it being as fun the first time around – being able to drink probably helped. We made sure we booked an awesome room, and it didn’t disappoint: it was a suite with a huge front-facing balcony. This provided awesome views almost every day and we spent several nights just watching scenery after dinner before heading out to evening activities.

We also went on two shore excursions, one for each of us. Tracy wanted to explore a glacier and I wanted to go whale watching. We were lucky enough to book both, as my outing was initially full when we boarded. Tracy’s pick was way better, as it involved a helicopter trip from Juneau over the mountains and land on a glacier about half an hour away. The sights from the trip and just landing on a glacier would have been enjoyable, but our trip was just beginning. See, we landed at a dogsledding camp and we rode around on a sled for the next hour. If that isn’t a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I’m not sure what is.

The camp was located on a huge ice field and there were probably 150-200 dogs barking nonstop. We learned the basics of mushing and then boarded a sled with another group of two. We completed a two-mile loop around the camp with each individual having a stint at the front of the sled, as well as “driving” from the rear. I took some video with my camera and my first YouTube video was born:

On Thursday, it was my excursion day and time for whale watching. We left from Prince Ruppert, BC, and headed out on a covered boat with about 20 other people. Tracy had done pretty well with seasickness on the cruise ship, but got fairly nauseated on the smaller boat. The trip was too long, as it took almost an hour to reach the prime viewing area, but it was worth it. We saw a huge pod of orcas traveling alongside the boat. It seemed like it was one adult and several babies, popping up for air every 30 seconds or so. One of the things people who had gone whale watching before recommended I enjoy myself and not worry about trying to take pictures. But after half an hour of nonstop viewing, I decided to take a crack at it:

The other highlight from the cruise was our minor-celebrity status on the ship after appearing on the Newlywed Game the first full day at sea. It was easy to get selected – all we had to do was yell out when the host asked for volunteers. The folks around us certainly helped, squawking that they were seated next to newlyweds. We were pared up against two couples that had been married for over 45 years each, so we were nervous. But it turns out we got almost every question right and won in a landslide; alas, they didn’t keep score. For the rest of the week, I don’t think a day went by that someone didn’t recognize us from the show and wished us well in our marriage.

If you made it this far, the first part of the trip was your typical roadtrip across the Pacific Northwest. We left Seattle and headed down to Olympia and Salem and spent the first night in Portland. Neither city was especially memorable, except for the abundance of hipsters in Portland. We drove over to Boise and spent the night. We were surprised at how prairie-like Idaho looked, as we assumed it would be more mountainous like Oregon and Washington.

Aside from having to reschedule our flight home, it was the perfect two weeks of relaxation and excitement. We were so grateful to all our friends for their generous wedding gifts that helped make this trip possible and wished you could have been there to share it with us.

The Trip of a Lifetime

2011-06-30T19:46:00.002-04:00

This post will serve the dual purpose of announcement and warning to all readers. Tracy and I are departing on our honeymoon on Tuesday and I won’t be posting any updates until we get back. We’ll be gone for almost two weeks and combine both an Assignment: America roadtrip with a cruise to Alaska. We’ll fly into Seattle and hit the capitols in Washington, Oregon and Idaho over the first couple of days. Then it’s back to Seattle to board the Norwegian Star to cruise to Alaska for seven days. Be sure to check back around July 17 for the full recap.

Late again to the Oscar party

2011-06-23T10:10:00.003-04:00

For the second year in a row, I decided to watch all 10 Oscar nominees for Best Picture. And for the second year in a row, I didn’t have all of them scratched off my list in time for the ceremony. The waiting game for DVD releases can seem endless, and this week I finally saw True Grit, which was the only holdout from my list. Apologies for not being timely, but here are my rankings of the nominees and corresponding blurb of my thoughts.

Winter's Bone: Easily my least favorite of the bunch, as a story about hillbilly drug dealers isn’t a compelling storyline. It does feature a star-making performance from Jennifer Lawrence in an otherwise forgettable film.

The Social Network: I just don’t understand the appeal of this movie. I found Aaron Sorkin’s script insufferable and Justin Timerberlake isn’t cut out for serious roles.

The Kids are Alright: The story of the children of lesbian parents looking for their sperm donor father is timely but doubtful to stand the test of time. Mark Ruffalo receiving a nomination for this role is a joke.

Inception: While it wins points for an original story and amazing special effects, it’s still just a summer blockbuster at the end of the day. Christopher Nolan would win every award if Internet voters handed them out.

Black Swan: Natalie Portman gave everything she had for this role, but Mila Kunis ruined it for me. I’m still not sure whether or not Mila’s character was real or not.

127 Hours: I thought I couldn’t like James Franco in anything, but he more than carries the load in this tough-to-watch biopic. I could have done without the hallucination scenes, however.

True Grit: It wouldn’t be the Oscars without the Cohen brothers, but this year they delivered a solid addition to a genre that hasn’t had much success. This might have been the first time I didn’t care for a performance from Matt Damon since Talented Mr. Ripley.

The Fighter: This one surprised me. I assumed it to be another lame sports movie but spent more time focusing on the Wards’ family lives than training in the ring. Amy Adams was almost unrecognizable in her role, but anyone could have delivered Melissa Leo’s overbearing mother character.

Toy Story 3: I’ll admit it: I teared up at the end of this one. Pixar continues to deliver stories that appeal to all audiences while still making audiences invested in characters that computer-generated.

The King’s Speech: I don’t think should be a surprise to readers of this blog. Colin Firth was amazing mimicking George’s mannerisms as well as speaking style. Geoffrey Rush almost upstages him in a surprisingly poignant film.

So wrong, yet so tasty

2011-06-09T20:01:00.007-04:00

Americans love our fast food. It’s no wonder that obesity is becoming an epidemic in this country. I enjoy eating out at restaurants on a regular basis, but I try to limit my exposure to fast food. But I have a horrible confession to make: I love KFC’s Double Down.

Kentucky Fried Chicken is no stranger to controversy, but it didn’t help itself when it released the Double Down last year. It is a “sandwich” that doesn’t have any bread. Instead, it uses two pieces of fried chicken as the buns, with cheese, bacon and secret sauce in between.

It seems like a creation straight off This Is Why You’re Fat. But it’s really, and it’s yummy.

There is a story how I arrived at this conclusion. I rarely visit KFC, but Tracy has a craving for it once a year or so. We went in last year and I wanted to try it then, but apparently it was off the menu and I had to settle for a fried chicken sandwich that actually had bread. The nerve! But it had all the other components and I really liked it. So I waited the mandatory year before eating KFC again and I was in luck my white whale was back on the menu.

We had dinner with Tracy’s dad downriver last night and his choice was KFC. Sure enough, there was a huge sign in the window informing me today was the day. There is no easy way to eat the Double Down; you just have to go for it. The hardest thing (besides my arteries) was to keep the contents of the sandwich from slipping out. Between the grease on my fingers and on the chicken, the bacon kept trying to slide out.

When it all comes together, it really is tasty. I think it is the sauce that really ties it together. It is something along the lines of a Thousand Island or spicy mayo, which gives it a little kick in an otherwise bland sandwich. The cheese seems almost unnecessary, as I could hardly taste it and the bacon gives a little crunch as well.

As much as enjoyed the Double Down, I want to live long enough to see my grandchildren one day and I will have to leave it be. Now if you will excuse me, I will now perform 10,000 sit-ups.

I now pronounce you blogger and wife

2011-05-31T21:15:00.011-04:00

So I think I mentioned on here I was getting married. No? Well, let me catch you up. I met this girl named Tracy. I decided to show her I loved her. We moved in together. We got engaged. And now we are married. The end.

You want more you say? Chances are if you read this blog, you must enjoy rambling, so I will be happy to indulge you. After a year and a half of being engaged and about six months worth of planning, I think it is safe to say the wedding was a success. The weather certainly didn’t make it easy, but it did make it memorable.

One of the main reasons we picked the reception location was the ability to hold the ceremony on site. Tracy loved the courtyard they had for weddings, and our plan was to have our ceremony there as well. For three weeks leading up to the big day, we kept checking extended weather forecasts and it kept coming back the same: chance of rain. Turns out they were right. It rained almost all week leading up to the wedding, and of course the courtyard was flooded.

The morning of the wedding, we decided to move the ceremony to an alternate outside location. It wasn’t as nice, but had a gazebo and still would make for good pictures. Once again, the weather didn’t cooperate. We were now moving on to plan C, which was an inside conference room. Needless to say, we weren’t thrilled about the option, but there wasn’t really a choice here. An hour and a half before the ceremony was supposed to start, I was helping my dad frantically move the plants indoors.

There ceremony itself was nice and as someone who was raised Catholic, I still can’t get over how quickly the Protestant ceremonies are completed. I almost burned down the hotel, as I couldn’t get my unity candle to stay in the holder without falling over. I don’t think that’s what Jesus meant when he said “unquenchable fire.”

Fortunately, there were only minor hiccups with the reception. The caterer didn’t have the right number of chair covers in Tracy’s purple, so they had to add with her alternate color silver to half the chairs. We asked for them to alternate every-other chair, but they made the decision to cover an entire table with one color instead. Platted dinner seemed to be hit-or-miss, as some of the pasta dishes came out cold and the sauce congealed (my salmon was fine).

Obviously these were minor blips on an otherwise amazing day, but it wouldn’t be a Schick Happens post unless I pointed out the negatives first. It was great to see all my family and friends in attendance, especially those who had to travel to Ann Arbor. Tracy looked absolutely beautiful in her dress and I felt so lucky she chose to marry me. Tracy’s brother-in-law did a great job as DJ and I showed off my terrible white-boy dance moves. It was truly a memorable day that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

Now, when’s the honeymoon?!

Photo: A rare photo from outside

No beard, same result

2011-05-25T21:13:00.003-04:00

Apparently it wasn’t my facial hair that was keeping the Sharks from winning the Stanley Cup- so I got that going for me, which is nice. I struggled last year to decide whether the 2010 playoff run was a disappointment, and I finally determined it wasn’t. My decision was much simpler this time around: total disappointment.

San Jose ended up losing in the Western Conference finals once again, albeit winning one game this time instead of being swept. At this rate, they should win the Cup in 2014. But while the Sharks blog I read keeps telling me I should be happy that the Sharks are one of the top for teams for the second straight season and most teams would be thrilled to be in the same position, I just don’t accept that logic.

Since the lockout, the Sharks have been one of (if not the best) regular season teams in the league, yet that never translates into playoff success. I consider that failure. Doug Wilson has attempted to put all the right pieces in place yet it always hits a snag and comes up short. Three trips to the conference finals since 2004 and no finals appearance to show for it seems to confirm the Sharks are the playoff chokers the rest of the league sees.

There were a few exciting moments in these playoffs, such as the four-goal comeback against Los Angeles in the first round and game 7 against Detroit, but I think this year’s team seemed to lack the urgency of year’s past. Despite being swept by Chicago last year, I thought the Sharks were neck-and-neck with the Blackhawks in terms of intensity and talent. Each of the four games could have gone either way; I never felt that way against Vancouver.

I predicted last offseason would see major changes to the Sharks lineup and with the exception of bringing in Niemi, the roster is pretty much the same. With Ian White and Devin Setoguchi as the only major free agents this offseason, expect more of the same in 2012. The notion that the same corps of players are returning used to cause excitement; now it is starting to feel like dread.

Now with 15% more pins!

2011-05-15T13:44:00.008-04:00

At the beginning of each of my four bowling seasons, I set what I thought was a simple goal: finish every game over 100. Once again, I was unable to hit triple digits throughout the season. I am getting closer, as I just missed by one game this year (damn you 91!).

This year was my best to date, as I posted my career- and series-best totals in the later weeks. But nothing prepared me for the accomplishment I would receive at the end of the season banquet.

As we were sitting down before the ceremony, Tracy lamented that she wanted to win a trophy someday. I joked that if they handed out a most improved award in our league, I would be in serious contention for it. Turns out, I was right:

I won the award thanks to a 19-pin improvement over the course of the season. I finished last year at 124, which I thought was pretty respectable. But this year I closed out the season with 143 and now have another magnet to add to my collection. So look out next year, when I dare to crack 150 (but still secretly going for the 100+ record).

The home stretch

2011-05-09T19:53:00.006-04:00

With just under a month to go until the wedding, I guess it’s time to get serious. People are constantly asking, “Are you nervous yet?” My reply is always no, and I think the fact that I’m not nervous is making me uneasy. Is there something I should be doing that we forgot? What did we overlook? We booked the reception hall, sent the invites, purchased the rings, ordered the cupcakes, found a minister, reserved a DJ, secured a photographer, bought the dress; what could be left?

I think my methodical nature has helped ease the pain of what potentially could be a stressful situation. We’ve been engaged for over a year, which is pretty long by most people’s standards. I think if we were trying to get married last May, I could see how it could seem daunting. It also helped that several of Tracy’s friends were recently married and they provided some helpful advice.

Maybe the big stressful event hasn’t happened yet and could happen on the big day. We have made promises to each other that once the ceremony starts, everything is out of our hands and there is nothing we could do at that point, so just let it happen. I have started mentally preparing for such occurrences by telling myself over and over “let it go.” If something does happen and I can let it slide, this could be a potentially life-changing event. Oh, and the whole getting married thing I guess could be considered life-changing too.

Hi-def Hypocrisy

2011-04-26T20:13:00.002-04:00

When you’ve been writing a blog as long as I have, there are bound to be times when you have to admit you were wrong. I’m sure it happens more often than I realize, but this one stands out in my mind. Way back in 2006, I wrote about my first experience with high definition televisions. I was naturally skeptical, since that is my default reaction. I didn’t see what the fuss was about and I certainly couldn’t justify the cost of upgrading at the time. In the following years, I always seemed to roll my eyes anytime I head someone extol the benefits of HD and was content to stick with my standard definition set.

I’m not sure when my feelings started to change, but I definitely started warming up to the idea of HD in the past few months. Tracy and I put a new TV on our wedding registry as a joke, thinking that was the only way I would allow one in my house. But I think the seed was planted by that point and it only continued to grow. Shockingly, we didn’t receive a TV from the shower, but we did receive several Target gift cards. As a result, I used them to help pay for our new 40” Samsung that I brought home last night. Yes, five years after writing it was unnecessary, I am now one of the last people in America to make the jump to HD (in fact, Ma and Pa Schick made the jump last year).

The initial reviews seem to be positive. I watched my Sharks send the Kings to the golf course last night and I found the broadcast to be more enjoyable in the widescreen format. The picture does appear crisper, but I still think it isn’t the huge leap everyone makes it out to be. I think I notice the difference more when playing Xbox, as the digital images appear much clearer than before. All in all, I’m glad I finally made the upgrade.

So why all the apprehension? Everyone knows I’m a geeky guy who likes gadgets and technology, but for some reason I am always the last to jump into the pool. I think it might have to do with my cheapness, as new devices are always expensive right out of the gate. But if that was the case, I would wait to buy video games after they have been released for months and not on their release day. I guess it will remain a mystery, so please stop with the HD jokes and now continue to mock me for refusing to buy a smart phone.

Clean-Shaven Spring

2011-04-12T21:43:00.008-04:00

It is postseason time once again in the National Hockey League, and it is with great sadness that I announce that I will not be growing my playoff beard this year. Yes, my beloved Sharks qualified for the playoffs (although it looked pretty bleak earlier in the season) and have a first-round matchup with Los Angeles starting this week. But there is this little wedding I have coming up that is getting in the way.

Tracy has never been a fan of any facial hair I have attempted to grow over the years, but she has still stood by me every spring. She didn’t go as far as saying I couldn’t grow any beard this year, but gave the stipulation that it would have to be gone by May 29. I thought this was reasonable, as I also didn’t want to look back at my wedding pictures in 50 years and see a goofy half-grown goatee.

This left me with a dilemma. Do I start the beard and shave it off with the Sharks still potentially playing in May? Or do I break with tradition and not grow one at all? After some soul-searching, I went with the latter. I decided that it would be worse mojo to shave with the possibility of the Sharks still playing and my face usually takes a few days to recover after a complete shave afterwards. Besides, Tracy also brought up a good point that they failed to win the cup all the years I grew the beard; what if no beard is the key to success?

Previous years:

2006
2007
2008
2009
2010

Give Me Five... Hundred!

2011-04-03T15:40:00.007-04:00

As a cynical person, it’s hard for me to believe that I could be good at anything. When Tracy convinced me to join a bowling team when we first started going out, I was beyond terrible and convinced I could never get better. Fast forward to the end of our fourth bowling season, and I have to admit I am getting better.

I recently rolled my first 500 series and received the pin below for my efforts. For those unfamiliar with the term, the series refers to my total number of pins across three games (30 frames total). One of my biggest problems with my bowling has always been consistency. The same night I rolled a 203 last year I followed it up with a 125 or so. While none of the three games this time around broke the 200 barrier, I consider this a better accomplishment.

My average has settled around 140 this year, but I still have struggled to put together a string of three solid games every night. I once again failed my season goal of completing every game over 100, so that still leaves room for improvement next year.

Hooray pointless milestones!

2011-03-29T19:49:00.007-04:00

It just so happens that this is the 400th post on this blog. This is bad timing, since I did my annual “thanks for reading” post barely two months ago, so I really don’t want to repeat myself. So here is a picture of the Atari 400, one of the first home personal computers:

Madness Across Four Networks

2011-03-18T12:02:00.004-04:00

As excited as I am to see the Michigan basketball team back in the NCAA Tournament, I am elated that the NCAA has a new TV deal that allows all of the games to be shown at the same time across four networks. I always take the first Friday of the dance off from work to stay at home at watch games. My usual setup was to switch on CBS to whatever game was showing (usually some local team) and then I would fire up my laptop with the March Madness on Demand to watch the next best game. This setup was ok for awhile, but once CBS started jumping around, it became harder to keep track of the games I wanted.

Now, I have no one to blame but myself, thanks to four networks showing four games at once. I was worried that I would miss out on the Michigan game this afternoon thanks to it being on something called TruTV, but U-Verse came through and carried that channel. In the old world, CBS would have bailed on the Michigan game midway through the second half, but this time I was able to see all the action down to the final buzzer.

In fact, I was impressed yesterday that the NCAA made all four radio streams from XM available to those of us at work, and I was swapping between the different games while stuck at my desk. I was able to hear the crazy finish to the Louisville game, which made my one office buddy annoyed and jealous. Say what you want about the NCAA, but for once, they managed to get something right for the fans.