The Great Escape

This one made me laugh!

Bad Start to the Bowl Season for BYU Fans

It was hard to watch the BYU Cougars lose both to Utah and then to lose to Arizona in the Las Vegas Bowl.  I also find it interesting to be disappointed in a 10-3 record for 2008.  Considering in the not to distant past we didn't even go to a bowl game, we have become accustomed to winning and going to a bowl game.

Hopefully by next season, we can mix things up and get the ball rolling again.

On an up note Colorado State surprisingly beat Fresno State.  I watched part of that game and thought the Bulldogs had the Rams number, but Colorado State pulled ahead and one the game.

Still up ahead.  TCU plays Boise State and Utah plays Alabama.  I think TCU has a good chance to beat Boise State.  Utah definitely has their work cut out for them.

Graduating

itsthebaileys twittered about Troy studying for his certification exam on Christmas Eve morning.

It brought back memories of when I was finishing up getting my bachelor's degree after seven long years of school, work and family.  I still remember how much pressure and fatigue I was under at the time. 

I was offered an internal transfer at work from the data center to being a programmer.  The director interviewed me and said, "We require a degree in order to work as a developer.  We expect you to get your bachelors degree."  He said in a way that it came across as an implied threat that there would be repercussions if I didn't finish.  This actually made me angry and it was all I could do to say, "If you think that I've worked this hard to come this close to getting my degree and you think I'm not going to finish, you are stupid and I don't know if I want to work for you!"  But I knew that might be career limiting. :)  It was the general fatigue coming out I guess.

After my last class, I remember coming home, taking my school books and throwing them down the stairs!  I was so relieved to have no more classes and test to take.  Some of the girls were downstairs and they came to the bottom of the stairs and looked at me like I had lost my mind.  I guess in many ways I had after seven years.

Steve Sarkisian Named Head Football Coach

I was really amazed about the rapid rise of Steve Sarkisian in college football.  In 1997 he was the quarterback of a BYU team that beat Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl.  In 2008, at the age of 34, he was offered the head coaching job of PAC 10 team Washington.

He has Pete Carrol, of USC to thank for giving him some tremedous opportunities to coach for him including being their offensive coordinator.  Talk about a rapid rise.  

Good luck to Steve as he embarks on his new career.

2008-2009 NCAA Bowl Games

I guess I keep waiting for something "big" to blog about and end up not bloggin anything at all.  I hope to be better!

I really enjoy the bowl games.  Next to March Madness, I think this one of the best time of years for me as far as sports go.  I wish there was a playoff system in place but there are still a lot of good match ups to watch.  Here is a link for the complete bowl games for 2008-2009 from ESPN.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3444571

Four web sites to help you remember things.

• Four places for Todo list or reminders that I have used.
  • Remember the Milk
  • Gubb.net
    
  • Toodledo.com
    
  • GoPingme.com
    

My brother

Looking pretty happy!

Harry Potter - Book 7

I got an email from Borders saying that the name for the last Harry Potter book is "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". When "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" came out, there was a discussion around the dinner table that American readers wouldn't know what a goblet was and that they were going to have a special American title to help us. I suggested "Harry Potter and the Cup of Really Hot Stuff", (not to be sarcastic or to make fun of anyone of course). So I am trying to come up with an America version of the latest title. How about "Harry Potter and the Unhealthy Halloween" or "Harry Potter and the Lifeless Day before All Saints Day." I'll give it some more thought and let you know.

Bill Clinton says we made a "big mistake" going into Iraq. Where was the former President and the other critics with their collective wisdom when we making the desicions to go to war? WMD? Isn't looking like it now, but Saddam sure lead us on by not cooperating with the UN inspectors. Did we want to take the chance that he would use those weapons against us?

The last day of Christmas vacation we went sledding up South Fork. We didn't stay long, but we had a good time. 

Oregon Coast - June 2004 

Another busy day in the life of a programmer trying to work a side project along with my regular job.

We have had three of our grandkids staying with us since our oldest daughter had her baby early Monday morning.