Another View - Bonus Pic

Star Gazing

I was sitting in front of the computer typing away ..... turned around and caught the Gabster watching "Dancing With The Stars." She likes the show. The camera was within my arm's reach. Had to snap the photo without a flash to make sure I didn't disturb her television watching. (Please ignore the dirty socks on the floor, shoes not put away, dust on the shelf, and rabbit ears on our digital-converter-box-enhanced television.)

Random Thoughts On March 26, 2009

There's less than nine months until Christmas. I still can't believe that April 1 is just around the corner.

Anyone who has visited "Wild Life" over the last couple years knows that I am a strong proponent of free tax filing. Anyone making less than $56,000 annually qualifies for free tax filing. Click here for more info on the irs.gov site. And don't forget to take advantage of Earned Income Credit or any of those other things for which you might be able to qualify.

Anyone notice how the group numbers on American Idol this year apparently horribly lip synced? The show is really strange this year. That said, I think my early favorite is the little guy named Chris.

Speaking of television .... I miss "Pushing Daisies" something fierce. I hate that show is gone. I forever will wonder how that story line would have evolved.

I wasn't sad to see the Pittsburgh Panthers beat my Cowboys last Sunday. Don't get me wrong ... I'd prefer to see the Pokes win always. But losing to Panthers is never bad. I'd rather lose to Panthers rather than red and blue birds or something like that.

Flowers are trying to creep out here in Kansas City. It has been warming up, but this weekend there's a great chance of snow. You gotta love springtime in Kansas City!

Advancing Again

We won in the first round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. We beat Tennessee in a last-second thriller, 77-75. The game was in Dayton, Ohio.

Next up, Pittsburgh Panthers. Big East team that is a No. 1 seed. It'll be tough. I'm hoping that my Cowboys still have a little magic left in their pocket. Some of that same magic that they used back in 2004 when the team beat Pitt. Regardless, I hope it was a good game. I hope the Meezers won't hate me if the Cowboys win.

Growing up in the old Big 8 Conference, we were taught to hate the Big 10. OK. Hate is a little strong. We for disliked and didn't root for Big 10 schools. I mean like who would ever root for a Wolverine, Buckeye or Hoosier for example.

Watching Friday night's games, I found myself rooting for the Siena Saints to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes. But I also hoped for Wisconsin to beat Florida State even though Wisconsin is a Big 10 school. Rooting for Badgers I can see.

The teams Gabby (she joined the rootin' as I interrupted her slumber with my hollers) and I were supported won. Both in overtime. One team won in double overtime. Very exciting.

HOWEVER .... I was thinking Saints like angels. I looked them up on the Internet and see that their mascot is a D - O - G. A Saint Bernard.

Advancing

We won! We won! We Won!

Seriously. My Cowboys took on those rotten Sooners, for the third time this season, and actually won. I still can't believe it. Won by 1 point. And OU had the ball with less than three second left with a chance to win. The clock never even started. I still can't believe the finish. I still can't believe we won. Very exciting.

Semis are Friday night. We will be beating Missouri. I hope. Go Pokes!

When You're Mad At Them

Just tell them .... "If it were you in that sandwich you wouldn't be laughing at all!"

Currently, I can't get enough of this commercial. And I hate Filet-o-fish. I fried up way too many of those during those college days working at McDonald's on Admiral and Memorial in Tulsa and later in Owasso.

March Madness

I wonder what term would be used if the NCAA Basketball Tournament occurred in April? Or February?

I've done my best not to be engaged or overly passionate about my team this year. Just feel like I have invested lots of dough being a crazy fan the last several years. Watching on television or getting updates on the Internet are my way of cutting back. Having some moderation. Being a little more sane.

As I should've anticipated, but was hopeful nonetheless, the Cowboys lost to those awful, horrible Sooners yesterday. Geez, I hate OU. And every team that needed to lose so that we (OSU) could move up in the Big 12 pecking order actually won. Darn.

We are the 7-seed at the Big 12 Tournament starting this week. We take on Iowa State at 6 p.m. on Wednesday. I'm glad I was thinking ahead when I was invited to speak at a 1 p.m. meeting scheduled for Wednesday. "Please do all you can to get me at the beginning of the agenda," I requested.

If all goes well, I'll be on the road by 1:30 and in OKC by 6:30. Just missing the game's beginning. If we win, we advance to play the 2-seed. You guessed right ... those horrible Sooners.

Random Thoughts On March 1, 2009

It snowed in Kansas City this past Saturday morning. About 3 to 5 inches, depending on where you live. Now it is brutal cold. About 12 degrees as I type. Brrrr. This should really get everyone in the mood for spring. I have a feeling there will be one more cold spell before all is said and done.

Also on Saturday, my OSU Cowboys beat Texas. It was a home game but a win nonetheless. The team has 19 wins and 9 losses, with some talking they could make the NCAA tournament. I'm not certain they deserve it. Still have two more games to go and then the Big 12 Tournament. This year it is in Oklahoma City.

Lastly, also on Saturday, had lunch with SAK. We ate at Pizzabella. Very good. Then we stopped by Prydes for a cookie (or two) and a look see at all the stuff at Prydes.

President Obama appears to be on the verge of nominating Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius to his cabinet. I remember her years ago as that state's insurance commissioner. Although I'm not impressed with her oratory skills, her organizational skills are top notch. I think, if confirmed by the senate, she'll do well.

Here's a link to a pic I took of her back in November 2006. It was taken at an American Red Cross event. I last saw her at the Tina Turner concert. She also spoke at the Obama rally I attended in October 2008.

As a reminder ... I live in Missouri. Although the main metro area is on the Missouri side, the Kansas City metro does stradle the state line. Thus, Gov. Sebelius and Kansas politics have a strange way of hopping over to the Missouri side.

Are you familiar with the ratings sweeps months for television? Usually it is November, February and May. However, the switch to digital tv was expected to happen in February. For that reason the decision was made to switch it to a March sweeps this year.

Be prepared for all those scandal-filled news stories, exclusive interviews, over-the-top drama, new episodes of all the shows, and all the other stuff that happens with a sweeps month. My suggestion is to skip the local 10 p.m. news during this month. It is completely designed to scare.