Missing the hockey...

Having moved recently (to New Jersey), I haven't been able to watch any Avalanche hockey... it's been incredibly sad. Although I think they're something like 2 and 1 since I moved, including a win that was something like 9-5 vs the Blues. Holy crap that must have been a good game! How would you like to be at a game where 14 goals are scored??? Even better would have been if it was 7-7 and went to a shoot out (that called for extra shooters).

Starting this weekend, I'm going to use the online NHL radio link on the Avs website and listen to the games. There's at least that, you know? Until then... Oh am I missing my Avalanche hockey.

Avalanche @ Kings

This was an excellent game! The Avs played strong and really bounced back after their San Jose loss. I was impressed. Especially since they did it without Sakic, among other players who were out. Smythe was great and Stastny picked up a few points as well. God it was a lot of fun watching this game.

Theodore was really good in net, I thought he moved well and had some really beautiful saves. There was a bit of a scary moment when Smythe fell over the Kings goaltender and he (the goaltender) laid on the ice for a few minutes. He seemed ok when he got up, but was replaced. I'm guessing it was a "just in case" although I haven't checked today to see if he suffered any manner of injury when it happened. I didn't hear any mention of an injury during the game though.

Avalanche @ Sharks

Last nights game was a good effort, except for the 1st period. It just looked to me like the Avs spent most of the 1st scrambling to catch up. They came out for the second ready to play though, and that was good. Too many penalties on both sides, but Hejduk getting a shorty was nice. Giving up 2 PP goals wasn't. So the Avs lost to the Sharks 3-2. That last period was really exciting. It would have been nice if the first period had been as well.

Hannan being booed was disappointing. I mean, why? Did he badmouth San Jose? No, he just went to another team via free agency. What's so bad about that? Ok, he left. And so will most of the players on every team, they'll go to other teams. Why? Lots of reasons, more money, a better shot at the Stanley Cup, a desire to play on a team with a specific player... there are a lot of reasons. I'm sorry, but how many canadian born players do you know would turn down Joe Sakic when he calls them up and says "hey, you know, the Avalanche is a great organization that would love to have you."

I don't know, I just don't get the booing thing. I can understand booing a player if they did something like badmouth the town, the fans or the team on their way out the door. Or if they made a comment like "well I just go where the money is." Yeah, by all means, boo away. Hell, I'll boo right along with you. But to boo a player because he was traded or left via free agency... seriously, why?

Combined Pregame... I hate it.

I hate when the Avs and the Nuggets have games on the same day that start at the same time. I like my pre-game show to be all hockey and mostly Avalanche. I don't mind highlights from other games and special features on players with other teams (particularly if they're players that I really dig). But It seems to me that whenever the Avs and the Nuggets have a combined pre-game show, it's about 1 minute of Avalanche to every 3 minutes of Nuggets. I'd rather there not even BE a pre-game show. And of course, when they have the combined pre-game show, they usually end up having a combined POST-game show.

Don't mind me, I'm just pouting.

A Gorgeous Site

I've been a part of the Goth scene off and on for about 10 years. It's an environment I feel perfectly comfortable in; one of the few, to be honest. With all of the sites popping up targeting specific types of people based on their lifestyle, religious beliefs, even ethnic backgrounds, finding a Goth singles website isn't that suprising. What I'm impressed with, however is the unique layout. A layout that is truly appealing to those whose tastes run a bit "outside the norm." It's not just about being goth, of course. The site caters to those whose tastes run a little darker. Goth, fetish, extreme music and alternative culture is of course included (among others). The site is beautifully laid out, I have to say. Whoever designed it deserves an award. I'm truly in awe of it. The features of the site are great as well. It's a free site that allows you to set up a profile complete with pictures if you choose. You can send a wink or a message to other members. I tried it myself, I was able to send a quick hello to someone who has a few similar interests -- didn't cost me a cent. It's certainly one of the better dating sites I've checked out, if not the best.

28 Weeks Later

So I watched this last night. I loved the first one (28 Days Later) so I figured "what the hell..." It was good. Very good. It starts out so calm and then just bursts with attack of the infected. It's a great opening.

This is where the spoilers start, so if you haven't read it and want to be surprised when you do... don't read on.

I loved the military angle, the very "state of marshall law" set up. I loved the "some people might be immune" twist. Of course, the someone who was immune was also carrying it and passed it on. It seemed to me, althought it wasn't discussed, that the virus may have mutated. Just seeing what the woman who was immune and carrying's husband did when she passed it on to him. It was like he had a goal. Kill my family. Brutally. He gouged out her eyes for pete's sake. That was pretty brutal to watch. This one is gorier. He also seemed to attempt to follow his kids when they were escaping. The impression I got from the 1st movie is that the virus made them mindless killers. "Dad" didn't seem like a mindless killer. Which made him scarier. The ending was left open for sequel, and I've heard that they're working on a 28 Months Later, which could be good. I just hope they don't try to do a 28 Years Later after that.

Did I mention that this one was gorier than the first?

In a Pinch

There comes a time in everyone's life that they need a little bit of money in a pinch. A lot of people have those times right around the holidays. Money's tight, the week or two before Christmas, but you want to give the kids a nice holiday. That's one of the many ways that Payday loans can come in handy. As long as you think about it and don't borrow more than you can afford to pay back. It's also my experience that they can be very helpful for holiday travel. You've pre-paid for your flight and your rental car and all of that, but you find yourself wishing that it was next payday so that you could have a little extra spending money. It can be a life saver, a stress reducer and a good backup to have in a pinch. Just don't borrow more than you can afford.

This is a sponsored post.

Edmonton @ Colorado

It's about time! The Avs had one of their best games in awhile last night. OH it was beautiful! They came out flying, that's for sure. It's been a few games since I saw them play like that. They weren't just in the game, they were the game. It was a great win.

Peter Budaj wasn't tested all that much last night, but when the Oilers came on, he was damn solid. Roloson had some good moments as well. I'm not sure if Roloson was off, or the Avs were so on that he couldn't figure them out. That's how good the game was. It was nice to see Sakic get his second goal in 2 games -- he's had a bit of a slump but it looks like he's pulling out of the nosedive and getting back to true Sakic form.



Lappy is out on injured reserve for a little while. I can't seem to find what he's out for. Maybe this is a new thing. We'll announce that he's on IR, but we won't tell anyone why except for once during every 3rd telecast. I didn't find out why Skrastins was on IR a few weeks ago (separated shoulder) until the 2nd or 3rd game he missed and there was a graphic showing who was out and why. It was the first I'd heard of the WHY.

Avalanche @ Oilers

Last night's game was good. The game befor, against Calgary was also good, just not good enough.

But last night was nice. First of all, it was the second game back for my favorite player (Karlis Skrastins) who'd been out w/ a separated shoulder. He also scored a goal, which was absolutely beautiful, in my opinion. There's nothing like a good goal scored by your favorite player, no? Another favorite also scored, Marek Svatos. Which was nice. It's always nice to see him score.

Overall, I think the Avs fought pretty hard to win last nights game and pulled out a very deserving win. I do love when they play Edmonton. The first two games I ever went to were against Edmonton. I also think that Edmonton plays a little grittier than anyone else in the division, so the Avs get to face more grit and less finesse when they meet up. Makes for some outstanding hockey.

Colorado at Minnesota...

I wonder how many times this season the Avs and Wild will play each other on a Sunday. This was a fun one. Both teams lost their last games. The Wild wasn't nearly as embarassed as the Avs were, but they both wanted to spring back and have a good game after a loss. The Wild wanted it more. The Avs just seemed to be a little flat on their feet. Hopefully they'll spring back on Tuesday against the Flames. The Wild played really good, the Avs were ok. A few shades above mediocre. It was a disappointing game to say the very least. I'd hoped that after the game against Dallas the Avs would play with some fire and passion.

Colorado @ Dallas

Oh man was that sad. It just wasn't there last night, seriously. This wasn't simply being out played... I love my Avs, but last night was an embarassment. That's not to say that there weren't good moments. A few good plays, a few good saves, a few good moments. But a win is not built on "a few good..." This is one of the reasons that I cannot stand long breaks during the season. Yeah, the break helps injuries heal and gives the players time to rest and be energetic for the next game. But I think that the rust factor is a bigger player in most 3+ days off stretches.

So the Avs lost 6-1 last night. It was heartbreaking, but not the end of the world I guess. They're still on top of the NW Division and doing pretty well. I just hope they bounce back from this atrocity with a vengeance.

Minnesota @ Colorado

It was a good game. Fast, exciting and a lot of fun to watch. It was nice to see after missing much of the previous game (my son gave me a stomache virus, so I spent most of the game praying to the porcelain god). Stastny picked up a few points, no such thing as a sophomore drought as far as this kid is concerned and I LOVE it. Budaj was solid the defense was good...

Something that Woody brought up today was interesting though... Liles. He seems a bit lackluster so far this year. Not that he's not playing good, he's just not playing with the spark that he's played with the past couple of seasons.

The Avs were solid, played a good game and came out iwth the win -- which kept them at the top of the division. 4-2 was the final and it was good.

Oilers @ Avalanche

Oh man was that a good game last night! It was exciting and fast paced and just... damn that was a good game. The Avs opend up scoring in the 1st, but Edmonton tied it just a few minutes later, the Avs another followed by 2 by the Oilers. And that was just in the first period! The Avs tied the score at 3 in the 3rd period, but neither team let up for a second. Overtime was scoreless and they went to a shootout which required 1 extra shooter per team. I love extra shooters in the shootout. It means that either the shooters are shooting well or the goaltenders are really on. Either way, it's exciting to watch. Lappy, one of my favorite players scored two goals and was the number one star of the game. That was awesome to see, especially since he's more of a grinder than a goal scorer. I love when the guy who's interviewed as the #1 star of the game has bruises all over his face from fighting. So the Avs won 4-3 in a shoot out, and to be perfectly honest I'd have called it a great game even if the Avs lost.

Flames @ Avalanche

Well, if the Avs bounce back like this after every loss this season, I can certainly live with that. The Avs played well last night, it was a great game. We had scoring, good goaltending and even a fight. Theodore was in net, and I believe that makes 3 wins vs the Flames for him this season. Theodore made some pretty nice saves last night as well. Stastny and Wolski both scored for the Avs, which is awesome. Doubly awesome for me, since I have both of them on my fantasy hockey team.

It was a great game, very exciting. Lappy dropped the gloves, which is always fun to watch.

Movies: Last Holiday

Ok, so when I saw previews for Last Holiday back when it was coming out in theaters, I wasn't impressed. But like so many others that I didn't really have an interest in seeing, I caught part of it when there wasn't anything else on and I wanted some background noise that wasn't "Building a toilet from scratch" on DIY or something and was entertained enough to want to see the whole thing. So I watched it the next time it was on. Damn was that a good movie. It's a little silly in parts, but it's got a pretty good message: Life isn't a spectator sport.

Vancouver @ Avalanche

Well, it had to happen eventually. I just hoped that the Avs would hold out a few more before their first loss at home. It wasn't a bad game, the Canucks just had an easier time of figuring out Budaj than the Avs had figuring out Luongo. The non-marquee players did a good job for the Avs last night, and Svatos seems to be back in scoring mood, which is great. I've loved Svatos since his first season with the Avs, even though he only played a handful of games because of injuries. He just struck me as something special. I still think that he's something special on the ice, actually. My favorite players tend to be defensemen (Skrastins, for example) and grinders (like Laperriere), so a big scorer's gotta be pretty special to make me take enough notice and say "he's one of my favorite players." Svatos is that kind of special.

The Canucks won 4-3 last night. Disappointing that they couldn't extend the home wins streak farther, but I'm not overly disappointed by the game itself.

Penguins @ Avalanche

I forgot to post last night after the game, but damn was it good. I really enjoyed it. In the first period, the Pens scored twice and the Avs started the second period in the hole 2-0, but they picked it up and scored 3 in the second and held the Penguins off in the third. Theodore was in net for the Avs and blocked a few doozies from Crosby and looked pretty good in net. He only faced about 25 shots, but I think he looked like he's really got his head together.

It was nice to see guys who aren't considered "skill guys" get some points last night, too. To be perfectly honest I liked the game so much I watched the replay... twice. In the end, the Avs won it 3-2 and sit at the top of the division going into a run of games against division rivals.

Hockey recap of sorts...

I was without internet access for almost 2 weeks, so I wasn't able to post on the Avs games that occurred in that time period. Well, damn it was a pretty good run.

After the Avs beat the flames in a shoot out on the 16th, they lost to the Blackhawks and the Wild on the road before finally getting themselves a road win against the Edmonton Oilers. Nice way for Ryan Smyth to return to Edmonton, I think. it was a great game. They also won in Calgary (in OT) before coming home and beating the Wild on Sunday. So far in the season, the Avs have been perfect at home and have won 2 out of 5 on the road. Not too bad.

I look forward to Thursday night's game. The Avs will be hosting the Penguins, so we'll get to see them take on Crosby and Malkin. I look forward to seeing how they do and I expect it to be an exciting game.

Flames @ Avalanche

Oh but I loved this game. Ok, it didn't start out great, but I have to admit that I wasn't worried. I don't worry until the team is down by 4 with only 5 left in the game -- then I worry. The Flames scored 4 goals between the first period and the first few minutes of the 2nd period. Budaj was pulled and Theodore went in to play the rest of the game. He looked good. He was fast, agile and his recovered from the Flames shots really nicely. The Avs scored 4 goals to tie the game -- some of them were some really bizarre bounces. As one of the announcers pointed out, you usually see one of those odd bounces once in every couple of games. The Avs got 3 in one game. It was weird, but I'm not complaining.

There were no goals in overtime, and it went to a shootout. The first Avs shootout of the season. The Avs won the shootout 2-1.

This was just the thing for Theodore, I think. He got to go in and save the game for the Avs. It was so great. So the final score was 5-4 Avs in the shoot out.

Son of a Witch

So I just read Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire. Good book. Not quite as good as Wicked, but up there with Confessions of an Ugly Step Sister (which I really enjoyed although not as much as Wicked). The story centers around Elphaba's son, Liir and tells the story of his growing up and what happens to him after the Wizard and Dorothy have left Oz. It was really good, very entertaining. A little formulaic in some parts, but overall really quite good. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Smoothie, anyone?

I'm not sure I know anyone who doesn't like smoothies of some kind or another. There are so many varieties out there. My introduction to them was at a Jamba Juice on vacation in California 10 years ago. I made some in a cooking/home ec class in high school one day, which was fun. I made enough that I had a tray I was passing out to friends as I passed them en route to the next class. I tried getting Gage to drink a smoothie I came up with a few weeks ago as a way to get more protein and calcium into his diet. He didn't like it, but I loved it. It consisted of:

1/4 c. smooth tofu
1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. low fat vanilla yogurt
1 c. frozen strawberries slightly defrosted
1 tsp. sugar

Just pop it into the blender and puree until smooth. Man is it good. I might try it with blueberries and other fruits when I have the money.

Another thing I do every now and then (just for me), but isn't so much a smoothie is 1 cup of frozen strawberries (again partially defrosted), 1 cup of lemon lime soda and a teaspoon of sugar. Since the strawberries I get aren't sweetened before freezing the sugar adds a little sweetness. Anyhoo, I put that in the blender and puree. Some of the carbonation from the soda gets fizzed out, but there's still a little. If I want more carbonation I start with half the soda and puree the strawberries, then add the rest of the soda and pulse it a few times.

Blue Jackets @ Avalanche

Ok, this game was much better than yesterday's game. Not just because the Avs won 5-1, but because the Avs were really solid and played a great game at both ends of the ice. Sakic got himself a hattrick tonight, which makes 2 hattricks for the Avs in 5 games. I can certainly live with that. The defense was good and solid tonight, the forwards were really on their game. I must admit that it wasn't until an announcer mentioned Sergei Federov taking a faceoff for Columbus in the 2nd period... I completely forgot Federov was playing with the Blue Jackets. That can't be good. Federov is such a notable player usually... he was damn quiet tonight. And I love watching Footer play, even though he's not an Av anymore.

I was really impressed with the Avs scoring and defensive play tonight. Budaj was really on and he played a fantastic game. Special teams were solid. Here's hoping the Avs play like that through the season.

Avalanche @ Blues

Oh but that was sad. Ok, not entirely sad. Legace has always played well against the Avs. And it was kind of nice to see Dan Hinote score 2 goals -- he's always been a favorite player (and a former Avalanche player).

However... First off, I think that Theodore should have been started tomorrow against the Blue Jackets, not tonight against the Blues. No doubt Budaj will get tomorrow's start. But he didn't start badly. Even that first goal he let in wasn't bad. He'd just made 2 saves, lost his balance and couldn't recover in time to stop that third shot. I'd like to know why Hannan was behind the net instead of in front of it when that happened, to be honest. I think he had good positioning in the game and good energy. Not as spectacular as I want him to be, or as I KNOW he can be, but still good, solid.

The Avs lost, but I don't think they played poorly until the 3rd period. Even then it didn't seem like they gave up. Again, Legace plays well against the Avs. He stood on his head and got the win for the Blues, that's all there is to it.

So the blues won the game 4-1, and Paul Stastny added another goal to his scoresheet for the season.

It was a good game though, I really enjoyed watching. Even if the Avs didn't win.

Sharks @ Avalanche

Tonight's game was awesome. The San Jose Sharks came to the Pepsi Center and KAZAM, the Colorado Avalanche opened up a can of whoop-ass. Joe Sakic scored the first goal of the game, which tied him with Phil Esposito (at 8th) for all-tie points. The Avs scored 2 in the first and 4 in the 3rd, including a shorty by Ryan Smyth -- DAMN I think I'm going to like having him on my team this year. There were also goals for the Avs from Hejduk, Svatos and Stastny (who got a point on 5 of the 6 goals scored). Sakic got a point on the Hejduk goal, which moved him 1 past Esposito on the points list, which was even nicer.

The Avs really bounced back from their loss to the Preds earlier this week. Budaj looked solid, so did the defense. The goals scored were beautiful. Not necessarily "pretty" goals. Some were those good gritty goals that I love. And in the end, the Avs won 6-2

It was such a great game to watch. Exciting and fast paced. San Jose didn't really quit, even when the Avs blew things open. Of course, as as long as there's time on the clock, there's a chance to score another goal.

Avalanche @ Predators

*sigh*

First of all, I had to listen to the game instead of watching it. Which is fun and interesting in its own right, but I really have no idea if the Avs played really well and just couldn't solve Mason or if they were phoning it in. I can say that the Preds picking up 4 goals to the Avs goose egg was disappointing. I'm not sure why Quenneville opted to use the same goaltender in back to back games. Usually that only happens when the goalie in question is on a hot steak, and with only one game under their belts before tonight there was no hot streak -- goalie or otherwise.

On the radio, they discussed some of the line combinations and defensive pairings. I'm very curious as to why the Skrastins/Clark pairing was split up. They were one of the best pairs in the league last year for shutting down the oppositions biggest lines, hell I remember even the Versus and NBC announcers commenting on it. Don't get me wrong, I love Liles, and he and Skrastins make a fine defensive pairing, but... if it ain't broke, why the hell are you fixing it?

So the Avs win their first game 4-3 and lose their second 4-0, let us hope that this isn't a preview of the season to come.

Stars @ Avalanche

Today was the season opener for the Colorado Avalanche. It rocked. I missed the first 7 minutes because the Ducks and Wings went to a shoot out which overlapped the Avs game. The Avs hosted the Stars and it was just wonderful. I saw some good stuff in this game, I'm liking Hlinka (who is new to the NHL). I also really liked seeing the way Hannan and Smythe played for the team. Paul Stastny got his first career hat trick. The radio announcers after the game kept calling it a natural hat trick, but the last time I checked a natural hat trick was 3 goals scored in succession without any other goals scored in between. Well, Dallas scored a goal before his 3rd goal. So it's not a natural hat trick. It IS a hat trick though, and that was beautiful to see. His first was an absolutely beautiful shot that went right under Turco's right arm. It was a gorgeous first goal of the season for the Avs. Wolski also scored a goal for the Avs, and it was just so pretty.

I love that people keep talking about this "sophomore slump" that seems to happen in the NHL from time to time. I'm not going to say that it's not going to happen, but I'd say that Stastny and Wolski have taken some early steps to prevent it.

It was a little disappointing that the Avs gave up a 4-1 lead by allowing 2 goals in the 3rd period. But it WAS Dallas they were playing, who have a nasty habit of doing that. The Avs gave up a couple of power play goals, which was disappointing. That was an issue last season (giving up power play goals). I'm hoping that they get over that this season and fix it.

The final score was 4-3 Avs, and it was apparently Quenneville's first ever win in the season opener.

Pre Season Hockey

The Avs finished their pre-season yesterday with another win. While these games have nothing to do with the regular season, and several of the players who competed in the games won't be playing in the regular season I do feel that the preseason has a way of setting the tone for the season. Going into the first regular season game on a run of games with no regulation losses can certainly give a team a boost of confidence. In their 6 pre-season games, the Avs had 4 wins, 1 OT loss and 1 SO loss. If this were the regular season they would have come away with 10 out of a possible 12 points. That's not bad. I think the Avs will have no problem keeping that kind of play going. There were more veterans in the lineup night after night than not.

The first regular season game is Wednesday night. I can't wait. I'll have to watch the later showing of the Top Chef finale, but I don't care. Hockey season is back! WOO HOO!

The Mist

Of all of Stephen King's short stories, I love The Mist the most. If a good thick fog is rolling in, I can't resist asking anyone I'm with if they've read it. And the ensuing conversation never fails to give me the willies. Think about it... in a deep, dark fog... you have no idea what's 15 feet to your left or right. What if there is something very frightening and you've only escaped because something else caught its attention? Oh yes, it can be very frightening indeed.

Almost time

Hockey season is almost here. In the meantime, I've been listening to the Avs' pre-season games and loving it. 4 games played so far, 3 wins (one in OT) and 1 shoot-out loss. Not too bad at all. Hejduk and Svatos are benched with groin pulls and Theodore had some minor knee surgery, so they haven't been in. Hopefully they'll be in one of the remaining two games of the pre-season. I can't wait till the season starts. I'm all kinds of excited. I think the Avs are going to do pretty well this season. The only thing that would make it better would be having someone special to watch the games with.

It's almost time...

Rookie camp has started. Training camp is coming... then preseason games. And then... oh, and THEN... HOCKEY SEASON! I can't wait! Less than a month until the season starts. I'm so excited.

That would be interesting...

I've checked out a lot of different wholesale sites, contemplating things that can be purchased and sold on eBay and other sites. So I just checked out this site that offers Wholesale Clothing. It's not bad. Children's clothing is $2.75 per piece, though the minimum purchase is 500 pieces. A little much for me at the moment, but I could see the benefit of doing something like this. Especially since I could go through and pick out clothes for Gage first and make up the difference selling the rest. After all, new with tags clothing sells pretty well on eBay, and I'm pretty sure that people would rather pay $5 + $2 shipping for a dress shirt, tie, vest combo than $14 at the store (or higher). It could be a lucrative business. It's definitely something I'd consider if I had the money to put down up front. Not only could it generate some income, it could help some families save some money on things they need. It would be nice.

Cooking: Rotisserie Fried Chicken

One of my favorite ways to cook is with my rotisserie. Lately my rotisserie cooking has turned to some minor experimentation. The other day, I got a hankering for fried chicken but didn't really feel like making it. So I thought I'd give the rotisserie a try.

I dredged the chicken in flour, dipped it in egg wash and rolled it in breading like I normally would. Then I rubbed down the rotisserie basket with some vegetable oil and put in the chicken. I put it in the rotisserie and set it for 40 minutes.

40 minutes later I had fried chicken without the frying. It was awesome.

Pacino or De Niro

The subject was raised on a forum I participate in... who's the better actor? Al Pacino or Robert De Niro. This requires some thought, as they're both such wonderful actors. They each have a long filmography, full of movies that I absolutely love. Yes, it requires a lot of thought.

I love both of these actors, so it's very difficult to choose one. But personally, I have to go with Pacino. Not because I love him more or anything like that. But because he sells it everytime.

I've seen a lot of the movies in each of their bios and of the two, Pacino is the only one who has completely sold the character in every film I've seen him in. He's not Al Pacino, playing Lt. Col. Frank Slade, he's simply Lt. Col. Frank Slade. There have been a few De Niro films in which I
wasn't sold. Analyze This for example, it was always "Ok, this is Robert De Niro trying to be funny." There are a few films that De Niro has been in where he never sold me. It was always Robert De Niro playing this character. I'm not saying that he's a bad actor because of it. I'm saying that he never found that place where he and the character became one.

They both played so many characters that I love. Michael and Young Vito Corleone, Frank Slade, The Creature (Frankenstein), Walt Koontz, Arthur Kirkland, Johnny (Frankie & Johnny), Jack Byrnes...

and apparently there's a movie due out next year with both of them. It's about time. Hopefully they'll share more screen time than they did in Heat -- a movie I didn't particularly care for, but I LOVED the diner scene. I can't wait until Righteous Kill is released.

less than a month...

Until the Avs' pre-season starts. I can't wait. I love hockey season. I think the Avs will do well this season. Part of me hopes that they can manage to get Peter Forsberg back on the team this year. The other part of me thinks that it might mess up the team chemistry too much.

Then there's the series of "what if's." I love Peter Forsberg, with a passion, but I'd rather see him retire than put his body through something it can't go through anymore. It pains me to say that, but it's true. What if the Colorado Avalanche get Foppa back and he spends half of the season on the injured list? What if the magic that he has with some of the current Avalanche lineup is gone?

Then again, what if he goes to Detroit and plays his best season ever? Oh how that would anger Avalanche fans. They'd call for Giguere's head for not pursuing Foppa more stridently. Then again, if he DOES come to Colorado, and plays poorly... yeah, it's a double sword.

Bottom line, if Peter Forsberg is healthy enough to play in the NHL next season, I would love to see him back on the Avalanche bench.

Secretary

I finally got to see this movie. I've been wanting to for ages. Unfortunately, the copy I got (rented) skipped a lot, so I probably missed quite a few good parts. But overall, I really enjoyed the movie. Having a bit of an interest in that sort of thing, the movie rather inflamed that interest/desire. It was a great story and it was beautifully cast, and I do love James Spader. I think that eventually I'm going to have to buy myself a copy of this movie.

This kinky love story features a standout performance by Maggie Gyllenhaal, an offbeat young actress in her first starring role. Gyllenhaal plays Lee, a nervous girl who compulsively cuts herself, who gets a job as a secretary for Edward, an imperious lawyer (James Spader, an old hand at tales of perverse affection). Edward's reprimands for typos and spelling errors begin with mild humiliation, but as Lee responds to his orders--which are driven as much by his own anxieties and fears as any sense of order--the punishments escalate to spankings, shackles, and more. Secretary walks a fine line. It finds sly humor in these sadomasochistic doings without turning them into a gag, and it takes Lee and Edward's mutual desires seriously without getting self-righteous or pompous. Certainly not a movie for everyone, but some people may be unexpectedly stirred up by this smart and steamy tale of repressed passion.

Silver Jewelry

Ok, so this wasn't listed initially in my "things I'm passionate about," but I do love Silver jewelry immensely. This site is giving it away for $5.99 to cover shipping and processing. Excellent. At the moment I've got my eye on a couple of garnet pieces that are coming up. I do love garnets. I'd like to add to my collection (at the moment I only have 2 rings).

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, by Stephen King

Long have I had a passion for Stephen King's books. True, some are hits and some are misses... and there's the odd novel that leaves you thinking "What? clearly he was under alien control when he wrote this one." I held off on reading this one for awhile... why? Well, the only excuse I have is the baseball angle. I'm not much of a baseball fan. Oh, I'll watch a game or two every now and then. Even more games if someone I love is detained and his team is playing for the NL title and a trip to the World Series. It's an interesting game, but I prefer hockey.

That said, I wish that I'd picked up this particular book earlier. Damn was it good. Yes, I'm a King fan -- but I'm a King fan who is willing to put down one of his books and say "Damn, Steve... that was a steaming pile of pony loaf." I assure you that if I didn't like the book, you'd know. The baseball angle was not alienating to a non-baseball fan, actually it was a really interesting twist. The story was frightening, unnerving in places. It made me question my own abilities to survive if I'd gotten lost in the woods (she's lost for about a week!). I don't know half of what the girl (who loved Tom Gordon) knew about what is edible in the woods. Hell, unless it's a clearly recognizable piece of vegetation, lettuce for example, I wouldn't know if I could eat it or not. I was rooting for the girl (who loved Tom Gordon) to make it back to civilization safe and sound and whole. But I was very frightened that she would not.

Nine-year-old Trisha McFarland strays from the path while she and her recently divorced mother and brother take a hike along a branch of the Appalachian Trail. Lost for days, wandering farther and farther astray, Trisha has only her portable radio for comfort. A huge fan of Tom Gordon, a Boston Red Sox relief pitcher, she listens to baseball games and fantasizes that her hero will save her. Nature isn't her only adversary, though - something dangerous may be tracking Trisha through the dark woods.

hockey countdown begins...

Writing

From time to time, Associated Content does a bit of a writing contest, offering the winners gift certificates for Barnes and Noble and the like. I was one of the winners chosen in one of their last contests. The challenge was to write something about Harry Potter. I submitted 2 articles. The first one, Harry Potter is no Horcrux, is the one that won. The second one, 10 Ways to Pass the Time Waiting for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was written more for fun that to be competing with serious articles anyway. Either way, I invite you to check them out and feel free to browse the rest of my Associated Content articles while you're there.

Oh yes, my gift certificate was for $25 at Barnes & Noble. So I ordered a holiday memory book, a journal in which to write recipes, a book of simple crafts for children (for my son) and a book called Witch's Kitchen.

The Crow: Lazarus Heart by Poppy Z. Brite

This is a great take on the whole 'The Crow'... well, what? The only common character is a crow, and likely not the same crow. So not really a series. Theme? Yes, theme is a good way to put it. Started by James O'Barr and perpetuated by those who love the concept and hold it dear to themselves in some way. That sounds about right.

This is a great take on the theme of The Crow. There is pain, murder, death and vengeance. With a couple of unique twists that I really enjoyed. If you're a fan of The Crow and the whole idea behind it (coming back to avenge the wrongful death of a loved one), and if you don't have a problem with books that involve homosexuality and trans gendered characters this should definitely be read. Hell, if you DO have a problem with those things, but you still love The Crow's ideology, get the fuck over it, get a copy and read this book. It's a really beautiful story.

"The man who wears the names of rivers knows that he is no longer like other men, that some part of his fearful work has changed him forever and he can never return to the simple, painless life he lived before.... The invaders are everywhere, and Their agents are everywhere.... In [his] dreams They walk the streets without fear, spreading the androgyne contagion, and the sky burns with the roaring engines of Their warships." In a novel about a serial killer, the evocation of the killer's madness can make or break the book. In The Crow: The Lazarus Heart, Poppy Z. Brite delivers her usual complement of gay/transsexual pale-faced lovelies dressed in black Lycra and lace, giving just enough of a spin to their aesthetics that they are mildly entertaining to read about. But the way she puts the good gory meat into the story is through the character of a mesmerizing serial killer whose unique brand of paranoia serves as a sly commentary on Brite's own fiction. This is a short and relatively simple novel for Brite, but its narrative momentum never lapses: the plot structure hangs together better than in her longer, more ambitious works. It's overwritten in places--Brite wants to use two similes where one will do--but it's fun. And that's what horror is all about.

Taran tara -- The Pirate Movie

I am the Pirate King! Well, not really. I was up late the other night and caught this movie. It's an old favorite, to be sure. My little sister and I always looked forward to whenever this movie would be on (or when we could convince our parents to let us rent it). It's just so funny.

From a cowardly crew of cops marching/strutting around (indeed they could give the Mummers a run for their money) and singing to Pirates breaking into song and dance. Assorted hidden references (really, look for them!), fun music and a whole armada of laughs. Would I call it a serious film? Nope. Cheesy, yes. But also a lot of laughs.

Buckle your swash and jolly your roger for the ultimate musical comedy pirate adventure! Kristy McNichol (LITTLE DARLINGS) and Christopher Atkins (THE BLUE LAGOON) star as dreamy young lovers in this uproarious update of Gilbert & Sullivan s THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, filled with virtuous maidens and shirtless cutthroats, savage swordplay and buried treasure, a dashing Pirate King (Ted Hamilton) and a modern Major General (Bill Kerr), plus plenty of pillaging, plundering, plank-walking fun!

Movies: Halloween

I've seen a lot of horror films. I've been watching them as far back as I can remember. Let me put it this way, we used to go to the drive in theater all the time. I can remember cuddling up in the back of the truck between my mom and dad during a horror movie triple feature... and my mom was holding my baby sister. She was born in 1980, I was born in 1976. So I was watching horror films as far back as the tender age of 4 years old and loving every minute of it.

Halloween is one of the best horror films ever made, hands down. I watch it whenever I can. The beauty of Halloween is that it doesn't rely on a lot of blood and guts to get the terror across. The music (and sometimes silence) is far scarier than the gore. The scene where Tommy is looking out the window at the house across the street and sees Michael Myers standing by the house... that alone can give you a jolt of shock/fear/etc. It's a perfect film.

Now we have a remake coming out. This New Halloween movie being directed by Rob Zombie.
On one hand, how dare he mess with a classic like Halloween. On the other hand, Rob Zombie is a twisted individual and I like that about him. I'm very curious as to what his spin on the story will be. Frankly, I'm intrigued. I really want to see this movie... and I'm perplexed by that feeling.

Cooking: Beef Patties w/ Mushroom

I didn't write this down as I went, so I'll just give you the gist. Then you can take it and run with it, no? Ok, so last night I took some ground beef (about half a pound of the good lean stuff). Mixed it with some salt and pepper (and nothing else) and formed it into 4 little patties.

I put the patties in a skillet and gave them a good sear on both sides then I took em out and set them aside.

Then I put about a tablespoon of butter into the pan and started to sweat about 1/3 cup of diced onion. When they were nice and translucent I added 1 cup of sliced white mushrooms. I also added a dash of salt and pepper and some Mrs. Dash grilling seasoning (it was the chicken blend, but who's counting?). I covered that and let it cook on medium heat for about 7 minutes stirring often.

Then I reduced the heat to low and put the beef patties on top of the mushrooms and onions. Covered it again and left it for 10 minutes. It was mighty tasty and went well with mashed potatoes. My original plan was to make gravy, but halfway through I realized that I didn't have any flour.

The Sands of Time -- Sidney Sheldon

This is only the second of Sidney Sheldon's book that I've read and it did not disappoint. It was exciting and I was drawn in completely from the first few pages. I did NOT want to put it down. This follows the suspense/thriller theme to a tee. There were some very unexpected twists through the course of the story. It's an adventure that I enjoyed thoroughly from beginning to the surprising end.

The backdrop for this romantic adventure story is the conflict between Basque nationalists and a repressive Spanish government in the post-Franco years. Pitted against each other in a fight to the death are charismatic Basque guerrilla leader Jaime Miro and corrupt, sadistic Colonel Acoca. When Acoca brutally sacks a convent in search of Miro, four nuns escape at the urging of Sister Lucia, who has been hiding in the cloister since taking vengeance on the men who put her Mafioso father behind bars. Beautiful Sister Graciela, tomboyish, orphaned Sister Megan and Sister Teresa, who is teetering toward a breakdown, flee into the forest with Lucia, where they are grudgingly befriended by Miro and his gang. Before crossing Spain to a rendezvous point, the group splits up to more safely evade an increasingly enraged Colonel Acoca. Lucia's predicament presents an amusing counterpoint to suspense, as Rubio, the simple peasant who accompanies her, kindly explains worldly activities to a woman who knows a great deal more than he does.

Cooking AND Writing

Here's a combination of cooking and writing for your reading/dining enjoyment. My technique for grilling the perfect steak on Associated content.

If you're interested in seeing what else I've written for Associated Content. My cooking articles include my technique for cooking perfect chicken soup and using up turkey leftovers. Enjoy!

Cooking: Meatloaf

I have several meatloaf recipes, to be honest. Many of them are fairly unorthodox (like an italian meatloaf that's to die for). I made one last night and thought that I would share the recipe:

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 c. diced onion
1/2 c. chopped white mushrooms
1/2 c. chopped portabello mushrooms
2 tbsp. butter or bacon fat (or a combination)
dash of salt, pepper, ground cloves and ground thyme
1 egg
1/2-1 c. italian style breadcrumbs
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
1 tsp. minced garlic
6-8 slices bacon (uncooked)


In a skillet, melt butter (or bacon fat) and add onion and mushrooms. Cook until onions are translucent then add salt, pepper, cloves and thyme. Continue to cook until onions start to brown a little then set aside to cool. In a large bowl combine ground beef, garlic and 1/2 c. breadcrumbs. Mix well with your hands. Add mushroom and onion mix and blend into the meat. Mix in egg and parmesan cheese, add additional bread crumbs if needed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking pan with non-stick spray, form meat into loaf shape in the pan. Cut bacon in half and wrap it over the top of the meatloaf, tucking the ends underneath. Bake at 350 for 40-55 minutes (depending on the shape/thickness of your loaf). Bacon should be a little crisp and a little chewy on top.

Serve it up with a side of mashed taters with mushroom gravy. It's lip-smackin delicious.

Just something to note. Yes, you can reduce the fat by using meat with less fat in it, but the resulting meatloaf will be drier than you might want. You're better off using moderation. A single serving of meatloaf (a 3-ounce slice) along with a nice salad and a side veg or two. Perhaps next time I do a meatloaf I'll do one with turkey and lots of veg.

Jose Theodore

Let us discuss for a moment... Jose Theodore. 30 year old, 5 foot 11 inch tall Colorado Avalanche goaltender. Started last season as the Avs #1 guy. Ended the season as the Avs backup guy. In 2002 he won the Hart Trophy, which is awarded to the league's Most Valuable Player. Only 6 goaltenders have ever done that. So there IS something to this guy. I've liked him for several years, thought he was a really good goaltender. Solid, dependable, that sort of thing. And then he had a bad season with a few injuries (like a cracked heel-bone from slipping on some ice outside his apartment in Montreal before he came to Colorado). He has yet to recover.

Can he?

I say yes. I think that Jose Theodore is more than capable of recovering himself from the downward spiral and coming back to be better than he was. He's not going to do it with any mamby-pamby molly-coddling, that's for sure. I think that he needs his team to stand up in front of him and help him to have a run of good games, but they have to be games in which he works. Winning a game when there were only 20 shots on goal isn't going to cut it. He needs a run of wins vs. 40-50 shots. A run that will bring his confidence back. After all, confidence is key to a solid goaltender. Look at Patrick Roy for example. Yeah, he fucked up a time or two, but it didn't stop him from being an arrogant bastard, did it? That's the attitude that a goaltender needs. That's the attitude that I WANT in my goaltender.

I look forward to watching the upcoming season. I have no doubt that Peter Budaj will start the season as the Avs #1 goaltender. No doubt at all. But I do hope that Theodore can find the confidence in himself to steal that position away from Budaj (much as I love Budaj).

A little sidebar on Theodore... I'm one of those people who watches the players go onto the ice at the end of the game to acknowledge the goaltender w/ the traditional pat on the head or whatever. When Budaj and Kolesnik were taking the #1 spot away from Aebischer the season before last, I noticed that Aebi was very... unhappy when his fellow netminders had a good game. Last season, when it was between Theo and Budaj, I noticed that no matter how badly Theodore's game had been the night before or whatever, he was all smiles for Budaj's win. I like that. It makes me like and respect Jose that much more.

When Harry Met Sally

I was flipping through channels this morning and caught the last hour of this on TBS (or was it TNT?). Anyway, I love this movie and will watch it every time it comes on, if I can. I spent New Years Eve watching a marathon that consisted of just this film. It's probably best known for the fake orgasm in a deli scene, not to mention the follow up line delivered by Rob Reiner's mother "I'll have what she's having."

But it's also an incredible love story. To be perfectly honest, I hadn't gotten around to seeing this movie until I moved to Colorado (about 6 years ago). What got me was how effectively the film shows the acquaintanceship between Harry and Sally growing into friendship, and from there blossoming into love.

Harry and Sally meet when she gives him a ride to New York after they both graduate from the University of Chicago. The film jumps through their lives as they both search for love, but fail, bumping into each other time and time again. Finally a close friendship blooms between them, and they both like having a friend of the opposite sex. But then they are confronted with the problem: "Can a man and a woman be friends, without sex getting in the way?"

Assumed Identity - David Morrell

I've been a big fan of David Morrell's style of writing and espionage theme since I read Fifth Profession years and years ago. Assumed Identity was absolutely not a disappointment. First of all, the story was great. Exciting, dramatic and there were very many unexpected tidbits that made it all the more intriguing. The story sucked me in right from the first few pages and I didn't want to stop reading until I knew how it ended. The action and suspense were there, but not over the top, which tends to happen in suspense/thrillers that have an espionage twist to them. I recommend this book whole heartedly. Happy reading!

During his career as an undercover Army Special Operations agent, Brendan Buchanan has taken on more than 200 assumed identities. But when his cover is blown on a drug sting in Mexico, he is forced back on the identity he knows the least--his own. Buchanan receives a desperate SOS from Juana Mendez, the operative who posed years before as his wife. Determined to save her, Buchanan travels across the U.S. and ultimately back to Mexico accompanied by fearless, sexy Washington Post reporter Holly McCoy, who knows a lot about covert operations and is planning a feature on Buchanan. During their travels, they uncover a bizarre tale of a missing opera diva, her billionaire industrialist lover and his plot to destroy ancient Mayan ruins in order to exploit the world's greatest untapped oilfield.

The countdown begins...

Hockey season is once again almost upon us. I eagerly await September 17th, when the Avs start their pre-season games vs. the Phoenix Coyotes. The only bad thing about pre-season games is that they aren't televised. That's ok thought. I don't mind listening to the games, as long as Curtis Lechysen (pronounced like "decision") doesn't yell at me everytime the Avs score. I love Lechysen, I really do, and I'm so glad that he was able to continue to work with the Avalanche franchise after retiring. But sometimes he gets so excited on the radio broadcasts that it sounds like he's yelling at ya.

The Colorado Avalanche has made some interesting changes in the off-season. Not the least of which being the acquisition of Scott Hannan and Ryan Smyth. Two solid players that I'd rather see on my team than anyone else's team, LOL.

Still, my favorite player hands down is Karlis Skrastins. I love the way he plays. He's getting a lot of crap on the Avs Forum, but I don't get it. He's solid defenseman, a great shot blocker. He and Brett Clark do a fine job together of shutting down the opposition's biggest lines. No, he doesn't rack up the points. But that's what guys like Joe Sakic and Paul Stastny are there for. Skrastins is there to prevent the other team from racking up points. Give me a solid "at home" defenseman like him over a big scoring defenseman anyday.

this blog...

I've decided to create this blog for a couple of reasons. 1, I would like a place to discuss things that I'm most passionate about. Among those things are: hockey, cooking, writing, reading and music. Those things will be the focus of this blog. Hence the title "how do i love thee..." Things that I love (apart from family) will be discussed here. Come hockey season, there will be a great many posts regarding hockey... games, players, rules, officials, coaches... and anything else that I decide I want to talk about. Really, when hockey season starts, hockey takes up quite a bit of my time and attention. Good thing my family likes it, no?