Halfway Hockey

Thankfully the all star game has passed and the joy of the playoffs now seems much closer. Each game has significance, and we experience the phenomenon of "must win" games. I for one have really enjoyed watching this season's conference standing fluctuations. Here's some of the really exciting bits:

A) Number 1: The battle between the Sharks and the Bruins, the best of the conferences. With the presence of a new head coach to polish an already good team, San Jose got a lot of the early recognition as the leagues best team. Boston surprised everyone by actually doing really well. As a poor to mediocre team in the past few years, a meteoric rise and a decent schedule has had them play more games than the Sharks and attain more points in the process. This all came to a head when the two met recently, with the Sharks prevailing in the end. Both teams have been slumping as of late, but we can expect that they'll pull out of it. Boston still has more points and more games under their belt, I'll be interested to see how this all shakes out in the end.

B) Detroit sneaking in: Detroit hasn't had a bad season either, in fact, they currently find themselves one point behind the Sharks in the west, though they have played three more games. Detroit is a dynasty these days. They've won a lot of cups in the past twelve years, and they have a way of pulling together great talent. Both Osgood and Conklin have been notable this season, but once they're both healthy, they'll need to figure out which one is going to be number one.

C) Even with Boston atop the east, most recent standings indicate that the final four places for the play offs are taken up by teams with 66 points, a four way tie for fifth place between the Rangers, Sabres, Canadiens and Panthers. I think we have our 8 teams from the east at this point. Pittsburg is realizing that Malkin and Crosby aren't enough to create a repeat, let alone a playoff birth, Carolina could play spoiler but I doubt they have enough to get in on their own, Ottowa is 13 points outside of the playoff hunt...they won't be able to get it together this season, and no one positioned below them will be able to either.

D) The rising of the Kings. Seriously, as much as it has been a surprise to watch Boston be a team leader, lets just chat about Los Angeles season. After being dismal for seasons, I mean really dismal, last in the conference and/or league for many years, something just clicked during the past month. They're making a run for it, and I think they're going to sneak in. The West is still relatively close.

Shall we talk about chances? To win the cup a team has to have a few things:
1) Solid goaltending: if you cant count on your netminder to make up for a few of your mishaps, well, look out for when the teams your playing are fighting to continue on in the playoffs.

2) Balanced approach: everyone says defence wins championships. I say that's bullshit. Defense is really important, because you can't expect your goalie to stop everything that comes his way, and it would be awesome if the goalie didn't have to stop a shot after every offensive push, but you cant win a game if you cant score goals. The more lines that you have that can score, the harder it is for an opposing team to figure out how to defend you. Its that simple. Each player has to have a sense of purpose and understand everyone elses purpose.

3) The go to guy: When you're in a tough spot, you need to know who is going to get you out of it. These guys are the "stars" because they can handle stressful situations. They change the momentum of games. It's teams with these players who will get into and deep into the playoffs.

Lets talk about chances:

The Bruins have done well this season, but they did loose to the Sharks. I don't care about the argument that they didn't need the win like the Sharks did, whatever. When you play the team your battling for the presidents trophy with, you show up to play. Sharks were better, hands down. I don't know if Boston really has their go-to guy either. Chara deserves a ton of credit, but he hasn't historically been a game changer. Washington is impressive and as Ovechkin matures they'll have everything they need, the question is can they pull it together this year or will it take a while. My guess is that it will take a while. Teams know how to shut Ovechkin down and building a team that will support him doesn't happen over night or even over a season. Philadelphia has been plagued by injuries and I doubt that they can muster enough team spirit to go far, New Jersey has to figure out how much it can trust Brodeur when he's healthy again, Montreal isn't as impressive as last season but is a real contender again, Koivu and Kovalev are some serious vets that help the team take a lot of heart. The Panthers are showing up again as are the Sabres but I would imagine they're both lacking their go-to guys, their game changers. And the Rangers will probably figure out how to hold on for a playoff birth and be eliminated after the first round.

In the West, Calgary will play spoiler but eventually be eliminated. Chicago should be immensely commended for their progress but we all know Teows and Kane are still a bit young to lead them to the promised land, even with the addition of Campbell to their defense (and offense). They're good, but they can't top Detroit or San Jose in a series. Sundin in Vancouver could make their playoffs pretty interesting. Dallas will hang on and be eliminated before the conference finals, who knows if Edmonton and Columbus can hang on through April. The Ducks can easily pull together a playoff run and the Kings will probably find their way in. At the end of the day, the conversation comes down to Detroit and San Jose. Both are fantastic teams, both have the necessary ingredients, Detroit has plenty of experience in winning the cup and San Jose has too much experience loosing to early. I'd say San Jose is a little more hungry for it but Detroit knows exactly what it takes. I think its between these two teams. I'd love to see the Teal and Red do a Western Conference final then meet whomever from the East, maybe Boston, maybe Washington. It really doesn't matter, in my opinion, at this point in the season its the Sharks or Wings cup to loose.

The wonderful thing is, there's plenty more games to go, no one has clinched a playoff birth yet, and the trade deadline hasn't past either. There's a lot left to go and a lot of developments left that we probably don't even see coming. Now is when the exciting hockey starts.

My beef with television...

Okay. So I'm a big fan of TV channels that are educational. PBS is fine, but hook me up to the Food Network, Travel Channel, Discovery Network, History Channel...etc, I'm totally in...

However, I am quite saddened to say that there are some channels having an identity crisis. The Food Network has stayed the course on all things food...but the Travel Channel is fairly certain that it's the Food Network. The Travel Channel has marathons of three shows regularly...and by regularly I mean almost exclusively...Man vs. Food, Bizzare Foods with Andrew Zimmerman, and No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain. All three are shows about food. Now, I'm not opposed to the travel channel having a show or two about eating in other countries, but its hard to flip on that show and find something other than worldly foods to watch. I was so excited when I fell asleep watching an informative show about Austria the other night. I mean seriously! Austria is awesome! I'm lovin it those kind of shows, just a little tour of an awesome area, a viewing of the sites, travel tips and a bit of culture.

The History Channel seems to think it can run shows that have anything that's NOT historical...what? How does that makes sense?

The Discovery Chennel is doing good. I like what they have on.

Anyways, that's my current rant. Mind thy name channels!!!

Milk

I finally saw the great Gus Van Sant's biopic today of the late Harvey Milk. It has taken me a while to see this film because of the insanity of the holiday season...and because I knew that I would need to be emotionally prepared for this movie. Unlike Brokeback Mountain, this is a non-fiction movie and I knew what the ending would be.

Some have said that it would have been better for the gay rights movement had Milk been released before November 4th, perhaps Prop 8 would not have passed. I choose to not look retrospectively and rather embrace Harvey's great activist spirit as a message for those of us living unhappily in a post-Prop 8 California. Milk invites the gay community and all our supporters to take stock of the strides that we have made since the late 70s. But more than that, Milk guides our actions to not only re-obtain our right to marry in California, but to spread that right to our nation. When opposition grows strong, we must dig in our heals and fight back.

As far as the movie, Sean Penn's performance is every bit as legendary as has been publicized. However, I would wager that his creation of the character of Harvey Milk is only one example of many great character creations in this fine film. James Franco wonderfully moved from intoxicating, young, rights fighter to stately, sweet activist. However, my favorite performance may have been turned in by Emile Hirsch. From the moment he flounced on screen with the exact air and flamboyance of a cocky yet scared-shitless gaybie he had nailed a character. Can I say whether or not it was truly Cleve Jones, I was not alive to know the man and haven't met him in his older age, but I did believe Hirsch's character throughout the film. In fact, when I did finally cry, it was not during the the actual shooting scene, but when Anne an Scotty walk out towards castro street from the practically empty memorial at City Hall to see the epic candle procession coming up from market street. It was exactly as the camera focused on Cleve's (Hirsch's) face with a perfectly displayed mix between utter despair and stoic leadership that my eyes began to well up.

Alison Pill, who played Anne Kronenberg, was also quite wonderful as the strong lesbian who came in to revitalize Milk's campaign. Her character absolutely moderated the tone of the story in the way only a woman's spirit could.

I am also quite thankful for this film as a very important piece of coming gay history textbook. Everyone who has worked with a minority group is well aware of the fact that as individuals come to find their place in their community they ache to know about the struggles that their people have endured. In high school, I learned about White History, and Black History, and to less of an extent Latino and Asian History, but there was no Gay History. My knowledge of my people has been pieced together over years of researching small bits and pieces of events. I know that there is still a lot for me to learn. What Milk has done for us is bring Gay History to the general public. Now my peoples history can be included in our history. And what I think is most exciting about this history is that some of these icons are still alive. Cleve Jones and Anne Kronenberg are still fighting today. It is not out of the realm of possibility to meet them and work with these giants. When TR Knight went on Ellen's show after coming otu to the public, he thanked Ellen for her bravery coming out in the 90s. Everyone in the audience "awwwww"ed appropriately, but I wonder how much they truly understood that one of the great strengths that the gay community can draw from, is that a lot of the heros of the gay rights movement that our history will immortalize are still alive and readily available to us.

Everyone who I know has seen it has said that they've left the theater feeling empowered and hopeful. This was to be Milk's legacy. The final quote on the previews for this movie is "You gotta give them hope," and it seems that Milk has done just that by wonderfully capturing a man who continues to be an inspiration for young LGBT people everywhere and is finally becoming a hero to those who are not a part of that community.

What I'll Remember

It’s been no secret that my maternal grandparents were always “better” parents and grandparents than their paternal counter parts. They were nurturing and very good with children, whereas my dad’s side of the family has always been better with adult relationships than adult/children ones. Thus there was always a slight feeling of being cheated as children because my maternal grandparents always lived on the East Coast and my paternal grandparents were always two hours away at the most.

When my maternal grandfather died over a decade ago, I was left only a few memories and connections from our visits and similarities. When my maternal grandmother started having some serious physical ailments over the last six months, I was again faced with just a few memories to hang onto (thankfully, she seems to have recovered well).

But I have also come to appreciate my paternal grandparents as I’ve grown into an adult. Their little idiosyncrasies have been a source of amusement for the past few years. And as I have come to spend some time with them this Christmas before heading home with my family, their quirks have become even more endearing as their health starts to ail dramatically. I figure now is a good time to chronicle what I will remember…

I’ll remember this fun time when their short term memory seems to simply a slight nuisance. Like my grandmother asking me if I wanted to have breakfast, and then asking me again five minutes later.

I’ll remember them discussing “current” movies with my uncles admitting quite unashamedly that they really haven’t seen much in theaters in the past decade. My grandfather will blame my grandmother for being unable to stay awake during movies, and as my uncles tried to get my grandmother interested in the Harry Potter movies so grandpa can go see it, my grandma promptly responds “well, I can sleep through anything.”

I’ll remember how my grandpas knee got so bad that he had to start using a cane, and how this thanksgiving we saw him showing up with a fancy walker that also became a mobile seat. He’s become rather adept with wielding his cane to pint out things in the sky or across the room and sometimes hitting people in the process.

I’ll remember them making the bed every morning together.

I’ll remember my grandpa still calling my 88 year old grandmother “kid,” though he usually uses the pet name at the end of a question and she won’t realize she’s being talked to until he says “kid.” Then they’ll stare at each other for a few seconds and while he waits for an answer and she waits for the question, and then she’ll turn back to her crossword puzzle and he’ll stop caring about the conversation and go back to eating.

I’ll remember that they gave us savings bonds for every birthday growing up and how I came to know that these were truly gifts with foresight as they kept me alive for my last year of undergrad and have kept me out of real debt.

I’ll remember that they always put an orange in the bottom of our stockings just so there was a little bit of healthy food among all the candy of Christmas.

I'll remember their house dearly. They've lived in since my dad was young and has such an authentic feeling of "home." The cousins would usually stay in the front living room while the adults visited in the dining room and the family room, this is a tradition we continue to revive, though the oldest of the cousins is 27 and now drags her new husband into the "cousins room" with her.

I'll also be reminded of them every time we go to La Selva beach where they own property. That beach get-away has provided the only place that feels like "home" on the 4th of July and as been the source of many relaxing and wonderful days.

Where my maternal grandparents might be "better" at nurturing their families, my childhood is far more closely tied with my paternal grandparents. Though I think as we all recognize their decline into their 90s, we are choosing to take this time to prepare ourselves for their passing and be thankful for all the memories we are now afforded by their kindness and generosity.

First Prize?

So I am a bit of a connoisseur of Buffalo Wings. I have tried many, many varieties of this delicious food. I'm either craving wings, or nothing else on the menu seems as appetizing.

The worst Buffalo Wings I have ever had were from Tahoe Joes (Rocklin/Roseville, corner of Taylor and Roseville Blvd, across from Sunsplash). I didn't even get to sink my teeth into one before I felt like I knife was stabbing my tongue. I immediately looked down at the rest of the wings and said "I'm not eating any more of this."

As far as the best? Well, I've had a lot of recipes that were okay, and a lot that were good, but I've never had one that I could consier the best.

This morning/afternoon: I had the Buffalo Wings at Boulevard Cafe in Daly City. They are the best wings I have had thus far. They had standard spice and flavor, but the big thing that has put them at the top thus far is that the residual spice was minimal. A quick swig of water really brought ones mouth back to (almost) normal, so continuous eating was relatively easy and enjoyable. I was very content with my wings.

Do I think I've found the best? No, I think there is a better recipe available somewhere. And I will continue to search for it.

Signing off.

Growing Up

My first two weeks of my new job have been great. It's a bit painful getting up at 5:30 to make sure that I can somewhat leisurely lug myself out of bed, into the shower, and out the door (hopefully with something for breakfast in my stomach) by 7:00, but I'm slowly getting used to it. The people I work with are fantastic and I'm pretty sure that I love working with high schoolers. And I'm slowly (or at least it feels like it) getting better at my job.

Tonight, some of my friends are planning on traversing up to a casino to gamble for a while, my guess is that they're already en route, and had been invited to go with them. There was a large part of me that had wanted to throw caution to the wind and accompany them. To enjoy the fleeting hours of the Sunday before Labor Day, to spend some of my newly-earned money. Yet, I know myself and I know how I am with routines and I know where I'm at with my job right now. I was just started in on one of the most crucial and detail heavy portions of my job: Data entry of new applicants...where error is simply unacceptable. And I haven't adjusted to my new sleeping schedule, meaning that I'm still having a battle with my desire to pass out after lunch every day at work. Thus, I made the choice to stay home, and get to bed at an earlier hour so that I can adjust my body to my new schedule and not put myself in a poor position for tomorrows sleeping schedule.

Upon making this decision, I have decided it was boring, lethargic, and lame. It was also one of the more "grown up" decisions I have made ever, considering the ramifications on my job which now means my complete income, my livelihood, my healthcare, dental, life, etc, insurance.

When did this happen?

Olympics

Yes this is an edited post, get over it Hez, I'm giving you more words :)

Before I go onto my discussion of the Olympic games, I'd just like to say that at 9:00PM tonight in Rocklin the temperature was 91 degrees Fahrenheit. Yeah, I don't know how I'm still alive.

Anyways, I love the Olympics. I always have, and this year I get to view having a years worth of study on Chinese culture with the Humanities Chinese specialist. I took a whole class on Beijing (literally called Beijing) and I'm loving the familiarity of the landscape that NBC throws in with the Olympic theme. The level of exoticism is much lower and I enjoy knowing more about the hosty city

Seriously, when the President of the IOC states (as in the current commercial for some cell phone) in dramatic french accent, "I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in Beijing"...seriously guys. A call to action, to competition, and to camaraderie.

I love that even though there are rivalries between individuals, the rivalries of nations do not mean as much in these competitions. In fact, some of the national problems are put aside between the individual competitors. There is a great respect for each other (of course not the rule, there have been issues in the Olympics but they are the exception) and their ability to compete.

There's always a good reason to root for everyone and if nothing else, I love how we rally around the seriously dominant teams or individuals? Why? I think its because the Olympics are at test of the capabilities of humans. Yes the competition is generally highly physical but there's also a healthy dose of psychological factors. Gymnastics proves that every time. You make a mistake and know you get deductions you have to mental battle to have confidence in your ability to complete the next trick.

How much are we loving the competitions of Michael Phelps, as much of a douche as he is reported to be in person, watching his swimming events is among the most enthralling and you cant help but smile when in the last half of his race he shows everyone he was reserving energy while everyone else was sprinting and is all of a sudden, not only a body length in front of all the competition, but ahead of his previous world record. He is absolutely dominant, as is Misty May-Treanor and Carrie Walsh of Beach Volleyball, before their Olympic competition is over they will likely pass the first anniversary of their last loss. Yeah, they last lost a game back in August 2007. And they make winning look easy.

Watching the Mens Gymnastics team pull out a Bronze when their medal contention was supposed to be for the bronze with three other countries when they had their stars, the Hamm twins. Their replacements, the alternates, had the final two routines to seal the bronze medal for them. How's that naysayers? And Jonathan Horton, a serious contender for the Mens all around is a fantastic gymnast. He plays the game my style. Gymnastics is all about power, especially with the men. Jonathan Horton was solid in the team competition he did not have a major screw ups and he stuck every single one of his landings, and not like land with a little hop up to present your completion. He he landed his feet slammed into the ground with a very audible thud, as if someone was hammering a steel bar into the ground. His feet didn't move after he landed, just bend to stand up straight and present. It was awe inspiring.

And is it just me or are there a lot of attractive men in this years olympics? I think there are.

I'm just really enjoying this competition, its a lot of fun and there's a lot to feel happy about.