Commander

Well the rest of the weekend was an incredibly fun time. As I mentioned last post, Mal and I dressed up as Dorothy and Scarecrow. I don't like to brag, but yeh, we looked awesome. Here are a few pics of us in costume...

If I only had a brain...

You dont get much more Oz-like than us

Unfortunately, this weekend had to end, and I flew out Sunday night after Mal and I had a nice sit-down dinner. The plane ride took for-ev-er. We had a 20 minute delay while they had to sort out the air field pattern from the air show that occurred. Then 1 hour into the flight, the pilot informed us that only the western runways were open, so we would have to fly AROUND the airport once to get in position to land. We land, and guess what: NO GATE is open. That meant a 30 minute delay! I felt bad because some people on my plane needed to connect to a flight, and they missed it by almost an hour. Nevertheless, I eventually made it back safely to my apartment.

Today I forgot that I had signed up to ride the Shuttle Motion Simulator this afternoon. If you don't know what the SMS is, it is basically the ultimate motion simulator for shuttle liftoff, ascent, and re-entry. It is the PRIME machine used for getting astronauts ready for real space work. Anyways, I was first up in our group, and after it was all said and done, the instructor said I was the best out of everyone :). I sticked the landing almost perfectly; I was only one meter off from the perfect landing position. Everyone else was off by at least 20 meters. My ground speed and sink rate, as well as my knots-equivalent-airspeed(or KEAS), were all within the acceptable bounds. As an added bonus for you all, I included the video of my landing the shuttle. It's about 2 minutes long, so give it time to download. The kind of bumpy part at the end is when I finally touch down. You can look outside the "windows" to see the landscape and scnerey change. The voice you hear for most of the video is the instructor. He is sitting in the Pilot's seat, and I in the Commander's seat. Also, the video was taken from behind me, and it IS a simulator, so the perfect conditions for videotaping are not there, but you can still see me and what I am doing. Enjoy!(give it about 3 minutes at a high speed connection to load)

Commander Horne Lands the Space Shuttle at Kennedy Space Center

I'll talk about the Red Sox GM woes next post :(

-H

I'm World Serious

Yes, I still post on this thing. I have just been slightly busy this past week. With what, you ask? I shall tell you...

Last time I blogged, I told you that the fate of my World Series experience was in the hands of beings high above. Alas, I nor any of my constituents(whom I told to sign up) were selected to have the chance to buy tickets. Needless to say, I was disappointed by that revelation. The announcement was made on Tuesday, so for two days I had to hear about everyone else that got tickets, either at work or somewhere else. Keep in mind that at this point, the Astros had gotten into the World Series, so tickets were a hot item, especially in H-town. Then Thursday(Oct. 20th) rolled around, and Jason and I returned to our apartment from work. I had my usual mid-afternoon snack while Jason checked his email. As I am downing my glass of orange juice, I hear from the living room, "DUDE, I got selected for 2nd Chance World Series tickets!!". My response: "HOLY SHIT!" I ran to the living room, and we read over the email no less than 5 times. We would be able to buy the tickets tomorrow(Friday) at 10 am CT. We were pumped. Of course, we already had determined who would get the tickets. I told Jason to register in the first place, so all I asked in return was that I get two of the tickets, one for me and one for Mal. Jason decided to get the 3rd one, and Walker got the last. With that part figured out, we bought the tickets the next day. We got 2 pairs of tickets: one in center field and the other along the 1st base line in the 3rd level.

I told Mal about the ticket situation as soon as Jason and I found out on Thursday. We had discussed that if I got tickets she would fly down. After we had officially procured the seats, the next problem was finding a flight(cheap and efficient) for Mal. After countless hours of searching, Mal was able to find a flight out of Nashville, which was our best plan. Mal was on Fall Break, and Nashville was on her way back to Chattanooga. She had to cut her break short, but we figured it was worth it. She flew out of Nashville on Monday afternoon, and her first stop was Denver. From there(after a 3 hour layover) she flew down to Houston. I picked her up from Bush around 10:30pm.

We had tickets to Tuesday's game, Game 3 of the World Series. It was the first home WS game for Houston, and it was also the first WS game ever in Texas. Needless to say, the city was excited, even being down 2-0 in the series. Hell, even NASA declared Tuesday as Astros Day, and everyone wore their jerseys, shirts, and hats to suppport the team.

I took off work early, around 12:30, and Mal and I went to the surrounding Wal-Marts and Targets in search of Astors shirts. No luck. We then figured they would be selling that stuff around the stadium; we were right. I was able to find a shirt, but none of the vendors had Mal's size, so that was a bummer. Around 3:00(1 hour prior to gates opening)we ate at a local bar&grille right across the stadium. It wasn't packed, as it was still too early. We shared the chicken fajitas. After lunch, we headed back to my car to make signs. We only managed to get one done; it was a target sign for batting practice.

Mal hard at work in our makeship art studio

Mal was ready for batting practice ball-recovery

I took this from across the field. Look for the target sign, and that is Mal. She's right on the front of the upper level, almost all the way to the left side. Click for larger view. Our seats were about 16 rows up from that spot.

Our reward after hours of yelling for a ball to be thrown to us. Note, this doesn't include the 3rd ball we got. I had to give it to these two kids, as I had trampled over them to get the second ball in the picture above.

We got in right as the gates opened. We manged to get two balls from batting practice; one thrown to us by Willy Taveras(Houston) and one from Jose Contreras(Chicago). We were elated.

Then came the game. My dear lord it was epic. It was the longest game EVER in World Series history at 5 hours and 41 minutes. We stayed and cheered the whole time. Unfortunately, Houston lost Game 3 en route to a sweep from the White Sox. Nevertheless, we had a BLAST at the game, and it will be something we'll never forget.

The boys of Baseball Tonight(from L to R, Dan Patrick, Jonathan Kruk, Harold Reynolds, and Hall of Famer Peter Gammons) doing their pre-game thang.

Right in front of the action


Our awesome view of the real action.


Hanging out between innings...


Hey, you gotta eat, right?


Yes, we WERE there.

Although the game was great, it did last 14 innings, causing us to get to bed at THREE in the morning. We had to be up at 4:45 to leave for the airport, so we were quite tired upon awaking. I was able to get Mal to the airport on time, and everything was good. The funny part about this whole thing is that we had already planned on my coming up to Chattanooga the following weekend. As Mal left to get on the plane, we knew we'd see each other the NEXT DAY. That's right. On Thursday night, I got on a direct flight to Chattanooga, where I am currently typing this.

We tweaked my Halloween costume that night, adding some straw here and there. I forgot that I haven't disclosed my costume this year, so I will tell you now. Mallory's favorite movie of all time is The Wizard of Oz, and with that in mind, we are going as Dorothy and Scarecrow to this Halloween party tonight. Mal's roomate had a Dorothy dress available, so she was set from the beginning. I had to thrift store shop a little, but I managed to find what I needed. I'll post pictures of the evening next post. Our costumes kick ass...

In other news....

Dr. Griffin, NASA's administrator, came to JSC to speak on Monday. It was mainly a q&a session, but I did walk away knowing more than when I entered. It was also cool to see this guy in person; I had seen him many times on tv, but never live.

We saw SawII yesterday afternoon. Wow. If you thought the first one pushed the envelope on seat-squirming, hair-raising, makes-you-not-want-to-look graphic events, then this movie takes it to the next level. It was quite entertaining, and the twist at the end was completely unpredictable, which I liked. Expect the 3rd movie to come out next year.

We also went to a haunted house last night. It wasn't the best one I have ever been to, but it was an experience nonetheless. There were so many periods of just walking in the dark, I believed I could have made that haunted house out of my apartment.

The baseball season is officially over, but that doesn't mean the news has to stop. The Sox(the red ones) are definitely in for an eventful offseason. Today, Damon, Mueller, and Millar signed for free agency. Expect the Sox to try and retain Damon, as that will be their priority after getting a new deal worked out with Theo, which should be announced no later than Monday. Manny also asked to be traded, but that is nothing new. He is a 10-5 guy(10 continuous years in the bigs and 5 with one team), so he can deny any trade that is proposed. That will make trading him away a tough task. Timlin was signed for 2006, which is good news. We need at least SOME stability in the latter parts of the game. There are some free agents available this winter, and I have read that some are being sought after by the Sox. Paul Konerko(of the other Sox) will be free, but he has already mentioned that he wants to stay in Chi-town. A.J. Burnett is also on the market, and he could definitely bolster our starting rotation. If we do end up trading Ramirez, don't you worry; we'll definitely get something in return. I even hear that the Sox might pick up Tori Hunter, if and when Damon is traded. He's not a leadoff guy, but he could improve our outfield defense and give us speed on the bases as well as in the outfield.

Well, I think that should catch you all up on my goings-on. Expect lots of Halloween pictures next post.

I'm off to read...

-H

Weekend Review

Here's a recap of this past weekend's activities...

I was in a sim at work until 7:00pm on Friday, but after I got out we went to see Serenity. FINALLY, a sci-fi movie that's interesting and original. It's based off the now-cancelled tv series Firefly, and all of the original actors from that series starred in the movie. Hopefully this will bring back the tv series, and even if it doesn't, I plan on buying the series on dvd :)

Saturday was Game 3 of the NLCS. Walker and I, knowing we had "standing room only" tickets, made sure to get there early, and we did. We walked up to Minute Maid Park around 11:30, 3 1/2 hours before game time. We were one of the first people in line, and as a result, we got incredible spots to stand.

Always important to any event are the tickets. Yes, this picture is blurry. All my pictures are. That only means one thing: new camera time for me :)

Here's our view of the field. This was taken during the pre-game ceremony. It's a FULL HOUSE of 42,000 rabid Astros fan and 1 Red Sox fan.

This is a shot from the other side of the park, so you can get an idea of where our "seats" were.

Because of our very advantageous spots, we were in prime position for homerun balls during batting practice. Unfortunately, no long-balls were sent our way; however, many fly balls did come close. To keep pitchers loose and give their legs some excercise, ball clubs usually let them(even if they wont even play that day) shag and catch fly balls in batting practice. As luck would have it, today's Game 4 starter, Brandon Backe was shagging balls near our spot. He caught a fly ball, and generously threw it up to our part of the balcony. Whose glove caught it? Yup, that's right. I am now in posession of a ball that was handled by the starter to Game 4 of the NLCS. Needless to say, that made my day, and that ball will definitely be going into my collection of collectible things.

As most of you know, today is the day the Astro Deities will randomly select fans for a chance to buy World Series tickets. The drawing was earlier today, but as far as I know, no one has gotten an email yet. I've been watching the Astros message board all day, and no one has received the aforementioned notice. Many think that they are waiting for the game today(that's going on right now; 6th inning) to be over. It's still up in the air, and I have Outlook running constantly today, so when I get an email, I'm gonna know right away.

Around 700, I'm gonna head to Kemah and the boardwalk over there. Colin's brother, and his brother's friend(both from Boston and HUGE Sox fans), Rachel, Eric, Jennifer, another one of Rachel's friends, Frank, Kim, several others and I are headed to one of the seafood bar&grilles down there. We're gonna watch ALCS game 5 and any other NFL games, I am sure. It should be fun. I've heard Colin's bro is one of the most diehard BoSox fans around, so I'm anxious to get his thoughts about this season and next.

Guess I'll get in the shower so I don't run everyone off.

-H

So Let It Be Written, So Let It Be Done

I registered today for Houston Astros World Series tickets, and I hope that if I sent you an email today, you have registered as well. If everyone I emailed registers, then I have multiplied my chances of winning by 10. Now all we do is wait...and wait...and wait. The guy who promotes the Astros said on the radio this morning that if you do not get an email by Monday morning, then you have not been selected. He said you should get the email(if you are chosen) sometime Sunday, though. I think that sucks; they should at least email you if you didn't get selected. That way you will not have to keep watching ALL day to get an email. Oh well. It's all out of my hands now.

No whammies, no whammies, no whammies...

And the Yankees are Headed...

HOME!!! They got booted out of the post-season by the Rally-Monkey crazed Los Angeles Angels of Aneheim of California of West Coast North America.

NLCS Game 3 Bound

Yes, it has been quite some time since we last met, but I think we all know why, so I am not going to even mention it.

Speaking of baseball(haha)...I'm watching Game 5 of the Yanks and Angels. Nothing would make me happier than seeing the Yankees also go down in the first round; however, there is a rather large part of me that is wanting, no, hoping, that they make it to the World Series where they will hopefully faceoff against the Houston Astros. Then I want the Astros to tear......them.....apart. Limb by limb. Every one of them. Why am I so pro-Houston all of a sudden? I am more anti-Yankee than anything else, but the thought of actually seeing Clemens and the boyz woop up on the Evil Empire is quite enticing. Yes, I said seeing. I am hoping to score some World Series tickets in the next few days, which is the timeframe most of us believe the tickets will go on sale. They go on sale way before anyone knows who is going to the Series, but that's the idea; you get them early, and if you were right, you have tickets of a lifetime. What if I guess wrong? Then I get my money back. It's a no-lose situation.

You're thinking now, "Henry, World Series tickets are rather hard to come by." That's a true statement, but I have people working with me to make sure we get tickets. It's a complicated web of partners, but we feel confident we'll get tickets. Actually, I may not even get Houston World Series tickets; I may get St. Louis tickets. Mal's fall break is approaching, and it is during the period of time when the NL team will have home field(St. Louis if they win); that's only a 4-hour drive for Mal. I can catch a flight to St. Louis to leave right after work, and she could pick me up from the airport. We would go to the game, and then we'd both depart the next morning, with Mal dropping me off at the airport on her way back to school. If we get Houston tickets, then Mal may fly in for the game and leave the next day........but like I said, I don't have the tickets yet, so nothing is finalized. I'll keep you all posted...

Regardless of the World Series situation, Walker and I have tickets to the NLCS Game 3 here this Saturday night. It's a SRO(standing room only) ticket, but for 20 bucks, that can't really be beat. Minute Maid Parks has some very cool places to watch on your feet, so Walker and I will plan to be there early. I'll make sure to describe what I am wearing before I head to the game; maybe you'll see me jumping over people to snag a foul ball :)

Great news on the Team Horne front. I have recently been informed(from a reliable source) that the ENTIRE Horne Clan will be home for Thanksgiving. In addition, my Aunt Dotty, her husband, and my cousin Thomas will be joining us. Let's count that; that means ELEVEN(yes, I counted correctly. Dont forget girlfriends and husbands!) people hanging around the Horne house at any one time. My dear Lord. It's going to be madness. Will, John, and I are already assembling our disc golf ammunition for the classic battles on the greens that are sure to ensue after we all arrive. Will has even mentioned the fact that the Egg Bowl will be right up the road in Starkville; how fun would that be?! Anyways, I am pumped about Thanksgiving.

Ok, funny picture time. My dogs commandeered the truck last time I was home. There was nothing I could do as I stood face to face with the crazy animals...

Don't move. They wont see you if you just stay still. Wait for it. Waaait for iiiit.

Faith

I know you are just itching to hear what I have to say about baseball right now, but I'll get to that in a moment.

I can't believe I haven't mentioned this before, but Jason's girlfriend, Becky, is flying into Houston tonight from Birmingham. She workst at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. How cute. He's been looking forward to it for some time now, and it's pretty amusing to watch how he's cleaning EVERYTHING, washing every article of clothing, vacuuming each and every corner of the floor, and wiping down every surface imaginable in this apartment. It's hilarious until I realize I did the exact same thing last semester. Oh well. I'm glad she's coming to visit. Jason is usually in a good mood anyways, but since this week started, he's had that extra swagger only few men have. I'm happy for him; this weekend will do him good.

Wanting to do something special for Becky, Jason has decided to cook dinner for her Friday night over candlelight. Yeh, uhm, I think it's best I not be here during that, haha. It's OK though; I'm going to spend the night with Walker tomorrow after I get back from the hockey game(more on that later). Wanting to be even smoother, Jason wanted wine for their dinner, so he asked for my assistance in choosing the right one. I gladly helped him, and with his being 21 years of age, we went to the liquor store down the street and picked up a nice Australian Shiraz(my favorite region for wines :) ) for the boy and his lady. I gave him pointers on how to open the bottle, as well as how to store it and pour it into wine glasses. I also told him what were the right glasses for white wine. I feel confident that he's well equipped with the knowledge to be very Bond-smooth tomorrow night.

I guess I'll get to feel how Jason felt last semester when Mal came down, but I think I should be alright. There is tons happening this weekend...

Hockey. The season has started, and it is great. Time Warner is even providing FREE Center Ice(digital cable channel for all hockey) this entire week. BITCHIN!

Hockey #2. I was offered a ticket last week for the Aeros home opener tomorrow night. I'm extremely excited about it. I'm tagging along with Trey and some other guys before the game; we're going down to Two Rows for pre-game beverages and Golden Tee. Then at 7:00, we'll be off to the game in Trey's sexy Audi A4 Quattro listening to XM Radio. Don't worry; the Sox game is at 3. I wont miss a pitch.

Baseball. Oh boy. Our boys sure are in a hole, but to tell you the truth, I'm not as scared as you might think. 1) We were in this position 2 years ago against the A's; they won the first 2 games in a 24 hour span, but we returned with "Cowboy Up!" and took the next 3. 2) Do I need to mention the history that was made last year in the ALCS!?! 3) We have the best home record in all of baseball; however, the White Sox have the best road record. Wait a minute...who had the best road record last year? The Yankees. Who had "the best closer of all time"? The Yankees. Who had 4 tries to clinch but never did? The damn Yankees. 4) When Tim Wakefield and Curt Schilling are your Game 3 and Game 4 starters, you have to feel good despite Curt's lack of wow-ness the past starts. He's got the best postseason winning percentage of all time, so he knows big games. The Force will be with Curt. Wakefield has been our most reliable man down the stretch, leading the staff with appearances, strikeouts, wins, and opposing batting percentage. I like our chances with Timmy on the mound in Fenway. To quote Mallory, "Have Faith."

If ....I mean, WHEN we play Saturday night, I think the boyz and I are gonna head to Buffalo Wild Wings again(we watched Game 1 there). The place is awesome. I counted 32 televisions there, with one being High-Def LCD :) It'll be perfect for Saturday night, as there will be great baseball on, great hockey being played(see above) AND

Football. GREAT games on this weekend, with some of the big ones being Tennessee/Georgia(Mal will be there, 24th row from the bottom) and Penn State/Ohio State(Cory and Erin are going. Gameday will also be there. Look for Cory waving his arms crazily).

With all the buzz around this town and the media picking Houston to win the World Series, I have gotten caught in the World Series Ticket fever. I have joined forces with some of my co-workers, and we have all begun searching and plotting on the best ways to get tickets. The best-case scenario would be a Red Sox/Astros World Series, but even if that isn't the case, I'll go even if the Sox aren't in it. If the Astros dont make it, I get my money back. Good deal, right? I have to get them first, but I'm trying to make sure that wont be a problem. I was curious as to how fast tickets went, so I used the Astros.com website right as the LCS tickets went on sale, and I was able to "get" outfield seats only TEN rows from the field!! Hopefully, that trend will go with World Series tickets. I'll be there right as they go on sale. I am getting two tickets when I buy them. If the 'Stros make it, then I'm gonna fly Mal in the day of or before the game. If the Braves happen to win the LDS, then we may just buy two Braves World Series tickets, and since I am going to see Mall in Chattanooga during the World Series at the National League Park(Atlanta if they're in it), we could just hop right down to Atlanta. If you haven't guessed, Mal and I are determined to see a World Series game this year. Hopefully our boyz will be in the final mix...

Speaking of tix, I may break my record of NHL hockey games seen in one year. I am planning on going to the Avs game in Nashville on December 20. Detroit(my nemesis) and Pittsburgh(team of phenom Sidney Corsby) play in January before school starts. The Avs visit again during February. Finally, Pheonix comes to town late in the season. Why would I see the Coyotes? Only because their coach is none other than the Great One: Wayne Gretzky. Yes, that's alot of driving, but I think I can consolidate alot of those trips with other ones. For at least ONE of the games listed, I plan on getting ICE-LEVEL tickets. That means right in front of the boards. I have sat there only once, but it was incredible. I look forward to doing it again. Talk about great photo opps!

Well, Jason has just departed to pick up the girlfriend, so I will attempt to make my half of the apartment look halfway decent.

-H

Weekend Misadventures

Whew! This past weekend was ca-ra-zyy. Let's see if I can recap it all for you.

Friday was awesome. I talked about it in my last post.

Richard, you would be proud. The PERFECT Stout Pour :)

Saturday, Jason and I got up around 7:00am; we met Colin at his place at 7:45. From there, we went to Rachel's(Colin's g/f) apartment, where Rachel, Eric and Jenn where waiting for us. We all proceeded to pile up into Eric's Grand Cherokee. My advice: never try going on a trip with 6 people in a car intended for 5, haha.

We arrived in Dallas around noon, where we went directly to the Texas State fair.

Evvverything is bigger in Texas...

We began walking around, and Eric and I noticed something as soon as we hit the main area. At that moment in time, it was probably the only place on earth where rap, rock& roll, and folk songs performed on bag pipes were all being played at the same time. I wanted to take pics of the bagpipers of the folk music, but I never got around to it. They were awesome.

Next, we saw a sign that said "Dog Show," so I obviously had to see that. It was just like the Great Outdoor Games, except it was inside(haha) and not on tv. Even so, these dogs were awesome. I am definitely getting an Australian Shephard at some point in my life; they can do tricks like they are going outta style...

Dog jumping into water(I didn't crop, so you could see how this place looked)

Steady.....stea-dy......steaaaa-dy.

Next came our first "meal" of the fair. I craved a funnel cake, and after a long search, I had discovered their hiding place. It was being guarded by Big Tex:

I had to be crafty to get by Big Tex.

The funnel cake was divine...

After meal#1, we encountered these strange women on flex-feet thingies. They were kind of scary. Eric told me not to look directly in their eyes, else I would turn to stone...

Yeh...kinda creepy. They even made weird sounds.

We moved on to the car show. I somehow thought that there would be some exotic automobiles at this thing, but I was wrong. The most exotic they got was a Mazda Rx-8....eh....I see those all the time now. I really wanted a pic of me in a bitchin' car. Oh well. After the first part of the car show, we moved into this transition area where vendors were set up everywhere. I quickly spotted the TimeWarnerCable booth, and as luck would have it, they indeed had a tv(high-def no less) broadcasting the Sox/Yanks game. Eric wanted to move on to the second half of the car show, but Colin and I knew better. We plopped down in front of the tv while the rest of the gang finished the car show. Unfortunately, Colin and I didn't see anything we liked. The Sox lost the battle that day...

We rendezvoused with the crew after a few innings, and we were off to meal#2 for the fair. We found the main eating area. Jenn and I were craving a turkey leg, so we went straight for that. Others got chili, while Jason got a footlong. The turkey leg was SO good; I just had to wash it down with a nice ice cream cone :)

After the meal, we continued walking around. We found this ice sculptor on our journey. He was carving a Texas symbol or something. I didn't figure it out...

I find it amusing that this guy also had a water bottle on this platform. That really necessary??

We walked around for an hour or so more. Eric discovered a wine-tasting session, but the selection was rather weak, so we avoided that. I tried winning a HUGE Stewie doll(from the tv show Family Guy) in a game of skee ball; 180 points would give me victory. I tried 6 times, but to no avail :(. Near the end, I was hot, so I picked up a homemade lemonade...DELICIOUS. As we were leaving the fair for the day, we noticed that one of the bag-pipers had defected to the rock and roll stage; I couldn't miss this oppurtunity.

Trust me, these guys were rockin'.

From the fair, we went to Ryan's house; Ryan was Eric's roomate in college. He went to the University of Michigan and studied architecture, so we definitely didn't have any problems finding something to talk about(Richard lived in Detroit, and my bro also studied architecture, for those of you out of the loop). Anyway, after we unloaded at Ryan's, Ryan and his girlfriend followed us to the traditional pre-game meal: wings at Hooters.

An eerie moment of reflecction: the Depository from which Lee Harvey Oswald shot President John F. Kennedy.

The restaurant was only a few blocks from American Airlines Arena, so it was perfect. The drinks and wings were excellent, as well as the multitude of tv screens, but as the time passed, I realized that we would not escape Hooters in time for the face-off.

I had to make a bold decision. I got my ticket from Eric, and I told the crew that I'd meet them at the game. I quickly evacuated the premises, and I headed to the AAA. I got there at the perfect time; I got to my seat just as the Star-Spangled Banner was about to begin. I was able to take pics of the teams warming up. I took a picture of warmups, but it turned out fuzzy due to the crazy lights they had going.

Big moment. My first face-off the 2005 NHL Season :)

The game was AWESOME. The new rules are well executed in the game, and it flows much faster as a result. Scoring is up this year, and this game was no different. The Avs pulled it out though, winning 4-3. Aebischer looks to be solid this season, Jedi Joe Sakic is smooth as always, and the tandem of Tanguay and Hejduk will still be a menace when everyone is healthy. Hockey HAS RETURNED!!

After the game, we proceeded even farther into downtown Dallas. Eric knew of this quaint bar called Elbow Room.

It says "Elbow Room," I promoise.

The place was pretty sweet. They had this game that was kin to shuffle board, but we never got a chance to play because this one couple would not.....let........go of the damn thing. They also had those interactive tv screens on the bar, so Colin and I engaged in a battle of wits on the machine. We played a rousing game of trivia, and yours truly came on top in a landslide :) I also owned in some basketball and photo night. A barrage of Eric's old friends were at the bar, but I couldn't even begin to remember all their names, so I wont try. We stayed at the bar until about 12:30, and we returned to Ryan's to crash.

We left early the next morning. We returned home around 12:30, JUST in time for the finale of the Sox/Yanks series. Colin and I came back to his place, and we plopped on the couch just in time for the first pitch. Around the 3rd inning, we had a conondrum: Colin and I were hungry, but we didn't want to miss the game. LO AND BEHOLD the power of digital tv and DVR! Colin showed me how he can record LIVE tv and play it back whenever you want. After the brilliant demonstration of this power, we headed out to Freebird's, burrito capital of the world. I ordered the Monster(or Monstah, cuz I was in Red Sox mode) burrito, and it indeed lived up to its name. Here are some reference shots...

This bad boy weighed 1.5 pounds, and here I use a AAA battery as a reference.

This shows how high the Monstah was.

The Sox won the game in a landslide, 10-1. Tomorrow we play the Chi Sox. I'll try to provide my 2005 Playoff insight next post. Needless to say, I am PSYCHED that the Bo Sox are in a position to defend their title. COWBOY UP!!!

-H

Until I post tomorrow, check this out...

Late late late...

GO SOX!!!

Boy, they really showed why they are the World Champs tonight. They played like they played all this summer.

We went to BJ's, a popular bar around here, to watch the game right after work. TONS of people there. They had a setup of four huge televisions above the bar, but only 2 were working. There were tv's elsewhere, but we were hoping the Sox game would be shown big screen on the four tvs. We had to deal with just two, but it was just as good. The game was great. The food, friends, and beverages were even better. It felt kind of awkward being one of the few people cheering when we got a hit, but we didn't care. I wore my jersey, and I was proud of it. We need to repeat tomorrow against Johnson...

After BJ's, Colin invited us all over to his place. It was tons of fun, as is evident by the fact that I'm posting this at 2:15 in the morning, haha. Funny thing is, I have to be BACK at Colin's at 7:45 in the morning. Sheesh. No rest for a guy, is there? The reason we have to rendezvous so early is the Dallas trip. Yeh, we gotta get a head start in the morning.

Eh, I'm tired and pumped. About Sox baseball. I'm ready for tomorrow. And the Texas State Fair. AND the Avalanche. It will be good to see my boys on ice...

"All The Right Reasons" comes out on Tuesday!

-H

On the Eve of Destiny

Long time, no post, but I have good reason. My Sox haven't been impressive...in fact, they have been down right deplorable. That is, until tonight. Big Papi comes through AGAIN, hitting a walk-off hit to left field, driving in Johnny Damon to beat the Blue Jays 5-4. With the Yankees winning, that means the Sox are 1 game behind New York going into this weekend's HUGE 3-game set against the Bombers. THIS is the playoffs to me, folks. This is going to decide the playoffs, and it may even be a preview of the League Championship Series. Tomorrow, Eric, Colin, Jason, and I are headed to BJ's to watch the game right after work. We gotta head out of work early, so we can get seats; Happy Hour at BJ's is from 4-7. Colin and I are hoping we see some Yankee fans....it should make for an interesting evening. Don't be surprised if Colin and I get into a fight, haha...

The fun doesn't stop after tomorrow night. Saturday morning, Eric, Jenn(his wife), Colin, Rachel(his g/f), Jason, and I are headed to D-town(that's Dallas). We'll get there around noon, just in time to sit down at yet ANOTHER bar and watch the Game 2 of the Sox series. After that, it's off to the Texas State Fair we go. I am SO looking forward to the fried Twinkies Eric keeps telling me about. After the fair, it will be time for an awesome occasion: MY FIRST HOCKEY GAME of the season!!! Avalanche vs Stars, baby. It's gonna be awesome. My jersey and two Avalanche shirts are ready to represent...

Obviously, I made it home safely from MS. I drove back Monday with Walker in tandem, and we were making awesome time until we got to I-45. It took us 4 hours to go 130 miles....eyugh. That sucked. Nevertheless, we arrived safely and the toll booths were closed for Rita Evacuation, which meant a Free Ride home once in Houston :)

Besides the Sox winning, I got even more great news from Mallory tonight. It seems a friend of hers has the exact costume she was looking for. That means a FREE costume. Which in turn means that we are gonna continue with her idea for our Halloween costumes. What are our costumes?! Mwa haha...I'll let you ponder on that one...

well I'm extremely tired from shouting and cheering tonight, and I have to do all that over again tomorrow night; therefore, I am turning in early tonight.

-H

Heading Out

Walker came down from Starkville to spend the night here tonight, reducing his total driving hours for the trip home. We leave tomorrow at sometime around 8am. We had this brilliant plan mapped out as to how we were going to return to Houston; we were gonna take back roads and take the most roundabout way home, but we WERE going to get home. We then found out that evertyhing east of Houston and south of Hwy 190 is shut down to traffic....damnit. In addition to this, the authorities are routing EVERYONE to I-45. WTF!? Thankfully, there is some good news. Many of the evacuees began returning Saturday night, and as a result, the traffic on I-45 seems to be moving rather swiftly(according to the Houston Chronicle). It only gets hairy near Beltway 8, but that's to be expected. Hopefully I wont run out of gas and have to ditch my jeep in the middle of the interstate. No whammies no whammies no whammies...

Jason isn't returning until Tuesday. He has tons of Vacation Days built up, so I don't blame the guy...

Since Jason wont be there, I wont have internet(he took the modem) for one night, but I think I can get by. I found out just mere minutes ago that Seabrook has electricity, so I can at least watch tv or a movie( I did take the tv set-top box)...

In other news, I beat God of War this weekend with the ample amount of free time given to me during my stay here in Canton. UNBELIEVABLE game. Truly a piece of work. I look forward to the sequel. I somehow missed the fact that my parents had several pieces of literature available regarding classical mythology. I am reading what is considered to be the foremost book on the subject: Edith Hamilton's Mythology. I am only about 40 pages into the thing, but it is very very interesting. This stuff just fascinates me...

Sox and Yanks both won today...still tied atop the AL East. Indians dropped one, so their Wild Card lead is down to a 1/2 game over us and the Yanks.

I am looking forward to this weekend: Dallas, Avs Game, Texas State Fair, and the Sox/Yanks series. I am dubbing the activities this weekend as the first annual Octobatorium. It should be a blast...

-H

Sanctuary

Finally....I am home.

I got off to a much earlier start this morning, thanks in part to Rita's potential nastiness. Nominally, JSC is at an Emergency Level 5, which just means that they're always on the lookout for something to happen. Well, yesterday, they moved down to EL 4, which means that something is gonna happen, so start making preparations. We didn't expect to move to EL 3 until sometime tonight; boy were we wrong. First thing I hear when I walk in this morning(at 6:45, no less): "We're at Level 4; unplug your comp, unplug your surge protector, cover your comp, and get out of here." Whoah...

So work today was short :) Of course, that meant my miserable drive would only begin that much earlier. Jason left even before I could, so he got the 1 hour start...I would see him again later. Walker and I decided to drive tandem; that way one of us could always play some defense in the heavy(at least, we THOUGHT it would be heavy) traffic going out of town. We headed out around 1100am. Hwy 146, like I said, was slow-moving; it took 30 minutes to go about 6 miles. That didn't make me feel any better about the drive. Thankfully, once we got onto Interstate-10, things smoothed out with hardly any traffic at all. That is, until we got to Beaumont. The road workers decided to shut down one lane for a 4 mile stretch; what is more annoying is that the road they closed was having NO WORK being done on it! WTF. That aggravated me more than anything...until the Horne Curse struck. Right as traffic begins to move at a snail's place, guess who's air conditioner stopped working? Yeh, that's right. Of all the times, it happened when I'm not moving and the sun is directly overhead at high noon. That made things even worse.

With every person and their mother tying up the networks around Houston, our cell phones didn't work well the entire day, so Walker and I had to perfect our sign language from car to car. You know, "you take that car" or "you pass first, then me" or "I'll slide in, then I'll let you go in front of me". We got pretty good at trasnmitting those signals near the end of the trip...

We eventually made it out of Beaumont(I'm still without a/c) and towards Lake Charles. That part of the trip I was familiar with. Then we had to turn onto Hwy 165, a road I have never taken. Even though we found out this road was a designated "Evacuation Route," there were hardly ANY cars on the road. Granted, it was 55 mph for 75% of the road, but still. It was much better than running into the god-awful mess near I-12 and I-10 in southeast Louisiana. The drive was decent, despite the fact that my a/c began acting menstrual: it's on, then it's off, it's on, then it's off. VERY annoying...

We stopped in Alexandria to eat and refuel; after that, we went on to Monroe and Interstate-20. While on Interstate-20, guess who we see? Jason in his CRV carrying his massive 12 ft. kayak on top. He said he got awesome mileage(31 mpg!!) when he only went 55 mph, so he had been doing that ever since Alexandria. Needless to say, we didn't slow down to 55 mph to keep him company; we continued on...

The view of Jason from my car after I passed him. Note the gigantic kayak on top of his car.

I got home around 8:30, and Walker drove away on I-55 towards Memphis, his home.

So I'm here now in the friendly confines of the Gray Center. It's quiet, it's relaxing, and most importantly, no hurricanes are in the forecast :)

Now, had we actually stayed in Houston and weathered(haha) the storm, we were prepared for the Day After. Jason bought his kayak several days ago, before we heard anything about this girl Rita. We were able to go over some basic skills before leaving...

Here I am, using my 6th sense to "detect" the storm...

Now I'm praticing my normal rowing maneuvers...

And finally, here I am using all my might to fight the gigantic waves from the storm surge.

What makes this mini-vacation even better is that I get to pick up the dogs tomorrow! My parents put them up in the canine extended stay boarding, or as we call it, "The Spa." Since my rents would be gone until Saturday, the girls were gonna stay there until then, costing money and making them even more homesick. Since I'm here, I'm going to pick them up tomorrow, which should be awesome. They aren't expecting me, of all the Hornes, to pick them up, especially this early! For two days, it will just be me, my dogs, and my cats at the Center. How awesome is that!?

It was a sad day today in Major League Baseball...the Yanks won, and the Sox lost. What does thta mean? No more first-place!!! Yanks lead by a 1/2 game. Like I have been suspecting for the last month, it looks as if it will definitely come down to the final 3 games at Fenway. Jeez...

-H

Escape from Houston

This town is getting kind of creepy. Everywhere you turn, people are packing up their things, and some of them are actually leaving right now(it is 11:30 pm central). Honestly, I don't blame them. Considering today that we heard reports that 146, the road I take from my apartment to the interstate, is jammed with cars, the wiser solution would be to leave right now. Unfortunately, I can't do that; I have to go in tomorrow and get a few things done, while also gettin in a few hours(so I can use my vacation days later this semester :) ). No, they aren't forcing me to stay; in fact, NASA has a "liberal leave" policy in effect right now. If you have something to tend to, or something you have to do, DO IT, and don't worry about work. I think that's a good policty. JSC is expected to close tomorrow after work, so Thursday and Friday will be paid leave :)

If I can get to the Interstate-10, I should be golden. From there, I'll drive a ways to Lake Charles, and shortly past that I will get onto Louisiana Highway 175. That will take me all the way through Louisiana, from Alexandria all the way up to Monroe. At Monroe, I'll just get onto Interstate-20 and be on my merry way to Jackson. If you need a visual, click HERE.

There is one thing I am concerned with, though: GAS. Everywhere around here, stations are running out of gas because everyone is filling up in anticipation of what is to come. Hell, even Jackson is running out of gas; we've heard reports that it is taking 5 hours to get gas there. Suffice to say, I'm worried as hell that I will not be able to refuel en route to my home. I can make the trip with less than 1.5 tanks, so if I can make at least a 1/2 fill up at some point, I should be OK. SURELY Alexandria or Monroe will have fuel. They aren't small cities either; each one boasts a population greater than 50,000. If I can't find fuel, it might be bad. I may have to take shelter in a local hotel, and nothing is more depressing that stayin in a hotel by yourself. I'm hoping that it will not come to that. Let's just cross our fingers...

well, tonight is a short post, as you'd expect. Hopefully, next time you hear from me I will be relaxing at home with my dogs, sitting on the back porch drinking a cold one, and listening to the ball game.

This is Henry Horne, in Houston...signing off...

...................*static noise*.................

Rita, Rita, Fo-Fita

I guess Mother Nature is pissed off from all the oil refineries in northeastern Houston because she is headed this way in the form of cyclonic winds in excess of 90 mph. That's right, Hurricane Rita is projected to hit southeast Houston(where I live right now) at some point Saturday morning. Considering it's at 90mph now, and it's going to have several days to build up in the warm Gulf of Mexico, I am getting the HELL outta here. Jason has relatives that live in Sugar Land, which is southwest Houston, so we thought about staying with them; however, several people have told me that Sugar Land will still have severe power outages and high winds. Yeh, sorry if I am not overly excited about staying in a hot, humid city without any power for several days. I talked to Eric, and he is probably going to stay with his family in Dallas; I had hoped he would offer to let us stay with him(they have extra rooms), but he never did, and I'd feel awkard asking.

That only left me with one choice. I could stay in the haven of havens, the sanctuary of sanctuaries, the garden of Eden, if you will......the Gray Center, of course!! I have been advised that leaving Wednesday night out of town would be wisest, as the Mandatory Evacuation will probably be issued Thursday, and getting out of town would be near impossible. Besides, if Rita stays the course, on Thursday morning, at approximately 0200am, Mission Control Houston will handover all control over to Mission Control Moscow. THAT means that JSC will shut down operations, and THAT means that I wont be required to report to work on Thursday or Friday. Best news? BOTH of those days(and maybe more, depending on the outcome of Rita) are paid leaves of absense. SA-WEET!

Yeh, it sucks to drive so damn far away for only a few days, but I really dont see another choice. Jason is still unsure, and even if he decides to stay here in Sugar Land, I think I'm pretty much set on going. I just reaaaaally don't want to be here when things go down. Of course, packing for this does present some packing problems.....

I'll have to pack my most important electronics, my pictures, and any necessary clothing. Everything else I will try to put up on the high shelves in my closet. Surely the water wont get that high, right!?

So, if I leave RIGHT after work on Wednesday, that'd put me at MY house around midnight. Then I'd have Thursday and Friday to chill and relax, and my rents(who are in Nashville for the week) will be there sometime Saturday. I'd return Sunday, unless conditions are worse and JSC is inactive for longer...

Eh, this whole hurricane business is annoying. I hate being displaced. On a much lighter note, though, Trevor gave me some good news on the Starkville homefront: they are building a Tiki-style bar TWO BLOCKS from Glenn Hollow(where I shall be living next semester). Tiki Bar? Not that exciting, right? Just another bar. What IS exciting? They are putting a full-size SAND VOLLEYBALL court next to the bar! How freakin' awesome is that!? Sand courts less than a 5-minute walk from my apartment! Next semester will be fun indeed :)

Speaking of Starkville, I may just drive on up there Thursday and Friday. I mean, why not?

I've been playing this new video game(well, a few months old) recently. It's entitled God of War, and it's about this mortal that is commanded by Zeus to destroy the God of War, Ares, before he destroys what is left of the city of Athens. What ensues after this introduction is nothing short of pure awesome-ness. All the Gods and Titans get into the mix, and it's just plain fun. Needless to say, this game has piqued my interest in Greek Mythology. Sadly, no such course is offered at Mississippi State. I think I may just pick up a book at Barnes&Noble...

I'm gonna go work out.... or run.... or something...

-H

Ramblings...

hey er'body...just a few things to talk about today...

Today was the first of what is hopefully a tradition here. Shortly after work, we(the guys) all met at the sand volleyball courts near Eric's and played until the sun went down. It felt incredible today, especially when the sun got lower. Unfortunately, we were only able to play one 2v2 set, as Frank and Kimi(his g/f) came after we were done. We had to play 3v3 after they arrived(we didn't wanna be rude, haha). Since that one set was really a game, and since Jason and I owned them 21-16, that brings our career record back up to .500 with a 4-4 record. We have been on a tear ever since losing those first 4 grueling matches...

I have so much energy as of late. Maybe it's the volleyball, but I'm not sure. I just feel like doing something all the time. My workout regimen is actually fun as hell: every other night around 9pm for about one hour. Maybe that has something to do with my energy level...

After playing beach volleyball today, I just HAD to pick up Top Gun. It's kind of scary that I have never owned my favorite movie of all time. Better yet, it's the "Special Collector's Edition." I am watching this bad boy tomorrow night. The bonus cd has making-of features, trailers, music videos, and commentary. I'm gonna do ALL of that...

Tomorrow is the toural(it's a new word. It's like annual, but since this happens every co-op tour, I coined the term "toural") Mentor/Mentee Breakfast and Luncheon. I'm excited about going, mainly cuz we get to hear some cool people speak, as well as get free food!......however, there is a dark side to this. My mentor, Tarik, has a deep, dark problem. It's terrible, as I found out about his problem several days after I got to know him and really like hanging out with him. What is his severe disillusioned problem? I will disclose that to you all next post, just to add a little suspense :)

I'm out.

-H

So what do you do?

I have been asked this question by many of my friends and family lately. I decided I would finally attempt to shed some light on my job.

According to the Guidance, Navigation, and Control(GNC) Training Manual:

The International Space Station Guidance, Navigation and Control (ISS GN&C) system is composed of United States Orbital Segment (USOS) and Russian Segment (RS) capabilities. Together, they provide attitude and state determination, propulsive and non-propulsive attitude control, and Pointing & Support. The US GN&C system can request Russian thruster firing to desaturate the Control Moment Gyroscope (CMG) set when needed. The GN&C system also provides generic pointing data to solar collectors, thermal radiators, antennas and other articulated appendages.

That gives you a basic high-level overview of the system I am studying. I say "studying" because I am actually in the "flow," as they call it. The flow is really just the sequence all new-hires in Mission Operations follow. You first learn about all the systems onboard the International Space Station(ISS); then you begin to study your system(in my case, GNC) in depth. This involves learning about critically related systems in depth, with a Knowledge Requirement(KR) after each section. A KR is an oral checkout of how well you know the subject at hand, usually conducted by a certified front-room controller. Currently, I am studying the related systems of Command and Data Handling(CDH, my last group), Thermal Control System(TCS), and the Electrical Power System(EPS). I am rather confident in my CDH knowledge, so I will more than likely be taking that KR rather soon. I'll eventually get the other KR's done as well.

The group that I am in, and the one that is primarily concerned with the GNC system is the Attitude Determination and Control Officer(ADCO) group. This flight control group consists of a front room controller, the ADCO, an his backroom support man, HAWKI(pronounced Hawk-eye). HAWKI isn't really an acronym, but it kind of is. Basically, each letter in the call-sign HAWKI stands for a variable that is related to the system. For example, H represents angular momentum in physics; A(actually a lower case greek A) is the variable for angular acceleration. W(again, really a lower case omega) stands for angular velocity. K is the familiar variable for kinetic energy, and I is moment of intertia. That is how they came up with name HAWKI; although, I am sure they came up with the name FIRST and then tried to decide what made up the letters. Nevertheless, that has to be the coolest call-sign out of all the ISS or Shuttle disciplines.

Since I am only here a few months, there is no conceivable way I'd get backroom certified. I am just expected to go as far into the flow as I possibly can. After the KR's, I'll sit-in on many simulations(sims) and get some On-the-Job Training(OJT) with ADCO and HAWKI.

In addition to the flow, I am busy with several other projects. The main one involves this PC tool, named the Basic Attitude Replication Tool(BART). My group lead has a thing for Simpsons characters. Anyway, BART is just like the name implies, a simulation tool for the station. It involves TONS of math(some of which I have never seen), some coding, and lots of problem solving. I am enjoying that challenge so far. I am supposed to be given a new task tomorrow, so that is something else I can look forward to. During my time this semester, I have noticed the group website is quite possibly the worst out of all the disciplines at the J, so I have taken it upon myself to update it, Henry-style. That should be a fun side project as well...

Some post later, I will try to describe all the people in my group. They are truly a diverse collection, haha. I will mention one thing, though. My group lead, Brian McDonald(BART creator), is a graduate of Mississippi State. Needless to say, he and I get along juuusst fine :)

That's it; I'm done. NFL is on, the Sox are down 3-0 in the ninth, and the Yanks have lost 7-4.

-H

The Best Idea Ever of All Time

The following is an email Eric sent to me, Colin, Rachel(colin's g/f), Mary, and Frank today at work. The subject line of the emailsl was "The Best Idea Ever of All Time". Just read , and you'll get an idea of how fun Eric is to hang out with...

Henry and I are formulating a colossal weekend and are extending to you our viewers a limited time offer to multiply your weekend fun factor by 2 or maybe even 17. The Dallas Stars Hockey organization are playing some guys from Colorado somewhere on Saturday Oct 8 in Dallas. This weekend just so happens to overlap with the greatest of all state fairs… the Texas State Fair. Which also just so happens to overlap with Texas-OU weekend at the greatest of all state fairs (see above).

So far Jen, Henry and I are planning to head up to Dallas the weekend of the 8th, head to the State Fair on Texas-OU day for all the greatness that they have to offer (turkey legs, corny dogs, fried twinkies, Big Tex and listening to all the beaten down OU fans as Texas rolls over them in the Cotton Bowl), then head to the Stars game for hockey sports action, then out to the West End to enjoy all the chicanery that is involved with whatever team wins rubbing it in to the loser.

Let us know soon if you are willing to let Dallas rock your socks off and want to join in. Henry is the point man for hockey tickets so he is the one you need to let know by the 17th. We'll have to be on the horn right at 9am for tickets so let him know.

-Eric Maier

The Beginning of an Era

The winning dynasty of the Horne-Hopper beach volleyball tandem has officially begun...

As planned, this morning around 11:00 Jason and I met up with Eric, Jenn(his wife), Frank, Kimi(his girlfriend), and Colin at this court we had never played on. Eric knew this place had one, and since it was close to his house, it seemed the logical choice. The weather was perfect: sunny, 89 degrees, and not at all humid. The court was the best we have played on here; the sand was soft and deep, the net was the correct height, and the wood border around the court was several yards from the playing area, which reduces chances of a bad accident.

Here are the game-by-game results, with notes as needed:

Game 1: Eric(Maeir)/Colin(Peterson) VS Horne/Hopper
Set 1: Maeir/Peterson 23-21
Set 2: Horne/Hopper 21-14
Set 3: Horne/Hopper 21-18
Notes...Jason and I were sloppy at the start, but we soon began to regain our form. We completely slaughtered them the 2nd set. The 3rd set was closer, but we played some of our best yet.

Game 2: Frank(Lafuente)/Peterson VS Horne/Hopper
Set 1: Horne/Hopper 15-10
Notes...Frank arrived after the first game, so we just decided to switch out and play short games to 15. Jason and I had the best rally and best bump-set-spike combo this game.

Game 3: Lafuente/Maeir VS Horne/Hopper
Set 1: Horne/Hopper 15-13
Notes...Even as the other team got to rotate their players and remain fresh, Jason and I still owned.

Game 3: Horne/Peterson VS Hopper/Lafuente
Set 1: Hopper/Lafuente 15-13
Notes...Wanting to break up the dynasty and allow others to win, the guys suggested Jason and I switch teams. We complied, with Jason and Frank narrowly taking the win. Colin and I had a 14-11 lead, but I was responsible for the final points they scored.

Game 4: Horne/Peterson/Maeir VS Jennifer(Maeir)/Lafuente/Hopper
Set 1: Horne/Peterson/Maeir 15-11
Notes...When everyone was finally there, we played a final game of 3 vs 3(2 vs 2 is the only way I like to play, but it was fun nonetheless). Me and the boys from ODIN breezed through the game(yes, I know that is incorrect grammar)

Afterwards, Eric suggested we all head to the pool in his neigborhood. Considering we were exhausted, drenched with sweat, and covered in sand, this was a no-brainer. The pool was pretty neat, with 3 different sections, one being this really really really cool area with fountains and slides all over. The pool time was extremely relaxing, and it was cool to just hang out with everyone. I think we stayed there for abou 2 hours.

Needless to say I got tons of sun today...maybe too much, haha.

We did bring our cameras today, but the pictures aren't that hot. I mean, if you REALLY want to see them, then email or IM me. All the really good action shots are from far off(Kimi did most of the photography), and the close shots are just of us standing there, waiting to receive the ball.

Plans are a GO for the Avalanche game in Dallas. We are going to drive there, and probably take a 3 or 4 day weekend. Not only is the hockey game going on that weekend, but the Cowboys are playing Philly, and the State Fair(which I hear is tons of fun) will be up and running as well. I cannon wait...

It'll be hard to go to work tomorrow, but oh well. I gotta earn that dough some how :)

-H

The Bash

Last night was the Labor Day Bash at Eric's place...

Holy crap. It was unbelievable. There were around 25 people there at any one time. We had two televisions set up, one each showing a different game. We watched the USA/Mexico soccer match(USA won 2-0, going back to da' Cup), watched some great tennis from the U.S. Open, and of course, we watched tons and tons of football. Oklahoma, Michigan, Texas, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Tennessee, and on and on...we watched part of at least every major game that was going on.

To add to this already great atmosphere, Eric had an unbelievable party mix of music playing on his Mac the entire time. The sound system went through the entire house, even outside near the grill! I told him I want a list of the entire playlist from last night; it is definitely a mix I can play for future gatherings that I will host.

Food was plentiful throughout the house and outside. We grilled chicken and vegetables on the grill to make fajitas. All kinds of chips were along the bar with possibly every dip known to man. Carrot sticks and cucumber slices, along with this unique ranch-like dip, were my snack of choice during the night. On the kitchen table was a HUGE bowl of chex mex; it was also a favorite of mine. Cookies, brownies, and other sweets also occupied the kitchen table space. Other delectables and finger foods were dispersed between everything else.

What did we do during all the tv timeouts and halftimes!? Oh we gamed, and gamed alot. A dart board was available, and I made a point to play on it. It was electronic and not bristle, but it was still alright. I beat Colin in cricket by 200 points. Then we played teams in a game of 501, and what's-his-name and I won by a little over 100. Eric also had a foosball table, but I just refereed the games on that. Frank brought over this game called Washer Boards; it's a homemade game, but it is quite possibly the best party game to ever be invented. Basically, you have these two boxes, about 1.5 feet square and 7 inches tall. The front is inclined down, and there is a hole in the middle, about 4 inches in diameter. The whole box is covered in cloth. You set the boxes about 20 feet from each other, and each team attempts to throw 3" washers onto the board. One point for landing the washer on the board, and 5 points are for landing the washer into the hole. Yeh, who landed the washer in the whole in his first game? That's right. We lost, but I still had the only ringer the entire game :)

The whole night was a blast. People began leaving, albeit slowly, around 1:30am or so, but Colin and I stayed. Colin, Eric, Jennifer(his wife), and I just sat around the kitchen table and talked about EVERYTHING imaginable until about 4:30.

During the course of the night, I was able to get Eric, Colin, and Frank interested in playing some beach volleyball. They were actually very excited about it. We are scheduled to play at 1100 on Monday, a Labor Day volleyball showdown, if you will.

I know you are prolly wondering where all the pictures are. I had fully intended to bring my camera, and it was sitting on my counter with all my other stuff(wallet, keys, etc.); for one reason or another I forgot it. Secondly, if I did post the pictures, chances are chaos would ensue with the response they'd get, so I'll just stick to describing the night, haha.

time for disc golf!

-H