A real good friend of mine recently texted me this message. I was going to delete it, but I thought they were pretty damn good words to live by.
With Lily dying last week, these have hit home a little more than they would normally.
"Life is supremely fragile and finite. It is the ordinary in every day that makes it worth living. Kepp focused, friend"
I thought this story was great. They featured it on Sports Center, and then it is going all over the web.
Take a few minutes and click here to see what all the fuss is about.
so I thought I would post my favorite clips on the web...
Turn your sound up...(it is safe for work).
These are the types of kids that I market to here at adidas. This is the type of kid I am going after. It is hilarious!
The Backstreet Boys 1
One of the kids at Jack's daycare drew a really good picture of him a few days ago. It was really cute!
This kid, who is 8, then wrote "Jack" at the top of the page. Only problem is that he wrote the "J" around the wrong way, and made the "a" look like an "o".
So now it is a picture of Jack, with the word "Cock" above his head.
Brilliant!
As bad as I feel right now, I want to remember Lily the right way.
She was a happy, loving, energetic family member, who left us way too soon. Naomi and Jack are going to miss out on one of the most loving animals there ever was.
Here are a few pictures of how I remember Lily...
She just had the greatest look when she was content
Anything you could throw for her, she would chase
She loved the dog park. It was like heaven to her
Her best friend in the whole world. A 5 year old girl
Partners in crime. Lily and Wicket, 2005
Steph took this, and it is one of my favorite pics of us
Lily was a free spirit, and a huge part of our family. We'll miss her.
I really haven't felt this numb in a long time. Actually, I don't think I have felt this numb ever.
Last night, our dog , Lily passed away. She was 2.
Why do I feel numb? Well she has been ill for a few days. Since Monday actually. Hindsight is 20/20 they say, and this is what is soooo upsetting. We had an appointment to take her to the vet this morning. She was getting thin quickly. Really quickly.
On Sunday Naomi and I were out racing around with her in the back yard, kicking the tennis ball as we always do. Lily would chase the ball until she couldn't stand anymore, and even then she would try! She loved chasing that ball. Loved being loved. Loved Naomi. No, she adored Naomi. Lily was also Naomi's love, too.
So on Sunday everything was great. Normal Lily, everything fine.
Monday came and went with no incident. All her food was half gone, and Wicket's (our other dog) was, too. That was a bit weird, because Lily is an absolute pig. Seriously, her entire bowl of food lasts about 90 seconds, from when we load it up, until it is gone. The fact that there was some left was a bit strange, especially for her. 20/20.
Tuesday came and went. Again, her bowl was left completely full. She was walking around, but that is when Steph and I first figured out something might be wrong. Wicket routinely leaves her food and goes back to it throughout the day, but Lily never does. She also became kind of lethargic. Again, she became kind of like Wicket. Not unusual for most dogs, but for Lily this was bizarre.
Wednesday was the turning day. She again, didn't eat. She laid around very out of it. This is when we decided she needed to see the vet. She also threw up a couple of times. Again, not unusual because the dogs were always eating leaves, dirt, the odd mouse they caught (yeah, sick I know!) but still weird. We could get time off on Friday, let's go to the vet then. She had also become pretty thin in her back legs. Like all of a sudden. It is hard to describe. I guess when you have a dog that long you notice the little things. She was noticeably thinner.
Thursday, again, no food. She was at least back up, and moving around again. Improvement? Why the hell didn't I take her to the vet then? Why? Fuck. I feel so low right now. I feel like I killed her. She was thin, and not eating.
Last night (Thursday night) Steph had a party for me at the house as it was my birthday. Neal, Heather, Kenny, Darla, Mike, and Autumn came round. It was great. The guys came out to play pool in the man room, and that was when I saw her in the light for the first time in detail. She looked like a POW from the concentration camps. I mean, she had deteriorated overnight horribly. Really really horribly.
I felt sick. All this time, I would go and look at her, and it would be dark outside whenever I checked, and honestly, she didn't look too bad. I would feel around, check her, and she felt fine. When she came into the man room though, she looked terrible. Neal, Kenny, and Mike were like, 'holy shit,what's wrong with your dog?'.
Steph woke up this morning, at about 5am, and got that feeling something was wrong. Why the fuck didn't I move her indoors? It is cold as hell outside. I am such a fucker. Lily had passed away sometime in the night. Wicket was freaked out of course, and didn't know what the hell to do.
We are going to bury her later out at Jo and Eric's where she LOVED itÂ…open air, running around, plenty of room. Not at our piece of shit rental house, no dogs allowed inside.
I am looking to blame something, or someone right now, but truth is, I have to blame myself. I talked about 20/20Â…but that is all bullshit, too. I killed my dog because I figured I could wait until my day off to take her to the vet. One day. I tell myself that I didn't know for sure, but there was something wrong. You know your dog. You KNOW when something is up. I knew. I just figured as she was 'improving' it was a viral thing or something, and she was past it. Wicket was fine, so it must have been something Lily ate. It's like I am justifying how I felt in my head.
I am a terrible person.
The little guy has to travel abroad in April, so yesterday i went and got his passport photos taken.
The lastest man on the Terrorist Watch list
He clearly has a weight problem.
Love comes in all different shapes, sizes, and forms.
As much of an easy way out as it sounds, any quick Google search will pretty much sum up 'love' in those aforementioned forms...these were the first images in that search.
The Tate Gallery, circa 1963
The symbol of love...
A couple tango together
A loving couple
This was a bit strange, not sure the shark is in love
I liked this one a lot
Cool oil painting
Holding Hands
It isn't just about straight people
So no matter how you see it, view it, interpret it, love is something we can have for everyone. Yes, that means you can love your husband, your wife, your friends, your pets, your kids, your God, your ex, your anything...
I am excited!
116 days from now.
Let me tell you all a story, in pictures.
This is what it is all about! A simple little gold trophy.
I will be sitting around watching it until my head looks like this...
...while some of my friends will be over at one of these locations...
The 'Argies' will be over there, too, but only for the group stages...
...and you can't really expect anything else from the Frenchies...
The Dutch might find it tough with their new goalkeeper...
...and of course there are the Italians...they'll bring their fans...
...and lastly, the Americans. They're #1 according to this guy...
So, after 40 years of waiting, agony, and defeat....
...only one man will have his hands on the trophy!!!
Take it, David. It is your destiny.
COME ON ENGLAND !!!!!
Dear Cooter,
Me an' Sue Ellen have divorced. The judge gave her the double wide and the pickup.
So, like the court order said, I delivered the truck before 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon. I took a picshure fer proof that I delivered it... wanted to make shor she found it when she got home!!!
Git 'er done!
How's your day going? See ya later,
Your Buddy,
Bubba
So today I went on a photo shoot for work. It was for a project that isn't really relevant other than the fact that it was supposed to be an 'urban' setting with younger people fitting in with the 'in' crowd.
Young, hip, edgy, and urban, all in the same place. That is what the shots were all about. Wearing the lastest clothes, having the latest look, and all this expendable income to buy shoes with!
The weird thing was that I was the client (it was being shot for MY project) but I felt totally out of it. I was trying to figure it out what the deal was. Was I ill? Was I unwell? Not sure.
Then I got it.
I had Naomi and Jack with me and I was out of place there. Here's the weird thing though...i didn't care. I was looking around at all the 'beautiful people' as they were discusing the latest album to drop, the lastest gadget to have, and which club was hopping last night. There were cool clothes, gobs of makeup, cool sunglasses (on a cloudy day), gold chains, sports cars in the street, and plenty of bling to go around.
I, on the other hand, had a a 5 year old shyly gripping one hand worried about all the strangers around, and a 7 month old in the stroller I was pushing. The double drink-holder had a Starbucks in one hole, and a 8oz bottle of formula in the other. I had a neon green purse containing a dozen plastic puppies draped around my neck because someone was too tired to hold it, a new barf stain down the front of my second-day-in-a-row sweatshirt, and my hair was all over the place because I forgot to do it.
Yeah, I didn't exactly fit in. People walked by until they realized I was the client. Then it was 'how are you?', 'are these your kids?', 'is that barf?'
The funny thing was I didn't care. I looked around at everyone, and there were some very cool people.
I had my kids. That was all the bling I needed.
How adorable is this?!!
Don't get all up in arms about photographing Jack instead of holding him while he was crying! Besides, Steph took the picture...she is the monster!
Waaaaah...look at me....being a baby!
You want another one?
Held by the monster...
Finally, someone who loves me
Editor's Note: Before you view the video below, pause the 'Clip of the Week' to the right so the sound stops. Trust me, you'll be glad you did. You need to hear this clip.
Recently, this video of a passionate wrestling fan has been circulating around the Internet, resulting in much laughter and Mt. Dew being spewed onto workstations nationwide. It's easy to write off this man's obsession as the rantings of a mad man, and on the surface that's what they appear to be. But when I thought more deeply about the passion this man feels about what's going on inside the squared circle, it made me hearken back to the days when I was that passionate about wrestling.
She is soooo damn cute!
I took this at the grocery store with my camera phone. 
Look at those cheeks!
Well, now I have to get the little man an England shirt for the world cup...he is obviously a good luck talisman!
February 5th, 2006
Search the internet this morning and you will see nothing but review after review of Super Bowl XL, it's stats, the bus retiring, and what the hell happened to the Seahawks.
Bill Cowher holding the Lombardi Trophy, at last.
I was able to spend the day of the game with my wife, at my really good friend Neal's house. We had a great time!
Seriously good. I certainly don't want to review the game, because, to be honest, it isn't worth doing...you can read about it somewhere else, but while I was there I did start thinking ahead precisely 119 days!
Why you ask?
Because then, I am reminded about what Neal and my brother-in-law Eric go through only once in a blue moon. The World Cup is on!
The world cup logo
That's right, this June and July, the same as it is every four years, the world turns it attention to one particular country that is hosting the biggest sporting event on the planet. That's right, bigger than the Olympics, and certainly bigger than the Super Bowl. 
This year's finals are being held in Germany!
That is not to be a downer on the Super Bowl at all, but all that hype and support pail in comparison compared to what will hapen in the summer. I was watching Neal get all nervous about the score as he is a huge Steeler's fan. I also spoke with Joann about it as her husband, Eric, is a huge fan, too. She actually said that he was crying at the end! Hmmm..., I have always had my suspicions about that boy!
I am sure that come July, I will be a nervous wreck, too. This will be magnified by two things:
1) the enormous hope that I have that England will not make any mistakes and go on to lift the trophy that we last owned in 1966.
Bobby Moore, the only Englishman to ever lift the trophy.
2) the enormous expectation that everyone in the world has that England are one of perhaps three teams that are considered favorites to lift the trophy!
The World Cup Trophy
Ever since I was growing up as a lad in England, 'football' was all I lived and breathed. I have heard generations talk of how the Boys of '66 was the best ever, and I am sure they were at the time. It is like having a giant monkey on your back the whole time. The English media are relentless, and I cannnot imagine how nervous the Boys of '06 will be come June.
So, there I will be, posted in front of the TV for England's three group stage games, and then, hopefully, in front of the TV for their progress through to the final!
I will of course be nervous. I don't think I will get to the stage of crying, but it will be very emotional. It is a tough call. There are so many good players out there, and the teams go through hot and cold streaks. You just have to hope that your team can go through the tournament in the right frame of mind.
We have some good competition though. Brazil are arguably the best team, and the favorites on everyone's list. We just recently beat the other favorites, Argentina, in a thrilling 3-2 game. 
The Argentina wall, brave as ever...
All I can do is wait and hope that Becks and the boys can turn on the magic come summer time. 
Can Becks Lead the Team to Glory?.
If they do, I will know what Neal and Eric were feeling yesterday.
