Somewhere Over the Snowbow

It's snowing here again, (just a dusting) and the sun just came out, so I'm expecting to find a Snowbow somewhere in the sky. (Just like a rainbow, but one which appears when it's snowing.) If I find it, I will post a pic.

The Search Continues

Today marks the 3 month mark since I was told I was being let go by my former employer. I've got to admit, my outlook has taken some ups and downs. I didn't expect the search to take nearly this long, but the reality is that companies have been hesitant to hire at my level, because of all that has been going on in the economy and in Washington. In the past 3 months, I have probably submitted my resume over 100 times, and yet only netted one interview, and did not get the job.

But I move on. As I continue to look for work, my wife and I have formed a company which will be an umbrella company for all of our business ventures. Our first venture is a Home-based travel agency, which although it is my wife's business right now, we are both trying to "learn the ropes" of booking travel through various suppliers. One or both of us will be headed to three days of training in Mid-May, and we have been taking several webinars online over the past month. My wife also hopes to combine this venture with her writing skills and do some travel writing.

It's also difficult sometimes to focus on things to do while waiting for callbacks and interviews, so last week I decided to pick up some new skills hopefully related to my old skills. I've always been interested to some degree in web development, and it has changed a lot in the past few years, so I am teaching myself Web Development with ASP.net using Microsoft Visual Web Developer. It turns out there are a lot of skills and software involved in it including database development (one of my specialties), so my mind is racing with possibilities for building a great website for the Travel Business. At least for now, it makes me feel somewhat productive.

This week things seem to be picking up a little bit. I have one anticipated interview right now, and have talked to a couple of other people who may have something which will pan out in an interview soon.

Staying gruntled for now...

Springtime in the Rockies

Tomorrow is the last day of ski season for many Colorado resorts, but this year they probably could have favorable conditions well into May, as yet one more major spring storm has come into the area.

This is my backyard this morning


And it is still snowing! The good news is that it will be back in the 70's by Tuesday, and stay there until the end of the week, so this snow will become free moisture for my lawn over the next few days.

In the twelve years I've lived out here, I cannot ever remember having constant precipitation for 3 days in a row. This storm started out as rain on Thursday Morning, turned to snow overnight Thursday night, became rain yesterday afternoon, stopped for a little bit last night and now is a kind of a fine wet snow, probably changing to rain again before it stops. Right now there is lots of slush on the roads and sidewalks, but I expect everything to be dry again by tomorrow afternoon.

Hopefully this is the last major snow storm of the season, we will still get some snow in May and maybe June, but usually it's a couple of inches that lasts for minutes after the storm ends.

So from the Winter Wonderland that is my house, have a Totally Gruntled Day.

Death of "The Voice of the Phillies"

When I was growing up the voice of the Phillies was By Saam, longtime Philadelphia Broadcaster who teamed with Bill Campbell and Richie Ashburn to bring Phillies games to life on the radio, and occasionally on TV. The three of them worked all the games with Richie doing Color on TV Broadcasts on Sundays, and the other two rotating in out of the TV and Radio booths every couple of innings as the play-by-play men.

As a kid, to me this was the way it always was and always would be.

Until 1971.

That was the year, a young broadcaster who had spent 6 years with the Houston Astros became the 3rd man in the booth replacing veteran Bill Campbell.

His name--Harry Kalas.

For the next 38 years Harry would broadcast Phillies games becoming the longest continuous broadcaster in Phillies History, surpassing Richie "Whitey" Ashburn, who broadcast for the Phils from 1963 until his death in 1997 while on the road covering games in New York.

Ironically Harry would also die doing what he did best--working a Phillies game. Harry died Monday morning after collapsing in the broadcasting booth at Nationals Park in Washington D.C. He was 73.

Harry's death will not only leave a void in the Phillies broadcasting booth, but in other broadcasting ventures as well. He was the voice of NFL Films (replacing another Philadelphia Legend, John Facenda) as well as the radio voice of NFL games in the baseball offseason, college football. He also did voiceovers on the Chunky Soup commercials.

It has been a bad opening week for baseball. Last Thursday morning Angel's Rookie Pitcher Nick Adenhart and two friends were killed in a hit and run drunk driving accident in LA. Later that day, Giants' pitcher Joe Martinez was hit in the head by a line drive suffering a concussion and 3 hairline fractures.

And also on Monday, Mark "The Bird" Fidrych who was a refreshing rookie in 1976 was found dead after an accident while working on a truck at his home. The only time I ever saw him pitch in person was the 1976 All-Star game in Philadelphia, and he was a joy to watch with his antics on the mound. Unfortunately his career was cut short by injuries, but he will always be rememberered for his antics on the mound, and the fact that he never seemed to let stardom go to his head.

We will miss Harry, Mark and Nick, and best wishes to a speedy recovery to Joe.

The ex-Bronco

The disgruntled Jay Cutler has left Denver.

I'll use Cutler's own words

“I’m just not that big of a fan of the guy. I don’t like how he carries himself. I don’t like some of the stuff he does on the field.”

He was referring to San Diego QB Phillip Rivers, but his comments apply as to my opinion of Cutler. I also don't like some of the stuff he does off the field.

Jay Cutler seemed to get a chip on his shoulder when Jeremy Bates (the QB coach) left for USC in January. He was apparently assured by Broncos owner Pat Bowlen that Bates would not be let go. The Matt Cassel trade was just something he used to manifest his immaturity about the matter.

Granted the Broncos haven't done themselves any favors in playing it out in the press either (thank goodness there's only one newspaper left in Denver to hype all the crap over the past month.)

All you have to look at is the phone calls that Jay didn't return, to show you how immature he is (or is he just being used by his own agent?)

McDaniels won't last here very long--I say max 3 years, but I've never been impressed with Cutler--sure he gets the yards, but he makes way too many mistakes still. Remember the San Diego game? No, not the fumble/non-fumble but the interception on the drive before that where he fell down after throwing it.

Then look at the 3 straight games that the Broncos lost at the end, needing only 1 win. Cutler passed for 850 yards but only had 2 TD's and 4 INT's. Maybe he will mature, but right now, he's not anywhere near a franchise QB. That's not to say that he won't turn out to be a good to great QB, it's just that he's not there yet. And until he actually proves it on the field, he needs to quit the Prima Donna Act.

Good luck and good riddance! Maybe the local newspapers--er newspaper can start following the Rockies now!