20040226

both of my girls basketball teams played and won yesterday. the jr. high team won 14-2 and the sr. high team won 23-4. more impressive than the scores is that all 5 starters for both teams scored. i am very excited about how they continue to improve.

the redskins are close to trading champ bailey to the broncos for clinton portis. while i am still upset bailey won't be back with washington, i can't imagine a better trade possibility. portis is one of the best RBs in the league, and only 22.

(listening to: blindside- 'about a burning fire')

20040221

'cold mountain' opened in zambia last night, i enjoyed it. definitely a different perspective on the civil war. i think i like most every movie jude law has ever been in.

the pistons were involved in a huge trade yesterday, which centered around the acquisition of rasheed wallace. i can't believe he really plays for detroit now. i think the pistons will definitely win the eastern conference now.

the redskins signed mark brunell yesterday. i now fear patrick ramsey will request a trade, but i am hoping that he will stay. it could be a great situation with both of them as QBs on the team.

both of my basketball games were canceled this week, fortunately they were rescheduled. not an unusual occurence when playing zambian schools.

(listening to: poor old lu- 'straight six')


20040218

i am taking care of someone's hamster right now, i had no idea a cute little furry thing could make so much noise!

the pistons have now lost 6 games in a row, they are falling apart. and it doesn't seem like it was that long ago that they won 13 in a row. oh well, all that matters is the playoffs, and hopefully they can have the honor of losing to the western confere������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

i am taking care of someone's hamster right now, i had no idea a little cute furry thing could make so much noise!

the pistons have now lost 6 games in a row. wasn't that long ago that they had won 13 games in a row. a little consistency would be nice. all that matters is the playoffs though, and hopefully detroit will have the honor of losing to the western conference champion in the NBA finals.

chris simpson, lead singer/songwriter of mineral and the gloria record, has always been one of my favorite writers. his lyrics for this song, appearing on mineral's 1996 release 'the power of failing,' have been really meaningful to me lately:

'if i could'
"she stepped outside into the morning air to watch the cars go by and let the sun dry her hair i wanted to tell her how beautiful she was but i just stared i sat behind the wheel and watched the raindrops as they gathered on the windshield and raced down into the humming motor and she folded up her fears like paper airplanes and lost them in the trees and i know i don't deserve this: the capacity to feel (to laugh and to cry and to praise) for that i live and breathe and wake each day clean is nothing less than your grace (in awkward and glorious movement)."

(listening to: city on a hill- 'the gathering')

20040217

today was hard and exhausting. definitely busier than most days in zambia, but not sure if that had anything to do with it. i spent the last 3 hours at the bowling alley overseeing the 2nd week of our first league. it went smoothly, but i didn't want to be there. hopefully soon i will have it so well organized i won't have to attend the leagues. plus being at a bowling alley that much when i still can't bowl sucks! that will change soon fortunately.

basketball practice didn't go that well, i have been having major attendance issues. most of the core players are always there, but i even have problems with them coming. we only have two practices a week, basketball is just so different here. game tomorrow though, that will get me excited.

one of my best friends in zambia is going to be flown to the states soon for heart surgery, and in all probability will not return here. i have thought about that today quite a bit, it's a difficult situation.

i realize most of this post is negative, but other than today, the past few days have been great!

(listening to: beloved- the running EP)

20040214

ok, here is my rant about the current redskins situation. first of all they hire joe gibbs as coach, terrific. no better coach in professional football.

but now, i don't know have a clue what is going on. the main problem is the whole QB situation. the redskins have a great quarterback, patrick ramsey. yes, i am bias because i know him personally, but for a QB entering his 3rd year in the NFL you can't ask for much more. he played great last year, even with no blocking.

so the redskins are pursuing trading for mark brunell. he is a solid quarterback, but he is 10 years older than patrick ramsey.
and if the jaguars decided byron leftwich is better than brunell, then ramsey is definitely better! brunell would be a great back-up, but he doesn't want to be a back-up, and i can understand that.

the problem is that patrick ramsey has said, supposedly, that he will pursue a trade if the redskins sign brunell. i don't blame him for that, but i hope he doesn't, because i am positive ramsey would beat out brunell for the starting position. fortunately many other teams are pursuing brunell, so hopefully one of them will get him.

now the redskins have given champ bailey permission to seek a trade. why!? if he refuses to sign a new contract with the redskins, i can understand this, but the redskins need to do everything they can to keep him, he is the best CB in the NFL.

so, my two favorite players on my favorite team could be gone next year. i know joe gibbs can win with anyone, and the redskins have a solid core of players. but i don't want to see the redskins win with any QB other than patrick ramsey.

this is all reminding me of the situation 10 years ago where the redskins released all of their veteran players (including art monk) so that they would have money to sign their first round draft pick, heath shuler. that was one of the biggest mistakes in NFL history, the redskins have only made the playoffs once since then.

anyway, there is my thoughts. i should be a sportswriter.

(listening to: the gloria record- 'start here')

20040213

sr. high AIS girls basketball team just won their game 25-4. my girls played outstanding, i am excited. and the jr. high girls won 10-2 on wednesday, so it was a great basketball week. there is a new picture of my sr. high team on my yahoo picture site (link to the left).

tomorrow is valentine's day and for the first time in a long time i am actually excited about that.

(listening to: fleming & john- 'the way we are')


20040210

tonight was the first night of the first league at the bowling alley. it went smoothly, and i met tons of people once again.
it's no fun being at a bowling alley when i can't bowl though; another 3 weeks before i can.

i saw "kill bill" on saturday. a movie i initially avoided, but i loved it. i have never seen anything like that.

coached swimming yesterday for the first time since surgery, it was good to see the kids again. two basketball games this week, tomorrow and friday, should be fun!


(listening to: toad the wet sprocket- 'fear')

20040206

it's been a fun week. today i saw the movie 'the fighting temptations.' i had no desire to see it, but it was something to do, and i was pleasantly surprised. it is about a gospel choir in small-town georgia. the beginning of the movie takes place in 'georgia 1980.' it was funny, because i know i am the only person in the theater that actually lived in georgia in 1980.

first junior high girls basketball game was this week, we won 8-3. i was really proud of the girls. both practices this week went very well, made lots of progress. starting next week there will be games every wed. and fri. for at least 6 weeks straight.

tess wiley is about to release a new album, i am excited!

(listening to: velour 100- 'of colour bright')

20040203

what an amazing super bowl, in my opinion the best ever. that is of course excluding the 3 the redskins have won. it should have been a much better game, however. if the stupid panthers had just kicked the extra point to make it 21-17 adam vinatieri's kick would have sent the game in to OT at 31-31 instead of winning the game 32-29. coaches really need to think it through before going for 2.

i start back coaching girls basketball today, and i also get my stitches out.

(listening to: sixpence none the richer- 'divine discontent')