I Am The Champion!!

I have won the Championship of my Fantasy Football league!

My team, the Cycling Cyclone, is the 2006 Champion of the Apostles Fantasy Football League.

I started this fantasy league 3 years ago with great support and participation from an awesome group of guys at church. I was Commish the first year but then the best Commish in the world, Jim Theisen, has been Commish these last two years.

I made the playoffs last year, but got knocked out early. This year in the playoffs I beat out: (a)last years champion, (b)this years 1st place finisher, and (c)the team that was the favorite during most of the season.

I AM THE CHAMPION!! I AM THE CHAMPION!! I AM THE CHAMPION!! (OF THE WORLD)

Merry Christmas

I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas.

Christmas Songs

Jim Theisen tagged me to list my favorite Christmas songs, so here we go:

12. You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch - Thurl Ravenscroft
The original version from the 1966 cartoon. Accept no substitutes!

11. Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
This classic can be heard in the 1964 classic Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

10. Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time - Paul McCartney
Don't know any history behind it, but a great, upbeat Christmas song.

9. Let It Snow - Sinatra, Martin, Charley Pride, etc.
Lots of good versions of this one, but the three I have listed are my favorite.

8. Heat Miser/Snow Miser - Year Without A Santa Claus
Very funny song and the music video is great!

7. Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano
I don't speak a lick of Spanish but whenever this song comes on I can't stop dancing and singing along to the chorus.

6. Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me - Elvis Presley
One of his lesser known Christmas tunes that has a very lively catchy beat.

5. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
Great song, great scene in Home Alone, and probably the only classic Christmas song I've seen performed by the original artist. Brenda Lee sang at a summer festival in Garland, TX when we lived in Rowlett and we got to see her do this song live. Fun stuff.

4. Happy Birthday, Jesus - Brooklyn Tabernacle Children's Choir
MearBear was a toddler when this song came out and I just about cried everytime I heard it. I taught her to sing it and she was so cute!

3. It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Andy Williams
THE best version of this song.

2. Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
Great classic song and my father played in a band with him in the '50s before he got famous.

1. Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
It's Elvis, it's Christmas, it's got cheesy back up singers-what else do you want in a Christmas song.

Cowboys on a Roll

The wins keep coming and so do the big games.

Romo-mentum has led the Cowboys to 8-4 after this weekend's victory over the New York Football Giants.

But don't relax just yet, Tony boy! The 8-4 Saints come marching in to Texas Stadium Sunday night and they're looking for a Big Easy first round bye just like the 'Boys are.

Should be a great game! It's just great to have the Cowboys playing meaningful, playoff implication type football in December.

Go Romo!

Romo Wasn't Built In A Day

It's actually taken 4 years.

That's right, for 4 years Tony Romo has been a backup quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. But now, starting Sunday vs. the Panthers, he will be the starting quarterback charged with trying to help save this season as well as the future. Big Bill named Romo the starter today after too much T.O. from Bledsoe. (That's T.O. as in turnovers, not as in TO the big, loud mouth wide receiver.)

All I can say is: It's about time! I have felt all along that Romo should have gotten a chance to play a long time ago. Back in 2004 when Vinny (in)T was the QB, the Cowboys should have let Romo play in some of those games when it became obvious that the Cowboys were headed towards a losing season that eventually ended at 6-10. Instead Bill wasted all of that playing time on 42 year old Vinny who then was not even on the team the next year. Talk about a big time blunder. Big Bill has done nothing but mess up when it comes to the QB during his time here with the Cowboys.

Let's hope he's got it right this time or the future will be mighty bleak around here for Cowboys fans.

Air Force Pride

My father was in the Air Force for 28 years so this is especially cool to me:

Anyone that loves photography will appreciate the precision of this photo. The jets are probably moving at around 200 mph and the photographer must be just right to get the shot at just the right instant. This is a hard formation to stay in. The ones in the "S" are just a little graduated degree behind the next one and staying that way to maintain the formation.


This is a great photo of an Air Force training squadron flying in a never-done-before "USA" formation over the control tower "Taj Mahal" (HQ building) of Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American G. I. One died for your soul; the other for your freedom.

Thoughts for the Day

• Can you cry under water?
• Why do you have to "put your two cents in". . . but it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to?
• Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?
• What disease did cured ham actually have?

These thoughts taken from the Western Roto newsletter edited by A.Z. Rowland

Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Last Friday I had my bottom widsom teeth removed. The one on the right came out pretty easy except for a piece that broke off and they had to pluck it out separate. The on on the left, however, was a problem. It did not come out easy and the guy had to pull and pull. He also had to push against my head with much force to get some leverage to get it out.

Needless to say that when the numbness wore off, the pain began. I did not expect it to hurt as much as it has. To make matters worse, the pain medication made me sick so I had to stop taking it on Sunday and just attack the pain with ibuprofen. Not very effective. Today is the first day I've actually felt normal with not much pain.

Another bad part of the experience was the face numbing. That was very annoying. I was glad when that wore off even though the pain kicked in.

Good luck to you if you ever have to endure this. I hope your experience is better than mine.

Would you do it?

Saw a great article in the paper this morning. According to the article Six Flags Over Texas will let guests skip to the front of the Titan roller coaster line if they eat a live cockroach as part of their Fright Fest. You would also receive a pass to skip the lines on many other rides.

So my question is: Would you do it?

My answer is, Yes. I would do it, as long as I had some water or Coke to wash it down with!

Bledsoe throws away Cowboys season opener

But hopefully not the whole season. I know it's only 1 loss, but the Cowboys were probably 1 loss vs. 1 more win from making the playoffs last year. When you only play 16 games, every loss counts big time. Especially in the NFC East. Now the 'Boys are already 1 game behind the Eagles for the division title.

Bledsoe played poorly, so I'm sure there will be cries for Tony Romo. I must admit I was thinking it myself after that 2nd interception. But Bledsoe was not the only problem. The O-line was bad, too many penalties wiping out big gains and points, and the defense did not play well.

Now the good thing for me is that I had already penciled this game in as a loss. I knew that the Jaguars have a good defense and that Leftwich is a pretty good QB. And the game was in Jacksonville. So I'm not surprised that the Cowboys lost, just disappointed. Especially since they got up 10-0 and should have been up 17-0. They let a great opportunity to win slip away. I hope that the Cowboys can get better at putting teams away when they have the lead. That's one of the things I miss about Jimmy's Cowboys. When they got the lead then Jimmy would go for the kill shot.

It's still early and I still think this can be a playoff team but they need to bounce back and beat the Redskins. Don't think you want to go into the Bye week 0-2.

9/11

I feel like I’m the only blogger in the world not doing a tribute to a 9/11 victim. Does that mean I don’t care? No, it doesn’t. I just feel weird about jumping on the bandwagon when it comes to things like that. As if I’m doing it just because everyone else is or just because I’m supposed to do it.

Kind of like when everyone put American flags on their cars in the days right after 9/11. Again, I didn’t feel like doing it even though everyone else was. In fact, I remember thinking “I wonder what will happen to these flags in a few months or years?” Seems I was right. It’s not like everyone goes around now with a flag on their car all the time.

9/11 was an awful tragedy. A brutal and senseless terrorist attack. I’m just choosing to reflect on it and remember it in my own way.

Personal Best - Average Speed

I rode in the Cowtown Classic yesterday. Although I only did the 42 mile ride, I did set a personal best record for average on-the-bike speed of 16.2 mph which was quite a jump from my normal average of about 15.6 mph. And I did it even though I was feeling a little cruddy. Imagine what I might be able to do when totally healthy. Boggles the mind, doesn't it?

Happy Anniversary, Baby.

Got you on my mind.

Today is 17 years since Michele made the biggest mistake of her life - marrying a freak like me. She should have married some other freak! :) But I'm glad she didn't. She's mine, all mine, and I'm not giving her back. Thanks, hon, for being the best wife in the whole wide world!

We're still havin' fun, and you're still the one.

Love you.

Other Idols

Ace and Mandisa

Chris

Chris and Elliot

Ace (for the ladies)

Elliott and Mandisa

The whole group

American Idols Concert

Earlier tonight the whole family went to the American Idols concert at Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie. It was a great show, with Taylor Hicks putting on an amazing performance. He is truly a great showman, constanly moving, dancing, jerking, and just having a good time while he sings.

Defeated by the Daughter

I've just finished limping to the computer with my tail between my legs. I've been humbled by experiencing something that's never happened to me before: my daughter, Meredith, has beaten me at checkers. And not once, but twice.

And this was not her barely winning, she whipped me good. She ended each game with about 6-7 kings left in each game. And in the second game, when I had a wall of kings ready to wipe her out, she executes an impressive triple jump right through my forces, effectively sucking the life out of any chance I had of maybe surviving this night with my dignity intact.

(Just in case anyone is wondering: No, I did not let her win. I played straight up, out to win.)

I was not ready for this. The last time I played her(many, many months ago) I was able to beat her fairly easy. I had no idea that she had gotten this good at checkers that fast. It's just another life lesson for me that my little girl is growing up.

Way to go, MearBear. Good job!

Hotter 'N Hell Hundred

Yesterday Michael Lea and I competed in the Holy Grail of cycling rides, that torture session known as the Hotter 'N Hell Hundred. We joined 11,800 of our closest friends in Wichita Falls, TX for the biggest one-day cycling event in the nation.

The ride certainly lived up to its name as the temperature reached 104 degrees with a heat index of 107 degrees along with 28 mph winds gusting up to 35 mph. These conditions, along with some very rough chip seal roads, limted me to only 75 miles, which is now my new personal best ever distance cycling. My on the bike average speed was 15.6 mph.

I've now reached 1,303 total miles this year.

The ‘Boys Are Back In Town

Well, almost. The Cowboys play tonight in Shreveport, LA which is just about an hour east of my hometown of Longview, TX, which is about 2 ½ hours east of Fort Worth. It's kind of interesting to me because that is actually one city where the Cowboys play a road game that I have been to. In fact, I have driven past the stadium where they will be playing many times. I used to go see concerts in an indoor coliseum right next to the football stadium where tonight's game will be played.

I've been to Shreveport quite a few times to visit cousins back when I was a kid. And one time I went there with my parents to the horse track and another time to check out one of the casinos. I've also been to Barksdale Air Force Base which is over there too. My folks still go there often because they can buy stuff cheaper there since my father is retired Air Force.

When I first heard about this game months ago I thought about visiting my folks for the weekend and then staying a couple of extra days to go see the game. But then I checked into the ticket prices and quickly changed my mind. Have I ever mentioned that I think full price for preseason tickets is a rip off? Great thing is I get to watch the game on TV.

More planets? Say it ain't so.

OK. I just read an article in the paper that said that they might add 3 new planets to our solar system. As a traditionalist and as a person who does not like change, I hope that they do not do this. Ever since I have been alive there has been 9 planets. There was 9 when I was born, 9 when I was a kid, and 9 all of my life. You just don't go around messing with the solar system. It's not right!

Apparently there's also some stuff going on about taking out Pluto as a planet if we don't add the 3 new ones. Again, don't fix what isn't broken. Leave it as it is and we'll all be fine.

I wonder if there is an on-line petition I can sign to keep our solar system the same.

Moss Throws Tantrum, Brooks Throws Bricks

Gotta love this stuff about Randy Moss and Aaron Brooks coming from the Raiders/Vikings preseason game: (Courtesy of FOXSports.com)

"Moss, who lit up the Metrodome in the first seven years of his career, started the night with a feet-stomping tantrum after Brooks didn't see him wide open in the end zone. "

"After making his only catch against second-team cornerback Dovonte Edwards in the second quarter, Moss was pulled. Moss stormed off the field and threw his helmet in disgust, stewing on the bench for the rest of the game."

"Signed as a free agent from New Orleans, Brooks is just 2-for-9 for 28 yards, one TD and one interception in Oakland's first two preseason games."

Same old Moss and same old Brooks. Guess neither of them will get drafted in the first round of our fantasy draft.

Fantasy Funk

Man, what a bummer. Just found out that Clinton Portis got hurt. And I've got the 7th pick in the draft.

That's a drag. One less stud RB to choose from.

Italian Carpenter

Why They Will: Secondary

One of the strengths of this years Cowboys team is their secondary. Terrance Newman is one of the best, most underrated cornerbacks in the league. He is practically a shut-down corner who should have gone to the Pro Bowl last year. He did not have big numbers in interceptions last year, so that’s what probably kept him out of the Pro Bowl. But as Bill Parcells said “Did he give up any touchdowns?” No, he did not. Case closed.

Anthony Henry, the other corner, is also a top-notch player. He made some great plays last year before he got hurt, and he looks like he is completely over his injury and is playing at top form right now.

The nickel/slot corner, Aaron Glen, could be a starter on most teams and is a big time play maker. When he’s in the game, he just makes things happen. Bad things for the other team’s offense, that is.

Of course no discussion of the Cowboys secondary would be complete without mentioning safety Roy Williams. This hard hitting Pro Bowl safety is the heart and soul of the Dallas defense and I feel that Roy is going to have a big year. Yes, he sometimes gets burned deep, but the plan this year is to let Roy play closer to the line of scrimmage so that he can wreck havoc like he was created to.

Now, the ‘Boys do have a question mark at free safety, but Keith Davis returns and rookie Pat Watkins is turning some heads in training camp. They also got Marcus Coleman in free agency, so this position should be stronger in 2006.

Since the Cowboys have arguably one of the best secondarys in the NFL, that is Why They Will win the Super Bowl.

50 Mile Ride

I did a 50 mile ride earlier today and, man, was it hot towards the end. I started at about 7:15 a.m. and finished at about 11:15 a.m. The last 10 miles was tough. As I made my way from downtown south toward Benbrook, the heat and sun were really starting to fry my brain good. I finally had to stop and rest under a shade tree with about 5 miles to go. I was hoping to rest for only a couple of minutes, but it took about 10-15 minutes for my body to cool down enough where I felt like I could go on.

Guess this will be good training for the Hotter ‘N Hell Hundred, which is only three weeks away. My friend Michael Lea and I will be subjecting ourselves to the torture of the 100K route. Are we idiots or what?

Why They Won't: Offensive Line is Offensive

Periodically I will be analyzing the potential for the Dallas Cowboys to win the Super Bowl this season. I will be looking at it in two ways:

Why They Won’t win the Super Bowl and Why They Will win the Super Bowl

Today I start with Why They Won’t win the Super Bowl.

The weakest part of the Cowboys team is their offensive line. If this unit performs as abysmally as they did last season, then even with T.O. the offense will sputter since the QB will be lying on his back most of the time. The Cowboys knew they needed to fix this part of the team in the off-season, but I am concerned that they did not.

At left tackle, they are counting on Adams, who is coming off knee surgery, to be his Pro Bowl self again(which he really only did for one year). What if he does not? They replaced a Pro Bowl guard with a reject from the Lions. Just ask my buddy Jim how bad the Lions offensive line was last year. They can’t decide which guy to start at center, which means neither of the two guys are that great or else one of them would be the obvious candidate to start. The other guard is a pretty solid veteran, but he had a sub-par season last year. Will he do likewise this year? And then there’s right tackle. Any Cowboys fan knows the woes that the ‘Boys had at that position last season. And guess what? They are actually considering letting Petitti start again. And why, you say? Because Fabini, the guy they got in free agency, has been a big disappointment. And the other guy, Columbo, hasn’t played in like 2 ½ years.

Because the Cowboys offensive line is such a mess, that is one reason Why They Won’t win the Super Bowl.

Update To Get You Up To Date

Since it’s been over 2 months since my last post I’ll just summarize some of what’s happened in my life since then. Since my last post I have:

Turned 42 years old

Watched my daughter turn 11 years old

Spent many nights in June practicing and performing in VBS

Seen about six summer movies

Ridden in five bike rallys

Crossed the 1,000 mile barrier in bicycle miles ridden since January 2006

Taken my daughter to and from summer camp and spent that week on vacation with Michele

Visited the museum

Done lots of swimming

Hosted nine tween-age girls at our house for a slumber party

Watched the Cowboys start training camp

Set up my fantasy football team and post lots of clever smack

Discovered some new music on XM radio

Enjoyed playing with my new gadget – a Pioneer inno XM radio/MP3 player

Committed to ride my first 100k bike ride (at the Hotter 'N Hell Hundred no less!)

And enjoyed every minute of my life thoroughly while thanking God for my wonderful family!

Goatneck

Here's a picture of me in action at the Goatneck ride earlier today. I did the 41 mile route. This ride has a reputation as one of the hardest amd hilliest in this area. It is a reputation that is well deserved. This shot was right after I crested the top of the longest, hardest hill. Some dude who runs a cycling web site was up there taking pictures.

Movie Review - X-Men III: The Last Stand

Last night I saw the second big blockbuster movie of the summer: X-Men III – The Last Stand. This was a great movie and certain to rake in a lot of money over the Memorial Day weekend. As I walked up to the theatre every conversation I heard had to do with those people going to see X-Men III.

X-Men III, of course, is the sequel to the immensely popular first two X-Men movies. All of the main characters are back as well as increased roles for other characters such as Colossus, Kitty Pride, Ice Man, and Pyro and new characters including Angel and Juggernaught. As a big surprise other characters have a much smaller role in the movie such as Mystique, Cyclops, and even Professor X. That’s actually one of the best things about this movie: the big surprises that happen to and with major characters.

The other best thing about this movie is the use of the mutant powers and the special effects that accompany them. Fans of this aspect of the X-Men movies will not be disappointed as the mutant powers and special effects are a major part of X-Men III. I thoroughly enjoyed the vast display of mutant powers and daresay that this movie had way more than the other two movies. I love visual effects in movies and I was treated to major amounts of eye-candy in X-Men III.

But what about the plot and story line, you say? Check and check! X-Men III has a great story that is engaging and thought provoking. I won’t reveal it here as I like to keep my reviews spoiler free but trust me that if you are an X-Men fan you will like the story that X-Men III offers.

So, what’s my rating? Well, to sum it up, with great characters, good story line, big surprises, intense action, and awesome special effects X-Men III – The Last Stand gets The Bicycle Rack’s highest rating of:

Move Review - The Da Vinci Code

Let me start off this review by stating that I knew nothing about The Da Vinci Code before I went to see the movie. I have not read the book, I have not seen or heard any interviews with the author, and I have not done any research on my own. I wanted to go into the movie with a blank slate and no expectations. I simply wanted to watch this movie as I do any other movie: to be entertained for a couple of hours.

That being said, I enjoyed The Da Vinci Code. However, I did feel that the movie was too long and there were parts of the movie that were too slow and boring. The Da Vinci Code should not have been a 2 ½ hour movie. It would have been a much better movie at about 2 hours or even 105 minutes.

I liked how the movie kind of drops you into the middle of a story where some guy is running away from a psycho albino monk and starts throwing terms and phrases at you that you don’t know like the “Priory” and fancy names for word and number puzzles. At first I was frustrated by this and wished the movie would let me ease into this Da Vinci Code world, but as it went on I found that I ended up liking that technique. It made me really pay attention from the get go so that I could try and figure out the things that were not making sense at first.

The puzzle solving parts of the movie was what I really enjoyed. I liked how they found a clue which led them somewhere else to another thing to try and figure out what the next clue was and so on. I did not like the two leads, however. Tom Hanks and the leading lady had no chemistry whatsoever. Their scenes together lacked any kind of electricity or spark. And maybe it was just the theatre I was in but c’mon people “SPEAK UP”! I could hardly hear what they were saying a lot of the time as Hanks and the woman were so soft spoken.

One of my favorite characters in the movie was some dude who was the manager of a place that had these high tech lock boxes. He was great in the scenes where he helps Hanks & the girl get away from the cops but then turns on them.

And of course Gandalf himself, Ian McKellen, steals the show. Once he came on the scene he injected much needed life into the movie. A lot of his role had to do with exposition-type dialogue explaining the theories behind the Da Vinci Code, but he gave what could have been dull scenes a sense of excitement and intensity. A great job by a great actor in a limited but important role.

Some folks are put off by the subject matter of The Da Vinci Code as they consider it blasphemy to speak of Jesus Christ in a manner other than how the Holy Bible does. However, I took it as it was written-purely fictional based on some theories that have some factual basis but no proof. In my opinion if you go into The Da Vinci Code with this attitude then you will enjoy the movie a whole lot more.

The Da Vinci Code was a good movie, not a great movie. Since it was too long, draggy in places, and marred by sub-par performances in the lead roles The Da Vinci Code receives only

Insane Beach

Mayfest

Our whole family went to Mayfest for the first time ever Friday night. I took Meredith to Mayfest last year, but we just stayed at the children's area the whole time. This time we did the whole money spending, coupon buying, food eating, show watching, lots of walking full blown Mayfest experience. It was a lot of fun. Check out these pictures. Don't you wish you were there?



Kudos to Alan McDaniel for his design of the Mayfest logo and web site.

Which way is up?

Meredith on an Amazon Safari Obstacle Course

Finding Nemo?

Michele having a "small" snack

Movie Review - Mission Impossible III

Well, I just finished watching the summer's first blockbuster. Yes, MI III lives up to the hype and delivers a solid entertainment experience. It should be a big hit and rake in lots of cash at the box office. I guess Tom and Katie won't have to worry about Suri's college fund.

MI III has lots of (forgive the pun) impossible action sequences, fancy gadgets, and plenty of plot twists and surprises. The movie also has a great story line which helps add to the experience. When I go to see an action movie story is always secondary to me if there are plenty of explosions and lots of gunfire. But MI III has the added bonus of a good script which is a big plus.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you ladies that the star of the show is Tom Cruise, who once again takes on the role of secret agent Ethan Hunt. This time we get to see some "normal life" scenes from Tom as Ethan has meet a woman he wants to marry and has retired from field work in order to train new agents. This could have been silly, over the top stuff ala Spy Kids, True Lies, and/or Mr. & Mrs. Smith but MI III keeps it real and very believable. I only wish that they had included a scenes of Ethan jumping on the couch.

Ethan goes back into action when one of his trainees gets captured by the bad guys. This leads to a great action sequence of the IMF team breaking into a warehouse, getting the agent out, and then the pursuit by the bad guys. Then there is some down time while plot points are ironed out before what is in my opinion the best action sequence of the movie-the team breaks into the Vatican to kidnap a bad guy. The Vatican sequence showcases what is great about the Mission Impossible movies: agents in disguises, clever infiltration tactics, rubber masks, voice imprints, and some humor thrown in for good measure.

Another good sequence involves an attack on a bridge, which most people have seen a glimpse of via the TV commercials of Tommy Boy being slammed into a car. While this sequence was very good, it can't quite top the Vatican sequence in my opinion. The ending of the movie was pretty good too, with the great use of what I call the "teaser tactic" where it seems as if it is about to end, only to go into another section and so on and so on.

The most disappointing thing about MI III was the lack of use of Philip Seymour Hoffman as the bad guy. He actually is not in very many scenes and has very minimal dialog in the scenes he is in. I loved his character in Twister and was looking forward to seeing him in this role.

But even with that small flaw, Mission Impossible III is still an awesome movie and a must see. It earns The Bicycle Rack's top rating of:

Pictures From My First Bike Rally

Click here to see some pictures from my first ever bike ride-Ride For Heroes in Aledo, TX

Movie Review - RV

If you have an RV, then this is a movie for you. In fact, if you've ever had one, thought about getting one, or have just seen one on the road, then RV is a movie for you. If you've ever been camping, then RV is a movie for you. Oh, let's face it, RV is a movie for everyone.

RV is a hilarious movie starring Robin Williams as Bob Munro, a father who decides to rent an RV and take his family on a cross-country trip to spend some quality time with his family as he feels himself drifting apart from his children. Many funny scenes revolve around Bob's inexperience with the various aspects of the RV such as driving it, hooking it up, dumping the sewage, etc. Other funny parts of the movie deal with Bob's relationships with his wife, son, and daughter who are very negative about the RV.

However, the show is stolen by the family that Bob and his family meet at their first stop in an RV park. The Gornicke family are full time RVers who travel the country in their converted bus. Once the Munro family meets the Gornicke family then they end up running into them throughout the rest of the movie-even when trying to avoid them on purpose. The quirky characters who make up the Gornicke family provide lots of laughs as well as the many situations where the Munro and Gornicke families interact.

Did I mention that this movie is funny? There are many, many laugh out loud moments and Robin Williams is at his comic best throughout the movie. Highlights include a rap scene in the forest, dinner with the Gornicke family, raccoon encounter, and diarrhea in the woods.

Go see RV soon and remember to stay through the end credits for a very funny musical number.

RV gets The Bicycle Rack's highest rating of:

My Wife's Blog

Michele Hollar has joined the blog craze. Check it out sometime.

Personal Best

I just got back from a bicycle ride along the Trinity Trails. On this ride I set a personal best distance record of 42.79 miles. I completed the ride in 3 hours and 45 seconds at an average speed of 14.2 mph.

I'm It

I've been tagged by Jim Theisen, so here goes:

Four jobs you have had in your life:

1. Cook at Pizza Inn
2. Bag boy at Kroger
3. Usher at movie theater
4. Accountant


Four movies you would watch over and over:

1. Back to the Future trilogy
2. Star Wars movies
3. Star Trek movies
4. LOTR trilogy


Four places you have lived: (I put five)

1. Fort Walton Beach, Florida(birthplace)
2. Columbus, Mississippi
3. Colorado Springs, Colorado
4. Abilene, Texas
5. Longview, Texas

(Imagine the climate shock of spending four years in Colorado and then moving to Abilene.)


Four TV shows you love to watch:

1. Lost
2. Invasion
3. My Name Is Earl
4. Supernatural


Four places you have been on vacation:

1. Yellowstone National Park/Mt. Rushmore(road trip)
2. Walt Disney World(road trip)
3. Universal Studios in Orlando(flying trip)
4. Mt. Nebo-Arkansas(road trip)


Four websites you visit often:

1. Nascar.com
2. Weather.com
3. DallasCowboys.com
4. Fort Worth Bicycle Association


Four of your favorite foods:

1. Michele’s homemade bread
2. Steak
3. Pizza
4. Lasagna


Four places you would rather be right now:

1. Anywhere with M & M(wife and daughter)
2. The bridge of the Starship Enterprise
3. On the beach
4. On a mountain
5. On my bike

Four people who are tagged to do this:

1. Michael Lea
2. Wezie
3. Chef Preston
4. Alan McDaniel

A Free Man

Free at last, free at last! Thank the IRS I'm free at last!

No more over time for me as today marks the end of tax season and the beginning of a normal life again for me and mine. No more getting up at 2:00 a.m. No more 12 hour weekdays. No more 8-10 hour Saturdays. I feel like a burden has been lifted.

I give glory to God for getting me through this tough time and I thank my wife and daughter for their wonderful support.

Cool Art

Woah! This one's scary ~

Movie Review - Ice Age 2

Today the whole family went to see Ice Age 2. This was a great movie! As a sequel, I actually found it to be better than the first one in lots of ways. I liked the plot of the movie better than the orginal and the addition of some new characters was a nice touch as well. In fact, the possums stole the show! And you Scrat fans, don't worry. He's back as well and funnier than ever. One of the funniest scenes in the whole movie involves Scrat chasing after his nut over a thin patch of ice.

The story of Ice Age 2 revolves around the old gang from the first movie traveling cross country to avoid a melting glacier and the ensuing flood that will occur once the glacier melts. The "herd" is once again led by Manny, with Diego along for support, and Sid returning to provide the comic relief. Along the way the group meets up with two possums and a female mammoth who thinks she's really a possum. They all team up to travel together and lots of fun occurs along with some touching scenes between Manny and Ellie, the female mammoth. There are some guest star voices that will really surprise you and a hilarious musical production number by a group of vultures. That's right, I said vultures. You've got to see it to believe it.

This movie was well acted, well written, and a great time for the whole family. The characters are really well developed and there are also some side stories that add a lot to the movie such as an extension of the Sid/Diego relationship and Sid encountering a group of sloths with some hilarious results.

If you liked the first Ice Age, you'll love #2. If you loved the first one, then Ice Age 2 is a must see.

My rating:

Movie Reviews

Okay. I've decided to steal an idea from Joe Ed Parris and do Movie Reviews on my blog. So be watching for them! Since I'm heavy into cycling, I will use bicycles as a rating system.

One bicycle = Pitiful excuse for a movie, a waste of time and a waste of film. You are a loser if you go and see this!
Two bicycles = Okay movie, you might want to go see it if you have nothing else to do except pick your nose.
Three bicycles = Pretty good movie, worthy of spending your money on. A movie you will enjoy and time well spent.
Four bicycles = Very good movie. You'll be glad you went to see it.
Five bicycles = An awesome movie! A must see experience! You are a loser if you DON'T see this movie.

Insane Beach