The Kids Are Alright

Whooooooo!  Whoooo hoooo! 

 

The Canes really had me scared.  It was easy to talk them up to everyone who asked me about them for the last two days, but I woke up today preparing myself for them to go down 0-3 in their series against Montreal.  Just going to overtime doesn't matter anymore -- it only matters if you win.  When the Canes went into overtime tonight in game 3, I started thinking about their year and how it all came down to the minutes ahead.  Win, and we have a series and a chance to play on.  Lose, and they'll be forgotten as the team that was built for the season but not for the playoffs. I had already written my post for tonight if they lost -- I guess I jinxed them into winning.  I'll have to try that again...and press the delete key on that ill-fated post.

 

This game was won by a team, but the stand outs were the two famed kids -- Eric Stall who scored the winning goal in overtime (also the first playoff goal of is career) and Cam Ward, the baby-faced goalie who won in Montreal, in overtime, in his first playoff start ever.  Actually, Eric's got quite a baby face too -- although I'm happy to say I think his playoff beard is growing in nicely.  So is Erik Cole's -- he's traveling with the team, neck collar and all.  I'll bet he's not given up his pre-game DJ job.  Play on, Erik.  We miss you.

 

Harder to Breathe

The Canes are down 2-0 to the Habs.  After a magical season, this may be our last week and Saturday may have been my last game.  There is a reason they play 7 games -- 2 isn't enough to determine a champion and I don't believe they are done yet.  The year they ran to the Finals they won each of the first three rounds in 6 games so there is still PLENTY of time.  Tonight's game lasted 3 hours and 47 minutes -- ran into it's second overtime before Michael freaking Ryder scored.  They started off fighting, never gave up, came back from being down 3 goals to tie, lead, tie, go behind and tie again...(gulp) then fought through the first full overtime and on into the second.  Keep fighting boys!

 

Michael Ryder note: When I went to the Devils/Habs game in Montreal a few years ago I sat in the Michael Ryder rookie section.  In Montreal certain sections are named for rookies and the people sitting there win stuff if their rookie scores a goal.  The entire game was announced en Francais and I was able to catch enough to know what was going on, with the exception of the contests.  If I had known I may have rooted the kid on -- back then. 

Come On, Come On, Come On, Let's Go

Leaving in mere minutes for Game 1, Round 1 of the Hurricanes first playoff series. We're tailgating for a little while before the game, sort of...we're picking up Chinese take-out on the way there and then eating in the parking lot. We haven't been here long enough to acquire all the accessories needed to do it right.

To all local fans, we'll be on FSN 50 at 7pm. Anyone else out in the world -- check OLN -- we'll be one of 2 games they are showing tonight.

Let's Go Canes! Beat les Habitants!

Neon

Neon is one of my favorite songs, ever.  John Mayer is such a smart songwriter.  It always makes me want to dance in a lose yourself kind of way, with a drink in one hand, twinkle lights and a bunch of people to sing and dance with.  Kind of like the night in New Orleans but with people I know and I'm skinnier.

 

I think maybe I feel like the girl in the song -- "She's always buzzing just like neon..who knows how long she can go before she burns away." 

 

Sometimes there is just so much to juggle and handle and be responsible for and my mind just buzzes all day trying to keep up.  Today was one of these days and tomorrow will be even more so.  That's not even about the song...just how I feel tonight. 

 

I think the girl in the song is adored by someone, even though he knows she's not good for him.  It's been a looooooooong time since I've been that girl.

Head Over Heels

Another good Go-Go's song gone bad. I think this one was shampoo. When I was much, much younger I used to play air piano when listening to this Go-Go's album on my record player. I think I had to be less than 10 years old. How did things go so wrong?

Red, Red Wine

Here in my new home, I am most reminded of where I came from in the oddest of places -- like the wine aisle at the grocery store.  I was grocery shopping tonight and I cut through the wine aisle to get to the front of the store.  It took me 15 minutes to get from one end to the other.  I just crept along, reading the names.  To everyone else they are brands of wine -- to me they are places...Mondavi, Valley of the Moon, Kenwood, Domaine Carneros, Kendall-Jackson, even Rosemont Estate -- which I think is Australian, but my hated ex-roommate Denise worked there.  I was trying to describe the castle near Kenwood to someone recently and found it on Google.  (Imagine my surprise to learn the old gothic mansion was built the year before I moved there!)  In all my years there I never knew it's name, but I would hold my breath when I got to that part of Highway 12 and try not to crash while I stared at it out the window.  www.ledson.com

 

Lately a lot of people have been asking me if I miss California.  My answer is always the same -- I miss my friends, but not really the places.  In my heart I know that isn't really true.  Every day the Bay Area is on the news with more tales of rain.  I feel like I'm still one of them, even though I am so far away and I was there so long ago.  I guess that's what it means to be a native of someplace -- it will always be a part of you.

You Don't Know Me

I'm a sucker for personality tests. I don't know why I need someone else to validate me when I already know who I am. This one was 1 question and I'm sure every answer would match a different facet of me, but the one I picked first I found particularly interesting.

Your Personality Profile

You are elegant, withdrawn, and brilliant.Your mind is a weapon, able to solve any puzzle.You are also great at poking holes in arguments and common beliefs. For you, comfort and calm are very important.You tend to thrive on your own and shrug off most affection.You prefer to protect your emotions and stay strong.

The World's Shortest Personality Test

Such Great Heights

I'm writing my first blog entry from an airplane.  It won't get posted until I get home, but when I get home I don't think I'll have time to write.  Leaving Missouri is always hard, it's not home by any means, but one of the people I adore most lives there and it's hard to leave him.  On the other end of my journey is home and all the things I love best.  I've decided to list them (in no particular order, except coffee may truly by #1):

 

1.  Starbucks.  They have a Starbucks at the STL airport and I have to admit I had 2 before I got on the plane.  I haven't had my kind of coffee in 7 days.  The kind of coffee that I'm willing to be late to work for each day.  Yum.

2.  Trees, hills, foliage, substance.  Missouri is pretty flat and full of prairies -- sort of like central California.  One of the things I love most about NC is it's version of nature.  We all know I'm not an "outside" person but that's mostly because I have allergies and it messes up my hair.  I do love to look at it.

3.  Music.  St Louis radio stations are full of hip hop and rap -- not exactly my cup of tea.  At home I have 10 radio stations I love, hockey games on tv and my cd collection.  I do need to get the Green Day cd out of my car -- it's been in there for more than 2 months.

4.  My friends.  I know I bothered them at work all week calling when they were busy -- probably busier because I wasn't there -- but when your alone in a house with someone who sleeps a lot, and you are used to the busyness in an office, and you work with some of your favorite people, it's hard not to call and be annoying.

5.  My dog.  My family.  My house.  I need to get back to my dog so she can stop taking Prozac.  Not kidding.

 

PS -- I'm not sure if I like this song more from Garden State or Gray's Anatomy. 

Enjoy the Silence

My week here in Missouri is just about over.  It's been a long trip, but it has passed quickly.  At the beginning the days seemed to stretch out in front of me, now is a few short hours until I head for home and it seems like there wasn't enough time. 

 

It has been a very quiet week -- days spent working on my laptop, running errands to the grocery store or to get lottery tickets (the prize is huge this week, you just have to try), making dinners for two.  My grandfather has been in very good spirits this week; we've given each other a lot of space but also opened up to each other a lot.  I know someday I will look back and cherish these days.

 

I joked at dinner that I might have a rough reentry back to my noisy life.  I miss my dog and my house and my friends.  I've enjoyed the silence here, but it's time to go back to my place in the world.

Lightning Crashes

Does it ever!  It is so quiet out here in the country, on more than one occasion I have been jolted from sleep by a burst of noise.  I love a good light show, but it's very disorienting when you aren't in your own bed.

 

[I must preface this story by saying that we emerged unscathed from yesterday's storm, though my grandfather told every person who called that we were trapped under rubble and needed help.]

 

The really dangerous storms roared through Missouri late yesterday.  It was a pretty typical spring storm, only this one was more deadly than most.  Here in Farmington they have tornado sirens.  They sound a bit like the aliens in War of the Worlds.  We heard the alarms but it wasn't "bad" yet, so my thrill seeking grandfather and I stayed upstairs to watch the show.  I don't either one of us really wanted to miss out on anything.  We even had the back door open, enjoying the wind.  The temperature dropped about 30 degrees in one hour (from 83 to 52!).  We sat, talking about how the storm must be someplace else, selectively ignoring the weather man on TV and the sirens all urging us to go downstairs.  The TV guy said the storm was traveling at 55 mph with wind in the 80 mph range with large hail and it would arrive suddenly at that speed.  He was not kidding.  With a large clang and a tremendous gust of wind the storm was here and we went scurrying for the stairs down to the basement.  I grabbed the laptop, our various medicines and my wallet.  Papaw ushered down the dog.  We both talked about bringing the lasagna I had just made, but thought better of it.  Who hides with lasagna?  Of course, once we were downstairs rather than hiding deep in the back room, we hung out by the French doors and watched the storm through the window.  Some people never learn.