The 2009-2010 Dayton Flyers: GAH

I know Devin Searcy doesn't want me rooting for the Dayton Flyers*, and right now I'm very tempted to take him up on his offer. But that's my team, and I can't help it. I'll always be a Dayton Flyer.

But right now, I can't take it. The last 6 minutes of the games just make me so angry. I watched tonight's debacle against Richmond and I had to repress the urge to smash a chair and pick a fight with some random dude. Seriously, I almost did both. I probably would have been better off just screaming obscenities, but I'm holding myself to no swearing during Lent.

This urge to maim has been constant for the last 10 games, and I just can't take it anymore. The horrible turnovers, the complete inability to close, it's the same story every frigging game. This team oozes talent, but all they'll have to show for it is a NIT bid. Not making the NCAA won't be a screwjob, the team doesn't deserve the bid.

Potential unfulfilled. It's the worst.

*Seriously, this is what Big Dev said:

“I want you to put this in the paper — put it in big as possible,” backup center Devin Searcy said as he sat at his locker in the dressing room Saturday night, Feb. 27.

“I honestly don’t want anybody pulling for us. We don’t need anybody in our corner patting us on the back as long as the 17 or 18 or so guys in this locker room are together. We play better when it’s us against the world, when our backs are against the wall.”

Cribs

The Wifer and I set a goal for this past weekend: settle the crib issue. We've been looking for a crib for what seems like an eternity, but had nothing to show for it. The Mrs. put it best when she told me "we are looking for the best answer, but there is no best answer." She's right. We kept waiting for our perfect crib to jump out at us, but that wasn't happening.

Also, as a friend of ours told me, "Cribs are something I’m not sure you can screw up. The safety standards on cribs are really strict, so if it’s on the market, chances are, it’s pretty safe.". So we have been whiffing on a decision where there probably is no wrong answer.

So on Sunday, after much debate, and checking every site on the internet that sold cribs, we finally settled on one. Is it the best crib ever? Who knows? But what I do know is that it was the right crib for us. It was the style we liked, and it matched other pieces we had already have for the nursery. The important thing is that our little girl will now have a place to sleep.

Baby Clothes!

The goal for this past weekend was to finally buy a crib, and we did, but before I get to that I have to make a confession:

We are addicted to buying clothes for our little girl.

And by we, I mean we. This isn't my Wifer going buck wild buying every girly outfit she can get her paws on while I shake my head in a tisk-tisk husband fashion. No, this is both of us attacking racks of baby clothes like a wave of locusts. Clearance racks at Children's Place? Don't mind if I do. Baby Gap sales? Let me at it. Ralph Lauren Polo dress? Hell and yes. Our daughter is 18 weeks away from being born and she already probably has a better wardrobe than I do. That picture I posted of her closet not too long ago? I'd say we've probably doubled what's on the hangers. So much so that we had to go out last night and get more hangers for that closet. Oh, and we haven't even had a baby shower yet, AND, most of our friends in the area that have children have daughters, so I'm sure a few hand-me-downs will trickle our way.

Now, you might be asking yourself "why the insanity? How can a man who is known for being so cheap go so crazy with baby clothes?" I certainly know I do from time to time. Here is the best answer I can give you: I think that when I pick up a shirt, or a jacket, or a fish dress to wear to our friend's pool, I picture our little girl in it. It's that connection, as well as my zeal for a good deal, that is driving my purchases.

However, all good things must come to an end. The Mrs. and I talked about our crazy clothes purchasing and have both decided that we need to quell the clothes spending. We even went into Target and Babys R Us yesterday and walked out with zero clothes bought. I call that progress in curing an addiction.

My Car Pities All Fools.

When you've had as much snow as Dayton has had this month, you tend to get creative. Behold, the snowhawk. I wish would have done this on a Black and Red van, but none were available.

Love UD? Tolerate Twitter? Well Then...

Have you seen UDTweets.com yet? If you are a University of Dayton graduate, I think you should check it out. It's one of those ideas that makes a lot of sense. They've went and compiled all the big University of Dayton tweeters into one feed. I think it's a fantastic concept and even taught me a few things. For example, did you know that Tim's has a Twitter feed? I didn't either!

So definitely check out UDTweets.com. It'll be a great site whether you're a Flyer fan, or you're a hater of all things University of Dayton. Either way, you'll find something to fuel your passion.

Also, there is a rumor that your's truly might get added to the feed.

New Directions

A few weeks ago, I thought seriously about pulling this blog down. I would normally be sharing my esteemed thoughts about Dayton Flyers basketball this time of the year, and sprinkling in some crappy photos that looked cool to me. However, while I've been following this season closely, I have also been working my butt off on various chores. When you've been working on a house from the moment you get home until 9-10pm, you really have no desire to go into blog about anything. Besides, it's not like my thoughts can't usually be distilled down into 140 characters or less. I am an engineer, after all. As for photos, the same time commitments have kept a camera out of my hand. I really haven't taken any decent photos since the Scott Kelby Photowalk, so my feeble ability has been further diminished. I read that Kelby once told David Ziser that a blog is a beast that must be fed every day, and I definitely find that when I'm not in the blogging "zone" it's hard to get back into the groove.

However, I think some of that will change.

My Daughter is coming in June, and the joy that comes from that is too much to hold in. I don't know if this blog will become a total "Daddy Blog", but I definitely think there will be a good number of Daughter anecdotes sprinkled in amongst my "normal" drivel. And besides, have you heard about all the corporate sponsorship some of those Mommy blogs get? I don't think some of that action getting tossed my way would be the end of the world.

So yeah, get ready for some baby fun. I know we are here.

Girl Scout Cookies...

I just found out last week that we are having a little girl. My Wifer* and I are over the moon with excitement, and it's only natural you start to wonder what path her life might take. I wonder if she'll be into gymnastics? Dancing? Golfing? Will she be a Flyerette like her Mother was? Her possibilities are endless, and it'll be my job as her Father to instill in her the belief that her potential is limitless.

That being said, I'm not sure I want her to be a Girl Scout. I'm sure the organization does great things for girls, but I can't have all those cookies in my house. Those things are CRACK. I don't know anyone who doesn't eat thin mints a sleeve at a time. If you tell me that you don't, then you are a LIAR. If my Daughter has to sell those things then I'm going to have to buy WAY too many of them to be a supportive parent, and if they're in the house they will be eaten, which means then when I die my casket will have to be a piano crate.

Since I don't want to have to wash myself with a rag on a stick, I'm going to have to ban my Daughter from Girl Scouts. Sorry, sweetie.

My House is Famous

It's not often your house gets featured in a national publication, but my old house was the poster child of a great affordable Dayton house on CNNMoney.com. I'm tickled about the selection, but I'd be even happier if someone bought the darn thing!

My Current Facebook Status

Xavier fandom: Where insufferability and general douchebaggery somehow = "passion" and "loyalty". Thank God I'm a Dayton Flyer.

Courtesy of my Google Reader.

My Father always used to say, "There are three types of lies in the world: lies, damn lies, and statistics".  This seems like a pretty good example of what he meant.