I can't remember for sure if I blogged about Halloween last year; I don't recall that I did. I suppose it would help if I looked back in the archives, but I'm going to press on regardless. Halloween just kind of snuck up on me this year and I didn't even do once ounce of decorating for the holiday. Heck, I didn't even buy a pumpkin for the steps of my front porch. I thought about getting something tonight. But isn't it sort of bad luck to buy decorations right before the holiday? Probably not, but that's my thinking. Anyways, I won't be home to really enjoy the holiday as I'll be working a 12-hour shift and won't be home until a little after 7:30 in the evening. Yet, I did buy a couple of bags of candy just to be on the safe side. You never know; there might be a few late stragglers trick or treating at that time.
Last year I ended up being home during the day while trick or treating took place. I bought a ton of candy expecting a lot of kids in costumes at my door. However, I didn't get one trick or treater. I honestly don't know why I thought I'd get that many kids; I didn't even get a single one! That's when I still lived in my apartment. Where I lived last year, there was a ton of apartment buildings all around me with a large residential area to the west of all those apartments. You would think kids would bombard all of those buildings and houses in that area to get the most candy they could. But the funny thing is, I didn't even see any kids walking around in costumes that day. So I don't know if that area just isn't trick or treating friendly or not. Whatever the case, I was left with a bunch of candy and I gradually consumed it until it was gone. I think it lasted just about until Christmas.
Where I live now, I'm not entirely sure if I'll get that many trick or treaters at my door (if I happened to be home at the right time to give out candy). I'm thinking maybe a dozen or so. But the road in front of my house is a busy state highway. I'm thinking kids and their parents probably aren't receptive to the idea of walking along the side of such a busy road to go from house to house. I guess I won't really know for sure this year and maybe not next year if I happen to be on the same work schedule as I am now. I'll just have to always be prepared just in case kids end up at my door without candy. And next year, I'll probably do a little bit of decorating just to make the place look in the spirit of Halloween.
The weather is not expected to be all that great for the trick or treaters this year anyways. And that kind of had me thinking about previous Halloween's when I went trick or treating. One year we had a bunch of snow on the ground, a few where we had to bundle up because it was so darn cold, and a few that were actually quite mild and enjoyable for Halloween. I dressed up as a ghost when I was either in kindergarten or first grade and it was one of those Halloween's when it was cold. So I had to bundle up, put my ghost "sheet" over myself, and then get my face all painted up. On the way back from getting candy at my neighbor's house, we came back to our house. As I traversed the steps of the front porch, I slipped, tripped, and I fell forward on the deck of the porch. My sister, who was with me trick or treating, laughed while I pouted and went inside. It's not an overall pleasant memory of Halloween for me but it's still a memory. Probably one of the earliest that I can recall of many trick or treating on October 31st. Happy Halloween to all!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
New Truck
So about a month back, I blogged about my impending purchase of a new truck. As a reminder, it's a 2009 Chevy Silverado and it was practically the only truck of my liking that I found. During the day that my dad and I went to check it out, the dealer was only offering $3,000 off. Well the next day, the sales person calls and slashes an additional $2,000 off because the truck had been on their lot for awhile, making the deal that much sweeter. So I went ahead and accepted that offer and the truck was soon mine. I had to wait about a week to officially pick it up from the dealer. They had to detail it as well as perform a few added work that I wanted done to the truck, including the clear under coating which will protect the truck from rusting. If I see any sign of rust for the first ten years, I'll be able to bring it in and get it fixed for free. Also I had a bedliner sprayed in the box of the truck.
I wouldn't say I was completely used to driving a truck. Every once in awhile when I was still at home with my parents, I drove my dad's truck to different places. I borrowed it on a couple of different occasions during a can drive for my school's chorus. I also brought a lawn mower in it back and forth to my uncle's to mow their grass. And I also took it during some pretty hefty snow storms as I traveled a little over 20 miles to work at a grocery store. More recently, I've driven trucks at work when I needed to traverse the roads leading in and around the tailings basin at the mine. And the Chevy that I bought is just like the Chevy's at work. So the functions of the truck I am very much used to.
Even though the truck I bought is considered a "work truck," it still has the amenities that any normal truck has. Okay, so it doesn't have power doors or locks. And it's not as fancy as the club cab trucks that are totally decked out. But I am happy with it regardless if it's tricked out or not. I absolutely love the XM satellite radio that came with it. The first three months of the service is free; then you have to start paying. I am seriously considering continuing that service once the three months is up, because it is one of the coolest things about this truck. The interior is spacious, with plenty of room to fit three people. It's everything I wanted in a truck and more. Definitely worth the price I'm paying for it, that's for sure.
You know, I've wondered whether I did the right thing by getting this truck when I did or deciding to wait for something "better" to fall into my lap. But after going through different scenarios and checking out the various vehicle dealerships since and seeing hardly anything to my liking, I'm pretty well convinced that I made the right move. Probably one of the worst things you can do is second guess yourself but I'll admit, I certainly do it on occasion. But in this instance I can say that I'm proud of my purchase and if I had the chance to do it over, I wouldn't.
I wouldn't say I was completely used to driving a truck. Every once in awhile when I was still at home with my parents, I drove my dad's truck to different places. I borrowed it on a couple of different occasions during a can drive for my school's chorus. I also brought a lawn mower in it back and forth to my uncle's to mow their grass. And I also took it during some pretty hefty snow storms as I traveled a little over 20 miles to work at a grocery store. More recently, I've driven trucks at work when I needed to traverse the roads leading in and around the tailings basin at the mine. And the Chevy that I bought is just like the Chevy's at work. So the functions of the truck I am very much used to.
Even though the truck I bought is considered a "work truck," it still has the amenities that any normal truck has. Okay, so it doesn't have power doors or locks. And it's not as fancy as the club cab trucks that are totally decked out. But I am happy with it regardless if it's tricked out or not. I absolutely love the XM satellite radio that came with it. The first three months of the service is free; then you have to start paying. I am seriously considering continuing that service once the three months is up, because it is one of the coolest things about this truck. The interior is spacious, with plenty of room to fit three people. It's everything I wanted in a truck and more. Definitely worth the price I'm paying for it, that's for sure.
You know, I've wondered whether I did the right thing by getting this truck when I did or deciding to wait for something "better" to fall into my lap. But after going through different scenarios and checking out the various vehicle dealerships since and seeing hardly anything to my liking, I'm pretty well convinced that I made the right move. Probably one of the worst things you can do is second guess yourself but I'll admit, I certainly do it on occasion. But in this instance I can say that I'm proud of my purchase and if I had the chance to do it over, I wouldn't.
Friday, October 23, 2009
No More Geocities
It's hard to believe, but I've been creating and maintaining websites for over ten years now. Mind you, this is just a hobby of mine, but its became something I've found to be enjoyable. These days, I don't work on my plethora of websites nearly as much as I used to. In fact, I'm lucky to find the time and the motivation to work on any of the sites. Well, that is going to be changing very soon. I don't have much more time to procrastinate, either. Geocities, the venerable web hosting service, is going out of business this Monday, October 26. In my opinion, ever since Yahoo took over their operations, they haven't been nearly as effective of a web host as they were. But a majority of the pages to my Upper Michigan website still remain on the Geocities servers. And if I don't at least save the content on all of those pages, it'll all be erased on Monday. So I've got some work to do this weekend.
Back when I first became interested in creating websites, I was still in high school. The whole idea of creating your very own website and attracting web-surfers was a very intriguing idea. I remember during my senior year, when I didn't have anything else of importance going on; I would spend time on my high school's computers updating my Upper Michigan website. Back then, it was a pretty simple website. Over the years, I kept adding more and more content, along with spiffing up the pages more than the simple designs they had at the start. But then it got to a point where I felt I did as much as I could with the site and haven't added hardly any new content since. Overall I'd say I'm pretty content with how the Upper Michigan site is. I mean sure, it's not perfect. There are a few things I could add to some of the pages. And even some layout issues exist when someone browses the website with a program other than Internet Explorer. I can't say I'm an expert when it comes to building websites. I'd still say I'm very much of an amateur. However, I've learned quite a bit about website design since I've started this whole thing over ten years ago. Yet, there's always fine tuning that can be done.
Another web project I started during my late high school and early college years was a fan page honoring the classic television program Leave it to Beaver. Back when TV Land didn't air the junk that currently infiltrates its channel, they aired the greatest classic shows. One of those programs was "Emergency!," a show that depicted firemen from Los Angeles County in California becoming paramedics, essentially launching the paramedic program in the United States. Well, following that program was Leave it to Beaver. Almost instantly, I grew hooked to the show that originally started back in 1957. My interest in the show would launch my idea to create a Leave it to Beaver fan page. The site became quite popular at the end of its existence. I was constantly getting e-mail from fellow fans, asking a variety of questions about the show. I even launched a message board that was getting to be quite the gathering place for fans to ask questions about particular show topics to other fans. But the Leave it to Beaver website train came to a crashing halt when the site became inaccessible one day. I tried logging in, but it wouldn't accept my password. I soon came to the conclusion that the site had been hacked and deleted. One of my biggest regrets was not having a tougher password - which was incredibly easy. It ultimately lead to the Leave it to Beaver website's demise. Maybe if I pursued it enough, I could've possibly gotten it back. But I thought my chances of that happening were pretty slim to none. So I pressed on, even if it was without the Leave it to Beaver site.
The next adventure that proved to be very worthwhile for me was creating another fansite; this time for a cartoon. Back in 2003, Nickelodeon launched a spin-off show of the Rugrats called "All Grown Up." It was a show that aged the Rugrats cast approximately nine years. Remember that in Rugrats, the kids were babies and toddlers. In the AGU series, they were nine to 12 years old. The show became so enjoyable to watch, that I decided to share my joy with other potential fans by creating a fansite. It soon became "Luke's All Grown Up Fansite" and for a time was the most popular AGU site on the web. The success of the site was soon realized once the corresponding message board began to take on more and more members. At the message board's peak, I had about 400 members, with a good chunk of those members being active. The website itself was becoming inaccessible far too often because of the traffic, so I had to start paying for a hosting package through Yahoo Geocities. I still had issues with YG, so I basically had to transfer every page over to a new host. Even with the new host, I still didn't go completely trouble-free with the AGU site. There was a time when I lost a variety of files, including some pages for absolutely no reason. So I had to rebuild those pages from scratch - sometimes even going off information from the top of my head. The AGU site is still out there, even though not as many people clamour for information regarding the NickToon anymore. I've thought about ending the site altogether, but then I'd feel the show wouldn't get properly remembered. So for now, it stays. And I still fondly remember the good times I had with that particular site. It gave me quite a reputation within the All Grown Up circle.
All of these websites, including my site about my hometown, all had their start on Geocities. And even though I've been gradually moving away from Geocities over the years, I'm still grateful to the service for allowing me to become interested in webpage building. At the time when I started building sites, it was the best webhost out there. Nowadays, it's certainly lost its edge which is why Yahoo is closing it down. As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. And I've got to say, Geocities gave me one heck of a ride.
The Upper Michigan Informer
Luke's All Grown Up Fansite
The Chatham, MI Information Page
Back when I first became interested in creating websites, I was still in high school. The whole idea of creating your very own website and attracting web-surfers was a very intriguing idea. I remember during my senior year, when I didn't have anything else of importance going on; I would spend time on my high school's computers updating my Upper Michigan website. Back then, it was a pretty simple website. Over the years, I kept adding more and more content, along with spiffing up the pages more than the simple designs they had at the start. But then it got to a point where I felt I did as much as I could with the site and haven't added hardly any new content since. Overall I'd say I'm pretty content with how the Upper Michigan site is. I mean sure, it's not perfect. There are a few things I could add to some of the pages. And even some layout issues exist when someone browses the website with a program other than Internet Explorer. I can't say I'm an expert when it comes to building websites. I'd still say I'm very much of an amateur. However, I've learned quite a bit about website design since I've started this whole thing over ten years ago. Yet, there's always fine tuning that can be done.
Another web project I started during my late high school and early college years was a fan page honoring the classic television program Leave it to Beaver. Back when TV Land didn't air the junk that currently infiltrates its channel, they aired the greatest classic shows. One of those programs was "Emergency!," a show that depicted firemen from Los Angeles County in California becoming paramedics, essentially launching the paramedic program in the United States. Well, following that program was Leave it to Beaver. Almost instantly, I grew hooked to the show that originally started back in 1957. My interest in the show would launch my idea to create a Leave it to Beaver fan page. The site became quite popular at the end of its existence. I was constantly getting e-mail from fellow fans, asking a variety of questions about the show. I even launched a message board that was getting to be quite the gathering place for fans to ask questions about particular show topics to other fans. But the Leave it to Beaver website train came to a crashing halt when the site became inaccessible one day. I tried logging in, but it wouldn't accept my password. I soon came to the conclusion that the site had been hacked and deleted. One of my biggest regrets was not having a tougher password - which was incredibly easy. It ultimately lead to the Leave it to Beaver website's demise. Maybe if I pursued it enough, I could've possibly gotten it back. But I thought my chances of that happening were pretty slim to none. So I pressed on, even if it was without the Leave it to Beaver site.
The next adventure that proved to be very worthwhile for me was creating another fansite; this time for a cartoon. Back in 2003, Nickelodeon launched a spin-off show of the Rugrats called "All Grown Up." It was a show that aged the Rugrats cast approximately nine years. Remember that in Rugrats, the kids were babies and toddlers. In the AGU series, they were nine to 12 years old. The show became so enjoyable to watch, that I decided to share my joy with other potential fans by creating a fansite. It soon became "Luke's All Grown Up Fansite" and for a time was the most popular AGU site on the web. The success of the site was soon realized once the corresponding message board began to take on more and more members. At the message board's peak, I had about 400 members, with a good chunk of those members being active. The website itself was becoming inaccessible far too often because of the traffic, so I had to start paying for a hosting package through Yahoo Geocities. I still had issues with YG, so I basically had to transfer every page over to a new host. Even with the new host, I still didn't go completely trouble-free with the AGU site. There was a time when I lost a variety of files, including some pages for absolutely no reason. So I had to rebuild those pages from scratch - sometimes even going off information from the top of my head. The AGU site is still out there, even though not as many people clamour for information regarding the NickToon anymore. I've thought about ending the site altogether, but then I'd feel the show wouldn't get properly remembered. So for now, it stays. And I still fondly remember the good times I had with that particular site. It gave me quite a reputation within the All Grown Up circle.
All of these websites, including my site about my hometown, all had their start on Geocities. And even though I've been gradually moving away from Geocities over the years, I'm still grateful to the service for allowing me to become interested in webpage building. At the time when I started building sites, it was the best webhost out there. Nowadays, it's certainly lost its edge which is why Yahoo is closing it down. As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. And I've got to say, Geocities gave me one heck of a ride.
The Upper Michigan Informer
Luke's All Grown Up Fansite
The Chatham, MI Information Page
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Favorite Reality Shows
It's amazing how the television landscape has changed within the past 15 years. Prior to 1994, the only unscripted programs you would find on television were game shows and documentaries. Now reality programming makes up a large chunk of what you find on TV. I have come to enjoy a variety of reality shows that comprise our TV landscape these days. Some of them I have discussed in prior blogs, but in this entry, I will discuss those that are often found on cable and might not be as well known as those on network TV (shows like Survivor or Amazing Race). So in a nutshell, here are the reality shows that I get the most enjoyment out of watching:
Little People Big World - I don't remember the exact specifics as to when I started watching this show. I know my mom was watching it for a time and so then I started watching it off and on. Now I can't get enough of it! Season five just started on TLC and with it brings all new adventures for the Roloff clan. The twins are embarking on their final year of high school - along with it the challenges of a post-high school career. Meanwhile, Molly is starting her first year of high school and getting used to the notion of seeing her brothers there! The Roloff children attend a small school, something I was very much familiar with. Everyone basically knows everybody and you develop a good friendly relationship with the teachers and other staff members of the school. That appears to be the case for the Roloff kids. As for Matt and Amy, it appears some challenges may exist within their relationship. Matt is always looking for the next project; something that'll be bigger and better than his last accomplishment. But then Amy would rather start relaxing and enjoying what Matt has built on their Oregon farm, along with doing some more traveling of the world. Often times when the Roloffs go vacationing as a family, Matt is often too preoccupied with work or the activities of the farm to truly enjoy the vacation. Matt and Amy have been together for a good while now and I'm sure their marriage will endure even the worst struggles in their relationship. We'll find out much more, I'm sure, as season five rolls along. "Little People Big World" premieres new episodes every Monday night at 8:00 PM eastern time on TLC.
Flipping Out - I've always been a fan of do-it yourself remodeling and home improvement shows. "Flipping Out" was one of those shows that was right up my alley - but it certainly is not your typical remodeling show. In fact, you don't learn a thing about how to do a certain thing remodel-wise when watching this show, and it doesn't prove to be very educational. However, it is highly entertaining, especially when it comes to watching the inside and out of Jeff Lewis' world. Jeff is probably your a-typical project engineer. He micro-manages and is OCD to the fullest extent. There are times when he gets down on his employees very hard and you have to wonder how in the world they can endure such treatment. Yet employees like Jenni and Zoila are very loyal to Jeff. And in a way Jeff is loyal to them, too, because they have proven to be honest and hard working individuals. Yes, Jeff is a very demanding boss. Many of the assistants he's hired in previous seasons have quit because of his ridiculous demands. That's one of the reasons why he's had such high turn-over for employees in his business. If those folks were expecting to learn more about the business that Jeff is involved with, they came to the wrong place. I would say that the turn-over rate isn't as radical in season three as we've seen in previous seasons. However, that doesn't mean Jeff has softened his stance on many of the things that have caused previous assistants to quit. The assistants he has now are much more level-headed than previous ones! Whatever the case, you never know what to expect while watching an episode of "Flipping Out." Don't forget to watch the season three finale this Tuesday at 10:00 PM eastern on Bravo.
American Chopper - This was a show I was a huge fan of for awhile, but ever since the show switched networks from Discovery to TLC, I haven't been keeping up with it as closely as I used to. While it was on Discovery, it became a show my family and I all gathered around to watch. The antics between Paul Sr., Paul Jr., and Mikey became must see TV for all of us. And we weren't the only family tuning into this show. Yet I wouldn't say this show is suited for young children as the Teutul clan often let the obscenities fly. As the seasons' have progressed with the show, the father-son relationship between Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. has continued to crumble. Part of the reason why this show was so entertaining was due to the fights that went on at the shop between Paulie Sr. and Jr. At times, things got very explosive between the two - and often times Junior would end up leaving the shop to cool off. However, during the start of season six which was during this past April, Senior fired his son because of his work ethic. They have been able to mend fences somewhat, however, the father-son dynamic at the shop has been severly hurt and it's likely that Paul Jr. probably won't be able to work at OCC while his father is there. The second half of season six will be starting in another week on TLC, so it'll be interesting to see how the father-son relationship at work will continue to co-exist, if it'll exist at all.
Million Dollar Listing - Here is a show that follows three young real estate agents whom battle in the fickle and high-end market of Hollywood and Malibu, CA. They often battle each other to represent certain clients in buying and selling real estate - and in some cases, representing famous stars and celebrities. As I mentioned, they are young; in their late 20's or early 30's. Yet, they are experienced in their profession. It's an interesting show to watch because they face the same challenges in buying and selling for clients just as real estate agents do in buying or selling homes in the $100,000 range. They want to represent their clients fairly and give/get them good deals on their property. And if they can reach a good deal, it provides them a good deal in commission, as well. So in the high-end real estate market of suburban L.A., their commission can net them in the many of thousands of dollars, if not a millions or two (depending on the price). And just as in average American homes, there can be problems with these high-priced homes, too. During a season two episodes, agent Chad Rogers was selling Cuttino Mobley's home. During an inspection, part of the wood floor was buckling. A major water line leak was the root cause, which resulted in the home being de-listed until repairs could be made. So it just goes to show you that even with homes that cost millions of dollars, things happen. And this show proves just that; anything and everything can happen when buying or selling million dollar homes. Be sure to catch "Million Dollar Listing" every Monday for new episodes, starting at 10:00 PM eastern time on Bravo.
These are the reality shows that I am finding to be very intriguing right now. But in reality, the seasons don't last very long, so if you're planning on tuning into these shows based on my recommendations, you better check them out quick! As I mentioned, the "Flipping Out" season finale is this Tuesday. Meanwhile, all of the other shows have just started their new seasons or are about to. As I've found out, reality television isn't all bad. You'll find shows that suit your interests, just as I have. And it's actually really interesting that I have become a fan of reality shows more than scripted TV. It just goes to show that the American TV landscape continues to evolve. Who knows what it's going to look like in another 15 years.
Little People Big World - I don't remember the exact specifics as to when I started watching this show. I know my mom was watching it for a time and so then I started watching it off and on. Now I can't get enough of it! Season five just started on TLC and with it brings all new adventures for the Roloff clan. The twins are embarking on their final year of high school - along with it the challenges of a post-high school career. Meanwhile, Molly is starting her first year of high school and getting used to the notion of seeing her brothers there! The Roloff children attend a small school, something I was very much familiar with. Everyone basically knows everybody and you develop a good friendly relationship with the teachers and other staff members of the school. That appears to be the case for the Roloff kids. As for Matt and Amy, it appears some challenges may exist within their relationship. Matt is always looking for the next project; something that'll be bigger and better than his last accomplishment. But then Amy would rather start relaxing and enjoying what Matt has built on their Oregon farm, along with doing some more traveling of the world. Often times when the Roloffs go vacationing as a family, Matt is often too preoccupied with work or the activities of the farm to truly enjoy the vacation. Matt and Amy have been together for a good while now and I'm sure their marriage will endure even the worst struggles in their relationship. We'll find out much more, I'm sure, as season five rolls along. "Little People Big World" premieres new episodes every Monday night at 8:00 PM eastern time on TLC.
Flipping Out - I've always been a fan of do-it yourself remodeling and home improvement shows. "Flipping Out" was one of those shows that was right up my alley - but it certainly is not your typical remodeling show. In fact, you don't learn a thing about how to do a certain thing remodel-wise when watching this show, and it doesn't prove to be very educational. However, it is highly entertaining, especially when it comes to watching the inside and out of Jeff Lewis' world. Jeff is probably your a-typical project engineer. He micro-manages and is OCD to the fullest extent. There are times when he gets down on his employees very hard and you have to wonder how in the world they can endure such treatment. Yet employees like Jenni and Zoila are very loyal to Jeff. And in a way Jeff is loyal to them, too, because they have proven to be honest and hard working individuals. Yes, Jeff is a very demanding boss. Many of the assistants he's hired in previous seasons have quit because of his ridiculous demands. That's one of the reasons why he's had such high turn-over for employees in his business. If those folks were expecting to learn more about the business that Jeff is involved with, they came to the wrong place. I would say that the turn-over rate isn't as radical in season three as we've seen in previous seasons. However, that doesn't mean Jeff has softened his stance on many of the things that have caused previous assistants to quit. The assistants he has now are much more level-headed than previous ones! Whatever the case, you never know what to expect while watching an episode of "Flipping Out." Don't forget to watch the season three finale this Tuesday at 10:00 PM eastern on Bravo.
American Chopper - This was a show I was a huge fan of for awhile, but ever since the show switched networks from Discovery to TLC, I haven't been keeping up with it as closely as I used to. While it was on Discovery, it became a show my family and I all gathered around to watch. The antics between Paul Sr., Paul Jr., and Mikey became must see TV for all of us. And we weren't the only family tuning into this show. Yet I wouldn't say this show is suited for young children as the Teutul clan often let the obscenities fly. As the seasons' have progressed with the show, the father-son relationship between Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. has continued to crumble. Part of the reason why this show was so entertaining was due to the fights that went on at the shop between Paulie Sr. and Jr. At times, things got very explosive between the two - and often times Junior would end up leaving the shop to cool off. However, during the start of season six which was during this past April, Senior fired his son because of his work ethic. They have been able to mend fences somewhat, however, the father-son dynamic at the shop has been severly hurt and it's likely that Paul Jr. probably won't be able to work at OCC while his father is there. The second half of season six will be starting in another week on TLC, so it'll be interesting to see how the father-son relationship at work will continue to co-exist, if it'll exist at all.
Million Dollar Listing - Here is a show that follows three young real estate agents whom battle in the fickle and high-end market of Hollywood and Malibu, CA. They often battle each other to represent certain clients in buying and selling real estate - and in some cases, representing famous stars and celebrities. As I mentioned, they are young; in their late 20's or early 30's. Yet, they are experienced in their profession. It's an interesting show to watch because they face the same challenges in buying and selling for clients just as real estate agents do in buying or selling homes in the $100,000 range. They want to represent their clients fairly and give/get them good deals on their property. And if they can reach a good deal, it provides them a good deal in commission, as well. So in the high-end real estate market of suburban L.A., their commission can net them in the many of thousands of dollars, if not a millions or two (depending on the price). And just as in average American homes, there can be problems with these high-priced homes, too. During a season two episodes, agent Chad Rogers was selling Cuttino Mobley's home. During an inspection, part of the wood floor was buckling. A major water line leak was the root cause, which resulted in the home being de-listed until repairs could be made. So it just goes to show you that even with homes that cost millions of dollars, things happen. And this show proves just that; anything and everything can happen when buying or selling million dollar homes. Be sure to catch "Million Dollar Listing" every Monday for new episodes, starting at 10:00 PM eastern time on Bravo.
These are the reality shows that I am finding to be very intriguing right now. But in reality, the seasons don't last very long, so if you're planning on tuning into these shows based on my recommendations, you better check them out quick! As I mentioned, the "Flipping Out" season finale is this Tuesday. Meanwhile, all of the other shows have just started their new seasons or are about to. As I've found out, reality television isn't all bad. You'll find shows that suit your interests, just as I have. And it's actually really interesting that I have become a fan of reality shows more than scripted TV. It just goes to show that the American TV landscape continues to evolve. Who knows what it's going to look like in another 15 years.
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
A Tough Ending for the Detroit Tigers
It's not often that I discuss sports on my blog, even though I am a huge sports fan. It's something I probably should talk more about because a lot of stuff goes on in the sporting world, even if it doesn't involve the teams I root for. When I first started my blog here three years ago, I launched it by discussing sports. At that time, it was about the Detroit Tigers and their improbable run into the playoffs. Prior to 2006, the last time the Tigers set foot in the playoffs was 1987. 2006 was a magical year for the Tigers. It ended a long streak of bad seasons that rarely saw the team get out of the basement of their division. Everything clicked for the team; the pitching was superb, they put up great offensive numbers, and competed with some of the elite teams in Major League Baseball. After being given no shot to beat the New York Yankees during the first round of the playoffs, the Tigers won three out of four to move on to face the Oakland A's. They swept the A's and earned a spot in the World Series; the first time playing in the championship series since 1984. Unfortunately they came up short in the World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, but still, 2006 ushered in a new era of Tigers baseball. The Tigers have done a lot more winning since, but has yet to earn a trip back to the playoffs. And the 2009 season was their best shot in reaching the post-season since 2006 - yet they came up so very short.
The 2009 Tigers started the season off on the right foot. Instead of losing seven straight games to start the season like they did in '08, they did more winning and losing. The first three months of the season saw the Tigers jockeying for the division lead between the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox. The Tigers eventually gained the lead after May 10 and never looked back. The first half of the season prior to the All Star Break saw Brandon Inge put up awesome offensive numbers; even leading the team in home runs. Edwin Jackson proved to be a tremendous pick-up for the Tigers as he pitched lights out for the club and earned a trip to the All-Star game. Justin Verlander, who had a horrible 2008 season, really bounced back in '09, pitching himself into contention for an AL Cy Young. Miguel Cabrera proved his worth after the Tigers picked him up from a trade with the Florida Marlins the prior season, proving to be the best offensive player the Tigers had.
After the All Star break, the Tigers started to play more .500 ball. They began to feel more pressure from the White Sox and the Minnesota Twins. The offense wasn't quite as stellar as it was during the first half of the season. Brandon Inge was never the same player offensively as he was in the first part of the '09 season. Of course dealing with a serious knee injury certainly didn't help. The pitching wasn't quite as lights-out as it had been during the first half. The Tigers just started playing more listlessly and didn't appear to have the desire to finish with an AL Central Division Title. However, the Tigers appeared to have things on track in early September when they held a 7 game lead over the Twins and White Sox. Yet that is when the Twins went on an incredible tear. They finished the season winning 18 out of 22 games, despite the fact being without Justin Morneau and Joe Crede; two of their most important players. Meanwhile, the Tigers did all they could do hold on. After splitting a four game series with the Twins in Detroit, the Tigers held a two game cushion in the division against the Twins. Both teams had three games remaining and if the Tigers could win two of three, they would be crowned AL Central champs. Yet, it would be even more helpful to the Tigers if the Twins would lose any of the games in their next series against the Royals. They didn't. The Twins ended up sweeping the Royals at the Metrodome and the Tigers would end up losing two of three against the Chicago White Sox in Detroit. At the end of the season, the Tigers and Twins were tied for the division lead and thus, a one-game playoff would be needed to decide the division winner.
So the Tigers held the division lead from May 10 until October 4. They certainly had their chances to win a few more games down the stretch than what they did. Series' against the White Sox and Royals come to mind where they wound up losing more games than winning. But all of that was in the past during last night's 163rd game to decide the division. Seeing that the Twins had won the head-to-head season series against the Tigers in 2009, the final game would be played at the Metrodome - a huge home team advantage for the Twins. And how fitting when this is the final year they'd be playing in the dome. The Tigers came out with a roaring start, putting up three runs in the third inning; two of them coming off a two-run homer from embattled star Miguel Cabrera. Rick Porcello pitched lights out against the Twins, carving up Twins' batters for eight strike-outs. But when Porcello got himself in a bit of a jam in the bottom of the sixth, manager Jim Leyland made a questionable call by pulling his rookie pitcher for Zach Miner. Now Zach has had his memorable pitching moments over the years with the Tigers yet he's also had his not-so memorable moments. Last night's game provided a not-so memorable moment when Miner gave up a two-run homer that allowed the Twins to take a 4-3 lead. Miner soon gave way to Brandon Lyon, who settled things down and got the Tigers out of the inning.
Magglio Ordonez, who struggled mightily in the first half of the '09 season, really tore it up after the All Star Break and it continued during the one-game playoff. He provided the tying run of the game at 4-4 when he blasted a solo shot into left field. The game would head into extra innings. Brandon Lyon continued to pitch well for the Tigers but would give up a base hit to the Twins in the bottom of the ninth. In came Fernando Rodney, who's proven to be a great closer, but not the greatest in non-save situations. This game was one of those instances, but Rodney delivered when he needed to. He got out of a ninth inning jam (along with an awesome defensive play from Brandon Inge) and allowed the Tigers a chance to win the game in extras. In the tenth, pinch hitter Don Kelly hit a double to left center, giving the Tigers a much needed base-runner in scoring position. Brandon Inge then made an important offensive play, scoring the go-ahead run, giving the Tigers a 5-4 lead heading into the top of the 10th. Unfortunately, the Twins came back in the bottom of the inning and scored the tying run. We were nodded up until the 12th inning.
Throughout the entirety of the game, when it appeared the Tigers had the game in their grasp, the Twins quickly snatched away. In the top of the 12th, the Tigers managed to have the bases loaded with only one out. Brandon Inge was again up to bat. He was pitched inside and the ball brushed his jersey and should've allowed him to reach first base, thus sending the go-ahead run home. However, the home plate umpire didn't see it that way, and Inge had to keep batting. On a 2-2 count, Inge hit a bouncer to the shortstop, who then threw to home plate to get the force out. The bases were still loaded, but this time, two out. Gerald Laird was up to bat. In his previous at bats, he had six runners on base, but failed to get any of them home. You would think that Jim Leyland would pinch hit Laird - despite the fact that Laird is a very good defensive catcher. However, his offense stinks and he proved it during the one-game playoff. Laird struck out - and Detroit's best scoring opportunity of the night was squandered. The score remained 5-5.
With Fernando Rodney heading into his fourth inning of pitching, the writing was on the wall that the Tigers did everything they could to win, but would probably end up just a bit short. And sure enough, that's exactly what happened. With Rodney tiring and Leyland not warming anyone else up, it was as if the Tigers were content with what was about to happen. The Twins had a runner on second, so the Tigers walk a batter to keep the double play potential in play. Well, it wouldn't work out that way as the Twins would then hit a walk-off single to end the game. Final score, Twins 6 Tigers 5 in 12 innings. It was an epic game, unlike any that I've ever witnessed. I don't recall ever experiencing such a wind swing of emotions in a baseball game like that. I just wish the outcome would've been different. Now us Tiger fans are left to wonder what might've been if only the team would've cashed in on some of those missed opportunities.
One has to wonder how the Tigers will fair next season. After a heartbreaking defeat like this, I think it's going to be difficult for the team to be competitive next year. It should be no surprise that the make-up of the team roster will be different. I'm expecting many of the same pitchers to be there next season. However, many of the position players may be gone, like Thames who struggled down the stretch, Huff, Polanco, Everett, and Laird. The Tigers need players who can hit the bat with more frequency. I would hate to see Polanco leave because usually he's a pretty clutch guy. However last night, he didn't deliver. Only time will tell what happens with the team during the off season. But I have a feeling this loss will be very difficult for the Tigers to get over. And that hangover will last well into next season.
The 2009 Tigers started the season off on the right foot. Instead of losing seven straight games to start the season like they did in '08, they did more winning and losing. The first three months of the season saw the Tigers jockeying for the division lead between the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox. The Tigers eventually gained the lead after May 10 and never looked back. The first half of the season prior to the All Star Break saw Brandon Inge put up awesome offensive numbers; even leading the team in home runs. Edwin Jackson proved to be a tremendous pick-up for the Tigers as he pitched lights out for the club and earned a trip to the All-Star game. Justin Verlander, who had a horrible 2008 season, really bounced back in '09, pitching himself into contention for an AL Cy Young. Miguel Cabrera proved his worth after the Tigers picked him up from a trade with the Florida Marlins the prior season, proving to be the best offensive player the Tigers had.
After the All Star break, the Tigers started to play more .500 ball. They began to feel more pressure from the White Sox and the Minnesota Twins. The offense wasn't quite as stellar as it was during the first half of the season. Brandon Inge was never the same player offensively as he was in the first part of the '09 season. Of course dealing with a serious knee injury certainly didn't help. The pitching wasn't quite as lights-out as it had been during the first half. The Tigers just started playing more listlessly and didn't appear to have the desire to finish with an AL Central Division Title. However, the Tigers appeared to have things on track in early September when they held a 7 game lead over the Twins and White Sox. Yet that is when the Twins went on an incredible tear. They finished the season winning 18 out of 22 games, despite the fact being without Justin Morneau and Joe Crede; two of their most important players. Meanwhile, the Tigers did all they could do hold on. After splitting a four game series with the Twins in Detroit, the Tigers held a two game cushion in the division against the Twins. Both teams had three games remaining and if the Tigers could win two of three, they would be crowned AL Central champs. Yet, it would be even more helpful to the Tigers if the Twins would lose any of the games in their next series against the Royals. They didn't. The Twins ended up sweeping the Royals at the Metrodome and the Tigers would end up losing two of three against the Chicago White Sox in Detroit. At the end of the season, the Tigers and Twins were tied for the division lead and thus, a one-game playoff would be needed to decide the division winner.
So the Tigers held the division lead from May 10 until October 4. They certainly had their chances to win a few more games down the stretch than what they did. Series' against the White Sox and Royals come to mind where they wound up losing more games than winning. But all of that was in the past during last night's 163rd game to decide the division. Seeing that the Twins had won the head-to-head season series against the Tigers in 2009, the final game would be played at the Metrodome - a huge home team advantage for the Twins. And how fitting when this is the final year they'd be playing in the dome. The Tigers came out with a roaring start, putting up three runs in the third inning; two of them coming off a two-run homer from embattled star Miguel Cabrera. Rick Porcello pitched lights out against the Twins, carving up Twins' batters for eight strike-outs. But when Porcello got himself in a bit of a jam in the bottom of the sixth, manager Jim Leyland made a questionable call by pulling his rookie pitcher for Zach Miner. Now Zach has had his memorable pitching moments over the years with the Tigers yet he's also had his not-so memorable moments. Last night's game provided a not-so memorable moment when Miner gave up a two-run homer that allowed the Twins to take a 4-3 lead. Miner soon gave way to Brandon Lyon, who settled things down and got the Tigers out of the inning.
Magglio Ordonez, who struggled mightily in the first half of the '09 season, really tore it up after the All Star Break and it continued during the one-game playoff. He provided the tying run of the game at 4-4 when he blasted a solo shot into left field. The game would head into extra innings. Brandon Lyon continued to pitch well for the Tigers but would give up a base hit to the Twins in the bottom of the ninth. In came Fernando Rodney, who's proven to be a great closer, but not the greatest in non-save situations. This game was one of those instances, but Rodney delivered when he needed to. He got out of a ninth inning jam (along with an awesome defensive play from Brandon Inge) and allowed the Tigers a chance to win the game in extras. In the tenth, pinch hitter Don Kelly hit a double to left center, giving the Tigers a much needed base-runner in scoring position. Brandon Inge then made an important offensive play, scoring the go-ahead run, giving the Tigers a 5-4 lead heading into the top of the 10th. Unfortunately, the Twins came back in the bottom of the inning and scored the tying run. We were nodded up until the 12th inning.
Throughout the entirety of the game, when it appeared the Tigers had the game in their grasp, the Twins quickly snatched away. In the top of the 12th, the Tigers managed to have the bases loaded with only one out. Brandon Inge was again up to bat. He was pitched inside and the ball brushed his jersey and should've allowed him to reach first base, thus sending the go-ahead run home. However, the home plate umpire didn't see it that way, and Inge had to keep batting. On a 2-2 count, Inge hit a bouncer to the shortstop, who then threw to home plate to get the force out. The bases were still loaded, but this time, two out. Gerald Laird was up to bat. In his previous at bats, he had six runners on base, but failed to get any of them home. You would think that Jim Leyland would pinch hit Laird - despite the fact that Laird is a very good defensive catcher. However, his offense stinks and he proved it during the one-game playoff. Laird struck out - and Detroit's best scoring opportunity of the night was squandered. The score remained 5-5.
With Fernando Rodney heading into his fourth inning of pitching, the writing was on the wall that the Tigers did everything they could to win, but would probably end up just a bit short. And sure enough, that's exactly what happened. With Rodney tiring and Leyland not warming anyone else up, it was as if the Tigers were content with what was about to happen. The Twins had a runner on second, so the Tigers walk a batter to keep the double play potential in play. Well, it wouldn't work out that way as the Twins would then hit a walk-off single to end the game. Final score, Twins 6 Tigers 5 in 12 innings. It was an epic game, unlike any that I've ever witnessed. I don't recall ever experiencing such a wind swing of emotions in a baseball game like that. I just wish the outcome would've been different. Now us Tiger fans are left to wonder what might've been if only the team would've cashed in on some of those missed opportunities.
One has to wonder how the Tigers will fair next season. After a heartbreaking defeat like this, I think it's going to be difficult for the team to be competitive next year. It should be no surprise that the make-up of the team roster will be different. I'm expecting many of the same pitchers to be there next season. However, many of the position players may be gone, like Thames who struggled down the stretch, Huff, Polanco, Everett, and Laird. The Tigers need players who can hit the bat with more frequency. I would hate to see Polanco leave because usually he's a pretty clutch guy. However last night, he didn't deliver. Only time will tell what happens with the team during the off season. But I have a feeling this loss will be very difficult for the Tigers to get over. And that hangover will last well into next season.
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