Great day at IU

Lincoln and I spent this beautiful day at IU going to the football team's spring game festivities and a baseball game at the new ballpark. IU won the baseball game 11-3 and we loved our outfield seats.

Pictures - Summer & Poppa Day at Wrigley

Rowan and the Poppas

Got some photos up this evening on my Picasa site. Made a new Summer 2011 album for some photos around this summer.

Poppa Day at Wrigley album is up with photos from our trip to Wrigley Field this weekend with Rowan's Poppas. We had a great time and the Cubs won 5-1! We are 2-1 in all our Poppa Day games so far.

Enjoy!

Swans on the pond!

Rowan and Mom

GO CUBS!

Spring Time Already?

Rowan on the new Dixie Chopper

I think we're going to hit 70 or even 80 degrees this weekend in The Fort. That's the kind of spring weather we need! Time to dry the grounds out at The Stables. I'd have to say I'm ready to hit the mowing duties when that time comes, we're all set with out new Dixie Chopper. Cuts grass at 4 acres an hour! Better than the tractor that was 4 acres in 2 days.

Rowan got glasses this week. She is farsighted and has another eye issue that the lenses need to correct. So far she seems to really enjoy them. They were on when I picked her up from school yesterday, so that was a good sign. I think she'll like seeing much better and know that the glasses help with that.

Rowan's glasses

A hearty Happy Birthday to Nana yesterday and my nephew Gustavo Byers today! He turned 3 today and we're celebrating tomorrow with his friends and family in Indianapolis. Three already? Where has the time gone...

This week's News Quiz. [Chicago Tribune]

Baseball is in full swing. The Cubbies made some changes to their menu at Wrigley. It's gotten a little more local flair to it. I'll have to check some of this out at Poppa Day at the Park in July. [Chicago Tribune]

Great survival story of a dog lost at sea for three weeks after the earthquake in Japan last month and then being reunited with his owner! What a story this dog could tell. [Japan Times and BBC News]

The swath of destruction in NE Japan is mind boggling. [Washington Post]

Great season Butler!

I'd like to say what this teacher in Japan is doing is what I would have done, but I'm not sure if I'd have stayed. I looked at the map of the US recommended evacuation zone for the nuclear plants and my town is about 25 miles outside that. Too darn close. [Japan Times]

It's been 25 years since Hoosiers was released? They're having a celebration of the movie at IU this month. [IU News Room]

Good NFL story: former IU great James Hardy is back at school to earn his degree. [IDS]

Have a great weekend! Enjoy the warmer temps and The Masters.

****************************

Pitchers and Catchers Report Today!

Rowan style!

Spring must be right around the corner, because the Cubs are starting Spring Training in Arizona! There'll be springlike temps this week in Fort Wayne. 50 degrees on Thursday? We were at -10 last Thursday! Crazy...The winds last night were enough to blow you over, so the weather is changing. [MLB.com]

Happy Valentine's Day!

Last week's News Quiz. [Chicago Tribune]

After last week's Snow Farm story, here's the next progression in a snowpocalypse winter, your roof coming down on you. [New York Times]

Did anyone print out the Popdose Oscar ballot? Anyone studying up for the Oscars on February 27th? Here's a rundown of some of the best short film categories, which are divided into three groups: animated, live action and documentary. [Popdose & New York Times]

Toy Story 3 is up for the big one, Best Picture, and the Best Animated film. Lots of time and work went into the third installment. With 10 Best Picture nominations now, films like Toy Story 3 can get into the discussion for the big prize. [IMDb.com & New York Times]

IU basketball is improving in fits and starts. One great game, winning or losing, followed by a real dud. Easy to forget where IU was just two seasons ago. This story about IU student manager Mike Santa reminds us just how far he and IU have come in less than 3 years. [Inside Indiana]

Twitter humor! Fake Twitter accounts are the best at parody and some seriously funny stuff. I follow a couple of these including Harry Caray's Ghost and Not Steve Jobs. [New York Times]

Square Board will be open in two weeks! The NCAA games will be available for anyone this year as all the games move to cable television. Beginning this year they're also staggering the start times so we can see all the buzzer beaters. [SpydeysWebb NCAA Games & ESPN]

Enjoy this great weather!

Who's this?!?

****************************

Last day of August

That is one LARGE ice cream taco

Been a long while since I've posted some links. Actually, since we've moved out of Beaverbrook into the parents then into the new place on Thompson Road, the weekly posts have turned into monthly ones, if that. It's been a long time...

Java watching Rowan

The Cubs season has crashed and burned with the ashes swept up and thrown away already! It's now to the point that football is right down the road. IU starts Thursday night and the fantasy football draft is this Friday. Rowan turned two and I've been married for 4 years now. It's been an amazing summer with lots of changes, the biggest being Della's move into our home. Well, not the home itself, but the home at large.

Even when I don't post weekly, the Chicago Tribune's News Quiz is posted on this link every Friday morning. This will link to last week's version. [Chicago Tribune]

If I ever get back to traveling, this may be the way Brooke and I find our accommodations in Europe. {NY Times]

Check out this amazing shot by Miguel Angel Jimenez on The Road Hole at the British Open. Crazy! The 12th Sheridan Invitational is in September. [YouTube]

Ice Cream Taco!

Found an Avon article that Brooke would like. [UK Avon]

Like I told my buddy Simon, it might have taken 20 years, but they're finally on to what the JET Program truly is about! Not really though, we loved teaching those kids, right? [Japan Times]

65th Anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings that ended World War II was this month. Depune forwarded me a link of some never before seen photos. I remember being in Karasuyama with my parents on the 50th Anniversary in 1995 and my visit to Hiroshima to lay 1,000 origami cranes at Hiroshima's Children's Peace Memorial in 1988. [Life & Wikipedia]

One of my good friends, Monica Yant Kinney, is considered one of Philadelphia's most influential Twitterers. You can follow me (@Spydeyswebb) and her (@myantkinney) on Twitter.com. [PhillyMag.com & Twitter.com]

Brooke and Della on a ride

With the IU football season starting up and basketball around the corner, time to get your eco-friendly IU Hoosier apparel! [Project 571]

Depune hooked me on Daniel Tosh's Comedy Central show Tosh.0. You really should check it out sometime. I've truly LOL'd. [Time.com]

Website of the Month (this one is worthy of a bookmark on your browser): Washington DC's Newseum has a cool site that links the front page of hundreds of newspapers from around the world, every day. You could get lost on this page with all the links. Very cool.

On to September...

Wrigley Bound Tomorrow - Friday May 14th

The packing continues at Beaverbook. We're surrounded by empty and full boxes of stuff in about every room. Less than two weeks to go until we must vacate the premises. Rowan was enjoying breakfast this week with her Learning Apple, yogurt, milk, and her new favorite: chocolate Cheerios.

Poppa Day at Wrigley tomorrow for Cubs/Pirates. This will be our second annual trip with Rowan's poppas (my dad and Brooke's dad). Last year the Cubbies blew a 9th inning lead but won it in the bottom half of the inning. I'd like another win with less drama. Looks like it will be about 10 degrees warmer this year. It was freezing last year! Hope to have photos up next week of the adventure. [Baseball Reference]

D-Day 20 was on Wednesday. It's been 20 years since I discovered I had diabetes mellitus type 1. Let's just say this past Wednesday was a much better day than May 12th, 1990! Onward...

Saw Iron Man 2 last Friday with Travis and his girlfriend. We really enjoyed it and highly recommend seeing it in the theaters. There could have been more action, but they did a good job with a funny script and it moved along nicely for a 2 hour movie. Robin Hood starts tonight and it looks like a good one too. Russell Crowe does good stuff, so that might be in the queue if we weren't busy packing boxes. [IMDb.com]

This week's News Quiz. [Chicago Tribune]

A Tipping Guide for all occasions. [Chicago Tribune]

Renovation of IU Billy Hayes Track could keep the Hoosiers at the top of track and field talent. [Indiana Daily Student]

The 2010-2011 TV schedules are going to be released next week by the Big 4 broadcast companies. One show surprisingly NOT coming back: Law & Order for it's 21st season. It will remain tied with Gunsmoke for the longest running drama in TV history. [NY Times & Wikipedia]

10 poorly planned construction projects, they broke the bank. [How Stuff Works]

Urban wildlife is becoming more and more prevalent. Here's a story about Chicago's efforts to study and understand it. Plan on seeing our fair share of wildlife at the new house. [Chicago Tribune]

Website of the Week is back for Murals Your Way. An interesting take on 'wallpaper'.


Have a great weekend!

************************

NCAA National Semifinals - Saturday April 3rd

Happy Easter!

Butler and Michigan State tip off in about an hour. Dad's already there in his seats that Uncle Depune procured for him. Great seats right in the front row of section 545. There's going to be a lot of people there tonight! The games tonight in the Squares Pool run $400/each. Nice.

I'm predicting Butler 68 - Michigan State 62. In the other game I'm taking West Virginia 74 - Duke 70. Let's get it on.

We got out to see Hot Tub Time Machine last week and we both really enjoyed it! Quick 100 minutes, very funny parts, solid script from start to finish, great 80's music...good times. The new movie this week is the redo of Clash of the Titans, and it's getting slayed by the critics (31% fresh)! May have to double think that one...34 days until Iron Man 2. [IMDb.com & Rotten Tomatoes]


Opening day for Major League Baseball is Sunday night with Yankees and Red Sox. Cubs begin the season on Monday afternoon in Atlanta vs. the Braves. Got the SpydeysWebb Hardball fantasy baseball league off and running last night. Great group of guys: Depune, Paul, Ben, Matt, Travis, Shlater, Buzz, and myself. Only Cub I have is Geovany Soto.

This week's News Quiz. [Chicago Tribune]

I didn't have many articles for this week, so I'll included them in the next update. Go Dawgs!

Friday February 19

Back from a break. Rowan had a pretty good day yesterday. She's got that nasty cold from a few weeks ago licked and I think the longer days will get her itching for trips outside. She's practicing riding her tricycle around the living room, so maybe she'll hit the ground running come Springtime.

Check out the favicon on SpydeysWebb.com and the SpydeysWebb Blog. Brooke made me one for Valentine's Day. A favicon is the small icon that appears next to the web site address in your browser's address bar. Mine is pretty appropriate...[Wikipedia]

Cubbie tickets went on sale today! The second annual Poppa Day at Wrigley Field will be Saturday May 15th vs. the Pirates. This is year two where Rowan takes her poppas up for a baseball game, and Brooke and I get to ride along. Let's hope it's a little warmer than last year! That was a cold and windy day and even though they tried to blow it, the Cubbies beat the Astros 5-4 in the bottom of the 9th. [Wrigley Field & Baseball Reference]

Speaking of the Cubbies, Spring Training kicked off yesterday with pitchers and catchers reporting. The position players are set to arrive on Monday for the first full team workout of the 2010 season. Here's a guide for what to look for with the Cubbies in Spring Training. [Cubs.com & Chicago Tribune]

News Quiz and more after the jump...

Friday January 22nd

TGIF. That's Rowan and me watching some Sesame Street this week. She's getting her hair put up in a ponytail at Matthew's House. I think it may be time for a trim...it would be her first. Early Birthday shoutout to Paul 'Tillbilly' Lang...Happy 40th bro! Just kidding, I know you're younger than I...

We're down to the penultimate football weekend with Championships Sunday. I went 3-1 last week in my picks, the Jets messed me up. Now lots are picking the Jets to mess up the Colts. Not me, Colts 27-17. I'm taking the other home team on the NFC side too, Saints over Vikings 38-34. [NFL.com]

Spring Training is just around the corner. Cubs signed up with the Cactus League for the next 25 years this week. They'll remain in Mesa, AZ. To get you going on Cubbie news (I know you're dying for it), you can find the latest Cubbie blogs to follow. I'm partial to Bleed Cubbie Blue, myself. Another article talking about the Cubs letting Maddux do his thing with the team in ST, especially the pitchers. He's got a great track record for helping guys have career years. [Yahoo.com & Chicago Sun-Times]

News Quiz and more after the jump...

Friday January 15th

Spring-like weather this week! I know that winter will blast us again, but it was nice to be above 32 degrees for the last couple of days. I know Butsu enjoyed it more outside as well. That's Rowan up there in her new rocking chair from her Omoe. She really likes rocking away!

Uncle Dave got me and my buddy Jason some killer seats for the Pacers/Suns game this last Wednesday. Check out our view in the bottom photo! Like I told a few friends via text that night, our feet were ON the floor. Very sweet seats and an even better victory for the Pacers. [NBA.com]

Big football weekend starting tomorrow...I'm taking all the home teams this round: Saints over Cardinals 45-35, Colts over Ravens 31-20, Vikings over Cowboys 24-21, and Chargers over Jets 31-17. [NFL.com]

This week's News Quiz, I only missed the Teddy Pendergrass one. [Chicago Tribune]

Award season kicks off this weekend with the Golden Globes. That can only mean the Oscars are right around the corner. I plan on doing my Oscar pick 'em again this year, so study up with this per-Oscar award show rundown of potential winners. [Golden Globes & LA Times]

The movie Avatar keeps doing boffo box office. Have you seen it yet? There's yet another article this week that asks if the way it was made will change the movie industry. [IMDb.com & Box Office Mojo & NY Times]

The Spider-Man movies that we've known are no more. They've decided to go in a different direction. Not yet sure what I think about this. [LA Times]

Cubs in the news again this week with the hiring of future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux to the front office. Great move in my humble opinion, only 79 days until Opening Day (Spring Training begins Feb. 17th)! [Chicago Tribune]

Set your DVRs as Day 8 of the show 24 kicks off with the first two hours of Jack's day on Sunday night. [Fox TV]

Haven't played football in Wrigley since the Bears left in 1970, but there could be some games there as soon as this fall. [Chicago Tribune]

Some good news for Type 1 Diabetics from the money raised on our Walk to Cure Diabetes from last October. [JDRF]

Enjoy the warm weekend!

*****************************

Friday January 8th

2010 is here and so is the winter! We got over 3" yesterday in this winter and year's first significant snow fall. Shoveling was quite a task last night, knew I should have bought that snow blower! This week's pictures are from Brooke and Rowan's visit to the mall. She's on the Bob the Builder ride, tweaking his nose!

Redskins got a new coach this week, at least for them. Even Brooke had heard of Mike Shanahan before. He's got two rings, and I know for a fact that he's better than Jim Zorn. So I'm all for it. It's just like the Redskins to make news in the off-season rather than the playoffs that kick off Saturday. Maybe next year. [Washington Post & NFL.com]

One of my most favorite Cubs off all time was voted into the Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Andre Dawson gets in on his ninth attempt, and that's a very good thing. Still not sure what cap he'll wear: Cubs or Expos. [Chicago Tribune & Baseball Reference]

This week's News Quiz. Got my usual 70%, with a few guesses that came through for me. [Chicago Tribune]

Got my Avatar review up on the main page last weekend. We really enjoyed it. Got an average of 9/10 from the five reviewers that went with us. The way Cameron filmed this was truly ground breaking. [SpydeysWebb & LA Times]

Lots of big movies coming out this summer during blockbuster season, beginning with Iron Man 2 on May 7th. Who's in? Many of these movies will be competing against each other on the same opening weekend. Which ones and how will each do? [IMDb.com & LA Times]

I'd love to have a mistake like this happen to me...you know, buy something you didn't mean to and boom, millions of dollars. [Atlanta Journal Constitution]

The Lipizzaner Stallions are putting on a show in Miami. I thought Brooke would like this article and picture. [Official Lipizzaner Site & Miami Herald]

Who's more popular, dogs or cats? [Chicago Tribune]

Try to stay warm this weekend, wherever you are. Minus zero wind chills up here in The Fort! [Journal Gazette]

***********************

Friday November 13th

With the Friday updates, we seem to run into this quite a bit, don't we? It's the 3rd one we've had this year! [Examiner]

Rowan had a great time at the IU football game last week. It's so nice to be innocent and not care who wins and loses! The picture at the top is in preparations for the day and the one at the bottom is her and mom enjoying kettle corn in the concourse area of Memorial Stadium. One more game this season and it's the Bucket Game next Saturday. [Wikipedia]

IU's basketball season officially tips off tonight in Bloomington vs. Howard University. Brooke and I are making the trip for opening night very shortly. We're favored by quite a bit in this one, so it should be fun to see. Might be another long season this year, but it has to be better than last year! Still have the two tickets to each game, so if anyone wants to see a game let me know. [Howard Bison homepage]

Fall movies are kicking into high gear this weekend. Several wide releases that are good for action or drama. Two in particular are the back home from war drama The Messenger (90% fresh) and the Earth going down in flames 2012 (36% fresh). I've been reading lots of reviews on 2012 (review 1 and review 2) and it sounds like what you'd expect from the guy who did Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow. The Earth is destroyed over 3 hours, which seems a bit long to me. The Messenger sounds like a timely drama about soldiers that tell next of kin that their loved one has died in the war overseas. Solid actors Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster play the lead roles. Pirate Radio (56% fresh) also sounds like an entertaining flick, it starts this week as well. [Miami Herald & Chicago Tribune & NY Times & Rotten Tomatoes & IMDb.com]

This week's News Quiz and Pop Culture Quiz. [Chicago Tribune]

For Veteran's Day this week, I found a great collection of videos showing dogs welcoming their owners home from war. Good stuff. [Mental Floss]

Quick interesting read about smells and childhood. Why do we remember smells so well from our early years? [New Scientist]

Home remedies and dealing with being sick. [Miami Herald]

Web Site of the Week: A blog that has every contract in Major League Baseball, in detail: Cot's Baseball Contracts.

Enjoy another warm weekend!

********************************

Friday October 9th

Well fall is officially here. I don't think the temps reached 65 this week and most days it was cloudy with a bit of rain. Saw in the Chicago Tribune there might be snow up there on Monday...? Yikes. This was very similar weather to our JDRF Walk last Saturday. It was a bit cold with a slight drizzle, but we finished the 2 miles. We're over $1,000 collected as a team so far, but I'm shooting for $1,000 on my own. See my page here.

Rowan took her first ride on a carousel this week. In the food court at Glenbrook Square Mall they have a double decker carousel with all kinds of animals. Rowan and mom took the first spin and then dad got on for another one. On the second, she took to a pony that went up and down...and loved it! The picture up there is from her first ride on a stationary giraffe. Looks like she was ready for that afternoon nap before the ride started!

Well, the baseball season ended for the Cubs last weekend. Playoff baseball is upon us and for the first time in 3 years, no Cubs. My AL team has always been the California Angels (now the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), so I'll root for them until the Yankees win. It's already decided, right?

We had a great time in Bloomington for the Ohio State game. It was good to see so many tailgate friends we hadn't seen since the 2007 season, our last full year down there. They all asked about Rowan, who stayed with Grandma Brenda in Anderson. The OSU game wasn't so great, but you can't commit penalties and turn the ball over and beat a top ten team. Long way to go for the Hoosiers, but a bowl game is still possible. Big IU weekend next week with basketball Hoosier Hysteria on Friday night. Then we're hoping to take her to the Illinois game on Saturday, depending on the weather.

This week's News Quiz and Pop Culture Quiz. Something from my dad, a Golf Trivia Quiz. See how you do. [Chicago Tribune & Cincinnati.com]

The big NASA news this week was their bombing the moon, but this picture of colliding black holes is pretty sweet. [Yahoo & NASA]

Love at the bus stop. [Chicago Tribune]

Baseball and softball are out, but two new sports are in for the 2016 Olympics. [GamesBids.com]

People and their dogs. [IU News Room]

Rowan and cousin Harrison at the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes last weekend.

Keep warm!

********************

Sheridan Week! Friday September 18th

It's the last weekend of summer, so that must mean the Sheridan Invitational is upon us. Looks like great weather for tomorrow's 11th SIGT. It'll be nice to see many of you joining us at Lakeside. I think there's going to be around 30 golfers taking part. T-shirts are pretty sweet too. I should have some pictures up sometime this weekend or early next week.

The above photo is of Rowan at the IU game last weekend. She had a blast! It helped dad that the Hoosiers held on to win, Rowan wouldn't have minded either way. Her first tailgate has her passing the pigskin around. Good times. By the way, Rowan is 13 months old today!

This week's News Quiz and Pop Quiz...yet again good in one and average in the others. [Chicago Tribune]

Depressing news for beer drinkers, especially pilsners, and the changing climate. [New Scientist]

I sometimes do wonder just what is Butsu thinking...[Time]

There's money to be made in the blog business...really? [NY Times]

An interesting all decade team for major league baseball. Hard to believe that the aughts are almost done. [Sports Illustrated]

China's the next market for the NFL. Playing catch up with the other pro sports. [Washington Post]

Rowan, 1 year ago today.

Have a great weekend. The Sheridan awaits!

******************************