The Big One

Sunday the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots will be playing in the Super Bowl. Anyone who plays or wants to play in the National Football League dreams of playing in the Super Bowl. It is the highest honor for a player and most never gets to play in one. It is the second in a row for the Seahawks.

When you are an athlete or any profession in life you want to be performing at the highest level. I know for me writing my blog at the highest level would be an honor. Other sports like major league baseball playing in the World Series would be a dream come true as well.  In fact, someone who played baseball growing up and being the favorite sport it would be something great to do. Of course, being a professional baseball player in itself would be fantastic. Also, there are a lot of players in the minor leagues who never make the major leagues whether it is lack of talent or an injury that causes you to end your career.

I was a pretty good tennis player after high school. Making it as a professional and playing in Wimbledon would have been a dream come true. If I had known that I had talent to play tennis when I was real young I may have had a really good chance to make it professionally. There are some who will make it when they are older but the odds are against it.

 There are many players in the NFL including the Seahawks who have made it that never gave up no matter what people told them. They may have been told they were not big enough or fast enough to play but by working hard at it they made it. I believe it is important not to listen to other people who speak negative into our lives. It is important to find mentors who will speak positive things into us. If you are looking to go into something no matter how old you are do it and never give up.

I once was told by a professional tennis teaching instructor that it is not practice that makes you perfect it is perfect practice that makes you perfect. I believe that to be true wisdom. It is important to work at the highest level we can whether an athlete or an architect.

Enjoy yourself in being a fan of a sport and work at being the best at whatever you can so others will be a fan of yours. 

Docks

Growing up in Gig Harbor we had a number of docks. On the east side our family had one of the few docks around. We had a couple row boats that we used occasionally along with several sailboats of different sizes. Our large sailboat we kept it away from the dock. It only came to the dock  if we were taking a group on the boat. It really was a great place to life and spending so much time on the water.

My brothers and I would sometimes row to the other side which was where the city of Gig Harbor was located. This would save us time over walking around the harbor which was at least three miles. In fact, in high school my brother Jack would row over to a dock so he could catch a ride into Tacoma with another student where he attended a private school.

Now there are a lot more docks on the east side of Gig Harbor along with the ones on the city side of Gig Harbor. In fact I may say there could as many docks in Gig Harbor as there are coffee shops. One thing for sure if you come visit Gig Harbor you won’t have a problem getting coffee there is at least three coffee shops on every block. If you visit Gig Harbor by boat there are at least two public docks you can moor at.

Another thing that Gig Harbor has is several sheds where they used to store the nets for the fishing boats. The fishing boat fleet is not as big as it was when I was growing up but there are still some who go up to Alaska or the Washington coast each year. They leave no later than early June.

Gig Harbor is not only a really great place to live but a place to come visit as well.                                

Frankie’s Back

This week the hype is all about the Seahawks, Patriots, and the Super Bowl; however, the Seattle Mariners signed outfielder Franklin Gutierrez to a minor league contract.

Franklin Gutierrez had been the regular center fielder for the Seattle Mariners, but he had injuries and illness that kept him out of baseball in 2014. In fact, he actually retired before spring training had started. He had three years where he spent more time on the disabled list then playing. It was frustrating for him and the Mariners because for most of the time had no idea what was wrong with him. Even when the doctors figured it out the medicines were not taking care of his illness. So last year he decided it was time to look after the illness instead of trying to play the game he loves. Now after taking a year off he has decided to try again one last time.

This winter he played several games in the Venezuelan Winter League to see how he performed and whether any teams would be interested in signing him and inviting him to spring training. He had ten teams besides the Mariners who were interested in signing him. He favored the Mariners because he felt that he owed them. He will go into spring training trying to make the Mariners team but with the long time off he likely will start the season with the Mariners Triple A team in Tacoma. Of course, this will all depend   if he is fully recovered from his illness.  

Before the injuries and illness Frankie was one of the best center fielders in all of baseball and was an all-star along with being very popular players for the Mariners. I have to say he was one of my favorite players. He was so much like the previous two center fielders the Mariners had before him in Ken Griffey, Jr. and Mike Cameron. He played center field like he owned it, and he went after every ball to catch. He made the hard ones look easy just like Griffey and Cameron. He had no problem going into the fence.

I look forward to see him play again whether in Seattle or Tacoma. He is such a joy to watch. Most likely he will not play center field for the Mariners since they have Austin Jackson; however, he will likely play all three outfield positions with occasionally subbing for Jackson. If he starts in Tacoma he likely will play in center field. I look forward to seeing Frankie play again. I do not know him personally but I consider him a great guy. Look forward to spring training in a few weeks. The Mariners have sixteen spring training games on television this year. For me there is nothing like baseball. Go Mariners!

Hard to Believe

Here in Western Washington we have had record highs this week while northeastern coast are having blizzard conditions. One day we had a high of 58 degrees that tied the record for the day, and three days we had highs around 63 degrees that broke the previous high which was around 58 degrees. The temperatures were about 15 degrees warmer than the normal temperatures for late January. So it felt more like April than January.

I wish that we had some snow here but not close to what they are having back in the northeast. I prefer maybe up to six inches of snow, but Long Island, New York and the Boston area got around two feet of snow. New York City did not get the snow they were expecting. They got around ten inches of snow.

My nephews Ian and Danny are both in college in the Boston area so they had no school on Tuesday January 27. I am not sure when classes are supposed to resume. The national weather service says they expect temperatures to stay under freezing for at least a week. In good news Logan Airport in Boston is supposed resume service today.

Those that are having the hardest time are those who lost electricity. I know by experience a few hours is OK but without power for a few days especially in so cold weather time can feel very long. It certainly makes us realize what is important. I am sure the sale of generators has gone up; hopefully, some people have fire places as well.  In this weather having coffee shops and restaurants open will be good.

Usually in Western Washington when we have snow it does not stay around very long because the temperatures go up and the snow melts. When I was a kid I remember the snow sticking around for maybe five days a few times. I hope the children in Long Island and Boston will be able to take advantage of making snowmen and having a good snowball fight along with sliding down some good hills.

Road to the Super Bowl

For both the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots they are on the road for the Super Bowl though the Seahawks are considered the home team. The game is in Glendale, Arizona the home of the Arizona Cardinals so the Seahawks are familiar with the stadium since they play against the Cardinals once every year not including the playoffs.

For most of the fans of both the Seahawks and Patriots it is a road trip as well. There are some people in the northwest who spend their winters in the Phoenix area so for them it is a home game. Also, many Seattle Mariner fans come down to Arizona for spring training as well. I did that two years ago, and I had a really good time. My cousin Christy and her husband David have a place about ten minutes from the Mariner spring training facility. I spent a week with them and saw four spring training games of the mariners. Actually they won all four games.   Christy and David took me to my first NHL hockey game as well. Sort of weird to see your first hockey game in Arizona; I had a really good time and saw the fans being as crazy as the Seahawk fans.

Two local Seattle television stations had crews and one Tacoma News Tribune reporter made separate trip driving to Arizona in four days. The trip took each of them four days and over 1600 miles to travel. Each reported their time traveling to Arizona, and they met Seahawk fans on the way. Better known as the 12^th man; though many of the 12^th man are flying to the Super Bowl some were driving to Arizona as well.

I am not sure whether I would want to go to the Super Bowl game because of the cost of a ticket being at least two thousand dollars I would find it quite the experience to drive to Arizona. Of course, being a big baseball fan I would have to stay for some of spring training as well. Though I would not actually go to the game in person it would be great to go to a sport bar in Arizona and watch the game with other Seahawk fans. If I did go to a Super Bowl game it would likely be a onetime deal. Of course, if someone was willing to give me a ticket I would not turn it down.

I am sure all people would have a favorite place to drive to see a special event; something they would call a onetime experience.  I hope each of us have that opportunity sometime in our life. I know that I would love to see the Seattle Mariners play in the World Series. If I think more about it I am sure there are other events I would love to see as well. 

Looking at Life and Sport

When I started writing my blog I wrote about myself and family growing up in Gig Harbor. Also, about a trip we took across Canada and into eastern United States when I was twelve. I would say that has so far been my dream vacation. There are other places I would like to visit as well. I have been to England, Germany and France once but I would love to go back again in the future.

I would say my dream vacation or trip now as an adult would be to get into a van and travel the United States. Of course, I would write about the adventure. The best way would just start traveling without a true plan. It would be great to find places that I have never been too. Part of the plan would be staying in national parks and do some hiking. I would love to meet new people. It would be really good to hear the stories about their lives.

In November I started writing some about sports. Mainly because I really enjoy sports and it is part of the name in the blog. I will continue writing about life and sport but I want to add some things about what is going on in the news. Of course, like everything I would write with my own perspective.

I wrote once about freedom of speech. Though we have the freedom we still have to watch we say or write. I know that not everyone has the same ideas or ways that they look at things that I do or have the same belief system which I believe is OK. Other words not everyone has to be like me though the world be a lot better if more people were like me. Just kidding! What I am saying is that I have the freedom of speech I do not necessarily have to speak or write it. I have the choice to decline what I feel about some things because I do not want to offend other people.

I look forward to writing more about my life and sports but look to expand my blog as well. I may write about places I have been and about places I would like to visit. It would great to learn more about history, and people that are living today who are making history as well.

I would love to have people from other places to visit Gig Harbor, the state of Washington, and the northwest. There is a lot to see around here. I would say I have seen only a part of the northwest. I can tell you that Seattle is a great place to visit. If you come for a visit you must see the Pike Place Market, and the Space Needle. Also, taking a visit to Mt. Rainier is another must. It takes about two hours drive to Mt. Rainier. Also, in regards to Seattle it is really beautiful to see at night as well. Since there is a lot to see around here my advice is to get a map of Washington. The next thing would be to close your eyes, and take one of your fingers and place it somewhere on the map. I would go visit where your finger lands. I would say that you would never be disappointed where you would go.

Again I want to thank you for reading my blog no matter how often you do so. I amazed that people from many parts of the world read the blog. I want to end by saying wherever you go in this world have a really great time.

in this world have a really great time.  

Another Mild Winter

This year it is the third year in a row I think that here in Gig Harbor and the state of the Washington we have had a mild winter. The temperatures have primarily been in the 50s and into the 60s when normal is the 30s and 40s. We have had some days down in the 30s but very few that I know. Usually I can tell because I go walking each morning unless we have a lot of rain coming down. The times I have really felt it cold has been because of wind; it seems to be a bit more wind than normal.

I know that some people around here enjoy that the weather has been more mild; however, I do like it when we do get some snow. These last three years we have gotten snow once or twice during the winter, and we have only about a couple inches at the most. I like it when we get about six inches of snow; however, we have not gotten that much snow at one time in quite a while. I know that people around the northwest do not like to drive in the snow and ice. It is tough to drive because we have so many hills. Where I live it is pretty easy get to the highway; however, it is not true in many other places. If you are living in downtown Gig Harbor there is three hills to go up, and I have found the experience tough when it snows. Also, some people have driveways that are difficult to get out of. In fact, I would say they are quite an experience.

The main reason I like the snow it is so pretty around here when it happens. I really enjoyed when I went to work off of highway 18. I would exit off of Interstate 5 and go east on highway 18. Right there at the exit trees are on both sides and when it snows you really like being in a winter wonderland. I remember one year when we did get a good snow fall there was very few people on the road and I could enjoy the drive to work. Of course, we had a small crew of people because many would call in saying they could not make it to work. It was challenges get to work coming off of highway 18. In fact, once I had to take a back road because the main road off of highway 18 was closed.

Though we do not get a lot of snow the memories of the snowfalls are so good. This year the snowfall up at the mountains has been weak. The mountains have had more rain this year than the snow. I guess we can say maybe next year.

Everyone have yourself a wonderful weekend. If you have snow where you are enjoy it for me. 

One More Game

It was very much touch and go for the Seahawks last Sunday. They played their worst game of the season; however, at the end they played very good to be able go to the Super Bowl. Though I had a hard time watching the game like many did I am glad they made it. I likely would be rooting for the Packers in the Super Bowl if the Seahawks had lost but it would be hard to do so. Throughout the game I thought this is not the way to end it. If they did not go to the Super Bowl I would want them to play at a high level not playing badly.

I know for some when they watch the Super Bowl they are looking toward the next season and enjoy the off season. I know that locally on sport radio fans start talking about who the Seahawks will take in the college draft, free agent signings, and who they may lose to free agency. Personally I do not care much about it until training camp starts. The next step for me is baseball and spring training that starts two weeks after the Super Bowl. The reason is that I am more of a baseball fan then a football fan. Also, basketball comes to the fore front but I am not as big of a fan as I once was. I do not really follow the NBA much anymore. In fact, I see that there are more losing teams then there are winning teams. I enjoy watching college basketball especially March Madness tournament. The problem with college basketball there are a lot of games to see on television so I will watch primarily the Pac-12 games especially the University of Washington.

I really look forward to spring training with the Seattle Mariners. Each year every team has some hope going into the season; however, some are out of the race for the playoffs by May. Last season the Mariners missed the playoffs by one game so the fans are really optimistic for the upcoming season especially acquiring free agent Nelson Cruz. He will be designated hitter and playing some outfield. The Mariners needed someone who could bat fourth in the lineup and add some power. Cruz even if he does not get the production of last year he will still be better than anyone who batted fourth last year. The Mariners are one of eight teams that are figured to make it to the World Series. It may not be possible but I would like them to make the playoffs.

Two years ago I went down for a week and saw spring training. It was a really good time. If you are a baseball fan I recommend going to spring training. You will find that it is very enjoyable, and you will be able to be closer to your favorite players. This weekend the Mariners have fan fest at Safeco Field in Seattle before heading down to Arizona. This is a good way to meet players as well if you can’t go down to spring training.

I am looking forward to upcoming season like I do every year. I keep some ear on football but primarily be watching baseball. I think it is good to be fans of more than one sport. 

Being Happy!

In my opinion everyone has their own idea about what makes themselves happy. Usually it has to do with their background, culture, family, and personality. What makes me happy may not be the same as what makes you happy. I would even say that not everyone in my family have the same idea of being happy as I do. The reason is that I enjoy different things then other members of the family do. I am sure that we do enjoy some things the same but they may enjoy other things that I do not.

My idea of being happy is to be content in all things. Of course, it is not always an easy thing to accomplish. For some the idea of being happy is enjoying their job and family. For others it could be a hobby they are involved in. I find that in this life it is so easy to be stressed because of the job, or finances. It could be situations that are happening as well which could include poor health. It is hard not to be stressed at times but the more we can be content I believe the better off we are.

Though life can be difficult I believe being content makes it much easier to make it. Another thing I believe can make us happy is to have a purpose in our lives. I may call it a direction as well. The most important thing to be happy is to define what it means to each one of us. I do not believe we will get everything that we want in life but the more important things in our lives will make it much easy to handle. This is another reason I believe being content makes me happy.

The beginning of this month I mentioned that I wanted this year to be a year of adventure. What it may mean to me can be totally different than other people as well. If I feel that I am living an adventure then likely I will be more content. This does not mean that I will be content at all times but the more often that I am the happier I will be.

I really do hope that what I am writing here will help each person out. I know it is helping me out by expressing my thoughts. I want to become happier and content each day with a purpose and adventure. 

About Culture Again

Last September I wrote about culture. It came to my mind about culture once again. The thing about culture is that not only every country has a culture every state, city, and neighborhood has a culture. Some countries have some very strong culture ties because of religion, and other countries like the USA is different because they allow the freedom of religion so there is multiple religions within the country. Religion is a very strong part of culture because it is what makes us especially how we think and relate with other people. It is important to treat people with other religious backgrounds in the same way we treat those in our religion. The problem though is some religions are very strong, and if you are very zealous in your religion you may not feel that way.

There are other things that can influence the culture that we live in besides religion. Another can be economically; this is whether you live in either a rich or poor neighborhood. Also, another can be diversity; this means if you live among those with different nationalities or skin color. For example, where I live in Gig Harbor there is very little amount of diversity. Though there are more minorities in Gig Harbor then when I was growing the majority are still whites. It is not that minorities are not welcome it is more has to do with economics. Gig Harbor happens to have a higher standard of living then other communities in the area. However, there are neighborhoods that are not as high as there are others. I think that most minorities just do not feel like living in Gig Harbor. I know personally I would welcome any one regardless of their diversity. Both Seattle and Tacoma have high diversity population so their cultures will be much different then Gig Harbor.

I believe that culture has its positive aspects but they have their negative ones as well. It is important to recognize both of them especially the negative ones. I believe if it is most important to us we can actually change the culture around us. It is easy to spend time with those who are like us; however, I believe it is important to spend time with those who are different from us. It doesn't matter if it is because they have a different skin, maybe speak another language, or economically we must embrace each other. When it comes to change culture it does not necessarily mean that we have to change the people around us. In fact, I would say it is important to change us. We are all imperfect people and we must learn to get along with each other. Our challenge should be to meet those who are different from us. It could be just those who have a different personality or family background. Let us stretch ourselves. 

Amazing

If you were one that watched the Seattle Seahawks beat the Green Bay Packers 28-22 in overtime in NFC Championship you would have likely been amazed. The Seahawks offense could not do anything right for most of the game and their defense was what kept them in the game. They were down 19-7 with five minutes remaining in the game when quarterback Russell Wilson threw his fourth interception in the game. At that point it did look like the Packers were going to win and go to the Super Bowl. The Seahawks defense stopped the Packers and the Seahawks got the ball back with 3 minutes 25 seconds. They scored a touchdown with almost two minutes remaining in the game to make it 19-14. They recovered a onside kick and after a long run by Marshawn Lynch that got them to the four yard line Russell ran in and scored a touchdown along with a two point conversion which made the Seahawks lead 22-19. The Packers came down and tied the score with a field goal with about 25 seconds remaining. The Seahawks won the coin flip to begin the overtime. After several good runs by Marshawn Lynch they had two long passes the final to score a touchdown to win the game.

What all this means to me and to us is that no matter what kind of day we are having we can overcome anything in the end. The Seahawks could not do anything offensively right for almost all the game; however, when it really counted they were victorious. Last year when they won the Super Bowl they showed us that we can be mighty warriors and champions. This year they have shown that we can overcome adversity no matter what has come before us.  The thing about being warriors and champions our opponent or enemy is out to get us. They not only want to defeat us they want to bury us so we can’t go on; however, we must have the faith and courage to face our enemies no matter how large or small they are. This is what is meant to be truly mighty warriors and champions. We may get down but we are never out. We all have a destiny in our lives; however, we must continue to fight for it.

I can’t say I am really there yet as far as being a might warrior and champion; however, if I continue to fight someday I will be. If you get either depressed or discouraged remember that you have a purpose and destiny in this life. Keep going until it is fulfilled. Do not let anyone get the best of you even those you may call a friend. Have a great week and keep on keeping on. 

Older Parents

My mother is ninety-four years old now. Up until a month ago she was able to take care of herself pretty good. She did the cooking along with still driving a car and having different activities.

A month ago she came down with the flu along with having a wound in one of her legs which has been real bother for her. She has been going to Urgent Care to have bandage changed every day for the last couple weeks; however, the wound has not gotten any better. One thing I have learned the last month is that when someone is older it is harder to recover from any illness no matter the size of it.

I have been living with her for several years after she had taken a fall. It is another thing you have to watch for when a parent gets older. I have heard from several people who have had older parents fall. My mother has a life line that she can reach if she falls or any other emergency when I am not around.

I am sure if I am not around she would have gone into an assistant living facility or had someone come in to fix her meals. It is a blessing that my mother still has her mental capacity.  Not everyone her age is so blessed. Though she has a wound she still can get around a little bit. She uses a walker around the apartment and a cane when she goes out.

She was pretty much home bound with the flu. As she says not the greatest Christmas or New Year’s she has experienced. This week she has been able to get out and see friends along with playing bridge. The thing I have had to do the most of is keeping her spirits up. I believe the hardest thing for older people is to have social contact. It is easy for them to get lonely. In our family my mother is the only one left in her generation, and I am sure it is common for many others in her age range. Next week I will be taking her into a wound rehab center in Tacoma. Hopefully they will be able to get her back into good condition.

When I was in my young years my dad’s father lived with us. He had a place downstairs with its own kitchen and bedroom. He died when I was nine so I do not remember a lot. I am sure he was happy that he had family around to help support him. He was younger than my mother when he passed away. His wife died when I was thirteen months old. She was in her early sixties when she passed away. We had an older neighbor across the street that he had known for some time so they were able to talk on a regular basis.

I recommend if you have older parents to be sure they are OK. It is not the easiest thing to see them get older. This is especially true if they have lost their minds or have physical problems as well. It is important that they get some contact with other people of all ages. It is important that they see their grand or great grand children as well.

I am sure things will get more difficult with my mother as time goes by. Hopefully, when it is her time to go she will still have her mind. Another thing it is important to respect your parents. Get as much knowledge and wisdom from them. Though they maybe old they still have things to offer. It is important they realize it as well. Remember you want to feel the same way when you are old.

Knowing People

I try to get in a little time each day listening to sports radio. I know that some people are really into it or talk radio in general. Usually I listen to get either entertained or get some sport news. I enjoy some of the interviews they have with athletes as well.

The reason I bring this up is about a month or so ago on the sport radio programs they mentioned how hard it is get to know athletes that they cover on a regular basis. They figure the same can be true of other celebrities. When thinking more about knowing athletes and celebrities it is actually hard to get to know anyone. This is even true for those we are close too.

I find that the people we know the best are those who are the most vulnerable. Last week on television I saw an interview with actress Jennifer Aniston. Though I still do not know her very well I felt I knew her better because she was vulnerable and shared some of her inner thoughts. She talked about her struggles and her relationships.

The thing about most people is that they put on a happy face while being in public. I have to admit I am one of those people as well. I try to be as real as I can be; however, I try to be as positive as I can be even though I do not always feel that way.  I have been vulnerable in public as well but I have found in some cases people do not really want to know your struggles. I believe the main reason people put on a happy face because they want to be liked. People do not share their inner self because they feel others will not like them. I am sure most of us feel that way. I know that some people either do not care what others think or they have enough self confidence they are totally themselves.

I feel that often when I go out in public I am acting. Other words in some way I try to be someone I am not; however, I could be that person in public more than I realize. I believe it is important that we become more real with other people. I believe people will actually like us more than we think. We all have a dark side and trying to be as nice as possible is not real. Being more real maybe our good side will come out as well.

I am not saying we have to be vulnerable all the time because if we did then we would not be liked very much. I am not saying this to be negative the fact is that we need to feel positive at times. No one likes people that are always what I would call grouchy.

Have a great day and be real. Let people know the real you as much as you can. OK to be funny as well as long as it is part of you. 

Family

If you have read my blog here for some time you know how important family is for me. Growing up was not always easy for me. I would say this is true for all of us; however, my family being so close helped me through those times. Unfortunately not everyone can say the same thing.

The thing about family they define you whether positive or negative. Also, you can say the same thing about the area you live in as well. For instance, school can be a positive or negative experience as well. I would say for me there was a mix of both. I would say more on the negative side when I was going through it but now I think some of those experiences made me a much stronger person.  I am not totally free of some things. It is amazing how many years later some things still hold onto you.

One area I had trouble with when I was young and entering school my parents found out that I had a hearing problem. It turned out that I had wax in my ears so it was taken care of; however, I had a problem reading until I got into high school. My parents got me a subscription to Sports Illustrated because they knew I was interested in sports, and they hoped reading Sports Illustrated would get me interested in reading and improve my reading skills. Until I reached high school I was always behind my grade level in reading. My parents wanted to be sure I could improve my reading so I took a speed reading class during the summer between 9^th and 10^th grade. I was the only one in the class, and it was for three weeks. In that time I raised my reading level which was at elementary school level up to my high school level. As you can imagine it was a success. The last time I was tested for reading I was at the junior year of college. I can say I do enjoy reading to some degree though not at the same as most of my family does. I consider it a success to be able to write this blog as well.

I think it is too bad that not everyone is as blessed as I have been with a good family. My family is not perfect by any means but I am thankful for each one of them. We are all made up of good and bad things. I feel sad that there are those who have to deal with domestic violence in their family. It can have scars for people the rest of their live. If you are someone who has gone through the domestic violence experience I recommend that you find some counseling or someone who can speak into your life. In fact, it would be very good to find someone who has gone through similar experience.

I will continue to write about family in the future. In my opinion there is nothing like having a healthy family. If you are dealing with problems in your family please get help. I am no expert but I hope to be able to help others even if it is only one person.

Championship Football

On Saturday night January 10 the Seattle Seahawks had their first playoff game against the Carolina Panthers who beat the Arizona Cardinals the previous week. The Seahawks beat the Panthers 31-17. Again the Seahawks defense made major plays to win the game. Russell Wilson had another fine game at quarterback. He threw for three touchdowns in the game. The big factor on defense was safety Cam Chancellor who intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. The score at the time was 21-10. Most likely the Seahawks would have won the game anyway even if the Panthers had scored. After that they did score a touchdown but it was too late and the Seahawks kicked a field goal as well.

What made the game very impressive was that running back Marshawn Lynch did not play a very good. He was no factor in the game, but Russell Wilson and the passing game made up for it. What always makes the Seahawks good is if one player is not doing well other players make up for it. I expect on this coming Sunday Marshawn Lynch will be back to his usual self and make it hard on the Packers. Another thing is that the Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is hurt; however, he likely will play. The Seahawks will concentrate on stopping the Packers running game which will make them one dimensional; hard to beat the Seahawks when you are one dimensional.

On Monday night January 12 the Ohio State Buckeyes beat the Oregon Ducks in the college football championship 42+20. Like the score shows the Buckeyes dominated the whole game despite the fact they had several turnovers in the game; however, the Ducks were unable to take advantage of the turnovers.

I really had neither team to root for in the game. Being a University Washington Husky fan I had mix emotions about the game. Do you root for a team in your league like the Oregon Ducks who many consider a rivalry or for the opposition in the Ohio State Buckeyes? I am sure some Husky fans rooted for the Ducks and others for the Buckeyes. Personally I wanted to see a good game. It would have been nice if the score was closer.

On another personal note though I enjoyed watching Ezekiel Elliott as the primary running back for the Buckeyes; why do you ask? He is from St. Louis, Missouri and graduated from high school at John Burroughs with my nephew Danny. So it is always nice to know someone who is playing in the game though it is as a third party. I never have met him though I was at Danny’s high school graduation when they graduated together. When Ezekiel was getting his high school diploma my brother pointed him out, and let me know that he was going to Ohio State as a running back. I had no idea that he would become the Buckeyes featured back as a sophomore. He ran for over two hundred yards against the Ducks and scored four touchdowns. I would say he is very good. Look forward to see him play more football in the future. It would be really nice if he got drafted by the Seahawks after his career is over at Ohio State.

Now that college football season is over can concentrate in watching the remaining NFL season. The Seahawks are favored to go back to the Super Bowl and win. It would be the first time a team would repeat since the New England Patriots in ten years. It would be nice to face the Patriots in the Super Bowl. 

Being Faithful

In this time I would say it can be difficult to find a lot of faithful people. There are many who are faithful to some degree because they have to be. For example, I would say most are faithful concerning their job. If you are not then likely you will not keep your job, and most do not want to lose their job.

In many other areas though people are not as faithful; sometimes people will not show up to help someone they say they will. The faithful people are known to be ones who say yes and mean it. I am not sure why I am writing about being faithful; however, I think it is important that we have more faithful people. It is not always easy to be known as a faithful person; sometimes others will take advantage of your faithfulness. They expect that under any circumstance you will help them out. Being a faithful person you generally want to please other people; however, you need to realize that sometimes it is OK to say no. If they are a true friend then they will understand. If not then do you really want to be their friend? If you are spending a lot of time helping others which is a good thing it is important to have some free time as well. Also, if you have a family you must make them a priority even though what you are doing is a good thing. In fact, it is a good idea to have your family involved in your good deeds. It is important as well to realize why you are doing these things. They maybe good things to do but not always good for you; I just realize that it is important to find other faithful people who can help out and make the load lighter.

I think I could go on and on about this but I think you likely have the point. If you are not known to be a faithful person it is rewarding to become one. Others will appreciate it though they may not say so. I can say this can be part of your adventure of the year. 

Growing Up Today

With shooting in Paris, France the other day, and now two hostages situations in the same area makes me think again the world our children or grandchildren are growing up in.

When I was growing up I did not think much about the safety going on around me. I had difficult times though I had really good parents. They were not perfect by any means; however, they gave me every opportunity to have a good life. Now it seems to be hard to stay safe. I was able to pretty much do anything that I wanted that was not illegal, and be safe. I did have to deal with bullies that I have mentioned before but I was handle things.

My parents not only taught me right from wrong but they choose a neighborhood for me to live in that was pretty safe. In fact, I would say even today is generally safe. Now though we cannot protect the children in the same way. What is happening in the world now something can happen in any neighborhood. Someone crazy in the area or who comes into the area can start shooting. Not only are all our children not totally protected neither are we. I know that some people carry guns for protection but will that protect us from anyone who starts shooting away. We would be able to defend ourselves as long as we are not hit first. The best thing we can do is stay alert at all times.

Another thing we can do is live a life of purpose, goals, adventure, faith and love. We can be people that set examples for others. Also, for those who are older to be mentors to the younger generation. We can actually be mentors to one another as well. We can learn about being good citizens, and good parents. We can teach the younger people they are loved and they have purpose to life. In our world today many of the children are from families that are divided. We can be mothers and fathers to those who need one. Hopefully we can make the world a better place. Since so many are going toward evil those who know good need to be live it. So many groups are finding young people to corrupt our turn to the opposite. Though not perfect maybe we can make the world a better place. 

The Big Unit and the Hall of Fame

I have to congratulate Randy Johnson who pitched for the Seattle Mariners for ten years and this week was voted into baseball’s Hall of Fame.

He was one of the best left handed pitchers who ever pitched in the major leagues. Also, he is struck out more batters than most other pitchers. If you are unaware of him or his nickname he was called the Big Unit because of his size. He is 6’10” and was a very intimidating pitcher. He is the first player who played at least ten years for the Mariners to be voted into the Hall of Fame. Next year Ken Griffey Junior or known as Junior will be eligible for the Hall of Fame as well and likely will be voted in as well.

The Big Unit and Junior were two of several players who helped the Mariners to finally make it into the playoffs for the first time in 1995. It was a magical year for the Mariners who in August of 1995 were far behind the Los Angles Angels and had to fight back to make the playoffs. Actually they had to play a one game playoff with the Angels to make the playoffs. The season ended in a tie between the Mariners and the Angels. If you are a Mariner fan back in those days you will never forget that season. The only thing that will make a Mariner fan better will actually get into a World Series. The Mariners have never played in the World Series.

Though I am a Seahawk fan and I really enjoyed them winning the Super Bowl last February for me there will be nothing like the Mariners to get into the World Series, and a bonus in winning it. Baseball has been my favorite sport since I was a young kid. It included buying and trading baseball cards.

Rainy Days and January Plus Flooding

So far the winter has been pretty much mild as far as temperatures go. Mainly it has been the upper 40s and 50s. Most years it is in the 30s and 40s. Also, we have only had one snow fall back in November. It was only about an inch so only lasted one day.

January started out with a good rainfall along with some flooding in places. Gig Harbor does not get much flooding. It may occur in some individual homes or neighborhoods. Sometimes the roads will get a lot of water on them. Most of the flooding happens either north of Seattle or south of Olympia. If you are not familiar with Olympia it is the capital of Washington State. It takes about forty-five minutes drive to from Gig Harbor depending on the traffic. A lot of times traffic will slow down around near Ft. Lewis and McCord. The state is looking at improving the interstate around the area to help ease traffic.

The flooding usually happens around the areas that have a lot of rivers. People are quite used to it since it happens several times every year. Hoquiam and Aberdeen which are twin cities going toward the coast had flooding along with landslides. It was quite interesting to see pictures of what happened.

2014 the weather department said that Washington State had higher rainfall than usual; at least ten inches more than normal. I found it as a surprise because the year felt like a lot of times where the sun was out more. I thought this way because of my walking. I believe it rained more than usual because when the rained happened it was a lot harder. Most of the time around here it does not rain very hard though it does rain often.

I am not sure whether it is global warming or whatever, the weather here is a lot milder than when I was growing up. The mountains do not have as much snow, or at least takes longer to come now than I remember. The skiing is not happening as longer as it used to do. It is tough on the ski passes and those who work at them. Of course, those who like to ski do not have as long a season.

When I was in junior high I always walked home from school. It was not more than maybe a mile and a half to get home. In the winter I was always prepared for the rain or the snow. My mother would leave me off at the school on her way into Tacoma. She taught French and German at Wilson High School. Also, she was the girls swim coach. She had a very good team. The swimming program was really good in Tacoma. Several swimmers went onto swim in the Olympics. I did ride the bus to school in both elementary and high school. So I was prepared to for rain and snow at the bus stop. In elementary school I waited just outside of our yard, however, I did have to walk a little distance to catch the bus in high school. Sometimes my dad would leave my brother Jack and I off at the elementary school. It was on the way to work for him too.

I can really say those were the days. I was not a big fan of school but I did enjoy recess and playing sports at school. Gig Harbor being a small town it was easy to know everyone. It is still a small town though it is larger than in those days. 

Seahawks versus Panthers

The Seattle Seahawks play their first playoff game of this season on this coming Saturday night on NBC. Both teams are familiar with each other since they played early in the season in Carolina.

The Seahawks are a large favorite over the Panthers. The experts or odd-makers are predicting at least an eleven point win by the Seahawks. The primarily reasons is that the Seahawks are playing at home, and the Panthers do not play well in the playoffs.

I see this game either will be very close or a blow out depending on the Seahawks offense and the Panthers defense. It will be a close game if the scoring is low, however, it will be a blow out for the Seahawks if they score a lot of points. My prediction is the Seahawks will beat the Seahawks 21-10. I see the game will be close until the fourth quarter when the Seahawks will pull away. If you see many of the games the Seahawks have played this season they have dominated the fourth quarter. What they do is wear out the opposition in the first three quarters of the game.

Like many of the games the key on offense will the running of Marshawn Lynch and the quarterbacking of Russell Lynch. For the Panthers to win they will need to begin the game running the ball successful so they can open up the passing game. The Seahawks have a very good defensive line along with their defensive backs. The key to their defense likely will be the linebackers who generally play very good ball as well.  They are good at stopping the run as well as the passing game.

What makes the Seahawks a successful team during the playoffs as well as the regular season is their attitude. They play every game as though it a championship game regardless of how good or bad the team they are playing against. So for the Panthers to win they will need to be at the top of their game and hope the Seahawks are not. Good luck to both teams and as it is said let the best team win.

Living a Life of Adventure

My last writing for the beginning of 2015 would be to live a life of adventure. I believe it begins with an attitude adjustment. It could be how I see other people or how I see myself or both.

Our adventure could be just making subtle adjustments. It could be a friend to those who have not been too friendly to us. We could smile at someone who has a frown on their face. It could be a co-worker who irritates us each time we run into them. Instead of irritating us we just make a joke out of it.

When I was twelve years old our family took a trip the whole summer across Canada and into eastern United States. We left the day after school got out and returned a couple weeks before school started again for the new school year. I could say it was a trip and adventure I have never forgotten. I am sure most people have never been on a trip like it. I have only been back to Montreal, Ottawa, and Boston a couple times since that eventful trip. Someday I would like to visit all those places once again. I certainly would call it an adventure as well. I sure wish there was a time machine I could go back in time. I wrote about the trip back in November of 2013. I wrote three different blogs about the trip. So if you would like you can go back into the archives to read about the trip; they titled about the three musketeers. That is what I called my two brothers and me.

The thing about going on an adventure is that we know that there will be obstacles as well. The important thing is how we will handle those obstacles. We know how we have handled obstacles in the past whether good or bad. The good thing about being on this adventure is to handle the obstacles in a different manner. It could be that we just laugh about the obstacles. The adventure could be that we add humor to everything we do. Also, we could look and see what is going all around us. Maybe we have never done that before.

Any way I look forward to the adventure I call 2015. I hope that you enjoy your adventure of the year to the fullest in whatever manner you do it. 

2015 Year of Adventure

At this time a year ago I wrote about having change instead of a New Year’s Resolution because they usually end in a matter of weeks. Another way you could say setting priorities or goals. We can start at the beginning of the year with goals and at the end of the year see how we did. I have mentioned that change does not come overnight it can take time, and it can actually be a lifelong experience. The important thing is never to abandoned and give up.

This year I figure we should look at being on an adventure; whether we are on one the whole year or have a new adventure every day. The adventure can be fantasy, reality, or both. If you are ready a book, seeing your favorite television show or movie you can see it as a fantasy adventure. Reality would be your everyday life. You can see things in a new way would be called an adventure. Also, when you go on vacation you can go back to a place you have been before or to some place you have always wanted to go.

When we were children our lives always seemed to be an adventure whether good or bad. Also, for our parents you could call it an adventure as well. Those who have been at a job for a long time can say they are living as a routine. Maybe it is time to change the routine. It could be doing things a little different or going home from work taking other routes home. This is really true for those who drive in very heavy traffic.

If you have started a new job or moved than you can call it an adventure as well. We really do need to make change in our lives. We can discuss it with our family to see what we can do much differently. Not only the adventure for ourselves but those around us as well. The most important thing is to make the adventure fun. At the end of each week we can see or think how the adventure really went and if we want to make some additional changes to the adventure.

Often our lives can be boring besides being routine so adventure can spice up our lives. There other ways we can go about change as well. Maybe go out and get a new wardrobe or a different hairstyle. Also, we could do things differently after work or on the weekends. I know that change can be difficult to handle but it would help us on this adventure.

Remember that this life is only lived once so let’s do it the best we can. Enjoy 2015 the year of adventure. 

College Bowl Games

Tis the season for college football bowl games. Today they start the new College football championship series with the top four teams. The Oregon Ducks will face Florida State in the Rose Bowl, and Alabama vs. Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. The winners of the two games will face each other in two weeks for the national championship.

There are other bowl games happening today as well as tomorrow. My beloved University of Washington Huskies plays Oklahoma State in the Cactus Bowl tomorrow night. If you never heard of it neither have I; actually it had another name until this year. I am not sure what it was but it does not matter.

One thing for sure is that there are more bowl games now than I remember in the past. If you’re favorite school is in one of the games it is great otherwise I am sure most people do not care. I guess people do watch them because the games would not be on television, and the advertiser’s like it. Of course, ESPN who have most of the games like it too. Many advertiser’s have their name part of the bowl game as well. For instance, this morning there is the Outback Bowl; has to do with the restaurant. With the name you would think it was being played in Australia.

When I was a kid I would know the games played on New Year’s and who likely would play in them. I would always watch the Rose Bowl in the afternoon and the Orange Bowl in the evening. Depending on what was going on with the family I may watch some of the Cotton Bowl and Sugar Bowl in the morning. Now everything is mixed up. Almost any team can play in those bowl games. The Rose Bowl was always the champion of the Pac-8 at that time, and the champion of the Big Ten. There were several really great games between USC and Michigan or Ohio State. My beloved Huskies made it to the Rose Bowl several times as well.

Now of course those days are gone. If the Huskies play in the Rose Bowl it will likely be in the Championship Series. It was sort of nice to debate on who was the champion. Personally I would want to have eight teams go for the championship. Six of the eight teams would be the champions of the six major conferences along with two wild teams. This would allow maybe a team like Boise State is in the series. The first four games would be played the Saturday before Christmas. They would play two games like now on New Year’s and the final championship two weeks later. If this happens it is a few years away. The most important thing is to enjoy our football. This weekend the NFL starts their playoffs as well.

So have a Happy New Year, enjoy your family, friends, and football. Of course, if you are not into football you can enjoy basketball, or hockey.