Christmas presence and other goodies like links and not of the sausage variety

There is lots to talk about and I have no idea where to begin, so if it seems like I am all kind of disjointed, it is because I am.

I would start by talking about the fantasy hockey team, but after another 2-7-1 week, I would rather not.  I just console myself with the fact that the season has barely passed the quarter pole, lot of games left to make up ground, and make up ground I shall.

Football is going much better.  With one week left in the regular season, my 9-4 record is guaranteed a playoff spot, with the most outsidest of chances of finishing with the #1 seed.  The standings going into the last week are....(team name, record, points scored)

1. Georgia Sucks, 10-3, 1111

2. Youngstown Stooges, 10-3, 1059

3. Argonauts, 9-4, 1036

4. D bags, 9-4, 1007

(I am in bold, and points scored are the first tiebreaker)

Since I can finish no lower than 4th place heading into the playoffs, and the last week I play the Youngstown Stooges, here is a quick breadown on all of my playoff possibilities.

I could be the #1 seed if I a) win in week 13 and Georgia Sucks loses and I outscore Youngtown Stooges by 23 and outscore Georgia Sucks by 75 and either a  D bags loss or a D Bags win but does not outscore me by 29,

I could be the #2 seed if a) a win by 23 or more versus Youngstown or a win by less than 23 over Youngstown and a loss by Georgia Sucks and I outscore him by 75 points and either a loss by D Bags or a win by D bags and he doesn't outscore me by 29

I could be the #3 seed with a) a win over Youngstown by less than 23 and either a loss by D Bags or a win by D bags and he doesn't outscore me by by 29 or b) a loss by myself and D Bags where he doesn't outscore me by 29

I could be the #4 seed if basically my team just sucks ass the last week of the season (hows that for astute analysis?).

Confusing enough?  That is only one week, I will be happy just to get a playoff opponernt already and be done with it.

Sorry, I am noshing on a cheesesteak and fries here.  Cheesesteaks do a body good.  Actually, I think I deserve it, I just bought a pedomter the other day and the el chepo dollar store for .59 and found out that today, being just a typical day, I still logged over a mile of just walking.  I can just imagine taking that thing with me on some of my longer journeys.

Heads up, I am watching the news and they are talking about a local woman who worked in a doctor's office and then would post information about the patients on her myspace page. I keep telling you, the government isn't Big Brother, it's your fucking neighbor you have to worry about.

Okay, let's get back to regularly scheduled blogging shall we.  One more note on my fantasy football team.  Since my game last week technically started on Thursday, I was left with a dilemna about who to play at one of my wide receiver spots, Steve Breaston from Arizona, who was playing Thursday night against Philadelphia, or do I pass on him and play Wes Welker Sunday against the Steelers.  After much consternation, and hearing a defensive back, Asanti Samuel, was out for Philly, I chose Breaston and he did okay, almost 60 yards receiving and a touchdown.  As for Welker, well he got jacked up.  Yes, it looks like I got one right.

The cost cutting continues unabated at work.  Our First Friday parties, which used to be the first Friday of every month, but were to be cut back to 4 times a year, have in fact, only taken place once this year.  Our Christmas party, which used to be held prior to the holiday at cool places like Dave & Busters was moved to late January last year to save on costs for reserving a place and now is not taking place at all.  Instead everyone is getting an additional vacation day on Dec 26th, even though no one will be doing any business that day anyway, as Christmas is on a Thursday this year, so no business will be done by most people till the following Monday.  The additional vacation day is even better for me, as I am already off that day having requested it as a vacation day before the mandate from on high.  Because we have to use all of our vacation time by the end of the year or lose it, it is just another vacation day I will lose.

Work hasn't been all bad however.  In fact it has ben quite good in some regards, those being that some people actually miss me.  Yeah, I know, surprised me too, but Lynn received an email a little while ago which she forwarded to me, and while I won't post the thing in its entirity for privacy reasons, I will post the part that made Lynn send it to me in the first place.

 Well, it was a long road and frankly I'm ready to get
 on with our lives sans politics every hour on the hour.(NPR)
 We can only hope that you will be soon sending a group
 letter to let us know where we can catch the new Lynn Cullen
 Show. 
 I hope that you've kept in touch with Matt Pritt, he
 was a natural sounding board for you, there were times (of
 course) when I disagreed with prevailing opinion and just
 about the time I was ready to throw a shoe at the radio Matt
 would chime in with my opinion. They were great times that
 we shared and I sincerely hope for a new show soon.

As if that wouldn't be enough of an ego boost (and trust me it was), one of the stations former listeners, Ladonna, called Sunday while I was producving Scott's show to make sure I was okay.  Mind you, Ladonna has been listening, not necessarily to me specifically, but knew of my presence at the station since way back when I was working with Jerry Bowyer some 8 years ago and wanted to make sure that despite the changes at the station, I had landed somewhat on my feet.  It is stuff like that that tells me my Christmas is set, there is little else others could get me that would be nearly as meaningful.  So all jokes about this years list aside, it is going to be a good Christmas regardless of what happens.

Before I forget, tomorrow is Rich's birthday, so stop by his page to wish him well in his old age.

I am continuing to drop in more soda caps where I can.  I did reach the magical 100 I needed in Coke points for the free month of Pogo, and the magical number of 90 points in Pepsi to send the DVD out that I wanted to as well. Pepsi should be closing up their giveaway at the end of this month, so if I want anything else from them, I better get to dumpster diving, while Coke has said they will continue through next year at least, but the free Pogo stuff will end at the end of December.

It looks like the Penguins game will be on Yahoo Sports tonight, so I will have something to watch while I am here at the computer.  I will try my damnedest not to let this turn into a glog if I am still typing when the game begins.

While I am talking about Pittsburgh sports, hats off to this week's Asshat winner, the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Ever one to do things on the cheap, like claiming that they are building for the future, only to then take the little talent that does develop and sell it off for more prospects on an almost annual basis, the Pirates went out and signed two prospects, Dinesh Patel and Rinku Singh.  What makes these two prospects different than most is two things, one being that they are from India and two being that they have never played baseball in their lives,  rather they were contestents in a reality show in India, Million Dollar Arm, where contestants were to compete to see how many fastballs they could throw at 85 mph or more for strikes.  Of course, the Pirates couldn't even sign the winner of that competition, instead they got two of the runners up.  It is more gimmickry instead of actual talent evaluation on part of the Pirates and another reason why we can expect losing season #17 in a row coming soon to a ballpark near you, and it is also why the Pittsburgh Pirates are this week's Asshat.

If I stop now, I just might sneak in the hockey game, so I think I shall.  Nite all.