Tuesday...UPDATED

UPDATE...For those who read here earlier, I got my numbers mixed up: I had 2 in NYC, not 3.  Sorry for the math error!

This is just a quick-hitter before heading out for a run with 2 and The Winniferous.

3 said that her first day on the new job was good.  Details may be following?  What I can say is that for all those progressives out there who want to control those greedy bankers on Wall Street, be careful of who you speak.  3's business address is now spot-on the target location.

I've concluded that one of the characteristics of my job that makes it something-less-than-fulfilling at times is the lack of finality to so many of my tasks.  A file never seems to be "done".  For instance, my big tax clients just go from one extension to the next, then year end planning, and then data-acquisition for the next extension. 

I guess all jobs deal with that to an extent, but it seems like I have that as the norm.  And it's not a "New Normal".  It's been going on for, dare I say, decades?  I know, that why I make the "big" money.  Tell that to my bank account.

More later.

Now later...Just a brief recognition for the two girls with whom I spent time earlier this evening.  Monday was the 1 year anniversary of 2 bringing The Winniferous home to guard her house.  As they say, life hasn't been the same ever since!  2 is Daughter of the Day and The W is 4000 Days' first Canine of the Day.  (I can't believe I just said that!)

And finally, totally at random, I was in a conversation the other day at coffee about first airplane rides.  Mine was freshman year at ND with the USAF ROTC which arranged for an airplane to take a few of the cadets to the ND - Navy game in Philly.  We rode like parachutists in a WW II vintage C-47.  Maybe I'm lucky to be doing those endless tax returns!

BCOT

Monday

Here's early recognition for 3 as Daughter of the Day!  She starts the next phase of A Life Called Mary with her new job in NYC today.  Be a star, Kiddo!  You already are in my book.

BCOT...in The Concrete Jungle!

Sunday

Looks like a decent day here after another rainy Saturday.  The marathoners had almost perfect conditions this AM: temps in the high 40's; no humidity; no wind.  Even for the four-hour folks.

Here's a little recognition for my pal Cal who completed the half in just over two hours.  He's a good athlete, but it amazes me how well he does when he really can't train consistently.  He's registered for Chicago.  Hmmm.

And as long as I was there with the camera, I snapped one of my pal Tim who owns the company that handles the on-line registration and the timing system.  He looks very official, eh?

They had big participation in the event.  My on-course vantage point was at about the 2-mile mark as everyone came across the I-74 bridge into Iowa.  Runners mostly had to call out to me as the mass hadn't really thinned out and it was impossible to pick out faces.  Like many of these mid-level marathons, they do the half, a 5K, as well as various relays.  The paper even had some pics from last nights' Micro Marathon for kids.  And they had a good finishline organization for runners and fans.  Kudos to all.

Just fielded an unexpected call from my pal Doug in DM wanting to have me join him and two others for the Penn State game next Saturday night in IC. If I wasn't otherwise scheduled, it would have been a great option.  He loses out to 1.01!

The new Home Page pic is from Grayhawk in Scottsdale.

More later.

BCOT

Friday

It's The Galibier Day for LtPC!


Unrelated:  3 has a new post from The Big Apple!  Yeah!

Thursday

Welcome to Fall!  I looked again at the Wikipedia explanation for the Autmnal Equinox and it lost me after the second sentence.  I missed the official welcoming yesterday due to an evening visit to Muscatine.

I have noticed several times in recent days (by referring to my 2009 calendar on my Memory Wall in the basement) that this is the week that 2 and I spent in Italy last year.  Actually, today and tomorrow are the days that we drove to Briancon, France.  I rode the lower mountain, Latourette, a year ago today.  And had my epic ride up both Latourette and Le Galibier on the 24th.  It doesn't feel like yesterday, but those days were so eventful that I remember many small details.

Now one of the interesting positives of no such trip this year is that I am at least a couple of weeks ahead of my training for the TT.  I didn't get started running last year until nearly the first of October.  Since The Winniferous and I did our first long walk-runs earlier this month, I've been out 3-4 days per week, including tonight.  I've extended my regular route by about a mile from last year.  Without question, the degree of difficulty is a notch above 2009.  Notice any similarities in the pics that are exactly one year apart?

We had dueling high school Homecoming parades in Bettendorf tonight.  Both PV and Bettendorf hosted separate events at the same times just a few blocks apart.  I'm guessing that for the city police force it was "All hands on deck!"  Games tomorrow and dances Saturday. 

The QC Marathon is Sunday.  My pal Cal is doing the half.

Hope its a good TGIF for the peanut gallery.

BCOT

Tuesday

The rains came and washed out the Tuesday Trot of LtPC, 2 and The Winniferous.  Maybe tomorrow.

OK.  This is just too easy.  I mean, why wouldn't an upscale university with pretty good street cred adopt a new logo with an emphasis on a "D+"?  I'm guessing that they paid an ad firm for the idea.  And I'm equally sure that it got a green light from the Board of Directors.  Can it get past the whole group of eggheads that a D+ might have a different meaning to prospective college students?

Do they have a Marketing major option in the Drake business school?  Can you say, "Case study?"

Then there's the equally smirky yucks out there (for quite a few folks not drinking the cool aid) of the national Democatic Party's new logo.  Again, some people in responsible positions are coming up with these creations.  And getting paid for it.  By intelligent people?

Did everyone see the video of the Cubs' Tyler Colvin getting struck by the pointed end of a broken bat over the weekend?  It didn't get a lot of play on SportsCenter in competition with all of the football stories (and the fact that the Cubs are a million games back in the standings).  Pretty ugly stuff.  Some of the articles talk about the maple wood bats being more dangerous than the ash bats that used to be the only wood used for baseball.  And the comparison to aluminum bats is a whole other debate.  Talk about PED's being a problem.

And this is something that I didn't know:  the conversion to maple bats has been because of the ash blight in the country's forests.  I guess everything is related.

3 has reports of moderate sanity in The Big Apple.  I am assured that specifics will follow.

Make Wednesday a good one.

BCOT

Monday

The weekend was a bit of wine and football.  Neither of which is especially conducive to blogging.

So the designated Erin-wanna-be for ESPN these days is a little cheerleader-typy from Florida by the name of Jenn Brown.  I'm thinking that the ABC- ESPN brain-trust figured out that the Erin formula worked so why not keep the pipeline primed?  I have no problem with the logic or the implementation of it (although It Girl 2 will struggle to fill that roll, I think).


But the purpose for my observation is not about the new girl as much as it is about the Political Correctness action that entered into the scenario last week.  It seems Ms. Brown had been recently selected by Coors (with an OK by ESPN) to be the spokesperson for their Icehouse Beer ad campaign.  Then word got out and that same brain-trust figured out that the math (beer + pretty girl + NCAA + rightous writers = bad press) was not so easy to dismiss.  So Ms. Brown won't be in any catchy commercial for Icehouse.

I get it.  But there are so many two-faced aspects to the result that make you want to tell all the PC dunderheads to go join the foreign legion if they want to stay in the dark.  Uh, college kids drink beer.  They will continue to do so regardless of the models in the ads.  (As a matter of fact, given her regular job, they'd probably keep more clothes on Ms. Brown than they would an annonymous girl.)  But we all know how important it is to be PC.

BTW, in a related debate, I vote for a national repeal of the drinking age.  I don't know what the statistics are, but I'm betting that texting/smart phone use is rushing up the charts against alcohol for the cause of traffic accidents.  Among other things too, the police blotter records for many D-1 programs would probably improve by getting those nasty little possession arrests off the records.

Then you have the absolute pinheads who suggest that reporters should not be allowed to endorse any commercial products for fear of losing their objectivity! I don't know where to start with that one.

Lest anyone think that the Big O's starring role today on the CNBC presentation of Today I Love Wall Street was anything but a bow down by the lap dogs at GE, play it back on your DVR, delete anything that he might have said before, and listen to the crickets.

I'm off for my Monday evening run with The Winniferous while 2 is at class.  Have a great night.

BCOT

Friday

Just a few lines today in anticipation of the weekend.

Enjoyed 1's Comment yesterday.  Looking forward to the entry from  3.

Lots of angst surrounding the Hawks visit to the desert.  The time change.  The heat.  The Defensive Coordinator not being with the team.  Playing a rated team on the road.  Iowa favored by 1 and 1/2.  I'm a believer.  Screw the ESPN Game Day hacks.  Hawks win by 5.

The Irish go to East Lansing with Sparty favored by 2 an 1/2.  Take State.  They win by 10.

As an all-access blog, the 'Clones giving 5 and 1/2 at K-State.  KSU covers.

No big plans here for the weekend.  They're saying rain tomorrow which will determine my activities.  Really need to get the deck done.

Have a great weekend.

BCOT

Thursday

Thursday nights really do feel like the start of the weekend.  Especially with the local high school football game at Brady Stadium and the played-for-TV games on ESPN.

My RCL came through yesterday for her first cleaning after the replacement of my kitchen vinyl and the basement carpet.  I'm thinking that the upgrades actually make her job easier, particularly the kitchen where the old stuff was just impossible to make clean.  And I raised her fee almost 10%.  Where does that compute?

I received a letter this week from my ND graduating class president as the first volley across the bow for our 40th reunion to be held on campus next June.  The letter was co-signed by some guy (whose name I have not previously heard of) who is the designated Class of 1971 Gift Chairman.  So the letter was basically a money grab for the class "to unite and collectively give a substantial gift to the University".  The likelihood of me making the reunion is South of zero.

I'm seriously considering responding to this letter with a suggestion that they come up with a different idea for the "Reluctant Domers" in the class who still retch at the recollection of Father Jenkins inviting, then welcoming and embracing the Big O as the speaker at last year's commencement.  (I continue to write occasionally to Father Jenkins reminding him of his deceit.  I've never received a reply.  Shock.)

So what's the view from the peanut gallery on Derek Jeter's act last night on his non-hit-by-pitch performance?  I'm ok with it.  In contrast to golf, baseball is a lot like NASCAR and the NFL; if you can get away with it, it's ok. But the make-up can be painful.  They do play Tampa Bay again.  Look for him to get plunked in the ribs with a heater.  Kind of like NASCAR.  It may not be the next race or game.  Maybe not even this year.  But these things are not forgotten.

Now headed out for a training run with 2 and The Winniferous (I think).  The TT is now officially on the training schedule.

Hey 3!  What's new in The Big Apple?

BCOT

Wednesday

This has been another one of those "Due Date" days that makes the life of a tax CPA a little more interesting than say, an actuary.  All extended 2009 calendar year business, partnership and trust returns have their Come to Jesus moment today.  Hallelujah!!  (Of course, there's a repeat performance next month for the 2009 individual returns, but that's weeks away!)

I've been looking for an entry from 3 to detail any news that might be of note out in The Big Apple. 

The coffee group had a brief discussion the other morning about, for lack of a better term, "greeters" on the bike path or side walk.  As in the Seinfeld-esque question, "Are you a greeter, or not a greeter?"  Personally, I'm a greeter (although not always, especially if someone works real hard to avoid eye-contact). If you spend a lot of time on the well-travelled by-ways, you get a sense of the greeter/non-greeter characters.

Here are my assessments of the greeting status of various demographics from the LT's perspective.  (I think that response varies depending on age, sex, appearance and various other factors of both the greeter and the greetee.)

1.  Retirees; Generally pleasant greeters.  Especially if walking their dogs.
2.  GenX and Yuppie male runners with headphones; not-so-much.
3.  GenX and Yuppie female runners with headphones; less than their male counter-parts.
4.  Indian/Pakistani couples; not-so-much.
5.  Alpha male bikers; lower quartile.
6.  Solo female walkers age 30+; smiley nod, if spoken to.
7.  Teens; rarely out there.
8.  Tweens: I generally try to avoid them.
9.  bcbison; will greet a scarecrow in the dark.
10.Everybody else; will nod or wave if absolutely forced to.

The Home Page decor has been changed to a more traditional presentation.  I thought that 3 and 4 deserved a little love from the Tigerhawk after last weekend's success.  The question is, can they perform at night in the desert?

Have a great evenng.

BCOT

Sunday

Can't say that I was so busy this weekend that I didn't have time to blog.  But there was some blogger's-block going on.  Then there was that small plate of bad shrimp from a post-Biaggi's party on Friday...and The Winniferous' visit today.  Whatever.

Congrats to the Hawk fans in the peanut gallery.  I was a little surprised at the mis-match...and I lost my bet.  On the other hand (there's that song again!), the ND outcome wasn't all that shocking...and I won the Under bet.  The Michigan QB is quite the deal.

They had to get a new color-guy in the booth for the ND games on NBC.  Pat Hayden had been doing it for several years, but his appointment as the new AD at USC created a vacancy next to Tommy Hammond.  There was speculation that former ND quarterback (and LtPC classmate) Joe Theismann might get the job, but they gave it to a guy named Mike Mayock from the NFL Network.  I didn't think he did too bad of a job on Saturday. 

Congrats to 1 and 1.1 for getting through their 20-miler yesterday.  Three weeks to the TC marathon.

I have a busy couple of days ahead of me.  September 15th is the drop-dead extension date for 2009 corporate, partnership and trust returns.  I have a few to get out the door.

Sorry again for the lack of creativity.  Maybe new ideas will be in the air this week.  Make it a good one.

BCOT

Friday AM

UPDATE:  Hey to 3 in Vegas!!! for the Garth concert.  Double suite!!!

My evening last night was a nice little 25+ mile ride over to the Illinois side to Port Byron with my pal Terry.  We met his much-better-half Linda at It's On The River for cool ones and sandwiches on the patio.  Very suite.

Terry's a much better rider than me, and it took him a while to figure out that it was not my goal to set a land speed record on our ride.  He's been riding quite a bit and has a higher base pace than me.  Once he throttled it back, it was a good workout for me, not a killer.  He needs to ride with @bcbison.

I'm not a big fan of the Illinois bike path in the Rock Island - Moline city limits.  Lots of turns, driveways/streets, and walkers.  On the other hand (Is that a country song?), the country roads on the Illinois side are generally better for bikers as there's less traffic and the pavement seems to be better-maintained. 

No big weekend plans at this end.  Iowa - Iowa State in IC tomorrow.  Iowa by 13?  I'm taking the 'Clones and the points.  ND by 4 at home over Michigan.  Over/Under at 53.  I'm thinking the Under.

SRH is headed North to look in on 1.01 as 1 is scheduled to do a 20-miler on Saturday.  1.1 too, maybe.  I may get The Winniferous tomorrow for my own training run/walk...of 3-4 miles.  We all do what we can do.  Some just quite a bit less than others!

Maybe some more later.

BCOT

Wednesday

4 headed back to Lincoln.  Daughter of the Day.  You'd think her parents could find her a pair of jeans without holes!

Looks like a great day here.  If things work according to plan, I'll get down to Muskie for 9 holes and dinner at Geneva.

BCOT

Tuesday

Here is the photo-history of our venture over to The Airliner in Iowa City tonight.  Popcorn appetizer.  Large 1/2 Hawaiian -1/2 Pepperoni Tomato.  Suite.

BCOT

Monday

Sorry to have been off line for the weekend.  No excuses.

I've enjoyed the return of college football.  While the ND - Purdue game and tonight's Boise - Va Tech game are among equals, most of the BCS schools play lesser teams the first week, and the scores get a little one-sided.  They're called "money" games for the lesser schools as the fee that they receive to play from the BCS teams might meet their whole athletic budget for the year.  I call the teams generically, Directional U, as many of the schools are Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern or Middle State.

Modified fff here last night with 2 and 4 over for BBQ.  Hard to beat steaks and steamed veggies on the grill.  There may be a visit to The Airliner in IC tomorrow night.

The local disaster bureaucracy has wired the tornado warning sirens to sound-off whenever winds reach a certain level, like 55-60 miles per hour.  Last night around 10:30, they went off and kept going over much of the next two hours.  No tornado of course.  I'm thinking that there needs to be a revision to the plan.

2 reports that her 10 - year high school reunion this past weekend was a success.  Can't say that I have ever been much of a reunion guy (except for the family one, of course).  I think I have been to 3-4 high school ones over the years, and I went to one at ND in the early '80's.  My friend group from those years was pretty small.  Mostly because I was clueless.

Tomorrow really does begin the rest of the year for me.  Big tax return due date stuff for September 15th and October 15th.  TC marathon.  FFF in IC.  Turkey Trot.

Have a great week.

BCOT

Friday

The weather turned here last night.  It was down in the 50's over night, and not much above 70 this afternoon.  Pretty nice.  They say it will be back in the 80's next week, but those long strings of heat and humidity should be over for the year.  None too soon from my end.

No big plans for the weekend.  There may be a re-staining of the deck on my house as one project.  Golf.  Bike.  Maybe a little Winniferous in my future as well.  And some Tuscan red this evening, fo' sure.

Check out the video on YouTubecopy of the Iowa football player getting nailed by the pick-up truck in Iowa City earlier this week.  If he can take that hit, he should be able to make it in the Big Ten (Twelve?)

There was a pretty full slate of college football last night.  My Direct TV package gets me about as many games as I care to watch.  Actually, LBH, if Iowa ISU or ND aren't on, I'm probably watching reruns of NCIS.  And why in the world would the Golden Golphers go to Murfeesburo anyway?

Have a great Friday night.

BCOT

Thursday

3 gave me a call today to ask for my thoughts on inclusions for a Hurricane Earl Emergency stash in anticipation of the storm now moving up the East Coast.  My only suggestion at the time was duct tape.  Just for yucks, here's a list of possible additions to the stash:

1.  Cell phone batteries.
2.  Scissors/pliers/Swiss Army pocket knife.
3.  Matches/lighter.
4.  NYT Crossword book!
5.  Lifesaver mints.
6.  Journal/spiral notebook.
7.  Disposable camera (with flash).
8.  Screw driver (with multiple heads).
9.  Transister radio (do they still make them?).
10. Especially for 3, lots of antihistamines!

Good luck to all for Friday.  Congrats to the Clones.  And Kirk!

BCOT

Wednesday

Top Ten List for September 1st:

1.  Hello football!
2.  School is in session.
3.  The year is 2/3's gone!  Wow!
4.  Weekday morning bike rides are no more.
5.  TV political ads increasing.
6.  Utility bills begin a 2 month quiet period.
7.  One of the historically worst stock market months.
8.  Retailers begin their Christmas push.  (Only half-kidding here.)
9.  Expanded rosters in MLB.  It won't help the Cubs.
10. More scandals in DC.  (An every month thing.)

If the rain holds off, I'm thinking a little golf with my pal Cal in Muskie later this afternoon.  I'm guessing that my floor guys will be wrapping up today between 5 and 6, and will return tomorrow to finish the job. 

Maybe a little more here later.  Or not.

BCOT