Over the hills and through the snow....

It seems to be a new holiday tradition.

Ok. We travelled to West Virginia this past Wednesday night for the holiday. Now - it seems like we are starting a new holiday tradition: bad weather travels! Last year was horrendous (it was raining, the windshield wipers stopped working, we had to drive back in the rain with nothing but "Rain-X" protecting us...).

This year we left after our respective work days. As soon as we stepped outside we felt the little flakes and start of snow. It was chilly that night, but we went on - nothing too major for a while. Then we started across the mountains between here and WV. The snow wasn't hard, but it was plentiful. In night time driving the headlights reflected off the flakes and it looks like - in Star Wars - a space ship going into hyperspace. I focused on the white line of the lane to stay in check. Then that line started to disappear. Soon I was following tracks in the snow, but also a 18-wheel truck. We weren't going fast, but we were still on course.

Soon enough the truck was gone. And I was the leader of the pack. It never fails - when driving in this weather the SUVs started to pass at speeds they really shouldn't, and in doing so, they splashed a good amount of gook onto the windshield that turned my limited visibility to nil for a second or two. I cursed them mightily.

You know you are in bad weather when occasionally you talk to the car itself "C'mon stay right there...not bad... get back... c'mon..." After a while Rach said "Well, we've made past where we made it last year." Oddly enough I had neen thinking the same thing.

The tricky things are the up hill drives. You want to keep enough speed to stay on course, but not to fast that you lose control. Also, bridges - the freeze first like the signs say. It's easier to gain enough speed to get over them without stepping on the gas further.

I clutched the steering wheel so hard my hands hurt. Rach actually stayed awake. My mom then called. Reluctantly I answered because I knew she'd be worried. "Hello?" She said "Where are you?" I told her. "How are the roads?" I replied, "It's nasty." Somehow, from this she started to talk more, "Yeah I was watching the Weather Channel and they were talking about all these storms that are out and..." I had to cut her off. "Yeah, that's great, I gotta go." I suppressed my sarcasm of "really, there are storms... what do you know? I had no clue..."

It started to clear once we started into WV. We had made it. 2 hours more than normal, but still...

I tell you the things we go through to see family on a holiday... and as usual - it was worth it.

Comments for the week.

I cannot begin to describe the week I have had. I have been cranky and work has just piled on other things - little frustrations, that are made more complex by others sometimes, but usually made more complex because I am in a training class and my availability for other things isn't what it should be.

Anyway, I won't bitch about that. I know everyone has their own lives and their own problems so.... I will talk about other things.

Like sports - T.O. is an ass.

College basketball is starting, which is good, but I will probably only pay attention to WV until the beginning of 2006. Geez, that's right around the corner.

And entertainment - Matthew McConaughey is sexy... "People" says so.

Ok. Every year the Sports Illustrated swim suit issue comes out. And every year I hear about how the swim suit issue objectifies women, and shows women as objects of desire. Every year, People Magazine puts out the "Sexiest Man Alive" and you don't hear word one about how it objectifies men. What's the difference, really? SI shows women in swimsuits. In 'People' the men aren't in swimsuits, but they are in unbuttoned shirts or shirtless altogether, mostly. Or they are in designer suits to make them look really good. Where's the outrage? There are plenty of double-standards in this world, and I don't agree with any of them. But this one is so public. But the 'Sexiest Man Alive' is talked about freely and openly without recourse and the swimsuit issue is denounced and protested. I'm not calling for protests or anything - I just want to know what is the difference? Why is it okay on one side and not the other?

The new Harry Potter movie comes out tomorrow. The only thing stopping me from going on the first night would be the hordes of ankle-biters. But - I am thinking hard about a late night showing... my poor wife. I play video games, like Harry Potter, sports, and cartoons.... she married a 9 year old.

But not literally of course. She couldn't do that - unless we lived in Georgia, apparently. Funny how some laws are just ignored and forgotten until something like that happens.

I think I saw a Simpson's episode like that once. Where they found our Springfield was still under prohibition... and violation of that was a catapulting... but I digress.

Politics - Cheney is angry that Democrats say they were misled. George Bush is in Asia... I hope he doesn't dip into his soup like daddy. I don't know if what they are saying is true or not, but it seems like they are trying to deny things incessantly to make it true... kinda like the song "It Wasn't Me" by Shaggy. If you proclaim it enough, maybe people will start to believe it.

And those are my comments for the week.

Vick against Miami Weekend!

Watch a Virginia Tech football game this season. Just one. And tell me the impressions you get about Marcus Vick.

Marcus Vick was convicted in May 2004 for "contributing to the delinquency of a minor." More than one really - 3 counts for each of the 14 and 15 year old girls he was drinking with at a party. I should state at this point that Virginia Tech did not do anything at this point. Then he gets stopped by police for speeding and was found with marijuana in his possession. Virginia Tech, at this point, suspended him for a year.

So watch one game of Virginia Tech football - and see the praise that everyone heaps upon this guy. See if you get any sense that this kid is trouble, or troubled... I bet $100 that you don't.

Every VT game should be renamed the Vick Accolade show. They talk about Michael Vick and Marcus Vick, how they are similar, how they are different, how they dress, and on and on... Any opportunity is taken to talk about how great the Vick's are.

I am watching the Virginia Tech/ Miami game right now (by the way - the new orange-sleeved jerseys for VT? Rach put it best when she said "It looks like they are wearing floaties.") VT is #3 and Miami is #5. The announcers have touted Vick all night. Up until this point Miami has dominated the game. In the first half Miami was controlling the ball because "they have to keep the dangerous Vick on the sidelines." And when Vick is on offense, he can do no wrong. I saw him throw a ball out of bounds and I swear the commentators complimented Vick on his accuracy. He throws an interception and the announcers make the excuse that it is only his 9th game (completely disregarding the fact that it's his 9th game because he was suspended all last year). In the first half he had one completion out of ten attempts for six yards, and two turnovers. That's about as bad of a first half anyone could have. But oh, you wait. The "unflappable Marcus Vick" will certainly save the day. I have heard that he doesn't get rattled, and he is unflappable a number of times this evening...he just fumbled early in the third quarter. How unflappable.

And these games are also usede to constantly relive and discuss Michael Vick and his accoplishments, and utter greatness. I wonder if anyone's told them that he has about a 50% completion percentage in the NFL... that's not good.

Now I am not saying that Marcus is a bad player, all I am asking is why do people GUSH over him like he is this fantastic player and person. Raphael Palmerio will be forever known as a steroid user - but Marcus Vick - convicted of drug possession and gettin' it on with 14 year olds - is now a swell guy (by the way, I have the same exact problem with Kobe Bryant). And the great Marcus Vick just fumbled in his own end zone to give Miami another touchdown. That's 4 turnovers by him but on the bright side, I bet the announcers will tell me how he led Miami on a great scoring drive.

The announcers just said he wanted to see the "real Marcus Vick." Well fire him up a doobie, and bring in the pre-teens and the booze! That's the real Marcus Vick, isn't it? Maybe not, but it's part of it - and it is completely IGNORED. Maybe I am a but biased because of my dislike for Virginia Tech in general, but I don't think I am the only one who is sick of the constant praise of this kid (who just fumbled again, by the way) with no mention at all that he was suspended. Just that he didn't play last year.

And just while I am thinking about it - what the hell is "Beamer Ball?" The only explanation I get is "trying to score using offense, defense and special teams." Now I am not a college football coach, but I would imagine that all coaches try to create ways to score in all 3 phases. I seriously doubt Frank Beamer invented this concept, yet somehow he gets this weird credit for it. And how arrogant are his facial expressions? No matter what is called on him he seems shocked - SHOCKED that it happened... noooo not Beamer Ball.

Mr. Unflappable just threw another interception. 13:00 left in the last quarter. Oh my goodness! He completed a pass! The announcers are gushing again. "Look at that release." Yep - he's thrown 2 interceptions, fumbled 4 times (1 for a Miami touchdown) and completed maybe 5 passes all night. But tell me more about his perfect, beautiful, quick release...

Tech will lose badly. They will lose their #3 ranking. They won't go to the National Championship. But don't worry, announcers... not Marcus Vick can "come back" after a tough loss, and just continue to build on his legend.

I'm sure I'll hear all about it.

And just for good measure, we are told that the Falcons (whose QB is Michael Vick) play Miami tomorrow. Well, hell. It's just a Vick vs. Miami weekend.

Woo hoo.