Want to go to Chotchkie's? Get some coffee? I gotta get outta here. I think I'm gonna lose it.

Yesterday, my clever son figured out how to fake an illness to get out of preschool. Suffice to say, when I heard the news, I was livid. But the teacher emailed my wife asking her how Joey was and told her there were other concerns with Joey.

As a parent, the last thing you want is for your kid to be different... for your child to have to bear a burden 'normal kids' don't have to. I knew the problem. I've known the problem but ignored it hoping it wouldn't come around or no one would notice and he'd just be a little different, without a diagnosis or word associated with it.

We got another email today. This time with specific concerns (emphasis mine):
Joey really has a difficult time following directions at school. He has his own agenda and needs directions repeated 2 to 5 times. Even with the daily routine of taking off his coat and hanging up his backpack - he needs one on one adult supervision to complete the task. He has a difficult time sitting for any group activity and blurts out off topic comments. He also has trouble transitioning from one activity to another. He demonstrates limited eye contact, is easily distracted and is restless. He has a difficult time waiting his turn. He also places classroom materials and toys in his mouth[...] He is not able to sit in a chair without moving - he sits on his foot, on the edge of the chair, etc.

My son is in a special program. Its a preschool program run by the school district for children with minor disabilities like speech problems. They also add in a few 'normal' kids to be 'models' for the other children. Joey came in as one of these models. Probably will finish as one of the kids needing some extra attention. This is actually a good thing. They have about four dozen different types of therapists that help with everything. Joey had a phase where he stuck everything (mostly his thumb and shirt) in his mouth. They worked on it, and he doesn't do it nearly as much (still his thumb, but I was a thumb sucker for years... at least my mother says I was). The teacher also included different techniques she is using to help him with the issues, but I already know whats wrong with him. Just like I said before. The emphasis was what stuck out like a sore thumb to me.

My son has ADD. Why do I know? Cause his Dad does, too. He just learned it when he was in college...

So now comes the part where the teacher will meet with us tomorrow afternoon, will express the concerns, will suggest we take him to a shrink. The shrink will do the ever fun six hour test on Joey to find out he has a minor form of ADD, and I've got to feed the poor kid brain pills for the rest of his life.
I think I'm going to try and opt for a non-drug solution if I can. Maybe occupational therapy or something...
I guess I'm kind of overreacting to all of this, since I haven't gotten a diagnosis, but from someone who has it and studied it... it sure seems like a honest to goodness case for ADD.

So my predictions got screwed up. Although, I have to admit, the only one I was wrong about was the Bears getting upset.
The seahawks beat Dallas cause of the fumbled snap, and SD lost, NE didn't win (damn does Brady inject ice in his blood for the 2 minute drill?!?).
Anywho, I'll have to redo picks since my fav is already out...

NE at Indy: Again, I'm going against the rest of the world, much like I did when I predicted Indy would beat KC. I think this will be a close game, but the 2 minute drill Tom Brady will run will be about tying the game, instead of winning it. Peyton Manning gets that decade monkey off his back and gets into the bowl he's been waiting for... Predicition: Indy

NO at Bears: While the Bears defense turned from that poor defense back to that sturdy defense throughout last week, they won't have to worry much. NO's biggest issue? The ultra slow secondary. They give up too many big plays. If they try to prevent Rex from throwing those perfectly timed bombs with a cover-2 or 3 or 4, it just opens up the Bears running game. Can the NO line handle the bears offensive line? Can the NO LBs handle the 'never stops trying' attitude of the up and coming Cedric Benson? If they can, Rex simply will throw overtop of Fred Thomas. While the NO offense will do a good job and keeping up in the points category, I defense is what wins championships, and just ask Seattle what big plays can do for you in big games...Prediction: Bears

Superbowl: Indy vs Chicago: Defense wins championships, the Bears defense, normally stout, looks a bit weak, and the Indy defense, normally horrid against the run, looks solid. The Indy defense also uses quick linemen to pressure the QB, and Rex under pressure is what causes all the turnovers he's been plagued with. A fun superbowl, but Peyton finally gets his. Prediction: Indy

All in all, this is the most exciting post season I've watched in a while. Mainly due to the fact that I have no favorite teams playing in it...

BWAAAAHAHAHAHA!!

Fuck you Ray Lewis, fuck you Ed Reed, fuck you Terrel Suggs, and last, but certainly not least, FUCK YOU BRIAN BILLICK! I loved that disappointed and sad look instead of that smug one, you arrogant son of a bitch. I hope you get fired.

I kinda felt sorry for McNair, but, hey, he's the one that joined that piece of shit team.

For the record, I root for 2 teams, the Steelers, and whoever plays the Ravens.

Indy's D looks freakin solid all of a sudden, but they've played a weak offense and a mediocre one... lets see how they handle the high powered offense. I think Peyton may get over Belichick if the Patriots upset the Chargers, but my vote is still on the Bolts....

This is going to get disgusting fast, so the squeamish may want to just skip this.

A rather nasty stomach bug has reared its nasty head around this area, and I caught it yesterday. I exercised yesterday, then worked from home a bit to go to the dentist for a cleaning, then went to work. That was a bad idea. Already wiped out from my workout, I was pretty useless at work and felt terrible. Then it got really bad. You know that dizziness you get before you puke? I got it at work. Stumbled into the bathroom... barely. I ran into 3 walls on the way. No puking, but I almost passed out in the bathroom. After about 45 minutes in the bathroom, I walk back to my desk, stop by the bosses cube to simply say "I'm going home", and by how I looked (which I found out later... ghost white with red blotches on my face... plus my hair and face were soaked cause I splashed water on it while in the bathroom). I stumbled out of work and drove home. I called my wife and told her to call me and check on me on my way home. She was busy and forgot, but I made it home... barely. I was hallucinating on my way home. For example, on a back road close to my house, there were shadows of trees on the road. Between two suck shadows, I came to a screeching stop. It looked like a giant hole in the road. Thank god this was in the middle of the afternoon and no one else was on the road.
When I got home, I stumbled into the bedroom, and passed out on my bed. Wife apparently got me out of my work clothes.. then things got bad.

I won't go into details... I only threw up once in the evening, but I was in the bathroom all day and night. It wasn't just feeling nauseous, but I had so many severe cramps and such in my stomach and gut. I got the worst of the stomach bug, as I find out from the news this morning.
You know how people get the bug so bad they can't keep water down? Similar thing. By the night, I was cleaned out. So I started sipping water... 5 minutes later, I'd actually crap out water. It was freaking me out pretty bad.
Today I'm a bit better, but still definitely sick. I slept so much during the day, I was up wide awake a lot last night... so I ended up watching cartoon network. Dude, those animes are just messed up! The stories are just completely whack!

So now I get a call from my boss. I've procrastinated doing my self evaluation that its due today. So I have to finish up two parts of it and send it in by 5. I'm a bit dizzy sitting up, but I'll throw something together. Probably won't be back into work until friday. Problem with getting a stomach bug with IBS, is that my intestines recover much slower than your average person, so I'm gonna feel like crap for the week. Probably won't work out again until sunday, now... just when I was getting used to my cardio, too....


Hope everyone else is having a better day....

I got 6 calls at my desk phone today from a fax machine.

I have caller id.
So I got out a piece of paper and a marker. I sent them a fax back. I stopped getting faxes.
I'm actually kinda bummed. The note I wrote was polite this time. Was waiting to get faxed again, then I was going to be rude and crude. Too bad.

Did my workout today at 6am. My body doesn't like 6am. My IBS REALLY doesn't like 6am. I did it anyway.
Do I feel energized? Hell no, I'm completely wiped out and barely going along while my stomach is wavering from 'coping' to 'going to puke' all day.
I'm not giving up. Just hoping to get over this 'hump' by wednesday. For the record, its only my second workout. Same as the first, strictly cardio (will work on strength tonight when I can get a PT):
Treadmill, 45 minutes, 3.6mph (brisk walk), on range of hills. Basically it runs in ~3 minute segments. Flat, 1.0 incline, flat 2.0 incline, etc up to 6.0 incline, then a flat, small 2.0, then back flat, then cool down.
I ran track back in high school, so I've always had large thighs and calves. My legs aren't the least bit weak. But damn does my ass still hurt!

I'm going to go through each game, make my pics, but probably have a few "won't be surprised if..." phrases to not hang myself out to dry when I'm completely wrong ;)

KC at Indy Everyone is saying it. Larry Johnson will run all over that pitiful Indy defense. You are right. Only problem is that KC doesn't have the defense to stop Peyton Manning. Even if Larry Johnson gets 200 yards rushing, Manning will score a TD with every possession, and that's what will win the game. High scoring, but Peyton relishes high scoring games... Prediction: Indy

Dallas at Seattle I'm torn on every NFC matchup. I can see any of the teams in this conference making it to the superbowl (and none of them winning it). If... and this is a big IF.... Seattle can get there shit together, and the defense step up, and the offense step up, they could be the best shot for the NFC to win it all. However, they are missing their two starting corners, and so they have a rookie and a free safety covering TO and Terry Glenn. If the Dallas running game gets started, forcing man-to-man and play-action, this secondary will get torched. But on the other side, Seattle can put up 4 and 5 reciever sets, forcing the Dallas LBs into coverage, and, even worse, Roy Williams into coverage, and Hasslebeck will shred the Dallas defense... My gut tells me to pick Seattle, but without the starting corners (and your head coach isn't Belichick), I have to go with Predicition: Dallas

Giants at Philly Another game I'm torn on. Everything points to Philly not only winning, but crushing the Giants... but the Giants have that wildcard... Tiki could play the role of Jerome Bettis. You know he's retiring, so here's his last chance. But last years Steelers will be a once in a lifetime 6 seed going all the way. The giants D stinks, especially the secondary, and Eli Manning cracks under the slightest pressure (and he's up against Jim Johnson's system!). Division battles can go either way, but I have to stick with my gut on this one Prediction: Iggles

Jets at NE Blood... this game is against two teams who hate each other, two coaches that have grudges on one another, and two teams and coaches that know each other EXTREMELY well. It will go either way. The Jets have the smoke and mirrors to get past NE (they've already done it once), but NE is a very disiplined team. If Tom Brady had the WRs he deserves this decision would be cake (BTW - if they still had Charlie Weis, those no-name WRs would be powerful... they are missing Weis). Mangini did miracles in NY, but he's still a couple years away. Prediction: NE

Next Round:

Indy at Baltimore Honestly, I think Baltimore and SD are, by far, the two best teams in the NFL. However, Baltimore's big weakness is its poor corner play. Very few offenses could take advantage of this, the biggest being Peyton Manning... I think I'm going to call the upset. Steve McNair won't have too much luck against the Cover-2, although the running game might get going... but the running game doesn't do too well keeping up with Peyton. Predicition: Indy

Philly at Chicago Lovie Smith said something very thought provoking in his last few press conferences. "We are the number one seed, but people still boo our starting QB". You'll find out why in this game. The Bears defense can hold the Eagles. The Bears ST can score points on the Eagles. The Bears offense will give away the ball whenever the Eagles are already in FG range. The Eagles MVP? Rex Grossman. Prediction: UPSET! Eagles

NE at SD Tom Brady could have some success against the susceptible Baltimore secondary, but NE is mostly a running team this year, and you won't run on two teams: SD and Baltimore. A low scoring defense-fest, but Baltimore will come out the victor. Predicition: Baltimore

Dallas at Nawlins NO doesn't have a great playoff defense. However, the offense is high powered, and can stretch the field, which is big-D's weakness. Another high scoring game, which is what NO can play. Prediction: NO

Next Round:

Philly at NO No question here, for me. While Philly is more balanced, NO can put up more points. Simple as that. Prediction: NO

Indy at SD Peyton Manning vs the 34. It gets him everytime. Dallas beat him. Pittsburgh beat him. NE beat him. SD beat him. SD has the rest, and has the defense to contain him. SD also has the running game to run over Indy. Its close, but SD controls it the whole time Predicition: SD

Superbowl:
SD vs NO This Superbowl won't be too exciting. The NO defense won't be able to contain the SD offense. The SD defense is both fast and physical. While NO will be able to score points, SD will be able to slow the offense down, and probably get a few turnovers. Predicition: SD

If Baltimore vs SD becomes a game, that'll be the 'real' superbowl, cause those are the two best teams going at it. Whoever wins that will win the superbowl. I cheated my way out of calling that game ;)

Just a quickie. I've settle on a few New Years resolutions. For the record, this is my first 'new years resolution'. Normally, I set myself to do some good Lent promises, and mostly pull through with them. Some I even keep afterward (like no caffeine). Now I am ready for some sweeping changes.
I'm a 5'10" 160lbs weakling. I'm changing that. I'm going to work out. I already have a free month at "Gold's Gym" which is a good 10 minute drive away, and a 14 day free pass to "Fitworks" which is almost within walking distance. I will visit the latter first thing Saturday, and the former Sunday afternoon. I have multiple goals:
1.) Energy
2.) Strength
3.) Looking buff (who doesn't want to be ripped??)
4.) Working out multiple times during the week, always in the morning. This is to help me get to work early (I've been getting in later and later), and to give me the energy to get through work without laz-ing out well before I leave.

Other goals include time with my kids. I need to play with Joey more. I give Jenna plenty of attention, but not my son enough. I need to play with him when he's playing with his Cars, and take him outside and exercise with him (having 'energy' as I said above will help with this).

Last goal is to make sure I fix at least one thing a month with my house. Whether its regrading my back yard (it turns into a swamp with any decent rainfall), or something simple like reorganizing the basement.

I'm going to try to do the Tom Hudson thing of maintaining a list and checking weekly how I do, but I won't bore you guys unless I have pics of me looking buff (so if I stick to it, don't expect anything for at least a year) ;)
I will be taking a 'before' pic, but not showing it until the 'after' pic :P

As expected, Bill Cowher has retired.

Next coach? Offensive line coach Rus Grimm has the inside track, and would be a good coach. After that, I'd say Ron Rivera (DC Bears), or either Ryan (both DCs, Rex in Baltimore and Rob in Oakland).
Kirk Ferentz is also on the list, but he has refused each NFL team that even tries to inquire about him...

Had the fantastic Christmas Eve 'Feast of the Seven Fish' (a Roman Catholic/Italian tradition). Its a meal I wait for every year.

And 4 is the best age so far. Jenna was old enough to open presents, but Joey had the:
*gasp* SCREAM OUT THE NAME OF THE PRESENT I JUST GOT, then say how happy I am with it.

Actually it got pretty annoying after about the 5th present, and he got a lot of little presents, so it was a looong morning ;)

Anywho, just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas...

The project I'm architecting is using EJB3 with Hibernate3 and spring2. Been loads of fun, as I was permitted to use Java5[1], so I'm annotating the crap out of stuff (Adding "@Transactional" above a method with all the params instead of in the app-context.xml is not only convient, but makes for easier reading of code!).
Today I needed an interceptor, but you can't have an annotated driven transaction manager with interceptors, so I had to do a quick AOP learning session, and made a pointcut and advisor to do my dirty work.
The interceptor will intercept any service call and catches the hibernate exceptions, wrapping them into a nice version of the exception. Unfortunately, due to all the if-then-else, I'm tempted to make a visitor pattern, but it'll be a pain in the rear to have to imp each type of exception visit for every service.... I'll have to figure out a better way...
Anyway, the whole aspect thang I can see as extremely powerful. Being able to register in interceptors to deal with the before and after happenings of methods. But I also can see a lot of developers seriously shooting themselves in the foot with that type of behavior. Anyone else done any type of AOP?


[1]: As for the other features of 5 that I've used? Generics are essential and make life so easy. For-each loops, though, I've not had much success with. There are too many times you want to check a 'iterator.hasNext()' which isn't available with for-each loops...

This may be a bit of a biased opinion (I'm a nintendo fanboy) and not fair competition, but its what I experienced....

I went to a gaming night at my old consulting firm. We had a cube, a Wii, and 2 XBox 360s.
The cube I spent some time on, since its what I'm familiar with, and I can play it well.
From there, I went to the Wii (4 players!)... played some bowling and some tennis (Wii Sports). I thought it was fun, even ended up with a touch of sweat on my head.

Then I moved to the room with the xboxs... they got them networked and were playing 2 against 2 in gears of war, both on projectors in HD.
All I can say is WOW! And I do mean WOW! Extremely impressive graphics, a little extra gory, and fun to play online against others. I spent the rest of my night there. We eventually played 4 player basketball which also had extremely nice graphics.
I'm guessing I have these feelings cause all I got to play was Wii sports, which wasn't that impressive of a game, more like a demo of the wiimote, but still, I had the most fun with the XBox 360s...

I'm a supporter of open source (I even use it at work), and a supporter of linux, as its what runs my server.... But I've come to a point in my computing life...

I have played most of my games multiple times, and won't be buying any new ones anytime soon....
With development and standard 'day-to-day' things (web browsing, etc...) I am much more productive in a Linux environment....
So the question is, do I make my machine a Linux desktop or not?

I've used Linux as a server and always a backup machine... never for my main machine (cause I've always been a hardcore gamer in the past). Another question I have is what about portability? iTunes doesn't work for linux, yet, so what do you people use to sync up your podcasts?
Maybe I should just get another harddrive and dual boot? Any decent windows emulator to just do everything in linux with? Try to help someone familiar with linux in the server environment get adjusted to linux in the desktop environment....

For the record, my distro of choice is SuSE, though I'm leaning towards trying ubuntu...

Its an espn radio podcast called '1st and 15'. My question was chosen as one to ask Jeremy Green for tomorrows episode. I'll be taking the call at 9:15am tomorrow morning, and it'll be available later that day. So keep an ear out for it tomorrow.

Put your viking helmet on!
Spread the mayonaise on the lawn!
Don't ya know its ....


Yeah, that's Weird Al, and its from his new CD that totally KICKS ASS. How do I know? Even my wife (the anti-geek) loooves it (the 'Pancreas' song sold her. She even wants me to make a ringtone with it for her cell phone).