Thoughts about the year that was...

As I was sitting and watching the New York Jest (not a misspell) ruin another football season for me, I began to reflect on the year gone by... And what a year it has been. Many milestone events and and many adventures make 2008 a year I will remember for as long as I am able...

On the sports scene: the New York Giants winning the Super Bowl and ruining the hated Patriots "perfect" season... the Boston Celtics (finally a team I like doing something good!) winning the NBA championship over the hated Lakers... the Mets blowing another lead with 2 weeks left in the season (2 years in a row) to the hated Phillies (as least they won it all)... huge free agent signings by both the Yankees and the Mets (hope they're are more to come, Mets)... Tiger Woods and the miracle finish at the US Open with a torn up knee (I feel your pain, Tiger, been there, done that)... and the Giants have a shot at repeating as Super Bowl champs...

On the personal side: I turned 50 this year (I wish I had felt this good at 20 or 30, who knows where I would be today, but no regrets)... No major injuries to report (other than the chronic back problems that were job-related)... and that problem is no longer a problem (knock wood).
I left my career and east coast behind and made the leap left to Arizona (although when I first started telling people I was leaving, they didn't believe me). On my drive across and up and down America, I reconnected with family members I hadn't seen in quite awhile, especially my two nieces, and saw some wonderful sites in this great country of ours... I began a home-based business which I hope will become a nice addition to the income (still in infant stage, won't be up and running until 2009, no questions please!)... I have lost almost 20 lbs. since October (Woo Hoo!) and have started running again...

On the friendship side: I miss all of you terribly, but please believe that I value your friendship even more since the move... the never ending show of support and encouragement that I have received from all of you is a constant motivation to make this "adventure" become a reality. I am blessed to have each of you in my life and the mileage will not affect my feelings for all of you.

Put all of that together with the election of President-elect Obama and I think you will agree that 2008 was a pretty special year (and I do believe that under his leadership, we will get out from under this recession, if we give him a chance)...

What the heck is with the weather???

I repeat...What the heck is with the weather? I had to put the HEAT on the last couple of days! I didn't come out to the "Valley of the Sun" to have to put the HEAT on. The HEAT was already supposed to be on! But don't worry, the temps will be back near 70 this week... Flagstaff and the high country got pounded with snow and there were several highways shut down completely to vehicular traffic. Right now as I blog, the temp in Chandler is a robust 36 degrees with sunny skies... I ran yesterday morning and the cold air felt great in the lungs... I kind of like the freezing temps once in a while to remind me of what most of you have to deal with on a daily basis...until April! Yuk-Yuk-Yuk. I'm sure glad I didn't give away all of my cold weather clothes.

I am glad to report that running or jogging (let's face it, I'm no gazelle) has re-entered my life. I have been out several times over the past week and the knees have not bothered me...(my leg muscles feel like they were beaten with sticks, but my knees are fine). I am approaching jogging as a beginner and slowly getting back into a routine... I have already clocked the mileage to Dunkin Donuts (2.5 miles) so I run 1.5 and walk the rest... Eventually, I hope to be able to run there and walk home, but that's down the road. (Literally!) The plan, if all goes well, would be to find some local runs in the area and maybe do a 5K. We'll see what we see.

I'm sure most of you enjoyed my rant about the New York Jets and today is "put up or shut up"
day. Even if they win they still don't have a spot in the playoffs (Buffalo must beat New England) sewn up. Now, this week Brett (oh my shoulder!) Favre isn't sure if he will come back next year (how about just showing up Sunday and throwing passes to YOUR team, Brett!?). As a die hard Jet fan (and those of you who still admit it know what I'm talking about) it could get very ugly in the Meadowlands today... Rumor during the week had Bill Cowher replacing Eric (I can't show any emotion) Mangini as head coach next year. But I will still be in front of the TV (they are showing the game here) wearing my green and white and rooting on my beloved Jets (even though they have taken my heart year after year). J-E-T-S JETS-JETS-JETS!!!!! and GO BILLS!!!! (I can dream, can't I?)

Christmas in the Valley

As my first Christmas in Arizona winds down, I reflect on how it is different and in some ways the same as many other Christmases I have celebrated... I did not have a tree this year (with all the "stuff" I brought with me, I just couldn't bring some other "stuff" into the apartment right away)... I will have a tree eventually (did anyone hear "after Christmas sale"?) but not at the moment... This is one of the first years, in a long time, where I actually got to spend Christmas at home...(of course I moved 2500 miles away to accomplish that feat). I did miss seeing family and friends but I reached out by phone and text message to a lot of people... It was tough being alone for the Holidays, but I knew this going into the adventure. It is one of the non-perks about moving so far away... however, as most of you know, barring my painful shyness, I hope to have a mess of new friends by this time next year... And don't worry, nobody is getting replaced... My friends in the East will always be my friends, no matter how many miles I put between us...

I took the Jeep around yesterday and today and did some exploring a little further out from the homebase. Tempe and the area around ASU is really pretty and all decked out for the Holidays... It sort of reminded me of my situation...the kid that stays at school while everyone else goes home for Christmas break... ASU looked like a ghost town, but it'll be hopping next week when the Fiesta Bowl Parade and the Fiesta Bowl itself are played...There be plenty of Ohio State and Texas fans in town also for the game...

The weather has been fairly crappy the last week or so...overcast and rain mostly with temperatures in the 50's (don't go sending more snow pictures and wind chill reports, please!)...All the natives keep telling me that in the summertime I will wish the weather was like it is now (I don't know--I like the heat---I say "bring it on!")...I have started running again this week, baby steps to see how the knees hold up, but it sure is good to get back out there...( 2 miles to Dunkin' Donuts and a pleasant walk back with my cup of joe)...

The weather and the palm trees are probably the most difficult to relate to Christmas...It just too nice to be December 25, although it was warmer in Virginia today... And do you know how difficult it is to decorate a palm tree with Christmas lights?

But all these things aside, I'd say my first Christmas here was a good one... The meal I prepared was very good and I did not poison myself...(always a plus). My apartment is shaping up better and better every day... Good things are still happening to the "Arizona Kid" or "Cactus Jim" as one of my cousins dubbed me... Yeah, I think I'm going to stay here a little while longer...

Merry Christmas and God Bless you and your families

Twas the night before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas
And all through the house
Blogger Jim was a-typing
And scrolling his mouse

My stocking is hung (but no chimney for me)
I sure hope Santa remembered his key
I've been a good boy this last passing year
So I'm hoping for presents and some good golfing gear

Christmas in the Valley, the weather's okay
Does Santa use an ATV, instead of his sleigh?
I worried about spending the Holiday alone
But everyone here made me feel so at home

Chandler and Tempe are lit up with light
Trees and the storefronts are glittering bright
Everyone smiling and wishing good cheer
"Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year"

I'm wishing and hoping my friends in the East
Will be blessed with good things and a wonderful feast
That people less fortunate will benefit too
From food drives and pantries supported by you

Up on the roof I just heard such a clatter!
I raced to the door to see what was the matter
Was it Santa arriving to bring Christmas deals?
Nope. Just my neighbor in her brand new high heels!

So, I'm sending this poem that I wrote on the fly
Cause a blogger I am, yes, I am "blogger guy"
And I'll end it the way that that is true and so right
"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

May all the blessings of the season come to you and your families... I wish you Peace, Joy and all the best for the New Year to come

J-E-T-S SUCK, SUCK, SUCK!!!

IT IS GETTING HARDER AND HARDER FOR ME TO WATCH SPORTS ANYMORE... THE JETS "CONTROLLED THEIR OWN DESTINY" AND MANAGED TO DO WHAT THEY ALWAYS DO... CHOKE! AND NOW THEY HAVE SET UP THE PERFECT LOSE, LOSE SCENARIO COMING UP THIS WEEKEND...IF THEY BEAT THE DOLPHINS, AND NEW ENGLAND BEATS BUFFALO, THEN THEY STAY HOME AND THE HATED PATRIOTS WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS... IF THEY LOSE (AND THAT'S WHERE MY MONEY IS PLACED, FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING OF COURSE) THEN THE QUARTERBACK THAT THEY BANISHED TO SIGN THE HEROIC BRETT FAVRE WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS... WHAT A GREAT TIME TO BE JET FAN, EH?

SO, YOU SAY, WHY NOT ROOT FOR YOUR NEW "HOME" TEAM? BECAUSE THE ARIZONA CARDINALS SUCK EVEN WORSE! THEY COULDN'T BEAT AN EGG RIGHT NOW... THE LAST TWO GAMES AGAINST QUALITY TEAMS, THEY WERE OUTSCORED IN THE FIRST HALF 59-3... WAY TO CHARGE INTO THE PLAYOFFS, GUYS!!

BUT YOU KNOW, THERE IS ALWAYS A SILVER LINING AND A BRIGHT SIDE... WHILE WATCHING BOTH GAMES AND THE SNOWSTORMS PELTING DOWN, I WAS SITTING IN MY LIVING ROOM WITH SHORTS AND T-SHIRT ON WITH THE SLIDING DOOR OPEN TO LET THE GENTLE AND 60 DEGREE BREEZE IN...AND THE BIGGEST SILVER LINING OF ALL IS THAT I DON'T BET THE GAMES (CAN I GET AN A-MEN)...

ON A DIFFERENT NOTE, TO SAY THAT MY MONTH PLUS IN ARIZONA (4 WEEKS TOTAL INCLUDING THE WEEK IN ARUBA) WAS A LITTLE HECTIC IS PUTTING IT MILDLY... IT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL AND FRUSTRATING AND BUSY AND AGGRAVATING RIDE THAT I WOULDN'T TRADE FOR ANYTHING IN THE WORLD... I FEEL AS IF I HAVE LIVED MORE SINCE OCTOBER 15 (THE START OF JIM'S ODYSSEY) THAN I HAVE FOR A LONG TIME AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF WHY I DID THIS... AND AS I BECOME MORE ASSIMILATED IN MY SURROUNDINGS (SOUNDS LIKE WILD KINGDOM, DOESN'T IT?) I ONLY HOPE TO BE ABLE TO ADD NEW ADVENTURES IN THE VALLEY OF THE SUN...

I'M BAAAAAAAAAACK!!!

HELLO OUT THERE IN BLOG WORLD... I HOPE YOU MISSED ME... SORRY I HAVEN'T KEPT UP WITH BLOGGING, BUT I WENT THROUGH A BIT OF WRITER'S BLOCK AND WASN'T UP FOR WRITING ANYTHING... (BLOGGER'S CRAMP??) ANYWAY, I'M HERE AGAIN AND WILL BE BLOGGING ON A REGULAR BASIS FROM HERE ON OUT... WHICH IS A GOOD THING BECAUSE I WILL BE USING BLOGS IN MY ATTEMPT TO LAUNCH AN INTERNET BUSINESS FROM HOME...(DON'T WORRY, I WON'T BE HITTING UP ANYONE I KNOW FOR SALES LEADS)...

LAST TIME I BLOGGED, I WAS LEAVING FOR A VACATION IN ARUBA AND WHAT A VACATION IT WAS! I MET TWO OF MY BEST FRIENDS FROM NEW YORK DOWN THERE AND WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME...(LOTS OF LYING ON THE BEACH, SLEEPING BY THE POOL, DINING OUT, YADA YADA YADA)... NEEDLESS TO SAY (BUT I ALREADY DID) A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL... THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THE FLIGHTS... BETWEEN DELAYS AND EQUIPMENT TROUBLE, MY FLIGHTS TOOK WAAAAAY LONGER THAN THEY SHOULD HAVE BUT WHAT THE HECK, IT IS WHAT IT IS...

STILL FIGHTING WHATEVER IT IS I PICKED UP ON THE ROAD...CHEST XRAY CAME BACK NEGATIVE AND THE WHEEZING AND PHLEGM FACTORY HAVE GONE BUT THE OCCASSIONAL COUGH IS STILL PRESENT... DOCTOR INFORMED ME THAT SOME PEOPLE FROM THE EAST DEVELOP WORSE ALLERGIES OUT HERE AND THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED "VALLEY FEVER" (EXOTIC SOUNDING, ISN'T IT?) BUT ONLY TIME WILL TELL... I TOLD THE DOC IT WAS INSANITY... I'M JUST CRAZY ABOUT THIS PLACE...

OTHER THAN THAT. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SETTLE IN AND GET INTO SOME SORT OF ROUTINE...

SO, IN CLOSING, I HOPE THAT YOU WILL WELCOME ME BACK ON THE INTERNET AIRWAYS AND LOOK FORWARD TO MY RAMBLINGS ON A WIDE VARIETY OF SUBJECTS AND LIFE IN GENERAL...ADIOS FOR NOW