The 11 Year Light Bulb

Philips deserves a lot of credit. I needed to buy some light bulbs last night and the package for the Philips EnergySaver light bulb states that it will last 11 years. That is not a typo. Take a moment to think about 11 years. 11 years ago, the Supreme Court made its decision on Bush vs. Gore. 11 years ago, Mario Lemieux was about to make his NHL comeback. 11 years ago, Justin Bieber was 6 years old (yes, I looked this up). 11 years from now, my child will be in junior high/middle school. The 2022 Winter Olympics will take place 11 years from now, though the winning bid won’t be announced for another four years. 11 years from now, I’ll have even less hair. (Of course, I’ll probably have less hair 11 days from now!)



Back to the light bulb. Naturally, I bought the Philips bulb partially because of the “lasts 11 years” claim. It was a difficult process removing the light fixture where the bulb went out, so I don’t want to repeat the process anytime this decade. Let’s take a look at the 11-year claim and limited warranty for this bulb:

Based on a reasonable household usage, when used in accordance with package and bulb directions, if this bulb does not last for 11 years (based on approximately 3 hours average usage per day/7 days per week). Philips will send you a replacement bulb upon receipt of the returned bulb, register receipt, and proof of purchase.

Let’s say that you light bulb lasts 9 years. Who still keeps a $3 or $4 receipt as well as proof of purchase for 9 years? Even if you do manage to keep this, how would you find it? Wouldn’t it just be buried in a box never to be seen again? How do you prove that you did not exceed the reasonable household usage? I don’t think Philips will need to provide many replacement bulbs.

Well done, Philips. Well done!

Great Actress Changes Names (Express Fail)

Meryl Streep is widely regarded as the greatest living actress. She holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations with an incredible 16, including two wins for her roles in Kramer vs. Kramer and Sophie's Choice. Streep constantly challenges herself and, apparently, is reinventing herself by changing her name. Express proudly introduced Reryl Streep in Tuesday's edition!



Yes, this is two posts in the same day. Express just makes it easy to write blog posts.

Please click here for more Express Fail.

Vikings Lose Doubleheader (Express Fail)

It's been a rough season for the Minnesota Vikings. At 2-11, they are tied for the second worst record in the NFL. The team has lost five straight games and star running back Adrian Peterson has missed the past three games.

The team hit a new low this past Sunday and made NFL history by losing to Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints in the same day. Amazing!

Wait, are you doubting that this actually happened? It's true. Just check out the scores from Monday's Express.



Please click here for more Express Fail.

Trivia Tuesday

I apologize that Trivia Tuesday has only occurred sporadically lately. Maybe my New Year's Resolution will be to ensure that Trivia Tuesday takes place every Tuesday.

From the clues provided below, your challenge is to provide the answers that all start with "Jack."

1. A pneumatic drill

2. A chilly pseudonym used by Bob Dylan as producer for his albums “Love & Theft” and “Modern Times”

3. “…and master on none”

4. To put the trailer in front of the truck

5. “Old No. 7”

6. It often cranks out “Pop! Goes the Weasel”

7. A TV show that spawned four movies

8. “Oh! Fruit loved of boyhood! The old days recalling, When wood-grapes were purpling and brown nuts were falling! When wild, ugly faces we carved in its skin. Glaring out through the dark with a candle within!” (John Greenleaf Whittier, 1807)

9. The main character of the film “Pirates of the Caribbean”

10. One could be “mad as a March hare”


As always please leave your answers in the comments section below, and do not use the internet for assistance. Good luck!

This quiz is courtesy of the fine folks at Stump Trivia.

New Fall Television Shows

A few weeks ago, Dan put together a post about new TV shows he’s watched this season. I’m totally taking his idea.

New Girl – It’s a cute show about Zooey Deschanel moving in with three random male roommates. Although I’m not sure how long the writers can stay with the roommates learning to live with each other and appreciate their wacky differences theme, I’m still watching it.

Up All Night – Although I’m about five episodes behind on my DVR, this show entertains me. The whole new parent thing is quite relevant to my life. I especially liked a scene where Christina Applegate and another character destroyed a stroller that refused to fold correctly like the Office Space fax machine. I would love to do that with a Pack and Play.



Terra Nova – There really is no good reason why I’m still watching this show. Well, the fact that Steven Spielberg is one of the executive producers may be the reason and the dinosaur effects are cool. Otherwise, like V and Flash Forward, I’m just sticking with it to see what happens (which will probably be an amazing season finale, followed by cancellation). The whole Sixers splinter group intrigues me.

Person of Interest – I had high hopes for this show because of Michael Emerson/ Benjamin Linus and Taraji P. Henson, but after two episodes, it seems like a new case will be solved every week. I can watch any airing of Law & Order to see that.

Whitney – I’m so glad that I picked this show in the Ted Marshall Open TV Death Pool. I’ve watched part of a few episodes, and the show lived up to my awful expectations.

Happy Endings - Technically, this is not a new TV show, but it’s new to me. The first minute of this show ended up on my DVR following the conclusion of Modern Family. I found the minute consistently funny (the exact opposite of 2 Broke Girls after How I Met Your Mother) and added it to my DVR recording list. Plus, this show had amazing cameos a few weeks ago from Fred Savage and Brent Musburger



So what new shows are you watching/did you watch?

Sid and Geno As Larry and Balki Bartokomous

I really should write about last night's Steelers-Browns game, but I couldn't pass up sharing the latest video by Benstonium.

This is just the excuse I've been looking for to incorporate Balki Bartokomous into one of my blog post. Plus, this is a great video. Enjoy!

Another Ramblings Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Get Fresh Designs for winning an item in the $75-$80 range from Wayfair. Get Fresh Designs (that's not his real name) was commenter #14 wants to go to one of the Caribbean islands on a vacation.



Two contests in two weeks from a guy who used to write about his experiences eating burritos for a year. Not too shabby!

Another Ramblings Giveaway

For the second consecutive Wednesday, I am proud to announce a giveaway where you can win a fabulous prize! Isn’t this the best blog ever? The fine folks at Wayfair, formerly CSN Stores, are providing one lucky winner with the opportunity to select an item in the $75-$80 price range among their thousands of products. Examples of such products are this Play Up Adjustable Sand and Water Table,



a Leather Business Attache,



Steelers dart board,



or one of the many kitchen rugs on their website. (If you buy a kitchen rug and put it in another room, is it still a kitchen rug?)

To enter the contest, please leave a note in the comments section below. Last week, I asked what you wanted this holiday season. This week, let’s go with where you want to go on vacation this holiday season or beyond.

One comment/entry per person. Please enter by 10:00 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow (Thursday, December 8th), and I will use Random.org to choose a winner. This contest is open to folks living in the U.S. only.

Notes from Heinz Field: No Need for Renegade (Steelers-Bengals Recap)

Most newspapers, websites, etc. have already moved past Sunday's Pittsburgh Steelers-Cincinnati Bengals game and focused their attention on Thursday night's Steelers-Browns game. I haven't had the opportunity to share my thoughts about Sunday's game until now since I attended the game in Pittsburgh and then drove back to Northern Virginia. Therefore, enjoy my extremely random notes from the game and trip to Pittsburgh.

The game turned out to be like an Oprah episode for many individual Steelers players.



Hines Ward became the first Steelers receiver and the 19th player in NFL history to reach 12,000 yards receiving. You get a milestone!

With his 15 completions, Ben Roethlisberger passed Terry Bradshaw to become the team's all-time leader in completions. You get a milestone!

With his two touchdowns, Rashard Mendenhall passed John Henry Johnson and Barry Foster and moved into fifth place in Steelers history for rushing touchdowns. You get a milestone!

Antonio Brown had his first NFL punt return touchdown after scoring on a 60-yard punt return in the second quarter. You get a milestone!



The early turning point of the game was Cameron Heyward's blocked field goal after Cincinnati's first drive. Yes, this was Heyward's first blocked kick in the NFL. You know what that means? You get a milestone!

During the game, the Steelers announced some type of accomplishment for James Harrison (something like the third Steelers player since 1970 to have 3+ sacks in a game three times in a season), but I can't seem to find any information about this online. You get a milestone!

The Steelers also announced something about coach Mike Tomlin and wins, but again, I can't seem to find anything about this now. Regardless, you get a milestone! (Update: According to Behind the Steel Curtain, Tomlin is now one of six coaches in NFL history to have won at least nine games in each of his first five season as an NFL head coach.)


- The winner of the 12-13 year-old boy division of the Punt, Pass & Kick contest threw the ball at least 50 yards and looked like he was 17. I think he bought cigarettes and lottery tickets after the game.

- Jeremy Kapinos had an amazing game. Five punts with an average of 54.2 yards per kick. Sorry Mr. Sepulveda, but Mr. Kapinos is the new Steelers punter for the long-term future.

- Over the past few years, the Steelers have mixed together Styx's Renegade with Steelers highlights to pump up the crowd. It's awesome and extremely effective when the defense needs to make a big stop. However, the team wasted Renegade by playing it with approximately 8 minutes left in the fourth quarter with the team leading 35-7.



- Why wasn't Bryant McFadden in as a cornerback late in the fourth quarter with the Steelers winning comfortably? Does he need some reps?

- The negative of the weekend goes to The Original Hot Dog shop AKA The O, usually one of my favorite places to go in Pittsburgh. Amazingly, The O ran out of beef hot dogs. An employee told me this was the first time this happened in the five years he worked at the O. He also told me that there would be beef hot dogs tomorrow which didn't help me since I drove home to Northern Virginia directly after dinner. I actually considered going next door to Five Guys, but stayed for the fries.



(Chas at Pitt Blather actually wrote about the O yesterday.)

Finally, there's a brand new Sheetz in Breezewood that is quite impressive. This may be a completely separate post.

Oh, this is a recap of the game via ESPN and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Ithaca College Woman's Soccer Team in Final Four

The Ithaca College women’s soccer team is in the Division III Final Four! The semifinals take place today at San Antonio's Blossom Soccer Stadium. I have no idea whether the stadium is named after the popular 90s sitcom. Anyway, here's everything you need to know about today's game.

Ithaca (15-3-3) will face Wheaton [Ill.]. who is 21-1-1 on the season at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time in the second semifinal with Messiah (21-0-1) meeting William Smith (20-0-1) Friday at noon in the other. Friday's winners will play Saturday at 2:30 p.m. for the national championship. [Ithaca College Athletics]

An excellent (and perhaps only?) preview of the Ithaca-Wheaton game. [D3Soccer.com]



This is a video of the soccer team leaving campus for San Antonio. It appears that they took a bus which, according to Google Maps is 1,774 miles! [YNN News]

The team is well rested for the game. Since this is the case, perhaps they took an airplane to San Antonio. [Ithaca Journal]

Junior forward Rachael Palladino thoughts on the Final Four run: "When we got a bid, we didn’t really have any expectations besides the fact that we wanted to prove to ourselves that we were way better than the last game we played before the tournament." [The Ithacan]

Go Bombers!

Watch Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Debi V for winning the Orient Watch. Debi V was commenter #5 and wants to go on a fun vacation this holiday season.



For those of you that didn’t win, look for details about another giveaway next week.

Orient Watch Giveaway

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday have come and gone, but what about Sean’s Ramblings Wednesday? (It could happen!) Thanks to the great folks at Orient Watch, who make watches for men and women, I am excited to present the biggest giveaway in this blog’s history. This is Orient Watch’s Sparta model, and it would make a fantastic gift for you, your husband, boyfriend, father, son, co-worker, or, um, male bus driver.



To enter the contest, please leave a note in the comment section below with what you want this holiday season. It could be a specific gift or something broad like world peace (but don’t write world peace).

One comment/entry per person. Please enter by 9:00 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow (Thursday, December 1st), and I will use Random.org to choose a winner. This contest is open to folks living in the U.S. only.

Oh, Orient Watch also wanted me to incorporate Sapphire Crystal into this post, so there you go. Perhaps, this could be the name of the Dark Crystal sequel!

Hip, Attractive Extras Needed For Tom Cruise Movie

Since Josh dominated Trivia Tuesday, here’s a second post in the same day. Everyone that reads this blog is hip and attractive, so I have an opportunity for you via Nancy Mosser Casting.

We have a scene that is tentatively set to shoot on Wednesday, January 11th for the movie, "One Shot" starring Tom Cruise. We are going to be needing some hip, attractive Extras for a scene in a sportsbar. We are submitting pictures to the Director for consideration. If chosen, we would contact you closer to the date to let you know. Pay is minimum wage for the first 8 hours and time and a half after that. We never know a start time until the day before. It will shoot somewhere in the Pittsburgh area.

If you are interested in having your picture submitted to the Director, please EMAIL A RECENT PIC along with your NAME and PHONE NUMBER to oneshotextras@gmail.com ASAP. PLEASE WRITE YOUR NAME AND AGE IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF THE EMAIL. The best pictures would be of you on a night out when you're dressed up. IF YOU HAVE BEEN SEEN ON CAMERA IN THIS FILM ALREADY, PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT YOURSELF.

I'll look past the "we are going to be needing" line (how about "we will need"), but this sounds like a fun opportunity. If you end up working as an extra on this film, please let me know. I’d love to hear about your experiences, and you’re welcome to write a guest post about being in a scene with Dan favorite (if I remember correctly), Mr. Katie Holmes.

Trivia Tuesday

Thanks for your patience as we haven't had a Trivia Tuesday in some time. Your challenge this week is to name the eight U.S. state capitals that begin with a vowel along with the names of these states. Sounds simple, but is it?

Your second challenge is to name the most common first name of U.S. Presidents.

As always please leave your answers in the comments section below, and do not use the internet for assistance. Good luck!

My Life

Time to vent and get some things on paper (well, the computer screen) rather than keeping everything inside which is what I usually do. I’m in a rut. My entire life consists of home and work. I guess that this is normal for most people, but really, there is nothing more to my life right now other than being at home and the office. My big field trips this weekend were grocery shopping at Wegmans and going to Home Depot to pick up light bulbs and a new air filter. Basically, I need some grown-up time. I love being a father, and I’m lucky to have such a wonderful kid. I just want to do something. I’m not talking about taking a weeklong European vacation (though that would be nice) or a weekend trip to Las Vegas (though that would be nice too). Maybe just dinner and a movie. Attending a play or musical would be fun. Just some type of adults-only activity and/or some me time.

I have more on my mind though. I’m still at a loss about what to do about our shower leak. I don’t see a scenario where we’re not going to have to pay thousands of more dollars to resolve this unless we simply decide to continue to not use the shower. The latest is that the leak seems to be gone based on the “work” done by the glass company. However, I’m not sure how to prove that the leak was their fault. In addition, I’m not sure how we can tell for certain that the leak is completely gone without ripping up the tile and/or carpet.

Plus, there’s a chance that my child is allergic to Ziggy. We’re going to set up an appointment to see an allergist soon, but I’m trying to avoid thinking about the possibility of having to find a new home for Ziggy. Since nothing else is going on in my life, the shower and the possible cat allergy dominate conversation.

Let’s just throw out some more stuff on my mind. Raising a child is expensive. My fantasy football teams are terrible. I feel really behind at work. That pretty much covers it. On the positive side, the Steelers won last night and Sidney Crosby is back!

I actually feel much better after writing all of this. Again, I just needed to vent. I'm also doing much better than Caps coach Bruce Boudreau!

Steelers-Chiefs (PIttsburgh Midwest?) LiveBlog

What better way to conclude the Thanksgiving weekend than joining us for the Steelers-Chiefs game. Everyone rightly refers to the Arizona Cardinals as Pittsburgh West; however, no one talks about Kansas City being Pittsburgh Midwest. Former Pitt Panther QB Tyler Palko starts for the Chiefs tonight while wide receiver Jon Baldwin also attended Pitt and Steve Breaston is a fellow Woodland Hills High School graduate. Coach Todd Haley is the son of former Steelers Director of Player Personnel Dick Haley and served as a ball boy for the Steelers as a kid. Um, Kendrell Bell and Steve Bono both played for the Steelers and Chiefs. I think that’s all I got. Go Steelers!

Unrealistic Head & Shoulders Commercial

If you haven't seen the latest Troy Polamalu-Head & Shoulders commercial, take a look.



I don't have a problem with the guy "borrowing" Troy Polamalu and his hair. My issue is that it seems highly unlikely that a Steelers fan is going to be attracted to a guy still wearing a Tommy Maddox jersey!

Thanksgiving Message 2011

On this Thanksgiving, may you have the following:

Turkey in the oven
And the buns in the toaster
I'll never take down
My Cheryl Tiegs poster




Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Trivia Tuesday: What Should I Do?

I need some advice. In late 2010, we noticed water damage on our dining room ceiling due to a leak coming from our shower. In talking with our insurance company and a company we’ve used to do previous work (let’s call them company #1), we determined that the shower would need to be replaced. While company #1 replaced the shower and tile in January 2011, company #2 installed the frameless glass door in February 2011. I’m not using either company name at the moment, but I reserve the right to do so at a later date.

Anyway, in October of this year, we noticed that the spots in the ceiling below the master bathroom shower returned with part of the bathroom carpet stained and possibly other areas of the bathroom that we cannot see damaged. Company #1 determined that the seal that company #2 installed was worn and was no longer water tight. Specifically, the company indicated that "the section of the seal that goes below the fixed pane of glass is loose and long. When you splash water in the corner, you see the leak coming out where the door meets the seal." Company #2 visited our home and also noticed that a piece was out of place. Therefore, they took the piece, stated that they would order a new part, repair the shower, and be in touch in a few days.

After nearly three weeks of leaving numerous phone messages, company #2 finally returned, recaulked part of the shower and left without replacing the seal. Although there is no visible leak, we think that the leak is still there, though not as prominent as before.

So that’s where we are. I’m not sure what to do next. Essentially, company #1 blames #2 for the leak while company #2 blames #1. While I don’t trust company #2 since they failed to return my calls, I’m not convinced that the leak is their fault. I'm also not pleased with company #1 since they did an awful job caulking the tile outside the shower. Any suggestions on what to do? Should we get a third opinion? If so, does anyone have suggestions about folks in Northern Virginia we could ask? Feel free to provide any advice in the comments section below or e-mail me at seanramblings at yahoo[dot]com.

Sorry that this isn't an entertaining Trivia Tuesday!

Crosby's Back

All anyone in the hockey world is talking about is Sidney Crosby's back. Here is a picture of his back:



Oh, maybe they're talking about Crosby returning to the Penguins to face the New York Islanders tonight. As always, Benstonium put together a terrific video to welcome back Sid.



Let's Go Pens!

Friday Links & Videos

This is a must watch video showing a reunion between Lt. Charles Jacobson on leave from Afghanistan and his parents at a Boston Bruins game. It will definitely get a little dusty when you watch this. As an added bonus, Zdeno Chara is really tall! [Puck Daddy]



Brian McElhinny, the author of the excellent Pirates blog Raise the Jolly Roger, is a finalist for a $10,000 college scholarship for a student that blogs. Vote for Brian here! [RTJR]

I reviewed the book Scout, Atticus & Boo: A Celebration of Fifty Years of To Kill a Mockingbird [Blogcritics]

I also like this ESPN commercial featuring Terrible Towels around the world. [h/t That's Church]

Lawrence Timmons as Homer Simpson

Although I've read plenty of recaps about this past Sunday's Steelers-Bengals game, I think I'm the first person to make a Lawrence Timmons-Homer Simpson comparison. This is not a very good video, but check out Timmons' move after making this interception.



Was Timmons going for a break dancing move from the 1980s? Personally, I think he was channeling Homer Simpson after Homer, serving as the nuclear power plant's union leader, got Montgomery Burns to keep the dental plan in exchange for him stepping down from office. (It's a great episode!)

This is Homer's move with unnecessary subtitles and music.



Yes, this is one of the dumbest posts I've ever written.

Sweet Malkin Goal

If I am you source for Pittsburgh Penguins coverage, you probably didn't realize that the NHL season even started based on my lack of posts about the team. While I can't say that this will change in the near future, I felt the need to share this amazing goal by Evgeni Malkin during last night's 6-3 victory against the Colorado Avalanche.



Awesome!

Sean Freaks Out, Then Calms Down

Just before Sunday’s Steelers-Bengals game, I saw this Tweet from Dale Lolley of The Observer-Reporter of Washington (Pa.)



Since there’s a good chance that I’ll attend the December 4, 2011 Steelers-Bengals rematch, I freaked out. Attending a Sunday night game in Pittsburgh with the game ending around midnight and then driving back to Washington, DC to get to work by 9:00 AM is virtually impossible. I could have done this 10-15 years ago, but there’s no way I can make the late night/early morning drive now and be coherent at the office the next day.

I did a little research about Lolley’s statement, but couldn’t find any other information about the possibility of the night game becoming a reality. Therefore, I went directly to the source. In a quick reply, Lolley stated the following:

They have decided not to move the KC game, which at this point means that the Cinci game is still at 1 because the Steelers already have the most night games a team can have. But they may try to flex a different game to make that a prime time matchup because the two teams are good. I heard this from a TV source, so it's definitely true.

While I’m not exactly sold on Lolley’s “definitely true” statement, I do feel much better than I did on Sunday. I guess possibility of Pitt QB Tyler Palko return to Heinz Field with the Chiefs was too big of a storyline for NBC to pass on!


Update: Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirms Lolley's story.

The kickoff of the Steelers next game, at Kansas City, will remain at 8:20 p.m. There was speculation that NBC-TV might opt to show another game at that time under the NFL flex schedule and move Steelers-Chiefs to an earlier kickoff.

Now, I'll only need to worry about the Pittsburgh weather for a December game!

Most Random Comment Ever

I’ve written this blog for nearly seven years now and over that time I’ve received many random comments on my blog posts. However, this comment from someone named Michelle, is likely the most random comment. Enjoy!

If this is SEAN from OTTAWA into AK's and a grandmother called FRAN...she would be devastated.
I have been trying to locate you and get you away from your parents as well as MATTHEW & CHRISTINE.
They are going to JAIL SEAN, if they are " lucky".
We want those under forty rehabilitated..and we know you begged my mother to take you when you were 12...she didn't because her marriage was terrible with SPIKE .
So, if this is not the SEAN, pass the message on ..he 's the the son of " RICK'S SETAIN".
I am going to help you and get leniency ..this should never have happened to all three of you.

Wow! In my nearly 1,900 blog posts, you’d think I would have made some reference about being from Ottawa at least a few times. Actually, there are probably several hundred posts where I write about being from Pittsburgh. I don’t even know where to start on the rest of this. Is Michelle trying to get me away from Matthew & Christine or them away from “my parents?” Who’s going to jail and why is it lucky that they are going there? Why am I actually passing this message on since this was not the SEAN?

Probably the most random part of this comment: it was made on my April 2008 post about my vacation to Seattle and Victoria.

Tropical Storm Sean

Look out Bermuda. Here comes Sean! Until this morning, I had no idea that there was a tropical storm named after me. While tropical storms and hurricanes are obviously scary and can result in loss of life and extensive damage, it is pretty cool that there is a Tropical Storm Sean.



In reading more information about the storm in The Washington Post and NoLa.com, I just can’t take this storm seriously based on these lines.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Thursday that Sean’s maximum sustained winds are 65 mph (100 kph).

It must have been something I ate.

Forecasters say Sean could become a hurricane later Thursday before weakening on Friday.

As Scorpions once said, "Here I am; Rock you like a hurricane."

Sean is moving toward the north-northeast near 8 mph, 13 km/h.

This is totally false. I may have moved that way earlier today, but I'm currently sitting in front of a computer.

Sean is expected to produce 1 to 3 inches of rain on Bermuda.

I'm going to make it rain!

Swells generated by Sean are affecting portions of the southeastern coast of the United States and Bermuda, causing life-threatening surf and rip currents.

Who knew my cannonball could cause such an impact?

Hopefully, Sean misses Bermuda and doesn't cause any damage. You can follow Sean via the National Hurricane Center's website.

RIP Heavy D

Rapper and actor Heavy D passed away yesterday at the age of 44. Heavy D is probably best known for the single "Now That We Found Love," which I may have called B94 to request when I was in high school.



Among his acting credits, Heavy D appeared in Cider House Rules and the TV show Boston Public. No one could wear a neon green rain coat outfit like Heavy D!

Trivia Tuesday

The folks at Sporcle are amazing. They put together wonderful quiz after quiz after quiz. For today's Trivia Tuesday, take the Sporcle quizzes and share your results in the comments section below. Good luck!

Name the answers to these Television related questions in the 3 minute time limit. I scored a 26 out of 50.

Name the 100 largest private colleges/universities in the United States. (12 minutes) I scored a 41 of 100 and missed two easy ones in my hometown.

Name the QBs who started the most games for each team 2005-2009. (6 minutes) I got 115 out of 160 answers correct.

Steelers-Ravens International Fraud Awareness Week LiveBlog

We've done a good number of Steelers-Ravens live blogs over the years, so I thought I would use a fancy title for tonight's game. Today is saxophone day, but what do saxophones have to do with the Pittsburgh Steelers or Baltimore Ravens? Therefore, I went with International Fraud Awareness Week which runs from November 6-12, 2011. According to the IFAW website, "this weeklong campaign encourages business leaders and employees to proactively take steps to minimize the impact of fraud by promoting anti-fraud awareness and education." In using my blog for good, let's hope the Steelers expose the Ravens as frauds tonight!

Yes, this is a bit of a stretch, but join us for a special fraud awareness edition of the Steelers-Ravens live blog.

NFL Supports Breast Cancer Awareness for 31 Days Only

If you watched any football games over the past month, you probably noticed players wearing pink wristbands, gloves, hats, chin straps, and shoe laces while carrying pink towels. For all we know, the players even wore pink underwear. The reason for all of the pink was the NFL's campaign to promote October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is the NFL’s press release describing the league’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month activities. The NFL is such a caring and supportive corporation!

Now that it is November, the NFL doesn’t want you to think about breast cancer awareness. According to Ed Bouchette of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "players also have been warned they are subject to fines if they continue to wear the pink (shoes, towels, gloves, etc) they sported during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October." So if you see Hines Ward dancing with a pink towel after making a big play against the Ravens this Sunday, you can expect Hines to receive a significant fine.



Of course, don't mind the NFL while it sells items on their website to help fight breast cancer.

Sean Gets a Haircut

This is a picture of the top of my head.



From the view from above, I seem to be missing a good amount of hair. Some people may say that I’m balding, but I like to think that it is a sign of maturity. (Although I never think that.) Nevertheless, I get a monthly haircut to shave the back of my neck, even out my sideburns and trim the remaining hair on my head since I still have a significant amount around the sides. Basically, I’m Jeffrey Tambor from 20 years ago.

At my recent haircut, the stylist asked me if I wanted color for my hair. I was surprised by her question, but I politely said no thank you. A few minutes later, I asked what kind of color she had in mind adding that I didn’t think blond highlights were in anymore. She confirmed that the blond frosting was indeed out and that I would get the same color as my hair. I still declined, but I’ve thought about this a little more since then. Why would I get color? I assume that the color wouldn’t be spray-in-a–can to cover up my bald spot. Plus, as you can possibly tell by the picture, I don’t have any gray hair. Perhaps I should find a new barber (or just shave my head).

Final Muppets Trailer

Yes, I'm excited to see the new Muppets movie. Enjoy the latest (and last?) Muppets parody trailer.

A Conversation with My Seven-Month Old

After giving my son a spoonful of baby food, specifically apples, I asked him the following question:

Me: How do you like them apples?

Kid: (No response)

Me: You have no idea where that line is from, do you?

Son: (No response)

Me: I guess you haven’t seen Good Will Hunting. You lead a sheltered life.



I also fed my son sweet potatoes and entertained myself by saying Dude...Sweet...Potatoes

A Lou Bega Halloween

Jack Hanna and the Columbus Zoo have been in the news quite a bit lately following the bizarre situation where dozens of exotic animals were killed in Zanesville, Ohio. When I lived in Columbus over a decade ago, my Ohio State student organization volunteered at the Columbus Zoo for their Halloween event. While I’m sure that some of the animal exhibits were open, I was involved in the haunted house portion of the zoo’s Halloween celebration. Specifically, the zoo staff dressed me up in a scary costume, and I jumped out and screamed to scare people as they rounded a corner. I did such a good job that Jack Hanna himself complimented me on my performance.*



While I had a great time scaring folks, there was a logistical problem when large groups were involved. There were times when I jumped out from around a corner to scare a group of people in the front of the group, but couldn’t really do much for the folks at the end of the line. It’s not like I could jump out, then go back to my hiding spot and jump out again. Instead, I would start talking to people. When that proved unsuccessful, I just started screaming random things. To go along with one of the most popular songs of the day, I randomly yelled “Mambo Number 5.” Not the actual song lyrics, just the song title.



Surprisingly, this went over remarkably well. So for those of you celebrating Halloween, may you have a little bit of Monica in your life.

Sadly, I’m unable to share the video for Mambo Number 5 here. Please click here to watch the video and have the song stuck in your head the rest of the day!


* This may or may not be true..I would lean towards it not being true.

Get Your Washington Capitals Playoff Tickets Today

Although today is only October 27th, with the Capitals at 7-0, apparently it’s not too early to think about the NHL playoffs. Clearly the Capitals are going to finish the season 82-0, comfortably win the Southeast division and Eastern conference and earn the Presidents' Trophy. Therefore, I received an e-mail today from the Capitals yesterday with the subject, "Secure Access to Face Value Caps Playoff Tickets Today." Here's what the message said:

Mr. Ramblings (not my real last name),

Back by popular demand, the Caps have formed an official partnership with OptionIt, offering fans who are not Full Season Ticket Holders a safe and secure way to access to a limited number of face value tickets for ALL POTENTIAL HOME PLAYOFF GAMES.

The e-mail continues with the advantages of OptionIt and a link to their website which shows this as one of its rotating images on the front page:



I do like how the e-mail discusses tickets for all potential home playoff games. Based on recent history, that could one or maybe even two whole playoff series!

This is now my second Washington Capitals related blog post this week. Who knew that I was becoming a Caps blogger?

What Ever Happened To Billy Ocean?

Seriously, where is Billy Ocean these days? You remember Billy Ocean from his 80s hits such as Caribbean Queen; When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going; Suddenly; and especially Get Out of My Dreams (Get Into My Car).

I love the fact that in the video Billy Ocean picks up a random woman who works at the car wash while all of her coworkers encourage her to go with a stranger who yells at her to get into his car. Meanwhile, cartoon ducks are also a big hit in music videos.

Anyway, while I'm sure that I could probably find out what Billy Ocean is up to these days by reading through his website, I feel like it is much more fun asking all of you.


This video was not available on YouTube, so I had to embed it from LiveVideo. Are you finding that it plays automatically? If so, please let me know, and I'll delete the video since you may not want to hear Billy Ocean whenever you visit my blog.

Update: I've removed the video of my blog. As much as I love Get Out of My Dreams, I don't need it playing everytime I visit this site. Feel free to click on the link above to enjoy the song whenever you want!

Trivia Tuesday: Name That Tune

Your challenge for this week's Trivia Tuesday is to name the song title and artist based on the lyrics below. Please note that all of these songs are from the 80s or 90s.

1. I'm not sick, but I'm not well
And I'm so hot cause I'm in hell

2. She is changing her name from Kitty to Karen
She is trading her MG for a white, Chrysler LeBaron

3. You said that I was naive and I thought that I was strong

4. Show me show me show me how you do that trick
the one that makes me scream she said

5. I'll give you love baby not romance
I'll make a move nothing left to chance
So don't you get fresh with me

6. We’re making moves and starting grooves before they knew we were gone
Jumped into the Chevy and headed for big lights
Wanna know the rest? Hey, buy the rights
(A later line is "Everytime I look around. It’s in my face.")

7. Watchin' X-Files with no lights on
We're dans la maison
I hope the Smoking Man's in this one

8. My best friend took a week's vacation to forget her
His girl took a week's worth of valium and slept
And now he's guilt stricken sobbin' with his head on the floor
Thinks about her now and how he never really wept he says

As always, please do not use the internet for assistance and leave your answers in the comments section below. Good luck!

Bruce Boudreau Is a Jedi? (Express Fail)

Matt Swenson wrote an editorial/article in Friday's Express comparing the Washington Capitals with Star Wars. Yes, really. I felt the need to share the article and some thoughts with you.

If Obi-Wan Kenobi had let himself go, and ditched the beard, he might have looked a bit like Bruce Boudreau.

Matt, you know Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character played by the late Sir Alec Guinness, right? Besides, even if Alec Guinness gained 50 pounds, shaved his beard and somehow, um, didn’t die 10+ years ago, he looks nothing like Bruce Boudreau.




Thus far, the two teachers have about the same track record. Each was handed a star full of some sort of force, but neither star has reached the level of success expected of him.

Obi-Wan was “handed” Luke Skywalker who only destroyed the Death Star and later defeated the Galactic Empire. I’m not sure what other level of success you want. Meanwhile, Alex Ovechkin won two Hart Memorial Trophies as the NHL MVP and also appeared in this Eastern Motors commercial.



For those who’ve been hiding in the Millennium Falcon’s cargo bay for the past 35 years or so...

You’ve been hiding in the Millennium Falcon for 35 years, yet you somehow managed to find the free Washington weekday newspaper available almost only at Metro stations or busy DC intersections.

...Anakin Skywalker was the most talented of the Jedi.

Oh, so we’re going with Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan, not Alec Guinness. McGregor also looks nothing like Boudreau.

It was up to Kenobi to help his pupil master the art of the Force. Except for an unlucky few, we all know how that turned out.

I have no idea what this means.

Boudreau has a similarly gifted protégé in Alex Ovechkin. The Great 8 has won plenty of individual accolades, including two MVPs, but hasn’t hoisted the Stanley Cup. And if he doesn’t some may start comparing to Ovechkin, and his hefty contract, to Darth Vader.

Darth Vader killed nearly ever Jedi at the end of the sixth/third Star Wars including children. He was probably responsible for killing hundreds if not thousands of people. Meanwhile, there have been a lot of stories around DC the past few years that Ovechkin parties too much and has gained some weight. Perfect comparison.

It’s early, but this year’s sequel appears closer in quality to “The Empire Strikes Back” than “Attack of the Clones.”

Not only does Matt Swenson write for Express, but he’s also a world-class movie critic.

While Ovechkin hadn’t found his scoring touch yet, the Caps are off to a franchise-best start.

The reason for the Caps' success isn't due to Ovechkin scoring goals, but by using the force from the bench to help goalie Tomas Vokoun make saves.

At least part of the credit belongs to Boudreau, who’s taken a more Yoda-esque taskmaster approach to Kenobi’s pupil-friendly style.

Boudreau spent all off-season watching the Star Wars movies to learn the leadership styles of Yoda. No wonder he talks differently in press conferences this season.

It seems like that’s just what the Caps needed. And, come to think of it, if Yoda weren’t green and were a few hundred years younger, he, too, might resemble Boudreau.

Apparently, Boudreau looks like every Star Wars character including Lando Calrissian and Chewbacca.


I know that it's hard to read, but here's proof that this is a real article and not something I made up.



I also need to acknowledge that this is a rip-off of Big Daddy Drew on Kissing Suzy Kolber.


Please click here for more Express Fail.

Interview with Sarah Wendell, Author & Mullet Aficionado

Sarah Wendell runs the extremely popular blog Smart Bitches, Trashy Books and recently released her second book Everything I Know about Love, I Learned from Romance Novels available now in bookstores and online including at Amazon.com where the novel reached #2 in Movements & Periods. Yes, you can read the end of that last sentence again and pretend like you’re 12.

Anyway, Sarah has been making the rounds promoting her book by appearing on the Gayle King Show, in USA Today and at numerous book signings. Sarah is also a friend who was nice enough to take time out of her extremely busy schedule to answer some silly (or perhaps brilliant!) questions. Seriously, did Gayle King ask Sarah about Jaromir Jagr's mullet? I think not!



Is the title of your new book, Everything I Know about Love I Learned from Romance Novels, a critique or criticism of the American educational system? (I'm kidding unless you'd like to answer it.)

You know, I hadn't thought of it that way, but romance novels would be a solid addition to any high school curriculum. For one thing, there's a much more accurate portrayal of human sexuality. Plus it would make those with mullets feel like heroes, and everyone deserves to feel like a hero. Especially with a mullet.

So give us an overview of your new book.

Everything I Know About Love, I Learned from Romance reveals the secrets romance readers and writers have known for awhile: that happy endings are possible, and that everyone deserves to be the hero or heroine of their own life. Romance novels, far from being monotonous expressions of love, passion, and questionable weather patterns, are actually a sort of road map of what to do and what not to do in real life relationships.

An excerpt of your book states that “there is a 95 percent chance that a romance novel cover will feature a mullet.” Are mullets still prevalent in today’s romance novels? Is Jaromir Jagr somehow involved in this?

Mullets are indeed still part of romance culture, particularly in the historical cover art. I do not understand this, but I have accepted it. I think Jagr might indeed be involved, though now that I'm attempting to have moves like him (That IS what the song is about, right?) I can't be sure.



As a fairly new parent, I’ve found that I don’t have nearly as much time as I’d like to write my blog. How are you able to maintain an extremely success blog and write a book all while being a mother?

I don't sleep a lot. I also make sure to pre-schedule content to go live on days where I am busy. And most importantly: the entries you spend the most amount of time on seem to gather the least commentary, while the ones you wrote quickly and posted will ignite a fascinating discussion. That takes a little pressure off me, when I feel overwhelmed.

You are a graduate of the high school that now boasts two of the biggest stars currently in hip-hop (Wiz Khalifa & Mac Miller). How did you contribute to this success?

I thought it was you who snuck in and left the magical funky dust in the hallways. Despite going to a different high school, clearly they were influenced by your proximity. You have way better moves like Jagr than I do!

I apologize for asking this question since I’m sure that you’re tired of constantly answering this throughout all of the interviews for your new book. Is 2012 the year the Pirates finally reach .500?

You mean they didn't? I maintain an elaborate fantasy that they're in the World Series this year. And when that grows too much to sustain on a functional level, I absolutely believe that 2012 will be the year they reach .500, and get to the NLCS.


Thanks again to Sarah for agreeing to answer these questions and for putting up with me referring to her as a mullet aficionado! I definitely encourage you to check out her new book and/or consider buying a copy as a holiday gift.

Lunch Rut Update

Six months after writing that I was in a bit of a lunch rut, I’ve decided to make a significant change in my eating habits. I’m tired of the Wegmans Lite Wheat bread for my salami sandwiches and am ready to try something new. Perhaps I’ll go back to regular white bread or spice things up with non-light/lite wheat bread. I could go crazy and make rye bread a daily fixture of my diet, though I think of rye more for special occasions or eating only at a deli. Pumpernickel bread may blow my mind.

This may be the dumbest question I've ever had on my blog, but what type of bread do you like for your sandwiches?



Oh, you’ll be happy to know that I continue to eat Rold Gold pretzels, a banana and Dannon’s Light & Fit yogurt regularly for lunch.

Random Ramblings

Trivia Tuesday will return next week, but I hope you enjoy this post which is all over the place.

On the final play of Sunday’s Steelers-Jaguars game, Jacksonville QB Blaine Gabbert did a play-action fake to his running back even though everyone in the stadium and watching the game knew that the only option was a Hail Mary pass attempt. Why even pretend that you’re going to run?

At a birthday party this weekend, a two year-old kid walked up to my 6 month-old son and slapped him on the head. I was stunned and really had no idea how to react. I think my son had no idea how to react either though he was unfazed. The mother of the kid ran over to scold her child but didn’t offer nearly the apology that I thought was necessary. To paraphrase Larry David, I thought it was a S*!t apology.



I’m not going to identify this person by name, but I need to call out an individual in one of my fantasy football leagues. This guy started Titans RB Chris Johnson and the Kansas City defense this week even though both teams were on a bye. When I asked this person who I have known for 33 years why he started these players, he said that he didn’t have time to visit the league website this week. He also didn’t even know that his team won last week (beating me). Why even play fantasy football (in a pay league no less) if you don’t have three minutes to change your line-up each week?

Speaking of fantasy football, I went 0-4 this week meaning that my teams are now 3-3, 2-4, 1-5 & 1-5. This is by far the worst I have ever done in my 12+ years of fantasy football. Fortunately, I finished 2nd in my 12 team fantasy baseball league this year, tied for my best finish in approximately 20 years in that league.

I planned on writing more, but this is all that I have right now. It's difficult to write when you fall asleep in the middle of typing.

I Have a Famous Friend (Links & Videos)

My friend Sarah recently wrote Everything I Know About Love, I Learned From Romance Novels and was invited to appear on The Gayle King Show to discuss the book. Check out the highlights as well as her description of what happened behind the scenes [Smart Bitches, Trashy Books]



I hope to interview Sarah soon though I may be a step down or twenty from Gayle King and USA Today.

The Fairfax County Police Department encourages you to adopt a refugee rabbit. Yes, the press release is really titled adopt a refugee rabbit. [FCPD]

Japan may offer 10,000 free round-trip tickets to help boost tourism following the earthquake earlier this year. The catch is that is that the trip must be publicized on a blog. To Japan's Tourism Agency, Hi. My name is Sean. I hope that you like my blog! [ABC News]

Please support Nichole in her 31 for 21 challenge. [Long and Winding Road]

Congratulations to Igloo Dreams on six years for writing about the Penguins. [Igloo Dreams]

Benstonium has been killing it lately. Check out the "Steelers Matters" video below.



Finally, be on the look out for the biggest giveaway in Sean's Ramblings history!

I Am an Idiot (Ziggy Update)

When we last left Ziggy, he freaked out at veterinarian office and needed to stay overnight since we couldn’t get him to calm down. The diagnosis was some type of bacteria in his bladder and possibly a urinary tract infection, but he was given an antibiotic and has been quite happy and affectionate since he returned home. The vet wanted me to return a few weeks later with a urine sample (from Ziggy not me) as a follow-up. Have you ever tried to collect a urine sample from a cat? It’s impossible! The vet suggested emptying the litter box leaving only this small amount of non-absorbent litter (a cup cost $9). Ziggy refused to use the litter box without his normal litter. I tried an empty box, a small amount of his regular litter and even saran wrap, but Ziggy never used the litter box unless it was at its normal state. At one point, I think he went almost an entire day without going because he didn’t like the conditions.

Finally, I made an appointment to bring Ziggy back to the vet, where, unfortunately, they would need to extract a urine sample in what I’m sure is an unpleasant process. Fortunately, the vet felt around his bladder and decided that she didn’t want to put Ziggy through that procedure. It’s probably not 100% accurate, but since Ziggy has been fine since he returned home (except when we messed with his usual litter box routine), we were instructed simply to monitor Ziggy. The cat also received his annual shots, and we were on our way home in only minutes.



Now to the idiot part. The vet said that Ziggy needed to drink more water and suggested adding a little water to his food. Ziggy eats wet food twice a day and dry food as a late night snack. I asked the vet whether I should add the water to the dry food. She was nice and after a brief pause replied that I should only add the water to the wet food since Ziggy probably wouldn’t eat soggy “dry” food. After I left, she probably (understandably) laughed with the vet tech about my brilliant question.

Trip to the Pharmacy

This may be a shocking revelation based on the title of my post, but I went to the pharmacy at my grocery store recently to drop off a prescription. I had a fancy patient savings card that allowed me to save money on the prescription. So I handed the card to the pharmacy technician, and she noticed that there was a sticker on the card meaning that the card probably wasn’t activated. So I called the number on the card, but after about two minutes, my cell phone lost reception. The technician was extremely nice and allowed me to use their phone since it was a 1-800 number, but the process to activate the card was painful. I had to verify that I lived in the United States but not Massachusetts. Apparently, the prescription card people don’t like the Red Sox and Patriots. I had to verify that Medicare wasn’t paying for the prescription. I think I even had to verify my SAT scores.

Unfortunately, the process to activate the card took nearly 20 minutes. The prescription was ready by the time I completed the call, and I hadn’t even started my grocery shopping yet. I went to check-out only for the technician to inform me that the prescription cost was $9 less without the fancy card. AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

Trivia Tuesday: Greeks vs. Romans

Before we get to this week’s trivia, please allow me to share my weekly fantasy football rant. (Please skip to the next paragraph if you don’t care about my fantasy teams.) I lost by one point in one of my leagues this week because Kyle Orton scored -1 points. That’s not a typo; he scored negative points. If Orton didn’t play or if I started Tony Romo (who was on a bye), former Steelers and Birmingham Stallions QB Cliff Stoudt (retired in 1985) or even Johnny Unitas (died in 2002), I would have won via the tie-breaker. I ended up going 1-3 this week meaning that my teams are 3-2, 2-3, 1-4 & 1-4 (including a loss to my brother this week. Ugh!). I am terrible this season.

Your challenge this week is to name the Roman equivalent of each Greek god or goddess listed below. This is clearly a blind spot in my knowledge since I only got one or two correct.

1. Athena

2. Zeus

3. Eros

4. Ares

5. Aphrodite

6. Demeter

7. Hermes

8. Hades

9. Dionysus

10. Poseidon

As always please leave your answers in the comments section below, and do not use the internet for assistance. Good luck!

This quiz is courtesy of the fine folks at Stump Trivia.

Random Steelers-Titans Notes

That was a fun game! The Steelers led early and held a convincing lead throughout the second half to defeat the Tennessee Titans 38-17. I don’t think I bit my fingernails once during the game! While you can read a full recap of the game on the Post-Gazette or on the many Steelers blogs on the sidebar of my website, here are some notes that you may not read anywhere else.

The CBS telecast started with a nice story about Tennessee Titans Head Coach Mike Munchak growing up in Scranton and apparently returning to Pennsylvania. It was very nice, but there's one significant problem. According to Google Maps, Scranton is 283 miles from Pittsburgh. Scranton is also only 121 miles from New York City; 125 miles from Philadelphia; 201 miles from Baltimore; 242 miles from Washington; and 296 miles from Boston. Therefore, I hope CBS runs the "returning home" piece for Munchak whenever the Titans face the Jets, Giants, Eagles, Ravens, Redskins or Patriots. If you want to make the case that Munchak returned to his home state, how often do you see similar stories about players or coaches from New York City returning to a game in Buffalo?

At least for one week, the maligned and banged up offensive line played extremely well. The Steelers rushed for 174 yards (6.7 yards per carry) and only allowed one sack. Maybe Max Starks truly is the answer!

We interrupt my notes for a brief commercial. I don’t understand why guy #1 doesn’t ask for a haircut rather than casual Wednesday. Meanwhile, guy #2 has no right to get in Gary Cole’s face. You don’t do that to Gary Cole! I hope Gary Cole punched him as soon as the director yelled cut.



I like the Jonathan Dwyer era. 11 carries for 107 yards is not too shabby. With that written, if Mendenhall, Redman and Moore are all healthy next week, Dwyer should return to the 4th string running back.

Did you know that Ryan Mundy was an excellent wide receiver at Woodland Hills High School catching passes from current Kansas City WR Steve Breaston? He looked good on the terrific pass from punter Daniel Sepulveda who has proved that he can do anything on the football field. Seriously, if Dwyer got injured in the fourth quarter, I’m sure that Sepulveda could have filled in at running back.

Hines Ward had a very Hines Ward day with 7 catches, 54 yards and two touchdowns. Even more significant is that I don’t think the announcers referenced Dancing With the Stars after any of his catches.

In one of my many poor fantasy football decisions this week, I started Antonio Brown. Although Roethlisberger threw for 5 touchdown passes, none of them went to Brown.

I hate to give Dan Dierdorf credit, but he made a great point late in the game when he said that they had not mentioned Ike Taylor. “Face Me Ike” (who apparently changed his website name from Face Me Ike to officialiketaylor.com and hasn’t updated it since June) is truly an underrated cornerback.

Congratulations to Cameron Heyward on his first NFL sack!

I’m sure the Steelers D is excited to face 1-4 Jacksonville and their rookie QB Blake Gabbert next week.

What Do You Eat Before Fasting

Let's say that you will be fasting for 25-26 hours in the near future. You will not have any food or water from approximately 6:00 PM one evening until about 7:30 PM the next day. What do you eat for dinner just before the fast begins?

Herman Cain Goes to Costco

Let’s say that you’re a U.S. Presidential candidate. You are surging in the polls and gaining a higher profile from numerous appearances on television including a recent stop on The View. What’s your next move?

More campaign appearances in New Hampshire and Iowa? Fundraising dinners and meeting with donors? How about more television appearances?

If you’re Republican Presidential candidate and former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain, the perfect move is to, um, sell copies of your book by appearing at the Arlington Costco tomorrow from noon to 1:00. I wonder if Mitt Romney and Rick Perry will follow this shrewd political move.

Of course, this is only open to Costco members, so BJ's Wholesale Club members are out of luck.

Hockey-Themed Bar Mitzvah

I had a very cool Bar Mitzvah reception at my synagogue. It was baseball-themed with each table having its own colors to represent major league baseball teams. Naturally, I sat at the Pittsburgh Pirates table with black and gold napkins and tablecloths. I remember there being tiny chocolates wrapped in a baseball wrappers and a magician who ended his performance with a banner by presenting a banner that stated "Congragulations Sean!" I guess they didn't have Spell Check that many years ago.

Anyway, meet David Cohen. Based on the video below and this story from Yahoo's Puck Daddy, it looks like he also had a cool Bar Mitzvah. I'm not sure that he has the moves like Jagr though. (Seriously, the song Moves Like Jagger is so much better if you think Adam Levine of Maroon 5 sings Moves Like Jagr.)

David Cohen "Mitzvah Teaser" from Timeline Video Productions Inc.

I guess Henrik Zetterberg was unable to attend.

Trivia Tuesday

Happy Tuesday! Not that anyone cares, but I actually went 3-1 in my fantasy football leagues this week. It has been an awful season for me thus far (my teams are 3-1, 1-3, 1-3 & 1-3), but after this week, there's a glimmer of hope. Completely unrelated to fantasy football is this week's Trivia Tuesday. Given below are 10 definitions; your challenge is to supply the English word borrowed from Spanish.

1. A sun-dried brick made of clay and straw, common in arid climates

2. The Freight of a ship or airplane

3. A broad-snouted large reptile, common in the Southeastern US

4. A source of great and sudden wealth of luck; also the name of a long-running TV western

5. A restriction imposed upon any type of commerce, usually by government edict

6. A person who engages in irregular warfare, employing tactics such as surprise raids and sabotage

7. A blood-sucking flying insect of the family Culicidae, some types of which are transmitters of disease

8. A violent windstorm characterized by a funnel-shaped cloud

9. A person who takes the law into his own hands

10. Deprived of communication with other people


As always please leave your answers in the comments section below, and do not use the internet for assistance. Good luck!

This quiz is courtesy of the fine folks at Stump Trivia.

Six Months of Fatherhood

I recently passed the six-month mark of being a father which has been a wonderful, tiring, and life-changing experience. Since I don’t feel like writing about the Steelers today, I figured that I’d share my recent experiences of fatherhood.

- At the six-month check-up, my boy weighed 16 pounds, 11 ounces and his height was 27 inches. This corresponds to the 37th and 72 percentiles respectively. My driver's license, an official legal document, states that I am 5' 7". Therefore, I am extremely excited that my son has a chance to be relatively tall.

- I am very fortunate to have a fairly easy baby. He has slept through the night the majority of the time since about 4 months. He has a great demeanor and is a happy kid. Both the doctor and the nurse at the recent appointment commented on his positive attitude. He also regularly smiles.

- For the most part, the only time he is unhappy is when we take his bottle away to burp him. I guess he doesn’t like us interrupting his meal. Of course, I can’t really blame him since most people would cry in this same situation.

- Wondering how my son and Ziggy interact? When my baby sees Ziggy he smiles and makes noise. Although Ziggy likes to be around us, he keeps a safe distance away from my child. Of course, he likes most of the new toys and places to sleep.



- The itsy bitsy spider is a big hit in our household. He lights up when the song begins. Personally, I think my hand-motions of the spider climbing up the water spout are magical. Seriously, I would dominate an itsy bitsy spider competition,

- I am not the primary bath giver in the household. In fact, up until last week, I had only played the supporting role in giving my son a bath. So in my first experience giving my son a bath, he welcomed me to this role by pooping in the bathtub for the first time.

- Have I mentioned that I have a very cute child? I realize that I’m biased but I have a really cute kid. In fact, former White House correspondent Helen Thomas even told me that I have a cute kid.

- When I need to dress my child, I take whatever is on the top of the drawer. I know he has other clothes in the closet but for all I know they are too big or too small. Basically, my policy is that he’s going to wear only what is at or near the top of his drawers.

- My son loves putting anything in his mouth, and while his hands are his usual choice, his favorite toy is Sophie, the all-natural teether. When you wash Sophie, she loses her squeak; however, it is always fun to see how Sophie gets her squeak back.



Just like a team in the NCAA basketball tournament, I have survived the first six months and now advance to the next round!