Football Season

I absolutely love football season. It doesn't get much better than football season. UCLA is down by 4 with :44 seconds to go. It's their ball on the 12 yard line. 1st & ten. I can hardly contain myself. I LOVE FOOTBALL.

I should so be in bed right now...

Tennessee vs UCLA

I'm up late watching the Tennessee/UCLA game. I love TiVo. But, man it's late. Who is going to win? I'm pulling for Tennessee.

New Photo

Here is a photo from the Myriad Gardens that I took today.

OSU

I guess I'm the worst dad on the planet because I can't stand seeing my son in OSU clothes.

Why was China picked for the Olympics?

Being able to breathe seems to be a high priority for Olympic athletes - and in Beijing, that’s going to be a bit of a challenge. However, according to Associated Press sources, China is working hard at it….cough…cough.

Last week, Beijing’s air pollution index dropped to 44 from its more typical number which is double that. A reading below 50 is considered “good,” and between 51 and 100 is “moderate,” but “moderate” is still above the World Heath Organization’s guidelines for healthy air.

Their polluted air has prompted the government to begin drastic measures, including the halting of most construction, the closing of machinery, chemical and construction factories, and the imposition of restrictions on half the city’s 3.3 million vehicles.

Many of the 10,500 Olympic athletes are heading to South Korea, Japan and other places to avoid Beijing’s air for as long as possible. This is a kind of “reverse doping,” as the impact of the city’s pollution on the health and performance of these athletes is in question.

Yet another risk is that of Islamic terrorism. Some of you have been led to believe that jihadism is a reaction or reasonable payback to America and her friends for being bad, bad places. So it might seem strange to you to find out that a Muslim group, claiming responsibility for a series of explosions in Chinese cities, is allegedly planning to attack the Beijing Olympic Games. According to the AP, “earlier this year, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security said it had disrupted two plots to attack the Olympics. It claimed one group had been planning to kidnap athletes, foreign journalists, and other visitors, while a second had been manufacturing explosives and was plotting to attack hotels, government offices, and military targets in Shanghai, Beijing, and other cities….” Just yesterday we heard about sixteen Chinese policemen who were killed in an attack on a border post in the Muslim region of Xinjiang.

As if that were not enough, the Chinese government was planning to censor the Internet during the games. Reporters already in Beijing have been unable to access scores of web pages - particularly politically sensitive ones that discuss Tibetan succession and Taiwanese independence, as well as the sites of Amnesty International, Radio Free Asia and several Hong Kong newspapers.

Oh, you should know that the International Olympic Committee quietly agreed to the Internet limitations…that is, the blocking of sites that were not Games-related. There was such an uproar from other countries, however, that China has backed off on this deal, and on Friday, the Chinese government announced that it will not censor the Internet during the competition.

In 2001, when China won the right to host the Games, it made the commitment that it would improve its record on human rights and provide athletes with clean air. Without Friday’s announcement (made only because of outside pressure), that would have made the score zero for two.

Strep Throat

I'm home with strep throat. It sucks. Marian had strep throat late last week. Obviously she gave it to me. I'm on antibiotics and taking some kind of light sleep medication for rest.

Lastly, for the first time in my life I actually have a doctor's note saying I can't go back to work until Thursday!! How cool is that??

Hope everyone is doing well.

Fathers Day

For fathers day I want to spend the day with Marian, Clark and Charlotte. I want to do something relaxing (hard with a four year old) and simple. Maybe we can go fly a kite. Maybe we can go swimming. I just want to be with the kids and have some fun. For me fathers day is all about spending the time with my kids. They deserve my time more than ever on fathers day. I think its really a celebration of them. I can't wait!

Airplane Video

This is a video of me flying in a Japanese Zero. It's pretty boring unless you like airplanes.

What a summer...

Marian, the kids and I have been having a great summer so far. We have been busy with a lot of activities. We've been to the Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus, Star Spangled Salute Air Show and other events. I went to the Learjet 550 race in Ft. Worth where I got to "high-five" Robbie Knievel and I also flew in a WWII Japanese Zero fighter airplane. Plus, we've been swimming and to the zoo.

Charlotte is starting to walk and Clark is learning to read. Marian is working as hard as ever with the political races going on and I have been to event after event. We are buy but we are having a good time (except for Marian who is working her rear off).

I have posted photos in the previous few entries. Plus, I will put some videos in that I have taken recently at the various events we have attended.

Enjoy.

Kids at the Zoo

Here the kids are at the OKC Zoo several weeks ago.

Ride in a Japanese Zero

Below are some of the photos of my ride in the Japanese Zero. It was the day before the air show. I was lucky enough to be able to ride with the pilots as part of the media day. That was easily one of the most thrilling experiences I have done in a while.

Marian and Mark

Here's one of my favorites. Marian and I went bowling at the Mark Harmon bowling event for The Children's Center several weeks ago. Marian is not very impressed with celebrities. So, of course, I asked Mark if he would take a photo with Marian. Naturally he said, "Sure." Here she is looking rather annoyed with me.

Clark's Dance

Check out Clark's great dance moves at Sophia's birthday party last weekend.

Several cute pictures of Charlotte

Check out these extra sweet photos of Charlotte. What a cutie!

Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus

We went to the circus last weekend. Clark and Charlotte loved it. They threw a fake hairdo hat into the crowd. I caught it for Clark and he wore it at the show. The hair represents Bello Nock the star of the circus. Bello's hair stuck straight up in the air. The orange hat represents Bello's hair.

Charlotte paid attention more than Clark. She was so cute because she would clap and watch like it was the best thing she had ever seen.

Dylan's 2nd Birthday Party

We were invited to Dylan Conner's 2nd birthday party. His party was a ton of fun. It was at Bart's gym in Norman. Clark got to play on all the gymnastics equipment. He absolutely loved it. I did too. At one point I took my shoes off and raced Clark from one side of the gym to the other, jumping into a huge put of foam at the end.

Clark also got to do a iron cross (with help from Bart, of course). Again, he loved it. And, he got a gold medal after the party.

Photos of the Learjet 550 IndyCar Race

Below are some photos of the Learjet 550 race in Ft. Worth, TX. I went down last weekend with my friend Kraig. We met my other good friend Chris (who brought three friends). I had pit passes, garage passes, in field parking and VIP seats. It was awesome. The race was amazingly loud since the cars were going over 215 mph. There were wrecks and some good drama.

We also got to see Robbie Knevial jump 21 Hummers on his motorcycle before the race. After his jump he drove by on a scooter and I slapped him a "high-five."

Please notice that I wore my OU shirt and hat down to Texas. A total sign of disrespect for UT!


Robbie Knevial

Air Show

These are photos of the Air Show. We went with my friends Curtis and Bart. Look at the great photo of Clark with Dylan (Bart and Nadia's son).

How cute is this??

Check out this photo of Charlotte and Marian's mother, Linda. I love this photo.

Days of Thunder

Okay so the title of this post has nothing to do with anything.

We are doing well. Marian is busy with her job and the kids and I am extremely busy with my job as well.

I will tell you that tonight Ya Ya gave Clark a Spiderman punching bag. He loved it. When we were saying good bye to Ya Ya tonight he said, "Ya Ya, I'm so proud of you for getting me a Spiderman punching bag." We all laughed.

Charlotte is almost ready to start walking. She is standing by herself and even walks when you hold her hands. She is so curious and she loves Clark. She wants to do anything he does. I'm sure it will be like that for years.

I am in the process of hiring someone for an open position I have at work. It is taxing because as soon as I think I have it figured out something comes up. I was set to make an offer to someone today but they said something I didn't like. What am I supposed to do? It's so hard. I am glad to have options.