Diggers

As I've mentioned I have a lot of hobbies. One of my newer ones may end up being my favorite. Christmas before last my wife gave me a metal detector. I had wanted one for many years and I was thrilled to finally have one of my own. My interest in metal began when I was very young. My grandfather had one and would occasionally use it around the yard at our summer house. It stuck with me. My interest was awoken in recent years after watching a show called Diggers on the National Geographic Channel. It is about two guys who go detecting and always end up finding a lot of cool stuff. I am a bit spoiled as I found a beautiful ring on the beach one of my first times out. Since then I've found a lot of nails, beer cans, and pieces of fence. You never know what you are going to find when the detector goes off and it is that hunt that makes detecting so much fun. I used to make fun of those guys detecting at the beach wearing dark socks and sandals and now we are brothers. See you Memorial Day guys.

Until tomorrow,
Dave

Plan B

Who would you want to play you if your life became a movie? That is a really tough question to answer. Let's be realistic....I don't look like Brad Pitt or many of the leading men in Hollywood. There are a lot of actors I respect but the lack of resemblance takes them out of the running immediately. Sadly they need to be a bit rotund. You can make an actor with hair look good bald but you cannot make someone who is thin look fat. And though I'd be flattered, I don't expect someone to put on a hundred pounds to play me. He would also need to deep as I am a pretty complicated character. Until this week I thought Phillip Seymour Hoffman would be my choice for the role. He was great in Almost Famous and Moneyball...two of my favorite movies. He joined the cast of the Hunger Games in the second film....another favorite of mine. Sadly his addictions took his life this week. Sad for many reasons but mostly because three kids lost their Dad. Since the story of Dave hasn't started filming yet there is time to recast the role of me. But who....? Think Jack Black is available?

Until tomorrow,

Dave

Signing Day

Today is an unofficial holiday for many college football fans. Today is the day high school seniors sign their letters of intent to go play football at a particular college. Unlike professional sports where free agency and the annual draft allows them rebuild, college coaches must hit the road 9 months a year recruiting and selling their school. I used to care about national signing day. I wanted to know who was going where and especially get to know the young men that would be playing for my team in the future. This year I officially stopped caring. Social media has given these kids a voice and when you hear their voices you realize the are just kids. The constant attention of famous coaches goes to their heads and they consider themselves celebrities. I hate to give them bad news but before their head gets too big they need to realize they have not accomplished anything. I'm glad you were great in high school but remember you were playing against other high schoolers. Instead of caring about who signs where I now start caring when they are part of the team and at the school. People make money by covering these kids as they think through their decisions. They give those super fans the fix they need to get them through until next season. This is America and they are trying to make a living. I just think there is so much more out there to do and care about than where joe senior is thinking about going to school.

Until tomorrow,

Dave

Spring Training

In ten days the pitchers and catchers of my favorite team, the Detroit Tigers, will report to spring training in Lakeland, FL. Baseball is my favorite of all the major sports and the Tigers are my favorite team regardless of the sport. Spring training represents an annual new beginning for baseball fans. Fans of all teams except one end the previous season with disappointment and when the teams report in February to Florida or Arizona that disappointment is forgotten. The players have almost two full months in the warm weather to get ready for the long upcoming season. I have attended several spring training games in Florida over the years and it is a great feeling knowing winter is nearing an end and regular season baseball will be returning soon. I've never been to a game in Lakeland but have seen games in Orlando, Tampa, and St Pete. One of these years I will visit Lakeland in March to see my Tigers, but this year I will be there in spirit awaiting what I hope to be a championship season. Check back in October to see how it plays out.

Until tomorrow,
Dave

Taxes

I began working on my taxes this evening and it has taken most of the night. I wanted to comment that though I am an accountant and should love doing my taxes I really find it to be a chore. Tax programs like Turbo Tax make it a lot less painful compared to the days of pencil and calculator but I still don't like it. I am one of those people that over pay during the year so I can get a large refund each Spring. Again, not the typical path for an accountant but it also leaves a buffer in case there are some unexpected happenings during the year. This years return was pretty vanilla and only took me a couple hours to finish. In a few weeks I'll get that nice refund check and maybe take the family on an adventure. We'll have to start thinking about where we'll go.

Until tomorrow,
Dave

Super Sunday

The Super Bowl is always a fun event to watch even when I don't have a dog in the fight. Between the food, commercials, halftime show, and the actual game there is always enough to keep me entertained. I was hoping something noteworthy would come out of the first half of tonight's game so that I would have something to write about. Thus far the commercials have been just OK, the game has been a blow out, and the half time show was fine. I find what I want to write about has to do with none those. I has to do with an very odd thing I've noticed on the sidelines of football games all season. I may just be missing something since I never played organized football at any level. Here it goes....why do football players need someone else to squirt water into their mouths during a time out or while they are out of the game? Is it the fact they are wearing a helmet? Most of these guys have been playing football for over a decade so you would think they could figure out how to not hit the face mask when taking a drink. And don't these guys who are doing the squirting ever miss and if they do don't the players get mad? I know...random observation but I may have to do some research on this one.

Until tomorrow,
Dave

One month down

January has come and gone. From a blogging standpoint I kept my commitment to do a post everyday. I did fall asleep early one evening and failed to post a blog before midnight but made up for it by doing two the next day. The blog hasn't gone exactly as I planned. I had anticipated doing more lengthy posts with a little bit deeper content. I still might get there but so far the blog has more like a journal. By then end of this I think you'll know just about everything about me. I have not struggled for topics thus far and by mixing in some current events and some very random thoughts I think I should be able to get through the end of the year.

January was good month for me. Home and work life were good. We stayed healthy (knocking on wood). I got to California for a few days and Charlotte saw some of the coldest weather in decades. I didn't really set goals for the month but for February I hope to get more active and start exercising more. Check back in 28 days and see how I am progressing with that.

Until tomorrow,
Dav