OEsheepdog's Open Salon Blog

Patriots at Saints -- Must see Monday Night Football

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:11:54 -0500

Yes, I know it's only Tuesday, but Monday's game between the New England Patriots and the New Orleans Saints is a must see game. Even if you're not a football fan, this game will provide high levels of entertainment even to the occasional football viewer. First the teams.

New Orleans

Quarterback Drew Brees is one of the best in the league. the team is disciplined and well coached by Sean Payton. The team has a high powered offense and they can deceive you fromanywhere on the field. Miami thought it might come back and beat the Saints only to be denied within the last 4 minutes of the game.

Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams can always assemble the right cast to play excellent defense. His track record at Buffalo and Washington of excellent defenses have demonstrated his ability to make any player better. He's been very successful in New Orleans. He always finds the right scheme and his team makes very few errors. They'll be challenged this week by New England.

New England

The Patriots have played in four superbowls this decade and have won four of them. Tom Brady appears to be fully back from his knee injury and his receivers are formidable. When Randy Moss was held to just five catches last week against the Jets, Wes Welker had 15 cathches for 192 yeards. Welker leads the league in receptions, which is suprising because he missed two games earlier this year due to knee injury. Each week the Patriots bring a different game plan forward based on the strenghts and weaknesses of their opponent.

On the defense, the secondary has gotten better. Last week they had four interception against the Jets. Nose Tackle Vince Wilfork has played both Nose guard and defensive end, and Linebacker Jerod Mayo is th captain of the defense.

Even though I am a Patriots fans, I have a lot of respect for the Saints. They are playing as well as any team in the league right now. The Patriots have lost all three road games they played in North America this year (their one win was in London). The need start winning on the road, and their opponent is undeafeated.

This is one of those weeks where all the hype you'll be hearing is justified.

When I saw this on the schedule I knew this would be a great game. This game will come down to the last play.

Ten ways to know you have found "True Love"

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:11:52 -0500

It took me almost my whole life to find true love. I didn't get it by doing a Google search, or by going to a bar, or by standing on a street corner. Not for my lack of trying, though. I'm still coughing from those exhaust fumes.

There is an intimacy and comfort level you reach with your partner when you've found it. It's hard to describe for others; in fact trying to describe it in detail usually seems boring to those listening to you. Most of all, they never find the moments, the ones that both of you find hilarious, are even funny at all.

I also realize that finding true love doesn't happen to everyone. In fact, it seems to happen so rarely, it's a major business opportunitie for romance authors, purveyors of seuxal enhancement paraphanlia, therapists, pharmaceutical companies, match makers, divorce attorneys, cults and/or organized religions.

So here's a list to ponder. This is my list, so don't seek legal counsel to end your relationship if none of these ten things are occurring in your relationship.

10. You laugh. All the time, at funny stuff and dumb stuff. When you go to explain the humor to others, they just don't get it. Ever.

9. You have the same thoughts at the same time. Like Saturday afternoon in the restaurant when the senior aged woman came over to compliment us for being a "classy couple." As she explained that she was a charter member of the California Century Club, we both thought she was over 100 years old.

8. There's no gamesmenship in the relationship. Perhaps Ms. Sheepdog and I are getting too old for this, but there's no Tit for Tat BS getting in the way of our daily lives. Yes there's occasional conflict, but we work it out and we find a way to move forward. Because being together is more important than winning.

7. You are very comfortable being you. I haven't walked on an eggshell since I met her. I can just be me. Period.

6. You share a deep sense of trust. Ms. Sheepdog knows that I will only stray when Annette Bening stops by the house and wants to borrow me for the "weekend." Likewise when Junior Seau comes by to see Ms. Sheepdog for the "weekend" it won't be to talk about sport jobs. We both appreciate the attraction each of us has for these people and we both know it will never happen. But, if it did, it would be ok.

5. Mutual respect. We never put each other down in public. Ever.

4. We don't try to change each other. Ms. Sheepdog knows I hate to paint. She doesn't try to make like to paint. She actually likes me to read to her while she paints. I have chores I like doing. We always find a balance.

3. We take care of each other. Everyday 24/7.

2. We don't let conflicts with our respective families get in the way of our relationship. This can be tricky at times, but we always try not to get sucked in by the stuff that can make in-laws, out-laws.

1. Balance the relationship. Some parties in a relationship believe that the relationship should be 50/50. I like to think that we seek to find the average, that at the end of the day we eventually get to 50/50. We don't keep score.

I'm sure you must be thinking that I didn't mention the physical aspects of the relationship. Gentlemen don't kiss and tell. In case you're wondering, if the sex isn't good, you can't even begin address these ten issues.

As for true love, you know it when you see it.

November 22, 1963 -- New York City Updated date

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:11:59 -0500

At the northern tip of Manhattan Island is a neighborhood called Inwood. At the northwest end of the neighborhood is a park. Inwood Hill Park, the last vestige of woods on the island.

In that neighborhood in 1963, my classmates and I emerged from Public School 98. We were third graders in Mrs. Eisenberg's class. Mrs. Eisenberg, was probably 40, but from her grey hair, she seemed 60. She was perpetually stern, but all my teacher memories from that era where stern.

Mrs. Eisenberg also lived in the same apartment house as me. I was cursed. As we emerged from the school, one of my friends, said the president was shot. In Dallas. My exposure to the news was when my dad brought home either the New York Post or the World-Telegram and Sun on his way home from work.

There was no internet, no cable news, and no cable TV. Just channels 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13. No VHF. We had a black and white TV. When I got home, channel 2 was on and my mother was watching Walter Cronkite describe the events in Dallas where Kennedy had been shot just a couple of hours before.

She had been crying. I was scared, thinking that the Russians would now bomb us since we had no President. I didn't know Johnson had succeeded Kennedy.

It was raw grey day in New York, as it was for our nation.

We watched the TV constantly over the weekend, watching Jack Ruby shoot down Lee Harvey Oswald live. In black and white. A time etched forever in my mind. I was eight years old.

A week at a business conference

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:11:21 -0500

The high energy is over. The displays have been taken down, the Mascots have changed into street clothes, the many thousands who came to the place are on their way home.

Yes there was drinking, there was rock music, and there was partying, (and there might have been illicit sex) but there was also work going on. Serious work.

For some who work for large concerns, this was a networking opportunity. For others this trip was a recognition of their hard work all year long. For others this might have been less than they expected, or they were overwhelmed by it all.

For the company that ran the event, this was about recognition and appreciation of its loyal customers. There was shameless self-promtion, and deals were made, while some deals were lost.

For four days I was able to shut out my work life and focused on understand the new services we would be deploying over the next quarter. I met many people from around our country and other countries and learned that when push comes to shove, we all have the same types of problems. Problems with our bosses, our boards, and our employees.

This commonality makes the day to day realities a little easier to deal with and we formed some bonds with people who we can call up and get a different perspective on our work life. I talked with a participant today who was rather down on the experience because she didn't live in a large metro. When I told her that this company moderated a number of blogs, her eyes lit up, and she had hope that this trip was all worthwhile. That made my day.

I saw people who genuinely believe in helping their customers succeed, and that they love what they do.

Love what they do. How many of us have had jobs where we love what we do?

When I get back to the office on Monday and I'm asked, what was the big takeaway I had from this event, it will be I got to work with people who love their job every day.

The second takeaway is there is money to be made for a enterprising Dunkin' Donuts franchisee. Sorry Starbucks and Peet's fans, coffee out here is not my idea of a San Francisco treat.

OS meet up in San Francisco Friday afternoon/evening 11/20?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:11:00 -0500

I find myself in San Francisco tomorrow from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. with nothing on my agenda. Are there any Bay Area OSers who might want to meet up tomorrow?

My lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on your part. I do have to be at the airport by 10 pm to catch the red eye to New York.

So if you're interested please comment below or send me a PM.

I don't have H1N1 thankfully and am in good health otherwise.