Fantasy 'Lanta

One of the fun parts of working for ESPN is getting to travel for different events. Last week I spent 4 days in Orlando for an Ad Sales meeting at Disney's Grand Floridian. It was fun but corporate. From Orlando I popped up to Atlanta for a fantasy baseball draft party at Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves. I was asked to set up 60 laptops so that ESPN the Magazine subscribers could attend a free draft party and start building their teams. It was a lot of work and due to the low number of RSVPs we only deployed 40 laptops (15 would have been plenty!) but the prep took all day Saturday and half of Sunday. Can you say tired?





Once the event began it was lots of hot dogs, hot fantasy girls and talking baseball with the likes of Ron Gant, Jeff Brantley and Bob Horner. Plus trying my stuff at the fast pitch cage. Jeff Brantley coached me and added 2 mphs to my "wicked" fastball, whereby I topped the gun at 50 mph. Pitiful, of course, and since I did not warm up my arm is sore this morning. I'll cherish that strain for at least another day. Off to Bristol, CT to check in with the Mothership.





Yeah, I like my job.

It Works

We used our spa for the first time this morning. Jamie was the only one brave (crazy) enough to swim in the 61 degree water in the pool. The pressure of the jets in the spa is fabulous. Wish I wasn't leaving tonight on a 2 week business trip. I want to soak with my girls.







E-mail me if you want a hi-res copy of me without my shirt on.

Filled Up

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls...introducing our POOL!







Next up, getting the fences painted and landscaping.

Peeble Sheen

We start filling on Wednesday!

Waiting on the Inspector

Sitting here as I post, I am waiting for the inspector to conduct his enclosure inspection. I was given a two hour window that he will be here in and of course I am in the last 30 minutes of that window. The guy must double as a cable TV repairman.

An enclosure inspection consists of making sure the property is secure so that no one wanders into your pool and drowns. This means self-latching gates that open towards the street, door alarms on every entry that leads to the pool area and of course a fence around the entire property. This weekend my fence guy finished the new rear fence and a pair of side gates. Here is a sample of his work.





All that remains once the inspector approves is the final plumbing fittings and the peeble sheen surface of the pool. Plus we need to stain all three sides of our backyard fences and landscape the area behind the pool. We may actually be hot tubbing in a week! Par-tay!

Update: we passed the inspection and are scheduled to have our pool surfaced on Thursday.

If it's not broke....

...I don't have to see it. Since Crash won the best picture Oscar tonight I really don't feel the need or obligation to see Brokeback Mountain. Everyone that I know that has seen it has described it as long, slow, depressing and a downer. Add the gay element to it and nothing is calling out to me to see this movie. I am not homophobic by any means and in fact have some very good friends who are gay and their sexual orientation has nothing to do with our friendship. Live and let live. But when I go to the movies you need to blow something up, give me a good car chase or at least show me some female skin. I want entertainment not a sleeping pill or a new reason to feel depressed. Watching Brokeback's two writers accept the best adapted screenplay Oscar tonight I was underwhelmed by their boring personalities. I guess if the cowboy fits....that was cheap...