Putting the Meh in Melo

February is a very boring month for sports. Football is over, it's not yet time for March Madness, and the NBA is in the middle of yet another interminably long, meaningless regular season. Honestly February is probably why the SI Swimsuit Edition was created.

So former Nuggets Forward Carmelo Anthony is headed to New York City. In return, Denver gets about 37 role players and some draft picks. I'm having trouble caring. Carmelo seems like a nice guy and he certainly put in his time here but he's not a leader. Over the past few years, The Nuggets have acted like children, being selfish with the ball, squabbling, tweeting inappropriate things, not playing defense, and generally playing the game the way they want to play it, not the way teams need to play to win championships.

When I watch sports I want to be inspired. I want to see people face adversity and triumph. I want to see players excel because they put in hard work. Carmelo Anthony never put in hard work and he rarely excelled. Sure he's had plenty of nice games. But when was the last time you saw Melo dive on the floor for a loose ball?


Melo doesn't inspire. He's got a pretty shot and it can be fun to watch him take people off the dribble and make them look slow but he's not much of a team player and he didn't really make anyone around him better. Have fun in New York, Melo. Or should I say Meh lo.

RIP Sam Taylor

 Sam Taylor (farthest from left) flexing some muscle 2009

I was saddened to read this afternoon in the Boulder Daily Camera of Samantha Taylor's passing. I met Sam when she joined the Colorado swing dance scene about three years ago. We spent a season at the University of Colorado preparing for the 2009 Intercollegiate Swing Battle, in which the team ended up taking 2nd Place. Vivacious and talented, Sam was a quick study and a natural at aerials. I didn't know her well but in the short time I spent dancing alongside her, she brightened my life. Sam, you'll be missed.

Open Letter to Groupon.com

Dear Groupon.com,

I love your company and have purchased several awesome deals. My girlfriend has purchased even more of them. I was appalled however, after viewing your Super Bowl ad mocking the situation in Tibet. I was then outraged several days later when I saw another of your ads, this one poking fun at endangered whales. Neither of these things are funny in any way. "Oh... the situation in Tibet is horrible! But don't worry, Groupon let's me get tasty curry?" That's textbook offensive.

Your company does well because people like my girlfriend and I read your emails and then buy those products or services. I can't speak for her but I promise I will not be opening your emails or buying any groupons for as many months as I see offensive ads. So far we're at two. I will however be checking out your competitors. See you in mid April, unless you prefer to promote your company by making fun of AIDS or something equally "funny."

Truman Bradley

A Sharpe Bust in Canton

The only time the name Shannon Sharpe and the word bust will be uttered in the same sentence is in reference to his place today and forevermore in the National Football League's Hall of Fame.* Sharpe is probably best known for his trash talking but it should be noted that this three time Super Bowl winner revolutionized the tight end position. Players such as Dallas Clark and Antonio Gates have a lot to thank Shannon for. Congratulations Shannon; I can't wait to hear your speech.

Readers of this blog may remember that I was upset that Sharpe was not elected at his first opportunity in 2009.

Sunrise Sunset

"Sunrise, sunset

Sunrise, sunset

Swiftly fly the years

One season following another

Laden with happiness and tears"

--Sunrise, Sunset --Fiddler On The Roof

My Grandpa is dying. Alzheimer's Disease has him moseying down a very long gradual slide back into mental infancy. After my Grandma died in 2005, Grandpa lived on his own in a little Florida community full of old people until he couldn't take care of himself. Then he (was) moved to my parents' house in Boulder. Over the next few years, my family struggled as it became clear that the man we were caring for now bore increasingly less resemblance to the Grandpa we'd known before. About two years ago he moved into a "retirement community" ironically called Sunrise. With Amanda's gentle persuading, she and I visit him once a week or so. At Sunrise his meals are fixed and his every need is attended to. He is lucky to be able to afford something like this. He is pretty out of it but appears to be happy. 


Now his descent is steepening. For me, it's gotten very hard to watch. On the best of days, my Grandpa has the faculties of a three year old. On Friday when Amanda and I went to see him, he could only communicate certain needs by pointing. When he was able to speak, dinner "conversation" consisted of him telling me repeatedly that "food is good" and that the female employees at Sunrise are all his girlfriends. He needs help performing all life functions and I worry about his dignity, even though that's a concept he can't comprehend anymore. 


I don't begrudge my Grandpa his death. He's eighty-eight and he's lived a wonderful life. At 17, he walked away from the coal mines of Ohio to build a better life. He served in the Pacific Ocean Theater in WWII and then moved to his family including my mother to Tennessee to open a factory. Decades later, when the factory closed he found jobs for over 1,000 of his employees. Together he and my Grandma bootstrapped this family into the middle class. They traveled all over the world and once square danced on the Great Wall of China. 


I am lucky that I made it nearly three decades before experiencing the (imminent) death of anyone close to me. I'm finally discovering that, to state the obvious, death is really hard. My mother has helped her Dad take every step down this path and she reminds me that easing a loved one's passing is a "joyful obligation:" a task that helps everyone. Although it's really difficult to watch him decline, I know that she is right. Seeing him slowly lose the ability to remember, walk, and even talk provides a visceral reminder: We are all going to die someday.   


I didn't learn much from Grandpa before he began dying but he's taught me a great deal since then. When I leave Sunset each week, I do so in tears. But seeing Grandpa also leaves me hungry for life, resolved to do a lot of the things that I've let slip to the back burner. I'm not going to fall into the daily morass of work, tv, shitty food, and low expectations. I'm going to treat people well, play hard, love passionately, and appreciate what I've been taking for granted.

If he could understand the question, I think he'd say that looking back he has no regrets. I'm resolved to be able to say the same thing when it's my turn. 

What would Tyrion gift?

Amanda is wonderful for thousands of reasons. Reason 8,075 is that she is an incredibly thoughtful gift giver. Today we celebrated (the 2nd of three celebrations) Christmas with her nuclear family. She had mentioned beforehand that she "got me something small." I took this as, something insignificant.

What a devious clue. By small she meant miniature. This miniature of Tyrion Lannister, to be precise. By the way, these things don't come painted. She contracted with a local artist who just happens to be a total badass at painting miniatures to custom paint mine.

Tyrion Lannister is a devious dwarf with a mind like a steel trap. He has often served as a source of inspiration when I've found myself in difficult spots. I think, "What would Tyrion do?" and often I solve the problem. I had wanted this figurine before it had even been created but I didn't buy it for myself because I knew how hard the little man would be to paint.

Amanda not only figured out who Tyrion was. She then ordered him, and had him exquisitely painted. Awesome, awesome gift! A move of which the dwarf himself would have approved.

thoughts from the bedroom

I really dislike it when people pronounce mature ma-toor.

Online advertisers have finally gotten smarter (ie more brief).

I bought a heated throw for the cat who has abandoned it and moved into my bed.

Christmas List

This is more the "What I'll buy myself when I get some money list" but here goes.

MicroSpikes for size 10 shoes/boots

Decent trekking poles

Nice n soft graphic t-shirts (medium)

These jeans in a 31x32
Satellite radio for my car
Massages
Hiking/Climbing partners for my birthday trip to some place high and hard (Prolly won't buy any folks)
Used books including:
Acacia: The War with the Mein, Acacia: The Other Lands, The Rational Optimist,

What's up Precinct #315?

I recently moved to Denver and will be voting tomorrow at my local precinct. Are you voting tomorrow? Do you know when and where to go? Find your Denver precinct here!

If you don't vote, you are an idiot.

The cure for the Broncos red zone woes

Whoops

Good News Bad News

Good News: Amanda and I are closer to being unpacked than ever before.

Bad News: While cleaning we discovered not one but two (juvenile) black widows.

Home

Today Amanda and I moved in together. We are renting a cute 1930's bungalow here, .5 miles from Wash Park, and exactly one mile from Amanda's law building. As for my work, it's 2.7 miles away. Tonight, with help from our friends, we painted the living room, hallway, the bedroom, and threw two coats of paint on the fireplace. I'm excited to be moving back to Denver and I'm very excited to be living with Amanda. As we painted around each other, Amanda snapped a few pictures. I'm glad because I think we'll be here for a while. It's already beginning to feel like home.