Bracketology and why Canada is nicer than the US

Somehow I have soared to third place in our office pool. If KU takes care of business with Davidson and the 'Horns knock off Memphis, I should be sitting pretty. Funny, because I was in a race for the bottom before the Sweet 16 games started.

I also did a bracket for the women's tournament and put myself in the "Fans of Colorado" and the ESPN women's basketball commentators groups. I'm holding my own with the commentators but I'm not even on the first page with the CU fans. Women's tournament has fewer upsets though, so you're pretty safe going with the seeds. No Davidson to trash your bracket here.

Finally, last night I watched my last DVRed episode of "Bathroom Divas." This Canadian show searched the country for six people to send to an opera 'boot camp' where they received intense training for several weeks. Each week, one was voted off. The winner performed with the Vancouver Symphony ( I think the first season winner got the Toronto Symphony).

I just happened across this little gem one night and sought out the series to record. So far, there have been two seasons. Granted, you might have to be more than a little interested in opera to really enjoy the show. I found a couple other blog entries about it. One compared it to "American Idol" but without the mean-spiritedness. I don't know because I've never watched Idol. But I'm sure it's true. It is also a lot smarter than anything on American TV. Of course, it showed on the Bravo channel in Canada and on Ovation here, which are not exactly for the lowest common denominator.

gray early spring day but silver bullets in plastic bottles

well.

My planned evening at the roller derby did not happen so I was temporarily adrift. I jacked around and did nothing until I went to the gym after noon, since I decided I was too big a pussy to ride in the cold wind. Even though other people are doing it. Tomorrow.

However, I saw that "Body of War" was showing at the Tivoli, weekends only. I was happy because I thought I'd missed it when it opened here. Great movie. Documentary by a KC man who enlisted after 9-11 and ended up in Iraq, where he was shot and paralyzed from the chest down. Much about penile dysfunctions, which elicited many gasps from the men in the audience. Among other things that will stick with me, he said when you see someone in a wheelchair, you think 'there's a guy in a wheelchair' and you don't think about what is going on inside. Like all the stuff inside that just doesn't work any more. Like you can't cough because your stomach muscles don't function well enough. It was interspersed with alot of idiocy from W and also a roll call of the Senate vote to authorize war, or whatever the hell they authorized.

I was pleased to see that 7-11 had CL in 16 oz. bottles. I don't think I've ever seen those in a store before. That means I can toss in the recycling bin which gets picked up and not the one I have to lug somewhere. Though I really have to wonder if any of it really gets recycled.

Fighting the last war

I will offer a short break from my usual inane comments concerning my workouts, meals and DUI field tests. There is a saying that generals are always fighting the last war. I'm sure my many readers are smart enough to figure out what that means.

However, I use it as a metaphor for relationships. It seems I often end up fighting the last war. Whatever deficiencies the previous partner had, I find them in abundance in the next one. Or I go looking for it. So am I destined to bounce back and forth between complete polar opposites? Remain celibate until 50?

OK, enough of that deep thought. Makes my pretty little head hurt.

It's Spring.

My bizarre upper-abdominal Naproxen-induced pain has mostly ceased.

I'm going to get my mountain bike tuned up, in case we have 7 days without rain.

I made salmon for the first time ever. And it was edible. This makes me happy.