Halloween is tomorrow night.  Are you ready?  Here are the Cincinnati times.    I’ve got my bowl of candy and am ready for all the trick or treaters to come by.  I don’t think I’m going to dress in a costume this year though.  I’ll leave that to everyone else.  There are enough crazy costumes out there to make up for one less.  I like seeing the kids come by though.  It’s such a bizarre holiday for them.  I’m sure I’ll see tons of Harry Potter again this year and probably a surge of Twilight vampires.  You’ll still see the cartoon characters.  Boys still love the Ben 10 Omnitrix and littler ones will have Yo Gabba or a Super Why costume on.

To me, what I don’t like the most of Halloween is all the vandalism.  People going around in their gothic boots and dark clothing thinking they can just do whatever you want.  I don’t know why this night brings it out more than others.  Is there anything worse than a smashed pumpkin on your porch and toilet paper everywhere?  Awful.

Hope I can avoid that this year and it will be a good Halloween.  Good thing I have a dentist appointment lined up for next week!

The Bengals took one on the chin yesterday.  After a surprising 4-1 start, yesterday’s 28-17 loss to the Texans was a big let down.  This team was saying all the right things all week, but it was almost as if they were throwing a party a bit too early after sweeping the division in the first round of the AFC North.  Our offense was anemic in the second half, calling only 4 run plays.  Somehow, Houston was able to make us a one dimensional team by stopping the NFL’s leading rusher, Cedric Benson.  Not good.  There were some missed opportunities, turnovers, penalties and sloppy play overall.  Houston had a 100 yard receiver in both Andre Johnson and Steve Slaton. Not good.

Probably the most crushing blow was the season ending injury to Antwan Odom.  Odom had an NFL best 8 sacks going into the game, but he tore his achilles and wound up surrounded by doctors and Landau uniforms by day’s end.  This is a huge blow to the Bengals defense, who finally were getting a pass rush.  They haven’t had a rush in years.  We also lost Petko on the day, two major hits to our D-line.  You mine as well just hit me in the face with a wood dowel because yesterday was painful.

Hopefully, Marvin can get the boys to regroup next week against Chicago.  Not having the pass rush will hurt against Cutler, who seems to be getting better each week.  Good for him.  Bad for me and my first round fantasy draft pick, Matt Forte.  He’s not playing like a #1, and he’s not getting the touches.  Grrrr.

I still have hope in the Bengals, but yesterday was a game that playoff teams should have won.

Yes, it’s true.  Pretty soon, you’ll see the mega superstar break his 8 year retirement.  Garth Brooks’ name will be up in lights soon at the Wynn Resorts hotel and casino in Las Vegas.  He’s planning on breaking his retirement with 15 different concerts scheduled.

It remains to be seen how the country music fan base will accept his comeback.  Like many of us, I went crazy for Garth in the 90’s.  While all my friends were into rap and rock, I donned my 2 Garth Brooks t-shirts twice a week, each.  The guy was electric.  The guy was exciting, and his music was good.  I would listen to his No Horses and In Pieces albums over and over and over … on my tape deck.  So yeah, I guess times have changed a bit.  But if history tells us anything, it’s that Garth is a force.  He was the one guy that was able to make my dad turn in his Indiana Jones hat for Resistol hats.  I’m not saying he looks good in either, but Garth brought a mob of people to the country music scene that never would have been there otherwise.  Some people don’t like him for that.  Others love him.  But as the number one selling solo musician of all time, you have to take notice.

I’ve been kicking around a few costume ideas, but haven’t settled on anything yet for Halloween.  There are so many good costumes to choose from out there, but you don’t have to buy from a costume store.  You can put something together on your own that looks just as good.  For example, this store has a great top hat selection and you could go as the Mad Hatter.  I’d have to talk my wife into dressing up as Alice, but that’s a nice conservative costume that I think she would do.  Or, I could go as Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones.  Check out the great selection of Indiana Jones hat fedoras to choose from.  Plus, I’d get to unbutton my shirt as a bonus!  I’d need a good leather messenger bag for that costume too, which I think I could borrow from a friend.  If that fails, I could go as a MMA fighter.  I could shop here for all kinds of good stuff.  Hmm, so many good ideas to choose from.  Sooner or later, I’ll need to pull the trigger.

Alice and Mad Hatter

If you saw the Bengals game yesterday, you know exactly what I’m talking about.  Even if you didn’t see the game, don’t worry, the highlight will be replayed a ba-zillion times today and for the rest of my life.  Yet another addition to the snake bitten Bungles lore.  For the rest of my life, I’ll have to watching freaking Brandon Stokely score on the luckiest play to win a football game in the history of football.  It was so bad, Chad Ochocinco said he has never even seen something like that in a video game.  And with the beautiful come from behind victory that was in our grasp, Kyle freaking Orton throws a prayer to the sideline that has no chance.  Leon Hall bats in the air, and the Broncos ensue to kick me in the nuts as hard as they possibly can over and over.  Call the ambulance.  I need to see the Cherokee medical scrubs ladies.  This one is going to hurt for a while.

I was all geared up to watch the game.  I had my Carson Palmer jersey on.  My wife was even dressed up and sported her bangle bracelets, a good choice.  We watched our offense sputter the whole game, while our defense played great.  Then, finally in the fourth quarter, we put a drive together and went up.  Surely, victory is ours.  Not so fast.  These are the Bengals.  They will find a way to lose at all cost.  It is the one thing they have been consistently good at year after year.  F!!!

This picture pretty much sums it up.  ”Look at me, I just made the luckiest catch ever!  Weeeeeeeee!”

Brandon F***ing Stokley

I swear, this picture just makes me want to attack someone.  Stokley could use these to defend himself.  I can’t believe that happen, but I can.  Thus, the curse of being a Bengals fan.

I commend the President for trying to encourage students in his speech.  However, I did think the timing of delivery was a bit weird.  The address was given in the middle of a school day.  Here’s my problem with this.  If parents are so foundational in the training of students and their education, why wasn’t this speech given when kids could be at home with their parents listening?  Instead, teachers, if allowed, had to stop what they were doing in the middle of school and tune in.  I just find that strange.

This breakdown of where the responsibility lies is the real issue to me.  Again, I think it’s great that Obama is encouraging kids to pursue their education for themselves and for this country.  We don’t want a work force that is only qualified to work in a factory and make wood spindles.  We are falling behind in the world from an education standpoint.  But the problem lies in majority with parents who don’t know how to train their kids.  Most parents train their kids to control chaos as opposed to impart any real wisdom.  So, as long as their kid behaves, they’ll be rewarded with all of those pirate party supplies.  But if not, then it’s going to be a war at home.  I’m not saying you have to break out with weapons against your children.  I’m saying that the parent is a huge part of the education process.  Spend time with your kids.  Teach them to obey.  Train them in righteousness.  The result for families and this nation will be far stronger than a speech from the Oval Office.

My wife’s birthday is coming up next week, and I’m trying to decide what to get her.  I think we are going to take a mini-vacation this weekend, touring the great state of Kentucky.  We’d like to do some wine tasting and some camping, but that doesn’t really count as a birthday gift.  I know she’s been giving me hints about Jane Iredale makeup, and how much she likes this mineral based foundation.  It’s beyond me, but if she likes it, then I may get it for her.  The other thing we were talking about was remodeling our bathroom.  In our dream bathroom, we’d have duel sinks and a full walk in bath, but right now, we don’t even have room for a bath tub.  We live in an older house, and they put a bathroom upstairs that wasn’t there originally.  I’m sure it could be done, but not sure if it’s worth the remodel.  The other thing I saw her shopping for was messenger bags.  She is always on the go at her work, teaching environmental education to local schools, so she could use a good bag.  She generally just carries a massive purse, but that doesn’t work too well.  So, we’ll see.  I’m sure I’ll get her something nice, whatever I decide on.

I love trying out new foods.  I’m a bit of an experimenter.  Whenever I get a chance to sample something new, I jump on it because you never know if it’s going to become one of your new favorites!  I didn’t used to be like this.  When I was a kid, I was very picky about what I ate, and I’m sure my mom and dad were always frustrated by me.  Eating vegetables was a task every night.  But then, over time, I started liking the things that I didn’t used to in the past.  Once I gained confidence and shattered stereotypes of foods I disliked, I became an attic.  Now, whenever I am in a new place in town or different city, I’m on the lookout for signs that point me to new and unique foods.  I also tend to browse the internet a lot for recommendations and sites that sell unique food.  I found this site that has a distinctive Virginia feel to it.  They sell such items as curry ketchup and peanut soup, both delicious!  It’s also very cheap!  Not only that, but they have a good selection of agave salad dressings, if you are looking for a sugar substitute.  I would have never thought peanut soup to be tasty, but this traditional dish is a winner in my book.  You should check them out or fix some for yourself.

In a recent article, Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) stated that:

“The economy could spiral into hyperinflation not seen since the early 1980s if the Federal Reserve does not tighten its monetary policy soon, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) warned Tuesday.

Grassley, speaking about the renomination of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to a second term as head of the Fed, asserted that Bernanke’s ability to hold down inflation would be the metric by which the Fed’s success would be measured.”

This is scary to a lot, if not all Americans.  People have already been tightening their belts, and it’s been a difficult last year and a half.  We’ve done our best to cut spending.  Is the government going to do their best?  It’s not very complicated.  I simply make a determination between the things I need and the things I want.  When you get down to it, what we want far outweighs the items we actually need.  For instance, my wife may want some beautiful, designer Indian bangles, but she doesn’t need them.  She can look beautiful without them.  She may want to have the latest Jane Iredale cosmetics, but she doesn’t need them.  I may want to Direct TV with the NFL package, but I don’t need it.  I may want the iPhone, but can go without.  You see?  It’s not that tough, and yet our government can’t seem to understand this concept.  As a result, the deficit rises and our children have an enormous burden placed on them before they are even born.  Disgusting.  Our entire economy is hurting right now.  From the kid trying to pick up a part time job to those who are building new homes, it’s slow.  It’s tough to find work right now, and there are those who have been looking for a long time.  I have faith our economy can rebound, but we need less government help and more freedom for the people.

I love the country.  There is nothing quite as moving or powerful to me as being in the mountains.  It’s rare that I get to see them or be in them, but I think about them often.  The majesty of the mountains to me declare that there is a creator, and He sits on his throne.  I don’t know what other impression you could take after seeing the Rockies.  If I had my way, I’d live on a ranch in Colorado, riding a horse with my Ariat riding boots, and watch the sun set in the big blue sky.  That would be the life.  Instead, I’m stuck in the city where crime is high and you have to protect yourself in any way possible.  You lock the doors at night and you wonder if a burglar may be coming in.  It’s sad.  The city is great for many reasons.  There is culture.  There is art.  There is diversity.  It makes me long for the day when my Lord returns and with him comes the transformed Garden of Eden, the New Jerusalem!  Oh, what a day that will be when once again heaven and earth are united in one place where both God and man will dwell.  That will be something to behold.  And that is where I place my hope.  Like Paul, if I had the choice, I would pack my Baggallini bag and check out of here for a permanent vacation.  But, I realize I am part of God’s story, not my own.  So, I will humbly stay and serve his Kingdom until he calls me home.  I’m sure that large city will have some spaces of country in it.  I mean, we’re going to Zion, the holy mountain!