September 29th - 23-13

Got an agenda for the meeting in Philly on Friday. Now it feels like a meeting. I'll be giving presentations! I'll be talking strategy! I'll be asking for money!

But I won't be wearing a suit and tie. It's against my upbringing.

Routine day = routine play. We draw from the Seahawks playbook and run a draw on 3rd and long. Gain six.

My ball. 4th and 13 on my own 29.

September 28th - 23-13

Easy day at work. Yom Kippur, you know. Kind of a big thing amongst our clientele. So, I wore the jeans. I like wearing the jeans at work, because 1.) They're the most comfortable of all the pants, 2.) I'm a man, and men wear jeans. You get things done in jeans. Manly things. You don't put on jeans to close business deals and play golf. You put on jeans to rope steers and split wood and play football in the rain with Brett Favre.

Jeans.

Women, quit wearing heels with jeans. You're disgracing the jeans. It's like wearing gloves with a bathing suit. You look good enough in the jeans already.

Finished Metroid Prime last night. What does it say about me that I feel almost as good about finishing a video game as I do about reading a book. The time investment is about the same, depending upon the game/book. Games are harder to get through, books are more valuable. Games are more satisfying, books are more rewarding.

I wonder if I'll get a free lunch in Philly this Friday.

Downfield pass falls incomplete.

My ball. 3rd and 19 on my own 23.

September 26th-27th - 23-13

Seattle can't even get their alternate jerseys right. Alternate jerseys in the NFL have to be hideous, whether they be there for no reason (the Browns' and Dolphins' orange jerseys, for example) or for history (the Lions' and Jets' throwbacks). Seattle chose an appropriately hideous green that I absolutely love, but then they had to fuck it up with white numbers.



That white looks even worse on the field, where it's completely washed out against the green, making the green look worse. Early previews of the jersey looked more like this.



The blue number make the green pop more, but not take over the whole damn shirt. In addition, the piping on the sleeves should be green, not white (as in the image above) or light blue (as in the top image). This was a fun idea, that they got wrong. I don't want one now, unless I can find an old one with the blue numbers.

Even worse, the Seahawks lost a very winnable game, dropping us to 1-2, with a definite loss in Indianapolis next week. (And I'll be there for the drubbing! Yea!) Also, the Wild have dropped their third straight preseason game. They're 2-4 with one game to go, and absolutely no hope that they'll be ready for their opener against the Blue Jackets. (And I'll be there for the drubbing! Yea!)

This weekend also saw the county fair, where it rained all day. This is good in that there was no one there, so it was easy to get the kids on rides when the rain let up. The bad thing is that, you know, rain.

All in all, a significant downer of a weekend.

QB is sacked for a nine-yard loss.

My ball. 2nd and 19 on my own 23.

September 25th - 23-13

Average work day.

Tieraney went out friends, so I got the kids to bed and played Nintendo until around midnight. That's when Tieraney said she'd be home, but of course didn't roll back in until around 1:30. She sent two texts saying what was going on, but they didn't wake me up this time. I was out immediately after hitting the bed, and didn't wake up until she came into the room.

I felt bad for her, as she wasn't drinking this time. Even she hates such things when she's not drinking. Eventually, I'll go out with her to one of these things, but since I never drink, it's kind of hard to take. Plus, difficult to find someone to watch the kids on a Friday night.

Got confirmation that I'll be heading to Philadelphia on Thursday night next week, meeting the bigwigs on Friday. I'll be home at a decent time Friday, so not a big deal. The next day, after all, begins Super Sports Weekend.

Life punts to the 28. Four yard return

My ball. 1st and 10 on my own 32.

September 24th - 23-13

Brief visit to my past yesterday. Since we got the escrow check deposited, I decided it was time to pick up some new music for the auto trips. Mika and They Might Be Giants both put out new CDs Tuesday, and I'd been planning to pick up the new Collective Soul for over a month now. Thought I'd get them all. While at Best Buy, though, I also found the new Queen + live CD/DVD that I knew was due out this month, but didn't have a firm date. So, that's four CDs in one visit. Long time since I've done that. All CDs are Hiner family approved (although the kids don't know Collective Soul from Shinola), so to the car they go.



Sophie made it through another day of kindergarten with no note from the teacher, so there's only one more chance I'll get to save $10 by not buying her a ride band at the fair. Why is it that kids only cause trouble when it won't save you money?

Hockey team lost again. 2-3 in the preseason now. This was our first loss at home. Two more games, both on the road, then it's time for the season. Eight days away, and I'll be there.

I came up with a better name for Mogadore's sports collective. Instead of the Mogadore Wildcats, we should be the Mogadore Knobs. Then, I carried this over to the NFL. The Baltimore Ons, the Pittsburgh Offs (too obscure?), the San Francisco Dependents (or Eds), the Indianapolis Brutality, the Cincinnati Bags, the Cleveland Lubbers...go ahead. Have some fun.

Pass falls incomplete.

Life's ball. 4th and 8 on their own 24.

September 23rd - 23-13

We got another $2,000 from our mortgage company. This concerns me. I don't get a check for $2,000 in the mail and think, "Hey, 'bout time they rewarded me for my hardships." $2,000 is a lot of money. I want that money, but I know it'll come back to haunt me. So, I called Chase. "Why the check?" I asked. They told me my taxes had been lowered.

I don't think my taxes have been lowered. Especially not by that much. In addition, my mortgage payment (taxes rolled in via escrow) has been lowered so Chase won't have to send me another check. This still seems weird. I know that by next year at this time I'll get a bill saying, "Hey, you underpaid. Got $2,000 you can send us?"

So, this money is in savings, not checking, awaiting the day when it shall be returned to its rightful owner.

Beyond that, I got nothing.

Pass is deflected in what likely should've been an interference call, but no flag is thrown.

Life's ball. 3rd and 8 on their own 24.

September 22nd - 23-13

Sophie apparently was very well behaved today. Mrs. Eckhart sent a note home commending her. Oh well. No way she can pull that off for three more days.

Typical Tuesday. Work. Kids. Games. Bed. I'm trying to increase my Appletell output, as I've gotten pretty far behind in reviews. Must fix that issue. Gotta look good for the new owners.

End run picks up two.

Life's ball. 2nd and 8 on their own 24.

September 21st - 23-13

Did I mention my wife got the tattoo over the weekend? She did. I'm not at all into it, but whatever. How often am I looking at the back of her neck? She fainted twice after it was done, I guess. I had to stay home and watch the kids, so I missed the excitement. She went with a friend from work, who apparently freaks out over such things more than...well, Tieraney does. No sense of calm in that family. No grace under pressure.



Hockey team lost 5-1 to Columbus, putting us at 2-2 in the preseason. I'm not even sure how many preseason games there are. Six? I think maybe six.

All moved in at the office now. Sitting in my own room with no windows, but a total lack of people eating Apples and toast around me. I'm pleased.

And Sophie got another note sent home from school. Apparently, she wouldn't quit tapping her pencil even after Mrs. Eckhart told her to stop twice. TWICE! So, she knows now that if any more notes come home from the school, there will be no rides at the county fair on Saturday. Finally, a threat that's not hollow, because it'll save me $10. Come on, Sophie, tap that pencil!

That may not have sounded right.

Off tackle picks up four.

Life's ball. 1st and 10 on their own 22.

September 19th-20th - 23-13

See? Bad football equal play. Seahawks were full of suck on Sunday, which killed the weekend. Never mind two Minnesota Wild wins (both shutouts). They were preseason. Seahawks lost 10-23 in a game that offers no hope for a win the next week against a much better team. Also, the Chargers lost, which only bothers me when the Seahawks are sucking, which was last year and this year. The Chargers are my fallback team, so when both lose, it's a bad night.

And so it goes.

Ashland on Saturday to drop stuff off with dad and pick stuff up. Nothing of note. Sunday was football and Appletell work. Nothing of note.

Pass picks up nine.

Life's ball. 2nd and 1 on their own 18.

September 18th - 23-13

Free day. Tieraney took it off, too. So, she bought a new pair of boots and I bought a couple new shirts. Then, it was off to the tattoo parlor.

True fact. My wife, at 30, wants a new tattoo.

On the back of her neck.

How do I feel about this? I don't like it. I don't like tattoos. Unless you sleeve or cover that whole chest or something, I think they're ugly. But I get that Tieraney feels this is her last shot at youth. She's 30. She's a mother of two. She gets promotions and raises. Have to hold on to something. So, fine. With the understanding that this is it (she already has one on her stomach), new tattoo. She set up an appointment for Saturday, but whether we can find someone to watch our kids while she does it (she won't go alone, and we're not taking our children into this place) remains to be seen.

Also, if Seattle ever wins a Super Bowl, I'll get the logo tattooed on my upper arm.

We finally opened bank accounts for our kids. Late, yeah, but two mortgages, you know. Kids can't touch them until we roll them over to their name. Specifically, until Tieraney does it. I don't even have access. So be it. I prefer to not deal with money that's not my own.

Good punt. Fair catch inside the 10.

Life's ball. 1st and 10 on their own 9.

September 17th - 23-13

Screwed up day, but I knew that was coming. Worked for a couple hours in the morning, then we completed the office tear down. Left at around 10:30 a.m. while the maintenance guys were tearing up the carpeting. I'll take my day and a half off with pay. Good times.

Of course, I did nothing to take advantage of it. Caught up on some C.A.F. web work I had to do, then started transferring the Ashland vs. Hillsdale Marching Band Flag Football game from VHS to the computer. It was over an hour long, so I had to edit out a bunch of plays and clips others. I've now got two videos, each half, each under 10 minutes. First half is up on Facebook. 2nd half to follow. Fun to watch, although the video quality is terrible. I'm not reminded, however, that it wasn't just Amy Dyer who jumped me on after my TD. It was Amy Dyer and Gretchen Steiner. Good times. Good times.



Four yard screen.

My ball. 4th and 1 on Life's 47.

September 16th - 23-13

More relaxing evening last night. Ham for dinner. I wanted the taco salad, but the kids wanted ham, so we had ham, and then they didn't eat their ham.

My children are mocking me.

With ham, by the way, and all meats that aren't beef, I only enjoy it sliced thinly. I can eat just about every kind of meat in thin strips on a sammich, but I don't like thick ham. I don't like thick turkey. I can do thick chicken (sometimes without protection, even!), but I don't like steak and I don't like ham in giant chunks on my plate.

Screwed up week at work. We're getting the office re-carpeted, which means tearing down the desks (big ol' desks, the kind that take up the whole wall) and moving them to another office. This was supposed to happen Thursday afternoon, but now it's happening Thursday morning, so my afternoon was shot. Getting some work down Thursday morning, then I'm leaving early so the maintenance guys can tear up the carpet Thursday afternoon. Off Friday. Monday, we put everything back together. This is fine and all, but it means I'll be behind by Monday afternoon. 'Round 'bout then, however, I'll have my own office. No window, but no coworkers, either.

Scientists are idiots, by the way. They couldn't make up their mind on whether Pluto is a planet, and now they can't make up their mind on whether the big bang ever happened. Seems there's this "Dark Flow" in the universe that they can't fully explain, and have pretty much stated they don't even want to try, since they'll never know where it's going. But, it doesn't gel with the big bang, so...now what? I'm not going to take a defeatest approach to science, though, even though I keep having to relearn what I'm taught. I think science isn't about trying to explain what's going on out there, it's about coming up with "this'll do" explanations until we come up with something better. Because we always do. And I think that says good things about us.

Five yard run.

My ball. 3rd and 5 on my own 49.

September 15th - 23-13

My hockey team lost their first preseason game last night (is football season already over?), 1-3. No worries, though...we were peopled almost solely by prospects and minor league guys. Even with our top players, though, I doubt we'll do much this year. New coach, new system, and we don't yet have the players in place for what he wants to do.

Beyond that, Tieraney wasn't feeling well last night, so it was the Kirk Hiner show. Took Sophie grocery shopping before Tieraney got home with Sam, made dinner, bathed the kids, then somebody spoke and I went into a dream.

Pass is dropped.

My ball. 2nd and 10 on my own 44.

September 14th - 23-13

Opening weekend ends with a victory for team #2: the Chargers. They was a period in the late 70s / early 80s where my two favorite teams were the San Diego Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams. I guess I had a thing for blue and yellow. Charger Power remained until the end of 1983 when I discovered Seattle, and never looked back. And yes, living in Ohio in the early 80s, I did have to discover them. "Seattle has the football team? There's a city called Seattle?"

It was hard to justify having my two favorite teams in the same division, so I started to lean New Orleans #2 for a while. When Seattle moved back to the NFC, however, I flipped right back to San Diego.

Anyway, although my football went well this weekend, my fantasy teams did not. Terrible showing in the main league, where Tieraney's team also lost a close one (thanks for nothing, L.T.). My autodraft team won, but it's still to early to decide which teams needs the focus. Lot of injuries leads to a lot of moves this week.

The alternate route home worked yesterday leaving 20 minutes early, so today I'll try ten. Took 50 minutes. I expect that'll be an hour if I leave at around 4:00, so that may work. Less highway, more country road and light city traffic. No construction. That this is even going in my blog is a sad thing, regardless. I'd say I'm a suburbanite, but I live too far out to be considered suburbia. I live in a village. I can see stars at night, and roosters wake me up on summer mornings. It's a wonderful thing.

Decent punt, decent return.

My ball. 1st and 10 on my own 44.

September 12th-13th - 23-13

First of, 28-0. Seattle wins the season opener at home 28-0 over the Rams. This is where 4th and 2009 gets a bit more active, because the Seahawks will have a huge impact on the weekend plays. Once hockey starts, that'll lead to some pretty big swings. I dig me some Seahawk football, you see, especially 28-0 Seahawk wins.

But, that's Sunday. Saturday, I went to the Kent State airport at 7:30 a.m. to help the C.A.F. set up their merchandising tent. Good to see everyone, if only for a couple hours. I had to leave at 9:30 in order to get back home in time to drive Tieraney and the kids down to Yankee Peddler for an afternoon of walking around in the woods staring at crap. Tieraney enjoys it. Her family enjoys it. I tolerate. This year, we decided to not take a stroller or wagon for Sam, since I hate pushing/pulling that crap through the woods. Sam did okay, although he spent a good deal of time on my shoulders. He and the sunshine. Ate me some stuffed grape leaves. I'm not sure I need to do that again anytime soon.

Otherwise, I did the weekend style things. Family. Yard work. Such.

Oh, and I dream about the old house. I was hanging out with the new owners. All was good. A kid from grade school, who I'm quite sure is now gay in real life, showed up dream girlfriend (he was adult in the dream) and pointed out that he wanted to buy the house, but held out for a lower price. The new owner and I laughed. "Serves you right" kind of thing. That's all I remember. A weird, anxiety-free dream about the very thing that busted my head with a hammer every day for nearly two years. I guess it's just an indicator of the fairly decent place I'm at right now.

QB sacked for a four yard loss.

Life's ball: 4th and 8 on their own 22.

September 11th - 23-13

No end to it. Left work at 3:40 and tried four different routes to get home, not one of which was clean. Backed up traffic everywhere. The congestion at 8 and 80 is screwing up life across the board, it seems, so I now have to plan a completely different route home. This isn't a big deal...I enjoy myself some change. But will it be much slower? What time will I have to leave? This is going to be hard to manage.

Played some video games, then. Ate some video. Talked to some family. Uneventful.

What should've been a drop for a loss ends up a small gain due to really nice block.

Life's ball: 3rd and 4 on their own 26.

September 10th - 23-13

Damn traffic. I don't know I'm hitting traffic jams, but I am, and it's pissing me off. Tieraney had to get Sophie for the second straight day. When I get to the point where it clears up, there's absolutely nothing there that would indicate why it's backed up. It makes me nervous; the new 8 south exit off 271 is actually slowing me down by 45 minutes, not speeding me up by 5. Someone call the civil engineers.

Mogadore won last night, of course. Our QB through four interceptions, and we still won 28-7. Northwestern was never even in the game. We had a field goal blocked, two interceptions in the end zone, and one fumble inside the ten. That's 24 points left sitting on the field. Mogadore is good. I better get Sam into something else. He's a Hiner. He won't be good enough for this team.

Handoff. Life muscles through for two up the middle.

Life's ball: 2nd and 8 on their own 22.

September 9th - 23-13

The trouble with leaving at 4:00 to pick up Sophie up by 5:00 is that if I hit any amount of unexpected traffic, any at all, I'm late. Yesterday, traffic was at a stand still on the new 8 South exit from 271, so I had to call Tieraney to leave work early to get Sophie. I ended up getting home at 6:00, when Tieraney went back to work until around 8:30. This means I had to bathe kids. Not my thing, bathing kids. Took care of Sam, and just had Sophie take a shower. Only the second time she's ever done that, but it seemed to go okay. She's alive and clean.

Apple press event yesterday, which means live blog. We did well, getting up over 10,000 pageviews. That's 3,000 higher than the last one, so I'll take it. Bill and I manned the blog, and I had a kid in England running with dedicated articles each time something new was announced. Those kids in England work hard. I need more kids in England.

And big news from beautiful downtown Mogadore. The Wildcats play Thursday, instead of Friday, because they're the featured game on FSN Ohio. Live high school football in HD, all across the state. Go Wildcats! "Beat 'Um, Defeat 'Um."



That's an actual sign in Mogadore, by the way. The cheerleaders in Mogadore aren't quite so good with the grammar. For instance, "Wear it proud." That my 3-year-old son already has a better grasp on adverbs than the Mogadore High School football boosters ("Go slowly, dad.") is yet another sign that I'm a wonderful parent.

Kickoff into the end zone.

Life's ball: 1st and 10 on their own 20.

September 8th - 23-13

I have a suggestion, and it is bold: It's time SNL fired all the men and just kept the women. They've been funnier for the past couple of years, they're all pretty hot these days (seen the two new cast members yet?), and we're all quite tired of Keenan Thompson and Adam Samberg, right? Replace the current guys with the returning Fey, Poehler and Rudolph, and you've got the best SNL line-up in a decade.

Maybe keep Seth Meyers on the news. Why not? He's kind of girlie, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind.

I mention that, because I've got nothing else to talk about. Oh, remember that e-commerce store it took me over a year to launch in full? Well, I just got us another one. Good $5,000 for the company. This one won't be nearly as hard, since I've been through the process once and since there are fewer variables, but it will be rushing. Big holiday business, so I have to be done by mid-October. Time to get started.

The big fake punt earlier doesn't get us a TD, but ensures a successful chip shot field goal. We take a 10 point lead.

September 7th - 20-13

Birthday party at David Temple's. David went to ONU with me, and was in my Christian service fraternity. He now lives in Stow (where I lived before and immediately after getting married), about 20 minutes from my house. David is the guy who probably did more work on my new house and old house during the two house period than I did. Great guy. Happy birthday.

At dinner, we somehow got on the topic of Baby Jessica, the girl what fell down the well in the late '80s. Sophie had a million questions about that, suddenly concerned that she will fall down a well. I suppose it could happen. It's a crazy world, after all. But now that I'm a parent and have a different perspective on that whole event, I have to wonder this; do you think her parents ever heard themselves saying, "We should've just left you in that well," when she was bad? Because that's totally the kind of thing I'd be saying.

Chelsey Lately is a terrible show. Why do people watch such things?

Three yard run.

My ball. 4th and 1 on life's 4.

September 5th-6th - 20-13

Went down to Ashland on Saturday for a cookout. Decent enough time. Only two of the three Patterson girl families were present, and that makes it easier to deal with. Found out, though, that because of a stupid baton twirling recital for nieces, the only day the families can go into the woods to by crap is the same day as the one air show I wanted to work this year for the C.A.F. I'm not at all pleased about that, but what can I do, other than piss off my wife by doing something I already signed up to do. God forbid I should own up to my obligations when there's a baton twirling recital for toddlers in the way.

Not much happened on Sunday until my fantasy league draft rolled around. I like those. They're fun, but mainly because I consult the blog of revelation for 92.3% of all my decisions. Things didn't go as well as they could have...one early decision ended up being the wrong one, but I did okay by the last round. I'll need to make some moves to be truly comfortable each week, so we'll see what happens.

Go The Mogadore!

Watched a movie this weekend, too: "The Last House on the Left." Tieraney's into the horror movies, you see, although this one was more of a drama in two acts, with a ridiculous ending. Not very effective, but whatever. The main actress in it has her teeth done by one of my clients.

Four yard pass play.

My ball. 3rd and 4 on life's 7.

September 4th - 20-13

Friday was just the day that was. Work. Home. The highlight of the day was the opening of the new State Route 8 southbound exit off 271. No stoplights! It'll easily shave five minutes off my commute home. When the complete the new SR 8 / I80 interchange, that'll shave off another five to ten minutes. That won't finish up until next year, though. God bless government transportation money.

Two yard run.

My ball. 2nd and 8 on life's 11.

September 3rd - 20-13

Okay, so the Seahawks go 4-0 in the preseason for the first time in franchise history. Should I be happy about that? Of course. It's better to look good than to look bad. But it doesn't mean much. We were playing the AFC West all preseason, and they kind of suck, aside from San Diego. Plus, I believe the Lions when 4-0 in the preseason last year, and we all know how well that turned out for them. Right now, though, I'm optimistic. Curry is a beast, and most of our starters are healthy. Here we go.

Crane got the hockey tickets last night; lower bowl in a corner on the side where the Wild will be attacking twice. Good show, Crane! So, Super Sports Weekend is now officially booked.

And I know what you're saying. Hiner, how can you afford all these sports tickets? You've got debt, and the athlete shows aren't cheap. Well, as I mentioned, we're saving $160 a week by not having Sophie in day care. Also, my wife got her promotion yesterday, which came with a raise.

A $9,000 dollar raise.

Effective immediately.

We fake the long field goal attempt and pass for the first down, picking up 19.

My ball. 1st and 10 on life's 13.

September 2nd - 20-13

Sophie got her star yesterday. I'm a great parent! Give me my bumper sticker!

Incomplete pass.

My ball. 4th and 7 on life's 32.

September 1st - 20-13

I guess Sophie's already gotten in trouble at school. Each day, she's supposed to come home with a green sticker. If she's bad, it's a yellow sticker. If she's particularly bad, no sticker. I think that's how it works. Don't quote me...I wasn't paying attention to the sticker speech.

Anyway, no sticker yesterday. She was difficult the rest of the night, too, so she got her punishment. She got it upside the head!

Not really.

So, routine change. The bargaining begins. She knows we expect to see that sticker every day. If not, the fists will fly.

Not really.

Rather, we know what she enjoys, and we know what will make an impression if it's taken away. Also, our own reward system. For instance, if she goes a week with all of her stickers, no waterboarding.

Not really.

Speaking of reward systems, the boy is finally starting to use the head. He gets a gummy worm each time he uses the toilet instead of his pull-up, and he's well on his way. It's about friggin' time, too. I'm too old to be smelling poop in my own living room.

Incomplete pass.

My ball. 3rd and 7 on life's 32.

August 31st - 20-13

Another new game for review. Cursed Mountain. It's about a mountain climber searching for his missing brother in Himalayan mountains while being terrorized by dead monks, and it's rated M for sexual situations.

Guy alone in the mountains with dead monks has sexual situations. Anyone else care to review this one for me?

Otherwise, this day was all about getting home in time to pick up Sophie. She gets dropped off at the neighbor's, and I have to pick her up by 5:00. On a good run, I can make it there in 45 minutes. The average is closer to one hour. We'll see how often I'm actually able to get there by 5:00.

Pass to the flats for three.

My ball. 2nd and 7 on life's 32.

August 29th-30th - 20-13

Another weekend with not much going on, although Tieraney and I did find some time to go out Saturday night with one of her coworkers. She had a bowling party for her birthday, so we got my niece to watch the kids and we bowled. It was one of those laser things. Bunch of lights and neon. Crappy hip hop playing. But I bowled two fairly decent games for me. 121 on the first, 139 on the second. Usually I'll hover between 120 and 140 on the first, suck on the second, or vice versa. So, I did okay. Coincidentally, it was the first time I ever bowled while drinking a beer.

Also coincidentally, the trip home offered the first time I'd ever been pulled over at a sobriety checkpoint. Fun! I mean, obviously I was sober, so all I had to fear was something of this sort:



Bonus on the night, Seahawks won their third preseason game. Are there preseason playoffs? 'Cause we'd go. Only five teams had allowed fewer points so far, but I'm not sure if that's an indication of anything significant. It's just fun to say.

And finally, the Minnesota Wild officially unveiled their new third jersey.



I like it quite a bit. Adds some vintage to a team that's not even 10 years old. I could do without the baseball styling, but I like the colors and I dig that casino M. Now, if only I could afford to buy one.

Third down pass picks up 7.

My ball. 1st and 10 on life's 35.

August 28th - 20-13

Sophie's first day of the kindergarten, which I think is wonderfully named. More things in American culture need to have German names. The German language is awesome.

Also awesome = Russian. Not awesome? Spanish. I'm not sure why that's still taught in schools. We should be teaching languages that are useful. Languages of emerging or established business countries: Chinese, Japanese and German.

Anyway, Sophie's not learning languages yet. I have no idea what she's learning. That's not up to me, it's up to religious special interest groups. But she came home with a "Sophie had a great first day" certificate. I had a great first day once. Best first day of my life.

Another three yard run.

My ball. 3rd and 4 on life's 42.