Who Day? NOBODY!

I haven't forgotten about my blog. . .
Have lots of posts started. . .
Have lots of pictures taken. . .
I see an end in sight - I should be back to regular blogging in about two weeks (crossing fingers)!

In the mean time, here are some excerpts from MMQB. All credit goes to the author, not me.
Peter King writes that the Bengals may have earned some respect from the Steelers.
Could they have also earned some from Mr. King?


Now that's what I call some drama, and some good stories.
Carson Palmer converting two fourth-downs in the final minute to slay the Steelers.

Could it be? Could it possibly be? Could the Steelers actually respect the Bengals?
Time will tell if Cincinnati deserves it. But it was interesting after the Bengals pulled the 23-20 stunner at home -- breaking an eight-game home losing streak to the Steelers -- to hear Ben Roethlisberger say: "Tough loss for us. Tough divisional fight.'' Tough divisional fight -- those words have been reserved for games with the Ravens, not the Bengals or Browns.
Two reasons this happened. One: The Bengals played a physical game, and they have players -- Brian Leonard on offense, Rey Maualuga and Keith Rivers on defense -- more suited to that style than Bengal teams have been in the past. Two: Carson Palmer. A good quarterback (a healthy good quarterback) always gives your team a chance. "We deserved to win the game,'' Palmer said afterward, and he was right.

The Fine Fifteen
14. Cincinnati (2-1). Andre Caldwell! Andre Caldwell! Or, as Keith Olbermann called him on TV last night: Ocho Siete. You know -- 87. That's who caught the winner from Carson Palmer in the end zone against Pittsburgh.

Quote of the Week I
"Let's go win the game! Let's go win the game!''-- Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis, with 60 seconds left at Paul Brown Stadium and the Bengals trailing Pittsburgh 20-15 and Cincinnati with a fourth-and-two at the Steeler 20. Lewis yelled this out to his offense, and the offense, of course, went out and converted two fourth downs in the next 30 seconds en route to the 23-20 win over Pittsburgh.

Offensive Player of the Week:
Carson Palmer, QB, Cincinnati
Stats, schmats. Palmer was 20 of 37 for 183 yards, with one TD and no interceptions in the 23-20 upset of Pittsburgh. But his value to this game, and to his team, can be measured in one very important one: He gives the Bengals hope that they can win any game they're in late. Against the Steelers, he led his team 71 yards in the last five minutes, bleeding the clock so the Steelers wouldn't have a chance to score after the Bengals did. A brilliant, clutch drive by a guy we've forgotten could be this good.

Ten Things I Think I Think:
4. I think there's no question the happiest man in the league Sunday night was Carson Palmer. He might not have shown it, but I can tell you the immense personal satisfaction he derived from that game in Cincinnati. When I convened five quarterbacks for the SI quarterback round table in Lake Tahoe in July, Palmer was the de facto leader of the group. He was into the topics, and I thought he liked how the others there looked at him with the respect they all obviously had for him.

Palmer was sitting next to Ben Roethlisberger when I asked the guys who they hated. "Since I've been in the league,'' Palmer said, "the Steelers have been at the top of our division. We just happen to be in the same division. You always want what you don't have. You're always jealous because you all want the same thing. [Turning to Roethlisberger.] He's got two Super Bowl rings; we all want one. They've got two and you're jealous, you're envious, you want what they have and personally ... Ben, don't take this the wrong way, but when the Steelers were in the playoffs [in 2005], after I got hurt and I was on the couch and I was watching in California, and Jon Kitna was back in Cincinnati and we were going back and forth talking during every playoff game as it went on every week. I was like, 'Oh, I just can't watch. I can't believe they're winning,' and I'm just pissed off and mad, like drinking beers and throwing bottles against the walls because you just kept going.''

And then Palmer went out Sunday and out dueled Roethlisberger 35 miles from Big Ben's college campus in Oxford, Ohio. That's a great day for Palmer.

"Who Dey?"
The answer this week: "Not the defensive Super Bowl Champs!"

Namaste.

WooHoo!

It's been a long while since there has been anything in the MMQB column to make me smile.
The author lived in Cincinnati for awhile which leads me to believe that he despises the Bengals as he rarely has anything good to say about them.

Until today (though I must admit - for having both an offensive player of the week and a defensive player of the week, I really expected to read more than one more thing about them in the column, but see note above). . .


OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK (4 players total identified)
Cedric Benson, RB, Cincinnati
The one thing the Packers were convinced they could do after an off season adjusting to the 3-4 and a preseason in which they played it well and an opener in which they snuffed out the Bears is stop the run. And so here came a totally unimpressive running game, Cincinnati's, into Lambeau. Benson rushing 29 times for 141 yards (a 4.8-yard average) was the biggest reason the Bengals pulled the upset of the day.

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK (4 players total identified)
Antwan Odom, DE, Cincinnati
Before this season, Odom had played 60 NFL games and totaled 15.5 sacks. Guess who's the 2009 sack leader? Odom, the former bit-part Titan, who had five sacks, two additional tackles for loss, and five tackles in the Bengals' stunning upset at Green Bay. That gives Odom seven for the season, and it gives the Bengals a pass-rushing end they've been lacking for years, even when Justin Smith was a moderately successful rush end before leaving in free agency for the Niners last year.

Ten Things I Think I Think
7. I think this is what I liked about Week 2:
j. Loved how the Cincinnati offensive line made a shell around Carson Palmer.

Namaste.

35!

Happy Birthday to MBB!

Namaste.

10 Thoughts I Recently Had. . .

1. Beyonce has class. Lots of it.

2. Kanye doesn't.

3. How am I going to get through the entire season without giving the guy who sits in front of me a piece of my mind? Good thing I'm not going to all of the games this year!

4. Do you really think that the opponents, or even the Bengals, realize that you are 'protecting your end-zone' from Row 24 by NEVER sitting down?

5. Why does the end-zone need protecting during warm-ups and half time?

6. Does the guy sitting next to him, you know - the one who comes to EVERY game with him - needs an explanation of EVERY play?

7. Dude - Do you really think that you are being a good example to the teenage girls that you coach who are SITTING RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU? Yes, the alcohol is making you act more immature with every play.

8. Six games in one weekend is enough to wear a body out!

9. There has to be an easier way to get laundry done. . .

10. How many of my friends and family, who shop at Kroger, will be willing to use the fundraiser cards for MaBell's volleyball team?

Namaste.

Dance Time. . .

Tonight was a little exciting for MaBell.
Tonight was a little nerve-wracking for me.
Tonight was a little traumatic for MBB.

Tonight was the Sweethearts' Dance.

Exciting? Her first high school dance "with a boy". . .Nuff said.
Nerve-wracking? I did her hair and make-up. . .Nuff said.
Traumatic? His little girl is growing up! Can I just say that he isn't quite ready???

Buy the way - She said that she "loved" her hair and make-up.
SUCCESS!

Namaste.

Eight Years Later. . .

I took a few moments to remember.
I took a few moments to think of the soldiers over seas.
I took a few moments to be thankful for all I have and all I am.
I took a few moments thinking of the people in my life that are dear to me.
I took a few moments. . .

Namaste.

My Thoughts. . .

. . .On my new ride.

Some things I like:
- It looks nice. . . Though gravel dust and dark grey don't mix very well.
- It doesn't have a dent in the back. . .
- It has a kewl little "Jetson's" antenna (am I showing my age referring to that cartoon?). . .
- The multi-colored designs in the interior are pretty neat looking. . .
- The adjustable sized drink holders took care of the issue I had with our older Matrix.
- The colors on the dashboard are vivid. . . Don't know any other way to describe it.
- The lock / unlock beeping - At first I hated it, but it has "helped" me find the car many times. . .
- The little shelf in the glove box. . . Sunglasses storage maybe?

Some things that I wish they hadn't changed:
- Moving the little lights from the rear view mirror to the top of the window (blinds the eyes). . .
- The seats aren't as comfortable as they were. . .
- The back corner windows that are now little slits and not full windows. . .
- The size of the space in the back "trunk" (the kids are convinced that it is smaller). . .
- The headrests!!! They are the most uncomfortable that I have ever experienced. . .
- In adding the adjustable sized drink holders (see likes), the "junk holder" console got smaller. . .
- The inability to have recirculating air when the defog is on. . . Semis drive in the morning too!

Some things I wish I had (may be options that I can't afford, may not be available):
- Quick turn start. . . (The Yaris spoiled me on this one!)
- Programmable seat settings. . . (MBB and I are NOT the same size!)
- Cover for the back "trunk" area. . . (Didn't realize this was an option or I would have got it!)

I'm sure that my family could add to the list. . . These are just my quick thoughts.
Overall, I wish that I had got the 2009 Matrix that I was sooooooo close to getting.
But since I didn't. . .You'll see me bee-bopping around town in the 2010. . .
Even with my lists above, I am so happy to be back in a Matrix!

Namaste.

Good Websites

I'm not sure if I've shared these websites before or not. . .
But I find myself there daily and getting lots of free stuff.

http://www.shop4freebies.com/
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/

Check it out!

Namaste.

Say What?

There once was a girl who, in spite of a good night's sleep, was slow in waking up.
She showered, dressed and began packing lunches for the day.

After getting two lunches half packed, she remembered that it was Tuesday - the day that only one lunch was needed due to an out of town meeting.
So, she put all of the makings of the second lunch away.

Just as she finished packing the first lunch, she remembered that she was told the meeting for today had been canceled.
SOOOOOOOOO, she pulled all of the makings of the second lunch back out AGAIN.

Namaste.