The Google home page is really cool. If you guys have your own home page, try Google. It's fully customizable from the way it looks to the content you want to see.
When you first set up your page you get a lot of basic choices as to content and theme, but after you set the page's basic look, you can further customize it by clicking on "add stuff", which takes you to Google "gadgets".
My home page has a mapping link, links to my groups, weather reports for 3 cities, calendar & more. I know that sounds boring to you, but you can customize your page your way. For example, you can add fun stuff like daily cartoons and games. Try it.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Survivor Recap
I found the just concluded "Survivor China" really dull. It reminded me why I didn't watch it for a long time (I only watch it now because so many kids watch it), for in order to win, you almost have to lie and cheat.
I liked the editions where contestants like Terry, Yul, Ozzie and Yau-Man found honest ways to succeed. The China group started backstabbing and lying right at the beginning.
The only thing Survivor China had going for it were two really cool rewards; the visit to the Shaolin Temple (nobody gets to go there) and the meal on the Great Wall.
The next Survivor takes place in Micronesia and will be contested by long time fans of the shows and all-stars. Hope it's better than Survivor China.
I liked the editions where contestants like Terry, Yul, Ozzie and Yau-Man found honest ways to succeed. The China group started backstabbing and lying right at the beginning.
The only thing Survivor China had going for it were two really cool rewards; the visit to the Shaolin Temple (nobody gets to go there) and the meal on the Great Wall.
The next Survivor takes place in Micronesia and will be contested by long time fans of the shows and all-stars. Hope it's better than Survivor China.
"You're So Disrespectful"
I know this high school senior basketball player (not one of mine, thank goodness), who criticizes everyone on her team.
During practice, she calls time outs and uses them to tell everyone what she thinks they're doing wrong. When she is on the bench - a place where she spends a lot of time - she makes comments like "that was the worst play ever" about her own teammates.
A couple of days ago, she called one of her time outs in practice.
Everybody ignored her.
"You guys are so disrespectful!" she whined.
She's never learned that to be respected, you have to treat others with respect.
During practice, she calls time outs and uses them to tell everyone what she thinks they're doing wrong. When she is on the bench - a place where she spends a lot of time - she makes comments like "that was the worst play ever" about her own teammates.
A couple of days ago, she called one of her time outs in practice.
Everybody ignored her.
"You guys are so disrespectful!" she whined.
She's never learned that to be respected, you have to treat others with respect.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Sports are Supposed to be Fun: Don't Let Others Ruin It for You
I coach a girls high school basketball team.
We struggled a lot at the beginning of the season because most of our players didn't start playing basketball until they got to high school while most of the kids we play against started in elementary school. Our players have a very bad habit of dribbling the ball too much and not passing enough. We keep working though, and have shown steady improvement.
Last night, something magical happened. Our passing game started working and we got easy basket after easy basket. We won the game by 28 points.
Sadly, one of the girls, Andrea, didn't play very well. She even apologized to me during a time out. I told her is was okay and to relax and have some fun. I knew, however, that she wasn't worried about me being mad at her.
You see, Andrea's dad comes to every practice and every game. During practice and games, she looks at her dad every time she touches the ball. Her dad's instructions contradict mine, for he is only thinking about what she should do, while I am trying to teach the whole team to play together. She's confused, and it shows on the court. She'll get better with time, but I'm worried that she's not having any fun.
After the game, we decided to go have dinner together. Andrea got into the car with her dad, while 6 kids piled into my minivan. Just as we were about to leave, Andrea ran over to my car.
"Will somebody ride with me?" she asked, "that way my dad won't yell at me."
I hope your parents don't treat you like that.
We struggled a lot at the beginning of the season because most of our players didn't start playing basketball until they got to high school while most of the kids we play against started in elementary school. Our players have a very bad habit of dribbling the ball too much and not passing enough. We keep working though, and have shown steady improvement.
Last night, something magical happened. Our passing game started working and we got easy basket after easy basket. We won the game by 28 points.
Sadly, one of the girls, Andrea, didn't play very well. She even apologized to me during a time out. I told her is was okay and to relax and have some fun. I knew, however, that she wasn't worried about me being mad at her.
You see, Andrea's dad comes to every practice and every game. During practice and games, she looks at her dad every time she touches the ball. Her dad's instructions contradict mine, for he is only thinking about what she should do, while I am trying to teach the whole team to play together. She's confused, and it shows on the court. She'll get better with time, but I'm worried that she's not having any fun.
After the game, we decided to go have dinner together. Andrea got into the car with her dad, while 6 kids piled into my minivan. Just as we were about to leave, Andrea ran over to my car.
"Will somebody ride with me?" she asked, "that way my dad won't yell at me."
I hope your parents don't treat you like that.
Respect: It really does start with you!
So I've had this song about respect stuck in my head for two days....
How do you gain the respect of others?
How do you gain the respect of others?
Would You Rather Be Respected or Liked?
Yes, there is a difference.
There will be times when you find yourself in situations where you will have to make a choice between doing something because your friends want you to or not doing it because you think it's wrong.
When faced with such a choice, will you go along with your friends because you're worried they won't like you if you don't, or do you stand up for your beliefs and do what you think is right?
This can be a very difficult choice. By going against the crowd you may become the subject of ridicule, gossip and may become an outcast. But, if you go along with the crowd just to stay friends, you lose respect for yourself and lose the respect of your friends as well.
That's because your friends may start to see you as a pushover: someone who will do anything they ask just to be liked. They may start to use you.
On the other hand, if you respectfully stand up for your beliefs, your friends may be upset with you for awhile, but if they were really your friends, if they respect you, they will still be your friends. In fact, they will start to see you as someone who is honest, dependable, trustworthy, principled and honorable. They will see you as someone with integrity. Instead of losing respect for you, their respect for you will grow.
There's a word for people like this: Leader
There will be times when you find yourself in situations where you will have to make a choice between doing something because your friends want you to or not doing it because you think it's wrong.
When faced with such a choice, will you go along with your friends because you're worried they won't like you if you don't, or do you stand up for your beliefs and do what you think is right?
This can be a very difficult choice. By going against the crowd you may become the subject of ridicule, gossip and may become an outcast. But, if you go along with the crowd just to stay friends, you lose respect for yourself and lose the respect of your friends as well.
That's because your friends may start to see you as a pushover: someone who will do anything they ask just to be liked. They may start to use you.
On the other hand, if you respectfully stand up for your beliefs, your friends may be upset with you for awhile, but if they were really your friends, if they respect you, they will still be your friends. In fact, they will start to see you as someone who is honest, dependable, trustworthy, principled and honorable. They will see you as someone with integrity. Instead of losing respect for you, their respect for you will grow.
There's a word for people like this: Leader
Monday, December 10, 2007
Steady
The moral of the story of the tortoise and the hare is "slow and steady wins the race", right? So what is meant by that, exactly? Does it mean that you actually need to go slow in order to win a race? Obviously not.
The key is "steady", not slow. Come up with a plan that gives you the best chance of success, believe in it and stick to it. Don't get upset when things aren't going your way, and don't get too excited when things are working well. Stay focused. Steady.
Example: Tiger Woods. Watch him and see what it means to be focused and determined. Tiger Woods never deviates from his game plan. He never really gets upset (yes, he might cuss when he makes a bad shot, but he forgets about it right away and focuses on the next shot) and he never gets really excited. In a sport which demands mental toughness, he will go down in history as the greatest golfer ever.
Reality TV example: TK and Rachel from the Amazing Race. One of the reasons this show is fun to watch is that you get to see normal people in stressful situations and see how they handle it. The teams that get stressed out and who's partners start yelling at each usually don't win. The partners that handle stress the best and support each other through good times and bad usually do well. This couple handles stress really well.
TK and Rachel stick to their plan. They don't get upset. They don't worry about what other teams are doing but focus only on what they are doing. Two episodes ago, they won a stage. When they were told, they were shocked. "We were so focused on what we were doing, we had no idea where everybody else was," said TK. They're a good example of how to handle stress and manage a relationship.
The key is "steady", not slow. Come up with a plan that gives you the best chance of success, believe in it and stick to it. Don't get upset when things aren't going your way, and don't get too excited when things are working well. Stay focused. Steady.
Example: Tiger Woods. Watch him and see what it means to be focused and determined. Tiger Woods never deviates from his game plan. He never really gets upset (yes, he might cuss when he makes a bad shot, but he forgets about it right away and focuses on the next shot) and he never gets really excited. In a sport which demands mental toughness, he will go down in history as the greatest golfer ever.
Reality TV example: TK and Rachel from the Amazing Race. One of the reasons this show is fun to watch is that you get to see normal people in stressful situations and see how they handle it. The teams that get stressed out and who's partners start yelling at each usually don't win. The partners that handle stress the best and support each other through good times and bad usually do well. This couple handles stress really well.
TK and Rachel stick to their plan. They don't get upset. They don't worry about what other teams are doing but focus only on what they are doing. Two episodes ago, they won a stage. When they were told, they were shocked. "We were so focused on what we were doing, we had no idea where everybody else was," said TK. They're a good example of how to handle stress and manage a relationship.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Waiting for Wii
A few nights ago, I went to dinner with my brother and his family. While there, he asked me, innocently: "Al, (see, even my brother calls me by nicknames - his is RD) how early do you usually get up?"
"I usually get up between 5:30 & 6," I said.
"Wow," my brother replied, "that's a lot earlier than me. Since you're up that early, would you do me a favor?"
Uh oh, I thought. "What?" I asked.
"Toys R Us is getting a shipment of 30 Wii's tomorrow morning," my brother responded,
"I want to get one for my kids. The store opens at 8, but they said I better get there by 6. Could you go there and wait in line at 6? I'll relieve you at 7."
"Okay," I agreed, reluctantly.
When I awoke the next morning, it was raining.
"There's no way anyone's going to stand in the rain at 6 am on Sunday morning for a stupid video game machine," I grumbled to myself.
But, a promise is a promise, so I got dressed and drove to San Rafael.
There was nobody on the road. Until I got the road to Toys R Us, that is.
When I turned onto Francisco Blvd, I suddenly found myself behind a row of cars.
"I hope they aren't going to Toys R Us," I thought.
They were.
I looked at the front of the store and saw a line of people waiting outside.
"I'll be darned (well, 'darned' isn't what I actually thought, but for the purposes of this post, it'll have to do...)!"
I parked my car and quickly, casually, trying not to look like I was hurrying, got in line.
The woman is front of me looked like she was camping out. She was sitting in a folding chair under a down comforter reading a book. As I got into line, she looked up, smiled and said: "Good morning! You're number 19."
Soon after, the manager of the store came outside.
"Good morning, everyone," he said, as if having a line outside his store at 6 am happened everyday, "is everyone here for a Wii?"
"What's a Wii?" someone cracked, "I'm here for a Tickle me Elmo!"
"The shipment is here," the manager continued, "but we only got 27. I need to do a head count."
A worried hush fell over the line.
I turned out to be number 21.
After his count the manager said, "okay, I'm going to trust you all to be civil. Everyone up to the guy in the green sweater is going to get a Wii. Only one per group, please. No saving spots for other groups, no cutting in line. If you're behind the guy in the sweater, you can wait to see if we miscounted, or you can go to Best Buy down the street. I heard they're getting 50, but they don't open until 10." Nobody left.
Once we knew we were okay, everyone started to relax. People started trading stories about how many places they'd been to to find a Wii. I didn't have any stories, so I just smiled and nodded a lot.
Then, my brother showed up.
He walked right up to me, said good morning and stood next to me in line. Conversation stopped.
I looked around. "Don't worry," I said, "we're only buying one."
People started talking again.
I ended staying until my brother actually got his Wii. While we waited, the rain stopped, the sun rose (nothing special-it rose over the freeway, afterall) and the store opened. We talked to all the people around us. Everyone was reasonably happy, for we'd all gone out of our way to do something nice for kids.
As he left the store, Wii in hand, my brother said: "Man, I hope the little brats appreciate this."
He had a big smile on his face as he said it.
"I usually get up between 5:30 & 6," I said.
"Wow," my brother replied, "that's a lot earlier than me. Since you're up that early, would you do me a favor?"
Uh oh, I thought. "What?" I asked.
"Toys R Us is getting a shipment of 30 Wii's tomorrow morning," my brother responded,
"I want to get one for my kids. The store opens at 8, but they said I better get there by 6. Could you go there and wait in line at 6? I'll relieve you at 7."
"Okay," I agreed, reluctantly.
When I awoke the next morning, it was raining.
"There's no way anyone's going to stand in the rain at 6 am on Sunday morning for a stupid video game machine," I grumbled to myself.
But, a promise is a promise, so I got dressed and drove to San Rafael.
There was nobody on the road. Until I got the road to Toys R Us, that is.
When I turned onto Francisco Blvd, I suddenly found myself behind a row of cars.
"I hope they aren't going to Toys R Us," I thought.
They were.
I looked at the front of the store and saw a line of people waiting outside.
"I'll be darned (well, 'darned' isn't what I actually thought, but for the purposes of this post, it'll have to do...)!"
I parked my car and quickly, casually, trying not to look like I was hurrying, got in line.
The woman is front of me looked like she was camping out. She was sitting in a folding chair under a down comforter reading a book. As I got into line, she looked up, smiled and said: "Good morning! You're number 19."
Soon after, the manager of the store came outside.
"Good morning, everyone," he said, as if having a line outside his store at 6 am happened everyday, "is everyone here for a Wii?"
"What's a Wii?" someone cracked, "I'm here for a Tickle me Elmo!"
"The shipment is here," the manager continued, "but we only got 27. I need to do a head count."
A worried hush fell over the line.
I turned out to be number 21.
After his count the manager said, "okay, I'm going to trust you all to be civil. Everyone up to the guy in the green sweater is going to get a Wii. Only one per group, please. No saving spots for other groups, no cutting in line. If you're behind the guy in the sweater, you can wait to see if we miscounted, or you can go to Best Buy down the street. I heard they're getting 50, but they don't open until 10." Nobody left.
Once we knew we were okay, everyone started to relax. People started trading stories about how many places they'd been to to find a Wii. I didn't have any stories, so I just smiled and nodded a lot.
Then, my brother showed up.
He walked right up to me, said good morning and stood next to me in line. Conversation stopped.
I looked around. "Don't worry," I said, "we're only buying one."
People started talking again.
I ended staying until my brother actually got his Wii. While we waited, the rain stopped, the sun rose (nothing special-it rose over the freeway, afterall) and the store opened. We talked to all the people around us. Everyone was reasonably happy, for we'd all gone out of our way to do something nice for kids.
As he left the store, Wii in hand, my brother said: "Man, I hope the little brats appreciate this."
He had a big smile on his face as he said it.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Which Would You Rather Be?
Which would you rather be, respected or liked? What is the difference between the two? Is there a difference?
Courage
Kierstan was the name of one of the blackbelt candidates (see "Blackbelt" 11/20). I don't know her and have never met her, but after that day, I have a ton of respect for her.
Kierstan was the smallest of the three blackbelt candidates. She's 11, but looks like she's younger. She sailed through the first part of the test and wrote what I thought was the best essay of the three. But, she had trouble with the physical challenges.
The first challenge was board breaking. Kierstan went first. Each kick was preceded by about 30 seconds of mental preparation. Then, when she thought she was mentally ready, she tried to break the board. Her first three kicks failed. On her fourth attempt, she got frustrated and tried to kick the board three times in rapid succession. It didn't break.
"Stop!" ordered the teacher.
He called Kierstan over to him. He said, in a very soft voice; "I know you can do this. I've seen you do this. The question is, do you believe that you can do this? Sit down and think about it."
Kierstan sat down and started sobbing.
The other candidates took their turns. Each broke their board with little problem.
It was Kierstan's turn again.
Kierstan wiped her eyes and calmly stepped up to the board. She took a couple of practice kicks. She took her stance, bounced lightly on her feet, then kicked the board so hard that it blew apart.
The crowd cheered, but the test wasn't over.
Next was the sparring. Two 3 minute rounds of sparring against 5 adult opponents, then three 5 point matches against adults and finally two 5 point matches against the other candidates.
Kierstan was beaten badly by everyone.
She kept getting knocked out of the ring and off of her feet. Each time her turn ended, she went to her rest area and cried.
But she never gave up. Each time it was her turn again, she went back into the ring. Each time she was knocked down, she got back up. She took a solid kick to the head that knocked flat on her back. She got up. She took a blow to her chest that sent her flying about 3 feet. She got back up. It was an incredible display of courage.
After that, breaking the brick seemed easy.
When Kierstan was awarded her belt, the crowd gave her the loudest ovation.
I've never been so proud of someone I'd never met.
Kierstan was the smallest of the three blackbelt candidates. She's 11, but looks like she's younger. She sailed through the first part of the test and wrote what I thought was the best essay of the three. But, she had trouble with the physical challenges.
The first challenge was board breaking. Kierstan went first. Each kick was preceded by about 30 seconds of mental preparation. Then, when she thought she was mentally ready, she tried to break the board. Her first three kicks failed. On her fourth attempt, she got frustrated and tried to kick the board three times in rapid succession. It didn't break.
"Stop!" ordered the teacher.
He called Kierstan over to him. He said, in a very soft voice; "I know you can do this. I've seen you do this. The question is, do you believe that you can do this? Sit down and think about it."
Kierstan sat down and started sobbing.
The other candidates took their turns. Each broke their board with little problem.
It was Kierstan's turn again.
Kierstan wiped her eyes and calmly stepped up to the board. She took a couple of practice kicks. She took her stance, bounced lightly on her feet, then kicked the board so hard that it blew apart.
The crowd cheered, but the test wasn't over.
Next was the sparring. Two 3 minute rounds of sparring against 5 adult opponents, then three 5 point matches against adults and finally two 5 point matches against the other candidates.
Kierstan was beaten badly by everyone.
She kept getting knocked out of the ring and off of her feet. Each time her turn ended, she went to her rest area and cried.
But she never gave up. Each time it was her turn again, she went back into the ring. Each time she was knocked down, she got back up. She took a solid kick to the head that knocked flat on her back. She got up. She took a blow to her chest that sent her flying about 3 feet. She got back up. It was an incredible display of courage.
After that, breaking the brick seemed easy.
When Kierstan was awarded her belt, the crowd gave her the loudest ovation.
I've never been so proud of someone I'd never met.
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