First 2009 Round Up!

Allright, kids! Let's get this 2009 party bus on the road with a little Round Up. Lots goin' on!

1. First and foremost, you're welcome. Everytime Angela and I watch a UT bowl game together, UT wins (2004 Rose Bowl, 2005 Rose Bowl, 2008 Fiesta Bowl). It's always a nailbiter, but UT pulls it out right at the end for an exciting victory. Angela and Jason hosted "Chili & Longhorns" last night for UT's Fiesta Bowl game against Ohio State, and I think we all saw how that turned out: UT pulling victory from the jaws of defeat with only 16 seconds left on the clock! So, you're welcome. Ang and I will try to do this for you again next year when UT plays for the national championship with Heisman Winner Colt McCoy at the helm.

2. "The government's $1.34 billion coupon program for digital converter boxes ran out of money on Sunday." $1.34 billion dollars, people. $1.34 billion. 1.34 billion DOLLARS. So that people can watch TV without buying new sets. How much did the government spend in the 50s to provide everyone with TVs? Oh yeah - nothing! Because it's not the government's job to make sure we can all watch TV!! There's nothing in the Constitution that says the government should be seizing money from the citizens to give it to people who can't afford the next generation of electronics. It's not the government's job to make sure that all of our entertaiment equipment doesn't become obsolete. If so, then I want the government to buy me a Blu-Ray DVD player. And I'd like it to buy back my VCR. And all those people who bought Beta players in the 80s should have gotten a little taxpayer money. And why hasn't the government bought me an iPod? Oh, and I don't have GPS in my car, so the government should take care of that little matter immediately. It's beyond ridiculous that the government took money from my paycheck when we're in a RECESSION to give it to people so they don't have to shell out $40 for a converter box. What's next? Using my hard-earned dollars to bail out companies left and right for making terrible business deals? Oh yeah...

3. I just saw "The Good Shepherd" via Netflix this past weekend. Great movie! And man, I really like Matt Damon (I know, Laurie...I know...)! That guy picks the most interesting movies, and he's really got range. From "The Talented Mr. Ripley" to "The Bourne Identity" movies to "The Good Shepherd" - you just know when you see his name on something that he and it are going to be good. He really is great. He's kind of like Tom Hanks - not the best looking guy on the screen, but he's so good and has such range and he makes such good choices, and he never does anything in his personal life that makes you want to punch him, so you just can't not like him! I hope he'll have the kind of long-term career Tom Hanks has.

4. Pei Wei's pad thai is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Just thought I'd let you know in case you hadn't tried it.

5. There was something this weekend that I remember telling J, "I'm blogging about that!" But I've forgotten what it was.

6. Why do the directions on Yahoo Maps, Google Maps, MapQuest, etc., all suck so bad? The last three times J and I have used them, we've gotten lost. Give me a good old-fashioned map any day.

Okay, that's a start! Hope that gives you something to comment on!