My wife said that the regular flu has killed over 13,000 people this year. Yet, we hear nothing...

Screw You, Swine Flu.

Let's start the fear parade. The swine flu has claimed its first victim in the U.S. I think that people should definitely be vigilant when it comes to dealing with such a contagious virus, but once again, the media hasn't helped calm the storm.

So beyond saving lives, let's ban together and wash our hands so we don't have to listen to the same news story for the next 6 months. Cover your mouth when you cough so I don't have to read "The end is near" on Yahoo's home page every time I go online. Let's postpone our much needed vacations to Mexico so I don't have to complain about the repetitive fear machine that is the news.

Come on people. The honor of the news is at stake here.

Henry is officially rolling over now. It's surprising because he's basically been a blob up until now. Then he just woke up and started rolling over. I guess 4 months is about when they should be doing all that.

It's rediculous how popular Twitter is. I understand updating a couple of times a day, but what's up with people who update a couple of times every half an hour. I started following ESPN First Take, but I'm going to have to quit because they update every 5 minutes. Holy $#!+. I really don't care that much.

Sophia the Easter Bunny...or Little Rascal.

The Brother-in-Laws and I.

I went to the gym and lifted, and then came home and ran three miles yesterday. It's been about 4 months and i'm feeling it. That makes me feel either old or lazy. I'm not sure which one I'm willing to accept right now.

The Draft

I like how the NFL draft is touted as the turning point for many teams. Granted in some cases a team does get their star player that helps turn the franchise around, i.e., Matt Ryan and the Falcons. But let's be honest, even in the case of the Falcons, they wouldn't have had nearly success if it wasn't for the off season acquisitions at running back etc.

With the state of the ballooning salaries for number 1 picks, the draft almost hurts teams these days. One contract consisting of 41 million guaranteed dollars can put a team pack 4 years if they make the wrong choice. The NFL needs to adopt a system like the NBA, which makes rookies prove themselves before they are offered the big dollars. I'm not saying that athletes don't deserve to make pay, but they should have to earn it.

And even though the draft can't save teams, I'm stilled stoked that the 49ers got Crabtree at the 10 spot. Hopefully it pans out.

If the Air Yeezy and the Hyper Dunk had a love child, it would be the Nike McFly.

+

=

Blazer (insert sad face here)

Okay, so the Blazers gave us a pretty weak attempt in game 1. Granted, they haven't been to the post season for awhile and there was a lot of hoopla going on before the game, so I can see how they got distracted. The fact of the matter is that they got punched in the face, and now they have to punch back. 

I still don't think it's the worst match up. We just need more than one player to show up for the game. And Ron Artest needs to quick cashing in his ugly money. How the hell does that guy make half those shots? 

I just ordered some Saucony Courageous TRs. Saved $25 bucks on 'em, which is nice.  I've been getting free shoes from AND1 lately, so my wife didn't think I needed another pair. But those were all B-ball shoes, which don't cut it 24/7. 

With Ken Griffey Jr. back in Seattle I'm thinking about switching my baseball allegiance to the Mariners. I still like the Yankees, but I never get to see them on TV. Maybe I'll just pull double duty on my fandom.

Griffey is a lot like Grant Hill. You just can't help but like the guy. Even (or maybe because of) if he gets hurt all the time.

Blazers! 

I have to admit that this is the first year of my Blazer fandom. I’ve never lived in Portland before, nor did I really watch that mush basketball. But since moving here a year and a half ago, I decided that I was going to dedicate myself to becoming a Blazers’ fan. Luckily, my move coincided with their resurgence as being a strong contender. 

And since AND1 endorses Steve Blake and my company does the creative for AND1, I’ve had even more incentive to keep up with the team. That being said, this was a pretty exciting year on the hardwood. 

Unfortunately, one of my co-workers is a die-hard Lakers’ fan. This doesn’t bother me except for he’s one of those ‘hate to lose, really serious about every stat and every game kind of fan.’ You know, the type that has an excuse for every loss or missed shot along. The one who has the schedule printed off and pinned to his bulletin board with every outcome marked in red. And heaven forbid Blazers’ fans start celebrating after making it to the Playoffs for the first time in over a handful of years. 

Yes Keo, I'm talking to you.

I guess what it boils down to, is that it’s great to be a fan, but a little tiresome dealing with fanatics. I get it; the Blazers haven’t won a title in a while. But that doesn’t make their recent accomplishments any less important. 

So Blazers’ Fans, keep on cheering. Even if it doesn’t happen this year, it was a damn good run for a young team. Next year, of course, we will have serious expectations. And Lakers’ fans, give it a rest. We know the Lakers had a great year. We know they’ve won more titles. But perhaps in this ‘what have you done for me lately’ day and age, maybe you should calm yourselves until you bring home the trophy. After all, you did get completely embarrassed by the Celtics in last year’s finals. 

This is the ad I used to sell my dumbbells on Craigslist. I don't know if it was just a really good deal or my ad simply prompted people to buy, but they were sold the same day. Nice!

I’ve got a set of Bowflex SelectTech dumbbells for sale. These adjustable dumbbells go from 5 to 52.5 lbs with the turn of a wrist. They are incredibly convenient, don’t take up much space, and function perfectly. I was hoping to become ripped like Brad Pitt in Fight Club with these bad boys, but my spare room has been overrun with kid’s toys. So now, I’m destined to resemble Brad Pitt in Benjamin Button. Oh well. 

The SelecTechs are over $400 new. I’m asking $250 - a small price to pay to be as chiseled as a movie star. Of course, if you don’t use them, the price isn’t small, only unnecessary. 

Pirates Can Suck It.

There’s nothing I hate more than a thug, which is all a pirate really is. They travel around the seas attacking and stealing from defenseless ships. Glorified in third-world countries and largely ignored by the rest of the world until this last week. 

After killing several pirates during a successful rescue, more sea-thugs vow to kill future prisoners if they are attacked. I say by letting them run the seas unchecked, we’ve already enabled their actions… up until now. They are criminals, gang members at sea, and they should be treated as such. 

I think if a pirate chooses to attack a ship, we should blow them out of the water, no questions asked. We should track them down and light ‘em up like the scum they are. There are certain people in this world that don’t deserve to be dealt with in a civil manner.

I feel the same away about gangs on land. They steal, kill, and drag down everyone around them. I know our country gets entrenched in due process, but I have no patience for these types. If you’re in a gang, caught carrying out gang activity, you get no trial.

I also think these sea vessels should have military trained personnel on them. If they are attacked, they can at least fight back. I’m sick and tired of hearing about people dying due to gang violence. We’ve been steadily losing this war as our cities diversify and culture clash. The only way to stop gang violence is to eliminate the gangs. 

I hate to get all Dirty Harry on society, but there comes a time when we have to say enough is enough. 

Kanye Want to be better...

A recent South Park attacking Kanye West's gigantic ego may have actually prompted him to change. At least according to Mr. West who says that the episode made him take a long hard look in the mirror. 

Kudos for Kanye actually saying the right thing at the right time. Unfortunately I don't believe a word. Sorry Kanye. You've got good music, but you're still a giant Douche-Bag.

Iron Gym = Broken Lucas

My wife bought me the iron gym last month…for no apparent reason. I would like to start off by saying if I bought her a Thigh Master for no reason, it probably would have been met with some resistance, perhaps even a fight. But that’s beyond the point. I’m a man, so instead of immediately thinking she wasn’t happy with by physique; I was excited to have a new toy.

The Iron Gym works perfectly. It’s out of the way and easy to use. So easy in fact, that when I’m home I will find myself doing 50-100 pull-up

s in a short period of time (not all at once, mind you). Unfortunately, after about a week of consistent use, I woke up with a viscous pinched nerve (or a muscle strain) behind my right shoulder blade. 

I haven’t been able to use my right side all day. So in the end, the Iron Gym gets an A+ (much like the Perfect Pushups) for usability. But I get a D- for durability. 

I find Twitter intriguing. I just don't think people care (or should care) about what I'm doing all day long. Then again, I read about what they're doing when I have the time. I don't if that makes me ignorant or just a hypocrite. 

I Am Literacy… I think. 

I need to find a good book. Lately, I’ve gone to work, come home, watched some TV, and gone to bed way too early – a pretty boring routine. I don’t even have the freedom to hit the gym. That happens when you’re a parent. Especially the parent of an infant. Since they wake up two or three times a night and all, you’re typically too tired to really care about much else.

But more than missing my sleep, I miss being able to read in bed without falling asleep. It makes me feel like less of a man to say that I miss a good book, but hey, men read too. We just usually read captions, street signs, and box scores. But then we stumble upon a good book, and we become readers. Actual, full-blown literary geniuses. I guess I shouldn’t go that far. That last book I read was about a girl who blew her face off because she need attention, and coped with the incident by befriending her estranged brother who was about to have a sex change while the traveled the country stealing prescription pills from ‘Open Houses’ – that Chuck Palahniuk for you. 

Regardless, I haven’t read a good book for a while. Our son is still sleeping in the bassinet in the bedroom, so I try to not turn on the light. Also, my wife is just as tired as I am, and she tends to go to bed much earlier. I have a hard time trying to read when someone is sleeping next to me. I don’t know why. I just do. 

Even more than a good book, I miss seeing movies in theaters. But that’s a whole other can of worms. 

Trust Me

TNT’s new dramedy, Trust Me, sucked me in. I have a feeling it might become a victim of not registering with those who aren’t in the advertising industry much like Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip did to those who have never ventured into the entertainment industry. But for what it’s worth, I find it enjoyable. 

Without going into the details, it’s safe to say that I can easily find something to relate to in every episode. If you’re looking a comedic look into the advertising world, I would recommend Trust Me. 

Really, An entire week without a post!

I wish I had a better excuse than 'I was just too busy'... at work, at home, and all weekend. I know it's lame. At least I can take solace in the fact that very few people actually read my blog, nor actually care about what I have to say.

That being said, all of the creative was approved on the energy drink I've been working on. It should be out in a couple of months. I'll actually promote it when it goes into production. I don't want to get fired for spilling the beans prematurely, you know.

We've also complete the creative for OurBeer Day. It's bad-ass. Now, we're trying to get some breweries on the bandwagon.

My daughter turned two today, but she's been pretty 'Terrible" for the last month or so. Exhausting. 

I have such bad allergies that I thought I had pink eye. At least I could have treated pink eye. Now, I just have to live with being miserable.

This rash of nice weather allowed me to barbecue on my new deck and enjoy the privacy of my backyard. It was awesome, hence, I am awesome.

Alright, that about sums it up.