- 12:33 PM
- 04/24/24
Hey Worldcup, give me a break. It's been over 7 months since the little acheson was born! In a side note: Maybe cycling ought to move up due to the sheer beating a person's (man or woman) privates get!
posted by aacheson at 01:51 PM on July 28, 2004
Blarp, that's awesome! Thanks! That's exactly what I was looking for. (they put BASEBALL over soccer???) I would put soccer above hockey, just because in hockey you at least have "shift" changes. In soccer, you're in until you're out. No other people to take your place when you get tired. And you have to run the whole time but on skates you can slide around. That was my argument against having cycling above soccer, too. In cycling you have a machine to help you out. I would agree that boxing is pretty high, because you have to maintain strength and agility while getting the crap beaten out of you. Plus, I've tried it and I was so tired I could barely lift my arms after about 10 minutes. I think football are a bunch of fat guys with small scopes of talent (kicker, thrower, receiver, dead weight.) The only ones who really have to run are receivers. The rest stand around for long periods of time, bang into each other for short spurts, and then get taken out of the game again for long periods of time. So I guess mine are: Soccer Hockey Cycling Boxing Basketball (lots of running and coordination, but also lots of standing around and can be taken out of the game and put back in again) Swimming (Very intense but for short periods of time) Football Volleyball But they all require amazing strength and endurance and I am impressed with all athletes who participate in these sports. (Except fishing and curling and bowling!)
posted by aacheson at 03:55 PM on July 26, 2004
I'm not a dad (i'm a mom of a 6 1/2 month old) but I can tell you that being a parent changes your outlook in life. I think long-term. My needs and wants are dead-last in importance. I live for her smiles. I ache when she cries. And I'm a lot more boring and have a lot less sex, too. And, quite frankly and in all seriousness, I didn't know love existed like this until I had Lucy.
posted by aacheson at 10:47 AM on July 06, 2004
Not a sport. But they are athletes. I took boxing for a while and it kicked my arse. Like grum@work said.
posted by aacheson at 10:14 PM on February 21, 2004
Skateboarding isn't a sport and even if the boarder is fit and kicks ass, they aren't athletes. I mean, they don't do rigerous training and most are just dope smoking teens, anyway. (just kidding)
posted by aacheson at 06:08 PM on February 15, 2004
Jesus, I feel like a total ZERO on the sports thing after reading this interview. I did so FEW sports growing up. And here goddam is...drinking maddog and playing every sport in the book...and sounds like she's good, to boot! If our baby is a girl, msacheson is going to make sure she plays soccer and golf early on. I'm going to involve her in hiking, snowboarding, and snorkeling. I just hope she get's his sports-ability, not mine (which doesn't exist.) I guess that all goes for a boy, too. But I still don't get the half-naked archery thing. What's the deal with that? Don't the boobs get in the way? Why not wear a shirt? Ah maddog...drinking...beer...god I can't WAIT to drink again. (2 1/2 weeks till this baby is OUT and then I'm having a six pack of Corona IN THE HOSPITAL. Do you hear that msacheson? Screw the diamond ring for having a baby, I want BOOZE.) Anyway, great interview. And BTW, WC has the FARTHEST thing from a Canadian accent-don't let him fool you. But I don't remember his forarms...they could be nice. :) Goddam, nice to have you on board. Have a drink on me...
posted by aacheson at 06:08 PM on December 05, 2003
Err, that was me, not msacheson. I hate this logout stuff!
posted by aacheson at 04:43 PM on August 22, 2003
Jesus, I would have never found that interview with WC. I agree, let's put "interviews" as a new section in the locker room. I'd never find all of them. KNOCK KNOCK-ANYONE OUT THERE? To someone who has the power to get that done...is that a possibility?
posted by aacheson at 04:14 PM on August 14, 2003
1. Don't know. Decided not to find out if there's a stem on the apple or not. 2. Still debating that one. Can't come up with any good boy's names. Perhaps WC? 3. December 23. Aiming for getting that tax break in before the end of the year. 4. ???? 5. What decisions? 6. Is that where he goes every Thursday? 7. Jesus, I hope it's not Arnold. What a wreck. 8. How about someone interviews you? Cheers all. Hope we haven't bored ya'll silly. -Amanda
posted by aacheson at 10:54 AM on August 14, 2003
And the final question to bring this breathtaking interview to a close is...... (Drumroll please)
posted by aacheson at 04:50 PM on August 13, 2003
The only things I crave now are cheeries, nectarines, and Salt & Vinegar potato chips (but not together.) I'm an insulin-dependent diabetic so I can't go crazy and eat whatever while I'm pregnant. I visit this pregnant diabetic program whom I lovingly refer to as the "Sugar Nazis" every week who make me feel awful if I devitate an inch from my prescribed eating plan-as a danger to the baby... ("WOULD YOU THINK OF THE CHILDREN???") So no ice cream or even CEREAL, of which I used to eat about 5 bowls a day. I've only gained 6 pounds in 21 weeks, so I'm doing well. Kaliber (made by Guinness, of course) is a friggin AWESOME non-alcoholic beer. Funny, I thought I'd miss the drinking but I really don't. And it's funny to watch Marc get stupid drunk sometimes (when before it used to be the both of us)...but not that funny to have to drive him home that way and make him drink water and listen to him complain the next day. Pre-pregnant, I was a Bass, Corona, and Newcastle Brown kinda lady. Marc's right on with the food...Indian and Thai curry are the weakness in my soul....
posted by aacheson at 04:48 PM on August 13, 2003
Well, we're painting our house, cutting a tree down in the back yard, just finished a huge retaining wall rebuild, putting in a sprinkler system, and are starting to put together a nursery. Fun stuff, all. Living la vida loca, that's us. I haven't been doing much of anything cuz I feel like bloody hell all the time. I consider it a great Saturday night if I'm in bed by 8:30. Ah, how the mighty have fallen. I never thought that growing a little 12 oz. thing in my belly would suck the life-blood out of me. But it does...it really does. Actually, we're leaving for Hawaii on Saturday, so we've got that going for us, which is nice.
posted by aacheson at 01:41 PM on August 13, 2003
By the way, the news companies treat their Production Assistants like CRAP. Really amazing stuff. Slave labor and no thanks. But there are a million other people banging down the doors to get in there, so they don't care. So the next time the on screen graphics look all wacky and the tape they run doesn't match, try to remember that the person there is being paid about $4.00 an hour, has probably been there since 2 AM, gets no benefits, and gets shit on all day by the anchors and management. And don't get me started on the the golf company he worked for.... I'm amazed at the depths some companies will sink to in the way they treat their employees.
posted by aacheson at 01:22 PM on August 13, 2003
Bear Valley or Boreal are GREAT places to learn. Cheap. Great kids programs. Great beginner packages (rental, lesson, only allowed on beginner slopes for cheap.) Small mountains. Good snow. Really quality places. Bear Valley isn't in Tahoe (which is a bonus in my mind) and it's a great family ski resort. The first 2 days of learning to snowboard are incredibly painful and really ego-shattering. You will hurt in places you didn't know existed. After 3-4 days, though, you will be able to get down intermediate slopes without any problem. Snowboarding kicks ASS.
posted by aacheson at 05:31 PM on August 12, 2003
Let's wait. I don't think anyone cares so much about what just I think (except maybe myself.) We need a little Marc-perspective here.
posted by aacheson at 04:29 PM on August 12, 2003
I'll let him tell you about the sales to teaching stuff. But he is telling the truth, sales sucked the soul and happiness out of him. Sucked out his enjoyment of life. It was awful to watch. You know, some people just aren't made for the "corporate life" and he was smart enough to realize that he was one of them. Being a corporate slave myself, I don't "get" it (who DOES like working for a big corporation? You just grin and bear it, right?) but he really just couldn't do it. It went against something deep within his soul. He is going to be a GREAT teacher. Really amazing. I'm very happy for him and can't wait for him to start teaching full time.
posted by aacheson at 04:13 PM on August 12, 2003
Well, now I play golf-though not as much now as I used to, and I even enjoy it! The problem with me and sports is that I am just plain AWFUL at the regular organized ones. Played JV soccer in High School and quit after 2 years because I was so bad. Ran cross country for 4 years in HS, and never made it to Varsity. I shoot 114-120 in golf-which is pretty awful. So it's hard for me to get into them when I'm so embarrassingly bad and he's so much better than me. And we're very competitive, and I always LOSE in sports stuff. Doesn't make me want to run out and do a lot of them. I now watch golf and hockey (though would never turn it on myself.) I go to baseball games (don't like watching it on TV much and HATE "pitcher's duels" BORING.) Occasionally I read Sports Illustrated. I appreciate the wit and wisdom of Sportscenter. I know a little more of the history and lore of certain sports, and a greater appreciation for them and why people like them. But I'm never going to have a favorite team of any kind, nor seek out sporting events to watch on TV. And I will never, ever, EVER enjoy football in any way, shape, or form. I hate John Madden more than anything in the whole wide world. Marc had never been backpacking before he met me. Now we're into backpacking and hiking and he's as devoted to Yosemite National Park as I am. He's seen some SCCA race events at Sears Point. He had never been snorkeling/diving before we met. Basically I've introduced him to the wonderful non-sports-like outdoors stuff. Now when we travel, we hike and snorkel and swim and search for animals and birds. We go camping a lot. We were both into sailing before we met each other so that's not changed, but he's the only one who races sailboats. We're both really into snowboaring, got into it together about 4 years ago-although he just started doing the backcountry stuff. I'm not good enough for that yet (and was a little pregnant when he went on his first trip in June.)
posted by aacheson at 04:09 PM on August 12, 2003
WC, I think you better lighten it up before we lose everyone here.....(they're throwing the dreaded "xxxfilter" label at us!) And all this while Marc is out playing golf all day. The inequities of it all! I want his life.
posted by aacheson at 01:55 PM on August 12, 2003
I think there were a few REAL reasons for invading Iraq. I'm not saying if I disagree or agree with them, but I wish the administration was at least truthful about the reasons. 1. I think Bush et. all view Iraq as a real opportunity to do some good in the Middle East, set up a "democratic" or at least a more democratic state, and show the middle east how it can be done. (Too bad they didn't plan it out ahead of time to allow for this.) Additionally, it's of very strategic importance to have bases/troops there, right smack dab in the middle of the Middle East-with all those nasty "rogue" nations all around. 2. Of course, the oil is important. Iraq has more oil than any other country in the world. Period. 3. I think they also view invading Iraq and Afghanistan as opportunitites to "show" the other govts. in the middle east that we mean business. It's not wimpy Clinton anymore, who was too afraid to commit and maybe have soldiers die in order to get OBL. We aren't just tied to shooting warheads from ships anymore. They hope to scare Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and others into reassessing their open assitance to terrorists and to scare them. Because, let's face it, the only real thing that those governments in the middle east seem to listen to is power, force, and violence. They couldn't care less about "lawyering" of issues. Afria has no strategic importance, no oil, and is so screwed up all over the place, that where do you start? Additionally, they've done nothing TO US to justify invasion. There's nothing the US needs or really wants in Africa, no one there has nuclear weapons or really has the money or ability to support terrorists, no real strategic reason for us to be there, so why "waste" people and money there? Okay, now my head REALLY HURTS. Ouch ouch ouch. Garfield, yeah, it's by Bob Woodward of Watergate fame. Really really amazing book. He interviewed Bush's whole staff, including Bush, and presents everything that happened in a non-opinionated way. It's really a fascinating read.
posted by aacheson at 01:29 PM on August 12, 2003
I think comparing world event since WW1 & WW2 to those two wars are like comparing apples to oranges. We entered those wars because the world really was in danger and under attack by a colition of nations hell bent on taking over. WW1 was more of intertangled alliances that brought us in and created the whole war, but we entered WW2 because the world was in danger, Germany, Italy and Japan threatened all of Europe, Africa, and Asia. Even without Pearl Harbor, I'm betting that if the Axis had continued to win, we would have entered eventually, even with the fiercely isolationist beliefs of the government (except FDR) and the people of the country. I don't think FDR was hawkish by nature, but the world events made him so. Truman was president when we got involved in Korea, and (as an armchair quarterbacker), was Communism really that much of a threat-was that war justified? I'm not sure. Then you can argue about JFK was hawkish on staring Vietnam and Bay of Pigs, and on that I'd agree with you. Again, was communism that much of a threat? I think we started our slippery slope slide of myopic and lack of forsight interventions with Vietnam. So I don't know...I think that Presidents are all hawkish when world events cause them to be so. That's part of their job. I think though that Republicans have a more pro-miliataristic view, they view using the military as a great first or second choice of action, while Democrats may try to discuss and try other methods before using force (as the Bush team calls it "lawyer their way" through things first.) I also think that the Democrats are more focused on the Domestic side of things and the Republicans are more focused on the world. But I don't have a lot of facts to back that up. This particular president and especially his staff are all well-known hawks of the highest degree. You'd be hard pressed to find bigger hawks that Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz!!! They've been aching to go after Iraq for decades, and they got their chance after Sept. 11 and pressed and pressed to go into Iraq at the same time as Afghanistan-even without any proof whatsoever at that time that Iraq was involved. (By the way, read "Bush at War" to get a great view of the decisions after Sept. 11 that led to Afghanistan. Great book.) I think you can argue that Bill Clinton was a wimp....perhaps we need someone thoughtful right in the middle next time?
posted by aacheson at 11:33 AM on August 12, 2003
Acually, I do believe that our current actions in the Middle East are consitent with our more recent (in the last 30 years) policy actions, even if they're not our nation's "stated" policies. Recent administrations have taken many short-sighted, not-big-picture actions in the Middle East in the recent past-such as supporting the Taiban to defeat the Russians in Afghantistan, and supporting Saddam to defeat Iran, and (some might say,) supporting Israel to defeat the Palestinians... I think that the end results of those actions can show pretty clearly that we are going to leave both Afghantistan and Iraq as messy or messier than they were before. If you add to that that now we are giving loads of money and arms to Pakistan, which is extremely unstable and can become a "rogue" nation very easily. If Musharraf (who came to power in a miliatary coup anyway) leaves the scene and is replaced by someone more stringently Islamic, we will have another Afghanistan-Iran-type state, complete with weapons and money that we've supplied to them that they will probably use against us. All because our government refuses to look more than a few years forward and take a larger world-view before they take actions. They seem especially bad in this regard when they are acting in the Middle East. I'm not saying we were wrong to get into Afghantistan (and perhaps Iraq as well,) I just think we're showing our short-sightedness yet again to the world that we don't think beyond the macho military stuff and into the difficult questions of what to do afterwards to make the country stable and functional. Yet again, we left that part out of the planning and will leave it to whatever happends when something newer and sexier comes along to invade. But you weren't really serious with that question-so I'm not going to answer the rest. I haven't had to answer intellectual questions like that since college. My brain hurts.
posted by aacheson at 10:43 AM on August 12, 2003
What was the question again? Studying History. Lots of it, but focused on recent US diplomatic and military history. I know, a lot to do with being a Network Engineer. Go figure. You know, Banyan had some really great things about it-too bad they're not supporting it anymore. More jobs for me, though!
posted by aacheson at 08:48 PM on August 11, 2003
Garfield, it's all about balance. :) Learning to drink obscene amounts 4-5 nights a week and not get a hangover, so you can wake up and make it to class every day.
posted by aacheson at 04:30 PM on August 11, 2003
I'm a network engineer stationed as a consultant at a large govt. agency in the San Francisco. I was brought in to help oversee their migration from Banyan Vines to Windows 2000, but now I'm just on the support team and running cool special projects. I'm one of the few with a good tech job in San Francisco now. The few...the proud...the employed.
posted by aacheson at 04:04 PM on August 11, 2003
The proposal was pretty cool. Still makes me happy to think about it. :)
posted by aacheson at 03:33 PM on August 11, 2003
I did too know about CU losing to Syracuse. I just didn't care. I went to the football games to drink and socialize. Period.
posted by aacheson at 03:27 PM on August 11, 2003
Oh God. Do you really want to know that stuff? We've been married 6 years in June. Got married in Berkeley and had the ceremony on the Berkeley campus. We've been together since January 1993. We met in London, while we were studying abroad. I went to his school's (Syracuse) program, even though I went to UC Boulder. The funny thing was I went there saying "I don't want a boyfriend. I just want to date a lot," and WHAM, 3 days later we were dating and haven't had a "time off" or anything since then. Even through 18 months of living 3000 miles apart. (see...long distance relationships CAN work!) I fell in love because he wouldn't stop following me around. Sounds mean, but it's true...I got really used to him being around and got to know him really well. We had a wondeful time there together...travelling, drinking, going to see all the sites in London, dancing, drinking, bar hopping, weekends in Paris and Amsterdam, drinking...how could one not fall in love? But I really fell in love because no one had ever been that kind or caring to me ever before. He talks a big game but he's a big old softie. (No, not THAT kind of softie. Get your mind out of the gutter.) I knew I was in love when I went to Paris for the weekend with my Mom and Sister who had flown out to visit and ALL I WANTED TO DO was get back to London and see Marc. All I thought about was him, all I wanted to do is be with him. Here I was in Paris and I didn't care. Troo wuv... We moved in together after graduation and he moved out to Berkeley with me. I'll let him tell the story about showing up at my parent's house the first night. A classic. My parents are way cool. I'll let him tell about the engagement too, as it was all his shindig. Very well done, though. I'm sure he has a different take on falling in love...he did it much faster than I. (Sorry honey, am I ruining your street cred here?) You wouldn't have pegged us as that compatible though at first. I love techno and dancing and raves and got straight A's, didn't really do drugs. He was a complete dead-head stoner, stoned 24/7 (no, really), loves the Dead, hates dancing, got some appalingly bad grades in college. Ah well, you never know how things are going to turn out. Worked out well for us, though. Marc's on his way home...I'm sure he will chime in soon.
posted by aacheson at 01:49 PM on August 11, 2003
I don't know where he is... So we're at the game, it's loud and crazy, and I'm periodically asking him what this and that ruling is about, why the ref did that, etc. I'm screaming my questions at top volume to him because it's so damn loud in the Garden. So a penalty gets called and I scream out "What was that for?" Marc screams, "Icing!" and I scream "WHAT'S ICING?" Except at that very second, the Garden went SILENT. Pin drop silent. You know when, after an upopular call, everyone gets quiet and sits down, well, that happened and I scream "WHAT'S ICING?" at top volume. I swear, everyone in the luxury box and about 1000 other people turned around to stare at the idiot who's at the 7th game of the Stanley Cup and doesn't know what icing is. What is she doing there??? I think Marc wanted to crawl beneath the seats. Ah well, he still got some that night.
posted by aacheson at 01:01 PM on August 11, 2003
(Acually, it's not just AA, but AAA) Well, I flew in (I lived in Boulder then) to surprise Marc at home in NY (we were still in college, he was living with his parents that summer.) That night was the 7th game of the Stanley Cup finals in 1994, where the Rangers were tied for the cup with Vancouver. His mom had gotten him ONE ticket to the game that night, in the US Tobacco luxury box in Madison Square Garden, and he was all psyched to go to it, being a pretty obsessive Rangers fan. So about 3:00 pm on the day of the game, I show up in his living room unannounced and he comes downstairs and two very obvious emotions play across his face... #1 "WOW! Amanda's here!" and immediately after #2 "SHIT, I only have ONE ticket to the game tonight. Am I going to have to choose between the girlfriend or the Rangers?" (Guess who would have lost...me.) So the second sentence out of my mouth after "hi" was "Don't worry, your mom got me a ticket to the game tonight, too" and suddenly he's happy..he gets girlfriend AND Stanley cup game. It was hilarious. So yes, my first hockey game was fricking awesome, the Rangers won, and wow, what a way to be introduced to hockey! I spent the whole time trying to figure out the rules (So, this hockey...it's kinda like soccer, right?) but I'll let him tell you the rest.
posted by aacheson at 12:12 PM on August 11, 2003
Here we are. We were just keeping you guys (and gals) in suspense... So, "how'd you get pulled in?" Well, Marc kept going on and on about this new BETTER Metafilter that was wholly to do with sports. I figured I'd sign up to get the user numbers up to make it look more popular than it was in those days. Why'd you sign up so early but not get involved that much? You have to understand, I grew up in a house where there was ZERO interest in sports. My family didn't watch any on television, live, whatever. I considered "sports" to be when I'd go to Sears Point with my Dad and watch the antique car races and SCCA races. Sports to us were hiking, windsurfing, car racing, stuff like that. Didn't grow up watching or participating much in sports. So anyway, I meet Marc, who lives, eats, and breathes sports, which was an eye-opener. In fact, when I met him and spent a Thanksgiving together at his house, I was horrified to see the TV on with Football on, and all the guys in the family sitting around burping and scratching and grunting all day while the women cooked them dinner. I didn't even know football was on on Thanksgiving-what a waste of a beautiful day! And I sure as hell wasn't going to cook dinner while they sat around and burned their brains out watching football. Not my style. So the short answer is, I didn't grow up into sports but living with him for 10 years has made me a little better. I watch some sports and enjoy some of them, but I don't really feel that I can add much to Sportsfilter, where people know a WHOLE LOT more than I do. What can I really add? Thus..the low usage on my part. (Long enough answer?)
posted by aacheson at 11:01 AM on August 11, 2003
Help msacheson & aacheson settle a dispute!
WC, send me your email address and I will send pictures.