Thoughts of Christmas

I don't particularly like holidays, excluding getting time off from work of course. Growing up Christmas was one of my most favorite times of the year. But now that I have gotten older I don't enjoy Christmas as much as I used to. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing my kids get really excited when they open the presents and the experience of them giving gifts to others is very worthwhile.

This year we had our son Mason's Tonsils/Adenoids removed on Dec 23, two days before Christmas. We thought that he could recover during the School Christmas break and be back to 100% when school got started next year. Mason has had severely swollen & inflamed tonsils most of his life, so it needed to happen sometime. Well I feel bad because he didn't get to visit family or really go anywhere during Christmas because of the side effects of his pain meds. He was severely nauseated and miserable.

He is beginning to feel a little better now, but it was a tough stretch there for a while.

So when Mason grows older and when people ask him what was his most memorable Christmas, he will probably say, "Well it would have been the Christmas in 2008. Because that was when my parents thought it would be a good idea to have my tonsils/adenoids removed 2 days before Christmas. I was completely miserable that Christmas. What were they thinking?!?"

So I offer my deepest apology to you Mason. I hope that someday you can forgive me.

No AFL in 2009

It was reported recently that the Arena Football League has suspended the 2009 season.

I have been a fan of the Utah Blaze since it's inception in 2006. I have attended most of their home games and I have even attended a few road games including a road playoff game.

I have conducted interviews of players, coaches & management. I have attended every single fan fest/meeting that the Utah Blaze have offered. I even attended the funeral services of Justin Skaggs (prominent player for the Blaze) and donated money to his children and conversed with Justin's younger brother Dusty. I even won a KSL contest to actually physically practice with the team. (That was really fun & a bit humiliating)

So as a huge Utah Blaze fan I am saddened by the cancellation of the 2009 season. I am of course sad that I won't get to see any Arena Football next year, but I am very concerned that the AFL may not return at all. The owner of the Utah Blaze is one of the Garff's, you know from all those Car Dealerships?

Well I have strong doubts that the AFL and the Blaze will be able to sucessfully rebound from a lack of a '09 season.

I still have hopes, but I don't expect much, in fact I expect the end of the AFL. My heart goes out to those players & coaches that now longer have employment.