So I admit that I don’t keep up on news much. I mean I don’t live under a rock, but you won’t find me reading the New York Times, unless of course it’s the sports section. Anyways, lots of stuff went down today, so if you are like me, get with it and read. Big stuff with the Democratic National Convention, more hurricanes on the way and a bunch of people died. Check it out!

2008 Democratic Convention: DNC Schedule | Michelle Obama speech | Ted Kennedy Appearance
FAA computer problems, flights delayed
Hurricane Gustav’s projected path
Gone with the Wind actor Fred Crane dead at 90
Listen to Metallica’s “My Apocalypse”
Author Dave Freeman dead after fall at his home
NBA All-Star Kevin Duckworth dead at 44
Cancer cluster between towns of Hazleton and Tamaqua, PA
Brad Pitt shoots W magazine cover
Porn video shot in Memphis’s Bartlett Grove Park playground
Dr. Dre’s son, Andre Young Jr., found dead over the weekend
Ailing Ted Kennedy gives speech at the Democratic Convention
Confirmed: Jenna Jameson pregnant
Obama threat arrests: Tharin Gartrell, Shawn Adolf, Nathan Johnson
John Edwards asking for forgiveness
Dancing With the Stars releases Season 7 cast list

So I haven’t posted much lately and I apologize. I have been very busy working to cover the 2008 Olympics, including updating like a zillion pages each day with scores, names, countries and all that fun shit. I was really excited to be a part of it though, but when the final days started to get closer, I was happy to be almost done. Now that the games are complete, I am very happy to be done and proud of the coverage the team provided. What’s next on the agenda? I have no idea, but football season is about to heat up, and that is so very fun and exciting! (Go Pats! Go Blue!)

On another note, the puppy gave me a bit of a scare this weekend. He was sick Saturday night, then spent much of Sunday sleeping, rather than eating, drinking and tormenting his brother like normal. I started to flip out to say the least. Calling the vet, asking a million questions, flipping out more that I am beyond broke and cannot afford a vet bill until after payday. Sure enough, 10 minutes after I start to bawl, he gets up, eats, drinks and is acting normally again. Whew. A trip to the vet is still coming ASAP (including to clip his balls) but I think we are out of the woods now.

Ok I know it’s not spring anymore, but this is beyond overdue.  I have a lot of things in my life and in my home that need to go.  Most of the things that need to go are objects that clutter up my house.  Other things that are gone are people.  I am tired of doing shit for people and getting nothing in return.  With that being said, if I suddenly stop returning your calls or emails, consider yourself removed from my life.  Time to do shit for me, not for others.  I am not starting a full-on war, just saying the next time you call or text and need help, don’t wonder about why I blow you off.  I hate being ignored, but in this case will be happy to pass that feeling on to you.  Enjoy bitches!

The 29th Games of the Olympiad, or the 2008 Summer Olympics, opened yesterday in Beijing. For as much drama, protesting and boycotts that are surrounding the games, the opening ceremony was sick!!! Between the 15,000 performers, 10,000 athletes and wicked awesome special effects and fireworks, it was pretty spectacular. The Mahalo sports team has been working feverishly for weeks in preparation for the games, so be sure to head over there for all the events, videos and results!

Besides the Olympics, there is a little baby that has been keeping me up at night. Yes the puppy. He is, to put it lightly, not dealing with crate training well. He barks for an hour or so when I put him to bed, then starts up again about 6 am until whenever I get up. I have been making a conscious effort to not let him out until he is quiet, so he will learn that quiet equals he can get out of the crate. Unfortunately he is a stubborn little shit and never shuts up. So… tonight I am going to try something new. I cleaned my bedroom, removing everything but my bed and dresser. I laid down plastic drop cloths and moved his crate up there. I am hoping that he will sleep up there with me, quietly, and if he needs to relieve himself, he will do it in the crate or at least on the plastic, and not on my bed. That is the only room in the house with carpet, and as fugly as it is, I still don’t want to ruin it with dog droppings. He is fine running the house when I am gone, is not destructive or loud, unless he is in his crate. I figure it is worth a shot, and if all else fails back downstairs in the crate he will go…

Ok I admit it, I actually like Paris Hilton. I am a huge fan of reality TV and adored watching The Simple Life. After all, it made me feel like a rocket surgeon compared to her and Nicole. As a strong supporter of Barack Obama, I was disgusted by McCain’s “Obama is the biggest celebrity, just like Britney and Paris” commercial. Leave it to Paris to release the perfect comeback video. You go girl!

Where do I begin? The puppy is doing well I guess. Housebreaking is slow but steady. He is going outside more than he is inside, so that is good. He will play with my older dog, which is good too. I have been crating him at night, that is less than successful. He barks and cries most of the night. I can only imagine what my neighbors think that i am doing to him. He had a bath yesterday, and was really good in the tub, shockingly enough. I bathed him as I have developed an awful allergic reaction to something. Not sure if it was something I ate, the cleaners I have been using much more of lately or something that the breeders possibly bathed him in before he came here. Anyways I have hives, a fever and nausea, overall not fun. Anyways enough babbling about my puppy, time for some quick breakfast, then to work.

So the wait is over and I have my 11 week old pure-bred boxer. He is adorable! Such a lover, but a bit spunky from time to time. I think he will be a great fit and little brother to my four-year-old black lab.

I have always been a bit unconventional when it comes to naming pets. I had a cat that was a beautiful shade of beer, so I named him Molson. My lab often sleeps with his eyes open, which i felt was fitting of the name Machiavelli, after the writer, philosopher and “Master of Deception.” Going along with the writer theme of my dogs, I chose the name Dante for my boxer. I have always liked the name, but was a little hesitant to name a dog before I got to know it. In this case I am happy with it. I know it is going to be ironic, like the giant dude nicknamed “Tiny,” as he is far from a little devil. (Knock on wood!) Anyways, long day and many more to come as housebreaking is going to be a blast. Time to put the boys to bed and get some sleep.

This is one of the best articles I have read in a long time. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, discussed his hatred respect for the Ohio State Buckeyes and their football program. The quote of the day:

I cannot stand the Buckeyes. It’s amazing to hear what those guys think about that university and what they think about that football program and Tressel and all the crap I gotta put up with being back there.

I just can’t wait for two years from now when SC comes to the ‘Shoe and hopefully we’ll have a home game that weekend, and I can go up there and watch us pound on them in their own turf.

I’m really getting sick of it, and I just can’t wait for this game to get here so they can come out to the Coliseum and experience LA and get an old-fashioned Pac-10 butt-whoopin’ and go back to the Big Ten.

Yes Palmer attended USC, but now plays in Cincy, close enough to Ohio State to smell the wretched Buckeyes. Ok he did later soft-retract the statement, saying that like a good fan, he might have got a little too fired up. Translation: “Yeah, I meant what I said, but the team/league/school wants me to pretend that I don’t.”

I can completely relate to Palmer. I am Detroit born and raised. I went to school at the prestigious and beautiful University of Michigan. Now I live in Ohio, surrounded by pungent Buckeye fans. (Yeah Michigan and Ohio State fans do not play well together, especially when drinking, trust me.) So much to the disapproval of my neighbors, I fly my maize and blue whenever possible. My giant M flag hangs from my roof year round and I even have a couple of customized pieces, say for instance my “Fuck Them Bucks!” T-shirt. After all, who is afraid of a set of hairless nuts anyways???

Although the wounds on my feet are still healing (I wore the completely wrong shoes,) CrueFest was AMAZING!!! We started the day at the casino, where i actually won a decent amount of money! Next was lunch, at my absolute favorite restaurant in the world, then off to the show. Traffic was horrible getting to Pine Knob, so we missed Trapt and the majority of SIXX A.M. We sat through a below average show by Papa Roach before Buckcherry rocked out. They were really really good. Not nearly as good as Motley Crue, who were fabulous!!! They played all their older hits, plus some new songs off their new Saints of Los Angeles album. Icing on the cake: they played a beautiful version of Home Sweet Home for the encore. Tommy (and his anaconda) on the piano was really neat. I have been to a lot of shows, maybe in upwards of 50 or so, but this easliy ranks in the top 5.

On one final note, there will be a new addition to my family here on Wednesday. (No I am not pregnant) This is my new little boy, who is a 10-week-old pure bred male Boxer puppy. So adorable!

So here we are, the middle of July, and not counting the “about as boring as watching paint dry” baseball, golf and tennis, there are no major sports to watch. Its a strange sports purgatory that happens each summer, and its starting to make me itch. Its been over a month since the hockey season ended (as perfect as it ended) and will still be another month before football begins. I admit I have been watching old games on ESPN Classic and the NFL and Big Ten networks, but its not the same as live sports, let alone enjoying live sports with a cold beer and the guys at the bar. Summer Olympics are coming up, thats slightly exciting. I will probably watch basketball, but thats probably it. At least there is one major concert on my summer agenda, CrueFest tomorrow in Detroit. I won’t know the camera policy until tomorrow, but if they are allowed I will post photos from the show. Conclusion: Summer, you are hot, fun and sweaty, but I have had enough of you already. Time for your exit so I can have my sports back.

Oh yeah, and Draper’s daughter dumped in the Stanley Cup. Glad I got my drink in before that incident.