Here is a photo that I took with my Blackberry of a fruit bowl that I carved out of a watermelon. I think it came out pretty sharp looking, if you don't count the lines that I drew.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Fruit Bowl
Here is a photo that I took with my Blackberry of a fruit bowl that I carved out of a watermelon. I think it came out pretty sharp looking, if you don't count the lines that I drew.
Ike Special
I came across this video the other day while browsing some sports site. I find this video very touching and insprational. Here is the story behind it.
Ike Ditzenberger is like a lot of other 17-year-old American football players. He dreams of playing college football. He attends daily practices. Most of the time he toils away in offensive drills. Then, on rare occasions, Ditzenberger runs into the limelight with aplomb. The description could fit thousands of American teenagers, except for one crucial detail: Ike Ditzenberger has Down Syndrome.
Ditzenberger, a junior at Snohomish (Wash.) High School, achieved a major milestone on Friday in a game against Lake Stevens, running 51 yards for a touchdown with 10 seconds remaining. The "Ike Special" provided the only points in Snohomish's 35-6 loss. It was the first varsity touchdown in Ditzenberger's career, a ramble through an opposing defense that mirrors the end to Snohomish practices every day, when Ditzenberger gets the final run of practice and somehow finds the end zone, through a combination of running guile and intentionally passive defenders.
"He's someone that everybody can kind of enjoy because he has such a great personality and character," Snohomish senior captain Keith Wigney told the Everett Herald in a feature on Ditzenberger.
For Ditzenberger's feel-good story to go beyond practice to an actual competitive game took an assist from the coaching staff at Lake Stevens. The Vikings' coaches not only instructed their players to let Ditzenberger score, but to make it look relatively competitive in the process to make the moment more real for the Snohomish junior. In the video above you can see a handful of Lake Stevens defenders make diving runs at Ditzenberger, only to come up agonizingly short. Or perhaps gleefully short, in this case.
The moment wasn't without precedent. Lake Stevens also collaborated with Snohomish for Ditzenberger's other touchdown, a gallop through the Vikings defense in a junior-varsity game last November, which you can see below.
For his part, Ditzenberger has trained for such a touchdown each day for the past three years. He practices every day with the Snohomish junior-varsity team, but gets the final run of the varsity practice as long as he adheres to two conditions Snohomish head football coach Mark Perry relayed to the Everett Herald:
"I make him a deal," Perry told the Everett Herald. "'If you keep your shoulder pads on and your mouth piece in, you're going to get a play.'"
Ditzenberger first became obsessed with football by watching his brothers play the sport. One, Jake, was also on the Snohomish team with Ike for the younger Ditzenberger's first two seasons. Taking part in a sport in which his older brother starred helps Ike bond with him, and gives the 5-foot-5 17-year-old a sense of place despite his limitations.
That role as part of a larger team has made football one of most important aspects of Ditzenberger's life. Here's how his mother, Kay, described the importance of football to the Everett Herald:
Down syndrome kids "don't learn by what they hear; they learn by what they see," Ike's mother said. "So he's a real imitator. For him to be able to watch and learn by doing, and to be like his older brothers, is a really big deal."
For Snohomish's program, Ike has become a big deal. His runs at the end of practice build camaraderie and sense of routine for the rest of the team. And they help place sports in perspective.
On Friday, the "Ike Special" even provided the Panthers' only points. Of course, Snohomish coach Perry may have had that play up his sleeve the whole time. After all, he sees just how effective it is at the end of every single practice.
Ike Ditzenberger is like a lot of other 17-year-old American football players. He dreams of playing college football. He attends daily practices. Most of the time he toils away in offensive drills. Then, on rare occasions, Ditzenberger runs into the limelight with aplomb. The description could fit thousands of American teenagers, except for one crucial detail: Ike Ditzenberger has Down Syndrome.
Ditzenberger, a junior at Snohomish (Wash.) High School, achieved a major milestone on Friday in a game against Lake Stevens, running 51 yards for a touchdown with 10 seconds remaining. The "Ike Special" provided the only points in Snohomish's 35-6 loss. It was the first varsity touchdown in Ditzenberger's career, a ramble through an opposing defense that mirrors the end to Snohomish practices every day, when Ditzenberger gets the final run of practice and somehow finds the end zone, through a combination of running guile and intentionally passive defenders.
"He's someone that everybody can kind of enjoy because he has such a great personality and character," Snohomish senior captain Keith Wigney told the Everett Herald in a feature on Ditzenberger.
For Ditzenberger's feel-good story to go beyond practice to an actual competitive game took an assist from the coaching staff at Lake Stevens. The Vikings' coaches not only instructed their players to let Ditzenberger score, but to make it look relatively competitive in the process to make the moment more real for the Snohomish junior. In the video above you can see a handful of Lake Stevens defenders make diving runs at Ditzenberger, only to come up agonizingly short. Or perhaps gleefully short, in this case.
The moment wasn't without precedent. Lake Stevens also collaborated with Snohomish for Ditzenberger's other touchdown, a gallop through the Vikings defense in a junior-varsity game last November, which you can see below.
For his part, Ditzenberger has trained for such a touchdown each day for the past three years. He practices every day with the Snohomish junior-varsity team, but gets the final run of the varsity practice as long as he adheres to two conditions Snohomish head football coach Mark Perry relayed to the Everett Herald:
"I make him a deal," Perry told the Everett Herald. "'If you keep your shoulder pads on and your mouth piece in, you're going to get a play.'"
Ditzenberger first became obsessed with football by watching his brothers play the sport. One, Jake, was also on the Snohomish team with Ike for the younger Ditzenberger's first two seasons. Taking part in a sport in which his older brother starred helps Ike bond with him, and gives the 5-foot-5 17-year-old a sense of place despite his limitations.
That role as part of a larger team has made football one of most important aspects of Ditzenberger's life. Here's how his mother, Kay, described the importance of football to the Everett Herald:
Down syndrome kids "don't learn by what they hear; they learn by what they see," Ike's mother said. "So he's a real imitator. For him to be able to watch and learn by doing, and to be like his older brothers, is a really big deal."
For Snohomish's program, Ike has become a big deal. His runs at the end of practice build camaraderie and sense of routine for the rest of the team. And they help place sports in perspective.
On Friday, the "Ike Special" even provided the Panthers' only points. Of course, Snohomish coach Perry may have had that play up his sleeve the whole time. After all, he sees just how effective it is at the end of every single practice.
Media and the Internet
The internet has a huge impact on the media. The internet has caused many companies to fold. A few examples would be smaller, family owned video stores, a some music stores and publications. Why would someone go out of their way to buy a movie or a CD when all of this is available with the click of a mouse.
Pool
Today, I finally closed my pool for the winter. This was the first year that I have had my own house and my own pool. It was a real lot of work to keep up with the pool but the weather was great so it was well worth it. Closing a pool is a lot harder than you thought. It is a three day project including balancing the chemicals, putting in winterizing chemicals and finally covering and putting your equipment away. I am glad that I have finally taken care of this. Until next year.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Fall
This is my favorite time of the year, the leaves change, which means it is time for me to close my pool. I plan on doing that today. This is my first year closing it, so it could pose a bit of an issue.(thank goodness for Google) Also, I get to make my famous apple cake, I am looking forward to it. Sleeping with the windows open, no more air conditioners and my favorite of them all, sweat pants.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
That time of the year
Football season is upon us. It is like Christmas for a grown man. The Patriots looked great. I cannot say the same for the media-hyped Jets.
The Patriots had everything going for them, even their defense, who was not as hyped as the return of Welker, stepped up their game and matched Wes' TD total for the day. I am really looking forward to this season, I predict that they make an appearance in the Super Bowl. As long as Randy Moss does his talking on the field and not to the media, we will be all set.
How about my two fantasy studs ripping up the turf this weekend. Chris Johnson and Arian Foster. Great games out of both guys, but the greatest surprise was the game that Foster had, hopefully he will keep running wild and lead me to a fantasy championship. Chris Johnson is just an absolute beast of a runner. Both of these men were born to run and born to score.
The Jets/Ravens' game was just offensively challenged. Sanchez threw for a grand total of 60 yards, really Mark? Looks like at the end of the year Belichick will have a Super Bowl Ring and Rex Ryan will have onion rings. 
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Favorite web pages
The web pages that I frequent are usually sports or cooking related.
I love cooking, so a great site to check out is Rooftop Gourmet. This is a local site that provides very good insight on wine and unique food pairings. www.rooftopgourmet.com
Other than that you can find me checking out my fantasty hockey, baseball or football teams on either: MLB.com, NFL.com, NHL.com, or ESPN.com
For my news, I go to Boston.com. It provides me with up-to-date local and national news.
I love cooking, so a great site to check out is Rooftop Gourmet. This is a local site that provides very good insight on wine and unique food pairings. www.rooftopgourmet.com
Other than that you can find me checking out my fantasty hockey, baseball or football teams on either: MLB.com, NFL.com, NHL.com, or ESPN.com
For my news, I go to Boston.com. It provides me with up-to-date local and national news.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Daly Boggs'
So last night, my softball team battled it out for the Medford Men's Softball league championship. It was game 3 in a best of three series, we fell short 11-8. It was a great game and it was a lot of fun. It's tough when you play all season to vie for that championship trophy and be so close, yet so far.
We have come a very long way in this league. After winning 2 games in our first season, we met Wade Boggs(pictured above) and our luck changed from that day forward. He told us to go out there and have some fun, and that we did. We made it to the semi-finals last year and the finals this year. Overall, I say that the Boggs' are a force to be reckon with in seasons to come.
Expectations
My expectation for this class are to get a more in depth feel for the internet further than surfing. I am also looking forward to creating my own web page. I have done some work on this but I have never completed my own page. This should be a very fun class.
Introduction
My name is Thomas McCollem. I am 26 years old and I have finally come up with a graduation date after 8 years of college. I am happy that I actually stuck with it. I work as an IT Professional but I am majoring in Criminal Justice and getting my minor in Politics. I do not know what I want to do when I grow up but I am sure I will figure it out.
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