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Which vodka is the best? According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives—which sets the rules for spirits sold in the United States—vodka is defined as a neutral spirit "without distinctive character, aroma, taste or color." In theory, then, one brand of vodka should taste like every other, and the phrase "premium vodka" would be something of an oxymoron. In fact, vodka's neutral taste does account for much of its appeal: It mixes equally well with tonic water and tomato juice, and it can be as crisp and corporate as James Bond's vodka martinis or as trashy as the "swamp waters" my local bartender mixes (made of vodka and Mountain Dew). Vodka suits any occasion, goes with any food, and (if you believe certain advertisements) gives you less of a hangover than any other liquor. It's no wonder that in America, vodka outsells gin, rum, and tequila, as well as scotch, bourbon, and Canadian whiskey.
But if all vodkas tasted alike, there'd be no reason to favor a $30 bottle of Armadale over a $12 magnum of Fleischmann's. In fact, all vodkas are not alike. Vodka can be distilled in a good many ways, from a great many substances, including wheat, rye, beets, corn, potatoes, and sugar cane. (In Russia, the Yukos oil conglomerate recently made headlines for marketing a vodka distilled from hemp seeds.) As a result, each brand has a distinct smell, flavor, aftertaste, and burn (i.e., the burning sensation vodka creates as it goes down your gullet). The grain-based vodkas, which are the most popular, tend to be smooth and can even taste fruity. Vegetable-based vodkas are often (and often unfairly) dismissed as being harsh and medicinal.
So, your basic bottle of Smirnoff is fine for mixed drinks, but you wouldn't want to drink shots of it. Conversely, top-shelf brands such as Armadale and Jewel of Russia are too good—and too expensive—to mix with anything but ice and/or tonic water and are best drunk straight and straight from the freezer. Because most people mix their vodka with tonic, soda, vermouth, or juice, few drinkers I polled could tell me why exactly they preferred Grey Goose over Chopin or Stoli over Absolut. Does it really matter which brand you buy? I recently invited 11 friends over to find out.
In Eastern Europe, people tend to drink vodka straight, draining each ice-cold shot glass in a single gulp. Each shot is immediately followed by a zakuska—the Russian word for bite-sized snacks that are said to bring out the flavor of the vodka you've just sampled (and buffer your stomach for the next shot). To transplant this method to my Astoria apartment, I drove out to the Russian enclave in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, and loaded up on pickles, blintzes, smoked fish, black bread, caviar, and other drinker's delicacies.
As for the 11 vodkas I bought, I limited myself to easily obtainable premium brands and avoided the obscure boutique labels most suburban liquor stores wouldn't carry. A few vodkas were recommended by friends in the know, others by bartenders who should have known better. Because the best American brands—like Tito's—can be impossible to find, the test was limited to imported vodkas. Because the most expensive vodka we sampled cost less than $35, price wasn't one of our considerations. And to keep the playing field level, no flavored vodkas were sampled.
I served each vodka chilled, in a small frosted shot glass. (Given that each taster had to try each of the 11 vodkas, I tended to pour half-shots.) The labels were covered until everyone on the panel had had a chance to comment on the smell, flavor, burn, and aftertaste of the brand they'd just tried. I recorded their comments, tallied up the votes, and then revealed the final verdict. We rated each vodka on a scale of one to five shot glasses. At the end of the judging, we put the most popular brands through an intense lightning round. Two days later, I'd gotten over a very substantial hangover and set about compiling the results.
First-Round Results: From Worst to Best
$27.99 for 750 milliliters; 80 proof
French; distilled from grapes
The hoity-toity accent circumflex reveals Cîroc's nationality, and a smartly tapered purplish bottle hints at the spirit's source—grapes grown in the Gaillac and Cognac regions of southwest France. Grape-based vodkas are something of a novelty, and Cîroc, which was introduced in 2002, has positioned itself as a clear alternative to its wheat-based competitors, running clever advertisements that urged drinkers to "go against the grain." But is Cîroc's taste distinctive enough to win us over? As it happens, the panel did pick up on this vodka's "viney, stemmy aftertaste," as well as "hints of orange and anise." And most of us agreed that the shots "went down smoothly" with "very little burn" and "a clean, crisp finish." In the end, though, we concluded that Cîroc was too distinct for its own good—that it was "a grappa, or eau de vie, trying to pass itself off as a vodka."
Final Verdict: We voted 9-2 to disqualify Cîroc from the proceedings.
Grade: None
$28.99 for 1 liter; 80 proof
Estonian; distilled from rye
According to bartenders I've talked to, Türi has built up a good reputation since it was first introduced in 2002. And yet, the panel was unanimous in its condemnation: The vodka's industrial-strength bouquet reminded one drinker of "burning tires." As for its taste, the panelists declared it "sticky-sweet," "thick," and "gluelike." "I wouldn't use it to fuel my lawn mower," one taster said, bringing the discussion to an end.
Final Verdict: The responses ranged from "a blighted presence" to "Next!"
Grade: One Shot Glass
$22.99 for 750 milliliters; 80 proof
Swedish; distilled from wheat
Absolut's advertising campaign is as ubiquitous as Coca-Cola's, and its packaging, which is based on an antique Swedish medicine bottle, is every bit as iconic. It's hardly surprising that 40 percent of the imported vodka bought by Americans is Absolut brand. Still, the recent explosion of premium vodkas—of the brands we tested, only Absolut, Stolichnaya, and Ketel One were around a decade ago—has resulted in something of a fragmented market and weakened Absolut's stranglehold. Will Absolut retain its grip on the public imagination and hold its own against relative newcomers like Grey Goose and Armadale? Or will it lose its top-shelf billing and move to the back of American liquor cabinets? The answer depends, to a large extent, on whether Absolut's popularity is a function of its advertising campaign or its qualities (or lack thereof) as a vodka. Unfortunately, Absolut suffered from comparison to the premium vodkas we sampled: Panel members noted its "piercing, antiseptic quality," "too-dry taste," "medium burn," and "unremarkable finish" and agreed that midshelf vodkas (again, we only tested premium brands) represented a much better value.
Final Verdict: "Absolut is fine for mixing, but if you're drinking shots, drink something else."
Grade: Two Shot Glasses
$32.99 for 750 milliliters; 80 proof
Polish; distilled from rye
Belvedere, which made its American debut in 1996, is imported by the same Minneapolis company that brings us Chopin (see below); the two vodkas also come in identical frosted bottles (which are quite lovely). But, according to our blind taste test, Belvedere "doesn't hold a candle" to its potato-based cousin. While a few tasters praised its "smooth creaminess" and detected "a pleasing vanilla taste," most noted that it had "less flavor" and "less burn" than other vodkas we tried and found the aftertaste to be "harsh," "bitter," and "hard to swallow."
Final Verdict: "The bottle is lovely, but the vodka itself leaves a lot to be desired."
Grade: Two Shot Glasses and a Chaser
$22.99 for 750 milliliters; 80 proof
Russian; distilled from wheat
Americans began drinking this "genuine Russian vodka" in 1972, when Pepsi brokered a multimillion dollar trade deal to import it from the USSR. Since then, Stoli's become a sentimental favorite; even today, it's one of the few Russian consumer products to make its way into American homes. The bottle is still a sterling example of Soviet kitsch. The taste is as biting and distinct as ever. Our panel split over its merits; some found Stoli to be "less blunt" than Absolut, praised its "interesting attack" and "potency," and noticed "hints of charcoal" in its flavor. (I found out later that Stoli is filtered through quartz, cloth, and Siberian birch charcoal.) Others noted a "foul, industrial aftertaste" and screwed up their faces.
Final Verdict: While agreeing that the Stoli bottle "is a classic," about half of the panel concluded that the vodka itself was "another midshelf spirit masquerading as a premium brand" and attributed its continued popularity to "snob appeal." Unable to reach an agreement, we decided that whether you liked Stoli was largely a dela vkusa—which is to say, in Russian, a matter of taste.
Grade: Three Shot Glasses
*Note: In Russia, Stoli's full name is pronounced Stolichnaya, not Stolichnaya.
Grey Goose
$29.99 for 750 milliliters; 80 proof
French; distilled from wheat, rye, and barley
Made in Cognac but owned by the American Bacardi Corp., Grey Goose was introduced in the United States in 1997 and has since won a great many industry awards. We were underwhelmed: Grey Goose is sweet and smoky, with hints of anise and citrus in the finish, but it all adds up to only a sort of smooth, uninteresting neutrality. And so, while the more generous half of our panel praised Grey Goose's "long, silky aftertaste" and "pleasing burn," detractors found it "bland," "spineless," and "vaguely medicinal." In the end, seven tasters agreed that the vodka's softness and subtlety made it a solid, if unremarkable, choice. Four found it to be too unremarkable and lacking the bite or character they expected from a self-described "ultra-premium" spirit.
Final Verdict: "Leaves a bit too much to the imagination."
Grade: Three Shot Glasses
Ketel One
$22.99 for 750 milliliters; 80 proof
Holland; distilled from wheat
Ketel One has been available in America since 1990. But in Holland the brand's been a family concern for 300 years, and the family in question—the Nolets—prides itself on its pedigree. "Ketel" refers to the small, copper-pot stills this vodka is distilled in. (There's an illustration of one on the bottle itself.) The first and last thirds of each batch are automatically discarded as likely to be harsh and weak. The panel found the results of this "center-batch method" to be "creamy," "exceptionally smooth," and "a little sweet," with hints of vanilla and orange. But two tasters felt that Ketel One's lingering aftertaste tended to obscure its initially pleasant flavor, and three more eventually came around to their point of view.
Final Verdict: "The vodka Absolut wishes it was."
Grade: Three Shot Glasses and a Chaser
$32 for 750 milliliters; 80 proof
Russian; distilled from wheat and rye
Zyr, which was introduced in October 2002, is the youngest vodka we tasted but one of the best. Manufactured near Moscow by a young American entrepreneur named David Katz, Zyr is dry and zesty, with a distinct floral bouquet, a full-bodied burn, and a surprisingly light, sweet aftertaste. Eight panelists found it to be a "firm," "assertive" vodka, well-suited "to serious drinking." Two found the burn to be a bit overwhelming and preferred some of the lighter brands we tried, such as Armadale or Chopin. One spilled his shot three times before tasting it and so abstained from the judging.
Final Verdict: "We like this young upstart—there's hope for Russian vodka, yet!"
Grade: Three Shot Glasses and a Chaser
Lightning Round Results:
Jewel of Russia Classic
$34.99 for 1 liter; 80 proof
Russian; distilled from wheat and rye
Though none of us had heard of this vodka before the tasting, Jewel of Russia was far and away the best of the Russian bunch. Introduced in 2001, it comes in a stately, square-shaped bottle with red wax seals—the whole package looks heavy and handsome, and what's inside doesn't disappoint. The panel praised Jewel of Russia's "waspy, authoritative taste," recognized it immediately as "a high-end version of Russian vodka," and found it to be "cleaner and smoother than Stoli." "It's smooth and delicious, and it tastes expensive," one taster said. "It's cloying," another countered, "it wants to be liked." We decided to drink one last, tiebreaking shot.
Final Verdict: Following the tiebreaker, the yeas carried the day, and the nays skulked off to smoke cigarettes.
Grade: Four Shot Glasses
$33.99 for 750 milliliters; 80 proof
Scottish; distilled from wheat and barley
Not long after its 2002 introduction, this unlikely contender—a Scottish vodka—started receiving shout-outs in Jay-Z's lyrics. Shortly thereafter, Jay-Z and his Roc-a-Fella partners, Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke, bought the rights to the brand itself. They picked wisely: Our panel found Armadale to be "a low-talking, come-hither vodka" with "a sexy, implied bite and just enough smoke to win you over." One taster dissented, calling the vodka "a little too polished for its own good, almost corporate-tasting," and thereby denied Armadale the top standing. Still, it finished a close second and comes highly recommended.
Final Verdict: "The Smart Water of vodkas—fantastic!"
Grade: Four Shot Glasses and a Chaser
$29.99 for 750 milliliters; 80 proof
Polish; distilled from potatoes
Potato vodkas have never been as well-received as their grain-based competitors, but Chopin—which appeared on the American market in 1997—should go a long way toward changing their lowbrow reputation. It's the smoothest vodka we tried, with a slight oiliness (specific to potato vodkas) that cut beautifully against the briny funk of black caviar and held its own against the thickest black bread I'd been able to find. We found Chopin itself to be "slightly sweet" and "well-rounded" with "perhaps a hint of apple." Chopin also had a "medium-length, pleasing burn," but "very little aftertaste—it's remarkably clean." To top it off, Chopin's tall frosted bottle was the prettiest we'd seen.
Final Verdict: Following a second round of shots, the panel unanimously called Chopin "far and away the best vodka we tried."
Grade: Five Shot Glasses


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Wednesday, March 4, 2009
World Championship wrap-up
67 comments:
Hello, Eric,
I followed your very interesting coverage of the Worlds, almost shot by shot. Your summary above seems very accurate.
Team Canada, under Jim Armstrong is a force to be reckoned with, especially now that Jim has a better idea of opponents and their strengths (and weaknesses!).
You are absolutely correct, that if Canada can even match opponents shotmaking, then the big advantage lies with Jim's unsurpassed knowledge of the details of the sport.....ironically, nothing to do with the long overstated issue of his ability or disability.
Jim seems to be a "take control" kind of guy, with his teammates and his opponents. Seems like Jim was always leaving himself an "out", even if he AS YET does not have all the technical skills mastered....this "out" as strategized by him is a new level to our sport by itself!
I have talked to a couple of people who attended (unfortunately, I couldn't), and Jim was every bit the leader and sportsman that he exemplified in the able-bodied sport. I understand that Kate Caitness is his newest fan. I also understand that if not for Armstrong/Team Canada supporters, the arena would have been VERY quiet.
Congratulations to Team Canada, and especially Big Jim for initiating the next big step in the ongoing development of our sport.
We all should provide big kudos for what Armstrong has done for our sport so far, and who knows where he can advance it in the future.
It is not "all about Jim", but what a great place to start, in my opinion.
- March 5, 2009 at 9:25 AM
Well said, blogger, and Eric
Jim Armstrong has provided much needed media coverage and credibility for our sport, and I am sure will only improve!
- March 5, 2009 at 2:16 PM
An interesting week, with, I don't think an overly surprising result. Does Jim Armstrong's strength in controlling a game really show that much?
- March 5, 2009 at 2:55 PM
- . said...
I think it did if you are used to watching televised curling. It showed in how the play would go up a single side of the sheet, leaving an open side for his stones. It showed in knowing how to attempt a comeback down 4 in the final end. Had he made his final stones against China and Italy, Canada may well have scored 4 to force an extra, but then if he had been making his shots in those games they wouldn't have been down 4.
And you can't shoot 80% as a team without being given straightforward high percentage shots to make.
The loss to Norway was a wake-up, and really the playoff games were not even close.
I didn't realise how huge the disparity in preparation and available tools between Canada as s semi-pro team with Jim and Darryl spending all their time throwing rocks together, and the other teams.
The Scots are similarly funded, and potentially as good, but Michael McCreadie said to me "People forget I've only been skipping 3 years."
- March 5, 2009 at 3:39 PM
So, the "Armstrong Factor" is as big as it appears. As someone mentioned, it is a big advantage, unrelated to disability.
Armstrong is going to get better technically, he never threw a rock until the start of 2007, and never really threw a competitive rock until Scotland, in October, 2008. Now he is the turnkey center of the World champions.
Look out when he gets better!
- March 5, 2009 at 7:30 PM
It was mentioned earlier, Eric, if the "Armstrong factor" of strategy, ice reading, matching rocks, etc., etc., is so huge, perhaps we (internationally) would be more balanced, and better off without him.
I don't know, but he may accelerate the game only to the benefit of Team Canada.
What do you, and others, think????
- March 5, 2009 at 8:21 PM
Point....I believe that Armstrong's ability to read ice improves his team by at least 10%. That alone is a huge advantage, and I wish everyone else best of luck in catching Canada in the near future. Norway has the history, Canada has the future.
- March 5, 2009 at 8:24 PM
COme on, the person who now wants Jim banned because he know too much....Ya thinks USA would pull Jim if they had him?
Bring on the next level of the game.
- March 5, 2009 at 8:33 PM
Hmmm.....Jim Armstrong has been medically assessed by the only assessor, and allowed to ply, to crys of "foul" from wannabees.
Now, with only a couple of international bonspiels in his experience bag, wins the Worlds, and once again he shouldn't be allowed to play....why this time? Because he is too good.....Get out of your low mentality mind-fart position. He is the best thing to happen to this Sport, and will keep it from fading into the sunset.
GET REAL, PEOPLE, and I would suggest others use Eric's forum to address this very issue, sooner rather than later.
- March 5, 2009 at 8:56 PM
Watching Armstrong play was a little like watching Russ Howard skip in a Juniors provincial playdown.
I just don't think that the other teams (Scotland a possible exception) have the resources to instill the sophistication that Canada now brings to the game.
It's certainly good for medal prospects, and there's a chance that it may spur better preparation and improve overall play. Or it may just seem a little silly after 2010 is put to bed.
- March 5, 2009 at 8:58 PM
I don't think the argument is that Armstrong is too good - it's that he brings skills developed over 50 years to a sport full of non-curlers who have been convinced to try something new.
- March 5, 2009 at 9:10 PM
So, is that good or bad?
The WCF is well funded, and this is Kate Caithness's baby. The sport will continue, and with the likes of Jim Armstrong will fluorish as well.
Let's enjoy the media coverage we have, and let's respect im Armstrong's involvement
- March 5, 2009 at 9:47 PM
SO, if he is a plaYer in a group of non-players, is thAT GOOD OR BAD?
Personally, I think he will be the guy that keeps the sport going and on the right track of improvement, rathe than being simply a fifth grade competition of bastardized newby curlers
- March 5, 2009 at 9:52 PM
Come on, you guys!
Jim Armstrong provides credibility to a game that could be lost as a bunch of "crips" on the eighth page of some local rag.
What do we have now? Television interviews, major newspaper coverage, and more to happen, I am sure. I haven't yet heard of any instance that Jim Armstrong will refuse to do an interview on behalf of our sport.
Embrace him, people, I have said this before, and it now is more apparent than ever!
- March 5, 2009 at 9:57 PM
SO, i guess, the saga continues....is Jim good or bad for the game?
I say, more power to him....he has certainly improved the profile of this game...soon to be a sport
- March 5, 2009 at 10:09 PM
Who can possibly question Jim Armstrong's impact? Embrace and enjoy his involvement, since without him, se are lost in the neverlands of nowhere.
- March 5, 2009 at 10:12 PM
Jim is absolutely good, or great for the sport. His involvement assures the future.
You think sponsorship in this environment is easy?
Kudo's to the Big Guy, and yes, I am , I hope, considered a friend.
- March 5, 2009 at 10:25 PM
This sport will develop as Armstrong or someone wih his pedigree takes it. It rrmains a huge surprise that he wasn't welcomed with open arms for the media coverage he has generated.
- March 6, 2009 at 8:36 AM
What's your spin on Jim Armstrong, Eric?
- March 6, 2009 at 9:42 AM
I am not Eric, but I see Jim as a well measured,intense student of the game his entire life. He has bought into this adaptation of his long-loved sport, and will address this venture as he did the able-bodied game. He is smart, articulate, and knows what he wants. That said, I see him as kind and considerate of his players (team-mates and opponents), and will use his notoriety to advance this sport. He is the only profie player we have at present, and he will help th game immensely, in my opinion.
- March 6, 2009 at 10:55 AM
All of you forget way to easy the history of this sport, people and players who laid the foundation of where the psort is today.
The Silver, the Bronze and the Paralympic Gold! All forgotten on 1 person 1 accomplishement.
What is bigger, Paraylmic or World gold.
Worlds is big yes but Paralympic is bigger!!!!!!
Where is the youth in this sport????
No where, where is the opportunity for up and coming players?
No where!!!! People we really need to look beyond 2010! What happens when Jim retires, when Darryl retires!!!
We we even make the next worlds in 2012 or even the Paralympics in 2014?
We have much more at risk then people are looking at....good players left or not even looked at.
Canada may be great now!!! Even the best after Van 2010 but what if anything is being thought of there after!
Will we lose all the best players we have... DAW is gone (could be a great alternate in 2010), Armstrong and Darryl will soon follow.
The WHAT!
- March 6, 2009 at 11:00 AM
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- March 6, 2009 at 11:07 AM
- . said...
Jim is a great guy - entertaining, knowledgeable, committed to wheelchair curling's present prospects and future growth. But his effect on the team, on participation in Canada, and on the future is a lot more complicated than many posters here are allowing themselves to consider.
If I am the CCA, or a Paralympic sponsor, I am all for him. Short-term he is all upside, bringing skills that no-one playing wheelchair curling since its inception can hope to emulate.
At the moment the Press, who will remember him from his playing days, are staying with the "isn't it great that Big Jim's back" line, concentrating on how Jim's adapting to a new challenge. They could just as easily be talking about Canada bringing in a ringer.
It's clear from the comments that many of Jim's supporters just do not comprehend how there could be a downside to his presence. But long term the crucial audience is not Vanoc sponsors, Own The Podium, or CCA employees. It is wheelchair users.
Jim understands this. If you watch the video post, you'll hear both he and his wife talk about the sport as something accessible and fun for everyone.
I would be uncomfortable with the idea of Jim settling in as skip of Team Canada for the next 10 years. Similarly, if his team repeat as National Champions, I hope he tries with a different group another year, spreading his experience.
Even without Jim, Canada have the funding and coaching expertise to succeed. The fear that a team of Korean or Chinese automatons were going to take over the world was, it turned out, paranoia. They're enthusiastic and technically skilled, but not tactically sophisticated.
I do not think Jim's emergence on the scene was handled well, nor has that been officially acknowledged. So Jim will continue to travel under a bit of a cloud until he demonstrates to full-time wheelchair users that he will have a positive effect on the long-term prosperity of the sport. For them it is not about medals.
I used to be a competitive bridge player, and as I became better, I became more aware of what I did not know. I'm not sure most teams in Vancouver know what they don't know.
I saw a lot of that last week; for example teams down three, trying to hit their way to victory. The temptation for Germany and Sweden to come off the ice saying Canada played well, is understandable but actually Canada's play was no better than average, especially if you take out the out-lier of that 83% game.
Canada had a plan to win for every game, and other teams "just played our game" which inevitably meant Canada's game. It will be interesting to see which teams adjust to a game plan that can beat Canada. I've got one, sent it a plain brown wrapper, discretion assured, very reasonable rates :)
- March 6, 2009 at 12:04 PM
Hey, Eric:
Very entertaining point!
The reality is this, in my humble opinion......
Armstrong brings the media-competitive sense that will retain the media....without it we are a bunch of "crips wannabees". His involvement brings media interest and credibility.....check out the Vancouve Sun covering the World championships...a tough market to crack, and crack it we did....why? Jim Armstrong....love him or hate him.....doesn't matter......if you want to see the sport continuing, with the dollars required, hook your star to Jim, for he will keep his and the sport's dream alive..
Best future of our sport???? Jim plays for another ten years...why???? because he will continue to support and promote our sport.....Suggest someone else who has impacted like him in less than one season....
Embrace this guy....he has the best interests and future of our sport at heart.
- March 6, 2009 at 1:34 PM
Your points regarding Jim Armstrong and the future are well presented. But let's look at the reality from the present, as we know it. I am reading and writing on you site because of one person,,,Jim Armstrong. I have followed his entire career, and found him to be a very charismatic guy, with the ability to turn media opportunities past himself to the sport. You don't remember when he took over the reins of the WCPA, a group that could have dissolved the competitive game as we now know it. Under him, there was a truce etween the CCA and the players, only to flare up as soon as he retired. But the game plan was in place, and sensitivity was acknowledged, and now players have the support from the CCA that was lacking, to the benefit of all, including the viewing public.
I would hope that, as we go forward, the CCA and the WCF will look for suggestions and impact from Jim...he has or should have their ear, and, rest assured, he has the best interests of our/his sport at heart
- March 6, 2009 at 1:49 PM
To the guy (William B) that thinks Jim Armstrong's impact will be short lived.
I think not.
He will keep the sport on the front lines of the media. Coupled with 2010, he can set the standard of coverage and profile, which will/should continue post 2010. Hope that he continues beyond, what I suspect, is a contract that ends in 2010...
Which brings up another point, Eric, does the CCA have him under contract, and if so, for how long?
- March 6, 2009 at 2:01 PM
Good point....
Any idea on the CCA - Armstrong contract???
I believe 5 or 6 are carded athletes, and some have other contracts, as well
- March 6, 2009 at 2:23 PM
For Wheelchair curling in Canada....5 "A" cards, and one Devolopmental card, I believe.
I also heard that Chris Daw has a separate promotional contract with the CCA, but am not 100% certain as to existence or size.
Would be interesting to know, since we all can aspire to this.
- March 6, 2009 at 3:18 PM
So, is the suggestion that Armstrong's interest is financially motivated?
- March 6, 2009 at 3:23 PM
Jim Armstrong, I believe is anything but financially motivated. Last year, as a "consultant", he never even billed for expenses, and to my understanding, he still receives NO renumeration of any type.
- March 6, 2009 at 4:36 PM
So, does the CCA run a "semi-professional" program, or not?
I have some problem believing Jim is not renumerated, while others are. How can that be?
- March 6, 2009 at 4:52 PM
Can you add aany light on our "profeesional" program, eRIC?
- March 6, 2009 at 5:02 PM
Does anyone know what Scotland's budget is?
- March 6, 2009 at 5:05 PM
I believe the Scots are all paid, and quite well, including coaches and managers.
Canada has some compensation for all, which, surely, must include Armstrong
- March 6, 2009 at 5:40 PM
So, I think all would like to know what compensation is beng paid, and to whom????
- March 6, 2009 at 7:44 PM
I don't think it matters who gets paid what (as much as I'd like to know). The bigger issue is the impact of Jim Armstrong and Team Canada. The impact is huge and positive, and Canada will lead the world in this game.
- March 6, 2009 at 8:14 PM
Let's sum it up and get on with the game. This sport will only go as well as Jim Armstrong's presence on the short term. HIS PRESENCE WILL BEAR WELL FOR POST 2010.
Without him, what do potential sponsors have to hang their hats? Remember they have shareholders to answer to.
He brings media coverage and interest, and that what sells sponsors.
Can anyone argue the logic?
- March 6, 2009 at 8:39 PM
- . said...
Wheelchair curling presently sponsors 5 carded athletes, Sonja, Gary, Gerry, Darryl and Ina, plus Chris on a development card.
Jim's eligibility was not decided until well into the cycle.
Cardings expire June 30 and a new cycle begins July 1st, 2009.
Jim has told me that he paid his own way at camps until his eligibility was ratified by the WCF assessor.
- March 6, 2009 at 9:19 PM
So, Eric, you suggested prior to Worlds that Jim's knowledge of the game, rocks,etc. would nt be utilzed UNLESS Team Canada played well enough to utilize these skills. It seems now that you feel that those skills shine through anyway. Not criticizist woould like to hear your take on it, since, I,too, felt that his expertise would be lost at this level. It is important for all teams to have a sense, since more time could be allocated to stategy, ice-calling, etc., rather than simply technical.
- March 7, 2009 at 10:46 AM
The above point, I would think is valid.
Does Jim's expertise still show through regardless? I would have thought that the advantage of shot-calling, rocks, ice-reading may well have been lost until everyone was able to play better, in the future.
Eric, seems you feel that it is already a big advantage.
- March 7, 2009 at 1:36 PM
Stats seem to suggest it is a big advantage, when you look at the way Canada dismanted everyone in the playoffs. Just an observation.
- March 7, 2009 at 3:18 PM
I would suggest that he would be calling too tough a game, and that is why they struggled. He figured it out and wham....no contest......ust don't know if it is fair to everyone else.
- March 7, 2009 at 3:49 PM
- . said...
I think the thing to remember is that Canada shot 56% or a couple of points lighter if you discount that out-lier game, which puts them on par with almost every other team. So they didn't win on superior shot execution, which I think came as a surprise to the team, if not the coaches.
In my opinion, that level of execution negates superior ice reading and rock matching. It remains a game of misses.
Where Jim Armstrong's skipping was vital, and I think the difference over the team that shot better last year in coming 4th, was his game calling. When Canada won he enticed his opponents into low percentage shots. More sophisticated opponents would have ignored the opening stone floated wide into the 12 foot. More experienced opponents would not have reflexively chased every draw deep in the house.
For Canada to win, they had merely to throw deep, wait for the miss that was never long coming, and then draw in again. It wasn't brain surgery, but fooled most of their opponents.
So it was calling shots that could be made, leaving a clear path into the house for skip stones, knowing you can't win by hitting when you're behind, and knowing when to guard that made the difference. And none of that was execution dependent.
I think, watching so much curling in Canada, we take skipping skills for granted. If I was coaching a Paralympics team I would be making the skip watch hours of Scotties tapes (Brier play has no relevance to the wheelchair game) and call every shot. You have to be able to distinguish between a time to draw and a time to hit. Most teams didn't do that consistently. If a stone looked hittable a hit was attempted regardless of situation, because everyone agrees it's easier to hit than draw.
- March 7, 2009 at 3:50 PM
So, was he calling a fool's game and leading the opponents into it, was he simply making it a simple game and out-executing on the simple shots, was he out reading the opposition, or was he finding the winning formula?
Or des it matter how he calls it? I don't get how they dominated when it mattered.
- March 7, 2009 at 4:03 PM
I actually believe that Armstrong had to simplify his game plan, then taking other teams out of the four foot area, where it doesn't really matter to Team Canada, and relied on obvious ICE-READING to be the difference...
But there lies the difference....hecan mentally dissect the opposition, forcing them to make what he allows them, and goes with the statistics on his side.
I don't think you can underestimate the impact, and I have no idea how to negate him, if it can be done.
- March 7, 2009 at 5:27 PM
I believe the above blogger is on the money. Jim Armstrong's ice reading ability, and to a lesser extent, his strategy advantage (since he will make NO mstakes with the score in mind). is a real and tangible advantage. It is an advantage that no other team can come close to in the near future.
- March 7, 2009 at 5:54 PM
No one's arguing that Jim has more ice reading ability than anyone out there. The question raised a few posts ago was, given the level of precision in shot execution, did it make any difference.
I don't see, judging by the stats, that it did. All putting the broom down in the right place does, is make mid 50s per cent shooting down to the thrower and not the broom placer. It's still mid 50s.
- March 7, 2009 at 6:09 PM
Yhe obvious question is:
What would the stats have been if the broom was not in the right place?
Sorry, ice-reading is a big part of any game, including wheelchair
- March 7, 2009 at 6:24 PM
Does it come as a surprise, that after round robin, after Canada had played all rocks on all sheets (more or less), that the playoffs were laughable. Armstrong learned a lot early in the week in his first real competition, and applied it late......scary if you are competition.
- March 7, 2009 at 6:29 PM
I have to agree. Jimin his first competition does what Canada has not done before.....Luck????doubt it......coincidence???????? doubt it. New era in the sport???? absolutely
- March 7, 2009 at 7:25 PM
I think that strtgy and ice reading ae big in this game. It optimizes your results, and 5% in this game is actually a 10% spread in shots made (10% of 50% is 5%)
The difference is Armstrong, and the spread will get larger next year.
- March 7, 2009 at 7:39 PM
Let's cut to the chase.
Eric, why don't you call Jim and get his opinion?
Will he discuss this with you?
I would think that if he is as accessible as everyone says he is, let's hear from him.
- March 7, 2009 at 7:59 PM
I agree.....let's see what Jim has to say.
- March 7, 2009 at 8:30 PM
- . said...
Sorry, guys, but I lost track of this thread a while ago.
What is the question?
I really don't think there's anything complicated about Canada's success. They lost to Norway, which may have cost them a chance at the playoffs had China not lost to Scotland.
They then had a big meeting, a big practice, and for reasons inexplicable to me, managed to get USA, Germany and Sweden to all attempt to play Wack-A-Mole.
I doubt that opposing teams will be as obliging next year, but then I don't expect the shooting percentages at the back end to be this low next year either.
- March 7, 2009 at 8:40 PM
The worst hey couldhave done after beating Germany was a tie-breaker. I heard about the magic practice on Friday prior to the USA game, but come on, they just simply embarass the other final teams?
Jim figured out what was necessary. Didn't he have another 80 plus% game againt USA?
FURTHER, WHEN HAVE you seen anyone throw rocks through in the 7th end.....not once, but twice???
- March 7, 2009 at 9:16 PM
It is Jim's knwledge that is making the difference at present...it is the next level, and I don't know how anyone else gets there in a hurry.
- March 7, 2009 at 9:30 PM
I agree. He can take mediocre play and turn it into a win
- March 8, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Ice reading and shot calling is always an important part of the sport at any level.....MORE SO, when you are only playing 60%, in my opinion
- March 8, 2009 at 3:42 PM
The major advantage is Jim Armstrong's knowledge. His ice reading and stategywillmake Team Canada hard to beat for the next few years.
- March 9, 2009 at 10:13 AM
- . said...
I have just spoken to Jim Armstrong, and here's some of his thoughts on the Championship.
He felt he placed the broom accurately 90% of the time, and that ice-reading was a significant factor in Canada's success, perhaps 6 or 8% on their shooting.
He said the ice was tricky, true for all teams, but that Canada adapted to it. And he also said Canada were patient, realising not every stone thrown had to be shot stone.
He noted that they never gave up more than 2, and said their plan, keeping the centre open, worked well and he was surprised so few teams chose to challenge Canada in the four foot.
He acknowledged that his own shooting was not as good as he had expected, and that when he struggled so did the team. (I think that is part of the downside to having a team not made up of peers.) Also winning tended to be about relief at not losing, rather than joy at succeeding.
He said he is totally committed to seeing wheelchair curling grow, and looks forward to many years of involvement in the sport. He said he is still on a learning curve understanding how different wheelchair curling is to the regular game, and doesn't always appreciate how much he takes for granted that may be less obvious to those less experienced.
I think he sees himself as both teacher and competitor and that can only bring good things to the program, especially if he can find a way to share his knowledge at venues like the forthcoming Nationals.
- March 9, 2009 at 12:38 PM
Jim is not only good but realistic. Can't wait to seehim with another few months of throwing under his belt.
As has been mentioned before, he simply is good for the game.
- March 9, 2009 at 12:55 PM
Jim has definitely provided the missing piece to Team Canada's present and future success.
- March 9, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Just wondering if last year's Team Canada might have won, anyway....a lot of change for no improvement in shooting stats.
- March 9, 2009 at 9:16 PM
I read in an article on Jim Armstrong, that the CCA put NO pressure on him, or Team Canada for results this season, looking towards next year. Is this really true? A whack of dough has been spent to date, with realy very little to show.
- March 9, 2009 at 9:18 PM
Regarding this year's Team Canada v last year, I think the common players should be asked about the difference. Further, ALL stats were lower this year, suggesting that the ice/rocks were more difficult this year.
- March 9, 2009 at 9:41 PM
I would suggest that the stats say it was a tougher environment this year. Remeber, other teams have a year's maturity over last. The other reason is that skips may have unknowingly called a tougher game, with tougher shots.
- March 10, 2009 at 9:24 PM
Hello, Eric:
Just got caught up on all the threads, so bear with me......
I noticed in an earlier comment that you now have met Jim Armstrong, not alwayslyng, and feel that his priorities regarding the sport are in the right place, but may be a little short-sighted, with questionable value post 2010.
it is apparent that Jim does try to deflect the camera from him to the overall sport, but, obviously is not possible alll the time due to the focus of the interview.
I do think that Jim really works for the sport and its future, but I still sense some serious negativity surrounding him.
What is your take? I know you see him as a positive on the short term, but what about the future, or will he be retiring post 2010?
- March 15, 2009 at 10:51 AM

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Zanu-PF's annual conference, which begins on Friday, is the last before the country's much-anticipated national polls scheduled for next year.
Mugabe, Zimbabwe's leader since independence from Britain 32 years ago, hopes to use the elections to tighten his grip on power.
The veteran leader is currently locked in a shaky power-sharing government with longtime rival Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
And he faces a series of other challenges: the dire state of the country has made his rule deeply unpopular, and his allies have begun jockeying to replace the 88-year-old despite the fact that he is officially the party candidate.
Analysts say Mugabe's party has little to entice voters, and will likely deliver a populist message of black empowerment, even if his so-called indigenisation policy aimed at redistributing wealth to black Zimbabweans has often served the president's cronies more than the country.
"This time their message is centred around indigenisation, but it's meaningless to the majority of the population struggling to earn a living," said Takavafira Zhou, a political analyst from Masvingo State University.
'Self-enrichment for the elite'
The controversial indigenisation law was passed two years ago, forcing all foreign-owned firms to cede a 51%share to locals in what Mugabe says is a reversal of imbalances created during colonial rule.
But in fact the programme is about "self-enrichment for the elite in Zanu-PF," said Earnest Mudzengi, an independent analyst.
Running under the theme "indigenise, empower, develop and create jobs", the two-day congress will be held at the party's 5 000-seater conference centre on the outskirts of the central city of Gweru.
The conference comes as the party battles to patch up after factionalism cost it dearly in the 2008 general elections, where for the first time since independence in 1980 it lost its majority in Parliament.
Critics say Zanu-PF as a party has run out of fresh ideas.
"Zanu-PF is a sunset political movement which is not forward-moving. They cannot even discuss critical issues like succession, which is affecting the party," said Mudzengi.
Little new is expected to come out of the conference, which "will likely be discussing the same old rhetoric of fighting imperialists and preaching about indigenisation, which they do not have the capacity to implement", according to Mudzengi.
If free and fair elections are held "under the current state of the economy and public perception, Zanu-PF will lose", he said.
Analyst Takavafira Zhou said that because the party's chances of victory "are next to nothing", a repeat of the violence that rocked the 2008 elections is probable.
"It's highly likely that they will manipulate the flawed electoral system and use violence to force themselves back in office," said Zhou.
Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo dismissed allegations his party would resort to violence.
"We are clear of our policy that we do not approve violence," he said.
Securing votes
Gumbo said he is confident the party's policies will deliver electoral success.
"We have developed policies such as the land reform and indigenisation policies that we believe will secure votes for us," he said. "Our policies are sought by ordinary people."
Mugabe was forced into the current coalition government to stop a wave of violence around the disputed 2008 vote and halt an economic tailspin. Regional leaders brokered the power-sharing deal to avoid a full-scale conflict.
The deal also pushed for political, security, electoral and media reforms, which observers say have been slow in coming and limited in scope.
"We haven't seen reforms in the country, especially in the electoral sector," said independent analyst Mudzengi, who said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is still staffed with Zanu-PF sympathisers.
"The electoral system may be manipulated in favour of Zanu-PF," he said. – AFP


text:
Agile is referred to as a set of practices or methods which are based on the values and principles as expressed in the Agile Manifesto. Agile helps to improve communication among self-organized, cross-functional teams working in a collaborative environment. Scrum is a framework used to implement Agile development.
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text:
Evidence-Based Approaches to Conflict Prevention and Mitigation
|On January 21, 2016, researchers from Evidence in Governance and Politics (EGAP) traveled to Washington, D.C. to discuss the current body of evidence and potential areas for future collaboration with the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO). Within the State Department, CSO's mandate is to build a more effective civilian response to the increasingly complex manifestations of conflict and therefore is an exciting partner for discussions regarding policy-relevant research. In particular, the discussions were focused on atrocity prevention, electoral violence, and countering violent extremism.
2:15-2:50pm - Opening Plenary Session
Deputy Secretary Heather Higginbottom
Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Sarah Sewall
- Assistant Secretary for Conflict and Stabilization Operations David Robinson
- Evidence in Governance and Politics Executive Director Susan Hyde
3:00-4:30pm - Thematic Panels
Preventing Electoral Violence (Slides)
EGAP: Rob Blair (Brown University); Eric Kramon (George Washington University)
Countering Violent Extremism (Slides)
EGAP: Mike Findley (University of Texas at Austin); Jake Shapiro (Princeton University)
Atrocity Prevention (Slides)
EGAP: Graeme Blair (Columbia University); Cyrus Samii (New York University)
EGAP Participants
Dr. Susan Hyde, Executive Director, EGAP and Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, Yale University
Graeme Blair, Pre-Doctoral Fellow, EGAP and Earth Institute
Dr. Cyrus Samii, Assistant Professor, New York University
Dr. Rob Blair, Assistant Professor of Political Science and International and Public Affairs, Brown University
Dr. Mike Findley, Associate Professor, Department of Government and the LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin
Kelly Bidwell, Fellow, White House Social and Behavioral Sciences Team
- Dr. Jake Shapiro, Associate Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Princeton University
Dr. Eric Kramon, Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, George Washington University
Abby Long, Associate Director, EGAP


text:
Step One: Go to www.ghwalk.org and click on "A Public Call for Art" to see PDF link for the complete and full Call.
Step Two: Artists who want to apply, keep the complete CALL on hand.Head over to www.callforentry.org to fill in the application
Announcing opening CALL for 2013 Gloucester MA HarborWalk Public Art Challenge budgets $47,000
Joey, artists, big news! Gloucester Committee for the Arts is pleased to be announcing the opening CALL for the 2013 Gloucester MA HarborWalk Public Art Challenge
City of Gloucester, Massachusetts , USA,
2013 Gloucester MA HarborWalk – Public Art Challenge
Open to artist/s and/or artist team(s) nationally.
Deadline: February 8, 2013
Open to all media; artists working in all creative art forms
Budget: $47,000
The Gloucester Committee for the Arts, on behalf of the City of Gloucester, MA, is seeking professional artist/s and/or artist team(s) for 3 new public art commissions. Artists are asked to submit proposals to design, create and complete new public art work in downtown Gloucester for our 2012 designed HarborWalk. The total project budget is $47,000 which will be distributed as follows: $20,000 for one (1) permanent project; two (2) additional prizes will be awarded totaling $27,000, at least one of which must be temporary. The minimum project budget is $7500. Note: this is a two-stage process requesting concepts and full proposal to select a short list of semi-finalists. We are delighted to announce that the panel for selection of the 3 finalists will include, among others, these distinguished jurors:
Andrée Bober, Landmarks Director, The University of Texas , Austin , TX
Trevor Smith, Curator of Contemporary Art, Peabody Essex Museum , Salem , MA http://www.pem.org/
Peter Sollogub/Chris Muskopf, Architects, Cambridge Seven Associates, MA. http://www.c7a.com/
Visit http://ghwalk.org to view/download the complete Call.
From there, artists wanting to apply will submit their entry in digital format through CaFE™ at www.callforentry.org Artists will create a profile page on the CaFE site and upload artwork images and input artwork details. There is no fee to apply, nor to create a profile on CaFE. Following successful set up, all interested applicants will be granted full access to our detailed application; simply click on "Apply to Calls" and click on "Gloucester HarborWalk Public Art Challenge". Your account information and images will be saved for your convenience and easy access when applying to future calls using CaFE.


text:
You are not logged in.
Just playing on a variation of this unsaid function...
y = |x^x|
Isn't it neat that the local minima of the doman -5<=x<=5 is e^[-1/e] at x = 1/e?
Here's a link to the calculation:
Last edited by pellerinb (2013-05-02 01:35:40)
Prime numbers have got to be the neatest things; they are like atoms. Composites are two or more primes held together by multiplication.
In biology, we use math like we know what we are talking about. Sad isn't it.


text:
Almost two-fifths of workers under the age of 30 are now saving adequately for retirement, according to research from Scottish Widows.
The report measures the number of people putting more than 12% of their income towards their pension, which Scottish Widows recommends as a minimum for adequate savings.
For those aged between 22 and 29, the number of people saving at least this amount increased sharply from 30% in 2017 to 39% in 2018.
Across all age groups, 55% of UK workers are saving adequately for retirement.
Robert Cochran, retirement expert at Scottish Widows, called the figures "encouraging" and noted that "auto-enrolment has played a really important part" in the rise.
However, the research also showed that more could be done to include younger people in workplace pensions.
More than a fifth (21%) of under-30s are not saving anything at all for retirement, with a further 20% saving 'seriously less' than the recommended amount.
The government has already proposed to lower the minimum age for auto-enrolment from 22 to 18, which could bring an estimated 900,000 people into retirement saving.
Get in touch to discuss your pension savings.


text:
My baby is 7 months old today! Wow. I'd say it's amazing how time flies....but it's more appropriate to use the word, "crawls."
Jusging by these pics though, my little one will be walking before he crawls. God help me. lol
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
It's amazing how time....crawls??
My baby is 7 months old today! Wow. I'd say it's amazing how time flies....but it's more appropriate to use the word, "crawls."
Posted by Shauna at 11:09 AM 2 comments
Monday, December 29, 2008
Dear Check-Out-Lady...
Dear Check-Out-Lady (aka: Erica..0r so the name tag says);
For GOD'S sake, do you REALLY have to be that slow?? Seriously? Does my grocery cart of milk, bread, peanut butter, and diapers confuse you? Or does it merely challenge you to ring up more than 1 gallon of milk at a time?? Hmmm?? Seriously. I would like an answer to this.
I mean, WHY does it take you ten minutes to ring up 7 items? Do you REALLY, really need a price-check on the bread? I don't give a crap if the sticker says $1.09, but it's ringing up as $1.29! I DON'T care!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If it makes your life easier or faster (and mine at that), I will gladly, happily, willingly, pay the extra god damn 20 CENTS!
For god's sake, you don't have to call your friggin' manager over. I find it REALLY, really difficult to keep my patience when all I really want to do is pay the extra 20 cents so that I can get out of YOUR line! Sheesh. If you doubt MY impatience, please look behind me to see the other customers beating their heads on the conveyor belt in sheer exasperation. Or look at the lady behind me shooting you death glances and trying desperately to keep her 2 kids from stealing all the damn candy on the racks!
Do I have my Kroger's Savings Card???? At this point I don't give a damn, but yes. You already scanned it. Remember?? Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....It didn't go through?? How very curious. Sure, you can try it again, but hurry the hell up. And for fuck's sake, DON'T drop my fucking keys in your trash can again, or I just may snap and stab you repeatedly in the eye with them. Got it??
Oh, and when we get to the paying part -FINALLY- if I hand you a $20 bill for a total that rings up $16.40 and you hand me 60 cents in change AGAIN, I'm going to...I'm going to...well, I'm going to do something really, really bad! So there! And don't EVER argue with me about how much change I should get back!!!!!! Seriously. I will embarrass the hell out of you in public, at the top of my lungs. You found that out though, didn't you?
You should just quit. Actually you should quit everything. But you're so stupid, you may take that as meaning you should quit breathing. Although, I believe there is enough air in your head to sustain your life for years.
In short, you are too stupid to hold this job. In fact, I fear you are too stupid to shovel cow dung. If I ever have the misfortune to get into your checkout line again, I very well may have a heart attack and die. And my death will be on your hands.
One extremely pissed off shopper
Posted by Shauna at 11:56 AM 2 comments
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Anatomically Correct?
Posted by Shauna at 9:11 AM 0 comments
Friday, December 26, 2008
Christmased OUT!
It was a great Christmas this year of course, but I am GLAD it's ALMOST over! Just New Year's to get through now, and I'll be good.
Now, you did catch that "ALMOST" up there, didn't you? Because you're smart. lol And you're wondering what the heck that means, because Christmas is over, so what the heck??
Well, around here with my husband's family, the festivities last from Christmas Eve through the weekend...so that would be..umm let's see..5 days. Yes, 5 WHOLE days of carting fussy kids, diaper bags, etc to spend almost a whole day at his grandma's house. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE and absolutely ADORE his family, but 5 days????
This is how it breaks down. Dean's family does all their "togetherness Christmas" on Christmas Eve, so we spend the day there. On Christmas Day, we started at my house in the morning (and then would have gone to MY mom's house which is an hour away, but she was sooooooo nice enough to bring food and come down to my house. lol). Then in the afternoon, I took Dalton to his dad's (which normally is a 10 minute process, but this time I wanted to watch him open his presents there, so...it took a while.) After that, Dean and I went back up to his grandma's with the baby until after midnight.
I'm tired.
Get it?? lol
And there is MORE of it to go...Remember I said 5 whole days up there?? Yeah. We're now on Day 3.
So, here are some pics of the festivities, which I had a tremendous amount of fun participating in! lol
This one is at Dean's grandma's house...you see all the people??? Yeah, that's not all of them. There's a bunch of people behind me in the kitchen, a bunch of people in the hallway on the rights, and a bunch of people at the table just out of the picture on the left.
Posted by Shauna at 10:48 AM 0 comments
Monday, December 22, 2008
THE question
Dalton: Mommy......where did the baby come from?
*Insert mental image and sound effects of me choking on a mouthful of tea*
Me: *Cough, cough. Gasp* Well....he came from mommy's tummy.
Dalton: Oh....
Me: *thinking: whew, crisis averted*
Dalton: How did he get there?
Me: *oh jeez* The stork brought him and put him in mommy's tummy so he could grow. Then mommy went to the doctor when he was big enough, and they got him out.
Dalton: No....Santa brought him.
Me: Ok then. Santa brought him.
Dalton: Oh, ok.
Whew. Ok, that was easy.
Later on that day, I get this:
Dalton: Mommy?
Me: Yes?
Dalton: Santa needs to bring me another baby.
Me: WHAT???!! No.......we only need 1 baby. We don't need another one right now.
Dalton: But I want another brother.
Me: Uhh.....maybe later.
*Insert mental image of me running far, far away.*
Posted by Shauna at 1:05 PM 2 comments
Sunday, December 21, 2008
My poor sick baby!
Well, we finally got tired of the waiting game and took Ryan to an urgent care center.
He's been running an extremely high temperature since Thursday, and his doctor couldn't get him in until Monday. The past couple of days he's been refusing to eat, and today he screamed all day long. When we got there, his temperature was 104 (he had had a dose of Tylenol not an hour and a half before), so they immediately gave him a gigantic dose of Motrin...which he promptly puked. Yep. One sick baby. The doctor said if he had been just a little less alert than he was, she would have sent us straight to the ER.
Turns out he has a double ear infection (kinda obvious), but the doctor said his fever was a little too high to just be explained by that. So, he also got 2 chest x-rays (ruled out pneumonia). They also catheterized him to get some urine to test for a bladder infection. The poor baby also had to have blood drawn, because the doctor thinks he might have sepsis. Not quite sure why she thinks that, but we'll find out. The labs come back tomorrow, so we'll see.
In the meantime, they gave him a shot of Rocephin, which if you've ever had it, you know it BURNS LIKE HELL! They also gave him a prescription antibiotic, so hopefully he'll start to feel better soon. If the labs show that he has sepsis, they can start him on a treatment that can be done from home, but she said if he's still running a high fever they would be more comfortable admitting him in the hospital, so we're keeping our fingers crossed!
Posted by Shauna at 10:59 PM 1 comments
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Jingle Bells
Oh, I feel so old! Last night was my eldest baby's FIRST school Christmas show! I was so proud! Even if all he did on stage was pick his nose......
Mine is the cutie in the blue shirt right in the middle!
Here he is looking at his best friend at school.
Posted by Shauna at 8:17 AM 1 comments
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
My babies
Posted by Shauna at 10:19 PM 2 comments
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Technical Support?
So.....I crashed my computer yesterday. Yeah. Want to know who fixed it????
My. Four. Year. Old.
Yeah. Not sure what he did, or how he did it, but after freaking out, throwing my hands up in the air, leaving the house to smoke a much needed cigarette (which takes me all of 2 minutes....trust me....it's been witnessed), I come in, and...........Dalton says, "Look mommy...I touched this. It's working now. I fixed it!
I feel dumb.
So, I leave you with this comic that my husband
made wrote drew....whatever the hell it's called when one designs his own comic strip. So there.
Posted by Shauna at 2:28 PM 2 comments
Monday, December 15, 2008
Christmas List
I am a horrible, horrible mother......I have not started my Christmas shopping yet.
Yes, I realize there are only 10 days left.
No, I don't particularly care. I don't have any particular urge to rush out and buy a million things my 4 year old will never play with after the first month.
He is already getting a million things from his daddy, his grandma Trish and grandpa Paul are getting him a few things, my hubby's HUGE EXTENDED family (grandma Marla, grandpa Rick, etc) are also getting him and Ryan gifts.....yeah...our Element will be FULL of things to cart home and store in his disaster area of a room.
Don't get me wrong, I AM planning on getting gifts for him! I'm not THAT horrible! I think we're just going to get him the Santa gifts this year. :-) Plus a full stocking, of course.
So, I finally got around to asking Dalton what he wanted for Christmas a couple of weeks ago....after the usual (cars, trucks, etc), I hear THIS today. "Mommy, I want Santa to bring me an airplane."
Me: You want a toy airplane??
Dalton: No..........I want a REAL airplane. One that flies in the sky!
He doesn't ask for much, does he??
Posted by Shauna at 1:16 AM 2 comments
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Mrs. Klutzoid
It's been one of those days....
To give you a little history, I am one of THOSE people who cannot seem to go a day without hurtung myself in some form or fashion. Not on purpose, of course.
In the past, starting from when I was REEEAAALLLLY little, I have:
- Gotten my arm stuck in the back of the chair so that my mom had to call 911 to have them get me out. We also lived in a really small town, so it was published in the paper. lol
- Received a rather large, deep gash on my forehead from jumping on the bed and smashing into the headboard. I was around 5 or so...
- Also received a large gash on the back of my head from falling in a fishing boat. I actually remember getting the stitches for that one...apparently I walked around with a partially shaved head for a while. lol
- Knocked myself out.....by jumping off the top bunk, doing a somersault, and landing on the couch below.
- Tore the ligaments in my knee from.....wait for it......walking. That's right. No falling, tripping, twisting, stubbing, or anything that could have otherwise caused injury....Just step, step, BOOM!
- Fell off a log 9 feet up in the air at band camp. Landed on my back. Sucked.
- Have worn every kind of brace imaginable...knee brace, wrist brace, slings, etc...
- Was attacked by a tumbleweed in Hereford....on 25 mile Ave. Yeah...Seriously! In my defense, that sucker was HUGE!!!! I remember thinking as it slammed into my back and I went flying, that a car should hurt a HELL of a lot more than that.
- Fell out of a moving car.............onto a sticker bush. Don't ask....I have no clue.
- Have fallen down so many flights of stairs, it's incredible I don't have brain damage. lol
- Almost fell off a balcony....there was LOTS of tequila involved in that one. Gee thanks mom.
You get the point, right????
Well, what did I do today??
I trip on thin air, somehow wind up twisting so that my face smacks a picture on the wall, drag my cheek ALL the way down (instead of rug burn, I have wall burn...yeah), hit a doorknob with my chin, and land on my stomach with my fist underneath, thereby effectively punching myself in the stomach. So, as I lay there with all the wind knocked out, making fish out of water faces, all I can think is....Oh my god, I think I broke the doorknob!
Posted by Shauna at 11:58 PM 1 comments
Friday, December 12, 2008
Ryan Chunky-Monkey
I....FINALLY....got Ryan in for his 6 mo. appointment on Wednesday. I had missed his original appointment due to the funeral in AR.
He had been sick anyways the week before, and I know they wouldn't give him his shots if he was running a fever, so I delayed it a couple of more days anyways.
Of course, I usually take pics, butttttttttt..........the batteries in my camera were dead. I took some on my phone, but I still need to get the USB cable that allows me to download pics onto the computer, so you'll have to wait for those.
Anyways...he is STILL a big boy! lol He is evening out a little bit though. Currently, he's 17 lbs 13 oz, and 27 in. long!
His doc says since he's been sick and not really eating as much as usual, that he had probably lost some weight. lol
Posted by Shauna at 11:03 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Secret Ingredients??
Ok, so you know when you're on yahoo, how those ads pop up on the right side of the screen advertising various online or download games???
Well, THIS caught my eye:
Apparently the name of the game is Chocolatier 2: Secret Ingredients.
To me it looks like a gigantic pile of sh**!!
I wonder what the "Secret Ingredients" really are.
Posted by Shauna at 10:40 PM 1 comments
What is wrong with me!?
Ryan was sitting in my lap trying his hardest to bend over and grab his feet.
I laid him on his back across my lap, so that he had easier access.
Well, I noticed while he was chewing on his socked foot that his nose was starting to run.
What do I do????
I grabbed his foot and wiped his nose with it.
Yeah. I have no idea.
Posted by Shauna at 3:29 PM 0 comments
Monday, December 8, 2008
For all you pregos!
I'm not entirely sure what it is with this time of year, but I have noticed now and in the past, (as it was with me) that there are a LOT of prego's walking around. Since, I can't figure out how to link to my previous posts, I had to copy/paste this!
So, this is for you...
...and I'm leaving someone out here....uhhh....
Oh yeah! Casey!
-Pregnant women do NOT glow. They sweat, have pimples, and get flushed cheeks. It is not pretty. People who tell you that you're glowing, are trying to be nice. They are lying to you.
- Your hair growth rate is ri-DIC-ulous! Sure, some if it is hormones, some of it is prenatal vitamins, but the end result is the same. You come out looking like a werewolf.
- Shaving becomes a feat of acrobatic talent. I feel like I'm trying out for cirque du soleil. And the sheer difficulty of that leads to giving up shaving...which leads to more of the werewolf look.
- Your primal instincts kick in. In my case, I growled at a waiter who took my fries off the table before I was done. He brought them back. lol
-The piggy look sucks. And anyone who tells you that it will go away after you give birth is lying. It only goes away if you happen to be one of those people who gets off on OCD exercising. And if you ARE one of those, I feel so inclined to warn CPS that maybe your newborn isn't being looked after. *sticking out my tongue*
- Not being able to write with a pen because your fingers resemble sausages really sucks.
- Not being able to wear any shoes other than flip flops because your toes resemble sausages really sucks.
- Feeling like you're living in Chernoble because your ass is spewing noxious, radioactive gases against your will sucks. It makes you hope your baby doesn't come out with 2 heads or 4 arms from being in such close proximity.
- Suddenly hating your favorite food is sad. Suddenly having a craving for sushi with mayo and onions is even sadder. Thank GOD I don't have that craving, but it gets my point across.
- Getting stuck on the doctor's table flat on your back for the first time is a unique experience. This is the point where you realize that the whole Life Alert thing is a pretty good idea after all!- Realizing that you'd be too embarrassed to actually USE Life Alert and having a 5 minute fantasty imagining all the different scenarios you could be stuck on your back and different ways to roll yourself over and get up is unique to pregnant women and seniors. Kind of sad, huh?
- Your mind wanders CONSTANTLY. You get pregnancy brain, which means you drift off into lala land quite often. You forget words you've known all your life (well, not forget, but you have the tip-of-the-tongue experience a LOT). This is a potentially embarrassing situation. Especially if you are in public, like maybe in the middle of ordering your favorite, complicated, drink from Starbucks. "Yes, I'd like a triple mocha caramel...uhh...what's that word...you know..like coffee, but it's not coffee....uhhh...YEAH...cappucino..that's it!" Having it happen at work really sucks too. "Yes boss, I finished the project on the...well, the umm..thingy...that has a chart, that's shaped like an.,..umm...well, uh you know."
1. If I "suggest" that a certain food looks, smells, or tastes good, I'm not telling you this for my health. It means I have a craving.
2. If I have a craving, I NEED it! And YES, if I don't get it, I may murder something.
3. If I get a craving, and it takes you longer than 20 minutes to get it, don't get annoyed if by the time you get home with it, I don't want it anymore, and the thought of it makes me sick.
4. Don't ever tell me that my pants look tight....for your own safety...especially if I have had a craving in the last 24 hours. And ESPECIALLY if I had a craving that did not get fulfilled.
5. If I need help with ANYTHING, it is your cue to tell me to sit down and rest and to let you do it.
6. You should automatically offer your help instead of waiting for me to ask.
7. Don't shake any body parts (i.e. Your legs) It annoys me...and no, I don't have a particular reason. It just does.
8. Don't fart. Even in your sleep.
9. Don't EVER look at another woman, in person OR on TV. It may not annoy me normally, but NOW I am pregnant, fat, and ugly, and it's your fault.
10. Pregnant women fart, burp, get heartburn, throw-up on a daily basis, and every other disgusting thing you can imagine. Get over it and pretend you didn't notice it.
11. Restrain your flailing limbs when you're sleeping. I wake up enough during in the middle of the night to pee. I don't need you adding to it. Before you comment, read #12.
12. Hormonal brains are not logical.
13. So WHAT if a movie doesn't make sense!? I don't care if the main character could have done something in 10 minutes instead of 1 and a half hours. Read #12 again.
14. Your job is to make me comfortable. If I need a back rub at 3am, I need a back rub.
15. You should ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS carry your cell phone with you. I certainly don't need to mention that it comes in handy if...oh let's say..I go into labor! But it also helps if I have a craving and you're not home.
16. Excuse me if I don't want your tongue shoved down my throat when I'm nauseous. And we won't mention sex either. You'll be lucky if I decide to EVER do that again. After all, it's your fault that I'm pregnant.
17. If I say it's your fault, then it is.
18. Don't argue. I'm always right. We can go back to negotiating AFTER the hormones are gone.
19. You can't win an argument. Don't try. You'll just wind up sleeping on the couch.
20. If you're annoying me, then stop doing whatever it is you were doing.
21 Playing computer games 24/7 annoys me.
22. Drinking something straight from the bottle or jug annoys me...and makes me want to puke.
23. Cutting your toenails in front of me makes me gag.
24. Feet are gross. Don't put yours near me.
25. I can smell you a mile away after you've done anything physical. It makes me gag. Don't get offended if I tell you about it. I don't care. I just want you to fix it.
26. If I want you to spend time with me, that means NOW. Not in 20 minutes. The "Ok, let me finish this first." doesn't apply to you.
27. I don't like beards, or anything that may become a beard if left unshaven. Fix it. Immediately. ESPECIALLY if I've made a comment.
28. Innocent statements, observations, and comments have a deeper meaning. Figure it out, and do it.
29. Taking what I say at face value is hazardous to your health. Learn to read between the lines.
30. I reserve the right to change my mind about anything, anytime, anywhere.
31. If you do something to embarrass me, even if you have no clue that you're doing it, I will pretend that I don't know you.
32. I get pissed of EXTREMELY easily. So what if I remind you of Satan? Get used to it. It'll pass eventually.
33. I cry at stupid things. This will get worse the fatter I get. Get used to it. Your job is to console me.
34. Don't touch me when you're consoling me. It only reminds me that I'm pregnant, fat, and ugly, and it'll make me cry harder.
35. Pregnant women do get horny. If I actually do deign to gift you that privilege, don't turn me down because the baby belly scares or repulses you. Close your eyes.
36. I reserve the right to make up new rules at any moment.
37. You don't have any input- anywhere, anytime, or for any reason. Refer back to #18 and #19.
Posted by Shauna at 9:44 PM 2 comments
Things I *Love*
...said with a bit of sarcasm
1. Waking up to a screaming child...at midnight...and again at 3 am.
2. My 6 month old blowing raspberries at me....with a mouth full of green beans
3. My 4 year old telling me he's going to kick my butt...wonder where he got that one?
4. The toilet overflowing because my 4 year old has (yet again) flushed some random, mysterious object down it that we'll never see again.
5. Realizing that I haven't seen a pocketful of change lately...that was dumped on the bathroom counter....right across from the toilet.
6. Going through 12 cans of formula in one month....plus 4-6 boxes of infant cereal and roughly 30 fruits and veggies (2nd foods sizes).
7. Realizing that my 6 month old consumes more food than a dairy cow.
8. Receiving phone calls....10 seconds after I get my 6 month old down for a nap....only to find out it's an automated telemarketer calling in regards to my final notice on a factory warranty....on something I don't even own.
9. Turning around to see my 4 year old walking across a freshly-mopped kitchen floor...in a pair of 4 inch heels.
10. Slipping on above referenced freshly-mopped kitchen floor to retrieve band-aids to fix the boo-boo caused by 4 year old slipping and falling...in 4 inch heels.
11. Being outwitted by a 4 year old. (Read previous post)
Posted by Shauna at 11:40 AM 3 comments
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Outwitted by a 4 year old
Dalton: I don't like spaghetti!
Me: What? Yes you do! Eat it! (repeat this for an hour and a half)
Dalton: I'M. NOT. HUNGRY!
Me: (knowing that Dalton is obsessed with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) Don't you want to grow up and be strong like the Ninja Turtles?? They eat their spaghetti.
Dalton: No. They eat pizza.
The spaghetti is still sitting on the table. I gave up.
Posted by Shauna at 6:31 PM 1 comments
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Some pics from the funeral
Posted by Shauna at 2:07 PM 0 comments


text:
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