Dirkmonster

Ever Googled Yourself? C'mon...

Hadn't in awhile, but I'm into search engine marketing and just started this blog. I wanted to see if Google had crawled my blog site.  That's the 21st century version of Steve Martin's charhacter Navin Johnson disovering he's been published in the white pages.

Well, it turns out Google pretty much has EVERYTHING on the web, because they actually got around to my lousy little web site within thirty days!

But to my surprise, I wasn't the only "Dirkmonster", indexed in the Monster of the Internet. And I can't decide whether I necessarily identify with other the Dirkmonsters out there:

This for instance: http://www.avivos.nl/dirkmonster.html

It appears to be in Dutch. Makes sense so far...but while I have Dutch blood in my veins I couldn't for the life of me make heads or tails from this:

• Portefeuillehouder
  Dirk had bijna twintig jaar een eigen administratiekantoor in de randstad. Associaties en dissociaties zijn voor hem vertrouwde kost. Bij AviVos vond Dirk in 2001 een inspirerende werkomgeving met ervaren en enthousiaste collega's. Dirk wil altijd precies weten hoe het in elkaar zit. "Goed is niet goed genoeg. Pas als al onze cliënten hun collega's naar ons toe sturen, kunnen we tevreden zijn." Eén dag per week werkt Dirk thuis, bij zijn twee opgroeiende dochters. Dirk gunt zich ook in z'n vrije tijd -als hardloper- weinig rust.

So I headed to: http://www.worldlingo.com/, because, of course, Google sends you to a translation site in about one click. But back to the point.  This is what I got in English:

• portfolio holder
  Dirk had almost twenty years their own administrative office in the edge city. Associations and dissociaties are costs trusted for him. At AviVos inspiring work surroundings with experienced and enthusiastic colleagues found Dirk in 2001. Dirk want know always exactly how it sits in each other. Well is not well enough. Just as already our customers their colleagues to our send, are able be we satisfied.One days per week Dirk work thuis, at its two growing up yet-delicate. Dirk grant themselves also in his free time - if runner - a little rest.

Interesting...but that's not the Dirkmonster I know.

Then I see that someone has registered Dirkmonster.com, which I let expire last year. What a mistake!

I have some work to do if I'm going to be the pre-eminant Dirkmonster on the web.

Welcome, NIT Bloggers

Hey Brittany, "How does one get the weekend duties at NIT?"

Predators Grab 2 in Motor City

No need to say much more than I did in my last post.  The Predators surely proved more to themselves than they did to the Red Wings in their 2 game sweep up north.  Now they know they can compete and win against their arch rivals. This was not always the case.  Proving something to the Red Wings will likely happen in the NHL playoffs this spring.

Another great game, another great victory.

Shanny, kiss my fanny!

Nashville goaltender Tomas Vokoun beat the Predators' nemesis Brendan Shanahan and the rest of the Detroit Red Wings Monday night. The victory puts Nashville within two points of the best record in the NHL's Western Conference. The Preds can pick those two points up Tuesday night when they return to The Joe to face the Wings again.

Captain Greg Johnson started  this game with a single goal January 6th and Vokoun finished it January 23rd by surviving a hail of Red Wings shots.  This unprecedented continuation of a contest was interrupted earlier this month when a Red Wings player almost died on the bench.

Yes Nashville, the Predators are Stanley Cup contenders mid-way through the season.  Listen to the so-called "experts", national media and the serious fan - they'll all tell you so.  I bet the Red Wings are even believers tonight and should be questioning whether their time has come and gone. The new NHL is not a place for geezers like Chris Chelios. 

But make no mistake, the Predators will go just as far as the Czech between the pipes will take them.  He's crazy good and knows it.  Let's hope the upcoming Olympics just add to his drive.  Vokoun has an opportunity to grab 3 champoinships in less than 12 months if he can add a gold medal and a Stanley Cup to his World Championship last year with his national team.

Look for David Poile to add a player or two before the March trade deadline.  They need a strong center to support Kariya and Sully. Or perhaps a tough defenseman.  They've collected enough young talent through the draft to trade some to a team that's going nowhere this year.

Boys, go ahead and rub it in their faces Tuesday night.

Preds leave for Detroit today

Dirkmonster and the gang witness a Preds victory and get treated to a backstage celebration.  View exclusive pics here.

Next up is an unprecedented back to back night showdown with the Red Wings.  Read why the Wings will start in a hole Monday night.  A mid-season division lead in on the line.

Gunning for April 29

I was 36 before I ever ran a road race July 4th, 2005. 

In late December 2004 I was lucky enough to run into a buddy at the gym.  He was considering a membership. I was seeing what the inside of the place I'd paid my monthly $55 to looked like.  Apparently paying the monthly dues is not a sufficient enough effort to do any good at all.  But there I was, and running into Tom gave me an idea.  What if we committed to work out together and hold each other accountable for showing up every Monday, Wednesday and Friday?  "Sounds good", he said, and long story short we made it work.

I never was a guy who ran, but I knew some.  My college roommate was the captain of the cross country team and was a natural.  With him in mind, I started slow that New Year's of 2005.  First walking, then running on the treadmill at the gym I was able to get back some endurance that had leaked down between the couch cushions for so many years. Tom kept me going, because I knew he would be there and expected me to be there too.  We played some hoops and pushed some weights and I began too see results after only about a month.

Something told me to try something I'd never done before so I registered for the Firecracker 5K in Brentwood, TN.  I trained on my own and felt nervous as July 4th approached. When the day came, again another friend supported me by running the race right next to me.  Mike ran a lot slower than he could of for my sake and I am still grateful. I beat the time I targeted by almost a mintute.

I kept on with the early mornings at the gym and ran more races. I enjoyed the positive energy at the events and running with thousands of others made it easier. It was like riding a wave. My last event was Thanksgiving morning at the Boulevard Bolt in Belle Meade.  That was a 5 miler and longer than I'd ever gone before.

Now my sights are set on April 29, 2006 and the Country Music Half Marathon.  That's 13.1 miles and seems an impossibility to me today.  But something tells me I can make it.  The issue was settled in my mind today at Bellevue Community Church.  Dr. Foster used an illustration about two people who planned to run the Country Music Marathon. One decided to train diligently and adapt his diet toward his goal. The other decided the key to the whole thing was carb loading.  One ran and ate right, the other carb loaded for months.  On race day, the carb loader was "squishy". The one who trained had undergone a transformation and was not one pound too heavy or too light.  But both gave equal effort over the long race.  "Who finished first?", Foster asked?  It's not just effort in life - it's training and being ready for when the time for action arrives.

This afternoon I took off and ran about 4.5 miles. I plan to be ready on April 29th.

Another one bites the dust

Old Navy is the latest tenant to abandon the pathetic Bellevue Center Mall.  That leaves Sears, Dillards and Hechts as the only real stores left.  Truth is, the best thing left at the mall is Roo's Play Place which is great place for my son to blow off steam when outside is not an option.

Is it really a good thing that Wal-Mart has plans to build a new Supercenter next to the mall where the Titans used to live in trailers? So now I don't have to go to Charlotte Pike because Charlotte Pike is coming to me?

Comment here with the Top Ten New Uses for the Bellevue Mall. And have a nice ride to Cool Springs today.

Ross and Jenna Claire

These are cute kids...if I do say so myself. Credit their mother though, for their incomparable ability to make you smile is straight from her.

To the NTC: "Well Done"

The Nashville Technology Council hosted an event January 12th on Blogging and Business. The event was well attended at Nashville State Community College by about 100 or so.

Brittney Gilbert, WKRN Channel 2's Blog Producer makes the point that people are talking about you, it's whether you choose to listen or not.  The point was also made that news aggregating software like FeedDemon is a fast growing way to use the internet, as opposed to surfing. So for business, it's not so much how you would directly monetize a company blog - although that's sure to happen. At this point, it's a great way to engage the customer, develop an online identity and learn how to improve your product.

I started this the Dirmonster Blog as soon as I got home last night and have some great ideas for the company I serve, Acxiom.

2006 Fiesta Bowl

It didn't turn out as the Fighting Irish hoped, but it was an unforgettable desert experience. Thanks to the Snows and Mr. Hepler.