Dirkmonster

Please add your items to this gratitude list

This Thanksgiving, I'm overtaken with what I have to be thankful for.  I pray for grace, mercy and peace to be with you and your loved ones.  If you wish, please comment on this post with a gratitude list you'd like to share.

I'm thankful for: My wife Lyn and our children Ross and Jenna Claire, the love and support of friends and family, my work family at Acxiom, Lyn's work family at NewsChannel 5, Sunset Elementary School, 1st Baptist Preschool, Jesus' birth, life, death, resurrection and exaltation, nourishing food and a warm home, my Dad, my late mother, my step-mom Jane, my brothers Adam and Carlos, Lyn's Dad and Cheri, Lyn's late grandparents, my college roomate and life long friend John and his family, my aunts, uncles and cousins, my late grandparents, cold water, warm coffee, exciting sports, the 10-1 Titans, the Predators, music, veterans and long weekends.

I will add more as I think of them.  You are welcome to list people and things you're thankful for in the comments of this post.  I would love to see it.

"The hockey gods will get even"

Tonight the Predators out shot the St. Louis Blues by 30.  But Nashville could not find the back of the net because their ex-number one goaltender played like a brick wall.  But so did Nashville's goaltender Dan Ellis, who turned away every Blues shot through 3 periods and an overtime.

In the end, the Predators lost in a shootout.  The Blues had Ellis' number and Mason seemed invincible. 

Predators coach Barry Trotz said his guys did "everything" he asked them to do. Trotz said the team played close to its best game of the year.  And yet, he said, "the hockey gods will get even", referring back to a game the Predators stole in San Jose after getting thoroughly outplayed.

The game had several lines:

• A national TV audience on "Versus".  The network executives had to like what they saw.
• The return of Chris Mason as an opponent in the Sommet Center.  If a goaltender was going to do that to us, I'm glad it was Mason.
• A franchise record for outshooting an opponent with the 47-17 shots on goal total.

It's the best I've felt after a loss ever.  These guys played their hearts out, but the hockey gods said "not this time".

I caught Mason's game clinching stop of Ville Koistinen in the shootout on my Blackberry Bold video camera.  Take a look on my YouTube page.

More benefits to the cold shower

I've taken more cold showers this year than ever before.  Stop.  That's not why.

I found that cold showers are invigorating for a number of reasons.  After my workout warm down, I immediately take a cold shower to really cool down.  Then it's straight into the sauna to heat back up and stretch.  After that, back to the cold shower then into the hot steam room for more stretching and relaxing.  For me, this produces an extra adrenaline boost and reduces soreness the next day.

Additionally, I've found that cold showers are an effective mind reset when I get caught in an episode of "stinking thinking".  Just try and stay camped out inside your head when cold water hits it.

Today I read that the FDA thinks cold showers can fight the common cold.  That's interesting.

MTSU and The Godfather's Blue Crew

Ross and I enjoyed a cold fall day on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University Saturday as guest's of Godfather's Blue Crew.  The Blue Raiders took care of their part of our fun, routing North Texas 52-13.  (Special thanks to Blue Raider tailback Phillip Tanner who entertained us with 300 all purpose yards and 6 touchdowns. The guy was unstoppable.)

The Godfather of the Blue Crew, Tommy Campbell, runs the best tailgate on game days.  He and his lovely wife host family, friends and fans to the rare tailgate that combines the best in the three phases of tailgating: food, technology, and comfort.  The Godfather cooks the meat on a massive blue outdoor cooker.  There's an HD television hooked up to a mobile satellite dish for the early games in other cities.  We relaxed under two spacious tents complete with plenty of chairs and portable heaters. All this in the shadow of Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium. 

Saturday was dedicated to our troops and veterans.  Ross says he wants to be a soldier when he grows up.  I believe he would've joined up on the spot if they took 5 year-olds.  He explored a tank, an armored personnel carrier and an Apache helicopter.  Mostly, he asked a lot of questions.

My friend Devin McClendon, nephew of The Godfather, hosted Ross and I in his skybox inside the stadium.  Aside from the best view of the action, the box offered heat, food and comfort. Ross ate multiple bowls of homemade chili.  I really enjoyed the apple cider and desserts.

After the Blue Raiders score 6 touchdowns in the first half, the best thing to do is celebrate in the inflatables set up inside the stadium for the kids to enjoy.  Then there's a 30% off sale at Lightning's Locker Room.  We got a sweatshirt for me, a Blue Raider's necklace for Jenna and Ross picked out an oval steel license plate. 

See the photo album from Saturday's Gameday.

Thanks to The Godfather, his crew including our friend Devin, and the Blue Raiders for a off the charts fun Saturday.

Good eats and more runway room at Nashville International Airport

We are not flying this holiday season (so far).  For that I'm thankful this Thanksgiving.

That said, I have been in and out of Nashville International Airport a couple times this fall and my experience has been quite positive.  In addition, my office is virtually at the end of a runway so I see airplanes taking off and landing every day I'm here.  Here are two things I've noticed, one inside and one outside:

Inside, there are many more food choices conveniently arrayed in a new food court.  I'm impressed and apparently so are the judges.

Secondly, and just in time for the holidays, runway 2R-20L has reopened.  2R-20L is the single runway on the east side of Donelson Pike.  It and another of BNA's 4 runway's have been closed for most of this year for construction related to safety regulations.  There should be fewer flights that have to wait to land or take off this holiday season.

Get all the latest Nashville International Airport information.

Gasoline dips below $1.80/gallon in Nashville area

During my drive up Nolensville road this morning, I noticed a gas station in the town of Nolensville selling fuel for $1.89/gallon.

At the time I was listening to CNBC on my XM and it was pointed out once again that oil prices are the only bright spot for consumers.  The DOW is below 8,000, more people are turning to unemployment for the first time, the American auto industry is teetering on the brink and on and on and on.

Hey, the sun is shining today. That's just going to have to be enough.

Nashville government set to auction off property

It seems like a sign of the times to me.

This morning's Tennessean lists over 100 properties in Metro Nashville that the city government is auctioning off to collect delinquent taxes, penalties, court costs attorney's fees and other liens.

I mapped most of the properties on Google.  Complete information is available on Metro Nashville's web site.

Collectively, the list represents about $325,000 in delinquent taxes, etc.  That's an average of just $3,250 per property.  One .11 acre property on Cloverland Dr. is listed because of $6.81.  Half the properties appear to owe Metro less than $1,000.  It's tough to imagine the tough times that lead property owners to walk away.  The property owners include churches, homeowners associations, developers and couples.

On the other hand, property values being what they are, I wonder how much 4211 Kirtland Avenue in the Green Hills area will sell for at auction.

Straight to the point

As if Seth Godin needs a link from me...

However, twice in the last week or so I found that Seth published challenging posts that were straight to the point: I am NOT, as they say, "all that and a bag of chips."

Exhibit #1:

Do you know enough?

If not, what are you doing about it?

If so, who do you think you're kidding?

Exhibit #2: The Marketer's Attitude

Traditional job requirements: show up, sober. Listen to the boss, lift heavy objects.

Here's what I'd want if I were hiring a marketer:

You're relentlessly positive. You can visualize complex projects and imagine alternative possible outcomes. It's one thing to talk about thinking outside the box, it's quite another to have a long history of doing it successfully. You can ride a unicycle, or can read ancient Greek.

Show me that you've taken on and completed audacious projects, and run them as the lead, not as a hanger on. I'm interested in whether you've become the best in the world at something, and completely unimpressed that you are good at following instructions (playing Little League baseball is worth far less than organizing a non-profit organization). MORE

Thanks, Seth, for a healthy dose of humility.

 

 

If not, what are you doing about it?

If so, who do you think you're kidding?

Exhibit #2: The Marketer's Attitude

 

 

Arnott released from hospital

Great news after a scary injury tonight.

This update from nhl.com:

Jason Arnott was released from Vanderbilt Hospital prior to the completion of the Predators/Sharks game. Arnott returned to the arena following his release from the hospital. Arnott will be re-evaluated in the coming days. Future updates on his status are expected on Wednesday when the team returns to practice after a planned day off on Tuesday.

Arnott injured in Predators loss to Sharks

Thank goodness Jason Arnott was reported to have movement and feeling in his arms and legs after a scary headlong crash into the goal tonight.

I took this video as the crowd cheered the team captain as he was taken from the ice on a stretcher.  He was transported to Vanderbilt Medical Center.

The Predators lost 4-1 in their first game back home after a long road trip out west.