Merry Christmas!

Remember...Never Cross The Bear!

I fully agree with this rule of hockey!



Thus Sayeth Your Haus

Again...Never Cross The Bear!

I'm sorry, but watching people get hit with fish is just funny!



Thus Sayeth Your Haus

Never Cross The Bear!

While my wife does enjoy watching the occasional hockey game, I'm glad that she isn't a die-hard fan of any NHL team (especially in the Eastern Conference's Northeast Division).



Thus Sayeth Your Haus

College Football 2010 - Week 5

Last week was another good week for the predictions, though bittersweet because I picked against the Irish. Alas, I went 4-0, and need to quickly put this week's picks down before the games begin.

Only three games this week, as Arizona is off. So, I'll do my best with the three game on the docket. But, no matter how I do this week, we're all winners after USU's 31-16 beatdown of BYU on Friday night! Now, let the fun begin!

Note: Rankings this week are courtesy of the AP Top-25 Poll.

#14 Arizona - Idle

No pick necessary! Enjoy the off week, Cats!

#22 Penn State @ #17 Iowa

Penn State is on the right track, but was steamrolled in their only real test of the season. Iowa suffered a setback in Arizona Stadium, but played an impressive second half and was able to move the ball on one of the best defenses in the nation. This will be a test of wills. Who's will will pull out a victory? That's anyone's guess (including mine).

Prediction: Penn State by a field goal over the Hawkeyes.

Notre Dame @ Boston College

The annual rivalry of the two largest Catholic Universities in the US. This game has had some memorable moments, and I'm hoping that this year's edition will see a memorable moment or two for the Irish, who have come off three consecutive losses (two of them were heartbreaking...one was a beatdown).

Prediction: Notre Dame brings home the Ireland Trophy after rolling over BC.

#21 Texas @ #8 Oklahoma (Played at The Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX)

The major attraction at the Texas State Fair isn't the Deep Fried Snickers Bar (though I've heard that they're very good), but it's the annual Red River Shootout. These two teams loathe each other, and they play each year at a neutral site to work out those differences on the football field. Oklahoma is still unbeaten and is looking for the inside track to win the Big-12 South. Texas is looking to right the ship after the embarrassing loss to UCLA at home last week. Texas has won 4 out of the last 6 meetings. Oklahoma will look to change that trend today.

Prediction: Boomer Sooner!

Last Week: 4-0 Season 14-2

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

College Football 2010 - Week 4

Another week...another full schedule of important games. Also, another opportunity for the Irish to pull out a victory. They've had two very close games the past two weeks, but they've resulted in two heartbreaking losses. But, despite that, I had another 3-1 week last week. So, without further ado...

Note: Rankings this week use the AP Top 25 poll.

California @ #14 Arizona

Did you just see that? If you didn't, let me repeat that...#14 Arizona. A ranking that high hasn't been seen in Tucson in over a decade! After a gutsy win over Iowa last week, Arizona is full of momentum going into the Pac-10 schedule. Cal, on the other hand, was embarrassed by Nevada last week, and it looking to get back on track to make a run at Pasadena. Unfortunately for them, that road starts in Arizona Stadium, which is still buzzing after last week.

Prediction: The Wildcats tame the Golden Bears of Berkeley.

#16 Stanford @ Notre Dame

The Irish have had two tough losses the past two weeks, and face a Stanford team that is considerably more talented than either Michigan or Michigan State. The upside...Stanford doesn't have the ground game that either Michigan or Michigan State has. If the Irish secondary can hold up against Stanford, the Irish will have a fighter's chance against the Tree.

Prediction: In a battle of nicknames that don't end in 'S', the Cardinal hold on to out fight the Fighting Irish.

Temple @ #23 Penn State

The Nittany Lions got back on the right track after a shutout victory over Kent State last week. This momentum will continue as they face in-state rival Temple. The Owls just aren't on the same level as Penn State, and it will be evident Saturday afternoon.

Prediction: Penn State pitches another shutout against the Owls of Temple.

Army @ Duke

It's not often you talk about Duke Football, so I thought I'd show them a little bit of love and give them a quick mention. That's all they'll get, though, as the Black Knights will outclass the Blue Devils in all aspects of the game. Stick the Basketball, Dukies.

Prediction: Army goes rolling along over the Dukies.

Last Week: 3-1 Season: 10-2

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

College Football 2010 - Week 3

So, I went 3-1 last week, with the Irish falling late against Michigan. But, 'The Shirt 2010' has finally arrived in the Sperlein home, so this week will be a bit better.

Here are this week's game. The breakdowns will be short, as I'm writing this very late in the week.

Note: Rankings this week are using the AP Top-25 poll.

Kent @ #22 Penn State

Yeah...after a bad loss to Alabama last week, Penn State is going to look to right the ship this week. And, they can do that easily against Kent.

Prediction: Penn State...big!

Notre Dame @ Michigan State

The Irish have come off a heartbreaking loss to Michigan, and now they face their first road test of the season.

Prediction: The Irish pull it out, but it's a close one.

#9 Iowa @ #24 Arizona

These two teams played last year at Iowa, and that game saw the beginning of the Nick Foles era at Arizona. While Arizona does have a different offensive line, I believe that they will be able to find a way to stop the Iowa defense enough to put some points up on the board. On the other side of the ball, Iowa has the 4th ranked passing offense in the nation. Arizona has the 4th ranked passing defense in the nation. This is where the game will be decided. The X-Factor: Arizona Stadium has proved to be the place where BCS dreams go to die.

Prediction: Arizona pulls out another Top-10 upset at home and edges out the Hawkeyes.

BYU @ Florida State

After a big loss to Oklahoma last week, Florida State is going to look to get back into the win column against a BYU teams that lost on the beginning of it's MWC Farewell tour against Air Force.

Prediction: Really? Do you have to ask? FSU won last year @ BYU, they'll win this year at home. Seminoles over the Cougars by 14.

Last Week: 3-1 Season: 7-1

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

College Football 2010 - Week 2

Last week was a great week for College Football fans across the country. A new season started, carrying with it all of the hopes of hard hits, great catches, and breathtaking bursts of speed, and the week didn't disappoint.

Last week was also a great week for my prediction abilities...a perfect 4-0 in the mentioned games last week. Now, onto Week 2!

Note: All rankings this week come from the USA Today Coaches Poll.

Citadel @ #23 Arizona

Did you just see that! Week 2, and there's a number next to Arizona's name! Anyway...after an impressive season opener on the road, the Wildcats come home to Arizona Stadium to meet their annual D 1-AA...I mean FCS...cupcake, Citadel. While the 'Cats cannot just put it in cruise control for this game (we all remember App State @ Michigan), they should be able to put the Citadel away early and give their backups some valuable playing time in the second half (much like they did at Toledo). Also, giving this new defense two confidence-building games in a row will be needed before facing the first real test of the season next week.

Prediction: Arizona wins big in front of the home crowd and downs the Bulldogs of Citadel.

Michigan @ Notre Dame

One of the oldest rivalries in College Football will have it's latest chapter written on Saturday afternoon at Notre Dame Stadium. Both teams come into this game 1-0, having won their respective openers at home. Now, the Irish look to win again in the friendly confines of home with a win over archrival Michigan. The Wolverine thin secondary took a hit with the announced transfer of Sophomore Safety Vladimir Emilien. The Irish come into this game off of a solid performance over a good Purdue squad. Michigan hits the road after a solid performance of their own over UConn. This game will come down to which team is able to impose their will over the other.

Prediction: The Irish are at home, and will be able to impose their will better than Michigan. Plus, the 'Kelly' Green clad students will help will the Irish to a victory over their bitter rivals from Ann Arbor!

#14 Penn State @ #1 Alabama

Penn State travels to Tuscaloosa to take on the defending National Champions, but Alabama will be without reigning Heisman winner Mark Ingram (Junior RB). Both teams have stingy run defenses, so the defensive battles will be decided in the secondary. Both teams dispatched their Week 1 cupcakes, and this is truly the first test for both teams this season. The Nittany Lions are starting a true Freshman at QB, while the Tide have most of their offensive starters returning. As much as it pains me to say this, Alabama has the advantage on offense, while the two teams are fairly evenly matched on defense.

Prediction: This will be one of the classic games this season, but Alabama finds a way to ride that Crimson Tide over the Nittany Lions.

#18 Florida State @ #10 Oklahoma

You thought I was going to pick another Top-25 showdown, didn't you? Well, the U and the Sweater can have their fun, I'm more interested in this showdown. This is a big game in the new Jimbo Fisher era at FSU. Can he bring FSU back from the slump they have been in over the past few years and into the national spotlight again? Well, a win on the road in Norman, OK would do the trick. OU, on the other hand, is looking to keep things going in the right direction, and make sure they're in a good position heading into the rest of their schedule. OU owns the longest home winning streak in College Football today (remember...the Texas game is played at a neutral site), and they will be looking to extend that streak to 35.

Prediction: This will be another classic game of the season, and OU will find a way to pull this one out at home, and put the Seminoles in a bad mood (and that bad mood will come at just the right time, as I'll explain next week). Boomer Sooner!

Last Week: 4-0 Season: 4-0

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

College Football 2010 - Week 1

A new season is upon us! Today is the official start of the college football season, and the first game will kick off in an hour or so. As such, I feel it my duty to post a few thoughts about some of this week's games. As I did last year, I'll follow Arizona, Notre Dame, Penn State, and then throw in a bonus game.

Disclaimer: I'm not as up on things as I usually am this time of year. After all, instead of following rumor mills and fan forums all summer, I was helping to plan a wedding (with a fiance that lived over 400 miles away). I shall, nonetheless, do my best to sound like I know what I'm talking about.

Arizona @ Toledo (Friday Night)
After coming off a 2nd place finish in the Pac-10 last year, Arizona is looking to end a streak of Rose Bowl futility, and to end it before competition stiffens up with the expansion of the conference next year. Beginning the 2010 campaign on the road gives them the opportunity to test a new linebacking corps against a formidable (but overmatched) offense. A national audience is also a good way to open up a season full of high hopes for the Wildcats.
Prediction: The Wildcats will blow the Rockets out of the sky!

Purdue @ Notre Dame (The Battle for the Shillelagh Trophy)
The Fighting Irish are coming off a disappointing 6-6 campaign, have a new head coach in Brian Kelly, and have a new starting QB in Dayne Crist, and will have to make up for the departure of Biletkinoff Winner Golden Tate at WR. Nonetheless, the institution of the no-huddle offense should keep many defenses on their toes. This will be tested against a Boilermaker team that went 4-8 last year, and was one of four Big 10 teams not to appear in a bowl game last year.
Prediction: The Shillelagh Trophy will remain in South Bend as the Irish start the season on a positive note and get by the Boilermakers.

Youngstown State @ #19 Penn State
As JoePa's 45th campaign on the Nittany Lions' sideline begins, he will see a first in his tenure...a true freshman starting a QB (Robert Bolden). Young Bolden should be grateful for this glorified scrimage against Youngstown State as his first exposure to college football, because a trip to Tuscaloosa is in store for him next week.
Prediction: Do I really need to say it? JoePa could beat Youngstown State by himself! Nittany Lions big over the Penguins before running into the Tide next week!

#3 Boise State @ #10 Virginia Tech (in Landover, MD on Monday Night)
Boise State has made a lot of waves over the past few months. They finished another undefeated season, finished in the BCS top 10, announced plans to leave the WAC for the Mountain West beginning in the 2011 season, and revealed a schedule that has a number of BCS faithful crying foul (they'll run the table and then play for a National Championship...that's not fair). To those cry babies, I have but three words...Shut Your Mouths! Boise State has produced quality football year in and year out for the better part of a decade, and they've done it on that Smurf Turf, with very few high profile home games, and while living in the middle of a potato field. Now that they're getting the respect they deserve, whiners need to shut their mouths while the rest of us rational people watch this team play on a national stage. And, really, what better way to start off a new season than by wearing the new Pro Combat uniforms that Nike made them in a neutral-site game against Virginia Tech (who will also be wearing the Nike Pro Combat uniforms, which look like a third-grader drew them). Virginia Tech is known for it's own brand of football: Beamer Ball. I expect at least one punt to be blocked and returned for a touchdown in this game.
Prediction: Boise State, in the biggest game of their season, finds a way to overcome Beamer Ball and begin their march to Glendale (and not for the Fiesta Bowl this time).

Last Season: 21-7

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

The Haus' return from Hiatus

Yeah, I haven't written a post in a few months...not since I posted the Commandments of your Haus' blog. So, I think that I should write a few words for my loyal readers.

Saturday, July 31st was the last day in my old apartment. I had lived there for just short of four years, and by the time I was done with emptying the place and cleaning it, it looked like a bachelor had lived in it for four years. It wasn't dirty, but it was very worn down. You could tell where I had walked every day in the living room as opposed to where I had kept the couches and other items of furniture. It wasn't as bad in the bedroom, as that room was a lot easier to rearrange every six to twelve months. Anyway, I spent the week leading up to July 31st moving my stuff into a new apartment that was considerably larger and would be shared by Em and I for the next year or so (or until we decide what we're going to do with our lives together. Em moved her stuff out here on August 9th, right before we headed back to San Diego for an event that would change our lives forever.

On Friday, August 13th, I married my best friend, Emilysa, in the San Diego Temple. We had a wonderful day, filled with happiness, family, and friends. Our reception was the next afternoon, and we enjoyed being able to relax with everyone (though, it was starting to get warm in my three-piece black suit around 1630). We then spent a few days up in Solvang, CA for our honeymoon.

After the honeymoon we spent one more day with Em's family, opened the wedding presents, and then packed up Em's car and headed back here to Tucson, where we're currently figuring out where to put all of the things that we own. It's interesting to walk around an apartment that is still (after having technically lived in it for three weeks) a huge maze of boxes. But, we're making progress. We have the kitchen to the point where it is safely usable. And our bedroom is getting to the point of organization (though, the arrival of the bed frame in about a week will help that along, as it has storage drawers built into the frame). The living room was already in decent shape, as I had a bunch of guys over to watch UFC 117 the weekend before the wedding. The office will be the really fun room to figure out.

Monday I'll head back to work (after two weeks off), and life will start to drift into the new state of normality. But, for the next few hours, I'm going to enjoy the time that I have to devote all of my attention to my new wife, and make sure that we get our life together off on the right foot.

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

Commandments of your Haus' Blog

I feel that after a year of writing, it's time to set a few ground rules for this blog. They shouldn't be hard to follow, but it's time that they were put into writing instead of simply implied.

10 - Thou mayst read the words of thy Haus in anonymity.
9 - Thou mayst post comments, revealing thyself as a reader of the words of your Haus.
8 - Thou mayst comment directly to thy Haus, revealing thyself only to thy Haus and not the other readers.
7 - Thou mayst ask if thy Haus is referring to thyself within the words of your Haus.
6 - Thou mayst criticize the words of thy Haus, for thy Haus only cares that his readers are not offended by his words, but cares not if his opinion differs from that of the readers.
5 - Thou shalt fully read and comprehend the words of your Haus before seeking clarification from your Haus.
4 - Thou shalt not criticize The Bruin's Bear! That bear is awesome!
3 - Thou mayst utilize the words of your Haus on your own blog...direct citation is not required.
2 - Thou mayst follow thy Haus on Twitter (@PatrickSperlein) to see more of the musings of thy Haus.
1 - Thou shalt not stifle the creativity of your Haus!

There, now that we have that out there, I think I'll try (probably unsuccessfully) to go to bed.

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

Haus' iPod Touch - May Mental Mayhem

I've written a couple whiny posts lately, so I feel like I need to write something different. Something that lets me get what's on my mind onto paper without making me feel like I'm acting like a spoiled little boy. So, what better to express what's on my mind than talk about what's been going into my ears.

The playlist I've been listening to has this title. It's a mixture of everything, and it has a number of messages, but it has helped me stay even these past few weeks.

Time to Go - Dropkick Murphys
The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are the most grueling playoffs in all of professional team sports. After playing an 82 game season from October to April, you have to win 16 games in 6-7 weeks in order to lift Lord Stanley's Cup.

The Bruins have been the NHL team I've followed for a few years now, and I followed them fairly closely this year, even going to two Bruins games (in Phoenix and in LA). When they made the playoffs, I decided to grow a playoff beard. They were what I occupied my evenings with over the past few weeks, and I listen to this song as I prepare myself mentally for each Bruins game. It's actually written about the Bruins and the experience of going to a Bruins game.

Replay - Iyaz
I was getting a haircut before my last trip to San Diego (I usually get it cut once I get into town, but I knew that I wouldn't have the time to spare on this last trip, so I just got it done on campus before hand), and I heard this song playing. I looked it up on YouTube and really liked it. So, I downloaded it and have been listening to it since.

Shawty´s like a melody in my head
That I can´t keep out
Got me singin´ like
Na na na na everyday
It´s like my iPod stuck on replay

See you been all around the globe
Not once did you leave my mind
We talk on the phone from night til the morn
Girl you really change my life
Doing things I never do
I´m in the kitchen cooking things she likes

We´re real worldwide breaking all the rules
Someday I wanna make you my wife
That girl like something off a poster
That girl is a dime they say
That girl is the gun to my holster
She´s running through my mind all day

And, when you think about it, Em is constantly on my mind. I can't shake her, and I really don't want to. I like the thought of her being there.

Check the Levels - The Dirty Heads
Disclaimer - If you go looking this song up, you may want to look for an edited version.

This one's about two kids, Tom and Lily, that were ridiculed and shunned while they were young. And, during the progression of this song, they find talents that they were motivated to cultivate by their experiences.

See what they thought they knew about these two was givin up
Cause no matter what they said these two just didn't give a [censored]
They had it all along they just figured it out
How to take the negativity and turn it all around
Now Lily's turning heads up on the runway in Milan
And Todd is selling millions while his fans sing along like

Check the level cause something's coming' over me
Something's got a hold of me always controlling me
It's in the audio, it's in the air,
It's in the way you move, it's everywhere
It's something beautiful, that you don't know
So feel the audio, and let it go

Sometimes, you just come across an experiences that will cause you reevaluate everything in your life and decide that you need to make a change. For me, it was a conversation in my truck on a July night in Utah. I knew that I was headed in the wrong direction, and the changes have been slow, but they're being made, and I'm going to come out a better person for it. You don't always know what will cause the change, it could just be something in the air, but you shouldn't fight the changes you need to make in life. The ability to make the change is there...you just need to do what's needed.

If You Leave This World Before Me - Mike Ness
The song, in total, is a pretty depressing one about death. But, there's a part that caught my ear:

If you leave before me
I promise I never will tell
About all the things we talked about
Our dark secrets I'll keep well
Aren't you glad there ain't nobody listening
Aren't you glad that no one seems to care what we do
Aren't you glad there ain't no one to tell us what's right or wrong
While we sit and we talk about nothing.

One of my favorite pastimes is to just sit with Em and talk. Sometimes we talk about serious subjects, sometimes about our dreams, sometimes about just whatever comes to mind. But, we open ourselves to each other to the point where there are definite things that I wouldn't want her to share, and I feel that there are some things I should also keep to myself. They're things that will go with me to the grave. And, at the same time, it's rare that we ever hear anything from either of our parents about this. There's not telling us that what we're doing is right or wrong...they expect us to make our own decisions about our actions and trust that we'll make the right choices with our lives. And, while we're talking about nothing, we are making the right choice.

You Shook Me All Night Long - Vitamin String Quartet
In looking for music for the wedding reception, I came across a list of Garter Tossing songs, and one of them was AC/DC's classic You Shook Me All Night Long. Makes sense to me, being familiar with the song. I knew this song would be a non-starter with Em, so I asked her what she thought (know that she wouldn't know the song, but would be a little leery of an AC/DC song at the wedding). I quickly informed her that I wouldn't want it played at the wedding. It's not exactly what I think of as a traditional wedding song. But, while looking for other music on iTunes, I came across the Vitamin String Quartet's album The Rock 'n Roll Wedding Collection. On there, I found this song. So, I bought the album for me, and maybe I'll try to get one of the other songs on the album put into the playlist for the reception. Maybe.

Accidentally in Love - Counting Crows
Is there a song title that could more accurately describe the situation Em and I found ourselves in. We had been friends for years, but then after a couple visits, a few looks, a bad British movie, and a dinner or two...we're in love and engaged!

Come on, come on, move a little closer
Come on, come on, I want to hear you whisper
Come on, come on, settle down inside my love

Oh, come on, come on, jump a little higher
Come on, come on, if you feel a little lighter
Come on, come on, we were once upon a time in love
We're accidentally in love

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

Three Months

Yesterday was May 13th. I get married on August 13th. That's three months from yesterday! Time is flying by, and now I'm starting to see how much there is to get done before the blessed day. I'm not freaking out about it (yet), but I am seeing goal dates approach quickly.

Normally this would not be an issue for me, but I'm not exactly in a happy mood right now, so that kinda puts a damper on things. It's been three weeks since I last saw Em, and it'll be another two weeks before I get to go out there again. She left for Europe yesterday...a vacation she had been planning on taking with her cousin since before we started dating. I think it's good for her to be able to spend the time with her cousin, to be able to see new places, as well as revisit some of the places she served while on her mission. The thing that blows is that it'll be a month between trips out, and that's just too long to not be able to see her.

Alas, I just have to suck it up and deal with the way things are. I also need to write a blog post that isn't so whiny! I'll just tack that onto the to-do list, which grows by the moment.

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

420 Miles

Can I just say that I absolutely hate living so far away from Em! It's 420 miles from my place to hers, and that distance, on a good day, is just a number. But on a bad day, it's a weight that drags down the heart and soul of a man.

I like to fancy myself a fairly strong man. Not a whole lot keeps me down. I don't let it. It happens out of sheer determination. But, this week I have just really been down about this distance. It doesn't help that I still have 3 1/2 weeks until the next time that I get to see Em. But, I know that that kind of time can be endured through. It just sucks to have to do it.

All I want today is to just be able to sit down with her and talk...talk about anything, everything, and nothing all at once. Talk about the weather. Talk about our hopes and fears, our dreams and distractions. Our future and our past. Lessons learned, mistakes made, obstacles seen in the distance, and possible ways around them. And to be able to just hold her as we talk. Nothing in the world would make me happier than to be able to do that today.

With being down so much, I feel like the guy Mike Ness was singing about in 'Cheating at Solitaire'

When I got to the end of my dirty rainbow
And I found that there was no pot of gold
Well, I learned that I was empty and not quite as strong
For I had robbed my heart and cheated my soul
Look for the one with the watery eyes
I'll be the fool in the mirror asking you why
Cursing lovers in a warm, tender embrace
Scoffing at the the world and the whole human race
You can run, you can hide, you can feed your foolish pride
You can use and abuse, in the end you'll always lose at the game.

I don't like not feeling like I'm as strong as I think I am. I don't like feeling down. I don't like wishing for something I know I can't have. But that's where I am right now...and there's nothing that can really be done. I just have to ride it out until I start to feel better...feel like myself. Until then, I'll just quietly curse every inch of those 420 miles.

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

Random Thoughts

Over the past few weeks my mind has been pulled in so many different directions it's not even funny. I'm going to just throw a couple of them out there, just for the fun of it.

In under 120 days, I will be a married man! The best part about being able to put that statement into writing is that I have no apprehension about that fact. I'm engaged to a woman that I love with all my heart, and I know that she feels the same way about me. It helps that she's smart, funny, sensitive, and beautiful, but the important thing is that we love each other. I'm looking forward to her moving out here to Tucson!

Dad turned 60 last week. Em and I traveled to Georgia for his birthday party last weekend. We had a good time at the party, and I got to catch up with a lot of people that I hadn't seen in many years. Of course, the day we were leaving Dad had a track day. During his first set of the day, the bike slid out from under him. Dad has a mild concussion, six broken ribs, and a broken collarbone, but he will be fine. He came home from the hospital yesterday.

I've been traveling a lot lately. Granted, this comes with having a fiance that lives 420 miles away, but that's beside the point. Between vacation days and being sick, I haven't worked a 5-day work week since February. Unfortunately for me, I'm going to have to work a lot of them in May, as Em is doing some traveling of her own.

Travis Barker is a musical genius. Just throwing that out there.

The Stanley Cup playoffs have begun! The Bruins are playing against the Sabres in the first round. Unfortunately the B's lost Game 1 2-1. But, there's still plenty of time to turn that around. With the playoffs starting, I've started my playoff beard! I don't know what I'm going to do if the B's are still in the playoffs next weekend when Em and I are supposed to have some pictures taken. I will just have to cross that bridge when we get there.

I'm glad to have a new counselor in my quorum presidency (if you didn't know, an the Elders Quorum President in U4). While it's always good to have a full presidency, I really wanted the help for my other counselor, who has really had to carry the quorum on his back while I've been traveling so much. So, for him, I'm happy.

While this isn't all that's on my mind, it's enough for now. Until next time...

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

The Bear Does Security for Dropkick Murphys!

The Bear is versatile!



Playoff time has arrived. Bruins and Sabres start Thursday night! Let's Go B's!

Victory Nor Defeat

A few weeks ago, I purchased a t-shirt with a quote scripted across the front and back of it. I bought the shirt because I liked the way it looks. Now that I'm wearing the shirt, I'm thinking about what's actually written on it. So, I took the time to look up who said it, and when they said it. If you can find it, let me know by leaving a comment. Bonus points if you can point out what I would find most humorous about the quote and/or context it was given in.

It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.

In case you wanted to see the shirt, it can be found here.

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

Time to Go - Live on Landsdowne

A new video, this time directly from NHL.com. This is a live version of Dropkick Murphys' hockey anthem 'Time to Go', from their new album Live on Landsdowne (which was an awesome album!). Enjoy! Go Bruins!

Opening Day is Approaching!

Opening Day is just around the corner! Go Sox!



Thus Sayeth Your Haus

Here's how it went down (from her perspective)

I have a treat for my readers today! Last week I posted my recollection of how my engagement to Emilysa occurred. Well, Em has been kind enough to put into writing her recollection of the events, as well as provide a little history of where things really started from. So, here it is, in her words:

Many of you are probably scratching your head, perplexed at the news of Patrick and Em actually getting it together enough to get engaged. It’s not even some cruel prank just to get back at all of you who have suggested this scenario for years. Yes, you know who you are and there are many of you. I know who you are, too. That’s part of what kept us talking, but that comes later. In an attempt to work out how it happened, for myself even, since it still baffles me, I decided to write it out. If you get bored in the middle, please feel free to skip to the end, though you already know the ending. Sorry to kill the suspense.

The story begins long ago, over a decade, in fact. A tall, handsome new kid wandered into my Sunday School class and I thought ‘Whoa!’ That’s about all I had to think about him for a few months, as neither of us were talkative enough to actually get to know each other. A few months later, he took me totally by surprise when he asked me to Prom, or he insinuated that he was asking me to Prom. He’s learned a lot about direct questions, as you will soon find out. Since we had almost nothing in common, on first glance, I told him straight out that we would have to figure out what to talk about at the dance. I don’t think we had much success then, but it was the start of a beautiful thing.

From there, we suffered through seminary and Human Biology together, we served on Youth Committee at church, and had a good time with a exceptional group of friends. (You know who you are too and thanks for everything!) Eventually, high school graduation came and it was time to move on to reality, He went off in the blazing heat of the U of A and I placed myself in the bubble at BYU. We saw each other every few months, if we happened to be in the same place, until he left on his mission. We kept in touch through letters through both of our missions, but didn’t see each other for over 3 years. During that time, as I learned about a month ago, both of us wondered what could happen, but neither was willing to change the relationship we had. The idea resurfaced often as you brought it up. Yes, you…okay, maybe not you, the one next to you, yeah. Don’t deny it. We even had a mental list running, and it was quite extensive, of all of you who thought it might be a good idea to try something different than friendship. I never denounced the idea outright, but I never really saw any soundness in the idea. He was the jock. I was the nerdy musician. End of story, right?

Except, both of us liked writing, as our Sunday school and seminary teachers may have noticed from all the notes. (Sorry) Somehow we found enough to write about, in letters or email, that we stayed in touch. It was enough that we still got together for dinner whenever we were in the same state. And it was enough to keep you all suggesting things, which continued the conversation further. That was the state of things until summer last year when both of us needed a little support from somebody. We emailed pretty consistently during the summer and fall until he found there was a concert in San Diego that he wanted to attend. Since there was no one else around, he asked if he could spend the rest of his weekend visiting me. At that point, I knew I needed to find out if there was a possibility, being rather older than the standard marrying age of my family, so I agreed. We had a good time, even with the stiff awkwardness that crept in occasionally, like during the jewelry store commercial at the movie we saw. My brilliant mother nudged me into asking him to come for Christmas, which I did, and he accepted, on the condition that he could come out again before then. Since then, and much to my astonishment, we saw each other every few weeks, and it has only gotten better and more comfortable. Well, obviously, but I don’t want to spoil the end remember?

We established relatively soon that dating was a good idea, as perplexing as it was that I, Em, could actually date someone, and even enjoy it, plus the other person claimed to enjoy it whole-heartedly as well. I am still baffled. However, he let me know in early February that he had purchased some jewelry that was not for him. He had peppered me with questions about my wants and ideas about life, marriage, and whatever enough that he felt secure enough to proceed, which he did.

On March 6, we wandered over to Torrey Pines, since he was very explicit that he wanted time at the beach on this trip…even in the rain. So off we went to the highest tide I have seen in a long time and thick dark clouds all around. It was really beautiful to watch, so watch we did, until he suggested a walk. We stumbled along the rocks, while I pushed down the temptation to chase all the seagulls - there were lots of them, until the beach ended in the waves. I stood up on a rock, which gave me about 4 inches, but I need any help I can get, especially around him, and he stood behind me while we talked. It felt so comfortable to have someone there with me, and very natural for it to be him. As much as we had mentioned marriage, I was totally unprepared when he turned me around and told me he had a question. He went down on one knee, pulled out a box, and (very directly) asked ‘Will you marry me?’ I had no voice, or maybe even brain function, at that point, and stood there, probably mouth open, staring. When I realized he wasn’t going to get up until I did something, I gave him a kiss, as I still couldn’t say anything, and told him ‘Absolutely’ once the voice returned. Yes, Em has kissed a boy. I hope none of you fell off your chair at that news. He then pulled out the ring and slid it on my finger, with a little effort, but it fits very nicely - and it’s gorgeous. He gave me a hug while I tried very hard to recovery from the giggles that overcame me. I’m pretty sure he thought I was crying, but I couldn’t help but laugh. We stood there for a long time in the wind and the waves crashing around. It was a lovely spot, full of a beautiful feeling. Love is something definitely heaven-sent and much bigger than I can comprehend. I’m just happy for the little piece of it I got. Now all that’s left is the ending, still left to be written.

Here's how it went down (from my perspective)

So, I fully intend that this will be posted well after news has gotten out there, and I'll have told this multiple times, but it's good to get things down in writing while they're still fresh in the mind.
If you don't know what news I'm talking about, then I should tell you that I recently became engaged. I'm marrying a wonderful woman, Emilysa, on August 13th, 2010. We'll be married in the San Diego Temple.

The date was Saturday, 6 Mar 10. It was a rainy day, but Em and I had been in her parent's house all morning and wanted to get out and do something for a little bit. So, we decided to head to the beach to watch the waves and talk. When we got to Torrey Pines, the rain had stopped but the wind was still blowing, which made for a lot of waves to watch. We sat in the car talking for a while, but seeing the break in the rain we decided to take a walk along the beach.

Now, we were at the northern end of Torrey Pines...right where it meets up with Del Mar. The beach there is more rocky than sandy, so we were walking on the stones until we came to a spot where there would be sand at a low tide (with a tide pool being left), but it was high tide, so it was all water. So, we stopped and watched the waves from our stony vantage point.

I was standing behind her...arms around her waist and my head over her left shoulder. We talked as we stood there, the waves crashing and the wind blowing. We talked as we stood there. From time to time, I looked off to my left, as there had been a guy nearby taking pictures. I was happy to see that he eventually walked away. I wanted a little privacy.

She mentioned how fortunate we were to be together. I agreed with her, told her how much I love her, and then told her I had a question for her. I turned her around, pulled a small black box from my jacket pocket, got down on my right knee, opened the box, and asked her "Will you marry me?"

Now, it's not often that I've seen Em speechless. She was after that question. She bent over, put her hands on my cheeks, and kissed me while she regained her ability to speak. This took about half a minute. When she spoke, it was a single word..."Absolutely!" So, still down on my knee, I took her by the left hand, took the ring out of the box, and slid the ring onto her finger. It fit! After the ring was on her hand, I finally stood back up. I put my arms around her, kissed her, and we stood there in a tight embrace. After a minute, I could feel her arm move, as if she was looking at the ring on her hand. The next thing she told me was that she loved the ring. That was another large weight off of my chest, as I had hoped that she'd like her ring.

We stayed at the beach a little while longer, then headed back to her car once it looked like the rain would begin again. And it did. It was raining sheets for a little while. But, we stayed there watching the beach and enjoying our time with each other.

Now we're well into planning things, and will be for the next few months. But, for as long as I live, I will look back to that day as the best day of my life (to that point).

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

The Enjoyment of Entertainment - DVD Library

I was asked recently why I follow the things I follow. That's a very broad question, but one deserving of a thoughtful and thorough answer. So, in this post, I'm going to break down my DVD library and go over some of the highs and lows of the collection. Other posts will go over my music library, reading list, and other items that I find entertainment in.

Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
This movie has a number of 'firsts' attached to it. It's the first movie I saw twice in the theatres. It's the first movie I took Emilysa to go see. It's the first DVD I bought. It's the first George Clooney movie I purchased as well. It was the first movie with a country soundtrack that I really enjoyed. All in all, it is one of my favorite movies of all time and had a lot of great memories attached to it.

The Bourne Trilogy
Every guy, somewhere deep down inside, enjoys action movies. It's the chase, or the crash, or the fights, or the fast movement, or maybe even the witty dialogue between action scenes. Guys like action. Some of the best action movies have been in this franchise. The Bourne Identity was a great movie, the Bourne Supremacy built on that legacy, and the Bourne Ultimatum tied the pieces together while leaving the open question of 'What happens between Bourne and Nicky?' I saw all three of these movies in the theatre (two of them by myself), and thoroughly enjoyed them all. If there is a fourth, I'd love to see it too!

Star Wars I-VI
Do I really have to explain this one? I mean, really, doesn't everyone have (at least part of) this series in their video library? Some of the best Science Fiction ever created.

The Godfather Trilogy
Some of the greatest movies ever made fall are in this trilogy. One thing I enjoy is seeing the first two movies spliced into chronological order (it's on TV that way every now and then). I will grant you that the third movie is my least favorite, but it was still a good movie. There are lots of cultural references that stem from these films, and they contain some of the best acting of any generation. Some may not agree, but that's their prerogative.

For Love of the Game
Kevin Costner's best known baseball movie is the classic Field of Dreams, but I find that this one is right up there in the list of all-time great sports movies.

The West Wing - Seasons 1 through 7
Aaron Sorkin has a way to creating the kind of fast-moving dialogue that I thoroughly enjoy watching in a drama. I was something that is going to keep my attention for the full 44-ish minutes of the show, not just the few minutes of the climax of the episode. The West Wing did this for me. The casting was great, the stories stayed fresh (except for Season 5, which was my least favorite season). My favorite episode is "Dead Irish Poets" in Season 3. It's a great example of how drama and comedic wit can create good television. It didn't hurt that I find politics interesting (after all, I decided to study the topic for four years).

M*A*S*H - Seasons 1 through 11
Instead of drama with a comedic wit, M*A*S*H provided comedy with the occasional dramatic twist. This is one of the most respected shows in television history, and for 27 years could claim that it had the most watched television show in TV history (the series finale "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" was eclipsed by Super Bowl XLV). How you can stretch a three year war into eleven seasons of television takes great talent and dedication. But, again, it was great television and even more fun to be able to watch on ones own schedule.

Monty Python's Flying Circus - 16 Ton Megaset
Hilarity ensues anytime those six crazy Brits get together, and the television show they had was no different. I mean, really, what's better than John Cleese laying on top of a desk in a white bikini and black dress shoes and socks, stating completely straight faced "And now for something completely different." Just classic!

Dead Poet's Society/School Ties
I put these two in the same category because they both are set in similar settings - boarding schools. The stories vary slightly from each other, but both contain actors used to comedic roles (Robin Williams and Brendan Frasier, respectively) that assume very serious characters and have to deal with very serious topics. Dead Poet's Society looks at the pressure that young people are under to balance expectations against finding out who they are. In the end, it costs one character his own life. In School Ties, we look at the damaging effects of antisemitism and how this kind of intolerance can damage personal and professional relationships.

Oscar
Sly does comedy! Stallone plays a mobster on the day that he decides to go legit. A comedy of errors commences involving both this professional and personal life. While not his most popular movie of all time, it was a great one. I bought this movie before buying any of the Rocky movies.

Empire Records
My favorite movie of all time. How can you not enjoy a movie that follows a day in the life of a mixed up kid that works in a record store? Featuring a young Renee Zellwiger, Liv Tyler, and Ethan Embry, all supervised by Anthony LaPagila (Without A Trace). This movie is an absolute cult-classic, and is one that I never tire of watching.

So, there you go. A small breakdown of things I have in my DVD library and why. It's probably not a great explanation of why, but it's what was on my mind when writing. For some of this, you just have to know me a little bit to understand.

Thus Sayeth Your Haus

Beating Traffic? I Don't Think So!

I Love This Bear!!!

What constitutes a real blog post?

So, I have been a bit neglectful in writing my own thoughts and opinions on here. In fact, I haven't put a whole lot of thought or effort into an original post yet in 2010. Sad...I know.

This got me to thinking. What is a real blog post? Why can't a bear on a stationary bike be a real post? It has a message (Go B's!), it has humor (it's a bear on a bike!), and it's in color. What more can you ask for out of a video?

Now, I'm not feeling any pressure to write. I've gotten no feedback. No one has asked me why I haven't written anything lately (probably because I only have about 5 readers), and I haven't felt overly inspired to write much of anything lately. Also, I've just been way too tired. That comes from staying up too late at night and being occupied by something other than my computer. Not that I mind my distraction...she happens to be one of my five readers (and if you don't know what I'm talking about, than you must have just stumbled upon my blog and we haven't actually spoken in quite a while).

So, continuing with this thought, what is a real post? Is it a matter of pouring out the soul onto the page? Is it making some gloriously philosophical statement? Is it merely putting whatever is in your jumbled head into writing and then putting it out there for the world to see? I don't have a good answer. If I did, I'd be considered an outstanding blogger. As it is, I'm just a guy with a blank canvas and the ability to type.

There's a comment box. I'm reaching out to you. "Speak to me, readers! I want to hear from you!" What constitutes a real blog post?

Thus asketh your Haus

Isn't technology great?

Back in the day, you wrote everything down on paper. Then you could type on a typewriter, then a word processor. Next came the home PC. Then the laptop. Then came the Internet. Now, you can share blogs. Today, I am writing a blog post from my iPod. If you told me that I could do this back when I was 5, I would have thought you were crazy. Now...not so much.
Thus sayeth your Haus

Unintended Consequences

I remember when I was a kid going to Fast and Testimony meeting and our bishop getting up on the months he conducted and starting his testimony by apologizing to those people who he may have unknowingly offended. He did not want to offend anyone, but he definitely didn't want people to not come to church because of that offense.

Now, I'm a bit of a brash fellow, and I know that there are some people I have upset and I haven't really even cared. There are some people that I have hurt and it was just inevitable. But, I found out today that something entirely inconspicuous I did back in October brought down the spirits of a friend of mine.

I know you know who you are, as you're among the five people who actually read this and you mentioned me by name in your post. So, I had no idea that posting a few pictures of an ice hockey game (and those who attended) would bring you down, and, for bringing your spirits down, I am sorry. I am guessing that you don't hold a grudge, as you have continued to acknowledge my presence, which is a good thing. But, yeah, that one is my bad.

Happy New Years!

Happy New Years! Have fun with the resolutions! Enjoy this video of the Boston Bruin!


And, from the 2010 NHL Winter Classic, here's the Dropkick Murphys' performance of 'Shipping Up to Boston'!