NBA Playoffs: Lakers Looking for Revenge

Hey there. I'm an avid NBA fan. I watch the games all the time and I especially make note to NOT miss the NBA playoffs. So far, there have been some very entertaining series. Oklahoma City gave Los Angeles a good run for their money, LeBron was bounced from the playoffs yet again, The Suns swept a superior team in the Spurs, Orlando looked every bit of the part of a championship team until they ran into the Celtics. While last year's playoff theme seemed to showcase an "inevitable" LeBron vs Kobe NBA Finals, this year's theme seems more in line with the Lakers avenging their loss to the Boston Celtics.

We all love story lines, the NBA is no different. Last year, the story of LeBron vs Kobe was derailed by Dwight "Superman" Howard and the Orlando Magic. The Lakers ended up beating Orlando for the championship. The year before that, the story was of the great rivalry of years past between the Lakers and the Boston Celtics, two of the NBA's most winningest teams. Boston embarrassed the Lakers and took home the crown. This year, no one is giving the Suns much of a chance against the Lakers, and as the Lakers have proven in two games, they are simply the superior team in the series so you might as well pencil them in for the finals. As for the Magic and Celtics, Boston has taken a surprising 2-0 lead in their series and the Magic are looking very vulnerable. Whether it be the Magic or Celtics to go up against the Lakers is yet to be determined, but either way, it will be a compelling series. Are the Lakers ready to avenge their NBA Finals defeat against the Celtics? Or will the new kid on the block, Dwight Howard and the Magic, come back to get another crack at the Lakers for a championship?

While a rematch with Orlando would be intriguing, you always want to avenge losses so many Laker fans, including myself, are hoping for a Lakers vs Celtics series. Either way, the NBA Finals is shaping up to be one hell of a series waiting to happen. Until then, later!

PS: If you want to know why the Suns and Magic are getting their butts handed to them, check out Jason Whitlock's article.  The man is pure genius and tells is like it is.  

Find a NMEDA Dealer Near You

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hey there friends. As many of us age, our bodies are simply not as strong and healthy as before. We may very well find ourselves at the mercy of a wheelchair due to an accident or an illness. Throughout all this, we should be able to be as independent as we possibly can. That's why taking your vehicle to a NMEDA dealer is the way to go.

No two persons have the same disability so NMEDA will do a personalized "in person" evaluation to assure you that they can customize your vehicle to fit your needs. Or maybe you don't want to customize your car, going straight to the dealer is your best bet in getting the best deal on a wheel chair adjusted vehicle.

Now for those of you that feel a little uneasy on getting your vehicle modified, all NMEDA dealers are the only nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. That's some pretty high standards.

Just think about it for a second. Maybe you're not the one in need of a modification, but if you're a caregiver, it would definitely be a huge help. Instead of going through the tough task of helping someone off and then on their wheelchair, you can have a much more comfortable time for both you and the disabled if your vehicle is a modified vehicle done by a NMEDA dealer. And, god forbid, they would need to be rushed to a hospital, the last thing you would want to struggle with getting the disabled person in your car. It just makes more sense to have a ready and able vehicle to suit their needs. And let's not forget that it also grant them some of their independence back. They may be confined to a wheelchair but they should be able to get on the road and live as close to normal lives as possible.

I was able to locate 4 NMEDA dealers within 25 miles of where I live. I'm sure that you would be able to find one close to your home as well. Check it out and let me know how close is your local dealer. Happy driving and be safe! Until then, later!

You’re Invited to Experience Project Natal with Cirque Du Soleil‏

Hey there. Whoo hoo! I've been invited to the "unveiling" of XBOX's Project Natal. How bad ass is that? I received an Email from XBOX Live stating that I was on of the lucky few to be chosen to attend the event and that I can bring up to 4 people with me. I wasted absolutely no time to confirm my attendance. lmao I'm sure that our son will be the most excited to check it out since he's expressing a strong interest in gaming the way I did as kid (and to an extent, now) so this would be a cool event event to check out as a family.

For the those of you that are not familiar with "Project Natal", it's the latest in gaming technology. Many of use have enjoyed video games and have used all sorts of gaming controls. Simple ones with only a few buttons to monstrous ones with more buttons than our fingers can navigate through. Project Natal claims to be the first to be a "controllerless" system. Or in other words... You're body is the controller. How it works, I'm still not sure but while other systems, such as the Wii and PS3, offer motion sensor controllers, the XBOX 360 is taking it a step further by eliminating the controllers and have you use hand gestures and body motions to control the action. Sounds pretty high tech stuff and it's going to be great to be able to witness it in action first hand! Until then... Later!

DOVE® Ice Cream Mini Moment Contest

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dove Ice Cream. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hey there friends.  My wife recently decided to be a stay at home mom and while she's loving the extra time with the kids, she's also found out that there is a lot more involved than cooking and cleaning.  She zooms off and does several errands, all while coming and going from school to pick up the kids.  And trust me friends, it's no easy task when a baby is also involved.  She feels the pressure to be super mom and hot wife all in one.  That's why she hits the gym in the evenings and watches what she eats.  I don't know how she does it!

The other night, she took a moment to herself.  Sitting on the couch, enjoying some chocolate ice cream.  You can see it in her face that it was pure bliss.  She has asked me to remind her when she's "cheating" on her diet but once I noticed the box of the ice cream she was eating, I knew it was OK.  Dove Ice Cream Minis are only 70 calories each and it's perfect for when anybody wants to get away and just enjoy a moment to yourself.  And my wife, being a smart cookie, got the new Cafe flavored bars, which include Cappuccinno and Java chip flavors.  She's also cut down on coffee so I thought she was getting the best of both worlds! 

After reading more on the box, I noticed that DOVE is holding a “My Mini Moment” contest where they are asking women to submit the favorite "me" moment for a chance to win 1 of 3 sensational mini-grand prizes: a mini-getaway to Napa Valley, Spa services for a year or a mini-home makeover.  What hard working mother and wife would NOT want to enter this contest?  And the best part is that DOVE knows that all women are unique so the winner will get to choose their prize.  Don't get me wrong, all women can enter but I would love for MY wife to take home a prize.  She deserves it!  lol  To enter, you will need to submit a photo and short essay at DoveIceCream.com/myminimoment by June 7, 2010.  Sorry guys, even though you may sneak a piece or two away from the ladies, this contest is open to women only.

So ladies, take a minute to yourselves and enjoy the moment.  Snap a picture and write a quick essay and enter this contest.  For you women who blog, this should be especially easy since you already spend some time writing!  For all the work that you ladies do, DOVE is here to say "thanks".  Later!

I'm Back From Boston

Hey there.  I'm back home!  My trip to Boston was a short one, but certainly an eventful one.  Here's what went down...

My alarm did NOT go off on Thursday morning.  That's right.  It decided to mess with me and simply not go off, even with the stupid thing CLEARLY saying that the alarm is on.  It's 6:30 AM and my flight is set to take off at 7:15 AM!  I grab my stuff, put on some clothes, kiss my wife good bye and speed off to LAX.  I manage to get there at around 7:00AM.  I got and punch in my confirmation code into the kiosk to get my boarding pass.  I sigh a sigh of relief since I don't see anyone in line at security should it should be a breeze to get in.  "Confirmation code not recognized"  What the...  I try it again.  "Confirmation code not recognized"  Oh man...

I head over to the desk while valuable seconds tick away and give the clerk my confirmation number.  The guy punches it in the computer and says that I missed my flight.  I point to the huge clock behind the guy and say, "It's 7:05.  If you give me my pass now, I can still make my 7:15 flight."  The dude persisted that I missed my flight, all the while getting me upset.  After arguing with him, and the manager, I decided that I'm just wasting energy here and decided to get a standby pass on the next flight...  4+ hours later.  I'm going to miss my appointment with our client!  Ugh...

My flight taking off without me

I grab the pass, go through security, and when I reach the terminal of my flight, I hear "last call for flight blah blah blah from LAX to BOS"  Damn it!!!  If that guy would have given my pass when I asked for it, I would have sooooo made my flight!  I see them shut the doors and minutes later, watch as my flight takes off without me.  *Sigh*  I go over to the attendant at the desk and ask her what are my chances on getting on the next flight since it is a standby ticket.  She punches in the info...  "It's 50/50 right now.  There are only 2 seats available."  Ugh...  She sees my dejected look and assures me that I'll probably get on since there's always cancellations and people being late.  I thank her and decide to have breakfast at the airport.  I also called our client to let him know that I won't be able to make it and would have to be pushed to Friday.  The meeting was rescheduled but it was a huge bummer for me since I wanted to use Friday afternoon as a means to check out the sites of the city.

Afterward, I continue to check in on my chances.  "1 seat left"  Oh man... I'm getting nervous at this point.  I ask her, what if I don't get on this one?  She then told me that the next flight to Boston is the red eye... Ugh!  Not a good way to start the day.  The plane pulls in and I ask again what are my chances.  "Better than before," she says, "there are now 3 available seats."  YES!  I watch as passengers board the plane still waiting for them to give me a "confirmed" boarding pass.  After just about everyone is on, they call my name.  YES!  I get my ticket and hop on the plane.  Relieved.  7+ hour flight...  COMMENCE!

Nothing too eventful on the plane.  A lot of the "Boston vs Cleveland" game that could have been LeBron's last game as a Cavalier.  I arrive at Boston close to 7 PM... oh man... The group that I was meeting was scheduled to have dinner at 7 PM!  By the time I get in a cab, check in my hotel and start looking for the place, it's already closer to 8PM.  I get to the restaurant and feel weird walking in while everybody else is enjoying their dinner.  I go ahead and advise the head of the group that I made it and said my hellos to some familiar faces.  I sit in an empty seat and menu and a wine glass is handed to me.  No kidding... that was ONE EXPENSIVE MENU!!!!  Nothing on there was under $40!  Before the waiter decides to take off to "give me some time" I asked him what he recommended.  He pointed to a prime rib steak and he claims is the best in the world.  I don't believe it, since the restaurant's specialty seems to be seafood.  I was starving, so I asked to be served the steak and wow... what a steak it was.  It was one of the better tasting steaks I've ever had... and in case you don't know what a $40 steak looks like... here it is.

After a couple more glasses of wine (I needed them after the morning I had...)  I went back to the room to catch the Boston - Cleveland game.  I texted my bro while watching the game, giving our opinions on James' looking rather lethargic and once the game was over, I called my wife to chat for a bit.  After we said our goodnights I tried to sleep.  Not happening...  Stupid time change really messed with my head.  Clock said 1 AM but it's 10PM in LA.  I don't usually go to sleep until midnight or so...  3AM...  Still up, but managed to drift asleep.  5AM... I'm up... it's light out and I don't feel all that sleepy anymore.  Hell with it.  I got up and showered and went for a walk. 

I took a stroll down the "Freedom Walk" path.  It's basically a red line on the sidewalk that takes you to several of Boston's points of interest.  That's a neat idea.  So I walk and catch several glimpses of the city's statues and monuments.  I snap some pictures and take a few videos.  Boston definitely has some unique sights to see.  Being one of America's first settlements definitely resounds across many of the cemeteries and buildings that are littered with plaques stating their historical importance.  I missed out on seeing the Constitution (a ship... not the document.  lol) and Paul Revere's statue.  But here are some of the stuff I did get to see.

Once 7:30 AM rolls around, I head back to the hotel for my meeting.  During our lunch break, I notice that the cemetery across from the hotel seems like a pretty lively place.  I see several children storming in and even caught a glimpse of some people dressed as patriots...  I need to see this.  I excuse myself from the table and head over there.  I managed to snap a pic of the patriot but he wasn't too happy that I did.  I walked the other way and then saw another guy dressed up as Ben Franklin (I think) and listened in as he gave the small crowd some historical facts on John Hancock's grave.  He then snapped at me for taking a pic of him and asked me if I knew that this was a paid tour.  I smartly responded that I didn't know since I just walked up to him no more than 2 minutes ago.  He didn't seem to happy so I decided that I best better go.  Dude was carrying a gun (or replica... I didn't want to find out) so I told him that I'd just be "on my merry way".  lol  I was too upset to look for Paul Revere at this time so I headed back to the hotel.

We finished up our credit conference and I moved on to my meeting with our client.  It being close to 2:30PM really set a damper on me since I would have had all this time (flight leaves at 8:25 PM) to check out the city, but instead I decide to walk to my meeting, a mere 1.5 miles away.  Nothing too eventful on my way there other than I got to walk on a bridge.  I had my meeting, discussed some business, made a good impression and I was off to the airport... all at around 5:30 PM...

Three hours from my flight.  I could have gone back... But I was too tired to walk.  I get to the airport and looked for food.  I then grabbed some coffee and sat in a chair where I got to see planes come and go.  I kicked off my shoes and enjoyed the view.  Soon after, I'm on a plane, heading home.  I get to LAX close to midnight and I'm not home, in bed, until about 1 AM.

Yup... condensed trip indeed.  lol  Later!

Joker Book Shop

Hey there.  A friend of mine has started his own book store!  That's right, a book store people.  Many young entrepreneurs are engaging in high tech/modern businesses but this man knows the value of a good book and has started his business based on that principle. But his business has expanded and is now including DVDs, video games, and other great items for a pretty low price.  Feel free to browse around his online store, Joker Book Shop, and take a look for yourself.  Later!