You look just like . . .

Have you ever thought your great hair looks just like Jennifer Aniston's or your great smile looks just like George Clooney's? If so, I found a website that will give you indisputable proof! My Heritage.com will scan your photo and tell you which celebrity you most resemble!

Since I’ve been told that I look like Edward Norton, I was a little surprised (but not too disappointed) when My Heritage.com said I looked more like a young Alec Baldwin! I guess that makes Kelly my Kim Basinger!!

Edward Norton Alec Baldwin

Since the service is free give it a try and tell me who I should be mistaking you for!

The world according to a 5-year old . . .

Today, I came upon a funny little 5-year old girl. I was at an office complex when I walked up just as she was finishing her discussion with a UPS driver by pointing out a window and saying, " . . . and that's why they call it a parking lot!" The UPS driver gave me a look that said, "I have no idea how to respond to that!"

Laughing, I smiled at the little girl. When she realized that she had my attention, she pointed to a man down the hall and said, "My dad is the one in the blue shirt!" He was the only person standing in the hall and his shirt was green! The man in the "blue shirt" gave me a look like he had been forced to sing back-up as the little girl gave her own rendition of the Alphabet Song 12 times already that morning.

Again - Laughing, I smiled at the little girl. At which point she said, " . . . and I'm the daughter!" She said it with a tone like she had recently realized that she had gotten the raw end of some deal - giggle!

I got in my car (which was parked in the so-called 'parking lot') - still laughing about my new little friend - and wondered: Why is this so funny? This little 5-year old girl was self-confident and self assured enough to start spontaneous conversations with grown adults! So, at what point to we, the grown adults, lose the ability to talk to perfect strangers as if they weren't perfect strangers?

I wonder if it was actually God's plan for us to be able to start relationships with the same unassuming mutual respect for one another . . . but we just botched it up.

Maybe this is a little too profound for just a little innocent, albeit funny, exchange with a little 5-year old . . . but you have to admit there's a sermon here for all of us!

Obsessive Compulsive Confession #1

If there is anything I am obsessive compulsive about it’s TV and radio commercials. Blame it on my ‘Grumpy Old Man’ Complex but I really do hate them!

I don’t need all commercials to be funny, clever or even informative – just don’t make them so dang annoying! But then sometimes I’ll take annoying over disturbing. Case in point: the new Sprite Sublymonal commercial where the guy’s eye turns into a mouth – Disturbing! Not only does that commercial not make me want to buy Sprite, I’m considering doing away with carbonated drinks altogether!

I’ve managed to rid my life of most commercials by watching only recorded TV on my TiVo. When I see the same Man Law commercial for the 12th time: fast forward! When it becomes commercial time on my car radio I turn it off and make it Wade-enjoys-the-hum-of-the-road time – I’ve gotten pretty good at gauging when a radio station comes back from a commercial break.

Kelly says this kind of behavior only fuels my OCD/ADHD tendencies (OCD – obsessive compulsive disorder). I say this behavior helps me keep my sanity.

The commercial below is funny – although I have no idea what they are selling. (Double-click play button to start.)

Maverick fans sing "Everybody hurts!"

Following the NBA Finals debacle in which the Dallas Mavericks hand delivered a gifted wrapped championship to the Miami Heat, I received this email from someone who feels my pain . . .

I just thought I would let you know that I am contemplating selling all I have, moving to a far, far away land where no sportscenter and highlight clips can haunt my dreams. If I don't see you again for many, many years, know that I am probably in a remote village in Africa that lacks cable television.
In mourning,
Bert

I replied to Bert by asking if there was room for two.

What's in a name?

The best thing about finding out the sex of our baby will be that Kelly and I will be able to refer to our unborn child by something other than "it" - "What should we name it?" "What will it look like?" "Which sport will it excel at?" (Notice that I don't have a gender bias when it comes to sports!). I've tried calling it 'Baby Strzinek' but for some reason that doesn't have much ring to it . . .

So how do you go about naming your child? It's not like naming your dog (Macy got her namesake from a local news broadcaster) or naming your goldfish (I miss Frick and Frack!). This is your offspring! You can't go about this lightly! Once you've signed the paperwork you can't change your mind. What if you choose Mary but then you realize she looks more like a Sally? What if you go with William but then wished you hadn't when all of his friends start calling him Billy - no offense to any Billy's out there.

Furthermore, I have to take into account the magnatude of passing on the surname of Strzinek. Now, I'm extremely proud to be a Strzinek - we are rare and unique. Everybody knows a Jones, a Johnson or even a Smith - but only a fortunate few have come to know and love a Strzinek! That being said, this child will be forced to endure a lifetime of having it's last name misspelled and mispronounced. It will be constantly asked, "Is it Polish or is it Russian?" Neither! It's Czechoslovakian! And because of that, not every name in the book flows with Strzinek.

So I ask: How will we know when we've finally found the name? Is it an A-ha! moment? Will it somehow rhyme with Strzinek? (Sorry, Dominick is out!) I seem to remember a few parents-to-be in the Bible being told by God Himself what to name thier child. Although I'm quite sure my child will be the perfect little angel, I'm not expecting any hints from angelic apparitions anytime soon! Help me out if you can!

In the meantime, here's the 2005 Top Names List (none of which appear to be making our first cut):

(Boy/Girl)

1. Aidan/Madison
2. Caden/Ava
3. Caleb/Abigail
4. Ethan/Emma
5. Brayden/Cadence
6. Hayden/Riley
7. Dylan/Chloe
8. Jaden/Bailey
9. Logan/Isabella
10. Noah/Olivia

The Evolution of Dance

Remember the song from the 60’s called Land of 1,000 Dances?
This guy takes the concept to another level. It’s worth watching all 6 minutes!
He performed in Dallas during halftime of Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
(Thanks to Brian D. for passing this on!)

Daddy Thoughts

Watching Shannon, Brad and little Mallory has got me thinking about what it is going to be like this coming December when Kelly and I meet our little one for the first time.

Here are just a few of the thoughts about being a daddy floating around in my head:

1. If I agree to wake up with the baby during the night (every night), I wonder if Kelly will agree to change the diapers (every diaper!).
2. Oh goodie! Someone else to pester!
3. Diapers cost how much?
4. Formula cost how much?
5. Macy (our golden retriever) is about to take a huge step down in social status – although she’ll probably still be ranked higher than me.
6. I hope Kelly picks out a cool stroller that has a place to put my iPod (like the one Shannon and Brad picked out).
7. I wonder how people ever learned to be good parents before all of these books were written.
8. I hope the baby gets Kelly’s nose and not mine!
9. Fear the Colic!
10. What will the car seat do to the leather in Kelly’s car?
11. What will juice, snacks, toys, etc. do to the leather in Kelly’s car?
12. Can spit-up stain leather?
13. Teletubbies I can deal with - but I am NOT watching Barney!
14. Why does every little toy have to play an annoying song?
15. Yeah, I think I’m going to miss silence the most.
16. Finally! We get to decorate the ‘junk room’!
17. If it’s a boy: I can’t wait to teach him about the Cowboys, the Mavericks, The Beatles, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and Jesus.
18. If it’s a girl: I can’t wait to teach her about the Cowboys, the Mavericks, The Beatles, The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and Jesus. (Did you seriously think I would be able to teach a girl anything about being a girl – that’s Kelly’s job!)
19. I really don’t care if it’s a girl or a boy – Lord, just let our baby be healthy!
20. Hearing the heart beat is love at first sound!

Double-click on the play button below to see what I’m really worried about when it comes to having a baby! (Thanks to AJ & Kelly for passing this on.)

America's Funniest Dads

I'm a proud new uncle!

I'm a proud new uncle! I don't know why I'm so proud - it's not like I did anything!

Let me be the first to introduce you to Mallory Kate, born on Monday, June 5.

I don't remember her weight though - maybe Shannon will post it in the Comments section.

Here's the happy new family! Congrats, Shannon and Brad!

Ever heard of road rash?

I remember wondering when I was a little kid what it would be like to ride in an ambulance – now I know.

This past Saturday I rode in the Mesquite Rotary Bike Rally – which was a 57-mile route through Mesquite, Combine and Seagoville. 40 miles into the ride I was averaging close to 20 mph (a new record for me) and was looking like I would finish strong . . . until I rode over a grease spot in Seagoville!

Riding over a grease spot on a warm June morning is like running on pavement and then suddenly hitting sheer ice - and I hit it going 20 mph! One second my rear wheel is fishtailing and the next I’m on the pavement. Although I don’t remember anything after I hit the pavement, I was told that I slid 20 feet before stopping.

When I came to, people were huddled all around me. A student nurse saw the whole thing from her car and had already immobilized my head and shoulders just in case I had a head injury. Everybody was asking me questions, “Where do you hurt?”, “What’s your name?”, “Can you remember today’s date?”, “Who is the president?” (most questions were asked to see if I had a significant head injury).

By the time they put me in the ambulance I was starting to come out of the fog. Then I remember thinking, “Huh . . . so this is what it’s like to ride in an ambulance.” When I was a kid, I didn’t realize that riding in an ambulance would involve so much pain!

By the time we arrived at Baylor Dallas ER I began to realize that I didn’t brake any bones – but there was an incredible burning pain coming the right side of my body. Remember my sliding 20 feet on the pavement? Enter: road rash. Here’s a visual: take a concrete center block and use it to scrape skin off your body – road rash! It’s essentially a 2nd – 3rd degree burn. I’ve got road rash on my right forearm, on my right tricep, 2 places on my shoulder blade and on my right hip (the one on my hip is as big around as my hand with my fingers spread apart). I would show pictures but this is a family-oriented blog!

The worst part about road rash was when the nurse cleaned it. I’ll simply say that although I didn’t cry when I wrecked that wasn’t necessarily the case when he cleaned my road rash!

Kelly and I did, however, have a chance to laugh in the ER when they brought me a jumpsuit to wear home – it looked like a prisoner’s jumpsuit! Here’s an another visual for you: I walked out of the Baylor Dallas ER wearing a white (practically see-thru) jumpsuit, reeking of sweaty stinch from the bike ride, high from the IV morphine and covered in road rash! Surely this was one of Kelly’s proudest moments as my wife!

I’m actually doing pretty good considering. I’m walking around easily and I’m in pretty good spirits thanks to my pain medication. I love me some Lortab! I know this could have been a lot worse and I’m grateful that it wasn’t.

Kelly has been really great about not giving me a hard time about this . . . yet. I’m sure it won’t help much if I were to promise her that I will be even more cautious when I ride in the future. It sounds strange to say that these things just happen – but they do. I’ll give myself (and my bike) sometime time to recover and then I’ll start riding again soon.

Meanwhile Kelly, I’m sorry that I made you worry. I’m sorry that you were scared. You may not realize it, but I was scared until the moment you were by my side.