furiousBlog - in my diatribe » friends

Every 38 Seconds…

furiousBall — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:13:54 +0000

Today, I wanted to dedicate my blog to an awesome family that lives right around the corner from me, Charlie Haughey and his family. I’m going to let his mother, Julie tell you guys what they are up to…

“I am writing you today to ask for your support of an incredibly important organization, CureSearch for Children’s Cancer. As you may know, my son Charlie was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma on December 24, 2009. Three days later he celebrated his 3rd birthday and began 14 months of very aggressive treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Your generous donation supports CureSearch for Children’s Cancer, a national non-profit foundation whose mission is to fund and support children’s cancer research and provide information and resources to all those affected by children’s cancer. CureSearch raises funds for collaborative research conducted at more than 175 hospitals across the nation, including CHOP. These hospitals participate in National Cancer Institute sponsored clinical trials conducted by the Children’s Oncology Group. In the last 40 years, collaborative research has increased the overall survival rate for children’s cancer from 10% to 78%. At CureSearch, our goal is 100%.

Two years ago, I ran the New York Marathon with Team CureSearch. This year, I have chosen to join CureSearch in their fight for a cure by participating in The CureSearch Walk. The CureSearch Walk celebrates and honors children, like Charlie, whose lives have been affected by children’s cancer, while raising funds for lifesaving research. I have set an aggressive fundraising goal, because all children living with cancer and those who have lost their fight deserve it. Please consider making a donation to my campaign – there is no gift too big or too small.

Thank you for your support. I can promise that you are making a difference in the lives of all those affected by children’s cancer. Together, we can Reach the Day when every child with cancer is guaranteed a cure.

With hope and gratitude,

Julie Haughey”

To donate to CureSearch for Children’s Cancer, please use this link.

Do something good today folks. A Child Dies From Childhood Cancer Every 38 Seconds. Who is ready to stand with this brave family? Make a difference today.

Movie Reviews…

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – there’s only two reasons you want to see this movie… either you’re 12 or you would pay money to watch Johnny Depp do anything. Or both I guess.

Small Business/Tech Links…

Funny/Interesting Links…

OK, Sonic you might be on to something here… the guys from the real TV commercials have filmed a response video to Giorgio’s I Love Sonic video (posted yesterday). If Sonic puts Giorgio in a Super Bowl commercial, I (and lots of other folks) will suddenly become big Sonic fans.
Is LoMoing the New Tebowing?
Old Spice’s Terry Crews Crashes a Bounce Ad
How to ward off a mental disorder during a meeting
What every woman wishes her ex-boyfriend’s dating profile looked like
Sh*t Barefoot Runners Say - thanks Bill!
Tea Party Jesus

The cheese shoppe may have closed, but the bonds remain…

furiousBall — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:46:05 +0000

The cheese shoppe may have closed, but the bonds remain… this is Abbe’s former co-worker and our very good friend, Caroline. She now works at one of my client’s stores. She misses Abbe. A lot.

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enjoying the ride

furiousBall — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:35:25 +0000

I had one of those days yesterday that us coders run into once and a while – lots of stuff done, but one unsolved problem ruins the entire day. Microsoft is world renowned for their ability to break previous versions during upgrades and MS Access 2010 is brutal. I ultimately had to tell a customer that I wouldn’t be able to help them, ate the 3+ billable hours of research time, and let them know they need an Access programmer that can come on site to take a look at what is going on. I did fix a couple of issues, but I am still agonizing over not getting that fixed for them. You win some, you lose some.

On the bright side, Abbe had a great first day of work yesterday. My buddy Ricky Oyola came over to watch the Flyers beat the Wild (and Viv made him sit and watch a bunch of Simon’s Cat videos, then Bubs showed him a few things on the Xbox). And I have a couple of potential clients that would lead to some fun projects and nice people to work with in the next few months. I need to shrug that speed bump off and enjoy the ride. Life is good.

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Last Day in Disney

furiousBall — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:43:23 +0000

Our last day in Disney was pretty great. We hit Hollywood Studios and Epcot. I felt pretty crummy in the morning after breakfast, but that was due to me overeating at breakfast (not a good idea the day after a marathon). Abbe is in good shape, but she is down about not being able to do the half marathon. So although, we pretty much had our minds up NOT to Disney for a while, that could change – there is definitely some unfinished business for her. We are considering doing the Perfect Goofy which is a small step up from the Goofy – adding a 5K to the half marathon and full marathon on consecutive days.

In the ER, Abbe and I talked about getting married – and although we talked about grand plans of doing a getaway vacation – we just want to be married. In my mind, the immediacy of being able to protect her really are in the forefront of my noggin. I want her to be OK if something ever happened to me. I want to be able to cover her with a health insurance policy. And most importantly, I want to call her my wife.

Abbe was so sad about missing the half and not completing the Goofy. I reminded her that what she did – having two seizures a day and a half before running a full marathon may not have ever been accomplished. She is a much more elite person than I am in my mind, but then again, she always has been to me.

And here are some pictures of our last day in Disney! Leaving Florida this afternoon and back to Jersey!

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WE DID IT!

furiousBall — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:40:18 +0000

Wow, what an weekend this has been! Time is short, because we need to head off to breakfast and then go have some fun at the Disney parks! So, I’ll do most of the explaining in pictures…

Pictures from the day of the half marathon…

Pictures from the full marathon…

Oh and here is Viv and Abbe doing their celebration handshake…

Happy Birthday Mom!

furiousBall — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:52:49 +0000

Around this time tomorrow, we will be dropping off Titan at Canine Cottage and then riding to the airport for our flight to Orlando. It’s currently 12 F here in Medford Lakes, NJ and tomorrow in Orlando, it should be right around 70. We’ll take it.

But before we go, today is a very special day. Today is my mother’s birthday. I wouldn’t be without my Mom. But this marathon business would be impossible without her. Her help has been just flat out awesome. We are heading out for some sushi tonight to celebrate at our favorite spot, Wasabi. Happy Birthday to the best Mom ever!

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Iowa Nice
English Pronunciation – thanks Tracy
Video: NSFW Siri Commercial Spoof
Coffee Break Dance (Video)
17 countries, 343 days and 6,237 pictures take you around the world in 5 minutes
CRAZY hockey move – thanks Marty, can’t wait to show this to Bubs

Happily Loud Again

furiousBall — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:56:29 +0000

I spent most of yesterday working, but thankfully, did get enough work done to enjoy some of the Winter Classic on TV. Titan was picked up in the morning. The kids came home in the evening. The home is happily loud again.

Just a few days before Abbe, Bill, and I will be running all over Disney World. We would love for you to follow us during race day(s). You can do so by signing up here. You can follow us via phone, email, Facebook, or Twitter.

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Ok, 2012… let’s do this!

furiousBall — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 21:01:37 +0000

Happy 2012 everybody! This has been quite a year for our home: I ran my first marathon, I proposed to Abbe, Bubs played his first ice hockey games, Viv made some amazing art, I turned 40, the kids went camping for the first time ever in a real tent in the woods, Bubs got his first straight A’s report card, I got health insurance, Viv and Van both got baseballs at a Phillies game, Abbe and I were in the newspaper, Abbe, Bill, and I raised over $11,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and we adopted Titan. So 2012, I think you’ve got some great stuff in store for us as well – let’s do this.

Oh and before our 10 mile run (the last big one before next weekend’s Goofy Challenge in Disney World!)… Abbe discussed black toenails that we runners are prone to get… and I react…

And before I forget, here are some pictures from NYE with the Mecks, we had a blast!

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Happiness is…

furiousBall — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 12:56:57 +0000

Texting a Pens fan after Jagr scores a goal for the Flyers against the Pens in Pittsburgh…

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Goodbye to a sweet soul, Help Alex!, and last run?

furiousBall — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:02:12 +0000

I got a sad email last night, I learned that I will be carrying Aunt Bee’s (a relative of my friend, Lime) name on my shoe during the Disney Marathon in memory. She passed away yesterday afternoon due to a bout with pneumonia. She was fighting leukemia and sounded like one of funniest and happiest people in the world.

Today, I wanted to hopefully let some folks know about a good friend of mine and his quest to fight cancer as well. Alex is my neighbor, former co-worker, and just an all-around awesome dude. Unfortunately, he also lost his mother to cancer. Alex is doing a different sort of fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society, he is participating in the 11th Annual 48 hours of TriState: Subaru Enthusiasts Drive for Charity. Please consider a donation if you are able to do so. If you are not able to give, please share this link. Do something good today.

And with all this cancer news in my blog, I have some disappointing news as well – this will probably be the last year Abbe and I are going to be able to do the Disney Marathon for some time. The financial commitment from ourselves has just become too much. We are considering doing the Philadelphia Marathon instead next year, but that isn’t certain either. My mother told me the other night she will not be able to go next year to help with the children and Abbe and I are just not able to endure another fundraising season.

See, the deadline to get donations in prior to us being charged is generally 1-2 weeks before Christmas. The past two years, I have had to hold off on doing any Christmas shopping with the fear that Abbe and I would be charged the money not raised. Ergo, Abbe and I have become those poor relatives that only can afford to give you photos of my kids for Christmas. If it wasn’t for my mother’s ridiculously generous gifts, my kids would have had very few things to open. And although, I’m blathering on about Christmas gifts (and believe me, I know that gifts is not what Christmas is all about), Abbe has a car that is barely running and my truck literally has parts of it wired and duct-taped to hold it together.

We are tired of begging and being poor. There are some issues we would like to be see fixed/changed at Team in Training that legitimately get in the way of the folks doing the fundraising (aka us!). We want to get married. This year-end clearing of our bank accounts has made it impossible for us to save for our wedding. We will be back in some capacity, but at this point, it looks like we need a year or two off.