What's a Picture Worth?

The Lumberjack

2012-02-13T00:13:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago my wife found out that she had a pretty high intolerance to eggs, which is crushing news because practically everything good is made with eggs. Cookies, brownies, almost anything fried...and oh yeah, omelets.

Two years later that means my wife's diet is pretty healthy, and we never go out to breakfast anymore. Why would we, there isn't much she can eat on the ol' morning menu after all. However, for reasons that I don't fully understand myself, we went to the Lake Murray Cafe this morning for brunch. She actually ordered off of the lunch menu and I had something called the Lumberjack.

3 eggs, 3 sausage links, 4 strips of bacon, hash browns and 3 buttermilk pancakes. Apparently the name "Heart Stopper" was already taken.

My theory was I hadn't had a proper egg breakfast in 2 years, and there is no telling when an opportunity like this might present itself again so I had better store some away for the winter. I'm happy/embarrassed to say I took that lumberjack down. In fact, he didn't stand a chance.

Big tree fall hard.

Kick His Ass Seabass

2012-02-12T23:49:00.000-08:00

There are two major truths that one can learn from viewing this picture. First, I have an incredible neck tan working this winter. Second, I am clearly a better boxer then my neighbor Pat.

On Saturday Pat's youngest son Jack celebrated his 4th birthday with something called a "Wonder Pets" party. I don't really know what that means but apparently you don't sing the tradition Happy Birthday song when it comes time for cake, as witnessed by this undercover video. It also apparently means that after watching 15 kids jump inside an inflatable castle for 3 hours, Pat and I get first dibs on the video games inside.

Pat has one of those systems where you are the controller, so instead of hitting the "A" and "B" buttons to exert your dominance over the next guy, you have to actually throw punches. The end result looks like this, a pathetic display of flailing arms and unjustified sweat.

Even worse, I lost.

Pearl Jam Twenty

2012-02-11T09:01:00.000-08:00

During my freshmen year of high school the "Grunge" movement hit Southern California full force and the 3 bands leading that charge were Soundgarden, Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Of those three, Pearl Jam grew to be my favorite, so when I heard that Cameron Crowe had written and directed a documentary about the band, I was like an 8 year old school girl who just got a pony for Christmas. That is to say I was excited!

Now thanks to Netflix I've had a chance to see it and I'm even more excited. The thing is I'm not a crazy music person that is super dialed into the scene, I'm just a guy that listens to the radio and buys a song or two on itunes every now and again. But Pearl Jam is the one band, and Eddie Vedder the one guy that I can't get enough of. Good, bad or indifferent.

If you were in high school in the early 90's and you have Netflix, do yourself a favor and find 2 hours in your weekend to sit down and watch this documentary. If you're anything like me you'll be yelling, "That's fcuking awesome" at the TV in no time.

Mixed Tape

2012-02-09T23:38:00.000-08:00

There is something nice about going to the theater...a little snooty sounding sure, but nice. That's because for me there is nothing more moving then seeing a live performance, whatever it is. A band, a play, a sporting event...doesn't matter, seeing it live and in person makes it better.

We are so accustomed to watching things through the filter of TV or the internet that we forget how truly impressive it is to make music, or deliver a performance, or hit a fastball. When you watch it on TV it looses some of it's realism but when you're close enough to hear the sound a 90 mph fastball makes when it hits the catches mit, you are suddenly reminded of just how special these entertainers are.

Tonight the ladies and I went to see Mixed Tape at the Horton Grand Theater downtown, and let me tell you this is a fun show. Basically it's one big mixed tape of all your favorite 80's songs, and since I was in middle school for the last 3 years of the 80's, it brought back a bunch of memories. If you remember the 80's at all I recommend going to see it, but if you do, go on a Friday night and dress in your best 80's gear. You'll have a blast.

Good as New

2012-02-09T16:23:00.000-08:00

So I got my car back from the shop today and after checking out the repairs I had two epiphanies.

First, the guys at Courtesy Chevrolet know what they are doing when it comes to auto repair. They even straightened out my bent license plate.

Second, I no longer have to worry about saving for my future children's college fund...they're going to trade school. Holy smokes it's expensive to get your car fixed! Mind you the only thing damaged on my car was the rear bumper, and then only slightly.

Total cost of repairs, $833.40.

That doesn't even include the cost of a rental car, which I had to have for 9 days while they attached a new bumper.

The good news is kids look really cute in mechanic overalls.

A Working Lunch

2012-02-08T18:24:00.000-08:00

I tell people all the time that there are a ton of great things about not having a job...and only one bad thing.

Lunches like this one fall in the "plus" category for obvious reasons. The trick is not to indulge in too many of these "working" lunches...but every once in awhile it just hits the spot.

Tuesday, with all it's rain and blustery conditions, was one of those days.

Jam Session

2012-02-07T14:15:00.000-08:00

Jack Johnson and G Love we are not, but my Dad and I still have a good time when we get together and jam. Though "jam" might be too intense a word for what we do when we get together...strumming might be more accurate. Regardless of the music we make or the intensity with which we make it, there is something extremely satisfying about two or more people getting together to make music.

Maybe it's the collaborative effect of small group dynamics, maybe music is greater then the sum of it's respective parts...maybe it's nice to have someone else there to cover your mistakes. Whatever it is, it makes it more fun to play.

Does it make it sound any better...probably not, but that's what Jack Johnson and G Love are for.

Super Bowl Sunday

2012-02-06T14:29:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl Sunday is as much about the actually Super Bowl as Cinco de Mayo is actually about the battle of Puebla...unless your team is in the game or you're from Puebla, it's pretty much just an excuse to party. That means for most of the 111.3 million Americans who watch the game on TV it's all about finding the right spot to watch the game...I might have won.

Were there jello shots and drink specials, no. Was there a live band and did anyone win a new car, no. Did we have an absolutely beautiful house and gracious hosts, you betcha.

In fact the toughest decision I had all day was whether or not to show the house or the view. I guess we know how that decision went.

Tokyo Drift

2012-02-04T20:02:00.000-08:00

Someone once said that parents are for saying no, and grandparents are for saying yes. Case in point, my neighbor Pat.

This year for Christmas Grandma and Grandpa got his two boys electric go-carts...really fast electric go-carts. I'm pretty sure there is no way Pat and his wife Jenny would have come up with this idea on their own, and I know they wouldn't have executed said idea had they thought of it. That's what grandparents are for.

The good news is their oldest boy, Charlie, is actually really good on that thing. He can spin 360's and he makes Vin Diesel look like a little old lady out for a Sunday drive. It's pretty fun to watch.

The bad news is he's going to be 16 one day and I'll have to turn in my license, because I have no doubt he is going to be in some drag racing gang through the streets of Talmadge.

Marker!

2012-02-04T18:34:00.000-08:00

When I was in 7th Grade I starred in a full length feature motion picture called "Treasure", which sounds cooler then saying I was in a cheesy B-Movie when I was a kid. The reason I mention it (I mean besides the fact that I'm trying to push the trailer up over 37 views) is that working on this project for Rady Children's Hospital has brought back some memories.

Sure our crew is a little smaller and our funding is a little more solid, but both productions had a clapperboard...and that is awesome! Nothing makes a production feel more legit (especially a B-Movie from the late 80's) then some guy yelling "Marker" and then slapping two pieces of wood together.

Eat your heart out Scorsese.

Evening Sesh

2012-02-04T18:01:00.000-08:00

As a general rule you pretty much only surf in the morning or in the late afternoon, the rest of the time it's too windy. For my money, mornings are the best. It's usually way glassier, a lot less crowed and by the time you get out and clean up it's time for lunch.

Having worked nights for the past 5 years I didn't really have much choice, it was a morning session or nothing. So now that I have more free time I decided to try an evening sesh. It was fine...not as good as it probably was in the morning...but fine. Here's what wasn't fine...spraying off my wetsuit and board in the dark. No thank you, I'll stick to the mornings when everyone else is at work or school.

Wintering in SD

2012-02-02T12:19:00.000-08:00

For as long as there have been mother in-laws, there have been jokes about mother in-laws...and most of them are of the unflattering variety. The sad thing is that I think for a lot people the jokes are a reality...but not for me.

Of course I know that my mother in-law is one of the only people who reads this blog regularly, so even if I didn't like her I would probably still write nice things about her here. The problem is, I'm a terrible liar so I probably wouldn't be able to pull it off, and further more, if I really felt like that I would just write about something else.

So it is with a good conscience and complete honesty that I say that I have a wonderful mother in-law. She is kind, loving and a heck of poker player...kind of like her daughter actually. She lives in the Midwest were it gets COLD in the winter, so after years of encouragement we finally got her to commit to a full month in San Diego. I have a feeling she is going to really like it!

Pimp My Ride

2012-02-01T08:42:00.000-08:00

With my car in the shop after our fender bender on Sunday, that means I need something to get me from point A to point B for the next couple of days. Lucky for me my insurance covers the cost of a rental while my car is getting repaired. Super lucky for me Enterprise Rental Car only had one vehicle available on Tuesday morning...and she is a beauty!

Now if I could only find a basketball team that needs a ride somewhere...

Bon Voyage

2012-01-31T10:36:00.000-08:00

I didn't take French but my online dictionary did, and according to her bon voyage, literally translated, means "good journey". Which is perfect because that is exactly what I wish for my buddy Josh as he gets set to move to San Francisco this Wednesday. Even though it means he is moving away from his family and many of his friend, you can't help but hear the excitement in his voice when he talks about the move...and I share it with him.

San Francisco is an awesome town with great history, a fun vibe and tons of cool places to check out. The only thing it doesn't have is a Filippis Pizza Grotto, which is why we ate there last night. That was both a great decision and a terrible one. Great because the food is tasty, the atmosphere is casual and it's the only place in Little Italy with a parking lot, terrible because I ate my weight in pizza and had crazy "cheese dreams" last night.

If you don't know what "cheese dreams" are, look it up...it's a real thing.

Thanks for the Gift

2012-01-30T00:09:00.000-08:00

My beautiful wife celebrated her birthday today, the last of the January birthday crew, and what a day it was.

Homemade pancakes and mimosas in the morning, Phil's BBQ this evening...we even got rear-ended on the freeway today (everyone's OK), but the most memorable part of the day was the actually day itself. Gorgeous!

Lucky for us in between carb-intensive meals and phone calls to the insurance adjuster, we got to enjoy the day San Diego style. Outside and near the water. There is a reason we all pay so damn much to live here and it's days like today. If you don't make the most of them, then you're wasting your money...and I don't have a job so that's not an option.

Oscar Buzz

2012-01-29T23:52:00.000-08:00

For the second weekend in a row the Gossard's and the Weisbarth's had a hot Saturday on the town. Last week it was Disneyland, this week it was Mexican food and movies.

The comida came from El Zarape on Adams Ave and the cinema came from France...it turns out both were excellent. I had the carna asada torta and we went to see "The Artist", starring Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo. Having been born in the mid-seventies I just missed the golden age of silent films, and in fact had never seen one until Saturday...more then that I had zero desire to see a silent film. I mean just because people used to travel by covered wagon doesn't mean I want to trade in my car for a new pony.

Things of the past are just that...and usually for a reason. That said, "The Artist" was very good and in my opinion deserves the 10 Oscar nominations that it received. It's funny, it's moving, and it's a great love story...all without any dialogue.

Do I recommend it, yes. Do I recommend Hollywood revisits the silent film era, no thank you.

Air Drum

2012-01-29T23:04:00.000-08:00

Everybody plays the air guitar, it's safe...even cliche. But it takes a certain caliber of person to rock the air drums...a complete spazz. Don't get me wrong a good air drummer (and you're looking at two of them in this picture) is way more impressive and dynamic to watch then a good air guitarist.

The problem is the margin for error is much slimmer on the air drum kit. You get off beat even a little or miss a couple of symbol crashes and it just looks like you're swatting at imaginary bees. The other problem is that the air drums don't translate well to still photography.

Lesson learned.

Lights, Camera, Action!

2012-01-27T00:02:00.000-08:00

It's been 26 days since I stood in front of a camera and talked at it, so it was nice to get back in the saddle today. Sadly I wasn't shooting a new series for the Discovery Channel but I still had fun, and it was my first time shooting with a RED Camera. I realize it's kind of dorky to be all giddy over the type of camera you're shooting (and no, RED does not refer to it's color), but I can't help it. I thought it was cool

As far as what we were shooting, that's a little less sexy, but then corporate videos usually are. This one however supports a great organization, Rady Children's Hospital. I bet you didn't know that they offer all kinds of home safety items at wholesale prices, right? That's good info if you've got kids or Grandparents living with you.

Of course that's the whole point of the video so maybe forget about it until we're done shooting.

Power Reunion

2012-01-26T09:50:00.000-08:00

There is something exciting about reuniting groups from the past in the present day. Bands do this all the time...The Eagles, Van Halen, even the New Kids on the Block recognize the power of a reunion tour. I guess as a species we're just nostalgic.

So I can only assume how exciting/impressive it must be for all of you to see the 1994 Boy and Girl Most Popular from Coronado High School back together again!!! Nicole and I have been talking about doing something like this for years now and the pieces finally fell into place. If you missed our first public appearance in years, not to worry, we'll be doing it again soon.

Be sure to check PerezHilton.com for times and places.

Happy Birthday Mom

2012-01-24T23:08:00.000-08:00

I know what you're thinking, "Wow John, another January birthday. How novel." I get it...but what can I do? I can't control when people were born and it's not like I've been filling my days free climbing and bungee jumping. This is what you get in a "Picture of the Day" blog from me in January.

Besides, this was a special day for birthdays today. Not only was it my Mom's birthday, it was my brother in-law Mike's birthday as well. While I'm sure Mike was in bed early tonight ready to get a jump on the day tomorrow, the Weisbarth's were living it up at Peohe's. It was a nice night at dinner, even if the service left something to be desired, and we had plenty to talk about.

Growing up we always had dinner together as a family and now, obviously, we almost never do. It doesn't make me sad that we don't do it as often...everyone's busy, but it does make me happy when we do get together.

More importantly I know my Mom loves it, and today, that is what was most important.

Out to Dinner

2012-01-23T23:12:00.000-08:00

There's not really a whole lot of story to this picture. Just me and a couple of dudes bellied up to the bar waiting for something to eat.

Jack had the kids burger but only ate the bun, Wren ordered the chicken tenders but ended up mostly eating Jack's french fries and I ate everything.

Pretty standard actually.

Birthday Month

2012-01-22T23:22:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned in this blog before that January is a very popular birthday month for my group of friends. A few years ago that made for a very busy January on the social calendar. Now-a-days though with so many of my friends busy with things that don't qualify for the "social" calendar, we try to consolidate a bit more. Like tonight for instance.

Tonight a bunch of the January birthday crew went over to our friend (and January b-day girl) Erin Dial's house for an all inclusive birthday dinner. It was perfect. Good food, good friends and a really good football game on TV. My plan for the picture today was to get all the birthday girls together in one photo with me...but I forgot. Worse yet, my photoshop software isn't working right now so I couldn't even fake it.

So instead you get me, Erin and a birthday lemon to represent all the other January b-day's. Hey when life hands you a lemon, take a picture, right?

The Happiest Place on Earth

2012-01-22T22:53:00.000-08:00

I'm no scientist, but by my estimation we are in the midst of one of the most mild winters Southern California has seen in years. The sun seems to always be out, the temperature has barely dipped below 68 degrees since football season started and it has only rained once in 2012. Lucky for me that one day of rain came on Saturday...or as I like to call it, "the day I took Megan to Disneyland to meet our dear friends the Gossards who we haven't seen in months".

Really?!?!?

I haven't been to Disneyland in more then 20 years, this was my big surprise Christmas present to my wife this year...and this is the day it rains?! As they say, timing is everything. Of course despite being completely flabbergasted on the car ride up, we still knew we were going to have fun and that no matter what we would make the best of a bad situation.

But here's the thing, when we got there it stopped raining. The clouds parted, the sun came out and all of a sudden we had Disneyland all to ourselves...mostly. It was awesome! Small lines, manageable crowds, and plenty of Churros.

I don't know how Mickey pulled it off but he managed to save Christmas in January. I guess it really is the Magical Kingdom.

It's 5 o'clock Somewhere

2012-01-22T22:24:00.000-08:00

When you don't have to get up and go to work everyday it's easy to become a regular on the happy hour circuit. Couple that with the fact that my previous job kept me unavailable for happy hour the past 5 years and you've got the makings of an All-Pro Happy Hour QB.

That's what I was afraid of.

So in order to keep from sliding down what could be a slippery slope, one of my New Year's Resolutions this year was to not drink any alcohol at all during the week. On the weekends...that's another story. Which raises an interesting question, when exactly does the weekend start?

I contest that most people would say the weekend starts when you get off of work on Friday and lasts until you go to bed on Sunday. If you had to put a number on it I would say 5pm Friday until 11pm Sunday night. That sounds fair, right?

All that said, when my former co-worker Jenny Cavnar and I got together for a late lunch this Friday we may have ventured into The Alibi on University for quick after lunch libation. The problem is it was only 3pm, so in the interest of sticking to my resolution, we just imagined ourselves in a neighborhood bar somewhere in Chicago.

Problem solved. Thanks time Central Standard time zone.

Take a Load Off

2012-01-20T10:21:00.000-08:00

Getting your car worked on is the worst. Whether it's waiting for an oil change or a new clutch, sitting around in some dingy mechanic's waiting room is brutal. I appreciate the work that's being done and I'm thankful for a place to sit but I don't really want to drink 3 day old coffee while perusing last April's Popular Mechanics.

That's why I get my tires done at Costco.

Knock out a couple laps through the food stations, look at an 80" TV and then settle down with my iPad in a nice comfy sectional. It's literally better then being at home.

Now if you could only renew your driver's license there.

Mr. Resilient

2012-01-18T23:05:00.000-08:00

When you have most of your days free like I currently do, you find yourself setting a lot of lunch dates. The problem is, that can get expensive if you're doing it everyday, so you need to be smart about. That usually means finding a place with some solid deals, which is a great strategy...for suckers.

If you really want to be resilient and continue to live the high life then you have to go to lunch with people who get paid to eat for a living...and can pay for your meal as well.

Enter Troy Johnson, food editor at San Diego Magazine.

Troy and I have known each other for a few years now and were even colleagues at Channel 4 back in the day. That ended when the show he was hosting, "Outta Left Field" got cancelled abruptly a few weeks before it's 2nd season was about to start. That cancellation came on the heels of his multi-Emmy Award winning show "Fox Rocks" getting cancelled as well. In the span of a few weeks Troy's professional world got turned on it's head.

So what did Troy do? He reinvented himself as a food writer and eventually parlayed that into hosting a national show on The Food Network. Pretty resilient if you ask me. That's why I asked him to lunch today, I wanted to hear his story and be reminded that often times what we think are endings, are actually great beginnings.

I still made him pay for lunch though.

Ain't Technology Grand?

2012-01-18T00:43:00.000-08:00

I did something today I haven't done all year...work. But don't worry I didn't work too hard, just an hour or so and I didn't even leave my house. That last part is the cool part, not that I couldn't stand to get outside a little bit, but it's the technology that allowed me to stay at home that I think is so cool.

Little back story for you, in November I shot a pilot for a show called "UnScrewed" that is being developed for the History Channel. Whether it actually gets picked up our not is a question that won't be answered for another 2 to 9 months...if it does I'll tell you all about it then. For now you just need to know that tonight I had to voice some "pick-ups" for the pilot episode.

That's the part with the cool technology. You see as recently as 2 years ago there is no way I could have recorded broadcast quality voice over's while sitting in my office at home...not without spending a gazillion dollars that is. Now for only about $250 I own the Yeti Pro, a really good microphone that plugs directly into my computer.

That, a couple of pillows, a spoon full of honey and I'm ready to conquer the world. That's how to work.

Didn't See That Coming

2012-01-16T23:24:00.000-08:00

I got a text from my buddy Andre today. It basically said that a few of the Dads were getting together at his place tonight with the kids because the ladies were going out and he wanted to know if I would like to stop by. We had been talking about getting together to watch "Swingers" lately so I said sure.

Here's how I honestly thought the night was going to go. Show up at 6:30, have a bite to eat, put the kids to bed then kick back and enjoy the movie while commenting on how skinny Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn were.

Boy am I an idiot.

Here's what parents understand that people like me who don't have kids fail to grasp...when you have kids there is no such thing as "plans". Instead you're reduced to a rough outline, or maybe a thumbnail sketch of an idea. I mean we did all get together and there was food there and the movie was playing on the TV, but the night really didn't go down how I envisioned it. Sure we hit all the bullet points on the outline, it's just the details that were a little off.

We still had a great time and shared plenty of laughs, it just had less to do with the movie we were watching and more to do with the craziness of the night.

Lesson learned.

Tickle Me Elmo...Ya Heard

2012-01-16T00:43:00.000-08:00

Kids love Elmo...like a lot.

Burt and Ernie, Big Bird, the Cookie Monster, all good characters...but they don't even hold a candle to Elmo. He's like the Justin Beber of Muppets...he even plays the drums.

So it came as absolutely no surprise that my buddy Guido's 2 year old nephew Jack was having an Elmo themed birthday party tonight. The part that was surprising was just how committed Jack's parents were to executing the theme. Elmo cupcakes, Elmo party hats, Elmo figurines, pin the noise on Elmo, Elmo T-Shirts and every kind of Elmo doll ever created. Pretty easy to understand how that could be a little overwhelming, right?

Wrong.

It was awesome! It turns out it's not just kids who love Elmo...everybody loves that furry little bastard. And what's not to love? He's super humble, he always makes people feel at ease and he's just so damn cute. Of course that last part is not much of a problem when you're 2, but when you're 35...it's different. That's why Guido and I decided to update his look a bit...make him a little edgier.

Mission accomplished. Good thing too, otherwise it would be kind of weird for two grown men to pose with a doll.

Lions on the Prowl

2012-01-16T00:07:00.000-08:00

I know what you're thinking...is that the cast of "Ocean's Eleven" or was there a male modeling convention in town this weekend? Don't worry we get that all the time, but the truth of the matter is this was just a long over due boys night out.

I've talked about this before but I really believe the secret to a great romantic relationship is being able to spend time with your friends every once in awhile...without your significant other. On the surface I can see how that sounds counter intuitive, maybe even mean, but it's not. Recognizing the value of maintaining your same sex friendships has nothing to do with choosing "the guys" over your wife or vice versa, and everything to do with being the best possible person you can be. Deep, long lasting friendships like the ones I share with the guys in this picture only help me to be a more well rounded and all around better man. That includes being a better husband.

Lucky for me I have partner in my wife Megan who understands that. Actually it's more then that, she encourages it...and I encourage the same with her. The end result, in my opinion, is a strong, healthy relationship that will stand the test of time.

Kind of like my friendships with my male modeling buddies.

The Things You Do

2012-01-14T17:32:00.000-08:00

I don't know if it was because it was Friday the 13th, or because I've got plenty of free time these days, but I found myself in a unique situation this Friday morning. I was at Poway Fun Bowl with Mark Grant and some new friends filming a "movie." I put the word movie in quotes because this wasn't exactly Mission Impossible 4...hell it wasn't even The Treasure. What we were doing was closer to a high school AV Club production...freshman year.

That said it was a pretty fun situation to find myself in. Granted, I didn't have any lines and my only contribution to the film was to show off my "sweet" dance moves (notice the quotes), but it was a good group of people and I guess, a nice resume builder.

Now I just have to keep my fingers crossed I don't end up on the cutting room floor.

Burger Renaissance

2012-01-13T15:12:00.000-08:00

I know Mom, Baseball and Apple Pie have always gotten credit for being distinctly American, but I contest that Burgers are more popular then at least 2 of those 3...and maybe even all of them. Sorry Mom.

Of course just because something is popular doesn't necessarily means it's beloved, and burgers definitely fell into that category in the 90's and early 2000's. Somewhere between the back yard BBQ and Ronald MacDonald serving more then a billion of them, burgers got a bad wrap. But now all of that is behind us thanks to the emergence of the craft burger.

These days you can't swing a dead cat (again, sorry Mom) without hitting a new specialty burger restaurant. Grass feed beef and sweet potato fries have made the burger cool again. More then that...they've practically made it healthy!

But even with all the really great burgers out there today, my hands down favorite is still the Kilauea Burger from Islands. That's what was for lunch today...and might even be tomorrow. Now if I could just get Islands to take the calorie count off the menu I wouldn't hate myself so much.

I Love Parks

2012-01-11T23:45:00.000-08:00

About 2.5 million years ago the species Homo (as in Homo Sapiens) appeared, and about 2.3 million years after that humans as we know them (at least anatomically) came into existence...if you believe that kind of thing. But whether you believe that or something else we do know that for a vast majority of that time humans have lived in and around nature. It is only quite recently that most of us have moved into cities.

Now that we're here, we've got parks.

Of course not all parks are created equal. Some are big, some have trees, some just have grass, some don't have any grass at all, but they all have at least one thing in common...they attract people. Maybe we're drawn to them instinctively or maybe people just got tired of playing football in the street, either way people love parks.

Today I put my love of parks on display by having lunch with my buddy Teevan at Rotary Park in Coronado. Except for the table, and the bench, and the fountain, and the traffic driving by, and the "wi-fi hotspot" sign, I'm sure it was exactly the same type of thing that has been going on for the last 2.5 million years.

Debby Date Night

2012-01-10T23:48:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of good things about not working...and one very bad thing. This post is about one of the good things...last minute dinner plans with my sister.

After a long day of doing inventory at work Debra needed a night out and I was there to answer the call...happily. You see I was in the middle of cleaning out my closet. Deciding which close were headed for Goodwill and which ones were going back on the hanger. Riveting stuff I assure you.

So we hit up Hip-Hop Sushi and then went to a movie...and it was a blast. We saw the new Mission Impossible flick, which was entertaining, and the sushi is always good at Hip-Hop Sushi, but the thing that was so nice was hanging with my sister. We are 8 years apart so at times growing up, we didn't have all that much in common. My freshmen year of college she was in 5th grade...I wasn't into Purple Dinosaurs and she didn't know what a keg stand was.

Now that she's 27 and I'm 35 though, the world is our oyster. Not only do we have tons in common now and everything to talk about, it turns out she's a pretty cool chick. Obviously I have known that for quite awhile now, but sitting with her tonight I couldn't help but think how proud I was to be her brother.

I love you Debby.

Supercuts...Not Just a Catchy Name

2012-01-10T00:50:00.000-08:00

I don't consider myself cheap, or even frugal for that matter, but I will never understand how a haircut can cost more then a $100. Screw that, I don't see how it could cost more then $50.

And just so we are all on the same page here I'm not talking about girl haircuts where you get your hair dyed and get it cut in layers and you get a scalp massage...actually that shouldn't cost more then $50. Maybe I am talking about girl haircuts.

Mainly though, I'm talking about my haircut. A wash, a cut, a scalp massage and maybe even a hot towel on your face. At a salon that would probably cost me $60 to $80, maybe more. At Supercuts it was $26...$32 after the tip.

Now in the interest of full disclosure I did appear in a series of commercials for Supercuts this summer, but they're not paying me to write this and besides that I've been going to the same shop for over a decade. So believe me when I say that I love Supercuts, it is heart-felt.

I've never received a bad haircut, I've never had to make an appointment, the stylists are all experienced, friendly and good at their jobs, and I've never had to spend more then $50.

It really is a super place to get a hair cut

Finally

2012-01-08T22:10:00.000-08:00

Growing up the tradition at our house was that the Christmas stuff goes up on the weekend after Thanksgiving, and it comes down on New Years Day. It's a good tradition as far as I'm concerned, in fact it's one I believe in strongly. You have plenty of time with the tree but it's not up obnoxiously early and you get to start the New Year off with a clean slated and an uncluttered house.

Of course that was when my Dad took care of all that stuff. Now that it's up to me and Megan, we've gotten a little lazy. This year the tree went up on Dec 7th and didn't come down until today, Jan 8th.

Oops.

There's nothing worse then being the last house on the block with all the Christmas lights up. Maybe now I'll finally be able to look my neighbors in the eyes.

Little Willie

2012-01-08T21:49:00.000-08:00

Let's just get all the awkwardness out of the way right up front...this looks like a picture of me and my life partner and our new adopted baby. And yes, we look pretty good together, I know.

Now that that is out of the way we can move forward.

What this actually is, is a picture of me and William A. Wolters IV and William A. Wolters V. I'll let you figure out which is which. This weekend was Little Willie's first birthday, and let me tell you he can throw a party. Beer, margaritas, and plenty of cake...but the star of the show was the taco guy.

I love me some tacos! Especially the kind that get cooked up right in front of you street taco style. Normally in a situation like that, I'm good for about 12 tacos. Unfortunately on Saturday I cut myself off at 6.

Stupid New Years Resolutions.

Swell of the Year

2012-01-06T23:32:00.000-08:00

I know the year is only 6 days old so calling the swell that is hitting Southern California right now, "The Swell of the Year" is not exactly going out on a limb. But by definition you can't argue with my statement...for now.

How long this monicker remains true is anybodies guess, but I have a feeling it's got some staying power. The beach was packed today with people just watching the surf and anytime the Tourmaline parking lot is full even after the sun has set...that's a good sign.

So I say it's the swell of the year.

Whether you agree or not, I'm not going to loose sleep over it either way. I am however going to loose sleep over the fact that nobody told me I hadn't rubbed in my sunscreen all the way. Awesome, way to have my back surf brothers and sisters.

The Heavy Guilt

2012-01-06T00:08:00.000-08:00

Having worked nights for the past 5 years, I've spent the last 5 evenings enjoying things like happy hour, primetime TV, and dinner with friends. As it turns out people do a lot of fun things between 5pm and whenever they go to bed...including the Farley's.

Tonight, the Weisbarth's and Farley's got together to break bread at Leroy's in Coronado. Great food with great friends is always a nice combination, but the cherry on top tonight was "The Heavy Guilt"...which is now officially my new favorite local band. Admittedly we only stayed for about 3 songs, but I liked the 3 that we heard. So did Katherine, so much so in fact that she is now on the bands mailing list and will probably get first crack at tickets for their stadium tour is they ever hit it big.

I guess that is what I have been missing all these nights...a chance to gush over some obscure band with old friends. I could get used to that.

What Does This Button Do?

2012-01-05T00:19:00.000-08:00

I was at Channel 4 today to collect my things, and more importantly, to pull my "save tapes" off the Channel 4 server. In order to accomplish that I had to go into the super secret server room (the SSSR to you and me) and plug my hard drive directly into the system. Other then feeling completely lost and a little out of place amongst all those fiber optics and patch cords, I had two other distinct feelings.

First I felt a little like James Bond breaking into some evil overlord's lair to hack into his super computer and discover his plans for holding the world hostage.

Second I felt a bit like Dorthy in the Wizard of Oz looking behind the curtain. While all the sparkle and theatrics happens out on the set at Ch4, the real work is going on in the SSSR. It's not sexy work...just 1's and 0's buzzing around everywhere...but it is precise work. Which makes it even more surprising to me that they let a hack like myself in there at all.

Good thing I wasn't drinking a martini...which unfortunately makes me Dorthy I guess.

Honey-Do List

2012-01-03T23:57:00.000-08:00

One of the things you hear a lot from people who are new to unemployment is that they start to get bored pretty quickly, but not me. It's not like I have been sitting around worried about finding things to do in my downtime, you know? I figure I'm a pretty creative guy, I can fill a few hours during the day no problem.

To be fair though, being home in the middle of the day during the week is not like being home in the middle of the day on the weekend. For one thing there is nothing on TV and a man can only handle so much Facebook. There is also no one else around to waist time with. I can see how the isolation could start to get to people after awhile.

Lucky for me I have a wife that loves me and is concerned about my well being. I'm sure that is why she left me with a solid Honey-Do List today. What can I say...I got one of the goods ones.

Eat your heart out fellas.

Beach Day

2012-01-03T00:10:00.000-08:00

Remember how I said this blog wasn't going to be all about me losing my job? It's not I promise, but I do have to mention it one more time.

The reason I bring it up again is because when people know you're losing your job they always ask the same question. What's next? I like to think it's because they are genuinely concerned and really do want to know if you have a plan. It's just not that easy of a question to answer usually. Most of the time you really don't have any idea what's in store for you next.

That's certainly the case for me, so for the past few months leading up to my unemployment anytime someone asked me the question, I gave them my stock answer, "I'm going to the beach on Jan. 2nd".

Guess what, I did...twice.

Here We Go Again

2012-01-02T23:19:00.000-08:00

So after taking 2011 off, I decided to bring back the "Picture a Day" blog here in 2012 (pause for thunderous applause).

Why you might ask? Why not...I've got the time. You see for the first time in my adult life I am officially unemployed...but don't worry that's not what this blog is going to be about. In fact, I actually think when historians look back at the year 2012 they'll all agree that this was, "The Year of the Weisbarth".

So what does all that have to do with a bunch of grown men "owling"in a break room in San Jose...you're guess is as good as mine. At least we weren't Tebowing

Skillz

2011-01-06T00:03:00.000-08:00

Some people can run 40 yards in 4.5 seconds.

Some people can jump and spin and soar and dunk a basketball.

I can catch cheesy puffs in my mouth.

Rose Bowl

2011-01-02T23:27:00.000-08:00

And I'm back...but just for a moment.

My wife Megan went to Wisconsin and I have become an honorary Sconnie in the 6 years that we have known each other. So when the Badgers were invited to play in the 2011 Rose Bowl, I had a feeling we would end up there on New Years day. Which we did.

Unfortunately Wisconsin lost to TCU 21-19, but for guy who had never been to the Rose Bowl, the experience was awesome! Even if I couldn't see the opposite endzone.

One Hell of a Year!

2011-01-02T23:02:00.000-08:00

365 posts ago I started this project with the hopes of cataloging a year in my life and "learning how to blog". I'm happy to say I was able to accomplish both...at least at some level. For those you that checked in regularly, I thank you.

You see even though I started this for me, it was all of you that kept me going. Taking at least one picture everyday and posting it online is not as hard as doing say 20 push-ups...but trying to come up with something entertaining to write about said picture, definitely is. Knowing that there were at least a few people out there who expecting a post kept me from getting too lazy.

A handful of my friends have asked me if I am going to keep doing this blog in the new year and the truth is I really don't know. I guess we'll just have to see what happens, but my hunch is you'll be getting something from me on a semi-regular basis. What it is and how semi-regular you get is anybody's guess.

Thanks for everything.

-John

The Airzooka

2010-12-31T00:54:00.000-08:00

You know how parents like to joke that sometimes their kids play with the box more then the toy that came in it? I think the same thing holds true for older "kids" too...just not as literal.

Take the Airzooka for example. My sisters boyfriend Gary gave me one for Christmas this year. He also gave me a surfboard bag that I really wanted. The surfboard bag is much more expensive and quite a bit more substantial then the $10 Airzooka. In other words the Airzooka is analogous to the "box" for the surfboard bags "toy", and just like a three year old I can't get enough of the box.

If you don't know what an Airzooka does, it's pretty straight forward. It shots a puff of air across the room. I know, it sounds a little bit like the box doesn't it. I'm telling you though, it is amazing. Every office should have one.

Thanks to Gary...ours does.

John Weisbarth: Computer Engineer

2010-12-29T23:40:00.000-08:00

You know how they say you learn something new everyday? I'm sure it's true to some degree, it's just that most days what you have learned isn't always that obvious. Today was not one of those days.

Today I learned how to put more memory and a bigger hard drive into my computer. I realize that on the dorky scale that registers pretty high...it's not like I changed the timing belt on my car or anything. But when you think about how much I use my computer, being able to upgrade it on my own is pretty cool.

It's like a farmer souping up his tractor...only not as dirty.

Christmas: Part Deux

2010-12-29T00:09:00.000-08:00

If getting presents and celebrating the holidays is good (and it is), then doing it twice is better. With both my sister and I away for the holidays, Debra in Michigan and I in Michigan City, today was the day we celebrated with our family.

I don't know if they just missed us or what, but we made out like bandits when it came to gift time. All of us really, even my Mom who is next to impossible to buy for. There were lots of highlights when it came to presents, but truly the best part was getting to spend that time with my folks. Even if it was a few days after Christmas, it still felt like Christmas...and I could tell it meant a lot to my parents to have us there.

Admittedly, we are here for every other holiday, but Christmas can be a tough one to miss, for both of us. Maybe the Weisbarth's are just greedy when it comes to certain things?

I can live with that.

Home Sweet Home

2010-12-28T23:58:00.000-08:00

After 7 days in the snow and the cold, I have to admit it was nice to be back in sunny Southern California. That is not to take anything away from the mid-west, I absolutely loved having a white Christmas and enjoyed the hell out of my time there. It's just that I am from Southern California and 70 degrees and sunny without a cloud in the sky "feels" like winter to me.

In fact, December and January are two of the best months to live in San Diego. There is just enough rain sprinkled in between gorgeous days like this to keep things green and crisp and beautiful. The mornings are cool and the nights can be cold, but it's flip-flop weather all day.

After all, snow shoes just aren't all that comfortable.

Bon Voyage

2010-12-28T01:23:00.000-08:00

To be honest, sometimes I have a plan for what my "picture of the day" is going to be for a particular day. Like I knew the day that I interviewed Mark Walhberg...he was going to be in my picture for that day. Sometimes though the idea I have doesn't work out...those days can be tricky.

Sunday was the day Megan and I left Michigan City to fly home, and I had it in my head to take a picture at the airport and the massive holiday crowd. Only problem was, it wasn't there. Our travel this Christmas was a breeze.

So as it turned out, a much more fitting picture of the day was our last holiday shot with Megan's parents. We had a great week in the mid-west and her family spoiled us rotten. Plenty of food, booze and laughs...not to mention some great Christmas presents.

So to my most faithful reader Mrs. Riley, I say thank you once again for the great hospitality...I'll see you in a month.

A Holiday Tradition

2010-12-25T21:37:00.000-08:00

Getting married changes your life in a lot of the ways...one of them is how you spend your holidays. Unless both of your families are from the same town, there is a pretty good chance you're going to be away from one side of the family for Christmas or Thanksgiving or Arbor Day...but that's not what I'm talking about.

Obviously where you physically spend your holidays will change, but what I'm talking about is what you do for the holidays. At a certain age you start to develop your own holiday traditions. It doesn't happen all at once and sometimes it's hard to even perceive the changes from year to year, but make no mistake about it, it happens.

In 50 years when historians look back at the Christmas of 2010 I'm sure they will all agree that was the year that the Weisbarth's & Riley's first began the great Nerf wars. Our last presents of the day today were 4 semi-automatic Nerf dart guns and safety goggles. What followed was pure hilarity...sprinkled with a touch of athleticism.

In the end there were a lot of laughs and a lot of smiles, but more importantly I'm pretty sure a tradition was born.

White Christmas

2010-12-24T16:10:00.000-08:00

For the first time in 34 years my parents are spending Christmas without their kids. Not that it was their choice, it just happened that way. Eventually the torch has to be passed...as my Dad put it, "We had a good run."

I have been gone for Christmas the last 3 years, but this is the first Christmas my sister Debra has been gone as well. But as luck would have it, she ended up 37 miles away from where I am spending the holidays with my in-laws. So Debra and her boyfriend Gary made the short trip to Michigan City today to hang out for a little bit.

We had an incredible lunch and played some cards, but the highlight was a snowball fight between Debra, Gary and I. The west coast beach crew versus the mid-west guy...we crushed him.

Thank goodness Debra played 10+ years of softball.

Michican City

2010-12-24T15:24:00.000-08:00

On Thursday Megan and I left the city for her parents house in the suburbs. Michigan City (which is actually in Indiana) is not the town Megan grew up in, but it is where her parents have retired, so we go there every Christmas.

Megan's mom is what you would call an awesome entertainer. In fact, it's her specialty. So it came as no surprise that the Riley's house was full of neighbors and friends on Thursday night. Lot's of stories, plenty of laughs, and a great time all around.

Bright Lights...Big City

2010-12-24T13:08:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night was our big night out in the city. Drinks with the some friends, dinner at a swanky restaurant downtown and then a nightcap at "English". Just your typical mid-week evening in the city...we're so metropolitan.

The Magnificent Mile

2010-12-21T21:24:00.000-08:00

Traveling during the holidays can be challenging to say the least. Bad weather, long waits and frustrated travelers seems to be the norm...not the exception. So if you're going to travel somewhere during the holiday season it sure is nice to travel some place cool. For Megan and I that "some place" is Chi Town...and it's definitely cool.

One of my favorite places in the city to get in the Christmas spirit has got to be Michigan Ave...aka "The Magnificent Mile". Not to be confused with the "Mile of Cars" in National City, the Magnificent Mile is a tribute to high end commerce and capitalism dripping in holiday nostalgia. Nothing against the Mile of Cars, it just doesn't have the same feel.

With nothing to do today but enjoy a white Christmas and try to stay warm, Megan and I walked the mile, hit the shops and generally got into the holiday spirit. It was great. It was cold...but it was great.

So That's How Santa Does It

2010-12-20T21:37:00.000-08:00

Megan and I traveled back to Chicago today for Christmas and you'll never guess who we ran into at the airport...Jolly Saint Nick himself. Apparently Santa Claus has picked up some extra work this holiday season with Southwest airlines and the Windows 7 people.

The details of all that are complicated and not really that interesting, all you need to know is that Santa was at the airport today talking pictures. Unfortunately, neither Megan or I had enough gumption to actually sit on Santa's lap but he was probably better off for it.

On the plus side, I might finally get that pony I've been asking for all these years.

It's a Sign of Royalty

2010-12-19T23:55:00.000-08:00

Megan and I went to lunch with the Farley's today at our favorite little deli in Hillcrest...the T-Deli. As it just so happens, the T-Deli is right across from the Hillcrest Farmers Market, so after lunch we walked around checking stuff out. As I discovered earlier this year the Farmers Market is only about half full with farmers, the other half can best be described as craftsman.

One of the booths run by said craftsmen featured a manikin with a rather large neck...which made me feel strangely drawn to it. In case you hadn't noticed, I have a rather large neck myself. I'm pretty sure in some culture somewhere on the planet a long neck is a sign of royalty. Wherever that culture is I can guarantee you one thing, the manikin and I are going to retire there.

I hope it's somewhere with a mild winter.

Martini's

2010-12-19T10:47:00.000-08:00

An old friend of mine Jack Gates used to say that a martini is like a woman's breast...one's not enough but three are too many.

I went to a "martini" party last night at my dear friend Sue Botos' house and this is how the night wrapped up. Sue in her wedding dress, me in my festive red sweater and both of us sporting a dramatic expression.

I'll leave it up to you to figure out the martini count on your own.

A Nunu's Christmas

2010-12-18T16:36:00.000-08:00

For my money there is no better bar in San Diego around the holidays then Nunu's. Don't get me wrong...Nunu's is always great, it's just more great this time of year. Lights everywhere, a tree and plenty of holiday cheer...all of which adds up to the perfect spot to have an impromptu Christmas Party, which we did.

As it just so happened the sports landscape lined up perfectly on Friday, meaning the Channel 4 Sports crew was able to tape our 11 o'clock show early and head up to Nunu's for some good old fashioned revelry. Unfortunately, not everyone could make, but the crew we did have took it upon themselves to make up for any of the fun that might have been absent.

The best part is, nobody ended up in the corner wearing a lampshade and only a few glasses got broken. Success.

Prime Time

2010-12-16T23:28:00.000-08:00

According to the experts at Wikipedia, a man named Richard Fain gave Deon Sanders the nickname "Prime Time". As the story goes, Dick and Deon used to play basketball as kids during the prime time hour and Sanders' athletic display during those games won him that title.

Now's he's Prime Time because he's on the NFL Network. Today, Deon and his pals were at Qualcomm Stadium for the Chargers - 49ers game and I'll say this...Prime Time still travels in style. The setup for the pre-game and postgame show on the NFL Network was absolutely top notch. Tons of cameras, a huge crew and the set was even on hydraulics.

I wonder who I need to talk to about getting that for Postgame?

Glory Days

2010-12-15T22:22:00.000-08:00

In 1992 the Coronado High School soccer team won the Harbor League title for the first time in years. That meant we qualified for the CIF playoffs for the first time in years...and we even won a game. That victory got us into the semifinals against Mission Bay High School, who beat us 2-0 on the strength of two goals by Aaron Susi.

Today I interviewed Aaron on the show.

You see after high school Aaron went on to star at San Diego State where he was a 2-time All-American and now he's the captain of the San Diego Sockers. That's the 11-time World Champion Sockers.

The reason I mention it is because basically he has me to thank for all his success. I was a defender on the '92 CHS soccer team and it was my shabby defense that no doubt contributed to his two goals...thus propelling him to a life of soccer accomplishment.

You're welcome.

Christmas in a Cup

2010-12-14T22:08:00.000-08:00

I'm not a big coffee drinker, and it's not because I don't like the way it tastes...I'm just not that into hot drinks. Soup doesn't rock my word either.

On occasion though, if the weather cooperates, I'm game for a little coffee. Today was such a day...though I'm not sure you can call what I had "coffee". It was more like Christmas in a cup...a really sugary Christmas.

White Elephant...Meet Rainbow Trout

2010-12-14T09:07:00.000-08:00

As you may recall Megan and I went to a White Elephant Holiday party this past weekend where she received the creepy mask. What you don't know is which White Elephant gift I got...well you probably have a guess now.

However, unlike Megan's scary mask that will never see the light of day, I rocked my White Elephant gift on TV last night for everybody to see. It's a little something I like to call integrity. You see when someone gives you a gift it's important to show your appreciation for it...and what better way to do that then to embarrass yourself on TV?

Can't wait to see the ratings!

It's A Wonderful Life

2010-12-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

I know a lot of people think the Jimmy Stewart/Donna Reed classic "It's A Wonderful Life" is a boring old movie that gets way overplayed this time of year. In my opinion they are half right...it does get overplayed at Christmas. As far as the allegation that it is a "boring old movie", it is my contention that most of the people who say that have never actually sat down and watched it through from start to finish.

"It's A Wonderful Life" is a wonderful movie!

I first saw it in my high school English class (thanks Mr. Mayfield) and have made a point to watch every Christmas since then...and I'm not afraid to say that I cry every time. I can't help it, I love it at the end when the whole town rallies behind George Bailey. It just puts me in the holiday spirit like nothing else can.

My present to all of you this year is the challenge to sit down and watch this movie from beginning to end. Find a free night, get cozy on the couch and give it an honest view...I'll bet you love it.

Serendipitous

2010-12-12T17:05:00.000-08:00

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines Serendipity as " The faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for".

I define it as the best White Elephant gift ever!

Recognize that mask? Here's a hint...look up. That picture was taken last year at the Clarke's Christmas party. The one of Megan and I (yes that's my lovely wife) was taken this year.

There were probably 40 people the Clarke's house on Saturday and everyone of them had a chance to draw this gift, but the hands of fate delivered this ultra-creepy mask to Megan. I don't know how else to explain it...pure serendipity.

Windows to the Soul

2010-12-12T17:04:00.000-08:00

There seems to be a lot of debate over who first commented that "the eyes are the windows to the soul", but this much is clear...those are some mysterious souls behind those windows.

Piercing.

Building Party

2010-12-12T17:02:00.000-08:00

The fact of the matter is, ever since the economy went into the crappy a lot of companies have stopped having holiday parties. It's a bummer but I get it. If skipping the holiday party means Gus in accounting gets to keep his job, then I am all for skipping the party.

That has been the case for Channel 4 for the last few years...this year included. That is what makes the building holiday party all that much more sweet. 2 hours of sliders and quesadillas getting washed down with light beer.

Now let's go make some news!

First Dance: The Sequel

2010-12-08T23:40:00.000-08:00

Even though I have explained to my wife that we are only having boys once we decide to start a family, she still felt it was important to get her wedding dress professionally preserved. Just is case we have a daughter she tells me.

Whether we adopt a Somalian baby girl sometime in the future or not, I tend to agree with my wife...mainly because I know it is important to her. So we packed up the dress tonight to have it shipped away to the preservers, but before we stuffed it into a cardboard box, we had one last go at it.

Look, I know it easier to find a teenage girl who has never heard of Justin Bieber then it is to find a bride that doesn't look great on her wedding day, but my wife may have set a new standard. She was absolutely gorgeous. To put it simply, she wore the crap out of that dress!

So just for old time sake she put it on one more time and we danced to our song in the living room. I even remember most of the steps.

The Offseason

2010-12-07T23:09:00.000-08:00

People always ask me what I do in the offseason and I always answer the same way, "I'm on Channel 4 every night doing sports...thanks for watching." The point is I don't have an offseason, I'm just like everybody else, I work year round.

Okay maybe not like everybody, a lot of the athletes I cover do get an offseason...but it's not a vacation. I interviewed the Washington Nationals Stephen Strasburg today at SDSU and while we were making small talk while the photographer set up, I found out just how busy Stras was. It's not the kind of busy that you and I know, he wasn't stressing over TPS reports and spreadsheets, all he was concerned about was the future of his career.

When Strasburg was born the gods reached down, touched his right arm and turned it into a lighten bolt. The only problem is that triple digit fastballs tend to strain the ligaments in your elbow. When they blow out, you need surgery. When you need to replace the ligaments in your pitching elbow, your pitching career is in jeopardy. That's what happened to Strasburg last year in his first season in the majors. That also means this offseason he is working his ass off to get his arm back in shape and his career back on track.

I don't know, all of a sudden TPS reports don't seem that bad.

The DMV Sucks

2010-12-07T00:05:00.000-08:00

As an elementary school student in America in the 1980's, I had more then one Social Studies book describe to me how people in Communist Russia had to wait in bread lines for hours just to get some food. The lesson was always something about how government run food stores were terribly inefficient because they didn't have any competition or free market pressure to improve. They were the only game in town so if you wanted bread...you had to stand in line.

I have no idea how accurate that lesson may have been, but it was the first thing that jumped into my mind this morning when I rolled up on this line at the DMV. Believe me, that is only the part you could see from the street. Once you got inside the waiting really started.

I had an appointment and it still took me 45 minutes to renew my licensee...but it was better then the 2-plus hours I would have spent in that line. The thing is I made my appointment more then a month and a half ago. That's a long time to drive on an expired license.

I don't know whose fault it is but the DMV sucks! It's almost like they know they are the only game in town and no matter what, you're going to wait because you need to drive. On second thought I do know whose fault it is...I blame the USSR.

Oh Christmas Tree

2010-12-05T23:59:00.000-08:00

The holidays are all about tradition. I realize that not everybody celebrates the same thing during the holidays, and even those that do, celebrate in a lot of different ways. One of the neat things about getting married and starting a family is that you get to start your own traditions for this time of the year.

For Megan and I those traditions have been pretty modest so far. Because we don't have any children yet we spend our holidays with our family. Thanksgiving with my folks, Christmas with hers. Still, we do get a chance to put our own spin on Christmas. That's not to say we do anything unique, but we do get to start our own traditions a bit. Namely...picking out our Christmas tree and decorating it together.

Pick up the tree at Home Depot, but the Yule Log DVD on the flat screen, pour some rum into the eggnog and trim the crap out of that tree.

I told you it wasn't unique, but it has become a nice tradition for our little family.

Tis the Season

2010-12-05T23:28:00.000-08:00

The Holidays are a great time of the year for a lot of different reasons, but my favorite has got to be the parties...and not for the reasons you think. Yes I enjoy the holiday cheer and yes I have been known to enjoy some seasonal candy from time to time, but the reason I love holiday parties is because it's all about hanging with friends.

Presents are great. Time off from work, a definitely plus. The smell of a fresh Christmas tree in your living room, to die for...but goodwill towards man is what the season is all about for me. It sounds corny, but people are just nicer during the holidays and I love it.

It's just like Bill Murray says at the end of Scrooged, Christmas is the one time of the year that people smile a little brighter and that is the true miracle of Christmas...because it happens every year.

Bright smiles and nice people make for great company at a party.

Victory!

2010-12-04T12:16:00.000-08:00

On May 8th, 1945 the streets of New York City erupted in the euphoria of Victory. The great war was over in Europe, and while Japan didn't surrender until September of that year, the party was on. Sailors were literally grabbing women in the street and "celebrating". They couldn't help themselves.

That is kind of what it was like for my wife when I finally shaved my mustache off on Friday. To be fair, she was very supportive of my efforts to raise awareness for the fight against prostate cancer by growing out my 'stache, it's just that it wasn't her favorite look for me. I actually don't think she really minded how it looked...she just didn't like the way it felt when I kissed her.

Now that it's gone I decided to plant one on her as a thank you for putting up with my lip sweater for an entire month. Not a bad way to celebrate if you ask me.

What...No Funky Bunch?

2010-12-04T11:55:00.000-08:00

Mark Wahlberg can be a little intense at times. This is a picture of him happy...I think. To me he looks a little intimidated, maybe it's the mustache.

Regardless he was very nice and more then happy to pose for a picture with me when we were done with our interview. If that is indeed "happy" he's wearing on his face.

The Paramount Lot

2010-12-04T10:44:00.000-08:00

Top Gun, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Beverley Hills Cop (1 and 2), Planes, Trains and Automobiles, all the Indiana Jones movies and Forrest Gump. I think it's safe to say that Paramount Pictures has had it's fair share of hits over the years and that there has been more then just a little "movie magic" on their lot since opening in 1912.

The magic continued this week when I went up to LA for another movie junket...and this time my good friend Jaymee Sire was there too. We saw "The Fighter" on the lot and then we all went to dinner at Lucy's El Adobe Cafe across the street. I hadn't heard of it before, but given it's location directly across the street from Paramount, you can imagine how many pictures of stars there were hanging on the walls.

As always it was blast...I love the junket circuit.

The Hangover?

2010-12-01T00:05:00.000-08:00

I don't know if it was a hangover from Black Friday or just the fact that it was a Tuesday night in November, but the mall wasn't exactly bustling tonight. Big John and I walked up to Horton Plaza to grab some dinner expecting to find a winter wonderland. However instead of Christmas Trees and carolers we found tumbleweed and wide open spaces. Not exactly the ideal recipe for holiday cheer.

No need to panic just yet mallrats...I have all the faith in the world that this holiday season is going to be a busy one. Everyone has an off day.

Here We Go Again

2010-11-29T23:46:00.000-08:00

In 6 years under head coach Norv Turner the Chargers have only lost 5 games after the month of October, and they are still unbeaten in December. For a second straight year they went undefeated in November. The point is, 'tis the season for the Chargers to win a lot of games...and so far they have been keeping up their end of the deal.

For me that means Monday afternoon press conferences go much smoother this time of year. I mean, either way I'm going to do my job, a winning streak just makes it easier...and a lot more fun.

Thanks Bolts.

Chollas Lake

2010-11-29T11:52:00.000-08:00

A few months ago on a Sunday the wifey and I drove to Jamba Juice for a smoothie...it was lovely. On the drive home (just because we're crazy like that), we decided to take a different route. That's when things got really wild.

Turns out we live fairly close to a lake (well a reservoir anyway), so we made a mental note to comeback sometime and explore. That "sometime" was Sunday, and explore we did. Two laps around the lake revealed a handful of Eagle Scout projects, a lot of people fishing (without much catching), and a ton of geese.

It was kind of like the Wild Animal Park with out the entry fee.

Facial Hair Formal

2010-11-28T23:50:00.000-08:00

Has there ever been a more entertaining way to fight the battle against cancer? Probably...but we made a pretty good run at it anyway. The Facial Hair Formal was my first attempt at throwing a charity event and I am happy to say that, while it was a modest first go, it was successful.

For that I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my team of John Spriet, Brain Kim and Brian Jouan. Without those guys this event simply would not have happened...thank you gentlemen. Of course the other key to an event like this is actually having people show up. Without them, there might still be an event, it just wouldn't be a very successful one.

The group that we had on Saturday night was awesome. Everybody got it! There were great costumes, fantastic mustaches and the perfect attitude for our event. I had so much fun and I owe that to everyone who showed up on Saturday. Thank you guys, it really, truly meant the world to me.

Oh yeah, we even raised some money this year...$1,017 to be exact. Not too shabby.

Back on Track

2010-11-27T00:35:00.000-08:00

After a pretty lengthy hiatus, the backyard is back on track...I hope. As you may remember I went into this project with the stated goal of doing as much of the work myself as possible. I thinking I should change my goal to doing as much of the work as "feasible".

Could I lay all the pavers in my backyard myself...yes. Is that feasible...not really. That's why I hired someone to do it, and today they started to lay the base. I know, thrilling right? But that's the point, it's not thrilling at all. In fact it's a lot of work...a lot of hard work.

I find it much easier to sit inside on the day after Thanksgiving and chat with my wife then shovel tons of dirt and rock. I don't, that's just me.

Turkey Bowl XVIII

2010-11-26T08:34:00.000-08:00

Every year for the past 18 years (give or take a couple) a group of us have gotten together on Thanksgiving morning to play in the Turkey Bowl. The game has undergone some changes in that span...for better and worse. When we first started we were juniors in high school and the idea of playing anything but tackle football was ridiculous...I mean it's football right? Thankfully we have switched to flags since then.

We've also installed a perpetual trophy, an online draft and some new personnel over the years. The the best part though is the pre-game trash talk that usually starts a week or two before the game. The vast majority of us have known each other for the better part of 20 years and some of the friendships are closer to 30 years old. More then anything that means we have a lot of dirt on one another, or should I say fuel for the trash talking fire.

The emails that go back and forth before the game are hilarious, but not as hilarious as watching any of us try and walk the day after the game. Apparently playing football once year doesn't adequately prepare your body for the rigors of 90 minutes of exercise. Luckily the time frame does allow for plenty of recovery time.

For the record, 21-14 Team Weisbarth with Brendan Farley receiving just enough votes to edge Nick Cannon as this years Turkey Bowl MVP. More fuel for next years emails.

The More Things Change...

2010-11-25T23:55:00.000-08:00

The two biggest social nights in my hometown are the 3rd of July and the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. It's pretty easy to guess why, everyone is in town and everyone is looking for something to do. That "something" usually turns out to be hitting the local bar scene for an unofficial all-class reunion.

The thing is, we're not 25 anymore. Not even close.

Look I have no problem with hitting the local bar scene on these big nights, no problem except that I would rather go over to a friends house and get together with the handful of people I really want to see in the first place. So that's what we did this year...for a few hours.

By 10:30 most of us had decided it might be fun to hit the bars, and you know what...we were right. The thing about only getting together with close friends is that you miss out on that random encounter with someone you haven't seen in a long time but are genuinely stoked to see. That's the best part of those two nights anyway, the random encounter.

Sure we're not 25 anymore, but maybe that's why it's more important then ever for us to get to the bars two nights out of the year.

Flan Appreciation

2010-11-25T23:32:00.000-08:00

I've written about Tim Flannery before so you know how I feel about him. If you don't remember or if you're too lazy to click on the hyper link above, let's just say I am a big fan of Flan and working with him for 3 years at Channel 4 is one of the highlights of my career.

One of the things I enjoyed most about our time as colleagues was all the stories I got to hear. Baseball has such a rich oral tradition and the only way to really get some insight on the game of baseball is to listen to the people who played and coached it tell stories. Of course the best stories are the ones that come out over a couple of beers and some bar nuts.

That's exactly how I got to hear about the 2010 World Series on Tuesday afternoon. After taping some interviews for Postgame, Flan, Big John and myself went to the Field for a pint and some stories. It was much fun as you think it was...even better actually.

I love that guy.

Speckticles

2010-11-22T22:04:00.000-08:00

You know how some people are always getting sick? That's not me. In fact, I'm the opposite. I don't get sick, I didn't need braces growing up, I've never broken a bone and I don't need glasses.

Of course that begs the question, why am I wearing glasses today?

I have two answers for that. First, they are not real...which I know sounds ridiculous. Believe me, I'm just getting warmed up. The real answer to the question of why I am wearing glasses today is because I feel like they make my mustache look more intelligent. (*Authors note: Can you tell I'm a little self conscious about my 'stache?)

Like I said, I know it sounds ridiculous, but am I wrong? Let's be honest, the glasses help...at least a little, right?

The Lake Show

2010-11-22T10:17:00.000-08:00

I always assumed the LA Lakers got their nickname the "Lake Show" because, back in the 80's when Magic and Kareem and Worthy were running the court, they put on one hell of a show. That may be true but after having finally gone to a Lakers game at the Staples Center, I'm inclined to think the nickname has stuck because going to a Lakers game is like going to concert. A really big concert.

Don't get me wrong, the Lakers are as good now as they have ever been...and they completely outclassed the second place Golden State Warriors on Sunday. The thing is, the show they put on before the first tip is even thrown into the air is incredible. Dancing girls, a light show, a 360 degree video screen in the middle of center court and plenty of celebrities. Even with the American Music Awards show going on next door, Megan and I still saw Kim and Chloe Kardashian, George Lopez and Charlize Theron (we're all doing Thanksgiving together this year, it's not a big deal. I don't like to talk about it too much).

I'll be the first to tell you, I'm not a huge NBA fan, but I could used to seeing games at the Staples Center.

Gone Further for Less

2010-11-21T12:48:00.000-08:00

The California Department of Motor Vehicles generally discourages motorists from driving in the rain unless they really need to. So while I definitely wasn't breaking any laws Saturday I'm not sure the DMV would have totally approved of our road trip to San Clemente to buy a new surfboard.

I don't care...Megan and I went anyway.

My buddy Nick works for Rip Curl, which affords him certain perks when it comes to purchasing merchandise. Perks that he is generous enough to pass along to hacks like me every once-in-awhile. So when he said he could sell me a brand new 9'0 Walden Magic Model with an EPS high density core and carbon fiber rails at cost...the wifey and I made plans for a roadie.

Sure I could have waited a few days and driven up when it wasn't raining, but then again, no I couldn't. I don't know if it's the time of year, with Christmas right around the corner, or that I'm just a big kid who can't wait to get his hands on a new toy, but there was no thought of waiting for the storm to pass.

I'm happy to report that the trip went off without a hitch, and that other then the board getting a little wet on the ride home (which I'm told is okay for surfboards), everything went as planned.

Thanks Nick.

Acqua al 2

2010-11-20T17:12:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it just works out, ya know? I usually work until about 11:30 on Friday night's and then just go home and chill before bed. This Friday however we did our show early because we were following the USD - Boise State basketball game. That meant I was done by 9:30 and as luck would have it my wife was downtown with the girls having a drink when I got off the clock.

That meant that instead of being the old married guy who went straight home after work on a Friday, I got to be the old married guy who crashed a "girls night out" party at Acqua Al 2.

Better yet, I did it with a mustache.

Wing-Women

2010-11-18T22:56:00.000-08:00

Marriage is all about supporting your partner, and nothing says I support you and your mustache like a wife sporting here own upper lip koozie. Don't get me wrong, Megan hates my mustache and is quite literally counting down the days until I shave it, but she supports my growing of it because of what it stands for.

How could a guy with a dirty top lip ask for anything more?

The Real Deal

2010-11-18T21:56:00.000-08:00

I finally did it for real...as in "Just for Men" for real.

The thing about growing a mustache, especially if your under 40, is that it takes a certain amount of bravado to pull it off. That's if you can grow a Tom Selleck-esq mustache. If you grow a wispy, light haired mustache like I do, it's almost unbearable. That's why I took matters into my own hands.

After a dry run a few days ago, I made it official tonight. The only problem is I may have left the dye in a tad long. Not too long...just a tad.

We'll see.

Lunch

2010-11-17T00:36:00.000-08:00

Every once in awhile I get inspired to fix myself a tasty little lunch, as opposed to going out somewhere or settling for a homemade turkey sandwich. Today as you may have guessed, was one of those days.

Listen to what I had. Hickory smoked peppercorn bacon fried in a pan until crispy and then diced up. Then I took some shredded chicken and threw it in the pan with the bacon grease to heat it up and infusion some more flavor into it. Threw all of that into a corn tortilla and topped with onions, tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. Simple and scrumptious.

Sam the Cooking Guy would be so proud.

After School All-Stars

2010-11-16T01:06:00.000-08:00

My co-worker Jenny Cavnar has been involved with the After School All-Stars, a non-profit organization that specializes is helping kids succeed in school and life, for a couple of years now. She collaborates a lot with Chargers linebacker Shuan Phillips on events, but none of them are as unique as the annual Dodge Ball tournament.

Think lots of 20 somethings in costumes throwing balls at each other and generally partying for a good cause. The ultimate prize at this party is to be crowned the champion Dodge Ball team, but if you're terrible at the sport and still want to win something, you can.

That's where Tony Gwynn Jr, Jenny and I come in. We were the judges for the costume portion of the party tonight, and like all good judges we couldn't come up with a winner...so we picked two. The Super Mario Bro's team and the Wrangler-wearing Brett Favre look-alikes taking pictures of their junk and sending it to an attractive Jets employee.

Like you could have come up with a winner between those two.

T-Deli

2010-11-15T00:23:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I was at Ray's Tennis in Hillcrest getting my racket re-strung, and while I was waiting I wandered into an amazing deli. The place is called "T-Deli" and it is fantastic. I have no idea what the "T" stands for (maybe for The...as in welcome to the best deli in town), but I don't really care. All I know is that the Turkey Sandwich is the best I have ever had and the fresh fruit is delicious.

The place has quickly become one of Megan's favorites as well, so the two of us try to get there at least a couple of times a month. The only problem is we've never had anything but the turkey sandwich...it that good. So while I clearly recommend this place, I can only assume the rest of the menu is as tasty as the limited portion that the Weisbarth's have sampled.

Only one way to find out I guess...see you there next weekend.

Miracle League

2010-11-15T00:02:00.000-08:00

The Miracle League of San Diego is a non-profit organization that gives children with disabilities a chance to play baseball as part of a team in an organized league. Which seems pretty ordinary to you and I, but believe me it is an extraordinary opportunity for the kids that are part of this league. More then anything it is a chance for them to be "just like everybody else" for few hours on a Saturday.

A few years ago, as part of their "Little Padres Park" initiative, the San Diego Padres built the Miracle League a special baseball field for the kids to play on. Ever since then, the Padres and the Miracle League have continued to nurture their relationship.

On Saturday Buddy Black, Heath Bell, Will Venable, Tony Gwynn Jr. and I were all guest pitchers at the Miracle League field. It really took me back to my Little League days...not because of all the kids playing baseball, but because I got lit up on the mound. In one inning of work I gave up a combined total of 28 runs, and I didn't even get an out.

Unfortunately for the Padres, Heath Bell had the exact same line.

I've Had It!

2010-11-13T01:19:00.000-08:00

I have now been growing my mustache for Movember and the Facial Hair Formal for 12 days. Twelve days is a long time to walk around growing a 'stache that no one can see. So today I took a page out of San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson's book and I finally did something about it.

With the help of my wife Megan I was able to enhance the appearance of my Movember ribbon. You see, it's not that I can't grow a mustache, it's just that it looks like I can't grow a mustache because the hair comes in light. Which is a problem...until you do something about it.

Problem solved!

Veterans Day

2010-11-12T00:10:00.000-08:00

For those of us (like me) who have never served our country as a member of the armed forces, Veterans Day is all about perspective.

When I think I'm having a bad day or a tough time of it I think about men like my Grandfather who was a Marine in WWII and Korea, or my Dad who enlisted in the Navy at the age of 18 and spent the next 22 years serving his country. I think about the types of sacrifices that men like that make every single day, whether it's fighting a war on foreign soil or simply being away from friends and loved ones for an extended period of time. I think about what they do, and what that means for me...and I can't help but be thankful.

It's day's like today that help me put my own life and my own "troubles" into perspective. When so many give so much in the defense of our country and our ideals, it's humbling to think about. For that I say thank you to all the veterans and all the active duty members of our military.

Thank you for all that you do.

Big Mama's Pizza

2010-11-10T23:44:00.000-08:00

That's a slice of pizza from a 36" pie...because sometimes you need 3 feet of pizza.

I don't know what it is about Americans and giant portions of food, but I feel like we as a nation have that market cornered. We even have TV shows about it (Man vs. Food) and the effects it has on us (The Biggest Loser).

The way I see it every once in awhile isn't gonna kill me. So today I splurged...I'll make up for it tomorrow.

Show and Tell Winner

2010-11-09T23:20:00.001-08:00

I can't imagine what it would have been like to have Steve Garvey come to my 3rd grade class back in 1984 as my "show and tell" guest. I mean seriously, I cannot even comprehend what that would have felt like.

I can tell you this, 26 years later it was pretty flipping cool to watch Adrian Gonzalez visit Bird Rock Elementary school He was there as part of a sweepstakes that Round Table Pizza and Channel 4 put on during the baseball season. The concept was simple, register at a Round Table Pizzeria and if your name got picked, like Christy Jorgensen's did, you got to take a Padre to school for show and tell. As it worked out, Adrian was that Padres and today was that day.

The coolest part was getting to see the kids (and the parents) so fired-up to meet Adrian...but a close second in my book was Adrian himself. Adrian is the most high profile member of the Padres. He's a 2-time Gold Glove winner and a 3-time All-Star, and yet when he arrived for the event (on time no less) the only person with him was his wife. No entourage, no hanger-oners, no thugs, no nothing...just Betsy.

How refreshing is that?

I have no idea how long Adrian will remain a Padre, it's conceivable that he has already played his last game as a Friar. I do know this, when he's gone I will miss him. I'll miss his homeruns, I'll miss his defense, I'll miss his arm, but most of all I will miss who he was...a good guy.

Surprise Party

2010-11-09T01:01:00.000-08:00

The best way to throw a surprise party (or surprise lunch in this case) is to throw it at least 3 days prior to the actual birthday. That way no one sees it coming and your surprise is all but guaranteed.

That's what the Channel 4 sports crew was able to accomplish today for our friend and colleague Lorien. Giving credit where credit is due, Jenny Cavnar plotted the whole thing and pulled it off beautifully. Though her supporting cast was pretty good as well.

The plan was simple, as all good plans are. Lure Lorien to the Corvette Diner under the guise that she was field producing a story for one of our news reporters, then jump out from behind a wall of menus and yell surprise. Like I said, simple. The key is the 3 day buffer...she didn't expect a thing.

Perfect.

Surfing USA

2010-11-09T00:37:00.001-08:00

In the past I have never really considered myself a "surfer". I always just thought of it as "I am a guy that surfs". It's a subtle difference, but a difference none the less.

In my mind to be labeled a "surfer" is as much about your lifestyle and beliefs as it is about what you do (i.e. surf). This weekend however I came to grips with the fact that I do now consider myself a surfer...and it has nothing to do with the quality of my surfing and everything do to with how I feel about surfing.

This weekend was one of those amazing weekends in the water. Perfect tide, no wind, a good swell, great sandbars and all of your buddies in the lineup. It sounds cheesy but I really believe that people who grow up in and around the ocean (like I did) feel a deep connection to it. There was an ad in Surfer Magazine back in the late 80's or early 90's that read, "Blood is 90% water, it's time to come home."

That's how I feel and that's why I'm a surfer.