Kuuuuuhn!

This Sunday's game against the Giants has to be one of the best we've played all season! It was amazing! On both sides of the ball too. Rodgers and Jennings were perfectly in sync. Driver caught one (or two actually) of those passes that only Donald Driver can catch, leaping into the air and grabbing the ball with his left hand! Wheeew! Rodgers had a fantastic night for sure! The defense was great, and there were so many interceptions and turnovers I can't remember who got what! But any way you look at it Manning and New York were humiliated.
My star of the game (and I've been saying this all along) is #30 John Kuhn with three, count 'em three touchdowns!!! I'll tell you it is a pleasure to watch that man play football. Fullbacks don't get a lot of credit because they usually get the short yard plays, and normally don't score. They end up doing a lot of blocking for the quarterback or the running back, and provide the opportunity for others to get the glory. I am glad Kuhn got to score, because he has certainly earned those touchdowns this season!
On many teams, a fullback position may not be important or factor into the offensive scheme, but for the Packers, and especially this year, the presence of John Kuhn on the field has played a pivotal role. The loss of Ryan Grant the first game of the season seriously botched our running game. Without a running game, the defense (of the team playing against you) has the advantage of knowing you have to throw the ball to be successful. Thus they play closer to the receivers (man to man coverage) and limit catches. But Kuhn (along with Brandon Jackson and even Aaron Rodgers) has brought the running game back. We may not be the best at it, but we are getting yards, and we are getting touchdowns off the run, which changes how another teams defense has to play us. Now they have to try to cover both the run and the pass, and that means we will have more opportunity for big plays.

Khun #30 (Photo borrowed from here)

On third down and a couple yards, Kuhn is unstoppable. And that is why he is so valuable. He doesn't get the first down half the time, he gets it every time. His consistency is unbelievable. He simply doesn't stop moving until he has the first down. I don't know how he does it. It's like it doesn't even cross his mind that he might not make it. He just pushes through. Even when you watch it in slow motion it seems impossible that he could shove his way through an entire wall of defensive linemen, but then he just does it. The defense of the other team seems as surprised as I am half the time. They are like "How did that happen?!?" I have no idea.
Kuhn's performance against Chicago earlier in the season, and many other games was so spectacular that I was confused when they didn't have him on the field for the game against Detroit, and New England. I am not saying I don't like Jackson, but there were many situations where Kuhn would have gotten the first down, but McCarthy didn't even have him on the field! Anyway,I guess that's in the past, and I hope McCarthy has learned how valuable Kuhn is to the team.
This past weeks game was a fun one to watch for sure. Our normal hotel-bar was closed, so we found ourselves racing around town trying to find somewhere else to watch the game. The place we ended up had the Packers vs. Giants game playing on the big screen! It was pretty sweet! We had sound and everything! When Jordy Nelson got the first touchdown there were a few other Packer Backers clapping with us and we were pretty stoked. We thought, wow! this is pretty cool. But when the Giant's scored their first TD the place erupted. We were outnumbered at least 3:1. And then there was this douche-bag Giant's fan sitting at a table in front of us talking all kinds of ignorant sh*t about the Packers and directing it over his shoulder at us specifically. (He kind of looked like cousin Eddie from National Lampoons.) I was getting really pissed and was almost ready to go over there and give him a  piece of my mind, but my boyfriend told me to calm down and watch the game. As it turned out he and that belligerent sack of rat-poop got into a bit of a shouting match. It was awesome. The guy was saying stuff about how awesome the Giants were in the 08 playoffs, and my boyfriend was like (paraphrasing) "And...? You realize that was 3 years ago and in the past right? Now it's 2010 and they suck. So what's your point?" LOL! Anyway, he left at the end of the 3rd quarter and no one else bothered us after that. We stayed to the very end even though we didn't need to. As a fan you must savor every second of a victory like that, they're why you become a fan in the first place!
OK. Now we just need to beat Chicago! Go Packers! And one more shout for Kuuuuuuuuhn!

Laetum Sōlstitium Consummatum Est

  Laetum Sōlstitium Consummatum Est !

I am told that means Happy Winter Solstice Day (or more accurately "joyful day when the sun ends it's time of standing still")

Presents Under the Tree

Christmas Chocolates

Me painting with chocolate

In always surprises me how much chocolate is distributed this time of year. I am one of the few souls who don't really care for the stuff, but even so it's really interesting to me that most people LOVE it. I got to thinking about that the other day while I was making my own Christmas chocolates...(I don't like to eat it, but it's fun to make!)
Why do so many people adore chocolate?
Well, it turns out that there is much more to chocolate than meets the eye. It's more than just another piece of candy, and here's why. First of all chocolate actually comes from a tree, Theobroma cacao to be precise. Where most candy is just sugar and food coloring, chocolate had much more substance. And the substance i.e. cocoa bean, has some really interesting properties when you get down to the chemical level. And those properties have some fascinating effects on our brains. (Well, not mine, but presumably yours if you like chocolate).

My Christmas Chocolates!

For starters cocoa beans contain a chemical called theobromine, that occurs in a  familiar compound, caffeine (which is also in chocolate), and produces a similar effect. That's why some people say you shouldn't eat chocolate before going to bed. The amount of caffeine can vary between different types of chocolate. Where you would normally get just a sugar high, with chocolate you get a caffeine+sugar high, that can jump start the brain, and even  increase memory quality for a few hours after consumption!
Chocolate also stimulates your body's production of neurotransmitters like dopamine (which are natural pain killers and mood enhancing chemicals similar to those found in morphine and codine.) This triggers the so-called "reward response"  feeling of well being.
Thirdly some of the chemicals found in chocolate are now thought to effect the same parts of the brain that marajuana does, producing a similar result. No wonder the Aztec kings of old used to drink hot chocolate daily! Who knew that chocolate could help you chillax.
Now maybe all of these things occur in such minute amounts that they really couldn't change your mood, but then maybe they can, and do. And maybe that's why they are such a Christmas staple? What better way to say Merry Christmas than giving someone a box full of treats that produce lively, happy, chemical reactions in the brain?

Christmas Time is Here

My Tree!

You better be good because...

My new Christmas dishes!!!

Christmas at my house!

The Best Loss Ever

I realize I didn't comment on the Packers game last week. That's because we lost and played terrible. Our defense was awful. Their tackle attempts reminded me of those machines filled with stuffed animals that you have to drop a claw on to win a prize.
So why have I decided to write about our second consecutive loss at the most critical time of the season? I am writing about it because unlike last week I am proud of the Pack despite the loss.
For starters (and it started the game) the gutsy on-side kick off was sa-weeeeet! WOW! Along with the Patriots we were totally caught off guard, and it was awesome! Nice call McCarthy.
Then the incredible, miraculous game executed by Matt Flynn was not at all what we were expecting. He was great! Poised and confident and on top of that (gasp!) he actually looked like he was having fun! And Kuhn was spectacular as well. I may spend the rest of this season and part of the next wondering why he wasn't utilized last week in Detroit (in fact if I could as Mike McCarthy one question I think that would be it). Stellar performance, and as far as I am concerned he should be included in much more of the play calling than he currently is.
The defense missed some key plays, but over all they performed great. Almost 3 interceptions (yeah, Tom Brady was lucky) and  two nice sacks for big ol B.J Raji. The Pats took advantage of the inexperience of Sam Shields, but for a rookie he did great, and definitly doesn't deserve any criticism for his performance. It's all part of the game.
It was a great game. And we almost won. But the clock ran out. We should have gotten at least one more play in. So why didn't we? Well, I am pretty sure the fault rests squarely on the coaching staff. I would bet they hadn't anticipated a close game or a possible win. I would bet they didn't have an emergency last minute play lined up for Flynn (like they have for Rodgers), because they didn't think he'd make it that far. And that was their bad. Flynn was ready and probably could have run the ball in for a touchdown himself if they'd had a little more faith in their backup quarterback.
But it's over, and it's all in the past. Our season is pretty much done, which is...disappointing, but I'm still really proud of how the team came together and played last night. That's MY Packers team.

I Got a Beef with Reindeer

Am I the only one who has noticed the story of Rudolf the red nosed reindeer is very un-Christmassy? It upsets me, and I refuse to have any part of it! This is nothing new to me. I have thought this for years. I was just just a kid when I first heard the song (originally performed by Gene Autry in 1947) . And I thought to myself, "WOW that's pretty messed up."
First of all, why are all the other reindeer so judgemental? What is that all about? Not only did they ignore Rudolf, they also laughed and called him names, and he was the cutest thing ever! Totally inappropriate. Period. Second, why would such a great person like Santa have such lousy reindeer? How could he kept an accurate list of all the naughty and nice children in the world, but not know Dasher and Dancer were douche-bags? It's a chink in the armor of Santa Claus. An anomalous inconsistency in his character and I don't care for it at all.  And thirdly (although this is a side note) since when is there fog at the North Pole? I am no meteorologist but I think the temperature has to be above freezing for fog to occur. Anyway....

Rudolf: A more forgiving deer than me.

My mom says the story is not about the other reindeer it's about Rudolf forgiving them. But I say that bull-shenannagans! If I was Rudolf I would have told the other reindeer to shove a candy cane where the sun don't shine, and simultaneously informed Santa that if he really needed me to guide his sleigh he's need to raise the bar on the deer he chose to associate with. End of story.
I guess some folks consider Rudolf a Christmas tradition, but for me anyway, this tale is not one I will perpetuate or include in my celebrations.
Any thoughts? Want to comment? Please do!

My Desk

I was feeling that my workplace was lacking a certain amount of holiday "pizazz", and it was bringing me down, squashing my Christmas vibe between the hours of 8 and 4 everyday. It was a bummer. So I decided to jazz it up a little! Now I have a tiny Christmas sanctuary in a sea of otherwise boring and undecorated cubicles! Now I love it, and enjoy sitting at my desk! Take a look! Nice hu?

Best Christmas Movies Ever...So Far

I wanted to post my favorite Christmas movies, just in case you all were looking for something to curl up on the couch and watch this holiday season. Since this is only my fourth Christmas, I might be missing a few, so if you have any favorites that aren't listed here, post a comment, and I'll make sure to add it!

National Lampoons Christmas Vacation: This is hands down my favorite!!! It's so hilarious, and it makes me laugh every time I watch it...even though I've seen it a million times. I can identify with Clark Griswold, and his desire to have the perfect Christmas, complete with all the trappings, and his over the top enthusiasm for the holiday season!

Home Alone: This is the one Christmas movie I remember from when I was a kid. It's funny, and Christmassy and just improbable enough that I feel like a kid again when I watch it.

A Christmas Story: Super hilarious, and great. I saw this for the first time last year, and watched it at least three times last Christmas! It was what you call an "instant classic".


The Family Man: This one is not  a comedy, but it's really cute, and it's one of those Christmas stories with a moral. I personally feel it is Nicholas Cage's better movies. 

The Polar Express: Love. The animation is just like the pictures in the book (I am old enough to remember when the book originally came out. The Librarian at my grade school read it to us.)  And there are some cute songs, and it's really well done, and really gets you in the Christmas spirit!

Real Packers Fans

It took me till now to get over the fact that we lost to the Falcons last Sunday. I really thought we played pretty well, and think we could have won if we'd just had the chance to take it to overtime. To loose by a field goal is the worst. It's like...I don't know what it's like, but it's just so disappointing. Anyway for once I thought the offense was amazing, and it was the defense that wasn't quite making the grade. There were so many missed tackles, I thought I was looking at another team! I stopped counting after 22...what the heck?!? It was like the Atlanta offense was covered in oil, and we just couldn't get our hands on them. We have to win these close games if we want to make it to the playoffs, and win our division.
Speaking of our division, what is up with the Eagles? (I know the Eagles aren't in our division but the Bears are and I'll get to them in a second). I am not a Michael Vick fan, and don't really like Philly since they decided to get rid of McNabb. Now I super don't like them. They win when I want them to loose, and then the one game, the one game I am actually cheering for them, they loose...to the freaking Bears! Uggg....so annoying! (Imagine an exasperated *sigh* right here).

All alone on Game Day

Anyway, this past Sunday we went to the same bar we've been going to all season to watch the games. I may have mentioned a couple of times that we are usually the only ones there (which is awesome because we get our own TV and volume!). But I realized that wasn't really true until this past week. See, before I wasn't counting the bartender. We were the only customers, but technically there was us and the bartender, so 3 in total. Well, this week we actually were the only ones there! The bartender never showed up! But instead of leaving we got the remote control from one of the cleaning ladies (the bar is at a hotel) and sat at the bar and had our coffee and breakfast sandwiches (we brought from home) and watched the game all by ourselves anyway! Yes, that's right, just us two die-hard Packer Backers and an empty bar. How many people can say they were the only people in a bar to watch Sunday morning football? Not many I bet, but I can! It is my opinion that when you go to the bar to watch a game, and do, even if you have to do it all alone, without a bartender...well now, that's a true Packers Fan!

Hockey Town

 I finally made it to my very first Detroit Red Wings hockey game...and it only took 31 years to finally happen! They visited the San Jose Sharks last night at the HP Pavillion (aka Shark Tank) and beat them 5 to 3 in their own house. I wore red to the game and thought it was cool that the Wings won. I am not much into hockey anymore, but going to a game every now and then is really fun. And it's so much more relaxing than football! I'll always have a soft-spot for Detroit, and hope they make it far this year. Go Wings!

Photo taken by yours truly:)