New Baseball Promotion

Two summers ago The Idaho Statesman did a big contest where the winners would get to fly to Seattle and watch a Mariners game from the suite of one of McClatchy's other papers. Landon, Matt and I won the contest along with some others. We had a blast up there and have been talking about trying to get the Statesman to do it again, yesterday our dreams became reality. Well at least for Matt and I. This promotion is only for the new business reps so Landon will not be able to go. Matt and I, along with the other two new business reps have to hit a certain number to go and I really think that we have a shot. It is over a 90 day period and starts May 1st, so by July 31st we will know if we have done it or not. I am super excited and can't wait to get started. Sporting events to motivate everyone but they do motivate me so I am going to get out there and hit it hard so I can be in Seattle in August.

I'm Celebrating Today!

My Hockey Team is NOT as Good as Your Hockey Team!

So the Steelheads were swept by the Victoria Salmon Kings with a 2-1 OT loss last night. Becky and I were crowded around the computer listening to the action all night. We were hopeful going into the third period 1-0 Steelheads but Victoria tied it mid-way through the third and sent it to over time and with eight minutes left the Steelheads goalie, Climie, made a great save but couldn't handle the wrap around rebound. It was devastating and we have been talking about it all day. It really comes down to one stat, 1 for 18 on the power play. The Steelheads just couldn't convert on the man advantage and in the end that is what killed them and their playoff chances. Becky and I are so bummed that the ECHL hockey season is over and I am sure that Audrey is to because all she has been saying the last week or so is "Gockey". We are disappointed but since we are true fans we will stick behind the Steeheads and be there for opening day in October. GO STEELIES!

Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Club Band

The Easy Star All-Stars have done it again! I first heard about these guys when they put out Dub Side of the Moon which was a Pink Floyd Reggae Dub cover CD. It was amazing and since that time I have been buying anything that they put out. This CD is a cover of the Beatles, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and I love it. I can't get enough of it. You should totally buy it if you are a reggae fan and it is a must have if you are an Easy Star All-Star fan. These guys rock and I can't wait until they come even close to Idaho because I will be going to that show I guarantee.

2009 Grateful Dead Tour

The Grateful Dead are going on tour this summer and I am totally stoked. I am trying to get Becky to let us go. They are playing in Mountain View California on May 10th and 14th and I am trying to talk Becky into going to her Aunt Rebecca's in San Francisco for a couple days and going to the show. I do realize that Jerry isn't there, for those of you who keep telling me that it isn't the same but I didn't have the opportunity to go while he was alive. For me the experience of seeing the Grateful Dead in concert would be amazing in its own right without Jerry. I am not sure that I could handle it with him.
Tour Info
4/12
NC
GreensboroGreensboro Coliseum
Ticketmaster

4/14
DC
WashingtonVerizon Center
Ticketmaster

4/15
VA
CharlottesvilleJohn Paul Jones Arena
Music Today

4/17
NY
AlbanyTimes Union Center
Tickets.com

4/18
MA
WorcesterDCU Center
Ticketmaster

4/19
MA
WorcesterDCU Center
Ticketmaster

4/21
NY
BuffaloHSBC Arena
Tickets.com

4/22
PA
Wilkes-BarreWachovia Arena @ Casey Plaza
Ticketmaster

4/24
NY
UniondaleNassau Coliseum
Ticketmaster

4/25
NY
New YorkMadison Square Garden
Ticketmaster

4/26
CT
HartfordXL Center
Ticketmaster

4/28
NJ
E. RutherfordIZOD Center
Ticketmaster

4/29
NJ
E. RutherfordIZOD Center
Ticketmaster

5/1
PA
PhiladelphiaWachovia Spectrum
New Era Tickets

5/2
PA
PhiladelphiaWachovia Spectrum
New Era Tickets

5/4
IL
ChicagoAll State Arena
Ticketmaster

5/5
IL
ChicagoAll State Arena
Ticketmaster

5/7
CO
DenverPepsi Center
Ticketmaster

5/9
LA
Los AngelesThe Forum
Ticketmaster

5/10
CA
Mountain ViewShoreline Amphitheatre
LiveNation

5/14
CA
Mountain ViewShoreline Amphitheatre
LiveNation

5/16
WA
QuincyThe Gorge
LiveNation

July
MI
RothburyRothbury Festival
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My job is better than your job!

For those of you who are wondering how my new job is going, I thought that I could just take a minute and tell you. It is awesome! I have had some transition with my old territory and the new rep but I think that things are going smoothly there. The new job consists of hitting the streets around 9am and knocking doors until 4pm. Now to some of you this may sound a little daunting but to me it is great to get out and meet new people and find out what the paper can do for them. This is the end of week two in this new position and I am really having a lot of fun with it. My buddy Matt and I are both new business reps and we have gone on a few "four legged" calls and I would have to say that they have been our most productive calls that we have made. So far everyone has been receptive to the idea and we haven't been kicked out of a business yet. I do believe that sales is my true calling and in this type of environment (new business) I do really well. So far in last two weeks I have signed three new businesses up to advertise with the Statesman and have gone on 75 new business calls. This new job is rockin and I am having a blast. Now if someone could only save this post for me so a year from now when I hate it I can re-read it.

Hockey Playoffs are here!

This weekend the ECHL playoffs start and I am so stoked for them. Right now the Idaho Steelheads are the second seed and seem to be streaking at the right time. I am not going to say that it feels like the 06-07 season but I can feel something. The Steelheads start the playoffs with home ice playing the Victoria Salmon Kings. This is going to be a great series and I am really excited to get it started.

Last weekend we went to a game on Friday night against the Phoenix Road Runners and there happened to be a fight which is not unusual with these two teams.

The fight got finished and the refs put the two players in the penalty boxes. A fan threw some beer on the player from Phoenix which didn't make him to happy and he tried to come over the glass. We have never seen this before but it was pretty cool. They kicked the player out of the game and escorted the fan out of the stadium.

Pictures courtesy of http://www.steveconnerphotography.com/

Book Club On!

OK, it is getting to be time to start this thing. I am super psyched to get going and think that this is going to be a lot of fun. I know that we have a week or so before we can start but we should start thinking of books that we would like to start with. My pick is Fahrenheit 451 because it is something that most of us have read and a short one so for those of us who are busy we can get through it quickly and be able to participate in any discussion. Let me know what you all think though. Give us what you want to start with and why and in a week we can decide what we want to do.