The New Bachelor

I haven’t watched “The Bachelor” in a few years.  Of course, they don’t exactly have a stellar record when it comes to matchmaking.

Part of my interest derives from having studied documentary filmmaking for my graduate degree (I also helped co-produce a documentary), and also because this season’s bachelor is my childhood orthodontist’s son.

Jake Pavelka hails from my hometown of Denton, Texas, and currently works as an airline pilot for Atlantic Southeast Airlines (which supports Delta Connections).

He recently gave an interview about his experiences thus far to my hometown newspaper, The Denton Record-Chronicle.

I missed Pavelka’s stint on “The Bachelorette” (where he apparently made it to the Final Four before getting the boot), but the DVR is powered on for this go ’round.

My mom is trying to get some inside skinny from Jake’s father, Dr. Pavelka, but she’s had no success.  The doctor’s lips are sealed (or, in his case, perhaps his teeth are just plain wired shut).

I just hope when they do the family visit thing on this season’s show, that I don’t start having flashbacks to Dr. Pavelka tightening my braces or adjusting my head gear when I see the nice doctor on TV.

That man caused me a lot of pain as a small child (and I’m glad he did).

Of course, just because Jake has a nice smile doesn’t mean he’s not willing to play hardball when it comes to the competition.

On last season’s “The Bachelorette,” after getting booted by Jillian Harris he paid a visit anyway to inform her that one of her likely last round picks, Wes, had a girlfriend.  Jake plays some hardball!

Makes me wonder if his dad tightened Jake’s braces a little too tight as well.  Made him ornery!

Here’s the clip:

Dude, you are a better man than I to try and date 25 women at one time while everybody watches on national TV.

I wish you good luck in finding a bride and competing the marriage hat trick with your bros…but when you’re in the cockpit, please, keep an eye on the horizon!

Football Brain and Lotusphere

This is the first post of the new year, 2010.

You’ll have to excuse me, as I attempt to string the semblance of a grammatically correct sentence together after the better part of two weeks of mind numbing football and very little exposure to Internet technology.

I did have to work some (see the previous post), but this past five days I definitely allowed my brain to enter full on into football consumption mush mode.

You know, the kind where you’re sitting on the couch with the remote in one hand, a beer in the other, saliva pouring out of the sides of your mouth.

If you’re a married female, you certainly have seen your husband in such a condition at one point or another.

I call it football brain.

I suspect it takes a full week or two to get fully back into game mode, so this blog post is my start.

Speaking of football, I do want to congratulate my Dallas Cowboys for beating up on the Philadelphia Eagles yesterday to take the NFC East (I know you Giants and Redskins’ fans can’t stand that, and well, that makes me smile as well!)

I have to say, it might have helped if Donovan McNabb’s teammates might have shown up to catch a pass once in a while.

His line did their job, but his receivers were MIA.  Which is perfectly fine by me…I hope they don’t show up at the Jerrydome again next Sunday!

Those receivers are probably feeling about as lonely as the kicker for East Carolina University, Ben Hartman, whose four missed field goals against the University of Arkansas in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Saturday night cost E. Carolina the game, and which set off a cyber frenzy calling for Hartman’s head.

Those fair weather fans forget one small fact: Hartman is the team’s all-time leading scorer.  DOH!  But I suspect that part nobody will remember.  Hang in there, Ben!

Meanwhile, back in Pasadena, your University of Texas Longhorns are on the ground and warming up for their attempt at rolling over the University of Alabama Crimson Tide this Thursday night.

Sports forecasting Website Accuscore has simulated the game over 10,000 times, and currently gives UT only a 35% chance of victory.

To that I say Hook ’em Horns, it’s all about any given Saturday (or in this case, Thursday!)

Okay, that’s enough football brain.  It’s time for me to start crossing my way back into the world of technology.

Did you know that from January 17-21, IBM will be hosting the 17th annual Lotusphere event in sunny Florida?  The 17th!

Out of all the IBM events I’ve frequented over the years, Lotusphere is one that’s never made the list…until this year.

I’ll be joining my IBM colleagues on the ground in Orlando, providing some blogging and Tweeting coverage, and possibly even some Turbo guerrilla video…and I can’t wait.

Considering I’ve been using Lotus products in my everyday existence since about 1993, I’m excited to finally be making the journey to be amongst the Lotus faithful.

You can follow the Lotusphere tidings (no need to wait until the conference…the stream is now conscious!) at hashtags #lotusknows and #ls10 and, of course, here on the Turbo blog.

Welcome back to reality, mi amigos.  You’ll get over it soon.