I always watch the news when I am eating dinner. Hey, I'm a bachelor. I'm allowed to do this. And it beats eating over the kitchen sink.

Anyway, one evening last week,I left the television on after the evening news was over and gathered up my dishes to take to the sink and wash. A syndicated talk show came on with a video that was said to be "disturbing". It was a recently shot video of a group of teen age girls beating up another teen age girl. Apparently, the video was available for viewing on the internet.

The host of the television show was talking to administrators from that school district about the video and what action the school district was going to take against the girls who assaulted this girl. As the interview went on, the video was constantly replayed.

A few days later, I am watching the local news. The broadcast begins with a story about a "disturbing" video shot in Melbourne, Florida, shows a group of teenage girls beating up another girl. Apparently, they were beating the girl up because she had something to do with one of the girls' boyfriends. The tape has been shown over and over, day after day.

What I find "disturbing" is the fact that not only has the talk show and local news aired the video, but kept replaying it. I feel bad for the victims of these attacks, and I could not imagine the humiliation the victims felt about the video being downloaded on the internet for someone's amusement. But imagine how it must feel to have to see that video being broadcast on television for all to see.

It is sunny here in Florida. However, the temperature is currently 40 degrees in downtown Orlando. New Smyrna Beach has a current temperature of 37 degrees. This may sound like a warm day to some, but when you go from a high of mid 80 degree temperatures to this in a few weeks, it's cold!

Something tells me that ice cream sales at the amusement parks will be down. And I have a feeling there will not be much surfing taking place along the coast. And with all the tourists we have in the Central Florida area, there are probably a few tourists right now at the outlet mall shopping for a winter coat while they walk around and mumble about leaving their winter garments up north.

In the meantime, I'll just stay inside and have another coffee. And maybe later I will go down to the theme park and watch the tourists walk around and mumble while gazing at the auburn sky. And meanwhile, have another beer.

All from the warm interior of the English pub, of course. Besides, all our friends are here.

It has been busy at work these past few weeks. I am taking a coffee break on this Friday morning after putting a desk back together. The painters from Facilities Management are here at the neighborhood center painting the offices, so that means we have been moving furniture all week.

The Recreation department moved into its new facility last week,
so there was plenty of furniture that needed to be moved. Some of the administrators have received new furniture for their new offices.So any furniture that was left over , we could move into our center. Grab and growl, as I always say. Especially when it comes to moving furniture. Or eating.

And my friend whom I wrote about last week is moving into the new facility as well, so now he is happy. I won't have to listen to him bitch and moan anymore until a new problem comes up. Or if the Red Wings and Pistons start a losing streak.

Our facility supervisor picked out a desk from the downtown office, so she gave her desk to the recreation specialist. And since our recreation specialist has a desk to get rid of, I may just have to inquire about what is to become of that desk. I think I can find some space for it.

As for the clay classes, we will be starting the classes up in a few weeks. Monday, I went down to the studio to throw some pots. It was the first time I have been on a potters wheel in seven years.



Needless to say, any attempts at making what resembled a cat food dish did not happen. I will have to try again at a later time. Meanwhile, we have a potters wheel here at work. I need to test it and see if it is working properly, and I also need to test the kiln as well. It will be fun to get a studio up and running at the neighborhood center.

Well, I have to get going. I have plenty of furniture to move.

Hopefully, I can get a desk out of the deal.

Last night I went to NFL.com to get the current news around the league. Then I went to the official web sites of the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears to find out how the teams will be preparing for the Super Bowl. I then visited the web site for my favorite team, the Cleveland Browns.

All the current news items on the Browns web site were stories about the upcoming Senior Bowl. This is a end-of-the-year college all-star game that scouts from the NFL teams attend. As a matter of fact, the North and South squads are coached by staffs from two NFL teams.

As I was reading about the Senior Bowl, it started to depress me. Here are two teams playing for the championship. Their season is not over yet. One more game, and winner takes all. And here is my team who finished with a 4-12 record, and the only thing the Browns look forward to is a selection in the top five picks for the NFL Draft.

All I have to say to the scouts from the Cleveland Browns is this:

Take good notes while watching the Senior Bowl.

Here I am sitting in the computer lab at work functioning on five-and-a-half hours of sleep after having to listen to a fellow co-worker complain about the same thing he complained about on Friday afternoon, and I come to the realization that I have not had coffee yet.

Why am I even listening to this? I haven't had coffee yet. Where's a mute button when you need one? Why are we not talking about the Indianapolis Colts playing the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl in two weeks?

As much as I like the New England Patriots and the New Orleans Saints, I am glad to see a Colts-Bears match-up. I have always liked Tony Dungy, and I am glad to see his team finally get to the Super Bowl. As for the Bears, my friend Coach is a big Bears fan. I am really happy for him. At least he gets to see his team make it to the Super Bowl.

As for my team, the Cleveland Browns, making the Super Bowl? I'm not holding my breath. I will talk to my friend Coach later today when I get home.

As for my friend from work who is always complaining, I will have to talk to him later today as well. And he will be complaining about the same thing. And then he wonders why I never call him on our days off.

Where's that remote control with the mute button when you need it? Just shut up and go to work!

And if you are a big fan of the Colts or the Bears, then you have my congratulations.

Now if you excuse me, I am going to make coffee. I really need it.

But the game was worth sitting up late for.