Having trouble finding the right book to read next.

After their top three players graduated, Marquette limped into the season with low expectations.  Those expectations were lowered further after losing three key players to injury and one top recruit quit the team.  But the Warriors banded together and have thus far put together one of the more remarkable seasons in some time.  Today’s third straight overtime win on the road gave the Warriors ten wins in the Big East, making them only one of two teams to have at least ten wins every season since joining the league.  Another win or two and we should make the NCAA Tourney.

#10 in progress. The Ghost Writer, not to be confused with Nicholas Cage’s Ghost Rider, is a ten minute political thriller spread out over two hours.  Cold and pointless.

#49 Complete.  Having binged on more burritos and hot dogs than the average food critic, I certainly wouldn’t claim to have an overly sophisticated pallet.  But what I do have is the desire to experience the new on a nightly basis. In fact, Sonia and I have been practicing six out of seven nights for the past couple of years.  After seeing our year end American Express spending pie graph, it became apparent that we need some kind of culinary write off.  Perhaps my restaurant review blog will one day fit into some 1099 loophole.  Until then, I’m just going to continue my nightly journey to satisfy the taste buds.

The above picture is that of the esteemed restaurant critic and curmudgeon, Anton Ego, from the Pixar movie, Ratatouille.  An awesome movie, by the way. A sewer rat who dreams of becoming a great chef tries to help a hack cook save a dying French restaurant.  The only thing that stands in their way, besides the fact that the chef is a rat, is a good review from the cynical critic who hasn’t given a good review in over a decade.  The character development of this Darth Vaderesque critic was phenomenal, which made his final review that much better.  Here it is:

In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations, the new needs friends. Last night, I experienced something new, an extraordinary meal from a singularly unexpected source. To say that both the meal and its maker have challenged my preconceptions about fine cooking is a gross understatement. They have rocked me to my core. In the past, I have made no secret of my disdain for Chef Gusteau’s famous motto: Anyone can cook. But I realize, only now do I truly understand what he meant. Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. It is difficult to imagine more humble origins than those of the genius now cooking at Gusteau’s, who is, in this critic’s opinion, nothing less than the finest chef in France. I will be returning to Gusteau’s soon, hungry for more.

I’m finally worth more dead than alive.  After undergoing a battery of tests over a couple of months, I was finally cleared for life insurance, thoroughly surprising the hypochondriac in me.  Now that Sonia and I are both covered, we’re going to go for a hike on a jagged cliff with our shoelaces untied.

#28 done. Wrote a letter to my little sister, Rosie, to be opened at her retreat.

1159:57… 1159:58…1159:59…Happy New Year.

#98 Done. It’s ten instead of one hundred and I won’t be blogging about it. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to completing the following in 2010.

1. Grow our business.  Hopefully we can double again in our third year.
2. Visit my Mom in Santa Rosa.
3. Get into shape. It’s really going to happen this year. I promise.
4. Eat a meal outside of the U.S. This goal will make the annual list.
5. Finish the first draft of my novel.
6. Budget Cheeseheads. Raise the budget.
7. Vegas, New York, Chicago, San Diego, Boston, Nashville and Florida.
8. Read a novel a month.
9. Volunteer, give, sponsor, etc.
10. Don’t blog.

#95 Complete.

#18 Done.  Journaling my life for over two years now and I’m more than ready to let it go.

The Incomplete List.

#5. Finish my current screenplay.  I rewrote Cheeseheads, so technically I didn’t finish the one I started in the beginning of the year.

#14. Sorry

#24. A major failure. Gained 20 instead of losing 15.  Now I’m in for some work.

#26. Inspiration never struck.

#33. I’ll reflect on this list in about six months and consider writing an article about the year that was.

#34. Pathetic I didn’t see one.

#36. Would have nice combined with #34.

#40. I still remember being awed as a kid.  Would love to get up there again.

#42. My French got in the way.

#44. This will be done early next year.

#46. WIll try again this year.

#47. Perhaps we’ll get around to doing this on the way up to my mom’s.

#49. I think I’ll stay off the horses.

#52. I don’t even know what this means.

#56. I’m a coward.

#59. I’ll stick to eating seven courses.

#62. Newport is only 40 minutes away. Don’t know why we can’t get down there.

#64. Nope.

#65. Shamu died.

#66. Hopefully I’ll add this to the routine.

#67. I heard they got a nice one Africa.

#79. Santa Rosa eludes me.

#80. They sucked anyway.

#82. Sort of scary down there at the moment.

#88. All set to go until I hurt my hand.

#89. Had a couple of ideas, but never got around to it.

#91. Stupid one.

#96. Trip to Chicago interfered.

#97. Dumb.

#26 Incomplete. Not going to happen.

#33 not yet.  So, this blog thing is coming to an end.  The overall experience might make for a halfway decent article, but not at this time.  Instead, I think I’ll wait six months or a year to gain perspective.  So, come January 1st there will be no more posts. C’est la vie.

#66 incomplete.  Just didn’t get around to hiking anything but the usual trail.

#19 Done. Although this blog is coming to an end, I will continue to add posts to My Grandfather’s Office when the inspiration strikes.

Click photo to read.

#84 Done. Sonia finally got her braces and she’s been in pain ever since.  They said it will all be worth it.

Saw The Lovely Bones.  A good story ruined by the director’s excessive use of computerized production design.

#59 not going to happen. Too little time, too little desire.

Merry Christmas.  Kids are growing up fast.  Everyone got what they wanted as usual.  Xmas eve dinner was great.  Xmas breakfast was comforting.  Now it’s time for the traditional xmas nap.  Here are a few more pics from last night.

Santa made an appearance at the annual Youmans Christmas Eve Party.  Good times as usual.

#21 Done. Having read Hemingway’s first novel, I figured I should read his last one as well. The Old Man in the Sea is proof that character trumps story.  To recap, the other four classic novels read this year were The Big Sleep, Tropic of Cancer, Slaughterhouse Five and The Sun Also Rises.

Took Brittany to see Avatar because Sonia is allergic to Sci-fi movies. The story was a well executed version of a story we have seen many times before.  The way it was told through the 3D cinematography and production design was a game changer.  This is a seminal moment in movie making.

Brought back something nasty from Chicago. It’s bed for me.

#10 done.  I started a six week push up routine in early July but have kept it going despite hating it.  I’ve been able to do eighty push ups at one time despite the fact that I seem to weigh more every time I try.

Touched down in Chitown.  Made a pit stop at Gene and Judes for a couple of dawgs.  Fantastic.  The hour plus in traffic, not so much.

#6 Done.  But far from actually being done. I started working on my first novel, 27, a few weeks ago.  Hopefully I’ll a first draft by this time next year.

#96 Incomplete.  The Newport Beach Xmas boat parade is this weekend, but we’ll be in Chicago gettin’ our cold on.

#23 Done. Tried Eva Longoria and Todd English’s, Beso, in Hollywood.  Neither of us were disappointed.  2009 was the year of the restaurant.  And although we sunk way more money into our stomachs than any financial would advise, we’d do it again.

#99 Done.  We’ve given a bunch to ourselves this year, so it’s probably wise to take a break and give a little back to others.  So we gave a little christmas cheer to a family through the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital’s Holidays From The Heart.

#19 in progress.  Wrote a post about my great grandmother’s family, The Pellissiers. Click the picture to read.

Good gangster flick. Used to live down the block from the Biography theatre in Chicago where Dillinger was killed after watching Manhattan Melodrama with Clark Gabel.  I saw Something About Mary in the same theatre.

Saw this movie with five other people who were either luke warm or didn’t like it.  It was a movie about melancholy.  I liked it.

#97 Incomplete. This was the one goal that was way out of my control.  And other than being on the Amazing Race I have no desire to be on a game show.  This won’t be on next year’s list.

She’s only three games into the season, but it’s cool to see Brit has cracked the top ten in Southern California for total points.  With that said, it’s still sloppy soccer.

Montclair is 2-0 after winning just one game last year.  Brit scored twice today, but man do I miss watching club.

#46 Incomplete. Not going to happen by the 31st. Next year.

Netflixed the documentary, The Carter.  Not much to take away from it.

Netflixed Funny People and found it moderately funny.

#62 incomplete.  Although we spent many days at the beach this year, Newport was not one of them.  It’s be unseasonably warm this month, but not warm enough to make this one happen.

November Recap.

November was a family month.  Aside from Thanksgiving, we had a family reunion outside of Seattle to celebrate my sister’s and brother-in-law’s marriage. November was also the month my little girl took her soccer game to the next level and helped secure a championship for her club team.  High School soccer is going to be buzz kill.

What’s done…

#25. Headed to Vegas on a whim and made some moola.  We’re becoming the Bonnie and Clyde of craps.

#43. Bought a new suit.  Hopefully it doesn’t fit this time next year.

#61. Took the fam to see Snoqualmie Falls in Washington.

#86. Finally had my Dad, Georgeanne, George and Rosie over for dinner.

In Progress…

#5. Almost done.

#6. Real close.

#10. Days away from completing the program.

#18. Still going.

#21. Read the Sun Also Rises. One more to go.

#23. Chinois on Main and Umami Burger.

Just a few weeks away from end.

#80 Incomplete.  The first official incomplete of the year.  Time ran out and it’s not like we’re really missing much with this year’s team.

It’s beginning to look a lot like….

Marquette blew a 17 point lead to lose by one to FSU in the championship game of the Old Spice Classic.  Despite the heartbreaker, the Warriors impressive run to the championship game raised my expectations for this year’s team which will only add to my misery when they lose.

Once again, Vegas exceeded expectations.  We leave with more money than we came with.