Hodge Podge

The staff at The Brazil Times attempts to come up with a blog on a weekly basis.

Sometimes, the attempt is achieved. Yet, sometimes, it isn't.

On those occasions when the blogs just aren't flowing, one reason could be that we are so busy working on stories. Another reason could be it slipped the mind.

Yet another reason could be writer's block. What are we going to blog about today?

I fit neatly into this category this week. I sat here at my desk Tuesday morning trying to come up with something to write about.

I originally had three ideas, but, ironically, all have been taken.

So I figured I'd wing it.

This is another hodge podge of what is going on.

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My fiancee and I are planning to host Thanksgiving with her family this year.

While I'm looking forward to Turkey Day, as I always do, I'm not looking forward to the cleaning that comes with the preparation.

However, she and I hosted some friends at our home recently and prepped for the event by cleaning up. To be honest, the house looks pretty good and I think we will only need to spruce up a few things to be ready.

It should make for an interesting Thursday with an entire family of football addicts in our family room, watching the Green Bay Packers at Detroit, Oakland Raiders at Dallas and New York Giants at Denver.

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What in the world was Bill Belichick thinking Sunday evening?

He has three Super Bowls to his name and has coached one of the best teams in NFL history.

But to go for it on fourth-and-2 on your own 29-yard line with time running out -- against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts -- just doesn't make sense.

To me, it doesn't matter that you have complete trust in your offense to get the two yards needed to keep the clock moving and keep the ball out of Manning's hands.

Punt the ball and make him drive his team down the field for a possible score.

One day later, he defended his decision. Sure, the Patriots have converted several fourth-down plays in critical situations. But never against the Colts.

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Speaking of the NFL, could they have scheduled a more boring game to show on Monday Night Football? Ugh. I do participate in fantasy football and the person I was up against this past week still had Ray Rice playing Monday evening when the Baltimore Ravens faced the Cleveland Browns.

But after watching approximately 10 minutes of football Monday night, I had to turn off the television. Going to bed seemed like a better option.

Needless to say, I lost in fantasy football, putting me at .500 this season and out of the playoff picture for now.

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Who in the world are Heidi and Spencer Pratt? I keep hearing about these people and the names just don't sound familiar. Ditto on several people in the entertainment world now. It pains me to think it, but I see myself becoming more and more like my parents everyday.

At a certain point, as people get older, new fashions and the latest in the entertainment world, just doesn't seem to matter. Suddenly, you find yourself flipping through the gossip magazines with absolutely no idea who is gracing the pages.

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I read a recent Associated Press article about how new Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor adds "celebrity to court."

Is that really relevant when it comes to being a member of the United States Supreme Court? From the standpoint of the article, shouldn't the focus be on law?

I think so.

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Apparently, the trials for two people accused of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart are underway. Seven years after the event took place.

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I recently saw on the Internet that one of my favorite musicians has elected to go solo.

Recently, multi-instrumentalist Bill Champlin announced he was leaving the band Chicago after 28 years.

So sad. Champlin sang some of the band's best songs in the late 1980s, including "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love," and "Look Away."

According to reports, Champlin said he just wasn't feeling the music anymore and has elected to move forward with a solo career.

Hearing a Chicago album without Champlin's bluesy voice just won't be the same. I purchased the band's last album, "XXX," when it came out and thought it was quite good.

But, I'm looking forward to hearing his new material.