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Honda’s New Commercial: the coolest new commercial to hit the air – no special effects were used whatsoever.

Yet another ping pong post…I realize this is getting ridiculous, but forgive me. Its my new hobby.

Earlier this week, Cory, one of the guys I play most often with at work, taught me how to “spike,” or return the ball hard with an overhand forehand smash, in ping pong. Roommate Jeff and I (and TJ once he returned home from work) played for about 4 hours a couple of days later. I practiced the spike and we lost 7 balls in the depths of our storage in the garage in the process (we started with 10).

Today, I unleashed the spike during break ping pong. Two landed for points (the other two nailed the wall about chest high – oops)!

1) Random Presents

Work Jeff ran across this red M&M character with SCUBA gear and got it for me. It is an AM/FM radio w/ headphones, but in all honesty it is the thought rather than the functionality that counts, so now he sits on my desk next to my pink flower from my mom – another random present – and together they put a smile on my face.

2) Snow

It snowed 2 inches at our house Thursday night and we had a giant snowball fight after driving around the neighborhood spinning cookies – it wasn’t slick enough to start CarIce Capades, but we still got a couple 270s in.

3) Ping Pong

Lots has happened within the sphere of ping pong lately. I started playing with the guys at work on our break(s) about 2 weeks ago – first time I’ve ever played ping pong. Thursday night we, where we = Roommate Jeff, got our ping pong table at home (yes, we bought one off craigslist for $60 in pretty good condition with an extra net, a ball, and 4 or 5 paddles) set up in the garage. I learned a new serve, which rocked and helped me beat Work Jeff on Friday. Greer vs. Hesse (Work Jeff) II, scheduled for Monday, has been highly advertised.

Last weekend I finished the diving portion of my PADI Rescue Diver Certification course in Hoodsport, Washington. We dove the Hood Canal, which is a finger of Puget Sound. As it was my first cold-water diving experience, I learned quite a bit about the challenges of cold-water diving while doing my rescue certification, but overall I had a great time and everyone said I handled the new environment very very well. All I have left is to complete Emergency First Response certification and I’ll be a certified Rescue Diver.

The “yellow house” we stayed at was absolutely cool. Just a rad place: bunk beds downstairs with curtains to shade them from the living area & mini kitchen, a full kitchen with EVERYTHING upstairs and couples’ rooms, a heated drying room in the garage and plenty of space to don SCUBA gear, close proximity to the dive shop and dive spots in the area, and endless hot water!

The people rocked too; my instructor is the neatest guy – very patient, very good at making sure you know the information without being condescending, my dive buddy for the weekend taught me a bunch as well – he is a Divemaster candidate & paramedic in training – nice guy I hope to dive with again, the other couple & other instructors also couldn’t have been better. The weekend was great!

A few final observations/comments/notes from the weekend:

1. Thick gloves add -15 to my dexterity.
2. The best attribute of the yellow house? – Finishing every “Y’know what would be great right now…” with “…I found one.”
3. Potlucks should happen more often – ours was absolutely fabulous. I ate wayyyyy too much.
4. I should never gain 50 lbs. – walking up the stairs off the beach with all of my gear was the hardest part!
5. Murky water sucks.