Ryan's Journal

"My life amounts to no more than one drop in a limitless ocean. Yet what is any ocean, but a multitude of drops?" — David Mitchell

Month: March 2010

This is Where I Live

Posted from Culver City, CA at 6:31 pm, March 27th, 2010

It’s been far too long since the camera has been out of its case, so below are today’s results from putting a mediocre photographer in a pretty neighborhood with a giant lens:

Mallard Ducklings

The first batch of baby ducks for 2010. They’ve showed up three times already today to pick off seeds under the bird feeder. All the girls say “awwwww…”.

Mallard Duck

Papa duck, taking a bath.

American Coot

American coot in pretty water.

Grey Squirrel

Audrey saw this photo and said “I know that look”. After several weeks of trying the squirrels have finally figured out how to get to the perch on the new bird feeder, but it uses a spring system that closes the food ports when anything heavy shows up, so they remain grumpy.

Holliday vs. the President vs. the King

Posted from Culver City, California at 10:49 pm, March 18th, 2010

Here are the bracket prediction standings after the first day of the NCAA Tournament:

  • Barack Obama (President of the United States of America): 120 points – overall rank: 96.9%.
  • Lebron James (NBA Superstar): 90 points – overall rank: 38.3%.
  • Ryan Holliday (34 year-old bald man): 110 points – overall rank: 87.4%.

Barry and I were tied until Wake Forest hit a last-second shot over Texas, meanwhile Lebron can start making up lost ground on both of us if fourth-ranked Purdue beats 13th-ranked Siena tomorrow.

I convinced Audrey, who watches no sports whatsoever, to fill out a bracket, and she currently has 80 points, tying her with legendary basketball analyst Dick Vitale (overall rank: 13.2%) despite the fact her rationale for making picks included “I have a cousin named Siena” and “Wofford is a really funny name for a college”. If she beats me the shame will not be bearable.