Super Bowl Predictions

Here are my Super Bowl Predictions:

Bruce will play the following songs in this order:
1. My Lucky Day
2. Blinded By The Light
3. Born to Run

I wanted to put this in now so that when he plays them I will have proof that i got my picks in before the game.

And the Steelers will win.

MPH

video proof

yeah, I was tooling around on the interweb today looking for videos of Bruce at the Obama concert thing and I came across another video from our Front Row Show. Here is concrete Video Evidence of me and Amy rocking it with the Boss from the Front Row.
Look for us about a 1:20 in when the lighting goes from red to white.
HOLLA!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2btKx0pDWB0

Apple Cider Time

Today was our annual Cider Pressing day at Larry's house.

Fiona cleaning the cider press.

Fiona grinding the apples.

Fiona gathering the first cup of cider.

Mmmmm.... tasty tasty fresh apple cider.

Fiona was involved in every step of the cider pressing process with the exception of cutting the apples.

And, of course, she was the official taste-tester.

Zeppelin Rules!

I took Fiona swimming last night. She did really good. I tie a noodle around her and she swims around like she owns the place. She "jumped" off the wall into the pool. More like she slowly allowed herself to slip into the water, but in her mind it was like jumping off the high dive. Anyway, she jumped in and went WAY under the water and popped right back up, she coughed a little, wiped her eyes and blew water out of her nose. I told her what a great job she did and how awesome she is and she seemed pretty happy with herself, even though she was visibly scared and shocked by the experience.

When we got home, she told Amy all about it and was really really proud of herself. It was neat.

When we were at the pool, the lifeguard was a high school girl. The music on the loudspeakers was the Classic Rock station on satellite radio. Highlights of our swimming soundtrack were "Born to Run," and "Pretty Woman." Lowlights were "L.A. Woman." The Doors suck, and Jim Morrison was a pompous ass who wrote shitty poems and declared himself a genius. There, I said it. While we were drying off, Led Zeppelin's "Going to California" came on. "Going to California" is one of my favorite Led Zeppelin songs. It is a song I always use in my Led-Zeppelin-is-not-heavy-metal argument. Right when they were getting to the "Throw me a line, if I reach it in time..." part, the music changes to The Red Hot Chili Peppers. I don't usually complain when the Chili Peppers come on the radio, but when they come on in place of Led Zeppelin, it kind of bothers me. About 3 seconds after RHCP comes on, it changes again to some sort of dance music... and that is where it stayed until we left.

Needless to say I plan on writing a strongly-worded letter to the Lititz Record Express about the impertinence of youth and how Led Zeppelin rules. Seriously, though, I am not planning on writing a letter of that nature.

And seriously, Led Zeppelin does rule.

BRUUUUUCE!!!

Every once in a while something happens that feels like a climatic moment in one's life. A moment when you can say "my whole life has been leading up to this moment." I have been very fortunate to have felt that way a few times in my life. The first time was when Amy and I sat in the front row of the Bruce Springsteen concert in Boston. The second time (which eclipsed the first) was when I was standing on the alter watching Amy come down the aisle. I am willing to bet you know what is coming next: The birth of Fiona and the birth of Patrick.

On July 27 I was at a pinnacle of my life. I took Fiona to see Bruce Springsteen. To be able to share something I truly love with my kid was something I had been looking forward since way before I was married.

I remember when Amy first got pregnant, I thought of all the cool things I was going to do with my kid... I'm gonna take my kid to baseball games and up to the cabin and hiking. And I'm gonna watch Cool Hand Luke and Star Wars and So I Married an Ax-Murderer with my kid. But above all, I thought: I am going to take my kid to see Bruce Springsteen.

I got to live that dream, and even though it was a lot louder than I had expected and Bruce did no play the five songs Fiona wanted to hear, it was the fourth greatest moments of my life. Yeah, top four. (Here's the top five in order: (there's a tie for first) 1. Fiona's Birth, 1. Patrick's Birth, 3. Marrying Amy, 4. Taking Fiona to see Bruce., 5. Front-Row Bruce Show.)

I only hope that Bruce will put out another rock-n-roll album and tour with the E Street band again in about 4 years so I can take Patrick to a Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Concert.

Aunt Louise, Fiona, Me and Amy

rocking our Springsteen Uniforms for the Giant's Stadium

Bruce Sprinsgteen Concert on July 27, 2008.

Fiona and Me getting ready to rock with the Boss.

Fiona and Me listening to Bruce Rock "Radio Nowhere."

AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, Bruce also played a concert at HersheyPark Stadium 23 days later! I took my mom with me to that one. It was The Best Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Concert I have seen.*

Bruce playing with the roller coaster in Hershey Park lit up.
Mom said it was like we were getting to see a Bruce Springsteen concert on the Boardwalk.

Me at the HersheyPark Stadium Bruce Springsteen Concert on August 19, 2008.

Mom was super stoked to hear "Thunder Road."
It was one of the higher highlights of the evening .

Me and Mom while Bruce rocked "Rosalita."

The sea of Bruce Fans.
I always feel at home when I am surrounded by 30,000 fellow Bruce Springsteen fans.

*The Solo, accoustic concert I saw on the Devil's and Dust tour was the best Springsteen Concert I have ever been to. It was just freaking amazing. And, of course, the concert where we sat in the front row was the best over-all Bruce Concert Experience. But as far as just pure musical enjoyment and awesomeness of the band, the HersheyPark Stadium show was the best.

updates

after numerous complaints that i haven't updated my blog in a while (and by 'numerous' i mean 'one'), i will bring you up to speed on the life of michael p. holland.

we went to the shore - it was awesome.
we went to the cabin - also awesome.
dad helped me fix a leaky pipe - awesome
i fixed the leaky toilet... actual work - not awesome... not having a leaky toilet - awesome.
i fixed the other leaky pipe - awesome
on saturday i got stung by a bee - not awesome
sunday amy, fiona, aunt louise and i went to see bruce springsteen - awesome.
tuesday - bought a new washer - neither awesone nor not awesome
wednesday - new washer was delivered - awesome.

other awesome things that don't really have a date attached to them:

1.) apparently one of the pumpkin seeds i threw in the compost last october has taken root and it appears as though i will have my own jaco-o-lanterns to harvest this year. TAKE THAT, PUMPKIN FARMERS!!!

2.) my mommy and i are going to see Bruce Springsteen in hershey.

3.) i started saying "peace out brussel sprout"

that is all for now, BUT i will be updating my listville site, also, so check that out.

peace.