I had another opportunity to write an article about the home town teams. This time I touched on the top three concerns from my point of view on the Washington Redskins roster going into this season. Give it a look and let me know what you think:
http://voices.yahoo.com/washington-redskins-top-three-concerns-going-into-12270087.html?cat=14
Thanks
Rob
Yahoo asked me to touch on some of the areas that I think the Washington Post should focus on moving forward under Jeff Bezos ownership….give it a look and let me know what you think
http://voices.yahoo.com/the-washington-post-future-bezos-12268767.html?cat=3
Thanks
Rob
So with finishing the masters degree, its given me a chance to focus some time on getting my fish tanks cleaned up and looking good. This will just be a quick update and later I will try to focus a post on each tank and the specifics. I currently am maintaining the following:
150 Gallon Tank: 8 Vieja synspilum and 3 cichlasoma salvini cichlids along with two plecostomus
This guy is about 9-10 inches long just to put it in perspective
120 Gallon Tank: 20 breeding pairs of Kribensis
120 Gallon Tank: Male cichlid only tank
90 Gallon Tank: Silver dollars and Frontosa with Bristlenose plecos
75 Gallon Tank: Two breeding pairs of Angels
75 Gallon Tank: Hodgepodge of cichlids
75 Gallon Planted Tank: Angelfish, Severums, tetras, livebearers, corydoras
75 gallon planted pond outside on patio
50 Gallon Tank: Livebearers and grow out cichlids
40 Gallon Tank: Shell dwellers, Gold Tail Guppies, Cherry Shrimp
30 Gallon Tank at Office: Gold Gouramis
5 Gallon Tank: Green Dragon Fantail bristlenose and Crystal Red Shrimp
Kosovo
The low hills blend as one,
The farms fight the ever creep of civilization
The force sits in the middle of this
It flows from one to the other
In and Out
Back and Forth
This force is here for peace
To ensure an end
To stop the blood of centuries past
To be a wall, a fluid wall
Ever changing, ever challenging
Trying to force a start anew
But always on the ready
Vigilant to defend its own
Careful to bear its might
Each part knowing its role
Knowing the history, present and making the future bright
The smiles, the handshake, the music
The force brings these and more
As it sweeps through this land
The force controls what it can
Influences what it can’t control
And provides the needed peace
Woe be unto those that oppose
For action is swift, decisive
Sometimes bloody and cruel
But necessary
Kosovo
I wrote this while stationed in Kosovo on a peacekeeping tour while deployed for the Army.
I had another opportunity to write about some of the wonderful experiences of becoming a dad for the first time. I got to touch on what it was like to put the car seat in the first time and then drive my wonderful baby girl home for the first time.
http://voices.yahoo.com/dad-delivery-getting-baby-seat-getting-12252608.html?cat=7
Let me know what you think.
Thanks
Rob
I continued my series of articles on Yahoo Contributor Network focusing on the minor league stars of teams in Major League Baseball. This time I focused on the top five from the New York Yankees. Give it a look, leave me feedback or let me know what you think here.
http://voices.yahoo.com/new-york-yankees-future-star-watch-glance-into-the-12244880.html?cat=14
Thanks
Rob
A Kiss
Lips move in,
Slight hesitation
A look, a breath,
Twinkle in the eye,
Easy smile,
A burning inside
A flutter of the heart
Of the eyes
What can you do?
Drawn in….slipping
Feel the crash
Is it right?
Do you care?
Can you know?
Oh well,
Brain too slow,
Heart too fast,
Fingers intertwined
Lips move in
A kiss
So simple
So complicated
But a start
To what?
Something simple, something complicated
Life is wandering slowly
Easily taken
Hope is there
I know
I care
Lips move in
A Kiss
The Rail
The Rail,
The soft giggle,
The booming laugh
The drinks flowing
Music in the background
Cell phones chirping
Playing songs,
Darts flying,
People stumble,
Mix,
Mingle,
Stairs a nightmare,
Deja Cometh,
Tiff’s smile at the door,
Disco inferno spinning here,
Gyrations, dips and drops,
Smiles, handshakes,
Billiards in the corner,
Line to the restroom, so long,
Ladies in their sparkles,
Dances in the shadows,
Lasers from the ceiling,
Last call,
2 AM a blessing or a curse?
Afterparty,
Avoid the dope room,
Hear the music a block away,
Beer pong on a deck,
People upside down,
Taxi home,
People passed out,
Waffle House at 4 AM,
Triple hashbrowns,
Home again,
Shower, Bed, Goodnight
This poem was inspired by an evening I lived in Savannah, GA. There are two bars, The Rail and Deja Groove, involved and of course the ever favorite Waffle House. Savannah is a great city to have a good time if you ever get the chance.
Thanks,
Rob
The Ladies
The air is alive
Can you feel it?
There’s a spark
So close to excitement
This place is abuzz
Pain, joy and a hope
A hope for the past
Yet they move on to the future
The show is amazing
The players all gather
The performance, so grand!!
These ladies show caring
Individuals
Yet somehow, one group
They care for each other
The grace of these ladies
To take life in stride
Relying on the group
Pushing on alone
How much easier without us?
Yet how dull?
The tears,and the stress
Relief-happiness
Oh these ladies
And the men that torment them
I had another great opportunity to write an article for the Yahoo Contributor Network, this time about some of my experience of becoming a father for the first time. I tried to touch on what I thought were the most important things that a first time father should know as he prepares to help his significant other through pregnancy.
http://voices.yahoo.com/dad-delivery-ten-things-know-12237416.html?cat=25
Let me know what you think.
Thanks
Rob
Run
The Horses
Let them run
They are so beautiful
So alive
The fluid motion
The easy grace
They are so nosy
Wanting what you have
Wanting more
Which makes you dig
Dig deep in your soul
Where the shadows lie
That’s where you find your true self
These animals
They yearn for your affection
They let you run
Run wild and free
Not with your feet but with your mind
I
Can go anywhere
Anywhere in the eyes
Of an animal
Try to see just what they see
And just how they see it
You should try it sometime
You
Might get lost
But these animals will bring you back
Back to the world that’s worth living
They are a gift to be treasured
Protect them
And let them run
Run where they see fit
This is why they are here
They are here to show
You and I
Just how
Important
Being able to go
Go anywhere
Is to the soul
Never forget this
Lest you forget who
You
Are
RUN
The Crow on the Cross
As the bird took flight
It was quite a sight
A black bird, A black heart
One that gave me a start
This call that it gave
Spoke of anger and remorse
The message it sent
To warn of its path
I know not what it said
But could feel the hoarse cry
As it pierced the warm air
Fear not what is done
For it will not change
The undone is the unknown
So take care in progressing
But press forth with your mission
For it is what makes you
Who you are
I caught this on the wind
As the bird flew on
The noble crow landed
Upon the cross
And became silent
The quiet was chilling
For it was unknown why the call stopped
But I realized it stopped
Because it felt peace
No more anger
No regret
But was this the crow or myself
This feeling of sweet relief
Of letting go
Those things that would bring unhappiness
All gone away
I sang to the sky
For the burden was gone
All that remained
Was a Crow on a Cross
The Hawk
Seen by many as a bird of prey
Deadly in so many ways
I feel that most see only this
And never realize what they miss
The beauty that surrounds this bird
Is best seen, and second heard
The grace with which it soars
The embolden spirit it explores
I watch it wing through the sky
To see a chance to go on high
Imagine what it might be like
To soar through clouds and out of sight
The view allowed from that great height
Is best described by the Sun’s bright light
I wish I could see what the hawk sees
Way up above the ground and trees
The chance to watch all other life
To know more than the rest
Gives us freedoms to look ahead
To make decisions well, not bad instead
The call also procures demand
That sweet, shrill sound shows how to stand
Stand out above the best
Open challenge in its voice
Daring the world to respond
Moving with the wind
Making the world take notice
Notice of its intent not to be silent
Emboldened to be itself
Fortitude to ride the air
Face the challenge
Open wings, Open talons
Fierce and proud
The Hawk
I continued my series of articles on Yahoo Contributor Network focusing on the minor league stars of teams in Major League Baseball. This time I focused on the top five from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Give it a look, leave me feedback or let me know what you think here.
http://voices.yahoo.com/arizona-diamondbacks-future-star-watch-glance-into-12232932.html?cat=14
Thanks
Rob
I continued my series of articles on Yahoo Contributor Network focusing on the minor league stars of teams in Major League Baseball. This time I focused on the top five from the Atlanta Braves. Give it a look, leave me feedback or let me know what you think here.
http://voices.yahoo.com/atlanta-braves-future-star-watch-glance-into-the-12230129.html?cat=14
Thanks
Rob
REPETE in DC 