ASU Beats the Bruins

This last weekend ASU was scheduled to play UCLA in Pasadena. I was not planning on going to the game, but then my friend David Hori (who is a UCLA alum) messaged me saying he had tickets. So, Dad and I decided to fly over on Saturday for the game.

Our plane landed at ONT at about 11:30am, so we were at the hotel in Arcadia by 12:30. Kevin, Tyler, Eric, Bryan and Shane were staying across the street from us, so we met up with them to carpool to the game.

Pre-game picture with all the Hortons…Me, Shane, Tyler, Kevin, Eric, Bryan and Dad.

Pitchforks!

David and I - we met up with his group for a little tailgating before the game.

David wanted this picture…he said it was going to be the winner (himself) with all the losers. Instead, it was the other way around :)

ASU coming onto the field at the start of the game.

Me with Erin and Greg - Greg was in the accounting program at ASU and I graduated with him. He and Erin live about 45 minutes from Pasadena so they came to the game as well.

It is a little hard to see, but this is the team coming over to all the ASU fans after the win. The last few minutes of the game were stressful but ASU was able to hold on - ASU: 38 - UCLA: 33.

With this win (and since UofA beat the University of Oregon), ASU clinched a spot in the Pac-12 championship on December 7th. If ASU can beat the Cats this Saturday then they will host Stanford for the Pac-12 championship game! #NoPityForTheKitty

Arizona State vs. Notre Dame - Shamrock Series

On Friday afternoon I flew to Dallas, TX for the ASU-ND game on Saturday night. Dad picked me up at the airport because he was on an earlier flight, and we headed into downtown Dallas for dinner. I had done some pre-research for local, organic restaurants in the Dallas area. I found a place called Bolsa, and it definitely lived up to its name. I had a beet salad which was excellent, and the "catch" for dinner, which was grouper that had been caught off the coast of Corpus Christi the day prior.

Saturday morning we didn't do a whole lot and as soon as Kevin and Tyler arrived we headed to Arlington for the game. ASU was playing as part of the Shamrock Series. 

The ASU flag was flying high.

 It was a "Gold" game, hence the reason we are all in gold.

AT&T Stadium/Cowboy Stadium/Jerry's World definitely lived up to its name. The stadium was amazing inside.

We went in right after the gates opened. It was fun to get in there before there were too many people inside.

Had to get a Cowboys pic in Texas!

We were in the nosebleeds but the atmosphere was excellent.

My cousin Tyler, Me, Dad and Uncle Kevin

The team praying before the game.

The Notre Dame band did a really good job with the halftime show. This is a pair of cowboy boots and a cowboy hat.

They were playing "Deep in the Heart of Texas" here.

Tied at 27 with 8:18 to go in the 4th quarter!

The roof was closed but I think they had the AC on because it was kind of chilly in the stadium - warmer than outside though.

End of the game - ASU lost by 3 :(. Still had fun, but would have been even more fun if they came away with the W.

After the game we saw this guy in the hall. He is an ASU student, but he is always on the big screen at the home ASU games. I think he was first found by the Hair Cam, but he can dance pretty well too. I call him the Gangnam Style guy. Watch the YouTube video with his Sun Devil Story.

All in all a fun trip. GO DEVILS!!!

Pat's Run 2012

New York City and Central Park turned me into a runner. I am not extremely fast or a professional by any means, but it is a good workout and it is fun to do running events. A couple of months ago I convinced Kellyn to do Pat's Run with me.

We were in Corral 7 out of 28. The first wave (i.e. Corral 1) went off at 7:05am, and then each wave was 30 seconds after that. It was probably in the 70s when we did the run, but it got hot when we turned east on Curry directly into the sun.

The finish line was on the 42nd yard line of Sun Devil Stadium (since Pat Tillman was #42). I had heard that in previous years people got backed up when they entered the stadium, but it seems that they have perfected the run so that you can continue running across the finish line. I finished in 35:49 (4.2 miles) which is a personal best! Kellyn even said she is ready for another race :)

"You Look Like Alumni"

We went to an ASU football game.

No, we did not take Kellyn's puppy, Cruzer with us. He just wanted to be in the picture.

On our way into the game, we bought water from a vendor outside the stadium and our conversation went something like this:

Water Boy: Are you alumni?

Kelly: Yes, do I look like an alumni? We don't look like students?

Water Boy: No, you look like alumni.

Me: Do I look like an alumni? (I know, alumnus is the correct term.)

Water Boy: You look like a teacher. (At least he didn't say professor.)

Do we really look like alumni?

Maybe because we didn't cut our shirts and tie them down the side.

Oh well, we still had a good time watching some football in the desert. And I don't mind looking like alumni with this group of friends. We did go to Axis Radius after the game so that's gotta count for something, right? :)

Last Graduation Post

On Saturday afternoon, we had a graduation open house for Mom.  Except for this time, unlike the rest of them, we held it at Grandma Hazel's.  We left a note on the door of our house as plenty of people mentioned that they were coming to our house on Saturday (even though we included a map and directions to my grandma's in the invitation).  Grandma did all the cleaning, so all we had to do was decorate and get food. 

Kellyn and I went over to my grandma's around 10am on Saturday morning to decorate, and my parents went to Costco to get food.  Grandma was terrified that we were not going to be ready by 3pm, but I think we surprised her at how quick we got everything together.  Lots of friends came to celebrate and Mom had a good time.

Mr. and Mrs. Crowell, Mrs. Lidman and Noreen - they are neighbors from 66th Street

Shane, David, Beth and Lesley - all cousins

Brett, Colleen, Alex, Leila, Brittany and Grandma Lois

Bob, Bill, Kathryn, Rob and Lois - friends from church

Grandma Lois and Leila - Leila's great grandma

Dad, Colby and Randy

Kellyn and I

After the party I had a 9pm flight back to NYC.  

ASU Spring 2009 Commencement

Mom graduated last week with her Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education.  She is the fifth and final member of my family to obtain a degree from Arizona State.  Dad, Kyle and I all graduated from the W.P. Carey School of Business, and Mom and Kellyn both graduated from the Mary Lou Fulton College of Education.  At this year's general commencement ceremony, President Barack Obama was the speaker.  While I don't agree with the majority of his political views, it was fun to see a president "in real life."

My ticket with the details.  Just after I took this picture, a security guard said that if the Secret Service saw me taking that picture, I would be asked to delete it.  I guess they did not want any pictures of the security lines (which are in front of me).

A shot of the security lines after entering.  On the news they were saying to plan on standing in line for 90 minutes to get through security, but we were only in line for 20 minutes (maybe shorter).

With mom at Sun Devil Stadium - you can definitely tell in this picture that I don't have the benefit of the Arizona sun right now :(

Alice Cooper performed "School's Out for Summer" as part of the pre-opening ceremonies.

Go Devils!!!

On the screen - President Barack Obama and President Michael Crow (ASU President).

Snipers.  They were strategically placed around the stadium.

This was my view of Obama with - with my zoom feature fully utilized.

This was the better view of him.

Congrats, Mom!!!!  (More to come on this subject.)