What’s new in Twizzler-land?

My contract at Oppenheimer Funds wrapped up at the end of January, so after 5 quick months it was time to find a new job. I truly enjoyed my time at Oppenheimer and made some great new friends in my short time there. I also feel fortunate in that I had an opportunity to work with some great technologies (mainly Java Server Faces) that were right up my alley.

Case in point. When I found out that my contract was ending, I quickly started a job search. I had two great interviews lined up in short order, and went to both on the same day. Less than 24 hours later I had two very solid job offers. Initially, I tentatively accepted the offer from a nearby publishing firm, but when the other company found out that I was planning to turn their offer down, they responded with an even more tempting offer that was impossible to turn down. With that, I accepted a permanent employment offer with a local company building supply company called ProBuild.

ProBuild has over 17,000 employees across the country and is financially owned by Fidelity Capital. ProBuild has grown rapidly over the past few years by acquisition and growth in 40 states. The IT department that I have been hired into is only about 120 employees. I was actually the first Java developer hired into my group. In the short time I’ve been there, I have worked on the company internet website (a new version is rolling out shortly that I worked on) and also on one of the first applications that my group is responsible for.

It’s a unique situation, and the group I’m a part of is very talented and a great group of people. I look forward to the challenges ahead, and being a part of something new and exciting. If you are interested in more details, just ask next time you see me!

Father/Son Breakfast
Originally uploaded by aswitzer.

Thanks to some McDonald’s coupons received in the mail, Tobey and I ventured out three weeks ago to have a Saturday morning breakfast. Three weeks later, it has become a fun and welcome way to start the weekend.

Tobey and I are breakfast people. We both are ready to eat something just minutes after we wake up. So now, we go out to a McDonald’s, order some pancakes, hash browns, an OJ for Tobey and a coffee for myself, and plan out the day, and maybe play a little DS Lite.

Today, on our third breakfast outing, Mom and Dad joined Tobey and I. I picked a McDonald’s in between Englewood and Boulder, with the added bonus for Tobey that it had a playland. (None of the McDonald’s near our house have that feature) We had a blast, and you can see pictures in my Mom’s and my photo streams.

Maybe after our McDonald’s coupons run out, we’ll mix up our new routine and try an IHOP.

My Dad and I chose the story from Richard Matheson - “I Am Legend” starring Will Smith for our 5th annual Father/Son Movie outing.

I wouldn’t recommend this movie for most people. I really enjoy Will Smith, so I knew I would like it on some level. I knew the storyline is one that intrigues and scares me - that we will someday overstep our bounds when it comes to medical science and create something (inadvertant, or to be used in warfare) that will spiral out of control and run thru the world population as a pandemic. Anyway, I enjoy a movie that makes me think, even if it isn’t the happiest of tales. Interesting note about the story - this is actually the third time it has been made into a movie, with “The Last Man on Earth” in 1964, and “The Omega Man” in 1971 being the two previous versions.

Well, quite a few other people out there felt similarly or had their interest peaked because it sent all-time box office records for the biggest December opening (77 million at the box office) of all time.

So, overall it was another great movie outing with my Pops, who I always have a great time with!

The Twizzler’s 5th annual online holiday newsletter is ready for reading!

You will find updates on our children - Ashley and Tobey, our chocolate lab Twizzler, Carrie and I, and a few added bonuses, like a downloadable holiday song/MP3!

If you have any comments about the holiday newsletter - please leave them here!

Happy Holidays to all!

Tobey is Raphael, TMNT!
Originally uploaded by aswitzer.

This past weekend Carrie and I hosted our first annual Halloween Party - hopefully just the first of many. If you didn’t already know, Halloween is one of Carrie’s favorite holidays, and Tobey and I feed off her enthusiasm. Ashley, Tobey and I have gotten Carrie many Halloween themed October birthday presents over the years.

This year, we decided to throw a party the weekend before Halloween for Tobey, his friends, and their parents. The weather cooperated for the most part (it was a little chilly, but sunny) so we were able to have the party in our garage, where we had decorations, spooky music, art projects, food & drink, a pinata, and even several rounds of “Captain Jack Says”. (Think “Simon says”… )

Check out the Halloween 2007 set on Flickr for pictures before and during the party. Hope everyone had a great time - we sure did!

Go Colorado Rockies!
Originally uploaded by aswitzer.

If you haven’t heard about the Colorado Rockies run for the ages… one of the all-time greatest winning stretches in ANY sport, then you haven’t been to ESPN.com, watched a sports show in any part of the country, or even read the past few posts of this blog!

Winning  21 of their past 22 games helped the Rockies roar from 4th place in their division to a tenuous wild-card playoff game, on to the playoffs, and then onward to two incredible sweeps in the Division Series and now the National League Series.

With a run like that, what’s left? The World Series!

The Rockies will now wait to see who survives in the American League, and will face either the Boston Red Sox or the Cleveland Indians. It has been an amazing, joyous run thru the postseason so far, something baseball fans in Colorado had had to wait 12 long years for.

Congrats to the Colorado Rockies, and bring on the World Series! Helton, Holliday, Tulo, Francis, Fuentes, Corpas and the rest of the boys will be ready!

Go Rockies!
Originally uploaded by aswitzer.

Denver’s Major League baseball team has provided a memorable summer and fall for myself and many other Coloradoans. On Sunday afternoon they put themselves in position for a chance for postseason glory, for the first time in 12 years.

It has been a wild and thrilling ride since June, with the Rockies commanding the best overall record in baseball, after a rough April/May. They topped this by finishing 13-1 over the last 14 games, eeking out a tiebreaker game with the San Diego Padres after the Milwaukee Brewers beat them the past two games.

No matter what happens in this extra game on Monday night, I thank the Rockies for rekindling my interest in baseball and providing numerous memorable nights after the past months. Good luck to Holliday, Helton, Hawpe, Fogg, Tulowitzki and the rest of the team - play well and leave it all on the diamond!

I’ve had a long-standing passion for baseball.

I have fond memories of going to Cubs games while growing up in Illinois - having several birthday parties at Wrigley Field.

Much like my beloved Nuggets went thru in the 90’s - the Rockies have had a long stretch of losing, empty seasons. The last time the made the playoffs was 1995. This year, the Rockies trotted out yet another hopeful cast of players. Longtime Rockies firstbaseman Todd Helton, emerging superstar left-fielder Matt Holiday, and young pitching ace Jeff Francis, along with a few new players, and several rookies.

Troy Tulowitzki - one of those aforementioned rookies, is the Rockies starting shortstop this season.

If you hadn’t already put it together - he is my candidate for National League Rookie of the Year, and this post is my way of showing my support. Troy just may be the catalyst for getting the Rockies a wildcard berth for the first time in more than a decade. At 81-72, they are still a long-shot as they are currently 4 1/2 games behind the wild-card leading San Diego Padres. But - they play the Padres 3 games starting this weekend, so anything can still happen.

Tulowitzki should be the NL ROY this year, and here’s why:

• He leads all of baseball in putouts and assists this season, with only 11 errors
• He owns the NL all-time record for home runs by a SS - 22
• He’s hitting .295 and has batted in 90 runs
• He’s durable and has played in 145 of the 150 games played so far this season.
• He’s already considered a leader and catalyst for the Rockies at the age of 22, because he brings enthusiasm and intensity to every game

Troy’s my favorite Rockies player and if I doesn’t help lead the Rockies to the playoffs this season, I predict he’ll be a huge reason why they make it next year.

Lastly, is it just me, or does he not look just like actor Shia LeBeouf?