.cross.wired.mind.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love animals. If I see a news story about animal abuse or a loved pet in trouble it takes a great effort to hold back the tears.

Now tragedy has struck on a personal level. Fargo is gone. He had terminal cancer. Jennie and I made the tough choice to end his suffering. Now we are the ones in pain.

I know animals are not people. I know this and still I mourn his loss as if he were my own flesh and blood. He was my friend and constant companion. He brought me nine plus years of joy. We played fetch. We tugged on ropes and blankets. We napped on the floor of my family room. We drove through Valley Forge and he would bark at the deer. We walked the shoreline on Peaks Island. We ran all over our backyard in a constant game of tag and chase. Every morning he would greet me with a hearty wag and smile that I would pay back with scruffles. He would curl up in my lap and doze. He would jump up on me as I lay on the floor - all 75lbs worth of yellow lab. He loved to go for rides to nowhere in particular. He loved to run with my other dog Griff and chase Sasha, Griff’s littermate who lives with my in-laws.

Dogs are not owned. They live with us - in our homes and in our hearts.

I have lost three dogs in my life. Chief was prone to seizures and never recovered from a grand mal that took his life. Nikki was with me for 14 years until she died of cancer. And now Fargo joins them.

Another hole in my heart. I have cried every day since Friday … and I will miss him.

Boing boing rocks.  Today it brought me this little gem on Japanese Engrish.

I laughed .. then felt bad that I had laughed at the expense of others … then I laughed even harder.

Oh, and just so I can say I warned you - the site is for mature audiences only.  It’s not a nughty site just not for the kiddie-winkies.  Think R or NC-17.

My starting XI are all drawn from the 1990s.  The reason for this is that I have seen them play (almost all of them in person) and I understand the impact they had on the game.  Sure, they are not the best XI to have ever played but they are a group that I can say - I know because I have seen for myself.

I am going with a 3-5-2 managed by Sir Alex of course.

G - Kasey Keller: Overlooked because he is a yank Casey is far and away the greatest stopper I have ever seen.  His dominance over Brazil in the US victory in 1998 led Romario to say, “That is the best performance by a goalkeeper I have ever seen in a match that I have played in.”

D - Franco Baresi: He was the heart of AC Milan’s defense throughout the 1990s.  He won six scudetti and three European Cups.

D - Paulo Maldini: Winner of seven scudetti and four European cups Paulo Maldini is perhaps the greatest defender of all time (IMHO).  He has 127 caps and has appeared for 582 times since 1984.

D - Denis Irwin:  Before there was Bend it Like Beckham there was Dennis Irwin.  His free kicks were thing of beauty.  Add to that the ability to man mark even the most elusive forwards AND transition seamlessly to offense and you can see why he is on my starting XI.

M - Edgar Davids:  Every team needs a tenacious midfielder.  I have two of them because I just couldn’t choose one.  Edgar Davids plays hard but not dirty.  He can strip the ball with a tough tackle then make a silky smooth pass to move the play ahead.  Truly an iron fist in a velevt glove.

M - Roy Keane:  The battles between Roy Keane and Edgar Davids are legendary.  Even though they are similar players Roy brings with him the ability to be the field general.  He can organize, motivate, chastise, and drive a team like no one else I have ever seen.

M - Eric Cantona:  Genius!  Vision! Legend! Le God!  What more can I say? Though he played much of the time as a forward I think he was at his best when he played just behind the forwards as the link from the mid-field.

M - Ryan Giggs:  The Welsh Wizard is a natural choice on the left.  His runs are amazing.  His speed is tremendous.  His ability to make even the best defender look like a a lump on the turf has caused him to be compared to George Best who would definitely be on this list if I made it my all time list.

M - David Beckham: I know. I know.  You think this is a bad choice.  Here’s the thing.  When Mr. Spice wore the number 10 shirt for United he was a rapidly rising star.  His ability to beat the defense and cross form the right was spectacular.  Later in his career he fancied himself a central mid, and then he just fancied himself.  I think the whole “star” thing took away from his ability to focus on football.  If he had been an ugly mug I think we would be talking about David Beckham in the same breath as Maradona, Pele, Best and Zidane (who I left off for my list for obvious reasons).

F - George Weah: This man had an eye for goal.  He played with brains and brawn.  If he had been able to spur Liberia on to success on the International stage his greatness would not be questioned. 

F - Marco Van Basten: He was not a flashy player, nor was he a real celebrity.  He just scored goals.  He scored 128 goals in 133 appearences for Ajax and 90 goals in 147 appearences for AC Milan.  He won the Dutch league three times and Serie A four.  He won the European Cup three times.  He is the model modern striker.

There is a wonderful piece about Eric Cantona over at si.com (yep, Sports Illustrated folks).  My favorite bit is about George Best and le God …

Fellow United legend and wearer of the famous No. 7 shirt, George Best, once remarked of Cantona, “I’d give all the champagne I’ve ever drunk to be playing alongside him in a big European match at Old Trafford.” Some years later, following Best’s death, Cantona returned the compliment in his own indomitable way.

“After his first training session in heaven, George Best, from his favorite right wing, turned the head of God who was filling in at left-back,” Cantona said. “I would love him to save me a place in his team — George Best that is, not God.”

You can see why this guy is on my all time starting XI (more on that later). Not only was he a footballing genius but he has a unique (and unpredictable) wit that never ceases to amaze.

I love lego.  I don’t mean that in a superficial kind of way like I love hot dogs, or I love the color blue.  I mean love as in the kind of love a child has for his or her favorite toy.  I still have the lego bricks from my childhood.  I still but lego - Star Wars mostly.

Beyond the stuff they sell at toys are us is a huge movement of custom lego sets.  Some of the coolest stuff comes from the geek community.  PodBrix is dedicated to all things Apple.  They are about to release a way cool 1984 playset.

If you are crazy about all things H.P.Lovecraft (crazy, get it?)  Then check out these Lovecraft inspired creations.

Then there are social theorists as minifigs … or the Bible … or the clasic game Ogre … or the entire Star Wars trilogy in brick.

The possibilities are endless.