Communication Breakdown

I woke up cranky this morning. The news on TV didn't help much. Civilian deaths in Gaza, financial ruin from coast to coast and heavy rain making my morning commute miserable. Top all this with the fact that my hands are so swollen, I had to pry my wedding band off because my finger was turning blue, and I'm just having one hellova day! And it's not even 9 am.

I was going to weigh in on the contention of a communication problem withing the organization we follow most closely. But I have my own communication problems in the organization who pays me. I have been trying to do payroll for two days and no one knows if a particular junior sales person actually WORKS for us any longer. (He took off for two days prior to the holidays, and I haven't seen him since.)

Communication problems are a staple of the corporate world. The adage "the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing" is older than dirt. So in actuality, two differing stories by employees who perform the same function is no really news.

But with the strife in the world, the problems at home, our own pitiful bank accounts, we need a diversion to follow to take our minds off things. For us, the Long Island Hockey faithful, we have the Islanders. And when they are not playing for days on end, we start to twitch.

Last night I flipped back and forth between the Devils game and (of course) the Leafs game. I needed the diversion. Even if the Leafs are 10 points ahead of us in the standings. I needed the diversion and comfort of a familiar form to focus on -- even if he is in Blue & White now.

He didn't disappoint me. The Leafs and the Devils both lost last night, but Jason Blake garnered his 10th goal of the season on a short handed goal, just like the ones he used to score for us -- charging the net, splayed on the ice and not giving up. I'm assuming he will be able to get to that 20 goal mark this season just as I expected.

So we turn our attention to Calgary and all the questions that we have. Will DiPietro play? Will Doug Weight play? Will Martinek make it back from injury and play more than 12 minutes before being placed on the IR AGAIN? Will Nielson be ready? Will we win one freakin' away game -- EVER?

Ahhhhh..... hockey. Life's little diversion that we can't live without. And once again... I'm late for work.

They say there is No Place to Go But Up --

when you're on the bottom that is. Well, that's where the Islanders are and they seem to be staying.

Whether it be because of staggering injuries, a lack of experience, a lack of talent, or just plain bad luck, the numbers are just painful to look at (and I work with numbers all damn day long!).

Twenty-eight points and the highest goals against in the league. Atlanta is close; probably not a distinction they are happy with.

So what did I get out of staying up past my usual work-a-day bedtime to watch this game from Edmonton?

1) The pleasure of listening to Jiggs, Jaffe & Doug Weight. What a team they were.
2) The smile I got from watching Okposo and Blake Comeau score.
3) A reason to wonder if there actually IS a conspiracy against the Islanders in the Toronto war room.

That's about it. Everyone on the net asked if the Islanders are not getting the respect they deserve from the refs. Last night was proof positive they don't.

The Islanders have no Sidney Crosby who can get away with punching an opponent in the nuts and walking away as if nothing happened. The Islanders are the team that has players called for interference when they're hauled down. Is the glass half empty or half full?

If we stay at the bottom, the prize is the great draft that is coming up. If they continue to play edge-of-your-seat hockey, do we really lose anything by basement dwelling?

I made the suggestion last night that maybe the Islanders should trade in their contingent of Bloggers for a cabinet of exorcists and medicine men that can break the injury curse. That garnered a chuckle where I wanted it. Because the best thing we can do is laugh right now. Hope has already left the building.

And I'm back! But just not quite READY!

Odd how quickly a six day vacation can fly. You blink -- it's over, it's Monday all over again and you are back to the same routine as before you left. The New Year doesn't make a difference, it's just one long winter's day. All that's left now to show for the time away is several extra pounds and a full memory card on my Canon Power Shot.

But before we get back into hockey mode for today as the Islanders are playing yet another "too late for my taste" western game, I'd just like to mention a few things I came away with from my 'travel and unpack' day.

First, the Sunday Boston Globe: I now know what a GOOD newspaper is supposed to look and read like. I read various sections of yesterday's edition for three and a half hours of my almost six hour trek home. After the first hour, it struck me.

"Oh My GOD!!! This is JOURNALISM!!! No! REAL JOURNALISM!! This is what I aspire to!" and will probably never achieve. Every article was well written, thought provoking and emotional. There were hard news articles that were so graphic, I had to stop reading because I was getting so upset. There were Sports articles that made me read about Sports I couldn't care less about. There were even articles on books I will never read, but GOD, how the words made me want to.

In the next two days I am sure I will link two of these articles as they are perfect for our hockey discussions and are too good not to share.

My husband had his own feelings about my comment.

"How many years have I told you what a 'rag' Newsday is, Dee? It's garbage." There is no love lost on our home town paper from my husband, the Rescue Captain of a Volunteer Fire Dept. and ex-Newsday carrier.

On the first level is the seemingly unending jabs Newsday takes at Long Island's Volunteer service. They are constantly looking for that headline that will be demeaning to those who put their life in harm's way for no pay and to protect their community. But when important community service stories are presented to them for publication, they are buried with two line subnotes or ignored all together. This is fact, not fiction. I have proof.

He also has a very good argument regarding their delivery system. Your newspaper is now delivered by someone in a car or van and tossed at the end of your driveway. You are sent a computer generated invoice at the end of each month. On the invoice is a place for you to put in a "tip" for this "service." But wait.

This distribution system is far from the local youngster on a bicycle delivering 150 papers each day to your door step and stopping in to pet your dog. These are faceless adults who drive by in the dark of early morning and drop your paper at the curb.

These are Newsday employees with designated routes and hours. I do not tip my mailman on a monthly basis and he delivers my mail to my front door and sometimes even takes mail with him that I've stamped.

If the Newsday carriers are not making enough money and relying on tips from customers, then perhaps they should unionize like the rest of the newspaper industry workers. Newspaper delivery is no longer a personal service. It's a job. We do not tip the Fed Ex guy or the UPS man until the end of the year. Why should I have to tip a paper carrier monthly? I don't.

And finally, it's National Whip Cream Day. Enjoy some however you like. Because maybe a nice shot of RediWhip will make a rather harsh first Monday back from Vacation relaxation a little easier to get through.

It's Blue, White & Orange day people!

If Milestones are Reached in Phoenix, Can I see them?

Negative.

The smell of firewood in the air. The cold on my face, the stars in the clear black sky. Where's Dee? Fighting with the XM radio antenna in a cottage in the woods so that she can hear the Isles vs. team Gretzky game.

My knight to the rescue, and Big Angry Man gets it to work and then snickers at me for being such a dolt. But I thank the Hockey Gods for XM broadcasts in far away places, even if I have to listen to the opposing teams radio broadcasters and miss out on Steve Mears and Chris King.

Last night, you could have called it the "Mike Comrie Love Fest" on that radio broadcast. But I had forgotten that Comrie had played for Phoenix. The announcers sounded like they could have been from a college station, but to be fair, they sounded very unbiased and gave out a lot of interesting information.

I see that Sean Bergenheim is continuing his run of scoring when I can't watch him. He scores when I'm in the ladies room at the Coliseum. He scores when I am at dinner dances and now he scores when all I have is a very scratchy Satellite signal. The kid must hate me. But I'm happy that he managed to step foot out of Gordon's dog house and garner a point on his stat sheet.

Shane Doan was making his presence known in his 14th career game against the Islanders as they said "I don't know how that snuck in," as he scored on DiPietro. And B.A.M. immediately explained "Between the legs of Rick DiPietro." Yep, didn't even have to see it to know.

As I said, the announcers were very gracious in their dealing with the Islanders, "This is impressive play by the New York Islanders." But then they followed it up with something I've never heard on ANY broadcast before, "(Insert Coyote player's name here) stepped on Campoli's jock strap."

Excuse me? Is that a hockey term? What the heck does that mean? This is radio! I can't figure that one out. It didn't matter. By the time the score was 4 - 1 Coyotes, Danno was asleep and I was still taking notes and watching the TV with the sound off.

Only a few seconds after a DiPietro rebound made it 4 -1 Josh Bailey scored his FIRST NHL goal to make it 4 - 2. There was no fanfare, no horns blaring, no screaming, cheering Islanders jersey wearing crowds for the kid's long awaited first goal as it came while they were still announcing the Phoenix goal.

I can't even email anyone to talk about it. I was very disappointed. Bill Guerin and Jeff Tambellini were the assists on the goal that Josh will undoubtedly never forget. Again, the announcers were giving the Islanders respect for never giving up on the plays.

I hear how Gervais is stripped of the puck (again). I hear how Okposo gets into a scrap with Shane Doan. "Don't ruffle the feathers of Big Shane Doan! He's a horse out there."

Hey guys... Horsefeathers? That's where I ate dinner.

With 6:27 left of the 3rd, Lindstrom scores on DiPietro as he was left all alone. This must have annoyed Richard Park as he and Doug Weight made it 5 - 3 with 3:05 left. And with that, Richard Park dove into the net to retrieve the puck for team mate Weight. Another Islanders milestone is reached in someonelse's building. I am glad to say that the crowd did indeed salute Doug and his family was in attendance. This was his 1167th game for the 37 year-old who will turn 38 on January 28th. Hopefully, he's celebrating his birthday on the Island.

In the final minute, Park scored again as they refused to give up until the final buzzer sounded. At least the team who has not had very good third periods is coming around, but the points aren't.

I suppose we will take our joy in the little things. Josh Bailey's first NHL goal as an Islander, and Doug Weight's 1000th and 1001 point. Congratulations to both.

Happy New Year All

Haven't had time to chat or post, and haven't had internet connection. I am sadly deprived, and my family is laughing!

I did get to watch the Winter Classic and take a few notes, but couldn't post from where I was.

That was a problem, but at least the game was on and people were watching it.

I will post when I return. Like you care.... but I do.

For now, everyone just have a Happy and Safe New Year!