Category: My Family

Without a family, one seldom thinks long term

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We Love the Southern California Trojans! Fight On!

Karen and

The Southern California Trojans lost yesterday to their cross town arch rivals the UCLA Bruins… I’ll leave it to others to explain what happened (UCLA)… (USC)…but the sweetness of a victory over the Bruins was elusive.

I do — somehow — remember when one special UCLA’s streak of 32 years was broken.

It is interesting to say that none of us started out as Trojans… but we all ended up that way. Karen graduated from the University of Florida and competed her last year of eligibility as a Trojan becoming an All-American and setting USC’s record in the women’s shot (57-07) and I spent a few years working out with many of the athletes while obtaining two masters degrees in business (Beta Gamma Sigma)… and Laura… that’s a special story.

My wife earned all her degrees at UCLA completing her Ph.D. in 1979, but yesterday I saw where her heart really was when I glanced over and saw a tear of sadness falling from her face. She said that ‘SC had been good to Karen and Me…. and… she wanted SC to win! Laura is a Trojan today through and through and that’s the way it often goes.

The University of Southern California is highly selective in admissions, and is tough and uncompromising in their pursuit of excellence… with a loyal alumni! A degree from ‘SC means something today and tomorrow. You may start out attending Southern Cal… but you end up loving it…. and keep coming back.

So, congrats to the Bruins… but remember, ‘SC already captured the PAC 10 Conference Championship.

Fight On!

“Fight on for ol’ SC,
Our men fight on to victory.
Our Alma Mater dear
Looks up to you,
Fight on and win
For ol’ SC
Fight on to victory
Fight on!”

Roger Freberg

Oh yes, I wasn’t always a Trojan… but …well… let’s just say that was long ago.

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On a Wii quest with Laura….er…” Link”

who is Link and who is Laura? They are looking surprisingly the same now-a-days!With all this talk about Thanksgiving and football, it is important to remember that this past week has also seen an incredible pair of events… from a ‘marketing perspective’– in the launching of two major ‘gaming platforms.’ Even in a Zelda Universe it is impressive!

Do I need to mention what they were? If you don’t know, at least, pretend that you do.

Probably, video gaming is one of the favorite group activities that our family has enjoyed… and Laura and I have played together since the introduction of ‘pong’. For those who can remember, they were even placed in the lounge area of 747 Jumbo jets…. there were lines then, too!

After ‘pong’ came a plethora of video game platforms… Atari and Commodore were two of the most memorable. Most young males of the time found their ways into convenience stores where in the early ’80’s one of the most futuristic games was introduced… “Dragon’s Lair”. At the time, I was a Marketing guy who placed these games into our stores and my 3 year old daughter Kristin would play all of them them in our warehouse… I knew “Dragon’s Lair” (audio) was going to be a success after she completed a 4 hour marathon to conquer it ( set on ‘unlimited lives’). Interestingly enough, our order – as I remember — helped keep their company afloat.

What followed was a trail of platforms each more powerful than the next… and we had them all. Nintendo, Sony and even the short lived but technologically superior “Jaguar” found their ways into our home and our hearts. So, why would it be any different today?

Well, my wife Laura is playing the latest version of Zelda on the latest Nintendo Platform… what a great way to celebrate the 37th year anniversary of our first date. play on!

Here’s what others are saying:

dying mother… but still playing Zelda
Even terrible games are fun
I’ve given up sleeping to play Zelda
Are Wii having fun yet?
Zelda is Awesome
Wii News Blog
she’s a Zelda Wii playin’ machine!
We love the Wii!
Sick … but still playing wii non-stop!
Zelda Peripherals?
Must… go…. play….Zelda is calling me!
and What did you play this weekend?
Stood in line…. success!

Roger Freberg

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Southern California Trojans, Notre Dame & TURDUCKEN!

Two Trojan Fans gearing up for the big rivalry game!As if Thanksgiving wasn’t enough to look forward to… we have a football rivalry that could no doubt determine WHO goes to play for the National Championship.

Thanksgiving this year wouldn’t be complete without a TURDUCKEN! Obviously, ol dad has his knives sharpened, his stuffing ready to go and everything else that makes the season memorable!

Kristin is flying over and will go to THE game with us… I am sure that she is earning the envy of all she knows on the big island of Oahu.

As for THE game… here’s what others are saying:

He’s siding with the RIGHT side!
Rootin for USC to lose
a little Trojan in his pants?
Irish Dream: 38 Notre Dame 37 Trojans
sneak Matt Leinart into the game? huh
the biggest rivalry of them all! USC- Notre Dame

Of course, the smartest Notre Dame fans don’t try to shake the Trojan Horse before the game…. Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis offers ‘praise’ for the Trojans… hmmmm… 

Well, a lot of folks dissing the Trojans… Irish & Wolverines mostly for their own advantage. However, let me say this… no matter how much Urban ‘the legend’ Myer complains… Florida aint that good — besides, after the last of the Zook recruits leaves this year, he’ll have a tough time against the likes of South Florida. As for Michigan… you lost, get over it. Praying for a rematch this late in the game is just boring. Rutgers, Virginia Tech, and Louisville can we say ‘overated?”

The worst the Trojans can do is the Rose Bowl… and that is the ‘Grand Daddy” of them all!

So… let the games begin!

Fight On!

Roger Freberg

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it’s TAKE YOUR HUBBY To WORK DAY!

take your hubby to work day
What I am about to say is going to cause a number of very different reactions.

Allow me to advocate for a new and very special day called….. TAKE YOUR HUBBY TO WORK DAY!

Instantly, what goes through your mind,  ladies? Are you saying, “this is a great way for my husband to see and better understand my life?”… or…. are you thinking,” akk! he’ll see what I am really up to during the day! I gotta hide Sven the thong wearing cabana boy.”

My guess it is neither of those… but more on the side of…. hmmmmm… ‘let me think about that for a moment.’

I won’t go into all the details, but my daughters did spend time with me at work and Laura did visit with me as she could… but this isn’t about them… this is now about ME! In our ever changing world, visiting with your wife at work is a great way to see her in a new setting, better understand her challenges and do something positive for your relationship. If nothing else, it gives some background and texture to the stories she brings home each night.

Seeing each other at work addresses some real issues, the average couple spends less that 30 minutes a day talking to each other… and people wonder why their relationships seem to be rocky? So whether it is meeting for a regular lunch ‘date’ or spending time in each others workplace once in a while… the time together is well spent.

My Laura is a Professor, so it seemed only natural for me to take a day every once in a while to sit in her classes and play at being a student again. Hey, I actually learned something…. just ask me about ‘cranial nerve 8’! I have also had the opportunity to watch her interact with students, which only proved to me that she has ‘adopted’ a number of them….  Maybe I am looking through ‘rose colored’ glasses… but she never fails to impress me.

So, if you are not as able as my wife is to ‘take your hubby to work day’… what can you do?….  try to meet more often during the work week…. maybe over lunch. The atmosphere is more relaxed… and you’ll be surprised … and maybe, just maybe… you’ll enjoy yourself.

Roger Freberg

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Veteran’s Day — thank you!

Kristin... veteran of Iraq

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of America’s veterans have placed our nation’s security before
their own lives, creating a debt that we can never fully repay.
Our veterans represent the best of America, and they deserve
the best America can give them.

— George W. Bush

_______________________

thank you,

26.4 million — The number of military veterans in the United States;
this is a ratio of about 1-in-8 (or 13 percent) of U.S. civilians 18 and over.

1.6 million — The number of veterans who are women.

Roger Freberg