Newcott Blog

Andrew Fraser died this week from cancer of the nervous system. 12 years old — too young to go. The memorial service was warm and touching. Standing room only. Surrounded by family and friends. I only met him once. He’s been in and out of the hospital for 7 years, more than half his life. Bronwen is good friends with Fiona, Andrew’s mum (they are British). Bronwen visited Andrew in the hospital on Monday, the last day of his life. The pastor gave an awesome homily. He talked about sin being like cancer. He talked about Jesus taking on someone else’s sins like a person taking on someone else’s cancer. He asked everyone there to think about each day as if it were the last.

Friday afternoon I went to pick up Zack from Biola. I wanted to watch the complete second season of Arrested Development with him, and it’s always nice to have him over for a night or two. We get back to the house, I’m ready to settle in, I walk to the door, and SURPRISE!!! I didn’t know what to say and had this stupid grin on my face. Bronwen had thrown surprise birthday party for me and about 20 friends. They were all there waiting for me. It was so fun. And she even made it a costume party. Bowis brought me some fly 70’s duds.

Is this for real? http://www.plasmas4free.com/default.aspx?r=502908

On the one hand, I know the economics behind it make sense: they get $X for each person who signs up, most people never finish the promotion, they keep reselling their data, they probably really do end up sending out some plama tvs. I dunno. I figured I’d try it. So if you want to try too, hook a brutha up. Click on the link and sign up for a trial promotion.

Spent the weekend in Chicago at an ophthalmic industry trade show. Weather in Chicago was just about perfect: sunny and 75 degrees. Too bad I was inside the convention center almost the entire time. We got out at night for dinners around town, but the days were mostly a time warp.

I turned 28 yesterday. October 18. I’m dangerously close to 30, and I’m a little freaked out about it. I remember when my mom turned 32 and I thought she was old. That’s weird to think of. I keep reminding myself that life only gets better from here, which I believe. I can honestly say that every new year has been the best of my life. 27 was better than 26, 26 better than 25, etc. That doesn’t change the fact that I fear being old one day. Seems like two seconds ago I was 17 and just beginning college. Scary.

Aaron and Danielle Bryson are married. I was only in Boston for 24 hours, but it was worth it. Got to see all the BU boys and their wives/girlfriends. Slim was the only one not to show. We closed down an Irish pub around the corner from the reception site. I slept for 2 hours and then woke up at 4:00 am to catch my morning flight. Here are some pics. I miss those college days. Life was so simple.

I also put up the sonogram pics — Baby Newcott’s first appearance. Might need to give him a name soon. I keep referring to him as Little Beast.

We had a sonogram last night. Not the kind you get in a hospital, but the kind you get in a one-room clinic, in a SoCal strip mall. It was a nice, quiet little office in a primarily Mexican area Costa Mesa. The office has one ultrasound machine, a tech who runs the machine and office, and they only take cash. The place is one big room, with a half-wall separating the waiting room from the ultrasound machine, but everyone in the office has a view of the monitor. So, everyone gets to see your growing baby. For $25 they’ll give you pictures and help identify the sex. For $50, they’ll burn you a DVD. Private enterprise is so cool.

Bronwen sat up on the table, the tech gooed up her stomach, pushed the microphone wand along Bronwen’s belly, and immediately the black and white picture was visible. Within 3 seconds, the woman said she could tell the sex of the baby. I knew that meant she saw something instead of nothing. That something, little “boy parts,” as she called them, means we’re having a boy. I’m pretty excited — and was for either a boy or a girl — but, this adds some personality to our developing child. We’re already talking names. Any suggestions?

So Ticketmaster finally figured out that people are making TONS of money on eBay by auctioning concert tickets that were originally face value. For example, U2 tickets with a face value of $50 are selling for $200. All perfectly legal because the sale is not happening on concert grounds. Ticketmaster’s response? Ticketmaster is starting their own auctions:

Bon Jovi

I predict a few things. 1. Ticketmaster will suck even more. They will be able to charge even more rediculous fees for the events I want to go to. 2. Ticket prices will continue to rise. 3. Some kind of legislation/rules about ticket auctions.

How can the Ticketmaster monopoly continue to exist? Is there a way to take these guys down?