This coming weekend is the final opportunity for you to dig up the ever illusive, yet delectable, Razor Clam!

If you've never ventured out to the coast to try your hand at capturing these evasive shellfish, you're in for quite a treat! Not only are they fun to catch, but you'll find them incredibly delicious as well.

For all the details on the upcoming dig - including times, beaches, tides, how-to-dig, how-to-clean, how-to-cook....simply click on thru to SOUNDBITEBLOG.

brought to you by the Blog Frog and his friends, Sparky & Buckwheat

As a result of yesterday's cliff hanging victory against the Texas Longhorns, the Kansas Jayhawks secured a #1 seed in the upcoming 2008 NCAA Tournament.

The brackets for this year's 'Dance' were released yesterday afternoon. The first round opponent the Crimson & Blue will face are the Vikings of Portland State, a 16 seed out of Oregon. The game will take place this Thursday March 20th at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Tip-off time is 12:25pm EDT.

I have KU going all the way to the Final Four and winning this year's NCAA Tournament. Rounding out my Final Four predictions are North Carolina, Memphis, and UCLA.

Rock Chalk, Jayhawk. GO KU!

Sparky and Buckwheat (aka Rich Jacobson and Mark Flanders), the dynamic blogging duo of SOUNDBITEBLOG, meet every Thursday morning at 8AM for coffee at The Global Bean in Silverdale WA.

We invite all area real estate professionals to join us for an informal discussion on all things Web 2.0 worthy, and to share our lives and experiences together.

For information on The Global Bean and directions, go HERE.

Hope to see you there!

The Kansas Jayhawks Basketball team defeated a very skilled Texas Longhorn team today in the final game of the Big 12 Conference Championship.

This win will most likely ensure a #1 top seed position for Kansas in the upcoming 2008 NCAA Tournament. The brackets will be officially announced later today.

In the 16 years that my family and I have been following Kansas basketball (we lived in Lawrence for 10 years), I don't believe they've ever had a better opportunity of going to the Final Four and possibly winning the whole enchilada.

Look for an amazing match-up between Roy and boys at Chapel Hill, and Bill Self and the UnSelfish Jayhawks!

Yours Truly is quoted in this month's issue (March 2008) of the Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal. I was contacted several weeks ago by one of their contributing writers, and was interviewed for an article in their Technology Section about business blogging.

In the article, I mention my involvement here on ActiveRain, and the local blog, SOUNDBITEBLOG, that I co-author with fellow Rainer, Mark Flanders.

For anyone in the West Sound area interested in discussing/networking with other business professionals about blogging, Mark and I meet every Thursday morning at 8AM at the Global Bean in Silverdale WA.

In the early morning hours of May 30, 2006, a very popular local eating establishment in Poulsbo WA was gutted by fire. When the landmark restaurant, Mitzel's, went up in smoke, area residents lost a dining tradition they have enjoyed for over 20 years.

Fast forward to 2008, and the grand opening of "Taprock Northwest Grill."

Recently, I offered my son, Ben, and his friend, Josh, a lunchtime reprieve from their house-building efforts, and treated them both to a meal at the new Taprock Northwest Grill.

As is usually typical of newly opened restaurants, the place was packed with plenty of local business people and assorted patron patiently awaiting a seat.

The hired help was extremely friendly and gracious throughout our meal. On several occasions, the Manager, Steve Hancock, came up and personally greeted us, and inquired about our meal/service.

Yours Truly enjoyed a plate of Pan-Fried Totten Bay Oysters, while both Ben and Josh manhandled the Mountain High Tillamook Cheddar & Bacon Burger.

Trust me when I say that "Mountain High' is an adequate description!

The food was very tasty, the service prompt and attentive, and the prices kind to your wallet/purse.

The decor was classic Pacific Northwest, appointed with generous use of wood and stone, giving you the sense of an upscale hunting lodge or ski resort, but only next to a strip mall. It wasn't too high-end. Ben and Josh felt right at home in their work boots and bibs.

Overall, a very pleasant experience, and one that will no doubt more than adequately fill the shoes left behind by Mitzel's.

Located at 760 NE Liberty Road, Poulsbo, WA 98370 * Phone: 360.697.2215

Hours of Operation
Sunday - Thursday: 11am - 10pm
Friday and Saturday: 11am - 11pm

So much has been happening in my life lately, it makes me dizzy just thinking about it!

My oldest son, Ben, proposed to his girlfriend over the Christmas Holidays, and the wedding is planned for June 14th.

Ben recently started a new job in construction. Along with his good friend, Josh, they're building a house up in North Kitsap, off Gunderson Road. The house is for Josh's Dad, a local commercial builder.

I thought it would be fun to chronicle their progress through a series of articles.

So, without further adieu, the Ben and Josh Story!

Laying a Good Foundation..... .....Here's Ben the Builder!

....and here's Josh on the Job!

.....Men at Work!

Boys like playing with Big Trucks!