11-26-07

It’s been a while. I’m still alive.

Back on 11/9/07 I went to Columbus, OH. Now some of you remember from previous vacations that Ohio has not always treated me with great respect. I felt it was time to give it another try, and that I get to see my friend Scott which is always a good time.

The highlight of the weekend was that we were going to go see an Ohio St college football game. They were playing Illinois, and you may remember that is the college I attended. Scott went to Iowa St. and just really likes college football so off we went. He decided to join me in my orange and blue pride so that I wouldn’t be the only one beat up. I assumed my team would lose by 21 points. They were playing the number one team in the country and after watching many games the last few years Illinois didn’t surprise me all that much, but low and behold an upset started forming. The first couple of touchdowns Scott and I cheered knowing that it couldn’t keep up, but the I-L-L kept scoring. There was nothing quite like when 100,000+ people went silent when Illinois went up 2 touchdowns late in the game. Ohio St fans, they lose graciously. Mostly because they didn’t lose to Michigan.

I would also like to give props, because I have a few extra laying around and they were just collecting dust in my apartment, to the Ohio St. Marching Band. I know, it’s a marching band, but it was pretty impressive. They write Ohio St. out in cursive which is pretty neat that no one runs into each other, and when the lead tuba goes and dots the I of Ohio it was pretty neat to see.

This past weekend was Thanksgiving. For many years (we think 10 but we can’t remember) now my friends and I have been playing tackle football the day after Thanksgiving. I haven’t played the last couple of years because I was having so many problems with my shoulder falling out of its socket. This year I decided to man up. I don’t remember feeling so achy the next day but everything hurt. I’m glad we played. This may be the last year now that we’re getting up there in age. A few years ago we did decide, Tackle Till Thirty, and next year the majority of us, at least the originals will be at that threshold.

7-30-07

My mother is the best. Why you ask? She sewed some buttons on my shirts in the span of 15 min, in a process that would have taken me an hour and a half. I know how to do it. I’m just not good at it, case in point these buttons have fallen off about 3 times now.

Then I went and played castle with my niece. She kept making soup and telling me to take my feet of the chair.

7-27-07

While I was walking to lunch today I passed a retirement home, or at least I believe it’s a retirement home but it’s sometimes confusing. I’m not going to elaborate on that topic, but there is a little courtyard where everyone gathers sometimes during the day. Today there was an elderly woman, some where in her late 70s or 80s. That’s not strange, but what was strange was that she was playing basketball. It was cute. She would shuffle to a spot. Bounce the ball a couple of times and take a shot. From what I saw as I was walking she was 3 for 3. A force to be reckoned with.

6-8-07

Just a simple link...

CAT CAM

5-7-07

Another fabulous Trip Recap!

This year our baseball trip was cut short, or at least made shorter, because of the following reasons: 1. One of my friends is having a baby this summer so we had to bump the schedule to early in the season instead of later. 2. Weddings and other plans have taken a few weekends away this summer. 3. How else are we going to fit Minnesota Twins in a trip anyway?

So the trip –
Day 1 – Chicago Cubs day game, end the game get to the car drive to Milwaukee Brewers for their night game. Double header in two cities! POWERFUL!
Day 2 – Minnesota Twins.
Day 3 – Drive home.

So the points (it may be lower than the normal average because of a shorter trip)–
Spider-man 3 midnight matinee +4
Day off from work +1
Sleeping in b/c I had the day off and saw a midnight matinee +3
Walking to the Cubs game stopping at the Gingerman for a drink before the game +1
Windy and cold at the game –3
Zambrano sucking it up again –1
Ohman walking batters….again –1
D. Lee and A. Soraino on my fantasy team making me happy +2
Cup game getting a triple and a homerun +3
Cubs win +3
Being the designated driver to Milwaukee –1
Traffic getting into the parking lot at the Brewers game –3
Miller Stadium (I like the stadium) +5
Fans who seem to stand at for no reason during the game –1
Know the rules, get food or beer inbetween innings or half innings –1
$ dogs +4
Only eating hot dogs all day –1
Sausage Race, and rooting for the Polish +4
Brewers win –1
Buying beer at the hotel bar because you can’t buy beer after 9 or 10 or whatever. Dumb law –2
Standing in the hotel each holding 4 open beers b/c the bartender wouldn’t sell them to us unopened. +3
Poker in the hotel after the game +2
Not winning poker –1
Sleeping during the drive to Minneapolis +1
Walking the in rain to a closed bar –1
Me, messing up directions to get to a different bar –1
Nice little walk because we were going in the wrong direction +2
Liking the Dome more than I thought I would +3
Seeing Johan Santana pitch +2
Sitting nice good Boston fans +2
Sitting behind jerky Boston fans who thought it would be funny to wear sombreros to a baseball game –5
Dumb Boston fans who wouldn’t take off their sombreros when we offered to buy them a beer –4
Twins win –1
All home teams winning on the baseball trip +2
The Irish bar after the game +2
The whiskey shot that I don’t think we needed +1 and a –1
The Irish band playing at the bar +2
Waking up saying someone threw up in the sink and missed the toilet while “dropping the kids off at the pool” –2
Finding out they weren’t joking –3
Deciding that it was funny +2
Driving the first leg home when we were all a little achy from the night before. –1
Getting home in 6 hours +2
Whiffle ball once we got home +3

Total = 27

So there you go. Not a bad 3 day trip. Out.

4-11-07

There are a few goals I have for myself in my bowling league. Not many but a few.

1. Get my average every game. Currently a 125, but increasing with my new curve ball I've been trying to learn.

2. Get a 200. My high is currently 198, and I have no idea what I was doing to get it, but I was so close.

3. The infamous elusive game. The game where you get a mark (spare/strike) every frame.

Well last night I almost achieved that dream for all three. I was able to get 8 straight marks. 8! I knew it was happening, and I also knew if I got the rest I would get my 200. I ended up with a 9 on my first ball in the 9th frame. I threw a good ball and………….I missed the pin by inches. So close. I was proud that I just didn't choke and just flubbed the throw. I still had a shot at 200 if I could get 2 strikes and a 9, but sadly it was not meant to be. However a good night but the dreams continue.

4-3-07

My Predictions for MLB!

My friend Paul Swaney convinced me to get into this game where we predict all the winners, so I'm making this public as a record so I can look at how little I really know about baseball. YAY!

AL East - Red Sox
AL Central - Cleveland
AL West - Angels
AL Wild Card - White Sox

NL East - Atanta
NL Central - Cardinals
NL West - Diamondbacks
NL Wild Card - Mets

AL MVP - Grady Sizemore
NL MVP - Albert Pujols
AL CY Young - Johan Santana
NL Cy Young - Roy Oswalt

World Series Winner - Cleveland
World Series Runner Up - Atlanta