This collection of entries is from September 2005.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
As John Rooney would say... "Another White Sox Winner!"
MAGIC NUMBER 1 but it doesn't matter...
CHICAGO WHITE SOX - AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL DIVISION CHAMPIONS - 2005
Chicago's victory reduced its magic number to one, clinching a tie for the American League Central title. But even if the Indians were to sweep the three-game set at Jacobs Field this weekend, thus clinching a playoff berth, the White Sox would win the tiebreaker for the AL Central crown with an 11-8 edge in head-to-head play.
The reason the White Sox and Indians wouldn't play a one-game playoff is because, with the Red Sox and Yankees playing each other this weekend, one team would be guaranteed to finish out of the playoffs if the Indians swept the White Sox. And in instances in which two teams from the same division are guaranteed to make the playoffs, MLB does not use a one-game playoff, instead relying on head-to-head records to break the tie.
Alight, this is pretty damn exciting. I feel great. MY team is number one, and the Chicago National League Baseball Club is nowhere to be seen this year. We've taken all the crap you North Siders have dished out, and this particular year you've got nothing. Your team didn't even get to .500. So shut the hell up this year - next year, we're on again. This year - SHUT UP.
However, I will graciously extend my arm to help out anybody willing to jump on the bandwagon to see how far we can ride it this year.
I realize I live in Chicago. I realize we don't have the greatest history when it comes to championships with any professional team in the city. We may get no further than this round. This is OK. Like I said, come 2006 it's "Game On" all over again.
Here's two seemingly opposite stats that bring the whole year in focus as a great start and a sickening slide at the end: Only the 10th team in history to be in first place every day of the season, and the only team in history to have a 15-game lead drop below three games, And we still won it with 3 games to spare.
It sure is nice feeling being on top. Again.
I'm just excited that we get to raise a flag on Opening Day next year. I just wonder what it will say?
(White Sox 4 - Tigers 2 - Boxscore)
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And as for my little rant above, here's a piece from today's Chicago Tribune:
Q: If a Cubs fan living in Chicago pulls against the White Sox, does it indicate he or she might be mentally unbalanced?
A: "If the teams are not directly competing against each other, the idea of a Cubs fan rooting against the White Sox becomes a little pathological," says Dr. Robert Burton, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Northwestern University. "Technically, it probably stems from some unresolved sibling rivalry kind of thing. Otherwise, you have to wonder what a Cubs fan has to gain by pulling against the White Sox. Not too much, really, unless it's to feel better about himself. If the White Sox lose, then they're both in the doghouse.
"A resolved sibling rivalry would let you enjoy the success of your neighbor, or whomever, and root against each other only when you're going head-to-head. Any kind of sibling rivalry is commonly referred to as arrested development. Then, you get history and other issues layered on top of everything, and it can compound things. I personally pay more attention to whichever team is succeeding."
-- Mike Conklin « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 02:26 PM | Link | White Sox § |
I have to break down and admit itI have to admit Fall is here.
47 friggin' degrees this morning going to work... I should have worn a jacket... only going to be 62 for a high today...
posted at 07:54 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Magic Number 2 1 2Oh, crap... I don't know how my body is going to survive the stress.
One more game against Detroit.
3 final games against our nemesis Cleveland.
Magic Number is reduced with each White Sox win or Cleveland loss.
Magic Number to clinch the division.
Update: Magic numbers are so confusing... If we want to limp-in, the Magic Number is 1.
BUT - If we win tomorrow, and Cleveland wins the rest of 3-game series against them, WE TIE for the AL Central. But then, the White Sox would win the tiebreaker for the American League Central by an 11-8 record in head-to-head competition.
Oh, and let's muddy the water with a coin-toss: If we limp-in with a Wild Card spot, The Sox won a coin toss to host a possible one-game Wild Card playoff contest against either the Yankees or Red Sox on Monday (because the Yankees or the Red Sox are guaranteed 2 losses this weekend - they 're playing a 3-game series against each other)
posted at 09:07 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Swamped. Drowning.I'm barely treading water.
Too busy to blog.
posted at 10:10 AM | Link | Work § |
Monday, September 26, 2005
Wolves 5 - Rivermen 6 - Preseason
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The training facility is literally just blocks away from our house - how could we not go? Carol and I went to the Hoffman Estates Park District Ice Rinks to watch the first Chicago Wolves pre-season game there. Of the other venues that the Wolves have used, this is probably the smallest seating capacity. But, heck, $6 for a ticket? How about the $1 for a small Coke? You can't pass this up. And it's our first look a the Peoria Rivermen who are new to the AHL this year.
Well, other than 3 guys that I remember from last year, NO ONE ELSE has been on the team before, so it's a little daunting trying to figure out how everyone plays. First thing you notice this year is lack of size. We used to have a bunch of tall guys - not any more. Lots of fights tonight (the teams met for the first time this past Saturday). Play is sloppy, passing is still poor, the power play still doesn't exist.
The more things change the more the stay the same.
Weird watching hockey, especially up-close, when I haven't let go of baseball yet. « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 09:08 PM | Link | Wolves § |
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Yellow JackWe left the ballgame early.
I NEVER leave a game early. NEVER. The exception is the opportunity to see Jack.
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We went over to his house. It took us only 10 minutes after we got out of Comiskey to get to their house. It was shocking.
Walking in the front door, I see my mom holding him. Diane met us at the door, holding back the crazy dog pack. I looked in and saw Melinda - she looks exhausted. She's almost looks angry, but it's got to be that she's trying to just hold it together after being extremely sleep deprived. Diane and Melinda are still trying to figure out the whole feed-change-sleep schedule thing. It's only been a week. Wow. We got to their house hours before Jack turned One Week Old.
Jack, like many infants, had Jaundice. He's been in a UV fiber optic light bundle for a couple of days, but today is his first day without the light treatment - his count is back down. I'll bet that's added to the fatigue scheduling problem they're having.
Found out something interesting. It turns out Jack lost 10 ounces this week. The Moms thought that if he was hungry, he'd be crying more. Made sense to me. Turns out we're wrong - when they're really young, they haven't figured out that they're hungry and they don't cry. You feed them on a schedule. Period. So they had to supplement with formula.
Apparently, Jack just loves the whole bottle thing. Less work than breastfeeding. So, the Moms asked their nurse about that. The nurse then tells them that, yes, boy babies are lazy and love bottles! Lazy! Don't want to work for their food!
Well, even though I should feel upset and stand up for men... I can't. I firmly believe that you shouldn't have to work for your food (probably why I love lobster and crab, but hate having to get the meat out of the legs, claws, body...) I think I sympathize...
We ordered-out for pizza - there was no way we would have them prepare a meal for us... not that they physically could do it.
I had a really odd thing happen to me tonight. Other than the few minutes holding Jack at the hospital last week, I've never really held a baby for an extended period of time. And I can't count last week because it was the first time to hold him and just look at him and feel those weird feelings that you're holding a relative. And you're just staring, and looking at his nose, his eyes, his chin, his ears...
So tonight, I had my first time with him, freshly fed. Those that know me know that I don't sit for long periods of time at all, so I stood and walked around with Jack. He really wasn't asleep. He was there sometimes, but then he was sort-of my awake without being awake. Sometime he would do this real quiet whimper. I would quietly whimper back at him in the same pitch and length. He would do it again and I would answer. It was like we were conversing... though nothing more than "I'm here" and "hi, I'm here too" like birds would do. We walked around for a while. I could see his eyes moving behind his eyelids, trying to figure out what his dreams may be like, since he's had such a limited life experience so far in tis one week.
And then it started.
I started getting anxious. Scared. It's that - oh my God, what am I doing... what if he wriggles out of my arms - how do I support his head - how do I make him more comfortable - watch where you're going - don't bump him into anything - what if he falls - am I doing this right - he looks smushed, am I carrying him right - my arm is just starting to burn, the kid's heavier than I thought - what if I don't have a good hold of him - should he be more flat or more upright - am I hurting him - can he breathe OK - I can't change positions, I'm deathly afraid of losing my hold of him - how can I turn him around. All of the things I want to just look at on his face and head and I'm losing the ability to record all of that information in heart and head because I'm just getting real uptight and worry and anxiety take over. Weird. It's never come over me like that before, but then again, it's not like I hold kids very often at all.
I know I'll get better at this. I'm his uncle, I just need a little work.
We left early after pizza. There's no way we're staying long today - these girls need their rest.
I wonder when I'll see Jack again? « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 09:07 PM | Link | Uncle Michael § |
White Sox 4 - Twins 1
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90 minute rain delay. It really came down. I sat out in the rain - alone - with my rain slicker on, siting in my assigned seat. The tarp on the field was upside-down - I wonder if the sponsor printed on the front didn't re-up for the full season. When the tarp was pulled and the field was readied, the ceremonial first pitch was John Rooney throwing to Ed Farmer. He broadcasted his last home game today after 17 years with the team. This was a great broadcast team - Rooney & Farmer have been rated second behind Vin Scully as best broadcast team (and, obviously first in the AL). And now, after the contract with AM-1000 MVP (The ESPN Flagship station) is over and the broadcasts go to The Score WSCR 670, a MUCH smaller station with a much more powerful signal) Rooney can't get the money he wants, doesn't like the way he Sox treated and leaves the organization (this sounds exactly like any long-time White Sox Player when he hits the end of his contract and the Sox just don't want to pay). I can't imagine what the radio broadcasts will be like without him.
Another screamer of a game - Mark Buehrle worked fast again - the game lasted 1:53.
A very cool thing happened during the game: It was obvious that EVERYONE was doing scoreboard watching. The whole place erupted in cheers, applause, and just all-out noise... just as Buehrle was getting ready to pitch to Luis Rivas, with one out, nobody on base and the White Sox leading, 1-0. Kansas City beat the Indians in the bottom of the 9th (The Indians had won 17 of their last 19 and 38 of their last 50! WE CAN'T SHAKE THEM!). THANK YOU ROYALS! The players had no idea what was going on - neither did the broadcasters. Oh, but we did.
Today was the annual end-of-season Fan Appreciation Day (alas, once again, we weren't appreciated).
But we had to leave the game early... and you know I DON'T leave a game EARLY...
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 05:05 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Saturday, September 24, 2005
White Sox 8 - Twins 1
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Another great night for a ballgame.
And the ceremonial first pitch is tossed out by... Robin Leach? WTF? I guess he's here for some Illinois Lottery thing - there are people dressed-up as lottery balls all over the park causing havoc.
Would you believe a single-season record 18th sellout of the season at U.S. Cellular Field? In a way, I'm ecstatic, in another way, I'm embarrassed - only 18 in a season?
I can feel it - the team is turning around. Yes, it's the Twins that we're playing and we seem to have the number of every team in the AL Central, so maybe the scheduling was good. Maybe by winning we can pull ourselves out of this funk.
And, oh what a way to pull out - a 6-run 3rd inning. Small ball, long ball, smart ball.. I'm going to cheat here and just include a piece from MLB.com on the recap of the inning: Scott Podsednik opened the third with a double to right, followed by Tadahito Iguchi's perfectly placed bunt. It was Iguchi's second of four hits on the night, matching a career high previously set on May 3 against Kansas City. A.J. Pierzynski followed with a run-scoring double, marking his first RBI against his old team in 52 at-bats, and Paul Konerko drove in a second run with a single to right.
Dye capped the rally with a three-run blast to right on a 2-2 pitch from Mays, increasing his home-run lead among all Major League right fielders, and producing his second blast in as many nights. Joe Crede added his 21st home run off Matt Guerrier in the frame, equaling a career high.
After the game, before the fireworks, the Illinois Lottery brought out 20 winners of some contest that -as a second chance to a losing lottery ticket - people won brand new cars (Road to Riches). So 20 cars paraded out onto the track all around the field. (This whole thing was MC'ed by Robin Leach and whoever it is that's in charge of the Lottery... oh, I didn't mention it, but just as I had suspected, Leach can't throw a baseball. That ceremonial first pitch was pretty poor). The cars all stopped and the owners got out. In the trunks were signs that showed how much additional money they had won - up to $25,000. 3 of them had Lottery Logo signs. Those 3 people walked to Center Field and chose one of three huge Scratch-off cards sitting on easels. They were given what looked like a snow/ice scraper to scrape off the covering of the cards. It was obvious from the start that no one at the Lottery actually tested these scratch-off cards. The covering wasn't coming off. After many minutes, the contestants were given what looked like credit cards to try and get a better edge to scrape off the covering. No Dice. Finally, someone gave one of them a bottle opener - probably from the Bullpen Sports Bar. Well, that guy was finally able to scrape off the ticket - and he was the Grand Prize winner. In addition to his car he also won $1 million! The other 2 each won $100,000.
this was supposed to have been the largest single lottery event in the nation (with the dollar amount of the prizes given). It was going fine until the scratch cards (or as we like to call them, the scratch-and-sniff cards). Pretty embarrassing for the Lottery. And then it was time for the final fireworks of the season, but the left the cars on the track until afterward (looked pretty cool if you got one of the Pontiac Crossfire convertibles and you can sit in your brand new car, on the field, and watch the fireworks).
First back-to-back wins for the Sox since Sept. 6-7. Let this nightmare be over! Still only 1½ games ahead of Cleveland (They're relentless! They won't leave us alone!) MAGIC NUMBER: 7 (For the AL Central Championship, 6 just to get into the playoffs)
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:42 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Friday, September 23, 2005
Great. Taunt me.
So, guess what came in the mail yesterday.
My playoff and World Series tickets.
I think that stabbing pain I had yesterday (which hasn't gone away, it's just "significantly muted") was to show me what a Cub Fan feels like.
read more of this entry »
Let's look back at August 1st...
The White Sox are solidly in First Place of the AL Central, 15 games ahead of Cleveland, and owners of the best record in all of baseball - 69-35.
This morning, still in first, but only by 1½ games over Cleveland. It's the Sox' smallest lead since April 30. They have a record of 91-61, still best in all of the American League but no longer best in all of baseball. We were the first team to 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 wins. Not to 80 and not to 90. There's 10 games left in the season. Their magic number is 9.
The last three games of the season is against Cleveland. We lost to Minnesota last night. The White Sox have lost 10 of 14. « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 08:49 AM | Link | White Sox § |
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Autumnal EquinoxThat's it.
The sun has crossed the equator. Fall has begun. though today has the same amount of daylight as night, the nights now get longer than the days.
Summer is over.
posted at 05:23 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Whoa... going home sickI don't think I've done this on this job... I'm going home... sick. I made it through a couple of hours, but I can't take it anymore. I have a stabbing pain really low in my abdomen (on the center line not toward the sides) and it hurts like hell.
I need to just disconnect and go home and lie down and let whatever it is take its course.
Lots of odd pains are coming along with this. I guess I'm just achey as well.
I'm going home.
posted at 09:44 AM | Link | Work § |
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Screeching to a haltWHOA!!! What do you mean today is the last full day of summer?
NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooo!!!!!
I'm not ready. Baseball isn't over (yet). I hear the NFL has started already. I can't get my head wrapped around football yet... I haven't changed my body-clock from baseball yet... can't... give... up... baseball... yet...
Pre-season hockey? The Wolves have their first preseason game on Monday, blocks from my house in their new facility... I have to go just because it's the first game over there... but... I'm not ready for it...
The days are soooo much shorter now. We're getting pretty good temperature swings as Mother Nature screws with Chicago again.
I'm not ready for this.
How can I make it stop?
posted at 10:22 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
My Guilty Pleasures of Summer are overWell, a whole slew of my "Guilty Pleasures of Summer" TV shows came to an end tonight.
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Big Brother 6 ended with Maggie winning. I got really turned-off by the casting this year. I'm tired of people that are just a bit too young in this game. I'm tired at how "divisive" they're tried to cast (and were pretty damn successful about it). The damn house got split in two, and I know a lot of people out there hated the "Friendship Alliance", but the "Sovereign Six" had people (Howie and Jenelle specifically) that had horrendous personalities - evidenced on how everyone reacted to the Kaysar eviction. The hateful vile that poured out of those two sealed it for me. The game isn't about that crap and once that happened, I lost interest in the show.
The show that I got interested in (and didn't expect to) was Rock Star: INXS. American Idol? Piece of crap next to this. Forget the crappy weeks of watching those goddamned auditions. These people that competed auditioned off camera and came there to rock. It was only Rock-and-Roll songs for each night's performances.Between producer Mark Burnett, based on his name alone, and the band itself, who worked tirelessly on this, they team was able to procure rights to rock songs never before performed on commercial TV. Quality songs performed by quality singers with a quality house band in front of a live quality audience. And not only that, but the winner doesn't get some record deal that may have them fading into oblivion. The winner becomes lead singer in a band that's been together for over 20 years and is well known. The performance were even made available for download through MSN music at the show's website. Just an all-around quality show. Live. Energetic. Rocked.
Unfortunately, hometown boy Marty Casey didn't make it and JD Fortune did. (Though the band wants to talk to Marty about possibly being the opening act on their tour. Cool runner-up privileges.)
I'd love to see this show again, but that doesn't make any sense - you can't do it with the same band because the whole idea was to find a replacement for Michael Hutchence and go forward as a band. They'd have to use a different band, but I can't imagine who that would be.
Then we have one straggler that won't go quietly into that dark night - "Dancing with the Stars: Dance-off". Yes that great little series that caught a lot of people by surprise and pissed-off a lot of them at the end came back tonight with a dance-off to prove who the winner will be (champion Kelly Monaco and her professional dance partner, Alec Mazo, went up against runner-up John O'Hurley and his professional partner Charlotte Jorgensen.) We won't know until Thursday who "won", though... « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:16 PM | Link | Reality TV § |
OK, maybe I have to back off a bit...I started thinking about my nephew Jack and that whole baseball thing...
Maybe it's a little early to think about baseball right now.
read more of this entry »
I started thinking about the first gift that I actually bought for him. It was a few months ago when I was at Comiskey (OK, U.S. Cellular Field for you fuddy-duddies). They had these cute pastel baby blue baseballs. I knew that that had to be my first gift (Of course, it's got a nice pastel baby blue logo of the White Sox on it). I started to think that he's not going to throwing it for a while. I mean, he can't really hold it right now, either. It's a little big, and probably a little heavy for his 7-pound-12-ounce frame. He can't throw a knuckle ball yet, he really doesn't have good fingernails. And he's got no chance of throwing a 4-seam fastball when his hand is barely larger than the width of the stitching itself. Then there's that whole stand-up thing so he can throw better (But maybe I can work on it before he can stand... he'd be great stretching and diving for a catch in the infield and being on the ground to unload a throw to first for a third out to save a run scoring...) Then there's the running around the bases thing... and he's not standing yet. Not even walking. Not even crawling. Not even mobile. He can't even lift his head yet... yeah, it's a little early. A uniform could look pretty cool, though... gotta find a cap...
Fielding... yeah, that's it. That's the first thing we'll work on... he doesn't have to get the whole throwing thing down, yet. I've seen pros that still don't have the whole throwing thing down yet. But, if he can catch, he can be a player. A clinch hero. And maybe when he can finally sit up by himself for the first time, we can practice some grounders with a plastic ball - more his size.
I'm going to have to come up with reasons why players spit, if he asks. I'm sure he's going to pick-up the whole drool thing pretty soon. Spitting requires much more effort. I just gotta make sure that even though players do it, doesn't mean it's something that anybody and everybody should do, especially little guys just learning the ropes. It's not right. It's not polite. Like that other thing they do - the scratching.
Man, that opens-up that whole other area - the whole thing about "politeness".
Man, I'm all about that. There's that whole "please" and "thank you" thing that seems to be so underrated. I mean, if a little kid actually used those words, wouldn't you take notice? Hell, I take notice if adults say them... pretty damn rare out there... wow, and that's not even sports related...
I've got to make sure that it's not only a sports focus either. I mean, his moms are such financial & number wizards, I may have to combat the whole accounting and finance focus thing. NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT. Maybe that's something he could fall back on when his sports career is over, therefore solidifying a prosperous life.
Who am I kidding. His sports enthusiasm will probably be focused on golf with clients. Maybe pickup football games on the weekends. Or maybe just spectating while schmoozing clients for skyboxes. As long as there's no polyester involved and he knows an Earned Run Average from a Goals Against Average, I'm OK.
So much to think about... and he's not home from the hospital yet... « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 01:56 PM | Link | Uncle Michael § |
Monday, September 19, 2005
TLAPD!!!!Arrr, me mind's been failing me... been waitin' all year for this day...
And perhaps this feels better, now that I've got a tiny Captain Jack in the family....
Like the song says: T' me,
Yo, Ho, Yo, Ho,
It's "Talk Like A Pirate" Day!
That time in September when sea dogs remember
That grown-ups still know how ta play!
When wenches are curvy and dogs are all scurvy
And a soft-wear patch covers your eye,
Ta hell with our jobs, for one day we're all swabs
And buccaneers all till we die!
posted at 09:39 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Michael?Oh, yeah, I forgot to say something about yesterday.
Jack's middle name is Michael.
As in my dad's name.
As in my name.
Yeah, that whole uncle pressure is really on....
Oh, and don't you dare flip around his first and middle name... don't you dare... you'll answer to me....
posted at 09:19 AM | Link | Uncle Michael § |
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Jackson Michael
I just got back from Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
It's been a weird day. Actually a weird 24 hours, I guess.
Some lives were changed today, all for the best. Even mine.
For I have become - for the first time in my life - an uncle.
I never thought there would ever be a baby in our family, but there he was. A nephew.
A nephew named Jackson. And now - even though I'm not the parent - I've got a big responsibility on my shoulders - I've got a nephew and he may be just 4 hours old, but he's gotta learn about baseball. Oh, sure, there's tons of stuff he's got to learn first. I mean, he's just getting the whole air-breathing thing down right now. He was bundled-up so tight that I couldn't see his hands. I couldn't tell how he would hold a ball to throw it. OK, he's getting the sleeping thing down, too. Hell, he's just trying to stay warm now, too. All I know is that he's a bit of a screamer, mostly because, well, he got a cold jolt as he came into the world, and quite frankly, he was having none of that.
He's got a lot to learn about this strange and crazy world that we're in. I figure baseball will just ground him in Americana and sports... he still has to learn to eat, though...
I guess there are priorities first. Like the breathing bit. Oh, and the eating, too. I guess he's got to open his eyes a bit more and see the world around him first. Figure out who's who. He'll spend the rest of his life figuring out what's what. I guess that would start with the blanket he's all swaddled in and the silly little knit hat they always put on newborns to keep 'em warm and such, matting down his mane of blond hair...
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So, there's a brand new family in town. Maybe going to see Kathy Griffin last night actually sped some things along? Melinda was only in labor a few short hours, and, according to Diane, really handled everything well and delivered quite smoothly. And here, Jack shows up almost 3 weeks early and still tips the scales at 7 pounds 12 ounces.
The whole evening at the hospital was so surreal because Melinda was just so... together. I mean, she looked a bit tired, but her spirits were up and between her and Diane they just seemed a bit wound-up.
Maybe it was just shock. Yeah, I think it's shock. Everything happened so quickly that they weren't exactly prepared today.
But, they will be fine. I'm sure of it.
I mean, Jack's in town now, baby.
« hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 11:03 PM | Link | Uncle Michael | 1 comment § |
Stand ByMy sister just called.
I may have some exciting information to tell you about.
Really soon.
posted at 10:45 AM | Link | Family § |
Saturday, September 17, 2005
D-List Comedy
Went out to Centre East Theatre in Skokie to see Kathy Griffin. She had 2 shows tonight. It was Carol and Diane and Melinda and I.
I've never seen her in person. I've caught her Bravo reality show and a couple of her performances.
Funny. Good laugh riot. Distinct two parts of the show - the first over an hour of just dishing celebrity stuff (though, it started with all the crap we've seen on TV about Katrina, the federal response, and the media coverage - including Larry King and Celine Dion. Here it was - the night before the Emmy's - and she's her back in town doing a show, before she has to fly back to LA early in the morning to do red-carpet coverage for E!. Of course, she went into where she would be doing the coverage from (NOT the red carpet) and Star Jones.
She's straight, to the point, and makes you laugh at everything she talks about - even if it crosses a certain imaginary line. You still wind-up laughing about it.
The last 20 minutes was a story about he going to Pal;m Springs with her dogs to stay at a hotel and do a show in-town. Part of the story is about letting her dogs outside on her hotel room patio to, um, "relive themselves" in the morning. She talks about going on the patio and hearing the door close behind her, standing her outside wearing a big t-shirt and underpants...
...which she decided to demonstrate on stage.
No flash photography allowed? HA! You should have seen the strobes going off! I think it caught her off guard (not that it happened but by how much happened)
Great performance. I'd see her again. It was just a good time.
Had dinner at L. Woods Tap & Pine Lodge afterward. Good food there in this great Wisconsin-woods-supper club-lodge setting.
posted at 10:33 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Friday, September 16, 2005
What??? OH NO YOU DON'T!!!!!
I went to Woodfield to walk the mall, looking for something light to eat.
I was walking across one of the ramps and looked over at saw the front of Marshall Field's that faces the Grand Court.
I froze. My blood curdled. I got pissed - pissed enough that I just got the hell out of there.
What's today's date? SEPTEMBER 16.
THE WERE SELLING CHRISTMAS STUFF. TREES. DISPLAYS. CHRISTMAS.
SEPTEMBER 16.
We just barely got past Labor Day (September 5) and Grandparanets Day (September 11).
We still have to get through:
Citizenship Day (September 17)
Columbus Day (Observed - October 10, Traditional - October12)
United Nations Day (October 24)
(Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, 30 October, 2005)
Halloween (October 31)
Election Day (November 8)
Veterans' Day (November 11)
Thanksgiving Day (November 24)
Bill of Rights ( December 15)
before we get to Christamas! WTF?????
Hell, let's throw in some Christian ones, too:
Mass of Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael (September 29)
All Saints' Day (November 1)
All Souls' Day (November 2)
Feast of Christ the King (November 20)
The Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8)
The celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12)
again, all of these before we get to Christamas! WTF?????
posted at 02:31 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Potty Break
You don't know how much I want this to be a FARK job...
During the 60th General Assembly of the U.N. yesterday, during presentations and debate about the U.N., our president was caught writing a note to Condoleezza Rice.
Not unusual, right?
Part of the note was actually caught - in focus - by a camera. What's visible reads:
"I think I may need a bathroom break"
posted at 09:58 AM | Link | Current Events § |
26 YearsAfter exchanging cards this morning in our own unusual way (both of us left cards in each other's cars), it's time to say Happy Anniversary to my wife here in public.
Twenty six years.
Oh, if you really need to see it, I put our official wedding photo from 26 years ago in last years post.
posted at 07:06 AM | Link | Family § |
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Bigger TiVoWe were getting a little "tight" with our DirecTiVo and available space. the programs we were recording were expiring pretty quickly. We were just running out of space.
So today, I took our TiVo and dropped it off in Hisndale and had a hard drive added. It only took one hour and was well worth the drive. My skills are so crappy, that I'm willing to spend money to have people do the skill work for me. And I'm so happy about the service, I'm almost ecstatic.
Instead of about 40 hours of available space on the TiVo, we now have about 160 hours of available space.
Yeah, that should last a while.
posted at 02:11 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
New Sensation
I can't help it. I started watching this reality show the first week it was on CBS and fell in love with it.
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It's Rockstar: INXS - a show where 15 people with rock backgrounds basically audition to become the lead singer of INXS, tour with them for a year and cut an album with them (it's still nebulous to me if the gig is a one-time/one-year thing, or could it be permanent depending on the chemistry)
It has all the good stuff about American Idol without the sugar coating and without the godawful weeks of showing the crappy auditions.
There ain't no crappy auditions. These 15 people come in experienced and capable. There's also one focus: Rock. You don't variation here as you do in American Idol. That's not the purpose of the show. It's all rock and roll, baby. And I like it.
Each week there are 3 shows.
The first show is the "Reality" show part, as all 15 people are living together in a huge house in the Hollywood Hills. It shows them living together, rehearsing songs, and interacting. To me, insightful bu ho-hum.
The second show is the "Performance" show. Previously, the contestants were given a classic rock song to sing (depending where they are in the process, they get to pick the song out of the bunch). They rehearse wit ha house band (called... wait for it... The House Band). On Performance Night, they perform with the house band at the Mayan Theater with a live audience and, more importantly, in front of INXS. At the end of their performance, INXS (oh, an host Dave Navarro) critique their work. At the end of the night, the viewing audience votes (via Verizon cell phone or via website on who they liked the best.
The third show is the "Elimination" show. Based on viewer voting, the bottom three people (i.e. the 3 people with the least number of votes), now have to sing an assigned INXS song. This allows INXS to see how the performer handles the band's work. The performer is critiqued again by the band and Dave. At the end of the night, INXS decides who will leave. Their elimination slogan: "You're just night right for our band, INXS". (Not as good a "the tribe has spoken" or "You're fired", but still till the point and re-emphasizes that it may be a public competition, but INXS still says who stays and who goes.)
So, tomorrow the contestants are whittled down to three. Our favorite is home-town boy Marty Casey. Our other favorite is MiG, and we like Suzie as well (even though I can't imagine an established rock band that's had a male singer all its life would be comfortable changing to a female lead singer). Our least favorite is J.D., who's been kissing ass ever since day one, because he really wants to be in the band... and may be doing a few things just for the band... but I always question if they're sincere or not or just a way to get closer to them.
The finale - one week from tonight.
Update: So long, Sweet Suzie McNeil. Next week's finale is between Marty (who was NOT in the final three this week), MiG (who was in the final three for the very first time), and ... J.D. « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 10:28 PM | Link | Reality TV § |
Monday, September 12, 2005
"Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job."Wanna bet that he didn't really do this voluntarily?
FEMA director Brown resigns
Update: His replacement (David Paulison) is the same FEMA official who, two-and-a-half years ago, suggested that Americans stock up on duct tape to protect against a biological or chemical terrorist attack. Keith Olbermann has another great insight: But in light of the response to this hurricane, another comment he made at the time of the Duct Tape announcements rings especially loudly. Paulison said in February, 2003, that in the first 48 to 72 hours of an emergency, many Americans would likely have to look after themselves.
posted at 04:17 PM | Link | Current Events § |
Sunday, September 11, 2005
White Sox 1 - Angels 6
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Hotter today than yesterday. This time we came better prepared by bringing wet frozen hand towels (in ziploc bags) in Carol's bag the she brings to every game. Can keep drinks cold (or at least much cooler) or use on your face, neck, hands, and head to cool down.
However, we started the day by picking up our friend Janie and having Sunday Brunch at the Stadium Club restaurant. we hadn't had a sit-down meal at the club all season, so we thought we should do that while we could.
Well, the great El Duque - Orlando Herndandez - was crap today. He gave up 4 runs in two innings . He was pulled for our new guy, Brandon McCarthy, whom I like a lot. He lasted 5 2/3 innings and only gave up 2 runs.
Our offense has virtually disappeared. we don't score until the bottom of the 9th, and it was only 1 run.
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 09:45 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Four Years OnThe pain and anger and loss that I felt four years ago on September 11, 2001 somehow has changed.
Hurricane Katrina seems to have taken a brush and re-colored those feelings, and then re-amplified parts of those and introduced others.
I can't shake these feelings now that maybe we could have been just plain lucky that our government worked well during in the aftermath of a terrorist attack when - if somebody would just figure out that the government response should have been the same - in the aftermath of a natural disaster, our government had no reaction for days.
The phrase is the same, but perhaps it takes on additional meaning:
Never Forget.
posted at 07:00 AM | Link | Current Events § |
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Lots o' ChineseSince the game was so early today, we headed north in the city to Wrigleyville to visit Barry & Buffy and see how barry is feeling. He's really fatigued, looks like he lost a little weight, but other than that, he seems just like his normal everyday self.
We watched and talked extensively about Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath stories while watching extended coverage on MSNBC.
We ordered Chinese food for delivery and, well, you just can't order the right amount of Chinese food. We had 4 entrées, extra white rice, big order of fried rice. And this was good Chinese, no matter what you ate.
Watched Ladder 49 on Starz after that. (Actually, a decent movie). then a cheesecake sampler afterward.
Man we just love eating and talking...
posted at 10:18 PM | Link | Friends § |
White Sox 5 - Angels 10
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I wasn't ready for the heat and humidity today, and got to the ballpark ill-prepared.
It's a 12:15 game - Fox picked up the broadcast. Was supposed to be a 6pm game, so that's why the place is half empty (but will still have a decent attendence number because they count tickets sold - paid attendance - and how many people really knew about the time change. And here it is - a battle of two first place teams.
Hey! Bill Wennington (former chicago Bull) threw out the first pitch! (But so did Leon Spinx... big contrast there)
If this is a possible post-season matchup, we'rein trouble. The game was a mess. Even though, we're first to score and lead 2-0 through 2, Jon Garland gives up 7 runs in 6 innings. Call-up David Sanders comes in at the top of the 7th. ONE PITCH - Chone Figgins homered to left. FOUR PICHES - Orlando Cabrera walked. Garret Anderson looks at a strike, hits one foul, and on his THIRD PITCH doubled to deep right, scoring Orlando Cabrera. Vladimir Guerrero on frst pitch hit sacrifice fly to center, Garret Anderson scored.
Let's see... 1 + 4 + 3 + 1 = 9 pitches = 3 runs.
Ozzie actually throws in the towel, and starts substituting players (5 of them) during our half of the 7th, and we put 3 more runs on the board.
Not enough.
(Boxscore)
« hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 04:59 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Thursday, September 08, 2005
THAT's a fine????Back on March 30 of 2003, under cover of darkness, without telling anybody and without any advanced warning, Mayor Daley rolled backhoes through the city to Meigs Field to tear it apart. An airport. In the middle of the night.
He didn't even tell the FAA.
Well, the FAA finally got around to fining the city.
$33,000
A city fined $33,000 just sounds ridiculous. I mean, that's pin money to a man that rules a city like Daley does!
posted at 11:28 AM | Link | Current Events § |
Note to self re: AndreWhen attempting to go to sleep early, and successfully accomplishing that, make sure you don't attempt this on a night that Andre Agassi is playing tennis late at night into the early morning, so that when wife decides to go to bed after sitting on couch watching match after match, that she doesn't put on the match on the bedroom TV to watch her boy Andre win in 5 sets. (3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (6) that ended at 1:09 a.m. ET.)
posted at 10:17 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Gas Price ExtremesAfter holding some pretty damn high prices through the Labor Day holiday weekend (cause, you know, a lot of people drive so the oil companies want that extra money), I drove by my gas station yesterday to find that the prices dropped 21 cents overnight.
Can you say "gouging"? No way you just get 20+ cent swings overnight.
Heard something on NPR yesterday - do you know how much a gallon of gas costs in Baghdad? Now, mind you, they've had to ration gas there, too, because of the "emergency" (not sure what the hell they're talking about). Also, to ease the horrendous traffic problems, the ruling government has said that only even-numbered licenses plates can drive on certain days, and odd-numbered plates on the other (This means that people are buying black market plates so they can drive their cars anytime)
So - how much is a gallon of gas in Baghdad? 5 CENTS. It's the cheapest in the region and it's causing a whole slew of black market problems.
5 CENTS.
posted at 10:10 AM | Link | Mundane § |
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
RageIt's been well over a week since Katrina hit.
When you have a moment, please go over and read Keith Olbermann's blog Bloggermann from the 5th if it's still available on the web.
Why should this disaster, though natural, be treated any differently than a known terrorist attack? Why can't you just deploy some of the same assets in a similar manner and secure the ground-zero of the attack?
If you look at it that way, consider this quote by Mr. Olbermann:
"...these are leaders who won re-election last year largely by portraying their opponents as incapable of keeping the country safe. These are leaders who regularly pressure the news media in this country to report the reopening of a school or a power station in Iraq, and defies its citizens not to stand up and cheer. Yet they couldn't even keep one school or power station from being devastated by infrastructure collapse in New Orleans — even though the government had heard all the "chatter" from the scientists and city planners and hurricane centers and some group whose purposes the government couldn't quite discern... a group called The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
And most chillingly of all, this is the Law and Order and Terror government. It promised protection — or at least amelioration — against all threats: conventional, radiological, or biological.
It has just proved that it cannot save its citizens from a biological weapon called standing water." Consider that. Do you feel safe right now? This isn't some media smear campaign. DAYS passed where nothing happened - and the President signed emergency orders (which I thought was odd) a day or two BEFORE the hurricane hit - and by doing so, immediately put the federal government in charge. When did FEMA - a part of the Department Of Homeland Security - not only arrive but started to do anything?
posted at 09:01 AM | Link | Current Events | 1 comment § |
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
It's coming to an end...Summer is almost gone. I know that Labor Day Weekend is sort of a traditional "End Of Summer".
Tonight, Carol and I are in the family room, big screen HDTV glowing in the other half of the room. We turned the lights off after we finished reading our stack of daily newspapers and realized we can't see outside.
It's dark. The sun has set. The days are rapidly getting shorter.
I'm not ready for summer to be over.
Baseball is still around. I won't let it be over... yet.
posted at 08:23 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Monday, September 05, 2005
No LaborEnjoying a day away from laboring at my job...
...and being thankful that it's been about 72 hours since the last increase in gas prices at the local station
posted at 09:45 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Sunday, September 04, 2005
White Sox 2 - Tigers 0
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Kind of a funky day - great temp, but cloudy/hazy.
Today was a Kid's Day and, for the first time ever, the starters were not available to sign autographs. (Found out that Ozzie "was trying to give them as much rest as he could given the schedule of the next few days").
The Ameriquest Blimp flew over the park again today (it was here for the whole series - except yesterday. Did Comcast pay for it? It was WGN yesterday...)
Jon Garland threw a complete in game in 2:07, better than Mark Buehrle 's time yesterday, and went to 17-8.
The team needed this series to start to get that winning feeling back. They're doing it with everything - pitching, hitting, defense, long ball, small ball, smart ball.
Saw something new (thanks to the "Grinder Rules" radio commercials): when Scott Podsednik is on base, the crowd starts to chant "Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!". It messes with the pitchers. Works pretty well, too. (Well, except Scotty got a Caught Steeling third).
So, where are we?
No longer the best record in baseball (St. Louis 87-50), but best in the AL at 84-51. Not the First team to reach 80 Wins (St. Louis, again). First Place in the AL Central, 9½ games ahead of Cleveland, 12½ in front of Minnesota. Magic Number? 18 , I believe.
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 05:44 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Saturday, September 03, 2005
White Sox 6 - Tigers 2
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Gorgeous night at the park. Actually, there's a few thousand more people here than I expected (30,509). We have never experienced a night like this with the amount of foul balls that came our way, either right at us or within a section. Unbelievable.
Great effort tonight. Mark Buehrle got his 15th win (I don't think he can make 20 this year), and we had homers by Rowand and Dye.
The most unsettling and unsatisfying thing happened outside the game, when the White Sox announce that broadcaster John Rooney wouldn't be coming back to the broadcast booth after 18 seasons - a SHAME and a GREAT LOSS.
(Boxscore) « hide the extended part of this entry
posted at 09:12 PM | Link | White Sox § |
Friday, September 02, 2005
HD BlissWow.
US Open Tennis - in HD.
HD - very cool. I'm diggin' the whole HD thing. Sports in HD - the best!
Letterman started broadcasting in HD this past Monday - both Carol and I agree - Dave looks creepy in HD. Actually, he only looks creepy during the monologue. When he sits down at the desk, he looks fine. i think it's the angle that they're shooting him center stage in the monologue that just creeps us out. Paul and the band always look great.
posted at 10:55 PM | Link | Mundane § |
Thursday, September 01, 2005
*nose wiggle* x 2"Rabbit, Rabbit!"
I've been at this for a few years now, you would think that at least some good luck would come my way!
posted at 07:07 AM | Link | Memes § |
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