Game 163

Great night for our heroes from the South Side. Honestly the last three days will leave me with fine memories. Buehrle on Sunday pitching like the ace he is on three days rest, then Gavin Floyd facing the man he was traded for and now John Danks. Readers of this blog may remember that I loved this kid for his guts from day one. He showed real guts and grit and other cool man stuff tonight.

NOT THAT YOU SICK BASTARDS!

I even enjoyed seeing Freddie on Monday and thought he pitched a great game.

You know he was high enough to throw another one hitter.

I am not going to say anything about what happens next. The Twins were the better baseball TEAM and team usually wins it no matter how much talent the other side has. I am glad the SOX knocked out the Twinkies and I think I have made it clear why…after last fucking Thursday Carlos Gomez and Nick Cocksucking Punto can jump and hug each other on the plane back to MN.

I hope they are very happy together.

Oh, what happens next. The Twins are a better TEAM than the SOX and the Rays are a better TEAM than both the SOX and the Twins. Crazy shit can take place in a short series but rest assured I am not dreaming of another title or inclined to comparing this team to the 05 SOX. The World Championship team had the best rotation I have ever seen as a Chicago baseball fan and they played their best baseball in the last 12 games of 2005. The SOX also played defense much better than the current team. The whole Ozzie ball was sort of a myth even in 2005. They played the running game a lot when Podz was healthy in the first ½ of the season and on those rare occasions when Willie Harris got on base.

Willie has become more of a professional hitter since and I wish him well.

The SOX could win this short series (with a few breaks) against the Rays and their Spencer Tracy on his day off meets old Elvis Costello manager…or they could get swept. Neither outcome would surprise me.

All I know is Game 163 is history and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Tonight reminded me why the only things I watch on tv are sports, Lost and Mad Men. None of the rest of the gutter culture’s contrived drama can hold my interest for even a minute. Mine is the sublime pleasure of what was considered part of the gutter culture back in the 19th Century.

Classy.

Baseball and this Sweet, Sweet Life

Alex and I took our first Father/Son road trip over the weekend. A good friend o mine @ the HHE scored two Brewer v. Cubs tix for us. Kim booked a hotel less than ten miles from the park that had a pool. We arrived early enough on Saturday for some pre-game swimming. Got to the park just in time to watch the roof close, make our way through the makeshift Sodom and Gamorons that turned the Miller Park General Lot into Seagull Valhalla…

And we saw one hell of a game. My kid is so lucky. His first baseball game was a complete game shutout in 05 and a real pitching gem put out there by Jon Garland. He has seen a grand slam by his favorite player (Joe Crede) an extra inning game won by a WhiteSox walkoff single…even during the last place 07 Campaign Alex saw the SOX kick the fucking crap out of the Twins and we basically sat down ten minutes before a three home run inning for the SOX.

And Saturday, even tho neither of us are Cub fans, seeing Lily carrying a no-no into the 7th…I’ve never seen a no-no go that long. To be honest, I was rooting for the no-no. What baseball fan wouldn’t root for it unless it was against their favorite team?

We came back to the hotel and did some more swimming, chilled in the hot tub and talked about our favorite Miller Park moments, then ate a shitload of food and fell asleep watching a show about the earth from 4 billion years ago to yesterday.

Ok, not yesterday…and normally Alex and I would’ve watched the show about the turbulent history of our planet with great interest…but considering our drive, the hike from general parking to the top of Miller Park, two swimming sessions and everything else…we crashed. Didn’t even brush our teeth or call mama to tell her good night. We partied hard.

The next morning, more swimming and a trip to the Basilica of St. Josephat. I thought the Basilica at Marquette was beautiful but this church, built by Polish immigrants at the end of the 19th Century, made our spirits and imaginations soar. Alex spent the whole mass counting patterns in the art and benches and walls and everywhere he looked. There was Latin and Polish words of inspiration carved everywhere in magnificent scripts. The good people of Milwaukee are down with the Lord.

I looked at the boy during our Creed and fought back tears. Our faith is what I have to give him. Our faith, the beauty of baseball and love, I bequeath all these to this person so dear to me…

And after the market closed today I’m lucky to even have that to leave the boy.

Let's forget the market and talk about a success story. The WhiteSOX season, after the win today is a success in my opinion. Most people picked my beloved SOX to finish 4th. Let me say, Fuck you ha ha.

That includes me by the way, so "Fuck you" to me say I. I don't know what will happen tomorrow against the hated Twins, but to go from being an afterthought to one game away from an AL Central crown, well that is more than I dreamt possible this year.

Alexis Ramirez? Are you kidding me? Thanks for a great year boys, here's hoping for one more against the Twinkies. Punto and Gomez celebrated last Thursday like they either won the World Series or broke their seals when all they did was sweep the SOX in the Garbage Bag Dome. The Twins are the better team but I hope to fuck that the South Siders send 'em back to Burt Be Home By Leven a'weeping.

Gamers

I will say more about the SOX game when it is over…for now – great job Juan Uribe. After Sloehe (sp…Jeanz? Kirby Puckett?...aw…anybody) hits AJ out of frustration Juan does exactly what you are supposed to do, if you get the chance. He drove the ball straight up the middle and was lucky enough to doink the pitcher.

I like Sloehe…however you spell his name. He always pitches the SOX tough and seems smart out there. I hope the kid is ok…but I am glad Juan brought some thunder up the middle and shook shit up a little bit.

Speaking of shaking things up, apparently Lou’s got a pair of Pinellas naming Dempster is #1 for the playoffs. Z is a dope. I thought he turned it around but he is a dumb ass dope and I hope the Cubs win in spite of his buffoonery.

Thanks and much love to LDub and her boyfriend. They gave the boy and I a pair of tickets for Saturday’s game in Miller Park. I am not a Cub fan, but it is gonna be a happening and I am excited that Alex and I are going to be a part of the action.

I wish I could’ve scored more tix but they are hard to come by, even tho the Cubs clinched.

Come on SOX add on at least one run because these Twins are gamers.

Well, the SOX game is over and things are not looking good for my favorite team in the whole wide world.

If blogger readers could see me at this moment, I am tipping my cap to the Twins.

Now I'm scratching my ass.

Now I'm...

That Was Easy

Strange as it may sound coming from this DYE-hard Sox fan (uh, that was unnecessarily dirty) last night's drubbing at the hands of the hated Twins was relatively easy to watch. The last several games the SOX lost in MN were a result of 7th or 8th inning rallies by the Twinkies after the SOX had a comfortable lead most of the game.

The Twins did this baseball fan a favor by ripping the SOX heart out in the 4th with doubles, steals, 1st to 3rding guys until the mind of poor Javier was as addled as the late, great Bob Stinson at some Twin Cities bar on the meds and PBR.

Sorry Replacements fans.

I still believe the SOX will win one of the next two in MN...for all the good it will do them. These Twins play baseball - in general - better than my beloved WhiteSOX, but they do not play it as perfectly as they have in the past. There are holes and the SOX might get lucky and catch the Twins in one between now and Thursday.

Even if the SOX outlast the Twins and win the surprisingly meh to bad AL Central, they are only forestalling the inevitable disappointing end to this season. Those who read this blog know I love the SOX but I also embrace reality and all the evidence tells me that they will fall to the Rays, bosox or Angels in the playoffs.

On the other hand, I really love some of these 08 SOX even though their offense is pretty one dimensional and their pitching is spotty and streaky.

NOT THAT YOU SICK BASTARDS!

And their bullpen (esp the set up guys) take fans on the kinds of adventures that would give Indiana Jones a fucking grabber...

Who am I kidding? I am nothing if not a forestaller of the inevitable (see my bank account and/or investment portfoolio) - GO SOX AND BEAT THESE FUCKING TWINS! YOU DESERVE TO BE ELIMINATED FROM POST SEASON PLAY BY A TEAM OF OVERPAID, FAT SCUMFUCKS LIKE BOSTON rather than the steady, old-school, well-disciplined Twins of MN and the fine brand of baseball they play.

Business Not as Usual

Georgie Smith is about to meet his end in MOI. I am working hard but it is slow going. I think I feel sick to my stomach. It is said that Balzac, nearing death called out to several of his characters because in his delusional state he thought they surrounded him.

And that may be the one thing I have in common with Monsieur Honore de Balzac...

Although I'd love to have this mustache and hairdo!

Curses Be Damned

Friday was family movie night and this week we watched Mutiny on the Bounty (the one with Clark Gable as Fletcher Christian).

Sat - Thanks and much love to Coach Dennis and his family. He's got season tix to the Huskies and shared two with Alex and I yesterday. A fine fine buttkicking did the mighty red & black lay upon the Sycamores of Indiana State.

Yes, the same Indiana State that Larry Bird attended.

Their football team could've used him yesterday.

The Huskies were up by so much early in the 4th Quarter that Dennis asked if we could split so he could watch his Cubs clinch. Who am I to stand in the way of that? One of our Chicago baseball teams making the postseason in back to back years is (in my somewhat less than worthless opinion) an accomplishment on par with my beloved WhiteSOX winning the World Series in 2005. Don't get me wrong, the Cubs doing this doesn't mean as much to me as my favorite team of all time winning that trophy with all the flags...but the Cubs 07 and 08 campaigns ending in Divisional titles is just as impressive.

Leaving the game early was cool with me anyhow because it gave me enough time to play 9 before going on a date with the lovely and talented Kimberly Jo.

Alex slept over at Finn's and Kim 'n I went to Filo Spinato's, then made copies for my Religious Ed Lesson.

This morning I taught the kids Be Not Afraid, talked about how the song was sort of like Holy Mass itself (1st two verses from the bible OT and the 3rd verse Jesus' words from the Gospel - - "Blessed are the poor etc...") I had three groups over the course of the morning and each group learned a verse and the chorus. We all sang together with each group singing its verse and all three singing the chorus. We were loud. We disturbed the other classes. I think it is a good thing.

Alex came into the room after his 2nd grade class was over and saw that I brought the acoustic. He said, "Dad you should've brought the Ric."

Maybe next time. I can even use the line from Dead Alive as I burst into a feedback drenched solo "I KICK ASS FOR THE LORD!"

uh...I probably won't do that.

Congrats to the Cubs and their fans and I am glad to hear that Mr. Soto is ok. The Cuban Missle may be a legit contender for AL Rookie of the Year Honors...but Soto in his first full season ought to be considered for NL MVP. What a great time in this city to have potential future stars rising all at the same time.

I don't give too much of a shit about MVP debates or individual awards...but here is the case for Mr. Soto and how valuable he is to the Cubs. Yes, there is a lot of talent up and down the lineup...but does anyone image the Cubs' pitching and defense going as well as they are with the coward Barret behind the plate?

Barret was not much of a catcher with occasional power. He was terrible at calling a game and didn't understand much about in game situations for pitching and defense...the examples are legion and I have given them over the years.

And this has nothing to do with the AJ thing because I pounded Barret back in '05 for the whole Oswald incident and how his dumbassishness fueled the Astros to rev up and discard those worthless mid-oughts cubbie teams that couldn't hold the jocks of the Cubs' present roster.

Not that this proves anything but I am happy to present the ways in which the young Soto (at this stage of his career) is better than AJ (who I like more, obviously but I don't let that get in the way of measuring the two)...

Arm-strength and accuracy and helping with holding runners by calling certain pitches - SOTO

OBS (on base percentage plus Slugging) - SOTO

Situational hitting that I have seen - I will call this a push. Soto has plenty of big hits, home runs and other important stuff...but many of AJ's have come when guys on the SOX have failed to get the job done runners at 2nd and or 3rd with less than 2 outs. I won't punish Soto because he is in a better and more diverse lineup, I'm just saying.

Calling the game - I will also call this a push...but relative to their years ya gotta think Soto may wind up being one of the masters. He commands respect from a fine, and sometimes pigheaded pitching staff this early in his career...who knows what is next for this guy? Forget push I say advantage Soto based on youth and the knuckleheads he has to deal with on a daily basis.

The only thing I know AJ can do better at this point is call a big game...but Mr. Soto is going to have the chance to call some big games soon and I have feeling he will make a fine accounting of himself.

Good luck Soto and good luck Cubs. I am not a fan of him or the team...but I know greatness when I see it. Both Soto and the Cubs have a chance for greatness and I say, let the curses be damned.

Seven Yards Back Guy

Got home, went to the bank, cut some grass, picked up the dry cleaning, bought Zappa's Zoot Allures and went to the Y to pick up Alex and his friend from football practice. They were doing four on four drills and Alex as usual was on defense as the "7 Yards Back Guy." It is the flag football equivalent of free safety I guess...I dunno, baseball is the sport I claim to know something about.

Some say I don't even understand that and those some may be right.

Re: my baseball predicting skills...uh, much like my new investment servicing firm, they don't pay the bills. I told Cub girl @ work to write down 92 wins for her favorite team. The Cubs just won their 92nd game today and there are plenty of games left to play. What do I know...

But Alex and his friend both acted like 7 Yards Back Guys. Then they cooked up the scheme to just rush everybody. Alex's pal figured out what made Buddy Ryan such an overwhelming success. The defense could always outnumber the offense, all they needed to do was pick the right moment to send everyone.

They rushed in to the surprise of the coach and the four kids playing offense. They didn't mean anything malicious but one kid ran right into Alex's friend and got one pretty hard right in the kisser...mostly because no one expected everyone to come barrel-assin' into the backfield like that.

Kid with the ball was down the ball...well there was so much confusion no one even knew where that went.

But Alex and another kid went right to the injured guy and helped him over to the sidelines so he could sit on his grandma's lap for awhile.

I told the boys that their plan was clever and that one can go pretty far in this life by doing something that nobody expects and they did that. They outsmarted everyone...and I know they didn't mean any harm to the kid.

Later I told Alex he did the right thing being gentle to his injured teammate, waiting for him to catch his breath like coach told him, then helping the little guy to the sidelines. I couldn't have been more proud of my son and told him so.

Sappy as it sounds, that kid is MVP in my heart.

God Bless you son.

I Made the Same Stupid Face Today

This is the exact same look I had on my puss when I received a letter dated 8/25/08 regarding certain investment accounts I hold. Imagine my wonder as I read the following:

"Effective October 31st your accounts will be assigned to AIG Financial Advisors."

Holy fiscal buttfuckery Batman! I can turn a multi-billion dollar insurance/investment house into a flaming dungheap myself. What do I need those douches for? If things keep going the way they're going at AIG, folks there aren't even going to be allowed to go Halloweenin' as financial advisers. Then the letter said:

"This transfer will take place automatically and will occur at no cost to you."

Now that's something new. I pay nothing to get fucked in the pooper. Will wonders never cease?

BLAH BLAH BLAH - MORE SHIT I DON'T UNDERSTAND...then:

"Unless we receive written notice from you at the following address at the following address by October 21, 2008, your account will be assigned to AIG Financial Advisers."

Oh they will receive written notice from me and you can bet your sweet chin-whiskers that my written notice will contain a passage like the following:

YOU EXPECT ME TO PUT MY HARD EARNED, RANDOM $100 WHENEVER-I-FEEL-LIKE-IT IN THE HANDS OF THE GUYS WHO ARE NOW PUTTING THE ASS IN ASSET MANAGEMENT?!?!?! How stupid do you think I am?

I may also request some of the 85 billion that my new broke-ass financial advisers borrowed from the Federal government. I'm feeling a little over-leveraged myself. You wanna welcome me aboard? How's about sharing some of that sweet Federal bailout scadole with me.

The thing that pissed me off the most was the greeting. The letter began "Dear Valued Client"

DEAR VALUED CLIENT??? After all the genocide/Somalian Oil adventures, bundles of bad mortgage debt scams and border shifting sweatshops we've gone in on together, now I am just "dear valued client" to you? For shame American General Securities Incorporated.

Now that I think about it, I wonder how badly they were doing if it suddenly was in everyone's best interest to turn over my accounts to the MC Hammer of the financial world?!?!

Ah phooey!

Tomorrow I go out and buy some inconspicuous looking socks and a relatively stain-free mattress.

A.I.eeeeeeeeee

People say Mr. President Quacks-a-lot doesn't have a plan for the current fiscal crisis. I say pffft. It is clear how gBushy & his Trez Sec are going to assess failing financial houses.

Bear Stearnes gets bailed out, Lehman Bros are shit out of luck. Today A.I.G. gets bailed out. So the pattern is clear right? My kid could figure this out.

We are currently operating under the financial principle "Every Other One Gets Bailed Out" also known as Eenie Meenie Miney You Get Mo Money.

Here's hoping that the Chinese will be cool with the risk the US Govt is taking on...otherwise they might stop buying up our bonds.

They Came to Burgle My Car

Considering we may have only practiced a combined three hours this summer, bigDrag's show at Reggie's went off better than could be expected. Most importantly I got to see some pallies that I haven't seen in forever and they get bonus points for coming out to that place to see our band on a Monday friggin night. Second most importantly one of our own favorite ladies won the arm wrestling title. D tried to convince me to wear a wig and get in the ring...

...but we all know what would happen. I would be soundly defeated, the wig and my glasses would fall off and my opponent after dancing victoriously over me would step on my bag.

...at least that's what happens in the recurring dream I have where I pose as a female arm-wrestler.

Much love to all people from the book of face that came out.

The set...

Knucklehead Song
Hey Lucky
The End of Everything
Sound
Dil
Broken Sky
HFC @ Full On Gain
Understandable
She's a Burner
Real Eyes

Let's see...what else happened? Oh, parked my car under the El - STRIKE ONE - Old Dog left my passenger door open - STRIKE TWO - when I came out my glove box was torn apart as nogoodniks (spelling? Jeanz? Simon Bar Sinister? anybody?) searched in vain for anything of value.

When I first realized I had been robbed I thought 'Oh no I had a copy of the Ambersons 1st record in the vehicle' You can imagine my surprise when I found not only my copy of the 1st record but a copy of Current as well. To be honest, I stand by my initial decision not to give anything to the midget who claimed to be raising money for the Jesse White Tumblers. Chris gave him some and the dude said "Little man gonna watch out for you. Little man won't let you down."

I didn't need little man or his spiral notebook with fake names all signed in the same handwriting to watch my Sangria Red Ford Focus. I almost felt sorry for the buglers. I wonder at what point they said to themselves, "This motherfucker is poorer and more disorganized than we are!"

UYP Another Stab at It

I've got a bird to whistle
And I've got a bee to sting
I'm going up yer peninsula
W/ a #2 pencil and some other things

I live in
A butt hole bungalow
Bill lives in
A nice old brick home

All I got
Is dick diddly squat
All you'll get
Is dick diddly shit
And a #2 pencil

Rust that runs from my eyes
Rests on the corner of my smile
Rustwater running through my days
Makes me live to run away

Legends come flying off the page
Their phrases make them out of date
Rustwater mixed in with the rain
Makes me live o want to say

I pray the sun will never come
I pray the sun will never come this way again
I pray the sun will never come
I pray the sun will never come this way again

Mad bomber what bombs @ midnight
Come on in now son it's supper time
Take a break from droppin them bombs
Mowin down muthafukas like you mowin the lawn

Mad bomber what bombs at midnight
Bring your shit in off the fuckin clothesline
Don't let em hang you out to dry
Did you know the Old Dog only has one eye

At midnight - At midnight
Thanksgiving dinner he blew up the pumpkin pie
At midnight - At midnight
Four and twenty blackbirds a pocket fulla rye

Mad bomber what bombs at midnight
Don't look at him funny or crosseyed
You know he's wound a little too tight
One day he'll go nuts and blow up the west side

At midnight - At midnight
Wacked Dracula on a crazy-ass hoo-ride
At midnight - At midnight
Blew up the wolf man in the middle of the moonlight
At midnight - at midnight
Scared the fucking shit outta mutherfucking Frankenstein
At midnight - At midnight
Four and twenty blackbirds a pocket fulla rye

Billy Joe and Bobby Sue Monkey
Everybody got something to hide
So they decided that they
Better make it funky
Take the monkey and run

Peter Tork and Mickey Dolenz
Davy Jones and Michael Nesmith
Oh yeah fuck that crap
It'll have to wait we can watch the tape when we get back
Tape the Monkees and run

Jet pack you know where that's at
I've got to go and make my report to a monkey
Jet pack oh fuck that crap
I woke up one morning and saw a monkey on a horse
A monkey on a horse

Well he's crying now
And he'll find out soon
All there'll be is monkeys and drunkards and fools
If DeKalb is bombed

Down by the riverside
So full of joy and pride
Drop your pants, enjoy the ride
Down by the riverside

Went down one sunny day
About to get blown away
About to get bold and brave
No soul to sell or save

Barbs

Thursday night - drinks and SOG pizza to celebrate my old boss' five years in our room and her move downstairs to Boss O'Brien's room. I worked for one of the coolest people in the world and it is a drag not to be working in the same room with her anymore...but you're born, you move on, you die - that's life.

I screwed up her last official order for me. I said "PK what is your favorite pizza? I will get it from the World Famous and 'twill be ready @ the Annex when our crew gets there."

She said, "The SMOG." Which everyone knows is WF's sausage, mushroom, onion and green pepper. I kept freaking out about the "G" thinking I might order green olive as the "G" or green onions as the "G" and someone would mistake me for someone in Booker T. and the MG's. Ok, I'm a crappy musician - no one is mistaking me for anyone in that band...although I may change my name to Steve Crapper.

Insert shameless plug for BIG DRAG @ REGGIE'S MUSICAL JOINT MONDAY NIGHT IN THE GREATEST FUCKING CITY IN THE WORLD!

Oh, so I screwed up PK's pizza because bosslady orders a SMOG, I forget the mushrooms and we all end up eating a SOG pizza.

But everyone had a good time. One of our favorite kids at the HHE got a job in Rockford Rock City and will be leaving the nest. Proud of that one and told Nate to make her a Long Island so strong that she will never find the way back here. She gone.

I was glad to see lots of people come out to toast the PK...even folks normally in bed @ 9:30 on a Thursday. I swear one day that will be me but for now I still play....

MONDAY NIGHT ROCK SHOWS WITH BIG DRAG IN CHICAGO @ REGGIE'S MUSICAL JOINT

They have closed circuit tv for rock shows there so you can leave the venue for the bar and not miss an action packed minute.

I don't know how closed circuit tv differs from your open circuit tv so don't ask.

D and ChrisB couldn't do our bD galf thing on Thurs but Joe and I still took a half day and played Buena Vista and the South Pointe. Very fucking relaxing.

I am taking Tuesday off too and I don't give a shit. Using up some of this extra time while the weather is still nice. I'll be glad I did when February extends into its 18th week. Fuck February!

Last night Kim, Alex and I attended the human sacrifice exhibition also known as the DeKalb vs. Sycamore HS Football Classic.

BARBS!

uh, the Barbs were down 28-6 when we left.

Damn you Spartans!

...except for my old buddy Khyle. He's a good Spartan. The rest are a bunch of leather-skirt wearin' only bringing three hundred guys to fight Xerxes - march all day, no water drinking, no pee break taking douchebags!

...who kicked the crap out of the Barbs.

Patriot's Day

I thought this holiday commemorated the Battles of Lexington and Concord and we celebrated it in April. Oh well, better late than never. If anybody wants to get me a present, my wig size is 8, I'll drink anything you can pour into a flagon and I could use a new horse since my last one was SHOT FROM UNDER ME! Yeah, you heard me right - then I was shot three times and bayoneted repeatedly until my gentleman's gentleman finally got off his fucking ass, did his job and jumped in the way of Corn-fucking-walis' hatchet men. Good help is so hard to find. Fuck me!

Kiss Like a Pig

Forget all that nonsense about not being able to put lipstick on a pig. The McCain camp has done something amazing in the last week or so. They have forced the Donkeys' standard bearer to go negative. My fucking hypertext won't work so here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBtbG5xjFBY

For those who haven't seen the original commercial here tis...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihlK7GDbLDE

What does this mean in the long run? Stay tuned.

No Time Is No Excuse

I have been living and writing MOI so time is not being spent at Ye Olde Blogge. But that is no excuse...otherwise the blogoshpere will miss gems like this:

Friday the OD, John G and I were working on some material for the OKB's next thing - - Kish. Joe wore his bass and Johnny's sweet, innocent child asked, "Joe? What is wrong with your guitar?" Joe answered, "It is a bass."

Let's see, what else happened...?

Alex and I went to a dental appointment that never took place...talk about the luckiest day ever for a 7 year old. That was Sat. Then we went to the Sammich Fair and saw the Outlaws of Northern Illinois (not the Board of Governors) put on a real wild west show.

A woman shot a whiskey bottle out of a cowboy's hand and Alex said, "What would you do if Mama did that to you?" "Let's hope it never comes to that" was my only response.

Also saw sheep getting hosed down. You can't get that kind of fun at the Beijing Games.

Sunday was Alex's 1st day of 2nd Grade Religious Ed. For those who are Catholic we all know how important the 7th year or 2nd Grade is for these young saints to be. Thanks and much love to those like Joan (wife of Olekobe and others called to guide our previous children through these important classes)

Sunday night

BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So much fun and so glad the good guys in the blue and orange had something resembling a running game. Orton, my friends.

Last night was football in the living room night. Alex wanted to get ready for tonight's flag football game. He made one tackle (his 1st pulled flag of the season) and took two snaps under center. Watch out Tom Brady because the boy totally sold the play action and if he plays football anything like he plays Uno...he's not above cheating.

Patriots!

Moving Ahead

Worked with Johnny and OD on Yeah Yeah for the beginning of Kish...and Lagoon for later on on the Kish record thing. Feels good. Feels like progress. I need to talk to D about the big ending for Francesca and the intro to the Kish title track. Probably try to solidify scheduling crap @ the Sept 11th Work Ditch Day Golf Outing. Let us never forget...our tee time.

I'm like school in summer...

A big jerk.

Played the Cliff's notes version of the whole record for Joe so at least someone has a little bit of the bigger picture.

In a non ed-writing real bigger picture view (?)...Sox fans love you CQ. So sorry this happened to you. Good luck with the wrist surgery and everything needed to get healthy. Carlos made this season so much fun for this SOX fan. I am sad to see it end this way but love love love to see what CQ, John Danks, Gavin Floyd, Alexis Ramirez and a host of other players have done this year. It's not over for the SOX or SOX fans...but I for one will miss CQ as the team goes through the last month of the season.

Baron DeKalb Reacts to Gov. Palin's Speech @ the RNC

Well kids, let’s just say the Baron’s first “reaction” was in the lederhosen if you know what I mean…so sassy, so gubernatorial. Seriously, if this Vice President thing doesn’t work out maybe she’d like to try her hand at being Baroness for a night. She can skin my caribou - - and how!

Anthony's Fire

I decided that the hospital they take Georgie to will definitely be St. Anthony's. Not because I did any research into area hospitals at the time of my story.,...

...fuck that boring shit. It is irrelevant as far as I am concerned. The name is chosen because of St. Anthony the Great. He is the patron saint of infectious diseases.

Georgie is gonna get "the sepsis"

...sorry fans of No Country for Old Men

Oh, that's "the Cancer."

I Forgot What John Adams Said to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Sunday was a work day around the domicile of edP and crew. My pops came up and helped put up some lights Kim bought. My mom and Kim washed windows together. I went nuts (and thankfully avoided coming near my own nuts) with an electric chainsaw. It was an old fashioned tree trimmin' bitches!

Then I bought everyone Chinese. Love that Chinger! Of course everyone ate my dish...weight loss and off the sugar and HoHos or not...I still get the richest, breadiest, spiciest pork this side of the Yellow River and I don't give a shit. I'm into not eating all the time like the insane post-smoking chocoholic I was, but when I get food from Yen Ching well I go nuts (and try not to drop any of those brazen red peppers near my nuts because those things can burn sensitive skin).

Today Alex and I blew out of DK rock city to catch the last Kane County Cougars' game of the season. We took Kim's dad and I think the three men had a good time. This was the first ballgame that the boy followed pretty much from beginning to end. Part of his rapt (sp and usage? Jeanz? George Raft? anyone?) attention might be tied into his sense of self-preservation. I told him this would be the closest he has ever sit at a big time baseball game so we gotta keep our heads in the game or end up taking a foul ball in the melon.

Cougars stomped the Peoria Chiefs (but thank goodness the Chiefs' pitching staff didn't feel shown up, we all saw what happens when they get angry). I purposely got seats behind the visitors dugout. I am no Cubs fan and everyone knows it but I wanted to see Ryne Sandberg. Now I didn't care to wait in line to get his autograph or make small talk or any shit like that. What the hell would I have to say to him? Bill and I met the only famous person I ever wanted to meet and have sign something. But after #23 made his first pitching change and headed back to the dugout I said to Alex, "Stand and put your hands together respectfully boy. That's a Hall of Famer coming our way."

Al, Alex and I pretended to be announcers for the last three innings and the boy did a decent job calling the came for CW News (his fake news station). Fake news, who am I kidding? I trust CW News more than I trust Fox News.

I shouldn't pile on Fox News. I'll be honest, I watched it maybe a handful of times...although when DeKalb was attacked by that Monster Truck last year I saw a Fox News cameraman in the Subway. I said to him, "Figures you guys would be first on the scene for something like this."

Sorry. No one needs to take my random thumb in the eye at Faux News too seriously. I mock it because I am not interested in watching it. Everyone I know that watches it seems angry. Who needs that kinda aggravation in this beautiful life?

Oberman is trying to make himself as obnoxious on the other end (business end) as Foxy Network so there's plenty of douchebaggery to go around and around and around. Again who needs the angst? Who believes there is enough in the Right or Left to merit our bearing the scars of political battles along with those who are in politics for the money and power and ideology?

It is funny how angry some try to get over the upcoming election. I am happy because these are the two best candidates the parties could muster. Those who read this stupid blog know that I hoped long ago that America would get Sen. O and Sen McCain because they offer us two very different visions of the war, foreign policy and things that matter when it comes to the presidency. I have had stunning conversations since it looked like these two would be the candidates...people seem dedicated to being angry.

I guess it is very American to feel that way. After all people have been saying that America has been going to hell in and hand basket since Thomas Jefferson was elected president.

Just ask anyone who voted for John Adams.