Circumstances and Shit

Did a shitload of editing on TINaM. Glad to see I am keeping up the pace after KJ and Alex’s return. We’ll see if it continues. For the first time in many years, through no choice of mine (or is it) writing and editing my old shit is the only option open to me. I am not feeling sorry for myself, although I am surprised to find myself in this position. It may be worthwhile for me to find out if the problem was my attitude or if the material, in the end just wasn’t good enough to keep people interested.

Batting practice with the boy was fun. Then we took apart the dumb ass desk that I have to drag to the curb. That is a task that makes sense to me.

Edwin Jackson was traded to help get the bad Marc Teehan money of the WhiteSOX books. That's a good thing Some of the 47 pitch innings that Jackson had seem like they are still going on in some alternate reality where the SoX struggle at key moments even more than they do in this one.

Yick, now that's some bad alternate reality.

Cap

Took the day off to hang out with my two favorite people in the world, and our one crazy dog. Alex and I did batting practice and it was great to hear is horn fill the house. Boy did it fill the house with sound.

We walked down to Flippin Eggs and ate a ridiculous breakfast. Someday I want to have breakfast in Belfast. Hopefully someone else is buying.

Maybe the IMF?

Classy

Took the boy to see Captain America. Fun, not as great as Iron Man but the people who made the film took an interesting turn and the movie had some spirit to it. Also I am a fan of any film where the heroine is a real woman with curves and bumps and not a stick. Not that women aren't beautiful in all shapes and sizes and forms and minds, but when Hollywood makes a film about a WWII era superhero and isn't afraid to give us a woman who exemplifies that sort of beauty on the screen, my hat is off to 'em.

Met w/ D, Chris and Steve O at the Roundhouse for drinks and bad bar pretzels. Hey, when you're me, bad bar pretzels are good. I don't have anything more to say about that except we laughed a ton and I am going to miss my friend even more.

Well-Timed Airport Run

We were supposed to get together with Devin yesterday. It was going to be food then golf. Then it was just food with he guys, then it was just a get together for like two beers at the Roundhouse, then it was nothing.

Maybe we'll all sit down for fun and goodbyes on Tuesday. We'll see what happens.

Worked, watched the SOX win, took two good bike rides, then picked up Kim and Alex at Midway. It took years but I think I've finally perfected the timing in the DK to South Side airport run. So glad to see my sweet family.

Cookie went crazy for both of them.

GO CRAZY FOLKS!

My Ass Problem

SOX win thanks to a comedy of errors...in the Cleveland outfield. Ok, it was only one error but it was comical to me.

Solved my ass problem and was able to do some long bike rides today. My mom gave me bike shorts last Christmas. When I opened the wrapping and held them up my mom proclaimed, "Two bucks! TJ Max!"

I love my mom and appreciate all she does for me but the bike shorts sat in the drawer since Christmas because, until recently I thought I'd never need bike sorts and DeKalb has been through so much (the flood, the Monster Truck, etc...) to be subjected to seeing me ride around with my junk outlined in Lycra.

I tried wearing the bike shorts with boxers then swim trunks then my thick black jean shorts and Voila...no ass chaffing. Ok, the people of DeKalb still have to see my legs, but believe me it could be so much worse.

Us Against Us

They'll never get her to go to rehab now.

Sorry.

I hope when I'm gone someone will give a shit enough to make an unfortunate remark. I also hope future generations, should they blunder upon my blog, find no significance in the first line of this post.

I certainly don't.

What was I talking about?

Oh, nothing.

More than one person I know reacted to the horrible events in Norway with the thought that if religion on either side breeds these sort of actions and in the case of the island shooter, reactions, then religion in and of itself is simply evil. These are the same folks who argued years ago that Judas Priest records can't make someone shoot themselves in the face. I don't know if humans (and this includes me) are getting dumber or if most of our reactions to big, horrible events like this, when a political position is taken to an extreme default to "them versus us."

Again I am not saying I am smarter than or possess more demonstrative proof of the fundamental facts of man than professed atheists I know...

...but I do know this, the longer I live the less the world and the unraveling of Western civilization (if that's what's happening) can be understood if one thinks of things in terms of "them against us." For free peoples the problem is, and maybe has always been "us against us."

SOX and Cleveland rained out today. No worries, they will win on Sunday. They are going to win just enough this year TO MAKE ME GO CRAZY WHEN THEY DROP OUT OF THE RACE SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER!

Gettin' Busy with the Nation's Business

President Obama called a surprise press conference late this afternoon and said, "I've been left at the alter a couple of times now."

What the hell is happening in these back door...er closed door meetings with Speaker Boehner?!?! Look, I'm as open minded as anybody on the damned internet but we've got a debt crisis here boys. Once a deal is worked out you can play all the grab-ass you want.

I might even join you just to see if I can make Boehner cry.

Crazy Looking Bug

I killed a crazy looking bug at my desk this morning. I hope it wasn’t working for the government.

Too much shit to do at work today so I wasn’t able to practice on the fake ear.

NOT THAT YOU SICK BASTARDS!

I was behind all day but got everything finished that could be finished five minutes before I left. Somehow that passed for a good feeling today. Also proud to say I haven’t picked up the fucking guitar since Kim and Alex left town. Haven’t wasted a single fucking second “writing” something that does no good for me or anyone at this point.

Been working hard on knowing the Hughston-Westlake shit, reading it at home as much as I could and working on TINaM. I know I am almost to the end of that thing because my writing music consists of Beethoven’s late strings. They are weird, I don’t understand most of the music but the sounds make me feel like I am almost to the finish line...of something.

Tried to ride my bike and get a little exercise but the heat is so fucking oppressive that the best I could muster was a fifteen minute sprint....and a sprint for me ain’t much of a sprint at all.

Jimmy’s wake was packed. The guys who built DeKalb and the guys who wrote their paychecks were out in full force. Visited with CV and got to talk to AV and little Nat. I told them I was so sorry to hear about their Uncle Jimmy.

Mercifully, there was no WhiteSOX game today.

Or Worse, Cortland

Refugees from the Syrian military crackdown are fleeing to Lebanon. That’s one helluva crackdown. You know it’s all gone wrong when someone says, “Come on Myrtle, pack up your shit. We’re going to Lebanon, where it’s safe.”

Compared to that nonsense, I’ve never had a bad day.

Having said that, today sucked ass.

I miss Kim and Alex, but hey at least I didn’t have to spirit them out of DeKalb to a safe place in Lebanon, or worse - Cortland.

SOX lose to the Royals. CQ gets thge only hit that mattered. The WhiteSOX should be hitting the damned ball out of the damned ballpark.

They just can’t for some reason or other.

Maybe we should send the WhiteSOX to Lebanon, or worse - Cortland.

Midway Day Off

Took the day off to help Kim and Alex get ready for their trip. Bought my little crew Subway. Kim packed it in their carry on so they could have a nice meal together during their stop in Albuquerque. Cookie and I dropped them off and listened to CoD radio for as long as we could on our way back to DK

Did tons of shit around the house and wrote like there's no tomorrow...

....or a whole lot of yesterday to cover.

Forty Feet in the Air

A few years ago the old tv antenna on my house was damaged by a storm. A man named Jimmy Vaughn showed up with his truck and welding torch. Jimmy scampered up there, made some well placed cuts and brought the damaged and precariously balanced tower down, to our family's amazement. He didn't know us but did this work cheerfully because Kim is friends with his sister. He asked if he could give the scrap to a friend of his who sold metal and used or found materials to one of the local shops. I asked him how we could repay him he said, "Buy me a hot dog if you see me on the golf course."

Jimmy was a professional welder and a local legend, known mostly because he helped anyone who asked him. I'm fairly sure we were not the only people he helped on that day a few years back.

Jimmy fell from a height of forty feet on the job today. He died on impact. I'm so sorry for his family and friends who knew him much better than I did. Our town and this world are better because he lived. I know this to be true, and I only met the guy a couple of times.

A New and Wonderful Family

Saturday July 16

Woke up before 6am. Paid the SW Card for June, did some writing, took a long walk and called my mom. Washed the Grand Prix, cut grass and drove out to Joliet. Kim, Alex and I took Mom to Mass outdoors at St. Joe's Park. They have a special 6pm Mass outside at the grotto

NOT THAT GROTTO YOU BASTARDS!

...at the grotto by St. Joe's Cemetery on the third Saturday of June, July, August and Sept. Saw Lesniks, Demmicks and a host of others. My ma introduced Kim and Alex to more of her friends from grade school.

SOX beat the Tigers for a second night in a row. Could there be signs of life for the South Siders in the 2nd half of the season? Wake me up when they get to .500 again.

Sunday July 17

Could not enjoy a special day with my friends Jeanz and Mark. There was much to do before Kim and Alex leave for Seattle. The little crew worked together all day and then Alex went for an overnight with most of the guys on the Mudcats at Coach Tim's house. Eleven boys and tents in the yard.

NOT THAT YOU NAMBLA-ASSED BASTARDS!

I'm sure everything written above is totally wrong.

With the boy at a sleepover and much of the work done around the house for today, Kim and I took a romantic bike ride, bought some spices etc for the dinner she was making and had a great date at home.

Congrats and much love to Jeanz and Mark, with Michael they are a new and wonderful family.

I Pledge Allegiance to the Pledge

My head is doing some weird, weird stuff. I don't think it's necessarily bad but I've got to establish a bit more cranial order, if you know what I mean. Do you know what I mean?

Well then I wish to hell you'd explain it to me.

Sorry.

One thing I do know is I am sick and damned tired of all the pledges certain politicians think they need to take

The Tax Reform Pledge

The Pro Life Presidential Pledge

The Iowa marriage pledge

I'm so sick of this shit I vow to only vote for candidates who take the following pledge;

"I pledge not to take any pledge other than the Pledge of Allegiance and I will only take that one if I can define "indivisible" without looking at one of my staffers...and I will not even use Pledge on my desk, whatever office I hold as that shit can get a little stinky."

Lemony-freshness my sweet ass!

Alex and Kim went to the OF tonight. I stayed home, wrote, listened to a cool Don DeLillo interview while watching the WhiteSOX chase Jason Verlander and beet his damned Tigers 8-2.

Best Get to Calculatin

Wed July 13 Sixes Are Wild in the Seventh Month

Left work @ 9am. Took time to work on TINaM and hang out with the kid. Drove to Dr. Barone's and the boy had some work done on his mouth. Poor guy, hates going to the dentist but always leaves Dr. Barone's happy. We have a great dentist.

Came back and dealt with some BS car repair. CA did a $500 repair without consulting us. I called them, was a total bitch and got the ticket down to $386 with a free oil change. They probably won, but I felt like I won and that's what counts.

Mudcats definitely won tonight. They've won six in a row and the boy's hit safely in each of the last six games. One helluva streak, it's been fun to watch and I am so happy for him. He's figured a lot of this shit out at the plate on his own, I just play catch with him. He didn't drive the ball all that much tonight, he just found the holes in the infield. RBI single with Keegs on 3rd early in the game and then took his walks when he had to in the later innings. Alex even had a strong game in the field. I wonder what his WAR number looks like?

I best get to calculatin'


Thursday July 14 Rightfully So

This year I promise, no damned Bastille Day jokes. Nex year I hope to make no mention of it at all. US and French relations have been at such a low ebb for so long the last thing anyone needs is niggling from me.

I made a terrible blunder when dealing with the Rav4 today. I feel like a fool and rightfully so.

The Power of My Stink

German policy makers unveiled a plan to end its reliance on nuclear power. One source they are turning to is an increase in bio-gas production. Bio-gas eh? Well give me some schnitzel and sauerkraut and Achtung baby! I'll power yer damn country fer ya.

Alex didn't have a game tonight. Our little crew planned a trip to see the boy's trumpet teacher play in the DK Municipal Band. Unfortunately the rain in Spain fell mainly on Hopkins park tonight.

wha?

We treated ourselves with Bea's Wok 'n Roll and the family dialed in to the All Star Game. My thoughts on the Wok 'n Roll - the portions are for shit but the flavor be insane. They probably will not make me corporate spokes-model any time soon but what the hell, I enjoyed my dinner....just needed a little more.

More?!?!?

Yes Blore, More. Wait was Blore a character in Oliver or 10 Little Indians? I don't care anymore.

Paulie grounded to Starlin Castro for the last out in the All Star Game. And that is probably the only impact a WhiteSOX or Cub player will have on the World Series in 2011.

Seven Eleven Thirteen

Lord,

Thank you for the gift of marriage and thank you for sending me an angel to marry.

Al and Judi came up to see the Mudcats play. They made it just in time to see the boy double in two runs. The hitting streak continues. Five games with hits and RBI, I told Alex he doesn't have to wash his socks until he draws an 0fer.

Went to Twins afterward. Dinner and drinks with the in-laws was fun. The boy soaked up the All Star Home Run Derby. Me, I don't care much for it an honestly I didn't even enjoy it when it was a big deal in the 90's. I might watch if they brought back Bonds, Sosa and Big Crap...er Mac just to see if they could even hit one BP fastball out of the park between the three of them.

Family Weekend

Friday July 8 BBQ Pork Chops

Ran into BobO on lunch today. Nice to see him all tan an happy. Looks like the post-Rev world is treating him well.

Came home, cut grass, ran some errands, listened to the WhiteSOX fucking lose and then grilled up some BBQ pork chops. Larry of Arabia continues....


Saturday July 9 Take Us to Your Mound

Worked on bills, then Kim, A and I did a family breakfast at Flippin' Eggs on South 4th St. Great fun.

We packed up Cookie and the whole crew and went hiking at Johnson Mound. There was one patch where we thought we might have been exposed to poison ivy. But as of this writing, no itchy redness on any of us...at least nothing related to poison ivy.

Came home just in time to see the SOX beat the Twins with a walk of single in the 9th by Alexis. I told the boy, "We may have just witnessed the SOX one victory over the Twins this year. Enjoy it!" Then we went to 4:30 Mass and saw Alex's teacher Joe S. Always great to see Joe.

Big family dinner, watched a PBS On-Demand thing about apes and cognition. Then more Lawrence Gets Lost in the Desert.



Sunday July 10 I Need $149

Too hot for family work day. I took care of playing more bills. Closing in on paying the SW card off, I need $149 from somewhere. Looks like it will either come from the rock fund or the weekly budget.

Almost finished the grass. What am I, the David Crosby of yard work? Walked down and mailed some more bills and called my p's on the walk back. Not enough life left to sit still and talk on the phone.

Did not bother watching the Twins do what I knew they were going to do against the SOX today. The Mudcats had practice later in the afternoon. It was super hop and we didn't think it was right to put the kids through the paces of a regular practice. Instead we played dads vs. kids. I played short and took not one, but two hot smashes up the middle, destined for the outfield away from the boy. The next time he was up there was two on and two out and he cranked one over my head. I looked up and admired the ball's majestic flight...then realized we didn't have an outfield so I ran my ass off to chase down the ball and hold the boy to a double.

Got home just as the rain came.

It's the Day After the Day After

...and it feels so good.

Wed July 6

At age 42 my body feels great on the day after a hangover day. Recovering and re-hydrating leads to a helluva bounce-back day feeling and Heaven help me, I'm grateful for it.

Ya gotta be grateful for something in this life. I just choose the stupid thing.

Blew out a tire in the Rav. I'm grateful I was driving and not Kim. I was a naughty, negligent fuck and missed at least one tire rotation on that sucker so if I tire should blow for anyone it best be me. I'm just going for a reset on the whole damn situation and putting some top o' the line Firestones on that puppy.

Alex had another 3 RBI night at the dish. Against the lefty he found the gap and pounded out another double. He pitched and managed to strike out the first guy he faced. He couldn't find the strike zone after that, but showed poise out there. He's really come a long way. Love that boy and love those Mudcats.



Thursday July 7

Ran around most of the day at work and at home but it was a good kind of running around. Still haven't got the check from Vz. I'm almost done with our new system for Kim's Southwest card...but it would really be nice to have some extra cash to really make it go. Make the base $1,000 and go from there. We'll see how it works.

Pizza Villa tonight and it was totally, not to say magically delicious. Kim is having more blood drawn tomorrow and needs to eat things she is potentially allergic to in order to get good results regarding things that are bad for her. Let me read that again. Nope. Still makes no sense to me.

After pizza time I ran a few more errands. Then we had some family movie time. Lawrence of Arabia. We are going to have to spread that out over a few days.

SOX die like fucking dogs against the Twins. Let's just say I quit on this one early, and I don't care.

Drinking and Not Too Much Thinking

July 4 When In Rome

Alex and I took our Saturday walk today. Yeah, it's been that kind of semi-lost weekend. I guess I just have to blame it on the whiskey, cuz otherwise I'd have to blame it on me.

I knew I'd be in trouble at some point today. I started eating mustard potato salad at like 9:30am. That is a fucking recipe for a fucking disaster. A mustard flavored disaster...

Played lots of hoops with the boy so that was good. Everything else I did today...let's just say my part in 4th of July activities ended when Mark M told me I was holding the Roman candle the wrong way.


Tuesday July 5 Wrong Day

Thought it was Monday for the first half of fun and excitement back at the old salt mine. Boy did I look stupid at work. OK...stupider.

Hurty, very hurty today.

Speaking of stupid and hurty, SOX lose to the stupid Royals. They are the Royales without cheese and the SOX still can't beat those fools from KC.

Mediocre Triumphs Over Bad

Friday July 1

More box drama at work.

NOT THAT YOU SICK BASTARDS!

The grown ups did not opt for the solution I offered. My response to their solution?...

"Meh"

Real professional ed.

The point is, the problem is now solved. We can all move on from here. I certainly have.

So busy I could only sort of listen to the SOX beat the cubs in Game 1 of Round 2 of the Crosstown Traffic....er, classic. Had so many damned hearing aids going in and out of my listening device...but was able to slow down enough to follow the WhiteSOX rally in the 7th.

Alexis just ripped his bat through the zone. Then the much maligned JP hit it where they wasn't, putting the WhiteSOX ahead for good with a two run triple. To quote Dan Berstein, my favorite sports yacker these days, "Today mediocre triumphed over bad."

Met up with the Smith Family @ Eduardo's for dinner and drinkin'. Yay! Then we went back to their house for some backyard baseball...

again...NOT THAT YOU SICK BASTARDS!

...and more drinking, and more talking and more fun.

We kept the kids up past 11:30pm. They all looked gassed.



Saturday July 2

Worked around the yard with the boy and watched mediocre pick up a cheap-ass win over bad. I know they're all professionals and there are no cheap-ass wins in MLB.

But this was a cheap-ass win

Poor bad, even when they get great pitching they find a way, at key points in the game, to revert back to bad.

That's a helluva a mean to revert back to...a mean mean.



Sunday July 3

Busted out the new grill. Al brought steaks from the South Side. Our new backyard friend served us well.

What's with me and all the backyard references these days?

Don't be judgin'

Only one steak got a bit burn-y.

Took the family out to Ollie's for custard. I can't remember who drove or what I ate. The 4th of July officially began for me at that moment...

...whenever it was.