8 is Great

So the BoSox continue to win, and after handling Cleveland *(You're welcome, Yankee fans, for the help in the wildcard. 8 game lead in the division now, still the best record in baseball, and Wakie got a win, so basically a nice night. The only thing that would have really made it perfect would have been Mariano blowing last nights suspended game against the Orioles, (which he almost did!) - So settle down, Yankee fans, you still have not gotten over the hump, and you all crack me up with your hopes pinned on 2 old guys (Pettite and Clemens ) and 2 really young guys, (Hughes and Jabba). Money bought a lot of offensive talent, but pitching requires good scouting, money, and a little luck. Hmm, 1 out of 3 ain't bad, fellas!

Dude, What a Week

Dude, What an F'ing week! Even with a mental health day taken, I still felt beat. Just tooo much shit, man. - Okay, so here's the good stuff. It's Friday! That means 2 mornings of time to myself, where I can get up early and enjoy having my time. Plan on spending time with the wife tomorrow, since she goes away for a few days on a business trip this week, starting on Sunday. Probably catch a flick on Sunday and read lots of comics, lots of decompression time,before the workweek begins again. Don't get me wrong, I love my job. As far as jobs go, it's great. But I can't help but feel that there is another level, in which a person generates money but does not necessarily work for anyone but themselves. And i don't mean owning a business, per se. (Yes, that was a massacre of grammar, don't care!)

Anyhow, Yankees are losing right now, that's very good news. Boston up 3-1, so the possibility exists that the Sox could be up 8 after tonight. It cracks me up when some of these overly optimistic Yankee fans crow about how I should start sweating and how's my rear view mirror looking. Listen, guys: The Sox have been the 1st or 2nd best team all season, mostly in 1st. The Yankees have been as far back as 14, they have been able to level things up at about 7 back. Too much good REd Sox Pitching, Guys! The Sox may have to choose between Gabbard and Jon Lester to keep with the big club, because Curt
Schilling is returing by Aug 6, and this doesn't even mention Julain Tavarez, a pretty decent starter for the Sox, can return to his more natural role as a quality reliever. Oh, and this is why the Yankees are still trying to find a reliable 8th inning guy, to the point of rushing AA stud Jaba Chamberlain up to help out. That sums it up, my friends. So Endeth the Lesson

Now it's On!

Finally, 100 games in, (give or take) and both the Sox and the Evil Empire are playing well, setting up the rivalry the way it should be. Sox have Jon Lester back, and anyone shoud be able to appreciate his story; a year removed from cancer, he is back in baseball, and although it's certainly of much lesser importance, he provides the BoSox with a 23 year old lefty now to add to the rotation. With Curt Schilling on the way back, that leaves the Sox with 6 starters, (not including Julian Tavares, who will return to the pen where I believe he is more effective anyway. He's been ok as a starter, but is really designed to be a reliever.) - so the Sox still have Lester, Schilling, Wakefield, Beckett, Dice-K and Kason Gabbard! A nice problem to have, and although I hate to say it, the odd man out is probably either mr. Red Sox Wakefield or Gabbard, who has been pitching so well you hate to see him move.

Meanwhile, the evil empire is playing very well, and it seems possible that Joba Chamberlain or this Kennedy dude will be coming up sooner rather than later to provide some bullpen help. Everyone is hitting, Damon is playing well in the field, and the empire looks like they've rebuilt the Death Star. LUckily our patriots from Boston will be ready to once again save us all from the evil empire and their assorted minions!

Beast

13 days

13 days since I last checked in, so here's the update.

Work is becoming very, very draining. Nothing terrible, but let's just say this. As of Thursday, I had 34 saves messages on my Voicemail, all stuff to get back to this week. That doesn't include Friday, when I was caught up with an emergency that had eaten up Thursday as well, so who knows how many more messages to add to that. Plus a chunk of Mon. will be tied up with the Fri. emergency still.

This has been a good Sunday so far, but it's tough, because Sat. is definitely the best day of the week; primarily because Sunday is still waiting! Today has been nice because it's a mixture of chill and activity. Played tennis with my buddy this morning, went out to lunch with my buddy and his son afterwards. Watched the Red Sox win against the White Sox (a necessity with the evil empire winning again). Sox didn't make it pretty, but a win is a win is a win.

Finished a 500 plus pg trade paperback reprinting a bunch of Unknown Soldier stories, great stuff from the silver age of DC comics.

Watched the Mets try to come back against the Dodgers, game going into bottom of the 9th now, Dodgers up.

Monday still looms... still on todays agenda, finish rewatching Desperado (movie review coming soon, at hipsterdoofus.com, link to be added soon.

Beast

No School today!!

So today I took a mental health day, for a variety of reasons.

1. It's supposed to exceed 100 freakin degrees today! I am a big believer in the 1-99 rule. If it's less than 1 degree or more than 99, all work should cease. Life's too short to grind through extreme conditions, unless absolutely necessary.

2. Piled up work that I just didn't want to face on Mon. morning. Hopefully this be alleviated by a couple of work calls from home; the spin being apologetic banter with mention of calling on one's day off. Just spin, and in today's world isn't spin the expectation?

3. Mr. G's recent visit - haven't taken any time to spend 1X1, although he may be angry since I have plans with my wife later tonight that may preclude he and I hanging out... we'll see.

4. My wife and I really don't take real vacations, so why not continue to chip away at my time. We took time off this year for a wedding in Iowa, a funeral in Brooklyn, and we'll use time for the holidays in North Carolina. Hardly any kind of island paradise, so screw it.

What have I accomplished so far? - Halfway through a monster crossword puzzle, read a chapter of the Looking Glass Wars, burned a CD for a friend, and left this blog post!

Beast

Tons of Shit

Recently purchased songs from Itunes (and why)

Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood - Remember those oversized White t-shirts that read "Frankie Says Relax?" I do. This is one of those all time great songs, anyone can dance to it (not necessarily dancing well, but dancing.) Of course when I was young I didn't realize it's a totally gay song and once I did I really didn't give a damn. However, I specifically remember when the song shifted away from pure FM radio memory and took up space attached to something more concrete in my brainspace (a limited amount available, so consolidation and strengthening of position is always on the mind of my thoughts and memories.)

Body Double was a Brian Depalma movie from the 80's and I saw it as I was beginning to develop a stronger and better sense of taste. I didn't know then that DePalma worshipped Hitchcock and was making his movies with over homages to Hitch, I just knew the movie starrted Melanie Griffith (pre collage and other assorted plastic surgeries, this was a young Melanie, playing an actress in a porno movie, and during one scene that resonated with this adolescent was a sex scene in which the Relax is playing and the male partner is having sex with Mel, ending with him stating to the director that he had blown the money shot! Great Stuff!

Jump Around by House of Pain - great bar song circa. early to mid 90's. Basically I'll always attach this song to good times at the Knight Club on Easton Ave New Brunswick, during the college years. Basically this song was an excuse to drag my chemically addled body out to the dance floor and ... jump around like a fucking madman, sweat splattering off my soaked head while another evening of debauchery was in full force. Not to be repeated, but never regretted or forgotten!

White Lines by Grandmaster Flash - see above, fill in the dots. One of the classics on the standard Knight Club soundtrack

Never Tear Us Apart by INXS - great song, but watch Donnie Darko a few times and you'll see how perfectly this song is placed in the movie. Part of the initial establishing shot, it's the first indication that you are watching a true mindfuck film, one that offers new shit everytime you watch it.

Route Shift- All Star Break.

MLB heads into their 3 day all-star break and it's a good time to review the first half and see where those great guys from Boston are right now.

Sox still own the best record in baseball, as they have for most of the year. They struggled a bit in June but have remained consistent. Considering the fact they are missing Schilling, Coco Crisp has struggled at the lead off spot all year and newly signed shortstop Julio Lugo is batting under.200 I have to be pleased. This could be a 100 win team but that is secondary to the real goal; win the World Series. (I like Mets fans more than Yankee fans, but I am a little tired of hearing "1986" and "We have 2 championships" - yeah, none in the 90's and none in this century! I figure that going through the Yanks after being down 3-0 put that demon to bed, now the ghosts of 86 can be fully exorcised by beating the Mets in the World Series. The only team in the A.L. that worries me are the Detroit Tigers (hey, they just swept the BoSox, otherwise it's clear sailing!!!

Super fast a.m. quick hits

Been 9 days since last post, so here goes:

Knocked Up - great movie, lots of fun, perfect couple movie that we actually liked equally.

Drank too much on July 3rd, the ugly side of the beast began to come out - not good!

Wireless network up and running again, thanks to Salad. Had to buy a new router, but that seems par for the course with modern technology.

Sox look to be shutting down Schilling for a while. Good. Sox fans like me need his arm and shoulder to be ready and in top form in Sept/Oct., not July. Team has the best record in baseball, no need to rush him back.

4 Green free days coming to an end. Can I get an AMEN!!!

Beast