Awful Photography

School pictures came back today, and I am not impressed. The overall quality of the pics are sloppy. Yaya looks 60, LuLu's hair is all out of place, Smiley looks like he's mimicking a Nick Nolte mug shot, and Junie looks - well, she looks ok I guess. Said LuLu: "I don't understand. I'm perfect, how could they screw up a picture of THIS?" RETAKE

Cabrera wins the Triple Crown!

Congrats Miggy!

BAM! - in addition, my Yanks took their rightful place atop the AL East. Let the post-season begin!

Post-Debate

LOVING the morning headlines, where even pure blue sources like CNN trump Mitt Romney as "the clear winner" of last night's debate. CNN.com also brandishes a headline reading:  "Obama took it on the chin". Well done Mitt. Maybe some of this country will finally wake up and realize that Obama is nothing more empty promises and failed ideas.

Game 162

It's the final day of the 2012 Major League Baseball season and there are major storylines still on the table. 

1.  While both Baltimore and NY are guaranteed playoff spots, the division title is still up for grabs. My Yanks hold a one game lead in the AL East - here's hoping they keep it. Who do the Yankees play? None other than their perpetual foe, the Red Sox. 

2. The Rangers and A's face off for the AL West crown.

3. Future HOF'er Chipper Jones and longtime Brewer Ben Sheets have played their last game. 

4. Perhaps the greatest race up in the air - Miguel Cabrera might clinch a Triple Crown today, quite literally the first Triple Crown of my lifetime. 

He leads the AL in batting average at .331, well ahead of the Angel's rookie Mike Trout. He's the leader in home runs with 44, but prolific slugger Josh Hamilton is only one behind. He doesn't have to worry about the RBI title, since he's ahead in that category by 11. 

I hope he gets it :)


Two thoughts:

AL MVP - In my opinion, it has to be Cabrera. Trout is having a massive year, truly one for the record books, and he's doing it as a rookie.

There are SABRmeteric agreements that put Trout ahead of Miguel. And pound for pound Trout's arm, fielding, and baserunning might make him a better contributor than Cabrera.

But I don't see how you take a Triple Crown winner, on a team that slugged it out all year and took their division, and pass him over for an award you then hand to a rookie on a team that won't be playing again in 2012.

No matter which one wins, they'll be deserving of the honor. But if I had a choice? Trout is ROY, Cabrera is MVP. 

Secondly, I don't care one way or the other for any of the teams competing for the NL pennant, so long as the Cardinals are sent packing. 

In the AL, naturally I'm rooting for the Yankees. If they falter, my heart is with the Tigers, a gritty, blue-collar Midwest team that features a great manager, the before-mentioned Cabrera, and former Brewer Prince Fielder. 

If the Yanks don't grab ring # 28, I hope the Tigers take the Series. 

Oh, one last thing - I really have no love lost for the 2012 Orioles, an overachieving little Bad News Bears team that's annoyed my Yankees and annoyed me. Like the Cardinals, I hope they go kaput in the playoffs as soon as they begin. 

Cutie Pie

Fall is Here!

above: LuLu 'scares' me by jumping out of a pile of leaves on our lawn

Stuffed Green Peppers

I made stuffed green peppers for dinner, the first time I've ever prepared it myself. They turned out very well - I seriously, objectively think they were some of the tastiest I've ever had. The kids (minus Junie) liked 'em too, and Smiley praised my cooking. Yay me.

Lorenzers

Lovely Molly

Last night we Netflix'ed "Lovely Molly", a horror film composed largely of "found footage". Molly is a newlywed who moves into her deceased parents home and slowly unravels, slipping either into insanity or demonic possession. I vote for the insanity route myself, so I didn't agree with Lisa's assessment that the narrative was left unresolved in the end. She has a valid point, but I liked the ambiguity. I'm going to go against the majority here and give this a good rating, because dangit I *did* enjoy it (how much of that you can chalk up to Gretchen Lodge's incredible performance is incalculable). Grade: A-

Well Done, Brewers

Congratulations to the Brewers on notching a second consecutive winning season - an impressive accomplishment, given that they were 12 games under .500 with only 42 games left on the schedule. IIRC they had a similar surge to finish off a Trebelhorn year, back in '87 or '89. In other baseball news, my Yanks are back alone in first with two to play, congrats to the Tigers and Prince on clinching the Central, and to the Nationals for their first ever division title. Well done all.

Happy Fall!

The New Daughter

Just finished watching "The New Daughter", a horror film starring Kevin Costner. Costner moves his family to an idyll country home, only to discover the earth mound on the property is an ancient burial mound populated by deities who seek to restore their power by corrupting his daughter. I liked the movie. No big surprises, but it was more than substantial enough to than keep my attention and I liked Costner's acting; he physically portrayed the father as a jittery, somewhat fear driven guy. Grade: B+

YaYa Opens Her Nook E-Reader

Sure, I did a Christmas morning post, and loaded it with pictures. As I said in that write-up, however, YaYa's reaction to her Nook was worth a post all its own.

She'd been asking for a Nook, the electronic e-reader, for over a year. I had no doubt she'd use it, since she's a voracious reader, but I just couldn't afford it. Around November an opportunity arose for me to get one for her, and I didn't hestitate to fork over the cash.

She saw her Nook before it was wrapped, but Lisa (after scolding her for snooping) brushed it off by saying it was a gift for me. We made this all the more credible a statement by having me open my Nook first. She was happy for me, but you could tell she was jealous.

And then we gave her the package.

I don't think she knew what it was. Not a clue. And then she came unglued.

She started crying. She tried covering her face, but the emotions were too strong, and she lay there on the floor short of breath and weeping.

I thought she was doing this for show, but it quickly became clear that wasn't the reason. No. We had simply SCORED THE BEST GIFT EVER for the kid. :)

She calmed down and opened the Nook cover we bought her, but began to cry again. Ginger, who at the time wasn't very close to her (they grew closer here in 2012) went and put her arms around her to support her.

What a great moment. What a great reaction. What a "remember this forever" Christmas memory :)

#@#$% Orioles

G*&&*amn Orioles tied the Yanks for first in the AL East. I'm so sick of that Bad News Bears wannabee Orange wearing one season wonders that I could vomit. Go away already.

Yanks rally to beat the Jays. A Texas win tonight earns them a post-season berth. They remain tied atop the AL East with three games to play . . .

.500. Finally.l

And with that I win my fantasy match-up, bringing my record up to 2-2. More importantly, I beat the commish aka Socialist, and that is a sweet and sassy thing.

The 1995 Project

I have been sorting through and organizing the hundreds - and I mean hundreds  - of letters, cards, notes, ticket stubs and receipts Lisa and I accumulated in 1995, the year we first met. It's nostalgic, certainly, but a little bothersome. As many of you might remember, there was a bit of a persistent bump in the road that year.  Whenever that subject came up many of my letters reek of ignorant (but sincere) rationalizations for my behavior, dismiss Lisa's objections as selfish, and, well, to put it plainly, in retrospect, I sound like an ass. While I've made up for it over the last 17 years it's still hard to read. I destroyed one of the worst of the bunch, but that pissed Lisa off, saying it's our shared history and not to be disturbed. Easy for her to say; my grandkids are gonna read this stuff and get the deeply mistaken impression that I'm not The Greatest Man Ever. How can she do that to them?

Costume Time

What costumes are your kids mulling over for Halloween? Who's already got the glue gun, sewing machine, and velcro on the ready? We've got a Cinderella, ninja, goth rag doll, and Katniss Everdeen in the works @ our house :) Large pumpkins at the pig $1.98 w/ card btw :)

- Lisa

A Blast from the Past - House on the Rock '95

Excluding my huge'90's glasses, my thin to the point of alopecia beard and my patented "this gray sweatshirt makes my belly look flat" method of dress, this is a swell picture.

This was taken on May 24th, 1995 at the House on the Rock in Spring Green, Wisconsin. It was my first visit to the place, but Lisa was a veteran and had recommended it, and good on her - I loved it.

It was on this trip that I bought her a lovely glass paperweight that still resides in our home today.

Note also my red winter jacket, which Lisa had absconded from me. I ordered that from a glossy advertisement in the Sunday paper, and gladly paid extra for my name to be embroidered on the chest. It was a different time, what can I say?

Yup

When I grow up I want to be Jim Stingl

Donald J Sobol

A belated RIP to Donald J. Sobol, the creator and author of the Encyclopedia Brown series that I gobbled up a kid. He passed away at age 87 on July 11th. :(

Welcome to 2003! pt 1

In 2003 I used my monthly planner to jot down very brief notes about my day - sometimes too brief. At times, reading over the list, I had no idea what a notation meant. So when it came time to type the notes up for posterity, I’ve added a ‘?’ behind my reports of those forgotten but apparently noteworthy events.

There are several significant milestones in the newborn LuLu’s life mentioned below; those events I’ve written in boldface.

You’ll also note that I spent a lot of time going out to eat and attending Brewers games. That seems so implausible, given my current financial standing, that I literally grew depressed almost to the point of tears after I typed it up.  Apparently, I had a lot more financial wiggle room in 2003 than I noticed at the time.

With that nonsense out of the way, welcome to 2003!

January 2003

Thursday the 2^nd: Grandma Clara turns 80

Friday the 3^rd: found out we’re having a girl!

Friday the 10^th: noon [appt] for Yaya

Sunday 12th - Grandma's (Clara) Bday Party 1:30 PM  in the Hospitality Inn Columns ballroom

Thurs the 16^th: Jaspare and Chris’ birthday’s

Sun the 19^th: Tastefully Simple Party

Monday the 20^th: Lisa 3 PM appt with ob/gyn

Wed 22nd - Lisa sick. I watch YaYa. [pediatrician] 1pm. Cafe Chili @ night.

February 2003

Thurs the 6^th: Dan water aerobics

Monday the 10^th: job interview [for who?] at 4 PM

Tuesday the 11^th: Toddler playgroup 9-10 AM

Wednesday the 12^th: 1:45 PM appt with ob/gyn + glucose [test] 6PM Aerobics

Thurs the 13^th: toddler group

Thurs the 14^th: todder group 9-10 AM

Friday the 28^th: Dan [what?] 11:15

March 2003

Sunday March 2^nd:   Barney! [live show downtown] After Barney cake for Katie.

Thursday March 6^th:  Stacey’s bday. Sleepover.

Monday the 10^th: Ob/gyn appointment 2:30 PM – ask for records

Friday the 21^st: Swizzlers? [restaurant]

Saturday the 22^nd: Bucco [Di Beppo’s restaurant] 4:00 w/ Mom [Jeanne] for Dan’s bday

Sunday the 23^rd: Stacey’s bday party

Monday the 24^th: car seat [buy a second one?]

Tuesday the 25^th: Los Mariachi’s [restaurant]

Friday the 28^th: 1 PM Dan doc appt

Monday the 31^st: We take YaYa to see the 3 PM showing of The Piglet Movie at South Shore, cost $5.50, theater Left 9. YaY’s 1^st ever movie!

April 2003

Friday the 4^th:  10:30 Walmart pics

Saturday the 5^th: Bucco @ 4PM for Dan’s Mom’s bday

Sunday the 6^th: Pancake breakfast [w/ Easter bunny] and from 12-230 Skate University skating party [for who?]

Monday the 7^th: 2:30 PM ob/gyn

Tuesday the 8^th: last day of playgroup

Wednesday the 9^th: 3 PM ob/gyn

Tuesday the 15^th: Lisa – haircut

Wednesday the 16^th: 1PM pediatrician for YaYa. Anthony and Nina? [playgroup friend (Anthony) of YaYa). Question mark original] Bucks game 7:00 (Dan, Jonah)

Thursday the 17^th: Easter egg dyeing

Friday the 18^th: baby shower 11:30

Easter Sunday the 20^th: Church. Arthur Ave 4/4:30 pm

Tuesday the 22^nd: Stacey’s baptismal anniversary (kitty and card)

Wednesday the 23^rd: ob/gyn at 3:15PM. 6-8 open house at flat ?

Saturday the 26^th: Tre tuxes

Sunday the 27^th: favors and invites at Pam & Tre’s

Monday the 28^th: oil change

Tuesday the 29^th: playgroup at 9 AM

Wednesday the 30^th: 2:45 ob/gyn

May 2003

Thursday the 1^st: playgroup 9 am

Tuesday the 6^th: project and snack for YaYa’s class

Wednesday the 7^th: 2:45 PM ob/gyn

Friday the 9^th: Pick up slide @ 2 PM

Saturday the 10^th: Mindy’s class @ 8 am.

Sunday the 11^th: Dan’s Mom’s house and hospital then eat at Bamboo House

Tuesday the 13^th: Playgroup

Wednesday the 14^th: 2:30 ob/gyn

Thursday the 15^th: tuxes with tre. Dan’s class at 7 pm

Friday the 16^th: Fish fry Sioux and Dave @ 5-7:30? (? Original)

Saturday the 17^th: Dave – videogames, movie? Sprint (? Original)

Sunday the 18^th: 3 PM manicure/pedicure for Lisa and Jeanne

Monday the 19^th: Chuck E Cheese for YaYa

Tuesday the 20^th: playgroup

Thursday the 22^nd: ob/gyn 1:15 PM playgroup 9-10

Friday the 23^rd: Movie

Saturday the 24^th: 4PM BBQ w/ Mom and Jaspare

Wed the 28th: LuLu's due date (marked with a blue colored heart). 8 am ob/gyn

Thurs the 29th: Olive Garden; library with YaYa

Friday the 30^th: Finding Nemo opens. Yaya went with grandma (Jeanne) to Southgate to see Nemo!

Sat 31st - Pam's wedding shower 2PM

June 2003

Sunday the 1^st:  Elliot’s graduation. 1PM Brian and DeLaura’s baby shower

Monday the 2^nd – tux fitting 4PM

Tuesday the 3^rd: Sammy Sosa is caught using a corked bat

Wednesday the 4^th – LuLu is born! J

Sunday the 10^th: 9pm channel 71 - madonna

Wednesday the 11^th: Jaspare and Jeanne’s anniversary

Thursday the 12^th – umbilical cord falls off; 1^st bath. Pick up mindy @ 3:30. 6-8PM Chuck E Cheese for Caitlin’s bday

Sat the 14^th – Eric and Kris’ wedding reception

Monday the 16^th – LuLu’s 1^st bus ride! Nina and Anthony 5ish

Wed the 18^th – LuLu doc 22” 9# 15 oz [1^st visit to Pri**o]

Thurs the 19^th – Lu and YaYa’s 1^st bath together! Jolene 1ish? [? In original]

Friday the 20^th: 1:30 PM appt at Walmart Vision @ Southgate. 3PM tux fitting

June 21^st – Tre’s bachelor party. Esperanza’s 3^rd bday @ Jackson park

Thursday June 26^th – poop incident (I think this is when YaYa chose to decorate the wall of her room in her poop). Mindy’s party 7pm.

Friday the 27^th: Tastefully Simple party 6PM. Mindy’s party at 11:30-3:30PM

Saturday the 28^th: Lisa gets hair cut and dyed “by Robbie” at 1PM

Monday the 30^th: noon-3 Children’s Day [Summerfest]

Quote

"Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare." --Japanese Proverb

On Football and Dance

Left a voice mail message on Pete Goddell's office line (1-212-450-2027). Pointless, but whatever.

"Any player/coach in Seattle that really thinks they won that game has zero integrity as a man and should be embarrassed." ~T.J. Lang

With one backup WR lost to a non-call by a replacement ref (Darrius Heyward-Bey), I've decided to replace him with another player forever linked to the idiots in stripes - Golden Tate. Sure he's dishonorable and I hope his soul rots in purgatory, but meanwhile I'll make use of him.

Ok, enough football for now. On to more important matters: the season premiere of the All-Star Season of Dancing with the Stars. It's a crock of shi*t that Joey McIntyre wasn't invited back, for starters. Beyond that everyone but Pam Anderson did well, although I note that most of the stars have gained significant weight since their last appearance. Anyhow, GO BRISTOL!

Battleship

Just finished watching 'Battleship', and yes, I did go at midnight to rent it the minute it came out on Redbox. I thought it was a swell movie, with lots of action and an endearing cast of characters that populated a pretty tight storyline.  MUCH better than your standard shoot 'em up, and while it isn't Oscar material, I'd grade it a personal A and an objective B.

Junie with the Grin