Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig!

Well! I'm back! Almost as soon as I got home from Kansas I had to head up to Oregon for a family issue... But I'm back safe & sound & I'll have tons of pics up (soon?)!

How has everyone been!? I'm excited to talk baseball & hockey especially since my beloved Ducks won Game 1 of the Stanley Cup lastnight! Woo-hoo!

Baseball salary vs performance

What baseball teams are spending their money well, and how does it change over the course of the season? This sketch looks at all 30 Major League Baseball Teams and ranks them on the left according to their day-to-day standings. The lines connect each team to their 2007 salary, listed on the right. A steep blue line means that the team is doing well for its money, which reflects well on the team's General Manager. A steep red line implies that the team is throwing away money. The thickness of the line is proportional to the team's salary relative to the others.





If you click here, it'll take you to the site where you can drag the date at the top to move through the season. The first ten days of the season are ommitted because the rankings to (at least) that point are statistically silly. You can also use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move forward or backward one day.

Thanks to B&P

Heading off to Oz...

Let's hope I don't see anything even remotely like this!



I'll be checking out Kauffman Field & cheering for the A's as they take on the Royals!

I'm so excited - A ballpark I've never been to before! Woo hoo!


I have no idea what's burning here, but I found this cool shot too! I'm really looking forward to seeing the fountains in the outfield, but not this kind!

Fun Ad...

Maybe I'm partial to being spoiled, but I thought this eBay ad was fairly fantastic...

Happy Hopes...

I love bridges, (I have no idea why) & I really love the Brooklyn Brigde. & I hate the Yankees, I really, really, really hate the Yankees.

That must be why this post from CopyRanter this morning has me all excited! I so hopeful that the Red Sox can sweep the Spankees once again this weekend, only this time in the house that Ruthie built...

Even though I'll be cheering from the Oakland Collesium this weekend, my heart will be with Boston!

Random Link Day

Haven't posted for a bit but it's just because I'm so darn busy lately! Lots of baseball & hockey stuff happening this weekend! I have too many things to write about but not much time to do it! I'll leave you with some randomness though:

Alyssa Milano loves baseball & has a fun lil blog about it: Touch 'Em All

This is kinda cool...

This scares me a little bit. And I would like an explanation please.



But this makes me happy again.

Meet my new favorite! (Swoon)

Ducks Win Game 5!

And take the first playoff series!

Remembering one of the best shows of the 80's

I was absolutely glued to the TV whenever American Gladiator's came on. I dressed like them at every chance that seemed appropriate (although I can't seem to think of even one of those instances now)... And Malibu was my absolute favorite! He reminded me of a stronger & sexier Kip Winger! Enjoy:



Thanks to The Sports Guy for the link!

A's win but I feel kinda quiet today...

The A's won again today in a super short shutout against the Angels. That's three in a row & Haren's first win, yet I still find myself with not much to say. So I'll leave it to you all!

Send me a comment or one or two of a sports related memory of your own. Anything you like, whether it's a silly memory of your first kickball game or the sweet green grass of your first stadium. Maybe it's your best goal or the smell of the ice, send 'em to me & share a bit of your sports history if you will...

Super Marco!

Yesterday was one of the best games I've been to in a very long time.

The A's got ahead of the Yankees quick when they routed Pettitte in the first. "Swisher led a first-inning charge, nothing new for the A's, as they scored two runs off Pettite right away. Shannon Stewart reached on an error by Jeter, then Swisher smacked a double into the left-field corner to put runners on second and third. Stewart scored on a sac fly by Bobby Kielty, and Swisher came home when Mike Piazza smashed a single off the glove of Cano."

The early error by Jeter alone made my day, & things just got better & better from there. Even after the Spankees took the lead in the 7th it never really felt like we could lose.

Then fate stepped in: "for the ninth time in his four years in Oakland, Scutaro delivered a game-winning hit, hitting a three-run home run off the left-field foul pole with two outs in the ninth inning to give the A's a 5-4 win."



After Super Marco hit that dinger, no one left their seats! The celebrations went on & on! Plus the seats were great for heckling the Yankers, although they had lots of coppers guarding their precious lil egos...

The only crappy part was of the day was that Harden left the game with a tight shoulder & none of the MFY's were actually hurt...

Friday... The 13th!

So everyone seems to be mentioning something about Friday the 13th. I don’t feel anything particularly different or weird so far though. I did wake up with a headache, but I think that’s just cause I didn’t sleep well, & a couple of Advil seem to have taken care of that so far. I haven’t been looking out for things falling on my head or worrying that the world will end, but I also wouldn’t walk under a ladder or let a black kitty cross my path if that should arise. How ‘bout you?

The last Friday the 13th, in October, BetUs.com actually generated some odds on lucky and unlucky events for the day. These guys also had odds up on whether the world would end on 6/6/06. People were reportedly ‘flooding the site’ to wager on what may or may not happen as a result of the unlucky day. I couldn’t find any evidence of that toady, but here’s what their odds supposedly were:

The World to End: 1,000,000/1
You lose your job: 100/1
Your spouse leaves you: 500/1
You throw out your back: 250/1
You go bankrupt: 500/1
You get a flat tire: 50/1
You break your leg: 100/1
A bird will poop on you: 100/1
You will get sick: 50/1
You will get locked out of your house/apt: 50/1
Your car will get towed: 100/1
You will get a ticket (speeding, parking, etc.): 50/1
You will lose all your hair: 250/1
Your car will get stolen: 100/1
You will place a winning bet at BetUS.com: 1/1 EVEN ODDS
You will hit a Royal Flush at BetUS.com poker site: 250/1
You will find money: 50/1
You will slip on banana peel: 100/1
You will win the lottery: 500/1

Oh & Bits & Pieces found this:

"Friday 13th is unlucky for some. The risk of hospital admission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by as much as 52 percent. Staying at home is recommended."

So far it’s been a rather quiet day at work though, so, so far, so good! I guess I’ll let all of you know about that on Monday?

I just really hope it isn’t an unlucky day for my Ducks tonight. They face the Wild tonight for game 2 of the playoffs & so far they’ve had a rather lucky week. As you may know, Giggy’s been off for a bit dealing with a medical issue with his newborn son Maxime. He & his wife did get good news about his condition yesterday, so hopefully he’ll be back soon & with a light heart. Either way, he’s got a great back up & Ilya Bryzgalov would do a fantastic job if he gets a chance at his second start tonight. I have trust & faith & zero superstitions about this game! GO DUCKS!

Oh & the A’s begins their first series against the MFY’s tonight too. I’ll make at least one of these games so keep your fingers crossed that Igawa, Pavano & Pettitte all get into a gay lil Spankee style love brawl where they all three strain their arms & can’t pitch this weekend. Yankees still suck.

This made me giggle a bit...

The Hole - video powered by Metacafe

Found @ Bits & Peices!

Ducks Win Game 1!

Today I'm loving Dustin Penner!


Oh & the Sharkies won the first of their series too... How terrific is that?

Although I don't agree with his veiws, here's a link to The Copyranter's Playoff previews, (Western & Eastern) pretty fun actually.

Music!

This song is so stuck in my head :-)

Must people take me so literally?

So Miss Mish Mash informed me that that DorkBloggers are looking for a few good 'Dork Moments' for Friday the Dorkteenth... I just happened to have had one just lastnight:

So, my girlfriends & I have this fun lil habit of referring to our favorites ballplayers as our 'fiancé’s', because, well, we honestly fully intend to marry these sexy super studs someday 'if only'... You know, if only we ever actually met because of course the moment our eyes lock they'll realize there's no other women in the world for them right? My friend Katie is 'engaged' to Huston Street; my roommie Mandy is apparently 'married' to Mr. Timberlake; my roommate Alyssa is 'engaged' to Rich Harden; & I, of course, am 'engaged' to Zito (although I am having quite the imaginary affairs Nick Swisher & Travis Buck!)

Anyway, enough with the background, I'm sure you get it... So lastnight at the bar that I frequent (not exactly often, but enough so the regulars do know me), this one guy that sees me there all the time comes up to me while I was watching the Giant's game. What transpired next I so had coming. My favorite bartendress thought this was pure magic...

Him: "Shouldn't you be at the game?"

Me: "Duh, but I just got off work & besides, my fiancé’s not pitching tonight."

Him: "So it's true, you really are engaged to Zito?"

Me: (choke) "Well, uh, er, um, technically? Oh boy."


Oopsies! I got so embarrassed that I turned red... Now I'm forever known as the

In the meantime...

The hockey game doesn't start til tonight, so I'm listening to the A's game (they're up 2-0 in the first already with back to back doubles) This is something I did often last season when I was stuck @ work & MLB has completely upgraded they're online offerings. MLB Gameday looks fantastic too if you can't listen & the live updates are accurate & live. (Chavey just doubled too & brought in Piazza, 3-0, 2 on & 2 outs... This. Is. So. Fun!)

UPDATE: Golly that game turned quite ugly. )-; Poor Huston.

GO DUCKS!

Todd Walker and Mark Ellis were fantastically clutch lastnight & it looks like Ellis is right on track for his banner year!

The G’s picked up their 2nd win last night too, although by the opinions on the patrons of the bar I went to watch it in, you’d think this was August & they were playing under .300. I came in & asked someone if the score was really 5-0 Giants cause I couldn’t quite make out it on the tiny screens they had the game up on (I didn’t say it was a sports bar). Someone responded that that “couldn’t possibly be correct, that the scoreboard must be transposed; the G’s couldn’t possibly be ahead this deep in a game right?”

Not that I haven’t been completely discouraged by the level of my own Giants loyalty, but jeez, it’s only the first week people! I’m trying hard to stay a fan but the truth is that I don’t ‘get’ National League ball like I do American League ball. And the A’s are just plain more fun to watch. They’re young & hot & really enjoy their opportunities. The Giants seem to act more like football players, at war on the gridiron, as George Carlin would say. Not to mention the Green Monster’s transition to a worldwide market. There's exciting stuff in the AL. I wish someone would show me something similar in the NL.

But not just yet please.

Today & hopefully for the next few weeks, I’m focusing on hockey, & on my Ducks particularly. They begin their playoffs with the first series up against the Wild. This has to be one of the best match ups for the playoffs. The Ducks played the Wild 4 times in the regular season & both teams took 2. Only 6 points separate them with my Ducks coming out on top. So long as they can manage to hold Rolston & Gaborik in check they should do just fine! They’ve got new owners, a new look & a new hunger that should keep them as mighty as ever!

Sticking up for Barry Bonds?

Okay, so we can all agree that I hate the Yankees, correct? So you should never be surprised about me posted trash talk about them, right? But do you also realize that I have never been a big Barry Bonds fan? This of course is something I’ve been actively trying to get over, as I’m a newly sworn Giants girl now. J

Personally, I think the guy acts like a jerk. Not necessarily to teammates & coaches & family & such I guess, considering that those seem to be the only people who ever have anything nice to say about him, & repeat it every time they’re asked as though they truly mean it. But he has been a real booger in the past to those of us who (I deem) really matter, the press, i.e. the fans, & worse, the fans who blog.

Professionally, the guy is a true ballplayer. Just because I think his attitude is crap, doesn’t give me the magical ability to simply ignore his stats. Asterisk *them maybe, but that’s a whole other topic.

But here’s where things get interesting. Here is some history in the making folks, because I am about to defend Barry Bonds. Or at least call Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle a rat bastard for turning his traitor pen upon the truly faithful Bonds fans in the Bay Area. This ‘reporter’ has actually had the audacity to ‘predict’ exactly how Bonds’ season will go by publishing ‘Your Official Barry Bonds Calendar Of The Chase’’ Here’s the highlights, click here if you want the whole thing.

“…already give you the days on which he won't hit record No. 756: April 9 through 17, April 23 through 29, May 10 through 20, May 24, May 28 through June 7, June 14 through 21, June 28, July 2 through 12, July 16 through 22, July 30 through Aug. 5, Aug. 13 through 20, Aug. 30 through Sept. 6, Sept. 13 through 19, and any day after Sept. 26. These dates cover the days in which the Giants either do not play at home, or at all, and you may rest assured that he will not be wasting 756 on people who might boo him.”

“Bonds will at some point in mid-May announce that all is forgiven between him and his good friends in the media and wants to get along with everyone. He will then go 7-for-38, announce he has been too nice to everyone and declare that nothing is forgiven and he needs nobody outside his immediate family (and agent Jeff Borris). He will then hit again.”

“His knees will act up right around July 3, and depending on the All-Star Game voting, he will either be back on the 9th or the 13th. He will also have an undisclosed muscle pull (undisclosed because Major League Baseball now controls all medical information about the players, a development the players will rue in good time) early in August that might cost him the Dodgers and Padres road series, but he will try to come back in time for the softer and gooier Nationals and Pirates.”

“He will play one of the three games in Atlanta Aug. 14-16 upon learning that Aaron will be "out of town." Just as, once he hits 753, Bud Selig will be just as out of town, no matter what town that happens to be at any given moment.”

“He will hit The Homer Sept. 11, at the Big Phone off Arizona's Livan Hernandez. It will be a warm evening, the game will be delayed for 35 minutes while chairs and microphones are set up and everyone associated with the team tries to figure out how to celebrate without looking too effusive, and the video tribute will be properly grainy to give it that historically significant/Bonds On Bonds feel. Barry Zito will monitor all questions to make sure the tone is properly reverential.”

I realize that a seasoned player like Bonds does tend to seem a bit predictable, but even I would stoop this low & pretty much all him out like this. Way to ensure that mid-May, Bonds will want to talk to anyone & everyone but you Ray.

Why A Divorce Is Making Me Smile Today

Let's hope this is just the beginning of the end...

Top 10 Thursday!!!

I always giggle at those "Chuck Norris Facts" even though I'm not particulary a fan. I do think it's fantastic that he can laugh at them too though:

Top Gun

Sometimes I come across certain things that truly bring me back to a time when I was young & all was right with the world. Like an old picture of Val Kilmer:


This isn't one of those things, but it did totally crack me up!

Top Gun On Ice:


Found via CasualSlack

Rocky VI is out on DVD...

Here's a 10 second highlight in case you missed I-V!



Found via B&P

DUI: The Thing To Do?

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was arrested Thursday on a drunken driving charge after police said they found him asleep inside his running sport utility vehicle at a stop light. Click here to view the Sheriff’s Booking Report. Undercover officers saw La Russa's SUV sitting partially in an intersection around midnight and not moving despite two green lights, police said. Officers knocked on the window and La Russa did not initially respond. The SUV was in drive and running, with La Russa's foot on the brake, police said. When he woke up, the officers asked him to get out of the SUV. La Russa was cooperative during his arrest, police said. La Russa gave two breath samples and had a blood alcohol content of 0.093 percent, Jupiter police said in a statement. Florida's legal driving limit is 0.08 percent. La Russa declined to comment while he was outside the clubhouse in uniform hours later at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, where he planned to manage a spring training game against the Marlins. La Russa walked onto the field before the game, many fans stood and applauded.

There’s where my problem begins. What are these people applauding for exactly? Credit is to be given to a player or manager when they do something worthy, right? How is it that in today’s society, getting a DUI & still managing to keep your job is applause worthy, or worse yet, simply the norm.

To make matters worse, about 5 minutes after I read a few articles about La Russa, I see that also just lastnight, Vivica A. Fox was busted for a DUI as well! Her career will probably seriously take off now…


So I’m wondering, is going to rehab or being arrested for DUI the ‘thing to do’? Think of all the household names you know that you’ve heard were arrested & felt no sense of surprise whatsoever. Here’s the one’s I came up with:
Mel Gibson, Robert Downey Jr., Paris Hilton, Nicole Ritchie, Tracy Morgan (twice), Mike Tyson, George Michael, Nick Nolte, & Diana Ross

Now think of the ones you heard about that you were truly shocked to learn of:
Ray Liotta (okay, so maybe he should have been on the previous list), Anneliese van der Pol (the lil girl from That’s So Raven), Rip Torn (he seems only crazy, not drunk & crazy), Haley Joel Osment (when did he even get old enough for a license?), John Michael Montgomery & Mindy McCready (the country stars always shock me), Tracey Gold & Michelle Rodriguez (both seemed so innocent), Lane Garrison (A semi newer actor from Prison Break who’s DUI crash killed a 17 year old boy who was excited to have even met him.)

But back to La Russa. I’ve always had a soft spot for the guy. He’s a ledgend in his own time & responsible for pulling teams together & winning multiple championships. How is this hugely egotistical man going to stay the same leader now? Professional athletes being arrested often ignite harsh public outcry, & those involved have to face such scrutiny afterward. Could you imagine being busted & having to go out & play a nationally televised event the next day! Do these guys feel shame when they see little kids wearing their jerseys who are so disappointment at finding out their hero is a criminal? Or does the remorse only set in after they get traded & their lifestyle is a bit uprooted. I wish I could ask some of the one’s I could remember from the not so recent past who’ve gotten popped:

NHL –
Hurricanes Jeff O’Neill
Sharks - Mark Bell
Panthers Peter Worrell
Blackhawks Captain Alex Zhamnov

NBA –
Magics JJ Redick
Kings Coach Eric Musselman
Suns Stephon Marbury

MLB -
A’s Esteban Loaiza
Marlin’s Dontrelle Willis
BJ’s Gustavo Chacin

NFL -
Titans Steve McNair
Raiders Sebastian Janikowski
Seahawks Jarramy Stevens
Niners Antonio Bryant
& pretty much all of the Cincinatti Bengals –
Marvin Lewis, the coach of the Cincinnati Bengals, has reportedly attempted to stop the dramatic series of player arrests by flashing police mug shots of NFL players who have been arrested and bringing in police to teach a "DUI 101" class to the players. Most of the players arrested were team rookies. Johnathan Joseph was the ninth player to be arrested, while other rookies Odell Thurman, Frostee Rucker, A.J. Nicholson, and Reggie McNeil have been arrested for everything from DUI to domestic violence. After the team's ninth arrest, Jay Leno remarked on his Tonight Show monologue, "Know what the Cincinnati Bengals call sign on bonuses? Bail money." While the Bengals have the largest number of player arrests of any NFL team, a total of 35 NFL players were arrested in 2006 for a wide variety of offenses.

MLS -
Now I don’t know much about soccer (yet), but THERE IS A WEBSITE THAT GIVES ODDS ON THE FUTURE DUI ARREST OF DAVID BECKHAM!!!
Intertops.com, a Caribbean-based sports gambling site, has posted 10 to 1 odds that the former soccer star will get a DUI after he moves to the United States. Beckham is married to former Spice Girl "Posh Spice" (Victoria Beckham), now a clothing designer, and the couple will be moving to the U.S. after David signed a multi-million dollar soccer deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Interops.com has also issues odds (10,000 to 1) that Beckham with divorce "Posh" to marry Paris Hilton in 2007. Hilton recently accepted a plea deal with three years probation for a DUI last September.

I suppose celebrities & sports personalities are truly no different than you & I. I do, in fact, know a few people close to me who’ve had to face this embarrassment & I seriously have no idea how they would have dealt with it being broadcast throughout tarnation. But somehow I sense that because all these persona’s arrests are so widely publicized, everyday people like us seem to become accustomed to thinking this behavior is okay. Now I’m not going to deny that I’ve ever been behind the wheel with a bit of a buzz on, but I certainly wouldn’t expect anyone to encourage my behavior had I been caught. And I try to be a good advocate of sober driving only whenever I can. But I seem to be chastising loved ones constantly after discovering that they’ve done it yet again. And knowing they do (& I have) and doing the job I do makes me feel like a hypocrite. I don’t like feeling like a hypocrite so please, if you’re a friend or fan of mine, don’t put me in that position. And if you can’t seem to control yourself, do the rest of the world a favor & sign up below:



https://www.donatelifecalifornia.org/register/

From Bits & Peices...

Now Zito needs a new glove

MLB Rule 1.15
(a) The pitcher’s glove may not, exclusive of piping, be white, gray, nor, in the judgment of an umpire, distracting in any manner.
(b) No pitcher shall attach to his glove any foreign material of a color different from the glove.
(c) The umpire-in-chief shall cause a glove that violates Rules 1.15(a) or 1.15(b) to be removed from the game, either on his own initiative, at the recommendation of another umpire or upon complaint of the opposing manager that the umpire-in-chief agrees has merit.

Sunday a rep from the commissioner's office showed up to take a picture of Barry Zito's glove. Apparently they saw a photo in Sports Illustrated that showed his glove with the laces looking a tad ‘distracting’. The funny thing is that the photo in the magazine is actually of his old leather, the one he’s used for at least the last 2 years with the A’s without a single complaint.


While searching for photos to make up my own mind, I found some through the AP that show his new super pretty one. It’s fairly fancy, & much, much more distracting with it’s tan ties & burgundy smoothness.

Either way, & with either glove, I seriously can imagine how a little issue like laces could ruin a guy’s swing. Then again, I’ve never been at the plate facing a 77 MPH slurve. I’ll let you judge for yourself:










UPDATE: The commish did come down on him about the laces after all & this week they were replaced with new BLACK laces... How the F is that any different I wonder?

I know I'm not a parent, but c'mon people!

I'm deep into my bracketology at the moment, & doing exceptionally well so far I might add.

So when I ran into this lil bit of fantasticness from Hart, I could hardly refuse! It's a bracket for the 'best' name of the year. I use the term best as loosely as possible. Some of these parents are just plain mean! Who on earth would purposely give their child a name of Phyre Quickly Burns, or Destinee Hooker?

I have Gertrude Nipple beating out Anite Fiel in the semi's & going up against Vanilla Dong who easily overtook Outerbridge Horsey in their semit's. I predict Vanilla Dong shall take all.

Anyway, I challenge you get your bracket completed & submitted quickly as the final date is the 31st. I have no idea if you'll win anything or not, but it's easy & will completely un-bored you for at least 5 minutes! All you do is fill in the number of the seed that you think is better (read 'a worse name') that the one it's up against & save a copy with your initials after it & email it in. Good luck! & please no one steal the name "Princess Perdue", I'm claiming that one right now just in case I have a miracle daughter turn up!

'Tagged' Part Deux!

About an hour or so later, I saw that Miss Miss Mash publicly 'tagged' me by name, so I can't refuse her right? (Not that I would...) She wants me to list seven songs I'm into right now, no matter what they are. They must be songs I am presently enjoying:

So I grabbed my iPod & checked out my Top 25 Most Played


1. Staplegunned – The Spill Canvas


2. Amy – River City High


3. Stay Or Leave – Dave Matthews


4. Tangled – Maroon 5


5. Suspension - Mae


6. Wondering Where You Are – Tyrone Wells


7. How To Save A Life – The Fray


God I adore my iPod… How did I ever not have one???

I've been 'tagged'. Twice!

I'm not actually sure what exactly that means but apparently I'm supposed to make a list & post it here & 'tag' other folks?

My baby sister tagged me with the Six Weird Things About Me game. I'm thinking this will be a hard list to create, cause I'm not that weird (am I?) She says she's not weird, just quirky, & that we all are too. Hope my lil list won't be too boring for you. If it is, feel free to send my comments about my weirdness in case I miss something!

Oh & I’m 'tagging' all of you, so you have to play, too. Post your list of Six Weird Things or e-mail it to me so I can call you a weirdo.

So... I'm weird because:

1 - I almost always sneeze in threes. Two cute lil princessy ones followed by a big, ole explosion for the third. Occasionally I can control things a bit & just get away with one lil one & everyone finds it excessively adorable, but not usually.

2 - I can sing a couple songs quite well, but I can't dance to save a life. I absolutely must be intoxicated to get my ass shakin' in anything even remotely resembling a rhythm.

3 - I used to be a tomboy. Anyone who has seen my room might find this kinda hard to believe.

4 - I don't need to wear contacts in my dreams. I've only needed them in real life for about 10 years now & for some reason, my dream-self still has perfect vision & the weird part is that this really perplexes me. I have no idea why I even noticed, let alone why it ticks me off so much.

5 - I hate people doing rude things around me. Why do many people think it's okay to belch (or worse) around other people? When did chivalry completely wither to the point that men think this is a socially acceptable thing to do in mixed company! & for God's sakes, who told the girls of today that it's okay to act just like the grody boys (& sometimes the girls are even worse than the boys!) & at which point did I become the 'weirdo' for finding this behavior unacceptable?

6 - I went to a comic book store & actually bought 5 comics yesterday.



This is extremely weird for me, I haven't done that in YEARS!


So what else is weird about me folks?

Loyalty Test

So lastnight FSBA was kind enough to air the first baseball game of the year. Now granted, it's only Spring Training & of course it doesn't count, but for me, this was a crucial game. Since declaring my love for the Giants in January, this was my first test of loyalty as they were hosting the A's. In case you were wondering, it's mighty hard to watch your old team beat up on your new team! Kinda like running into you ex & finding out that he's way better off without you. Not that I really had to watch that part much, the game was actually tied the majority of it. And they distracted me for several innings while interviewing my Zito Love since they didn't have him pitch against his former buddies.

Baseball already feels so different as a G's fan. I'm so interested in learning the history of the team that I seriously paid attention to all the public servicey feeling historical accounts of how the Giants came to train in Arizona. Really cool stuff went on way back then. At one point, they actually traded training facilities with the Yankees cause the owner of the G's had a place in Casa Grande!

The next sweetest thing about last night’s broadcast was that they mic'ed up Tim Flannery while he was coaching 3rd base. Now lemme tell ya, this dude gives new depth to the word cool. First of, he used to be a broadcaster so his voice is sexy as hell. Course that might be because he also sings & plays guitar. He brings his acoustic axe on the road & writes songs about baseball. He's recorded 8 CD's already & I need to get a hold of them. (Anyone knows where I can find 'em lemme know!) Anyway, he let us all a bit closer to seeing the other side of baseball with the way he was telling the viewers about what he was thinking as & before things happened. He was talking about who the best base runners have been so far in camp & who he trusts to follow his signs & who doesn't even need to be told. He talked about his teaching style & how he's reaching out to the new kids, trying to help them get their careers off to a great start, regardless of whether they make the team this year or not. He sounded brilliant, & before I say I've found a perfect replacement in my baseball heart for Ron Washington, I won't cause I have the same feeling that he'll be leaving for a bigger gig sooner than later.

Oh & did I mention he's rather easy on the eyes ;->


PS - I was super ticked that the A's won, so I'm giving myself an B+ for my first test since I was totally digging Nicky Swisher's hair & falling in love with the A's new sidewinder.

150 things I have or haven't done...

I found this at Amy's blog & I copied it right over to here for some editing!

Things in bold are things I've done. You should do it too, just because I said so!


01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree *granted that was simply holding on for dear life!
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea *a big river actually
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper *nothing too disgusting yet though!
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children/currently raising child
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country *does a horse count?
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild *even though I hate mushrroms!
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon (someday...)
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey (I think I've read both..)
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

March Madness

My Million Dollar Picks...

I think if you click here you can see my brackets, if not, I have no idea how else to convert a pdf file to a pic you can view!

Lucky gaming to you & enjoy!

Happy Friday!

Enjoy your weekend...


But not too much...

My visual DNA

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

My bloggy buddy Amy has an always entertaining menu where I found this little gem! Check out her site if for nothing else to be introduced to her abordable kitten Bogey. You can find them at Mish Mash!

My Niece Turned 1 Last Sunday...

Nice smiley shot of my baby sis with lil Mia kissin' her new rubber ducky!

Mia wasn't too sure about her new rocking moose at first... but she got the hang of it later!

Then it was time for cake! Which apparently is only okay with utensils! (Jodie should be so happy her baby wanted to stay nice & clean!)

Even George the kitty got into the festivities!

Pics from the ranch this weekend...