Batting Practice

Loaned out Miss Potter from the library, which was a not-very-true story about Beatrix Potter starring Renee Zelwegger and Ewan McGregor. The problem was, the documentary they added as a special feature pretty much discounted the movie's major climactic events as being entirely made up.

Also, the move was nowhere near good enough to make up for Renee Zelwegger (who I can't stand) and not even good enough to watch Ewan McGregor (especially not with that horrid facial hair).

Had better luck with the black and white 60s political thriller Seven Days In May, which was awesome in a dated way.

...

Damn, but I wish IJ was more user-friendly. I so want to tell LJ to sod off, but I just can't.

Posting solely in IJ today, despite the fact that I'm not sure anyone else is here, because although I was initially excited about returning to eljay, I think I prefer IJ. I've made something like 3 posts on LJ in my return, and I've already managed to piss off a friend over there.

Which has made me realize that maybe I prefer IJ precisely because I'm not sure anyone else is here, and I don't feel like I have to mold my comments to my audience.

All bets are off during baseball season, though. (Meaning, I may cross-post, to have more people to talk baseball with)

//

I'll admit there was a period where I was dreading Christmas (on account of not spending it with family), but it turned out alright. Hope everyone else also had a day of not-suck.

Went to see Juno, which was a pretty good movie. I was a little disturbed by the subject matter, because a) we kept going back to the scene of the 16-yr-olds having sex, and b) my sister is almost-16 and, I just found out, has a boyfriend.

Also found out the said-boyfriend is living at my mom's house. I don't know why he needs a place to stay, but my mom has a way of adopting wayward teens. I'm assuming they're under supervision at all times (either my mom or my little brother -- hard to say who'd be hardest on them), but it's still in the category of Things You Don't Wanna Think About. She's got a good head on her shoulders, but still, she is 15.

To ease my mind, I try to remind myself what I was like at 15. If she's anything like me, she's more worried about cosmetic companies testing on animals, and whether John and Paul were on good terms in 1980, than riding in cars with boys.

But then, I turned out to be a big ole lesbo. Relieved as I might be if little sis turned out the same, I prolly shouldn't bet the bank on it.

//

I put some Christmas lights up late, roundabout December 21st. Myr was bitching when I bought them, but I'll have you know she's almost as enchanted with them as she was with the Arch (after she'd gone and bitched about that, too) :P

//

Started a new job this week, which seems an improvement from the last one (the job, that is, not the week). Working at a medical office in a hospital which specializes in rehabbing people after dehabilitating illnesses/accidents.

The movie 300, for the record, is just what it appears to be. All war and no character. ( spoilers )

Big week for the entire household.

....Well, except maybe RichieBear. I don't really know what he has planned.

Bagheera's spending a day at the vet, getting his teeth cleaned. (He doesn't know it yet)

Myr's getting sworn in.

And Friday is our 1-year anniversary :)

IT's RICHIE's BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRTHDAY!

Cake for breakfast :)

He's officially my age. For another 6 months.

//

So, I thought my misgivings about the job were mostly because it was new and I didn't know what I was doing yet (I hate feeling unprepared), but this tense feeling I had about going to work every day just wasn't going away.

Part of it, I'm sure, is the boss. Who gets frustrated when things aren't running smoothly, and tends to take it out on the people around him. Once the day is done, he's a nice guy (if a bit scatterbrained), but you just never know.

I hate leaving a job, because it feels dishonest, but I decided life was too short to be stressed out every day of the week. So on a hunch I called up the medical office that offered me a job the day after I took this one, and they still had the position available. And said they would love to have me.

So I start December 26th. I'll work 2-3 more weeks at the dental office (depending on if they find someone who wants to start immediately) until then.

I definitely feel relieved, and the weight is gone already, just knowing it won't be like this indefinitely. (Anyway, what're they gonna do -- fire me?)

It is NOT a good sign when you get to a new job, and everyone else is looking in the Help Wanted ads. The other dental assistant said she envied me for getting out.

The other dental assistant where I work is incredibly short, so today I was referred to as "the tall one". Being five-foot-three-and-a-half (don't forget the half!), it was the first and probably last time I'll ever hear it, so I took a moment to bask.

In addition to being called tall, it's also nice to not be identified as "that little girl". Which I used to get all the time.

//

Speaking of things I'm likely never to be called, I like to occasionally go around singing "I'm So Hood". And by singing, I mean, repeating the only part of the song I know, which are the three title words.

My singing generally lends itself to a discussion wherein Myr tells me I'm really not at all hood, to which I like to remind her about the time we were sitting in my work parking lot after dark (waiting for the locksmith, but that's another story) and two ladies drove in, looked at me getting out of the car, and drove off in a fright. I'm so hood I scare people. Yes.

//

In a matter of 3 days, I left my debit card in an ATM (still accessed to my account) and locked my keys in my car (and had to pay a locksmith $60).

Fun times.

Watching the 2006 world series (E1! E1!), yet again, and it reminds me. Anyone know anyone who actually went for the free taco via the '07 World Series stolen base? I mean, personally, even if I did eat meat I wouldn't go near anything that the Red Sox had a hand in giving out. They could give out free furniture, for all I care, and I wouldn't take it. (speaking of, somebody's gonna get fiiiiiired over that shit!)

//

First Thanksgiving away from the family -- prolly doesn't mean quite as much to me as it would to someone else, 'cos it was never a part of my childhood. My family has only been celebrating Thanksgiving and Xmas and birthdays for the past 12 years or so. So it wasn't a huge deal, but I didn't really want to be alone, so I went with Myr to her parents house. Her mom was sweet and made all kinds of vegetarian food :)

We went and saw two movies in 2 days which is, you know, about par for the course in Myr's scorecard but about a years worth of moviegoing for me. First we saw Enchanted, which was kind of cute but I'm surprised is being received as well as it is. If you can't appreciate Disney putting itself on, I imagine it would get kind of annoying.

Then we saw The Mist which I enjoyed until the totally fucked-up ending. I'm sure people that follow the genre will enjoy it, though. Personally, I don't really want to see movies that make me feel like committing suicide. I had that reaction to Ned Kelly, but that was even worse because it was Orlando Bloom based on a true story.

//

I know I say this every year, but really. Isn't the offseason over yet?

Got a job! As a dental assistant. Started Monday.

Almost quit Tuesday. (I had another offer, and though I'd initially figured I'd enjoy my current job more, there just didn't seem anything for me to do)

Had a chat with the boss, about what I'd be getting to do, and the volume of work that there'd be, and now feel alot better about staying on.

So that's what I've been doing.

The offseason rolls on.

- My tattoo felt sore for awhile today, which leads me to believe the Cardinals are in trouble :(

- The Gold Gloves were a massive disappointment to me.

- Mike & Mike were going on about teams (football & soccer) who "run up the score". This is something I really don't understand. Don't amazing comebacks happen? Should teams just stop making the most of scoring opportunities?

From a baseball perspective, I not stealing a base on a team you're ahead 30-3. I understand not stopping to watch a homerun ball that adds another run to your double-digit lead. (I also understand not stopping to watch a homerun ball ever, and especially not when you're still down by 6 runs, a thought process that clearly eludes Manny Ramirez).

But that doesn't mean you don't still try to hit the home run. You still put your focus into the game, you still put your best swing on the ball. Wouldn't giving up and sitting back to enjoy your lead be the biggest show of disrespect of them all?

Thoughts, anyone? Am I missing something? Am I just unable to comprehend the unwritten rules of any sport other than baseball?

- This is my confused icon.

Myr and I watched the entire Patriots-Colts game last weekend, to satisfy our curiousity. (Some of us were more invested than others, but I'm not telling). I'm really not sure whether we should be more proud or ashamed of ourselves.

Halfway into the game, one of us (::glares pointedly::) decided to call a Patriots win in the last minutes of the game. And obviously induced the gods into making it happen.

It took me all of two three-second closeups of Tom Brady to conclude that he annoyed the piss out of me.

Myr and I are both there-is-no-sport-other-than-baseball kinda girls, so it was interesting getting together our knowledge (or lack thereof) to watch a football game. I had to explain the rules to her ("What's 2nd and 10 mean?") and she had to explain the roster to me ("Oh, Tom Brady's on this team? I've heard of him.")

//

ETA: I totally posted about how Richie was almost traded to the Redsox this season, that the world almost ended and nobody knew about it. But now I read about how Scotty might be waiving his no-trade clause to leave Tony La Russa for anywhere else, and I don't feel like talking about it anymore.

So.

Lalalalalala.

Because it's never too soon to start pining for spring training, Myr and I have already dug into the baseball archives. So here's some footage from the game we watched recently, Cards @ Cubs in August of 2007.

Mulder footage, showing him seated in the dugout, stretching his legs, while they talk about his brother in the armed forces
Scotty's defensive gem, in which he does this action-movie-worthy dive and roll. Defense makes me hot.
Scotty's inside-the-park HR, which is technically a hit and an error. But he ends up at home plate just the same. And I do love to watch that boy run.

If you know anyone else who'd like these, feel free to share, just please don't mention my IJ.

//

Clearly, the World Series did not go as planned. I only hope the evil forces that have taken over the world will lose ground over the offseason.

I was intending to do a baseball-season-wrapup post, like I did last year, but I can't find my A's schedule.

I make noise about this being the worst baseball season ever (due to neither of my teams making the postseason, and Evil winning it all), but it was also one of my favourite baseball seasons ever. I mean, last year's trophy (and being there for it) was a dream come true, but so was my Oakland fling. And meeting my gay Canadian.

Despite the injuries, the surgeries, the death, and the losing percentages, there was meeting Rich. Calling the Coliseum home. Zito vs Haren on my birthday (and Z getting trounced). Seeing the stadiums of San Francisco, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Sacramento for the first time. Attending the first A's [home] game and the last Cardinals game.

Getting the chance to say all these things in person:
"Attaway, Richie. That's my baby!"
"Try not to suck today, Bobby!"
"Grow an arm, Kendall!"
"Ohmygod, Zito! David Wells just outfuckingran you!"
"I love you Skippy!"

So. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

//

I think I finally found some new Cardinals decals for my car doors. The ones I have are lovely (and big) but they faded while I was away. And are currently more of a fuchsia colour than a Cardinal red.

So I figure on replacing them with a "2006 world series champs" decal. Good times.

//

We were cheap anti lastnight and didn't buy any candy. We had three kids come to the door and I had to give them some of my beloved Hersheys kisses.

So after that we hauled ass to the bedroom to watch TV, so we could pretend we weren't home. Hey, no judging. At least we didnt pass out toothbrushes and pennies.

//

Btw, I finally joined Goodreads, in an effort to allow myself to talk about books while sparing everyone who doesn't care. So give a shoutout if you're on there as well.

I feel like pointing out that Myr's computer background is a photo of Richie smiling. It's not like she can even say it was for me, because I have my own user account on her puter. Call him funny-looking all you want, Myr, I know you think he's lickable.

Speaking of Richie, I take some small measure of credit for Urban's latest mention of him. While again bringing up his lack of faith in Rich's ability to stay healthy (at least it was relevant to the question this time, instead of arbitrarily sticking it into a paragraph about, say, the team's eating habits), he adds "...and that's not a slight on Harden in any way. I'm as big a fan of his talent as there is, and I'm dying to see what he could do with a healthy full season. When he's right, he's one of the top five pitchers in the game, easy."

Which is kind of like saying Look bitch, stop emailing me, no?

//

So, the World Series.

Damn, but the postseason was going just the way I wanted it to, until the ALCS. This might be my punishment for ever rooting for the Redsox, even under circumstances out of my control.

Nothing quite reduces me to cussing as much as Boston in the post-season. There was almost a point earlier this season where almost all of my Boston-makes-me-vomit reaction was centred on Manny "WhoCares" Ramirez, and I could appreciate people like Beckett and Lowell and Papelbon (note: players who weren't on the 2004 roster), but after the Indians, and FOX and MLB pissing all over themselves with excitement at having a BIGMARKET team in the WS, all that's back with a vengeance.

One of the sportscasters actually called the National League "Junior Varsity". I mean, fucking hell.

Way overdue on posting my recap of our trip to PNC (which happened to be on the way from MO to MD) to see the Cardinals on the last day of the regular season.

The ballpark itself was pretty.

( (photo) )
I was pretty stoked about walking on the Roberto Clemente bridge.

I was pretty stoked about the whole park, actually. Probably because it's the first NL Central ballpark I've been to (outside of my home, of course), meaning I've seen the Cardinals play there a lot. Semi-hallowed ground, and such.

( (photo) )

Being the Pirates, they have this violent CGI series onscreen before the game starts, in which they BLOW UP OUR SHIP
( OMGWTF )

But other than that, they were pretty cool. The guy next to Myr gave us a lot of ribbing, but it was all in good fun. ( ahahahaha )

Skippy started the game, so I wasted no opportunity (running onto the field, running off of the field, on deck, at bat, on base) to scream and holler that I loved him his name. Our neighbour even joined in, hollering at Skippy to turn around and wave to me & Myr because "Yeah Skippy, hey Skippy, these two girls are your only fans in the world!"

(Btw, Skippy had a GREAT game ( and was totally the hero )

I also cheered for my favourite ADD-boy, ( Adam LaRoche )
But I stopped cheering for him after they showed his offseason plans on screen, because he is apparently an avid hunter of innocent creatures >:[ (Also, Adam, maaaaaybe you shouldn't have a gun if you have trouble focusing, hmmmm?)

Besides showing their offseason plans (my favourite was Nady's -- ( at least he was honest )
...they had them all make a painting for charity, and we got to see how those turned out.

Adam's was very ... ( special )

while Nady's was very ... ( plain )

Maybe he's not so much honest as unimaginative :P
So besides learning who sips margaritas and who failed art class, the viewscreen at PNC also had this wisdom ( on the Cardinals )

Anyway. The good guys won (completing a sweep of the Pirates, and also ending the season with our fifth win in a row) -- ( Yaaaaay! )

Which left the good Pirates fans to, yet again, look to next year ( for pinning their hopes )

And the post-game talk show to wax depressing poetic about how a person can possibly find any hope on the horizon after 15 losing seasons (aww, poor Pittsburgh. at least one guy we met on the street was excited, though, that Philly had clinched the division that day)

( The End )

So, here's the thing. I've never really experienced job hunting before. I mean, I was 2 days in California and I got offered a job.

I haven't had a single interview yet. True, I turned down an interview with a vet clinic who seemed very interested ... because they wanted to hire me parttime in the evenings and weekends. Meaning I'd never see Myr. And, you know, I might as well have stayed in CA or MO if I was gonna do that. So, no.

And the second day I was here I got phoned about an opening at a vet clinic, but they never set up an interview (I think I asked for too much money).

But, apart from those two, it's been 3 weeks of nothing.

I've learned there's a lot lot LOT of second-guessing yourself when you're jobless. Every time I touch up my resume for a different position, I feel good about it. And then the next time I go to touch it up, I think "god, how could I have left it like this".

There have been days where I've got dangerously close to the "Why bother even doing anything? Nobody's going to call me" mentality. And there are days where I feel upbeat about every application I send out.

Most of the time though, so long as I have something to do, I'm good. Whether it's picking up the classifieds (new edition comes out tomorrow!), delivering my resume to every vet clinic I can find, or mailing an application in for another "administrative assistant" position (NB: the University has great benefits, the Dept of Juvenile Services has none). Anything.

Speaking of having something to do, I can't imagine being a housewife. And I mean that sympathetically. The emotional drain of being around the house all day, or running errands for the house, must be intolerable. I thought I'd get a lot of reading/writing done, while I didn't have a job. But doing nothing for too long just saps you.

Last week I had a day like that, so I decided to drive to the local humane society and volunteer. So now I can go back there anytime I feel that way. (I thought about getting a dog now, to keep me company, but the extra money I'd have to pay to the apt complex alone is a pretty big deterrant. And I might even wait to get a dog until our lease is up here)

The good news is, though: No matter what kind of day I've had, it always gets infinitely better when Myr walks in the door at 5.

Is it just me, or does anyone else get grossed out when baseball players talk excitedly about football?

I just wanna be like -- dood, you are playing the greatest game ever invented. Watch that shit in the offseason all you want, but keep quiet about it.

Or maybe I'm just weird...

+ My favourite teams in the playoffs are the Rockies and the Phillies. I'm rooting for the Rocks overall, but I don't want Philly to get swept. Rooting against the Cubs (unless they meet anyone other than Cleveland in the WS) -- not because I'm a Cardinal fan but because I don't like Piniella nor the fact that they are trying to buy a pennant. I barely care about the AL but I am kinda rooting for the Indians.

+ It's weird being in the Eastern Time Zone, and not having to subtract 1 or 3 hours to find out when things are happening for me.

+ It kinda sucks not having a job. Even when you do get to spend all day watching half a season of Friday Night Lights. I'd forgotten how much of a workaholic I was.

+ People in Salisbury, MD like to have a lot of kids. I feel like standing on the corner and handing out birth control, because I seriously doubt they're all devout Catholics.

Well, at least they're not all teenagers, like most of the people having kids in rural Missouri.

+ ( Bagheera loves it here )
That's a picture of him in The Richie Room (which Myr set up & christened completely on her own)

+ I did indeed have a email war (well, more of a battle -- until he provokes another attack by trashing Rich in his column) with Mychael Urban. He was taking cheap shots at Rich via his columns (randomly pointing out Rich's injuries at irrelevant times, yet continuing to heap praise and optimism for the future of other players who have repeatedly been out with injuries).

I would have you all know in one of his emails to me he called Richie a dump truck. Oh but "I like Rich as a person" he says, so it's all good, right?

You and me, Mychael. It's gonna go down.

+ I'm doing this meme because I love to talk about books, and some of my favourites are on here.

( book meme )
So tell me -- what's the best book on this list I haven't read?

So, I'm gonna update in parts because it just takes too long to get this out, and y'all would kill me if you had a 3 page entry on your Flist. First up: Cleveland.

The last weekend I would have had in Missouri I actually spent in Cleveland, Ohio because the A's were there. At first it was going to be a "yay Richie's travelling with the team" and then it turned into "omg Richie's starting" (at which point Myr actually jumped on the bandwagon. I haven't stopped reminding her that when it was just me and the A's she wasn't going to bother to come, but when it involved Richie on the mound, for THAT she was sure to be there).

Which then, of course, turned into ... Richie backing out of starting. I can't say I blame him. I mean, when he was all "no timetables = no setbacks" and then the A's (read: Billy Beane) were all "he's gonna start in Cleveland and vs LA" and he was all "perfect, that's exactly what I was thinking" I was like ... Say what?? I seriously doubt that's what you were thinking, Richie. In fact, I cannot imagine you saying "perfect, that's exactly what I was thinking" like, Ever.

So Rich decided to stick it to the organization (read: Billy Beane) who was, as always, looking out for their best interests instead of his (let's shove him out there so we can trade him in the offseason). And I saw Dallas Braden start instead (omg, seriously, you have given him enough chances to prove he's not major league material right now).

AND! To make things worse, before Saturday's game Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle hogged him THE ENTIRE TIME during batting practice. She just had him corralled in the dugout where they stood and talked for like 40 minutes. She's so selfish.

But. But, but. At least Myriem and I got to hang out in another ballpark we hadn't been to before. My impressions of the city of Cleveland were not much. There was a lot of construction going on, but even apart from that it seemed like a dirty city.

Also, the Indians clinched while we were there, and though the ballpark itself went nuts, all the bars just a couple blocks away were full of people who couldn't give a shit. They were watching football.

My impressions of the ballpark itself were:

1) Nice huge viewscreen ( (see picture) )
but I think it would be worth having a bit smaller screen so you wouldn't have to put up with so many freaking busy advertisements around it.

2) Also, they are so excited to have their big huge viewscreen that they get waaaay too cute with all the graphics and computer animation and shit. Seriously, I don't need three different CGI ways of telling me a batter was wrung up.

3) Though I give the ushers an A (they were mostly very enthusiastic older men, which was cute), the rest of the ballpark was just not very fan-friendly. I felt like they really didn't want me around for BP.

4) Four hundred and fifty-five consecutive sellouts (when the ballpark first opened)?? Seriously??? That's really incredible.

The fans in Cleveland were pretty fun. They were raucous, wanting to clinch at home, so we got hollered at by some drunks (who were friendly enough) on Saturday night when the A's won. I did get nervous thinking about Richie starting the next day, with their last chance at clinching in Cleveland, and how everyone would be so completely & loudly against him.

Our seats on Saturday were pretty good for dugout watching (which was precisely why we got tickets in that section), and I watched Richie follow on Huston's heels all night long like a puppy ( (see picture) )
And then he would get all pouty if Huston was talking to someone else ( (see picture) )
:( My poor lovesick boy.

Also, Huston invited Gaudin to smell his wrapped elbow. ( (see picture) )
Boys are gross.

I also spent a lot of time yelling at Jack Hannahan about how much Myriem loved him (though, give me some credit, I didn't use her name). Following in the footsteps of fine Oakland tradition, Jack really is quite good looking ( (see picture) )

Saturday night we ate at the House of Blues on this cute little pedestrian street (4th street) downtown. However, the food we were brought (which was not what we ordered) was not very good and the waiter thought we were giving him a 66% tip (for bringing us the wrong dish?). But it was a neat setting ( (see picture) )
and the Indians fans that booed at us as they went by were all goodnatured enough.

My entire Cleveland gallery

Have I mentioned I'm going to Cleveland this weekend to see the Richie start against the Indians?

I swear this was all planned (Myr's going too) before they even announced he was starting. Maybe the universe is trying to make it up to me, after shit-kicking me with the whole timing of my departure from and Rich's return to Oakland.

Anyway, just thought I ought to mention it before I actually land in Cleveland tomorrow morning.

Mulder's starting again today, but it's on NBC so I won't get to see it.

During yesterday's Game 1, Al was paraphrasing some things Markus had said which I hadn't read before. As Al put it: Had a long discussion after his first start in Cincinnati, and -- He's got a good attitude about it, but he's somewhat in a dilemma, as he just can't execute certain pitches right now. Now, he'll be fine for next year [love that Al is quick to reassure us <3] but he finds himself out on the mound saying When I'm healthy, I'd throw this pitch, but I don't have it in my repertoire right now, so I have to throw something I dont have full conviction behind.

This was in the top of the 4th, btw, if you want to watch & listen for yourself (they show Markus, complete with scruff, in the dugout).

//

Jason Kendall had two throwing errors in the Cards/Cubs game 2. (btw, he started the game I was at on Friday, and I made sure to let him know I was there)

Meanwhile, Yadi has thrown out 50% of basestealers this year.

Seeing them in the same game like that, I realized one of the major reasons I had such an immediate dislike of Jason Kendall's play was because I came from St Louis where Matheny and Molina have shaped what I think a catcher should be.

But really, even without them. Is it too much to expect defense from a catcher? I think not.

I'm a defense whore, anyway, so I doubt if I hadn't had Yadi's shining example I would have been any easier on Jason cant-catch, cant-throw, cant-block-the-plate Kendall.

It feels like I'm in a state of purgatory limbo right now. Stuck between my life on the West Coast and my life on the East Coast. Only 20 more days, though, until I no longer reside in Missouri.

Was thinking about some of my favourite memories of The Bay...

1) Of course, nothing tops being a short jaunt away from the ballpark, especially when that ballpark is the Coliseum. From the drums to the "Fremont sucks!" chants. From Root Beer Float Day to Fireworks Fridays. From "that's a real good lookin' boy" to "celebrate good times". From the crowd (small, yes, but intense nonetheless) to the peach cobbler (yum). From batting practice to walkoffs. From the dugout to the bullpen. From jeering at Jason Kendall to asking Bobby not to suck today. And of course: Rich Harden, Rich Harden, Rich Harden.

2) PRIDE. Nobody does Pride quite like San Francisco. There was so much joy and spirit and unabashed Outness.

3) ARF. The fact that such a facility exists and thrives and gets so much support is a testament to how different the mindset is out there from where I grew up. Just say the words "animal welfare" in rural Missouri and people get angry.

4) Heckling. There was a time when I hated all forms of heckling (though Myriem tells me I was almost intolerable to be around at that point), but I confess I am rather fond of doing it during a Barry Zito start.

Speaking of heckling, there were some Cardinals fans yelling at the Pirates' centerfielder Morgan over Labor Day. We were getting blown out and they started yelling things like "Hey Morgan, want a beer?" "How 'bout now? Budweiser?" "Sure you're 21?" And he was totally grinning and carrying on with them. It was pretty cute.

Then they were a little miffed because Ankiel wouldn't do the same thing. I was like -- dood. The guy who's team is winning 11-0 is probably in a substantially better mood than the guy who's losing 0-11.