Fw: Postgame Alert for the Tigers

Detroit Tigers Postgame Alert June 20, 2010 Arizona 1, Detroit 3 at Comerica Park Arizona Record: (27-43) Detroit Record: (38-30) Winning pitcher - Max Scherzer (4-6) Losing pitcher - Ian Kennedy (3-5) SV - Jose Valverde (16) <><><><> <><><><> <><><><> 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E ARI 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 1 DET 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 X 3 7 0 GAME LINKS: Recap | Full Box Score | Photo Gallery | Highlights Visit tigers.com for more information » Standings » Game Notes » Next Detroit Game: June 22, 2010 07:10 PM ET vs. New York Mets Upcoming Detroit Home Games: vs. Seattle Mariners, July 2, 2010 07:05 PM ET Purchase Tickets vs. Seattle Mariners, July 3, 2010 07:05 PM ET Purchase Tickets vs. Seattle Mariners, July 4, 2010 01:05 PM ET Purchase Tickets

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So I found a good recipe for fish

but the local gas station only had frozen Talapia so I declined. Picked up four dollar-forty-nine cans of tuna, some munster cheese, and a loaf of hillbily bread. Made the tuna with some miracle whip, onions, and pickles, but i was full of cake and cookies so i went back out into the sunlight on the deck with my comforter, pillow, and book, and put the tuna in the freezer.
Woke up several hours later; the clouds had rolled in, temps were much lower, and mama kitty was lounging with me on the deck. I came in and had a bigass tuna on hillbilly bread sandwich and retired to my room. Called my girlfriend and put in V for Vendetta. I'm kind of smitten with this movie. It's based on a graphic novel, the story is riveting and the characters use cool British words.

By the power of truth, I while living, have conquored the universe. (Vi veri veniversum vivus vici)

Suny and about 82 beautiful degrees outside

so I decided to bask outside while the Tigers broadcast revved through my Dodge Ram speakers. Came in to watch Valverde in the 9th and now it's just time to type for a bit. Actually, I want to cook something special later but I don't know what. I will search for recipes.

Thank you, LORD, for another day on this planet - living, breathing, loving. Be glorified through my thoughts, words, and actions.

Valverde ooops lookout another 1-2-3 ninth...

Just heard tidbits about how Diamondbacks slugger Montero ripped on Papa Grande for his demonstrative antics...who cares asshole? You just struck out and your team just lost again and Valverde got another save and his ERA is less than your tinyass IQ so siddown.

Happy Father's Day to each and every father.

Here's the 0-2...He got'im on strikes!

Dan Dickerson should be awarded the Silver Commentator Award, the Benevolence Award, and the Exciting Homer Announcer Without Being a Jerk Award. His enthusiasm and descriptive vernacular always put me there, as if I'm in the park watching the action. His tolerance of Jim Price will be rewarded in the next lifetime.

Speaking of in the park, I took my dad to Friday's game; his last day doing what he had been doing since he was 18 ended at 3:00 and by 3:30 I had us a couple of great seats behind home plate at Comerica. We got there with enough time to get some peanuts and a cold diet mountain dew before the line-ups were announced. Great game: D-train pitched for Arizona, started out shakey, but settled in and went 7 innings i think. The Tigers scored late to go ahead so he didn't get the loss; Galaraga only lasted less than five innings, Bonine got the win, we also got to see Zumaya, Coke, and the guy from the UK. Papa Grande mopped up in the 9th and I got chills watching him come onto the field. I had just finished my tallies for the 8th, looked up to see the bullpen gate open, and it hit me: he was coming in! I set my pencil and scorecard carefully on the cement covered with peanut shells at my feet and quietly proclaimed to no one in particular 'I'm getting up for this'. I stood up and began to clap and yell for this really individual individual. He did his little point and his leap and charged in from left field as the roar of the crowd crescendo'd. Personally, that was the highlight of the game. He proceded to throw about 6 pitches and the Diamondbacks were retired in the 9th. Immediately following, an announcement that the fireworks would be cancelled due to 'inclement weather'. The crowd response to this was a Joyce-like boooo, but emotions quickly changed as very visible and proximate electrical cloud-to-ground discharge and associated BOOM!s dominated everyone's viewport. We drove to Westland with both the wipers and air conditioner on extra-high listening to 97.1 The Ticket broadcasting callers who had been at the game and were driving home through the storm. I was home at just about midnight and slipped into bed, unable to sleep due to caffeine poisoning. I finally nodded off sometime about an hour before 4:30 when I woke up with that very woke-up feeling. I made some Duncan Donuts Hazlenut coffee and turned on some wack TCM documentary on hippies, their drugs of choice, and their failure to relate to the older generation. It was an interesting half hour, so much so that I stayed tuned for the credits rolling up at the end. The narrator, whose voice had quite a soothing tone, turned out to be none other than Cape Fear's very own Robert Mitchum.

Life's good.

A warm Friday in southeast Michigan

and I can't wait to get out of this library and into the sunshine, so I will be brief here...

My dad retired to-day, I'm still looking for a job, I had breakfast in Pinckney this morning, I picked the Lakers in seven games, I said the Tigers would be in first place by Monday coming up, Bonine pitched last night, I'm going to go buy some shorts, and I'm reading another Bryson book. I planted strawberries, bell peppers, jalepeno peppers, tomatos, and broccoli.

Life is good.

See Dave,

wasn't that bad. Another great time, indeed, was had by all. Got the high-five for my lack of tobbaco consumption and the knuckle-punch for an A1c pecentage of 6.6. (This is a good number: under 7 is the desired range; mine had been near 10 and 11 for a while, which is not good.)

Went then to the White Building of Pain to see my Pain Misstress. She cryos the heck out of my fingertips in order to keep the little warts little.

Then across the street to the White Building of Boats to get my new sunglasses.

Now back at my rental with Les Miserables 10th Anniversary typing. Sun is trying to come out so I must explore...

Morning by morning

new mercies I see...Thank you, LORD, for an absolutely gorgeous morning: birds combining in their collective daily orchestra, brilliant sunlight reflecting off leaves of tree and blade of grass, last night's Bourne Identity plastic case lying open on the disc player.

I liked that move because it had a plot that I could follow and a happy ending (relatively speaking, of course. the kid still had bullet holes in his back, the girl was still an outlaw just like him, and she apparently blew all the cash he gave her buying this enormous stretch of ocean-front rocky cliffs, a rental establishment of some sort, and the wares to rent.) I'm a simpleton, and I need to be able to discern between good guys and bad guys as a story unfolds. I was able to in this film. I was not able to in the first two Mission: Impossible pictures. All that folks dyin and coming back to life and the mask wearin so they look like someone else stuff...alot of malarrrky if y'ask me.

Learned how to fly-cast yestreday. ('learned' is relative, also. I should have written, 'Yestreday, my beloved landlord showed me how easy it is to get the special thick fishing line out as far as you want acrsoss the lawn by whipping the pole back and forth between an 11:00 and a 2:00 position, letting the line catch up to you, and keeping your elbow in'. To properly have learnt a skill, the learner must be able to apply that skill in divers applicable situations, including in this case i> in a boat and ii> in the vicinity of the traditional bane of the fisher: trees.) But I think I'll try this week.

I'm drinking more water these days (no more smoking) and probably eating more (no more smoking) and developing other new habits to replace the old, nasty, skinky, murderous one.

I get to go see my local pnc or whatever the hell she's called in a few minutes here. She's not a doctor, but she has her own practice in town. I stopped calling her 'doc' and now it's just 'mrs. porter' or 'laurie'. Gotta get there...

48 Hours

Immortal lines from this picture...

Hammond: Cates, you gotta get me outta here!

Cates: Now get this: We aint partners, we aint brothers, and we aint friends. I'm puttin you down and keepin you down until Gantz is locked up or dead. And if Gantz gets away, you're gonna be sorry you ever met me.
Hammond: I'm already sorry.

Hammond: You said bullshit and experience is all it takes, right?
Cates: Right.
Hammond: C'mon in and experience some of my bullshit.

Hammond: Well look Hoss, you start runnin a respectible bidness, and I won't have to come in here and hassle ya every night. Know what I mean? And I want the rest of you cowboys to know somethin: There's a new sherrif in town, and his name is Reggie Hammond. Y'all be cool. Right on.

I swear the music in this film is the same as the music in Arnold's Commando.

Guillen walk-off homer in the tenth! yeah buuuooooooooyyyyyyyyy!!!!

Welcome back, brother.

Girl, you know it's true.

I am convinced

that, this side of eternity, there is nothing more beautiful than celebrating the Mass with other brothers and sisters of the faith.

chores and such

Picked up mail, aquired various letters of recommendation, inquired about summer school logistics, made appointment with local doctor, checked into job postings, finished resume and reference list, took back the sexy TI-84 calculators borrowed from the local ISD, did some banking, filed for unemployment, and chatted with local building personnel. These were all very relevant and pertinent tasks and I'm better for having accomplished them; a good morning, to be sure.

Next up: read the paper, eat, buy a gift.

Thanks be to God, blessed be the name of the LORD.

one, 21 guns, ...

Heard that song for the first time about a year ago and immediately developed a man-crush on Billy Joe...

Since then, I've listened a ton on Youtube and done a horrendous kareoke of Good Riddance (the monitor sucked and i couldn't hear the chords over the bowling alley locals, then, the video got all fuzzy and, not really knowing the words, i adlibbed with stuff like 'tip your waitress aint she been great? i almost bowled a 98...' everybody laughed and at the end i got the most courteous applause. Not a 'frickin finally he's done' applause, but a genuine, smile-filled big hand. As i returned the microphone to 'Rockin Rick', the gammer at the end of the bar boldy proclaimed, 'he's cute!', which meant my cinderella hour had come.

Can I get another amen?

Strength through unity, unity through faith...

A yellow-coded curfew is now in effect. Any unauthorized personnel will be subject to arrest.

Almost a week away from computers and those world-wide internets ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPkMUU9tUqk&feature=channel ) and I'm ready to type...


On theTigers.
They've lost the last 3 series to shitty teams and I'm coming to realize that the Tigers are just a .500 team. Not shitty themselves, not a legitimate contender in the AL Central, just mediocre. It's hard because I see the potential in that team: Damon and Jackson's overall fundamental soundness, the big bats of Miggy, Mags, Brendan B., the starting five who have all had phenomenal outings in the past but who often struggle to get through five innings, the lights-out bullpen, the recent draft which offered the Detroiters the sons and younger brothers of every current coach, player, scout, and announcer, and the weak-ass division they're in. Because you see, I'm a Purveyor of Potential. I see it every day, I evaluate it, and I encourage the holder of it to realize it. Like Ving Rhames told Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible III, 'It's my job.'

On employment.
I will teach summer school for the first time in over 20 years; I think it will be much different from what I remember. I read to-day the letter of recommendation I got from the summer school Facililtator so long ago. Marcy Aller had kind things to say about me.
I've got information, man. New shit has come to light. Two of the three people in the district who are eligeble to retire have decided to indeed retire. Which doesn't really mean a whole lot but it may help make a difference for next year regarding my status. (Compare this to the 'small-town atmosphere' provided by the Brighton Area Schools, which announced to-day that almost 50 teachers have decided to retire, causing not only all the laid-off folks to be able to return, but they will be hiring 5 new teachers.)


On the 9th Commandment.

thursday

Yestreday we moved some flowers to the new planter box by the road, we mulched everywhere and got some paint for the red serving cart I refurbished. Got one coat on and it rained all day just dripping. Talked to brother G a bit last night - he was hanging out with Josh and seemed quite content.

miggy: 'oh no?!?'

wow...

In the 1975 screen version of Barry Lyndon, Lyndon, played by Ryan O'Neal , has wooed the wealthy widow and will soon marry her. Her son, who detests Lyndon, speaking about the marriage, tells his mother, "Not in this way. And not in such haste. And certainly not to this man."

That is what i thought when the first base ump ruled Cleveland's number 9 hitter safe on an infield single tonight. What was exceptional about the single is that Armando Gallaraga had retired 26 batters in a row prior to the single, and the replay showed the batter was out. Not in this way.

Now I know that umpires are human and make mistakes. Hell, the Tigers have had calls go in their favour recently (Ramon Santiago's phantam tag on a double play at second last night, to name one), but none carrying the magnitude of tonight's call. Not in this way.

The ground ball was wide of first, Cabrera fielded it cleanly, Gallaraga beat the batter ( the 9-hole, whatever his name is) to the bag and caught the ball with his foot on first clearly before the batter got there. Miggy's expression of joy turned to wonder, Armando's excitement was gone as a big you-gotta-be-kidding smile washed across his face. Safe. Not in this way.

Let it be a sharp liner to left-center (like the one Jackson caught over his shoulder a-la Willie Mays to get the first out of the ninth), or even a bloop single to right that breaks up the perfect game and gives Tiger fans something to bemoan. But not in this way.

omg whatryagonna do? Can they appeal this sort of thing to the League? Almost wouldn't be right, to get the accollade second-hand, I say.

We'll move on, and talk about this night for a long time. Congrats Armando! To the Tigers: Keep beating mediocre teams and keep hitting mediocre pitching (as Jim Price likes to say).

26 in a row is still a hellofa run.

another .500 season?

y'know, there's so much that goes on in a baseball game, in in inning, in an at-bat, verily, with every pitch! Bonderman had a good outing but the bats were silent tonight as the Tigers fell to the Cleveland Indians (check out their politically incorrect mascot) in front of a massive crowd of 13, 000. Bonine did his best in relief, Inge even had a hit tonight, Avilla may have had 2!!!!
kay serah, serah.
good night.

Taking Chance

Lt. Col. Michael Stroble volunteers to escort the body of a 19-year-old killed in Kuwait to his hometown of Billings, MT, brought to us by Cinemax this past weekend.

The displays of respect throughout by the people whose paths in life are crossed by this transport are moving.


writer's almanac for tuesday, the first of june, two thousand and ten

for the fallen... we remember, we thank you, we owe you much

The nation became because men dreampt
Of freedom from tyranny
Lives cut short, lives changed forever
But we became 'One from Many'.

And as We grew, we waded through
Dissent, disdain, and sin
We suffered from severe attack
From without and from within.

Folks died. Folk died, too many,
for the freedoms we enjoy.
We live! We live, in comfort,
in the USA, my boy!!

There is no real and proper way
To thank the guys and gals
Whose blood was shed, who cried aloud
Who were slaughterd like animals.

We devote a day of Thought and Prayer
'Memorial' we call it.
Fill the cooler, boil the eggs,
spend cash right from your wallet.

The parades drown all noises out but Cohan
and Hammerstein,
We wish our neighbour well and ask,
'you're front porch or mine'.

And i suppose that this is all well, fine, correct
and good.
I can't help think we miss the mark, not doing
What we should.

Garrison Keillor's piece for Memorial Day:

... and to all a good night.

Glorious Sunday afternoon after a Tiger victory at the Park. Warm and sunny with a mild breeze and steaks are on the grill. Scherzer struck out 14 in 5.2 but walked 4 and hit a guy and only gave up 2 hits. Miggy had 4 hits including another homer and pushed his rbi count to 48. Inge (finally) and Guillen also went long for the Detroiters; Zoomaya got the save. 32, 000 at the ball park and woulda been 32,001 but i stayed outside and hung out with some local cats on Brush street. Great atmosphere down there, and a great day for a game.

I quit the war of the worlds reproduction after getting so much advice to do just that.

All that is gold does not glitter
Not all who wander are lost
The old that is strong does not wither
Deep roots are not reached by the frost
From the ashes a fire shall be woken
A light from the shadows shall spring.
Renewed shall be the blade that was broken
The crownless again shall be king.

Bonine didn't pitch to-day, but did yestreday.

oooooooooooooolala...

A glorious Saturday afternoon and i have all but completed my chores. Let's see, ... woke up (good), made some coffee but forgot to drink some (?), had a Big Boy omelette (this, it must be told, was an anomaly. i had the pleasure of cooking at Big Boy in college and i know how they make their stuff. i swore years ago i'd never ever eat there again. twas a pleasant suprise though: tasty, larger portion than i remember, and the toasted whole wheat bread was succulent), went to home depot for topsoil (97 cents a bag), got an oil change (you want radiator flushed also? she is brown. what's brown? fluid. what color's it supposed to be? green. how much? is supposed to be 49 i give you ahhh five dollar discount so is 45. 44. yes, 44. how long will it take? 7 minutes. k.), looked for a lawn mower (this was before i checked the bank balance...thankfully i didn't find one), picked up some wild bird seed at the local hardware (not the dollar store crap some other people in the neighbourhood buy, the real good 49 cents a pound stuff!), watered the plants (all of them; doused 'em good, i say), cut off the end of a thin piece of decking by the lake that was literally crumbling (circular saw and a furlong of power cord), fixed the piece of deck by the garage (replaced a board that i stepped through while unraveling the 400 cubits of power cord during the previous task), weedwacked (this was a quite mundane task and really requires no annotation), used one 40 pound bag of topsoil of the fifteen i bought to use for my peppers in a raised bed i had made (what i thought was a little box of miracle grow sitting on the crumbling deck turned out to be just an empty miracle grow box, so the peppers are on their own), bailed out the paddle boat (not-so-recent rains and the lack of a proper cover led to this), planted three perennials (including a beautiful Shasta Daisy on Fred's side of the property by my herbs - these also are on their own), and came up to the library to type (air conditioned, yes, but there's this annoying child asking the librarian if she likes kids? ..." oh yes!" ... "do you like...me?!?" "why of course!" "i think sometimes, um, i don't really like boys my age, ... i don't think the girls are that bad but boys are much more annoying than girls...uhum (this obnoxious clearing of collected phlegm) hmmmm..."
ok. anyways, for the rest of the day, ... shall i say, ... life is good. Tigers at 7 (Porcello will try to stop the 5/6 skid they're on) with some grilled brats (Johnsonville you know) and then tomorrow (Sunday) i'm a goin down to the park and watching the one o'clock matinee live. :-) Maybe Bonine will pitch!!

a great morning after a not-so-great night...

So, so-called 'friends' say they're gonna do something and they don't do it...i'm not perfect but if you have someone counting on you don't you make every attempt to do what you say you're gonna do... or maybe call and say can't help ya to-day, dude...
Oh well over it now. The sun is shining, and recent events have caused my heart to leapeth like an hart.
wtf
dude, get a grip
smile smilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmilesmile


Favourite name for a chess move: en passant

Favourite character's name from Les Mis: not actually his name but what Val Jean is called by the dude who was trapped under the cart: monsieur le maire

thank you

well zippidy doo-dah!

I can sew the costumes, maybe Uncle Goober can be the judge.

Newest favourite movie: V for Vendetta.

Newest favourite slacker.com station: The Clash

Newest attempt to like something i didn't like before and the dislike was confirmed: sweet and sour anything

of tentworms and disgust

The tale grew in the telling, until it became a history of The Great War of the Massive Black Flies, and included many glimpses of the yet more ancient history that preceded it.


Long ago, in the northern regions of the upper mid-northwest Lower Michigan, there was a baseball field.

The field was happy, for untold legions of Malacosoma lived there, feasting on fat, sun-burned children in the dugouts. One day, the Red people came in to the area and inhabited the baseball field. The Malacosoma near where the Red people lived were exterminated (very neatly, I might add, by cognatively-challenged umpires), but all the other worms were allowed to continue to thrive, keeping the baseball field happy.

The Red people were bored one day and had to come up with entertainment for themselves (Deliverance: the Final Out was supposed to be on HBO that night, but got pre-empted by the documentary Tentworms in the Mist, which they'd seen a hundred-million times before. )

So the Red people said: "Let us invite the Blue people over for dinner."

And, of course, what they really meant was "Let us invite the Blue people over, to be feasted upon by the Malacosoma, Massive Black Flies, Gnats, Gnomes, and Yellow Jackets!" To which all the Red people ceremoniously errupted "AMEN!"

As the Day of Delight (which it has been called ever since) was approaching, representatives of the Malacosoma sought out the Chieftains of the Red people: "In thy mercy, we wouldst beseach of thee, to turnest up the thermostat, so that each and every of the Massive Black Flies, Gnats, Gnomes, and Yellow Jackets wouldst be at their hungriest and fiercest, for this festive occassion."

The Chieftains of the Red people consulted and, in the end, it was decided. "So let it be written, so let it be done."

And so, the final preparations for the Day of Deliverance (as it has been called) were being completed: Scores of Malacosoma were pouring remains of their own kind over all the fenceposts for the Massive Black Flies to appetize on, others were reinforcing the cables for the aerial assault, and still others were debating the correct angle at which to enter the eye of the One-holding-the-metal-club (this, it must be said, created quite a controversy; veteran Gnats who had seen many Gnat-hours in the air, concurred with the 73 degree approach, as they were taught. Younger, more arrogant Yellow Jackets did not really agree to a set angle, they were far too much the 'freelance' type, in their humble opinion).

As expected, the heat was unbearable on Devil's Day (as it is still called). Chewing gum that had long been in isostatic cryostate was actually flowing. Massive Black Flies, Gnats, Gnomes, and Yellow Jackets all were at the height of ferocity. The rest of the gory details will be spared in this narrative; suffice it to say that the vicious cycle of sweaty Blue people attracting Malacosoma attracting swats of hands causing guts on skin attracting Massive Black Flies producing profound vernacular profanities did not end, even in the midst of the O'Connor Ejection (this tale is told elsewhere) and the Fitch Meltdown (this tale has been banned from the archives, even the mere mention of it puts me at risk of retalliation by Jihadist FundaNephalists).

In the end, the Blue people retreated into their Large Rolling Cheese and departed, defeated and scarred.

More middle schoolisms

The 8th graders who i share a room with for almost an hour in the morning continually amaze me. Most of the time, the amazement comes from their lack of understanding. Often I am amazed at the level of focus on things of little or no import. For example, this morning:

Why is your hair all flat?
I combed it different.
Tomorrow you should do a comb-over.
Stop looking at my hair.
I'm nah - aht.
Yes you are - quit.
Mr. B it just looks funny.

Juniors, on the other hand, are sophisticated,

...to say the least.

wouldn't that be sweet?

when do the facebook begin to pay?

I'm gonna have to eat straight goulash at lunch, dude.

Whe's con vega? Wow.

Dearer street?

I don't believe it.

Bobby just fell off his chair,

or, rather, the chair he was leaning back in slid and right after he said 'oh crap' there was this loud thud.

"you all right, Bobby?"

"yeah, i'm good"

middle schoolers are tough :-)

The second-last Monday of the school year...

weather is nice and we've got a home double-header after school. Another great weekend! this time was at Eastern Market in Detroit for Flower Day selling perennials.
14 years ago this day my sweety and i were married in Saginaw, MI.
Love you, babe.

Please pay attention while you drive,

please leave earlier so you're not in such a hurry to get where you gotta get to.

Lord, have mercy on his soul.

Didn't play our usual Monday doubleheader,

got to watch the Tigers instead. A great game with drama and heroics against the hated Yankees. Willis was a scratch cuz he was sick so Thomas started, followed by Bonine, Coke, Ni, Zumaya, Perry, and Valverde. Bonine got his third win and Valverde his 9th save - yes! Bosch had a big hit and Mags a big catch, Valverde struck out the side in the ninth. The boys gotta keep beating teams from the East (west, and central too, huh?) because Minnesota sure has been. Tigs are three games back, bullpen has been lights out, hitting second in the american league.

A good day with the kids to-day: two classes are working on end-of-year projects and my class of seniors is all but done...giving the final exam tomorrow (note to self - make copies!!!). Middle schoolers are still a mystery that will never be completely solved but i've incorporated tangrams into the daily grind for the rest of the year. "No Jillian tonight?!?" "NO!!!!!" whatever.

Staff meeting after school, yada yada yada...double header thursday down in Pentwater against a stinky team i got to scout yestreday. We'll be undefeated in conference going into our final four games next week. Tough Manistee Catholic is beatable - we've got better hitters top to bottom even though they've got a couple of kids at the top of the order with alot of pop.

I get to hang out downtown Detroit this weekend at Eastern Market for Flower Day! Selling and selling perennials and trees...great experience there last year, hope it warms up (47 now, windy and rainy).
Gonna test my blood sugar...ok...took a shot. Landlord's doing pork on the grill, steamed asparagus, cheesy somekinda soup, and there's fresh bread and roasted potatos. mmmmmm mmmmmm mmmmmmmm.

End of the day and the room is quiet...

i let the sophomores go about 12 seconds before the bell rings and i just soak up the solitude and tranquility. 3:03 and it's out in the hallway wishing the scholars a good day, now back at my computer at 3:07.

Fun day with the kids to-day. Made some mistakes, did some good things, learned some lessons. Thank you, Father, for teaching me; your ways are good. May i be like you when i teach.

low blood sugar woke me up wide awake at 1:15

...so it must be time to type! (ttt) :-)

Ernie told me this yestreday: When you have the choice of being right or being kind, always be kind.

I just had a lunchmeat/american cheese/no mustard sandwich but it was on the real cheap spongy white bread...omgwasitgood!!!

In a field of yellow flowers, ...

diet mountain dew out of a can isn't supposed to be real good for me, either, golly it sure is tasty!

Planted some snow on the mountain perennials sunday before i came back north; day before i made a couple of planter boxes (one rests on a 4x4 buried, never saw such a thing) and a cover for the camper. We were excited to get to watch the wings together but my buddy fell asleep after one period and it ended up being the last game anyway for them. DET lost today to CLE and go home for a week or so against NYY and BOS. I'm getting TRD and it's time to go to BED.

effin starts with 'e', Nisha, it must be the other word...

Oh yes another glorious day here in room 346 and the middle schoolers are i) "cleaning their locker" (translate: can we go screw around in the hall for the hour?), ii) "going to the bathroom" ("both of you?" "yeah, my locker's stuck and she's gonna help me" ... ? ... "k go.") or iii) playing chess ("you kill him then i kill him then he kills him then he kills him here but the king is still in safety") ...

I just dropped a line from the big lebowski on about ten of them and i haven't seen that blank of a stare since last hour's pre-algebra class...

Doubleheader tonight against Baldwin; the senior who quit the team yestreday is back on it today...life is good.

dude, you're being very un-dude

what the hell am i doing? really... golly!!! ... ... why?!?!?!?!? wtf...........

"And now at last it comes. You will give me the Ring freely! In place of the Dark Lord you will set up a Queen. And I shall not be dark, but beautiful and terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!"

She lifted up her hand and from the ring that she wore there issued a great light that illumined her alone and left all else dark. She stood before Frodo seeming now tall beyond measurement, and beautiful beyond enduring, terrible and worshipful. Then she let her hand fall, and the light faded, and suddenly she laughed again, and lo! she was shrunken: a slender elf-woman, clad in simple white, whose gentle voice was soft and sad.

"I pass the test," she said. "I will diminish, and go into the West, and remain Galadriel."

LORD, help me pass the test.

God is great, God is good!

A not-so-great weekend comes to a close but to-day the sun was ashining and the music is aplaying and life is good. Drove up north listening to the Tigers and JV had a phenomenal outing to-day! Gave up a hit in the first, then retired like 23 straight until the ninth, gave up a hit and sparky pulled him for Valverde who proceded to shut down the halos for the final two outs. JV gets the win, and the damn near complet game shutout, Tigers got the win and the sweep! of the LAAoA for the first time in 12 years and the second series they took in a row. The Boys go to Minnesota for a series at the new park next taking a 16-10 record with them. Jackson only had 3 hits (5 yestreday) and there were no heroics for Damon (walk-off homer yestreday) but JV struck out 7 and didn't walk a batter in a performance that was as close to a no-hitter as you can get without doing it.
In other news, my landlord is cooking chicken enchiladas and i made a salad...sunday night's finest.
We play four conference games starting tomorrow.

Warm and sunny...

Praise God for His goodness!!
Praise Him for His purpose and plan!!

Tigers won with the Dtrain last night. Took the series from the Twins and the Twins had'nt lost a series all year yet. Yes.

Our boys lost a heartbreaker, the Ace was cruising with a 1-0 lead all game, then gave up two unearned runs and the lead. Top of the last inning we push across one to tie but then after one on and one out, a kid rips one down the left field line and over the fence. (now, if you're scoring that, the batter gets two rbi, even though they only needed one to win. he also gets a run scored, even though they didn't need that to win.)

Professional development day, once again; this time the entire county's teachers are gathered here in Onekama which is nice because i can find an out of the way computer to weblog on. I can also play around with google apps, the wave of the future for document and communication here in the district. K, did some of that...now...what?...

Glorious day outside

7-5

The boys took two this afternoon from a middle school team down in Walkerville...we scored 35 runs in the first 3-inning mercy rule shortened game and then 20 as the home team and only batting twice in the nightcap. Our girls won their first games of the season by mercying twice also.
Also...the tigers split their series with the Rangers by winning tonight 8-6. Brandon Inge finally put one over the fence and Coke got the win. Brandon put another one over in the ninth and the tigs were 5-6 on that nasty road trip out west.

In Principio

Et creavit Deus hominem ad imaginem suam : ad imaginem Dei creavit illum, masculum et feminam creavit eos.

10-9 ... 5-5

Yet another fabulous weekend comes to a close...thoughts regarding Monday morning which is so fastly approaching: I gotta do some things, some things are optional.
Get up
Shave, shower, get dressed
Pack all that baseball crap in my bag
Correct papers, get a test ready for 5th hour
Get a lesson ready for pre-calculus (complex solutions of polynomial functions)
Get a test ready for 3rd hour
Probability in 6th hour
7hour i don't get to see becuase of baseball, givem a worksheet ro something
Job list for seventh hour - bless their hearts they clean the boards, erasers, pencil sharpeners, and put the chairs up.
Leave school early which i absolutely hate doing to be statboy for the baseball team...
2 hour bus ride, 4 hours of baseball, 2 hour busride, stumble into truck, drive home, stumble out of truck, stumble across driveway through front door, peel off uniform, fall into bed.
Boys lost two in a double header at Wuerful Park on Saturday...just got a few details as i wasn't there...
Tigers lost to Texas this afternoon. Porcello got rocked ... dunno ... bullpen has  been stellar but the starters ......
Above right: Augustine, 13 November 354 - 28 August 430

Life's Good!!

Sunny and warm (in the sun) making for a great evening in northern lower Michigan. Wings are trying to even up their first round series agains Phoenix and the Tigers play later on the west coast.
Thank you, Father, for a good day. Thank you for the kids you've entrusted me with. Thank you for the ways they teach me, and for the ways you teach me.

3-3

Split another double-header this afternoon, this time we traveled about a zillion miles south to a larger school on the west coast of this great State. We were up in the first one 4-0 (scoreboard said 5-0 so i checked with the home scorer and she said one of our guys who had got thrown out at the plate scored ... i only argued a little and then was like 'yeah whatever') and then got lax and gave up several runs we shouldn't have and lost 10-7 (which was really 10-6). Our ace started the second game giving up one hit and one walk and one ground-out and striking out the rest in three innings whilst we scored 11 (really) in the first and 4 more in the 4th...they got three off our reliver/outfielder/infeilder/all around nice guy in the final two innings so it ended after 5 with a 15-3 mercy rulle win. We could easisly be 5-1 with only the 9 to 1 spaniking our only real good defeat but oh well. Two more days of practice this week and a home stand thursday against a conference foe from the south. These long bus-rides home on school nites are made even longer by the now-familiar stops at mcdonalds. coaches eat free and i am soooo taking advantage...to the point of gluttony. 'oh, and a 9 piece, ... and a cheeseburger, ... and a mcflurry... ... omg... felt sick and tired the whole way home but i deserved it.
Father, forgive my gluttony. Help me to satisfy myself with You and not food. In Jesus' name.
Good night, my sweet Monica; I miss you.

7-5

Tigers won yestreday afternonn 4-2 on the west coast to slavage one game out of the series. Sherzer got the win, Valverde the save, and Miggy celebrated his 27th birthday with a 3-run dinger.
Another great weekend comes to a close...sunday it tried to get sunny later in the afternoon; i think it may have gotten up to 60...should be sunny and at least that warm this week - can't complain!! saw the typo above, yes, ...kinda like that new word and i'm just gonna leave it.

6-5

You'd think the combination of Verlander and Zoomzoom would be enough to quiet the bats of any MLB team...JV got the loss and Tiger bats only pushed across 2 runs in Seattle tonight: Maglio's 4th homer (solo shot) and a pinch-hit RBI single by Damon. Come-backs are exciting but they're the exception, not the rule. If they're 6-5 on the season, it'll be something like 86-76 which probably won't win the division. Like to see more spark out of the entire line-up top to bottom. Lot's of guys stranded again tonight, it seemed.
Oh well.
Life's good.
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, His mercy endures forever!

2-2

Our boys faced the number 1 ranked team in the State in Division IV this afternoon. We lost 9-1 in the first game against their ace, the coaches son, who worked the gasoline with a nasty curve and changepiece. Our lone run came on a homer that got up in the wind, the first of this senior's career. Some parents grilled hot dogs for the team between games and we all got some water, ready to come out swinging.
As soon as it started, we were down 8-0, but we were having fun. In the fourth, we scored six to make it respectable. Then in their fifth, they scored another five to make it 13-6; the score when we came up to bat in the bottom of the last inning. Top of the order. At least three hit batsmen, a few hits, some good baserunning (as well as good fortune) and we were narrowing the gap. Scored four with the bases loaded and two outs. Leadoff guy again and he lines one at the third baseman above his head. Just gets the glove on it and it bounds up and over his head, rolling harmlessly into the outfield. A bases-loaded walk makes it a one-run game, another single ties it and we've got the clean-up hitter who's already 3/4 with four RBI. First pitch he drills up the middle between the infielders, the winning run scores, and pandemonium breaks loose.
The clipboard I had thrown in a toddler fit when we botched a pickle two days ago again went sailing, this time straight up into the air. Life's good.

6-2

The Tigers scored 6 runs in the seventh inning this afternoon to come back once again this summer and beat the lowly Royals 6-5. Zoomzoom got the win (2-0) and Valverde got his first save.

Hey, at least I'm housebroken.

Our boys played in Lake City tonight and split the doubleheader. 5-3 loss and then a 19-2 mercy. Some highlights and some lowlights but everybody got to play and overall, we looked pretty good.

Forgive me, Father, when i'm so quick to be reactive toward circumstances.

5-2

Tigers lost to KC at home this afternoon; they made four errors and Sherzer got the loss. Watching GI Jane before my long spring nap. Tough practice to-day; we've got our first double header tomorrow...geared up with our hats, belts, and socks :-) and we're ready.

Thank you God for another day at work with all of your children. Help me tomorrow to reflect your love, help me to love each as you love them. And thank you for loving me.

5-1

Another great weekend is over and i'm ready to hit the hay. Yardwork, grilling, eating, shopping, and driving have all combined to make me tired. Got alot done at the lakehouse and still had time to catch the Tigers three victories in a row over the Indians. Tigers stranded 18 - that's the most in a win since 1920. Miggy got on base six times - that's the most in his career. 9 runs without a triple or homerun must be some kind of record. 5 hour game; Cleveland pitching gave up at least 10 walks. JV got hammered for 5 runs in the first but we've learnt to stay tuned because sometimes it's not how you start, but how you finish. Damon pinchhit for Laird in the 9th (who has just gotten his first hit of the year) and walked on four strait to force the tying run in. The first pitch to Sizemore was in the dirt and got all the way to the backstop allowing Guillen to score from 3rd and it was over. Needless to say, the crowd went wild (as did we in Lakeland who concern ourselves with such things...).

Brother in Illinoiz, I love you. Keep being your kids' daddy.

Tigs in first a half game in front of Minnesota. Keep sweeping lousy teams, Jim, keep managing with your gut.

LG

Yeah, life's good yo...listening to these old Various Artist christian stuff i got from who knows where...some hiphop, some eminem sounding, some stevie nix sounding, some five iron frenzy sounding (wait, i think it was FiF :-) them some jars of clay flood!...tried to get the old dinosaur ibm desktop connected in to the wireless but it wasn't havin it. either my skills are lacking (extremely probable) or this machine is not wireless capable. Don't know enough about it, dude. I'm the dude, man...

Tigers came on strong late and won. Middle of the order cranked again, Miggy jacked his second, Willis looked strong and Laird tried to get on with a bunt! Yeah, this is gonna be a fun summer! Mags ripped one, too. Pitching hasn't been perfect but they need to know they don't need to be! Perry shaky at first but settled in. Valverde gave up the tying and winning runs last night but Skip used him tonight to close out the ninth (not a save opportunity). Leeland on the KC series: "Every player got to start, every pitcher got to pitch, … we’re alright." Love him.

Love you mom and dad. Thanks for teaching me what you did: to love the LORD, to appreciate His creation, to smile, to be nice. Thanks for loving me.

Sent letters to legislators to-day regarding the state of Education in Michigan. Can't hurt. The Dude abides, man. Jennifer, too. God will provide!

Got some 90's contemporary Christian mix going now: Hands In The Air by The Waiting...beautifully crafted lyrics, smooth acoustics building to chorus with distortion, crisp harmonies...then Grammartrain doing Jonah...upbeat but repetitive lyrics.

Snow covers the deck, lawn, and vehicles but about half of the sky is crystal clear and starry. The Waiting with Number 9... great tune. Can't count on my fingers I got more sense than that...Considering Lily, the sisters from Australia: Pikes Peak. Supertones: Resolution...great bass line and horn leads. Love that little ska rythm guitar...

Where are you going Henny Penney, Goosy Luce, Chicken Licken, ...?

Foxy Loxy follow us! We're off to tell the king the sky is falling!

From the front porch of my rental I type, enamoured with the rain and seasonal temps (almost 50 degrees cooler than a week ago!), cautiouly optimistic about my job status for next year, getting over not winning the Biggest Loser contest at work (by a slim .2 of a percent!). Mama Kitty (her title, not her name, which escapes me most of the time) is trying to walk on the keyboard, then on my back, then between me and my smoking marlboro in the ashtray ( a defininte no-no), while thoughts come and go faster than I can keep up with my fingers...

I have the most precious group of seniors in a pre-calculus class right before lunch. They are all gifted in various ways: Kelvin is the male thinker of the group - his 'what-ifs' transfer from the math's at hand to every possible tangent. Ashleigh is an artist and prefers sketching to doing math's but she will work hard, examine book examples for help, and ask pertinant relevant questions. Kay-Lani-Lani-Luau is the female thinker in the group - athletic, very artistic, self-driven (almost to the point of obsessiveness), and very excited about being accepted to the large local State university. Jack could be an academic all-star but is quite lazy - he'll do what is necessary to get by and little else - but he's quite personable and laughs at everyone's jokes. Kitty is diminuitive in stature but large in spunk: none of us would mess with her or cheat on her in poker. She tries to do the work but her requisite skills are lacking and she struggles to keep a C average. Dantonio is a movie line waiting to happen; he shows moments of math'l brilliance but is occupied with running, senior t-shirts, and Kembo Slice. Betsie is a worrier; her doodling and lack of input during discussions belies her interest and apptidude in math's...she can do well and often does.

tuesday back to work and why am i so tired?..?..?..

omg got up at 4:30 this am and just had to get to work..and now at 3:30 i am indeed truly tired...had a week off and slept in no lie every day til about 11 except one day it was like 7:30 and the sun was coming up and it was warm and it was nice and very nice yes...
A cold wind flowed down behind them, as they turned their backs on the Redhorn Gate, and stumbled wearily down the slope. Caradhras had defeated them.

Life's good    8 P

In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit...

Across the road there lied a fortress, and within that fortress was hidden information the robot required to achieve subatronic distillation of subatomic particles as it relates to metacognational negation and our nation's finite resources. Therefore the robot had to cross the road to stop the oil crisis and save the Earth and humanity.
 
Thanks, K_Buck :-)
             

Joy, period

Back up north and it's sunny here too! Opening Day for the Tigers to-day; ours is this Thursday!
Joy in the journey, this is my Father's world...
More of you, LORD

Joy in the journey...

Had to say no to cursillo team and am filled with sorrow. Not my will, but yours...

Sunny, breezy, and mild temps for the rest of this week and that is nice...been outside doing yardwork and that is nice, too. So much to be thankful for, forgive my selfeshness, Father.

Library smells like chocolate...why?

Job, job, job, job, ????!?!?!?!?!

Morning by morning...

So much going through my mind this mid-late morning on a fine Thursday...LORD of HOSTS, You know me, You know my purpose and my potential. Make me one with You.

Terrific Tuesday...

My wife is my most favourite person in the whole world.

Sunny and Cool

I've been asked to be a part of a cursillo (http://www.editech-mi.com/LVCCM/) team for a late July weekend; i'm pretty pumped and would say 'yes' right now but the boss who called said to pray about it ... of course. Don't think my wife's too keen on the idea though: she rattled off about six negatives when i told her i was asked. Why can't she ever just rejoice with me?

A week of baseball practice outside and aint it great?!?! Seems like it's been sunny for the last almost month; even if  the temps aren't where we'd like them (85) the sunshine sure does warm the heart.

Trying to do a Weebly web...more on that later.

Our union president said i was in line to get a layoff notice for next year. Don't care if there's five others who may also get one, don't care that the Board is going to vote on this thursday, don't care that it's been a great three years here....i'd just like some job security for crying out loud. Is this too much to ask?

(just chose a nice theme on weebly, while waiting for my picture to upload)

Watched Sweeney Todd. Watched Live Free or Die Hard. The former was tragic had more songs and graphic bloody violence. The latter had more heroics and he-man-tough-guy-lines.

I'm hungry. Let's get a taco.

Dropkick Murphys

The representative from California has the floor...

Grade papers, put grades in book, prepare, make good assignments, collect assignments, grade papers, give quizzie, watch for cheaters, collect quizzie, grade quizzie, give cheaters zero, pass back quizzies, new lesson, new assignment, correct, enter, pass back, ... i wanna be a punk rock person. Not a star, just a person.


Almighty and Everlasting God,


You have given the human race

Jesus Christ our Savior as a model of humility.

He fulfilled Your Will by becoming Man

And giving His life on the Cross.

Help us to bear witness to You

By following His example of suffering

And make us worthy to share in His Resurrection.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son.

thursday, the day before friday...
friday, the last day of the workweek, and TBL weigh-in...
friday, after TBL weigh-in, i will eat...
friday, the first day of the weekend...
friday, the day before saturday...
saturday, the middle day of the weekend...
saturday, when i have no responsibilities...
saturday, the day before sunday...
sunday, the last day of the weekend...
sunday, when msu plays osu ...
sunday, the day before monday...
monday, the first day of the workweek

Super Thoughts I

Peyton's a freak, right, but you still gotta have guys that block, guys that catch the ball, guys that make the tackle, .... I called the late first quarter touchdown when they started the drive ... so far the Bud Light commercials are the best. How bout the fiddleing badgers? Mike Ditka saying 'that's fresh' is the best line so far. Robing AHood with Russel Crowe on 5/14...looks good.
The big issue right now is when to smoke, and when to watch. Don't wanna miss the ads, that's for sure.
The guy in the suv throwing the whale off the pier...the kid who clocks his mom's date: 'you don't touch my mom, and you don't touch my doritos' ...
Potatos and sausage on the stove making the kitchen smell good...
2nd quarter: 10-0...Brees' turn to shine....or maybe reggie's...michael strahan said with all the partyin these guys do, they don't really wake up until the 3rd quarter...shitty call on the out-of-bounds hit...phil sims is not my favorit, nor is jim nantz. but both are better than mussberger...Potatoes and sausage with Kraft Ranch calling my name...NO moving the ball well...4 day work week this week and next week...Pre-Calculus is my favourite class this year, don't tell the freshmen...Freeny sack and the fg attempt...10-3...Stripes music, Budwieser: 'the bridge is out!'...Dave , Jay, Oprah, ... I wear no pants...brett favre when he's 50...i got four tabs working right now...how bout illinois last night beating MSU in that god-forsaken orange facility...vilma better get excited, i don't see him doing much more this game...how perfect was the route and the pass, but garcon dropped it with 8:29 to go in the half...first down NO after an Indy punt...look for a turnover here...shockey two yards short of the first...Saints near the 20 fisrt and ten...end-around din't develop well...brees directing traffic like peyton!!! 1st and goal from the 3...lost one...time out? no. false start, still 2nd down...thomas to the one..."who sends flowers in a box? that's the same thing that cigarettes and dead people come in" third and one...short! huge!!!alice in wonderland johnny depp...gene simmons drinking dr. pepperpuxatowny palanamlue has seen his shadow!...after the idy timeout...here we go...nONONONONONONONON how bout that colts de!!!!!!!super D on the 7th of february...metacognational!!!...now u=m's mike hart running...also coming up the doritos superbowl today halftine report are you f=in kidding me?!??!?!?!?mike hart short, time out wiht 46 seconds left...reggie smothered at the 48...aerial coverage provided by bud light golden wheat...44 yard attempt with 5 seconds left and we have a 10-6 ball game...here comes half time and the Who? ...


halftime thoughts...um...doritos? ... potatos and sausage sound better... How about the Potatos and Sausage superbowl today halftime report?!? oh coach what's his name from pittsburgh is in the booth too...and theres marino with hes permatan...simms says if i'm new orleans i'm throwin the ball!! yeah phil! shannon sharp agrees...oh! danica commercials are always good....alright don't wanna see any more amazing race ads... gridgestone super bolw 44 halftime show!!!!
ever since I was a young boy i played the silver ball...what makes him so good? ... baba oreily yeah! these guys are old and i mean old...pete still swings his arm around like he did at the silverdome in '84...what an honour it's got to be for them appearing in the most watched even in the history or human-dom...is that john entwhislte or is he dead?... who are you? (how original) tell me who the heck r u? ..potatos and sausage were pretty darn good the second time...the only thing that could make this halftime show better would be to have some rational expressions in there that you would have to factor and reduce and tell whether the discontinuity is removable or essential...
enough CSI ads already, too...alright another game summary!!!!60 minutes, yeah! ... Captain Howdy says enough Mentalists ads...Dishnet has no paid celebrity endorsements!!!...and this years concert had no wardrobe malfunctions!!!
can we start the half already?!?! her we go!!! thought: no Survivor ads so far... onside kick!!!! listen to the felluz yell...saints ball!!!!its tricky to kick the ball to kick the ball it's called onsides its tricky, how is it, d? tricky tricky tricky huh! turning point?!? we shall see, we shall see...first down thomas...pattycake? brees to henderson for 9...henderson for the first down...peyton's gotta be gettin cold just sittin there for like two hours...like seein brees set the tone by throwin the ball, then see Reggie run...first down thomas...red zone...thomas for six on the screen!!!!!!
the gods have a plan for you...on may 26th...give me the dagger! Prince of Persia...stevie in the vw ad...dennys free grand slam...adai shakes off the hit and gets the first time...70 minutes since peytons last first down!! first down adai...(aside) if the saints win, will they play when the saints come marching in? love singing that during the Easter Vigil (and also at a Via de Cristo weekend!) ... adai for 4 past midfield...dallas clark for 26 from manning unbelievable!! love that guy!..incomplet on first down...brown for five...watchout here...clark to the 4! ... lions are you watching?!? ... addai spins, he's in!!!!!!! what a drive...peyton not affected by teenage wasteland or the long sit on the bench!!!17-13 colts...
mich ultra and the biker whathisname...griswold in the napolean sweet, sparky! ha!!! kgb bring it on fat man ...few penalties so far...guy in the white shirt walkin through the wild...elephants, snakes, cokacola...cool...baby talking etrade funny...hteres' the survivor ad finally...go russell!! ...first and ten for NO...thomas for six ... potatoes are still tastin good... incomplet at the indy 48...brees to henderson for a first down...did the graphick during that last replay say 'supervision'? ...thomas for 2 on second and nine...brees to schockey for 4 but its fourth down and time for a fg attempt..dead center!! 17-16 indy!
i'm still the king of mariokart, just to remind you...search on, google!...  blimp coverage began at the orange bowl 50 years ago...kick returned to the 11...see that hit on shockey?!?
manning to thomas for 9...cheese!!!!!! brown for 5 and the first down...short gain...end of 3rd quarter...
sper bowl 44 on cbs...liftoff...no lion fans in the nfl.com ad, notice?!?
Yes, there is nothing funner, professionaly speaking, than to help college bound seniors do their math homework. Intrinsic rewards unmatched! Any more good ads?!?...
ok, fg attempt wide left and NO gets the ball with good field potition...emarald nuts...vizio...undercover boss...siants ball on the 41...bush for a first down...brees to thomas for 6brees to henderson for a first down...factoring rational expressions is fun...brees to bush for 5...brees to ? for another first down...at the 20...brees to meachem for 6...wonder if the jehovah witnesses are watching tonight...brees to thomas to the five, first and goal to go...thomas to the 2...brees to schocky for the catch and the lead!!!!! what a game, with 5: 42 to go...the try for two ... no catch... 22-17...tough call for NO...aint no sunshine when she's goneDante's inferno ???budwiser horses and the bull - good one: nothing comes between friends...especially fences...saints challenging the call...bet it's reversed...long enough he had it i think...huge call at this p;oint...wish i had some donuts right now...told ya...saints up 7...huge! peyton's got about five and a half to move 70 yards for the tie...started palying xbox halo2 and it's tough, especially after playing nothing but zelda ocarina of time for 15 years...gotta blast these huge growling things with different guns and grenades and such...and the boss keeps calling me 'chief'...are you following me? every tuesday night...criminal minds...
k. so it comes to this...you've got two empty havles of coconut and your bangin them together... offsides ..no false start...manning with four days to throw gets a first down ...almost picked off...no turnovers yet!!......2nd and 10...first down to ...?...another first down...lions are you watching?!?!? ... gain of five...incomplete over the middle...injjured saint...manning picked ...six ]!!!! what a play unbelievable and the pat is good!!! unbelievable!!! what a game!!!time for new blood!
dannica again...colts down to the three and need to put it in...over!...good night...

Kings from Queens

Ralph Bakshi

This guy did the first full-length Lord of the Rings feature film. It was animated and done fairly well, or so I remember from way back in 1978. I bought the soundtrack and loved the music. Was able to begin watching it again thanks to Youtube and still liked it. Being a purist, I found lots that Peter Jackson's LotR was lacking, but Bakshi avoided the cute one-liners and, being a cartoon, I didn't mind so much of the book missing from this film. Compare the Elves' grieving Mithrandir's fall in song in the two and Bakshi rules.

Not as much snow as last year; seems i'm doing more grading papers than ever though. We have supped and life is good...

oh holy night, the stars are brightly shining

Wednesday of the first week of the biggest loser competition and i don't think i'm doing very good. I can do great for 90% of the day then late evening about an hour or two before i'd like to go to bed, i just 'give up' and indulge in whatever. Two nights ago it was a half bag of corn chips with some good tostito's con queso. Then last night my landlord made this venison beef-tips with mushrooms and garlic over pasta and ohmygoodness was it grand!

To-day's a new day! This IS the day the LORD has made, I WILL rejoice and be glad in it!!!!!

FAINT HUMMING SOUND)



One man wants to touch the thing . . . he's having an argument with a policeman. The policeman wins. . . . Now, ladies and gentlemen, there's something I haven't mentioned in all this excitement, but now it's becoming more distinct. Perhaps you've caught it already on your radio. Listen:


(LONG PAUSE) . . .


Do you hear it? It's a curious humming sound that seems to come from inside the object. I'll move the microphone nearer. (PAUSE) Now we're not more then twenty-five feet away. Can you hear it now? Oh, Professor Pierson!


PIERSON: Yes, Mr. Phillips?


PHILLIPS: Can you tell us the meaning of that scraping noise inside the thing?


PIERSON: Possibly the unequal cooling of its surface.


PHILLIPS: I see, do you still think it's a meteor, Professor?


PIERSON: I don't know what to think. The metal casing is definitely extraterrestrial . . . not found on this earth. Friction with the earth's atmosphere usually tears holes in a meteorite. This thing is smooth and, as you can see, of cylindrical shape.

Saturday

Day 2 of the Biggest Loser competition and i might have dropped a tenth of a pound or two...Up at school making copies, endless copies of worksheets, quizzies, practice sheets, final exams (coming up soon) and lesson plans.

Still love Ghoti Hook's Sumo Surprise: Samson, Scared am I, Tract Boy, ...

I love Jesus, yes I do
I love Jesus, how 'bout you?

ANNOUNCER TWO: We take you now to Grovers Mill, New Jersey.

(CROWD NOISES . . . POLICE SIRENS)

PHILLIPS: Ladies and gentlemen, this is Carl Phillips again, at the Wilmuth farm, Grovers Mill, New Jersey. Professor Pierson and myself made the eleven miles from Princeton in ten minutes. Well, I . . . I hardly know where to begin, to paint for you a word picture of the strange scene before my eyes, like something out of a modern "Arabian Nights." Well, I just got here. I haven't had a chance to look around yet. I guess that's it. Yes, I guess that's the . . . thing, directly in front of me, half buried in a vast pit. Must have struck with terrific force. The ground is covered with splinters of a tree it must have struck on its way down. What I can see of the . . . object itself doesn't look very much like a meteor, at least not the meteors I've seen. It looks more like a huge cylinder. It has a diameter of . . . what would you say, Professor Pierson?

PIERSON (OFF-MIKE): What's that?

PHILLIPS: What would you say . . . what is the diameter?

PIERSON: About thirty yards.

PHILLIPS: About thirty yards . . . The metal on the sheath is . . . well, I've never seen anything like it. The color is sort of yellowish-white. Curious spectators now are pressing close to the object in spite of the efforts of the police to keep them back. They're getting in front of my line of vision. Would you mind standing to one side, please?

POLICEMAN: One side, there, one side.

PHILLIPS: While the policemen are pushing the crowd back, here's Mr. Wilmuth, owner of the farm here. He may have some interesting facts to add . . . Mr. Wilmuth, would you please tell the radio audience as much as you remember of this rather unusual visitor that dropped in your backyard? Step closer, please. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Mr. Wilmuth.

WILMUTH: Well, I was listenin' to the radio.

PHILLIPS: Closer and louder please.

WILMUTH: Pardon me!

PHILLIPS: Louder, please, and closer.

WILMUTH: Yes, sir -- while I was listening to the radio and kinda drowsin', that Professor fellow was talkin' about Mars, so I was half dozin' and half . . .

PHILLIPS: Yes, yes, Mr. Wilmuth. Then what happened?

WILMUTH: As I was sayin', I was listenin' to the radio kinda halfways . . .

PHILLIPS: Yes, Mr. Wilmuth, and then you saw something?

WILMUTH: Not first off. I heard something.

PHILLIPS: And what did you hear?

WILMUTH: A hissing sound. Like this: sssssss . . . kinda like a fourt' of July rocket.

PHILLIPS: Then what?

WILMUTH: Turned my head out the window and would have swore I was to sleep and dreamin.'

PHILLIPS: Yes?

WILMUTH: I seen a kinda greenish streak and then zingo! Somethin' smacked the ground. Knocked me clear out of my chair!

PHILLIPS: Well, were you frightened, Mr. Wilmuth?

WILMUTH: Well, I -- I ain't quite sure. I reckon I -- I was kinda riled.

PHILLIPS: Thank you, Mr. Wilmuth. Thank you.

WILMUTH: Want me to tell you some more?

PHILLIPS: No . . . That's quite all right, that's plenty.

PHILLIPS: Ladies and gentlemen, you've just heard Mr. Wilmuth, owner of the farm where this thing has fallen. I wish I could convey the atmosphere . . . the background of this . . . fantastic scene. Hundreds of cars are parked in a field in back of us. Police are trying to rope off the roadway leading to the farm. But it's no use. They're breaking right through. Cars' headlights throw an enormous spot on the pit where the object's half buried. Some of the more daring souls are now venturing near the edge. Their silhouettes stand out against the metal sheen.

Really diggin my Georgia font here...

Blest Christmas and New Years with loved ones...bowling on 12/31 was the best; ending the night kareoking Green Day (with interjected Curly imitations) made it all the more fulfilling.

But back to work now for a week and to-day was the initial weigh-in for the 12 week Biggest Loser Club. I'm going to win.  


PHILLIPS: Just a moment, ladies and gentlemen, someone has just handed Professor Pierson a message. While he reads it, let me remind you that we are speaking to you from the observatory in Princeton, New Jersey, where we are interviewing the world- famous astronomer, Professor Pierson . . . One moment, please. Professor Pierson has passed me a message which he has just received . . . Professor, may I read the message to the listening audience?

PIERSON: Certainly, Mr. Phillips

PHILLIPS: Ladies and gentlemen, I shall read you a wire addressed to Professor Pierson from Dr. Gray of the National History Museum, New York. "9:15 P. M. eastern standard time. Seismograph registered shock of almost earthquake intensity occurring within a radius of twenty miles of Princeton. Please investigate. Signed, Lloyd Gray, Chief of Astronomical Division" . . . Professor Pierson, could this occurrence possibly have something to do with the disturbances observed on the planet Mars?

PIERSON: Hardly, Mr. Phillips. This is probably a meteorite of unusual size and its arrival at this particular time is merely a coincidence. However, we shall conduct a search, as soon as daylight permits.

PHILLIPS: Thank you, Professor. Ladies and gentlemen, for the past ten minutes we've been speaking to you from the observatory at Princeton, bringing you a special interview with Professor Pierson, noted astronomer. This is Carl Phillips speaking. We are returning you now to our New York studio.

dreary sunday thoughts...

Up at school sorting through paperwork, organizing, throwing things out and arranging my drawers. I'm going to create a list for myself of all the stuff I have stored in this room and where it is. I forget where things are and it'd also be nice in case someone subbing in Room 346 wants to find something also. Nice idea, we'll see if I follow through.

Those underachieving Lions have caused folks in some part of this US of A to rejoice, yet again. I think that's why God lets them keep playing. They distribute so much joy all over this great nation of ours when so many people are seeking a reason to be happy. To-day, they blessed the East Coast (MD, and all other Raven States) with their unparalleled goodness. Thank you, King of kings, for the Lions. Thank you for the joy they bring to so many.

1-2 inches of snow expected in the next 24 hours...don't see where it's gonna come from though; not a system within a couple of states to the west.

Continuing our saga:

PROF. PIERSON
At any time, Mr. Phillips.
CARL PHILLIPS
Professor, would you please tell our radio audience exactly what you see as you observe the planet Mars through your telescope?
PROF. PIERSON
Nothing unusual at the moment, Mr. Phillips. A red disk swimming in a blue sea. Transverse stripes across the disk. Quite distinct now because Mars happens to be the point nearest the earth... in opposition, as we call it.
CARL PHILLIPS
In your opinion, what do these transverse stripes signify, Professor Pierson?
PROF. PIERSON
Not canals, I can assure you, Mr. Phillips —
CARL PHILLIPS
(OFF-MIC) I see.
PROF. PIERSON
— although that's the popular conjecture of those who imagine Mars to be inhabited. From a scientific viewpoint the stripes are merely the result of atmospheric conditions peculiar to the planet.
CARL PHILLIPS
Then you're quite convinced as a scientist that living intelligence as we know it does not exist on Mars?
PROF. PIERSON
I'd say the chances against it are a thousand to one.
CARL PHILLIPS
And yet, how do you account for these gas eruptions occurring on the surface of the planet at regular intervals?
PROF. PIERSON
Mr. Phillips, I cannot account for it.
CARL PHILLIPS
By the way, Professor, for the benefit of our listeners, how far is Mars from the earth?
PROF. PIERSON
Approximately forty million miles.
CARL PHILLIPS
Well, that seems a safe enough distance.
PROF. PIERSON
(OFF-MIC) Thank you.

Good day, sunshine!

Oooooh yeah and another snow-day bites the dust...profound changes in the Detroit Tigers lineup for 2010 have me confused yet excited. I think all the high-priced failures of late have showed DD that they need another plan, perhaps a plan to raise up stars of their own as they did in the late 70s/early 80s...The MSU football thing is a topic of concern; President O'Bama's lack of user satisfaction is another.
Who was it that said 'Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results'?
Who was it that said 'Those who can't think fight'? I think that it was me. Nice to have met you, Major.

CBS Survivor in less than an hour and i'm drooling in anticipation. Venison goulash for dinner. Not enough Captain Morgan in the eintire State of Michigan ("If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you.")  to help me get through 30 freshman algebra papers.
All time CHRISTmas song I can listen to over and over but don't really like at all: Alvin?... Alvin?! ... ALLLLVINNNNNNNNN?!?!?!?
Best Michael Jackson look alike ever: The one ape in 2001's Planet of the Apes.
Favourite line in a text from my brother: suckass
Favourite radio broadcast I heard in 5th grade:

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is Carl Phillips, speaking to you from the observatory of Princeton. I am standing in a large semi-circular room, pitch black except for an oblong split in the ceiling. Through this opening I can see a sprinkling of stars that cast a kind of frosty glow over the intricate mechanism of the huge telescope. The ticking sound you hear is the vibration of the clockwork.



Professor Pierson stands directly above me on a small platform, peering through the giant lens. I ask you to be patient, ladies and gentlemen, during any delay that may arise during our interview. Besides his ceaseless watch of the heavens, Professor Pierson may be interrupted by telephone or other communications. During this period he is in constant touch with the astronomical centers of the world...


Professor, may I begin our questions?

100th Post! ...

...and for alot of people that's no big deal but for me to start something and stick with it for almost a year and a half is pretty impressive.

The snow still falls. But the Sirius Christmas Pops, the warmth of a nice hot fire, and the smell of some cabbage stew in the pot does me just right on this Wednesday afternoon.

More from the saga:

And now a tune that never loses favor, the ever-popular "Stardust." Ramón Raquello and his orchestra...

Ladies and gentlemen, following on the news given in our bulletin a moment ago, the Government Meteorological Bureau has requested the large observatories of the country to keep an astronomical watch on any further disturbances occurring on the planet Mars.



Due to the unusual nature of this occurrence, we have arranged an interview with a noted astronomer, Professor Pierson, who will give us his views on this event. In a few moments we will take you to the Princeton Observatory at Princeton, New Jersey.


We return you until then to the music of Ramón Raquello and his orchestra.

Snow day thoughts...

Up early; at about 4:15 am only 7 listings of closures in our area, now the list is over 200 long...lots to do to-day...

Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt our program of dance music to bring you a special bulletin from the Intercontinental Radio News.



At twenty minutes before eight, central time, Professor Farrell of the Mount Jennings Observatory, Chicago, Illinois, reports observing several explosions of incandescent gas, occurring at regular intervals on the planet Mars. The spectroscope indicates the gas to be hydrogen and moving towards the earth with enormous velocity.


Professor Pierson of the Observatory at Princeton confirms Farrell's observation, and describes the phenomenon as, quote, "like a jet of blue flame shot from a gun," unquote.


We now return you to the music of Ramón Raquello, playing for you in the Meridian Room of the Park Plaza Hotel, situated in downtown New York.

pre-storm check-in...

(FADE IN) ... for the next twenty-four hours not much change in temperature. A slight atmospheric disturbance of undetermined origin is reported over Nova Scotia, causing a low pressure area to move down rather rapidly over the northeastern states, bringing a forecast of rain, accompanied by winds of light gale force. Maximum temperature 66; minimum 48.


This weather report comes to you from the Government Weather Bureau.


We take you now to the Meridian Room in the Hotel Park Plaza in downtown New York, where you'll be entertained by the music of Ramón Raquello and his orchestra.

in the first hour was the word, and the word was 'shamwow!'

Gotta absolutely have-to love 18 middle schoolers at a time...there's no other way to look at it.

The LORD has blessed me with the task of teaching algebra to one such group between the hours of 8 and 8:51 every weekday. Sometimes half asleep, sometimes wired on Red Bull, these young people keep me sharp, reprove me when i spell commutative wrong, and remind me not to use a rubber band to keep my hair together in back. We did re-cip-ro-cals, multiplicative zero properties, multiplicative identity properties, finding the distance between two points in the Cartesian system, area, and volume to-day...all in brief, keep-their-attention segments. When we got the answer to-day, instead of "Hey Presto!", we bellowed "Shamwow!"

Peace, love, math

And can it be...

19 days before CHRISTmas...melancholy thoughts to-day...Another weekend has come and gone; watched alot of college football and basketball, stacked a facecord of wood, made some potroast, got an oilchange, shopped a bit (a wee bit)...Watched some of the 2005 War of the Worlds...in 1953, things looked so fake; this version of H.G.Wells' novel seemed so real, graphic, intense... didn't sleep well after... shoulda watched Bing and Danny singing in White Christmas instead...

Oh, the play of those Lions I find inconceivable!

God bless us every one.

What's this ... ... a ... another run on the bank?

He never got his picture on bubblegum cards, did he? Have you ever seen his picture on a bubblegum card? Hmmm? How can you say someone is great who's never had his picture on bubblegum cards?

Random thoughts (and even more random quotes) on a snowy monday evening...

I corrected about a zillion math papers already tonight...
Looking forward to singing Christmas carols this month...
Ventured out into the Black Friday Black Hole and came up empty... God bless the people who, in the name of a bargain, do 'that' sort of thing; I will continue to buy not a whole lot of anything other than Goodwill clothes, alarm clocks, and ashtrays...
Next tatoo: "peace, love, math". a peace sign, a heart, and pi. (pi is approximately equal to 3.1415...and is the ratio in any circle of the circumference to the diameter).
MSU hoops tomorrow against North Carolina. Not much at stake...the 'rematch' is all espn hype...state will lose big but it doesn't matter one iota...in the whole configuration of things i'd say it's nothing more than a scurvy little spider. and that goes for you, too. and it goes for you, too!
I play the Microsoft Hearts Network enough, ... do you know that sometimes, you just cant win? I think there's a cycle of hands that are dealt and re-dealt and when it's your time to get spanked, all the craftiness and strategy in the world isn't gonna help. imho, of course

"Toss me a cigarette, i think there's one in my raincoat..."
"We smoked the last one an hour ago"
So I looked at the scenery, she read her magazine,
And the moon rose over an open field

Congrats to Detroit CC, Lowell, East GR, Marshall, Jackson Lumen Christi, Montague, TC St. Francis (the Glads), and Beal City. They all won the last football game of the season at Ford Field in Detroit. Boombayeh to them!

i think i really like Green Day

Best Ever

Album: Ghoti Hook's Sumo Surprise, 1996. Listen at slacker.com.
Absolutely great punk1-2 beat, harmonies, lyrics. Spiritual gold.

Hey presto!

 "tri" means "3" and "angle" means ... "angle!". That was our friend from Math's Mansion, an educational video discussing right-angled, scalene, and obtuse triangles...
Here at the crib on the eve of the first of our two days off due to student illnesses...what to do with all the time off?...? ... Mild and damp tonight and no stars to be seen..the Orionid meteor shower is set to go and i don't know if we'll be able to catch it ... BUT, my beloved landlord just brought me a plate of spaghetti which we teamed up on to create last night....mooooozerella on top and lots of garlic and tomatos and peppers from the garden ... yumm yumm yumm! This guy doesn't just cook, he CREATES! That's great it starts with an earthquake...the only, and i mean only way this could be better would be if it had mushrooms in it...Dodgers, Phillies, Halos Yankees...who cares?!? Tigers should be there and could have done something this time (bitter? maybe...) in the post-season. dammitall mediocre leading this mediocre division all season and letting somebody beat them out at the end team...
k...
Survivor 19 is providing me with late-mid-week joy on thursdays...the arrogant cartoon character who thinks he's won it, the chunky older girl with the mullet who 'doesn't fit in' with her "90210" tribe-mates, the old guy with long hair who can make a fire when the 'leader' can't... i'm hooked though, and look forward to this week's episode.
Here's to-day's math's problem:
Give the domain over which 3x squared -12x + 5 is increasing.
Oh yeah.

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?

our nation turns its lonely eyes to you...
Well, Homecoming week is over (lost to Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart) and I can breathe again. Meetings every day and helping with the class of 2011 float (voted best, yet once again) made last week a hectic one. I'm not complaining though, better to have things to do than to not, as my gaffer used to say.
Big Ten football thoughts...The University of Michigan may well be asking for trouble by scheduling schools with less than one tenth of their enrollment in these contests. Why? it may be asked. Rabid maize and blue fanatics will retort with Why not? I liken it to why I don't arm wrestle with my students. If i win, i'm supposed to win, i weigh 260 pounds for crying out loud. But if I lose, i lost to a kid. If Michigan beats Toledo or Appalachian State or even Deleware State, they're supposed to. They still can maul each other in the endzone, pound their chests as gorillas do, the announcers can get crazy like it's the Rose Bowl, etc. But, and that's a big but - albeit an appropriate one - if they lose, wtf? Don't get it.
Spartan Nation enjoyed another Big 10 victory as MSU chalked up 24 unanswered points in their victory over Northwestern. Iowa is still undefeated and four teams are in the AP Top 25. Nice seeing Ohio State lose, wasn't it?

Detroit Lion thoughts...