You Win Some, You Lose some

That was the case today as the Tigers played the Yankees in a doubleheader. Lost the first game and came oh so close to losing the second game as well. 9th inning with two out to be clear but we caught some breaks....Brandon Inge....Walked....Curtis Granderson....Walked.....Craig Monroe.....BOOM, C-YA, OUTTA HERE, GONE, GOODBYE BASEBALL, FORGET ABOUT IT, 3 RUN HOMER !!! Just like that we were up 5-3 and brought in Todd Jones who shut the Yankees down and we stole a win. Hopefully we can get back on track with that great victory.

In other news the wind was a bit stronger tonight on Lake Erie than last night and that is fine with me. I'm waiting for a nice strong storm to roll through so I can watch and listen to the water then.

Only 2 work days left this week before a nice long weekend. I can't wait. I think I'll head on home to Michigan and see what's happening there. Nothing out of the ordinary I bet but there is nothing wrong with that. No news is good new, right ?

I should have picked up a blender during the garage sales last weekend because I decided to break mine tonight. Well actually it was an accident but the top part that's not even really part of the blender broke so I'm sure it won't be too difficult to replace. A plastic part decided it wanted to fall into the blender while it was running and cut itself up into tiny pieces.....so i'm drinking my shake very carefully, i don't think i'm going to finish it though because picking the plastic out of your teeth every time you take a sip is very time consuming.

That's all the news I have for now. Hope everyone has a happy Thursday!

Crash Into Me

I've just spent about the last 35 minutes sitting out on the rocks next to the shore of Lake Erie. Where there is wind and water there are waves....waves that like to crash into those very rocks where I was sitting. I love the water, it is very relaxing. I wish there was some way to put my bed out by the shore and just listen to the waves all night.

Another Chapter of a Legacy

In a weekend with spurts of total domination, a sloppy looking game (which included 4 straight bogeys), and clawing his way back into contention Tiger Woods won, again. It's amazing to watch and I'm glad I'm in an era that actually gets to "watch" him. We only hear stories of names like Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb.....I think Tiger is going to be one of the athletes who, when the time comes around, my grandchildren will wonder just how good he really was. Hopefully I'll still have the mental capacity to recall many of these amazing victories.

On a side note - while on the topic of dominating the field, I was on the losing end of bowling this weekend. I know what you're thinking....probably lost to some of his friends or something....not the case. I was DEMOLISHED by none other than my parents. Both who have not bowled in years and Dad not even knowing if he could throw a ball. Don't get me wrong, I had a blast......but I'm definitely going to have to chalk those games up to an "off" night. That and the line of my ball resembles a banana that often ends up in the gutter. Well that's all for now, I hope everyone had a great weekend !

City Wide Garage Sale - Ohio Stlye

Today Huron is having a city wide garage sale. Do I need anything? No. Is it fun to look? Indeed. Last weekend I was in Trenton for the city wide garage sale and must have went to at least 40 or 50 places and spent a grand total of 5 dollars all day. 5 dollars for a day of walking and looking at peoples old treasures.

My parents also came to visit me so they are going to join me in this exciting fun filled day of junk searching. That's all for now. Bye !

22 and Counting

Happy Birthday to me ! Thanks to everyone for their phone calls, cards and birthday wishes. Being in a different state makes it a little more difficult to celebrate a birthday but my family and friends made sure to let me know they didn't forget about me. After seeing Aunt Joyce's blog today I have found one thing I like about growing up....growth spurts....and the fact that I don't look like a roley poley blob like I did in the 6th grade.


Random Fun: I also share my birthday with Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers who was born in August 23rd, 1978.

Hello Again

Happy Birthday to Sam today. 28......Half way to 56. Which only means I turn 22....half way to 44, tomorrow. I wonder what things will be like when I'm 44. Hopefully the Tigers will have won a bunch of world series in between now and then.

My Birthday falls on a Wednesday this year and it just so happens that ESPN is having the Tigers on Wednesday night baseball this week so someone must have told ESPN that my birthday was coming up so they scheduled the Tigers to come on my TV in Ohio on my birthday, how exciting !

Since the last time I've posted I've made a trip to Boston. It was a great trip with lots to do and perfect weather. I had a beer at the orignal cheers bar, ate at a Ruth's Chris steakhouse, bought a lot of Red Sox stuff, walked on the freedom trail, ate a lobster, and had a dog and a beer in Fenway Park. So I can cross that last one off my life to do list. The Tiger's were victorious in the game we went to and that didn't make Boston too happy, I can't imagine what they are feeling like after getting swept by the Yankees in a five game series.

What else......Work is pretty normal.....I learn something new everyday. I just hope I remember everything I'm learning. I don't think I'm a very fast learner but at least I'm some type of learner so eventually I'll get the hang of everything.

Also this past Sunday one of my favorite sports figures, Tiger Woods, once again proved to everyone that he can play golf. Here is a recent article I read on Woods which I thought had some funny comments in it as well as proving why he's the best. It's kind of long but I enjoyed it................

You should probably sit down for this one. That's because I'm about to offend anybody and everybody who thinks golfers rank below rhythmic gymnasts, bowlers and tractor-pull drivers on the sports food chain.
Tiger Woods is the greatest individual athlete of our time. OK, of all time.
There, I said it and it feels right, especially after Woods just left Medinah Country Club with what seems like his millionth major championship. Once again, he left divot marks on the rest of the field and bruise marks on the record books.
Nobody kisses more silver than this guy. On Sunday, Woods was busy romancing the Wanamaker Trophy, which is what you get after winning the PGA Championship. It was his third makeout session with the trophy, having won the thing in 1999, 2000 and now 2006. If it happens again, they'll have to get a hotel room.
But this isn't about golf anymore. Woods doesn't have anybody within a par-5 of him on tour. I thought Phil Mickelson was good enough to challenge Woods, but he isn't. Not now. Maybe not ever.
Woods has escaped golf's gravitational pull and moved into a planetary system that includes your one-namers (Pele, Babe, Jack), your initialers (MJ), your nicknamers (The Great One, The Greatest), your oldies (Jim Thorpe, Willie Mays, Joe Louis), your Olympians (Mark Spitz, Carl Lewis), your netters (Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras), your others (Lance Armstrong). I know I'm forgetting someone, but it doesn't matter. Woods is better.

There comes a time when golf greatness morphs into something beyond recognition, something so singular that you have difficulty explaining it. It defies comparison, context and reason.
Can you explain Woods? I can't. I'm not even sure Woods fully understands the ripple effect of his achievements. All I know is that there has never been anyone like him. You tell your children about him, and maybe, if they stick around long enough, they tell theirs.
This was Woods' 12th majors victory. He moved past Walter Hagen, who was no slouch, and to within six car lengths of Jack Nicklaus and the Golden Bear-mobile. Woods could pass Nicklaus and those 18 championships within two years. Crazy? You tell him.
"When you first come out on Tour you just hope to win one," said Woods.
Hope isn't part of the equation these days. Woods doesn't need it. Maybe when he turned pro in 1996, but not now.
Nicklaus is the lone remaining mortal challenge left for Woods -- and Nicklaus doesn't even play on tour anymore. At age 30, Woods is already chasing and catching legends. Hagen on Sunday ... Nicklaus in 2008, 2009, or 2010. His career is now about numbers and legacies.
The truth is he has neutered, for lack of a better word, his peers. They aren't the challenge; history is. Woods has won four of the last eight majors. He owns the lowest 72-hole scores in relation to par in the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open, and is tied for the PGA record. He's missed the cut exactly four times in his career. Jeez, how many times can you rub your eyes in disbelief.
"I mean, we all smirk and laugh when he says he's got his 'B' game, but that's better than most of our 'A' games," said Shaun Micheel, who won the 2003 PGA. "He's just that good."
Micheel finished second Sunday. He shot 13-under for the tournament, which would have won the last four PGAs. Woods still beat him by five strokes.
Woods entered Sunday's round with one of those streaks that doesn't seem possible: 11-0 when he begins the final round of a major with at least a share of the lead. But he was never truly challenged by anyone on the leaderboard and the streak now stands at 12-0.
"It will happen eventually," said Sergio Garcia of a possible Woods Sunday falter. "It's going to happen. I mean, he's not going to be 68 years old and in the final round of a major and tied for the lead and he wins."
Are you sure? If Mick Jagger can still play gigs with the Stones when he's in his 60s, why can't Tiger still be sinking putts in majors when he's pushing 70? After all, he's in better shape.
Early Sunday evening, with the Wanamaker Trophy within easy hugging distance, Woods talked about his friendship with Michael Jordan. They recently played golf in Orlando and afterward, Jordan knocked down shots in the club's indoor basketball court.
"MJ's still MJ," said Woods.
But Jordan is no Woods. Nobody is.
Jordan is arguably the greatest basketball player of all time. Arguably. With Woods, there is no debate. Only injury stands between Woods and any record worth owning.
Woods is an athlete, not just a mope with a golf swing. You can build a condo development across his shoulders. His waist looks like a size 4.
His intensity and focus would translate into any sport. He doesn't trash talk like Jordan did, but he doesn't have to. The way the ball comes off his club face simply sounds different.
What great athletic trait doesn't he possess? Take your time. I can wait.
Woods performs better when the world is lined up six-deep around the fairway. Pressure? He eats it with a glass of Chianti and some fava beans.
You take Jordan or Gretzky, Ali or Babe Ruth, the Say Hey Kid or Martina. I'll take Woods. I'll take him because of what he's done and what he's yet to do.
Scary, isn't it? He isn't finished winning. Not even close.

- Gene Wojciechowski

Quick Post

Quick post this morning.......I'm all packed up and ready to head home after work. On Friday I'm leaving for Boston and I am excited. All I have to do is get through work today and then make the drive home. I'm actually racing my friend Kalee home except she's coming back from Syracuse, New York and leaving a lot earlier than I am. So whoever crosses the state line first wins.

As for who I'll be rooting for in Boston.....it's tough. I will definitely be rooting for both teams but Boston is in desperate need of wins right now whereas the Tiger's have somewhat of a cushion in the division. If it came down to it in the playoffs and Detroit had to play Boston I would side with the Tigers. But since it's the regular season still I think I'll just sit back and enjoy this one.

Well that's all for now.....Have a great last part of the week and an even better weekend !

The Tiger's Pledge

I pledge allegiance to the Tiger's of the United Park of Comerica and to the league for which it stands, one ballclub under Leyland, unbeatable, with pitching and hitting for all.

(Yeah, I made it up......too much time on my hands? I think so)

Over The Hill ?

40. That dreaded age where you somehow cross over from "younger" to "older". I bring this number up because of the Tigers record after tonights win. 76-36. 40 games over .500. Does this mean the Tiger's have crossed over from years of poor play to a new beginning of constant winning? Only time will tell and so far this season has been one thrill after another. I spent most of my weekend in my friends basement watching the Tigers somehow find a way to plug away at the Indians and come out winners in all 3 games. Craig Monroe one night....Pudge the next (in extremely dramatic fashion)....a 1-0 pitchers duel on Sunday afternoon when we didn't even have our normal starter on the mound and tonight a 9-3 win over Francisco Liriano and the Twins.

This season has sparked a new interest in Tiger's baseball for many and it's great to see everyone so into it. The post season is right around the corner and the excitement will only continue to grow and grow. By now you can ask most people the question "Who's your Tiger?" and they will most likely have an answer for you right away as opposed to a few years ago when those same people might have only been able to name one or two players on the team. I like Brandon Inge myself. He seems to be pretty smooth over at 3rd base this year and I also heard he's a pretty good golfer.

Well that's all for now. It's bedtime for me. Who's your Tiger ?

Odds and Ends

First off.....Kudos to you Mr. Carlos Guillen on being the first Tiger to hit for the cycle since 2001 and also the first Tiger to hit for the cycle on the road since George Kell did it back in the 50's.

Since I am now living in Huron, Ohio I do not get every Tiger's game. This is upsetting. I only get them when they play on the WB or some nationally broadcast station or when they play the Indians. Of course, when they make the playoffs they will be on Fox, so no worries. (This also means I will have limited access to Pistons games when b-ball season rolls around.)

Lately like most places in the midwest it has been incredibly hot. I do not have the luxury of working in the air conditioning during the day but I do have a fan about a foot away from my head for almost the entire day. I also have been drinking a lot of water because A.) It's cold B.)It's good for you and C.) It's free. So all in all it's not that bad. I get to come home to a nice air conditioned apartment so at least I have something to look forward to after work.

This past monday night I found out I had another talent that will do me absolutely no good. I was at the Medina county fair and they were putting on these lumberjack shows and people were guessing how long it would take a man to chop through this piece of wood with his hatchet and then again with a saw. Well for the hatchet I guessed 17 seconds. So the man starts chopping away......1....2.....3..........10...........15....17 seconds! Woohoo ! I was right. Ok, so I'm thinking lucky guess. But then they had him try and saw through a log with a long saw. So I guessed 29 seconds right away.....but then before he started he started making cuts in the piece of wood. He cut a nice groove in it so it would be much easier to start sawing after they started the watch. So then I turned to my friend Laura who was with me and said 20 seconds.....and he kept cutting without the time starting so after he was done "prepping" this log I settled on 14 seconds. So he starts sawing......1......2......3.....5......10....14 seconds! Right again. I impress myself sometimes. With no prior log cutting experience other than watching Dad's log splitter cut up pieces of wood and that one time I used a hatchet to chop and miss a tree by our old driveway (still have the scar on my leg) I was able to guess both these times to the second. If I would have voiced that I had guessed those times I would have won a "chip" off the old block (chunk of wood) and a "lumberjack cookie" (round piece of wood). So if you need to know how long it will take someone to chop or saw through a piece of wood I guess I can make a pretty accurate guess. Sounds like a useless talent to me. (I'll throw this one in there with being able to curl my tongue in 3 loops and making a bird noise.)

In other news, it is only 8 days until I leave for Boston. I can't wait. It is going to be an amazing trip. I know there is a lot of stuff to do in Boston but I could just sit in Fenway Park for a few days and be satisfied with my trip. I can't wait to have a dog and a beer and enjoy a game in which my two favorite teams are playing.

Well that's all for now. I hope everyone is having a great week! Bye !

Just After Sunset....

As promised, here is a view of the lake by my apartment.

Lake Erie Life

Hello all. As of about 10:30 this morning I am once again connected to the outside world. I not only have 70 or so channels to flip through on my tv but also the ability to blog again. I've been in Huron/Sandusky, Ohio for 2 weeks now. I like my apartment and especially my view of Lake Erie when the sun goes down. I will post a picture of it sometime. It's no Georgia but it will do for now.

Since I've been disconnected I've only heard bits and pieces of how the Tiger's have been doing. Looks like they've been doing just fine. The White Sox have finally started to back off a bit and gave us some breathing room. I hope we don't let up.

Well that's all for now, nice to be back. I look forward to reading everyones blog again. Bye !

This, That, and the Other Thing

Hello all. Not to much to report except that I'm moving to Sandusky this weekend. Hopefully it will be an easy transition.

The MLB All-Star game was last night and the American League won......again. I think that makes like 10 years in a row now. The 3 Tigers who were selected all got to play....Kenny Rogers, Magglio Ordonez, and of course Pudge. We now will get to see how the team will hold up. Hopefully the winning will continue.

I'm not exactly sure where I got my ecclectic taste in music from but I do like a wide variety of music. One area I am not a big fan of is musicals. I don't know if it's because of the acting that has to go with musicals or if it's the sound or what. Well just recently I watched the film "Rent". I'm sure many of you have heard of it. It's an older musical that was just recently put to film and came out around Thanksgiving 2005. Well to say the least I thought it was great. The people in this film can really sing. I'm a sucker for musical talent. This film seemed to bring a bit more modern sound to a musical than anything I remember.

Well that's all for now.....Happy Wednesday.

Not Much

Nothing too exciting to blog about from me. I went to Sandusky today and worked for a while. Bought some guitar strings when I got back to Toledo. Read the second chapter of The Pelican Brief by John Grisham. Now I think I'll get ready for bed and enjoy some sleep. Have a good one !

Phew !

Well Todd "Heart-Attack" Jones got it done Sunday....barely. Way to go Todd. A comfortable 9-2 lead become a very uneasy 9-8 lead in the 9th with Jones on the hill with the bases loaded. A single pitch could have meant disaster for the Tigers but Jones found a way. The Tigers are 30 games over the .500 mark, unbelievable.

Well last night I went to a wedding for some people that lived on my floor in the dorm freshman year. It was a great time. I knew a ton of people there and broke a healthy sweat out on the dance floor. The DJ liked me too...he was johnny on the spot for my requests. I got to catch up with some old friends that I haven't seen in years. One guy in particular...Bill Crites. Bill is the college guy who never wasted a night to party hard. This includes getting drunk, high, RUI (rollerblading under the influence), among other things. Bill however, has an upside once you get past all the bad decision making qualities. Bill is the best guitar player I have ever seen in person. He is extremely talented. I went to his apartment one night a few years back and he was playing on his guitar.....I said, Bill you've only got 4 strings on your guitar. His response "Yeah I'm too lazy to change those two so I decided to write this song with just 4 strings. Let me know what you think." Bill then went on to play a 2 to 3 minute rendition of a song that he wrote with full lyrics and a great sound. To say the least I was impressed. Bill recently returned from Iraq where he served in the army for a few years. I hope that gave him some direction. After talking with him last night he seemed like he has grown up quite a bit.

Anyways......I've got to get some sleep so I can get through work tomorrow....have a good week everyone.

Unusual Start

Well this Saturday is a bit different than normal....I don't think I've ever started off my Saturday by eating left over pulled pork while watching World Cup Soccer. First time for everything I suppose.

Well I should get this out of the way before I forget....Todd Jones got the save for the Tiger's last night. Made it a bit scary but he got it done. Thanks Todd....thank you for not blowing your first save opportunity after I added you to my fantasy team.

I must comment on another baseball game that I watched a little bit of last night. Cleveland and Cincinnati. Cleveland was up 8-0 going into the 8th inning. When I turned it on it was 8-4 and now in the 9th inning. So the Indians bring in their closer, Bob Wickman. Bob Wickman and Todd Jones are very similar in their style to me.....that is, they rarely have a 1,2,3 inning. They usually both allow the other team to get a man or two on base and make things interesting. Well that's exactly what Bob Wickman did last night. Coming into the game with an 8-4 lead he immediately got the first guy out. Way to go Bob. Then he gives up a couple hits, gets a guy to ground out but Cincinnati managed to get another run. So it's 8-5 with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth. 3 run lead....1 out to go. Indians are looking good right ? Well Wickman loses his control and can't find the plate.....he walked a guy on four straight pitches and ended up loading the bases. So the winning run for Cincinnati steps up to the plate. Well I guess Wickman found his control again because he threw one right down the middle and Adam Dunn, the guy batting, hit a laser down the right field line that sailed over the wall. A bottom of the ninth, 2 out, grand slam to win it for Cincinnati. They scored 9 runs in 2 innings to come back and win it. Craziness.

Anyway, I'm going to go try and be productive. Happy weekend everyone.

Sales Contest

So yesterday I posted a speech that gave out some good advice.....today I will dispense my own advice.

We received 3 ladders at work today much like the "Little Giant" ladders seen on TV except these ladders are made by Louisville. My boss said he'd buy lunch for the first person who sold one. So I said to him "I'm on it." Background info: I don't get much opportunity to sell to customers in the store since I'm back in the warehouse all the time and out making deliveries. So I come back from deliveries today and there is a customer looking for some cut-off wheels and he is standing at the counter. My boss had left for a few minutes so I started talking to him about these ladders. I told him how they were like the Little Giant ones and performed the same functions except these are sold at about half the cost (around $205). My boss had returned and was walking up from the back and had heard me trying to sell this ladder to this man and he said "Man, you must really want lunch." I responded....Yeah I do, because I'm trying to sell a ladder to a man who rode in on a motorcycle. He just laughed.

So my advice to you is....If you're trying to sell ladders, make sure you know the person can actually take it home in one trip.

Thursday

The following is a speech put to music that was on one of my cd's in my car. I was listening to it while driving today and decided to post the lyrics since I felt it made some interesting points. Enjoy!

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '99....."Wear sunscreen"

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, "sunscreen" would be it.

The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth.Oh, never mind.

You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded.

But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.You are not as fat as you imagine.Don't worry about the future.Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum.

The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 pm on some idle Tuesday.Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts.Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.
Don't waste your time on jealousy.Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind.The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive.Forget the insults.If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.Keep your old love letters.Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life.The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives.Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium.Be kind to your knees.You'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't.Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't.Maybe you'll divorce at 40.

Maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either.Your choices are half chance.So are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body.Use it every way you can.Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it.It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance.
Even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines.They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents.You never know when they'll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings.They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.Understand that friends come and go,but with a precious few you should hold on.Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get,the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.Live in "New York City" once, but leave before it makes you hard.Live in "Northern California" once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths:Prices will rise.Politicians will philander.You, too, will get old.And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.Don't expect anyone else to support you.Maybe you have a trust fund.Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse.But you never know when either one might run out.Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.Advice is a form of nostalgia.

Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

You'll Never Guess

You'll never guess what I did today. I myself can't believe I did it. To give you some background info my friends and I are in a fantasy baseball league in which we manage a team of players. We drop players, trade players, decide who starts and who sits. All of our points we score are based on how well our major league players do from week to week. So we follow stats more than anyone probably should. Well for the past 8 weeks or so I've only had one closer on my team....Jonathan Papelbon from the Red Sox. He's extremely good but when you play against another team in the league who has 2 or 3 closers it's very hard to win the Saves category. So I was basically giving a point to whoever I played against each week. That's bad for business. So today I dropped my weakest starting pitcher who happened to be Derek Lowe of the Dodgers (A former Red Sox) and decided to look for a closer so I could get some more saves each week. So I search the field of players who are still left to choose from and I make it show who is leading in saves. Well it was as if Yahoo Fantasy Baseball was laughing at me. None other than Mr. Todd Jones came up. So against all that I know is right, I added him to my team. I am putting a small sliver of faith in a man I have criticized over the past few weeks. I will try and find some way to rationalize this decision.....ok here's one....if Jim Leyland (The Brain trust of our team) has faith in Jones as a closer I guess I should too. This addition to the team will, if nothing else, provide reason for interesting commentary by me on the subject of closing out baseball games........especially if Jones decides to blow another one.

In other news I went to a congregational meeting last night.....As my Father put it...I voted with a small majority and no one can say they "won"......some people cheered....some people cried....I myself can't call it a victory when at the end of the meeting the Pastor is asking the congregation to bow their heads to pray and half of them are walking out the door. Only time will tell what happens.

So I just opened one of those plastic oscar mayer turkey containers.....it has thin sliced turkey in it and has about 5 servings of turkey in the whole container. I felt the need to consume all of it. I love turkey. Only bad part about the packaged turkey is that I just got 125% of my daily intake of sodium.

Well that's all for now.....Happy Wednesday everyone !

Get out the Brooms...

How about those Tigers sweeping the Cardinals this weekend. What a great series. The Tigers seem to be running on all cylinders these days. The rapidly approaching series against the White Sox shall prove to be extremely important.

In other news I need a haircut and I need to do some grocery shopping.....that sounds like a good thing to do tomorrow. As for now I'm going to relax and enjoy the rest of my night. I hope everyone had a good Monday!

Another Day.....

This is the new soda I tried for the first time yesterday. It has a rather long name....Diet black cherry vanilla coke. I found it to be pretty tasty. It's not as good as faygo's Rock & Rye but then again, what is ? I went grocery shopping yesterday and I went up and down every aisle. However, my Mother would not have been proud of me since I didn't try any of the free samples of wine that they were giving out. An older lady in the store had asked me if I had tried any yet and I said no....she said "C'mon lets go try some, I'm going to get drunk and then sit in that chair" as she pointed to a beach lounge chair.....I just laughed.



Well here are some pics of the two guys I've been talking about lately. Joel Zumaya is on your left and Mr. Jones is on your right. Both guys played last night and did well. The Tiger's are now on a 5 game winning streak and continue to grind out games that we have come to expect to lose in the past. The Tiger's are at a major league best 47-23. Although the extremely great play of Detroit has them in the lead, they are only 2 games ahead of of the world champion Chicago White Sox.

In other news I won two tickets off of ebay to go see my favorite country guitarist, Brad Paisley. The concert is July 15th at DTE and should be a great time as long as it doesn't rain. Even if it does rain it will be a good time.

I think that's all the news I have for today. I hope everyone is having a good week so far.

Friday

Well today is Friday and that's always good. I like Fridays. I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with the rest of my day or my weekend. I'm going home but I can't say for certain what else I'll do. I'll probably watch the Tiger's play the Cubs. I just found out Kwame wants to demolish old Tiger Stadium. That's a bummer even though it hasn't really been used for anything since the Tiger's moved to Comerica. I remember going there and watching Cecil Fielder and Mickey Tettleton.....Alan and Lou....Travis Fryman...all sorts of good memories from that place. One night I saw Mickey Tettleton hit 2 home runs...one from each side of the plate....I just thought that was the coolest thing ever when I was growing up because being right handed it felt incredibly awkward trying to bat the other way. I remember going to a game on a Saturday night and it got rained out but they let everyone come back the next day and see a double-header ! 2 for 1....very cool. Towards the end of that double header a foul ball was hit my way in which I felt the need to jump over a few rows of seats only to fail in my attempt of getting the ball. The older man who did come up with the ball realized the effort I had just put forth and tossed me the ball. Thank you Mr. Whoever you are, you made my day that day.

In other news, Tiger Woods is not doing very well at the U.S. Open.....he's at 11 over par with only a few holes left to play in his second round.....he might not even make the cut. Now his round is finished......12 over par....Tiger will not be around for the weekend.

I'm sure most of you have had a moment where you smelled something and it reminded you of something else. Well the other day I had a moment like that but it seemed very odd to me. Most of the time when you smell something it reminds you of something else you can relate "smell" with. Fresh cut grass = summer, Rain = Spring time......you get the point. Well I was at work the other day and I was getting into the truck to go make some deliveries and as soon as I opened the door I thought to myself "Man, this smells like sports radio." It was one of those times where you step back for a second and wonder if that thought was actually produced from your brain. Sports radio can't have a smell yet for some reason I found a way to make it happen. I think I'm a bit odd sometimes.

Well that's all I have for now....Have a good weekend everyone !

Campaign Trail '06: Zumaya for Closer !

First things first. It looks like pops is going to be ok. The people at the hospital gave us the run down on him and for the most part things sounded positive. There are still a few things to look into but at least we can rule out some possible causes.

ZUMAYA FOR CLOSER ! VOTE NOW ! ZUMAYA FOR CLOSER !

He'd have my vote. Todd Jones is too up and down for my liking. Yes, he has the record for most saves ever by a Tiger. Yes, he's got more experience. Yes, he looks like the cowardly lion from the Wizard of Oz. All this aside, Joel Zumaya in my opinion can get the job done better than Mr. Jones. I'm not saying he's perfect because he's not but I don't know if y'all have been watching but the crowd loves Zumaya and his pitching style. They get pumped up to see a 21 year old kid throw the ball 100 mph. What would you rather see ? A kid come in and shut down the other team with speed or a veteran with crazy facial hair give up 5 runs? Why can't we just switch Jones to be the set up man.....maybe that might work out a little better. Alright, there is my rant about Todd Jones for today. By the way Todd, thanks for ruining our 4 game winning streak.

In other news, the U.S. Open started today and that means the return of Tiger Woods. Tiger hasn't played since the Master's due to the illness and more recently, the death of his Father, Earl. As some of you may know the U.S. Open ends on Father's Day every year. Is it just me or can everyone see the storyline developing? Tiger winning the U.S. Open on Father's Day......that would be quite a moment for golf as well as Tiger himself. No matter what the case he will have his work cut out for him. The course they're playing at, called "Winged Foot" is playing extremely tough and will be quite a test for the entire field. Tiger hasn't played competitively in 9 weeks. So imagine coming back from a 9 week vacation of sorts and then being put to the ultimate test and be expected to win. That's the kind of thing Tiger has come to make us think. No matter how far back he is, how long he's been off, whether he has a wife or not........do not count him out.

Now for some totally random facts:

1.) I throw away Canadian change. I do not like it one bit.
2.) I love Doo-Wop music.....especially The Temptations.
3.) Dan Marjele is my favorite 3 point shooter ever.
4.) I have an addiction to frozen drinks (Slurpees, Icees, Frozen Cokes)
5.) I often walk around Meijer and/or Wal-Mart for no good reason at all.
6.) I want to visit every major league baseball stadium in my lifetime.
7.) I love the feeling of going back to bed.
8.) I haven't been pulled over in my 6 years of driving a car.
9.) I'd rather be hot than cold.
10.) I'm glad Payne Stewart won the 1999 U.S. Open.

I think that's enough random facts for today. Happy Thursday everyone !

Tuesday

Well today is Tuesday. The 164th day of the year. Only 201 days left to go in 2006. Today was pretty normal for me. Went to work as usual and then came home. For some reason I was more tired than normal. So I decided to take a nap.......that nap turned into a 3 hour slumber. Sometimes I don't know how I can be so tired. I went to bed at 9 last night and woke up at 5:15. That seems like it should be enough sleep to get you through a day. But it wasn't. It seems like I could take a nap everyday. I'm wondering if my back troubles are causing me to feel more fatigued. That is my only guess.

Well this past Sunday we had a congregational meeting at church......whenever a meeting of church members resembles a sporting event in which the crowd is rooting for opposite teams it doesn't work out too well. It was one of those moments that when you look back on it you kind of scratch your head and ask yourself if that really happened. It was an ugly sight. One that I will not soon forget.

On a positive note, the Tiger's pulled out a 4-3 win in 13 innings last night. I did not stay up to watch but I'm proud of them for coming from behind to win that one. Todd Jones seems to be doing ok as of late. I'm pretty tough on him but only because when he messes up it's almost a sure thing that we'll end up losing. That's how it is when you're a closer. I'd rather have Joel Zumaya be our closer instead of our set-up man. That guy throws the gas. Sunday against the Blue Jays I saw him set a season high of 102 mph. I think I'd have to start swinging when he started his wind-up. Better yet I'll just hold the bat out there and pray the ball would end up hitting the bat. Could you imagine getting hit by a pitch by that guy? A 102 mph fast ball must leave one heck of a bruise. I got hit by my fair share of pitches in little league and those things left nice bruises and were only coming in at a top speed of 50 or so.

Wow I just got the aflac trivia question right. Go me. Who was the last Tiger to lead the American League in walks? Tony the Tiger, the spitter, whatever you want to call him....it was good ol' Tony Phillips with 132 walks in 1993. He used to squat down so low at the plate, he didn't have much of a strike zone. It's so nice to see the Tiger's winning this year....although most of the team is doing well and having a good time winning, Dmitri Young has seemed to miss the boat this year. Today there was a warrant issued for his arrest after he failed to show up for a court date dealing with a case in which he choked his girlfriend in a birmingham hotel. Now I know Jim Leyland is not your "by the book" manager but I have a hard time believing he'd want any of his players to be in this situation. Dmitri wasn't performing on the field and from what it sounds like he could barely keep in together off the field. DY was hitting a lowly .159 when he took a leave of absence for personal matters. Dmitri is now facing up to 93 days in jail and a 500 dollar fine.

Tonight is "Bark in the Park" night at Comerica in which you can bring your dog to the game. I'm sorry but I'm going to have to question the logic in this promotion. Let us weigh the pros and cons of this for a second. Pros of bringing your dog to a major league game: ummm i'm searching for a pro here. Cons of bringing your dog to a major league game: 1.) They'll knock over if not drink your $8 beer while you're not looking 2.) Your masterpiece of a hot dog you just created with ruby red ketchup and golden yellow mustard will be lost forever as "man's best friend" scarfs it down in a matter of seconds without even appreciating the perfection of the squiggly lines you made with the ketchup and mustard.. 3.) You cannot honestly think that every dog in that park is going to be able to "hold it" for the entire length of the game (especially if they drink your beer.) 4.) What if someone sitting next to you is allergic to dogs? Is that fair to them? I could only imagine the surprise on the faces of those people who didn't know about this promotion. You stroll down to the ballpark expecting to enjoy a night of baseball with all the sights and smells like normal.....only to find out that you're sitting next to a 200 pound St. Bernard who needs a bath and has a undying passion to slobber all over itself....oh yeah, I'd be stoked if I was that guy. Anyways you get my drift.

Whatever the case may be, the Tiger's are winning 7-0 in the 7th right now and things are running pretty smooth. Maybe the dogs can stay.

On that note I think I'll go lay down and watch the rest of the game, have a good one everybody. Don't forget to celebrate flag day tomorrow. Is there a correct way to even celebrate flag day? What flag do you celebrate ? Is there a limit on the number of flags to celebrate ? Who made up flag day ? Isn't everyday a flag day in a way ? Alright that's all for now, Bye Bye.

I can't think of a title but Todd Jones better stop blowing games for the Tigers

Family, friends, distinguished faculty, members of the board.... I write to you today issuing a sincere apology for not being a faithful blogger. Lately I have not been able to do a sufficient job in letting everyone know the ongoings of my life. In this time I have worked, slept, watched the Pistons have a total meltdown, watched the Tigers struggle through playing Boston, New York, and Chicago, received a job offer from Fastenal in the Sandusky area, went to a few weddings, said goodbye to some friends who are going off to graduate school, and most recently....went to some garage sales that had absolutely nothing that interested me. Yes, that is the exciting life that I lead. I am a bit tired at the moment and hopefully will elaborate on some of the topics found above at a later point. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Working

Working.....that's what I've been doing lately. Time usually passes pretty fast at work because there is always something to do. In other news...the Tigers have the best record in baseball. I repeat: The Tigers have the best record in baseball. It's the first time we could say that since 1993. Hopefully this run of good play will continue. The Pistons are playing as I type this and I really hope they win tonight. We don't need another upset after the Redwings lost in the first round.

I'm looking forward going to Las Vegas at the end of the month. It should be a good time. This will be my fourth trip to Vegas but it will be the first time I'll be old enough to gamble. Hopefully I won't lose too much.

Well that's all for now. Have a good one !

Exams

Today is my fist exam, didn't really study too much for it but I'm not too worried. Wings has a shocking loss in their first round series, maybe next year. The Red Sox beat the Yankees 7-3 last night, always a plus. The Pistons won by 10 even though they made it close almost the whole game. Last but not least the Tigers pulled out a 3-2 victory over Kansas City last night. They are playing really well. That wraps up my sports report for today. I'm going to go run through my notes before my exam one more time. Hope everyone has a great day.

Well.......

The Tigers rallied in the ninth to beat Oakland 4-3 today. Way to go guys. The Pistons start their playoff games on Sunday against the Milwaukee Bucks. Good luck guys.

Tomorrow I have an x-ray to find out what's wrong with my back. Hopefully I will find out what is causing all this once and for all. Amanda's blog details what we think might be wrong with me. If that's the case then I guess I'll be dealing with some pain for a while. That's the way it goes sometimes though. It will all be ok. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But it's going to be ok. Thank you to everyone for their thoughts and prayers.

I only have 2 weeks of college left and then I'm done. That's about all I have for now.....Have a good weekend everyone.

stuff

Ummm I haven't posted in a while but I'm doing fine and the Tigers are on the radio in the bottom of the 9th so I gotta go listen.......Hope all is well with everyone. Bye !

Hi

Not too much to report from me. Everything is going pretty well. I'm still pretty busy from school and work but I'm getting used to that. I hope everyone else is doing well. Bye y'all.

Weekend Update

Yesterday was St. Patrick's Day......I drank beer and gave ladies of all ages many many high fives. Today I worked and got Dad some free gifts courtesy of Fastenal. Tomorrow I will go to church with Laura and do some homework. I will now attempt to go find some lunch. Happy Saturday everyone !

Another Day.....

Today was pretty normal. I Hit the snooze button once more than normal......yeah I'm livin' on the edge. I went to work. I worked. I came home. That's about it. Now I'm just listening to my cd's that I bought yesterday and playing some euchre online. I'm pretty bored tonight and don't feel like doing homework so I guess that will wait until the weekend. I think I'll go to bed early tonight. I am very tired. I don't enjoy getting up at 5:30 in the morning but I guess that's part of the job.

In other news the Pistons beat the Bulls last night and clinched a playoff spot. So we can all look forward to a fun post-season. Does anyone think we'll get to see the Tigers in the post season anytime soon? How cool would that be......the last time they won a world series I was 2 months old.

Alright that's all I have for now.....I'm going to go crash on my bed. Happy Friday tomorrow !

My Day

I'm just hanging out in Toledo over my break. It's not that bad with no one else here. I've been over at the church the past two nights so that has been keeping me busy. On Tuesdays a few college kids get together and have a bible study and just talk about whatever. I really enjoy it and get a lot out of it. Tonight they had a service at the church so I went to that. I must say I miss the music from back home but it was a nice service anyhow.

Today I went to the mall and got a hair cut, a raspberry julius, Bob Seger's Greatest Hits 2, and The Temptation's Ultimate Collection.....both Cd's we're in the 2 for $22 bin and I love both so I couldn't pass it up. Then I decided I'd swing on over to Guitar Center and play some of their acoustic guitars. I like going into their little room and playing guitars that cost over 2000 dollars. It felt good not to be the least talented guitarist in the room but then I tried playing the banjo like the odd-looking kid in "Deliverance" but it didn't work out so well. Then I plugged in one of the electric guitars to like a 300 hundred dollar amp that did all sorts of cool things......how do I know it did cool things you ask ? Because it has 5 different settings you can put it on. They are as follows: Clean, Blues, Metal, Crunch (yes crunch), and the winner of them all INSANE. I tried them all and the insane setting is exactly that......it doesn't even sound good.......it sounds like static mixed with someone stepping on bubble wrap. Also this amp had an echo and a delay setting that made whatever you were playing sound pretty cool. I hadn't changed my strings on my guitar in about 4 years until about 3 weeks ago. Dad bought me some new strings on his way home from Georgia and man does it sound better.

After my Guitar Center adventure I went to a place called Plato's Closet......it's like a pricey version of Goodwill. You don't pay full price but you don't get super great deals either......I ended up buying 3 shirts. Two American Eagle shirts and one Tommy Hilfiger shirt. Just what I need more shirts.......I think I might try and take some clothes I don't want back to this place.....they said if they are acceptable they'll give you some money for them. I'll have to look into that.

Then I came home and ate some sloppy joes that Mom had sent with me and went to church......and that was my day.

Hmmm what else? Oh I had a dream that the country group Rascal Flatts had a concert at Grafton Inn and I missed it. I was so upset because I knew that it would probably never happen again. I'm glad it was just a dream.

I think that's all I have for now........I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week !

3, 2, 1.........

Chauncey dribbles at the top of the key and runs down the clock as the pistons hold for the last shot 10, 9, 8, 7.........he works to the right a bit 7, 6, 5.......you can see Rip Hamilton running and coming off screens and he curls as Chauncey dishes it off to him 3, 2, 1.........Rip lets it fly.............and swish !!!!!!!!!! Pistons go up 98-96 with 0.2 seconds left on the clock and they go on to win a well fought game against Seattle. What a game they played last night. The game had somewhere around 20 lead changes and about 8-10 times where the game was tied.......it was pretty close the entire game and the better team came out on top. We are now 48-10. Way to go guys !

In other news....I am finally on break ! WOOHOO........I'm so glad to be done with school for a week. I only have to go into work for 3 days this week so I'll have Monday and Wednesday to do whatever I want. Maybe catch up on sleep.....maybe go see a movie....who knows.

Well I'm going to go watch some golf with pops. Catch y'all later.

It's March

We are 1/6 of the way done with 2006.....and I believe only 1/6 of my brain is able to function right now. Hopefully after today I will see a light at the end of the tunnel as far as school work goes. I just want to have a day where I don't have to do anything.....no class, no homework, no work work, just relax and enjoy myself......soon enough I suppose but for now, time to keep working......well I'm off to class. Have a great day everyone!

Pause

I'm drowning in a sea of work......I will be on spring break soon although it seems like it's taking forever to get here. I have a test tomorrow and I haven't even been able to start studying for it yet. I also have a group presentation to do tomorrow not to mention another big group project to complete before Thursday. Oh yeah I have to go to work and all my other classes besides that. I wish I had a pause button like they have on all the video games. Just stop things for a while and figure out what my next move should be. I'm very tired and need to sleep so I can get up and study because from past experience.....studying before you sleep when you can't concentrate doesn't do much good. I will be so happy when I get to see my house and parents on Friday.......it's been almost 3 weeks since I've been home and I miss the fireplace and the fridge full of food and all the other nice things about home. Well time for bed.....Night y'all

Like Father Like Son

Dad if you're reading this....get better fast. 102 fever doesn't sound that fun. I myself have sort of relapsed into my sickness. I was up all night coughing and wasn't having a fun time sleeping or trying to sleep for that matter. When I did wake up this morning I looked at the clock.....7:30. Oh crud....I'm supposed to start at 6:30. So I got out of bed and felt like I was going to puke. Luckily I didn't but my stomach is still feeling uneasy. I was feeling really good last night and all the normal cold symptoms were gone.....no stuffy nose, no eyes watering....all I had was this ever-present cough. I don't know how many of you can relate but the way I feel right now is the same way I used to feel after the first day of conditioning for high-school basketball. It feels like someone ran you over with a bulldozer and squeezed out every drop of energy from your body and replaced it with a lot of lethargic qualities. So anyways, I called my boss and told him of my situation and he kind of knew from the way I was coughing on Tuesday that I might be pretty sick. I told him I'd try and come in but he said to just take the day off and try to fully recover and come in tomorrow.

So here I sit with a ton of work to do for school and no energy to do it. Oh well, it will get better soon. Hopefully we'll all just get better and not have to deal with anymore sickness. Well I'll keep y'all posted (I hope) on what's happening. Have a great day !

Down But Not Out

Hello all........I'm sick so don't get too close. I'm tired and stuffed up and have watery eyes but I'm hanging in there. Sickness is only temporary anyways right ? In other news I'm really busy with school and work and everything that goes along with that. Only 2 weeks until Spring Break though. For spring break I will be traveling to the wonderful place we all know and love called...Work. While hard to work on your tan I actually get paid to go there so I can't complain. Well I better do some homework.....I hope all is well.

Ok, here goes....

Here's what I remember from the weekend. Last Friday I rode up with my friend Jeff's brother Dan. We arrived in Rose City around 8:15 after a pretty easy 3 hour drive. We were welcomed by a cabin full of friends. So for the next few hours we sat around and talked, played cards, listened to music and drank some beer. That last activity seemed to be a reoccuring theme throughout the weekend. I can't remember when we started the Polar Bear Club initiations but it was fun to put the rookies through a series of extremely cold tasks. After that was done I just remember hanging out in the cabin for a little bit and then going to bed at 1:30 which is very early but friday was a long day for me.

Saturday I woke up around 8:30 and sat by the fireplace for about an hour and a half before I decided I'd get ready to head on over to East Tawas, the place where we jump. When we all arrived in Tawas we met up with some of the guys who were staying at the hotel instead of the cabin and decided to go register for the jump. After that we decided to walk around town and get some lunch. A few of us went to G's, it's a pretty tasty pizza place and we got a pretty good deal on some pizza I thought. After lunch it was time........JUMP TIME ! We all went and got changed in the hotel and headed out to the lake. Waiting in line to jump is almost as fun as the jump....we get kinda crazy and yell and jump around and some people weren't too thrilled with us since they we're kind of worried about the thickness of the ice this year. Oh well, we like to have a good time. So then we all jumped in 2 by 2 and I will say this year has been slightly warmer then previous years. My friend Shaun and I decided to stay in a little longer than normal this year. Seeing as how we only get to do this once a year we wanted it to last as long as possible. Once I got out some guy pulled me off to the side and started asking me questions and had me talk into his phone....I'm pretty sure I was on some local radio station. When I stopped answering questions I ran into the hotel with everyone and jumped in the pool and hot tub.......it felt soooo warm.

Everyone got changed into some dry clothes and we all headed down to the beer tent.....my favorite part of the weekend. We were there from about 2pm to 6pm. We drank, sang songs as loud as we could and I even met 2 new friends in the process. Their names are Candis and Heather......I'm not sure how but it wasn't too long and Candis and I were talking about the Red Sox and it turns out she's from Waltz ! We talked about the Waltz Inn and coconut shrimp.....so whenever you can cover the Red Sox, Waltz, and coconut shrimp in the first few minutes of meeting me I think you've got my attention. Next up we have Heather. Heather is from Garden City and besides my main man Tiger Woods, Heather has the nicest teeth I think I've ever seen. I'm sure everyone is glad they know this now. Candis used to go to highschool with Heather in Garden City before moving to Waltz....so that's the connection there. I knew nothing about Garden City and according to Heather there isn't much to know. So for the rest of the night Jeff and I talked to our new found friends and had a blast.

So much more happened than I could ever try to write and everyone who went has their own hilarious stories. A good time was had by all and I think we'd all stay for weeks if we could.

It was extremely hard to come back to school on monday and sit through 5 classes after having such a fun weekend. Not to mention today was the busiest day at work since I've been there.

Anyways.....that was my Polar Bear Club experience for 2006. That makes 5 years now. I can't wait to go back. Well I hope everyone has a great week and happy valentine's day to everyone.

What a Weekend

Well Polar Bear Club was amazing as usual. Met some new friends, drank some brews, and jumped in a lake. There are so many memories from the weekend it's tough to know where to start. I'll have to sort them all out at a later date and expand on the weekend. I'm pretty tired so I'm going to get everything ready for school this week. Hope everyone else has a great week. Bye !

Busy

Today I've been going non-stop since about 5 am. Here's my day in the worst constructed sentence ever.....Woke up at 5, work by 6, out at 1:15, class at 2....out at 3:15, library from 3:30-5:45, church from 6-7:30....homework from 7:30-8.......and I have yet to attend my meeting at 8:45 that will probably get done at about 9:30.....oh yeah I have a test tomorrow too. Needless to say, I'm very busy........Polar Bear Club this weekend though. I can't wait til Friday at 4 pm. Well I better get going so I'm not late for my meeting. Hopefully I can update when I don't have so many places to be.

Start of Another Week

Just hanging out in my apartment watching the Pistons right now. They're currently winning so I hope they can continue to do so. They showed a picture a Tiger's pitcher Todd Jones who I actually got to talk to yesterday at TIGERFEST 2006. I was lucky enough to get 5 autographs while I was there. They included Todd Jones, Curtis Granderson, Placido Polanco, Tony Giarratano, and Jeremy Bonderman. I was about 5 minutes away from getting Pudge but he left. Oh well. I went to Tigerfest with my friend Kalee and her friend Ryan. For those unaware Kalee has the biggest crush on Tony Giarratano. I snapped a picture of her and Tony while Ryan was kind enough to write her cell phone number on a chunky soup coupon and hand it to him while we got his autograph. He kind of laughed and talked to us a little bit and seemed pretty nice. Just being around all the baseball stuff made me wish it was Summer again. The Pistons are amazing but it's a bit pricey to drive to Auburn Hills and pay about 25-30 dollars to see a game as opposed to driving to Detroit and paying 5 dollars for a ticket. Maybe one day everyone will play dowtown.

This morning I went to church with my friend Laura and her brother Andy and went to Applebee's for lunch afterwards. That has become somewhat of a ritual for the Sunday's I stay down in Toledo. This afternoon I sort of cleaned while watching the DVD I got for Christmas from Uncle Mark. It was all about the history of sports in Boston. It was very interesting. Larry Bird is a funny man.

I think that's all for now. Hope everyone has a great week !

Same Old

Nothing much going on with me. Just going to work and school. It's boring but it's my life. Pistons are still doing well....they just can't beat Utah. That's all I have. I'm sure there is more to say but I'm drawing a blank. Have a good weekend everyone.

DEEE TROIT BASAKET BALL !

I went to the Palace to watch the Pistons play the Orlando Magic last night........it was a good game and the Piston took care of business down the stretch to win easily. We are now 25-4. Yahoo.

I've been working everyday at my job in Toledo and it's very interesting to learn the ins and outs of how that place runs. Today we had another new hire come in which no longer makes me "the new guy." I can't say I'm disappointed about that.

In other news I had a fun New Years Eve and even sat down and watched a 3 hour movie with my grandparents before I went to party, I can't remember the last time that happened.

Well that's all for now....bye everyone !

P.S. Happy Birthday Amy !

Merry Christmas Eve !

Merry Christmas Eve to everyone. Hope all is well. Pistons won last night over Golden State so we're 21-3 now. The Red Wings also had an amazing comeback last night. Down two goals to none with a minute left to play.......we get one with about 38 seconds to play.......then another to tie it at two...OVERTIME ! Overtime periods last 5 minutes and the Wings decided to use 4:59.8 until they scored for the final time and won. It's not very often you have shots in hockey that just beat the buzzer. Anywho, it was a good night and fun was had by all. Merry Christmas to everyone tomorrow. Bye Bye !

This Can't Be Happening !

It's nights like tonight when I hate the money that is involved with pro sports. My favortie Red Sox player Johnny Damon has decided to sign with another team......anyone want to venture out and take a guess at what team. THE YANKEES. If you're going to leave Boston, just please go to any other team than the yankees. It is a sad day for Red Sox fans.

On a brighter note the Pistons pulled out a 93-89 win over Portland tonight. Winning 4 games in five nights is quite impressive and I hope the guys can get some much needed rest before Friday night. We're 20-3 and just keep on rolling. Alright it's past my bedtime. Night Y'all

How Many Game Winning Shots Does It Take ?

How many game winning shots do you have to make to win a game? One. Obviously. How many chances do you usually get to take a game winning shot at the buzzer? One. Normally. Last night the Pistons fearless leader, Chauncey Billups had not one, not two, but three count them THREE chances to make a game winning shot at the buzzer. One at the end of regulation, one at the end of the first overtime, and the last one at the end of double overtime. Thank goodness he made the one at the end of double overtime. It's always nice to get a phone call after the end of the first overtime. Who would it be you ask? My Mother. "I'm leaving it up to you to get them a win son, I gotta get some sleep." Nice to know there was support elsewhere for the boys in red last night. So I stayed up and watched it go back and forth again and again. Until finally I could breathe easy when Mr. Big Shot, Chauncey Billups hit the game winner and the Pistons won 106-104. That improves us to 19-3 and we now get to come back to the Palace for 5 games or so. Always a good thing to come back home.

In other news I went to work again today. 7:30-5. I'm tired. The work is not as fast-paced as it was at UPS which is nice but when you're on your feet for 8 or 9 hours....it hurts. But I'd rather have some soreness in my legs than to have unbearable pain in my back which was the case at UPS. I got to go on some deliveries today with Chris.....one of the workers there. He showed me at least 20 places where he delivers to and kind of pointed to them as we drove by. I'm gonna have to drive around them about 50 more times before I remember where all of them are. We even went in one place that makes stabalizer bars. That was an interesting place. Lots of heat and lots of metal.

Well that's the exciting life of me....Hope you enjoyed it. Bye !

Hex Cap Screws, Flat Washers, Button Head Cap Screws, Plow Bolts, Wing Nuts, Elevator Bolts....You name it

Those are just a few of the products I got to handle today. I started my new job at Fastenal today. 8 am to 5 pm. I actually enjoyed getting to know my way around the store as the day went on. Finding different bins for different products takes a long long time when you don't know where anything goes. All in good time. There are four guys who run that store, myself included. Soon it will be five guys though, another part-time guy starts on the first of January. I'll prolly get to train him since I'll have a few weeks in. The guys are very nice there and laid back. They like to joke around and don't mind helping you when you have a question. They really seemed to appreciate having me around today since the boss just returned from vacation and it was just two guys running the store for the last two weeks. On Wednesday or Thursday my boss said I'll probably get to ride along on a delivery or a call and see how things get done on that end of the spectrum. I would like to do that since that's what I'm going to school for. All in all it was a pretty good first day.

In other news I'm on Christmas Break for school and am glad that I don't have to attend class for a few weeks. The Pistons continue to play amazing basketball and are still the best team in the NBA at 18-3. Way to go guys. That's all the news I have for now. Bye y'all

All Jazzed up

The Pistons lost to the Utah Jazz the other night. Not cool guys. Better beat Sacramento tonight.

Congrats to my sister getting onto grad school.

That's all I got....Take it easy everyone.

Lazy Saturday

Well I'm back now. The hot chocolate was pretty tasty. I should start to study this afternoon. I don't really want to but when does studying ever sound appealing? I could go to the rec. I went there last night for the first time this semester. Joel and I played some pool and then went and played some basketball with Nick. My back doesn't hurt today so I must have not overdone it. Go me. No matter how fat I think I'm getting I'm still the lightest guy in my apartment. 160 pounds with shoes on, after an entire semester of eating like crap. We had weigh-ins at the rec last night and Joel came in at 176 and Nick came in at 195. I'm pretty sure we're all within 2 inches of each other in height as well.

Pistons Update: As you know we traveled to Oakland to play the Golden State Warriors last night. It was back and forth the entire game and like usual we turned up the defense in the last few minutes. We didn't run away with the game but it just seems like the guys turn it up a notch in those last few minutes. Rasheed Wallace gave us some big buckets and came up with a key steal down the stretch and my man Chauncey Billups got a lay-up off that steal. We were up 4 in the last 9 or 10 seconds and Golden State hit a 3 pointer to come within one point. They started fouling us to stop the clock but we made our free throws and held them off. The very end made my heart skip a beat when Rasheed Wallace decided to make a full court pass to Ben Wallace.....I was hoping he wouldn't have it hit off his leg or arm or something and give Golden State the ball back but everything worked out and Ben caught it...took two steps and slammed it home. So we're up 3 with the last few seconds ticking off the clock and Golden State launches a 3 pointer from way back and................it just hits off the rim and the Pistons escape with a close victory to improve to 14-2. Way to go guys.

Red sox Rumor: I heard there might be a chance Boston might get Nomar Garciaparra back. Even though he's like the Grant Hill of baseball and gets hurt all the time I still would love to see him back in a Red Sox uniform.

After the game Joel, Tiff, and I watched Home Alone because we find that movie hilarious.....we watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation earlier in the day and that too is a classic Christmas movie. I fell asleep about half way through Home Alone and that was the end of my night.

Well it's time to start that studying. Happy Saturday everyone.

No Coffee

Why did I wake up at 8am today? I'm not quite sure....but I'm sure we didn't have any coffee. Oh my, a revelation as I type....there is one packet of hot chocolate left. I hid it for a day like today. I'm so smart. Alright, maybe another post will happen later but I need something warm to drink. Bye !

Southern Comfort

It's mornings like these I wish I could wake up at about 6:30 and pour a cup of coffee (black) maybe throw a sweatshirt on and head down to the dock for some early morning fishing. Instead I awake to a few inches of snow. This is depressing. I used to be ok with snow but I think it lost its intrigue when I grew out of my snowpants. I haven't built a snowman in ages, I can't golf with the snow on the ground, and it makes driving your car too much of an adventure.

So here I sit, in my apartment not wanting to go anywhere from the way things look outside. I probably should go out and do something though. Even if it's just a quick trip to 7-11 or something. It's kind of weird in the apartment right now. My roommate is passed out in his bed from a night of drinking too much, some people are at their final class for the semester, and I'm sitting here eating an entire bag of cocktail shrimp by myself. It must be college.

Despite the bad roads last night a bunch of us went out and partied last night. It was a good time. Some of us were celebrating the end of the semester. Some of us just wanted to go out. We drank a little, danced a little.......all in all a pretty solid Thursday night. Yesterday was my last class and I only have 1 exam during exam week and it's not until next Thursday. I have to write a final paper for another class and then take that one exam and this semester will be officially complete. Hallelujah!

The Pistons haven't played in about 6 days which is bumming me out. I can't wait until tonight when they play Golden State. Hopefully they don't come out slow. They should be nice and rested and ready to go.

Well that's all I have so I hope everyone stays warm and has a nice weekend. Bye Y'all

Almost Finished

The semester of school will soon be over. Just one week of classes and one week of exams. I am ready for a break from school. I'll keep busy though since I was just hired at Fastenal. Yes, I have a job. Fastenal sells industrial and construction supplies if anyone is wondering.

What else..........oh I went to a concert at Joe Louis Arena last night with Amanda, Jason, Sue, Tony, and Kalee. Dave Matthews Band was playing and I got free tickets through Jason's mom. They are the most mellow band ever. That fiddle player they have is quite amazing I must say. We got to sit in the executive suites and had free pop, pizza, beer and...........a bathroom. I drove separate so I did not partake in the free beer but I think my brother-in-law picked up the slack. They had these cool plastic cups with the redwings logo on the side and I wanted some for school so Amanda helped me steal about 30 of them. Amanda also kept me up to date on the pistons score via her new heat-seeking missle launching, GPS tracking, map-making, dictionary, instant messaging, back-scratching phone. I even think she said if you press the right button it will make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I don't have that option on my phone. All in all the concert was fun.

This morning I went to church and Mom's organ died. So she just switched over to the piano and continued on. Now I'm just sitting at home thinking about the homework I should do. That's all I have for now.....oh the Pistons won last night and improved to a NBA best 13-2. Ok bye everyone !

Break

I'm on Thanksgiving Break until Monday. I'm happy I don't have to go to a few days of class but kind of bummed I have so much work to do. Hopefully I'll get a lot of it done over break. It's snowing today and that is not good. I plan on attempting to run the turkey trot tomorrow for tradition purposes and snow and wind are a bad combo when it comes to running. I don't think I've ran more than twice since last years turkey trot so it shall be interesting to see if I make it to the end.

In other news the pistons are 8-1 which is pretty cool. If we keep on this pace we'll finish the season at 73-9. That would be great. It's sad that one of the late 90's Chicago Bulls teams went like 72-10, that's just ridiculous. In baseball the Red Sox traded some up and coming players for a proven pitcher Josh Beckett. A solid addition in my opinion.

Well I think it's time to get some work done. I'll catch y'all later. Happy Thanksgiving!

Pistons

7-0....Chauncey, Rip, Tay, Sheed and Big Ben.....Awesome.

Great Start

Pistons are 5-0. Played a good game last night against Phoenix. I'm doing well. Have a nice weekend everyone.

What a Finish !!

Congrats to the Pistons on their last second heroics tonight. Richard Hamilton's jumper as time expired was quite amazing. Nice job guys. Ok goodnight everyone.

Update

My apartment now smells of clean linen not to be confused with hawaiian breeze which my sister likes to use...I'll be honest I'm just not a hawaiian breeze kinda guy, nothing against Hawaii but...their breeze is known to cause dizziness, headaches, typhoid fever, cholera, malaria, and attracts theives of indians (Ok so maybe that's just what you get when you play the very old Oregon Trail game.....and what's up with you only being allowed to take 50 pounds of meat back to the wagon? If I shoot a buffalo I want more than 50 pounds of it, geez). Anyways....back to reality....I didn't feel the need to buy Glade Plug-ins for the entire place. I strategically placed one by the door as you come into the apartment and one in my room. They had some "clean linen" powder stuff that you throw on the carpet and then vacuum, that looked interesting to me. I'll most likely buy that next and proceed to experiment.

I woke up at 6am this morning. I don't think I've been up that early since I was in Georgia. It's only 10 am and it feels like it could be 2pm to me. I had to get up to take my car into the shop to have some work done on it. Hopefully it will be all good to go for Winter.

Well happy Friday everyone and have a nice weekend !

P.S. Stay away from that Hawaiian breeze

Always Something To Do

That's one thing that's true about college, there is always something going on. Whether it be a game, going out with friends, doing homework......you're always busy. Last night a few of us went to Applebee's for half off appetizers and dollar beers. We were informed that it would be the last night for half off appetizers yet the beer deal still stands. We watched the Pistons while we were there and although I couldn't hear the sound they looked great.

Today I only had one class which didn't even last the whole time. I love it when that happens. I think I'm going to go back to my apartment and watch some golf over a nice lunch. Maybe go to Kroger's too. I went there Sunday night and bought some glade plug-in things to make my apartment smell like "clean linen" cause I really like that smell for some reason and when I got home I realized that I had only purchased the refill things you put inside the actual "Plug-in." I sure felt like a horses patoot. I guess that's the way it goes sometimes.

Tonight I think my friend Kalee is coming down for a visit. Her younger brother just started at Toledo this year so she said she'd come down and visit for a while. Also, The OC is back tonight and no I don't like the fact that I watch a prime time soap opera of sorts but that theme song sure is catchy. Anyways, I must continue on my clean linen quest. I will let you know how it turns out at a later date. Happy Thursday everyone !

Another Week in the books

Well it's Friday again and I'd like to wish my Uncle Dale a happy birthday. I'd also like to say congrats to the White Sox on winning the world series even though I was rooting against them the entire time.

This week was a busy one....lots of school stuff was going on this week and I'm glad it's done. Before I know it, it will be Christmas vacation. The weeks seem to be going by pretty fast right now. I guess that's what happens when you're busy. My back has been very cooperative lately and I couldn't be happier about that. It's nice to actually feel like I'm 21.

Last night was party night as is every Thursday here at Toledo but I decided to stay in because for some reason I was ready to fall asleep at about 8:30. So I drank one of those unhealthy energy drinks and felt like a million bucks. I then proceeded to watch the Red Wings win......AGAIN. They look pretty solid this year. After the game my friend Chris and I sat in my room and played guitar for about 6 hours. He has never played guitar but he seemed pretty interested in it so I was willing to teach him. He even helped me write a song. He had a bit of trouble playing because he just had surgery on his finger and it was all sore and wrapped up.
That darn energy drink kept me up til about 5 in the morning but that's the way it goes. I slept until noon and felt very lazy. That's normal for Friday's though. I cleaned the apartment a little bit and continued to play guitar for a few hours. Tonight I'm going to see a movie with my friend Crystal and then I'm going to come home and go to bed so I can head home tomorrow morning.

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Have a good weekend everyone.

Hey Y'all

Well it could be the drugs (anti-inflammatory) or maybe it was the beer but I woke up this morning without any soreness in my back. It was a great thing. That's the first thing that pops into my brain when I wake up everyday.....how sore will I be today? Today was the first day in a series of many (Lord willing) that I will feel no pain. Positive thinking can't hurt, right ?

Sometimes I wish I had a Friday class just so I could have a sense of obligation to get up and do something. I did wake up at 8:15 this morning which is quite early for a Friday but instead of being productive I sat around and watched one of those "Best Police Chases" shows.....oh yeah and some guys on the discovery channel getting flipped and poked by a very angry bull. Side note while we're on the topic of television....I don't know why but last night I looked at my watch and realized it was 7 O'clock and the only thing I could think was "Wheel of Fortune is on and I have to watch it." I don't think I've watched Wheel of Fortune once since I've been at school but I think I've sat down and watched it with Mom and Dad at least 378 gazillion times.....maybe not that many but you get my drift. I guess if you watch something for so many years and it's on at a constant time it becomes somewhat of an automatic response to think of it. Anyways....the bonus round was Living things and the word was "Begonias" and the guy won and got a Land Rover or something like that and everyone was merry.

Ok back to me being lazy today....I've done nothing except play my guitar, watch tv, and play on my computer. Does it count if I thought about doing my homework? I'm sure I'll do something productive later on since all my friends left the apartment. Most of them are going up north to hunt, even Nick who doesn't even hunt......he does sell knives though so I told him to go out and get a deer like a man and just use his knives. He said he's going to paint his face and be Rambo, maybe sew up his own wound if it comes to that.

What else? I had 2 tests last week and got them back this week. I received 107% on my interpersonal communications test and a 92% on my consumer behavior test. I thought I did better on the consumer behavior one but the teacher is a pretty tough grader. Oh well I'm pretty happy with both tests. I'll take A's whenever I can get them.

What would a blog entry be without a reference to baseball.....or sports in general for that matter. The teams for the world series are all set to rock and roll. Chicago White Sox and the Houston Astros. While I'm usually Pro American League I cannot bring myself to root for Chicago, especially after they swept my Red Sox. So I'll be rooting for Houston (Sorry Mike).

Well I think that shall be all for now, happy friday everybody.

Happy October 17th

Well what can I say for myself.....My first, second, and third choices for teams to win the world series are all eliminated. I carved a pumpkin of a team who didn't make the playoffs and I spent 27 hours with my sister this weekend. Currently I'm on fall break which is nice because I get two days off this week. That means I only have to go to class 2 days this week. I can't complain about that.

I'd like to fast forward to Christmas break as long as there is no snow. I'm also hoping for my back to fully heal by Thanksgiving, I would like to be able to at least walk the turkey trot. I know I won't be able to run but I enjoy going downtown every year.

Hmmm what else? Oh ! My new apartment is nice. It's much smaller than the house was but it gets the job done. We even have a balcony and I can walk to class if I so desire. It's nice to have fully functional internet there too. You'd think I'd be updating my blog left and right but I apologize for such delay. Between school work and 6 hour pumpkin carving sessions the blog somehow took a backseat in the priority wagon. Well that's all I can think of at the moment so Happy October 17th !

Finally

I have internet in my apartment. Yahoo !

Hi

Hello everyone. It's been 2 weeks.....I'm aware. I've been slightly busy the past few weeks and updating my blog wasn't at the top of my priority list. So what has happened with me lately? I was told I had to leave my house because of an eviction notice (turned out to be a blessing). Yesterday I had acupuncture with 10 needles in my back and 5 in my ear. My back doesn't know how it wants to feel. Somedays it wants to feel fine and other days it wants to hurt. I have a bad feeling it might be an injury that stays around for a long time. The Red Sox made the playoffs and lost their first game against the white sox 14-2...total embarassment. The Tigers fired Alan, sorry buddy. Lindsey Hunter of the Pistons is having surgery today. I turned in my sales portfolio I had to make for one of my classes today. I'm glad that's done.

My parents are leaving for Georgia tomorrow, I would like to go as well but I can't. I'll just stay home and watch baseball and do homework and be merry. I hope it doesn't get cold for at least a little while longer. Cold weather and I don't get along very well. Anyways, I think that's all I have for now. Hopefully it won't be another 2 weeks before I post. Have a nice day everyone.

Update

Hello everyone,
I was pleased to hear that Grandma Gall's surgery went well. Hopefully it will help. I myself have been doing EXCELLENT in terms of my back. I haven't felt this good in a long long time. I can roll out of bed with ease and get out of my car with no problems. My friend Jeff asked me if I could play golf yet and since I've made the mistake of golfing when I thought I was better about 3 or 4 times this summer I think I am going to have to pass. I think I'll put the clubs away for the year even though this is the perfect time to play golf.

School is going ok for now. I have deadlines coming up for big assignments though. Having big projects due is like being in debt with your professor. They always have something to hang over your head. I can't say I'm a fan of that feeling. Oh well, that's just the way it is.

Yesterday wasn't the best day in the baseball world.....the Yankees overtook Boston by a 1/2 game for the division lead. It might go back and forth like that until the end of season so I hope the right team ends up on top when it's all said and done.

On a happy note I found 70 dollars in my dream last night, sad news is I woke up and it definitely wasn't there anymore. Maybe it's under my pillow, I'll have to check when I get home. Heck, I'll be excited if there is milk in the fridge when I get back let alone the 70 bucks. Today is the day we are supposed to get internet at the house. I would really aprreciate that. I have to come to campus everytime I need to get work done and a lot of my assignments are posted on the internet and it would make life a bit easier to have access to them from my room.

Hmmm what else? I guess I don't really have anything so I'll leave you with the stupid joke of the past few weeks.....Did you hear about the pretzel that was attacked? He was asSALTed(assaulted) muahhahahahahahaha. I know I know, quite the knee slapper.

Well I don't think I can top that so have a nice day everyone.

On the run

Hello all. I can't blog for too long right now but I just wanted to renew my blogging license so here I go. I went to Cleveland with my friend Crystal to see the Indians play on Saturday. It was awesome. We even got on the big screen at Jacob's field! The tribe pulled out a 5-4 win over the royals.
My back is doing okay for the moment, I can walk without pain and that's good, yet when I sit in certain positions it still kills me. Some laying positions hurt and I can't sit on a flat floor. It's odd.
To say I'm busy with school work would be an understatement. I need my own personal secretary/assistant to keep track of assignments, deadlines, meetings, presentations, this, that, everything. Overwhelmed is a good way to put it. Well that's all I can give you for now....I have to type up a paper that's due for my 5:30 class. Such is the life a senior sales student.

P.S. We're supposed to get internet and cable at the house today. That will make life easier and harder all in one. With baseball playoffs coming up it will be very hard to get things done. Although the thought of doing homework while watcing basbeball playoffs with some beer sounds pretty nice. Alright well I hope everyone else is less busy than I am. BYE !

Saturday in the Park

Comerica Park that is....tonight I'm going to watch the struggling Tigers take on the worst team in baseball, the Kansas City Royals. This will be my 4th Tigers game this year and my total out of pocket expenses for the tickets will come to a grand total of 5 dollars......It's bad when I can see 4 baseball games for less than what a margirita/daiquiri costs at the ballpark....that sucker cost me $7.25 but it was extremely hot and I got to keep the glass.
My first game I saw the Tigers play the Giants (thanks to Aunt Joyce who received the tickets from Uncle Dale I believe).....it was a 4-0 loss but we had the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth so it was somewhat exciting and the seats were great!
My second game was an awesome experience. Tigers/Red Sox. Rachel bought me tickets to this game and somehow we managed to trade for even better tickets. 5th row right by the on deck circle! I thought the Red Sox had it wrapped up but this time the Tigers rallied to pull out a one run victory in the bottom of the ninth.
The third game I went to was just last Monday...Labor Day. Tigers/Indians. My friend Crystal is a die hard Indians fan so we decided to make a day of it. Her brother Curt and 4 of his friends joined us as well. While the games don't mean much to the Tigers in terms of the playoffs, every game is important to the Indians from here on out. It was all Indians for the better part of 8 and a 1/3 innings. It was 2-0 and the Tiger's were threatening in none other than what inning? Oh yes, the bottom of the ninth....I'm seeing a definite pattern in the games I attend with that. We had 2 men on with one out and Trammell decides to bring in Chris Shelton as a pinch hitter. Well Shelton was about 3 feet away from being the hero that day. He hit a shot down the right field line about 335 feet that JUST went foul. He then hit into a game ending double play and the game was over just like that.
As I mentioned before, tonight I'll be going to see the Tigers play the Royals. My friend Kalee said she had an extra ticket so somehow I managed to be invited. I think her friend Ryan and her Dad will also be in attendance. Anyone want to bet that the Tiger's will make it interesting in the bottom of the ninth ?
Next Saturday I'm venturing out of Comerica Park and visiting Cleveland to see what Jacob's Field looks like. Crystal and I decided to catch the Indians one more time before the regular season ends. We looked on Ebay for tickets and found two 45 dollar tickets and won them for 66 dollars (thanks to Mom the ebay pro). Not a bad deal.

In other news my back is still giving me some problems. Getting out of bed and in and out of the car seems to be to two worst things for me these days. Some days my back feels better than others and somedays it hurts more than I care to mention. Somedays it hurts in one spot then the next it will hurt in a different spot and then the real bad days it hurts in both spots. The doctor told me what the sydrome is called but I don't really know how to spell it. Thoracolumbar Junction Syndrome or something. I really look forward to feeling better. It's funny how I used to take certain movements for granted. The simple task of leaning forward when I wake up in the morning is now a bonus if I can accomplish it with minimal pain. Putting on a pair of jeans while standing up is also quite a task. Oh well, it will get better......someday. For now I'll keep on a steady diet of ice packs and pain medicine with a side of baseball. Well I think it's time to get some homework done so I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Bye Y'all !

Torn

Today is Thursday and I'm done with 3 weeks of classes already. Things go by so quickly after they've happened. That doesn't make sense but you know what I mean. I regret to inform everyone that last night was my last night working at UPS.....no I don't think I was there long enough to get a gold watch or anything. Two nights ago was probably one of the worst working experiences I've ever had. It ranked right up there with getting hit in the face with a golf ball. Instead of one quick pain, I was feeling a constant pain for about 4 hours. Just imagine someone taking a screwdriver and jabbing it into your lower back everytime you turned the wrong way....that's kind of how it felt. Somehow I made it through work without killing myself. So after thinking things through I decided my back is more important than the 20 hour paycheck I'd be getting. I decided I'd like to be able to walk later on in life than to make a few extra bucks during school. I feel bad about quitting so soon but every night I go in I make my back a little bit worse. So deep down I feel I made the right choice. Well I promise I'll post some good news next time. I just wanted to update y'all on what's going on.

Sunday in Toledo

First off I would like to thank my Mother for playing church songs in what I believe to be the correct way. After returning to the church I attend here at school I have to say it was a different experience. It was still a good service and all but I tried singing along to the songs and there is no time to sing them, the pianist plays exactly what is written and it's way too fast and all choppy. This morning we turned "Shine, Jesus Shine" into "ShiJesShine." Ok, moving on.....

I wasn't even sure I was going to make it to church this morning. Church starts at 11 and I'm getting ready at about 10:15 and I walk into the bathroom and boom.....bloody nose. Did I hit it on something ? No.....Did I get punched ? hmmm I don't think so......Just a random occurence I guess....not to gross everyone out but it's probably the worst bloody nose I've had, I don't get many and still don't know why I got this one. But long story short....it wouldn't stop and I was getting worried that I wouldn't be able to go to church but then I was standing in the bathroom and I told myself that if God wants me at church this morning than he'll make sure my nose stops in time....and what do you know, I made it. I was even early by a few minutes.

So now here I am, in the basement of the University of Toledo library. I have 13 assignments in which to complete, make that 14 assignments. I think I'll be spending about the next 5 hours buried in text books, papers, pencils, calculators, and other such items. I'm hoping to get most of my work done today because my plan is to go up to Comerica Park and watch the Tigers play the Indians tomorrow. Labor Day at the ball park......Maybe get a dog and a beer, throw a few friends in there........sounds good to me.

If I had more time off school I'd like to visit a few other ball parks around the country.....of course my first choice would be Fenway park. It's so old and has so much history and I think it would be a lot of fun. Next up would have to be Wrigley field. As a kid growing up in Michigan I took in way too many Cubs game thanks to access to cable and WGN Chicago. I remember being at my Grandma Gall's house during the summer and just sitting down and watching the Cubs as the late Harey Carey would call the game. Take me out to the ball game, take me out to the crowd.......ah yes, good ol' baseball.

Well I've done pretty well at avoiding my work so far but I think it's time to start checking things off the list. So Happy Sunday to all and have a safe and relaxing Labor Day !

Almost the Weekend

Normally at this time on a Thursday afternoon in college I'm excited because I know I don't have to go to school for the next few days but these days my once "early weekend" has to wait until about 3 am on Saturday morning to get started. I'm finding my shift at UPS to be getting a little better each day I go in. That's not to say that I don't splinter, cut, and bruise myself about 20 times a night because I definitely do......the rollers in the trailers that you slide the packages on always seem to pick a fight with my shin on my right leg and not once has my shin won. But the flow of the whole process seems to be improving. Today is payday, I'm thinking that might take some pain away.

What else.......I think my professors misunderstood "labor" day. I've always thought we had the day off but it seems that even though we don't have to attend classes I'll be locked in my room doing homework for most of the day.....only the second week of class and I've got more things to get done then.....(as Grandma Gall would say).....Carter's got liver pills. I think at one time I understood that analogy but somehow it has escaped my memory so if anyone would like to fill me in I would be glad to know.

Tonight is Toledo's first football game. Go Rockets ! I do believe we're playing Western Illinois......yeah....so I'm betting on Toledo. The score will prolly be like 56-3. Toledo doesn't play too many good teams. We did play Pittsburgh 2 years ago and they were ranked in the top 25 in the nation at the time and we beat them. That was by far the best game I have seen at Toledo. Usually Toledo just wins most of their games and loses a couple and then we play Bowling Green. No one really cares how the season goes up to that point just as long as we win that game.

Well I'm going to go do something productive.......Happy day before the weekend everyone.