Another Fun Three Day Weekend

It’s back to work today as a three-day weekend closed. Here is a look at how I spent it.

Friday – I got out of work a little early and I cut the lawn. I must say since I started mulching I will never go back to bagging my grass. As I knew the weekend had a lot in store I purposely scheduled very little. Joyce and I ate at the Patio of all places and then sat down to watch some videos.

We caught the Assassination of Richard Nixon, which was good, if not great. Then popped in some Denis Leary standup, which was pretty good as well.

Saturday – The day started off with a bang, as Joyce could not find her purse. She swore she had left in the car but it was not there. So, I calmly asked if she might have left it at work? After debating the issue we decided to go to her office downtown to see if it was there. I knew this was going to be difficult, since there was a parade downtown. So, I took as many back roads as I could. Also, since parking in the loop is a joke, once we got there, I had Joyce go up to her desk while I continued to circle her block. Luckily, her purse was indeed at her desk, so that catastrophe was avoided.

Next, we headed back to the burbs and went to Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s is a yuppie grocery store that sells a bunch of bad tasting, bland, organic, food. Joyce likes the place, personally I hate it. However, there is a disc re-play store next to it so while she was in there I went to the used CD store.

They have a great deal where if you buy 3 discs you get the 4^th free. So, I came home with, Billy Idol, Rebel Yell, The best of Judas Priest, A best of Toto disc and a Cat Stephens CD. All of which I did not need yet for the four of them it was less than twenty bucks. After spending what I thought was a lot of time in the CD store, I went to Trader Joe’s only to find that Joyce was not even at her mid-point of shopping. So, I joined her and cracked jokes at all the lame products that they have there. (Like the chocolate beer.)

We got home and I caught the end of the Cubs game, as I had to hit a graduation party later in the afternoon. I hit the party to find that there is a beanbag tournament taking place. Basically, it was a blind draw and you would be partnered up with which ever name was drawn. I was paired with a guy I had never met named Bill. Fortunately, he was a pretty god bag thrower. There were 32 people in the tourney, meaning that there were 16 teams. We won our first two games rather easily to make it to the “Final Four” however, there we lost and eventually Mike (who’s house we were at) and my friend Chris won the thing.

After the bean bagging, I sat down and chowed a burger and some chicken and had a couple of Old Style’s. I yucked it up with the boys and eventually headed home.

Sunday – I had to hit a softball practice. We had been trying to all get together to hit some balls all year and finally on Sunday we were at least able to get enough people together to do so. I was out in the outfield shagging balls and realized just how out of shape I really am. When we were finally finished I was done. I went home and hit the couch and watched the end of the Cubs game. Joyce came home and we decided to skip the cookouts and grab some Mexican food.

So, we venture to Café Salsa’ in La Grange which is one of my favorite Mexican places. We get a table and we wait for the waiter to come over. We wait and wait and wait. Finally, I declare enough is enough and I suggest to Joyce that we leave, which we do. We than head down the road to another Mexican joint, whose name escapes me. I wanted to really like the place to stick it to Café Salsa’ but I must admit I didn’t care for it.

We got home, relaxed and I caught the end of the Red Sox – Yankee game and than found Boogie Nights on cable.

Monday- Somehow I let Joyce talk me into going to Michigan City, Indiana to accompany her to the outlet mall that they have there. It is about an hour drive from our house. We headed out in the morning and got there both pretty hungry. I figured there would be an eatery or something like that but I would be mistaken. Our choices of food were a hot dog stand, a crappy coffee house or a Subway. So, we went with the Subway. Of course since the mall had a limited number of eating establishments every other backward ass Hoosier in the area also decided to eat there.

The line started some where near South Bend and ended in Terre Haute. Joyce got a table while I braved the line. In front of me was a man with few teeth, a bad stench and he looked as if his last bath was sometime during the Clinton administration. He than scratched his head and about a foot of dandruff flew out from his hair and onto the ground. Any sense of appetite I had was quickly dissipating and at that point I just wanted to leave. I hung in there and got to the counter to get my BMT and Joyce her turkey sub and we ate.

I quickly than realized I was doomed to die a slow and painful death. Every store had to many people and not enough workers. As Joyce went from store to store my main goal was to find an open bench seat close enough to whatever store she went in. I also learned that these outlet stores are a sham. I didn’t find the prices to be any better than at a Kohl’s or Sears. So, as Joyce went in a Coach, or Gap outlet I basically people watched.

And, let me tell you if you want to watch a bunch of mullets and kids named Marlinda the Michigan City outlet mall is for you. If I needed any re-assurance that I could never service outside of Chicago yesterday was all the proof I needed. To say the service people were slow is like saying Kristine Alley likes Chinese food. I bought one thing the whole day other than the Subway. I grabbed a pair of shorts and some shirts at the Levi’s outlet where they had a whole one-counter open. The lady running the register was just a little older than Jessica Tandy would have been. Sadly, I think even in her current condition Mrs. Tandy would have operated a register quicker.

After finally getting out of the store I had seen enough. Joyce hit a couple more stores and at long last we left, only to hit that famous Chicago traffic on the way home. Once home Joyce made some of the Trader Joe’s grub. As a thanks for me going with her to the malls Joyce cut my hair and I settled down to watch the Cubs game and wonder just what happened to my three-day weekend.

Mid Summer Classic

I have always been a fan of baseball and in particular I have always loved watching the all-star game. Something about it has always been really cool to me. Each year, I am taken back to being a kid and remembering Dave Parker nailing a runner out at the plate with a laser beam of a throw from right field or Gary Carter hitting two home runs in Cleveland. I also love that fans get to vote for there favorite players. So, with the polls set to close in a little over a month I figured I would give you my ballot.

American League

1B Mike Sweeney, Royals – Hey the guy is hitting .315 with nine homers on a shit team. It is a close call over Tino Martinez of the Yanks but I have to vote for Sweeney.

2B Brian Roberts, Oriole’s – The guy is having an all world year hitting .377 with 11 homers. This is a no-brainer of a vote.

SS Miguel Tejada, Oriole’s – Hitting a robust .323 with 12 homers. This guy has been amazing ever since he put on the O’s jersey. Jeter gets a look but Tejada’s numbers are better.

3B Alex Rodriguez, Yankee’s – This one is a rout. The guy is hitting .324 with 17 home runs. While Inge and Mora are both having solid years there is no one more deserving at any position that A-Rod is this year.

C Jason Varitek, Red Sox - The guy is hitting .329 with 9 homers. Posada of the Yank’s and Mauer of the Twins also having good years but it’s hard to not vote in Varitek.

OF Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners – A true all star, who is hitting .324 plus he has 15 steals. Just pencil him in the game every year.

OF Johnny Damon, Red Sox – Having a great year in the leadoff spot for the Sox. Hitting .340 it is hard to look past that.

OF Gary Sheffield, Yankee’s – Hitting .318 with 7 homers. In a surprisingly weak field Sheffield ranks ahead of Podsednick of the White Sox with his 26 steals.

National League

1B Derek Lee, Cubs – Man, this is a tough one. Lee is hitting .340 with 12 homers and Pujos is hitting .332 with 11. They both have 39 RBI’s. I have to pick Lee because, he also has 8 SB’s and is a much better defensive player than Pujos.

2B Mark Grudzielanek, Cardinal’s – In a weak field Grudz’ is having the best year of the bunch. He’s hitting .321 with 3 homers. That is a little better than Biggio with his .298 and 8 homers.

SS Cesar Izturis, Dodger’s – A tough call between him and Barmes of the Rockie’s. Izturis is hitting .340 with only one dinger. However this guy is a gold glover. Barmes is hitting .341 with 7 homers but he is doing it at Coors and is sub-par with the glove.

3B David Wright, Mets – A close call in a tough 3 way battle. I like Wright with his .314-8-28 line a little better than Gluas at .273-13-35 and Chipper Jones at .331-7-23. Any of the three are worthy but since Jones has missed a lot of time I will give it to Wright.

C Ramon Hernandez, Padres – Not a real strong position and Hernandez seems to the best of a bad lot. Hitting .304 with 5 homers and 27 knocked in. Plus he calls a real good game. Lo Duca from the Marlins only real competition at .299 but only 2 homers.

OF Bobby Abreu, Phillies – The best player you’ve never heard of. Hitting .333 with 12 homers and 13 steals. Has a real chance to go 30-30 and plays a mean D.

OF Miguel Cabrera, Marlins – He’s only hitting .360 with nine bombs. He is scary good and only getting better. This guy better not make any golf plans in mid July anytime soon.

OF Pat Burrell, Phillies – Kind of a shocker but you can’t ignore .312-9-39 line. He is easily the NL comeback player of the year. Not much competition to challenge these three.

Nick's Top 50: 30-21

Here we go with selections 30-21.

30. Prince, Purple Rain – I guess I’ve always kind of been a Prince fan. Sure he’s a shrink’s dream but he is also a damn fine musician when he is focused. After all of these years I still find Purple Rain his greatest accomplishment. You put this in and it still sounds good. From the blistering opening cut Let’s go Crazy to the title track’s mellow ending just sit back and enjoy the ride.

29. The Ramones, Rocket to Russia - It’s hard for me to pick one Ramones disc over any other, as I truly love this band. Their debut album just missed my cut for the top 50 but Rocket to Russia has to make the list, as it is my favorite Ramones album. While FM radio was boring us with over produced banality like, Kansas, The Cars, 38 Special Bad Company and Boston, the Ramones were out there simplifying things and making great music. On Rocket to Russia, the Ramones gave us the infectious Teenage Lobotomy and the classic Sheena is a Punk Rocker. If you’ve never gotten into the Ramones and are a fan of legitimate punk music please go out and take a chance on this one.

28. The Police, Reggatta da Blanc - Another Police selection. A true masterpiece released when the Police were still kind of flying under the radar. With their second release the Police turned a little less punk and little more pop and came up with a treasure. Just sit back and revel in the fusion of three brilliant musicians. Bring on the Night, It’s All right for You and Message in Bottle still hold up. When I’m 80 years old and am wearing a diaper I will still have this disc in my regular rotation.

27. Pearl Jam, Ten – Never have I gone from loving a band to hating one just as quickly. Ten is a tour de force that knocks you out. It’s just too bad Pearl Jam was never able to back this one up. While I currently can not stand Eddie Vedor and this self important band, that can not take away the greatness of this record. From Once to Why Go Home to Jeremy it simply rocks and even after ten years still holds up. A great debut album and maybe the band shot it’s load on this one but, they sure shot good.

26. Steely Dan, Aja – Seven tracks is all that this record had and each one is a treasure. From Deacon Blues to I’ve Got the News to Josie a great disc. Two musical geeks who have a blast making a great record. Fagan and Becker were never better than they were here. They were one of the ultimate studio bands of all time and in Aja they made a short sweet record that fused jazz and rock to perfection.

25. Boz Scaggs, Silk Degrees – I love this record. It is a guilty pleasure and one that I readily admit to. Just a groovy disc that you will have to fight yourself not to sing along with. I could listen to Lowdown and never get tired of that bass line. Or the sweet tenderness in Georgia. It sucks you in and you revel in it. In his later years Boz never approached the greatness of Silk Degrees but never stopped putting out quality music. Be it Jazz, Blues, Soul, Rock, he could do it all.

24. Rolling Stones, Let It Bleed - In my mind the greatest Stones record. There is no doubt about the Rolling Stones place in the history of Rock and Roll. The main issue I have with them is that their records are very un-even. Let It Bleed for my money is their most complete disc. While it only has nine tracks there is not a bad one in the bunch. From the great guitar work on Gimme Shelter to the addictive grove on Monkey Man you can’t go wrong slipping this one in the CD player.

23. Nirvana In Utero – The forgotten Nirvana disc. Lost in the brilliance of Nevermind and Cobain’s death was In Utero. A record that in it’s own right is brilliant. The anger of Rape Me, the subtle lyrics of Pennyroyal Tea and the self-mocking of Dumb. A record that showed once and for all who was the greatest Seattle band of the grunge era. To think it was released twelve years ago already and yet it still sounds great.

22. Living Colour, Vivid – A disc I fell in love with in 1989 and am still amorous with today. A record that took me by the balls, grabbed me and squeezed. I heard Cult of Personality on MTV and really liked it. Than, a friend went out and bought tickets to see them based on that one song. I was offered a ticket so, I figured I better buy the album so I would recognize some of the shit I was about to hear. I put it in and was instantly hooked.

21. The Who, Who’s Next - Just a great record. A true rock and roll classic. I love it so much I am not sure where to begin. First off you have one of the greatest openings in history with Baba O’Riley. Then you sit back and take the ride all the way to Behind Blue Eyes. Pete Townsend is one of those rare musical Gods and here again he blows me away. Released right when the band was hitting its peak, it is a record that if you don’t own and you call yourself a fan of rock and or roll you should be ashamed.

A Day In A Life

Here is how my day went yesterday.

6:05 AM – Alarm goes off, I get up take a leak, grab a towel and head to the shower, get dressed and wait for Joyce.

6:50 AM – We get into the car and head off to the train station.

7:15 AM – Get on to the train at the Worth station and head downtown.

7:53 AM – After having to sit through some bimbo’s misguided Republican rant in the seat behind me, I arrive downtown and walk to work.

8:05 AM – After purchasing a Banana nut muffin from the Farmer’s Market located in the Federal Plaza I walk into the office.

8:15 AM – I down the muffin and check my voice and E-mail. I also check to see what tickets are sitting in my queue as I try to get a handle on what my day will be like.

8:33 AM – I head off to see my first client of the day. It seems his Blackberry, (a wireless device that stores e-mails and a calendar) has stopped working. I fight the device for a while and get it working eventually.

9:00 AM – I go to see my next client who also is having a Blackberry issue. Her problem is user error so I am able to fix it rather quickly.

9:10 AM- For my next stop I go to see one of those clients who I consider one of my “special users.” Meaning, he’s a complete dick and pain in the ass. I am in luck as he has to go off to a meeting and leaves me at his desk to fix his e-mail problem. Again, it is mostly user error and I am on in my way rather quickly.

9:30 AM- I head back to my desk, as I have to make some phone calls. I call a guy in New York about some issues in Chicago and then I call my Insurance agent to discuss my flood insurance.

9:45 AM- I IM my friend Chuck to see what we are doing for lunch and we decide on Venice Café.

9:52 AM – I go and pick up a pc that I need to re-image. Meaning, I need to wipe it clean and re-build it from scratch. I start the process and while the files are loading, I head off to see another client.

10:25 AM – I head to see a guy who cannot print. I fiddle around and fix his issue rather quickly.

10:40 AM – I head back to my desk and finish up the machine I re-imaged. I fart around checking e-mails.

11:15 AM – I arrive at Venice Café and enjoy a lunch with the rest of my crew. I get the special sandwich of the day, which is a beef and Italian Sausage combo.

12:15 PM – I arrive back at my desk with my stomach filled.

12:30 PM – I close out some tickets, post my latest blog, and check to see what place I have gotten to in my Baseball league.

12:45 PM – I head up to see another client with yet another Blackberry issue. It is at this point the combo I had just consumed is heading due south and I need to make a deposit.

12:50 PM – I tell the client I need to retrieve some information from my desk when really I run to the john and drop the kids off at the pool.

1:05 PM – I go back to the client with the Blackberry issue and resolve it for him.

1:15 PM – I head over to a client’s desk to check on a bitch of a problem he is having involving this in-house software. I am there for a while.

1:50 PM - I finally give up and go to my desk to see if anyone on my team has ever dealt with this problem.

2:12 PM – I find a fix for it from another co-worker. In return he needs my help setting up a digital sender.

2:35 PM – I head upstairs with my co-worker and help him setup the sender.

3:10 PM – After we setup the sends I head to my desk and find a different co-worker who needs help taking some old equipment to our dumping area. So, I accompany her and load monitor after monitor into the abyss.

4:00 PM – At long last I head to my desk to close out my calls, check some e-mail, and IM with some friends.

4:30 PM- I hit the head, and take off for the train station.

4:44 PM – I arrive back at Union and find my usual seat. I BS with Chuck, Dell all the while Joyce silently makes fun of our meaningless conversations.

5:41 PM – The train arrives at Worth and Joyce and I hop in the car and head home.

5: 50 PM – Get home check the mail, check my yahoo mail and Joyce and I get into it over where to eat. We are both to pooped to cook so it being a Tuesday we decide to order from Nick’s, which has a Tuesday two for one. I get the chicken parm, and the wife gets baked spaghetti.

6:35 PM - I leave to go pick up the food.

6:55 PM – I return with the food. We eat.

7:00 PM – While eating much to my chagrin Joyce decides to catch American Idol. Since I’d rather walk on coals I tell her I am going to run to Home Depot to get some water for our dispenser.

7:40 PM – I arrive at the depot and make the transaction. I make sure to take the long way home to make sure I get home after Idol is over.

8:05 PM – I arrive back home to catch Joyce watching Elf. I head upstairs and put on the Cubs game.

9:00 PM – Joyce asks if we can switch as she would rather be upstairs so, I agree. I than head to the fridge and grab a scoop of ice cream.

9:43 PM – Much to my delight Ryan Dempster nails down a Cubs victory. Joyce hears my applause all the way upstairs.

10:00 PM – I channel surf until 10 when the Simpsons comes on. I than grab a bag of already opened Pork rinds and unwind with my favorite show.

10:40ish – I fall asleep on the couch watching Howard Stern on E!. At some point in the middle of the night I get up take a leak and head to bed.

Tne End of The Saga

Like most of America I went down to my local Cineplex and caught the latest installment in the Star Wars saga. And, like most of America I have an opinion on it as well. Let me just say that I’ve never been a huge Star Wars geek. That was more my brother. He had all the action figures and I remember him accidentally dropping Chewbacca in the toilet and him having to make a decision to fish him out or send him to a burial at sea.

I was eight years old when the original came out. I saw the movie through adolescent’s eyes. Those days are gone as now I am a cynical hardened bastard who can no longer settle for mediocre dialogue and ham handed acting. I mean when I was a kid, the Dukes of Hazard was considered entertainment to me. With that said, I can’t say I hated the movie and I can’t say I loved it either. Here is my take on it.

SPOILER ALER******************

If you walk into a Star Wars movie looking for dialogue you will be disappointed. I realize this. The action sequences were very good and the Kenobi-Skywalker light saber fight at the end was great. It was also really cool to see the birth of one of the badest ass villains of all time in Darth Vader. To see just why this dude is so pissed and how he became so disfigured. Having seen the original trilogy, you knew what was going to happen and yet it was still exciting to watch. So, in that respect I thought the film succeeded in its purpose.

On the negative side again, Anakin and Padame’ showed absolutely no chemistry what so ever. Other than the script saying so, there is no reason to feel they were in love. Also, the first ¾ of the movie I was bored off my ass. I kept waiting for a fight scene because, lets face it that is what these movies are. Special effects can only take you so far, at some point there needs to be something interesting up on the screen. The filler space was wasted with horrible acting, (save for the always good Ewan Mcgregor) and a script a nine year old could have written. I mean do we really need to here C3P0 saying that Anakin looked stressed. I am sure in the future stress will still be a major concern.

Finally just as the film was starting to win me over again with the dueling Yoda-Chancellor Palpatine and the Skywalker-Kenobi battles, it again ruined itself. We just get through seeing the birth of Vader and they have him squelch out Nooooooooooo! Over the loss of Padame’. At that moment I let out a burst of laughter over the absurdity of it all. Sure, the guy was deviated but seeing Vader heart broken over some dame he “killed” just didn’t work.

So, I give it two stars. I will say it is the best of the series since Jedi but that is not saying much considering how much I hated Phantom Menace and Clones. All in all Lucas has become a billionaire over this series and you have to give the man some due with respect to the fact that he came up with such a aggressive approach. I mean Star Wars was the most successful film in marketing toys with a movie ever. Then, he got all the original actors to sign away all likeness rights so all of that money on action figures went right to him. The guy knew what he was doing all along and he should be commended for that. Also, this series has brought joy to millions and has created a cult following that will never go away. For Star Wars represents that eight year old in all of us. A world of make believe where there is a definite good and a definite evil. The good guys win in the end and everyone lives happily ever after.

Nick's Top 50: 40-31

It being Thursday I will give you disc’s 40-31 in Nick’s top 50.

40. Led Zeppelin, Zeppelin II – Like all of the Zeppelin records, this one got overplayed. However, that should not dilute its brilliance. Every once in a while every one needs to get the Led out and to do so to Zeppelin II is a good way take care of that urge. The Heartbreaker to Living Loving Maid segway has always been a favorite. With, Ramble On and Whole Lotta Love on this as well you have nothing to argue about.

39. Nirvana, Unplugged – I am a huge Nirvana fan and this disc always has been a favorite of mine. It is a beautiful record in which Kurt Cobain’s tragic crackled voice permeates throughout. No matter what you may think of what Cobain did, one cannot argue with his music. Their take on, The Man who Sold the World and Where Did You Sleep Last Night are masterful. I was not a huge fan of the whole MTV Unplugged thing but on this one they got it right.

38. Jimi Hendrix, Are you Experienced – The record that is the definitive Hendrix release. This has to go down as one of the greatest debut albums ever. Hendrix shreds guitars and labels with this mix of trippy rock and roll and blues. For all of those who shrug off Jimi as just noise I give you, The Wind Cries Mary or his version of the blues classic Red House. Of course Purple Haze, with its shear brilliance, catches you and never lets go. Still a fresh record and one in which sadly only scratched the surface of this guitar genius.

37. Bruce Springsteen, The River – A double record where Bruce strings it all together. Early Springsteen still gets me going. Yes, he has become a caricature of himself all of these years later and Born in The U.S.A. was a piece of shit. However, The River was the last great Bruce effort. Here with the help of the E Street band he fuses a song like Out In The Street with Wreck On the Highway. Sure, it has some low points as well but there is nothing better than driving along in the summer jamming to this record in your car.

36. Chicago, Chicago Transit Authority – The first and greatest Chicago record. While many will never forgive what Chicago became in the 80’s, I can listen to this disc and remember just how great they were. I have personally taken it upon myself to try to educate the masses of the true greatness that was Terry Kath. A great fusion of jazz and rock with that killer horn section. Questions 67 & 68 with the dueling voices of Cetera and Kath and of course, their take on the classic I’m a Man. If you don’t own this one do me a favor, buy it. I guarantee you will enjoy it.

35. Van Morrison, Moondance – Van Morrison simply has one of the greatest voices ever recorded. I could listen to him sing anything. Moondance is his Goodfella’s. It is where everything comes together to make an amazing record. From the opening track, And It Stoned Me, it grabs a hold of you and sucks you in. You melt with Van as he lays it down. It is the anti-Brown Eyed Girl and it erases all memories of that era of his career

34. The Doors, The Doors – From Van to Jim Morrison. The Door’s first record, which launched a short, but brilliant run. The poetic lyrics of Morrison, the haunting guitar of Kreiger and the eclectic organ of Manzarek, a pure masterpiece and a must own for any serious fan of rock and roll. Of course the epic The End that closes this disc is one for the ages and as Jim says, “Ride the Snake.”

33. Living Colour, Stain - For better or worse I’ve always been a big fan of Living Colour. In Stain, the band makes a left turn and never looks back, there is no Elvis Is Dead on this disc. Instead, they tell the eerie tale of Postman or wink to the lyrics of Bi. Then you have the sadness of Nothingness. I have a huge fondness for this one and always will. A record that I have never gotten sick of all these years later and I still grove to.

32. Santana, Abraxis – A popular choice I’m sure, as this record has sold millions. It deserves all the praise that it gets. As they said on Freak’s and Geek’s, “How much of bad ass must that guy be if they named the band after the guitar player.” That about sums up Santana and Abraxis is the pinnacle. Just put it on, sit back and take the ride. There have probably been ten million joints smoked to it and just as many twinkles consumed. Please, do not write this off as a stoner disc. It is so much more than that and deserves respect.

31. REM, Green – Ah, Green, the last great REM album. They were on such a roll in the late 80’s. Many REM fans will point to earlier works as their best and they are all great records. However, I have this soft spot for Green. I was a fan of REM before this record but I really got hooked on them during their Green days. A catchy little record that REM has fun with. It was the last time REM would be good and they made it count. Maybe they got bored with their greatness; maybe they wanted fame and fortune beyond the alternative universe. Whatever the reason REM would never be as good as they were here.

I'm Still Angry

Here we go again.

Corporate Books – Is there anything worse than being forced to read a corporate book? America, stop making us read stupid corporate books. FISH, GOOD TO BE GREAT, WHO MOVED MY CHEESE, AND EXECUSION, are just some of the lame ass corporate idiots favorite reads. Horrible self help nonsense that wastes one’s time and makes idiots make even more idiotic decisions. FISH is the most obnoxious and annoying of all of these books. Let’s get this straight. Make work fun, make each day a happy day and choose a positive attitude and all of the sudden bingo all of life’s problems are solved. Only rich, white, middle aged, brain dead, clueless, jag offs read this shit and think they are on to something. Gee, make work fun and presto people will love their jobs. Well no shit. If it takes you reading this in a book to figure this out, please hand over you drivers license since you are unfit to operate a vehicle. Do you really feel that if you work some poor schlep to the bone, offer no overtime re-imbursement and make him spend less time at home, he will be happy. This book has nothing original in it to say so management, please make us stop reading this useless junk.

The Term Play Date - There is nothing more grating than hearing some supposed adult use the term “play date.” What happened to kids just getting together playing baseball or Barbie’s and having fun? Now, all of the sudden we need to schedule time to play? What the fuck is wrong with these yuppie ass parents and their attention magnets? Kids have stopped being kids all of the sudden. We have parents who start saving for college when they are in the womb and enroll them in karate class when they are four years old. Let kids make their own playtime and stop scheduling a time when it admissible to play.

Celine Dion – America, why in the hell is this freak a star? Of all the half assed singers out there why did you find it necessary to buy her records? First off, she is a complete loon. I’ve watched interviews with her where she makes about as much sense as Charles Manson. Secondly, her music is that lame ass white, soft love crap. Lastly, she takes herself way to seriously. So, please Celine for the good of all mankind, go far, far away. You’ve made enough money leave us alone and stop poluting us with your music.

Guys Who Need Expensive Cars to Get Laid – You know the type, they drive around in BMW’s or a tripped out Mustang and think that by doing a neutral drop off the line somehow gets women wet. When I was younger I used to call them Glamour Boy’s after a Living Colour song. They would drive around in their Mustang 5.0’s and think they were the shit. The thing is I don’t know who I hate more, those dolts who drive those cars or the women who are actually attracted to them. I have always prided myself in the fact that any ass I ever got was not based on my car but on my own charming personality.

Frat Boy’s - There is nothing worse than paying to have friends. It seems all these cretins are good for is date rapes and macho male bonding nonsense. When I was in college there was nothing I hated more than the IQ-challenged Greek letter-wearing dolts. Now that I am older I find it pathetic that these jagoff’s hold on to those outdated frat traditions like they are still in college. Grow up already, you’ll never be cool.

People Who Correct Their Names – I’ve been called Vince and Frank so many times in my life I stopped counting. It’s only a name. If I meet someone named Andrew and I call him Andy and he corrects by telling me it is Andrew, I politely nod and in my mind I say, “Well, I’ll just call you asshole.” Grow up already, who cares if people mis-pronounce or don’t call you by your full name.

Rush Limbaugh – While I could always simply write off this loud mouthed, racist boob as just that, I guess it bothers me that he has such a following. I want to scream at people that listen to him, wake up he is a liar and full of shit. He slants his show as to never allow a dissenting voice to be heard. He spews his venom and hate to the easily manipulated and they buy his bullshit. This is why we have so many red states, because this prick has brain washed the already brain dead hillbillies in this country. I hate no man more than this dick.

Yankee Fans who Don’t Live in New York – It was once said rooting for the Yankee’s is like rooting for IBM. I could not agree more. If you live in NY, hey good for you I have no issue with you being a Yankee fan. However, if you simply root for the Yankees because you want to root for a winner that is lame. It takes no backbone and shows no character to root for the Yankee’s. These people are obnoxious and need to be taught a lesson. Last year when they chocked it was great and hopefully there is more of that to come.

Will And Grace – I never found this show funny and now I find it simply grating. This show is so over the top it would need a fireman’s ladder to get down. They have a guest star on every week in a futile attempt to gain viewers. What does this say about the show itself when every week they feel the need to bring in a Cher or J-Lo to get viewers? This show represents everything I hate about network sitcoms.

I Love IT

Sometimes, I have to laugh at the absurdity of it all. IT management has always been a great source of amusement for me. Unless you work for a technology company, most business have no idea how to run it. The reasons for this are many. First off if you have non-technical people who are put in charge of hiring people for technical leadership they are susceptible to bullshit.

You have some buffoon of a manager who comes in and tells Joe CEO that they can manage IT and do so with a minimal cost to the company. He bores the CEO with pie charts and graphs explaining his bullshit. The thing is though, in the real world of Information Technology, just like anything else you get what you pay for. If you buy a Hyundai you cannot expect it to run like a Lexus.

So, therein lies the problem. Being in IT is like one long merry-go-round. One day I will hear, “We need to provide first class service.” Which means you never turn a client away. You do what ever it takes to get a client up and running. I agree with this thinking. If a client is down, he or she is not productive. That in turn is costing the bank money. Now, you won’t see that loss on an accountant’s ledger but it is there nonetheless.

The problem is that I am expensive. It costs the bank money to pay me to go and fix someone’s problem. I do not generate money for the bank, therefore, I am a liability. So, like any good company the bank will try to reduce that liability. So, they institute a Remote Desktop Team. What they do is try to fix your problem on the phone. Since phone support is cheaper they in turn can save money by eliminating people like me at the bank. I’ve seen this nonsense tried at other companies and it never works. So, now instead of offering that world-class service if a client calls me directly with a problem that might take me all of five minutes to fix, I am to direct them to a 1-800 number so that they can take an hour to fix it for them.

On paper a remote support site looks great. In theory since the morons in management think they are performing the same tasks that we are they look at this as a great savings. Of course eventually the clients that we support, that were used to that great service start to complain and about being on the phone for hours on end. Then the bean counters have to start explaining why the service is not the same. So, then the cycle will begin again, and we will stress that world-class service for a couple of months until the next hair-brained scheme is unearthed.

All of this just angers me to no end. I hate lazy management and nonsense decisions. I’ve been in this field since 1992. One reason I never went into networks is that I like people. I like being able to help them. I don’t like being tied to a desk all day. If you work on the networking side of things the prestige may be greater but inevitability you get bored. My days usually fly by and there is something cool about not knowing what the day has in store for you. Sure, I realize that the IT snobs look down there noses at us desktop folks but that is OK. Unlike most of those geeks I’ve had sex with multiple partners and I stopped playing D and D in 7^th grade.

With that said you will inevitably get two types of managers in IT. The first being some non-technical boob who transferred from accounting who only knows how to cut costs. The problem is that when you try to explain why things are done they way they are they cannot comprehend it. The second manager you get is the Network geeks. Sure they are technical but have zero ability to interact with people.

In all my years in this field I’ve have been managed properly twice. Once at IRI by a lady named Lorene and once at Harris by my old boss Tim. In thirteen years that is an abysmal record. Part of the problem is that IT management has a high turn over rate. As soon as you have one management structure which has mapped out one plan another one comes in and implements there own processes. All of this makes me wonder even more why I stuck with this field. Sometimes I feel like I am on a sinking ship. I’ve always believed that if you work your ass off, do a good job and do what your boss tells you; in America you will always have a job. However in IT there are no guarantees, which is a little scary.

Lunch In The Loop

One of the great things about working downtown is lunch. Unlike in the burbs, you have a limitless number of possibilities that you can choose to eat at on a workday. With that said it seems like after years of narrowing down the choices there are like five main places I go to lunch at every week. So, I will now offer Nick’s five favorite lunch spots in the loop and Nick’s bottom 5 lunch places in the loop. I am basing this on food quality and price. So, even though there might be places I like better, if the average meal is over ten bucks it is out.

Top 5

5. Bacci Pizza - Located on wells just north of Washington this pizza joint is filler. They give you a slice of pizza that is as big as Lake Michigan and a pop for five bucks. You cannot beat that price in the city. The pizza itself is good, if not great. It is not something I would ever order but is not objectionable either. All in all a really good meal for five bucks.

4. Jimmy Johns – Jimmy Johns has quickly become my favorite sub in the city. They have a couple of locations in the loop, but we usually hit the one on Jackson just east of Franklin. They make homemade bread that as soon as you open the door you get hit with the smell. Again, it is very reasonable and a quality sandwich. I suggest either the Maple Ham and Swiss or the Italian. Both are very good, plus the BBQ homemade chips rock.

3. Chicken Planet – A place I recently found and I cannot get enough of. You get a half a chicken, all white meat, a side, a pita and a drink all for six bucks. The chicken is grilled, not fried. It is loaded with spices and quite unique. It is located on Jackson and just east of Dearborn. There is not a lot of seating and it is a bit of a hole in the wall but man is the chicken good.

2. Perry’s – Perry’s Deli is a loop legend. It is located on Franklin, just north of Randolph. It is a bit of a hike for me but well worth it. As a big fan of the corn beef, I am here to say that Perry’s is the best one I’ve ever had. I’ve never had a bad sandwich there and trust me, that sandwich is a more than a sandwich it is a meal. They pile on the meat and fixings. On top of all of this they have a no cell phone policy, which makes the experience all the more enjoyable. Trust me if you like a good sandwich and you are in the loop you must try Perry’s.

1. Venice Café – I’ve been going to Venice for over ten years. I have probably eaten their tortellini over one hundred times, and I never get sick of it. Located on Jackson right across from the Sears Tower this Italian eatery is a treasure. Again, so many things to eat I don’t know where to begin. They also will add Tabasco to your pasta, on request, which really adds to the sauce. They also make a mean calzone and their lemon chicken is also really good. I am a creature of habit and I usually cannot tear myself away from the spicy tortellini but again, you cannot wrong with anything you order at Venice.

The Bottom Five

5. McDonald’s – If you eat McDonald’s for lunch and you work downtown you should be ashamed. There are way to many choices than for you to settle for their bland, un-imaginative filler. Sure, I support Mickey D’s because they are a Chicago company, but not at lunch in downtown Chicago. There is no excuse for that.

4. Big Herm’s – Big Herm’s is a grill located inside the Northwest train station. It is one of the worst places I have ever had the displeasure of eating at. I always thought there is no way to fuck up a hamburger, well I was wrong. Big Herm’s pre cooks the burgers in the morning than sits them in hot water waiting for the lunch rush. At that point they put them back in the grill to warm them up. They taste like an unflavored rice cake. Just a brutal place.

3. Burrito Beach – This is one of those pseudo new wave burrito joints, where there is not one Mexican person working. No burrito should have whole beans, shredded BBQ chicken and rice. To call this a burrito is a dis-service to an authentic burrito. You will find these monasteries littered throughout the city as urban yuppies that don’t know any better eat em up. Just a complete travesty.

2. Corner Bakery - Another corporate food hellhole. Now, I admit I have had the muffins in the morning and they are pretty good. However, since this is about lunch I can go off on this place. First off, it is a rip. I once had a bowl of soup, a sandwich and a bag of chips and it was $11 bucks. The sandwich sucked, the soup was bland and the chips were worse than Lay’s. Again, they are all over the city and the Yup’s love it. If you like crappy salads and tasteless expensive sandwiches than by all means enjoy.

1. Billy Goat’s - There is no one place more over-rated in the city of Chicago than Billy Goats Tavern. The SNL skit popularized this place in the 70’s. Also, Mike Royko was a big fan. Plus the owner’s father is the one who put the curse on the Cub’s in the 40’s. Well, once you go there you realize that this place is horrible. I’ve had a better hamburger at Burger King. It is a small thin burger that they put on a Kaiser roll so that you get way more bun than meat. You than have to pay up the ass for the privilege of having their burger. A tourist trap if there ever was one. Avoid this place at all costs.

Nick's Top 50: 50-41

With nothing else to talk about I thought I would start some arguments by listing my top 50 Discs of all time. So, for the next 5 weeks, I will update this site with ten of the 50. It took me a long time to come up with this list and I worked on it for a couple of months. I put some thought into it, so on that note here are numbers 50-41

50. Tenacious D – The self-titled masterpiece cracks Nick’s top 50. Musical nirvana it is not, however it is hilarious. I fell in love with the D, a couple of years ago and I’ve been obsessed ever since. Jack and Kyle are making a Tenacious D movie this summer and I am pitching a tent over the news.

49. Metalica, And Justice For All – I am not a huge Metailca fan. As a matter of fact I hate this band for what they did to Napster. Since this disc they have put out nothing but crap. With that said, one cannot dismiss And Justice For All. From begging to end it rocks the metal. Sure, many Metalica fans will tell you Kill Em’ All or Master of Puppets are a little better, but I respectfully disagree. This is when the band hit its peak.

48. Green Day, Dookie – All right, I know I will get nuked for this one by all the haters. I know they are corporate punk. I know that they cannot hold a candle to the Romanes, the Sex Pistols, The Clash, or The Descendents. I have heard it all before. All I can say is that one judge this disc on it’s own merit. It is a fun little disc that does not take itself to seriously. I guess if a punk band sells records than they must have sold out. That is pure bullshit. This is Green Day’s best disc but American Idiot is a very close second.

47. Guns and Roses, Appetite For Destruction - This is one of those discs that many dismissed at the time, however it has withstood the test. Sure it was overplayed and Axel Rose is a tool, but G N’ R rocked for their short existence. I celebrate the entire catalog however their first record is their best. I cold listen to Mr. Brownstone every day and never get sick of it.

46. Genesis, Abacab - The only quality post Peter Gabriel disc the band produced. This was just before Phil Collins completely ruined Genesis. Abacab, had Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mile Rutherford blend together to make a quality record. The title track alone is worth the price but The Man on The Corner is a hidden gem on this one. It was sad what happened to Genesis in its later years so, enjoy this one and remember what a great band they once were.

45. Snoop Doggy Dog, Doggiestyle – Snoop, with the dog pound right behind him, just goes off on this rap classic. Sure there have been better rap discs and many more had much more positive things to say. However, Snoop’s infectious lyrics and rapid fire raping make this a guilty pleasure. Gin and Juice, is in Nick’s top 5 rap songs ever written. Just a great disc that still gets regular play when I am in my Truck.

44. The Police, Zenyaota Mondada – I am a huge Police fan and this is just one in the many great records that they put out. A lot of hard-core Police fans dismiss this one, but I have a soft spot for it. It is a little more popish than earlier works but, it still has that sensibility the band always strived for. It has some silliness to it, it gets dark and holds up after all this time.

43. Franz Ferdinand, Franz Ferdinand – A newer disc to be sure and I put a lot of thought into this one, but I think this record deserves it. I have not been this excited over a CD since the early 90’s. After I had written off all new music as recycled teen angst or Lolita’s yammering away about getting laid, I found this disc. Beautiful music that gets my motor running. I am thankful for having the luxury of hearing it. That is how much I dig this disc. Time will only tell but I believe this one has lasting power.

42. Billy Joel, The Stranger – It is hard to believe the same man who made this beautiful record also made Uptown Girl. I have long contended that Billy Joel was abducted by aliens in 1980 and turned him into the hack that he is today. There is no other way to explain the vast difference in works like the Stranger and We Didn’t Start the Fire.

41. Peter Gabriel, Security – To anyone who knows me they know that I believe that this man is a genius. Security is not his greatest record but never the less it is still a masterpiece. I Have the Touch, Shock the Monkey, Lay Your Hands On Me, just incredible. This was a record released when he was just firing on all cylinders and I am thankful for it.

I Did It My Way

Things I regret.

I never learned to play an instrument.

I broke Jocelyn’s heart once.

I’ve never been to Italy (Or Spain).

I don’t call my Mom, Dad and Grandmother enough.

I am to scared to ever change my hairstyle.

I have never conquered my fear of water.

I settled for a career that I am not passionate about.

The vote I cast for George Ryan

I didn’t start saving for my retirement sooner

Going to Todd McPencow’s 21^st birthday party

Not going away to college

I didn’t keep in touch with Jim Talerico

I never learned to hit a curveball

Buying a Dodge Avenger

Dating that nut job of a girl friend right before I met Joyce and moving to Harwood Heights for her dumb ass.

I took off a day of work, got up early and spent good money to see Phantom Menace.

I went to my ten-year high school reunion.

Not taking better care of my 78 Firebird when I had it.

I’ve never taken a golf lesson.

I once spent $100 bucks on fireworks.

I got into some credit trouble because of an ex-girlfriend.

The Newlywed Shopping Game

Every married couple or for that matter any in couple in general will argue. It is inevitable. There are always going to be things that two people will have a difference of opinion on. My wife and I get along well enough but there is one place that will test the resolve of any relationship. That place is Ikea.

For those who do not know, (and if you don’t know about this place consider yourself lucky) Ikea is a gigantic housewares store located near Woodfield mall in Schaumberg. Its sheer existence is the first sign that the apocalypse is fast approaching. First off the store itself is bigger than some malls. It has three gigantic floors of lamps, silverware, coffee tables and dinner plates. All of them have pseudo yuppie Swedish names that are hard to pronounce. (It’s as horrendous as it sounds.) The merchandise is moderately priced which is why we shop there. They have a lot of cheap furniture that for a couple just starting out is perfect for.

They also excel in making shopping a baffling ordeal, which is what usually leads to the inevitable argument that Joyce, and I get into. The store is so crowded that they have a shuttle bus from one end of the parking lot that will take you to the front of the store. Then, if you want to buy a put together bookcase or something of the sort, you need to first go to the section it is in, write down the number of the bin it is located at with the special pencil and paper they give you, and then head down to the first floor, where the bins are and locate it. Then once you at long last have all of your merchandise, the line to check out is longer than the wait to get on the American Eagle at Great America.

All of this leads to me just losing my shit. First off, I am not a patient man. Second, I am not much of a shopper to begin with. Throw in that this is a housewares mega-store and the equation adds up to a meltdown in me that would make Bill Bixby proud. You see when I shop, I do what I call power shop. If I need a six-pack of underwear, I go to the section it is located, I pick it up, head to the checkouts and pay for it. I do not compare elasticity and do the quadratic formula to find out which underwear option is the greatest value. To me to save 5 cents is not worth the time. I also do not feel the need to browse either. If I came to get underwear, I get it and leave. I do not than go to the garden shop to look for hoses.

The problem comes in when I go with Joyce. She likes to browse and shopping to her is a hobby. To me it is a chore. Since Ikea is so huge and we don’t go there often, when we do go there it is a daylong event. The problem is that because so many of the items are heavier that Joyce wants to buy I need to go with her to pick them up and load them in my truck. I start off trying my best. I try to show an interest in napkin holders but eventually I can no longer fight the demon. I get claustrophobic and I feel the walls start to close in on me. I start to get angry and I can no longer concentrate on anything other than getting the hell out of that store. It’s funny, I could sit for hours at a bar watching a ball game but ask me to spend more than fifteen minutes in a mall and I turn into a mental patient.

So, when Joyce told me that we needed to go to Ikea yesterday, I was not thrilled. We did have to go get a special light bulb that no one else sells and some other miscellaneous merchandise. So, yesterday we made the trek out there. As usual the old traps were set. Joyce looking at every lamp in the place before picking the first one she looked at and spending a half hour looking at picture frames. However, I took it all in stride like a champ. For maybe the first time ever we went to Ikea, shopped, bought our good and made it home without an argument. Maybe we are growing as a couple. Or maybe we are too tired to argue or frivolous shit.

I Missed The Exit Sign When I Entered Hell

So, let’s recap. The Cubs have now lost five straight by getting swept by the Brewers. The fucking Brewers! This is a team so pathetic that they have to advertise in Chicago media to get fans here to see the games up in Cheese land, since there are not enough actual Brewer fans. We lost yesterday when a rookie pitcher walked in a run and we lost today on a misplayed popup.

On the other hand the Sox have now won five straight as they swept away the equally pathetic Royals. They now sit with a 21-7 record. As much as Sox fans should be happy with the success and bask in it I am sure I will get the inevitable trash talking from the Sox fans. To them all I can say is enjoy it while you can. I’ve seen a lot of baseball in my days and this team is playing so far over it’s head it is unreal. They are getting every break and winning with their best hitter hitting .194. Remember breaks have a way of evening out in a 162 game season and if you think Jon Garland is going to win the Cy Young, all I have to say is put down the kool-aid.

This is not to try to de-value what the White Sox have done. It has been truly amazing. As a fan of the team you should be elated. God knows I would be if the situation were reversed. All I ask is that you win with some class and support your team. The Sox for this three game series drew, 40,463 fans. The Cubs will draw close to that for our next loss tomorrow at Wrigley to the Phillie’s. Go support your team and stop giving excuses. The Sox are the second team in this town for a reason. You guys simply do not support your team. If a 21-7 start does not fill the seats than nothing will.

Why a Blog?

I have often been asked why do you have a blog? With the hidden meaning, how could you be so self-absorbed as to think anyone would give a shit about your dim-witted opinions? To some extent I see their point. I know I am not a gifted writer. I don’t pretend to be. However, I have a lot of things I like to get off of my chest. Blasting them into a keyboard on onto an impersonal blog somehow makes me feel a whole lot better.

In the end, I get something out of this. If no one reads this writing or any other blog of mine I would still do it. Writing a blog is not original, and it seems every half assed pseudo writer has one. I hate un-originality and I always feel embarrassed when anyone I know mentions my blog, even on the rare occasion, to praise it. I know deep inside me that it is shit and please I am not writing that to try and get praise. I know my limitations. I am a man who never got above a Moraine Valley COM 102 class.

Still, I blather on about all things Nick on this site for no one in particular to read. I guess even though I may not admit it, I want people to read it. Having a blog is the ultimate in vanity and even though I try not to be, I’m as vain as the next person. I have my faults, I am not perfect and there is probably some deep seeded need for approval in writing on this site.

So, if you venture here every so often, thanks. Thanks for feeding that monster. Having a half assed creative outlet is a good thing and I suggest if you don’t already try writing one yourself. I am proof that anyone can do it. Even if you are only writing it for you to read it is therapeutic. That’s all I have to say on this subject.

Your Kids Are Soft Enough

I recently sat down to watch the news and saw a report that made me want to vomit. It was a soft feel good story on how some little leagues are not keeping score and the story was slanted to show just what a good idea this was. You see because we are such pussies and we have to raise these wimpy ass kids, we can’t have winners and losers. So, lets just have fun and than everyone wins. What a bunch of bullshit.

This trend is just further proof of how screwed up our thinking is in the country. When you play a game someone wins and inevitably someone loses. Dealing with failure and being a gracious loser are qualities that are important to learn at an early age. No one wins all the time and so when these kids become teenagers and all their life they have been sheltered from losing, when that inevitable first loss comes be it in Little League, Soccer or Tidily Winks just how do you think that young adult is going to react? Exactly, like a spoiled soft little brat.

And, I blame the parents for that. I understand the concept of parents not wanting their kids to grow up to fast. You want your child to remain a child for as long as possible. You want to shield a kid from failure, as it is a paternal instinct. But by doing so I believe parents are doing more harm than good. No one wants to see his or her kid strike out or make an error. This is why soccer is so popular with kids now anyway. You see in soccer there is no failure. You kick a ball and run after it. Who can’t do that? The most un-athletic kids on earth can kick a ball. It takes actual talent to hit a pitched ball with a bat. So, these yuppie parents all shelter their kids from failure until it is too late. As these trends continue we will continue to march toward a society of kids who cannot handle or deal with failure.

And please save me the, you don’t have kid argument crap. I don’t direct movies but I can have an opinion on them can’t I. I was a kid once, and I played little league and damn it I lost a lot of games. I made some errors as well. Losing sucks, but I learned to deal with it. On top of all of that by realizing at an early age that losing sucked, I learned to try not to lose. So, I became competitive, maybe some may say a little to completive. But, let me the first to day that competitiveness has benefited me many times. In the work force you compete all the time with your co-workers. By striving to win you inevitably do a better job and therefore get more recognition.

So, America please wake up and stop this ridicules practice. Let’s keep score, lets not have everyone gets a trophy day, and I say we skip the bumper bowling as well. Not succeeding in everything you do, as a kid is not necessarily a bad thing. Also, I don’t want the next generation to not be able to handle failure. We already have done enough damage to them by burdening them with an environment we destroyed, gas prices which will be around five bucks a gallon and a deficit in the trillions. If we want the next generation to be able to take are of us we need to make them stronger not weaker. They will certainly need to be able to handle world problems a lot better than my generation has.

Working for the Weekend?

It was another exciting weekend in Nick’s world. Here is a brief rundown.

Friday – At around three o’clock the wife calls and tells me she has “free” tickets to the Sox game. The tickets were right behind the Tigers dugout so, being a fan of baseball I figured what the hell. I got off of work went home and changed into warmer cloths as it was a pretty nipley night out. The tickets that Joyce got also had admission into the Stadium Club, which is a pretty swanky area of the ballpark. So we get tot the game, pay $16 bucks to park and are off to the Stadium Club.

Once, inside I order a $5.00 beer and a $9.00 pulled pork sandwich. For ballpark food it was pretty good. Joyce also got a drink and some food and after we paid the $35 bill it was off to our seats. By the time we got down with the general public it was already the third inning. So, the beer had already been flowing. Now, I am a beer drinker but, I rarely drink to excess and if I do, I’ve been told I am a happy drunk not a rude, surly asshole.

In a recent Sports Illustrated article the White Sox fans were ranked the worst in baseball. That’s 30^th out of 30 teams. This on the heels of an informal poll taken of over 100 major leaguers that also ranked Sox fans as the worst in baseball. Well the wife and I saw first hand the ugliness of the south side fans. First off we had two nice gals in front of us who were drinking more beers than a construction worker on his lunch break. They were loud, ugly, hate-filled and obnoxious. I than had a father and son sitting next to me. The whole time the Dad is doing a fine job on how to hate as opposed to respecting your opponent. We then had a fat lady behind us who would bitch everytime people would stand up to cheer. I guess lifting up all that blubber is a bit of a strain. Also, we had some jackass behind us who would not shut up and was getting drunker and ruder as the night went on.

As the game went on the crowd got worse. We had two Tiger fans in front of us who were politely sitting in their seats and doing nothing wrong other than rooting for their hometown team. Well, this caused the drunken masses to flip them the bird and sling racial slurs in their direction. It all culminated when a Tiger player got hit with a pitch and was down on the ground in pain. At that point the fans cheered. That was it for me. Ugly behavior is one thing but to actually cheer a player getting hurt is beyond low class. The sad thing is that I know a lot of good Sox fans. I am friends with them. It is just unfortunate that a few rummy’s go out and ruin the experience for the majority. Because of all of this, that will be the last game I attend this year other than Cubs-Sox game which I already have a ticket for.

Saturday - I was a week late in mowing the lawn so, I got up showered and waited until a reasonable hour and mowed the lawn. It was overcast the entire time and I just kept waiting for the rain to start falling, which would have really sucked. I than watered my plants and went about to do some more outdoor work. Joyce than came outside and told me she was going to the store. As she drove away I thought I hope she didn’t lock the door on her way out. I checked the back, side and front doors. All of them were locked. So, knowing Joyce was going to spend at least two hours at the store I had to make a choice. My Uncle Dan has a spare key for my house. He lives about two miles from me.

So, I figured I would just hop on my bike, ride over and pick up the key. About halfway there I got about as thirsty as a Nevada hitchhiker. . However, having no money on me I had to try to make it all the way there. Than, the rain hit. It lasted about thirty seconds but it was just enough to make my trip a little more challenging. I get there get the key and call my house. Of course Joyce was already there. So, if my impatient ass would have just waited I could have avoided the bike ride. So, Joyce picks me up at my Uncle’s and I chalk one up to experience.

Sunday – I had scheduled a softball practice for five in the afternoon. However, it resembled a February day outside not May 1^st. The wind was blowing and it was thirty-five degrees out. However, a few of us fools braved the elements to attempt to at lest get some swings in before our first game this Wednesday. Every time you hit the ball your hands stung. I am used to the sensation but after like fifteen swings it gets annoying. In the field every popup was an adventure. So, after the longest hour of my life we decided to call it a day. Other than getting some exercise it was a complete waste of time, as we didn’t get much practice time in. I went home and started my defrosting. At least I had two new Simpson episodes and a new Family Guy that salvaged at least some of the weekend.

As for this upcoming weekend it is Mother’s Day. We have my Mom, my Aunt and Joyce’s Mom coming over along with all of the siblings. So, the panic has already set in at De case Francone residence. I am sure there will be another blog in me after this weekend.