On to Phase 2; Lindsay's Night Out; Tiny Zoo; Pickup Football

On to Phase 2
With us having completed the regular season in the MAAC and finishing as the #1 seed for next weeks MAAC Tournament in Trenton, NJ (at the home of Yankees' AA affiliate Trenton Thunder), today is a day off.  I can't really say it's much needed since the rain earlier in the week coupled with commencement setup in the gym meant that we had two days off from practice (Monday, Tuesday) but it certainly isn't something I'm complaining about.

We had a game Friday and two Saturday with Iona, who always plays us tough, but took care of business and hopefully built up some momentum going into the four team playoff.  With the sweep, our regular season record is 21-2 in MAAC games (31-17 overall).  A pretty good year by any standards, but it really means nothing without some hardware at the end.

And that hardware is the MAAC Championship ring. 

The dogpile after the final out is recorded in the clinching game - that feeling (although I never experienced it as a player since our teams were slightly above average with talent and champions of boozing) was something I cannot explain.  It makes all the shitty practices at 6am in January with snow on the ground worth it.  It makes taking out and putting up the outfield fence (yes, we might be the only team in DI baseball that does this) worth it.  It makes not having music or a National Anthem (definitely the only school in the country not allowed to play it because the parks woman in charge is a complete piece of shit bitch) a little more tolerable.  But more importantly, it's something the players will never, ever forget.
We have a solid core of seniors, and for them, this is everything.  I just hope the rest of the guys realize what these four seniors have done for this program (almost 1,000 hits combined in 4 years) and play with a little pride for them (and themselves).  The most important thing though, is staying loose.  Remain focused on what it is we're there to do - win the whole fucking thing! (to quote the legendary Jake Taylor from Major League).  But we gotta stay loose, play loose, have fun, and just do what we've managed to do all year - win.

We just gotta go out there and do it.  Believe in ourselves. Trust one another.  And throw strikes and get good performances from our starting pitching.  When we go to the bullpen, we need tough SOB's coming into the game to get outs.  We need to scratch across runs anyway possible.  Solid defense needs to be paramount as well.

I can wax poetic about this and that and what everyone needs to do but in the end it comes down to one thing:  who wants it the most?

I'd like to think it's us.

Lindsay's Night Out
Last night was her first away from Nolan.  With me at a doubleheader until 5:30pm, my parents were nice enough to come in and help look after N & N while Lindsay got ready to go out for her friend Rosie's bachelorette party. 

She opted for the dinner portion of the party so she drove into the city to meet up with the girls.  She had some champagne and a glass of vino at dinner (at some Greek place on 60th) and got back to the apartment around 10:30pm. 

She had hangar steak, something I don't think I've ever seen her order at any point since we've known one another.  She never gets steak, but hey, I guess a baby makes you crave different things.

Overall she said she had a great time seeing everyone.  The next time we'll see them all is at the wedding in Syracuse sometime in June.  Jesse and Julia will be traveling with us to take care of the little man while we head to the wedding. 

Should be a cramped 5-hour ride to the Cuse.

Tiny Zoo (for iPad)
This game is seriously a safe version of crack.  The premise is simple - build the best virtual zoo ever!

And I am well on my way.  Call me a loser, go ahead - but you're a loser too because you're definitely checking it out right now.

I've got African elephants, jackrabbits, black bears, chimps, Indian rhino, red panda, an ocelot, cheetah, butterflies, and even a mustang.  I got plenty of shops and food vendors to keep my loyal customers happy.

I am currently waiting for the second expansion of my zoo to be completed (ETA 17h 50m) before I can add some more badass animals.
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=9171629383088672152
Seriously though, this game is like crack.  Remember FarmVille for Facebook?  This is that times 1,285.  At least.

Pickup Football
There's a park behind my building where all sorts of crazy shit goes on (see previous posts about boy's softball) but right now, there's a pantheon of men (some young, some with a full head of white hair) playing pickup football.  Maybe they're hoping to get picked up if the NFL is looking for replacement players.  They scream, hoot, and holler - and part of me wants to join the game, but I think I'd be a little too intense for the older guys out there.  I might be compelled to put on on his ass (yes, even though it is two-hand touch).

Sunday mornings year round is football in Riverdale.  There's some yarmulkes (pronouced:  YAH-ma-ka) out there too - I think they know they'll never make it the NFL as a player (however, as an owner, they might have their day). NY Giants QB Sage Rosenfels gives them a little glimmer of hope, though.  After doing a but of research - read: Googling "Jews in the NFL", the results indicate there are quite a few Jews in the NFL (here's a list).  Pretty surprising names on this list - and a lot don't even sound Jewish.  I mean San Diego's long snapper David Binn (apparently Jewish) used to date Pamela Anderson for shit's sake!  Binn there, done that - like most of Hollywood.

Mazel tov!

OK.  Nolan's been sleeping in his lamb swing while I've been sitting next to him writing this post and he's finally starting to stir, so I am gonna get going.  Lindsay is feeling a little worn down lately, so she's still in bed (it's 9:33am, practically a hibernation on a baby's clock) so she is trying to recuperate a little bit.  It wears me out so I can imagine how it must kick her ass - home all day with the dog and the baby.  She enjoys it immensely, I know she does - but that doesn't mean she doesn't get worn out.  I am sure she'll read this when she wakes up - hopefully feeling a little better.

Til next time knuckleheads.

Frosted Mini Wheats; Nolan Rules!; Sunday Night; 30

Frosted Mini Wheats
Now here's a cereal I absolutely enjoy.   Sure, they can get a little dry at times, but damn they fill me up.  Normally, two bowls (and maybe a little into the third) will do it for a normal cereal, but this heavyweight puts me in the comfort zone after a bowl, bowl and a half.

My only complaint is that every one of those rectangular little edible Brillo pads isn't coated with a thick layer of frosting.  Maybe it's the kid in me, but the best Mini Wheats are the ones at the end of the bowl that still have that awesome white, sugary coat on them.  Milk be damned, you cannot wash this coat away.

So Kellogg's, maybe you wanna get on that one.  I mean it's not stopping me from purchasing them - I actually just got the Frosted Mini Wheats Big Ones and the new fruit filled ones - but it's something I certainly wouldn't complain about.

I'm sure other cereal aficionados will agree.

Nolan Rules!
The kid is a stud.  Although he's very unwilling at time to pose for photographs, there's still some shots I can get when he's awake and alert.  His hair is pretty neat too (he's got more than me).

We've got to start bathing him more, but tonight he was pretty good in the bath.  He cried a little early on, but once he was covered in water (no, not his head) he kinda enjoyed himself.

Here's a few photos of our little man:

Fresh out the bath tub - so fresh and so clean!

Chillen' in my tiger outfit

Me (looking tired) and Nolan in the dog run (Nathan not pictured)

Hanging on the Boppy,

Tattoo
When we went out to LI the other week to get Lindsay's push present - another of her wedding band - I was tempted to get a new tattoo, in honor of Nolan.  I did not, however.

I plan on getting a new stain eventually (read: within the next two months) it's just a matter of what I will get.  I have several ideas as to what I wanna get, but I haven't really sat down and thought about it.

Any suggestions you all have, feel free to say them aloud (or type them).

Sunday Night
Right now, everyone is sleeping but me.  Lindsay seems to have passed out in bed with Nolan (who'll move into that crib shortly) and Nathan is at the foot of the bed.

I am out here watching the new Iron Chef America, where it's Battle Mussels.  @bflay is the Iron Chef and I'll be honest, I really haven't paid much attention since I've decided to post.

When I'm done here, I'll key in a little more.

30
I will be 30 on June 1st, and am rather indifferent about it.  I have never been one to make a huge deal out of birthdays (except Lindsay's) but I guess it's a milestone in a persons life - 30 years old.

I am not yet over the hill.  I think those start on your 40th and occur again every ten years.

I'm already legal to drink - 21 was nine years ago.  Holy shit, now that I look at it that way, that was way long ago.

I'm going to pass out out here to ICA.

Be back soon blog-osphere!

Believe; Playlist-ism, Pt. 2

Let's try it again. After we scored four in the top of the 11th to break open a scoreless game, we let up five ... all with two outs ... to lose. Demoralizing. Sure. Embarrassing. You bet. Motivation moving forward proving to our guys that any team is dangerous (they were the worst team in the league). Absolutely.

We gotta regroup. We're still in a great position. Our bullpen needs to find their toughness. Strikes early are key. Location late is more important. And you know what? Confidence goes a long way - believing you're better than him. That can take you places. Pitching with intensity. Pitching like you're the best fucking guy on the field. That's what I like. I didn't have the best stuff when I played, but I was a tough SOB out there. I talked shit after I got someone out - I could. I backed it up and I believed in myself. O didn't doubt myself or my ability to execute a pitch. When I was out there, I was accountable for what I did. I wanted the ball. The results didn't always go my way, and when that was the case I was pissed off - at myself. I failed. If you've ever let 30 other guys down, you know what I mean. Unless you genuinely are that selfish and just roll with the "oh well" thing. Not "oh well" - it should fire you up inside when you fail - at anything. The next time out, I'd aim to be even better, tougher, meaner. We'll see if these guys have "it" or not the next time out.

Time for Playlist-ism, Pt. 2.  We've got three and a half MFing hours left. I want to see the family and help Lindsay out with the kid. He's being a handful still. I said a prayer he'd be good until I get home. We'll see if the big dude upstairs can help me (us) out.

Here goes.

- Feeling Good by Muse (1, so not feeling good)
- 6 Foot, 7 Foot by Lil Wayne (3+, just because he amazes me with the lyrics he comes with)
- The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows by Brand New (4, because they rule)
- Rolling In The Deep by Adele (5, this song is catchy and the album (yes I own the album) is awesome)
- Out Come The Bastards by This Is Hell (4+, aggression at its finest)
- Neon Tiger by The Killers (4, because I saw them in Boston and this song was great)
- Hurt by NIN (5+, "I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real" - epic song)
- Where Is Everybody by NIN (4+, they're a Top 5 band and every song is fuel)
- Sabertooth Tiger by Cage the Elephant (3+, fast, electro-rock)
- No Love by Eminem (5+, because all I can think of is Will Ferrell on SNL, ha, makes me laugh. Great song, and Lil Wayne is on it)
- Shake Me Down by Cage the Elephant (4+, love this jam because the lyrics ring true to real f'ing life)
- Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash (5, an American icon who cannot get anything less than a 5)

That's all for this edition. I hope maybe I inspired some to listen to some new music and I'm sorry if I went off on a tangent about believing in yourself.

Coming In

First off, a Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there (especially Lindsay) who has the.misfortune of spending her first alone with Nolan until later tonight when I return from the B-Lo.

The photo is of an airplane coming in for a landing only a few hundred yards away. The airport is right across the street from the hotel.  Lindsay always likes seeing planes.coming in, so this is for her. She hates flying but loves watching them, weird but true.

Speaking of hotels, the Holiday Inn Express has the best smelling shampoo, soap, and conditoner I've ever smelled.  It's a smell that's hard to describe - maybe spiced oranges mixed with apple cider? Whatever the actual flavor is called, I would drink it if they made it into something edible.  Seriously, that shit is awesome.

Tomorrow we go to get Lindsay her push present. I may get myself a tattoo as well commemorating Nolan. The tattoo parlor is right across the street from the jewelry store.  Talk about one stop shopping!

We're headed to the field now so I'm going to cut this.short.  Going for the sweep today over Niagara. We won 9-7 and 4-0 yesterday.  Our bullpen tried to blow it but we had just enough to get it done. Here's to a win today, otherwise that 6 hour bus ride home is going to be pretty shitty.

Once again, Happy Mother's Day! Enjoy yourselves ... you deserve it.

And Lindsay, I hope Nolan let's you sleep a little today since he's been a pill the last two nights. I'll be home later to help.

Much love!

Sightings (and Listening's?); WWTBAM; Costco

We went over to the Cross County Shopping Center to get me a pair of decent basketball sneakers since I'm a baller now (pause for laughter) and stopped in Applebee's for a quick dinner (pause for a quick gasp).  Here's a photo of the kicks (and I shot the ball a whole lot better today with the new sneaks - it's gotta be the shoes!):

At Applebee's, Lucy was our waitress, or was it Lisa - me and Lindsay had conflicting opinions since the girl mumbled so neither of us could comprehend.  Her name came to us via the receipt - Lucirene.  Not sure what that name means and I doubt I ever will since I can't even find an answer on the internet.

Listening's
A table away, a perky male waiter was asking two ladies what they wanted.  He proceeded to call them ladies at the end of every sentence, in case they themselves had forgotten who they were.  Then he floated on over to another table he was helping and called a woman "mami" - as in the spanish slang for sexy baby.  That must have earned him a killer tip.  He's lucky the guy she was with (who looked flamboyant) wasn't dating her, or he woulda got TKO'd.

Sightings
I got home the other day and our building was getting a UPS delivery.  Day in, day out I see these (along with FedEx, PeaPod, and the ever present Kosher.com trucks) getting tickets courtesy of the NYPD traffic cops in their dark blue cars.  It pisses me off to no end that they help meet their quota by ticketing these trucks - it's NYC dingleberries, where the fuck is a giant brown truck going to find a parking space?

I know the driver isn't paying, but poor UPS gets bent over day after day.  What are their drivers supposed to do, drive around for hours waiting for someone to pull out of a parking space? 

Give me a break, so get the people who roll through stop signs or speed down the road behind our building - the same one people walk across with their kids, dogs, or old family members.

WWTBAM
Who Wants to be a Millionaire is on right now, and I'd like to think that if I was lucky enough to get on that show, I'd make some pretty good money - and then immediately get smooshed by the government because I'd take myself to a whole new tax bracket.

I really commend them for changing the game play - random categories and random prize amounts until the final four questions.  Brilliant.

Costco
Going to head up to wholesale giant Costco in a few to get some food in bulk so that when I'm away, Lindsay can eat normal meals (instead of cereal and Easter candy).  After all, she needs to nourish our little boy.

We don't really have a shopping list, but she is good at curbing me from buying shit we don't need.


OK, time to take Nathan out and head to the store.

I'm on a Bus; Random Thoughts

I'm on a Bus
It feels like I'm experiencing deja vu all over again as we head out to NY Tech on Long Island for a 3:30pm game today.

We just crossed over the beautiful Throgs Neck Bridge and are officially in Queens.  What a drive.

Random Thoughts
I saw a lady earlier smoking on a cancer stick while walking her baby. Seems like a good idea no? Oh wait, not at all.

I brought my sunblock, yes! Score one for Mr. Forgetful over here. The sun is out in full force, so to prevent my ears from frying I'll break out the SPF30.

Ginger Ale and Sierra Mist are my two favorite carbonated beverages. (& Boylan's Birch Beer).

Shots are awful (except the Patron shots we stopped off for after our wedding ceremony).

I read UsWeekly - so what. It's right on the line of material that's interesting and easy to read (for a slow reader like myself).

People who drive with their blinker on for more than 2 miles should get a ticket. There should be a number you can call and have them busted.

Almost at the field, so I'll bid you farewell.

Nolan, Nathan, & Lindsay are enjoying this glorious day without me. I'll see them later (after I pick up PB and English Muffins for Lindsay).

Happy Easter; Ballin'; NHL Playoffs

Happy Easter
Happy Easter to all who celebrate!  So far, we've gotten roughly four baskets (mostly because of Nolan) but that's cool.  We (Lindsay and I) are pretty much self-diagnosed candy junkies.  The surprising part is I only have one cavity.  Yep, 29+ years on this Earth and only one cavity.

Nolan is a handful - albeit an awesome, handsome, cool handful.  (Knock on wood) he's been sleeping pretty well.  Around 3 hours at a clip overnight - last night he slept from 2:30am all the way to 6:25pm.  Almost four full hours!  Thatta boy, Nolan!  Nathan gets up every time Nolan does too, probably because of the crying.  Nathan gets up and whimpers because he thinks something is wrong - he's a pretty solid big bro.

Overall, things are going rather smooth(ly?) since we've been home.  Here's to things continuing to go well.  One thing is for certain - Nolan and Nathan are awesome together.  A killer combo.

Ballin'
Maybe it was the lights out shooting performance I pulled off yesterday while waiting for lunch in the gym (15-30 from the 3-point line), but I suddenly have the urge to go to Target and get a basketball to use outside at the courts behind our building.

I figure it'd be good for everyone - we could get Nolan outside with Lindsay, Nathan, and I and also it'd be a good workout for my fat ass.  It's a win-win.

Nathan just threw up.  Looks like a puke and rally, he's back in action.

NHL Playoffs
I know I'm not the only one who is totally engulfed by the NHL Playoffs.  It is pretty damn addicting, I cannot get enough.  Honestly, I didn't watch a single minute of a single game during the regular season but have not stopped watching these playoffs.

The Capitals (and Alexander Ovechkin) dismantled the Rangers, 4-1 (although that was no shocker since the Rangers lack a top flight scorer).

My Flyers need a road win in Buffalo to avoid being upset by the Sabres.

The 2010 Stanley Cup champs Blackhawks are the #8 seed and trail the Canucks three games to two.

The Bruins/Canadiens series is awesome too - I feel as if I've seen every one of those games and every one is great.

Sid the Kid and the Pens lead the Lightning 3-2. but after an 8-2 ass-whooping, the 'Ning might have some steam.  Watch this series. 

There's only three games today, all have elimination implications - Flyers, Blackhawks, and Ducks all trail 3-2 (only the Hawks play at home).

Time to clean a bit before my parents get here.  Nolan is assed out, but when he wakes up he'll get changed, and a bath.  First one, I'm sure he'll love it.  Ha!

Random Thoughts: Caught and Published

This post is going to be about random thoughts I have while walking home.

- What the fuck is this guy wearing?!?

- Who eats a bagel at 6 o'clock at night?

- Damn it feels good to be a gangster.

- How do Asian people understand what they're saying? They talk so fast.

- Maybe I'll get Nathan a gift at Popcorn Pawz for being a great, protective big brother.

- Pigeons sure are fearless.

- I wonder what's for dinner.

- People probably think I'm crazy talking into my phone. They'd be right. I am.

- Can't wait to see Lindsay, Nolan, and Nathan.

- This sun sure is shining bright.

- I haven't looked up in like 10 minutes. I guess I've mastered this walk.

- Sorry kid, didn't see you there.

OK, time to keep my eyes up and finish my trek.

Stopped at Metate, new Mexican restaurant. Picked up a takeout menu. Damn I love their cuisine.

Day One in the BX; Sightings

Day One in the BX
And there was little sleep to be had.  It seemed that every hour (as opposed to every two-and-a-half to three in the hospital) Nolan wanted to cry bloody murder and eat.  Kind of weird, but what the hell do I know - I've never gone through this before, so I'm not sure of the protocol.

We got home around 1-ish and it was pretty smooth sailing.  Jesse and Julia came over and brought us some food - we wound up eating the food they made with them last night.

Today I came in to work.  My main man Milos did me a huge solid by restacking the little bleachers.  I asked Ruiz (the other assistant baseball coach) if they were still out (for the Coaches Clinic in the gym on Saturday) and he didn't even know.  Derf!  So thanks Milos, you're the man.

Everyone is wishing me congratulations, and I thank them all.  Lindsay is home with Nolan and I'll be back there around 11:15 to take Nathan out and then head to the doctor for Nolan.

I'm sitting in sports info with Joe Brackets listening to music and posting.  We got practice at 3:15 this afternoon and Lindsay's aunt is coming down this afternoon with her two daughters (Julia loves Nathan) to see Momma D and Nolan.

I am going to get something to eat before I pass out.  I totally forgot to eat this morning, but at least I got to shower.

Sightings
Not sure how this one slipped through the cracks in my last "Sightings" post, but it bears mentioning.

- As I was walking out the front doors of our building on Sunday afternoon to head back to the hospital, who did I see?  A clown standing out front, smoking a cigarette.  It covered every weird/scary/creepy clown stereotype and it was hilarious.  I offered him a pound, but he didn't reciprocate.  What a dick!  I hope his show bombs and word spreads that this clown's a douche.

Later clowns!

Wednesday-ness

Lindsay has a little afternoon to herself - well, I guess she does everyday now that she's on maternity leave.  She took Nathan to get groomed at PetSmart and went to see a matinee.  She said she's the only person seeing this particular movie - kinda weird, kinda cool.

I wouldn't mind that I don't think.  She went because Carrie Underwood is in the movie.  Not sure how good the movie is, but she can care less, she just wants to see Carrie act.  Just got a text - some dude just walked into the theater by himself - I told her to be careful, he's probably a perv.

There's a press conference today in the gym to announce the new men's basketball coach - a guy who was an assistant here years ago, then moved on to Tulane, then most recently an assistant under Rick Pitino at Louisville.  We've got the honor of setting up 110 chairs and staging for this "meet and greet", but unfortunately we can't stay because we head on down to 218th St. to take on Columbia.

They're hitting the ball well and pitching pretty well too.  And the best part is we're taking the subway down there - four stops.  I went down to the station to get 30 MetroCards at $4.50 each, so I better God damn get reimbursed.

The weather is an issue, it's misting a little but they have turf so I'm hoping it's not an issue.

Full slate on the baseball tip tonight - 15 games.  We'll see how it goes tonight when I get home - if we win, I'll probably want to take in a little more baseball.  If we lose, I shut baseball down for the day.

Have a great day and I hope the rain doesn't damper your spirits.

Good Start

It's always nice to start off well, but it's all about how you finish.  Got more good pitching and a timely hit to take game three 3-1.  A crisp two hours and nine minute game, excellent.

Almost home, on the GWB now. May head to our favorite Sunday spot for food. But only if the "Bros n White Racks" marathon is over. It's her call, haha.

I am starving. All I had was a half bag of sunflower seeds throughout the game and an egg sandwich this morning.

After food I'll probably blog again from our terrace. With beer. And music. And Nathan running in and out. While wifester relaxes.

Nice little Sunday Funday. Or what's left of it.

15 Minutes Is All I Needed

Just took Nathan to the dog park and I want to try, try, to describe the sights and sounds we witnessed.  I am a pretty easy going person, and have a hard time holding back laughter - even if it is right in front of someone's face.  What a worthwhile trip outside though.  Here goes:

1st - There was a softball practice going on - not the Giants - but the girl batting was wearing a long denim skirt.  Actually, there were several girls wearing denim skirts, I think it might be a Jewish thing or something like that.  Or Amish?  I'm not sure.

2nd - There's a kid who has something wrong with him - seriously - and walks his dog named Diesel.  Only thing is, this kid yells the entire time - at his dog, at other dogs, and people.  Kind of sad/funny at the same time.  There was a baseball game going on on the field, and he randomly shouted out "Nice catch!" and then almost simultaneously shouted "DROP IT!" to a dog that was not his (he wanted someone else's dog to drop a ball that belonged to the dog).  Then he asked me if I needed to know the time and shoved his watch in my face.  I thanked him and we left.

3rd - I missed the photo op of a lifetime.  I saw Jimmy Johnson walking on the sidewalk and just froze.  Oh wait, it was a 70-something year old woman who had the exact same hair-do.  Like I'm not even kidding - it was scary.

4th - We were walking down the ramp walkway to our building and out comes this seven-year-old girls announcing to everyone walking past "My big boobies!" as she held her hands next to her ribs.  I laughed immediately without restraint. Her mom was a foreign-looking woman, who had on a lot of makeup, but was probably good looking - 10 years ago - prior to her enhancements.  Maybe she was a mail-order type, who knows.

Gotta get ready to go to dinner.  I told Jesse and Julia we'd pick them up at 6:30.  Driving to dinner - Cilantro - Columbus and 83rd.  Some southwestern cuisine - they got real good guacamole (almost as good as mine).  I figure it'd be better to drive in case anything happens - like Baby D wanting to make an early appearance.

Shower time, to wash my big boobies!

PPD; PPV

PPD
After driving there, spending $35 to park, $17 on two hot dogs and a bottle of water, and $9.50 on the best garlic fries you'll ever eat, the game was declared a rainout and was postponed.  Me and Linds made the best of it, scarfing down our garlic fries before we decided to leave.

Here's a picture of me outside the Stadium, prior to the rainout:

Here's a picture of the Garlic Fries line, which took 20 minutes to get to the front of, but we were not going to be denied:

There were people lingering around that were hammered drunk, stuffing their faces, and just chanting random shit while they walked around the Stadium.  Profits tonight were probably pretty good given the circumstances.  Gates opened at 5 pm and are still open as I sit here on my couch and blog.  God bless the U.S. of A.

PPV
Oh why not throw in some more priceless porn titles, thanks to our friends in the adult entertainment industry, brought to us by TVGuide.com.  
All Girl Naughty Playdates: Exposed - I've got a feeling these aren't the type for toddlers
Big Boob Easter Parade: Naked & Naughty - Not the Peter Cottontail variety Easter Day Parade, I'm sure
European Teens: Nude & Spread Eagle - Sounds American-ized to me, or maybe the eagle is not used in the proper context
Frisky Business - Tom Cruise is not in this one, but I'm sure there's plenty of underwear

Yankee Stadium in the Light Rain

I hope this weather holds off and they can get this game in.  Headed over there with Lindsay in a few minutes, so hopefully it won't get cancelled because I am not sure I'd get my parking money back - it's ridiculous.

Took a cab there a few times and trying to get back here is a joke too - all they have are car service drivers, so these douches want $45 to take me 5 miles - no shot.

Subway is not really an option, because the 4 (which takes you right to the Stadium) is on the other side of the Bronx and takes 20 minutes to get there.  I'd have to find parking, get on the train ($2.50 times two, times two = $10) so I'd rather spring for an extra $15 and park a hundred feet from the ballpark.

The rain is coming down steadily at the moment, but the forecast is light rain and showers the entire night, so although it certainly won't be dry, it should be alright for a few hours at least.

Headed out now.  Matt Tolbert, good luck brother.  Last night he pinch ran for Jim Thome and scored in the ninth.  He's only hitting .200, but he's a role player, which isn't a bad thing. 

Freddy Garcia and Carl Pavano tonight - welcome to 6 years ago when these guys were guys.  Oh well, maybe it'll be a good game.

The garlic fries are calling our name; so are the hot dogs.

Play Ball!!

Game Day

Headed down to the field to see what the damage is from last nights rain - if it rained.

I know I went outside this morning to walk Nathan and it was overcast but warm.  Within 30 seconds, it started raining a little bit.

LIU heads over to our friendly, music-less confines for a 3:30pm game.  I hope the sun keeps peeking out and gets rid of the rain.

Lindsay is at the doctor.  Nathan is in his crate sleeping.

Oh, and last night for dinner, I had sweetbreads - the sweetbread of choice last night was calf brain.  And I will tell you this, it was freaking delicious.  A little soft as far as texture goes, but it was awesome - with crispy bacon and honeyed onions - oh man, I'd get them again.

Down to the field.

Monday's Missing Links

- This guy made a "masterpiece" out of discarded MetroCards.  I always try to refill my cards because there is always $0.40 left or $1.15 or some odd amount.  A lot of people throw them out, but it's like throwing out money.  This guy must have a lot of time on his hands - and this damn bench will probably fetch a few thousand bucks at an auction.  Somewhere there's some shmuck who wants this piece of avant garde art.

- Here's a cool site helping keep people up to date with the happenings in their respective cities - well, NYC, the Hamptons, San Fran, DC, LA, and Chicago.  There's also a link for national news, which is what the home page is, for those of you in lesser publicized cities.

- Last night's Academy of Country Music Awards were pretty good.  Lindsay loves Carrie Underwood, so we watched her performance - with Steven Tyler.  Pretty cool, especially since I have a new-found appreciation for his music.  His voice is like no other, and it's awesome.  Give it a listen if you didn't see it live.  I was kind of looking forward to Rihanna's performance too, but it was too slow and boring for me to like.  Like I've said before, my musical taste is very diverse.

- Butler vs. UConn tonight for the NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship.  We're going to dinner at 6:30, so we should be home in time to catch a majority of the game.  If we're able to stay up the entire time.  I know, you're probably thinking we're wimps, but I've been told by many people many times that I'd better get my sleep in now because it'll all change shortly.  I like UConn in this one, although I wouldn't be shocked if Butler wins.

- Oh yeah, before I forget, Chris Brown, what the hell is wrong with you man?  Beating a woman up?  Sorry, I know it was a while ago, but still, this is for you dipshit! 

- And one more link about music, Florence and the Machine are awesome!  I bought the album on iTunes and cannot get enough of it.  It's relaxing, which is a nice change of pace when I can't listen to my metal.  Give it a listen, you'll enjoy it.  Plus, there's a remake of a classic, "Addicted to Love", by Robert Palmer.  AWESOME-NESS!!

Case of the Mondays; PPV Porn Titles; Birthdays

Case of the Mondays
Dropped Lindsay off at jury duty right around the block from Yankee Stadium, pretty shitty area, besides the Stadium.
Drove 6 miles in 34 minutes to get back to work, and I hate traffic. (along with the rest of the world)
I just got finished moving some bleachers, real fun.
I just got finished moving some metal barricades, awesome.
I'm gonna head down to the park in a little while to stand on some scaffolding and change light bulbs in the scoreboard, soooo looking forward to that.

PPV Porn Titles
These things crack me up, although sometimes they aren't all that funny.  Last night, I re-read my post (yes, I'm a loser) and Lindsay and I were laughing so hard we were crying at the titles on television last night.  I mean loosen your screws a little and just take in the genius that is involved with selecting porn titles.

I need a laugh, so I am going over to TVGuide.com to check out some more porn titles showing today on channels 92 and 93 (for a nominal fee):
The MILFY Way:  Mom on Mom Sex - Has nothing to do with astronomy
Young Hot & Filthy Little Ho's - ???
High Class Urban Ho's:  Ghetto Sexual - I am not sure how many caucasian ho's are in this one
Bi-Girls:  Classy & Trashy Sexaholics - Classy and trashy?  Killer combination.

The weather out here isn't so bad, I just wish the sun would come out.  I have shorts on and a long sleeve shirt, but the wind out there on the scaffolding can be bone-chilling at times.

Birthdays
Doris Day turns 88 today.  "Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray,South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio..." to quote the great Billy Joel song "We Didn't Start the Fire".

Nathan turned two today.  Our little dog is growing up (I know, I sound like a crazy old cat lady) but he's a good shit.  He still only knows how to sit when he gets a treat, but that's good enough for us.  He has the occasional accident in the house (mainly on his bed, for some odd reason) but otherwise he's well-trained and well-behaved.  He barks only when we bark at him (yes, we bark at him) and everyone in the building knows his name.  Only issue is, they don't know Lindsay's name or mine.  Oh well, it's a dog community.  Woof woof!

Grandma Coiro (maternal grandmother) is celebrating another birthday today.  We sent a card out this morning, so it'll be a little late, but it's better than nothing, right?  I plan on calling her after I am done changing light bulbs.  We haven't seen her in a while, since she lives down in Florida, but I'm guessing she'll fly up once Baby D comes around.  She enjoys wine spritzers and hanging with the Red Hat Ladies at the clubhouse.  She's a social butterfly.

OK, that's enough from me, I better get to work.  I don't wanna get fired 10 days before the baby is due, that wouldn't be smart.  Off to the park, screwdriver and lightbulbs in tow.

Opening Day; iPad Games, Play Ball!

Opening Day

It's finally here - MLB Opening Day.  There are only six games on the docket today, but that's fine with me.  A glorious day indeed, for any baseball fan - ah hell, any American.  It should be a national holiday, but they've yet to acknowledge it as one.  Maybe when all 30 teams play on the same day they've officially recognize this day.

The Yankees host the Tigers at 1:05pm, but this shitty weather may push that game back a bit.  It's already raining by me, and I am a measly five minutes from Yankee Stadium.  Verlander vs. Sabathia.  Two monsters on the mound.  Given the chill in the air, the rainy forecase, and two stud pitchers, this one is looking like a pitcher's duel on paper. 

Atlanta and Washington also starts at 1:05pm - not a lot of hub-bub to this one with Strasburg on the DL.  Derek Lowe and Livan Hernandez.  Both seasoned veterans on the bump, one of the ground ball specialist variety and the other of the head-scratching, "how's he keep doing this?" variety.  The game also marks the official beginning of a new regime in ATL, the Fredi Gonzalez era.  (Cox may be at the game, although it is in DC).

Milwaukee and Cincinnati begins at 2:10pm.  Prized off-season coup Zack Greinke is not ready to go, so Yovanni Gallardo opposes Edison Volquez in a matchup of two rising stars on two relatively obscure teams.  I think the Brew-Crew has a very good shot at that NL Central crown this year, but it all starts today with an inner-division tilt with the Reds.

Angels/Royals at 4:10pm.  Jered Weaver and Luke Hochever.  The cerebral Angels look to start the year off right with the doormat Royals in the other dugout.  Hochevar is no Greinke and although maybe not today, the Royals will find this out the hard way.  Weaver will begin his defense of the majors' 2010 strikeout leader (233).  It's also the 50th Anniversary of the Angels organization.  Congrats!!  (Sorry MJ, for the Angels fan in your house!)

Pads and Redbirds at 4:15pm.  Former Richmond Spider Tim Stauffer (no, not the mac 'n cheese guy) takes the mound for SD while the always dominant Chris Carpenter takes the mound for the home team.  Stauffer is coming off a great year, albeit a short one - one in which he was 6-5 with a 1.85 ERA in 82.2 innings.  Carpenter is always tough at home - to the tune of 12-4 with a 2.81 ERA last year.  A pitcher's duel in the making?  Possibly.  Oh wait, there's that guy at 1B for the Cardinals, Pujols.  Sorry Timmy!

The World Series Champion SF Giants travel south the face "Donny Baseball"'s Dodgers tonight in primetime, 8:00pm.  Speaking of electric young arms, Time Lincecum and Clayton Kershaw.  Are you kidding me?  No wonder this is a pitchers division.  And with "The Beard" lurking in the 9th (or 8th), the Dodgers had better get to Lincecum early.  It's always a grudge match between these two NL West rivals.  I'll be tuned in to this one tonight, no doubt!

iPad Games
I am still enamored with my iPad - probably the coolest gift I've ever recieved, and there are always new things coming out for it (not the iPad 2).  I will never, ever get into a pissing match with electronics people, because once one thing comes out, the next one is not far after.  So trying to keep up with the Jones' is impossible, unless you wanna go broke.


There's plenty of cool apps, features and games - too many to name but here's a few:
BlogPress for keeping up to date with my blog postings
Stick Golf HD rules!  It's one of the most highly addicting games I've ever played.  It's like Bejeweled x 20.
Coin Dozer is way easier than the real-life version, where it's impossible to win any of the prizes by pushing coins off the ledge.  Lindsay is a Coin Dozer addict.  I am actually looking into rehabilitation options.
NPR focuses on news stories related to things I enjoy - News, Arts & Life, and Music.  Always up to date.
Cover Orange is like a newer Angry Birds.  The goal is to drop items in order to create a home for oranges before they get hit with what looks like acid raindrops.  Pretty cool and it requires some logic skills as well, to keep my bean thinking.
Friendly (Facebook) and the Twitter app also enable me to keep up with my social media life while traveling.
My iPad Keyboard Dock is outstanding as well - I even got the guy to preview it to prove it wasn't flimsy, as I'd heard.  Turns out it's sturdy and excellent for posting from a hotel on the road or even on the bus itself. 
Words With Friends is basically Scrabble.  Except for the pricetag - $2.99.  Scrabble is a whopping $9.99.  I'll save myself seven buck thank you very much.
Another word game I enjoy is Word Solitaire.  Totally worth the $0.  It's another challenging game that is fun to play and very, very addicting.  Sometimes it just pisses me off but I keep going back to it.
I'd love than MLB.com At Bat app, but I think I'll pass on the $14.99 pricetag and just track it online.

OK, time to get the day going.  I slept in a little bit because my  head felt like it was going to explode.  I am a human barometer - if my head hurts, there's probably a chance it'll rain or snow or sleet or hail.  Feeling a little better now, thanks for caring.  Be back later, hopefully on Digital Darcy Photography with a new picture.  (I know, I've been a slacker lately).

Oh, and Lindsay is officially 38 weeks today.  Two more weeks (we think) til our lives change forever and Baby D is here.  Yowza!

PLAY BALL!!

Glider; Tuesday Letter; ; Wichita (St.)

Glider
The other day, Lindsay was mentioning how she wanted a glider for when Baby D gets here.  I immediately went online and began researching different gliders and their reviews and color and comfort and price.  And let me tell you, the prices on these things are incredibly high.  I paid $439 and found a $20 off online promo code, free shipping and no tax, so $419 for this chair and ottoman (except hers is a dark cherry wooden finish).  I just assembled it, and she hasn't been out of it since it's been together.  It's sitting in the middle of our apartment - like directly in the middle.

Our plan is to move it into the bedroom (yes, the one bedroom) and rearrange the other stuff in there.  Crib, changing table, and glider all in our bedroom.  Along with our bed, a dresser, two nightstands, and a little armoire that I use.

Needless to say, it was a wise investment as she seems extremely relaxed and at ease in the glider.  Nathan is now laying on the glider.

Tuesday Letter
This will serve as my Tuesday Letter today.

She's been awesome throughout this whole pregnancy.  Not once (OK, maybe a few times) has she complained.  She's never asked me to run out at 2 am for some crazy craving.  She's been a trooper.  Besides fake crying about me not being able to carry her because she's "fat" (read: 8+ months pregnant), she's acted normal.  I got a lucky one, not sure how, but I did.

She's back to getting tired again, which is fine, because being outside for baseball in the windy cold kicks my ass pretty good too.

I've been trying to go to every appointment with her (once a week now that she's 'full-term') but it's an easy shot into the city - BxM1 to the East Side of Manhattan.  Baby D's head is down but it's still high, so it's not looking like we're gonna be parents this week.  But hey, you never know!

Pause to Pee
An unplanned trip outside is needed to let Nathan take a pee before we turn in.

Wichita (St.)
Just finished watching the Wichita St./Washington St. NIT semi-final game on ESPN2.  The Shockers took the Cougs to the woodshed, crushing their (and our volleyball coach's) hopes at an NIT Title.  Final score - Wichita St. 75, Washington St. 44.  Wichita St. is now 28-8 on the year, and has beaten Nebraska, Virginia Tech, College of Charleston, and now Washington St. on their way to the title game.  They'll face either Alabama or Colorado at MSG.  Not sure when the final is but I doubt I'll watch.

I read from time to time, and besides their baseball team (Wichita St. that is) I have never heard of Wichita before reading Inside the Mind of BTK - also known as Denis Rader.  Sick bastard, but it was a pretty interesting book.  This guy was an absolute cold-blooded killer and I've seen snippets of an HBO special done on him, and he spoke about the killings in the most gentle, even tone - I mean he had details about the details and was so straight-faced the entire time.

Anyway, thanks to the WSU Shockers hoopsters for lightening my opinion of Wichita.

Time to turn in.  Later yo!

Knoxville Bound

Headed down to Knoxville, better known as Rocky Top, this weekend.  ETA for departure is about 1:30pm - courtesy of good ol' Coach USA.

Another 12 hour trip crammed in a moving vessel with no windows to open.  And it's raining to boot, meaning it will be that much more uncomfortable and muggy on the bus.  Oh, and we're not traveling with 28 players - oh no - we're bringing everyone on this trip - 32 guys plus four coaches.  Luckily for me, I won't have to share a seat for 12 hours.

I've got a few movies lined up - The Kingdom, Inception, and Boiler Room.  Actually, Boiler Room just came in from eBay yesterday afternoon - $3.00 Buy It Now and $2.99 shipping - can't beat that.  And although I've seen it probably 50 times, I will certainly watch it another fifty times - great movie.  ACT AS IF!

It's a mantra to live by.

Next week is spring break for the students, so regardless of what time we get back on Monday (I hope it's early) we shouldn't get scolded for missing classes.

Lindsay's mother is coming in from Martha's Vineyard for the weekend, so at least I know she will have someone there to help her out.  It's a helpless feeling when it's raining (as it is today) knowing that she has to take Nathan out when it's pouring out.  So I can rest a little easier.  On the bright side, this is the last real long road trip I'll take before Baby D arrives - next weekend is Philly, then Albany.

OK, time to check some emails.  Talk to you next time from the road.