post #700 (-3 drafts)

I like how in baseball you always act, as a fielder, under the expectation that every teammate will do exactly what they're supposed to. The firstbaseman waits; centrefield backs off when rightfield calls it. It's all very cool. Trust, I guess, is what they call it. No undermining.

I perceived this handily in the 4-3 in the top of the 8th (KC @ TOR). It was a beautiful scoop - sort of in mid-slide - that John MacDonald made just in the nick of time into the glove of Overbay who could only wait, with his foot on the bag. It's the kind of sliding-scoop that can end in disaster and the forfeiture of not one but TWO bases. See if you can't find the vid. [It is on mlb.com, I just haven't figured out an easy way to attach the link yet.]

(That said, in last night's game there was a weird uh-oh with the rightfielder and secondbaseman that resulted in neither making the catch and one ending up on his backside. It seemed worse because it was an easy pop-up and it would be the third out of the final inning. The groan of the crowd expressed the unsettling fear that this could be the flub which led to a base-hit that shouldn't exist which meant stealing second was possible and a sacrifice fly after a pinch runner was subbed in would tie it all up. Helpless! Fortunately they shut it down before any of that horror came to pass.)

I recently resovled to publicly write and speak less (if at all) on the topic unless it can be related to something else of significance (in this case it was trust) so here I close.

things that piss me off (1b)

I came across a passage in a book I was reading that I found completely startling and arresting. I wish it were short enough to memorize or write somewhere so that I'd read it often.

What I found very strange about the passage, however, was how closely it mirrored my blog post of 29/01/07 ("things that piss me off" - the first of that series) which you'll find below.

-my writing
#2 The safe philosophies of Christians on how they interact with homeless people.

It's not our responsibility to control what someone does with the gift we give them, is it? Then the love becomes conditional. Did God tell you He would only forgive you and withhold His wrath and grant you inheritance if you promised not to abuse your stewardship, not to stray from the path, and to never get mad at Him or cuss Him out to His face; to miss a few Sundays of church or ignore a convicting word? So what if "they're going to buy drugs or alcohol with it"? God the Son gave away all that He had knowing some of us would buy drugs and alcohol with it. Eventually, some of us realize the wealth that we're squandering and sober up but He did not make that a requirement; He did not take a vote at the beginning of the world: "OK, by a show of hands, how many of you will accept & love me, obeying my commands all the days of your life? Good, good...and how many of you will spit in my face, curse, reject and deny me until the day you die? ... Ouch. Dad, what do you think of these numbers? ... ...Alright, fine, I'll go anyways." If the guy sleeping on the sidewalk is not "the poor" that we're supposed to take care of, then who is? (If everyone who walks by assumes the same thing, these people won't even get money for the things you DO approve of them having, like food, will they?) What on earth does a Christian have that he can hold on to? What, with the perfect God within, can we possibly have need for? Give and then, if you're concerned (about the other person, not about your self), pray. Pray against addiction or other deadly behaviors. (Heck, we can be praying that for ourselves, too.) Pray for a way out. Pray for a miracle. Pray that you'll see them again - and give again. Pray in faith that your gift would go where it should. Give so much that they wonder.

-someone else's writing
B.B. Warfield, The Person and Work of Christ (Philadelphia: Presbyterian & Reformed, 1950), 574.

Now dear Christians, some of you pray night and day to be branches of the true vine; you pray to be made all over in the image of Christ. If so, you must be like him in giving ... "though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor" ... Objection 1. "My money is my own." Answer: Christ might have said, "My blood is my own, my life is my own." ... then where should we have been? Objection 2. "The poor are undeserving." Answer: Christ might have said, "They are wicked rebels... shall I lay down my life for these? I will give to the good angels." But no, he left the ninety-nine and came after the lost. He gave his blood for the undeserving. Objection 3. "The poor may abused it." Answer: Christ might have said the same, yea, with far greater truth. Christ knew that thousands would trample his blood under their feet; that most would despise it; that many would make it an excuse for sinning more; yet he gave his won blood. Oh, my dear Christians! If you would be like Christ, give much, give often, give freely to the vile and poor, the thankless and the undeserving. Christ is glorious and happy and so will you be. It is not your money I want, but your happiness. Remember his one word, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

The Winnowing Fork

What are you taking from me now, cross of Christ? What is next?

I have a feeling it is not going to be easy and I'm going to fight with You (not too intensely) at first. But...I see why. I get it. I really do. And..I want righteousness more than quick gratification or deadly crutches.

Bring it on, HS.

It's OK, Adam! I still love you...

I guess if I'm honest I don't truly love Adam Lind, not in a personal sense. As a fellow man, sure. But no. Poor guy had the pressure of 40 000-ish fans stomping, yelling, cheering, clapping his two-out bottom-of-the-eleventh two-on-base full-count down-by-one-run at-bat. The guy is the Designated Hitter. He gets things done. He's solid, faithful and a very hard-worker. Can you spell PRESSURE? Poor guy. He swings, the umpire makes the call, 40 000 of us "awww;" Lind and the runners head to the dugout, we head to our deisgnated exit. Simple, simple. It's funny how we can get incredibly built up and then plummet in a second when it comes to sporting events.

I suppose it didn't help that the two on base had gotten there when there were two outs so we were primed to expect a miracle. (It was shaping up to be a good, re-tellable story for whoever asks how the game went.)
I guess, also, with rising blood-alcohol contents as the innings wore on, people were thinking less critically and taking the game less seriously ...which could easily lead to mad cheering and high expectations.


First time Alex Rios fielded a fly ball, people booed moderately. First time he came up to the plate, people booed mercilessly. (I didn't catch on til the plate appearance.) It was harsh (sounding harsher because the official head-count for the evening was 46 321 and I might have been the only one NOT booing) but funny in a sick way. My gut-reaction is sympathy and I utter, "Aww, poor guy!" and my Dad is quick to point out, "Ah, he's a professional. He can take it." Ah, dads.

I had suspected it at first and later found encouragement in my Dad's confirmation that this kind of booing (Rios is a former Jay, just to clarify) is actually about 98% endearing. The other two percent is a mix of bitterness, disappointment, pining but none of it intense. (Fans who are genuinely upset probably wouldn't give him the time of day by booing so their percentages would be different - but actually irrelevant.)


Something I would do differently next time is try to not have a bag or anything with me that can't go in my pockets. It's simply annoying! I also mightn't go with anyone else because, well, I'm not there to socialize and I don't know anyone who would go and not expect to talk at some point. Unfortunately for them, I DO want to see every pitch.

Nice end to a long day that started at 5.38. I don't know how I'm still up considering the day before was similar. Well...adrenaline? Who knows. I'm up.


I'm slightly disappointed to say that no one player stood out to me particularly. Vernon Wells did amaze me with several stellar catches but he is always on top of his game. Johnny Mac is more solid than I give him credit for and I hope he gets an appropriate place in the line-up. I finally accepted John Buck into the roster in my head...and sad to say it was because he hit a gorgeous two-run homer on his first pitch. I won't talk to you about how effortless it looked but it sho was beautiful. I suppose I "accept" him now because I see his effort..though me saying that is perfect evidence for the argument that catchers are consistently underappreciated and unnoticed by onlookers.


I don't know anything. I should be sleeping.
I need to watch I don't turn a pseudo-pastime into some kinda deadly monument.

I donno where this came from but it's getting posted on my blog.

Somebody's specs were being shown like as a profile with their photo and the following were a few items on the list:

Born: Yes.
Special Skill: He's fiple-jointed.


I hope I figure out where that's from cos I'm sure the context will make it even cooler.

sixtlette I (triets VI & VII)

Thing I am wondering about: is it OK that the box of crackers I just opened smells like (clean) laundry?

Odd-shaped object that I can't seem to find a place for on my shelf: being told I was doing a "great" job about five times and an "outstanding" one once within one conversation.

That refreshing, invigorating wind about: change.

Practically defenseless prey that is now only a few millimetres outside the intersection of my cross-hairs: a swanky new job that I am coveting. (Not the commandment-breaking kind of coveting but the I-think-this-is-where-God-is-leading-me-and-I-can't-wait kind.)

Thing I am flabbergasted by and doing my best to learn from: the fruit & blessing that comes from taking a step of faith.

This day: too flippin long.

wow. never saw ST Colbert get nailed before...

...but it definitely just happened tonight in an interview with the Reverend Al Sharpton.
WOW. In all my years of watching (which are about five), I've never seen this.

I think it's because he had so much respect for the man that Colbert couldn't push (or bully?) him like he does other guests. Fascinating. He actually said, "you win," at the end of the interview. You never hear that!
(More common is, "I accept your apology," when the guest has said nothing remotely CLOSE to an apology or even agreement.)


Also, he was giving props to Mattel for changing Scrabble to appeal to younger generations by allowing proper names and as he was explaining this my shock and disgust steadily grew. When he'd finished laying the ground work I involuntarily pff!-ed in a sincerely unnerved and unimpressed tone because when you mess with Scrabble you're messing with something sacred to me. A second later I noticed I wasn't the only one: the audience was booing.
How surprized was I to discover that enough people in the average New York studio audience know and give a rip about Scrabble to express their dislike for the new rule?? Then Colbert explains what bloggers and Twitter-ers were saying, complaining of how sacrilish this is.
You know..I might wonder if this was part of Mattel's plan all along - to either coax in the new generation by making the game (what I can only guess is) less intimidating or to incite the older generations to say, "We like it as it is and we'll play it that way until we die!" which of course encourages them go to out and buy a board in protest. Seems almost win-win.

I'm with Stephen, though, in saying, "that's right - it's just like the Scrabble you grew up with, except without the part that made it Scrabble."

sigh.

He mentioned a particular perk: "Best of all, at long last my name is a legal move in Scrabble. Unfortunately those 13 letters are only worth 23 points. Which is why tonight I'm announcing my new middle name, QXYZZY (pronounced: kwh-zizzy). AND do not spell it with two Ss. A lot of people do that and it is offensive to me and my heritage."

Oh boy. I fell off my chair a little bit when he made that announcement.

Sigh. When does life get better?

chronic by proxy

Swill


I was hoping I'd feel more like myself today but my plan didn't work. (Or maybe it did and I forget what myself feels like.)
For the last ten days I've gone to bed and gotten up at times that aren't normal for me. Things just kept coming up...it just was what it was. I like it in one way (because I was able to do all those things I got up for that I wanted to do) but I didn't like it in another way because it felt entirely unnatural and, eventually, unsettling.
So last night I stayed up til 2 and didn't get up til 11 this morning. It was nowhere near as satisfying as I'd hoped it would be.

I wish I knew what to say or that I had some ideas about anything. I......

triet V

First time I've heard this: "You have a beautiful voice. It's unique and ...exceptional," straight face and earnest handshake throughout.

First time I've experienced this: talking to the bus driver for the entire duration of my ride. I've had short conversations with a handful of bus drivers (but never longer than a minute or two and only if I'm very comfortable and they are very friendly) over the last x number of years I've been riding the bus. I guess it's been about twenty. I happen to be friends with the bus driver so it doesn't count in the same way. Still, I'm grateful for the unique experience. (61)

First time I've received this: an unsolicited "It's not your fault." (62)I don't know how to describe the relief that washed over me. There was another emotion, one that I don't feel often and also don't know the name of but it rang clear and ran deep. I don't know how I kept my composure and didn't slink into an unburdened lump on the floor or the chair beside me.

:)

IASE

I am SO EXCITED that tonight I get to watch the first Jays' game of the pre-season. First of 2010, first since October 2009! I...am so pumped.

I half-ly remembered having seen it written on my calendar for Good Friday so earlier this afternoon I pulled the calendrix out and had a peek. Then I verified with the broadcasting station and when I saw what they had scheduled for 8pm EST I pumped my fists harder and longer than a butter churner. Ooh baby. I'm...excited. (I need a better verb.)


In other news, yesterday a small girl (maybe 9 years old) said, "I want to be JUST LIKE HER," while I was within earshot and then she looked back not realizing this and seemed almost embarrassed...but not really. She also said something about singing ..earlier she and her sister sat and listened while I played piano. Wow. That phrase just stuck in my head ..it's...wow.