Once again the Yankees have gone out and bolstered their forces at the deadline with no care for salary issues or the future. Why not trade away all the farm prospects after all if you can just trade or buy a player for every position you need to fill.
I'm a bit more bitter because the Jays were within 3 games of a playoff spot this week. The end of July and we're almost right there. Of course aside from Hillengate the Jays haven't pulled off anything, nor are they really in a position to. The most tradeable pieces as I see them are Hinske and Catalanotto, and they're not enough to pull in the bullpen help we need down the stretch. At least, not without giving away most of our future simultaneously a la Yankee, but minus the Steinbrenner buying power.
If J.P. Ricciardi finds a way to prove me wrong tonight before the deadline, I'll be ecstatic. But given the Jays' performance on this road trip, the Yanks improvements, and knowing how both they and the BoSox can turn it on in the stretch, the East is gone and the wildcard pretty much as well.
Can't give up yet though, not with a bunch of gamers like Reed Johnson who will play out every game til the finale. There's always a place for Cinderella in any playoffs.
July 30, 2006
July 29, 2006
During the Getaway She Will Drive the Vespa
Every 6 months or so the circle of friends from highschool that I've otherwise fallen out of touch with drops word of a keg party around town. Last night was one of those semi-annual gatherings.
Between the years spent together in school as kids and the long periods of time between the parties, there's always plenty to talk about. "Bryan moved to Halifax and got MARRIED?" "Jen is doing what??" And so the time goes and everyone keeps pretty relaxed. Most of us being another year removed from the real partying days just keep things mellow and want to sit and drink and have a good time, but as always with these keggers, the drama seems to work its way into things.
Some people just can't have a good time and chill out and need to go that extra mile for attention, others just like to be pricks. Around 1am some of the guys from a couple years above us in highschool decided to try to walk off with one of the empty kegs to return for the deposit. My buddy steps in to settle things in what by all accounts was a civil discussion, quite contrary to the old way of settling things with some of my friends, and is blindsided, headbutted in the face and punched in the mouth, chipping off half a tooth.
All in all behaviour that you'd expect from the younger kids, and definitely not from the older ones that should be bored with the antics. But I guess that's what you do with all your buddies when you're in your mid to late twenties with no real job, and no real ambitions in life.
Despite the drama, I still managed to get wrecked, have a good time, and end up with a solid beer hangover thismorning afternoon, even having chugged two litres of water after the drunk pedal home.
Between the years spent together in school as kids and the long periods of time between the parties, there's always plenty to talk about. "Bryan moved to Halifax and got MARRIED?" "Jen is doing what??" And so the time goes and everyone keeps pretty relaxed. Most of us being another year removed from the real partying days just keep things mellow and want to sit and drink and have a good time, but as always with these keggers, the drama seems to work its way into things.Some people just can't have a good time and chill out and need to go that extra mile for attention, others just like to be pricks. Around 1am some of the guys from a couple years above us in highschool decided to try to walk off with one of the empty kegs to return for the deposit. My buddy steps in to settle things in what by all accounts was a civil discussion, quite contrary to the old way of settling things with some of my friends, and is blindsided, headbutted in the face and punched in the mouth, chipping off half a tooth.
All in all behaviour that you'd expect from the younger kids, and definitely not from the older ones that should be bored with the antics. But I guess that's what you do with all your buddies when you're in your mid to late twenties with no real job, and no real ambitions in life.Despite the drama, I still managed to get wrecked, have a good time, and end up with a solid beer hangover this
July 25, 2006
Neighbourhood Demographics
I guess its the way things work in time, but most of my neighbourhood has gone from middle-aged to senior-aged to something like mid to late twenties-aged. Across the main street has always been a bunch of older students who no longer want to live in partyville right near campus, but still be a reasonable walk away. But, now there's a bit more of a young infusion of the non-students as well. It seems strange given the houses in the area just keep going up in value, and we keep getting fucked by region property tax even though we're really doing nothing to improve the quality of our property.
The old people are clearly gone for non financial reasons in most cases, but I would have figured they'd be replaced by some more middle-agers. Instead, on any given evening there are at least 2 milfs strolling around with their kids and new pups.
I guess that explains the real reasoning why one of my buddies going way back to elementary school is moving back into the neighbourhood to the apartment building I can hit with stones (and tennisballs, baseballs, soccerballs, and just about anything ball-like, within reason) from my backyard. Of course I'm sure his girlfriend doesn't know about that whole milf part yet, but since she already knows I'm an ass, and buddies are there to give a hard time to, I can drop that word any time now that the lease is signed. And needless to say there will be many more barbecues going down around here for a while.
As for the whole young thing, I obviously can't really complain because I don't get crotchety old women calling in noise complaints for my guitar or music, or for the smoke from my occasional fires. As long as we don't get that one overachieving, prissy tool, this can keep up. And soon the milfs will all be my age...the verdict is still out on whether that's really a good thing though.
The old people are clearly gone for non financial reasons in most cases, but I would have figured they'd be replaced by some more middle-agers. Instead, on any given evening there are at least 2 milfs strolling around with their kids and new pups.
I guess that explains the real reasoning why one of my buddies going way back to elementary school is moving back into the neighbourhood to the apartment building I can hit with stones (and tennisballs, baseballs, soccerballs, and just about anything ball-like, within reason) from my backyard. Of course I'm sure his girlfriend doesn't know about that whole milf part yet, but since she already knows I'm an ass, and buddies are there to give a hard time to, I can drop that word any time now that the lease is signed. And needless to say there will be many more barbecues going down around here for a while.
As for the whole young thing, I obviously can't really complain because I don't get crotchety old women calling in noise complaints for my guitar or music, or for the smoke from my occasional fires. As long as we don't get that one overachieving, prissy tool, this can keep up. And soon the milfs will all be my age...the verdict is still out on whether that's really a good thing though.
July 23, 2006
Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum
...a pirate's life probably not so much for me. Before having a party with the Captain last night it was months since I'd had hard liquor of any kind. Liquor and me are more of a winter affair, while I have various flings with blondes, ambers, and the occasional darks along with numerous others of the lager girls during the summer heat.
Some combination of rum, heat, smoke and mosquitos devouring half my blood volume really kicked my ass last night, and I spent the whole day feeling like my head was under a hundred feet of water. I guess I'll have to find some other life that doesn't involve wenches, pillage, plunder and gold. What a let down.
Some combination of rum, heat, smoke and mosquitos devouring half my blood volume really kicked my ass last night, and I spent the whole day feeling like my head was under a hundred feet of water. I guess I'll have to find some other life that doesn't involve wenches, pillage, plunder and gold. What a let down.
July 21, 2006
A Bit Loopy
The week began with me watching Office Space and getting myself set to be in a sarcastic mood about being stuck in the 3 and a half walls of my cubicle most of the week. Four 11 to 13 hour days later I'm exhausted, grimy, grungy and aching like the old man I shouldn't be for another 10 years. And I feel like I actually accomplished some real work as opposed to going through the motions. The counterintuitive part of it all is that this week streaked by as long as it was.
Three weeks from now I'll be done and bumming around finishing some wiring and drywalling that has been an 'on-going' project that really hasn't been going, and has been off more than on, for far too long. And then 8 months will bring me an Honours Bachelors degree, and that time too will be like crowded like the 400 on a Friday summer evening, but instead of moving at a crawl, it too will fly by.
My time at the university already has flown by. Not so much with individual courses at a given time, but on the whole. I've been on campus in some capacity for 5 years, that feel not more than 2. I say all this because of all the times I've been on the job the past few weeks and been asked my background by drillers and my intentions by site project managers. The background part always comes easy enough, but looking ahead there's not much besides a thick mist beyond my masters project, whatever and with whomever that may be.
These things aren't going to get any clearer tonight though. Infact, there's also a thick mist beyond a few brews and a good night's snooze. And 2 weeks worth of laundry, casting a spotlight on the other upside of fieldwork; complete disregard for appearance and cleanliness in wearing nearly the same shit for a week.
And so its time to get the literal stink out of here, the figurative pungeant aroma around here will likely linger a while though.
Three weeks from now I'll be done and bumming around finishing some wiring and drywalling that has been an 'on-going' project that really hasn't been going, and has been off more than on, for far too long. And then 8 months will bring me an Honours Bachelors degree, and that time too will be like crowded like the 400 on a Friday summer evening, but instead of moving at a crawl, it too will fly by.
My time at the university already has flown by. Not so much with individual courses at a given time, but on the whole. I've been on campus in some capacity for 5 years, that feel not more than 2. I say all this because of all the times I've been on the job the past few weeks and been asked my background by drillers and my intentions by site project managers. The background part always comes easy enough, but looking ahead there's not much besides a thick mist beyond my masters project, whatever and with whomever that may be.
These things aren't going to get any clearer tonight though. Infact, there's also a thick mist beyond a few brews and a good night's snooze. And 2 weeks worth of laundry, casting a spotlight on the other upside of fieldwork; complete disregard for appearance and cleanliness in wearing nearly the same shit for a week.
And so its time to get the literal stink out of here, the figurative pungeant aroma around here will likely linger a while though.
July 18, 2006
What the Shit?
George W. Bush says 'shit' within earshot of a microphone or two, and the media latches on like its an impeachable offense or something. Its not even close to the worst thing he's done in his schoolboy whim and prayer type leadership so far, and it gets this much attention?
Anyways, what was looking to be another grey week in the office has turned into a bright, hot and humid week in the field. I've been loving every sweaty, salty drop of it so far. Tomorrow I'll be off to Barrie again, like today, but likely will get the luxury of a night in a hotel again to save some mileage and time and get the current phase of our project there done.
Hopefully, in some backwards, ironic, twist, the hotel room in what is the beginning of Ontario redneck country will be better equipped for internet than my room in Edmonton was. If not, then I guess I'll grace this electronic black hole with my presence again in a few days.
Anyways, what was looking to be another grey week in the office has turned into a bright, hot and humid week in the field. I've been loving every sweaty, salty drop of it so far. Tomorrow I'll be off to Barrie again, like today, but likely will get the luxury of a night in a hotel again to save some mileage and time and get the current phase of our project there done.
Hopefully, in some backwards, ironic, twist, the hotel room in what is the beginning of Ontario redneck country will be better equipped for internet than my room in Edmonton was. If not, then I guess I'll grace this electronic black hole with my presence again in a few days.
July 15, 2006
New Tensions
Another day, another set of eruptions of social differences in the world. Its been brewing for weeks, and I certainly don't profess to be enough of a historian to go into the background of the whole affair, but the better news sources are doing a job well enough on their own.
I think in North America with our massive national borders we are inherently ignorant of the real proximity of some foreign nations, and the combustion cells they quickly form under provocation.
A guest post over at Matt Good's blog today gives an excellent perspective and discussion in detail more appropriate than I could hope to give.
Around here we apparently still operate on a "he started it" principle in politics.
Stem cells are in the news again too, with Bush still swearing by vetoing any bill passed by congress toward loosening some restrictions on funding in the U.S. for lines of cells. Its beyond amusing the irony behind supporting the bombing of civilians and yet still holding blind in the denial of anything irrefutably helpful in the search for medical advance in embryo cell research. Just think of where we'd be as a global society if we could all pull our heads out of our asses.
I think in North America with our massive national borders we are inherently ignorant of the real proximity of some foreign nations, and the combustion cells they quickly form under provocation.
A guest post over at Matt Good's blog today gives an excellent perspective and discussion in detail more appropriate than I could hope to give.
Around here we apparently still operate on a "he started it" principle in politics.
Stem cells are in the news again too, with Bush still swearing by vetoing any bill passed by congress toward loosening some restrictions on funding in the U.S. for lines of cells. Its beyond amusing the irony behind supporting the bombing of civilians and yet still holding blind in the denial of anything irrefutably helpful in the search for medical advance in embryo cell research. Just think of where we'd be as a global society if we could all pull our heads out of our asses.
July 13, 2006
Reset to Default
The flight home was good, great even. The seat next to me was empty so I had some space to myself on the way home. Maybe its cause I was so busy with work for the most part, or simply because I failed to find Edmonton itself very exciting, I wasn't really disappointed to be leaving as I often am when I spend some time in a new domain.
There's more work planned for out there, and I would go, only for the sake that its better than some of the bullshit work I've had to strain through since getting back (with no time off mind you). But I'm really in no hurry, and am likely going to schedule myself to be done within the month, having already met the requirements for my co-op program that I intend to drop anyways. In reality, the only reason for me to be there is for the money.
The longer I work, the less time I'll have to spend money, and the shorter window I will have to budget for. 8 months straight of school will be harsh enough on the wallet, but things like weddings and birthdays and ideally a month long road trip out west add to the need.
A truly dedicated person would give up their guilty pleasures like booze and CD's and booze. One booze cut is perhaps an option, especially once the summer drinking season fades away again in its shitty way, but two? CD's for the most part is doable as my collection of the 'must have classics' is pretty solid now, and to be honest not too much 'new' stuff is really new or inspiring enough to buy, with some obvious exceptions.
I'll find a way somehow I'm sure, but right now the burnout of 10 days straight of work is getting to me, and I need to be done with that soon. I'll take sanity over salary thanks.
There's more work planned for out there, and I would go, only for the sake that its better than some of the bullshit work I've had to strain through since getting back (with no time off mind you). But I'm really in no hurry, and am likely going to schedule myself to be done within the month, having already met the requirements for my co-op program that I intend to drop anyways. In reality, the only reason for me to be there is for the money.
The longer I work, the less time I'll have to spend money, and the shorter window I will have to budget for. 8 months straight of school will be harsh enough on the wallet, but things like weddings and birthdays and ideally a month long road trip out west add to the need.
A truly dedicated person would give up their guilty pleasures like booze and CD's and booze. One booze cut is perhaps an option, especially once the summer drinking season fades away again in its shitty way, but two? CD's for the most part is doable as my collection of the 'must have classics' is pretty solid now, and to be honest not too much 'new' stuff is really new or inspiring enough to buy, with some obvious exceptions.
I'll find a way somehow I'm sure, but right now the burnout of 10 days straight of work is getting to me, and I need to be done with that soon. I'll take sanity over salary thanks.
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