Baseball fun

Via deadspin, this audio clip of "Adam from Milwaukee" calling Reds' radio announcer Marty Brennaman during a rain delay. Adam might also be known as "Adam Dunn of the Cincinnatti Reds" in real life. It's funny!

Baseball will (hopefully) be more fun for me after 3:00 p.m. on Monday, as that is the Major League Baseball trading deadline. I am as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs that the Cubs will trade away future Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux for some prospects we'll never see again. Please, please, please do not add this to the list of mistakes made by the GM this year. Sadly, I won't know the result until much later on Friday, as I will be in a deposition without the opportunity to check--argh!

My falling out with television

JD, the eater of tatsuma squash, recently asked me to write about why I don't have TV, so here you go:

I grew up in a TV family, in which we had a full range of free programming and took full advantage of it. I watched TV while eating my lunch at the coffee table after morning Kindergarten, scaring the bejesus out of myself with the Sleestaks in "Land of the Lost." While I was lucky enough to be a kid who played outside all the time after school and during the summer days, the expectation was that after my Dad arrived home from work, we would all eat dinner together and spend the rest of the evening together, watching TV. My Dad's favorite show was All In The Family. TV gave me Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley and introduced me to my lifelong love, the Chicago Cubs. The TV brought us all together at the end of a day and gave us something to laugh about together. It was a normal part of our lives and I never gave it a second thought.

Fast forward to two years ago, the year in which I turned 35. I was just beginning to consider making some sort of career change. To position myself to have the freedom to do that, I worked hard to get my finances under control by limiting spending and paying off debt. This included taking a hard look at what I considered to be "fixed costs," one of which was my monthly satellite TV bill: $80. At this same time, I happened to be dating someone who did not have a TV. Well, he had a TV, but it was on the floor of his closet and was not plugged in or used except on very limited occasions. This was a revolutionary idea to me, something I had literally never considered. We talked about his reasons for not having TV, and I realized that there were some good reasons other than the financial ones for me to minimize my TV-watching time, not the least of which was the time I could use to work on changing my life instead of watching TV.

So, I let the satellite account expire.

And I started to live life without any "live" TV, because even the free channels don't come in very well when I don't have cable. I kept the television set because I adore watching movies and cannot give up my DVDs. But I find that now I tend to play movies as, at most, background noise while I do other things.

Sometime after this, I began to notice the importance that TV has in the lives of American citizens. Talk of what happened in the latest episode of this or that popular TV show suddenly seemed to dominate conversations. Certain members of my Bunko group actually called ahead before it was my turn to host to see if I would promise to have "Lost" on the television during our monthly get-together that I thought was meant for catching up with friends. There was a near mutiny among a TV-addicted faction of the Bunko group when I explained there would be no "Lost" and extolled the virtues of talking to each other, rather than watching TV. I grew to enjoy the "you must be an alien" look that inevitably resulted when I explained my ignorance of a show by saying I don't have TV. I felt like an oddball, but in a good way.

My no-TV experiment is two years old now and I feel it has been a success. I don't feel that I am missing out on popular culture or events. If I'm dying to know what people are talking about with respect to a certain show, I look it up on the internet and find my curiosity is sated. When something really special is on TV (the Tour de France, Mavericks' championship run, etc.), my friends who invite me over to watch. I spend my time at home on other things that are more productive. My attitude toward TV has evolved to a point where I find it annoying when a TV is blaring in a setting in which people should just be talking to each other instead of tuning out of life like zombies.

I try not to be a preacher regarding the no-TV experiment because it was a very individual choice and I know it wouldn't work for everyone. I don't look down on those who choose to watch TV--that's up to them and I'm guessing that they do a better job than I of multitasking and squeezing productivity out of their free time. However, I am really happy without TV and I don't know if I'll ever go back.

Kindred spirits

Do you ever learn something about someone you don't know very well (or at all) that makes you think, "I know we would get along like a house fire!"? I did, when I read this post by Mandy from BloggyMcBlogalot.

Please read it, and let me know if you also love the idea of sending the cat picture--twice--in that situation!

Riveting Video

One day I will write about why I don't have television. It is partly to avoid being sucked in by scenes like those found in this video. Via Deadspin (the gossip site for sports lovers), it is the dramatic tale of a TV investigative unit that busted a guy engaging in "inappropriate behavior" while looking at porn on a library computer (unfortunately located near the children's section), then follows the subsequent court proceedings and requisite media hounding. It's a short but fascinating video clip, for multiple reasons (and safe for work, if you're worried).

Check it out!

Eliminating those pesky ums

Yesterday, Kottke led me to this article about how to become aware of and eliminate your verbal tics in public speaking. The writer's suggestion is to videotape yourself and study the tape. This reminded me of one of the most useful classes I took in law school: appellate advocacy.

When I registered for this class, I was not planning to be an appellate lawyer. An appellate lawyer primarily or solely works on appeals and most of their time is spent writing briefs, with occasional oral argument to a panel of appellate judges. Nope, I wanted to be deep in the trenches as a trial lawyer! But I expected that the course would help me hone my public speaking skills, which I felt were sorely in need of improvement, given my choice to spend my spare free time in law school on Law Review work, rather than in trial advocacy competitions. In appellate advocacy, we were given case problems, wrote an appellate brief advocating one side of the case and then presented oral argument and answered questions from the "judge" (professor) in front of the class while being videotaped.

I completed all of the assignments, but not without significant stomach butterflies, shyness and self-generated humiliation. I diligently studied my videotape between classes, always making sure my roommate wasn't around to see my (to me) pathetic performances. Slowly, but surely, I began to use fewer verbal crutches, to make better eye contact with the speaker, to stand very still while awaiting the next question from the panel. What made the class special was our professor's gentle effectiveness, as he did an excellent job of building on every student's strengths and quietly, kindly, helping us to see how to improve. I was no Martin Luther King, Jr., but I began to understand the tools one must use--both superficially and substantively--to make a convincing oral argument. While I felt I still had much to learn after the class ended, I made real progress and even secured a summer job with the law firm of my professor, a practicing lawyer.

A few years back, I ran across the tape of my appellate advocacy presentations while cleaning out a closet and, curious about how I had performed back then, popped it in the VCR. I was reminded of several things: how shy I was then, the verbal tics I was so embarrassed by but worked so hard to correct and, perhaps most of all, how far I have come since then.

A scene from the car dealership service department

Setting: waiting room in a car dealership service department



(Internet photo--not mine)

Four women quietly await the repair of their cars while watching a little television, until a fifth woman arrives. Woman 5 arrives, breathlessly lugging a large work file stuffed with documents spilling out of colored folders. She takes a seat in the middle of the other 4 women, immediately pulls her cell phone out of her purse, dials and has the following conversation . . . . .

Woman 5: (leaving message in the same volume of voice she would use if talking to someone standing on the other side of a large room) blah, blah, blah . . . bring my inspector to the house this week. Oh, hi, Celia!

. . . . .

You looked great! Jim and I couldn't believe it! You didn't look older than 34 or 35! You looked SO great!

. . . . .

We need to get together and date sometime soon. You'll do great!

. . . . .

No, really, you looked so great. Seriously!

. . . . .

Yes, I know how that is. When I married Bob, I had such a better job than him and I was much more financially successful than him. Then we moved here, and I still had a way better job and was making so much more money than him. And I couldn't take him to work events, because all he could do is stand there and look blonde and good. And he did look really good, but he couldn't talk to anyone. The real problem was that my job was so much better than his. So that was it--we divorced.

. . . . .

Oh, he is more taken by me than any man I have ever known. He is SO into me! We just returned from St. Baarts.

. . . . .

But you look so great! Jim and I both thought so! Really, so great!

Why let the truth get in the way of a good headline?

In today's Dallas Morning News, Laura Schreier writes about how "Bush Breaks Remarkable Run" [of not vetoing bills] by vetoing the stem cell research bill. Ms. Schreier breathlessly relates how Bush "stood to be [Thomas] Jefferson's only vetoless peer" if he managed to complete his second term without a veto, and quotes a source as saying that "Mr. Bush's record is remarkable even with political power in Washington consolidated under Republican leadership."

But what about those 750 signing statements Bush has added to bills he didn't like, in which he alters the text of the bill when he signs it in such a way as to nullify the bill entirely? Well, those signing statements don't fit in very well with Ms. Schreier's thesis of the "remarkableness" of Bush's feat, so she gives barely a footnote reference to a source who observes:

Mr. Bush has added 750 "signing statements" to bills in which he vowed the administration would not enforce terms of the legislation. Some observers think these statements are a way to "quietly veto."

Instead of explaining or addressing this affront to her thesis, Ms. Schreier pushes right on past it, resuming the thread of her story about how unusual Bush's no-veto status was. That's how they roll at the Dallas Morning News.

A topic of greater significance than anonymous jerks

is this one, the story of the release of the last "9-11 detainee." Benemar Benatta, a former Lieutenant in the Algerian Air Force, spent nearly five years of his life imprisoned by our government when the most they could charge him with was carrying false identification--a charge that was later dropped. Last week, the U.S. government finally released this man from custody, despite knowing since November 2001 that he lacked any link to terrorism. Here is a short version of this man's story:

The last detainee's odyssey began Sept. 5, 2001, when, after overstaying a six-month visa, he crossed the border near Buffalo to seek asylum in Canada. After the Sept. 11 attacks, his background as a Muslim man with flight experience prompted Canadian officials to turn him over to U.S. authorities.

He spent the next six months in solitary confinement in a federal jail in Brooklyn.

Though the FBI concluded he had no links to terrorism, he was eventually charged with carrying false identification — a case that was dropped after a federal magistrate found his right to due process had been violated.

The magistrate wrote in a 2003 decision that Benatta had been "undeniably deprived of his liberty," and "held in custody under harsh conditions which can be said to be oppressive."

Despite the ruling, immigration officials kept him in custody in Buffalo while he appealed a deportation order and renewed his quest for asylum based on a claim that, as a military deserter, he would tortured or killed if he returned to Algeria.

This inexcusable atrocity seems contrary to Our Esteemed President's commentary on the value of human life:

I also believe human life is a sacred gift from our Creator. I worry about a culture that devalues life, and believe as your President I have an important obligation to foster and encourage respect for life in America and throughout the world.

Apparently, President Bush's Creator doesn't place as high a value of the lives of adults who are not born in the United States.

Do you ever wonder why people hate lawyers or law firms?

Having had the pleasure of dealing with them both for several years now, I don't wonder. And having received this post on my travel blog today, I really don't wonder:

Anonymous said...

not to hate or anything, but to be completely honest, your pictures kinda suck. NYC has never looked so boring. they're nothing special. and today with digital cams, anyone can do it. don't quit your day job anytime soon.

8:49 AM

This anonymous poster's opinion may very well be correct, although I don't remember asking for his/her opinion, nor do I recall saying I was on the verge of quitting my law practice to become a professional photographer. I have no problem with constructive criticism, whether of my photography or of any of the opinions I spout on my blogs. But I won't stand for gratuitous, unproductive meanness, as this blog is my escape from that.

What does this have to do with lawyers or law firms, you ask? Well, this is the information my Sitemeter provides concerning the kind person who made this post:

Domain Name		jackscamp.com ? (Commercial)
IP Address		38.118.25.# (Performance Systems International)
ISP		Performance Systems International
Location		Continent : North America Country : United States (Facts) State : Virginia City : Arlington Lat/Long : 38.8782, -77.1054 (Map)
Language		English (United States) en-us
Operating System		Microsoft WinXP
Browser		Internet Explorer 6.0 Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)
Javascript		version 1.3
Monitor		Resolution : 1024 x 768 Color Depth : 32 bits
Time of Visit		Jul 21 2006 8:42:15 am
Last Page View		Jul 21 2006 8:45:27 am
Visit Length		3 minutes 12 seconds
Page Views		2
Referring URL		http://eyebrow-raisi...re-nyc-pictures.html
Visit Entry Page		http://lisaswanderin...ay-two-brooklyn.html
Visit Exit Page		http://lisaswanderin...ay-two-brooklyn.html
Out Click		Post a Comment http://www.blogger.c...5356689&isPopup=true
Time Zone		UTC-5:00
Visitor's Time		Jul 21 2006 9:42:15 am
Visit Number		3,174

Based on my research, "jackscamp.com," the domain from which this post was made, happens to belong to a law firm called Jackson & Campbell, P.C., with locations in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, according to their web site (http://www.jackscamp.com/). In fact, they claim to be "one of Washington, DC's (sic) most respected law firms." I don't have much respect for them, given that one of their employees seems to have a propensity for visiting web sites and providing unsolicited mean-spirited comments without the courage to identify him/herself.

I always wondered what Heather and Melissa are talking about when they reference the hostile emails or posts they receive in response to things posted on their web sites. My site isn't remotely in the stratosphere of theirs (nor is my writing ability), but now I know what they mean.

Thanks, my friends, for being such kind and supportive visitors that this came as a splash of cold water to me.

Gratefully,
Lisa

I rejoin the world

of productive workers today, now that I have an antibiotic series and what feels like a hundred hours of sleep under my belt. It's probably a good thing, as I felt I was on the verge of having bed sores. Also, I appear to have lost 5 pounds while sick; if that was to continue, who knows how my life might change?

But I promise to finish posting my NYC trip photos this weekend and maybe even to write about something not involving my trip to NYC or the embarassment our Stupid Leader has caused me as an American this week.

Here's a picture to tide you over!

Cool web site of the day . . .

it's a blog on which people post pictures of their work spaces. I love seeing the different settings in which people spend their days. I hope you do, too!

More NYC pictures

This set is of my Saturday morning spent in Brooklyn. Enjoy!

The pictures of travel.

I have posted the first day's worth of photos from my NYC trip here. Here is one of them:



Enjoy!

The price of travel.

For me, it is apparently a serious bronchial infection, initially disguised as a cold. Since yesterday, I have been suffering from a very high fever and other side effects too awful to detail here. I have slept more hours than I thought it possible for a human to sleep in a 24-hour period. On the bright side, I am so sick that I was required to cancel my business trip to Oklahoma City. I did think the contrast between New York and Oklahoma City would be stark and depressing.

If you want to see a video that makes you sick, click here to read the excellent Dan Froomkin's column, then click on his second link to a "subtitled video." In this video, you will see the highest-ranking official of our country, yes, the President of the United States, attending an official dinner at the G-8 Summit. At that dinner, he talks with his mouth full, cusses, demonstrates his ignorance concerning the names of world leaders and geography and otherwise conducts himself in a manner that I daresay does not comport with Emily Post's etiquette guidelines. If that isn't enough, check out this video of our "President" giving an unsolicited, unwelcome neck massage to the female German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. This is but one of the reasons why people from other countries think we, the American people, are stupid and uncultured.

UPDATE: Apparently, David Letterman shares these feelings, as does Maureen Dowd.

Back from NYC

and swamped . . . will write more soon!

And so, baseball week ends with a whimper, and several bangs . . .

in the Cubs' 13-7 loss to the Mets today, which included a sixth inning that fit this description:

[New York Mets] Cliff Floyd and Carlos Beltran hit grand slams, and David Wright added a two-run shot in an 11-run sixth inning . . . . . New York sent 16 batters to the plate in the sixth and benefited from two errors on second baseman Todd Walker that led to eight of the 11 runs being unearned. The half-inning, on a muggy 95-degree night at Wrigley Field, took 41 minutes to play and saw the Cubs make 70 pitches.

I thought they had broken my heart in every way possible this season, but they surprised me.

Sigh.

On the bright side, I witnessed two historic moments in baseball today. On TV--today was the first time the Cubs gave up two grand slams in one inning. In person--today was Mariano Rivera's 400th save, which he completed against the Chicago White Sox.

For four days, I am at home.

I realized when stepping out of the cab at my hotel today that I could breathe freely for the first time in a long time.

I learned that New York is the kind of place where one can unexpectedly happen upon a Bastille Day boulle tournament on her way to lunch, where people are drinking champagne and flinging shining silver balls down a sand-covered court in the middle of the street.

I concluded that there are few Friday afternoons better than one spent perusing the New York Times in a favorite French/Brazilian cafe while enjoying a fresh salmon feta omelette, mesclun salad and a glass of excellent Italian pinot blanco.

I realized that New York is a place where you can still find things to do after waking up at 2:00 a.m. from a really long nap, such as finding a slice of pizza, enjoying a glass of wine at a favorite cafe and then taking in a live Pink Floyd singalong under the arch in Washington Square Park on your way home for the night, complete with guitar, flute, bongos and the aroma of marijuana smoke floating in the air.

I realized that New York is where one goes when they cannot wait to have a life at a later time.

A taste of the "good" life.

Wednesday: work from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m.

Thursday: arise in time to see dogs off on puppy bus, then catch a smidge of extra sleep before working all day and night to tie up loose ends before leaving for "vacation" (2 days off work, sandwiched around weekend)

Friday: arrive home from work at 3:02 a.m., pack for weekend in NYC and leave home at 5:00 a.m. to catch flight that leaves at 6:30 a.m.

The reward?

Go to the great city of New York and try to squeeze in some fun with friends around more work:



In other news, I received a spam email today offering me "discreet lawsuit pills." I've been looking for those . . .

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Baseball week on the blog continues . . .

If you love baseball, you should read this article by Dan McGrath in the Chicago Tribune. He is the Tribune's Associate Managing Editor for Sports and has been a card-carrying member of the Baseball Writers Association of America since 1981. And he was kind enough to share some of his thoughts after 25 years of covering The Great Game.

I have often wondered what it is about baseball that makes stories about the game such a sentimental read. This is unlike any other sport about which I have ever read. Tears spring easily to my eyes when I read a well-written baseball story, and McGrath's article is no exception.

Long live the great game.

Up early and hoping to go back to sleep.

So I'll whip out this little meme for your reading pleasure, courtesy of Betty at Old Dog New Trick (who also happens to be the mother of Jay and Kell!):

1. Have you ever been searched by the cops? No.

2. Do you close your eyes on roller coasters? No way.

3. When's the last time you've been sledding? When I was a kid.

4. Would you rather sleep with someone else, or alone? With someone, if it's the right someone.

5. Do you believe in ghosts? No.

6. Do you consider yourself creative? Yes.

7. Do you think O.J. killed his wife? Yes.

8. Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie? Jen! Jen! Jen!

9. Do you stay friends with your exes? Sometimes, depending on the ex.

10. Do you know how to play poker? No, I am card-impaired (except for spades, which I love).

11. Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight? I've come close.

12. What's your favorite commercial? I'm not sure because I don't have television.

13. What are you allergic to? Cats and Cardinals fans (just kidding, Jay!).

14. If you're driving in the middle of the night, and no one is around do you run red lights? Only if the light seems to be stuck, with no plans of ever changing to green, and then only after a very careful look around to be sure no one is coming.

15. Do you have a secret that no one knows but you? What do you think?

16. Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees? Red Sox.

17. Have you ever been Ice Skating? Yes.

18. How often do you remember your dreams? Rarely.

19. When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried? I don't think this is the last time, but it's the most recent time I can remember: when I was joking with a friend about going to the neighbor's house to borrow toilet paper because my only remaining stash was accidentally locked in the bathroom.

20. Can you name 5 songs by The Beatles? Hey, Jude. I Wanna Hold Your Hand. Um, that's all I know right now.

21. What's the one thing on your mind now? Whether the freak injury to Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano at the All Star game means there really is a Cubs Curse.

22. Do you know who Ghetto-ass barbie is? No.

23. Do you always wear your seat belt? Yes.

24. What cell service do you use? Cingular.

25. Do you like Sushi? Yes!!!

26. Have you ever narrowly avoided a fatal accident? I'm sure.

27. What do you wear to bed? Either one of my plethora of pajamas or nothing.

28. Been caught stealing? No.

29. What shoe size do you have? 8

30. Do you truly hate anyone? Until last year, the answer to that question would have been no. But now it is yes.

31. Classic Rock or Rap? Depending on my mood, either.

32. If you could sleep with one famous person, who would it be? John Cusak.

33. Favorite Song? At the moment, the version of "Sweet Potato Pie" that Ray Charles and James Taylor sing on Charles' "Genius Loves Company" album.

34. Have you ever sang in front of the mirror? I plead the Fifth.

35. What food do you find disgusting? Make that foods: grits, coconut, shredded carrots, beets.

36. Do you sing in the shower? No, I listen to the radio.

37. Did you ever play, "I'll show you mine, if you show me yours"? Not that I recall.

38. Have you ever made fun of your friends behind their back? No--only to their face.

39. Have you ever stood up for someone you hardly knew? Yes, and I was arrested for it.

40. Have you ever been punched in the face? No.

Things are busy

as I prepare to--gasp--take two whole days off work, making a four day weekend for me! But I could not keep this from you, this splendid clip of the best interview ever of Ann Coulter, via Defective Yeti. This interview comes from a surprising source: the radio show of Adam Carolla (who knew?). Please devote the next one minute of your life to listening to this--you won't regret it.

The definition of hypocrisy: found here and here. In this revealing exemplar, Republican Senator Orrin Hatch moves heaven and earth to help a music producer with whom he shares a lawyer. This music producer was facing criminal charges carrying a lifetime imprisonment penalty in Dubai because he was caught at their airport while bringing cocaine to Naomi Campbell's birthday party. However, thanks to a number of calls from Hatch to People With Power, the music producer is back in the U.S. and facing significantly reduced charges. Contrast this with Hatch's refusal to help the Sah family, who have been living legally in the U.S. for 16 years and now face deportation. Republicans: bringing the illegal drug users back in and shipping the law-abiding people out. Via Blurbomat, a bewildered resident of Hatch's home state.

In other news, I was "young ladied" today for the fourth time in as many depositions, by a curmudeon (this is putting it nicely) of an opposing counsel. After that, he leaned across the large conference room table in front of the videotape's line of sight, pointed his finger at me and yelled that he hates everyone in the room . . . this would include his own court reporter, a videographer, my clients (whom he never met before last week) and me. Our receptionist thinks he is certifiable, and she only heard him through the glass walls of the conference room attached to our lobby.

Guessing game: where am I going this weekend (if I already told you, pretend you forgot)?

Clues:

Clever.

The most (only) impressive aspect of the Dallas Morning News is its sport section, which remarkably and consistently great despite being buried in an otherwise mediocre (pathetic) newspaper. A recent offering is this bird-watcher's guide to the Texas Rangers players, which even a non-Rangers fan (i.e., me) can enjoy. Check it out!

I may just have to declare this baseball week, in honor of the All Star game. But please be warned: if Kenny Rogers starts the game for the American League, I won't be watching or listening. A player who assaults an innocent videographer doing his job at the Ballpark isn't someone who should be showcased for the kids as the AL starting pitcher. My humble opinion.

I'm feeling sentimental about baseball tonight.

Maybe it's the fact that the Cubs won their third game in a row today, the first time they have done so in as long as I can remember this season. I'm really not sure why. But I thought I would share with you something I wrote after returning from seeing the Cubs play the White Sox at spring training in Arizona this April:

I have lots to write about my trip to Arizona and Cubs spring training, and not much time in which to write. But I wanted to touch on this before it slips away . . .

I read tonight that Marquis Grissom, a guy who was trying to make the Cubs' roster by playing well in spring training, retired today. My heart ached a bit on reading this. Not because I have long loyalty to Marquis--I really don't know much about him at all. But yesterday, I saw the last game he ever played, a spring training game between the Cubs and the White Sox.

Marquis played all nine innings in right field, and for some reason, I happened to see him often and really notice him, whether I was sitting in my seat behind home plate watching him bat or whether I was hovering near the end of the first base line, near his spot in right field, to peek at the guys in the bullpen and take in the whole scene from a different angle. And each time I noticed Marquis, I saw a certain expression on his face, a slight wistfulness, and saw that he kept looking around at the crowd when he was playing in the field. I didn't realize it then, but I think now that he knew it was his last game and he was trying to burn into his brain the memory of the sounds of the crowd, and the faces, and all of it, so that he will remember always what that feeling was like, even if the memory only came from a spring training game.

Today, he said: "When it's time, it's time," . . . "I think this is the best thing for me, at this point, to officially hang the cleats up and go home and enjoy the second half of my life and do things I've always wanted to do" . . . "The best thing about [Monday] was I played nine innings and I felt good" . . . "I'm at peace with myself," he said. "I'm happy. I feel the whole world has been lifted off my shoulders. I don't have to do it, I don't have to commit the time. It took its toll. This is the way I want to go out."

Grissom is, according to the linked article, "one of seven players in Major League history to record 2,000 hits, 200 home runs and 400 stolen bases. He was fourth on the active leaders list with 429 stolen bases and is 55th on the big league list, having stolen 20 or more bases in 10 of his 17 seasons." But what strikes me about him is his love for the game and his generosity in supporting the younger players. Today, when I realized the reason for the expression I saw on his face at yesterday's game, it touched me in a way I cannot quite explain. I hope this player who experienced so much on the field will find a new, but equally satisfying, fulfillment in the second chapter of his life off the field.

Postscript: It is interesting to me that, three months after Marquis' retirement, there are so many recent articles that mention him, according to this Google search. I feel somewhat comforted to know that players like him are not quickly forgotten.

Justice.

I was annoyed when Ozzie Guillen packed the AL All Star team with so many White Sox, to the exclusion of more deserving players from other teams. Well, karma is a bitch, as they say.

The Sox are currently embroiled in an 19-inning still-tied game with the Red Sox, and I'll bet those White Sox All Stars are getting tired! The White Sox have used 8 pitchers so far in the game, with no end in sight, and they only have one potential batter left on the bench.

HA HA HA HA HA.

One red paperclip

Do you think you could trade a paperclip--a red one--for a house? Via Kottke, the story of Kyle, whose quest was to engage in a series of trades, starting with a red paperclip, and hopefully ending with a house. If you click here, you can read a blurb on each of his trades. He's an interesting guy and it is a great story!

I am truly frightened.

You may recall my recent post on a church in Dallas that threatened a member and non-member having an affair with publication of the affair if they did not stop (short version). I was just looking for an update on the status of the resulting litigation and stumbled on this blog, where people posted their thoughts. Scroll down to the thoughts of Vince (last post), who claims to be a member of that church. His take on the matter scares the hell out of me. (Clarification: not because I am engaged in an affair--I am not--but because it shows the mindset of the religious right, which is super frightening to me).

Reflections on Ken Lay.

I am sure by now you all have heard about the surprising death of Ken Lay, who died about 24 hours ago of a "massive coronary" at his vacation house in Aspen. Although I learned of this not very long after it occurred, it took me all day to mull over my thoughts about it.

Here they are . . .



(Photo courtesy of MediaWatch)

My initial, visceral reaction to Lay's death was one of shock and sadness. This surprised me almost as much as the death itself. As you may recall, I was not impressed by Lay's attitude during his cross-examination in his criminal trial and felt that the guilty verdict he ultimately received was right on target. So, why the feeling of sadness?

For starters, my own father died unexpectedly of a heart attack, as most faithful readers of this blog are probably aware. I think that any remotely similar death, even of someone I did not know at all, strikes a chord with the part of me that remembers the shocked feeling of great loss. I learned of another odd similarity when I realized today that Ken Lay was 64, the same age my father would have been this year, had he not died eight years ago. But this realization made me mad: while I realize there are no guarantees of fairness in this world, it seems massively unfair to me that a man who lived the kind of life Ken Lay did was permitted eight more years of life--precious time spent with his family and others who mattered to him--than my own father was. I know this makes no sense, but it is how I felt.

As far as I can tell, Ken Lay and my father had only two things in common, other than their cause of death: both were born poor and worked hard to make a better life for their families. I believe the resemblances end there. Playing any role whatsoever in the financial downfall of another human being would have been as foreign to my father as the extravagant lifestyle that Lay lived . . . Lay, who lived that lifestyle while promising Enron employees he was high on the company while at the same time secretly selling his stock like there was no tomorrow. That is something my father would never have done.

My feelings circled around again by the end of the day. Now, this Houston Chronicle editorial says most accurately what I am feeling: (a) Lay's death is a loss for those who sought penal and financial closure for his wrongdoing; and (b) Lay's death cost him the opportunity for atonement and redemption among those whom he wronged. Finally, my heart goes out to Lay's family, as I know very well the pain of incompletion when a loved one passes without warning. I can only imagine that their pain is compounded by the fact that they view him as having been unfairly persecuted over the last few years. Enron was not their fault, as far as I can tell, and I am sorry for their pain.

Maybe I will feel something different tomorrow, but that is where my feelings end up tonight.

Want to travel around the world?

You could do that with Megan, a Chicagoland girl after my own heart. Megan began a round-the-world trip in 2004; the trip was cut short when her father became ill. She spent a bit more than one year at home and recently hit the road again. This blip from her explanation of "phase 2" of her trip explains a lot about her travel philosophy and why I like her without even knowing her:

To my mom's horror, I have decided to not only finish my original trip, but have added on a few other countries along the way. If I were to start where my original plan left off I would be going to Tibet first. It's impossible to fly to Tibet directly from Chicago so I would have had to fly from China. My reasoning is, that if I'm already adding China into Phase 2 I might as well add in Mongolia--it's right there! And to get to Tibet from Mongolia I could go along the Silk Road and take a little detour to Central Asia... and it snowballed from there.

Check out her blog!

On another note, here are a few pictures from what was a really nice day yesterday:

My friend and her daughters, pre-parade:



The kids whose yard we watched the parade from:



Dog in a car!



All dressed up and no parade to watch (yet):



My favorite firework (I love blue):

Happy Anniversary, America.

On this, the Fourth Day of July in the Year 2006 . . .

I believe the future of our country is tied to that of The Great Game for more reasons than one. But this is one of those reasons.



The constant trampling of civil liberties and blundering mistakes by the current administration make me long for leadership like that of JFK, who said:

A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.

. . . . .

The very word 'secrecy' is repugnant in a free and open society; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths, and to secret proceedings.

They say that history repeats itself. I think that is true. These excerpts from Martin Luther King's Letter from the Birmingham jail sound so familiar to me right now:

While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities "unwise and untimely." . . . . .

. . . . I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. . . . . .

I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds.

. . . . .

My friends, I must say to you that we have not made a single gain civil rights without determined legal and nonviolent pressure. Lamentably, it is an historical fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily. Individuals may see the moral light and voluntarily give up their unjust posture; but, as Reinhold Niebuhr has reminded us, groups tend to be more immoral than individuals. We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

. . . . .

There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. . . . . . One may ask: "How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?" The answer lies in the fact that there are two types of laws: just and unjust. I would be the Brat to advocate obeying just laws. One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that "an unjust law is no law at all"

Now, what is the difference between the two? How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust? A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law and natural law. Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.

. . . . .

Let me take note of my other major disappointment. I have been so greatly disappointed with the white church and its leadership.. . . .

When I was suddenly catapulted into the leadership of the bus protest in Montgomery, Alabama, a few years ago, I felt we would be supported by the white church felt that the white ministers, priests and rabbis of the South would be among our strongest allies. Instead, some have been outright opponents, refusing to understand the freedom movement and misrepresenting its leaders; and too many others have been more cautious than courageous and have remained silent behind the anesthetizing security of stained-glass windows.

. . . . .

By their effort and example they brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contests. Things are different now. So often the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is an arch defender of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church's silent and often even vocal sanction of things as they are.

But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust.

Perhaps I have once again been too optimistic. Is organized religion too inextricably bound to the status quo to save our nation and the world? Perhaps I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true elixir and the hope of the world. But again I am thankful to God that some noble souls from the ranks of organized religion have broken loose from the paralyzing chains of conformity and joined us as active partners in the struggle for freedom, They have left their secure congregations and walked the streets of Albany, Georgia, with us.

They have gone down the highways of the South on tortuous rides for freedom. Yes, they have gone to jai with us. Some have been dismissed from their churches, have lost the support of their bishops and fellow ministers. But they have acted in the faith that right defeated is stronger than evil triumphant. Their witness has been the spiritual salt that has preserved the true meaning of the gospel in these troubled times. They have carved a tunnel of hope through the dark mountain of disappointment.

I hope the church as a whole will meet the challenge of this decisive hour. But even if the church does not come to the aid of justice, I have no despair about the future. I have no fear about the outcome of our struggle in Birmingham, even if our motives are at present misunderstood. We will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham, and all over the nation, because the goal of America is freedom.

. . . . .

Yours for the cause of Peace and Brotherhood, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Comparing the current administration to the awe-inspiring dedication of JFK and MLK could be a source of sadness and disappointment. It is my hope that it will instead be a source of inspiration. We can overcome this. We can turn this country's fortunes around. It will not happen as we sit passively by, waiting for a new day to arrive. and it will not happen overnight. But it will not happen at all if we do not begin acting as a force for change now. In the words of JFK:

All this will not be finished in the first hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first thousand days, nor in the life of this administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.

Yes, Virginia, there is a god.

This is what I thought as a Houston Astro just hit a three-run homer, to put his team up on the Cubs 7-2 in the sixth inning. Had I traveled all the way to Houston for this, it would have broken my heart. Instead, I'm at home with my dogs and a glass of wine, listening to the game and sadly thinking that this is the lowest I have seen my team in a long, long time. (knock on wood)

A Confession.

The Way We Were is the one movie that will make me cry every time I watch it, without fail.

Well, I WAS grumpy.

Does it make me a bad person to take such unbounded joy in the Cubs' 15-11 win over the Hated White Sox and even more joy (if that is possible) in reading the Angry Rantings of White Sox Fans during said win?

From Bleed Cubbie Blue, this classic quote, funny in the context of one of the Cubs' worst seasons in recent memory:

"We still have our dignity!" -- unidentified semi-drunk Cub fan, walking up the stairs in the LF bleachers during the 15-11 win over the White Sox on July 2

Sign #271 that I am not meant to be a parent.

Among things that I find very annoying, one of the very most annoying things is this:

A person responsible for a child in a public place--whether it be Starbucks, a restaurant, a sidewalk, etc.--looks expectantly at me, as if I should be as delighted as she is by the child's existence. It is almost always a she, not a he, who displays this expectant and delighted look. What is the cause for this "surely you must be as impressed by this child as I am" kind of look? At that moment, the child is invariably emitting a piercing screech in an otherwise quiet restaurant, touching things he/she should not touch with his/her filthy hands, delaying a long line of coffee customers waiting to order as the "responsible" adult breathlessly awaits a 2 year old's pronouncement of what he/she wants to drink, creating a dangerous situation by wandering in front of waiters balancing heavy trays, or engaging in some other annoying and/or dangerous behavior.

When I encounter this "look" from the person responsible for the child at the very moment when the child should be least likely to evoke admiration or delight, it takes every ounce of energy and willpower I have not to say, "If I wanted to hear screeching with my breakfast/taint all the products available for purchase/delay morning coffee orderers/injure a waiter by tripping him, I would have given birth to my own child and brought him here. But I didn't."

Respectfully submitted,

Lisa The Grump.

In a twist of the truly surreal,

the ex-boyfriend who called me last week has sent me a lawsuit to handle for his company. I am flattered that he has entrusted me to handle this very important matter for him and am excited that it will require me to travel to a state I truly love to visit.

You may recall that he left me a voice mail last week in which he mentioned that he is now married and expecting his first child. When he reached me "live," J filled me in on the precise date and place in which he proposed to his wife, the date on which they married and the date on which they conceived their child. Yes, this was too much information. But we quickly moved on to the state of my love life, which offered a really short transition into how fulfilled I am by my work. Um. So ... then we turned to talk of travel, and the conversation became significantly more comfortable for me.

Sometimes, life throws you into a truly unexpected situation. My philosophy is to see where it takes you, as I do not believe in accidents or coincidences. Lest I be misunderstood, I am not implying that there will be any romance with this guy--even leaving aside the obvious (that he is married), it was clear to me then, as it is now, that this was a connection better left unconnected. But other good things may come of this!

*******

In other news, I was thinking of a North Carolina vacation in August/September, but am now thinking that if I have 10 days off in a row, I should spend it in another country, as that is a rare occurrence. So now I'm shopping for another country to visit and am feeling totally undecided. I haven't officially scrapped the NC trip and spent a lot of time today scouting out possible places to stay along the way. But I find that I feel most refreshed after returning from a place where people speak a different language. Am even considering Cuba or places southward, a direction in which I have never before traveled. Thoughts?

P.S. A big shout-out to Phil of The Archer Pelican site, who was nice enough to provide me with detailed thoughts on the NC trip and to solicit feedback from his readers, too. I know if I don't make that trip this year that I'll do it another time for sure.

*******

P.P.S. I have now had 5,999 visitors to this site--the next visitor will be number 6,000. Welcome!