So this evening, I've been asked to run sound for a pre-school graduation ceremony taking place at Immanuel Church. It's about 30 minutes before the ceremony is to begin, and I'm sitting here in the sound room, quietly chuckling to myself at the kids and the parents. And I'm also flooded with memories of the many ACCC graduations that I assisted with those many, many years ago (talk about coming full circle).
It also gives me pause, as I reflect on our journey so far to parenthood. It's been a little over a year since Anita and I began our paperwork for our adoption, and almost 4 months since our application was "logged in" at the Chinese consulate. There are many times I look around - at a mall, a restaurant, walking around our neighborhood - and I feel myself getting a little frustrated with the whole process. I've accepted that we're unable to conceive, and that both Anita and I feel called down the path of adoption. I'm not always happy about it - especially during this painfully long waiting process - but I trust that God's timing is perfect, even if my patience isn't.
Being an observer at this function also let me watch, in virtual anonymity, the parents and families of the little cherubs. These folks seem to come from all walks of life - there are white collar and blue collar families. Single parent families as well as two parent families represented. And their kids are just as varied, with many ethnic backgrounds represented. Impressively, there have to be close to 200 people here this evening. And the look of pride in the eyes of most of these folks is kind of fun to watch. There are too many reports on the news of kids being abandoned and abused, growing up with little direction in their lives. But here, tonight, this room is filled with pride and love and hope, three things we desperately need more of in this world.
Well, only a few minutes now until the ceremony begins. I'll try to post some thoughts along the way, if and when I can.
The kids have entered - let the pandemonium begin!
Okay - sing-along time with the 1-year old group isn't going as well as planned. Maybe the addition of the 2-year old class will help out. Actually, it did, much to my surprise. I think crying amongst toddlers is like sneezing amongst adults. It seems to pass from person to person with no real explanation or reason.
And there it is, ladies and gentleman, the first attempt for the microphones. How is it that kids this young seem to inherently know what a mic is and what it does? Some of these guys have more stage presence than most of what you see on American Idol. There's a duo of boys up there now who are working in tandem around one of the mic's, and if I didn't know better, I'd say they practiced this routine.
I'm now watching one of the coolest things I've seen in a long time - fifteen 4-year old children singing "Awesome God" at the top of their lungs, complete with the sign-language. I can only hope that the worship that happens in this sanctuary on a weekly basis comes close to the enthusiasm that these kids have just displayed!
Well, time to sign off. More to come shortly.
And I'm back. This was a pretty cool evening. There were 12 'graduating' pre-schoolers, and each one of them were given an award of some form - from "2020 American Idol winner" to "Best Storyteller" to "Most Improved at Everything." They walk up on the platform in their little cap and gown, get their diploma and their award and return to their seats. To my surprise, only one of them turned to wave to Mom and Dad in the process - the 2020 American Idol winner - go figure.
I can only hope that this group continue to serve this community for years to come. The kids certainly seemed to be well on their way for school and life, and the families represented also seem to be genuinely appreciative of the care their kids are receiving at this pre-school. I'll have to put this one on my list for down the road.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Doubleheader Interrupted
Game 11: Immanuel Church won 12 - 9
Game 12: Rained out in the bottom of the 2nd inning
I've been playing softball in this league for 13 years now, and coaching for the last 6. In all that time, this is the first time I've ever had a game called after it's begun because of the rain. I've had the back-end of the double header called before it's begun, and there was one time where it was called in the 6th inning (which made it an official game) due to rain, but never in the first 5 innings of the second game. When you consider how fickle the weather can be, I'm actually surprised that this is the case. Guess it just goes to show you that God likes to watch Immanuel Church play ball. :o)
It was a shame the second game was called. We had a nice group of fans that had assembled, and we were playing very well as a team. The rain came quick and hard, and most of us were pretty well drenched by the time we got back to our cars. The rain stopped about 20 minutes later, but the field had taken on so much rain in the last 48 hours, that it just couldn't handle the 20 minute soaker. There was a nice little stream down the third base line, and home plate was submerged in a small pond. We walked back out onto the field and sunk about 2 inches into the infield. It was decided that we should probably not risk playing the rest of the game in the quicksand that was once the infield, and we'll look to make up yet another game later on in the season.
So, on the season so far, we are 6-5, and are in 3rd place in the A division at the moment. Still a lot of season left to see if we can get that record a little more lopsided on the 'win' side.
Game 12: Rained out in the bottom of the 2nd inning
I've been playing softball in this league for 13 years now, and coaching for the last 6. In all that time, this is the first time I've ever had a game called after it's begun because of the rain. I've had the back-end of the double header called before it's begun, and there was one time where it was called in the 6th inning (which made it an official game) due to rain, but never in the first 5 innings of the second game. When you consider how fickle the weather can be, I'm actually surprised that this is the case. Guess it just goes to show you that God likes to watch Immanuel Church play ball. :o)
It was a shame the second game was called. We had a nice group of fans that had assembled, and we were playing very well as a team. The rain came quick and hard, and most of us were pretty well drenched by the time we got back to our cars. The rain stopped about 20 minutes later, but the field had taken on so much rain in the last 48 hours, that it just couldn't handle the 20 minute soaker. There was a nice little stream down the third base line, and home plate was submerged in a small pond. We walked back out onto the field and sunk about 2 inches into the infield. It was decided that we should probably not risk playing the rest of the game in the quicksand that was once the infield, and we'll look to make up yet another game later on in the season.
So, on the season so far, we are 6-5, and are in 3rd place in the A division at the moment. Still a lot of season left to see if we can get that record a little more lopsided on the 'win' side.
3 out 4 ain't bad
Well, I made three out of four opening weekends this month. “Iron Man” on May 3rd, Speed Racer” on May 10th, and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” on May 25th. Once I manage to get Anita to watch “The Chronicles of Narnia,” then I’ll head out to see (or rent by that point) “Prince Caspian.”
I’ve discussed “Iron Man” and “Speed Racer” in a previous post, so this post will be limited to Indiana Jones. After seeing the latest installment of the “Indiana Jones” series, I still hold that “Iron Man” is the best of the summer blockbusters so far. To be perfectly honest, I was disappointed by “Indiana Jones.” Not Harrison Ford, mind you. Even at his age, he still pulled off the role quite capably. I never got the feeling that he was just going through the motions, as some of the reviews indicated. In fact, they referenced his age quite a bit in the movie to assist in explaining some of the lack of the typical Indy action. Oh, he still had his moments here and there, but a lot of the major stunts and action was handed down to Shai LeBouef’s character, Mutt.
The thing that disappointed me the most in this one was that it strayed from the emphasis being about the archeology, and delved more into the fantasy realm. In “Raider,” the archeology was practically another character in the movie, as it was in “Last Crusade.” And let’s all be honest, “Temple of Doom” was pretty much the ugly step-child of the ‘original trilogy,’ so there’s no reason to discuss that one too much.
In this installment, the archeology was almost a throw-away, a means to get to the ‘real’ plot line. I won’t discuss exactly what happens – no spoiler alerts today – but suffice it to say that I felt like I was watching another Spielberg movie (or two) at different points of the film.
The one highlight of the movie was Shai LeBouef. He sat at the adult table (with Ford, Spielberg, Lucas, Karen Allen, John Hurt, Cate Blanchett), and proved he belonged. This kid’s going to be a star for a long time, assuming he can keep the DUI’s to a minimum.
“Kingdom” definitely ranks higher than “Temple of Doom,” but is vastly inferior to “Raiders” and “Last Crusade.” Still, it’s a fun summer escape, but catch it on a matinee or at a drive-in (don’t spend full ticket price on this one).
Still to come this summer: “Get Smart,” “Hancock,” “The Dark Knight,” and a number of other flicks that I’d like to see, but probably won’t until they hit Blockbuster.
I’ve discussed “Iron Man” and “Speed Racer” in a previous post, so this post will be limited to Indiana Jones. After seeing the latest installment of the “Indiana Jones” series, I still hold that “Iron Man” is the best of the summer blockbusters so far. To be perfectly honest, I was disappointed by “Indiana Jones.” Not Harrison Ford, mind you. Even at his age, he still pulled off the role quite capably. I never got the feeling that he was just going through the motions, as some of the reviews indicated. In fact, they referenced his age quite a bit in the movie to assist in explaining some of the lack of the typical Indy action. Oh, he still had his moments here and there, but a lot of the major stunts and action was handed down to Shai LeBouef’s character, Mutt.
The thing that disappointed me the most in this one was that it strayed from the emphasis being about the archeology, and delved more into the fantasy realm. In “Raider,” the archeology was practically another character in the movie, as it was in “Last Crusade.” And let’s all be honest, “Temple of Doom” was pretty much the ugly step-child of the ‘original trilogy,’ so there’s no reason to discuss that one too much.
In this installment, the archeology was almost a throw-away, a means to get to the ‘real’ plot line. I won’t discuss exactly what happens – no spoiler alerts today – but suffice it to say that I felt like I was watching another Spielberg movie (or two) at different points of the film.
The one highlight of the movie was Shai LeBouef. He sat at the adult table (with Ford, Spielberg, Lucas, Karen Allen, John Hurt, Cate Blanchett), and proved he belonged. This kid’s going to be a star for a long time, assuming he can keep the DUI’s to a minimum.
“Kingdom” definitely ranks higher than “Temple of Doom,” but is vastly inferior to “Raiders” and “Last Crusade.” Still, it’s a fun summer escape, but catch it on a matinee or at a drive-in (don’t spend full ticket price on this one).
Still to come this summer: “Get Smart,” “Hancock,” “The Dark Knight,” and a number of other flicks that I’d like to see, but probably won’t until they hit Blockbuster.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Jekyll & Hyde Strike Again
Game 9: Immanuel Church won 20-11
Game 10: Immanuel Church lost 17-7
Season Record: 5-5
Well, last night, the terrible twosome decided to show up on the same night. How else can you explain the huge swing in run support? And the dreaded "big inning" came to the party as well, as we gave up 13 runs in a single inning in game 2 (which sheds a whole new light on that score, doesn't it?).
Couple of quick hits about the games...
The weather was friggin' cold. My calendar said it was May 22nd. The thermometer must have thought it was March 22nd, because the game-time temperature was in the low 50's - and that was with the sun out. At one point, I look over to find one of my guys wrapped in his wife's blanket (and his wife standing behind the chair shivering - how chivalrous!). Not exactly the best softball weather, but at least it wasn't raining.
I decided to give Jeff some work at pitcher. For his first game-time experience, it wasn't bad. With some more innings under his belt, I may be able to remove myself from the mound on a regular basis, and thus regain the portion of my sanity that I lose every time I take the mound.
I love the fact that we have 14 or 15 guys showing up faithfully. I hate the fact that I feel like I'm disappointing some of them with limited playing time. I want to be fair to everyone, but I also want to put our team in the best position to win as I can. I hope my guys understand this and will forgive me for any and all unintended slights that may occur.
Earlier this season, I made the comment that "Home Runs are sexy, but singles and doubles win softball games." This still holds true, but it is a lot of fun to watch the home runs when they happen - especially when they go over the fence!
Well, that's pretty much all for now. Two more games next week, weather permitting. I'm not telling Jekyll or Hyde. I'd appreciate it if the three of you who read this keep it a secret too!
Game 10: Immanuel Church lost 17-7
Season Record: 5-5
Well, last night, the terrible twosome decided to show up on the same night. How else can you explain the huge swing in run support? And the dreaded "big inning" came to the party as well, as we gave up 13 runs in a single inning in game 2 (which sheds a whole new light on that score, doesn't it?).
Couple of quick hits about the games...
The weather was friggin' cold. My calendar said it was May 22nd. The thermometer must have thought it was March 22nd, because the game-time temperature was in the low 50's - and that was with the sun out. At one point, I look over to find one of my guys wrapped in his wife's blanket (and his wife standing behind the chair shivering - how chivalrous!). Not exactly the best softball weather, but at least it wasn't raining.
I decided to give Jeff some work at pitcher. For his first game-time experience, it wasn't bad. With some more innings under his belt, I may be able to remove myself from the mound on a regular basis, and thus regain the portion of my sanity that I lose every time I take the mound.
I love the fact that we have 14 or 15 guys showing up faithfully. I hate the fact that I feel like I'm disappointing some of them with limited playing time. I want to be fair to everyone, but I also want to put our team in the best position to win as I can. I hope my guys understand this and will forgive me for any and all unintended slights that may occur.
Earlier this season, I made the comment that "Home Runs are sexy, but singles and doubles win softball games." This still holds true, but it is a lot of fun to watch the home runs when they happen - especially when they go over the fence!
Well, that's pretty much all for now. Two more games next week, weather permitting. I'm not telling Jekyll or Hyde. I'd appreciate it if the three of you who read this keep it a secret too!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Season Finale Season
Okay, those of you who know me know I can be a TV Junkie from time to time. I will admit I like to lose myself in a few TV shows now and again. I'm hooked on "Heroes" and "Lost", and my DVR is set to record most of the CBS dramas so I can watch when I have an hour to kill. So over the last week, I've watched all three "CSI" finales, the "NCIS" finale, and the "Criminal Minds" finale - the last two while doing laundry this evening (lest you think I completely waste two hours in the evening).
So, with those CBS finales having been perused, I have 2 lingering questions.
Spoiler Alert: If you haven't seen the finales of these shows, stop reading now.
So my first question is this; What is going on a CBS that they seem to be having problems keeping their actors under contract? Every show featured the death, or assumed death, of a primary character. Now, I know they're cliff-hangers for a reason, but seriously, this was a bit much.
- Warrick Brown is murdered in the last scene of "CSI."
- Horatio Caine is shot, possibly fatally, in the final scene of "CSI Miami."
- Director Jenny Shephard is gunned down half-way through the "NCIS" finale (and the team is split up to boot).
- One of the members of the BAU is presumably blown to bits in a car bomb in the final scene of "Criminal Minds."
- And Det. Mac Taylor is driven out of NYC with a gun to his head at the end of "CSI New York."
Again, I get the whole cliff-hanger approach, but, seriously, how many primary characters can a network kill off in a single season? It's a bit much, if you ask me. Which leads me to my next question...
Are the writers resting on their laurels of having won their strike that they are phoning in their scripts? Seriously, half-way through each of these shows, I had guessed what was going to happen at the end. Now, I will admit that seeing some previews helped that along, but anyone with any cognitive functionality could see that the afore-mentioned characters were doomed in some capacity. Although, I will admit that I was impressed with the fact that NCIS continued the storyline after "the death of a major character" only to pull the separating team twist at the end. That one kept me guessing a little longer than the others.
I like suspense, and I will probably tune in in the fall to see what happens next. And for the record, I do not believe Horatio Caine will die, nor do I believe that the car bomb actually offed any of the BAU team. And of course Mac Taylor will live to see another day in the Big Apple. But, seriously, every show pretty much ended the same way. And it's all been done before ("Who Shot J.R." - Anyone? Anyone?).
Have I mentioned how much I've been hating the rain lately?
So, with those CBS finales having been perused, I have 2 lingering questions.
Spoiler Alert: If you haven't seen the finales of these shows, stop reading now.
So my first question is this; What is going on a CBS that they seem to be having problems keeping their actors under contract? Every show featured the death, or assumed death, of a primary character. Now, I know they're cliff-hangers for a reason, but seriously, this was a bit much.
- Warrick Brown is murdered in the last scene of "CSI."
- Horatio Caine is shot, possibly fatally, in the final scene of "CSI Miami."
- Director Jenny Shephard is gunned down half-way through the "NCIS" finale (and the team is split up to boot).
- One of the members of the BAU is presumably blown to bits in a car bomb in the final scene of "Criminal Minds."
- And Det. Mac Taylor is driven out of NYC with a gun to his head at the end of "CSI New York."
Again, I get the whole cliff-hanger approach, but, seriously, how many primary characters can a network kill off in a single season? It's a bit much, if you ask me. Which leads me to my next question...
Are the writers resting on their laurels of having won their strike that they are phoning in their scripts? Seriously, half-way through each of these shows, I had guessed what was going to happen at the end. Now, I will admit that seeing some previews helped that along, but anyone with any cognitive functionality could see that the afore-mentioned characters were doomed in some capacity. Although, I will admit that I was impressed with the fact that NCIS continued the storyline after "the death of a major character" only to pull the separating team twist at the end. That one kept me guessing a little longer than the others.
I like suspense, and I will probably tune in in the fall to see what happens next. And for the record, I do not believe Horatio Caine will die, nor do I believe that the car bomb actually offed any of the BAU team. And of course Mac Taylor will live to see another day in the Big Apple. But, seriously, every show pretty much ended the same way. And it's all been done before ("Who Shot J.R." - Anyone? Anyone?).
Have I mentioned how much I've been hating the rain lately?
Rain, rain, go away!
There’s an old song that says, “Rainy days on Monday’s always get me down.” Well, it wasn’t a Monday (a Tuesday actually), and I am here to emphatically state that I am tired of the rain. If I even here the word ‘drought’ this summer, I’m going to march down to the TV station and spray paint “Remember May?” on their weather screen. Or I might send a strongly worded e-mail to them. Or I might just stay at home and gripe about it on my blog. But I’ll definitely do one of those three.
Back on track. Tuesday night was our second rain-out of the young season so far. The whole league is getting slowly derailed by the lousy weather so far. I hate rain-outs. I gear myself up all day to play in the evening, and when the game gets rained-out, it’s kind of depressing. Plus, I hate the hassle of trying to reschedule games.
Sidebar - our two rained out opponents have been phenomenal in working together with us to get these games rescheduled quickly – Thanks!
The only thing I hate more than having a rain-out is having to miss a game due to some other responsibility, which would have been the case last night. So I’m glad the game was rained out so I didn’t miss it, which kinda nullifies my whole previous rant, I suppose. We’ll call it a Catch-22.
June and July have to be less wet than May, don’t they? Where’s a Farmer’s Almanac when you need one?
Interesting factoid that may interest only me: Over the last 2 or 3 seasons, I don’t think we’ve had more than two total rain-outs. So the fact that we have had two already this season is pretty significant, at least in my eyes.
Back on track. Tuesday night was our second rain-out of the young season so far. The whole league is getting slowly derailed by the lousy weather so far. I hate rain-outs. I gear myself up all day to play in the evening, and when the game gets rained-out, it’s kind of depressing. Plus, I hate the hassle of trying to reschedule games.
Sidebar - our two rained out opponents have been phenomenal in working together with us to get these games rescheduled quickly – Thanks!
The only thing I hate more than having a rain-out is having to miss a game due to some other responsibility, which would have been the case last night. So I’m glad the game was rained out so I didn’t miss it, which kinda nullifies my whole previous rant, I suppose. We’ll call it a Catch-22.
Sidebar 2 - Yesterday, I had to attend a business meeting in Pittsburgh. While I thoroughly love the opportunity to return to my home area, it does kinda suck to spend 7-1/2 hours on the road (round trip) for a 5 hour meeting, of which only 1 hour actually applied to me. At least I got a cool backpack and a great lunch out of the deal.
We have a make-up game tomorrow, but the weather report isn’t looking promising yet again. As annoying as a rain-out is, getting the make-up game rained out is even more annoying, because you start running out of days to reschedule the make-up game. And this season, more than previous years, it’s vital to get all the games in, since every game counts in the standings this year. I’d hate to miss a possible 1st round bye because we only played 34 games rather than 38, and came up 2 games out of the Bye position.June and July have to be less wet than May, don’t they? Where’s a Farmer’s Almanac when you need one?
Interesting factoid that may interest only me: Over the last 2 or 3 seasons, I don’t think we’ve had more than two total rain-outs. So the fact that we have had two already this season is pretty significant, at least in my eyes.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Games 7 & 8, The Schizophrenia Continues
Game 7: Immanuel Church wins 9-5
Game 8: Immanuel Church wins 6-5
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect tonight. Mech BIC has been the proverbial thorn in our side for the last 2 seasons. Each year, we seem to give them a run for their money in the first game, only to come up short. Then, typically, we completely shut down and get blown out in the second game.
Well, first inning, we have a ridiculously bad call go against us, and it leads to 2 runs. In the past, that probably would have been enough to pretty much doom us for the night. But this is a different year, and we came in and quickly scored a run. While not a monumental achievement, it helped to settle us down. The result? Some of the best defense we've played in years (no big inning given up tonight!), and we kept chipping away inning by inning. Highlight of the first game was our second Grand Slam of the season!
In the second game, we continued chipping away, little by little, until we found ourselves with a nice little lead. And when our bats cooled off late in the game, our defense stepped it up nicely. Nothing like a well-rounded game to - hopefully - start things rolling for the rest of the season.
So, for those of you following the season so far, we've played really bad, then really well, then really bad again, then really well again. Either we're the most schizophrenic team in the world, or we're doing our best imitation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Not sure either one is exactly a good place to be.
I do have one observation about Mech BIC. They are by far the fastest team we play, have been for years. So I have two questions for them. First, what the heck are they serving in their communion trays? Second, where can we get it?
Game 8: Immanuel Church wins 6-5
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect tonight. Mech BIC has been the proverbial thorn in our side for the last 2 seasons. Each year, we seem to give them a run for their money in the first game, only to come up short. Then, typically, we completely shut down and get blown out in the second game.
Well, first inning, we have a ridiculously bad call go against us, and it leads to 2 runs. In the past, that probably would have been enough to pretty much doom us for the night. But this is a different year, and we came in and quickly scored a run. While not a monumental achievement, it helped to settle us down. The result? Some of the best defense we've played in years (no big inning given up tonight!), and we kept chipping away inning by inning. Highlight of the first game was our second Grand Slam of the season!
In the second game, we continued chipping away, little by little, until we found ourselves with a nice little lead. And when our bats cooled off late in the game, our defense stepped it up nicely. Nothing like a well-rounded game to - hopefully - start things rolling for the rest of the season.
So, for those of you following the season so far, we've played really bad, then really well, then really bad again, then really well again. Either we're the most schizophrenic team in the world, or we're doing our best imitation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Not sure either one is exactly a good place to be.
I do have one observation about Mech BIC. They are by far the fastest team we play, have been for years. So I have two questions for them. First, what the heck are they serving in their communion trays? Second, where can we get it?
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
I Miss Pittsburgh!
It’s times like these I’m proud to say I’m from the ‘Burgh!
The Penguins won again last night, sending the Flyers to the brink of elimination. With the Eastern Conference Finals now at 3-0 in favor of the Pens, it’s hard to imagine any situation where they will not be playing for the Stanly Cup next week. And let me tell you, living out here in the backyard of all things Philly, I am thoroughly enjoying listening to all the Flyers fans gripe and complain. And, of course, I’m being a total gentleman about it…yeah, right! I think I’ll bring in a broom tomorrow to work with the Pens logo on it just to see who I can get a rise out of.
But wait, the Pens aren’t the only team in Pittsburgh what’s on a winning streak. In case you haven’t been paying attention (and why would you be?), the Pirates have won 7 of their last 8, and are now 1 game under .500, and 4 games out of first place in the N.L. Central. If you look over the stats from the last week in the bigs, you’ll see that the Pirates are in the top 5 in a lot of categories – Team ERA, Team Batting Avg., Runs Scored, Team Slugging Percentage. Of course, they’re also leading the league in errors, which I believe is just their way of reminding us all that they’re still the Pirates. But for the first time in a long time, the beauty of PNC Park is starting to be highlighted by a winning ball club on the field that uses the Home dugout for a change. I really have to figure out a way to get home for a game this year.
So, look for Sid the Kid and company to storm their way into the Stanley Cup finals, and if you have any extra energy left after cheering them on, send some love to the Buccos.
Love ya, Black & Gold!
The Penguins won again last night, sending the Flyers to the brink of elimination. With the Eastern Conference Finals now at 3-0 in favor of the Pens, it’s hard to imagine any situation where they will not be playing for the Stanly Cup next week. And let me tell you, living out here in the backyard of all things Philly, I am thoroughly enjoying listening to all the Flyers fans gripe and complain. And, of course, I’m being a total gentleman about it…yeah, right! I think I’ll bring in a broom tomorrow to work with the Pens logo on it just to see who I can get a rise out of.
But wait, the Pens aren’t the only team in Pittsburgh what’s on a winning streak. In case you haven’t been paying attention (and why would you be?), the Pirates have won 7 of their last 8, and are now 1 game under .500, and 4 games out of first place in the N.L. Central. If you look over the stats from the last week in the bigs, you’ll see that the Pirates are in the top 5 in a lot of categories – Team ERA, Team Batting Avg., Runs Scored, Team Slugging Percentage. Of course, they’re also leading the league in errors, which I believe is just their way of reminding us all that they’re still the Pirates. But for the first time in a long time, the beauty of PNC Park is starting to be highlighted by a winning ball club on the field that uses the Home dugout for a change. I really have to figure out a way to get home for a game this year.
So, look for Sid the Kid and company to storm their way into the Stanley Cup finals, and if you have any extra energy left after cheering them on, send some love to the Buccos.
Love ya, Black & Gold!
Monday, May 12, 2008
Bring on the Summer Blockbusters!
Okay, for the first time in a very long time, I’ve been to the movies on two consecutive weekends. On May 3rd, I went to see “Iron Man.” On May 10th, it was “Speed Racer.” If my luck holds out, I’m hoping to see “Prince Caspian” this weekend, and then “Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull” over Memorial Day weekend. You have to love the start of the summer blockbuster season.
“Iron Man” was much better than I expected. I’m not a huge Robert Downey Jr. fan, so I was skeptical as to whether or not he could pull off a superhero role. Turns out my skepticism was a bit misplaced. Not only did he pull it off, but he made the character almost believable. I was never a big reader of the “Iron Man” comic as a kid, but I knew enough of the back-story to understand the characters. It was one of those rare superhero movies that succeeded in character development as well as making you stop and think about what was happening in the movie – in between the big explosions and amazing special effects, that is. I think the best part of any superhero movie is when, even as you suspend belief for a while, you still think that what you’re watching may be possible. This one pulled it off.
On the other hand, “Speed Racer” made absolutely no attempt to portray any sense of realism, and that was just fine by me. I had heard about the bad reviews, and I purposely stayed away from reading them. I wanted to form my own opinion. So here it is: If you ever watched the cartoon as a kid – I mean seriously watched it – that you will enjoy this movie. The Wachowski Brothers pulled out all the stops to make this movie look like a live-action cartoon. All the characters were there – Speed, Pops, Racer X, Trixie, Sparky, Spritle, Chim-Chim, and even Inspector Detector. They had it down to every last detail – the Mach 5, complete with sound effects. Speed Racer’s Blue polo with the red scarf. Trixie’s pink helicopter. Pops with this red shirt and bushy mustache. The Casa Cristo Road Rally, with its start in the catacombs and archways of the city, which seemed to appear in every other episode of the cartoon. It was all there. And the action was just as cartoonish – the races, where the cars would slam into each other and never seem to scratch. The fight scenes where everyone seems to know martial arts. Even the patented move where Speed finishes a race, screeches to a halt mere feet after the finish line, and hops out of the car, all in one motion. But the best part of the movie was the kid who played Spritle. He stole every scene he was in. And the Wachowski’s knew it, and played it to their advantage, giving him a great scene at the end of the movie which made me laugh out loud in the theater. I don’t want to ruin it for you, but it was perfect.
All things considered, if you have to choose between the two, I’d suggest going to see “Iron Man” first – it’s definitely the better all-around movie. But if you want to have some fun and completely escape the real world for two hours, head for “Speed Racer.”
“Iron Man” was much better than I expected. I’m not a huge Robert Downey Jr. fan, so I was skeptical as to whether or not he could pull off a superhero role. Turns out my skepticism was a bit misplaced. Not only did he pull it off, but he made the character almost believable. I was never a big reader of the “Iron Man” comic as a kid, but I knew enough of the back-story to understand the characters. It was one of those rare superhero movies that succeeded in character development as well as making you stop and think about what was happening in the movie – in between the big explosions and amazing special effects, that is. I think the best part of any superhero movie is when, even as you suspend belief for a while, you still think that what you’re watching may be possible. This one pulled it off.
On the other hand, “Speed Racer” made absolutely no attempt to portray any sense of realism, and that was just fine by me. I had heard about the bad reviews, and I purposely stayed away from reading them. I wanted to form my own opinion. So here it is: If you ever watched the cartoon as a kid – I mean seriously watched it – that you will enjoy this movie. The Wachowski Brothers pulled out all the stops to make this movie look like a live-action cartoon. All the characters were there – Speed, Pops, Racer X, Trixie, Sparky, Spritle, Chim-Chim, and even Inspector Detector. They had it down to every last detail – the Mach 5, complete with sound effects. Speed Racer’s Blue polo with the red scarf. Trixie’s pink helicopter. Pops with this red shirt and bushy mustache. The Casa Cristo Road Rally, with its start in the catacombs and archways of the city, which seemed to appear in every other episode of the cartoon. It was all there. And the action was just as cartoonish – the races, where the cars would slam into each other and never seem to scratch. The fight scenes where everyone seems to know martial arts. Even the patented move where Speed finishes a race, screeches to a halt mere feet after the finish line, and hops out of the car, all in one motion. But the best part of the movie was the kid who played Spritle. He stole every scene he was in. And the Wachowski’s knew it, and played it to their advantage, giving him a great scene at the end of the movie which made me laugh out loud in the theater. I don’t want to ruin it for you, but it was perfect.
All things considered, if you have to choose between the two, I’d suggest going to see “Iron Man” first – it’s definitely the better all-around movie. But if you want to have some fun and completely escape the real world for two hours, head for “Speed Racer.”
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Games 5 & 6, may they rest in peace
Game 5: Immanuel Church lost 8-3
Game 6: Immanuel Church lost 9-2
Overall Record: 2-4
At first glance, the scores don't look too bad. Now, bear in mind that the other team had 8 guys, and that 5 days earlier we had scored 31 runs between 2 games,and suddenly those scores look pathetic...or, rather, apathetic.
If you've never played a softball game where one team has 8 players, let me give you a quick rundown. You play 3 outfielders, and the other team supplies a catcher, who's only role is to throw the ball back to the pitcher. Any plays at the plate, the short-handed team has to cover the plate, usually with the pitcher or first baseman.
What this meant for our team is that we saw huge gaps in the outfield, and tried way too hard to place the ball in those gaps rather than swing with authority. The result? 27 fly ball outs (out of 39), 20 of those to shortstop or second base. That is not swinging with authority. That is trying to push the ball. You can't push a softball, the physics just do not allow for it.
So, back to the drawing board. I want to put some pithy or witty comment here, but I'm still so frustrated with the way we played, that I just can't come up with anything to make light of.
Game 6: Immanuel Church lost 9-2
Overall Record: 2-4
At first glance, the scores don't look too bad. Now, bear in mind that the other team had 8 guys, and that 5 days earlier we had scored 31 runs between 2 games,and suddenly those scores look pathetic...or, rather, apathetic.
If you've never played a softball game where one team has 8 players, let me give you a quick rundown. You play 3 outfielders, and the other team supplies a catcher, who's only role is to throw the ball back to the pitcher. Any plays at the plate, the short-handed team has to cover the plate, usually with the pitcher or first baseman.
What this meant for our team is that we saw huge gaps in the outfield, and tried way too hard to place the ball in those gaps rather than swing with authority. The result? 27 fly ball outs (out of 39), 20 of those to shortstop or second base. That is not swinging with authority. That is trying to push the ball. You can't push a softball, the physics just do not allow for it.
So, back to the drawing board. I want to put some pithy or witty comment here, but I'm still so frustrated with the way we played, that I just can't come up with anything to make light of.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Crash & Burn
Well, games 5 and 6 are in the books. To be honest, I haven't done the stats yet and I don't even remember the scores. I was so disgusted after the games ended last night that I decided I wasn't going to feed my frustration when I got home, and I left everything in the car. I'll probably take a look tonight and have something to say on the games tomorrow.
I will say this. The one good thing to take away from last night is that the Pirates won, soundly defeating the Giants 12-6.
Many more games like last night, and I'll be totally grey by the end of the season.
I will say this. The one good thing to take away from last night is that the Pirates won, soundly defeating the Giants 12-6.
Many more games like last night, and I'll be totally grey by the end of the season.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Games 3 & 4 are in the books
Game 1: Immanuel Church won 15 – 9
Game 2: Immanuel Church won 16 - 6
Ladies and gentlemen, and anyone else who may be reading this, let me introduce you to the real Immanuel Church Men’s Softball Team!
After Tuesday’s rather frustrating losses, I was concerned how our team was going to bounce back. Historically, we have struggled to bounce back from early disappointment (0-11 to start 2006, 0-7 to start 2007). I really feared we were headed down that path again.
Well, my fears were definitely unwarranted, and, if any of my guys are actually reading this, I sincerely apologize for not giving all of us enough credit. If there’s anything I’ve tried to ‘teach’ our team, it’s to have a short-term memory. Guess it’s time for me to take my own advice!
We came out last night, bats a-blazing, and we never slowed down. Between the two games, there was only one inning we went down in order, and only three innings that we didn’t score. And we were strong from top to bottom. Here’s the most impressive statistic of the night, in my opinion…
Batters 9 – 12 were a combined 14 for 25, with 11 runs scored and 9 RBI’s. By comparison, my top 4 were a combined 14 for 30, with 10 runs scored and 15 RBI’s (4 of which came on a Grand Slam in game 1). When the bottom of the order performs as well as, if not better than, the top of the order, only good things can happen!
Glad I didn’t need that dynamite!
Game 2: Immanuel Church won 16 - 6
Ladies and gentlemen, and anyone else who may be reading this, let me introduce you to the real Immanuel Church Men’s Softball Team!
After Tuesday’s rather frustrating losses, I was concerned how our team was going to bounce back. Historically, we have struggled to bounce back from early disappointment (0-11 to start 2006, 0-7 to start 2007). I really feared we were headed down that path again.
Well, my fears were definitely unwarranted, and, if any of my guys are actually reading this, I sincerely apologize for not giving all of us enough credit. If there’s anything I’ve tried to ‘teach’ our team, it’s to have a short-term memory. Guess it’s time for me to take my own advice!
We came out last night, bats a-blazing, and we never slowed down. Between the two games, there was only one inning we went down in order, and only three innings that we didn’t score. And we were strong from top to bottom. Here’s the most impressive statistic of the night, in my opinion…
Batters 9 – 12 were a combined 14 for 25, with 11 runs scored and 9 RBI’s. By comparison, my top 4 were a combined 14 for 30, with 10 runs scored and 15 RBI’s (4 of which came on a Grand Slam in game 1). When the bottom of the order performs as well as, if not better than, the top of the order, only good things can happen!
Glad I didn’t need that dynamite!
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