Monday, July 30, 2007

Stevie Wonder

I thought he had better things to do than park cars in my building's lot. But apparently not. How else do you explain the willy-nilly insanity going on down there these days? I'd like to know how somebody can be smart enough to get a job that pays well enough that he or she can afford a really nice car, yet too stupid to figure out the baffling Angled Space.

Seriously, if there's a stronger collection of numbskulls than my neighbors, have them all spayed and neutered.

Ran 7 miles at 7:30 pace tonight, just short of the race pace I'm looking for in September.

I've also witnessed 474 Phillies players injure themselves in tonight's game, including Michael Bourn tripping over the friggin relic of a bullpen mound on Wrigley Field's first-base line.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Suddenly busy

Out of nowhere, several time-consuming but attractive assignments have landed on my work agenda.
  • Friday morning, a photographer and I will be in the room while a heart surgery is performed. We'll interview the patient beforehand and the doctor afterhand.
  • Monday morning, the same photographer and I are scheduled to do something ridiculous: "review" a refurbished highway cutting through Louisville. We'll drive it as soon as it reopens after a monthlong closure and see how smooth it is, etc.
  • Also next week, we're riding in a B-17 bomber for some reason I haven't determined yet, but there you are.
But uncoolly, Chase Utley broke his hand and will be out for several weeks at least. Wonder if the Phillies can trade for Mark Loretta or something.

WALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLT!

Whoa.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Book 7 of 7

As with Lost, I'll put my thoughts in a comment to avoid spoilerizing it for anybody.

Saturday, July 14, 2007

I expecto'd a better patronum

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" underwhelmed. Too much dialogue, too many minor things from the book too hurriedly explained, etc. Good but not great, but expectations were higher than that.

Also, I just can't think like a journalist when I consider the approach of the Phillies' 10,000th loss. It's getting so much attention, but it's just a stupid round number. And the fact that they're actually going to do things to commemorate the milestone sends the wrong message, I think. I hope the players aren't paying any attention to it, although Pat Burrell is capable of letting anything affect his psyche.

Friday, July 6, 2007

My dream

I woke up two minutes ago, so here's last night's dream before I forget:

I was in a car with Dad, Holly and Jamie Gold, the 2006 World Series of Poker main-event champion. Dad was driving, Holly was shotgun and Gold and I were in the back seat. We'd all been out on some day trip and had been apparently been having pleasant conversation, but then Jamie put in some segue about how he always wants to look his best, then:

Jamie Gold: "There's this nice shirt I've never seen you wear, Holly."
Me: [suddenly lunging at him and grabbing his collar with both hands] "Mind your own (flippity-flapping) business! If she doesn't wear it, there's a reason!"
Jamie Gold: [horrified look subsides into a coolly vengeful one when he realizes I've just physically assaulted him and could be held liable]

Dad told me quietly that I'd been "very irresponsible," and I realized that, so I apologized and suggested we all go out for steaks, on me. But Jamie declined and faux-cheerfully asked us to just take him home. Home turned out to be his mom's house -- she came out to greet him, he left the car wordlessly and I pulled the door closed. Then the dream ended.

I think I was upset mostly because he had alluded to always wanting to look his best, then implied that Holly was shirking her responsibilities in that department by not wearing this particular shirt in her regular rotation. I also wondered if he wasn't being a little bit of a pervert by wanting somebody else's girl to wear a specific item of clothing. But clearly grabbing him fiercely by the collar was not the way to respond.

Why was Jamie Gold the one in the dream? The 2007 main event started yesterday and I was frequently checking online for updates. Gold wasn't playing, but the guy he split his $12M payday with last year was playing. Those guys went to court over the agreement, I think, because Gold tried to get out of it. He did several things that were out of line in last year's tournament vis-a-vis poker etiquette, but I wouldn't dare bore you with those. Suffice it to say my impression of him was enough of a jerk that he could play the villain in my dream.

Whew. Writing that down wasn't exactly cathartic, but it makes me realize how absurd my dreams are.

One ring to rule them all...

One ring to find them
One ring to bring them all
And to the inflatable baby pool bind them.

P.S. I can't look at this picture without thinking, "Brian, your beer is full and surely getting warm! Drink it!"

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Dire straits

I began a half-marathon-training schedule today ... it tells me I should've started two and a half weeks ago, but nothing to do about that now. The race is Sept. 16 in Philly, and Duc's running it too.

It's steaming hot in Louisville for the 4th. Hope the predicted rain comes through.

Here are photos from my long Shore weekend with the fam.