The Phillies Win

So this is a few days late.  But the Philadelphia Phillies won the world series and the 2008 World Champions of Baseball.  And to celebrate, Charlie Manuel, the Phils manager sported this hat.

So I was unfortunately in Boulder, Colorado for the final game.  At least I wasn't on a plane.  But I saw it all and it was great. I wish I was with my sister or Dad to celebrate but none-the-less, I cheered with myself.  

I have to admit that tears welled in my eyes during the post game.  I had a huge grin on my face, so tears, and I was really happy.  It doesn't seem real.  I can't believe this team, the one team I follow religiously actually did it.  As a Philly Phan, you are naturally skeptical.  And they proved me wrong. I was optimistic as possible but it was hard to really believe.  But I've seen these guys for a many years.  I've been to spring training for 6 years, except this year.  I saw Chase Utley when he wasn't quite ready to ready to play in the bigs. I remember seeing Pat the Bat, come of age. I remember Ryan Howard kick Jim Thome out of town.  

Those were some great times in Jack Russell stadium in St. Pete.  And those were some great times with my dad.  

Baseball is a serious commitment. 162 games.  For the Phillies, it was 176 games to win it all.  And it was great.  

The Family at the Phillies game (Martyn is wearing the wrong hat).

World Series

So the Phillies are champions of the National League. They've won the pennant.  Philly has its stars but they all didn't shine bright at the same time. Instead, someone new gave them a boost each night.  Cole Hamels was the NLCS MVP.  He deserved it, but my votes would have been for Shane Victorino or Ryan Madson.   Victorino, the Flyin' Hawaiian, was really remarkable. He hit well, fielded better and was so upbeat about it all. He was having fun.  And is anything more important.  

So I missed a lot of the debates watching the Phillies clinch.  My observations were this, McCain was heated.  And he had to be; he had to be confrontational.  Did it work and will it help him?  No.  It won't.  He does not have the answers to my questions. 

I have a friend who will not vote in this election.  This person is disenfranchised to politics and the abhorrent feeling it brings to her.  I, on the other hand, will vote.  I vote because it is my duty to participate in a federal republic. It is my right that was given to me.  Being a white male, my demographic was never denied the right to vote.  But does not the history of this country's women and minority population struggles to gain suffrage show the importance of voting.  To my friend who will not vote, you do matter. If you don't like how politics is played, vote to change it.  Choose a representative that believes in change of the political process, that believes in campaign finance reform, that believes your opinion matters.  Your vote matters very much on the local level.  If you don't like the state of your roads, your schools, your hospitals, the way your money being spent vote for someone who shares your views, directions, desires.  Participation is the only way a democracy works.  Take a few minutes to read about your choices.  Write-in a candidate.  Become involved in your local government.  

The only way the disenfranchised can achieve something different is to stand up against those who disenfranchise you.  

Cleared of Wrong Doing?

Shoelaces Rant

So I have these relatively new black dress shoes. I wear them to work.  I've had them for a few months.  Perhaps I wear them twice a week. So that's about 15-20 times total and this morning as I was tightening them to tie them, the lace snapped.  Now nothing is more frustrating, as I don't have spare black, dress shoe laces just sitting around.  Anyway, I don't understand why they have to be so freaking fragile. This is definitely not the first pair of shoelaces have broken on newer shoes.  

What is up with the shoelace manufactures?  Are the purposely making shoelaces that self destruct so that we are forced to by new ones?  And how come you can never find the right replacement pair?  There are only these crappy, often too short one in stores.  I'm so pissed about this.  It's not like I have a back-up pair of laces or black shoes for that matter.  I also just bought a new pair of brown shoes, are those laces doomed?   They are similar in style to the black laces.  

I mean I like my shoelaces tight, but I'm not ripping at these as hard as possible.  What the F*%K?

Rant over....where do I get quality replacements?

Taxes and Civilization

"No one said it better than Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes: 'I like paying taxes. With them I buy civilization.' " 

Thomas Friedman was really spot on with his column today.  Paying taxes is patriotic.  Do I agree with where every nickel goes? Of course not.  Do I think most of it goes to good things? Yes.  Naive as that may be, it is my belief. Our leader needs to prioritize our system.

Obviously my future brother-in-law and I are very much on the same page and have been reading the same stuff.  His eloquence is better.  Read it.

And John McCain, you are not my friend. No matter how many times you may say it, you're not.  I dont' know you and you certainly don't know me.  This tactic, "my friends," may work on the stump, but not for me.

A weekend of Celebration

Twas a weekend of fun and festivities,  celebration and friendship, and of course, champagne.  The Philadelphia Phillies are in the National League Championship Series (with the LA Dodgers).  After a stumble on Saturday night, they pulled through Sunday afternoon, courtsey of the Home Run. All 6 runs were results of home runs.   

More importantly, I threw a party for Jenn and Martyn.  A wedding shower, jack and jill style, for the couple celebrating their nuptials in 33 days.  We had the local DC guests (and some non-locals) in for a gathering.  I created the obligatory shower game of word scramble and trivia, which turned out better than I suspected.  Here's an example:

Unscramble this famous couple (answer will be at the bottom of the post):

lfrl hi daka & or give eirda

Then we showed the slide show of pictures of "Jenn and Martyn: Past and Present."  I worked diligently on this project for way too many hours, but it all paid off in the end.  It was about 200 slides of Jenn and Martyn from baby to present, set to music.  It was great and I personally loved the reaction of everybody.  It turns out my hard work paid off. I think we'll show it again at the rehearsal dinner.

Jenn at 12 Weeks

Martyn: a few months old

Jenn and Me

Jenn and Martyn Now

I stopped at Total Wine for some tasty beverages and thanks to a suggestion from my friend Jessica, I found some tasty mediterranean treats at the Mediterranean Bakery in Virginia.  The Hommous, Tabouli, Baba, and Tzaziki were great.  I bought a ton of super fresh pita as well.  It was such a great addition.  I can't recommend this place enough.   I also had vegetables and cheeses and chips and salsa (jenn's favorite food).  

The party was fun and we stayed late.  There were some minor problems (a few broken wine glasses and slight scrapes).  The Theme: Jenn and Martyn '08, it could have been worse.  In reality it was fun but I am glad that pressure is off.  

Stats for you.

13 Days until Jenn's B-Day

29 Days until the election (hopefully of Obama)

33 Days until the wedding

105 Days left of W. 

2028 Days since the beginning of the Invasion of Iraq

Answer to scramble: Frida Kahlo & Diego Rivera

The Post and the Turtle

So simple yet so clearly true.

So this is from an email I received. It's just spot on.

'You know she didn't get up there by herself, she doesn't belong up there, and she doesn't know what to do while she's up there, and you just wonder what kind of dummy put her up there to begin with.'

Name that turtle!