Game Faces

The Boys decided to keep me company while I watch one of the three World Series games our Cubbies played over the weekend. You may not be able to tell but they are simply overcome with the excitement of it all.

Seriously.

They are.

I'm not a big baseball fan. But it is hard to sit idly by while the city is so pumped.  Rooting for the home team.

More More More 

Super. Bowl. Snow.

#Microblog Monday 

All this and the Patriots won. Better days coming round.                                       Yes? Yes.

Random. Fathom

Sleep not coming easily these days. The mind is muddled and is in need of some clearing. Perhaps the randoms will help, certainly a near perfect day like today does:

♥ It was 50 (plus) degrees today. Sunny. Clear. My daughter snapped this picture as she was leaving school today. Lovely, lovely sky.In fact, it was a lovely day. I read tomorrow is to be even better. I know some folks are missing the traditional winter, but I'm way okay with the turns we've had. Hey, it's the Midwest, we could be singing snow blues in April.

♥ Diamond's feeling better. However, her eyesight is failing. We're making things as easy as possible and keeping her in as much comfort as possible.
My younger brother got married a couple weeks ago. I met the new Mrs. briefly last week. I don't know if they were pen pals / romancers or he met her sometime after his release. In either case. I wish the new couple well. 

♥ I haven't given any thought to getting married (again). And given that I'm a lady loving lady A LOT of thought would be required (as it should be anyway), but, even more so since don't have the rights or luxury as does my brother and his new bride, for instance.

♥ What I have given a lot of thought to is death. Not my own, per se, but in general. Mostly due to Thought Question number 686 . It is a topic that doesn't come easy to most, we don't want to think about it, let alone discuss it. It' morbid. It is . . . eventual. My mother talks about death, not in any constructive way, just by way of offering up Obits and escalating every illness to fatalistic ends.
So, this text enhanced shit, anyone know how to turn it off? How to avoid having one's text enhanced with some broken down ad for some broken down service?

♥ I'll probably watch most of the Superbowl game out of pure habit. I don't have any vested interest in either team. But, I do like football. I was the only one of my group yesterday who knew when the game was and the teams competing. But, I'm thinking too it would be the perfect day to take in a movie, get in an extra six thousand (or so) steps or clean out that closet one thing or another has kept me from.

♥ Speaking of thee Though Questions Number 697 has had my mind spinning as well. I did respond to his religious literature, told him I wasn't a Christian. He pities me. The conversation didn't end there but didn't go too far downhill. He will continue trying to convert me inasmuch as his health (and his communication disciplines) allow, I suppose.

♥ My good friend has (had) a birthday today. She probably won't see this (her computer has been on the fritz)  but it doesn't matter for I've extended my well wishes to her already and soon her gift will be in the mail. Never-the-less, Happy Birthday  Good Friend!! Many happy returns of this day and more. You know you are on my mind and in my heart, always. ♥

♥ My son (& my younger brother and several cousins) have milestone birth days within the coming days. More about the actor will be spoken on his special day.

♥ My Aunt Betty (mom's oldest sibling) will celebrate birthday number 92 in a few days.
On that note, I'll bid you goodnight. Five AM will be here before I know it.

Peace. 

May The Force Stay With Me

Over the past couple of years one circumstance or another prevented me from accepting any one of a variety of invites to experience what I now recognize as one of Chicago's treasures. This year once circumstance and then another fell into place which is how I came to accept the most recent invite and found myself among a throng of folks cheering (wildly, in some cases) the home team Chicago Force as they dismantled the Minnesota Machine . The lop-sided score did little to quell the enthusiasm of the fans. Though at some point, I think at least some in the crowd harbored some hope that the Machine would put together one successful drive. That hope was dashed as the Force had every aspect of their game; offense, defense, special teams clicking on all cylinders. It was quite simply, a spectacular display. Peeping over the schedule, chances are I will only make it to one more game. But, I have that hope circled and will do my best to steer circumstances that way, for that Saturday afternoon at the stadium proved to be a raucous good time. Go Force!

Our Game Day

My son and daughter both played soccer when they were very young. The first experiences were "just for fun" park district skills and games. Later, as their skills and interest level grew, they participated in a still, "everybody plays" league, but one more focused on skill development. Their experiences with the game were my first. I knew nothing of soccer during my youth.

Michael played with the "everybody plays" league until around sixth grade. He wasn't interested in the more competitive league, deciding instead to move toward basketball. Danielle moved to the more competitive league. The traveling "club" played other "clubs" statewide. In addition to playing with the traveling club, she played for her high school, having earned a spot on the varsity squad as a freshman. For a few years her life revolved around soccer. For a few years my life revolved around soccer. I learned the game and along with Danielle grew to love the game. Especially, the women's game.

We get tickets to see the Women's National Team whenever they roll through town. We were bummed when Chicago didn't field a WUSA team. Even more bummed when the WUSA folded it's tent. We were overjoyed at the announcement of creation of the WPS (Women's Professional Soccer) . We were gleeful of the news that Chicago would field a team and that team would play in the nearly brand new soccer specific stadium where the men's MLS play. Whooooopeeee!!!

This year is the inaugural year. Sunday was the inaugural game. We were there. And don't let the pout fool you, though it rained all day, all during the game, she had a blast. In fact,

we had a blast. The Chicago Red Stars and Sky Blue FC played to a 0 - 0 tie in the first WPS game played in Chicago (well, Bridgeview).

And we were so soaked stoked to be part of the experience.

Near Miss

Enthusiasm about going outside to do some stuff waned at about inch three. But, enthusiasm or not, stuff must be done so out we went.

I think there was nine - ten inches before it was done for the time being. I shoveled three times before calling it a day. The capper? The Titans lost. How many times has the top seed blown it lost before THE game?

In other news, Arizona's looking good. And the team's playing well too.

Thinking dry. Thinking heat.

Getting To Be That Time

A co-worker has turned his first two vacation days request for 2009. Historically, his first two vacation days of the new year are the Mondays following the NFL Championship Round and the Super Bowl.

This year, same deal.

Though I'm not as IN to football these days (as evidenced by my very poor Fantasy record this season and last) I do enjoy the play-offs and championship games. I don't enjoy them so much that I need to take days off work, but yeah, fun.

Back when the home team was up for the big game a video was produced to celebrate, promote and raise money. The video was a big hit. So big, that my little guy's head-start decided to stage their own production that year as part of the end-of-school-year celebration.

His first foray onto the stage was not much to his liking. It took several years to get him back.

But we were talking about football and since the home team is now on vacation, Woot! Woot! to the Titans and a shout out to the Eagles.

I don't know which team or teams the co-worker is rooting for this time around but I'm sure I'll find out. Historically, he's been quite vocal about his passion for this time of year.

Post Season

When the kids were kids we rooted for the White Sox. D was a softball player, a rather large (as compared to the other girls her age) player with a big swing. She was dubbed "lil Frank" by her teammates. Unlike Frank though, D wasn't just a big bat, she could field the ball. She was awesome at first base, if I do say so myself. But alas, softball gave way to soccer and volleyball.

As a kid I rooted for the Cubs. When I played ball with the other kids my player name was "Billy Williams" primarily because I batted from the left side. I also threw left-handed but was otherwise rigged to pursue the right-hand mind-set.

As adults we (D and me) kinda, sorta root for both teams. We are not big baseball fans but we are fans of the home town teams. M is not much of a fan either. But since he lives on the north side, a couple of miles from the "friendly confines", he has to at least pretend to bleed Cubby blue, especially on game days. He says the atmosphere is insane on game days, Win days.

Both home town teams have made it to the post season. I'm rooting for both for what it's worth, though truth be told I don't want to be anywhere near the city if by some chance they both make it to the World Series. Oh Me. Oh My. I think though, if they both do make it to the big show, Chicago is a shoo in for winning the 2016 Summer Olympic bid.

Big news, yes, but our eyes are also trained on the Fire and we are looking forward to the inaugural season of Women's Pro Soccer ( re-vamped form of the defunct WUSA) next year.

Chicago, it seems is building a pretty impressive team.

The LA Sparks are not playing for the championship and in that case, Go Silver Stars!

Love of the Game

Chicago-land native Candace Parker rolled into town with the rest of the Sparks in tow to take on our Sky. The ladies played to a sell-out crowd (no, not me.) The Sky rallied from a 14-point deficit to tie the game at the end of regulation. The Sparks, minus C. Parker who had fouled out, won in OT 81-77.

Oh yes, I like the women. I love the women. However, I don’t have any co-workers who share a passion for the women’s game. The NBA follower co-worker smiles, nods and just pretends to understand. We do not discuss.

We don’t talk about how rookie Parker is leading the Sparks in scoring, rebounds and assists and is odds on favorite to score rookie of the year honors. We don’t talk about the other touted rookie, our very own Fowles, being out with a knee sprain suffered in the 3rd quarter of the battle with the Sparks. Or that Fowles ranks as her team’s third leading scorer but second in rebounds and first in blocked shots. Further, we don’t talk about how badly the 2007 champion Phoenix Mercury are struggling right now. How Cappie, Diana and Tangela have their work cut out for them but being up to the challenge.

We don’t talk about how with the addition of veterans Yolanda Griffith, Swin Cash and Sheryl Swoopes, the Seattle Storm are hoping for a return to the championship podium.

And of course we don’t talk about the Comets, Dream, Fever, Liberty, Lynx (who are hot right now, by the by), Monarchs, Mystics, Silver Stars, Shock or the Sun. And if we don’t talk about the WNBA, you know we aren’t talking about the NCAA women. Bring on the Madness!

Play on ladies. Seriously.

Like Any Other Day

I don't get together with my brothers. The older is in Texas and has no interest in being in Illinois and certainly no interest in being part of this family, or any, perhaps. That may be changing as he appears to be in recovery and softening on some points. But, we don't talk so I don't know that to really be the case. The younger is still in jail. He's been offered a plea bargain deal but he won't take it. His wife is scrambling to get him legal representation. I do try to foster a relationship with his kids, but it is tough as their mother is, in a word...harried for a number of reasons not the least of which is the scrambling with my brother. They do however, have an open invitation to come by, anytime. They couldn't today because they live several miles away and are very active in their church. In years past that was the life my brothers and I led and in turn the lives my two led. Easter Sunday meant dressing up in your finest duds, going to church often participating in a special program and eating a huge dinner.

This Easter Sunday was different in several regards. Mom came by after her church service to share a meal with me and daughter. Son couldn't be here for he had two performances today and the break between them was not sufficient to allow the trip our home for dinner. He'll come by later in the week for the "basket" I packed for him.

As our lives continue to change so too will our "holidays" and our gatherings.

Purdue beat Utah. Fudge, there goes another bracket. Ah well, hopefully all the rest of the seeds will hold court. Either way, YaY for March and the Madness of it all.

It's Time

Go Girls!!!