at least the rain finally stopped

i believe when i woke up this morning it had just finished raining. i have to believe we got somewhere north of 2 inches. thank god we got the soybeans off before that. no flooding that i have seen so far and the corn still looks good, so... in the grand scheme of things this really just means i'll end up having to mow the grass again.

ended up watching more of the Yankees game last night than i thought i would. CC actually pitched great for the first time in a few months. a 5-1 win on A-Rod's 24th career grand slam. that broke the major league record previously held by Lou Gehrig. i would say congrats but he doesn't deserve it. they play again this afternoon. i might check it out or i might just watch college football and hope they do well. they are still alive with a faint pulse for the playoffs.

Ohio State plays a game this afternoon that i believe most of the game will see the backups playing. so, i might watch some of it as i believe i will be in a sports bar showing it, but i won't be paying close attention to it.

got some good news yesterday regarding injuries on my fantasy football team. that just made my Sunday a little less chaotic. while getting that news last night i realized that the fucking hockey season starts in about a week. so i scrambled to find a fantasy hockey league and set up my draft order. the draft is 2 days before the season i think. that should make it interesting.

i'm looking forward to watching some ROH this evening. i know what happened last night at the ppv. i'm a little surprised at the results but at the same time i am happy. i enjoy the heel Adam Cole more and more each time i get to see it. to see him as the ROH champion should make for some interesting story lines in the future. especially if the "Mount Rushmore of Wrestling" ends up joining forces in ROH as well.

and i will hopefully find some time to sleep today as i know damn well i won't be getting any tomorrow.

hope this finds everyone well. peace and chicken grease.

music:

Foy Vance - Joy of Nothing
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away
Bruce Springsteen - Darkness on the Edge of Town

"God is cruel. Sometimes he makes you live." - Stephen King

nosebleeds and insomnia

so i was having a dream about meeting a woman in the south of France. there was laughter and sex and plenty of smoke, and just when the dream was going to another stage, i woke up. i looked at my right index finger and it was covered in blood. i got a tissue and put on my glasses. i then realized i had a nosebleed. as i was pinching and leaning my head back, the thought also crossed my mind that i pick my nose when i'm asleep. i believe that's one of the things you realize right before they put you in the institution. as in mental.

keep in mind that this was roughly around 6 am. i got to bed around 3 or so. fucking fun.

the Yankees offense overcame CC's inconsistent pitching (AGAIN) and won 8-5. hopefully they can get a great streak going at home in these next 9 games and really make up some ground quickly in the playoff chase. they play this afternoon.

also, this afternoon i'll be watching the college football team i've rooted for since my days in diapers, Ohio State. hopefully they destroy Buffalo quickly so i can get to other things.

plenty of soccer in Europe to watch today. i'll be flipping around between that and some more college football.

and if i'm somehow still alive this evening and not in a coma, another episode of ROH is on tap.

i did watch a good portion of Smackdown last night. i'm really enjoying this angle with Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, The Miz, and The Big Show as long as the payoff is some great wrestling and Daniel Bryan winning the title back. if this turns into just another massive HHH ego stroke, i'll be bitterly disappointed.

hopefully i'll have some ideas for poems come to me between victory beers today.

Manchester United plays Liverpool tomorrow morning. needless to say that result will go a long way to my weekend being good or absolutely shitty.

hope this finds everyone well, drunk, not hungover, not asking for help from the porcelain gods.

music:

Barenaked Ladies - Rock Spectacle
Futurebirds - Exhume

"There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

a hazy summer day on the farm

i'm sure you see that title and you're going to expect some stories about animals and the weather, ha ha, fooled ya.

i have spent most of the day going between the Premier League and the start of a new season for Serie A.

now, i did feed the cats and the birds and had to run off some groundhogs from eating the cat food, but that was a small portion of the day.

most of the day was spent napping between goals in the Premier League and then laughing my ass off at the AC Milan loss (sorry Janne) and the Juventus win all because of one man, Ray Hudson. easily, the funniest color guy doing sports in the USA. check out this site for some lines http://rayhudsonquotes.tumblr.com/ and please do a YouTube search for some as well. you'll be entertained for hours.

only saw 5 cats today. not sure if my early appearance didn't fit into their schedule or there was another raid by the coyotes last night. i guess i'll know by tomorrow.

sadly, last night the Yankees ran into a pitcher they just can't beat and Kuroda was missing his spots. that all results in a 7-2 loss. CC goes tonight in a game they have to win, but, of course, Tampa owns CC. hopefully the world reverses for the night and the Yankees win in that dump.

other than that tonight, i guess i might sneak in some football and some ROH this evening.

sorry for the short one today, but i doubt one wants to read about what cookies i've had today or the kind of cheese i put on my crackers.

until tomorrow, where i'll probably be bitching about fantasy football draft results... joy.

music:

Metallica - Master Of Puppets

"The hardest thing to do is be true to yourself, especially when everybody is watching." - Dave Chappelle

not exactly how i thought my weekend would start

i got up this morning knowing that my mother would already be on her way to my sister's condo in Columbus. i noticed the paper on the table so i knew i just needed to get the mail today. then a few hours later i get a phone call. it's my first girlfriend from high school, who i haven't spoken to in a few years on the phone. she goes on to ask me if i was going to this alumni soccer game later today. she apparently doesn't know that no one i went to school with is in contact with me any longer. needless to say, when she starts mentioning names of people i haven't seen in a decade, i figure, why not. so, i'll be shaving and showering here in a bit and seeing just how deep into social anxiety i have drifted.

i noticed in the mail today i had a letter from Las Vegas. it felt pretty light, which is always a good sign in a poet's eyes. that usually means the publisher or editor has accepted most or all of your submission. i immediately thought this was the case with Peter from ART:MAG and my submission from back in May. i open up the envelope and find this inside: dear contributor: ART:MAG is now defunct!!... Thanx for your past support, -- mag man    P.S. The post office box 70896 is also closed, please don't send mail there.

he also included a little personal note wishing me luck with my writing. so a big thank you to Peter Magliocco and all the poems he published of mine in ART:MAG. that will be one zine i will truly miss.

but, in my feeble attempt to turn shit into chicken salad, i guess i have found the "new" poems to put in some submissions here in the next week or so.

the Yankees lost again last night to a team they should never lose to. CC once again pitched like shit and the offense decided to follow suit. what i'm really hoping is by the time i get home tonight the game is over and i didn't punish myself by watching any of it.

and depending on how late i get home tonight, i don't know if i will see ROH or not. i know there will be some tag team news on this show and a title switch, so i hope to see it. i'm sure i'll catch it sometime this weekend.

other than that, not much is going on. i need to go make myself look pretty (you know, lipstick on a pig) and go swim in the river of nostalgia. i've got to make sure i remember to take some business cards. perfect place to get rid of them.

and if i do end up going to this alumni event, i'll share the sad details tomorrow on this blog.

until then...

music:

Houndmouth - From The Hills Below The City
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Push The Sky Away

There are no secrets that time does not reveal." - Jean Racine

another wasted Saturday

this morning started off with some rain. and then that rain decided not to stop. after about 8 hours or so, it finally ended. i'm pretty sure we got well over an inch. no flash flooding that i could see and the crops seem to be handling it pretty damn well. the sun came out and it actually turned into a pretty decent day. i was able to open up the house again and let the breeze in.

after CC shit the bed again last night in the Yankees 10-6 loss, i was really hoping today was going to be better for them. i turned on the game and soon realized it was blacked out for me. so i followed the game a little bit online but mostly just decided to check in from time to time. yet another game where the offense decided it was better to just bake in the sun than do anything productive. 2 damn hits and yet another shutout loss where the pitcher has pitched less than 97 pitches to get the complete game. it's happened 4 times this season, 3 to the Yankees. fucking ridiculous. i'll watch tomorrow for a little bit, mostly because Jeter is supposed to be back and they are honoring Matsui as well. but once the soccer match starts, goodbye...

i did find out this morning that team USA's coach will be banned from the sidelines for the Gold Cup Final tomorrow against Panama. hopefully it won't matter. i am looking forward to them hopefully getting to raise that trophy once again.

honestly, i haven't done jack shit today. the internet has been surprisingly good so i have been trying to catch up on some YouTube viewing from the last week or so.

other than cleaning some toilets tonight and watching some ROH late tonight, i have no clue what i'm doing this evening. i may try to sit down and write a few poems. i've got a few lines swimming in my head that i need to put somewhere.

hope this finds everyone well, drunk, creative, insane, rich or enjoying a final breath.

music:

Ryan Bingham - Mescalito
Jamey Johnson - Living For A Song: A Tribute To Hank Cochran
Bruce Springsteen - Born In The U.S.A.

"It is one of my sources of happiness never to desire a knowledge of other people's business." - Dolley Madison

the radar has all these pretty colors on it

went out shopping with my mother this morning. we got everything and was back home before 1 pm. considering we went to a few places, i was pretty pleased. 1 thing i hate about being in public though is i'm a very observant person, almost to the point of the creepy stare type of guy. when you have a long goatee and do this, you tend to get some looks. some days i enjoy it. when it's 90 fucking degrees out and the humidity is at 95%, i don't.

the Yankees got a complete game from CC last night. unfortunately, the offense thought all they had to do was score 1 run. another loss, 3-1. 3 runs in the last 30 innings. not fun. another game tonight. all i can imagine is more frustration on my end.

thankfully, team USA whipped Belize last night in Gold Cup play 6-1. 3 goals from Wondo in the first half and Landon Donovan became the first American with 50 goals and 50 assists in a career. they next play Cuba on Saturday afternoon.

the New York Rangers signed 2 more of their restricted free agents today. both at really good terms. they might have to do a trade to free up a little more money to sign the remaining 2 they need/should sign.

Deadliest Catch last night was great again. i missed the first little bit of it as my mother and sister arrived back home right as it was starting. i did the good child thing and helped carry in bags and whatnot instead of sitting on my fat ass and watching the show.

as for tv tonight, i may watch Big Brother (even though i know about 95% of what is going to happen). i do hope to watch The Bridge on FX. i have seen many reviews raving about the show. knowing what FX puts out, i imagine it's going to be good.

that all of course will happen if the storms coming doesn't knock out the power or the satellite feed. fingers are crossed.

hope this finds everyone well.

music today:

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Live from Alabama
Hayes Carll - KMAG YOYO (& other American stories)

"Love is a reciprocal torture." - Marcel Proust

knee high by the 4th of July

i figured i would try to write this post before all the rain came. i actually got out this morning and took some pictures. below are 3 of the 15 i took. the rest can be seen on my Google+ page.

the Yankees got another win last night, 3-2. that was the 200th win of CC's career. they go for the sweep this afternoon. hopefully they can stay hot for a change.

my mother and sister are on their way to their vacation in the south. i really hope they don't encounter too much rain or shitty driving conditions. so, i'm home alone for the next 6 days or so. 20 years ago i would have been pumped. now, it's more of oh well, i can play the music a little louder i guess. i do believe i will whip out the watercolors sometime soon. i haven't done any of those in quite some time.

got my 2nd load of laundry going. wouldn't mind getting that all done before the rain comes either.

Big Brother didn't disappoint last night. the look of shock on the faces of some of the women after the first elimination was hilarious. conveniently, the shocked ones are now in power after the new head of household competition. that should make it really fun, especially if the secret guy group stays safe. so far so good for one of my few guilty pleasures.

not exactly sure what i'll be watching tonight. i think there might be some live music on one of the channels. chances are i'll be checking that out for most of the night. i might watch some fireworks, might not. the fascination of my inner child has been stomped out. most likely in my early 30's. right around the time i should have died.

these rainy days are getting to me.

i hope everyone has a great 4th of July. the corn is knee high here, so things are looking good.

music today:

Fitz And The Tantrums - More Than Just A Dream
Shooter Jennings - Put The O Back In Country

"I haven't always done a good job, and I haven't always been successful - but I know that I have tried." - George Steinbrenner

better than i thought it would be

i decided to be the good son and humor my mother today on her 60th birthday. so, i went shopping with her at Target. anyone that knows me knows just how much i hate shopping. this was a pretty painless trip. just a few odds and ends and some things we needed for the animals.

after driving around looking at houses for sale in the area and a little lunch, we were back home in time for a little Confederations Cup soccer. that probably made the trip much better for me actually.

after watching that i decided to fuck with myself and watch the Yankees. i didn't watch their loss yesterday and i was less than happy when they had yet another injury. so when they got up 6-0 today, i figured the end of the world was coming. CC was pitching great and then the 9th inning came along. they tried their hardest to make this one of the worst road trips i could ever remember... but held on to win 6-5. the first victory beer since god knows when. they are off tomorrow.

throw in a little golf and some more soccer, a nap, a little dinner, some birthday cake, and there is most of my day. it hasn't rained as much as they said, which is great as the crops have enough water for now. plus, the trash seems to be in the same place (fingers crossed). i know i don't feel like picking up 10 bags of shredded paper that don't get picked up somehow.

tonight will be a little basketball, a little Nurse Jackie and Veep, more basketball and then some sleep. i didn't get much last night as the muse and i were on the phone to nearly 4 in the morning. always love when i find someone i can actually talk about anything and everything to. those people are rare these days. too many fuckers just waiting for their turn to talk. not sure what stories i will hear from her tonight. i believe she's spending most of today on a boat.

mom has decided that we are going to go shopping again tomorrow. somewhere i can hear god laughing.

a special thank you to RC Edrington for the kind words on my book, Sofisticated White Trash. i really appreciate it.

hope everyone had a great weekend. until tomorrow... i believe the shopping is going to be in Indiana, so i might have a few stories to share.

music today:

Red Wanting Blue - Live at City Winery
Five Dollar Milkshake - apartinthemiddle

"I don't have no fear of death. My only fear is coming back reincarnated." - Tupac Shakur

and then the madman comes out to play

i was feeling pretty damn good. just watched the Yankees win again to sweep away Cleveland. i was just getting ready to open a victory beer when i noticed one of the bird feeders was down. after a big swig i looked a little closer and saw the raccoon that must have knocked it down. so much for the spray fucking working i thought. so, i bolted out of the house and chased the fucker up about 40 feet. i went back inside to enjoy some more of the victory beer. then i noticed the raccoon was getting ready to go back to the bird feeder. it was at this time i really wished my father would have taught me how to use a gun. instead, like a fucking madman, i went out with a hoe and a large rock. this is one of the reasons why i have told my mother i prefer not having neighbors. i just missed the fucker once, but i did scare it up another 10 feet or so.

sadly, i don't think that raccoon understands i'm a very patient person and have nothing but time and gravity on my side. and someone is going to pay for the suet feeder that is now missing. i'll let everyone know if i have a new hat by tomorrow.

very nice wins by the Yankees yesterday and today. just enough offense and good enough pitching. a big complete game today by CC was very much needed. the bullpen could use the rest. a big 4 game series in Seattle starts tomorrow. looks like i will be on west coast time at night for a little while.

Deadliest Catch got me once again last night. having survived blood clots in my left leg and all the hellish pain that went with it, anytime i hear about someone else that has it and is near death... to say i'm lucky is a bit of an understatement. easily, one of the best shows on television.

and i watch Backyard Oil after it just to remind my mother that is where her kin are from. good laughs.

i was pleased when the first 3 people saved on The Voice were the 3 i said had the best chance to win it all. makes me feel like i actually know what i'm talking about. i was a little sad to see Holly from Team Blake go, but it was bound to happen sometime.

watched a little of the hockey game last night. i was pleased that the Kings won as it means more hockey before the finals.

i've got some dishes to do and a raccoon to out wait, so i believe that is all for today.

music today:

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
Niki & The Dove - Instinct

"An artist is somebody who produces things that people don't need to have." - Andy Warhol

better than i expected

i woke up at 6 this morning, expecting the worse. when i went to sleep, they figured the storms would be getting here right around 6. i guess my body clock has an alarm set for disaster. amazingly, the storms, just like everything else that enters this state, pretty much died out when it got to the state line. just a steady rain so far this morning. good for the crops. much better than the inch of rain we got in a little over 10 minutes yesterday. my only fear is once this rain passes, we are expected to have a lull. during that lull it is supposed to get very hot and muggy. that's not good. as long as what fires up this afternoon is nothing like the end of world shit they got yesterday in Oklahoma... when the guy from the Weather Channel said he saw his life pass in front of his eyes, as much as it was fascinating television, it was spooky as all fuck. the knot in my stomach has died down a bit. i've still got all my shit together, just in case...

a big thank you to the muse for some good words last night. it is an absolute pleasure to have you back in my life.

the Yankees got some great pitching last night from CC (first win in over a month, 10 K's no BB) and just enough offense to win 4-1. a much needed victory to put the world back on its axis. not sure how much of tonight's game i'll watch (i'm assuming it's going to be a black-out here) but i would love to see them start winning again. just a game out of first.

i believe later this morning i'll be going with my mother up to Columbus to drop some stuff off to my sister. hopefully we can get there and back during the lull.

and if the storms don't knock out the power or the DIRECTV, i'll be bouncing between playoff hockey and playoff basketball this evening. i'm hoping for some entertaining games to take my mind off of everything for at least a few hours.

i did watch Chicharito score 2 goals last night for Mexico. that was about the only thing that took my attention away from the Yankees and the Weather Channel.

if you want to see what a storm chaser vehicle looks like when it gets hit by a tornado, go here http://www.weather.com/news/tornado-central/tornado-hunt-team-takes-direct-hit-tornado-20130531

that's all for this morning. i really hope to not have to write anything until tomorrow.

music today:

Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble - Blues At Sunrise
Old Crow Medicine Show - O.C.M.S.

"It's often just enough to be with someone. I don't need to touch them. Not even talk. A feeling passes between you both. You're not alone." - Marilyn Monroe

feeling good on a Tuesday

i got the grass cut before it rained. hopefully it does rain tonight, as that was the point of me busting my ass to get it done. thankfully, the guy that farms out here has decided to use about 80% of a front field i used to mow for crops. that took almost 2 hours off my mowing time. i won't bitch nearly as much if i can get all of it cut in under 4 hours like today.

i'm still happy as hell with the Manchester United win yesterday, 3-0. appropriate i suppose that title number 20 comes on a hat trick from number 20, Robin van Persie. nothing like all the goals coming in the first 35 minutes. gave me plenty of time to relax and soak it in. and here's a little picture for all the jealous fuckers out there.

i watched CC give up 4 runs in the first inning last night and never bothered to turn the Yankees back on. they lost 5-1. i don't think they'll do much better this evening either. i'll take a look during commercials i suppose.

if the New York Rangers win their MUST WIN game at Florida tonight and if Winnipeg loses in regulation, the playoffs are clinched. needless to say, i'll be a little focused on both games this evening. hopefully the Rangers step on the neck early and put a shitty team to bed before the end of the first period.

and in-between all that, i'll try to fit in The Voice, Deadliest Catch and the NBA playoffs. wish me luck.

i did enjoy The Voice last night. the talent seems to be a little better than last season. i can't wait until the live episodes.

as for Monday Night Raw, i enjoyed it but i knew i didn't love it with the number of times i flipped the channel to see other shit. it had some good moments, especially The Shield vs. Undertaker & Team Hell No, but not enough to keep me glued. hopefully that changes next Monday.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Donal Mahoney. one of the most consistent poets going today, i always enjoy his work. do yourself a favor and seek it out.

music today:

John Prine - Souvenirs
Queen - Greatest Hits I & II

"Ego is the immediate dictate of human consciousness." - Max Planck

a windy day on the farm

decided to do another YouTube video. no poetry this time, just the wind out here on the farm today. there must be a massive cold front coming as the wind has been non-stop since this morning. anyways, here's the video with the new wind chimes in action.

was a little disappointed with Manchester United yesterday as they got outplayed for most of the game. they did end up with a 2-2 draw, albeit on a RvP goal that was offside. but, i'll gladly take the point. just 6 points away from title #20. that's just 2 wins. if they can't do that, they don't deserve to win it.

had an unexpected victory beer last night as the Yankees came back from being down 3-0 to win 4-3. CC settled down after the early innings, the bats came alive finally in the 7th and Travis Hafner hit a pinch hit HR in the 8th. i'm really starting to like this team. especially when they win.

the New York Rangers, since they have pissed away any wiggle room they had to make the playoffs, have an absolutely HUGE MUST WIN game tonight. they pretty much need to win out to make sure they make it. they are playing against teams they should destroy. of course, if they put in a full 60 minutes that is. they can't show up in the 2nd period and think they'll win like they did the last game.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is Ed Galing. Ed is truly one of the old souls that i truly enjoy seeing in the same zines i am in. always good to know he's still around. do yourself a favor and do a quick Google search. it will be worth your time.

i was watching last night as the first sporting event in Boston took place. if, by chance, you did not get to see the national anthem, check it out below

music today:

Hayes Carll - Trouble in Mind
Radiohead - The Bends

"I was a shy, quiet kid. I was happiest playing by myself with my toys, rather than hanging around people." - Christian Slater

only the calendar believes it is spring

damn good thing i didn't put away the winter clothes. apparently it's April, yet the weather believes it's late February. nothing like going out to feed the cats when it's 30 degrees out with a wind that makes it feel like the upper teens. as i have grown older, i can absolutely see why people leave this state and never come back. maybe one day i'll be smart enough to do the same.

the poet of the day on my Google+ page is J.D. Nelson. J.D. is one of the most prolific poets i have the pleasure of knowing. a quick Google search should give you a ton of links to his writing, music, art, etc. do check him out if you haven't before.

i really enjoyed the 5-2 Yankees win over Baltimore last night. CC was really strong on the mound. and nothing like getting 3 runs on an error to give the Yankees the margin of victory. plus, a triple play that has never happened in the history of MLB. read all about it and see both plays here: Error, triple play help Yankees take series opener

busy sports weekend as usual. Yankees play again this afternoon. Rangers vs. Islanders this evening in basically a playoff game. the national championship of college hockey and if i truly get bored, there's always golf.

throw on top of all that a new Saturday Night Live, new ROH tv, new Louis C.K. comedy special on HBO, and god knows what else i find... i'll be spending this cold ass day in front of the tv indoors. furnace back on, unfortunately.

hopefully the weather is better in your neck of the woods.

music today:

Tom Waits - Mule Variations
Grouplove - Never Trust A Happy Song

"If I had to live my life again, I'd make the same mistakes, only sooner." - Tallulah Bankhead

ready for the funeral

this blog post is brought to you by episode 32 of The Sam Roberts Show Online. you can find the episode on Itunes, Stitcher, and notsam.com. click on podcast and help a budding superstar out. i highly recommend this episode. it is FUCKING HILARIOUS.

i'm in all black today, ready for the Yankees funeral. i'm not very happy mother nature postponed the inevitable, but oh well. here's hoping CC doesn't do the same today. i am so ready for this season to be over and for the team to be blown up. of course, that will be next to impossible with all the horrific contracts they have, but a man can dream can't he...

plenty on the tv docket tonight as well. a good NFL game, a sneaky good college football game, and the usual Thursday night television as well. guess i'll be napping in front of the tv again.

actually wrote a poem yesterday that came out of nowhere. love when that happens. of course, the main line popped in my head at the post office. so, like a madman, i repeated it out loud to myself over the blaring music on the ride home. thankfully, i only live about 5 minutes away. i'll be typing that up tomorrow most likely. hopefully, a few others pop in my head and i'll be thinking about another submission next week.

music today:

The Civil Wars - Live at Eddie's Attic
Hammock - Departure Songs Sampler
The Charlie Daniels Band - A Decade of Hits
Matthew Perryman Jones - Land of the Living
Metallica - Death Magnetic

"Life is half spent before we know what it is." - George Herbert

should i really care anymore

i suppose i should be in a foul mood, given the Yankees lost and are now down 3-0. but, truth be told, i probably watched more of the Mexican national team tonight than i did of baseball. i did catch the 9th inning. i was happy to at least see them try and make the Tigers sweat a bit. but, having to get a hit with runners in scoring position is this team's downfall. they have fucking sucked at it all year long. CC gets the ball tomorrow night. he could pitch a no-hitter and the offense will find a way for him to lose. that's the way the game goes. at least Cano finally got a fucking hit. 1 for his last 30. and he wants to be paid like he's the best in baseball. fuck me.

i kind of do want them to lose in 4 so the baseball geniuses have to start making some tough decisions. who stays, who goes, who gets traded, which youngsters do you count on next year, etc, etc. why delay the inevitable. old men have slow bats in the playoffs. maybe one day they will remember that.

i did watch team USA win 3-1 tonight to qualify for the final round of qualifying for the World Cup. a good response after they gave up the wake the fuck up already goal at 5 minutes. 2 goals from Clint Dempsey. hopefully they figure out their defense before the next rounds start. they need a consistent back 4. and they need it quick. i'm not sure this team is capable of beating good teams 4-2 all the time. they have to win 1-0 or 2-1.

got a good phone call from my friend in California. funny how life can swing the emotions 180 degrees in just a day. welcome back my friend.

music today:

Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A.
Foy Vance - NoiseTrade Sampler
Shannon LaBrie - Just Be Honest

"I'm for whatever gets you through the night." - Frank Sinatra

a happy morning

nice to see that CC understands it's always better to earn your money from the Yankees rather than just be an asshole and collect it. always nice when the big man goes 9 innings and gives the bullpen a rest before the next series, which starts tonight. hopefully the other bats that started to wake up, Ichiro, Granderson, Tex, can keep it up against Detroit. maybe a little revenge for last year. i do expect these games will have a much better chance of becoming slow pitch softball than the Baltimore series. a lot of Baltimore's players were playoff virgins. that's not the case with Detroit. anxiety has been replaced with experience. may the pitching continue to be great, may the bats come alive, and may all of Detroit's sluggers go cold.

welcome back to the US national team Eddie Johnson. a great, stunning 2 goals to save the team from disaster. now, advancing in World Cup qualifying is much closer to certain than before. and although this team frustrates the shit out of me, i'll give Jurgen Klinsmann credit for having the stones to leave Jozy off the roster and his replacement scores the 2 goals. hopefully they will take care of business next week and get the job done.

was nice to have baseball and soccer end right in time for my Friday addiction, Boss. great show, just not enough nudity this year. maybe the season finale next week will provide that fix.

a busy night tonight as the Yankees and Ohio State play at the same time. yet another night when i need that Elvis wall of televisions. i know my first purchase if i'm ever blessed with fuck you money.

music today:

Bob Dylan - Time Out Of Mind
Alyssa Sease - Lay Rest Your Soul EP
Escondido - Escondido EP
Humble Wolf - Paper Thin

"When deeds speak, words are nothing." - Pierre-Joseph Proudhon

at the brink...

let me start this by stating that i do have confidence in CC and that i do believe he will do his job. as for everyone other than Derek Jeter and Raul Ibanez, i have no fucking clue. last night's game pissed me the fuck off to the point where i didn't bother with turning on the tv for sports shit this morning. it wouldn't shock me at all if the Yankees spit the bit later on today and feebly exit the playoffs once again. wouldn't shock me if they somehow hit 6 home runs today either. it's one extreme or the other. nothing is consistent about the team at all.

to fill my time and brain this morning, yet another day spent on NoiseTrade.com. and i highly recommend the 2 albums * i downloaded this morning for free. i will list them in a bit. but, do check them out, you will not be disappointed.

not sure how i'm going to fill the next few hours before the Yankees play. i imagine i'll be watching some soccer or maybe a nap, or maybe both.

just in case the Yankees shit the bed later on today and i'm a bit too pissy to post anything, hope everyone has a good weekend.

music today:

Pixies - Bossanova
Yellow Red Sparks - Simply Put Me in Your Place EP *
Brooke Annibale - Silence Worth Breaking *

"What we need is more people who specialize in the impossible." - Theodore Roethke

quick update

great job by the Yankees and CC on a big win today.

Manchester United played the kids on defense and i thought they did pretty good. they were shitting their pants when Newcastle cut the lead to 2-1, but they held on. Cleverly and Anderson with the goals.

heard back from The Montucky Review on my poetry submission. a swing and a miss.

mom and sister made it back safe and sound and apparently have brought the humidity from the south with them. lovely.

"I still think I'm not as good as anybody else." - Andy Williams

i should have gone to the movies

Oakland 2 Yankees 1, i haven't seen the bats neutered like this in a long fucking time. CC goes tomorrow. i think i may either shave my head or break out the voodoo dolls. i'll have a hard time believing this team is capable of losing to a glorified AAA team four games in a row. of course, it's baseball. stranger things have happened.

Life

CC came back tonight and was strong. When Deadliest Catch came on the Yankees were up 3-0. I flip back and they are up 6-1, top of the 9th, bases loaded. I'm not thrilled that Soriano had to pitch yet again but he got a double play in 5 pitches. Very good. Let the train keep on rolling.

I may have lost my longest friendship I have earlier this evening. Apparently telling someone to believe in themselves and don't quit are means to blow up the last decade or so. And to top that off, my mother will probably need a hip replacement sooner rather than later. Funny how sometimes life can really fuck everything up. Needless to say, any excitement I may have had from my first full length book coming out soon is now completely gone.

Fuck me runnin'

"Call no man happy till he is dead." - Aeschylus