Greg Maddux

First, let me say, I am one of the top 10 biggest Greg Maddux fans.  The other nine would be his wife and children, siblings and parents.   And because big bro Mike is the pitching coach for my beloved Texas Rangers, in baseball terms, we are practically family.

I was  a Braves fan in the 90’s because they were on TV every night so I got attached to their little but mighty pitching staff—Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Steve Avery.    No Big Unit arms in the bunch but consistently good pitching all around.  Yesterday Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas were announced as Hall of Fame inductees.  All great choices.  And Crag Biggio was .2 points from getting in too.  Maddux got the highest percentage of votes, 97.2 percent.   One of the baseball writers who did not give Maddux a vote says he knew he was a shoe in and wanted to make a statement that because he pitched in the PED era of Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa…etc…that everyone from the era’s rep was stained.   Maybe I’m crazy but wouldn’t pitching to the steroid crew and winning 355 games, 4 Cy Young awards and 18 Gold Gloves  and absolutely not a sniff of controversy attest even more to his greatness? 

I remember reading that they did a survey in the league:  Who has the best fastball?  The best curve?  Who threw the hardest?  None of the answers were Greg Maddux until you got to the Who is the best pitcher in baseball?  Then his name was everywhere.  The man was an artist. Not a fancy, showy one.  Not one no hitter thrown his entire career.  But everyone knew how good he actually was.   Even the idiot baseball writer.  Heck, if you were not going to give him your vote, you should have given it to Craig Biggio!!  He deserves to be there too.

I hope to go to Cooperstown someday.  And now I can hang with the greatest pitcher I’ve ever seen.  I’ll get my picture taken with his picture.

Second Decision of 2014

I downloaded an app for Charity Miles which will make a donation for every while you walk, bike or run.  Walking is my only option but someone will make a donation of 25 cents a mile.  I hope to get up to a dollar a week.  :)

First decision of 2014

I ended 2013 angry with a person who has been my friend for a long time but in the last year has treated me with a disrespect that is in inconceivable to me.  This person came to me in a time of need and I gave something I did not really have to give. And this was a huge part of my 2013 decisions.  And I have decided I can be bitter about it and keep hitting myself on the same thumb with the same hammer or I can throw out the hammer.   Hammer is gone.   Forgiveness will come slowly.  It will take more to forget.

I hope the loss of our friendship was worth it.

2013 Things I'd Be OK If I Never Saw or Heard Of Again

1.  Miley Cyrus~~If I never see her tongue again, I'd be ok with it.

2.  Johnny Manziel~~Talented no doubt but he is the subject of EVERY football game even when he's not playng.

3.  Mack Brown~~Hit the road, Jack

4.  Twerking~~See #1

5.  Kate Gosselin.  She really did not do much in 2013 but this is a dislike that goes on and on.

6.  Anchorman II~Will Farrell...Anything involving this movie.  Every promo.  Every commercial.  They all suck.

7.  The princess who lives next door to me.  Constantly barking dog.  Trash on her porch.  Elephant like arrival at home at midnight.  Ready to move on.

8.  Kathy Griffin or Jenny McCarthy ringing in New Years Eve.  Yep they are probably on now but I'm not watching because neither are funny and both apparently have something to blackmail Anderson Cooper with because why else would they be on TV?  Ever?

9.  Cold weather.  I hate being cold and need a warmer place to live.

10.  My apartment, including #7.  I live in a box with a stove that doesn't work well, too much noise, too little room, stairs, garage a block away.  Come June, goodbye box!!

The Chair

I was at a friend's house yesterday and he had a chair I absolutely loved and I went out today to find one similar.  Not exactly the same although if I could have gotten his chair out of his house and into my car yesterday without him noticing, I would have done it.  Today I found this one at Haverty's and probably would have bought it today but they had no one even offer to help me so maybe it's a sign.  What do you think?

End of Year Thoughts

Well, we made it through another year.  A good thing.  It's been fairly eventful.  I quit my practically volunteer, non-paying job.  I sold my nice house.  I got a really good job that I really like.  I live in a box that I hate.  I have a little savings. I'm practically debt free. I may never again own another house.  I gained a little weight and now have lost back to where I was. My job has blessed me with several new friends  I made it through the holidays in mostly one piece.  Like every other year of my life, I have done the best I can.

So what will 2014 bring?   There is a commercial on TV with a cute little boy making New Year's Revolutions.  His main revolution is to eat more jelly beans.  Not a bad choice at all.

You can go back on this blog and find that I have made resolutions in the past.  I have goals, things I want to do but I've decided that formal resolutions are kinda pointless.  Again, my goal is to do the best I can.

I want to plan a special vacation although my plans have already changed.  I wanted to go to London or Hawaii this year but my boys want to go too and Kyle has an odd feeling about 2014 and I respect that.  So my vacation will probably be meeting my niece Hope in Las Vegas and next year, 2015, will lead to somewhere more exotic.  Who knows...things may change.

In June of 2014 I will find another place to live...out of the box, into somewhere bigger.  6 more months.

Sadly, in 2014 I will probably be a little less trusting.  I have a friend, that for a specific reason, I have lost faith in and feel really disrespected by. This person has taken something from me literally and spiritually.  My heart will be less trusting.

It's not midnight here yet and the fireworks are already going off.

I saw this on my cousin's Facebook page and swiped it.  I hope this is how I can face 2014.

 

It's a Wonderful Life

I've seen it about 100 times.  It's on TV practically every day.  I can stream it on Netflix 24/7.  I own it on DVD.  And on Sunday, I went to the theater to see it on the big screen and it was about the coolest thing I've ever seen.   I had asked my friend John if he wanted to go and he laughed and said no.  He also said it would only be girls but he was wrong.  I saw several men there.  Granted, none were alone or with other guys.  Basically, their girls drug them, but they were there.

This movie was made in 1947 and was mostly a critical and financial failure.  Jimmy Stewart is George Bailey, a man from a small town with big dreams of seeing the world.  His dad owns the Bailey Savings & Loan, a small bank that today would be a credit union.  His father's sudden death delays his plans of college as George takes over the business to keep it open.  Without the Savings & Loan, the only person loaning money is evil Mr Potter.  George stays and sends his brother to college.  The plan is that brother Harry will come back and take over the business but Harry ends up with better offers.  George's marriage to Mary, the great depression, babies and extended family obligations keep George in town. getting by, not getting rich. Then his uncle loses $8000 and George fears he faces jail over the missing money.  He goes to Potter who laughs him out of his office and tells George he is worth more dead than alive.  In desperation, George thinks of suicide.  But George has many praying for him--Mary & his kids, his mom, childhood friends, people whose lives he's touched over the years and God sends Clarence, an angel out to earn his wings, to save George.  Clarence's plan is to show George what it would be like if he was never born.  Harry had died in an accident because George was not there to save him.  Many men died on a ship because Harry was not there to save them.  Their mom had to take in boarders.  Childhood friend Violet was a prostitute (implied only of course).  Mr Gower the druggist was a drunk.  The local bar was owned by a thug.  Mary was the town librarian.  George had made all of their lives better and Clarence finally makes George realize that.  He decides he wants to live after all and goes home to face the music.  When he gets there, the bank examiner and the sheriff are waiting but George is so happy to see his family that he doesn't care.  Then a miracle happens...all of his friends come to his rescue.  Not one has $8000 but his friends come together to raise it.  Harry salutes his big brother George, the richest man in town.  And Clarence gets his wings!!

I almost know the story by heart and there were scenes where I had tears in my eyes.  The movie was even more powerful on the large screen.  And at the end, people in the theater were cheering so I thing they agreed.  I remember seeing a movie that had Martin Landau as an old theater owner and about his theater he asked, why would people want to stay home and watch a box when they could come here?    I know sometimes that the theater is not the coolest place...cell phones, crying babies, too much crap before the show...but I actually agree with Martin here.  I still love it and I especially loved seeing this movie on Sunday.