The creators of thirtysomething and Once and Again have come up with another show, 1/4life, “about the period of transition that comes after a person graduates from college and has to come to grips with life in the real world.” Needless to say, I think I’ll check this out.
In an unusual twist, a bench-clearing brawl during the Athletics-Rangers game last night involved the Rangers’ bullpen and the A’s…fans. Apparently the fans near the Ranger bullpen were talking so much smack that by the 9th inning, the players couldn’t take it anymore. The game was delayed for 20 minutes and the A’s even considered forfeiting. They wound up winning it in 10 innings.
Edited to add that the pitcher who threw the chair into the stands has been arrested and charged with aggravated battery, a felony.
The tune that the hamster dances to is from the old Disney Robin Hood.
Related trivia: When I was little, I thought the Maid Marian in this version was the prettiest woman ever (even though she’s a fox) and wanted to be her when I grew up. I had a book with a picture of Robin rescuing her–he’s swinging on a rope and the two of them are flying through the air. And I was all, “I want to be her!” I still kind of do. Robin’s cute.
I was flipping around the channels last night and found that Band of Brothers was on. And I couldn’t help myself; I had to watch. Even though it was the super-depressing one where they find the concentration camp. I couldn’t resist. I’m only glad I didn’t discover this marathon earlier in the day or I would’ve had to watch the whole thing. Which would’ve taken me away from watching the O’s game.
Enjoyed the game on Saturday with Damien. The outcome was right and it was a lovely evening, slightly marred by the drunk Gettysburg alum behind us. And better than the last Yankees-Orioles game I went to, I did actually applaud on occasion, for both teams. When I went to the game at Yankee Stadium, I basically sat there in silence. I felt like I couldn’t cheer for the Yankees too much (they were way ahead in the division at the time, so I wanted the O’s to do well), but neither could I cheer for the O’s. Anyway, the game ended without Brian hitting the double to tie Cal’s record and I decided that I didn’t want him to hit it the next day, either–a day when they’re still at home so I theoretically could watch. But that didn’t mean I didn’t want him to get a hit at all.
I bet that more than one of you reading this will be more than happy to see the end of the baseball season. Ah well. I’m just bitter than it’s now football season. Ugh. Stupid Redskins.
Current song in my head:
“All I Want For Christmas” by Olivia Olson
Dogs fight back against animal cruelty.
You don’t forget but you move on. And as the anniversary approaches, it’s hard not to look back. And yesterday evening was full of looking back. I went to a preview of Nine Innings From Ground Zero last night, a documentary that will air next week on HBO. It’s about how people focused on the Yankees in the days after 9/11 to help them forget, for a time, and I highly recommend that those of you who get HBO watch it when it airs. Anyway, I came home from that and then started watching “The Center of the World” on PBS, about the rise and fall of the World Trade Center.
Needless to say, I spent a good chunk of the evening with tears streaming down my face.
What struck me, though, was my need to see images of the towers still standing. Every time an image of the World Trade Center flashed on the screen, part of me wanted to stop the program and just look at it. And…I don’t know. Pretend that they’re still there. Hug them. Gaze at them in wonder and awe. Take them for granted.
The PBS program ended, naturally, with the collapse of the towers and the immediate aftermath. And I could tell the program was wrapping up and I sat there, hoping that they would show the towers again, lights on, lit up against the New York skyline. And they did show it. And so instead of going to sleep with the images of the towers collapsing, instead of hearing a radio announcer watching the second tower fall, I fell asleep to an image I saw countless times growing up: lower Manhattan, World Trade Center intact. It was comforting, even if it was an image of a world that no longer exists.
Current song in my head:
“Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley
There was a message on my answering machine when I got home on Friday. Even though my Prius wasn’t due in until the end of November, the Toyota gods had smiled upon me and my Prius had come in, a mere 3 months after I ordered it. So on Saturday morning I went and picked it up. It was all kind of scary and now I’m insanely in debt, but it’s OK. Because my car is soooo pretty and I love it. Here’s a picture:
OK, that’s not exactly my car, but that’s the right color. It has so many cool features and gadgets. I’m totally in love with it. Which is good, because I’m going to have it for many, many years.
Two other quick things: I saw Garden State and really enjoyed it. Much like Avenue Q, it seemed very geared toward people my age. And congrats to my boy Brian, who hit 2 doubles in today’s game. He’s a mere 3 doubles away from breaking the O’s record for most in a season (Cal Ripken, Jr., holds the current record) and is currently 2nd for doubles in the majors.
Current song in my head:
“Superman” by Lazlo Bane
It was 4 years ago today that I started my job. I don’t know if I planned on staying at the same place for so long. It’s not the same job, I guess; I did get a promotion. And if I hadn’t gotten that promotion, I probably wouldn’t still be there. But it’s just odd to think that I’ve been working for the same company as long as I was in any one school (I was at both Gettysburg and Coles Elementary for 4 years). I guess I’m reaching the point where I should really stop thinking of myself as having graduated from college “recently.”
When I graduated, I didn’t know where my life was going. I still don’t. Which is kind of scary, but not terribly surprising. I’m only 25. I have plenty of time left in front of me. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t times when I get frightened about what I’m doing, and not doing. About life. But I imagine that happens to everyone.
Current song in my head:
“One Thing” by Finger Eleven
The O’s are noticing Brian, now that Jerry’s on the DL. (And I imagine that AL Player of the Week thing didn’t hurt, either.) Roberts a ‘complete player’. It just upsets me when I read things like this:
“Mazzilli would not ensure that Roberts has locked the second base job for next season.
‘He is [our second baseman] today,’ Mazzilli said. ‘But you never know what’s going to happen in the offseason. That’s a long way off. But he’s been a pretty good leadoff guy, no question.’”
And with Brian’s hit today, it’s an 8 game hitting streak.
There’s a poster in the Bethesda Metro station that tells people to visit Alexandria over the Labor Day weekend. Which, fine. But at the bottom, it says, “Come visit the fun side of the Potomac.” Now, I like Alexandria. I think it’s a great, lovely city and Old Town is fantastic. But at the same time, a poster telling me that I live on, apparently, the boring side of the Potomac is not going to make me want to visit. Insulting my chosen home area is not going to make me want to shell out what little hard-earned money I have.
The rivalry between the DC suburbs in Virginia and Maryland amuses me. There are some people who really truly believe that one is better than the other. I don’t really have much of an opinion. I live where I live because this is where I got my job. I like the area a lot. I don’t really believe it’s either superior or inferior to Virginia. The two areas are a bit different, but I don’t think about it much. But seeing that poster every day, twice a day, grates. I don’t have much hometown pride, but what little I do have is a bit offended by that poster.
Seriously, who thought that would be a good marketing campaign?