Don't Start Tomorrow

While I'm waiting for the champagne to chill and my balls to drop (it's cold outside), I thought I'd list some things I did in 2012:

tried to get a job
tried to get a job
tried to get a job
almost got a job
was called the most fascinating person ever by an interveiwer
almost got a job again
started this blog
wrote and recorded an album
won a poker tournament
played more poker
formed a band
went to Washington DC and got a tweet from Chris Richards
played some rock shows
spent a night in Toronto
started writing flash fiction
wore fishnets for the first time
won Brandon's annual Thanksgiving poker tournament for the first time in the 10 or so years he's had it
got hit on by a milf
got some very nice emails from publications saying they'd like to read more of what I've written
wrote this
started to write
poetry again
just like in high school
never did get a job
cried over my shitty ass resume
got drunk

I have a feeling my 2013 will start in the same way, hopefully with better results.

As for resolutions, the only time I ever stick to anything is when I find myself impassioned.  This can happen on any given day of year.  Like October 12 or April 28 or January 2.  So my resolution is to find myself impassioned more often.

Capitol Idea

In honor of the Fourth of July (actually not in honor of that at all), me and two of my friends/band-mates/bros will be road-tripping to Washington DC to visit our friend, compatriot, and Internet Superstar Extraordinaire.  I was so excited that I could not sleep for long despite the levels of gin and juice in my blood being even higher than normal.  This sort of feels like another little adventure (feels?  it is).  Even though I've been half way around the world and back (Australia) twice and to Europe a couple times (okay one of those was to London for only five days, but allow me a subtle brag post) and to the west coast, I've never ever, never ever, never ever ever been out east (as long as you exclude Florida, which as the American wang does not count--and if you exclude a trip to Myrtle Beach when I was a wee babe).

So three intrepid young men fast approaching middle age who constantly give off faint smells of beer and too many shots of tequila (usually only on the weekends) will leave at some point today, heading east towards Pittsburgh and a former church that is now a brewery.  This reminds me that I have no idea when we are leaving.  We are not the best communicators (hey, ladies).

While I'm talking about band-mates, I had been meaning to make a blog about music as well (perhaps a series of them because, well, baseball only takes us so far, and it's hardly taken us anywhere this year, though we persist to be optimistic and this is good.)  Sometime last October after I got back from my European adventure, I started to record every song that I had ever written or had been involved in writing.  What ended up happening is that now I have an album (whose .mp3s are finished, only artwork and some tapes need a little work).  The band is Nile Drown (yes, a sort of pun on my name thanks to Jason Breen).  It's called Whose the Pharaoh of Them All?  The artwork looks like this:

The tape will have more elaborate artwork.  Stay tuned.  (If you want the .mp3s, I'll probably send you them if you ask me nicely.)

Somehow (thanks to Brandon) we have a show on July 15 and more in the works (there will be more [there will be blood]).  There is at least one new song, too, which was indeed written by the four of us.  It's my favorite.  If you come to the Elbo Room, you will hear it.

I should probably pack now.  And drink more coffee.  Despite the heat.

Ryan Dempster VS Louis C.K.

The First Cubs Game of the Season

it isn't entirely all my fault, but I'm going to my first Cubs game of the season in a few hours.  I did not come prepared.  I left my khaki shorts and polo shirt at home (where it will forever be popped) and I've never owned flip flops.  I will stick out in Wrigleyville today, but when do I not stick out there?  So much hair and hair and no khaki and, bro, I look terrible in hats unless I am wearing them ironically and when you're in the city looking ironic you don't ironically fit in in Wrigleyville.

Thoughts on recent events:  was I not right about Marmol?

And now for a few words after the game:

A Growing Illness

Regardless of individual game results, repeatedly leaving men in scoring position will curse a team game after game and year after year.  It keeps good starts from becoming wins.  It keeps bad starts from turning into no-decisions and come-from-behind wins.  Clutch hitting--the lack of it--haunted the Cubs all last season, and this year the Cubs Way has very much remained the Same Way.  The pressure on the starters to pitch with Phil Humber-esque perfection every game is a grind that can wear over the course of six months and 30+ starts.  The pressure on the young relievers to be perfect in their appearances may prove crippling.  The pressure on the hitters piles and builds and leads to desperate swings and misses and lazy ground balls on first pitches.

In the fourth inning, LeHair reached and Soriano hit a double.  No outs and runners on second and third.  Ian Stewart struck out on three pitches.  Darwin Barney struck out on three pitches while the Cards were trying to pitch around him..  Soto was intentionally walked to get to Samardjiza who actually made contact and popped out to second.  Keith Moreland (among others) has said that he thinks clutch hitting is contagious and once it starts it continues.  The best news is that there is still a lot of season left for the Cubs to become ill with sick clutch hits, and perhaps perhaps perhaps with two straight walk off hits, the beginning of this illness has begun.

Some bolded names:

Jeff Samardjiza has begun his year in 2011 Zack Grienke style:  dominating at home and average at best away.  His starts at home have been dominant.  Tonight he had good command, a heavy, hard mid-90s sinker, and his best split finger to date.  If his numbers can approach Grienke's 16-6 record and 3.83ERA, Samardjiza will be the least of this team's worries.

Carlos Marmol looks done.  He never had command but now his pitches don't break as sharply and if he throws them over the plate, they get hit.  Matt Holiday demonstrated this in the top of the 8th.  Yes, the Cubs had not had a save opportunity in fifteen games, but Marmol's issues appear to be beyond a lack of work.  With Wood injured and with command problems of his own, who else can close?  Dolis?  Camp?  Bowden?  You don't even know who these people are.  Neither do I.

Michael Jordan was at the Cubs game tonight.  He was at the Hawks game last night.  Besides being bad luck, he is showing how much he cares about the Charlotte Bobcats, the team he owns, and the team that owns a 21-game losing streak and is likely to have the worst season win percentage of any team ever in the NBA.  Ever.

A Comprehensive Report on the Cubs-Marlins Series

The Six Game Report

The Cubs are 1-5.