Mama said knock you out

Michael Barrett's 10-game suspension for punching A.J. "The Instigator" Pierzynski was upheld by MLB today. While I will miss seeing our catcher's tight ass for the next week and a half, it's not like his absence will be a big loss to the team. This is because the Cubbies are absolutely pitiful this season. They are so far out of the race that it simply doesn't matter that their Silver Slugging, All-Star backstop is not in the lineup. Personally, I think a 10-game suspension is a small price to pay for knocking out a cocky White Sox player on Fox Saturday Baseball's Game of the Week. If you can't join 'em, beat 'em. ;)

It's time to hop on board the CWS bandwagon

If you want some good old-fashioned wholesome entertainment this week, then look no further than the College World Series: http://www.cwsomaha.com/html/home/index.asp

I don't understand why this NCAA tournament does not excite the majority of Americans. Last night, I was out on the town and was really curious about the Cal St. Fullerton-North Carolina baseball game, which was tied when I left my apartment. You would think that it would be easy to find the score on my cell phone since I have the following sports websites on Media Net: ESPN, CBS SportsLine, Yahoo Sports, & Sports Illustrated. But noooooooo-none of these sites even mentioned college baseball. Oh sure, I could have read a whole article about J.J. Redick's DWI or Ben Roethlisberger's careless motorcycle accident, but I couldn't get these vital stats. The top 8 college baseball teams in the nation are in Omaha fighting for a national championship, and no one seems to care. It's a shame, really. If you would like to watch a baseball game that is untainted by steroid use or skyrocketing salaries, then please tune in to the CWS on ESPN and ESPN 2. Get hip to aluminum bats. PING!!!

Soundtrack To Your Life

*WARNING-this entry is not my usual lighthearted fare. Sap alert!!!*

Do you ever hear a song on the radio that makes you think back to a certain time period or important event in your life? If so, you might enjoy these lyrics from "Soundtrack To Your Life" by Ashley Parker Angel:

Your life is a flashback
A question, a photograph
A statement, a story, a struggle
A chance to laugh
Cuz if you don't laugh you cry
A last crescendo when you die
So hit the rewind and listen
It's the playback
The soundtrack to your life

Wouldn't it be cool to make a mix of these songs and share them with your friends just to let them know you're thinking about them? Yesterday I heard "You've Got a Friend" by James Taylor while I was eating breakfast at a bakery in Charlotte. This song always makes me a little misty, especially when I look back on all of the great friends I have made over the years. To all of my buddies out there, whether I have known you for a long time or we have only recently met, this song is dedicated to you:

When you’re down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest nights.

You just call out my name,
And you know whereever I am
I’ll come running, oh yeah baby
To see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall,
All you have to do is call
And I’ll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You’ve got a friend.

Game shows, one of my guilty pleasures

I cannot tell a lie-I love game shows. When I was little, I dreamed of flying to California to be a contestant on Press Your Luck (big bucks, no whammies). To this day, I still think that I would make a great game show host. Come on, who could resist this charisma? ;) Well, needless to say when I was flipping through channels last night and saw a program on CBS called Game$how Marathon, my curiosity was piqued. If you want a little mindless entertainment, you've gotta check it out (Thursdays 7 pm CT). Celebrities play classic game shows like The Price is Right, Beat the Clock, and Let’s Make a Deal to win prizes for lucky television viewers and money for their favorite charity. The theme for tonight’s show is Press Your Luck, so you know I’m psyched. As an added bonus, they also show clips from the original series. What’s not to love?

Summer means FUN!!!

I have really enjoyed the summer so far. Some of you out there in cyberspace may be questioning my sanity since summer has not officially arrived according to the calendar. However, in my world, summer begins as soon as the spring semester is over. Thus, I have already experienced about a month of this glorious season and I am loving it! We recently hired a bunch of mid-twentysomethings at work and they have been kind enough to invite me out with them lately. Maybe it's because I don't act my age or perhaps it's because of my WOO (Winning Others Over, my #1 strength according to StrengthsQuest), but we have had a great time hanging out. The past 2 weekends, we have gone to Beale Street and I am happy to admit that I can still party like a rock star. Young Guns-thanks for the laughs. It's true; age is just a number and you're as young as you feel (I'm thinking a spry 27 sounds just about right).

This weekend, the fun will continue as I'm traveling to Charlotte for my college buddy Amy's wedding. I can't wait to see her because it's been far too long. We sure had some good times back in the day, didn't we, Schmoopie? :) I will also be getting together with some of my old baseball buddies from Bona's, so laughs are sure to ensue. Be young and have fun, everyone!