Inspired Poetry? Not Really.

With the world going to shit as this overly awful year comes to an end, I would like to point out that there are some fun things on the interwebzzzzz.  One thing is this website if you use Twitter.  It creates a random poem based on the things you have tweeted.  I mean, is it creepy that a website can cultivate through several years of tweets and come up with something in less than a minute?  Absolutely.  Most tweets that this site cultivates from are from the recent past, but still.  But if you think that there isn't access to at least one of your social media accounts without your knowledge, well I just can't help you.

Below is an example of what this website can create.

Freaking hilarious
by Michael Litzner

I would totally agree with her
From Upper Hand Brewery for dinner.
Was holding a fire extinguisher.
Oh Alex Wilson! Paint that corner.
Performance.
World Series' might be sadder...
Hehehehe....Mark Lowe appearance
Anyone want to take the under?
To win championships, I'm on board
Lions won't have a losing season!
Tv and stroke Jake Arrieta's beard.
BUSCH LIGHT SON!
State get rolled tonight. Hard.

Does it make sense?  Not really.  Is it still fun to do?  Absolutely.  I just spent about twenty five to thirty minutes playing with this.  Although 'World Series might be sadder.....hehehehe Mark Lowe appearance' are two great lines.  

Missed Opportunity

At the beginning of this month, Major League Baseball had their annual Winter Meetings.  It's a time of year when you see some trades and free agent signings and is the first big splash event of the upcoming season.  A little strange to be thinking about baseball when there's a foot of snow on the ground, but for those of us who absolutely love this sport above all others, it can be a fun time.  There was plenty of speculation that the Detroit Tigers would be moving a few of their big name players in order to get 'leaner' as their GM Al Avila said.  However, they did nothing.  And they missed an opportunity.

In all the speculation of the Tigers being active players in the Winter Meetings, there were plenty of fans that were anxious as the weekend started.  They weren't going to move players like Verlander or Cabrera (or were they?) but there were thoughts that some of their younger players would be on the move.  Guys like JD Martinez and Ian Kinsler were talked about.  And even Justin Wilson and Jose Iglesias names popped up.  And then, just like that, the weekend was over.  And nothing happened.  For the Tigers anyway.

With them not doing anything, they missed an opportunity to get worse, but in the long run get better.  I know that most everyone agrees that if the Tigers were able to win a handful of games against Cleveland this past season they would have made the playoffs, but to what end?  What is the point of making the playoffs if you can't make a legitimate run at the World Series?  With Cleveland making it to game seven of the World Series, I got to thinking.  The Tigers need to let them have their fun in the sun in the division.  Let Cleveland have a few divisional titles while you rebuild and restock the farm system that Dave Dombrowski gutted (I know it wasn't that great of a system to begin with).  Kansas City is still up there and in the mix too.  Let those two battle it out while you sit back and develop a team for the future.

With the talent they have on their current MLB team, it makes it very difficult to just throw the towel in and come to grips with reality.  It seems like every year at the trade deadline the Tigers are either on the cusp of making the playoffs or clearly going to.  With that kind of situation, upper management doesn't want to sell off the pieces for the future.  Normally they want to buy at the trade deadline and make a push into the post season.  Think of two years ago when the Tigers made those trades at the deadline.  I know everyone came to the realization that the Tigers weren't going anywhere that year, but wasn't it exciting to get new young players?  And look, one of them ended up being Rookie of the Year last year!  Add to that that there are some people that think Fulmer isn't even the best of the young pitchers.  There are many that make the argument that Daniel Norris has better stuff and over time could be the better pitcher.  Isn't that exciting?!

With all of this in mind, the Tigers can still do something this season about getting younger and leaner.  At the trade deadline in July, there are always teams that are looking for just one extra player to take them over the top.  The Tigers have such players, and at the trade deadline the sellers hold the trump cards.  The Tigers also need to be smart about what they ask for.  They probably can't make the big splash with just one player, they need to piecemeal a team together.  Get two on the verge of making it minor leaguers for one big leaguer. 

The Christmas Post

*Author's note: I wrote this back in 2008 and I have since made it my Christmas Eve or Christmas day post. It is simple and makes it easy for me to say that I at least wrote something for the holidays. Enjoy the day everyone. Be sure to keep the television off as long as possible and love being with family and friends.*

We are watching A Christmas Story right now, and there is nothing better in this movie than the nostalgic feel of the Christmas morning scene. More than the kids ripping apart the wrapping, it is the expressions on the faces of the mom and dad. Just the joy that they have watching their kids.

As much as people think it is all about the Red Rider BB gun, the movie is more than that. It's about family, more than anything.

• Idolizing the father
• Having a life long understanding with your mother
• And the fighting with your brother

And the final scene of the mom and dad relaxing with the Christmas tree alight and the snow falling at night. Magic.

Flying By

I had someone ask me the other day how long I had been working at World Market.  And I had to stop and think about it.   I knew roughly how long it had been, but it was just a matter of remembering what year it was that I left Target and started this new job. 

Here's the post from just over three years ago.  It's bananas to sit back and realize it's been three years.  I know in the grand scheme of things three years isn't a big deal, but the time has just flown by.  In that time I've had three different job titles and have been promoted to a managerial position.  The main reason I left Target was because there was no where to go.  There was no upward movement, no matter how much they say they promote from within.  They promote up one level or two, but that's about it.  It seems like they go out to recent college graduates for their managerial positions.  At least that was what I encountered.  I mean, why would you promote someone with almost a decade's worth of work and experience when you can just hire someone right out of college?

I'm not bitter, seriously, because every time I go into a Target I am so thankful I found the job I have now.  I will tell you, leaving the job I had for almost eight years was scary as hell.  You don't know if it's going to go as well as you hope.  You don't know if you made the right decision.  You just don't know.  Unless you do it.  And having the support of your family makes it a little bit easier.    

First Project!

We have been in our house for just over a month.  We have settled in nicely and have gotten our everyday stuff unpacked and put away.  The only things that are left are things that aren't used on a regular basis.  You all know them as the boxes that remain packed for years after moving in.  We eventually want to paint our living room, so we haven't put pictures or art or shelves up.  Our walls are bare, but we do have the Christmas season coming up in the next three weeks, so we'll probably have holiday decorations take up space.

Speaking of walls, we have finished our first project in our new house.  It was nothing major.  We painted our dining room.  The room itself is large enough to hold our dining table, granted our table only seats four or five people at a time.  However, when we saw this house, the previous homeowners had a table that sat their family of six.  So there is room for a larger table if so desired.  The problem with the room was the color.  It was a darkish red.  The pictures below are the progress of painting the room.  The pictures don't do it total justice, but what I will say is that putting lighter colors on the wall definitely makes the room feel bigger.

Previous color of our dining room.

A photo posted by Michael Litzner (@melitzner) on Nov 16, 2016 at 12:13pm PST

What we refer to as 'renovation chic' if we leave it as is.

A photo posted by Michael Litzner (@melitzner) on Nov 7, 2016 at 2:45am PST

aaaaand the new color. Much more to our liking

A photo posted by Michael Litzner (@melitzner) on Nov 16, 2016 at 12:14pm PST

Two Paragraph Short Story

Back in college, I took a couple of writing classes.  In retrospect, not the best way to spend money in college, but whatever.  I don't regret taking the classes.  There were many different writing exercises that our professor had to get us to write.  One was to try and write a short story in two to three paragraphs.  It was to try and get the plot across without excessive writing.  It was fun.  It challenged you to leave a little to the imagination of the reader.  To let them try to fill some things in for themselves.  Anyway, here's one I came up with just a couple of days ago.  The idea just popped in my mind and was reminded of this exercise.  Enjoy!

I

Smoke rose from the barrel of the pistol.  The body fell.  My ears rang.  As the blood pooled around my feet, I stepped back.  Jesus fucking Christ.  Oh man, they came out of nowhere.  How did I even wrestle the gun away from them?  Is there anyone else around?  Did anyone see that?  What do I do.  Shit.  shit shit shit shit.  The alley.  They came from the alley.  I should see if anyone else is down there.  It's pretty dark here.  Maybe no one saw it.  Maybe no one saw my face.  Maybe I should call the cops.  Maybe.  Or maybe I should just...leave?  Are they even dead?  Do I check on them?  A step towards them.  Sirens wail in the distance.  Footsteps turn to sprints. 

You

Your hands shake as you ponder how best to go about this.  You're justifying it in your mind.  This is for the family.  Your family.  This will help put food on the table.  For at least one day.  That's your thought anyway.  That's your hope.  You weighed the pros and the cons.  You tell yourself this is a one time thing.  You're close to getting back on your feet financially.  No one will know it was you.  You picked up the gun a few days ago.  You could only afford two bullets.  You waited until it was dark outside.  You hid behind a trash dumpster in an alley.  Footsteps approached.  Alright.  This is it.  Your last thoughts.

MegaWho?

Last off season, Calvin Johnson retired from the NFL.  Citing the recurring injuries to his knees and legs, he walked away.  And more power to him.  I read an interview with him and he said there were times when he could only shuffle around his house the day after a game because his legs and knees were in such bad shape.  As a fan of the team he played for, the Detroit Lions, it brought flashbacks to the last great offensive athlete to wear the uniform.  Barry Sanders also walked away with seemingly years left to play.  We, as fans, have to respect the athletes' decisions as tough as they may be to deal with.  Tomorrow your favorite athlete can make a retirement announcement and that is just something we have to deal with.  Some fans get mad at these decisions, others just deal with it, and others worry about the future of the team.  When Johnson retired, most people wondered what it would do to the team.  How would the team look with him gone.  And you know what, it seems to be just fine.  At least the start of the season anyway.

Before I delve into this post, let us be clear:  Calvin Johnson was a once in a generation talent, but was so humble and team oriented that he wasn't a diva.  Not a Keyshawn Johnson.  Not a Terrell Owens.  Not a Chad Johnson.  Not a Dez Bryant.  You see some players that are so talented, but they are so self-centered that they distract from the team.  Watching interviews with Johnson, he always seemed to focus on the team winning.  It didn't matter if he had a three touchdown, one hundred fifty yard receiving game or a game where he caught one ball for five yards.  He wanted to win.  He wasn't always wanting the ball.  He didn't want Matt Stafford to throw to him first and then maybe throw to someone else.  Stafford would throw to him when he shouldn't have at times because Johnson had the ability to go up and catch balls that no one has the right to go up and get.  The best ever was against the Bengals when he was triple (almost quadruple) covered and Stafford hit him for a fifty yard touchdown.  Bananas.  Look it up. 

Because he was so talented, the team seemed to have a tendency to lean on him for clutch situations.  When you do that, other teams know that and focus mainly on that.  The Lions have won four games so far this season.  In all those games, they were trailing near the end of the game.  I'm not going to go through and look at all the details, but what I know is that Stafford is spreading the ball around at the end of the game.  He is taking charge, finding different receivers, and putting the defense on their heels.  In the past, they could focus on Calvin Johnson.  Because that is who everyone in the universe knew Stafford was going to look for at the end of the game.  Now that Johnson is gone, he has other options.  And he did have other options in years past, but you lean on your talent.

After the grieving period of Calvin Johnson's retirement, I came to the realization that the Lions could be better off without him.  That's not to say they're going to win eleven or twelve games (because they still aren't great), but it helps to develop other players.  There were plays that they could take off because Calvin Johnson was such a focus for the team.  Now they can focus more on spreading the ball around.  It allows the team to be more fluid.  It's almost like a team should be.  Not just a quarterback looking for a singular player, but a quarterback that has options.  More offensive weapons means more chances to win.  Stafford has always had the ability to throw the ball to whomever and wherever he wanted, but with Johnson retiring, he could take the next step to becoming a top tier quarterback.  So it's good for him as well. 

The Lions are always going to be the Lions.  Every year they win eight or nine games will be considered a successful year.  If they win ten or eleven games will be outstanding.  Will they ever win a Super Bowl?  It seems unlikely, but then again, no one ever expected the Chicago Cubs to make it to the World Series yet here we are. 

Historic Door

The house we bought was built in 1941.  It predates America's involvement in World War II, the atomic bomb, and Reganomics.  There are plenty of stories in this house that we will never know.  That's kind of the beauty of older houses.  They have stories.  Whether you know the stories or not, you know there have been plenty of things that have happened.  One thing that we do have is the door that leads down to the basement.  Someone, at one time, thought that it would be great to document some stuff on it.

Documentation that people lived here.  Families lived here.  The majority of the stuff written on here is kids' names, age, height.  Stuff like that.  It's like stuff you see in Rockwell paintings.  Hash marks and names.  It's cute.  The oldest date that we can find on here is from 1970.  There's marks from every decade since the 1970s.  It would have been awesome if there were dates older than 1970, but who knows, the door could have been replaced.  It doesn't seem as old as the house.  Most of the dates are in pen and will eventually fade over time.  There are some in pencil that are almost gone.  The smart people wrote in permanent marker.  We talked with the previous owners and they said that this door was one of the best features because of all the documentation.  There's another set of numbers of someone's pregnancy.  Weeks along and the circumference of the woman's stomach.  Sorry to use the word circumference, I don't know how to describe a woman's pregnant stomach without it sounding awkward.  

And here is our mark in the house.  I took this picture the day we got the keys to this house.  It was really the first thing we did here.  We added 'our first house' under the date.  We don't have kids to mark their heights.  I suppose we could mark the height of the cat?  It wouldn't change, but we still could.  That would be absolutely terrific for whomever owns this house after us.

This is the last up close of the door.  The last name is personal for me because it is a family name.  It is my mom's maiden name.  The funny thing is, my family is from Michigan.  And who knows, we could be related to this person in some way, shape, or form.  For those who believe in signs or fates or anything like that, if you saw a family name in a house that you were looking at, how could you not buy it?  We were convinced that we were going to buy this house before we saw the names and dates, but if this wasn't a sign from whatever you believe in, I don't know what would be.   

Housing Adventures

In the middle of June, my wife and I were faced with a dilemma.  The same dilemma we faced the year before.  Do we renew our rental lease or do we take the giant leap and look for a house of our own?  After considering the pros and cons, we made the decision to look for a house to buy.  It has been quite the adventure.  Not always in a good way, but an adventure nonetheless.  While we knew going in that it would take a while, and that it was not going to be as nice and tidy as they show on the HGTV network, it might have been just a little bit more than we originally thought.

There were several steps along the way.  The first big one was where we would be looking for a house.  Currently, my wife works about an hour south of the Twin Cities.  I work in the southern central part of the metro.  We live closer to her work than we do mine, but that was just where we moved because that is where we could find a place to live that wasn't the shitty apartment we found when we first moved to Minnesota.  We thought about staying in the city we are in now.  It is small enough that it reminds us of our hometown, but still close enough to the metro that you can get there in half an hour.  The problem is that everyone else is aware of this and the houses on the market are either too expensive or look like flop houses.  So we expanded our search in the hopes of finding somewhere near the middle to make our commutes similar.  We also took into account the fact that we both may not stay at our current jobs forever, more so her than me, that if either of us were looking for new employment, it would be closer to the metro, so to move a little bit further north made the most sense.

After we determined the general area of where we wanted to live, it was just a matter of finding a house.  Not just any house, not even the house.  Just one that would suit us.  It also had to fit into our budget, our wants for the house, you know stuff like that.  In the course of our house search, and after we made an offer on the one we are going to buy, we thought back to all the houses we saw.  To put it into context, we were driving about thirty minutes each way to go look at these houses, so we wanted to see three or four at a time just to make it worth our while.  Including the open houses we went to on weekends, we figured we saw between thirty to thirty five houses.  When we first started looking, we had a decent idea of what type of house we wanted, but weren't sure what we were looking for if that makes any sense.  We knew we wanted a house that pretty much move in ready but we wouldn't turn away from one that had small projects or anything like that.  The more we saw, the better idea of what we were looking for.  Some houses we wanted to see because we were going to be up there.

We found a house finally.  We put in an offer a few days after seeing it and the hard part was waiting.  It had just come on the market a few days before we saw it.  With the sellers waiting a few days to accept or negotiate or offer we figured they were waiting to see if they got any other offers.  Either they didn't or they thought our offer was good enough to deal with.  We negotiated a few times on the price and they accepted our second offer.  I figured negotiating the price was going to be the hardest part.  After our offer was accepted, the house inspection came next and of course there were many thing that came up.  We compiled a list of things that needed to be fixed.  What our realtor told us was to ask for them to fix as much as possible, they'll come back with what they'll fix, and you compromise on the list.  This was the most annoying part of the purchase, I thought.  We finally came to an agreement on what they would fix and what we would eventually take on.

After we came to an agreement, it was just a waiting game.  We had a closing date.  We had a last walk through date selected.  Our mortgage went to underwriting which was the worst part.  It was the worst because we weren't really involved in it.  We sent all our paperwork in and all the work was being done by people we hadn't ever met.  It was all very distant.  We'd get random emails from our mortgage person saying they needed a piece of paper from this or that.  Or we'd need to send them something else.  It was all repetitive and tedious.  And downright annoying.  They would need every single page, even if it was a line that just said one thing on it.

And finally, we were homeowners!  The grand adventure was over.  At least the first chapter was over and another was just beginning.   

Diversified Baseball

After the Kansas City Royals were eliminated from playoff contention in late September, it was guaranteed that the sport would have it's fifteen different champion in as many years. To me, that is a great thing.  Whether or not the team you routinely cheer for has made it into the post season, if you're a fan of the sport, you should enjoy this fact.  It's good for the sport because it brings in fans from cities and states that might not always be watching baseball in October.  Or watching it at all. 

With all that said, that does not mean that all the teams that are in the post season this year aren't there all the time, or on a consistent basis.  What it means is that you don't see repeat winners.  The closest the sport has had to back to back champions are the Royals who won it all last year and lost to San Fransisco the year before.  It's great to see teams like the Cubs and Indians make it to the playoffs because for some of the players, it's their first trip.  They get really excited about it.  Even if it is just for one series, even if they don't get to the World Series.  It gives them that experience they dreamt about as kids.  Anyone that played baseball as a kid had that dream about hitting a game winning home run in the playoffs or World Series.  This diversity that we see with all kinds of different teams making it to the playoffs let them relive that dream.  Kind of. 

Watching a team repeat as champions is the worst for fans of the game that are fans of the team.  Whenever the team that I root for, regardless of the sport, doesn't make it to the playoffs, I like to find the team that shouldn't be there.  The team that has had a surprising season or a team that has struggled for so long that you feel great for them just for making it to the playoffs.  It's like when a low seeded basketball team makes a deep run in the college basketball tournament.  You find yourself wanting them to knock off the big time teams.  It's the same with baseball.  You don't like seeing teams year after year winning the World Series (unless you root for them).  I like to see diversified post seasons.  Granted, it would be nice to see the Tigers in it every year, but with them out it does make it less stressful to watch. 

If a team makes it to the post season year after year, that does not always guarantee that they'll have a successful run.  One year they could be eliminated in the wild card game only to come back the following year and win it all.  And yes, it's nice to see that.  But I like seeing different teams win it every year.  It makes it that much more exciting.  If you think back to the late 90s and early 2000s, the Yankees were winning seemingly every year.  And weren't we all rooting for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001?  Let's all be honest.  And it wasn't all because it was the Yankees (okay, maybe it was), but wasn't it because we all wanted to see a different team win?  If it had been the Pittsburgh Pirates that were winning year after year, wouldn't you want to see someone else win?

An Unofficial and Horrifying Holiday

I feel like there is an unofficial holiday that has shown up at the beginning of Fall the past couple of years and it is starting to gain momentum.  It had a slow start and over the course of the past few years, it has started to gain momentum.  Almost to the point where you would think that people would start asking for the day off to celebrate.  I don't think there is a specific day that it starts, but maybe it has to do with the weather and the outside atmosphere.  It's the Pumpkin Spice Holiday. 

Yes folks, I am declaring that there is a nation holiday nightmare that is starting to take over and it smells of pumpkin and random spices.  It started out small, with a few things here and there with pumpkin flavoring.  Earlier this month, my wife texted me a picture of Pumpkin Spice oatmeal.  OATMEAL.  Stop it.  There is seemingly pumpkin spiced everything.  From consumable items like coffee, ice cream, and even beer to household items like candles, air fresheners, and potpourri.  It is starting to take over the gap between summer and Halloween.  I am expecting in the next year or two to walk into a Target and see an entire seasonal aisle run of nothing but pumpkin/pumpkin spice stuff.  To me that is a scary thing.  Now, I do like the smell of pumpkin, and even the taste of some pumpkin foods it's just becoming bigger than it should be.  

I know that when I think of fall, I think of smells.  It's a sensory season for me.  You step outside and there's something different in the air from the summer air.  I don't know if it's because of the temperature dropping and the leaves changing, but there's just something.  It's also a change in wardrobe for most people.  It's sweatpants, hoodies, and thermal long sleeve shirts.  It's comforting clothing.  Kinda like how there's comfort food, but it's comfort clothing.  Fall is my favorite season after winter.  One thing that is ruining it is pumpkin spice everything.  Stop ruining this time of the year for me!  And besides, if there is one type of food that should be associated with fall it should be apple. 

Post Season Pursuit

This season has been playing out a lot better for the Detroit Tigers than it did last year.  By this time last year, they were out of the playoff picture.  Hell, they were out of it by the All Star break.  The fans of the team came to the realization that they are going to be rebuilding over the next few years.  Especially after they traded away big names for prospects.  Much to my surprise, the Tigers find themselves in the hunt for the post season.  This is more exciting than the years that they were dominating the AL Central.  Was it nice when they were easily winning their division?  Yes, it was a guarantee they would be playing baseball into the end of September and October.  But the excitement and anxiety of each game just wasn't there.  Plus, the players know that every game counts.  They know that they have to go that extra mile and make that one extra play that could turn a lose into a win.  Now, every game matters as they battle back and forth with several teams for the playoffs. 

As I eluded to, after last season's disastrous end, I did not have many expectations for the Tigers.  I was hoping for a .500 record by seasons end as they worked the new prospects into the system.  They still have hold overs from their domination the past eight or nine seasons, but they also got younger.  With the emergence of some of the prospects throughout the season, the hopes of the fans grew.  This season is a great example of how baseball is a marathon and not a sprint.  In early May, the Tigers went on a horrendous run and lost eleven of thirteen games.  It was a dark time.  Many thought that they were going to dismiss Brad Ausmus as the manager.  If they had a more excitable or unsteady front office they might have.  They have also lost twelve of the thirteen games they have played against the divisional leader, Cleveland.  If you were to combine those two statistics, you would think that this team was dead in the water in June.  However, they are still within reach of the playoffs.  Most people think it will be through the wild card as opposed to the division.  They are five or six games back of Cleveland, which makes their struggles against that team that much more glaring.  Essentially, they have to win all the remaining games against Cleveland to have any shot at catching them.  Imagine if they had won just three more games against them!  They still have seven or eight games against Cleveland, and you know damn well that every broadcaster is going to bring up their struggles.  Let us hope that it doesn't get in the Tigers' head.  The wild card is now a two team play in game.  The Tigers are going back and forth with Baltimore for the second wild card spot, and they have a big series against them this weekend coming up.  That is where they could make their push for the playoffs.  If they sweep Baltimore, or get swept themselves, it could give a more clear playoff picture. 

The Tigers are not an excitable team.  You don't see them jumping out of the dugout after great plays.  They have that 'let's get this win and move on to the next one' approach.  That is a trait of their leadership.  Both the players and the management.  There are plenty of people out there that would like to see more emotion out of the team, but that's not their style.  Many like to point out that Brad Ausmus isn't a very excitable manager, and it's true.  Sure, it was amazing when he covered home plate with his hoodie earlier this year.  I saw that as his moment to show emotion and show the team that he's there for them, to have their backs.  It's like Jim Leyland's explosion all those years ago about the team just wanting to get on the plane after playing terribly against Cleveland (I believe it was).  All you fans know what I'm talking about. 

One thing I love about the Tigers is that they just have their expectations to drive them and their fan base.  They don't rely on a gimmick to drive the excitement.  They don't have a rally monkey or a rally mantis.  They have their solid play.  They have their experience to draw upon.  Even if the Tigers don't make it to the playoffs, it has been more entertaining this year to watch.  Yes, it's more stressful knowing that each lose puts them further back, but it also makes each win that much more important.  And just think, if they're playing this well now, how much better is the future once these rookies and prospects come into their own?

Movie Confessions

I got bored yesterday evening after getting home from work and started tweeting movie confessions.  Something fun to do.  You know, what the internet is for.  Not all that political posting or fighting in comment sections.  I do my best to keep my twitter timeline fun and this helped with that.  Here are a few movie confessions:

#MovieConfession I'd still watch any Star Wars prequel over any of the Dark Knight trilogy

— Michael Litzner (@Litzner) August 20, 2016

#MovieConfession Sam Rockwell will go down as one of the most underrated actors of our generation

— Michael Litzner (@Litzner) August 20, 2016

So I thought that I would add a few more movie confessions just for fun.  It's Sunday.  Who wants to read anything that could be thought provoking or something like that?

• Casablanca is the best 'classic' movie and might be the best of all time.
• I have trouble watching Field of Dreams because of this line: 'Hey Dad?  Wanna have a catch?'
• I legitimately hate Forrest Gump
• Blue Valentine crushed me
• The Cabin in the Woods was the best horror movie I've seen since the Blair Witch Project
• Overall, I don't like to watch scary movies
• Michael Fassbender could be the next Marlon Brando
• Return of the Jedi will forever be my favorite Star Wars movie
• The only good thing about Avatar was that it eventually ended
• I could watch any of the Bourne movies at any time on any day
• Every Doug Liman directed movie I've seen has been enjoyable

Now go watch a movie that makes you happy.

History: Not Just War

I can't remember what sparked it in me, but I have long enjoyed history.  In school, all the years from elementary through high school and beyond.  So much so that I studied it in college.  All kinds of different subjects that fall under the umbrella of history.  From military history to immigration to political history, I took classes that peaked my interest and others that were less than desirable.  For instance, I took one class that covered the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Era.  It was something that sounded interesting, but halfway through the semester I struggled to get the energy to even attend the class.  The major part of the problem was the professor.  Instead of talking with the class, she more talked down to the class.   

Ever since I was in college and I would tell people what I was studying, history, many had the same question.  'Oh history, what's your favorite war?'  In one way or another, the question was posed.  And yes, war is a major part of the history of the world.  There are many different aspects to history and to think that just one of them is the only focus of those who enjoy it is single minded.  So whenever I am asked that question, I normally respond with 'There's more to history than just war.'  After that, the discussion tends to veer towards what I wrote upon and what I studied. 

I wrote my senior paper on the immigration and migration of Bishop Frederic Baraga.  How, when, why he moved from Europe to the northern parts of Michigan.  It was an interesting topic for me, being from the Upper Peninsula, but nothing that was earth shattering.  It was not a monumental topic.  Part of history is learning about the past, no matter how small or insignificant the person or event.  Especially if the subject interests you.  Nuts to anyone who would roll their eyes if you tell them about a subject that they aren't interested in. 

To Have Seen Them Play

The great thing about sports is that we can not only live in the present, but in the past.  Just a few weeks ago, the baseball Hall of Fame inducted Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza.  Two players that were playing when I was younger and I remember watching. However, I didn't truly appreciate their talents.  They're peaks were in the early to mid 1990s when I was just mainly focused on the Detroit Tigers.

The more I thought about it, the more my mind wandered until it came upon a question:  who would I want to see play? Watching baseball now in my mid 30s, I have a fuller appreciation for the sport.  Being someone who loves history, this sport is right up my alley.  And of course my first thought was to see some of the Tigers greats play.  Cobb.  Lolich.  Greenberg.  Kaline.  Storied names for the franchise.  Even the players from the early 80s when I was so young I don't really remember. Players like Kirk Gibson and Chet Lemon.  I thought it would be fun to think of some non-Tigers players.

Sandy Koufax.  It's a bit of a toss up between Koufax and Bob Gibson as far as pitchers I would like to see.  Although, I think for Gibson I would like to watch his entire 1968 season.  He was straight up masterful that year.  If I had to watch just one game, it would be Koufax.  From his style of pitching to his ability to dominate in games, it'd be hard to argue to want to see someone else.

Ted Williams.  By and large, it's safe to say to any baseball fan that this guy was the greatest hitter ever and you would have minimal arguments.  The last man who I think will ever hit .400 in a season, every time he would step to the plate you would expect some sort of base hit.  And what's not to like about that?  I think most people go to the ballpark to see guys hit.  So why not want to see the best there ever was?

We, as fans, like to think that baseball that was played in the 60s and 70s was a much better time because we have all these giants of the game to reflect upon.  I don't know if we ever really stop to think about the giants that will be that we get to see now.  Thirty or forty years from now, we'll be able to say we remember Mike Trout's rookie season or Bryce Harper's MVP season.  I will surely remember Miguel Cabrera's triple crown season as well as Justin Verlander's two no hitters.  I don't think we truly appreciate what, and who, we get to watch on a daily basis.

Ritual

I don't do it as often as I should, but I enjoy shaving.  I have a beard, have had one for a long time, however I do my best to keep it short.  The exception being the fall and into the winter when it's nice to have a little bit more facial insulation.  Shaving usually occurs once a week for me because I just shave my neck.  Sometimes once every week and a half or two weeks.  I'm not always one for keeping to routines if I don't have to. I do my best to keep my beard at or just a little below my jawline.  There have been a few times when I've grown my beard out a little bit or done something different with it.  I've gone with mutton chops a few times.  Which was fun.  It was something different.  But now I just like to keep it full.  

The ritual of shaving with a razor wasn't really handed down.  There wasn't like some great bonding moment.  When the time came to learn how to shave, my dad taught my brother and I using an electric razor.  I used it for most of my high school years.  I hated it. I will never buy an electric razor, I will never use one again. To be honest, I couldn't grow a lot of facial hair until I was almost out of college.  It wasn't until I was eighteen and Gillett sent a Mach 3 that I had a razor.  It even came with a 'you're 18!  Here's a razor!' type card.  To this day, I don't know how or why they had my name and age, but they did.  And shit, I got a free razor out of it so what did I care?  In fact, I still have it, I just buy the replacement heads.  I hacked my face with it until I got the feel for it.  I placed my fair share of toilet paper squares on my face to be sure.  At the time I got that razor creepily in the mail, I couldn't really grow facial hair.  My first attempt my senior year of high school resulted in just a little bit on my chin.  I let it grow out a little bit and kept it.  

As far as I can remember, I have enjoyed shaving.  It feels like a great ritual.  Very manly.  You start out with a lot of scruff and end up with a smooth face.  It's like starting over.  And maybe that's why I normally do it just once a week (normally at the end of the weekend).  To feel like I'm starting anew.  One thing that has added to the ritualistic feel is having a badger bristle brush and a cup.  Like you see in movies that depict the 1950s and 1960s.  I keep telling myself I will buy a safety razor like they use as well, it just hasn't happened yet.  I even have a little stand for it!  

It's funny to look back at my first attempt to grow a full beard when I was in college.  It was my senior year, I was mainly focused on writing my senior paper and lining up an internship for my museum studies minor.  The last thing that was really on my mind was shaving. I also kept my hair a little bit longer back then too.  Once again, no time for grooming.  Plus, what poor college kid has twenty bucks for a hair cut?  That's a lot of money that can go towards beers!  Anyway, my beard was kinda thin.  A little patchy in some places.  A sad attempt really. Bit was what it was though.  

As I've grown older, it's filled out more.  There's some gray hairs in it now as well.  And by some gray hairs, I mean like five or six.  It's very distinguished looking.  People in my life (family, friends, co-workers) have come to know me what a beard.  Everyone would be shocked if I one day decided to shave it all off.  PERISH THE THOUGHT!  For it will never happen.  Short of being offered money to do so.  And it was take a lot of money to convince me to shave my beard off.  So for the time being, I will stick to just shaving my neck and enjoying the little bit of ritual routine I have.

  

Non Cellar Sellers

The baseball trading deadline is approaching and the Detroit Tigers are once again faced with a tough decision.  Just like last year, they are not one hundred percent out of the post season race (yes, I know it's July) but they aren't exactly in a spot to be comfortable with their fall season chances.  So what are they to do?  Last year, they had some pieces that they were willing to trade away (Price, Cespedes, Soria) and in return they restocked the farm system.  They are no longer the worst in the league, but those moves didn't exactly vault them to the top farm systems.  The difference between last season and this season is that the players that they did move weren't going to resign with the team nor were they difficult to move because they were big names.  This season, the Tigers don't really have the pieces that they can move while improving the future of the team while at the same time not hindering it.

Now why do I think that they should be selling at the trade deadline?  They aren't at or near the bottom of the division.  They are in the hunt for the wild card at least.  There isn't any way they are going to catch Cleveland.  Especially seeing as how they've lost twelve of thirteen games to them this season.  Could they buy at the trade deadline and make a push for the playoffs?  Absolutely.  However, with the way the wildcard is set up, they would be making moves to play one playoff game.  ONE!  If they were to lose that game, they would be done.  I'm looking to the future.  I would rather see the Tigers miss the playoffs for a few years while they restock their farm system with younger talent.  The star players they have now at the highest level are getting older and if they start to stockpile prospects now, they could be ready by the time the current roster turns over.  It's simple and well run organizations understand this concept.  The chance for the Tigers to win the World Series is over, sadly, for right now.  There are too many teams that have leapfrogged them as far as talent.  They have to just remain relevant so when they make another push in a few years, the big name free agents who could help push them over the top will want to sign with them.  If they can go season to season and hover around the .500 mark, when they are ready to push for a deep playoff run they could lure players again.  

Here is where we run into a problem.  Who do they trade?  Who can they depart with and still feel great about where they sit?  What type of players should they go after?  So.  Many.  Questions.  I think that with the moves they made last year, they have set up their pitching staff of the future.  We have all seen what Michael Fulmer is capable of, Daniel Norris has been hit and miss, Matt Boyd is still several years out.  If these guys can all stay healthy, and produce, we could be looking at a strong pitching core.  They also picked up JaCoby Jones who could be a great middle infielder for the future.  They have some talent coming up in the next three to four years, but it never hurts to have more.  They can always use them to trade away for if and when they can make a strong push into the playoffs.  I think that where the Tigers need the most help is the outfield.  Especially after J.D. Martinez broke his elbow.  I thought for few games that Steven Moya would do well for the time that J.D. was going to be out.  But by all accounts, he is best served as a designated hitter or a pinch hitter.  His defense still needs to catch up, but could he be moved for a more serviceable outfielder of the future?

What about Justin Upton?  I know the Tigers just signed him this offseason, but the fact that there is an opt out option after this season is disconcerting.  He could leave and the Tigers would get nothing in return.  It's almost like the situation they faced last year with Price and Cespedes.  The difference being Price and Cespedes were free agents at the end of last season and Upton does have a six year contract so he could stay in Detroit, it would just be a matter of whether or not he would.  I'm not sure how they determine that, but if he decides to leave I wouldn't be heartbroken (I didn't like the signing to begin with) but I would be upset that the Tigers wouldn't move him now to get some compensation.  And who would be looking for a bat that has been struggling this season?  Hopefully he gets hot in the next week and teams start kicking tires.  

Another player that might intrigue teams is Jose Iglesias.  Not for his bat per say, but more for his glove.  I enjoy watching him play and he has really solidified the middle infield with Kinsler.  He does have streaks in him that make me want the Tigers to keep him, but his injury history makes me leery.  The Tigers have is a prospect that can take his place in Dixon Machado.  True, he is someone that wouldn't really be ready until 2018 or '19 so maybe the Tigers shouldn't move Iglesias right now plus his contract is still team friendly.  But in the future, maybe they ship him off somewhere.  Maybe next year.  Next year when all the players are just a little older but still productive.  Next year when the Tigers may or may not be in the same situation they are in now.

After watching teams like the Royals and Astros rebuild through the draft and player development, I want the Tigers to take a similar approach.  I would like for them to give up on winning now.  The last good chance they had at winning a World Series was in 2012 and got steam rolled by the Giants.  After that, everyone could tell that they needed to restock and rebuild.  They just haven't done it until last year.  Mike Ilitch wouldn't allow it.  He wants a championship.  And I understand that, but what he wants isn't what is good for the team or organization.  Saying that I want the Tigers to rebuild doesn't mean I've given up any kind of hope that they play well, I just know that where they are now won't win them any kind of championship.  Besides, if I stayed a fan after the early 2000s what makes you think I would give up on my Tigers.  Life long fans of any team understand the need to rebuild or retool or reboot, or whatever you want to call it.  

Deserted Island List

Time for something fun and entertaining as we watch the world around us go to complete and utter shit.  We've all seen or read or thought about what we would bring to a deserted island.  There are plenty of people who can easily spout of four or five books, movies, or albums that they would want to have.  Other people probably wouldn't be able to give you one or two.  Me?  I'd be able to list somewhere in the eight to ten each range, but let's keep focused.  Below is a list of five movies, books, and albums I would want to have with me if I were on a deserted island.  And before someone starts the whole 'how are you going to play your music or movies without any power?', just don't.  Don't be that person.  Just have fun and assume the Professor from Gilligan's Island made me a coconut and solar powered tv/dvd combo type contraption before I murdered him for survival.

Albums:

• The Beatles:  Abbey Road
• The Clash:  London Calling
• Kendrick Lamar:  To Pimp a Butterfly
• Jack White:  Lazaretto
• Led Zeppelin:  Physical Graffiti 

Books:

• The Catcher in the Rye
• The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
• Common Sense
• The Road
• 44 Dublin Made Me

Movies:

• Casablanca
• No Country for Old Men
• Pulp Fiction
• Good Will Hunting
• Dazed and Confused

The movie part is where it got a little tricky because some of the movies that I love are parts of a trilogy.  My favorite movies of all time are the original Star Wars trilogy.  The same can go for the Lord of the Ring trilogy.  Sure, each movie in both trilogies can stand on their own, but when I watch one I kind of want to watch all of them.  Because the story spans three movies.  So, if I could smash all three Star Wars movies into one, I would bring that.  But I'm staying within the margins I have set for myself while writing this.  Besides, I've seen those movies enough times where I don't need to have them physically.  I have them in my mind.  Always and forever. 

Recruit Out of the Theaters

Can we take a moment to talk about how creepy it is that the Army is using the new 'Independence Day' movie as a recruiting tool?  I've seen a couple of the commercials and they seem normal until you get to the part where they bring in the movie as a point of emphasis.  The reason I look at it as straight up propaganda is that these movies are going to be seen by the masses.  And not just the adult masses, but kids.  Teenagers.  You know, the impressionable crowd.  Now, do they fully understand what they are seeing?  Probably not.  Are these commercials going to increase the recruit numbers of the military?  Who knows.  Hopefully not.  Because that's a shitty way to do it.

Before you start yelling and screaming about being un-American, think about all the outcries to ban or restrict violent video games because they could have a direct impact on younger people.  You remember the when the Grand Theft Auto games were being released and how some thought that the game content could lead to violent outbursts?  Or all the first person shooter games, same thought and principle.  So how is this any different?  I don't see stories about parents storming the FCC about the army trying to recruit their kids through movie theaters.  If you think this is a bit of a reach, think back to when 'Fight Club' came out.  How many stories did we see about people starting basement or backyard fight clubs?

I know, I know, this is a sci-fi action movie.  There probably won't be a spike in army recruitment.  I'm way overthinking it.  And besides, how would that sound in the recruitment office? 

'Why the army?' 
'Well, I was going to go to college, but after I saw the new Independence Day movie, I knew the army was for me.'
'So, you don't have a family tradition or love of your country?'
'Nope.  It was the movie.  Definitely.'
*whispers* 'Dammit.'
'What?'
'Nothing.  Sign here.'

Below is the only commercial I can find, but there is another that was just put out a couple of weeks ago talking about how the people in the movie learned what they learned from the army for their roles in the movie.  You know, the actors.  Everything they learned for the movie they picked up from the army.  So if you want to be a cool actor in a blockbuster summer movie*, JOIN THE ARMY!

*as soon as you finish basic training and your deployment to the Middle East which we have been dragged into and can't seem to find our way to escape.  But, you know, as soon as you're done with that, you can be a cool actor in a blockbuster summer movie

Conserve and Preserve

I spent quite a bit of time outside when I was a kid.  Lots of time at the lake, in the woods at our hunting camp, playing in the fields around our house.  To say I was attached to the outdoors as a kids might be a bit of an overstatement.  We spent time outside because we were kids, that's what we did.  It wasn't until I was a fully grown adult did I feel like I came to truly appreciate the outdoors.  We fish when we go home each summer.  I make a trip home in the fall to go hunting.  I feel great being out in the woods.  The seclusion might not be ideal for everyone, but to sit out in the silence and away from the world, if only for a few hours at a time, is great.  It's almost awe inspiring, as cliche as that sounds.  

Since 1995, the state of Minnesota has given it's drivers the option to reinvest in their state.  In addition to your annual license plate fee, you can contribute to preservation and conservation of wildlife habitats.  From the Minnesota DNR website:

 'With an annual contribution of $30 or more to the Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) Critical Habitat Program, you will be helping to preserve important wildlife habitat and plant communities such as wetlands, prairies, old growth forests, and endangered orchid sites.
Additionally, contributions over $30 go towards buying and managing important natural habitats, which are preserved as public lands. These lands are open to compatible public use, like hunting, hiking and wildlife watching.'

We have lived in Minnesota for five years (holy shit!) and it really does feel like home.  Don't get me wrong, nothing will ever replace Michigan or the Upper Peninsula in my heart, but Minnesota is a close second.  Minnesota and Michigan have a lot of similarities in climate, history, and culture.  We enjoyed living in Kansas, but it felt foreign to us because it was completely different from Michigan.  Little water, minimal trees, too much heat, too little snow.  I felt that this year, it was time to give back a little bit.  So I splurged a little bit and got one of these reinvest in Minnesota license plates.  Because of the way life is, I don't have the luxury of spending a lot of time outdoors here.  Sure, we spend some time walking in the state parks, but we don't have to means to go fishing on a lake.  I have the advantage of hunting at home for cheap because of my Native American heritage.  So this is a way that I can help others enjoy those kinds of things.  Minnesota has a lot invested in the outdoors.  There are over seventy state parks, almost as many state forests. 

I'm sure that there are other states with these types of license plate options, at least I would hope so.  I mean, if your state can spring to print and issue military, college, or other special types of plates, surely they can afford to produce one that helps to reinvest in nature.

Call it Like it Is

During the last seven game losing streak, I saw plenty of 'what's wrong with the Detroit Tigers?'  They have enough talent to avoid a losing streak like that.  Unless, of course, they are facing a few teams that are better.  They were feeling good after sweeping the Twins.  The eight win and infinity lose Twins of 2016.  They got swept by Cleveland and Texas right after that.  So what's wrong with the Tigers?  Nothing.  They just aren't as good as they were four or five years ago. And that's okay.  

It's okay that they aren't winning their division because the talent is coming. The right moves were made to restock the farm system.  After they traded away Price, Cespedes, and Soria, they sent a message that they are in the process of rebuilding. I initially thought that it would be a reboot and they'd be back in playoff races the next season or the season after that.  However, I've watched a few games and against good to great teams, the Tigers aren't on the same level.  And we all need to come to grips with reality:  the Tigers aren't that good anymore.

Rational fans will tell you that the moves they made last year were the right moves. Irrational fans still think the Tigers have a legit shot at the playoffs or even the World Series. That's not to say they aren't in the top half of MLB, it's just that they've been surpassed by other teams.  I think that part of it is because of Mike Illitch.  To be fair, he is key to the Tigers being relevant again, but his win now mentality has hurt the current state of the Tigers.  Their window to win the World Series closed when they were swept by the Giants.  It's been a slow and steady decline and I don't think they have hit bottom yet.

As much as we fans don't want to hear it, if the Tigers really want to be relevant in the next six or seven years, they have to bottom out. Maybe they build around J.D. Martinez and Nick Castellanos. They can't move their big contract players like Miguel Cabrera or Victor Martinez, but maybe they can move guys like Jose Iglesias and get some prospects in return.  I shouldn't say they can't move Cabrera, I should say they won't.  If they wanted to give up on the next four years they could trade him away.  They would be able to restock the farm system for sure if they did.

Mourning?

We all know that Prince passed away last week.  Minnesotans seemed to have taken it quite hard.  And why not?  He was from Minnesota, it was a sense of pride that he came from this state.  But it wasn't just the people of this state, but the world mourned.  And is still mourning.  He was a gifted musician and performer.  I did not feel the agony of his passing like the rest of the world seemed to.  I was not a fan of his.  That's not to say I did not like his music or appreciate the influence he had on the musical world.  I say I'm not a fan of his because I didn't listen to his music.  You can appreciate someone's influence without owning or listening to their music.  For me David Bowie's passing was felt more because I listened to him. I suppose that when artists that have made music that I deeply love pass away I will feel that sting for a little bit longer. 

I don't know how to segue into my next thoughts, so I guess I'll just put it out there:  I don't feel much of anything when celebrities pass away.  It sounds cold hearted, but because I do not have a personal relationship with them, I don't feel like going into mourning for long periods of time.  Sure, I'm sad when someone passes away, I'm not that much of a monster, but I don't feel super sad about it.  Does this make me a bad person?  Probably.  I feel bad for the family and friends.  The people that knew them on a personal level. And I understand that if a celebrity or public figure passes away that has had a significant impression on you it can be difficult.  But they have also left their life's work behind.  You will still be able to channel them when you are feeling down or feel like an outcast.  

You will still be able to listen to your favorite song or record.  You'll be able to read the book or poem that your favorite author wrote.  Have a mourning period to be beside yourself with grief. But also have a period of time when you revel in the fact that their work has made a positive impression on you.  Enjoy that song that makes you dance by yourself. Read that chapter in the book that makes you cry. Stare at the beautiful picture someone painted in silence while you contemplate life. 

Musicians, writers, and artists take their emotions and throw them into their work so that we can benefit from it.  The best thing that we as fans can do is to appreciate their work for what it does for us.  How their work makes us feel.  So, while I will be sad for a little while after my favorite author or musician passes away, I will also be very thankful that they left their work for us to enjoy. Forever.

Promotion

Just a quick little post to talk about work.  I always look at my path in retail as humorous.  After graduating college, I couldn't find a job in my field (SHOCKER!) so in an effort to start making money, I started working retail.  Since I graduated in 2004, I have had two jobs.  Both retail.  I kinda gave up on my college field of work although I would love to get back into it.

I started working at a new place on 2013 after leaving my previous employer of eight years.  In the eight years, I went from an hourly team member to department manager within a year because they wanted to promote hard workers.  Makes sense.  After reaching that department manager level, the promise of promotion and training was always there, it just never came to be.  And I wrote about this when I went to my new employer.  You can only deal with so many blocks in the road before you give up on trying to move up the ladder.  

So I took my work experience to a new place.  A smaller company at the store level and as a whole.  It is much more my speed.  I moved from one department to another after a year and a half overseeing the former.  And to no one's surprise, I absolutely CRUSHED IT in my new department.  No hubris, it's straight facts.  And within less than a year of running my new department, I was given a new opportunity.  

A promotion!  I am now a supervisor within my store.  I will be overseeing the logistics processes of our store.  My brain is wired for it.  I jokingly say the German part of my brain has taken over and will be compartmentalizing everything and keeping it all in line and in order.  This opportunity kinda fell into my lap as the previous supervisor moved away.  But I have earned the opportunity through hard work, which is how it should be, yes?  Promote based on experience and work ethic.  That's what I think.  

Like I said, I look at my work path in retail as humorous.  I never really thought it would end up being a bit of a career.  But I've been at it for twelve years or there abouts.  And after all this time, I have been given a leadership chance.  Which my wife jokes is scary because 'they know it's you, right?'

Visual Reading

I have recently found myself drawn to comic books.  I don't know why and I don't know how, but I just find them much more enjoyable than novels at the moment.  Maybe it's because comic book movies are very popular right now.  From X-men to the Avengers to Deadpool, it is gaining momentum every time a movie is successful.  Even television shows are popular.  Arrow and Daredevil are two that I watch through Netflix.  Part of it might also be because it is multi medium.  You have the story telling and plot points, but you also have the visual aspect of it.  My wife jokes that it sure does take me a long time to read a comic, but I enjoy reading the dialogue and then looking over the illustrations for full context of the subject.  Plus, I only read a little bit at a time.  I can't read for hours on end like she can. 

I was never really into comics as a kid.  I had a few.  Mostly random X-Men comics that you could find at a bookstore.  Had a couple of 'What If...' comics.  I did have the death of Superman when it came out.  I hadn't ever read any Superman comics before or since, but I just remember thinking I had to have it.  So I think my brother and I went half in and bought it together.  It is more than likely still at my parents house.  I have no clue. 

For a long time, I read non-fiction books, and while interesting, they were mentally draining.  Sure, you learn a lot about a subject that you are interested in or know little about, but it just isn't always enjoyable.  I'm not in school anymore, I don't really need to learn.  I still have and read non-fiction books.  I have a couple on my shelf right now that I am excited to read, but every time I look at them I give out a bit of a sigh thinking 'that's gonna take a long time to get through.'.  Even fiction novels seem like slow reading to me.  

So, below is my very modest collection of comics and graphic novels.  It started out with 'Watchmen'.  I read my brother's copy several years ago and gave it back.  But then I wanted to re-read it because I felt like there were some things that I just missed in it.  And I thought that while it would be just as easy to borrow it again, it would be a nice book to own.  That way I could read it whenever I felt the need to.  Then 'The Walking Dead' came to be.  Once I got the first and second compendium, I wanted to keep with the theme.  So I anxiously waited for the third one to come out.  And sure, I could just start going out and buying the chapters as they are released, but I like having the big collections.  Just how my mind works.  And thanks to the successful Netflix show, I have really taken interest in Daredevil.  The three that I have I bought for my birthday.  They are the run that Frank Miller did in the late 70s and 80s.  After reading the first collection, I am looking to add as much as possible.  Going back to the very first one and adding everything in between.  This is where sites like Amazon come in handy because you can find literally anything you want.   

What I have found is that collections are the way to go, especially if you are interested in a comic or graphic novel that has been out for a long period of time.  Or if you aren't up to having tons of little comics lying around.  Plus, I'm not going to be running out every couple of weeks to update my collection.  I would rather have these big books versus hundreds of small ones sitting around.  It's all together in binding.  You don't have to try keep going back to the bookshelf once you finish one and then find the next once.  With collections you can just keep turning the pages.

I think that the one problem with comics is that there are just so many.  And I'm not just talking titles, because we all know that, but plenty of comics books have been out for decades.  DECADES.  Daredevil started in the 1960s.  So if you want to read everything that has been published, you are going through sixty years of publication.  So you have the amount of time titles have been out, but then you also have different story arcs, alternate versions, crossovers, all kinds of things.  And that's the cool thing about comics.  In one universe you can have certain characters that are dead, but are brought back in other universes.  Unless it's the 'Walking Dead'.  Once you're gone, you stay gone.  There is no alternate universe.   

Flipping Out

As of late, and it might be because there's no real news, the baseball world is concentrating a little too much on bat flips.  For those not familiar with bat flips:  when a batter has a big hit or a big home run in a crucial point of a game, they toss or flip the bat out of their hand instead of tossing it down to the ground.  It's a way of showing off basically.  This topic will split a room of baseball fans.  The question is:  why aren't batters suppose to do this?

The big argument against it is that it shows up the pitcher that they just got a big hit off of.  That it's disrespectful.  If that's the case, then why is it okay for a pitcher to show up the batter when he gets a strikeout?  Why is it okay for the pitcher to pound his glove or hop off the mound when he gets out of a bases loaded jam?  Doesn't that show up the batter?  There is no retaliation if a pitcher shows up a batter is there?  It's not like a batter can chuck his bat, helmet, or batting gloves at the pitcher.  But batter beware if you flip your bat after hitting a 435 foot home run to take the lead in a game.  The next pitch might find your rib cage.

It is not disrespectful to the pitcher.  These players are human, can't they show some emotion?  A little bat flip or bat toss isn't the end of the world.  If you think Jose Bautista or Bryce Harper doing a little bat flip is outrageous, search 'Korean baseball bat flip' on YouTube.  Let me tell you, these little bat flips will seem tame.  The big controversy last post season was Jose Bautista.  Everyone knows the bat flip.  But did they watch the game?  Did they see Texas take the lead in the top of the 7th?  Did they see the emotions start to amp up?  The reason for the bat flip was because the game was so tense and that home run gave the Blue Jays the lead again.  Emotion is allowed.  They are human.  But you had players coming out of the woodwork saying that Bautista was disrespectful and showed up the pitcher. He had been around for a long time and is a respected player in the game.  This was his first postseason series and you're telling me that Jose Bautista cannot show emotion at that point?  Now, if he does this every single time he hit a home run, you might have a bit of an argument.  But when he hits home runs, he puts his head down, runs the bases, and celebrates with his teammates.  There isn't jumping up and down in the batters box, there isn't any staring down the pitcher.  In my mind, He has earned the right to bat flip.  

In football, you see small celebrations all the time.  Probably twenty times a game you see a guy stand up and signal first down after a big play.  Is that showing up the defense?  Not really.  There are celebrations in the end zone after touchdowns.  The NFL has worked to curtail excessive celebrations with the entire team dancing for an extended period.  But it's fine if a player does a dance or spikes the ball.  In basketball you see players flex their muscles and let out screams after monster dunks.  You see them throw up three fingers when three pointer is scored?  Is that showing up the opponent?  Not if they flex their muscles and then turn around and go back to the game.  If they stand above them and stare them down, that's taunting and maybe a foul?  I'm not sure.  Everything seems to be a foul in basketball.  In hockey, there's small celebrations.  Nothing major unless the team wins a playoff series.  But you still see some celebratory jumping into the glass after a goal.  Or going down and touching the ice as they skate away.  That doesn't mean the player is going to get slashed or punched in the mouth the next time he is on the ice.  

It's funny to listen to older players talk about how there weren't any type of antics back in the day.  Oh really?  There's pictures and video of Mickey Mantle bat flipping after home runs.  Babe Ruth calling his shot isn't showing up the pitcher?  If that isn't showing up the pitcher, I don't know what is.  He was saying 'doesn't matter what you throw, it's leaving the park'.  Was there outrage when this happened?  Pete Rose ruined Roy Fosse's career in an All Star game by running him over to score a run.  Is that not disrespectful?  It was an exhibition game.  There is photographic evidence of Al Kaline doing bat flips.  Who cares?  We are all human, we are allowed to have emotions.  

I think that there is a fine line though.  If your team is down 8-1 in the 9th inning and you hit a solo home run and bat flip, that's neither the time nor the place.  If you stand in the batters box watching the ball sail over the fence for an extended period of time, that's showing up the other team.  Especially if it's a no doubter.  If it's close to the foul line, I understand that.  But more often than not, the players can tell if it's leaving the park.  There is a time and place for everything.  And knowing that is part of being a professional.  I think asking players to keep their emotions in check every single moment of every single game is asking a bit much.  

32>64

March Madness is here!  Fill out your bracket, research college basketball programs you have no idea where they're from!  Non-basketball fans head for the hills!  I don't get too excited about it because I am not big on basketball, but I do fill out a bracket every year.  Just because it's fun to do.  I've done it a few times for money, won once and lost another time.  Nothing major, I think I won thirty or forty dollars in the pool.  I watched close to no basketball this year, so it was fun to go just by the numbers.  I picked Kansas over Michigan State to win the tournament.  I usually do not do well in picking, but like I said, I do it for fun. 

It seems like each year when the bracket is announced, there's grumblings and rumblings about teams that didn't get in or teams that aren't seeded where they think they should be.  The teams that complain about not making it aren't even going to win a game in the tournament, so I have never really understood the anger.  I mean, the teams that don't make it would have a better shot in the NIT as opposed to the national tournament.  It's the whole big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big lake argument.  Which do you want to be?  And it's always teams that would be ranked 15 or 16 and wouldn't win a game anyway.  Would you rather win a game or two in a lower tournament or get blown out by one of the top teams in the country?  On national television.  It'd be an embarrassment.  In fact, the lowest seed to ever win the whole tournament was Villanova in 1985.  They were an eight seed.  Now, I know we all love it when a Cinderella team wins a game or two.  If anything, the team probably broke your bracket so you're hoping that they continue to win so it does the same to others.  And while it's awesome to see thirteen and twelve seed teams win, it's not good for the tournament.  The tournament needs to move from 64 teams down to 32.  And it would flourish. 

Think about the first round games each year.  You have blow out games.  The 1/16, the 2/15, and traditionally, the 3/14 games aren't even watchable because the lower seed teams are just lucky to be there.  More often than not, the game is over by half time.  I mean, who in their right minds think that Austin Peay has a shot against Kansas?  Or what are the chances that Holy Cross doesn't lose by fifteen points or more against Oregon?  The 7/10 and 8/9 games are always fun and great to watch because the teams are so evenly matched.  The games, as a whole, do not start to get good until the second round, and that's if the majority of the higher seeds move on to the next round.  If you shrank the tournament from 64 to 32, you would have more competitive games from start to finish.  The lowest seeded teams would be an eight seed. 

Look at the four eight seeds in the tournament this year:  Colorado, Saint Joe's, USC, and Texas Tech.  While they are not traditional basketball powerhouses, they are (Saint Joe's notwithstanding) big name schools.  And with big name schools comes larger viewing audiences.  And with larger viewing audiences comes more revenue.  So you have big name schools near the top of the tournament seeding, but outside of their fan base, who is going to watch a game that is over by halftime?  There are 32 college conferences and each team that wins their conference tournament, gets in to the national tournament.  If the idea was to have the top 32 teams in the country in the national tournament, you would have to do away with these automatic bids.  The runner up of the ACC or Big East tournament is more often than not better than, say, winner of the Patriot League.  If you went just with the automatic bids making it into the tournament, you still aren't making it more watchable.  You could have a team with a losing regular season record go on a hot streak and win a conference tournament and get in, but a team that lost eight games all season and lost a quarter final game would be out?  No, that wouldn't work. 

What they would have to do in order to make a 32 team national tournament work is to get rid of automatic conference tournament winning bids and go with overall record.  Just take the top 32 teams in the country based on record.  Regular season record.  You would have the best of the country playing.  The low seeded teams would have a legit shot at winning games and making deep runs into the tournament.  I think that the one major thing that the NCAA would have to take into consideration is scheduling.  Especially the non-conference scheduling.  Just like with college football, basketball teams schedule some easy games at the beginning of the season, it's almost like preseason for professional sports.  You know, if you have a Big 12 school schedule a few Pac 12 or Big East teams in the early part of the season, there's nothing wrong with that.  Those conferences are on the same level.  However, if they start scheduling the bottom feeders of the MEAC conference, then you have to take a look and put a stop to it.  I don't argue against big schools scheduling one or two games against in state smaller schools.  It helps out the smaller schools because of the money that is involved, just like in football.  But you can't pad your record, that's just not cool.

Will this ever happen?  Hell no.  Why not?  Because, despite the fact that half of the first weekend games are nearly unwatchable, they're still on television.  They are still people taking time off of work (seriously) to try and watch as much as possible.  So why mess with a good thing?  My argument is that it really isn't a good thing, because most games aren't interesting.  You may see that a really low seed has a shot near the end of a game and you might turn the channel to watch it, but you haven't been watching the whole game.  Because who thinks a fourteen seed is going to beat a three seed?  Delusional fans, that's who.    

Binge Worthy?

With the rise of streaming services, binge watching has become very popular.  And with Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu starting to put out original content, you no longer have to wait an entire week for the next episode.  You can watch an entirely new season in just a few days.  Past seasons are readily available and you can watch a favorite episode from the first season that was four years ago.  All at the touch of a few buttons.  And it's ruining how we watch everything.

We live in a need it now world.  We don't want to wait in line at the store, so we have self checkouts because everyone thinks they can do it themselves better than the cashier.  We have smart phones and can access the Internet, social media, and email any time we want instead of turning on the computer when you get home.  Hell, I even wrote part of this on my phone thanks to an app.  So once streaming services started producing their own content and releasing it all at once, there was no longer a seven day wait for the next episode.  Binge watching a new season became normal.  Sitting down over the course of a weekend to watch all the new episodes is now typical behavior.  I just don't see how people can do that.  I don't understand how they can keep focused for four or five hours at a time to watch a handful of episodes all at once.  To be honest, I have done this once.  When Netflix released 'Wet Hot American Summer:  First Day' we sat down and watched all the episodes.  It's a little different with thirty minute episodes, which is what it was.  And it was funny and you didn't really have to pay attention to small details or conversations.  Just recently, the new season of 'House of Cards' was released and people were on social media talking about the entire season just a few days after it came out.  Full disclosure:  I haven't watched any of that show, so I don't know how intense or detailed it is.  But still, that has to be tough.

There are shows that I want to watch over a two or three day span.  When 'Daredevil' comes out at the end of the month, I might be tempted.  I watched the first season an episode at a time over a few weeks time frame.  Holding onto the old ways of waiting I guess.  What I have found is that I'm good for two new episodes of dramas or shows that are an hour long.  I have trouble keeping focused after two new episodes.  I get thinking about stuff I could be doing other than watching a show.  Plus, it's going to be there the next day.  But again, with a thirty minute comedy, that's different.  Maybe because it is so short, you feel that it's only an hour if you watch two and you still have the drive to watch more.  Right now, I'm in the midst of the second season of 'Arrow'.  It's good, and as I watch the episodes, I want to watch more than two because character development and action sequences are starting to pick up.  But I've tried watching a third episode.  What ends up happening, if I can get through it, is that I forget what happened.  So I end up re-watching the episode.

There is also the fact that after watching television shows for so long the traditional way, you are use to waiting to see what happens.  You are use to having time to digest what has happened.  One of the drawbacks to binge watching is you don't get that downtime to think about what is happening to the characters or what might happen in the next episode.  You get that instant gratification, but the anticipation of the new episode is gone.  Watching shows like '24' and 'The Walking Dead' they leave you reeling with cliff hangers or character injury/death that you have to deal with for an entire week (or more) before you find out what happened.  I mean, how intense was it wondering what happened to Glenn for those two weeks Walking Dead fans?  How long did you mourn President David Palmer, Tony, and Michelle 24 fans?  It was great.  That is the allure of television.  The waiting and the anticipation of the next episode. 

Some years in the future, the not too distant future the way technology develops, we will look at waiting seven days for the next episode as just plain crazy.  Even now, it's starting to become a relic.  With on demand television, you can miss an episode or two and still catch up on it.  You can wait until the weekend and catch up on all the shows you would have to plan your evenings around.  Is it only a matter of time before cable and network channels stop broadcasting new episodes on a weekly basis?  At what point will we start to see whole seasons of sitcoms being released all at once?  It doesn't feel like it's that far away.  When that happens, that might just be the death of the television station.  Or at the very least, the death of the television station as we know it.  It will become something else.  Something new.  And what that is I am interested to see.