It happened, as it has often for some damn reason, driving away from working out. I had a funny feeling when I started it that there was something still wrong. Have had that feeling a few times since the air intake tube was switched out Friday, and I thought it had a hard time accelerating a couple times, but that was when I was driving at a low speed, so I thought I wasn't putting my foot on the gas, and besides, I didn't need to speed up, so who cares.
This was different. I was stopped at a red light, and when it went green I hammered my food down ... and just like goddamn before, it wouldn't fucking move. Five long seconds later it kicked in and I was on my way, but FUCK! it's still not fixed.
I'm just glad there was no one behind me to honk at me when I wasn't moving. That'll happen, though, as will the stalling. And now I'm fucking afraid of my car again.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Stuff I'm Giving To Goodwill Today And Why
- Gray khakis I probably got on sale from the Gap, the one with the blood on my ass from my anal fistula, which this dumb bitch at work pointed out to me;
- The dark green-and-blue-striped pajama shirts, because it has a huge hole on the left sleeve, from the forearm to maybe up to the elbow;
- The gray long underwear pants because the elastic is too stretchy now;
- The blue American Eagle Outfitter boxer shorts with alternating vertical single light blue and double white stripes; it has a huge rip in its seat;
- Socks from the Gap, the ones with a green tip, heel and cuff, with big black and small yellow rings inbetween; the holes at the heels were getting too big and annoying;
- Two black socks, both of which with vertical stripes/ribbing at the top, which I got from wherever and whose heel holes also got too big for me to keep them. Note that I said "two," not "a pair"; they are different lengths, therefore they don't go together, but why keep socks that have holes in them and for which you can't find its rightful partner?
Monday, April 6, 2015
2015 College Basketball Anti-Picks, Round 6
Record, Round 5: 0-1
Overall Record: 13-37
Total Outlay, Round 5: $3,000.00
Total Winnings, Round 5: $0.00
Total Loss, Round 5: $3,000.00
Overall Loss: $5,655.30
Tom Izzo is going to pull out another miracle, they say. The scrappy underdog is going to take it to Duke, they say. Duke is vulnerable, they say. OK, I don't know who "they" are. But I got caught up in the narrative that Michigan St.'s grit and rebounding is going to keep them in the Final Four semifinal against the Blue Devils.
There was a was a point early in my bracket where I had Duke losing in the second round to San Diego St. A 1-seed has to fall that early in the tournament, no? But then I looked at their defensive efficiency rank at Ken Pomeroy's site and realized that this isn't the sieve they were in the middle of the season, so I dialed back on my reckless bracketing and put them through to the regional final, where I had them losing to Gonzaga. I should have put them into Monday's final, of course, but at least I had the good sense to get them that far. They showed that strength in routing the Spartans Saturday -- Jahlil Okafor and Tyus Jones, their shutdown perimeter defense, the ability to score in waves at times. What I'm trying to say is that, maybe, I should respect that Duke could pour it on on the Spartans. Twenty points' worth of pouring it on, in fact.
And so I am down $5,655.30 in mythical bucks, by far the greatest hole I have ever faced in doing Anti-Picks. God, I suck.
---
So, how the fuck will this game go? Obviously I have no clue. Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker could continue to shoot the lights out ... or they could go cold when it counts the most. Okafor could continue to not miss in the paint ... or he could get into foul trouble early and alter Duke's offensive gameplan. The Blue Devils could bomb it from deep ... or they could revert to their cold snap in the middle of the season and not be able to throw a spear into the ocean.
One thing I have observed: The Badgers are scoring very well despite wanting to slow down the game. Why do that if you can outscore your opponent? So even though the sharps usually pound the Under, I could see Dekker remaining hot and Kaminsky being able to work on the down low against the Duke bigs that have to guard him so Okafor can remain on the court. That would mean that the Blue Devils will have to both run against Wisconsin (the more transition points they get, the greater the chance Duke will win) and rain threes in order to catch up. And what the hell, I think they will, resulting in a shootout:
1) Duke-Wisconsin Over 139.5 (How did Wisconsin become the favorite all of a sudden? The current line is Badgers -1, when Duke has been the "better" team throughout the year. Is this a case of recency bias, not unlike Michigan St. being a live underdog? Yeah, I learned my lesson. Hopefully I'll learn it in time to erase all my fucking debt) $6,500
Good luck!
Overall Record: 13-37
Total Outlay, Round 5: $3,000.00
Total Winnings, Round 5: $0.00
Total Loss, Round 5: $3,000.00
Overall Loss: $5,655.30
Tom Izzo is going to pull out another miracle, they say. The scrappy underdog is going to take it to Duke, they say. Duke is vulnerable, they say. OK, I don't know who "they" are. But I got caught up in the narrative that Michigan St.'s grit and rebounding is going to keep them in the Final Four semifinal against the Blue Devils.
There was a was a point early in my bracket where I had Duke losing in the second round to San Diego St. A 1-seed has to fall that early in the tournament, no? But then I looked at their defensive efficiency rank at Ken Pomeroy's site and realized that this isn't the sieve they were in the middle of the season, so I dialed back on my reckless bracketing and put them through to the regional final, where I had them losing to Gonzaga. I should have put them into Monday's final, of course, but at least I had the good sense to get them that far. They showed that strength in routing the Spartans Saturday -- Jahlil Okafor and Tyus Jones, their shutdown perimeter defense, the ability to score in waves at times. What I'm trying to say is that, maybe, I should respect that Duke could pour it on on the Spartans. Twenty points' worth of pouring it on, in fact.
And so I am down $5,655.30 in mythical bucks, by far the greatest hole I have ever faced in doing Anti-Picks. God, I suck.
---
So, how the fuck will this game go? Obviously I have no clue. Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker could continue to shoot the lights out ... or they could go cold when it counts the most. Okafor could continue to not miss in the paint ... or he could get into foul trouble early and alter Duke's offensive gameplan. The Blue Devils could bomb it from deep ... or they could revert to their cold snap in the middle of the season and not be able to throw a spear into the ocean.
One thing I have observed: The Badgers are scoring very well despite wanting to slow down the game. Why do that if you can outscore your opponent? So even though the sharps usually pound the Under, I could see Dekker remaining hot and Kaminsky being able to work on the down low against the Duke bigs that have to guard him so Okafor can remain on the court. That would mean that the Blue Devils will have to both run against Wisconsin (the more transition points they get, the greater the chance Duke will win) and rain threes in order to catch up. And what the hell, I think they will, resulting in a shootout:
1) Duke-Wisconsin Over 139.5 (How did Wisconsin become the favorite all of a sudden? The current line is Badgers -1, when Duke has been the "better" team throughout the year. Is this a case of recency bias, not unlike Michigan St. being a live underdog? Yeah, I learned my lesson. Hopefully I'll learn it in time to erase all my fucking debt) $6,500
Good luck!
Sunday, April 5, 2015
I Should Look For A Job, But ...
With yet another series of expensive car fixes on the way, I have not reacted to my parents' latest overture to look for a "real" job with as much ire as I have in the past. You know, it is getting a bit tiresome to get all these fat checks where I can see the financial rewards of putting in overtime (I was able to pull in the maximum 53 1/2 hours my last full week at the test scoring place), only to see the checking account I put it in shrink as soon as I raise it because of huge expenses -- car repairs, going out to eat, sexytime with strippers, etc.
Getting a full-time job should alleviate that. I think (I don't know for sure; hey, that ignorance of information is what you get for being a temp all your life) that the salary they give you won't be just better than the hourly wage I get (which, by the way, has stepped up within the past year, something for which I truly am grateful) but exponentially better. Plus, full-time jobs give you benefits, like paid time off, health insurance and 401(k), so you're getting paid beyond exponentially better. That would be really good.
Trouble is getting one. Motivation is always going to be an obstacle for me. As much as it continues to stunt my ability to make a nestegg, I still like being a temp because it prevents making my work part of my life. So what if I don't take my current job seriously? I'm just a temp. I could be fired, I could walk away -- doesn't matter, I'm just a temp. Getting a full-time job is a commitment that I'm still very reluctant to strive to. And even if I do try to look for one, I think I'm vastly unqualified from getting one. All these good-paying jobs demand work experience or a degree in the right field and at a level beyond my bachelor's. Applying, then, would be futile. I would have to go back to school to get the right degree, and we're back to all that shit again about going back to school.
Still, two things cause me to write about this subject. First one is the latest stuff from My Father: Two local giant companies, United Health and Medtronic, are hiring, at least according to him. Normally I would just nod my head and say, "I'll get to it." But this time around I asked him to get the website for those two companies for me to look up, even though I could probably Google the sites myself. He doesn't have Medtronic's yet, but he did get me the URL for United Health, and I actually did get to it -- just now ... where it looks like there is nothing available right now. They asked me over dinner last (Saturday) night whether I looked at it yet and I lied to them and said I have already applied. I should have told them the truth instead.
I may have said this before, but if I haven't, I'll say it now. I don't know if I will ever take my parents', in particular My Father's, advice on anything, let alone jobs. But the fact that they still ask me and advise me and tell me that so-and-so company is hiring, after years of me rebuffing their recommendations, is ... heartening to me. Why? Because it means they haven't given up on me yet. Now, they may be giving me advice because they want me out of the house. Either way, I think I would notice if they gave up and no longer told me about jobs that might crop up, and I would feel very regretful that I wore them down into complete hopelessness for their son's future.
The other thing comes from the woman who I am in contact with about our alumni club's big shindig this summer. Over messaging on Facebook yesterday (Saturday) morning we batted around ideas about the party. She said that I and the Vice-President should come over to see the place before we give an official OK. As to when in the next couple months we could do it, she told me that she'll be out in Los Angeles one particular weekend to see her brother graduate. And then she gave me the details: He decided to quit not only his job but his career, go back to school and become a doctor.
This is the most astonishing thing: He went back to school at the age of 44, stayed in school for six years, and, apparently, has a position lined up after he graduates in a few months. At 50.
Great, that blows my, "I'm too old to go back to school" defense out of the water. Nevertheless inertia is a hell of a thing to overcome, so in my mind I'm still thinking, "I'm too old to go back to school."
Do I risk staying the way I am, or do I change into something I might not want to be?
Getting a full-time job should alleviate that. I think (I don't know for sure; hey, that ignorance of information is what you get for being a temp all your life) that the salary they give you won't be just better than the hourly wage I get (which, by the way, has stepped up within the past year, something for which I truly am grateful) but exponentially better. Plus, full-time jobs give you benefits, like paid time off, health insurance and 401(k), so you're getting paid beyond exponentially better. That would be really good.
Trouble is getting one. Motivation is always going to be an obstacle for me. As much as it continues to stunt my ability to make a nestegg, I still like being a temp because it prevents making my work part of my life. So what if I don't take my current job seriously? I'm just a temp. I could be fired, I could walk away -- doesn't matter, I'm just a temp. Getting a full-time job is a commitment that I'm still very reluctant to strive to. And even if I do try to look for one, I think I'm vastly unqualified from getting one. All these good-paying jobs demand work experience or a degree in the right field and at a level beyond my bachelor's. Applying, then, would be futile. I would have to go back to school to get the right degree, and we're back to all that shit again about going back to school.
Still, two things cause me to write about this subject. First one is the latest stuff from My Father: Two local giant companies, United Health and Medtronic, are hiring, at least according to him. Normally I would just nod my head and say, "I'll get to it." But this time around I asked him to get the website for those two companies for me to look up, even though I could probably Google the sites myself. He doesn't have Medtronic's yet, but he did get me the URL for United Health, and I actually did get to it -- just now ... where it looks like there is nothing available right now. They asked me over dinner last (Saturday) night whether I looked at it yet and I lied to them and said I have already applied. I should have told them the truth instead.
I may have said this before, but if I haven't, I'll say it now. I don't know if I will ever take my parents', in particular My Father's, advice on anything, let alone jobs. But the fact that they still ask me and advise me and tell me that so-and-so company is hiring, after years of me rebuffing their recommendations, is ... heartening to me. Why? Because it means they haven't given up on me yet. Now, they may be giving me advice because they want me out of the house. Either way, I think I would notice if they gave up and no longer told me about jobs that might crop up, and I would feel very regretful that I wore them down into complete hopelessness for their son's future.
The other thing comes from the woman who I am in contact with about our alumni club's big shindig this summer. Over messaging on Facebook yesterday (Saturday) morning we batted around ideas about the party. She said that I and the Vice-President should come over to see the place before we give an official OK. As to when in the next couple months we could do it, she told me that she'll be out in Los Angeles one particular weekend to see her brother graduate. And then she gave me the details: He decided to quit not only his job but his career, go back to school and become a doctor.
This is the most astonishing thing: He went back to school at the age of 44, stayed in school for six years, and, apparently, has a position lined up after he graduates in a few months. At 50.
Great, that blows my, "I'm too old to go back to school" defense out of the water. Nevertheless inertia is a hell of a thing to overcome, so in my mind I'm still thinking, "I'm too old to go back to school."
Do I risk staying the way I am, or do I change into something I might not want to be?
Saturday, April 4, 2015
2015 College Basketball Anti-Picks, Round 5
Record, Round 4: 1-6
Overall Record: 13-36
Total Outlay, Round 4: $1,600.00
Total Winnings, Round 4: $477.25
Total Loss, Round 4: $1,122.75
Overall Loss: $2,655.30
Well, fuck my goddamn life again. Michigan St. turned out to be the Cinderella I didn't think they would be; I had them losing in the real first round to Georgia. (Louisville Forward Mangok Mathiang, why the hell couldn't you hit that goddamn free throw?!) And Gonzaga failed, yet again, to take the final steps to the Promised Land of the Final Four that George Mason, VCU, Butler and Wichita St. already have -- stepping over the Bulldogs along the way, by the way.
And the two games where I bet on the total was a total shitshow. The total went 30 points over the O/U because, I think, Sam Dekker started getting hot from behind the arc and Arizona couldn't help but pick up the pace and score, which they did, even though they obviously didn't win. $350, gone.
As for picking the Over 136 in Kentucky-Notre Dame ... well, I didn't think about this game at all, and if you look at my record so far this tournament, you could understand why I decided not thinking would be better for me. I didn't think the Irish could hang with them, but what do I know? So I thought Notre Dame would, and naturally I thought Notre Dame would do it by being Notre Dame, as in scoring at will. But they didn't score at will, really; they spread out Kentucky, the Wildcats got really scared that they would rain jumpers on them (a fear that I think was unfounded; as good as the Irish are, I say let them shoot so you can collect any rebound off a miss), they ran the shot clock down and, shockingly, they scored in the paint. And when they missed in the paint, Notre Dame got more than their fair share of rebounds because they spread out Kentucky. It's a damn miracle that the Wildcats won, but they did it in a slugfest, not a shootout. $200, gone.
So I went big and lost big, more than $1,100. I think the $2,600 may be the biggest hole I have ever faced since starting Anti-Picks. Also, $2,600 may be the total amount of repairs I'm doing on my car. I don't know if the fix this mechanic did on my car yesterday worked, because I think my hiccuped on my way to this new coffeeshop close to the place I exercise at. May talk about this soon.
---
So, what now? My main goal at this point is to get out of this hole, profit be damned. No use taking steps; either I get it all back with one chunk or I fall into twice the size of the big hole I'm in now. If the latter, I at least have the championship game on Monday. But if I win today, I think I'll be done with it.
So, which one? Fuck the Over/Unders. I suck at them. How about Kentucky-Wisconsin? Now people are saying that the Badgers can stay close with the Wildcats the same way Notre Dame did, and those same people will point out Wisconsin plays better defense and rebounds better than the Irish did. That could be true. Or, Dekker can run into a cold streak and the 'Cats could double-team Associated Press Player Of The Year Frank Kaminsky into a less-than-teens point total and they could run away with it. I have no clue, so no bet.
That leaves Duke-Michigan St. I can't help but like Tom Izzo, but they are the 7-seed outlier in a Final Four where the other 3 1-seeds reached the third and final weekend. Also, in retrospect, they reached Indianapolis with a fairly easy schedule, taking out a 2-seeded Virginia team that couldn't recover their offensive mojo and a fairly generic Oklahoma squad. What they did against Louisville shows grit, but hey, Mathiang could have ended their Cinderella run -- should have ended -- with a free throw. Can they really pull off another stunner against a sturdy Blue Devils club? Will they ruin a potential Kentucky-Duke final, where basketball fans will root against both teams? No.
Then again ...
1) Michigan St. +5 1/2 (... they can lose by a close margin. Maybe the Spartans will keep it close, surprise Duke by protecting the paint and grabbing most of the loose balls [an Izzo point of emphasis] I have written down what I think will happen, but again, I'm sucking at betting this Big Dance, so I might as well go against my logic and wager the opposite. Yes, I'm Anti-Picking my Anti-Pick. What the hell, right?) $3,000
Good luck.
Overall Record: 13-36
Total Outlay, Round 4: $1,600.00
Total Winnings, Round 4: $477.25
Total Loss, Round 4: $1,122.75
Overall Loss: $2,655.30
Well, fuck my goddamn life again. Michigan St. turned out to be the Cinderella I didn't think they would be; I had them losing in the real first round to Georgia. (Louisville Forward Mangok Mathiang, why the hell couldn't you hit that goddamn free throw?!) And Gonzaga failed, yet again, to take the final steps to the Promised Land of the Final Four that George Mason, VCU, Butler and Wichita St. already have -- stepping over the Bulldogs along the way, by the way.
And the two games where I bet on the total was a total shitshow. The total went 30 points over the O/U because, I think, Sam Dekker started getting hot from behind the arc and Arizona couldn't help but pick up the pace and score, which they did, even though they obviously didn't win. $350, gone.
As for picking the Over 136 in Kentucky-Notre Dame ... well, I didn't think about this game at all, and if you look at my record so far this tournament, you could understand why I decided not thinking would be better for me. I didn't think the Irish could hang with them, but what do I know? So I thought Notre Dame would, and naturally I thought Notre Dame would do it by being Notre Dame, as in scoring at will. But they didn't score at will, really; they spread out Kentucky, the Wildcats got really scared that they would rain jumpers on them (a fear that I think was unfounded; as good as the Irish are, I say let them shoot so you can collect any rebound off a miss), they ran the shot clock down and, shockingly, they scored in the paint. And when they missed in the paint, Notre Dame got more than their fair share of rebounds because they spread out Kentucky. It's a damn miracle that the Wildcats won, but they did it in a slugfest, not a shootout. $200, gone.
So I went big and lost big, more than $1,100. I think the $2,600 may be the biggest hole I have ever faced since starting Anti-Picks. Also, $2,600 may be the total amount of repairs I'm doing on my car. I don't know if the fix this mechanic did on my car yesterday worked, because I think my hiccuped on my way to this new coffeeshop close to the place I exercise at. May talk about this soon.
---
So, what now? My main goal at this point is to get out of this hole, profit be damned. No use taking steps; either I get it all back with one chunk or I fall into twice the size of the big hole I'm in now. If the latter, I at least have the championship game on Monday. But if I win today, I think I'll be done with it.
So, which one? Fuck the Over/Unders. I suck at them. How about Kentucky-Wisconsin? Now people are saying that the Badgers can stay close with the Wildcats the same way Notre Dame did, and those same people will point out Wisconsin plays better defense and rebounds better than the Irish did. That could be true. Or, Dekker can run into a cold streak and the 'Cats could double-team Associated Press Player Of The Year Frank Kaminsky into a less-than-teens point total and they could run away with it. I have no clue, so no bet.
That leaves Duke-Michigan St. I can't help but like Tom Izzo, but they are the 7-seed outlier in a Final Four where the other 3 1-seeds reached the third and final weekend. Also, in retrospect, they reached Indianapolis with a fairly easy schedule, taking out a 2-seeded Virginia team that couldn't recover their offensive mojo and a fairly generic Oklahoma squad. What they did against Louisville shows grit, but hey, Mathiang could have ended their Cinderella run -- should have ended -- with a free throw. Can they really pull off another stunner against a sturdy Blue Devils club? Will they ruin a potential Kentucky-Duke final, where basketball fans will root against both teams? No.
Then again ...
1) Michigan St. +5 1/2 (... they can lose by a close margin. Maybe the Spartans will keep it close, surprise Duke by protecting the paint and grabbing most of the loose balls [an Izzo point of emphasis] I have written down what I think will happen, but again, I'm sucking at betting this Big Dance, so I might as well go against my logic and wager the opposite. Yes, I'm Anti-Picking my Anti-Pick. What the hell, right?) $3,000
Good luck.
Friday, April 3, 2015
Addendum To: Back Into The Belly Of The Beast
So, the verdict: New mass air flow sensor, new air intake tube, new gasket. Dealership said about $1,800. I think both of us knew there's no way in hell I would get it fixed there.
Yesterday I had some sexytime with ****e*. The dealership called me about that diagnosis when I was about to get naked in front of her. She overheard what the representative on the other end of the phone was saying and immediately told me to not agree to anything. It just so happens that after we got done with what we were going to do, she needed me to go to her mechanic to pick up tires for her car. She trusts him, so after I got off the phone with the dealership, ****e* (while completely naked) immediately dialed up her guy and asked for a quick estimate of what I needed.
I get the feeling that she thinks I go to the dealership. Of course I don't. Like I said, The Other Mechanic Around The Corner failed to fix my car's hesitation problem, and so I decided that the dealership had to know what was wrong with it, and so I was willing to part with -- ahem -- $300 to finally know what the hell was wrong. Then I was going to take it to an independent shop to get it fixed for about half the price ... which, at least over the phone and without taking a look at it, is what they're going to charge me. I thanked ****e*, and then she said I needed to give her an extra $20, and I agreed because, well, I was already there. She was great (might talk about it later), but I don't think I can afford her again.
After blogging about this here at the coffeeshop, and assuming that my car doesn't break down on the way there (it hasn't acted up since Wednesday; it's due), I hope to get an estimate from these guys that is, um, not going to bankrupt me. And then I have to set aside some time to get it fixed next week. Thank God I am not working right now.
---
Let me take something back: From the call I got just this morning, maybe he does kind of hold out hope that I would get this fixed at their place. That makes me feel guilty that I am going to them for diagnosis but somewhere else for replacement. They did correctly diagnose the problem, or at least I assume they have; shouldn't I dance with who brung me?
But then I remember that he's asking for two grand, and I also think that $300 is a more than fair transaction for the service the dealership rendered. And then I hope that there's, like, a Yelp where I can tell the world how good they were. And then I will go somewhere else to get my car fixed.
Yesterday I had some sexytime with ****e*. The dealership called me about that diagnosis when I was about to get naked in front of her. She overheard what the representative on the other end of the phone was saying and immediately told me to not agree to anything. It just so happens that after we got done with what we were going to do, she needed me to go to her mechanic to pick up tires for her car. She trusts him, so after I got off the phone with the dealership, ****e* (while completely naked) immediately dialed up her guy and asked for a quick estimate of what I needed.
I get the feeling that she thinks I go to the dealership. Of course I don't. Like I said, The Other Mechanic Around The Corner failed to fix my car's hesitation problem, and so I decided that the dealership had to know what was wrong with it, and so I was willing to part with -- ahem -- $300 to finally know what the hell was wrong. Then I was going to take it to an independent shop to get it fixed for about half the price ... which, at least over the phone and without taking a look at it, is what they're going to charge me. I thanked ****e*, and then she said I needed to give her an extra $20, and I agreed because, well, I was already there. She was great (might talk about it later), but I don't think I can afford her again.
After blogging about this here at the coffeeshop, and assuming that my car doesn't break down on the way there (it hasn't acted up since Wednesday; it's due), I hope to get an estimate from these guys that is, um, not going to bankrupt me. And then I have to set aside some time to get it fixed next week. Thank God I am not working right now.
---
Let me take something back: From the call I got just this morning, maybe he does kind of hold out hope that I would get this fixed at their place. That makes me feel guilty that I am going to them for diagnosis but somewhere else for replacement. They did correctly diagnose the problem, or at least I assume they have; shouldn't I dance with who brung me?
But then I remember that he's asking for two grand, and I also think that $300 is a more than fair transaction for the service the dealership rendered. And then I hope that there's, like, a Yelp where I can tell the world how good they were. And then I will go somewhere else to get my car fixed.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
The Weekly Minnesota Sports Survey
Positive Numbers: Wild (Last Week: -1). They remain as Wild Card 1, but after extended their winning streak to five after home wins this week over Calgary and Los Angeles, they also remain seven points clear of the ninth-place Kings with only six games to go, so a playoff spot is just about assured. And all thanks to The Coming Of Devan Dubnyk, who has started, like, 300 straight games and won all of them. OK, maybe it's not 300 games in a row, but I'm sure that he has started every single game since being brought over here. And he has rewarded the team with being named the National Hockey League's Third Star For March, after being named First Star For February.
It's getting so ridiculous that the narrative has morphed into, "Devan Dubnyk saved the team and the season." The more he backstops the Wild's wins, the more that becomes true, but let's not forget that players came back from injury and family tragedies suffered in the middle of the season. So I get increasingly frightened that Dubnyk has this mojo, and that the squad believes in said mojo. They are on such a winning streak that if they lose their first game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, I'm afraid that all this conjured-up mojo will evaporate and they'll turn into a shell of themselves, from the group that has been the hottest team in the league since mid-January. Momentum is a fickle thing that sometimes is given too much credit; see the "hot" Gopher men's hockey team, below. And this is hockey, where teams with worse records beat division winners with regularity. I would rather see this team scratch and claw and struggle their way into the postseason than come in flying high, like these guys are, because karma would totally want to smack that down.
Till then, they finish up their final homestand of the regular season with games tonight against the Rangers, Saturday vs. Detroit and Monday with The Bastard Atlanta Thrashers. They then commence their final roadtrip of the regular season Tuesday versus Chicago.
It's getting so ridiculous that the narrative has morphed into, "Devan Dubnyk saved the team and the season." The more he backstops the Wild's wins, the more that becomes true, but let's not forget that players came back from injury and family tragedies suffered in the middle of the season. So I get increasingly frightened that Dubnyk has this mojo, and that the squad believes in said mojo. They are on such a winning streak that if they lose their first game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, I'm afraid that all this conjured-up mojo will evaporate and they'll turn into a shell of themselves, from the group that has been the hottest team in the league since mid-January. Momentum is a fickle thing that sometimes is given too much credit; see the "hot" Gopher men's hockey team, below. And this is hockey, where teams with worse records beat division winners with regularity. I would rather see this team scratch and claw and struggle their way into the postseason than come in flying high, like these guys are, because karma would totally want to smack that down.
Till then, they finish up their final homestand of the regular season with games tonight against the Rangers, Saturday vs. Detroit and Monday with The Bastard Atlanta Thrashers. They then commence their final roadtrip of the regular season Tuesday versus Chicago.
#0: Gopher women's basketball (Last Week: -Infinity). So, I don't usually bring back clubs whose seasons end, and I didn't really want to talk about the U. lady Gopher team after what I consider a wash-out to the end of what was a promising season. But I have to make an exception for what is unprecedented news: For the first time in the history of the program, a player on the program, Amanda Zahui B., has been named to the Associated Press women's All-America First Team. She notched the single-game record for most rebounds in a game (29) and most blocks in a game (12) this year in top-flight women's college basketball. And she already holds the Minnesota record for most blocks in her career with 240. Those back-to-back announcement games at Williams Arena over Iowa and Michigan vaulted her into the national consciousness, so good for her.
And to think that Zahui is only a sophomore. That kind of sets up a weird irony for next year, when Rachel Banham comes back. Zahui only became an All-American out of necessity. With Banham back manning the point and driving to the lane, she will not shoulder all the scoring workload, and I don't think Zahui will get those rebounding and blocks totals like she did this year. In other words, Zahui will not be an All-American next year. But with Banham, they will become a powerful 1-2 punch that might diversify the offensive attack and, maybe, result in a much better team. Even Zahui will probably think that's a fair tradeoff.
And to think that Zahui is only a sophomore. That kind of sets up a weird irony for next year, when Rachel Banham comes back. Zahui only became an All-American out of necessity. With Banham back manning the point and driving to the lane, she will not shoulder all the scoring workload, and I don't think Zahui will get those rebounding and blocks totals like she did this year. In other words, Zahui will not be an All-American next year. But with Banham, they will become a powerful 1-2 punch that might diversify the offensive attack and, maybe, result in a much better team. Even Zahui will probably think that's a fair tradeoff.
#-1: Swarm (Last Week: -5). Wow, a busy week for the local box lacrosse team. They ended their losing streak at six with a 13-9 victory on the road against the New England Black Wolves Sunday afternoon.
But that didn't sate Smarm General Manager ... wait a minute ... do you see the Swarm's Front Office page? There is an Associate GM, Joe Sullivan, who is also Head Coach, but I don't see a General Manager. What the fuck? There's an Asst. GM but no actual GM? Who makes the final personnel decisions then? Is it ... the Owners, the Arlottas? Hmmm, that might explain a lot then.
Anyway, the team made a flurry of deals before the National Lacrosse League trade deadline of 2 Central Tuesday. They basically jettisoned the stalwarts of their team. Captain Andrew Suitor was sent to New England for Transition Joel White and a second-round pick in the NLL draft not next year, but 2017; Forward Logan Schuss (who notched a goal and a pair of assists in the win over the Black Wolves) was traded to the Vancouver Stealth for fellow Forward Johnny Powless; and Forward Cam Flint was given to the Colorado Mammoth in exchange for second- and third-round picks in next year's draft. In total, the three moves seem to raise the white flag on the organization. But I will see that Powless is a three-time NLL champion. And -- is this true? -- he is only 22.
They have a back-to-back this weekend; home Friday against said Black Wolves (which is basically a home-and-home, with five days between them), Saturday at Rochester. Somehow, there is still time for this club to make a run and actually get into the playoffs. What might boost their chances; that game against the Knighthawks will be the last road game of the year. The Swarm finish with games at the X on four straight Saturday nights.
But that didn't sate Smarm General Manager ... wait a minute ... do you see the Swarm's Front Office page? There is an Associate GM, Joe Sullivan, who is also Head Coach, but I don't see a General Manager. What the fuck? There's an Asst. GM but no actual GM? Who makes the final personnel decisions then? Is it ... the Owners, the Arlottas? Hmmm, that might explain a lot then.
Anyway, the team made a flurry of deals before the National Lacrosse League trade deadline of 2 Central Tuesday. They basically jettisoned the stalwarts of their team. Captain Andrew Suitor was sent to New England for Transition Joel White and a second-round pick in the NLL draft not next year, but 2017; Forward Logan Schuss (who notched a goal and a pair of assists in the win over the Black Wolves) was traded to the Vancouver Stealth for fellow Forward Johnny Powless; and Forward Cam Flint was given to the Colorado Mammoth in exchange for second- and third-round picks in next year's draft. In total, the three moves seem to raise the white flag on the organization. But I will see that Powless is a three-time NLL champion. And -- is this true? -- he is only 22.
They have a back-to-back this weekend; home Friday against said Black Wolves (which is basically a home-and-home, with five days between them), Saturday at Rochester. Somehow, there is still time for this club to make a run and actually get into the playoffs. What might boost their chances; that game against the Knighthawks will be the last road game of the year. The Swarm finish with games at the X on four straight Saturday nights.
#-2: Gopher softball (Last Week: -2). Last weekend they were able to run their winning streak to 15, but that was snapped in the Sunday afternoon series finale in Nebraska, 5-3. Nevertheless, the final rankings for the long-hyped showdown between Minnesota and Michigan this weekend, the first games to be played at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium this year, is #12 (us) against #4 (them), just like last week.
I've been vacillating on which game to go to. If I had my way, I would go to the series opener, tomorrow (Friday), because it's the first game and it's at night, and I've never seen a softball game at night. But, my parents probably would rather have me at home, and my car's still giving me problems, and maybe it's best not to drive around at night. Then, I have either Saturday at 1 or Sunday -- Easter -- at high noon. Would it be better to go to Cowles on Easter, when there would be a lot of places that won't be open? But the weather might be better on Saturday. Hmmm ... still thinking.
I've been vacillating on which game to go to. If I had my way, I would go to the series opener, tomorrow (Friday), because it's the first game and it's at night, and I've never seen a softball game at night. But, my parents probably would rather have me at home, and my car's still giving me problems, and maybe it's best not to drive around at night. Then, I have either Saturday at 1 or Sunday -- Easter -- at high noon. Would it be better to go to Cowles on Easter, when there would be a lot of places that won't be open? But the weather might be better on Saturday. Hmmm ... still thinking.
#-3: Gopher baseball (Last Week: -4). 2-2 week; dropped two of three at Siebert Field to Northwestern, including an excruciating 2-1 defeat in 13 innings, but nipped St. John's (of Minnesota) at home Tuesday, 9-8. So this team, currently 9-15, doesn't instill in me a desire to go out and see them. And that is all I have to say about that. They visit B1G newcomer Rutgers for a trio this weekend, each game of which starts at 12 Central.
#-4: Timberwolves (Last Week: -3). Last WMNSS I pontificated how often Kevin Garnett actually played for the Woofie Dogs ever since "returning home." Michael Rand read my mind, because earlier this week he noted on his notes column in the Star Tribune that he has only suited up for five of the club's 20 games he's been a member of the Wolves 2.0. Would he have made a difference in their losses to Houston, New Orleans, Utah and Toronto? Maybe, maybe not. But the honeymoon period definitely is over for this squad now that he is here and not here.
Add to that the litany of injuries all bad teams seem to suffer through, and you have, like, seven or eight players dressed and ready to play for this godawful team. At least one of them is Andrew Wiggins, who is getting enough run every outing that will make him a better player in the long run. That's the only good thing to come out of this abortion of a season.
This week: Home to Orlando, then a four-game roadtrip that begins with games versus Sacramento and Portland.
Add to that the litany of injuries all bad teams seem to suffer through, and you have, like, seven or eight players dressed and ready to play for this godawful team. At least one of them is Andrew Wiggins, who is getting enough run every outing that will make him a better player in the long run. That's the only good thing to come out of this abortion of a season.
This week: Home to Orlando, then a four-game roadtrip that begins with games versus Sacramento and Portland.
#-Infinity: Gopher men's hockey (Last Week: #0). Yeah, coming into the NCAA Tournament on a hot streak did them a whole lot of good, huh? Those fools got laughed out of the building in Manchester, N.H., 4-1 to hated Minnesota-Duluth. The commentators noted that the team came out flat and Goalie Adam Wilcox let in some easy goals. And just like that, the team, which started off the sesaon as the top team in the nation by the way, and had four straight wins to roll to the Big Ten regular season and tournament crowns, reverted to their mid-season troubles and are done.
Since then the players left the team and signed pro contracts, skittering away from the U. as if they're running away from the scene of the crime -- which, in a sense, it is, seeing as they completely underwhelmed rightful expectations. Some, like Kyle Rau, are seniors; some, like Wilcox, are not. But I find it so funny that in men's hockey, unlike in any other sport, as soon as that team's season is done, the players are all, "Man, I am fucking outta here!" Hey, what about the rest of the semester? Shit, even one-and-done college basketball players still act like they're going to school after the tournament is over!
Since then the players left the team and signed pro contracts, skittering away from the U. as if they're running away from the scene of the crime -- which, in a sense, it is, seeing as they completely underwhelmed rightful expectations. Some, like Kyle Rau, are seniors; some, like Wilcox, are not. But I find it so funny that in men's hockey, unlike in any other sport, as soon as that team's season is done, the players are all, "Man, I am fucking outta here!" Hey, what about the rest of the semester? Shit, even one-and-done college basketball players still act like they're going to school after the tournament is over!
Back Into The Belly Of The Beast
Right now, as I type this, I am doing something I never thought I would be doing. I am bringing my car back into the dealership.
After two really bad stalls yesterday, I had enough. I have time to go back to The Other Mechanic Around The Corner, but after bringing it in more than several times and them saying they found nothing, I would be totally crying wolf if I came back. And besides, if the car isn't fixed after they said it was the ground wire, maybe they don't know how to deal with this problem.
So I got fed up yesterday and made an appointment with the dealership for today. I feel -- feel, though I don't know for sure -- that they would be able to deal with the really complicated, vexing car issues. The Other Mechanic Around The Corner did not want to rip it apart and test everything, and I think that's the right course of action, but (again presumably) the dealership has the experts who deal with my make, so if anybody has the know-how and the technology to get to the heart of the problem, it'd be them.
Now, do I know for a fact that they will? No. I am totally girding myself for the possibility that they can't find anything. I mean, just because they're a dealership doesn't mean they can solve my problem. That sounds counter-intuitive, but it's not. Moreover, if they diagnose the problem, it will not come cheaply. This is dealership labor rates -- it's what pays for the computer I'm using in their lounge right now -- and I had to authorize at least a few hours. And that is on top of them telling me their estimate that will fix the problem.
I hope it's cheap and that they can find the problem quickly. But they warned me that this could be an electrical issue, and that would take some time. And then, if the fix is expensive, well, I'm taking the car and going to pray that it gets me back home, because I don't think I can afford to get it fixed here. But to diagnose it? That's why I am here. I'm desperate.
---
This is the irony. When I brought this car to the dealership, I was praying that it wouldn't break down or stall and cause an accident on the way. (When it got bad yesterday, I was the first car in a long of cars going off of a green light. The minivan honked at me. I had to pull over to the shoulder to let her and the two cars behind her go ahead while my car got over itself and accelerated again ... only to cut off again a two miles down the road on the way to lunch. That is when I had it and decided to bring it in. I don't want that happening again.) But, if it did, that would show to me, and to the mechanics who will be going through this car, that it is indeed broken. However, the car drove just fine -- perfectly -- this morning. That's great that I got here in one piece without incident. But that might also mean that they won't be able to find anything either. God, the irony.
---
I don't remember the last time I was here, but the last receipt for the car for a repair at this place that I have in my records was 2005. I remember the middleman who is helping me today; he has a steady job here, apparently. And honestly, he was looking at me with such incredulity. I don't know if he's thinking to himself, "Why in the hell are you bringing in a 22-year-old car?" or "Why do you have a turnover box with you? And how can you forget your sunglasses? I'm surprised you can put one foot in front of the other, you damn chump," or "I haven't seen your ass in a decade, and you're gonna come crawling back to us after you've gone somewhere else all these years? We're gonna screw you over so much you're gonna squeal like a pig!" That last one, that's what really scares me -- any righteousness that'll come out of me returning to the dealership after so many years away. I really don't know if they are going to treat me with any respect for bringing in a car they haven't serviced in about ten years.
But hell, if they can tell me for once and for all what is wrong with it, and then, maybe, fix it, I don't care. Well, until I see the bill.
After two really bad stalls yesterday, I had enough. I have time to go back to The Other Mechanic Around The Corner, but after bringing it in more than several times and them saying they found nothing, I would be totally crying wolf if I came back. And besides, if the car isn't fixed after they said it was the ground wire, maybe they don't know how to deal with this problem.
So I got fed up yesterday and made an appointment with the dealership for today. I feel -- feel, though I don't know for sure -- that they would be able to deal with the really complicated, vexing car issues. The Other Mechanic Around The Corner did not want to rip it apart and test everything, and I think that's the right course of action, but (again presumably) the dealership has the experts who deal with my make, so if anybody has the know-how and the technology to get to the heart of the problem, it'd be them.
Now, do I know for a fact that they will? No. I am totally girding myself for the possibility that they can't find anything. I mean, just because they're a dealership doesn't mean they can solve my problem. That sounds counter-intuitive, but it's not. Moreover, if they diagnose the problem, it will not come cheaply. This is dealership labor rates -- it's what pays for the computer I'm using in their lounge right now -- and I had to authorize at least a few hours. And that is on top of them telling me their estimate that will fix the problem.
I hope it's cheap and that they can find the problem quickly. But they warned me that this could be an electrical issue, and that would take some time. And then, if the fix is expensive, well, I'm taking the car and going to pray that it gets me back home, because I don't think I can afford to get it fixed here. But to diagnose it? That's why I am here. I'm desperate.
---
This is the irony. When I brought this car to the dealership, I was praying that it wouldn't break down or stall and cause an accident on the way. (When it got bad yesterday, I was the first car in a long of cars going off of a green light. The minivan honked at me. I had to pull over to the shoulder to let her and the two cars behind her go ahead while my car got over itself and accelerated again ... only to cut off again a two miles down the road on the way to lunch. That is when I had it and decided to bring it in. I don't want that happening again.) But, if it did, that would show to me, and to the mechanics who will be going through this car, that it is indeed broken. However, the car drove just fine -- perfectly -- this morning. That's great that I got here in one piece without incident. But that might also mean that they won't be able to find anything either. God, the irony.
---
I don't remember the last time I was here, but the last receipt for the car for a repair at this place that I have in my records was 2005. I remember the middleman who is helping me today; he has a steady job here, apparently. And honestly, he was looking at me with such incredulity. I don't know if he's thinking to himself, "Why in the hell are you bringing in a 22-year-old car?" or "Why do you have a turnover box with you? And how can you forget your sunglasses? I'm surprised you can put one foot in front of the other, you damn chump," or "I haven't seen your ass in a decade, and you're gonna come crawling back to us after you've gone somewhere else all these years? We're gonna screw you over so much you're gonna squeal like a pig!" That last one, that's what really scares me -- any righteousness that'll come out of me returning to the dealership after so many years away. I really don't know if they are going to treat me with any respect for bringing in a car they haven't serviced in about ten years.
But hell, if they can tell me for once and for all what is wrong with it, and then, maybe, fix it, I don't care. Well, until I see the bill.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Don't Fucking Do My Laundry!
I should have known My Fucking Father would get all up in my business again. It was time to do my laundry, and I had the whites going, but I was watching TV, specifically doing a Fresh Off The Boat-(TV off)-Undateable-Weird Loners, rare three-network block. And when I finally come down some time in the 9 o'clock hour, the clothes weren't in the washer, they were in the dryer, and on top of that, they were already dried.
I know My Fucking Father just came in, threw my clothes from the washer to the dryer, and hit normal instead of medium, like I wanted to, like they needed to be in. That pisses me off. I don't apologize for following the care instructions on the tags of the towels and shirts I was washing. And yet on top of that, I acceded to My Fucking Father's demands that I clean all my white clothes together and all my colored clothes together. I tried separating all my clothes by color and then by recommended wash and dry cycle, and he fucking yelled at me, so (at least for now) I'm just throwing all the same-colored items together and washing and drying at the cycle of the majority. That should be enough for him; he should have backed off. Instead, he sticks his goddamn nose in shit that I can do myself and he just fuckin' dries all the clothes without telling me. I ... I just don't know what I'm going to do.
I know My Fucking Father just came in, threw my clothes from the washer to the dryer, and hit normal instead of medium, like I wanted to, like they needed to be in. That pisses me off. I don't apologize for following the care instructions on the tags of the towels and shirts I was washing. And yet on top of that, I acceded to My Fucking Father's demands that I clean all my white clothes together and all my colored clothes together. I tried separating all my clothes by color and then by recommended wash and dry cycle, and he fucking yelled at me, so (at least for now) I'm just throwing all the same-colored items together and washing and drying at the cycle of the majority. That should be enough for him; he should have backed off. Instead, he sticks his goddamn nose in shit that I can do myself and he just fuckin' dries all the clothes without telling me. I ... I just don't know what I'm going to do.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Reaching 20 Mi./Gal.
Many years ago, before my car reached middle age, I had this sudden lightning storm that, "Hey, I should make sure I know how much mileage my car gets." And so, over the course of a few full fill-ups (if I only partially filled up I didn't count those) I would make sure I reset the odometer so I would know how many miles my car went so I could divide that by the number of gallons it took to re-fill my automobile.
Uncannily, the same quotient came up, time and time again: 20. So my car gets 20 miles to the gallon. Well, it got. Once my car reached middle age, that number wavered. I think I first noticed it when I did the division in the winter and it went way down. But I don't know if that was due to the car getting older, something wrong with it, or something I didn't know at the time: Winter gasoline being less fuel-efficient than in the summer. I have long since disregarded that idea because I remember running the numbers all throughout the year, and the car still got 20 mpg regardless. But ever since, my car has, overall, had worse mileage in the winter than in the summer. Sometimes much more so; the teens, the worst, I think, being only 15 miles per gallon.
Hallelujah, then, for the past couple of cycles. I have had good days (usually in the warmer months) where my mileage rebounds to "normal" and then some. Hadn't had that for a while, but the past two times I've done the computations I have had (I think) 21.5 and then, today, 21.8. That is well short of the record; I believe I hit 25 one time. But I'll still take it.
This, of course, coincides with my long trip to the test scoring place (by the way, the car has not acted up since Monday morning, touch wood). Meanwhile, I have tabulated mileage the past couple winters when I worked at the flu biller place, which was much, much closer, and it was much, much worse. How can driving less than half as long to one place of employment to another yield a much worse mileage? The answer, I have learned, is fairly obvious: My car, any car, burns a lot less fuel moving at the same speed, and you are buckin' if that speed is highway speed. So that brings up the (somewhat) irony that you are saving more gas if you travel farther, provided that you travel on the highway, and not some side street, to get to work.
That isn't going to happen anymore, at least for the next two weeks. The project I was working on finished today, and unless I get something quick, I am done until Tax Day. That should mean I should drive to places closer to home. Then again, with the way the mileage is working out, maybe I should instead drive a hell of a lot farther away from home.
At any rate, the traditional mileage for my car is 20 miles per gallon.
Uncannily, the same quotient came up, time and time again: 20. So my car gets 20 miles to the gallon. Well, it got. Once my car reached middle age, that number wavered. I think I first noticed it when I did the division in the winter and it went way down. But I don't know if that was due to the car getting older, something wrong with it, or something I didn't know at the time: Winter gasoline being less fuel-efficient than in the summer. I have long since disregarded that idea because I remember running the numbers all throughout the year, and the car still got 20 mpg regardless. But ever since, my car has, overall, had worse mileage in the winter than in the summer. Sometimes much more so; the teens, the worst, I think, being only 15 miles per gallon.
Hallelujah, then, for the past couple of cycles. I have had good days (usually in the warmer months) where my mileage rebounds to "normal" and then some. Hadn't had that for a while, but the past two times I've done the computations I have had (I think) 21.5 and then, today, 21.8. That is well short of the record; I believe I hit 25 one time. But I'll still take it.
This, of course, coincides with my long trip to the test scoring place (by the way, the car has not acted up since Monday morning, touch wood). Meanwhile, I have tabulated mileage the past couple winters when I worked at the flu biller place, which was much, much closer, and it was much, much worse. How can driving less than half as long to one place of employment to another yield a much worse mileage? The answer, I have learned, is fairly obvious: My car, any car, burns a lot less fuel moving at the same speed, and you are buckin' if that speed is highway speed. So that brings up the (somewhat) irony that you are saving more gas if you travel farther, provided that you travel on the highway, and not some side street, to get to work.
That isn't going to happen anymore, at least for the next two weeks. The project I was working on finished today, and unless I get something quick, I am done until Tax Day. That should mean I should drive to places closer to home. Then again, with the way the mileage is working out, maybe I should instead drive a hell of a lot farther away from home.
At any rate, the traditional mileage for my car is 20 miles per gallon.
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