Thursday, June 28, 2007

what bandwagon?

really, really want an iphone.

really.

Monday, June 25, 2007

best baseball sunday ever

hurrah, the mariners won the cinci series (and i was there to enjoy sunday's live)! at times i was unsure who seattle fans were rooting for more heartily: griffey or the home team. i think the mariners edged griffey out, but it was touch and go, especially after junior hit his second homer of sunday's game, farther than i've ever seen anyone hit a ball in safeco park. it nearly hit the "hit it here" cafe sign, which is typically an aspiration, not an actuality.


note to self: pay the extra $ to sit in terrace club seats more often

and then, the beavers won the CWS! what more could go right with this world, except perhaps finishing this freaking nz blanket. 2.2 squares to go.... it's taking all the strength of my being to not buy new yarn for another project. and did i mention i have to sew seams together still? i'm blocking that part out of my mind.

speaking of knitting, a friend emailed me this uber knitting project the other day. after viewing this, i have no grounds to complain about the nz blanket.

in four days we're headed north to my favorite country where we will meet mickey's friends, the clarinetists, for five days in my favorite city on earth, vancouver bc. rumor has it we're going to try to kayak and do some hikes. i'm excited about walking around stanley park (maybe a picknick and some knitting in the sun...) and to shopping, even though the dollar is so weak now against the loonie and toonie (thanks GW). i'm trying desperately to stay focused on work, which is very busy this week, but i find little thoughts of the gorgeous modern skyline and bright blue harbor creep in my mind at inopportune times. focus, focus focus....

Friday, June 22, 2007

honor

good for you, jason. thank you for restoring my faith in the good guys of baseball.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

reading for pleasure

i've not had a lot of time recently to read for pleasure. i think the book "mostly true" from my previous post was the first thing i've read in months, not counting my cooking light magazine, and the occasional article in vanity fair. one of these articles recently caught my attention, and it led me to make a book purchase i feel like i need to hide from public.

yes, yours truly, a true blue liberal, bought "the reagan diaries." in hard back. and, starting today, i'm not ashamed to say it in public: i'm loving every page so far.

i've spent the better part of my politically partisan life despising reagan, with few concrete reasons why, except that i believed he was the poster child for the red party, he racked up billions in deficit, and he was a hollow actor/camera cow, scripted to the n-th degree, idolized by all the politicos i loathe.

however, in a mere 25 pages of his 696 page abridged diary, i've gained a newfound respect for reagan, the man, his marriage to nancy, the international turmoil he dealt with daily. and i'm learning some helpful history lessons about the 80s, a time when i was too young to care what was happening around me (except when the oliver north trials pre-empted my afternoon teevee shows).

i don't think this enlightenment makes me a republican, but i do think it makes me an adult.

in other reading, i am thrilled that my corner borders bookstore carries donna hay magazine. she's somewhat of an australian martha stewart, though modernly hip and sophisticated. the food and decorating tips in the magazine are stunningly gorgeous, and at every page turn, i was dreaming of the meals i could concoct. the only downside is that, due to the opposite seasons in the southern hemisphere, all the recipes are for autumn foods -- butternut squash, baked pies, soups and stews, and heavenly heavy desserts. what a treat it will be to pull this issue out in october!

Sunday, June 10, 2007

two loves

friday night we met up with an old coworker of mickey's from the dot-com days. he's married now with a kidbot who is super fun. the occasion for our reunion was baseball -- mariners vs padres, at their house, because...wait for it: they're bigger baseball fans than perhaps moi. she's the heart and soul behind a mariners fan site that was picked up by the seattle newspaper. their kidbot's middle name is ichiro, and at two years old, he knows names of several players. way cool.

it was fun to get together for a night and chat about all things baseball, with people who genuinely love it. from random stats ("how many ways to get out in a game?") to history, to cheers and jeers for our beloved team (several jeers directed at a "tall cool drink of ugly," her nickname for one said mariner, who'll remain nameless, but points to anyone who can guess).

lining their bookcases were "summerland," "brothers K," and other modern baseball classics. the one i saw missing was "mostly true," by molly o'neill, sister to paul o'neill of yankees fame. received for my bday and just cracked this week, it combines two of my three favorite hobbies, food and baseball, in a touching, amusing and genuine memoir from the only daughter in the o'neill clan. those who don't like baseball won't probably love the book, but coming from a somewhat rabid baseball household, the book resonated with me.

this morning i just finished the book, and the last few pages brought tears to my eyes, for a number of reasons. certainly the end of the book was sentimental as it recounted the 2001 world series, during which o'neill's father passed away and brother paul retired from baseball after winning game 5.

mostly, though, it was one of those books that, upon its conclusion, you feel a sense of loss and emptiness, as though you've said goodbye to a dear friend forever.