The Bosque

...has been a whiny bitch recently. First, there were his comments during the NLCS about Tom Glavine. Now this...from MSNBC: Albert Pujols thinks he was snubbed.

The St. Louis Cardinals’ slugger is upset he lost out to Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard for the National League MVP award, saying Wednesday the honor should go to someone on a playoff team.

This is how I see it...the Most Valuable Player is the player who most strongly affects his team with his performance. Albert had a great year, but didn't put the Cards over the top...they backed into the playoffs. Howard kept the Phillies in the playoff hunt until the last week of the season. He fully deserved that award.

Albert, we love you, but shut the fuck up and just play ball.

From MSNBC: The Bush administration wants North Korea’s attention, so like a scolding parent it’s trying to make it tougher for that country’s eccentric leader to buy iPods, plasma televisions and Segway electric scooters.

The U.S. government’s first-ever effort to use trade sanctions to personally aggravate a foreign president expressly targets items believed to be favored by Kim Jong Il or presented by him as gifts to the roughly 600 loyalist families who run the communist government.

It's not like anything else is really working...and sabre-rattling only pisses Kim off even more.

Quite frankly, I think Dubya should go over there ASAP...that would freak the shit out of Kim. But Dubya's too proud...and there are probably folks in the government that know about this sort of shit better than I do. Maybe...

Are you fucking serious?!

Yes...there really is such a thing...The San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, which takes place December 19th in San Diego. Texas Christian will square off against Northern Illinois.

Remember the days of the simpler bowls? The Rose Bowl was Pac 10 vs. Big 10...the Orange Bowl had a Big 8 member...and the names were simpler: Holiday, Orange, Sugar, Bluebonnet, Tangerine, Peach.

Now everything has a corporate name on it: The FedEx Orange Bowl, The Chick-fil-A Bowl (formerly the Peach Bowl), The Outback Bowl (formerly the Hall of Fame Bowl). I understand...a different world calls for different setups. But I think it sucks.

And I really just wish we could use those bowls in a playoff format, instead of this BCS bullshit. So many good teams get shit on by the current format.

...I volunteered to work tomorrow.

Probably only because I'll be at our store in Affton (an unincorporated suburb just south of the City). The people are much nicer and the tips are better out there...much like working at our second store in the City (which I work at every Sunday).

I work 10:30-5 on Mondays...and this had to be the longest Monday I've worked in quite a while. I took only 7 deliveries between 10:30 and 2:30...and I was the only driver from noontime on. We picked up a bit after that...finished with 21 for the day, which is actually about average for a Monday. But at least I got all my exercise in for the day during work hours...when we had extremely slow periods, I'd walk around the neighborhood.

Apparently, tomorrow is supposed to be like a Thursday, and Wednesday will be like a Friday (since Thanksgiving is Thursday, and no one wants to cook dinner Wednesday night)...we'll see. Makes no difference to me...I like money. :)

Got a letter in the mail yesterday from the City of St. Louis...I get to go to jury duty on January 2nd.

Whoohoo! You all know how I feel about jury duty, having served in Philadelphia 2 years ago. I just need to make sure I keep myself occupied during waits.

Damn...they found me quick. I've only been back in St. Louis for 18 months. Of course, the population of the City (which is independent of any county) is only 340,000...we tend to get called every year or two.

Dear people that have already put up Xmas decorations,

What the fuck is wrong with you? Have you suffered a head injury recently? I ask because it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but you have your Xmas decorations up. Unless you don't interact with the outside world or don't believe in calendars, there's really no reason for you to have these decorations up already. Therefore, I can only deduce that you have suffered some sort of injury that has caused brain damage.

I strongly urge you to seek immediate medical or psychiatric help. If you cannot afford such help, my friend Wolf may be able to help you, but she's not a psychiatrist nor a psychologist. She is an astrologer, though.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Regards,
Sycamore

Until this week, I worked 11am to second driver out on Sundays. It was technically a double shift, but the day shift was only on an as needed basis. Sometimes, I was called in right away at 11, but other days I wouldn't go in until 2.

Recently, I've been going to one of our other stores to help them on Sundays...apparently they were having reliability issues with their Sunday day shift driver. This other location is in a much better area than my regular store, and I make a lot more money there. As of this Sunday, the shift at the other location was mine permanently, and the big boss was going to find another driver to take my place at my regular store.

Well, the big boss isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, and he asked me Friday if I could stay at my regular store this Sunday. Apparently, he was working on trying to cover me, but hadn't found a replacement...but he was able to find someone to cover the other store. I wasn't happy about it, but I told him I'd stay put for this Sunday.

So, I called the manager-on-duty last night at my regular store, who's also there Sundays to confirm that I'd be at home base today. He confirmed it.

I woke up about 10:15 this morning, piddled around, then lay back down and waited for the phone to ring.

The manager-on-duty called 20 minutes ago...apparently he talked to the other big boss last night (2 guys own our franchise), and I was indeed going to the other store today...my shift at home base was covered.

What the fuck?! Goddamnit...

I called the other store...and my shift there is covered. So I'm apparently going over there as an extra at 3.

Good thing I'm not pressed for money right now...otherwise, me and the big boss would be having a little chat.

After 10 years, I have been able to put one of my biggest regrets in life to rest.

During my second year away at college, I met a really nice girl named Chris. We became friends, then started dating. For reasons of which I'm not even sure now, we split up after 9 months. Leading up to our breakup and afterward, I was a total asshole to her. And I have no idea why...but she didn't deserve it. By the time I pulled my head out of my ass, she had left St. Louis.

It's haunted me ever since, and I vowed to try and make it right if we ever crossed paths again.

We crossed paths this week on mySpace. I bared my soul Wednesday, and she was incredibly gracious. I expected the worst, but hoped for the best...and got the latter.

Chris was my first true love...I thought we were meant to spend our lives together. In hindsight, that wasn't meant to happen...but to have her friendship again is absolutely wonderful.

And it feels so good to have that weight off my shoulders.

...and I hate this shit.

I live in a 4-season city. It's the beginning of November. Daytime highs should be in the 40s or 50s...not fucking 77 degrees!

Don't get me wrong...I like mild weather. But not in November...unless I'm in the South or California.

...good-bye?

First, the Dems took back the House. At the moment, Jim Webb is ahead by 7000 votes in Virginia, which would give them the Senate as well (since Bernie Sanders and Joe Lieberman will caucus with the Dems). Then the best present of all...Donald Rumsfeld resigns as Defense Secretary.

It feels like Christmas! Now I know what the GOP felt like in '94...I feel giddy.

And the best part...the Dems really didn't have to do anything. The GOP just kept shooting themselves in the foot.

Now you all know me...I'm skeptical of the Dems. I'll believe this "most honest, the most open and the most ethical" bullshit when I see it. And I'm not a fan of Pelosi.

But the GOP had their run of 12 years, and have proven that they can no longer effectively govern our country. It's time for them to step aside and let the Dems try it again. It's not like they're going to nationalize all industry and become friends with Chavez and bin Laden. They're not that stupid.

Now, we wait...

Well, here we are...Election Day 2006.

I plan to be glued to MSNBC all night as well as MSNBC.com. However, I will only play half of my attention to what is said.

I think many Americans are ready for change. Apparently, I'm not, because I didn't register to vote...because I'm a dummy.

It's gonna be a long night...

I wrote these snippets while we were in the waiting room Thursday. Unfortunately, I couldn't connect to the medical center's network, so I typed these up on the laptop and saved them.

8:19am CST: So here I sit in the Center for Advanced Medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Today is Brenda’s surgery. Brenda is my future mother-in-law. About two months ago, she discovered a lump on her breast that turned out to be stage 1 cancer. She just went into the OR a short time ago…the surgeons will perform a mastectomy then a reconstruction. In the not-too-distant future, she’ll begin chemo.

I have a nice view where I’m at. Barnes-Jewish is in the city’s Central West End…a collection of eateries, hip/quirky stores, medical buildings, old money and new money. The Cathedral Basilica is nearby…I can see the dome and steeple from my perch on the 4th floor. There’s been a building and rebuilding boom down here, led in part by the hospital and Washington University Medical Center (the hospital is affiliated with the Medical Center). A block or two from here is the Chase Park Plaza, which was just recently redone. It was the hotel of St. Louis back in the day…the 1984 Miss Universe Pageant was held there. Unfortunately, it fell on hard times and was shuttered in the late 80s, IIRC. It has now been restored to its former glory, but now includes a movie theatre and condos.

April’s family amazes me. They are some of the most generous people I have ever met, as well as some of the most resilient people I know. This is the fourth cancer scare for the family in the past 6 years: April (fibrous breast tissue) and May (brain tumor) were benign, but Brenda has had cancer twice now: ovarian and breast. Then there was April’s dad’s sudden death in ’02 from a heart attack. But they keep going…I guess that’s all you can do, really. Standing still never really works…my one aunt’s been doing it off-and-on for years now.

Things like this remind me of my own mortality. I try not to take life for granted, but I inevitably do sometimes. I think I’ve got a lot of time left, but the first 31 years have gone by so fast. I want to make sure I leave my mark before I go. I think I have, but only a small one thus far…it needs to be bigger. :)

9:57am CST: April, May and I are sitting here with their Uncle Harry, who works for the hospital conglomerate as a detective in their security department. He tells interesting stories.

More people are piling into the waiting room. We’ve been here since about 5:45am, and we’re holed up in one of the back corners. I’m playing PR Exec right now, answering April’s cell phone when people call and giving them updates. April and May are on the couch next to me…May is watching “The Goonies” while April is talking to her uncle.

This new textbook I’m reading is so dry…business research methods. I already did this shit when I studied biology and psychology, so it’s nothing new. Just boring…zzzzz…

1:57pm CST: Brenda made it through surgery just fine…it was actually easier than they planned. She was in the OR for about 4 hours. Right now, we’re just waiting for her to be moved from Recovery to a regular room.

We’re getting restless…at least, I am. We’ve been here 8 hours now. I can’t read anymore business research and I’m hungry. Thank God I’m not going to class tonight…I’d be totally useless.

It looks nice out today. I know that it’s cold, because the cold metal window sill tells me so. But the sun is shining and the skies are blue, with just a few cloud wisps.

I’d lie down on the carpet to nap if it were softer…and if I wouldn’t look retarded.

...that didn't involve April or me. Whoohoo!

Brenda (April's mom) found a lump on her breast a couple months ago that turned out to be stage 1 cancer. Today, she underwent a masectomy and reconstruction. She'll begin chemo in about 4 weeks...maybe sooner. The surgery was successful and turned out better than expected: only one lymph node was cancerous. She should be home tomorrow. She has a long road ahead, but I think she's gonna be fine.

We had to be at the hospital at 5:30 this morning. Brenda went into surgery around 8, was done around noon and went to a patient room around 1:30 or 2. I left about 5:15...April, May and their Uncle Paul (Brenda's brother-in-law) left an hour after me. It's been a long day, but well worth it...and we managed to have some fun in the process.

Views of the Central West End of St. Louis from the waiting room on the 4th floor of the cancer center:





April and May watch "The Goonies" on their portable DVD player:



Me reading a book and looking out the window:



April and May bantering during "The Goonies":



Uncle Charlie (Brenda's brother) joins them:



A view of Forest Park Ave. from our perch:



Looking at the ceiling:



Uncle Harry (another of Brenda's brothers) and Uncle Charlie talk:



Dueling laptops...Uncle Paul and May work on their 'puters:



April talks to Uncle Charlie, while Aunt Lynn (Harry's wife) looks on:



What a nice day outside:



Another view from the 4th floor:



A Warhol portrait of George Gershwin on the first floor of the hospital where the cancer center is located:



I let Elmo (the family's dog) out about 5:30...he misses his momma:

...that wasn't about me. Whoohoo!

April became violently ill on Thursday with what appeared to be food poisoning or a virus. She was basically in bed until Monday, missing her birthday on Saturday. She went to the doctor on Monday, and the doctor did some blood work. She suspected it was a virus, but wouldn't have the labs results back until Tuesday. Until then, she recommended that April go to the ER for fluids because she was quite dehydrated.

I left work early Monday and took April to an ER in the western suburbs. April works for one of our area's largest hospital conglomerates, and her doctor's office is located at the flagship hospital (which happens to be near her work and about 10 minutes from her house). However, the wait times there can be astronomical. And the hospital in the western suburbs is only about 20 minutes from our houses.

The ER staff saw April right away and got her hooked up to an IV. The doctor ordered blood work...as suspected, she has a gastrointestinal virus. They gave her 2 bags of IV fluid, some anti-nausea medicine and sent us on our way. It's gonna take time for the virus to work its way out, but she's doing better. Her regular doctor's bloodwork confirmed the hospital's findings.

Hospitals suck, but it wasn't the worst way to spend an afternoon...at least we got to spend it together.