What Now?

I haven't written in about a month.  I haven't felt like writing.

The new position is challenging me more than expected, but I am learning.  I fall down the steps every day, but at least I am still going forward.  It is more physical than my previous job, making for a lot of tired evenings.

Evenings where I am starting to get baseball field commitments.  I have nineteen dates lined up to umpire.  Surprisingly, all are baseball: not a single softball date among them.  Maybe I don't have the right decoder ring.

Most of our schools are on Spring Break right now, making for a week off.  That's not a bad thing either.  I can keep jogging and exercising.  It makes up for my lousy diet right now.

My birthday came at a lousy time.  Lots of sugar, large meals and junk food means no progress on a body that has lost ten pounds from the start of the year.  I am right about where I was before the holiday season jumped the scales.

I am absolutely magic when I am going nowhere, doing nothing.  It makes me absolutely bear like.  Don't make me angry.  You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.  (Probably had to grow up in the 70's to get that one.)

Yes.  I am in a lousy mood.  It will pass.  I will become my normal, charming self again.  Maybe.

-Personal stuff aside, I didn't even watch the Final Four games last night.   Might be a sign there is something else wrong.  However, like always, I have a couple of thoughts.

Villanova set a record for margin in a National Semifinal against Oklahoma. North Carolina was commanding against an overmatched Syracuse.  My thought, even without seeing the games, is that each team may have played their best game, leading to an anticlimactic Final.  The kind of game with an absolute no name hero and an over/under of 30 on turnovers.

Like always I hope for the best, expect the worst, and be happy with what I get.  Might be a good mindset to watch the Championship game.

I'd mention the Women's Final Four, but you only need one word: Connecticut

-Major League Baseball is back.  I keep hearing Astros and Cubs in the World Series.  It's getting a little nauseating, but there are valid points for both sides.  Houston has young stars which will need to prove they can produce for another season.  For anybody who remembers, I can say Joe Charbonneau and you can follow what I mean.

Who's Joe Charbonneau?  American League Rookie of the Year, 1980.  Batted .289, 23 homers 87 rbi for a last place Indians team.  By 1982, he was out of baseball.  He was last seen as an uncredited extra in The Natural, unless you watch collegiate wooden bat summer baseball. He's managing there. Biggest distinction?  Only 201 major league games in his career and more hair colors than Dennis Rodman, who came along a decade later.

In other words, watch the usual suspects:  Yankees, Red Sox and the Royals once again.  My Angels will have the player to watch in Mike Trout, but will start slow and finish just out of the picture.  It's been a patter the last few years.

In the National League, I see a little Maddon Magic leading the Cubs within a game of the World Series, only to be outdone in Game 6 of the NLCS by a two out, top of the ninth home run by someone who started the season in AA ball.  They proceed to get no hit in Game 7 by a pitcher acquired at the trade deadline.  Likely suspects?  The Mets, Nationals, or, most surprisingly, the Pirates top my list.  It would be fun to say Marlins, just because those were the last team to victimize the Cubs.  Wait 'till next year, indeed.

I'm glad baseball is back.  At least until Indianapolis gets here.