Which do you prefer?

Homeless Joe:

Baby-Faced Joe:

High School Joe:

Action Joe:

Champ Joe:

Baseball Hotties, Deux

Ah, yes. The return of the wonderful world of baseball and all its beauty. Here are the next six players who have won our hearts in just being adorable. No, that’s not the right word here. Just hotness. What makes these guys so hot? Well, that’s a silly question now, isn’t it? See for yourself…

Jose Reyes, New York Mets

Oh, and this one? How could I resist? (That’s Reyes and Wright by the way…)

Zach Duke, Pittsburgh Pirates

J.J. Hardy, Milwaukee Brewers: The picture on the left was just too fun to pass by. His “mug shot” shows his face a little better. I hear he’s the Joe Mauer of the Brewers–only he is from Arizona, not Wisconsin. That means he has no undying loyalty to the Brew Crew, and most likely will not stick around for good.

Brian Stokes, Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins: 2006 American League MVP. He beat Jeter. What’s there more to say?

Joe Nathan, Minnesota Twins: Wow, look at him in college. What. a. hunk. Right? Yeeaahh. But the picture on the bottom? That’s the face we want to see at the end of the game. That means our beloved closer did his job and saved the game.

Twins (not of the Minnesota variety)

Lyle Overbay, Toronto Blue Jays:

Michael Rapaport, Phoebe’s Cop Boyfriend on Season 5 of Friends (lets face it…that is what he is best known for…)

You see the uncanny similarity between the two, right? Twins separated at birth perhaps? Long-lost brothers? Hmmm…

Adulthood, Adultdom, Adultness, Adultity….

Do you pronounce “adult” with a long A or a short A?

I feel so….old right now. Pretty sure I am getting to be one of those “adults.” The past three days I have gotten up, gone to work, came home, made dinner for myself, went to bed at a reasonable hour. All by my lonesome. I am working a full 8 hours a day, in various offices, doing menial tasks that only an assistant has the pleasure to do. Ah, the life of a young twentysomething, in the midst of her college years.

The Twins have been making me happy as of late. We’re on a two-game winning streak right now. Hopefully we can get one of our prized possessions back behind home plate soon. His bat is more valuable than we once thought! My goodness! Because the game today was early, starting at one o’clock, what will I do tonight? And with the shows I watch currently on summer hiatus? Good thing my latest Netflix arrived today. Fast Food Nation. Will I ever eat at McDonald’s again? We’ll see, my friends!

Earlier this afternoon my boss asked me what I am going to do for fun this summer. I told her I honestly don’t know. I don’t have any set-in-stone plans or anything quite yet. There is one weekend when I will be headed up to Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin for my Mom’s family’s reunion of sorts at my Uncle Jeff’s house. Good times. Colleen is coming in July for her Freshmen Orientation for a couple of days. Of course I have the Twins to follow and occupy my time. I also have a stack of reading material, which will more likely increase before decreasing. I decided this afternoon that in the near future I will venture out to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. I don’t have a bus pass for the summer, but I am pretty sure I will go that route. I think I can get a stored value card somewhere around here. I would buy a U-Pass for the summer, but unfortunately, one must be registered for classes in order to obtain such a commodity.

What do you think I should do in my spare time? I have evenings and weekends free. Anyone? What can a summer in the Twin Cities possibly offer me? Maybe the Minnesota Zoo? I’ve never been there before. Valleyfair? But I hear if you’ve been to a park like Great America (which I have) V.F. is pretty dinky. The other night I was with my brother and a longtime friend of ours, Seth, and they wanted to go disc golfing. I tried…and failed. But when we just tossed a regular Frisbee around, I wasn’t too shabby. A new hobby perhaps? But who will play with me?? (Note: the spell checker changed the word Frisbee to be capitalized. I guess it is a proper noun. Who knew it was a name brand? Maybe I did, but it is a bit of info that doesn’t get to the front of my brain too often. I suppose all others are simply known as “discs.”)

So, over on campus, in the Mall Area by Northrup Plaza, they have a little tent during lunchtime. Apparently they sell grilled items everyday. Maybe I will hit that up one of these days. Also, they have a noon hour, free concert series throughout the summer. Again, with the hitting up. I am near the area most everyday for my lunch break. I only get a half an hour, but it will give me something to do!

Can we stop making such a big deal about Favre already?!?

I promise I will get round two of Baseball Hotties up in the next week. I know all my loyal readers are just waiting with great anticipation to see who has caught my eye now!

The Office season finale rocked my socks off. I was literally holding my breath for the last couple minutes, and I screamed when Jim FINALLY said….”It’s a date!” Then I cried. My mom laughed at me and asked me what I would do when I get asked out on a date. I will totally be cool, obviously. That is how I roll. With Grey’s, I was distracted and was thrown off that I didn’t record the last 15 minutes, so I watched the end before the beginning. Sometimes I wish I wasn’t hooked on that show.

The Twins. Oh, the Twins. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…
(but I will refrain for that will take far too long…)

I went bra shopping today. One: I hate shopping. Two: I am not a fan of my chest size. Too big. Three: Put them together…yuck. But I was highly successful! 45% off!!!

Is it wrong for me to be very happy for tonight’s win but still very nervous for tomorrow’s game? We have yet to officially announce who will be called up, and any of the big three over in Rochester would be fantastic, but you never know. I want Garza, but I have a feeling it will be Baker. It could be the fact that is who everyone has projected. But there’s still hope! I do know he’ll get back to the show eventually. I’d like it sooner, but I am sure it’ll be better later.

I go back to Minneapolis on Sunday. I am very happy with this visit home. I saw everyone I wanted and needed to see. Including some extras I didn’t expect!! My always favorite English teacher is still giving me a hard time, but she knows I don’t take it to heart. Oh, Amy Sue…what would we do without you. (ha…haha…hahahaha)

Brett Favre had a press conference today during the noon hour. Of course all the Green Bay news stations interrupted programming to bring it to us live in its entirety. Oh, Green Bay. God love ya.

I watched season two of Mary Tyler Moore this week. That show is brilliant. In one episode I watched today, they had a shout out to Harmon Killibrew. Gotta love the Twins.

You know what I miss the most about home? The local commercials. They are classically terrible. Mix them with our super-sweet accents…oh, man.

Wanna know me better?

t h e l e t t e r A
- – Are you Available?: You’d say yes, but I say NO!
- – Age?: 20 and a half. I Wish we could go back to the days when it was legitimate to state your half age.
- – What Annoys you?: People who don’t know how to walk on sidewalks. I can’t help it that I walk faster than I run.

t h e l e t t e r B
- – Do you know anyone named Billy? I had a BIG crush on him in junior high when I lived in MN…
- – When is your Birthday?: November 15th

t h e l e t t e r C
- – What’s your favorite Candy?: Skittles! But I have been LOVING Kit Kat bars lately
- – When was the last time you Cried?: After the OFFICE tonight! Oh, Jim…FINALLY!

t h e l e t t e r D
- – Do you daydream?: I like to play pretend in my mind, yes.
- – What’s your favorite kind of dog?: We had a poodle when I was a wee one. But it was a mean little thing. We don’t do dogs anymore.
- – What day of the week is it?: Uh, Thursday?

t h e l e t t e r E
- – How do you like your eggs?: In omelet form.
- – Have you ever been in the emergency room?: I can’t say that I have. I’m not a risk taker per se.

t h e l e t t e r F
- – Do you use fly swatters?: I LOVED the flyswatter game in French class in high school!
- – Have you ever used a foghorn?: When I was in Oshkosh for my brother’s graduation there were foghorns in attendance. Yes, they had graduates too. Just because it isn’t human!

t h e l e t t e r G
- – Do you chew gum?: I do.
- – Do you like gummy candies?: You have to be in a certain mood for them. For instance, I was craving Brite Crawlers to no end for weeks, but Target didn’t seem to supply them. One day, after class, I stopped by Java City in Blegen’s basement and lo and behold! There they were…

t h e l e t t e r H
- – How are you?: Awake. Living. Livid with the Twins. Kind of excited to return to Mpls.
- – What color is your hair?: I wish I had a one word answer for this. I have brown on my driver’s license. But it really is blond. Although, from time to time it can look red.

t h e l e t t e r I
- – What’s your favorite ice cream?: I had a Dilly Bar from DQ tonight. Cherry. Gosh, I love those things.
- – Have you ever ice skated?: It is my favorite sport! I took lessons and was hardcore for a few years as a child. A part of me will regret quitting until the day I die.

t h e l e t t e r J
- – What’s your favorite jelly bean?: I like the raspberry and watermelon ones from Jelly Belly, the pink one from the original starburst ones at Easter, and NEVER black!
- – Have you ever heard a really hilarious joke?: I laugh from time to time. Most “hilarious” jokes are highly offensive. I don’t appreciate.
- – Do you wear jewelry?: There’s this ring on my finger that symbolizes a great deal.

t h e l e t t e r K
Who do you want to kill?: Anyone who really knows me knows the answer to this question. I am very against capital punishment. I didn’t even want Saddam to die. Life in prison, sure. But death is never the answer.

t h e l e t t e r L
- – Are you laid back?: That can be a weakness. I could have a higher GPA if this was not the case.

t h e l e t t e r M
- – What’s your favorite movie when you were little?: I LOVED Beauty and the Beast. But now, I am in love with Angels in the Outfield.

t h e l e t t e r N
- – What’s your favorite number?: I don’t have a favorite number. I never played sports and had my “#” or anything silly like that. And I don’t have a favorite Twin, so I can’t even say theirs!
- – Do you prefer night over day?: Why love the night when the day is so beautiful? There is so much to see and so little time in life for it all!

t h e l e t t e r O
- – What’s your one wish?: To just write.
- – Are you an only child?: I share my parents with three other folks.

t h e l e t t e r P
- – What are you most paranoid about?: Setting the smoke alarm in my apartment off.
- – Piercings: I am a lame-0 with just one in each ear lobe.

t h e l e t t e r Q
- – Are you quick to judge people?: Sometimes, I make up stories for a random person I encounter. I rarely speak to them, but simply observe their mannerisms. The writer in me never fails to find inspiration from all facets of life.

t h e l e t t e r R
- – Do you think you’re always right?: Everyone wants to be right. But we rarely are. I believe my parents are always right.
- – Do you watch reality TV?: I used to, but now it just pisses me off. Actually all TV does currently. And that includes the Twins! (But I continue my love affair…)

t h e l e t t e r S
- – Do you prefer sun or rain?: Isn’t it beautiful when there is a gray sky to match your mood, and suddenly a light rain begins to fall? You have your umbrella, but refrain from taking it out just to take it all in.
- – Do you like snow?: I get angry if I don’t get my snow in December.
- – What’s your favorite season?: We’ve been over this. I LOOOOVE the spring.

t h e l e t t e r T
- – What time is it? 11:54pm
- – What time did you wake Up?: 8:30am

t h e l e t t e r U
- – Can you ride a unicycle?: At the Mayday parade, the bicyclists at the beginning boggled my mind! The man in the bike that could roll! AMAZING! I would completely fall down if I tried riding a unicycle. That is a ridiculous question.

t h e l e t t e r V
- – What’s the worst veggie?: Anything put in a can. Blech.

t h e l e t t e r W
- – What’s your worst habit?: Procrastination. That equals mediocrity in the academics department.

t h e l e t t e r X
- – Have you ever had an x-ray: On my teeth at the dentist generally.
- – Do you own a Xylophone?: I totally had a toy xylophone when I was a youngin’. But it’s probably on the truck. (Sorry, inside joke. In 1997 our house flooded. Majorly. We loaded all our gunky crap onto a big truck during the cleanup. Now, if we can’t locate an item, we just figure it’s on that truck, where useless material things go to die.)

t h e l e t t e r Y
- – Do you like the color yellow?: The sun is yellow. We need the sun to survive.
- – What year were you born in?: Nineteen hundred Eighty Six

t h e l e t t e r Z
- – Do you believe in the zodiac?: I don’t get the zodiac. But I do get why I have faith in God. The faith-aspect is very similar I suppose, so what’s the difference? Am I right and it is wrong? Who’s to say what’s right or wrong? Well, according to what I have been led to believe, that is God. So, no. I don’t.
- – What’s your sign?: Scorpio. Ooh! What’s my horoscope for the day? Will my crush FINALLY get a clue and ask me out?
No. That is crap. If you want something good to happen in your life, make it happen for yourself. Don’t rely on “readings” or whatever that stuff is.

t h e w h o s

Who is in the house with you? My Momma, My Daddy, Christopher, and Caitlin.
Who was the last person to IM you? I rarely am on line anymore. I gave that up after a breakup. Just call! Or facebook…
Who are you thinking about now? Since I came to this question…the Twins. And how much they need Joe to come off the effing DL!
Who did you last talk to on the phone? Katie. No! I lied. Patrick called me, my big brudder.
Who’s birthday is next? My cousin Shanen’s is on Saturday and I will see her on Sunday for the Brewer-Twin game at Miller Park!
Who’s your favorite relative? Sometimes friendship can be thicker than blood. My immediate family is golden to me. I can’t pick a favorite from them. They all are my favorite. And I tell them that. But I consider LeAnn to be my sister. She isn’t like a sister. She IS my sister. She’s my favorite.

w h a t s

What was the last thing you ate?: My mom totally made beef roast for dinner. It was amazing. But technically I had a red dilly bar, which was equally amazing.
What was the last thing you drank?: Agua
What color pants are you wearing?: I’m not wearing pants…
What kind of cell phone do you have?: An old, crappy one that needs to DIE!
What is the closest item near you that is blue?: Harry Potter, Book 5. July 13th baby!
What is your favorite color?: Black. It matches my personality.

A-Z of me

[A]- AVAILABLE?:
Oooh, tough question. Technically I am free as a bird, single, available–whatever you would like to call it. Unfortunately, I am not into the whole relationship thing right now. It’s too much. I’m too young. I need to be myself right now. So, really…no. I am not available.

[B] – BIRTHDAY MONTH?
November. (The day is the first day of huntin’ season in Michigan. Ten dollars if you know what day that is…)

[C] -CRUSHING?
I have 13 or so crushes right now. All are MLB-ers, one is John Krasinski, and the others barely mean a thing. There’s the random cute guy who sat next to me on the bus, the German speaking man on the bus to the Guthrie…wow, a lot of my crushes develop from riding mass transit…

[D]- last drink you had?
Alcoholic? Umm…a tequila shot? I think that was it.

[E] – EASIEST PEOPLE TO TALK TO?
LeAnn, Douglas, Mrs. Wagner, My Mom

[F] – FAVORITE COLOR(S):
It changes all the time. I am currently liking lavender. Again.

[G] – GUMMY BEARS OR GUMMY WORMS:
Worms are more fun, especially with sugar on them. (Yeah, let’s make one unhealthy food even worse!!)

[H]- HOMETOWN:
Sometimes, I don’t feel like I have a hometown. I would like to say Green Bay, but Breckenridge and Marinette could vie for my attention as well. And I am in love with Minneapolis currently. Home is where the heart is!

[I]- INSTRUMENT:
I have played the piano and the flute. Both of which I have given up. How about the pen?

[J] – JUGGLE:
I remember when I was in elementary school, in gym class, we had juggling units!! Oh, how I miss elementary phy ed…

[K] – KILLED
Whatever happened to that one commandment…oh, Thou shalt not kill? Huh?!
(I kill spiders.)

[L] – Longest car ride?
Florida. Marinette to The Villages. In. One. Drive. No. stops. to. sleep. WORST CAR RIDE EVER!!

[M] MOST MISSED MEMORY:
I really wish I could remember living in Green Bay. Oh, and my Grandpa O’Brien. He died when I was two. I barely knew him.

[N] – NUMBER OF SIBLINGS?
I gots me a younger sister and two wonderful brothers. One old, one young. Both terrific!

[O] – ONE wish ?
I have many dreams, many wishes, many hopes, but above all fears. How about for all my worries to go away?

[P] – PERSON WHO CALLED YOU LAST:
Katie! We went out to lunch (well, I just had coffee) with Elise this afternoon.

[Q]- QUITTER?
I really can’t bring myself to quit something, even if sometimes I should.

[S] -SONG YOU LAST HEARD?
I don’t remember. Something in the background of Grey’s. Amos Lee! I could hold you in my arms (I think)

[R] -REASONS FOR DOING THIS SURVEY:
I feel the need to write.

[T] – TIME YOU WOKE UP?
8:30. And I am on break! What is this?

[U] – UNDERWEAR NOW:
I believe I do! But I can’t divulge such secrets!

[V] VEGETABLES:
I looooves me some broccoli!

[W] – WORST HABIT
I chew on my tongue. Is that weird?

[X]-number of friends on myspace?
I stole this from myspace and am not even posting it there! But it’s in the 80s if you must know. (I use it mainly to hear new music.)

[Z] ZODIAC SIGN:
Scorpio (Not that it matters!)

Why I Dislike Sports in General

I have never been one to adore the athletic contests of life. I could go with the age-old stereotype of, “I am a girl, and therefore I can hate sports.” But no, no, NO! The feminist in me cannot, and I repeat, CANNOT use that excuse anymore. And the fact that I am getting better with them. I know things that I never would have imagined I would EVER know now! There are reasons for this. Number one: my current roommate. What has she done? (haha) No, I think this is good for me. Anyway–back to my original intent for the post. Why I hate sports.

I was never the athletic type. Currently, my idea of exercise and athleticism includes walking, the occasional biking, and maybe a little yoga. I am not very competitive, really. I like to avoid conflict at all costs. It isn’t as if I haven’t tried sports. I have participated in almost every one offered. Yeah, really. It isn’t my fault that sports have not been so good to me. A natural, I am not. I suppose it also has a bit to do with how bitter rivalries can be.

I was born in Green Bay. By default, I am a Packer fan. (There is a clause about it on my birth certificate–I swear!) When I was two, my family moved out to the boondocks of Minnesota. Middle of nowhere. The small town I grew up in was small. We were known as the town Packer fans. We were teased relentlessly and without a sense of how cruel it was day after day. I hated football season because of it. I barely cared whether the Packers really won or lost, but it made my life much easier when they won. My tormentors didn’t have anything to harass me about when a win happened that Sunday. I would be in tears, literally begging my parents for me to stay home from school the following Monday after a particularly bad loss. It was much worse when we played the Vikings and in ‘98 when we lost the 32nd Super Bowl. Part of the reason my family eventually moved back to Wisconsin was the fact that people were so mean about a stupid game. Could it be the fact that they were bitter that the Vikings have never experienced the kind of success that the Packers have been known for? Or are people just that petty? Whatever the reason, it shaped me to be the way I am today. I still get tears in my eyes just thinking about how terribly we were treated in the town of Breckenridge. Situation #1 that has contributed to my hatred of sporting events.

As I pointed out above, I am no athlete. I like to read. No, I love reading. Books…(sigh)…are my life. One summer I went to a week long basketball camp. I hated it. We played three times a day. Needless to say, I gave up on that. I think for at least two summers my parents paid for golf lessons. The golf course was right across the street/river from our home. I kind of liked the lessons themselves. Putting, the driving range, the cliche motto “It’s a great day for golf,” the little bets the pros would have with us for a can of pop…the list goes on. Was I ever good? Hardly. At the end of the, oh…8 or so weeks of lessons we would form groups and have a little tournament. On the very first hole I got a 28. From the 100 yard marker. I was fantastic! Or not. One thing I did like about living in close proximity to the golf course was the fact that we had easy access for excellent cross country skiing grounds. When I was in third grade, for Christmas the parents gave each of us kids a pair of skis. I have never been downhill skiing however. The klutz in me would not fare well. Coordination is something I lack when it comes to physical activity.

I have played basketball, volleyball, ran track and cross country, participated in cheer clinics, took swimming lessons and golf lessons, and tried participating in gym class. That’s another big one: phy ed. My idea of being active in the given sport of the day: sticking my arm out when a ball comes my way. Remember the old MTV show Daria? There was a picture in the opening credits of her in a volleyball game. The ball comes near her and she half-heartedly puts her hand out after the ball bounces past her. That epitomized my philosophy with gym class. I did like playing badminton and floor hockey. I had my moments with those activities. In Breck, in elementary school (oh, those were the days…) we had some awesome times. For instance, the game “Mission Impossible” that the teachers made up. Two teams, one on either end of the gym. In the middle were all kinds of obstacles to get through. Basically we had to get across the gym floor without touching the ground itself. Best. Game. Ever. Also, I liked a game titled “Big Base.” It was kickball, with huge mats for bases. When you got onto a mat, you didn’t have to leave right away. You could stay as long as you wanted. Often, big groups of kids would get on one base and we would all steal together. It brought out the laziness in me. Sure. Often, our teachers would have dance units, in which we would learn the Mexican Hat Dance, the Hustle, the Electric Slide, Swing Dancing, and the ever-popular Macarena. I first learned the Macarena in gym class. A school dance or wedding is not complete without it!! I do remember one other time when the school rented roller skates. We skated all around the gym and they played music. So much fun! Strange, I have no good memories of gym class in Marinette. There was Mr. Wolf, the strange being who kind of creeped everyone out, and the man who looked like an ape with a loud booming voice that we never really understood, and another man who was a little sexist. My last phy ed teacher wasn’t bad. Half the time my friend Doug and I would ask to go to the choir room to hang out instead, and she allowed it. Although, we also had some super-fun moments in which we lined up for picking teams. Doug and I weren’t just picked last, we weren’t picked at all, and they would start the games without us. That really makes a person feel good! Of course, with our Daria-esque participation, could we blame them? One game I abhorred–Spaceball. What. A. Joke. It was kickball, only with two people kicking at a time. And instead of three bases, you ran to the big high jump mat from track and field in the center. I never made it to that mat. I always wanted to just go and sit there. Once Doug was hit in the head, twice, by a kickball. He then was allowed to sit out the rest of the period. I, of course, had to sit out also just in case he had a concussion.

I am getting better with the whole idea of sports. Would I rather do other things? Sure. I was actively involved in Student Senate, Choir, Theatre, Forensics, and the like. It isn’t as if I sat home and did nothing. Just because I never participated in an after-school sport in high school doesn’t make me lazy. If I went to the football or basketball games, it was only to watch my friends in the pep band or marching band. I often left at halftime after they were finished playing. I actually made it to state every year in high school for forensics (or speech as it is most often called) and barely got recognition. Our football team hasn’t won a game since I was a junior (and that year only won once) yet they are on the front page of the sports section day in and day out. Teacher barely make a living, and sports stars get ridiculous amounts of money. Barry Zito signed a contract for $126 million dollars in the off season. That is disgusting. And some ask why I hate sports?

Oh, Dear

This is going to test my true inner-fan. The record for the month of May thus far? 3 and 7. Our entire record to date? 17 and 18. We are officially under .500 for the first time this season. I love the Twins. I keep following the games. I root for runs whenever there’s a chance. I root for homers when clearly it’s not going to happen (ahem…Tyner), at least not for awhile. I wear the team colors and read the endless blog entries. I relish in a win, and feel the remorse with every loss. I love the feeling of cheering for the home team while sitting in the stands with fellow fans. I love the fact that I frequent ESPN. Both the channel and the website. I know what a balk is, and the meaning of a full count, and where you have to be to be considered to be in scoring position. I can almost name our 25 man roster. It makes my day when I can explain a certain rule of the game to someone not in the know. I can barely believe that I have been following as closely as I have been the past few months. Baseball is now a big part of my life. After reading and writing, baseball and the Twins are a close third in terms of my hobbies. Music and theatre have taken a back seat to…a sport? What is going on?

It’s an epidemic.

I thought that one was okay. Fine, whatever–it’s your hair. But all of the sudden, it seems as though every baseball player feels the need to get a buzz cut. Why so many shaved heads? Is it laziness? Perhaps, but then they are athletes, which cancels out any potential for being lazy at all. (Your writer on the other hand…) I can name about 4 guys of the Twins alone who all of the sudden are sporting this ‘do. Why? Some just shouldn’t cut their hair so short. It’s just…no.

Okay, Justin, so you hit 2 homers in the game last night–I’m proud of you. But I am not proud of your hair. You look ridiculous!

And David Wright? Why? That is all I ask.

Personally, I’m not for the buzz. There’s nothing to run your fingers though! Come on, guys! Don’t keep it up like this. Your fan base may wane a bit.