Merry Christmas, Happy Blogging

I haven't blogged in 22 days. Yikes. Sorry, self. So now I'm back. If for no other reason than to say I was here.

Let's see, what's new? Cubbies signed a new first baseman. This guy:

Carlos Pena

He hit 46 home runs two years ago before a down year last season. Nice, polite guy with pop in his bat. Glad to have you aboard, Carlos. --that reminds me: With Zambrano, Marmol and Silva, Pena now makes it four Carloses on the Cubs roster. How cool is that?








Bulls are playing nice lately. Five straight W's and a 14-8 record thus far. I can dig it.

My league in Hutch is back from a two-week hiatus. After losing our first game, we shellacked our opponent in Game 2, 64-18. We take our 1-1 record into tonight's 7:00 game with certain signs of rust.

I will try to blog again before Christmas, but in case I don't...uh, it's Christmas time! I love Christmas. Everything about it. The music, the shopping, the decorations, the spirit. It's all just so fun. I'm literally, well...a kid at Christmas.

I still have most of my shopping to do, but I'm looking forward to it all.

I'm planning to buy myself a new (big) TV on the 23rd. Merry Christmas to me! But you can still buy me stuff, if you want.








Also, I'll be making my first ever (voluntary) student loan payment at some point this week. Big step! And planning to penny-pinch like crazy in January/February, in hopes that I can buy me a new vehicle (ahem, truck?) around March or shortly thereafter.

But in the meantime, trying my darnedest to take things one step at a time.

Next step: Cookie.

Merry Christmas and Happy Blogging,
Derrick

PS, I'd like to share this song with you. Heard it for the first time a couple weeks ago, and it's fun. You may not like it the way I do, and you'll have to pause my already-awesome music on here, but I'm sharing anyway.

In case you wanted to know. And even if you didn't.

Long time, no blog. Changes abound! My good friend Katie Hill suggested I expand the narrow column that was the blog itself last time. I was happy to oblige. Also, I'm hoping that by the time you read this, another couple changes will have been made. No promises.

Just for fun, here are a few little tidbits about me that you may not have known, and/or for any new readers...

My favorites:

Movie: Cinderella Man
Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio/Ben Affleck [occasionally changes]
Actress: Sandra Bullock
TV Show: Seinfeld
TV Channel: MLB Network
Musical artist: James Otto
Song: Measure of a Man - Jack Ingram
Radio Station: 100.5, The Wolf

Restaurant: Olive Garden
Fast food: Popeye's

Sport to watch: Baseball
Sport to play: Basketball

Team: Chicago Cubs

Bible verse: "You are sheep among wolves. Be wise as serpents, yet innocent as doves." - Matthew 10:16

Moving on.

5 weeks in at the job. Getting better with time, as I get accustomed to things. Things I've learned so far:

1. Be thankful for what you have. Most people have zero idea how hard things could really be.
2. I can't/won't talk about girls on Facebook anymore. The girls I work with are relentless, to say the least. It's not worth the hassle.
3. I will not take things that happen at work home with me. Soon as I walk out the door, it's over.

Don't mistake these things to mean that I do not like my job. For the most part, it's actually pretty interesting. Big picture: I get paid to help people. Can't complain about that.

Once again, not much of substance here. Beginning to think I'm not as deep as I once thought I was. Wait, that seems like circular logic. Well, you know what I mean. Maybe. On that note, feel free to share thoughts. And have a good weekend, all.

Cheers,
Derrick

[insert random clever title here]

To whom it may concern,

Two weeks in at new job. So far, so good. Definitely some intrigue of a few different varieties already. Some I could probably talk about if anyone is so inclined to hear...others, I'll keep to myself. [chuckle]

For this last week of October, I wore a pink ribbon pinned to my shirt each day. Took some flak for it, but I don't care. Pink t-shirt on Thursday night, too. Look, evidence...

Our home crowd at the High School game was clad in pink and pretty raucous for a 62-0 win to end the regular season. Players wore blue unis with pink numbers [and names] for the occasion, too. Pretty sweet.

Bulldogs head into the playoffs having outscored their opponents 473-36 in nine regular season games. Impressive.

However, I will miss the Regional game here at home on Tuesday vs. Ness City, due to working late. Dang it.

I don't really have a whole lot to say in this blog [go figure], but wanted to post something since I haven't since starting the new job. Also, it gave me incentive to change my layout off the the pink backdrop.

Note: People [ahem, girl(s)] who think they're going to get on my good side while badmouthing friends of mine... I think not.


Upcoming: Basketball league in Hutchinson starting next Sunday. Pretty pumped for that. Should be interesting.


Not much else to say at the moment. This one was pretty short. Maybe next time I'll have more to say. I need to try and blog on weekends, now that I'm working weekdays. Here's hoping!

Let me know what you think of the layout. It's kind of bland, but it occurred to me that maybe I've been too flashy in the past. Need to tone it down a bit. Any thoughts?

Happy Halloween.

Derrick, out.

Note to self...

Since last time...

Wednesday: Dislocated finger. Right pinkie. I've broken it 10 times. [yes, 10] But this was the first time I've ever dislocated anything. It was equal parts disgusting and awesome. Looked like the letter V. Neat, huh?

Friday: Pretty Prairie football rolled to a 48-0 win over Kiowa County [newly consolidated school of Greensburg-Haviland]. Their head coach is the brother of our head coach. Neat stuff. Was supposed to be a test, but our guys just keep getting better--it was over at halftime. Craziness.

Sunday: Bears win. Ugly wins are wins, too. 4-1? Okay!

Man, my weeks are bleak. Is that really all I have to talk about? Nah. Let's come up with something. I know y'all don't care about my sports talk. The few of you who actually [may] still read this thing are females anyway...

How about personal change? That one's a nice little recurring theme.

I've realized lately that I am, in fact, finally ready to date. Well, mentally anyway. Getting a job and feeling secure in at least one area helped with that notion, I think. Actually finding a girl [plural, perhaps?] willing to take a shot, though? Let's just say that next step is a doozy.

The factors that played into this conclusion are not ones that most people, particularly males, would probably feel comfortable discussing. But screw it.

Things I'm attempting to teach myself: [Warning: After school special-like thoughts to come...]

Dear Self,
1. No one is going to like you until you like yourself.
2. When a girl isn't interested...let it go. Stop trying to figure out why. It doesn't matter.
3. Stop trying to impress people. If you wanna grow a beard, eat a cookie, talk about sports, etc...do it.
4. Your happy dance is awesome. And hilarious. It would make people laugh if you ever did it in public.
5. You're 25, not 52. Act like it.

Just gotta remind myself of these things occasionally and I should be fine.

Anywho.

Streak time:
- 705 days without work [unless you count umpiring baseball during the summers] -- comes to an end in 7 days. Hooray.
- 605 days with no girlfriend -- still going. Screw it. It'll happen when it happens. Maybe.
- 219 days with no pop -- still going strong. Hooray.
- 17 days with no ice cream -- still going also. Not quite as impressive, but I was on a milkshake kick for awhile, so that had to go.

Keep streaking, (ha)
Derrick

No Girls Allowed. Unless you're cute. Then it's fine.

It's been a month since I blogged, so this one will be pretty random (not that most aren't)...until I can hopefully get back into the flow of things here soon.

Stuff and things...
- Got a job. This isn't exactly news, but I haven't told a ton of people. So it might be news to you.
- Decided to go with the pink on the layout for a few weeks--in spirit of Breast Cancer Awareness and all that jazz. Don't judge.
- At my pre-employment physical, Doc told me despite working out upwards of 10 times per week, I am 37-49 pounds overweight. Beyond depressing. Bright side: I'd bet everything I own that I could still outrun the guy, despite being twice his size.
- Today marks 7 months with no pop. And yes, I miss it

Sports stuff...
- Cubs are done. Bad, bad year to say the least. As per the Cubs motto: There's always next year.
- Pretty Prairie football is now 5-0. At Greensburg this week. I've never been, should be cool.
- Bulls PF Carlos Boozer out 6-8 weeks with broken finger. Ugh.
- Been playing a lot of touch football lately. Decent workout, kind of fun.
- Bears are 3-1. But that loss was uglier than...well, something that's really ugly.

Girl stuff...
- Took a bit of a risk the other day. Stepped out on a limb. Branch broke. Failed miserably. Metaphor.
- Talked to neighbor girl yesterday. Longest talk in ages. NG = girl ma thinks I should marry. Eye roll.
- My good buddy Bacon & I plan to start a club, build a fort, etc. "No girls allowed" signs, the whole 9. Seriously, y'all are a crazy bunch of ninnies sometimes. But I still love ya. [though sometimes I forget why]

Quote of the day:

"If you want to be loved, be lovable." - Ovid

Derrick

It's not. Ranting if. I use. Short sentences.

Front page:
Hello, world. Been awhile.

Friend's wedding today. I want one.

I think I wanna get married on a Tuesday morning. Three kids. Maybe two. What's that? Gotta get a date first? Oh.

Haven't read much recently. Boredom problem.

Haven't written much lately. Idea problem.

Haven't run much either. Knee problem.

Hope to fix all these soon. Though the latter will be tough.

Breaking News:
Um, JENNIFER NETTLES! Sorry for the outburst. There is no story here. I just like her. The idea of having her babies has been floated about.

Tuesday is important. But I'm not telling you why. Just know that it is.

Obituary:
Joel Strohl, Pretty Prairie, KS. Small town, big deal. Rest in peace, Mr. Strohl.

Sports section:
Hometown fellas won 50-nil Friday. Hooray.

Jayhawks lost 6-3 Saturday. Bah.

Cubs are still terrible.

Bulls still look promising.

Bears look...eh.

Comics:

I need to write again soon. If only for my own mental stimulation. I'll do my best.

Until then.

Cheers,
Derrick

Zero, Point Two.

Zero, Point Two.

For 0.2 seconds, I am free.
One foot leaves the earth
while the other has yet to return.

I run not from something,
or even to something,
but for it--whatever it is.

I run for that 0.2 seconds.

In 0.2 seconds,
it all rushes through.

I'm a kid with skinned knees.
It's kickball at recess
or a field trip to the zoo.

In 0.2 seconds,
I flash through it all.

I'm at my Junior prom.
I'm in the locker room at halftime.
I'm watching the towers fall.

In 0.2 seconds,
Time reminds me.

I'm the new kid--again.
Just hanging in the dorms.
I'm getting my degree.

For 0.2 seconds,
it all goes my way.

For 0.2 seconds, I am free.
I come back down to earth.
But I'll be back again.

Free again.

Someday.

Or in about 0.2 seconds.



Derrick

Reading about reading? Eek.

Book update. Just finished Kisser by Stuart Woods. Good book, another page-turner by Woods, with lots of twists and turns and several crazy people sprinkled in. What I learned...Drama in life: BAD. Drama in fiction: FUN.

That makes 8 books in 27 days. 2,361 total pages. Pace holding steady and increasing slightly. Just over 87 pages per day thus far.

Next selection: Run Before the Wind - Stuart Woods

This is much older than the last few I've read [it's Woods's 2nd novel--written in 1983]. Hoping to finish in 4 days, to complete 9 books in 31 days [1 month]. Ten would've been cooler, but I suppose nine is nothing to sneeze at. This one, 337 pages.

Other notes:

- Had a real good run yesterday. 6 miles, 110 degree heat index. Not exactly what you would call 'safe' but it was effective.

- Recently attended a birthday party for my 90-year old friend and neighbor, Margaret Albright. One of the coolest people ever. Seriously, if you don't know her, you're missing out. Drives a red sports car, plays golf at 6 AM. We talked about the football team--she's excited, thinks we'll win state--I agree. Love that lady.

- Here's a funny video clip. It's hilarious and so worth your time. It was on during the ESPYs the other night. Classic.




Cheers,
Derrick

Poll: Nerd? Result: Yep.

Book update again. I promise I'll stop this when my pace starts to slip. Just finished Loitering With Intent by Stuart Woods. Good read, another quick page-turner, even whilst taking longer breaks between reading. Couldn't find a good review for this one, some of these are hard to find.

Good story, in which the protagonist Stone Barrington [my favorite and the most prevalent of all Woods's main characters] ventures down to Florida in an attempt to locate a client of his business partner. All hell [and confusion] breaks loose, and there are plenty of twists and turns to constantly pique the interest level.

That now makes 7 books in 24 days. 2,070 total pages. The pace just keeps increasing. I am such a nerd.

Next selection: Kisser - Stuart Woods

The Woods path continues. No idea what this one's about yet, but the title [and cover] intrigues me--albeit sounding kind of girlie. Another Stone Barrington tale. He's an intriguing character, let me tell ya. This one, 291 pages.



Results from most recent poll:
Question: Favorite summer activity?
Swimming: 4 votes (21%)
Camping: 4 votes (21%)
Fishing: 4 votes (21%)
Drinking: 3 votes (16%)
Running: 2 votes (11%)
Tanning: 2 votes (11%)
Farming: 0 votes (0%)
Working: 0 votes (0%)

I'm actually kind of impressed that drinking didn't rank #1. Safe to say, that's not what I voted. To be fair, most my friends don't read these things, let alone vote...so these polls are hardly representative of any type of consensus.

Oh well, I take what I can get.
- Much love to those of you who vote! And especially those who comment--either on here or via links on Facebook.

New poll is up! Go vote.

[I suppose it's not much of a "vote"--more of a Q&A--but still] :)

See you soon,

Derrick

Good books, good players, good friends.

Book update again. Sick of these yet? Just finished Hothouse Orchid by Stuart Woods. I love Stuart Woods. I turn pages faster in his books than with anyone else I've ever read. I was unable to find a legit review for this one, so forgive me. It's a great read, though.

Very interesting book, in which the protagonist Holly Barker takes a break from her CIA job to return home to Florida for a vacation, where she finds herself entangled in a unique criminal investigation--just like old times. Ending was a Whoa! ending. Not disappointing, but very...you know, Whoa!

That now makes 6 books in 21 days. 1,777 total pages. Approximately 85 pages per day for 3 weeks.

Next selection: Loitering With Intent - Stuart Woods

The last of the 3 books I checked out from the library this past week. I'd like to finish this one by Monday sometime, then go pick up another 2-3 books. Didn't think I'd keep this up like I have. This one, 293 pages.

Other notes:

- My good friend Katie Hill [hi, Katie] told me about a website by way of commenting on my last blog. You can track the books you've read, have yet to read, ones you own, etc. I've checked it out and so far it seems pretty cool. If you read at all, give it a look-see: [http://www.goodreads.com/]

- Bulls signed Utah Jazz shooting guard Kyle Korver today--he'll re-unite with former teammate Boozer, who I mentioned recently. The. Dude. Can. Shoot. And the ladies usually like him, too. [jealous]

If you're not a basketball fan, but think he looks a little familiar, you're not crazy...

- Going to Wichita a little later to meet up with one of my best friends in life, Tausha. Yay! Haven't seen her in about 2 years. Funniest. Female. Ever. Pretty stoked.

That's it for now, y'all. Only a couple days left to vote on the poll if you haven't already. Plan to be back sometime Monday.

Have a good weekend,

Derrick

Books and Booze...r.

Yet another book update: Just finished Bleachers by John Grisham. This one took less than a full day. For a Wikipedia book review, [click here].

Good [albeit quick] story about a former High School football player who reluctantly returns home to attend a memorial of sorts for his former coach. The player has to fight off the bad memories and remind himself of the good ones, while attempting to finally move on.

That now makes 5 books in 19 days. 1,483 total pages.

Next selection: Hothouse Orchid - Stuart Woods

My favorite author. Haven't read any of his stuff in quite awhile. I'll have to make a list of the books of his I've read, but I imagine the count would be somewhere near 40. He's good. This one, 294 pages.



Other notes:
- Bulls agree to deal with Utah Jazz power forward Carlos Boozer.

- Word on LeBron James' decision to come tomorrow night at 8 PM on ESPN. It's a big deal.


- Happy Birthday to my gramps.


That was quick,
Derrick

[for lack of a better...something]

Book update: I just finished The Partner. Apparently, the New York Times doesn't do reviews for all books. Shucks. So this review [click here] comes courtesy of Wikipedia.

Intriguing book with lots of plot twists and well, sneakiness. Another "Really?" ending to this one. You know, not bad, but when you finish the last sentence of a book and all you can say is "Really?" It's like that. Still, cool book.

I finished The Partner in 3+ days. Woo! That now makes 4 books in 18 days. 1,320 total pages.

Next selection: Bleachers - John Grisham

I stopped by the town library today and checked out 3 new books, this being one of them. This book was recommended to me by my Middle School basketball [and football--yes, I once played football] coach. After this, I will [for real this time] take a break from John Grisham, at least for a bit. This one is short, 163 pages. Expect a quick update, since it shouldn't take long.



Other notes:
- Today marks 4 months without pop for me. I get cravings for it every few days or so, but I'm still going strong.
- Houston Rockets beat writer Jason Friedman replied to my email not long ago. Replied to one I sent him last fall, too. Yep, I'm pretty much best friends with a writer for an NBA team.
- Hoping to have a new phone within the next few weeks. As of now, leaning toward a Droid of some sort, but it would be hard to leave the life of a BlackBerry user behind. We'll see...

Keep reading,
Derrick

Reading, running, and rain.

Book update: Finished The Appeal today. I think from now on, I'll provide some info on each book I read. So for a New York Times book review for The Appeal, [click here].

Very good book, with a bit of scary realism as far as politics and the practice of law go. The ending was disappointing for me, but not enough so to ruin the story. [Unlike, say, Dear John].

That's now 3 books in 15 days. 954 total pages. My roll continues. In fact, my pace has increased. We'll see if that lasts.

Next selection: The Partner - John Grisham

This will be my 3rd Grisham novel in a row. At the moment, I'm thinking of taking a break from Grisham after this one, since a few of my other books of his are longer [longest one: 598 pages]. This one, 366 pages.


Other notes:
- Today, my first ever college crush got married. Congrats, Sarah!

I have one picture of Sarah and me, but it's about 6 years old, my hair was super long, and I looked really high [I wasn't]. So I won't be posting it. But still, I'm really very happy for her.

Now...can it be my turn yet? Please? Why not? *Sigh* But everyone else gets to go...[little kid voice].

- Perhaps the hardest run of my life this evening. Already on a sore knee, I was running through the rain [I love it], and mostly on dirt roads. The rain I was running in was manageable, but I didn't take into account how much it had already rained. For a one mile stretch, I was running in mud that came up past my ankles--that was messy. But there's nothing more liberating than a good, long run in the rain.

No one reads these things,
Derrick

Grisham and the snake...

Book update: Finished The Testament this afternoon. Good book. Featured an oft rehabbed ex-lawyer sent to the remote swamplands of the Pantanal to locate a female missionary who, unbeknownst to her, just inherited $11 billion from her estranged, recently deceased father.

So that's 2 books in 11 days. 630 total pages. I'm on a roll--and not ashamed of the nerd it makes me.

Makes me wonder, though...where was this motivation to read in High School? Or, um...college?

To be fair, it's not that I didn't read, it's that I didn't read the things I was supposed to. Whoops.

Next selection: The Appeal - John Grisham

Reckon I'll keep on the Grisham kick until I get bored or hit a lull. This one, 324 pages.

Embarrassing Story Time:

- Bear with me on the set-up, as it helps with the story's hilarity.

Remember the dude [Nate O'Riley] from the book? Well as he's working his way through the Pantanal, he naturally encounters several creatures he's not used to seeing in his typical suburban D.C. lifestyle. He doesn't mind it a bit--it's an adventure, after all--until the topic of snakes is brought up. At one point, they come upon an anaconda. All black, approximately 12 inches wide and 8 feet long. Just reading about this made me squirm. I haaaaate snakes.

As I begin my run, I look around at the clear country air, calm trees, thinking 'Man am I glad I'm here in the country and not the Pantanal--no anacondas here!'

And THEN...about a mile in, I see a big, black snake on the left side of the dirt road, not 10 feet in front of me. No anaconda, mind you, but, um...it's a freaking snake! Probably three inches in width, four feet long [estimates]. Needless to say, I panicked. Slammed on the breaks like a hockey player sliding to a stop in front of a goalie. Made an abrupt turn to go back the way I came and--TWIST went the knee. Ouch! Had to limp most the way home--and all around the house since then. Thankfully, the snake did not follow me home.

And that is my snake story.

As a follow-up to the story, this conversation ensued:

Me: "That was my favorite route to run, too...won't be taking that way for awhile now."
Mom: "Yeah, because the snake will be there waiting for you."
Me: "I know! That's what HE said. He said 'Don't come back 'round here or I'm gonna f*ckin' eat you.'"
Mom: "I bet he did."
Me: "Where did I lose you on the story's believability?"
Mom: "Go away, Derrick."
Me: "Dang it. Well it was still pretty scary."
Mom: "I know."

Snakes are bad,

Derrick

Bookworm, sports nut, overall weird dude.

First things first: Remember this blog? Needless to say, it took me forever to really start reading. I finally cracked open Hit and Run this past week--and finished it in last night, taking approximately 5 days (+/-). Real good book. It was the third and final tale within a series of books about Lawrence Block's protagonist, Keller--an ironically likable hit man. Fun story with several twists and turns, and a fun ending.

I'm still finding it too difficult to dive into Wild at Heart, a book gifted to me from my best friend--who no longer speaks to me. So it's back on the shelf for now. Heart-wrenching bookmark and all.

So the current pick: The Testament - John Grisham

This is just one of at least 6 unread Grisham books on my shelf. If I like it enough, I could very well have a very Grisham summer, 2010. We shall see. Ideally, I'd like to try and knock out a book a week for as long as possible. At current pace, should be an OK goal.


Moving on: Helluva sports day. I mean, epic. I mean, so much so that even if you're not all that interested in sports, you should appreciate how big a sports day today has been. And if you don't, well...I probably don't have much to say to you.

World Cup: Team USA needed to win, or they were done. Correction, they could have moved on with a tie, but only if England tied and scored less than 2 in their game. Or something. Huge stakes. Knotted at nil-nil and knowing England had already won, the drama was intense. In extra time, Landon Donovan punched in the winner, sealing perhaps the most thrilling soccer victory in United States history. President Clinton was there, watching in person--in tears and had lost his voice. I'm just saying...


Wimbledon: John Isner, United States. Nicolas Mahut, France. If you don't know the names, you will. Or...check the record books in about 500 years and their names will still be there. Longest match ever. In the history of tennis. Ever. By far. Ever. In fact, the 5th set alone has lasted longer than the next-longest match ever. Oh yeah, and it's not over yet. Play was suspended today (again). They will resume tomorrow, having already played 9 hours, 58 minutes. The 5th set is tied 59-59. The only word I have to describe this: Superrinsanecrazyludicrousridiculousness!

Utterly ridiculous day in the world of sports...and the Cubs don't even play until 9:10 tonight.

Lastly, I have effectively managed to put my entire foot in my mouth on multiple occasions (same topic) already this week. But it needed to be done. It was something I was hesitant about, but decided to listen to the advice of a friend [Thanks, Brit] and go ahead with it. So glad I did, too. It's out of my hands now...big relief. Time to move on from that situation. Like I've said before--in regards to other topics--I've done all I can.


Happy reading,
Derrick

See what I see...

- I talk too much.
- I struggle finding things to blog about.

With these two things in mind, figured I'd try a new approach. A small look inside what I see. A bit of my world, through my eyes.

My BlackBerry.


My laptop. Go Cubs!


My still-too messy bedroom. "Believe"


My closet. Note: There are 4 other Cubs hats not pictured here.


Stepping outside my front door...


My dog, Pete [old pic].


A look back at the house.


My court--and the hillbilly clutter occupying it, courtesy of gramps.


My not-so quality car. Would much rather have a pickup truck. Someday. :)


Looking down the driveway, toward the road.


Short and sweet this time. That's it for now, y'all.

Don't forget to vote!

Thanks for stopping by,
Derrick

Music + Summer = Happy

So do the occasionally colorful changes to the blog distract you from the fact that I haven't written anything meaningful since, like...wait, what was I talking about? Oh well.

Less than 3 weeks since the James Otto concert [which was pretty cool, by the way], I got an invite to another show last night--this time from my friend Lindsey.

On the ticket: Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, Love & Theft. Pretty sure I was the only person in the place who actually likes Lady A better than Tim. But neither artist played my favorite song of theirs, which is always annoying [see also: Reason #742 why I'm not an avid concert-goer]. Regardless, fun times were had.

For the Otto show, I forgot my camera in my car, so only came out with one pic from my phone. For last night's show, I was far away annnnd not a camera-operating expert, as it happens. So the pics are shoddy, at best. Excuses aside, enjoy:

James Otto and me. We're pretty much brothers now.


Love & Theft


Lady Antebellum




Tim McGraw




On another note...

Results from most recent poll:

Question: What do you do to relieve stress?
Play a sport: 4 votes (44%)
Play a game/do a puzzle: 2 votes (22%)
Read/write: 1 vote (11%)
Watch TV/movie: 1 vote (11%)
Complain: 1 vote (11%)

This was the least-effective poll yet. Only 8 votes, sad. This next one ought to be better. Here's hoping...

Speaking of which, there is a new poll question up! This time, there are 8 choices...you can select more than one if you wish. Select all that apply. Enjoy! :)

Say hello,
Derrick

Frail grasp at civility...

"If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." Your mom ever say that to you? Mine didn't. No, really.

My ma's advice was more like: "If you're going to kill your brother, don't get blood on the carpet."

Still, it's true--you should be nice [and keep blood off carpet, too]. Which is why I haven't posted anything in awhile. It's been hard for me to come up with something nice to say about what's on my mind at the moment. I think I'm finally there. Here goes nothing...

The ex-girlfriend is getting married Saturday. I once said [in this blog] that I'd say more by saying nothing. So I lied. Well, not really--different context. But still.

For the record: Yes, I know I'm better off. No, I don't miss her--at all. Yes, I'm over her. Have been for a long time now. Still...when exes [especially more than one] get married, there's a certain feeling you get. Not a fun one. But I'm here to attempt a positive spin on it. Key word: attempt.

Positive-ish thoughts in 3...2...1...

I am happy. Happy it's not me. Whew, bullet dodged. Hindsight and all that jazz...

I am grateful. Grateful for the good times. Hard to admit, but they did happen. See?


I am thankful. Thankful for unanswered prayers.

I am gracious. Gracious for the lesson learned through heartache.

I am relieved. Relieved, oddly enough, that the day has come and now I can laugh about it.

I am blessed. Blessed with good friends, strong faith, and a heart capable of feeling the hurt--but also the ability to love in the first place.

Lastly,
Congratulations, Stephanie.
[pause for effect]
...and Glenn.

Be good to each other and God bless.

That was hard to do,
Derrick

I'm talking to myself, don't eavesdrop.

[A glance at my inner dialogue from a few occasions this past week...]

Wednesday 5/19, 4:48 PM

"Dude, great interview. You got this."
"I don't know...stumbled a bit at first."
"But you picked it up fast and really impressed them. That couldn't have possibly gone any better."
"That's true. But it's a 3A school and I don't have any head coaching experience. Still a long shot."
"Indeed. But you did everything you could for now. Let's go home."
"Sounds good. I need gas."
"You have gas? Gross. What did you eat?"
"Shut up. I need gas, stupid. I haven't eaten today, remember?"
"Oh yeah."

Saturday 5/22, 7:42 AM

"Dude, you still haven't been to sleep!? These headaches are getting ridiculous. Go...to...the...doctor."
"It's just a broken nose; don't be such a girl."
"Then why haven't you been to sleep before 5 AM all week?"
"Shut up. I'm fine. Just can't sit still. Or sleep. Long as I'm moving around, I'm cool. Which means I can still play ball."
"But I think you need sleep to like, live and stuff. Or is that an old wives' tale?"
"I'm not married. Wouldn't know."
"Smart alec."

Sunday 5/23, 4:08 PM

"Cubs win, Cubs win!"
"YESSS! Silva is 6-0. The cat is rocking it right now. I AM CARLOS SILVA."
"No you're not, shut up. That corny Tiger Woods commercial aired years ago, give it up already."
"Good win today, though."
"Yep, real good win."

Sunday 5/23, 4:31 PM

"Did you really ask that girl on a date?"
"Yeah, who saw that coming?"
"Not me. You never do that. What gives?"
"Beats me; had to try, though."
"Well it's about time. Don't do anything dumb."
"I'm sure I will at some point."
"Yeah, probably. HA. You should send her a text."
"Nah man, gotta play it cool today."
"Cool? You? Double HA."
"I know, right? Gotta at least try."
"Well good luck with thaaaat!"
"I'll need it."
"Concert should at least be fun, right? Favorite singer and all."
"Oh yeah, almost forgot about the concert."
"Wow."

“One advantage of talking to yourself is that you know at least somebody's listening.” - Franklin P. Jones

I'm listening,
Derrick