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.

[insert holiday fire joke here]

This blog will be short and sweet. Not sweet like in a tasty way--like candy, though. Mmm, candy...wait, where was I? Oh yes...

In the spirit of the New Year, new beginnings, habits and whatnot, I've begun reading again before bed each night. Hopefully I can keep this trend up. The current book of choice was actually a Christmas gift from mom in 2008. Only on page 60, but very gripping book so far...


For those of you who don't know, here's a short summary:

Pat Tillman was a star football player for the NFL's Arizona Cardinals. After 9-11, he decided to give up millions upon millions of dollars playing professional football, and join the Army Rangers. He was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004. The circumstances leading up to--and following--his death are perhaps more intriguing than his story itself.

Other bits of randomocity:

- Happy New Year to you, too, Mr. Fireman: Hung with my friend Teri at her place in Wichita. Big fire in her complex forced everyone to evacuate, and sit around waiting for about 8 hours on firefighters to do their jobs. Quite the ordeal for those involved. I'd personally been there before (see: Christmas Eve house fire--2002), and actually felt a bit guilty not having much at stake this time around. But alas, New Year's 2010 was memorable, if nothing else.

The moral: You should probably never invite me to hang out with you on a holiday--your place of residence will more than likely catch on fire.

- Someone just gave me the Byrd: On December 31, my Cubbies finally got themselves a center fielder--Marlon Byrd. Welcome to Cub nation, Marlon.

- Just call me Mr. Productive: I did not spend way too much time today editing my blogger layout, only to end on one that I'm still not sure I like enough to keep. OK, yeah I did. *Sigh*

- ...or Mr. Sneaky: Let's see if you notice a difference, a subtle nuance, if you will--in this blog. I'm probably not as sneaky as I think. Still, indulge me, won't you?

- I kind of want to say something about _____, but I can't (or won't): _____...see? Told you.

Anyways, I'll try to write something more substantial soon. Until then...

Do the write thing,
Derrick

What a weak week. Word. Wait, what? Whoa, weird.

Due to the desire to write, yet lacking much of an idea--let's try a good ole recap of the week, hopefully in a comedic way, of sorts. Tried a few of those awhile back to relatively positive reviews.

Thurs; Dec 10...
7:00-8:45 PM--Play a little roundball with the fellas at home in Pretty Prairie. Only managed enough for 2-on-2, but it was fun, as small town basketball usually is. Then this one crazy cat apparently tripped over something (no one saw it) and watched his ankle swell to the size of a beach ball within minutes. He claims he blocked a shot on the play. Ironically, no one saw that either.

Fri; Dec 11...
I do not remember this day. It must not have happened.

Sat; Dec 12...
9 PM-4 AM (Sun)--Hang out in Hutchinson. Watch I Love You, Man for the first time. I pretty much am Paul Rudd. Except for the whole fiancee thing.

Sun; Dec 13...
4:57 AM--Finally arrive home. It should be a 30 minute drive, max. Worst fog I've ever seen in my life extended the drive a bit. Not pleasant.

6:00 PM--Game time.

6:53 PM--Another close loss, 0-4. 62-68, bad guys. For the first time, I wasn't horrendous. Barely. By my count: 16 points, 13 rebounds. Estimate of what I probably should have had: 28 points, 18 rebounds. Had a nice blocked shot on a former teammate I admire a lot (got called for a nonsense foul, but it was a make-up call for something I got away with previously).

Missed a few chippies--pause to check if "chippies" is a real word or just basketball slang. Chippies: Plural of chippy--a promiscuous young woman. Yikes. Definitely not what I meant. Rephrasing...I missed a few easy baskets.

Oh, promiscuous. Easy! Yeah, I get it now...

7:51-9:18 PM--Get back to gym in Pretty Prairie and join the hometown blokes for some 4-on-4.

7:59 PM--Receive a message that totally spikes my curiosity. Like a volleyball. You know, except not boring. Guffaw.

Mon; Dec 14...
11:45 AM-2:15 PM--Get some good games in on the courts at Wichita State. My team won in its first 7 games. Then a loss, then two wins, a loss, and a win. 10-2? In pickup ball? Pshaw, I'll take it.

7(ish) PM--Watch a pretty intense double-overtime Middle School game. Pretty Prairie wins on a tip-in at the buzzer. That kid will remember that moment forever. I know I have a few moments like that. One that was eerily similar, in fact.

Tue; Dec 15...
8 PM-12:30 AM (Wed)--Hang out in Hutchinson again. Pizza rolls and bread sticks from "The Hut" and a drink from Sonic? Eh, fuggedaboutit! <-- imagine an Italian accent.

Wed; Dec 16...
3 PM-6 PM--Jaunt to Wichita. Pick up a few Christmas gift on very limited budget. Result: I'm an awesome big brother, a decent son and pretty solid brother-in-law. As for being a little brother? Jury still out.

6:30--Taco Bell. Cheesy Gordita Cruch. And some soft shells on the side. No lettuce. Dr. Pepper. Yum.

This is a very anti-climactic ending, but that's pretty much all I've got this time.

Do the right thing,
Derrick

Give me your presence, keep your presents.

To the few people who've mentioned that they actually missed my blogs--I take that with the grain of salt. But I'm back--please forgive the 2 week layoff.

This one will be about gifts. It is the season for giving, is it not?

Thinking back to all the Christmas gifts I've been given over the years...

Best gift ever: NBA Live '99 --computer game

From: My grandma, Madeline Crosley. Her last Christmas before passing in February the following year. It was the first basketball video game I actually owned personally. Loved that game--I'll never forget it because of who it came from.

Worst gift ever: Tube socks

From: I have no earthly idea. Some distant relative, I imagine--I was a little kid. What little kid ever wants tube socks? Why do people do this? Ironically, as I near 25, I could actually use a new pair of socks or 2--just not ones like that.

2009 Wish List:
1. Anything Cubs--Ahem, tickets? Just kidding (no I'm not).
...there is a black Cubs shirt at Champs Sports that I would love. They used to have a neat white one, too, at one point. I own 4 blues and 1 grey, but no other colors.
...there are at least 6 new Cubs hats at Lids in Towne East in Wichita that I don't have. Not to mention tons of neatly-colored hats, shirts and other Cubs nonsense online. Just saying.

2. Nintendo Wii. Very unrealistic (money constraints for pretty much everyone I know) and not the best usage of my time, but I'd love one, nonetheless.

3. A foxy new girlfriend. Or at least a New Year's date? Suggestions? Bah.

*Derrick pauses for 2:22 and breaks into a Joe Nichols song* --
"What's a guy gotta do to get a girl in this town?...don't wanna be alone when the sun goes down...just a sweet little somethin' to put my arms around...what's a guy gotta do to get a girl in this town? ...well, ask anybody, I'm a pretty good guy..."

Yikes. Sorry you had to witness that--I'm back now...where was I? Oh yes...

On to a couple random Christmas memories:

1995: Move into new house (out of trailer). With TV on the floor and most belongings still in boxes, we watch the beloved Kansas Jayhawks defeat UCLA 51-30 in Aloha Bowl...Then, with no food worth eating and exhausted from moving--we eat "Christmas dinner" at a gas station in Kingman, KS. Just my mom and us three boys. An oddly cohesive occasion.

2002: House fire, 2 AM--Christmas Eve. Forced to move into a duplex in town for the last 5 months of my Senior year of High School. Weird stuff, watching your house almost burn down mere hours before Christmas.

SO...here's what I want: If you are reading this, take a second to tell me at least one--or more of the following:
1. What's on your Christmas wish list this year?
2. Best gift you've ever gotten?
3. Worst gift you've ever gotten?
4. Good Christmas memory?
5. Bad Christmas memory?
6. Favorite thing about the holiday season?
7. Least favorite thing about the holidays?

You mustn't answer them all...Just share some Christmas-y thoughts. Ready, go.

I'll try and make sure to write again before then, but I'm in holiday mode already.

Early or not...Merry Christmas, y'all.

Do the right thing,
Derrick