Today, I think I am, yet again, going to be easily annoyed by stupid little things.  For instance, have you ever noticed how freaking loud your typewriter is?  I was thinking this morning that it was simply the POUNDING typing skills of a coworker; but, alas, typing this is a pissing me off as well.

What else could be bad, you might ask?  Well, how about the damned Packers losing to the completely hapless Bucs?  Does that work for you?  <insert hysterical screaming/crying/blaming combo here>  Yeah?  How about that the Clots were able to pull one out against the Texans, but yet, I have to listen to how great they are – they’re undefeated, you know – twenty thousand times today!

Okay.  Deep breaths.  At least the Saints won and are still undefeated.  They could kill the Clots, but hopefully, Hottie Tom Brady and the Pats can do that this coming weekend.  Ha!  Now I’ve gotten myself humming a new tune: “Hottie Tom is coming to town…“

Since my last post, baseball sucked and Michigan football hasn’t been much better.  Purdue beat the Wolverines at Michigan Stadium for the first time since 1966 or something equally as ridiculous.  I know, I know, they’re still doing better than they did last year, but COME ON!  It’s Purdue!  Damn it.

The DH is looking for a new job.  Fortunately, we were able to have a heads-up on this looming period of unemployment, so we’re one step ahead of the game.  His boss, who I will lovingly call “Waffle House”, is trying to get him hired into the company full-time.  That, however, may mean a move.  I’m cool with that.  It’s time to get out of Indy, I think.

In good news, I only have to work three says this week, my Dad turns 50, and I got real-life letters from one of my two soldiers.  I was so stinking excited to get those two pieces of “Free mail” that I grinned all day Saturday (even around that stupid Michigan loss).  On Friday afternoon, I was buying some supplies to ship off to my soldiers, and I ended up telling about four other people about Soldiers’ Angels – hopefully one of them will go and check it out.  Why don’t you go and do the same: www.soldiersangels.org.

No Hot Guy Pic today – WordPress’ uploader seems to have a glitch…(sad face!)

I know it’s been a really long time since I posted.  In fact, I had an “update” kind of post all thought out about three weeks ago, and it never happened.  I’m not sure if they’re really watching this kind of thing here at work, but, if so, I’m trying to be sneaky.    A little insolence never hurt anyone, did it?

However, I am a little busy here in the Cube’O'Doom, so I think I’ll give you the Twitter version of an update.  All items will be 140 characters or less.  Be prepared for some randomosity.

• The White Sox sucked it up.  I can hardly take the annoyance and threaten, once again, to give up on them and cheer for someone else.
• Damn it, I want the Angels to win.
• I renewed my affair with the Saints, Packers, and Tom Brady.  Only Saints have returned the love. Tom tried to make it up to me last game.
• Went to St. Maarten for a week’s vacation.  Loved, loved, loved it!
• Went to Kansas City to see the Cowgirls almost get ridden roughshod by the Chiefs.  Too bad the red team lost.
• Did I mention it was colder than phuck in KC for the game?  Still I love outdoor football.
• Is scalping tickets legal in St. Louis? I want to go see the Rams try and win one in November and don’t want to go to jail or pay much.
• Increasingly annoyed with friend SR: she can’t commit to doing things with us, but she’ll commit to 1000 for people she regularly bashes.
• Got an awesome visit from friend SD and had a great girls’ weekend.
• Also in love with new Camaro. Too bad I won’t be able to afford one.
• Only intermittently busy at work, but spent a lot of vacation time with no consequence (no late work).
• Confirmed S&M tendencies by going back to personal trainers after vacation.  Working out hurts and I love it!
• Adopted another soldier through Soldier’s Angels.  Got SD to adopt one!  You should do it too, ‘cuz all the cool kids are doing it.

That’s enough for now.  Here’s the Hot Guy for ya – you might have seen this one coming:

Credit to www.sportsofboston.com for the pic.

Sounds like the White Sox to me.  I am happy that Contreras went away.  Really, I am.  I am not so happy that Thome got traded to the Dodgers.  I guess it doesn’t matter who he got traded to, unless it was the Twins or something.  I’m just annoyed about it.  No surprise there…at least we’re not the Mets or the Cubs. <-the only way I keep myself sane about my team

I heard a little snippet of a rumor that we’re not supposed to be blogging at work, so I’m going to keep this short.  I guess short posts are still posts, but I can at least work it into a 15-minute break if I’ve got it all together.  That’s the plan at least.

I watched part of the Vikings/Texans preseason game, and, amazingly, seeing Brett Favre in the hideousness of purple didn’t make my stomach turn.  I just rolled my eyes and chuckled when they brought up that he (maybe) has a cracked rib.  There’s something to be said about hanging it up before it hangs you.  I guess that means I’m closer to being over the whole issue.  Week 8 might change my mind, but that’s for another time.

Here’s the random weirdness of the day:  my Yahoo! mail account has sidebar ads, just like every other webpage, and today’s pretty much freaked me the fuck out.

Okay, so this is an ad for Garanimals clothing, that, of course, they sell at Wacko-Mart.  In the actual ad, and not the screen shot I got here, the freakish monkey thing is animated and is giving that sleazy “heeeyyy” kind of pick up move to a little boy.  It’s almost like something out of a bad SNL skit, but worse than GoatBoy gone terribly, terribly wrong.

To make it right, here’s a good photo for you: Hot Guy Pic!

Also involved in the trade dealings to the Dodgers, former ChiSox hottie Jon Garland (AP photo via USAToday.com)

“Adopting” a soldier has changed me a little.  I think about the guy frequently, although I hardly know anything about him.  I don’t even know where he’s stationed.  What I do know is that he wants snacks and Axe body wash.  This, and a few letters a month, I can provide.  This is very little for what I feel like I am getting in return.

I am the worry-some type.  I worry about my friends and family when they’re not happy or healthy.  I try to cheer people up.  I even attempt to come out of my own protective shell and show a little warmth and compassion when it’s needed to those not close to me.   I started worrying about “my” soldier the minute I got the message I had gotten one.  Where was he/she?  Are they in danger all the time?  What can I send to make them feel better?  I still don’t know the answer to these questions, but the worry has gradually dissolved…

…but into what?

I’ve always wanted to be one of those people that others viewed as “classy” and “gracious”.  I am not making much headway what with my sarcasm and cynicism, but I think that this adoption has brought something out in me that is certainly a step in the right direction: gratitude.

I am grateful for whatever it is my soldier does.  I don’t care if he’s sitting on the beach in Pensacola waiting to go on Bikini Patrol with the Coast Guard there (yes, I’ve seen it happen).  The fact is that he joined the military knowing that somewhere, sometime, his ass life is on the line.  It’s more than I did.  I went to college to sit at a desk and blog about sports, apparently.   I am grateful for the brave men and women of the militaries around the world that are trying to make a difference in places like Afghanistan.  I am grateful that people like Michael Yon exist to actually show what’s going on over there – this isn’t the mainstream media; this is the real deal.

I am grateful for people like my soldier.  It doesn’t matter if you’re a police officer, a nurse, or a teacher, what  you’re doing is important.  In order to become that classy individual that I would like to be, I need to make sure I count too.  This, I think, starts with being grateful for the sacrifices and work of others.  But don’t think for a minute that I won’t be bagging on Peyton Manning, the Cubs, or the ViQueens…my soldier is fighting, in one way or another, so that I can still do that.

And, for that,  I am grateful.

Lest I keep my complacent way, I must remember somewhere out there a person dies for me today.  As long as there must be war, I ask, and I must answer, was I worth dying for? – Eleanor Roosevelt

Want to start feeling good about yourself?  Adopt a soldier today!

First thing:  I have a little bit of a problem with all this morality business when it comes to Michael Vick.  Do NOT misunderstand me:  I love dogs, and what the guy did was despicable.  However, he’s served his time, is pretty much broke, and is, in all honesty, a pretty good athlete.  On the other hand is Donté Stallworth:  the dude ran over a guy after having a few too many and killed him.  He killed another human being.  He spent a whopping 24 days in jail, gets some house arrest/probation time, and has been suspended without pay for one season.  When he comes back next year, I hope that there’s some major outrage on this one too.  Otherwise, what the hell is wrong with us and our priorities?

Additionally, I’m not a big fan of Roger Goodell, but this quote is money:

“As you recognized both at and following the hearing, guilt or innocence as a matter of criminal law is not the same as a violation of NFL policies,” Goodell wrote.

Emphasis mine.

Second thing:  I really dislike political commentators, and moreover, I hate politics.  Too bad that damn near everything has some political influence/factors.  I am so sick of hearing all of the garbage over every bat of an eyelash from the President – from both sides!  Can someone just tell me the facts, please?  And I mean facts, not some skewed perversion of them.

Okay, okay.  On with the good stuff:

Hot Guy Pic

Baseball is still on, and so is this hottie. (Photo: ESPN)

Oh, my dear Ozzie.  How do I love your rampages and rants?  It’s totally got folks up in arms:  How dare he say he’ll retaliate? says one kind-hearted soul; another says that it’s a scaled down version of murder-for-hire.  (I’m sorry; that one made me laugh out loud.  Totally absurd.)  Yes, the crazy Ozzie that is not married to Sharon said this:

If I see someone hit my player, and I know they hit him on purpose it’s two guys going down. I don’t care if I get suspended,” Guillen said. “I rather have me suspended for two games than have my players on the DL for 30 days.

I, for one, think this is a fair assessment.  If I’m the leader of a team and another team comes in and whaps one of my own, it’s totally game on.  There are ways other than commanding a knee-capping or a hit batter, and there are certainly ways to keep it on the quiet.  I think a lot of people know this is how it works, but they don’t talk about it.

Yes, of course, it’s dangerous to whip a 90-mph fastball at someone’s head.  It’s also dangerous to crowd the plate and to taunt the pitcher.  I’m a firm believer in lessons that need to be taught. 

Of course, these professional writer-type people can say this so much better than I.   However, in the interest of stirring the pot, I’m going to give you my list of players that should get a plunking.  Maybe two or three for good measure.   These aren’t in any order, so no one’s panties should be in a twist over where their (least) favorite player sits.  I’m an equal opportunity hater.

David Ortiz (Photo: AP via bostonherald.com)

So maybe it’s a little mean-spirited to want a guy who’s under so much duress to get beaned with a ball.  I mean, he thought that test was anonymous and whatever he might have bought/took wasn’t illegal in the sport then.  At least not specifically.  As far as I’m concerned, cheating has always been against the rules.  That’s why it’s called cheating.  Plus, how would he know that I find his nickname so damned annoying?

The Yankees (Photo via sportsnetwork.com)

 I was going to say “the entire Yankee organization”, but I have decided that it isn’t really the case.  I actually still kind of like Nick Swisher and Xavier Nady.

Prince Fielder (Photo: AP via usatoday.com)

 I know he’s a first baseman, and, therefore, is allowed to be sorta slow and hefty.  I have no real reason behind my dislike of Prince; well, other than he keeps claiming that he’s a vegetarian and I don’t believe him.  His plunking the other day was just plain awesome, and his half-hearted attempt to “charge the clubhouse” was awesomely bad.

Josh Hamilton (Photo: AP via sportsnet.ca)

I know, I’m going straight to Hell for this one.  I am a cynic by nature and learning, so I have a really hard time buying Mr. Hamilton’s feel-good story, especially when he recently had to explain a few photos that found their way to teh interwebs.  Sure, people with addictions battle it every day, and it’s HARD.  I am not denying that.  My problem is that he didn’t fess up to these things until the photos came out.  It’s sorta like being on that list of 103…sorta.  So, maybe he could use a good plunk scare to keep him on that straight and narrow that he so desperately needs.

Image via DirectTV.com

So they don’t actually play baseball.  They could play in a softball tournament…and then Jennie Finch could whip a pitch at them!

I try not to be judgemental, at least outwardly.  I think a lot of things about a lot of people or situations, but I rarely say those things I thought.  I did well holding my tongue this weekend at a wedding.

My DH has been friends with the bride for a very long time.  They attended secondary school together, and she was a bridesmaid in our wedding.  We try to see her when we make the trip to MI.   She has never been to Indy to see us.  The DH saw her around Christmastime.  She was not dating anyone.  Fast-forward to the end of last month: she’s got a Facebook status up saying she’s engaged!

The wedding was Friday afternoon – less than a month from the announcement.  It’s not easy to book places for a wedding in a hurry, and Friday afternoons work in a pinch.  The Little Wedding Chapel reminded me of a place you’d find in a dark corner of Vegas, yet without any of the charm.  The wedding party was a bit mismatched in their shades of lilac and levels of dressiness, but it was a Domino’s wedding (30 minutes or less or it’s free!), so that didn’t matter much.

I understand that this was kind of a last minute deal.  The groom is military of some sort and is looking to be assigned to a base any time.  That’s fine.  They presumably wanted to get married quickly so that she could move with him.  Great.  It does not excuse the bride’s undergarments showing in the openings of her overly decorative wedding dress.  Alterations certainly take less than a month, and so does buying the right bra.

Retracting the claws a bit, I have to make an observation.  The wedding ceremony, I think, is something that should be revered.  I think those vows are pretty serious, and should be taken so.  This wedding ceremony seemed like a big joke.  Even more odd, the “happy couple” didn’t seem so much like either part of that (happy or a couple) during the reception.  They didn’t hold hands or talk to people together.  She had to call him over when we were talking to her so she could introduce the DH as her “best friend”. 

The bride’s aunt hit on my DH all afternoon.  Yes, he’s quite a handsome man: I know, I have good taste.  It’s probably good that there wasn’t any music worth dancing to…she probably would have been all over him.  I had great restraint – I didn’t even make any snide comments, if you can believe that.

The bride and groom were out of their “formal” attire so quickly at the reception, one was quickly reminded that it was at a park pavilion that I, in my dress and heels, helped decorate at the last minute.  There were people in jeans and cut-off shorts…and the vast majority smoked like chimneys.  I was thankful for the breeze.  I could go on, but I’ll just keep sounding more and more snobby.  I honestly think a nice and tasteful event could have been had just as easily.  But what do I know.  At least the weather was nice.  It rained all day Saturday.

Sports post later.  Duty calls.

I sort of got myself into a little trouble yesterday in a meeting.  In a rare moment of complete idiocy, I told the chief (not my boss, but her boss) to move on with a topic.  Yeah, certainly  not the smartest thing I’ve ever done.  It was more borne out of utter frustration than anything:  the dude goes over how we’re all behind in our work in nine different ways, all the time clogging up my schedule so I can’t go get my work done.  I apologized for the disruption afterward, and I got a scolding, but I think things are okay now.  They let me come into work and log into the computer system, so I don’t guess I’m being escorted out.

Onto more of a happy place, where my ChiSox defeated the Halos last night with a walk-off single by Scotty Po-po.  Can we please get rid of Contreras?  Pretty please?  Erratic is a nice way to describe the guy, really.  Fortunately for him and the Sox, Carrasco was in decent form, and the bats were able to come out for run support.  Sheesh.  Tonight Gavin Floyd starts the show…here’s hoping for another win at the Cell.

I wonder how difficult it is for a baseball player – or any athlete, for that matter – to sit out the vast majority of a game only to be called on once (to pinch hit) to perform?  I know that most would say that they’re always ready, always prepared, but I know that time away from actual play can make a guy rusty.  So what’s a (mega-hot) guy to do when all he’s used for is a pinch-hitter?  Yeah, the truth apparently is that he usually sucks it up royally, grounding out in the 7th every freaking time, and then popping out when he actually gets to be a position player for one random game.  Damn it, Matt.

Gotta wrap this up.  After my outburst yesterday, I’m trying to appear as studious as possible.  Hot Guy Pic?  Yes!

This cutie has been helping the Durham Bulls in taking the Tribe to task. If he didn't look so good, I'd be annoyed. (AP photo via MLB.com)

There will be no sweeping, damn it.  I’ll still take 3 of 4 from the Spankees ANY TIME.  Who said Melky could hit for the cycle in our park anyway?  Hmph.

Additional good news is an additional pitcher who has some skills:  ladies & germs, put your hands together for Mr. Jake Peavy!  Yeah, you know, the one who used his no-trade clause in May to stay in SD because, well, they weren’t sucking and the ChiSox kinda were?  Yeah, that’s the guy.  He’s still on the DL with an ankle tendon injury, but we’ll rehab him up right.  The Sox lost Clayton Richard in the trade (and I love him almost solely because he’s a Michigan man), so that sucks, but I knew no one would take Colon.  Hell, we don’t even really want him, but we still have him hanging around somewhere.  Waivers?  Yes!  Let’s put him out unconditionally on waivers!  We’re already scrambling to cover starts with Richard gone and Peavy on the DL, why not?

White Sox goodness combined with Twins and Tigers suckitude pulled us within 1.5 games of the division lead, and 1.5 games ahead of the Twinkies.  It also keeps us above the .500 mark, although just barely.  The upcoming series at home against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will be an interesting one, since the Angels have twice owned the Twins in series recently.  It would be nice to keep above .500, wouldn’t it?

So, in other baseball goodness, Super Hottie Matt Kata is still playing big leaguer with the Astros.  I’m hoping he hangs in there until the roster expansion and then gets to play a bit into the post-season.  He does play for the Astros, so I’m not holding my breath on that post-season bit.  But, there’s always hope, right?

I am pretty sure that the month of July just didn’t happen because it’s already August.  NFL preseason games start in 10 days.  Speaking of that, I really need to get cracking on those KC/Dallas game tickets.  Otherwise, that will be an uneventful anniversary weekend in Kansas City for us…and kind of a wasted trip.

As always, work calls.  In anticipation of the upcoming wonder that is football season, here’s your Hot Guy Pic:

Bob Kraft says the Pats don't need Michael Vick; they've got Tom Brady. (Photo: www.NotableBiographies.com)

I might be convinced that life is a string of totally random events all strung together.  Yes, it’s all influenced by decisions, but, man, I apparently have been making random choices lately.  It’s all a bit long to discuss here – plus you’d get bored – so I’m going to try and sum it up in a long-overdue Good, Bad, Ugly, and Funny:

Good:  Random choice #563 had me going out to a meat-market of a bar to hang out with my in-the-middle-of-a-divorce friend.  We had a great time people-watching, but she didn’t really get a chance to chat up the guy I wanted her to meet.  I got confirmation from the DH’s boss that he wants to keep the DH in his position, and that the upper-level management type of folks have noticed the good work the DH does too.  If only that can translate into a permanent position…

Bad:  I’ve offered to host a Mary Kay party for the BABTS friend above (as I’ve said before), and I think my boss will want to bring her incredibly unruly children.  I need to think of a way to nicely tell her that there’s no kids at this event.

Ugly:  I might be the WORST. DAUGHTER. EVAR., since I forgot that my mom was going in for surgery yesterday.  Luckily, work is slow enough that I was able to bail from here and make it to the hospital before her procedure was complete.  I was there when she woke up, but I still feel just awful about it.

Funny:  I don’t know what it is about the Search Engine Terms on my Blog Stats page, but people crack me up.  Yesterday, lovely readers were directed to my blog by both “david wright is hot” – which he is – and “how to put pads in football pants”.  I wonder which page that link sent them to…perhaps the picture of Colt McCoy’s tight end?

Hot Guy Pic:

Okay, David Wright fans, here you go:

You're welcome. (Photo: NYTimes.com)