Promise

Not that I wanted this to happen, but an off day is a good thing for the Tribe, resting the bullpen and the starters, and it also means that the callups do not pitch as much, which is good, as maybe, just maybe, we can get home field for the ALDS...

I went to bed a little after 11 last nite and will do so again today...I can feel myself...slacking; the gym workout was a little off, and I felt sluggish.  I really haven't slept much or well lately, and the concept of almost seven hours of sleep two days in a row...well, the prospect makes me simply giddy, even if I do not suspect much will come of it.

With the end of summer, I can only note -- somewhat expectedly -- that my plans for summer romance have, once again, been dashed, and at my age, this just might be the last time for this sort of thing.  Roll up the map of Europe...

I've decided that 500 on the National Film Registry is a pretty easy goal...one thing I did note is that, somehow, miraculously, I've skipped "It's a Wonderful Life."  Imagine that...for now, at least.

Changes

After yesterday's snoozefest of a Tribe game...today's is sort of one, due to the rain and the fact that Terry Francona is now enamored of the bullpen game...to be sure, he doesn't have many options, but still, running out six relievers a night is not ideal.  Alas.

Watched "Down Argentine Way" today...charming.  Ok, it was ok, for a musical, and it was less than 90 minutes, another plus...469.

http://jezebel.com/another-john-doe-sues-university-under-title-ix-allege-1787194983

On the one hand, I get this, on the other, most men shouldn't complain....but the Title IX process is pretty shitty, and men are realizing that that which can be used against them can be used by them, which, as you can imagine, I find to be as amusing as hell.

http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-pension-crisis-davis-deal/

I wonder what it will take start clawing all of this back...

The Waiting is the Hardest Thing

Watched "Pulp Fiction" today...I mean, I've seen bits and pieces of it, but never the whole thing...and I wasn't exactly impressed.  I mean, bits and pieces were sort of cool, but the rest...eh.  I also watched "Inside Nazi Germany," a 1938 newsreel part of the "March of Time" series...on the one hand, it was sort of prescient, but -- me being me -- I couldn't help but note that certain parts of the Nazi regime were, well, not unknown here...for instance, separate park benches for Juden...and our own history of segregation.  Of course, I am reading The Scalawags now so I may be a little more...sensitive to this sort of thing.

Most, but not all, of the flying insects are gone, though those that remain are being especially pernicious...which will cause me to assault them -- and my airwaves -- with hopefully sufficient toxicity.

Tribe didn't win today...on the one hand, Rodon was on, and yesterday being a bullpen game, you couldn't expect to win that one, but on the other...well, teams have lost nine in a row before, and you just want us to clinch to end the drama...also, we need to set the rotation.  Tomlin, at least, has gone a long way to settling one question; he's pitched pretty well the last few times out, and while he isn't a K machine, he was tolerable...so that at least we can get through half a playoff series, if and when we clinch.

Double

Two posts in one day, I know...such...effort.  More seriously -- one, three! -- and two, I've been watching some films, and am up to 464 on the list...  Recent viewings include:

"In The Land of the Head Hunters," a 1914 silent with Native American dancers illustrating folk tales;
"The Iron Horse," a 1924 John Ford silent which I liked; you could sort of tell its influence on future Westerns -- the coming of the railroad, the kid going to avenge his father, the bad Indian, the cavalry coming to save the day, the hooker with the  heart of gold... it had them all.
"The Naked City," a 1948 film noir...very interesting.  I liked the notion of the narrator and the generally tedious nature of crime work, followed by moments of action, to say nothing of the camera work, which I also enjoyed...I also figured out that the main character is the older priest in "Going My Way..."

I also read The Cruel Sea, a novel about life on British corvettes and frigates during the Battle of the North Atlantic...I rather liked it,  It was long, but the interesting parts about training, life at sea, and the general conduct of war in shitty conditions...interesting.

Back

So, yesterday was Jug Day...a good but tiring time had by all, more or less...I broke even exactly for the day, which is good.  I did notice that Delaware County didn't quite have the concentration of Trump signs compared to Romney, but the Jug-goers...are more Trumpian, if you will.

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-09-20/donald-trump-jr-s-skittles-comparison-used-to-be-a-feminist-meme

This amused the hell out of me, in all honesty...

http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2016/09/cleveland_indians_hoynes.html#incart_big-photo

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/09/paul_hoynes_has_a_right_to_say.html#incart_big-photo

I think Quinn is right -- he has a right to say it -- but people have a right to get pissed, and considering their drop in circulation, well, they can't afford to have that, can they?  Hoynes is well...well, there is a better way to say what he is saying, especially as it is on everyone's mind, and rightfully so.  The bullpen is good, and the offense is, well, underrated...but missing two starters (your number two, to boot) is an awfully tough hill to climb.  Clevinger pitched ok yesterday; at least he went five, and while I liked that he worked into and out of trouble, in October...well, those runners will not remain stranded.

I've noticed that the bathroom has become a bug area...not sure, though I suspect the windows are the culprit (or the spot by the register).  Ants and flying things...annoying because I get them once a year, and now twice...I assume it is global warming (ha) but in the meantime I will spend some time today cleaning and spraying...

Catastrophe

Well, that was a stirring Tribe win...aside from the loss of Carrasco, and what was primed to be a magical season...well, Bauer becomes the #2, and Tomlin becomes the three...he who cannot pitch save for long rest will have to go on short rest.  Ugh.  Clevinger moves to the fourth -- think he will be stretched out now -- and unless we decide to use two starters and bullpen games... which really can't work in the playoffs.    To be sure, there are three or four starts for Tomlin and Clevinger to pitch and earn their keep...

In the meantime, a busy week, lots of work of family affairs, today was OC duty, so Mattie is a very tired boy.  Last nite, no, Thursday nite I fell asleep at the laptop at 11 or so, woke up a 3...and then went to bed-bed.  I tried to recreate seven hours of sleep last nite, came close...still a little beat.  Work should be a little easier for me the next week or so, which helps...I also have a pile of books and movies to go through, so I should prolly be an adult and reserve time for them...

Upheaval

Turned in most of my work project today...I would like to think things should be a little easier, especially once I turn the rest in tomorrow...

The Tribe's rotation...oh dear.  To be sure, everyone has a bad day, but...two starters out and Salazar...well, I think he is done for the year...I realize there is a small chance he could come back, but would you risk it?  And, he would be limited, so it would be as a reliever, and I am not sure how effective he would be (in a playoff series, to boot)...he does have issues throwing strikes at times, and it would rough to put him in a close game, first time out...

I have watched two films...today I watched "Jazz On a Summer's Day," which was interesting...I mean, I wish I could get into jazz, and maybe if I listened, I could... last night I watched "King:  A Filmed Record," which was fairly interesting -- basically, it was a recapping of the life of MLK through his words and actions.  One thing that struck me -- they showed footage of his trip to Chicago -- was the use of Confederate and Nazi imagery by whites (all of whom, I assume, were Democrats).  Second...I noticed there were always Catholic priests at the front of the protests.  While I think this is good..I wonder if some of the issues with the lack of seminarians NOW comes from the fact the Church was...so far in front of society on this issue.  I mean, people see the priests advocating causes in which they do not themselves believe in...you are going to tell your kids to stay the hell away...

Long...

Work was busy...very busy; will have to do some this weekend, too.  ugh.  PQ was Wednesday...came in second due to tiebreaker loss...it took four hours, which was...WAY too long...I think I called it the Russian Front.  Skipped the gym, which also made me unhappy.  In the meantime, the Tribe continues its semi-winning ways...I see Salazar got the quick hook, which surprised me some, but obviously Terry is trying to win a game...I do believe you want to win as many as you can before the Tigers play us, so this way...well, they matter a bit less, if you will; create your own separation and you don't have to worry about them.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2016/09/04/british-government-hospitals-to-ban-smokers-the-obese-from-surgery-due-to-budget-constraints/#3c8276fa2b35

I actually think this is a good idea; one, because I am now all Mr. Exercise, and two...well, people have to pay their Fair Share of health costs, and this is one way to do it...

The films have been flying -- seen a few..."It" was first -- 1927 silent that made Clara Bow the "It" girl.  I liked it...nice but nothing that special. "The Lady Eve" was next -- Fonda and Stanwyck trying to fall in love.  Again...cute, interesting, funny, though, well, not my tea...though the plot twist about con artists, more to my taste.  Last nite was "My Man Godfrey," about wealthy man slumming becomes butler to less wealthy family...enjoyable.  Actually, sort of funny, in the Matt way, in a few places.

I've noticed a lot of the 1930s films have more...glitz and glamour...I wonder if it was just escapism, or were they trying to convince people that this was just a blip, that things were getting better, and soon all will be back to normal...

Catching up

Well, this is a record, I think...work has been a little crazy (doing it today, too) but I have been doing other things...Friday I went to the Tribe game, pretty cool -- I was surprised they didn't let Carrasco go the full 8, but..  yesterday I hit a party with some friends.  Wednesday we went to PQ at the Bottle House in Lakewood -- came in fourth, blowing a question that would have tied us for first.   Alas.

The Tribe...wow, I thought they were dead...impressive, and basically because Mattingly pulled a Shaw and left a guy in who obviously couldn't cut it...oi.  I mean, people do it all the time, and I get the whole closer business, but...I just wonder what would happen in managers had a much tighter leash...

https://freedom.press/blog/2016/08/some-questions-those-who-are-cheering-gawkers-demise

I saw this, and my main reaction was...well, I don't care.  The press has been so in the tank for some people for so long that, well, you deserve whatever you get.  I suspect that there are plenty more people who feel the same way.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/05/business/energy-environment/rolling-coal-in-diesel-trucks-to-rebel-and-provoke.html?emc=edit_th_20160905&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=31060267&_r=0
I SOOO need to do this...

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/history/2016/09/georgetown_s_reparations_are_to_be_commended_but_catholics_still_owe_black.html
This could be me, but...it seems that Democrats, and not Catholics, were responsible for this sort of stuff...so shouldn't they pay?