Day 13 - Friday the 13th Brings Bad Movie

Not much went on with me today. I did spend some time with the family and my wife and I did put a bird feeder in the back yard. (This way the cats can bird watch while sitting in the windows). Sadly, my day had to endure about 25 minutes of the movie Due Date. It was going to my second newly watched movie of the new year; however, the movie was so horrible, my family turned it off before we even finished the movie. It was bad.

Day 12 -- Time to Do The Work

In an effort to make some changes in my life; I am about to start a program that should help me change my way of thinking about some things. Although undiagnosed, I probably suffer from OCD and other social anxiety disorders. This tends to play havoc with my personal and professional life. This program should help with both of those issues.

The program is called The Work of Byron Katie. According to her site this work is "a way to identify and question the thoughts that cause all the fear, violence, depression, frustration and suffering in the world. Experience the happiness of undoing those thoughts through The Work, and allow your mind to return to its true awakened, peaceful, creative nature."

I am going to get me good notepad and take some good notes and try to apply the lessons taught in the Work and hopefully I will be a better person for it. I have listened to a couple of her sessions before, but I was not really listening, so I'm trying again, with a new focus. Wish me the best.

Day 11 -- Opinion about Baseball Hall of Fame and Steroid Users

With the results of the most recent voting on the baseball Hall of Fame, there has been a lot of discussion about what to do with next year's ballot. What do you do with suspected steroid users? Here is a short opinion on what I would do, IF I could vote for the players on the 2013 ballot.

If we voted on Hall of Fame players based on character alone, then Ty Cobb and many others would have never been elected to the Hall of Fame. Cobb, among others, was a racist and a bigot. Other current members of the Hall of Fame also have other "off field issues" that would make conservative Christians blush; yet, they are in the Hall of Fame. So election to the Hall of Fame should not be based on character or integrity alone. Besides, Cobb has already been excluded from playing on the Field of Dreams because, "Ty Cobb wanted to play, but none of us could stand the son-of-a-bitch when we were alive, so we told him to stick it!" At least according to "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.

If allowed to vote for 10 players next year...here is who I would vote for: Jack Morris, Tim Raines, Jeff Bagwell, Alan Trammell, Dale Murphy, Lee Smith and Fred McGriff would get my votes for those held over from the 2012 ballot. That leaves 3 votes left for the newcomers on the 2013 ballot. These votes would go to Craig Biggio, Mike Piazza and possibly Curt Shilling. Bagwell, Biggio and Piazza have never tested positive or have admitted to using steroids. They have outstanding credibility from former teammates and other players who will testify that these players never used steroids; at least according to their knowledge of these players.

As for Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGuire, Roger Clemens and Rafael Palmeiro; they have all tested positive for, admitted to, or appeared on either the BALCO list of those who purchased steroids or the Mitchell Report from Congress that, list players who have used steroids. In my opinion, if you used steroids to enhance your performance then you cheated; and if you cheated, then you will fail to get my vote as a Hall of Fame player. Plain and Simple!


 I realize that Bonds and Clemens had Hall of Fame numbers before they started using steroids; however that argument doesn't hold water for me. "Shoeless" Joe Jackson had Hall of Fame numbers, before he and seven other teammates of his accepted money to throw the World Series. It didn't matter that Pete Rose had Hall of Fame numbers before he started betting on baseball. Both Jackson and Rose are banned from election to the Hall of Fame. They broke the rules and they are out.

Do the writers who vote for Hall of Famers have the right to pass judgment on players? Yes they do! It may not always be a fair judgment; however, it is within their rights to do so. In my opinion, if the writers fail to elect steroid users to the Hall of Fame, then, let the Hall of Fame’s, Expansion Era Committee decided their fate. This committee is made up of veteran players who are already members of the Hall of Fame, baseball executives and selected veteran media members. It is there job to decide if players (managers, umpires and executives), who played from 1973 to the present, who are no longer eligible to be on the BBWAA ballot, deserve enshrinement into the Hall. If the writers refuse to elect players who used steroids into the Hall of Fame then, let those who are already in the Hall of Fame decide if they want to share membership in the Hall of Fame with steroid users. It's only fair.

Day 10 - Need a Clue? We Got One, Two...Eight!

One of the favorite board games for my family is the classic game of Clue. The thrill of trying to figure out if Col Mustard, committed murder with the revolver in the study, makes this game of strategy one of my favorite games ever. I myself like to collect the different editions of the game. As a result; we have several versions to choose from when ever we feel the need to play detective.

Of course we have the classic edition (pictured first); with the original characters of Miss Scarlet, Mrs. Peacock, Mrs. White, Col. Mustard, Prof. Plum and Mr. Green. For some reason I like to write the first solution to each edition inside the lid of the game box. For this version, it was Prof. Plum, Lead Pipe and Library. Other editions of the game we own are:

Clue: Master Detective - Which introduces new rooms, new weapons and four new suspects (Sgt. Gray, Miss Peach, MME. Rose and M. Brunette., Clue: the Great Museum Caper -- In this version the main characters attempt to apprehend an art thief., Clue: Secrets and Spies -- In this version the characters attempt to discover the identity of a mysterious Agent Black., Electronic Clue Talking FX -- This version is just an electronic version of the original clue, with new rooms, weapons and several new characters (Mrs. Meadow-Brook, Prince Azure, Rusty Naylor, Lady Lavender and Lord Gray), Clue Suspect -- A card game version, fit for travel or play without the board., Clue: Discover the Secrets; Chocolate Edition -- A delicious chocolate version of the game where the "cards" are wrapped pieces of chocolate. Sadly, the board is not chocolate. After playing this game and eating the chocolate, my daughter, Rachel, took the wrappers and taped them into usable pieces and turned them into a neat little travel edition of the game. Most recently we added Clue: The Office edition -- In this version, characters, locations and objects from the television show "The Office" are used as suspects, rooms and weapons, as they attempt to solve the "murder" of Toby Flanderson in order to win a vacation promised by Michael Scott. We played it for the first time last Sunday. (Toby was "killed" by Stanley Hudson with a rabid bat in the annex.)

At one time or another we have also owned and played; Clue: Murder at Boddy Mansion (PC Game), Clue: VCR Mystery Game and Clue DVD Game -- A DVD version of the game that has several "interactive games" to play. Once you solve the several "games", this version becomes obsolete.

We have even watched the movie version of Clue and some episodes of the kids television series Clue on the HUB television network. My daughter also told me she has a version of Clue she plays on her I-Pod.

I would love to add Clue: World of Harry Potter Edition, Scooby Doo Where Are You? Clue (apparently no longer sold, which explains the high price tag), and Clue: Discover the Secrets -- an updated version of the classic game with new rooms and weapons, to our collection. (Shortly after posting this, my daughter informed me we already have Clue: Discover the Secrets; so, I guess the title of this post should end in Nine.)

Needless to say Clue has become a large part of our family game nights and I hope I get to play Clue with my grand kids as well.

Day 9 - Baseball Hall of Fame 2012

Today Major League Baseball announced that former Cincinnati Reds shortstop, Barry Larkin was elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame. Congratulations to a deserving player. I was sort of hoping that Jack Morris would make it this year. Jack Morris signed my baseball glove in between double-header games between the Detroit Tigers and the Texas Rangers. It would be cool to have a Hall of Famer's autograph on my glove.

Day 8 - The Barista is Back

Today I am covering a shift for a fellow barista, at the Starbucks in Midlothian, TX. It has been about 6 months since I last worked at a Starbucks; however, I am excited to be a barista again. I worked as a barista for the Starbucks in Longview, TX for over a year and it was my favorite "part-time" job I have ever had. I hope I still have my skills.

Separate and apart from working at Starbucks; I have survived one week without any soft drinks, such as Dr. Pepper, Coca-Cola, IBC Cream Soda, etc... I was told by a doctor to avoid caffeinated drinks to try and help some acid re-flux problems I have been having. I can't give up my morning cup of coffee, but I can cut out the over sweetened colas and I don't have to drink a free cup of coffee every time I work a shift at Starbucks. I may even loose some weight doing this; if I can also control my eating. The longest I have ever gone without a soft drink was back in 2008, when I went from January 1 - February 26. I went out to eat on my birthday and I drank a Dr. Pepper. I think I can go longer this time!