congratulations all around

First off, I'd like to say congratulations to my sister Naomi and new b-in-law, Wade. They held their nuptuals last week in the post-cardesque town of Port Gamble, WA. And now that Wade's in the family, fair warning, the kid gloves are off!

Second, congratulations to Manuel and Heidi on the birth of their new son.

Third, congratulations to Giovanni on finishing his thesis exam.

Fourth, congratulations to Felix Hernandez of the Mariners, for only giving up one run over eight innings despite a real wild-streak in the 4-6th innings, and also to Rual Ibanez for his walk-off home run in the ninth, which I totally called. This was the best Mariners game all year. Why do I mention this? Because I had an awesome seat, and got to see it up close and personal. I now think that there are two basic ways to go to a ball game: Either hang out in the nose-bleed section for the beery ambiance, and or go front-row to see the ball laces spin.

Finally, congratulations to myself for getting to the top of Hurricane Ridge in the middle of a hurricane. Admittedly, we did drive up 5120 of the 5240 feet, and then I used my Mountain Rascal(T) to get the rest of the way up. And also, by hurricane, I mean light rain. Kudos all around.

"Virtue is its own reward. Because it has to be."

It's been a tough off-season to be a Seattle Mariners fan. But misery is often the muse for genius, New adventures and old stories:

TALE THE SECOND: THE TALE OF DOM PERIGNON (BORROWED)
Wandering the streets and trails of Okinawa with a camera and notebook is harder work than you might estimate. There’s always more going on than I have time, energy or expertise to catalog. After these days, there are the nights.

Usually my preference is local establishments catering to locals. One night, though, I happened upon an expatriate bar, that hallmark of literary excellence. The Lost Generation had theirs, Stein and Hemingway. With luck, I thought, this spot might serve as my Cafe de Medecis, Max’s Kansas City or even my Rick’s.

Better yet, the place has an international feel. The owner’s from the Phillipines and speaks three languages, the staff friendly, the clientele a hodgepodge of American military, Aussie wanderers, university professors. On a given night you can be talking about Baudrillard or buying drinks for a couple of young men headed for Iraq. Or both, and sometimes with the same people.

When I came here, I brought a case of Pinot Gris from Oregon, my home state. These would serve as gifts for people I met who helped with the book. Lively conversation and the occasional piece of information certainly assist, so the bar owner qualifies. It was her birthday on Wednesday, so I thought I’d swing by and drop a bottle off.

Giving liquor to someone that owns a bar is kind of like giving Dave Cameron advice about prospect analysis, but hey, it’s what I had. It’s the gesture that counts, right?

After I finished karate, I stepped into the low blue light expecting no one to be around. It was 10 p.m. on a Wednesday, hardly prime watering hole time. Yet there were the bar owner and staff with their families, having a small private party. I hadn’t expected anything but to drop off the wine and chalk up my good deed for the day.

They’d just opened two bottles of Dom Perignon, one 1997 and one 1999. Would I like to stay and sample them, since I’d never had such vintage?

Virtue is its own reward. Dom Perignon is nice, too.

And it only gets better when the devil, evil Rick Rizz, shows up. Mariners baseball, after a very brief fluorescence has settled back into their decades old ruts of losing, incompetence and overall misery. Perhaps it's just the manifestation of Seattle's long drizzly gray winters, but USS Mariner is great.

USS Mariner Off-Season Analysis

The internet, and as it turns out baseball fandom, is full of nerds: Bill Bavasi's Off-Season Adventure.

OFFSEASON ADVENTURE

You are in an open offseason in your office in the headquarters of a successful west coast baseball team. It is dark and raining here. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
There is a suitcase here.
There is a neatly stacked set of travel documents here.

> examine documents

You have been booked on a ten PM redeye flight from Seattle to Naples, Florida. There is a long layover in Atlanta.

> Oh, no.

I don't understand that.

An staffer enters your office.
"Sir? I'm ready to drive you to Seatac. Oh, Lee says that the Cubs signed Aramis Ramirez."

> examine Aramis Ramirez signing

Aramis Ramirez signed for $75m over 5 years.

> what?

You must supply a direct object.

> are you kidding me?

I don't understand that.

Hilarious (to me) and true!

Charting Felix Henandez

The Seattle Mariners haven't been fun to watch this year. I drift back with hazy fondness to May of 2001, but then I blink and 2006 comes back into focus and it's all, "What up, bitch?" Ah, the dog days of, er, May.

There's no crying in baseball, but neither is there an extended sugar-high. Yankees suck. So, in that jalopeno-eatin' vein, it was intersting to read this pitching analysis of Felix getting hammered by the A's. By the frickin' A's. They of the Mendoza-line team batting average.

I'm digging the Doyle-O-Meter, too. Well played USS Mariner.

Ichiro! Rules!

JIM BATES / THE SEATTLE TIMES

He did it! 259 and counting. Now, there might be talk that there should be an asterisk on this, because he did this in game #160 (Ichiro has played 159), where as George Sisler did his in 154 games in 1920. Obvs, I'm a partisan, but you can argue that Ichiro's acomplisment is just as impressive because (1) We are now in an era of relief pitchers and reduced pitch counts, both of which help the pitching (2) Safeco is dramatically a pitchers park. Ichiro is hitting .338 at Safeco and .405 away (~340 at bats for each). Also, he started off relatively slow this year (.255 in April). Since the All-Star break, he's been batting .425. Unbelievable.

Funny ha ha

Yes, it appears that I have nothing better to do than make stupid blog posts, but this is not true. It's just that I have very, very poor priorities.

Anyway, here is a funny picture from Bob Morris (via Vodkapundit). Take that, Florida, continental antipode of my home state. Actually, does Boeing shitting all over you count as punishment from God? How about suffering through a 100-loss baseball season despite having shelled out $500+ million for a new ballpark. In that case, Washington is getting punished by God too, even though they voted for Al Gore. Just watch, when Kerry wins Washington's pointless electoral votes, Mt Rainier is going to blow up.

And speaking of getting punished by God, despite my miserable workaholic bachelor existance, http://www.thingsmygirlfriendandihavearguedabout.com/, never fails to make me feel better about being single. Yet when I think about this, it's yet another lose-lose situation. Ah, there's the tenuous and pointless theme I'm hanging on this post.

UPDATE: I knew it!