Heartache

As always, Cubs fans are experiencing heartache.

I had a short cry last night .... out of frustration and for the sheer pain of being put through this. Traveling to Cincinnati to cheer them on just a week ago, to turn around and have a stake driven through my heart.

The Diamondbacks took all 3 games to advance to the NLDS. They are that much closer to the World Series.

But for the Cubs, and all of us loyal fans....we're back to hoping for Next Year and trying to nurse our wounds.

Cubby Blue, Baby!

2007 National League Central Division Champs! You got it, baby ... the Cubs are in the playoffs!

I'm excited and hopeful and scared .... and well, if you're a fellow Cubs fan, you too probably know these emotions very well.

We had a chance at the series back in 2003 .... I remember this season distinctly. It was going so well, we just had to make it to the Series and then, just as quickly, it turned and we lost.

The dreaded curse, and Bartman, and a goat and blah blah blah. I remember about a year later, Mike and I were watching a documentary about that season. I couldn't watch...it was like pouring salt into an open wound. All the pain was quickly returning, I was angry and depressed, so I had to stop watching.

I've already teared up twice now; once was during the game a couple weeks ago where they came back in the 9th inning to win the game. It was a huge win for them, and the players were so excited -- I teared up and said to Mike that if they make the Series, I'll cry for sure.

Then last night in the car by myself, a song is on the radio about wanting something and going after it, and all that -- I find myself with tears in my eyes again, thinking about how it's speaking about the Cubs.

I know, pathetic to get emotional about a baseball game - but this is MY team. A team that my family has loved and supported for years, a team I have grown to adore. And while the team has changed -- players have come and gone -- I still bleed Cubby blue and my heart aches as we say "Next Year".

I pray that THIS year is the Next Year we've been speaking about. 2007, baby....this is it!

Totally Pawsome!

My son has been in kindergarten just shy of a month now. He's needed to turn his card to yellow a few times, and just last week, he had to turn to red. This warranted the second phone call home this school year.

It wasn't that he his misbehaved so badly that he needed to turn his card to red, it was that he talked out of turn (didn't raise his hand) and when the teacher asked him to turn his card to yellow, he wouldn't. He didn't want to, and was upset that he needed to. She explained that if he didn't turn it to yellow like she asked, then he'd have to turn to red, which upset him even further so that he stuck his tongue out at her.

Needless to say, the next day he was instructed to go to school, and to apologize for misbehaving AND for sticking his tongue out at his teacher. He did this, and was behaved enough that he came home that next day with a Pawsome card.

Being a Wildcat (school mascot), this was their way of using 'paw' and 'awesome' together.

He did well the rest of the week, and imagine my surprise today when he came home with TWO Pawsome cards in his backpack.

I just hope he can continue to improve and keep enjoying school. Despite flipping cards or having the teacher call home, he's always very anxious and excited to go back to school the next day. And when the weekend rolls around, he's asking when it's time to go to school again. I know that won't last forever, but it's nice now!

Hey Chicago.....Whaddya Say

The Chicago Cubs won again today!

This time 8-0 over the Pirates, to sweep the series.

And, Milwaukee lost to Atlanta putting us up 3.5 games in the lead. Let me tell you, it's quite a sight to see Cubs fans doing the tomahawk chop! They were stoked as the scoreboard changed and Atlanta took the lead, and then won the game.

The "Magic Number" is now at 4.

Milwaukee plays tomorrow, and the Cubs have a day off for traveling. It's off to Florida for a 3 games series, and we could potentially clench the division as early as Wednesday.

GO CUBBIES!!!!!

Baseball, you bet!

'Tis that time of the season when it gets down to the nitty gritty. Last night's game was freakin' awesome! One of those edge-of-your-seat-chew-all-your-nails-off types. It's not everyday you see your favorite team come back in the 9th inning to score 3 runs and win the game. Truly unbelievable.

Tonight wasn't such good luck. It was a disappointing game, and with Milwaukee's win, both teams are now tied for first place in the central division.

There's still time - and I've still got plenty of hope for my Cubbies.

I swear, though....I will cry tears of happiness and joy if they make it to the Series. As it was last night, I teared up at how amazing they played and how pumped they were when they won.

Goooooooo Cubbbiiiiieessssssssss!!!!

And PS .... Aramis Ramirez is totally hot. What I wouldn't do for one night with that man. ;)

Sputterings and Mutterings

It's been quite awhile since I've written. I find that many evenings I'm too tired to conjure up anything worth reading.

I've been the general manager for 4 whole weeks now. Hardly seems like it's been that long, but I've made it through 2 payrolls. This past Friday I had to do the entire payroll myself and I was extremely nervous about it. Apparently I wasn't giving myself enough credit because it all went extremely smoothly and all the payroll checks printed and I have happy employees. The old general manager is out of town in California now, and my bosses are actually out of the country on an anniversary trip in Italy. I'm flying solo with only brief communication by cell phone or text messages to the old GM. She still needs to go over sales tax with me, which needs to be done by the 20th of this month.

Other than that, the other big happenings in the household was the start of two things for the kids. B started kindergarten, and 5 days in I got my first phone call home from the teacher. His friend down the street rides the same bus, and they are in the same class together as well. Apparently they are like Frick and Frack, getting into some trouble together. They've been separated both in class, and on the bus, along with flipping cards to yellow while in class. (sigh) They are FIVE! (though, B would interrupt and say, "I'm five and a HALF!") K started ballet class at our community rec center. She's gone two times now, and is just adorable as she prances along. It runs for 11 weeks, so she'll be busy doing that every Saturday until the middle of November.

So - that is that - just keeping busy and watching the weeks fly by.

Monsters

Do you ever wonder just how it's possible that there can be such monsters in this world??

How can someone else feel they are so important, so mighty, that they can deem someone else's life not worthy .... and take it?

I called my friend, Katrina on Monday to check in and see how she's doing and how her newest little pumpkin is growing (she has a 2 month old baby boy). She didn't sound right, and tells me that she's been in a daze; that I might have heard on the news; her friend Dana was murdered over the weekend.

WHAT?!? I had never had the pleasure of meeting her; knew her from Katrina speaking of her, saw her at Katrina and her husband's wedding reception (Dana was a bridesmaid), and saw her picture in Katrina's friends list on myspace.

I've gotten more information from the story than has been in the news - since she's close the family and they have the access to the complete story before the media gets ahold of it (if they manage to).

It's disturbing to know that a friend of my friend was murdered. No, the death doesn't ultimately affect me -- but it does in such a way because my friend is grieving.

25 years old .... a life full of potential, cut short

Rest in Peace, Dana Mangi

Girls Weekend & First Week as "Boss"

So - the girls weekend was nice. It rained which was a bummer, and dinner wasn't fantastic -- but we were together, and we laughed and had a good time anyway. Sunday I woke up not feeling so hot, so it made for a long 2.5 hour drive home. :( Ugh....I hate that tumbly, queasy tummy feeling.

I survived my first week as the "boss" .... then again, it's not too difficult when it was a 'slow' week, and things had already been done and that I'm still not trained. Next week is going to be a killer --- on top of working the full week, I'll be also training the new part-timer and sticking around after hours to be trained myself. Long days + lots of work + lots of 'teaching' + lots of 'learning' = one very tired lady. So, come a week from today, I'm going to be exhausted and probably ready to hit the remainder of the 6-pack of Smirnoff's raspberry.

Calgon, take me away!