Today's Photos

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¡Vámonos Gigantes!

I'm a different fan than I was.

Long story boring...
(and I just typed out that long boring story and deleted it)(Wisconsin (Brewers) to the Central Valley)

I am a Giants Fan.

I have spent many days and nights at Candlestick and earned my Croix de Candlestick buttons.

Veni Vidi Vixi

The Giants moved to China Basin and we enjoyed more than a few games at Pac Bell Park.

Then, just before the 2002 season, I started working at AT&T, at the Acme Chophouse. I helped staff the bar with my familiars and worked there for 9 seasons. From the 2002 "World Series losing" season through the 2010 World Series Wining Season.

After so many seasons, after so many games, after so many post season games, after so many World Series games where the fanatics are sitting right in front of me screaming at every pitch. No matter whether the Giants were at home or on the road, the place had a line out the door and

well

it changed the way I experience the Giants.

I watched it out of the corner of my eye for nine seasons, with someone ready to high five me with every strike. So many people, so many regulars, so many folks that know my name and go to every game. So many good people that when they walk in I just start to make their drink.

I can't go to a bar and watch a Giants game. I won't see it.

They are shown at the bar I now work at. And I was there all season, but I don't see it. I watch replays and celebrate runs and wins but I am working. It doesn't feel the same. I'm working.

I watch and listen to games at home now. Midnight Baseball Rules. I can barely settle in to a good seat at the ballpark. The crowds and energy are all a trigger.

Before, I once was the bar manager at the Great American Music Hall and with the BASS ticket window they would receive Lower Box Seat vouchers for any seat not sold at Candlestick. And they would give them to me. That season we went to so many games. Taking 10 people to fireworks games and always betting how few pitches it would take Nen to save the 9th, game after game after game.

I've sat all over the new ballpark. Even in the "dugout seats" which are the heads you see on the sides of the backstop when you see the shot from centerfield of the batter/catcher/ump. I had to stand up to see home plate and it was the most amazing perspective with Jason Schmidt pitching. Luxury suites, Dusty's seats, upper deck and Club Level. Sweet seats down low for every Monday game in 2001. One year we went on our anniversary and Pat got us a Congratulations on the Jumbo and we actually saw it.

I've met Mays, Cepada, two Bonds and four Alous, owners and managers. I've been on the field and in the locker room (both during games) I have 40+ Giants autographed baseballs received in a lot of different situations, jerseys, catcher's masks, baseball cards, programs, soil from the infield of the 2002 World Series, too many t-shirts, a brick that fell off the building and only 3 bobble heads. Lucy, Charlie Brown and Snoopy. All in Giant's gear.

Now. Now I sneak into the park and get to my seat and I don't drink and I watch every pitch. I don't want to talk too much, I just want to be. I'm not rioting in the street and I'm not going to the Parade. It's all in my head but a trip to a Giant's game isn't a party.

If I want to party I go to an A's game.

Living in the Gray Areas

Hare Psychopathy Checklist

Factor 1: Personality "Aggressive narcissism"

• Glibness/superficial charm
• Grandiose sense of self-worth
• Pathological lying
• Cunning/manipulative
• Lack of remorse or guilt
• Shallow affect (genuine emotion is short-lived and egocentric)
• Callousness; lack of empathy
• Failure to accept responsibility for own actions

Factor 2: Case history "Socially deviant lifestyle".

• Need for stimulation/proneness to boredom
• Parasitic lifestyle
• Poor behavioral control
• Lack of realistic long-term goals
• Impulsivity
• Irresponsibility
• Juvenile delinquency
• Early behavior problems
• Revocation of conditional release

Traits not correlated with either factor

• Promiscuous sexual behavior
• Many short-term (marital) relationships
• Criminal versatility
• Acquired behavioural sociopathy/sociological conditioning (Item 21: a newly identified trait i.e., a person relying on sociological strategies and tricks to deceive) wiki

adrift

Great words, pics, videos and graphics. Click on the above and look around. There's more than just fishing going on.

Happy National Golf Day!

I played 16 today.

The Bastards

Of those that actually turned in a score, mine was the highest...

The Neighbors

We put up this house, maybe, 10 years ago. All that's ever moved in are Paper Wasps. Then finally a pair of Oak Titmice took over the compound.

We stopped filling the feeders as soon as it was we noticed they were condo shopping so that the masses wouldn't bum rush the show. The sparrows, finches, and squirrels have stopped construction of two attempted Bushtit nests.

These two have been chasing off visitors since moving in.

When they were setting up house I brushed out Annie and planted her fur on the feeders and around the yard. The nest should be quite cozy.

The Oak Titmouse builds its nest in a woodpecker hole, a natural cavity, or a nest box, using grass, moss, mud, hair, feathers, and fur. It breeds from March into July, with peak activity in April and May, laying 3-9 eggs, usually 6-8. The female is the primary incubator, with incubation taking 14–16 days. Young are altricial, and are tended by both parents in nest for 16–21 days. Parents continue to tend to young for another three to four weeks after they leave the nest. wiki

We can hear the babies and have been watching the parents come and go, bringing small worms and bugs from the rain soaked world.

The Mediocre Golf Association

I've joined the MGA. The next stop on the Tour is The Bastards. I played the course last week and there is room to improve my score next Sunday.

A lot of room.

Spring is in the Air

Step One: Charge Battery

GATS Been Busy

Graffiti Against The System
Round the way.

Chasing the Monkey