About Rooting for the Home Team

I wrote this earlier this year:

I never really took to the local sports scene in Nebraska. I’ll watch the Huskers, but, I can’t say I’m a fan. I couldn’t even tell you who their starting quarterback is this year. Never got into the Chiefs or Royals. The kid in me won’t let it happen.

As part of my family reunion this summer, a good chunk of us took in the Kansas City Royals game the following day. I initiated this idea. I knew much of my family loves baseball. Some of my family coaches the sport. Others played in college. There’s baseball DNA in us.

In past years, anytime I’ve made the trip to Kaufmann Stadium where the Royals play, it was to see the other team play. Typically, this was with the Braves or Mariners coming in. Other times were for specific players like seeing Barry Bonds in person or catching Cal Ripken Jr. and Mariano Rivera’s last trips in.

This time, however, I came in with no rooting interest. I was happy to see a baseball game with my family. Those who live in the Kansas City area came in Royals gear. Then something happened; I caught myself rooting for the home team. Something about having family there with me was a huge driver for this. But, I felt myself getting involved.

Something to understand about the Royals is their games aren’t the easiest to access for me. For years, our local cable company wouldn’t carry the games in Nebraska, even though they should. By the time they finally did, I had switched to streaming TV services, which could never seem to negotiate a deal with the channel that carries the games. Blackouts keep the games from being accessible. More on this in a minute.

I had a realization a couple of days ago. I’m about to hit 30 years since my family moved north to Nebraska. I’ve lived here two thirds of my life at this point. For all intents and purposes, I’m a native at this point. Further, for all the dreaming I’ve had about moving to the Pacific Northwest, I doubt I’ll ever do it. The Midwest is far cheaper to live in than the west coast. I might as well settle in at this point.

The biggest issue with rooting for west coast teams is their games start at around 9 or 9:30 PM central time. That’s a problem with someone who tries to be in bed by 10 PM most nights. This means I see only a short bit of a game from out there if I even tune in at all. Contrast this with local teams, games start around 7PM and they’re over before I go to bed. That’s much easier to deal with.

So, here I am, feeling myself getting into the local sports scene after 30 years. I found I could use a VPN to work around MLB.tv’s blackouts to watch Royals games. I get the games from their minor league affiliate in Omaha as part of that package as well. That team plays only about five miles from me as the crow flies. I’ve since converted to Kansas City’s soccer teams, Sporting KC (MLS) and KC Current (NWSL). I’ll probably pay attention to the Nebraska football team this year as well.

Sports are a way I connect with a community. It was my link to Seattle. It’s now becoming my key to living in the Midwest. Sports hit different when you have friends and family who root for the same team as you. I’m finally coming around to this fact.

On Family Reunions

I went to a family reunion a couple weekends ago in Kansas City. My family is huge. My mom was the last of 10 kids. I’m the last grandkid in my generation at number 54. I have second cousins who I went to high school with and some who are my mom’s age. We are the prototypical Irish Catholic family.

A little over a year ago, one of my cousins passed away. This was the first mentioning I know of this year’s reunion. Apparently, over the summer last year, the ball really started rolling. There was discussion of having the gathering in Lincoln or Omaha. Ultimately, we settled on Kansas City. It’s a little easier to fly into and a bit more central for the family in general.

It was good seeing everyone who could make it. I missed the ones who didn’t. I only wished I had more time with everyone. Further, I wish I had more solo time with everyone. With so many of us, it’s a bit tough to really know everyone. Yet, despite this, the amount of love in the room is noticeable.

Thanks to my cousin Mary for doing the work with the venue and hotel, my cousin Karen for working with the Kansas City Royals on game tickets the following day, my cousin Lisa for having us over, and to my cousin Jason for collecting photos. I hope to do this again soon.

Crunching the Numbers

A little basic math for this morning.

Let’s say, 30% of US citizens are voting for Trump. So, 30 people out of 100. That doesn’t sound like a threatening number, right? It’s not if 100% of eligible voters actually vote.

But, that’s never the case. So, let’s say only 65% of eligible voters show up. Now your pool of voters is 65 people and not 100. Those 30 people voting for Trump are still showing up even if you don’t. Now, you’re dividing 30 into 65 which comes to about 47%.

47% should make people nervous. When you talk about everything the Trump campaign has talked about with Project 2025, what he’ll do in the form of tariffs which will wreck our economy, his stance on basically every minority group and women, to sit out and not vote against this is just as complicit as voting for. I totally get being disenchanted with Biden. But, I will take four years to potentially save this nation from totalitarianism, then just handing it over full stop. I honestly don’t think we’re done after 2024.

Show up this November.

Weblog... emphasis on log

Fellow blogger Gaby prompted this post for me with his post on why he blogs. Long story short, he does it for himself first. The same goes here. Specifically, it’s a personal log that happens to be on the web. With that, I have specific posts types for myself, as follows:

  • Articles - These are my long form posts. They can be based around a link or a life event. This is where I have the freedom to be more in depth about a particular subject.
  • Notes - Basically the same thing as a tweet. It’s a micro post. A quick thought. I’ve moved these to a separate site a few months ago, but, the concept is the same.
  • Photos - These can be included with notes. However, I will separate these types of posts to another site whenever I want to highlight a photo.
  • Album Reviews - My thoughts on the music albums I listen to.
  • Movie reviews - Same as albums, but, for movies. These are currently syncing over from Letterboxd.
  • Beer reviews - You get the idea. Reviews of beer.

The thing about these different post types is I have the freedom to format them how I want. There are no boxes here, except for the ones I create. This is something I can’t say about social media. Posting a beer review to Facebook will never look good for example. Further, everything on this site is indexed and internally searchable. I’ve searched my site many times to check if I’ve had a beer before or if I listened to an album.

It’s with this in mind where I can say I write for myself first. But, it’s out there for anyone else to reference as well. Maybe someone has discovered something cool because of something I’ve logged here. But, it’s for my personal use first.

In 20 Years, How Cool Will This Thing Be

I tried my hand at blogging roughly 20 years ago. There’s an old Wordpress site around on the web somewhere with my words on it. I remember looking back at it at once point and realized just how bad my writing was at that point of my life. It’s for that reason I never imported any of that content here.

This interaction of my website has been active since about mid-2018. There’s a few instagram posts I imported which predate this point. But, for all intents and purposes I’ve been sourcing content from this website then. This began my gateway drug to walking away from social media, or, at least from posting all my life on there. Now, about six years of my life has been posted here.

I just saw a fellow blogger celebrate 20 years of blogging. I envy people who’ve had blogs this long. To be able to dig around and see what you thought at a particular point about something would be cool. I’d love to see my written thoughts on the original iPhone, for example. I also congratulate people who’ve kept blogs this long or longer. To be able to withstand the pull of social media through this time and still keep an active blogging presence is impressive.

As I hit the six year mark, I also think that’s impressive. I have quite a bit to look back on in that time. But, I can only imagine how freaking cool this little time capsule will be in 14 years when I hit the 20 year mark. To be in my late 50s and to be able to look back on what my late 30’s self was thinking will be interesting. I think many of us still expect Twitter in inevitably fail. I wouldn’t be surprised if Facebook one day was also erased. I honestly don’t expect these websites to stay up forever. But, personal websites, because of the open web principles they are built on, have every opportunity to live on. I may change domains or change the service in which I use to post over time. But, you still should be able to read my words from 15 years ago when that day comes. That’s just one of the many motivators for me to keep posting here.

Peak Design Is More Than Backpacks

Recently, I needed a new iPhone case. Despite the criticism Apple received over their FineWoven accessories, I managed to wear out an Apple Silicone case in just a couple of months. Bits of material chipped off the corners and sides, leaving me disappointed.

I came across the suggestion of an iPhone case from Peak Design. They have an entire system around their cases. The back of their iPhone case features a small square cutout that pairs with a bike mount they sell, locking securely into place. As I wanted to bike more, I found this appealing.

I’ve had the case for a little over a month now and I’m happy with it. It’s made from nylon, the same material used in Peak Design’s camera bags and backpacks. It feels good in the hand. The sides are rubbery plastic bumpers, giving it a durable feel, which is impressive given it costs about the same as Apple’s own cases.

Since I was already replacing my phone case, I looked into some of their other products. One is a magnetic wallet case. I love Apple’s MagSafe wallet. It only holds 2–3 cards, which I find beneficial as it makes me think about what I really need to carry. For me, that’s my driver’s license and debit card, avoiding a pocket cluttered with unnecessary items.

Still, I decided to check out Peak Design’s magnetic wallet. The main draw is its hinge, which can be used as a stand. The hinge is firm, providing a wide array of viewing angles and allowing landscape viewing for videos. It’s become my default wallet. Despite its capacity for up to seven cards, I still carry just two.

Yesterday, I replaced my car’s phone mount with a magnetic charging one from Peak Design. I haven’t tested it in real life yet, as they advise waiting 24 hours for the adhesive to set. However, the magnet is powerful. Full disclaimer: this applies specifically if you’re using a Peak Design or MagSafe case. Without a case, a couple of firm shakes release the phone. So, use a case.

Interestingly, I haven’t invested in the bike mount yet. But I’m confident it’ll be a good purchase when I do. Overall, I’m pleased with what Peak Design offers. They’re worth considering if you’re in the market for iPhone accessories.

Griffey Update 5.29.1

I received Griffey’s lab results from Kansas City. It’s both good and bad news. The good news is he’s negative for everything they tested for. The bad news is we still don’t know what’s causing his anemia.

The next step is to take Griffey back to Kansas City in mid-June to consult with internal medicine at the animal hospital. There’s a good chance we’re looking at a bone marrow aspirate to find the root cause.

In the meantime, Griffey looks much better than he did two weeks ago. However, he still hates his antibiotic. I’ll check with my local vet to see if they have a tablet version I can crush instead. I have no problem mixing his steroid in some tuna, but he can sniff out the liquid antibiotic. I just need the little guy to take his meds.

Everything Has a Place

This is a phrase I hear a lot at work. It’s a concept I’m filling behind. “Everything has a place”. I manage the grocery area of a typical American big box store. Our back room area is organized in the same regard as our sales floor. Everything in aisle one is together, organized by section of the aisle.

There are several reasons for this. One of the major reasons for this is efficiency. It helps when we pull for replenishment, as it allows us to sort things in a way that when we hit the sales floor, we can take our vehicles along and fill. It’s saves steps, which saves time. Likewise, it also helps us find things when they go off location. Mistakes happen and this helps minimize their effects.

I take this concept home with me. I recently discovered what pantry organizing bins are all about. Furthermore, I expect to move in a few months and look forward to setting up my kitchen in a much more organized manner. I blame Ethan Chlebowski for this. The point is the same; placing things in an organized manner to make myself as efficient as possible, which in turn makes the space more enjoyable. It also keeps me from buying too much stuff. The bins keep me from buying too much pasta, for example, while also limiting what I buy because nothing should end up outside the bin. This saves me money in the long run.

I ebb and flow with all of this. There are times I get a bit cluttered. Items accumulate on a table. The sink fills up with dishes. Finally, the stress of clutter pushes me back in the other direction, where I take control of my space. The most recent conquest has been with my car, especially in the trunk. It has been a collection bin for nearly two years. That is, until yesterday, when I bought some milk crates to organize and corral the items I have in there. There’s space for maintenance items, cleaning tools, and a bin for my reusable shopping bags. I know where things are, and I’ve reclaimed some clear space for when I need it.

I wouldn’t quite call myself a minimalist. But, I’m close. I like clean lines and a minimal amount of clutter, while also enjoying a bit of character. I’m a bigger fan of when things get out of the way when I don’t need them and are there when I need them to be.

Griffey Update 5.25.1

I took Griffey to the vet for a quick checkup on Thursday, just to see how he was doing since last weekend. The good news is his PCV has risen another percentage point to 21. X-rays also show much of the fluid around his heart and lungs has disappeared. The bad news is his lungs look like that of an old cat, which goes along with the sniffling and sneezing Griffey has been experiencing since Wednesday. I’m not sure if it’s allergies or a legit cat cold, but, the little guy is miserable with that.

Despite his sniffling, he’s still eating. He finally ended his food strike Wednesday morning and has eaten regular meals ever since. I feel like I’ve seen him pack a pound or two back on. He was getting really skinny for a second.

Where things have been a pain is when it’s time to medicate. Look, if someone shoved medicine down my throat, I’d probably hate medicine time too. The fact he has fight, however, is a good thing. He was far easier to give a pill to on Monday than he was on Friday. It’s frustrating, but, in prospective, he’s showing signs of improvement. Now, if his immune system would catch up.

I’m still awaiting lab results from Kansas City. My vet told me it’s not unusual for it to take over a week.

Griffey Update 5.19.1

Griffey is home.

I got a couple of calls this morning to tell me his PCV is at 20%. Not only is he stable, he’s closer to normal than yesterday. With that, I was able to get him home.

I can tell you this little guy is tuckered out. He slept most of the drive home. Once home, he also showed just how thirsty he was, hanging out at the water dish for over 10 minutes. I can imagine these first few days will involve him attempting to gain the weight he lost while he wasn’t eating.

I have meds to give him twice a day, a steroid and an antibiotic. Time will tell how his doses change over time. In the meanwhile, we’re still awaiting lab results later in the week. I’m to take him to the vet in a few days just to have his PCV checked again. In about a month, I may have to take him to KC for a follow-up.

Meanwhile, I’m just going to let him find his way around here again. I’m taking the day off from work Monday to keep an eye on him and to make sure I stay on schedule with his meds. He has some fur on his legs that needs to grow back. But, he looks much more spry than he did a few days ago. I have my buddy back.