Tuesday 5: Take me out to the ball game

In the midst of MLB Division series right now and finding I am quite enjoying the matchups so far this year. There are some great storylines going on this year, too.  Disclaimer:  I am a sports nut, particularly the NFL and MLB so if you aren't,  you may not love this one.

1. Watching the Cubs - Cards game 4 right now. By now, I am sure you have heard that Back to the Future predicted the Cubs win it all this year. How crazy is it that they are as close as they are to making a movie's sub sub subplot come true? I wouldn't mind another I-70 series, but I would love to see the Cubbies there instead. ETA: Cubs just won. WTG Cubs! Good luck in the NLCS!

2.  As you may have surmised, I am a fan of the Royals. And yes, I have been a fan since I was a kid and grew up watching their games on TV and listening to them on the radio. I really, really hope they make it back to the World Series, but we have a tough game ahead against the Astros.  It was so hard to just get occasional updates at work when the magical comeback occurred yesterday. I didn't wear my Royal blue shirt that day and so now I cannot wear it tomorrow.  I am that superstitious,  yes.

3.  As a fan of baseball, I hated Chase Utley's super late, super high, tackle/slide at Tejada in the Dodgers - Mets game this weekend. There is no need for that. Yes, he may not have intended for Tejada to be injured, but he did get injured. An apt analogy is that someone speeding 55 in a 20 MPH school zone may not intend to hurt someone, but driving recklessly can still get someone hurt.  For that reason, and the fact that the Dodgers are basically trying to buy a ring this year with all the dough they spent, I am hoping the Mets win their game tonight.

4.  Toronto, I don't know what to say. I liked you at one point, but then Josh Donaldson started acting like a petulant child and my give a shit button started shorting out. Fix that, cuz I truly like Tulowitzki and your city.

5.  Finally, I just have to say that I have followed baseball on and off forever and it really is such a great sport. I am not a fan of the emphasis on homer hitters and homerun-friendly ballparks, but I can understand it with this younger ADD generation.  I will never forget Kirk Gibson pumping his fist,  rounding third after hitting a homerun while injured, John Smoltz stealing home in one of the many 90s era Braves postseason appearances, or the shock and tragedy of the earthquake that hit before the 1989 Bay Area World Series. If you love it like I do, you really should visit Cooperstown. It's amazing. George Brett's pine tar bat is there, as are all the greats. If you can't make it there and live near KC, get down to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. It is nothing short of awe inspiring.

Baseball is in my blood and there's nothing to compare with the sound of the crack of the bat, the smell of peanuts and cotton candy, the taste of ice cold beer, the feel of a weathered glove, or the sight of a beautifully executed double play.  If you love it like I do, get out there and absorb it all. Root, root, root for the home team and enjoy the playoffs! Go Royals!

Tuesday 5: On Food, Hair, and Humans

1.  I was up way too early this morning, planning restaurant dishes in my head. Do I own a restaurant?  No. Am I a trained chef? No. But, if you need a sandwich called "The Homeland" that features Vienna sausage, homemade sauerkraut and a condiment that features mustard with some kick, you know where you can't get it! My imaginary restaurant that serves international cuisine.  (Including entremets for dessert. Different ones weekly!)

2.  We got a pretty good deal on a new TV for the office this week. Previously, we had an old CRT TV. In honor of the occasion, I dedicated myself to playing on the old PS2. Vice City, Gauntlet, and Ratchet and Clank are my favorites. Good times.

3.  I got my hair updated with some fall highlights. One of the colors is a deep brown with a red tone. In certain lighting, it looks kinda purpley. It makes me wanna dye my whole head that color. What do you think?

4.  I love fall food, but I am trying to stay away from a lot of it, because it usually has a lot of starchy stuff featured. What are your favorite fall recipes that are also good for you? I need some ideas that are tasty and everyone will enjoy.

5.  I cannot be the only one who has 0 interest in reality TV these days, am I?  I saw a promo for Little Women:  LA on the Lifetime network and it skeeved me out. I know these women are apparently okay with exploiting themselves,  but it's just so icky. If you want something worth reading and following, I recommend Humans of New York. He is currently featuring a series on refugees and it is heartbreaking and breathtaking and will help you to refocus on real humanity.  HONY is on Facebook and Instagram. Look at the world, and your fellow human beings, differently and with love and dignity, my friends.

Have a great week!

My child would be...

My child would be 4 1/2 now.  My favorite age.  They would be saying funny things and singing silly songs.  We would be reading a book to them every night and tucking them in with a sweet kiss on their head.

My child was one of the 15 to 20 percent of all pregnancies in the United States that ended in a miscarriage.  I was only 7 or 8 weeks along.  I didn't even know I was pregnant until I miscarried and honestly didn't realize right away that I had miscarried.  I have two stepchildren and have never been able to get pregnant again.  

My child would be in preschool.  I would have picked them up and seen the smile spread across their cherubic face.  My child would have given me sticky kisses and grabbed my hand with dirty hands of their own.  

But, my child is none of those things.  My child instead is in heaven and every day I wonder how different my life would have been had I not miscarried.  My child will never be an adult, a teenager, a bride or a groom.  I will never get to wrap my arms around them.

Now though, I will speak up and speak out.  I lost a pregnancy.  I am one of those statistics and if you are, too, you don't need to be silent.  15 to 20% of pregnancies end in a miscarriage.  That's a lot of women and men suffering from losing a child.  October is pregnancy and infant loss awareness month.  It happens more than most people realize and it isn't shameful.  There is support.  Please reach out if you need it.

Until then, I pray for your babies and you.  If you believe, know that one day you will be reunited with that child.  My child would be 4 1/2 right now, talking and laughing and scraping their knees.  Instead, they are in heaven and I am here, holding on to hope.

Give love.  Be kind.