WB Softball Game #3

Ouch....our team was the recipient of a 23-8 whooping last night. It was hard to really find a lot of high points in the game. As the score would indicate we managed to chain a few hits together and got some runs. But, that's where it ended. Nothing on the defensive end went very well. Out pitcher was having trouble hitting the strike zone. There were lots of infield hits that were not covered. We under (or over)estimated catches in the outfield and our throws were off. In two innings, they had tagged us for 12 runs. If you could cut those two innings out, it would have looked a lot closer.

Second base continues to be good for me. It has helped me to read base runners and to know where the throw should go if I get the ball. Batting went great! I only had one at bat (don't ask) but I hit a nice single and was brought in on an inside the park home run the next at bat. Christa had some good cuts as well and feels better playing in the outfield. I just hope we get better, but because getting creamed each week is not that much fun.

Mid-Week Updates

A few thoughts at the middle of the week:

• I finished the solo tour mode on drum on the medium level for Rock Band. It is amazing to me to see how much easier something can be when you walk away from it for a few days and some back. After taking 3-4 days off, the drum patterns seemed easier and I was able to get through things pretty well. I am curious to see how things go if I try it out on hard.
• Christa and I leave for Wisconsin Dells on Friday. We will be out of town until Monday evening...I will be back to play my softball game that night. The chance to get away will be much appreciated.
• Tonight is the third game in the WB league in Neenah. We have had a solid win and a solid defeat. I am curious if we can get a little more consistency in our team. We might actually be able to put some victories together.
• Tomorrow at 5:00 PM is the CA/PA vs. A/RHD softball game. I will actually be able to make it this year. My Dad will be joining in to watch the game as well. I hope we do well. Check out the game at the softball field behind the parking ramp at UWO.

I think that's all for now. Peace.

New Indiana Jones Movie: Meh... (**spoilers**)

I had an opportunity to see the new Indiana Jones today. As the title of this entry seems to indicate, the movie was OK. It could have been much worse. The movie was entertaining for the most part and I am glad that I saw it. Let's break things down, both good and bad.

The Good

• I appreciated that they paid homage to the other three movies. Early on, there were a few references to the first movie. Would have liked to here, "It belongs in a museum." They also used the red line moving across maps to show travel.
• The dialog was actually good...especially for a Lucas film.
• I liked Shia in this film. A great improvement over his role in Transformers.
• I liked the move to the 50s...it seemed like a good transition for the films and seemed natural.
• The aged Indy worked. The old jokes were sprinkled throughout and they did a good job explaining the jump forward.
  

The Bad

• The soundtrack seemed uninspired...I really only appreciated the borrowed themes from previous movies.
• The ending was over the top. In fact, the whole "alien" concept wasn't really needed.
• I am willing to give these movies a few liberties, but some of the stuff they pulled was just stupid. The whole "duck of the cliff and into the tree" thing was the worst offender. The monkey scene was also pretty lame.
• Ford seemed to force his role for the first 20 minutes. It seemed to get more natural as the movie went on.

On a scale of 1-10, I'd give it a 6.5. Entertaining, but not close to the scope on movies #1 and #3.

4th Annual Memorial Day Service Coverage

For the 4th year, I covered the church service at FUMC Oshkosh. Although I joked about it with the congregation, it was probably the largest crowd I have seen for a Memorial Day service. It probably has something to do with the fact that the choir is still singing and they make up a chunk of the congregation.

I am feeling more and more comfortable doing the services for the church. It felt more natural and less forced. I didn't need to script as much. It showed in the prayers and especially the sermon. Certain parts I read from my sheets and other I improvised. That is how I best operate.

Now that it is over, though, I feel like I can enjoy my weekend. It still makes me a little nervous ;).

Come On, Brewers!

As I have said before, I am not a die-hard Brewers fan. I follow the team and watch the games when I can and feel as though I know most of the players and can carry a decent conversation about the team.

Last year, the Brewers exceeded most people's expectations and their late contention for a playoff spot made for an exciting summer. Braun won rookie of the year and Fielder was mentioned in certain circles for possibly being the MVP. The team seemed to be having fun.

Given their success last year, it seems the expectations have increased. With the Brewers in a division with a strong Cubs and Cardinals team, it will be difficult for them to copy the success of last year. It doesn't look like the team is having fun and I wonder if the pressure to succeed is getting to them.

They are four games under .500 and haven't been playing good ball. They only have 2-3 years with this young core before they all begin to demand more money. They have Braun signed, but Fielder will definitely be looking for money after this year. What about Hardy? Weeks? Hart? Gwynn jr.? It should be interesting.

Game 2 against the Nationals tonight. Let's hope for a victory!

The Memorial Day Weekend Preview

As has become a tradition for me over the last few years, I will be the RHD on Duty this weekend for the Department of Residence Life. I am allowed off-campus, but I can't leave the city of Oshkosh. When you add in that it is a three-day weekend, it makes for a nice long weekend to hopefully get some things done. What's on tap?:

• I need to get final preparations done for the church service on Sunday. My sermon on Sunday will be reflecting on Matthew 6:24-34. There are some memorable quotes about not being able to serve two masters (see picture) as well as the lilies of the field. It has been interesting preparing material for the sermon. I think it will go well. They get easier to put together the more I do it...imagine if I did it every week? ;)
• Christa and I will continue to play Rock Band. She and I have enjoyed the flexibility of jumping between lead guitar, bass guitar and drums while playing the World Tour Mode. I am slowly getting the hand of drums. I am also working through the Solo Tour on guitar on expert. Thirty songs down, 15 to go. I will say that it is at least easier that Guitar Hero 3. Hopefully I can make my way through it. Fifty achievement points on the line :).
• I am also hoping to get a jump on writing the adventure for the June 27-28 AD&D weekend marathon we will be having. I am hoping with some designated time for preparation, I can make a really nice, detailed adventure that will have a good balance of fighting, role-playing and even a few puzzles. You can fit a lot into 14 hours.
• I may end up seeing a movie this weekend. The summer blockbusters are starting to pile up and I need to make a dent in the list.
  
• Otherwise, it will be a time to rest and relax from the craziness of move out last weekend.
  

WB Softball Game #2

While we came up on the winning side last week, we definitely came up on the losing side this week in the Neenah Willie Beamon's (WB) league. We went down 17-2 in six innings. Yes, the mercy rule was invoked. :(

It was at this week's game that I realized how frustrating it can be to play in a league where there is unlimited arch for the pitches. The pitcher that we had for this game was really heaving the balls up into the air. It's not easy to swing at a pitch that is coming straight down. I struck out swinging the first time. The next I got up to plate, I took two pitches, both of which were balls. At that point he had to throw a more decent pitch and I managed to make contact...which again went straight to the infielder.

This team had more than a good pitcher. They turned three double plays and didn't let much get by. They also all could hit very well...but, out fielding didn't help much either. I think that was probably my biggest frustration with the game. We had players that were simply not paying attention to the ball. Only when the ball was coming back to the ground did som folks make any effort to go after the ball.

As for me, I am appreciating my stay at second base. I am getting more used to the infield and appreciate playing a more active role in the game.

Rock Band Drums!

Well, as stated on their website, my Rock Band drums came in the mail yesterday. I left work a little early and hung out my my little brother...and then I grabbed Christa and we started playing.

When you've been used to playing the Rock Band/Guitar Hero guitars, the drum set is quite the paradigm shift. The whole hand-foot coordination is going to take some getting used to.

I am trying to get through the solo career on the medium level and I have just decided to be OK with getting four stars on most songs. It should get easier as we go.

I look forward to inviting some folks over and trying to get a three to four person band going!

It's Only Softball, Right?

Last night, Strikeforce United went down to the Peabody's team 19-17. All things said, our team did put in quite the effort. Having the minimum ten people to play, we had an injury early in the game that forced to play with one less outfielder. After a first inning drought, we managed to find out bats and put up more runs than I can ever remember us putting up. Unfortunately, fielding was all around our downfall. I think almost everybody at some point blew a catch or made a fielding error. Both phases of the game were not in sync.

For me, it was a performance I would like to forget. I got to bat five times, and did not get a hit all game. Of the five at bats, I hit the ball four times where I made a good connection, but the ball happened to be going right to where there was an outfielder/infielder. It got to be really frustrating. Worst of all, in our last inning, the bases were loaded and there were two outs and I was up to bat. I hit a great line drive...that went right to the short stop. Game over...

Other News

• The Rock Band drums should be coming soon. Amazon.com says that they should be delivered today! We'll see. I am excited for that.
• I am getting ready for the church service this Sunday. I looked at the Gospel lesson and I think it should be pretty easy to find things to talk about.
• Webster Hall is now without residents. Around 50 folks are now living in Donner, but the building is empty. Cleaning to get the building ready for summer conferences has already begun. It seems so quiet!
  

A New Softball Experience

Christa and I made the drive to Neenah at around 8:40 PM. We were both pretty tired and figured it would be a late night. We got to Willie Beamon's at about 9:00 PM and started to warm up with some other members of the team. WB's was hard to miss...the bright lights of the stadium had a Field of Dreams feel to them.

Besides Christa, Stu and Tex I really didn't know anyone else on the team. But, we won! We came out on top 8-5. Our hitting wasn't the greatest, but we managed to put some runs together. Despite a few hiccups here and there, the fielding was OK. I bounced between second base and right center. Christa was in left center and then first base. Neither of us likes the infield so that was a great experience.

It was my best hitting night. I went 1-3 and scored a run. I did make a nice connection n my second at bat, but got underneath it a little bit and it carried right to the outfielder. He almost missed the catch. The unlimited arch pitching method is definitely going to take some getting used to.

The field at WB's is very nice and well-maintained. It is nice and flat and is way above what we play on at County Park.

I'm 2-0 this week in softball. We'll see if the luck continues...

Season #2 Begins Tonight

Tonight we have the first game in the co-ed league that Christa and I are both playing in. I'm not sure who's on our team or who sponsor is. All I know is that Tex is in charge of the team. If it's anything like previous teams I've played with him on, I'll see some old Breese residents on there from the good old days.

The knee is healing pretty quickly. It's probably healing quickly because I stopped running and putting stress on it. I have a feeling a nice evening of softball will likely ruin all the progress made on the knee. We'll see.

Other News:

• Rock Band has to be returned to Family Video tonight. I'll be sad to give the game back. I completed the guitar career on medium and hard and was starting to work my way through the vocal career on medium. It turns out the mic that comes with the XBox system can be used. Not ideal but a change. Classic rock songs worked for me...anything modern, not so much.
• Christa is working her way through finals week. She had one big exam today and another on Friday. Then she's done. Kudos to her for finishing her research binder for her trip to Belize. It's amazing!

Softball Game #2: Much Improved!

After taking a tough loss in an extra inning game, the Strikeforce United Men's Team earned a strong victory by winning 14-2 in the bottom of the six inning; the mercy rule was invoked. As a team, we managed to put everything together. The fielding was solid and we weren't trying to swing for the fences. We strung hits together and made them count. I am hoping that we can keep this up for more than one game.

I probably had my best offensive game...well, ever! I went two for three (my third at bast resulted in a high pop fly that should have been caught...we'll score that one as an error). I had 3 RBI and 3 runs. I also hit a triple and once a pinch runner as well. Needless to say, I felt like everything came together for the game. Going around the bases the first time I slid into third base. I have a really nice scrape on that knee now. Ouch! It should make running interesting.

Defensively, I never had anything hit to me. That helped preserve the good game :). We'll see now Wednesday goes...new league, new experience.

Weekend Review

It felt like the weekend blew by! Here are the highlights:

• The banquet was short this year! Including the meal, we were done in under two hours. While I appreciated the fact that is was concise and that it moved along, it felt somewhat empty. Congratulations to the many USRH and OTY award winners!
• I presented Jason Dufek with a replica wrestling belt at banquet. We enjoyed cigars and even got to have a impromptu confrontation as well...a busy night indeed.
• I helped out with the Sunday service in the new alb. It fits well...and looks good to. It will get used two more times this month!
  
• AD&D was canceled on Sunday due to lack of people. Nick and I, however, played a nice long session of Rock Band. "Headache in a Bottle" now has 225,000 fans and will be soon jetting around the world playing shows :).

Wedding & Banquet

Tomorrow, Christa and I will be attending the wedding of Kris DuBois and Adam Noe. Kris was a bridesmaid for Christa in our wedding. This will be the first wedding of the spring/summer season for us. Unfortunately, I won't be able to stick around for the reception as I will be on my way to the Residence Life banquet.

This will be my 5th banquet as a Residence Hall Director. I am excited to gather with colleagues and celebrate the accomplishments of staff and hall leaders throughout the year. I am only saddened that the awards given at the banquet will only honor one small fraction of the amazing people and amazing things done this year.

Sunday marks the final AD&D of the spring semester. Then we must wait until June 27-28 for the summer extravaganza!

New Item of Apparel

Over the next two Sundays, I will be helping out our pastor with the church services. On the 25th, I will actually be leading the service at our church. My pastor has recommended for awhile that I purchase an alb so that I might look more like an officiant for the service.

My preference was to go with something that was off-white, maybe a nice tan color. But, that was $40 more. So, I went with the more economical model seen to the right. Hopefully, people won't mistake me for an angel ;)!

My pastor said that white is pretty much universal so it should have some solid long-term use in the future.

Post-Assessment #3

I met with Tyler yesterday to go over the results of my semester of work with the Healthy Titans program. Overall, the results are good. I lost 7.5 pounds, my body fat percentage went down quite a bit (results pending), and cardio test improved and I even increased my sit and reach (a first)! Overall, I was very happy. Of all three semesters, I have noticed gains and definite muscle growth.

These post-assessment results are great, but they need to be followed by continued work over the break period between. I am hoping that I can work with Tyler to generate a program that I can work on over the summer so that when I come back for the fall semester I will have made additional gains. I want to avoid the cycle of being in shape and out of shape.

Softball Game #1: Umm...

Last night was the first game of the Monday City League. It was an extra inning affair, but we went down 9-6 in eight innings. As a team, I can see two problems that we should probably address. One, whenever we try to make a second throw to get someone out on an additional base, we inevitably overthrow it and runs score. Two, the top of our order tries to swing for the fences and has a tendency to pop out...quite a bit.

There were a few bizarre incidents during the game. We had someone called out for leaving the bag early before a ball was caught. We was on third so that saved us a run. We also had a runner moving to third that was hit by a ground ball; he was called out so that also saved us a run.

As for my performance, I alternated with Greg in right field. We each put in four innings. Besides one fly ball that went all over the map and dropped between me and a teammate, things went pretty well. I was 0-3 at the plate. My first contact was a weak grounder. The second two times at the bast I made really good contact but was not able to get the ball past the fielder. Hopefully this changes in the future.

Hopefully my hitting improves and the team can learn from its mistakes in the first game. It was close.

Weekend Catch Up

Past News

• The Brewers got swept by the Houston Astros. Boo. That is a series they should have taken.
  
• We completed our second to last gaming session for the semester. Our last session is this weekend!
  

Future News

• My third semester of the Healthy Titans program has come to a close. I will be meeting with Tyler on Tuesday to take a post-assessment. I will be interested to see how the results come out. We have seen some definite progress. I am now starting my own weight training routine.
  
• Our softball season actually starts tonight. We got rained out last week. Stats from the game will hopefully be posted tomorrow.
• Two weeks until Webster Hall closes! The craziness continues.