R.I.P. Red

This'll be short and bittersweet.
Red Auerbach died today.
For those of you not in the know, he was the Celtics coach. The coach that led them to nine championships in the 50's and 60's. Granted, well before my time, but still a hero when it comes to basketball legends.

See, I played basketball in junior high and high school, during the Celtics secondary prime, in the 80's, with Bird, McHale, Ainge and Parish. You know, back when they were good?

I don't really talk about basketball here because, let's face it, the Celtics aren't all that much to talk about these days. But, you have to also understand that this was a man that helped make them worth talking about in the first place. Setting the bar for future incarnations of the team.
I'll leave it at that.

Good night, Red. Rest in peace.

This is what my life has become

First things first, still a little hungover today. Granted it is now after 6PM but I made the mistake of enjoying rum and fruit juice last night at the Globe's halloween party. Booze plus sugar, never good for the noggin. Ah well, I deserved it.
I was working the door, checking ID's and taking cash for the party and, in return, drinking for free. Ouch. But it was fun socializing with random, becostumed and therefore close to unrecognizable patrons. Good times. Moving right along.

So, I came to a bit of a realization just recently. I have absolutely no intention of going out tonight, between the lack of cashflow and just being pooped, it's just not going to happen.

As I'm sitting at my computer, contemplating the thought of a Saturday night spent in, I go over to my Netflix page and begin perusing my queue. Twenty some-odd minutes later, I've reorganized my queue to allow spacing between discs of tv series, reprioritized movies, and so on. So as I'm doing this I basically decided that I was doing the equivalent of arranging a sock drawer, aka what people like me without much of a social life currently, do on a lifeless Saturday night. Felt a little pathetic there for a second. But not to worry, I'm over it.

So, I'll get some rest, watch some football tomorrow and rest up again as Monday Night football is my big game of the week. This'll be an in-bar rivalry it seems as my roommate is a Vikings fan and I, of course, support the Pats. Either way, it'll be fine, I did live in Minnesota for nine years after all, so there shouldn't be any real hard feelings on my part should the Patriots lose. I will be sorely surprised and disappointed, but that's it.

Starting anew

So, given that I've pretty much been constantly ill for the last three months or so, I think it's safe to 'fess up that I hadn't been to the gym in months as well.

So, we start again.
I'm on day three of going to the gym again and I swear, it feels like I never went before. My muscles, apparently, have atrophied. Constant bedrest will do that to a girl.

Nonethess, I'm kinda proud of myself. It's the little victories, you know?
So for the third day in a row, I did an hour on the treadmill and left it at that. Not walking as fast as I had several months ago, not going as far as a result, but still, maintaining for a full hour.

Maybe next week I'll start adding in something along with the treadmill but for now, this is all I can handle. Baby steps, sugar.

Well, now that I'm home, and showered, and admittedly, exhausted, I'm gonna take a crack at not going straight back to bed. To the couch!

More later, as I've been most negligent in my posting.

All signs point to sick

Things are not quite as chipper in the casa de Jess and Dave as they could be.
Seems we're both sick with a similar, lingering, evil-ass cold. Nothing serious, just a royal pain.
However, I did muster up the energy to hit the grocery store and made my famous cream of chicken, mushroom and leek soup. Turned out to be a pretty good batch, so we're both kind of on the mend. Yes, it came from a cookbook, but it's all from scratch, so I can still take credit for it's tastiness.

Football-wise, I just stink this week.
After going 13-1 in my picks league last week, I've only got two correct picks thus far in the day after the noon games.
See what happens when the Patriots aren't playing? I just don't care enough to make wise decisions.

In any case, don't want to tempt my cold any further, so it's back to bed.
What, me, convalescing over the weekend? That never happens!

Um, it's snowing

So, we all know how I love it when it's not hot out, but it's a little early for this kind of weather.
I was hoping for a good month or so of 50-65 degree weather, aka, my comfort zone.

And there's the update. Chicago has prematurely become the tundra.
It's 30 degrees out there.
It's October 12th.

Ah well, at least I can wear long sleeves and jeans and be comfortable.
It's a welcome change.

John Lennon, Scott Bakula, PJ Harvey and.....me

So it's my birthday, mine as well as those mentioned in the header.
I'm 32 today, or 100000 in binary.

What's to be said? Another day, another year.
This isn't a significant birthday in any sense of the word, so I guess I'll just let it go at that. Maybe I'll go out and watch some football tonight, dunno.
I actually managed to be good yesterday, despite the entire day of great football. Didn't have a single drink. Not a one.

So, October 9th, eh? Ok, time for the Wikipedia info:

Well, it's Thanksgiving in Canada today.
In 1919 the Black Sox scandal had it's official finish, with the Reds "winning" 5 games to 3.
In 2004 democratic elections are held for the first time in Afghanistan.
And yeah, lots of birthdays, including my friend Scott.

As well as:

Camille Saint-Saens
John Lennon (and Sean Lennon)
Trent Lott - d'oh!
Jackson Browne
Sharon Osbourne
Tony Shalhoub
Scott Bakula
P.J. Harvey
Annika Sorenstam

Ok, that's enough trivia for one birthday, yes?
Yes.

Time for coffee.

And another thing

Clearly, I'm making up for not posting in awhile, but hey, why not.
So I saw that Dave did this and had to give it a shot.
Used a weird picture of myself to begin with, but this kinda cracked me up.
It's all about the eyebrows.



Ok, now I'm really going back to bed.

I missed Catmas!

D'oh! Yesterday was Catmas, which I am celebrating belatedly today.
This is a real thing. Here's the site.

So, I don't personally own a cat, but my roommate does.


Here's Mia, or as I like to call her for all her hissing, Spawn of Satan.

And my good friend Daphne does, three in fact, so I'll post a picture of my favorite of the three.


This is Pearline, the lovely, if a little insane, mao mao.

So there you have it. It's still not too late! Post pictures without guilt, for Catmas comes but once a year.

Overhung, and stating the obvious

I'm slowly approaching feeling human today.
This, after going out last night with a couple of friends for some serious sushi and sake intake. Kind of a preemptive strike against my birthday.

Suffice to say, I'm going to back to bed after this post.
But it's amazing to me, not that it should be, how far my IQ drops when I'm hungover.
So I'm laying in bed, watching the Illinois-Indiana game.
The score is 31-32. I pause, and actually say outloud, to no one in particular, "wow, this game's really close!" So few functioning brain cells today.

Ah well. A few more gallons of water, maybe my IQ'll reach the triple digits again.
In the meantime, last night was fantabulous. Between the sushi, the sake, the great company and, oh yeah, getting to a bar to watch the end of the Yankees loss to the Tigers, it was just a joy and a treat all around.

Apparently, I'm more of a sushi aficionado than I thought. My friends were impressed with my knowledge of sushi and sake and were persuaded to try some new sushi types, all with great appreciation. So, it looks like I'll be a mainstay in their future sushi outings. Like I really needed convincing. I'm just happy to have local sushi buddies.

Ok, back to bed.