Paging Mr. Zen!

Good morning! Yep! It's a good one! I am no longer sick AND I finished my last class last night at 10:30 pm for another two weeks....oh boy! After serious grading this morning, I am going to place a 'gone shopping' notice on my email!!!





Once again, the pups pulled me out of bed this morning at an ungodly hour, but hey...who cares? I have two weeks off....Sweeet!


How is the big guy? He finished exams yesterday. He shared that he earned an "A" in a class. Not sure which one, but this should get his name off the Wall of Shame that the Czar has in the locker room. Forgot what the Wall of Shame is? Well, it seems that to motivate his players academically, the Czar broke the federal law (FERPA...PA stands for "privacy act') and inscribed the guys with the lower grade point averages on the board in the locker room. The gpas have been there all semester. His name will be removed after he hits his target. Notice to the Czar...no kid wants to see their name there. Not every guy is an A student. They do what they have to do to get by....after all, the team does not make it easy for them with 5 am lifts, meetings, three to four hour daily practices, and an extensive travel schedule. Some are able to keep their heads above a 2.0 to stay eligible for the season. It is an incredibly stressful environment.





He has had this knot in his back for a few weeks that the trainers have been massaging. He could no longer stand the discomfort and his hand was going numb, so he took my advice and went to an acupuncturist who was also a chiropractor. Rather than having the acupuncture, the chiropractor told him that his arm is too built up by training and he is losing flexibility in his elbow. Further, he diagnosed a pinched nerve and not a 'knot'. And so.....here we go again....





The medical care and training are sub par. The athletes are suffering and they will be cut from the team if they go to another doctor for a second opinion. They have them over a barrel.


What do I do as a parent? What does he do as a player? With the medical staff (once again) treating the wrong thing, does he continue to allow them to ruin his body OR does he sneak away and find his own, more competent doctors?


You know what I think...I hate the sneaking part but if they ruin his arm, they have succeeded in ruining his career and possible livelihood. This is unacceptable. I cannot go to them, because he is a young man and must fight his own battles, but I am seething that an elite division 1 school hires such inept practitioners. Here are  people who are supposed to stay up on the evidence and trends in sports medicine and training, yet they continue to use outdated modalities and insist that they are right.


To me, this means that they are not prepared to care for anyone including a puppy. (sorry twins). Any doctor or trainer who does not ascribe to best practice models supported by evidence and research is committing malpractice. Yes, I said malpractice.

A professional is a person who understands research, attends continuing education, and reads their journals. They look at statistics and change their practice based upon what has been purported to be effective. To be so rigid and narrow minded and not alter their practice indicates that the wrong people are in these positions of power.






And so, I made an appointment with my acupuncturist, Mr Zen for Friday. Mr Zen is the most amazing guy. He has helped my sinuses, elbow, and left knee. He took care of my stress on Monday as well as opened my nasal passages. Frankly, I would not have believed it if I had not had my experience, but I highly endorse acupuncture for most things that ail a person. Some of our physical problems are due to stress and anxiety. Mr. Zen was able to pinpoint my heightened anxiety by feeling my pulses (don't ask, but my pulses were located via my radial which is located on my wrist). After identifying stress as part of my problem, he placed a series of needles in my back and left me for 25 minutes. I almost fell asleep. Since my acupuncture and acupressure for the sinuses, I have been tired but somewhat relaxed and can breathe!.....In fact, I want to go back again and again and again....


Ooops...'nuf about me. I have to grade the papers in order to place the 'gone shopping' sign on my email.



Peace!

The Dog Whisperer needs to make a house call! Stat!

Good morning...or is it? I am definitely in a foul mood. Why? I am not sure if you are ready for this post, but here is comes....

As regular readers know, Tuesdays are my longest days and I do not get home until 11 pm. I am actually cool with this schedule since it frees me up during the spring to chase the big guy all over the country.

However, this morning, I was close to breaking....why?

As you know, I adopted the cutest puppies in the whole world. They are happy, playful, and fairly responsive to commands. Last night at two am, they were whining, which essentially means that they have to be taken out. Ok, out of bed....robe on over the grey flannel pajamas...blanket over the robe....one puppy is taken from crate...taken out into the rain.....success...back into the house...puppy number two...taken from the crate....out into the rain.....success....back into crate...back to bed....

Two hours later....whining and barking...really? Really? really?

lumberjack flannel robe on....blanket over the robe and grey flannel pajamas.....hmm...they were so good a few hours ago, I think that I will take them out together in the rain, chill, and middle of the night.

Question: What was I thinking?

Answer: I was not thinking because I was still asleep in the middle of the night as I took the puppies out together without a leash. As they got outdoors, they looked at each other and took off.....Really puppies? really? now? really?

And so, I took off to catch them with my blanket over my flannel robe and my ripped untied Sperrys on my feet. All I could think of was that there are skunks, foxes, and owls out there and the puppies are not yet 4 pounds. In fact, they are an appetizer.

Question: What does a person do?

Answer: RUN! And I did with my blanket and ripped shoes and the mud beginning to splash onto the bottom of my grey flannel pajamas. I could not yell for them, because I did not want to wake any neighbors, have them look outside, and throw a net over my head.

So, I ran....almost caught up with one.....slipped.....they ran more toward the front of the neighbors house....and did the unthinkable as I approached them....

They barked and barked and barked as I whispered to them:

"Stop! Come! Listen to me. $%#((%%32!!!!!"

Now my hidden fear was realized, people were looking  out at the tiny barking dogs and crazy woman covered with mud, drenched, and running after them in the rain.



Ok, the story ends well. I caught the girl first, then the boy. AS I ran back to the house, the mud on their paws came off onto my wet blanket.

I was furious....went back to bed.....got back into an amazing dream about a beach....margarita......palm trees.....and then it happened.....

At 7 am, dad trying to be nice to me, took the pups out and they took off too. I could hear his shouts and ran to get my sweat pants. AS he walked into the house with the muddy pups, he could only say "Your children have behavioral issues."

And here is where I sit...typing about my most excellent adventure with the dogs in their crate and mud on my robe, blanket, and pajama legs.  The hair is sticking up. The face is contorted.

Have I made any tactical mistakes since I adopted the pups?

Oh yeah...many...but guess what?

In January, all fun comes to an end. I am going to contact some dog whisperer or a doggie drill Sargent and we are going to tackle this problem head on. There will be no lame Pet Smart dog training.




Nope, I am going to find the General Patton of the canine world. These pups are going to learn manners.



Now it is time to take the puppies out again and they will be leashed and attached to my sweat pants string.



And so you have it.....my life....cold, wet, dirty, and unpredictable.



Peace!

Beer Olympics

Hi! It's time to catch up before I run off to class. First, I am still kind-of, sort-of sick. Some nasty stomach flu is going around. Sadly, it will not leave me to venture onto another victim. I am so lucky. My meals have consisted of pretzels, crackers, and more pretzels. oh yeah...lots of ginger ale. Guess what? I hate soda, yet ginger ale has kept me hydrated and alive this week. oh well...you gotta do, what you gotta do....

I ran to the mall today for a few things and saw Santa...all alone...no kids....working on Sudoku. There is something wrong with that. Shouldn't the big man be making his list and checking it twice? Feeding his reindeer? Singing Christmas carols? Making cookies??

Since I have not been able to work out or do anything of substance, I have sat in front of the Hallmark channel and see a theme....girl or guy has been burned by old flame...they move to a remote area in Nebraska or Alaska.... They meet...hate each other...then something happens...like the guy saves a puppy or the girl dances with little kids...something inane. Then they fall in live. Story over. Right? Wrong.  The story is that these stupid, predictable movies have made me cry which only offers continued proof  that I am not in my right mind. Yeah, I know that this star crossed couple is going to get back together, but for some reason, my eyes well up. I gotta get a life again....no more Hallmark channel...although, there is an upcoming movie in which a girl gets hired by a department store manager to do something and falls in love.....





On to the big lefty. Not much is going on as he completes this semester. He attended Beer Olympics on Saturday at the old house of mold.  Interestingly, I did not hear from him until Monday. As he said, he was laying low after the festivities. I asked who won the Beer Olympics and he gave the gold medal to Fudge and Texas. By the way, these guys are true Americans as they sang the national Anthem before the games began.



Also during yesterday's conversation, he mentioned that he threw a bullpen. His aim and ball movement were pretty good. Good!

And so, because of my lack of energy and mental fuzziness, there is not much else going on....except BP Grandpop gets to leave the house tomorrow and see three of his doctors. Hopefully, he will be cleared to walk on his right hip with 100% weight bearing.....that would be nice.

Ok, I have stalled long enough. I have to grade papers.

Peace!

Man versus ant

Good morning. I am sorry for not posting but something nasty hit ole BP mom and knocked her off her feet. In fact, I had my first cup of coffee in days today, which tells ya something or 5.....no happy hour this week...no Christmas cookies...just soup...crackers....tea...gingerale....yuk. My bathroom and I bonded over this experience....'nuf about me....

How is the big guy? Well, if I said that he is a man on a mission, what would you say? I think that you would agree....three days ago, he called in a panic....

"Mom, there are millions of ants in my apartment. It is disgusting...."



Uh huh. No surprise. I know his habits...left over wrappers on the floor....gator ade bottles left open....food on counters and at bedside. Dude, you are ant magnet. I am surprised that I have not heard the 'r' word (ie 'roach'). Nevertheless, he was dismayed.

Chuckling, I began a "Get rid of ants" tutorial from the coolness of my bathroom floor....

Picturing my lifeless body on the tile of the bathroom which cooled the heat that was emitting from the BP ma body, I had the phone propped on my ear.....I sounded a bit like Don and Sonny Corleone in the Godfather.....

"My son.....

Don Corleone: You can act like a man!
[gives a quick slap to the Big Lefty]

Don Corleone: What's the matter with you? Is this how you turn out, a Hollywood finocchio that cries like a woman? "Oh, what can I do? What can I do?" What is that nonsense? Ridiculous!

Sonny Corleone: [laughing] What are you gonna do? Nice college boy

Back to the ants....get cinnamon and sprinkle it around the entrance point.....kill the )&#%.  Get rid of the food sources...tah dah...you are ant free.....

That advice was given three days ago....sadly, there were 'millions and millions of ants'! Doesn't it sound like a horror film?

"They are everywhere!"

Ok, this means you have to clean the apartment. The definition of 'clean' according to Websters Dictionary is:

as a verb:

make (something or someone) free of dirt, marks, or mess, especially by washing, wiping, or brushing.

"clean your teeth properly after meals"

synonyms:

wash, cleanse, wipe, sponge, scrub, mop, rinse, scour, swab, hose down, sluice (down), disinfect; More

 I also mentioned that the word 'clean' is a noun and adjective. And so, the tutorial continued.....

"Go online and look up safe remedies to exterminate ants....like vinegar and water...."

And so, the man was on a mission as he exterminated and annihilated the little critters.  Hey, he invited them into his apartment for dinner. Leaving food out and on the counters is an invitation to stop by unexpectedly.

And now, it is day three of ants in my pants and they continue to work their way into his world.



This morning he shared the fact that he 'cleaned' the apartment with vinegar and water and now it smells....he is working on eliminating the entire ant population out of spite.

And with that said, I lie back on my tile floor and smile...


It can be said that sending a child to live at college makes them grow up in a way that would not happen if they lived at home. And this sentiment is absolutely true. My son has not only learned how to write but kill ants....and best yet....clean his environment.

I think that I can place my head on the tile, cool down, and enjoy the fact that this expensive college experience has been worth the angst and agony over the past 5 years. My parting words to him were: "If I find one ant in your bedroom, you will be on notice......"

And now....back to my sweats and chills....Tink asked me last night if I got a new hair cut. "No, Tink, I have not brushed my hair in a few days....like the new look?"

I'm in a stupor ...signing out....

Peace

He said "what?"

Good morning! it is going to be a quickie since I have a dentist appointment (yuk), give a final exam, interview a prospective student, and teach a four hour marathon class on writing. In a word: busy.


OK, so, how did it go with the Czar?

Naturally, the kid was early for his appointment and......


The Czar was complimentary. That's right. You did not read this incorrectly. The Czar is pleased with his minion.

Several items came out of the meeting:

1. he is one of the two hardest working players on the team as acknowledged by his peers
2. he has the best stuff (pitching lingo)
3. he will be given a start on Friday and Saturday if he is able to carve the plate and throw strikes. If not, he is going to be moved down the rotation.
4. Blah, blah, blah....I didn't hear much else because he finally gave me some good news.

My BPM take on it?

Naturally, I am pleased and not surprised with their assessment. Although, I am stunned that they complimented him after gutting him numerous times last year. I advised him to continue to keep his head down, say nothing, and work hard. Compliments and accolades mean nothing if he cannot perform.

Also, this is exactly where he was at the beginning of his senior year in high school. He had to prove his worth since no one could believe that he was any good. Now, he is the number one and life can begin. I will keep reminding him not to read anything that is printed in the papers and websites about him. Blogs, newspaper articles, and websites will love and hate him. he could allow them to penetrate his psyche or not pay heed to them.

I will collect all of the clippings as I have in the past and let him read them after the season. Until then, he has a big project due this week as well as final exams. My goal is to help to keep him focused and anxiety free. How? Dang, if I know.

However, his work ethic and talent have gotten him this far. he continues to work with the sports psychologist who will also help him to put things into perspective.With a team of people who love and cherish him, hopefully we can accomplish together the most hopeful goal of all....that he captures the eye of a major league scout. Until then, continue to perform yoga, stretch, work out, sleep, eat nutritious meals, and pray.

That's it. Gotta run!

peace!

A dreaded meeting

Good morning! it's the weekend after Thanksgiving and there was so much to be grateful for such as family gathering in our home and around the table. It was a good day...too much food and now.....



yep, here we go.....let's begin to count Weight Watchers points again...no more than 26 each day, so I have to be mindful of what I eat and drink until.....

Cookie fest VI!

Yes, CF VI is coming up soon so I have to start my work outs and watching for excessive calorie consumption. In other words, I am in training.

Ok, how is the big guy? Well, I did not see much of him over the holiday until Thursday since he worked in the bakery peeling and cutting apples until midnight each night. He peeled and cut 80 cases of apples. Yes, he was Johnny Appleseed again.


No, I did not buy a pie from the bakery since he did not work the day before Thanksgiving. Because of the snow, people got a little crazy and changed their Wednesday pick up orders to Tuesday afternoon. Therefore, the day before turkey day was like any other day and he was given the day off. Nice.

Today, however, he is meeting with the oh-so-tan Czar as he returns from his extended cruise. The Czar is going to share with him how he did during fall ball and ask him....
"who would you go to battle with?"

"Who would you least like to go to battle with?"

Oh boy. Here we go. He is asking for something that the kid does not want to give him, in other words, he has to be a snitch. Inside information about his team mates, which, knowing the Czar, will be used against him publicly at any point and any time. Just to humiliate him....or the other team mates. If he doesn't answer, he is in trouble. If he answers, he is in trouble. It's a losing proposition.

This is bad. Really bad.

Why?

Well, I'll tell you.

This is bad because it is divisive rather than unifying. A team is only as strong as its weakest link. Is it right for a 'coach' to have his players calling out the other guys as the weakest? Isn't this the role of the coach? Isn't this why they had these inane Omaha games at 5 am the week before Thanksgiving?

What is the role of a coach anyway? Well, if you go by the Czar's rule of thumb, it is to embarrass and humiliate guys into performing better. ....for an example of this, go into the locker room and see the guy's grade point averages on the blackboard. They have been there all fall.



When I am embarrassed, I get tense and anxious. Any coach who has yelled at me will not get what he or she seeks. In fact, he will get the opposite plus a whole lot of angst. No pitcher wants to give up a home run ball.....oh maybe one or two weirdos....."Oh boy! I gave up a home run! yahoo! Now we lose! Do I feel great!"

No.

In fact, they think: "Ahhhh....nooooooo, it's my fault. I should never have thrown that ball.....ahhh...." Then the pitcher does not sleep for a few nights reliving the dreaded pitch.

Now, you add the team mates calling you out before the season even begins....Sheesh! I have agita thinking about it.

On the plus side, the lefty's earned run average was second lowest for the starters last year. He had one bad outing in Florida last year when there were 6 errors behind him that boosted it. 

With that said, I sort of look forward to 5 o'clock today (definitely happy hour) when I get the 411 about the meeting. Will try to post tomorrow.

Ok, gotta run.

Peace!

PS: Saw St Vincent with Wildcat yesterday...it was pretty good in a peculiar way. I'll let you determine why when you see it.