lewis and clark had a journal. you, beth-annie, have a diary.

Thursday, September 29, 2005
Consider my lesson learned.
I was a WEAK little girl over the summer.  You know I [airquotes]became an actor[/airquotes] to get sides for certain shows (I only -- ha! -- did it for Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girls, Everwood, Scrubs, and The Office.  And, to answer your next logical question, no, Lost did not have sides out there).  Like never before I felt the need for a fix, especially in the case of VM.  I also said I would STOP reading sides (which come out a good sixish episodes in advance of what's airing) once the new season started up, because then I would have the shows back themselves for my fix.  However, to be perfectly honest I doubted how strong my resolve would be on that point.  No more.  Two main things happened to make me swear off being the spoiler whore I unfortunately became over the summer:

1)  The season premiere of Lost, for which I was UNSPOILED.
2)  The season premiere of Veronica Mars, for which I was SPOILED ALL OVER THE FREAKING PLACE.

1)  The cold open of last week's Lost premiere was  Un.  Believably.  Good.  And it was only that good because I in no way, shape, or form saw it coming.  The lesson here?  Being surprised enhances enjoyability.

2)  Last night's Veronica Mars premiere was the bees knees.  It really was, despite the fact that I knew almost every major plot point  going into it, including a couple that I know SHOCKED people who weren't spoiled.  However, as utterly enjoyable as it was, I am absolutely 100% convinced that it would have been far better if I hadn't known the twists that were coming.  So, the lesson here?  Being spoiled diminishes enjoyablility.

Now, I'm no math major, but if you ask me,
"Being surprised enhances enjoyability"
+
"Being spoiled diminishes enjoyablility"
=
one big fat "Stay the hick away from spoilers, you dork!"

Sides, I hardly knew ye.
2:06 PM    ||    I want to be a comment. Post me!

Wednesday, September 28, 2005
I do this to myself.
I like stuff few other people like, and then I get annoyed at the (admittedly minor, in the grand scheme of things) inconveniences that causes. Case in point, yesterday two albums were released that I wanted to buy: the "Veronica Mars" Soundtrack and Supergrass' Road to Rouen, which list for $18 and $19 respectively. If either of these had been "popular" items, I would have been able to go to Best Buy or Circuit City and pick them up for somewhere in the range of $9.99 to $11.99 this first week. But no. Not only are they not popular enough to be on sale, they're apparently not popular enough to even carry at all (or at least to carry enough copies that they wouldn't be sold out by the evening of their release day). The only place I found either of them was at Borders, where they wanted a whopping $17.99 for each. No, thank you. Sure, I can buy them both at amazon for $13.99 each and get free shipping, but that's not the point. It's the principle of the thing. You should not be forced to buy something -- that really isn't that obscure, in my opinion -- online because even the self-professed mega-stores can't be bothered to carry it (it can't even be blamed on a no-name record label -- Capitol is far from no-name). Just, grrrrrr.
3:54 PM || I want to be a comment. Post me!

Monday, September 26, 2005
Who knew graphic designers were so hard to come by?
I spied someone familiar on a local news broadcast the other day and did an online search to see if mine eyes had decieved me. They did not. Apparently we're in Ames again. And it's 1987.
3:23 PM || I want to be a comment. Post me!

Friday, September 23, 2005
It is not weird to feel sorry for a studio recording.  It's NOT.
Don't you just hate it when a band you love goes and records (or, performs, at least, and allows someone else to record) a live version of a great song that is so smokin' fantabulous that it eclipses the album recording of the song?  Yeah, me neither.  That's what Guster (quite possibly my favorite band currently, or at least very close to it) has done.  And I don't even think they (the band) know it, because the song in question is one of those that has flown under the radar as perhaps the best Guster song to never get any of the credit it's due.  The song is called "Rainy Day" and is the final track on their Lost and Gone Forever album.  It was never anything even resembling a single, is almost never (and I mean Never) played in concert, and is rarely mentioned by even the legion of Guster fans that frequent the band's messageboard.  But it (along with, off the top of my head, Emery's "The Secret") is the epitome of what a final album track should be:  an affecting tune which starts unassumingly enough but gradually builds in intensity to both a literal and emotional crescendo.  That's what always got me about "Rainy Day" and I never would have thought the song could be improved upon.  I was wrong.

This is how I imagine it went down:  On November 16, 2003, The Band That Never Plays "Rainy Day" Live had something they like to call "The Pre-Show Band Meeting to Decide the Set List."  They have this before every show, except on Lazy Tuesdays when they all just agree to play Monday's set list so no one has to hurt their brain thinking about what songs to play.  Lucky for us (or me at least, not so much for you, come to think of it) November 16, 2003 WAS NOT a Tuesday, or this post wouldn't exist.  Dodged a bullet there.

So at TPSBMtDtSL, Brian said to Ryan -- because Brian is always saying craaaaaaazy things -- "Hey, you remember that one song on that one album of ours?  Something about... some king's reign, or a horse's reins, and I think maybe the weather was bad?"  And Adam, being the homophone expert of the band, interjected with, "You mean 'Rainy Day?'"  Brain lept up and yelt, "By jove, that's it, you homophonic genius!"  Joe sat back clipping his toenails as he is wont to do at every PSBMtDtSL, waiting for the day when he can finally stage his coup to take over the band, and Ryan's face became confuddled as he tried for the life of him to think of just what the hick song these guys were talking about.  "Bees are on the what now?"  Adam, doing his best Adam, answered, "You know, Ry, that ONE song.  With the stuff."  Lightbulb.  "Ohhhhhhhhhh, THAT song.  Would it have been so hard to be that specific in the first place?"

Silent Joe, who always chooses his moments to speak very carefully so as not to tip off the whole, you know, coup thing, piped up, "You know, you guys... that guy who wrote and played the violin part for the song 'Window,' which will be used awesomely in commercials for the Weather Channel in 2005 and which hearkens from your first album when I wasn't but a glimmer in each of yours eye will be again playing said violin on said song at said live concert this eve.  Prehaps we should have him 'fiddle' around and come up with an accessoral violin part for that song you're talking about that seems to be so forgettable.  Maybe it will make it deforgettable."  Oh, that Joe.  Always with the wordmakinguppage...  The pre-Joe Gusters looked at each other and said, "Wellllll...  Sure, why not?"  They didn't realize the events they had just set in motion.  But the not-pre-Joe Guster did.  The not-pre-Joe Guster -- why don't we just call him "Joe" for short -- knew that brilliance would be born that evening.  Even after the show, the Gusters went about their ordinary Guster business as if nothing particularly special had happened, but Joe knew that it was only a matter of time now.  Only a matter of time before the inevitable fan recording of the show made its way onto the internet.  Only a matter of time before those few "Rainy Day" fanatics, upon hearing this transcendent violin-enhanced version of the song, would get the chills from the experience and classify it as the Best Thing Ever.  Only a matter of time before those fanatics would agree to do the bidding of whomever they discovered was responsible for the Best Idea Ever.  Only a matter of time before he would have all the henchmen he needed to pull off his coup.  Oh, yes.  That Joe knows what he's doing...

Yeah, so that's pretty much how I figure it happened.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go meet with my fellow henc... um, my cat.  Yeah.  He's one of those cats who just loves the meetings.  Go figure.
2:30 PM    ||    I want to be a comment. Post me!

Tuesday, September 20, 2005
You know what I love?
When the funniest show on television comes back and DOES NOT DISAPPOINT. Like, at all. "Junior slump," my bum... :-D
1:54 PM || I want to be a comment. Post me!

Thursday, September 15, 2005
File under:  Things I Hate.
Emails like this one, which I get FAR too often, and usually from people I don't know well at all (this is the exact email, minus cutesy images):

If you delete after reading ... you'll spend a year of ill luck!

But... if you send it to (at least) two friends ... you'll have 3 years of good luck!!! ***

Did you know that those who appear to be very strong in heart, are real weak and most susceptible?

Did you know that those who spend their time protecting others are the ones that really need someone to protect them?

Did you know that the three most difficult things to say are:

I love you, Sorry and help me

Did you know that those who dress in red are more confident in themselves?

Did you know that those who dress in yellow are those that enjoy their beauty?

Did you know that those who dress in black, are those who want to be unnoticed and need your help and understanding?

Did you know that when you help someone, the help is returned in two folds?

Did you know that it's easier to say what you feel in writing than saying it to someone in the face? But did you know that it has more value when you say it to their face?

Did you know that if you ask for something in faith, your wishes are granted?

Did you know that you can make your dreams come true, like falling in love, becoming rich, staying healthy, if you ask for it by faith, and if you really knew, you'd be surprised by what you could do.

But don't believe everything I tell you, until you try it for yourself, if you know someone that is in need of something that I mentioned, and you know that you can help, you'll see that it will be returned in two-fold.

Today, the ball of FRIENDSHIP is in your court, send this to those who truly are your friends (including me if I am one). Also, do not feel bad if no one sends this back to you in the end, you'll find out that you'll get to keep the ball for other people want more.

Ok, this is what you have to do:

Send to ALL your FRIENDS!

But you have to DO THIS within an hour after you open this mail!

Now..... MAKE 1 WISH!!!!!!

Make it now,

It's you last chance!!

I hope you did make a wish, Now send the mail to:

1 person~ your wish will come true in a year
3 persons~6 months
5 persons~ 3 months
6 persons~ 1 month
7 persons~ 2 weeks
8 persons ~ 1 week
9 persons~ 5 days
10 persons~ 3 days
12 persons~ 2 days
15 persons~ 1 day
20 persons~ 3 hours

*** If you delete after reading ... you'll spend a year of ill luck!

But, if you send it to (at least) two friends ... you'll have 3 years of good luck!!! ***

I don't mind getting forwards, most of the time.  I don't mind reading cute, funny, or touching things, especially if they're sent by an actual FRIEND.  What I resent is when someone I talked to ONCE online somehow (which does NOT constitute us being BFF, thank you very much) permanently sticks me on some sort of mass email list for every "FW" that comes across their inbox.  And I'm too nice a person to ask them to stop sending me things, so I just end up with a bunch of emails I don't care to read.  Forever, apparently.  And THE BIGGEST peeve of them all for me personally is the dreaded chain letter, like the above.  "Send it to X people and your wish will come true!"  "Send it to X people within X amount of time and you'll have good luck!"  "Don't send it and you'll have bad luck!  Boo!  What a horrible person you are!"  It just... makes... me want... to scream...  AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

I just don't DO chain letters, no matter the sentiment.  I don't take well to being threatened or promised good fortune if I follow some set of hokey instructions.  So don't be offended if you send me one and I don't send it back.  Because I won't.  Ever.  And that's just the way it is.
5:19 PM    ||    I want to be a comment. Post me!

Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Warning:  Rory Rant forthcoming...
So the season premiere of "Gilmore Girls" was last night.  I'm not going to go into detail, because I know several of you haven't seen it yet, but I feel the need to get something out of my system:  I hate Rory.  Over the last season, she has become increasingly insufferable to the point where now I actually roll my eyes whenever she comes on the screen.  Um, NOT GOOD.  Don't get me wrong, I can understand Amy and Daniel (the creators/writers) wanting Rory to grow up a bit and even become more flawed compared to her initial characterization, but enough is enough!  Yes, there have been a couple of MAJOR incidents over the last year that have far from endeared me to her, but even more distressing than those is the general attitudinal 180 from the Rory we knew and loved.  That's what last night's episode showed loud and clear, moreso than any specific actions on her part.  She just annoys me now, and her "friends" alternately annoy and bore the crap out of me.  I just can't see how any of this is good for the show, and they need to fix it.  NOW.  I appreciate the dramatic intensity of a rift between Lorelai and Rory -- that last scene with Lorelai last night was amazing -- but you don't need to make Rory so completely unlikable to pull it off.  I'm going to try to continue to give the show the benefit of the doubt, but my hopes aren't terribly high seeing that Logan is now included in the opening credits.  Ugh.  Please, please, I'm begging you, bring back Marty.  He's the only one of her love interests, potential or realized, that I actually like anymore.  He's who she should end up with.
1:28 PM    ||    I want to be a comment. Post me!

Monday, September 12, 2005
Beth-Annie's first (of many, I'm sure) post of the new TV season.
Today I put together my usual handy-dandy spreadsheet for my own personal fall primetime grid, and boy is it scary.  As far as which new shows I'll give a try, I use a combination of what I think I'll like and critics' reviews.  As far as what old shows I'll watch, well, I watch the good ones.  Hee.  Some stats from this year's spreadsheet:

# of shows per week in the first (8/7c) hour:  14
# of shows in the second hour:  17
# of shows in the third hour:  2

# of returning shows:  18
# of new shows I'm trying:  15
# of new shows I expect to drop myself within the first few episodes:  about 5
# of (my) new shows I expect the networks to drop within the first half of the season:  about 6

# of comedies (1/2-hour):  8
# of dramas (1-hour, so inc. shows like "GG" and "DH"):  21
# of "reality" shows:  4
Most promising new comedies:  NBC's "My Name Is Earl";  FOX's "Kitchen Confidential"
Most promising new dramas:  ABC's "Invasion";  CBS' "Threshold"

# of times "7th Heaven" appears on my list:  0  (I've finally kicked that habit)
# of times "Scrubs" appears on my list:  0  (the fools at NBC haven't scheduled it yet)
# of times shows starring Pamela Anderson, Jennifer Love Hewitt, or Amy Grant appear on my list:  0

# of ABC shows (returning/new):  5 (3/2)
# of CBS shows:  5 (3/2)
# of NBC shows:  7 (4/3)
# of FOX shows:  9 (4/5)
# of WB shows:  5 (3/2)
# of UPN shows:  2 (1/1)

# of new shows I've seen so far:  2  (FOX's "Prison Break" and "Reunion")
# of new shows I've seen so far that have already disappointed me:  1  ("Reunion")

Most underrated returning show:  "The Office"
Most overrated returning show:  "Desperate Housewives"
Most skeptically-changed returning show:  "The Amazing Race" family edition
Most fallen returning shows in serious need of earning my trust back:  "The O.C." and "Smallville"
Most shows in one timeslot:  Thursdays at 8/7c with 6.  Yup.  You heard me.  SIX.

# of hours of Solheim Cup coverage I watched over the past three days:  26.  Yup.  You heard me.  TWENTY-SIX.
7:04 PM    ||    I want to be a comment. Post me!

Thursday, September 08, 2005
Movie update.
First off, may I just say that drive-ins are a beautiful thing?  Especially when they have fantastic pizza?  Thanks.

Now, the typical rundown:

Millions.  A tad confusing at the end, but we may have sorted it out after talking about it a bit.  Maybe.  Only one overly schmaltzy moment, but I can forgive it.  Otherwise a slightly odd film (only slightly) with an awfully charming lead child actor -- who can actually act and was cute without knowing he was cute.  What a breath of fresh air that is.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.  If Millions had one schmaltzy moment, this one had... well, more.  Too many more.  Like, cringe-inducing ones (you know, where characters say something, either out loud or in voice-over, that no one actually says in real life because it's just too corny).  And the beginning where the actual "sisterhood" of the "Pants" was formed was a little painful to sit through.  But after that, about 2 1/2 of the four stories worked for me.  Hence the wishy-washy grade.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith.  I really thought I would like this.  I did.  But it just disappointed me somehow.  I wasn't nearly as entertained as I thought I should be, and I'm still not sure why.  I didn't really care about the characters or their relationship or their predicaments, so I guess that will typically diminish one's enjoyment.  Ah, well.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Remember I just saw the first movie version for the first time earlier this year.  My opinion?  They're both good.  Maybe if I had a sentimental attachment to the original I'd like that one better, or if I had read the book I'd like this one better (since it's apparently a more faithful adaptation), but neither of those apply.  Some critics didn't like Johnny Depp's Wonka, but I loved it.  A bit creepier and weirder than Gene Wilder's, but I liked that.  I probably could've done without the whole dentist-father subplot, but that's pretty much my only gripe.

The Truth About Charlie  is a "remake" of the fantastic 1963 movie Charade.  That's a movie I know very well, and some parts of this "remake" were lifted from the original verbatim while others veered off wildly.  Let me make this very easy for you:  the movie sucks.  Compared to its predecessor, it's more confusing, less engaging, lacks chemistry, and lacks quality acting -- especially from Mark Wahlberg, who I know can act because I've seen evidence of the fact elsewhere.  Note to Hollywood:  never ever again attempt to remake Cary Grant or Audrey Hepburn.  No good can come of it.

The Interpreter.  Suspensful, I'll give it that.  Especially in the bus scene, which is the best moment of the film.  I don't have a huge amount of love for this movie, but it was good.  I do wish it had ended... um, without giving anything away, I'll just say a bit more boldly.  And then not had that epiloguey scene tacked onto the end.  Why do all movies have to have that?  You don't always have to tie everything up in a neat little bow.  Really.  It's okay to just end it sometimes.

Kicking & Screaming.  I love Will Ferrell.  He's just funny.  But this was just kind of "eh" to me.  There were enough funny moments to keep it above a negative, but that's about it.  Josh did like it better than I did.  Must be a guy thing.

Fantastic Four.  You know the things that make the Spider-man  movies and Batman Begins  (which is coming below) good?  Yeah, this movie doesn't have those.  I don't know what else to say.  Oh, except we only saw this because it was a double feature with War of the Worlds  at the drive-in.  Okay, now that was really enough.

War of the Worlds.  This was good.  And freaky.  Like, seriously freaky.  Like, I even had a nightmare I can probably attribute to it freaky.  And Tom Cruise didn't even ruin it.  Wow.  (And neither did the too-abrupt ending, though it tried.)  The highest praise I can give it is that it made me go to the library and check out the H.G. Wells book so I could read it.

Happy, Texas.  What do you mean you've never heard of this movie?  Go rent it.  Now.  Along with Waiting for Guffman.

Batman Begins is the anti-Daredevil.  (Daredevil, of course, being The Worst Superhero Movie Ever Made.  Far worse than Fantastic Four, if that puts it in perspective for you.)  Not anti in the sense that Daredevil  is a dark movie and this isn't -- it's definitely dark.  But it's goooooooooooood  dark.  And Katie Homes didn't even ruin it (I didn't hate her in this as much as some critics did, but I won't be sad to not see her in the next one).  Christian Bale = smart casting.  Christopher Nolan = smart directing and writing.  Please oh please let him do the next one, too.

Star Wars: Episode III - The Backstroke of the West -- er, Revenge of the Sith.  I so did not know what grade to give this.  One the one hand it was definitely better than Episode II.  On the other hand, that bar ain't exactly high.  On the other hand, the last about third of the movie, including Anakin's final transformation into Vader and the birth of Luke and Leia, was pretty freaking awesome.  On the other hand, well, there was way too much dialogue like this:

Anakin:  You are so beautiful.
Amidala:  It's only because I'm so in love.
Anakin:  No, it's because I'm so in love with you.

I don't remember the writing being this bad in the first three movies, but maybe George Lucas has lost something in the decades since then.  It could have been worse.  But it also could have been better.  Time to rent Episodes IV-VI now.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.  Loved it.  Perhaps I was predisposed due to my freakish adoration for Martin Freeman and, to a lesser extent, Zooey Deschanel, but I don't think that really matters.  Once more, as a disclaimer, I've never read the book, so I'm not sure whether I would have liked it more or less if I had.  But give me this over Star Wars any day.

Melinda and Melinda.  This was a Woody Allen movie, right?  I couldn't tell, because he actually WASN'T IN IT.  Thank goodness.  I couldn't have taken another one of his lame-o films where we're expected to buy him as the romantic protagonist.  Radha Mitchell was fantastic as the two different Melindas in two different stories.  I just could have done without the coffehouse exposition by the literary quartet at the beginning and end to set up and wrap up the stories.  I would have thought Allen would figure such a thing unnecessary for his crowd.
11:29 PM    ||    I want to be a comment. Post me!

Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Weekend update.
Going to a professional golf tournament is a unique experience in sportsdom.  There are basically two ways to spectate:  1)  bring a chair and park yourself on one hole, usually at the green (or the tee of hole #1), and watch many different groups play that one hole;  2)  pick one group and follow them from hole to hole.  The advantages of #1 are of course getting to see lots and lots of different golfers play and being able to relax in one spot most of the day.  If you're very much just a general fan or don't want to exert yourself, this is the option for you.  If, however, you're somewhat rabid about specific players, you're going to choose option #2.  Guess which we do.  Of course, the one where you have to walk.  A lot.  And fast (pro golfers don't exactly saunter between shots).  In 90 degree heat and sun.  And, as a walker, you have to deal with that unique-to-golf problem:  you can't just walk whenever you feel like it.  If you do, you risk getting yelled at to stand still by a caddy or, in some cases, even the golfer themself.  Anytime someone is getting ready for a shot -- whether a tee shot, fairway shot, or putt -- you can't move lest you distract them.  And you can't just worry about the golfers you're following, either, you have to keep an eye on what's going on on adjacent holes, as well.  It's something you have to get used to.

Quick summary:  Saturday morning we arrived at 7:45am (and got a great parking spot, by the way, for getting there so early).  Since Angela didn't tee off until 9:55, we picked Christina Kim's group to follow until then ( which ended up being six holes).  Then we followed Angela for her first 13 holes, the first FOUR of which she birdied.  That was a little spooky, but the absolute best kind of spooky.  Unfortunately, following Angela so long meant we didn't catch up with Heather's group until the 9th green.  After Heather's round was done, she was tied for 5th at 9-under, and we'd spent nine hours there and walked 11,000 yards (hole lengths only, not counting distance between holes or just general walking around).  And, unfortunately, I did... something to my right foot/ankle, as it was killing me before the day was done -- and then my ankle swelled up that evening.  Not too badly, but definitely noticeable.  I decided the blame lay with my slightly-too-big athletic shoes (which apparently don't bother me unless I walk around for nine hours straight), so I wore flip-flops the next day, despite the fact that it would usually be against my better judgement to do so when so much walking would be involved.  The result?  My ankle did fine, but I gave myself a couple of blisters and a couple of seriously sore feet-bottoms.  All in all, I think I made the right decision, blisters and all.

Saturday night we serendipitously found out -- on the local news broadcast we watched on our handheld TV as our B&B room didn't have one -- that the final groups' (a.k.a. the top of the leaderboard, a.k.a. Heather's) tee times were about two hours earlier than we'd thought.  Eek.  That could have been a disaster.  As it was, with breakfast (Eggs Benedict, mmmmm...) not starting until 8am, the B&B being half an hour away, and Heather's tee time being at 9:15, we missed her first two holes.  I blame ESPN for making them schedule things so early.  Because that poker tournament just had  to be broadcast at 3pm.  Bah.  But, after a rocky start, Heather birdied her way to a 4-under-par final round, including one amazing chip-in birdie from under a tree (which DID NOT make the television broadcast, I was dismayed to see, despite there being a camera there that I know caught it... GRRRRRR!!!) and birdies on her final two holes.  She ended at 13-under, which was good enough for third place.  Not a win, but... oh, I suppose it'll do.  ;-)  And the winner was at least someone we like who hadn't won in over five years, so if it couldn't be Heather I'm glad it was her.

Once again the day was Hot.  I don't think I've ever sweat so much in my life as I did sitting in the stands at the 18th green watching the last couple groups come through after Heather was done.  At one point I touched the underside of my leg above the knee and came away with a pool in my hand.  An actual pool.  Ew.  And, of course, as we were driving home we hit nice, thick clouds around Bloomington-Normal.  Where were those clouds when we needed them earlier, huh?  Pffft.

[pretty b&b room. 1875. that's, um, old.]
7:31 PM || I want to be a comment. Post me!

Friday, September 02, 2005
We never get anything useful done on the weekends.
Last weekend we drove to Chicago to attend our third Cubs game of the season (we have one more coming up in September).  Yes, we will accept your sympathies, but this particular game was worth it, despite our getting there super early (before 11am for a game that didn't start until 1:20pm) and having to wait in a huge, hot crowd of people for almost half an hour before they would open the gates.  But it was the day Ryne Sandberg's number was retired (only the fourth Cub ever to recieve such an honor), and by golly we wanted our free Hall of Fame baseball caps (which went to roughly the first quarter of people through the gates) -- as did, apparently, everyone else.  :-P  Why they still insisted on waiting until the normal two hours before gametime to open the gates when there was a special ceremony almost an hour beforehand I still don't know, but if they had to yell at people to get out of the street it was their own fault -- where exactly did they expect them to go?  The only other disappointment of the day was, surprisingly, not the score, but the fact that my Corey didn't play (I won't grumble about that too much, because you don't care -- not that that's ever stopped me before).  What was a fairly exciting game where we were up 4-3 in the middle of the 7th inning became a blowout as the Cubs went nuts and racked up TEN more unanswered runs in the final innings.  I'm not saying we're good luck or anything, but they HAVE won all three games we've gone to this year, and in the midst of sucking it up big time lately all of a sudden win 14-3 when we're there?  Nope, I'm not saying that at all... ;)

Then there's this weekend, which is also shot.  Since they took the Aurora, IL tourney away this year, the closest LPGA tournament to us is the State Farm Classic in Springfield, to which we're driving down tonight to go to the final two rounds this weekend (interspersed with a hopefully romantic stay at a bed & breakfast, something we haven't done since our honeymoon over five years ago... though we both seem to be threatening to get colds, thus the "hopefully").  Annika's not playing there this year, which is a bit of a bummer but also in a way good as it frees up our time to watch our other two favorites, one of which (Heather Bowie, who won for the first time earlier this year -- and, yes, I did blog about it) was even in the lead after the first round.  I'm not going to get too far ahead of myself, but seeing her win -- in person this time -- would be an absolute thrill.  And sometimes it's nice to follow a group that doesn't have so many hoards of people doing the same that it can be darn near impossible to get close enough to the tee or green to actually see anything.  One of the downsides of liking one of the best players in the world.  But, anyway, none of that this week.  Go Heather and Angie!

Annie out.
2:28 PM    ||    I want to be a comment. Post me!