On Saturday, Kristin and I met up for dinner with Kristin's brother Garrett and cousin Pat. During the dinner, Pat mentioned that he was part of a softball team and said they could use a couple extra players for the team. So I emailed him on Monday, and he said to show up on Tuesday night at the field near the Rose Bowl.
I was totally excited, for many reasons. I've never been in a softball league. (I've also never been in a bowling league either, and so I need to join one of those as well.) It would be really fun to play/compete. I might get some exercise. I might even meet some cool people. Most importantly, it would be the opportunity to end my 0 for 35 batting streak (going back to T-ball, circa 1987). Also, for Kristin's sake, it would be my chance to get some practice in before having kids, so that if we have a son someday, I would not be the worst person in the world to teach him how to throw/catch/hit a baseball. (My brother and sister-in-law are currently going through deliberations as to whether I should be allowed sports time with my nephew.)
Anyway, back to the point. Yesterday was the first game of the league. During lunch, I went to Big 5 and got some cleats. I showed up at the field, and we played the game. I won't discuss the final outcome of the game, since that's not important to the story. But for me, I went 0 for 2 with two strikeouts. I struck out twice on four pitches total (each at-bat starts with 1 ball and 1 strike). On each pitch, I swung and missed (badly).
So the moral of the story is this: I am now trying to end an 0 for 37 streak. Very embarrassing!
Also, can anyone recommend a good batting cage in the Santa Monica area? I need to get my timing down.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Nothing Going On
I've had nothing to discuss lately because there's not much going on here in Pagano-land. Sports are in a dry spell (football is over, and I refuse to acknowledge the existence of basketball). Nothing else exciting is happening with us. Just working, eating, sleeping, and sometimes even exercising.
That's all I've got for now.
That's all I've got for now.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Connect Four and Other Stuff
Connect Four was a game I enjoyed greatly as a kid. So when I noticed an application for my iPhone called Four Free (the free version of Connect Four), I downloaded it. This was just over six weeks ago, on January 3.
I spent a little time playing the computer on easy. Then I moved up to medium. Then I moved up to hard. Then, I decided that my goal was to be able to win twice as many games as the computer. But at this point, I was already 15-20 wins behind such an accomplishment. I didn't think it would be too tough, so I kept playing and kept playing and kept playing, and I was obsessed.
By the end of January, Kristin was getting upset with me. By now, I was upwards of 40 straight wins behind my goal. So clearly, I wasn't even going in the right direction. But I told her I would quit, and so I erased the history.
Then, a few days later, out of boredom, I picked it up again. This time, my goal was to win twice the amount of games as the computer, plus 40 on top of that, to make up for my previous shortfall. I kept playing more and more. On occasion, I'd get hot and go on a run, and cut my deficit to 20, but then I'd go on a short losing streak, and have all my progress wiped out.
Well, this weekend, I finally did it. I made a run to cut the deficit back down to 30 and picked up some much needed confidence. Then I got it back down to 20, only to lose some ground. And then finally, I went on a phenomenal streak, and achieved my goal! At that moment, I was so very proud of myself. Of course, I had probably played 900 games or so in total, so that's nothing to be proud of. But I have now put the game down for good, or at least until I get bored again.
In other news, Kristin and I took a trip up to San Francisco this weekend. Our plan was to see the city and friends. I would post pictures here, but Kristin didn't bring the camera. (So much for NEEDING a new 10-megapixel camera.)
I did take this picture of the Marina Lounge:
This was my favorite bar when I lived up there. It was very small, open by 9am on Sundays, and patronized only by uncool people like me. And it was great!
I spent a little time playing the computer on easy. Then I moved up to medium. Then I moved up to hard. Then, I decided that my goal was to be able to win twice as many games as the computer. But at this point, I was already 15-20 wins behind such an accomplishment. I didn't think it would be too tough, so I kept playing and kept playing and kept playing, and I was obsessed.
By the end of January, Kristin was getting upset with me. By now, I was upwards of 40 straight wins behind my goal. So clearly, I wasn't even going in the right direction. But I told her I would quit, and so I erased the history.
Then, a few days later, out of boredom, I picked it up again. This time, my goal was to win twice the amount of games as the computer, plus 40 on top of that, to make up for my previous shortfall. I kept playing more and more. On occasion, I'd get hot and go on a run, and cut my deficit to 20, but then I'd go on a short losing streak, and have all my progress wiped out.
Well, this weekend, I finally did it. I made a run to cut the deficit back down to 30 and picked up some much needed confidence. Then I got it back down to 20, only to lose some ground. And then finally, I went on a phenomenal streak, and achieved my goal! At that moment, I was so very proud of myself. Of course, I had probably played 900 games or so in total, so that's nothing to be proud of. But I have now put the game down for good, or at least until I get bored again.
In other news, Kristin and I took a trip up to San Francisco this weekend. Our plan was to see the city and friends. I would post pictures here, but Kristin didn't bring the camera. (So much for NEEDING a new 10-megapixel camera.)
I did take this picture of the Marina Lounge:
This was my favorite bar when I lived up there. It was very small, open by 9am on Sundays, and patronized only by uncool people like me. And it was great!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Scared To Death
Holy Crap!
I just read the most disturbing thing I've seen in a long time. Please re-read my last post, and then read Cheryl's (Kristin's best friend) comment about the need for Kristin and I to have a daughter so that our daughter and Cheryl & John's daughter could grow up together and be BFFs (that's "Best Friends Forever" for all you people over 40) and go shopping together.
I'm not necessarily sure what caused this, but this freaked me out! (Possibly because I'm drunk on a Friday night after 1.25 Jack & Cokes while sitting at home waiting for Kristin to come home from work so we can go out to dinner.) I mean, we're not quite ready to have kids. But the very notion that we would have a daughter who would grow up to be Cheryl/John's daughter's best friend, and that they would feed off each other in their shopping habits, well I can only say WOW! That just blows my mind!
To put this in perspective, Kristin is a very smart, rational, and reasonable person. Her biggest weakness is her motivation to shop (although she would say that's her greatest strength). Cheryl is similar.
But when they get together, you can throw all that reasonableness out the window, and what you would call a small weakness (in isolation) becomes a death spiral to one's life savings. I mean, if we had a daughter as our first child and she became BFF with Cheryl's daughter, not only would they shop together, but they would probably want to help plan each others' weddings, and that would get completely out of hand. I don't have that kind of money, and I don't plan on it either.
I don't know what to do. Right now, I'm freaked out. I guess it's good that I started drinking. I better keep drinking. By the time I finish this drink, I'll probably be passed out (I get my tolerance for alcohol from my mother), and that will be a good thing.
I just read the most disturbing thing I've seen in a long time. Please re-read my last post, and then read Cheryl's (Kristin's best friend) comment about the need for Kristin and I to have a daughter so that our daughter and Cheryl & John's daughter could grow up together and be BFFs (that's "Best Friends Forever" for all you people over 40) and go shopping together.
I'm not necessarily sure what caused this, but this freaked me out! (Possibly because I'm drunk on a Friday night after 1.25 Jack & Cokes while sitting at home waiting for Kristin to come home from work so we can go out to dinner.) I mean, we're not quite ready to have kids. But the very notion that we would have a daughter who would grow up to be Cheryl/John's daughter's best friend, and that they would feed off each other in their shopping habits, well I can only say WOW! That just blows my mind!
To put this in perspective, Kristin is a very smart, rational, and reasonable person. Her biggest weakness is her motivation to shop (although she would say that's her greatest strength). Cheryl is similar.
But when they get together, you can throw all that reasonableness out the window, and what you would call a small weakness (in isolation) becomes a death spiral to one's life savings. I mean, if we had a daughter as our first child and she became BFF with Cheryl's daughter, not only would they shop together, but they would probably want to help plan each others' weddings, and that would get completely out of hand. I don't have that kind of money, and I don't plan on it either.
I don't know what to do. Right now, I'm freaked out. I guess it's good that I started drinking. I better keep drinking. By the time I finish this drink, I'll probably be passed out (I get my tolerance for alcohol from my mother), and that will be a good thing.
Playing Catch
Yesterday, Kristin noticed how long my hair is. (It's really not that long, but it's a little longer than usual. I would have gotten it cut a couple weeks ago, but we had a trip to Utah coming up, and so I didn't want my head to get too cold because my hair was too short. Seriously, I'm not joking.) Anyway, Kristin also noticed that my grays hairs were becoming more prominent (as is always the case when my hair gets longer). She made some comment that I was getting old and that when we had kids (TBD) I would be too old to even play catch with them. This is ridiculous. First of all, I will not be too old if we don't have kids until I'm 35 or whatever the age is. But second, if I can't play catch with my kids, it'll because I have no athletic ability whatsoever.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Notes From The Weekend
So this last week, Kristin and I went skiing in Utah with the Nunnellys. This is the fourth time we've gone, and it's usually a good trip. I say "usually" because of past events (i.e. a dislocated knee cap two years ago). Anyway, we flew out on Wednesday night.
On Thursday, Randy & Garrett went skiing, while I stayed in while Kristin had some work that needed to be done.
On Friday, we braved the cold and hit the slopes. Because of my awesome note-taking ability, I was able to remember the proper techniques and weight distribution. I quickly go up to speed and comfortable. I had a great day of skiing. We then had lunch, had a few more runs, and called it a day.
Saturday, however, was totally different. All that confidence and skill I had built up disappeared immediately. I simply didn't have it. Suddenly, turning right became an impossible challenge. We skied in the morning. At lunch, I called it a day. I got off the mountain in one piece. Later, as I was taking off my boots, I noticed that the clamps on the boots had come undone. I wonder if this is what caused my crappiness to be exacerbated that day. Oh well, I shouldn't blame my equipment.
In other Utah ski trip news, we had a nice discussion about how curse words are not allowed in the Nunnelly household. Then, in that same discussion, a number of curse words were thrown out there all willy-nilly. Let's just say that I now have five get-out-of-jail-free cards, which I can use in their presence at my discretion. I can't wait to throw out a few four-letter words the next time I see Carol and Randy. I'm really looking forward to it.
Also, never play games with the Nunnellys. They're all cheaters, especially Garrett and Carol. They can't be trusted to play a fair and honest game. If you do decide to ever play any game with them, be ready to cheat yourself or you'll be at a decided disadvantage.
Finally, we got home just in time for the Super Bowl. I was rooting hard for the Cardinals, as they were the underdog, and I don't much care for the Steelers. Anyway, as I mentioned before, I took a rooting interest in 9 of the previous 10 NFL playoff games this year. In all 9, I lost. So in a totally winnable game, and with the Cardinals ahead (miraculously) with only 3 minutes to go, they blew it. I'm not going to take responsibility for their loss, but maybe things might have been different had I rooted for the Steelers. Anyway, I went 0 for 10 this year. In some of those games, I took the favorite. In some, I took the underdog. Therefore, on average, I had a 50% chance of success in every game. Using those percentages, the odds of going 0 for 10 are about 1 in a 1000 (.5 ^ 10 = 0.098%). I really do stink at picking winners in football. Unfortunately, as football is now over, you won't be able to put my anti-talent to work for all your gambling needs.
On Thursday, Randy & Garrett went skiing, while I stayed in while Kristin had some work that needed to be done.
On Friday, we braved the cold and hit the slopes. Because of my awesome note-taking ability, I was able to remember the proper techniques and weight distribution. I quickly go up to speed and comfortable. I had a great day of skiing. We then had lunch, had a few more runs, and called it a day.
Saturday, however, was totally different. All that confidence and skill I had built up disappeared immediately. I simply didn't have it. Suddenly, turning right became an impossible challenge. We skied in the morning. At lunch, I called it a day. I got off the mountain in one piece. Later, as I was taking off my boots, I noticed that the clamps on the boots had come undone. I wonder if this is what caused my crappiness to be exacerbated that day. Oh well, I shouldn't blame my equipment.
In other Utah ski trip news, we had a nice discussion about how curse words are not allowed in the Nunnelly household. Then, in that same discussion, a number of curse words were thrown out there all willy-nilly. Let's just say that I now have five get-out-of-jail-free cards, which I can use in their presence at my discretion. I can't wait to throw out a few four-letter words the next time I see Carol and Randy. I'm really looking forward to it.
Also, never play games with the Nunnellys. They're all cheaters, especially Garrett and Carol. They can't be trusted to play a fair and honest game. If you do decide to ever play any game with them, be ready to cheat yourself or you'll be at a decided disadvantage.
Finally, we got home just in time for the Super Bowl. I was rooting hard for the Cardinals, as they were the underdog, and I don't much care for the Steelers. Anyway, as I mentioned before, I took a rooting interest in 9 of the previous 10 NFL playoff games this year. In all 9, I lost. So in a totally winnable game, and with the Cardinals ahead (miraculously) with only 3 minutes to go, they blew it. I'm not going to take responsibility for their loss, but maybe things might have been different had I rooted for the Steelers. Anyway, I went 0 for 10 this year. In some of those games, I took the favorite. In some, I took the underdog. Therefore, on average, I had a 50% chance of success in every game. Using those percentages, the odds of going 0 for 10 are about 1 in a 1000 (.5 ^ 10 = 0.098%). I really do stink at picking winners in football. Unfortunately, as football is now over, you won't be able to put my anti-talent to work for all your gambling needs.
Ski trip - cursing not allowed in the Nunnelly household except when
they decide to curse, I am now allowed five curse words; cheating
during apples to apples; poor skiing on day 2;
Odds of going winless in NFL playoffs - 1/1000
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