Endings

To another wake last nite. Old neighbourhood lady died on Monday. She was the mom of Sister.3's closest frenz, and someone we all grew up with. Last time I saw her was @ St. Bede's trivia nite in Feb- she seemed great. But our time does come.

I was in a non social mood, which is the exact opposite mood one should be in @ a funeral. Lots of familier faces came upto say hello - I was too anti social to say hello to anyone. They kept coming - it was an old neighbourhood deal this wake - and since I have a famous name, lots came to say hello. About that 'famous' name: my name is as famous as every other in the hood to those in ther hood -and since I am of the hood, the wake consisted of lots of people coming up and saying hello.

I felt bad. I was in that mood, and I did as I always do - hid behind women. In this case it was my sisters, who would say "And this is Virgil" , and my mom. But still, I feel I came off as a louse. Everyone was happy to see the old faces, even in this sad context -and it would have been nice to be more sociable. Again the social stigma of being a sub teacher living @ home w/ no children. Hard being me many times. Bcd and LFP were there earlier. If I'a known I would have gone then and allowed THEM to speak for me. I'm such a loser.

Nice seeing my Mom get so much love. Many old timers there, and since Mom was the slowest mover in the whole crowd, they came over to say hello.

The operative word on the deceased: nicest women who ever lived. My sisters were telling stories how even those of ruggedly wilde reputation were not judged in that house. My favourite memories of the house were the After Midnite Mass (Xmas) Parties they threw every year. After midnite mass, which back then was always packed w/ layers of standees in the aisles, the next stop after the rousing xmas tunes they ended the mass with, was a walk one block north from St. Rita up Fairfield. The party was always packed, lots of food and drink. For many, to get to go to this party was a rite of passage. I was always too young to go to the mass and the party, but one year ( 7th?? 8th ?? 9th ??) I just went (I'm pretty sure it was 8th - that fall, for the first time ever, I was allowed out w/out a curfew on weekends. We had football practice on the nite before a game w/out pads @ a local grammer schools playlot. Immediately after practice-Fall of 1979 - there would be a gang of 30 of us wandering thre neighbourhood. Never again did my parents tell me to be back @ such and such a time). I went then for the longest time, although these parties died out as the neighbourhood changed and people started having different centers of importance.

But, for a last time, we were gatherered @ Ms. B's behalf, being glad to see one another- even me -and to celebrate. What is a wake except for a celebration?

No job for olde man

Latest "nice interview but we have no job for you" call came in today.

the coop

They have flown. Do not know if they are fledglings, or Hawk food. Wuill never know. But theoir temp nest is empty.

Loss in 2

Nephew.2's team couldn't over come the #1 team in the state in volleyball yesterday - they ran into a great team. Just didn't happen.

This game was @ the same school as the game I went to last week - the one that took 1.5 h to get to and I arrived just for the last two points of the game?? Well, Gf and I were late - again - because we went out to eat. When we got to the game, it was sold out and the sheriffs were there to keep control. Of course, being a Fiver, I had to find a way in. Dragged Gf around the building following one blind route after another -till finally, we got in through a back entrance.

Then state police stepped in an tossed us out. So, a game i was totally looking forward to seeing - possibly his last HS game ever, or the game that got them downstate. Was disappointed. Every time you take an hour plus ride to see something and it's sold out it's frustrating.

And they lost. I called the parents and they told me the result @ like 9pm. Didn't want to disturb Nephew.2. The next day Mom told me that Sister.1 had called and told her of the distraught feelings of the kids on the team - it was hard to hear and I felt bad. But - they will get over it. I remember that Monday nite in 1979 when we - the Guardians of the Famous St. Rita Football Dynasty - actually LOST a game. Wet eyes that sideline was. But - we got over it. We get over just about everything.

Funny. Nephew.1 had graduated last Thursday after their last win (Wednesday?). From then on, they practiced for this game. It must have been strange for the seniors - graduated, but still wearing the schools colours.

It was real fun while it lasted. Had they won this game, they would have been playing Friday @ one pm downstate. Yes, I would have taken off school. And although I feel real bad for the kid and kids, I also wish that we would have had a state champ in the family. He's a senior. There is no next year.

Then again, his next experience as a student will be as a freshman in University.

Some people have all the luck.

Let's do it again

Since it was so easy to BBQ the day before, Gf and I decided to have a mini BBQ w/ Mom @ my house. I went out to do the shopping for meats and sweets, and Gf came over. I cooked up some Ital Sau's and some freshly made turkey burgers - Gf made her bean ...... dish that I love (name??). Mom loved it. We had a good time. Basically, I so rarely do anything rite, and it's nice when both of the most important people in my life are happy.

Sunday Eatings ?? pictures later

Went to the Jokers and Ocean for the holiday picnic turn, and I'm gonna say that I had a great time. Funny, whatever the vibe was on Sunday, I rode it all the way out there, back, and am still buzzled up 'bout it.

They live on the other side of the known planetary system from me nowadays - Greyslake. Took a long drive / in my auto car w/ co pilot Gf and we made it way late - 16ooh on a projected start time of 1400h - but we were also the last to leave. The ride out was fantastically long up the tollway -they live almost in the next state- and I was worried about the car. I had neglected the oil for too long, and hated to make such a long ride w/out a change. And, of course, I was worried about the tolls. Strasser made it fine. Tolls not too oppressive - like, $4-5. total. Bad enough, but I was fearing $10... We found the place fine - ole mapquest!

Nice crib. This was a Memorial Day / House warming BBQ as it was the first time many had seen their new place. Man, they moved to the known edge of the habitable universe - a town who's school I interviewed @ either last or 2 ago summers. Nice crib - such a vast improvement over the cramped bunkers they had been living in. Spacious, nice light, comfortable. They have 70's wall paper they want to get rid of, but we all thought it was cool.

I had an uncommenly good time. Great to relax, eat up, and hang out. Big John, Kat, and Gunnerson, Chicken Balls, Happiness, and Baby, Vampire and Sunshine, William Randolph, The Guitars, and Dragon. And parents, workmates, and neighbours. It was good to hang out w/ Jokersdad. Last time I saw him was when Jokers parents collected their son for a lunch once when I was all crashed out on the spare bed/couch. Jokersdad, Chicken Balls, and I formed a small three man patrol that patrolled several places about the property - a needed military presence that routed all opposition in the basement.

Played a spot of ball as well. I had four mitts, Dragon one, and Joker one. Add that to Jokers alinium bat and my 4 leagues balls, and we shagged some flies and tossed it about. Nice athletic diversion.

But it was the food. I am not that big of an eater, but I wetn back for 6ths this day. Gf rocked some choicken, but of course there were delecies and sweets and meats and veggie delights to be snarfed all over. This crowd is not as cooking orientied as, say, some other crowds - but ensemble it was a mighty wallop of food - and I for once, ate up all the yums. Funny - I realise that I was chowing dowen @ a rate 236% my normal accelerated pace - but also did Gf. She knows me by now.

Last to leave, except for those crashing over. Long ride back -but of course it didn't seem as long as the ride out - and to Gf's.

Fun. Pictures of the picnic later, sorry.

Friday Nite

Triv

We Won !!

Drummers, women, and bishops

Rocky can have his drummers and pretty women, but how the fuck has my life path possibly taken me here: I wish to go to St. Louis.

Why?

Judas by Ehrman has now had it's pace taken by another Spong book - he's the one who started me on this kick 6-8m ago - and in the enthusiasm, I finally checked outmhis website - and found out he's lecturing in that little city next wkd. This is what their web site says :

Save the dates: May 31, June 1 - The Rev. Dr. Clifford L. Stanley Lecture Series will present lectures on Saturday morning, May 31 and on Sunday, June 1, at Saint Peter’s Church. The special guest for this first annual speaker event will be The Right Reverend John Shelby Spong, Episcopal Bishop of Newark, retired.

The schedule will be:

Saturday:

8:30 A.M. Registration (in the narthex of the church building)

9:00 - 10:00 A.M. Lecture I (followed by 45 minutes Q&A)

11:15 - 12:15 Lecture II (followed by 45 minutes Q&A)

Sunday:

9:00 A.M. Lecture III

10:30 Worship Service - Bishop Spong will be the Guest Preacher

There will be no cost for this event.

The Stanley Lecture Series is presented by a generous gift from the Rev. Dr. Allan Zacher and Deborah Zacher. Everyone is welcome.

So, isn't it wierd that I'd be wanting to drive 4.5h to see some Protestent dude give a series of lectures and sermons early in the morning?

Man - and I remember all I wanted to do was go down to the lake, have a jamble, and kick out the Sister...

a little effort

Starlings

After the volleyball game, I stopped by. All three alive and healthy. Took them down and cleaned out thir nest, then replaced them back up in the tree. Mom was fussing, but not that much. She must trust me a little by now.

Pretty soon, I think - well, another week.

Picture from Tuesday, not today.

Old people's music I love

The Captain

I know that the various sporting events and comptitions - be it United, Bulls, the J-V girls, Fire, J & B, etc... mite get confusing to most readers. Or maybe not. But here's yet another one - Nephew.1 's volleyball games.

They have made it through the first two rounds of the state playoffs, and they played to-day in round three. Because of graduation tonite, the state moved the game to 4.30p - not the 7.30 regular start. I got out @ 3.45, but had to help some kids till four. Then........

....uggggggggggggg a fucking long ass drive way out to 211th and way way west - in fucking nowhereland, for me - and it took 1 1/2 h to get there. Then, finally, clouded my way into the exact place - a side door to the gym.

Fucking loud, as I stepped in and immediately had to jump out of ny nephews way as his bench was celebrating like crazy - they'd just won a point to tie the game @ 23 -23 in the third and final game - despite the long and @ times frustrating drive, it seemed that I got there rite on time.

I sat down, watched the team take the next two points and the whole side that was cheering for his team went crazy. Felt great for the boys, and there was such a buzz amongst the parents. It was graduation nite for the seniors and the parnts of the seniors were all in suits and ties and nice dresses etc - they were going straight to the ceremony from the game. Same with the boys - sweaty messes, so I assume the'll hit the showers back @ the school. And ain't it funny - they are - well, as of, say, 10pm - graduates: but on Tuesday these graduates will still be student atheletes.

And now the true praise for the boy. His family is more of a soccer family. I've spent many seasons coaching the kids. His older sister was a soccer star - long before this blog ever existed, I would send around he online newspaper clippings. She was one of the captains of the varsity as a freshman and made various area and conference teams in her career. When Nephew.2 followed his sister to the same school (five of eight so far have gone/going), he played his freshman year soccer and then volleyball in the spring.

However, he dodn't like soccer, and quit the team - and we wanted to kill him. But, in all honesty, it's always the kids choice - sports, schools, etc: whatever they want. So, of course it was a dissapointment, but we totally suported him.

I've written this before, but I saw NONE of his games his first two years - I was busy w/ soccer teams of my own. Then came the cuts before his Junior year. There was such a massive lowering of Atlas' weight off of MY SHOULDERS when he made the varsity and I realised that yes, I would be able to actually see one of his games. It woulda been terrible to have missed seeing him compete in his chosen sport.

He wasn't a starter that junior year - or even this year - BUT -and here comes the pride from me - he is one of the three captains on the team. Not a starter, but he's thought highly enough with the team to be one of the three.

I have seen him in other capacities to get a hint as to why - he's a massive cheerleader in the Section 8 style. High school kids can be very goofy -Youth! - and it's great to see whole sections of his school's kids @ football and basketball games chanting and cheering, led by him. And it takes guts to stand up and get them all organized and singing. Common in England, maybe, but a bit outside the pale here. There have been colour pictures of him in the newspapers leading the way.

And I see it @ the volleyball games. The sport is very different in that the players will have their little cheers and skits - the whole bench doing cheers and body movements in unison. Sorta traditional. And it's great to see him starting the cheers.

I'm very proud of him, and all of the eight. Just happened to be his nite to-nite. Graduating, too. It's times like these - that wonderful drive home after such a shitty drive to the game - when the spirits of life rushrunfly through the soul and lift us all up soaring like a Hawk - and remind me of how everything is so rite about life.

The Captains next game is Tuesday.

United!

Spot Kixx, Dragon, and Hilts

more later - and pics -but for now.................

Not quite as dramatic, but.... wait, it was as dramatic as FUCK!!!

120 sec

In Barcelona

In case you wondering what all the excitement is about, check out this story. Taklk about the world turned upside down. check out DCS to-morrow for my appreaction of 26 Mai, 1999 in my history.

From this post, this is my fave para:

"It was too much to take in for both sets of fans and players. United fans were delirious yes, but also stunned by it all, as if they were in some bizarre dream in which reality had gone out the window. "It was as if something supernatural had happened" commented Gary Neville afterwards. "I saw the cup on its way down with Bayern's colours on it. Yet two minutes later it was ours" said David Beckham."

Hmm. Re read those quotes. Very sounds like Gnostic footballer, huh?

Funny about Dragon

The big Champions League final is to-morrow, and I've been sending out emails to frenz about showing up. Wanna go? Show up for the 1.45 kickoff @ Fado's, which is a block west of State street on Grand - one block west of the subway stop. We mite be upstairs if it is too crowded. Look for us. We'll be wearing red.

Anyway, I've sent out many emails to various groups, and guess what? Very natuurally, Dragon belongs in three of the email groups I sent out - the one person to be on all three lists. A spanner in the works.

I expect not too many to show -maybe 5 people. I'm sending the emails around to some people in more of a goofy chauvisnictic silly mood i'm in.

Starling mess

So, my saved starlings in an improvised nest have shitted the place nasty. It is not their normal sort of nest, so whatever instinctive way they have of keeping their nest clean doesn't translate to the flower box they find themselves in now.

Rite after school yesterday I stopped first to check in on them. Shit everywhere. I had brought paper to pad their nest better,but it was needed to change their environment. They freaked out a bit -after trying to hide and be quiet, one of them made to escape their box. So here I was, two score and two up ten foot in a tree, struggling to catch a several ounced prefledgling bird. He fell, but luckily was caught in the crook of the tree and I was able to grab him.

Today I am going with warm water and a towel and clean them off and clean the nest. Until they can leave it, I probably need to visit and clean it. No biggy. I'll be glad when the parents become empty nesters.

From "The Lost gospel of Judas" by Bart D. Ehrman (2006)

Why are there many gospels -which often do not agree?

"You might think that in an oral culture, where so much depended on hearinbg things by word of mouth., there would be special care to make sure that traditions told about important persons or events would be passed along accuractely-that every telling and retelling of a story would be exactely the same and that the people telling the stories would be particularly scruplous not to alter the accounts in any way. As it turns out, that's not true at all. Cultural anthropologists who have studied modern oral societies have shown that just the opposite is the case. In oral culture there is not a concern for what we in written culture call verbatim accuracy. In oral cocieties it is recognized that the telling of a story to a different version of the story. Stories are molded to the time and circumstance in which they are told." (p. 35-6).

"My thesis has just been the opposite: that the ways these various storytellers have framed their accounts of Judas, and the details of the stories they told about him, are directly related to other views they had about God, Christ, the significence of death, the way of salvation, how to live in the world, the Jews and Jewish rejection of Jesus, and so on. As these storytellers told their tales about Judas, they did so in light of their other concerns, perspectives, and theological views, their loves, hates, likes, dislikes, inclinations, and disinclinations" (p.51-2).

Neat foto's / 19 Mai check out to do

foto's neet

Evil woman

Evol women.

The Saviour of the Avion World

Twice this weekend I was able to assist birds in danger. Of the five birds needing my help, one died - but success with the others.

First was a Blue Grey Gnatcatcher. Never have I seen one live before (see our bird in my hand to the left), and luckily this bird also was live. It flew rite into the front window. I heard the WACK and ran out cause I knew - it happens once a year or so. There it was stunned on the lawn. I collected it up, placed it in a box for a bit, and let it chill on the front porch. I was sure it was gonna die - it was closing it's eyes and just still. Went back 20m later, and when I peeked into the box -flap flap flap away.

Second up was todays' European Starlings. I was walking the dog when I came upon a family in the park. Seems that the family had the starlings in their vents and brought the baby birds to let them loose in the park.

I was kinda angry @ them - ya couldn't've waited a fucked fortnite for them to fledge fully, you fucks!?!? There were four of them, but one -the weakling -was on his way out. The other three were healthy and swauking.

Fuck what am I supposed to do?? I gathered up all four and put them to-gether so they would have company. Then I ran home w/ Bolo, turned around and got a wooden box (see foto) to nest them in. When I got back, I saw the mother on the ground, so iw asn't gonna de-park them and bring them back to my house. So I climbed up the tree -very easy, roofers- with all four (weakling still alive @ this point)in the box. Put some paper in there to try to keep them warm and cozy - see my birds in their new temp home in that picture there. See the weakling in back?

Crying birds, I hurried home to get water and ground up peanuts and bread. When I got back - 6-7 minutes later - the mom was there again. In reality, I needent have paid any more att'n to the birds - the key bird was on the scene - but I still wanted to help. Fed the three healthy ones the food, and tried to get the dying one a drink. They were hungry as fucking hell and gulped down the stuff. But when I dropped down from the tree, the Mom (see picture of the box and Mom to the left)returned w/ worms in it's beak. I was ready to just about let go.

Gf and I went to Culvers for dinner, and on the way there I wanted to show her the nest. Again up I clambered, said hello, and then took out the dead baby bird.

They are safe. They probably only have a week or two before they can fly, so they should be fine.

it was I who chose to start

Liked this song 'round early 80's when Juice Newton had her version out. Always knew that through all the different versions, there was an early (not Gnostic, now) version of this song I totally loved. Thinking here is that it's the Rush version, but both are presented here.

so come on

The funny thing is, in one of the many Gnostic texts, there is a line something close to "...when your outside is in, then your inside is out" or something like that.

'kin, 'kourse.

Here's a terrible acoustic version of 'the star song of the day':

1991

I know I know I know, but still = when the vibe of that glorious summer of 1991 surfaces, more often than not, this is what it sounds like:

However, @ the time,I was unable to tell the two people closest to me that, well, this song rocks. Social anxiety. But, I was learning to be an astronaut @ this time, and more and more it was easy to imform everyone that why yes, this horid trashy disco song..................... is fucking ACE!!

...just a little bit.

W/ a stranger @ Rainbo

First off, let me get this out of the way = "comeonissuchajoy/comeonissuchajoy"

My beloved friend, my cousin MA, ranf me once years ago and said "hey - they are having auditions @ a theatre company, and you should come and such a joy"................. err, try out for the play.

It was some Irish theme or other, and I went up simply because I heard in my cousins voice that id should come up.

Dunno. Always trusted her. Women look out for me always. Baby am I. Glad I listened to her.

There was some play. They handed me a sheet w/ two pages of lines on it. memorize it.

There was a girl. A young blonde. She was opposite me. She was a theatre person, so I immed. apologized to her that I was a non pro, and I hoped that she wouldn't suffer from a non pro like me reading lines opposite her.

She immed. (this is, like, 2000) told me hat her boyf. as also reading and that hbfwejnvnw;nb;wgbnwbotjoejoejvoe wahtever after that....................

But dwaldinlg time after the tryouts zeroed me onto both MA, my friend/cousin, but also one of her other frenz - Slinky Girl. Slinky Girl knew that je n'ai pas une voitre, so she volunteered a ride home.

But it slipped. One of us- yes, it was her - said "Boy I'd like a drink" or whatever - and since I was crashing @ Jacob (nee Jamie) 's that nite, I said "Hey- Rainbo!!" - it was near.

The only thing I remember about that drink are thus :
=we sat @ the bar slightly to the rite of the center.
=whatever we discussed, she @ one point came out thusly : "So, I take it, one of the things about you is "Joy" "(she'd heard enough about my nieces and nephews)
=she dropped me off in Humbolt Park, @ Jacob and Sandy's, and they were awake when I got there knocking. And I told them - hey, I was having a drink w/ a women to-nite !!". Both Jacob and Sandy, no matter what, love me. They were surprised and happy.

Comeonissuchajoyindeed.

I went out with her once after that. I totally got into her ....well, totally is too strong a word - I was interested - and after a month - after I'd told MA to make sure she knew I was interested - she called.

This girl was one of those Irish Chasers. They love all things Irish -music, bars, the brogue, etc... After MA got me her # oked by her, w went out on a date - to an Irish bar. See, she's very, um, an Irish Chaser.

Which is totally fine in two respects:
1- comeonissuchajoy
2- hey, Do you mean if I play enough that I'm of Irish descent, I can, um, kiss you on the mouth?

And yes, I as Irish enough to kiss this girl on the mouth.

Nothing ever came of it. I have to ask MA whatever happened to her, but there was no reprise of a date (her call). Never seen her again. No big deal.

But... the lessons learned. Such a joy=

One nite I was called by MA to show up and act. Hadn't before. Her encouragement to just do it. Train and bus up. Read my lines, embarrassed myself w/ the faux Irish accent on stage (yes, I know, I'm an actor), tell my cousin I think this woman is hot, and just hang w/ her.

Indeed, Gallo, Lennon, MA, and Hilts = come on is such a joy.

So come on.

"42s when everything seemed possible" / Us (cut and paste needed)

I am reminded of Teddy Sheringham's reaction to the first Man United goal -v-Bayern that one Mai nite in Barcelona = The goal is obviously in, but we both had to wait for 1-2-3 seconds to make sure there was no whistle.

Not as celebrated as the Nou Camp, Amundson Stadium contains within it possibly the happiest 42s of my life - when, beyond belief, for a few minutes @ least, it all seemed possible.

What? No whistle do we hear on that play there? Well, then...

Celebrate!!

If you hit the hyperlink http://www.youtube.com/ below, it will come up lke this : http://www.youtube.com/iyt . The iyt has to be deleted. Sorry - I have to do it this way, but y'all are educated, so you can figger it out.

first goal
cut and paste this= http://www.youtube.com/
with this= watch?v=lT4859arB7g

and you will see me.


second goal
cut and paste this= http://www.youtube.com/
with this= watch?v=YVas5-t1n0A

and you will not see me.

Ode to the dissapeared blog of one whiteyblacky from this earth in the time of our monkey / comeon

moofd

Morrissey of October finally done

gene gene from tejas tejas

No youtube policy etc etc etc means that I have to watch this to-nite - sorta like the Danzig thing form yesterday and Gallo. Well, this was copped off Tejas' site.

If I may be like Spliffe again / so come-on

Reading The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot (2006) by Bart Ehrman. Ehrman is one of the top Gnostic scholars - he is the guy lecturing on Gnostic religions on the DVD I'm making my way through. Great author and scholar and lecturer.

So - I think I have a take on the Gnostics finally.

The Gnostics were Christians in the early days of the church- the first, say, 300 y - that had alternate views on what eventually became the Christian -and Catholic -Church that we know today.

Pagels' Gnostic Gospels (1979) has the idea that it was prosecutions in the early days of the church that forced christians into a more structured church. When Christianity spread after Jesus's death, it took on many forms whereever it went. The early church - like Christianity today- took on a variety of forms and beliefs. The Gnostics were less about structure and priests and ceremonies and more about "Look inside yourselves for the True Answer".

However, to keep Christianity going, the early leaders came up with structure (bishops, priests), doctrine (this is what we believe in), and ... I forgot. These things convalesced into a common faith that Pagels says let Christianity to survive. If it had kept to it's disparate branches it probably would have petered out like many other religions (Zoastraism??) back then. By forming a church w/ rules and discipline and simple doctrine, the church was allowed to grow and eventually become a powerhouse.

So, there was a vast amount of fighting between the Gnostics and the "orthodox" church, with the orthodox side eventually winning. It's funny how completely they won - the most famous find of Gnostic stuff was in Egypt in 1945. Several peasants came upon a buried jar near an old historical monk site. Inside it was many of the gnostic writings that had been thought lost for 1600 years. 1600 years these documents were buried- presumably they mite never have been found unless someone had taken the effort to bury them and then 1600y later someone luckily found them. Otherwise, we would have only known about many of the gnostic texts from catholic writers early on who wrote about how evil these texts were. Gospel of Judas is a little different. It was not found in 1945 w/ the rest of the Nag Hammadi Library. It also has that title = Gospel of Judas.

I have talked of ther Gnostics plenty before w/ frenz. Two times come to mind. First. Me - a total neopyhte way back then on Gnostics - had a take on them. I'm pretty sure I've written this before, but Vito and I had a Gnostic discussion way back. I was dismissive of the gnostics back then= how more perfect could you craft Jesus message to out the idea that to love oneself and to love ones enemies is the key to life? Vito was like "No, no, there may be more.... etc etc etc that the four gospels don't cover" Both points valid. Both points still valid, after all my reading.

Second time it comes up was that time w/ Rocky and Pulpiteer. They were all agog @ the name, certainlyizing that since it was "Judas's Gospel" take it carried that massive weight to it. Now? Still no idea from me, although I am of the camp that it is pretty simple Gnostic, despite the title. But i'm just 30p into the latest book on it, so I will get back to you.

Now? Anxious for Gf to get off work so we can listen to some Madonna. Anxious? Have you read what I've been writing about these last few days??

G'dansk

Since I'm now commenting on how pretty my frenz women are......

Sexy Girl says "Hello"

I knew BCD wouldn't care, but I will amidt that I would have hesitated posting this post if I'da known that BCD would email Hattie w/ the link. Then again, I shouldn't have worried: she's always been super superkool.

Superkool? That response to the post? Her. That's how kool she is.

So -why did all BCD's frenz like her so much? More than anything, we were a backwards bunch back then and except for BCD, we had little dealings w/ women who weren't our mothers. Very backwards back then. And a whole bunch of us.

But Hattie was also in our circle. As stated in the post, part of the appeal was her beauty. I can't state how sexy she was, and when she was hanging w/ us, she always be dressed to the 9's. This always meant that she'd have a skintite dress, perfectly form fitting and featured - fantastically - her bust. So, boys loved her. And we all constantly had to behave with our eyes.

But we also loved her because she was one of us. She was a buddy who wasn't above us because she was a Goddess. She'd hang w/ us @ our parties, sitting and chatting and interested like we weren't losers at all. And outshining every other girl there. Now, we weren't losers forever - I've had many girlfrenz since then - but @ that time most of us were surely grateful to chat such a woman.

I remember particularly a party @ Tommy T's and Lazers up on Addison. Nothing major happened, I just remember sitting in the back porch near the keg, hanging out in a circle, Hattie being the center of attention from us all. Center of attention because it was just refreshing to talk to a Goddess. But I remember this time because as terrified as I am of women (even now), it was that party that I wasn't scared by this girl. Approachable, nice, interesting.

Her name comes up a lot, and we all miss her. Nice to celebrate her. Again, it's maybe not acceptable in many circles to talk about yr frenz girlfrenz, but not it this case. Kool as hell that she is still in touch.

Hello Hattie !!

‘A People’s History of the Chicago Danse Floor: House Parties, 1980-2008’ part 6 Cherish

Heard Madonna's Cherish on the radio on the way in (sick of EVOL for the moment). I really like Madonna -not enough to get $150 tix for where ever she's playing, but enough to rock her better songs when they are on.

I even have a few of her LP's. Picked up used copies of her first two LP's - prob @ Village thrift or some like place. However, I also have bought copies of her greatest hits CD and the Ray of Light CD. The hits CD I have I got not do much for me but for the greater good of any party I happened to attend - girls like Madonna and will danse to her when given the context.

It's a habit I picked up from Vito. When he was first flush with cash (and in the 12th flush of 'hey, this is a good way to connect w/ girls!!') used to buy CD's strictly so we could have materials for house parties. So, he had loads of old disco LP's, late 80's and early 90's danse hits, Brit pop stuff - all for outing @ parties when the time was rite.

On that March '96 nite when he left for SF, I was left in the dj position by myself. What a shitty nite that was (a few girls back, but maybe I'll write about that sometime -still, 10y later, is a nite I'd rather forget about for some reasons). But I'd learned. As Vito did, I started to collect CD's for the single reason of gettin' girls to move it. And the hits LP of Madonna was one of the results of me taking on the point position in the various groups.

But it's not the only Madonna CD I have. I also have "Ray of Light", and I got that 'cause I loved the title song. And it would be good to play @ parties.

But she has so many kool songs. Starts w/ her first song, "Holiday". She first came to my attention through Stix. Stix, the musical man from J & B, used to subscribe to Billboard. I suppose he still does, but as we'd flip through The Sporting News @ lunch, he'd be Billboarding it. This has served J & B well through the decades, since he knows all sorts of obscure songs that charted and such from the mid seventies (he's unreal- think Rain Man sometimes). But on one day in, say, 1982, I flipped through his copy and spotted a hot chick - well, Madonna -and instantly giggled @ this whorish looking slutty slut w/ the virginal name of Madonna.

She blew up after that day, of course, but I always remember that funnily named singer. Thse early LP's had a lot of great stuff on them - "Dress you up", "Causing a Commotion", "Material Girl", "Borderline", "Lucky Star", "Like a Virgin",and others still sound great - and would be good to play @ a party. And with each LP, I find a good song off it it. Usually. Love the song "Music" from "Music" - reminds me of Vito's old ex girl Lee and long drives to L.A. Lee and I loved "Music" - Vito not so much. But 2-1 on those long 7h drives.

And she has real shitty songs as well. "Papa Don't Preach". Preachy. "La Ilsa Bonita". La Shita Bonita. "Like a Prayer". Like Shit. "Justify my Love". No justification.

And "Cherish". Bad song.

But she still delivers. Her last LP before the new one -"American Life" had a kick ass danse song called "Hung Up". I haven't got a copy of it - when I release myself from CPS this nite I'll try to link up some youtube stuff to these songs - but it's as good as anything I've mentioned before.

Better than "Cherish". Is as good as "Holiday".

last thing about Madonna. In the CD booklet of "Confessions" - i have looked online for it and have quit looking - there is ....a picture of her..... on her back....... and...... well, nice foto. I remember @ Gallos one nite (after having borrowed the LP from a collegue @ the school I was @) and finally looking into the booklet and seeing this picture and instantly thinking "Shit, I'd love to see Gf, um, ........ on the floor.... ...like....this........"! It's worth it to see. Go into a used CD shop, look up the LP, look inside the booklet, and see the picture*. Then, of course, try it yrself.

It's causing a commotion that I cherish.

*= not the present SecurityOut coverstar picture of Madonna. But close.

Follow it down through the ages through the last danse post.....

Wish I was in NYC for the next two weeks....

Dance Pt. 1

(if asked: securityout/hilts)

funny

After reading The Israel Lobby and Anerican Foreign Policy, I cannot even begin to tell you how funny this article was. Seriously.

On the season now being over

Last nite, @ St. Xaviers field, we lost 6-1 to a catholic School, thus ending the varsity portion of my schools girls soccer season. Nice to see the girls play one last time, but bitter that we are so far from the level of even the team we played - who wasn't THAT good.

We'll have a pizza party, maybe a scrimmage, etc.... There will be much more time for me now, so I should be able to write more here. Remember, three months ago I did say that my writing would go down - except for endless writings on my J-V team that I'm sure bored the hell out of anyone reading.

And I'll try to keep thepurdy stuff down as well....... but people like that, rite?? Except for ther odd mocking of me - that post about 'socks on during sex disgusting you' I always thought was 'mocked @ me'. So, next purdy post is not socks, but stockings..............

Gomer

Been off about the story of Gomer recently. Happened upon this Old Testament story - found in the Book of Hosea - somehow and was fascinated not by Hosea but rather by her.

Seems she has a bit of a reputation. Hosea is supposed to mirror the image of the people of Palestine in the Old Testament. In times of need, they sacrificed to an illegal god. But in other times, they are taken back by God and forgiven. In the same way, Gomer is either a prostitute or a very very loose women. She sleeps w/ whoever, but is always taken back by Hosea.

I got into the story because the first I ever heard of it was that Gomer was not a prostitute or a loose women - instead, she was part of a ritual fertility ceremony where she had to give it up to Baal. You know, all decked out i finements and presented to the Kings or whatever. This is what......... again, the idea of a women having to ........ It's hard to explain, but ........ whatever, I'm interested in the story...

I've written on this before. There was a movie I saw about a year ago (I'm sure it was one of the Trilogy series) where the police detective investigating something meets up with a prostitute informer. It's in the morning, and they are in a car on a hill. The detective asked why she is so dressed up @ that time in the morning. She tells him that she is just getting off a job and that she's all in jewels and such because the client likes her all dressed up. She instantly can see that he is .... moved by this.

So, I'm wierd. Good.

Upon first hearing of the story of Gomer, I knew what I wanted. Dressed up and in jewels.

Volleyball and soccer

Went to my nephews Vball game -v- another neighbourhood Catholic school last nite. Skipped out of soccer practice a bit early to get to this game. The other school is ranked, and my nephews team is just outside the rankings. Win this game, and they will be ranked next week entering the start playoffs.

They won.

Lots of family were there. His sisters and 2 parents were there. Another sister -and husband and three kids -were also there. And Uncle Freak. Plus, he's a real popular kid - although he doesn't start, he's one of the captains. Lots of his frenz there as well. Very proud of the kid, his proud uncle proudly writes.


And what a Catholic deal this was. Started with everyone up one their feet - not for the Anthem, but for prayers !! Then some more prayers - those type familiar to Catholics where they say some saints name, and then we all say "Pray for us". And then, after good participation in the prayers, were were treated to a scratchy prerecorded version of the National Anthem. Silence. The repeated scrumscrumscrum in the audio system, all chill. Then, behind us, it happened - one lone soul, one lone artist, one lone singer, suddenly announced himself by gamely trying to bring us all into the song. Out burst an off key "and the rockets red glare/ the bombs...". Instantly, smiles and cheer erupted in the gym. Instant was the appreciation for that soul, that artist, that singer, and - there came more voices. Not the di Lammermour is she were a man behind us hear all across the gym: but just over the breath, just audibly the words, and louder and louder till the end. It never got anywhere to the noise of the Stadium during those Campbell Conference finals in what -'85? but it made me feel great about the nite.

I never looked back to see who it was. Coulda been a kid just goofing. maybe and old vet wanting t all to hear. Didn't matter. Sounded great.

And the game. The opponent has a great record, and has had a class squad for a long time. Now I admit that i'm just learning about Vball, but it was obv that Nephew.2's team was the better. They won in 3 games, but the third game (up to 25) was 20-5 before mt Nephews team slowed down (Last game was 25-12, i think). I was happy for many reasons. They won. Lots of family were @ the game.

And I got to correct a little unintended dis that i'd done @ my nephews last game. After the game last Thursday, it's customary for all the people to gather as their boys grab their stuff and board the team bus. On Thursday I'd walked over to the circle of people around my nephew, and said hello and shook hands to one of his frenz while waiting 5-6 seconds before I said a like greeting to another of his frenz I should recognized. I felt bad for the mismatch of attention paid to both of his frenz - but on this day I looked for and accomplished correction. So, after this game, walked over to the circle, there was Nephews friend, instantly caught his eye, nodded hello, and shook hands. Funny -I saw on his face that he liked that I said hello. Done and not to worry about it again - and done in such a way that i was able to exactley correct in the exact same context as the slite from a few days before. Very good.

And today's game is one in which I have to miss. I have a varsity state playoff game to help coach. It's @ st. Xavier university, walking distance of my house. We are playing a very sound Catholic League team - meaning tough - that has had a down year. It's gonna be tpough, but I am somewhat confident about the game. We'll see.

Olde Western Avenue

Just south of Chicago is a city that is older than it - Blue Island. They have a kool section of Western Avenue, called Olde Western Avenue, which is a rump street that used to be part of the cities "Main Street" downtown - the Walking City most beautiful. Olde Western Avenue, on the south side of the canal, was cut off years ago from it's northern side when they built a huge new bridge (over the canals that through Blue Island) that united the north part of Western with a new section south of the river that bypassed what is now called "Olde Western Avenue". Here, read the article itself.

Been to Olde Western Avenue a lot. Blue Island, very close to my crib, is a funky suburb w/ a bit of a bohemian vibe. Although it also has a slummy vibe as well - once BCD and I were returning from a nite out when we got pulled over. We had no idea, but it turned out that since we made a strange turn, they thought we were looking for street drugs.

Blue Island makes me think of several stories, some pitiful, some awesome. Girls, mainly.

Story the lessor. I'd been out w/ Afrika Korps in '02 and we were out for a drink early on - maybe third date. We were sitting @ a table - me w/ a cider, her w/ her wine - and were filling out some work she needed to get done. It was an assignment she had to finish for her library class which entailed reading 150 childrens books and writing reviews for each one. She enlisted me and of course I was more than happy to help my new love. So, tabled @ one of the taverns on Olde Western, we were thinking more play than work. But, we had to get something done and have a drink or two before. I was dictating a review of one book (Andy Buckram's Tin Men) and was tryng to classify one of the characters relationship - a girl - to Andy. Afrika Corps laughingly called them 'lovers', which gave us snickers. Of course - we were classifying ourselves. A wee bit later, we had another laugh - her 'complaining' how hard it was to concentrate because of the level or 'sexual tension' presently coursing though us @ that moment. It was fun while it lasted. She eventually broke my heart, and when I took the same class the following summer (that she was presently taking) I dragged out the notes from that nite and used them for my 150 books.

Story the better. Naught to do with me. BCD BCD used to go out w/ Ms. Hattie herself. Now understand, normally talking about how sexy yr frenz girlfriend is can get one in trouble. However, it's not the case here. Hattie was famous amongst the frenz I grew up with because of her stunning beauty. And she knew she was hot as well - you should have seen the skintite dresses this young lady used to wear when she went out. We all loved her.

But the story here goes that after a late dinner on Olde Western Avenue 15 years ago - where the street runs into a darkened dead end (where it used to cross the river rite outside the Maple Tree Inn - BCD had Hattie-- oh, he had her--bent over, in one of those skintite outfits she had to be poured into, her hands holding the chain link fence which preventing drunks from falling into the river, rite there.

I mean rite there, as well. It was late, it was in the shadows, but it was also basically rite off the street. See the included pictures? Top one : where the street runs into that bridge - just to the right. Again, just to the right in the bottom picture. Rite outside the restuaraunt. Against the chain link fence. Rite on the street. A car or passerby @ any moment. Kool.

BCD was always daring. Ridicilously so many times -his stories...... And her; remember, she was one of the sexiest things ever - and one has to salute the complete daring that comes into her performing this sort of street art. Shit, we'd do it anytime, but it's cool when women like beiing artist as well. Also - I've seen people having sex before - lots of times, even,- but I will amidt that that would have been quite the site.

Bless Olde Western Avenue.

Pile on

Now what I've noticed is that they are moving on to Senator Obama's wife in an attempt yto get to him. In the last, say five days, there have suddenly been three articles calling her into question. I have no lynx for us now, but soon......

The Origins of Chritianity

Early Christianity is still my deal these rading days. I finally finished that Isreal Lobby Boob- it only took 6m to read !! - and now I'm quickly rifling through Pagels Gnostic Gospels. I'd gotten it a long time ago, but only started reading it 2-3 days ago. Excellent. Written in 1979 by one of the main Gnostic history writers, I'm loving it.

I'm also watching stuff about the Gnostic Gospels. Lost Christianities (also a book by the same author) is a DVD of 7h of lectures by another Gnostic Schlor God, Erhman. This is a survey of Gnostic religions and their battles with "Orthodox" Christianity in the early centuries of Christianity. Love it. I watched the first three and a hald hours a month ago, and then started the second disc this weekend. It can be hard to watch a lecture on TV for 7h, but parcled out it's not bad. Plus I've been to many university classes where it was lecture for hours on end.

The last item on my list is the DVD of Origins of Christianity. Again, a MAC disallows me putting a picture of it here , but it's a 10 part DVD series by the same guys who did Corpus Christi (another 10hour DVD thing on Christianity). This series is about the.....well, origins of Christianity. It's funny - it's 5-8 yars older than Corpus Christi, and many of the faces are familier to both series - just 5-8 years older in the newer series. O. of Ch. is better aimed @ my interests - the early days of the church - althoug CC was just so good it'll remain special to me forever.

Return of the Chief

written by Lazers

names edited by Hilts

TC Pub had another good-sized crowd for trivia night, and Benkowski Nation was shocked to see the return of Save the Chief at their old front table. The main Chief guy switched from an Illini to a White Sox cap, but the Asian mail-order bride was still in tow. Perhaps still stung by the old “Ladies Only” challenge that resulted in the Chief exodus, she refused to partake in any such events tonight.

J&B represented by: Chemical Man, Peppys, Stix, Hilts and Lazers

The competition: Bar, Save the Chief, Dirty 30, Comfortably Dumb, Tiffany & Kevin, and Ireland

With defending champions Morning Wood not in attendance, Benkowski holds a coin flip between J&B and the Bar to determine which team will be slotted last. Bar wins, and J&B must go last.

A few twists for tonight’s game:
Teams will be allowed only 1 correct answer before losing control of the board. This rule will lead to a trivia night longer than the average Britt Burns/Carlton Fisk battery’d baseball game.
The team in last place at the half will get to pick categories for the second half. This option looked desirable upon seeing the first half categories.

First Half: Food Facts/Country Music/Indy 500 & Kentucky Derby

Which South American country is 2nd in the world in pasta consumption?
What is the most popular fish to eat in the world?
What is the official juice of Ohio?
What is the largest fruit crop on Earth?
(note: for this prior question, Tiffany & Kevin guess “corn”)
What juice is the official beverage of Massachusetts?
One pound of coffee makes 50 cups; one pound of tea makes how many cups?
In ancient Egypt, what vegetable was used to “swear in” people (as a Bible is used today)?
Iroquois Indians called what 3 vegetables “three sisters”?

The above question led to this exchange:
Hilts guess for J&B: Maize
Benkowski: I assume by maize you mean corn.
Hilts: Maize is what your people call corn.
Benkowski: Thank you, Little Feather.

Filly that won the Kentucky Derby in 1988, initials W.C.?
(note: Bar guess was “white c*nthair”)

I didn’t catch scores at the half, but they were described as J&B in first, Dirty 30 in second, Bar in third, Chief in fourth, Dumb and Tiffany bunched together, and Ireland gets to pick second half categories.

Second Half: 90s Sports/Whatever/TV Pat Watched on Monday

(I’m not kidding about that last category)

The slogan for which product is/was “how do you spell relief”?
(guess by Tiffany & Kevin: “R-E-L-I-E-F”)
Name of Christina Aguilera’s new son (3 letters)?
Which 2 Chicago pitchers led their league in victories in a season during the 90s?
Duke and which college powerhouse won 2 NCAA basketball championships in the 90s?
(this one actually went around)
NBA MVP in 1997 and 1999?
Which main “Archie” character is missing- Archie, Jughead, Reggie, Veronica, ?
(one guess for the above: Morga)
Vezina Trophy winner in 1995, 1997 & 1998?
Jerry Rice, Sterling Sharpe and what other player led the NFL in receptions twice during the 90s (hint: missing player from Bears’ division)?
Semi-retired rock-and-roller Vincent Furnier is better known by what name?
Which team won the college baseball championship 4 times in the 90s?
The Colts had the top draft pick 3 times in the 90s, twice taking QBs- which 2?
Five QBs were Superbowl MVP in the 90s- Rypien, Elway, Aikman, and which other two?
Name the 3 National League teams to win the World Series in the 90s?

The Chief was back to its old tricks on Hilts when J&B would elect to use a “throw the ball” trick, as they would verbally try disruption just as he would throw. As Hilts made J&B’s fourth and final toss, Benkowski says the throw won’t count- he declares that future transgressions in the area of disrupting a team’s throw will result in the throw automatically considered successful. However, Hilts had not been rattled by the Chief’s “Noonan-like” shenanigans and successfully made the throw. The new rule did not need to be evoked- it just didn’t matter.

Scores into Final: J&B 1490 Chief 1470 Bar 1260 Ireland 1200 Dirty 790 Dumb 740 Tiffany & Kevin 680 (and it is the ultimate irony that this team was not the one with the word “dumb” in their team name)

Choice of Category: Birth Years of Famous People, or National Enquirer

2 of 3 wins wager; all 3 wins 3000 bonus points

J&B selects Birth Years and wagers the classic (1451).

Birth Years- within 2, year of birth of Kirsten Dunst, David Beckham, and John F Kennedy?

National Enquirer:
Oprah says “you make me sick” to what famous woman?
Angelina caught on tape _____ ______?
Some celebrity named Jake was caught trying to steal computers from a house- he was caught by the boxer mother of the house and beaten up with a 4 foot ___ ____?

Have fun…

Part II

J&B guesses: Dunst 1979 Beckham 1976 JFK 1918

First Half answers:

Venezuela

Herring

Tomato juice

Grapes

Cranberry juice

200 cups of tea

Onion

Corn, Squash and Beans

Winning Colors

Second Half answers:

Rolaids

Max

Jack McDowell and Greg Maddux

Kentucky

Karl Malone

Betty

Dominik Hasek (who won several other season also)

Herman Moore

Alice Cooper

LSU

Peyton Manning and Jeff George

Steve Young and Joe Montana

Reds, Braves and Marlins

Final Question:

Tiffany & Kevin- 680- Enquirer- initially try to submit their wager by yelling it- guesses Barbara Walters (no), Brad cheating (no), 2 x 4 (no)- wagered 100- down to 580.

Comfortably Dumb- 740- Enquirer- guesses Barbara Walters (no), drunk driving (no), championship belt (no, but a great guess)- wagered 738- down to 2.

Dirty 30- 790- Enquirer- guesses Rosie O’Donnell (no), making out (no), pool skimmer (no) - wagered 10- down to 780.

Ireland- 1200- Birth Years- guesses Dunst 1982 (yes), Beckham 1975 (yes), JFK 1917 (yes) - wagered 1198 plus bonus- up to 5398.

Bar- 1260- Birth Years- guesses Dunst 1982 (yes), Beckham 1973 (yes), JFK 1922 (no) - wagered 1260- doubles up to 2520.

Chief- 1470- Birth Years- guesses Dunst 1980 (yes), Beckham 1973 (yes), JFK 1927 (no) - wagered 1464- up to 2934.

J&B- 1490- Birth Years-

(Peppys: if he starts with Dunst, we win. If he starts with one of the others, we lost)

- guesses JFK 1918 (yes), Beckham 1976 (yes), Dunst 1979 (no) - wagered 1451- up to 2941.

With bonus, Ireland emerges as tonight’s champion. I guess choosing the second half categories did have an impact.

Answers:

• Dunst 1982
• Beckham 1975
• JFK 1917

Answers:

• Rachel Ray
• Doing heroin
• Ice pick

Next trivia night is Thursday, May 22^nd. I am “out”.

Like I haven't noticed

Growing up a white guy in a white neighbourhood, of course i was ignorant off many things. for example, who knew "Arriba" meant "up"?. Adn of course, when people of other races said "Racism!!", it took a long time to realise that, well, maybe they had a point.

I'm not sure if you have felt it, but there IS a lot of racism against Barrack rite now- and has been. Now, although I'm not voting for Barack (or Hilary, or Mccain, or Pol Pot or Hitler or any of that ilk...) I'm not voting for that type because there is an alternative - the glorious Green Party of America. I agree with a lot of the Green program (as do you as well, you just like that they take care of the parameters of the debate), so they get my vote and not President Obama - but not because he's black.

However, I get from many people that it's because he's black -that they are gonna vote McCain in the fall. No, they haven't said it, and I'm not some "Supergoody I'm so above race" person - I'm just a regular American- but boy I can feel it in between the lines. Not so much what they say as ... well, how they say it. Malcom X wrote that he sometimes 'respected' (not sure if that was the word he used) Southern white racists because they didn't try and hide it - but the Northerners did try and hide it.

I know a Nader or Green victory is a hard sell this early in American history - so I'm hoping for Barrack in the fall. It'd be real kool to see a black man (Or a woman) in the House. But I fear that it's all cosmetics.

And on...............

So, the season for my girls ended on Saturday w/ a loss to the top team. But where was I yesterday ?? Of course, @ the Varsity game. For me, the season goes on. The tream i had been writing a lot about was the J-V team - but state playoffs include only varsity teams, so my season continues.

I like the varsity a lot. Obv., I'm a wee bit closer to the girls I was actually head coach of, but I'm a coach of these girls as well, and their success I exclaim as well. Especially when it concerns my girls.

So, it's the time of the seaosn when J-V season ends and the great call-up occurs. Varsity teams all over call up a few J-V players to flesh out the rosters on the varsity. I knew C MF would be called up, but was interested in who else.

Who else? Stopper and L F as well. And guess what? C MF and Lf played inportant roles in the varsity game yesterday (Wednesday) as we won 5-1. First - the other teams #1 player. I hate to bring race into some discussions, but I have never seen such an African American talent as one of the forwards on this team. Stunning. Strong, fast, and with a deeply powerful kick. Our gilrs also reported how nice the girl is as well. It would have been great to have her on our team, but in the context of the other team - not as good as us - she ws the do all. She played left forward, and the game she played was great. Long shots from 45 yeards out, wonderful crosses, threatening to break away each time she had the ball.

But what was my favourite from this game? The J-V girls !! We went down 1-0 in the first half, and were playing ok. But then C MF got to the ball and scored a nice goal. We had a J-V girls cheering section in the stands, and it was nice to see thier love pour out onto their teammate. Again - I always love the support the players give to one of their own when they are promoted to the varsity. However, this goal was credited by the varsity after the game for sparking them out of their bad play. L F also got a goal.

The Second Spot

Go again

I can remember another stadium, another quarterfinal city playoff game, another time (well, Fall of 1998).......... That season the school I was @ had quite possibly the best team of any school I'd ever been involved with.  We were matched up w/ a school I was to teach/coach  @ a few years later, but I didn't know that @ that point.  We had played them twice in the regular season.  We beat them on penalties @ home, and they beat us on penalties @ their field.  Now we met in the quarterfinals @ a neutral field. 

What I remember most about that day happened after the game.  It was a third OT and a third penalty kicks decider in a row - and we lost, ending our season abruptly.  The lasting image was of one of the coaches - not me - sitting dejectedly on the grass with his back on a goal post.  We had such a good team, it seemed unfair to reach the end that soon.

So - go forward 10 years and another of my teams is in the quarterfinals playing a great team.  Again a stadium, a great grass field, and .....another loss.  I will not kid you this time -although I was full of bluster about possibly winning this game and advancing to the next round - I feared we would be overwhelmed.

We weren't.  C MF brazened her way 92 seconds into the game and we were up 1-0.  Oh heaven and an upset were in all of our minds.  And we played well - although the other team was murderous, we were doing our best to stay above water.  But the lead could not last forever - half time the score was 1-3.  However, we were playing well and the wind would favour us in the second half.  Lots of hope.  

But the girls were upset.  I actually got yelled @ half time.  They had several concerns.

A concern-

Most of them wanted me to ease the scale of the substitutions.  They were saying that too many changes were fucking up the chemistry on the field.  They had a bit of a point.  Up to now I had wanted to give all the girls a fair amount of time on the field.   That means playing everyone.  But in this game I should have played the starters more and only put in the bench players a bit.  I was too nice.  I even had Pito, an old colleague coach, who said the same:  when the playoffs start, the bench players should be happy with the amount of time they got during the regular season - and play the ones who will give you the best chance to win. 

I have learned this lesson.  

Another concern-

The girls wanted me to stop shouting @ them on the field.  In the beginning of the season, these kids really had to be coached.  In practice, in games after games, etc etc etc....  Since I was the J-V coach, not varsity, I did a lot of teaching.  Remember, most of my kids were somewhat unfamiliar w/ the sport.  This necessarily entails a lot of coaching from the sidelines in the early games - kids really have to be told  WHERE to position them selves most times.  But in the payoffs, @ the end of the season, generally speaking : i'd done my job well.  The girls out there generally knew the expectations I had for them.  Some tweaks needed, but they knew what part they had to pay for the success of the whole.  They maybe didn't need so much coaching from me during the game.  Plus, i'm so fond of yelling out "WELL DONE" whenever one of my kids does the rite thing.  

However, contrasting me to the other coach @ half time, who shouted nary a word , and the girls were complaining about me.  My sideline demeanor hadn't changed all year, but the girls were upset @ playing such a great team and this was the form it took.  however, next year I will restrict my coaching near the end of the season.

And, final concern from them...

My prized stopper wanted to pay offense.  again, all girls, except for the very scared, want to pay offense.  Stopper, was just too valuable in the defense to put her up in the attack - our team defense rested just too  much on her. However, the rest of my team had grown over the year so that i could - by now - actually involve her more in the attack and play Green in the stopper position. Evcen against a great team like we played this Saturday it mita worked.     

And another concern, simply from me.

Despite the reservations and mistakes, it was a great season. I coached them well, and I got far more out of them than I would have guessed in Feb. Discernibly, they were a team. But the team we lost to was just far beyond us. The example i give is that we kept getting called for offside. Again and again, more than any other game this year. It was because the other teams defense was sow el coached that they would walk up to the half lune each time the ball went out of their zone so that our forwards - u unknowing -would be in an offside position. Since it was a close run game, we continually got the ball back int hre midfield - but each time, one of two of our girls would be caught offside.

I realised that i was so happy that i'd gotten positioning, marking, and some skill out of my defenders (all soccer neophytes) that I'd stopped @ that. Now I realise that I should have taught them even more. Did i fail them? In someways, but I fully realise that they profited from my presence. And the great thing about soccer - like life -is that there is another season soon.

So, after another goal from C MF -our last of the year and one that cut the lead to 3-2 w/ 32m left in the game - the other team kept killing minutes off of the game. Final score was 6-2. It was a bitter loss, but.... well, there's next year.

For the first time in many a sun, I went for an afternoon drink @ Keegans. Felt sleepy and bloated the balance of the day.