Chapter 64.3: Trading Deadline Woes

All right, I’m starting to get annoyed with Omar. I realize he wasn’t going to be able to block the Braves from obtaining Mark Teixeira from the Rangers when they were willing to trade away budding star Jarrod Saltalamacchia and a highly touted minor leaguer or two, but to let the Braves get Octavio Dotel for Kyle Davies is reprehensible!

Surely the Mets had somebody more valuable than Davies that the Royals would have liked in order to bring Dotel back to where he began his major league career. At least Davies won’t be around to kick the Mets around anymore –- just about the only team that Davies could beat consistently. If the Mets don't improve their pitching -- especially their tired bullpen -- they could get caught by the Braves or possibly the streaky Phillies.

I'm pleased with the Mets' acquisition of Luis Castillo, though I believe he's too expensive for what he contributes -- it's still better than what they would have gotten from Ruben Gotay over the next two-plus months. But will Castillo be enough?

Chapter 64.25: Life and Chaos and the Fun They Both Create

The other day, in the random way that makes the Web so interesting, I discovered a speech by an advertising executive. In his somewhat crude way, he spoke about the appeal of chaos and how it leads to creativity. "Chaos is the only thing that honestly wants you to grow," wrote Dan Wieden (who I don't know anything about, other than this particular speech). Personally, I don't think "chaos" has any thought in the matter at all, but I've been in the publishing field long enough to know not to expect literal truth or honesty from an ad man, for whom the "perception of reality" is what matters. Yet, the statement is intriguing, nonetheless. Growth can come from chaos. Leaders emerge from chaos, just as victims are left for dead from chaos.

I don't agree with everything the man said. For instance, he states that the priorities of his agencies: the work, the client/agency relationship, yourself. My work is important to me; I believe that the stories I am writing and will write will last and help other people in ways I'll never know. But even if my work could touch and bring joy to millions of people, if I were to fail my wife or my family, I'd have a tough time looking at myself in the mirror. Still, I know where this guy's coming from; my work is part of myself. I can see it no other way.

While reading the speech, I was reminded of one of John Lennon's last songs, in which he sang "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." My wife and I are busy making plans for the future -- things I won't go into on a Web site that gets visitors from all over the world (thanks, Google Analytics, for showing the reach of my random thoughts!). And Life is happening. To achieve what we hope to achieve, we'll have to work even harder than we already are working.

So as the second half of 2007 unfolds, I raise my coffee cup to chaos. Right back at-cha, dude.

Chapter 64.2: I'll Show You Mine...

Tonight a friend and I went to a coffee house and shared our novels in progress. This is the first time I've shared my book with anyone outside my immediate family, and it helped reaffirm that my greatly revised beginning is far better than how my novel had originally begun. In fact, in discussing our books further after we shared about 15 pages, I decided to expose my original opening, which I had on my computer. He plodded through the breakfast scene -- understanding a couple references that are otherwise simply images in what I have now (though images with a purpose, of course) -- and soon discovered that I had been long on detail and short on story or pace.

He and I will meet again to do this exercise, and we both expect to present improved versions of our stories (my friend has a tawdry, intimate relationship with adverbs), and it may even expand by two or three other writers. But I came away from this meeting with renewed faith in my story and myself. For other writers out there, I recommend sharing your work when you're ready. And be prepared for honest, sometimes sharp critiques. What doesn't kill you makes you a better writer.

Chapter 64.1: The PATH Most Taken

Riding on the PATH train this morning, while ensconced in the last forty pages of the slow but enjoyable anthology of Graham Greene works I've been reading for the past few weeks, I was jolted back to reality by the grinding and grating of the train. It slowed and stopped. Nothing to worry about -- happens from time to time. Then it began again, only this time with a nasty grinding sound like I've heard when my car is about ready to die. And on toward Christopher Street. Reading during the several minutes of windy, wavy travel is like resting with my thoughts on a hammock in a soft breeze: quickly forgotten until the next time you experience it. After people disembarked at Christopher Street, the train urged from the station once again. It barked and squealed in frustration before finally it moved. At Ninth Street, the movement was the same at first. Then, quite suddenly, the train jumped with a terrible crunching sound. Passengers looked at each other as if to say "What the fuck was that?" A man beside me was reading his book. Without looking up, he said, "That's not a good sound."

In my mind, I joked. "We finally shook off that brake we didn't need. Now we can really get moving!"

At 14th Street, we arrived -- brakes intact -- and I noticed far more people than usual disembarking with me. Seems they'd had enough too.

Chapter 64: The Revolution Will Be Sponsored

The revolution will not be televised, it'll be sponsored. By TastyKake. That's right, Happy Bastille Day everyone! Vive le Revolution and pass the Krimpets. Krimpets, you say?

Don't let the seeming English provenance of the American confection disturb you on the day commemorating the French Revolution. No, no, no, you silly English knigggghhhttsss.

In Philadelphia today, according to the Star-Ledger, there will be a re-enactment of the storming of the Bastille at Eastern State Prison. And from over the wall will come pounds of butterscotch Krimpets from TastyKake. As the Ledger reports in the Today section, "Let's just say they've taken liberties with history. Armed troops will toss 2,000 Butterscotch Krimpets over the prison walls as Queen Marie (Antoinette) cries, 'Let them eat TastyKake!'"

Mon dieu.

Chapter 63.93: But What About My Coffee Cup?

Here's an interesting story. An entrepreneur in Edmonton has decided that he doesn't want to contribute to paper waste caused by so many coffee to-go cups. If you're planning to stop by his shop and get a cuppa joe before work, you better bring your own coffee mug. He won't serve it any other way. While I suspect I'd be a little annoyed if I were asked to plop down $10 for a walk-around mug (though he says it's only 37 cents more than he paid for them), I must say it's an interesting concept that could catch on (though probably not at Starbucks, where the coffee wouldn't taste good regardless of the container).

Chapter 63.9: A Healthy Thirst

Ok, I don't normally post things like this and I couldn't tell you when I last had a strawberry daiquiri, but this sounds tasty.

Strawberry Daiquiri Pops


1. Start with a box of strawberry ice pops — the all-fruit kind works great.

2. Dunk each in a glass filled with light rum and a squeeze of lime juice.

3. Dip one side of the ice pop in a mixture of superfine granulated sugar and a little freshly grated lime zest.

If anyone out there tries it, let me know what you think.

Chapter 63.8: What's Happening?

My train this morning was delayed -- a New York train ahead of it was about 15 minutes late -- so we were late into Hoboken. When we arrived, a large crowd congregated at the head of the stairs to the PATH trains below. I took another route down, but still met with a line of people. When I finally got onto the platform, I saw one 33rd Street train packed to the gills with people and crowds of humanity standing around, looking confused. I asked a man if any announcement had been made about the delay. "Two Amtrak trains are blocking the way into New York," he said. I nodded and my mind was awhirl. Was it worse than that? What would I find when I entered New York. July 7 was the anniversary of the underground attacks in London. Am I safe?

So far, I am. I don't know yet what happened. Perhaps it was just two trains blocking the way into New York. Or maybe it's simply Monday after people have taken vacation.

Chapter 63.7: Time! Gentlemen, Please

While walking from the train to the PATH this morning, I saw a guy with a t-shirt that said "Time is an invention." Brilliant.

Because it's true. Define time. What is it? It's a measurement, but of what? It's a construction we use to measure our past and our future. And time can be changed. Calendars are not static. We pick up a day every four years, a leap second every couple of years, because time as we define it is imperfect. Time is a human construct; God is timeless.

I mention God quite purposely, because there are wackos among us who believe that the earth has only existed for a few thousand years, not the hundreds of millions of years that science has proven. Many of these same wackos decry evolution calling it "just a theory." Time is a theory, too, but they don't seem to see it. Theory ... think about that word. What do you see in it? I see God, therein.

Chapter 63.6: The Arts President?

When's the last time you heard a presidential candidate calling for support of the arts? Well, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee did essentially that, and I think he should be applauded for it. While campaigning in Iowa, Huckabee told audiences and anyone who would listen that teaching the arts, especially music, is important because it helps students "learn how to learn." I completely agree. I wish there were more teachers who could help kids learn the relationship between music and math, too. The mind that can grasp both well is well equipped for success in life. Bravo, Governor Huckabee.

Chapter 63.55: Truthiness vs. Science

I also noticed an even more fascinating opinion piece in the L.A. Times today. This one deals with science versus gut instinct, and includes an examination of what noted wordsmith Stephen Colbert calls "truthiness." As someone who prefers scientific proof to gut instinct, I hesitate to say I think you'll like what it says, but I did.

Chapter 63.5: Ripple Effects

The Los Angeles Times published an interesting opinion piece in today's paper about the campaign ads of Democrat Mike Gravel. I can't say I've been following his presidential campaign, but I might take a look at his ads. The opinion item itself is not your average read either. More art school than political science, but I read it.

Chapter 63.47: Is Daddy Running?

Damn, this is inconvenient. Young Al Gore III was arrested for zipping along in his Prius at around 100 miles an hour while reportedly on pot and various pills -- or at least pills were reportedly in his car when he was stopped. Funny thing happened on the way to the prison cell. No one came to pick him up. Kinda makes me wonder whether letting him out early would get in the way of dad's silent running at the presidency. Sure, he's out of town to be a responsible talking head for the Earth Summit, but certainly someone could have bailed the boy out.

Chapter 63.45: Funny Meeting You Here

I find this interesting. Apparently, one of the lawyers for Marc Rich, whom President Clinton pardoned (controversially) on his final day in office, used to be represented (from 1985 to 2000) by a lawyer named Libby. Yes, Scooter Libby -- the same man whose sentence was just commuted by President Bush. Funny how things move around Washington, D.C.

Chapter 63.4: Albatross!

So, President Bush has commuted the sentence of Scooter Libby. I think that tells us that the president knows he has limited power and is in his lame duck period. And this will be one more nail in President Bush's legacy coffin.

The president's decision was praised by conservatives for his decision, and vilified by Democrats. But I'd like to know what other Republicans say about this. What's Arlen Specter's opinion in this matter? He's the former chair of the senate judicial committee, what does he think? I've not read enough stories to determine whether he's been interviewed, but he certainly wasn't the first of the Republicans to advance an opinion.

The president has another albatross around his neck. It's not as big as Iraq or Katrina, but in some ways it's a worse thing to be remembered for; it could be argued that he flouted judicial authority, thumbed his nose at the system. Does he even care anymore?

Chapter 63.2: My Cat Made Me Do It

I saw this report last week, but the New York Times has included an opinion piece on it today. Apparently, cats chose to be domesticated; it was their decision more than ours. Since I'm owned by a cat, I can completely understand the relationship.