Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby

I drove by Zilker Park today, there was a group of people playing soccer, a pretty typical scene.  Although not even a week ago that spot was where the AMD stage for this years ACL festival was located.  Looking at an empty Zilker today I was really in awe of the transformation it underwent.  

Last weekend a record-breaking crowd* poured into Zilker for three days full of music.  NH has done a better job than I will of detailing the three days.  I will say, it was a fun time.  Despite the heat, the crowds, the invasive dust-bowl, the too much beer, the not enough water, and the growing grumpiness that being hot and tired brings, I had a blast.  I was glad to spend the few days with some friends who had come in from out of town, and with some Austin friends who were totally down for hanging out (as opposed to the other crew who hid indoors for three days!)  

The natural question is to ask what my favorite show was, and it's hard to say.  I can break it down better this way...

favorite show to collect recyclables to (simultaneously saving the planet and earning a free t-shirt): Hot Chip

favorite new show that was highly recommended: The Black Keys

favorite non-stop party: Manu Chao

favorite female artist: Gillian Welch

favorite group to sit on the ground to listen to: Blues Traveler

favorite strung out on heroin goup: The Raconteurs

Although, there were so many others.  I'm tired just trying to remember them!

*I heard someone say 300,000 people, but then I'm fairly certain the had no idea what they were saying.

What I learned on my summer vacation.

Studying for quals is:

...bad for my ego.
...bad for my diet.
...bad for my skin.
...bad for my sleep.
...bad for my brain.
...bad for my sanity.
...but somehow, good for my running. 3 times this week, two good hips.

(oh, and I learned a bit of stuff about the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and supposedly how my memory works. We'll see if they're right about that!)

Thanks to those of you who have put up with my whining, insanity, feelings of doom, hermit-ism, and whatever else I've been doling out! And, for all the encouragement! I feel ready to kick this thing in the rear. T minus 14 and a half hours. Then, beer.

The Kickball Diaries, volume 3.

Week 4. Kitshickers vs Kick Cheney.
Game time: 5/8/2008, 9:00pm
Game Conditions: dark, but still hot.
Result: T 1-1
Record: 1-1-1

Did you think I forgot? Dropped out? Got kicked off? No! Last week, week 3, was our bye week - but we were back in action on Thursday. The game started off slow, it was a pitchers duel, 3-up 3-down save for the very first inning where Kick Cheney scored a run. It was essentially a fielder's choice, a choice CH probably would remake if he had the chance - throw home, NOT to first!

The most exciting part of the middle of the game were the round-offs that were happening in right field. Yours truly started the trend, RO'D joined in at first. I even managed one Round-off out of the CF, and the LF.

My highlight came sometime in the middle, amongst the round-offs, when RO'D moved closer to home from first, because a girl was at bat (we know how I feel about this mentality - as I said loudly, 'She could be a powerhouse!') She wasn't. RO'D ran up to get the ball, and I slid in to first base, yelling "I'm here!" RO'D grabbed the ball and lobbed it back to the bag, where I was waiting, arms open. I caught the ball and made the inning ending out! It was AWESOME! I felt like hero. I had no idea what to do with the ball that was still in my hands.

It was the ninth inning (ok, really the 7th, we only play 7 - so it's the same sentiment as the 9th) and we were down 1-0. 2 outs. CH, who has pitched a tight tight game, but also responsible for the only run scored so far, is up. He wails one - and we all start jumping. RO'D runs over to be third base coach, I run up the first base line along side CH screaming, GO GO GO! RO'D is yelling, we're all jumping. CH rounds second, rounds third. He seemed to stop and hesitate - but we were all just yelling. So, he turned it up. Play at the plate....SAFE! It's a 1-1 ball game kids. Our stand-in ringer DL was up next, and he made it on base, to 3rd I think. It was within reach, it was doable. One of our lovely ladies was the next up, and no one had the heart to remind her that if she did NOT get out we might win right here. We just let her be. Sadly, she was thrown out at 1st, and the inning was over.

But, we forced an extra inning. We took the field, and kept them off base. Round-offs ensued. And then, the last inning, we almost had it, another heroic dash for home, play at the plate....OUT! Game over, all tied up. But, what a rush. I've never been so excited to not win. Best of all, in the end, CH told me "Dude, your enthusiasm, it's just about as great as Papi coming out of his slump!" Right back atcha CH, right back atcha!

apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur

Let me take you back a bit, to a simpler time, about 4 weeks ago. This is when I joined a kickball team. It's a team that has played together before - with some new additions this time around, namely me and RO'D. We call ourselves The Kitshickers, and we wear navy blue shirts, and drink beers as we run the bases and cause general mayhem. As per usual, I don't get out of this experience without doing something completely absurd, so I've decided to institute a weekly series, an account of sorts, of exactly what embarrassing thing I've done to keep my entire team laughing at me for another week!

Introducing...The Kickball Diaries. The first order of business was to select an "at bat" song, which questionably worked out for me.

my allegiance

Some people were curious to know how I was feeling going into tonight's big game, perhaps rightly so. Let me start with, living down here, my allegiance has quickly grown to be almost solely to two things, the Red Sox (ALWAYS) and Bevo. So, needless to say, I'm still sad that UT couldn't cut it. But, I was happy to see our Big 12 companions KU doing so great. And, I will always be a fan of great games. The Jayhawks had some of the best games this whole madness, tonight certainly tops them all. Rockchalk Jayhawks everywhere. But watch out - football's around the corner, Punks!

(...it's no Eyes of Texas!)

note to self

I tried. I tried to be prepared for this. I charged the camera battery and I brought the memory card. And - there were just no pictures to be had. That's not entirely true, but there are no pictures to be shared.

I tried to be aware of the bands I was seeing that I liked, I kept a list. It goes something like:

spazmatics
ben burgess
the stills

It ends there. Not because I only saw three bands - but because after three I forgot I was keeping a list.

I tried to finish all of my work before it started, so that I could be ready for school on Monday. Instead, tonight at 10:37pm, I'm reapproaching my disastrous paper and beginning a power point presentation on it. Both are due tomorrow - and I've found out I'm presenting second.

yay for spring break, I think!