My MLB World Series Predictions

The World Series starts in a few minutes, so I thought I’d take the time out to let you guys know what I think in a short yet sweet way.

What I’d like to see: Rockies in 4

What will most likely happen: Rockies in 5

The Red Sox just don’t have the momentum that the Rockies carry into the World series. What have the Rockies won, something like 22 of their last 23 games? You just can’t stop momentum like that. Josh Beckett may stop them tonight, but I highly doubt it.

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Cheers,

Jared

P.S. Out here in California, we saw some blue in the skies today after two days of smoke-filled skies. It was nice.

Edit @ 8PM PST : The score is now 12-1 in favor of Boston. There goes my prediction.

And That’s How the AL West Was Won!

Yesterday was an experience I’ll never forget.

Yesterday the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim clinched a playoff spot and I got to take part in the clubhouse celebration.

I’ve never felt an energy like the one that was whipping through the clubhouse yesterday. Champagne sprayed everywhere, beer thrown around. I had a hard time dodging all the liquid, but I did for a good while. I watched as everyone in the division I worked in was slowly doused, and I ended up being the last one standing.

As I stood talking to one of my co-workers who was filming the celebration for a video he’ll be editing later, I let me guard down, and quickly from behind came two of our relief pitchers and they doused me to the bone, cheering as they did. My co-worker was next, and upon noticing the camera, the poured onto his head, unlike their flat out flinging/pouring assault on me.

To be in the same room with champions is quite an experience. But to be allowed to join in the celebration as a part of the team made it that much sweeter.

Next week the World Series starts, and it’s looking like we’re either going to be playing the Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees. Let’s pray it’s the Yankees, since we’re the only team with a winning record against them in the Joe Torre era.

If we have to play Boston (God forbid, I can’t stand the sight of a “red sox” or that signature “B”, I usually chide someone for hoping on the 2004 bandwagon. Like I said to one of those Boston fans one day, “It was 86 years between World Series wins, and it’ll be 83 more.”), beg God that we have home field, as we just can’t seem to play all that well at Fenway.

The Cleveland Indians…well…yeah.

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Cheers,

Jared

And That’s How the West Will Be Won

Tonight is a night that could live on forever in my mind. Tonight is the night where I may have an unforgettable experience.

Tonight is the night that, with a win, the LA Angels of Anaheim can clinch and be the American League West Division Champions. Working for them, in my specific department, I’ll be immersed within the celebration if we win.

When it happens, I will be blogging about it. So prepare for a long one.

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Cheers,

Jared

Writing, Baseball and Monza

Well my friends it’s that time again where I come in and talk about things in the world I write about.

 

It’s been a long time since I blogged purely about writing, so now I’ll make it a short time.

 

Chapter 2 of “Invisible” went up about 24 hours ago, and it was nearly 2,500 short of my target word count. I figured it had been nearly a month and a half since the last update, and I didn’t want to make it two.

 

500 words per day was my original target, and I haven’t been able to reach that point. I could blame it on work, college and could go as far to say that since I’ve now been able to control my ADHD off of my medication, I have lost just enough focus to prevent me from writing.

 

Yes, I have ADHD, and yes, I use to take medication for it. I was allowed to stop at the beginning of August thanks to the progress I showed in several trails of not taking my medication for a week.

 

But no, I’m not going to pin the blame on anything but myself. I have not motivated myself enough to sit down and should be doing a better job. It took me a month to realize this, but now I’m back in a groove and have written at least 300 words tonight towards “Invisible’s” next chapter.

 

All it takes is that little voice in my mind saying, “Lazy! Get yourself in gear! Like, Ferrari gear!”

 

So here I am now 200 words away from my daily goal.

 

Progress on “Invisible” hath resumed.

 

 

Today was the first day in a long time where you didn’t sweat while outside. In case you don’t live in So Cal or live here and under a rock, since the beginning of last week, temperatures have pushed passed 100F. Monday was the peak, and it hit 107F on the mercury where I live. Downtown Los Angeles was near our mark on the mercury, which even temperatures over 95F are rare in summer. It’s now about 25F cooler during the day, and at night you can actually describe it as “chilly”.

 

Tomorrow I’m visiting one of the guys who got me out of my shell when it came to writing. I use to be very quiet about writing, but not after I took Creative Writing and had him as a professor. So a visit was in order anyhow.

 

The Angels are sticking it to baseball like never before. I’m saying we now have a 85% chance of reaching the post-season. So If we don’t, it’ll be a shocker.

 

The day after tomorrow is the beginning of Formula 1’s visit to Monza, Italy. It is the fastest track on the F1 circuit, with the cars peaking out around 235mph several times during the long straight-aways that dominate the course.

Here’s a video of Felipe Massa’s qualifying lap from last year’s race at Monza. Hopefully this will give you an idea of the speeds, technicality of the driving and the sheer g-force a driver goes through during this race.

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Cheers,

Jared

Barry Bonds: The Anti-Hero

Anti-Hero; noun: A main character in a dramatic or narrative work who is characterized by a lack of traditional heroic qualities, such as idealism or courage.

 

I think that sums it up pretty well. Barry Bonds, now one away from tying and two away from taking the lead is an anti-hero. Sure, Hank Aaron had the racism hanging over his head. Barry’s got steroid allegations, a federal investigation and thousands of booing fans everywhere he goes…except San Francisco.

 

I hope he breaks the record. Sure, people wont like it, but this whole home-run chase has really brought out the side of sports that no one wanted you to know about. I think we should all hail Bonds as the perfect anti-hero. He’s the one who opened the can or worms, and he’s the one who could end up being blamed as the primary reason that steroids fall away in baseball. For that, I think we should consider him the ultimate anti-hero.

 

Anyways, Barry is old news as far as I’m concerned. Go ahead and let him get the record. By the middle of the next decade, we’ll all be watching Alex Rodriguez smashing past Bond’s upcoming record.

 

Just a little something for you to chew on.

 

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Cheers,

Jared

The Many Adventures of Southern California’s Weather

There are many reasons why people live in Southern California. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the majority of people when asked would agree that the stability of the weather here is one of them. I know my name can be added to that survey.

 

Living here, you experience two seasons. That’d be Summer and Winter. You’re either roasting or freezing. Well, maybe not freezing, but it can get near freezing.

 

Spring could be considered a season here, but then again, it lasts for about a month and a half. It only does half it’s job.

 

June Gloom, a long period of overcast days that starts in mid-May and lasts till late June, can then take over until Summer busts the door down with its flamethrower.

 

Fall lasts for about two weeks. Usually coming in around Mid-November and fleeting away by the end of the month. In that time, day-time highs will typically go from 90 degrees before “Fall” to 65 by the end of “Fall”. So Fall is really more like a dive.

In fact, I’ll go ahead an rename it to “Dive”.

 

But today was one of those rare days that just happens to…well, happen here in Sunny Southern California.

 

Today I was at Dodger Stadium watching the Dodgers take on the New York Mets on my final day off before I go back to work with the Angels for a 6-game homestand. Sadly the Dodgers lost today 5-4 in 10 innings.

 

But let me tell you, if there is anyway to describe how hot it was sitting and watching the game, I’d try. But I just can’t. It was so hot…well…how am I suppose to describe it when I can’t? No use. You get the point that it was hot. Well, I guess I should allow some perspective.

 

I was wearing shorts today. Shorts that I bought because they said they were “breathable”. After sitting in my sat after just 15 minutes, my father was busting up laughing. I asked what was so funny with the toughest voice I could muster, and his reply:

 

“You’re sweating up a storm.”

 

Yes, sweat stains were upon my rump all the way down to where the shorts ended, darkening the material of the shorts where my body had perspired.

 

So, there you go. Quite graphic to some extent, but that’s how bad it was.

 

Want to know something that’s even more graphic than my description of my perspiration? The game lasted for 4 hours. Even more hideous? You bet.

 

But that’s not my point. Everyone in Southern California knows it gets hot. If anything, you should be calling me a wuss. Today was only 87F. Last year around this time, it was peaking to record setting temps of 100F+.

 

But that’s not my point.

 

Tonight, when I got home, I watched the finale of “The search for the next Food Network Star” which was quickly followed by what has become a traditional show to watch on Sunday nights, and that’s “Entourage”. So while watching it, I walked outside to grab some water. Outside, it was much cooler, and something else was happening.

 

Water was falling from a cloud stained sky.

 

It was raining!

Tonight there’s a chance of thunderstorms.

Accuweather’s forcast put rain occurring between the times of 7pm and 10pm at 113%. No joke. That’s like the weather man saying, “Rain?!? Hell yes there shall be rain!!! Rain!!! Come Rain!!! Praise Rain!!!” and then flippin’ out, as if he wasn’t already flippin’ out.

 

I love the rain. The 2006-2007 season was the driest on record. We only ended up getting about two and a half inches of rain for an entire year, so I’ve missed the rain. For some reason, I always do whatever I’m doing better when it’s raining.

 

This should hopefully clean the air around Los Angeles. It’s been getting bad enough to affect me while I run.

 

Earlier today I had been roasting. So much so, you could’ve smothered honey on me and sold me as a honey-roasted nut….

 

 

….that was a joke….

 

….but that’s not my point.

 

So what’s my point?

 

I forgot.

 

When a Dodger player hits a home run, they play “Zombie Nation”. So that was cool to hear some techno music with a lot of people chanting along with it.

 

I shall now leave you with a picture I took from the top deck at Dodger Stadium and the latest photo of myself.

 

 

Yes, I’m classy like that.

 

 

Today I heard the best “Yo’ Momma’” joke ever told:

 

“Yo’ momma’ so stupid, she failed a survey!”

 

I laughed so hard, I was crying.

 

 

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Cheers,

Jared

The Marathon of Happy

So now I just sit back and think of what to do next. New chapters always relieve the weight off of my shoulders, but then remind me just how far I am from the finish line. They say baseball season isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. Well, I think the same basic principle can be applied to writing. Problem is that the marathon is between you and the page, not your team and other teams.

 

By the way, how about Vladimir Guerrero winning the Home Run Derby! It’s kind of nice knowing I work for a team that now has a new Home Run Derby champ on their team. The American League once again defeated the National League in a 5-4 victory, making it now 10 straight All-Star Game wins for the AL.

 

That’s pretty sad.

 

So, now back to some junk chocked full of happy!

 

Invisible has really been developing nicely. Beta readers have been happy with it. Reader readers have been happy with it. So that usually means I’m happy with it.

 

This actually was the first chapter in a long time that when done writing it, I had a full load of confidence in regards to its quality. I think it might be the best chapter I’ve written so far in my writing career so far….if you’d like to call it a career.

 

While writing this new chapter, I finally broke through a writer’s haze I’ve been having. Yes, writer’s haze. It’s not quite writer’s block, but you can’t just sit down a let the ideas flow. The ideas come in a haze.

 

For me, it was a purple haze, all in my brain!

 

Just kidding.

 

Is anyone alive even reading this? Let me know you’re out there.

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Cheers,

Jared