Things That Annoy Me

Here is a list I have compiled of the top 5 things that quite frankly, drive me up the wall.
1. When people add extra letters to words like thisss on Facebookkk and whatnotttt.
2. When peolpe act the like the characters from Twilight are real.
3. Mets fans (no questions asked)
4. When people think dumb, not funny things are hilarious
5. When people listen to their iPods so loud that I can hear it through mine (happens on my bus all the time)
Of course there are many more, but I have chosen not to mention them because sometimes the keyboards on laptops annoy me. :-)

The Final Countdown

So, it's finally approaching. The time period we have all been waiting for! THE LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (yes, the exclamation points are a bit extreme, but the last week of school deserves it). Here we are now, a whole year has gone by, and it's time for summer vacation. I am very excited for this because I hate to be in school when it's so nice out, and I'm am really getting bored of following the same routine every single day. That is why I actually am enjoying finals, because the open schedule gives us some variety. So anyway, we all gave to survive 4 more days in school, then it's FREEDOM!!!

Jamie Moyer Still Trying For Career Win #250

Last night, the Philles played the Marlins, with 46-year-old Jamie Moyer on the mound for the Phils. he went in 12-1 lifetime against the Marlins, and this was an important start, because he was trying for his 250th career victory. So, he pitched 2 good inning, and the Phils were ahead after Ryan Howard's 2-run homer. Then, the 3rd inning came, and Moyer fell apart, letting the Marlins get 3 runs. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel had no choice but to take Jamie out of the game, meaning he would not reach his career milestone that night. So, Jamie Moyer will just have to wait until this weekend to try again. The Phillies play the current worst team in the entire league, the Nationals, so he better get a win then.

David Likes The Rain

This past Sunday, one of NASCAR's most prestigious races was to occur, the Coca-Cola 600. However, just like any time something exciting is going to happen in NASCAR, it rains. They tried to dry the track at Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte, but that didn't work, so NASCAR officials decided to postpone the race until Monday. Then, on Monday, it seemed like an O.K. day weather wise, so they started the race However, it began to rain. They red flagged the race and dried the track when everything cleared up. They got back to racing, and it was pretty exciting for a couple hundred laps until, you guessed it, it started to rain. Right before the rain however, many crew chiefs made key strategy calls that would make or break the race for a few. One of these calls was made by Rodney Childress, crew chief of the 00 Aaron's Toyota, which is driven by David Reutimann. Childress decide not to have David pit on a caution, because the 00 was leading and Childress was watching the weather. At this point, all they had to do was hope it kept raining, because the race could e officially called under NASCAR's rules, since half way point was reached. So, it rained and rained and NASCAR tried to hold out to see if the track could be dried. Finally, they gave up, and David Reutimann was named the winner of the 50th running of the Coca-Cola 600, his first career victory. This was great for NASCAR because they need people with Cinderella stories like David to win more often. I was really happy to see David and the rest of the Michael Waltrip Racing guys go to victory lane for the first time. Also, once again, Joey Logano, who celebrated his 19th birthday this weekend, proved he can run with the elites this weekend, coming in 9th. He would have came in 3rd if he had not pitted on the caution right before the rain. So, congrats David Reutimann and the rest of Michael Waltrip Racing on your first career victory!

$1 Madness

So, my mom and I went to Old Navy today since the flip flops are on sale for $1 for today. We both love flip flops, so this was a perfect opportunity. The thing is, when we got there, it was wall to wall filled with people and the line was from the cash registers, snaking through the store, and about to go out the door. Yes, $1 for flip flops is a great deal, but is it all worth it in the end when you have waited 3 hours to pay for your $1 flip flops? Not really. so, my mom and I left, because we didn't want to waste a perfectly fine Saturday standing in line to buy flip flops. Plus, we were supposed to be camping anyway.

Memorial Day Weekend Camping

This weekend, I am camping with my family for Memorial Day Weekend. The bad part is, I am watching the Phils on a smaller than usual 16 inch TV, and dealing with WiFi that is somewhat sporadic in its connection, while thinking about if I should make a Betty Crocker Warm Delight in the microwave, but not wanting to have to turn of the AC so I don't blow a circuit. Yep, I'm roughing it. Seriously thought, I have been camping all my life, but you will never find me in a tent, EVER! When it comes to camping, if it doesn't have it's own shower, I don't stay in it. So, looking around the campground we stay at every year on this weekend, I'm thinking to myself, look at us outdoors people with our nice patio setups and our radios that have indoor/outdoor stereo speakers. Yep, we know how to live in the great outdoors. Seriously, look at the new definition of camping! All of us RV people are pretty spoiled if you ask me. Earlier, i was on my way to the campground store to ask the lady why my her Internet wouldn't connect, (like I said, we're roughing it) I walked past a site with a tent on it. I thought to myself: wow, I have a lot of respect for these people, they are actually camping. So, my point is, I like camping. Not the sleep under the stars camping. I like the new camping. The turn the AC off it's too cold in here camping.

All-Star Race XXV

Last night, Tony Stewart took home the $1,000,000 prize as the winner of the Sprint All-Star Race. The cash was not the only reason this was a big win for Tony. This was Tony's first victory in his new car, which he is partial owner of, and the first victory for Stewart-Haas racing. Even though this race did not count in the points standings, this is still a big accomplishment and morale boost for the whole team. Other stories worth mentioning that came from the All-Star Race is that Sam Hornish Jr. and Jamie McMurray raced their ways into the All-Star Race by finishing 1st and 2nd in the shoot-out. Perhaps the biggest side story was the winner of the fan vote,18-year-old rookie Joey Logano, who has improved majorly since the beginning of the season. joey definitely held his own during the All-Star Race, having a few opportunities to make big moves. Joey ended up finishing 8th out of 21 in this race. Not bad at all.

The Phils Visit The White House

Yesterday, the Phillies got to visit the White house and take a tour with President Barack Obama to celebrate their World Series victory. They were supposed to go earlier, but the event was postponed due to the passing of Hall of Fame announcer Harry Kalas. While at the White House, President Obama made a speech regarding the Phillies victory, call them the under dogs, just like himself. He also acknowledged many of the players and their wives for the charity work they do. He also recognized that both he and center fielder, Hawaiian native Shane Victorino come from the same state. At the end of the speech, the players presented President Obama with a jersey with the number 44, for him being the 44th President, and a baseball autographed by the team. The President joked with Jimmy Rollins, who was giving him his memorabilia, asking if he could have Jimmy's World Series ring as well. The Phillies were told to come again, on one condition, the win another World Series this year. Let's hope that was incentive for the Phils to repeat this year!

Happy NASCAR Day!

Today, May 15th, 2009 is NASCAR Day! Here is what this means: NASCAR day, held on the Friday before the All-Star race every year, is the day where the NASCAR community celebrates the sport and all the sport does. On NASCAR day, a telethon and rally is held in Charlotte, North Carolina to raise money for all the charities NASCAR is involved with, such as the Ronald McDonald House, the Children's Miracle Network, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness, Habitat for Humanity and many more. Also, on this day drivers, owners, crew chiefs, and officials usually make contributions to NASCAR's main charity: Victory junction Camp, run by one of NASCAR's first families: The Pettys. This camp was set up by Kyle Petty after his son Adam was killed in a racing accident. It was always Adam's dream to help kids with special needs, and at this camp, children with special needs from around the country can come, free of charge, to have fun for a week. Also, many drivers have their own foundations that are recognized and donated to on NASCAR Day. Finally, on this day the past, present, and future of the sport is celebrated.

The Race for $1,000,000

This Saturday night is NASCAR's annual Sprint All-Star race at Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. This race is truly one of the best of the year, and it doesn't even count for anything. The winner gets no points, but he does get the $1,000,000 prize. To get into the All-Star race, one must have accomplished at least one of the following: a) won a points race between the last All-Star race and this All-Star race, b) been a previous All-Star race winner in the last 10 years, c)placed 1st or 2nd in the All-Star shoot out that takes place before the all-Star race (only those not already in the All-Star race compete in this race), d) won the fan vote for the final All-Star race spot (fans vote for a person who is not already in the race, if the person who received the highest number of votes comes in 1st of 2nd in the shoot out, the person who received the next highest number of votes gets the spot). This race is always exciting and dramatic, so I'm really exited to see what happens.

NLCS Re-Match!

Last time the Phillies met the Dodgers, it was for the National League Championship. Not only was it exciting because it was for the ticket to the World Series, but there was a big scuffle between the teams that cleared the dug outs. It happened when Dodgers pitcher Hiroki Kuroda appeared to have thrown a pitch intentionally at Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino's head. This cause the somewhat hot-tempered Victorino to start mouthing off to the less that fluent in English Kuroda, which upset the Dodger's catcher. Then, Chase Utley, who was in the Phillies on deck circle started saying some stuff to defend his teammate, and got in a battle of words with another Dodgers player. Somehow, this lead to the dug outs being cleared and and a full scale riot seemed to be on the way.However, everyone got calmed down before things got violent. A few players walked away with fines. So anyway, starting tonight, the Phils are in a 3-game home series with the Dodgers. This is exciting because it will show how good the Dodgers really are without Manny Ramirez. Many are saying that the Dodgers are the favorite to represent the National League in the World Series this year, but those statements were made before their star slugger tested positive for steroids. I personally believe it is too early to say who will make the playoffs, let alone be in the World Series. I'm excited for this series. It should be good. Hopefully, everyone will keep their tempers in check and let the winner be decided on the baseball field.

A Random Story

Today, I am going to tell a random story about something that happened last summer. Last summer, I was at the Little League World Series with my friends. We walked by the PowerAde stand, and a sign was that said Ryan Howard would be there at 2:oo at the players' zone or some weird place like that. I said to my friend: "We have to go! Ryan Howard will be there!" Of course, she knew who Ryan Howard was from being near me. She agreed, so come 2:00, we went to this place where Ryan Howard was going to be. It was somewhat (by somewhat I mean really) unorganized, and people were everywhere, demanding to know where Ryan Howard was. The PowerAde people said some explanation to where Ryan Howard was, and suddenly a rumor that he was at the mall spread like wildfire. To this day, I still don't know if I should believe that. So anyway, a line was somewhat formed, and we waited and waited for Ryan Howard to come. It was 3:30, and Ryan Howard was still not there. Finally, they announced that he would be there in a few minutes and started asking Ryan Howard trivia questions like: What is Ryan Howard's favorite PowerAde flavor? To bad all the answers were plastered on posters all around. Finally, Ryan Howard arrived, and everyone cheered, excited to get his autograph. Then, they announced that only the people who answered trivia questions correctly would get to meet Ryan Howard. I was soooo mad, so i took two pictures of Ryan Howard from a distance on my phone, and my friend and I left. The only good thing about that experience was that I can say that I was close enough to Ryan Howard to take two blurry cell phone camera pictures.

Manny Ramirez On Steroids... NO WAY!!!

And this surprises you?!? Come on, any guy who hits a home run practically every time he goes up to bat is someone to wonder about. I was not surprised one bit when I heard this. I personally think a 50 game suspension is not long enough at all. Here's a guy who won a World Series, most likely using performance enhancing drugs. A WORLD SERIES! Come on! So now, the Colorado Rockies might have been robbed of a World Championship (you never know what could have happened). I really think not just baseball, but sports in general need to be tougher on cheating policies, because after all, using steroids is cheating! Also, I would like to know where peoples' priorities have gone. Is winning so important that you would cheat and risk your health to do it? Do you want people to remember you that badly? Don't get me wrong, I really like to win, but I do not see the point in winning if you cheat. Why would that make you feel like you accomplished something. To me, it wouldn't. If you have to cheat to win and to make yourself look good, then you should really find something else to do, because nobody like a dishonest person. Also, i have a problem with this 50 game suspension because what does that do to punish Manny Ramirez? Nothing. To him, that's a nice vacation. Its not like he needs the money, and honestly, sometimes I don't think he really cares for and respects the game, but that's just my opinion. I don't know though, maybe its just "Manny being Manny".

Felize de cinco de mayo!!!

Manana es cinco de mayo de dos mil nueve! Me gusta las fiestas muy!!!! Adios! (I thought I would put my Spanish skills to use)

What's in a Name?

As we all know, the Kentucky Derby was this past weekend and Mine That Bird won as a dark horse (no pun intended). So, that made me think, Where do they come up with these names?!?! Here are the names of some of the horses that were in the Kentucky Derby this year: Hold Me Back, Join in the Dance, Flying Private, Dunkirk, Pioneer of the Nile, West Side Bernie, Advice, and General Quarters just to name a few. I want to know why these owners can't just name their horses normal names like Bob or something (well maybe not Bob but you get the point). I mean, what does Mine That Bird even mean? Has Pioneer of the Nile ever been to the Nile? I would like to see Join in the Dance actually dance. Seriously, I thought celebrities got the award for thinking of strange names, but I think race horse owners are a little worse. As I am writing this, I am trying to think of the crazy name I would give my horse if I had one, and i honestly can't think of one. i would probably just call it Without a Name or something like that because that is just as crazy and way cooler than Flying Private.

Raul

The New Guy shall now and forever be known as Raul Ibanez. The more the season progresses, the more I have started to like Raul. He has proven to be a valid left fielder, and is an excellent addition to the Phillies offense. He is currently the leader for RBI's and home runs for the team. At first, I was one of those stubborn, anti-Ibanez, pro-Burrell fans. I still miss Pat Burrell as a member of the team, but Raul Ibanez has proved that he belongs in Philly. When Raul comes up to bat, it sounds like the fans are booing him, but they are actually prolonging his name. He is now one of Philadelphia's favorite sports figures. Pretty good for a city that isn't exactly the most welcoming when it come to new people. Good job Raul, and welcome to Philly.

Today's America

Ok, so I was bored so I looked up one of my favorite topics on Google: The Philadelphia Phillies. I was looking through the pictures and came across this particular billboard of Chase Utley and various TastyKake sweets. While I do love TastyKakes, I couldn't help but think to myself: NO WONDER THIS COUNTRY STRUGGLES WITH OBESITY!!!!!!!! I mean, seriously! What kind of message does this billboard send to kids. On it, you have a person who is a role model to kids about being active and healthy, considering he is a professional athlete and athletes sort of need to be heathly, and then you have the TastyKakes which represent almost anything and everything unhealthy. In this country, way too many kids are struggling with obesity, and what do the advertisers do? They pair unhealthy eating habits with someone who represents health. Now, I know you are all probably thinking: well, if he represents health, then people would know that they need to exercise if they eat junk food. Yes, but my point is, this advertisement could be brought about better. Perhapse exercise could be added, such as showing Chase Utley actually playing baseball instead of standing there. Instead of kids just seeing that Chase Utley eats TastyKakes, they would see that Chase Utley eats TastyKakes and exercises to stay healthy. When kids see this as it is, they don't think about burning calories. They see that Chase Utley is a physically fit person, and they assume that they will be as well. If exercise was actually shown, they would see that exercise is a good thing. If exercise was incorporated into this billboard, TastyKake would still sell just as many Butterscotch Krimpets and Peanut Butter Kandy Kakes, but they would also being doing a part in promoting healthy lifestyles, which is something this country desperately needs.

One Cool Cat

Jimmy Rollins, a.k.a. J-Roll is one cool cat. I mean, look at those shoes. I only wish I had shoes like that. But in all seriousness, Jimmy Rollins provides plenty of entertainment on and off the field for Phillies fans. Last year, Jimmy Rollins told the media that he would be revamping Chase Utley's wardrobe. The reporters thought he was serious and asked what he was going to do. Jimmy responded by telling them he would get Chase some bling and grills that say Chutz (Chase+Utley=Chutz I guess). This year, Jimmy got a hold of one of the bobble head dolls of the Phillies manager, Charlie Manuel. He was having a conversation about himself with this doll, asking "Charlie" if Jimmy Rollins is the best player on the team. Of course, the doll nodded yes. Jimmy Rollins is a key member of the Phillies team as shortstop, but even more importantly, he is a great source of entertainment for everyone.

Daria

So, on Senior Project day, I was bored out of my mind, so I turned on the TV and started flipping through the channels. When I passed MTV, I did a double take, and turned back to the station. Much to my surprise, Daria was on. At this time, I could not remember the name of the show. All I remembered about it is that my sisters (who are 10 and 12 years older than me) would watch this show and I would watch it when they did. So, I sat watching it, thinking and thinking about the name of the show. I could not think of it, so i had to call my sister, who is a stay-at-home mom. At first, she thought there was something wrong because I was calling her when I was supposed to be in school, and she didn't know that it was Senior Project Day. So anyway, I told her why i was calling, and she told me the name of the show is Daria. Anyway, now i happen to like this show called Daria, because it is back on MTV!

The Best Show Ever

To put it simply: The Rugrats is the best show ever! I really miss watching this show because they never show it anymore! Now all they show is the spin off: All Grown Up. Seriously, why would I want to watch a show about the awesome Rugrats babies when they grow up to be idiot preteens who have totally fake and trivial problems? I don't want to watch that! I have searched desperately for a Rugrats DVD set, but I can't find one! Seriously, the producers of this show need to wake up! If they made a DVD set of this show, they would make fists full of dollars! I have talked to many people who grew up in the Rugrats era, and they all really miss this show. All of us would buy this DVD set. The story lines of the Rugrats are so funny! Whether you are a little kid or older, this show is very entertaining. Here's an idea for Nickelodeon.Instead of constantly showing Spongebob re-runs (which used to be a funny cartoon) show other cartoon re-runs. Not only Rugrats, but shows like Doug, Rocco's Modern Life, The Angry Beavers, and so on. I know they would get a much broader audience.

Poor, Poor Cole

So, to put it nicely, 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels is not having the best luck so far this season. Just about every start he had, he has either done very poorly, or injured himself. On his start before his most recent start, he threw a pitch and it was hit back to pound him in the shoulder. Then, during his start last night, he was doing very well, until he rolled his ankle going for a ball that bounced to the mound. He got up, threw a practice pitch, and had to come out of this best start so far. To say the least he was "ticked" off. I felt really bad for him when he was walking back to the dug out. It has to be extremely frustrating to be him. I mean, the poor guy is coming off winning the best award baseball has to offer, and now he never has the opportunity to do what he does. In my opinion, the training staffs of professional teams can be a bit over-protective of the players. Seriously, let them play. When he was walking back to the dug out, he didn't seem to be limping, but who knows. Those people went to college to do that stuff so I suspect they know what they are doing.

The Recent Weather

So, this morning I woke up turned on the weather so I knew what I should wear today. When the weather finally came on, I saw that today's high would be 65. I thought to myself: wow that cold. Then I realized that 65 degrees is actually pretty warm. Haha. I was used to 90 degree weather.

Carl Flies at Talladega

So, my favorite driver Carl Edwards was almost won the race at Talladega yesterday. However, Brad Keslowski, a rookie who has made only 5 starts, got around him as Carl tried to block him (Keslowski won). This block made Brad's car clip Carl's, which caused Carl's car to go airborne. When I say airborne, I mean AIRBORNE. Carl flew into the air, knocked the hood off Ryan Newman's car, flipped a few times (in the air), slammed into the fence that separates the grandstands and the track (7 fans had to be treated for injuries. Luckily, nothing too major happened), landed on the ground, barrel rolled a few time, landed upright, and caught on fire. Carl got out and was just fine. In fact, he was more than fine. When he got out of the car, he began to run in the direction of the finish line. Nobody knew what he was doing. the announcers thought he was in shock, and I was thinking Holy cow! My favorite driver has gone crazy! However, Carl was fine he ran across the finish line, and pumped his fists, getting a standing ovation from the crowd. He told the reporter afterwards that he wanted to see what NASCAR would do if presented with a situation like the in Talladega Nights (ironically). Carl was a good sport and congratulated Brad Keslowski, even though everyone watching knew Carl would have won. Lucky, nobody was hurt, which brings up a whole new argument. NASCAR really needs to move their seats back. Although it sounds funny, good thing Carl slammed into Newman before hitting the fence because if there had not been anything to slow the car's initial force, it very well could have jumped the grandstand fence and landed in the seat. NASCAR sells these seats right against the track for very cheap prices (no visibility). It almost seems like a cheap ticket to get hurt at some tracks, due to how close the seats are. Luckily, nobody sustained major injuries in this accident. Drivers themselves have even commented on this several times, saying that something needs to be done about safety. NASCAR has spent so much money on making the cars safer, especially after the death of Dale Earnhardt, but has just ignored the very realistic threat to fan safety. Also, it just makes NASCAR and its fans look bad when stuff like this happens. Stuff like this makes the anti-NASCAR people talk about how we are just a bunch of violence thriving rednecks that come to see people slam their cars into walls. No, if we wanted that, we would go to a demolition derby. If NASCAR wanted to rejuvenate the sport, it would do something to eliminate these stereotypes, which would open the sport to a new audience, without losing the life-time fans. So anyway, this race will really show us where NASCAR stands. Maybe some rules about passing on the last lap at Super Speedways will be changed (whole other argument, I could go on about that, but I won't). I at least hope the organization will take a look at safety regulations at the tracks. Congrats to Brad Keslowski on his first career Sprint Cup victory. I'm positive it won't be the last.

Yu-gi-oh Card Maker

Ok, so on Senior Project day, us non-seniors got to stay home and be somewhat bored. When I became somewhat bored, I got on my computer and started surfing the Internet. Somehow, in my Google search of Chuck Norris, I came across a website entitled: yugiohcardmaker.net. Obviously, this website allows you to make your own Yu-gi-oh cards. I just laughed for a moment when I saw this, remembering the elementary school days when Yu-gi-oh cards were sooooooo cool. So, I decided to try this thing out and make my own Yu-gi-oh card. I thought, what should I make a card of? I ended up making a Chase Utley card just to try the thing out. Hahaha! It actually worked! I continued making Yu-gi-oh cards until just about every picture on my entire hard drive was transformed in a super amazing Yu-gi-oh card. The website sort of distorts the pictures, but it's still a good way to waste time. Still, this is actually pretty cool in a nerdy, corny way. This site allows you to decide everything about the card from the type of cars, to the level of the card, to the description. So basically, I spent my morning off making Yu-gi-oh cards and using my Grandma's favorite saying: "What they don't have these days!"

He's Hawaiian!?!?!?!?!?!

The other day, my friend and I were looking at pictures of Shane Victorino. I told my friend that they call him "The Flyin' Hawaiian" because of his speed and his ethnicity. She said that was cool and we continued to look at pictures. This particular picture came up and my friend said: "Wow he looks Hawaiian" making reference to the lea he is wearing. I just looked at her with the "are you serious" look. She was like: "What? He does! ....Oh wait haha". So,to make a long story short, Shane Victorino is and always will be Hawaiian, hence the nick name "The Flyin' Hawaiian".

The New Guy Saves the Day

Yesterday, the Phillies played their 3rd game with the San Diego Padres at home. Also, it was the Philly Phanatic's birthday (that's beside the point). So, to sum things up, the Phillies were behind the whole game. Jimmy Rollins hit a pinch hit home run in the bottom of the 8th. Then, Chase Utley came up with the potential to tie the game. He hit a nice shot into right field that missed going out of the park by inches. it was caught and the game moved into the top of the 9th. The Phillies defense stopped the Padres in their half and came out to bat in the bottom of the 9th. Ryan Howard hit a single to the center field gap, which brought up the New Guy (his name is actually Raul Ibanez, but I like to call him the New Guy). So, anyway, to make a long story short, the New Guy hit a bomb to right field, clearly out of the park. His home run brought the Phillies 5-4 win. I was so excited when this happened that said: "Raul just hit a walk off home run!" My dad, who for some reason went out to the kitchen to get a glass of Kool-Aid during the most exciting part of the game, ran into the living room, and said: "You called him his real name!". Shoot, I thought, I just showed mercy to the New Guy! This was amusing to my family because they all know how much of a keep Pat Burrell supporter I was when contact negotiations came around, and they know that I still think pat should be playing for us. So, in all seriousness, congratulations Raul Ibanez for doing very well during your first month in Philly. You have done so well that you made on of the most stubborn fans out there recognize you as a valid member of the team.

NASCAR @ Phoenix

This weekend, NASCAR was at Phoenix International Raceway. Both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races were night races. This was fun because it was the the first night events of the year. The Nationwide winner was Greg Biffle but I really want to talk about the man who left with the big trophy. Mark Martin was the man on top when the checkered flag waved at P.I.R. on Saturday night. The special thing about this was that Martin became only the 4th person age of 50 or older to win a NASCAR race. I was very happy for Martin, who has been in and out of retirement these last few years. It is obvious that every week, he is one of the best drivers out there. A good percent of the other regulars were nor even born yet when Martin began his legendary career. A thing I also liked about this was when Martin's former car owner, whom he spent most of his career with, came over and congratulated him. That was a touching moment for everyone. If anyone deserved to win this race, it was Mark Martin, a man who has done so much to get NASCAR where it is today.

Phils Game Rained Out

Yesterday, the Phillies were to play game 2 of their current 3 game series with the Washington Nationals. However, the game will now be played at a later date due to rain. So, since I have no game to talk about today, I will talk about how the members of the team are doing so far. The starting pitching staff as been doing alright, but could be better. I would like to commend the relief pitchers. They have been doing very well, and in a lot of cases, saved the game. The catchers are...well...catchers. 1st baseman Ryan Howard has been doing pretty well on both offense and defense. Short stop Jimmy Rollins has not been doing that well. He has made a few key errors on defense, and has not been very productive on offense. 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz has been average, as has been right fielder Jayson Werth. Shane Victorino has been doing pretty well in center field and as had some key at bats. However, two people on the starting line up have really surprised me. First, our new left fielder Raul Ibanez. He has been doing very good, especially for coming into a new team. Raul is currently leading in home runs and has been playing tough defense. I still think Pat Burrell should be the left fielder, but Raul Ibanez has been doing well. Next, 2nd baseman Chase Utley has really surprised me. He had major hip surgery in November and wasn't even expected to be able to think about playing until June originally. However, he made a quick recovery and is playing everyday, as if nothing happened. Not only is he playing everyday, he is playing well everyday. In my opinion, Chase Utley has been doing the best of everyone on the team so far. he has had a few home runs and has made some great defensive plays.Pretty good for a guy who just had a major surgery.

Rest in Peace Harry Kalas

Today was a very sad day for Philadelphia fans and the sports world. Phillies Hall of Fame announcer Harry Kalas passed away at age 73. He collapsed while getting ready to broadcast the Phillies vs. Nationals game earlier today. Harry Kalas was truly a great broadcaster and was always happy to be doing what he did. I for one always looked forward to hearing Harry's voice over the radio or on the TV as I listened to or watched my Philadelphia Phillies. To me, Harry Kalas was the voice of not only the Phillies, but baseball itself. Harry Kalas was with the Phillies fans to keep them going through both the good and the bad. To me, Harry Kalas cannot be replaced in the announcers' booth. Watching today's game, I felt an unusual emptiness not hearing Harry Kalas telling us fans what was happening. I know I speak for all Phillies fans when I say Harry Kalas will be missed immensely. Thank you Harry Kalas, for all you have done for Phillies fans everywhere.

Ninja Warrior

Ok, recently, I was watching the TV show that has taken America by storm: Ninja Warrior. Everybody has seen or at least heard of this show. As Americans, we tend to find humor somewhere in between the hilarious commentary with crazy translations, the crowd going "awwwwwwwwww" in unison when a brave warrior fails, or just watching people fall into pools of mud. While this is rather funny, the tasks that one must complete on Ninja Warrior are actually quite hard. I mean, I consider myself to be in pretty good shape and I know I could never get past the first round, let alone be crowned a true Ninja Warrior. The people that are serious about this competition and make it through are true athletes. I was watching and episode where an Olympic Gymnast couldn't even make it through the first round, and have you seen Olympic Gymnasts lately? Those people are seriously like, super human. So basically what I am saying is: Only certain people are destined to become true Ninja Warriors.

Cole Hamels' First Start

So, Cole Hamels didn't perform as expected yesterday on his first start of the season. Sure, he let off quite a few runs and a few homers. Sure he didn't strike out as many as he usually does. Sure, he didn't throw as hard and accurate as he usually does, but that doesn't mean every single sports writer and reporter in the country has to ridicule him. Now, I understand that Cole Hamels threw much worse than what would be expected from the World Series MVP, but that doesn't mean he was a one-year-wonder like I have heard multiple times this morning. Come on, he is coming off an injury and has not thrown very much since October. When C.C. Sabathia got murdered in his first start, nobody called him a one-year-wonder. Nobody said he didn't deserve a huge contract with the Yankees, like people were saying that Cole didn't deserve World Series MVP. Maybe Cole isn't ready to pitch and his elbow is worse than we thought. At first, I thought he was just being a baby about it, but maybe it really is bothering him that bad. Knowing what kind of competitor Cole is, maybe he came back to pitching earlier than he should have, because he wants to win! I know that the Phillies will face a lot of ridicule for every little thing they do wrong, since they are the defending World Series Champions, but still, You cannot base judgement on how well a pitcher will do by seeing him start one game.

The Most Underrated Driver In NASCAR

As this title of this post suggests, I believe there is one driver in NASCAR who is so grossly underrated that it actually makes me want to vomit (well, not quite that extreme). The driver is A.J. Allmendinger. Last year, A.J. came into the cup series driving for Red Bull Racing. They let him go because he "could not produce good results". That made me extremely unhappy. I was so glad this year when Richard Petty Motorsports signed him for a 10 race deal. He did very good and is now signed for all of the races except the last 10. Petty Motorsports is now looking for sponsorship for him for the last 10 races because they understand the this guy NEEDS to be in a Sprint Cup car. The thing that really bothers me about this situation is that there are drivers out there that can't even keep their car off the wall, and they have had multiple opportunities to prove themselves with some of the most elite teams in NASCAR. Then, you have A.J. Allmendinger, who is easily 10 times better than any of these people, and he might not get to drive the last 10 races of the season. To me, that's a crime! A.J. Allmendinger has real talent and could possibly win a lot of races, but the team owners want to stick with people who are friends of their other drivers, or drivers that are in NASCAR solely because that have the right last name. This really disappoints me because it shows that NASCAR is becoming just like every other sport. It has turned into nothing but a bunch of politics. Form NASCAR executives not understanding what fans want to see, to having multiple races at boring tracks, and now the team owners are holding the best back! It's ridiculous! I'm very glad A.J. will probably have a ride for the rest of the season, but come on, it shouldn't have to take a NASCAR legend like Richard Petty just to notice that this guy can drive!

Rings and a Rally

Yesterday, April 8th, the Phillies received their 2008 World Series Championship rings before their game against Atlanta. All of last year's team with the exception of So Taguchi was there to get their rings. The ring is made out of 14 carat white gold and is covered with 103 diamonds. That's some heavy duty bling! Then, the Phillies had to separate from their rings, say good bye to their returning teammates who are now playing elsewhere, (Pat Burrell did pretty good as the Ray's designated hitter in the past few games, but he should be playing left field, especially for the Phillies) and finish off their opening series against the Atlanta Braves. The game didn't start off very well. Before long the Phils were down 10 to 3. The game went on with this score for awhile, until the bottom of the 7th inning. Shane Victorino came up, hit a fly ball that was caught, and registered the only out the Phillies would have for nearly a half hour. Chase Utley came up, hit a single, and it all started from there. Ryan Howard was next. With a 2-2 count, he was hit by a pitch and took first base, Utley advancing to 2nd. The Braves then put in a new pitcher, who walked Jayson Werth. The bases were then loaded and person after person in the Phillies line up were walked. This of course meant that run after run was scored. In fact, the batting order nearly made 2 trips through this half inning, with the first 5 batters at the the plate twice. When the inning was over. The Phils had the 12-10 lead. Nothing happened in the 8th inning, and then Brad Lidge came in to close for the Phillies. He let off a home run but ultimately got the save. The Phillies won 12-11. The 10-3 deficit was the biggest the Phillies had overcome since 1990, and this game was their first win of the season. Maybe they should get fancy rings before every game, if it makes them play like that.

U.N.C. Takes NCAA Men's Title

So, North Carolina beat Michigan State in a rather boring NCAA Men's final. I really don't know what to think about this. On one hand, I'm happy that the best team went away with the title. On the other hand, I am extremely mad considering I was raised to despise U.N.C. and everything that goes with it, from the idea of having tar on your heels to the ugly blue color they wear (My dad is a North Carolina State alumni, so he's pretty much brainwashed me about what to think about Carolina). Anyway, the point is, the game was pretty boring, which, I am afraid is foreshadowing what the following years of college basketball will be like. Michigan State never had a chance to win the game after Carolina got a ten point lead about 5 minutes into the game. I really miss the time when you never knew who was going to win the tournament, because there were multiple good teams. A lot of the time, the final would go down to the last seconds of the game. Now, college basketball is very predictable. Every year, its either going to be U.N.C., Kansas, UCLA, Florida, ect. What happened to underdogs winning it all. I will continue to watch college basketball, but I really hope it gets a little better. (By the way, congrats to President Obama. He totally called that result of the tournament.)

Synonym Poetry

Nasty
foul, disgusting, dirty, unclean
All of this filthiness is making me turn green

Bull Durham Credo

I believe in the power of the mind
the paying off of hard work
the idea of never quitting
the strength of trying
the influence of family, friends, and the world we live in

But the belief that sitting around is good is totally wrong

I believe in the idea the anything is possible
I believe in equality of everyone
I believe in exercising, eating right, and taking care of yourself

And I believe in the fact that you should live everyday to the fullest.

NASCAR @ Texas Motor Speedway

This past weekend, the NASCAR circuit was at Texas Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch won the Camping World Truck Series and the Nationwide Series races, but it was Jeff Gordon who took home the Sprint Cup trophy. While Jeff Gordon is by far not one of my favorite drivers, I was happy to see him win for many reasons. First of all, this is the 1st races Gordon has won in 47 races. Also, this is the 1st time he has ever won at T.M.S.. But, the real reason I am happy for Gordon is because this stopped people from saying that he's losing his edge and his era is over. As I said, I am not by any means a Jeff Gordon fan, but the fact that he is one of the sport's best needs to be respected. The people that say stuff like this are always the ones who are jealous that there are drivers better than their favorites,and quite frankly, it can get really annoying. While I know my favorites are good, I know there are those, past and present, who are better. It's just part of sports. You might not be the best, but that doesn't mean you have to get jealous. It just means you have to work harder because being the best should always be your goal. I would also like to commend David "The Franchise" Reutimann for winning this weeks pole. David has really come a long way since his first Cup Series season two years ago. So, congrats to Kyle Busch, David Reutimann, and most of all, Jeff Gordon, for their accomplishment at Texas this past weekend.

Opening Day 2009

So, Opening Day at The Bank didn't really go how we wanted it to (to say the least). At the beginning, everyone was pumped and ready to be back playing, until Phillies pitcher Brett Myers let 3 home runs in the 1st two innings. Yeah, you know it's bad when your center fielder punches the wall after you let off a homer and the fans are booing you more than they are cheering on your teammates who are actually doing good. I'm sorry, but Brett Myers did NOT deserve the Opening Day start. The start that really belonged to Cole Hamels (did not start due to elbow injury) should have gone to 46 year old veteran Jamie Moyer. It's never fun to start the season by losing to a team you should have beat (Phils lost to Atlanta 4-1), but the Phils will get them on Tuesday.

Athletes With Awesome Trademarks

These days, athletes have the coolest celebrations and introduction trademarks. Two of my favorites are the back flip Carl Edwards does every time he wins a NASCAR race, and the "powder throw" LeBron James does when he is introduced. However, some athletes have some really bad trademarks. For example, I have never been a fan of Terrell Owens' thing that he does where he "slam dunks" the football over the goal post and proceeds to make the initials "T.O." with his arms when he gets a touchdown. I find that to be very arrogant. Another thing that bothers me is when someone steals someone else's trademark. If you are going to do something cool, make sure you are the first to do that thing because it is not cool if someone else already did that because you are trying to be cool by stealing someone else's coolness (if that makes sense). For example, if I went out on the court at one of my basketball games and threw powder up in the air, people would think I am a complete idiot because I would just look like someone doing a really bad job at trying to be Lebron James. So, be wary up-and-coming athletes, when figuring out your trademark move, be cool, original, and somewhat modest, for there are people out there ready to critique your move.

An Excellent Game

I'll admit it, I am somewhat of a video game freak. While I enjoy playing my Wii and my PlayStation2, I really must say that nothing can beat classic games. One game that I have always like is StarTropics for the Nintendo Entertainment System. I am fortunate that I still have 2 N.E.S.'s that work, because otherwise, they are really hard to find. With that said, I play StarTropics a lot. The thing that about this game that makes it so great is how advanced it is for when it came out. The story line is very good and it doesn't ever get corny or boring like a lot of older games. Also, the game is challenging. Many games from the N.E.S. era are very easy and require hardly and thought or strategy to beat. In StarTropics, there are many parts were you have to really think about what to do. This game has always entertained me. I might download this game onto my Wii because I'll really be mad if my Nintendos break (I sometimes have trouble getting them to start) and I won't be able to play the game anymore. I consider this game one of the best ever made, including all modern games. While I enjoy playing Super Mario Galaxy and games of the sort, sometimes I just want to sit down to some classic StarTropics fun.

We'll Miss You Pat!

This is so weird! Pat Burrell is wearing a Tampa Bay Rays uniform! This really makes me sad. I will really miss Pat as the Phillies left fielder, where he belongs! The thing that makes me mad is that Pat was traded for a guy that is 37 years old! The new guy will be retiring in a few years! Pat Burrell still has a lot of time left in his career. Also, that uniform looks really bad on him. He looks a lot better wearing red and white. Pat Burrell belongs in Philly, not Tampa Bay. One last thing, I find it ironic that Pat is now on the team that he beat into the ground during the World Series! (Rings presented on April 8th!) I will not be rooting for the Rays this year, but I will be rooting for Pat Burrell, a true Philadelphia Phillie.

What Happened to Humor?

I'm just going to get right to the point. People need to not be so serious. I mean, can't we all just have some fun and joke around a bit. Now, this does not mean I am endorsing immature behavior. I understand there are times to be serious and there are times to just joke around and have fun. I have noticed that a lot of people can never take a joke and always have to be serious. Come on, instead of worrying about a quiz or test you have later in the day (which you know you'll do good on anyway) why can't you just joke around and laugh with your friends at lunch. I'll be the first to tell you that school work is very important, but sometimes it is just better for you and your grades to take a break. Now when I say joke around, I don't mean that you have to run around, victimizing your friends to a pie in the face, as poor Chase Utley was on the receiving end here, but laugh and have a discussion that doesn't mean anything. Talk about funny stuff that happened back in elementary school instead of the quiz you just took. It will give you the laugh we all need, and get your mind off the stress of serious life.

Rookie Sensation Not So Sensational

Ok, here's the deal. Joey Logano is an 18 year old rookie in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Joey Logano was the youngest driver ever to start in the Daytona 500 and the youngest driver ever to win a national touring series race. (NASCAR Nationwide Series 2008). This is really good. The thing is, many people (myself included) expected Joey to hit the Sprint Cup Series by storm this year. I am afraid to say, he has not. Joey has been off to a slow start and is having trouble staying in the top 35 in points, which guarantees him a spot in the starting field every week. This has caused many people to say that his driving is a waste of a Sprint Cup ride and that he did not know what he was getting into. I could not agree less with these people. Give him a break. He is only 18 years old! I would like to have seen any of them do what Joey is doing when they were 18 years old. Also, I have never been a fan of excuses for not succeeding, but Joey Logano had huge shoes to fill coming in, and all of the accidents he has been in on the track were just him being in the wrong place at the wrong time. First, Joey is driving the number 20 Home Depot car. Tony Stewart, one of the best in NASCAR today used to be in that car every week. Stewart only left because he wanted to start his own team. With that said, anyone would feel pressure to perform well in that position. It's not everyday a guy who was in high school last year get to drive a legendary car with a legendary crew behind him. That would make a lot of people nervous. And with the accidents, those were just more experienced drivers being stupid and thinking it would be fun to pick on the rookie. I root for Joey Logano every race, along with my other favorites (Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne, Brian Vickers, Clint Bowyer), and I will admit that I am a little bit disappointed with his performance, because I know he is better. Do I think a few more years at a lower level would help Joey? Yes. But, I do not hold him accountable for this. Many other people would have backed out when faced with a challenge like this. However, Joey Logano accepted that he would be facing some tough things and dealt with it. I think anyone who calls themself a NASCAR fan should have respect for 18 year old Joey Logano for that reason.

What Not To Wear [Haiku(s)]

A show about clothes

People wear some crazy stuff

Five thousand dollars

~OR~

What the heck is that?

Throw that in the trash can now!

Good bye old wardrobe

~OR~

OMG Clinton!

Please tell me the news Stacy!

Those are ugly clothes

The inspiration for these magnificent pieces of poetry came to me after watch an episode of What not to Wear where a 21 year old show dog lady, trainer, whatever, got a wardrobe makeover!

The Times Are Not Correct

The times on all of my posts are wrong. I did not post stuff at 5:57 AM.

Overcoming My Fears

When I was a young child, I was afraid of some really odd things. For example, I would be very scared when Law and Order would come on because the voice over at the beginning would scare me to death! Also, if I was watching Snow White, I seriously could not watch any part with the witch because I would be terrified. Whenever this part was approaching, I would demand that Whinnie the Pooh would be put into the VCR. Also, I used to be afraid of going in the basement by myself after watching an episode of Rugrats where there were "monsters" in the Pickles' garage. While all of these things provoked illogical fear in me when I was young, the thing that scared me the most was Grant Wood's American Gothic. For some reason, I always saw this painting on TV when I was little and it really creeped me out. I have recently come to a conclusion why this is so. When I was 3 or 4, my sister would play Fester's Quest (a game about the Addams Family) on our Nintendo. Right when Uncle Fester was about to battle the scariest boss in the whole game, Wednesday Addams would be in house and you had to visit her to gain some violent item used to destroy the boss. So anyway, I decided to dust off Fester's Quest yesterday. After I got over how stupid and pointless running around and breaking your thumb button mashing is, I really got into this pointless 1980's game. Finally I came to the part where Wednesday has to give you your item. I open the door and said to myself: "Holy Cow! Now I know why I hated American Gothic!" Wednesday Addams looks just like the woman in the painting! I would always be scared when my sister would have Fester battle this boss and Wednesday Addams was a sure sign this part of the game was coming. Therefore, I associated a timeless piece of American artwork with very corny video game violence. So, the point of this is that it took me about 11 years of my life to realize that it was not the painting, but Wednesday Addams and her assistance to her Uncle Fester that scared me!

Twilight Has Stolen My Brain

Ok, I happen to read the Twilight series. They are good books and I would recommend them. However, TWILIGHT HAS TAKEN OVER THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy cow! I can't even go to Wal-Mart without being surrounded by Edward Cullen. All I hear from my peers is Twilight this, Twilight that, Twilight, Twilight, Twlight! Seriously, Twilight is not the center of the universe! That is a true statement although I am afriad twilight may now have become more important than the sun to many teenaged girls. Edward Cullen and all of his sibilings have seriously blown the world out of proportion. Also, I am so sick of hearing all the Team Edward and Team Jacob nonsense. I have never seen anyone get so worked up of two fake boys in my life! It's crazy! I have seen many intelligent people start following this Twilight cult and quite frankly, I'M SICK OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Phillies' Opening Day!

The Phillies open this Sunday at Citizen's Bank Park in Philly! This is extremely exciting because they are coming off of their World Series Championship season! The problem is, much of the starting lineup is overcoming injury. World Series MVP, left handed pitcher Cole Hamels was scheduled to start on opening day, but know he won't due to tightness in his elbow. I'm a huge Cole Hamels fan, but COME ON!!!! These professional athletes can be huge babies! If I had tightness in my elbow before a basketball game, I would probably get a "suck it up" from my coach. If I was lucky, the trainer would tape my elbow. I have never met Cole Hamels, or asked him about this injury, so I don't know his mindset to this, but I think he can pitch on opening day. So anyway, 2nd baseman Chase Utley and 3rd baseman Pedro Feliz have a better reason to be complianing. Chase had major hip surgery in November and is coming along well. He originally was not going to be back until June, but plans to start on Opening Day. Pedro had back surgey and also plans to start on Opening Day. So anyway, the Phils open with the Braves on Sunday, Apri 5th. Hopefully, this season will be as good as the last.

The Phillies are the Best Team Around (A Villanelle)

The Phillies are the best team around
They dominate every game
Cole Hamels throws amazing pitches fro the mound

The crowd cheering is a wonderful sound
Everyone chants the batter's name
The Phillies are the best team around

The Fightin' Phils are World Series bound
All of the other teams are just lame
Cole Hamels throws amazing pitches from the mound

Every pitch, the phillies pound
This year and last are the same
The Phillies are the best team around

J-Roll pops one to the gap's ground
Look at all the runs that came
Cole Hamels throws amazing pitches from the mound

Crying in the dugout is where the other team is found
The Fightin' Phils deserve all the fame
The Phillies are the best team around
Cole Hamels throws amazing pitches from the mound

Where I'm From

I am from basketball, from Adidas and sports equipment.
I am from the smell of baking pastries (warm,delicious, cheers you up).
I am from the lilac bush, the oak tree.
I am from summer vactions and over-competitiveness, from Charley and Carol and Joe.
I am from kindness and understanding.
From don't give up and try your hardest.
I am from Sunday school, hours spent learning or making our teacher mad.
I am from Hershey and montgomery, pumpkin pie and roasted turkey.
From the time my grandfather spent in the army during WWII, the boys' track records at Montgomery with my father's name on them, and the cows my great-gradfather butchered to turn into beef.
I am from the pictures on the wall, the box under my dad's dresser, a look at the family past, present, and future. Memories, current events, and dreams.

Test Post

This is a post to test this thing