My life lately

It is already mid- July. Good grief, where did this summer go? Time really seems to be flying by. I've been pretty busy, even though I've had time where nothing is going on. So here is what has been going on:

*Baseball: So far I've been to 4 Cardinal games! My record is 2-2. (2 wins-2 losses). I have gotten to go to these games w/ really cool friends. My last game I got to reconnect w/ my little brother from Alpha Phi Omega! It was awesome. We were in a suite, which it self was really cool, but even cooler was Rob and I got to chat and see an awesome game! Pujols hit a homerun and Tony Cruz hit a double to win the game in the ninth. All in all it was a good time.

*Metrolink- I have become quite the Metrolink traveler! So far I have used it on 6 seperate occasions. I have used it for transport to all baseball games, to check out Marine week (which was amazing!), and to see the Maroon 5 concert (which was cancelled- boo). Next week I am heading downtown again to see Barenaked Ladies for Live off the Levee. I'm excited! I like traveling downtown and am sort of getting to know it better. Don't quote me on that tho, I still could (and probaly will) get lost downtown. LOL- I have no sense of direction.

*Alpha Phi Omega- I have been able to do activities with both my chapter and my alumni group. I attended a BBQ/ meeting for my chapter. So far Gateway Alumni Association (my alumni group) has only done a May event (June was too busy, and so far July is so busy and really really hot). However, it looks like we have an August Event; trivia night for Sectionals! The Railroaders have an event too; going to the zoo! I am super excited about both and hope for a good turnout for both activies.

*National Volunteer Conference (NVC): Only 12 more days I am off to Independence, MO for an exciting conference just for alumni! 3 1/2 fun filled days w/ some really awesome brothers I haven't seen in a while. Conferences during the day, and at night? We shall see! I am really excited and nervous about the one workshop I'm doing, but I am feeling more confident about it as the days go by. I am really excited about the roadtrip there and the conference itself! I can't wait! I get to take a mini-vacation for 4 days! Whoohoo! Have I mentioned I am excited?!

*Loki: Loki is awesome and being mischievous as always. She has only gotten to go swimming once (so far!), as LVL has been way crowded.

*Weather: Oh my what a spring/ summer it has been! First we had all the tornadoes (which we are not done by the way) and now we have intense heat. There is an excessive heat warning until Friday at 8 PM! Temperatues in the upper 90's and Heat Indexes in the 100's. So glad my work and home and car have A/C. Loki has wanted to play retriever, but I only let her fetch a few times as it is so hot and she doesn't know when to quit and I really don't want her to get overheated. I would love to take her on walks at night but it is too hot for either one of us. So for now it is retrieving toys in the house will have to do.

Birds on the Bat

I haven't blogged a lot lately. Work, and other things getting in the way...and I will admit laziness. However, I am now taking the time to blog about one of my favorite things: Baseball! The Boys of Summer are back!! After months of waiting baseball season is finally in full swing!! Horray!!
Spring Training started off great, Wainwright and Carpenter looked solid. And then Wainwright hurt his elbow and had season-ending Tommy John Surgery (I wish him a speedy recovery). Carpenter is doing really well, he just needs support from the bullpen. His record is 0-2 but there should be at least one win, the bullpen cost him that one. Jamie Garcia has really stepped up (3-0 record) and has been a reliable starter. Kyle Loshe is also showing more promise than he did last season- he seems to have more control of the ball and his mechanics seem improved. He also currently has the lowest ERA of the starting pitchers at 2.01 and a record of 3-1. Kyle McClellan is also doing extremly well, he also has a record of 3-0 with an ERA of 2.16.
After getting off to a slow start, the Birds on the Bat are starting to heat up! As of right now, the Cardinals are in first place in the NL Central with a 12-11 record and a .522 record. Critics have said the Cards will finish in 4th place this season. My vote: its too early to tell so the verdict is still out. Ask me again in August. We have some new Birds on the Bat (as always) this year.
First up is former Astro Lance "Puma" Berkman. Berkman was one of the Astros "Killer B's". Whenever he came up to bat, they would play that awful buzzing sounds. Berkman played firstbase while in Houston. He has transitioned to the outfield specifically right field- as we have Pujuls at first base- and seems to be doing really well. He has been hitting really good and has made some good defensive moves. All in all, he is a great addition to the team.
Ryan Theriot- a former Chicago Cub, don't hold it against him- he was one Cubbie I didn't like coming up to the plate- I knew he could hit. Theriot seems to be heating up and fitting in well with the club. The FSN announcers have compared his hiting style to that of former Cardinal David Eckstien- not a big power hitter like Pujols, but capable of producing timely hits.
There are some other new additions, but honestly these are the two I have heard the most about.
Even though we lost ace Wainwright, the rest of the starting pitchers have stepped up and are producing. It is our bullpen that needs the most work. I know, easy for me to say. Unfortunately a lot of the game is mental. I admire the players and the way they can play. I really admire the way the can stand up to all of the pressures and critisms of the game. Its only April and (thankfully) we still have a lot of baseball left! I get to go to my first game of the year on May 3rd with my baseball buddy JR and then again on May 7th (again w/ JR).
As always, all of my facts (numbers/ERA's) can be checked on the Cardinals website. My opinions are just that. At the moment, I will respectfully decline on opinions of manager Tony LaRussa.
Por Siempre: Let's Go Cardinals!!

2010 in Review

2011 is right around the corner- literally! One more week and it will be a new year. 2010 has been an amazing year for me. Sad to see it end, but really excited to see what 2011 has in store for me!

*January: My assignment at Portafab Corporation is extended. Mark turns 26. I take my first session of Zumba- love it love it! Lose a great friend: Tom Meyers Jr. Spend a few days in the hospital thanks to gastritous (all better now).

*February: Loki celebrates her 4th birthday on the 8th! Attend Jenny's Baby Shower. Enjoy the fact that my assignment w/ Kelly Temps at Portafab has been extended yet again.

*March: Portafab hires me on! 2 days later I get a new car. I make my biggest purchase to date: a 2010 Ford Escape in Sangria Red. I call her Ruby! Enjoy time w/ friend Sarah (who lives in Cali) when she visits St. Louis by getting our nails done. Get to meet her beautiful daughter, Hayden for the fist time.

*April: Froggiegirl & Gimlet (aka Jenny & Tom) welcome their beautiful daughter Jillian Nicole into the world on April 5th. I get to meet her a few weeks later. I attended a wonderful sectionals held by Alpha Phi at Washington University.

*May: I turn 28 on the 5th. EMAA holds a meeting at Ted Drews where I become the Vice President.

*June: EMAA holds a great bbq. Jillian is baptised on the 5th, and a party is held in her honor at the Kyle house. Get to spend more time w/ Jillain :) Attend a baseball game w/ JR. Start taking Pilates w/ mom and friends

*July: Pilates finishes up at the end of the month :( See Titantic at the Muny w/ Amy Rose & her mother. Start up Zumba again. Slip and fall, landing on my knee after a drs appt at St. Clares- end up dropping Zumba :( Parents leave for annual gambling trip next day.

*August: Dad celebrates his 61st birthday. Mom and dad take a road trip to the Smokey Mountains. Parents celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary! Attend a Cards/ Cubs game w/ Dad.

*September: Mom celebrates her 39th birthday (she began counting backwards once she hit the big 5-0). Mom & I check out the Hispanic Heritage Festival downtown, plan on making it a yearly tradition. Attend my 3rd (and last) Cardinal game w/ a friend, Michael Mulqueeny. Cards (finally) win (they had lost the other games I had attended)

*October: Hispanic Heritage Month!! I attend my first Taste of St. Louis w/ Jennifer Francis & Friends. Take care of the Kyle's Chinchillas as they take a roadtrip to Chicago for a wedding. Hang out w/ Erin & Kelly at Erin's new apartment and celebrate their birthday- get to see some friends I haven't seen in a while. Friends Veronica & Kyle celebrate their 2nd wedding anniversary.

* November: Celebrate Jenny's b-day at Chipotle w/ friends. Start attending weekly meetings for my chapter, Sigma Alpha. Participated in SIUE's Fall Service Day. Participated in Scouting for Food Collection Day. Attend Guns 'n' Hoses (Cops vs Firefighters) Boxing Match w/ JR. Experience a white Thanksgiving (we only got a dusting but it was pretty). Enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving w/ my family. Grateful for another year together and yummy food.

* December: More snow fell on St. Louis on December 12th. Experience the shortest elections in a long while with Sigma Alpha. Mark falls and breaks his elbow, and has surgery (doing fantastic). Enjoy a lovely evening at Zia's w/ EMAA. Then enjoy Tilles Park's Winter Wonderland w/ Andy K, Sonalee, and Stephanie. Mom recieves the Vigil Award for Order of the Arrow (the highest award). Possibly going to enjoy a white Christmas. Enjoying my first real vacation in four years. Going to fly on a plane for the first time in 4 years on the 27th- super exciting. Flying to Atlanta, GA to attend my 2nd National Convention for my Fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega.

Twitter and other updates

*Okay so I am officially entering the 21st Century....I am going to start texting and tweeting. Aye! I found out I can upgrade my phone so I will upgrade my plan upon getting my new phone. I am highly suprised that I haven't had any major probs with this one. I will miss my red phone. Le sigh, but hey I have a red iPod so it's all good.
*Missed another Zumba class due to my stomach. I am going to attend my last class next Tuesday and then instead of signing up again as planned I am taking a break until my stomach and gastritus are under control. This makes sense as I don't want to waste money on classes I am unable to attend. I'm not happy about making this decision but sometimes you have to be an adult and make decisions like this. Once my stomach is back to normal I will sign up again, as I love Zumba.
*The water is starting to call me. I want to go swimming soo bad, but with my stomach I can't. Hopefully I will feel good enough this weekend to hit the pool and do some laps... I can use my new goggles (I broke down and bought new ones a few months ago- the old ones had scratches and were begining to leak-so yea I had to get new ones). Gotta remember to bring a bottle of water and my pull bouy.
*Baseball season is around the corner!!!! Pitchers and catchers reported to Jupiter this Monday :) I can't wait for the season to start. Thank goodness for the Olympics which allows me to get my sports fix. Otherwise I'd be going batty or watch hockey....which I'm not to fond of. The St. Louis Cardinals are looking to have a good team this year. As long as our players stay healthy I think they stand a chance. As always I hope they win lots of games and for the Chicago Cubs to lose lots of games and NOT win the World Series...hehehe.
*Speaking of the Olympics, I have been highly entertained. My favorite moments so far have been watching Apolo Ohno on Short Track and watching Shawn White decimate the field on the Snowboard Half-pipe. Shawn White's first run in the finals was amazing, he got massive air and landed all of his tricks clean. Then his second run, which was his "victory" lap as he knew he had the gold before he snowbaorded, was even better. He did his new trick which was soo cool. The thing I like about Short track is how fast they can go and then how they defy gravity by nearly getting horizontal to the ice. Of course, the ability to skate fast is impressive to me as I can't ice skate. I prefer to be in the water, than on the water. So go Team USA!!

Looking back at the last decade.

Tonight is the last night of 2009. The decade is almost over! I for one am thrilled that 2010 is coming!! 2008 and 2009 were my worst years!. I am so ready for a new decade and all it has to offer!! Below are what I consider high points of each year.

2000: Perfomed at the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. Discovered my second favorite city! Competed in my first 500 (20 Laps) race; discovered that this was my event. Vote for first time- the presidential elecitons. George W. Bush (son of George H. Bush) takes office. :)

2001: January- had my first knee surgery. Enjoyed my last swim season :( Graduated high school!!!!! Second generation in my family to do so :) Adopted Phantom Menace from Vet- first pet of my own- my complete responsibility. Was the Day Shift Lead for B-Flats (Brittania Flats, Area 2) which consisted of Highland Fling and Grand Ole Carosel at Six Flags St. Louis.

2002: Attened Meremec Community College, join SAC and meet incredible friends who will impact my life. Mark graduates from high school!! Witness two miracles, stregthens my faith in God. Have second knee surgery- this time on the left knee.

2003: Transfer to University of Missouri-St. Louis and join my father's fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega- a National Co-Ed Service Fraternity. Meet more incredible friends who impact my life. Forever Remembered: my best friend and cat, Sparkle- mi angel.

2004: Attend first Regional Conference in Omaha with my fraternity. Attend first Sectionals. Begining of my obession for all conferences and all things APO. Attend first National Conference in Denver, Co. Visit and see my Uncle Milton, Aunt Angie, and Cousin Duke for first time in 13 years. Have 3rd and 4th knee surgery (both knees). Go on Carribean Cruise (best vaccation ever) with amazing friends from Six Flags St. Louis and see Cozumel and Costa de Mayo, Mexico, Belize and the Grand Cayman Islands. George W. Bush is re-elected :) Republicans have control of the sentate :)

2005: Announce my minor in Spanish. Attend 2nd Sectionals :) See my all time favorite artist in concert: Carlos Santana. Mom and I agree it is the best concert of all time. Start blogging :) Hurricane Katrina devestates and destroys New Orleans. Good friend Liz welcomes son Andy to the world! Hurricane Rita devestates Texas. Enjoy a white Christmas!

2006: Attend second Regional Conference in St. Louis. Best friend Froggiegirl marries her sweetheart Gimlet, acted as one of her bridesmaids :) Graduated college with double major in International Business and Managment, with a minor in Spanish. Become second generation in family to attend and graduate college. Attend 3rd Sectionals. St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series for the first time since I was born in 1982. Pittsburgh Steelers win Superbowl!! Mom and I both have our gall bladders removed with in months of eachother. Mom retires from teaching after 33 and 1/2 years!! Forever Remembered: beloved Grandma Lorraine Noel and my first dog, Shadow. New puppy Loki makes grand enterance into Noel family- I learn first hand what it takes to train a dog.

2007: Get first "real job" at Wolfgang Puck Catering- only part time, but its a job. Attend sectionals again -anyone noticing a pattern here :) Help pick out new living room furniture, new kitchen table and chairs, new carpet for living room and new tile for kitchen. Forever Remembered: my first pet, Climber aka King Tut.

2008: Get first "real full time job". Get laid off for first time. Kitchen floods requiring new kitchen cabinets, floor and trim. Inside house- living room, hall, entry way, kitchen, and living room re-painted. Repaint office and garage door. Also get new siding for house and new gutters-whew! Another best friend Veronica marries her sweetheart Kyle, get to be an attendent!! :) Barak Obama becomes the first African- American President- big moment in U.S. History :) Pittsburgh Steelers win their 6th Superbowl :) Have 5th and 6th Knee surgeries.

2009: Another good friend Suzanne marries her sweetheart Marshal. Dealt with unemployment most of the year. Learned new computer system: Worldpsan at new job as domestic travel coordinator. Enjoy first White Christmas since 2005. Mark moves into his own apartment!! Good for him!! Forever Remembered: My (personal) first adopted Cat and best friend, Phantom.

To all those friends and family I have lost and gained: I love you all and thank you for beinga part of my life. I look forward to spending the next decade with you enriching my life! Looking forward to the next decade and what it may bring!! Happy New Year everone!!!!

St. Louis is the new Seattle?

*October didn't go as planned. First the Cards got taken out of the playoffs in the first round. Instead the Yankees ended up winning the World Series (evil empire strikes back).
* October went down as the wettest October in St. Louis History. We got a grand total of 8.55 inches of rain! This beat the total rain fall of 8.52 in 1919. The weather records in St. Louis go back to 1874. At least Halloween was nice and dry for the kiddos. Now it is mid November.
*Next Sat. is Scouting for Food Collection Day. So be sure to put out the bag of food on your front porch before 10 AM. That's the official pick up time. I will be spending my day at the firehouse, unloading vechicles, sorting, and boxing foot. This is my 8th year working at the firehouse! I am super excited. Scouting for Food Collection Day is my favorite service project ever!!
*Monday morning the rain begins yet again. There is an 80% chance of rain in the St. Louis area. Rain will continue until mid-week. So that brings to mind the question: Has St. Louis become the new Seattle? I hope not. I know we are in the fall season, and we don't see the sun as often/strong, but going longer than 10 days w/o sun? Not fun. So hopefully the rain will last a day or two. Pray for the sun!

Hunt for a Red October

No, this isn't a post about the movie starring Sean Connery and Alec Baldwin. (Although that was a great movie). This is about the St. Louis Cardinals!!! Duh! Well, the Birds on the Bat did it!! They clinched the Central Division League Championship title! After 3 LONG days of having the magic number at 1, the Cards finally clinched the division. And in spectacular fashion too. Coming from behind to defeat the Colorado Rockies (who are vying for the wild card spot) 6 to 3. Adam Wainwright was fantastic going 8 innings. Yadier Molina was lifted from the game after taking a foul ball on his left knee. Backup Catcher Jason LaRue entered the game and went on to hit a solo homeun which broke the tie in the 7th inning. This solo home run was the game-winning hit, and secured Wainwrights 19th win!! It was fate, although I was upset (as were many Cards fans) that Molina was hurt. LaRue came in and got the job done. Brendan Ryan went on to hit a double in the ninth which paid off when Ryan Ludwick hit a 2 run homerun which added a nice cushion to keep the Cards ahead When John Mozeliak took over as the new General Manager for the Cards, I was a little dubious in regards to his ability in handling the Birds on the Bat. However, Mozeliak has made some major moves that have paid off big time. He started off by trading Chris Duncan for shortstop Julio Lugo. Then came Mark DeRosa, Matt Holliday, and vetran starting pitcher John Smoltz. Mozeliak has made all the right moves at the right time. Although I miss our former GM Walt Jocketty, Mozeliak has demonstrated the agressiveness towards making the right trades that the Cards needed. When spring training started, nobody saw this particular team going to the playoffs. Skip Schumaker was no longer an outfielder, he was going to start at second base. Brendan Ryan also made a change from second base to shortstop; now he is recognized as one of the best defenisve shortstops in both leagues!! Chris Carpenter went from not pitching for nearly 2 seasons to having a phenominal season with 16 wins! Joel Pinero has 15 wins! Most teams have one star pitcher, the Cardinals have 3!! First baseman Albert Pujols now has some backup in the line up in the form of Matt Holliday. Before Holliday came, a lot of pitchers would intentionally walk Pujols to get to the 4th batter. They can't do that now, as Holliday is just a big of a hitter as Pujols. Now with a great team, the St. Louis Cardinals are entering the playoffs for the 8th time in the 14 years under Manager Tony LaRussa. The goal: to go deep into October with a World Series win as the ultimate goal!
Por Siempre: Let's Go Cardinals!!!!

April 2009 Updates

Wow its already April!! Easter is t/m! Oh wow, time has really flown by. Here are some random updates:
* Laptop died a few weeks ago, using parents laptop b/c I can't afford a new one. Hopefully I should be able to buy one in a few more weeks.
*Remember how I was complaining about my insurance? Yea, now I don't have any...I missed one month's payment for COBRA and I'm done. So no health insurance really sucks, working on getting insurance now.
* Job: I have a temp job making flight reservations in a call center. I have survived two weeks of training and have another two to go. This is not a perm job for me; I am actively job hunting and hoping to get a new job before the next two weeks are up. Otherwise I have to give two weeks; as it is right now I can leave asap b/c I'm still in training. Its not the best in the world but its not the worst in the world; it pays and thats important.
* My little brother moved out!!! He is now living in Florissant w/ two other guys. He still comes home on weekends for his job at Ruby Tuesdays. Hopefully he will get a full time job up there soon.
* Attended Truman's Sectionals last weekend; had an absolute blast!! Sigma Alpha, my chapter, got 2 awards!!!! 2 brothers from that chapter also became Railroaders :) Got to see some brothers I haven't seen in forver (Jen G for one), had fabulous time hanging out w/ alumni and active brothers. Can't wait for Spring Service Day at SIUE next Sat :)
* Cardinals baseball season is offiicially in full swing!! The record stands at 3-2. So far I am going to games on May 4th and May 5th (my bday) :) Very excited. Hoping to go to a lot more!!
*Lost my iPod....its somewhere around the house. Hopefully it will show up soon. I know its in the house, its a matter of where in the house.
* Re-painted the garage door and entry doors a nice red. Also re-painted the office- Sahara Sunset. Looks great. Also rearranged the furniture in the office, much better. Can open the window a lot easier. As much as we'd like to take Loki's crate down, we can't- its her safe zone and its nice when we have company and she is too hyper for guests.
Other than that nothing else to report. I'm hanging in there, family is doing great. Hopefully the next time I blog I'll have good news to impart.

Cardinals start off the Second Half right

The second half of the baseball season is under way. The Cardinals have started things off right; they have won their first three games. The are currently playing the San Diego Padres (the series stands 3-0 at the moment). It is the bottom of the eight inning, and the score is 5-3 Cards (Third Baseman Troy Glaus just hit a three-run homerun!!).
Ryan Ludwick and Albert Pujols made their first and seventh, respecively, appearences at the 2008 All Stars Game. Pujols went 2 for 3 and Ludwick made an impressive catch. Sadly the National League fell 40-3 to the American League. But the game went 15 innings, so we at least gave them a run for their money. Mark Mulder's highly anticipated return was cut short after 20 pitches. Mulder started experiencing elbow pains, and it is likely his season is over, and quite possibly his career. Adam Wainwright is progressing nicely and should rejoin the club in August. Chris Carpenter began his 30 day rehab assignment in Double A; and reports are looking good. The Cardinals are 2 games behind Central Divison leaders the Chicago Cubs (boo), and three games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers (better known as the Brew Crew). The Brew Crew comes to Busch Stadium next for a 4 games series. The Cards then head to New York for a 3 games series against the Mets, and then they head South for a 4 game series against the Atlanta Braves.
The July 31st trading deadline is fast approaching;pitching- thats what the Cardinals need. The Cubs and the Brew Crew have recently obtained high octane pitchers. The Cards need to follow suit. General Manager John Mozeliak is waiting until the end to better address the needs of the team. Mozeliak is saying that Carpenter will return before Wainwright. Say what?! However, he does admit that outcome is a bit fuzzy yet. What the Cards need to do is keep playing good baseball and focus on what they have rather than what they don't. There is still a lot of baseball left to play, so the Birds on the Bat need to remain focused.
*Por Siempre: Let's Go Cards!!

Random

Okay so I haven't blogged in a while (yes I am well aware that it has been a long while froggiegirl), so here's whats up with me:
EMAA- We had our second annual EMAA BBQ on June 7th, and it was a great success! We had chicken and beef kabobs, plus veggies, chips, fruit, brownies, cookies, and much more! JKO was the grill master, with Marlene and Courtney prepping the Kabobs. Tonight we are meeting up again at the Missouri Botanical Gardens for a concert. Tonight we'll be hearing some jazz, funk and motown! We are also having a little picnic. We are going to a Cards game on August 22nd (my dad is joining us for this one). I am officially registered for the National Volunteer Conference!! I am soo excited; I can't wait to see all my alumni brothers again!!
Cardinals: So far I have been to 4 games; 2 wins and 2 losses. I will be going again w/ the family on July 1st to see the Birds on the Bat take on the Mets. Since mom is origninaly from NYC and a reformed Mets fan, this will be an interesting game. Cards won the series against the Boston Red Sox, and smashed the Detroit Tigers last night 8-4. Cheating pitcher Kenny Rogers (think the tar incident). Aaron Miles is on fire; he has the highest batting average in interleague play. Yadier Molina is back behind the plate after missing a few games after a scary collision at home plate. Albert Pujols is looking to start tonight after being on the 15 day disabled list for a left calf strain on June 10th. Mark Mulder is making some progress: he might be pitching for us soon!!!
Let's Go Cards!!
Loki: Loki is back to her hyper puppy self. Poor baby suffered from severe spring allergies that put her on steriods for 3 weeks. Poor baby was sluggish and wasn't her playful self. She is back to stealing things, playing with her toys (she now has a stuffed fox), and swimming in the lake. She continues to provide us with daily entertainment.
General: I picked up a new swimsuit from Sports Authority on Sat, a two piece I could do laps in and still get a tan (that is if I don't burn first, suprise, surprise). I also got a sleeveless top to work out it, I am going to start getting serious about working out again. My knees are in bad shape and I'm seeing a knee doc soon, so I want to get my legs strong. Plus I want to be more in shape and healthier. I am finally comfortable with the way I look again, and want to keep it that way and still enjoy fatty foods (ie ice cream, chocolate and other stuff that is bad for you but sooo good). The summer is flying by soo quickly, its almost July!! That's crazy! I am going to try to hit the pool as often as I can, as I love swimming. Froggiegirl and I have already made one trip to Chesterfield pool, the first of many I'm sure. It was so refreshing to be in the water and relax! That is all for now. I hope do to a guest blog by my dad soon!

Birthday Recap

So on May 5th, JBear turned 26. Yikes, I'm getting up there in years. Well since my bday was on a Monday (I'm rather like Garfield in hating Mondays), I decided to celebrate my birthday all weekend. Saturday night I went to dinner at Chevy's. I was joined by Froggiegirl, Gimlet, Liz and her son Andy, and my friend Adam (who I hadn't seen in almost 5 years!). Of course, I recieved a sombrero and an ice cream treat as the restaurant waiters sang Happy Birthday to me. Adam suprised me by giving me not only a card but a bag of chocolate (yay!), and a gift certificate to Best Buy (I got a nice camera case for my new camera- more on that later). After Chevy's we decided to go to Fritz's for ice cream (and so I could spend more time w/ Adam b/c he showed up late). I had a delicious Strawberry Cheesecake Sundae (ty Froggiegirl). Sunday night the family and I went out to Outback where I enjoyed a nice ceasar salad, steak and baked potato w/ butter and cheese. I had the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under (Brownie w/ ice cream and choc sauce) for dessert. When we got home, we played "birthday" b/c mom is spending the week at 6th grade camp. I got a docking station stereo for my ipod w/ a remote control and a iTunes card from the parents. From my brother I recieved a teapot. I hate coffee, so I drink tea. Originally, I thought I wanted a crazy daisy teapot from Harney and Sons. However, upon discovering the brown betty at World Market, I changed my mind. However, mom had already ordered the teapot along with some Spiced Plum tea (which is quite yummy). So I got to choose which teapot I liked best. Ultimately the brown betty won. Today, I went to World Market to buy some tea strainers and a tin of Paradise Mate tea (another yummy tea I discovered). On my actualy bday, Monday, May 5th, my brother and I went to the zoo. It was a beautiful day, and we had a great time. That night, dad and I went to Cold Stone Creamery for my free ice cream (I signed up for their bday ice cream club). It was Dad's first time there, and he enjoyed it. Oh and to cap it off, the Cardinals defeated the Rockies 6-5. All in all my birthday was very good. What made it even better was all the people wishing me "Happy Birthday". Oh, and Froggiegirl (and I suppose Gimlet) got me a card, bottle of Vanilla Bean Lotion (a seasonal fave of mine), and an iTunes Card. Much love to all of my friends and I loved all the well wishes and presents!! Now I am typing this and enjoying my first cup of Spiced Plum tea w/ honey. I am quite pleased w/ the outcome. My new teapot works great!

New Birds on the Bat

Here are the New Cardinals:
Troy Glaus- 3rd Base- from Toronto Blue Jays
Jason LaRue- Catcher- from Kasas City Royals
Matt Clement- Starting Pitcher- from Boston Red Sox- he had shoulder surgery and subsequently did not pitch in 2007- welcome to the National League (the real league), now learn to bat.
Cesar Izturis- Shortstop- from the Chicago Cubs (booo!)- welcome to a winning team.
There were some call ups from the minor leagues. Spring Training Starts soon (February!!!) and the end of that will finalize the active roster. Who knows, maybe there will be some more players to leave or to become a Cardinal. Maybe some good starting pitchers! That's what we need!
*Por Siempre: Let's Go Cardinals!!

And Playing for the Cardinals is....?

These days its hard to know who is playing for the Cardinals what with all the line up changes. First there was David Eckstien (mom's favortite player) who was released. He has signed on with the Toronto BLue Jays. Why: Cards want younger players, less of a paycheck. Then Jim Edmonds (the best center fielder ever!) was traded to the San Diego Padres. So Taguchi was let go. Also departing the Birds on the Bat; backup catcher Gary Bennet, infielder Miguel , infielder/offensive player Russel Branyan, pitcher Mike Maroth, pitcher Troy Percival, catcher Kelly Stinett, pitcher Kip Wells (should have traded him long time ago), and offensive player Preston Wilson. Now Scott Rolen has been traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for 3rd Baseman Troy Glaus. Why did Rolen leave; differences with manager Tony LaRussa. The departure of General Manager Walt Jocketty should have been a sign of the changes to come. Why they let Jocketty go, I don't know. Right now, the Cards are cleaning house. Getting rid of vetrans, opting for younger players (who get much smaller paychecks). Personally, I think they are nuts. But who knows, maybe this is what we need.
At least Pujols (signed until 2010), Molina (there until at least 2011), and Chris Carpetner (at least another year or two left on his contract) are staying.
*Por Siempre: Let's Go Cardinals!!

Jocketty out, LaRussa in

Well, as many of you already may know, the Cardinals have parted ways w/ General Manager Walt Jocketty. Stupid decision on upper managements part. So now we don't know who the new GM for the Cardinals will be. After Jocketty and the Cardinals parted ways, questions began to arise about LaRussa; whether he would stay or go. Several sports casters implied that LaRussa would follow former Yankee's (and former Card's manager) manager Joe Torre, and manage the Yankees. Torre left the Cards for the Yankees. Torre has recently quit as being the manager for the Yankees. Thankfully, LaRussa has signed a two year contract to continue managing the "Birds on the Bat". The future is uncertain for Jocketty, yet I wish him well and wish that he was still the GM for the Cardinals.

Let's Go Cardinals!!

It is officially September and the Cards are turning up the heat. They beat the Pirates 6-2 last night. Joel Pinero picked up another win last night, proving why he should remain in the starting rotation. A lot of Cardinal news here so here we go:
*Right Feilder Juan Encarnacion is done for the season. Due to an eye injury. He was standing in the on-deck circle when he was hit by a foul tip off the bat Aaron Miles on last Friday nights game. Encarnacion was hospitalized for a few days, he is now at home resting. The prognosis is unsure. All that is offically known is that he can not play baseball right now. For more on this story click here and here.
*Rick Ankiel is still HOTT! He continues to get great and timely hits. He also has been showing off his arm, runners might want to think twice about going for that extra ball if Ankiel is the recipient of the hit ball.
*Catcher Yadier Molina is heating up. He has been hiting a lot more, and picking up some more homeruns and RBI's.
*It appears that third baseman Scott Rolen is out for the season. He will be having shoulder surgery some time soon and his 2007 season is over. Recovery time is expected to be six weeks as he is having a "cleanout" rather than a major surgery. This should not affect his ability to play in the 2008 season. Lucky for the Cards, they have newcomer Russel Branyan (who hit a homerun last night in first game in a Cardinals uniform!!) Branyan comes to us from the Phillies.
*Miguel Cairo has also been added to the roster, and he is proving himself a valuable asset.
*September call ups!! Those returning to the fold are Skip Schumaker, Brad Thompson, Kelvin Jimenez, Andy Cavazos, and Kelly Stinett. Reliever Brian Falkenborg,and infielder Brian Barden also have been called up. Unfortunately, John Rodriguez (J-Rod) will not be called up as he had knee surgery (?) and is done for the season.
*Starting Pitcher Mark Mulder is back!!! He is making his first start tonight since the 2006 season. While I am excited about his return, I am unsure of how his debut will go. I am hopefull that he will be the Mark Mulder of old and provide us with another reliable pitcher.
*Mike Maroth is also back, he will be on the mound Thursday night. If he can get back in shape and Mulder has his old stide back, we will have a great rotation of Joel Pinero, Adam Wainwright, Braden Looper, Mike Maroth, and Mark Mulder. If Kip Wells can get his act together the Cards stand a decent chance of going to the playoffs.
*The Cardinals are 1 game out of first place in the Central Division.
*Should the Cardinals win tonight they will be 2 games over 500, something they have not done all season.
*Tonight's Game: Starting pitcher Mark Mulder returns to take on Pitsburgh Pirates Righty Tony Armas (2-5 w/ an ERA of 6.75) at Busch Stadium. Game time is 7:10 PM. However, it was raining earlier, so I expect a delay.
*Por Siempre: Let's Go Cardinals!!

CARDS = Come August, Ready Division Series

The St. Louis Cardinals have been much like the August weather in St. Louis; HOTT! The birds on the bat seem to be putting the pedal to the medal and starting to shift gears towards winning more games. They swept the Brewers in a crucial series last week and now sit just 3 games out of first place in the central division. Cards bats are heating up; The MV3 (Rolen,Edmonds, and Pujols) are starting to hit w/ more consistency. The Cards have also gained more power in Rick Ankiel who has been hitting the ball hard and making great plays in the outfield. Cards also picked up Joel Pinero who has been doing well. Kip Wells also appears to be doing much better; he is finally getting run support and keeping the opposition from scoring, much less hitting too much. Adam Wainwright continues to impress, with a record of 11-9 and an ERA of 3.99. Overall for the month of August, the ERA's for the Cardinals pitching as a whole has gone down. Their hitting percentage and winning percentage have gone up.
Good news for the Cardinals in regards to pitcher Mark Mulder; he is getting closer to returning. With ace Carpenter out for the season, the return of Mulder is much needed. Mulder made his second start in his rehab assignment; and was efficient throwing 48 pitches- 34 strikes and 14 balls- through four innings. For more on his progress along with progress on Todd Wellenmeyer and Mike Moroth click here. Also mentioned as being banged up and getting some rest are Scott Rolen and Chris Duncan.
*Por Siempre; Let's Go Cards!!

Random Update

Good grief, I haven't blogged in a while (almost a month exactly since I last blogged to be exact). So here's what has gone down in the month of August:
*NVC was amazing!!! I had soooo much fun. I stirred up trouble in all of the workshops I attended. I finally got to meet a brother I've been friends w/on Facebook; he has now "banned" me from his future workshops; yeah right, good luck w/ that Brother Justin!
*Mom got a new car! Its a 2007 Pontiac Vibe! It's an SUV- kinda. Mom calls it a wannabe: it can't decide whether it wants to be a car, a minivan or a SUV. It gets great milage so far 28 mpg. She is very happy with it.
*My little brother, golum, got a new car...kinda. He inherited my mom's red '99 cavalier. Mom traded in his '99 Sonoma Truck when she got her vibe. So now I'm the only one in the family w/o keyless entry and power locks and windows. Granted my car is a year younger than Marks, its still a very basic model- I love it tho. My next car will be a SUV tho. Don't know when I'll be getting said SUV, but whatever.
*Cardinals have been heating up. They swept the Brewers in a crucial series. They then played the Cubbies where they went 1-2, with one game rained out. Cards now are 3 games out of first place. Cub (major suprise here) are in first place (no really they are). Brew Crew are even with the Cubbies.
*I get to go to my fourth Cardinals Game on August 24th w/ the EMAA crew!! I also have tickets for the September 17th Game- Yadier Molina Bobblehead night!! Whoohoo!!
*I am 8-12 in my fantasy baseball league. Not bad but not the greatest either.
*Went to see Les Mis w/ EMAA at the Muny. Loved it! Music was incredible, good voices, excellent orchestra. It was hot, but overall a good night.
*My job hunt continues (suprise, suprise). I try to be optimisitic, but its hard. I have a hard time wondering what makes me so unemployable. I thought that my education would be a great assest and now I wonder why I spent so much time earning my bachelors if all I'm going to do is random temporary assignments?
*New living room furniture and a new dinet set are on their way; well kinda. Mom and dad selected a new sofa, loveseat, and rocker for the living room, as well as a new kitchen table and new chairs for the kitchen. The living room stuff should be here in about 2 weeks or so. Kitchen is going to take longer, anywhere from a month to two months. I think its crazy, but mom tells me that's typical. I woulda negotiated an early arrival of the furniture but hey we've been dealing with the furniture we currently have for a long time, we can live with it until the new stuff arrives. The living room furniture is kinda of a sage green and the fabric is a micro suede, and very comfy ( mom took me to American where they ordered the stuff for me to see). The kitchen table is almost identical to the one we have now except it has some fancy engraving on the sides which matches the engraving on the back of the chairs. The chairs have cushions built in, so puppy can't steal the cushions (as she does now).

Random

Okay, lot of stuff to say, so here goes:
*Recently had to get new sunglasses as my darling puppy, Loki, ate a second pair of sunglasses. Plus my backup pairs also decided to break. I like to keep a pair in my car for various reasons; mainly I can't drive w/o sunglasses.
*Picked up two cute tops from New York and Company. One was 50% off! I love sales!
*Got a new pillow b/c the one I had was shot.
*Got a 1 and 1/2 inch memory foam mattress pad for my bed. My mattress is rock hard and I have a bad back and I hate sleeping on it. This mattress pad is heaven sent! I slept w/ it on my bed last night and was sooo comfortable for the first time in eyars.
*Had my ring checked at the Jewlers today; the stone is firmly in place and they shined it up for free. So it sparkles now! Yay!
*Leaving for Independence, MO t/m for Alphi Phi Omega's National Volunteer Conference!! So excited! Amy and Katrina are driving with me. We are stopping in Columbia and having lunch with Robert.
*Will be at the NVC Thursday thru Sunday. Get to see a lot of brothers and have fun!
*Cardinals starting pitcher Chris Carpenter is out for the season; he will be having surgery on his elbow. No idea when he will be ready to pitch next season.
*Attention all texters; I have disabled my text messaging abilities. Meaning I won't be able to send or recieve texts; which is good b/c I despise texting. I also was being charged for incoming texts (which I don't understand why I'm charged for something that I have no control over).
*I have been sunburned three times so far this summer, and theres a lot of summer left. I hate having such fair skin. Mom and Mark have the Puerto Rican skin; so they don't burn; they just get brown! So not fair, I blame it all on my gringo father! He just laughs.

That's a Winner!!

Cardinals won today, delivering the Phillies their 10, 000th loss. Cardinals beat the Phillies 10-2, Adam Wainwright getting another win. Pujols hit two homeruns today. Other players to go long today were; Adam Kennedy (his first of the season), Juan Encarnacion, Chris Duncan, and Ryan Ludwick. Wainwright was outstanding getting out of loaded bases w/ 2 outs not once but twice. Wainwright pitched 7 solid shut out innings. Pujols is on fire, he was 3 for 4 today; a single and two homeruns. Cardinals managed 3 homeruns in one inning! The game was on ESPN today (grrr), and the announcers were all ragging on the Cards and going on and on about how great the Phillies were. Yea, uh huh, the Phillies are so great they lead both leagues in losses. Cards are now 8.5 games out of first place.
*Up Next: Cards vs. Marlins at Florida 6:05 PM on FSN (yay!)
*Por Siempre: Let's Go Cardinals!!

Cardinals

Well I have been to three games so far this year. My record is 2 for 3. Last Sunday, the Cards put on a great show. I went to said game with my family. Gimlet and Froggiegirl were also in attendance, as this was Martiz Day at the Ballpark. Martiz did well in selecting seats; we had a nice view off of third base, got a free soda and a hot dog. Down side: I got sunburned. Bad. My knees are peeling now. As mentioned in my previous post, I got burned again, so I'm recovering from one sunburn only to get burned again. Not fair! Stupid gringo blood!
Anyways, the All Star game has come and gone. First baseman Albert Pujols was the only Cardinal player that got to go; and LaRussa selected him as the fans failed to vote him in. Pujols participated in the HomeRun Derby for his son (who was bummed when his daddy told him orriginally that he was not going to play). AJ (Pujols Jr.) was an absolute doll to watch! The expressions on his face when Pujols hit homeruns.
*Yadier Molina came off the DL and threw a guy out when the dummy tried to steal second, his first day back.
*Short stop David Eckstien has come off the DL and is doing well.
*Starting pitcher Chris Carpenter is making progress and is hopeful to be returning soon.
*Jim Edmonds is still on the DL, no word on when he will be returning; hopefully soon.
*Starting Pitcher Kip Wells started last nights game andlost....big suprise there. Word to LaRussa and Jocketty: either trade him or keep him in the bullpen permanently.
*The second half of the season has begun, but not very well... two losses so far. Hopefully the second half will be better than the first half.
*I am still hopefull about the Cardinals finishing the season on a high note; I am an eternal Cards fan.
*Amazingly the Cubs are still in second place...but for how long?
*The cardinals have made some outstanding plays so far this season. Chris Duncan made an amazing catch last night in the Cardinals loss to the Phillies. Duncan continues to improve as the season progresses.
*Up Next: Cards at Phillies 5:05 PM. Adam Wainwright goes to the mound to attempt to prevent a sweep. He will be facing off against Adam Eaton.
*Por Siempre: Let's Go Cards!!