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Archive for the ‘life or something like it’ Category

You and Your Perfect Life

Posted in life or something like it, music, tagged , , , , , , , on May 6, 2010| 8 Comments »

I am about 80% confident my scooter will sell this weekend.  But I don’t have the cash in bank account yet, so this baby is still up for offer.

If you’re thinking about it, think faster!

BUY: my 2006 Honda Jazz scooter

Thank you, my scooter is now sold.  I appreciate all the interest.

Should it sell tomorrow (fingers crossed) then I’ll be able to get my hands on a bicycle.  I went down to Horus Bicycle Works today to have a look and William is likely going to set me up with a brand called Stevens.  It is new to Canada.  I think the model I’ll be commuting on is the Strada 600.  He’ll set it up with fenders, lights and a rack on the back so I can attach bags if I need.  Future plans call for getting Coral a bike and a trailer to tow Mads. And maybe another trailer like the ones homeless biker people have… cargo trailers.  I could pack my DJ rig about on a bike!

So scooter sells, I’ll be a biker like my friend Dave and I’ll be able to pay down even more debt.  Huzzah.  The scooter doesn’t cost much to operate but I’ll also see a little savings every month on what little it did need (about $35/month… so like half a cell phone bill).

***

I was reading the Bob Lefsetz email the other day and he was talking about the book Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby.  I love music and one of the few things I like more than listening to music, or making out while listening to music, is reading about music (while listening to music).

Nick Hornby wrote High Fidelity.  I never read that but I’m sure its pretty good.  Juliet, Naked is getting some good reviews and positive buzz, I like Bob’s emails… so I bought it.  I don’t read a ton of Fiction… which is odd, because when i read a book that I like, I really like it.  So I thought its time to dive into some make-believe for a change (that and my books about Quadra and Money are interesting; but also kinda boring and are taking me forever, so time for a break).

I’m only on chapter two but so far I like it.  Nick tells the story of Duncan and Annie and Tucker Crowe but he also talks about music.  About listing to music; being a fan; being a casual listeners; what it means; what it does for each of us.  Duncan is a super obsessed music fan.  His nerddom shames me.  His life partner Annie is his suffering side-kick.  In Chapter one they travel to America from their home in the UK to go on a pilgrimage of sites for Duncan’s favourite musician  Tucker Crowe.  Chapter two has them at home in the UK and Annie is starting to feel like Duncan is not the man for him and a little depressed at some of her life choices and how boring it all is.  Duncan thinks Annie is an idiot.  Then a CD arrive sin the mail and…. god dammit MADELYN GO TO BED.

“One thing about great art,” Duncan thinks after his first listen to Juliet, Naked, “it makes you love people more, forgive them their petty transgressions. It worked in the way that religion was supposed to, if you thought about it.”

I’ll have to tuck into more tonight after I  get home from DJing at The Clubhouse.  If you’re going out, maybe I’ll see you there for drinks and music and friendship… if not… go with yourself.

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Sasquatch was a good idea at the time

Posted in life or something like it, tagged , , , , , on May 4, 2010| 9 Comments »

Inspired by my friend Dave Sawchuk and a new afternoon show sponsor, Horus Bikes… I think I wanna get a bike to commute to work everyday!

So that means I am selling my Honda Jazz scooter.  Which I love, but sadly I fear that if I bike to work everyday, the poor scooter will be neglected.  I’d rather it went to a good home.

As you know from reading my blog (I hope), I LOVE scooter riding.  If you think you might, or know someone who does, please have a look or share my Used Victoria ad with them.

Link: Honda Jazz 2006 $1,800

***

Just got back from a quick trip to Coquitlam to visit my family and celebrate my brother Matt’s 27th birthday.  Ran into some some old friends from High School which was kinda random.  Its not like metro Vancouver is a small town or anything.  Saw a friend named Lisa and her little 5 month old girl at Metrotown and ran into Jen on a first date!

***

In other less exciting news…

No more Sasquatch trip for  me because I’m an idiot and did this:


ugh.  So ignorant.  Generally I feel Coral is the crazier driver and I am the zen one.  Coral stresses in traffic, speeds, tails people.  I always figured she’d be the one totaling the Jeep.  But ah, Murphy’s Law, the guy that scooters to work in the sun/rain/sleet/hail/wind everyday… takes the Jeep out on a Friday morning for some errands (dry cleaning FYI), backing up and run into a cement barrier.

It smashed into the side/rear of the jeep above and beside the bumper.  I don’t know if the Jeep is made of out of paper mache, but it sounded like an IED went off as I gingerly backed into the metal capped cement corner.  I thought I was in Afghanistan briefly.  As I didn’t see the barrier at all and the parking lot was empty, it was a mighty surprise.

“what the fuck was that?!?”

I fly outta the Jeep and… oh, right… the giant cement barrier.  Since I missed the bumper, the cement barrier cut into the Jeep like a Spartans spear and did some serious damage.

So I have to make a claim to ICBC and that little “uh-oh I forgot” will cost me $500.  About what I planned on spending on booze/food in Washington.  Assuming I could get a media pass.  If I had to buy scalper tickets more.  So instead I canceled my holiday and will stay home to DJ and make up the $500.  Lame.

That’s all I got.  Go with yourself.

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infinite desert

Posted in life or something like it, music, tagged , , , , , on April 22, 2010| 6 Comments »

Me (and my fat head) and Makka Pakka watching the Canucks game.

Up early today.  I thought I was supposed to meet the fire inspector for my condo building, but I obviously got that date wrong.  No worries, I had a lot of out-standing emails to answer, and some tax stuff to organize.  Now it is just past 9 AM and i feel good.  Maybe I should wake up at 8AM every morning?

I have to go to my tax guy later after the morning Zone DJ meeting.  Ugh, not looking forward to it.  I’ve been flying around the blogosphere reading everyone’s tales of mega tax returns… and what tropical Island they’ll be spending it on and it makes me envious.  I’m the guy the guy that will need to be sending money to the government.  wah wah wah.

Its my own fault really, I am partly self employed and last year I DJ’d a fair amount outside of my 9-5 at The Zone.  So yeah, I’ll be sending a cheque to Ottawa.  Next year will be crazier (which is good?  It means I am working more… but I have no long term planning ability, so the money comes in, I spend it.).  I’ll need to do pre-emtive tax payments now I think, so it doesn’t stress me out next spring.  Ahhh, maybe Coral will get a tax return and we can… go on the ferry to Port Angeles or something?

***

Pitchfork.tv is a great invention. Its like how you wished Much Music still was.  But the beauty if 2010, it IS Much Music.  I can plug my laptop into my TV and watch all these great music video.  I can search for a fave, or let Pitchfork play their selected titles.  They also have the odd interview or feature piece.  Yesterday I watched a video on the Decline of the Indie Record Store.

I Need The Record

The person doing the documentary travels around to different indie record stores and documents their plight.  Its a good watch for the most part, he talks about the community that indie record stores apparently create and how important that is.  But the people he generally interviews are really gnarly alpha nerd 50 something fat men.  Hmmm, I don’t know if i want to be part of that community.

I felt bad for the shops and the decline in the culture, but the culture is not dead.  Obviously “most” people don’t have the same value on the music then some people feel they should have, but it doesn’t mean all record stores have gone the way of the dodo bird.  The only reason there were so many before is because people HAD to buy music, now they don’t.  Most people don’t care to hang out in a record store… we all have passions, maybe yours is the garden store, or the park or a hike or whatever.  maybe its steam train engines.  Fuck, I feel sorry for you, not too many steam engine shops open on Johnson Street anymore.

Collecting records is a nerdy thing, like collecting miniature civil war figurines or having a cat. A couple shops in Victoria, thats all we need.  And if they are going to stay, we need to actually shop at them from time-to-time.  Friends don’t let friends buy records off Amazon (or books either!).

Don’t even get me started on books! (great read if you have the time)

***

WTF?  Has Delorean created an album about the desert?  the Spanish electro-druggy-poppy-bright somethingorother band might have done just that.

Check out their record Subiza. I already have a couple from their first ep and the cut “Stay Close” but when I saw the track listing today, it was kismet, I had to have “Infinite Desert.”

I have already drafted my next set for Mixcloud “Two Kinds” (almost had it up last night but wasn’t happy so I scrapped it).  It was missing something, and that something is “Infinite Desert.”

OK, the time is now to head to work.  Go with yourself.

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My right eye and my left eye

Posted in life or something like it, tagged , on April 16, 2010| 4 Comments »

I went to the eye doctor finally.  I have a bad eye.  Its my right, it doesn’t work worth shit.  The doctor said if something happened to my left eye, I’d be legally blind.  I have some condition… hmmm, what was it called again?  I better look this up.

Wiki go!

I think it is called Keratoconus.  My cornea is thinning and collapsing creating a cone rather than a nice, uh, eye shape.  This collapse refracts the light beams all weird and creates scaring and thus, I see fuzz outta my eye.

Since I’ve had this condition to some degree most my life, my brain has learned to listen only to my left eye and for the most part, my day-to-day is pretty clear seeing.

Lately my vision has felt bad however.  It has always bothered me when my eye(s) gets tired and my bad eye is forced into action but now it seems to get bad every night or when there is bad light (like in the studio at work).

The doc said I’ll need to go to a specialist who will likely spray my eye with some sort of fluid then “harden” the substance with a UV light.  This will stop my eye from deteriorating further.  It can not reverse the damage.  The doctor said, seeing as I can… see; this process will be good enough and I can live my life with sorta poor; but mostly good vision.

I could get a corrective contact lens that would push my eye back into place, but it is hugely uncomfortable and if I don’t want it, I don’t need it right now.

Worse case scenario, I can get a cornea transplant, but once again, the doctor said that it would be a big deal.  As long the left eye is happy carrying the load that option might not be for me.  He then encouraged me to protect that good eye.  That said, sign your donor card, maybe I could use your cornea if tragedy were to strike!

So anyways, that is what I did today.

Go with yourself.

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Pink Rocker

Posted in life or something like it, music, tagged , , , on April 14, 2010| 8 Comments »

Battle between the Scythians and the Slavs (Viktor Vasnetsov, 1881)

Today is anti-bullying day.  Lots of people rocking Pink. (I wore black today cuz I am more pro space than anti-bullying, but yeah, semantics aside).  Jason and Dylan had a powerful discussion on their show this morning that would be worth your time to revisit.

I wouldn’t say I was bullied a ton in school.  I was am a skinny guy and I remember back in grade 8, my first year of middle school, being made very aware of how skinny I was.  There were some older kids that gave me a hard time and I didn’t like being in the gym change room when the football guys were there because they’d push me around.  I do remember wanting to be fat? I thought people would pick on me less if I were a giant lumbering barbarian man!  How fucked is that?  Probably didn’t help that I played a TON of Dungeons and Dragons.

The way I dealt? Fought back… once at least.  Results… hmm  mixed.  I would spend my lunch sometimes in the tech room with the other nerds in grade 8, thinking I would be clear of bullies there.  Wrong-O.  there was this alpha cowboy nerd guy that would beat on us… and my friend Rob in particular.  I got tired of it so one day I told the teacher guy and he turfed him.  He lost his lunch privileges.  After his little suspension, he came at me one time but I fought him off and all was cool.  He kind of avoided me and I him.  The older football guys… well I just avoided and they moved up to highscool at the end of the year.

I also made some friends and quick.  Got tribal.  And the tribe of choice for me were the “rockers.”  They were some “big” guys and they were into metal and rock and liked to party and there were girls around.  And when I got bothered by the “homies” it wasn’t “me” they were laying into, rather the culture and that was cool… because our culture was strong and we could give it back.

My high school was so big that by grade 11… to me at least, people didn’t worry about that stuff so much.  I am sure it mattered to most people but I had a thick skin by then and just focused on graduating and parties.

The idea of music and bullies does live on.  The music and style you listen to attracts comments, dissent and dissection.  Sometimes fun and sometimes unwanted.  Any closet country fans reading this blog?  Probably not the first thing you share when you walk into a room.  Save that dirty secret for your lover or priest or something.  Ace of Base fans?  Just kill yourself.

See, that is me being a bully.

Working on the Zone I get a LOT of phone calls from people with their opinions of the music we play.  Being a professional broadcaster, I have the confidence to listen and then not really care that you think Wintersleep’s “Black Camera” is too repetitive (mostly because I don’t think you really know why you hate the song and you picked the wrong way to articulate it).

To me, harshing on someone’s taste in music is a form of bullying.  Its a personal decision that doesn’t have to effect anyone else (well except on the Zone, we broadcast our taste to your car stereo… so please feel free to beak off if you so desire).  At the end of the day, every song we play is someone’s favourite, or it wouldn’t be on the radio.

I do try to not slam anyone’s music (except Vancityrockgirl’s obsession with Placebo… creepy).  Its not that I don’t have opinions or strong dislikes… I’d just rather focus my arguments on what are the best… instead of what is the worst.

Go with yourself.

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A Well Respected Man

Posted in life or something like it, tagged , , on April 12, 2010| 3 Comments »

OK, this might be just finally too nerdy (even for me) but I do kinda want it.  Diesel’s Turntable Bed Sheets! ahhhhhhhhh!

If its super high tread count Egyptian cotton, then maybe Coral will let me have it?

Crystal and Linda came by the Veneto on the weekend, and we got to talking about bed sheets and how it is important to have good sheets.  I told them it didn’t really matter for me, I’m married.  I get what I get.

When I was single and young, I was just happy to have a bed that was off the ground.  I figure its a trade up… but now I am 30, and maybe it’s time to revert back to novelty bed sheets.

(actually, that whole analog apartment blog is pretty groovy)

***
I wore a tie to work today and my sweater vest.  Today was picture day at the Zone.  Jason’s wife Lilly Louise came over, set up shop and snapped away. I’m uhhh, how do you say? not photogenic, so it was an awkward ordeal for me, but Louise did her best I am looking forward to what the final pictures might look like.

I do dress up sometimes… mostly when I DJ at the lounge.  Maybe I should dress up more?  Dave Sawchuk was trying to tell me some philosophy the other day.

He was talking to a friend and going over the things that make him happy or feel good that he can control.  one of the things Dave mentioned was that he likes when he “looks good.”

The buddy said, “well that’s easy, then when you wake up to go to work, put on a tie, dress up.”

I like being on vacation and I love the desert, so I am trying to think of ways to live like I’m on holiday.  All I got so far is to put a palm of some degree on my deck, and build a swim up bar in the bath tub.

If Coral could start wearing a bikini top around the apartment, bonus.

Go with yourself.

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For 3 days // I’ve bathed in nothing but sweat

Posted in ...this is your father speaking, life or something like it, music, neat-O gang, tagged , , , , , , , on March 22, 2010| 4 Comments »

Walked into the Zone today.  Seeing as it was so nice and Coral and I didn’t have a chance to do our weekend hike.  On ym way in, i rocked my one armed backpack which is quickly becoming my second fave purchase (the hiking shoes being number 1!).

I using this backpack for all sorts of stuff, lunch kit seems to be the best use.  But it is also my handy dandy diaper bag when out with Madelyn.  Diaper bags are the most emasculating invention ever.  Its bad enough its a purse type bag.  If it were filled with gun powder and musket balls, then I could at least handle it… but then its filled with baby powder and diapers.  No fun central.

This handy little bag, way smaller, out of the way, frees my hands.  Plus I think it’ll be a godsend at the Sasquatch Festival this year (If I can get there!).

If there is one thing I hate, its being encumbered with stuff.  I want to be free.  The flip is, free equals cold, or hungry or thirsty.

This year, I’ll have a little pack, outta the way.  Next, I’ll need some hipster pants that let me zip off the legs during the day to make shorts, then at night, zip them back on.  Plus some sort of sweater that can be tucked into this pack and pulled out when I when Coral gets cold at night.

This year I applied for a proper media pass.  I hope to get a chance to record the shenanigans for a kickass podcast.  My little pack might be big enough for an audio recorder too.  I’ll let the photog haul around the visual apparatus.

With the laptop and the motor home, I can produce up a show every night for broadcast. Go technology!

***

Stone Temple Pilots s/t album cover

The Stone Temple Pilots record cover looks pretty groovy… man.

The new record is supposed to have a 60s vibe.  really?  I’d believe that.

We all go through a classic rock phase at some point, I am glad that Scott and the rest of the boys are going through theirs.

STP released their first new single since… 2003? on Friday night.  Pretty weird, but the stunt worked.  According Alan Cross over at Explore Music, the single was spun over 500 times in a 60 hour period across North America.  Not bad.

Now if you really want to dive into some syrupy, 60’s acid rock from California, get involved with this band, Best Coast.  The song “When I’m With You” is rad (scroll down to the bottom of the player).  “When I’m with you I have fun.”  Oh very lo-fi a dirty.  Looks like the jumping off point for this week’s mix.  Plus I’ll tuck into some “Best New” tracks and music from Pitchfork and a couple other faves.  We’ll see what plays out.  Its hard to say before I am in pajamas standing in front of the blinking lights of my rig.  I kinda want to play “Show My Ass” (MP3) but uh, yeah that might not be my style.   Coming at you tonight or tomorrow.

Go with yourself.

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I have to have more virtual cowbell

Posted in life or something like it on March 21, 2010| 7 Comments »

Man, I really wrecked my button pushing finger by getting all techno wizard sample heavy during my set tonight.  If you ever wondered how a DJ could possibly injure himself on the job, now you know.  I looked like a 14 year old playing Guitar Hero on extra hard, tap tap tap on my hot key, ringing the bell during a Neon Indian song.  Now my finger is sore.

Tonight was a night at the lounge for sure.  Lots of groovy people came to visit and say hi and listen to music.  That was great, so thank you if you you’re that people.  Some people more challenging.

I’ve been DJing for a lot  of years now at some level.  I would never say that the music I listen to is “better” than the music you listen to.  Its such a subjective thing that there is no way to qualify that.  The only thing I ever ask, is that you recognize that most the time… I’ve at least thought about the music I am presenting.

I hope to never have this conversation again: “hey I can’t remember the guys name… its like Mojo something and the song is, ‘Tie My Penis in a Knot.'”

“yeah I’m sorry, I don’t have that song.”

“Well, just play something good, the music you’re playing right now sucks.”

***
I’ve really been loving my new hiking shoes.  They make my feet feel magical (though I didn’t wear them DJing).  I’ve only gone hiking in them once, but just the sheer fact that I own hiking shoes makes me feel like a hiker  I am such a weekend warrior.  Its why I hate going into Mountain Equipment Co-op.  I see all the shit in there and want to buy it.

$25 for a rock climbing harness?  Shit that’s a good deal.  Whoa, I need to buy a kayak.  What would I ever do with a kayak?

I better stay focused on the hiking.  Coral and I are in such  bad shape that walking to the top of a moderately small hill is an epic challenge.

I’ll have to save the cross country skis for a future purchase.

***
I should probably go to sleep now but I’m not tired.  I just want to tell stories and listen to music.

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everyone high-fiving everyone

Posted in life or something like it, music, tagged , , , , , , , on March 15, 2010| 15 Comments »

Coral and I went for a nice hike on Saturday before the rains came.  We headed up to Mount Doug park.  It was the first time in a long time that I went for anything that resembled a “proper” hike.  We had to trek over mud, across puddles, under felled trees and scramble up rocks.

We must have looked pretty comical.  I was wearing white hipster street shoes and and huffing and puffing away.  Coral and I didn’t want to carry anything, so we left the water bottle in the Jeep.  yeah, bad idea.

But in the end, we felt really good getting our  hearts pounding (and pounding and pounding) in our chests (and throats).  We’ve decided we like doing a nice walk that is more challenging than a stroll but not running around a track on pavement.  We’ll try it again and again till we get ‘er that we can easily trail-blaze to the top.  Then maybe run down!

I had to hit Mountain Equipment Co-op today and buy some shoes.  That was fun… I put on a pair trail running shoes and couldn’t believe my feet.  Years of hipster slip-ons and  Chucks had me thinking that feet were supposed to just hurt all the time.  This is like walking on angels.  A road made out of baby angels.  so soft.  I am going to DJ in these shoes.

My new shoes ::Vasque Light Trail Shoe

It was pretty scary going into MEC and seeing the wall of shoes (and really all the out door stuff).  Luckily there was another gentleman in the shoe area buying shoes and he seemed the hiker type.  When I was explaining to the clerk lady about my needs and weekend warriornessisms… the dude interjected and said, “buy these shoes.  I am actually here to buy my next pair of them because the first ones were so so so good.”  Thanks old teacher hiker guy at MEC!

We’re going to hike again mid week.  Tuesday its supposed to rain and I am meeting with an accountant anyways… but Wednesday onward looks spectacular to get outside.  Then I was telling Coral about how in my youth Bob and I used trail run all the time at Buntzen Lake.  Next time we’re in Coquitlam I’ll have to take her.  Maybe we’ll need to drag Vancityrockgirl as she likes the nature hikes too and its her neighbourhood!  When I’m rich I am going to move to Anmore or Belcarra.  As kids, we used to explore back up in that area a lot.  The best shape I was ever in my life was the summers when Bob and I would trail run in the hills at Buntzen (didn’t hurt that I was like 17 at the time!).

***
What do you think of the name Ottoman Empire?

I’ve been thinking about a name or brand for DJing.  The easy answer is just to use my name.  People know it.  But boring (no offense Mom) and I wouldn’t mind splitting off from my radio DJ persona for the music I want to present and create as a DJ.  Sometimes I find when I DJ and people find out its ‘Jeremy Baker’ they get confused if I don’t lay down a Pearl Jam song and tell them the weather in the bar.  Weird, but true.

I like Orc as well but Coral was pretty meh on that.  I like Orc because its super nerdy and is short.

She sent me DJ Beatdown… but that sounds way to aggro for the chillwave/indie/classics that I normally lay down.   A spin on that that I like is Beatmonger.  Like a fishmonger, but of beats.  get it?

The other name I liked is National Sound Company because… well I love the National, so its like an homage to my favourite band.

Any thoughts you have are always appreciated.  I can use a name or maybe no name and keep trucking along under my actual name.  Whatever works I guess, just let it come naturally.

Go with yourself.

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expos

Posted in life or something like it, tagged , , , , on March 11, 2010| 4 Comments »

Fail, Fail, Fail yesterday.

Coral decided to bring her relationship with Bell to a head and some words were exchanged and the next thing I know, I’m at a Telus store in the mall.

That’s all good, except it took hours to go through the process of finding a new phone.

When we got home, it was late, but Madelyn Oh Yeah! still needed a shampoo/tub.  Then snuggles in the Mommybed… and then … well I KO’d as well.  I woke up to Coral carrying Mads into her crib and her crawling into bed late after she played with her new phone and transferred contacts and all that fun stuff.

I just just couldn’t find the energy to wake back up and get to what I had hoped to do.  Oh well, maybe it was good to go to bed before 10PM for a change?  Obviously my body needed it if I just shut down.

I am slowly learning (or trying) Garageband on the Mac.  I thought it would be fun to make some podcasts and try to craft some audio when I am at home.  Another thing I want to try is recording some mixes on Serato.  I think I had read it was a feature of my ITCH program but hadn’t tried it yet so last night was going to be a test of that feature.  Looks like I’ll wait to the weekend to play.  I want to put something up on MixCloud soon.  I personally find the best way to get better at something is to do it, and perform it and suck and take some licks and then jump back in the fire (with hopefully a little less suck next time).

I’ve downloaded and discovered a ton of great new chillwave and indie rock that I wanted to share.  normally I’d type a “playlist” but that doesn’t really do justice.  Type out a song?

So adding a fun mix might something people can listen to and enjoy.  I’ll get on that this weekend as sadly, Wednesday was my last chance before a weekend of live performances.  Clubhouse tonight and I’ll see you Friday and Saturday in the Veneto Lounge.

In other news, I bought a pretty rock star Expos hat.  meh, I shouldn’t be buying baseball hats, but it was $22… so whatever, I’m weak.

I used to love, LOVE baseball as a kid.  I watched it all the time and followed it and everything.  I don’t know what happened but now I could barely tell you which cities even have teams anymore.  Its like one minute I was 14 and the Montreal Expos were dominating the National League and the next… they moved to Washington DC and I stopped caring.  I try to pay attention during the World Series… but it is hard to get jazzed on the stories when you haven’t followed the drama all season.  Same goes for NFL.  After the second week and Seattle is mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, I’m all Who Dat is what?

The worst part of all this, I’ve seen a pretty bad ass vintage Mariners hat that I kinda want.  But its $40!  Holy moly!

Go with yourself.

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