Reservations for 5:30pm please? Oh, the restaurant is empty......

I know that people eat dinner at different times. This might stem from when you ate dinner as you were growing up, it could depend on your schedule, maybe you are just hungry earlier or later? For most of my life, we ate dinner pretty regularly around 5:30. Sometimes it was later, depend on sports practice, but it was rarely after 6:00pm. This has stuck with me even now; 5-6 is the dinner hour. I would rather not eat after 6:30, for a few different reasons. Luckily, Ross is in the same camp as me - unlike our roommate Josh, he often makes his dinner around 8pm!

This habit of eating early probably saves us from waiting for a table at many restaurants, because for the most part we are beating the crowd. I take that back - when we go to Olive Garden at 5:00, we might have to wait - but when we go to Figlio's, we will likely be the only ones in the dining room! My friend sometimes asks me to dinner at Figlios.....at 9:00pm.....and I usually laugh because to me that is not dinner :)

This past Friday was our anniversary, so along with a day at the Zoo and a night in the downtown Hyatt, we planned to have dinner at Buca de Beppo's. I thought, being a Friday night, it might be smart to make reservations. I don't go out downtown too often, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I called and made reservations for 5:30pm. Due to a rainstorm that would bring a heavy downpour from about 5-6, we headed to Buca's at 4:45 for a before dinner drink. Getting there, we found that we were the second couple in the place. This didn't change much as it got closer to 5:30. When we were lead to our table, I think there were 3 other parties in the restaurant. I couldn't help but laugh that I had made a reservation. Better safe than sorry?
More on the food coming later....

Will They Ever Lose?

Eight wins in a row has brought the Twins within half a game of the Pale Hos. Let's extend interleague play for another month! The disparity between the two leagues is apparent when not only the Twins but the Royals dominate their NL opponents. Anybody interested in realignment? I know the Royals are. The Twins did what they needed to do. They beat up on the Nationals and D'Backs at home and they've taken two so far from the Padres in San Diego. The biggest reason for the win streak has been the starting rotation. After getting hammered in Chicago and Cleveland, the rotation has picked it up and shut down the opposing lineups. Since losing 4-2 to Milwaukee on June 15th, no team has scored more than three runs on the Twins pitching. Other than Reyes picking up the win on Tuesday, the starting rotation has recorded every victory. Winning begins with pitching and if the Twins keep this up, it could be an exciting September.

I love day games! The Padres series has been a nuisance as the games begin at 9pm. Since going to the game last Friday night, I have not seen a live pitch of a Twins game. I'm ashamed. Thankfully today is a day game with a local start time of 2:30. Scott Baker, future Cy Young candidate, will be on the mound going for the sweep. The Twins return home this weekend for another epic Minnesota vs. Wisconsin showdown. Last time, Minnesota came through winning two of three. It should be a great series as the Brew Crew have been on their own tear, winning eight of their last ten. The food certainly won't be as good at the ballpark for this series, but the beer will be better. The Metrodome just added Grain Belt Premium on tap, the greatest beer on earth, brewed right here in Minnesota. Much better than that urine drink called Miller Light. If only the Metrodome could offer me five different sausages. Then I'd be set.

Euro 2008 - Are You Watching Yet?

Watch the final on Sunday. The semifinal between Germany and Turkey yesterday was amazing, the perfect game for a non-fan to get excited for. Trailing 2-1 with five minutes left, Turkey scored to seemingly send the game to extra time. More drama ensued as in the 90th minute, Germany came through with a beautiful goal to wrap up their spot in the final. I can only imagine how entertaining the final will be after this thrilling match. If you don't know about soccer but want to give it a chance, tune in on Sunday at 1:45 on ABC. The Italians will not be in the final so the diving will be minimal, goals will be scored, and Luca Toni's mustache wont frighten women and children.

Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda

At long last, the third aspect of this blog is addressed. Much has been written about sports, a little bit about food, and now the first movie review. After watching a couple movies not worth writing one word about, Laura and I took our little brother Edgar to see Kung Fu Panda. The plot revolves around a panda named Po who idolizes a group of kung fu fighters called the Furious Five. He dreams about being one of them, fighting evil forces and protecting his home, the Valley of Peace. Unfortunately, Po is no kung fu fighter. He is an overweight klutz who works at his Dad's restaurant serving noodles. When the time comes for a new Dragon Master to be chosen, an extravagant ceremony is held and Po is unwittingly chosen. After facing doubters and doubting himself, Po is able to unlock his hidden potential with the help of his master Shifu. He becomes a master kung fu artist and must help save his village from Tai Lung, a former student of Shifu who turned evil. Epic fights ensue and Po learns to believe in himself and his ability to do what makes him truly happy.

Kung Fu Panda is simply a great movie. It is possibly the best movie of the summer so far. I had no complaints about it like I did for Indy 4. The action scenes are more exciting than the ones in Ironman. I have no doubt it is funnier than either Adam Sandler's or Mike Myers' summer efforts. The animation is beautiful, creating landscapes that could not be matched with live footage. The audience is transported to ancient China populated with talking animals. I can't stress enough how visually appealing the movie is. If all computer animated movies looked this good, I wouldn't be too sad about old animation fading away.

The one worry I had going into the movie was about the actor providing the voice for Po, Jack Black. I have a love/hate relationship with Jack Black. In a movie like High Fidelity or Orange County, he is great as his characters don't overwhelm the movie. Too much of him can drive me crazy as his constant banter and over the top antics become repetitive and tiresome. I enjoy School of Rock, but after multiple viewings, I tire of Black's shtick. The kids are what make that movie work. It was a pleasant surprise then that his voice never bothered me throughout the movie. Black was much more subdued, and I give credit to the writers. They could have given Po more of a crazy personality, but they presented him as a lovable loser wanting to make something more of himself than a waiter. It is very satisfying to see Po succeeding at kung fu after all the nay sayers bring him close to quitting. I give Black credit for conveying Po's emotions well and getting me to care about the character.

It's always fun trying to guess the other actors doing character voices. I laughed when I heard David Cross doing the voice of a crane, a member of the Furious Five. I wonder if the crane is a never-nude. Or maybe a discipline daddy. They need to make the Arrested Development movie as soon as possible. The one voice I did not pick up on was Angelina Jolie as another member of the Furious Five, Tigress. Maybe she has a fairly mundane voice or the character wasn't given enough for her to make a stronger impression. Dustin Hoffman was great as Po's master Shifu, as his voice comes off as very wise and elderly, exactly what I would expect from a kung fu master.

The one aspect of the movie that blew me away and put it at the top of my summer movie list were the fight sequences. There are three lengthy fights in the movie that are all very different in their settings, making for distinctly different fighting. In particular, the scene involving the villian, Tai Lung, breaking out of prison is incredible to watch. The prison is in a mountain, buried deep below the earth with only one door for an exit. Tai Lung has to get past hundreds of guards and escape the cavern in the mountain. There's no more to explain. You just have to see how it's done. The other two great fights involve the Furious Five vs. Tai Lung on a rope bridge, similar to the one in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Po vs. Tai Lung in the climax encounter. They are all great and far superior to the action scenes of many live action movies.

Go see Kung Fu Panda. It has a great message about believing in yourself and doing what makes you happy. It has some funny scenes involving some slapstick comedy. The action is top notch. It looks beautiful. Sounds good, eh?

To Trade or Not to Trade

After walloping the Nationals last night, the Twins brought their record back to five hundred. The two wins against the Nationals begin a stretch of fourteen home games in their next seventeen. This is a critical period for the Twins season. The Twins perform far better at home than on the road, particularly the starting pitching. While watching Livan Hernandez and the bullpen wrap up the game on Tuesday night in less than two hours, FSN put up a graphic comparing the starting rotation's home ERA and its road ERA. I was disgusted with the numbers I saw. The road ERA is two whole runs higher than the home ERA. While it's good news that the rotation is exceptional at home, it is more worrying that the rotation has pitched so pitifully on the road. This makes it imperative that the Twins continue to win at the Dome. They have already won the series against the Nationals and must take two of three this weekend against the D'Backs. It will be tough as the Twins face the Big Unit on Friday and Brandon Webb on Sunday. The good news is Randy Johnson can't kill any birds on Friday cause he'll be inside.

Looking ahead to next week, the Twins take a long trip out west to San Diego for three games and return home to face the Brewers. San Diego is a pitchers park so hopefully the rotation won't get pounded and they can take two of three. I have full faith in them owning the Brewers as Minnesota is far superior than Wisconsin in all areas. Except maybe food. I have to give Wisconsin the nod in the food department strictly because of the Queen Bee and Joe Rouer's. Expect me to wax poetic on these amazing dining establishments sometime on this blog. If the Twins continue this winning form at home, when the All-Star break comes, they should be a few games above five hundred. This brings up a big question for the GM: Are you a seller or a buyer?

To be honest, I did not expect the Twins to be hovering around five hundred for the season and within shouting distance of first place. They have been a pleasant surprise and a joy to watch. Realistically, they have little shot at making the playoffs. Even though Detroit and Cleveland have underperformed, I still see one of them turning it around and jumping us in the standings. Detroit is starting to look like the world beaters everyone thought they would be and that lineup frightens me against Twins pitching. I believe the Twins have to listen to offers if other teams come calling. It seems inevitable that Livan Hernandez will get traded, and I think it is the right move for the Twins. With Liriano pitching well in triple A and Boof available for spot starts, getting something for Livan is the best option. We're building for 2010 when the new ballpark opens. Being competitive now is great, but worrying about the present and mortgaging our future is foolish. Bill Smith knows this and he will make smart decisions. Although signing Nathan for around eleven million a year wasn't the brightest idea. I'm excited for the rest of the season and the continued improvement of the team. In a couple years, in a new ballpark, a cool October night under the lights might be in the cards.

Random Thoughts

-If you can't get excited for the Euro 2008 tournament, you must be dead. Even if you hate soccer, think it is the most dull, boring sport ever invented, you have to admit the drama is second to none. Take the Czech Republic vs. Turkey game yesterday. It was basically an elimination game as the winner went on to the quarter finals. Up 2-0 with twenty minutes left, the Czechs seemed secure with their lead and a place in the quarters beckoned. Turkey stormed back to score three goals, two in the last five minutes to win the game. I repeat, TWO GOALS IN THE LAST FIVE MINUTES! An unbelievable ending to an exhilarating game. If you can't get up for that, what kind of a sports fan are you?

-On the way back from Appleton yesterday, we stopped in Menomonie for a little fathers day dinner. I was lucky enough to watch the last six holes of the U.S. Open in HD and see Tiger sink the dramatic birdie on 18. Unbelievable viewing experience. I wish they had a sudden death playoff instead of the 18 hole nonsense. Thank you Bill and Wendy for having an HD TV. One more great time to cap off a fabulous weekend.

-Go out and buy Lil Wayne's new CD "Tha Carter III". Right before leaving Appleton, my step-brother gave us a copy and we listened to it all the way home. Possibly the best CD I have listened to in over a year. The last CD I enjoyed as much as it was the newest Killers CD. Thanks Pat, I'll be bumping it every morning on my way to work. It will certainly wake me up.

-Downtown Appleton was hopping on Saturday night. Probably because I lived there when I was under age and never went out downtown made me think A-town was fairly lame. But the streets were filled and the bar we went to while waiting for our pizza was pretty sweet. Large, clean, and spacious with good music and attractive bartenders, I had to give Appleton some credit. Also, the bar was next door to the pizza place with the delicious Spinach and Feta. Available late night food always helps.

-Stayed up and watched the fifth game of the NBA Finals. Even though it was close, it was a boring game. It always seemed that the Lakers would pull it out just so the series would seem respectable. I have no doubt the Celtics will finish the series on Tuesday. It will be great not having to hear Stephen A. Smith yell at me.

Road Trip to Miller Park

This past weekend was one I had marked on the calender since Christmas. At Laura's family Christmas, baseball came up in conversation. Quinn, a cousin of Laura's mom, revealed that he had four season tickets to the Milwaukee Brewers. I was envious. He went on to explain that they were in the lower level only ten rows behind the visiting dugout. I became resentful. Than he gave us an impromptu Christmas gift of his four tickets to see the Twins play the Brewers at Miller Park. Quinn, what an outstanding man. After almost six months of waiting, June 13th arrived and we were on our way to Appleton and Miller Park the next day.

As much as I love the food at Miller Park, I wanted to eat at a nearby bar before the game. When I was younger, my father would take my brother and I to a couple Bucks games a year and we would usually eat dinner before the game. The Fourth Base was often the place we would eat at. My recollection was that the food was amazing, which always surprised me as it looks like a dive. Walking into the Fourth Base on Saturday was no different then ten years ago. It's still the dive bar with great food. Most importantly, the onion rings and french fries are the same as I remember. The onion rings are thinly sliced, lightly breaded, and topped with parmesan cheese and other spices. Between four people the basket of rings was gone in approximately 17.86 seconds. I regret not buying a couple baskets to take home with me. What amazes me most about the Fourth Base is the high quality food they serve. My father and step-mother split a portobello mushroom topped with blue cheese and crab meat. Not an item I would expect to see at most bars. It was also delicious, as was the chicken sandwich Laura and I split. It was a trip down memory lane and a perfect prelude to the baseball game.

Rolling into the game about forty five minutes before the first pitch, I was floored by the number of Twins fans at the game. Whether they made the trip from Minnesota or they were locals, I was pleased with the support shown at an opposing teams ballpark. Miller Park is a beautiful place to watch a game and it makes me hopeful that the new Twins ballpark will be equally as great. Unfortunately, the Twins weren't willing to add a retractable roof to their new ballpark. I plan on wearing a parka and snow pants to most of the games in April. The only bad part about the whole trip was that the ten percent chance of rain for the day showed up about fifteen minutes before the first pitch. I believe this is my fault, as my sports jinx came through once again. All day I had marveled at the beautiful weather and numerous times commented that I could not wait to watch a game outside. Once again, I need to talk less.

For the third game in a row, Laura and I saw Glen Perkins pitch in person for the Twins. Were planning on going to the Twins game this Friday and I think Perkins is pitching that game. If we see him pitch in New York City or Kansas City, something strange is certainly going on. He pitched a decent six innings and the game was close throughout. The seats were better than I had expected, a completely different vantage point from the top row of the upper deck at the Metrodome. I think were about two miles from the field when we sit up there. The Italian sausage with fried onions and secret stadium sauce was superb. Even the Miller Lite was tasty. I have a hard time finding any faults with Miller Park and it is a pleasure every time I go there. Perhaps the best part of the game was how pleasant all the fans around us were to each other. I saw no one come to blows, heard no one yelling obscenities at one another, and saw no beers spilled on any heads. How nice that Minnesotans and Wisconsinites can co-exist.

As usual, we headed out a little early and missed the late inning dramatics. After the top of the ninth, the Twins were winning 4-3. Having full faith in Joe Nathan, we took off to beat the traffic. Sure enough, Nathan blew the save. Thankfully, the Twins pulled it out in extras and we had the pleasure of listening to Bob Uecker calling the game on the ride home. Better stadium, better food, better radio announcer? The Brewers have the Twins beat in a lot of areas. But they don't have the witty banter and wisdom of Bert Blyleven. Advantage, Twins.

The Twins ended up taking two of the three games in Milwaukee, an important end to a brutal road trip. Currently two games under five hundred, the Twins have a favorable schedule with the Nationals and D'Backs coming to the Dome. Were planning on attending the Friday night game. It will be a great time, but I can't help but expect to be a little disappointed when I walk into the sterile hefty bag. No stadium sauce, no polish, chorizo, or italian sausage, no retractable roof, no seats ten rows behind the dugout. Miller Park, you always spoil me.

I Missed a Milestone

I was having a quality discussion about baseball with a co-worker when he floored me with some Twins news I had completely missed. On Saturday during the second game of the now infamous Chicago Massacre, the free swinging Delmon Young hit his first home run as a Twin. My head was spinning. How could I, a self-proclaimed great Twins fan, have missed this momentous moment in Twins history? I tried searching for a video but did not find one. I'm beside myself. I need footage. It almost doesn't seem real unless a video is shown to me. It took a little over two months for his first home run. If he keeps up this pace he will hit two more the rest of the year. Three home runs for the season. Thats less than Carlos Zambrano. I don't need to tell you what position he plays. Delmon Young, you owe me a home run.

Sports To Watch Today

-Austria vs. Poland Euro 2008 Championship. I could care less about either of these teams. There are no well known players on either team except for the Polish goalkeeper. He's well known for his mental blunders and making gestures towards opposing fans. Still, it should be entertaining as the loser is out of the tournament. Expect goals. Hopefully.

-U.S. Open Golf Tournament. It's on practically all day and the pairing of Woods and Mickelson is getting all the attention. I don't really need to watch every shot of the two. Just give me chip-ins, long birdie putts, and triple bogeys from random players and I'll be happy.

-Twins vs. Indians. Game begins at 6pm so I could possibly watch all nine innings, a rarity for me. Twins finally won last night and snapped their six game losing skid. It would be nice to start a winning streak.

-Celtics vs. Lakers. Yawn. When is game 7? I might stay awake for that.

The Beauty of Golf in HD

An HD television is not something I have or need. Nor do I really desire one. There are many channels available in HD that make no sense. CNN in HD? Please don't make it easier to spot Larry King's liver spots. About the only channel I would like to have in HD would be the Food Channel. Even that could be dangerous as the food would look so tempting it would be painful to watch without having a taste. Giada would also be nice to watch in HD. Paula Dean, not so much. The only reason I would buy an HD TV would be to watch sports (One exception: the mini-series Planet Earth. It was amazing to watch on normal TV. I can only imagine the mind blowing experience it would be in HD). Every time I go to the Porter household in Menomonie I am excited to watch whatever sports are on in HD. As enjoyable as sports in HD are, the difference between HD and regular TV for most sports is not significant enough to warrant dropping loads of money on a new TV. The one exception to this is golf, the most beautiful HD viewing I've experienced.

It is probably best that I don't have HD. If I did, I would probably turn into a golf junkie and watch every single tournament, perhaps even the LPGA. Golf in HD mesmerizes me. The flight of a 300 yard drive. The undulations of the greens. The thickness of the rough. The scenery surrounding the courses. Even Reid Muni would look good in HD. If you haven't seen golf in HD, do yourself a favor and watch an hour. And do it this weekend when the U.S. Open is played in San Diego. I've been watching it today on regular TV. The course is picturesque, straddling the Pacific ocean. It looks great on my TV. I can only imagine how wonderful it must look in HD.

It has to be this week?

I've been told. It's my time to blog. I laughed at Ross - this is my busiest/craziest week of work since I started last August - and he says I need to write now!? The next few nights I might have to be carried into bed directly from my bus due to exhaustion, so, here I go.

On Friday evening, Ross picked me up from work and we made the trek over to St Paul's Cesar Chavez Street and our favorite Mexican restaurant in the Twin Cities so far, Boca Chica. We ended up there for the first time a few years ago thanks to a Citysearch "Best Mexican Restaurants" list. I knew exactly what I wanted to order (and had for a few days), and couldn't wait to devour the plate of delicious melty cheese that was the Chile Relleno con Queso. The last time we had been there, I had tried something else. It had been good, as is everything that I have tried there, but I couldn't stop thinking about the Relleno. It comes with a starter of cactus salad. It sounds a little out there, but I am a believer in cactus, and you should be too! It is delicious, tender, salty, possibly good for you? (If anyone knows the nutritional value or benefits of cactus, I'm all ears!) I had to push my cactus salad aside though, so I did not fill up too much, as the best part was still to come. The Chile Relleno con Queso is essentially a pepper filled with a tasty white cheese and onion, battered and lightly fried, covered in tomato "gravy", and finally covered with more cheese of the white and orange variety - all melted into a half plate of goodness. The rice and beans that come with it are tasty as well. Their refried beans have a good consistency - not too runny, but not too clumpy. I wasn't even able to get through the whole plate (I'm guessing that has a lot to do with the chips, salsa, and guacamole that came before the cactus), and was pleasantly surprised when it reheated great the next day on the corn tortillas it came with. I would recommend Boca Chica to any fan of Mexican cuisine; it's not the cheapest, but as far as I have eaten in TC, I'd say it's the best.

Wow - blogging is exhausting. Actually, it just made me hungry reminiscing about the delicious meal I had. I think that's enough for me; time for me to fall into my position on the couch for the night. Cactus rocks!

LDP

They Are Who We Thought They Were

Four game sweeps are bad. A four game sweep at the hands of the White Sox is awful. Getting outscored 40-15 during that four game sweep is pitiful. Welcome to the lowest point of the 2008 Twins season. And it could get worse. With three game series in both Cleveland and Milwaukee on tap, the Twins are in danger of a free fall. The Twins had not lost more than three games in a row but are now on a five game losing skid. The rotation, which had exceeded all expectations, are throwing up lob balls that would make Henry Rowengartner's Mom cringe. Hopefully the Twins can count on the inept offense of the Indians to get the rotation back on track. If we can't take 2 out of 3 in Cleveland, the Twins might become the team everyone thought they would be, and not the pleasant surprise we've enjoyed watching.

Friday's dinner at Boca Chica was delicious. I would go into more detail, but I am abstaining from commenting on it until Laura does. Something needs to be done to light a fire under her butt and get her to write! I'm tired of her excuses. Expect something from her this week. I am making it my gold-plated shoe-in of the week. And it's a big shoe.

Don't see the movie "The Strangers". You probably weren't going to anyway because you are smarter than me, but just in case.

Euro 2008 is underway! After some underwhelming games the first two days, the Italy-Netherlands match today was justification for my unbridled excitement. Beginning after Snooze Fest 2008, France vs. Romania, the Netherlands played the attacking style of football that lifted my spirits and would excite any casual viewer. My strong dislike for the whiny, diving, greasy haired Italians drew me further into the match and I was overjoyed when a possible offside call never came and the Dutch grabbed the lead. It only got better from there as two beautiful, counter-attacking goals sealed the deal and the Dutch won comfortably 3-0. If only all the teams played like the Dutch. Some of you reading this might actually care about this paragraph.

On Tap for the Weekend

-Dinner at Boca Chica in St. Paul tonight. One of the things I had to find when I moved to the Cities was a good Mexican restaurant. I have been to Zacatecas in Neenah more than enough times to last a lifetime but the food was always great. I always want to go to El Patio when I visit Menomonie. When we were in New Orleans, the best meal I ate was not a cajun or creole meal. It was a burrito. And it was delicious. So it was necessary that I found top quality Mexican food in the Cities. Boca Chica is that place. And were going tonight. I'm excited. Hopefully Laura will write a full review on our dinner this weekend. I am highly anticipating the debut of a full blog entry by Laura.

-After a disappointing homestand that ended with a 3-4 record, the Twins hit the road for an important series with the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox are in first place, and losing the series will push the Twins farther back. A long four game series, I would be happy with a split and losing no ground. Nick Blackburn makes the start tonight, his first since catching a line drive from Bobby Abreu with his face. After Chicago, the Twins go to Cleveland for three, and then off to Milwaukee for some Interleague action. And we will be in Milwaukee.

- Saturday at 10:30, Euro 2008 kicks off with Switzerland vs. Czech Republic. The tournament should be as dramatic and enjoyable as the World Cup. Most of the best national teams in the world are from Europe so the games should be of the highest quality. I'll be cheering for Germany and France to make the final. I've been told my roots run back to those countries along with others. Yay ancestry! Thierry Henry also shaves with Tiger Woods and Roger Federer, so you know he's going to win.

- Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night. I found out yesterday that all of the games will tip-off around 8. I usually go to sleep around 9. I will never see a second half. Thanks NBA! I will miss most of the series but get to hear seven different analysts on ESPN explain everything to me for half of Sportscenter. TV! Isn't it great!

In total agreement that Ross is a jinx....

From the desk of Laura Porter....
I am writing from work, and about to head into a meeting, so my first post is going to be a very short one! I wanted to second Ross' words from above - he is a terrible jinx when it comes to sports. Sometimes I won't even respond to his "statements", in hopes that the jinx gods didn't hear him and won't take their jinxish anger out on us and our team! Alright, I'm being called from the conference room. Ahh, full-time employment :)

Quick Thoughts With a Terrible Jinx

After both of the predictions I made in yesterdays post were wrong, I think it can be officially stated that I am a jinx. I said the Penguins would win and force a game 7. Clearly that didn't work out. I expected Glen Perkins to dominate the Orioles lineup. He was yanked after 4 innings for the recently demoted Boof Bonser after giving up 5 runs and getting the cover smacked off the ball on almost every pitch. The rumor of me being a jinx has been circulating for some time but now there is unequivocal proof. Two predictions in writing, two predictions down the toilet. The only positive I can find from this is maybe I can gamble successfully on sports! When I claim a team is going to win, always bet the opposite. Anyone want to start a partnership? Here are some random thoughts while I try to update the filter between my brain and mouth to add "moronic predictions".

-I'm not so much sad that the Penguins lost to the Red Wings but that we are all deprived of a game 7. From baseball to basketball to hockey, game 7's are always the most exciting sporting events. Whether its the first round or the championship, the tension and drama is through the roof. For a good example, check out Dallas vs. Golden State from the 2007 playoffs. It was the first round, but I will always remember that series.

-Why are cats such hit or miss as pets? I feel like about 90 percent of the time dogs are great. But with cats, its a fifty percent chance you will get one that hates people, has devil eyes, only shows up when food is out, tries to scratch or bite you when you hold it, and will try any time a door is open to run away. It's a crap shoot and that's while I'll stick with dogs.

-At the Twins game last night, Laura ordered a large Coke. Unfortunately, the Metrodome doesn't have small, medium, or large sodas. They have souvenir size and jumbo size. Of course, the cashier assumed Laura wanted the jumbo size because she said large, and she ended up paying more for a size she didn't want. I noticed the same thing at DQ, where now they have four sizes of blizzards and I wasn't exactly sure which size I would get if I ordered a medium. I ended up ordering the 16 oz size, which thankfully was understood. Things were simpler back in the day.

-Tonight marks the beginning of the greatest NBA Finals in history according to ESPN. While I'm interested to watch some of the series, my excitement is mild. Seeing Ray Allen and KG win a championship would be nice, but it's not the same if it's not the Bucks or T'Wolves they are playing with. I have a hard time cheering for any Boston team and I would love to see the streak of losing in championships continue after the Patriots loss. Cheer for the Lakers? Only if Kurt Rambis suits up and puts his RecSpecs on. I have no horse in this race, and maybe that's a good thing. I can sit back and enjoy and not get riled up like I do with EVERY SINGLE TWINS GAME. Even in April. Suggestions for stress reducers are always welcome.

I'm off to see if Scott Baker can return in style and help the Twins post a winning homestand. No prediction from me this time.

A Sporting Conundrum

I've been a bad Twins fan this year. After going to 50 games last season, I have only been in the stands for 3 games this year. Working at 4:15 in the morning has ruined my ability to stay awake past 9:30 unless Lost is on. The only positive about Lost not returning until 2009 is an earlier bed time on Thursday. Working early mornings has not only prevented me from attending Twins games but also from watching more than six innings. Well I say to hell with sleep tonight! Laura and I are going to the Metrodome to watch Glen Perkins shut down the Baltimore Orioles. Between college ID night with 4 dollar tickets and Dollar Dog night, there is no option but to go. And yet, I am torn, for tonight television is offering two great sporting events. Rarely do I expect more than a Top Chef marathon or Anthony Bourdain reruns from television to mildly entertain me. But not tonight! Lets go over the options.

Option 1: Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals. If I had not been asleep by 9pm, I would have been sitting through three overtimes on Monday night, waiting for the Penguins to beat the hated Dead Wings. With the series moving back to the Igloo, I'm hoping Sid the Kid and the rest of the young Penguins can wear down the gray hairs from Detroit. Normally I would feel for fans who saw their team come within 30 seconds of the Cup only to lose the game in triple OT, but not Detroit fans. I feel for them because they have to live in Detroit. While I would love to watch this game, it is not a game 7. I expect a Penguin victory so I can sit back on Saturday night and watch one of the greatest sporting events, a Stanley Cup game 7.

Option 2: U.S. National Soccer Team vs. Spain. Since the Champions League final of 2005 when Liverpool shocked A.C. Milan, I've been an avid watcher of all soccer, especially the English Premier League. I'm going through withdrawals on Saturday mornings when I can't wake up and turn on a live soccer match. Only two months till the new season! With the European leagues on break, the summer is filled with international games, none bigger than the European Championships beginning this Saturday. As a tune up, Spain decided to play the U.S. and its roster of players suffering from rigor mortis. I was excited to watch the U.S. take on England last week until the game began and it reinforced any negative comments one has of soccer. England won 2-0, and they are rubbish compared to Spain. Watch a malaised U.S. team get romped by Spain? I'll have another Dollar Dog please.

It's fairly simple when it comes down to it. Which team do I support most in all of sports? The Twins. How cheap is a ticket to the game? 4 dollars. How many hot dogs can I eat? 12. How much would that cost? 12 DOLLARS! Will Laura have 911 punched into her cell phone during the game in case of a meat induced coma? I hope so. It's a no brainer. Go Twins.

Welcome to Super Happy Fun Wish Time!!!!!

Yes, the rumors are true. LDP and myself have decided to start blogging. Between my abundance of free time and the writing itch that has afflicted me, the summer of '08 seemed like the perfect time for me to return to my English major roots. So what exactly will we be bringing you in this blog? There are three things that Laura and I do quite frequently that entertain us immensely: watch sports, watch movies, and go out to eat. All of these we do entirely too much, and yet, we are not a combined 600 pounds. And we do see the light of day, even if the Metrodome helps prevent that. In a nutshell, Laura and I will be writing about the movies we watch, the restaurants we frequent, and the sports teams we cheer on or cheer against (such as Chicago baseball teams).

In most likelihood, I will be blogging more than Laura as she has a great full time job that keeps her pretty busy. For me, between naps and South Park, I should be able to write frequently. I am hoping that Laura will blog on the weekends, as her opinion on Joe Mauer's facial hair and the alien plot from Indiana Jones are must reads. Expect more entries this week, one concerning the Twins and their current homestand. I hope this intro has peaked your interest and you continue to check in to see whats rumbling around in our minds.

RDF

We made a blog! Welcome everyone. Right now we are watching the Twins finish off the Yankees - and need to concentrate! More later :)