Opening Days.

As many of you know, this week marks the official opening of Major League Baseball around the country. Monday was the opening day for my favorite field, Wrigley, and team, the Chicago Cubs. Friday is the opening day for my current hometown's team, the Milwaukee Brewers (little known fact - players have to drink a Miller product before every at bat).

I heard something I did not know before the other day too - the stirrup pants, knickers, or short pants, baseball players can wear even to this day, started as a way for the players to show the umpires the location of their knees - yes way! This helped the umpires see the strike zone for each player that came to the plate.

Of course today, many players choose to wear full-length pants. But what about helping the umps?! Well, from what I researched, it seems as though the feeling of most players is that the strike zone is so small lately that it wouldn't help if they wore small, red, blinking, LED lights on their knees.

It is also comforting to point out that baseball is one of the most well-documented sports around. They have records that go back well over 100 years, pictures, video, etc. You can find out things on all kinds of websites, including MLB's. How do you think I found out about the Brewer's drinking game?

Food for thought - Nay, hotdogs and CrackerJacks for thought. Batter up!

Paperwork.

Is anyone else continually amazed at the size and amount of receipts that we now get? And let's leave grocery stores out of it for now (they can be longer than my arm). Let's just take something that would seem really simple, uhh, BlockBuster. And no, I'm not sure anyone actually goes to BlockBuster anymore, but bear with me.

Before I had re-upped my Netflix subscription, I went to BB a couple of times. Not only did the movies cost about $5 each, the two individual receipt tapes that came with my movies were longer than the DVD boxes, and really couldn't have been more useless. I don't save DVD receipts (and we all know how anal I am). I don't think I've ever had to return a rental with proof of it (even the rental clerks can remember I was just there). And you return the movie the next day.

Why do we need so much paper for a $10 transaction? More examples can be found almost everywhere - take your car in for service, 4-5 sheets; eat out, up to two receipts; God forbid you return something at Kohls, 2-3 receipt tapes, all stapled together. And not only is a record of what you bought, it's often some coupons or marketing material stuck in for good measure. I mean, I just BOUGHT something at your store, why do I need more purchasing incentives?

Why can't we, as consumers, have the option for e-receipts for all transactions? You could be asked at checkout how you want your receipt - paper or electronic. If you choose to save a tree limb, they send it to your extra email account (doesn't everyone have at least 2?). Sure, some marketing junk gets sent too, but you were walking out with it stuff in your pockets anyways. And if you ever need the receipt in paper form, print it out.

This isn't rocket science and I've never been confused for some that smart.

Results, Poll #10, God

This poll was pretty big in terms of social magnitude, but in my eyes, kind of fell flat. I thought this would be some sort of huge topic for everyone to comment on, but not really. I think this might go back to the demographic profile of the t.c. reader. And also the fact that many people tend to keep their beliefs about God close to the vest. I only know a few people that have talked about God "a lot". But no worries, 12 respondents this week is enough to keep it interesting and show everyone that God is in most people's thoughts at some point during the day/week.


0 people believe in God exactly as they were taught - hmm.
9 people responded that they believe in God with their own beliefs - a whopping majority.
1 person said they only believe in God when their in trouble - no, wasn't me.
2 people said that this whole thing is hooey - maybe everyone feels this at some point?

I wonder if God gets the internet?

Sundries.

Does your local Walgreen's carry this too?

I think it's nice that you can pick up some Burt's Bees, Prell, a carton of Basic Lights, and the SI commemorative Brett Farve "The Tribute" issue. Amen, brother.

Brocach.

I know everyone has trouble keeping up with my fast-paced lifestyle here in MKE, but I thought a recent quiet night out would make a decent post. The place that was chosen is called "Brocach" and happens to be a new Irish pub here in town. Now you maybe thinking - "Big deal!"... but having a good Irish pub in the town you live in is crucial for bar variety survival.

The front couldn't be more inviting, and it happens to be in a nice neighborhood, with views of the river and opposite bank's condo's.

Inside is what you would expect, but maybe a little nicer (even better than Chicago's Fado - yeah, I said it!). It's two stories, but feels small and cozy when you're inside. Downstairs is dark and warm, upstairs has a smaller bar and big fireplace, for cozying up.

They have a big menu and it's clear they would like people to drink AND eat... but having had some of the food, I think their best draw is the drinks and desserts.

I had a orange-fennel salad. Pretty good, but as a licorice lover, I could use more fennel. See the flickering candle - cozy, huh?

The Scotch egg was basically chosen for fun. It's a hard-boiled egg, wrapped in pork sausage and deep-fried. It's not gross at all, but also not as good to eat as you'd hope. Eh. Oh, it comes with Coleman's too. They even listed that condiment on the menu's description. (?) And we did have a chicken sandwich, but nothing to write home about... again, not bad, but not super.

Finally, the desserts. You can see from the pic I didn't get the shot before I tore into them. I had a bread pudding with cinnamon gelato on top. The other choice was a flourless chocolate cake with peanut butter crust. Both were very good. I could eat the bread pudding as a breakfast dish with some eggs and sausage on the side. And it's a shame we had them at the end - I was so full from everything else, I couldn't finish either of them. Yes, you heard me right, I left food on the table/plates. I'm still upset about it.

And don't forget, they have a great, full bar and plenty of Irish favorites on tap (beers) and on pour (scotches, whiskeys, etc). Plus, plenty of people coming in and out to make the night entertaining.

If you come to town for the Cabela's, but need to rehydrate before heading back home, stop here.

Grosser than gross.

So over the last couple weekends, I have been doing more driving than normal (in WI and IL). It has given me the opportunity to see 6-12 occurences of someone tossing a cigarette butt onto the ground. Usually it's from the little "smoker's crack" in the driver's side window, and the telltale "ash-flash" (the sign of a lit butt hitting the pavement). Am I the only one that thinks this habit is not only disgusting, but also against the law? I don't come to your house and dump out my grill's ashes or mail you my fireplace's soot. I remember driving an old car that had a small gas leak (also not very environmentally friendly, but this was years ago)... well, I swerved hard and wide each time I saw the ash-flash come out in front of me. I didn't want the car blowing up, with me in it.

Just this week, I was walking down the street and saw a young woman toss her butt on the street as she got into the passenger side. I was two steps past saying something to her... but if I keep seeing it, it won't belong before I let someone know how I feel. I just hope it doesn't consist of me veering my truck into the offender's direction and causing some kind of motorway turmoil.

More likely is the creation of a website that lists the license plate numbers of all the people I see doing it. It would also allow anyone else to add their own occurences/plate numbers. Would public embarassment stop people from tossing their butts? Maybe, but it would be fun and make me feel better.

I hate driving.

And let's not get ahead of ourselves - I don't hate cars or the freedom of going down an open road... but I do hate traffic and stupid drivers, talking on their cellphones, with their left blinker on, slowly making a right turn, on the same street I'd like to be going down, and giving me the finger when I honk with a "What's the hold up, Bud?" kind of honk. This goes double for highway driving in and around large cities.

To avoid the issue, I recently started using a route (or route) to work that takes me down the lakefront. It's basically like driving down Sheridan Rd. in Chicagoland's NorthShore. It's much better in terms of the amont of traffic, number of lanes, exit ramps. etc. And, it's not even that much longer in terms of total driving time, maybe 5 minutes extra time on a bad day (and that's assuming the highway traffic would be smooth all the time - it ain't).

Here's a look of some of the route, very near my apartment.

Not too shabby, if I do say so. (yes, that's Lake Michigan on the horizon)

But seriously, come up and visit. I now have a secret route for getting to my neighborhood and apartment...a lot less traffic, more serene, and quicker. A great backroad to Cabela's too.