A Cup of the Black

So...

SoulSlam used to drink a lot of coffee. Started when I was a teenager working at a diner, early 5:30AM shifts. Cold out. So you start drinking coffee to warm up. Then it becomes a staple of your diet. So for the next 30 years or so, I drank coffee. My way was a regular (NY/NJ speak) or a light & sweet. UMMM, good.

Then about 3 years or so ago I started going to the gym regular like and watching what I eat a little more closely. And I realized that the morning coffee(s) I was consuling with all that milk and sugar was probably equal to drinking milkshakes. So I tried to cut back but that was tough. Then one day that was that. NO more morning coffees...the House of SoulSlam doesn't even have a coffee maker in the kitchen anymore.

But over the last few months I've gravitated back slowly. But now I drink it BLACK. Badass. 2 calories a cup. If I'm feeling it I mix in a little protein powder for a boost. After not being able to choke it down w/o the curlyQ stuff, now I'm all Type A about BLACK Coffee. But I can't buy it to go. I can only have the free office coffee or something with a meal. I feel cheated paying the same price for coffee as people putting 10 sugars and a glass of milk in theirs.

SO let's go back to the future: whilst working in the diner and being a teenager I once had tix to see Van Halen (DLR era) for a Sunday night. Had an early AM shift so I had to get up early. And I figured that I'd be a little gassed by the first notes of EVH's guitar. So I drank coffee. A lot. If I remember it was around 20 cups. Guess what? VH cancelled concert that night for some reason or another. So here I am, jacked to the bejesus with a caffeine rush. I don't think I slept that night. Ahhh, memories.

I'm Batting 1.000

So far in playoff picks. I am batting 1.000 in being WRONG! Wow.

WildCard Wrong!

I couldn't be more wrong on either of my WC picks. I'm 0-2 now.

MLB PLAYOFF PICKS PART ONE!

All with my head not my heart:

AL Wild Card will be Orioles over Blue Jays

NL Wild Card will be Mets over Giants

ALDS will see Rangers beat the WC Winner and Red Sox over Indians

NLDS will be Cubs over WC Winner and Dodgers over Nationals

I'll update as we move along. As you can see I don't think my beloved NY Mets will make it out of the DS. But given that they were all but dead six weeks ago in SF...I can't be disappointed.

Nine Twenty Nine

Has a nice sound doesn't it?

The quiet in the House of SoulSlam since OSSS went off to college is deafening. He was certainly the loudest person in the house. And we miss him greatly, but he's doing what we always wanted for him. College boy!

About 4 days left in the MLB regular season and the Mets are in the Wild Card pole position in the NL. I have zero idea how far they can get with the makeshift pitching staff but after years of no playoffs ever, Mets fans will take whatever October excitement they bring.

YSSS is having a great fall season with this new team. One young man who's the team cheerleader (as well as speedster) started calling YSSS "Hibachi". SoulSlam asked why. The kid responded, cause he's as hot as it gets at the plate. Nice to hear and see.

Tonight is back to school at YSSS' HS. I'll try to stay under control but I have some questions for some of these educators.

The Clown Apocalypse has begun. #ItWontBeZombies

Fall Baseball

YSSS is playing on a 16U team this fall in a town about 20 minutes from us. There are kids from a few towns but this is hardly a club team. I would call this a town-travel team. If I was starting a team, there are about 5 kids I'd let play for me (we have a 14 player roster). Some of these kids look like they've never played sometimes. Remember, it's 16U. YSSS is 15. And he is without a doubt better than everybody else by a longshot. That's not a brag, just so.

How we got here? Over the last year or so I've been seeing a kid that used to play with OSSS (he was a little younger but B-I-G) and his dad at the gym I go to. Small talk and at that time, he told me he wasn't playing baseball anymore, just wrestling for his HS. Cool. Then around May-June he told me he was playing for a team. And they needed players. At that time, YSSS wasn't too interested. He had a summer job and was playing on the local American Legion team (what an experience). But with autumn approaching and the need to find a team to play with in the fall, this seemed ok. HC is aguy I've seen at the gym. Nice guy. And on day 1 of practice I got roped into being an asst. coach. Which is good because watching these guys hit fungoes or explain the finer points is ponderous.

So we practice a bit. First game was last weekend, YSSS went 2-3 (also reached on an error) with a double, stolen base and 3 RBIs. He's batting cleanup. Started game in CF but played 1B for last 5 innings. Yesterday we had a DH. First game was a mercy killing on us, I SYN (shit you not) the score was like 23-2. We won the second game 7-6. YSSS was 3-5 with a triple, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. So far he's ripping the cover off the ball.

So I was asked (by a club team coach) why is YSSS playing with this team. They are a good bunch, so that's a plus. But the goal of fall baseball isn't to win some mythical championship, it's to get in the work. And I can't see paying hundreds or thousnads of dollars for what amounts to 10 weeks when the leaves turn. So if he wants we'l explore the club option for next summer so he can do the tourneys, etc. But right now he is working hard and succeeeding. All you could ask for.

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PS: In OSSS at college news he squatted 405 over the weekend. He's a beast.

Wow September

Anyhoo it's the anniversary of Mrs. SoulSlam and SoulSlam. 19 years. She's still hot!