Well, first I am going to give myself props: these blogs may not be page-turners these days but at least I have been far more regular in writing/posting them. I put up more blogs in the month of May than in March and April combined. This bodes well...

This one is being written to the pounding of sledge and jack hammers in the basement. I really am happy that my teeth were already on edge. And in case you're wondering: cats hate jackhammers far more than the vacuum (although a friend posted on Facebook this weekend that her cats got revenge on a non-active vacuum by pissing on it; I can see them daring each other to do so and then making the "if you do it, I'll do it, too" pact. But at the end of the pounding and the cement pouring and the drying and the new renovation will mean that I will have a dedicated space from which to write and that makes it all worth while.

Sort of...

Just booked myself a West Coast trip for a few weeks from now. A couple days in the Bay Area followed by what is always a great weekend in the Santa Cruz mountains (from editor: I have missed this special trip the last few years; there are ghosts in those yurts but I will excise them. Period.) at Double-Bear. I'll return after a few days in Los Angeles on the other side.

The Yankees ended Memorial Day in 1st place which is impressive even when most of the team is still hot hitting, the starters remain somewhat suspect and the bullpen has really been decimated by injury; nothing from Marte and Feliciano and that's not about to change; minimal contribution from Soriano who is on the DL and that was supposed to be the heart of this pen. Robertson, Joba and, to a lesser degree, Boone Logan have stepped up and into those shoes.

Maybe it's Spring. It looks like Spring, it smells like Spring, but I can't yet forget that I could see my breath when I went out on Friday night. I'll believe it when ...

Th-th-that's all folks,

Brian

An observation on the advantage of "small town" living: I may have mentioned the band that opened for Tommy Stinson in a previous blog- I didn't like them. And I actually saw them -- again -- yesterday at the Memory Lanes block-party, but there was a little evening of the score that occurred prior to the set that made them far more digestible: I got to submerge the lead singer in the dunk tank and that made me feel a whole lot better about 4 on the Floor. Truth be told: the fix was in. I should have dunked him 2 more times with baseballs nailed spot on to the target, but they hadn't fixed the restraining bar properly so he didn't go in the water -- then.

And perhaps their set was easier to take because I was speaking with a pretty woman who I had maybe observed dancing at Nick & Eddie's this past Friday night. Note: advantage "small town" living.

That that's not the only occasion that I've had similar fortune in just a month or so. Perhaps I am traveling in proper circles.

So, starting tomorrow my living space is going to be off-limits as such much needed construction is done to remedy the serious flooding issues in the basement and ManCave. Another week of disruption should very hopefully lead to a more permanent place to get work done. At least that is the last excuse I have stockpiled. It may just do the trick...

Maybe acclimating to the cold will be easier than re-adjusting to the humidity. Sticky day out there made my run all that much harder. I would claim extra-credit for not only dealing with the moist air, but because I really, really didn't want to run today except I didn't quite complete my full run so we'll just call it a wash.

Got in 2 games of bowling (beating woman & children handily) at Memory Lanes before the block party. Another small town thing, I guess- this was the 2nd time in a little more months than that that I have bowled. Perhaps I was just showing off for the afore-mentioned company (he wrote with a wink) but I increased by score by about 50% over the Bryant Lake Bowl excursion averaging over 150 points per game which is about as good as should ever want to have to bowl. Hipstamatic photos courtesy of Jess- thanks...

Cheers,

Brian

Have you ever noticed how quickly 5 o'clock comes when you've slept until 11am. If you're reading this at work you probably fail to find the humor in that, but as an insomniac it's a freakin' boon I tell you. After a rather difficult night luxuriating in the Zubas' hot-tub with a handful of friends, it was well past my bedtime when I got home last night. And although my slumber was aided and abetted I never dreamed it was 10:45am when I kicked Thurman out of bed and followed suit.

Of course the small handful of beers at Target Field yesterday probably didn't help either...

Was happily surprised NOT to see Manny Ramirez's name on the 2011 All-Star ballot...

Does anyone know if AMC's "The Living Dead" gets better as it goes? Watched the first five or six episodes of the 1st season and was so utterly bored by the incessant character development that just stops the story colder than a re-animated corpse that I think I have given up on it. That said-- really looking forward to catching the new seasons of "Treme" and "Louie."

If you're in the 612 you should come see the first and final re-union show of The Danger Board.

Found proper spice mix for jerk and I will use what I have, but there is a recipe in this month's "Playboy" with a for-reals from scratch recipe...

Got home-made lard this past Sunday from a friend's farm in Wisconsin; yes-- my fried pork chops CAN get better...

Looks like the new, brew op' will happen next week.

Okay, as you read this I'm going to read someone else's words...

Cheers,

Brian

The Yankees keep doing that couple steps forward, slip-slide back although they do start the day still in first place in the AL East. Colon cruised for five then lost it and the game in the 6th; perhaps he's ready for a little re-up shot from his doctor? Of course, if the Yanks don't hit, they're not going to win. But at least it's not like the situation across town in Queens; the Mets can't win even when they do so on the field. Seen on a storage facility in New York City: "Why leave? New York has 6 professional sports teams -- and the Mets!"

Speaking of shots: who's been doping Bautista?

****

So, when I started brewing beer about 15 years ago, I quickly discovered that I had a real affinity for it and I also was informed that I come from a long line of "home brewers" -- starting back in the Black Forest in almost-Germany.

I was forced to scrap my gear when I moved from Brooklyn in a huff (so to speak) but I have been longing to get back to it. Last week I was even pricing start-up kits locally so maybe I mean it. Wound up getting in a conversation with Jason, the brewer, at Harriet Brewery. He was supposed to be talking to strangers at the MN Craft Beer "Event" at Buster's, but preferred to preach to the converted. Fine by me! I've been invited to home-brew with his set-ups that are already at the brewery. With nothing standing in my way other than a bus to a light rail trip there and back, I may make a trip out there this week: first to shadow him as he does one of his brews, but my own soon enough.

I know I thought to bring some of my home-brew books here -- and that's telling: I didn't bring too many others (used book shopping Uptown though scored me some good, cheap new reads; nearly done with "Fast Sofa" by Bruce Craven. Got it for fifty cents and it still had the 7" FleshEaters' flexi-disc soundtrack tucked within its pages) but I wish I had my recipes. Those very well may be harder to put my hands on but I am motivated to do so; I don't really want to have to start all from scratch...

*****

Looks like I have lined up a guinea pig/reader for the Live Fast! novel so it's off to get a new printer. The lack of one has been part of the current set of excuses keeping me working on anything more complex than these here blogs, but at least those have been more regular of late. Right?

Right...

I made my first visit to the famed Minneapolis live music venue -- 1st Avenue -- on Friday night to see local legend Tommy Stinson perform with his new band including his fiancee. I very nearly made a very early exit from said-club, but we'll get back to that...

Opening as solo acoustic was Dave Hause from The Loved Ones. I don't really know his band, but after his set I will go look for them. He wore his brand of earnestness on his flannel sleeve, but his cover of Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros' "Coma Girl" earned him the punk rock points he seemingly was going after. Good on him.

Can't say the same for the local, second support act, 4 on the Floor. Should have recognized the hats, beards and bandanas as a bad sign. We escaped to the upstairs bar to be further from the stage and closer to where our tab was. Yes, I will have another Furious, please...

And yes, we noticed the very cute, under-age girl with her mom up there with us. All smiles, faux-hawk and brand, spanking new Replacements t-shirt were giveaways, as was the big black X sharpied on the back of her hand. 1st Avenue was not nearly as packed as I had heard it had just been for The Cars, so really -- people up front didn't HAVE to be pressed up to the front as close as they were. Did we bother the 3 dudes in their GNR t-shirts in the very front? You betcha. But our little, friendly and not violent at all pit up front was comprised of nothing but those who wanted to be there-- including the young girl.

And yes, I didn't hear about the zero-tolerance policy during all-ages shows but we were exhibiting no behavior (despite the multiple Furiouses imbibed) that required tolerance and yet I was escorted toward the red exit signs by a few bouncers partway through the set. But now get this: not only was I able to talk my way out of being kicked out, one of the bouncers came up to me later and freakin' apologized. Gosh darn! Still waiting for an apology from the bouncers who threw me out of a Replacements gig and got me arrested almost 25 years ago. Had we had a repeat of that experience ("Hello Dad? I'm in jail" -- no really!) this too would have been mostly Tommy Stinson's fault. I submit this as verbatim as I can as evidence as to who was really in the wrong. After the gig, a girl came up to my friend Ephraim and informed him, "If you want to dance, you should stay home and listen to the records." Defense rests...

Stinson, not distracted by my problems, played a really sharp set including some tracks off his new upcoming solo record as well as songs from Bash & Pop, Perfect and his other solo ventures. Hoping for an appearance from Paul Westerberg, had to be satisfied with a smiling Dave Pirner who joined band-mate Stinson for a song or so, but that ain't a complaint, although...

My expired NY ID failed to gain us entry later into either Lee's Liquors and another joint, but that was probably for the best. Sweaty, drunk and maybe worked up a little as it approached 2AM these bouncers probably wouldn't have wound up apologizing for letting us in.

Rock on...

I probably shouldn't bait the Universe with posts such as what I am about to post; I should probably just stick to Yankee baseball (if you *want* more of that I have been tweeting as the ghost of George M. Steinbrenner III @GeorgesGhost) and let it go in one of your ears and straight out the other, but...

So, one of my intentions (goals, desires, wants, needs, etc.... Not sure of the proper terminology) in moving to a wholly new environment was to escape some of the bad -- and really and truly -- undeserved bad reputation I had amongst the Angels and have a fresh(er) start in finding myself a good and capable partner. And of course, I have placed a whole set of "what I'm looking for/what I say I want" intentions out into the World.

And, I am not complaining about what the Universe has come back with. A couple of lovely connections made with a "hand" guiding them have come my way in a short period. I can clearly tell with whom I'd like to spend more of that sort of time with and with whom I would not, but I am also a little more (editor: make that quite more than that) cautious with both my brain and body and to whom I give access to one or both. In a perfect world and an ideal connection, the two fit together like well made jigsaw puzzle pieces. And I know it is that kind of relationship, that kind of connection that I am seeking (again, the word not quite perfect) or am open to (better?) receiving and being present and active for.

And of course, right in the midst of that "search" comes people who are connected to some relationships I thought I had left behind. Instead though of allowing that to bother me (for more than a few extended moments) I see that as an "of course" -- ghosts follow when they want to.

Okay, I hope that was all cryptic enough.

Cheers,
Brian

So, what does one say after a week like the Yankees have had? Glad it didn't occur right out of the gates such as it did for the Sox and Rays? It's taken both those ballclubs over a month to crawl from their wreckage of awful starts. But the Rays are now in first and the Sox have climbed over the .500 mark (thanks in no small part to the Yankees) and are now in a virtual tie for second with the Yanks. Better still a total meltdown such as what is going on in the Bronx didn't happen in September. But where does that leave the club?

The surprisingly good starting pitching is still a question mark. CC will be better of that be certain, but what can really be expected from AJ? No one, not the pitcher himself or Rothschild, the pitching coach brought in primarily to straighten out the uncertain righthander can tell you what the whole season will bring. Nova is a two-steps forward, one-step back guy right now, but that could easily be reversed. And we will have to wait and see when Hughes comes back what he has got. Colon and Garcia, ostensibly starters five and six have really done the job. They've kept the Yankees in nearly every game they've hurled even if they're not what you would call innings-eaters. The bullpen has been up and down and may just be that way -- outside of the ever-steady Mariano Rivera -- and without some help (both from the starters and maybe from outside) that is how it could be all season long.

But it is mid-May and some teams are already looking forward to next year. At some point Cashman is going to have to step up and do that part of his job that he gets paid for -- bringing in a big arm or a big bat that can really help this team. Liriano from the Twins did I hear you say? I wonder if Andy Pettitte has been working out back home with the family in Texas.

The lineup hasn't clicked on all cylinders yet this season and in some ways that bodes well. Unless pretty much the entire 1-9 has below average seasons this team is going to hit - and more than just homeruns. I give A-Rod a pass; I think he's been playing in pain with the oblique injury for some time, but with Chavez on the DL and Nunez butchering as many plays in the field as he makes, what are the options but to put him in every day and leave him in the clean-up spot? It's not like Cano has made it easy for Girardi by stepping up and we see what happens when the skipper tries to move a Yankee great down in the line-up, don't we?

So, the season is a quarter over. The Yanks had had enough to win leading into this past week, but now with both the Sox playing as early season pundits predicted and the Rays really exceeding expectations (that Crawford for Fuld "trade" a great one for TB) the Bronx Bombers are going to need to re-group and start hitting and fielding closer to capabilities. You're never as good as when things are right and as bad as when they are not, but another 120 games will prove that out-- one way or ther other...

Cheers,
Brian