Recreation

Yankee Doodle Dandy

As a die hard New York Mets Baseball fan, I was surprised by my enjoyment of this year’s World Series. I hadn’t planned on watching, because as a Met fan, the Phillies are our divisional arch rivals and the Yankees are, well, the Yankees.

However the players on both teams played their hearts out to such a degree that it was practically impossible to ignore their talent and tenacity. In the final game six, which of course everyone knows the Yankees won, the tension was palatable from the first pitch.

I had spent the entire season trying to avoid baseball as the Mets Team imploded and collapsed. It was refreshing to watch eighteen players on the field performing at the highest of standards from every position. It was very difficult to find that weak link.

Every last one of the players impressed me, but especially Yankee designated hitter (DH) and World Series MVP, Hideki Matsui. Who would have thought that he would be the lynch pin in such a pivotal game?

So in spite of how unfortunate and disappointing the Mets season was, I have to tip my hat to the Yankees and a team of players who came to win and did just that.

The Vick Connection

I’ve lived in the U.S. long enough to understand the basics of American Football (Footy, to us Brits). The controversial nonsense, surrounding some players can be annoying at best and a down right pain in the butt at worst.

Michael Vick’s woes are an interesting story because, in my opinion, he truly is an athlete worth his weight in gold. So what do you do with someone, who is so talented in the body but a little less than smart in the head. We have all made unwise decisions in life but Vick’s choice seems to have gone beyond that. Should the NFL have allowed him back in to play?

I have heard the “yesses” and reasons why and I have listened to the “nos” and the weighty facts that go along with that decision.

Several months ago, I watched an interview with a young man who was a gang-banger in California and ended up in jail for murder. Whilst in prison, one of his nephew’s was killed. He had brought this young boy into the gang life and as a result felt responsible. For the first time in his life he felt accountable for something he had done. This in turn led to him feeling actual remorse and deciding to turn his life around. Now you may think that this person is a waste of time and that all murderers should be left to rot in jail. You could be right, however in this case things turned out a little differently.

The young man became an older man and eventually got out of jail. He ended up working with other young gang members to turn their lives around before it was too late. You could still be skeptical of his motives and his actions and of course only time will tell. However, his intentions seemed genuine and his actions, those of a man healed and truly remorseful of his past actions.

So give Michael a chance to prove us wrong. After all, he is just a man and as fallible as the rest of us.

Scrabble Addiction

I am lucky to be blessed with a non-addictive personality, on the whole. However when it comes to the scrabble I cannot turn a game down. Luckily it’s an acceptable way to spend your time and relatively cost free vice.

I play on Word-Biz and have a decent rating there. Although it is not regulated and people can and do cheat, they have a “fair-play” agreement, which many of the members adhere to – including myself. If anyone would like to challenge me to a game just leave a comment on this blog and I will get back to you.

I have played recently with family and friends and usually win but not without creating some controversy. There are many words, which are “permitted” in competition that are not considered “real” words by my associates; words such as “za” and “qi”. These little gems are big players in the world of scrabble and getting “qi” on a triple letter score, horizontally and vertically pays 63 points. So you can understand their cries of “cheat, cheat”, when I manage to get a hit.

Anyone interested in playing this sport, will find that it can be as easy or hard as you desire. And that’s what’s very cool about the game. You can just play for fun with your friends or check out the online sites to find a more competitive and challenging field of opponents. However you start, just remember to have fun and you’ll also learn some new words along the way.

September Blues Without Blue & Orange – Makes Me Red

The last two seasons of watching the Mets collapse in September has been a real heart ache. Thankfully this year the Mets have managed to top the last two years with one of the most abysmal baseball seasons of the decade. The biggest highlights are watching players returning to the field after injury and auditioning for other teams.  I’ve started to wonder if I will be watching a sub-500 ball club for the next few season or will the Mets somehow turn it around and make a run next year for a championship.

Because the Mets are completely out of contention doesn’t mean I’m not watching Baseball. You’d think that living in Red Sox Nation and the fact that former-Met Billy Wagner is playing for the Sox I would be easily converted to cheer for them in hopes to overthrow the powerful Yankees. This is not the case, I’ve decided to jump to the West Coast baby, I’m going to LAX on the Los Angeles Angels Bandwagon or at least I think that’s what their name is? I’m taking a break from my team to watch the playoffs unless the Angels decide to mimic the tragic September downfall like the 2007-2008 Mets. I will be rooting for Guerrero and his goons in the post season whatever their name is, whoever they are and where ever they’re from.  Let’s go Angels!

Recreation

Whatever your source of entertainment is, from baseball to soccer, TV shows to movies, or hip-hop, metal or classical this section encompasses a whole bunch of things that we find entertaining. Occasionally there may be some articles pertaining to “recreation” that may not be considered enjoyable, but what the heck someone’s doing it.