Coach Ketcham’s Hall of Fame Ballot 2012

The ballot nobody asked for me to give, but I did anyways.

People I'd vote in

Jack Morris - I'd even vote Morris in just for that 10-inning, complete-game shutout in Game 7 of the '91 Series was the best "big-game" pitching performance I've ever seen. It really ticks me off that Morris probably won't make the Hall of Fame for some reason. He also won 162 games in the '80s, which speaks for itself. Funny story, I hated Jack Morris while with the Twins, because my mom loved him and hated on my favorite player Scott Erickson. My Great-Aunt actually was his Math teacher too. 

You can say Morris' Hall of Fame case comes down to three issues:

 1. He was a durable workhorse in an era without many of those guys. I have a theory on this. Pitchers who came up in the 1960s and '70s -- guys like Seaver, Palmer, Carlton, Sutton and so on -- pitched in an easier environment. Most teams had two middle infielders who couldn't hit a lick. Most catchers didn't hit much. There were several soft spots in most lineups, places where you could cruise a bit. By the 1980s, hitters were getting better and stronger, lineups a little deeper. This was the transitional era between four-man and five-man rotations. Most of the best pitchers of this time couldn't handle the workload to bring their career win totals to Hall of Fame territory -- Fernando Valenzuela burned out, Dave Stieb developed shoulder and back injuries, Dwight Gooden hurt his shoulder, Orel Hershiser led the league three straight years in innings pitched and then tore his rotator cuff. And so on. Morris was the one guy in the decade to essentially survive unscathed. By the time the next generation came around -- Clemens, Maddux, Glavine, etc. -- pitchers worked in five-man rotations their entire careers and were better protected with better medical care, and many of them thus had longer careers than the 1980s guys.

2. He was an iconic figure for the decade. With his big, Garey Ketcham, bushy mustache and tough-guy persona, Morris was certainly one of the famous players of his era. Not everybody believes this, but that has to be worth at least a little something in the voting process. After all, it isn't the Hall of WAR.

3. Game 7. Of course, it really comes down to this, doesn't it? Game 7 of the 1991 World Series, Morris' 10-inning, 1-0 masterpiece that delivered the World Series to the Twins. How much extra credit do you give Morris for this game? He also pitched two complete-game victories in the 1984 World Series for the victorious Tigers.  But it's Game 7 that Morris does it for me.

Tim Raines: It baffles me that Raines received less than 25 percent of the vote in each of his first two years of eligibility. As a leadoff man, he wasn’t Rickey Henderson, but he also wasn’t that far off. Rickey had the better career OBP, .401 to .385. Raines had the higher SLG, .425 to .419. And Raines, also had the highest stolen-base percentage in history among players with 500 or more steals. Bill James said if you divide Rickey Henderson in half, you have two hall of famers. Tim Raines is that one.

Fred McGriff - I know, I know; McGriff doesn’t strike you immediately as a Hall of Famer. But a comparison of his offensive statistics to those of Eddie Murray by the Rays’ public-relations department is rather telling. McGriff had a higher OBP than Murray, .377 to .359, and a higher SLG, .509 to .476. Take it a step further, and he also had a higher OPS- plus, 134 to 129, according to baseball-reference.com. Murray was a switch-hitter who won three straight Gold Gloves at first base in his late 20s; McGriff was a left-handed hitter and less-than-stellar defender. But McGriff’s offensive numbers, while compiled in a more hitter-friendly era, are too compelling to ignore. From 1988 to 2002, he averaged 31 homers and 97 RBIs. McGriff had hit seven more home runs to reach 500, would we even be having this discussion? His run of dominance lasted 15 seasons. His BA/ OBP/SLG line in 50 postseason games was .303/.385/.532.

Lee Smith - Probably my most controversial choice; many voters, like many fans, think little of the save statistic, and are reluctant to elect closers. But the best closers, like the best DHs, deserve to be in the Hall.

Was Smith one of the best closers? Inarguably. He retired as the all-time saves leader, though he has since been passed by Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera. He made 60 or more appearances in 12 straight seasons, a testament to his durability. His ERA-plus falls between Bruce Sutter’s and Goose Gossage’s. Not an obvious or easy yes. But a yes.

Barry Larkin - And as I'm looking at Larkin, I see Trammell. The offensive numbers are remarkable, darn near a mirror image of each other.

Trammell: .285 lifetime batting average, .352 on-base percentage, .767 OPS, 185 homers and 1,003 RBI in 2,293 games over 20 seasons.

Larkin: .295 batting average, .371 on-base percentage, .815 OPS, 198 homers and 960 RBI in 2,180 games over 19 seasons.

Indeed, if you check out Trammell's statistical page on Baseball-Reference.com, under the category "Similar Batters", Larkin tops the list. And vice-versa, on Larkin's page, of course, Trammell is listed first under "Similar Batters."

Defensively, Trammell won four Gold Gloves, Larkin three.

Larkin won one NL MVP award, in 1995, and had one other top 10 finish.

Trammell should have won one AL MVP award, in 1987, but finished second to Toronto's George Bell in an outrageous case of MVP robbery. Aside from that, Trammell had two other top 10 finishes in MVP voting.

Larkin was named to 12 NL All-Star teams -- highly impressive in the Ozzie Smith era, yes, but they do choose more than one shortstop each year, you know. Trammell was named to six AL All-Star clubs.

I see all of this with Larkin, and I think: Hall of Famer.

But I see Trammell's paltry Hall vote total, and I think: Whoa, hold on here for just one minute.

So, now what?

Alan Trammell - A similar candidate to Larkin, and I argue better. His low vote totals — never higher than 18 percent — mystify me. Trammell was one of the top shortstops in the American League for nearly his entire career, second only to Ripken for much of it. I don’t think Trammell and Larkin should not be penalized for playing in the same era as more historic figures at their position.  His career line of .285/.352/.415, good for a 110 OPS+, very favorably compares to shortstops before the steroid era.  His peak consisted of 1980-1993, save for three below average years. In 1987, he hit .343/.402/.551 but was robbed of the MVP by the voters’ RBI fetish, who gave it George Bell (Yes, Pat, I know Wade Boggs probably had a better year, but I think we can both agree that Trammell was > Bell that year). I’m not going to say this is a slam dunk case, but Trammell has a good argument for being one of the 10 or 12 best at his position ever.   In.  For Both! 

Dale Murphy - As for Murphy, his numbers were awesome during that eight-year run from '80 to '87. His numbers (398 homers, four seasons with an OPS above .900) make him intriguing. I wonder in 1993 with the Rockies if he hits 2 homers if it changes voters minds...? One of the all time great guys in sports.  Won’t get in, but sure, why not.

Brad Radke – Why not?  He will fall off the ballot this year.  He was the lone bright spot of the Twns during the mid-late 90’s.  Never flashy.  Showed up to work, and did his job.  Strike thrower.  Love the Radke.  In 12 seasons, Radke went 148-139 with a 4.22 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. He made the All-Star team in 1998.  He gets my vote, his only year on the ballot.

Miss the cut

Don Mattingly - Hey, I enjoyed the cheesy 'stache as much as anyone, but I can't imagine any way that Donnie Baseball makes it, when his career tailed off in the late-'80s faster than Anthony Michael Hall and Andrew McCarthy combined. He's not even remotely close, and that's before we even mention the obvious Patrick Ewing Theory ramifications here -- the Yanks promptly rolled off four championships after he retired).

The argument for him is this one…

Mattingly:  .307/.353/.471, 2153 hits, 222 HRs

 Puckett:  .318/.360/.477, 2304 hits, 207 HRs

There is one big difference though. While Puckett was a centerfielder, Mattingly was a first baseman. The standard of offense for these two positions is very different. What hurts Mattingly was his back problems hastened his decline, especially power-wise, which is very important for first base. With a true peak of only four years, his career numbers just don’t cut the mustard.

(Of course, every Yankees fan believes that Mattingly was a Hall of Famer. You haven't really lived until you argued about the Hit Man's Hall of Fame credentials at a bar with a bunch of Yankees fans. It's like arguing about the existence of dinosaurs with Carl Everett -- relevant facts, statistics and evidence simply don't matter. I'm afraid to even make fun of them about this; I never had a car bomb put under my car, and I'd kind of like to keep it that way.)

Harold Baines – Can’t quite put him in yet… my stance is changing. He is a tough case. Well, I don't think so, but some fans might. The guy basically hung around forever, which gives him moderately impressive counting stats (2866 hits, 1628 RBIs, 3942 times on base, etc.) but his averages are weak. For his career, he hit .289 with a modest .356 OBP and a .465 Slugging percentage that is only decent for a power hitter. He hit .300 or better several times, but didn't walk that much and never hit 30 homers or scored even 90 runs in a season. His knees went bad early and he was basically a full-time DH by age 28, so he had no defensive value for more than half of his career. Sort of the Vinny Testaverde of the baseball world, without the color blindness and all those interceptions.

Edgar Martinez – Can’t unless I put in Harold Baines. A superb hitter, he's hurt by being a DH and by getting a late start to his career (he was 27 before be became a regular) that diminish his career totals. By percentage (.418 OBP, .515 slugging), he is a worthy candidate. But only once did he finish in the top five in MVP voting (3rd in 1995). Terrific hitter, but if you're going to have career total numbers that are less than eye-popping (.312 average, 309 home runs, 1,261 RBIs), it's better to do it as a two-way player. Close but no cigar.

Larry Walker - Had supreme talent as evidenced by a .565 career slugging percentage and .400 on-base percentage. Terrific defender also had a great arm and was named to five All-Star teams but benefited to some degree by Coors Field.  The proof is in his home/road splits. Walker was a 1.068 OPS hitter at home, and an .865 OPS hitter on the road. Now, his overall numbers are good enough that I considered him anyway, but the disparity is just too great.

Bernie Williams - Williams is the only first timer with any type of case. It’s not a bad case by any stretch, highlighted by a .381 career OBP.  What Williams doesn’t have is a particularly large peak, and statistically he rates as a poor defender. So while Williams was a very good player for a long time and a key cog in a dynasty, he’s not quite a Hall of Famer.  The fact he played in New York will keep him on the ballot for a long time however.

Jeff Bagwell - The numbers were plenty good (449 home runs, .408 OBP, .540 slugging percentage) and he'll merit reconsideration next year. I won't argue if he gets in, but I'd prefer a chance to reconsider in future years. I also think if you look at his body between 1991 and 1994, he grew a little… un naturally.

Rafael Palmeiro - He's 10th alltime in total bases, 12th in home runs and 15th in RBIs and is one of only four players with at least 3,000 hits and 500 home runs. He had a sweet swing; Yet, his finger wagging performance in Congress followed by his failed steroid test dooms him.

Mark McGwire -His exploits -- especially the 70 home runs in 1998 -- are enough to elect him easily him had he been clean. To claim the accomplishments aren't enough is a copout. He and Sammy Sosa saved the game. But without the steroids, it's hard to imagine him hitting 70 home runs in his mid-30s the way he did. I like the man a lot, but I can't agree the steroids didn't help him as much as he thinks.

Juan Gonzalez - On merit, he's pretty darned close, with two AL MVP awards and some other dominant years. However, Jose Canseco raised the steroid issue for Juan Gone, and let’s face it; if Jose is an expert on anything, it is steroids. He fell apart and looks like a big steroid users. Nope.

Shouldn't be on the ballot

Phil Nevin -- The one-time All-Star hit 208 career home runs with an .814 OPS (114 OPS-plus) in his 12-year career.

Bill Mueller -- Mueller won the batting title in 2003 and had a nice 11-year career.

Jeromy Burnitz -- The one-time All-Star received MVP votes three times. He hit 315 home runs with an .826 career OPS.

Vinny Castilla -- A two-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger, Castilla hit 320 home runs and drove home 1,105 runs in his 16-year career. He hit at least 40 homers three straight seasons, 1996-98.

Brian Jordan -- The former NFL player hit .282 during his 15-year career, making the All-Star team in 1999. He was also a very good defensive outfielder.

Javy Lopez -- The long-time Braves catcher hit 260 home runs in his 15-year career, making three All-Star teams. He finished fifth in MVP voting and garnered a Silver Slugger after his 2003 season, in which he hit 43 homers and drove in 109 runs.

Terry Mulholland -- He stuck around for 20 seasons, racking up over 2,500 innings pitched with 46 complete games and 10 shutouts. He was 124-142 with a 4.41 ERA.

Tony Womack -- The one-time All-Star hit .273/.317/.356 in his 13-year career with 363 stolen bases.

Tim Salmon -- The 1993 Rookie of the Year hit 299 homers in his 14-year career, netting MVP votes three times. He had an .884 OPS (128 OPS-plus).

Ruben Sierra -- In 20 seasons, Sierra racked up 2,152 hits, 306 homers and four All-Star appearances.

Eric Young -- EY lasted 15 seasons, racking up 465 steals and 996 runs with a .359 OBP. He made one All-Star team.

All these players had very fine careers. They don’t deserve any scorn for being on the ballot, but rather a nice tip of the cap.  They however, will not be receiving my vote.

Someone broke into White Sox general manager Ken Williams' home, drank beer, ate pizza, wore his World Series ring, and defrosted lobster.

Wanna feel really old? Ken Griffey Jr.'s son is a high school football All-American.

Greetings from the Winter meetings in Dallas.

I always wanted to go to the Winter Meetings.  You see GM’s walking around and all your favorite sports reporters.  The meeting was in Dallas this year, and Hawk and I decided to go and check them out. 

Then, and we turned the corner, we saw the dalai lama of baseball, Peter Gammons.  He was polite and kind.  Strangly short, bit not Ken Rosenthal short (more on that later)  After I told him he was the dalai lama, he informed us that his Elephant was outside the hotel for him.  What a great guy.

Ozzie Guillen, Clint Hurdle, Kirk Gibson, Joe Maddan, and Manny Acta were all around and about.  Mostly doing interviews and meetings.

Tom Verducci was very nice, and much taller then I thought.  John Heyman seemed as… well… John Heyman as he is  in real life.

Steve Phillips is just as creepy in real life as his public life makes him appear.

We walked past Ken Rosenthal.  We tried to catch him, but he moves very fast.  We compared him to a small leprocon.  He moved so fast, that even though we were twice his size, we could not catch him.  Also, he was not wearing his trademark bowtie, but a regular tie.

BREAKING NEWS: THE MARLINS HAVE SIGNED COACHKETCHAM.COM FOR 6 YEARS AND $136 MILLION

EVEN MORE BREAKING NEWS: THE MARLINS HAVE ALSO AGREED TO TERMS WITH CLIFF LEE AND ADRIAN BELTRE, RETROACTIVE TO LAST DECEMBER.

EVEN MORE MORE BREAKING NEWS: SOURCE ALSO TELLS ME THE MARLINS ARE ALSO FRONTRUNNERS TO LAND THE DODGERS

I think the year was 1998 or so.  That summer, we had driven from Texas to Montana, and across to Minnesota.  Once in Minnesota, the Englemann drove down to Texas with us to visit.  The Englemanns and the Ketchams did about everything together in the early 1990's.  Our parents were the same age and types of people, and all the kids we about the same age and always hung out all year long.  If it wasn't baseball, basketball, or soccer, it was camping, snowball fights, or video games.

So, on our way down to Texas, the moms see this place called the " Precious Moments Destroyer and killer of fun."  I think that was the name of it, but I may be off by a word or two.  :-)  (btw, yes it is a place dedicated to those dumb ceramic figures with wings)  This was one of the worst moments of my life, top 10 worst life event for sure.  Maybe you are thinking, geez, if this is one of the worst things of your life, your life must not be to bad.  I'd argue that you just don't know how bad it was.  

First of all, I'm sure it was very pretty, but who cares.  You need to know your audience mom!  Let's looks.  Mom and Julie enjoyed this stop I am sure.  Kayla and Kara were around and 8 or 9 and looked like they could care less.  Then you have my dad and Randy.  I'm sure my dad loved this place.  My dad, the guy who whenever he goes to the mall has a sudden urge to "have to poop".  It is code for having to go home.  I just remember looking at him and Randy and seeing them so beat down, while doing that thing where they exhale upward into the mustaches. 

Kevin,and Chris are around 11, and Matt and I are around 13.  We were having a blast... Wait, no, we were complaining.  It seemed like the more I complained, the more my mother wanted to see.  It felt like we were there for days... It was horrible.  I'd rather live in the motel 6 hotel we stayed at in Kansas City then go there ever again. And that is another blog.

Last Friday, we played Whirly Ball. What a exhausting game. I'm surprised I didn't need to go to a doctor. Whirlyball team consists of five players. Each player rides a Whirlybug and carries a scoop, with which he or she can pass the ball, usually a Wiffle ball, to teammates and shoot at the goal, a circular target above the two opposite ends of the court. A score in Whirlyball is called a "Whirlic".

Players are not allowed to leave their cars or to touch the ball with their hands. Other than that, almost anything is allowed, within certain bounds of safety. It was fun, and of course the boys beat the girls.

What a fun game and fun time.

(Ketcham, Giant Check, confused teller)

.

(Where is the gun show????)

Saturday night... My mother, brother, sister and I went to the World Series. What a great game and we had a blast despite the outcome. It is always fun and after the game we snuck down to the Suite level and went in a few suites. It was a blast and great family experience. Too bad Dad had to work and missed out.

Several years ago, Kristen Hurdle sent 4 of us an e-mail at 2 am that said the Terra Cotta Warriors were coming to Houston and we should road trip to see them. Leah Whorton wasn’t able to join, so it turned into a trip for Tall people (Over 6’0”) Last year Brittany and I went to visit Kristen in Missouri, and this year the 3 of us met in Arkansas and hung out for the weekend. We had a blast. We started with walking around and checking out the cool town. Then we relaxed and played some games that night. Going to Saturday, we did all sorts of stuff. Went to Mountain Tower, and overlook what seemed like half of Arkansas, and then we went to the Buckstaff bath house. Authentic hot springs.

The Buckstaff Bath House in Hot Springs, AR is currently the only operating bathhouse in Hot Springs. We each paid our $30.00 admission fees. The girls went one way and I went another. All 3 of us were thinking a relaxing spa experience in a nice natural Hot Springs bath… Not quite what happened.

My experience went something like this: I was invited to make my way to the men’s department, present the attendant with my ticket, and I would be taken care of.

A bath house attendant led me to a curtained changing room with a locker and instructed me to undress, and with my back turned, to let her know when I was ready. He asked me to hold my arms up, and he wrapped a white sheet around me, then showed me to a waiting room with a handful of other guys, who were also loosely wrapped in white sheets. If you are thinking sitting in nothing but a sheet for half an hour might otherwise feel a little awkward, you would be right.

My name was called and I was escorted to a small room with my own bathtub, where my attendant took the sheet from me and saw to it that I got in the tub alright. There was a large powerful bubble blower in the tub that was way to... personal. I was left alone, and it was very relaxing. After 15 minutes or so he came and got me.

When he returned, it was time to get out and I was once again rather ceremoniously wrapped in a sheet by my attendant, and led to a bench to rest for a few minutes with a small cup of hot mineral water. The next stop was something called the Sitz bath. A small-almost sink-like tub that is supposed to be good for your lower back. It was one of the top 5 most uncomfortable experiences of my life. Just sitting in this odd tub, with people walking by.

I was only in there a few minutes, then taken to a private-sized steam box for a few minutes. I liked the steam room somewhat, but before I knew it, I was already being led to a table to lie down on my back, with a hot pack on my shoulders.

It was then time for quick 2 minute “needle” shower, with small streams shooting at me from all directions. It was nice, but 2 minutes is hardly long enough (There’s an attendant waiting for you so you can’t go over time). I got dressed and went outside to wait for the girls. The girls both look like it was uncomfortable for them also. We all agreed that the experience was a experience, but none of us wanted to do it again.

A similar old bath house was turned into a visitor center, so we were able to take pictures that fairly accurately resemble our experience at the Buckstaff Bath House.

After the bathhouse, we had some lunch and went to the Gangster Museum and went to a “Old Time photo shop”. We got some great photos and had a good time. We were going to go to a magic show, but decided to watch the Rangers clinch the ALCS that night and played Scattergories.

We headed home and had a great time. Great to see old friends. Can’t wait till next year.

To quote the great, late Tim Russert

            "What a country"

As a history teacher, I get to share the legend about the day of our nation's birth in the little hall in Philadelphia, a day on which debate had raged for hours. The men of different backgrounds gathered there.  They were honorable men hard-pressed by a king who had flouted the very laws they were willing to obey. Even so, to sign the Declaration of Independence was such an irretrievable act that the walls resounded with the words "treason, the gallows, the headsman's axe," and the issue remained in doubt.  I love the quote of Ben Franklin, “we better hang together or we will surely hang separately.”

One of those legends, according to several of these men at this signing, says that while the men were fearing what might happen to them, a unknown man rose and spoke. He is described as not a young man, but one who had to summon all his energy for an impassioned plea. He cited the grievances that had brought them to this moment and finally, his voice falling, he said, "They may turn every tree into a gallows, every hole into a grave, and yet the words of that parchment can never die. To the mechanic in the workshop, they will speak hope; to the slave in the mines, freedom. Sign that parchment. Sign if the next moment the noose is around your neck, for that parchment will be the textbook of freedom, the Bible of the rights of man forever."

He fell back exhausted. The 56 delegates, swept up by his eloquence, rushed forward and signed that document destined to be as immortal as a work of man can be. When they turned to thank him for his timely oratory, he was not to be found, nor could any be found who knew who he was or how he had come in or gone out through the locked and guarded doors.  

Who was this guy?  How did he arrive?  Was he even real?  Was he a higher power?  As Dr. Campbell always says, God looks out for fools, drunks, and the U.S.A.  Maybe this was the first of many times?

Well, that is the legend. But we do know for certain that 56 men, a little band so unique we have never seen their like since, had pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. Some gave their lives in the war that followed, most gave their fortunes, and all preserved their sacred honor.

What manner of men were they? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists, 11 were merchants and tradesmen, and nine were farmers. They were soft-spoken men of means and education; they were not an unwashed rabble. They had achieved security but valued freedom more. Their stories have not been told nearly enough.

These men lost their property, families, and livelihood.  They put it all on the line for independence. 

But they started a nation that grew from sea to shining sea. Five million farms, quiet villages, cities that never sleep, 3 million square miles of forest, field, mountain and desert, 227 million people with a pedigree that includes the bloodlines of all the world. In recent years, however, I've come to think of that day as more than just the birthday of a nation.

This was the first true philosophcal revolution ever.  Yes, there have been revolutions before and since ours. But those revolutions simply exchanged one set of crappy rules for another. Ours was a revolution that changed the very concept of government.

Let the Fourth of July always be a reminder that here in this land, for the first time, it was decided that man is born with certain God-given rights; that government is only a convenience created and managed by the people, with no powers of its own except those voluntarily granted to it by the people.

We sometimes forget that great truth, and we never should.

Class dismissed.

         The 4^th of July is my favorite holiday ever.  I love it.  I love America, which may be why it is always so special to me.   I’ll be happy to tell you why I love America, but let me share one of my favorite July 4^th stories before I do.

So, back in… 2006…

A group of us went to the Fort Worth Cats game for the 4^th of July.  It was one of the funniest games I ever have been to.  Thanks, mostly to Joe Lay.

So, Trista, Kayla, Amanda, Joe, Kevin, and I all head out to the Cat’s game.  Now, the fourth of July is my favorite holiday.  By far, I love it.  I am so excited.  We start by making friends with Jason Dickenson, the LF for the opposing team.  We cheer for him the whole game, and he is a pretty cool guy and he talks back with us. 

      So, the game was going great, everyone was having a blast.  Then after the game, the fourth of July fireworks are about to get going, and I look down several people, and see Specht just grab Amanda and start making out with her like crazy.  It was quite disgusting.  I had that feeling in my mouth like I was about a vomit.   The funny thing, is, emerging from behind the two of them, is Joe, who just acts like he is vomiting profusely all over the outfield.  I have never laughed so hard I don’t think.  Even better, the look of the people behind them, disgusted that Joe is “faux” vomiting, and then their real gross face of seeing Scott and Amanda “muggin”.

Twins 6, Rangers 1: Francisco Liriano Almost No-Hits Rangers

For a while this afternoon, I would have been more surprised if Francisco Liriano didn't finish the game with a no-hitter. He had pinpoint control of his fastball, the slider was as sharp as it's been all season, and even his changeup was effective. Liriano took his no-hitter into the eighth inning, when Adrian Beltre (for the second night in a row) broke the no-hitter up.

Even better, however, was that for the longest time it wasn't just a no-hitter. It was a perfect game.

Liriano put down the first 19 batters he faced. That included eight strikeouts and eight groundouts. But then Elvis Andrus chopped down on a 1-1 changeup, bouncing it up the third base line. Luke Hughes charged forward, reached down with his glove to field the ball...and whiffed.

Was it an error? Yes, it was. While a guy like Andrus has amazing speed, Hughes got to the ball quickly and I don't think you can assume that Andrus would have beat the throw. That's an error. It would have been a tough play, certainly, but it was an error.

Hughes looked distraught after the play, and comments in our game thread alluded to the fact that Hughes looked like he wanted to cry. Hell, I don't blame the guy. Nobody wants to be the one to break up a no-hitter, much less the perfect game that this contest had been up until this point.

Important to keep in mind regarding Luke Hughes and his performance today:

•It was Hughes who put the Twins up 1-0 in the bottom of the first, by lacing a two-out single into left field to score Ben Revere.

•In the bottom of the fourth Hughes made a diving stop to his right on a play that kept Ian Kinsler from smashing a double down the left field line.

Following Liriano's brilliance through seven innings, the Twins decided it was time for their bats to wake up. Although the Rangers may have done most of this to themselves. Following a Danny Valencia single, Jason Repko grounded out, Rene Rivera reached on a fielding error (which scored Valencia), Matt Tolbert popped out, and Revere struck out...but reached first base as the pitch got away. That's already four outs, but the scoreboard read just two.

The next two batters made Matt Harrison pay. Harrison had been brilliant in his own right this afternoon, but his defense let him down, and eventually Minnesota made them pay. Alexi Casilla followed all of this up with a single, scoring Rivera. And then came Michael Cuddyer.

Who proceeded to absolutely crush a three-run blast into the left field seats. That three-run homer completed a five-run inning for the Twins, giving them a six-run lead and essentially putting an end to the game.

The only down side to the big inning was the 30-minute wait between pitches for Liriano. Harrison was pulled after taking a Delmon Young line drive off his arm, meaning he had to wait for the reliever to warm up and enter the game, and then wait again as the Twins chased that reliever, too.

As a result, Liriano was cold as he came out for the eighth inning. Beltre finally broke up the no-hitter, then Liriano struck out Nelson Cruz for the third time. Yorvit Torrealba singled to score Beltre, but that was as far as the Rangers would get.

With that, Liriano's night was over. He'd thrown 97 pitches, and he'd struggled a bit more with command in that eighth inning following the long break. It was a good move to go to the bullpen, and Alex Burnett sent the Rangers down 1-2-3.

Ketcham nOtes:

•The Twins are now just nine games out of first...what?

•If Liriano had completed his no-hitter, he would have been the sixth pitcher in MLB history to throw two no-hitters in a season.

Studs

Liriano, Hughes, Revere, Casilla, Cuddyer

Duds

Anyone who thinks Target Field is anything less than a beautiful, impressive ballpark...because that's exactly what Target Field is: amazing  If you haven't been here, take a trip and see it.

Friday June 3rd, 2011 - Fort Worth

Looking for D.C. info? 

http://coachketcham.com/WashingtonDC2011.aspx

Sunday May 22nd, 2011 - Fort Worth

First if all, the world didn't end.  Phew.  I do want to chrip in real quick on something.  So many people including myself like to make fun of that wacko who had the whole idea, however, he is a con artist and should be ashamed of himself.  Most of his believers are senior citizens, and many of them gave their entire life savings to make signs to warn of the end of the world.  What a jerk.  I pray for these people, that they have familes and friends that will take care fo them.

On a lighter note...

So, I was driving this weekend.  Loving this weekend weather, and I heard a song called check yes or no by George Strait.  This song reminded me of a embarrassing story.  When I was in high school I was dating this girl for a while and I decided to ask if she wanted to be my “girlfriend”.  Thinking I’d be cute, I wrote on the piece of paper and handed it to her.  It was Yes or No.  True story, she added a maybe box.  Then she checked it.  Turns out she meant it.  

Luckily, she wasn’t the one for me. 

Time Capsule –

                This was an idea I came up with my first year.  I have done it every year since.  Never got to open one.  I finally got to open one on Saturday. 

                If you are a teacher, you get this.  If you aren’t, I’ll tell you a secret.  I don’t care who you are, as a teacher, your first year kids are always special.  There is no way around it.  You create a special bond with each other.  Some people have good experiences and others have a bad one.  I had a WONDERFUL experience with my first year group.  Were they all perfect?  Heck no!  Was I… O my gosh.  NO.

              (The opening)

        So, about every 2-3 months or so, I’ll run into a former student who would remind me that we have a time capsule, and when are we opening it?  When I got an e-mail from Hai and Elba, I guess I knew it was time.  I started wondering, how many will care to show up 4-5 years later?  Will there be 5 of us sitting in the room being lame?  Will there be anyone at all that bothers to show up? 

                Then, I got my answer.  First it 4, then 6, then 10, and almost 50 when it was all said and done.

                If you know me, I am never at a loss for words, but I did get a bit overwhelmed by the amount that showed up.  Also, I equally surprised by how much stuff was in the trunk.  During the process of handing stuff out, and greeting people, entertaining Ben, it flew by.

As with most things in life, I should have stopped for a second to take it in.  I wish I would have told them a little more, from the heart.  How proud I am of them.  I am so impressed by how many are going to college or the military.  How I wish they could be in my class now, as I am a MUCH better teacher.  I look back at year one and am just embarrassed sometimes.   I’m sure I owe some of them apologizes for rookie mistakes back in the day.  My wife did make a good point.  It didn’t matter where they ended up going to High School, who they hung out with, or what they did after school, when they showed up, everyone acted like they were all back in 8^th grade.  This was the coolest day I’ve had in 5 years of teaching.

Class of 2011, don't be strangers, keep me posted on your life's comings and goings and come visit.

                Alright, enough of this sh…   show of emotion.  I promise jokes and humor tomorrow.

Steven, Me, Hai, and Nathan          Mercedes, me, and Juliana

Olivia and I                                                                   Melissa and I

Cori, I, and Elba

Group Photo

Group in the room

Close up of the back

Outside

Jenna and I

Group Discussions

Elba, I, and Peyton (Cira 2006)

1.  Snout kisses.  When my dog, Maizy, is tugging on a chew toy, I like to pull the toy close to me and kiss Maizy right on the top of the snout.  Then there is no chance she will try to lick me in the face, and her fuzzy nose is so soft!
2. Fort Worth Botanic Gardens.  There is one isolated garden through a gate in the rose garden, and there is a 200 year-old pecan tree in it.  I like it because not everyone knows it’s there!  I also like when they plant poppies.  Poppies are bright orange, red, pink, yellow, and white cups of joy.
3. Game night with my high school friends.  Catch phrase is best when played with people who can read your mind.
4. Watching good friends get the point of hysterical laughter.  It’s sort of like Oprah’s “ugly cry.”

5. When I can get both cats and the dog on the couch at the same time -and possibly set the timer on the camera to get a picture of it all.  This is not an easy task because the dog wants to play with the cats, and the cats, in turn, punch the dog in the nose with their claws.  We usually have about 30 seconds to complete the picture mission.  I’m still trying to get a full family shot with Jeff, me, and 3 animals.
6. The hammock with 2 pillows, a soft blanket, a magazine, and no mosquitoes
7. Sunlight streaming in the windows.  I’d live in a glass house if I could- except at night because we watch too many of those CSI shows, and I get scared!
8. My  ipod running playlist.  I don’t actually use it for running, but every song is between 130 and 140 beats per minute, and they are so upbeat- particularly the Mika songs.
9. Brightly colored art.  I enjoy making it and looking at it- specifically thick paint and how it swirls and mixes together without totally blending.  This includes arts festivals, my favorite events of the year.
10. Tubing on the rivers in New Braunfels in the summertime with good friends.  Really I love the sun and water in general, sand, seashells, waves… just not the uncomfortable warm current on crowded Saturdays at the river.
11. Wearing flip flops to work instead of heels and feeling like I got away with something.
12. Small shiny things-  bright, glass, sparkly, not necessarily jewelry…
13. Really comfortable sweaters, shirts, and blankets.  These have to be machine washable to pass the happiness test.
14. The way my dad wraps presents.  He gets fancy bows and tags and matches them perfectly to the paper.  Then he admires his work, and we all comment on our favorite wrappings.  It makes you feel like the wrapped box is so special, who even cares what’s inside?

15. Making up silly songs with Jeff about random things.. on a daily basis.  Some songs are lasting.  This includes making up millions of nicknames for pets and incorporating them into the songs.  We would be institutionalized if anyone ever put a nannycam in our house.
16. Various types of catch:  baseball catch, Frisbee catch, pool volleyball-  not catch but just hitting the ball back and forth
17. Waking up in the middle of the night with nothing wrong, looking at the clock, and realizing I have tons of time left to sleep.  Then falling immediately back asleep.
18. Having specific things to look forward to and/or making a big deal out of small exciting things.  It could be as small as knowing I am getting a Whataburger taquito for breakfast or as big as looking forward to a vacation.  I read somewhere that the happiest people celebrate a lot of things.
19. Using things up-  it’s weird.  I like it when I get to the bottom of a big candle, or I systematically eat through all the frozen food in my freezer over a couple of weeks until it looks cleaner.  I also get lots of joy from getting rid of stuff that I don’t use.  I love it when the Arc of Texas takes it away.  It’s like my clutter and junk just magically disappears.
20. The smell of rubber cement.  Don’t judge.
21. The 30 seconds after getting in my way-too-hot car after being in a way-too-cold place in the middle of the summer.
22. The turquoise blue water of the Emerald Coast against the white sands mixed with the smell of ocean, a light breeze, and the sound of waves crashing on the shore.  A million pictures will never capture this beauty.
23. Multicolored blue Christmas Lights.  Usually this happens when people use some old blue lights with new blue lights, but I think it’s the prettiest!

Thanks for ready my guest blog!  The items are in no particular order, and I stopped randomly at 23.  This list is certainly not done.  There are hundreds of small things that make me happy!  The trick is to put these things at the front of your mind, and it is easier said than done.  But here is the question:  why do we dwell on the 1 or 2 things that hurt us but not the hundreds of things that make us happy?  Thanks, Brian, for hosting this series!  It helps us all put things in perspective!

Thanks Coach Ketham for letting me FINALLLYYYYY guest blog, even after I begged and you just kept telling me NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!  (maybe it’s just because I’m short) I’m not sure, but you finally agreed to have me on, so here are a few things that make me disproportionally happy!!!!!!!

My family- I freaking love my two guys, Shane and Dylan!!!  They are my world and I don’t know what I would do without their love and support every day!!! I love y’all all the way around the world and back!!!

I really, really enjoy my commute to work every morning with 106.1 Kiss FM on the radio and Ice cold diet coke in my cup holder. This is my 20 minutes of quiet in the morning before the crazy begins!!

Green lights and no trains- these things make my commute in the morning much more enjoyable and pleasant!!

Farting noises – they always make me giggle, not real farts but fake farting sounds

Pandora- I love me some Alanis Morsiette radio on Pandora!!!

Scentsy- If you know me, you know I LOVE Scentsy Wickless Candles (sorry for the plug on my pyramid scheme Ketcham) The product is Ahhh-mazzzz-ingggg and the opportunity is above any other!!  I have met such amazing people and have made lifelong friend!!! Check it out www.leahwhorton.scentsy.us (just kidding …. But really, check it out)

My friends at school- I love, love, love my job and all of the friends that I have made while working at Hillwood Middle School!!!  You guys are like a second family, and I love you all!!

Singing out loud and off tune while booty dancing like a fool- Soooooooo, this happens a lot…. Doesn’t matter where I’m at, or who’s around; if there’s a good song playing (or just  in my head) and the mood strikes I begin singing and dancing like a FOOL!!!! 

Burping- I like to burp!!!!!

Thanks to you Coach Ketcham for having me guest blog, it was fun and you are the best!!!!

I am fortunate enough to know some of Ketcham’s guest bloggers.  I have found that everyone featured as a guest blogger are truly happy over the small things in life.  Those that can find happiness in the little things hold the key to a successfully navigating life and all the challenges it has to offer.

For the most part, I consider myself a happy person.  But the things that make me disproportionally happy may be a little different from those of the norm.  You see, I march to the beat of my own out of rhythm, off beat, teenager diligently practicing but will never be the drummer for Foo Fighters drum. The things that make me happy are those that make me laugh.  I like humor and I find humor in the things that most may not always see.  The daily odd occurrences bring me the greatest joy. 

With that being said, I present to you the things that make Mr. Bramer oddly amused

Ninjas

We have all wanted to be one.  Like Shinobi, being able to move around undetected and using magic ninja powers to wipe out your enemies.  But the oddly amusing part to me is that eventually have to get food.  I love the idea of a ninja going to the grocery store, in full ninja gear of course, to grab a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, and a tub of hummus and pita chips for a nutritious low cal snack.  The picture of a ninja in complete battle gear looking for the best date on a gallon of milk makes me very amused.

TV News Meteorologists

At one time in life, I was hoping to be a successful meteorologist on TV.  My limited academic potential in the areas of science, math, writing, spelling, and really not caring as much about the weather as I thought kept me from that dream.  Meteorologists are so serious/excited about mundane things like dry lines, low pressure centers, and what time the sun will rise.  I become especially amused when the meteorologist get so excited that the fact that the upper level cap will be broken at certain temperatures.  The level of excitement can be equated to what a child might have at Christmas when they get a stocking full of hundred dollar bills.  Their pure giddiness at times makes me laugh to no end.   I mean really, is anyone other than 80 year old man or other meteorologist excited by this? The rest of the world just wants to know if it will rain of be 250 degrees.  Keep doing what you do Mr. Meteorologist, just realize that no one will be excited about the jet stream as you.

TV interviews of fans outside a sporting event

We have all seen it.  The shots of crowds chatting for their teams outside the stadium and hamming it up for the camera.  Most of these fans have been enjoying a cocktail or 20 and eventually the reporter feels like it will be a good idea to interview one of these diehard fans. The words that follow are usually some of the funnies moments ever captured on film.  The fan rambles off their half coherent support of their team followed by a yell and subsequent chant to incite the crowd.  The shot turns back to the reporter who now has a look on their face as if to say “They told me not to do this.  I should have listened.”  That uncomfortable moment for a very serious news man makes Mr. Bramer a very happy man.

Chance

Since my last blog post, I have acquired a son.  I am that he is a happy child who enjoys formula and only the finest in rotessire chicken.  He also an avid consumer and user of bouncy and rolly balls marketed for children.  He daily uses his God given gifts to throw, bounce, roll, and chew on these high tech toys.  The absolute joy and hours of entertainment that this brings him makes me quite amuse. I am also amused by the fact that he reads books in his own Chance language.  Nothing is better than seeing him say his Chance words and them laugh when he says something that he finds especially funny and looks to me for confirmation.  I am not saying he is gifted but…… (I think every parent is supposed to say this)

Life is pretty good for me, I must say.  Thanks for giving me the opportunity to blog about my thoughts.   Remember, stay thirsty my friends. 

This is the time of year that I come alive. Not, because I’m a teacher and summer is a couple of weeks from beginning, but for the next six months, I get to enjoy the one thing that I can parallel all life-altering events to… baseball.  For the next six months, at almost any given moment, I can turn the television on and find a game to watch somewhere whether it be a local game, two teams on the other side of the country, or a re-run.  I can drive by little league fields and see kids playing ball, high school fields, the Ballpark.  I can hear people talk about the previous night’s big game.  Better than any soap opera, I’ve got my baseball… my security blanket.

When my brother began playing T-Ball, I became a baseball fan.  However, it started out more as just the enjoyment of sitting in the stands with my dad at games.  As my brother grew up, so did my love for the game and my love for bragging on Dylan’s pitching ability way too much.  As a proud big sister, that’s just something those around me had to listen to.  His high school baseball years were the best I’ve ever had as a spectator.  I consider it a privilege to have seen my brother transform from a little boy who loved the game, to a young man who still has the same love for the game.  Just more proof that the lessons learned in baseball stick with you through life.   Plus, I continued to watch these games with my dad and were some of the best bonding times I’ve ever had.  They are irreplaceable and even still, I find myself seeking random games to take my dad to, just because I enjoy his company more than anything.  My entire family grew so close during these years and we remain just as close to this day.

My sophomore year in high school I signed up to write for the school newspaper.  There, I met the editor-in-chief, and at the young age of sixteen, didn’t appreciate sarcastic humor in the way that I do now.  He was also the editor of sports and played baseball.  We got to know one another well and in time, he became my very best friend.  A big part of that had to do with his educating me on the ways of the game.  Still, everyone considers him the go- to- guy when trades are made and about our farm system.  We kept in touch, even through going away to college and whatnot, then almost five years ago decided to make it official and start a relationship.  Our relationship in a nutshell, revolves around baseball as he was by my side during the struggle to obtain a teaching position and the only thing that truly made me happy was watching baseball.  In the joy of finally finding a job teaching 6^th grade math, he was right beside me designing the “Outfield Wall” in my classroom and constructing the sign to the outside complete with a Mark Teixeira foul ball cut in half (Can you tell we despise the Yankees?).  We shared in the excitement of the first World Series for the Texas Rangers and I guarantee that we were the loudest fans in the worst seats in the Ballpark.  Together, we turned my first house into a baseball shrine.  Never will I forget these times.  Nick proposed to me on Rangers Opening Day at the Ballpark this year and it was the biggest surprise of my life.  We are now planning our wedding and with no surprise, we are determined to get married on a baseball field next June. 

I’ve discovered that any uncomfortable conversation or situation between people can be resolved by beginning baseball small talk… bosses, coworkers, you name it.  It relaxes people and brings familiarity back to the table.  Most of the closest friendships I have took root in conversations involving baseball and thank goodness they did (That includes Brian).  Baseball fans are many times people who are pleased by the small things, passionate about their team, and appreciate the company of others in wondering what is going to happen next.  The appeal comes from the unpredictability of the game, which gives us comfort in our real lives.  This takes me back to my main point… worrying about what will happen tomorrow is no way to live this crazy life, but we can apply the lesson of living in the moment to each day. 

When Brian asked me to be a guest blogger, he requested that I discuss the little things that bring me joy.  While I could think of a million small, wonderful blessings in my life, the majority of them can be traced back to baseball.  Baseball defines me and this game taught me to appreciate the most special people in my life in an amazing way.  For that, I will always be grateful.

1. My husband Matt-Although Ketcham questions his actual existence, my husband is the best thing that has ever happened to me. He has blessed my life in more ways than I can describe, and I thank God for him each and every day. We’ve been married for six years, and I can’t imagine my life without him. He makes me laugh like no one else. He is truly amazing!
2. Playing with my dogs-Anyone who knows me, knows that I have two very unique dogs. They are named Maverick and Goose (I want to clarify that we are not big Tom Cruise fans though). They make me laugh with their eccentric natures! Goose, is petrified of strangers, but he is also extremely smart. Maverick only walks around the perimeter of our yard, but is an awesome guard dog. Goose has this unnatural obsession with socks. Sometimes he tries to steal the socks off of your feet while you are wearing them. Maverick drinks water like a camel. They are extremely weird, but what I love most about them is their uncanny way to make me smile no matter what kind of day I’ve had. They love me unconditionally and that is an awesome feeling!
3. My new car-I am now the proud “leaser/owner” of a HOT red Kia Sportage. This cute little crossover SUV is perfect for me. It is just my size, aka small and short. I won’t have to bend down to put groceries in or get them out, I don’t have to climb up or squat down to get in and out of my beautiful vehicle, and it is brand new! I’ve never owned a new car before, so this is exciting and big for me.
4.  Shopping with my mom-My parents live in Maryland, so I do not get to see them very often which makes me very sad. However, it makes me love and appreciate the small amount of time I do get to spend with them. One of my favorite things to do with my mom is shop. She and I always have the best time. We eat, try on clothes, and talk for hours. It’s the best!
5. Hanging with my “LC” (League City) friends-These are the girls I’ve known since I was in the sixth grade. It doesn’t matter how much time goes by between visits; we pick up right where we left off and talk for hours. I love the fact that these girls know my past, my present, and will be there for me in the future.
6. “B” movies-These are the movies Kerri Harris says I am the queen of! I love all movies in general, but there is just something about a movie that not many people watch and then finding something funny, wonderful, sad, or enjoyable about it! I can usually relate a movie to almost any life experience or situation. I don’t know why or how; it’s just a talent I suppose!
7. Saltine Surprise-If you have not had the pleasure of tasting one of these scrumptious treats, you are missing out! These delectable yummies are the perfect balance between salty and sweet! My good friend Kelly’s mom used to make them when we were growing up, and I recently found the recipe. I’ve made them twice in the past month, and my waistline has certainly noticed! I love them!!!
8. Pasta-I love all food in general, but there is something amazing about pasta. I think it is the fact that there are so many options when it comes to pasta. I don’t discriminate either. I eat all kinds!
9. Teaching-I love my job! I love the fact that I am essentially the boss of my own classroom. That works out well for me because I am quite bossy. But in all seriousness, I get a great amount of satisfaction and gratification out of what I do each and every day. Yes, there are some days I feel like a complete failure, but there is nothing like watching a kid’s eyes light up when they “get it.” I know I am truly doing what God put me on this earth to do! I also love the fact that every day I go to work and teach with some of the most awesome people I know! I am blessed to have amazing friends as colleagues! 
10.  2010 Secondary Teacher of the Year-I’m not going to lie. This past year was a blast! I enjoyed being Keller ISD’s Secondary Teacher of the Year (TOY) more than words can describe. It means the world to me that my peers value and respect me. I am truly honored by this title and will never forget it as long as I live. Ketcham, enjoy the ride because it is great!!!

So, Saturday, I went to get my mom and mother in law their mother day pedicure gift certificates.  I walk in and I see a giant sign that says FULL BODY WAX HERE.  So I walk in, and see a whole bunch of moms and daughter getting pedicures for prom.  I see two male workers.  One ask, "what can I help you with?"  I say, very loud, "I'm here for the full body wax."  The room goes quiet and one of the men says something in Vietnamese to the other.  While I am not fluent in Vietnamese, I’m pretty sure he said, “I did the last waxing, this one is yours.”  I say, just kidding, I just want a gift certificate.  The women in the room start laughing and the men look relieved.  Then one of the girls that I don’t know in the back says… “HIIII Coach Ketcham!!!” 

Great.   Just Great!

Things that make me happy… Feliz!!

1. Random acts of kindness- It could be me surprising someone with something simple like a nice thank you card or a sonic drink or them surprising me with something cute or funny.

2. Sushi- I don’t know why I get really happy eating sushi? I LOVE IT!!

3. Singing in the car- I’m not what you call the best singer but I love singing in the car. Like John Mayer said in his song:  “I wanna scream at the top of my lungs!”  I’m just glad there’s not hidden camera in my car!

4. New Kids on the Block- don’t judge! I am an 80s kid. I love love love NKOTB!! I can sing all their songs and I love Jordan Knight. They just remind me of good childhood memories that make me happy. J

5. Scared Hitless softball team- Win or lose. I have fun with my teammates/friends! It’s great to just have good laughs with them after a long week at work! J

6. Olive Garden dinners with great friends. I LOVE YOU GUYS!

7. Visiting my hometown! Even though it’s  10 hours away (driving distance) I love visiting South Texas and spending time with my family and friends. Grilling with my family, eating authentic Mexican food, eating home cooked food, and visiting South Padre Island. Ah, it’s a little slice of heaven!

8. South Padre Island & Kemah, Texas- simple things and simple places make me happy. The beach makes me happy!

9. Kenny Chesney- his music just makes me happy.

10. Cupcakes-   NOM NOM NOM!!

11. Saying the word “authenticious” I enjoyed the movie “The Town” so much that I find myself quoting it.

12. Quoting movies- “you killin me smalls” Quick, name that movie!!!

13. Sonic Route 44 drinks!

14. Road Trips- getting in the car to go somewhere new with friends or family makes me happy!

15. Watching or attending sports events. Need I say more?

16. Pedicures. Talk about bliss and making my toes look pretty with a cute flower.

17. My students especially Taylor B. and Bailey A. Those girls are silly and sweet!! They are great!

18. My assistant principal Craig dancing to random music… like Selena? I wish I was kidding! & the people I work with at HMS!

19. Dairy Queen Blizzards!!

20. Summer vacations!!!

Introduction:  Amy and I are similar triangles.  We both suffer from the same eating disorder.  Selective Eating Disorder (S.E.D.), look it up, it is real.  We both usually like the same things all the time.  I also love how her nose turns red when she is out in the sun for 15 minutes.  I love even more when she gets upset, because she has a high pitch noise that she emits that I love to try to duplicate.   With all the being said both Trista and I adore her and think she is pretty darn cool.  Danny is so lucky.

I know my husband’s blog from yesterday is way more entertaining than mine will be, especially to his Simpsons-loving buddy Coach Ketcham, but that gives me a good place to start my list of things that make me happy. I am going to try and make this short and sweet. There are a lot of things that make me happy but I am just going to pick my top 5 happy things.

** My Husband**

I know most of you don’t want to hear all the mushy “lovey-dovey” stuff so I will get it out of the way first thing. I have never been happier since I met Danny almost 4 years ago. He is obviously my perfect other half. I can not even put into words how much I love Danny and how grateful I am every day to have him as my husband. I laugh the most when I am with him. He makes me feel unconditionally loved, important, and special in so many ways. I also love the fact that I know he is going to be an amazing dad (whenever that time comes). We spend a lot of time with our nephew, Lucas, and seeing the way Danny is around Lucas just reassures that feeling every time. Danny is the calm and level headed one in our marriage. He always sees both sides of every situation. I am a better person when I am with him. I can’t wait to see what fun and exciting things are in our future.

**My Family**

If you know me at all then you know my family is the most important thing to me. I could go hang out with my mom, dad, brothers, sister-in-law, and the rest of my family anytime and be completely happy. They are some of my best friends. It makes me so sad that some people have family members that live so far away they only get the chance to see then once every few years. I am extremely blessed to have my whole family living no further away than Denton. My mom’s side of the family makes it a point to all get together once a month to celebrate the birthdays/holidays that month. I always look forward to this. My uncle (my dad’s brother) lives 4 houses down the street from my parents so we get to see them pretty often too. I must say that if there was an award for “Best Family in the World” it would definitely go to my family. J

**Creede, Colorado**

This is my favorite place in the world, hands down. There is no other place I would rather vacation to. The first time I went to Creede I was 3 months old. I love being able to visit there during the winter and summer months because it is 2 totally different but beautiful worlds. I love going during the summer in mid-July and being able to wear a sweatshirt at night. The cool weather really spoils you when have to go back to 100+ degree Texas heat. I love that it is the smallest town ever and when you are there somehow nothing else from home matters. It is such a nice break from reality. Where else can you hike, fish, take a daily nap on the hammock, ski, cut down your own Christmas tree, play endless amounts of card games, work puzzles, read books, watch mining events, get away from TVs/computers/etc, and spend time with family and friends? I love it!!!

**Sleeping late**

Another thing that most people know about me is that I am NOT a morning person. I don’t think most people are but if we did a blog on things that we hate then waking up early would be at the top of my list. This is why I love Saturdays with no morning plans. I can sleep in until I decide to wake up with no annoying alarm clock to wake me up. Once summer starts I have to work up to sleeping in later and later each day but by the end of June I am proud to say that I can sleep in until 10:30 or 11:00 on most mornings. Some people might call this lazy but I think they are just jealous. It is a special talent I have.

**Frozen Yogurt**

I don’t know if anyone else has jumped on this bandwagon more then Danny and me. We have the most amazing frozen yogurt place, or frogurt as we call it, by our house called Blue Cherry. We are so obsessed with this place that next month we are thinking about starting a savings account just for frozen yogurt funds. We probably visit this place 2-3 times a week and during the summer it is even more. They have the best flavors and the best toppings. I really love gummy bears and when I have the chance to top my frozen yogurt with gummy bears I am in dessert heaven. I have heard that frozen yogurt is supposed to be “good” for you, but with the amount that we eat I’m pretty sure that is not the case for us.

There are many more things that I love and that make me happy like my friends, having a home cooked meal with my husband that we make together, playing softball on Scared Hitless, teaching, going to Ranger games, anything A&M, looking through old pictures, etc., but I decided to just narrow it down to my top 5 things. I hope you have things in your life that make you as happy as these things make me. J

There’s this show I really like called “The Simpsons”.  Maybe you’ve heard of it.  It’s the longest running primetime show ever (on the air since 1989 and now in its 22^nd season).  While I haven’t seen even close to every episode (I haven’t watched a new episode since around 2006), I have seen every episode from seasons 1-11, and there’s several episodes from that time span that I’ve probably seen 20 times or more.  I guess you could say those are episodes that make me disproportionately happy.  I don’t think a day goes by where a Simpsons quote doesn’t pop into my head that is perfectly fitting for a current situation (just ask my beautiful, sweet, understanding wife Amy).

A couple of months ago I decided that this summer I was going to try and narrow down my top 10 favorite Simpsons episodes of all time.  This might be an impossible task because there are just so many good ones (Homer to Bart:  “Son, if you’re job is hard you don’t quit.  You just go in everyday and do it really half-a$$ed.  That’s the American Way!”), but nevertheless I will suffer through countless hours of rip-roaringly hilarious Simpsons moments, all in the name of a pointless list which no one but myself, Brian, and my friend Reza will appreciate…I’m sure my wife will understand.

But since I don’t have the time to give you my top 10 episodes list right now, I figure I will just give you some of my favorite quotes that somehow seem to make it into my world on a daily basis.  Many of them have to do with school…go figure. 

Lionel Hutz: This is the greatest case of false advertising I’ve seen since I sued the movie “The Never Ending Story.”

Homer to Lisa about her being a vegetarian:  All normal people love meat.  If I went to a barbeque and there wasn’t any meat, I’d day “Yo, Goober!  Where’s the meat?”  I’m trying to impress people here, Lisa.  You don’t win friends with salad.

Lisa:  Do we have any food that wasn’t brutally slaughtered?
Homer:  Well, I think the veal might have died of loneliness.

Homer:  To alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems.

Homer:  Pff, English. Who needs that? I’m never going to England.

Ralph:  Me fail English?  That’s unpossible!

Ralph:  Ms. Hoover, my worm slipped into my mouth. Can I have another one?
Ms. Hoover:  No, Ralph. There aren't any more. Why don't you go to sleep while the other children are learning.
Ralph:  Oh boy! Sleep! That's where I'm a Viking!

Principal Skinner to the Model U.N.:  Order! Order! Do you kids want to be like the real U.N? Or do you just want to squabble and waste time?

Principal Skinner:  Well, Edna, for a school with no Asian kids, I think we put on a pretty darn good science fair.

Millhouse about his failed relationship:  We started out like Romeo and Juliet, but it ended up in tragedy.

News reporter Kent Brockman:  Unemployment...it's not just for philosophy majors anymore.

Local Drunk Barney Gumble:  Hey, Homer, I'm worried about the beer supply. After this case, and the other case, there's only one case left!

Attorney Lionel Hutz (talking about his credentials):  I've argued in front of every judge in this state. Often as a lawyer!

Rev. Lovejoy (fed up with constant phone calls from Bible thumper Ned Flanders):  Have you ever thought about another religion, Ned? They're basically all the same.

Roger Meyers, JR.:  You kids don't know what you want. That's why you're kids, because you're stupid!

Australian Guy:  That's not a knife, mate, this is a knife!
Bart:  That's a spoon!
Australian Guy:  Alright, alright, you win.  I see you've played knifey spooney before.

Principal Skinner:  Is this how you imagined your life, Edna?
Mrs. Krabappel:  Well yes, but then I was a very depressed child.

Well, that’s all I can come up with at the moment.  These quotes may not be funny to you if you’re hearing them for the first time, but if you’ve seen these episodes, you know how hilarious they really are.  They certainly bring me a disproportionate amount of happiness!  If I ever get around to the favorite episodes list, I’ll let you know how it goes.  But for now I gotta go...my d@mn wiener kids are listening.  (That’s for you, Brian.)

Introduction:  I've known Kerri for 5 years.  She is great.  What I like most about Kerri is her passion for kids and her sense of humor.  She cracks me up!  Sometimes it is a higher level thinking joke, and others times it is a "that's what she said comment".  Just like her kids, she reaches all levels, even with adults.  Did I mention that I have 100% more confidence in her pitching then she does?  Well, I do!  I think she is just so competitive deep down, she can't understand her talent level.  She told me at least 4 times how she wanted her blog to be the best, so judge for yourself...

♥ HANDWRITTEN NOTES ♥

Let’s think about that one for a minute.  How many times in life have you been affected by a piece of paper with someone’s handwriting on it?  Probably more than you realize.  How about that little slip of colored paper that an aide hands the teacher that tells them to allow you to leave the class for early release?  Whether it’s for a doctor’s appointment or to leave town, that little piece of paper was your pass to freedom!  And the note scratched out by the kid you have a crush on that was slipped into you locker that confirmed he felt the same way?  Now, THAT was a day-maker!  And let’s not forget the notes with little hearts and XOXO’s moms put in lunchboxes or the note a husband leaves in the driver’s seat of his wife’s car to remind her how much he loves her.  Nothing beats that feeling.  I don’t care how popular texting has become; a handwritten note is one of the little things in life that make me smile.

♥ GOOD SMELLS ♥

Quick!  What does the perfect summer day smell like?  Or how about your grandmother’s kitchen?  Or a house that has just been cleaned from top to bottom?  Are you smiling?  Then you know what I mean!  There’s just something about certain scents.  Now, my mom always told me I had one of those noses that could smell a mosquito fart, and that pretty much says it all, but it explains why I need things around me that smell nice!  In fact, I just got done plugging in all my new Scentsy products and changing out the wax in them to be fresh and full of the smell of French Lavender.  I even bought some manly warmers for my sons’ rooms so that I could walk up the stairs and smell “Route 66” instead of Ode de Teenage Boy.  Now if I could just get rid of the old couch up there that smells of dog, then I would be truly happy!  By the way, if you ever need any Scentsy products for your home or office, then hit me up!  It’s my newest endeavor to keep everyone in good smells so they can be truly happy too!

♥ THE PERFECT FITTING BRA ♥

Haha!  Just kidding!

(No, I’m not.  This really does make me happy.)

♥ THE LAST CHAPTER OF A BOOK ♥

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t a reader. In fact, just walking into a library brings on anxiety.  There are just so many books in there, and I can’t find the time to read them all!  Kids these days put their ear buds in when they want to be left alone.  It’s the ultimate I’m-busy-so-don’t-bother-me-and-I-couldn’t-hear-you-even-if-I-tried way of telling people to go away.  Well, for me, it’s when I open a book.  I lose myself.  I go to a different place and absorb the beauty of the words on the page and the way they can make me feel.  I am getting to know the girl who is desperately trying to overcome the grief of losing her mom or the boy who is trying to escape from the evil villain holding him prisoner in the future.  In other words, I’m busy!  But nothing means more to me than when I arrive at the last chapter. It brings on the promise of further adventure, the conclusion of a life, the end of a friendship, or a farewell to a favorite character.  Yes, the last chapter of a book is something that means a lot to me. I turn the last page, savor the last few words, and then close the book and smile.

♥ STEAK ♥

To be more precise, a medium rare filet mignon (this IS a blog about little things, after all).  And if that steak is served in an expensive restaurant (Lonesome Dove Western Bistro for example) with a glass of Cabernet on the side, then perfection has been reached!

♥ SOFTBALL ♥

I guess this should really say that friends are some of the little things that matter.  But saying that my friends are little just doesn’t work.  Not only are most of them taller than me, but they also have personalities that are bigger than life.  I like to surround myself with positive, uplifting people.  Lucky for me, that applies to most of the people I work with!  So, when summer rolls around, I go through withdrawals from these people.  And then, along came Scared Hitless!  It started as my excuse to see friends all summer long, but it has blossomed into a great way to relive my childhood.  I like to think I’m better than I really am, but I can still smack it into the outfield when I get that perfect pitch.  And, we really have so much fun!  The banter on the field and the screaming and singing from the dugout when we are at bat even makes the other team laugh.  Most of the time I get the question, “Do you guys all work together?”  I always tell them, “Yes, we’re all middle school teachers.”  They usually just look at me, smile, and say, “Wow.  I wish I had teachers that had as much fun as you.”  Yep, my softball team is a small thing, but boy does it matter.

♥ LITTLE HANDS ♥

Now, most people will think I’m talking about the hands of a child.  And there is definitely something to be said about a child’s hand reaching up to hold yours.  But, I’m actually talking about the hands of my husband.  It’s ok to giggle.  It does sound weird.  I won’t even begin to tell you how this story got started *coughketchamstarteditcough*.  But I am here to tell you that his hands have been there for me to hold for most of my life and I will always be thankful for them.  I have been holding Mike’s hands since I was 16 years old.  We have experienced the shy handholding of teenagers, the completely in love and won’t let go even though my hand is sweating type of handholding, the comforting each other through tragedy handholding, and the I love sitting with you on the couch handholding.  I have been holding my husband’s little hands for 27 years and I love the way they fit perfectly into mine.

So come on people!  Sit down and consider what the little things are in YOUR life that matter!  Learn to look for the gems throughout your day that you can focus your sanity on.  You just might find yourself smiling despite yourself.

Introduction:  Kristen Hurdle is one of the nicest people I have ever met.  I will tell this story, that she hates, but it shows what a great human she is. Kristen and I got hired at Hillwood the same year.  She was supposed to teach all 8^th grade history and I was to have one 8^th grade and three 7^th grade history classes.  I was slightly bummed, and she was telling me how excited she was.  Then it turned out I wasn’t certified to teach 7^th grade, just 8^th grade, so they switched us.  They told her and me as we sat across from each other at the table.  I was so excited inside, until I looked across the table and saw her crying.  I don’t know if I ever felt so bad about anything I didn’t have anything to do with before.  However, as usual, she handled it with grace and style, and every time I tell the story, she reminds me that it worked out for the best.  She chooses to be my friend regardless of what stupid things I do.  Often when I am debating doing something or not, I ask myself, would Kristen be proud of this behavior or not.  I view her as my little angel on my shoulder.  She is a positive light in my life and everyone who knows her.

Kristen's Guest Blog

THE OREO AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GLASS – you know, the gross mushy stuff that’s fallen off of one of the twenty Oreos you’ve just dunked in your glass of milk … wait, did I say twenty? I meant two. It’s so scrumptious you have to eat it with a spoon.

SUMMER THUNDERSTORMS – Why summer you say? Because it’s not flippin cold!! I have a new found appreciation for warmth after my move to Missouri this year.  Seriously though, there is nothing like walking barefoot in the rain.  I blame my mother for this … as a kid it was a reward for being good if I got to take my shoes off and play in the rain.

FINDING MONEY – In my life this is one area where I feel my tendencies are going in a different direction than most people my age.  When I was a kid, finding a dollar in a winter coat or an old purse was such a treat.  Now you should see me jump for joy at the shiny penny I find in the Walmart parking lot!

WHEN MY FAVORITE MOVIES COME ON TELEVISION – It doesn’t matter that I can watch The Sound of Music or The Wizard of Oz any time I’d like by opening my DVD drawer.  There is nothing like the thrill I get (followed by a beeline for the box of microwave popcorn) from finding out one of my favorite movies is coming on TV.

THAT FIRST CRISP DAY OF FALL WHEN IF YOU AREN’T AT A FOOTBALL GAME YOU SHOULD BE – This usually involves a trip to Fort Worth to watch the TCU Horned Frogs play football.  It’s that one special thing that my dad and I have done together since I was in diapers – even though neither of us went to TCU.  Gosh we were fans for A LOT of years of losing seasons … makes it that much sweeter now that they are AWESOME!

PEDICURES – I used to think that pedicures only made me feel better when I was the one getting one … boy was I wrong!  In fact, just this last week my day was made brighter when I tried to call one Brian Ketcham.  He didn’t answer the phone, but replied at one with the following message: “Can’t talk right now … almost through with my pedicure.”  INSTANT day brightener!

WINDOWS DOWN, RADIO UP – Isn’t this one self explanatory?  I must admit, however, that over the years my idea of “radio up” has changed dramatically.  I’m such a grandma.

SOLO ROAD TRIPS – Much to my parent’s horror, I started a tradition when I graduated from college that each summer I would take a road trip by myself.  I pack up my car with a tent and a sleeping bag and see the good old US of A.  I turn off the cell phone, and get in some good old quality me time.  Even though I have a best friend now, in my fiancé, that loves to travel with me, there is still something about a solo adventure that is liberating, centering, and to be honest – the time of year when I feel that I am able to refocus my faith to where it should have been all year long.

PANTS THAT ARE LONG ENOUGH, YET DON’T HAVE PENGUIN CROTCH – Can I get an AMEN from all the tall girls out there?  Y’all know what I mean … if you find pants long enough the crotch of the pants hangs down to your knees.  That pair that makes you feel like both like a girl and not “urkelesque” … priceless.

ICE CREAM.

THURSDAY NIGHTS: THE NEW FRIDAY – I mean come on … my kids teach the class about current events every Friday, so I get to sit back and enjoy how smart they are and how much more poised they’ve become over the course of the year. (Yes, I AM talking about 7^th graders.) And … you get to wear jeans on Friday!! That alone makes it a P-A-R-T-Y.

SEEING GOD WORK MIRACLES IN MAKING SENSE OF OUR SEEMINGLY CHAOTIC LIVES – Sometimes it takes minutes, sometimes it takes years, but there is nothing like that AHH HA moment when you can step back and see the big picture of what God has been doing in your own or someone else’s life. 

Introduction: Brittany and I have worked together for 4 years.  Well, 3 together and one at different schools, but due to high volumes of inter-office mail, it feels like we still work together.  Brittany and I get along very well and I think complement each other well.  We are both tall, like many of the same things, and we road trip very well together.  We have gone to Houston, Missouri, and Austin; twice and I have never at the end of a trip thought, geez, I wish that would end.  If I ever need something, I know Brittany would be there to help without questioning why; and vise versa. I would say Brittany is a best friend.

Hafner’s Little Things in Life

Cupcakes: I LOVE cupcakes. In fact, I am considering having them as my center pieces at my wedding. They are the perfect size and you get an  incredible amount of icing. There are also so many different flavors. My favorite has to be red velvet. You can’t go wrong.

Road Trips: Road trips are the perfect getaway. I love that you are on your own schedule. I realize that my schedule to get from Fort Worth to my parents home is 1 hour 15 minutes to Waco, an hour to Herne, and hour Hempstead, and an hour to home, but it’s MY schedule. I like the freedom to choose which roads your drive on and which gas stations you stop at, whether it’s a Buckee’s or a Cum n’ Go.

Mail: This does not include bills, because those can’t make anyone happy. I think it is great getting a note or package from a friend that shows they are thinking of you. After changing schools this year, interoffice mail has regularly made my day. Even if it is a package that I know I have ordered, it’s still exhilarating.

New Expo Markers: Using a new expo marker is one of the best things. Students haven’t worn them out because they wrote “Ms. Hafner Rocks” on your board one too many times. They are clear and easy to read. They work on the first try. And I know its bad, but I love the smell.

Shoes: I will walk into shoes stores just to look. I am part of a shoe a month club. I own over 70 pairs of shoes. Being able to choose from my many shoes every morning just makes me smile.

My Mom’s Hugs: You can’t go wrong with a Mom Hug.

Blizzards: These make me so happy that Ketcham and I have challenged ourselves to eat all 35 different flavors of Blizzard. We have a poster. So far we have conquered 15. I realize this doesn’t seem like a lot, but prior to extending this challenge, I had stuck with the classics of cookie dough and oreo.

Tall Socks: Really this is both tall socks and short pants… on baseball players. It gives a feeling that we are watching them play back in the day. Ian Kinsler wears short pants and he’s not bad too look at. This also gave my friend Caitlin and me our nicknames.

6^th Graders: They are sooooooo much better than 8^th graders. They still care about school and if they get in trouble they feel bad about it. They are also still innocent… well, most of them.

Barney Stintson: He is legend… wait for it… dary.

The First Day of School: I still can’t sleep the night before because I am so excited. I can’t wait to see what my students will be like and if they will enjoy my class. I like the excitement of walking through the doors and seeing the hugs of friends who haven’t seen each other all summer and the scared looks of the faces of students who are new. It’s a new beginning each year and you can’t help but be optimistic.

Scared Hitless: I know I am not very good, but I love hanging out with my softball team. It has been a great way to stay in touch with many of the teachers I left behind this year to change schools. We have also won some this year which is an added bonus of happiness.

The Idea of Marriage: I can’t wait to marry the man of my dreams. Sure he can’t clean a dish and leaves his socks everywhere, but he’s all mine.

Monday Night Dinners: I have a standing date with a friend from college. It is something to look forward to even though I have to sit through Dallas traffic every other week.

Trips to Washington DC: 100 8^th Graders for 5 days. This doesn’t sound like happiness to most people, but it is one of my favorite weeks of the year. Every year I go I learn something new and it’s a different experience because the personality of the group is completely different.

Introduction:  I have known Amanda for just about a year and I cannot say enough nice things about her.  She is one of the most genuinely nice people I have ever met.  She is so kind; she will give you the shirt off her back, and expect nothing in return.  However, I find repaying kindness to her to be a wonderful experience.  She is a angel.  She is a great teacher, a great co-worker, and someone I am glad I can call, a friend.

• Living at home. Yes, I am 23, live at home and LOVE it! Most people my age think I am certifiably CrAzY for living at home but I think just the same of them. It the little things like making fun of dad for going to bed at 9p, all 4 of us playing Tetris on the WII together, mom and I watching greys anatomy and army wives each week. Not to mention the $$ in the bank I’m saving! I am truly blessed to have such an awesome family.
• Full Gas Tank. Hint: Just don’t look at how much you have spent! Pulling out of the parking lot with a full tank of gasoline gives me the feeling that I could go anywhere I want!
• Chick Fila’s Ketchup Packets. For a ketchup lover like myself I have to say … These packets are ingenious! So many different ways to enjoy my ketchup!

• In my family of 4 I do not think one of us does a complete load of laundry all the way through. So when you go to wash clothes you ALWAYS have to move the person before yours laundry along (i.e. throwing it on the downstairs couch unfolded). I’m always in a hurry to wash some last minute clothes and am SOOO excited when there is nothing in the washer. When I go to move it to the dryer I am SURE something would be in there I would have to throw on the couch but........NOTHING - both the washer and dryer were EMPTY! I do a little happy dance right there in the laundry room :)
• Weekly dinner @ Nana & Papa’s house. Thursday nights are a highlight of my week. There is ALWAYS good food at the Cain house. Not many people can say “I’m 23 and still love to spend the night at my grandparents each week!”
• Celebrating others. Whether it is a recent accomplishments, engagement, proud moment, promotion, retirement, new job, new house, etc – I feed off of that person’s happiness. Starting a new chapter is always a great feeling and sharing that joy with someone else is always fun!
• Car rides with my little sister.  It does not matter if it is -20 or 120 degrees outside my sister and I will roll down the windows, crank up the music, and enjoy the ride while singing at the top of our lungs. This time together is priceless to me – we never want to go home and usually end up driving aimlessly to make the time last longer.
• Annual Memorial River Day Trip. This tradition started in high school and has continued without fail each year. A once a year trip with my closest friends keeps me excited all year long! Some of the my favorite parts on this trip include: dad’s brisket, reading by the river in the early morning while everyone else still sleeps, shooting my marshmallow gun at random people on the water, country music blasting from dad’s handmade river radio cooler.
• My stamp collection.  What is a dying species in this day and age of the mass greeting card industry is one of my favorite things. I love adding to my collection and being able to use them in a creative gift to someone.
• My favorite feeling would come at the END of reading the book. Because when I start one I can't put it down so finishing it is like kicking an addiction.
• Making lists.  Hi, my name is Amanda and I love to make lists. I could make a thousand a day – it is my little taste of OCD. Most people say the best part about list making is marking things off the list but not me. My joy comes from actually making the list.

• The week before a vacation. The anticipation of the trip is always one my favorite parts. What to pack, what to do, how to spend the time, etc.

• Sushi. This is a new found love and I have to put a disclaimer that I am not a pro at this yet but I do enjoy a simple California Roll. I think I’ve paid Taste of Asia’s electricity bill this past month in sushi alone. My 1^st true sushi experience was shaky after I fell in love they tell me oh by the way you just ate orange fish eggs --- I truly almost threw up on the table instantly. Now I just put a mental block on before eating.
• Planning an event. I love being in charge and organizing a big event. Delegating and the anticipation of it all coming together is well worth all the work. My favorite event to plan is the annual Spurrier Crawfish Boil.
• Family Dinner’s. With our family’s hustle and bustle busy schedules it is nice when everyone can sit at the table together and talk about what’s upcoming the next week or the latest, funniest stories.
• Surprising others. There is no greater joy than putting a smile on someone’s unexpecting face. It can be the smallest of gestures or the biggest but what’s important is that person knows you were thinking of them and you did something to show that to them.
• Zero 820 Traffic. When driving on 377 and approaching the 820 bridge I always think to myself…please please please let this day be the day for some crazy miracle the traffic is not backed all the way up the access road. That is the day you do your happy dance in the car!
• Hillwood Softball. If there is one thing my Hillwood family has taught me over the past 2 years it is to lighten up, laugh, and be you. This group of amazing people have welcomed me with open arms, encouraged, helped and supported me. I look forward to the Friday night mischief! And the best part is regardless of a win or lose we will share many belly aching laughs together!
• Granny’s Dr. Peppers. My Granny keeps a fridge full of dr. peppers that are barely frozen. She keeps the fridge setting low to ensure the perfect amount of ice crystals in the DP. Nowhere else in the world can you find one of Granny’s barley frozen Dr. Peppers!
• Christmas Eve with My Little Sister. Every cmas eve Caroline and I will put on our new Christmas p.j.s and climb into my bed to watch movies with the butterflies of what will Santa bring this year…Mom always tells us “as long as you believe he will come” so dad gum it WE BELIEVE!
• Homemade gifts/cards. I always like gifts from the heart. To me it’s not the amount of $$ in the gift but the thought that counts – it makes it that more special.

• Watching Ace Bacon Mascot. I love to watch Will mascot during the summer! From the Cotton eyed Joe to taking pictures with smiling and sometimes crying babies. He LOVES what he does and he is darn good at it and I love supporting the true, one and only Ace Bacon!  Is it an insult that I have been nicknamed “Manda Bacon”?!
• Nana’s Cooking.  Let’s get something straight I know a lot of people say their grandma is the best cook ever but I mean it when I say it! My Nana Pat Cain’s mashed potatoes and my Nana Pat Cofer’s corn stuff – just the thought of the yummy food makes me do my happy dance! Many people think I’m crazy for how much of these 2 food items I consume but let’s face the facts – this southern girl LOVES her some potatoes and corn J
• Southern Kindness. This includes, southern gentlemen who hold the door, people who wave on the road when you let them over, strangers who say God Bless You when you sneeze, people who let you cut in line at Wal-Mart when you only have a few items to their 2 buggies full, etc.
• Being a teacher. I have found such great joy in this profession this year. This is my passion, this is what I am good at, and this is what I was made to do. When I was 11 I dressed up as a teacher for Halloween – hair in a bun, fake glasses, old lady dress, etc. One year I asked Santa to please bring me gift certificates to Teachers Tools and when he did I bought a grade book, easy grader, and many other “treachery” supplies that I used daily in my bedroom aka classroom (and no that was not this year – it was last lol).

4. 3 Words... Pitchers and Catchers Report - You know Spring is in the air.

5. Snow Day – Sure, we have to make it up, but it makes you feel like a kid.

6. When plans don’t go according to plan. There are times when we make plans with friends or family to get together and then they fall through. It’s not that we don’t want to see these people but there is a disproportionate amount of joy associated with scoring some free time just for ourselves when it was unexpected.

7. Seeing a old friend, and it like you never missed a beat. – I’ve had a lot of these since May.  Weather it was seeing Joe, Jacob, Scott, or Matt.  It’s like you never missed a beat with these friends. 

8. Random How are you e-mail - Got one of those a few weeks ago from a friend from High School.  Good to hear from her, sounds like she is doing well.

Quirky I know and even just listing them here I feel all sunny and chipper. How about you? Is it the coin sorter at your bank? Receiving something in the mail that you’ve been waiting for? How about finding $20 in your jacket pocket, a full season later?  Please share with me the quirky little things that make you disproportionately happy, so I know I’m not alone. 

Good News:

The government repealed the Doggett amendment and the U.S. Congress has released $830 million in education funding for Texas as part of the federal budget.  Yes, this is that stimulus money everyone has been calling for.  Won't fix the budget, but may save some jobs. 

Bad News: 

It all depends on how they spend it and earmark it.  Tarrant County area schools originally were set to receive about $60 million of those funds.  I called Senator Nelson's office and she said she thinks it will be good, but some have concerns are that state officials will put the federal money in the state's general fund and use it for other purposes.  Fingers crossed.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/04/12/2994365/texas-education-funds-unfrozen.html

Trip to Austin… Part II 3/23

Hafner/Ketcham Trip to Austin

After going to Austin blindly for the first trip, we really did some more research and found the people who had the answers.  Here is the long and the short of it, and I’ll summarize at the end.  The thought I want you think before you read this is the Yellowstone Fires of 1988.  I’ll explain at the end.

We first meet with - Senator Jane Nelson’s education aide, Addie Smith.

(Addie was a very articulate lady who knows a ton about schools.  She was a joy to talk with and we learned a ton)

  Senator Nelson is a former teacher and has four teachers in her family

     Including one in Keller

  Currently on the Finance Committee for Health and Human Services

     Budget recommendations go out tomorrow (Thursday 24^th) (Aired around 1:30)

Current Education Bills in the Senate

1)       Limit administration numbers -Not currently voted out of committed and will be amended (could possibly save 2 million state wide)

a.      If the Senate passed a Tax increase, it will be vetoed by Perry

2)      Gambling – about 15 bills have been filed but will not be supported by Perry

3)      Teacher contracts -Notification for resignation could be moved so schools know what their staff will look like sooner.

4)      RIFs - Districts could save money because teachers would not have the opportunity to go to court to protest their non-renewal

5)      Finance Committee for Public Education is creating a new formula for how much money districts will get. Old formula was based on a better housing market.

6)      Mandate relief Bill (HB 400) - i.e. cuts fitness gram for students not in PE

a.      This will decreased grant funding

7)      Looking into re-appropriating Texas Youth commissions funds-400 million more nonpublic schools

Budget Debate is Next Friday between the House and Senate

The senate has 3 billion more in their budget than the house currently.

SB 1265 supplemental appropriations - if the state predicted a district would make more money than they did they have to fill in the gap before august. (has already passed) Current new formula has student funding being reduce 3-8% $120-680 per student)

We then went and spoke with Mark Shelton and his education advisor Sierra Stephans.  They were also very informative, friendly, and helpful.

1)      HB 400 - gives districts more choices when it comes to class size, RIFs, salary schedules (teachers could be paid based on merit), gets rid of unnecessary mandates (fitness gram, newspaper announcements, reduce election costs), possible furlough days for teachers

2)      STAAR test - have to have some form of assessment, bill has been proposed to limit testing to 3rd, 5th, and 8th ( high achieving students will do well, where students who do not pass will have to take the test in off years. Currently working on growth measurements so the test is not necessarily a snapshot. Texas has it's own test because of the diversity within the state. More aligned so tea hers can track progress.

3)      Lots of bills have been written but many changes will be made before they pass. Written often to get something down even though they know in its first form it will not pass.

4)      Income tax has been proposed.

a.      Will not pass

5)      Fee based cost recovery - organizations will get Money from other sources so the money currently going to them can be re-appropriated.

a.      Ex. Texas State Historical Society will attempt to raise money from donations and give other money back to government.

6)      Dr. Shelton currently has 12 bills proposed including cutting out middle management, school flexibility, and tech share

7)      Technology - have to amend the constitution because currently the state can only purchase text books, reps want it to say instructional materials.

After Meeting with Dr. Shelton and his staff, we felt that he is a leader on education.  He says there will be cuts but very few teachers will be involved.

After meeting with the two of them, (and a big thanks to Dr. Shelton for coming out of the House to meet with us) we came away feeling much better and then we headed to the

Education Committee

1)      Pass bills about education policy, but do not deal with budget issues.

2)      Rep. Rob Eissler- posts a weekly news letter on the current bills in committee ( written for non-law makers and include cookie recipes)

a.      I love this site, at the bottom it has a link to his newsletter.  So easy to understand.  Please check this out.

b.      http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=15#member-newsletter

Finally, we had our appointment with Rick Perry’s Education staff leader.  Mr. Perry was too busy to squeeze us in, but it is possible that he died of a hairspray overdose.  I got the feeling from Kalese that she is the least popular person in the world currently because she has to deal with Perry’s big mouth and bad PR moves on education.

Kalese Hammonds (Perry's Office)

1)      Believes teacher cuts should be a last resort

2)      Believes increase taxes would lead to a hurt economy again.

3)      Does support a virtual school network

4)      Wants the 1:1 ratio of teacher to support staff reduced

5)      Congressman Lloyd Doggett put an amendment on the federal education money so Perry's application for 820 million dollars from the U.S. government was denied. Doggett wanted equal amounts of money going towards education in 2012 and 2013 but the governor cannot legally force the next sessions congress to agree to this.  Money is currently tied up in a court case.

Things we learned overall…

Back to the Yellowstone fire analogy.  Yellowstone was beautiful forest with many lush trees in 1987.  However, over the previous 100 years, there had been a buildup of pine needles, fallen trees, and leaves.  Finally, in 1988, a fire came and burned down a lot of the park.  However, this was a natural thing that happens and allows for new growth.   Now, 20 years later, the parts of the park that burned have many new trees that are growing and those parts of the forest are absolutely beautiful again and full of wildlife. 

The state’s budget is like that.  Over the years, a lot of unfunded, overfunded, and stupid mandates were put into the budget.  Now that the budget is in the hole, people are filling purging the budget of these and getting back to the basics.  Are there going to be cuts?  Yes, but most of them will not be teachers, but a cut in bureaucracy, mandates, and non-educational positions.

What can you still do?  Write to your reps, senators, and governor about how the budget cuts will impact your school, your life, you job, everyone’s future.  Stay active and give them a piece of your mind, and be passionate. 

3/10/11

He could set up a dunking booth on the Capitol grounds Saturday with him in it, while thousands of school teachers and concerned parents from across Texas gather at the Capitol to protest Rickonomics.

Rickonomics is Perry's state funding program that shifts the blame away from Perry and the state and lays it squarely on Texas' public school districts.

Remember how Truman said the buck stops here? Conversely, Perry says, "Buck? What buck? Did you see a buck? I didn't see any buck."

In his news conference, Perry also blamed the schools for adding "a rather extraordinary amount of non-classroom employees" in the past 10 years.

Road apples. In the past 10 years, according to statistics from the Texas Education Agency, that "extraordinary amount" is a jump in non-classroom workers of 0.8 percent. When you can't get it up to a full 1 percent, that's not what I'd classify as "extraordinary."

A whopping 0.8 percent, give me a break. At your local high school, that probably boils down to a couple of people working in the cafeteria, a groundskeeper for the football fields for a district and the librarian assistant.

Of course, if you can't afford books, why do you need a librarian assistant?

I'm a little surprised Perry didn't propose laying off the janitors to save a few bucks. I mean, do we really need the janitors? Couldn't Texas' schoolchildren bring a dustpan from home and clean up after themselves?

Perry even got regional by pointing out that Austin, in the matter of schools, "is not the be-all, end-all from the standpoint of decision-making."

At this rough patch in Texas history, when times are tough and the oil's used up, what we need is a leader who can pull folks together.

But after Perry's remarks, I imagine a lot of Texas teachers feel like the meat part of a pulled pork sandwich.

I digress....

Everyone  needs to help.  I don't think the Ketcham-Hafner education bill will pass right now, but if ideas were put out there and a few people write their rep., we didn't waste my time.  We need everyone.  People want leadership.  In the absence of genuine leadership, people will listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. They want leadership. They're so thirsty for it they'll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there's no water, they'll drink the sand.

• I may have to add this beauty to my bobblehead collection.

• This might be the most Joe Mauer has talked, ever. And an important topic, too!  Right Coach Womble?  Right?

Ron Gardenhire never actually played for the Twins, spending his entire 285-game career with the Mets, but he did appear in a Twins uniform during spring training in 1987 and Edward Thoma of the Mankato Free Press discovered video evidence of him striking out against Astros right-hander Julio Solano:

In addition to simply getting a look at skinny Gardenhire, the video is great because it features announcers John Rooney and Harmon Killebrew discussing Gardenhire, Al Newman, and Ron Washington being in a three-way battle for utility infielder. Newman beat out the two future managers, but went on to hit .221/.298/.303 in 349 plate appearances despite Rooney saying "he can do a lot of things." Gardenhire hit .272 with a .380 slugging percentage at Triple-A.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

“Here’s a red letter date in the history of science, November 5th 1955…That was the day I invented time travel. I remember it vividly. I was standing on the edge of my toilet hanging a clock, the porcelain was wet, I slipped, hit my head on the edge of the sink, and when I came to I had a revelation, a vision, a picture in my head, a picture of this! This is what makes time travel possible – the Flux Capacitor!”

I traveled through time this weekend and saw Back to the Future over the weekend. Yes, I own it, but occasionally, I just want to watch that movie.

Back to the Future has always been more than just a movie to me. I’ve seen it 88 times and confidently declare it my favorite movie of all time. It combines my favorite things: time travel, comedy, and true love.

I recalled the first time I saw it on VHS.  We bought it at McDonalds as they were running some promo, and I feel in love.  I immediately bought 2 and 3, and wanted to learn everything I could about it.

I often wonder if a movie like Back to the Future could ever come out today, and I sincerely doubt it. What makes it so unique is that it doesn’t fit into a single genre. It’s a coming-of-age, teen, sci-fi, action, period piece, romantic family comedy. It’s not like movie studios are lining up to make that kind of movie.

But it was made. And it was amazing. Like Doc Brown always said: “If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.” In terms of box office success, Back to the Future accomplished more than anything. It grossed nearly 200 million dollars, and that was in 1985 money. But for me, I loved it because it made me laugh, cry, cheer, and dream at the same time. It was the ultimate underdog story, the nerd standing up to the bully. It was the first time I fell in love with the movies. So after seeing a promo on it on TV, I had to watch it.

I popped in the DVD, and I mouthed the lines like a lyric to a song. I knew every word of dialogue. “Why don’t you make like a tree, and get out of here!”. I laughed more than usual. Doc Brown’s eye popping facial expressions got me every time.  Just like that, I was a kid again. That’s the thing about Back to the Future. No matter how many times I watch it, it makes me feel young again.

As I walked into Home Depot after finishing the movie, a brown penny caught my eye. I picked it up for good luck. When I turned it over, my eyes widened. The year: 1955. Maybe it was a message or a sign. Maybe I had traveled through time. Maybe I was safe and sound back in good old 1955. I scooped it up and placed it in my pocket. Back to the Future will always be a part of me. I walked down the road, and thought to myself: “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.”

Ketcham resigns to spend more time with family

Fort Worth -- His was the best known tall guy in the Huskies staff, and a body that was a jutting block of granite that perfectly reflected his toughness and passion for winning.

Longtime coach Brian Ketcham isn't calling his Middle school departure a retirement. "That [word] makes you feel old," he said Tuesday.

What no one seemed to know about Brian Ketcham was that finally winning this year with the 8^th grade Hillwood Huskies not only calmed his competitiveness, but it also sent him off on a football sabbatical with a look he rarely flashed before: a smile of satisfaction.

Ketcham resigned Tuesday after 5 seasons as the Huskies' “C team” coach, a job he probably could have held for life -- or, at least, for as long as his predecessor Mark Swain held it. The Huskies immediately began searching for a new coach for only the second time since 2005, a span when other middle school teams have had as many as 15 coaches.

One word noticeably absent during Ketcham’s farewell to the Huskies was retirement -- he said it makes him sound old. He is only 27, an age when some head coaches are only being hired.

For now, the man Huskies principal Jim Joros calls "one of the great head coaches ever" plans to spend time with his family at their home in Fort Worth, with his wife, Trista, and son, Benjamin.   

"I'm not burned out," Ketcham said. "There comes a time in your life -- I'm healthy and happy, and I've been fortunate -- you've got to prioritize things. My family has made a lot of sacrifices for me, and I'm looking forward to being there for them. It's the right time."

That means Ketcham and his wife will be attending a lot of basketball games in the next few months; since he coaches that too.

Ketcham’s 49-31 record ranks him fourth among current-era coaches in career wins. He won a six games last season, and over the years won with star players like Nick Domovich, Tyler Ward, Alex Martinez, and Kenny Tang.

The question is, if the Huskies had been willing to pay more money, would their relationship with Ketcham have lasted longer?