back to reality.

I had a lovely week of not doing much but scouring the internet for full-time employment, doing little projects around the house, and watching tv. Today it was time to go back to work. I ended up signing a contract to work part-time at the same place where I interned. Because it's all professional and stuff I won't be writing about it here. It kind of sucks because I would absolutely love to tell you about the crap that happens at work. Never a dull moment.

Now it's 10:20 p.m. and I'm going to go to bed. I have to be back at work at 8 a.m. tomorrow. I am exhausted from all the thinking I did at work today. Lots and lots of thinking.

*Yawn*

Don't worry. Things will get better around here. I am hosting a wild and crazy social work party at my house on Wednesday. I'm sure I'll have exciting photos to post on Thursday.

o canada

Last weekend Jesse and I joined my new best friend, Adrian, and his friends, in Toronto for some Tigers vs. Blue Jays action. We didn't go up in the CN Tower because we are too cheap (and some of us are just too poor...) but definitely not too cheap (or poor) to look at it from the outside.


Rogers Centre? Really? It's Skydome to me. We ended up sitting in the outfield and I don't really like sitting there. It's hard for me to score because sometimes it's difficult to see infield plays. Okay and I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I kept getting the fly-outs to left and right confused. When the dude to the left of me caught the ball I kept scoring it "F7." Oh but wait. That's right field. And of course I was scoring with a pen so the scoresheet looks all jacked up. Oh well. Our section was about 1/3 Tigers fans, 1/3 Blue Jays fans, and 1/3 loud jackasses. I think some of the loud jackasses were also Tigers fans and Blue Jays fans but it was hard to tell. And come to find out, some of the loud jackasses were with our group. Huh. Imagine that!

I don't have any good photos of the game. We were really far away and the photos I did take were blurry. Last night I realized that I should have had the camera on the mountain setting (distance!). If I can't even figure out the automatic settings on this camera, should I really even have it? Yikes. Give me some time. I'll figure it out eventually. Hopefully.

This is the view from our hotel room. We stayed at the Sheraton Centre and it was really nice. Apparently this crazy looking building is City Hall.


Adrian said his aviators are pervy instead of badass. I don't know what he is talking about.

master of something.

I am officially done with school. I have the roses to prove it!! Jesse's so awesome...

I have a master's degree in social work. Community practice and social action social work. What the hell does that mean? It means I want to be a social worker but I don't want to be a therapist or a direct services worker at all. AT. ALL. Instead, I'd like to advocate for policies that don't hurt poor people and work with the community to figure out their strengths and areas to improve and what they want to do. If anyone knows of someone that will pay me to do these things, please let me know.

I kept thinking that when school was over I would post more crap here. Yeah. Not happening. After the last couple weeks of school, the thought of writing just one more sentence was more than I could handle. A week has gone by and I am feeling better.

I'll feel even better when I find a full time job.

remember when?

This is a 2003 Tigers game at Comerica. At least they won.

i *heart* group projects.

"Why do I feel like the only guy on The View?"

"Is this the first time? Or have you been here before?"

"You know. The "friends" that I have been with..."

"I think I need to go back to the suburbs."

"From the one that says mixed kids are the best."

"We can't fight! Get in the car!!!"

"I know but *insert professor's name* is a jerk."

"Dirty me up on the internet."

In my defense, none of the quotes can be attributed to me.

oh city council.

I have a ton of school work to do since everything is due next week (it's the last week...helllllll YEAH!). I'm having a hard time getting anything done because I'm listening to the City Council public hearings on the settlement of the whistleblower case. It is so much more entertaining than writing a portfolio of crap.

badass. part two.

Last Wednesday my friend, Adrian, and I left class to go to the Tigers game. It was very exciting because it was the very first time he ever went to a major league baseball game. It was even more than very exciting because we ditched class to go. So we went to our first class and then left. He had to pick up some paperwork before leaving campus so I went with him to the administration building. As we were walking to the car, I got my sunglasses out of my bag. Adrian stopped what he was saying and kind of gasped.

me: What's wrong?
him: First of all I forgot my sunglasses. Second, those aviators are BADASS.

It was an amazing moment and I think he is my new best friend. At least that's what I'm calling him now.

Back to this skipping class thing... the professor of the class we skipped grew up in Baltimore. She doesn't really have an attendance policy (most professors say you can miss 2 classes but if you miss more, you lose points from your final grade) but does have a "Cal Ripken Award." If you attend every class, she adds 5 points to your final grade. I think it's hysterical that I will miss out on the Cal Ripken Award because I went to a baseball game. Last night I told Jesse I should tell the professor that I still deserve the Cal Ripken Award BECAUSE I missed class for a baseball game. He said I should definitely try it. I'll let you know how it goes.

Yes. I'm a dork and go to class every week.

Except for last week.

And maybe the week before spring break.

I know I'm still a dork.

badass. part one.

Last September I lost my beloved sunglasses at Cedar Point. Sometime after the baseball season ended I went and bought some new ones. When it got a littler warmer I wore a baseball cap and when I put my sunglasses on, the frames were too big and I couldn't pull down my baseball cap far enough. I decided I needed to get new sunglasses because there was no way I could go to a million baseball games and not wear a baseball cap, or wear a baseball cap and no sunglasses.

Before we went to Florida for spring training I made Jesse go with me to shop for new sunglasses. I tried a bunch on that were similar to the ones I lost at Cedar Point. Then Jesse pointed to some aviators and asked why I didn't try those on. So I put them on and liked them. I asked the Sunglass Hut employee if he thought they made me look like a badass. He looked a little uncomfortable and said, "well. um. I don't really know you. But you look like a nice person." Hmmm... so I turned to Jesse and asked him if I looked like a badass. He said, "Yes. You look like a badass." Great! I'll take them!

Since it was a sunny day I dragged Jesse to Belle Isle so I could take some photos of the snow and ice. It was also freezing so I bundled up. At some point I paused from taking photos and asked Jesse again, "Do I look like a badass?" I was somewhat dismayed by his response.

"Actually... You kind of look like the unabomber."

I have no idea what he was talking about...



But I think what he meant to say was, "Yes."

not just a memory.

Before last night, this was the last game I had seen the Tigers win. It was March 10, 2008 (obviously it wasn't the last game the Tigers won in spring training. Just the last one I saw!) Pudge hit a homerun. I think in this photo he's saying, "Brandon! Look! Up there!! It's a space shuttle!!!"

I'm so glad their little losing streak is over for now. We'll see how they do tonight. They played well last night and I felt like their hitting was back on track. Even though I was sad that Polanco's errorless streak ended the other night, I have to admit I was a little bit happy. There have been a few games where I whole-heartedly believe he committed errors but wasn't charged with them because of his errorless streak. Last year he got charged with an error and then they reversed it. Boo. That's crap.

Go Tigs!!

spring is here.

And now for a less violent post.

Pheasant in my backyard. Actually, I think this pheasant was in my neighbor's backyard. But I could still hear it squawking which meant I was delighted to scare it away and take a photo.

Happy spring, everyone! (Except for those of you who think the entire baseball season is over and think it's funny to make fun of my love for the Detroit Tigers. Happy kiss-my-ass to you people. That's not violent, is it?)

i have an announcement.

The next person who tells me that the Tigers suck, or ask me if I am sad that the Tigers suck, or say anything about the Tigers' "losing season" will get punched in the face. By me.

The end.

happy belated opening day!

Monday was opening day here in the D. We met Joel and Amanda at the Comet Bar before the game. It was very disturbing because the Comet Bar is all different now. I think it has a new owner or some such nonsense. It isn't quite fancy. But it isn't as dive-bar as it was before. Oh so sad!

We got to the park and they now have those camera people wandering around who take your photo and they post it online and you can purchase it for a bzillion dollars. I decided to take her photo while she took ours.

A very funny 80's cover band was playing in the parking lot. We don't know the name of the band. We think they might have been called "Silverado Road Trip."

Opening day lineups! Tigers played the Kansas City Royals. I'm sure you know by now that the Royals swept the Tigers. Ugh.

This is what summer means to me:

I'm so late posting this because I've had a busy week. Today I will attend my 3rd baseball game of the season. The Tigs are playing the White Sox. It's free Tigers schedule magnet day but I think we won't get one because we can't get there early. Oh well.

reasons i shouldn't be left home alone...

I stayed home all day today.

Well... that's a lie.

I stayed home from all the stuff I was supposed to do today. Like: 1. go to work. 2. go to class.

Instead, I went to breakfast with Jesse. And I went grocery shopping. And now Jesse is in Ann Arbor for a couple days for some law school thing.

So. Reasons.

1. I watch a lot of tv. It is baseball though so maybe it doesn't count? Well, it was baseball. Now it is just stupid stuff. Go figure.
2. When I'm at the grocery store I decide I need chocolate. I buy hot fudge.
3. I open a bottle of Two Buck Chuck and assume I need to drink it all.

4. I think it is too cold to eat ice cream. I eat a spoonful of hot fudge instead. Disgusting. I know.

5. I don't take Ritalin all day and then decide to ditch the old blog and start a new one. It could also have something to do with the wine. Let's blame it on the A.D.D.

Welcome to the new digs. Hopefully this will be a place where I can speak my mind, yet still give the link to my mom. We'll see.

Here's a photo.

Willie Horton likes to play in the water while I brush my teeth. I know it is bad for the environment but she is so cute I can't help it.