I got distracted this morning with my Hunt A Killer mystery game, originally a Father’s Day gift. There are 6 total episodes of the “Curtain Call” case surrounding the murder of a 1930s era stage actress. Each episode needs to be solved before moving on to the next. I just received the final episode in the mail and spent last evening through this morning trying to decipher the information. There are codes to break and an all important timeline of events to update. I think I know who did it, but there are unresolved details that still need to be sorted out.
I solved the cuff-link connection associated with the case on my run this morning, relating to a Bible passage. However, I can’t get to the bottom of the phrase, “When Vanity becomes Elegance, the truth can emerge.” This was a statement made by the victim, so it will not reveal the killer, but it may have significance in the circumstances. I hope to find all the answers today. In the meantime, it’s a mystery to me!
Sports will once again keep me entertained as I contemplate the “Curtain Call” case. We also have an extra dog for two days, as my wife’s daughter begins her recovery from surgery after breaking her leg. The Cubs split a double-header with the Cards, the Sox won, and the NBA Playoffs continue. Tonight, the Blazers meet the Lakers in game two. Tomorrow, we’ll start our long drive southeast. We’ll arrive in Florida twelve-days later, following visits with friends and family along the way.
The biggest mystery of all is what life has in store for us as we make this transition to Florida. What challenges will we incur over the next six months? I will certainly miss the friends that helped me celebrate an upcoming birthday yesterday. The time will pass quickly while we make decorating plans, start the building process, and make at least two more trips to Florida. We also have a family trip to Hawaii, and a spring cruise planned that will probably not happen. What could go wrong? It’s a mystery to me.
Two days and counting until we start our cross-country journey. I will make every effort to take-in the sights around me rather than wish it was over. We have a lot to look forward to over the next year, but my tendency is always to get to the finish line. Will I ever learn to relish the moment I am in? I was certainly looking forward to finishing my run this morning, another sluggish effort. The weather was beautiful as it has been here in Portland for the past few months.
I’ve been drinking water rather than habitual Diet Coke by day and wine by night, hoping to get a better night’s sleep of fewer bladder interruptions. I don’t think it’s working, so I set-up a doctor’s appointment when we get back from Florida. I’m still getting up at least five times a night. This afternoon I’ll step off the wagon for a couple of beers at our “Leadership” luncheon. The Cubs and Cards will be on TV, and life will seem normal with my friends and live sports. We’re celebrating my birthday a week or so early, as another year has come and gone.
The Portland Trailblazers put together a great effort last night to defeat the Lakers in game one of the playoffs. I was watching three games at once on phone, computer, and TV. All my teams won – Cubs, Sox and Blazers, once again proving that this year in nowhere near normal. Mad Men is our latest “together” TV, interrupted by all this sporting activity last night. There are seven seasons and 92 episodes that will have to wait until we get back from Florida in about three weeks. I did take time to cook some steaks for dinner, fulfilling my weekly cooking responsibilities that will also be put on hiatus. It will be hotel living and dining out that will probably lead to some weight gain. I wonder if I’ll be making the traditional stops at McDonald’s for Diet Cokes?
After all the Coronavirus quarantines the St. Louis Cardinals went through this season, I suppose they earned a break or two. They had only played 5 games when most teams were approaching twenty in this shortened baseball season. The White Sox had no worries about anything contagious, they couldn’t catch anything. The Cardinal hitting was pathetic after all this time off with little dribblers in the infield that the Sox couldn’t handle. If the Sox actually got an out, it was quickly reversed by replay. Apparently, the Pale Hose gift wrapped the double header as a welcome back gift to the Red Birds.
The Cubs, on the other hand, made several spectacular catches against the Brewers. They were however jinxed by the announcers who pointed out that the team hadn’t gotten off to such a winning start since 1907. Two losses to the Brewers later, they were back to their normal selves. I haven’t seen a team strike out more with runners on base than these last two days at Wrigley. Naturally, Christian Yelich single-handedly beat them in Friday’s game with a 3-run homer. Poor relief pitching proved disastrous in yesterday’s match-up. The Cubs can at least even the series today, while the White Sox can only salvage some dignity. The Cubs go on to play both the Cards and Sox next week, perhaps adding to my frustration.
The Portland Trailblazers and Damian Lillard continued their winning ways yesterday by clinching the final playoff seed in the Western Conference. They are one of the hottest bubble teams, and the LeBron Lakers will be in for an unexpected challenge in the first round. There is no home court advantage and no fans as unprecedented times persist in the NBA. The same circumstances allowed the Portland Timbers to prevail in their Orlando bubble. Can a Portland team do it again?
Indy 500 qualifying went off without a hitch yesterday, but Conor Daly couldn’t find the speed he showed in Friday’s practice session. Marco Andretti won the day, while Conor failed to make the “Fast Nine.” It’s fun to watch the second and third generation drivers like these two speedsters. Rossi, Herta, and Rahal also came from famous fathers of the Speedway that were part of my generation. Owners like Andretti, Penske, Rahal/Letterman, Ganassi, Coyne, and Foyt have been familiar names in Indianapolis since I can remember. However, seeing the empty stands for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” was all new to me.
Today’s “Fast Nine” action will determine the coveted Pole for next Sunday’s race. I’m glad there are plenty of live sports on TV to keep me entertained on weekend afternoons. Baseball, hockey, soccer, and racing have all managed to continue their virus-disrupted seasons. College football appears to be the biggest casualty as more and more schools push towards spring. Once winter comes, it may be back to the doldrums of nothing fresh to watch. I’m concerned about the fate of my favorite sport, college basketball. It was hard enough to deal with the loss of the tournament early this year.
The Cubs couldn’t catch a break and the Sox couldn’t catch anything. No one could catch Marco Andretti yesterday. Who will catch the biggest NBA prize? Hopefully, nobody will catch or spread the bug, causing further delays to these competitions that relieve the boredom of self-isolation.
This week the Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened its gates for the biggest event of the year – but not for the public and not for the first time in this pandemic. Other races have taken place under first-year Roger Penske ownership. Here’s a man who has always had good timing, but definitely bought this track at the wrong time. The Hullman family, owners of the fabled track since 1945, was the big winner on this deal, getting out of the business at the right time. The Hullmans somehow avoided the shut downs due to war and now this frickin’ virus. Roger that!
I spent a good portion of my time in Indianapolis at the track. I ran, walked, drove, and rode on its banked surface over a 25-year span starting in 1980. I went to the Speedway for the first time as a radio account executive, securing some tickets through the radio station. I learned how big it was when my angry son ran away in the crowd when he was about six-years old. I’ve spent days and nights there eventually graduating from the infield to the luxury suites. I’ve arrived at the track by police escort and helicopter after years of fighting the race day traffic and trying to find a parking spot.
The track was once my home every day in May, starting on the 1st. I’d spend my time hosting motor-home, tent, and suite gatherings for friends, guests, and clients. I’d sell commercial time in the radio and TV broadcasts, plus arrange car/driver appearances, promotions, sponsorship, and endorsements for the event. I’ve even helped disassemble a car to fit in a hotel elevator for display in a ballroom. The pits, garages, museum, and infield grass were my domain, as I gained knowledge about the history and performance aspects of the sport. One year I became a weekend warrior, moving with the circuit from city to city throughout the season. I even got to be a member of the pit crew when they were short on help.
Securing hundreds of tickets each year for family, clients, and friends became an annual responsibility. I’d spend evenings outside the track negotiating with scalpers and making ticket deliveries. It was a consuming ordeal every year but my biggest sales months in the media business were always May. Typically, I’d wear a sport coat & tie to the Speedway, and check in at the office before and after. There were no cell phones or emails at that time. It was up early and home late every day.
My closest connection to racing was the Daly family. 35-years gone by, their son had the second fastest time at the track yesterday, as the tradition continues. In the late 80s, I was also part of the Machinist’s Union Racing team that evolved into Panther Racing. I’ll see two of the friends that I made as part of this group in California next week. A former member of Panther now runs the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Roger Penske. Drivers like Roberto Guerrero, Pancho Carter, and Kevin Cogan were regular acquaintances and my racing heroes.
Today is the first day of qualifying at Indy. I’ll be able to watch on NBC. Due to the COVID-19, it’s three months later than normal – the first time in my lifetime that it has taken place outside of May. I’ll be watching the race after the race for the Pole on August 23rd from a San Francisco hotel room. The “Fast Nine” will be determined today as the next generation of racers compete for the honor of sitting on the Pole, without any fan support. It will be odd to see the empty stands after years of sold-out action. Qualifying is the first of the two annual races as part of the Indy 500. It’s an exciting day that will bring back lots of memories, even though I’m thousands of miles away.
After a restless night, I’ve decided to drink nothing but water today. There were too many sleep interruptions last night by my bladder. I’ve got to make some consumption changes, including Diet Coke and wine. Citrus foods, chocolate, spicy foods, sugar, tomato products, processed meats, aged cheese, and nuts are also recommended foods to avoid. Yesterday, I had two Diet Cokes, two glasses of wine, a banana, a cheeseburger salad with tomatoes, two cookies, half a chocolate turtle, sausage/egg casserole, ice cream, and assorted snacks. With a morning run, I burn most of this off and maintain my weight. However, it’s not exactly a healthy diet – it’s whatever I can get my hands on.
I’ll definitely stay away from alcohol and Diet Coke these next few days. I’ll do some experimentation and see if it results in fewer wake-up calls. Friday, I plan to have a couple of beers at the “Leadership Meeting.” I’m just not that disciplined, but I can start to make some changes. I must have gotten up ten times last night – a new record. Fortunately, I don’t have issues getting back to sleep, but obviously I’m not getting any deep, restful stretches. I’m looking for change.
I was excited for the Portland Timbers’ championship last night and enjoyed the final episode of Perry Mason. The pandemic continues to favor my teams with the White Sox, Cubs, and Trailblazers claiming victory yesterday, in addition to the Timbers. That is a rare day in sports. All that winning should have led to sweet dreams, not an up-and-down nightmare. I’m reading the Luckiest Man, the Lou Gehrig story. This should not be disturbing my sleep, despite the Yankee connection. I haven’t been a Yankees’ fan since childhood and somehow grew to hate them as an adult. To help relieve myself of this silly anger, I’ve explored the life of Mickey Mantle and now Gehrig, who was slightly before my time. Is all this Yankee nonsense upsetting my bladder or is it the food and drink?
Company’s come and gone and we’re back to the boring old routine. My wife has gladly cooked and cleaned for days, showing the love for her two daughters. It’s my turn to cook dinner tonight – an easy cheeseburger salad recipe. Our schnauzer Tally can also rest after five grueling days of bone wars with her doggie niece Falco. A quiet day at home is a well-earned reward for all of us.
Our next daughter adventures will take place in San Francisco just over two weeks from now. A weekend at the Ritz Carlton will start our journey to Florida. All of us will then get together for a pre-Holiday getaway to Kauai. Hopefully, the virus will not interfere with our plans. It’s already gotten in the way too many times this year.
Tonight, the Portland Timbers battle Orlando for the MLS is Back championship, perhaps their first since 2015. Maybe the city will get some positive exposure after all the bad press about the never-ending riots? I enjoyed some of the family games we played these past few days, including jackboxtv.com. It was much more exciting than any of the professional games we tried to watch on TV or “Shark Week.”
Looking back at this past week of activities entertaining company, the time has passed quickly. We’ve done some wine-tasting, sight-seeing, long drives, hikes, dinners, and a picnic. It was the antithesis of stay at home, but a much needed change from isolation. We’ll return to our quiet life together prior to the 2,600-mile cross-country drive next week. There’s plenty of company waiting for us on the road ahead.
With the kids in town for a few days, our living room is now the office, since they now have the flexibility to work from home. I haven’t worked for nearly four years, so it’s hard to imagine trying to make a living in these pandemic times. I have two non-paying jobs each day – this blog and my run. Sitting down to write means the 3.1 mile jog is over with and the relaxation can start with a few typed words of wisdom.
Yesterday, I watched the Trailblazers beat the 76ers and the White Sox lose to the Indians. It was the first time in seven years that the Sox had been on nationally televised Sunday Night Baseball, an indication of the sorry state of the team. It was at the expense of the postponed Cubs vs. Cards game due to COVID-19. The invisible virus has won more games than anybody else this year, starting with the cancellation of Spring Training. The Cardinals have yet to play in August. The Cubs will be back on the field tomorrow against the Indians.
It was the beginning of Shark Week on the Discovery Channel last night. Mike Tyson actually tamed a shark while scientists used creative lures to entice Great Whites to breach. This is how desperate we all are for fresh programming. We’ll watch the final Perry Mason episode once the family goes back to San Francisco. In the meantime, I’ll continue with my Friday Night Lights marathon. The Pacers play the Heat this evening, as live professional sports continue to survive, while college football appears to be in jeopardy. A decision is expected in the next few days regarding the future of all fall intercollegiate competition. I’m anticipating a delay until the spring, Too bad these athletes can’t work from home like the rest of America.
The really strange thing about this whole pandemic is that my teams are winning. The last few days, I’ve seen the Cubs, Sox, Pacers, Trailblazers, and Timbers all claim multiple victories. This tells me that life is no longer normal. In the real world, I consistently pick the wrong teams to root for on game day. Could this mean that I.U. will start claiming BIG 10 wins and that the Bears and Colts will play once again in the Super Bowl? It all now seems possible.
The Sox have won 6 straight road games, a feat last equaled in April 2017. Unfortunately in the process, Oregon State alum Nick Madrigal injured his shoulder during a slide. Tim Anderson is also on the disabled list. The Cubs have won five straight and the Trailblazers are making a playoff move with a promising start in the Disney bubble. IU alum Victor Oladipo is beginning to show his old form for the Pacers in their third straight win. These are all signs of the Apocalypse!
Can you imagine an NBA championship between the Pacers and Trailblazers, or a Cubs vs. White Sox World Series? I’m beginning to like these shortened seasons with each game having more significance and no fan interference. T.J. Warren of the Pacers just tied Jermaine O’Neil’s franchise record for the most in a three-game span. These things just don’t happen under normal circumstances. It takes a pandemic to bring out the best in my teams.
Will the magic last? I have my doubts. The Cubs don’t have a closer. Craig Kimbrel failed to preserve a three-run cushion last night and had to be benched by new manager David Ross once again. The Cubbies could easily return to last year’s mediocrity after a 9-2 start. At least they’re staying healthy, unlike the rival St. Louis Cardinals who can’t seem to stay out of the way of the virus. The White Sox are helping the Cubs with a chance to take a 3-game sweep from the Brewers. The Cubs are returning the favor by pounding the Royals. I like this Chicago tag-team approach.
The Portland Timbers are in the soccer final four with a match against Philadelphia tonight that could send them into the finals of the MLS is Back tournament. The bubble approach in sports seems to be working much better than the home fields used in baseball. We’re all hoping that sports can survive outside the bubble, especially football fans that are holding their breath for a chance to start the season.
The Indy 500 will now be held later this month without fans. New track owner Roger Penske reversed his plan to drop the flag in front of a full house. Instead, it will be strictly a television event that will undoubtedly continue in all sports into 2021. Buying a ticket to any event will be a rarity, having a devastating affect on the business. I’m just glad to be a fan and not an owner. Many tough financial decisions have been made this year, with no end in sight. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy the rare winning moments of my favorite teams. Fly the W.
It’s finally here – Opening Day. I last wrote about it (See Post #1306) almost three months ago, wondering if it would ever happen? There was originally talks of an Arizona bubble where all the teams would stay and play in one place. Instead, the stadiums are open to the players but not the public. I watched a few of the Summer Camp games these past few weeks in empty venues, just glad to have something live on TV. There’s no “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” the only option is to tune in. I may resort back to childhood and listen on the radio. With a few sound effects, it will seem no different than 1955.
The defending World Series Champion Washington Nationals will play the Yankees tonight on the east coast, while the Dodgers meet the Giants in the west. That’s pretty good social distancing. Tomorrow the Cubs start their 60-game journey against the Brewers at empty Wrigley Field. With half a season, every game is worth twice as much! I got in the spirit earlier this week with a trip to my baseball card guy’s house. A couple of items were added to my Sherm Lollar collection, speaking of 1955 baseball. Plus, some catching equipment from that era. Above all, it was good to talk with another avid baseball fan – it’s great to see anyone – period – in these troubled times.
I’ll soon be living next to a Spring Training venue in Florida, as I think back to the cancellation of the March games in Phoenix. I did get a credit for my tickets to those games. I also received autographed cards from Topps for Kris Bryant (Cubs) and Luis Robert (White Sox) after being shorted on my Opening Day lineup purchase. All in all, it was a rough start to the season, but all is now right. We’ll finally hear the words “Play Ball,” following a four month delay in the action. It’s the first season to ever start in July. I’ll tune in for the first pitch. Hooray – it’s Opening Day!
Now that the morning run is behind me, I can begin to look forward to the upcoming week. Today, it’s some live TV baseball between the White Sox and Cubs. Tomorrow, I have a baseball card meeting, once I get out of the dentist’s office. The fourth box of the Hunt A Killer mystery also arrives this week. Friday, the adventure to Montana begins. I’m not sure if I’ve ever run in “Big Sky Country” since skiing has always been the primary reason for going there. This time it will be some hiking in Glacier National Park. It will be the 40th state my wife and I together have visited, and my 26th state for a run. I have only 2 states left to visit on my lifetime bucket list – Alaska and Maine.
Friday’s trip east will cover about 800 miles round-trip with overnight stops in Walla-Walla and Spokane. Four nights will be spent in and around the park. Our schnauzer Tally is staying with my wife’s daughter and her doggy buddy Falco. They get together quite frequently. I will get out of my dog outing responsibilities for a full week. We’re meeting friends for two days of wine tasting in Walla-Walla on the way to Glacier. While in the area, we have joint reservations at seven different vineyards and three restaurants.
My car will get a good work-out. It has just over 135,000 miles on it. If it survives this journey, we’ll take it down the Oregon Coast into San Francisco. It’s one of our few travel options following the cancellation of our Egypt excursion. My wife’s car is being prepped for it’s cross-country venture to Florida in late August. This includes some extensive body and strut work. Once we get it to the Sunshine State, it will patiently wait in my son’s garage until our permanent move next March. At that point, we’ll pack my car for the same long drive in conjunction with the moving truck. So much to look forward to this year!
I’ll pack both my running shoes and hiking boots for this Glacial journey through nature, not necessarily my favorite thing. At least, I should be well pickled by the time we get to Mother Nature’s door. Many of our planned activities have been disrupted by the Coronavirus. Also, traffic is reportedly a problem with travel limited to primarily US locations this summer. National Parks are now a preferred family destination by car. The Going-to-the-Sun Road has recently been choked with congestion and the boat trips have been cancelled, so our entertainment options may be limited. We’ll make the best of it, as we look forward to simply getting out of the neighborhood.
