No Way in Hell

I almost don't have to say anything else.

Update: 6/23

But let's add some numbers. On June 1, 2012, Johan Santana threw a no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals. Yes, there have been other no-hitters this year. A couple of perfect games. But this was the first ever no-hitter pitched by a New York Mets pitcher. In the 50th Season of the franchise's existence, in the 8020th regular season game. This year the Mets are wearing a patch in memory of Gary Carter with his #8. The Mets scored 8 runs on 8 hits. Johan Santana threw a total of 134 pitches (add those digits and you get 8), and struck out 8 hitters. Lucas Duda hit his 8th home run of the season.  It was Santana's battery mate, catcher Josh Thole's, first game back after missing several weeks with a concussion. Was Kid Carter watching over the Mets that day? I like to think so.

The next day, with the elation of the previous night's historic event still in the air, R.A. Dickey followed  up by pitching a complete game shutout against those same Cardinals (the defending World Champs no less) for his 8th win to beat league leading 8 game winner Laynce Lynn. More 8s!

Some more on R.A. Dickey... His next start against the NL East first place Washington Nationals, R.A. pitched into the 8th inning, giving up no runs and striking out 8 for the win. His next start against the Tampa Bay Rays, R.A. pitched a 1-hitter, 8 more scoreless innings, only giving up 1 unearned run in the 9th. In this start he set the new Mets team record for consecutive innings without giving up a run with 32 2/3 innings. In the following start against the Baltimore Orioles, R.A. pitched a second consecutive 1-hitter, another complete game shutout for his league leading 11th win.  Tack on 9 more scoreless for R.A. 

Baseball players and fans alike are a superstitious and number loving bunch.  The internet has been filled with chatter over R.A. Dickey's numbers, as well as his great underdog story, as detailed in his best selling memoir. There's talk of R.A. possibly getting tapped to start the All-Star Game for the National League next month. A 37 year old journeyman knuckleballer. Santana's No-Hitter, R.A. Dickey's whole year so far, and the Mets are hanging in there in second place in the N.L. East when all the analysts were picking them last before the season began. The Mets have lost some tough series, notably getting swept by the 5th place Astros, and more recently and frustratingly, the Yankees and the Reds. But they've bounced back with sweeps of Tampa Bay and Baltimore. So far this weekend they have split the first two games of the year's final subway series at home versus the Yanks.  But all in all they are exceeding expectations, despite the continued distressing injuries (Jason Bay crashed into the left field wall again last weekend and has another concussion). Things are mostly looking up this summer in Queens. 

#LGM

Cottonmouth

I wake up in the mornings with cottonmouth. It's from the pills. The ones that help me sleep. It's just one of the trade-offs. The other is that it's a bit hard waking up. And staying awake, especially at work. I find myself grateful that I sit on my own in my cubicle. I'm useless for the first hour at least. Then when I do finally wake up, I'm surprised. Like I didn't expect to ever come out of the haze.

It's like that sometimes. You get into this frame of mind. I can be walking among people, and still be wrapped up in my own little world. And then I wake up. I realize that I've been chatting with shop assistants. And spending money. And I wonder what the heck happened; because usually I'm not impulsive. But I'm typing this on my brand new iPad. Whoops!

I managed not to buy any handbags. I found myself looking at some. And I reminded myself I'm on a moratorium. It didn't occur to me to add gadgets to that list. Oh well. This thing can be useful. I originally planned to get a netbook. Something I could curl up with and write on. Because I haven't been good about writing lately. I have ideas, thoughts, but they just seem to fly away. Like they were only dreams, and I've woken up without any memory of them. .

This is kind of funny. I'm holding the keyboard dock with my feet as I type. I tried with it on my lap, but it's a bit too small. Just able to balance on my knees, but it's not that stable. It would be more stable on a table. Ha! But that would sort of be beside the point. And now I've looked at the clock. And it's way later than I meant to stay up. Time is the commodity I need more of most. And no amount of money, or number of gadgets can get me more that that.

Still I need the sleep so badly, I take the pills, and struggle to wake up. And to come back to the world, thirsty, with my cottonmouth.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad