Ramblings of a Technology Addict

Saturday, March 8, 2003

Some text on which to meditate.

Last night, at the Echos concert, we sang a Brahms motet, its complicated rhythm and music flowing between us,
O Heiland, reiß die Himmel auf!
Herab, herab vom Himmel lauf!
Reiß ab vom Himmel Tor und Tür,
Reiß ab, wo Schloß und Riegel für!

O Gott, ein' Tau vom Himmel gieß,
Im Tau herab, o Heiland, fließ
Ihr Wolken, brecht und regnet aus
Den König über Jakobs Haus!

O Erd, schlag aus, schlag aus, o Erd!
Daß Berg und Tal grün alles werd!
O Erd, herfür dies Blümlein bring,
O Heiland, aus der Erden spring!

Hier leiden wir die größte Not,
Vor Augen steht der bittre Tod;
Ach komm, führ uns mit starker Hand
Vom Elend zu dem Vaterland!

Da wollen wir all danken dir,
Unserm Erlöser, für und für!
Da wollen wir all loben dich
Je allzeit immer und ewiglich. Amen.

I'll get a good translation and post it here.
5:47:01 PM  comment []

In the Spring time, the Spring time, the only pretty ring time...

Spring seems to have arrived for the short term here in Washington. Dave, Jason and I went up to College Park and got our golf on. That's right, some Frisbee Golf was played. I, of course, did amazingly bad and embarassed myself. Dave and Jay were doing damn good, and probably finished under par.
Me, well. Let's just say, I won't be making the Pro Tour any time now.
After golf, we headed down to the Harris Teeter and got some steak and grilled out to make it an afternoon. Some beer, steak and tater tots later, we're watching Ed on the TiVo.
Ladies and Gents, God Bless the Spring.
5:22:18 PM  comment []

Reality Sets In

In this morning's Sacramento Bee, a paper that I grew up reading and enjoying, there's a great article on what it's like to wait and watch for the cut list during Spring Training. That's got to be interminably hard for guys like Ed Yarnall who got to Spring Training and their shoulders just didn't work, or guys like Buddy Hernandez, who despite kicking ass and taking names, there's just not a major league roster spot for them.
The good news is that they don't have to pack it up and go home forever, they'll go to minor league camp instead. Does that make the sense of failure any worse? Probably not. But they're still doing more than I ever could, and that's play baseball for a living.
Dave and I have ordered the DirecTV Baseball package and are going to be watching tons of baseball this Spring and Summer as the season progresses. I have no doubt that will see the Mike Neu and Buddy Hernandez's of this season as it goes along. That's what makes baseball truly beautiful. Hockey's 80 games, Basketball is 80 or so games, Football's a scant 16 games, but Baseball has 162 games. 162 chances to be in the starting lineup. 162 chances to hit a game winning homer like Mike Rose did in the 10th inning against the Brewers. 162 chances to live and die by the game that has woven through the fabric of this country like a bright golden thread.
17 days until the A's opening day.
9:24:54 AM  comment []