July 3, 2006

Hi!


   This past Friday, Tara and I celebrated our 6th month anniversary. People ask me how it feels, and the
best way to describe it is, there are some days where it feels like I've known her forever, and sometimes
it seems like I just met her yesterday. I have a feeling that will always be the case.
       It's definitely an adjustment, let there be no argument about that. Decisions that I never had to worry
about are now daily occurrences. I never thought deciding what to have for dinner would be such a
chore, for crying out loud do I look like I'm picky about food? But we have to decide do we want to
cook? Do we want to eat out? Do we want to eat healthy(!) do we want to go crazy and pig out? Those
are tough decisions man!
       And holidays mean more decisions. Breakfast in one place, lunch/dinner somewhere else. It's a long
day, but it always works out and its very enjoyable.
       And that's the thing of it all, no matter what, its enjoyable. Because no matter how tough the
decisions (and yes there are tougher decisions than dinner and holidays) I'm making them with my most
trusted companion, and my best friend.
That's how the first six months have gone. It's been wonderful.

   
********************************************************************************************************


     I realize that feeling bad for David Beckham is alot like feeling bad for Derek Jeter. Whether he wins
or loses he still has a pile of money and he gets to go to bed with Posh Spice every night. Boo-Hoo.
         But I watched that England-Portugal match on Saturday and I have to say, watching him sit
helplessly on the bench in tears was hard, especially since he's figuring this might have been his last
World Cup. For all the money and fame he has, it kills him that he was unable to lead his country to the
World Cup Championship.
         And of course it led me to wonder if our athlete's were as passionate about winning for the US as
Beckham was for England, maybe one of our teams might accomplish something.
         The US Men's soccer team was a disgrace in Germany, as was the US Men's Hockey team in Turin
during the Winter Olympics. Don't even get me started on the Baseball World Cup or any of the recent
international basketball competitions. (The women have fared a little bit better, but pardon my ignorance
that I'm not sure what they have won lately either)
       I'm loathe to write anything bad about the US, especially if it means saying that other countries do
something better, but I have to admit, I love the passion of these other countries when it comes to this
FIFA World Cup. I realize that the US will probably never have the same enthusiasm for soccer as they
do in other parts of the world, but for baseball and basketball and even for hockey you would like to see
some more fire. But as I've said before, if the athletes don't give a crap, why should the fans?



       That monstrosity that took place in the Bronx Sunday night highlights the Mets biggest problem.
They need two more starters.
     And I'm not talking about for the playoffs and/or World Series, as most pundits have already
penciled the Mets in for. I'm talking about the rest of the regular season. The entire second half. I'm not
as confident that the Mets are going to waltz away with the division as the rest of the world is. Not with
their only 2 dependable starters either old or banged up, and their 3,4 and 5 guys totally unreliable.
      Tom Glavine has been awesome, but he's 40 years old and who knows? Pedro Martinez has been
good, but now he's got a hip problem and as always, a bad toe.
       El Duque either pitches great or pitches horribly. Steve Trachsel has two or three bad starts for
every good one, and Sunday's Yankee game should put an end to the Alay Soler experiment for good.
       Granted, they have a great bullpen, and their lineup has been phenomenal. But starting pitching is a
huge factor and right now, they just don't have it. And I know it may sound silly, but I'm still not counting
out the Atlanta Braves. Not until they are mathematically eliminated. Their death has been prematurely
declared many times before. I'll believe it when I see it.
    Now the American League has become quite interesting. It looks like it will be either/or with the
Yankees and Red Sox in the playoffs, not both for the first time in years. They who win the East go to
the playoffs, they who don't go home. And the Sawx are having an incredible year, while injuries have
hurt the Yankees. So it should be a fun stretch run in the AL East.

I hope everybody enjoys their 4th of July. Unfortunately, I will be working both Monday and Tuesday, so
please have a beer in my honor.

Happy 3rd anniversary Timmy & Kelly

And of course, Happy 230th Birthday America!

Have a Great Week
Billy G

Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email and IM. All on
demand. Always Free.