JULY RUNNING

After a very slow running month in June, I picked up the pace more in July. In fact, I don't recall the last time I ran this many days in one month.

Total Miles Run - 103.43 (according to mapmyrun)
Days of Running - 18
Longest Run - 10.47 miles
Approx. calories burned - 13,467
Year to Date Miles: 728.78

ONE YEAR AGO ...

One Year. 12 months. 52 Weeks. 365 Days.

That’s how long I have called Los Angeles home. I very much remember the feeling of parking my vehicle at my friends apartment on July 31, 2008 not knowing what in the world I have gotten myself into. I still don’t necessarily know what I have gotten myself into and it boggles my mind every now and then when I drive by a sign on the freeway that says something like “Dodger Stadium” or “Santa Monica” next exit.

The other day I found this blog posting about L.A. and found it to be very insightful and some what accurate – here. The author has a money quotes about L.A. and what I have “gotten myself into” a year ago:

L.A. is the apocalypse: it's you and a bunch of parking lots. No one's going to save you; no one's looking out for you. It's the only city I know where that's the explicit premise of living there – that's the deal you make when you move to L.A. The city, ironically, is emotionally authentic.

The problem with this statement is that it is both true and sad all the same. There in lies “the rub” when you live in L.A. There probably isn’t a city in the U.S. that doesn’t care about you even though you care it more than L.A. You my may bleed away your heart and give every ounce of energy you have and get nothing in return but you know what, it is worth the energy. I wouldn't trade this place for anywhere else in the world right now because this place really matters even if it beats you down. It matters to me. It matters to my friends. And most importantly it matters to God and His Kingdom.

To often people have “given-up” on this city. Not me. Not now. I have gotten myself into something really beautiful and heart-retching all the same. This city needs people to care for it. To look out for it. And for right now, why not me?

One year and counting …

FRANK SINATRA JR.

On Tuesday evening a group of people from Mosaic gathered to hear what Stussy co-founder Frank Sinatra Jr. (no relation to Frank Sinatra the singer) had to say about running a $25+ million business. Some of the highlights:

* You don’t have to lead in all contexts. Be sure to understand context and know your skills while discerning your motives.

* Just because someone asks you, doesn’t mean you must do it. When life hands you lemons, hand them back oranges.

* “Be realistic with your objectives and honest with expectations.”

* On improving leadership skills – “It is hard to soar with eagles when you roost with chickens.”

* Have patience and understanding in making “simple” decisions OR when having to make a “rushed” choice. How do you feed an elephant. One bite at a time.

MELLOWING OUT

Mellow, Chill, Relaxed, Soothing … Call them what you will but these are some of the best songs to remind yourself of how great peace and quiet can be. I once dubbed frustrating days were these songs are needed “Norah Jones Days” but in an effort to broaden my horizons I came up with this list:

- At Last (Etta James)
- Stand By Me (BB King)
- Sitting on the Dock of the Bay (Otis Redding)
- Come Away with Me (Norah Jones)
- Bubble Toes or Banana Pancakes (Jack Johnson)
- Unforgettable (Nat King Cole)
- Colors (Amos Lee)
- Walking in Memphis (Marc Cohn)

CAN YOU HIT A HOMERUN?

There's this new show on ESPN2 called "Sportsnation" where a handful of questions are debated back-and-forth and at the end of the debate there's this "straw poll" cast to those in internet universe land.

This one particular question was asked today and the result was amazing. The question is - "could you hit a home run with an aluminium bat during the Home Run Derby"

In the great sports landscape that is America, I usually have a lot faith in the average sports fan. But when 52% of voters think they can hit a home run with an aluminium bat in a home run derby I lose faith in the average sports fan.

I speak from a little experience here. When I was the GM of the Pulaski Rangers I took my fair share of swings in the ballpark that was 306 feet down the line for a home run. In all my swings, I came close twice to hitting the ball out of the park. TWICE! Granted I was using a wooden bat but hitting a homerun is not easy. I was pretty thrilled just to hit it off the wall on the fly.

The problem is that MLB players make hitting a home run simple. It's freakin' hard. Trust me. If it were simple to hit a batting practice home run then why is it during the home run contest the best home run hitters struggle more than they succeed?

Go to any batting cage in the country and get into the cage where the speed is roughly 60-65 miles per hour. See how you do and many more times than not, you aren't hitting a home run. IF you even get a hold of one at all.

MLB 2009 HALFWAY POINT

Halfway down with the baseball season which means there is still another half to go … Woo Hoo!!

My preseason prediction aren’t doing so hot but they aren’t terrible either. I feel very safe in saying that my predictions of the Mets going to the World Series isn’t going to happen as well as my choice of the Cleveland Indians winning the AL Central. Those were terrible picks. Anyway, since predicting isn’t my forte let’s look back and give out a few awards:

First Half Winners in the following categories:

MVP
NL –Albert Pujols (St. Louis)
AL – Joe Mauer (Minnesota)

Cy Young
NL – Tim Lincecum (San Francisco)
AL – Zach Grienke (Kansas City)

Rookie of the Year
AL – Brett Anderson (Oakland)
NL – Coby Rasmus (St. Louis)

Managers
AL – Ron Washington (Texas)
NL – Tony LaRussa (St. Louis)

This is my choice for the play of the year so far but running a close second is this one.

THE SOLOIST

So I was about three months late in seeing “The Soloist” but the movie that I saw on Friday evening was the same one that debut on silver screens everywhere on April 24. Besides, I only paid $3 to see it!

My post movie analyses has been up and down. I didn’t really love it like I hoped I would but on the flip side it wasn’t a big letdown either. It was pretty much an average to above average movie that has its moments of greatness in telling Nathanial Eades story of homelessness and schizophrenia. While Eades personal journey is the “main” storyline, the movie tried to tell too many other story lines and probably should have focused on just one (maybe two) instead of the three different stories it was trying to tell. It’s almost as if the movie tried to hard when it didn’t have to.

If there is one thing that I really have got to pick on is the way the film makers made skid row look. OK, granted this is not a place to find yourself if you are lost or something but the film makers made this place out to be much worse than it is (or at least what I have experienced). If you’ve seen this movie and haven’t been on skid row, I promise you it is not as bad as you saw. It’s not playground but it’s not what the film makers portrayed it to be.

This is not a bad movie by any stretch. There are certainly much worse flicks but it could have been better since Eades’ story is so unique and beautiful.

PETCO PARK

This might be the best ballpark in all of major league baseball. Just amazing! So let me count the reasons:

1) Your not stuck in “your seating level” the entire game. A few years ago fans at most ballparks were forced to their seats once the game started and couldn’t move around and explore other levels of the stadium. Not at Petco where you are free to roam around and enjoy all the aspects of the ballpark.
2) “Park at the Park” is a sweet place just beyond centerfield. There aren’t any other parks in the MLB where you can just sit on the side of a grassy hill and just chill for a little bit while watching the game.
3) Western Metal Supply Company Warehouse adds such a unique feel. Plus inside the warehouse there’s a really cool museum type area with very nice displays.
4) There can’t be a bad seat in the place. For 42,000 seats the place sure felt intimate. Great sight lines.
5) The pricing for tickets and concessions are very reasonable. Granted MLB parks are still way high for food but it isn’t too bad here.
6) All the staff people at Petco were very friendly and helpful
7) The area surrounding the ballpark is filled with unique shops and food options that makes pre- or post-game activities perfect.

This is the 15th different MLB park I have been to and it is well worth the trip if you are ever in the San Diego area. The team might be bad but the ballpark is anything but bad. Great place to watch a ballgame.

WIMBLEDON 2009

Not sure which was a better match - the 2008 final (Federer v. Nadel) or the 2009 (Federer v. Roddick). Maybe the are really incomparable. Both were matches for the ages (so to speak). What an interesting final on so many levels. Roddick has been just on the outside of numerous Grand Slam titles while Federer just claimed a record 15th Grand Slam championships.

It was so heart-breaking to watch Andy Roddick play probably the best tournament of his life and then the best match of his career and come up just short of the hoisting the championship trophy. Rodger Federer is such a champion on so many level. He deserved the title just as much.

No losers in this match. Really the game of tennis won today. Just wow as those two played 4 1/2 hours of great tennis. I really wanted this match to go on for another hour but at some point it must end.