Things Going Well All Around

There has been lots of stuff going on lately, but all good stuff! Last week our baseball team got a few wins but then had our 11-game winning streak stopped when we lost both games of a double header to drop to 11-4. However, we came from behind to win tonight at home to advance to 12-4 on the season with another game Wednesday, then one Friday and two Saturday. If we can get out the rest of the week with only 0-2 losses, it'd be a success, I think! The team has been playing well, especially pitching and in the field. Our bats are coming along (12 hits tonight), so we'll see where that takes us. We have some tough games coming up. I'm sure the tournament draw comes up in a few weeks, so every win is important for seeding.

After baseball Saturday I had poker in Wadsworth as a part of the Wheeler Poker Tour with some friends I met through Craig from work. The series is pretty sweet. We play a "No Limit Texas Hold'em" tournament once a month at either Craig's house in Akron or Steve's house in Wadsworth. We probably average 10-12 people per tournament, and we keep stats every night - who gets knocked out, what time that person got knocked out, and who did the knocking out, etc. - and keep standings throughout the year based on calculations and rankings. Last year I won the regular season championship, and in the end-of-season championship tournament, I placed 2nd, so I had a successful year. This season I started off poorly. The first tournament I played in 2 or 3 months ago didn't start well. I had other things on my mind and didn't play my game and ended up getting knocked out first. But since then I've placed 4th (in the money, 12 people) and 1st (12 people) this past Saturday when I put in $20 and went home with $96.50. The current standings were sent out yesterday, and I'm in 2nd behind Craig. I'm playing well right now and look forward to the next tourney on May 8th, I believe.

My first slow-pitch softball league of the year starts this Sunday in Lakewood. My woman's best friend's boyfriend asked me to be on the team, so that's how I got into a league so far from home. It's going to be exciting, though, as I'm finally getting back into decent shape and have been getting active again. I can't wait to get up to plate and swing the bat a little and run around in the outfield chasing fly balls, one of my favorite things to do in the Spring! It will also be great having my girlfriend Jenn there cheering me on, too, which is something I've never had before and makes me feel all fuzzy inside. Haha! I just need to make sure I don't try to do too much and impress the new teammates I will be meeting (or Jennifer). I just need to relax, have fun playing the game I love, and play the way I know I can, and it'll all be okay.

Speaking of Jennifer, things between us have been going very well, too. We had a good talk the other night that I'm thankful for, and we will be better off because of it. She makes me so very happy, no matter if I'm at home watching the Cavs and getting a random funny text message or when we're together and she tells me I'm a "goof" to my face. We just have so much fun together (and even when apart, sometimes). Oh, the nerve she has. Haha! But seriously, though, she treats me better than anyone I can remember (okay, maybe my parents treated me better than ANYONE). She has so many things that I want in a woman, and it's refreshing to see it in her. It stinks that we only get to see each other on the weekends since we live 59 minutes apart; but we make it work for us, and that's all that matters! .. Right?

Ahh, crap. I just remembered that I saw one of my best friends at the baseball game tonight. I'm busy in between innings, but I wanted to catch him after the game to say "Hi" but I totally forgot by the time the game was over. Darnit! If you're reading this, Dave, try to stay after next time if you can so we can chat some, if you want. Anwyay, I think that's all I have for tonight. I'll catch everyone later.

Smile! May God continue to bless you.