halobob

Holy shit, any one of those four could get Jeff Mathis out of a slump!

cyclists are the worst

Sosh

What?
 

You definitely have a gift for writing. I have enjoyed every one of these, and I have felt your emotions in each one of them - not an easy thing to convey in words, and not everyone can do it. I am definitely a fan of Shenanigans, and although I have missed seeing these for a while I left you alone about it. I knew that you would share with us again when the time was right.
 
Thanks for not discarding what you had written before, and thanks for taking us along on your journey.

Glad to hear things are going well for you with Date Chick!  Thanks for posting the shenanigans DR!

Editor's Note:  I wrote this on September 1, but didn't finish it.  So it's a little late.  Rather than throw it in the trash, I thought I might as well post it.  Just in case there's some She-fan-igans out there.
 
 
It’s Monday night, September 1, 10:01.  I’m about 3/4ths of the way through the motion picture “Earthquake.”  I planned to turn it off about 2/3rds ago, but I can’t.  Every line in this movie is a declaration of some kind.  Charlton Heston could slaughter something like “Pass the salt,” like no other.
 
It’s been a busy weekend with so many assorted shenanigans.  My niece has moved here from Spain to begin her American university experience.  She stayed with me this weekend and, never having had kids, it was an Uncle DowningRules experience.  More about this later.
 
One year ago today – about 5pm - I was sitting in my house.  I wasn’t in the greatest of spirits.  It was the first Labor Day without my wife and the change of seasons cast a particular gloom on what should’ve been a fun, end-of-summer weekend like everyone else was having.
 
My brother the wine maker texted me to see if I was home and did I have any of his wine around to give to the sister of one of his childhood friends.  He wanted her to have a bottle of his hooch so she could maybe write about it.  I didn’t want to be bothered.  I was more content putting my sad sack Lena Dunham face on and pouting around the house, cursing the hand I had been dealt.
 
So, I set the bottle out on the doorstep, attaching a post-it with the sister’s name on it.  I closed the door and locked it.  After some consideration, I realized I had to open the door and maybe invite some new energy in.  I knew the sister back in the day and she was cool.  And very pretty.  She was much more popular than me and I was into my own thing so we never really spent any time together.  (My AngelsWin destiny of sitting behind a keyboard in a dark room was set early on).
 
I realized that shenanigans were good for the soul and therefore, unlocked the front door. And kept the door open, a little anxious about what I’d say and how I’d interact.  When people say they’re in a daze after some sort of life changing experience, I now know what they mean.  I never gave it much consideration before.  It was just another saying we become immune to.
 
After my wife passed, I was in a haze and a daze.  Still am sometimes, especially when I have flashbacks to the particularly bad moments she endured.  On September 1, 2013, deep in the haze and daze, it felt like the world was spinning around me.  (There’s a good song by Steve Miller called “I Want to Make the World Turn Around" from 1986.  It’s used in an episode of Miami Vice to great affect.  It describes my mood on that day).
 
I was very aware of every word I said, every pronunciation, every movement I made.  For whatever reason, it seemed to me that people could tell I was ‘off’ so I was hypersensitive about everything I did which in turn made me look like I was ‘off.’ 
 
The childhood friend came to the door.  I hadn’t seen her in many years.  I invited her in and the first thing she said was that she was sorry to hear about my wife.  She stuttered a bit.  She was self-conscious too, and I was immediately at ease.
 
A lot of this is in previous shenanigans so I apologize for the redundancy, but it leads to today.
 
Labor Day, 2014 is the one year ‘anniversary’ of (re)-meeting Date Chick.  And we’ve been pretty much inseparable ever since.  As part of her job, she goes to a lot of restaurant openings, concerts, store openings, fundraisers, and assorted other functions requiring a lot of socializing.  I go to a lot of these with her which is nuts considering I was a shut-in before Labor Day, 2013.  Now, I have about 25 new acquaintances I see at these events and we’ve gotten to know one another on a “what’s up?” level.  Nothing deep, but I am now 99% non-haze conversational.  The door was left open and this is what happens.
 
I’ve written before that when my wife was going through her first round of radiation, she told me that she didn’t think she would make it.  And if she didn’t, she wanted me to grieve and feel sad.  Then go meet someone and be happy since I was too young to be alone the rest of my life.  The conversation is so vivid.  I can easily picture where I was driving on the 73 freeway when she told me this. 
 
I didn’t want to hear it at the time, refusing to believe that she would not get past the monster she was battling.  She’d always attacked bad situations, and there was no reason for me to believe she wouldn’t figure this one out, too.
 
But she couldn’t.  She passed away October 28, 2012, and I still light a candle for her every night.
 
She’s the one who delivered Date Chick to my doorstep.  I’m convinced.  And it was a fantastic delivery.  Date Chick posted on her facebook about our ‘anniversary,’ and she got over 500 likes.  People are happy for her. 
 
 

Hey guys-
Just wanted to check in a bit, it's been a while, yes? First of all, my apologies for not posting of late. I had been busy with work (2 jobs) and caregiver duties for my mother, who passed away in April, moving, and other stuff going on. These were also the main reasons why I didn't make it out to spring training this year. I hated that.
The medical stuff is very recent. Here's the deal, long story shortened- last Friday, shortness of breath. Went to 19-inning game against the putrid stinking white flag tossing bottomfeeding Chowds on Saturday. While walking from stadium to car after, got winded and had to stop twice. Put in a call to my doc Sunday. Saw him Monday, he sent me to hospital. They started running tests. Tuesday, the doc came in and told me I have lung cancer "somewhat advanced." He looked sad. Said it's 7 centimeters, upper left lung, pushing down on bronchial tubes which partially collapsed the lung, causing the shortness of breath. Said they will know more after the biopsy on Wednesday. That was the worst day of my life until Thursday. He came in and told me stage 3, not operable, into lymph nodes. He also said if aggressive chemotherapy and radiation are successful, it would give me a year/year and a half to live. Not sure how to describe what it was like to hear that. Friday, they ran 2 more tests, and finally sent me home.
I will be very honest with you- I think I'm still in shock. I have very, very raw emotions. I have chosen not to censor them. So the tears and snot have been flowing rather freely. I am very scared. I'm scared of dying, the treatment, not getting treatment, you name it. I'm grieving the loss of my health, also known as feeling sorry for myself. I'm told this is a normal reaction for anyone in my shoes. I wouldn't know.
I've cried more this last week than the last 10 years. The biggest reason for it is the tremendous outpouring of love and support that has come my way. I have a vast network of friends who are absolutely unbelievable. A few of them have been through cancer treatments, and will be holding my hand when I start next week. Others have visited me, brought me stuff, and fed me. I got prayers flyin' my way from Arizona, Nevada, Montana, Tennessee, New York, etc. I am loved and cared about, in a very big way, it seems. I can feel it. Which brings me to you guys...
I was fortunate to discover AW some years ago. And through games, fanfests, spring training, etc., I've been able to meet many of you. From the mondo strikeout game with Blarg, playing cards with Brandon, winning my Oppo Taco shirt, playing softball, watching Adam wielding the broom as he led the conga line at Throwbacks after we swept the stinking Red Sux, composing Squintfest threads and film reviews, to the infamous (but hilarious) exchange with Arte, etc etc. I have excellent memories that will last the rest of my life, however long that is.
Sometime during last week, I was made aware of this thread. A good friend read some of it to me in the hospital. And wouldn't ya know, I started cryin yet again. It blows me away that you guys care this much for just another diehard Halos fan you don't know that closely. I am humbled and blessed. You guys have touched my heart. THIS is what AW does best, at least in my experience.
I'm off for 4-5 days, then the "ugly stuff" starts. Yup, I'm pretty scared, but I'll do it anyway. I'll try to post updates if possible. For now, keep them prayers coming, and let me thank all of you once again from every part of my heart (especially Eric, Patti, Mancini, AO, Derek, and Tank, who reached out). AW frickin rocks. And how bout my beloved Halos right about now? First place, bitches...
Love you guys,
-Mike
PS- May as well throw in some humor- Besides the 2 main docs who consulted with me, there was a 3rd doc who did the actual work- draining lung fluid, the biopsy, and installing the Porta-Cath. This guy was a little weird, so I liked him. During the biopsy, I was lying face down on the table. After it was done, the nurse said I need to slide over to the gurney for transport back to my room. Being a smartass, I said "Nah, I'll just sleep right here". Then I heard the doc say "You go right ahead. I'll shove this proctoscope so far up your ass, you won't know weather to sh*t or go blind. Sweet dreams". It was only time I busted up laughing last week. Just thought I'd throw that in.

If her dad can afford to send her to Columbia you would think he could afford a bat and a trip to that guy's dorm.

I had to post this... took the photo at spring training in 2010.

Nudes

Complete and utter meltdown in Nate's homeland.

Check with the principal of her high school. Maybe you can reserve a table for two in the school cafeteria.

Well that escalated quickly

SUNDAY September 7th...
 
Started out as...then changed to this...
 

 

Agreed, no need to add 4 teams.  Now adding 2 and relocating 2 I am completely okay with.

Agreed, no need to add 4 teams.  Now adding 2 and relocating 2 I am completely okay with.

One of the best fan signs I have seen in the background of the Game Day audience.
 

I didn't think I could be anymore pumped for the start of the season, then Nate goes and posts that video.  Great find man!

Cool video from UCLA Athletics

Thanks HollywOOd!  I played my best golf I have played in a while.  It was a 9 hole match play and I closed out my guy after 6 holes and the team after 7 holes by shooting 6 over through 7 (really good for my 23 handicap).

It's gonna be hilarious when the A's only get the Wild Card.

why the facepalm?
Did anyone really expect him to say yes?

Good for them. All In. Gotta respect that.