Abandoned Books and/or Movies #9

Punk Rock Dad - Jim Lindberg

Jim Lindberg is a member of the group Pennywise, and he and his wife have three young daughters. Lindberg wrote this book to tell what it is like to try to be a member of a punk rock band and also a parent. I got pretty far into this book (127 pages to be exact) and was actually enjoying it, but I got distracted and never was able to get restarted.

I did not actually try to read the following two books, but I did get them from the library and skim them. They are both in the same vein as Punk Rock Dad-- books about the punk way to do things.

Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies, & the Truth About Reality - Brad Warner

Brad Warner was also in a punk rock band (Zero Defex) and then later moved to Japan to teach English and then go to work for the studio that produces the popular Ultraman television show (see photo at the bottom). Warner is also a zen monk.

Punk Shui: Home Design for Anarchists - Josh Amatore Hughes

If you are looking for a short guide to decorating your house according to the principles of punk shui, then this is the book for you.

Below: As promised, it's Ultraman

Great moments in World Cup history #5

The 1998 final

My daughter was four years old back then. At the start of the tournament, she predicted France would win. She was very happy when she turned out to be right.

Cars parked in my neighborhood #2

When I went started taking pictures of this Chevrolet Monza, I noticed that there was a woman working in the yard by the side of the house. I asked her if she was the owner of the car and if it was alright if I took a few pictures (I made up some story about my family having once owned a Monza so that she wouldn't think I was crazy). It turned out that she was not the owner, but that her mother was. The mother has been sick for the last six months or so, and the car hasn't been used in all that time. I asked the woman if the car still runs. She said that it does and then offered up the additional piece of information that the car does not have power steering.

I asked if the mother was the original owner (yes) and whether the woman knew what year the Monza was from (no). The woman then started to get excited about the idea that I was some sort of collector and that this car might be valuable. I told her that I wasn't a collector and that I didn't think the car was worth all that much. Obviously, she seemed a little disappointed after that.

For more information about Chevy Monzas, click here.

For information about the Autodromo Nazionale Monza (after which the Monza is named) click here.

Matt Tuiasosopo currently plays for the Tacoma Rainiers

Last Tuesday, July 21, 2009, my daughter and I went to watch the Tacoma Rainiers lose 11-7 to the Sacramento River Cats. The Rainiers are the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. Here are some important facts you may need to know about Rainiers third baseman Matt Tuiasosopo (pictured above):

• Matt Tuiasosopo has good speed and is an excellent bunter. In his first at-bat, he bunted down the third base line and reached first base without a throw.
• Matt Tuiasosopo comes from a very athletic family. His father, Manu Tuiasosopo, played for the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers of the NFL. One of his brothers, Marques Tuiasosopo, played quarterback for the University of Washington Huskies and later briefly with the New York Jets and Oakland Raiders of the NFL. Another brother, Zach Tuiasosopo, also played for the UW Huskies.

Below, Marques Tuiasosopo

• According to one of the gentlemen sitting behind us (see photo below - I am not sure which gentleman it was, however), his granddaughter played fast pitch softball with Matt Tuiasosopo's sister, and the entire family, including the more famous brothers, would come to watch her games.

• Matt Tuiasosopo was called out for interference in the first inning when he slid too hard into second base trying to break up a double play. The slide was more of a roll than a slide and was similar to the kind of block an overmatched running back might make on a blitzing linebacker.
• Matt Tuiasosopo's at-bat theme song is the same as my wife's ringback on her cell phone.
• Matt Tuiasosopo had a double at some point during the game.
• At another point, one of the Rivers Cats batters hit a pop up down the left field line. Matt Tuiasosopo turned and ran after the ball, and it looked like he was going to make a nice over-the-shoulder catch, but then he missed it. The batter ended up with a double, I believe.

Above, Matt Tuiasosopo at third base

• Matt Tuiasosopo struck out twice during the game. (See video below - watch how Matt Tuiasosopo refuses to leave home plate for a long time after being called out.)

• Matt Tuiasosopo grounded into a double play to end the game. This was one of four double plays the River Cats turned that night.

I have a Franklin Gutierrez bobblehead doll

Last night my wife, daughter, and I went to see the Seattle Mariners lose 9-0 to the Cleveland Indians. It was also Franklin Gutierrez Bobblehead Night (see picture, above). Earlier this week, Manny Ramirez hit a pinch-hit grand slam for the Dodgers at Manny Ramirez Bobblehead Night, and we were hoping for something similar from Franklin Gutierrez. It didn't happen, though-- he went 0-for-2 with a walk (see picture, below).

Gutierrez also tried, but failed, to catch a home run hit by Travis Haffner in the 7th inning. (see picture, below).

Also at the game were such celebrities as Flo Rida and members of the Everton FC squad, including Tim Cahill (below, holding the baseball), who has the same birthday as I do.