@PhilsDressShirt

The Masters: did you see Phil Mickelson’s long-sleeve button-up golf shirt? I liked it, thought Tiger and some of the others ribbed him for wearing it. The shirt even has its own Twitter account. I think Phil wanted to look more like Bill Murray. The shirt looks like something Ryan Moore would wear. I wanted to include Moore in my top picks but he always seems to fade at the end.

We watched some of the coverage Tuesday, but it was just the four guys sitting around talking about the tourney. I missed the replay of the Par Three Tournament.

Rumor is the Augusta National has banned people from yelling “dilly dilly.” To me the phrase got old quick. Using the phrase shows a lack of creativity as well as a lack of awareness for what’s outdated and no longer funny. While I’m hearing lots of anecdotal evidence, no one has come forward and shown exactly where the phrase is banned. Northerners like to badmouth the South, but one guy set them straight: “Augusta isn’t America. Thank goodness. Save that crap for the appropriately named “Waste(d) Management Open.”  

Braves: it may be time to do something with Teheran. He just can’t pitch in SunTrust Park. Seems like the Nationals pitchers continuously paint the bottom of the strike zone. Teheran will forget and leave a pitch high and the Nationals will pounce on it. Lots of hitting going on. The Braves took a 10-5 lead in the 4th inning, which against the Nationals is nothing. Then the Nats get mad when Dansby steals a base, and hit Flaherty with a pitch. Might’ve been different had it been 13-1 in the bottom of the 8th inning.

One week into the season and everyone wants to know who the Braves will sign as a free agent for next year. “It’s fun to guess’ but if DOB throws out a name everyone will take it as gospel and call him out should he be wrong. “Liberty never spends money” yet they forgot about the Cuban and Matt Kemp and everyone once else they traded for and signed. They’re like Veruca Salt, the girl in Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory who wanted a squir-rel, “and I want it now, daddy!”

They want the braves to be like the Astros and Cubs, but Houston didn’t trade for Verlander until they were already leading the pennant race. Even then their GM hated to give up prospects and going against plan. People just don’t understand the process. It will be nice to compete this year, but the trade deadline is a long way away. That said, I’ll ask some stupid questions.  Any chance Teheran loses his spot in the rotation? Should they make a closer out of him?

Tuesday night Ceil cooked her favorite: spaghetti. Watched The Middle, Chicago Med, and Bull, a new lawyer show. Last night’s Bull was good, similar to a John Grisham novel, but looking at coming attractions it appears some of the storylines aren’t exactly the feel good variety.

Wednesday: Ceil picked up her friend Dawn at the airport. They had lunch at some restaurant in the Westside Provisions. On the way home they visited Matthew at Whole Foods, and shopped at the Trader Joes across the street. Back home they cooked a sausage tortellini soup and tossed a salad for dinner.

I left work at six and stopped by three stores. I knew I didn’t need to be in a hurry to get home. Was looking for a green t-shirt to go under my new Braves jersey. Instead a bought a nice blue Polo dress shirt, and a #44 Vic Beasley Jr. Nike Falcons t-shirt. I’d been looking for a Falcons shirt because I didn’t have one, so this one will work. 

Getting home later than usual Wednesday night (after 7:30) then eating later than usual (around 9 pm, then I did the dishes) threw off my timing. M came home from work and fixed himself nachos, then we took his car to the shop (it smells like gas). Didn’t get to bed until after 11:30 pm.  

I saw where SPdL rang the old church bell in memory of the 50th anniversary of MLK’s assassination. Dan Hayes posted his memory of the event – he was in chilly Chicago. He remembered that he was wearing a trench coat. Andrew Young is speaking at SPdL next Wednesday night.

Thursday: lunch at Waffle House with Reid. It was good to get out of the office. After a slow morning the afternoon was very eventful. As always when I’m not here something big happens. A big dustup between a coworker and someone in another area of the complex.

Matthew is being treated and tested by a holistic doctor, who prescribed several vitamins and other concoctions. Seems to be doing better physically.

Anna is going to summer school. She got a job at High Country Outfitters in Athens, and she’s excited about that.

I don’t drink coffee, but chocolate covered coffee beans are real good. Ceil brought some home from MC’s sister’s wedding shower, and I’ve been trying to only eat two a day so they’ll last. Hopefully there will be more at the wedding reception.

The teacher’s strike: I just learned of what was going on with the teachers, and I don’t really know the details yet. Is it just Oklahoma? I saw where a very liberal gay postal worker Oklahoma lady on Facebook sided with the teachers. MC, who went to school in Oklahoma, posted the following:

• Since 2008 public school enrollment has increased by nearly 40000 while state aid funding has fallen by $213 million.
• Over half the counties in Oklahoma have a 4-day school week.
• Oklahoma is worst in the nation for public education cuts.
• Oklahoma loses 383 teachers per month.
• From 2010-2015 more Oklahoma educators left the profession than joined.
• Three of every four student teachers will leave the state.
• The state is giving them no reason to stay.
• Emergency teaching certificates are up more than 3500%.
• 50000 kids are in classrooms with emergency teachers.
• Every month 90 emergency teaching certificates are issued.