Speed Reading

 
When I listen to books on my commute, I check out audiobooks from the library and listen to them on my phone speaker. This book on the New England Patriots is long. Somehow I accidentally changed the setting from regular speed (100%) to slightly faster 125% speed. I think it helps me concentrate on the book better. Got the idea from Louis Tully, the Rick Moranis character on Ghostbusters. 

The Patriots book is long but interesting. How Robert Kraft made his millions, then gradually gained control of the team: first controlling the parking, then the stadium and concessions, and finally buying the team. His early days with Bill Parcells were challenging, but Kraft sought excellence, even cutting draft pick Christian Peters due to his repeated criminal offenses. 

One emergency after another at work. Very draining. Friday there was an order to be invoiced, They checked the price and knew it would be losing a little money. They didn’t check to see it was losing $40,000.00. I had to fix it. Another order was billed incorrectly. Instead of billing for $3,000.00 it was billed for $153,000.00. We had to fix it as well. A third $20,000.00 mistake was easier to fix. Just call me The Cleaner.

A month and a half ago I entered an order that got lost in the shuffle. It finally got cut and delivered this week, but they hadn’t followed my instructions. Now it will take another week to deliver. Half my time is fixing other people’s mistakes. Of course, I’ll make a mistake every now and then as well. A shipment I’d ordered for work delivered to my house. Ceil had to take it to the painter over on Canton Road. Then she put in the directions wrong and went way far out of her way. Man, I need to retire. 

Monday: Ran two miles. Went out to eat at lunch. When I got to the restaurant at 11:40 am, there was a sign on the door saying they’d be back at 2 pm. Had to go somewhere else. Drove straight home to cut the grass. Ceil made a casserole out of leftover chicken, with rice, black beans, salsa, and corn. Good. Then she went to Target.

Tuesday: with work being super rough these past four work days, this afternoon God blessed my socks off – encouraging me beyond expectation. Very nice. I left work around 5:15 after receiving a call right at five. Traffic bad. Stopped off for ten boneless wings. Had to wait a little longer than expected, but the “wings” were good. Went home and watched several episodes of Seinfeld. Evidentially I haven’t yet watched the entire series.

Wednesday: walked / ran three miles. Grabbed pizza for lunch.

Saw Claire’s update about Abby. Discouraging. Don’t see how Claire and Andrew do it.

Not much other news. Our neighbor is selling their house, one of the nicest in the neighborhood. 

Denison: an honest and urgent prayer in Psalm 43:1&2 - "Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me!". The psalmist can ask this of God because he knows that God cares about his "cause." He continues: "You are the God in whom I take refuge. Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?" Read online

BOBBY COX  [SABR Bio] has been ejected from more major league games than any other manager. -  Ans.  Was thrown out of regular season G 162 X. Next closest is John McGraw with 121. Bobby also holds the record for most times ejected from World Series games, on 20-Oct-1992 & 26-Oct-1996. No one else has more than one. Cox managed the Toronto Blue Jays to their first division championship. TOR manager in 1985.

Blockbuster movie idea: Attack of the Killer Cicadas. Plot: cicada eggs are doused with radioactive waste near a nuclear power plant. When the insect hoard emerges, they’re all ten feet tall. I have 17 years to get this thriller made.