Eating Out (Part One)

1. Friday evening C and I split a burger and fries at Moxie Burger.

2. Then we drove out to Avalon for Jeni's Ice Cream. Avalon is getting to be like any other shopping mall - except since it is open air, cars ride up and down the main drag blaring loud music. Get off my lawn.

3. Saturday AM golf. Then McDonalds and a thrift store, then met up in Kennesaw to complete a bobblehead trade. RaceTrac for a drink. Then drove C several places around East Cobb. Trimmed the hedges way back, something sorely needed. Then another bobblehead meetup on Cobb Parkway.

4. At 5 pm we headed back to Avalon with friends Lee and Nancy for supper at Superica. Lee and I ordered one of Ford Fry's favorites: the burgerista. Less Mexican than I remembered. Plus the huge wedges were more potato and less fries. The hostess complimented me on my casual shirt, with spaceships from the show Firefly.

Is NIL evening the college football playing field, or creating chaos? When the transfer portal changed college sports, Coach K retired. Will NIL drive Nick Saban into retirement?

https://fanrecap.com/first-and-10-nick-saban-knows-the-end-is-near-and-hes-lashing-out/

About Tom Brady's golf video. I need to remember to record his match with the other QB's.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.golfdigest.com/story/tom-brady-hole-in-one-drone-video__;!!AE29DT8V!Whcm_e_gBjC2sv1QsH6ZLOXZ8rnANuG3BS3fX3Uiz_wwrX6_tx28N1hrpoe8OD7L11OZTX4IfB6jMwrQJgE$

STAN MUSIAL  [SABR Bio] never played for a New York team, but hit 86 home runs there. Ans. He played 22 years with STL. Among the 475 career HR Musial hit, 49 came at the Polo Grounds, and 37 at Ebbets Field. He once lost a 40th home run on account of rain. In 1948, he finished with 39 home runs; however, no verification of this can be found. Read more here. Retrosheet verifies a HR he lost in 1951 as explained here. There is a stadium named for him in Europe. The field in Kutno, Poland is Stan Musial Stadium. It was dedicated in 2000. Musial's only big league pitching appearance took place on 28‑Sep‑1952, the final regular season game of 1952.  With his .336 safely leading the league, he was called in to pitch to a single batter in the first inning - the Cubs' Frank Baumholtz, runner-up in the NL batting race, a righthanded batter. Starter Harvey Haddix moved to right field, and Hal Rice covered center while Musial pitched. After Baumholtz reached on an error, Haddix returned to the mound for the duration. Later in retirement, Baumholtz recalled that the play was a hot smash to 3rd base that should have been a hit.

Are politicians ever going to serve their constituency, tax-paying US citizens?

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://stream.org/the-uvalde-massacre-warns-us-this-government-wont-protect-you-even-in-texas/__;!!AE29DT8V!QimqohfU0Jy5nqE3enbCfK_14t5AOJfBQN-hzEcNZvK3JyTqGRmzl7d63W-bTyZmNp9_cGEyTOHQ3nLVzi4$

Treason is giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Did members of a previous administration work to undermine their successors, negotiating with Iran?

https://freebeacon.com/national-security/disclosed-how-obama-administration-officials-conducted-shadow-diplomacy-with-iran-to-undermine-trump/?fbclid=IwAR2uoUfayXNrI1cyezZF0L3Fa_LEMs2r4soH6BOZ6G-8o6edz2TJF4GLLg8

Sermon Notes: Judges

JFBC associate pastor Stephen Bonham read statement regarding the SBC scandal / survivors etc.

Summer series on Judges: breaking the cycles of life. Cockroach is afraid of a mouse, cat dog man woman cockroach

V 21:25 everyone did what was right in their own eyes. A cycle of sin is often a struggle, sometimes the same sin. Our best fullest life is in Jesus. Also a cycle, the judges were instruments of God's grace. Scripture shows us how God provided special grace, like the judges blessing the nation of Israel

Patriarchs Abraham Isaac to Joseph. the pharaohs forgot about Joseph's people slavery then freed then later a season of plenty then the season of judges. Saul was chosen king then David. 12 judges 11 men and one woman. 330-430 years, not that long in those times but much longer than our country.

Judges 2:11-17 the cycle repeats.

A - apostasy, turning from faith / God, toward something else - serving other gods. Previously Gad had provided manna, leading them out of Egypt. A slow fade, a series of small decisions then larger compromises leading to worshiping other gods.

Did their fathers do an adequate job of passing their faith to the sudsequaint generations? We aren't really told. Deut 6:4-9 write them on your doorposts. We love to outsource things these days, but some things shouldn't be outsourced. As parents we shouldn't outsource passing our faith to our children.

Prodigals can be a challenge.
1. Give guilt feelings to God. Not your fault. They're responsible for themselves
2. Be honest with your prodigal. Be honest with yourself. If they're apart from God, speak the truth in love into their lives.
3. Pray for your prodigal. Kept praying. God loves them. Get support if needed.

B. Bondage was the next season v 14-15. A result of their previous decisions. God's face was red with anger. God held onto his covenant.

C. Cry out in their severe distress. Hopefully an attitude of deliverance

D. God raised up judges, who served as king figure. Kings had bloodlines, but not judges - who were broken saviors, instruments of God's grace

E. Peace in the land v 18-23 but only for a time, they turned back and were even more disobedient.

Am I going to do what is right in my own eyes, or trust that God has a better plan?

I John 2:1-2 I am writing these things so you won't sin. Jesus is our advocate. He came to destroy the cycle and deliver us from sin. His yoke is light.

Sunday

 
The Braves called up rookie Michael Harris, who must've forgotten his sunglasses. Looks like he had to borrow Blooper's goggles.

Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen? Death and suffering aren’t God’s fault—they are the result of living in a sin-cursed world. Christians have hope in the midst of pain.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://answersingenesis.org/suffering/why-does-god-allow-bad-things-to-happen/?fbclid=IwAR0b6JMUFYrCkGWI7zmjUx3sdBYuXwk7QWom-JHnJeR3VfVzoVxo1YFdjUY__;!!AE29DT8V!TzSTdoGmcU31YHoxNkS5rNtGrg2HitpgantsazNwEMO__Mpk3KFE-ARH4-OX9OonPlNkr0CN1KnBnBVqwzI$

George’s Taqueria is getting a new chef. M found a cookbook at a thrift store with recipes from Atlanta restaurants, including Taqueria and Ford Fry. I bought another pair of sneakers: black Vans high tops. Not much cushioning, but looks to die for.

Thursday evening: worked until 6 pm. Got gas on the way home. Went for a walk with C and Winnie, in the uncomfortable new Vans. Drove C to Trader Joes. Stir fry and orange chicken for a late supper. M joined us. C turned on the Hallmark Channel.

RYAN DEMPSTER  [B-R Bio] is the only Tip O’Neill Award winner to pitch more than a thousand innings in the majors. Dempster pitched 2,387 innings over 16 seasons. Among Canadian natives, only Ferguson Jenkins has more. Dempster won the 2000 James “Tip” O'Neill Award as the Canadian-born player who best exemplifies the ideals of the game. He Dempster was born in Sechelt, BC, an suburb north of Vancouver. Ryan was named one of the 99 "Good Guys" in professional sports by The Sporting News. He won a World Series ring in the final season of his career, with Boston in 2013. 

Pittsburgh's Big Daddy Libscomb (6'6") rushes 5'7" Eddie LeBaron.

Saturday AM Golf

More early AM golf this morning, this time with fellow GT grad Robert. On hole four (above) Robert hit this shot just over the pin. Below: hole nine. Finished by 7:45 am.

Some highlights:

1. First drive went straight into the woods. Mulligan was decent. Flub. Five iron shanked left, but got a good roll. Seven iron was too much club. Hit it well for a change - straight into the bunker. Chip out made it onto the green. Three putt for triple bogey.

2. Good tee shot. Bad chip and putts.

3. Too bad shots off the tee. Okay rescue shot and pitch to green. Several putts.

4. Popped up my 3 wood, which went straight but short. Okay pitch. Good lag but missed the bogey putt.

5. Tee shot into the high grass. Rescue shot stayed left. Had to punch out. Pitch was okay, to fringe. Good lag close, but missed the putt. Too many to count.

6. Good tee shot. Hit my 5 iron well, but it sailed straight into the big oak. Okay 5 iron. Hit another 7 iron too well. It sailed over the green into the creek. Robert was impressed.

7. Good drive off tee that rolled up the hill, almost as far as Roberts iron off the tee. Low 5 iron got a good roll. Flubbed an 8 iron. Pitched to fringe. Several putts.

8. Decent driver off tee. Flubbed a 7 iron short. Pitched to fringe. Long lag through the dew was short. Needed a couple more putts.

9. A good 3 wood up the hill. Flubbed the chip left. Long lag, then a few more putts on the sloping green. 

Man I really want to get to a Packers home game some time. We had a fab rep here in Norcross from California, who is a big 49ers fan. He just transferred up to the Minneapolis office, and says he’s going to a Green Bay game this year. I get emails from the Packers and whenever there’s a ticket giveaway, I enter.

Busy at work. For April our customer was slightly off their earlier pace, but we’re having a huge May.

I’ve only missed two weekday workouts since the first of March. Lift weights three days, run one day, and play golf two mornings. Doesn’t include yardwork. With sunrise before 6:30 am I can play 9 holes and be in the office just after 8 am. Going to one or two Braves games a month.

At Monday’s game I secured five of the replica rings. I wanted to keep one. The seller’s market appeared to be flooded, so I posted four for sale relatively cheap. I traded two for bobbles: Dale Murphy Power Alley and The Freeze (below). Sold one to a guy in my office, then realized a guy on eBay bought two before I could take it down. With over 165,000 replica rings floating around, plus China selling more, I’m sure I’ll root one up one day.

Have two meetups this weekend: completing a Maddux sale, and the ring/Freeze trade. And golf. And a cookout. Need to trim the hedges.

Didn’t realize the Braves wore their gold-trimmed world champions jersey Monday night. Not sure why.

Sunday there’s a kid’s giveaway, but it’s only as little pop-it toy.

SHANE REYNOLDS [B-R Bio] surrendered Manny Ramirez' 1,000th career hit and Sammy Sosa's 400^th career home run, on 18-Jul-2000 and 16-May-2001 respectively. He was the Opening Day starter in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000, tying him with Bob Bruce and Nolan Ryan. In his 13-year MLB career, Reynolds was 11th in the 1994 ROY voting, finished 9th in the Cy Young vote in 1996, and was on the 2000 NL AS team. A University of Texas alum, his son Ryan played for the Longhorns in 2017.

Friday AM Golf

Teed off this morning at 6:25 am, ahead of several one-club golfers.

1. Hit my first drive into the woods. Mulligan sliced low but stayed in the fairway. Great hybrid just short of green. First chip landed short, but second try was great. Two putt for “bogey”.

2. Great hybrid off tee, to just short of green. Two poor chips before a decent one. Two putt for another “bogey”.

3. Hit 6 iron good but left, down in the gulley. From there I made a great chip up onto the green. Good long lag putt, but I missed the bogey putt.

4. First 3 wood off tee clipped the branches and stayed right, up on hill. Never found that ball. Better mulligan to fringe. Good long lag putt, but again missed the bogey putt.

5. Popped up my 3 wood off the tee, so it was short. Chip also short. Missed several putts. Not a good hole.

6. Driver off tee was low and straight but got a decent roll. Mulligan slightly further but in rough. After a flub I hit a good hybrid. Made several attempts with my 9 iron before getting one close, then several putts.

7. Both drives off tee sliced right. Poked out from the trees with my 5 iron. Hit a good 5 iron that stayed left. Decent chip that was short of green. Two flubbed chips went right. Several putts. Good practice.

8. Driver off tee sliced right, but got a good roll. Great approach shot with my 5 iron sailed high, and rolled just short of the green. First putt rolled too far, but almost made my second try. A “par”!

9. Hit my 3 wood off tee better than usual. Hit a good chip shot, but it rolled up off the back of the green. Hit two downhill putts too long, then several more putts. Good to practice.

Finished at 7:21. GPS routed me out Ponce to 285 to PIB. Made it to work at 8:08 am. Got a decent mount of work done.

RANDY JONES  [SABR Bio] was first NL pitcher since WWII to win more than 20 games in season without striking out 100 batters. In 1976, Jones won 22 and struck out 93. He won the most games in the majors two years after losing the most. Lost 22 in 1974. Won 22 in 1976. Radio broadcaster Jerry Coleman called him “the left-hander with the Karl Marx hairdo.”

12 Rules For Life

Finished my Essentialism book. Started the longer “12 Rules For Life: An Antidote to Chaos”. While each of these simple rules is wise in and of itself, there is a great deal of backstory and depth the author adds.

1. Stand up straight with your shoulders back. You’ll feel and perform better, and others will treat you better.

2. Treat yourself like you are someone you are responsible for helping (better than you treat yourself).

3. Make friends with people who want the best for you, and aren’t just in it for themselves.

4. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today.

5. Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them.

6. Set your house in perfect order before you criticize others.

7. Pursue what is meaningful, not what is expedient.

8. Tell the truth, or at least don’t lie. It’s not your job to explain everything to everyone.

9. Assume the person you are listening to might know something you don’t.

10. Be precise in your speech.

11. Do not bother children when they are skateboarding.

12. Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street.

Work is still a bear. Didn’t leave the office until six last night. Two machines broken. Having to undo all my work from the past two weeks and farm out dozens of orders, re-determining priorities and hoping these subcontractors can run the material in time. Plus it’s month end coming up, and I’ve got time off soon.  Tons ‘o fun.

Ate Mexican at home last night. Grilled chicken and flank steak, rice, slaw, cheese, grilled brussel sprouts. Good Stuff. Skipped the news and watched Jeopardy, and the movie “Love’s Kitchen”. The actress had been in a movie with Brad Pitt.

Anna and Caleb stopped by to visit. Today they’re headed to 30A for the weekend, one of C’s friends is getting engaged. Along with his promotion, Caleb gets a gas card and use of the company Ford F150 pickup. Anna has been promoted out of her store over to the home office near Westside Provisions, where she’s designing clothing and working in marketing.

Braves won two straight. Tonight is Beat the Freeze bobblehead night, but rain is in the forecast. They’re facing a string of weaker teams (Phillies, Marlins, DBacks, Rockies, Oakland, Pirates, Nats), so they need to make some hay.

Was back in the gym this morning lifting the weights. Really yesterday was the first time I’d slept in since the first of March. My boss is having a bad day as well, so he took me to Dulth Diner for lunch. Had the grilled chicken cobb salad.

JOHN FRANCO [SABR Bio] shattered Tom Seaver’s record for most pitching appearances for the New York Mets. Seaver had 401; Franco ended with 695. Franco gave Mike Piazza his no. 31 when Mike Piazza joined the Mets in 1998. Franco ranks fifth in career saves with 424, 5^th all-time.

Braves: Most Innovative

The Braves were named baseball’s most innovative team. I think it was all the rings they’re giving away. Man, China is selling even more of those rings than the Braves are. Two giveaways in and the market is already glutted. The astronauts on the International Space Station were complaining about the glare. I can’t sell the things. May have to give them as Christmas presents, or use them as doorstops.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.680thefan.com/2022/05/25/atlanta-braves-named-most-innovative-mlb-team/__;!!AE29DT8V!TxX0cwkI6myvdEL6BRyAMeZBp8zX2-xxyLvLFmgbv2nsbLAi5FtHt8nO5pDscLBxonGaBzK6LZb1SQaMPO8$ 

The Stripers have a decent jersey set.

Perhaps there would be fewer shootings if the government actually enforced all the many current laws restricting guns. That’s the action those big talking politicians need to take. How many shooting deaths took place in Chicago this past weekend?

Good news for me: the measure to turn East Cobb into a city was voted down by a large margin.

Tuesday: C went shopping with Anna. They ate at Superica. I worked until almost 7:30. Got home and made chicken quesadillas. Watched the new episode of Holy Moly. Steph Curry is being held hostage by a Muppet. ABC told the Muppet they’d give them a pilot episode, and the Muppet asked if he got a plane as well. “Not that kind of pilot…”.

Went to bed early. Had a dream last night that I worked at a grocery store. I wasn’t very good checking out customers.

Bad news: I skipped the gym this morning. I knew it was my day to run.

TOM GLAVINE  [SABR Bio] has the next most career wins after Randy Johnson: 305 to Johnson’s 303. Glavine is the only pitcher to win World Series MVP playing for the Atlanta Braves, in 1995. Although he’s in the baseball Hall of Fame, he was also drafted in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, Glavine was an excellent hockey player and called it a difficult choice when he chose baseball.

Essentialism: The Book

Reading a good book: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Success. I usually avoid business type books, but need all the help I can to say yes to the best, and no to everything else. Some of Jeff Henderson's observations:

Recently finished Grisham’s The Judge’s List. Pretty good. Main character Lacy Stoltz, the judicial investigator in Florida from the novel The Whistler, about the crooked Indian casino judge.

I am getting spam calls on my cell phone exactly every 18 minutes. This morning I replied STOP to a couple of spam text messages, which I guess I shouldn’t have done.

Every now and then someone here at the office will hit the wrong button, or code a report wrong, and the print will take off running thousands of pages. If someone catches it the report can be cut off. If not, we have a bunch of paper to re-use or recycle.

The younger folk are better at not printing out a bunch of paper. I don’t use a ton, but sometimes it’s good to have an order printed out, especially when it is being cut off site. So many people enter orders and completely forget about them, then months/years later I am called on the clean up the mess.

Great story by Tiger Woods about playing behind John Daly in the Tulsa heat.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.golfdigest.com/story/pga-championship-2022-tiger-woods-john-daly-story__;!!AE29DT8V!QdJjD9GdUSFKIWrkDxDBT7Q2Ht2OFTpr7zA6ZHd9iD_BjSpltxO9xfHutZmAshlFQkB3iYbJW6foWwkE0dA$

VW is reviving the old Scout SUV / pickup. Looks good, not too different from other VW SUVs.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.powernationtv.com/post/volkswagen-is-reviving-the-scout-in-2026-as-an-all-electric-off-roading-suv-and-pickup__;!!AE29DT8V!VGhv1TXR3lP8dC6a-e3NCLPRb3tBD12csdLaoYIjjv95WF0pFuFGp37ior-1u_6oIVQ91A-wDfLuq8Mx9K0$

Steak's Best wings in Atlanta.

https://www.atlantaeats.com/blog/steak-shapiros-top-wing-spots-in-atlanta/?utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-steakshapiro&utm_content=later-26947963&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkin.bio

Ways men prematurely age themselves: hair, skincare, mental health, nutrition, and exercise. Hate to tell the folks at dmarge.com, but most of the men who do this probably could care less. Where’s the article on where to buy cargo shorts?

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dmarge.com/health-tips-men__;!!AE29DT8V!SY1rQqSnymGWR6OCPldOm4R2pGTLk3gbmsuQfTL9cXnLP8CbFgmXsbUEeoXAvgF04BABjsZ2DrbveW3A5Aw$

Monday: left work shortly after 4:30. Since the Truist Park parking didn’t open until 5:30, I drove thru the Chickfila on Cobb Parkway, south of 285 and the Battery. Got through the line in plenty of time, but northbound traffic was gridlocked thanks to all the important drivers exited 285 east and illegally clogging the intersection. Everyone was trying to get into the one turn lane for the Battery. Traffic was extra heavy because the game was a sellout. I finally got around the backup, drove up the hill to the street past the Battery (Windy Ridge Parkway?), and circumnavigated the part clockwise to get to my parking lot, a good 35 minutes after leaving the Chickfila – a trip of one mile.

The Braves had plenty of the replica world championship rings to give away. Met up with former coworker Chris, bobblehead bud Kevin, and retired lawyer/Braves blogger Howard. Checked out the team store. Walked over two miles in and around the park. On the way home I stopped by the bank, Publix, and my other friend Reid’s house (around the corner from my house). Pulled in my driveway right after C and M, around 9 pm.

Lifted weights this morning. Was good to be back in the gym. Then a super hectic morning at work. Decided to go out for lunch. The drive thru line at Taco Bell was super long, so I parked and walked to the door. Guess they decided to close the dining room. Decided to go to Burger King for their Whopper Jr special. Line was kinda long there but by then I’d had it. The entire excursion took 40 minutes. Life in the fast food lane. 

RANDY JOHNSON  [SABR Bio] a former Montreal Expo, who was the only lefty pitcher to strike out 300 batters in a season six times:

372 K for ARI in 2001

364 K for ARI in 1999

347 K for ARI in 2000

334 K for ARI in 2002

329 K for SEA & HOU in 1998 (Led neither league, but led MLB)

308 K for SEA in 1993, and had three additional seasons with 290+ each. He was the first pitcher to give up a home run to a player using a pink bat, to Mark Kotsay on 14-May-2006. He notched his 300th strikeout one season with an immaculate inning, in the 6th inning on 02-Sep-1998.

Sellout

Gridlock on northbound Cobb Parkway trying to get to sold out Truist Park. Shudda known better.

Monday: back at work trying to get caught up. Doesn’t help that our machine is down. Machine down in Lawrenceville. Not enough workers in Anderson and Lavonia. Busy in Conyers. Steel mills are late delivering. Otherwise I could put my feet up.

Anna and Caleb left earliest yesterday. Then W&MC. I told you about lunch. I took my time packing the car, and left about 4:25 pm. Stopped for gas in Thomson. Arrived home at 9:30. Cleaned up the house and dishes. Unloaded the car. Watched Young Sheldon and Holy Moly as I worked. Also a new show on ESPN+ about the NBA, hosted by Vince Carter. Went to bed at 12:30 am.

Stopped by the Braves game tonight for the replica World Championship Ring giveaway. Went in and out of the gates five times, like back in the old days. Hung out with Kevin and Chris and Howard. Was so busy I didn't take many pictures.

Community

For lunch today, after W&MC and A and Caleb left, we ate at the Mexican restaurant, about 9 of us. C and I split an order of fajitas. Saw several other folk eating there. One guy paid for our entire meal, over $150.00. Someone else provided the green jello with pecan dish.

Just Chillin'

Thursday: long day. Left out about 8:30 am for Charlotte with the entire family. First stop was a coffee shop, then the mall, unfortunately Charlotte's version of Phipps Plaza. Even so the clientele was much more diverse than years ago. Good people and sneaker watching. Then up northeast of downtown to The Optimist Food Hall for a late lunch. Kinda like Krog Street Market but less cramped. We were all starved, having each breakfasted on one leftover Bojangles bacon egg & cheese biscuit. Long drive home via Concord. Got back at 5:30. Plenty of family and townspeople to visit with. I wore some new sneakers to the mall yesterday.

Today I feel like I need a hip replacement. Not much support from those shoes. Been watching Boston Miami, but turned it off and hit the sack.

Took a walk round town.

Lee's new used F150, with Will, Matthew, Anna, & Caleb in the back.  

I just missed taking a photo of everyone taking a picture of C holding Shivonne.

Our seven, Rusty's seven, Dic Dac's four, and Phil's seven. Not pictured: Shivonne, Lenny, and Corrine.