Brooklyn I Love You, But You're Bringing Me Down

I love Brooklyn. I don't ever want to leave. However, the economics of living in such an expensive place might force SHR and me to decide to leave at some point in the next few years.

We've talked about many places that are possibilities if we were to leave.

The odds of us moving to each city are strictly mine and don't reflect SHR's input. She looked at me like I was absolutely crazy when I asked her if she was willing to help me come up with some odds.

Chicago
A dark horse candidate. This city came out of nowhere within the past fewweeks. A former co-worker let me know about an opening at her school - a quite prestigious one. If I were to get a job there, the boys might be able to go to school at a great independent school for free (or close to it) - all the way through 12th grade!

Pros:
- Great job opportunity.
- A good friend nearby in East Chicago who I would be working with.
- One of the few cities that SHR could get a music industry job.
- Two major league teams!

Cons
- So far away.
- The winter.

Odds: It all depends on the job. With job: 3-1. Without job: 100-1

New Jersey Suburbs
Never thought I'd want to live in the suburbs ever again but now that I have kids, the suburbs look a lot better.

Pro:
- SHR's family.

Con:
- It's the suburbs.

Odds: 15-1

Memphis
Probably not realistic but we love this city.

Pro:
- Team Plumley

Con:
So far away.

Odds: 18-1

Seattle
Pros:
- One of the best cities in the country.
- A few good friends nearby.

Cons:
- Expensive
- So far away.

Odds: 18 - 1

Austin
Pros:
- Cost of living much lower.
- We know a few people.

Cons:
- I don't think teachers get paid much in Texas.
- Outside of Austin's city limits, we're in Texas Texas.

Odds: 12 - 1

Pittsburgh
I've been threatening to move here for at least 10 years. This has got to be one of the most underrated cities in the country. I love it.

Pros:
- Good friends
- Cost of living very low.
- Public school teachers make a lot of money.
- I've heard rumors about the city paying college tuition if you send them to Pittsburgh city schools.
- One of the best ballparks in the country.

Cons:
- NY is a long drive away.

Odds: 3-1

Durham, NC
I actually lived in Durham for a year in the mid 90's. I never thought I'd move back but who the hell knows?

Pros:
- Pace of life much more what I need.
- Team Watson!
- Relatives to help with the boys
- The Durham Bulls

Cons:
- Far from NY
- Far from major league baseball.

Odds: 5- 1

Philadelphia
I've never had a bad time in Philadelphia. Ever. I love this place.

Pros:
- Equidistant between our two families.
- Relatives
- Much more affordable than NY
- Will still be able to see our friends regularly.
- A few friends live there.

Cons:
- Still not the easiest city to live in. A lot of the problems of a big city.
- Public schools aren't that great.
- The Phillies

Odds: 3-1

Portland, OR
Pros:
- Great city.

Cons:
- So far away.
- We don't know anyone.

Odds: 18:1

Seoul
I want to live there for a bit so the boys can be immersed in the language and the culture.

Pros:
- Might be able to make really good money.
- Double Trouble in Korea!
- SHR could tutor and add to the income while also being home with the boys.
- We could travel to nearby countries easily.
- We'd be living in Korea!
- I'd love to go to Korean baseball games on a regular basis.
- Some of SHR's relatives live there.

Cons:
- So far away.
- I don't speak Korean.
- The completely different culture might be difficult for us to acclimate to.

Odds: 3-1

Or perhaps we'll just move to Queens or something.

As First Seen on HBO

Recently I've been thinking about canceling HBO to save 15 bucks a month. Would it really kill me to watch Big Love on DVD 8 months or so after it originally airs?

But I don't think I can bring myself to do it. I've been a subscriber for over 10 years at this point. I like it. I like their documentaries. I watch some of the movies. And I really like most of their original series. In fact, the more I thought about it, I realized that since I've been a subscriber there have only been three shows that I haven't watched.

I brought this up to Mitch and Suzy last night. Without hesitating, they nailed all three shows and even added a fourth.

Suzy quickly said Sex and the City. Check.

Mitch mentioned Carnivale and The Mind of the Married Man - a show I had completely forgotten about it.

As soon as Mitch was finished with his guesses, Suzy confidently finished it up with a declaration of True Blood.

Am I that predictable? They didn't even have one incorrect guess.

But now that I think about it, I need to add Tell Me You Love Me to this list.

And no, I never watched Dream On because I did not have HBO at the time. Still one of my biggest regrets ...

Halloween, Part II

After the festivities at Skippy and Cortney's, we headed to Mitch and Suzy's for part two.

However when we saw this sign on their door, we almost decided to head straight home!

Anne and Big Boy

Jim, Elliott, and the Big O


Daddy Larry and Amelia

I didn't get many good pictures. Luckily, Jim bailed me out with some great photos. The next 15 are from him.






Balgavy as Guy Fieri.








Off to Sidecar. Bart as the Prisoner.

Courson as a scary baseball head.

He got this jersey while serving as a batboy for the Buffalo Bisons. He claims he doesn't remember when he was a batboy. My theory is that the number on the back tells the story. He insists no - that he was a batboy earlier than 1990. I think he's just too embarrassed to admit that he was a 15-year-old batboy.

A little after I left Sidecar, Balgavy showed up. After posing for photos in countless establishments along 5th Ave, they ended up at Floyd to end the night.

For the movie, check here.

Halloween, Part 1

SHR readied Otis the Lion for his big day.



Sam the Peapod


We ran into Samantha on the way.


First stop - Skippy and Cortney's



By far - the scariest costume of the night.


Too hot to stay in costume.

Back in costume.

The Pickle has already broken Sam's heart once. Sam refused to play along this time - for a brief moment.

The caption from Skippy's Facebook page, "Seriously, I'mma let you finish, but I need to tell you something. It's not you, it's me. Look at me, I'm batshit crazy." SHR commented, "Pickle Jones, breaking poor little Sam's heart once again."

Before we left the party, Bart was already sending me harassing text messages complete with this picture imploring me to come to Sidecar to see his Prisoner costume. Pretty damn good.

No Longer a Homeowner

I miss Clinton Hill already.

I've lived in Brooklyn for 12 years. 9 of them have been in Ft. Greene/Clinton Hill. 3 of them in Park Slope. Now I'll be adding to the Park Slope total. In fact, we are living only one block from we used to live.

I prefer Ft. Greene/Clinton Hill to Park Slope but Park Slope is impossible to beat for the kid friendliness of it all. Plus, most of our friends now live within easy walking distance.

I'll write more about the new apartment later. It isn't perfect but it will do for a year or so. I will say though that the move was awful. Much more expensive than we expected. It rained most of the day. And the foreman on the moving crew was a big jerk. I also had to spend 30 minutes blocking 3rd St. from traffic so our movers could park the truck for unloading. The street is too narrow for a truck to double park on.

The closing today was very bittersweet. It is nice to not be tied to a mortgage right now. It isn't so nice about the amount of money that we lost in the sale. The closing was more fun than last time though because this time Double Trouble were in attendance.

The boys celebrated being renters again.

Actually, not really. The move has been stressful on all of us. They have not acclimated themselves to the new digs and seem a bit sad about it all. Or maybe I'm simply referring to SHR and me.

The day after we moved, I took them back to the old apartment to pick up some things. As soon as we got to the courtyard, they started chattering and singing happily. They thought we were coming back home. Instead, we arrived at an empty apartment.

Soon enough, the new apartment will feel like home to them and to us. I'm looking forward to that day.

Meet the Mex!

Happy 56th to the 1979 Co NL MVP.

All Hail Ted Danson

I'm at home all the time. I have a lot of time to watch the TV.

Some of my thoughts:

30 For 30
The Peter Berg one was bad. It was like he only made it so he could get in a golf game with Gretzky. I've watched the first 20 minutes of the Barry Levinson one about the Baltimore Colts Marching Band and it's much better. I'm going to give all of these a chance but I'd guess that the whole series is going to be hit or miss.

30 Rock
Liked the first episode.

Mad Men
The best season thus far? I love where they are going with a lot of the characters especially Sally - the best character on television. I don't like how heavyhanded they are becoming with the historical links though. I mean, come on, Roger Sterling's daughter's wedding date is the day after Kennedy gets killed. Way too lazy.

Bored to Death
I've been a Jonathan Ames fan for years but I'm a bit disappointed by this show. And I think the problem is Jason Schwartzman. He's annoying. And as SHR pointed out, there is some serious hair continuity problems with him from episode to episode. But I'm in love with Ted Danson these days so that's a plus. And Zach Galifianakis is good too. Plus, I'll be watching every episode no matter what since a lot of it is filmed in my neighborhood.

Entourage
Entertaining comfort food. I can't believe I keep watching this show but I still like it. And this season had fewer bad moments so I guess that makes it a good season?

Parks and Recreation
Just like the first 6 episode season of The Office wasn't that great, Parks and Recreation was just okay last season. But also like The Office, this show has found itself in its first full season. I really like it and people who gave up on it should give it another chance. If Sally Draper is the best character on TV, then Amy Poehler's mustachioed boss has got to be second. So far, this show is better than The Office this year.

Curb Your Enthusiasm
I thought last season was its best in years. So far, this one (except for the episode with Christian Slater) has kept up its momentum. I'm looking forward to seeing where the Seinfeld stuff goes.

The Office
Last season was a season of thirds. It was great when former cast members of The Wire were on it (the first and last third) and not that great when they weren't. So far, this year has been okay. But I don't understand why they are trying to make Jim and Pam less likable. That whole thing where they were telling people not to wear perfume was weird.

Community
I didn't like the first episode all that much but I decided to give it more of a chance. Four episodes in and it is slowly winning me over. It's nothing special but it does seem like a show that could get better. Plus, it is really entertaining at 3 in the morning while feeding a baby or two.

Glee
I can see why people like this but it isn't for me. I gave it 30 minutes of my undivided attention and then another 90 while on the internet. Now I'm done.

Ugly Betty
Bart can't stop raving about this show. We watched the first two episodes before embarking on our Prisoner run. It was kind of good but I feel like I've completely let bartymeboyo down. After the Prisoner, maybe I'll give it a couple more tries.

Burn Notice
Marc and Jim have been talking about this for awhile. So Beth and I gave it a shot but just couldn't get into it. Bruce Campbell was good though.

Damages
This, on the other hand, drew Beth and me in right from the beginning. So much so that after watching the first 4 episodes together, Beth couldn't wait to watch more with me. She watched the rest of the first season on the internet. That girl has no self control! This show reminds me of a John Grisham novel but with female lead characters. While I'm not really much of a John Grisham fan, I like this show quite a bit. Glenn Close is so sinister in this. And Ted Danson! I'm currently watching 3 shows with Ted Danson! Maybe I'll rent the complete series of Becker next! This show also vindicates Bart. He loves it.

Fastforward
Fast forward to September 2010 when ABC will be in a post Lost world. This show better be a hit. Way too contrived for me though. Gave it 30 minutes. Bleh.

Modern Family
I wanted to like this for 3 am tv watching purposes. I kind of liked the first episode, didn't like the second one, and gave the third one about 2 minutes. I'm done.

Brick City
This was an entertaining five part documentary series about Newark. It was kind of structured like The Wire - a little about the schools, a lot about the mayor, a lot about the police, a lot about the violence. Cory Booker sure is charming, ain't he?

The National Parks: America's Best Idea
I wanted to like this especially after recently becoming obsessed with national parks. But I just couldn't get into it. Plus the 6 straight nights thing intimidated me. Although now they are replaying them once a week but I still don't think I'll be jumping in. Did anyone watch this whole thing? It is worth watching?

Sam is a Boy!

Mid October Update:

1. We sold our place and need to find a new place to live by the end of the month. Everything we've looked at in our price range so far hasn't been very good. If we end up living on the street, I bet the boys could help us make some sympathy money panhandling.

2. We probably aren't going to get a helmet for Otis. The doctor didn't seem to think it was necessary. He said that his head would round out in the next few months anyway. His head might not be perfectly round in the back but that's not that big of a deal. If we were to get him a helmet, he might have to wear it for up to five months. We'd also have to get it refitted 2-4 times a month. And the $2,500 dollar price tag most likely would not be covered by insurance.

3. People love twins. Whenever we are out with the boys, people love to stare and/or make comments. My favorite comment from the summer was when a young woman on Myrtle Ave. exclaimed, "You got twinned!" Yes. I have indeed been twinned.

Many people assume that we have a boy and a girl rather than two boys. I'm not sure why this is but I assume it has something to do with the fact that we don't dress them identically. People must think that since we don't dress them in the same clothes, that one must be a boy and one must be a girl. I mean, otherwise, we'd dress them identically, right? That's what people are supposed to do with twins, right?

Or maybe it has something to do with the way we dress little Sammy.
The other day, Bart, the boys, and I were in the elevator in my apartment building. A gentleman wearing a red Yankees cap was intrigued by the boys. Otis was a bit chatty. Sam quietly watched the proceedings from his stroller.

The elevator reached our floor and as we walked out the red capped gentleman took a look at Sam and said, "Little Mama ain't sayin' nuthin! She's just chillin'."

Snoop Lives

It has already been established that Los Angeles Dodger Ronnie Belliard is a doppelganger for Snoop from The Wire.

After watching the Angels in the first round of the postseason, I've realized that Erick Aybar looks like Snoop's little sister.

Snoop

Thoughts of murder on the brain.

This picture was taken right before Aybar killed Chone Figgins with his bare hands in an attempt to impress Snoop.

Snoop's little sister or perhaps a long lost Jackson sibling?

If the Angels play the Dodgers in the World Series, all hell might break loose.

Postseason Haikus

New York Yankees
Burnett is a punk
CC a postseason bust
Maybe next year, jerks

Minnesota Twins
Truly astounding
They are so much fun to watch
But they have no chance

Boston Red Sox
Three rings in 6 years?
Might depend on Beckett's health
Damn this team is good

Anaheim Angels
Well rounded offense
But Jered Weaver sucks balls
Could go far but won't

St. Louis Cardinals
Pujols, Holliday,
Carpenter, Wainwright, all great
Franklin will ruin chance

Los Angeles Dodgers
Excellent young stars
Manny not being Manny
Not enough pitching

Colorado Rockies
Inspirational
But Phillies will get revenge
Fun while it lasted

Philadelphia Phillies
I heart Pedro M
Frighteningly good hitters
But Lidge ruins it

AL Predictions:
NY over Minnesota
Boston over Anaheim
Boston over NY

NL Predictions:
Philadelphia over Colorado
St. Louis over LA
St. Louis over Philadelphia

World Series Winner