The Latest in Sports

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants, with about a week left of regular season baseball, are still several games back in the National League Wild Card. They are definitely a great surprise in the National League, as they were not even expected to finish above the .500 mark. The Giants pitching featuring Lincecum, Cain, and an array of solid, young relievers like Brian Wilson, has allowed this team to compete throughout the entire, 162-game season. The young, talented hitter Pablo Sandoval, has consistently hit over .330 during the season, and has helped carry this skimpy offense, which has, by far, the fewest homeruns and walks in the National League. While I don't expect the Giants to make the playoffs this season, they certainly have caught the attention of many, and next season is certainly one I'll be excited for!






The Ohio State Buckeyes

With only a few games into the season, Ohio State has fallen below the Top 10 after an 18-15 loss to Southern California last week. This week, Ohio State beat the University of Toledo 38-0, which has bumped them to #11 in the standings. With plenty of football ahead, I expect the Buckeyes to take the cake once again in the Big Ten. Michigan, surprisingly, is 3-0, and may give Ohio State a run for their money. The Ohio State-Michigan rivalry is one-of-a-kind, and absolutely love that every game against Michigan means the world. The crowd, the energy, the excitement, and the fact that only one of the two teams can come out as victorious, never fails to lift the Ohio State-Michigan game to one that's watched all across the country. As it's always the last game of the regular season, the Ohio State-Michigan game is usually very full of BCS implications, which makes it that much more special.

Leith

Leith has changed my life. After moving back home from college, our schedules were quite different. She worked at Threshold Enterprises, performing the dreaded data entry, working for a self-centered vitamin fanatic. I was back in school after a change of career, and working part-time for my hometown Fire Department with the inspectors.

Leith and I, as two college graduates in that awkward post-college stage in life moving back in with our families who live in a small town in the Santa Cruz Mountains, walk our dogs down a small, narrow, beautiful, scenic road full of Redwood trees. After moving back home from college, our schedules were quite different, so I would be lucky to see Leith even once during a the span of a month. Every time I would have the chance to see her, I couldn't help but acknowledge her beauty, and every time I would see her on that windy, Redwood-filled Irwin Way, I wanted her to see me at my best. Leith would walk a Whippet, named Wicca. Also, two Italian Greyhounds named Flidais and Fergus. But very notably, Leith would walk Mab and Oenghus, who were two paraplegic miniature dachshunds Leith so kindly pushed in a baby carriage. She seemed to absolutely adore animals. From the bottom of my heart, I loved that! Her face and body were of the utmost beauty. Her voice was soft, pleasant, and lovely. I knew I was very attracted to this woman, and I knew I wanted to ask her out.

But there was a caviot: About half the time I'm on Irwin Way I am overheated, gasping for air, and dripping sweat. As a runner on Irwin Way, I felt asking her out while dripping with sweat wasn't quite the way to go. It was not very often I saw this woman, so during the next chance I would get, I was going to ask her out!

Under the sun and somewhat in the cool shade of the Redwoods, gasping for air and overheated by a routine Saturday afternoon run down Irwin Way, I saw that, with Leith taking her dogs Mab and Oenghus for a walk, her and I were going to cross paths! She was warm and welcoming as always, and her beauty drew me closer. Mab and Oenghus were amazing too! They seemed so sweet! I asked Leith if she wanted to walk the dogs together the following weekend. She said yes!!!

September 11 - Reminder of Service

Bonsoir! (after 6:00 in the evening!, learned from my girlfriend, Leith)

Today gave me an extra strong sense and appreciation of service. As President Obama called for service to community on this day, eight years after the terrorist attacks on September 11^th, it helped me appreciate how fulfilling service and community are.

Sometimes I forget what in the name of Peter from Family Guy my life has to do with service. Life as a Fire Prevention Specialist in the Santa Clara Fire Department can sometimes make my day feel like one of monotony, and not quite service.

The hot, sweltering heat of the day prompts me to have a water bottle and sunglasses within reach at all times during inspections, and walking through each and every one of the oven-like, preheated $69 per night motel units spraying canned smoke at detectors. My girlfriend, and highlight of my day, Leith, is on my mind, and the chance to call her as soon as the inspection of all forty-three units is completed won’t come soon enough. I would very much rather savor her beautiful voice. Getting down on my hands and knees, pushing, pulling, and yanking box-springs and nightstands to rat out unlawful extension cords and dysfunctional smoke alarms, while taking routine peeks through the motel window in search of the queue from the on-duty manager that the next room is ready to be inspected too, reminded me exactly what this is all about.

Trying to remain respectful, yet forceful, in telling an owner strapped in a Louis Vuitton business suit, that, in no way are these poor, innocent people whom this riche guy in a fancy, schmancy suit makes this arrogant, materialistic living off of, to be brought onto the second floor of his recently purchased run-down real estate. What is this all about?

Whether your call to service is to volunteer to help build homes, serve in a soup kitchen, join the Peace Corps, or run as a politician, this day will forever symbolize service.

The Birth of a Blog

Blogs are like people. They are born, as are babies under their parents. They grow, as time and maturation become a reality, and not just an idea. They have pictures, as one's first-hand encounters and imaginations recall, envision, forsee, and dream. They are shaped, as a person is by his or her physical environment, surrounding culture, peers, upbringing, feelings, tragedies, motivations, and countless more.

There is much pride in the lack of direction of this blog. Again: People grow, mature, and are shaped. Blogs are no exception.

Blogs are like: Modern Art!


















This is Andrew's blog, and I only want one blog in my lifetime. Too many times have I began a journal knowing that the journal was geared toward one subject. This caused me to be exhausted and overwhelmed, forcing me to put down the pen or stop typing entries. I refuse to keep up with multiple blogs about different experiences and stages in my life! Having one blog will help keep myself from a redundant array of blogs, and committed to Andrew's Blog.

In reading this blog, subscribers and browsers alike will both get to know and understand who I am, and that particular place in life. There is no need to give a background to myself in one entry, as the background will inevitably come.

Happy blogging! :)