A Thousand Words

The 2004 -2007 Cubs in pixels.

A Day to ... Um ... What Was I Going to Say?

Memorial Day must be tough on amnesiacs.

Wordless (Then: Money / Time / Editor)

Seven, a fellow 'Novan from my brother's year, completely out of the blue: "Pat, let me ask you a question. You know how to write like people talk like it's no big deal at all. So, in all seriousness, how do you not make your living by your pen?"

WOOHOO!!!

My little sister got engaged last night!

"Is He the Guy Who Invented Triangles?"

What is pythagorean winning percentage?

Pythagorean winning percentage is an estimate of a team's winning percentage given their runs scored and runs allowed. Developed by Bill James, it can tell you when teams were a bit lucky or
unlucky. It is calculated by (Runs Scored^1.83)/[(Runs Scored^1.83)+(Runs Allowed^1.83)].


NL Central Standings
Milwaukee 27-17 ----
Houston 21-22 -5.5
Chicago 20-22 -6
Pittsburgh 19-24 -7.5
St. Louis 16-25 -9.5
Cincinnati 17-27 -10

2007 Pythagorean W-L
Chicago 24-18 ----
Milwaukee 24-20 -1
Houston 21-22 -3.5
Cincinnati 21-23 -4
Pittsburgh 18-25 -6.5
St. Louis 14-27 -9.5

(Blurb and stats courtesy of Baseball Reference)


Not surprisingly, the Cubs remain the most perplexing team, playing the most perplexing sport, residing in the most perplexing park. Everything about them manages to be the best and the worst simultaneously. Realistically, their record will work itself out over time. The summer hasn't even really begun yet.


For the record, I'd like to reiterate an earlier warning.


A starting lineup I'd like to see for a while:

Pagan S 8
DLee 3
Soriano 7
Ramirez 5
Floyd L / Murton 9
Barrett 2
Theriot 4
Izturis S 6
Pitcher


Go

Cubs

Go

Random Thought of the Day

I can't decide which grosses me out more: birds or fish?

Be Like Mike

My 30th Birthday...

...was yesterday!

Just so you know, I'm compiling a hate list of those of you who didn't call or text me on the Big Day, though admittedly said list is destined to be discarded as soon as the Cubs return from their East Coast road trip and I slip back into the routine of going to Wrigley.

Hey -- when's this "grown up" thing supposed to happen anyway?

Where I Go

Wrote this up at the request of a friend...who's in the FBI...oh no...now they'll be on to me! Time to move!

Pat’s Quick Guide to the Magnificent Mile/River North/Gold Coast/Old Town

(All phone numbers are area code 312. All locales are within roughly 1 mile of the Water Tower.)

Italian

· Rosebud on Rush – 720 N. Rush @ Superior, Mag Mile [1 block W of Michigan] - 266-6444

· Orso's – 1401 N. Wells @ Schiller, Old Town [short $8 cab; HIGHLY RECOMMENDED] - 787-6604

· Italian Village – 71 W. Monroe @ Dearborn, Loop [close to museums & Sears Tower] 332-7005

Pizza

· Pizano's (best ‘za in the city,and ask for The Cookie!) - 863 N. State @ Chestnut, Mag Mile [3 blocks W of Hancock] 751-1766

Steaks/Chops

· Saloon – 200 E. Chestnut @ Van Der Rohe, Mag Mile [1 block E of Michigan behind Hancock] 280-5454

· Harry Caray's – 33 W. Kinzie @ Dearborn, River North [1 block N of river] 828-0966

· Ditka's – 100 W. Chestnut @ Rush, Mag Mile [2 blocks W of Hancock] 587-8989

Ribs

· Twin Anchors – 1655 N. Sedgwick @ Eugenie, Old Town [ask the cabbie – he’ll know!] 266-1616

· Fireplace Inn – 1448 N. Wells @ Burton, Old Town [across from Orso’s] 943-7427

Breakfast/Brunch

· Tempo (open 24 hrs) – 6 E. Chestnut @ State, Mag Mile [3 blocks W of Hancock] 943-4373

· Oak Tree – 5^th Floor of Bloomingdale's, 900 N. Michigan @ Delaware, Mag Mile [across from Hancock] 751-1988

Dessert

· Chocolate Bar at the Peninsula Hotel Lobby – 108 E. Superior @ Michigan, Mag Mile [8:30p-11:30p Fri & Sat]

Wine/Coffee/Snacks

· Cru – 888 N. Wabash @ Delaware, Mag Mile [2 blocks W of Hancock] 337-4001

Drinks

· O'Callaghan's – 29 W. Hubbard @ State, River North [around the corner from Caray’s] 527-1180

· Clark Street Ale House – 742 N. Clark @ Superior, River North [just S of Chicago Ave] 642-9253

· Blue Chicago (live tunes) – 736 N. Clark @ Superior, River North [next to Clark St Ale] 642-6261

· Dublin’s (GREAT grilled cheese!) – 1030 N. State @ Bellevue, Gold Coast [3 blocks NW of Hancock; anchors infamous Rush Street Triangle] 266-6340

· Butch McGuire’s – 20 W. Division @ Dearborn, Gold Coast [just N of Rush St Triangle] 787-4318

Provoking Site de la Web

Dear Mexican: How hard can Spanish be to learn if Mexicans know it?

Dear Gabacho: Still hard enough that gabachos fail it in high school.

A Thousand Words

"Keep it up, you birdie fuck!"

And I'm the Wisecracker Guy

''The question is, Who ought to make that decision?'' Bush said in a speech. ''The Congress or the commanders? And as you know, my position is clear -- I'm the commander guy.''

Reminder

I still think baseball is the best thing ever.

The Sandstone Edifice: A Misfire

Sorry, false start.

I got way ahead of myself and deleted it.

I'll try it again tomorrow.

This waiting sucks for me too.

Who doesn't love abounding allegories?

The whole thing is, I can close my eyes and see the story, watch it like a movie, but the whole thing gets tripped up when I try to put it to words. It's kinda like making cookies: the dough looks nothing like the final cookie, and it's all about how long you put it in the oven. What gets left out? Which aspects wind up changed, either through the writing process or in relation to the other parts of the story?

Man, I'm really not writing well these days. I feel an astonishing burst of creativity brewing, though. Gimme a little more time. This story is pretty cool!