The Neil Blog: More nonsense

Babe Ruth died 21 years before I was born.   To me, that’s interesting.    I would have thought it was earlier than that.    

He hit bombs.    But I saw what might have been the longest home run ever hit.    Spring training, Sarasota.     About a 40MPH wind blowing out to right field.     I was working the plate.   Jack McKeon was the manager for the Reds.     Inside fastball.    He turns on it and hits that ball hard, right up into that wind.     Ken Griffey, Jr.      It was still going up when it went over the wall.     I said something to McKeon after the inning.   He sent someone to find the ball and get an estimate on distance.    They never found the ball.     Meaning, it traveled way over 600 feet.     

8 suicide bombers kill 300 people in Sri Lanka.  What is the matter with people?   They don’t value human life.   Not even their own?    I don’t get it.   9^th blast, repeat location.    They just said 7 suicide bombers.   So, two of the guys didn’t want to die??

The Captain Mel Classic, one month away.   Pretty easy.   My sponsors make it easy on me.   They are coming out of the woodwork now.   It will be good again.   Sign ups are on the slow side but now is when that usually happens.   Four Junior anglers have been sponsored.    

My mother is settled in.   A big change.   Arizona to Ohio.   Her mobility isn’t great anymore.   But she is getting used to it and coming along.    At least she is closer to family now.    My Aunt Marilyn got by to see her.   My father’s older sister.    My cousin Cindy took her by.   That was a good thing.    They go way back.   

It’s a messed up world.   Companies:  Failing.     Dropped another sponsor.    They wouldn’t send me what I need.    After 14 years.     Product reviews viewed over 14 million times.    I did free things for them at boat shows.     The new sponsor to replace them:   They can’t even get someone to talk to me on the phone, “We do it by email only.   If you qualify, you will be approved in two weeks.”   Then what?   How can I help you if I haven’t talked to anyone?       Switch of cable and internet:    The goal.   To save money.   They tacked on so many extra charges it will be a year before I’m saving any money.    Joke.    Just a joke.   

Stayed away from it.   Bob Dinero.   Taylor Swift.    People who use their status as celebrities to impose their politics on people.   Weak.     I turn the station when a Bruce Springsteen song comes on.    Turned OFF.    Taylor Swift is like 15 years old.   Why am I going to listen to her anyway?     I say this:   Whatever.    They’re lucky they didn’t get in a debate with me.     They are rich so they think they can use their fame (and in a way, their wealth) to impact America.    You, you are a loser.   On a related note, I caught criticism for a public comment.   I said if I was a woman or a minority, I would be running the world.     This guy talked about this CEO who is black who gets pulled over because he is black.    Blah blah blah, basically.     I’m sorry about the history of the inequalities.   But they’re gone.    Had I been a minority, I would currently be a major league umpire and probably a crew chief.     The guys who got “the breaks” because of the color of their skin, not one of them could umpire like I could.    Sorry:  It’s a fact.   But it’s life.    I don’t talk about it.   I don’t complain about it.   I am very happy with my position in life.   I’m very happy with the effort I put forth in that career.    I still don’t know who Justin Beaver is.   

I am, in fact, very content in life.    I lost my father.   That took a lengthy time to absorb.   He was the only one I talked to about certain things.   But he lived his life.   He’s the one who told me, “We only have so long.”  Well, his time was up.    There are some things you just can’t change.     I live every day realizing I got everything I could have out of that.     I find myself becoming him in some ways, though I will never match up.    With my father it never was about impressing him.     He really didn’t care.   He just wanted us to be good people.    Now, I have some thoughts on that I won’t share.   I can tell you, he wasn’t disappointed with me.    I befriended this older guy, Ted, who died about three months ago.    A guy who couldn’t roll his garbage can up from the street anymore.    I told my father about it.    He followed that one closely.   I started buying expensive liquor and taking it over there.    My father was amused.    I took on a bigger role than anyone in his family did and at no urging from anyone.   The guy became my friend.     My father was pleased.   I’ll tell you he was.     I think he always liked it that I was good to the older generation.    He even told me, “I think it’s good you keep an eye on that man.”   

Fishing.    Fishing has been good.   Even on the bad tides.   What hasn’t happened yet:   Pompano reports are good in the passes but they haven’t arrived where I catch them all summer.     Flounder are better.    But generally it has been easy.   Ladyfish, I consider a pain, the people just love the ladyfish action.    Pretty easy to get people to hook 50 of those just as the sun is rising.  

In the neighborhood:  the peacocks finally walked by today.   They live a block away.   First time I’ve seen them out here on the main road.    They literally walked right up to me.    I’d bought more bird seed today so I threw them handful after handful and I was actually surprised when they walked off.     Must be a time of year thing:   They didn’t have the color in their plumage like I’m used to seeing with peacocks.      I wonder if they will remember and be back.    I can tell you, the other birds (and the squirrels) have learned.    They are on that corner of the yard ALL DAY LONG.   

Book #3 continues to expand.    My “Humor” book, this one will likely be the bestseller of my three.    A wider audience, maybe people will want to have it.   Maybe not.    I don’t care really.    I sell enough to break even, that’s good enough for me.   

Believe it or not:  Book #4 is basically done.    No launch date, this one is the one that will be interesting on how it is received.     Book #4 is basically:  My life.    Some wild twists.     I need to spend some time on it to make it to completion but it is close.   

I am pleased with book sales from the first two.   Honestly, I should have sold 200 more.    Whatever.  

They will sell when they sell.  I’m not pushing it.    I’m past breakeven so I don’t really care.    Pompano teasers would be good too.    I still have like 20,000 of those.