Sultan of 'Not'

"Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Mark Reynolds is one of the more remarkable hitters in history. Two years ago, he became the first major leaguer to surpass 200 strikeouts in a season. Last year, he improved on that epic performance with 223 whiffs. This year, he's threatening to set a new mark yet again. Perhaps not since Babe Ruth broke the home runs record each year from 1919 to 1921 has the game seen such a display."

Source:  Wall Street Journal: Personal Journal, August 24, 2010.

Royals Player Has a Shot at a Record

A Kansas City Royals player has a shot at one of baseball's toughest records.  Through Sunday, first baseman Billy Butler has hit into 26 double plays this season, giving him a legitimate shot at surpassing the record of 36 set by Jim Rice in 1984.  What makes the feat even more impressive is that Butler has managed to do it without the support of his teammates.  Rice set the record hitting behind Wade Boggs and Dwight Evans, who both ranked in the top 10 in on-base percentage.  Which is in stark contrast to Kansas City, whose lead-off hitters rank ninth in the American lead with their number two hitters ranking twelfth.  So, essentially Butler has hit into double plays without anyone on base.  Now, that IS a special feat!

Source:  Wall Street Journal:  Personal Journal, August 24, 2010.

Humming

I was in the bathroom today when I unexpectedly heard humming coming from the stall next to me.  I immediately recognized the tune.  The guy was humming, "If I Only Had a Brain" from the Wizard of Oz.  I started laughing.  When I saw who it was, I couldn't contain myself.  It just made perfect sense.

Abbie Hoffman

In 1971, Abbie Hoffman, a former rioter and protester, published a book called "Steal This Book."  Many bookstores refused to carry the book, because people kept stealing it.

The Chicken or the Egg

Which blinked first...the chicken or the egg?

I'm thinking the chicken, since the egg doesn't have eyelids.

Too Good at Being Me

Do you ever suddenly stop in the middle of your day and think, "I feel like I did the same thing yesterday"?   And the more you think about it, it seems that every day seems too similar to the day before.  You're being efficient and getting done what you are assigned, but still it has lost its excitement.  Most days you feel like you're on autopilot, because it doesn't really require 100% conscious thought to perform your duties.

I feel like this.  I have large chunks of my day that I can't seem to recall.  I have obviously done something as things are getting done, but I have no conscious recollection of doing them.  It's as if my body is so well-trained to "be me" that it doesn't really need my brain to be involved anymore.  The worst part is that I genuinely want to add something new, something exciting; but I can't.  I have found the best, most efficient way to "be me" that I can't think of any other way to do it.  Besides, short deviations aren't enough.  It is too easy to slide back into the routine.

I'm just tired of having a deja vu experience about a deja vu experience.  I feel like I'm living my life two steps behind.  I'm sure it was interesting the first time, but now it's just the status quo.  Barring changing jobs every other week, how does anyone have enough variety in their job to keep it interesting?  I mean, even if you had different experiments, cases, or clients; the underlying processes are still the same.  Enough the same to make it stale.

Denim Diapers

I recently saw a Huggies commercial for a new diaper that looks like denim blue jeans.  The baby that's sporting them in this commercial is strutting through a crowd of on-lookers, as if it's cool to wear your diaper right out in the open.  I guess these new diapers are supposed to give kids more self-confidence.  They no longer have to be ashamed that their diapers are showing.  Seriously, do you think they care?  Are these more for the kids or the parents?  It's funny to me that they'd market them to babies.  Are they going to point at the screen and ask to get denim diapers?