I'm not entirely sure how I got here. It's an odd experience being on a strange street corner with no recollection as to the details of your arrival. I feel like I should be more worried about this, and maybe I will be once I am able to figure out where I have arrived. It looks kind of like every street corner I have ever been on. It has buildings, shops, people, the occasional car zipping by. There are differences though, not differences that are overly striking at first glance, just minor differences that serve to remind you that this no ordinary street corner.

Like at any street corner I can see what is front of me, to the left of me and to the right. I even can see behind me, but I can only presume I came from that way, so somehow that seems less interesting. In front of me looks vaguely like a scene from movie filmed in Chicago. I can see the "L" in the distance, there a pizza stands littering the side of the road and (I'll admit this is a little strange) when I stare long enough, I swear I can hear the most amazing Blues that has ever been played.

When I look to the left, it seems as though I am back in China. Now believe me on this, I am not talking about Chinatown here. There is not a sign in English to be found (though, at the risk of overusing the word, I stangly can read the Mandarin signs, this trick fooled me into thinking for a moment that they were indeed in English). Where on the Chicago street there were some little carts for pizza, this street was literally littered with carts, all smelling delicious I might add (apparently I not only have the ability to hear extremely well and read new languages, but my sense of smell has also been greatly aided). The men are riding quickly on their bikes, the children are playing soccer on the street and I am feeling something pull me over there. I fight the urge though, I still have another street to look down.

When looking the right, I didn't even need to stare before my super hearing kicked in. As soon as my eyes even glanced down that street my ears were filled with salsa (I might add that my hips were enjoying the salsa as well). What was odd is that this street, didn't really look like a street. It was actually a family farm, with a hot, but inviting sun beating down. Children were laughing, playing and dancing to this incredible music. The father was on a grill cooking up some asada, the mother was stirring something on a pot. An old grizzled man was strumming a Spanish guitar and singing with a raspy, yet beautifully worn voice. As I focused on this old man the blaring salsa disappeared. All I could hear was his voice and sparse chords of the guitar. He was singing in Spanish, but the longer I listened the more I was able to discern his words;

"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound"

With all of my heart I wanted to go down that street, but my thoughts and my insecurities betrayed me. That family seemed too perfect, too, too, oh this seems like the right word I guess, too home. I would feel like an intruder. So with that raspy voice still ringing in my ears I walked into Chicago.

to be continued...

Barry Bonds

99% of the time sports stories get me fired up for about a minute in half or roughly the time it takes for me to encounter something more important. The Bonds story that is floating around right now is not in that 99%. If you have managed to avoid the media storm, here is the gist of it; two San Francisco journalists are about to release a book outlining the steroids regime that Barry Bonds has used for the past eight years. Of course this is still alledged, but there is enough evidence here that even Cochran would've avoided this case. On the eve of the season that Bonds is going to take a run at Aaron, he's busted.

I think the MLB has to go after Bonds hard. They have to do everything that they can do to provide the evidence of foul play. They need to do the same thing to Sosa and McGuire. And to the Giants, Cubs and Cardnials organizations. I hear a lot of people saying that too many people cheated and it's not fair to just go after the big name. BS. It's not about going after the big names, it's about going after the record holders. For the future of the game, it doesn't matter if a second basemen used the juice to hit 35 home runs instead of 15 (Boone, Brett), but it does matter of Maris fell beaus of a bunch of needles and cattle steroids. It will matter of Hank Aaron, one of the classiest and patient men in the history of the game loses the all-time home run record to Bonds simply because baseball decided to look the other way for the sake of a profit.

Also, it is worth mentioning the reporters who are publishing the book and have gone after Bonds and steroids in baseball. Too many, sports journalism is about nothing more than screaming into a mike on the radio. To some, it is real journalism. It is about seeking truth and persevering through lies and red tape. Tom Verducci, bravo for pushing this story ever since your interview with Ken Caminiti. Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, thank you for living in San Francisco and asking the obvious questions about Barry Bonds. Without this kind of journalism there would be no congressional hearings, no public outcry and no chance a record book with any integrity.

Been a Long Time

The title says it all, huh? My absence can be explained by a lack of time and a lack of ideas. Not to say I have any ideas now, I just miss processing in this wired, trendy manner. So here are so quick hit thoughts:

• Watched the Oscars. Jon Stewert is the man. Dolly Parton sung a Christian song, while wear $4 million worth of diamonds. To think, some people think Christians are too materialistic. Crash was an amazing and important movie. Proof that real world issues push art into amazing places.
• Seahawks resigned Shaun Alexander. Amen. Hope it works out better than the Sonics ponying up the dough for Ray Allen.
• I am too lazy to keep up with Fantasy Baseball, so what do I do? Sign up for another league! Take me away doc.
• Mariners on the radio, I feel so warm and fuzzy.
• I am buying comic books again. Budgeting only two books. Keep me accountable about this! (By the way, I am going to write about Multiple Man. The most intriguing character I have seen in any medium for a long time)
• I am going to be speaking at a chapel service at my old high school this month. A truly bizarre thought.

So there is a look into my head. I am going to try and write something more substantial this week. Thank Aaron for pointing out my lameness of late.