Condolences to your mother and the family. Your mother is a quiet hero who did the hard tasks without praise or acclaim; merely because it was the right thing to do. Such a powerful story, well written as always.
Thank you for the reminder that family matters even if it’s (really, really) hard, Mrs. Calcaterra. Godspeed to your sister and condolences on your loss.
I expected a maximum Max, Mad Max or at least Maxwells Silver Hammer reference for ATL-LA. In addition to our host’s reference to Scherzer and Muncy, Fried started for the slumping visitors.
After climbing to first while playing Fish, Gnats, and the rest of the Tankers - and while the Phils Pfloundered and Mess messed - Atlanta was swept by NYY, managed 2 of 3 against SF at White Flight Field, and now swept by LA.
I’ve spent several hours trying to figure out how to pun Boone bobbling the vaccine but Rose grabbing it before it falls. But (a) I can’t get it to work and (b) a 41 year old reference may not be old enough for Columbo fans.
The Yankees come pretty close as well, although I'm going to activate players off the IL to get there:
P - Nestor Cortes, Jr. (among numerous options)
C - Gary Sanchez
1B - Miguel Andujar
2B - Rougned Odor
3B - Gio Urshela
SS - Gleyber Torres
LF - Estevan Florial
CF - Aaron Hicks
RF - Giancarlo Stanton
We could put Andrew Velazquez in at short and bump everyone down the infield to get a DH, but I've already strained this exercise a bit by putting Miggy Flames at 1B.
I don’t really care about baseball this week. I care that as of yesterday in my home state I am valued less than a six week growth of cells. Let me be clear, I think abortion is an act of desperation and awful and know not one woman who would choose it flippantly or lightly. The people who claim to be pro life, but who are really just pro birth (because who cares about human life after it’s walking the earth?) are anti women. That statement shouldn’t surprise anyone. These are generally the same people who are anti anything that doesn’t uplift white men.
I’ve lived in Texas for 41 of my 49 years and there is so much I love about this state. I happen to be in a major metropolitan area (Go ‘Stros! Okay, I care about baseball a little). What I keep trying to understand about Texas politics is how it keeps working against its own economy. Each of the major cities in Texas were blue on 2020 and 2016 electoral maps. It’s these cities that drive the economy of Texas - and for the record are 5 of the 13 biggest cities in the US. There has to be a breaking point at which the laws of Texas start to impact the economy of Texas. There also has to be a point at which the voting power of the cities overtakes that of rural Texas. We are getting closer everyday. Beto had an actual shot at the Senate where 5 years earlier it would have been a pipe dream. In 2020 the state was considered purple and not red for the first since Texas flipped from Southern Democrats to Republican.
Yes, I can understand why people wonder why I stay in this place where I am a second class citizen and the leaders are often power hungry nut jobs out to do more harm than good, but sometimes you have to fight the fight from the inside. Don’t give up on Texas. And please, don’t give up on the women of Texas. We need all the help we can get.
When the entire roster is healthy, the White Sox can pull off the all Black/Latino lineup. The only regular starter on offense who is white is Andrew Vaughn and the main utility man and the fourth outfielder are Latino and Black respectively (Leury Garcia and Brian Goodwin). Other than Gavin Sheets DHing last night, they actually pulled it off yesterday.
While I appreciate the story of Craig's aunt and his mother's commitment to helping her, the message I got from it was that life is seemingly random, where one sibling can be born with a predisposition for psychosis and violence and the other sibling born predisposed to be empathetic, humane and nurturing -- such stark differences.
Of course this is an oversimplification, as human behavior is determined by more than just inherited genes -- and life is not actually random, but how we perceive it to be.
I do, actually, think that there is randomness in life. More than most people think. Random data points obviously don't work in vacuums, and a lot of things we consider random, actually, have a lot of very deliberate causes and contributors, but yeah, there is an element of the universe rolling dice too.
More than I did, but nothing super significant. She was basically out of our lives (like, she had disappeared and we presumed she was dead) from the time he became aware she was his biological mother until he was pushing 30. By then she was in the home, heavily medicated and he was living in San Diego. He visited her a couple of times with my mom, but she wasn't super connected with reality by then. She once told him, with no prompting, that the best decision she ever made was giving him up to my mom, and that was something of a moment, but no, there wasn't anything like that.
He has, over the past 20+ years, though, become somewhat close with his biological father and siblings, which has been nice for all of them.
Technically, the Mets could put out a lineup of all black/latino players. It'd be rough, as Albert Almora, Khalil Lee, and Jonathan Villar would be a "high upside" outfield, in that they're all really backups or (in Lee's case) not yet ready for primetime, but they can all stand out there and catch balls real well, even if they hit relatively few. The infield would be much better, with Luis Guillorme, Francisco Lindor, Javy Baez, and Dom Smith, plus catcher Tomas Nido (when he's not on the DL). The starter could be Tijuan Walker, Marcus Stroman, or Carlos Carrasco, with Edwin Diaz, Jeurys Familia, Miguel Castro, and a quarter of Seth Lugo (his Player Weekend nickname was Quarterrican) providing a capable relief squad. That's a Sunday lineup if I ever saw one, but they could make it work.
The Boston Celtics fielded the first all-black starting lineup in any professional sport in 1964 (and Russell was the first black coach in any US professional sport.) Red Auerbach's embrace of building around black players allowed the Celtics to dominate the league for years. Interestingly, he later recognized the value of while players who may not have looked as flashy or athletic as some of their contemporaries (Cowens, Bird, McHale, etc.) and he was able to put another great run together.
That was great telling of your relationship with your aunt and the story - as much as it could be told - of her life. And the story of a sister and mother who cared for people was very moving.
Condolences to your mother and the family. Your mother is a quiet hero who did the hard tasks without praise or acclaim; merely because it was the right thing to do. Such a powerful story, well written as always.
Well said
Thank you for the reminder that family matters even if it’s (really, really) hard, Mrs. Calcaterra. Godspeed to your sister and condolences on your loss.
Typical lamestream media, covering up the murder of a conservative patriot by a librul reporter right out there in the open on twitter dot com.
I expected a maximum Max, Mad Max or at least Maxwells Silver Hammer reference for ATL-LA. In addition to our host’s reference to Scherzer and Muncy, Fried started for the slumping visitors.
After climbing to first while playing Fish, Gnats, and the rest of the Tankers - and while the Phils Pfloundered and Mess messed - Atlanta was swept by NYY, managed 2 of 3 against SF at White Flight Field, and now swept by LA.
See, now we understand why you haven't blocked your mom in Facebook yet, despite all the eyeroll inducing posts she makes.
"How do you people read all this stuff? Has to get old."
I admit, sometimes I skip about half the recaps.
I’ve spent several hours trying to figure out how to pun Boone bobbling the vaccine but Rose grabbing it before it falls. But (a) I can’t get it to work and (b) a 41 year old reference may not be old enough for Columbo fans.
I'm pretty sure the Nats could field a lineup of all Black and Latino players...
P: Josiah Gray
C: Keibert Ruiz
1B: Josh Bell
2B: Luis Garcia
SS: Alcides Escobar
3B: Adrian Sanchez
RF: Juan Soto
CF: Gerardo Parra
LF: Yadiel Hernandez
It wouldn't be nearly as good as that '71 Pirates team, and Parra and Sanchez don't have a future with the Nats, but they could do it.
The Yankees come pretty close as well, although I'm going to activate players off the IL to get there:
P - Nestor Cortes, Jr. (among numerous options)
C - Gary Sanchez
1B - Miguel Andujar
2B - Rougned Odor
3B - Gio Urshela
SS - Gleyber Torres
LF - Estevan Florial
CF - Aaron Hicks
RF - Giancarlo Stanton
We could put Andrew Velazquez in at short and bump everyone down the infield to get a DH, but I've already strained this exercise a bit by putting Miggy Flames at 1B.
A cleaner way to get there would be to add Japanese players to the exercise, have Kyle Higashioka catch and move Sanchez to DH.
I don’t really care about baseball this week. I care that as of yesterday in my home state I am valued less than a six week growth of cells. Let me be clear, I think abortion is an act of desperation and awful and know not one woman who would choose it flippantly or lightly. The people who claim to be pro life, but who are really just pro birth (because who cares about human life after it’s walking the earth?) are anti women. That statement shouldn’t surprise anyone. These are generally the same people who are anti anything that doesn’t uplift white men.
I’ve lived in Texas for 41 of my 49 years and there is so much I love about this state. I happen to be in a major metropolitan area (Go ‘Stros! Okay, I care about baseball a little). What I keep trying to understand about Texas politics is how it keeps working against its own economy. Each of the major cities in Texas were blue on 2020 and 2016 electoral maps. It’s these cities that drive the economy of Texas - and for the record are 5 of the 13 biggest cities in the US. There has to be a breaking point at which the laws of Texas start to impact the economy of Texas. There also has to be a point at which the voting power of the cities overtakes that of rural Texas. We are getting closer everyday. Beto had an actual shot at the Senate where 5 years earlier it would have been a pipe dream. In 2020 the state was considered purple and not red for the first since Texas flipped from Southern Democrats to Republican.
Yes, I can understand why people wonder why I stay in this place where I am a second class citizen and the leaders are often power hungry nut jobs out to do more harm than good, but sometimes you have to fight the fight from the inside. Don’t give up on Texas. And please, don’t give up on the women of Texas. We need all the help we can get.
Under his eye.
Also, this has made me laugh for long time - https://mcbroken.com/
The magical Tommy Gun of infinite bullets
"They often are portrayed as evidence of drunkenness even among somber people and in no event do they ever help you."
I'm a DWI attorney in NC. This is exceedingly true. I don't know that I've ever seen a client who passed them.
ESPECIALLY among somber people. :)
When the entire roster is healthy, the White Sox can pull off the all Black/Latino lineup. The only regular starter on offense who is white is Andrew Vaughn and the main utility man and the fourth outfielder are Latino and Black respectively (Leury Garcia and Brian Goodwin). Other than Gavin Sheets DHing last night, they actually pulled it off yesterday.
While I appreciate the story of Craig's aunt and his mother's commitment to helping her, the message I got from it was that life is seemingly random, where one sibling can be born with a predisposition for psychosis and violence and the other sibling born predisposed to be empathetic, humane and nurturing -- such stark differences.
Of course this is an oversimplification, as human behavior is determined by more than just inherited genes -- and life is not actually random, but how we perceive it to be.
I do, actually, think that there is randomness in life. More than most people think. Random data points obviously don't work in vacuums, and a lot of things we consider random, actually, have a lot of very deliberate causes and contributors, but yeah, there is an element of the universe rolling dice too.
My condolences to you and your family.
Did your brother have more interactions with her?
More than I did, but nothing super significant. She was basically out of our lives (like, she had disappeared and we presumed she was dead) from the time he became aware she was his biological mother until he was pushing 30. By then she was in the home, heavily medicated and he was living in San Diego. He visited her a couple of times with my mom, but she wasn't super connected with reality by then. She once told him, with no prompting, that the best decision she ever made was giving him up to my mom, and that was something of a moment, but no, there wasn't anything like that.
He has, over the past 20+ years, though, become somewhat close with his biological father and siblings, which has been nice for all of them.
Technically, the Mets could put out a lineup of all black/latino players. It'd be rough, as Albert Almora, Khalil Lee, and Jonathan Villar would be a "high upside" outfield, in that they're all really backups or (in Lee's case) not yet ready for primetime, but they can all stand out there and catch balls real well, even if they hit relatively few. The infield would be much better, with Luis Guillorme, Francisco Lindor, Javy Baez, and Dom Smith, plus catcher Tomas Nido (when he's not on the DL). The starter could be Tijuan Walker, Marcus Stroman, or Carlos Carrasco, with Edwin Diaz, Jeurys Familia, Miguel Castro, and a quarter of Seth Lugo (his Player Weekend nickname was Quarterrican) providing a capable relief squad. That's a Sunday lineup if I ever saw one, but they could make it work.
The Boston Celtics fielded the first all-black starting lineup in any professional sport in 1964 (and Russell was the first black coach in any US professional sport.) Red Auerbach's embrace of building around black players allowed the Celtics to dominate the league for years. Interestingly, he later recognized the value of while players who may not have looked as flashy or athletic as some of their contemporaries (Cowens, Bird, McHale, etc.) and he was able to put another great run together.
That was great telling of your relationship with your aunt and the story - as much as it could be told - of her life. And the story of a sister and mother who cared for people was very moving.