All the hopes that you have been holding on to for so long/Oh, in the night/In the night

And we’re off!
Today kicks-off the 2008 Baseball Season. Anyone else feel like it has been a long f-ing five months? Sheesh.
The result of the first game? Reds 6, Twins 1
Like all the sports writers are saying…Gardy and crew are focusing on the positive. Baker did well, Neshek was on and Guerrier was steady as he goes (like the Raconteurws song.)
That’s all I got for right now. I am recovering from the Mother of all Colds (and am an extreme baby about it too.) However, in the name of Rock and Roll I took an extra hit of cold medicine and loaded up with cough drops to head out for the ultimate rock concert…The Foo Fighters!

Right, now for the non-baseball (but no less important) stuff
Foley, Pat, Fitzy (evidently it’s a nickname for him) and myself went to the Target Center to enjoy the haze of pot smoke and white-man dancing to the awesomeness (yeah, sue me for using that word) of the Foo Fighters (or the Foos if you are “in”)
And on to the bullet points…

• Due to a good happy hour special at Gamework’s we missed most of the opening acts (Against Me! And Serj Tankian of System of a Down)
• By the third song into the Foo Fighters set all the women were in love with Dave Grohl and all the men wanted to be his wingmen.
• After watching the crowd surfing and mini-mosh pits I decided I am way too old for that shit.
• Grohl likes to spit…a lot (and Foley said she would let him spit all over her, ew gross.)
• There is nothing like putting on lipgloss with strobe lights flashing. I probably looked like that character from SNL.
• I can’t wait until Lucy gets a little older (like eight years older) and then I can bring her to shows like this (and create a secret pact not to repeat all the swear words she hears.)
• I spotted That Girl. You know, That Girl, the one who does that flirty-dance thing with the security guards in order to secure her spot backstage. It was almost painful to see her twirling around, stripper pole dancing against him and generally embarrassing her friends. Ah, to be that carefree again.
  

The moral of the story…
I left with a renewed love of the Foo Fighters, a bunch of new songs in my iPod and a new crush on Dave Grohl.

Overall, a successful night.

More concert news that has me fangirling!
The Kooks are coming to town!!! I have been waiting for-evah! (forever-ever, ever-ever – can you quote that song?) They will be playing at the Fine Line on May 31. Seriously, they are like a few steps below The Feeling in concert-going-excitement. Also, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (from the movie “Once”) are playing a concert on May 7. Vegan Joe and I are totally getting tickets to see that. Oh and how could I forget that The Proclaimers just announced a US tour and they will be here in early May also? Whew, May is going to be busy.

MOD (Music of the Day)
I have been hearing this one song on 89.3 The Current for the past few weeks and last night I finally did some major Googling and found that “one song.”
In the Night – Basia Bulat

You can forget out future plans/Night touch my hand with the turning Golden Skans

Articulate Articles
Gardenhire Deciding Lineup
Pioneer Press – Phil Miller
Star Tribune – La Velle E. Neal III and Joe Christensen

Well, it is getting closer and closer and that means I am getting more and more impatient for it to just start already, damn it.
I caught the rebroadcast of the Diamond Awards on FSN. I gotta tell you, the montages really suck me in and tear me up (as in crying like a baby.)
So, on Thursday, February 28 at noon the first Spring Training game kicks off against The Reds.

Non-baseball but no less important

Concert Calendar
2/27 – Foo Fighters!
5/2 – Bob Schneider @ Fine Line (hubba hubba)
5/3 – Kate Nash @ First Ave

Linked, for your pleasure
The Current
89.3 The Current is the newest addition to Minnesota Public Radio; mind you it is at least three years old. In my section of the Land O’Cubicles we listen to this station all day long and it rocks. Where else can you hear the Klaxons, Kate Nash, Tupac, Vicki Lawrence, Dolly Parton and Count Basie? No where’s, that’s where!
89.3 The Current
For great live in-studio performances check out their You Tube page!
MOD
Speaking of the Klaxons, I don’t believe I have ever uttered their name in this blog. Shame on me. The Klaxons were introduced to me by a friend’s ex-boyfriend (who shall be called Schmike) and he could have easily been the president of the Americans for The Klaxons Fan Club.
Here are a couple links:
The Klaxons – Golden Skans
The Klaxons – It’s Not Over Yet

And the Oscar goes to…
Last night I went over to Tiff’s house for the Monday Night Happy Hour Oscar Party. Let me summarize with my favorite bullet points (Arial font, size 9)
· George Clooney needs to whiten his teeth
· George Clooney met his current girlfriend when she was a cocktail waitress at the Palms Casino in Vegas, a la Harlequin Romance Novel Plot.
· Even after watching her on the Barbara Walters special, we all hate Miley Cyrus (or Destiny Hope if ya’ll is feeling trashy.) Sorry to all the Hannah Montana lovers.
· Javier Bardem is hawt! (again with the teen lingo)
· I know somebody cares but did do we really need two separate awards for Sound Editing and Sound Mixing?
· Ooooh baby, when James McAvoy was presenting and speaking with his gorgeous accent the whole room melted.
· Jon Stewart is funny.
· I feel vindicated about “Falling Slowly” from the film Once winning best original song!!! I have been touting this film and soundtrack for a looooong time.
· Vegan Joe thinks Marketa Irglova from Once is pretty.
· Anne Hathaway is flawless
· We don’t like Penelope Cruz but we don’t know why.
· We were obsessed with Daniel Day-Lewis’ wife’s hideous broach and red bowties.
· Diablo Cody was a breath of fresh-fashion air!
· I am a bit confused to why some famous people were at the Oscars (P.Diddy, Miley Cyrus, The Rock)
· Jennifer Garner has to be Best Dressed!
· Jennifer Hudson…uh…yeah…no.
· Viggo Mortensen needs to get rid of the crazy facial hair!
· Renee Zellweger is scary

Hell no, we won’t go
Three floors down from me, on street-level, there are about a dozen people walking in circles with picket-signs. I can’t see what the hell they are picketing for but I wish they could keep their chanting to a dull roar. Seriously, it is all I can hear and it is making me mental. Mental, I tell you! Shit, one of the strikers has a ten-gallon pickle bucket that he is beating on like a drum. Y’ar.
Update: Now someone has two cooking pot lids and is banging them like cymbals. Son of a…

But now there’s only love in the dark/Nothing I can say/a total eclipse of the heart

Jeez, could it take any longer for March?
It appears Denard Span wants to play right now. In admitting my own lack of knowledge for the minors I hadn’t a flipping clue to who Denard Span was. Thanks to TBL (who allowed me to be herded through line) I went through the Free Line (also known as Down on the Farm/Minors) at Twins Fest. She patiently explained that Span is the newest up-and-comer in the minors.
Side note: Those Girls hadn’t had pleasant experiences with Span but I found him social, nice and personable. Hey, I may not have known who the hell he was but I do know how to judge people on first appearances.

And in bad taste…
A-Rod kidding about times he was tested in ‘07

Hey Steinbrenner, zip it
No matter what team you root for (except the Yankees) you are probably sick and tired of obscure, off-the-wall and asinine quotes from the Steinbrennerses. I know I am.
We’d rather be Darth Vader. Let them be the underdog
Everybody that knows sports knows football is tailor-made for performance-enhancing drugs
We feel this is a terrific way to honor our father’s longstanding philanthropic commitment to Tampa

Non-baseball, and not really that important
Eclipsing in the ‘hood
Last night I begrudgingly went outside at 8:48 p.m. to view the eclipse. (Mind you, the temperature was flirting around the zero degree range.) Stacy and I bundled up and stood on our back deck peering at the moon. Here are a few observations from the eclipse:
· My neighborhood is kind of eerie when it is dark and quiet.
· My neighborhood was actually quiet last night.
· Damn cold for an eclipsing.
· I am pretty sure my neighbors don’t appreciate my poor rendition of Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”
· What we were seeing last night was the shadow of our plant’s ass reflecting across the moon…according to Stacy.
· Astronomy is hard.
· The eclipse was kind of boring.

Stacy and I watching the Lunar eclipse

Bailey's wanted to watch it too! (note the lazer eyes!)

All my life/Watching America/All my life/There’s panic in America/Oh Oh Oh, Oh/There’s trouble in America

Proud owner of part of a season ticket package
Well, it’s official folks. Ms. Non-Committal has made a tiny (itsy-bitsy) commitment to Baseball. Amy and I will be sitting in Section 227, Row 4, Seats 15/16 for part of the season.

All I got for you are articles!
New faces mark start of Twins camp
Scott Baker Becomes a Top Starter for Twins
Ten Questions the Twins need to Answer
Prospects to find out if they can fill rotation
Who’s the boss of bosses: Ranking the best general mangers in the game
* This may come as a shock but Terry Ryan/Bill Smith is not in the top ten.
Replacing Johan: Players added in Santana deal begin Twins careers
Spring Training Preview: AL Central
*We have been dealt a grade of C+ which is…well, okay (just okay, mind you.) My Aunt Karin always said “Cs get Degrees.”
*The writer of this article thinks we should trade Nathan right now and that there is no reason to keep him. Hmm…
Notes: Smith updates camp absences and Gardenhire holds team meeting; Watkins trying to catch on
*We all probably know by now that Liriano is not at camp and you may know that Reyes (who has been scolded on the pages of the Twins homepage) and Casilla are a little late.
Sports Illustrated MN Twins news site

Non-baseball, but no less important
Vegan Joe-isms
In response to Kris saying she couldn’t be a vegan because she loves dairy:
“Vegans can have dairy as long as it is from a willing human female.”
Ah, Vegan Joe! For those who do not know of him, Vegan Joe is my friend (who I believe reads this blog so I better be nice) who is a vegan (surprise) and is one of the funniest people I know.

Musica, Musica
Anyone interested in seeing a path in my head that led me to loving Babyshambles? No? Well, read it anyways damn it.
Step 1: The Libertines
Members – Pete Doherty (Genius #1), Carl Barat (Genius #2), John Hassall, Gary Powell, Johnny Borrell (linked with dating Kirsten Dunst and Emma Watson – Hermione from Harry Potter)
Albums – Up the Bracket and The Libertines (the one I “found”) In 2004 The Libertines broke up and members went their separate way
Step 2: Dirty Pretty Things forms in 2005 with Carl Barat as the leader
Members – Carl Barat
Album – Waterloo to Anywhere (fan-fucking-tastic!)
Songs – Bang Bang You’re Dead and Deadwood (I recommend these ones for first time listeners)
The band is supposedly working on a second album that should be released late this year.
Step 3: Babyshambles
Members – Pete Doherty
Albums – Down in Albion, The Blinding and Shotter’s Nation (in my Top 20 albums)
Songs – Fuck Forever, Killamangiro, Albion, What Katy Did Next (about Kate Moss), Carry on up the Morning, Delivery, You Talk, The Blinding, Love You but You’re Green
Step 4: Make allowance for Razorlight
Members – Johnny Borrell
Albums – Up All Night and Razorlight
Songs – Golden Touch, Somewhere Else, In the Morning, America
Hey, they are good…just not Babyshambles/Dirty Pretty Things good.

Links to songs/videos if you want to check out some good stuff:
The Libertines – Can’t Stand me Now
The Libertines – Don’t Look Back into the Sun
The Libertines – Up the Bracket
Dirty Pretty Things – Deadwood
Dirty Pretty Things – Bang Bang, You’re Dead
Babyshambles – You Talk
Babyshambles – Deliver
Babyshambles – Fuck Forever
Razorlight – America
Razorlight – In the Morning

Early one morning the sun was shining/I was lying in bed/Wondering if she’d changed at all/if her hair was still red

Ah, Sunday mornings. I am sitting at my laptop, drinking coffee, eating a scone (which tastes like cardboard), listening to Bob Dylan warble through Tangled Up and Blue (one of my favorite songs of his) and reading headlines. The house is quiet, the weather is mild (a balmy 31) and the ground is dry. Oh and baseball season HAS OFFICIALLY STARTED!!!

Man oh man, October was bitter-ish, November was numb, December was a blur with rumors, January was officially sucky and February…well, February has been dragging its heels.

Let’s play the game of Good News, Bad News

Good news:
· Today officially starts Spring training! Fantastic!!!
· Great blog entries from Oh it’s Those Girls and One Man Grand Slam.
· Thanks to Becca over at Twins Sisters I have plenty of warning for the next FSN Classics games they are airing. 2/22 @ 7:00 p.m. CT, the game with Scott Baker from 8/31/07 and 2/26 @ 7:00 p.m. CT, F-Bomb takes on Tampa Bay from 7/18/06.

Alas, Bad News
· Pictures of Santana in Mets uniforms (sorry Metsgrrl but it still stings a little bit)
· This article from Jon Heyman from Sports Illustrated. Seriously, I don’t know why I keep reading his articles, 75% of the time he pisses me off. It is his annual Making the Grade write-up. Boy oh boy are the Twins getting hit below the belt before the season even starts, everyone thinks we are just going to barely make it through the season. Well, the Twins ranked #25 and got a grade of “D”

25. Twins. Don't blame the front office. This is all on tightwad multibillionaire owner Carl Pohlad, who squeezed $400 million out of the taxpayers of Hennepin County, then somehow couldn't find anything close to market value for either Santana or Hunter. New GM Bill Smith did his best to replace Hunter by landing Delmon Young for the offense and speedy, strong-armed Carlos Gomez for center. It's hard to blame him for expecting Hank Steinbrenner to give up the store for Santana, but in retrospect, maybe Smith should have jumped on that Phil Hughes/Melky Cabrera/Jeff Marquez offer. D

Grumble, grumble.

Non-Baseball, but no less important
One of the things that make me happy is when my favorite songs are covered in a very different style.
I blogged about Radiohead and my mini walk down memory lane with their song “Creep” which got my Google-fingers going.
Here is a You Tube link to a cover of the song. Don’t mind the actual videos, just check out the song!
Creep covered by Richard Cheese

It’s too late it’s too soon or is it?/Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, boom

The Waiting Game
Wow, Pitchers and Catchers report to camp on Sunday (as if we all haven’t seen that everywhere.) I can’t wait. February 28 is the first Spring Training game. I can’t wait. I received my home opener tickets in the mail last night. I can’t wait. I should start making my 2008 Baseball Resolutions. That I can wait for.

There aren’t any new headlines coming for La Twins since the Livan Hernandez deal so that’s all I got for you. Sorry.

Baseball, but not Twins related
Why the hell not, I may as well piss everyone off
Okay, the Number 1 Rule when getting to the office on a -6 degree morning with cold coffee and a cranky attitude? Don’t read Sports Illustrated online!
Headline: Will Bush pardon Clemens? McNamee’s lawyer says Prez will let Rocket off hook

I know, I know, I know. I shouldn’t believe everything I read. Heck, especially what lawyers print. But, just the idea of this pisses me the fuck off. So, read it if you want to get feisty. Don’t read it if you are borderline Captain Cranky-pants.

Non-baseball, but no less important
Concert Calendar
2/15 (Tonight) – One of my fave local bands is playing at the 7th Street Entry side of First Ave, Romantica. Tickets are only $10 and show starts at 8:00 p.m. Romantica probably won’t take the stage until closer to 10:00 p.m.
2/24 – New York Dolls. I probably won’t be attending this show but I am okay with that…now.
2/27 – Foo Fighters!!! Yeah baby!!!
2/28 – The Hives at First Ave. I totally want to go and if I can rearrange my plans I may be attending by myself. Sad pouty face.
3/15 – Tom Jones at Mystic Lake Casino
3/17 – 3rd Annual Thin Lizzy Tribute Night. What better way to celebrate the REAL St. Patrick’s Day!!! (Silly Church is making everything happen on Saturday March 15.) However, I will most likely be sipping cocktails with my Monday Night Happy Hour Crew at Rossi’s…same old, same old.
4/12 – Bon Iver at the Turf Club. What a great show!

Sporting Calendar
3/2 – Minnesota Wild Hockey. You heard it here first folks. I am going to my first hockey game. I did once to go my high school’s hockey game because my best friend (BFF) was dating one of the players. It should be an interesting mix. It is always fun to put me in new sports settings to see what happens.
3/31 – Minnesota Twins Home Opener!

But I’m a creep/I’m a weirdo/What the hell am I doin’ here?/I don’t belong here

Whoa baby,
Over 7,000 hits! (Don’t’ worry I won’t be posting 7,000 random facts to celebrate.)

$5 Million for Hi Ho Silva’s Doppelganger
Boy, oh boy, the Twins are boasting about their latest acquisition with Livan Hernandez.
Stats:
Arizona Diamondbacks
11-11, 4.93 ERA, 33 starts

Inning-eater starter Livan Hernandez to join Twins

Livan signs with Twins

Non-baseball
Radiohead Tour Announced!!Are you excited? Are you planning the ticket camp-out? Are you ready to see Radiohead live???? Well, if you live in Minnesota let me be the first to burst your bubble. Thems boys ain’t happening by Minneapolis. Well, if you happen to live in a different state there may be hope for you. Check out their tour dates: http://www.radiohead.com/tourdates/

MOD
Ah, Radiohead! They defined my early years of high school (how sad does that sound) and it all started when I had first heard Creep around the age of 13/14. There I was in a new school full of Boyz II Men, Limp Bizkit, Dave Matthews Band, and Nirvana. There I was rocking out to Radiohead, Manic Street Preachers and Oasis. There I was jamming with my portable cassette player (I wouldn’t get my first CD player until later that year.) Yep, Radiohead has always been a part of my “when I first found cool music” phase.

Radiohead – Bodysnatchers (from In Rainbows)



Radiohead – Creep (the first Radiohead song I fell in love, that moment right at the chorus when the guitar breaks in…shivers!)

Meet you downstairs in the bar and heard/Your rolled up sleeves and your skull t-shirt

Pitchers and Catchers report in a little over five days
Hopefully the upcoming weeks will answer all our questions regarding Guerrier, Carmen Cali, Crain, Monroe, Punto and others.

Oh, and looking at the 40-man roster makes me feel very (very) old since a handful of the players have birth years of 1984 and 1985. Sweet baby Jesus, they are just young ‘uns.

Mailbag!
For gibegi
To answer your question I am stealing information from Aaron Gleeman.

Phil Miller of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that Jesse Crain "is ready for spring training as he normally would be" after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in May. "I'm throwing five times a week," Crain said. "I do two bullpens two times a week, and everything is fine. No pain at all." Crain has made great progress, but a torn labrum and rotator cuff is just about the worst possible combination for a pitcher, making him far from a sure thing to return at full strength. So far, so good.

Non-baseball
Damn TV, be less addicting!
Last night was a big TV nights thanks to the Grammy’s and the BAFTA’s (BBC America.) I tried my damnedest to flip between the two and catch everything important.
Here is the brief breakdown of the two shows:
Grammy’s
Foo Fighters were fan-fucking-tastic. I can’t wait to see them in a few weeks!
Kanye’s performance of “Stronger” was great. My co-worker M and I always jam to this song in our cubicles.
Amy Winehouse cleaned up with her awards. I am still undecided how I feel about that. I never like when one artist dominates the show.
Rihanna is gorgeous!
Click here for the Grammy Winners
The Music of the Day (MOD) comes from Amy Winehouse’s performance. I don’t think it was her best sounding but it was still good.

BAFTA’s
I “heart” James McAvoy and his dishy Scottish accent. Speaking of Scottish things I just saw Doug from Travis at the BAFTA’s sitting by his wife, Kelly MacDonald, who was up for the best supporting actress in No Country for Old Men.
My number 1 crush, Orlando Bloom gave an award away.
Oh, Daniel Radcliffe just came out to give an award out. Okay, this will sound a little cliché but Little ‘Arry Potter has grown up, eh?
BAFTA Winners

Come and see the blinding/it’s so blinding/it’s the last thing that you’ll ever see

Projected Batting Order
(From Minnesota Twins MLB site)

I love looking at these before Spring Training and comparing them to the batting order at Home Opener
1. CF – Carlos Gomez
2. C – Joe “Baby Jesus” Mauer
3. LF – Delmon Young
4. 1B – Morneausey
5. RF – Cuddyer
6. DH – Kubel
7. 2B – Brendan Harris
8. 3B – Mike Lamb
9. SS – Adam Everett

Well that is a lot of new people in the line-up (five to be exact.)

Projected Rotation
1. Baker
2. Boof
3. Francisco “F-Bomb” Liriano
4. Slowey
5. Nick Blackburn, Glen Perkins, Brian Duensing

Project Bullpen
Joe “Twitch ‘n Pitch” Nathan, Pat Neshek, Dennys Reyes

Wow, that’s not much of a bullpen.


Non-baseball, Music stuff
The following two topics fall under the MOD category.

Pete Doherty obsession


Spin Magazine has Pete Doherty on the cover so of course I went out and bought it. The ladies in the Land O’Cubicles are concerned with me liking him. First, he’s a bad influence and second, all the photos of him are really bad. It is difficult to explain to them that I don’t like him for eye-candy but for ear-candy. They now refer to him as my Crackhead boyfriend. Hey, leave Pete alone!

Concert happenings
Two concerts coming up that I want to see:
Bell X1
I just read a review of their new CD in the Paste magazine and it received high praise. The story behind this band is that they are the members of the original group, Juniper which was lead by Damien Rice. Now, we all know from one of my previous entries that Damien Rice had some “creative differences” with the band and split off for a successful solo career. I have never heard any of their previous work but maybe I will listen to some samples and make the big decision whether or not to attend the show.

Rogue Wave
Someone recommended their live show to me. I haven’t heard anything of theirs before. Anyone else in cyber-land know about them?

Paste Magazine
I love it when music magazines give out CDs in the issue. Here is the track listing from The Paste Sample 39:
· Radiohead – Bodysnatchers
· The Whigs – Right Hand on my Heart
· Sydney Wayser – Carousel
· Doug Burr – Thing about Trouble
· The Main Drag – Love During Wartime
· Rooney – When did your Heart go Missing
· Dr. Dog – I’m Standing in the Light
· Hank Vegas – To Beam
· Heirloom Projector – Sweet to Mend
· Blind Boys of Alabama – Free at Last
· The Sundogs – Desperation & Borrowed Time
· Gileah and the Ghost Train – The Emergency
· Tyler Ramsey – Ships
· Malcolm Holcombe – Gamblin’ House
· Little Big Town – Fine Line
· Laura Veirs – Nightingale
· State Radio – Story of Benjamin Darling
· David McMillin – Go Easy
· Bright Eyes – Coat Check Dream Song
· Lightspeed Champion – Tell me what it’s Worth

My fingertips are holding onto the/cracks in our foundations/and I know I should let go/but I can’t

The Twins are all over the news
System Upgrade? Prospects in Santana deal have lots of question marks

Twins happy with Santana trade haul

Press Release: FSN North and Twins announce 2008 telecast schedule

This is Twins Territory
Also, during the Super Bowl the Minnesota Twins showed their new 2008 commercial. I can’t wait to see the rest!

Drinking Buddies
Oh, Those Girls are freaking hilarious! I enjoyed our drinking, gossiping and watching the final news coming in regarding Santana on Friday night. I hope you girls survived the basketball game!

Randomly Random
Tom Petty or Bust
I got tickets to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. About six months from now I will be rocking at the Target Center with Stacy and Amy. Ah, the white man overbite and beer fist Arsenio Hall http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenio_Hall moves will be in full effect!

Music of the Day
Kate Nash

This video is awesome as are the lyrics!
Kate Nash – Foundations


Kate Nash Myspace

I saw Johanna down in the subway/She took an apartment in Washington Heights

Interesting article in Star Tribune

If pitching goes south, blame it on…Silva?

MOD – Music of the Day
Vampire Weekend
I have received many plugs and recommendations for this band these past few months and have brushed them off. You see, I kept confusing them with this local band called Vampire Hands which hasn’t received very good reviews. Little did I know that Vampire Weekend is actually a fantastic band. Seriously! Check out their album on iTunes, Amazon.com or whatever. They are also a featured band on MTV (which is a little weird but…eh.) Oh, they are also going to be on Letterman tonight!

Vampire Weekend website
Vampire Weekend Myspace

Music Videos
A-Punk


Mansard Roof