Author: Joe

Categories
Adventure

Stuck Boat

Went on a fishing adventure today. I know next to nothing of the mighty ocean, and usually tend to get sick in the past. However, it was super nice outside today, so a fishing adventure on the seas was a welcome idea to me.

We seemed to be going well, and dropped our lines somewhere off of Margate, I think a little bit past the bridge actually. Not too much was biting today, only reeled in one flounder and it was too small to keep.

The real adventure took place when we both realized that we could see the bottom of the ocean. Oh no, somehow we had managed to drift onto some sand. Lots and lots of sand actually. We were stuck, really stuck.

So we began plotting of best solutions to our dilemma. As it was getting later in the day, the tide was not working in our favor. So we hopped into the water and it wasn’t even up to our knees and sometimes barely up to our ankles.

We pushed as hard as two guys could push, barely getting any footing in the muck and sand. It was pretty tough work and at times the boat wouldn’t even budge. Finally we thought to try pushing from the back, then pushing from the front side.

This showed some progress, so we kept with this tactic hoping that we could somehow get out. Literally inch by inch, and after quite a bit of time we finally freed the vessel

It was a pretty great feeling once we thought that we had it free. Hearing that motor startup was a wonderful sound. I think I will be sore for quite a bit for this one.

Categories
Books

Storm of Swords

Storm of SwordsContinuing with the Game of Thrones reading, I just finished up Storm of Swords. I do believe this was the longest book I’ve read to date. It was pretty massive and the poor binding was a bit tough to handle with all the pages.

It continued with all the good stuff that got me eagerly through the first two. Again, I still find it surprising how no character is off limits to being killed off. I guess I should be used to it now, but it still surprises me.

In fact, not many of the characters from the first book are still around by the end of this one.

The whole magical and mystical stuff has really increased now. It really does make for some interesting stuff. It’s getting a bit Lords of the Ringsish with all the monsters and beasts. I also did enjoy the the various side stories joined up or overlapped at points, Like Bran and Samwell.

Despite weighing in at half a ton, it was a fine read.

Categories
Sports

Kickball Season 2 Playoff Game 1

With our lackluster performances in our last 2 dodgeball playoff appearances, I was really hoping that kickball would be different for us. Our opponents were the fourth seeded Banzai Executioners who beat us earlier in the season. This was a pretty good match-up and one that I thought we should be able to take, but it would be close.

Apparently we all came to play last night. It was great, and this would go on to be our best overall game of the season. Things were just clicking and we really did a great job of manufacturing runs with the bottom of our lineup.

As the visiting team we got off to a terrific start. Our always potent top of the lineup got us five big early runs. The early lead really let us play with more confidence in the field, and it showed. Kevin got us started with a dribbler right up the middle and the rest of our guys just did their thing finding spots in the defense and hitting them.

Defensively we were just solid all around. Making all the catches, with some outstanding team defense as well. Caitlin pegged another runner this week, erasing yet another potential run! She must lead the league in pegs at this point.

She also utilized John K.’s strong arm in relaying throws to him to second. Very heads up team play by the Honey Badgers.

While playing first a ball that was just a bit over my head, I just barely was able to get a finger on it and tipped it just enough so that a charging Dustin coming from right field was able to make an outstanding catch on the play. Knowing where one another in the field and having confidence in each other really payed off.

Steph also made a very big catch of her won playing a shallow right field. It was an important catch and it was great to see her make a big play! She would go on to nab Honey Badger of the Week honors for it.

Offensively we were just on as a team. Production came from all parts of the lineup. John B. was back and it showed, going 4-4 with some big kicks. Kevin lead us off with a kick and didn’t let up going 4-4 as well.

I had one of my better days as well, kicking with some power getting a double and was robbed of a hit by an outstanding play by the Banzai third baseman. I knew that I’d have to be aggressive to try to manufacture us a run late in lineup and had a aggressive slide taking second base. I think I surprised the team, especially Kevin and could hear his praise. On the next play it payed off as I scored on an all out sprint from second to home.

This was a tremendous game and I was so proud of how well and hard everyone played. It was a very fine moment for the Honey Badgers franchise winning 11-4.

Can’t wait to continue our playoff run next week!

 

Categories
Sports

Wissahickon Trail Classic 2012

I just ran the Wissahickon Trail Classic 10k with NGM again this year. It was great and just as well organized as it was when we ran last year.

I had to meet NGM at this house in Belmawr by 7:30. So that meant I had to be up and driving very, very early. Waking up wasn’t too bad and I got there without any problems.

While I have been running a bit recently, it’s really only 1.5 – 2 miles most of the time. Nothing of much distance. So jumping right up into a 10k, I wasn’t sure exactly how my body would handle it.

Even with all the crazy hills, rocks and steep descents I was able to keep a steady pace. I could see NGM ahead of me for a good part of the first 2 or 3 miles. I’d eventually catch up to him and then pass him, but he was never too far behind.

The hills did beat me up a bit, never used to that terrain while running in southern NJ. The heavy thunderstorm the night before did make for a muddy and slick track in many spots. The only trouble I really had was with the slick, wet rocks. There was a good amount of near slips on my part, but luckily I was able to keep my balance and not completely fall flat on my face.

I finished in 1:21:39, not too bad a time considering I never train for such a distance and given the terrain.

Afterwards we got a bite to eat at El Limon, a mexican restaurant. The burrito did live up to the hype and of course I devoured it all.

Another fine race adventure.

Categories
Sports

Kickball Season 2 Week 8

With our final regular season kickball game we had a rematch with our week 1 opponents the Lightning Donkeys. Sadly the Lightning Donkeys were short a few players, so that would give us a pretty substantial advantage on the day.

We got off to a tremendous start with Kevin leading off with our first home run of the season! The missing fielder and favorable wind really made kicking easy for all of us. The ball was clearly travelling further than usual and we had much larger gaps in the field to aim for.

The rest of the the team took advantage as well and we all put up some good numbers. Steph even scored her first 2 runs of the season with some great base running!

Despite putting up a sizable early lead, the Donkeys never quit. With some big kicks by their guys and some sub-par defense on our part they were able to score many late runs.

In the end our early lead was too much and we ended the regular season on a good note.

Next week the playoffs begin!

Categories
Books

Catching Fire & Mockingjay

MockingjayContinuing with the Hunger Games series I decided to slow down my pace and not go through the next two books quite as fast as I had done with the first.

Catching Fire was solid and very similar through the first half as Hunger Games was to me. Katniss must compete in another games. I did like the inclusion of more of the tributes in the story. I found most of them to be pretty interesting. The unlikely allies and what turns out to be their common cause(s) was fun to try to figure out.

The ending was pretty cool and it really did a great job of setting up Mockingjay, third and final book in the series. With District 12 leveled and the few survivors in an armageddon like environment, it made the stakes quite high in this one.

I am a sucker for the whole us against the world storyline, so I did enjoy reading just how this one would end. Along the way it gets darker and the more dire, with an ending that wasn’t exactly what I was expecting when I finished up the first book, but wasn’t too shocking as I was nearing the end.

While I think all the recent Hunger Games hype raised my level of expectations to a unrealistic height, overall it was still a solid series and I enjoyed it. The author does a great job of closing each chapter with more than enough suspense to pull you into reading just one more.