Random Spring Notes 2016

Well the transition of spring into summer is in full swing, and I can honestly say I'm quite satisfied with the state of things as well as the events to come. I finally have some free time this evening to enjoy some Corona and reflect on these things here in this post.


Fitness & Health: My 11th running of the Indy Mini was a success. I ran it in a time of 1.51, which is far from a PR, yet still a respectable time under 2 hours. This year was also a memorable one as Philip did the full thing in his wheel chair with amazing support from friends and family. I really hope he can get back to running soon and maybe be able to run the full thing again some day.

Since the Mini I've taken it down a notch, yet still exercising at least twice a week. We finished our last game of the spring soccer season last season, with a record of 3-5. I was glad to have scored a goal in our last game, yet after 3 years of playing I think I'm ready for a break from those soccer games. I'm going to continue training for our 7th annual triathlon which is approaching at the end of July. I also plan to buy a new bike for the event.


Family Events: The Indy Mini in early May got the summer going as per usual. After that it was several weekends of partying with friends and working baseball games. Then it was monumental occasion of Andres' graduation on Memorial Weekend. This was a very enjoyable weekend at the lake with family. I was very proud to see my youngest brother graduate from high school and celebrate with his family and friends.

Looking ahead into the summer there are many upcoming events that have me excited.

• This weekend. June 3rd, I'm planning to go to a concert of Pink Droid, a cover band of Pink Floyd, with my co-worker Adam. 
• The next day we'll have our soccer party at Adam's which will be a drunken blast I'm sure. 
• On June 10th, we'll celebrate Philip's 30th birthday party at their house. I plan to whip up some of my famous Sangria.
• On the weekend of June 18th I plan to party with my Indians co-worker, Chris.
• On the 4th of July weekend we're going to have a 3 day party by the lake to celebrate Dad's retirement. After 29 years of working as music director at St. John's New Haven my dad is finally retiring. I'm glad I got to see him perform once more this past weekend. The bash will no doubt be a very memorable one.
• On the 16th of July I'm going to join the Palmers once again for a trip to Wrigleyfield at the rooftops
• On July 23rd we're going to have our 7th annual triathlon 
• And on the 2nd week of August my family is taking a week long trip to Canada. This is the big vacation, the highlight of my summer! I'm very excited for this trip!

Gardening: My 3rd garden got off to a very slow start. I planted tomatoes, green peppers, bell peppers, and jalapenos about a month ago. The first 2 weeks of May were extremely cold and rainy in the 40s and 50s. I was afraid they weren't going to survive. However after Memorial weekend, thanks to several days in the 80s they finally sprouted. I've also added a slew of plants in my sunroom, from cilantro, basil, lavender, ivy, ferns, and some small trees I got from my mom. My strawberries and grapes have returned from the previous year in incredible abundance. I also planted some red vista flowers in the front of my house. I enjoy the atmosphere these plants create and hope they have a lively summer. 

Financial Situation: My finances are in great condition compared to few months ago during the winter. This is much thanks to the working baseball on the side (my 5th season with the Indy Indians and I still love it). I reached my 3rd year at Dow, and although its a dead end job I still enjoy it. Now that I have a bit more income flow, I'm able to hack away at some of my credit fees and also enjoy more of a social life. I hope to have my credit card paid off by the end of the summer and begin a retirement plan with that window. After the summer ends I'm going to continue searching for new jobs, both full time or part time. 

Music Phase: Their's two classic music artists that have inspired me more than usual the past month now. The first is Frank Sinatra, which was triggered from watching The Sopranos. His soothing crooning voice is dosed with classic Italian-American culture. I've always enjoyed his music and had him listed at #25 on my most recent all time favorite musicians list. (see Top 50 Favorite Musicians) The 2nd is the Beach Boys, which was recently triggered after watching the film Love & Mercy (a story about Brian Wilson portrayed by Paul Dano and John Cusack). The Beach Boys were listed at #23 on my all time favorites. Their music was driven by Brian Wilson and they have become American rock icons. I enjoy their early pop music yet especially their psychedelic music as performed on Pet Sounds.


Sports Teams: After the IU basketball season was over, I diverted my attention to the Chicago Cubs, and they have been on a tear early on this season. I've followed them the get-go and they currently have the best record in the league. I've already watched several games with Adam and plan to go to the Cubs game with the Palmers. It's also going to be an exciting summer for soccer as we have both the Euro Cup and the Copa America. I'll be following closely to these tournaments over the next month. I'm pulling for Argentina, Costa Rica or USA to win the Copa America and Portugal, Belgium, or France to win the Euro Cup.