The love of my life - Baseball

Fri Nov 9th
Well, yesterday was great. I’m still me (no random mood swings), the kids were good, I had superb hazelnut tea for lunch and Canada completely destroyed Thailand. Since the game was at 12pm, I couldn’t go. But that’s ok. We won! My evening, although not terribly exciting, was productive so that’s good too. I caught up on Bones, did some laundry and went grocery shopping.
I keep doing this thing, though, where I can’t tell time. I keep thinking it’s an hour later than it really is. I did it last night at the laundromat and this morning. I’m actually writing right now because I got up an hour early and didn’t realize it until after my shower.
Tonight’s parent/teacher night, so I’ll be getting that out of the way. I’m trying to make it rain super hard in Taipei, so that the Canada/Cuba game has to be postponed until Monday when I can go. Is that weird and obsessive? Katy says that baseball is like crack for me. She said she’s never seen me as keyed up as I was before the game... and I guess it’s true. When everything is new and exciting, maybe you get most excited for the familiar and comfortable things.
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Well, I’m officially torn. I can’t decide if I love "Hairspray" (the musical, not the product) or baseball more. I guess it’s lucky that I don’t have to decide. The musical was freakin’ fabulous. Like, seriously. And if I weighed a little more and had a beehive, the lead girl could be me (personality-wise). I even don’t mind that I had to miss the game (which we lost, anyway) for stupid PTA, cuz I got to see the movie.
PTA was fine. Most of the parents wanted to know how to teach their kids English at home. And I only had to talk to 3/7 which means that I was out the door by 8:30 instead of 9, even though we didn’t actually start until 7:30.
All in all, I had a great night and there’s a baseball game looming on the horizon for tomorrow. We’re playing.... dammit! I don’t know who we’re playing, cuz my program’s all in Chinese! Either Germany or the Netherlands. Either way it’s a whole 'nother team of Western boys to oggle. Not that there isn’t plenty to oggle on the Canadian bench....mmm... ballplayers.... anyway, sweet dreams to me.

Tues Nov 13th
In spite of a brief tango with the virus that’s been going around, my week thus far has been fantastic. I’ve seen 3 more ball games (all wins), met a set of parents from the team and unleashed my inner cheerleader/coach. Daddy would be proud. So Saturday’s game was against Germany and Sunday was the Netherlands. Tonight we beat Venezuela. I’ve had baseball on the brain since last week. And I’m converting Katy too. On Sunday she was actually cheering out loud. And Michelle may come to the game tomorrow. This is very exciting, cuz she’s never seen a baseball game before.
Saturday after the game, Katy and I went to Le Rouge for dinner. Then we went into Taipei for a long walk and somehow wound up at the bookstore. I bought a book called Amanda’s Wedding, which I read when I got home.
Sunday was pretty much like being at home in Canada. I saw a ball game. Ate at a new Western style restaurant (which was full of foreigners) and went to Costco with the roommies. I even found cupcakes that are real cake, not the sponge that they call cake here.
School has been fine. Yesterday went smoothly. We read some stories, sang some songs, and I taught them math without wanting to kill someone. Today was even better, cuz we got to go to the park. Some of my sick kids are back, so I was up to 13/15 today. It’s amazing what a difference 1 kid makes to the atmosphere in class. But they all love the farm unit, so the evaluations should go well.
After work yesterday, I came straight home and spent the night watching movies. Jason bought a DVD player when he was sick, so we can watch region 3 dvds now. He also bought the complete set of Indiana Jones. I watched "Raiders" with him on Sunday and then "Temple of Doom" and "Last Crusade" last night. They’re so much fun. Then I watched "Happy Feet". It was not at all what I was expecting.
Tonight before the game, I went to dinner with Sam. Everyone else was working, so I tried to convince him to come to the game, but it was a no go. Instead, he asked me to play on his slow pitch team this weekend. To which I promptly agreed.
Tomorrow is my half day. Also, it’s the last game of the round robin part of the tournament. Canada is playing Australia, who have only lost 1 game. They’re second to Cuba in our pool. We are currently tied for 3 with the Netherlands and the top 4 teams go on to the finals. If we win tomorrow we are guaranteed a place. If we lose, it could be iffy, but only if Korea wins, which they probably will, because they’re playing Germany (with a record of 1 and 5). I’m not sure what happens if there’s a tie. Because position in the standings determines who you play in the quarter finals. I’m going to miss the finals because of playing for Sam’s team. I hope I don’t suck. It’s literally been years since I’ve played.

Sun Nov 18th
First, baseball news. Canada lost to Australia by 1 run thanks to a horrible call in the bottom of the ninth to end the game, when the correct call would have had the game tied with 2 outs. Even the Australian papers called it "questionable". This knocked us into a tie with Korea for the last playoff spot, which went to Korea, because they won the game that we played against them. I was Super Pissed. But until then, it was a really great, exciting game.
School has been fine. I’m still missing 2 kids due to illness. And because the weather was so fantastic (and will be turning crappy soon) we got to go to the park on Friday, too. I taught 2 of my girls to climb on the jungle gym, because that’s my favourite thing. They did really well, too. One of them is absolutely fearless. She’s my little princess and I love her (mostly because for some reason that I can’t determine, my boss hates her and I like to be spiteful).
This weekend has been pretty busy, although last night sucked. Yesterday, I met K in Taipei. I was looking for a cell phone and had no luck. So then we came back to see what everyone else was up to and they all had plans. Jason invited us to come with him to Ximen, so we did and that was ok. I bought a new pair of black dress shoes. They’re very grown up and nice. And I got them for just over $10 Can. But I felt like going out out and I couldn’t find anyone to go with me. K decided to go to bed early and Jason wanted to practice his Chinese with the juice guy, so I was left by myself before 10pm. On a Saturday! So I watched Kickin it Old Skool, which was pretty funny.
Today, I played slowpitch with Sam’s team. It was so much fun and I didn’t completely suck. I got to play catcher (which is a nothing job, but still fun). It was a double header. In the first game, I batted twice and both times popped out on the first pitch (I just can’t resist a high pitch and in slowpitch, they’re all high). For the second game, I made myself lay off. I actually took a walk! I also got a hit my next at bat.
After the ball game, Ben, one of the guys on the team, wanted to go to this blues festival. I had no plans so I agreed to go. Sam decided to come too, so the three of us went. Once we got there, we ran into Corrie, who was there with Andy and their friends, Erica, Isaac and Paul. It was actually pretty fun. But Sam and I left early, cuz I had a long way to go to get home, and he had other plans.

Mon. Nov 19th
School was the same as always. Nothing of note has happened since last night, except that I finally got a cell phone. I’m so excited. Things will be much more convenient now.
Apparently, after Sam and I left the Blues Festival, the cops came and told them that they had to break it up, because the neighbours were complaining about the noise. So the entire festival moved into a restaurant called Capones. Corrie said that it was much warmer and drier, but that the drinks were way more expensive. So it looks like we left just in time.