Unsolicited M's predictions

Stats version: Soon I'll also do the standings version. Excited? I know you are.

Today I passed my physical, so I'm ready to go over to Samoa. I need to get my stuff packed by Friday so I can drop it off at the shipping place. Then it'll get there a month after I do.

OK, the predictions:

Pos Player HR RBI SB Avg

CF Ichiro 12 67 40 345
DH Vidro 13 77 4 305
3B Beltre 30 130 7 285
LF Ibanez 28 135 3 283
1B Sexson 40 125 0 260
RF Guillen 22 95 3 280
2B Lopez 15 75 5 280
C Jojima 20 75 2 290
SS Betancourt 13 56 20 295

Broussard 7 23 2 275
Bloomquist 1 8 21 250
Rivera 4 14 0 230
Burroughs 2 18 5 265
Morse 4 22 5 299

Player W L K ERA
Washburn 15 8 120 4.05
Hernandez 18 6 225 3.11
Weaver 14 9 145 4.20
Ramirez 11 8 105 4.55
Batista 9 12 111 4.98

Woods 6 4 43 4.20
Reitsma 3 5 40 4.20
Rhodes 1 3 55 3.50
Lowe 2 2 75 2.90
Huber 1 3 40 3.00
Putz 1 4 110 3.10

That's not too bad I don't think, and not too unrealistic.

2 weeks

In two weeks from today, I'll be in Samoa. I'm excited, but I'm getting a little nervous now. It'll be the third time I've gone somewhere to live without bringing anyone with me, but I've never been this anxious- at least that I can recall. Of course before, I was moving 2 hours driving away and then 2 hours flying away. This is a little different.
Jaymie took me to the zoo today and to dinner. I got to see some goats and donkeys (striped), so that was cool. Dinner was at the Rhinelander- I'd never been there. It was really fun.

The Huskies still might not make the tournament, but at least they beat the Ducks. They need to win about 4 more in a row, and they'll be in ok shape again. Brian Davis (worst announcer in the history of sports) thankfully didn't do the Husky games this weekend. Unfortunately, the WSU-Oregon game was too good to stop watching, and he was doing that game. I think he finally made the Cougars sick and they gave up and Couged it (as is their nature).

Snow Camping

I just got back from a weekend camping at 29 Pines campground outside of Cle Elum. There was a ton of snow. There was a ton of beer as well. I smartly refused to drink any wine this year after the disasterous effects that cheap wine had on me during snow camping weekend the past two years. Some highlights were bacci ball in the road and an enourmous pit that we carved out of the 4 foot deep snow for the fire and room for all 8 of us to sit in our camp chairs around the fire.
Andy Lentz slept in a snow cave under a picnic table; he also puked.
Adrian puked as well.
I was sooo cold Friday night. My sleeping bag is rated to 10 degrees I think, but it also is maybe 8-10 years old. Since it is holofil, it loses its heat retaining properties over time. I'm guessing it should be rated about 40 degrees now. I was looking forward to the warm weather quite a bit while I was freezing/not sleeping Friday night.

The Hawaii setup just keeps getting better. Jimmy Fong (Jerry's brother) and his wife and some friends are going to be over in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl. None of them will be playing in the game, but they went last year and said it was really fun to be over there. So, now I'm going to be staying in their condo that the get for free (I'm not sure how they get it). Plus, Jimmy and I badgered Jerry into going to Hawaii too.

I also learned a little more about what happens when I get into AS. I guess they'll put me up in a hotel for a few days while I get my shit together and they'll show me the available government housing options. Then I pick one and move in.

I'm not too happy about the Bears making the Super Bowl. Grossman is so crappy; I can't believe he made it. Go Colts!

The Huskies insanely added Hawaii to their football schedule. Now in addition to the Pac-10 schedule, they get Syracuse away, Boise St., Ohio St., and Hawaii with their heisman trophy candidate. I hope Locker is as good as we think.

Husky basketball= yuk.

Departure date

I found out today that my requested departure date is approved and they made airline reservations for me. So check out this sweet deal: I leave Thursday Feb 8 and fly to Honolulu. I stay in Hawaii until my flight at 5pm on Sunday Feb 11.

The government is going to pay up to $1000 for moving expenses. I really don't have all that much stuff, so I was probably going to waste a big portion of that unless I decided to ship over some gravel or kitties just to get my money's worth. But, I recently found out that if you aren't in Hawaii for more than 3 nights, the govt. will reimburse you for your expenses if you have money remaining in your $1000 shipping alottment. That is fantastic. Now I get a free 3 night holiday in Hawaii. That is quite a bit better than 10 boxes of gravel.

Also, the Pro Bowl is that weekend.

Hawks

Well, I guess I don't have to worry about the fricking Seahawks being in the Super Bowl when figuring out my schedule. WTF? The Bears suck becuase the 'Hawks played pretty poorly but still should have won. If Holmgren ever called another play besides a RB lead or a sweep on 4th down ever, they'd have won. If D-Jack could catch they'd have won. If the refs didn't hose the loan officer guy on a BS PI call, they'd have probably won. If they didn't play crappy, they'd have won. Go Saints I guess.

I think Adrian thinks we lost because I didn't tape a 40 to my hand and drink it. I suppose that could be the case too. My bad.

Getting out of the cold

It's so cold in Washington today. It is about 20 degrees our right now at 1030pm. There's about an inch of snow on the ground. I like the snow, but the knowledge that it'll warm up to 33 and rain any day now makes me look forward to some warm weather in Samoa.
I was at Jerry's last night and I was lucky that I brought some long underwear. I think that was the only thing that allowed me to live through the night in Jerry's igloo apartment.

So I'm only a few days removed from finding out that I got the job in Samoa. After being told that I'd probably be offered the job a couple weeks ago, I had pretty much convinced myself that I'd be going to Samoa. I did a lot of research about the job and the place and I was getting pretty excited. I'd get lots of trial experience. Plus, I'd get to live in the tropics for a couple years. What a great deal. I'd worked myself up about it, but then once I hadn't heard back, I was starting to get nervous. It was a big relief to get it confirmed.

So, now I'm trying to figure out the best day to head out there. I get to spend a couple days in Hawaii on the way out. I was thinking that the day after the Super Bowl would be a good day so that I could have a few days on Oahu then head out to Samoa on a Friday and have the weekend to get my shit together a little before going to work. But, if the 'Hawks are in it, I may need some recovery. So now I'm thinking maybe the next week.