Camps 2006 (second week finished)

Aw man....camps are going by so fast!!! This week was alot more tiring than last week, and I hafto admit that this week wasnt as fun as last week, but this week was still alot of fun! I'm gonna miss BLUEEEEEEEEE!!!! She's so FUNNY!!!! =)
And mannnn VBS is coming up so fast! Been spending all nites this past week doing VBS work....I feel so tired now! haha...ah well! This is all for the Camps!!!! and I love all the kids, so its all cool!!! =)

UMPING!!!

YAY! haha i umped my first ever game today! and by umping, i meant umping home plate! it was alot of fun, even though my legs are so tired from standing up for so long! haha.....it was cool cuz today was a practice umping experience, cuz this umping was for pris yuen's team....now im primed and ready for umping sanctified games! hhahhahahah =) oh, slingers beat soldiers1 by 3 runs, btw. (CLOSE GAME!)

Camps 2006 (first week finished)

aw mannnnn first week of camps 2006 was awesome!!! sports camp was amazing! camp hands on was awesome! haha...the kids were such a blast! theyre so funny and crazy and so jokes! =) love them so much! hahaha......im gonna miss them like always!
was pretty happy to have gotten to know vivian more! haha didnt even kno she was at our church, but now i know, so i can spot her out to talk to her! =)
it was pretty cool how everything went so smoothly, especially the outing on thursday to nascar speedpark at vaughan mills! everything went so well! PRAISE THE LORD!

Can you refill my fries?

HAHAHHAAH u crack me up, sam! so jokes! =)

Camps 2006

Camps 2006 has already started!!! =) So much fun!!! The kids are awesome! I just hope that I'll have enough strength to do everything else! HAHAHA

Sanctified History Made!

It's finally done! We've won our first ever game (13-11) today!!! Wow...it was so cool. Who would've known we would win a game this year?! HAHA.....it was awesome! I can't believe my 2-run HR was the "gamewinning / walkoff" homerun of the game! SO INTENSE! haha....we were tied goin to bottom of 8th, and i actually eked out my first big hit of the year for the win.....man...so crazy today!!! hahah and of course, so HAPPYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! CONGRATULATIONS SCAC SANCTIFIED!!!

Mall outreach at PMall was also alot of fun today! Got to do balloon art, so I learned how to do a sword, flower, dog, rabbit, parrot, and also other weird shaped balloon art!!! My fingers still hurt from tying all those small balloons! haha......but man, it was a waste of the helium tank we ordered cuz stupid pmall ppl dun allow helium in pmall!!! ah well, the rest of the event was amazing! hope to see many new and awesome faces at VBS and hopefully they will be led to Christ for the first time! =)

Stuck at Church...

DIRTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY........was forced to stay late at church last night because everybody who had keys left before I did!!! I did my "Plan to Protect" presentation last night and it went overtime. Then Peter did his presentation and he went overtime too! The program was supposed to be 8-9pm. We ended at 10:30pm =P. Then they all left without locking the church, so Sharon, Samantha, Rebecca and I were stuck at Church........we called Clem to come back and he did -- except he didnt have the door key as well. So we called Gabe Jr. to come and he finally locked up cuz thankfully he had the door key! by then it was 11:30!!!! hahah....wasted my night...now I gotta rush my softball devo for sat!!! and i was so tired cuz we had softball from 5-7pm as well!!!!! mann crazy.......and now i still hav work =P haha....i cant believe i have work every single day from this past tuesday until next friday!!! hhahahah ah well, its all coool

All-Star game unplugged - Jeff Passan

PITTSBURGH – Come on. Like Fox was really going to show the good stuff when it placed microphones on players during the All-Star game.

Much as we'd love to write about the game, it can be summarized in two sentences. The American League won 3-2. The National League stinks.

And until the ninth inning, when Michael Young tripled in two runs with two outs and two strikes, the only intrigue streamed through the mics. Fox, inventors of the plate cam, the base cam and, coming this October, the toilet cam – "We'll be there for every flush!" – for some reason deemed the unfettered commentary unworthy of broadcast.

Such censoring seems both unfair and unbalanced, so, in the interest of the public, of course, it is only right to disclose the true transcript, obtained after Tuesday's game by Yahoo! Sports.

It is for neither the weak nor timid.

First inning

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Jason Bay, the hometown favorite, runs out to right field to a standing ovation. Under his breath, he whispers.

Bay: No. Oh, no. This isn't happening. PNC Park isn't supposed to be full. We usually get booed. And they're ... cheering? Please. Don't do this. I don't know what this sounds like. My ears. They're bleeding. Stop! I can't take it!

Meanwhile, the NL starter, Brad Penny, is throwing smoke. His fastball sits at 97. He struck out New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter on a high 98-mph fastball two pitches after buzzing him with one at 99. When Jeter returns to the dugout, he sees his teammate, Alex Rodriguez, whose fondness for malaprops is exacerbated by the excitement around the All-Star game.

Jeter: Man, he's nasty.

Rodriguez: No. It's not Penny's stuff. It's Jerry Crawford's strike zone. It's as big as the Miami Ocean.

Jeter: Alex, the Miami Ocean doesn't exist.

Rodriguez: Oh.

Second inning

Vladimir Guerrero's opposite-field home run gives the AL a 1-0 lead. As he rounds third, he hears a familiar voice.

Manny Ramirez: Hey, I'm supposed to be playing left field

Guerrero: Manny? Is that you? I thought you were hurt.

Ramirez: I am. My arm hurts from lifting these margaritas. And my stomach hurts from eating all day. And my back hurts from playing so much golf. Time for a massage. Peace, sucka!

AL starter Kenny Rogers hands back the advantage on a solo home run to left field by New York Mets third baseman David Wright. Guillen is not happy with his starter.

Guillen: #*$#! You're a @#$@! No, you're a *$#@^$@! No, no, no. You're a Mariotti!

Rogers: I'd better not catch you carrying a camera.

Guillen: Nevermind.

Third inning

With Toronto Blue Jays starter Roy Halladay struggling, Guillen gets a call from the bullpen phone.

Francisco Liriano: Ozzie, I'm ready.

Guillen: Don't worry, you'll get your turn.

Kansas City Royals starter Mark Redman steals the phone.

Redman: What about me?

Guillen hangs up.

Fourth inning

Bay steps to plate and singles. At first base, he's standing next to the Boston Red Sox' David Ortiz.

Ortiz: You look nervous, Bay.

Bay: I don't like all this attention. It worries me.

Ortiz: Listen, kid, if you want to be cool like Big Papi, you need to find your happy place.

Bay: Happy place ... OK.

Fifth inning

NL manager Phil Garner calls for Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo, who missed Monday's media session because he partied into the wee hours of the morning.

Arroyo: Dude, I'm hammered.

Garner: What?

Arroyo: Yeah. I kicked a case in the bullpen all by myself, son! Wanna touch my hair?

Garner: What?

Arroyo: I use this conditioner. So dope. Hey, can I do a keg stand on the mound? Ten inches in the air. Altitude!

Garner: Let's see some zeroes.

Arroyo: Zero brain cells left. Rawk!

After Arroyo plays air guitar and throws a scoreless inning, Guillen makes a gaggle of substitutions, including the insertion of Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer. When Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley leads off the inning, Mauer greets him.

Mauer: You know I'm dating Miss USA 2005?

Utley: Really?

Mauer: Yeah. And you know what else? I'm dating Miss USA 2005.

Utley: I heard the first time.

Mauer: I know you did. Except I'm dating Miss USA 2005.

Utley: Would you like a prize?

Mauer: Absolutely. I'd like to date Miss USA 2005. Which I am.

Sixth inning

Garner's turn to make mass subs. Among the group of new players are Colorado Rockies pitcher Brian Fuentes and Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann. They meet on the mound.

McCann: Who are you?

Fuentes: I'm Brian Fuentes.

McCann: Who?

Fuentes: I'm the closer for Colorado.

McCann: Sure, guy. Listen, just take this white ball and throw it over the plate. Got it?

Fuentes: But ...

McCann: OK, hoss.

Seventh inning

Bay walks from the dugout.

Bay: Happy place. Happy place.

The crowd stands again.

Bay: OK, imagine they're all naked.

Arroyo: I do that all the time, man. It's awesome!

The cheering is cacophonous.

Bay: Too ... much ... pressure!

He strikes out. Back in the dugout, he puts on headphones and turns on a Kelly Clarkson CD.

Bay: Ahhh. Happy place.

Meanwhile, Guillen's phone rings.

Liriano: Ozzie, I'm ready.

Guillen: Hey, kid. @#&^ #$%* $#&*@!

Liriano hands the phone to Redman.

Redman: Ozzie, I'm ready.

Guillen: What, to give up five runs?

Redman: Good point.

Redman hangs up.

Eighth inning

The game is dragging. It's 2-1, a run hasn't been scored since the third inning and one man's eyelids are shutting.

Arroyo: I think I'm going to pass out.

Garner: OK.

Garner passes out, too.

Ninth inning

San Diego Padres reliever Trevor Hoffman comes on and, with two outs, gives up a single to Paul Konerko and a ground-rule double to Troy Glaus. Garner's phone rings.

Liriano: Phil, I'm ready.

Garner ignores him and lets Hoffman pitch to Young. He knocks in the game-winning runs, Mariano Rivera shuts down the NL in the bottom of the inning and for the ninth consecutive game with an outcome, the AL beats the NL.

As the AL celebrates, Guillen feels a tap on his shoulder.

Liriano: Ozzie, I'm ready.

Guillen: %^#&!

Bay: You say %^#&? I'm the one who needs a drink.

Arroyo: Once it hits your lips it's so good!

Mauer: That's what Miss USA 2005 says.

Utley: Enough!

Fuentes: Don't fight, guys.

McCann: What's your name again?

Rodriguez: Please! Please! Stop with the negatism!

Ramirez: I'm glad I went on vacation.

Jeff Passan is Yahoo! Sports' national baseball writer. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.

ITALIA!!!

Italy won the 2006 World Cup today!!! The first half was awesome because of the two goals! Second half was mad boring, but the most talked about event must be the Zinedine Zidane headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the 110th minute, which led to the only red card of the game. This changed the whole game, and when penalties came, France was without their captain. Italy wins 5-3 on penalty kick (with David Trezeguet missing the shot off the crossbar)! Italy's defense was so good throughout this tournament....only gave up two goals in total (one was an own goal)!!! Fabio Grosso is the new national hero after nailing the final penalty kick! Congratulations Italy and all the Italian fans out there!!! What a wonderful tournament!!! Thank you Germany for a superb 2006 World Cup!!! Can't wait till 2010 in SOUTH AFRICA!!! And lastly, goodbye Zizou! Too bad your career ended with a red card!

Illuminated II in hiatus

The Realization
The Ignorance
The Turning
The Agony
...
Realizing
Experiencing
Satisfying
Thanking
Imagining
Needing
Gratifying
Overwhelming
Delighting

From the inside out...

Wacky World Cup note...

Police in Berlin arrested two men on Wednesday on suspicion of placing cement-filled soccer balls around the city and inviting people to kick them. At least two people were reportedly injured by kicking the balls, which were chained to lampposts and trees and accompanied by the spray-painted message, "Can you kick it?" (Perhaps the men were A Tribe Called Quest fans?) The doctored balls had apparently been surreptitiously filled with concrete in a workshop but appeared real (and harmless) enough. One angle that the story doesn't address is how long it took for passers-by to realize that those who kicked the concrete balls were actually hurt and not simply pretending to be World Cup players.

-SI 10 Spot, July 6, 2006

Pronger off to the Pond

So yea, Chris Pronger was finally traded today...to the Anaheim Ducks, which instantly gives the Ducks the best 2 defensemen in the league. With their superb size and forechecking ability, the Ducks forwards will once again thrive in the league. Now they have even more talent on the blueline, which will officially make them Stanley Cup contenders before the season even starts in the fall. I will now go out on a limb and say that they will WIN the 2006-2007 Stanley Cup. They were a series short of going to the final because they ran into a red-hot Edmonton Oilers team (especially goalie Roloson). I believe the Ducks will win the cup, unless they face Buffalo in the finals, but that's another issue.
I still think Edmonton won the deal just because they shipped the huge contract and got 22-yr-old-AND-28-goal-scorer in Joffrey Lupul, plus high-potential prospect in Ladislav Smid, AND 3 draft picks (1st and 2nd rounders). Salary flexibility is very important in the new NHL and I think Edmonton will make the right moves to somewhat balance the loss of Pronger. The Oilers will be in the Final in 2 or 3 years.

Sanctified Softball!!!

First weekend of Sanctified softball was AWESOME!!! So many memories! Even though we lost all 3 games, I'm so proud of everybody playing their best! Our defense is ROCK SOLID! We just need to work on our offense and learning how to scrap some runs. But man, I'll never forget this weekend! I was the first person ever to strikeout as a Sanctified! (Was just trying too much in that atbat!) Then decided to just slap singles and join the hit parade. One shocking stat is that after three games, my average is the same as my brothers! HAHAH Shows how he's learning to scrap singles too. And man, he snagged so many infield grounders! I don't think he ever misplayed any solid throws (the only ones he missed were on wild throws). Clearly, he stepped up his game, just like many many other Sanctified-ers that caught those balls! Did my first ever devo as a governor! What made it special was that it was for a game against NYCBC Guardians...the team (previously Tsunami) that "raised me up" as a softball player for a couple of years. It was challenging and nerve-wracking, but it went well! =) Funny thing about this weekend was that I knew people from all three teams we faced: Dunamis (Bryan, Derek, Matt, Grace), Guardians (Chris, Hubert, Derek, Sam), and Ascensions (Chris, Nixon). I'm so happy that so many fans showed up for our three games! I'm pretty sure all the fans, parents, and us Sanctified-ers enjoyed this wonderful weekend! Hope that the rest of the season will be as crazy fun as this first weekend!!! Lastly, just wish Hubert a wonderful trip to HK and thank you so much for joining us for this weekend's games.