Notes

* After being sick for over a week now, I finally feel like I'm starting to get on top of it. I'm not 100%, with some remaining sniffles, congestion, and coughing, but today is the first day since last Sunday that I've felt more or less "normal." It's about time, too, since I was beginning to seriously consider going to the doctor. That's a pretty big deal for me. I'm not one of these guys with a big fear of/aversion to doctors, but I'm not someone who goes for every little cough and cold, either. It just has to be something serious. I don't even have a doctor right now--I haven't been to one in a very long time, since before I moved to this area. The last doctor I went to (for one visit) has since retired, and the doctor I went to before that is now dead. That guy was my pediatrician. At any rate, it looks like I won't have to find one this time around, unless this stupid thing hangs around for a few more days. I would hate to go to the doctor for just a cold, especially one that's so clearly on the decline, but it really has been hanging in there for a while.

* Of course, being sick over the weekend meant that I had to miss all the St. Patrick's Day festivities, including a Neon Black show. I was pretty irritated about that. Their shows are an awesome time, and they only play here in BG once a month. Their next date here in town is Tax Day, April 15. I'll be there for that one, I don't care if I'm sick again. On the bright side, I did get to watch a little more of the NCAA basketball tournament than I would have otherwise, since I took Thursday and Friday off work. I thought my boss would be suspicious of that, but she wasn't, probably because I was obviously still sick when I went back in on Monday.

* I talked to my mom on Sunday afternoon, and I found out that she and my dad hosted a dog on an in-home recruiting visit last week. They ended up not taking this particular dog (a black lab who apparently spazzed out and didn't want anything to do with either one of them), but it's clear that they're looking. I have kind of mixed feelings about my parents getting a new dog. I realize, first of all, that I have no say in the matter, since I don't live there anymore and am lucky to make it home once a month, and I know that my dad especially would like to have a dog around since he's retired and spends a pretty fair amount of time at home by himself. It'll just be weird for me to have a dog there that isn't my dog the way Cupid was. Since Cupid was there for several years before I moved out as well as when I was home for extended periods of time for college breaks, she was as close to me as she was Mom and Dad. She was blissed out when I came home for weekends or whatever. For a new dog, I would just be a stranger to get used to--maybe one who's around a little more than others, but still not someone who "lives" there. Still, I love dogs, and it'll be great to have one around the house again, since I'm not yet in a position where I can have one of my own. And animals generally like me a lot (I've known several animals who have liked me better than their "masters," even on short acquaintance), so a new dog probably won't take very long to get to know me. I guess I really just wish I was around so I could help them pick one out.

* The BGSU men's basketball team has lost another player, with backup point guard Perrick "Moon" Robinson declaring that he will transfer to a school to be determined. I like Coach Dakich a lot, but it can't be denied that the team has lost a lot of players over the past few seasons, and the lack of continuity is taking its toll on the program. Moon isn't necessarily a great loss in and of himself, although he was a contributor and could have progressed even more, but it really hurts when guys are leaving year in and year out. Hopefully he's the only one we'll lose this offseason, and Coach Dakich will be able to effect a turnaround from this year's 9-21 record. If not, with Paul Krebs leaving for the University of New Mexico and a new Athletic Director on the horizon, it's likely that BG will be looking for a new coach next year at this time. I think BG will have a decent year next year, though. Coach Dakich's best teams are always the ones that have a lot of seniors, and there will be four next year (as opposed to just one this year). Whether or not it will be enough to earn him a contract extension remains to be seen, and whether or not it should be is up for debate.

* The Reds made a trade this week, sending outfielder Wily Mo Peña to Boston for right-handed starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo. This was GM Wayne Krivsky's first major trade for the Reds, and I confess myself disappointed. Peña is a young guy with a lot of potential. Sure, he strikes out a lot, but his power is prodigious. He hits the kind of home runs that people come to the park early to watch batting practice for. If the Reds were going to trade him, they should have gotten a #1 or at least a solid #2 starter for him, instead of a guy who went 14-10 last year (decent, but not great) and will probably end up as the #3 guy in the Reds' rotation, which isn't exactly strong. This move means that Adam Dunn will revert to left field (after moving to first base following the Sean Casey trade, which was even weaker and more disappointing than this one) and Scott Hatteberg will take over first base. It'll be interesting to see how things shake out for the Reds this season. Despite them getting rid of two of my favorite players, I'm excited for the start of the season--Opening Day is April 3 against the Cubs.

* I'm still planning a post on my first strip club visit. I haven't forgotten, I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Look for it this weekend at the latest.