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CC Ya Later, Alligator!

We knew that Sabathia was just a rental and that it would be extremely difficult to sign him when he became a free agent. We knew that the Yankees made starting pitching (mainly Sabathia) their #1 target this offseason. We knew that we only had a snowball's chance in hell that he'd take less money to stay with us. We knew that he said the right things about Milwaukee and his time spent here, and I honestly believe that he had a really good time playing for this team, hanging out with his teammates, and seeing this city embrace him as he carried us to the playoffs. We knew that we were a long shot to have the best pitcher on the free agent market, if not the entire league, to toe the rubber for the Brewers come Opening Day 2009. We knew these things when Sabathia came to our team on July 7, 2008. But on December 10, 2008, everything that we already knew finally happened.

But even though we already knew these things, it doesn't make it any easier when it actually happened. CC took the money ($160 million for 7 years from the New York Yankees) and ran, but can you blame him? Suppose you were one of the best people at your job, and Company A offered you $140 million in guaranteed money, while Company B offered you $100 million in guaranteed money. You'd take Company A, right?

Not so fast. Turns out that Company A is an evil company that uses child labor, turns shady deals, is scrutinized by every other company (not to mention the millions of people on the outside watching the company), and the employees at company A are like the hired guns of the Old West - they're in it for the money and don't give a shit about loyalty. Company A is also located in one of the busiest and dirtiest areas on the planet, and it will cost you tons of money to work there, not to mention live in the area. Oh, and everyone at Company A eat babies for lunch. It's mandatory if you work for Company A.

So suddenly company B is looking good. You worked at company B for 2 ½ months and everyone at company B (including every single man, woman and child in company B’s State) loved you. Not only that, but they worshiped you. You were put on a pedestal and was heralded as the savior of the entire year. You were Man of the Year, and everyone wore the same clothes that you did as a tribute to your hard work. You were basically a Saint that could do no wrong. You were arguably one of the best employees in company B’s short history, and you made the biggest difference in 26 years at company B. So what if it is 40 less million dollars. You can’t put a price on happiness.

But wait, there’s more! Company A comes back and offers you $160 million over 7 years, and says that you don’t have to eat babies. Well now it’s a no brainer. You certainly could think of things to do with an additional $60 million dollars. Hell, I could think of things to do with an additional $60 dollars. So suddenly everything bad about Company A doesn't look as bad because now it is tinted in mint green and surrounded by dead Presidents. You can now afford to make changes. And maybe, just maybe, Company A isn't as bad as it looks like from the outside. Maybe the people at Company A are only jerks and assholes to outsiders. But once you're an employee, then you are treated with dignity and respect. But I still can't vouch for the foul mouthed consumers of Company A and how they will treat you. Oh sure, they'll love you at first, but be careful not to screw up. Because if you screw up, you are a $160 million dollar mistake. Hard to write that one off. But that comes with the territory, and that is why you are given $60 million additional dollars to help deal with the pain. You can now dry your tears with $20's whenever you are sad. Or just take a trip somewhere to clear your head. Life's good when your rich. But sadly I'll never know... No one has ever offered me $60 additional anything to go anywhere. I was never presented with the decision, so I can't really do anything than present my "what if" opinion."

So now it's time to stop using fake "Company A + B" scenarios because everyone knows what I am referring to. I just felt like doing it that way. CC Sabathia chose the New York Yankees over the Milwaukee Brewers (or any other team that had yet to make an offer) because there would never be a better offer than the one made by the Yankees. It is obvious that decision came down to the money. As evidenced by reality TV shows (most notably Fear Factor), people will do just about anything for money. Even go live in a city that we really don't want to live in. It may not have not been his ultimate goal (which I think was the San Francisco Giants), but with that additional $60 million dollars he can certainly live anywhere he wants and make anywhere feel just like home. Plus in the offseason he can afford to keep his home in Southern California. He wanted to live in California and pitch in the National League (so that he could bat on a regular basis), but in the end none of the teams could come up with an offer that was even in the same galaxy as the Yankees offer. There really was only one choice to take then, and that one was the best offer. I really don't blame him because a player of his caliber should command the best salary out there. He really is an exceptional player (and person, as I am told) so he should get rewarded for his efforts. And since there is no salary cap in baseball (which is a topic that I will not get into today, since it is a monster debate) this kind of thing will continue to happen. The teams with the deepest pockets will always get the best players. Thankfully the best individual players doesn't always translate to the best team, and as much as I loved CC, I will be wishing with all of my heart that the New York Yankees once again miss the playoffs (like they did in 2008.) Money can buy you the best players, but unless you have the right players, you're never going anywhere.

So even though he is now one of those dreaded New York Yankees, I’ll never forget what CC Sabathia did for the Brewers. I’m still not going to go out and buy a #52 Sabathia jersey, but I will recognize and thank him for putting the team, this city, and the franchise’s often spoken about 26 year playoff drought on his back and carrying them into right into October. I have no reason to hate him. I will continue to boo Carlos Lee and Francisco Cordero (especially CoCo) because they left to play for inferior teams for the same amount of money. I hate to say it, but CC was just a little too good for us. The only way you can ever afford a megastar player is to lock them up when they are young (like Ryan Braun) or offer them a monster contract (like CC Sabathia). Since we didn't have the money to keep CC, we'll just have the memories of his time here and his contributions to the franchise. During his press conference when he was introduced as a Yankee, he shed a little light on why Milwaukee could not compete with the Yankees for his services. Although his statement hurts, it is nonetheless a true statement. "In Milwaukee, they would have been looking at me to win every single game," Sabathia told reporters in his first public comments since season's end. "Of course, I expect to win, and I know that's going to be here [in New York], too. But I think it would have been even more immense pressure there, because they wouldn't have been able to put the pieces around to actually help me win. I think I can get that here." If we committed $20 million+ per year to CC, we wouldn't have the money to keep Prince Fielder, JJ Hardy or Corey Hart, and it would difficult to sign any free agents at all. That's a lot of money for a team with a payroll of $80-90 million to commit to one player. And if he gets injured, we still pay him that money while he is sitting on the bench. It would've been huge to sign a player like that, but too difficult for the Brewers to pony up that dough for a guy who only plays 1 out of 5 days (and sometimes 3). It would have been franchise suicide for the ownership group led by Mark Attanasio to make that kind of mistake. These guys are business men, and they obviously looked at the short and long term implications of splashing out that kind of money, and they put their best offer out on the table. I commend them for even getting CC Sabathia in the first place, and showing this city that they were going to take the necessary measures to field a competitive team. No one that calls themselves a Brewers fan can be upset that we didn't offer CC more money to stay in Milwaukee. End of story.

So now that CC Sabathia has moved on, we need to thank the big man and move on too. There are still plenty of question marks on the 2009 team, and signing Mike Lamb, Jorge Julio, Casey McGehee, R.J. Swindle and Trot Nixon don't answer any of those questions. They all provide very interesting low-cost options, and some of them (like Lamb and Julio) seem primed for bounce back years. I think the Brewers do need to add another starting pitcher to the rotation, but need to be wary of adding another Jeff Suppan (a #4/5 pitcher commanding a salary of $10+ million per year) because we certainly don't need that. With each passing day, we get closer to Spring Training, so hopefully some of those questions do get answered. If not, 2009 is going to be an interesting year. So keep your heads up Brewers fans, don't set lofty unobtainable goals for the 2009 season, and cheer your asses off. The Crew is going to need your support in 2009 if they are going to go to the playoffs for the 2nd consecutive year. My prediction - we once again dance in October. The Brewers will fight hard and figure out a way to get it done. Until Spring Training or another Brewers acquisition, that might be it for my Brewers talk in 2008. But I'll be back in 2009 with some more of my insight into our favorite team. So until then - keep turnin' up the heat!

- pookon -

www.pookon.com
email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

My Hunger Strike

So it has been 20 days since my Hunger Strike!, and I feel like it has been in vain because nothing has changed since then. I still eat garbage all the time, drink lots of beer, and eat at inappropriate times of the day. And to make it worse, I never sent the $96 check to my Mom so that it could go to charity. I brought one with me when I was at her house 3 Sunday's ago, but because I was drunk when I wrote it out, it wasn't in proper check format. (I had written the numbers 96 in numerical form instead of spelling them out like ninety six and 00/100 on the second line.) I promised to send another check, but since that day, I have not had enough money in my checking account to clear that check. So even though the money will reach the proper charity eventually, I had intended for it to be done in a more timely fashion so that I felt like I had accomplished something. If I were to have done it 20 days ago, both my body and my bank account would have taken a hit. Instead I'm just some useless loser who can't change himself or the world around him. God I wish that I didn't suck so much. For once in my life I took a chance and decided that I was going to make a change for the better, and all that I could do was stick to it for 96 hours. From the moment I ate something and ending the Hunger Strike, everything that I intended to accomplish ended right there with it. But alas, it still can be considered a success if I ever feel like a guilty piece of shit for not following through on my end of the deal and shape up hardcore. Since I keep suppressing my feelings and emotions (most often with the assistance of alcohol), I doubt that even the strongest guilty feelings will be able to creep up into my head and cause havoc. But who knows, maybe I'll see Jesus or something and have a Revelation and change my life. Christmas is coming up; I may just get a visit from the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. As long as they don't look creepy like in the Muppet Christmas Carol (although that Giant was pretty sweet) I'll be ok with their visit. What's the worst that could happen? At least if I listen to the spirits, then Tiny Tim won't die. That's got to be a good thing, right?

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So when I look back at November 2008 in the only way that I can (through these blog postings and my website) I will see that I had a sudden change of heart and decided to listen to Jiminy Cricket (my conscience) for 4 days. I will see that it was the 1st time in my life that I decided to care about someone other than myself (poor and starving people) and to do something about it. I will then see that after those 4 days, I went back to being the selfish, robust, cold hearted bastard that I always have been. But I guess that at least for those 4 days (out of 366) I was a different person. That's something to be a little bit proud of, right? I don't really know. Screw it man. I am who I am and I guess there is no way to change it. So I'll just sit and bitch about it while all of my friends are out getting married and having kids, and I'll just be sad and alone. It makes me feel like a complete and total loser. But at least I don't live in my Mom's basement. But I live in the 2nd worst place - above a bar with 2 other dudes. They say it's never too late to turn things around, but it is when you've given up on life. I really don't know what else to say here, but this coming Sunday (November 30th) I plan on giving my Mom that check for charity. I also am seriously considering going back to church. Maybe Jesus can help me turn my life around. Cause if he can't, then no one really can. Have you found Jesus yet Gump? I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for him Lieutenant Dan. Well now I know. In fact, I've probably known since 1994 when I first watched that flick. But maybe someday I will go out looking for him. Who knows. But for now I'll continue to sit here and write about how depressing my life is, even though it really doesn't have to be that way. But life is what you make it, and you only get one chance to make it rock. And I'm running out of time to do it before I'm old and it's too late. Maybe one day I'll look back on all this nonsense and laugh over how stupid I was to believe that my life sucked balls. But maybe my life will suck more and I'll look back and realize just how sweet it really was. But there's only one way to find out - and that's to just keep living and see what tomorrow brings. So I'll do that. And maybe tomorrow I'll have something positive to say. See you at ze track.

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- pookon -

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http://www.pookon.com/

email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Hunger Strike : Hour 96 (4 Days)

Hour 96 was as long as I could make it without eating, although in retrospect I probably could have gone longer. When I got home from beer pong around 1:30 in the morning, I made myself a nice big salad complete with all the fixings. It really didn't taste that good, but I ate it anyway because I was drunk. See, I decided to drink during the games, and although the beer contained calories and was possibly a violation of the rules of a hunger strike, it may have ended there. But I defined this as a not eating hunger strike, and although I abstained from consuming any calories prior to Friday night, I decided that I was going to drink beer if I was going to play beer pong. After all, there was no reason to keep this thing going any longer because I didn't have a reason to keep it going. So a little after 1:30 am on Friday night, I ended my 4 day Hunger Strike. And when I woke up in the morning, I promptly threw up the salad that I ate the night before. I don't know if it was my stomach reacting to not eating in 4 days or the amount of beer I consumed on an empty stomach. All that I do know is that my Hunger Strike came to a very violent end. I should not have been drinking if I hadn't been eating, and I certainly should have picked something better to eat, like a sandwich or some soup. Something that wasn't as rich in flavor or multitude of different things (lettuce, mixed veggies, cheese, croutons, dressing) in order to let my stomach catch back up to speed. But I didn't, and I dearly paid for the price on Saturday morning, believe me.

But now that the Hunger Strike is over, I can certainly say that I am lucky and fortunate to have the choice of whether or not to eat. I would hate to feel like I did over the past 4 days and for it to not have been my choice. The stupid and idiotic thing that I did is a reality for a lot of people in this world, and hopefully my $96 donation will make a better day for one or a few of them, even if it just for one day. $100 is a lot of money for me, as it represents around 1/12 of my monthly income. With rent and all of the miscellaneous bills that I have to pay, it's difficult for me to give that money away. But when I think about all of the security that I do have compared to others less fortunate, I shouldn't be worrying about crap like that. Even when I do give away this $100, I will still have a roof over my head, a job, transportation, food, heat and electricity, and family and friends that love me. When Joey Kanz heard of my Hunger Strike, he initially wondered why I was doing it. I told him what I told you guys - no reason, just kind of felt like doing it. But when I told him that I pledged $1 to charity for every hour I made it without food, he decided to strike along with me. I am happy to report that he went 72 hours without food, and he also plans to donate some money to charity. So I guess I did make a difference after all. I finally did something good that got noticed by someone else, and they emulated my good deed. I believe that my Hunger Strike now did have a purpose, and that was to make a change, even though it appears to be minor. But this minor change can have big effects, much like when you drop a pebble into a pond and the water rings grow bigger as they circle outward. Now I'm not going to lie, in the 24 hours since my Hunger Strike officially ended, I did eat a little more than I normally would have in a normal day. I guess I was just excited to be eating again and slipped back into my overeating ways. But that shit can not and will not continue, or else this whole strike thing will have been in vain. It was meant as a way to start some changes in my life, and if no changes are made, then I really did strike for no reason. Since I don't want to be a jackass and be laughed at for my meaningless plight, I must stick to my guns and try and make a change. Michael Jackson has done a lot of things that people and society shun, but he did make some pretty kickass songs. I especially like this one because it has a strong message, "I'm starting with the man in the mirror. I'm asking him to change his ways. And no message could have been any clearer. If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make the change." The guy has led a pretty messed up life, but at least he moonwalked and delivered some good messages to millions every now and then. That's more than I can say about my life. I can't compare myself to the King of Pop, and I shouldn't. Every person is unique, and therefor not comparable to others. So I needed to do my own thing and go on this strike. I guess we'll see where it goes from here.

So I gave up eating for 4 days and raised $96 for charity in the process. Now that sounds like a good time. I don't know if I'd ever purposefully do it again, but maybe someday I'll give it a go just to try and beat my own personal record. Although my body was starting to feel a little weak, I did feel like it had been cleansed of all the toxins and chemicals. That tends to happen when you don't eat and drink nothing but water; you flush all that useless crap out. I was starting to show signs of wear, and my work performance was slipping, but if I had to go back to the beginning of the week, I certainly would do it all over again. It was one of those life experiences that you only get to be a part of when you do something different. I always say that you only feel alive when you step outside of the ordinary and experience change, which is why I love getting tattoos. You sit there for an hour or more while someone is inflicting pain on you. It's a numbing sensation that cannot be replicated. Not eating for 4 days also made me feel some kind of pain, and it also seemed unusal. I felt more alive this week than I have recently, which was really cool. But I'm back to eating, and hopefully I will start eating better and healthier. I'll let this week be a lesson to me, and use some of my experiences in my future travels. But oh what a wicked week it was. Until next time my friends - later dudes.

- pookon -

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email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Hunger Strike : Hour 84

Not much has changed in the past 12 hours, although a lot will certainly change within the next 12 hours. I'll explain in a bit. I still don't feel hungry at all, although I do have momentary periods of time where I get hungry because something smells great (like a cup of coffee that someone next to me was drinking) or I see someone eating something (like a chocolate bar). When I'm on my own, I do alright, although last night after dinner I was really tempted to end the strike. I even looked in my cupboards to see what I had available to munch on. There wasn't much in there, and what little was left didn't really look appetizing. I'm just not in the mood for maruchan ramen noodles or instant "just add water!" pancakes. To tell you the truth, I really do feel like eating anything in the near future. Why eat when you aren't hungry? But I might have to start eating soon because this hunger strike is starting to cost me a lot of money. It's already up to $84 and counting by the hour. There I am - being a cheap bastard and only caring about myself. Don't I know that this money is gonna go to a good cause? Some family out there is going to have a pretty sweet Thanksgiving dinner because of me. Or even multiple families. I've never done anything like this before, so I never really knew how rewarding it is to make sacrifices for others. Even though my stomach is empty, my heart is full of warm happy feelings.

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Which leads into the next part. I am going to have to end this tonight when I go play beer pong. I can't drink if I don't have any food in my stomach, and I don't really want to play with water in a live game because it is a violation of the terms of the game. Now I practice with water all of the time at home, but I have never done it in a league sanctioned event. True, I have used it at the World Series of Beer Pong (in the back 4 cups only) and at bars where they don't allow drinking games (where we play with water and have a beer on the side to get around the city ordinance). I don't think that I can do it in league. But why do I care that I am breaking this strike that has been ongoing for no particular reason? I don't know why I do care so much about it. It's like I'm striking for a reason. True, I am donating some money in the end, but that's only because I felt like I needed a reason. I guess I don't want to end it because I already feel healthier. I know that it is not possible, but I feel like I already have lost a few pounds. I still look the same, because it's going to take me a lot of time and effort to look like a Greek God again, but I feel better. I am worried that I am going to get sick soon, because starving yourself is not a great way to get healthier. In fact, studies have probably shown that it is less healthy to starve the weight off than to work it off by dieting and exercise. I'm no doctor (although I went to college for 7 years), but that makes a whole lot of sense to me. If you're gonna do something, do it right.

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So I guess I will let you know when this story comes to an end, but it will be ok because it will have a happy ending. There's no point in going 84 hours + without food. So I'm going to stop, eating a shitload of nachos, then probably throw up because my stomach won't be ready for that rush of awesomeness. So I guess instead I will take it slow by eating some soup and crackers and drinking 7 up, much like I did whenever I had a stomach virus when I was little. For some reason, when you can't hold any food down, 7up and saltine crackers figure out a way to stay down there. It's probably another one of those things that scientists and doctors have tested and proven, which is why my Mom used to feed me that stuff when I was sick. And so at least it goes on for a few more hours, because I can't eat anything until I get back home. I thought that I was Starting the Revolution by going on this Hunger Strike, and it looks like I have made a little bit of a difference. Time will tell on that one, and I will see you all in a few hours and let you know about my decision. Later dudes.

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- pookon -

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http://www.pookon.com/

email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Hunger Strike : Hour 72 (3 Days)

Hunger Strike! makes me think of Panda Watch! as reported by Brian Fantana on Anchorman. It's completely pointless and there's no reason why people are getting into it. While I can't compare myself to ling-wong (the giant panda at the San Diego zoo) and I certainly won't be getting as much coverage, it still makes me laugh to compare Hunger Strike! to Panda Watch!.

Ron Burgundy: Let's go to Brian Fantana who's live on the scene with a Channel 4 News exclusive. Brian? Brian Fantana: Panda Watch! The mood is tense; I have been on some serious, serious reports but nothing quite like this. I uh... Ching... King is inside right now. I tried to get an interview with him, but they said no, you can't do that he's a live bear, he will literally rip your face off. Hey, you're making me look stupid. Get out here, Panda Jerk. Ron Burgundy: Great story. Compelling, and rich. That's Classic! (slapping the knee). That shit gets me every time.

But in all seriousness, I think that it is time to end this Hunger Strike. If I had a cause or a reason behind it, then I could have an excuse for keeping the streak alive. But I don't, so I am just purposefully hurting my body by denying it nutrients and vitamins that it needs in order to operate. I almost hit a wall earlier today, and although I'll admit it's fun to space out and get all woozy while watching Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas on my iPod in the breakroom, enough is enough. I don't need to pass out because my system shuts down. I do have health insurance, but I'd prefer to not use it unless it is completely necessary. This Hunger Strike is anything but. The problem that I had today is that I couldn't concentrate on my work, and when you are implementing rates and inventories for hotels, if you make a small mistake it can be very costly for the company. If I enter a rate as $159 a night when it should have been $195 a night, the hotel is still going to charge us our agreed upon contracted rate of $195 a night, meaning that our company has to cover the losses. Now I'm never one to care much about their job or the company that they work for, but I'd rather like it if I didn't get yelled at or chewed out by my 5 bosses. Because like Office Space, I do have 5 bosses. Oh, and I also have a swingline stapler in my desk drawer, but sadly it isn't red. Although I don't really like my job, I don't want to get fired because I have too many bills to pay and I like sleeping indoors and having heat and electricity. So since my work performance has started to suffer, I MAY have to end this strike. I haven't made a final decision yet, but at least I made it 72 hours (3 Days). That's something to be proud of I guess.

So I almost gave up tonight, but I kept my composure and made it through dinner without slipping up. We went out to the Silver Springhouse to celebrate my grandpa's 84th birthday, and everyone ate dinner and appetizers except for me. My Dad questioned my Hunger Strike and told me that I should just order some food, but I decided that I've come too far to quit now. I'm just gonna keep riding this out until I get too hungry to function, or until I feel like eating again. I'll probably top out around the 96 hour mark (4 days) because I need to start eating again so I don't get sick. I can't afford to get sick, but I can afford to eat healthier. And in the end (no matter what extreme measures I took to get there) this is what it's all about - being open to change. I'd like to end this tomorrow, but I've already inspired both Joey Kanz and Jenny Reck to start Hunger Strikes of their own. Now that they have gotten on board to start the revolution, I don't think that I can stop now. I needed a Hunger Strike ally along the way (Gordon was the closest one who helped me out) but didn't get one, so now it is my chance to be there for someone else so they don't have to go it alone. But who knows what's going to happen tomorrow. I'm just kind of making this shit up as I go along. I wouldn't have it any other way. C ya later alligator.

- pookon -

www.pookon.com

email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Hunger Strike : Hour 60

So I woke up this morning with a bit of a hunger headache, and for the first time since this started, I felt a little weak. I chalked it up to normal morning feelings and grogginess, but I'm pretty sure that the HS has a little something to do with it. When I was younger, I used to get some real badass migraine headaches, and sometimes they would incapacitate me for hours. I used to have to go home sick (or stay home) from school sometimes because the only thing that would cure them was sleep. Sometime around my late teenage years I stopped getting them, and it was a total relief. I never really knew what caused them, but on certain occasions I remember it being because I didn't eat anything. Granted I was a whole lot smaller back then and didn't have as much reserves (fat) to keep my body going without food, but I'm still getting worried I might get them again if I keep this up. I don't know if you have ever had a migraine headache, but it's pretty much one of the worst feeling that can happen inside of your head. It's a persistent pounding that never ceases, and you start sweating hardcore. It's like a bad fever, only at the time there was no medicine that could remedy the pain. Then one day they just went away. God I hope they don't come back.

I asked Coach Gordon Bombay (my cat, not Emilio Estevez) to strike with me, and he just meowed, so I gave him some food. It's rough being in this alone. I thought for sure he'd be my HS ally. He's just a cat for Christ's sake, what the heck did I expect from him? So I started my morning the usual way by surfing the internet and listening to the Doug Russell show on AM 1250 WSSP. Do you know how many food commercials/sponsors there are on the radio? The fact that Palermo's Pizza is giving away pizza cutters at this Friday's Admirals game made me start to salivate. And those are just cutters, not actual pizzas.

So I pretty much passed out for the entire bus ride to work (which is about 1 hour, including a change of buses at Bayshore Mall) and kind of stumbled off of the bus and into work. I was feeling a bit space out this morning as I started my work, so I have a feeling it's going to be a pretty interesting day. I punched in at 9:04 am, and started working at 9:10 am (tee hee). At 9:15 am an email popped up in my inbox alerting me that there were free eats (unnamed treats) in the breakroom. Curiosity almost got the best of me, as I was so close to getting up to go check out what I would be missing out on, but I decided not to. It's bad enough that I know there are free eats in the vicinity, I don't need to torture myself any further by actually looking at them.

Curiosity got the best of me, and I went and looked. NACHOS. Why did it have to be Nachos? I LOVE Nachos. Oh C'mon Iceman, show a little backbone. I sure picked a hell of a day to stop eating. And then my internet went down for an hour, and I was sitting in my cubicle doing nothing. Everything that I do is either internet based or on a shared network drive, so for an hour I sat here and thought about the free nachos in the breakroom. Have you ever noticed how often people talk about food? The big conversation every day is where are you going for lunch. My friend Crystal was thinking about going to Jimmy Johns. Lisa is eating nachos at her desk. Trey had some kind of soup, and the aroma filled the air and drove me batshit crazy. So now I'm on the edge of insanity and getting crazier by the minute. But I think I promised 72 hours (3 days) so I will at least wait until that time has past before I decide to keep going or end the strike. I guess we'll find out when that time comes. Hey, at least so far I've raised $60 for charity. That's got to be good, right?

- pookon -

http://www.pookon.com/
email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Hunger Strike : Hour 48 (2 Days)

So now it's been 2 whole days, which still doesn't sound like a lot of time... unless you are me. Do you know how hard it is to not do something that you love for 2 whole days? I love to eat, which is commonly referred to as the Kurutz Kurse. (I intentionally spell curse wrong, much like we intentionally spell court wrong when referring to Kurutz's Kourt up at Afterglow.) My Mom's side of the family, the Kurutzs, are known for their willingness to party and extravagant food spreads lovingly called Nana Meals. Whenever our family gets together to party, there's always way too much good food, and it's hard to stop eating because it is so incredible. And so I eat until I'm about to burst, which rarely results in a good aftermath. Especially when there is kielbasa involved. I'll leave it at that, much like I will leave the 3rd grade humor back in the hour 36 post. Regardless of how this all shakes out (because I know I'm going to eat something soon, I not so sure I can make it much further than 72 hours) I hope that I learn some kind of lesson from this adventure. Cause that's what life is all about anyway - having adventures and taking experiences away from them. I just want something positive to come out of this interesting departure from my everyday life. Or else what is the point of all of this?

2 days. 2 whole days. It went by real fast. Normally I am too busy goofing around, sleeping, and working, so to be honest with you I didn't really even notice that I haven't eaten during that time period. I guess I just don't really get hungry, and I eat just to eat. Tomorrow is a new day and more erie feelings might creep up into me, so I hope I'll have some interesting things to share. Since I really don't have anything to add anymore, I'm only going to do 2 updates (once every 12 hours) a day at 1:30 am and 1:30 pm. Those times (especially 1:30 am) are important because they represent turning points in this saga. So for now I am done, and I will once again go to sleep on an empty stomach. Oh, and the Hunger Strike charity dollar count is now at $48.00. So some good will come out of this then. Hooray for being righteous and noble.

- pookon -

http://www.pookon.com/
email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Hunger Strike : Hour 42

Life sucks when you are hungry because it's all that you think about. Nothing else matters except getting a little tiny bit of food in your tummy. Just enough to get you by until the next time that you can eat. At least that is the way that it is for people who are really starving. This Hunger Strike may seem like a joke to some of you, but this has given me a brand new perspective on things. By stepping outside of my comfort zone and making a sacrifice (albeit a rather small one), I feel like I have learned something. I think that I'm a little bit more tolerant of other people, and I can understand why people do things. When I ell people that I'm on a Hunger Strike for no reason, they stare blankly at me, then ask the eternal question - why? I still don't have a good answer for that question. I just tell people I'm doing it because I've never done it before. That seems to suffice for now, but once we get to 72 hours or something I'm going to have to come up with something a little more concrete. But knowing me, I'll probably fail by then, so I won't need to answer questions. But what do I know, I'm just a guy.

So the temptation has been strong, and it has been worse considering that I neglected to tell anyone that I was on a Hunger Strike. This was painfully obvious when Jenny stopped over to give me my mail, and she cooked up a big sweet bag of microwave popcorn. You all know how wonderfully fantastic that stuff smells. Now imagine how wonderful it smells after not eating for 42 hours. I'm pretty sure that's what Heaven smells like. They should make air fresheners, candles and incense that smells like microwave popcorn, but then people would probably start eating the canisters, wax and sticks. I know I would.
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So other than a little distraction and a whiff of fantastic smells coming from Applebee's at Bayshore Mall and when I passed by Grecian Delight on the way home, I'm doing pretty good. I don't even feel like eating yet. Apparently the hunger hasn't hit me yet. I'm pretty sure that's tomorrow when I wake up after not eating for a total of 54 hours. If my alarm doesn't wake me up in the morning, my stomach certainly would. Then I would yell and curse at it, punch it, and set the sleep timer. Just like I do with my alarm clock. And then I will get up and go to work and think about food all day. Or something like that. I just hope that my cat Gordon doesn't start looking like one of those savory rotisserie chickens that you buy at the grocery store. Now that would be make for an interesting evening. Me chasing him around the apartment, and him ducking and hiding under and behind every object within range. Please Lord don't let it come down to that. I'd eat my own arm before I sunk my teeth into my baby. Well that's it for now, I'll throw another post up here before I head off to bed tonight. Oh, and start saving some food for me. When this ends, I'm gonna feast like the Whos in the Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Roast Beast here I come!

- pookon -

www.pookon.com
email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Hunger Strike : Hour 36

I'm not going to type a lot cause I'm not supposed to be doing this at work. But I like to rage against the machine, stand up to the man, and goof around at work. In your face corporate society!! I love using company time for personal gains. It's like taking a poop at work - everybody poops so why not get paid to do it. Plus then you can use their toilet paper, but they usually get the rough stuff. If you want the gentle double roll cotton stuff, you gotta hold it until you get home. But I'm not going to talk about pooping, because even though everyone poops, you don't poop if you don't eat. And this blog just became filled with 3rd grade humor. I guess I'm just shooting for the lowest common denominator again, and bathroom humor always kills with those people. You can go political or topical, and they'll stare blankly back at you. If you make fart noises with your mouth (or better yet, with a whoopie cushion) they'll fall out of their seats with laughter, clutching their sides and crying in the process. The whole world is doomed. To not think about the hunger, I need to think about other things to keep my mind sharp. In the next few days (if I can rock it that long) you'll be reading some very interesting stuff here. It's gonna be wild.

So it's been 36 hours, and I'm not gonna lie, I'm getting a little bit hungry. But not that much really, because I rarely (except when there is free eats) eat at work. I'll snack on an occasional bag of chips or pretzels, but I mostly do my eating at Vitucci's 2. My biggest test (since every test from here on out is exponentially bigger than the one before it) will be when I get off the bus tonight and have to walk by McDonalds, Grecian Delight, Sil's and Chubby's Cheesesteaks without succumbing to the Temptations. Oh My Girl, It Was Just My Imagination. When I get home, I half expect Tim Meadows and a bunch of chicks to be in my bathroom eating hamburgers, then they will try and persuade me not to eat them. I think I kind of want them. Luckily for me there is no way in hell that Tim Meadows and some scantily clad women will be eating burgers in the bathroom, so I will have no problem resisting the temptations. Unless they turn bad feelings into good feelings, don't give you a hangover, are not habit forming, and are the cheapest shit there is. If they are, then I'm in trouble. Then God help me. God help us all.

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So I just totally almost ate a dum-dum lollipop. I wasn't even thinking. I unwrapped it and brought it near my mouth, but then I realized what I was doing. So what, it's only a lollipop, right? But that's how it starts. First it's a lollipop, then it's a couple of chips. Before you know it, you're eating one of those Renaissance Fair giant turkey legs and the gravy is dripping down your chin. And just like that, you're back to being a food junky again. Not me, I will not give in to the Temptations, no matter how good they sound. I won't even crack if some asshole walks down the hall carrying a bag of bag of delicious fatty food from Wendy's. Those devils are just not making this shit any easier. But I've come too far to turn back now. What if Frodo turned back when he reached the edge of the Shire? Then Middle Earth would have been screwed. Like Frodo, I will not quit. I'm gonna dispose of this cursed ring into the fiery depths of Mordor too. Then I'll be the hero of the world. Or just some dude who decided to go on a Hunger Strike for no reason. Whatever. But at least it gave me an excuse to waste company dollars by typing a lot. Work can rule sometimes. Later dudes.

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- pookon -

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http://www.pookon.com/

email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Hunger Strike : Hour 30

It's not too hard going on a Hunger Strike when you A.) don't have food at your house and B.) don't have money to get food outside of your house. Sure, I could eat condiments on paper napkins like a true homeless person, but I'll just refrain from eating for the time being. If I start scrounging around for half eaten scraps of food and free condiments, then slap me and tell me to stop these shenanigans. This Hunger Strike nonsense isn't worth getting sick over. At least I'm not going full out bum and sleeping with cardboard boxes and newspapers in the back alleys of downtown Milwaukee. That's just crazy.

I've always been told that breakfast is supposed to be most important meal of the day, but I never eat breakfast because I wake up 45 minutes before I catch my bus. I wake up so late because I stay up until the wee late hours of the night and don't get to bed until 2 AM. I don't really get tired because I never do anything except sit in my office chair at work, sit on the bus, sit on the couch and sit at my computer. If I actually moved around the day I might actually burn calories or use up some of my stored energy. So I don't eat breakfast because I don't need to kick start of energy in the morning to get me going. The only time that I eat breakfast is at McDonalds, and I'm pretty sure that a greasy Egg McMuffin and greasier hashbrowns are not the most important meal of the day. No matter how much you're McLovin' it, it doesn't make it a good McFreakin' idea.

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So the big task will be seeing how I do at work today as I'm crunching numbers and trying to stay awake. I normally am bored out of my mind when loading hotel rates and inventory, so we'll see how this crap goes once my stomach goes from full to empty as I burn this tank down to fumes. So far so good though. I'm getting used to this not eating crap. What the heck are all those people in 3rd World Countries complaining about? Bunch of whiners. And wow. That is officially the most offensive and worst thing that I have said today. Here I am trying to bring about change and I have to be an ass about it. Some things just never change then I guess... See you at 1:30 pm.

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- pookon -

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http://www.pookon.com/

email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Hunger Strike : Hour 24 (1 Day)

So now it has been a complete day since I started this Hunger Strike thing. To be quite honest with you, I am feeling full right now. Not an single bit hungry. That makes me realize that I eat way too much, and not just when my body needs the food. I eat for the sake of eating and because it tastes good. It's almost like I eat because I love doing it. That's what you call an addiction ladies and gentlemen. I'm hooked on food and I'm loving every single bite. Oh no! That means I'll probably be going through withdrawals pretty soon too. That's gonna be a rough one as I'm sitting in my cubicle tomorrow. The hunger will probably hit me tomorrow too; I just hope that my growling stomach doesn't upset my co-workers. Then I have to explain to them that I'm participating in a meaningless and unnecessary Hunger Strike, and that I'm basically doing it for fun. The real test will be if someone brings in free eats tomorrow at work. There's this sign up sheet that people are supposed to get on, and when it's your turn, you're supposed to bring snacks for everyone. Sometimes it's donuts or cookies, one time it was apples with hot caramel dipping sauce, and another time someone brought cupcake sized cherry cheesecakes for their birthday. All were extremely delicious, but it was wrong for me to eat them all because I have not signed up to participate in the snack bringing. But that's how I am - take take take take take. I never give. Which is why I will keep this Hunger Strike going so that I can give. In the end, it may only be like $48 dollars, but it will be $48 dollars more than what they already have. I've been drinking plenty of water, and I haven't had a single thing that contained calories in the 24 time period. So far I am holding up pretty good, and I probably wouldn't even be thinking about it if I weren't up at 1 in the morning writing about it. But those midnight cravings didn't come today, and I even hung out downstairs at Vitucci's 1 and refrained from drinking a beer. For the 1st time in my "adult life" I could've totally cheated and done the wrong thing (and totally got away with it no less) but I didn't. Oh, and there were Hershey's chocolates on the table in the living room, and although I looked at them, I didn't touch them. No way. A Miller Lite or an individually wrapped kiss is not going to make me quit on this meaningless game. Not now. Not when I am only 24 hours in to it. What if Columbus had said screw it, it's been 24 hours, might as well stop looking for a safe water route to Asia. We'd all be Indians. This is one thing that I'm not going to quit. At least for now...

Before I go, I just want to address the fact that many (if in case many people read this crap) people may be like, "so what asshole, you didn't eat for 24 hours. Big whoop. I've done that plenty of times." I know you have, and I'm pretty sure that I have too. That's not the point. The point is that I'm an over eater and that I'm borderline compulsive when it comes to the stuff. It's a big step for me to purposefully commit to breaking a bad habit, and sticking with it for at least a day (and counting). That's about 23 hours longer than I usually get, as I also have problems with commitment. I'm not very reliable, and most of the time I feel like a real piece of shit. If I can prove to myself that I do something little and insignificant, then maybe I can do other things too. It's an attitude adjustment, it's not just about the eating thing (although it certainly does factor in to the equation.) Basically it breaks down to this - I don't like the person that I have become. Somewhere along the line I gave up, and let my life kind of go to hell. I blame my looks or my personality on the fact that I've been single for 27 years, but in all honesty it's the fact that I just haven't tried. And I've used my glasses, or my wavy hair, or my "alcoholism", or my weight to blame for my lack in socializing with other people. I've always got an excuse for everything. Time to stop making excuses and take control of my life. I used to think that I'm running out of time, but the truth is that time is all that we really have. I'm gonna go to bed and try to figure out why people like me, because when I look in the mirror all I see is some ugly bastard that doesn't care anymore. It's time for me to see through that and see what everyone else sees - the real me. But it's gonna take longer than 24 hours for me to figure that one out.

Good night folks, I'll see you in the morning. Save some breakfast for me - just kidding :)

- pookon -

www.pookon.com

email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Hunger Stike : Hour 18

So we're on hour 18 right now of my hunger strike, and to be honest with you, I'm not hungry at all. I was just doing dishes, and I was in close proximity to food, and I had no intention of putting any of it in my mouth. Before you congratulate me and award me a gold star sticker, I'd like to point out that all of the food was several days old and well caked on plates and bowls. I don't think even the Starvin' Marvins of Ethiopia would mow down on that crap. I should really be doing this cause for hungry kids or some shit, because they are the ones who need nourishment for survival. I'll tell you what, I'm going to pledge $1 for every hour that I abstain from food then I am going to give that money to my Mom so that she can get it to the proper charities or families that are in dire need of help. That way I'll feel like I am doing something instead of just being silly. If you read this and actually care, you could also pledge some sort of donation to the hungry hungry (and I'm talking about those board game Hippos) and when this is all said and done we can present my Mom with an envelope of cash. I know that we don't have a lot of money, but there are people out there who have less than we do. It's like the Arrested Development song Mr. Wendell - "Here, have a dollar. In fact, no, brotherman, here have two. Two dollars means a snack for me, But it means a big deal to you." I orginally picked the bowling logo because it was funny, and I intended to make fun of people going on hunger strikes, but in fact this really means something. In one of the later postings, I'll shed a little light on hunger strikes and give my opinion on them, but for now we'll stick to the topic on hand. I picked the matchstick because it still is humourous, but at the same time it's lighting a flame and getting something started. Which leads me into really my only purpose for doing this.

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So I still don't really know why I'm doing this, and although you might not really care why I do things, I still think that there is supposed to be a reason for everything. Without getting all philosophical and religious, I believe that everyone is on this planet for a reason and one day we will all get to do our part (be it big or small) to change the world. I don't think mine has come yet, but I do know that this is not it. This is just me being a little depressed and looking for a little something to break me out of a funk. I hate myself right now, so it's tough for me to be positive. If I can prove to myself that I can set a goal and achieve it, then maybe I am not a total loser, failure, and disappointment to my family and friends. You know, not to discredit what I am doing, but I just realized that there really is no one around to make sure that I'm not sneaking candy bars when no one is looking or raiding the fridge after midnight like a sinister mogwai. You pretty much just have to go by my word, and if you don't believe me, I completely understand you because I lie all the time. I've never been serious for a moment in my entire life, and even at the most serious of times (family illness, my parent's divorce) I'm cracking jokes and trying to lighten the mood. I always tell people to not even to take me seriously cause I'm full of shit and I'm all talk and no game. Well this time I'm bringing the game when I say I'm going on a hunger strike. I can't promise to make a difference or bring attention to an issue, nor can I promise to keep this going for an extended period of time (which would be ridiculously unhealthy). I can promise to pay attention to what I am doing and to start acting in moderation. It's time to get on up and get healthy, and I think that this is a nice start. 18 hours isn't a whole lot of time. In fact it is next to nothing. But it is a start. And everything must have a start before it can end. Let's hope that the ending is a little more far off than 1:30 am tonight, cause what's the point in a 24-hour hunger strike? See you in 6 hours...

- pookon -

http://www.pookon.com/
email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Hunger Strike : Hour 12

I've got a little bit of a weight problem, and the problem with me is that I eat the wrong kinds of foods and I don't exercise like at all. The proper way to fix my problem is to eat right and exercise, but I'm going to take a more drastic approach and go on a huger strike, and see how long I can go without eating before I cave in to the demands. I last ate at 1:30 am last night (another of my horrible eating habits, which is eating crap food right before bed) when I had some french fries and Nacho Cheese Doritos. During this time period of a hunger strike (if I get pretty far into this, I'm going to think of a good cause to strike towards) I can not willingly consume calories, so that means no food, candy, snacks, juice or soda. I obviously will be drinking plenty of water and taking some vitamins, so that my system has something to work off of. Hopefully I can keep this going long enough so that my body starts eating away at the useless fat that is clinging on to my body. I know that this isn't healthy, but I have to try it. Just like I had to try not sleeping for more than 36 hours because I read someone that you start getting delirious. In the name of science, I need to see if the same thing happens here. So it's been about 1 hours since I ate anything, and the lunch hour is upon us. I usually don't have a problem with food at work because I don't bring a lunch, nor do I have enough money to get something out of the vending machine. I also do not have the time to walk to the nearby restaurants, so I usually eat when I get home. So that means around 7:30 pm tonight (17 hours in) will be my biggest challenge today.

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This kind of got me thinking about other things. It's like a challenge - how long can you go without _____? Or how long can you do ______? One thing that I'd like to do is see how long I can wear the same shirt (it would have to be an undershirt, since I can't wear the same shirt to work everyday) before it started to drive you crazy? The smell alone would make you want to change it, but how long could you deal with it? Or how long can you go without shaving? Eventually you would look like a homeless guy or a mountain man, and people would have to stage an intervention to clean you up so that you are presentable. Having all that scraggly facial hair and looking like a hobo would be tough to deal with. And that's all that this is about - dealing with it. It's times when things feel so wrong and different that you truly feel alive, because you are out of your comfort zone and experiencing change. I need to feel alive, so don't be alarmed if I start to do some crazy shit in the near future.

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So stay tuned to this blog for updates, as I'm sure eventually (and hopefully) I'll start getting the hunger so bad that I will want to start eating my office supplies. I no doubt will puss out long before that happens, but we'll see I guess. Maybe for the first time in my life I will commit to something and make a real change. Hey, it could happen... I just want to warn you not to try this at home. I am not a professional, nor am I being monitored by professionals, but I'm pretty sure that my body can handle this. And unless you are morbidly obese like me, don't do anything that could cause harm to your body. And don't use the phrase morbidly obese - that makes it sound like I am hanging out on death's doorstop waiting for him to let me in. I have no idea how long I will stick this one out, but it's sure to provide some much needed content to this blog. Plus maybe this little stunt will draw in more viewers to this blog. Hell, it usually works for that idiot David Blaine. But I shouldn't need stunts to get people to notice me, but I do need to alter my appearance and my attitude. Maybe this will help. I'll see you in a few with an update...

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- pookon -
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http://www.pookon.com/

email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

A Glass of Wine

In keeping on topic with sober week, I'm going to present you with an article that I have been writing for some time about wine. Now that I am supposed to be a grown up, I'm going to have to start conforming with society. That means drinking wine at dinner parties, discussing current world events and attending community meetings that focus on improving the quality of life in the neighborhood. Of course then I'd have to start wearing neatly pressed khakis and sweater-vests, but it would be worth it if I could be accepted by the middle class society. That day may or may not come (I can't make any promises either way), but I have to prepare myself now by drinking the wine that I can be ready for the future. Plus I need to get used to wearing sweater-vests and caring about the community. Yuck.

I read somewhere that having a glass of wine each day has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and slow the progression of neurological degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. Some people (not to point fingers, but I'm talking to you Mom) have criticized me for my love of alcohol, but I'm just trying to stay healthy. If online doctors using the Google on the internet machine say that it is good, then I'm going to listen to them and take their advice. After all, how can internet doctors be wrong? When has the internet ever led you astray? Isn't WebMD the place to get better information and better health? I'm just trying to live past 50 people! And I might just need some white zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, and chardonnay to get me there. Who's with me?

But I think that naysayers and people like my Mother get all uppity because people like me drink to excess, much like when they consume an entire bottle of wine (750 ML) in a day instead of the 1 or 2 glasses that make wine healthy. The only benefit that you get from the wine is a little classy buzz that helps you write genius commentary on a website or a blog. Plus wine is relatively cheap compared to some of the other forms of alcohol, and it makes me feel more like an adult than when I drink countless cans of Milwaukee's Best Ice.But the hangover can be quite troublesome depending on which grade of wine you consume. They say the darker the berry, the sweeter the juice, but I say the cheaper the wine, the heavier the hangover. I know that all too well.

Which leads me into my next point. I'm not a wine guy at all, so when I drink wine it usually comes in a plastic bag with a nozzle inside of a cardboard box. Chillable Red is my favorite, and it comes courtesy of the Franzia Wine Company, who have paved the way for kids of all "legal" drinking ages to S the B. That is the main benefit to drinking box wine because no matter how you try, you can't get as much satisfaction by slapping a glass bottle as you do by slapping a plastic bag. It's so much fun, that a small group of us have been known to consume all 5 liters in 1 night, which results in some pretty wicked hangovers the next day. Hangovers in general suck, but B-Dubs hangovers are hell. My head feels like the B getting S'd repeatedly for an extended period of time.

All's good with consuming a safe amount of wine everyday, as long as I don't end up like this guy. He calls himself the World's Greatest Wine-O, and he prides himself on being a drunken attraction at Venice Beach. If you give him some money (which he promises to spend on booze, and I totally believe him) he will tell you funny jokes, songs and stories. Now that I think about it, being this guy wouldn't be so bad. He probably makes more money than me, doesn't pay taxes, hangs outside with hot chicks, drinks all day, and is loved and remembered by all who cross his path. I bet if I engaged in conversation with someone who has been to Venice beach and I mentioned the Wine-O, they'd know exactly who I was talking about. Now that's big time famous. That's legendary. All for being a drunken derelict. I've been aiming high as far as career and life goals go, maybe I should start aiming low like this guy.

- pookon -

www.pookon.com
email: pookondotcom@gmail.com

I'm not an Alcoholic...

...because Alcoholics go to meetings. I'd probably consider myself more of a two-fisted slopper. You remember the two-fisted slopper, right? You don't? Then you probably are one of those bandwagon Brewers fans that I will soon bitch about in an upcoming blog entry. Back when the Brewers used to suck, they played at a place called Milwaukee County Stadium. County Stadium opened in 1953 and the Brewers played there until 2000. In the 47 years that it stood in what is now the parking lot of Miller Park, they really did not make any improvements to the stadium. Everything that we complained about being smelly, cramped, obstructed, and outdated is not considered cool, retro, and thought upon with fond memories. But this isn't a blog about former stadiums where I spent some of the best times of my childhood, this is about drinking, which is where the two-fisted slopper comes into play.

The reason that I write this blog entry is that my Mom thinks that I am a raging alcoholic. I believe that statement to have a little truth, but I still don't consider myself to be an alcoholic. Alcoholics need alcohol and are dependant on it, and it is an addiction that they cannot control. I can easily go without alcohol, but I thoroughly enjoy it, so I consume it on a regular basis. In that regards, I am more of a drunk than an alcoholic. I call myself a two-fisted slopper because when I drink, I never just have one. I usually have 1 drink in each hand and am belligerent before the night is over. Sometimes (like at Afterglow) I am drunk by 3:00 pm, and I often make a fool out of myself. My Mom is always super embarrassed by my actions, but I always just tell her that I am being young and foolish. Until one day when I figured out that I'm really not that young anymore. 27 year-olds are supposed to be working at careers, not jobs. They are supposed to be getting married and having children, not living above a bar with two other dudes. They are supposed to be setting life goals, not training for a National beer pong tournament in Las Vegas. But then again, I never really did what I was supposed to.

I try to stay sober for a long period of time (which I consider to be a week, because a week is FOREVER) but it never happens because of my friends and my lifestyle. I guess I could change my friends and my lifestyle, but that would mean giving up my life as a beer pong player. I'm not yet ready to do that, because it's one of the few things that is keeping me from growing up and moving on with life after college. I still try to pretend that I am still 23, and I even delayed graduating by about 2 years so that I could party longer in college. I party a little more that I probably should at my age, and it really isn't cute or funny anymore, which is why I declare sober weeks every now and then when I need to recuperate. It doesn't sound like a lot to any of you non-alcheys out there, but during these sober time periods I abstain from midweek drinking and generally just lie around on the couch because I have nothing to do. I don't write on the site, don't visit with friends, and I just kind of become an anti-social little caterpillar in his sober cocoon. But it is what I make it it out to be, and I tend to make it a lot bigger than it actually is.

The problem that I face is that I've always been a beer glass is half empty kind of guy. Then I turned into the beer glass is all the way empty because I drank all of the beer to drown away my sorrows kind of guy. I think the reason that I drink so much is that dealing with the world when sober is really tough, and it's just too easy to get drunk, pass out, and forget about all of the crazy shit that's going on around you. I'm kind of half and half on all of this nonsense. Call it borderline if you will. I'm on the fence on whether or not I can handle the world while sober, or if I need some liquid courage to get me through the day. Whatever it is, it's really not working out for me and I need to find some alternative method to working out my problems. So for 3 weeks out of the month I'm drinking them away, and in the last week I'm recovering from one hell of a month. Not a good way to live the life, but what the hell else am I gonna do?

Oh, and before you start getting worried and think about staging an intervention and sending me to rehab, I'm half serious and half joking on this topic. It's up to you to figure out which half is the truth and which half is a lie. Cause I'll never tell. That's one of the best things about holding the power (truth and answers) because it keeps everyone else guessing.

Sober week has begun, so expect tons of stories about alcohol and drugs. Or expect nothing at all. It's not like I update this shit on a regular basis now that my sole method of entertainment (the Milwaukee Brewers) have ceased to exist for the remainder of the season. I've got a couple of stories in the pipeline (the playoff wrap-ups, season review, preview of next season) but I'm still suffering vicariously from the immense choking that Jeff Suppan did in game 4 of the NLDS at Miller Park. But that's another story for another day.

I'd say cheers and lift my glass to you, but it's just not the same when there's water in the glass instead of Sailor Jerry. But cheers anyway my friend.

- pookon -

www.pookon.com
email: pookondotcom@gmail.com

Brewers vs Cubs 9/26 - 9/28 : Series Wrap-Up

Series 52 - Milwaukee Brewers vs Chicago Cubs September 26 - September 28 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI

When the 2008 Brewers schedule was released in September of 2007, I boldly predicted that the season would be decided in the final weekend of this year when the Brewers squared off against the Cubs. I was only halfway right, because I predicted that they would be battling for the division title. Since the Cubs had already wrapped up the NL Central title and homefield advantage for the playoffs, they were just playing for pride and division rivalry. The Brewers however, had just a little bit more at stake LIKE THEIR 1ST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE IN 26 GODDAMN YEARS!!! All eyes were on the Mets/Marlins series because both the Brewers and Mets entered this weekend deadlocked in a tie for 1st place in the NL Wildcard. It was tough to not scoreboard watch, because none of that matters if we don't take care of business and win, but I couldn't help but root for the Marlins. Seeing how shitty that the Brewers have played in September so far, we were going to need a little (ok, a lot) of help from others just to make it to baseball's sacred postseason. The fact that they were playing the hated Cubs really didn't make it easier on the fans, because "Wrigley Field North" would be anywhere from 30% - 50% full of jackass Cubs fans who can't get a ticket to hangout in the toilet they call Wrigley Field. It kind of takes the homefield advantage out of the equation, but that just means that whatever Brewers fans didn't sell their tickets to Cubs fans would just have to cheer twice as loud. Any Brewers fan that sold their ticket to a Cubs fan should be ashamed of themselves. In fact, I'm working on finding out who did it, so that we can issue them a lifetime ban from Miller Park for their inexcusable actions. I know that Cubs fans are jerks, but this was the most important series of the entire year, and the Brewers really needed you to be there to support the shit out of them. From the time when the gates opened and the 1st Cubs fan walked through the turnstile, there were already 1 too many Cubs fans in Miller Park. Thanks a lot assholes for allowing those FIBs to infest our park with their suckiness. You're a great benefit to us all and our cause. But enough about harping on the fans that did not attend - that's not the reason why I started the 2008 Brewers season Wrap-ups; I did it to reflect on the games and give my 1st hand insight into this magical season. So with 159 games down and 3 to go, we needed to win at least 2 out of 3 and hope the Marlins take 2 of 3 from the Mets just to make it to the playoffs. Show me something more exciting than this, and I'll show you a liar (you). There is nothing better than this weekend, so let's get on with the wrap-up so that I can tell you all about it.

Game 1 (Friday) - Jeff Suppan (10-10, 4.96 ERA) vs Ryan Dempster (17-6, 2.96 ERA)

Jeff Suppan has so far had a very forgettable September. His losses and ERA are up, and lately you just can't count on him to put your team in a position to win the game. It's terrible, because he used to be such a big game pitcher and exactly the guy that you would turn to in this must win situation. He had a magnificent September back in 2007 to keep the Brewers in it as long as they were, but this September in 2008 has been a nightmare for him (and all of us). So why then, did the Brewers run him out there to pitch in this game? Because they simply didn't have any options remaining. Sure, Carlos Villanueva or Seth McClung maybe could have started today, but both of them have been so incredible out of the bullpen that Svuem probably didn't want to disrupt that. So while we all held our breath waiting for Suppan to screw it up, he made us feel relaxed enough to exhale. Suppan wasn't especially sharp, allowing 8 hits in 5 innings, but he limited the potent Cubs offense to just 1 run on a Jim Edmonds homerun. in the 2nd inning. The Brewers got that run back in the bottom half, and it stayed tied until the 6th inning, when the Brewers took a 1 run lead. I was able to watch this entire game, and I once again had the Mets game constantly refreshing on my iPod. When the Mets lost to the Marlins, I was brimming with excitement. But the Brewers were clinging to just a 1 run lead, and the Cubs, as we all know too well, are very capable of a big comeback inning. That's why Rickie Weeks' pinch-hit 3 run homer in the 7th inning nearly sealed the deal. But some Brewers pitcher still needed to close this game out, and we all know that Torres is not the man for the job (given his track record against the Cubs this year). That is why the hero of the game today was none other than "Big Red" Seth McClung. He came on in relief of Suppan in the 6th inning, and tossed 4 scoreless innings of 1 hit ball. Simply amazing. I know that the Cubs really aren't trying too hard, but McClung deserves some recognition for his job well done today. With a Mets loss and a Brewers win, we move up to a huge 1 game lead in the Wildcard standings with 2 games to play. Plus we beat the Cubs today. It's always a good day when we beat the Cubs. Final score Brewers 5, Cubs 1.

Brewers record : 89 - 71, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card (1 game ahead of the New York Mets)

Game 2 (Saturday) - Ben Sheets (13-9, 3.09 ERA) vs Ted Lilly (17-9, 4.09 ERA)

Ben Sheets exited his last start with elbow problems, and although everyone in the world begged him to not go out and pitch if he wasn't 100% healthy, Ben Sheets went out there and pitched. The Cubs threw out a lineup of bench players (Fukudome, Cedeno, Hoffpauir, Ward, Johnson, Fontenot, McGehee, and Blanco) so that they could rest up all of their regulars. I thought that the Cubs were sending out replacement players, and I half expected to see Shane Falco, Clifford Franklin, and Nigel "The Leg" Gruff take the field under the tutelage of Jimmy McGinty. But this was real life, not my favorite movie. In reality, the Cubs were sending out 16 game winner Ted Lilly, but the Brewers have historically hit well against left handed pitchers. But the worst that could happen did, and all hell broke loose at Miller Park. Ben Sheets gave up a 1st inning homerun to Daryle Ward (who was batting a majestic .216 with 3 homeruns and 15 RBIs coming into the game today) and just really didn't have anything today. He didn't even had bad stuff, he had nothing. When he gave up 2 more runs in 3rd inning, he was pulled for Mark DeFelice and everyone saw the Ben Sheets that we have known all too well during his tenure in Milwaukee - the one that has spent more time on the disabled list than on the pitching mound. We all knew that Sheets just threw his last pitch in a Brewers uniform. But there was no time to lament over Sheets' mysterious injuries in his career, we still needed to figure out a way to win this ballgame. Dave Bush came in after DeFelice, and he went 3 innings and didn't even give up a hit. He was supposed to start this game had Sheets not been ready to go, and I know that second guessing is easy because it happens after the fact, but maybe, just maybe, he should have started while Sheeter shut it down and rode the pine. Too late for that. The Brewers scored a run in the 7th, and 2 more in the 8th to make it a 4-3 ball game. With the Brewers down by a run, Sveum put in his closer Salomon Torres, and Torres once again sucked the big one against the Cubs. He gave up 3 runs without recording an out, and this game was suddenly out of hand. The Brewers had a chance to come back and win this one, but they failed. Since the Mets won, they fell to a tie in the Wildcard lead with 1 game left to play. That means tomorrow's game (game # 162) was for all of the marbles. A Brewers win and a Mets loss, and the Brewers go to the playoffs. A Mets win and a Brewers loss and the Mets go to the playoffs. If both win or if both tie, then there is a 1 game playoff at Shea Stadium on Monday to determine the Wildcard winner. God I hope it doesn't come down to that. This is just too thrilling and exciting for me to handle. Final score Cubs 7, Brewers 3.

Brewers record : 89 - 72, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card (tied with the New York Mets for 1st)

Game 3 (Sunday) - CC Sabathia (17-10, 2.70 ERA) vs Angel Guzman (0-0, 5.59 ERA)

The Brewers once again asked CC to pitch on 3 days rest, and he once again took the ball in a do-or-die game. Hard to believe that they play 162 games (which is a lot compared to all of the other major professional sports) and that the season comes down to just 1 day, and the final day of the season at that. That's why baseball to me is so exciting, because so many things can happen during the final weeks depending on the matchups. I awoke early and suited up for the game, fully expecting to work today. When I got there, to my surprise I found that I wasn't on the schedule. Normally I would have been pissed because my boss told me that I was working, but today was anything but normal. I stayed punched in for a half hour while they tried to work it out, but I said screw it, I'm just gonna go somewhere and watch the game. My friend and former roommate Fresno Chris was there, and I had a ticket from my friend and current roommate Joey Kanz to give to him. So I met him outside of Friday's in the outdoor smoking patio. He had some Miller Lites on him, so I downed a couple of beers (free drink count : 2) while we were chatting. Then my Uncle Gary and his friend Dennis walked by, so I hung out with them for a minute. My Uncle bought me a beer (free drink count : 3), and then I got a ticket from him to give to my brother James' friend Dave. So that means the game hasn't even started yet, and already I have had 3 free beers, 2 tickets, and 1 free admission to the game (via my employee badge). I sat down in left field level section 128 (my Uncle's seats) for about an inning with Dave and James, then I had to move because I was occupying some dude's seat, and he arrived and finally claimed it. I then went up to the club level to watch the game, sitting in the wheelchair section 310. The cashier Theresa allowed me to get some food, so I got a nachos grande, bag of peanuts, and a large mountain dew (free drink count : 4.) That is where I spent the majority of the game (about 3rd inning on) where I nervously ate my peanuts and paced back and forth. We all now know what happened during this game, but let me play it out for you (and me) so that we can one day look back at this as the greatest game that we have ever seen. Yep folks, I am putting this game at #1 on my list of all-time Brewers that I have attended. CC retired the side in the 1st inning, and it looked like this one was getting off to a great game when Mike Cameron singled (something he hasn't done often in the leadoff spot) to start out the Brewers half of the inning. But that's about all that happened for a long while. The Mets/Marlins game got a late start due to a rain delay, and every time that the Marlins score popped up on the left field video board, the crowd went nuts. I've never seen so many Marlins fans (if only for 3 days) in my entire life. The Cubs decided to use a cadre of bullpen arms (mostly September call-ups that would not be on the postseason roster) to throw the 9 innings in today's game, and I think the constant switching off left and right handed pitchers with different styles really threw off the Brewers batters, because after Cameron's leadoff single, another Brewer wouldn't reach base until the 7th inning, when Ray Durham leadoff with a double. The Cubs had scored in the 2nd inning, and this was looking like no more scoring would go on today. But not so fast! Durham, as I said, reached on a leadoff double. He moved to 3rd on Braun's ground out. Then with a base open at 1st, Fielder was intentionally walked. JJ Hardy then worked a nice at bat into an unintentional walk, and the bases were loaded with 1 out and Corey Hart at the plate. And then came one of the worst at bats that I have ever seen in my life. Hart struck out swinging on 3 total pitches that were all low and outside. All he had to do was lift one to the outfield for a sac fly to tie the game. Corey Hart just looked lost up there at the plate, which has pretty much been the case for him since the All-Star Break. And then came Craig Counsell. He worked an excellent veteran at bat to take a walk with the bases loaded to force in the tying run. He may never hit above .250, play every day, or knock in a bunch of RBIs, but he does the little things like working counts, moving runners over, and playing great defense - 3 things that no one else on this club knows how to do. Kendall grounded out to end the inning. Sabathia was still cruising along, and it looked like he would be going to distance today. Former Brewer Wes Helms had just hit a homerun to put the Marlins ahead of the Mets, and the cheering had just stopped at Miller Park in bottom of the 8th inning, and then came the moment that will always give me chills when I watch/listen to the in-game call. Cameron singled, then Ryan Braun crushed a first pitch fastball from Bob Howry into the Brewers bullpen for the lead in the game. That place just erupted with screams, and I saw more high fives than I've ever seen in my entire life. People were going apeshit up in there. It was so loud, I thought that the glass panels were going to break. With that homerun, Braun just joined the likes of Yount and Molitor for greatest Brewers player ever, even though he's only been on the team less than 2 years. For me though, it's hard to imagine a Brewers team without Braun. It's a good thing that we got his ass locked up for like 6 years. And at $45 million, it's a steal! He's only gonna get better. The crowd quieted down at the end of the inning, but it didn't take long for them to get amped up again when CC walked out to the mound to pitch the 9th inning and go for yet another complete game. After getting the lead man out, CC allowed a single to Ryan Theriot. But then Derreck Lee hit into a double play, and the Brewers did it...well at least they did their part. Miller Park was rocking hard, but a Mets win over the Marlins could force a 1 game playoff at Shea Stadium tomorrow (Monday) so it wasn't over until that game ended. But the Miller Park staff put the Marlins/Mets game on the big screen in centerfield, and I went back down to section 128 to hang out with my brother James. Because of the rain delay, we joined the Mets game in the 8th inning, and had to sit (not gonna lie, but I was standing because I was too nervous to sit) on the edge of our seats to see if we were going to the playoffs.When Marlins pitcher Matt Lindstrom collected the final out to seal the 4-2 victory for the Marlins, millions of Mets fan knew that feeling of a late season collapse all too well, after seeing it happen last year in 2007. But no one in Miller Park cared, because our team was the NL Wildcard Winner and was going to the playoffs in 2008. Music blared over the loudspeakers, confetti and streamers fell from the rafters, players doused each other and some lucky fans with champaigne, and thousands of fans who stuck around Miller Park hugged, high fived, and roared in celebration for this wonderful moment. I was right in the middle of the festivities, and I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else to revel in this victory. These are my people, and although some of them were stepping on and off the bandwagon during our September swoon, I kept the faith theh entire time. I may have not believed they's make the playoffs, but until the team is mathematically elimninated, they still have a chance. It might take 162 games to get there, but the fact that we got there speaks volumes for this team's willingness to push through adversity and focus on the final goal. And what a roller coaster season that it was, and despite what happens in the playoffs, I will always be able to refer to this team as the 2008 National League Wildcard winning Milwaukee Brewers. So this game ended, but the fun for me on the Greatest Day of my Life did not, but I'll get into that in just a minute. Final score NL Wild Card Winning Milwaukee Brewers 3, Cubs 1.

Brewers record : 90 - 72, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

The following is an entry that was supposed to be by itself and labeled the Greatest Day of my Life, but I'll just include it on here because I already told you about the 1st half of the day in the Game 3 Wrap-Up. We hung out for a while to soak it all in, then we went over to Friday's to get another drink. Dave was buying, so I got a Captain and Coke (free drink count : 5) and got rowdy with some Brewers fans. Things started to die down at Miller Park, so we went out to my Uncle Mike's house. Today was my little cousin Joey's baptism, but I missed it due to the fact that I need to be at the game 2 hours prior to the start, and since I don't have a car, I need to leave my house on the bus 1 1/2 hours prior to that. So that means if the game on a Sunday starts at 1:00 pm, I need to leave my house at 9:30 am. So I had no choice but to miss his baptism. But we went over to hang out, with my family, and I grabbed a couple of more beers (free drink count : 7). Since we were already out in Menominee Falls, we stopped by J. Reiley's, which is a bar owned by Dave's brother Mike. James bought me a beer (free drink count : 8) and we sat at the bar. James had to work at 5:00 am tomorrow morning, Jenny at 7:00 am, and I had to work at 8:00 am. We were all ready to turn in and head off to bed, but James' friend (one of his co-workers from the HD) called and said that the Brewers were partying over at Karma on Ogden and Van Buren. So of course we had to stop there. I got to meet and party with CC Sabathia (who is all of 6'7" and 290 lbs, and was really wasted that night), Mike Cameron, Bill Hall, and Prince Fielder. I stood behind Fielder, and I realized that I am Fielder's white body double. He's the same height and same build as me, but I have to imagine that he's stronger and in better shape than I am. I got CC's and Bill Hall's autographs, and got to mingle with them for about a half hour. After those guys left, James bought me yet another beer (free drink count : 8) and his friend bought me a shot (free drink count :9). It was after midnight, and I really should have been going home and into my warm and cozy bed, but I went out to BBC's to meet up with my roommate Paul. I finally paid for a drink today (paid drink count 1), and before you think that I was freeloading all day, I didn't bring any money with me because I was expecting to make money at work. I grabbed some bills, and Jenny and I (James went home cause he had to work in less than 5 hours) went out. While I was there, I talked with some other Brewers fans, and they ended up buying me a shot of Goldschlager (free drink count : 10). Jenny and I finished off the pitcher of Miller Lite, then we went back to my house. Since Jenny worked across the street at Beans and Barley (I live above Vittuchi's) she slept over on the pull-out couch. So at about 1:30 am, I finally went to bed and officially closed the book on the Greatest Day of my Life. So getting to the playoffs was an exciting thrill ride, I expect the playoff games to be exactly the same. I altered my work schedule so that I will be home from work by 2:00 pm so that I can sit on my couch, pop open a few beers, and soak up every moment of my 1st Brewers postseason in my non-baby life. The whole reality of this hasn't really sunk in yet, but I'm sure that it will tomorrow. Hells yeah bitch.

Next up - Milwaukee Brewers @ Philadelphia Phillies (Wednesday October 1st, 2:00 pm CST) - Game 1 of National League Division Series at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PA

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