Starting a new blog

Well folks, I've decided to start a new blog called ...And so it goes. Please head over there for all the stuff that's happening to me in Taiwan.

See you on the flipside!

Eric

Coming to the end of an era.

For those of you who may not know, I'm in my last three weeks here in Korea. I'm moving to Taiwan on Sept. 7. Thus ends a nine year run in The Land Of The Morning Inconvenience. Those of you who follow this blog know that, for the most part, my experience here has been a positive one. However, it is definitely time for a change as, to paraphrase on of my favorite book titles, I've gone A Year too Far.

Korea is an interesting place to live to say the least. As with every other place in the world, it has its good points and its bad. For eight or the past nine years, I've been able to let the constant little annoyances, i.e.: the stares, the comments, the rudeness, and a few other things, wash off my back. However, this past year, all those things have been getting under my skin and pissing me off. So, rather than climbing to the top of the highest building I can find and taking pot shots at taxi drivers with a high-powered rifle, I've decided that moving is the more appropriate response.

The beauty of moving is, of course, that I will now have a whole new country and culture to explore. I'm sure there are things about Taiwan that I'll eventually find annoying (I'm becoming rather grumpy in my old age, lol), I expect my first year or so will be much like my first couple of years in Korea: excitement about all the new experiences I'll have and new people I'll meet.

I'm not really sure what I'll do with this blog once I get to Taiwan since the title is strictly tied to Korea, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Regardless, I'll be incommunicado from the end of August until I can get myself a new computer.

See y'all on the flipside!

How 'Bout Them Nats!!!

I haven't posted about the good old Nationals lately, but it's far past time. Why? Because the Nats are on a tear! The boys just completed a sweep of the Florida Marlins today to win their 5th straight game and have won nine of their last thirteen games. Since the All-Star break and a management change from Manny Acta to Jim Riggleman, the Nats are at .500. So long to the fear of breaking the dubious losing record of the '62 Mets.

Today was a fine example of the Nationals resilience. Craig Stammen, the Nats starting pitcher didn't even make it out of the 2nd inning before being pulled and by the 3rd, the Nats were down 6-0. However, the offense never let up. On a day where Ryan Zimmerman went 4-5 with a home run, a triple, 2 singles and a walk, the Nats battled back to win the game 12-8. The sweep is a minor miracle given that the Marlins have simply owned the Nats for the last two years.

So all-in-all, it's a good day!

GO NATS!!!

Song of the day!

FEAR - LET'S HAVE A WAR

[Chorus:]
There's so many of us
There's so many of us
There's so many [x2]
There's so many of us
There's so many of us
There's so many

Let's have a war
So you can go and die!
Let's have a war!
We could all use the money!
Let's have a war!
We need the space!
Let's have a war!
Clean out this place!

It already started in the city!
Suburbia will be just as easy!

[Chorus]

Let's have a war!
Jack up the Dow Jones!
Let's have a war!
It can start in New Jersey!
Let's have a war!
Blame it on the middle-class!
Let's have a war!
We're like rats in a cage!

It already started in the city!
Suburbia will be just as easy!

[Chorus]

Let's have a war!
Sell the rights to the networks!
Let's have a war!
Let our wallets get fat like last time!
Let's have a war!
Give guns to the queers!
Let's have a war!
The enemy's within!

It already started in the city!
Suburbia will be just as easy!

Manny's Gone!

The Nats fired manager Manny Acta today and replaced him, for now, with bench coach Jim Riggleman. Whether this is the solution to the Nats hideous 21-62 season, only time will tell. I suppose something had to be done. They say the fish rots from the head, so it's logical that Manny got the axe (any possibility of firing the ownership??). I doubt Riggleman will be the long term solution for the Nats as he's below .400 as a manager in his own right. I think the Nats need to go out and get an old school guy like Davey Johnson who is proven and might light a fire under our underachieving team.

Anyway, maybe Manny's firing will send a message to the team, and we'll have a better second half.

Holy Crap, Batman!!!

Nationals 13 - Astros 2

After a miserable start to this current road trip, where the Nats couldn't do anything right, the boys came alive. 13 runs on 21, count 'em, 21 hits, including three back to back solo home runs by Nick Johnson, Josh Willingham and Adam Dunn, and where EVERY player in the starting line-up got at least one hit.

The game started out looking like a typical Nationals blunderfest as Adam Dunn completely missed second base while running on what should have been a Josh Bard RBI double. The mistake not only ended the first inning but cost the Nats a run. After that, though, the bats exploded. Nationals hitters rocked three of the four pitchers sent to the mound by the Astros and Craig Stammen, the Nats pitcher, only gave up two runs on nine hits while pitching his first complete game.

This game was a stunning turn around that hopefully, with one game left before the All-Star break, will give the Nats a bit of momentum going into the second half. The Nats get the struggling Cubs at home to start the second half, so anything is possible.

Pinch me I'm dreamin'!!

Nationals 5 - Blue Jays 3

The Nats, after going 0-8 in extra inning games (including 7 extra inning losses at home), win their second in a row on a Willie Harris walk off home run in the 12th. The boys have got themselves a season first 4 game win streak and, how's this for a stat from hell, finally made it to twenty wins (the last team in MLB this year to do so).

Last night, Adam Dunn got a walk off single to win the game in the 11th, but this was Willie harris' game. he robbed the Jays of two runs in the 5th with yet another spectacular diving catch in center field. Then manufactured a run in the 6th by hitting a double and then stealing third and scoring on a Will Nieves single. Finally, in the top of the 12th, with a runner on first, Wee Willie smashed a 2-2 fastball into the Nats bullpen for his second home run of the season. Absolutely beautiful!!!!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Manny Acta, the Nats manager, has been under the gun with rumors of his impending ouster flying fast and furious, especially before the start of the New York series. Well, to all of those Nats fans that think Manny ought to be fired: BITE ME! Show me any other team with a record as bad as the Nats (27 games under .500) in the history of baseball that plays and fights so hard for their manager? The big knock on Manny is that he shows no emotion on the field; that he doesn't argue with umpires or yell at his players. I say, good. He has commanded the respect of the players, and while the team hasn't always played well for him (understatement of the year), they have NEVER given up on him or a game. The Nats battle every game.

We got a four game winning streak, the pitching staff has taken a definite turn for the better, and although some of the big guns at the plate, Adam Dunn and Ryan Zimmerman in particular, are suffering through a slump, the bottom of the order: Willie Harris, Alex Hernandez and Alberto Gonzalez, have stepped up with timely hitting.

The Nats may not be a great team, but they are young, fiesty, and showing flashes of pure brilliance.

GO NATS GO!!!