Thursday, October 05, 2006

Vote Early! Vote Often! YOU Can Shape The Future Of This Blog!



It is time for a vacation, both from my regular job and from this slightly irregular blog.

(By the way, this is my 200th posting. And what am I doing on this auspicious occasion? Why, abandoning my faithful readers for a week or so, of course. Did you expect anything different from a louse like me? I sure hope not.)

Friday, I'm heading up to Maine - with MY WIFE, of course - in order to attend the wedding of my friend (and good teammate for 12 years) Matt Stone, and his lovely bride-to-be, Aymie Pelrine, who was the best scorekeeper our team ever had. As valuable as Matt was as a player, Aymie was unique. She kept a detailed and precise scorebook, which half the players I've had - to my utter amazement - have been unable to do. As the manager, it was so cool to have that detail taken off of my hands. When Aymie kept score, I didn't have to reconstruct half the game from memory in order to update the stat sheets.

In addition, I didn't have to worry about some pathetic bozo mickeying up the book to make his reached-on-an-error in the sixth inning look like an rbi triple. She kept an honest score and wouldn't let anyone bully her.

I kept telling Matt that he should marry her. It's not every day that you find a beautiful woman who can keep a flawless scorebook. I don't know if my prodding helped move things along, but I'm glad the wedding is happening, in any case. They complement each other very nicely and it's a joyous occasion. What I'm really looking forward to, though, is seeing Matt's dad, Stu - also my teammate for 12 years - in a suit. I've never seen him in anything but a sleeveless t-shirt and jogging pants. I honestly can't picture him in anything else.

(Sweet Lord, I hope it's a tuxedo. With ruffles and a cummerbund. Top hat and tails would be too much, though. I think I'd have a stroke on the spot.)

After Matt and Aymie's wedding in Maine, MY WIFE and I will be heading south for a couple of days, to the New Hampshire seacoast. After that, we travel back north a bit, to the White Mountains region, where we'll be enjoying three or four indolent days in my father's former home. I think I may have mentioned that, a few years after his passing, I sold the place to my Cousin Joan and her husband, Eddie, for a very low price. Part of the deal with the low price was that MY WIFE and I could have access to it once or twice a year, for a getaway, when Joan and her family were not using it. Anyway, we will be utterly slothful during our time there next week. No computers, no blogging, nothing but rest and relaxation - listening to the birds singing; waving at the occasional train passing through the backyard; and soaking in the beauty of fall colors in New England. Or just snoozing. Being total slugabeds for a few days is not without its charms for us.

There will not be any repeat of this performance.

In the meantime, faithful one, I'm going to throw out a few story ideas for you to consider. These are all true tales concerning jobs I've held at one time or another. It's up to you to give one of them the nod. Whichever one gets the most votes will be the first one I write up upon our return to Massachusetts.

1 - Blood In The Slopchute

2 - Mr. Suldog's Wild Ride

3 - Top At Broadway

4 - Walking Charlie

5 - The Boringest Job Ever!

(If you're the first person to actually divine what all five of these jobs might have been, you should get a prize. You won't, but you should.)

(If you're someone who knows me well enough to know for sure what any of these jobs was, I'd rather you keep that information to yourself. As mighty a temptation as it is to show off your voluminous knowledge of all that is Suldog, I think it might be truly interesting to see what other folk's guesses turn out to be. Even if you do know one or two for sure, feel free to guess about those you have no idea about.)

Leave your votes - and best guesses - in the comments section. I'll tally when I return.

See you soon with more better stuff. In the meantime, explore the archives - visit some of the other fine bloggers linked here - make suggestions - vote for your favorite story idea and take some educated (or harebrained) guesses concerning what jobs I might have held - or just ignore me altogether and never come back even when I do... IF you want to break my heart.

*Big Wet Smooch*







'dog

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't resist. I need to hear about "Blood In The Slopchute".

Anonymous said...

Oh, and have a great vacation!

Peter N said...

Yes, be happy and relaxed, and may the weather gods shine on you. P.S. I loved the pooch pic!!

Anonymous said...

"Mr. Suldog's Wild Ride"

OK, that's my choice. And I'll guess that it's somehting about driving?

Anonymous said...

Oh, it's got to be "Blood in the Slopchute." This makes it sound like you were either a pig farmer, or that you worked in a slaughter house. Somehow, I can't imagine either being correct, but I'm very amused at the image of you toiling away in either of these places. Have a great vacation!

Stu said...

Blood In The Slopchute seems too obvious, so I vote for Top At Broadway.

Bummer that the -O-Rama will be dark for a while. As a faithful reader, I will give more attention to your sidebar links.

Oh, and I can't resist: As it is too early in the season for CoEd Naked Snow Jogging, I dare you and MY WIFE to jump naked into a pile of leaves.

Safe travels, my friend. Via Con Dios.

Anonymous said...

I'm afraid and yet overwhelming curious about "Blood In The Slopchute".

Whereabouts in Maine are you heading? I was up there somewhat recently for my girlfriend's sister's wedding which was in the Portland area. She herself is originally from Scarborough (where everyone feels obligated to tell me there's not really a fair). Having trouble remembering the exact city the wedding took place in but it may have been Yarmouth.

Suldog said...

James - Kennebunkport is where the wedding is taking place. If I run into W and Laura, should I say "hello" for you?

Stu - I don't know about jumping into a pile of leaves naked. All sorts of icky squishy things live in leaf piles. And I'm sure they wouldn't be too thrilled with whatever icky squishy things we bring to the party.

Everybody - Thanks! Keep voting! I'm off!

(Well, you knew that already. What I mean is, I'm leaving. See you soon.)

Anonymous said...

No, better you don't say "hi" for me. I like you too much to have you sent off to Guantanamo :-D

Melinda said...

I want to hear about Mr. Suldog's Wild Ride - sounds like you could have been a driving instructor or maybe a cab driver who got taken hostage, or maybe a ski instructor who got stuck behind a speeding boat... oh hell i have idea (heehee obviously), but am hoping to hear about it.

funny you mention the Boringest Job Ever - in the London Metro today they had an article about the guy that wins that prize hands down - he is literally paid to watch paint dry. All day. To make sure it's safe for Tube passengers to walk on it. That's his job (and apparently he loves it).

Safe travels to you and hope the wedding is lots of fun :)

Anonymous said...

I'd like to hear about the wild ride. That one gets my vote!

BklynSoxFan said...

I want to hear about Suldog's Wild Ride. I wonder where that "Wild Ride" took place...

Anonymous said...

Top at Broadway!