Just call me Terrell Suggs

So I joined a co-ed flag football team this fall we played for 7 weeks. Tonight was our last night and it was play offs. I know I take these things a little too seriously, we started off the season with complete domination we had a star quarterback and a star receiver who were both recruited for college ball. But that abruptly ended in our fourth week, when due to illness our quarterback didn't show and for who know what reason our star receiver didn't show either. We got spanked. It sucked. Not only did we lose, but lost horribly. We did nothing right, it was exactly how it was in the Bad News Bears movie, where anything that can go wrong does. (And I'm talking about the 70s Bad News Bears not that crap with Billy Bob.) We were all shaken because we had no leadership on the field.

I wrote what I thought was a kick ass email telling our teammates to get off their butts so we could do something about it. My friend Jen and I were the only ones available for practice that Saturday. But we did practice. The next game only 6 players showed up, we played one man down and did a valiant effort. For flag football we play 7 on 7, and two girls have to be on the field at all times. The other team out played us mainly because they had extra players to sub in and out. But we moved the ball (slowly) down the field and despite the fact we still lost, I was proud of how we played. We were a team. We made completions, and scored touchdowns. The sixth week almost the entire team showed up, we had several players to spare and since the team we were supposed to play was a no show we ended up playing a scrimmage match and ended up winning. Yes we had our one great receiver back for the game, but it was more of a team effort.


Tonight was our last night and it kind of sucked. When one player is really good, but doesn't bring everyone up but rather brings everyone down it sucks. I was ready to play my heart out, leave it all out on the field, and I tried to. But our team dynamic was off, it's not just that we were losing, we were playing badly, unnecessary penalties and we just couldn't complete the plays. From the beginning I kept pushing our team to rush the quarterback, yes it's flag football and you have to count to 5 mississppi(s) before you can charge. But once you do that you CAN charge. And I swear once we started doing that the other teams had much less of a chance to complete passes.

What was funny was that it came full circle my team finally came around to my way of thinking to rush the quarterback, but then decided I wasn't doing a good job of it or something. So, when it was a guy guarding and he was standing doing nothing in the previous games...that was ok? But when I do it and count to 5 mississippi then rush it's not? I grabbed flags, I waved my arms, I swear I messed up their passes. But whatever, I felt a little under appreciated and worse it's how the game started. When they asked who would be guarding the QB, I said I would, but they said a guy should do it. I'm sorry I think that's some kind of shit, that it was my idea to rush the QB and I actually had to convince my teammates of this, and then when I finally start getting results I'm not good enough to do it??? I'm the perfect person to do it, I'm too short to guard most of the other players, but I can rush and put pressure on the QB. I don't mean to be a sore loser, and I know that's part of it. But I felt completely unappreciated and almost attacked by my fellow girl team mates who frankly haven't done a whole hell of a lot. Now, I know it probably wasn't the girls that wanted a guy to guard the QB, it was probably a guy that wanted the change. What sucks is that I felt as though they were conspiring or talking about it behind my back. And when I tried to explain my rationale of being too short to guard for passing, because they can usually pass over my head, the teammate who opposed me didn't think I needed to tell her. Not to mention, when our one star player decided he would guard the QB he got us about 3 or 4 penalties because he didn't know the 5 second rule. (!)

Whatever, I try my damndest every fucking time I'm on the field. I don't ever give up. And I for one would have loved a little credit for that.

Sigmund Pretzelshop, 29 Ave B bet 2nd and 3rd

Dreaming of cheddar and jalapenjo pretzels. Every fall Madison square park hosts a market. Most of the booths are filled with crafts and specialty goods for the early Xmas shopper. But the handful of food booths always steal the show. Last year the gingerbread cookies were a big favorite. And as soon as the weather starting getting brisk I couldn't wait for the Madison Square market to come around again so I could partake in a cookie or three. But this year the pretzels and waffles were the upset. Sigmund Pretzelshop had a cozy little booth with usually about three different flavors of small pretzel and then their jumbo plain salted pretzels, your choice for $3. Three Bucks for one of the most delicious pretzels ever made? I'm talking jalapeno and cheddar, scallion and bacon, paprika and Gruyere, truffle oil and ooh...was it another cheese. I can't remember all of them. The jalapeno and cheddar is pictured in the foreground, along with an olive and something that John ordered with another jalapeno and cheddar.

But you simply must go to Sigmunds and eat a chewy delicious soft pretzel, I recommend the hot apple cider ($2) to wash it down with.

Sigmund Pretzelshop. Highly recommended. 646-410-0333. 29 Avenue B, between 2nd and 3rd Street.

Hello

Hello to you who are out there. Hello to probably just my husband John who may still check in on this every now and then. It's been far too long, and again I don't have a real reason. Many things have happened, John has been dieting using Medifast and has lost about 40 pounds! I too have lost a few pounds, we are trying to be healthier.

Unfortunately the catalyst of this was the fact that so many in John's family have had serious health problems of late. Early in the year it was John's Father, with oral cancer, and John's stepmom with a detached retina. They were able to operate on the oral cancer and everything seems to have stabilized. Sharon, his step mom, has pretty blurry vision in one eye where the retina was completely detached, but they were able to catch the other eye and she gets checked regularly to ensure nothing happens to her good eye.

Then a few months later, the week John's mom was to go in to get her left hip replaced because she had necrosis of the bone, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has since had a lumpectomy (there was not enough time for recovery from a full masectemy), her hip replacement surgery as well as an operation to remove a cyst on her ovaries. But she too seems to have stabilized, she is undergoing chemo right now and will also need radiation.

Then this past week John's Aunt had a brain aneurysm. It was all of a sudden and thankfully it was/is very small and they were able to operate and clip it shut. Despite the fact that it was an extremely high risk operation, she survived and is able to speak, move, and function. Her one eye is swollen shut, they had to touch the optic nerve but they are hopeful that that will heal with time.

I'm just exhausted, I am grateful that for the most part everyone seems to chugging along. But I can only hope and pray that our loved ones have the sense to listen to their doctors and take the time they need to recuperate.

And as much as I'm advocate for good, yummy, tasty things. It should also be said that you do have to take care of yourself. Moderation is the key, right? So we are just entering the holiday season, and I want to be the first to wish you a joyous celebration with you family and friends. Life is precious and fleeting, so take care of yourself. Chalupa has approved this message.