A week from today the Los Angeles Dodgers are coming to visit our school! Not only do some of the players coming make more than the league minimum, but we also get to see the brand new manager and general manager in person! Only two other schools are being visited that day, so we must be pretty special. They’ve already said no autographs, but who knows, maybe I’ll get a good picture or two.

Stacie and I have begun to throw around the idea of taking a big trip this summer. Since we’re young and don’t have kids, now seems like the best time if any to see the world. We’ve started to throw around some ideas, but I’d love to hear other people’s opinions either from personal experience or what you’ve heard.

Stacie would like to see Spain because her Grandfather was born there. I’ve heard good things about Rome. I’m also open to New Zealand and Australia (could see the Lord of the Rings sets!). So where have people been, or your parents, or friends? The only things that scare me are driving in a foreign country and not being able to speak the native language. Otherwise I think it’d be great to see and do somethings we might not have the opportunity to do until we’re old and retired. Any ideas?

Something I’ve been following with mild interest is the World Baseball Classic. Sixteen teams from around the world will be battling it out in a tournament (similar to the World Cup for Soccer). Round 1 begins on March 3, with the USA playing their first game on March 7.

There are some odd things that make the whole tournament feel forced. There are players that were born here in the United States that are playing for other countries. I don’t care if Nomar Garciaparra’s parents were born in Mexico, he wasn’t, so he should play for the USA if he plays at all. If a guy was born in the Dominican, and then came here to play in the MLB, then by all means play for the country where you were born. That should be the rule, play for the country where you were born. Just because Mike Piazza’s last name is Italian and he really likes spaghetti doesn’t mean he should play for Italy.

Besides the roster issues, I’m curious how the competitiveness will play out. The tournament is taking place during spring training and right before the MLB season. Strict pitch counts are being enforced to make sure pitchers don’t get hurt, and some players are bailing out for fear of getting hurt. For the tournament to really be competitive, players have to give 100%, and especially from the USA. Think the Netherlands is going to field their sub-par players and only give 75%? No, because they don’t have anything else to get ready for (though I’m not too worried about the Netherlands).

Overall it should be interesting at the least. I’m still trying to figure out what will be broadcast on television and which station. Give me some international baseball in HD during primetime! I wish.

I broke down last night and bought an old xbox and Mvp Ncaa Baseball 2006. I am weak. I had a $100 gift card to Target from Grandpa Garcia, so it didn’t cost an arm and a leg, just an arm. I’ve only played about 10 mins so far, but it seems pretty cool. Now I just need to run some network cable so I can have internet connection downstairs, and then I can play online.

I finished winter session on Monday and started student teaching. I haven’t had to do anything quite yet, but I need to email my "advisor" soon. Luckily teaching in my own room will reduce a lot of the work and stress, so I’m thankful for that.

I just watched our basketball teams play, and it was ugly. Boys basketball is all jungle ball. This might be due to junior high boys having zero coordination. The girls were actually more fun to watch because there is more control.

Off to eat some dinner, and then put in some quality time with the new xbox. I am weak.

Saturday night we went to "Instant Church" for a time of worship and thought about "what is church." It was fun to worship in such an intimate environment, and to spend time fellowshipping afterwards at the Downey Landing. *woot*woot*. After that Stacie and I watched the movie The Cave. A good popcorn-flick that you wouldn’t want to analyze too much. Today we went to church and and then lunch with Stacie’s grandpa and parents.

I think I’m going to start blogging about Church, and specifically Sunday mornings. That time can make for a great discussion piece, and I hope it will get me a little more interested in church. Look for that in the next couple days.

I want to play MVP ’06 NCAA Baseball. Let me borrow your PS2, I will play it until PS3 comes out, and then I will give you back your PS2. This is an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity. That PS2 on your shelf collecting dust? Recently give up videogames as a New Year’s resolution? Don’t fret, for I am here to use your PS2. You just tell me I can borrow it as long as I want, and I will come over and pick it up. No work for you, and best of all, it’s completely free! Usually you would expect to pay an arm and a leg for a service of this type, but you can take advantage of this offer now for nothing! I will even buy the game myself (a $30 value) and charge you nothing!

Post a comment to take advantage of this great offer!

Today is the last actual class for Winter Session. I have a final on Monday, but that should be cake. Then I start student teaching. I’m not sure how much work it will actually be, but teaching in my own classroom will definitly make it easier. I start that process on Monday, right before I take my final.

This dumb class has burned me out. Off to read more reviews about fantasy books.

I didn’t post about Winter Session yesterday because I was too busy writing the Clinton post. I apologize to all of you who rushed home to find out what dumb things I was learning only to find no new posts. Yesterday we started presenting our Power Point presentations (yawn). I just presented mine about classifying rational numbers (yawn). Now I’m playing on the internet while people present about the causes of WWII, HIV/Aids, and some guy is going on and on about the senate. Two more days of this madness and it’s over! Then I can start the craziness of student teaching. Does it ever end?

I’ve been reading about EA’s new baseball game that just came out called MVP ’06 NCAA Baseball. It sounds like a solid game, but it’s only out for Xbox and PS2. Seeing as I only own a Gamecube, this makes playing it difficult. At this point I refuse to buy an Xbox or PS2 now that Xbox 360 is out and PS3 is on the horizon. Unfortunately MVP ’06 doesn’t work on Xbox 360, and PS3 is not out, so it looks like I won’t be playing this anytime soon.

For Christmas I bought my brother a copy of A Game of Thrones (only $3.99!). I had told him how cool it was, but I figured if I actually gave him a copy he’d read it, and read it he did. Last night he messaged me saying he’d finished the first book and Sarah bought him the 2nd and 3rd. Finally there is someone else I can share my love of this series with (thanks bro). If you haven’t read this book, you have to give it a shot. If you think reading is a bore, this series could change your whole perspective. I’m a third of the way through book 4, and I look forward to cracking a new fantasy series.

Now a guy is babbling about Trinadad and Tobago. Yawn.