Clusterfuck

 As part of the business, I have to drive through Knoxville on Fridays.  Not much of it, but on Friday afternoons, in West Town, heading west toward the 75 Split, it gets boogery every day.  It's on this stretch of road that Knoxville sports guru Wes Rucker lost his life, earlier this year.

There have been days I've pulled up the map app to see if it'd be faster to head home via 75, 11, or even heading all the way back to Maryville and heading home via 411.

 It's usually bad.   It's worse on Tennessee Football weekend.

I tend to think it's all the locals getting out of Dodge, when they're going that direction.

Add to that, the Dump Truck is coming to town.

 You couldn't pay me to get around the University of Tennessee this weekend.  Playing the #1 team in the nation will snarl traffic enough.  Adding ingress and egress routes for a Presidential Motorcade?  

Fuck that noise.

Postseason

 It's possible that I jinx things by just mentioning them in blog form, but there is a higher than zero chance that the Cubs begin their playoff round in Atlanta.

I haven't hit a Braves game this year.

Not sure I want to pay postseason prices, but I could probably talk myself into it......

Do I jinx it?  

It's kinda like Harry Doyle lamenting the Indians getting one hit?!? One Goddamn Hit?

You can't say Goddamn on the air.

Don't worry, nobody's listening anyway.

Writing

 I've written something.

For the first time in a while.

Still writing on it.  So, wrong verb.

But I've built a small routine.

Which is hard for me.

Think good thoughts.

I'm just trying to stop being intimidated by the blank page, trying to stop being super judgmental of my work, and trying to finish something that I start.

Random Thoughts, this September 5, 2026

 Hot.

It's been really, really, really hot.

I think we hit 100 yesterday.  It's been humid, as well.

My tomato plants are suffering.

SUFFERING!

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Go See Coyote vs. Acme.  It's delightful.  Just good clean fun.

Saw that it's opening in a couple hundred more screens this week than last.  And that makes me happy.  Knowing that Warner tried to shelve the picture to take a take write off on its loss rather than releasing.  Glad Ketchup salvaged it and put it out.  

Saw it on a hot Wednesday afternoon in a theater with about 20 people.  A handful of us were laughing along, but there was one young man who was there with mother or grandmother whose laugh made me as happy as the movie.

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Had given some thought to trying to catch Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan, along with a showing of the Original Series episode Space Seed tonight down in Hixson, but the holiday week kinda wore me out, so I can't see myself spending the time.  It's not often that I lament living as far from Chattanooga or Knoxville as I do, but it usually involves something showing in one of their towns that isn't showing here, or general proximity to Knoxville's Central Cinema, which does a great job all around.

(Seriously, if I lived closer than an hour away from Central Cinema I'd probably be in there once a week minimum....)

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The Cubs have won a couple.  I've not written much about them this summer, but they're a good squad, and they can run with anybody in the league.  Especially after the acquisitions of Clay Holmes and Kevin Gausman at the trade deadline.  But that bullpen got used a LOT from May to July.  And there are some tired arms.  Grabbing an innings eater like Gausman is great....but it isn't a fixall.

I cringed a little when I saw Shota Imanaga coming out for the 7th inning against the Marlins last night.  I understand the matchup against Conine....but it made me nervous....and with good reason.  Civale got out of the inning, but not without a fingernail or two gnawed on my couch.

I'd love for them to go 4-2 on this road trip.  I'd especially like them to go 2-1 against the Brewers in Milwaukee this coming week...

I'm in a weird place with Milwaukee.  I'll always root for the Cubs, and Milwaukee is a constant source of frustration, especially when it feels like the Cubs play them 59 times in a season.  But it's a well run franchise, and it wouldn't bother me to see them win the whole damn thing......(if the Cubs can't beat them, that is.....)