I work huge conventions.
The mosh pit and front of the stage at metal shows many times have I waded in.
Working with lots of kids is never a claustrophobic feeling.
During the past year and a half I worked PT in a grocery store so I was often around people.
But, but on campus for a full day, Monday through Friday, with a commute, was sensory overload.
This is going to take a while to get back to.
It's hot here.
Not any hotter than many places often get to, but really effing hot for this region.
And our civilization crumbles very quickly when this happens for more than one day around here.
Sort of like when it gets frozen for more than a day and our transportation becomes terrible.
This is an amazing region to live in, but we only really function well in a 40 degree window of 38F to 78F and that really is a 25 degree window of 43F to 68F.
When it goes out of range, we cannot deal.
The cold is bad here because everything is a slope and a hill and graded so a little ice is really bad.
The heat here is bad because we do not have fans and air conditioners, and by the time we think to get them we just plan for it for the next time and don't actually get those things before the next summer or two down then road when it happens again.
Temperate climates rock, changes to that making these things happen more often suck.
It was a lovely weekend morning. We went to the beach down the hill for some breakfast.
It has been a challenge to stay home and be safe and smart in the sense of just how much out in the world we typically do. I will not regret being safe and smart and getting to the point where the bubble has doses, and we are there. For us, that means, with still some limits, being a bit out in the world again.
And that meant getting to volunteer for a few hours today, busting ass working to clean up and revive a green belt in town.
The reward, a food truck lunch at a truck we love to go to in the old stomping grounds.
As I planned this campaign, the notion of setting a higher goal first or the actual minimum needed with a stretch goal was a real issue for me.
In some ways, setting the bar higher can bring in more money, as people see the number go up and get closer, maybe there are more who toss in 10 or 25 dollars that do not because it has funded lower and is a stretch goal and not really needed.
I am glad I chose the real goal and stretch goal, even not hitting the stretch goal.
The cards are set to be printed soon, rewards will be sent out on time. Life is good.
On January 17, 2010 I blogged about the cheese souffle I decided to challenge myself with.
When I made the braised lamb with finger potatoes and some caramelized onions today I was like, finally I have bested myself. When I looked up the blog post, it was the date that caught me. It took 11 years and apparently I cook best on January 17.
For 2021.
Kickstarter for The DM Favor launching soon. Moving forward with Well Dressed Gandalf.
Looking at new and different - and some of the old ways as they come back - ways to make a living.
Also, a Kickstarter for the soccer fandom book could launch this year if all goes well.
I missed only three things; people, places, and (doing) things last year. Hopefully, a shot in the arm and the world getting back will make for a chance at some sort of recovery on all of the fronts.
I remain lucky at the start of the year that I am able to do anything and know who I know.
Be well.
It was storming today on the solstice.
We stood on the beach.
High tide.
The storm was crossing the Sound.
The nearby island faded.
The peninsula and mountains across the water were long vanished.
The train tracks down the way became shrouded.
The rain and wind picked up.
Foam and waved crashed over my feet.
It was glorious.
It was actually over a year since I had stepped foot in what is now Lumen Field.
The stadium was at over 69K for the MLS Cup Final.
So, last night when I stepped in and watched an empty stadium MLS Playoffs match, it was such a stark reminder of how much has gone on, and for how long.
http://www.goalkeeperguys.net/2020/11/10/one-life-by-megan-rapinoe-book-review/
Also, this ...
guested on a podcast
https://www.sounderatheart.com/2020/11/11/21559824/megan-rapinoe-memoir-one-life-review
So, two weeks ago I went to Tacoma for a thing at a stadium. I took over the Poke Go Gym. Dropped off a Pokemon.
The stadium is now closed. The HS next door is on remote learning. There is a gate to the parking lot. You cannot reach it from the street.
We are at two weeks of that Pokemon guarding that one gym alone. Considering taking bets on how long til anyone goes there and takes it out.
Producing a halloween happy hour event for a client. In costume as Dustin in middle age. Client sees this. It is literally a set up at my dining room table. This is 2020.
It was weird to be at something in person.
Anything in person.
A soccer match from the upper deck. Seated nowhere near anyone. No ticket buying public. A few locals sitting on a hillside overlooking the stadium watching and yelling.
It was almost a year since the last match I attended.
Thorns win 2-1 over the Reign.
The other day as I was scrolling online I saw that Blue Oyster Cult released new songs.
The Symbol Remains is coming out in a couple weeks, and until then we got the first two songs and videos from the first BOC release in basically two decades.
I had hoped we would someday get another record, and from the first two songs, I am looking forward to it even more than when I first saw it was coming.
"Box In My Head" and "It Was Me" are both classic style BOC. There is some good energy in these tracks. The videos show the band having fun, enough fun to invite back an old band member to rock some cowbell.
BOC was one of my top faves growing up, and their music holds up for me. I still grab discs and give them a spin. Over the years I have seen them a number of times, I want to say four, and they go out there and they kick out the jams to their fans.
Be cool if this record found them a new audience to go with their core.
Only a couple weeks to wait for the rest.
OL Reign announced on August 16th an audacious move of a future draft pick and significant allocation money to grab the rights to Rose Lavelle from Washington Spirit. The audacious part is that Lavelle and her rights will not be heading immediately to Tacoma for a return to playing in Cascadia. OLR has chosen to roll the dice a bit, as it is possible Lavelle thrives and enjoys what appears to be playing in Manchester for City. Should she make a prolonged stay in England, OLR will have rolled the dice and lost a resource. The payoff would be fantastic for a player in her middle 20s who has already scored a game killer in a world cup final.
Summer of 2019 was the validation moment for Rose Lavelle, as she took on the Holland defense by herself and put the USWNT up two goals late in the final. The body language on both sides after the goal said it all. But, let's look at that goal.
Rose Lavelle on the attack. A look back at the second goal of the 2019 WWC final match between USWNT and Holland in France. This is simultaneously an amazing individual effort and a team attack.
The play begins with a defensive stop in midfield by Crystal Dunn. Quickly US mid Samantha Mewis secures the ball and another US mid Rose Lavelle comes back to receive in the circle. Julie Ertz is in the center of the field behind the play and was an option and then tracks forward. From here, Lavelle attacks immediately and three offensive players begin runs. Megan Rainoe on her far left on one wing and staying wide.
Tobin Heath is on her far right and also staying wide to continue the switching of fields maybe. Alex Morgan goes inside to begin a run in behind the central defenders but is a bit quick and holds up to get onside. Lavelle has a defender trailing her immediately. THREE dutch defenders all start tracking back because oh shit it is Megan Rapinoe, Tobin Heath, and Alex Morgan making runs. Lavelle makes a nice move at pace going directly at the defense, realizes the defenders are utterly hosed, jukes a smidge and cranks a left footed shot the keeper sees a moment too late because the one defender on Rose partially shields the play.
Suddenly it is late in the match and two nil. World champs not too long after.
The US had a single goal lead and the game was getting into the late stages. Another goal here likely kills it off. The risk of a counter and draw was very real as Holland was a very good side and capable of scoring quickly. A case could be made that had Lavelle chosen, she could also have slowed and had both Ertz and Mewis tracking to reset to. I am taking the slow and reset the play as an option off the table from the start, because that was a counter attack the moment Dunn made the tackle and Mewis gathered the loose ball. The only slowing down of this play would have come from the Dutch deciding to foul her hard or to have had Lavelle take a poor touch.
Looking to the left flank option, Pinoe was wide and briefly showed and could have received a pass and then served in something dangerous. The US has had success with this kind of ball movement, but Pinoe almost immediately realizes the ball is not coming and begins to track downfield.
Morgan had to stop her run. There was a moment that if Lavelle had released it early Morgan might have had a chance on goal, but the passing lane is poor for that move and so Morgan holds up, which also slows one of the defenders for a step as she has to still account for her. The defender that stays near Morgan is late on the shot a moment later, and not by much.
The right flank would have fully switched the ball to Heath. Heath would likely have driven deep, attempted a move, and driven the ball across to the wave of attackers that was building up at that point. Not a terrible option, as Heath on the ball with a head of steam and defenders having to track the entire US attack would have been a good move.
I for one, think Rose had go to goal on her mind from the start. Had the defenders held up or tried to stop her the ball would have gone to either flank to Pinoe or Heath and the Dutch were equally effed as the attack would have continues. Morgan was too close and would likely have been offside if the ball went to her and so the wide play either side would have made sense.
Watching the play, I see Mewis hold off the challenge after getting the ball Dunn tackled and Lavelle showing to receive the ball as the attack first option. Getting the ball in the middle of the field with a couple steps to get a head of steam is the worst thing the Dutch could have happen with a player live Lavelle. Given her field sense, she knew all of her options, saw the defense recoiling, and once she does the little step over to spin a defender she was going for it.
This sequence is a few seconds. The field and tactical shift the US collectively does in those few seconds across their mid and forward lines was on a pivot.
Rose Lavelle could be doing this to NWSL defenses in Tacoma in the near future if the OLR dice roll pays off. She will do well in Manchester, but that move feels more like circumstantial to 2020 and 2021 and being in form while getting an experience in her middle 20s as much as anything else.
How this plays out will be interesting.
