x. It's finally about to storm.  It's been near 100 degrees this whole week.  When the water finally pours from the sky, it will hit the pavement, and it will immediately turn to steam.  It's been that hot outside.

x. I have been entertained by cooking.  Michael is a boy with a happy happy tummy!  I've made chicken and steak fajitas (the old Doyle family standby), spaghetti with turkey meatballs and sauce made from prosciutto and peppers, pork stir fry in the wok, and stuffed peppers. 

x. I joined the gym. It feels good to sweat with a purpose when all I've been doing is sweating from the heat. 

x. I'll try to join a softball team tonight, if it's not raining. 

x. Yesterday, I had an interview at the county library to work the circulation desk.  I totally rocked the interview and the manager called me this morning to schedule a second interview!  Fingers crossed, people!

So since I'm moving to Florida in less than a month, I had to forgo signing up to play in the next softball season.  There's no sense in paying league fees and then abandoning the team after a couple of games.  Still, I told the team that if they ever needed me between now and when I move, I'll surely come out to play.  Turns out, they could use me on Thursday.  Steve sent this note out to our list:

The Innocent shall suffer. Big Time. Erin will be coming out as a guest pitcher.

That's right.  Fear me! 

Well I had a weekend of ups and downs!

Saturday was the best day and night I've had in a long time...

Angela and Heidi hosted P's bridal shower at Heidi's house.  We scrapbooked pages for a book for P.  I made little paper french toasts for mine in honor of our many many many servings of french toast at Bob and Edith's.  And I finally got to see Ainsley's preggy belly.  So cute!  It was a lovely little party.

That afternoon we had a barbecue at our house for Elena's birthday and for us to fuel up on protein and carbs before our night of debauchery in the form of Elena and P's co-Bachelorette Party.  For the barbecue, Elena and Ken made amazing pulled pork and I made a pile of cole slaw.  Yooli brewed up a stock pot of deliciously deceiving vodka punch.  Elena's sister Amanda (who is apparently my west coast doppleganger) flew all the way from California and frosted a penis cake!  Good times.

At 10pm, the Keg Bus arrived on the corner.  The thing was amazing.  A school bus with disco lights, a killer sound system, a bathroom, safety handles to drunkenly swing from, and a bar!  And the stop sign that pops out from the side of the bus says Drink!  We provided the keg and they drove us around DC to various bars.  We even had our own male beer wench named Andy to take care of us.  It was pretty brilliant.   It was also the best time we've had in ages!  Except, why do some guys think it's appropriate to suddenly grab a girl's butt?  Not okay!  How did your mama raise you?

On Sunday, I managed to wake up around 1pm and ate leftover cake for breakfast.  But then things turned to crap...

I had a softball game at 5pm.  It was nearly 100 degrees outside.  The ump made us play the full 7 innings.  By the 5th inning, I was completely flushed red, barely able to throw a straight pitch, but we of course had no subs, so I had to keep playing.  The team we played was full of assholes.  We ended up winning.  (Yay!)  After washing myself down with water (using a dirty sock) I made it to my car and slowly drove home (still dizzy) and sat in my car with the A/C on super high for about 20 minutes.  After that, I trudged up the driveway and lay on the living room floor for a bit longer, watched Chris play Tiger Woods on XBox.  Then I gathered all my strength to go up to my room to shower.  Then I threw up.  Then I tried to eat a sandwich.  Then I passed out for about an hour.  Then I woke up and threw up again, a lot.  My head was pounding.  Then I went to sleep and woke up this morning. 

I think I had heat exhaustion. 

Erin Doyle life lesson #1:  Don't drink all night and then wake up the next morning to play softball in the 100 degree heat, children.  It's not wise. 

Erin Doyle life lesson #2: Rent a Keg Bus!

I think we played a team of professionals. At the very least, all ringers. What a bloodbath! Oyyyyy.

But I didn't walk a singer batter. I take that as a victory.  And we still went out for pizza and beer afterwards.

Brian Regan:

I played softball this last year. I struck out in slow-pitch softball. Let me tell ya somethin', there's not a whole lot more humbling in life than striking out in slow pitch. Walk back to the dugout, y'know, and your teammates are older than little league.  They try not to laugh, but it's kinda hard not to. You sit next to them, and they're goin' "hehehe." What can they say? "Wow. Ah, he throws a wicked twelve foot arc. It's hard to hit in only three tries. It should be a bigger ball.  Should be a kickball! We should play ten-strike kickball! Y'know? Tha-That's what it is." They call it SOFT-ball. Makes it sound like it harmless, y'know. You ever take a line shot to the face with a softball? You don't go, "Hey! That's downy soft! That was like a big ball of cotton! Hey, don't worry about that, that's blood light! We're playin' softball! We're all gonna float around like angels!"

This weekend was fun.  I got a lot done on the homefront on Saturday, a major clean of the kitchen, etc.  It felt really good. 

On Saturday night, Michelle and her roommates had a lovely Cinco de Mayo party at their house.  There were homemade tissue paper flags of Virgin Marys and Mexican roses.  And homemade black bean burgers.  And lots of beer.  And lots of librarians.  And Floridians.  It was a good time. 

On Sunday, Alia and Josh and I ate breakfast at Bob and Edith's and the weather was gorgeous so we could sit outside.  I also tagged along for bike shopping for Alia, but they didn't find her a bike until after they dropped me off.  My usual shopping karma for Alia didn't help this time! 

I had a softball game, first of the new season with Perfect Strangers, but we were short-handed so that doesn't bode well for the rest of the season.  I pitched and did pretty well until I killed my hamstring and then I couldn't really pitch or bat, but I had to stick it out since we had no subs. 

Today I smell like mint because I'm covered in IcyHot.  Sexy. 

It's going to snow tonight. And today I was drafted for two softball teams come spring. How's that for being in demand?

I told you I was kind of a big deal...



I was voted the best offensive player!  And we all got bobbleheads.  Go Propaniacs!!!

What an LJ slacker I am!

I had a great weekend. 

Josh and Alia and I went out for Thai and the service was so slow that the manager gave us complimentary Thai iced tea.  Yummers.  Afterwards, Alia and I drank beer and calligraphed envelopes for their wedding.  And I got some Emerson puppy kisses.  Always a treat. 

I slept way too late on Saturday to do much but a few errands before I drove up to Columbia to see Jon Stewart at Merriweather with P and Ken.  I really love Merriweather.  It's so nice for an outdoor venue.  You get to sit in a lawnchair, eat cinnamon pecans, and enjoy the night air.  Jon Stewart gave a great show.  We did think he was a bit more serious this time.  I thought about the last time we saw him, which was in the winter of 2004, so it was before Shmucky McJerk was elected again, and we were all a lot more hopeful at that time.  But anyway, hooray for Jon Stewart! 

On Sunday, we played our second softball game and won!  I pitched a complete game and even struck a few out.  I only walked one batter and that was in the bottom of the seventh and my arm was dead.  I even hit a single over the left fielder's head.  That'll teach that guy to play shallow on me!

The Propaniacs hopes of making the playoffs got a lot bleaker last night, as
they fell in 6 innings to the ringer loaded Friends of Global Fight, 13-4.
The loss was not without excitement though.  The team was very nomadic last
night, having to move the field twice so that the President's helicopters
could land on the Mall.  The whirlwind of police activity and blockade
running commuters created a looooong 1st inning stretch, and really
disrupted the rhythm of the offense.

But even the illegal bats and oft shifting batting order of the opposing
team couldn't stop the Propaniacs, as three players batted 1.000, one ending
up only 1 hit short of the cycle.  Erin "OHHHHHHHH" Doyle and John
"Designated Hitter" Kerekes both had hot bats, going 3-3 and 2-2
respectively.  Originally slated to sub on defense for Grace "Bat Checker"
Willis at catcher, Kerekes didn't want anything to disturb his hot bat, and
opted instead to remain in the DH spot.  Greg "Ginger" VanWoerkom was the
other player hitting 1.000 last night, with a homerun, single, and a triple,
VanWoerkom was only a double shy of the cycle.

As usual, there were a few defensive plays of note as well.  Amanda "Beef
Nachos" Stone recorded her first out as the third basemen last night,
getting the force out on a hard hit ball back to the pitcher.  Speaking of
pitchers, Brando "BkkE" Robinson redeemed himself from last week's fielding
debacles by recording all 3 outs in the 5th inning.  The outfield also
provided several good plays with quick throws into the infield, especially
Martha "silent but deadly (SBD)" Evans from the rover position, who also saw
some excitement on offense as well.  After having no problems with Willis
serving as a pinch runner all season, last night's umpire insisted Willis
couldn't run for Evans, thus forcing Stone to drop her clipboard and run the
bases.

In preparation for the season finale next week, and in order to make a
serious last gasp push for the playoffs, the coaching staff has been sent
out across the country looking for tradable talent.  An unnamed source with
the club was quoted as saying, "We don't need much, just a bat or two to
really spark the offense, and maybe another good defensive player.  I think
with those additions we could make the playoffs, and that would be a great
accomplishment for this team."  Any players or readers with connections to
potential talent are encouraged to contact the club immediately.  This
effort to enlist fan and player assistance in generating trades is
unprecedented, but a very unique way to make positive changes.

Lastly, the team will be making an official announcement about post-season
celebrations and awards, shortly, so stay tuned!

GAME STATS:
Doyle: 3-3, 1B(3), R(2)
Caskin: 0-3
Fisher: 1-3, 3B, R, RBI
VanWoerkom: 3-3, 1B, 3B, HR, R, RBI(3)
Feehan: 1-3, 1B
G. Willis: 0-2, K
Robinson: 0-2, K
Kerekes: 2-2, 1B, 2B
Stone: 0-2, K
R. Evans: 0-2, K
M. Evans: 0-2