Must have been a rough game
JM and I were at the grocery store tonight, standing in line behind someone in a familiar looking uniform: a high school baseball umpire. His only two items of purchase? A box of Keebler Club Crackers and a 40 oz. Bud Light. Crackers and beer. The solution to all that ails you.
Speaking of baseball
My friend Rob told me a few weeks ago about how his mom, also a Cubs fan, once skipped school to see a game. It ended up being the first no-hitter thrown by an African-American pitcher, Sam Jones. Imagine being her, seeing that take place and being unable to share it with anyone because you skipped school! I’d totally face up to whatever punishment I had coming. Anyway, today is the anniversary of that game. If I heard Len and Bob correctly, there were only 2900 people in the stands. And my friend’s mom was one of them. Awesome!
Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to camp he goes
JL left for Pennsylvania early Saturday morning, kicking off his fourth summer of working at a YMCA camp there. This time, I’ve suggested to him that perhaps he try to find something full time and establish residency, so that he can go to school there. JL is at his best when he’s away from home, much as it pains me to say it.
Fasting sucks
I have to have blood work done first thing tomorrow morning, and I have to fast in the meantime. So, of course EVERYTHING sounds good right now. Oh who the hell am I kidding? Everything always sounds good.
My biggest peeve surfaces yet again
Today was the first day of summer semester. At about 8:30 a.m., I walked over to the student union with two colleagues so that they could get coffee from Starbucks and I could get something for breakfast. Much to our surprise, Starbucks was locked up tight. TOTO went up to the office that runs all of the food services on campus and they didn’t seem to know anything, but we happened to bump into an employee of Starbucks who said that they were closed down for the summer. We also found out Subway is closed, but they were reopening the Scoreboard Grill in its place. Except that they had no register and no food. We heard they were going through all of the other restaurants’ freezers, trying to find things to prepare for any potential customers. That’s a little scary. Oh, and they’re serving non-Starbucks coffee in Starbucks cups.
Here’s the peeve part, though. Someone made a decision to change things and neglected to give any word that a change was taking place. I don’t care what the reason is for shutting both places down. I just think it’s wrong to not let your customers know. The only signs in the union stated both would be open all summer. The website says both places will be open all summer. The employees reportedly only found out over the weekend. One thing we’ve heard is they’re remodeling. My son came home and told me the organization with the food services contract is out the door. I know a bazillion people who would be OVERJOYED if that rumor is true, because that organization sucks. We have the most expensive Starbucks prices in the city. I kid you not. There’s a Starbucks in the grocery store I was at tonight and I compared prices. Some things were up to a dollar less than what they are on campus.
But whatever they’re trying to do, someone needs to COMMUNICATE with the campus community. Putting up a sign or two just isn’t that difficult.
In conclusion…
That’s really about it. Excuse the crankiness. It’s the fasting. It’s certainly NOT the Cubs who are currently leading the Padres 12-2. Maybe it’s safe to go to bed early.
** ETA: The decision to shut down Starbucks and Subway was reversed today, due to a large number of complaints. For what it’s worth, I had emailed the people in charge of food services and copied our president on it. I was pleased to see that he had forwarded it to someone in his office, asking them to investigate the situation and get back to me. It’s nice to know that someone is listening.