A different perspective

If brownies are brown, what do you call brownies that are made from white chocolate?

… Being a San Francisco Giants fan for the last 13 years hasn’t been easy, especially living in Dodgers country. And there is one person at the center of it all: Barry Bonds.

It wasn’t until he bulked up – by means that have been speculated countless times – that I really heard about it. “How can you cheer for someone that is a cheater?” Each time I’d answer, “I root for the team.” Each time I would end it by saying, “If he was on your team, you’d feel the same as I do.”

Well Bonds may not have the charisma Manny Ramirez has; however, I can finally make the “What if” into reality.

The amazing thing is all the things Dodger fans that chastised Giants fans, most have now become. Those that don’t either: know the hypocrisy of supporting him, or, understand Ramirez was just using the Dodgers to pad his stats so he could opt out of his contract for more money.

The problem is he got caught. Now, chances are he doesn’t opt out. Now the Dodgers are stuck and hope he doesn’t get caught again because the next time it is 100 games. He probably won’t get caught again, but what happens to his production?

As for my favorite team, this gives them a chance to make the summer interesting. They clearly have the pitching. They still lack the hitting, but come July when Ramirez’s suspension ends and the Giants are still hanging around, it gives them a reason to trade for a hitter they sorely need.

Let’s see what happens.

… My first Mother’s Day without my mom was different to say the least.

Usually watching television leading up to the day, I’d see ads promoting sales of products and services like brunch or dinner. Before I would just let those ads go in one ear and out the other.

Except, this year, those ads were a reminder. I had no one to call this year. My father wanted the family to come home. I couldn’t make it.

I still wrestle with the idea that my mom is gone. I would have never thought my mom would be gone now. I don’t think she did either.

My last night on the farm a few weeks back, I slept in the front room on one of the recliners since there was no bed to sleep in. It turned out to be the one my mom used to sit in when my parents would watch television. I knew that recliner was my mother’s because when I was setting it up to sleep on it, I found a blanket she was knitting. If I remember correctly, it was for one of my nephews.

So what did I do on Mother’s Day, besides the usual work? Well, I wanted to go somewhere I could feel close to her. The only place I felt I could do that was in a Catholic Church. It has been years that I’ve attended a non-ceremony mass in church. I’m thinking it was at least seven.

I knew there was one not far from where I live. It is actually pretty cozy. And in a way, I did feel my mom with me. I felt like I was actually doing something with my mom.

While I thought about going to church to honor my mom and that would be all, in a strange way I wondered if I should go back.

… My father comes to Southern California next weekend. One of my sister’s gets her Master’s Degree and my father will attend and I’ll be there too.

I look forward to seeing him again. I also heard that a cousin from Mexico will be in town as well a week later. He is the same cousin that flew with my father last month. I look forward to meeting him too.

I also heard an idea floating around that my father would be going to Mexico later this year, maybe October. Hopefully, I can go too.