That's way more action than I get at little league games, Scrappy. Though I do hear Pixar scuttlebutt and the head of Autodesk is a coach in our league.

I'm just back from one of Emmett's games. He played well (double and a single, four RBIs, threw out a base stealer) and our team won. Our team's in second place, which is nice.

Then he had a tourney team practice and I left him to endure an hour plus long commute back across a crowded bridge and a half hour of can't-find-parking thanks to some fucking Stanford Football event across the street. (Checks calendar. Nope, not football season.)

bran muffins are in the oven. didn't completely use up any pantry items, but did make a dent in some. Malt-o-meal muffins are in the works, that will use up one box of malt-o-meal and make more of a dent into the baking staples.

I'll be having leftovers for dinner and mac is having a frozen meal. I should probably get some beans soaking to make this week since I am trying to have some every week.

I am watching a UFC match where one of the fighters looks for all the world like he's wearing Vicki Lawrence's old lady wig from Mama's Family.

Ha! I was watching that for a while too, Matt. It was very distracting.

I'm trying to decide if I want to go to a free screening of The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia tonight. I'm pretty sure it's not something I'd pay to see.

It is strange how we have gone from a Little League family to a Karate family. I miss watching the kids play ball. CJ had his green belt test today with the Master. It was a rough one, poor punkin is whoooped tired. I am really going to have to work hard to be in shape to survive a test like that. Luckily I have a good while before I have to really worry about it. I'm so proud of him. He has worked so hard for this achievement.

Congratulations, CJ!

It is strange how we have gone from a Little League family to a Karate family.

Whole different vibe, huh? It could happen to us with Krav if Emmett keeps with it. And right now he loves it and is pretty dedicated. The interesting thing will be how well he takes to the adult classes in the fall, but I know the teachers like him so I think it will be good.

One thing I have found, at least at our dojo, is that there is a much tighter family atmosphere with the karate. Sure, we got to know the families in Little League, but there was an added tension there that is missing here. Maybe because we have so many parent/kids who take karate that it is a more relaxed family feeling? Since kids aren't competing for play time or stats it is a very different vibe.

Mets/STL scoreless in the 12th.

One thing I have found, at least at our dojo, is that there is a much tighter family atmosphere with the karate.

The opposite for me. In Albany Little League is a big deal. You typically have something like eight teams playing over the course of a Saturday and after you've played a few years you know kids and parents on every other team as well.

Plus, if you're on a tournament team (as Emmett was) then you wind up spending weekends with other parents and kids and a fair number of overnight hotel stays as well. All of which fosters the closeness.

Now that Emmett's moved up to Juniors I miss the Little League atmosphere. You really only see the team you play and you don't get folks wandering over from before and after other games on the other field. Fortunately Emmett still umpires Little League games so I get to go hang out periodically and catch up with kids I coached last year.