Big game yesterday, against the other tough team in the division, St. Edmund's.  Christina did not play the field, bat or pinch run this time, but then neither did four other players.  This was a very close and hard-fought game, with first place riding on the result, and the coach had to make some difficult decisions about who to substitute, or even whether he should substitute.  Not only did Kearney need to win the game, but they needed to win by two or more runs in order to claim first place (St. Edmund's is the one team to have beaten us this season, by two runs, and it could very well come down to how many runs each teams scored off the other to determine ultimate ownership of first place.

In any event, Kearney was victorious, with an extra-innings 7-4 win.  However, rather than attempt a recap of a very intense and well-played game, I'll let the New York Post handle it for me this time.  New York Post - Late Rally Sends Bishop Kearney Past St. Edmund.

Three more regular season games this week, though none that look to be too difficult. (Side note, I did get to help coach the team yesterday, and will do so again today and tomorrow.  It's pretty cool, getting to coach Christina at the Varsity level, as I never thought that would happen.  Unfortunately, I can't be there for the last regular game of the season on Thursday, as I'm giving a contracts lecture in Manhattan that evening - more on that later.) Playoffs start at the end of next week.

It has been a busy couple of weeks for Christina on the diamond.  In the past 12 days, Christina has played in 9 softball games (4 regular season and 5 scrimmages), plus one practice.  She has mainly started at second base, though a few times she has gone in at second as a sub, and today subbed at third base.  She has also been utilized as a pinch runner, and done well on the basepaths.  Here is a brief run-down of the season, so far:

Prior to Christina joining the Varsity team, they had won 2 games, and not lost any.  Regular season games are listed below in green, scrimmages in orange.

April 13th:  Bishop Kearney Varsity vs. St. Edmund's - L 5-3 (team record 2W, 1L):
This was the game Christina was asked to fill-in for a missing player, and which moved her permanently to the Varsity team a year early.  She was used twice to pinch run for the pitcher, but was stranded on base both times.  Then, around the fourth inning, just as my parents arrived to watch, she was put in to play second base.  She made a beautiful pop-up catch, and threw out two runners.  She walked in her only at bat, but advanced to third, and nearly scored, but was tagged out at the plate (not really her fault, the third base coach should not have sent her on that particular play).
Game stats: 0-for-0 (.000) - 1BB, 1SB
Season stats: 0-for-0 (.000) - 1BB, 1SB

April 15th: BKV vs. Fontbonne (scrimmage) - L 5-4:
Game 1 of a doubleheader against the local rivals.  I was unable to attend, as I was teaching a class that morning.  Christina's stats are unavailable, but she did very well.  One play in particular stood out.  She was playing second base, and a left-handed batter was at the plate.  The coach told Christina to play right on the first base line, about halfway between home and first, ostensibly to cover for a bunt.  My father, a former Varsity City Champ and Little League coach, looked at me, and said, "That's very dangerous.  I'd never play someone so close like that."  The batter did not bunt - she swung full-on, and drove a bullet straight at Christina.  Christina dove, and snagged the line-drive right out of the air.  It was an amazing play, and even the opposing parents cheered her.

April 15th: BKV vs. Preston (scrimmage) - L score unknown:
Game 2 of the doubleheader against a very tough team from The Bronx.  I was unable to keep track of Christina's stats, though she did perform well again.  Early in the game, as I was retrieving a foul ball from the street, the coach told me that he was very pleased, saying "If I had a whole team like your daughter, we'd be unbeatable.  She asks questions.  She listens.  She wants to learn.  I love her."  I should note that Christina has been very nervous about facing the faster, windmill pitching of the Varsity play, but, as you'll see, she adjusted quickly.

April 16th: BKV vs. Bishop Ford - W 16-1 mercy (team record 3W, 1L)
A completely uneven game against a Varsity team that was as woefully unprepared as their Junior Varsity schoolmates had been in a JV game the week before.  Once again, I do not have Christina's complete stats, but she did get her first Varsity hit, and, starting at second base again, with this game, Christina has already played more Varsity innings and had more Varsity at-bats than she had in the whole of her JV season last year.
Game stats (partial): 1-for-1 (1.000) - 1S
Season stats: 1-for-1 (1.000) - 1S, 1BB, 1SB

April 18th: BKV vs. St. John's Villa (scrimmage) - L score unknown:
Played against a very tough team from Staten Island.  I was unable to keep track of Christina's stats, though she did perform well again.

April 21st: BKV vs. Telecommunications (scrimmage) - W 15-4 mercy:
Game 1 of a doubleheader against a team that has a good reputation, but did not live up to their press this day.  I missed this game, as I was teaching the final session of a pre-school literacy program.  I only saw Christina bat once, when she grounding out to the shortstop.

April 21st: BKV vs. St. Edmund's (scrimmage) - W 16-6 mercy:
Game 2 of a doubleheader against a regular season rival.  It was a very satisfying win.  Christina played second again, and made some very nice plays.  Though only a scrimmage, she had her first RBI in a Varsity uniform.  It was also a very nice game for me.  Because the assistant coach had to leave after the first game, I was asked to coach first base.  Until now, this is the first spring in eight years that I have not been on the field with either of my children, and I was missing it.  I enjoyed being part of a game where Christina excelled, and found that I really like her coaches and teammates.  They all have a great attitude, and the girls on this team don't actually look at me funny when I make a joke.  I came away from this game feeling even better about Christina being a Varsity player.
Game stats: 1-for-1 (1.000) - 1S, 2SB, 3BB, 1Run, 1RBI

April 22nd: BKV vs. St. John's Prep - W 12-0 mercy (team record 4W, 1L)
A dreary game day, with fog, misty rain, and being played the day after a doubleheader and an 8pm-to-Midnight Sweet 16 party.  Despite all that Christina played second again, and did well.  She made several terrific catches and tags.
Game stats: 2-for-3 (.667) - 2S, 2SB, 2Runs, 1K
Season stats: 3-for-4 (.750) - 3S, 1BB, 3SB, 2Runs, 1K

April 24th: BKV @ Nazareth - W 14-3 mercy (team record 5W, 1L)
An "away" game on the far side of Brooklyn.  Christina has been down-in-the-dumps today because of some serious family and legal issues that a friend of hers is going through.  She had a hard time concentrating at the game, so it was a good thing the coach had her warming up pitchers until the fourth inning.  Once she came into the game, she was hit by a pitch,stole a base and scored a run.  Then, she took the field at third base, looking like she wanted to be anywhere but on the field.  (She just interrupted me to tell me that the friend has, at least temporarily, resolved the problems he was facing).  However, when the ball went into play, she was all over it.  She tried twice to tag runners at third, just missing, before she got one for the first out of the fifth inning.  The other team scored two runs that inning, and one more would mean we would have lost the chance for mercy, and had to play longer.  Then, with two out, and the mercy-ending runner at third, Christina pulled down a foul pop-up right along the fence, to end the game.  (Added note: I was asked to coach first again.  Still loving it.)
Game stats: 0-for-0 (.000) - 1HBP, 1SB, 1Run
Season stats: 3-for-4 (.750) - 3S, 1BB, 1HBP, 4SB, 3Runs, 1K

Thus we enter the home stretch of the regular season. Starting Friday, five final regular season games in seven days, followed by the playoffs.

Currently Reading:
(e) ELEMENTARY, MY DEAR GROUCHO by Ron Goulart
THE SCIENCE FICTION HALL OF FAME (Volume 2B) edited by Ben Bova - reading sporadically at home
(e) THE TRIALS OF SUPERMAN: The Complete Transcripts compiled by Daniel Best - reading sporadically on my commute (free PDF download at the link)

Finished (12):
(e) FAT, DRUNK AND STUPID: The Inside Story Behind The Making of Animal House by Matty Simmons - a slim "making of" book about the classic comedy "Animal House".  Except for some background information about the early days of the National Lampoon, there is not much in this book that I didn't already know from the extras on the "Double Secret Probation" DVD release.

CATCHING FIRE and (e) MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins
(e) BOTTOM OF THE NINTH by Michael Shapiro
(e) THE ELEPHANT TO HOLLYWOOD by Michael Caine
THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins
(e) THE WAY OF KINGS by Brandon Sanderson
PINION by Jay Lake jlake
STEVE JOBS: The Man Who Thought Different by Karen Blumenthal
JUDY GARLAND by Anne Edwards
11/22/63 by Stephen King
THE ALLOY OF LAW by Brandon Sanderson

If anyone would care to make recommendations, or open discussions about particular titles once I've finished, please feel free.

Currently Reading:
(e) FAT, DRUNK AND STUPID: The Inside Story Behind The Making of Animal House by Matty Simmons
THE SCIENCE FICTION HALL OF FAME (Volume 2B) edited by Ben Bova - reading sporadically at home
(e) THE TRIALS OF SUPERMAN: The Complete Transcripts compiled by Daniel Best - reading on my commute (free PDF download at the link)

Finished (11):
CATCHING FIRE and (e) MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins - second and third books in the Hunger Games trilogy. Both very enjoyable reads.  I was not surprised by anything in book three, which was both disappointing and encouraging, since I feel that I was reading so attentively that I was on top of the whole story.

(e) BOTTOM OF THE NINTH by Michael Shapiro - a very interesting book about the period in baseball history between the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn, and the Mets coming to New York.  However, this is not just for New Yorkers.  It is about the attempts of several storied people to try to break the monopolistic hold that the American and National League owners had on the sport, and the effect of those attempts on the game.

(e) THE ELEPHANT TO HOLLYWOOD by Michael Caine
THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins
(e) THE WAY OF KINGS by Brandon Sanderson
PINION by Jay Lake jlake
STEVE JOBS: The Man Who Thought Different by Karen Blumenthal
JUDY GARLAND by Anne Edwards
11/22/63 by Stephen King
THE ALLOY OF LAW by Brandon Sanderson

If anyone would care to make recommendations, or open discussions about particular titles once I've finished, please feel free.

Christina's JV team played their season opener on Tuesday.  It was, like most of the games last season, a blow-out.  They won 18-5 against a woefully unprepared team.  Christina did get the chance to start the game at second base, though she didn't get much opportunity to make plays.  She did bat four times, walking twice and getting two singles.  She also scored two or three times.  It looked to be the start of a good season.

Then, this afternoon about ten-after-three, I was home recovering from a migraine, and she was relaxing with a book, when I heard a buzzing sound.  I tracked it to her cellphone in her softball bag.  We'd just missed a call from her coach.  Christina listened to the voicemail the coach had left.  Christina was upset.  "The coach called me on Friday, asking me to fill in for one of the girls on the Varsity team."  Austin told her, "Today's Friday."  Christina jumped up, and said she had to be at the field by 3:45.  We scrambled, and made it.

It turned out that many of the Varsity players have been away on an exchange program during the Easter break.  Christina was there to be the 10th player in the lineup.  She was used twice to pinch run for the pitcher, but was stranded on base both times.  Then, around the fourth inning, just as my parents arrived to watch, she was put in to play second base.  She made a beautiful pop-up catch, and threw out two runners.  She walked in her only at bat, but advanced to third, and nearly scored, but was tagged out at the plate (not really her fault, the third base coach should not have sent her on that particular play).  Ultimately, they lost 5-3, but it was a very good game, against a tough team.

We were happy that she'd done well, and were waiting for her to come off the field, but she was held up by the coach and some of the players.  We figured they wanted to thank her for her contributions.  She came off the field with her friend Shelby, and walked up to me with eyes big as saucers.  "I'm on the Varsity team now," she said.  Just then, one of the coaches came up to me, and said that the league rule is that once a JV player plays in a Varsity game, she cannot go back to the JV team.  And, the Varsity coaches are VERY happy to have Christina a year early.  They liked what they saw of her, and promised us that they make sure all of their girls play a fair number of innings every game.

Christina was pretty shell-shocked for about two hours afterwards.  She did call her JV coach to thank her for the opportunity, and wish the JV team well, as well as calling her uncles.  Other than that, she was essentially speechless until about 7:00, when the joy of the whole thing hit her.

Meanwhile, her new team now has 2 wins and 1 loss.  There's a doubleheader tomorrow, and then games on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  It will be tough, but this is the big leagues now.  I know she's going to continue to do well.

I don't know how we found room to be prouder of her than we have been, but we are.  She has always been a terrific player and terrific team player.  She'll now have three whole years to make her mark in Varsity ball, be seen by college scouts, and who knows what can happen next.  It's just a very happy day in our house.

(For myself, personally, aside from being her father, Christina is the first player (girl or boy) I ever coached to make a Varsity high school team.  It's a very good feeling.)

Last month, Christina and her friends Arianna and Shannon competed in their high school talent show.  In a sea of pop music, they selected "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid.  Though they had some microphone problems at first, they soldiered on, and turned in a lovely performance. They did not win a prize, but they still have two more years to compete.

They also performed as backup singers on the Four Seasons' hit "Who Loves You (Pretty Baby)", and as part of the whole cast finale of Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours".

Afterward, a woman from the audience approached them to deliver some effusive compliments.  They later learned that she was a talent agent.  Christina is, needless to say, ready for her closeup.

Here is their performance of "Part of Your World".

Austin came to me the other night, pretty excited.  He'd been web browsing, and he came across a site that I didn't know about.  It's called "Transformers Wiki".  Among other neat entries, he discovered that my story "Prime Spark" is considered semi-canonical by some T-former fans.

There is a page for the Transformers: Legends anthology.
There is a page for me as author of the story.
There is a page for the story itself, with some neat commentary and nitpicking, which I love to see.

Best of all, it appears that a young physicist I mentioned in passing in the story by the name of Robert Nagisa has achieved some minor notoriety among the fans.  My favorite comment is the one on the Prime Spark page where they opine that Nagisa's book might be fictional!  I have considered whether or not to edit some stuff on these pages, including the idea of mentioning that Nagisa is a Tuckerization of the young man (son of larah33) who helped me understand the T-formers universe for the story.  I'm just a little leery of getting into some kind of T-former fan wiki-war.

In any event, if for nothing else than this makes me look (once again) cool in the eyes of my son, I'm pretty pleased to discover these mentions.

May your Spark always shine.

It's been a while since I posted anything about how the kids are doing in school, so I thought I'd put up a quick post.

Christina was nominated by her school to participate in the 2012 LeadAmerica National High School Leadership Conference.  This program allows high school students to attend summer classes at colleges like Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, George Washington and UCLA (among others).  It is a great honor to be nominated.  Unfortunately, tuition for the courses is still a couple of thousand dollars, plus room and board, so we aren't sure she'll be able to attend.

Christina has also been inducted as a probationary member of the National Honor Society.  Only Seniors can receive full membership, but probationary membership as a Sophomore allows Christina to participate in various NHS projects and service programs.  It's a nice recognition of her hard work, and a great motivator for her to continue working so hard.

Austin has been made a member of the Clipper Society, which is a service organization within the school.  The Clipper Society students act as representatives of the student body at various functions (reunions, off-campus events, sporting events, etc.)  A personal commitment to service and the ability to be a good ambassador for the school are the main qualifications.

Needless to say, we are very proud of both of our kids.

Currently Reading:
CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins - library loan copy
(e) BOTTOM OF THE NINTH by Michael Shapiro - reading on my commute
THE SCIENCE FICTION HALL OF FAME (Volume 2B) edited by Ben Bova - reading sporadically at home

On Hold:
(e) THE TRIALS OF SUPERMAN: The Complete Transcripts compiled by Daniel Best - reading on my commute (free PDF download at the link)

Finished (8):
(e) THE ELEPHANT TO HOLLYWOOD by Michael Caine - a brief autobiography of one of my favorite actors.  This volume seems to serve to fill-in details from an earlier autobiography, so it is not very detailed, but his breezy style and wit made it fun to read.  I now have several of his movies that will move higher up my "to be viewed" list.

THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins
(e) THE WAY OF KINGS by Brandon Sanderson
PINION by Jay Lake jlake
STEVE JOBS: The Man Who Thought Different by Karen Blumenthal
JUDY GARLAND by Anne Edwards
11/22/63 by Stephen King
THE ALLOY OF LAW by Brandon Sanderson

If anyone would care to make recommendations, or open discussions about particular titles once I've finished, please feel free.

Currently Reading:
(e) BOTTOM OF THE NINTH by Michael Shapiro - reading on my commute
THE SCIENCE FICTION HALL OF FAME (Volume 2B) edited by Ben Bova - reading sporadically at home

On Hold:
(e) THE TRIALS OF SUPERMAN: The Complete Transcripts compiled by Daniel Best - reading on my commute (free PDF download at the link)

Finished (8):
(e) THE ELEPHANT TO HOLLYWOOD by Michael Caine - a brief autobiography of one of my favorite actors.  This volume seems to serve to fill-in details from an earlier autobiography, so it is not very detailed, but his breezy style and wit made it fun to read.  I now have several of his movies that will move higher up my "to be viewed" list.

THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins
(e) THE WAY OF KINGS by Brandon Sanderson
PINION by Jay Lake jlake
STEVE JOBS: The Man Who Thought Different by Karen Blumenthal
JUDY GARLAND by Anne Edwards
11/22/63 by Stephen King
THE ALLOY OF LAW by Brandon Sanderson

If anyone would care to make recommendations, or open discussions about particular titles once I've finished, please feel free.

Christina's team began pre-season play yesterday.  Just a couple of scrimmage games, with no scores kept, but seemingly close games by my best estimates.  Christina has gone in as the second-string second baseman in both games, and hopes to show what she can do.  Today, she got a nice hit to right field, but was thrown out at first by a right fielder with a terrific arm.  More to come.

Austin has elected to sit out this season of baseball.  He wants to boost his grades for the final marking period, so he's taking a season off.  He plans to try out for the Junior Varsity team again next Fall.

Currently Reading:
(e) THE ELEPHANT TO HOLLYWOOD by Michael Caine - reading on my commute
(e) THE TRIALS OF SUPERMAN: The Complete Transcripts compiled by Daniel Best - reading on my commute (free PDF download at the link) - ON HOLD.  I've gotten through a little more than half, and am currently bored out of my mind.  Yes, I know this is a trial transcript, but 500+ pages of people trying to define terms that I know like the back of hand gets tedious.  I'll come back to this one, on-and-off, as I read other more interesting books.
THE SCIENCE FICTION HALL OF FAME (Volume 2B) edited by Ben Bova - reading sporadically at home

Finished (7):
THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins
(e) THE WAY OF KINGS by Brandon Sanderson
PINION by Jay Lake jlake
STEVE JOBS: The Man Who Thought Different by Karen Blumenthal
JUDY GARLAND by Anne Edwards
11/22/63 by Stephen King
THE ALLOY OF LAW by Brandon Sanderson

If anyone would care to make recommendations, or open discussions about particular titles once I've finished, please feel free.

I'm working late in my 6th floor office in the Flatiron Building (5th & B'way bet. 22nd and 23rd Streets), when all hell broke loose down on the street.  Thousands of people came, not marching, but running east on 22nd, turning north onto 5th into on-coming traffic.  Groups of police were chasing groups of them, trying to control the flow of marchers, pedestrians and vehicle traffic.  It was bedlam.  There were drums, cowbells, whistles and too many different chants for me to make out what, exactly, was going on.

A quick websearch showed me the following (BoingBoing)

I have no idea how effective this march will be, because it was a disorganized mess.  The banners being carried were all over the map, from "OCCUPY UNITED" to "FREE CUNY".  I don't see how they think they presented the coherent message that the family of the victim might have hoped for.  And for that, I'm sorry on behalf of my city.

Last seen, they were still headed north up 5th Avenue.