Creatures Of Habit

We are all creatures of habit, but what exactly does that mean?

First of all, we are creatures. We are animals. Although we are very advanced animals and are equipped with opposable thumbs; we are still made up of flesh and blood. In particular, our brains are complex evolved machines. Our brains regulate basic activities such as breathing and food intake, and also enable us to appreciate the finer things like The Who and Prince Fielder.

As creatures, we have needs. We need to eat, so therefore we eat. As rational and social creatures, we like to communicate with one another, and we do so in various fashions. There are a multitude of behaviors that are just as complicated. How do we possibly get all of this done?

That's where habits come in. Habits help us through our day. Habits are something that we do on a regular basis without much effort.

And we don't have just a few. We have dozens, maybe even hundreds. While some are bad, many habits are good. Thank goodness for those.

One of my habits is my morning ritual. Upon waking, I open the blinds and turn on Today’s TMJ4 and watch Susan Kim and Vince Vitrano do the news, making sure to avoid Scott Steele as much as possible. 

The operative word there was watch. That’s because while I am watching the news, I am also listening to the Wake Up Call with Bill Lawrence on AM 1050 WLIP. As Lawrence spins the money wheel and makes corny jokes, my morning ritual continues with me turning on my laptop. 

Once my computer is powered up, I start doing things in a very specific order; evidently there are habits hidden within my morning ritual, which is a habit in itself. Can that be good?

Back to my computer routine. While I wait for Outlook to open so I can check my emails, I check the temperature, using Dashboard. After I have checked my emails, it’s on to my blog, From The Booth.

When I get to my blog site, I immediately check on the number of visitors and then look to see if any of the blogs that I follow are new. My Good Babushka and One Little Polish Girl are two of my favorites. Hmm, could that be a coincidence?

Next up on the computer is a brief check of my fantasy baseball leagues, the Bada Bing! and JAGFBL. Then it’s a quick check to see how many people have looked at my book on Blurb and I’m off to the magical world of facebook.

In facebook, I look for new notifications, check for friends’ birthdays, spin for my daily game tokens and then refresh my news feed to see what I have missed while sleeping. 

When my facebook regiment is complete, it’s time to check the Kenosha News and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel online newspapers. After catching up on the news, I go to Club Pogo and earn 2,000 tokens by doing the Daily Specials.

Finally, after all of that, the news is over, Lenny Palmer is threatening to take over the WLIP airwaves and my morning ritual is just about complete. 

Just about. 

I still have to shave, shower and do breakfast. That is how my morning ritual goes every day and always in that order. Always.

Unfortunately there is an important part of this morning ritual habit of mine that has been missing for quite a while.

Ritual has several definitions. One is “a series of actions or a type of behavior regularly and invariably followed by someone.” 

Well, I’ve got that aspect down pat, no problem.

Another definition is “a prescribed order of performing a ceremony, especially one characteristic of a particular religion or church.” 

Oops.

That’s the part I need to work on. I need to make the habit of praying a more regular thing. I have been very negligent in this for quite awhile and that has got to change.

Until this creature of habit gets back into the good habit of making prayer part of his morning ritual, it will only be a bad habit.

Until next time…from the booth.

What’s In My Head?

Occasionally an idea will pop into my over-sized head and it provides me with the inspiration for a new blog. Usually I will scribble the idea down and eventually put it in a folder called Drafts. Tonight I am looking through that folder while listening to my iTunes, which is set on shuffle. So far I have enjoyed some Semi-Twang and now it’s the Who. Imagine that, the Who.

Back to my Drafts folder. Crap, hang on the phone is ringing.

Nothing important, just a recorded message from the Republican Party asking for help. Ha, fat chance! Ms. Autovoice must have thought I am a miracle worker.

Okay, here is what used to be in my head and is now in a folder on my computer. (I know I’m anal, but it’s in alphabetical order because that the computer did it.)

• Bang Drum
• Brad Grey
• Great One
• Lawrence
• Survivor Winners
• Whose

Man, although my head is a rather spacious place, it has evidently been kind of messed recently. While I listen to the dulcet tones of Mat Kearney, let me try to figure out what this stuff from my folder means. 

Bang Drum obviously meant that I must have been obsessing on my favorite movie, Bang The Drum Slowly, recently.

Ah, now I see. My friend Sue commented, “We are all guilty of not knowing what we have until it is gone. Live for today as we never know what tomorrow may bring.”  

This made me think of a couple wonderful quotes from the movie:

Bruce Pearson: “Everybody'd be nice to you if they knew you were dying.”

Henry Wiggen: “Everybody knows everybody is dying; that's why people are as good as they are.”

Henry Wiggen: “From here on in, I rag nobody.”

Well, I can’t write about that tonight, I don’t want to be tearing up during the Brewer game. Please make a point to watch this movie sometime and you will see what I mean.

What’s next?

Great One. Must have been Wayne Gretzky. Did you know that Gretzky holds over 60 NHL records? I will tell you about it sometime, but it’s too warm to be writing about hockey.

Next is Lawrence. Let’s see what that’s all about while Dropkick Murphys serenades me with “Dirty Water”.

I remember this! It is an interview I did with AM 1050 WLIP’s affable morning personality, Bill Lawrence. I wrote this a couple of years ago, so I would have to bring it up to date.

I can’t be bothered with that right now, the Brewer game has started and I would probably mess things up. It’s hard enough watching Ryan Braun bat while listening to the Association sing, “Cherish”.

Survivor Winners is clearly a list of past victors from the award-winning reality show, Survivor. From the looks of it, I had better update it; J.T. from season 18 is the last winner on the list.

But not now. Prince Fielder just knocked in Braun with a double. Yes! Have I ever mentioned how much I like Prince? Yes, I know, stupid question.

One more left in the folder – Whose. Upon opening that document, I discover it is notes about Whose Line Is It Anyways? But not Drew Carey’s American version. No these are notes about the far superior British version.

I would do a blog about this fine improve show, but I would undoubtedly start making comparisons between the American and the British versions. Then I would probably mention that while Wayne Brady is very talented, he is highly overrated and he annoys me. Give me Tony Slattery any day.

Nope, can’t write about Whose Line Is It Anyways? I don’t want to piss anybody off. That’s why I avoid writing about politics.

Green Day is currently singing “Good Riddance” on my iTunes. Perhaps a little karma? Well, I don’t know for sure, but my generous noggin is telling me that I’m not supposed to write a blog this evening.

After I finish listening to “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, I better turn the sound up on the Brewer game. Did I mention that Prince had an RBI double?

That’s it; I got nothing in my head. Sorry no new blog tonight.

Until next time…from the booth.

The Northside Syndrome

I live in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on the northside, just a few blocks from St. Peter’s Catholic church. I have lived on the northside of Kenosha for the last eleven years. I am a Northsider. Due to the subject of this blog, I felt it necessary to disclose that fact. The topic that I will be covering is serious in nature and is one that people need to be made aware of. Today’s blog pertains to the solemn issue of the Northside Syndrome.

While the official title Northside Syndrome has been recognized for over 30 years, it has in existence even longer. A gentleman, who for security reasons, will be referred to simply as Munk, coined the designation, Northside Syndrome sometime around 1979.

NS (Northside Syndrome) is an unfortunate disorder that has afflicted numerous residents of the northside of Kenosha, people commonly known as Northsiders. Luckily, this wretched malady does not plague all Northsiders; there many are who are able to lead happy and relatively normal lives.

It is fairly easy to detect someone suffering from NS. The most obvious symptom is that the afflicted person is extremely frugal. They are thrifty. People with NS are exceptionally prudent economically. You could say that they are miserly. Simply put, people smitten with NS are very cheap.

Fortunately, I personally do not suffer from NS. However, my life has been touched by many that do. It isn’t pleasant, but over the years I have learned to cope with it.

My first contact with NS victims was while working at Koos Inc. Being the kind soul that I am, I routinely gave a co-worker a ride to and from work on a daily basis. Not once during this time did this person ever offer me a couple of bucks for gas. Even the crusty Arno Schubert treated me to an occasional 6-pack when I gave him a lift.

But not this person, he was stricken with NS. That is why, after receiving free transportation for several years, he was able to purchase a brand new Chevrolet Monte Carlo and he paid with cash. Remarkably, he expected me to continue giving him rides to and from work. I did not. 

Evidently, delusion is another symptom of NS.

When I became manager of the legendary 400 Club softball team I had to deal with more people with NS. Once again, they were easy to pick out, even with softball players.

After a game they would be content to drink inexpensive tap beer, but as soon as someone offered to buy a round, that quickly changed. Suddenly tappers were no longer good enough, now it was a bottle of Heineken or Löwenbräu. 

NS had once again reared its ugly head.

Regrettably, my teammates that were tormented with NS also had friends with the disease. These individuals never patronized the historic 400 Club tavern unless there was a beer bust or if the team had won a tournament. There had to be the promise of free beer or you didn’t see them at the 400 Club. 

NS can be very polarizing.

Now that I no longer work at Koos Inc. or manage the 400 Club, my encounters with NS sufferers have decreased exponentially. However, the fact remains that this devastating ailment still runs rampant among the residents of the northside of Kenosha.

Recently I was reminded of this all so grim truth when a Northsider contacted me. He had heard that I had written a book and via email, congratulated me.

Being only a casual acquaintance, I was somewhat surprised, but appreciative nonetheless. It was a nice gesture. Then I received a second email.

In this correspondence he asked me how he could get a copy of my book, Some Kenosha Softball. I told him that it was available at Sister Act on Roosevelt Road and at the Kenosha History center. I thought to myself, cool, another sale!

Not so fast! I had forgotten about NS and hadn’t even considered that he might be a victim of this insidious disability. A third email from this person made me acutely aware that this was indeed the case.

The email informed me that he didn’t want to buy a book, per se. No, rather he wanted to trade me a copy of some poem he had written about the Green Bay Packers in exchange for the book that I had worked on for over three years. I graciously declined his offer.

Again, I was reminded; NS victims are not only cheap, but can also be delusional.

The Northside Syndrome, it’s all too real and affects many unsuspecting individuals. If you have friends or family that reside on the northside of Kenosha, look for the warning signs.

If they are overly tight-fisted and even the least bit delusional in their requests, take caution. They have probably been stricken with NS and your hard-earned money is in peril. You have been warned, so please be careful.

Until next time…from the booth.

Softball All Stars

This past Sunday I posted a blog naming my 2011 Major League Baseball All Star Teams. I mentioned that I would name the reserves later. Well, I lied. With the Rotary Tournament in full swing, I have decided to switch the All Star talk to Kenosha softball.

Calling upon the acumen of Kenosha softball veterans, Gary Petersen, Jimmy Gentile and Pat Hegewald, here are our four All Star teams.

Based on the old adage, age before beauty, Gary “The Wizard” Petersen’s lineup will lead things off. Finney’s Pirates, Zirbel Concrete, Slim’s Tap, Matador Lounge, Wizard’s, Kenosha Kings and Pitts Decorating are among the teams that the Wizard was associated with. He is easily the most colorful player ever to grace a softball diamond in Kenosha and never at a loss for words.

Wizard’s Kenosha All Stars

P – Gary “The Wizard” Petersen

C – Bill Johnson
1B – Gene Willems
2B – Dick Laba
3B – Bill “Mountain” Griffiths
SS – Bruce “Hollywood” Meyers
OF – Richie Baumgarten
OF – Chuck Lange
OF – Mark Hackbarth
OF – Jack Zimmerman
DH – Dan Wade

The next All Star team comes courtesy of long time 400 Club outfielder, Jimmy Gentile. While Jimmy G hasn’t been around quite as long as the Wizard, he too has played his share of softball games. When I called Jimmy G last night to get his lineup for this blog, it turned into a 2-hour conversation reminiscing about the good old days.

Jimmy G’s Kenosha All-Stars

P – Jim Nehls

C – Bill Johnson

1B – Jim Darula

2B – Dick Laba

3B – Jeff Clark

SS – Bruce “Hollywood” Meyers

OF – Glen Marescalco

OF – Carmen Pillizzi

OF – Peter Bruneo

OF – Matt Montemurro

DH – Larry Tostrud

The third squad of All Stars comes from none other than Kenosha softball wonk, Pat Hegewald. Hegs is the youngest of this illustrious group, the only one still playing ball; but that makes him no less an authority. His expertise was evident by his contributions in my book, “Some Kenosha Softball”. You would be hard pressed to name a player that Hegs hasn't seen since the '70s.

Heg’s Kenosha All Stars:

P – Rocky Tirabassi

C – Jerry Reeves

1B – Wally Marciniak

2B – Dick Laba

SS – Bruce “Hollywood” Meyers

3B – Jeff Clark

OF – Scott Barthuly

OF – Mark Hackbarth

OF – Tom Jahne

OF – Dan Ausloos

DH – Jerry Kalbfell

My team is made up of what I consider to be greatest softball players that I have ever seen play. This isn't scientific or anything, just my opinion. But please keep in mind that I saw approximately 32 games a week while managing the 400 Club and announcing at historic Finney’s West each summer for over a decade. That has to count for something.

My Kenosha All Stars.

P – Gary “The Wizard” Petersen

C – Bill Johnson
1B – Gene Willems
2B – Dick Laba
3B – Bill “Mountain” Griffiths
SS – Bruce “Hollywood” Meyers
OF – Rich Baumgarten
OF – Gene Heckel
OF – Jerry Reeves
OF – Jack Zimmerman
DH – Chuck Lange

A few interesting observations:

Surprisingly, seventeen of the 44 spots were unique. However, there was some overlapping.

Dick Laba and Bruce “Hollywood” Meyers showed up on all four teams.

Bill Johnson appeared on three of the lists.

Appearing on two of the squads were Wizard, Gene Willems, Bill Griffiths, Jeff Clark, Rich Baumgarten, Chuck Lange, Mark Hackbarth and Jack Zimmerman.

Jimmy G’s entire outfield is made up of players of Italian descent. I won’t repeat what the Wizard said when he heard this.

The one disturbing thing that I noticed was that my All Star team and the Wizard’s are very similar. Nine of the players are the same. Hopefully I’m not beginning to think like Wiz, as I get older.

Let me know whom you think was overlooked on our teams. It would be interesting to see if anyone can come up with a lineup stronger than any of these.

Until next time…from the booth.

Vagnoni Breakfast On The Fourth

This past Monday, at the suggestion of my cousin Susie, the Vagnoni family got together for a small breakfast gathering to celebrate Independence Day. What started out as a quiet and intimate get-together at Bonnie’s Diner on the northside of Kenosha, quickly turned into a boisterous and somewhat raucous congregation of family and friends. The throng of 24 even required a “kids” table.

Here are a few photos taken at the gala Fourth of July event.

Mark giving Mom a hug

Domenic, Pat and Mark

Uncle Dave and Aunt Bonnie

Auntie Joanne, Shelly and James

Aunt Bonnie, Samantha, Dusty, Uncle Joe and Auntie Joanne

Nancy, Briah, Jasmine and Joey

Shelly, James, Uncle Johnny and Auntie Janet

Mia and Nick

Annie and Susie

Mom, Me and Alex

Thanks to Mom, Susie, Alex, Nick, Joey, Nancy, Uncle Johnny, Auntie Janet, Uncle Joe, Auntie Joanne, Uncle Dave, Aunt Bonnie, Annie, Mia, Mark, Pat, Shelly, James, Dusty, Samantha, Briah, Jasmine and Domenic for making this a wonderful morning. And in case you were wondering, Aunt Bonnie isn't the proprietor of Bonnie's Diner.

 Hopefully everyone can make it again next year because I made reservations on the way out. Until next time…from the booth.

From The Booth All Stars

The wait is almost over. Major League Baseball will make it official this morning when the starters and reserves are unveiled for next week's All-Star Game at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. Online fan voting ended late Thursday night and entering the final week of balloting, a record 18.5 million ballots and 250 million total votes already had been cast. Rosters for both leagues were announced live at 11 a.m. on the All-Star Selection Show on TBS.

Before watching the All-Star Selection Show, I would like to make my picks public. For each league I have chosen the eight position players, a designated hitter, a starting pitcher and a relief pitcher. Please note that finding a deserving third baseman for the National League was next to impossible.

American League

 C – Alex Avila, Detroit Tigers

1B – Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Red Sox

2B – Robinson Cano, New York Yankees

3B – Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees

SS – Asdrubal Cabrera, Cleveland Indians

OF – Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees

OF – Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays

OF – Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox

DH – Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox

SP – Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

RP – Brandon League, Seattle Mariners

National League

 C – Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves

1B – Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers

2B – Rickie Weeks, Milwaukee Brewers

3B – Ty Wiggington, Colorado Rockies

SS – Jose Reyes, New York Mets

OF – Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers

OF – Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers

OF – Carlos Gonzales, Colorado Rockies

DH – Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds

SP – Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies

RF – Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves

I know, three Brewers. Call me a homer if you like, but those are my All Star squads. I have not yet chosen my reserves; I will do so later in the week. 

I don’t know if each team will get a representative, I don’t like that rule. However, with that being said, I am willing to listen to Cub fans as to who they feel should represent the northside of Chicago. Please be realistic.

Make sure you vote on the Greatest Sports Franchise in my poll. Until next time…from the booth.