3/23/11

Softball: Stout Resolve from the Logistical Abyss

Dear People,

Greetings again from world-famous Boalt Express and apologies for the
late email. Sadly, my entire Comcast service is still down, and while
there's a certain medieval tranquility in a home without TV, phone or
internet, it does make organizing our games a tad more challenging.
The good news, though, is that Comsuck technicians assure
me that my 'issues' are network-outage specific, that it's generally
not my fault, and that with a little luck, my triple-play package will
be up and running sometime between early this afternoon and eight
years from Saturday.

The point is that Jonny didn't fly over 10,000 miles from Melbourne to
Frisco (yeah, Frisco) just so that he could spend a few weeks
contemplating his gorgeous and ever burgeoning Aussie-American belly. Indeed, more than any person I know, he craves the solace of regular aerobic release, and thus I'll be damned if I'm going to tell him that it's not worth organizing a game this week just because of my stark technological isolation, the continuing threat of intermittent rain and the inevitably feckless and unseemly results when he actually does play.

Oh sure, such words are seeped in the logic of irrefutable truth, but
it's simply not what Jonny, you or the American people are going to
accept, and I certainly get that. And therefore there will be a game
at Grove Park (or possibly the Astroturf at Maxwell¬-Cal is on Spring
break!), this Sunday at 4PM, IF I get enough commits by this Friday
morning....Raymond

PS: I can't remember if I alluded to this, but I may have only
sporadic email access over the next few days. So please don't feel
tawdry if it takes me longer than usual to confirm your commit.
Courage...


3/23/11

Softball: Modern Again

Dear People,

There will hopefully be a game at Grove Park (or Maxwell Astroturf Field or even Underhill Astroturf Field) this Sunday at 4PM, and as of now it is full. As always, please let me know ASAP if you committed and need to cancel, and if you still want in, feel free to get on the wait list or contact me later for reopened slots.

Given the rain, you will need to check your email around 3PM that afternoon, and once again, never assume a cancellation since even if Grove is flooded and/or closed, I'm more optimistic about the two turf fields being available because of Spring break (though unfortunately, it's basically impossible to actually reserve any Cal facilities). Still, I'll do whatever I can to make this happen lest Jonny risk returning to Melbourne even more wan and flabby than when he first arrived.

Finally: Suckcast has now made me whole. Actually, my internet connection went down again after they supposedly fixed everything, but not to worry. Indeed, if we do play at Grove, the field fee is just $4, and that includes a detailed post-game demonstration on how I overcame my own technophobic neurosis and reset both my modem and router!!; Yes, I'm at home, I'm wired and I have the blood of 1,000 electrical engineers coursing through my veins…Raymond 845-7552

3/27/11

Softbll: Sunday 3PM: Maxwell at 4 it is (Fribee at 3:30?!), with Contingincies!...

Here's the sitch (as the youth say): Grove is closed and flooded, but as of now, Maxwell Astroturf Field is available and that's where we'll converge at 4. IF you can get there earlier for frisbee, please show up at 3ish! Do not park in the lot next to the field unless you pay, and be aware there is ample free parking near Bancroft and Gayley, a few minutes away.

IF you get there and find that it's taken by other softball-hating interlopers, go up to Codornices Field (yes, Codornices!), because as of this afternoon, they hadn't started any reseeding work, and while it's officially closed and fenced off, it is in fact gorgeous, puddleless, comfortably secluded fromy nosy neighbors and easily accessible by simply opening the gate. Of course resorting to such an option is still fraught with peril and raises a cornucopia of legal and ethical conundrums. Yet if Jonny goes camping next weekend, this will likely be his last chance to play before returning to Melbourne, and as I already told you, I will simply not allow him to go back even more wan, flabby, feckless and jejune than he already is.

See you at Maxwell, or if necessary Codornices, though if it starts to rain, all bets are off and it's not my fault…Raymond

PS: For now, if necessary call Chris Fure's cell: 510 225-8585

PS: If in doubt and it's only sprinking, please show up. Also, if we end up not playing, check email later for possible group dinner plans.

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