Baseball’s Other All-Stars, The Greatest Player From the Negro Leagues, The Japanese Leagues, The Mexican League, and the Pre-1960 Winter Leagues in Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic by William F. McNeil

The Cuban people began a love affair with baseball more than 130 years ago, not long after the game was popularized in the United States.

I love exploring histories dark corners and shedding light on things I didn’t know before and that is what I am expecting from this book.

Lynn Johnson and Shelly Barre

Todays’ music won’t be found anywhere except in the memories of some people.  I remember from High School the sounds from the singing groups that Mr. DeBusman directed and some of the good music from people at church.  From one summer full of camps I remember the gorgeous voice of Traci Apple, whom I wanted to sign at my wedding but was overruled.  When we went to Community Bible Fellowship there were many wonderful voices that we got to listen to Bob Crews, Danielle Capps Valentine, Lynn Johnson and Shelley Coulter Barre were a few of the great voices that I wish I could find some way to put on my ipod.

Lunatic by Ted Dekker and Kaci Hill;2009; 304 pages; Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN; 978-1-59554-373-8; 2/28-3/2

Elyon by Ted Dekker and Kaci Hill; 2009; 287 pages; Thomas Nelson, Nashivlle, TN; 978-1-59554-374-5; 3/2-3/3

Green, The Circle, Book Zero, The Beginning and the End by Ted Dekker; 2009; 392 pages; Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN; 3/3-3/5

Lunatic and Elyon are the final two books of The Lost Books series, they return Darsal, Johnsis and Silive from our world to the world of the Horde and the Forest Guard.  Things have changed while they were seeking the lost books in our world, the Horde are in charge, there is a group of half breeds and Thomas Hunter and the members of the circle seem to have disppeared.  Their mission seems to have changed and each of them is asked to do somethng that goes against their nature.  The story leads right into Green, which is billed as a sequel and a prequel to the Circle Trilogy, Black, Red, White. Thomas Hunter goes back and forth between worlds, trying to make things right and serving Elyon.  Thomas works with the Horde and the Eramites while trying to save two worlds.  Amazingly enough Green does work as an exciting story and a sequel and prequel to the trilogy.  Lunatic and Elyon-Grade B, Grade-A

I know I am repeating already, but today is Ruth Ann’s 29th birthday, for the 24th time, (you do the math).  Once again I want to thank God for her and her for putting up with me.

I first met my best friend in July of 1972.  My Dad had just retired from the US Navy and we moved from Big Sur, CA to Eugene, OR so that he could get his degree in Library Sciences.  We searched for a church to attend and finally they decided on Berean Baptist. There a big part (6 kids) of the youth group was the Berry family.  I hung out with Jim and Chuck, visiting their home and hanging out with the youth group.  I dated someone else during most of high school.  Ruth and I both graduated from High School in mid June 1975, the 12th for me.  On the 23rd I helped my family move to Portland and at 0500 on the 25th I went to boot camp.  When I graduated boot camp, I was stationed at San Diego and on weekends when I didn’t have duty I would fly to Eugene and stay at the Berry home.  I would fly in on Friday evening and take Ruth out to dinner, and on Saturday I would have another friend pick me up and take her out to dinner.  It was a different girl every Saturday, put I didn’t know I was angering Ruth.  Evidently one time she slammed the door in the girls’ face.  Sorry, whoever you were.  After that I was stationed in Hayward and whenever I wanted to talk with someone at home, I would call and talk to Ruth.  She even moved to California while I was there and we went out a couple of times, even going to the coldest church either of us had ever attended.  I would write her long letters.  After getting out of the Navy I moved to Portland and we would see each other sometimes. In December of 1984 I invited her to a Huey Lewis concert, but she didn’t want to go.  I thought that was the end, although I do remember writing that I knew I would either marry Ruth or another woman, I know who, but don’t know if it would be wise to reveal her identity.   In March of 1985 Ruth invited me to a birthday party for her and her brother Jim.  I said I didn’t have enough money, so she came and got me in Portland.  That was March 5, on March 17 we were engaged.  People that only knew one of us, commented that it might be rather sudden, people that knew both of us commented that it was about time, after all we had known each other for thirteen years at that time.  We got married in July of 1985 and have gotten closer ever since.  Although there have been times when I have tried to push her away or my depression or anger have interfered with our relationship.  A best friend is always there for you no matter what and that would describe Ruth.  She sticks by me and is constant in praying for me and encouraging me and helping me to be a better person.  This July we will have been married 25 years and have known each other for 38 years.  I am looking forward to 38 more years.  I am  very thankful for the gift that I been given of Ruth Ann.

One of my favorite TV shows over the last four or five months has become LOST.  David started watching it streaming through our Netflix account and I got hooked.  Trying to bring some sense to the craziness I discovered io9.com.  It covers much more than LOST, it covers science and science fiction in all forms, art, books, tv and movies, and just science in general.  I really enjoy it and hope you do to.

“Around one corner an alcove housed a few Roy DeCarava photographs; from the ceiling a wash of etched glass spires hung to suggest the Portland rain.  It was a magnificent house and Morgan coveted it.”

Betwixt by Tara Bray Smith

I first heard about this on io9.com it is about three teenagers in Portland and some interesting times they have together.  I have this in my to be read pile, and am looking forward to reading it, and finding out why if you live in Portland you would need glass spires to suggest the rain, when it happens so consistently during the winter.

Last Friday, February 26, would have been Johnny Cash’s’ 78th birthday, which makes my Dad just a month older than Johnny would have been.  I heard during the day that someone was trying to start a movement to get people to dress entirely in black, for the Man in Black, on Johnny’s birthday.  As a reminder of the things he sang about in the song, Man in Black,

Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
Well, there’s a reason for the things that I have on.

Ah, I’d love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything’s OK,
But I’ll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
‘Till things are brighter, I’m the Man In Black.

There are many things to remember about Johnny Cash and all his music, but this seems like a fitting tribute to John.  Starting February 26, 2011 I will attempt to undertake this tribute annually.

Two Thousand Minnows, An American Story by Sandra Leigh; 2003; 455 pages; The Lyons Press, Guilford, CT; 1-58574-854-4; Checked out from Multnomah County Library, Central; 2/22-2/28

A memoir of a family following their father as he chases his American Dream around the United States. They travel from Arizona to West Virginia to Florida to Ohio to California with lots of adventures in between and in each place.  Narrated by Sandra the, the oldest of five children, we first meet the family when she is 5 or 6 and ends when she is in her early 20’s.  She is the glue that holds her family together knowing how and when to react to her parents different moods.  She knows how to protect her siblings from her father’s alcoholism and their mother’s depression.  She exhibits the insecurity that comes fr0m moving so often and seemingly not belonging anywhere, somehow she survives the trauma that comes from being torn out by the roots just as those roots seemingly are digging in.  To me there are two threads that run throughout the book, one is Sandra’s dedication to finding a sister that is given up at birth and Sandra’s determination to live her own life, not one that has been supposedly predetermined for her.  This could have been a very depressing book but Sandra puts in just enough humor to keep it from being too heavy.

I think the reason I picked up the book was the frequent moves described in the synopsis.  I was surprised one day when I was trying to remember why I picked it up to see that one of the blurbs was by Holly-Goldberg Sloan, whom I had gone to high school with.  Maybe that was why I picked it up, if so thanks Holly.  Grade-A

Monday-I gave you my opinion that there is only one true band called Van Halen.

Tuesday-I teased a book about Hawaii, that is still in my bedside stack and reviewed a book about the Red Sox and Yankees.

Wednesday- We went wandering to some funny websites.

Thursday-This day just goes to prove as Rosanna Rossana Danna always used to say “there’s always something”

Friday- A friend is closer than a brother.

Have a great weekend and remember there’s always something to read or watch or do.