You are my magic dream!

The title of this post is the subject of another great visitor to the Kansas City Wizards inbox…from julia.lovelygirl2007@yahoo.com.cn

Dear sir:
 
       I am Jiang Haiyang,a Chinese girl student of Qiqihaer University,I have support you for so many years,I think this lyrics could represent my love to you.
     
      Only you can make this world seem right. Only you can make the darkness bright. Only you, and you alone, can thrill me like you do, and fill my heart with love for only you. Only you can make this change in me, for it’s true you are my destiny. When you hold my hand, I understand the magic that you do. You’re my dream come true, my one and only you.

      l am a student, and I like my job.One particularly good thing about being a student is that I am learning something new each day and thus making progress each day. This is wonderful. I keep growing all the time. I find great rewards  mentally.
    
       I have many hobbies: reading books, raising pets, etc. I like football very much, but I can’t play it very often, because it is a team sport. It is difficult to get enough people to play football with me. It’s a shame. I derive great pleasure out of my hobbies.
   
       That’s all,I haven’t written much,but I hope you can hear my wish from my heart and remember—I support you !My heart will be with you forever!!

        Finally,may I adventure to ask you to post me some autographcards of you?Thanks for the trouble!
                                                                                 Yours lovely
                                                                                          Jiang Haiyang

March-April Madness, Day 3

Good win for the Hawks…fortunately, it seems the whole CBB universe is as sick of UCLA as I am.

 

My dear friend Mel earned her bachelor’s from Bristol University, one of the better non-Oxbridge universities. We were talking about our university experiences, and I asked if her school was lousy with people irritated that they weren’t at Oxford or Cambridge. Yes, and, predictably, they were “twats”. I explained that we also had such institutions, and proceeded to provide an example or two.

While Vandy also lost today, they’re the fous of no one’s ire or mockery, other than those stupid benches. Check out this hilarious article about WVU’s win over everybody’s favorite safety school (well, okay, more backup plan than safety school). I’d give you a snippet, but I don’t want to spoil the fun of the last quote.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/23/sports/ncaabasketball/23duke.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Time of the Season

The two sporting seasons that matter most to me happen to have very limited overlap, which is quite convenient. These are, of course, KU basketball and Wizards soccer.

As for the former: Gee…if we get past UNLV, we’re looking at playing a 12-13 winner in the Sweet Sixteen. If we must, we must. 

As for the latter: The home opener is huge. We’ll have a sellout for the first time ever. New venue, fresh start. For Pete’s sake, send ‘em home happy.

The contrast between my two great loves is so, so stark.

KU basketball is one of the country’s great sporting traditions, third all-time in wins. The Wizards are among the more anonymous, lowest-attended teams in what is, at best, the fifth-most popular team sports league in Anglophone CONCACAF. KU basketball plays in Allen Field House on Naismith Drive. The Wizards play at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, an independent league baseball stadium in KCK…and this is an upgrade from playing at Arrowhead.

Generations of KU fans hand it down, and it’s continously replenished by new students coming through the school.

More next time on the Wizards’ fan base, and where we go from here.

The Worst Thing Anyone Has Ever Said

I was enjoying a pleasant game of Scrabble one night at a friend’s house, when, out of nowhere, one of the other guests said: “So, I was reading some gay ICP fanfiction on the Internet last night…”

This drew both catcalls and alarm. When confronted as to how and why he arrived this erotica, he claimed to have followed a link from a music forum. You be the judge.

My big mistake was asking him to describe it to us. Apparently, it was not at all tasteful or well done…no Anais Nin, this Jugalo scribe.

Other than asking others to “Hold me like you did by the lake on Naboo”, talking about the gay ICP fanfiction on the Internet has become my favorite conversation starter. Come to think of it, maybe the same person responsible for gay ICP fanfiction also wrote the dialogue for “Revenge of the Sith”. It would explain a great deal.

Of course, I have not actually sought out these tawdry tales of clown-on-clown action. Allow me to now LIVE BLOG!!! as I do so.

0624 GMT, March 19, 2008 (Hammer Time)

The clock turns to 1225 here in CDT (GMT-6+1). I am closing my Facebook window…nah. New window. Good start, fresh start.

0626 — another minute turns as George Washington accepts command of the Continental Army behind me in “John Adams”.

First search: EUREKA! This was much easier to find than expected.

Title: “I Ask Myself Why”
Author: hexeengel, copyright © 2005-2006 S.E.J.
Fandom: ICP
Pairing: J/Shaggy
Category: Slightly angsty, lots of yearning. Rating/Warnings: NC-17 for language and graphic depictions of sexual acts and homoeroticism.
Summary: A brief moment of intimate contact during a video shoot leads to entirely new levels of J and Shaggy’s relationship
Disclaimer: “If I didn’t see it, it’s not illegal!” “I know my rights, you can’t prove anything!” …In other words, this never happened. “You can’t see me!”
Notes: Inspired by a quickly passing and easily disregarded sequence in the “How Many Times” video. In relation to the timeline of my other fics, this occurs between “”Fuck Y’all, We Got Each Other” and “I Have No Control of Me.” Plus, more activity than just hands and oral, a first for “my” ICP, and we see a new side to them both as well. Enjoy.

Sample Prose:

He squeezed his eyes shut and inhaled sharply as he lifted his head. Fine den. No more playin’. “Joey,” his eyes popped open, “I need you.”Later, Jay thought he remembered seeing a grin before Shaggy growled and pounced.

Neither man felt in control as the storm finally broke between them, an intense flurry as lips met and clothing vanished. Soon their flesh was pressed close once again, their fingers seeming to leave trails of fire in their wake as both men readily remembered the feel of the other. Jay loved the almost graceful muscle definition the man above him possesed, and Shaggy reveled in the firm yet giving form that cushioned his weight. As tongues entwined and mouths only hungered more, four hands traveled over every inch of skin available, inevitably finding their way to the achingly hard lengths pressed between the two men’s bodies. Shaggy’s airy gasp accompanied Jay’s gutteral moan as those most sensitive of nerves became all the more engaged, and their passions blazed on.

I must admit that this was all I had hoped for, and more.

Leaning together again, Jay’s tongue mimicked his cock, working in and out of Shaggy’s mouth. The only way Shaggy could have thought to describe how the two motions together made him feel, was filled, completely and perfectly.Their confidence growing, caution quickly left the room and the thrusting of both men increased in enthusiasm. They moved together faster and harder, noises more closely resembling animals than men muffled by the pressure of their lips together. Jay let his fingers play over Shaggy’s chest and down his stomach, working their way to the erection sandwiched between them. He circled the head teasingly with one finger while Shaggy nearly squealed in his begging for more solid contact. Jay granted that to him, and the resulting moan sounded like melting. His hand curled around that rigid shaft and squeezed, then began stroking, starting slow but quickly working up to match and then surpass even the near frantic pace of his hips and tongue. Shaggy’s hole gripped him just as tightly, and he did all he knew how to hold off, wanting his partner to finish first.

At least Jay’s no two-pump chump. Well, not in the fanfiction, anyway.

All this and more can be found here.

I Am Job

So, one of the best parts of my job is that I get all incoming general emails. These range from the mundane (Where can I buy tickets?) to the arcane (What thread count are Jimmy Conrad’s bedsheets?).

The best ones, of course, are from foreigners, because, as we know, foreigners are funny.

I’ll share some of the better ones with you as an on running feature of this blog. I’ll go ahead and give you the best first…note that we got these within minutes of each other, all from the same guy.

---

Subj: football

HI! MY NAME IS SERKAN KESİCİ I WAS BORN IN ISTANBUL IN 1973. I'M

INTERESTED

IN SPOTRTS , ESPECIALLY FOOTBALL. I' M THIRTYTHREE YEARS OLD NOW. IN AUGST,

I WILL BE THIRTYFOUR. I' M MARRIED AND I LIKE SO MUCH FOOTBALL.. WHEN I WAS

GOING TO HIGH SCOOL, I WAS PLAYING FOOTBALL AT SCHOOL TEAM. BUT I HAD TO

LEAVE PLAYING FOOTBALL BECAUSE MY LEFT LEG WAS BROKEN ON A TRAFFIC

ACCIDENT.

BUT NOW, I DON'T HAVE A HEALTH PROBLEM IF YOU DON'T SAY MY WHITE HAIR AND

EXTRA FIVE OR SIX KILOGRAM. I WANT TO SAY THAT: I STILL PLAY FOTBALL VERY

WELL. I DON'T HAVE PROFESSIONAL LICENCE BUT I BELIVE THAT; I CAN PLAY

FOOTBALL FURTHER FOUR OR FIVE YEARS. IF YOU YOU DON'T GIVE A CHANCE FOR

PLAYER, I WANT TO EDUCATE YOUNG PLAYERS BETWEEN 13/15/16/18 YEARS OLD FOR

FOOTBALL WORLD. IF THE OPPORTUNITY WAS GIVEN, I WANT TO TRAVEL OLL OF THE

TURKEY OR WORLD IN ORDER TO, WATCH YOUNG PLAYERS , FIND CAPABLE YOUNG

PLAYERS AND PROPOSE  AS THE OFFICIAL WORKER FOR FOOTBALL CLUB.I BELIEVE ITTHAT; I CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IF I HAVE A ASSISTANT WHO CAN SPEAK ENGLISH VERY

WELL,  A DRIVER, LAPTOP ,350 OOO EURO PER A YEAR. PLANE TICKET  FOR GOING

TURKEY AND CAME BACK TWICE A YEAR. I WANT A CHANCE TO WORK  WITH THESE

CONDITIONS AS LIKE A MANAGER.

SINCERELY YOURS,

MY MOBILE PHONES:......05376620496

MY HOME PHONES:....+9002126675272

MY ADRESS:  ......S.ÇİFTLİĞİ MAH.187.SK. N.32 GO.PAŞA/İST

---

Subj: 1football İNGİLİZCE

MY NAME İS SERKAN KESİCİ 01/08/1973 İSTANBUL B.PAŞA BİRTH I CANT SPEAK ENGLISH I CAN SPEAK TURKISH THİS İS MAİL ENGLİSH DİCTİONARY VOCABULARY WRİTİNG I MARRİED AND ONE GİRL FOUR YEAR I SPORU AND FUTBALL VERY LOVE AND38/39 YEARS OLD PLAY FUTBALL İNTERETED MY FUTBALL LİCENSE I HİGH SCHOLL PLAY FUTBALL TODAY STAR OKAN BURUK [GALATASARAY İNTER BEŞİKTAŞ MUSTAFA KOCABEY GALATASARAY SAMSUNSPOR ÇANAKKALE KAYSERİ PLAYRS I PLAY FUTBALL THİS İS NAME WRİTE CAUSE REASON SOURCE REFERANS APPROUAL CANSENTNATURE NOT I GOOD PLAY FUTBALLEXPLAİN TELL METOME MADDİ[TURKİSH]AND MORAL SPİRİTUAL POSSİBİLİTY PLAY FUTBALL İNTERESTED I HAVE 1991 TRAFİC ACCİDENT MY FOOT SEARİNG LONGTİME PLAY FUTBALL HEAD WHİTE AND 2/4 KG REMAİNDER BUT FUTBALL LOVE 7/8/ YEAR PLAY FUTBALL WANT BESİDES 16/17 YEARS OLD HE PLAY FUTBALL LOVE AND ADAGUATE COMPOTENT GUALİFELD HE NAME İS SERDAR KANBER MY SİSTER İN LAW SİSTER OF THE WİFE SWARM OF BEES SERDAR KANBER İS FUTURE STAR UNİTY UNİON ASSOCİATİON MONEY MADDİ[TURKİSH] AND MORAL SPİRİTUAL POSSİBİLİTY PLAY FUTBALL CLUB I 39 YEARS FUTBALL LEAVE POSSİBİLİTY MANY ALOT COUNTRY YOUNG ABİLİTY CAPACİTİYTALENT ESTABLİSHİNG PROVİNG FUTBALL COUSETOWİNSTHOR TECNNİGUE DİREKTOR SERDAR AND I SERKAN KESİCİPROFESYONEL NOT BUT LOVE FUTBALL FUTBALL ABİLİTY CAPACİTYTALENT AEROPLANE TİKET AND PASSOPART MONEY NOT BUT LOVE FUTBALL YOURS FAİTHFULLY THANK YOU VERY MUCH……….. SERKAN KESİCİ 05376620496 02126675272 ADRES:S.ÇİFTLİĞİ MAH.187.SK. N.32 G.O.PAŞA/İST PK.34110 serkankesici@mynet.com pocket telephone05376620496 message ……+905376620496 house telephone +902126675272

---

Subj: football İNGİLİZCE

answer for your mail thank you very much 350000EURO one year for pay reguest. l am this figure accept l one year play football this figure but house hire taxs gift airplane passaport vize language similar expenses club pay indemnity cash on delivery provide lam serdar also bring wish for if you serdar what as much as give if merely my come you are wish for and play fotball wish for your proposal accept thank you very much regards you are answer positive or negative wait club play football l pride feel perceive learn hear……. telephone +9002126675272 house ………pocket telephone +9005376620496 adress s.çiftliği mah.187sk. n.32 pk.34110 g.o.paşa/ist

Big XII Tourney– Saturday

So much for blowing A&M out.  I confess, I don’t care about tomorrow’s game much at all…so little that I sold my tickets (face value)…I can only drive to KC so many times, I guess.

My buddy J. Royer and I went to the game and had the same thought…it feels like we’re just farting around until Sherron goes in.  Sorry, Russ.

The P&L was great again today…lots of action despite the chilly weather.

Big XII Tourney — Friday Night

After a dreadful first half, the Hawks pulled away to win over Nebraska. K-State couldn’t beat A&M. Idiot drunken K-State fans behind T-Lo and I at the game…can’t say I’ll miss having them around tomorrow.

The star of the show was the Sprint Center. Quality place to watch a game. The co-star was the P&L District, which was *mostly* ready for its close-up.  The Sister Hazel concert was filled, and when Trev and I didn’t feel like paying a $10 cover to get into Raglan Road, there were plenty of other options.

Looking forward to tomorrow…we should slaughter A&M.

The P&L District has a nice look, unified but not opressively so. Classy, clean, angular, but not self-consciously hip. My only real complaint is…Famous Dave’s? Are you serious? It’s missing something, though…I think it’s a kebab stand cart.

Rock Star II: Don’t Stop Believing

For those of you who don’t work with the husband of a Journey fan club leader, they have a new singer. And, yep, it’s Rock Star II. Arnel Pineda, lead singer of a Filipino cover band called “The Zoo” is Journey’s new lead singer. Okay, so they didn’t solely cover Journey, but it’s a good story nonetheless. Here he is providing vocals for Neal Schon and crew on one of the greatest songs ever, “Don’t Stop Believing”. Of course, he’s pretty good.  He’s Journey’s third effort at replacing Steve Perry, and has the advantage of not also being named “Steve”. 

For 5 points each, name:

–The band whose lead singer’s replacement was the basis for “Rock Star”.

–The lead singer who was replaced (for a time).

–The name (nickname is acceptable) of the guy that replaced him.

–The name of the tribute band that the replacement fronted.

Did you have any idea about this? I didn’t.

A bit more about Sasha Kaun’s life story. I had no clue.

An Enigma and a Question

First, a link to an article about a guy I knew for a brief, but interesting, period: Airick Leonard West. I knew none of his story when we were running in overlapping circles, but I can’t say I’m surprised by a word of it. Definitely a worthwhile read.

 Moving on to more prosaic matters: so,  I was just asked, “How’s that baseball stadium going?”

For the uninitiated, the Wizards are playing in a new venue for the first time since beginning play at Arrowhead in 1996: CommunityAmerica Ballpark, home of the (Northern League?) T-Bones.  Obviously, it’s quite a change, moving from 80,000 seat Arrowhead to 8,000 seat CAB. Other differences:

* There is not unlimited parking. You might have to walk a few blocks through the Legends and cross at a stoplight. If you aren’t feeling up to it, we’re providing constant shuttle buses. This is a matter of some consternation for some people.

* Say what you will about us playing in the lower bowl of Arrowhead, there were a lot more equivalently good seats than there are at CAB. Therefore, seat selection really wasn’t a problem for anybody.  Some of our half-season ticket holders, particularly the ones who have been with us for a long time (even since the first season) were a bit put off by no longer getting to have front row seats at midfield. We let full season ticket holders, no matter their seniority, go first. This is not crazy or evil.

* The stadium is just *different*. It’s designed for baseball. The front row is at ground level rather than 6 feet up like Arrowhead, designed for people to see over the teams on the sidelines. This = you really might not want seats in the front row.  People have a hard time believing me.

* The seats high and behind the endline, and the bleachers we’re installing over what is usually the (18 foot) left-field wall are considerably superior to the seats along the sideline that the half-season ticket holders can choose from (Sec. 105). I feel like I explain this thoroughly. About a third of them just don’t listen.  Whatever.

* If we could go over the mound, the sideline and corner seats would probably be a little better, but, then again, the bleacher seats wouldn’t be as good.

Anyway, we’re three weeks out, and there’s a lot of explaining left to do.  The opener kicks off a series of four games in three weeks before we have two months without a home game. I wish the transition could be a bit more gradual.