"Off Main Street: The SpeakEasy/BackRoom"

Everybody was out in their swimming pools with family and friends hanging around in the neighborhood yesterday, and we were cleaning out the garage with all our crap out in the lawn.

Oh well, I awoke to live another day.

On August 5, 2001 Cleveland Indians fans could be forgiven for heading for the exits early- it was the 5th inning and their team was getting crushed by the visiting Seattle Mariners by the whopping score of 14-2.  There were plenty of reasons these people were streaming  for the exits- perhaps they wanted to beat traffic, maybe they saw little point in watching the horrible play of their team - good and sound reasons all. 

These people also missed the greatest comeback in 137 years of baseball history as the Indians came all the way back to tie the game with 5 runs in the ninth inning, and eventually won in the 11th.  For good and sound reasons, they missed seeing a once in a lifetime game.  All because they left just a little early.

I hope my friends GL and Excalibur don't miss out on something great during their hiatus.  Personally, I think it is definitely possible.

GL, loved your post. Good on ya and, that attitude will keep you well, alive, strong and giving. It's all about heart condition... and that is not physiological but spiritual. You have much knowledge but I know you realize that knowledge only goes so far without heart. Put me in a good mood reading that. 

I've been pretty much doing the same, along with home & environ improvement. Wears me out I've been so busy. Much sweat and a little blood here and there, but no tears. All good stuff and worn out at days end, but a good tired and good sore from the physical labor around the home and property. Oh, and air tools are the ticket. Nail guns are awesome! 

Pining, loved your story about the Seattle v Cleveland game. Wish I would have seen that. Baseball is a great game. Being a Braves fan I got spoiled after so many good years with them. As far as missing something big... I think we all will be at least checking in and watching the markets and no doubt will be here to share in any big event. Our experiences, geography and circumstances are all different but we have common denominators and, speaking for myself and I think you, we have found good folks here that will make bad news bearable and good news that much more enjoyable.

Once was more than enough.

Pining, the Speak is one of the uplifting places I like to hang out, so I won't be leaving this place. This is an oasis of the best of the human spirit.

I was following the England cricket team yesterday who seemed set for defeat against South Africa.

Most of the pundits laughed off possibilities of them staging a comeback and snatching a victory.  But I listened on, knowing that 'miracles' do happen and, by definition, are only miracles because everyone has dismissed the possibility of them happening. They battled on and were getting closer and closer, and the crowd stopped leaving. There was a hush as every ball was bowled followed by chanting when the batsmen survived. But eventually they did succumb. I was glad I followed it to the end, despite the loss. The battle was worthy.

So, If there is a sudden turnaround, I'll be there.

I just have the feeling that we are seeing a number of interesting forces are coming to a confluence to give us the fuel for a big push in the metals, and it would be a shame to have suffered through nasty beat-downs, rallies that fizzled, and a grinding three-month long summer doldrums...  and miss out on the fun of the big move.  I could be very wrong, of course, but there is a feeling in the air.

About 10 years ago I had a very good friend who was British (we both moved and only keep in touch sporadically now) and he was a huge cricket fan-  had a framed and signed picture of Reggie somebody on his office wall - and he would live or die with the internet feed of England's latest match.  In the early days of the internet, he would stay up all night watching the numbers of the box-score on the screen for some "test match" against India.

He would joke that the worst legacy of British colonialism was that, after having taught all of these peoples around the world the great game of Cricket, they now take their revenge by kicking England's butt endlessly, and that despite having invented the game, England could never win now. 

Pining, yes for a long time we had enjoy being trounced by the West Indies, then the Australians in past decades and struggled to beat India in India..

But this past year England climbed their way to no 1 ranking, only to lose that status this week to S Africa after a lacklustre performance in the last three test matches (which each last for five days).

I guess many of us are living on hope and faith at the moment, with a good deal of philosophical dampening to curb any runaway  expectation, though a little spike here and there scratches away at the protective patina of low expectation to reveal the excitement we felt many months ago.