Fighting three battles

Okay, I got to meet my old friend for thanksgiving and finish my Christmas shopping.  Then this past Saturday I went back to work. Normal day, but my life would soon change real quickly.  As I was laying down the butyl, I was just laying it flat on the drum to keep it tight. As I hit cycle button my hand for some reason could not get off  it went between the drum and the murphy roller.  Pain was the least of my worries.  My first reaction was I'm going to die on this machine and that's not the way to go.  I went into shock and I don't remember too much from there.  Woke up in the dispensary and was wondering where I was at.  They later take me to St. Francis hospital  in Topeka where they took me into the emergency room pump me fool of drugs, took x-rays and tried to get me comfortable.   I thought what is wrong with me.

Later into the night the doctor had taken some blood work and come to fine out I have Type 2 diabetes.  Great as if my night couldn't get any worse.  There was some good news the left hand (the non dominant) was not broken, but it is painfully sore.  I was later release from the hospital taken back the dispensary and later on I eventually went home.

Right now, I am fighting three battles in my life.  One to try to keep my job at Goodyear so that I still have an income coming in.  Two I am fighting to keep my blood pressure in check and now this newest battle of fighting type 2 diabetes. If there was ever a time that I needed Jesus to help me fight my battles it would be right now.  I don't understand why this happen.  I did everything as my trainer has told me and for some reason my hand never got off.  I would like to give a big thanks to Johnny aka squirrel for hitting  the emergency stop in time.  Without him my injuries probably could have been much worse.

Signed,
Tim "lucky to be alive" Crippen

November Potpouri

Well let's start.. Congratulations on the Kansas City Royals for winning the AL pennant.  They made watching baseball fun again. They took it all the way to a game 7 and if you had told me this team would make the world series.  I would have laughed and said "your crazy".  However, this team showed heart and determination and made people believe in the team again.

The other story is me working at Goodyear.  It's now  been a month and slowly, but surely, I am starting to realize that there more involving the job than just building tires.  You are building belts, your are stocking the tires on a flat bed, you are taking the tires via the tug truck. You are sometimes stocking your fellow workers with liners, sidewall, butyl, etc.  I sometimes ask myself the question "Am I able to keep up with these people?"  Now, I know that my co-workers are always saying to me that the speed will come.  I want to believe, but I have a hard time seeing the big picture because this is so different for me. I have been through quota's before when I work at Silpada as a picker/packer.  This is a bigger scale because I am building tires compare to just getting your order right.  I am going to give them my best and that's all I can do. If it works great and if doesn't at least I can say that I tried and not quit.  I have switched shifts from 1st to second hoping to get better training and maybe get along with new co-workers.  I did dodge a bullet by not getting laid off this past week.  That would have sucked...I would have been here for a month and they let me go...man I just got started.

Also, yesterday I went inside an IKEA store for the very first time.  The store reminds me of a combination of a Nebraska Furniture Mart meets a Crate & Barrel.  Huge selection of many items and great food at their restaurant.  I tried their famous sweedish meatballs with mashed potatoes & gravy along with lingberries. 

Signed
Tim "ready for thanksgiving" Crippen

What a week

This has been a busy and great week in mid October 2014.  First of all, I started my first week at Goodyear and I am so excited. I will eventually be making small tires on their assembly, but for the first two weeks I am learning all rules and regulations and all that other so called fun stuff.  Some of it is interesting and it pertains to the job that I will be doing. While, some of the other stuff I want to just take nap.  The following week is when I get out on the floor and start to make the tire process.  I will admit that I am excited and scared at same time.  I am thrilled to be here, but at the same time I just want make great quality product as I want to be able to keep my job.  This is where I say "Thank You lord for watching over me and giving me an opportunity to try to make things right when it seems like I do nothing but wrong things."  

Also, as if you haven't heard the Kansas City Royals are going back to the World Series.  If you had ask me before the season if the royals would make postseason.  I would have said Yes.  When they made postseason did I think they could win the wild card and I would have said yes. However, if you had ask me if they could ALDS or ALCS?  I would have said "Your nuts."  Well, this team has done the impossible....played in eight postseason games and have won all eight.  Now all of sudden we are American League Champions.  This team has won on nothing more than defense and speed. I will say this no matter what happens in the World Series this has been a great year for the royals.   I would say this has been one of those what a week moment.

The Royals and my unemployment drought are almost over

As a ten year old fourth grader, I remember watching on a Saturday night game 6 of the 1985 World Series. Seeing the infamous Don Denkinger  bad call at first base.  Thank goodness there wasn't replay back then, but the royals ending up winning that game 2-1.  The next night cy young award winner Bret Saberhagen won 11-0 and the royals won their only world series.  After 29 years, the royals are one win away to getting back into the postseason.  For a generation of fans they don't know postseason baseball. For us old timers and I used the term loosely we have seen the good, the bad and worst of this team. We are one win away and I'm not sure how to celebrate if we do get in.  This year's royals team has coincide with my life. It's been 20 months since I have had permanent full time work. Sure, I have done part time, temporary and even some assignments to fill the time.  But, I have been struggling to get full time with great pay and benefits. This year it might possibly end as I have been offer a job at the Goodyear plant. There are still some hurdles to climb, but were almost there.

Just like in my struggles, the royals have clawed, scratched and comeback to almost making the postseason.  So, if this is night that we celebrate let us celebrate with tears, laughter and joyful noise. As this team can finally say "Let's party like it's 1985."

Jose Canseco and my 20th high school reunion

So, a former MLB player comes to an independent league game for charity.  Harvesters is local food bank for the Kansas City area.  The ballplayer who came Jose Canseco.

As a teenager I use to think this guy was a Greek god.   Could hit homeruns in the upper deck that looked like moonshots. Won rookie of the year in 1986, was the first man to go 40/40 (forty homeruns & stolen bases in one season).  Won a championship with Oakland and was one of the bash brothers. 

Then all of sudden the steroid era came and I finally wised up.  Some of the best players who played the game were either tested positive or are under suspicion of cheating by using PED's. That's why people like Jose Canseco and others will never get into the Hall of Fame. However, I will give Jose some credit.  If he had not wrote the book "juiced", who knows if baseball would have cleaned up the act.  I originally thought he wrote the book just to make money, but now it turns out he was really telling the truth.  Even at age 50, the dude still looks like freak.

Now, just about two weeks ago, I decided to go my 20th high school reunion and I will tell you it was a blast.  Big thanks to the ladies who put this together.  Met some classmates I haven't seen since high school.  It really is true that as time goes by people really do mature.  I will show you a chart and you can decide for your self.

The 5 year reunion: you just finished up college or you have been in the workforce for few years.
The 10 year reunion:  Some people are establishing themselves and are married and have kids
The 20 year reunion: Wow your kids are almost graduating from high school and they can see the light at end of tunnel. They realize it's not about them anymore.

We all share some memories amongst each other.  Some are memorable, embarrassing and some you would like to forget.  Overall, it didn't feel like a judgmental crowd.  It felt more like a party and everyone was invited.

Sincerely,
Tim "had a great time" Crippen

Riding the Verruckt

Last Saturday, I decided to go to Schlitterbahn waterpark in KCK.  It was a warm 94 degrees which is perfect weather. Sure, there are the waterslides, boogie boards and the lazy river.  The main reason for going there is the main attraction that they built for this season.  The world's tallest waterslide at 165 ft. named Verruckt  was calling my name.  Taller than Niagara Falls or Statue of Liberty it truly is big when you stand right next to it. 

First you have to reserve a spot if you aren't able to do that then you have to wait in the stand by line. I had to wait in the stand by line because all the reserve spots got filled for that this day. I waited 2 and half hours to get on the ride. Then you get on a scale with one or two other people. The scale has to total 400 to 550 pounds to make the ride feasible.  Once, your group has been weighed then you go listen to the rules and later you climb up 264 steps to get to the top.  I felt like I was climbing the bunker hill monument (which has no elevator). The people in my group were Denise from St.Louis, Christine from Texas who was knockout and yours truly.  All of us complete strangers who had never met and were enjoying the view from the top of structure.  You can see the Kansas City skyline and the rest of the legends area.  We enter into the raft and all I was thinking "please dear lord don't let me pee in my swimming trunks." The raft went down and I screamed all the way down.  The first initial drop makes your heart jump out of your chest. Then you go up a second hill and it's not quite so bad.  What is my review.....it's well worth the wait.  Two thumbs up and yeah I would do it again.

Sincerely,
Tim "survived the world's tallest waterslide" Crippen

Derek Jeter's farewell tour

When Derek Jeter announced that he was retiring from baseball during spring training camp.  I was going through mixed emotions.  On one hand, there is the guy who despises the Yankees doesn't want anything to do with them (except collect signed memorabilia).  The other part of me is a baseball traditionalist who respects the game and it's players.  Derek Jeter fits that mold.  Plays the game all out like George Brett. He started his own charity called turn two and the guy never makes the headlines for other reasons other than his sport that he loves.  He's not a vocal leader on the field, but his action speaks louder than words.   As I enter the ballpark, I realize that I won't seem him play here in Kansas City ever again.   Seeing Jeter for last time is like seeing Brett, Ripken or Tony Gwynn retiring from the same team in my generation.  In previous generations it would be like seeing Stan Musial, Mickey Mantle or the great Ted Williams.  So, if he comes to your city this summer expect big crowds, but also just enjoy this man's talents. Players like this don't come around that often.

Signed

Baseball fan Tim Crippen

My first race under the lights

Close to five years ago; in an October 2009 post,  I wrote about the racing time trials.  My only experience at the Kansas speedway.  Now, fast forward nearly five years later and I come to  my first race ever under the lights.  I had to remind myself  how loud these cars and trucks can be passing you through turn 4.   I went to see the truck race to see what it is all about, but before they raced the Nascar guys and gal (Danica Patrick) did their qualifying last night. Five years ago the race speeds were 175 mph. Last night a new track was set by Kevin Harvick  at 194 mph. My goodness has technology improve these machines or what. 

So, the truck race begins and I decided to give my opinions through a  famous movie title "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.


The Good

The race is loud and obnoxious, but I expect that. You can smell smoke, rubber and maybe the occasional sausage.  I love the fact that this was first race under the lights.  Night racing  is really cool when you get to see actual sparks from underneath the car.  The weather cooperated making it a perfect evening.  Parking is free and you can bring your own food in a collapsible cooler....the people who run the speedway get it.

The Bad

When your ticket says 7:30 start time....I expect 7:30 start time.   I know there is the driver's introductions, the invocation, the star spangled banner and the most famous words "Driver's start your engines." However, you can move those things up a little bit...the real racing didn't start until 7:50.  C'mon Man.

The Ugly

Caution flags way too many.  As a casual race fan this why I don't watch too many races. There were 8 cautions before we had even hit 90 laps. The first came even before we even finish lap one.  Some people like this, me I can't stand it.  It did get better after lap 90, but that's only because there were few trucks to be tangled with.

Sincerely
Tim "racing under the lights is cool" Crippen

Draft Day...finally a football movie that shows what goes behind the scenes.

There have been a lot of football films over the years that will tug at your heart strings from "Brian's Song" to "Rudy".  There have been comedies about the game, but there has never been a film that really shows of what happens in the front office.   Enter Draft Day a film that even the NFL got behind. Sonny Weaver Jr. (Kevin Costner) is the GM of the Cleveland Browns who is deciding to do with his pick.  He has many obstacles in his way. He has deal with newly hired coach (Dennis Leary) who wants run his team his way. His mom, his ex-wife and his down low girlfriend played by Jennifer Gardner.  Just when you think you know what he is going to do with his pick, there comes even more twists and turns.   Costner seems to do pretty good in these sports film like "Bull Durham" and "Field of Dreams". However, it's Jennifer Gardner who plays the finance guru of the team that really makes the film wonderful to watch.  I know my sister-in-law is not a huge Costner fan, but she likes Jennifer Gardner.  Anyway, I would consider this a date film....Guys will like the football aspect of it and the women will like love and human interest story of it. Three out of four stars for me.

Signed
Tim "finally a good football film" Crippen

PS:  There is one unrealistic scene where the owner flies from New York back to Cleveland..when you see it..you'll get it.

March Maddnes 2014

Before I go on with my picks for the final four this year, I just want to give big shout out to my alma mater high school.  The Lansing Boys win their first ever state title in basketball.  They defeated Highland Park in the 5A state championship 48-27 and go undefeated with 25-0 record. Way to go Lions what an unbelievable season.

 

Now time for the picks after studying, watching and listening to games this season.  It is clear to me that there isn't really one defiant team out there that can take it all.  True, the Wichita state shockers are still undefeated at 34-0, but can they win the whole thing.  I am rooting for them so that I can witness sports history. However, as realist I must go with my gut on who I think will be in the final four in Dallas, Texas.  My teams Syracuse, Michigan St, Louisville, and Arizona who I think will win the national championship.  Those are my picks and I am sticking with it.

 

Sincerely, Tim "warren buffet just give me the check" Crippen

Midwest Sports Autograph show

I know that tomorrow is Valentine's Day and for a guy who doesn't have a sweetheart or is in a real loving mood.  I would decide write about my only love  and that is for sports. People who know me know my passion for it and how I would like to be a part of it someday.  So, last weekend I decided to go the Midwest Sports Autograph Show at the Overland Park Trade Center.  They do this show once every 4 or 5 years.  Sure, they have a lot vendors out there selling and buying your sports memorabilia.  However, they had a lot of current and former NFL and college players who were Heisman trophy winners, Superbowl champs, MVP's just to name a few.  The first person I got to meet was this guy below Len Dawson QB for SB IV champion K.C. Chiefs.

Len happen to see that I was wearing my Bears jersey of Brian Urlacher and he ask me who #54 was and I told him it was Brian Urlacher.  He said. "Linebacker, yeah I had a linebacker who beat the crap out of me and his name was Dick Butkis." (another bears linebacker).  Hilarious Len always keeping real cool.

 

Len wasn't the only former player check out the pics below

 

 

Marcus Allen former chiefs RB

Jerry Rice..The best WR period.

Emmitt Smith great RB for the cowboys broke my favorite player's rushing record

Jamaal Charles current chiefs RB....got photobomb by jerry rice...dang I wish I would have had my camera for that moment.

 

Good times at the show 

 

Super bowl in a cold city

We are just less than a week away from the Superbowl in New York City...oh sorry I mean new jersey as the Denver Broncos take on the Seattle Seahawks. This is a first for the big game as they are hosting the championship game in cold city without a roof.  In years past they have hosted in cold cities with a dome....Minneapolis, Detroit and Indy to name a few. Majority of them have been held in warm climates San Diego, Phoenix, tampa or Miami.  So why try to host a superbowl in cold weather facility without a roof? I don't know ask NFL commissioner Roger goodell and his selection committee. I think it is stupid to have it there for multiple reasons...one it is too freaking cold outside for any sane fane to sit out in. Two there is possibly a chance for a blizzard to happen causing the outcome of the game. Three your corporate sponsors would rather be in a nice warm suite.  The halftime show will be okay Bruno mars and red hot chilli peppers....hopefully they able to move the floor around. Prediction score Broncos 28-Seattle 25.

Signed
Tim "ready for the game" Crippen

PS
Hey at least next year it will be in phoenix.