Boy, I've talked about the Mariners a lot on here, haven't I? Just do a search for "Mariners" on this blog, and you'll see what I'm talking about. I care a lot about them; they're one of my top two favorite sports teams. I've followed them passionately for almost 25 years, and boy has my loyalty been tested. The 2022 season is about to begin and there's something this team has that they haven't had too often the last 20 years: Expectations. This team is expected to improve, succeed, and finally end that now 21-year postseason drought. But I've learned from past experiences to not get my hopes up too high with the Mariners, because I always seem to be let down.
Honestly, I'm torn. Part of me wants to be super excited, get behind this team, and stay as optimistic as I can. However, the other part of me knows if I get too excited and optimistic that I will be let down again, and to be let down after being that optimistic is just heartbreaking.
One thing that makes me not want to be optimistic is the fact that the Mariners outperformed last season. They relied upon winning a lot of close games, and when they lost, they lost bad. They ended up with a -51 run differential, meaning they should have won closer to 76 games than the 90 they ended up with. I fully expect that run differential to improve, but that doesn't mean their win total will. Many times in sports, teams regress the year following a season they were "lucky". It happens in the NFL and it happens in Major League Baseball.
We will learn a lot from this season. We will learn if this team will continue to be on the rise or if they take a step back. We'll learn about Jarred Kelenic, and if he is going to make something of himself or not. We'll get to see Julio Rodriguez and see what he can do. If anything, I'm just excited to see new faces and see what this team can do with expectations.
I'll likely write another blog on the Mariners around the mid-way point of the season, giving my thoughts on the team. I hope to be writing about the amazing start the Mariners have, how they're leading the AL West, and start envisioning a playoff berth for the first time in 21 years. Should be fun!
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Resetting my Expectations for the Seattle Mariners
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
2022 MLB Predictions
I'm not going to lie, there was a part of me that thought the 2022 MLB season might not happen. The lockout seemed to go on forever, but fortunately the two sides came together and reached an agreement.
I'm going to quickly predict the order of each division, knowing in all likelihood I will be wrong about most. But hey, it's still fun to do. But I'm not going to pick Wins and Losses like I've done in the past, because all that matters is the order and who makes the playoffs. Wild card teams will have an * by their name.
NL East
1. Atlanta Braves
2. New York Mets
3. Philadelphia Phillies
4. Washington Nationals
5. Miami Marlins
Comment: No wild card teams here as this remains the weakest division in the NL.
NL Central
1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. St. Louis Cardinals*
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Pittsburgh Pirates
5. Cincinnati Reds
Comment: The poor Reds are clearly selling farm and rebuilding.
NL West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2. San Francisco Giants*
3. San Diego Padres*
4. Arizona Diamondbacks
5. Colorado Rockies
Comment: It's an even year, so the Giants will have some success.
AL East
1. Tampa Bay Rays
2. New York Yankees*
3. Toronto Blue Jays*
4. Boston Red Sox
5. Baltimore Orioles
Comment: This is going to be a crazy division, any of the top 4 could win the division,
AL Central
1. Chicago White Sox
2. Cleveland Guardians
3. Minnesota Twins
4. Detroit Tigers
5. Kansas City Royals
Comment: This division isn't ripe with talent but I could see the non-division winners making a run at the wild card, at the very least.
AL West
1. Houston Astros
2. Seattle Mariners*
3. Los Angeles Angels
4. Texas Rangers
5. Oakland Athletics
Comment: This should be a fun division, as any team could surprise. I feel hesitant putting the Athletics so low, because when I underestimate them, they surprise. They did trade away Chapman and Olson, however.
Yep, that's right, I have my Seattle Mariners ending their 21 year postseason drought! Thanks to the expanded playoffs, although I don't think they'd be the 6 seed in the AL. Maybe 5. Let's go through the playoffs:
NL Wild Card
(6) Padres vs. (3) Brewers: Padres win
(5) Cardinals vs. (4) Giants: Giants win
AL Wild Card
(6) Blue Jays vs. (3) White Sox: Blue Jays win
(5) Mariners vs. (4) Yankees: Mariners win
NL Divisional
(6) Padres vs. (2) Braves: Braves win
(4) Giants vs. (1) Dodgers: Dodgers win
AL Divisional
(6) Blue Jays vs. (2) Rays: Rays win
(5) Mariners vs. (1) Astros: Mariners win
League Championship Series
(2) Braves vs. (1) Dodgers: Dodgers win
(5) Mariners vs. (2) Rays: Rays win
World Series: Dodgers in 5
Well, my Mariners made the playoffs and made it to the league championship series! Where yet again, they were denied their first ever trip to the World Series. Oh well. Here's who I predict will lead certain categories for the Mariners:
Average: Adam Frazier
Home Runs: Mitch Haniger
RBI: Mitch Haniger
Stolen Bases: JP Crawford
Wins: Marco Gonzales
Strikeouts: Robbie Ray
ERA: Robbie Ray
Saves: Paul Sewald
All-Stars: Jessie Winker, Mitch Haniger, Robbie Ray
Tuesday, March 8, 2022
Organized Thoughts about the Russell Wilson Trade
I'm still in shock from the trade that was announced earlier today: Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. It seems like today's a dream that I need to wake up from. I thought of all the ways I could have put my thoughts into words, and I decided the best way would be to ask myself (and answer) questions regarding this trade and the impact it will have on the future.
Hey there, future Brian here (Nov. 2023). I thought I'd comment on my takes about this trade now that we've seen 1.5 seasons out of Russ and seen the Seahawks without him.
Who do you think will win this trade in the long run?
Honestly, the Broncos. Usually, the team that acquires the star player wins the trade. The times that they don't win the trade are because the star player completely flops on his new team or has off the field issues. That will not happen with Russell Wilson.
And given the Seahawks track record for drafting, it's unlikely they'll draft anyone in the next few years that has near the impact that Russ had in Seattle. And it's unlikely any of the players the Seahawks acquired (Lock, Fant, Harris) will improve their game enough to give the Seahawks an edge.
Yikes! Well Russ for the most part has "flopped". And the Seahawks drafting has gotten a lot better in the last couple of years. We got Charles Cross, Boye Mafe, and Devon Witherspoon out of the draft from those draft picks, among others. I think the Hawks win this trade now.
How well do you think Russell will do in Denver?
It's hard to say. I've only ever seen Russell in Seattle. I don't think he's going to have a crazy amount of success, especially given the division and conference he will play in. I see him having one, maybe two seasons where he and the Broncos make a legitimate run at a Super Bowl. But seeing as he will likely command a new contract in a year or two, I don't see the Broncos being able to keep a bunch of talent around him (the problem the Seahawks would have ended up facing).
First off, Russ re-signed with the Broncos before even playing a snap. Anyway, it's getting harder to see a Super Bowl run from him and the Broncos, especially considering their stiff competition in the AFC.
What will the Seahawks do at quarterback?
The Seahawks did acquire Drew Lock from the Broncos, but he has been lackluster so far. He will be given a shot in training camp, but the Hawks will very likely bring another (or two) quarterback in to compete with him. The Hawks do now have the 9th overall pick, and they could take Kenny Pickett with that selection, or they could wait until next year's draft, when the QB class is supposed to be even better.
I think the Hawks will acquire a veteran free agent to compete with Lock and try to rely upon the running game in 2022.
I'm laughing at the idea of the Hawks taking Kenny Pickett with the 9th overall pick last year. So glad we didn't. I didn't even mention Geno Smith, who I assumed was leaving and had not re-signed at that point yet. YIKES again.
Are the players the Seahawks got any good?
Kind of. As I mentioned, Drew Lock has been lackluster, but was a first round pick who could benefit from a change of scenery. He's a solid backup at the very least.
Noah Fant is an above average tight end who does a bit of everything pretty well. He is still young and could develop into one of the better tight ends in the NFC.
Shelby Harris isn't young for an NFL player (30), but he's a borderline pro-bowl defensive lineman who will instantly become a starter and could start for a few seasons.
They've been solid. Lock hasn't really had much opportunity, but Fant has done well with limited targets. I wish we'd target him more. Harris only played one year for us.
Why did the Hawks trade Wilson?
Was Russ unhappy? Not really. But he wasn't the happiest he could be. Slowly over the past 7-8 years, the Hawks have regressed, particularly on defense and the offensive line. Russ knew if he had more talent around him, he'd have multiple Super Bowls instead of just the one. The Hawks front office failed to surround him with even an average offensive line in the last 5-7 seasons and the defense has regressed every year in the past five.
But the reason the Hawks traded Wilson largely comes down to money. He had two more years left on his contract, and the rate for a top-flight quarterback was getting extremely steep. We saw Aaron Rodgers just re-sign with the Packers for $50 million a year. Russell would have commanded just as much if not more. I'm not sure if the Hawks currently have the room for that, but they certainly don't have room to keep all of their stars AND Russ.
Unfortunately, the NFL is a business. The Hawks, realizing that they were sinking millions into Wilson and not getting championships, decided to cut their losses. Wilson, essentially, was a sunk cost. He was a part of a business that was requiring too much money, and the Seahawks decided to trade or "sell" their asset and start over. I understand the move from a business perspective, but the problem I also see is that Wilson is more than an "asset". 12s everywhere had emotional ties to him, and trading him is more than selling an asset.
I also want to say that I bet Pete, John, Shane, and the rest probably saw the start of Russ regressing. I think they figured he would not be able to retain his level of play into his mid to late 30's. They really traded him at the perfect time, because I bet his 2022 season in Seattle, had he not been traded, would not have gone well.
Do the Hawks even have a chance of winning in the near future?
I mean, any team theoretically does. But the Hawks chances did get slimmer. The offseason is still very young, and we will have to wait and see what Pete and John do the rest of this offseason, particularly at the quarterback spot. If they can get a quick fix at the quarterback position, there's hope.
I'm leaning towards the Hawks not trying too hard to win in 2022 (also known as "tanking") and try to get a high draft pick in 2023 to use on a quarterback. If Schneider wheels and deals effectively enough, the Hawks could go through a re-build in just a couple years. They have a lot of trade-able assets that they could get even more draft capital from.
YIKES again. Actually, our chances got better in 2022 and we made the playoffs. We might make it again in 2023. I keep thinking the Hawks are going to draft a quarterback, when they really don't need to. Even if Geno gets hurt or struggles, we have Lock, who is at least capable.
What will happen to Pete Carroll? Is he going to stick it out much longer?
Hard to say as I can't read his mind, but given that he's the oldest coach in the league, he has to be thinking of retirement as a possibility after every season. He does have the most youthful energy of any coach in their 60s or older, to say the least.
Pete had to have been in on the discussions with Schneider on the trade of Wilson. And he's likely already thought of how trading Wilson affects his future.
Don't forget that 2021 was the hardest of Carroll's Seahawks career, and it might depend on how 2022 goes to see if he will even coach one more season after that.
Pete obviously knew he had a good chunk of years left. He's found the fountain of youth, at least concerning his energy. I think he'll coach until he feels he can't summon the energy anymore, which could be into his mid-70s if not late 70s.
How can John Schneider save his reputation now? Is there any way his tenure with the Hawks has a happy ending?
If Schneider is in this for the long run, there's definitely a chance. And if he's in it for the long run, he will likely be tasked with finding Carroll's successor and using this draft capital he just acquired effectively.
If he can never recover and build the Seahawks into a perennial playoff team like they were with Wilson, he will not have a happy ending. He would then likely leave the team with many Hawks fans holding resentment towards him stemming back to this trade.
We can't also forget the Jimmy Graham and Jamal Adams trades, two trades he made that at this point we can safely call failures. He risked draft capital for star players, and it hurt the Hawks.
Now he's done the opposite, trading a star player for draft capital. If he can use that draft capital successfully, that will help the Hawks immensely in the coming years and he could save face and leave with his head held high. It's all on him.
I think I can say the Wilson trade makes up for the lackluster trades of the past like Harvin, Graham, and Adams. Schneider's reputation is fine, and whenever he leaves, he'll likely leave having been the most successful front office executive in team history.
What about the rest of the players on the Hawks? One, are they at risk of being traded, and two, are their morales hurt after this trade?
To answer the first question, it depends on if the Hawks are fully rebuilding or not. If they are, then one could argue any of them are at risk of being traded. If Russ can be traded, anyone can.
To answer the second question, they likely will feel a sting from this, but if Schneider brings in a respectable leader at the quarterback position, morale may not take too big of a hit. But the ones that have been with Russ the longest (Bobby, Tyler) will certainly not feel the same anymore.
Turns out, Geno's leadership abilities are more than enough. No one else was really at risk of being traded since they weren't tanking.
How will we look back on this trade?
It will depend on the outcome for the two teams in the coming years. I'll go through all four scenarios:
If the Broncos and Hawks both find success in the coming years, it'll be a win-win. Schneider and the Broncos will both be heralded for the trade, as it will have seemed that Russell Wilson just needed a fresh start, and the Hawks were handicapped by his immense salary.
If the Broncos have success but the Hawks do not, the Broncos will be heavily lauded for the move, and Schneider and the Hawks will be ridiculed. Everyone will realize that trading star quarterbacks is almost never a wise move, and the Hawks were foolish to do so, even if it saved them money. Schneider will go down in Seahawks infamy.
If the Seahawks have success but the Broncos do not, Schneider will be considered a genius. He would have gotten out of an even larger contract with Wilson and would have managed to rebuild the Hawks once again. Meanwhile, Russ will be looked at the guy that won a Super Bowl while having the Legion of Boom, but couldn't at any point after, definitely lowering his legend status.
If neither team finds success, the trade will be looked it as a push. The Broncos will be thought of poorly for mortgaging their future for a QB that couldn't even get back to the NFC championship game after 2014-15, and the Hawks will look bad as well for having traded their star quarterback for a bunch of okay players and draft capital.
Ultimately, this trade is going to take time. Time to figure out who won the trade, but first off, time to digest and comprehend what has really happened: that Russell Wilson is no longer a Seahawk.
I think right now the option of the Seahawks having success but the Broncos not is the option we have in reality. Russ is starting to maybe look like a QB that won a Super Bowl with a legendary defense, but that's it. Brad Johnson and Trent Dilfer also did that.
Tuesday, January 4, 2022
Goals for 2022
I have set forth some goals I would like to accomplish this year. Last year was fairly productive for me, I stayed in my job (got a raise!), I got a new car, and I was able to build up my savings. I even lost a few pounds (not as much as I'd like, but eh, it's a start). What are my goals for 2022? Hopefully, I can look back on this list at the end of the year and say I accomplished some of these:
- Lose more weight
I'm going to try to make a more concerted effort to lose weight; I've been working out 5-6 times a week, but I need to watch what I eat better. I also need to cut out coffee and maybe drink tea more. If I was to get under a particular milestone (*cough cough* 200 lbs *cough*) by the end of the year, I would be stoked.
- Pay off my car (or come close to it)
I know I only bought my car last October, but I put a significant amount down on it, so my loan balance on my car is not that high. I would love to pay it off or come close to it by year's end.
- Fly again, likely to see Amanda's family
I haven't flown in 3 or 4 years. It's crazy. After flying once every 3-5 months when my girlfriend and I were long-distance for four years, I haven't flown at all in the past 3-4 years. Hopefully, I can get some time off from work to do this.
Well, we're going to Orlando, Florida in August, thanks to her boss! So I will be flying this year.
- See my grandparents more
My grandparents are in their mid-90s, and I'd love to make more of an effort to see them. When I saw them on Christmas, they talked about my girlfriend and me coming over to hang out after the holidays. I have to see them more often while I still can.
- Go on a road trip or a long drive somewhere
I've had my car for three months now, and I have yet to drive anywhere far at all. My girlfriend and I wanted to go to Leavenworth one weekend before Christmas, but the pass got too bad and we would have needed chains on my tires. We were thinking of maybe driving there in late spring/early summer.
- Buy a new bed/dresser/desktop computer/desk
There are quite a few purchases I will need to make in the coming years; things I have not replaced in over a decade. Or in other words, things my parents bought for me that I have yet to get my own of (still). The above fall under that category. I would love to start replacing these, at least by replacing one of them this year. My best bet would be the dresser since my current one's handles are falling off.
- Build up savings even more
My girlfriend and I want to purchase a condo or townhome in 2023, so I need to build up my savings, even more, to be able to put more down. I certainly don't want my savings to take a hit in 2022 for any reason.
- Cut the cord/cut back on expenses
One way to help build up my savings is to cut back on expenses. My girlfriend and I have recently discussed getting rid of cable. We may do that this year; if not, I may cut back on other expenses. I have had off and on an addition to my Netflix account where they send me DVD's in the mail (that's how they started). I may cut that out at some point this year.
I've cancelled my Netflix DVD's, saving me $9/mo.
Well that's all I have, I may check in at the end of the year/start of 2023 to see how I did.
Monday, January 3, 2022
Ten Things that went wrong for the Hawks in 2021
The 2021 season was not an ideal one for the Seattle Seahawks. After 17 weeks and just one game left, they sit with a record of 6-10 and no shot at the playoffs. This is the first losing season of Russell Wilson's career and only the second time the Hawks have missed the playoffs since he became the starting quarterback. So, what went wrong? I have compiled a list of ten things that went wrong and, for good measure, I gave them a rating of 1-5 on how worried we should be that this may affect the Hawks going into next year, with 1 being not at all worried and 5 being extremely worried.
1. Russell Wilson's finger injury
Worry scale: 2
It's safe to say that if not for Russ's finger injury, the season would be a lot different. Russ came back and his finger was clearly still trying to heal, as we saw in his first two or three games back, causing the offense to be downright anemic. Before this season, Russ had not missed a single start, so there's not much concern here, although there will be more if he gets hurt again next season (provided he stays in Seattle, of course).
2. Having historically bad time of possession
Worry scale: 5
The Hawks had a nagging problem throughout 2021 that, for too long, they were unable to fix. That is the time of possession battle. You generally want to hold onto the ball on offense more than your opponent, and the Hawks were historically bad at doing this. This stems from the combination of the offense not being able to put together long, sustained drives, and the defense being unable to get off the field when they needed to. This led to the defense wearing out at the end of the game and, in some games, the offense still showing signs of rust going into the 4th quarter. This is definitely concerning, as this issue concerns both sides of the ball and the fundamentals regarding them.
3. Adjusting to a first-year offensive coordinator
Worry scale: 2
Shane Waldron was hired in the offseason, and for a team that wants to win now, he may not have been the wisest hire. He had never been an offensive coordinator before, and that certainly showed at times this season. The last two OC hires, Darrell Bevell and Brian Schottenheimer, had previously been OC's before coming to Seattle. Hopefully, Shane has learned a bit from this season and will improve as an OC going into 2022.
4. Injuries to too many notable players
Worry scale: 1
Injuries are a part of NFL football and always will be. But sometimes you suffer an irregularly high amount of injuries, which hurts your season. The Hawks not only lost Russ to injury for a few games, but stars and leaders Chris Carson and Jamal Adams suffered season-ending injuries, and the Hawks also had to deal with a number of players missing games due to COVID. But this shouldn't be any cause for concern for the future as teams generally don't suffer through two consecutive injury-plagued seasons in a row.
5. Jason Myers' off year
Worry scale: 3
Myers made every field goal in 2020, so expectations were high for 2021. However, he missed a few too many crucial field goals and several PAT's. He was bound for at least a slightly down year, but his regression to the mean was far too severe. Hopefully, he'll bounce back next season and look more like 2020 Myers, and hopefully, 2021 wasn't a sign of things to come for him.
6. Ken Norton Jr's schemes aren't working
Worry scale: 3
Sad to say, I think I would need more than two hands to count the number of times the Seahawks put a defensive tackle into coverage this season. Ken Norton Jr, the Seahawks defensive coordinator, may take pride in the fact his team didn't give up a ton of points, but as of the time of this post, the Hawks had the 2nd worst pass defense in the NFL. They consistently allow receivers to get open, afraid of possibly allowing the big plays. As a defense, you need to tighten up and risk allowing big plays, because otherwise teams go up and down the field on you. Ken Norton Jr. has not realized this, and we can only hope Pete Carroll will swallow his pride and decide to move on from KNJ. The worry scale is at a 3 because he may or may not get fired, and I worry slightly that we won't move on from him.
7. No clutch factor this season
Worry scale: 2
The Hawks have been one of the luckier teams of the past 5-10 years, largely because their offense and defense were known for making big plays when the game was on the line. That was not the case this season. On multiple occasions, the offense was unable to come up with a game-winning drive, and the defense was unable to stop the opposition when it mattered. This is highly unusual for the Hawks, who in years past thrived in close games. Yet the Hawks are 0-5 in games decided by 6 points or less. Just changing two of those five outcomes gives the Hawks a record of 8-8 going into the final week. Also, two of those five close games were started by Geno Smith, and who knows if Russ would've been able to lead us to victories in those games, but our odds certainly would have been better with him.
8. No established running back until late
Worry scale: 2
The Seahawks are definitely better when they have an established back take the bulk of the carries and stay healthy for at least most of the season. That was not the case this season. Chris Carson started the season as the starter, but then a neck injury derailed his season. Alex Collins took over, but he too got injured after several games. Fortunately, Rashaad Penny emerged, but it was too little too late. The Hawks likely won't have a running back even get 700 yards this season. Although to be fair, the Hawks did not have a running back get 700 yards last year, either.
9. Poor offseason additions
Worry scale: 2
Gerald Everett was easily the best addition the Hawks made in the past offseason. Gabe Jackson was solid, if unspectacular. The 2021 draft class, meanwhile, leaves a lot to be desired. Of course, there were only three draft picks, but Eskridge was hurt and under-utilized, Tre Brown showed signs of promise but got hurt, and Stone Forsythe barely saw the field. There was not enough added in the past offseason. The Hawks could have used another cornerback and edge rusher for sure.
10. Pete Carroll
Worry scale: 3
This reason is simply Pete Carroll. Is his "rah rah" style of coaching wearing thin? Possibly. It certainly isn't the best coaching style for a team that is struggling. He's the oldest coach in the league, and his schemes and philosophies seem to be a bit dated by now. I think he could still do well as an NFL executive, but it's time for him to retire from coaching duties. This was certainly a trying year for him, and one could argue his worst coaching performance in Seattle.
2021 was definitely a trying year for the Hawks. I am in the boat that the Hawks do not need to rebuild this coming offseason. Going into Week 18, they have a +21 point differential despite their 6-10 record. They are a few close games from quite a different story this season. If they can focus on the lines, draft smartly, and keep Russ (but maybe make a change at head coach or DC), they can quickly go back to being perennial contenders again in 2022.
Thursday, October 7, 2021
My 31 Day Song Challenge
As you will see, I'm a big fan of oldies and classic rock, but there will be some newer stuff on here. If there were any other songs that came to mind, I will mention them.
Day 1 - A song you like with a color in the title: Crystal Blue Persuasion by Tommy James and the Shondells
Tommy James and the Shondells are one of the most underrated oldies bands of all time. I love this song. My runner up song would be "Red Rubber Ball" by the Cyrkle.
Day 2 - A song you like with a number in the title: Eight Days a Week by the Beatles
It's the first one that came to mind. This song always confused me as a kid because there are only seven days a week, but now I realize it's meant to show just the extremes to which the singer professes their love, as they would love someone eight days a week if they could.
Day 3 - A song that reminds you of summertime: Summer in the City by the Lovin' Spoonful
It was either this or "In the Summertime" by Mungo Jerry. But Summer in the City just makes me think of hot weather and the summer. Also, really any Beach Boys song would have worked here as well.
Day 4 - A song that reminds you of someone you'd rather forget: Counting Stars by One Republic
I'm lucky that I don't have many people in my life I'd rather forget. I'm not going to say who, but I remember listening to this song with someone from my past. I think about them when I hear this song. This was the hardest one to think of so far.
Day 5 - A song that needs to be played loud: I Love Rock N Roll by Joan Jett
This song has to be played loudly when it comes on. Otherwise, it doesn't have the same effect. One of the best rock anthems of all time.
Day 6 - A song that makes you want to dance: Dancing in the Moonlight by Toploader
This is one of my favorite songs of all time. I literally could put this song under half of these days, but I chose this one. It's just a casual dance song. I never get tired of listening to it. Now King Harvest did this song first, but the Toploader version is honestly easier to dance to.
Day 7 - A song to drive to: Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf
I could swear there's a movie where this song plays while someone is driving. Anyway, it just is such a great song to listen to out on the open road.
Day 8 - A song about drugs or alcohol: Cocaine by Eric Clapton
Uh, could it be more obvious?
Day 9 - A song that makes you happy: Happy by Pharrell
I know a lot of songs make me happy when I listen to them, but this was the first one that came to mind. I remember it was such a huge hit when it came out. The parody of it by Weird Al, "Tacky", is also fun to listen to.
Day 10 - A song that makes you sad: I Want a Mom That Will Last Forever by Cyndi Lauper
This was for the Rugrats in Paris movie when Chuckie was on the plane, wishing he had a mom. It breaks my heart every time. I feel so bad for the kid. It's not a song I'll listen to outside of the movie, but it's a sad one nonetheless.
Day 11 - A song you never tired of: Higher Ground by Stevie Wonder or the Red Hot Chili Peppers
There's never a time when I hear this song that I grow tired of it, whether it be the Stevie Wonder or RHCP version. Heck, Chris Daughtry covered it on American Idol and his version is awesome, too.
Day 12 - A song from your preteen years: Bye Bye Bye by N*Sync
I remember watching the music video for this song as a preteen when it first came out. It's a memory that's stuck with me all this time.
Day 13 - A song you like from the 70s: Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd
This song has one of the best guitar solos ever. It's got two halves, the slow build-up and the rockin' guitar solo. My love for this song was renewed when I heard it in the movie "Kingsman", background to one of the greatest solo action scenes of all time, in my opinion.
Day 14 - A song you'd loved to be played at your wedding: You're Still the One by Shania Twain
My girlfriend introduced me to this song and it kind of became our song in the early stages of our relationship. I would definitely want this played at our wedding, so long as she does too.
Day 15 - A song you like that's a cover by another artist: American Woman by Lenny Kravitz
Lenny took Roy Orbison's song and made it even cooler. I think this is one of the rare instances where the cover is better than the original.
Day 16 - A song that's a classic favorite: September by Earth Wind and Fire
Is there anyone that doesn't like this song? I think the only people that don't like it only dislike it because it might be a tad overplayed. And best of all, it's liked by all ages and races.
Day 17 - A song you'd sing a duet with someone on karaoke: Stop Draggin' My Heart Around by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty
This is another classic I don't get tired of listening to. What made me really discover my love for this song again was Elaine Testone and Phillip Phillip's cover of it on American Idol. They killed it. Would love to sing this with someone at karaoke. My runner up song would be "Islands in the Stream" by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton.
Day 18 - A song from the year you were born: Right Here Waiting for You by Richard Marx
The year 1989 doesn't have too many classic hits, but I really like this one. It was either this or "My Prerogative" by Bobby Brown.
Day 19 - A song that makes you think about life: Ob La Di Ob La Da by the Beatles
I grew up listening to this song, and now that I'm old enough to understand the meaning, I see it's about life. It makes me think about growing up, meeting someone, having kids, working, and just... living the life.
Day 20 - A song that has many meanings to you: American Pie by Don McLean
This is a song whose true meaning is about the plane crash in 1959 that killed Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, but to me, it also is about life in the '70s and how short it is.
Day 21 - A song you like with a person's name in the title: Maggie May by Rod Stewart
This has always been my favorite Rod Stewart song. I could have gone with "Michelle" by the Beatles, but I have enough Beatles songs on here.
Day 22 - A song that moves you forward: Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve
This song just sounds like people marching forward. If I need some motivation to get something done, this song works wonders. This song was used as the Seahawks entrance song for a while for good reason.
Day 23 - A song you think everybody should listen to: Imagine by John Lennon
I'm sure everyone has heard this, but on the very off chance someone hasn't, I would say this one. It certainly is a song that inspires hope and wonder and tries to get people to just be peaceful to one another.
Day 24 - A song by a band you wish were still together: It's Gonna Be Me by N*SYNC
I can't think of another band that's not "together" other than ones that have had members pass away, like the Beatles. Anyway, I wasn't a huge fan of N*SYNC, but if they got back together, I think they could recreate some magic from the late '90s/early 2000s. The Backstreet Boys are still together, after all.
Day 25 - A song you like by an artist no longer living: Travelin Man by Ricky Nelson
This is like the really old-time version of International Love by Chris Brown. It's about a guy that travels around the world and... you know, gets around. Unfortunately, Ricky was taken from us in the 1980s, but I have one of his records and I still listen to it on occasion.
Day 26 - A song that makes you want to fall in love: L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole
I really came to like this song after hearing it in the movie "The Parent Trap". I watched that many times as a kid, and I always loved the opening scene which included this song. Makes me want to re-fall in love.
Day 27 - A song that breaks your heart: Happier by Marshmello ft. Bastille
Whether I listen to the song or watch the music video, both can break my heart. In the music video, a girl grows up with a dog she gets on her birthday and mourns his passing on another of her birthdays. Just heartbreaking.
Day 28 - A song by an artist whose voice you love: Close to You by the Carpenters
Karen Carpenter had one of the most beautiful voices of all time. The fact that next to nothing was done to make her voice sound better is amazing. Her voice is downright angelic. It's such a shame she was taken from us so soon.
Day 29 - A song you remember from your childhood: Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seger
My parents listened to an oldies radio station whenever we went anywhere, and I remember hearing this song quite often and always jamming out to it.
Day 30 - A song that reminds you of yourself: Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top
Now I don't always dress that nicely, but when I do, I think of this song. Alternatively, when I hear this song I think of all the times I've dressed nicely (put on a suit, tie, tuxedo). It's the only song I could think of for this.
Day 31 - A song that comforts your soul: Sitting on the Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding
How can this song not comfort your soul? As a kid, I had a cassette tape with a lot of 70s songs on it, and this was one of them, so I listened to it a lot. It's such a classic.
My Experience Buying a Car Online
I recently purchased a car for myself, and I desperately needed a new one. My old car, a 2000 Honda Civic LX, was nearing 150k miles and was developing some engine issues that were not worth fixing. I wanted to document my experience buying a car online and what that entailed.
First off, I decided to purchase online because:
- Better options
- No pushy salesmen
- I can look as much as I want at my convenience.
- I wanted to experience it.
I kept my search to mainly Vroom, Shift, and CarMax. After a month and a half of searching, I finally found a car that met all of my requirements. The car I chose was a 2019 Nissan Kicks, and I found it on Shift's website. It's a newer make of Nissan's, and it got some reasonably decent ratings. I wanted a crossover/compact SUV with decent mileage, and the Kicks sure gets that at 31 miles per gallon in the city. My particular vehicle also only had 10,000 miles on it, much less than almost every vehicle that I looked at.
I decided to purchase my particular car on Saturday the 18th through Shift. I had already gotten pre-approved for a loan, and earlier that day, I had talked with a loan advisor to get the terms of my loan altered. After I got the terms I wanted, I went through with the purchase. I uploaded my driver's license and proof of insurance. I then paid for the delivery charge. Finally, I scheduled a time to talk with a purchase advisor the following day.
Sunday I got a call promptly at the time I chose (10 AM), and the purchase advisor I talked to was helpful and friendly. She answered all of my questions and gave me the assurance I needed for this process. I was having the car shipped to me from San Francisco.
The next day, Monday, I got a call from Shift to let me know they were scheduling delivery for my car. They also confirmed a few other details, which I felt I had already established the previous day, but I understood they were trying to be thorough. On Tuesday, I got a call that the delivery company had picked up my car and started taking it to Seattle. They told me it would arrive no later than Thursday. Cool.
Wednesday, I got a call that they had already not only delivered my car to the Seattle hub, but they had also completed the post-delivery inspection. I scheduled my car to be delivered to my home on Saturday, my next day off. I was eager to see my car, but unfortunately, with work, I did not have a good time to receive it until Saturday.
Nothing happened Thursday, but Friday, I got a call from Shift saying that one of the guys who was cleaning the car noticed that the volume knob on the stereo wasn't functioning properly. He said the volume control on the steering wheel works just fine, as if that made it any better. He also said Shift would be willing to give me a $50 credit and that I would simply have to take it to a Nissan dealership to get it fixed. Knowing my experience with dealerships, I knew it would either cost more than $50, or they'd try to upsell me on something else for the car.
I told him I wanted it fixed. I also said I'd be willing to push my delivery date back if need be. He said he'd have his team look at it; and explained the reason he offered what he did was that most people are firm on the delivery date and cannot push it back. But I told him again I'd be willing to wait.
Saturday comes, the original day of delivery, and I decide to just call them. My delivery still looked like it was scheduled for 2:30, and when I called that was less than four hours away. So I called, and the guy I talked to told me the same thing as the guy yesterday did, which is that he'd have his team look at it and get back to me. I told him it was already the same thing I heard. But I did get the impression from him that he would definitely get back to me later that day.
I did end up getting a text that evening from Zach who I spoke with earlier. He said his team would do a diagnostics check on Monday to see what is needed for it to be fixed. So I decided to be patient and wait until at least Tuesday to do anything.
Tuesday afternoon comes, and I have not heard back from them yet. I decided to try texting them back at the number they texted me at, and I did get a response saying my car was at a Nissan dealership. I definitely would have appreciated an update saying they were taking it there, but seeing as it's not technically my car yet, I can't blame them too much. They also said that the Seattle office would reach out to me.
They did so on Wednesday, saying the volume knob was fixed. Thank goodness. They scheduled delivery for me on Saturday with an open window of 11-1:30.
I receive no further contact until Saturday morning when I get a call from a (206) number I didn't recognize. Seeing as I was expecting a delivery later that day, I answered. It was an Asian man who was the courier tasked with delivering my car. He asked if he could drop by earlier. I said that would be ok.
He only ended up being about ten minutes early, but I appreciate the phone call heads-up nonetheless. He asked what unit I was at, and I asked him where he was. He was at the leasing office, so I told him I'd meet him there. I met him there, checked out the car for a bit, and then we went to some outdoor tables to do the paperwork, most of which was on a tablet.
There was a bunch of waiting around on my end. He filled out a lot of information I had already provided Shift, such as my driver's license. I felt like this stuff could have been filled out ahead of time to save some time. But I was patient. As part of the process, I got a call from a loan specialist who informed me of a lender with a better rate. I wasn't particularly keen on switching lenders, but I did see a better interest rate and lower payment, so I agreed.
We ultimately finished and I bid the courier farewell. He had driven my car to our complex, so I wondered how he was getting back to his place of work. I didn't ask, however. I checked out my car again--I instantly fell in love. I put the temporary "plate" on the rear window.
I did receive a call from the lender, which is Capital One, on the following Monday. They had me answer a 7-10 minute questionnaire. It concluded with questions about features on my car and if I was aware of them being on the car. I was definitely unsure about a few of them. On Wednesday, I got a call from Shift saying that Capital One had "sent" my loan back to them saying I was unhappy with a feature not on my car. I definitely did not give any indication that I was unhappy--just that I was not sure. They then sent the loan "back" to Capital One.
All in all, I'm pretty pleased with the process. But it was not without its share of hiccups and complications. Although, to be fair, to expect an absolutely seamless process would be a bit too much. There are certain things Shift could improve upon, namely offering to fix issues themselves and having some paperwork pre-filled out when it came to completing the purchase. But there was nothing that occurred that made me want to back out of the deal. I have to say I am pretty happy with my new car, and I would definitely purchase online again, especially since I now have the experience for it.