Spring is Here

Spring is here. Woo hoo.

Not so much.

I am unlike just about every other person who lives in a land of the four seasons. I don't like spring. In fact the only season I like less than spring is summer.

Sacrilege you say? Perhaps. But I've never been one to go with the flow.

It's spring. The time of blooming tulips, the start of new life, the resurrection of life stagnant through the winter. Sure.

It's also the time of muddy ground and constant rain, though I do love me a good thunderstorm.

So here we are. Warmer weather is moving in. And for some reason, this year, I haven't had nearly enough frigid weather. I haven't had nearly enough snow. That's right. I said. Snow.

I realize snow can be a pain when you have to drive in it, but come on. What's prettier than a field of virgin snow sparkling in the bright sun? The air is brisk and clean. More refreshing than any April shower.

I like the cold. It invigorates me. Makes me feel alive.

The heat and the humidity sap my energy, muddle my brain, make me cranky.

So you'll forgive me if I'm not nearly as excited as you are about the spring. Me, I'm waiting for October.

Merry Christmas!

It's Christmas Eve and there are tons of holiday related movies to watch: It's a Wonderful Life, The Christmas Story, Holiday Inn, White Christmas.

I'm watching Field of Dreams. It's one of my favorite movies and maybe it has more to say about the human spirit than any feel good holiday movie. It's about family, faith, regret, redemption, love. And baseball.

If you build it, he will come.

Go the distance.

Ease his pain.

Field of Dreams is also about making dreams come true.

Moonlight Graham. He's a doctor who played some minor league ball in his youth. He made it to the show, but no at bats.

Kevin Costner travels back in time to interview Burt Lancaster, asks Moonlight Graham what his biggest regret is. How it would kill some men to come that close and never realize their dream.

It's at that moment that Burt Lancaster utters what is my favorite movie quote of all time: "You know- we just don't recognize the most significant times in our lives when they're happening. Back then I thought that ,well, there'll be other days."

In 2016 I'm going to try and recognize the moments in my life that may have a huge impact. And I'm not going to let them slip by.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

And remember:

If you build it, they will come!!

OK. Iowa Hawkeyes are 10-0! For the first time ever!

Please disregard my post from September 14, 2014. Apparently Kirk Ferentz is a genius.

GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi!

All of you out there who are eagerly awaiting the release of my next book "Bygones"…

Well, you'll have to wait a little longer. The official release date is May 15, 2016!!

In the meantime you can download my book "At Second Sight" for Nook and Kindle!! Get 'em while they last!

Fly the W

Anyone seen any pigs flying?

Has hell frozen over?


A lifelong Cubs fan, I know the drill. There are periodic bursts of brilliance followed by the more frequent theatrics of the absurd. If you looked hard enough you could find a reason to keep watching, to hold out hope. Failing that, it was an opportunity to get a nice tan sitting in the bleachers.

But not this year.

This year, the Cubs are a team of youth: boys who either don't understand or don't care about the history of the curse of the billy goat, the black cat, the attempted capture of the foul ball by the man who shall not be named.

But there is also some experience. A few baseball veterans who can impart some wisdom to these young upstarts who don't know any better. But not too much wisdom to freak them out. To quell their fighting spirit. To put the hex on their natural athletic abilities.

The Chicago Cubs this year are a magical team, led by a savvy manager. Embraced by a hungry fan base.

They're fun to watch- rookie after rookie making play after play, hitting balls out of the park, rubbing their caps in solidarity. You've gotta love these guys.

They think they can do it. So I have to think they can do it. I'm buying in despite 107 years to the contrary.

Go Cubs Go!

Hey Hey, Holy Mackerel!

Fly the W!

I'm ready for a World Series run at Wrigley.

But this year, I really mean it.

Quick FYI

I now have a Facebook page to keep everyone posted on the goings on of my books! Search my name (Lisa Nielsen) or go to https://www.facebook.com/Lisa-Nielsen-478063095686575/info/?tab=page_info and like my page to keep up with any new news, as Bygones will be coming out soon from Coffee Town Press. Thanks!

Wimbledon: A couple things...

Okay. So I'm watching Wimbledon today, the Murray/Pospisil match. I like Andy Murray, I'd like to see him win. But this Pospisil kid seems like a good guy. He's been playing some awesome tennis, making his first quarterfinals in a grand slam. He's got game, big serve, nice touch. 

So, he's battling against a top player, it's a critical point in the match, and Pascal Maria-who's one of the most respected umpires in tennis- gives Pospisil a time warning. That's right. The server has 25 seconds between points to serve the ball. The rule is almost never enforced. When it is, it seems it's only enforced at a critical time in the match. My personal idol, Rafa Nadal, notoriously takes a long time between serves. He could be given a time violation after almost every point. He isn't. It only happens when there could be a turning point in the match.

The same thing happened to Pospisil today. I watched the match and had no sense that he was playing slowly, taking too much time between points. So Pospisil lost the first set, it was 5-5, 30 all in the second set and Maria decides that's the perfect time to call a time violation on Pospisil. Really?

Either enforce it on every point or don't enforce it at all. 

Or get a time clock out there.

The other thing? Well, it's the women's shrieking. I can barely watch Azarenka or Sharapova for that exact reason.

No one will ever ever ever convince me that the grunting, squealing, shrieking of these women, Sharapova specifically, is anything other than gamesmanship. 

Sharapova's screams have become louder and longer than ever. She actually sounds as if she is in physical pain with every strike of the ball. I'm sure she means to make it sound intimidating, but to me it sounds like she's giving every shot every ounce of her energy- which is why it seems so comical to me when she makes an error. Really Maria? That crappy shot deserved a scream on the uber decibel level?

It makes me crazy. And it makes me ready to quit watching women's tennis.