vivalaultra

I have no debt. I'm unmarried. I live at home. I own my vehicle. I don't have any student loans or anything outstanding. My yearly college tuition (about $11,00) has been paid for every year in full. Yeah, so I'm in pretty good shape financially.

In Texas to teach anywhere at the university level, community college or otherwise, you have to have at least a Masters. To teach at the High School level, you only need a Bachelors. I really want to teach English Lit, but I'm starting to think that if I were to do it at the High School level, I'd just be "settling", as I really hate teenagers, but, then again, I do kinda wanna get started on my career before I get to my 30s, but, then again I'm only 23 now (24 when I graduate), so if I were to get a Masters, I'd only be about 26 or 27.

So, here's the deal- I'm scheduled to graduate in December of this year with a BA in English Literature (minor in Psychoology). The plan up until now was that I was going to spend 2007 getting certified to teach High School Literature and then do that for the next 60 or so years, until they invent robot replacement teachers. Lately, however, I've been considering Grad School. It's not just that my girlfriend recently told me that she's going to stay in school until she gets her Masters in Economics, and I wanna be "more degreed" than her, I just figure that, obviously, there will be more opportunities available to me if I have my Masters as opposed to just my Bachelors. I also enjoy the Hell out of school-the ritual of getting up and going every day and, also, the classes and such. I figure it would probably take 2 to 3 years to get my Masters Degree. Whether I decide to get it or not, I was planning on graduating this year (with a 3.7 GPA. Yee-haw!) and getting certified to teach next year so if I lose interest or money somewhere in the course of getting my Masters, I'll have another option. There's also the money issue, as I'm currently not having to pay anything for school; my wealthy Texas Daddy's paying for all of it. However, I'm sure that if I were to choose to pursue an advanced degree, money would become a part of the discussion. So, anyway, I'm just looking for some opinions (especially from those with advanced degrees) on this subject. Have at it, yo.

It was another ridiculously good game in Houston tonite. Just like last nite, errors hurt the Astros' chances of winning. Jason Hirsh pitched 6 good innings giving up 3 runs, but only one earned. Craig Biggio continues to own Billy Wagner. He's 3 for 3 in his career against him with a WC winning 3 run homerun last year and a double and a single this year. Beltran made an absolutely ridiculous catch. I hope he's not injured. I don't hate the guy or anything. I doubt he plays tomorrow. The Mets have a Hell of a team, but I'd be worried about their rotation come the postseason, especially if they make it to the WS, but then again, I don't like any National League team's shot in the WS. I like the Astros' chances for tomorrow with Roy O going against El Duque and his ridiculous delivery. I'm feelin' good going into the road trip to Philly, especially with the multitude of games the Phils are playing this weekend. Sorry if this was way too long and flowing. I'm still not as wordy as Homer, though.

You're right, I could come up with a homerific flowing diatribe of why my Mets won again despite no starting pitching tonight. But that would get stale after about the 3rd game. Seriously, giving up 7 to Houston is like letting a normal team score 20. But we won, and reduced the magic number to end the Atlanta run to 15 so I have no complaints. It's a shame that the Reds are choking like dogs considering we've been beating up on the "elite" of the NL Central lately. Oh well, as long as Philly doesn't take the WC I don't really care who does. Homerific, eh? I've been told that I write well, but by comparing me to the great Homer...you're just being too nice. Oh well, whatever. The Astros are plummeting into the wine-dark sea

You're right, I could come up with a homerific flowing diatribe of why my Mets won again despite no starting pitching tonight. But that would get stale after about the 3rd game. Seriously, giving up 7 to Houston is like letting a normal team score 20. But we won, and reduced the magic number to end the Atlanta run to 15 so I have no complaints. It's a shame that the Reds are choking like dogs considering we've been beating up on the "elite" of the NL Central lately. Oh well, as long as Philly doesn't take the WC I don't really care who does. Homerific, eh? I've been told that I write well, but by comparing me to the great Homer...you're just being too nice. Oh well, whatever.

Yeah, and it was Dollar Dog Day at the ballpark, too. Uh...I was gonna make a "gay Cubs' fans"/cheap weiners joke, but I lost it.

When the Cubs were in Houston on 4th of July, I was at the game leaning on the railing by the gas pump in centerfield, and there were, actually, two guys in pink shirts and they had one set of those foam "Cubbie Claw" things and they each had one and every time the Cubs got a runner on base, they would hug and go "GRRRRR!!!!" I'm not sure if they were frat boys.

Awww...come on, Czechster. You and Bruiser have raised my opinion of Cubs' fans like...1 million percent. And I've grown to love Carlos Zambrano...in a purely masculine way.

You're gonna have to come harder than that. Either way, it was still a Hell of a game and you're still quite possibly the worst baseball fan I've ever come across. Even Cubs fans are more tolerable than you.

Well, the Astros are down by 2 in the 8th, so it's entirely possible that they'll lose, but I'd just like to remind those who are unaware... 6>3. Thank you.

That's just how I roll.

If Glavine keeps walking people, I don't see why the Astros won't score more than 3 runs this game. Fuck yeah, Q!

I heard that Cain, the son of Adam and Eve, might have been culpable in the death of his brother Abel, but since I don't have heard evidence, this is just speculatory.

Actually, it was a single with an RBI and a one-run throwing error. Either way, you're still a jackass.

I don't think he threw him out because Cirillo disagreed with the call. He threw him out after Jeff slammed his helmet, which equals an automatic ejection. I don't think Timmons purposely made the "out" call just to be a dick. I mean, it was a close play, and I've seen umpires call guys out that were more clearly safe than Cirillo and they weren't trying to be dicks. I still have no idea what Brady Clark's deal was. So, who does everybody think is the worst umpire in baseball? I'm torn between CB Bucknor and Angel Hernandez. They both suck.

Tim Timmons. It was a bang-bang play. He probably beat it, but, I guess since he was the crew cheif, he needed to re-establish order after Brady Clark was giving him and the Home Plate Ump shit over something or other. Edit: Oh, and Brandon Backe's getting TJ surgery. He'll be out the rest of this season and all of next season. Too bad. I really like Backe, even if he is only a servicable 3rd starter. He's still better than most of the AAA guys the Astros have called up this and last year. He occasionally shows flashes of absolute brilliance, too.

I just can't believe that the Cubs are dismantling the team like this. First Neifi...now Nevin...and I hear that A-Ram is heavily considering cutting town over the offseason. 'Stros are up in the bottom of the 8th. A win tonite, and it's 2 1/2 games back with the Mets coming in next. If the Astros can take at least one of the games this weekend, probably Sunday's, they should be ok going into next week.

I think that Jim Leyland umpire argument was the most hilarious thing I've seen all season...the fact that he was yelling at the ump, then took his hat off and stood calmly next to him for "God Bless America" and as soon as it was finished started ripping into again...my God, I was cracking up. Hopin' that the Stros can make it 6 in a row tonite against Doug Davis. Lord knows this weekend will be tough. I'm still thinking it'll be easier for the Astros to take the NL Central than the Wildcard. There's a buncha teams bunched up in the WC and the Astros have more games against the Reds/Cards than against the teams ahead of them in the Wildcard race.

Hell of a game in Houston tonite. Rocket and Dave Bush went toe-to-toe. It was scoreless in the bottom of the 9th. Mike Lamb got a single, Biggio followed with a single, and then the Brewers walked Berkman to load the bases with 1 out. Aubrey Huff came up to bat and hit a scorcher to first base. Jeff Cirillo dove for it and tagged first base while Lamb made a heads up play and came home from third. As Lamb was coming home, Cirillo threw to Damien Miller who simply stood on homeplate thinking the force play was in order, but it wasn't and Lamb scored. Great finish to a great game. Astros win their 5th in a row, and, presumably will be 2 out of the WC is Maddux does decent tonite.

I like the name I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness. For bad band names, I'd like to include these: Oingo Boingo Kajagoogoo A-Ha Rainbow BUTT Monkeys

And that's a bargain, too. I'm just glad he's signed before he gets closer to free agency and feels the itch to test the market. And just to expand on specifics-Roy's getting $13 million in 07 and 08, $14 million in 09, $15 in 2010, $16 in 2011, and the club can either buy out the contract for $2 in 2012, or Roy'll get $16 million for 2012. He'll also donate $100,000 a year to the Astros in Action fund, and he's got a full no-trade clause. However, he did not get another bulldozer, but he did look stylish at the press conference, with his grey t-shirt/blazer combo.

It looks like Willy T's hit streak ends at 30. He's 0-3 w/ two HBP. It was fun, though. Also, the Astros scored 7 runs in the 8th inning, including a Lane grand slam. Edit: Yep. Roy Oswalt signed a 5 yr/$73 million deal with an option for a 6th year. Huzzah!

Oh well, Oswalt only gave up 4 hits, unfortunately three of them were back to back to back doubles. I don't mind that he won't get a win tonite. Hell, I won't mind if the Astros miss out on the playoffs this year, I just Roy Oswalt to be an Astro for a looooooooong time to come. As for ROTY, I'm sticking with Zimmerman. However, Prince Fielder's technically still a rookie, right? If so...he's gotta be in the running, too.

Eh, Roy's scuffling a bit in the 7th. That broken bat single was a killer. Good to see Roy O's so pissed at Drayton and Purpura that he wanted out of town ASAP after the trading deadline fiasco. Mediots suck. Yeah, Roy lost focus a bit. If it's not Roy O signing an extension or trading for David Wells, I bet Purpura comes out, walks up to the microphone, spreads his arms out and yells, "I'M FUUUUUUUULLLLLLL!!!!!!" Toma Ohka looks ridiculous batting left-handed.