It Started with a Journal

I barely slept a wink last night.

I wanted to. I was tired, I knew I had to get up for work the next day, and I just wanted some unconsciousness so as not to face the fact that the Seahawks had lost the Super Bowl in possibly the stupidest way possible, but I could not stop reliving that play over and over and over. My brain refused to shut down.

So I mainlined Broadchurch and finished the first season. Up until 2am doing that. Then tossed and turned for another hour... Slept(?) in fits afterward. Was almost a relief when my alarm was about to go off, because then I could just stop pretending like I was going to sleep.

I read some forum posts on Field Gulls, a couple of articles (could not stomach more), and listened to some sports radio this morning. Basically everyone is in agreement. It was the wrong play call. And -- I know, I know, it's easy to coach from our couches. I'm not normally one to criticize stuff like that, because it's easy for us to say. But seriously, this one, in this situation, it was like... it was just utterly baffling. ( I have more to say about it. )

You know, I've deliberately not talked about the Seahawks in a long time, because it seemed like when I did, they did poorly, and when I stopped, they started doing well. So out of superstitious caution, I didn't talk about them anymore. Not when I was happy, not when I was excited, not when I was nervous. What a fucking wasted effort.

I'm totally going through the 5 stages of grief right now. Went through denial and anger, skipped bargaining (I usually do my bargaining before games), and am on to depression.

As much as I love them, the Seahawks deserved the loss today. I mean seriously, WTF with their execution and the playcalling?? It would have been an absolute JOKE if they'd managed to win. As it is, the final score doesn't reflect at all what happened in the game. They were outplayed on both sides of the ball. They were terrible. It was only special teams that kept them in it; without that, it would have been a blowout. At the Clink! Jesus.

They've been winning by the skin of their teeth since the start of the season -- less with good play than with the other teams either playing worse or just not being quite as talented -- and it was only a matter of time before they were exposed. Do I wish it had been to a more worthy team than the Cowboys? Yes, I do. Not that the Cowboys are bad, obviously. They've been playing well. But they're playing well out of nowhere. It would have hurt less to lose to, say, the Broncos. I mean, the Cowboys were horrific in their first game, against the 49ers. If they were going to be good, couldn't they have at least beaten them first? Jerks. ;)

I can only hope that this will be an eye opener for them. I don't know if they've just gotten complacent, or if they're trying to play through injuries, or if the play calling has been as terrible as others are saying (people over at Field Gulls have gotten out the pitchforks for Darrell Bevell, and I can't really blame them. A few of the calls I was just spluttering at the screen, "...how? What? Why? What... &#@$!!!!!!!!!!!" I don't hate Bryan Walters as many at FG do, he's been a decent punt returner, but I have to echo the "Why the @#&% is he out there on 3rd down all the time?!?!" incensed reaction, and also Percy Harvin is being WASTED out there), but something has to change. Russell Wilson looked totally clueless out there today. The WRs, as usual, didn't get open and/or didn't make plays on the ball. The D has played as it has of late -- badly. For god's sake, the pass defense from last year was number 1 in the league, and now they can't stop it? DeMarco Murray made a joke of our number 1 run defense. The O-line is the dumpster fire it usually is. How is it that other teams can play through injuries, and yet when the Seahawks get an injury to one of their key players, it suddenly opens up holes all over the field? Gah!!

If they take this game and use it to learn, that's the best-case scenario. Worst case? They keep playing like this, but there will come a game when they don't luck out with a couple of ST turnovers and they'll get blown out and flat-out embarrassed. There are talented players on this team, obviously. There is NO REASON for the atrocity they've been putting on the field the last few games. None.

I haven't gotten my GIF assignment for the week, though I am looking much more forward to this one than I was the last one, but there were a few moments I wanted to GIF, for myself. I wanted to share them with y'all!

( Gratuitous gifs from the Broncos @ Seahawks game. )

And if you don't care about football, but like food, I have recent photos to share!

( Like, sushi and stuff. )

I'm sorry to say that I'm in a general state of blah. I shall go through why that is, one by one.

1) The Seahawks losing. ( :( )

2) Plumbing issues. ( Why does my house hate me? )

3) Problems with my right thumb. ( Woe. )

So, last night's game against the Green Bay Packers. I was so nervous at the start of the game that I felt like throwing up (this is why I could never play sports; I get waaaaay too invested). I mean, it is no joke playing against Aaron Rodgers. He's like the new Peyton Manning as far as the media is concerned; he's the best QB in the league. (I wonder if they get together to decide these things as a group.) Almost all preseason rankings had the Packers in the top 5 of teams. I cursed the NFL for making the Seahawks' home opener after winning the Super Bowl such a tough matchup -- it's supposed to be an honor to open the season, and after a dream season they wanted us to have a good chance of losing our first game?! Right after unfurling our championship banner for the first time?! Jerks!

( Cut for football commentary. It's even somewhat measured. )

Meanwhile in college football... apparently my UCLA Bruins are actually ranked in the top 10 this year (which I don't think they have been since I went to school there, when we dominated USC at just about every sport, including football)! Which is super exciting, but I'm thinking I might just have to do them the favor of not paying attention or watching any games. It seems like whenever I do, that's when they fail. It always happens. And then they're heartbroken, and I'm heartbroken. Ugh. /flashbacks

To leave you with stuff that might bring a smile to your face, here's some fun graphics: If every NFL team had an emoji for this season's kickoff and NFL players read mean tweets

I now have to go on a really dramatic rant about... fantasy football. ( Because no one else cares... but I care. I CARE. )

Last night I made ganjang-gejang, a Korean dish of raw, marinated crab. I've been thinking about it all day and how I can't wait to eat it, but it needs to marinate at least 24 hours, so I probably won't get to until lunch tomorrow. I had it for the first time last week at a Korean restaurant; it was so good that I had to find out how to make it myself, since it's a little pricey. Normally I don't have any use for Chesapeake/blue crab, as I much prefer the meatier Dungeness, but now I do!

I'm a crab fiend. I love everything about crab, from its succulent meat to its flavorful tomalley (as an aside, can I say that I have wondered for years what the heck that is called in culinary terms? I never liked or bought into any of the other terms that I was able to find online, such as "butter").

Apparently in Korean this dish is known as a "rice thief," because before you know it, it's all gone! :D

While I was at the market, I also couldn't resist when I saw that they had live sea urchin (in sushi terms, uni) for sale. Bought a purplish one that I hoped would be really good (last time I bought live sea urchin, the "tongues" were huge and thick, but didn't taste very good)... AND IT WAS. There were 5 normal-sized tongues, and they were absolutely delicious. I used to be very intimidated by the idea of retrieving uni from a sea urchin -- but it's so easy! Well worth the cost, given how expensive uni is in sushi restaurants, though there is a risk of losing your investment if you don't select the right one.

In Seahawks-related news, we still don't know what the final 53-man roster is. -.- They're taking their sweet time in releasing the information. I was super bummed that they released Kiero Small; I had a soft spot for him, and hope he's able to land on the practice squad. Not too crazy about the fact that we traded for Marcus Burley, costing us a 2015 6th-round pick, but I guess I should trust that they know more than me what they're doing. :P That said, I thought the Terrelle Pryor trade was a waste as well, and I ended up being right about that!

Aaaaand of course as soon as I wrote the above, the final roster cuts were posted. None of it is surprising at all except for Phil Bates over Bryan Walters. Bates was unimpressive to me in the preseason games, while Walters... well, I'll admit that the first thing I said when he fumbled in the Raiders game was "cut him," but after that he showed some mettle when he then played very well, proving that he didn't let the mistake get to him. That's important, imho, because that kind of crap is going to happen. Oh well.

So! In Guild Wars 2 I have leveled my second toon to 80 at last. She's a mesmer. In celebration I got her a whole new outfit, much more attractive than what she was previously wearing.

And in honor of the Seahawks' game against the Bears this Friday, I have decked her out in Seahawks colors! :)) (I am really terrible at color coordinating. I've seen other people's characters' outfits online, and some people really know how to make theirs look good.)

( Screenshot or it didn't happen! )

This is a very good article on why I love Earl Thomas so much as a player, and why I'd commission two pieces of art of him (maybe one day I'll have the entire Legion of Boom!). OK, it might also have a little bit to do with how adorable he is. slitherhither sent me a link to an interview he did during the Chargers preseason game last night, and he was so cute in it! His laugh at the end! <3

Speaking of the game, I was nearly as meh about the results as I was about last week's loss to the Broncos. There's not much to be proud of in crushing an opponent when you play your starters for way longer than they played theirs, imho. I mean, I guess maybe they were trying to ensure a win for the first game back at home of the "season" to give the 12s something to be happy about, but beating up on a lesser opponent is almost as cringe-worthy as not being able to play up to the level of a really good one. It's like, okay, so we're way better than the Chargers, big deal. We still lost to Denver. Bah. Also, I rather like the Chargers, so that's part of it, too.

It was nice to have the game on for the drive back from Portland to Seattle, though. I was in Portland just for a couple of days (one overnight) with my mom. I didn't have as good a time this time. Partly it was that my mom didn't seem all that into it, partly it was that the people seemed way snooty this time (actually they kind of seemed like it last time, but I think I cared less because I was with T. and B., and when you're having fun with your friends you can overlook a lot of crap), partly it was that transportation was a pain in the ass (we drove instead of taking the train/public transport), partly it's that there's really not that much to do in Portland other than eat, and with my mom it's even more limited.

We went back to Veritable Quandary, Tasty N Alder, Pok Pok, and tried a place new to me, Andina. Andina was REALLY good. It was actually my mom's favorite meal of the bunch. We also went to Salt & Straw twice. The sea salt and caramel is still soooooooooooo good. I tried the bone marrow and bourbon cherries and pretty much thought it was disgusting. My mom tried several flavors, and once got an olive oil and Stumptown coffee split scoop, but ultimately liked the olive oil the best. We went to the location on Division the first time, and the one on 23rd the second time. Funnily enough, we sat down at a table next to a woman seemingly giving an interview to a man who was typing up everything she said. I had JUST read the "About Us" on the Salt & Straw website, so recognized the woman as Kim Malek, one of the founders. Not sure what publication the guy was interviewing her for. But how funny is that?

My mom and I were both worried about Talis, who tends not to do well in kennels. We picked him up first thing this morning. He had dried dog shit on his nose. -.- I don't think I will use this kennel again. It was just unimpressive all around, including a new vet that when she saw him a couple weeks ago for his mandatory pre-board checkup, seemed afraid of him. I know Talis is a problem dog, but over the last year he's seen soooooooooooooo many vets, and they have all been calm and collected, so that they seemed in control and confident. This vet inspired exactly zero confidence. She couldn't get a look at his left ear in the backroom, so I offered to hold him down for her (as I am unafraid of him). There was a pause and then she said, "I don't feel comfortable with that. Is that okay?" Well of course it's okay, but I also felt like she was not someone I wanted to entrust the health of my dog to, if she doesn't even have enough of a spine to examine him fully. SHE'S A VET, for god's sake. There will be problem animals. And mine is only 20 pounds! Anyway, when we got him home he kept begging for food like a starving thing. Which he probably was, because he doesn't eat well when he's not at home. He's a weird dog.

Oh! I nearly forgot! I have joined an NFL-managed Fantasy Football league. I have never, ever played FF before, and have ZERO clue what I'm doing. I actually joined two, and the draft for the first one starts on Monday night. I really need some pointers before then. If anyone on LJ has ever played FF, I'd appreciate someone cluing me in. I'm not sure how I should draft and in what order. >

The photos taken of me, adelagia, and slitherhither with Doug Baldwin and KJ Wright at the Microsoft Store event are finally up! Woohoo! All the photos from the event are here. We are three of the many, many shots. :))))

( A overlong breakdown of the event, because I want to remember it as best as I can! )

ALSO!!! The three of us are going to Richard Sherman's Celebrity Softball Game!! We have some reallllllly nice seats. I hope they're letting people bring their cameras, because I just bought a 55-300mm zoom lens, which will hopefully help me get some really good shots. Like, I-can-see-their-pores kind of good shots.

All sorts of awesome players are scheduled to be there, but I will only be disappointed if Earl doesn't end up showing. HE BETTER SHOW.

Also, it's unclear whether they're actually going to play a full game, or just wander around in baseball uniforms. I mean, is it allowed for NFL players (or players of any sport) to play other games during the offseason? What if they get injured?? That seems risky. I mean, even a softball, if it hits you in the face or joint, can do a ton of harm. Also, all the Seahawks are so insanely competitive, I can see them start fighting with one another on the field, even for a frou frou charity game. :)))