Ack never mind. I didn't bring my bike lock today and don't have enough time to walk to and from the ballpark.
Oversharing customers are always a trip. Yesterday I learned all about a depressed recluse who may or may not accept a television as a gift.
I've also had a startling number of customers tell me about their imminent deaths, or more difficult yet, about the recent passing of their partner. Does this happen a lot in other customer service fields? I mean, I suppose it's compulsory in some fields, but in others tangentially related to mine?
I'm guessing Jeff hears a few of those.
Yes, I do. In some situations, of course, it's to be expected. There are other situations, though, where it seems like people just start sort of randomly telling me their life story. That's always interesting.
Only the tiniest bit related: Mount Eerie's new album is so damn depressing that I can barely listen to it.
It's incredible, but two listens is enough.
Heh, yeah, that's as many listens as I've made it through as well.
I only managed one, right after the release. The line about the gift that arrived after her passing is devastating.
When I worked at Video Update, there were a few customers, especially the early morning or the late night ones, that would share quite a bit. Though I don't remember any horrifying stories.
In the early mornings, it happens to me some because that's when I get drunk customers. I wouldn't have guessed that before I started, but I suppose alcoholism doesn't keep strict nighttime hours.
Talking to people sitting at the bar after they had a few cocktails? Yes, I get my fill of oversharing. I always assume that maybe the person just doesn't have anyone who will listen. I get a lot of heartbreaking stories on a weekly basis. There have been times I offer to meet over a cup of coffee. The tougher thing for me, is with 14 years in the same town, I have seen regulars of mine pass away.
I like that meme way too much
I've seen "Use the force, Harry" - Gandalf, for the extra degree of angst.
Aquinas had his first baseball practice last night.
He is... noticeably behind most of his peers. But he had fun, so whatever.
So, I coached youth baseball for many years. Most common conversation with parents was this: "If your child is not having fun, he/she will not develop a passion for the game. If he/she does not develop passion for the game, then no amount of coaching will make them reach their potential. As a parent, encourage your child and make it fun."
As coaches, we need to develop the skills in a fun way. I think I had very good results with the parents and the players.
I guess what I am saying is don't sweat it. Every kid is at a different level of physical/mental/social development. It is fun looking back and seeing some players who were way behind as youths, now the stronger players. We never know. Have a great summer of baseball!
My nephew got 1 hit total his first two years of Little League. Scared of the ball, poor mechanics. First game of his third year he batted leadoff, went 3 for 3, and made a good defensive play. Also, possibly not coincidentally, he has his first coach who emphasizes fun. He doesn't yell. Doesn't give constant advice. Every time a kid makes a mistake he tries to cheer them up and congratulate their effort. Love it.
Any tips on developing the skills in a fun way?
His coach has two boys on the team. They are naturally athletic. His coach also coaches the high school team. One of the assistant coaches is the high school football team coach. I'm worried (hopefully unjustly) that teaching basic skills won't be a focus, or at least will get moved past too quickly for the more advanced players.
How old is your son again?
At any age, one thing I focused on was station based learning. I would run a hitting station, a station for ground balls and a station for fly balls to start my practice. Lots of reps is the key. Nothing worse than kids standing around with nothing to do.
If you don't feel the coach is getting your son enough reps. I would recommend getting a bucket of wiffle balls and tossing him pitches in the back yard from 10-12 feet. Helps remove the fear factor and gets him lots of reps. I would work with my kids in this way and we would take turns hitting, so it felt like a game, not a drill. We would do mock at bats. Sometimes you have to throw at their bat just to give them confidence.
Also, if he is struggling with catch and throw, I would play lots of catch at home. With my kids I would be Herb Carneal, calling the big play... pretty much what me and my brothers would do as kids in the back yard. While doing this, I usually pick out one detail (like setting for feet to throw accurately) each session.
It's like a peanut butter sandwich. You can stuff it all in your mouth at once. Little bites.
Oh.. just saw first grader below. Patience is the key. Lots of reps.
Good to hear. Reps is what I'm working on.
I was going to suggest playing lots of catch. I found this drill was good for that age. Step through each position several times, then turn it into one fluid motion.
Thanks, this was good. It also led me to a catching drill that was excellent for him, and showed me something I had been doing wrong that was making catching harder for him.
Yep, reps. Just work on the rudimentary tips to start with (positioning the glove, how to step when throwing) and get that down to start.
My father coached a LOT of youth sports (baseball, basketball, and soccer for four children). He quickly developed his 3 rules (which I wrote about here*). He would teach them to his team at the first practice; then, whenever necessary, he would shout out, "Hey [random child], Rule Number Three!"
The rules were remarkably effective for him because it gave his players a secret code, it simplified his message, and it focused on the right things.
*Thankfully, he is nothing like the father on that story.
I find myself frustrated when he isn't following the "listen" and "try hard" rules. I'm trying to remember he is just a first grader who inherited his father's inclination to let his mind wan... hey, a penny!
The only time my dad (who was coach) ever yelled at us was when we didn't follow those two rules. Had to run laps a couple times. I remember one year...I think we only lost 2 or 3 games, but one of the game we lost we were getting blown out and admittedly we were barely trying at one point. For the last inning, he just threw his clipboard and said, "Nobody here is trying. I don't care what position anyone plays this inning. You guys just have to figure it out." If I recall, we didn't give up any runs that inning.
Squirrel!
Reminds me of a job I had for a year at a crappy printing company. My supervisor was a great guy and basically kept that place running a lot longer that it had any right to. He referred to the upper management as having a magpie mentality or something like that. Basically, any shiny bobble of a project or idea that came along that caught their eye, they would go after with huge gusto until something else caught their eye, then they would forget all about the original project, which usually meant he was given a new project to work on while right in the middle of what had originally caught their eye. And this happened All. The. Time. It was nuts.
Last night was a big night: I figured out how to (mostly) consistently throw a throw a football spiral while playing catch with the jalapeno, and we also watched as a hawk harassed a bald eagle up above us.
Nice!
I don't know, maybe we should give Kyle Gibson a little more time to develop as a major league starting pitcher. Surely he'll improve if we give him more opportunities and don't hold him to account for past performance.
I haven't verified this (sounds like something I've heard a few times before, especially the last name), but ugh:
in the 70 or so picks following Gibson, the Angels drafted 3 starting pitchers, an OF who starts for STL....and Mike Trout
-B. Hubbell
Worse than Flynn over Steph?
Not even close. Even the Angels drafted players ahead of Trout. No one thought he would be an All-Star level player, let alone a multiple MVP. Plus, baseball and basketball are worlds apart as far as projecting players and so forth. The fact that Gibson made it to the major leagues keeps him from being labeled a bust. Plus, we really don't know if Gibson would have been significantly better if he didn't have to have TJ surgery. Some guys are just never the same. And it wasn't a top 5 pick in the draft.
Gibson was the 22nd pick in the 2009 Rule 4 draft. Trout was the 25th pick. The Angels also had the 24th pick and they did not pick Trout 25th because they thought he would be worse than Grichuk, but because they wanted Trout to have a lower bonus. And the was the only player they picked before Trout.
Holy moly, I just went out on a little walk. The sound of the frogs is AMAZING.
(And now, back to your regularly scheduled website.)
We've got a lake-based state park a couple of miles from where we live. The walks lately have been stunning.
Little pond/wetland in our backyard. Our (as my wife calls them) frogs make for nice nightime white noise.
Even though we have a ton of water down here, it's the tree frogs living around our deck which provide the noise.
I'm not sure, but I don't think this is according to plans.
Kohl Stewart (Twins 4th overall pick in '13) has thrown 19.1 innings, issued 20 walks, and has nearly more wild pitches (10) than Ks (11).
-P. Hageman
You know, it would probably be pretty awkward to get the middle cup.
pun intended?
Nope, just unclear writing. I meant the middle cup in any of the sets.
I know what you meant. It's more codpiece than cup anyway
I have 3 SRO tickets that aren't getting used for this afternoon's game if anyone's interested.
Now if you had 3 CPO tickets...
Dammit, hj. That's so bad it's admirable.
You know that if anyone else had dropped that pun he'd be all over it with an eyeroll gif or somesuch.
Yes please.
Ack never mind. I didn't bring my bike lock today and don't have enough time to walk to and from the ballpark.
Oversharing customers are always a trip. Yesterday I learned all about a depressed recluse who may or may not accept a television as a gift.
I've also had a startling number of customers tell me about their imminent deaths, or more difficult yet, about the recent passing of their partner. Does this happen a lot in other customer service fields? I mean, I suppose it's compulsory in some fields, but in others tangentially related to mine?
I'm guessing Jeff hears a few of those.
Yes, I do. In some situations, of course, it's to be expected. There are other situations, though, where it seems like people just start sort of randomly telling me their life story. That's always interesting.
Only the tiniest bit related: Mount Eerie's new album is so damn depressing that I can barely listen to it.
It's incredible, but two listens is enough.
Heh, yeah, that's as many listens as I've made it through as well.
I only managed one, right after the release. The line about the gift that arrived after her passing is devastating.
When I worked at Video Update, there were a few customers, especially the early morning or the late night ones, that would share quite a bit. Though I don't remember any horrifying stories.
In the early mornings, it happens to me some because that's when I get drunk customers. I wouldn't have guessed that before I started, but I suppose alcoholism doesn't keep strict nighttime hours.
Talking to people sitting at the bar after they had a few cocktails? Yes, I get my fill of oversharing. I always assume that maybe the person just doesn't have anyone who will listen. I get a lot of heartbreaking stories on a weekly basis. There have been times I offer to meet over a cup of coffee. The tougher thing for me, is with 14 years in the same town, I have seen regulars of mine pass away.
I like that meme way too much
I've seen "Use the force, Harry" - Gandalf, for the extra degree of angst.
Aquinas had his first baseball practice last night.
He is... noticeably behind most of his peers. But he had fun, so whatever.
So, I coached youth baseball for many years. Most common conversation with parents was this: "If your child is not having fun, he/she will not develop a passion for the game. If he/she does not develop passion for the game, then no amount of coaching will make them reach their potential. As a parent, encourage your child and make it fun."
As coaches, we need to develop the skills in a fun way. I think I had very good results with the parents and the players.
I guess what I am saying is don't sweat it. Every kid is at a different level of physical/mental/social development. It is fun looking back and seeing some players who were way behind as youths, now the stronger players. We never know. Have a great summer of baseball!
My nephew got 1 hit total his first two years of Little League. Scared of the ball, poor mechanics. First game of his third year he batted leadoff, went 3 for 3, and made a good defensive play. Also, possibly not coincidentally, he has his first coach who emphasizes fun. He doesn't yell. Doesn't give constant advice. Every time a kid makes a mistake he tries to cheer them up and congratulate their effort. Love it.
Any tips on developing the skills in a fun way?
His coach has two boys on the team. They are naturally athletic. His coach also coaches the high school team. One of the assistant coaches is the high school football team coach. I'm worried (hopefully unjustly) that teaching basic skills won't be a focus, or at least will get moved past too quickly for the more advanced players.
How old is your son again?
At any age, one thing I focused on was station based learning. I would run a hitting station, a station for ground balls and a station for fly balls to start my practice. Lots of reps is the key. Nothing worse than kids standing around with nothing to do.
If you don't feel the coach is getting your son enough reps. I would recommend getting a bucket of wiffle balls and tossing him pitches in the back yard from 10-12 feet. Helps remove the fear factor and gets him lots of reps. I would work with my kids in this way and we would take turns hitting, so it felt like a game, not a drill. We would do mock at bats. Sometimes you have to throw at their bat just to give them confidence.
Also, if he is struggling with catch and throw, I would play lots of catch at home. With my kids I would be Herb Carneal, calling the big play... pretty much what me and my brothers would do as kids in the back yard. While doing this, I usually pick out one detail (like setting for feet to throw accurately) each session.
It's like a peanut butter sandwich. You can stuff it all in your mouth at once. Little bites.
Oh.. just saw first grader below. Patience is the key. Lots of reps.
Good to hear. Reps is what I'm working on.
I was going to suggest playing lots of catch. I found this drill was good for that age. Step through each position several times, then turn it into one fluid motion.
Thanks, this was good. It also led me to a catching drill that was excellent for him, and showed me something I had been doing wrong that was making catching harder for him.
Yep, reps. Just work on the rudimentary tips to start with (positioning the glove, how to step when throwing) and get that down to start.
My father coached a LOT of youth sports (baseball, basketball, and soccer for four children). He quickly developed his 3 rules (which I wrote about here*). He would teach them to his team at the first practice; then, whenever necessary, he would shout out, "Hey [random child], Rule Number Three!"
The rules were remarkably effective for him because it gave his players a secret code, it simplified his message, and it focused on the right things.
*Thankfully, he is nothing like the father on that story.
I find myself frustrated when he isn't following the "listen" and "try hard" rules. I'm trying to remember he is just a first grader who inherited his father's inclination to let his mind wan... hey, a penny!
The only time my dad (who was coach) ever yelled at us was when we didn't follow those two rules. Had to run laps a couple times. I remember one year...I think we only lost 2 or 3 games, but one of the game we lost we were getting blown out and admittedly we were barely trying at one point. For the last inning, he just threw his clipboard and said, "Nobody here is trying. I don't care what position anyone plays this inning. You guys just have to figure it out." If I recall, we didn't give up any runs that inning.
Squirrel!
Reminds me of a job I had for a year at a crappy printing company. My supervisor was a great guy and basically kept that place running a lot longer that it had any right to. He referred to the upper management as having a magpie mentality or something like that. Basically, any shiny bobble of a project or idea that came along that caught their eye, they would go after with huge gusto until something else caught their eye, then they would forget all about the original project, which usually meant he was given a new project to work on while right in the middle of what had originally caught their eye. And this happened All. The. Time. It was nuts.
Last night was a big night: I figured out how to (mostly) consistently throw a throw a football spiral while playing catch with the jalapeno, and we also watched as a hawk harassed a bald eagle up above us.
Nice!
I don't know, maybe we should give Kyle Gibson a little more time to develop as a major league starting pitcher. Surely he'll improve if we give him more opportunities and don't hold him to account for past performance.
I haven't verified this (sounds like something I've heard a few times before, especially the last name), but ugh:
Worse than Flynn over Steph?
Not even close. Even the Angels drafted players ahead of Trout. No one thought he would be an All-Star level player, let alone a multiple MVP. Plus, baseball and basketball are worlds apart as far as projecting players and so forth. The fact that Gibson made it to the major leagues keeps him from being labeled a bust. Plus, we really don't know if Gibson would have been significantly better if he didn't have to have TJ surgery. Some guys are just never the same. And it wasn't a top 5 pick in the draft.
Gibson was the 22nd pick in the 2009 Rule 4 draft. Trout was the 25th pick. The Angels also had the 24th pick and they did not pick Trout 25th because they thought he would be worse than Grichuk, but because they wanted Trout to have a lower bonus. And the was the only player they picked before Trout.
Holy moly, I just went out on a little walk. The sound of the frogs is AMAZING.
(And now, back to your regularly scheduled website.)
We've got a lake-based state park a couple of miles from where we live. The walks lately have been stunning.
Little pond/wetland in our backyard. Our (as my wife calls them) frogs make for nice nightime white noise.
Even though we have a ton of water down here, it's the tree frogs living around our deck which provide the noise.
I'm not sure, but I don't think this is according to plans.
Right.
Ugh