It’s that time again: October baseball!  Now, neither of my teams are still in it.  The White Sox started slowly, had a strong mid-season, and petered out at the end.  And the Mets…well, I told you guys Jerry Manuel sucks.  But, I still love the Postseason.  Okay, non-baseball fans, that’s all the sports talk you’ll have to endure.  Because the real point is that I happen to be cat-sitting at my sister’s and I have the game on.  But if I were at my house, I wouldn’t be able to watch it.  Fox and Cablevision are fighting, and millions of people, including me, are the ones losing out.  If my sister didn’t have Time Warner, I wouldn’t know that the Giants have a rookie named Buster Posey.  Buster Posey!  You’re welcome for that gem, fellow Cablevision customers.

Now, I don’t know if it’s a New York thing, or a digital cable thing, but, in my youth, I don’t ever remember channels being turned off because two rich companies were arguing over which company would get richer.  And it’s certainly not a coincidence that this is happening now.  Cablevision, you’re not fooling me.  Fox is losing out on big ratings; why would they be cool with cutting off service unless you were trying to screw them over?  And with the Rocky Horror Glee episode airing next week, Fox must really be hoping this is resolved.  And pretty damn quickly.  Cablevision also happened to get into a dispute with ABC right before the Ocsars were to air.  Interesting, huh?  ABC was suddenly missing from all of our TVs on the day of the Oscars, only to return to the air about 15 minutes into the ceremony.  Of course, we had all made alternate viewing plans.  My friends had to relocate a party they had been planning.

In fact, in the year I’ve been a Cablevision customer, there have been three (three!) interruptions of service.  I’m sure the networks and channels’ parent companies are as much to blame in the situation, but all I have helping me judge is a condescending message that is read by a calming female voice whenever I turn on my TV.  Well, you know what, Cablevision?  I don’t care who’s to blame.  All I care about is getting the services I pay (a lot) of money for.  And I care that I wasn’t able to see my friend Rachel on her Food Network reality show when it began airing.  You took Food Network from me?!  How could you?!  I had to watch it online.  So let that be a warning to get your shit together, cable companies, because the Internet is reading this post right now, laughing it’s streaming-content ass off.

BTW, here’s Buster Posey:

It’s always best to be cautious when welcoming in a new season. Those first couple of weeks are dicey — you never know if it’s going to be t-shirt warm or jacket cold. In fact, I’m outside, and it went from one to the other as I sat here. But I’m not afraid to say it: I’m so glad it’s finally fall! In my rankings of the seasons, fall comes in at two, behind winter and ahead of spring, with summer bringing up the rear. Weather-wise, I think fall and spring might tie, but in activities and treats, fall takes the (pumpkin-flavored) cake.

Perhaps my favorite thing about the fall is Halloween. Oh man, do I love Halloween. I love getting dressed up. I’m totally going to be that mom who still wears a full costume to hand out candy. And if you’ve read this blog, you know my stance on Halloween candy — maybe this year, trick-or-treaters! I pride myself on never having repeated a costume (at least once I started choosing them myself), and can tell you what I’ve been every year since kindergarten. Some highlights: 3rd grade: The Statue of Liberty, 5th grade: a Stop Sign, 9th grade: Pippi Longstocking, 11th grade: a Newsie (duh), 12th grade: Daria, Soph year of college: Kelly Osbourne, last year: a Walk of Shame. I also have this (apparently annoying) habit of keeping my costumes a surprise. It’s not because I think they’re super amazing, but just because I think it’s fun for everyone to show up to work or school or wherever and all be surprised. So, I do have an idea of what I’m going to be this year, but I’m certainly not going to tell you!

I’m also a huge fan of all things food that come with fall. Pumpkin flavored everything. Apple cider, hot and cold. Thanksgiving-y and harvest-y foods. You know it’s fall when you walk into a Starbucks and see the Pumpkin Spice latte up on their specials board. I got one the other day! Not from Starbucks, but still… Food related activities are also super fun. When I was little, we always went apple picking every fall, an extremely country thing for our very suburban family to do. It was so much fun. And the pies that would be made! Oh, the pies! Two years ago, my mom, sisters, and little nieces came out in September, and we went apple picking. Well, they (and a zillion other relatives, including my dad and a nephew who hadn’t been born yet) are coming back in a few weeks, and apple picking is penciled in on the itinerary. Plus, there’s always the trip to the pumpkin patch! Now that I have a nephew in the city, Halloween is going to be even more fun!

As for fall entertainment, there’s obviously great TV to look forward to (as previously blogged about), and fall baseball! It’s one of the best times to go see a ball game (depending on how your team is doing). Hopefully my White Sox can “cinch it up, and hunker down” as Hawk Harrleson says, and end this season with a bang! The theatre season is also starting, and while many shows I’m excited for aren’t opening until 2011, there are some great shows opening this fall. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, which I missed at The Public, is thankfully coming to Broadway. I’m also interested to see Elf and can’t wait for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, obvi (Patti! Sherie! Laura!) And don’t forget movies. The one I’m absolutely salivating over is The Social Network. Oh, man. It. Looks. Epic. Not to mention Part 1 of HP and The Deathly Hallows. All in all, I think this fall is shaping up to be pretty shamzing!

So pretty much anything anyone could talk about today was Steven Slater, the flight attendant who lost his shit after dealing with one idiot too many.  I’ve worked service jobs; I get it.  I think most people do.  And while some of us may be more predisposed to act on those feelings, haven’t we all at least fantasized about leaving somewhere in a dramatic fashion?  Really leave an imprint.  Well, congrats, buddy.  You not only left an imprint on Flight 1052, but you left one on America and also the world.  I think it may have been the most dramatic exit since Fred and George left Hogwarts and Umbridge in a blaze of glory on their Cleansweeps.  I like to think that when Steve left with those two beers, he looked back at one of his coworkers and said, “Give ‘em hell from me, Janet!”  And just like Peeves, Janet saluted.  Oh, sorry if I lost you non-Harry Potter lovers.  Back to Steven.

It’s odd to think that he started his day presumably just like any other and ended it a folk hero and, for the time being anyway, a part of pop culture.  It’s so easy to get your fifteen minutes of fame these days, it’s hard to imagine someone getting it without trying.  I mean, look at the Balloon Boy incident!  Though, to be fair, it wasn’t really Balloon Boy who was looking for fame, but his parents.  BTW, everyone at my office was riveted to our computers that day.  I’m still mad at those jerks for making me think that boy was in there.  Jerks.  Anyway, Steven Slater has made it!  For who knows how long, people will be at their boring jobs, a friend’s birthday, or a family get together cracking jokes about where the nearest inflatable slide is.  Also, it has to be said: what a whimsical way to make an exit.

Perhaps Steven should call another Steve for advice on how to handle this sudden attention — Steve Bartman.  That right, the guy who “lost” Game 6 of the NLCS for the Cubs in 2003.  Oh, and just so you know, the Cubs had another chance to clinch it.  It’s not like Steve was at Game 7 to screw it up for you, Cubs.  No excuses.  (Go White Sox!)  Poor Steve Bartman.  What a sweet deal he thought he had.  Watching the Cubs from great seats competing in the postseason when they actually had a chance (except not) to reach the World Series for the first time since 1945!  All he did was what many a baseball fan (including several around him who did it too) would do: stick his hand out for what he thought was a foul ball.  He got in the way of a Cubs player trying to catch it.  Whoops.  And now, Steve Bartman, you’re not only a part of baseball history, but also pop culture.  Here’s video of him being escorted out of the stadium after the incident.

You don’t have to go crazy or ruin the dreams of thousands of Cubs fans though to become famous.  You can do a good deed!  Take the Subway Hero, for example.  Wesley Autrey (to be honest, I had to look up his name because I only know him as the Subway Hero) gained NYC and national fame a few years ago when he saved a twenty-year old who fell onto the tracks after having a seizure.  He jumped on the tracks and lay on top of the guy in the space between the rails.  Amazing.  Who knows if any of us would have the guts to do something like that.  Aside from saving a human life, though, there’s another incentive.  30 Rock did an episode about it.  I just hope this season Kenneth freaks out on everyone and slides down into the Plaza.

Well guys, today was the first official day of summer.  The longest day of the year.  And it was balls hot in New York City.  And I don’t have air conditioning.  I’m like A Time to Kill-level sweaty right now.  Summer is my least favorite season.  In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m a nerd, a stickler for the rules.  I really liked school when I was little.  I got bored during summer.  I mean, I was involved in a lot, so I wasn’t just lazing about, but I missed the structure.  Plus, there was no good TV on (which is still true).  It was all reruns, miniseries, and sucky shows that weren’t good enough for the traditional TV season.  Oh, yeah.  Did I mention it was HOT?

There are, of course, things I do like about the summer.  Baseball and summer go hand in hand for me.  Sure, Spring training starts in February and the World Series is in October, but summer means baseball.  And baseball means a good time, usually with my sisters and my dad, friends, beer, and peanuts.  Summer also means swimming.  Oh, man, do I love swimming.  When I was little, that’s what I loved most about the summer.  Sure, I’d rather be in school, but the pool was the next best thing.  There aren’t so many pools in NYC, which makes me sad.  But apparently, there’s a nice one in Red Hook that I’ll be going to with my nephew!  I can’t wait.  NYC also has some pretty nice beaches nearby, which I plan on going to some more this summer.  Though I’m not a huge fan of salt water, I do love to swim in a natural body of water.  Have I mentioned I love swimming?

I’m also a fan of the Summer Blockbuster, as those in the industry (and everyone else) call a big summer movie.  I even saw one already, though I’m not sure if that name fits.  I mean, it’s not ID4 epic, but it did make $109 million in its first weekend.  Now, if you’ve been reading my blog, you should know what movie it was: Toy Story 3!  It was fantastic!  Everything I wanted it to be, and so much I didn’t know I even needed.  I’m also looking forward to Eclipse because it will be terrible and probably an amazing movie-going experience.  I know New Moon was.  Those two are maybe the only summer movies I’m really looking forward to.  Well, those and the Grease Sing-a-Long.  Obvi.

One thing that’s been missing from my life for awhile now is the Summer Jam.  I found I do less jamming in New York, since most of my jamming, especially during the summer, was done while driving.  It’s just not the same quietly jamming to yourself on the subway with your headphones on.  Now that I have my own apartment, however, I plan on enjoying my current Summer Jam pick, Lady GaGa’s “Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say).”  I know it came out as a single in the winter, but tell me it doesn’t have a nice summer feel to it.  It’s perfect!  Perhaps something will come along to replace it, but until then, I’ll open my windows, blast my jam, and sing a long at the top of my lungs as if I were driving to the pool to teach swimming lessons.

And now please enjoy this scene from The Sandlot, which combines the things I love about summer: baseball, swimming, and movies.  And it has a pretty sweet jam in it as well: