Reading Viewing Stats Quarters 1 and 2, 2025

We are half way through 2025.  The days seem to move slowly, but the year slips by quickly.  I have
never understood how that works, but here we are.  I haven't taken any time to reflect on what I have watched, listened to, or read this past quarter, but I have continued to record it as I have for several years. 

I do know that I put in a lot of podcast listening minutes in the first quarter of the year, but with the return of Major League Baseball, those podcast minutes have dropped considerably.  With the return of the MLB, I picked up the MLB At Bat subscription where I can listen to all baseball radio broadcasts.  So, as a way to track my usage of the this app, I started noting what teams I listen to on the "Reading and Viewing" stats sheet.  I note any game that I listen to intentionally for 5 innings or more.  This does not include games that are on in the background, and I find myself wondering what the score is.  Anyway, I have enjoyed listening to the different broadcasters and noting the different approaches to calling a game.  I am still quite partial to the Chicago Cubs broadcasts with Hall of Fame Broadcaster Pat Hughes, but I do enjoy many of the other broadcasts like Jon Miller and Davis Flemming on the San Francisco Giants broadcasts.  My goal is to listen to at least one game of every Major League Baseball club this season. 

Well, here are the stats from the first two quarters of 2025:  

Movies Watched:  11

Rewatch: 4

First Time: 7

In Theater: 3

T.V. shows streamed: 93

First time:  78

Rewatch:  15

Podcast Episodes:  28

Time Listened: 1742

Books Read:  8

Fiction:  4

Nonfiction:  34

Pages Read:  2,114

Audiobooks:  

Fiction:  

Nonfiction:  

Hours Listened:  

Books Abandoned:  1

Fiction:  1

Nonfiction: 

Pages Read:

Short Stories Read: 

Fiction: 

Nonfiction:  

Pages Read:  

Comic Books Read: 126

Print: 54

Digital: 72

Book Titles:  

Void Rivals: Vol. 1 More than Meets the Eye by Robert Kirkman Art by Lorenzo de Felicia (Graphic Novel)

The Salt Thief: Ghandi's Heroic March to Freedom by Neil Bascomb

The Library Mule of Cordoba by Wilfred Lupano and Leonard Chemineau, art by Christopher Bouchard (Graphic Novel)

Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk 

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetya

Dungeons and Dragons: Worlds and Realms by Adam Lee

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Meirlich and Oga's by Annabelle Hiel

Movies Watched:

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Wicked

Captain America: Brave New World (Theater)

Inside Out  2

Rogue One

Star Wars: A New Hope (theater)

Elemental 

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

Thunderbolts (theater)

 

T.V. Series Watched: 

Skeleton Crew

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man 

Music By John Williams

Andor season 1

Fur Babies

Disney Treasure

Light and Magic season 1

Andor Season 2

Star Wars Rebels

Dance Moms Season 2 (don't ask, I couldn't look away)

Dead to Me Season 1

Dead to Me Season 2

Dead to Me Season 3

Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld

Pepsi, Where's My Jet (documentary series)

Podcasts:

Rebel Base card Podcast (3)

60 Songs that Explain the 90's (2)

The Colbycast (5)

Teachers in the Dungeon (1)

Lost Ballparks (13)

Classic Baseball Radio (5)

MLB Team's Games listened: (min 5 innings)

Chicago Cubs 25

Detroit Tigers 18

San Francisco Giants 4

Seattle Mariners 4

New York Yankees 2

Texas Rangers

Kansas City Royals

Washington Nationals

Pittsburg Pirates

New York Mets

San Diego Padres

First Quarter 2025 Post

2024 Final Stats

Fantasy Baseball: Coca Cola Kids "B Team" Baseball Club Weeks 13-18

Week 13: 

Kids (111-81-24) vs. Trot's Cardinals (104-83-29)  13-4  "Kids Handle Trot's in Week 13"  

(3rd League)

Week 14: 

Kids  vs.  Acuna Matada  8-6 "Offence Carries the Kids in Week 14" 

(2nd League)

Week 15: 

Kids (132-91-29) vs. you have to C it (134-91-27)  6-10  "Kids Overpowered by you have to c it"

(2nd League)

Week 16: 

Kids (138-101-31) vs. Gourmet by Gorman (135-102-33)  8-8  "Kid's Hitters fall Short in Week 16"

(4th in League) 

Week 17: 

Kids (146-109-33) vs. Anyone but the Cubs (89-179-28)  11-6  "Pitching Dominates in Week 17"

Week 18: 

Kids vs. Splendid Splinters

B Team Weeks 7-12

B Team Weeks 1-6

Entering Week 13, the Kids are still in good shape, but they have bounced around the standings from 1st place to as low as 6th place in the league with inconsistent play.  Other teams in the league have discovered if they can continually slot starting pitchers in throughout the week, and pile on the innings, they can beat the Kids.  I don't play that game.  I post the best team I can without dropping and picking up pitchers because they start that day.  

Enough complaining, the Kids offense is keeping them competitive each week and the front office hopes the pitching staff can win categories not dependent on massive amounts of innings like era, wins, holds and quality starts.  The Kids have gotten really steady work from their top 3 starters Schwellenbach, DeGrom, Luzardo with Imanaga coming off the IL supposedly this week.  

At the plate, Raleigh is the team's MVP so far with Tucker, Suzuki and Schwarber close behind.  Those four are solidly supported with numbers from Pena, Betts, Olson, and Kwan.  Front office is really looking forward to some exciting play and speed on the bases from Caballero.  

Team Leaders after 13 Weeks:

Runs: 57 - Kyle Schwarber 

1B: 71 - Jeremy Pena

2B: 19 - Seiya Suzuki

3B: 4 - Kyle Tucker

HR:  31 -  Cal Raleigh

RBI: 66 - Cal Raleigh

SB:  18 - Kyle Tucker

BB:  55 - Kyle Schwarber

OPS: 1.042  Cal Raleigh

IP: 976.2 - Spencer Schwellenbach

W:   - Tie  Jacob DeGrom, Jesus Luzardo and Nick Pivetta

CG: 1 - Spencer Schwellenbach

SV: 14 - Ryan Helsley

K: 104- Jesus Luzardo

HLD:  9 - Carlos Vargas

SP ERA:  2.24  Jacob DeGrom

RP ERA:  1.71  Luke Weaver

SP WHIP: 0.92 Jacob DeGrom

RP WHIP:  0.80 Luke Weaver

QS:  11 - Spencer Schwellenbach

Here is the team roster as of the beginning of Week 13: 

C: Cal Raleigh Mariners

1B: Matt Olson, Braves

2B: Mookie Betts, Dodgers

3B: Jose Caballero, Rays

SS: Jeremy Pena, Astros

OF: Kyle Schwarber, Phllies

OF: Seiya Suzuki, Cubs

OF: Steven Kwan, Guardians

Utility: Kyle Tucker, Cubs

Bench: Willi Castro, Twins

Bench: Spencer Torkelson, Tigers

SP: Spencer Schwellenbach, Braves

SP: Kevin Gausman, Blue Jays

SP: Jacob DeGrom, Rangers

RP: Ryan Helsley, Cardinals

RP: Daniel Palencia, Cubs

P: Carlos Vargas, Mariners

P  Jesus Luzardo, Phillies

P: Nick Pivetta, Padres

Bullpen: Bryan Woo, Mariners

IL:  Tylor Megill, Mets

IL: Shota Imanaga, Cubs

Players Added Weeks 7-12

Josh Jung, 3B Rangers

Daniel Palencia, RP Cubs

Carlos Vargas, RP Mariners

Jo Adel, OF Angels

Jose Caballero, Rays

This post will be updated at the beginning of each week through Week 18.  

 

Fantasy Baseball: Coca Cola Kids "A Team" Baseball Club Weeks 13-18

Week 13: 

Kids (122-90-28) vs. Brutes FBC (106-113-21)  9-8  "Kids Hold off the Brutes Rush"  

(1st Division, 1st League)

Week 14: 

Kids  vs. Fried Chicken Bucket 12-5 "Kids Flex Their Muscles with 21 Home Runs vs Fried Chicken Bucket"

(1st Division, 1st League)

Week 15

Kids (143-103-34) vs. BrownTown (127-120-33) 10-8  "Kids Overcome Strong Pitching from Browntown"

(1st Division, 1st League)

Week 16

Kids (153-111-36) vs. Orange Drink (122-148-30)  9-11  "Starting Pitching Goes Flat for the Coca-Cola Kids"  

(1st Division, 1st League)

Week 17

Kids (161-122-37) vs. BrownTown (145-136-39)  8-8  "Kid's Bats Go Cold Against the Brutes FBC"

(1st Division, 1st League)

Week 18

Kids vs. The Mecca of Red Necka  6-10  "The Kids Have Lost The Winning Way"

(1st Division, 1st League)

A Team Weeks 7-12

A Team Weeks 1-6

The Coca Cola Kids "A Team" Baseball Club finds themselves in territory they haven't seen in quite some time, first place at the end of June.  The season has settled in and the blowouts have become more rare unlike the first six weeks.  At the end of twelve weeks, the season MVP is emerging to be Cal Raleigh with Pete Crow-Armstrong a close second.  The Kids manager is happy to see Marte return from the IL picking up where he left off, and the steady play of Josh Naylor.  Front office went to the waiver wire to get a couple reliable outfield bats as Crow-Armstrong and Rodriguez's bats have shown a steady cool down.  They picked up Adolis Garcia from the Rangers and Randy Arozarena from the Mariners.  Both got off to slow 

(starts this season, but have shown an uptick in stats recently.  

The starting pitchers have been steady.  The team is looking forward to having Shota Imanaga back, but relief pitching has been a struggle and revolving door all year.  The Kids are fine to target either saves or holds, but the relief staff is not accruing either.  Expect to see a relief pitching staff turn over in the next six weeks.  

Team Leaders after 12 Weeks:

Runs: 60 - Elly De La Cruz

1B: 59 - Josh Naylor 

2B: 17 - Tie, Josh Naylor and Pete Crow-Armstrong

3B: 3 - Tie, Julio Rodriguez, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch

HR:  31 - Cal Raleigh

RBI: 66 - Cal Raleigh

SB:  23 - Pete Crow-Armstrong

BB:  45 - Cal Raleigh

K's: 87 -  Elly De La Cruz

Ave:  .310 - Ketel Marte

IP: 96 - Framber Valdez

W:  8 - Framber Valdez

L: 7  - MacKenzie Gore 

SV: 2 - Reed Garrett

Hits: 84 - MacKenzie Gore

BB: 34 - Freddie Peralta

K: 123 - MacKenzie Gore

HLD:  17 - Jason Adam

SP ERA:  2.76 Freddy Peralta

RP ERA:  0.79 - Randy Rodriguez

QS:  11 - Framber Valdez

Team roster as of the beginning of Week 13: 

C: Cal Raleigh Mariners

1B: Josh Naylor, Diamondbacks

2B: Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks

3B: Isaac Paredes, Astros

SS:  Elly De La Cruz, Reds

OF: Adolis Garcia, Rangers

OF: Pete Crow Armstrong, Cubs

OF: Teoscar Hernandez, Dodgers

Utility: Michael Busch, Cubs

Bench: Matt Shaw, Cubs

Bench: Bryson Stott, Phillies

Bench:  Spencer Torkelson, Tigers

Bench: Julio Rodriguez, Mariners

Bench: Randy Arozarena, Mariners

SP: Shota Imanaga, Cubs

SP: Michael Boyd, Cubs

SP: Framber Valdez, Astros

SP: Freddy Peralta, Brewers

RP: Randy Rodriguez, Giants

RP: Jason Adam, Padres

P: Steven Cruz, Royals

P: MacKenzie Gore, Nationals

Bullpen: Reed Garrett

Players Added Weeks 7-12

Patrick Meadows, OF Tigers

Randy Rodriguez, RP Giants

Reed Garrett, RP Mets

Steven Cruz, RP Royals

Chris Paddack, Twins

Randy Arozarena, Mariners

Adolis Garcia, Rangers

This post will be updated at the beginning of each week through week 18.  

Things I Love About Summer: Part 3

I am not one to sleep deep into the morning like 10:00 or 11:00, but sometimes it sounds really nice.  Often when getting up for work, I just wish I could go back to bed.  That is one of the things I love about summer, sleeping in or at least the idea that I could. 

There is something absolutely wonderful about the idea that, if I wanted to, I could just keep hitting
snooze and not get up on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or even Friday.  I love that about summer.  Or, what's better, not even setting an alarm at all.  

As mentioned above, I don't typically sleep much past 6:00 am on most days (even summer), but recently I slept deep into a morning to where I debated if I should just hold off about 30 minutes and have lunch instead of breakfast.  I must say, when I have a day like that, it isn't as much fun as I think.  Yeah, I feel more rested, but the guilt and thought that I lost half a day normally tortures my mind that it doesn't end up feeling great.  I have to wonder if other people (adults) feel that way.  

I know my children don't!!  They have no problem on summer break or weekends for that matter sleeping in until noon.  Actually, I can't complain, I remember doing that myself.  I was notorious for staying up late in my bedroom as a teenager making Dungeons and Dragons characters and dreaming of their heroics if I actually got to play them in the game.  I know, that sounds weird, but if you play the game, you know that for some people, making the characters is a large part of the fun.  I made so many characters late at night that while I played the game all the time with friends, there was no way most of those characters would ever see a dice roll for them.  But, I would stay up to the wee hours of the night doing that or reading a book (most of the Lord of the Rings trilogy was read either in a canoe or in the overnight hours), and I would easily sleep until noon.  

Noon was actually an important wake-up time during my teen years, because I would start work at 12:45 pm at the town swimming pool as a concession stand worker and later as a lifeguard.  On days I didn't work, it was not an uncommon occurrence that my mom would let my friends in the house to wake me up around 10:00 am to go to lunch or garage sale shopping or whatever else it was kids did in the morning in the summer during the decade of the 1980s.  

Even thought sleeping in isn't something I often do and even thought when I do it is often followed by a certain guilt or FOMO, just the thought that I could if I wanted to is one of things I love about summer.  

Things I Love About Summer: Part 2

Every year, a week or two after school has closed out for the summer, a vacant lot on what we will call the "main drag" of our little town and towns across the Midwest is filled with a traveling amusement park for the annual town festival.  There is something about these town festivals that I love even though I rarely attend them any longer.  

Growing up in Oswego, Illinois just outside of Chicago, we had Oswego Days later to be called Prairie
Fest where the main street of town turned into an outdoor shopping, eating, drinking, festival in the evenings and summer nights.  Music filled the streets of downtown with the municipal band playing in the park and later a rock and roll or country music band on the street near the sponsoring tavern.  Downtown shops put racks of clothes and tables of summer merchandise on the sidewalks, the fire station held some kind of water hose and bucket on a wire contest that I remember but had no idea what was happening other than a lot of water spraying all over.  The water brigade was welcome as it was normally sunny and hot.  I attended those festivals for years and years.  During my high school years, I participated in the annual Oswego Days parade as a Cub Scout and later marching in the band.  I sang solos and duets at Ice Cream socials during the festival, and I attended and rode the rides of the traveling amusement park in a field near the elementary school.  

Today, in the town I call home, we have the Good Neighbor Days renamed from the Cherry Festival after a tornado decimated the town in 2013.  It was a well intended name as it symbolized the unity of the community after the tornado, but people continue to call it the Cherry Fest confusing those who are not in the know.  It is kind of amusing and around our house we call it both names without blinking an eye.  

Even though I don't attend the festival any longer, it is still one of the things I love about summer.  My kids go the festival at night to hang out with friends and ride the rides, but the idea of festival has really changed over the years.  There isn't a parade any longer.  I don't see any bands or music on a schedule to attend.  There are the rides, a 5K run, and a pancake breakfast, but that is about it.  This is no shade on any committee or chamber of commerce, it reflects the society in which we live.  Has it been shaped by social media?  Maybe the COVID pandemic forever changed festivals, or maybe the national political divide has something to do with it.  Nevertheless, I still love the small town festivals despite the notable changes and lack of umph.  They are throwback to community and excitement for something good.  They are a throwback to neighborhoods and the community coming together for fun.  Perhaps they are a thing of the past, but who knows, maybe as the pandemic fades from memory and the political pendulum swings and maybe even the negativity and criticism that social media creates will settle, these little town festivals will continue to do what they are intended to do, bring communities together.  Maybe the bands will return to spread their music.  Maybe the parades with classic cars, fire trucks, and floats will return and people will be happy and excited.  

I think this is what I love about the small town festival.  It is hope for community.  It is hope to showcase the towns in which we live.  It is symbolic of our shared community and love of place.  For these things and more, it is one of the things I love about summer.  

Things I Love About Summer: Part 1

Fifteen years ago, I dropped 4 very short posts about things I love about summer.  You can see the first one here in August of 2010.  See?  I mentioned, they are very short.  

I have been inspired again to revisit and reflect on things I love about summer.  The summer months are quite meaningful to me largely because I work in education and have these months off from the day-to-day of being with students.  I still work, but it is a completely different environment when the students aren't there and my schedule is much more flexible.  But, I recall before I went in to education, the summer months were still notable.  The long days of sunlight and warm to hot weather definitely create a Jimmy Buffet "changes in latitude, changes in attitude" sort of feel.  

Here I plan to share some of my favorite things about summer.  I hope it inspires you to stop and smell the roses of summer wherever you are.  Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments right here on Seeking Positivity in the Galaxy.  

To begin, one thing I love about summer are the gatherings of friends outdoors.  Just the other night here in late May, my family and I went to an annual gathering at a good friend's house to watch fireworks that are held during our town festival.  We gather in the driveway for drinks and snacks where we visit and catch up on things like how the high school softball team qualified for the sectional championships earlier that day, and how we all enjoyed or didn't enjoy the newest summer movie releases.  We join in the annual harassment of how the Cubs or Cardinals are great or terrible or in an intense race for first place early in the season.  It is always a good time to catch up. 

Then as the sun decides to retire around 9:00 pm, we all make it to our seats on the driveway for the annual fireworks show.  It isn't the greatest show on Earth, but it is our show in our small Midwest town.  It is just fine, because it isn't about the greatness of the fireworks themselves, but it is about the friendships and sharing this experience every summer.   For that, it is one of the things that I love about summer!  

Fantasy Baseball: Coca Cola Kids "B Team" Baseball Club Weeks 7-12

The Coca Cola Kids "B Team" ballclub has had a nice start to the season after six weeks with 10 wins above losses (54-44-10).  The ballclub is solid all around, but some holes have appeared.  The kids are having a hard time filling the third base position. Willi Castro is just not doing the heavy lifting management thought he would do.  They picked up Noelvi Marte who is off to a solid start for the Reds with decent numbers across the board, but he is currently sitting on the IL.  Castro is back in while the Kids continue to look for a way to fill the 3B hole.  

The Kids pitching staff is solid up and down the bullpen, but the good weeks are good, and the bad weeks are bad; there isn't much in between.  The starting staff all have ERA's below a 4.00 with the high ERA at 3.97 and the low at 2.72.  Relief pitching has been fair.  Management is looking for one more reliver to add to the team for holds.  One spot that hurts is the Kids lost a top starter to injury as Shota Imanaga went to the IL.  

Team Leaders after 7 Weeks:

Runs: 37 - Mookie Betts

1B: 38 - Jeremy Pena

2B: 12 - Spencer Torkelson

3B: 4 - Tie, Kyle Tucker

HR:  15 - Tie Kyle Schwarber and Cal Raleigh

RBI: 39 - Seiya Suzuki

SB:  12 - Kyle Tucker

BB:  33 - Kyle Tucker

OPS: .952  Kyle Schwarber

IP: 61.1 - Spencer Schwellenbach

W:  5 - Tie  Bryan Woo and Nick Pivetta

CG: 0

SV: 9 - Ryan Helsley

K: 57 - Jesus Luzardo

HLD:  6 - Luke Weaver

ERA:  2.00 - Jesus Luzardo

WHIP: 0.59 - Luke Weaver

QS:  7 - Tie, Spencer Schwellenbach and Bryan Woo

See Weeks 1-6 Here

Week 7: 

Kids vs. Gourmet by Gorman  6-9 (6th in League) "Kids Fall in Standing, Struggling to get Wins"  

Week 8: 

Kids vs. Anyone but the Cubs  13-3 (3rd in League) "Offense Comes to Play Against Anyone" 

Week 9: 

Kids vs. Splendid Splinters  12-2 (1st in League) "Kids Split the Splinters for Dominating Win"

Week: 10: 

Kids (85-58-19) vs. All Choked Up  (78-68-16)  5-12 (4th in League) "Kid's Pitching Choked Didn't Score a Point" 

Week 11: 

Kids (09-69-21) vs. Underdawgs  (39-121-20)  14-4 (2nd in League) "Kid's Show Up and Dominate" 

Week 12: 

Kids (104-73-21) vs. Release the Kimbrel (85-90-22)