Long story short: I finally truly really consistently reliably have Internet access at the house, so I may continue writing on this blog.

Ah, the streetball scene. I love it.

More relevantly: Earlier tonight played basketball in front of my house for the first time in Peotone with four guys. I would have felt pretty darn proud of my performance had they not all been scrawny little 14-year-olds. Nonetheless, it was fun to play with some people who actually wanted to play a decently competitive game, and get to show off maybe just a little.

One, the one who lived at the house that the portable rim was in front of, stayed behind after the other three had left. We talked as we shot around. He gave me the 411 on our street — which house has the crazy dog, which family is a bunch of stuck-up snobs, what people do for fun, etc. Actually, now that I think about it, we discussed a rather lot, as we were able to touch on music, parenting, politics, sports, American history (his favorite school subject), future aspirations, family life, father figures, scary movies, video games, and plenty else. I get the feeling that this is just a beginning. I live just across the street, after all.

Some basketball observations after a few years not playing in the streets:

1) Being smarter truly does make a player better.

2) At first, before I was able to join in, I watched a game. As I watched, I noticed swearing and bickering, and the cantankerous, cranky-old-man part of me thought, boy, they sure do swear a lot and argue about stuff. But then I spent three seconds considering what I grew up with and, in reality, what I was witnessing was rather tame.

3) Highlight of the night: Getting an elbow jabbed into my ribs. That may sound odd, but trust me, it meant a lot to me.

4) Second-place highlight of the evenings: Being asked, “Are you still in high school?”

5) I love the fact that you can travel a couple hundred miles and still play the exact same rules and use the same lingo.

6) When I was your age, we didn’t have cell phones in our pockets when we played, and if you answered a text during a game you’d get laughed off the court, pretty boy. Just sayin’.

More to come, I’m sure. Basketball, I mean — not necessarily observations. We’ll see.

-~-

Oh, and:

“For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the sovereign Lord. Repent and live!”

– Ezekiel 18:32 (NIV)

I continued to be so pleased with others’ generosity, in regards to the house, that I am unsure what to do. I bet I seem really awkward and ungrateful about it all, but as we continue to receive items like a recliner, a bed, a coffee table, etc., definitely items somewhere above “minor” on the spectrum, I am definitely appreciative even if I do not express it well. Which, I guess, I should likely work on, eh?

Gradually, I continue to enjoy tackling the odd project here and there throughout the house. The upstairs toilet no longer continues running post-flush. All the scrap wood and random debris has been out of the office, and instead some organizational accessories added, making it soon truly feel like a beacon of productivity and connection. Little things, like organizing the bathroom stuff and getting items into the dresser, still are tangible enough to provide satisfaction. Myself and Molly have settled into this slightly fun, not-entirely-serious pattern of me getting the right side of everything (bathroom drawers, dresser drawers, driveway, etc.) and her receiving the left, just for consistency’s sake.

And, by the way, from the geeky perspective of a retro gamer and movie lover, my mind continues to be blown by the use of Netflix on the Wii with wi-fi. I can sit down and, on demand, watch movies on a video game console via a wireless web connection. Crazy times we live in, and I am definitely getting far and beyond my $8 a month worth out of the service.

Finally found my basketball! Was in a random place, tucked away inside a footstool thingy that doubles as a chest-like container. Came very close to shootin’ it up outside on a neighbor’s goal. I am sure that initial shoot-around is coming soon. The weather is definitely already permitting.

Speaking of neighbors, one thing I have to love about this neighborhood is the fact that you can, quite literally, walk down the street and notice someone reading their Bible on their doorstep. Awesome.

I am blessed. Really.