Sox Fans Vs. Cub fans: We are one in the same.

You know what I love about postseason baseball. The entire season is a waste of space. Nothing goes how it is predicted and yet everyone's true colors came out.

This was the first year that Chicago has been in the playoffs since Facebook became mainstream and I think a lot of friendships are broken and a lot more are teetering.

I noticed a few other things this post season about both groups of fans.

We both have a group of fans that wouldn't dream rooting the others on and a group that roots for Chicago. Personally, I am of the former. But I enjoy the fact that even in this we are alike.

We both were silenced this post-season. I was a mess; I will admit that. And I stayed nice and silent while my insides were in turmoil and as the Mets started winning, I started speaking up. The opposite is true for the Cubbies. Oh! They thought they won the whole postseason after they won the Wild Card game. And game after game after that, they just kept the hype going. Until they couldn't and the whole city fell silent.

Watch out! The Bandwagoners are coming! For some reason both fanbases hate the bandwagoners. I think its cool that you can pool people from other teams after their team has fallen and watch as they root your team on.

But really they are already here! My mom hates baseball. She doesn't know how many innings are in a game, how many balls are in a walk, she is lucky if she can even point out the White Sox. Yet I know when baseball gets exciting in Chicago because even she starts talking about it. There are fans like this that creep in because the city is electrified. If you asked my mom who she was rooting for, she'd hesitate but probably would have said the Cubs. If you don't pay attention, how could you vote anything else? For many, baseball is not exciting... but when it is... its joltingly so.

We both think we are the underdog. Who doesn't love a good underdog story. "It has been over 100 years since the Cubs have been in the World Series but LOOK at them now?" "The Sox are under-represented, have less fans and basically forgotten in this city but LOOK how they won." We both want to prove something. (Some of us are just better at it.)

The point of the matter is that despite which side of the city you root for. Your heart gets into it during the post season. Some friendships may be lost, some may be gained and some habits never grow old.

Developing a character.

Turning ordinary people you see into characters fit for a story.

As I walked into the cafe, I saw the mounds of paper and notebooks spread over the table and tumbling out of the briefcase before I even saw the man: Oscar Franklin. Most people only dream of speaking his name and here I was ready to introduce myself.

As my eyes glanced to his stature, I froze near the door. Mr. Franklin looked older than his pictures. His salt-and-pepper hair gave him a distinguished look. One you would expect from such a significant man. He was busy scribbling away. For every breath he took, he tapped his pencil on the mountains of paper. Each tap seemed determined, animated and as if Mr. Franklin was in a world of thought that no mere man could enter.

As I took my final breath, I walked up and introduced myself through a rapid heartbeat and a shaking voice. His crystal eyes were as unwavering as a lion staring down his prey. I gulped and pulled a chair out, not knowing what to expect.

"Let's look through this one more time." He said, "I have some questions." And just like that, I was transported to his world.

perceived faction

So in my writing class, we were asked to write 2 paragraphs. One with 3 lies and 1 truth and one with 3 truths and 1 lie. I found that writing truths and slipping a lie in was easy. But making up a story and slipping a truth in was challenging. This is something I should work on a bit.

Someone else's comment: "I believe the exercise demonstrates that the line between fact and fiction is often a matter of perception. We each have our own version of the truth and writing fiction is about sharing your version of the truth with the reader hoping to secure their investment in your perceived reality."

Which matters more

You know, in a lot of ways I think teaching is the reason I have given up writing. My brain gets so overwhelmed by what I do at school that I don't have time to dive into writing. And I kind of hate that. I love the high I get from writing. I feel at peace with the universe when I write something that couldn't make more sense. I don't want to have to give up writing to teach. But given the option I will because I'd rather help the children I can see, than attempt to help those that might never read the pages.

Voiced

In 2003, I found my voice. It wasn't thanks to a guy, or a girl or a catastrophe. It was thanks to the Cubs. I will admit that. And that they were doing well. They looked like they might pull it off and I was having nothing to do with it.

I fought tooth and nail against every Cubs fan I knew. Sometimes to the point of costing me friendships. But it didn't bother me. You should be able to fight for what you believe in. And I believe in the Sox and I believe in not believing in the Cubs. I really hated and loved 2003 all for that. I was bold, brash, cunning, devious. I sweat and screamed and refused to watch the game in fear they would score. Yet it made me me. And I loved it.

This season I'm not the same as that 14 year old punk of a fan.... but I want to be. I'm dying to be. I want to be mean and laugh and joke even if the only one laughing is myself. I want to root for the enemy of my enemy. I want others to understand my logic to some degree. I want to profess my feelings. But I'm holding back. I am biting my tongue when I never have before and I don't want to. Really soon I think the lid on my classy is going to pop. Really soon I am going to ooze hatred. And I'm going to love every minute of it. As long as the Cubs continue to mess up like they always have. If not I'll be wrong and a mess. But I'll be wrong and a mess either way lol. So might as well take a few fans down a few pegs on my way.

Soxdom

Now the topic for the day. Baseball. For the record I am a Sox fan. From the time I started being a Sox fan, I was taught 2 distinct rules for Sox fandom.

1) You HATE the Yankees. You hate them not because they are good (which they are and you know it and you loath it) but because they have bought their rings. They have the highest payroll of any team. Of course they are going to win a lot. And you hate that they can. and 2) You root for ANYONE playing the Cubs. You do this not because they are the other team in Chicago but because they are Goliath. And next to your David, you have to. You are the underdog. Less people like you, you aren't the loveable losers. You have to work hard to get your seats filled, you have to have fire as a Sox fan because you will put up with so much. You aren't liked here. You aren't respected here. How dare you care about a team that isn't the Cubs? What are the White Sox anyway?

So you learned how to be a Sox fan and now that the Cubs actually have a baseball team on the field instead of a laughable B-rated shit-show. You still hold by your morals. The day that made it better was that you won the world series first. As you know, you really aren't much better than the Cubs. 86 years without a World Series win until 2005. Both teams had 2 rings. Until 2005. The year that gave you hope again. You thought for a brief few years that it didn't matter if the Cubs won now because you got there first. You liked being on top. But as each year went on, your argument became less valid. And now, again, now that the Cubs have a team and your team turned into a shitshow this year? You are scrambling. If they win again, you are even. And the thought will make your skin crawl. Worse yet they have a team that might last more than one year, what if you fall behind?

You have always been behind in numbers at the stadium, in fans, in Chicago. You don't want to be behind in rings too.