Separatists, a Split, and some AnthropoSCENE

My Angels team did not do so well today, though they did manage to pick up a relative split in their 2 games today. Even though they played 2 and didn’t get a win, the game was fun to watch while reading through the next issue in the Star Wars chronology. This one focused on Anakin Skywalker before he turned, but you can see some of the seeds of the dark side in his actions. Finally, What would a ramble in March be without a look at the March Mammal Madness?

Release the Slaves

Anakin has a long and complicated history. He’s one of the few characters in fiction where we saw him rise from a lowly child slave in the desert to the pinnacle of power on the Death Star. Anytime I can learn more about his motivations and impulses is a good thing and Star Wars: Age of the Republic: Anakin Skywalker #1 does a pretty good job of laying out some of his personality.

First Home Run!

The team may not have done very well today with a loss and a tie, but Mike Trout smacked his first home run of the Spring, and I’m pretty sure there will be plenty more where that came from. The blast was a 3-run deal that put the Angels ahead in the 3rd inning, but the pitching staff couldn’t hold the lead. The game ended in a 4-4 tie, but it was good to see Trout get started.

The other game was a 3–4 loss, but it did showcase some decent play by some of the players trying to make the team. Jo Adell picked up his second double of the Spring and brought his average up to .316. He did strike out once, though, but it was a good outing. Dillon Peters also had a pretty good game, throwing 3 innings of 2 hit ball. He kept the Royals scoreless and struck out 2, but the rest of the staff was unsuccessful in keeping KC from scoring.

March Mammal Madness

The 3rd bracket in the march towards the tournament championship is an interesting one. This division represents animals that have been dominant or at least relevant since the beginning of human impact on the ecosystem. Of course, no one has a clear definition of when this age started, but some say it was the beginning of agriculture, and others say it started when the atomic bomb went off. Either way, there are some interesting mammals in this group.

This bracket includes some animals that, while prominent during the Anthropocene era, are not mammals. The Monarch Butterfly and the Common Cuttlefish are significantly NOT mammals, but every year there are a few of these outliers in the tournament.

With the diversity of this division, I am expecting some exciting battles.

It’s a Wrap

Today is Friday and I’m not just happy to see the work week end, I’m happy to relax reading, watching sports, and speculating on the March Mammal Madness.

It’s so lovely to head into a beautiful weekend with a story that builds up the background of one of the primary characters in the Star Wars universe and to see what the tournament of mammals has in store…even if not all contestants are mammals. Too bad my Angels didn’t win, but at least they didn’t drop two games today.

Regardless, I am looking forward to a nice, relaxing weekend.

Ramble 2020.01.16 | Separatists, a Split, and some AnthropoSCENE