Finally.

The Cubs are playing their first game of spring training today.

This morning I went out to my car and dug out my old baseball mitt. I always keep a glove and a few hardballs in my trunk because you never know when someone might say, “Hey, want to play catch?” I put it up to my face and breathed in the smell of perfectly aged leather, dust and warm air.

Things couldn’t be better.

While my guitar gently weeps – Jake Shimabukuro

This is an amazing cover of one of my favorite songs by George, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.”

And he’s playing it on a ukulele. I wonder if George — and Eric Clapton who ripped off that solo for the White Album — would be impressed. I am. If you can’t listen to the whole thing, check it out at the 2:55 second mark. Whoa. Just, whoa.

And for the sake of comparison:

Bad Omens too Early in the Spring

This morning I did something stupid. I stood up in the middle of my office and made an announcement. I spread my arms and let everyone within ear shot know that the Cubs’ pitchers and catchers have reported.

Spring is here.

Like every year — and every Cub fan — I proclaimed that this was our year. I wasn’t alone. Ryan Dempster made a similar announcement this morning.You think we’d both know better.

Arms still spread, still standing in the middle of the row, I smiled. Warm weather; the Windy City Classic; days of 90 degree heat in the right field bleachers; ivy in full bloom – it’s all a just a few weeks away.

Then it happened.

I was away from my desk for 20 minutes and when I came back, it was broken. My Aramis Ramirez Fannie May edition bobblehead was in pieces on my desk. His head was shattered. There was a note explaining it was an accident.

But the damage had been done. The shattered (bobble)head coupled with the prediction… This has to be an ill omen. Does it mean that Ramirez will be more fragile than usual and not put up .300/30/95 numbers? It’s too soon to tell, but it reminds me of my encounter with the man from the future last winter.

I can only hope, Cubs fans, that this isn’t a bad omen of things to come.

Broken Bobblehead

Originally uploaded by packyourlunch.