BRAVERY IN THE BERNABEU

This weekend, Barca played its first game of the season against Real Madrid-a derby match known as el clasico.

Barca held a commanding league in the Spanish domestic league going into the match, but Madrid were coming off their fifth trophy of the year-the Club World Cup-and many had anointed them far and away the best side of 2017. Thus, it was clear that fireworks would ensue as these eternal rivals took the pitch.

Early on, Madrid were rampant, and they pressured Barca relentlessly. However, as the first half went on, Barca found its composure and created a few chances of its own. Nonetheless, I was not optimistic when we went into halftime 0-0.

Something seemed to have clicked at half time, however. For Barca, that click was the on switch being flipped. For Real, on the other hand, tentativeness set in. It was as though Barca said, "they threw everything they had at us, and it got them nothing. Let's now play our game and get them on the back foot." Real's response seemed to be, "How did we not score? What do we do now?" And that  is exactly how things played out.

Barca scored first on a beautiful counterattack started from their own end. They quickly followed that up with a penalty after a Madrid player was sent off for deliberately handling the ball and preventing a goal scoring opportunity. What was most striking-especially before these two goals-was how Barca did not just sit back and waster time or play the safe pass. Time and time again, they played the attacking pass, the killer pass. As I reflected on Barca's ostensible bravery, I came to realize that these men would dispute that account. They were simply doing their job, playing their game the only way they knew how. To attack and to exploit is not something one does when it is safe. This is how Barca players from the academy to the first team are taught to play every time they take the field!

In the end, we finished with a deserved 3-0 win over Madrid, pushing them 14 points behind us and hopefully dealing them a knockout blow in the league. There are more more games to play before the league title is ours, and we may still face Madrid in two other competitions, but until play resumes in January, Barca are the undisputed kings of Spain and the world. Back to where they belong, if you ask me!

GRAPHIC

Cate is the queen of graphs, and this is one of my favorites. I especially like the comment in the bottom right.

Edward Tufte would be proud!

Strawberries it is!

LADY BIRD

This past weekend I saw the new film "Lady Bird" directed by the actress Greta Gerwig. I have enjoyed Ms. Gerwig's films for sometime and that is why I was so excited to see her semi-autobiographical directorial debut.

The movie did not disappoint, and I felt myself traveling back to high school during the 90 minutes of the film. The main character, Christine is played by the wonderful Irish actress Saoirse Ronan. Christine goes by the self-appointed nickname Lady Bird and is a girl on the verge - on the verge of college, adulthood, and sexual awakening. She navigates situations that are fraught with conflict and complexity and somehow manages to do so with her integrity and sense of self intact. This is no small feat for an adult, let alone an adolescent.

The movie reminded me of how difficult that time in my own life was and also how I did not truly recognize or appreciate the Lady Birds I grew up with. Looking back, I now realize that I knew countless women like Lady Bird. Had I taken the time to look around, I would have realized that they were just like me- resolute in their ideas of the world and trying to navigate the land mines of growing up. If I had seen them, I think I might have had a very different childhood and felt less isolated. However, while life is best understood backwards, it must be lived forwards. For that reason,  it is never too late to think about all the people we encounter each day who may be more like us than we realize. Here's to all the Lady Birds out there!

BIG VICTORIES

In recent days, Democrats have pulled off stunning upsets. First, came the titanic win of Doug Jones over the accused child molester and all around degenerate Roy Moore in Alabama. Today, we learned that Democrats won the final remaining race for the Virgina House of Delegates by a single vote. That solitary vote means that there are an equal number of Democratic and Republican representatives in that chamber. Importantly, the Governor casts the deciding vote in the event of ties.

These wins come after months of struggles for Democrats who had lost every special election to fill a seat vacated by Trump appointees. However, the tide truly appears to be turning, and the resistance nationwide is fired up and ready to go.

How did we get to such a state in our politics? It began with the election of a carnival barker and degenerate to the White House whose antics and crudeness have left an inedible mark on that office and the American people. Clearly a majority of voters in two southern states said enough is enough. Imagine the reaction of voters in more moderate areas, including suburbs of large cities nationwide. That territory is the battleground where presidential, gubernatorial, and congressional elections are won or lost, and I feel more hopeful than ever before about our ability to win at all three of those levels.

Winning will not happen by itself. That is why we must all get involved by donating, talking to our friends and neighbors, and volunteering for campaigns. It is a truism that if turnout is high, Democrats will win. Because of this, there is no room for sitting on the sidelines anymore. The stakes are just too high.

I implore you to get involved. We rise and fall as one, and I, for one, sense a new dawn in our politics and for our country- one in which order, hope, and decency are restored to there rightful places.