Clean Me -- Keep on keepin' on

Every day I am going to do something -- no matter how small -- to improve my standard of living at home.

Tonight I did more of the same: I bought another padded envelope and resumed collecting items for Operation: Shoebox. Then I tossed two pair of shoes and placed another in the bag for Goodwill.

The past week I felt kinda stalled on the "Clean Me" front, but now I realize that some of the processes I have in place feel like habits, which is a good thing.

I'm not watching the real-time Cub game. I'm now watching highlights of the 1984 season.

WGN TV is rerunning a special that gives me goosebumps -- Cubs Forever, a retrospective of the last 60 years of broadcasts.

I saw the game that rainy night in July 2005, when my best friend and I were there at Wrigley Field to see my beloved future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux get his landmark 300th strike out.

I know the Cubs are losing to the Dodgers right now, but I don't care really. After the All-Star break we begin again, and I'm predicting a winning streak and a third-place finish, behind Cincy and St. Louis. And then I will declare 2011 as The Year. And someday it will be. Because being a Cub fan is about hope and loyalty. Being a Cub fan is a metaphor for life.

An episode I have never seen before!

It's been said before, but I Love Lucy. And I just happened upon an episode that's new to me, "The Great Train Robbery." Original airdate: Monday, 10/31/55. It's the beginning of Season 5, and the Riccardos are returning from Hollywood by train.

A previously unseen -- at least by me -- adventure with the Riccardos and Mertzes! It's like discovering buried treasure!