We are the A's

I know next to nothing about baseball. I probably enjoy watching it even less. But I can now say I identify with and appreciate the Oakland A's.

Jeff and I knew we would be a little burned out on remodeling at this point, so we scheduled in a movie date. We go to the theater only two or three times a year, but I had been wanting to take him to Moneyball; it's playing at our (very nice) dollar theater, so we went to the show last night.

The basic premise, based on a true story, is that the general manager of the poorest baseball team in the league revolutionizes the way players are picked and utilized. Using statistics, they make the most of every player and manage to win more consecutive games than any team in history. Essentially, they win games for only two hundred-something thousand dollars per game while the big flashy teams are spending over a million per win! Of course, they don't have the big name players or the fancy stadium, but they accomplish nearly the same results on a much smaller budget.

This concept I love. I think we as a couple strive to do the same thing: live below our means and make smart, thrifty choices while netting the same outcome as the big spenders. It's mostly undeserved blessings, but also some hard work and conscious decisions that yield the fruits. I'm grateful for the opportunity to know and practice this way of life!

Note: I'm not necessarily advocating this particular picture. We liked it, but some might find the movie a touch slow, and it did have a few coarse words. But it was interesting and did not require a large emotional or intellectual investment to follow and enjoy, which was exactly what we needed! I would be a terrible movie critic as I hate to be responsible for another party choosing or not choosing to spend two plus hours of their lives in the dark at my mercurial recommendation!