I would like to interrupt this banner offseason for the Cubs to announce that, as of today, I'm officially done with my second Graduate Degree. This was 18 months that I couldn't give my all to GROTA.

Here is a round up of things that has happened in the last 18 months:

• I lost a job, only to have it offered back to me when a teacher decided to let a student reliever himself in the back of the classroom. It may seem false, but it's totally true.
• The Cubs have gone through two ownership groups and two mangers, yet Jim Hendry and Crane Kenney still have jobs with the Cubs.
• The Cubs over .500 streak last just three years. It was good while it lasted.
• We saw the end of the Derrek Lee era come to a close, and replaced him wth a guy that hit .196 last season. UPGRADE!!!
• Todd Ricketts went undercover for CBS. Ratings success? Maybe. Confidence builder for the organization? Not so much.
• The Washington Nationals just pulled a Cub signing with Jayson Werth. We all know how this one ends.....How much longer is he signed?
• We saw the rise and fall of Carlos Zambrano. I don't know which way he's heading now.
• The Cubs finally brought up an exciting player in Tyler Colvin.....oh wait, I mean Starlin Castro. Does anybody else project a Jeff Francoeur career path? Power, speed and solid defense. Check, Check and Check. OBP skills? Eh, not so much.
• I wrote countless papers for Grad School, not including all the editing and grading of my own students. Off the top of head, probably over 500 pages in 18 months.
• Our first child, Ben, was born on June 1st, 2010. We knew life would change, but nothing prepared me the joy that he has brought our family.
• On that note, none of the books I read about having a child prepared me for the fact that he had Down Syndrome, but now I feel almost like an expert now. I think that should be an added chapter in some of those books. Hmm...that gives me an idea.
• We moved houses after our first semester and we just now finally getting around to actually putting the house together.
• Did I mention Jim Hendry is still the GM? How's that possible after two different rebuilding projects. He's got to have some photos.
• We've seen Milton Bradley come and go. I'll never forget him throwing the ball in the stands and the good times he brought us all.
• The San Francisco Giants won the World Series with the likes of Aaron Rowand, Barry Zito, Edgar Renteria, Aubrey Huff and Juan Uribe. Shocking, just shocking. So, I guess there is hope for the Cubs.
• On second thought, they did trot out some of the best pitchers in the game.

I would like to thank all the writers here at GROTA that offered support during this time. GROTA has gone through a lot of changes, and hopefully we'll be here bringing a little humor and insight of the Cubs for years to come.

Sincerely,
Chris (AKA Yarbage)