Home

I got to go home this past weekend and it reminded me of a lot of things.

I should first clarify "home" for me has several meanings.  Since moving to Chicago with Anna, it's home.  We've been here about 5 years and I consider my house, my life, my new friends, my comfort here in the south suburbs of Chicago...home.  However, I also consider my first 23 years of my life in Michigan home.  The only other house I've ever lived in, the neighborhood I grew up in, the schools I attended, the church I went to, the friends I've made.  All of that is "home" too.

I'm not sure what brought on this stroll down memory lane or what caused me to start thinking about what "home" means, but it started with my cousin Ross and I traveling up to Michigan this past weekend to visit our Grandpa.  We don't get to see him very often in the first place, but he was recently in the hospital and is slowing down a bit, so we thought we should pay him and my Grandma a visit.  My grandparents are not the subject of this post, however, it should not diminish the fact my Grandpa could use some prayer for strength.

In addition to seeing my grandparents, I was also able to see my family, stay up in my old bedroom, be with my mom on Mother's Day, see my siblings and my nephew, go to the church I grew up in, and watch a James Bond movie like the good ol' days.  Like I mentioned earlier, I'm not sure why this particular weekend triggered all these thoughts.  I've made several, if not hundreds, of trips up to Michigan since moving down to Chicago.  Maybe it was because I wasn't with Anna.  Maybe it was because I've realized life has continued to move on while I've been living in Chicago.  Maybe it's because I'm realizing my Grandpa is not who he once was, and will never be the Grandpa I remember while growing up.  I don't know.

Just visiting my old church I realized people I knew when I was a kid and teenager are significantly older now.  Those who could walk on their own are now using walkers.  There are more grey hairs on people's heads.  Those who were infants or young kids are now young adults.  It was a bizarre feeling to see and relive some of those memories.

At home it was nice to sit around the table I ate 98% of my meals at (2% of dinners were on tv trays on Sundays when we got Hungry Howie's pizza and watched America's Funniest Home Videos).  It was great to sit and watch James Bond with my dad and Ross, something we've been doing together since I was a little kid...except Ross.  He lived in Minnesota growing up so he didn't have James Bond.  They watched cheesy cartoons of Paul Bunyan or something.  We reminisced how we would always listen to Adventures in Odyssey while falling asleep.  I looked for them but couldn't find them.  I was assured they're probably around somewhere, but they were probably sold at the annual garage sale along with the rest of my belongings.

Going up to Michigan has a whole new meaning now that I have a nephew.  My brother John and sister-in-law Heather have a son who just might be too cute and awesome for their own good.  I offer evidence below:

This little guy is a ham.  Going up to Michigan is no longer about just coming up to visit, or going to my in-law's cottage in Holland.  Seeing this tank of a boy (he's 7 months by the way) is almost a necessity on our to-do list when we visit.

But all of the above is just one aspect of what I consider "home".  Anna and I have established "home".  We have our own house, our own neighborhood, or own church, we'll have our own kid (in about 3 months), we've set-up shop so to speak.  I don't want to sound like I would move back to Michigan without thinking about it.  What I...what we have going on here in Chicago would be very difficult to give up.  Yes it's great to think about all the stuff I did and saw in the past.  But Chicago is our home.  We have our friends and relationships, and it's not a focus on what I'm missing or those I don't get to see, but it's a reflection on what I still have and what is yet to come.  It makes reliving those memories and spending time with friends and family that much more special.

If you come across my Adventures in Odyssey cassette tapes I'd like them back please.

Tiger's Baseball: A Short Tale

"It's hard not to be romantic about baseball".  -Billie Beane, as portrayed by Brad Pitt

Sunday, April 15, 2012 marked not only my first Major League Baseball game of the 2012 season, but it was my first Tigers' game on the year as well.  I try to make a point of seeing them play live whenever they come through Chicago.  It's actually really nice because they have at least two or three series against the White Sox every year down here on the South side.  This year is a bonus year because the Tigers are playing the Cubs at Wrigley as well.  As I said before, I try to get to at least one game of every series.  And that's exactly what I did this past weekend.

We had pretty nice seats for my season opener.  Thank you Stub Hub for selling tickets at ridiculously low prices less than 12 hours before a game.

It was almost magical.  Sitting there taking in the sights and sounds, listening to Thunderstruck being played over the loud speaker.  It almost moved me to tears.  Baseball is at its finest when you go see a game live, and I don't care who is playing.  But it's even more special when it's the Detroit Tigers...and even more special when your spouse puts up with it.

So, we progress into the pre-game festivities...Elmo threw out the first pitch.

Morel and Ramirez are so terrible they found a couple of local boys to fill in for the day.

I should also mention at this point it was Jackie Robinson Day, so everyone wore #42 in honor of his greatness and achievements in the game of baseball.  They honored Minnie Minoso before the game.  He was Chicago's first African-American Major League Baseball player.  He's the older one on the left in the #42 jersey.

Here's Gene Lemont being a boss.

Overall it was a fun afternoon.  The weather was perfect.  Cabrera and Fielder are just too awesome.  It was fun to be that close to the action.

Here is a cool shot of Justin Verland and Alex Avila discussing their next start together.  

"Hey Justin."  

"Yeah, Alex"

"You should throw a no-hitter your next start."

"Ok"

You heard it hear first.

Final score Tigers 5, White Sox 2.  

Umpires

I know umpires aren't perfect, but sometimes they are just terrible.

I've had the opportunity to coach freshman baseball this spring and it's been an absolute blast.  Naturally, when working with freshmen it comes with its own set of issues.  Immaturity, silliness, and not quite getting what you want them to get are all just part of the gig.  But for the most part, they are a lot of fun.

As of this publication our team is 4-6.  We've played some close games, we've lost some bad games, and we've won some great games.  Today was no exception.  Today was an epic disappointment is what it was.  Let me set the scene.  The score is 2-1 going into the bottom of the 7th inning (we only play 7 innings in high school), two outs, man on 3rd, we are losing.

*Flashback to 3rd inning*  One of our guys hits a ground ball, close play at first.  Bang, bang, we beat the play.  "Out!", calls the umpire in the field.

*Fast forward to the 4th inning*  Same thing, hard ground ball, third baseman can't handle the ball, bang, bang play.  We beat the throw by a step.  "Out!", calls the umpire.

"What!?  NO!  He was safe!  Sir, this is two plays now where we have beaten the play."

*Fast forward to the bottom of the ninth* Let me remind you there are two outs, we have a runner on third.  Our guy steps into the batter's box.  Ball one.  Next pitch is fouled off.  The next pitch is hit hard to the shortstop.  He bobbles the hard ground ball.  He bobbles it again!  The throw to first....our batter steps on first, takes a step after the bag THEN the ball comes into the glove of the first basemen.  I at this point am holding my arms out indicating "safe" and clapping my hands in excitement.

In that split second I look at the umpire.  He looks back at me.  Raises his fist.  "Out!"

Game over.

I immediately run over to him.  "You've got to be kidding me!  There hasn't been a more obvious call all day!  Our guy should be standing on first in a tie ballgame right now and you know it!

The umpire looks at me and says in a quiet, I-told-you-so, attitude, "out".  "What!?!?", I respond.  "Maybe if you haven't been yelling at me all afternoon", he replies.

At this point in time my head coach has run from the third base line and has begun to intercede, pushing me away.  I don't know what they said to each other.  It doesn't matter.

I need to clarify that I was in the umpire's ear in the 3rd and 4th inning.  I was not yelling, I didn't speak in a condescending tone, I only spoke loud enough for him to hear me. For him to use that against our batter in a close game, where he just hit the game-tying RBI, is sickening.  I was so mad at this umpire for deciding a close game based on his resentment towards me.  I was merely trying to defend my players because we told them never to argue with an official.

Judge me how you will, but as a coach, I'm going to defend my players.  I'm not the kind of coach who argues with an umpire for the sake of arguing.  If it's a close call but I think he made the right call, so be it, I'll keep my mouth shut.  But in today's game something had to be said because this umpire was giving the other team free outs.  So for him to do that at the end of the game set me off.  That's wrong.

If I run into this umpire again I will of course shake his hand and apologize.  It's probably the right thing to do.  I just don't want him to continue ruining games for us if he thinks I have a grudge.

I know umpires aren't perfect, but umpires or any official should never use their feelings toward a coach and have that affect the result of the game.  It's not fair to the athletes, it's not fair to the parents.

Thanks for letting me vent.

New Beginnings

Blogging apparently takes a back seat when life gets busy.

Since my last entry the high school basketball season has come to an end, thus ending my announcing for the season.  The team in which I announce for went down to state and ended up getting 3rd.  They had the talent to win it all.  Sad to see them lose.

Also since my last entry I have begun coaching baseball at the freshman level.  It's pretty much what you imagine, except probably more stupid issues to deal with.  It actually wouldn't be that bad if half our team was borderline ineligible.  Seriously!  10 out of 21 guys have at least a D or F if not multiple Ds or Fs.  It could get ugly really fast if they don't get their act together.  Other than that, I love it.  Coaching baseball is a lot of fun.  Our first game is next week Tuesday.  We look to have a lot of promise this year.  For freshmen, they're pretty good.

Another knew beginning since my last update is there is now a baby being formed in my wife's womb.  I'm pretty sure it's mine.  Kidding.  It's mine.  Ours.

All kidding aside, we are very excited about being future parents.  Personally, it hasn't really sunk in yet that I'm going to be a dad.  Everyone I've talked to says it's the best thing to ever happen to them.  I guess it will become very real soon enough.  Anna is due mid-August.  I hope for her that it is a cooler summer (I also hope so for the sake of our A/C bill).

I am going to do my best to continue blogging more regularly.  I know this post is a little scatter-brained, but that's ok.  I'm writing this and watching the latest episode of Psych at the same time, so whatever.

I foresee my blog shifting and changing shapes over the course of the next several months.  I think in the long-run I'd like to see this become my humorous observations of being a dad.  Not necessarily a "hey-look-how-cute-my-kid-is" blog (although, it will probably happen, so I apologize in advance), but a "hey-my-kid-did-this-really-funny-thing", or "I-made-this-quirky-observation-about-fatherhood" blog.  We'll see.  It's way to early to tell.

I leave you with this:

Tebow

The title of this post alone might make some cringe or think, "Oh, here we go again."  I assure you this will not be the typical Tebow banter we've grown accustomed to over the past several months.

Whether you like him or not, the name 'Tebow' has entered our households and our vocabulary since his debut in the NFL with the Denver Broncos.  Not necessarily for his raw talent and ability at the quarterback position, but more so for his faith.  It happened one fateful afternoon when Tim Tebow took a knee to celebrate and to thank God for his success in the game.  "Tebowing" was born.  In fact, students have gotten suspended because of it.  It's become a national sensation.  Even the sports guys on CBS are doing it.

I don't know Tebow's true intentions.  Based upon his character and the way he's carried himself through this media blitz, I have to believe Tim Tebow is a sincere Christian who took a knee to thank God and the media has blown it way out of control (I know it's hard to believe the media can do something like that).

Again, Tim Tebow is not that great of a quarterback (yet).  His arm is certainly not the subject of all the attention.  It's his bravery to share his faith.  Is there a place in pro sports for an outspoken faith?  Maybe.  The mostly, if not all, secular media eats this stuff for lunch.  They find a guy like Tim Tebow who says he's a Christian, a guy who gives God all the glory due to his success, and the media crucifies him.

I think Tim Tebow is a great role model for young athletes, or for anyone really.  What he's doing takes guts.  As I mentioned earlier, I don't know his intentions.  Is he doing it for the attention?  Is he really an honest, humble man of God?  I don't know.  But what I do know is (from what we see on TV) Tim Tebow is a great guy.

Some might say all this Tim Tebow talk puts a bad light on Christianity.  Pray to God about anything and you'll get it, is what we hear on TV.  Be an outspoken Christian who plays sports and you'll lead your team right to the Superbowl (read "The Big Game", for legal reasons).  Was there an Angels in the Outfield thing going on in Sunday's game against Pittsburgh?  Maybe.  Did God have a hand in the game-winning play in overtime?  Maybe.  Do I believe in coincidences?  Sometimes.  Yes, it was absolutely crazy Tim Tebow threw for 316 yards Sunday night (John 3:16).  It was even crazier his average yards per throw was 31.6.  Coincidence or God saying he's a Broncos fan?

I'm a Christian myself and I don't know what to make of all this.  I was raised to give God the glory, especially when things were going well.  I get where Tim Tebow is coming from.  I get he's on a national stage and he has the opportunity to spread the fact he has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  I get it.  Part of me applauds him for his convictions.  Part of me thinks there are other strong, passionate Christian athletes who we don't hear about, and that's maybe the way it should be.  I don't know.  I wish I had the answer.

Maybe it's because we haven't seen a professional athlete like this before.  I can't remember, in my lifetime, an athlete who has been this open with their faith.  I'm having an even harder time thinking of an athlete who was open with their faith who received this much attention from the media.  The only one I can think of is Kurt Warner.  However, I don't ever remember the attention Tebow is getting.

Someday it will die down.  Who knows?  Maybe Tim Tebow will show other Christian athletes it's ok to be open with their faith.  I think that would be awesome.

I'm not really sure how to wrap this all up, but I do know one thing.  If I were in Denver, I would be the biggest Tebow fan there is.  Heck, I'm a fan now.  What a great example he is and I hope he continues to be.

What are your thoughts on all of this Tebow stuff?

Christmas

Christmas is definitely my favorite time of year.

I love it actually.  I love the feeling of warmth and coziness our house has when the tree is all lit up, the windows are adorned with lights, and other decorations fill the house.  It's almost spa-like.  If we had built-in surround sound (cough cough, Anna) I could pump Christmas music through the house all day.  Which is another thing I love about Christmas.  I love Christmas music.  I know some people can't stand it, or they get sick of it after Dec. 4, but I love it.  I actually have been trying to find every genre of Christmas music I can find on Spotify (which has also become one of my favorites).  I've been listening to classic Christmas music, jazzy, more contemporary (thank you Michael Buble), and much more.  I'm open to any and all suggestions as well.

Outside of the decorations and the music, what I really love about Christmas is spending time with friends and family.  Again, I know of several people who hate all the extra parties and business of the season, but I love it.  I really enjoy getting to spend a little bit of time with people I perhaps will only see that once in a year.  It's also really fun to exchange gifts.  I'm a big fan of the anticipation of "what am I getting this year?"  I'm an even bigger fan of seeing people with that anticipation of something I (or Anna and I) have gotten them.

The Christmas season also has inspired many-a great Christmas movie.  On the top of my list is A Christmas Story.  The greatest Christmas movie out there.  I also really enjoy Elf and A Christmas Vacation.  I'm laughing just thinking about all the great one-liners and scenes from those movies.  Hilarious.  "I hope you find your dad."  "Thanks Mr. Narwal."  Classic.

There is also one other perk I really like about Christmas.  I have been incredibly blessed to be married into a family who takes a trip somewhere warm every Christmas break.  We get to spend a week of time with my mother-in-law's whole side of the family (getting up to 50 people now) somewhere tropical.  It's awesome.  A week of relaxing, reading, doing fun activities, and once again, spending time with those I only get to see once, maybe twice, a year.

Take away the trip, the gifts, and the lights, I would still love Christmas because I get to spend time with those I love.  But please don't take away those things...I really like those too.

So for all of you out there, crank up the Christmas tunes, turn on the lights, or throw in a Christmas movie, and allow yourself to be swept up in the magic of Christmas.  Spend some extra time with those you don't get to see very often.  Give a gift to someone you love and/or appreciate.

From Anna and I, have a very Merry Christmas season (or Hannukuh, or Festivus) and a Happy New Year!


p.s  I hate the Christmas crowds and extra traffic more than occupiers hate rich people.

Announcing

I'm starting to realize God has blessed with so much.

Among a hot wife who loves me, a dog, a home, a job, friends and family who care about me, I've also been blessed with a voice.  I don't mean a voice to speak or to sing.  I mean a voice to be an announcer.  I didn't realize this until a few years ago.  I had the opportunity to fill in for our basketball announcer at the high school I worked at, and realized I really enjoyed it.  Besides having the best seat in the house, I got to call all the action as it happened.  It started out announcing a game here and there, and then the following year it became more frequent.  At this point I didn't start to think about announcing as a job so to speak.  It was just something to do to make some extra money.

I was honored to be asked to announce those basketball games, and people were always really nice by complementing me on my "performance".  I just shrugged it off, hoping to not think to much about it because I knew I wasn't going to go anywhere with it.  Summer of 2010 was when it started to become real.  I had received a phone call from our Athletic Director.  He informed me the previous football announcer was not going to be returning in the Fall, and he wanted to know if I would take the mic for the 2010 football season.  I of course said yes.

I started to get the hang of it.  Working with my spotter, calling the numbers and names of those involved with the play.  Making sure I was being articulate and enunciating correctly I began to fall in love with being a public address announcer.  Again, people would graciously complement me and for the first time individuals were telling me I should think about doing this announcing thing more often.  I kindly accepted the complements and kept doing my thing.  Moving from football to basketball season I continued to practice and fell even more in love with what I was doing.

One late winter's day I heard on the radio the Chicago Cubs were seeking a new public address announcer for the 2011 season.  "Oh my gosh!", I thought.  I could be the next voice of the Cubs!  All I had to do was read a script and make a YouTube video.  Easy enough.  So I did.  I began to draft dreams of becoming a professional public address announcer.  ~Spoiler alert - I did not get the job, nor is the video still online, sorry.

Through that experience I learned what a professional baseball team is looking for in an announcer.  Most of which could not be found in my audition video.  Out of curiosity I Googled* public address announcing jobs to see what else was out there.  Maybe there was some truth to all those who told me I could be a professional announcer.  The second hit was a link to the Windy City Thunderbolts, a minor league baseball team out of Crestwood, IL.  The site told me to show up to the stadium on a certain day and they would be hosting live auditions right then and there.  So I showed up.  One of 30 or so and the only one in a shirt and tie I patiently waited my turn.  While I waited I sat and listened to those going ahead of me.  As you would expect there were those who were pretty good and there were those who were just plain bad.  I knew at that point I had no right to judge them myself, but when you hear someone you know if they're good or not.  Finally, after about 15 people I got to go.  I sat in the chair in front of the mic overlooking the field.  I focused, took a deep breath, and belted out the best starting lineup I could come up with.  Long story short, I became a top-three finalist and eventually got the job.

I spent my summer announcing 48 home games between May and September.  I absolutely loved it.  I got paid to watch baseball.  How awesome is that?  I'm honored to say I will be returning Summer of 2012.  Stop on by if you're in the neighborhood next summer.

Since then I've become The Voice of the Hawks (title given to me by the Athletic Director) of a high school in the district I work in.  I've been announcing their boys and girls basketball games, and look forward to another great season.  Maybe in the future I'm announcing a professional sport.  Anyone out there reading who knows anyone in the professional sports world, I'm available after February 2012.

The point of all this is not to just say I announce and I love it.  As I mentioned earlier, I've been blessed with a voice.  Some are blessed with the ability to throw a football 50 yards, others are blessed with the ability to build a space shuttle, others are even blessed with the ability to take amazing pictures.  I, on the other hand, have been incredibly blessed to be a public address announcer.  I am thankful for the voice God gave me, even though I don't like listening to myself on a recording (am I the only one?).  I pray daily that God uses my voice for good, that I can honor Him in using my voice in whatever I'm doing.  It's a constant reminder for me to use my voice wisely.  Without it, I can kiss my dreams of being a professional goodbye.  May it be a reminder for you as well to use whatever gifts you've been blessed with to honor Him.

*Googled is not a proper word.  I get the red squiggly line underneath it.

The Rundown

Outside of being an awful Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson movie, I give you my own 'Rundown'.  There is a lot going on in the sports world lately.  

The first thing that is on everyone's mind is the Penn. State scandal.  All the details aren't out yet, but what we do know is people in authority did horrible, horrible acts of molestation and those who could have put an end to it didn't.  It's unspeakable what those men did to the young boys involved.  What's even more disgusting is those that knew about it didn't do anything to stop it.  

I don't know exactly what Joe Pa had to do with it all.  I honestly haven't been following the story all that closely.  However, I do know Joe Paterno knew what was going on and didn't do a thing.  I 100% agree with him being fired.  What I don't agree with is how the student body rioted in the streets in protest of the University's decision.  I understand Joe is an icon to the University.  I get it.  We all have our heroes.  But it does not excuse what he did (or didn't do).  Can the loftiness of one person really mask all sense of morality?  It was as if the student body had little to no regard for the awful acts of sexual abuse committed on their campus.  I hope all persons involved with this get what they deserve.  Jail time.  Other than that, it's not my job to judge.  

The whole thing is terrible.

On a much lighter note, Justin Verlander was unanimously voted the AL Cy Young winner.  A well-deserved recipient, JV smoked opponents this season for 24 wins, 250 strikeouts, and a 2.4 ERA.  An unprecedented year for him along with the Tigers.  Congratulations Justin!

I'm not much of a racing fan.  I don't follow NASCAR or Indy in the least.  I do, however, appreciate good competition when I see it.  This Sunday, two drivers will compete for the championship of NASCAR.  Only two drivers are eligible to win it all.  The last race of the year.  Which ever driver finishes first between the two, wins.  I kind of wish it came down to 5 or 6 drivers.  The drama of it all is fascinating.  But...you racing fans will have to sit and only pay attention to 2.  I, on the other hand, will be watching football.

I'll leave you with this.

The Bears are looking good.  I expect them to go 6-1 in the final 7 weeks of the season.  The only loss coming to Green Bay.  The Bears should sweep the AFC West; San Diego, Oakland, Kansas City, and Denver.  I expect to win against Seattle and Minnesota.  You have to give the win to Green Bay at home.  Aaron Rodgers is amazing.  Besides, how can you not like someone who looks exactly like you?

Michigan State has also started their basketball season.  Tom Izzo has had a rough start losing to two great teams, North Carolina and Duke.  The NC game was cool.  Who gets to play on the deck of an aircraft carrier for crying out loud?  The Duke game was fixed.  When ESPN wants a team to win.  They get their win.  It was clear the officiating was one-sided.  I'm not denying Coach K is an amazing coach.  I am saying he got his record-breaking win with a little help.  Enjoy the asterisk Coach!

MSU will still make an appearance in the Final Four.  Tom Izzo doesn't mess around when it comes to the tournament.  

Blogger's Block

I'm discovering blogging isn't necessarily for me.

Blogs are meant for people with stories.  For those who have moved across the world and are telling of their adventures to those back home.  Blogs are for people who are sharing medical concerns, or their journey of getting pregnant, or keeping grandparents posted about grandchildren.  For people who are eloquent writers, for those who are passionate about something ( a lot of arts and crafts blogs out there).  Not for a guy like me.

I live an ordinary life.  I've been blessed with health, a beautiful wife, a great dog, a roof over my head, and a job.  We're not expecting any children, yet.  However, I can foresee myself having success coming up with things to write about once we have our own children (which seems to be a majority of blog topics as I randomly view other blogs).

My job isn't thrilling by any means.  I am grateful I have work and a paycheck, but it's a "transitional" position if anything.  I miss being in the classroom.  I miss teaching.  I miss having interactions with my students.  I miss going home thinking I maybe made a difference today.  I hope that I can do my best in my current position so I can be considered for a more full-time position next year.

One advantage of my job is I overhear a lot of funny stuff throughout the day.  My office is located within the Dean's office, and throughout the day I get to see and hear some of the school's finest.  In fact, just yesterday I overheard our secretary have a conversation with a student on the phone.  "What in the world are you doing on a bus?"  "...but you don't belong on a bus."  A short moment later one of our deans is on the phone with this student.  "...activity bus?  Those don't leave until 4:30.  It's 2:35."  "You have to call a relative or a friend to see if they can pick you up somewhere."  "No, the bus driver is not going to drop you back off at school." "...because!  You don't belong on a bus!  Why did you get on a bus when you don't ever ride one?  You've been walking to school for three years."

Hilarious.  Turns out this kid road all the way back to the bus garage with the driver and then walked to a CVS or Walgreens or something to wait for a ride.  The caliber of students that walk through this office (or call on the phone) amaze me.  They must make mom and/or dad proud.

Maybe I do have something to blog about.  I have been keeping a Word document of all the crazy things I overhear.  Stay tuned.

Reading

Baseball lost a fantastic manager today.  Enjoy retirement Tony.

Baseball is not my topic today.  Instead, I thought I'd talk about reading.

I've come to really enjoy reading for pleasure about 3 or 4 years ago.  When I was in school reading was a chore, therefore I didn't want to read anything beyond what I had to for my classes.  Even then, reading the required material was hit or miss.  Now that I've been out of school for a little while I now can sit down and enjoy reading again.  (I was reading at a 3rd or 4th grade level in Kindergarten, no big deal)

I wanted to use this post to make you aware of some of my favorites I've read in the past few years, as well as encourage you to read them as well if you haven't already.

One of the first books I read for fun was "The Life and Times of Thunderbolt Kid" by Bill Bryson.

This might be one of the funniest books I've ever read.  At the very least, it was the first book that made me laugh out loud while reading.  This book is a memoir of sorts of Bill Bryson growing up in small-town Iowa during the fifties.  His observations of his dad being a sports writer and his mom being a mom as well as her small jobs are histarical.  He also offers his insights into his friends, school experience, and the culture of the fifties in Iowa.  Hilarious.  A must-read.

Another book I really enjoyed was "Freakanomics", written by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner.  Since I've read this book they have come out with a sequel called "Super Freakanomics".  It's on my shelf waiting to be read.  "Freakanomics" is a fascinating book about everything, really.  Having a minor in Economics I have always found economic-y things interesting.  This book offers commentary on why people choose to sell drugs to what you should name your child if you want them to be successful.  The authors discuss a wide range of topics that will certainly resonate with something you've experienced in your own life.  Also a must-read.

This past summer I enjoyed reading "Hunger Games", by Suzanne Collins.  I knew nothing about this book going into it.  The only thing I heard was it is an awesome book.  I also heard this from those aged between 12 and 40.  I figured if that much of an age gap can enjoy this book I should probably give it a shot.  So I did.  I liked it a lot actually.  I've only read the first of three in the series, but so far I'm hooked.  I'm excited to read the next book "Catching Fire", and look forward to the movie Hunger Games which is apparently being released next year.

Most recently I finished the book "Moneyball", by Michael Lewis.

This one was recommended to me by a good friend who had read it several times himself and loved it.  I was also informed a movie was being made so I felt pressure to read it before going to see it.  I'm glad I did.  This book is for every baseball lover.  Rewind, for every baseball statistic lover.  Billy Beane, the subject of the book, revolutionized the way scouts look at baseball players.  I loved how this book changed the way I see and watch baseball.  I almost dare say it made me appreciate baseball that much more.  The book was awesome.  I highly recommend it.  The movie was just as excellent.

All in all, I'm always looking for more things to read.  I have about 4 books on my shelf waiting to be read, but I would love to add to that list.  All genres are fair game, except the foo-foo fantasy stuff.  I don't want any kind of romance or kissing or anything like that.  Wait...maybe I should read Princess Bride.  That has everything right?

Leave your suggestions at the tone.

Maya

Having a dog has been an interesting ride.

My wife and I currently don't have any of our own kids, but we do have a dog.  Her name is Maya and we got her back in 2008 as a puppy.  She is a Brittany.  Most of you are going, "What's a Brittany?"  Here she is only a few months old:

Ever since we've gotten Maya she has had an exceptional personality.  She's always been full of energy, curious, and loves to have fun.  Anyone who has met her knows that she is one of the nicest, most gentle dogs one could meet.

Curiosity has always been a trait Maya exhibits.  She never lets us walk around without her at our side.  When we come home, she needs to inspect us, as well as anything we are carrying.  Heaven forbid we came from a place that had another dog.  Our windows are at the perfect height for her to put her front paws on and look out.  It's hard to describe the look she makes when something sparked her attention.  Her ears get perked and her eyes get big, then she'll cock her head to one side.  I wish I had a picture of it.

Maya also loves the outdoors.  Probably a little too much actually.  We can't go on enough walks to satisfy her desire.  There aren't enough squirrels in the neighborhood for her to look at (yes there are).  Going up to our family's cottage on Lake Michigan has quickly become her favorite past time.  Maya will sprint as fast as she can down the steps to the beach and roar into the water.  If we let her, she would never leave.

When she plays hard, she crashes hard:

Her favorite spot in the whole house is on top of a chair we have in front of our corner windows in our family  room.  This perch is where she can survey the whole front and side yard, as well as the neighborhood as far as she can see.  Here is a  picture I took of her on said perch.  She looks annoyed that I've distracted her from her duty of being a watch dog.  In actuality, if someone where to break in she would offer a flashlight and a beverage.

Overall, having a dog is hard work, but it's a lot of fun.  She's spoiled only because we don't have any actual kids yet.  She's our only child for now.  It's amazing to me that an animal can capture so much of my heart.  I know people who don't have pets don't or can't understand, but if anything were to happen to Maya it would be heart-wrenching.  Just the other night, in fact, we came home and I let Maya out of the car.  As always she runs into our front yard to sniff around the bushes where she sees squirrels from the inside.  However, Maya decides to continue running around the house (I don't know if she saw something, or she was just doing it because it was fun to run away from me).  Next thing I know she is multiple houses down and completely out of sight.  Keep in mind it's pitch black out.

So Anna runs in to get the flashlight and I took off down the street in search of this *cussing* dog.  As I was walking and calling her name, the thought kept running through my head of what if she never comes back?  What if she tries to cross the street and in the cover of darkness gets hit by a passing car?  My heart naturally began to pound a little harder and my steps a little quicker.  I say a quick prayer, and just then Anna calls me to say she came back.  

Relief.  

I continually think about what would happen if something were to happen to her.  When we go away and someone else watches her, I get a little nervous.  Understand I have complete trust and faith in those who watch Maya, however, there is a nagging thought of "what if?".  She's only an animal after all.  It's crazy, but this little 30-pound fur ball is part of our family.  We have to constantly be thinking about her needs as well as ours.  Crazy I tell you.  It's so hard to explain.

Having a dog is fun, most the time anyway.  Maya is certainly entertaining.  Naughty at times, but certainly entertaining.  Anna and I wouldn't trade her for the world.  I imagine there are a lot of parallels to having kids.

Connected

Being connected.  It's a strange thing, really.

Everyone seeks to be connected to something, someone, bigger then themselves.  We all do it.  It's our human nature.

It doesn't take long to figure out that I am a sports geek.  I love the Tigers more than anything else in the sports world.  I like the Bears, Spartans, and Blackhawks too.  (I can explain my bi-partisan fanhood later)  This past MLB postseason I joined millions in hoping the Tigers would repeat what they did back in '84 (Thank you Kirk Gibson).  Besides watching the games, wearing my jersey and Tigers hat, I had nothing to do with the Tigers' success this season, nor had anything to do with their demise against the Rangers.  Yet, I still feel somewhat responsible.  As if something I did or didn't do played some sort of magical role in how they performed.  Maybe I should have worn the same underwear as Jim Leyland did during the 12-game win streak.

This feeling could partly be due to the amount we all invested in the Tigers this season.  Giving up hours of sleep in hopes that someone, yes even Andy Dirks, someone! would hit a clutch home run.  But it didn't happen.  The Tigers fell.  For a few days there was an empty feeling in my belly.  Maybe it was because I was hungry, but maybe, just maybe it was because I felt so connected to this year's team I was hurt.

Others connect themselves to their job, to money, to politics, to...  I believe God created us to be connected.  I'm not saying we always choose to connect ourselves with the right things or the right people, but we stay connected.  I got to thinking recently what if I was as connected to God/church/religion/faith as I was the Tigers.  I know I'm not.  I should be, but I'm not.  I should be, nay, want to be connected in such a way when I see injustice in the world, or read how a friend has to suffer with cancer while his wife and son, friends and family worry and pray for him everyday.  I need to feel just as hurt by that as I did when the Tigers lost, or when the Bears drop a game to the Lions.

Sports are sports.  They'll always be there (well, maybe not the NBA).  I will not.  I need to begin being connected with things that matter.  God is so much bigger than a silly World Series title, or a Superbowl.  Being connected to God through faith is something no one can take away.  There won't be labor talks or holdouts, just me, my faith, and prayer.  That's something I want to be connected to.

1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Dr. Pepper

Dr. Pepper is quite possibly the greatest beverage on earth.


Created by Charles Alderton of Waco, TX in 1885, Dr. Pepper has become a drink favored by many, consumed by the millions.


I don't remember exactly when I became so infatuated by the delicious 23 flavors of glory.  In fact, I remember a time in which I used to not like Dr. Pepper.  I thought it tasted too different than normal pop (read "coke" if you're from the south).  It was somewhere in high school that I consumed a Dr. Pepper and instantly fell in love.


The CEO himself couldn't quite describe the taste.  "I've always maintained you cannot tell anyone what Dr. Pepper tastes like because it's so different. It's not an apple, it's not an orange, it's not a strawberry, it's not a root beer, it's not even a cola. It's a different kind of drink with a unique taste all its own." - W.W Clements, former CEO

It was January of 2006.  Four young college students set off on an adventure that would change their lives forever.  Hitting 5 major U.S cities in less than a week seemed impossible.  Our ultimate destination was Waco, TX.  The birthplace of Dr. Pepper.  Our love and desire for this beverage had grown to a point where the only logical conclusion was to make a 1,200 mile trip to satisfy our need.  Grocery store Dr. Pepper would no longer do.  

Myself, Jim Gamble, Jeff Root and my brother John piled in my Grand Prix with just enough clothes and snacks to survive for only a few days.  We set off for Waco by way of Michigan City to stay the night with Jim's sister and brother-in-law to get an early departure the next day.  First stop, St. Louis.  It only seemed like the respectable thing to do.  After all, we were going west...sort of.  Why not pass through the "Gateway to the West" for its blessing on our trip.  So we saw the arch.  An architectural marvel.  

"Hey guys!  Turn around!"

After a long drive through Oklahoma, and a pit stop at a local Pizza Hut, we made it into Dallas.  We were relieved to find the hotel had a pool.  John was not-so relieved to find out the amount of hair on Jim's body.  We swam, we slept, we headed to the Dallas Zoo.  It was a wonderful way to calm our spirits before heading off to the Mecca of Dr. Pepper.  I remember one thing about that zoo.  They had bald eagles.  Not in a bird sanctuary where they could fly, but in an open air exhibit surrounded by a three foot fence.  Poor birds.  The proverbial face of America and its wings were clipped.

We pressed on.  On to Waco!  When we arrived in Waco our first thoughts were to find the bunker made famous by the violent shootings years earlier.  It doesn't exist.  Or so the locals told us.  The Dr. Pepper museum is a quaint little place.  One might even drive by it without notice unless looking for it.  We took the tour, stopped in the old parlor for Dr. Pepper floats (which by the way, root beer floats are terrible in comparison).  We then filled our car with cases of glass-bottled, cane-sugared Dr. Pepper.  When I say filled, I mean filled the trunk and loaded up the backseat as to still have just enough room for two passengers.  

Not to take away from the rest of the trip, the Dr. Pepper saga was over.  The car struggled along with extra weight of the glass bottles, but we made it home.  From that point, Dr. Pepper has become my drink.  It's a well-known fact that I love Dr. Pepper.  I'm not ashamed.  I love Dr. Pepper and its 23 flavors.  

I'd love to tell you the rest of the story about our road trip, but I need another Dr. Pepper.

The owner of the camera did not set the correct date.

Careers

There are times when I get to thinking about what it would be like to have another career.  I love my career choice, don't get me wrong, but there are days when I wonder.

This got me to thinking about different jobs I would like to have.  Not necessarily quit my current job, go back to school, spend lots of money on textbooks I won't read, and end up even farther in school-loans debt...but to have a job for a day.  What kind of things are out there that I could do for a day?  One single work day.

The first thing that comes to mind (and only because I came up with my list while watching TV) is being a baseball manager.  I actually would like to do this for my full-time job, however, a professional baseball team would never hire a kid from the south suburbs of Chicago who's got spunk, to manage their team.  It would be so much fun to sit in the clubhouse the morning of my game.  Chat it up with my assistant coaches, maybe ask my pitching coach if our ace is ready to go, see if my catcher needs a last minute scratch because he just caught six days in a row.  Sit at my desk and pencil in my lineup card, sip on my Dr. Pepper (because in my clubhouse it's on fountain tap), and mentally get ready for the game.

Then to be able to stand in the dugout and watch the game unfold, making signs to my catcher and third base coach.  Making the split second decisions to lay down a sac bunt or to visit the mound while tapping my left arm would be a dream come true.  Some day...

I apologize for wrapping you into my dream job, however, there are plenty of other things I would love to do for a day.  Such as, being a photographer.  Doesn't matter what the subject matter is.  Mountains, wild horses, athletes, rare sea creatures.  It would all be fun to experience and capture on film.  (Wait, digital file?  Film?  Whatever, you get the point)

I would also like to be an actor in a movie or TV show.  When I was growing up I thought it would be the coolest thing to be JTT's friend in the show Home Improvement.  Does anyone these days even know who JTT is?

Here are just a few of other jobs I thought it would be cool to do for a day...or maybe even a week:

-video game tester

-professional athlete

-firefighter

-limo driver

-pilot

-the guy who runs the elevator for the Washington monument

-tour guide

-talk show host (co-host Jim Gamble, he would be my Andy Richter)

-secret service for the president

I guess for now though I'll stick to what I'm doing.  I like being in education.  Every job has their ups and downs.  As the saying goes, the grass is always greener on the lawn of the guy who takes better care of his grass.

Stay classy.

Baseball's Finest

Tonight is Game 1 of the 108th World Series in baseball history.  The Rangers will take on the Cardinals to see who will be crowned baseball champions.  The baseball fan-hood in me should be ecstatic, but I have mixed emotions this year.  A large part to my uneasiness comes from the Tigers being eliminated just 4 days ago by the very team that will be competing tonight.  I honestly believe the Tigers had the most talented starting pitching and the most explosive offense in this year's AL playoff race.  It was utterly disappointing to see them lose in such a fashion as they did last Saturday night.

Baseball is a crazy sport.  It's all about who gets hot at the right time.  Tigers got hot mid-August and steam rolled their way into the postseason.  The Rangers on the other hand took advantage of a worn out Tigers lineup and bulldozed their way past Detroit.

So I move on.  This year's World Series should be a great matchup between two great baseball organizations.  The Cardinals have the second most World Series wins (10) to only that of the Yankees (27).  The Rangers on the other hand are seeking their first World Series victory in only two attempts, and have all the tools necessary to win.

Being a Tigers fan I generally become a fan of any other American League team when the Tigers are not in contention to win.  I hope the Rangers knock the socks off the Cardinals.  Nothing against Tony LaRussa, arguably one of the greatest managers of all time, but I'm still a little sore from 2006 (Cards swept the Tigers).

The Rangers have an incredible lineup, and an even more amazing bullpen.  The depth of the Rangers is something I don't think the Cardinals can cope with.  I may not even watch any of the World Series this year.  I think I've tortured my wife enough with all the baseball I've been watching, but we'll see.

I predict Rangers in 5.

The Dugout

A wise man once said, "the hardest part of blogging is coming up with a name..."  (Jim Gamble) I could not agree more.  


There are so many different names that would be great for a blog (keep in mind I wanted it to be baseball themed).  The Bullpen.  Behind the Foul Pole.  Obstructed View.  The Bleacher Seats.  After much internal debate I settled on "The Dugout".  I now realize it's a satirical MLB commentary, however, it's also going to be the name of my new blog.


The dugout, as traditionally known, is where baseball players sit while on offense.  It originally got its name from being literally dug into the ground as to not obstruct the view of those in attendance.  Upon further investigation the dugout, as per MLB rule 3.17, "specifies that "no one except players, substitutes, managers, coaches, trainers and batboys shall occupy a bench during a game." (Wikipedia)


The dugout is an exclusive club!  There are certain people allowed in the dugout.  If I just so happened to be Jim Leyland's grandson (for the record, I am not) I wouldn't be allowed to chill in the dugout with him.  It turns out the dugout is a sacred place.  A place players and coaches can be away from the fans and the chaos of the game.  It's a place of hope.  When players are in the dugout their team is on offense.  Anyone who's watched the postseason this year knows anything can happen in one half-inning of baseball.  Need I remind any Tigers fan of the bottom of the 3rd inning.


I hope this blog can be a dugout for some of you.  It will be for me.  I've found writing allows me to escape the chaos of the world.  To put down into words humorous observations from the day, and to clear my mind.  For those of you who take the time to read, join me in occupying the bench during a game and be hopeful for a great half-inning.