On our recent trip from the Empire State to the Golden State, I noticed a couple of differences:
• In NY, they beg you not to make a U-turn, and if you do, they force you to take a separate U-turn lane that takes you up and around....and, technically, avoids an actual u-turn. In California, they seem to not only welcome but encourage U-Turns. I saw lots of actual signs showing the various ways a U-turn could be done legally.
• Don't even think of turning right on red in NY. Yes, they are legal, but it seems like very intersection posts a sign that overrules the state law by saying "no right turn at this intersection". You can make all the right turns you want in California.
• California seems to have more state pride...or at least more pride in their state flag. Have no idea what the NY state flag looks like (I think it's navy with a state seal something on it). But in California, the Bear Republic flies everywhere. I think New Yorkers are New York CITY lovers first, and kind of forget that we're associated with a state, too.
• Don't stand on the roadway in California when waiting to cross the street....DANGER! But in New York, it's kind of like taking a lead-off from first base. You get a "jump" on crossing the intersection by going as far into the crosswalk as you can without being picked off by a car. (Be careful of the 'brush back' drivers who send you scurrying back to the safety of the sidewalk.) Nobody stands on the sidewalk in NYC to wait for the light to change, but everyone does in California.
• California = friendlier people
• California = cleaner places, cleaner people
With no intended diss on my home state, I just seem to smile more and like life a lot more when I'm in the Golden State. "California Dreamin'....."
Mark
Monday, July 23, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
I've Returned to the Colonies....
Hi all:
Whilest on vacation in San Diego, I was alerted to the need to attend a meeting in London on Tuesday of this week. So I flew home from vacation Sunday (as planned) and headed to London on Monday morning, spending two nights 'across the pond.' Had a jolly good time.
Some comments, impressions, travelogue, etc:
• I often feel the world has become too homogenized....it all looks the same no matter where you are. In fact, at Heathrow, I saw the EXACT same ads I had just seen at JFK. But then you get into London and you realize there are still a few places that are unique and have their own soul. You may be able to shoot a movie in Canada and make it look like a US city, but you could never make another city look like London.
• Spent most of my time in meetings and client dinner, but had a little time to enjoy myself. Absolutely incredible weather! We stayed near Buckingham palace, and walked around a bit to Piccadilly Circus, No. 10 Downing Street, Parliament and my absolute fave: Big Ben (cast against a navy night sky....we stayed to hear 'him' bong out 10 p.m.)
• England isn't known for its food. (Glad to get a Big Mac when I returned.) But there were some highlights: my traveling companion and I found a small little Indian restaurant on Monday night that was fantastic. Loved the Worchester-sauce pretzels on the plane. And at the airport yesterday, I had a carbonated Passion Fruit, which was very much like my famed Schwepps Granadilla soda from South Africa. And you can't beat Cadbury chocolates!
• Not trying to be mean, but an observation: there's a lot of Brits with big noses.
• My taxi driver to the airport wore a Yankees cap. He said they get the games occasionally live at 2 a.m. and he watches them before driving his shift.
• What's not to love about Virgin Atlantic? First time on them...I was a Virgin Virgin. Their in-seat entertainment in coach rocks vs. Delta's first class cabin or JetBlue's TVs. About 50 on-demand TV options and at least a couple dozen movie on-demands, too. Crowded flight over but very open on the way home. And they constantly feed you...even ice cream bars!
• I've flown from Heathrow to the US three times prior to yesterday, but this was the first time I've flown from Heathrow to NYC (JFK). (The other times were to Chicago after my mission, LA after my study abroad in South Africa, and Wash/Dulles after Kath and I went there). NY passport control pretty fast....odd that I cleared JFK customs and claimed luggage FASTER on Wed. then when I flew in to JFK/Terminal 3/Delta on Sunday night....Delta/NYC is known for their slow luggage return.
• My room in London was not much bigger than our youngest boys' room at our house. Tiny!
• London TV seems to cover only 3 stories a day. When I was there, it was all about David Beckham coming to the US, and a new proposed law that makes EVERYONE an organ donor UNLESS they opt out (vs. the other way around where you have to proactively state you are a donor).
• Felt a lot like being in South Africa (as South Africa was a British colony, it has a lot of similarities). Road signs use the same font.
• When flying to a foreign country, choose a carrier from that country. From the moment I got on Virgin, I was in the UK (they're just so darn British). I can imagine an American Airline flight would be just like flying from Atlanta to Chicago.
• Thing to do next time: Go on the "Eye" ferris wheel. Wanted to this time, but ran out of time.
Whilest on vacation in San Diego, I was alerted to the need to attend a meeting in London on Tuesday of this week. So I flew home from vacation Sunday (as planned) and headed to London on Monday morning, spending two nights 'across the pond.' Had a jolly good time.
Some comments, impressions, travelogue, etc:
• I often feel the world has become too homogenized....it all looks the same no matter where you are. In fact, at Heathrow, I saw the EXACT same ads I had just seen at JFK. But then you get into London and you realize there are still a few places that are unique and have their own soul. You may be able to shoot a movie in Canada and make it look like a US city, but you could never make another city look like London.
• Spent most of my time in meetings and client dinner, but had a little time to enjoy myself. Absolutely incredible weather! We stayed near Buckingham palace, and walked around a bit to Piccadilly Circus, No. 10 Downing Street, Parliament and my absolute fave: Big Ben (cast against a navy night sky....we stayed to hear 'him' bong out 10 p.m.)
• England isn't known for its food. (Glad to get a Big Mac when I returned.) But there were some highlights: my traveling companion and I found a small little Indian restaurant on Monday night that was fantastic. Loved the Worchester-sauce pretzels on the plane. And at the airport yesterday, I had a carbonated Passion Fruit, which was very much like my famed Schwepps Granadilla soda from South Africa. And you can't beat Cadbury chocolates!
• Not trying to be mean, but an observation: there's a lot of Brits with big noses.
• My taxi driver to the airport wore a Yankees cap. He said they get the games occasionally live at 2 a.m. and he watches them before driving his shift.
• What's not to love about Virgin Atlantic? First time on them...I was a Virgin Virgin. Their in-seat entertainment in coach rocks vs. Delta's first class cabin or JetBlue's TVs. About 50 on-demand TV options and at least a couple dozen movie on-demands, too. Crowded flight over but very open on the way home. And they constantly feed you...even ice cream bars!
• I've flown from Heathrow to the US three times prior to yesterday, but this was the first time I've flown from Heathrow to NYC (JFK). (The other times were to Chicago after my mission, LA after my study abroad in South Africa, and Wash/Dulles after Kath and I went there). NY passport control pretty fast....odd that I cleared JFK customs and claimed luggage FASTER on Wed. then when I flew in to JFK/Terminal 3/Delta on Sunday night....Delta/NYC is known for their slow luggage return.
• My room in London was not much bigger than our youngest boys' room at our house. Tiny!
• London TV seems to cover only 3 stories a day. When I was there, it was all about David Beckham coming to the US, and a new proposed law that makes EVERYONE an organ donor UNLESS they opt out (vs. the other way around where you have to proactively state you are a donor).
• Felt a lot like being in South Africa (as South Africa was a British colony, it has a lot of similarities). Road signs use the same font.
• When flying to a foreign country, choose a carrier from that country. From the moment I got on Virgin, I was in the UK (they're just so darn British). I can imagine an American Airline flight would be just like flying from Atlanta to Chicago.
• Thing to do next time: Go on the "Eye" ferris wheel. Wanted to this time, but ran out of time.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Yes, This is Still an Active Blog
Hi all:
Thanks for your patience....June got busy with the launch of the Transformers movie (we handle the marketing of the toys for the movie). I have a lot of pent up things to write about -- including my review of the movie -- but alas, I have been a slaggard.
We leave on vacation to San Diego tomorrow afternoon. But I'm leaving Kathryn and the kids out west and returning to work, so when I do, I'll plan to do a better job of updating my blog site -- including (gasp!) perhaps postings every few days! So please make sure you come back and visit when I return from vacation. And thanks for visiting!
Mark
Thanks for your patience....June got busy with the launch of the Transformers movie (we handle the marketing of the toys for the movie). I have a lot of pent up things to write about -- including my review of the movie -- but alas, I have been a slaggard.
We leave on vacation to San Diego tomorrow afternoon. But I'm leaving Kathryn and the kids out west and returning to work, so when I do, I'll plan to do a better job of updating my blog site -- including (gasp!) perhaps postings every few days! So please make sure you come back and visit when I return from vacation. And thanks for visiting!
Mark
Monday, June 11, 2007
Baseball
I've decided that baseball is definitely the best sport. That's surprising, because growing up, baseball was my least favorite sport -- it was all about football, and basketball if it involved the Jazz.
So what makes baseball so great? Here are a few reasons.
1. It's perfectly made for TV. There's already built-in time for commercials, so the game isn't unnecessarily stopped for a commercial break, breaking up the flow.
2. The last 60 seconds of the game (in terms of the clock) don't last for 60 minutes. Sure, there are a couple of things that prolong the game at the conclusion, such as bringing in new pitchers, but for the most part, the game can't drag out at the end simply by calling time outs, fouling, or throwing the ball out of bounds.
3. On that same front, my complaint about basketball is that you can be up by 12 with one minute to go, and then it's foul, foul, foul and the whole game is decided by sloppy hitting of opponents and by shooting foul shots.
4. Baseball is smart enough to realize that there are times when it's not nice enough outside to play. Football players must be tough and play in tornadoes. Baseball has the good sense to head inside if it rains.
5. You get souvenirs. If the ball goes into the crowd, it's yours to keep.
6. Even if you're getting creamed, you have to keep playing. In basketball or football, you just run out the clock. In baseball, you still have to get through several more innnings.
7. When a player comes out, he's out for the game. Makes for great strategy.
8. Except for the Pitcher and the DH, you have to play offense and defense.
9. The playoffs are a fair representation of the actual season. You never play a team 7 times in a row in basketball, but in the playoffs, you do. But in baseball, you regularly play a team multiple times right in a row, just like the playoffs.
10. Baseball commentators actually have interesting things to say. I actually ask Josh to be quiet during the broadcasts and miss the commentary when I go to the stadium because it's so fascinating to learn the strategy and hear the rationale behind things.
11. Each game is SO different based on who the pitcher is. It completely changes the complexion of the game.
12. The final score is so interesting. Soccer is always like 1 to 1. Basketball is like 100 to 98. But baseball could be 1-0, 6-3, 10-2, 10-9, etc, and it is so telling. In other words, each game is so fascinating.
I could go on, but we've already written into extra innings. Go Yankees! (They're only 9.5 back now!)
Mark
PS -- Here's the plus one for the night. We got some Monopoly game pieces on the Space Shuttle and two of my team members got to go watch the launch last week. Guess what the area code is for the area in Florida with the Space Center? 3-2-1. Cool!
So what makes baseball so great? Here are a few reasons.
1. It's perfectly made for TV. There's already built-in time for commercials, so the game isn't unnecessarily stopped for a commercial break, breaking up the flow.
2. The last 60 seconds of the game (in terms of the clock) don't last for 60 minutes. Sure, there are a couple of things that prolong the game at the conclusion, such as bringing in new pitchers, but for the most part, the game can't drag out at the end simply by calling time outs, fouling, or throwing the ball out of bounds.
3. On that same front, my complaint about basketball is that you can be up by 12 with one minute to go, and then it's foul, foul, foul and the whole game is decided by sloppy hitting of opponents and by shooting foul shots.
4. Baseball is smart enough to realize that there are times when it's not nice enough outside to play. Football players must be tough and play in tornadoes. Baseball has the good sense to head inside if it rains.
5. You get souvenirs. If the ball goes into the crowd, it's yours to keep.
6. Even if you're getting creamed, you have to keep playing. In basketball or football, you just run out the clock. In baseball, you still have to get through several more innnings.
7. When a player comes out, he's out for the game. Makes for great strategy.
8. Except for the Pitcher and the DH, you have to play offense and defense.
9. The playoffs are a fair representation of the actual season. You never play a team 7 times in a row in basketball, but in the playoffs, you do. But in baseball, you regularly play a team multiple times right in a row, just like the playoffs.
10. Baseball commentators actually have interesting things to say. I actually ask Josh to be quiet during the broadcasts and miss the commentary when I go to the stadium because it's so fascinating to learn the strategy and hear the rationale behind things.
11. Each game is SO different based on who the pitcher is. It completely changes the complexion of the game.
12. The final score is so interesting. Soccer is always like 1 to 1. Basketball is like 100 to 98. But baseball could be 1-0, 6-3, 10-2, 10-9, etc, and it is so telling. In other words, each game is so fascinating.
I could go on, but we've already written into extra innings. Go Yankees! (They're only 9.5 back now!)
Mark
PS -- Here's the plus one for the night. We got some Monopoly game pieces on the Space Shuttle and two of my team members got to go watch the launch last week. Guess what the area code is for the area in Florida with the Space Center? 3-2-1. Cool!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Dis & Dat
1. This weekend was the Father's & Son's campout. I look forward to camping experiences about as much as I look forward to being shot out of a cannon. But I must guardingly say it was a non-horrible time. In fact, it was kind of OK.
2. I asked Josh ahead of time who he was most excited to spend time with at the campout. He said "you, Daddy." I said, "That nice, but which FRIEND are you most excited about seeing up there." He said "You, daddy."
3. Matthew was playing doctor last week and I was the patient. I let him check me out with the doctor tools. I told him my ear was sore and asked if he could give me some medicine. He said, "No" and then put his hands on my head and gave me a blessing, saying "bless daddy to have a good day at school in the name of Jesus Christ Amen."
4. Josh had a good baseball game experience this weekend. He played 1st at one point, and caught a throw that got the runner out. But then the runner tripped on Josh and he got just a little hurt. He called out to his coach and said (because he'd been hurt) that'd he wanted to be the DH. The other coach responded by saying...."Sorry kid, this is the NL".
5. Josh played a ton of baseball at the father's & son's. I actually left him in a ball-playing area to take Matthew to the lake, and didn't tell Josh. He said he was scared, but said "I started looking for you, and then I said a little prayer, and then you were right there!"
6. While driving to the camp-out, I saw a sign for a weigh station that made me think of the old Johnny Carson routine when he would discern the answer from a sealed envelope, and then read the question. In that spirit, the Great Carnac would have said: "What does an exhibitionist instructor teach his students?" The answer (and the sign): "Open When Flashing"
7. Our sacrament meetings often have all three speakers speaking on the same topic. Today's HC speakers were assigned the topic reverence, and so the other speakers were assigned the same. As she was setting up for her class, the Sunday School teacher said that she was a little disappointed as she had non-member friends, and had hoped it would have been a more "uplifting" or "Christian" talk. It got me thinking...themes and such are fine, but it's probably a smart policy if bishoprics always ensure at least one talk is a "Jesus" talk....something about the atonement, his life, why we love him, etc. Can you imagine a non-member coming on "tithing" Sunday? "Gee, not only are those Mormons non-Christian because they don't talk about Jesus in their meetings, but all they want is for their members to pay money". We should always plan sacrament meetings with an eye to a non-member attending for the first time.
8. I was reminded of the following in HP meeting today. Elder Christiansen, an Area Authority 70 from Boston, taught us that we always think the way to convert is to serve our neighbors. He said it's the opposite. Most people in the world want to serve others. It's part of their DNA. It makes them feel good. But they don't know how, when, or where to serve, and deep down, they're wanting that experience. So rather than dropping off a casserole to the neighbor, it would be better to say: "This neighbor just had a baby. Some of us from church are taking turns bringing in meals for the family. Would you like to have a turn?" What converts, too, is the feelings of the spirit, and having a positive service experience does that.
GO JAZZ!
Mark
2. I asked Josh ahead of time who he was most excited to spend time with at the campout. He said "you, Daddy." I said, "That nice, but which FRIEND are you most excited about seeing up there." He said "You, daddy."
3. Matthew was playing doctor last week and I was the patient. I let him check me out with the doctor tools. I told him my ear was sore and asked if he could give me some medicine. He said, "No" and then put his hands on my head and gave me a blessing, saying "bless daddy to have a good day at school in the name of Jesus Christ Amen."
4. Josh had a good baseball game experience this weekend. He played 1st at one point, and caught a throw that got the runner out. But then the runner tripped on Josh and he got just a little hurt. He called out to his coach and said (because he'd been hurt) that'd he wanted to be the DH. The other coach responded by saying...."Sorry kid, this is the NL".
5. Josh played a ton of baseball at the father's & son's. I actually left him in a ball-playing area to take Matthew to the lake, and didn't tell Josh. He said he was scared, but said "I started looking for you, and then I said a little prayer, and then you were right there!"
6. While driving to the camp-out, I saw a sign for a weigh station that made me think of the old Johnny Carson routine when he would discern the answer from a sealed envelope, and then read the question. In that spirit, the Great Carnac would have said: "What does an exhibitionist instructor teach his students?" The answer (and the sign): "Open When Flashing"
7. Our sacrament meetings often have all three speakers speaking on the same topic. Today's HC speakers were assigned the topic reverence, and so the other speakers were assigned the same. As she was setting up for her class, the Sunday School teacher said that she was a little disappointed as she had non-member friends, and had hoped it would have been a more "uplifting" or "Christian" talk. It got me thinking...themes and such are fine, but it's probably a smart policy if bishoprics always ensure at least one talk is a "Jesus" talk....something about the atonement, his life, why we love him, etc. Can you imagine a non-member coming on "tithing" Sunday? "Gee, not only are those Mormons non-Christian because they don't talk about Jesus in their meetings, but all they want is for their members to pay money". We should always plan sacrament meetings with an eye to a non-member attending for the first time.
8. I was reminded of the following in HP meeting today. Elder Christiansen, an Area Authority 70 from Boston, taught us that we always think the way to convert is to serve our neighbors. He said it's the opposite. Most people in the world want to serve others. It's part of their DNA. It makes them feel good. But they don't know how, when, or where to serve, and deep down, they're wanting that experience. So rather than dropping off a casserole to the neighbor, it would be better to say: "This neighbor just had a baby. Some of us from church are taking turns bringing in meals for the family. Would you like to have a turn?" What converts, too, is the feelings of the spirit, and having a positive service experience does that.
GO JAZZ!
Mark
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Let's Go, Yankees!
Our family are big-time Yankees fans. We're not having the best season this year, but we're having a lot of fun, and it's amazing how much revolves around the Yankees in our household.
I've been meaning to write this for the past two weeks, but two weeks ago, Josh and I went to a game at Yankees Stadium on an absolutely beautiful Saturday afternoon.
I've gone to many Yankees games since moving to NYC and I always love them. But I never really converted to being a Yankees fan until early last year. I think it's my tendency to root for the underdog and hope for a "good story"....along with liking to swim against the current and not appear to be a bandwagon jumper-on-er. After all, I cheered for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for years as a kid when they literally couldn't win a game or two a season. (And I still have what some have called that hideous orange Tampa Bay jersey from high school....which I wear on occasion).
Secretly, I was kind of happy when the Yankees blew a 3-0 lead in the best of 7 with Boston a couple of years ago and Boston went on to win the World Series. It just seemed like such a great story. And did the Yankees really need another championship?
I tried to be a Mets fan...because that's kind of different and they aren't traditionally all that great (though this year they are). But they're just so flippin' boring! Their games -- even when they win -- are just ho hum. Win, lose or called on account of rain, Yankees games are the greatest.
Josh and I's game together was against Seattle. The game started at 3:55 p.m., and we left home at 3:10 p.m. because he had a baseball game earlier in the afternoon. That's what's great...even on a weekend game, you don't have to leave too early to make it to the game. We just cruise down the Bronx River Parkway, take Exit 6, and there's a lot right there waiting for us. Boom!
Parking is now up to $14, but we still think that's a bargain as parking in Manhattan is easily $25 or more. (Even our cheapo lot we used for the temple has tacked on a $5 surcharge for minivans making that around $13...guess they see an opportunity to "tax" just the Mormons by going after mini vans).
I was the second to last car to get into the lot before it was full. They made me park in a very odd little diagonal spot that required tricky backing in (good thing Kathryn encourages that on our home driveway).
Then it's a short walk through an overpass that has a homeless guy playing tunes on a piccolo or flute or something like that. Josh asked if we could toss in some coins on the way home. Sure, why not?
We found a mostly overlooked entrance, which was great because they still had caps to give away, even though it was now 3:45 p.m. Yea! Free Yankees cap (with a Hess gas company logo on the back).
We ran and made it through the worn down and crumbling stadium and got to our seats before the first pitch. These tickets are courtesy of work, so they're better than what I pay for....which means they are lower, but we're in the right field outfield.
Josh and I of course wore our Yankees jerseys...I have one for Marino Rivera and Josh wore A-Rod. The stands are filled with people wearing their favorite jerseys, including legends like Thurman Munson. When you arrive, you're with family.
Wang was pitching and he's one of Josh's favorite pitchers. He pitched a PERFECT game into the 8th inning (that means no hits, errors or walks) which is super rare. Had he made it a perfect game, it would have been like only the 4th or 5th in the 100 plus year history of the Yankees. So every pitch from the 5th inning on was exciting. Everyone applauded every strike. We all knew we could possibly be viewing history.
Alas, Wang gave up a home run in the 8th. But the Yankees won 8 to 1 so it didn't matter.
Josh was the expert of our area. When fans around us would ask questions to themselves about things they had missed, Josh would turn around and explain why so-and-so was in, or what had led to the person getting on base, etc.
What makes the atmosphere so great?
• they have a "subway race" on the video scoreboard between one of the innings which is worth the price of admission, in my book. Though it's gotten less cool and now Dunkin Donuts sponsors it and it's cheesy. The race has gone commercial. Bah!
• 7th Inning Stretch: They sing God Bless America before Take Me Out to the Ballpark.
• The announcer. Can't remember his name, but his voice is legendary. He feels like Baseball.
• YMCA! When the grounds crew comes out to rake the field in the 6th inning or so, they do it to the tune of the Village People's YMCA. You don't expect that at something as large as the Yankees. But it's tradition! And the grounds crew drop their ranks at the YMCA part to lead the crowd through that. Everyone dances. It's so hokey yet because it's the Yankees, it's not hokey, and it, too, is worth the price of the ticket. Even during the sacred World Series, they still do YMCA.
• Best tradition? When the Yankees win, they cue up "New York New York" by Frank Sinatra. The first few notes chime in about 3 seconds after the final out or game winning run. It's the sound of victory and accompanies you all the way back out to the car. (When they lose, they play "New York New York" by Liza Minelli.) I rank hearing Frank Sinatra at Yankee Stadium as one of the top 10 best things in New York City. It really almost brings tears to the eyes.
Let's hope the Yankees can turn this season around. At 10 games out, they now are underdogs, which makes me even a bigger fan than before! I hope the new stadium -- opening in 2009 -- will keep the same feeling and traditions.
I've been meaning to write this for the past two weeks, but two weeks ago, Josh and I went to a game at Yankees Stadium on an absolutely beautiful Saturday afternoon.
I've gone to many Yankees games since moving to NYC and I always love them. But I never really converted to being a Yankees fan until early last year. I think it's my tendency to root for the underdog and hope for a "good story"....along with liking to swim against the current and not appear to be a bandwagon jumper-on-er. After all, I cheered for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for years as a kid when they literally couldn't win a game or two a season. (And I still have what some have called that hideous orange Tampa Bay jersey from high school....which I wear on occasion).
Secretly, I was kind of happy when the Yankees blew a 3-0 lead in the best of 7 with Boston a couple of years ago and Boston went on to win the World Series. It just seemed like such a great story. And did the Yankees really need another championship?
I tried to be a Mets fan...because that's kind of different and they aren't traditionally all that great (though this year they are). But they're just so flippin' boring! Their games -- even when they win -- are just ho hum. Win, lose or called on account of rain, Yankees games are the greatest.
Josh and I's game together was against Seattle. The game started at 3:55 p.m., and we left home at 3:10 p.m. because he had a baseball game earlier in the afternoon. That's what's great...even on a weekend game, you don't have to leave too early to make it to the game. We just cruise down the Bronx River Parkway, take Exit 6, and there's a lot right there waiting for us. Boom!
Parking is now up to $14, but we still think that's a bargain as parking in Manhattan is easily $25 or more. (Even our cheapo lot we used for the temple has tacked on a $5 surcharge for minivans making that around $13...guess they see an opportunity to "tax" just the Mormons by going after mini vans).
I was the second to last car to get into the lot before it was full. They made me park in a very odd little diagonal spot that required tricky backing in (good thing Kathryn encourages that on our home driveway).
Then it's a short walk through an overpass that has a homeless guy playing tunes on a piccolo or flute or something like that. Josh asked if we could toss in some coins on the way home. Sure, why not?
We found a mostly overlooked entrance, which was great because they still had caps to give away, even though it was now 3:45 p.m. Yea! Free Yankees cap (with a Hess gas company logo on the back).
We ran and made it through the worn down and crumbling stadium and got to our seats before the first pitch. These tickets are courtesy of work, so they're better than what I pay for....which means they are lower, but we're in the right field outfield.
Josh and I of course wore our Yankees jerseys...I have one for Marino Rivera and Josh wore A-Rod. The stands are filled with people wearing their favorite jerseys, including legends like Thurman Munson. When you arrive, you're with family.
Wang was pitching and he's one of Josh's favorite pitchers. He pitched a PERFECT game into the 8th inning (that means no hits, errors or walks) which is super rare. Had he made it a perfect game, it would have been like only the 4th or 5th in the 100 plus year history of the Yankees. So every pitch from the 5th inning on was exciting. Everyone applauded every strike. We all knew we could possibly be viewing history.
Alas, Wang gave up a home run in the 8th. But the Yankees won 8 to 1 so it didn't matter.
Josh was the expert of our area. When fans around us would ask questions to themselves about things they had missed, Josh would turn around and explain why so-and-so was in, or what had led to the person getting on base, etc.
What makes the atmosphere so great?
• they have a "subway race" on the video scoreboard between one of the innings which is worth the price of admission, in my book. Though it's gotten less cool and now Dunkin Donuts sponsors it and it's cheesy. The race has gone commercial. Bah!
• 7th Inning Stretch: They sing God Bless America before Take Me Out to the Ballpark.
• The announcer. Can't remember his name, but his voice is legendary. He feels like Baseball.
• YMCA! When the grounds crew comes out to rake the field in the 6th inning or so, they do it to the tune of the Village People's YMCA. You don't expect that at something as large as the Yankees. But it's tradition! And the grounds crew drop their ranks at the YMCA part to lead the crowd through that. Everyone dances. It's so hokey yet because it's the Yankees, it's not hokey, and it, too, is worth the price of the ticket. Even during the sacred World Series, they still do YMCA.
• Best tradition? When the Yankees win, they cue up "New York New York" by Frank Sinatra. The first few notes chime in about 3 seconds after the final out or game winning run. It's the sound of victory and accompanies you all the way back out to the car. (When they lose, they play "New York New York" by Liza Minelli.) I rank hearing Frank Sinatra at Yankee Stadium as one of the top 10 best things in New York City. It really almost brings tears to the eyes.
Let's hope the Yankees can turn this season around. At 10 games out, they now are underdogs, which makes me even a bigger fan than before! I hope the new stadium -- opening in 2009 -- will keep the same feeling and traditions.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
In no particular order....
1. I spent the day up at Hasbro's Games division on Tuesday, which is just over the border from Connecticut in Western Mass. On the drive up, there is a sign for "Margate Prison (Seasonal)". What happens to the prisoners when the season ends? I guess I wouldn't fear a 12 year sentence as it's more like "12 years....or until the first snowfall"
2. Someday I will make a list of what are the greatest 'access perks' that I have enjoyed while working at my PR firm in Manhattan. High on the list would be getting to go on a factory tour of Hasbro games where they make all the great games. It's nothing fancy in terms of presentation, but it's just really cool.
3. I'm all about loyalty....or perhaps misplaced loyalty. I've been going to the same dry cleaners for the past 7 years. I don't know the employees' names, but I feel committed to them. I act as if my small amount of money I spend with them is essential for their survival. If I go away, they'll be short on their earnings.
But by moving, they're just a tad too inconvenient now. Especially because Kathryn drives me to the station, and she lets me off right in front of another dry cleaners. Couldn't be more convenient. I felt "dirty" patronizing them yesterday for the first time. Who knows if it'll continue....they are a whopping $0.35 more per shirt. (But, I don't have to plug a parking meter, so maybe that should be factored in....)
4. Speaking of loyalty without knowing names, next door to the new dry cleaners is our barbershop. I've been going there for 7 years. There are two barbers. Never once have I found out their names. When I went on Saturday, I think I heard someone call them Louie and Tom, but I can't verify that. Lame on my part!
5. While at Hasbro, I asked them to bring back "EMERGENCY!", a great board game from the 70s. My friend Mark and I played it a lot. My mom sent it out to me a while ago and the kids like to play it. It was based on that great 70s TV show of the same name. I don't remember much about it, but I remember we loved the show. Kind of the ER of its day.
6. During my client meetings, we started discussing favorite old-time TV shows, etc. It was a tad embarrassing how many specific details I remember about all these shows. But I realized a fellow participant in the room was cool when SHE brought up a favorite show of mine: "It's Your Move". It starred Jason Bateman after he left Silver Spoons and lasted only 1 season. We taped all the reruns that summer, but I have no idea where they are now. Anyone else remember that show? It was really clever.
7. Turns out my former HT here in New York served in the same mission as I did, under the same president (I at the first of my president's tenure, and my HT at the end). We've known each other for years and never connected that. Even though he came to our house monthly and sat in our living room with a Table Mountain picture, he never connected the dots. Funny.
8. Josh and I watched Field of Dreams together on Monday night. He's so in to baseball that I knew he would love it. Some may say it's hokey, but I honestly think it's one of my favorite films. Such great lessons illustrated in it. Can't believe that I first saw that movie "half my life ago". I was 18 when it came out (or younger, maybe) and now I'm 36. Such an inspiring film.
2. Someday I will make a list of what are the greatest 'access perks' that I have enjoyed while working at my PR firm in Manhattan. High on the list would be getting to go on a factory tour of Hasbro games where they make all the great games. It's nothing fancy in terms of presentation, but it's just really cool.
3. I'm all about loyalty....or perhaps misplaced loyalty. I've been going to the same dry cleaners for the past 7 years. I don't know the employees' names, but I feel committed to them. I act as if my small amount of money I spend with them is essential for their survival. If I go away, they'll be short on their earnings.
But by moving, they're just a tad too inconvenient now. Especially because Kathryn drives me to the station, and she lets me off right in front of another dry cleaners. Couldn't be more convenient. I felt "dirty" patronizing them yesterday for the first time. Who knows if it'll continue....they are a whopping $0.35 more per shirt. (But, I don't have to plug a parking meter, so maybe that should be factored in....)
4. Speaking of loyalty without knowing names, next door to the new dry cleaners is our barbershop. I've been going there for 7 years. There are two barbers. Never once have I found out their names. When I went on Saturday, I think I heard someone call them Louie and Tom, but I can't verify that. Lame on my part!
5. While at Hasbro, I asked them to bring back "EMERGENCY!", a great board game from the 70s. My friend Mark and I played it a lot. My mom sent it out to me a while ago and the kids like to play it. It was based on that great 70s TV show of the same name. I don't remember much about it, but I remember we loved the show. Kind of the ER of its day.
6. During my client meetings, we started discussing favorite old-time TV shows, etc. It was a tad embarrassing how many specific details I remember about all these shows. But I realized a fellow participant in the room was cool when SHE brought up a favorite show of mine: "It's Your Move". It starred Jason Bateman after he left Silver Spoons and lasted only 1 season. We taped all the reruns that summer, but I have no idea where they are now. Anyone else remember that show? It was really clever.
7. Turns out my former HT here in New York served in the same mission as I did, under the same president (I at the first of my president's tenure, and my HT at the end). We've known each other for years and never connected that. Even though he came to our house monthly and sat in our living room with a Table Mountain picture, he never connected the dots. Funny.
8. Josh and I watched Field of Dreams together on Monday night. He's so in to baseball that I knew he would love it. Some may say it's hokey, but I honestly think it's one of my favorite films. Such great lessons illustrated in it. Can't believe that I first saw that movie "half my life ago". I was 18 when it came out (or younger, maybe) and now I'm 36. Such an inspiring film.
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