The Summer of Bluz - By the Numbers

Back at the beginning of the year, while I was in the midst of great personal upheaval, I decided I’d make the last few months “The Summer of Bluz.”  I vowed to do fun things, go places, see stuff, and step out of my comfort zone.

Well, with the calendar about to flip over to October (and a couple of high profile birthdays… Hi Jess!), I figure it’s a good time to tally up the activities and see if The Summer of Bluz lived up to the hype.

Travels

The summer’s travel tally was four trips: one to Toledo to see my buddies, one to Pittsburgh for a wedding, and two to Florida to see my folks.  Sounds like a lot, but it’s really not any different from most other summers.  Only wrinkle was that 2^nd trip to Florida, for my mom’s 75^th birthday.

So the travel aspect is kind of a fail, although I do maintain that I’ve been trying to recoup the money I spent during the Winter of my Discontent.  I wasn’t looking for any big ticket trips or hotel stays.  Maybe next year.

Well, there is definitely a trip to Pittsburgh slated for the end of next March.  Sitcom Kelly and I (and her sister) have Penguins tickets, so we’re booked for a couple of nights dahntahn.  Pittsburgh bloggers, make a note.

Concerts

Just one, seeing Boston, in August. 

But I have a ticket in hand to see comic folk singer Todd Snider later this month.  More on him as the date draws near.

Movies

Saw seven movies in the theater, this summer:

Captain America-The Winter Soldier… Loved it.

Godzilla… Loved it.

X-Men-Days of Future Past… Loved it.

Edge of Tomorrow… Loved it.

Monty Python Live (Mostly)… Really loved it.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes… Really loved it.

Lucy… Meh.

Yes, I saw all of those movies by myself.  For “Lucy,” there was only one other guy in the theater.  When the movie was over, he left before I did, so I spent several minutes pretending I had my own personal movie theater. 

I ran around and sat in different places, just to assess the view.  Like in the last row, against the wall, and then up in the very front section.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that the seats up there recline, so you can lean back and take it all in.  I still wouldn’t sit up there by choice, but it would do in a pinch.

Sports Events

Ah, here’s where I spent all my time and money.

This summer I went to 16 Orioles games, (which is a personal record, and I’m not done yet), 2 minor league baseball games, and the Ohio State/Navy game.  So that’s 19 games, plus Fridays ALDS Orioles/Tigers game, and Saturday’s Ohio State/Maryland game to come.  I’ve also got tickets to an Orioles/Tigers Game 5, if there is one.

Since the O’s games took up most of my time this summer, let’s take a closer look at the numbers.  (Here’s where my Sports Event Tracking Sheet comes up big!)

Of the 16 games thus far…

* The Orioles have won 10 and lost 6. (I rooted against them during the two games against the Pirates, so my rooting interest was 8-8.)

* I sat in club seats 7 times, upper deck 2 times, forward in the lower bowl 5 times and under the deck in the lower bowl, twice.

* The best game jersey mojo was with my orange Nick Markakis jersey, which was 3-1.  Only jersey I wore without a win was a white Chris Davis (0-2).  I had two other jerseys at 1-1 and three at 1-0.

* I saw 8 games with Sitcom Kelly.  The O’s were 5-3 during those games, including the one that clinched the division, so the numbers say that Sitcom Kelly is not the bad omen she thinks she is.

* Six of the games were giveaway nights, which earned me three shirts, two bobble-heads, and a Wild Bill Hagy hat.

After adding these to the others in my closet, I have more orange t-shirts than any one man should ever have.

Misc

Since around February, I started collecting these, to bring in to work, where a co-worker is collecting them for charity.

Now, it’s not ALL from beer, but mostly is.  There may be a couple of sodas in there.  And I didn’t drink them all, but I drank most of them.  There may be a couple from Sitcom Kelly.

Summation

Well, I didn’t do everything this summer I imagined I might, but I did pretty well, for me.  I never really stepped out of my comfort zone, other than doing the March of Dimes Walk for Babies.  But that was a first step.  (OK, it was four miles worth of first steps.)

I didn’t meet any new ladies, other than that gap-toothed gal down at The Bullpen, and the tiny, chesty blonde in the upper deck at Camden Yards.  But I admit I’m not hunting in a target rich environment.  I took a look at an invite to a Planned Parenthood Chocolate Tasting soiree, but was put off by the $250-$1000 price of admission.  Maybe once I become independently wealthy…

I went to my local sports bar for semi-regular Friday happy hours all summer, but not much came of it, aside from a full belly and a pleasant buzz.  Clientele-wise, it seemed to be the Dance of the Dead in there, when it’s not a football Sunday.

But I’ve enjoyed my summer and you won’t hear me complaining about it.  It was cool… so very cool, in fact, I never had to turn on the A/C once this summer.  That’s another personal record.  I don’t think I’ve ever made it past the 4^th of July before.

So now, let’s see how I do with the rest of the year.  I almost called it The Fall of Bluz, but it sounds like I’m the Roman Empire.  And The Autumn of Bluz sounds like I’m at death’s door.  So I don’t have any snappy titles for this next period.

Maybe The Post-Summer of Bluz?  The Pre-Christmas Bluz?  The Year End Bluz?

I don’t know, I’ll just see what happens next.