Call Me the Breeze

First off, please accept my apologies for going dark since Friday.  I intended to drop a post or two while I was on vacation, but I just never got around to it.  Whattya gonna do?

As you saw from my prior post, we got in just fine.  There were no lost bags, bumped seats, FAA labor shortage delays or terrorist threats.  We hit the ground and walked right into beer and pork chops.  

Porka Choppa ala Geezen

It seems like all we did for 5 days down there was eat and drink!  Not that it was a bad thing… it’s just more than I’m used to.

Not our usual Jack Daniels, but I’m always willing to branch out.

We’d go out for lunch or something, like Friday at the Chinese Buffet.  Normally with a lunch like that, I don’t eat dinner.  But there we were later, eating at the ballgame.  It was a regular “Mangiapalooza.”

Maybe we ate so much because the weather didn't really cooperate.  Normally when we visit in early May, it’s gorgeous out, with highs in the upper 70s and lower 80s.  This time we got rain early in our stay, and high winds for the rest of the time.

As I suspected, my touch with advance tickets has not improved.  I could have picked any day to go see the Double A league Pensacola Blue Wahoos, but I picked Friday.  This is what Friday looked like, as we approached the ballpark.

And this was what was on the horizon:

We knew there was a big rainstorm coming from the west, but the TV news assured us that it wouldn't be there until around 9:00.  I think they were in cahoots with the ball club and trying to coax some butts into the seats on a crappy night.  There was a constant drizzle, like a hard mist, that fell almost the entire night.  It really put a damper on things.  It was a shame, because we had some good seats; first row on the third base line, in the outfield.

This was the view from our seats.

Those two little dots are my parents, waiting for Pinky and me to come back from our pre-game mosey.

Last year, we took a walk around the ballpark when there wasn't anything going on.  It was then that I discovered they had a hot dog called “The Big Wahoo.”  Now after our big Chinese Buffet lunch, I didn't really need to eat, but I did want a look at a Big Wahoo.  So when Dad went up to get snacks, I told him Pinky and I would split one. 

Unfortunately, there was some kind of mix-up at the concession stand.  Not only did it take 20 minutes for them to hand over a hot dog and a grilled chicken sandwich, they said the Big Wahoo was a fish sandwich… the very blue wahoo for which the team is named. 

Since we’d already spent over 4-times the amount of time it should take after ordering, we just ate the fish sandwich.  But it bugged the crap out of me that they denied the existence of the Big Wahoo hot dog.  In fact, as we walked back to our seats, we went right by the stand where it claimed the Big Wahoo was “the largest hot dog you've ever seen!”  But like I said, we didn't want to fight about it.

Once the game started, the drizzle never stopped, so we left after two innings.  (We had DVRed the Penguins playoff game, so we had that to go back to.)  But the night wasn't a total loss… I got another baseball!

Well, I should say my dad saw a batting practice ball lying on the ground in the stands, so he picked it up and gave it to me.  Isn't that what you’re supposed to do?  A guy gets a ball and he gives it to his son.  OK, maybe the Statute of Limitations for us has run out.  But it was also Blue Wahoo “Snap Koozie” Night, so I came home with a pretty nice haul.

My Southern League trophy ball, with collectible Blue Wahoos beer cup.  See?  The ball came with its own cup holder.

Blue Wahoo Snap Koozies.  (In other words, foam strips with metal bands embedded inside.  They wrap around your bottle or can, to keep it cold.  Also, “The Snap Koozies” would make a great band name.

Saturday was Kentucky Derby Day, so we stuck close to home.  It was sunny out, but there was a steady 15-20 mph wind blowing, so it wasn't terribly conducive to sunning or swimming.  So Dad and I had iPad class, where I showed him some handy keyboard tricks and other useful things, and together we figured out how to iMessage and use FaceTime video conferencing.  (It’s easier to figure out when the two users are in the same room.)

In return for my services, Dad showed me the Bubble Explosion iPad game he plays, which then occupied about 75% of the rest of my stay.  I don’t know why, but there must be something innately satisfying about popping brightly colored bubbles, because it sure is addicting.

On Sunday, we ventured down to the beach for a little sightseeing before dinner.  They recently put up a giant Ferris wheel, so we thought we’d take it for a spin.

I know there is no scale, but it’s a big one… about 20 stories tall.

It certainly provided a nice view of the beach area.

Left side: Pensacola Sound.  Right side: Gulf of Mexico.

What cracked me up was the warning sticker on the inside of each car.  I don’t know what the hell they were warning me about… I could only guess.

Sunday started with the Penguins playoff came coming on at 11:00 AM.  You gotta love Central Time.  Afterwards, we went back to the beach, but it was still too windy to go in the water.  They had the yellow flags out, which were starched, most of the time.

They have a nice, long fishing pier, which makes for a nice walk.

You can’t really see it, but this guy just landed a fish, which is vigorously flapping around in front of the blue cooler.

What is it with Pensacola and their “Rules” signs?

Dammit!  There’s nothing I like better than getting drunk, naked and catching "Jaws"… followed immediately by defacing this sign and jumping off the pier.

After our stroll, we had lunch at a place called “Flounder’s.”  It was a pretty interesting place to look around. 

TGI Fridays called and said the place was too “busy.” 

By the way, that’s a replica of a 980-lb blue marlin that was caught nearby in 1985, which remains a Florida state record.  Also note the row of outboard motors that ring the ceilings.  If that restaurant ever sinks, they can just fire up those motors and putter along to the next location.

I should have taken a picture of the key lime pie, which was too much for even 3 of us to share; not that we didn't try.  But instead, I got this shot of a giant clam.

That’s one way to make your kids behave in the restaurant… threaten to feed them to the giant clam.

In order to work off all the meals, I have a very strenuous exercise regimen... I crush cans.  OK, I cheat by using a can crusher.  But it's one of my favorite parts of the trip.  As soon as I have my own house, I'm totally getting one.

 Step 1: Dimple the can and place it in The Crusher.

Step 2: Pull down the lever to reduce the can to a little itty-bitty thing.  Nothing like doing my part for The Environment!

Finally, on Tuesday, we had some glorious weather, which is predicted to stay around all week.

Even the Weather Stick was glad to see a nice day.

Unfortunately, we had an 8:30 AM flight out of town, so we got to enjoy exactly none of it.  But it’s nice to know it’s there.

I’m glad I took Wednesday off though.  As relaxing as vacationing with my folks is, I also need a day to recover. 

And also to get used to going a couple hours without a meal…

Down Time

Greetings from Gulf Breeze, Florida!

On Thursday, Pinky and I hopped a flight to go see my folks.

We left the sunshine of Baltimore, passed through the grayness of Atlanta,

Passed through some more sunshine,

and landed in a very gray Gulf Breeze.

But don't worry, it's supposed to be gorgeous for the rest of the week. My main concern right now is for the weather tonight. I have tickets for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos tonight, and I'd hate for the game to be rained out. After all, April is over! I'm sick of wasting money on tickets I can't use!

Obviously, the Pens' playoff game is tonight too, so we'll work the old DVR. I'll just have to be sure to stay off the Twitter.

I'll have more vacation news as it develops! Suffice to say, though, after the April I had, I really need a good vacation!

In and Out

The top news story on all channels yesterday was that a current professional athlete has come out of the closet.”  Washington Wizard Jason Collins came “out of the closet” in the press yesterday in an article he wrote for Sports Illustrated.  The announcement was historic because he was the first current player in any of the “big four” American sports to declare himself as gay.

Personally, I think it’s great news, and I hope his openness encourages other closeted athletes to stop living a lie.  No one should have to pretend to be someone they’re not.

So far, the responses reported in the media have been overwhelmingly favorable.  Numerous athletes, commentators and politicians have tweeted or been quoted as offering support.  ESPN reporter, Chris Broussard, differed stating that that Collins is “walking in open rebellion to God,” but he appears to be in the minority.  He became an instant target of social media.

Dolphins wide receiver Mike Wallace placed an ill-advised tweet:

I don’t believe Wallace was being hostile, just ignorant of what it means to be gay.  Still, I’m kind of glad the Steelers let him sign elsewhere this season.  I don’t think it’s uncommon for athletes to be behind the curve on such issues.  After all, their only job, from high school, through college, through their pro careers, has been to study their playbook, develop their bodies and practice their craft.  Most aren’t Rhodes scholars, is what I’m saying.  So I’m not surprised.

Anyway, if you follow the news, nothing I’ve said so far should be new to you.  My point today is that we’ve only gotten through the easy stuff with this story so far.  All the attention and commentary on the newness and groundbreaking nature of the story is a piece of cake.  In the weeks to come we will see the hard part.

 As with Broussard and Wallace, people who comment against the grain of this “feel-good” story tend to get smacked down quite aggressively.  Social media climbs all over them, sometimes their employers coerce an apology or distance themselves from the comment.

Remember that 49ers cornerback that spoke up about not wanting a gay teammate, during the run-up to the Super Bowl?  That became a major news story and the dude quickly found himself nose deep in Sensitivity Training classes.  I’m guessing a lot of ball players noticed that, so I’m not surprised there wasn’t a lot of negative commentary.  Seriously, who the hell wants to go to Sensitivity Training?

I’ll be interested to see what happens going forward.  What happens the next time Collins drops a hard foul on somebody?  What’s the dude going to call him as he gets up off the ground? 

And don’t even get me started about the fans.  I think the players are Mensa candidates compared to some of the life forms found in arenas and stadiums.  I think you’re going to see a new “F-word” trending in the stands any time the Wizards come to town.  Fans may hold their tongue when the going is good, but let the guy screw up and then watch what happens.

I mean, look what happened to Kordell Stewart!  If you’re reading from The Burgh, you know what I’m talking about.  Stewart used to be quarterback for the Steelers, from the mid 90s through the early 2000s.  He was a Pro Bowl caliber player and he was basically run out of town, due in part to a baseless rumor about his sexuality, which just would not die.

There was never an ounce of proof about any of it, but everyone had a cousin’s neighbor’s brother that “saw” something going on in a local park.  Personally, I think the whole thing stemmed from the time Stewart appeared to be caught crying on TV after getting pulled from a game.  The “gay” rumors popped up almost immediately afterward, and never went away.

Now, as a Steeler fan residing far from Pittsburgh, I heard every gay-related epithet known to mankind, hurled at Stewart (or anyone wearing his jersey) from up in the stands.  And from what I gathered, it wasn’t much different on home turf, any time he threw an interception.

I know it was a different time then.  Maybe everyone just hadn’t seen enough “Will and Grace” yet, or gotten to know Neil Patrick Harris.  Maybe it will be different in 2013. 

But I doubt it. 

Calling another guy gay, in variable terminology, has been the go-to slur since time began.  I know that was always the ace in the hole on the playgrounds of my youth, and judging from conversations with my nephew, it is on his playground too.

So good luck to Jason Collins… he’ll need it.  I hope some more guys come out as well, and provide some cover.  There’s strength in numbers. 

I bet it helps to be 7-foot tall and 255 pounds, too.

Jersey City

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ regular season wrapped up last night, with an 8-3 win over Carolina.  This was the game I for which I should have bought tickets.  Maybe I’ll try next year.  I was scared off by the promotion, but I should have checked the availability first.  On the last home game of the year, the Pens hold “Shirt off their Backs” night, where fans are drawn from the crowd to come down on the ice and be given a player’s jersey, right off their backs.  I know the odds are long… with crowds of about 18,000 and 20 players, that’s about 1 in 900.  Not lottery odds, but still pretty long.

Anyway, in honor of the end of the lockout-shortened regular season, I thought I’d tally up my year in Game Jersey Mojo.  As you probably know, I chart all kinds of mojo variables for football.  With a 16-game schedule, that’s not too big of an undertaking.  But with an 82 game schedule, or in the case of this year, a 48 game schedule, I only track what I wear versus the game outcome.  So let’s get to the results, shall we?

Record: 8-2, Winning percentage .800

1) The white James Neal was my visiting team workhorse this year, which was nice because I really like this jersey.  I got it late last year, where I didn't wear it often because it hadn't yet acquired enough mojo.  (Pens went 1-2 when I wore it last year.)

5-2    .714

2) Post-lockout Mario jersey from early 2000s.  This was my top jersey last year, (10-2), and the mojo was still good.  I love the look of this jersey, and I kind of wish they’d bring it back.

3-0  1.00

3) Mario jersey from the 1990-2 Stanley Cup years.  Technically this (and the next two) jersey(s) had perfect records, but I’m lowering their standings due to a limited sample size.

3-0    1.00

4) White “Corporate Pigeon” jersey from the mid 90s through early 2000s.  This used to be a Jagr jersey but I had the 68 turned into a 66, and the “O” put on when Mario bought the team.  I’m aware that could be considered a “jersey foul,” but I don’t care.  I love the idea.

1-0    1.00

5) “Snoop Dogg” Mario jersey, from the same era as the prior one.  I only wore this on once… last night, to be specific.  I didn't want to worry about crossing momentum into the playoffs, so I picked a jersey I could wear as a one-off.  I actually had this on once or twice for games this season, only to find out at the last second that the Pens were wearing their blue “3^rd jerseys,” and subsequently had to make a quick change.

You know, if I took the records of all my “classic” (non-current) jerseys and put them together, they went 12-2.  Not bad for nostalgia…

4-1    .800

6) Marc-Andre Fleury “Winter Classic” jersey.  I wore this whenever the Penguins did.  Their record was good, but I knocked it down the standings because it still had bad mojo.  Sidney Crosby was wearing it when he got his jaw broken by a slap shot.  There have been other Penguin injuries that occurred as well, while wearing this sweater.  In fact, the Penguins were supposed to wear it one more time, but decided to retire it for good.  This one won’t see the light of day again.

The Flower just became a father this week, when his wife had a baby girl they named Estelle.  I was kind of hoping for a boy… a small Flower that they could name “Bud.”

6-3    .666

7) New this year, a white Sidney Crosby jersey.  When I got this one, I got rid of my black Sid jersey.  (I said last year that I wanted to upgrade.  It’s sad when a knockoff “authentic” is considered an improvement over a legitimate “replica.”)

2-1    .666

8) Black Evgeni Malkin jersey.  This was also new last year and went 3-0 in limited use.  I expected it to be a workhorse this year, but after the Pens lost the first game where I wore it, it took 2 months before I tried it again.  But by then, I had my methodology down.  More on that later.

3-2    .600

9) Black Brooks Orpik jersey.  This was also new this year and the Pens lost the first time I wore it.  Two months later, they won 3 in a row, so it was redeemed in my eyes.  I was going to wear this one to the game last weekend, before it got postponed.

10) No jersey:  1-1  .500

This happened twice… the first was the night I had the kidney stone attack.  I didn't have time (or capability) of getting a jersey on, and the Pens lost big.  The other game was the day we arrived in Pittsburgh and the Pens were playing Boston in a make-up game, the one that caused my game to get postponed.  I was too irritated to pack a jersey for that game, but the Pens won.

Season analysis: None of my jerseys ended up with a losing record, but I suppose I can’t take ALL the credit.  The Pens only lost 12 games all year long.  But after a bumpy start, where I couldn't discern any kind of pattern, I was noticed that the Pens would go on a bit of a streak, and one jersey would get me 3 wins but never a 4^th.  At the beginning of March, I began changing jerseys after 3 wins and the Pens promptly went on a 15-game winning streak.  You’re welcome.  The only time I broke the 3-game consistency was when they’d wear their blue jerseys.

Obviously, the playoffs are an entirely different animal.  I’ll use the track record I've established to give me a start, but I’ll have to keep my eyes peeled for any necessary adjustments.  I might be hampered a bit during the first series, because I’ll be in Florida for at least a couple of games.  That means I’ll be locked into whatever I pack.  If all seems lost though, I might be able to borrow a jersey from my dad, or if I’m really desperate, from my mom.  Not sure her Letang jersey will fit me though…

Get Me Out of This Month

I don’t know about you, but April has been absolutely brutal to me.  In fact, ever since the Ratbirds won the Super Bowl, it’s like everything I've touched has turned to shit.  It’s probably the manifestation of all the negative energy I've put out towards the Ratties, coming back home to roost.

I've already written about a bunch of the things that have gone wrong… I mean, kidney stones… hello?  And then going into A-fib right afterwards?  And coming down with a cold right after that?  I was lucky it was just ending last Friday before we headed for our Pittsburgh weekend.

And all the sports tickets I dropped a ton of cash on earlier this year?  So far, for the first three games that have occurred, I've only been able to use 3 of the 6 tickets.  I’m hemorrhaging money like the Iraqi government, right now.

I mean, think about it… When I ordered my Pens tickets, there were 48 games on the schedule, 24 of which were home games.  I could have picked any game to attend, but the one I did pick was the 1^st game in ages… and I can’t remember anything like this happening EVER before… to be moved.  What are the odds?  And then not to be able to find anyone to take the seats, in a hockey-crazed town like Pittsburgh?  Unreal!

And then there are the things you don’t know about, like my latest apparel purchase snafus.  I already mentioned being under-whelmed by my Manny Machado jersey, because it didn't come with front numbers and the lettering wasn't properly stitched. 

Around the same time I ordered that, I also ordered a Penguins polo shirt… a men’s, white, size-XL.  What they shipped to me was a women’s, black, size-S Blackhawks jersey, which is just about as opposite from my actual order as you can get.  I know I ordered correctly, because my email confirmation lists it properly.  But the invoice and the shirt were dead wrong.

So sure, I returned it, but I naturally had to pay postage.  AND, guess what day it was when I took my lunch hour to nip over to the post office?  April 15^th, that’s what.  Do you know what else is going on at the post office on April 15^th?  A hillion-jillion-quintillion people are lined up to mail their deadline-day tax returns, that’s what.  I could feel my shirt turning to shit right there in the box.  Sure, I mailed it the next day, but not without that big runaround, first.

I also ordered a new Orioles jersey this spring.  I wanted an actual “white” replacement for my “cream” colored Nick Markakis jersey.  I found one on E-Bay and won the auction with a bid of $36.00.  I made the Pay-Pal payment immediately, to facilitate receiving the jersey by opening day.  Unfortunately, the seller was a first time E-Bay user and didn't have a clue what he was doing.

First, he told me someone else won.  I told him that E-Bay told me I won, and I already paid for the jersey.  (All communication was via E-Bay’s internal email system.)  He said that he didn’t think he had the money yet, but wasn’t sure how to find out if he did.

I told him to check his Pay-Pal account, and said that I confirmed with my bank that the money had already been taken from my account.  Eventually he said he found the money and would ship my jersey.  It had taken about a week to get to that point.

The middle of the next week, I checked back to see if he’d shipped yet.  He said he hadn’t, and due to the snow (in the northeast) he wouldn't be able to until the weekend.  When I checked that weekend, he said he mailed it on the Friday.

When the following Friday came and I didn't have the jersey, I contacted him and asked for the tracking number.  He said his sister had mailed it, and didn't get a tracking number.  We confirmed my address and he asked that I give it another week for the jersey to show up.

All along, I was wondering if this guy was a con artist, or just incompetent.  But I stayed calm and measured, so that I could present the chain of emails to E-Bay, should I need to make a case to get some consideration.

When the jersey still hadn't arrived (after a full month of back and forth), I told him I’d been patient long enough and I’d had about all I could take of this mess.  He offered to refund my money, and I took it.  Naturally, I didn't get ALL of my money back.  E-Bay took a $7 cut of the original sale, and then another $1.50 of the refund transaction.  But at least I got most of it back.

Funny, I was so irked about losing $8.50, and now I just pissed away $300 on those Pens tickets I couldn't use.

So April can’t end soon enough for me.  But I’m worried about May too, though.  We’re heading for Florida on May 2^nd, and I’m hearing about all these flight delays due to air traffic controller furloughs.  If we get stuck in Atlanta, I’ll understand that it’s nature’s way of extracting the Ratbirds’ revenge.  Bitch…

I guess I could have it worse.  It’s not like I worked for NASA and accidentally drew a schlong on Mars.

But if the Penguins wash out of the playoffs in the first round again, I’ll know I’ll need to buckle up, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride this year.

Weekend in The Burgh

Despite the soul-crushing blow that the cancelled Penguins game caused, we sought to make the best of the remaining cards we held, so off we went to go spend the weekend in Pittsburgh.

Our trip was essentially stress and traffic-free. Pinky was actually able to keep herself to a single pee-break, at our designated pit stop in Breezewood, so we easily breezed into Pittsburgh by 2:00.  I had originally planned for us to wander around the city for a while, but I hadn't planned on it being windy and cold out, so we hunkered down in our room at the Doubletree for a while.  Because there wasn't much to look at out the window (see prior post) I was able to watch the end of the Penguins/Bruins hockey game, whose re-scheduling was at fault for bumping the Saturday night game we had to miss.

Not the most extravagant room, but cozy enough to sleep in.

About 3:00, we set out to find “Las Velas” at Market Square, to meet up with my buddies Cassie, and Mr. & Mrs. Carpetbagger.  It took us a little longer than anticipated, due to the devious nature of trying to navigate city streets that run every which way, we ended up arriving right on time none-the-less.  We were the first ones there, so any time I get someplace before Cassie does, I consider it a win.

Naturally, Cassie arrived during the two minutes where I had nipped off to the bathroom, so Pinky had to flag her down.  Luckily, I’ve probably shown Pinky about a jillion pictures of Cassie and her kids from Facebook, so she recognized her right off.  I’m not sure what Cassie made of entering the restaurant and encountering a wildly gesticulating redhead.

The Carpetbaggers joined us shortly, so we all spent a very happy couple of hours enjoying some exquisite Mexican food and some quality conversation and fellowship.

Well, since there were three girls and the two “fellows” were outnumbered, maybe I should call it “ladyship.”  Regardless, I was happy to be able to prove that Pinky is, in fact, a real live person, and not a figment of my imagination.

After the meal, and bidding goodbye to my friends, we considered looking for a place that has some live music.  We learned pretty quickly, though, that most of the places that qualified were right near where we were.  But since we didn’t really care to hang around for another 5-6 hours for the music to start, we headed back to the hotel.  After a couple of $5 beers in the hotel bar, (holy crap… those are baseball park prices!) we retired up to the room.  It was way too cold to go wandering around, especially as it got dark, so we opted for a quiet night “in.”  We’re old, so we figured we’d need the extra energy for our big day out on Sunday.

It was a much nicer day on Sunday, but still brisk.  At least the sun was out.  Pinky got up early and went down to use the pool and workout room.  I got up, showered, and banged out a short blog post from my iPad.  (My first iPad blog post!  Another milestone for Bluz!) 

We ventured out around 11:00 and went over to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast.  After that, I took Pinky on the “scenic route” on the way to the ballpark.  We stopped by PPG Plaza, so I could show off the grandeur of all that dark glass.

We then moseyed down to the “point,” where the two rivers come together to form the Ohio.  Unfortunately, they’re STILL doing construction work down at the actual “point,” just like they were the last time I was down there in 2011, so we weren't able to get all the way there.  I wanted to be able to provide Pinky a frame of reference for every time they show an aerial shot of the city during a football game.

“See honey?  We were right there!”

Anyway, we got close enough. 

We then walked up along the river before climbing up onto the Roberto Clemente Bridge, to cross over to the ballpark.

Do all the geese in Pittsburgh only have one leg?  I’m surprised they didn't have a sign out, asking for change.  Or bread crumbs.

We got into the park about a half hour early, so we ambled around a bit before finding our seats.  We were in Row M, in the second section behind home plate.

The arrow points to our seats.

They were great seats, and featured the greatest view in all of baseball.

I've mentioned this before, but I absolutely love how the Pirates have little kids out onto the field before Sunday games, to meet the players when they go out to field their positions.  It’s great PR and costs the team nothing.

You think that kid isn't going to remember this for the rest of his life?

So we watched the Buccos beat the Atlanta Braves, 4-2… well, OK, we watched most of it.  The Pirates were winning 4-2 after the 7^th inning, when the shade started covering our seats, and brrrrrr, it was a big difference.  So as the shadows crept across the field, we bade farewell to this beautiful ballpark and headed back to the car.

Rather than walking all the way back, we hopped on the free “T” subway line.  It saved us a whole bunch of time, so that we were able to get to the car and out of downtown before the ballgame let out.  We checked into our next hotel room, out near where my aunt and uncle live, and cleaned up a bit before heading there.

We purposefully didn't eat anything at the ballgame, because I knew that any meal at Aunt Grace Ann’s house would be epic.  We were not disappointed.  She brought out a huge bowl of gnocchi, along with meatballs and a pork loin, beans and salad.  And dessert.  Uncle Ange brought out bottle after bottle of delicious red wine.  It was enough food to feed an army, which we were, considering besides Pinky and I, Grandpa was there along with 3 cousins, 2 significant others and a baby.

There was much festivity and merry-making that went on long into the night.

Little EJ with his grandpa.

Little Bluz with his grandpa.

We got back to the room around 11:30, and boy did we sleep well!  After Pinky worked out (again), we got cleaned up and set out upon our errands.  I had to stop at K-Mart, to pick up a few Penguins odds and ends.  Then we stopped by the local market, for some fresh Italian bread, a couple pounds of Isaly’s chipped ham and barbecue sauce.  We hit the road in earnest by 11:00 and once again, had relatively clear sailing all the way back to Baltimore.

It was definitely a “glass half full” kind of weekend because the good times shown us by my friends and family more than made up for the butt-stinging loss of $300 worth of Pens tickets.  (No, I never managed to sell them.)

Tonight, I’ll be watching the game from home.  Maybe I’ll try to re-create the in-game experience.  I’ll turn up the surround-sound, have Pinky bring me beers and charge me $10.  And every time a player goes near the glass in what would have been “our corner,” I’ll get up and pound on the TV screen, like an angry chimpanzee.

I wonder if my Best Buy warranty covers that kind of damage…

To the Half Full Cup

We got into The Burgh easily enough... I was able to use the cruise control almost the whole way.

If you haven't seen from previous comments, the Penguins game we were supposed to see was moved to Tuesday night, due to delayed games in Boston (where the Pens were playing Friday night). Obviously, I'm pretty upset about missing this game. After looking forward all year to my first visit to the Pens' new arena, AND spending $300 on tickets, it's a pretty tough nut to swallow.

Yes, I know there are bigger issues at play and I realize that the alternatives were limited, but still, it just sucks having the rug pulled out from under you the night before the big day. But since I also had non-refundable hotel rooms booked and a pair of Pirates tickets, the trip was still on. I'm trying desperately to look at my cup as half full.

Our room is nice enough, but the view is uninspiring.

We met up with Cassie and The Carpetbaggers for lunch yesterday, so that was a redeeming point. I'll have more on the rest of our journey on Tuesday. Until then, please oh please let nothing else go wrong! Oh, and finding a buyer for my tickets would be nice too!