Ballpark Tour - Oriole Park

Is it every baseball lover's dream to travel around the country and visit all of the ballparks?

I've talked to several people who think that would be such a great adventure. Paula and I talk all the time about getting in an RV and driving the country on a ballpark tour. It is one of those things that we dream about. After taking the kids to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon a few weeks ago, I can totally see Paula and I, sitting on our retired butts, driving across the country in an RV. HA...that will be so fun!

Because of what I do for work, I have been able to travel to many different places. Mostly I have traveled inside the United States. Wherever I go, I always try to plan to see a ball game, regardless if it is minor league or major league. Over the years I have seen the Durham Bulls in North Carolina, PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Angel Stadium in ANAHEIM (not Los Angeles), Coors Field in Colorado and, of course, Petco Park in San Diego. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Oriole Park in Baltimore.

A client of mine provided tickets for myself and three co-workers. It was the first week of the 2006 season and the second game for the Baltimore Orioles. We had a great time and I enjoyed walking around the ballpark, even though it was freezing cold out. I don't know how those players were able to play baseball in that cold, but they did. The scoreboard said it was about 52 degrees out, but with the wind chill, it was more like 40 degrees. Anyway, I have pictures available, if you want to check them out. The Orioles were giving away fleece blankets, so that helped us stay warm. We tried to stick it out, but we only lasted for 3 innings. Just long enough for me to take a solo tour and get some souvenirs.

I can't wait for the next destination on the ballpark tour...and I continue to dream about the "official" ballpark tour with Paula in the years to come...

Pictures

YES! I'm back...
I have to do something about this one post every two months thing. Ima bad boy...

So, I was just putting up some new pictures in my cube at work and it got me to thinking. I have a love/hate relationship with pictures. Do you? I mean, I love great photography. Some friends of mine take some really awesome pictures and I love to look at them. Especially pictures of God's creation in nature. I also love to take pictures. I have a pretty crummy camera, so the pictures are not THAT great. If you've checked out some of the photos linked to past blog entries, then you know what I am talking about. But, I still love to take pictures. I like thinking about how to best frame the shot and how best to capture contrasts and such. It is so cool when the picture comes out as good as or better than seeing the subject live.

But, I also hate pictures. Aside from the obvious thought that we all are so critical of ourselves that we don't like to look at THOSE pictures, I hate pictures because it forces me to see how fast my children are growing up. I put up two pictures today. One of Anthony from his T-ball team, the Alley Cats. I now have three photo buttons of him on various teams. I also pinned up a softball card of Emily on her first softball team, the Fireballs. She looks like a natural with that uniform on. Oh my gosh, they are getting big and growing up and it makes me long for the baby days with their chubby legs and chubby cheeks. I guess a feeling of sadness hits me when I see that they are getting older. Of course we cannot slow down time, but those darn pictures capture time and freeze it for us...I HATE it...and I LOVE it...