Tuesday, July 24, 2012

I Plan, but Do I Enjoy?

I have already admitted here that I am a planner.   I embrace this fact mostly because, truth be told, there really is no hiding it.  It's what I do, but also how I think for better or worse.  With the recent tragic events in Aurora, I found myself wondering if I am truly enjoying what I do/plan to the fullest; or am I guilty of looking ahead to the next event.  There is also some concern that I need to be sure to enjoy the wedding day that has been in the making for a year by the time it takes place.

Ironically, two events both happened last week that have been on the calendar for months; so I feel as though I can answer my own question.  First was the Chicago and Doobie Brothers concert at Red Rocks.  Our group (Denise, John, Emily, Danny and I) bought the tickets back in March or April.


A little bit of rain was not going to spoil this evening, we had a blast!  There really is no concert venue like Red Rocks. At least not that I have ever experienced; it really is a phenomenal place to see a show.  It sure doesn't hurt that two of my all-time favorite bands were playing together, and did play together for the encore.  Oh my - I got goosebumps as they blended their two sounds to play each bands' hits.  There was also a funny moment for Danny and me when Chicago started to play, "Just You 'n Me".   The verbal intro was, "most of the people in this crowd have a connection to this song - you were either married to it or conceived to it."  Well, that just happens to be the song for Danny and my first dance as husband and wife.  I will not even acknowledge the latter part of that statement - you can ask my parents, but I do not want to know.

Next, Danny, Emily and I finally made it to the Colorado Sky Sox game that we originally had tickets for in early-April.  The fact that this became a long-range event was really beyond our control, since the game we had tickets for was called off due to SNOW.  Yes, spring snow is always possible in Colorado.  The Sky Sox are the minor league affiliate to the Rockies, and play down in Colorado Springs.  So we had to limit ourselves to weekend games to allow for the hour and a half drive each way.  Looking at the schedule, I decided that "Jim Thome Bobble Head" night sounded like a winner.  Ironically, we arrived a few minutes late so we only got a bobble head doll because someone had turned one in.  Of course, we also managed to squeeze in a trip to two breweries along the way.  Luckily, Emily enjoys beer too, but I got a kick out of one of the beer names:  7258 Blonde Ale at Colorado Mountain Brewery.  You may wonder, as I did, what the number means:   7258 denotes both the altitude of the nearby United States Air Force Academy, as well as the attitude of Colorado and its residents... "Far, far above that of West Point or Annapolis" ... and the rest of the world.  


I really do enjoy minor league baseball.  The stadiums are smaller, the ticket prices are reasonable (especially when you have a buy one get one free voucher), and you usually get to see good baseball.  As the Rockies are stinking up the place, it was nice to root for the winning team.  There were a couple botched plays that reminds you that you are in fact at a minor league game, but oh well.  Danny and I have decided we would like to make a Sky Sox game an annual event.  

Of course, I will admit that sometimes my forward thinking gets me in to trouble.  For example the kerfuffle that Danny and I got into on Sunday because he was thinking out loud, and I was worried about executing this plan.  Just one of the many examples of how Danny and I think differently; we are working on it.  Still, I did take my parents up on their offer to help with the wedding planning.  I had an easy task for them that will be tremendously helpful to me.  Progress all around!  

Sometimes I say that I am ready for September 16 so that I can enjoy life without wedding planning, but I don't mean it in the way that it sounds.  Yes, I am ready to move on with my life as Danny's wife, but I am also beyond excited (and scared to death) about the rehearsal dinner, and the wedding itself.  I want to enjoy all the hard work, but even more so I am looking forward to celebrating with everyone who is joining us.  It is truly overwhelming the outpouring of love and support that Danny and I are receiving.  Of course not everyone will be able to make the trip, but we are extremely grateful to those who are going to be there for what we hope will be a fun time.

Danny accepts that I am a planner, just as I know he is not.  We balance each other out, and most importantly have a lot of fun!  A great piece of wedding advice that I received and will try to embody, "the weddings that are the most fun, are the ones that it is clear that the bride and groom are enjoying themselves."  Well Danny and I fully intend to have a great time!  Because as someone else says, regardless of what goes wrong as something inevitably will, we will still be married.







 

Sunday, July 15, 2012

So I Have this Idea... Now What?



As a diversion to wedding planning, I am trying to purge stuff from our apartment.  Truth be told, most of the crap in this place is mine; so it is my responsibility to get rid of it.  I have found some real personal buried treasures.  For instance, as I was going through my boxes (read plural - five) of letters, which included pretty much everything anyone has ever sent me, one card my Grandmom was particularly special to me because of what was inside.  There was a coupon for Red Lobster (unfortunately it expired in 2008 - crud - missed opportunity), but there was also a clipping from her local paper.  You see my Grandmom is very thoughtful about sending coupons and clippings of interest to her "dear ones," as she calls us.  I remembered reading this when it first came; it struck a chord then and it has struck a chord now.

Q: Is there a company that offers trips to different baseball stadiums, where the participants would stay at the same hotel as the teams?  I would like to spend some time with my son next year visiting different ballparks.  - R.S.

A: Finding tours for sports fans is a frustrating process, since most are set up solely to sell package tours to big events, such as an all-star game, World Series, Super Bowl or NCAA basketball Final Four. ...  I have yet to find a sports tour operator with any imagination.  I think there's a big market for tours that take sports fans to various parks and halls of fame, even when no playoffs or big events are scheduled.

What if I could be such a sports tour operator?  It would be a dream come true to find a way to put my love of sports to good use, perhaps even one that pays.  I need to do some extensive research, but in the meantime it is fun to think about the possibilities.  For instance, what about a tour of all five teams in the American League Central (White Sox, Twins, Indians, Royals, and Tigers).  Or a cross country tour of stadiums designed by the architectural firm Populous, formerly HOK Sports, that are responsible for some of the most beautiful parks in all of my baseball (ESPN says so too, it is not just my opinion).  Their parks include, but are not limited to:  Coors Field, Denver; Progressive Field, Cleveland; PNC Park, Pittsburgh, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore; and Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim.  

There really is no limit to the kinds of tours that could be created if someone would just put some thought into it.  I would love to go on these tours, but how exciting to design and even lead them!

Perhaps this is that why not idea/moment I have been searching for...  Of course I can think of a million reasons why it will not work, but I am not ready to accept those just yet.

In the meantime, sports will continue to be a passionate hobby as I have been selected to join a team of female Bears Bloggers for a site called, Her Game Life.  My first post was published last week, Mrs. McCaskey, I Would Like Two Bears Tickets Please; so I hope you will follow me there too.

When I pitched this idea to Danny I am pretty sure the look he gave me was, "please let's get through the wedding first."  Okay, fine.  After that though, there may be no stopping me!

      


  
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