Swing Batter Batter, Swing!

This post is about baseball. You've probably read some other posts from this summer that have been about the same thing. Yes, we got to baseball games pretty often, but I promise this post is different. WHY?

Well, we weren't planning on going to a game Wednesday night. Adam had a test on Thursday so our Wednesday night plan involved him studying and me being bored out of my mind and probably watching one too many episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond. Well, that morning I was offered free tickets to the nights baseball game...not just any tickets, but CLUB tickets. I honestly didn't know all that it involved, but I did know the seats would be better than any of the seats Adam and I could afford on our student budget. So, the conflict...do I accept the tickets even though Adam really needs to study tonight or do I reject them and forever be shunned by my husband who loves baseball almost (possibly more at times) as much as he loves me? Okay, dumb question...so I accepted. I called Adam up immediatly and told him that he better study is booty off because I just got us tickets to the game tonight...club seats!

Let me just say, sitting in club seats makes you never look at a baseball game the same way. To give you an idea of how great it is, Adam told me "This is what I imagaine heaven to be like."

Here are some reasons watching baseball games will never be the same:

1. GREAT seats. We usually have to sit so stinking far away from the field that I can see the players, but not the ball. I get bored because to me it just looks like a bunch of guys standing on the field. We were a little to the right of home plate. I couldn't even fit the entire diamond in my camera view from our seats.

2. The seats are PADDED! Do you know what kind of wonders that does for a pregnant woman?

3. The food was FREE. So you're probably thinking...great, all the hotdogs and nachos one could desire. Did you know they serve turkey roast, fajitas, pasta, vegetables and pizza at baseball games? They do! And it's the best turkey roast Adam and I have EVER had...Thanksgiving will be a disappointment from here on out. Notice the food on this next picture...not me all hot and humid and wilted. Which reminds me...we got to eat inside...in the air conditioning. 4. The bathrooms are so nice and clean. I didn't take any pictures, but it was definitly an upgrade from past ones I've used at Progressive Field.

Well, the Indians lost, but we were okay with that. Adam has decided that one day we'll always sit in club seats (as wonderful as that would be, we'll see if that really happens or not). We're so grateful that we got to have this experience and be spoiled for a night! Most of all though, I just loved watching Adam enjoy his little piece of "heaven" for the night. Oh, and for the record, he did great on his test!

Staff Meetings

If you were to ask my husband if I'm an emotional person he would clearly say YES. Now, I understand there are a lot of emotional people in the world. It's no big deal that I have feelings. For the most part, I understand a lot of my emotions. The one thing that I cannot figure out is why I feel other people's emotions so strongly. I guess that's the wrong way to explain it, what I really feel is what I think they should be feeling in that situation...whether they are or not.
This often happens to me when I watch movies. I begin to put myself in the movie and before I know it, I'm on an emotional roller coaster. I don't think this is quite so strange considering that it is probably one of the goals in creating a movie. Well, here's what gets me. Every few months we have a staff meeting where I work. I think many's initial thought would be...staff meeting?boring. Well, what if I told you that I have cried at every single one. I haven't sobbed uncontrollably or anything, but I always shed a tear or two. Now, what could possibly happen at a staff meeting that would make someone cry? I have NO idea. I don't think this is normal. It usually has to do with someone's promotion. Today, two people got promoted at the staff meeting. One of those became the new president of the company. As they spoke of his talents and past accomplishments, I began to feel that choked up feeling in my throat. Now, I hardly know the man being promoted. I've passed him in the halls a few times, but that's about it. I am confused as to why I'm feeling such strong emotions about this event. Then, they talk about the relationships he's built and all the service he's done for the company. At this time, the tears begin to well up, and I feel overwhelmed by what he must mean to so many people. I feel like I'm feeling all the love each person has for him and at the same time the joy and awe that the one promoted is feeling. Then I look around the room and no one seems to be feeling what I am feeling. I get frusterated thinking...why am I the one tearing up when I hardly know this person. Why am I feeling what they should be feeling? They are the ones who have worked with him for years and built those relationships. Yet, they all look like they're ready for an after lunch nap.
I don't really know what I'm asking or if I'm even asking anything through this post. I just don't understand how I can feel so much about something I'm not directly a part of.

Typewriters

At work I do a lot of filing for the billing department. There is this long wall of filing cabinets filled with folders that all have typed and uniform looking labels. I needed to file some things today that did not have folders. I asked Joan, a sweet older co-worker, where she made her standard looking labels. She said she made them on the typewriter and that I could use hers to make some more. I replied, "I've never used a typewriter and don't know how to do it." She looked at me like I was joking and said, "You don't know how to use a typewriter? Why, that should be a mandatory class in high school." I smiled, thinking..."I didn't even know people still use typewriters. Why would they teach that in school?" It just made me think about at what a fast pace technology is moving. I remember before my family had internet and email...and now it seems I can't live without it! I wonder what it will be like in 20 years...

The RTA

So about two months ago, when I started working for Dix & Eaton, I drove our Mazda protege to work everyday. I would sit in that car for about 40 minutes every morning switching radio stations...convinced that if I pressed the buttons enough, the noisy morning show would disappear and magically music would play. Indeed I was disappointed each time! I would creep into construction infested downtown Cleveland and pull into the parking garage where it cost me $8.50 a day to park (that's with a hike to work...if I parked in the garage for the building I work in, it'd cost me $12.50 a day!). At the end of the day, I would turn around and make the trek back home. All in all, I used about a tank of gas a week...and with these crazy gas prices, I'm sure you're all aware of how quick that would add up! So after about a month of this, I decided that I've had enough. So I quit my job so that I wouldn't have to go downtown anymore! Okay, so I'm joking about having quit my job...I found a better solution than that.

At the beginning of October, I became more than just an acquaintance of Cleveland's public transportation system when I bought my first bus pass. To be honest, I was scared of riding the bus. I've seen the type of people waiting for the bus downtown...they're not exactly well groomed and smelling like a bouquet of flowers. My mind kept creating all sorts of interesting situations of getting stuck sitting next to Oscar the Grouch on vacation away from his garbage can! The first person I came in contact with at the bus stop near my home wasn't exactly the nicest. She has an 80s punker haircut with tatooed on face make-up (Adam keeps daring me to go up to her and say "I love Motley Crew too"). We weren't exactly sure where to catch the bus so we stopped and asked her...we must've caught her off guard because she looked at us like we were aliens coming to abduct her. I was relieved to find that everyone else at the stop seemed to be pretty normal. I quietly took my seat somewhere near the back of the bus (this is where all the "cool" kids sat in elementary school) and quickly realized that the "cool" people sat at the front of the bus. It would have been a great opprtunity for me to mesh in with their group because the leader, Joe Cool (okay, so his name is just Joe) was talking about The Office...a show I never miss. I made a mental note to ease my way up to their area over the next couple of days. I didn't want to start out as an outcast of the bus social life, and hopefully in the future another conversation would occur that I could casually jump into. Well, as I moved around each time I rode the bus, I met a wide array of people. There are the City Year young adults who wear red jackets and khaki pants, the woman who snorts through her throat, and the little old ladies who are real troopers to go downtown to work everyday. I eventually made it to the front of the bus where the "cool" people sit. I had to make a fool of myself before they finally noticed me...I kept getting on a different bus stops because I'd be running late. It was great finally being up there, but I missed the colorful personalities throughout the entire bus. The journey from the back of the bus to the front has allowed me to have an adventure everyday and get to know a lot of people. I like saving money and time using the RTA, but my favorite part is all the interesting people I get to meet!

Dix & Eaton

Tuesday began my exploration of the world of Dix & Eaton. I have taken a receptionist position with this PR firm and had the opportunity to begin this week. I get to work in downtown Cleveland in one of those tall buildings that looks so important. Coming from a family that stays as far away as possible from downtown "anywhere," I never really expected to work in such a building. I seem to have suddenly fallen into my Dad's world, and it's been quite the experience. When I was a little girl daydreaming about the future, I never quite envisioned a world of paperwork, networking, codes, computers, lunch breaks, attempting to climb the business ladder, and dress slacks. While the "start of something new" (that phrase can never be said or typed without the High School Musical song popping into my head) has been very stressful (not a big surprise since I'm great at making everything more stressful than it needs to be), I have loved every minute of it and feel like I can't soak it up quickly enough. I love being needed and having responsibilities towards others. I feel so blessed to be working for a company that is so willing to help out and be open to new ideas. I have never worked in a place where others have been so eager to reach out towards me and immediately made me feel like part of the team. I have been pleased with the relaxed, but productive environment and feel like it is somewhere where I will be able to develop talents and skills as well as assist others in doing the same. This job is a huge blessing in my life right now, and I am grateful for all the help and support I've received in pursuing it.

New Experiences

So I'm pretty new to this whole blogging thing. I saw Cassie and Jonny's blog and immediately wanted to start one. I really like journaling and stuff, so I thought this would be a fun way to branch out in exploring the many ways of journaling.
This seems to be a week of new experiences...I just started the blog thing, and Adam started podiatry school this week. I'm really not used to him being gone so much since neither of us have been very busy since the time we got married. It was definitly time though to start having responsibilities. We found ourselves running out of things to do and spending most of our time floating between the television and computer.
I don't start my new job until next week so I've been spending my time painting the house. I just painted the living room green, but I need to do a second coat still. I'm really happy with the way its turning out. I love painting, and its hard to stop once I start. Hopefully, I can get it done before I have to start work.