Monday, July 20, 2009

Hey Now, You're an All Star, Part 1

All Star Week has come and gone. St. Louisans had been waiting for this event to come for years...well, decades honestly. There was one point, maybe three or four years ago, when I emailed a baseball writer asking if St. Louis would ever get its All Star Game promised to us once we tore down our beloved old Busch. The writer actually replied to my email and basically said we would. But I still for the life of me could not believe this week would come, even though I know he spoke the truth. Then it came.

All Star Week reminded me of what it was to be a kid again. You know when you were a kid and that wonderful/terrible feeling that stuck with you as you'd anxiously wait until your next birthday came? God, those 364 days feel like an eternity. That's the funny thing about being a kid, by the way. Your birthdays are practically shooting stars. You experience. You marvel. You enjoy. And then they're gone. (We spent more time talking about them then they actually lasted. ) Anyways, we grow up and realize the birthdays keep coming like signs on a highway and life doesn't slow down. Those hours that you felt slipping away like water in the palm of your hands once upon a birthday suddenly become years when you're an adult. You grow up and value the moments when everything slows down and can be savored.

The thing about All Star Week was it felt like my birthday-when I was a kid, I mean. I was surrounded by a flutter of activity. I wanted to just make everything pause, like that girl Evie from that 80's TV show "Out of This World". I wished I could taste, see, touch, smell and appreciate it all, but it felt like it was drip-drip-dripping through my fingers. When I first entered Fanfest, I literally started skipping. I felt like I was in Disneyland. As a baseball fan, I could only giggle with glee. I'm not kidding you, I actually giggled with glee. But I'll tell you about Fanfest later.

Ladies and gents, I offer my impressions of All Star Week-the St. Louis edition.

Saturday: A sign of things to come, I felt rushed and unable to function normally that day as I hurriedly packed for Chicago (I'll explain in a bit) and readied myself for my first All-Star experience. I dressed up for, well, I didn't know what exactly. All I knew was baseball people would be there. It was a party? A soiree? A function? What ever, Bob Costas would be there.

I watched the Cards play the Cubs on Fox Saturday baseball, then drove downtown to meet my cousins, who had invited me to the event. It was typical St. Louis-sticky and humid. I have to point out that I hate wearing heels. (I point this out because I was sort of dressed up. I figured anything with Bob Costas would be classy and require heels) When ever I'm forced to wear heels, I often comment out loud that I wished I were a boy or at least 5'9''. Then I'd avoid heels like they were the plague.

But I'm short, so I have to balance things out. Short people are already at a disadvantage, you see. First, people are looking down at us. Second, even when we wear heels, you tall sons of bitches wear heels and make us look even shorter than short. If we walk into something without heels and you tall people are wearing heels, we might as well quite our day jobs and go live with Frodo Baggins.

"Balancing" things outs, by the way, gave me blisters. I know that's T.M.I, but it was the worst case of Torturous Footus I had ever recieved. Also, I was sweating like some "before" guy in a deodorant commercial. Eventually I arrived at this shindig, briefly met Bob Costas and I'm sure all he was thinking was, "Jesus Christ, someone give this girl a stick of anti-perspirant." Plus, I guarantee you he'd say it in the most elequont Bob Costas-y way. I was happy but miserable. Yes, you can feel those two emotions and here's how. The occassion made me happy, but my state left me miserable. Looking around me, I realized I could've worn jeans and a t-shirt and would've fit in. But noooooooo, I wore heels and a shirt made for people who could never fathom perspiration, apparently. Anyways, we eventually left this party which was also attended by Rollie Fingers, George Brett and Wade Boggs (so I heard about Boggs, didn't see him). We left with gift bags. I felt very shnazzy. Well, as shnazzy as my shirt would allow me to feel.

We headed for the free Sheryl Crow concert (f/ Elvis Costello) under the magnificent Arch. (Doesn't that sound like Sheryl Crow is imprisoned somewhere? FREE SHERYL CROW!) I parted ways with my company (who had V.I.P passes to the show) and met with my sister. We watched Sheryl perform a few songs, then went on our merry way to Chicago, IL. We left around 10 pm and arrived at our hotel around 2:30 am. Pardon me if I forgot to mention this was a trip we made for our make-up Cards-Cubs game which had been rained out in April. The next day would prove eventful, but my All Star Sunday is where we must part for now, I'm afraid.

Until then, Au Revoir and Go Cards!

Thursday, July 09, 2009

I'm Feelin' Hella Good

I went to see No Doubt play at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater and expected to see a good show, but I did not get that. It was a GREAT show. The set was amazing and they performed masterfully(Like they've been doing this for over 15 years or something!). I have to say, Gwen's Stephani's abs are other-worldy. My sister asked how a mother of two could have abs like that. There is no answer. She looked exactly like you'd imagine-funky hair, killer body and styish outfits. At one point she pulled a little girl from the audience on stage who had the exact same mini-dress as Gwen. It was fabulous. I've never danced and jumped so much at a concert. I think the theme of the show was definately fun. Fun and stylish, like No Doubt. I highly recommend going to a No Doubt concert.

I'm going to Wrigleyville for a make-up game this weekend. The sis and I traveled to Chi-town in April, but the game was rained out! The memorable part of our rain-out was returning to our hotel, where we sat in the hotel's Bar and Grill and watched a Blues playoff hockey game. Then in walked Joe Morgan, former Red's second baseman, Hall of Famer and now play-by-play guy for Sunday night baseball! He was supposed to call our Sunday night Cards-Cubs game, if not for that darn rain. He was in there for a few hours talking baseball to the people around him. It was strange,beginning with one or two guys sitting next to him and 2-3 hours later there were at least a dozen Chicagoans standing by him, like leeches.

Anyways, the series against the Cubs this weekend is a big one. Hopefully we can come away with a split, at least. It'll be my first game at Wrigley Field! I'm excited, anxious, and all that good stuff. I wish we didn't have to drive up to Chicago (I'm not exactly in the mood after doing it two weekends in a row in April-long story) but it'll be fun. Especially if we win. It looks like Sunday we'll either have Wainwright or Lohse on the mound. Either way, good news for us. I just hope we beat the Cubs the game we're going to, so I can mock them as I leave. That's right, it's so I can be a sore winner. I so look forward to that. (Fingers crossed)

The problem is it's also All-Star Weekend! And I don't want to miss any single part of the festivities. I've been waiting for this week for so long. It's just like the Cubs to cause me any annoyance.

Oh, how I wish I could attend the All Star Game! All in all, I'm just excited about the general atmosphere that downtown STL will have. All these sponsors and celebrities and events are going to descend onto our city. I was downtown during the 4th of July weekend to see the new City Garden, two blocks of sculptures and gardens. It was beautiful. There were fountains of water gushing from the ground and kids were soaking wet playing in it. A nightmare for the parents looking with helpnessness but a delight for the onlookers:) It'll be bustling just as much when everyone comes into town. I can't wait to show off baseball heaven.

This is going to be an exciting next week. I expect lots of things will inspire blogs, especially the NL win I predict!

Like everyone else, I am going to die. But the words – the words live on
for as long as there are readers to see them, audiences to hear them. It is
immortality by proxy. It is not really a bad deal, all things considered.
-J. Michael Straczynski

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