PLAY BALL!!!

Everyone should experience the thrill of opening day at the baseball park. As is Easter, baseball is a harbinger of spring and all the new that comes with it.
I grew up a Cleveland Indians fan-atic. I never got to see Babe Ruth play, but I DID get to see so many of the good and plenty of the bad. Bill Veeck, as in Wreck, was the owner of my team. There wasn't a ton of money in his pockets back then, but Bill did so much to bring folks to the park. I remember promotions such as free nylons for the ladies, free admission if you were bald, etc.
It was a fun time to be a fan, even if the team weren't among the best. Cleveland Municipal Stadium had the visiting team entrance/exit that opened right at the parking lot. If you waited, you got to see the teams exit for the buses after they showered and changed into civilian clothes. Many a time, I was there, hanging on the rail and watching as the likes of DiMaggio, Mantle and oh so many greats and wannabes came out, rubbed our heads and said cool things, like, "Hiya kid!" A thrill and a half! We never thought of an autograph.
Back then, I had an afternoon paper route. No one had central air conditioning, Open windows provided cross-ventilation. Most everyone's radio was tuned into the game, and, as I delivered the Cleveland Press to all the front porches, I hardly missed any action. "Back in the day," if you showed ownership of a ticket, your school allowed you to leave early for opening day. Now, THAT was exciting!
Baseball probably catalogs more records than any other sport and as the game progresses, the announcers will impart those that were set or broken on opening day. I wish I could remember all of them, but, as time rolled along, other things took precedence and the memories are just that. And, dontcha know, on opening day, 2012, the following new record came into being: Text is borrowed from the web site of 93.1 FM, WZAK, Cleveland's R & B Leader..."CLEVELAND – J.P. Arencibia’s three-run homer in the 16th inning sent the Toronto Blue Jays to a 7-4 win over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday in the longest opening-day game in major league history.

Arencibia was 0 for 6 with three strikeouts before connecting off Jairo Asencio.
The marathon eclipsed the previous longest openers — 15 innings between Cleveland and Detroit in 1960 and 15 innings between Philadelphia and Washington in 1926.
Luis Perez, Toronto’s seventh pitcher, pitched four scoreless innings for the win and Sergio Santos got two outs to end the 5-hour, 14-minute game.
Jose Bautista homered and hit a sacrifice fly for Toronto, which rallied for three runs in the ninth off All-Star closer Chris Perez to force extra innings."

Not so many years ago, I took a date to what I recall was her first game. The day was absolutely the worst and would have been bad for even a football game! The wind was brutal, some flakes of snow fell and the wind chill was 13 degrees. Momma Mia! With my frostbite, courtesy of travels via Uncle Sam, I mentioned that there was no way I could sit through nine innings of cold hell. My date's exact words were, "Could we at least stay until they get a point?" (THERE ARE NO POINTS IN BASEBALL!) Having brain freeze, I acquiesced, went into extreme prayer mode, a "point" was quickly scored and we got the hell out of there! Management so loved us that they gave all ticket holders of that weather fiasco a freebie for a game in July!
Yes, Virginia, the game HAS changed...$7 beers, high salaries, betting, drugs and Lord knows what else. BUT, none of that exists...on opening day!

Random Acts of Thought

Today's photo of Japanese Iris comes courtesy of Paula, from Louisville, Kentucky. She said I gave them to her eons ago, but I can't remember. According to Paula, they didn't bloom for several years and she considered tossing them. They must have read her mind and decided to make her happy last week. Ya see? Good things DO happen when you put your petals to the mettle!

The Big Guy in the sky was kind enough to provide a weather break for parts of the Midwest in March. There was a 10 day span of temps in the 70-some to 80-some...can you BELIEVE?!? A bit like Florida, without the cost of getting there! People were wearing shorts---and SMILING! My back yard is approximately 15 miles in a direct line south of Lake Erie and for those who've never been here, it's normally a cold, gray time of year. Flowers popped early...so pretty! It was fun to watch the confused robins. I could just imagine their thoughts of, "I know I should be building something and filling it with something, but I don't know what or why!" Speaking of wildlife, I'm still happy with getting to see the Cadbury Bunny commercials on teevee.

Separated at birth: "Pawn Stars" Rick Harrison and Billy Joel

Who allows this?!? Did you ever read the small print at the bottom of cell phone ads on the boob tube? (How long since you heard THAT description?) "$350 penalty for early cancellation, plus other fees." Isn't that a lot like the 9000% interest on those quickie loan places? And...what about being forced into a new 2 year contract just because you upgraded your phone?

While we're still in Wuddup Widdat land, who authorized all the fees at whitepages.com?

The face you save will be your own: I don't know where it came from, but, I see tons of drivers making turns that begin with an upside-down grip on the steering wheel, that is, a left turn beginning with the right hand palm facing upward. If you have to suddenly reverse direction, you can't! Most importantly, your arm is covering the inside part of the steering wheel...SO...if your car gets hit and the air bag opens at that high rate of speed, your forearm will smash into your face and break all those pretty, little bones. However, if you'd prefer the equivalent of being sucker-punched by a bowling ball dropped from a very high bridge, so be it. For the rest of you........you're welcome!

Electioneering: Why must voters declare a party affiliation before getting a ballot? Isn't that a bit prejudiced? Why can't a republican vote for a democrat if he/she feels one is more qualified than the other?

If you haven't heard, "Silent Stella" Kowalski, from Chuckalock, Oklahoma, went home to her maker on 2-30-12. In honor of her life, radio station KPASA will air previously recorded segments of her Saturday morning broadcasts of, "Mime Your Own Business."

Just Smilin'

We're experiencing a very early spring in Northeast Oh-ten
Today's temp might soar to 80
The bikers are on the roads
The joggers with dogs are on the sidewalks
Their dogs are peeing on my flowers
Crocus and Hyacinth are showing off their colors
OOOYEZ, the shorts are on the Polish kid's legs
The annual, Pre-Easter, Cadbury Rabbit commercials are on the teevee

To quote Chandler from "Friends"...Can it GET any better?

Invest Wisely Every Now and Zen

For many a year, I've not liked carrying change in my pocket. Upon getting home, I always toss the coins into a container of some sort. THIS year, it has been a thick plastic jar, of unknown origin, albeit quite clean, thank you! It no longer makes any sense to roll coins, because, if your bank resembles mine, they open the rolls and and empty them into a coin counter. Not feeling industrious enough to drive to my institute of higher(?) earning, I posted the following on craigslist.


"5-1/2" High X 5" diameter jar, filled with late model nickels, dimes, quarters and some half-dollars. It weighs approximately 10 pounds. Of late, it has become a burden to carry the container from one location to another. Swimming/Diving lessons begin soon and I'd rather not be burdened when that gets going. I am willing to sacrifice this collection for an equal weight of early or late USA Mint paper money. Denomination is not important. Wrinkles and folds are acceptable. Although not formally schooled in gold, I'd entertain trading for the same weight in that commodity and I suppose a mix of both would also be considered. Your offers must contain 100% legal goods. Counterfeit and photo copies not eligible. Phone numbers must be submitted for consideration. Spammers must show certification papers from a local, accredited psychiatric facility with legible signature of the director.

Things you see when you're not looking

Toss aside all panic regarding the Mayan calendar. It was announced several days ago that Levin Furniture is offering a sale, with no interest payment until 2017. (The man must have connections)

What the heck is in Cialis that causes a need to sit in a bath tub, deep in the forest?

If the car company advertises what they call a "Limited Editon," why are there so many of them?

Arrogant condescension: Sherrod Brown, when asked about commercials warning against Obamacare, "Oh, that's all just background noise." And, if memory serves, after the defeat of issue 5 in Ohio, he stated, "The vote doesn't really mean anything."

An anti Rick Santorum campaign ad stated that "He never ran a company, never ran a state..."
So...Rick wants to copy what we have NOW?!?

"I Stand Firmly On" Dept: Regarding Rap, If you can't whistle to, hum along with or line dance to it......IT AIN'T MUSIC!!!

What if? In order to recoup the huge amount of money spent in sex offense payoffs, I heard that the Vatican is considering its own line of cosmetics. Initial offering will be, "Embarass," a deep red shade of the brand to be known as, "Apostlelipstick."

Andy Rooney might have asked: "Why don't we have lower case numbers?"

Daylight Savings time starts tomorrow, the 11th. Remember to change the battery in your sundial. No adjusment necessary on the kitchen timer.

Hell---Was, Is and Always-----War, that is

February 1, 1968..........44 years
South Viet Nam
Tet Offensive begins
Viet Cong, North Vietnamese, Chinese and who knows, lay siege to many USA camps

It was the beginning to the end of the war wherein our soldiers were spat upon. All men and women who gave as volunteers or via the draft.
It could also be looked upon as a time when those, some admittedly, realized that war for profit was at the ebb side of the bell curve.
Enter PTSD...nothing like it since the mental torture of the Korean "Conflict"

Are we again doing this?

As a planet with so much available education, there never should be war.

The above is neither complaint nor tirade...merely an observation.

Have a nice day, while people continue dying for your privilege to "Do Unto Others."

Food for Thought...Venting and Just Sayin'

Oh, the wandering mind! We see so much.

Oh yeah! moment...Separated at birth: David Caruso and Conan O'Brien

Teevee 1: If you watch closely, Nothing is missing from the burger when Ray Ray on the Mickey D commercial, says, "Sorry, double dribble."
Teevee 2: First episode of "Unforgettable," Poppy is seen walking toward her bed while removing her shirt and placing a tank top over her bare back. When we see her reliving a scene in the alley, you can see a bra strap...Just sayin'
Teevee 3: How long before we see the toilet paper bear sitting on the commode? And, do you really buy insurance because a cave man wears a cheerleader dress? Does it cause you to wonder about the IQ of the person who okays the commercials? Does it make you wonder what he actually thinks about YOU?
Teevee 4: I won't EVEN talk about pitches for you to ask about drugs with more side effects than benefits OR ads that portray husbands and fathers as mental midgets.

"No Kidding/DUH Award" radio commercial: "When they're gone, they're gone!"