Brothers of Old

Happy throwback Thursday!

No Photoshopping

This picture has not been doctored in anyway. It is exactly as the camera caught it the night Tiff and I went to Maggie Malone's in LA to see the bar the kick started Flogging Molly's notoriety. There is just something I love about this shot and all it's "imperfections." It reminds me exactly of the feeling that night, which was a pretty good night.

I dig being reminded perfection is overrated.

17

Tiff and I took in the last Rockies home game last night. It was not only our anniversary, but the final home game for a player that has been with the Rockies all 17yrs. of his career. He has put up Hall of Fame candidate numbers and beyond the tactile stats, he stuck with the Rockies even though most of his years with them showed little if any promise of October ball. The player is Todd Helton and if you couldn't guess from the picture, his number is 17.

It was a unique experience to see the ball club showing its appreciation for an amazing career. So often baseball players get traded, sent down, or just don't come back in the spring. To get to say thank you and good bye was an exciting thing to be a part of. If it sounds like my inner 8yr. old shuffling through his baseball cards is talking, that is true. What I love about the game is that part of me will always feel like a kid watching it. In that regard, occasionally a player or team can become elevated beyond my rational, adult thinking. But it's fun to believe and hope. I chose to focus on the fun of that and just enjoy it.

I was also great to watch Todd Helton hit his final home run at Coors Field last night. Thank you for the great memories Helton! It has been fun!

Saturday Morning Cartoons

I appear to be in a nostalgia mood lately. Today I got to wondering whatever happened to Saturday morning cartoons? I remember loving to watch Gummy Bears and the Smurfs every week. I appreciate how with age comes a degree of odd reminiscing, but that seemed a good thing. A truly simple and good thing. I wonder how something like that fades away?

Lunch Musing

When I was a kid, I remember school lunches were a big deal. What you brought was very important, not only to eat but for some reason having a Capri Sun made you cooler than the kid with the juice box or worse, the school milk. I remember my mom would throw together some creative offerings pretty regularly. I think I ate a Chili-Rice-Cheese dish everyday for fourth grade. I also recall my mom straight up putting an intervention style end to my affinity for apple fruit roll-ups.

What I don't remember was ever just having a PB&J. That lunch did not take root till my struggling actor days. A loaf of bread, jar of jelly and a jar of peanut butter was all I needed to provide a dozen economic meals. It grew on me and remains a comfort food. It reminds me of the getting by and simplicity.

From mom's meals with notes I prayed the other kids wouldn't see to the PB&J staple, food has some good memories around midday.

All Star Nostalgia

I went over to my folks place tonight to watch the All Star game with my dad. It was good, simple fun. My dad took me to the game when I was a kid. It was the '86 game in Houston and I still don't know how my dad scored the tickets, but I do remember grabbing the tickets from a mailbox on our way to the game. It was the first time I had ever seen the Astrodome full or any player from the American League. As a kid growing up loving baseball, seeing the best players in the game was a mind blowing.

Sitting with my dad and watching the game tonight felt really good.

When It Began

Looking Back

Muddy Fun

Maybe it was growing up in Houston with severe allergies to what seemed like everything, but I just never really got outside to play much as a kid. Consequently, as an adult, I am far more accustomed to cities than anything nature. That trend has been turning over the last few years but I am still far and away a city guy. That might have explained the child like joy I found in my run through the park this afternoon as I soon discovered most of my park look was slush and mud. It was a blast clomping through the mess, feeling huge globs of snow and mud hitting my legs. It was just fun in that way every kid seems to know and for this afternoon, I was glad to also.