Oh Happy Day!
I have to admit it – despite the fact that there are several inches of snow on the ground just outside our window – I am walking around with a smile on my face. The first sign of Spring has appeared – Baseball Spring Training has begun.
A lot of people don’t give a rat’s patoot about this and I don’t understand those folks. Perhaps there was some childhood trauma that turned them into fans of basketball, hockey or, God forbid – golf. There must be a 12 step program somewhere for those poor souls. “Hoop-anon,” Puck-anon” or even “A Good Walk Spoiled – anon.”
When I see that the Pitchers and Catchers have reported to camp it is like the flowers begin to poke through the snow, Songbirds return to the backyard feeder, and going to the carwash doesn’t seem like a futile activity.
I got an email this morning from the MLB Network listing all of the Spring Training Games that they will be broadcasting. Now THAT is as far from spam as an email can get!
Were I not such an uncoordinated, two left-footed, rhythmically impaired geezer, I would be actively doing the Happy Dance!
Unfortunately, me dancing looks a lot like me having a seizure. So, to not scare the general public, I keep my dance an internal activity. Just let them see me smile.
As this blog continues on into the regular baseball season I am contemplating adding a small postscript to each item – the most recent score from the San Francisco Giants game. No big recap of the game. No rhapsodic paean to the balletic beauty of the 6 to 4 to 3 Double Play. No “Nyah, Nyah, Nyah, Nyah Boo-Boo” to the losing team. I will add the score in a tasteful and unobtrusive way. Nothing larger that a 45 point font, I promise.
Coincidentally, Lent began on Wednesday (which is probably why it is called Ash Wednesday – not Ash Thursday or Saturday).
Millions of people give up something for Lent as a sacrifice. For some, it is chocolate, smoking, or some favorite food. This year, as I have done in the past – I will be giving up whining and complaining about the lack of baseball. Since I now have baseball and there is no need to complain or whine I will give those things up in both a retroactive manner and a future promise for next winter. This may sound complex and sort of wishy-washy, but I assure you that it works. Of course, I’m only human and far from perfect. I just do my best. This is between me and my Commissioner – er – God.
Tomorrow is Saturday – one of God’s greatest gifts. I bid you to
Carry on
And
Keep your eye on the ball
Down the Hall on Your Left 