A Nod to the Great American Pastime

If I were to rank my materialistic loves, baseball would definitely remain in the top 5, no matter how senile I may grow to be. I will not claim to know everything about everything when it comes to baseball, but I get by, thanks to the trusty baseball encyclopedia I got from my Mom (begging may or may not have been the reason behind that purchase).


I confess I am a Yankees fan.


Don't judge me too harshly, especially you Red Sox fans currently outside my door with an axe. I will explain. There is an idyllic, almost dreamlike, notion to being part of the Yankees' legacy, whether that means being a player or a fan. The Yankees may be classified as a "bandwagon" type of team, but no other team has had players such as, putting Babe Ruth aside, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, and Lou Gehrig, just to name a few. But of course you say, the Yanks have always been able to afford the best. And to this I have but one reply, I'm sorry that people, specifically athletes, can be bought. But that doesn't take away the allure of being part of Yankee history. If I'm wrong for rooting for such an overrated and overpaid team, then I can only apologize for loving a team that has had some of the most amazing and talented baseball players in history. If that makes be a "bandwagoner", then so be it. At least I see value in the sport and in its players. 


Baseball antics aside, my friend posted the above photo on my Facebook wall, and I decided, it isn't every day that two of my most favorite things are combined into one magnificent product. I can't afford these shoes, but it won't stop me from giving Keds some publicity. 


The travel aspect of this post? Well, I've been to countless baseball games, ranging from National League to American League, but I've only been to two stadiums. My new five-year plan has therefore been edited to include at least one visit to another MLB stadium. Which one? Yankee Stadium would be ideal, but Fenway wouldn't be settling for less, especially if the Red Sox fans decide to hold their punches. 

Before I Forget...

Because I struggle at keeping a journal and because I am currently consumed in the experience I just had, I've decided to write an emergency post, because let's be honest, I won't be cracking my journal open any time soon and writing on a keyboard is much more efficient.

This past week I have been involved in the filming of the LDS New Testament Films and there have been but two results: sleep deprivation and stress. Of course when I put it that way then you may find yourself swayed in the wrong direction, for I thoroughly enjoyed both shoots. The first shoot I was in was "Peter's Denial of Christ" in which I was a stand-in. Yeah...I didn't know what stand-ins were until that bitter cold night where I literally stood in the place where the soon-to-be-famous people had been standing previously. So what use is that to a director? I will tell you. It helps them position the camera, lighting, and any other pesky nuances without the actors present. It was cool being part of the crew, although, I didn't know I was part of the crew until today, when I was an extra.

The term extra, I have discovered, is rarely used. They, all the film folk that is, prefer to call us: background. If I didn't have issues feeling like I didn't stand out before, I most certainly do now. As soon as the title of "background" got plastered on me with a wet sponge soaked in dirt I was no longer part of the crew. Sob story, I know. Anyway, I know what you are thinking. But what about the shoes? And the travel?

So here goes...

Place: Middle-of-Nowhere-Goshen, UT
Time: varied (6pm-4am as a worthy part of "THE CREW" and 7am-6pm as "BACKGROUND")
Wardrobe (most importantly, shoes): only the most authentic of Hebrew-/Roman-esque sandals 

Now here are the things I have made a point not to forget:
(1) It's beyond freezing in Goshen in the middle of the night.
(2) Guys with dark hair and light eyes are very attractive (curse the fact that they know this and act like you-know-whats).
(3) Once you become "one of them" there's no going back.
(4) A full meal is good at any time of day.
(5) I'm not as brown as I thought.
(6) Standing for four hours at a time is hard.

I'm sure I've forgotten to add to the list but...this will have to do for now.

Let's Start at the Very Beginning...

Although I am trying to disregard any trip I may have taken with my family prior to the age of 12, I have found it within reason to, at the very least, represent the places that I have deemed worthy of tradition. The first being, Disneyland.

No one can put it better than Walt himself, "To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world." Okay, so perhaps it could be put into better...more modern...terms, but Walt's got a point. Age most definitely relives fond memories in this land of wonder. I remember going to this mystical place whenever family came into town to visit, they had to, after all, experience the magic. And so, as a young child, I relished the idea of the cousins coming up for a visit every couple of years. But then came the advent of the annual pass, and as most kids my age living in the southern California area, well a pass was a must-have, a gift worthy of any Christmas list. And so I made it a point to have a pass, but not only hold it in my wallet to flash it to anyone who may doubt that I was truly a California Girl, but also to use it; to hear that "ding" at the turn stall every time I entered the park. And so, Disneyland became my second home. I can tell you the location of any restroom, any souvenir stall, and most importantly the pineapple float place located in the one and only, Adventureland.

The second place worthy of mention is, of course, San Francisco. A true tribute to the California girl within me. I will speak of the "City by the Bay" in a later post, since one of the most momentous occasions in my life occurred on a trip to that city. Although I have only mentioned two places, I would not want anyone to think that my family was deprived of vacations or travels prior to me having turned 12 years of age, but these are the places I have, as previously mentioned, deemed worthy of family tradition.

Places to Go, People to Meet

According to Wikipedia, a shoe is intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Thus, it seems reasonable to me to use "shoes" as a symbol of my travels and in some way pay homage to an article of clothing which, besides serving a practical purpose, can also be used as a decorative piece.

As far as traveling goes, well, I love it. I have been to places I had never even dreamed of ever stepping foot in or even knew existed for that matter, but there is yet much to see. I have stayed in spare rooms, spare houses (explanation to come), hotels, holiday parks, hostels, villages, and uninhabited islands. I've worn everything from the most unflattering North Face zip-off pants, accompanied with a comfortable pair of Sperry water shoes, to well, the most suitable and hippest concert attire... which turned out to be one of my less bright ideas, but that's a story for another time.

Brief explanation aside,  I believe it is now important to begin documenting my travels, or rather begin a catch-up process, because fact is a lot of my traveling experiences have already happened. So where have I been so far and where do I plan to go? Stay tuned to find out...