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.