Online Beatbox

I've been playing around some with this online beatbox. It's fun getting to try out new beats and rhythms together and what sound and flow they create. Try dropping some beats for yourself.

Trip Tidbits Cont'd

COOPERSTOWN

The beginnings of our trip centered around the thought of traveling to Cooperstown, NY to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame. For Justin and I, it had been almost 19 years since we had lasted strolled the hallowed halls while at the 1990 induction of Joe Morgan and Jim Palmer. Even as compared to a 7 year old, the Hall of Fame still seems as grand as my memories reflect. I was pleased to enjoy the Bullpen Theater exhibit, because it is exactly as I remembered it so many years ago. Such good memories.


The town itself is very picturesque. Reminiscent of a small town in New York like Washington Irving centered around in the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The town all points to its centerpiece as the Main Street is lined with restaurants and shops devoted to baseball. We ate lunch across the street at the Short Stop Cafe (as we did as young lads).



Above is a picture of Doubleday Field. A beautiful ballpark used to host the Hall of Fame game as well as many other local games throughout the season. We saw a few teams walking throughout the town as we visited. Cooperstown is a place I would like to return to visit every year or two. I love to take in the beauty and quaintness of the town and be able to continue to relive and build new memories of baseball; its history, timelessness, and character.




Record of attended Indians games: 1-2

2009 MLB Games attended: 4 to date

Bobbleheads received this year: 2 to date (0 last game)

Trip Tidbits

My trip with my brother, Justin, and our college buddy, Bobby, turned out to be a fun-filled time. We had great time enjoy the city of Toronto, the beauty and power of Niagara Falls, and the history and charm of the Baseball Hall of Fame/Cooperstown. Here are a few highlights...tidbits if you will from our trip.


TORONTO

We stayed at the downtown Super 8 Toronto, in the heart of Chinatown. It was an interesting experience. The hotel itself was very nice, although a bit odd that it was part of a shopping centre. Some of the rooms windows looked in the shopping area with escalators passing by. We had a great view of the main street running in front of the hotel so didn't have the misfortune (or luxury) of waving to people out our window as they passed by on the escalator. The location of the hotel was great, as we were within walking distance of the the stadium, entertainment & financial districts, shopping, museums, etc... Really a great spot and at a very good price.


Rogers Centre home of the Toronto BlueJays (formerly the SkyDome)

We checked out a Blue Jays game Friday night as they took on the Chicago White Sox. The Rogers Centre was a nice place to watch a game, but I was dissappointed with the Toronto fans. There were only 17,000+ in attendance even with the Jays in first place. It was a good time though as we saw the Blue Jays get a victory. We had great seats in Right Field. First Row. Just behind the White Sox bullpen. We along with a group of White Sox fans that had driven up from Chicago, chit-chatted some of the White Sox players like Octavio Dotel and DJ Carrasco . Maybe they should have been a bit more into the game, but it made for a fun time. They even through up some sunflower seeds up to a fan, as the bullpen coach tossed up the rosen bag for a few fans to try out. Pretty cool. It's good to see athletes want to interact with the fans and understand how great it is that they get to play baseball everyday.


Hockey Hall of Fame


Surprise, surprise, we visited the Hockey Hall of Fame. The decision was pretty much a no-brainer, since all three of us enjoy sports and history. Bobby and Justin both got majors in history during college (I kind of slacked off and only got a minor). I thought the Hall of Fame did a really nice job in presenting the game of hockey, its history, and the excitement it can create. It makes me want to like hockey, want to be a fan, which coincidentally will be the subject of my next speech for Toastmasters. A really enjoyed my visited there and topped it off with a picture with Lord Stanley's Cup. There's no greater trophy in sports.



Distillery Historic District


We took a walk over to what use to be the Gooderham and Worts Distillery. It had an array of restaurants, shops, cafes, and galleries to check out. We went to an cool cafe to get some drinks and picked up some homemade ice cream along the way. MMM.



The Rex

We found a wonderful Jazz bar to check out in The Rex. Great music. Great Food. A laid back atmosphere that made you feel welcomed. There slogan is "The Rex: where jazz lives" as they pride themselves on having the most shows in town (18 a week). Just a wonderful little spot in the city. We heard Sara Dell perform while we were there. She was wonderful and put on a very good show. A mix of her own songs and some crowd favorites. I'd recommend checking her music out.

1153 Miles or 1856 Kilometers later...

Here are a few pictures from my recent trip to Toronto, Niagara Falls, and Cooperstown, NY, that I enjoy.

Above is the stained glass domed ceiling at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. It is the ceiling in the majestic great hall were the game's great trophies are on display to the public including Lord Stanley's Cup. The stained glass along with the entire hall that the trophies are displayed in really seemed to exemplify how much the trophy means to the history of the sport of hockey and to its competitors. It's more that just a trophy to show off or put on the mantle, it is a piece of history that allows the spirit of the game of hockey to continue to flourish with each name and ring that is added.


I took this picture while on the observation deck of the CN Tower in Toronto. I really like how the sun is breaking through the cluds and you can see it streak across the horizon as you take a look at the city below. The picture was taken around 5 in the afternoon which seemed to spark the day as much of the earlier day was splattered by rain and a gray landscape.



A photo of me with the Falls in the background. I like this picture of myself and it was a nice, brisk day to enjoy the Falls.


Here I am at the Baseball Hall of Fame with the display of all the hats worn by Nolan Ryan during his record 7 No-Hitters. It was a treat to see these from my favorite baseball player.


More to come on my trip in the days to follow...



Record of attended Indians games: 0-2

2009 MLB Games attended: 3 to date

Bobbleheads received this year: 2 to date (0 last game)

A Few Articles to Pass On

Here is Joe Posnanski's cover story on Kansas City Royals Ace, Zack Greinke.

An interesting take on the underdog by Malcolm Gladwell in the New Yorker.

Suzanne Hadley writes a good post about God and "fairness" when it comes to relationships, but can be applied to life in general as well.

Mark Regnerus writes an interesting piece in the Washington Post about marriage and the freedom to marry young.

Play Like a Champion

I love this sign that the Notre Dame Football teams always taps on the way out of the tunnel to the stadium. I think it is something that I can apply to any thing I am doing. Be a champion, give a champion effort.



Record of attended Indians games: 0-2

2009 MLB Games attended: 2 to date

Bobbleheads received this year: 2 to date (1 last game)

You Are What You Write?

Do you agree? Do we always express ourselves the same through writing as we do our speech. I find at times that the heart of what is written or spoken is the same, but the style and force may differ. Your thoughts...

Read. Speak. Write.

Reading maketh a full man;

speaking a ready man;

and writing an exact man.

~ Francis Bacon

Hoop Dreams

People ask me will I remember them if I make it...
I tell them, 'Will you remember me if I don't?

~ William Gates

I just got done watching the opening to the wonderful documentary Hoop Dreams as well as the music video for it. It is one of my favorite films of all-time. Check it out if you have not seen it. The trailer is below (although I think the film isn't totally triumphant as the trailer seems to make it out to be. There are many ups and downs)