Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York. Show all posts

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Do you remember?


This date will come every year, and my emotions up until now, have remained the same. The story doesn't change, and like so many others around the world, especially in the family of firefighters and rescue personnel, I will pause and reflect on the events of that day.... On this day....every year.

Ground Zero World Trade Center New York City September 11, 2001

I would never have imagined that I would become part of the world of firefighters and have a new way of viewing and reflecting on the events of that day, which, truly, seem like so long ago.

I seemed to have watched from afar, but now, becoming "connected" has opened my eyes like never before at the risks that these individuals make every day and the heroic acts that they perform.

I am very HUMBLED each time that I look at these 2 jars and reflect upon the events that happened on September 11, 2001. I worked for a major scrapbook magazine at the time and can recall vividly every detail of the breaking news and the emotions that I and my family felt during the next days and upcoming weeks and months. My boss was scheduled for a business trip to NYC and even weeks after the event and in the midst of confusion and chaos collected these 2 jars. My thanks to Michael Randall. Not every event in our lives will be a positive one. The beauty of saving things like dirt, or creating a scrapbook page, or writing a song, or any other creative outlet one expresses, is that it gives us a chance to cope and accept negative events and use them as constant reminders to live for today. I have an incredible appreciation for life. I open these jars and still smell the sulphur from burning buildings. I feel pain and sorrow for those that lost loved ones. I feel gratitude that the Lord spared my family from such pain.

THANK YOU. May we all continue to heal and look to the future. May we never have to have an event such as this to bring us all closer together and remember what is important in life.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Major League DIGS


My good friend Julie Hatch recently published an article in Owlz Illustrated celebrating the 100th anniversary of the tune, Take Me Out to the Ballgame. I love the song, but just send me some dirt! My friends Judge Smith and Even Steven are such big baseball fans that they made a goal before they die to attend one professional baseball game in every major league park there is. I encourage this behavior! I just remind them to be sure to grab me a sample of the field before ordering their first hot dog and suds! The following shows dirt from Major League Ballparks. As you can see, I only have a FEW more to go... Keep me (and my dirt) in mind next time you go to enjoy America's favorite pastime. Oh, and just a suggestion, but maybe it's time we re-write the tune:

Take me out to the ballgame
Got to get some dirt now
Just pick a base it don't matter to me
I'll be happy if I get all 3
So just put some soil in my jar
I'll be grateful you know
for it's GOT TO GET me some dirt
Or why bother go?

That one's for you JULES!

Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox)
Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs)
Anaheim Stadium (Anaheim Angels)
Shea Stadium (New York Mets)
Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees)
Candlestick Park (San Francisco Giants)
Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Chase Field (Arizona Diamondbacks)
Fulton County Stadium (Atlanta Braves)
Tropicana Field (Tampa Bay Devil Rays)
The Kingdome (Seattle Mariners)

On and off the FIELD

Few things get me excited about new dirt in my collection as the beginning of a new baseball season! Growing up as a kid I followed the Cincinnati Reds and I was a huge Pete Rose fan! I once got to see him in person in San Francisco when we watched the Giants and Reds in a double header. I also attended a couple of Los Angeles Dodgers games as well. Now, living in Orem Utah I have the opportunity to live right around the corner from where the Orem Owlz Baseball team plays. They are the rookie affiliate in the farm system of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They arrive each year around mid June and can play as long as mid September. Not only have they played in the league championship game for the past 3 of 4 years, they have won it 2 times! I share this because we are a "host family" to players while they are here. We have had 13 players live with us over the last 4 years along with numerous others who have come just to hang out. Because we share our home with them, they often share their "dirt" with us! Both on and off the field! The following collection is in chronological order and is the dirt from their home towns.

Marco Albano Arlington, Massachusetts 2005

Anthony Sullivan Arlington, Massachusetts 2005

Tadd Brewer Sturgis, Kentucky 2006

Barret Browning Jesup, Georgia 2006

Scott Knazek Browns Mills, New Jersey 2006

Christopher Garcia Bronx, New York 2007

Rian Kinary Davie, Florida 2007

Andrew Romine Lake Forest, California 2007

Christopher Rosenbaum Albany, New York 2007

Trevor Pippin Peach Tree City, Georgia 2008

Buddy Boshers Huntsville, Alabama 2008

Beau Brooks Huntsville, Alabama 2008

William Smith Newnan, Georgia 2008

Michael Wing Rancho Cucamonga, California 2008