Thursday, March 25, 2021

Movin' On Up

Having grown up in Macon in smaller churches, I really enjoyed being at really big Georgia Tech, the GT BSU with 50-100 in weekly meetings and other events, and the big church environments – college department, youth department, Chapel Choir, singles department, Sunday School volleyball, SPdL softball, and GT intramural sports. Back then Sunday night services and Wednesday night prayer meeting was well attended, and a bunch of us from Tech would go. Loved Dr. Marsh’s sermons. Easy to take notes listening to him.

Small youth groups in high school weren’t that great, though I did become a Christian during that time. Not many church events. Sunday school classes with a teacher and like four students. I was busy with school and football and work at Baskin Robbins and friends and girlfriends. 

I remember when I was chapel choir president on a choir tour. I had to give a little speech in front of the choir, and it was the first time I called Mr. Condra “John”.

Enjoyed my GT PE classes: aerobics (twice), drownproofing, and gymnastics. Luckily gymnastics was taught by GT’s weightlifting coach, so things like pushups, sit-ups, and the mile run counted just as much as the gymnastics.

While visiting Glenn Cowart in Colombia, we went to his church singles department party, where I met Ceil. It was a girl’s birthday and Ceil had made her a framed drawing, which I’d liked since I was a little artistic. Later C moved to Atlanta to take classes at Georgia State for a year. I helped her move in to the Peachtree Hills apartments. Sometimes she’s come to SPdL, but sometimes I’d be driving up Peachtree on a Sunday morning and see her driving to another church. One time I’d gone to NC to visit Jim Johnson, who later married Kimberly Kitchens. On the way back I saw Ceil driving back to Atlanta from SC.

In 1986 I didn’t have any birthday plans, so I asked Ceil out on our first date, to The Upper Crust Pizza in the Around Lenox shopping center  We had talked about marriage, and after celebrating Easter 1987 in Macon we stopped by Indian Springs State park near Jackson GA on the way back to Atlanta, where I formally proposed.

Yesterday I wore my new dark grey Columbia shirt and black Columbia pants, to fit in with the cool dude fab guys who sit near me. Today I’m wearing my new Braves Maintenance golf shirt and white PF Flyers, with green trim.  Need to start wearing something special every day, like my collection of sports ties: Braves, Hawks, and Falcons.

Wednesday: worked from before 8 am well past 5:30. Supper was baked chicken, baked French “fries”, and green beans. C went to bed shortly after nine, I watched a couple of Seinfeld episodes before heading upstairs.

Today: super busy morning. Decided to work from 7 am to 8 am. That’s when I saw Edie’s texts, so I texted her and David Hurt. My shot wasn’t until 9:40 but I wanted to go early, as traffic around that Perimeter Mall area can be hectic. Left at 8:20 and it took less than 25 minutes. Called Edie on the way, then David Hurt, who I hadn’t talked to in months.

The parking lot behind Chickfila on Mt Vernon was almost full, but they were moving people in and out quickly. Had my shot just after 9 am, got on my work call, then got my appointment for shot #2 during my 15 minute wait. Was back in my car before 9:25. Much quicker than downtown at Mercedes Benz Stadium.

It was a straight shot on Mt Vernon to Spaulding to Peachtree Industrial. Rewarded myself by driving thru to pick up breakfast.

Had one conference call as soon as I got to the office. Got another one later on. Left at 4 pm to meet a friend to walk by the river. Tonight Ceil attends a JFBC women’s event in a home with a few friends.

Interesting how some basketball defenders are better coached and more disciplined than others. Often the difference between winning and losing. Late in games I watch for things like that, like whether a team calls a timeout. Oftentimes Coach K wants to attack immediately, as the defense might be expecting a timeout and instead have to immediately defend.

UGA had a fake punt called in a big game a few years ago, sneaking in freshman backup QB Justin Fields to run the fake. He took too long to get the play off, and by then the opponent had sniffed out the fake, and stopped the Dawgs from gaining a first down. UGA lost the game. The longer the offense sits there, the longer the defense has time to get ready.

I’ve often thought the military would’ve done me good, or even Matthew could’ve benefitted. 

Here we go. The Los Angeles Times thinks MLB should pull the All Star Game out of Atlanta. 

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.latimes.com_sports_story_2021-2D03-2D25_mlb-2Dall-2Dstar-2Dgame-2Datlanta-2Dgeorgia-2Dvoting-2Drights-2Dlebron-2Djames&d=DwIFAg&c=UXihhqr7vvdA-hrKyTiC1Q&r=wMWwaEbn9nr4zXI4p6CDP7FGwn1DrBd77MJElrWsP6U&m=FoDL5EMeexUONeGTuhZTwjUna2facfcfCqU-Ul7EGpg&s=mBReUu3h5K-UzK3nRFafXxK3RJbepczV1R64IMBriKE&e=

RUBE MARQUARD  [SABR Bio] a one-time Boston Brave, the first pitcher to play in five World Series in the Modern Era. Played in WS in 1911, 1912, 1913, 1916 & 1920. Played for BSN 1922-25. He wasn’t on the winning side in any of them. Series were won by PHA, BOS, PHA, BOS & CLE respectively. He surrendered the first of the World Series home runs that cemented Frank Baker’s nickname. In the 1911 WS, Baker took Marquard deep in G 2 on 16-Oct. Marquard was criticized in print for how he had pitched to Baker, but in the very next WS game the next day, the person who had done the criticizing, gave up a second HR to Baker. From that moment, Frank Baker would never NOT be Home Run Baker. The pitcher with that uncharacteristic (and untimely) criticism? Marquard’s gentlemanly teammate, Christy Mathewson.

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