May 19 Braves/Nats

Came back Friday afternoon for my second straight game.

Mat LJ at Yearwood's office, and made the long walk past the Marriott (below right) across 75. Here's the view looking north from the bridge. Note new SunTrust Park sign on the left.

Stopped to check out the Braves hall of fame section of the commemorative bricks just outside the ballpark.

Just to the left of the diamond above was Bobby Dews' brick,

laid in a section of other late Braves alumni.

Close up of the Braves dead hall of famers.

We were early, so we walked around The Battery. Here's a view of the Chop House Gate looking from just outside Antico Pizza.

Checked out the Baseballism store in The Battery. Expensive non-MLB licensed designer baseball themed T-shirts and caps. And $15.00 socks, which seems to be the going rate these days. Not impressed. Nice Babe Ruth statue, though.

Cute little rich kid made a point of being first in line. Note stacks of bobbleheads beyond the gate. Talked to Larry, the usher who a view years ago took me from the upper deck down to a seat behind home plate.

The Inciarte bobblehead depicted Ender's 2017 game-saving catch in centerfield against the mets at Citi Field. I had a ticket, plus Kevin traded me one for last week's Gwinnett Star Wars bobblehead. Sold both before the evening was over. Helped Kevin gather bobbles during pregame.

Saw several other friends before the game in addition to LJ and Kevin: Darrell, Johnny, Sandy, Katie, Coach, Michael, Danny Downing, and even Thomas and Holly. Hugged my usher friend. Was parched from the heat, and downed two Coke Zeros. Was in position to snap a picture of the relievers on their way to the bullpen, just after greeting starting pitcher AJ Dickey and his batterymate Kurt Suzuki.

Couldn't find Kevin and Katie, so LJ and I found a cool spot on the top row of the third level. Nice breeze in our face.

Wore my Braves Vision polo and new tomahawk cap. My feet were sore so I wore my most comfortable shoes: the old school New Balance 993's.

Sat right behind a Mexican concession stand. Noticed sour cream dripping out, and to her credit the employee cleaned it all up.

Noticed a long line and wondered what it was for.

People were waiting to get outside to smoke.

The ballpark looks great all lit up at night.

Crossed the pedestrian bridge over Windy Ridge Parkway (below right) and looked back one last time. Got home and drove Anna to Roswell to pick up her Jeep. As I crested the hill above the stinky Kroger for the first time I noticed the glow of the SunTrust Park lights on the horizon.

May 18: Braves/Jays

Left work at 4:20 and headed west. Made it to Yearwood's office by 5:30. We walked the mile and a half to The Battery. Ate at Antico Pizza.

Good picture of the Braves bridge. Jeff and I crossed this bridge and entered at the gate at the top right.

Poor Freddie Freeman hanging out on the bench. His first game after breaking a bone in his wrist. Dansby at the bat.

Got back in the habit of photographing the relievers

making their way to the bullpen.

Rain delay. Left at about 10:30, in the top of the 6th inning.

Good catching up with Jeff - it had been a couple of years since we had hung out. More on Jeff next week.

For some reason I wore a blister on my foot, due to the shoe/sock combo. Trying to be more careful today.

Got home at 11:30. Watched some of the postgame before going to bed. The pizza hadn't stuffed me, but in the park Jeff wanted a Mello Yello. It was hot and I thought that sounded good, so I got one as well. I only sipped on it and actually never finished it, but it filled me up, plus the caffeine kept me away most of the night. Plus Barney was extra restless. Not much sleep and I have a long day. Not a good combination.

C and A drove over to Augusta for the day.

Anna gave Will a haircut.

I'll have to get one of those chickfila BBQ bacon sandwiches. They might be the secret calendar card item in June. I never was a watermelon guy but I want to try the strawberry lemonade drink if they still have it. I'd been drinking a bunch of strawberry lemonade koolade instead of all the soft drinks I used to drink, but have been trying to transition to Vitamin Water and plain old water.

Evil in the World

Another rock star attempted suicide, some guy from Sound Garden. Is it the state of the world that more and more people are killing themselves? Hopelessness and despair? There’s a hit TV Show 13 Reasons that deals with the topic, seemingly giving the act momentum among young people. I am concerned about some of the kids I know, and not sure if even if I’m doing everything possible to help, whether that will be enough. Like the evil world has a death grip on them. God is stronger, if these kids will only let Him into their lives. Sad times.

 

Got sad reading a humanist berating several Christians on social media. The Christians were only responding to his questions without being overbearing, just simply defending their faith. But the humanist refused to answer questions directed at him. It was obvious he just wanted to stir things up, twisting scriptures while ignoring others. It’s so easy to forget all the evil out in the world.

 

This past weekend I had a bad dream. Was in an old schoolhouse. Doors were locked but some bad people were just outside. We hid out of view. Bad guys broke in and found us. Someone was gonna get shot. I forced myself to wake up and think about something else. Not sure where that dream came from. I don’t watch many shows like that.

 

Our team in Augusta now works around the clock, meaning I get more calls after 4 pm than I used to. This means I get less done between four and six, and I wind up staying a little later. Monday we received our regular daily order over two hours late. We got it entered, but since several people had already gone home and there was less time to cut material and arrange trucks, so most of it didn’t deliver. Our warehouse did a great job of stepping in and making arrangements, but there’s a chance we’ll lose money on the transaction.

 

Anna took M supper at work, then stayed with him while he ate. When she got back we all ate grilled chicken, salad, and tortellini. Ceil turned on The Voice while I hit golf balls outside. Today is day six of my new exercise plan, and I’m 6 for 6. Back is a little sore. They say if you talk about it you do better. Sorry about that.

 

Tuesday at work we were talking about someone’s 18 year old skinny son and I told the story my friend of going from 95 pounds to 145 pounds in ten weeks.

 

After six straight days of workouts, Tuesday my back was hurting. Left work at six and got in my warm car, which felt so good. Didn’t roll down the window for a while, instead riding in the heat. Listened to the Braves game on the way home, and kept thinking up more driving tips. Got home and Anna was in the driveway painting a chest of drawers, that she’ll be taking back to Athens in August.

 

C cooked burgers, fries, and salad. Second straight week she cooked burgers. Not sure why – maybe Anna asked for it. I actually didn’t finish my burger. Saved it for lunch, along with some of the fries and salad. Watched The Middle and The Voice. I had boasted about the new show called “Good News” which they’ve been running two per week. Like many shows, after a strong, funny start Good News has lapsed into crude humor. Doubt I’ll be back.

 

I could’ve hit golf balls but decided to rest my back. Hoping to play the par three soon.

 

Tuesday night I dreamed I was showing a coworker where the closest QT was. She drove her black Firebird down a residential street near work, but wasn’t paying attention to lots of kids playing near the street. She just missed hitting a tiny little boy. Weird.

 

Worked til six Wednesday. Ceil was shopping so I grabbed Taco Bell. Drove home, changed clothes, then I met her in Roswell. Came home and hit golf balls. Anna was downtown until late, hanging out on the west side. M came home from work with a large potted plant.

Entertaining Braves game. Toronto getting frustrated that they’re getting beat up. Not sure what all went into the bench clearing dust-ups. Slugger does a bat flip on a solo home run with his team down big. As the reliever said, with so many it’s not about winning or the team anymore. It’s about individuals showing off. The big money makes players swing for the fences as opposed to keeping innings going with singles, doubles, and walks. Baseball isn’t the base to base game it used to be. That old evil in the world again.

 

This morning someone’s musical ring-tone livened up the office for several seconds. Made me think back to elementary school carnivals, where they had Cake Walks and played Musical Chairs. Two great games that need to make a comeback. They go together with Piñatas and Pin the Tail on the Donkey. My favorite was Button Button Who’s got the Button.

 

Remember Jeff Yearwood? Yesterday he called me up and invited me to tonight’s Braves game. Didn’t realize he works near the new ballpark. Should be fun. Update tomorrow

 

Sales meeting tomorrow, with Mellow Mushroom for lunch. Trying to keep a low profile so I won’t re-volunteer to perform the song I wrote with this year’s slogan “Let Me See Your War Face.” Not many songs out there that deal with that, so I wrote my own.

 

Speaking of songs, this past Sunday during Louie’s sermon on fear he mentioned how singing praise songs helped deal with fear. Talked about how back in the old days the only way to do that was to memorize the hymns so you could sing them during the week. Eventually Christian records and tapes became more commonplace, but the selection was small. Not any more.

 

I am a member of an on line group sponsored by Campbells Soup that is always asking questions about those kind of all-in-one meal packs.

 

One time in college I got into a phase where every day I wore a red shirt and white pants, or something close. Might’ve only been for a week. Just to see if anyone would notice. No one did, of course. Often thought about wearing different shoes every day for a month. I could wear all black every day for several days.

 

I have no idea how I would’ve handled being in the military. I am good at following orders.

Dave's Driving Tips 2/2

More driving tips. Think about these posts while you’re driving - it’ll make you a better driver, and the world will be a better place. I promise.

Don’t pull out in front of other people. It’s dangerous and inconsiderate. So often a driver cuts out in front of me, forcing me to brake hard. Then less than a quarter mile down the road they slow down to turn. Instead wait until there’s a wide opening. You’re not the only car on the road. Plan ahead. If you are going to exit soon, move over from the far left lane to the right line well ahead of your exit – especially if you’re in an unfamiliar place.

 

Don’t be the person who passes a long line of cars waiting to turn right, then tries to wedge their way in at the front of the line. What jerks. Exception: if traffic is flowing and there are plenty of gaps. But never when cars are stopped.   

 

When suddenly braking in heavy traffic, quickly check your rear view mirror to make sure the car behind you is braking as well. If not, or it looks like they won’t be able to stop, you may have time to change lanes. This is another reason you should constantly be checking your mirrors, to know not just where the cars are in your lane, but also in the lanes to your left and right.

 

Driving on ice: don’t. Not even four wheel drive vehicles can stop on ice. You may think you are able to drive in a snow or an ice storm. Even if you can, it’s all the other cars out in the road you’ll need to worry about. You may be in complete control, but another car could lose control and crash in to you. You can’t see black ice. During an ice storm if you have to drive, try to take the flattest route possible. Rarely traveled roads and shady hills ice up first. During winter keep additional warm clothes and a blanket in your car, as well as a flashlight. Make sure your phone is charged before you leave.

 

The shortest route is not always quickest. Quicker to make right turns than left turns. UPS knows this, and routes their trucks accordingly. Also look for routes with the fewest red lights. For me taking Delk Road / Lower Roswell from I-75 has half the lights as the 120 Loop and Upper Roswell. I-75 is quicker than 400 because I’m making right turns, not lefts. I once drove from Six Flags all the way home to East Cobb without having to stop a single time. If you have to make a left turn, try to make it at a light with dedicated a turn signal.

 

Crossing major thoroughfares takes additional time, since the light stays green longer for the busier road. Avoid this if possible. I used to take Spaulding east to work. This meant stopping at Holcomb Bridge, Jones Bridge, Peachtree Parkway, Medlock Bridge, and Peachtree Industrial. After twenty years I discovered it’s much quicker to go with the flow down Holcomb Bridge, stop once at PIB, then head north on PIB.

 

Lights are timed so if you drive the speed limit, you can hit all the greens. When you speed you’re just getting to the next red light faster. By the time the light turns green all the slower traffic has caught up to you.

 

Drive with your lights on at all times: especially in the rain, and at dusk. So often I see cars driving without lights as the sun goes down. They’re practically invisible. Check to make sure you don’t have your bright lights on. If you’re driving in the country with your brights on, keep lookout down the road for lights headed your way. Always wear a seat belt. These days young people were programmed from birth to buckle up. In my youth seat belts were rarely used.

 

People in cross walks have the right of way, even if the “Don’t Walk” sign is flashing. I’m often tempted to go anyway, but it’s illegal.  

 

Don’t hurry. When you have to be somewhere allow for more than enough time to get there. In Atlanta you should allow for bad traffic, especially if you’re headed downtown or cross town. Better to arrive early, especially if you’re headed to place you’ve never been, or if you’re not sure where to park.

 

Parking. Don’t drive around and around looking for the perfect spot. Better to pull in the first best available space you see and walk. You need the exercise and you’ll be in the store while the perfectionists are still looking. Never wedge your way into a space that’s too small, unless you want your doors dented by those next to you (be careful not to do this to others). Best to park at the end of a row next to a curb, so there’s only one car next to you instead of two. That way you can pull over closer to the curb side to allow extra room between you and the space next to you.

 

Park with your exit plan in mind. Pull through so you don’t have to back out of your space. Park where you can quickly merge into the fastest exit. Don’t be the person driving the wrong way down the row. You won’t be able to maneuver your vehicle into a space turned the other way. Parking is a breeze in a small car. You might not be as cool or manly as the dude leasing the $60,000.00 F-150 extended bed crew cab, but at least you can get around tight spaces. Plus you get thrice the MPG.

 

Don’t sit in your car with the engine running. Turn off the motor if you’re sitting for longer than one minute. Global warming may be a hoax, but there could be limited amounts of fossil fuels. You’re wasting gas and polluting the air for the people around you: those who got out and walked, and those who were thoughtful enough to turn off their car and roll down the windows. If it’s still too hot, then get out of your car and go inside. Sure this is problematic for the elderly and handicapped, but if possible plan so you’re not stuck running the car. Park in the shade and enjoy the great out of doors.

 

Drive-thru’s: avoid if possible, especially if the line is long. If no one’s in line you may be able to zip through. When there is a long line, oftentimes it’s quicker to park and go inside. Chick-fil-a may have a quick drive thru, but they’re the exception. Made-to-order places like Zaxby’s and Steak & Shake have extremely long drive-thru’s that should be avoided. Who are these people who can afford gas-guzzlers and burn gas waiting in line for minutes on end? Just about any place with a drive thru is unhealthy anyway.    

 

Keep your car clean, inside and out. Throw trash away. Take cups and glasses inside. Use travel mugs to avoid spills. Stuff can roll behind the gas or brake pedal. Don’t carry around unneeded extra weight in your trunk. Wash and vacuum the car yourself. You need the exercise, you save money, your do a better job, and afterwards you have a great deal of satisfaction. Don’t forget to clean the tires.    

 

Along the way I’ve snuck in several gas-saving tips. Did you catch them? Coast down hills. If you have to slow down while you’re headed up a hill, instead of braking just take your foot off the gas and let the hill slow you down. Don’t lead-foot. No jackrabbit starts. Avoiding drive-thrus and idling. Keep your car serviced and tires properly inflated. Actually over-inflate tires for better MPG, but on snow and ice slightly under-inflate for better traction. Make it a game to get the highest MPG possible.

 

I’m no car repair expert. Find a reliable shop to take your vehicles, instead of going somewhere different every time. Oil change places will have you believe the oil must be changed every 3000 miles. Hogwash. With today’s higher grade oil you can go 5000-10000 miles between changes. Synthetic oils last 10000 miles for sure. But do change your oil.

 

Don’t load your car down with stickers. Those companies and sports teams aren’t paying you to advertise their product. You’re just making your car the target of some rabid rival fan. Having IN GOD WE TRUST on your license plate is another target – and a poor witness if your drive bad. People like to cut in front of Christians, thinking they’ll turn the other cheek. And don’t get me started about 30A stickers. Ramming speed, Sulu!

 

Little tips like these separate the good drivers from the bad. The safe drivers from the scary. Is there anything I left out?    

Dave's Driving Tips 1/2

I used to think I was a good driver. Maybe I was. As I age I’m not so sure – so I am more careful and drive slower. People have forgotten (or never learned) many important aspects of driving and operating a car – and you can tell it. Most of these tips are just common sense.

 

Drive defensively, not offensively. Look out for other cars.

 

When you make a turn, stay in your lane. Do not drift into the inbound lane. Now cars have bells that ring when you drift, and cameras to see where you’re backing up. In the old days we used to have to figure those things out without technology. Survival of the fittest: back then the bad drivers were killed off.

 

When you stop at a stop sign or red light, stop at the white line - not halfway out in the intersection. This slows traffic (and your own commute) because drivers have to slow down because they are unsure if you are going to stop. So many pull up to a stop sign fully intending on continuing on if no one is approaching. When they see a car approaching they’re already almost in the intersection, and have to stop quickly. Don’t be this person.

 

When you see a stop sign or red light ahead, do not wear out you brakes by continuing to accelerate all the way up to the stop sign, and brake at the last possible moment. Instead let up on the gas to slowly decrease speed, coasting up to the intersection.

 

Avoid jackrabbit starts. This burns unnecessary gas. Instead slowly accelerate up to the speed limit.

 

Use turn signals, not only at intersections but also when changing lanes.

 

Change one lane at a time. Do not cut across several lanes of traffic at one time. It’s dangerous and illegal. The other day I saw a lady in a beat up Mercedes pull out of a liquor store on a corner, cross over three lanes of traffic, to get to the left turn lane (except her tail was sticking out in the other lane). No wonder her car was beat up. She could have exited out the other side of the liquor store onto the side street, then drive straight through the intersection. But that would’ve been too easy.

 

Stay out of the far left “fast” lane except to pass. Faster cars will zoom up behind you and want to pass. It’s not your job to slow others down. It’s dangerous. Better to let them pass so the cop will pull them over for speeding.

 

When you see a police car with its light s flashing, pulled over on the side of the road, merge left to leave the right lane clear. Slow down. It’s the law. If at all possible do not pull over and stop on the interstate. It’s dangerous and should only be done in an emergency. If at all possible wait and get off at the next exit. But if your car is overheating, pull over and turn off the car immediately. Overheating can melt the engine and cause permanent damage.  

 

Don't speed around corners or in residential neighborhoods, or around schools. Be extra careful coming around curves, looking out for pedestrians or bikes. Be sure to maintain your lane around curves to avoid crossing over into unseen approaching traffic.

 

Pass on the left, not on the right. Pretty sure there’s a law about that. Don’t weave. Cars lose track of you, then cut you off because they weren’t expecting you to be there.  

 

Be a courteous driver. You may think you are the most important car on the road, but you aren’t.  are not more important than other vehicles.

 

When you have the right of way – go. Others are expecting you to move and will behave accordingly. When you have the right of way do not stop to let other vehicles go ahead of you. They aren’t expecting it and it slows down traffic even more. You may think you are being gracious. What about all those cars waiting behind you?

 

When in a long line of cars waiting at a red light, perhaps to turn right, think as much about the cars waiting behind you as you do the cars wanting to turn into the line. It’s kosher to let in one car, but not dozens. That car may have just pulled up and should wait like the cars behind you in line. If they’re at a red light they shouldn’t make a right on red when there is a line of cars traveling through the intersection. A red light is not a four way stop. They don’t have the right of way until the light turns green.  

 

When entering a highway, use the on ramp to accelerate up to highway speed. Do not expect drivers in the right lane to automatically move over to let you in, just because you’re so special. They may not be able to. Instead check for a gap and merge. Do not illegally cross over solid lines across the berm.

 

When you come to a four way stop, the vehicle that arrives first has the right of way. If two or more cars arrive at the same time, the person on the left has the right of way. Pay extra attention. So many people have no idea what to do, and it shows.

 

Give 100% of your attention to driving the car. Before you start make sure mirrors are aligned, seats are adjusted, and seatbelts are fastened. Do not check your phone, even at red lights.

 

While driving keep your eyes on the move, constantly checking all three mirrors, monitoring the speedometer and temperature and oil gauges. Always be wary of cars in your blind spots. If you’re constantly aware of where the cars are around you, you will know instinctively there could be a car in your blind spot.

 

Keep a safe distance from the car in front of you. Do not tailgate. If a truck or other large vehicle is in front of you that you can’t see around, allow extra room. Look ahead of the vehicle immediately in front of you to see what’s going on. Check traffic far ahead to make sure high speed traffic isn’t coming to a stop. The earlier you detect a problem, the more options you may have.

 

When a traffic signal first comes into your line of sight, check for clues to determine how long the light has been green (or red). Are the cars at the light just starting up? The light just turned green, meaning you probably will have no problem making it through. A crossing light is a good indicator: if flashing, then the green light will soon to turning amber. Bad joke: what does a yellow light mean? Speed up! When you first see a light and it’s red you should immediately let off the gas and start coasting.

 

When stopped at a red light: pay attention. Don’t stop right behind the car in front of you: leave room in case the car behind you has trouble stopping. Check the crosswalk signals and watch for the opposite light to turn yellow. When your light turns green be ready to let off the brake the moment the car in front of you does. Check the cars ahead of the car immediately in front of you. If you are far back in line you’ll appreciate the cars in front of you doing this, so you’ll have a better chance at not getting caught at the same light for a second cycle.

 

Tomorrow: parking, bad weather, routes, and more!

Signs of Life

I have “been active” for five days now. Thursday when I got home from work I cut the grass.

 

Rare Friday, being at work but away from my desk all day.

 

630-830 shuttled coworkers from the far parking lot. Before 7 am a fire truck pulled up, as well as an ambulance. Not good on an open house day. A warehouse employee had fainted. After 30 minutes the ambulance pulled away, siren blaring. Not good.

 

830-930 training meeting for open house.

 

930-1000 welcome coworkers and vendors and customers

 

1000 unexpectedly drafted to go on tour with my customer and vendor. Added comments and observations not mentioned by the regular tour guide. At one point I was talking to someone and the two golf carts I was with roared off, leaving me to ride with GM Eric and a blond-haired lady. My group said I said ditched them for the blonde. Got back with my group, but then tour guide Jonathan had to go back to meet someone else and I was put in charge. I'm not good at blathering on about things like our plant. 

 

1130 we finished the tour at the BBQ tent – right when I was supposed to report for more golf cart driving. But there was no one from my company there to eat with our customer and subcontractor, and they really didn’t need to eat together unsupervised, so I stayed and ate with them. Later the CEO came by to talk to our customer, and our guy from Augusta was talking to the VP.

 

1230 I finally made it out to the golf carts. Didn’t have to go on another tour, but I did shuttle a few employees around. Nice to be outside for a change.

 

1:30 went back to the BBQ tent for an afternoon snack. There was a tableful of my team members there, so I joined them to meet a customer I hadn’t met. Stayed there for an hour, talking.

 

2:30 finally got back to my desk to start work. With all the turnover on our team, a few weeks ago I jokingly told one of the junior members she was knocking people off to climb the ladder. Then I taped a piece of paper under her calculator with the names of former team members crossed out. She didn’t know it had been there for 3 weeks until I showed someone today. A decent joke.

 

During lunch the GM mentioned I’d be playing in an upcoming golf tourney. Friday evening I hit golf balls at the house. I need to hit every day between now and the tourney in June, and hit more and more each day. So I hit Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Need to hit all my clubs. So far so good, but I have a long way to go.

 

Anna and Josh went to see Guardians of the Galaxy Friday night down at Atlantic Station. Will and Thomas made good time driving back from Houston, arriving around 9 pm. They enjoyed the Rockets/Spurs game. If you saw it the entire crowd was given red T-shirts to wear, so they had those as souvenirs. W made some coffee, then hopped in his car and hit the road to Athens.

 

Saturday morning Ceil went to the YMCA. I cleaned. I had the idea to double-check the game time of the Gwinnett Braves game, and I was glad I did: it started at six, not seven. C and A went to Mary Hargreaves graduation party. I headed out to Gwinnett. Bad traffic at 400/285, 285/85, and on 85 north. Then my car started acting up. I was running the A/C, running the lights, windshield wipers, CD player, and charging my phone. Cut off when I reached the ballpark. Had me worried.

 

Good time at the game. Ozzie Albies had a big night. Went over and sat with Johnny and Hugh. Mentioned I had taken you to the game at SunTrust Park. Later we were talking about Ponce de Leon Park and Crackers ticket stubs, for grandstand seats for forty cents. The game was a sellout, and with my car possibly on the blink I left after the seventh inning. Made it home without a problem.

 

Stopped at Kroger for Mother’s Day flowers. Just missed Anna and Josh. M came home earlier than usual. A good day.

Sunday M had to work 7-2. C, A, and I drove down to Passion City Church. Louie worked the I-85 bridge into his sermon about fear, and how people will be negative no matter what. “they won’t finish the bridge in June, it will probably be November.” “they finished in May? Well you can drive on it. I’m not gonna drive on it, it probably isn’t safe” After church we took Piedmont and got on 85 south. Seeing the clean new bridge, Ceil said “let’s come down tonight and spray paint graffiti on it.”

 

C wanted to park in the PCC lot, which is always jammed with early service folk leaving and late service folk arriving. I strategically parked on the exit row so it would be easy to leave, but of course they let everyone else go except our row. Garson Circle is jammed from Piedmont to Lindbergh. I think they jam things up on purpose so more people will use the shuttle.

 

Couldn’t eat til M got off work so we drove over to the Westside. Ate at Moxie Burger (Ceil’s choice). A guy working there looked just like Will, so we should’ve taken a picture of C, M, A, and the guy for Mother’s Day. Didn’t do much the rest of the day, except hit golf balls. C worked on School and took a nap. Later M went to band practice.

 

Woke early this morning to go on a “run.” Nice that my new watch monitors heartbeat. Got up to 170 BPM. Hopefully that is good.

GBraves Star Wars Part 2

I had a good time at the Gwinnett Braves game Saturday night. Perfect evening for a game. Sat on a concrete bench behind the outfield berm, perfect for listening to the chatterers of those around us.

NEWS FLASH: Princess Leia's hair buns are fake, but she might be more charming than the original. When I asked if she'd been at SunTrust Park last week, she cagily went vague. Said she's worn orange, so I asked if she was the one dancing behind the drum line. Her face brightened and she admitted to having a good time that night. Didn't tell her about the less than flattering escalator picture I'd taken.

Stormtroopers stand guard as the first pitch was thrown. Note the young choir behind the plate. In addition to the national anthem, during the seventh-inning stretch they sang God Bless America and Take Me out to the Ball Game.

Hard to tell but the young "lady" below has a blue face. Saw her earlier before she put on her gloves. The color of her hands didn't match her face. Pretty sure she's a friend of coworker Dennis.

From a distance this Jedi looked like Suzi Voyles. Good shot of the apartments and pool just beyond the stadium fence. Hate it when the picture makes it look like a lightsaber is growing out of my head.

Followed the Star Wars group from right field to left. As I walked I noticed the two young lovers in front of me holding hands. Love truly knows no boundaries. Perhaps a futuristic Romeo and Juliette.

During a pitching change while the loudspeakers play Cotton Eye Joe one of the stormtroopers showed her skills. Han Solo wasn't impressed.

I always like good vertically-arched lettering,

but perhaps this wasn't the best application for it.

Went over to the left field bleachers to chat with Johnny and Hugh. Just when the talk turned to old Ponce de Leon Park we noticed this nicely groomed gentleman sitting down the aisle with his wife. He noticed my Uecker jersey as I admired his authentic zipper-front Eddie Mathews jersey. He asked if I'd been to ol'Poncey, and I finally admitted it was before my time. He looked good for a 70 year-old.

 Another good jersey: this guy's Nick Laloosh jersey from Bull Durham.

GBraves Star Wars Part 1

My first game out at Gwinnett this year. Good thing I checked the game time or I would've been late. Traffic all the way. Including a relatively quick stop at McDonalds, it took an hour fifteen to traverse the 40 miles.

As we waited for the gates to open we could see the Star Wars characters coming out to meet the fans. No truth to the rumor that Princess Leia was jailed for showing too much leg. Posted that jem on social media but no one laughed.

Yucking it up with Chewbacca. Not the most natural-acting Wookie I have encountered. He looked more comfortable with me than he did with the kids. His voice emanated from a speaker on his belt. Grade: C

Broke out the Uecker jersey for the occasion.

Not exactly slimming, but last week's 1969 jersey is bigger.

The dirty stormtrooper (below right). Took this picture to show off the girls' high heels. Not exactly standard issue.

Also broke out the KD7's. Note realistic background below.

Had to take this picture below after Norman's photo last week.

The seating bowl was sold out so I sat out on the berm. Was fun to see the kids playing, but you felt removed from the action. Had to turn around to see the scoreboard. Great view of the swimming pool behind us, though.

This group of kids below acted out all seven Star Wars sagas.

Guess I need to get me a Star Wars shirt.

More pictures tomorrow.

But on the way home I was greeted with good news (below).

Safety Olympics Decathlon

This is national safety week, and our company is celebrating with T-shirts, an open house, and a Safety Olympics. Refreshments include day-old tuna fish sandwiches left out on the table overnight. Events include:

 

10. Loaded forklift obstacle course.

 

9. Ladder climbing: fastest up and down wins.

 

8. Discus: pitch and catch using fine china.

 

7. Marathon: who can work the most hours before falling asleep on the job.

 

6. Truck driver long haul (aka Cross Country): who can drive cross country the fastest. Also known as “Smokey and the Bandit” or “Logan’s Run.”

 

5. Weightlifting: who can pick up the heaviest skid.

 

4. Archery. Since we don’t have bows and arrows, we’ll use nail guns.

 

3. Coil rolling: stand on top of a coil as it rolls across the warehouse floor. Bonus points for staying on when it crashes through the wall. Tried it in the water like log rolling, but the coils (and employees) kept sinking.

 

2. Truck loading: who can load the fastest.

 

1. The Wallenda: walking on the I-beams running across the top of the warehouse. Sponsored by Red Bull Energy Drinks.

 

Sorry if these jokes are slightly industry-related. And as always, safety is never is joking matter.

Driving: the Early Days

My first car was a 1966 Ford Country Sedan station wagon. All red. The summer of 1975 I cut grass and umpired Little League games with the Georgia Tech Bonifay brothers: Cam and Brannon. Used the money to buy the car for $600.00. A great first car. The back window rolled down, and the back gate opened flat or swung out like a door.

 

Between classes I would drive over to the Junior High to pick up kids to take them to band class at the senior high building. One time we loaded 14 kids in my car for the half mile drive. One Thursday I was driving a girl home. I wasn't driving fast but somehow my accelerator stuck. I had no idea what to do. Might've run a busy stop light. Kept driving and finally pulled in her driveway and turned off the car. That fixed that.

 

Another time I was so excited to see a friend that when I drove up to her house I pulled up and jumped out. Took the keys but didn't shift back into park. Luckily the ground was flat. But for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to start the car again.

Today Anna and Ceil arranged flowers for the Hargreaves/Walton graduation party. Anna's picture (above) was better than mine (below).

Was it Tony LaRussa who brought in the era of bringing in more relievers than ever before? Might be easier to keep in starter in the game in Strat-O-Matic than in real life, where you see the starter getting tired. But back in 73 the starters were used to going longer. No problem for Niekro.  

 

Last year for some reason I looked up Frank Tepedino to see what he was up do. Can't remember now, but might've done some motivational speaking. Tepedino was also a firefighter.

Will is on a 2 week break from classes. Tuesday he flew to Dallas. Wednesday he helped his brother-in-law Thomas pack (he's a freshman at TCU). Today they drove to Houston to watch Rockets/Spurs Game Six (below). Tracked Will's drive from Ft. Worth to Houston. He went by way of Austin, perhaps to check out professional opportunities. Friday they drive back to Cartersville.

C and A went shopping at the Avalon Thursday evening. I was trying to leave work before six but the phone rang, giving me something else to do before I left. Then when I went to shut down my laptop there were new programs to automatically install. This took almost 30 minutes. Gave me time to do some filing and clean out my briefcase. Got my desk looking organized for today's CEO visit and tomorrow's open house. I won't get much done tomorrow due to the open house, but I will get to eat some BBQ.

Left work and headed in the direction of the Avalon. Stopped by two thrift stores and RaceTrac. C and A were eating at El Felix, but I didn't join them. Went home and watched some of the Braves replay, Modern Family, blackish, and Designated Survivor. The Braves announcers and reporters kept talking about where to eat near the arena (below), so I was relaying that to Will.

M got off work, stopped by for a shower, then went over to his band member's house to play music and spend the night. He hated missing El Felix.   

 

The Hurts are at Rosemary Beach, on the other side of Seaside.

 

Hear Dimino's diamond notes? Said a complete game using less than 100 pitches was called a "Maddux." Greg is the all-time leader with thirteen. Second all-time is Zane Smith with seven, as I recall.

Behind the Blind Side

A story from the book I just read, written by the real life couple depicted in the Blind Side movie: Sean and Leigh Ann Touhy. He set the SEC record for assists at Ole Miss and now is an announcer for the Memphis Grizzlies. She was a cheerleader at Ole Miss and now is an interior designer. She hates to cook, so they eat out or bring home food for almost every meal. The they keep in the fridge are drinks and condiments. They bought a new house and she made up plans to renovate it – that didn't include a kitchen. Her family had to convince her to put in at least a small kitchen.

Traffic on the way home Tuesday afternoon was slow. I seemed to get behind all the slowboats. One pickup stopped in the middle of a traffic circle. Went to the library. I had left work at six and didn't get home until 7:45. C cooked burgers, fries, and salad. Watched a little of the Braves, The Middle, The Voice, and Good News. M came home from work and fixed a PB&J.

Anna had gone back to Athens on Monday to take care of some business. Tuesday a group was traveling to the GT/UGA baseball game at SunTrust Park, then went back to Athens after the game. Hope she didn't drive. I looked for the game on TV but didn't find it. Might've been on the SEC Network but I forgot to look there.

I hate drive thru's. At McDonalds I like Egg McMuffins or bacon/egg/cheese biscuits. McGriddles are ok.

I'm going to write an essay titled "What to do When the Light Turns Green"? Will include other general driving tips. I think part of the problem is so many people are coming to the US who never drove before, or from countries with chaotic gridlocked traffic. Used to be most drivers were taught to drive the right way when they were teenagers.

I don't hurry either. Recently at work I was telling a co-worker how I'd been tailgated on the work. She exclaimed "well you drive like an old man!" She was right.

When I leave work I have to wait for a gap in northbound traffic on Peachtree Industrial to turn left. There's a break in the median with a turn lane where northbound drivers make U-turns to get to a day care center. Once there's a break in traffic you have to figure out if any cars are coming southbound. Sometimes you get stuck in the middle of the road with cars whizzing past both ways, looking back over your shoulder at the southbound cars. Sometimes I turn right, head north, then make a U-turn at the next median break. Not fun. Surprised there hasn't been an accident.

Below: a painting Anna did for a Phi Slam party.