Now it IS just another day

As this season ends, a new one will begin. So it is for baseball. Our Colorado Rockies were swept in the World Series. . . but I am not that sad (oh, OK - just a little, would have loved to be at a third game tonight). Happiness is more of a feeling, as we celebrate what the Rockies have had in great successes. Check these out:

1) Only the 2nd team in history to sweep all playoff games up to the World Series (up there next to the Big Red machine of 1976)
2) Played the longest nine inning game in World Series history (really, that was a yawner there for awhile - not sure if I should count that?)
3) Won 21 of 22 games through regular and post season, going into the World Series. Let's see - they are one of 5 teams to ever do this?
4) They were 4-1/2 games behind San Diego Sept 16. Whodathunk?

There are a multitude of statistics where the Rockies were in the top 5 of all time. They are a great team - too bad they didn't grab Joe Girardi (former Rockies pitcher, coach/manager in many different capacities over the last few years) to be manager for the Rockies before the Yankees did. He could have made them into a killer team! Now we'll never be able to afford him. Steinbrenner just set THAT bar too high.

To recap my experience of attending a World Series - AWESOME! The energy from the crowds was unbelievable, the electricity in the stadium undeniable. And man, was that American flag gianormous! I can't really describe in words how it felt to be at this historical event. When we walked through the turnstiles into the stadium, I looked at Lynn (Kirsten's mom) and jumped up and down, saying "we're at the World Series!" It didn't hit me until we walked into the place. I only wish that Kirsten could have joined us, we have been to so many games together the past couple of years - my baseball buddy. I'm glad I have a couple of really big sports fans like myself to hang with! Ask me sometime, I might be able to put into words what my experience left me with. However at this moment, my heart is again a-flutter as I re-live my experience through writing about it! Wow - I'm so lucky!!!

Until my next great adventure (don't think anything will top this one off for a couple of years, or at least until the NASCAR race in Las Vegas in March - nahh, that still won't come close) - Ciao for now!

Not just another day

The last couple of days were pretty busy ones with work. Garage Door has had problems and wouldn't open when I got home from work, and to top it off, I kept leaving my house keys in my vehicle (I'd been carpooling for 2 days). It think that Karin, the carpooler, will just drop me off at the nearest bar next time, and Karen the roommate (who has rescued me both times by coming home a little earlier than planned) will shoot me after 2 days in a row of this happening. No set of keys are leaving my purse ever again.

So today, I've been watching this show, "Scariest Places on Earth," about haunted hotels, prisons and castles. Woke up at 7am, didn't get out of bed until 10:30 - I NEVER do that. The leaves that have turned different colors are falling off of the trees and bushes - it'll be around 50 degrees today and around 39 degrees tonight around 9pm. Just kind of a ho-hum day.

In the midst of all of this, I am going to a baseball game. Right now, it feels like just a baseball game, with my favorite team, hanging with my friend Kirsten's mom, dad and brother, watching a past time I have grown to love since the pros came to Colorado in the early 90's. But this ISN'T just any game - its the World Series! It feels surreal - yet like just another day. Don't think it's really going to hit me what is going on until I get to the field tonight.

After I met Kirsten and her mom at the Breckenridge Brewery to pick up my ticket - I started to notice things happening around Coors Field. A huge tent was erected on the North side of the stadium, street level. When we drove around it to get to 20th to head for home, there were people in front of the stadium with Rockies gear on, and people with professionally made and home made signs saying they wanted World Series Tickets "will pay top dollar." I don't know who they are fooling, but anyone that has a ticket will be going, and if they didn't sell their tickets on stub hub or ebay, hopefully they will be selling them to friends so they can experience a piece of Colorado History.

Anyway, going through LoDo, you can just feel the energy rising. Tonight, it will be at an unbelievable level, more so than when I was at that last game of the season, the Wildcard tie-breaker, and game 3 of the Wildcard playoffs.

I'll write more tomorrow, pending I survive tonight. With that being said. . .

GO ROCKIES!!

I've survived the week, Almost

Got past last night, the big school night where I had to turn in 3 reports and give one speech. I was literally doing my homework up to the absolute last minute! Being sick the latter part of last week then over the weekend gave me no motivation to get much done, but still did a little. Just glad the big stuff is all over with. Although I have things due over the next few weeks, I don't have to go to class for almost a month and already have the big assignments done. I will miss going to class to hear my classmates do their speeches, though. They are such a great group of people, and my instructor is pretty awesome, too. I'm thinking that right now I am pretty fortunate!

Picked up my World Series ticket today - one for Saturday night. I think I got off pretty cheap, $109 each in section 202 (north side of stadium, second level). They will be good seats. I'm REALLY excited about going, but I don't think the true excitement will hit until I am there. We will be a part of Colorado history - attending the 1st ever World Series in our state! This will be a super exciting weekend! I better plan on going in late to work on Tuesday. . .

This past Tuesday, I went to the Pepsi Center to get the big work event plans ironed out. Since there was a basketball game that night, it gave me a chance to try out the food at the Lexus Club on the 2nd level. I've been by there before, but hadn't eaten there - I would highly recommend it if you get the chance. They have "food stations" and rotate the menus each event at the Pepsi Center. This time they had a little bit of seafood, a really good roast beef, and some middle eastern types of foods. I'm really happy with the way I think that things will go. There was a pre-season basketball game and they gave me tickets that were in the 5th row from the floor. Too bad I couldn't stay! I missed going to the Bronco Game on Sunday night with Boots due to feeling crappy, I can't stay for a basketball game with awesome seats. Good thing I have this weekend to look forward to!

I'll post more as we get through the weekend. As my friend Karen says, "Asta la taco!"

First Snow of the Season

8:20am and the first snow of fall starts coming down! The mountains have already been getting it since around the first weekend of October. Guaranteed, it will be gone by the end of the day tomorrow, though. Was going to run a couple of errands today, but instead, think I'll just stay home and do my homework. I have 2 papers and one speech to get done by Wednesday. I have to miss class due to a work event on Nov 14, so have to give my speech early. Been trying to stave off a cold the last few days as well, so this has all been a little overwhelming to get through.

Our Colorado Rockies are going to the World Series, and we are all excited! They say we didn't have this much excitement and buzz when the Broncos went to the Superbowl at ANY time. I'd say its even more than when our first year Colorado Avalanche went to the Stanley cup right out of the box. The Rockies decided to run all tickets through online purchasing, which sucks. Out of 51K+ seats, only 18,000 tickets will be available for each of the 3 games. This leaves everything open to scalpers from all over the world to purchase OUR tickets and try to sell them for ridiculous prices. And the people who purchase them are stupid, as they create the demand and the price increases. You can get 4 tickets for each game in one try. There are 10 of us who will try to get tickets tomorrow, so hopefully one of us will get lucky. GO ROCKIES!!

This past Sunday, I volunteered with the Denver Press Club to help with an event called "The Gridiron." Its a fundraiser for the press club that brings local journalism personalities together to do comedy skits on pop culture, politics, etc. Didn't know that Mike Landis (local news guy) was such an avid guitar player! It was pretty funny but a little long.

The highlight for me was that my cousin, Wayne and his wife Joan were on the guest list! I was so happy to see them - got caught up on what my cousins Chris and Cheryl were up to. The oldest grandson is already 15 years old! Also, Cheryl finally had a little boy, Evan, who is 4. Chris got divorced from Stephen and is engaged to a really nice guy that Joan really likes. All that news just floored me - time is flying for all of us. But it was really good to see them, I hadn't run into any of that side of the family in about 5 years, I think since the last election where Wayne was elected again. There is every intention to get out to DC in April or May to see Wayne and Joan before he is out of office; as well as my cousin Kevin who is working at the Pentagon (as a rep of the Air Force). Geez - that reminds me, I really need to call him!

Time to finish cleaning - catch y'all on the flip side!

What an exciting night!

Our Rockies pulled it out in a close game and won the NL Wildcard for a chance to play for the NL Division Title! We have to play our arch rivals the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team that we beat on the last day of the season to get to this spot (the win put us into the tie-breaker with San Diego). We beat them 2 out of 3 last time -this will be a really tough series. I'm thinking we are going to end up going through all 7 games on this one. I know we all really hope that the Rocks can get it done, they could be the 4th pro team in Colorado to win a championship: Broncos did it 3 times, Avalanche twice and the Mammoth once. The Nuggets really have something to prove this season - they haven't gone to the NBA finals ever!


As I thought, the lightrail was really packed once again, this time 3-1/2 hours before gametime. It was pretty nice weather, in the lower 80's when I got down to the field. But let me tell you about our Colorado weather - it can change in a instant! Literally minutes before the game started, we went from a balmy 72 degrees to under 60 in literally seconds. We watched a bunch of dust blow across the field from the north - then it hit us with a wall of really cold air . . . brrrr!! By the time we left the game, it was 50 degrees. Although snow has already fallen in the mountains towards the end of last month, they are predicting a more tomorrow. We might see some down here, but I'm not going anywhere to find out! Downtown will be a zoo, with the Denver Race for the Cure going on (that's 50K+ people), a Broncos game (60K+ fans) and an Avalanche game (I think that's about 25K). Our lower downtown area is making BIG bucks this weekend! I'm staying home to study, not going anywhere near that mess!

Went to the hospital this morning to see Kyrie and little Landon. Not all babies are cute, but he is absolutely adorable - and a good baby to boot, so far. I held him for about 45 min while mom took her first shower since the baby was born. He fussed a little bit, but really was very good. I can't wait to watch him grow up - and see the many fishing outfits that Grandpa Bob gets him into!

Go Rocks!

What an exciting (and tiring) week it has been! Went to the baseball game on Sunday the 30th, only to win and then immediately purchase tickets to the tie-breaker game, in which we won! The 7th wildcard tie-breaker in history, 1st in this century :) It was very exciting, but 13 innings was just a killer! Very awesome to be part of some record-breaking history as well, but the game could have ended a lot earlier if the umpire hadn't made a super bad call and denied Atkins of a homerun. Oh well, they won in spite of it all!

That night of the 30th, I hurried home after the game, changed and met Boots and some other friends for some light appetizers before going to see Spamalot. The show was hilarious - and I was glad to take the next day off, as I needed the time to not just recoop, but to really recount all of the fun that I had, take a nap, then go to that tie-breaking game.

So, the rest of the week has been just as busy. In the midst of all this excitement, I had homework to get turned in, a YMCA commitee meeting, shopping for work, more homework. At least I'm getting a perfect score in class so far after turning in all of that stuff!

Then FINALLY - the word that baby decided it was time to come into the world came out. Got the 6:30am text message that Kyrie's water broke at 11:30pm on Wednesday evening, had been at the hospital walking the halls as she hadn't gone directly into labor yet. That started at 9am and would continue into the night. I went to the hospital after work (and a really busy day to boot), hung out with in-and-out sleeping mommy-to-be, grandma-to-be, and a couple of Kyrie's close friends. 9:30 rolled around and contractions were getting closer together and mom was coming out of the drug-induced, pain-stay-away, semi coma she was in. I finally had to call it a night, but was assured I would know something when it happened. Landon Robert couldn't get out, so with the slice of a knife, he came out at 1:50am at a whopping 8 lbs (no wonder the poor kid couldn't get any sleep!), 21-1/2" and healthy as a horse! I'm going in tomorrow morning to see everyone - I'm so excited to see the little bugger!

For now, its time to do yet some MORE homework reading, prepping myself for all of the stuff I need to do this weekend. I'll report on the game tomorrow night, I'm pretty sure the Rockies will win, allowing me to be part of the first playoff sweep for the Rockies in our club's short history!