Baseball is the love of my life (Day 14)

Two weeks already.

I can’t believe that this is the last day in my second week of working at Baseball America. Sure, they think I’ve been productive and seem pretty happy with what I’ve done, but I am a third of the way through my time here. I need to start doing more.

I had this epiphany during my run this morning. I think I went slower than yesterday, and it was probably because of the spin class I attended last night. But at least I did it. I swear it was colder today than yesterday and it also got me started thinking that I need to get some pants to run in, and maybe a toque (though I don’t think they use the word toque here). Add them to the next list.

Normally neither of those things would be a problem, because I have a supply at home, but I only brought shorts for running, and definitely no winter hats with me, when I made the journey south.

My work day started much less productive as usual. Maybe they shouldn’t have told me that they were happy with everything I have been doing, because it might have gone to my head and now I am taking advantage. Instead of working right away, I started my day at BA answering emails and reading online articles. Not my best start.

But during the time that I spent emailing people from my program I realized how much my life has changed over the last year, and how there is no way I could have ever predicted that I would have ended up sitting in North Carolina at BA, in the middle (okay, the first third) of a six-week internship with the company.

I wanted to be a lawyer for most of my life. I remember when I was in the sixth grade and we had a mock trial for something, and I knew then that someday I would try to get into the profession. And I did try. But maybe it is like people say, and it just wasn’t meant to be. How could anything be better than it is right now?

Well, for one, I could be getting paid. I could actually have a paying job that allows me to live, and not ask my mother for loans on a consistent basis. But I am working for Baseball America, reading and writing about the love of my life (baseball) day in and day out. I love it.

Though today wasn’t my most productive, I did get lunch, which was a switch from the rest of the week. We went to a taco place that was really good and talked about all of the Type-A Free Agents this off-season that happen to be relievers. Of course, my only contributions were to discuss Jason Frasor and Scott Downs, the two Blue Jays who happen to fit into that category. And when they went off talking about football, I mentioned that the first round of Canadian Football League playoffs is this weekend. Sometimes I probably should just not try to join in on the conversations.

I contributed more after lunch in a shorter amount of time than I did prior to the meal. I must have been trying to work on an empty stomach, and everyone knows that’s not good. But I finished my quick-hits on the Indians, Rockies and Tigers, learning about their organizations every step of the way.

Carlos Gonzalez is the most intriguing player of any of those teams I think. He and Miguel Cabrera each made runs at their leagues’ respective Triple Crowns, and though there hasn’t been a winner since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967, they were two of the contenders for at least part of this season.

I didn’t really leave work early, despite what I interpreted to be an offer to do so yesterday, though it was earlier than I usually stay. I went gymming and tanning and then made my way to UPS. I followed the GPS to a location I have not been to before. It landed me in a plaza, and because it was dark, I couldn’t really see the store. When I finally found it and pulled on the door handle, it was locked. I saw someone inside, and the man who I assume was working there opened the door for me. I asked if I could please mail two items to Canada, and he informed me that they closed at 6:30. He pointed at the clock so I could see that I was four minutes past closing time. Lucky for me, he made an exception.

From there I made my way to Target, a place I am beginning to think that I might spend too much time in. I got some much-needed running pants, along with some bread, sandwich meat and microwavable popcorn. It should at least last me the weekend, though I hope my tenure with the pants is longer than that.

And then I got my first glimpse of North Carolina traffic. I believe it was due to the home opener of UNC’s men’s basketball team but it doubled the duration of my ride home. But that still means my ride was only 20 minutes, so it wasn’t overwhelming.

Of course, home time means American television and maybe some laundry.

Another exciting weekend in North Carolina.