Before Ichiro made it the thing to do (Day 35)

35 days. Wow.

I think I have made the most of my time in North Carolina, working hard for Baseball America, going to the gym almost regularly, seeing movies and even going to a UNC/NC State football game. I am sure I could have done something crazy like made friends or something, but I have had a great experience.

I don’t know what I would have done without the people at BA, because of how helpful and friendly they are and have been, but without them, I wouldn’t have come here in the first place.

My work day was mostly normal, though there was a visit from a former intern to add to the excitement of today. The people at BA seem to like him for the most part, but it doesn’t seem as if he is as highly regarded as one might hope to be when leaving as an intern. I certainly hope people think better of me and my internship than they do of him. But, of course, I would like to be the best, so I hope they think I am better than anyone and everyone. Is that too much to ask?

I updated the directories with information I had received last night and this morning as soon as I got to the office. Admittedly, then I answered emails before I got to working on the next couple of bios for the Hall of Fame. I was not looking forward to writing stories on George Kell and Wee Willie Keeler.

When I was finished with what I could do for the directory, I went to Editor 2’s office and told him to just give me the next two names alphabetically to write about. That probably wasn’t my smartest move, but someone has to write them, so it might as well be me. So that’s how I got Kell and Keeler.

What amazes me most about Wee Willie is that he was pretty much the exact same size as I am, and he was a phenomenal hitter. He collected more than 200 hits in eight consecutive seasons, well before Ichiro Suzuki made it the thing to do. He had 206 singles in one year, over a century before Ichiro also matched that mark. If I were to be compared to any player, I would love for it to be Ichiro, so it makes me think this man’s 19^th century play was remarkable.

Kell was voted in by the Veteran’s Committee, and I already have my opinion about players who have made it into the Hall that way. He had one really remarkable year, in 1949, though his biggest feat was edging out Ted Williams for the batting crown by two-thousandths of a point. He denied Williams the Triple Crown title, and did it with two hits on the last day of the season. Kell should have had one more at-bat, which would have made the number different either way, but the batter in front of him grounded into a double play to end the game while he stood on deck.

I guess it’s good for me to learn about players like these though, because they ARE members of the Hall of Fame. And since I have finished the bios on these two players, I am now done 20 for the book! Since there are only 292 members of the Hall, I believe I am somewhere at almost seven per cent for contributory work. That should be significant enough to get my name in another book, and since I am now vain, that is where my concern lies.

For lunch today we went back to one of the two barbeque places that we have frequented during the time here. The old intern came with us and Editor 1 was very put off by some of the things he was saying either during their ride to the restaurant or while we were eating. Either way, I don’t think he was impressed. Hopefully that is never me.

On my way out of the office I stopped to say goodbye to Editor 1 and Editor 3. Since they are both leaving for Winter Meetings I figured it would be the last time I would see them, so I wanted to say thank you. I gave Editor 1 the card I had made him and letter I wrote him, and he said it was an easy decision for him to bring me on and they have enjoyed having me. He also said that he would be around next Friday, so I would see him again before I leave.

When I stopped in to bid farewell to Editor 3, he told me that he, too, would be back next Friday, so I would get another chance to see him before I leave as well. So I guess I was preparing for my last day with these people for nothing. Though I won’t spend next week with them, I will see them once more before I head back to Canada.

With that in mind, I wasn’t so reluctant to leave the workplace, but before I took off I did grab the list of Hall of Famers from Editor 2 so I could work on it if I so choose. I am sure I will have plenty of time but the desire is what I might be lacking. I took the list anyway and now have the option of working this weekend.

From work, I went tanning and then headed to the mall with the movie theatre. Nicole and I had plans to see the same movie at the same time again. We were both going to see the late show of Love and Other Drugs, and I decided that I was going to make it a double feature. I wanted to see 127 Hours too, and the timing worked out so that I could see it right before the chick flick.

I enjoyed 127 Hours, most probably because it is based on a true story. But the story is remarkable and I thought James Franco or whoever starred in that movie, did a great job. It does make me want to read the book written by the actual Aron Ralston though.

Love and Other Drugs was a little bit different than I expected, and had an entirely separate plot line that I had not seen in the trailer. I liked it for that, but it was certainly a chick flick, not my favourite genre. I expected that obviously, so it was good for what it was. I talked to Nicole about it afterward as planned, but we had to exchange emails because for some reason my American phone doesn’t seem to be working.

And that was enough excitement for me for one night. Off to bed in preparation for my final weekend in North Carolina.

The man at the hot corner (Day 34)

Tomorrow is the end of five weeks at Baseball America.

And also the end of my time with Editor 1 and Editor 3. They are both heading to Winter Meetings in Florida, where they will be for all of next week, and when they get back I will be on my way to Canada.

I can’t believe my time has gone so quickly, and even though I’ve said it before, I am positive I will keep saying it until I am gone. I just can’t fathom how five weeks have already flown by, and I only have one left at BA. I guess it is true when they say ‘time flies when you’re having fun’. I really have had the experience of a lifetime, and the fantastic opportunity to stay in baseball for six weeks of the winter months.

I started my day by trying to call the scouting department of the Chicago White Sox. I made an attempt before anyone got into the office, but because Chicago is an hour behind us, that didn’t work out for me. I had to call back when the people around me could hear me. That wasn’t so bad though.

I talked to a guy who was very helpful, gave me the information that I needed, and even gave me a correction on a signing scout that we had already published. He didn’t make me feel like an idiot, so I ended the phone call with the idea that I asked appropriate questions and got what I needed without putting anyone out.

The directory stuff is ongoing and I made the changes that I had received from the people at each organization, and then had to leave it for now. One person called me about the information I wanted, and that was a big surprise. I don’t believe that I gave out my phone number in the emails I sent, and I am still baffled that he managed to get my extension from someone. And that whoever he talked to knew my extension.

When I had pushed aside those tasks I went back to Editor 2 to take a look at the list of Hall of Famers. A lot of them had been crossed off so I now believe that I am not the only person working on the list. I picked the two best names that I could see and set off to write about Brooks Robinson and Tom Seaver.

Robinson was probably the greatest third baseman the Orioles ever had. He was with the team for 23 years, though rumour has it they kept him for a couple of extra seasons because he was in financial trouble and he needed the work.

The man at the hot corner only had one season where he batted over .300, and that was the year in which he won the American League MVP Award. When he was the MVP of the 1970 World Series, he got a car as a prize. The manager of the Reds, the team he won the Fall Classic against, Sparky Anderson said, “I hope it has an extra large glove box,” which I thought was absolutely hilarious.

Seaver was the franchise man of the Mets. He brought them to their miracle World Series victory in 1969, and he is their all-time leader in wins. He is also the only man in the Hall of Fame to be wearing a Mets cap. I am hoping that someday there will be a Blue Jays hat in there to join him.

I was interrupted by lunch late today, because Editor 1 had been on a three-hour long phone call with someone that went until almost two o’clock. But when he and Editor 2 and I had lunch, it was good. We went back to Williams, a place I have been to a few times now, and I am still a big fan of.

At lunch we talked about the conversation Editor 1 had with my program director yesterday. He mentioned that he didn’t really say anything out of the ordinary, just that they have enjoyed having me and I’ve been doing a good job. That was surprising because the email I received from the program director had me believing I have made the impression of a lifetime. Either way, I will take it.

I finished up the bios after lunch, but waited to send them to Editor 2 until my mother had proofread them. I don’t like to send anything away unless it has been looked at by at least one other person. Whether it helps or not, I’m not sure, but she has definitely found a few stupid mistakes that I happily avoided because of her editing. So when she returned them to me with corrections and comments, I sent them off.

From work I headed to UPS, where I sent away copies of the newest magazine to people that I don’t believe I will see any time in the near future, but I still think they are genuinely interested in what I have been doing. It cost me almost $35 USD, so I am pretty sure that puts an end to my mail-sending. I will be back in Canada soon anyway, and even if I want to mail anything else I can do it from there, because it is cheaper. All of my Christmas cards are sent, so I think I should be okay for awhile.

I made it to the gym and ran nine-and-a-half miles today. Actually, I implemented my new training plan of alternating two miles of running with a half mile of walking, in preparation for the Goofy Challenge. That worked pretty well I think, but I am still not completely sure how I want to approach the two races in a row.

After tanning, I came home to finish making a thank you card for Editor 1. Tomorrow is the last day I will see him, and he is the one that gave me the internship and brought me here. I have a lot to thank him for. I also wrote him a letter, which I included in the envelope with the card. I hope I get across the message that I have had an absolutely great time here and it is thanks to him. I might have also slipped in that if they should ever have a job opening in the future, I hope he would think of me. It needs to be said.

I will miss him and our lunchtime conversations though, and I will miss Editor 3 and Baseball America and North Carolina. I am not yet ready to leave, and I don’t think another week here is going to change that.

Tomorrow is my last lunchtime with Editor 1. Sad.

Back on track (Day 33)

I received more surprising praise today than any other. It was great.

My program director called Editor 1 at the end of the work day and I guess they had a conversation about me when they weren’t discussing the Grey Cup and Canadian football. It must have been great because I heard from the program director and Editor 1 afterward and both of them said wonderful things about me. What a confidence booster!

The program director thinks that I have made a very good impression at Baseball America and that I have been doing great work, and he liked the articles I wrote in the issue of the magazine I sent him. He said there is great success in my future, and I can only hope that is true. I would like it to be.

Editor 1 said that they’ve enjoyed having me and wish it could last longer. He also said that he wished they had a full-time position available to offer me and that they have benefitted from having me around. I am so pumped that he thinks of me that way! I am glad to know that they like me almost as much as I am enjoying my time here.

So that pretty much made my day, and I am sure my happiness will spread over to tomorrow too.

Today I worked on some different tasks and I will be back at them in the morning, so I need the joy to tide me over.

After sending the four Hall of Fame bios to Editor 2 this morning, because I didn’t have Internet until I got to the office, he wrote me back and asked me to call the White Sox scouting/player development department and find out which scouts signed six players.

I had the list of players and I looked up the phone number, but I chickened out of calling because I was afraid that all the people around my cubicle could hear me, and I wasn’t completely sure what to say. I had another task at hand anyway, so I decided to push it until tomorrow morning so I can call before the majority of people make it into the office.

My other task involved updating more lists for the 2011 directory. I got the current information that Baseball America has and I set off finding email addresses and contacting the places on my list. I actually heard back from a decent number of organizations before the end of the day, but I am hoping to get through some more tomorrow. I know that I won’t finish any of my directory lists before the end of my time at BA, but I would like to put a large dent in them before I leave.

I went back to my original list from the directory also, a task I was given on my first day at BA. I contacted all of the organizations that I haven’t yet heard back from, for a second time. A couple of them actually got back to me right away, so I guess all they needed was a four-week buffer between me bothering them.

When I am done all I can do on the lists and after I call the White Sox, I suppose I will go back to the Hall of Famers. There is one former Blue Jay that I forgot about that is in our portion of the list, so I should probably start with Phil Niekro. But that will have to wait until another day, hopefully tomorrow.

For lunch today we went to a hamburger place, and we discussed the possibility of actually going somewhere that has poutine before I leave. I guess Editor 2 searched long and hard enough to find a place with legitimate poutine, and it is in Raleigh. He said it is probably a 20-minute drive or so, but it might have to be done for the sake of the Canadian cuisine. So that is an exciting prospect for the potential future.

On the way back to the office from our meal, we got to talking about movies and what each of us had seen lately, or wanted to see. Conor and Editor 1 were also with us for lunch, and for the movie conversation. Editor 2 asked me if I had seen MegaMind yet, because he knew it was something I had wanted to see. I said no, and he joked that I could take his kids to see it because they wanted to watch it too.

At the end of the day before I left I stopped in to see Editor 2. I told him that if his kids really do want to see the movie, and if they are free this weekend, I would gladly take them. So he is going to ask them if they want to go with me. I already know his son Joe, from the football game, and I met his daughter last week, though I’ve forgotten her name of course. I am sure it would be a good time, and movies make it easy to entertain children, so I don’t think I would have to summon up all my baby-sitting skills or knowledge.

After work I made it to the gym, for the first time in too long. I am finally feeling a little bit better today and I ran six miles to show for it. I am getting back on track with my training for the Goofy Challenge.

But I am afraid that if I get sick again, it might hinder my performance in the marathon-and-a-half of running I will be doing in Florida in January. I will just have to stay healthy and amp up my running while I know I can.

From the gym, I headed home and wrote letters to accompany the issues of the magazine I hope to be able to send to people tomorrow. We seemed to have only received samples on Monday when I got my next issue. There weren’t any more sitting around anywhere at the office for me to be able to send home. Hopefully there will be some tomorrow, and I have my envelopes addressed and filled with letters, ready to go.

I hope I can sleep better, and I think I have a good chance! Today’s been a good day and I hope the night is too!

Face of the franchise (Day 32)

They’re looking out for me.

Even if Baseball America doesn’t have a job available for me, I now know that they are thinking about me and my future endeavours.

When we headed out for lunch today, Editor 1 started talking about Baseball Canada and all the things they have going on and what they do for the sport, and he mentioned that he knows someone at the organization. He said he would send him a note with the resume I submitted to BA and mention that I am heading back to Toronto soon and see if there is anything I could do for Baseball Canada. Editor 1 did say that the organization’s biggest downfall is probably lack of funding, meaning they might not have enough money to take on someone like me, or anyone at all, but it’s nice that he thinks it is worth a try, and that he is willing to put in the effort to make the contact.

Even if Baseball Canada doesn’t have a job now, they might at some point in the future, and a recommendation from Editor 1 couldn’t hurt my chances. So that was nice to hear, even if BA doesn’t have anything available for me, or anything that might be suited to me. I’m sure it would be a big hassle to go through the immigration stuff anyway.

Hopefully I will find someone who will deal with that for me and bring me back to the US eventually. It’s where all the sports are, and the food and TV are also much better. Plus, I would probably have a better chance of working for one of American teams out of the 29 in the major leagues, as opposed to getting the job I want with the one and only team at home in Canada. Or maybe I can help the Blue Jays see my potential.

I worked on four bios today, and didn’t get through them until tonight. But I couldn’t send them to anyone for lack of the Internet in my apartment. I will have to sort that out tomorrow. I got through both of the Blue Jays on our portion of the list, Dave Winfield and Paul Molitor.

It seems that the highlight of Winfield’s career was when he was fighting with the Yankees organization and competing against his own teammates. I didn’t want to include that stuff in his bio though, and it took out a lot of information. Instead I directed the importance of his career toward his time with the Blue Jays, and not just because that is what stands out in my mind. It’s where he won his only championship in 1992, and I am sure it stands out to everyone, despite him only being there for that one season.

Molitor was with the Jays for three years, but his most important was also when he won a World Series ring for them, even though he also had one from his time with the Brewers. He was the MVP of the Fall Classic in 1993, and put up great numbers for Toronto. He was also the winning run of Game 6 when Joe Carter hit his homer in the bottom of the ninth to take the series.

Willie Stargell was my next story. He was a great player and led the Pirates to two World Series. It seems like forever ago that Pittsburgh had a good team, but I guess it hasn’t been that long. Stargell was a part of it though, and I learned something that I didn’t already know about him. He gave his teammates little yellow stars when they performed well on the field, so they could sew them into their hats. They were “Stargell stars” and I guess they boosted morale and camaraderie amongst team members.

Kirby Puckett was the last one I worked on today. His story is more tragic, because his career was cut short because of damage to his retina that I believe was from glaucoma. He was an All-Star ten times, right up to his final year in the game. And his .318 lifetime average is the best for a right-handed hitter in a long, long time. I put the actual numbers and years in my article, but cannot recall them now. He also had two World Series wins, his with the Twins.

What struck me the most about Stargell and Puckett were that they spent their whole careers with one team. Winfield split his time between six different ball clubs. But Stargell was with the Pirates for 21 seasons and Puckett with Minnesota for all of his 12 years in the game. I think it’s great to have franchise guys representing a team in every great thing they’ve done, and it also seems to be something that is quite rare now.

Unfortunately, Toronto’s latest franchise guy was Roy Halladay, and we all know where he is now. They really don’t have anyone left to represent the team, if guys like Wells and Hill and Lind keep sucking. Maybe they’ll turn it around this year, or perhaps someone else will step up. Here’s hoping, because I would like to see someone go into the Hall of Fame as a Blue Jay someday.

My work was only interrupted by lunch, and the wonderful conversation about the possibilities at Baseball Canada. We went to a Mexican place, the same one we went to for Nathan’s birthday. It was good once again, and I think it probably always would be. We met up with a guy who used to work for BA and is now a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals.

He was nice, and everyone talked about what he’s been up to, and where he will be working and how the planning for his upcoming nuptials is going. I didn’t really join in on the conversation since I don’t know him, but I am sure he is a lovely person.

I wasn’t feeling very well at the end of the work day. I don’t think I have fully recovered from my sickness because I have been getting dizzy a lot, and it’s been preventing me from getting to sleep and also from getting a good night’s sleep once I am out. But my plans to head to the gym were once again put on hold because of my illness and I headed straight to my apartment from the office for the first time since I have been in North Carolina.

Usually I have some stop to make, and I would have to go to UPS or the grocery store, or tanning or gymming, but not today. I wasn’t feeling it, and I headed right to my bed. I couldn’t sleep because I was still feeling dizzy, so I made a smoothie and then decided to work on some thank you cards to give to people when I leave.

I also finished the Hall of Fame bios at home, but without the Internet I couldn’t do anything with them. I was kind of curious about what was happening with our access, but I didn’t bother to ask anyone or trying anything other than what I was doing, which was ultimately nothing.

My night was interrupted by a knock at my door. Thing 2 had gone to the mailbox and there was something for me! It was a combination birthday/Christmas card from Rosa! I was pretty happy to get a piece of mail, and hope that when everyone receives all the things I have been sending them, they feel the same way.

And with that excitement, I went back to my card-making until heading to bed for the night, hoping to be able to fall asleep.  

I don't want to leave yet (Day 31)

I can’t believe I am into my last couple of weeks at Baseball America.

It’s disappointing a little bit, just because I have to leave. I have had such a great time and things have been going really well, in my opinion of course, and I wish I could stay longer.

The highlight of the day for me was probably receiving my second issue of the BA magazine that I had taken part in. Two of my articles are in the end-of-the-year edition and it is nice to see my name in it! Twice!

My stories are each on a minor league team that won the Bob Freitas Award. I think the teams will get to see them at Winter Meetings, because the magazine doesn’t come out until a couple weeks from now, so they can judge me then. I hope they like what I wrote about them. But they won awards, so what is there to not be happy about?

This morning I got to work with productivity on my mind. I still started my day with my usual emailing, but I wasn’t so distracted. Maybe I am feeling the grind of only having two weeks left and wanting to get as much done as possible before I leave. I am still working on making that great impression I have been talking about since I got here. I just hope that works out for me.

I got through the four Hall of Famers that I had set out to, learning lots along the way. Since I have moved onto the more awesome players, according to me and only me, it seems more fun now, although there is certainly a lot more information to sift through. But the popular players are better than the ones that have been dead for 100 years.

First I wrote about Jackie Robinson, who is just an inspiration to all of baseball. It was fun to research and write about him, and the impact his presence in the game has had on so many other lives.

Then I moved on to Babe Ruth. I wrote about the Curse of the Bambino, even though Boston broke through the supposed hex in 2004. I still find it interesting that they blamed decades of losing on a trade that happened in 1919. What do the Cubs have to take the fall for their suckitude?

From the Sultan of Swat I moved onto Cy Young and Nolan Ryan. Young has the most wins of any pitcher to ever take the mound, though he also has the highest number of losses. I didn’t include that last little tidbit in my writing. But a guy who has an award named after him surely has enough accomplishments to overshadow a little factoid like that one.

Ryan played forever it seems, and his seven no-hitters and 12 one-hitters could not have been an easy feat. Ryan is the oldest guy to throw a no-no, and he did it against the Blue Jays when he was 44. I didn’t include the team it was against. He took the record from Young, who had pitched a no-hitter at the age of 41. I think the only person who could give either of them a run for their money is Roy Halladay, because his work ethic and strength seem similar, but maybe that’s only wishful thinking.

Speaking of Halladay, I was super pumped to see a full page dedicated to him in the newest BA magazine that appeared on my desk this afternoon. I was almost as happy to see his congratulations from BA on being the Player of the Year, as I was to see my own articles. Joey Votto also had his own page, for being the MVP of the National League, and as a Canadian and being most recently from Toronto that makes me happy too. This issue is probably my favourite...of the two that I am in.

My work on the awesome Hall of Fame players was only interrupted by lunch. Editor 3 made the trip with me, Editor 1 and Editor 2 today, something that I don’t believe has ever happened before. I think it was because he had arrived home late yesterday from Thanksgiving festivities and didn’t have time or what he needed to make or bring his lunch today.

But it was a good time. We went back to the pizza place that they had taken me to on my very first day at BA and the food was just as good as it was then. I think I might miss Randy’s Pizza when I am gone.

I have wanted to try and set up some sort of meeting for this week, before anyone going to Winter Meetings leaves, and talk to the editors about any possibilities for work, and ask if they might have a job available now, or in the future. Lunch changed my mind.

During the meal they asked if I had exams when I get back home. I said no, we don’t have any. And they asked if I have another semester of school or anything. Again I said no, we’re done when the internships are done. Everything is finished at school, outside of graduation. They asked what my plans were for when I go back. I just said that I am hoping to find something that pays me money.

So they know what I am doing, and what I am looking for. I don’t know what I could say at any meeting that I didn’t already get across during that lunchtime discussion. Obviously they don’t have any openings, or anything that they think I might be good at, because I would like to think someone would have brought it up if they did. That hope has kind of been blown out the window now.

They know I have to be back in Canada by the 13^th of December, but I hope they also know that if they want me to work here, they could just apply for a little bitty work visa for me. I’m wishing now. If only I had a magic genie.  

I would love to work at BA. I have been having a great time, and I love being around baseball all day and every day. And if it’s too much for me, lunchtime is a great opportunity to get in on football, basketball and sometimes even hockey conversations. But I like writing, and I love seeing my articles in print.

Before I came here, I thought I wanted to get into PR, and I really enjoyed my time with the PR department at the Argonauts. But I have discovered how much I like writing. It’s fun. I enjoy interviewing people and talking to them about something and then writing about it, even though sometimes it makes me nervous. I even like transcribing interviews, all the while trying to find some tidbit from the person I was talking to that might be the most important thing they said, or even just something that could help me in writing my story.

And I like writing about baseball more than I like writing about anything else. I guess the internship I applied to for next summer would be perfect for everything I am talking about. I would get to work with a beat reporter for a baseball team and write about the team every day. That would be equally as satisfying as writing for BA I’m sure. But I won’t hear about that potential opportunity until the end of January, and there’s always the chance that I will not get it.

I guess I just have to keep in mind that as sad as I am to leave, I have had a great opportunity here and a great time.

It’s been an awesome month, BA, and hopefully an excellent two more weeks.

Christmas cards and holiday movies (Day 30)

I love that American Thanksgiving has a four-day weekend. At the end of today however, mine will be over.

I slept most of the morning away, after not being able to get to sleep last night when I returned home from my exciting day. But I woke up ready to be productive. Well, I was at least hoping to be.

I finished painting everything that I have been working on and decided I wanted to also be finished with the Christmas presents I’ve started. I headed out to do a little shopping, despite my lack of funds. I was hoping that little factor wouldn’t get too far in my way.

First I went to Costco, because I thought they might have some really nice wrapping paper and ribbon sets, and I love wrapping presents, so that was what I was looking for. But they didn’t have any. So I thought I would look for cereal, because I finished off the last of my supply of Corn Flakes before I left home in the morning, but they didn’t have what I wanted in that department either. So I sampled some free samples and was on my way to the next place.

The dollar store was my next stop and it was much more successful. I got wrapping paper, ribbon, trinkets to go in the bags I had painted for my cousins, some more cards and everything I was looking for out of the dollar store. And it was conveniently right across the street from Costco.

From there I made a pitstop at Ross, because it was right next door, and I wanted to check out what they had in stock. And then I made my way to Kmart to get some UNC swag for my other cousin. That was a good stop too, and I got him a jersey, pajama pants and boxer shorts, because I knew he had asked his mom to start buying him boxers and I don’t think she did.

So I had what I wanted and I was ready to wrap some presents and pretend to get them under someone’s tree. On my way home I stopped to go tanning, and am still trying to figure out a way not to burn in Mexico. Mexico is now less than three weeks away and I am excited to get some vacation time in before I worry about the real world again!

I got home and went to work on the Christmas presents. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York was on TV, setting the perfect holiday mood for me as I wrapped. I now have beautifully packaged presents for my three youngest cousins and my mother. And I learned today that my brother received the sweatshirt I sent him home a few weeks ago and it fits him perfectly. He had to be prompted several times to tell me this, but now I know.

I wrote out some more Christmas cards and watched some more holiday movies, accounting for the majority of my afternoon and evening.

Thing 2 knocked on my door when she came home from her parents’ house to see how the recovery of my sickness was going. I told her I was pretty much confined to my bed on Black Friday, and we both agreed that was probably not the worst place I could have been. She ventured out to shop and was unsuccessful and unhappy with that decision at the end of the day.

She thanked me for coming to her house, and I tried to express my gratitude to her and her family for having me. I don’t think I got the message across, so I should probably do what my mother suggested and make her a card. I do enjoy arts and crafts, and now that painting is out of my life for at least a little while, it is back to the paper and glue. I should probably make cards for the people from Baseball America too, so now I have a new task ahead of me for whatever free time I find myself with.

And then she retreated to her room and me to mine. More movies and checking the updates of the Grey Cup online. I learned that not long into the game, the one person I actually know personally who was playing, was injured and taken off the field.

His name is Leron Mitchell and I used to work with him at a bar in London, a long time ago, when we both went to UWO. Since then, he’s played for the Toronto Argonauts and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the team he got injured for today. I guess he did some significant damage to his ankle, but since Montreal won the Grey Cup, and that had nothing to do with it, I don’t think it’s making any headlines.

The Alouettes are the first team to win back-to-back Cups since the Argos did it in 1996-97. That was when they had Doug Flutie, and their current president and CEO Bob Nicholson, was at the helm for his first stint. Maybe Toronto can have another chance next season, and better yet, an opportunity to do it two years in a row again when they host the 100^th Grey Cup in 2012.

I would love nothing more than for the Hamilton Tiger Cats to win the next Grey Cup, but being around the Argos all year this season gave me a new perspective on the rivalry. It makes for great games and great fun, but I do want to see success for all the people I met.

I want the Ticats to win though, and it’s been too long. The most recent decade was the only one in which they did not have a Grey Cup victory in their history. It’s about time they bring that cup home.   

But this year’s cup has a home, and it is in Quebec, that other part of Canada. And Canadian football is done its regular season play until next Canada Day. The excitement is over and UNC’s biggest success Darian Durant did not find a victory. Instead, he had a pass intercepted with 55 seconds left when his team was only down by three. Too bad for the Riders, who are now 3-15 in Grey Cup play.

More time for watching college football now I guess. But tomorrow morning I am back to baseball. For only two more weeks, so I better take advantage.

From the gridiron to the diamond...

I go to movies by myself (Day 29)

I am beginning to get my sense of taste back, and even my sense of smell. It will be nice to fully utilize them once again.

Today started well and then continued in that direction. I had a decent sleep for enough time to get rid of most of my sickness and woke up ready for the day.

Nicole and I had plans to head to the movies at the same time to see The Next Three Days, so I had that in my schedule for the late afternoon show. But I thought I would head to the theatre early and see another movie before it started. I decided on Burlesque, and I really liked it for what it was. And then I saw The Next Three Days and it was great.

My fellow movie-goer in Florida and I both enjoyed the fact that the characters escaped through Canada at the end of the movie (I spoiled that one for you if you wanted to see it).  I liked the flick because I thought it was mostly unpredictable, and I am a big fan of surprises.

From the movies I went straight to Nathan’s house, where I met his wife, two dogs and turtle. We left and picked up Conor and his wife, and headed to a restaurant somewhere not too far away. The food was great and at the end of the meal both couples tried to take my bill from the waitress. They were fighting over who would pay for my dinner! It was really nice of them, and Nathan said that they could at least pay for my dinner if they weren’t paying me to work. I’m really happy to help them out and they obviously appreciate what I’ve been doing.

Over dinner we mostly talked about the various driving laws and how licensing works in different places. Aly, Nathan’s wife, is from New Jersey, and Conor and his wife Cheryl are both from Seattle, Nathan is from Virginia and they all live in North Carolina, so we had an array of laws and driving regulations to talk about.

The laws in Ontario are probably a little less harsh though, since as I told them, my brother hit a girl while only in the second stage of the graduated licensing system, and he still managed to come out of it with all of his points and his full license. I explained that it wasn’t completely my brother’s fault, but that made a great story to introduce everyone to my family.

After dinner we went back to Nathan and Aly’s place to play some board games. Conor and Cheryl stopped at home to pick up some of their games and Cheryl brought the ingredients to make cookies when they came. The cookies were fantastic and I have come to understand that Cheryl is a well-known baker around BA.

We played a few different games that I had never heard of before and I think I kept pace in all of them. They weren’t very competitive, and everyone had a really good time. I really enjoyed my night with the couples and wouldn’t mind at all if they wanted to hang out again before I leave town.

It’s hard to believe I only have two weeks left here, and only one real weekend after this one is over. I don’t understand how quickly time has gone, and I think I will be leaving before I know it. I hope I’ve made a good enough impression at work for everyone to remember me, and think of me if they need anyone.

I heard there might be a job available when I was with the couples tonight. They brought up someone who had left and one of the wives asked if he’d been replaced yet. I think they mentioned the names of a couple of candidates, but I know that no one has been hired for the position yet. I don’t know exactly what the person did, or covered, but if he is no longer at Baseball America, and they haven’t filled his spot yet, then I think I can safely assume that there might be a job opening for the taking. And I would love to do the taking.

Especially after tonight. I could see myself living in the neighbourhood, hanging out with these people every once in awhile, working on baseball all day long, traveling every once in awhile to watch various players and tournaments. I think it would be a pretty good life.

I am starting to be confused about what I want though. I would love to come back to NC and work for BA, but I’ve applied for a paid internship with mlb.com for next summer and I think that would be a great opportunity too. I would be working with a beat reporter for a team, presumably learning how to do their job, and helping out. I don’t know when I might hear about that internship, but if BA wanted me, I am sure I would be willing to come back here.

I’m just confused because I’ve wanted to work with a team. But I have also wanted to have the opportunity for full-time employment. The real world is more confusing and scary as I approach it more closely, and I don’t think I am ready.

But I know I’ve been having a great time, and nothing will change that. BA has given me the opportunity to write, and participate actively with everything that their employees take part in. I’ve been able to help them, and they’ve been able to reciprocate. The people are fantastic and the job is fun. It’s been a good four weeks, and I know the last two will be the same, with maybe a little sadness because I know I’m leaving soon.

It’s been a great experience.