Downtown is DODGERTOWN.

Downtown LA is home to the Elysian Park neighborhood. That area is best known as the location of Dodger Stadium and recently their management made a huge deal, sending among others, James Loney to Boston. (Two players to be named later were also a part of that package, not sure if that part's been finalized yet, but I'll update this as soon as I know.)

Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, Nick Punto and former San Diego Padre Adrian Gonzalez (and like Colorado's Gonzalez is "Car-Go," you can.. well you know what? You CAN call him "A-Gon",  and when he hits a homer he's "A-GONE!") (Just a little baseball humor there, haha.) were the marquee players traded to our beloved Boys In Blue. (Though I didn't quite get the including of the injured Crawford until all the facts became revealed to me-- it was done to dump his salary- such is the nature of the business!)

Just like ESPN analyst Tim Kurkjian and most of the other general managers in the Major Leagues, I too found myself stunned that the deal went through. "What--- it went through?!?!"

It was in that moment that I whispered, "Thank you Ned Colletti, THANK YOU!"

And my friends have been chiming in, they're excited too, "Adrian Gonzalez homers in his first at bat as a Dodger, GO DODGERS!" (And that of course, happened in last night's game. )

Go Blue, Think Blue INDEED.


My Love For The Game, My Affinity For All Things "Dodger Blue".

Maybe it was watching Ramon and Pedro Martinez pitch in 1990, maybe it was the replays of Gibson's  immortal home run from the 1988 Series (or was it the fact that they, even TODAY, still seem to play that over and over with Vangelis' Chariots of Fire acting as the theme on occasion-- okay.. maybe that came from Dodgers fans on Youtube when they make videos with said footage, but let's not get technical here! :D

I know for sure that it all comes back to moments with my parents, yes, Mom AND Dad, who've both told me stories of how their memories of the game stayed with them.  And most important of all, the memories baseball has given us when we spent time around the game together, from my brother's days a Little Leaguer (where I had developed a passion for teaching for the first time-- hitting, that is!) or going to Dodger Stadium, whether it be with a group of friends or as a family.

The last two years on or around Father's Day weekend, Dad and I have joined the local Boy Scout Troop (he's the troop's assistant scout master) at Chavez Ravine for a ball game.

Now that's a great memory.

Until next time, Don't just Think Blue, BLEED BLUE,

M.

Happy Birthday Manda!

My cousin Amanda and I are seen here in a photo from a trip to New York in the Summer of 2003. We're standing in front of the Baseball Hall Of Fame in Cooperstown!

(Happy birthday Manda Panda!!)

Flashback Fun 2/2: World Youth Day 2005.

I mean, even back then we weren't sure what we were looking at: talk about an opitical illusion! Triiiiippy.

Flashback Fun: World Youth Day 2005. (1)

Marcela? You can't see clearly, but I KNOW that's you! HAHA!  That is (and was) so the last time I give/gave Richie my camera. I trusted YOU with it and you took pictures that were much clearer. ( Rich got/gets an A+ for effort though.)

(2)A Shot of the altar from my spot in the congregation during mass at St. Peter's in Vatican City.

and of course the third picture is St. Peter's Square: Marcela, THIS is proof that you're a much better photographer than Rich! You took this, and my mom took a very similar photo during her trip to Rome! You were standing at opposite ends of the Square (and you took this from the steps), but I judged it, and you appeared to be standing in the exact same spot!! That's kind of cool if you think about it, right?

Music and Love: Both Make The World Go Round

"Every day is a new day, I'm thankful for every breath I take. I won't take you for granted (I won't take you for granted) so I learn from my mistakes."


And so there it goes, the opening to "Alive" by P.O.D.

And no song lyric has meant more to me over the past three weeks than this one.

I've dealt with a lot of painful things, more specifically, a lot of loss over the past nine or so months, and  every time I think about what's been going on recently?


I turn to this song and my heart swells with gratitude and humility, and I can't help but smile.

But it's not the first time that this song has saved me or set me free. (or for to be humble for that matter.)

That's why I love it!

Hectic, Eccentric, Eclectic

I've come to realize three things. Now, they may not be very important, but they've really helped me make through the last few months or so.

Prayer: Because Life can be hectic.

Laughter and Humor: Because both things can, at times, make me seem a bit eccentric.

and of course, music, and some have said my musical taste is?


You got it: eclectic!

And here we go. Back on Blogger!!

Ladies and gents, hello once again to all of you. It's so good to not only be back in the blogosphere, but it's equally as good to be back in the blogosphere right here on Blogger!!

What a renaissance I've gone through in the past two months!!

Wow, it's been exactly two months!!


You know, that's what happens. And it happens when you're not expecting it to: just when you're about to give up, something happens.

There's always that one event that occurs to wake you up, to give you clarity, to make you realize!

And that's why I'll never forget where I was, what I was doing, and a certain sequence of events on the evening of June 11th 2012.

I couldn't possibly forget them now, and I honestly believe that I may NEVER forget them.

Where: Elysian Park.

What: Watching the Dodgers play!

That certain sequence of events: so, I'm sitting there watching the game and Tweeting on my phone. Halfway through the fifth inning, my phone freezes twice consecutively.

at 8:39 and 8:40pm.

(A week later, I'd finally come to learn that maybe that wasn't so random an occurrence after all. and not only THAT, but that when you least expect to be, you're taken the ride of your life and you should ALWAYS 'buckle up.')

How did it renew my spirit and reinvigorate my faith?

Well that's a post for another time.

Happy Sunday (and good morning) to you my friends.

Love, Blessings, Miracles and Faith,
Melanie.