This collection of entries is from August 23, 2002.
THANK YOU ELVIS!!!!!
We were back at Comiskey Park tonight for what is always the strangest promotion night of the year- Elvis Night. Tons of Elvis impersonators - both professional and wanna be. There were three stages outside the park with impersonators performing. At least 5% of the people appear to be wearing Elvis-style sunglasses - with fake sideburns. Before the game, The E-Team - The Elvises of the Sky flew in the American Flag. (I was bummed - the weather was pretty weird and they couldn't jump after the game. They wear electric lighted jumpsuits, just like the Flying Elvises in the movie Honeymoon in Vegas.) The National Anthem was sung by impersonator Rick Saucedo. The only reason that I bring that up is a bit convoluted and "off topic" - over 20 years ago, we went to see a magician (who was a relation to our friend Teri) who was opening for Rick Saucedo. Teri brought her friend Kathy, and we went with my long-time friend Rick. They sort of "hooked-up" that night, got married, had 4 kids, and are still together. And to top it off, Kathy stumbled onto my website this past week (Hi, Kathy!). I'm going to have to find an old picture of us to put with this entry...
Anyway, during the game, there's Elvis trivia on the scoreboard. Some people perform in between some of the innings from on top of the dugouts.
The last time I saw my friend Peggy was two years ago, At Comiskey, on Elvis Night. Tonight, she was back with her husband Rob and daughter Maddie. It was absolutely great seeing them again. I knew they were at the game and went to visit them out in the bleachers. We sat around and talked and ate for an inning or so. Then they came over and visited us (our seats were along the third base side, pretty far down the line).
The weather is oppressive - it's not hot, it's in the low 70's, but the humidity is 94% and there's barely a wind. If feels stifling.
After the game, the Steppin' Out Dads do a little routine, then Shawn Klush ( a good impersonator) does a concert behind home plate. The E-Team was supposed to do their jump but FAA regs wouldn't let them. The night end with fireworks sponsored by Miller Lite.
Now, let's flash back a few innings... the White Sox have a charity raffle called Sox Split during the weekend games. Basically, you buy a ticket. The winner gets half the pot with the other half going to White Sox Charities. We actually won $804 back on June 28, 1998. Carol and I are both gamblers, so we always buy Split tickets when we go to the game. You never know.
Guess what? Yep, WE WON AGAIN. WE WON $3,585 !!!!! Thank you White Sox! Thank you Elvis!
Oh, the game? Sox lost 8-2. Against Tampa Bay. Against Tanyon Sturtze, who was 2-13 before the game and wound up pitching a complete game! We suck. One cool thing - Joe Crede hit the 1,000 home run by a White Sox player in new Comiskey Park (Frank Thomas was the first against Baltimore on April 22, 1991).
In a highly convoluted food challenge, the houseguests only win half the food they need for the week. But, they get Dunkin Donuts products for breakfast all week. Later in the day, Jason nominates Gerry and Amy for eviction. Later tonight, the houseguests are painting garden gnomes. Go figure.
If you haven't seen it yet, check out this trailer for a new film called Comedian with Jerry Seinfeld. I just love the trailer... you finally get a chance to see that "Movie Trailer Voice" guy... (have no idea if the movie is any good).
Time for another Friday Five...
1. What is your current occupation? Is this what you chose to be doing at this point in your life? Why or why not? Oh, crap, here we go again... another Friday Five that I can't answer... OK, other than being unemployed, my occupation has been a Messaging Engineer. I have wanted to maybe get out of day-to-day work and get into a more managerial role, but no one has seen that in me. And of course, no one has seen that over the past 14 months...
2. If time/talent/money were no object, what would your dream occupation be? Professional Gambler? Yeah. Oh, yeah. I love gambling. Being able to go to different casinos, have a good time and gamble... of course, this is where the "money has no object" part comes in. Of course I would need a bit more talent...
3. What did/do your parents do for a living? Has this had any influence on your career choices? My parents both worked for the government - The Veteran's Administration in fact. Mom stopped working soon after I was born. Dad retired from the VA. I don't see how this influenced me - except maybe in the concept of white collar work. I never was interested in anything physical, so blue collar work never appealed to me. Still doesn't.
4. Have you ever had to choose between having a career and having a family? No consciously, but Carol & I have been together for quite a long time and have chosen to not have any kids.
5. In your opinion, what is the easiest job in the world? What is the hardest? Why? No job seems easy to me right now. In this definition, I view easy as not only "little work or labor" but it also has to be something you enjoy as well. As soon as you don't enjoy it, it ceases to become "easy" and becomes laborious. Hardest? Parenting probably.
Ugh. I haven't shook this bug, or whatever it is that I have. I still have this weird knot in my stomach. I'm not as weak as I was, but I'm still not at 100%. And tonight is Elvis night!