Monday, April 1, 2013

I'M SO EXCITED


I awoke this morning to enjoying my usual stretches in bed, when suddenly the biggest grin I own pushed all my facial wrinkles to their farthest  corner.  April first is finally here!!!! I let out a yelp which scared Mighty right off the bed in fear and I leaped out of bed like a child on Christmas morning.

My boys of summer take the field this very day at high noon. Baseball season has started.  Oh yeah!!!!

Those of you who don't enjoy sports are in the midst of a big ole yawn right now. Those who do enjoy sports, may not even like baseball. Those who love baseball feel my joy.  

However when I say I am a huge Miami Marlins fan you may wonder at my sanity.  We are projected to lose 100 games this year. So what. That means they will win 62 so I have 62 super days ahead and 100 that are just OK. Yes I watch every game. 

Had I grown up in Chicago, I'd have been a loyal  Cub fan or had I lived a little more south, I'd have been a great Astro fan. We true fans "take a licking and keep on ticking." 

The Marlins have a bad track record. Not just winning wise for we have actually won two World Series in our short career. However, we are small market and when our guys get good enough to be paid well, they are sold off.  

We are jokingly called the minor league team for Major League Baseball. We develop young players for other teams to enjoy.  The upside of that is now matter who we play, I get to see one or two of my former favorite players on the other team. It is great to see them doing well.

I do get temporarily upset when my favorites go up on the auction block but then there is always a fresh, new and eager crop of new young players to peak my interest.  The newbies may not have the polished skills of the kazillion dollar players but they do have heart and the game has yet to become purely business for them. They have fun and desire.

Right now our lone hold over from last year is 23 years old.  We do have a 28 year old pitcher from last year but he is projected to be traded mid-season. We did add a few grizzled veterans that were cast offs from other teams. They are in their mid thirties which is old for a ballplayer. Not a team to put your money on. 

Our expectations of winning are low but I am really looking forward to seeing some fun baseball this year as I watch my young men learn and grow. Patti is happy. 

The older I get, the fewer in number of my pure pleasures. I am pretty much down to having my family and friends doing well; seeing my gardening efforts pay  off; discovering a delicious meal that is also healthy; finding a surprisingly good free book; the game of baseball and that marvelously regular morning bowel movement. 

As the days dwindle down so do our pleasures and the more fiercely we seize  them. At least I do. 

Do you find with added years, something that once was a passing interest has now become a passion??

44 comments :

  1. I'm not much of a follower of any sports, but my sister is an avid follower of golf, so everything in her life revolves around watching it, playing it, and talking about it! I've become addicted to reading blogs, and writing them! My life would be so drab without reading of the goings on of so many virtual friends. Like you, Patti! I'm glad for you to have this passion. :-)

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  2. Love it that someone else gets as excited over opening day as I do. I try to watch as many games as possible or parts of them on TV. My beloved Cardinals play Diamond Backs late tonight, but I will be watching.

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  3. I do enjoy a close basketball game Patti, not sure if it's a passion though :) maybe photography, I'm definitely getting into that so much more theses days..
    Btw enjoyed the previous 'crying' post and you're right it's not pretty but soooo' 'tension releasing' !!

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  4. I'm not a loyal fan to the Royals or the Chiefs...just finally got tired of losers. Just watched Moneyball and feel a desire to get back to watching some baseball. Now just need to pick a team I can get behind. Former passing interest, now a passion???...photography. Something new to learn and can go at my own pace. Fun Post!!!

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  5. I never paid attention to the passing seasons, but now relish the first spring buds, snow days, even summer heat. I am not a sports fanatic. I find watching games on TV boring. My brother-in-law, a seasoned TV sports watcher year round, says it is because my TV screen is too small. Oh well...

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  6. Patti
    I'm happy for your enthusiastic attitude. That fact alone, makes me happy. I seem to be changing my passions. I'll have to give mine a little time because this change is rather shocking to me.
    Enjoy your baseball.

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  7. I just posted about this today! I love baseball!! I am hoping my Cincinnati Reds can win the World Series this year :)

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  8. Ya know, I'm not into sports but you sure got my blood pumping with your enthusiasm. I love how you can turn a phrase, explain an issue and put some spin on excitement. I'm just excited for you and all the others who are about to hear.....play ball.
    Happy 1st day of the seadon. Oma Linda

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  9. After I recovered from my soap opera addiction, I became careful not to watch much on TV anymore. When waitressing, I would switch (or try to switch) the TV from sports to General Hospital at 3 p.m.

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  10. yep... this getting older business is really quite a todo. I realized all sorts of thises and thats as I turned 70 Thursday.

    well, actually it was really Sunday morning that 'it' hit me. I was too busy with my little three year old granddaughter... to do anything but hug her to pieces.

    70... man oh man oh man.

    I'm not into baseball ~ don't understand it ... same as with golf but I say... whatever steams yer bean is good stuff.

    Little Rock is blooming .... forsythia and the pear trees.. so pretty ~ but as you know we will have three days more of yuck beginning tomorrow then SPRING!

    gonna build a butterfly garden… in my old age? want to sit in the middle of butterflies fluttering about … I think so

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  11. I just love Little League Baseball and I loved baseball as a child. Now I watch only the Brewers and the playoffs.

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  12. I remember years when we had season tickets to two Seattle theater companies. Too much hassle to drive into the city now and park. So I guess that is dwindling of a sort.

    I love doing family research. I recently discovered that my grandfather had a marriage and divorce prior to marrying my grandmother. Now THAT is something to find out more about!

    When I was a kid I spent time with my father watching baseball games on TV. He was a military officer so he was kind of remote, but the two of us would sit there, snacks on the TV trays, and spend time together. Those were the days.

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  13. You are funny - we moved to GA 26 years ago - but I am still a Cubs fan. sandie

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  14. I'm finding just the opposite. The older I get, the more things I had a passion for become a now-and-then hobby. It's very frustrating, really.

    Enjoy the season! I think it's great you follow your team.

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  15. I have another blog friend who LOVES the Marlins... I am here to say that she REALLY REALLY loves the Marlins....

    Most of my blog friends are not sports people at all--but Lynn really is... Amazing that both of you are Marlins fans!!!! (She lives in FL)

    Hope your team does well. My team is the Astros --and they haven't done well in many years... When I lived in Texas --they were pretty good.. Don't know what happened. They are now in the American League....

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  16. Sports leave me flat but I'm pleased you enjoy them. Think where we'd be if all the world felt like me. Enjoy

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  17. I don't watch sports like I used to. I do watch the World Series, but I just don't watch a lot of tv anymore preferring to be on the 'puter or reading when I'm not busy.

    I prefer simple pleasures, always have, but I'd have to say that they are very important to me. I think about getting older and perhaps having to give up something I've always loved to do. So, I do think I enjoy them all the more now knowing the years are racing by.

    Good luck to your Marlins. Go Cards!! :)

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  18. I had to giggle at the image of a 'teenage you' jumping out of your bed because of football !!!!
    I have to agree that the things that brings one pleasure are reduced with age but I am not sure that the passion for any have increased. I attempt more crafts...dont always succeed ...but spend more money than I have to spare, on them.
    My daughter, however, says I have become more passionate about poor food in restaurants ...and hates going out with me ....on the rare occaisions that we eat out. She says also that I'm addicted to the WWW and I am passionate about Family History detective work....I probably would have to agree. xx

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  19. Djan,
    Thanks and I am so glad that you do. But then, you do that jumping out of airplanes thing which is a sport. Too bad they don't televise it more.

    Miss Dazey,
    If I didn't love the Marlins, the Cardinals would probably be my team. I do like that Freese young man as a player.

    Perthdailyphoto,
    And you should as you are good at it. I like basketball when something special goes on like Linsanity or the FGCU games recently.

    turquoisemoon,
    Photography seems to be something a lot of people are picking up. I am just so bad at it. You can't learn how to have an "eye" and I just don't have one. I love your puppy pics.

    Mercyn,
    Naw, screen size has no bearing. Don't feel badly, a LOT of people are turned off by sports. They really are just children's games played by almost grown men.

    Manzi,
    You always have your dancing which is your prime passion. Looking forward to your A to Z.

    Keith,
    I knew there was something special about you. I really enjoy watching Joey Votto play. Good luck this year.

    Linda Wildenstein
    Well thank you so much for the lovely compliment. You are so right, the sweetest words after a long winter are "play ball."

    islandwonder,
    I'll bet that was a hard sell if you had a lot of men customers though I did learn that a lot of ball players are addicted to the soaps. Did you have to go 12 steps?:))

    Carolyn,
    Well belated Happy Birthday. Hey, I still think of 70 as the good old days. Enjoy. Butterfly watching is a pretty good idea.

    NCmountainwoman,
    Your Brewers have my favorite Marlin of all time playing for them. Alex Gonzalez. His play at SS was just beautiful to watch. One of the best. Have a great season.

    Linda Myers,
    I used to listen on the radio to the baseball games with my mother. Special times. I understand how special it was with your dad.

    Sandie,
    Now that is what I mean. Cub fans set the bar high for all others. You all are the best.

    Barry,
    That is because you just aren't old enough yet which is a really good thing. You still have it all ahead of you.

    Betsy,
    Hay, your Astros whipped Texas 8-2 in their opener and had a wonderful Spring. This may be your year. I'll have to find your friends blog.

    Linda,
    Well there would be a lot fewer millionaires in the US. These young men really earn big money to play a game.

    Cheryl,
    You are right. When some of our pleasures are suffering from time limits, we do tend to hold them more dear.

    Angie,
    Well you certainly have some great interests, well maybe not poor food in restaurants:)) That is funny.

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  20. Believe me, I find pleasures every day that I don't think I even considered when I was young - you know what I mean, Patti! I'm not a sports fan, but you go gal!

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  21. I follow no sports... maybe every 4 years during the world cup. My dad is a soccer "psycho" hehehe and I learned the anthem to his club at tender age of 5... I am not athletic and am a proud couch potato ;-)

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  22. I have been hearing all day on radio and TV about the opening of baseball season. Our Seattle Mariners are playing right now in Oakland. But I am not much of a baseball fan. Soccer and football are my favorites. We will be going to a Sounder soccer match tomorrow night.
    I do have a special fondness for women who like to follow sports. Why should men have all the fun?

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  23. I find less passiom for everything, which works because i could really get worked up about stuff in my younger days...

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  24. I am so happy that people get excited over sports, though I don't go in for sports myself. I watch skating, for we have some great skaters overhere.
    Have a great baseball season, Patti!

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  25. "Do you find with added years, something that once was a passing interest has now become a passion??"

    I have to say I'm the opposite, the things I was once passionate about are now just becoming a passing interest. How did that happen??

    As for sport, I'll leave that passion to my eldest daughter and partner. :)

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  26. I, like you, look forward to more minimal things with great anticipation....I have become a BIG fan of The PGA Golf Weekends. There is something very satisfying to me about watching these very skilled and gifted men play their hearts out!
    And, let me say, I am SOOOO Happy for you that Baseball has started again. You certainly are a very loyal fan, my dear...!
    ENJOY, ENJOY!!!!

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  27. Whatever brings you joy, be it Marlins or Cubs. I was a Cub fan for years, but now I don't know. I only watch in September-October. It seems like my hubby and I only watch at playoff times (all major sports though) these days. But I'm so happy for you, enjoy the season.

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  28. Barb,
    Sometimes loss in one area makes the other areas more important and pleasurable. I sure hope you are doing much better soon. You are missed.

    Ana,
    Well me too. I watch my sports from the comfort of the couch.

    Linda Reeder,
    I know that you love your Sounders like I do my Marlins. It is fun to have a team to pull for isn't it??

    RMW,
    Hey, getting worked up can be fun. Sorry your passion has tailed off.
    I understand about those cry headaches. Add puffy eyes and raging sinuses and there aren't too many pluses.

    Reader Wil,
    Skating is beautiful to watch. We don't get much of it here except for the Winter Olympics.

    LL Cool Joe,
    You and Barry have about the same reaction. Since he is in your age bracket, it might be age specific.

    Naomi,
    I use to love to go to Golf Tournaments back in the day and dated several pro golfers. I used to really love watching Payne Stewart. Sure did like his knickers. It was just awful how he died.

    Inger,
    I am like you with all the other sports and usually only watch the play offs. Being a Cubby fan takes a special type of person. They are the loyalist fans in baseball.

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  29. I am a quasi-sports fan via my hubby. He turned me on to pro-basketball and pro-football games on TV. Right now, I am hoping that the Miami Heat win the national championship again.

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  30. oh certainly I have more passions now than ever before I don't know much about baseball Here rugby is the religion and in my home country it is soccer

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  31. Your third to last paragraph plus to the end is just how I am feeling today, more of less and planned to write a short blog.

    As you know football is my sport, but I do watch other sports as they enter playoffs

    Enjoy the baseball season--you deserve it.

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  32. You sure gave me a chuckle today. My hubby is pretty excited about going to the opening game of our feeder team for the Colorado Rockies tomorrow. I'm glad he is going. He loves baseball, but has lost some of the passion for it lately. I also love watching baseball. It is one of my favorite sports. I'm glad it is ball season again!

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  33. gigi,
    I can relate. Most of my sports enthusiasm came from watching with a guy that was addicted. Self defense.

    Marja,
    Welcome to TNS and thank you for stopping by and commenting. I have seen Rugby a few times and kind of wish it would make it over here. Those guys are tough.

    Nitwit,
    Thank you. Football used to be my main sport but my team never makes the TV here. I do enjoy the Hogs though.

    Sally,
    So glad to find another baseball fan. Have fun at the game. I love the minor league teams. I used to watch the AAA Dodger team in Florida all the time. They are just kids.

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  34. It sound to me like the Marlins could race the Twins to the bottom. Let's hope we're both wrong, Patti....:)

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  35. Patti I laughed so hard at your very last passion. Dang girl you are too funny.
    Also I have to tell you that when I read your comment you left me about the cowboy I laughed so hard. It feels good to let out a good loud laugh.
    Yes I do love baseball myself but don't watch it as much as you do.
    You remind me of my MaMa. She and I were big Astro fans and lived close enough to make a few games.
    I miss watching her watch her baseball. After reading this I know you get as excited as she did when the season starts.
    I hope your team does well and you enjoy every minute of it. I will watch them too to see how their doing.
    Have fun
    Love ya
    Maggie

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  36. clay, art, and travel, glad you have a passion too, keeps us out of trouble, poor Mighty scared to death. Ha.

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  37. Love your style of writing. It gave me a good laugh. I know how you feel about baseball, I feel the same about soccer.

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  38. TB,
    Ha ha, I think you have bragging rights. It took us 3 games to finally score a run and 4 games to actually win. A team only a mother or devoted fan could love. Good thing I am a DF.

    Maggie,
    Ha,ha we take our pleasures where we find them.
    I use to listen to the Indians with my mother. Those were great times. So far we have been skunked in three out of four but I still love them.

    Linda Starr,
    He still isn't use to my outbursts. You have good passions, enjoy.

    diane b
    Welcome to TNS. So glad you stopped by. I have no idea why soccer has not caught on here when it is huge everywhere else. Enjoy your season.

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  39. This isn't sports-related, but I find that the older I get, the more determined I am to reach my goals as a writer and poet. I only have one life, so if there's something I want, I need to grab it now. :)

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  40. I have never really liked to watch baseball. I loved playing softball in my younger days though. If I watch any sports it is usually tennis or an occasional football game. I wish there was something that would cause me to pop up and out of bed as quickly as you did on April 1st. lol Hugs

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  41. Dear Arkansas Patti, good luck with the garden. Like you, I can't both blog and get a lot else done! As to this wonderful posting on baseball, I simply loved the following that you said; ""take a licking and keep on ticking." That's the Royals also. We, too, here on the western edge of Missouri have a Major League team that really seems minor in that it supplies the players for the really big teams. But a game's a game! And watching the baseball ballet is a wonder. Peace.

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  42. I'm not a big sports fan at all although we were and still are big Cubs fans just because we lived north of Chicago.

    Have a nice break, Patti and enjoy your garden and a good book.

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  43. Not surprised you get so many comments - your blog is hilarious - a big help for all of us who are over sixty! Come back soon.

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  44. I wanted to leave a line... because I, myself, have reached the age of either/or...

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