West Palm Beach

I’m not even going to point out the fact I have been absolutely awful on updating this…so let me catch you up in a nutshell what has happened since my last post in March.  I had an awesome time on spring break, finished up my last real semester of college, started and finished summer school in six weeks (officially DONE with college!), moved home in June, and spent the remainder of my summer at the lake in Culver, with some of my best friends in Chicago,  and rounded my footloose and fancy free time off with a mini-vaca to Florida in July. So, that’s that. This is what happened next:

As my life seemingly keeps guiding me away from the Midwest, I have found myself in Florida, again.  This time, however, I moved to West Palm Beach to work for The Breakers Palm Beach in their Golf Operations.  I have been in orientation and training for the past week and have my first “real” day tomorrow.  I am beyond excited to work for such a great family owned resort–something really rare for a hotel/resort in this day and age. If anyone ever visits Palm Beach, you can find me in the golf clubhouse! We have family friends down here who have been a tremendous help to me getting acclimated with the area and I can’t thank them enough.  When I moved to Fort Myers in 2008 and 2009, I didn’t have to worry where to live and had friends already down there–this time is a little different.  Luckily, though a couple connections, I have met a few people and went out last night on Clematis street, where all the bars and restaurants are in West Palm Beach.

It’s kind of funny trying to make friends when you’re older…when you’re little, you can attract friends because your mother forcefully made you play with your neighbor or set up a play date or you had a really cool new toy or Nintendo.  At 23, the newest “toy” I have is my iPhone and I really don’t think I’m going to draw any friends with that.  That being said, it takes being out of your comfort zone to try new things, meet new people, and really rely on your personality to make the most of your surroundings.  For instance, I didn’t meet anyone, but I went to the movies alone the other day.  Granted, I went at 4:05 so I didn’t feel like THAT much of a loser (but I mean really, it was kind of nice watching it in silence, not having the person next to me asking questions or what not) but a lot of people find it very uncomfortable doing things like this alone.  I am definitely not a ‘loner,’ per say, but I don’t mind going to movies alone or shopping or exploring. Lucky for me, downtown West Palm, right along the intracoastal, offers plenty of things to do and see.  And, I don’t seem to be the only newbie around here.  My friend and I also met someone last night at Roxys (a bar on Clematis) that had just moved here not too long ago.  Welcoming him into our “newbie” group, we all exchanged numbers and have plans to grab dinner/drinks again soon.  So, apparently, THAT is how you  make friends when you’re my age.  Sit at a bar in a very small number to show you don’t know anyone and wait for a bite.  In our case, it worked and we weren’t even trying.  Whatever works, right?   Anyway, this is life as of right now…let’s hope my friend count keeps growing!

np

Florida Bound….But for now, the Indianapolis International Airport

It’s not often I have not one, but two hours of free time on my hands where I don’t have ANY homework waiting for me.  No Stat S-300 folder sitting lonely in my backpack, no “Espanol Tareas” to complete (Spanish homework) and no Sport Marketing P418 waiting for me to figure out what market I am targeting for the next up-and-coming sport product.  No, readers, I am sitting in the Indianapolis International Airport, very new and clean might I add, waiting for my 7:14 p.m. flight to Ft. Myers, Florida, home of the Spring Training Minnesota Twins, their High-A affiliate Fort Myers Miracle, and many of my good friends that I have made since making this sandy, sun-filled state my second home.

Currently, I am sitting at an un-named sports bar watching the Indiana Hoosiers basketball team hopefully defeat Northwestern…and if they lose, hopefully it’s  in exciting fashion….an exciting loss is almost as good as a win for us these days.  Ah, but I am optimistic that by the time I return to IU to see if I have really outgrown Kirkwood and Walnut that the basketball team has redeemed itsself.   To might right is a man dressed in a suit that is worth at least five times that is currently in my bank account talking about “capital trust, capital qualified, and capital non-qualified trust” on his BlackBerry Tour.  To the left of me is a man from the East coast, only identifiable by his thick accent that I hear all too much on the IU campus.  His heaping plate of pasta and bread sticks that he brought from the “authentic pizzeria” across from the bar also gave him away.  Have you ever seen the movie “For Love of the Game?”  If you have, remember the man in the airport rooting for the Yankees?  According to IMDB, his real name is David Mitchell Evans.  Anyway, he precedes to name every Yankee player and their number dating back eons and is a general annoyance to everyone else in the bar.  Yeah, that is who I am sitting by right now.  Between him and Mr. Business on my left (Tour still glued to his right ear discussing an account in Persia), I am stuck somewhere between the Bronx and Wall Street.

I also just ran into my journalism Sport Research J-460 professor, on his way to Maryland, where he lives permanently.  Good think he canceled class today…apparently we both had important flights 🙂

Oh, IU is leading 20-17 over Northwestern.  HOO-HOO-HOO-HOOOOOOSSSIIEERRRS!

np

Take Me Back to Florida!

This time last year, I was preparing for the big move to Florida….and currently, I am stressing about job searching, studying for my Spanish final, and how I am going to handle 19 credit hours next semester.  However, I just found out I can graduate in June instead of August–that definetely brightened up this 13 degree weather day!

Speaking of weather, TAKE ME BACK TO FLORIDA!  Not only do I miss the amazing weather (ok, June, July and August was downright BRUTAL), but I miss the whole experience I had from January 2009-August 2009 while I was down there.  Anywhere from 70-100 hour work weeks (yes, 100 hours in a week.  I reached that feat twice last summer) that included dressing up as the mascot, supervising an all-night Boy Scout overnight in the outfield, and re-programming cash registers weren’t always a blast, but when I look back, I really did love it.  After so long, it’s almost like I got a euphoric high off working so much and not really knowing what I would be doing everyday.

It’s this experience I had that helped me figure out that I don’t want to do a normal 9-to-5 job after college.  My mom is a retired 7th grade English teacher, and she always says that teachers have the best schedules–you work the same hours your children are in school, you have the same breaks, and you have the summer off.  I 100% agree.  My mom was a GREAT teacher–however, I would not be.  When the day approaches that having a family presents itself, I’ll worry about how my job plays into that.  But now, with graduation 6 months away, I want nothing more than to move, hopefully start a promising job, and be on my own.

Yes, I said be on my own.  So many people say to “Stay in college as long as you can! The real world isn’t that great! Become a lifelong member of Kilroys!”

As cool as that sounds, I really DON’T want to stay in college for as long as I can.  I realize that the “real world” includes bills, being cut off from my parents (more or less…hoping for a little help from M & D to get me started….Hi guys!), and essentially being broke for a while (funny side note–we went to visit my sister in Nashville right after she graduated and to save money, she turned her heat down to 60 degrees…We were so cold that my dad threw some money on her bed just to get her to turn her heat up!).

Keeping the fore mentioned in mind, I know it’s not always going to be fun, I can’t buy all the things I want or used to buy (I will be switching to ALL generic brands at the grocery…luxury of a struggling college student: parents lovingly (or reluctantly) pay for my groceries!) and the work holiday parties will be mildly dull compared to the weekends out in Bloomington.

I would love to be Peter Pan and “never grow up,” but it’s approaching…quickly.

As Asher Roth shouts “I love College!!!!” in his ridiculously popular song (circa last year), I agree–I love college…but not enough to stay forever.

So in June, I will take my last victory lap around Kirkwood and Walnut (don’t worry, I’ll be back to visit) and switch out my “going out clothes” for work clothes.

So from now until then, check back about my job hunt, finishing up college, and other witty pieces of enlightenment.

Happy Holidays!

np

Extra Innings

 

Back at School! .... yes, it is a fixer-upper!

 

Wow, it has been far, far too long since I let all my readers (yes, plural…Mom, Dad, Hillery) hear about the ins-and-outs of MILB. For times sake, yours and mine, I will just quickly re-cap basically the rest of the summer:

-The All-Star Game was great–so much fun!  (side note: our entire party deck was destroyed in an HORRIFIC storm the night before the game…with a quick cleanup and a few repairs, we were still able to have a few beer/drink remotes on the deck. )

-The Miracle went through a couple weeks of EXTREMELY long games (4-41/2 hours each) that made for some REALLY long workdays.

-The Miracle made several roster moves, and even had a member of the 2008 Miracle “make it”…. Jeff Manship was called up by the Twins in mid-August and has been pitching great!  Steve Singleton also got called up to AA  and had a great remainder of the season in New Britain.

-Speaking of Singleton, I might add that I was his partner during baseball camp  and got nailed directly in the shin which resulted in a nasty bruise…no defense on his part.  I was soon delegated to just throwing baseballs back into the bucket. 

Visit miraclebaseball.com for more news!

-Not only did I pass Econ (phew!), I also took Spanish II and Government….I highly suggest taking summer classes!

-One of the other interns (Taylor) and I became BFF’s (I know you appreciate ‘abbrev’s’, Hill) and I talk to her a few times a week while she is at school in North Carolina

-My roommate over the summer, Tracey, moved into a new condo with some girls she works with.  She still works on the beach at a resort, lucky her! (ROUGH LIFE, T-MONEY!).

-I moved back to Indiana on August 14th and got to spend a couple days at the lake with my family…great to see everyone!  I also got to go back up during Labor Day weekend with my family and some friends.  My wake-boarding skills were a little rough, considering it had been over a year since I had last been out on the water!

So, now we’re back to the present, and I am currently finding myself with about 45 minutes of extra time before my next class, which is highly unusual. I’m taking 15 credit hours, and my K300 Stats class has been one of the most challenging classes I have ever taken.  I wish I could say I liked challenges (and I do, just not mathematical ones), but when its detrimental to my GPA I feel a little disgruntled towards the subject.  Spanish III is also a challenge, but I try to remember that knowing Spanish is essential in the sports world, especially baseball. 

My schedule isn’t the best; I usually like to get all my classes out of the way by two or three in the afternoon so I have the rest of the day to work, study, or here lately, JOB SEARCH!  But, alas, that is not the case this semester and my classes start at one or later every afternoon, except for Friday (my 7th semester without Friday class!).

When I do have spare time, I’m an active member of IU’s Hoosier Sports Business Organization and volunteer in the IU Athletic Media Relations Department.  Oops, did I say spare time?  I wrote that last line almost two days ago, and here I am, on the 1st floor of IU’s library, procrastinating studying for my Stats test tomorrow.  So no, this is not spare time.  This is time being wasted.  But….as John Lennon said…”Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.”  

So here’s to me, for wasting time.  And here’s to you, for reading this.  I thank you, and will be back again soon!

 

np

FSL South 1st Half Division Champs!

1st Half South Division Champs!

~All-Star Game~

Chris Parmelee, Champion of the HR Derby!

Hey fans (if there are any out there…)!   I know I have been a little here-and-there on my updates, but I am in the middle of taking Spanish II and Gov, on top of working,so life is a little busy right now! On a GREAT note, Econ ended well and my grade will transfer back to IU as I had planned. 

  Anyway, the Miracle wrapped up the first half of the season by clinching the FSL 1st Half Division title and hosting the 2009 Florida State League All-Star Game. It turned out to be about a 29-hour work weekend (Friday and Saturday) but it was a great time and the Miracle received compliments right and left about the production of the entire weekend.  The South lost the game, but our own Chris Parmelee won the FSL All-Star Game Home Run Derby!  Starlin Castro of Daytona was the MVP of the game, going 4-for-4 on night.   

Here are a few links to some interesting game recaps and photos!  

http://www.miraclebaseball.com/news/?id=7579  (Miracle Recap)

http://www.miraclebaseball.com/fanzone/index.php?cat_id= 

 http://prismpressgroup.org/?p=3775 (GREAT pictures by Prism Press Group!)

http://prismpressgroup.org/?p=3956 (All-Star Game overview and recap)

http://prismpressgroup.org/?p=3953 (HR Derby coverage)

Prism Press Group did a great job with their coverage of the game, and Dave Dorsey, of the News Press, had his story (the Miracle recap) featured on MiLB.com!

Peace, Red Sox, & Rain

 

 

Amanda, Alicia, Me, & Sarah before the game!

Just a couple new pictures from work and life!  We had “Party in Polyester” (aka 70’s night) @ the stadium the other night (I think I thought I was Disco Barbie) and I also went to the Rays-Red Sox game a couple weeks ago.  Also, after an EPIC tarp pull on Wednesday, (in which the tarp did NOT make it across the field…it got stuck, thus forcing the cancellation of the game…which would have been cancelled anyway due to the torrential downpour), I documented the aftermath of our field…. enjoy!

 

Gary (Media Relations Director) and I! Peace 🙂

I also had a good time @ The Trop… made a road trip up to Tampa with Amanda (game-day intern), Josh (Food and Bev asst.) and Caity (fellow friend, blogger, and Twitter’er.)

 

Amanda and I tailgating in downtown Tampa!

So, the grounds crew said they “were already planning on ‘re-sodding the infield’ but we I have a high suspicion the tarp pull on Wednesday night might have had a hand in this mess: 

 

Weather: Sunny. Infield: Gone

Progressing…

 

Weather: Looming clouds. Infield: Coming along

Wruh-Wroh…

 

Weather: Torrential downpour waiting to happen Field: Grounds crew still on it..

Sh%#!

 

Weather: Torrential hurricane-like downpour aftermath. Field: Pitching mound sliding towards Visitor's dugout...

No worries, the grounds crew has been hard at work today.  Good thing… we have a home-stand starting on Wednesday!

Happy Friday Funday!

np

Twitter

 

Joy and I at the Charlotte Stone Crabs opening night!

 

 

Hey everyone!  Sorry for the delay… I have had family in town, games to work, and sleep to get!  

To catch up a bit, the Fort Myers Miracle are currently in FIRST place in the FSL (Florida State League) and boast a 11-6 record.  Twins catcher Joe Mauer has been on the road with the Miracle for the past five days rehabbing and should be back in Minnesota ready to play on Friday.   Check out http://www.miraclebaseball.com/ to see our roster, news, and updates!  

In other news…Who is on Twitter?  I joined recently and was skeptical at first but LOVE it.  I can “follow” ESPN, Sports Center, Time, the Twins, etc.  That way, every headline shows up on one page and I can click from there to read the article.  It saves so much time and I only get the news I want!  It’s also fun/silly to follow some celebrities… some of my favorites include Giuliana Rancic from E! (amazing tips on working out/health), Perez Hilton (admit it, you like him too…) and Kim Kardashian.  You can also follow Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia and Twins catcher Joe Mauer…neither one “tweet” consistently but it’s an oddly fascinating thing to read their “140 characters or less” updates.

You can follow the Miracle (search Fort Myers Miracle or Gary Sharp) and myself, Nat32.

Also, hope you all enjoy a couple of my new pictures (NJP & Friends)…the ones of Joy and I are in our new jackets the Twins gave us in appreciation for Spring Training!  Too bad it was only chilly enough to wear them one night…

np

About Me!

I recently read my entire blog (looking for changes, etc) and realized that some of you who read this may really wonder who I am and what I’m all about–my “Who IS this girl??” doesn’t really provide the 411 on why the heck I am taking a semester off school and why I chose to come here to Florida.

 

As I’ve mentioned before, there is a point in time (22 or 72) where some people come to a screeching halt, parking break and all, look around, and realize they are not happy.  Signs might have been missed leading up to this point, but boy, you want to get the heck out of wherever you are and whatever you’re doing.   Unfortunately for me, this occurred last fall. I had had it- I was done being at the library until 3am, done spending hours studying for a test that was multiple question A-F, and done wishing I was doing something else.  Although I have to return to all that in August (I am already mentally preparing myself), what I am doing now has been great for my self and my resume–and will hopefully launch me into some kind of career after graduation (ahem…after the 5th year victory lap. Or 4.5 yr. Not sure about that yet…).   I have met great people and love the area I live in–the people at Circle K know my name (they will soon forget, as I am on my second coffee-free day in months…tea from now on!) and I have made “when I get to the condo..” into “when I get home…”

 

Digging a little deeper to who I really am…. it’s hard to describe yourself to a virtual world–the majority of the people reading this I know and those I don’t will probably never meet me.  However…

I have multiple pairs of “going out shoes” in my closet (organized by height), but I work sometimes 13 hour days at a ballpark, where heels are somewhat made fun of… (See previous post)

If you look in my fridge, I have Heineken Light sitting next to boxed wine.  You can trick anyone after the wine is in a glass–who knows that much about wine at 22 anyway?  However, everyone loves a great beer.

I love getting my nails done; again, I also work at a ballpark.  The two are like oil and water. 

I love to write, yet my job poses a small distraction.

Everything seems to be tying back to my job….

Rap is my favorite kind of music, yet I know most words to every country song.  I’m from Indiana. 

Nothing beats where I am at the moment (on my lanai..palm trees blowing..small breeze coming in)

i’m a girly-girl with a love for sports–that’s just about like the manicures/ballpark situation.

without going on, and on, and on, this is a small glimpse of who the typist is behind this fun, sometimes (hopefully) insightful, and somewhat silly blog. 

hope you all continue reading, and thank you for the great comments and feed back!

np

People Watching….

Can I join the Safari??

 

I don’t know one person who does not like to ‘people watch.’   Its airport entertainment, a laugh from your drivers seat in rush-hour traffic, and a strain of your neck as you do a double take…”is she REALLY wearing that?!”

Needless to say, between yesterday and today at the stadium I got my far share of people watching in.  Stationed on the Party Deck (1st baseline), I saw a few categories of baseball game goers that could be seen throughout Hammond Stadium :

1) The Guy Too Old To Be Bringing a Baseball Glove to the Game

This guy is in his mid to late 30’s (with or without a child in tow, double points for matching shirts/gloves with his son), has a backpack slung over his shoulder with multiple items for autograph signings (not his own…) for after the game, including our $6 souvenir bat sticking out from the top.  After multiple attempts of catching a ball, he finally gets one, bare-handed, and continues to shake his hand around in pain after his catch, only to emphasize that any man in his mid to late 30’s should not catch a baseball barehanded…. again, you BROUGHT A GLOVE TO THE GAME. This act is concluded by handing the ball to his son or keeping it for himself, the latter of the two drawing loud ‘boo’s’ from the crowd.

2) The Girl Who Wore a Dress/Heels/Sparkles to a Day Game….

I have nothing against dresses and heels (nix the sparkles), but there is a time and place for everything.  Recently, I saw a girl walk in the front gates of the stadium in a dress I wore out in South Beach for my sister’s bachlorette party (under the Pictures tab, I am wearing it in the picture with my sister).  It’s pink, a tiny bit clingy, and definitely not appropriate for the ballpark (purely my opinion). Maybe she had big plans that night that at 1pm she had to be dressed for. What do I know.  Planning ahead is a good trait in a person. 

3) The Miserable Child with His Overeager Parents..

This poor child has very little, if no interest, in baseball or being at the ballpark on a hot, sunny day.  He is more excited about the inflatable Twins beach rafts versus the Twins hitting back-to-back-to back homers (3/23/09).  His parents are on the The Vacation of a Lifetime (either preceded or followed by a trip to The Best Place on Earth…Disney World), complete with fanny packs and a little bit of sunscreen not so rubbed in on their noses.  If they are from up North, their attire might include a Hawaiian shirt, khaki shorts, and white tube socks with their sandals or boots (the above picture was taken today..too bad you can’t see his socks/shoes/rest of the family)…because they need to stand out a little more than they did before (their pale skin/enormous amounts of sunscreen are clue indicators…).  The kid is dragged around with one hand from concession to concession, souvenir stand to souvenir stand, where Dad is testing all the ballpark food and trying to find a score sheet (only included INSIDE the program, for $5.  We’re not a subsidiary of Dollar General, so please don’t complain about the price.  Nothing is free.) and Mom is catching every riveting moment of The Vacation of a Lifetime with her new camera.  So touching.

Although there are numerous other observations, these were repeat offenders throughout my two days on the Party Deck… if only I was there more often. 

 

np

Spring Training Update

 

Wow, I have been so busy lately!  Glad I finally have a chance to catch up.  We’re right in the middle of spring training, and although fun, I’m already a little exhausted.  A few highlights in the past couple weeks:

-The Netherlands and Puerto Rico played the Twins recently; fun to see WBC teams in Ft. Myers! 

-I literally “ran into” Pudge down in the tunnel–he walked into the office as I was walking out, thinking he was walking into the clubhouse.

– I met Tony Oliva (in the Twins Hall of Fame).

-George Toma (legendary artist of field prep) asked me when I was taking him to dinner (he favors Perkins while reading USA today); then proceeded to ask if he could come to my 22nd birthday party (this Saturday…we’re going to the beach!  What a lucky day to have off).  He had his 80th birthday on the 50 yard line at midnight after the conclusion of the Super Bowl this year …how do you top that?  He said he would get me a copy of his book too–what an interesting guy, can’t wait to read it.

-I met JOHNNY PESKY on St. Patty’s day @ City of Palms Park (where the Red Sox spring train) before the Red Sox/Twins game… I was told no more people could get pictures/talk to him because he had been out in the sun long enough already (he is in his mid-upper 80’s) but after quickly explaining my ties to him, I got to be the “absolute LAST person in line”….that is verbatim from a Boston usher who was not too pleased nor impressed that my Grandpa Platt knew him.  I explained to Mr. Pesky who I was and that my Grandpa coached him and he seemed a little foggy at first, but quickly repeated my Grandpa’s name and said he remembered those days.  

     I was so excited and nervous to meet him, but he is such a great man and the epitome of a an old-time baseball player.  A young boy was standing a little behind me and while Mr. Pesky was walking up the steps, he asked the boy to throw him the ball.  The boy threw the ball to the lengendary player and Mr. Pesky threw it back saying, ” Now you can tell all your friends the oldest guy in the ballpark caught your baseball.”  As he continued walking up the stairs, he was surrounded by a few ushers and loudly said, “Where the hell were you guys when I was a player?  I could have really used you then!”

        He also called me ‘good looking’ and ‘blondie’ in the whole two minutes I talked to him… the man still knows how to flatter a girl!

      I hope some of the baseball stars of today realize what a refreshing impact they can have on families and kids that come visit the ballpark–especially when the economy is the way it is and baseball is still an affordable form of entertainment–because Mr. Pesky certainly made the young boys day, and made me smile at the same time.  

    The weather has been great down here lately, and I’m excited to spend Saturday at the beach celebrating my birthday!  I looked at my calendar,  and I have exactly six weekends off between now and when I leave in August–I’ve got to start planning trips to Miami, Key West…. I’ll stop there, for all those who are still dealing with cool temperatures up North.

 

np