Poor Andruw

I guess L.A. isn't as laid-back as Andruw would like it to be.... Someone's got it in for him, they're planting stories in the press. Let's just say the honeymoon is over for Andruw.

Meeting Rod Carew

It's not often that you get to chat with a Hall of Famer. It's even more uncommon to do so at an ambassador's house in Nicaragua. A fitting 'birthday present', my encounter with 7-time batting champion Rod Carew was quite memorable.

A friend of mine made it happen...knowing what a baseball junkie I am, she made sure that I was able to meet with the 1977 MVP, as he was here in Nicaragua as a representative for MLB, conducting baseball clinics and whatnot in this already baseball-mad country.

As it turned out, I showed up at the ambassador's house and mingled with some co-workers, sipping on some rum, and before long, the baseball delegation began showing up. There were execs, a handful of Dominican scouts, and, of course, Rod Carew. Biding my time, I eventually got to chat with the famous Twin and Angel icon from the 70s. I think I may have freaked him out when I introduced him to a friend of mine as 'the only man other than Ty Cobb to win 3 consecutive batting crowns'. He responded with eyebrows raised, 'Some people know my career better than I do....'. So, at that point, I decided not to mention that I knew he had stolen home 17 times in his career, and that he and Willie Mays share the distinction of winning Rookie of the Year, the MVP, and a batting title.

What we did talk about was the state of baseball. You see, Carew is a purist. He explained how great the Canseco steroid thing would eventually be for the sport, ferreting out the cheaters and the one-dimensional ballplayers, hellbent on hitting 'jonrones'(home runs). I mentioned that my dad had always taught me to 'hit the ball where it was pitched', and he replied that was what he tried to teach young ballplayers. Notably, he mentioned a particular admiration for Japanese players, such as Ichiro, and he commented that pitchers, such as Nicaraguan-born Dennis Martinez, would do 'whatever it took' to get hitters out (read: cheat).

Interestingly, I found out that Carew was a former Marine, and he and Tug McGraw were very close to being sent to Vietnam. Seeing that everyone at the party was there to chitchat with Carew, I limited my time with him to a subtle 15 minutes or so, returning to the rum and coke circuit with some of my embassy friends. In all, it was a great night.....a perfect beginning for my birthday....

Bourgeois Town

Well, I just got back from Washington D.C., the nation's capital.... Some of you already know the reason of my visit: to interview to become a Special Agent. Well, folks, it wasn't meant to be.... My background of brewmaster and east European studies didn't parlay well into a career of security and bringing down bad guys. I guess I could've got 'em drunk and bored them to death in the damp, basement room, with tales of Balkan despots....but I digress....

Actually, it was a great trip, a wonderful experience, if only to keep my interviewing skills from becoming too rusty in the hazy rain forests of Nicaragua. It's been awhile since I posted anything on this site, other than the occasional youtube clip and some videos of my offspring. So, here are some of my observations from my recent D.C. trip.

First of all, I must say that I had forgotten just how 'fast-paced' the U.S. is, especially on the East Coast. When I arrived, I was whisked around with great efficiency, from airport to subway station, to taxi stand, etc... One of the first things I did, post-interview, was to check out the Smithsonian. To me, this is a cleansing, reflective exercise. Our nation has a proud and illustrious history. This fact will not be lost upon you if you live in a place like Nicaragua. Don't get me wrong, Nicaragua has a colorful history....

Sadly, though, I found that the American History Museum was closed for renovations, so I quickly changed course, and went to the National Museum of Art. What a great idea! I've always been an avid fan of art. At one point, in my pubescent days, I fashioned myself to be somewhat of an artist. Although my output was modest, by absolutely all accounts, I enjoyed the genre. Naturally, my interest carried over into an appreciation of the artists themselves, their work, and how it fit into the chronology of the craft. So, I spent the better half of my 'free', non-interviewing morning, perusing the labyrinthian maze of our nation's art collection. In particular, I was drawn to the Spanish and Italian masters of the Dark Ages, the iconography of the earliest frescoes and religious themes, as well as the Impressionists of late 19th century fame. Seeing a Van Gogh up close, studying the brush strokes and really taking the time to interpret the paintings, I was really fortunate to be there on a lazy Thursday morning, sans the crowds and hubbub.

Well, gazing at masterpieces can make a man quite hungry, I looked for a bite to eat. But, seeing that it was such a beautiful day, I decided that I would take a nice little 45 minute run around the National Mall. Taking in the din of befuddled schoolchildren from Iowa, sunbathing interns, silver-haired politicos and the like, I ran around, taking it all in... I got to see, firsthand, a loud protest at the Capitol by organized dump truck drivers, honking and making a commotion, while driving around the for everyone to see. I went up and asked one of the drivers what they were protesting, to which he responded, 'high fuel prices man!'. Seems to be a theme these days....

At any rate, after my run, my next plan of action was to check out the Museum of the American Indian. Luckily, I resisted the urge to eat junk from an outside vendor, and decided instead to take my chances on museum fare. I was rewarded with some of the finest museum cuisine imaginable. The restaurant was divided into 5 regions, offering distinct choices that included buffalo chili, tamales, baked salmon, and seafood bisque. I ended up going with the baked salmon, with an asparagus salad, and turnip greens. This was simply the best meal that I'd had in the States in quite a long time. The museum itself was somewhat confusing, as the thematic approach only covered a limited amount of vast, Native American experiences. Overall, the mood is heavy, as the national guilt of Native American eradication is prominently portrayed. ...This fact actually makes me more proud of my country, as we have the confidence and intellectual honesty to explore this topic.

Finally, after a full day of American Indians and Art, I wandered over to the new baseball stadium over by the Navy yard, on the east side of the city. Wow! What a stadium! Now, if the Nationals can only match the impressiveness of the stadium... I showed up around 5pm, a little over 2 hours before the first pitch. For $5, I got a cheap bleacher seat, and moseyed down to try and catch a batting practice home run. Instead, I watched as some annoying 'ball hawk' was snagging everything coming our way. Otherwise, my experience was absolutely positive. The Marlins beat the Nats in a closely fought, late-inning back-and-forth affair. Afterwards, I quickly made it back to Arlington, via the ever-dependable Metro.

All in all, it was a memorable day....and a worthwhile trip to my homeland.

Brodie and Ewan

Here's the latest of Brodie and his baseball travails....He really loves this sport. I think he got the 'baseball gene' from his Grandpops (something that his Poppy didn't seem to get!)

Brodie Baseball Part 2

Also, we shouldn't forget little Ewan!

Ewan Wants Milk

Baseball with Brodie

Baseball with Brodie

Chipper Needs To Shut Up and Play Ball!

Well, there you have it.....the best take on the Braves that I've heard in awhile. Go Braves!....and long live the Kige!

Monday Morning Blues, 1st Installment

"If you pick up a guitar for the first time, it's a completely foreign instrument. You have six strings and 23 frets, and there are a jillion different combinations of hand positions. You have no idea what's going on.
"If you can learn a couple of songs, it unlocks so many different things in your mind when you're on the mound. I'm always experimenting. It's a principle I live by.''

-Texas Rangers Relief Pitcher and eccentric screwball C.J. Wilson

Truer words have never been spoken...As a novice guitarist myself, I can appreciate this statement. More important than actually playing the guitar, the instrument has busted some rusty padlocks off my post-college mind. Discovering a new chord structure, or finger-picking pattern is as exciting as actually playing it. They say that life is an adventure.....but I say it is the adventure that makes life what it is.

So, with that said, I'll share one of my recent efforts at guitar. This is a finger-picking version of an Elizabeth Cotten classic, 'Freight Train'. Cotten gained notoriety late in her life, proving that its not how you start out in life, what's important is how you finish. Born in the late 19th century in rural North Carolina, she toiled through the first half-century of her life, merely playing the guitar as a passing fancy as a youngster. However, she later had the fortune (I suppose) of working for the Seeger family, where her unique guitar style was 'rediscovered' by the musical-minded Seegers. Going from Mike Seeger's nanny to internationally acclaimed blueswoman, Cotten went on to perform worldwide, releasing several albums, eventually winning a Grammy in 1984 at almost 90 years old.

So, here's my version of 'Freight Train'....with a little help on vocals.....