A Year of Blogging: March 31, 2011

Today is a very important day to millions of people, many of them my friends. It's a day we've waited for through the long winter months. It's a sign that this bitter cold won't last forever. It's a day that turns calm book worms into screaming maniacs. What has us so excited? Is it Tater Day? Bunsen Burner Day? Or Clam on a Half Shell Day? No! While all of those are the 'holidays' for March 31; this year it is a much more interesting day. March 31, 2011 is Opening Day of Baseball! Baseball. America's past time. The boys of summer are back. It was in the low 40s in Cincinnati today, and possibly colder in the Bronx. But it felt warmer hearing the cracks of bats, the roar of the crowd. As one of the weathermen in Cincinnati said tonight 'The fans won't remember how cold it was. They'll just remember the win.' As a child, I was not a baseball fan. My sister was the baseball fan. She liked baseball and pro football. I liked NASCAR and hockey. Between us, Dad had all his sports covered. My father, a die-hard Yankees fan, took a bus trip with my grandparents and my sister to Shea Stadium to see the Mets play. My grandparents and my sister were big Mets' fans (she has since converted from the dark side and is now a Yankees fan). He took me to the Montreal Forum during one of the last seasons it was open to see our beloved Canadiens play hockey. I had no interest in baseball, I thought it was dull. I don't know what changed my mind. About 10 years ago, I started watching the occasional game when it was on. It was hard to get Yankees games living in SW Ohio! For the past five or so years, I have ordered the MLB Extra Innings package- which allows me to watch all the Yankees games from my house in Ohio. Once I was able to do that, I was hooked. When the Yankees organization started talking about building a new stadium, I asked my Dad to take me to Yankee Stadium, the house that Ruth built. Dad was thrilled! We went to the stadium in June, 2007. We went to the new stadium in December, 2009 and took a behind the scenes tour (courtesy of a Christmas gift from Mom). The start of baseball season means Dad and I have something to talk about again. The past couple of months, we haven't had much to talk about. Yes, we still have hockey, and I ask him about NASCAR, even though I'm really not into it any more. Neither of us watch all the hockey games (I always forget to order the hockey package which would allow me to watch them just like I do the baseball games, until it's too late in the season to bother). We watch most of the baseball games. So we rehash the games, cheering the wins and lamenting the losses. Mom gets annoyed with Dad that he only talks sports and weather with me. I don't mind. We do occasionally talk about other things, but those are the bonds we have. At least we are talking. I have an equally great relationship with both parents, but we express them differently. Mom and I talk for hours. Dad and I don't have to say a lot. So welcome back Derek Jeter and the rest of the Yankees. Good to hear your voice again, Michael Kay. It's so great to see the YES network, and see commercials from NY again. Makes me feel right at home. Let's go, Yankees! 2011 is the year for 28. We're off to a good start: 1-0 for the season!