Diary of a Diehard

Today marks the Winter Solstice or first day of winter. This is the day when the Northern Hemisphere is farthest away from the sun making it the shortest day of the year and longest night. From this date until the Summer Solstice, the amount of daylight will continually get longer by a few minutes each day. As a kid growing up in Idaho, this date was meaningful as we could expect any snow that would fall from this point forward would probably stick around until March. In Arizona, it is not as important an event since we don’t get snow in the Phoenix area, at least not normally. I did hear one of the local sportscasters proclaim that it would be a cold day when the Arizona Cardinals went to the Super Bowl so I am guessing we might get snow that day.

Continue reading ‘The Shortest Day of the Year’ »

There are days when I wonder whether my marriage is ever going to survive. Then there are days like today when I realize I am one of the luckiest men on the planet. I woke up this morning with the realization that I am off work now until the end of the year. No more getting up early and rushing out the door to the office before dawn or coming home after dark. Instead I have a whole week of being home with my family to look forward to. That doesn’t mean I plan on being lazy and not doing anything. Quite the contrary, I have a list a mile long of things I want or need to do before going back to work. Somewhere near the top of that list is to go Christmas shopping for Trina’s gift. It is near the top of my list because I am reminded by her and the kids how important it is to make sure that I have a gift for her wrapped under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. Trina is much more subtle than the kids when she hints that a gift would be nice. The kids tend to be more direct in letting me know that there is nothing more frightening than the wrath of mom and that I would be best served by not tempting fate. So when Trina offered to assist with the shopping I thought perhaps it would be in my best interest to get it done.

Continue reading ‘There’s No “E” in Christmas’ »

As a season ticket holder for the Arizona Diamondbacks there is a hidden benefit that is often overlooked but one that I truly appreciate. Each year during the holiday season, the team will send out a greeting card wishing the fans a safe and joyous season. It is the only card that I get excited to receive. It is somehow comforting to know that the team remembers you during this wonderful and festive season. I eagerly run to the mailbox each day hoping to see the envelope with the Diamondbacks return address waiting to be opened and enjoyed. Today I rushed down to check the mail meeting the mailman at the box. His look of fear and terror is getting to be all to familiar and he immediately gets defensive whenever I see him filling the mailbox.

Continue reading ‘“The Card”’ »

For nearly an entire year I have lived with the disappointment of knowing that I missed the first fantasy camp that the Arizona Diamondbacks ever held. While a few lucky fans went to Tucson to live life like a big league ball player, I was at home filling my system full of pain medication preparing for a third shoulder surgery. I vowed that I would one day be healthy enough so that when the opportunity arose again to attend a Diamondbacks fantasy camp I would be there. I cannot think of anything more rewarding than suiting up with fellow fans and having major league baseball coaches and players provide instruction in how the game should be played. This is something that every young boy dreams about and I wanted to live that dream.

Continue reading ‘Spaces Are Limited’ »

“Jeff, we need to talk.” When those words come out of Trina’s mouth, nothing good is going to follow. “When I said I needed a Christmas list, I didn’t expect you to send me the link to the online store for the Arizona Diamondbacks.” Ok, I didn’t realize that there was a wrong answer when someone asks you want you want for Christmas. I thought that meant to tell them what thinks would bring the most joy into your life. And since in my case that is baseball, I thought that I was perfectly within the parameters of the question to answer with one link. Trina believes herself to be a more practical person and therefore I should have answered with things that I needed rather than wanted. I assured her that I really did need 4 Diamondbacks jerseys and at least 2 Diamondbacks hats with the new color scheme. This was not a desire, this was definitely a need. I can’t be expected to support my team wearing last century’s color scheme. I may have trouble remembering whether the fashion world believes you should or should not wear white after Labor Day but I am positive that we are expected to be wearing Sedona Red on April 1 when the Diamondbacks meet the Colorado Rockies in Denver. This led to a recurring discussion we always have about whether my life should revolve around baseball or whether baseball should revolve around my life. In the end it would mean that I would have to adjust my list to include non-Diamondbacks items too. Quite honestly I could not think of any so Trina offered to take me out shopping to refresh my memory.

Continue reading ‘Making the List’ »

After my shopping debacle yesterday, I wanted nothing to do with going to a store today. Instead I planned a nice quiet day at home. This is a tough time of year for me. Baseball season in this country is pretty much over. The Major League Baseball regular season ended 78 days ago and the World Series ended 51 days ago. Even the Arizona Fall League has been over for 29 days leaving me pretty much in baseball darkness. I tried calling DirecTV and complaining that as a subscriber to their Home Plate package I was frustrated and disappointed in the fact that they were not televising the Venezuela or Puerto Rico winter league games. What I found strange was that the customer support person on the other end stated I was the first person ever to suggest that they include winter baseball in the sports package. She then went off on a tangent suggesting that a sports fan such as me would probably benefit from the NFL Season Ticket. I had to set her straight, I don’t do football.

Continue reading ‘I Don’t Do Football’ »

While technically this is not the last weekend before Christmas, it does represent the last big shopping extravaganza for me. While I don’t mind going shopping with Trina, it is not one of my favorite activities. Let me clarify the above statement, I don’t mind going shopping with Trina as long as it does not include fabric stores. There is nothing more painful than having to endure even 5 minutes of looking at fabric with accompanying thread, zippers, and notions. I would rather have season tickets to the Kansas City Royals or sit behind two fans from New York than have to deal with a fabric store. There is just so much pain that a guy can endure. I figured that today I would have very little choice in the matter as my presence was required if for no other reason than to carry bags to the car or nod my head in approval for whatever item Trina happened to be trying on or contemplating buying. For Trina, this was more like babysitting since she controlled where we were shopping she could ensure that not all of her Christmas gifts would come from the Chase Field team shop.

Continue reading ‘Shopping Madness’ »

It is ten days until Christmas meaning there are nine more shopping days remaining. For most men that is eight more days than we really need but you never admit that to your wife. Instead you try and convince them that you are shopping nightly scouring the stores for the perfect gift that comes from the heart. That’s the case not just with gifts but also with cards. Trina will go to the Hallmark store several times and spend hours reading through the messages of the cards to find the perfect one to send for an occasion. Me on the other hand, I will go to the grocery store and remember that I probably should have a card before I get home with a gift. I’ll go to the card section carefully making sure that I am in the right area for the event (never give your wife a get well soon card for her birthday, it would be bad) and then I will select a card based on which one is leaning closer to me from the rack. Most times I get lucky and the card has some sort of meaningful message inside. I probably should feel guilty about this lack of interest in cards but I don’t. As the kids have grown, they have helped pull me out of many gift giving predicaments. They somehow have learned that mom doesn’t get nearly as excited as dad if the gift comes neatly wrapped in a Diamondbacks Team Shop gift bag. Mom won’t appreciate the hard work dad goes to finding the perfect jersey in her size. So the kids basically “accessorize” my gifts by making sure they have a more appropriate gift to go along with mine. At first it bothered me that my gifts were under appreciated but after realizing how much smoother my life had become I’ve accepted the help.

Continue reading ‘The Christmas List’ »

This week I have been traveling in San Francisco. For the most part I have been stuck in meetings all day meaning I have seen very little of the city. I seem to be going to San Francisco more frequently but my trips never seem to come at a time where the Diamondbacks are playing the Giants. I desperately want to see a game at Pac Bell/SBC/AT&T Park so this lack of planning has been very frustrating to me. I also seem to always be in San Francisco whenever there is fog. I have not determined whether it is always foggy in the bay area or just during times when I am here. It doesn’t seem to matter what time of year it is, it is always foggy. Being from Arizona, I am not accustomed to packing where temperatures are below 50 or where there is rain. For days before my trip I am running around the house looking for jackets, sweatshirts, or anything to keep me warm and dry. Luckily I have Diamondbacks sweatshirts, hats, and jackets so even during inclement weather I can still support the team. This is important as I am always acting as baseball evangelist for the Diamondbacks. It’s amazing the conversations that start up when you are wearing team apparel, especially when traveling to a National League Western Division town.

Continue reading ‘Spreading the Word’ »