Tribe Home Opener - 2009 Edition

This will have to fall under the category of "Better Late Than Never."

The Cleveland Indians Home Opener was on April 10th this year. Each year, friends come together from near and far to frequent a couple Cleveland institutions - Great Lakes Brewing Company and Jacobs Field (it will always be Jacobs Field to me.)

Once again, Mother Nature intervened to make things interesting. Not even the "Lucky Poncho" could hold back the rain this year. A side note - one of the crew has a poncho that is still in its original packaging. To be honest, the chemical composition of this thing has probably changed over time. In the past, the presence of the poncho was able to ward off rain. It didn't work this time around.

The day began at Great Lakes Brewing Company. A total of 12 of us spent a few hours there before game time. There were a couple of us that didn't drink. After some great appetizers, food and copious amounts of fermented water, the total (with tip) came to about $500...nice. I don't remember all of the specifics but recall six pitchers of Burning River Pale Ale (known as BuRPA by some), a couple pitchers of Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, close to a dozen snifters of Blackout Stout, etc.

So...it was time to catch the Great Lakes Brewing shuttle over to the Jake. The shuttle is called the "Fatty Wagon" because it is powered by vegetable oil. For $1, the shuttle will take you to the Jake and bring you back. Unfortunately, the Fatty Wagon didn't appear to be in service that day. Instead, a boring, extended-length van was used.

Here was a little banter while waiting for the van:

The substitute transportation didn't offer the same capacity as the Fatty Wagon. For that reason, the line for the shuttle was longer than normal. Never fear, where there's a Miglin there's a way. Most TV commercials for mini-vans boast seating capacities of 5 - 6 - 7 people. Not this mini-van - 12 adults made the short journey to the Jake (insert your best sardine cliche here.) The videos don't do this justice:

Once we arrived near the Jake, we climbed out of the mini-van. It had to look like numerous circus clowns getting out of a small car. A small group walking by took note of the number of people. They were impressed when we told them 12 of us were in there.

We made our way to our seats and settled in amidst shaky weather. One thing of note - a couple members of our crew fell asleep during the game. I won't mention any names but wonder if some sanctions should be levied against the culprits?

The game entered a delay in the fifth inning. We stayed up until that point. The weather wasn't looking very promising so we headed on to Painesville to visit family.

Needless to say - a few pints of Edmund Fitzgerald Porter Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream were re-located to Dublin.

The Indians would end up losing 13-7 after 7+ hours (including the delay.)

It was great seeing the gang again. I look forward to doing it all again next year.

I Am A Fan...

I am a fan of buying an over-priced hot dog to serve as a delivery mechanism for Stadium Mustard.

I have become a fan of getting together with the crew each year for Opening Day at the Jake.


I was a fan of heading to Municipal Stadium during some afternoons my Senior year of high school and walking up to the gate and getting seats behind the dugout.

I am a fan of watching towering fly balls and wondering whether they will carry over the outfield fence.

I am a fan of plays like seeing a ball bounce off Jose Canseco's head over the fence for a homer.


I am a fan of players that do the little things well.

I am a fan of players, managers and base coaches that have the brass to attempt to steal home.

I am not a fan of the Evil Empire (or other teams that outspend a strong majority of the league each year.)

I am a huge fan of seeing the Evil Empire sitting at home when the playoffs roll around (or better yet - being beat by a small market team in the opening round of the playoffs.)

I was a fan of the Buffalo Bisons but am now a fan of the Columbus Clippers.


I am a fan of players that play the game straight-up.

I am not a fan of players that felt it was necessary to cheat the game, the fans and themselves.

I am even less of a fan of those who lie about the fact they cheated.

I am a fan of the name of a former player - Razor Shines.

I am a fan of the game of baseball.

Fifteen Albums

Another carryover from FB - these are in no particular order...

"Think of 15 albums that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life or the way you looked at it. They sucked you in and took you over for days, weeks, months, years. These are the albums that you can use to identify time, places, people, emotions. These are the albums that no matter what they were thought of musically shaped your world."

+ Toad the Wet Sprocket - Fear

+ Genesis - Genesis

+ Shawn Mullins - Soul's Core

+ Eagles - Hotel California

+ R.E.M. - Automatic for the People

+ Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms

+ Don Henley - Building the Perfect Beast

+ U2 - The Joshua Tree

+ AC/DC - Back in Black

+ Eric Clapton - Unplugged

+ Tom Petty - Full Moon Fever

+ Sarah McLachlan - Mirrorball

+ Billy Joel - Piano Man

+ Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse of Reason

+ Crowded House - Crowded House

Some random things....

I spent a little time putting this list together for FB. I figured I would post it here as well:

Some random things

+ Canada is the only other country I have visited.

+ I never saw the Pacific Ocean [in person] until 2004.

+ I have been and will always be a fan of Cleveland Sports Teams. Ok....the Cavs have never won a title, the Browns haven't won a title since '64 and the Tribe hasn't won it all since '48. I don't know what I would do if one wins a title.

+ I got a chance to meet George H.Bush and Jack Nicklaus a few years ago at Muirfield Country Club in Dublin, OH.

+ In 1994, I dislocated my left kneecap after diving to dig a volleyball and got to ride across Painesville with it still dislocated. Every bump the squad hit was like a screwdriver to the knee.

+ I still know that the German word for "figure of a dwarf in the garden" is Gartenzwerg and that Schnabeltier is German for duck-billed platypus.

+ Though I currently abstain from drinking any alcohol, I have had hundreds of beers from around the world. I have even helped brew some.

+ There are times I can't get the "Crab People" song from South Park out of my head.....look like crabs....talk like people...

+ I have no idea why - Murray Head's "One Night in Bangkok" is one of my all time favorite songs.

+ I love cheesecake, nut roll, lobster bisque, dark chocolate, and German chocolate cake.

+ I actually know what the four Houses are at the Hogwarts School of Magic and know it is possible for a team to lose at Quidditch even if their seeker captures the Golden Snitch.

+ I think way too many movies are made in to trilogies. In many cases, the first movie should have never been made (let alone a sequel and a prequel.)

+ I believe everyone you meet in life leaves a lasting imprint on you [no matter how long you know them.]

+ The mascots from the two colleges I attended are "The Fighting Scots" [Undergrad] and "The Zips" [Grad].

+ I am trying to learn how to appreciate the forest instead of staring at the same damn tree.

+ I don't get to many concerts but I have seen Genesis, Don Henley, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel and Elton John live at one time or another. I actually remember seeing Sha-Na-Na as well [the things we remember.]

+ I have not always gone by my birth name Maruschak - for a number of years I went by an adopted last name - Nighman.

+ Our family recipe for nut roll is the best out there. It is good to have Hungarian bloodlines.

+ John Grisham is one of my favorite authors.

+ I attended my first Ohio State-Michigan game during November 2008(seats were on the 50!)

+ I once caught a 31" Walleye.

+ Great Lakes Brewing Co. is one of my favorite places to eat.

It has been awhile...

I haven't posted for awhile. I figured I would get one out there.

Right now, I am watching a movie [Cold Prey] that is in one of the Scandinavian languages with English sub-titles. We'll see if it was worth renting or not.

As for other things, I have felt like @#$%^ this week. I finally went in to see the doctor today and now have some meds to help with the bronchial stuff going on. Hopefully things will improve over the weekend.

Last weekend, Julie and I got to catch a Buckeye Hoops game. We had seats 5 or 6 rows from the floor...it was pretty cool. The Buckeyes held on for the win against Minnesota.

I'm looking forward to April rolling around. The Indians and Clippers will be starting new seasons. That being said...baseball is a mess right now. I still enjoy the game and truly appreciate the players that have played the game straight-up through the years. It is a shame that the biggest names in the game have forever marred their legacies and the game itself.

The Smackdown at the 'Shoe [The Final Chapter]

Ok...I decided to string this out to a Trilogy.

I had some issues trying to upload this video in the previous post. I will give it a shot here. Here is The Best Damn Band In The Land taking the field and performing SCRIPT OHIO:

It was a classy jesture but it was disheartening hearing our band play "Hail to the Victor."

The Smackdown at the 'Shoe [Part Deux]

Just like every movie seems to be required to have a sequel (whether the story warrants it or not,) I will post a follow-up to the original post from yesterday.

The end of the previous post had us arriving at the 'Shoe awaiting TBDBITL. That is where we will pick up the story...

After waiting a bit, a glance towards St. John's Arena revealed that the band had started to make its way over. Here is a clip of them passing by:

Ok - we got to see the band enter the stadium. Now it's time to head towards our side of the stadium and up to our seats. We made our way through the ticket line and climbed the many steps up to "C" Deck. We finally located where we will be sitting for the next three hours. Here is what our view looked like:

Before we got to see TBDBITL perform the beloved Script Ohio, the University of Michigan marching band took the field. Those dorks couldn't even get that right:

The only thing I can figure is that they wanted to show our side of the stadium a "W" as some indication of how the game was going to play out (obviously this past portion is laced with sarcasm.)

Enough of this nonsense already...time for a REAL band to take the field. Please see next blog post to see the band taking the field and...SCRIPT OHIO:

Here are some pictures of the stands before the game started(The 4th largest crowd ever at the 'Shoe - 105,000+ people strong:

I enjoyed this picture from the South stands:

Here were some of the Seniors waiting for their names to be called on Senior's Day:

So you ask - How did the game go? The scoreboard says it all:

The 35 point loss marked one of the the largest margins of defeat in this rivalry. This year's dimantling of Michigan happened during the 40th Anniversary of OSU's slamming of Michigan 50-14.

It was pretty sweet at the end of the game to take part in the "5 in a row" chant. Neither team has ever accomplished that feat in this rivalry before.

We were definitely pretty cold by the time the game clock hit all 0's. Each second half touchdown by the Buckeyes helped warm us a bit though.

As for my closing remarks, if you are a Buckeye fan you need to do whatever it takes to experience at least one Ohio State vs. Michigan game in-person. You won't regret it!

The Smackdown at the 'Shoe [Part 1]

It has been a little while since I have made any blog entries. The events over the past day or so warrant me to get typing!

The start of the OSU - Michigan weekend kicked off for me yesterday. Every year, THE Ohio State University Alumni band visits OCLC (where Julie and I work) the Friday before the game and plays for about half an hour or so. It is a great way to get pumped up for the game.

This year was going to be a little different though. We were going TO the game and not just watching it at one of the local watering holes. Julie had a chance to go to one prior OSU - Michigan game back in 1994. That was one of the games Cooper actually WON against that "Team from up north." This was my first chance to see this storied rivalry in-person.

Saturday morning started with a little tailgate action with some people we know. Here is a picture of the setup they construct for every Buckeye home game. It is really roughing it. There are a couple flat screen TVs in the tents. There are also some propane heaters providing some heat to the hearty souls that have trekked out this chilly November morning. The normal tailgate food is abundant as well.


As game time approached, it was time to make our way over to the stadium. Our walk over took us past Lane Avenue. Thousands of fellow Buckeye fans could be seen making their way over as well (along with the occasional blaggard dressed in Maize and Blue!)


As we got closer to the 'Shoe, we realized TBDBITL hadn't made its way over from the skull session yet. We decided to hang around and wait for them. The following video shows what the environment was like:

More details of the day to appear very soon....

Some movie reviews

I got a chance to see a couple movies lately that were of note. One was very good while the other...not so much.

I will start with the one that I didn't care for. That movie was "The Happening" by M. Night Shyamalan. This was another example of his movies that didn't live up to the hype. The preview provided more drama than the actual movie. I kept waiting for something major to "happen" but it never really did.


The movie had its moments but it never really came together. It was one of those movies that ended and I was thinking...you're kidding me. I think I am going to officially throw in the towel on his movies.

M. Night got off to a great start in his career with movies like "The Sixth Sense", "Unbreakable" and "Signs." His last three movies "The Village", "Lady in the Water" and "The Happening" have been pretty disappointing. All have looked interesting based on the previews but haven't delivered.

To close on a more positive note, I also saw Iron Man. This movie follows the long line of comic book heroes that have made their way to the big screen.


I was not as familiar with Iron Man (compared to some of the other super heroes.) I am also not a big fan of Robert Downey Jr. None of that mattered though.

I enjoyed this movie from start to finish. There was plenty of action. The special effects in the move were mind-blowing as well. We rented the Blu-Ray version. This was one movie where it was worth seeing high definition in action.

This movie is highly recommended and will probably find its way into our collection.

Schackne and Heffelfingers...oh my!

Julie and I attended a showing at a local art gallery last weekend. This isn't the kind of thing we normally do. We really enjoyed it though. I think we realize we appreciate art more than we originally thought. Here is a link to the gallery we visited.

http://www.lylegallery.com/

The artist featured in the showing was Carolyn Heffelfinger. Her subjects are landscapes and wildlife. We enjoyed both of the subject types in her pieces. Some of her peices can be seen here:

http://www.lylegallery.com/heffelfingerweb/index.html

Another artist I enjoyed was David Schackne. I am pretty conservative but really enjoyed to subject matter and vibrant colors he uses.

Here are some of his works:

http://www.lylegallery.com/schackne/index.html

We are looking forward to future showings. Thanks T.K.

Diagnosis Confusion

I had an appointment with my new psychiatrist this A.M. Things went pretty well.

One thing that has been confusing has been the discussion of what diagnosis (or diagnoses) I have. Each professional has settled on Major Depression (no stretch there.) Some professionals have considered Bipolar II. Today a new diagnosis hit the radar screen - ADD.

This was the first time ADD has been discussed with me. As I talked things over with the Doc. and my wife, several things he mentioned resonated with me. I am keeping an open mind related to this. At times, it can be a challenge to keep hearing different things from different people though.

As long as things continue to improve, I will be glad to do what I can to help in the process.

I will be starting on a couple new meds and backing off of two meds.

Things taken for granted?

One of my favorite groups is Toad the Wet Sprocket. One of their songs has been striking a chord with me lately - "I Will Not Take These Things for Granted."

It isn't that I necessarily felt I was taking everything granted. I may not have been fully appreciating things though. As for:

+ My Wife
+ My Family
+ My Friends
+ Our Dogs
+ My Feelings
+ The Beauty of Nature (especially Ducks and Giraffes)
+ My Health (other than recent issues)
+ Having Fun
+ My Favorite Sports Teams
+ Movies, Books and Music

I will not take these things for granted

====

One part of me just wants to tell you everything
One part just needs the quiet
And if I’m lonely here, I’m lonely here
And on the telephone
You offer reassurance

I will not take these things for granted

How can I hold the part of me that only you can carry
It needs a strength I haven’t found
But if its frightening, Ill bear the cold
And on the telephone
You offer warm asylum

I’m listening
Flowers in the garden
Laughter in the hall
Children in the park
I will not take these things for granted
Anymore

To crawl inside the wire and feel something near me
To feel this accepting
That it is lonely here, but not alone
And on the telephone
You offer visions dancing

I’m listening
Music in the bedroom
Laughter in the hall
Dive into the ocean
Singing by the fire
Running through the forest
And standing in the wind
In rolling canyons

I will not take these things for granted

Tribe AAA Team in Columbus!

My blog is going to contain a bit of everything.

I am a big fan of the Cleveland Indians and have been since growing up in the Cleveland area. Something that seemed imminent came to fruition recently. The Columbus Clippers are now the AAA team for the Indians!!!

I would go to a Clippers game now and again. To be honest, I really don't care for the past couple Major League teams that were affiliated with the Clippers though [Yankees and Nationals.] I have been waiting for the day when the team would move from Buffalo to Columbus. It finally happened.

We are contemplating getting a partial season ticket plan to support the Tribe's farm club. It will be a big year as the Clippers will also be opening their new stadium next season.

Glimmering Stars

I have never considered myself to be much of a writer. After recent events in my life though, I felt compelled to put some of my feelings into words.

This piece is dedicated to three very special people I met while in the inpatient ward at a hospital in the region. They helped me get through some of the darkest days (after my suicide attempt) of my life.

If any part of this helps someone out there, it will have made sharing it worthwhile.

==============================================

Glimmering Stars in the Darkness of Night

Four strangers have found themselves enveloped in the pitch-black blanket of hopelessness and despair. It no longer seemed possible for light to penetrate this mantle void of anything but negativity. We all wonder…How did it ever come to this? What happened to the smiles and laughter we used to enjoy? Is this silhouette of our former selves the best we can hope for?

Though it may have happened at slightly different times, we all approached the edge of a precipice for a bottomless abyss. All of our lives, we had a safety net that would catch us if we got too close to the edge. Although our paths were different, we all arrived at the same decision. We decided that our only option was to plunge into the unknown depths…we wanted our intolerable pain to end once and for all.

Failure has always carried negative consequences for us. By twists of fate (or by destiny), a shared failure allowed us all to return to what was once the world we wanted to escape. Are we supposed to be back here? What do we do now?

We have all fought to be alive today. Our journeys have now taken us to a place that is abstract and incomprehensible. Two of us have been here before. Neither of us dreamed we would enter those white double doors again. As each of us entered this place, a sense of “What the hell are we doing here?” swept over us. How will I get help here? Who are these people?

We were all shrouded in the residual despair from what we have experienced. As we sat down in the Main Room for the first time, we spent time looking at our feet and huddling our arms and legs close to our bodies. We all felt broken.

I remember meeting the owner of a local art gallery for the first time. He was recently forced to make a difficult career decision while in this place. Another memory exists of seeing a young soccer player (from a small college in the region) for the first time. Her feet nervously tapped on the floor. Other images of a driven Pharmacy student, huddled in a chair, came to mind as well. She is shaking from a combination of the cool temperature in the room and the difficulties she has been facing. I don’t yet know who these people are. What in the world could have driven them to this place?

Over time, we drew together as a group. The looks of depression, anxiety and despair were slowly replaced by grins. Next, white teeth could be seen in smiles. At times, laughter would displace conversation. How is this possible? We are all still hurting so much.

We quickly realize we have shared experiences. All of us start to let our guards down. A shared empathy exists between all of us. Amidst the laughter, we share and listen to one another. As each of them share pieces of their journey, my heart goes out to them. I wish I could have taken their pain away.

As we gather time after time, I realize what a blessing each of these people is. I shudder to think our table of four could have been surrounded by empty chairs instead of the people that are seated in them. Some larger plan has brought us together. The fabric of our lives has been altered by one another.

We are starting to move forward with our lives. One of us will be starting a new chapter in his life tomorrow. The rest of us will follow him soon.

We all have obstacles to conquer. It may not be easy at times. It is my hope that these three kindred spirits know that I will always be pulling for them.

The dark skies now contain points of light that are burning brightly. Some of these are family members and some are friends. There are also important resources that now shine where only darkness existed.

Tears have fallen, at times, as this has been written. So many tears have fallen lately. These tears are different though. Thankfulness drives these tears. Three new glimmering stars have appeared, along with the other points of light, where only darkness could be seen before.

C.M.

Well...here is the first post to my blog. I'm going to try and use this as an online journal of sorts.

A great deal has happened during the last three months of my life. I'm hoping that sharing my experiences might be able to help someone out there.

It is hard to comprehend that someone could reach the point of having no hope. I reached that point in early September. Many of the thoughts that are written in this blog will relate to the long journey back from that hopeless state.