Dream vacation!

I gauge the success of my vacations by how long they feel and this one felt like it lasted a month! But I've experienced something I've never felt before. A let down. For the first time ever I lost energy and felt a huge let down realizing I had to get back to reality. Mind you, my reality rocks but I still felt like the air had been let out of my sails.

The rest of my week rolled along....hitting the final Indians game with my sister and aunt....visiting friends I'd not seen in eons.....witnessing a visible sign from Mom --her trademark rainbow letting me know everything will be ok. I enjoyed the Larchmere Porchfest....and capped off the week at the Metromix birthday party. I can not believe how each day towered atop the previous day's festivities. Absolutely uncanny.

Funny the roads we travel....6 months ago I was hoping to be with my Indians in San Francisco this past weekend. An unrealistic pipe dream, but it's good to dream and reach for the stars! So, I watched my boys on TV ....and took the road less traveled which lead me down much greener pastures over the last five days.

Life is good! God is good. I truly am blessed.

I just broke my own rule

I went against everything I've been preaching for years. Do NOT talk to strangers. Do NOT meet people online. Sheesh.

Social media sure makes it hard to follow my rules. But it sure is fun and makes life more interesting! I made an exception to my rule that I don't accept Facebook friends I don't know in any way, shape, or form. Last week one of my fellow tweeters began a conversation with me about my Indians. I'm especially careful on Twitter since pretty much anyone can follow you and your whereabouts, definitely not as secure as Facebook or LinkedIn. But, I enjoy reading his articles and he mirrors my enthusiasm and love of the game of baseball so I threw caution to the wind. He friended me on Facebook and I friended him back.

We really did hit it off and have been chatting and talking Tribe for the last week. On day #4 of my fantastic vacation I was supposed to meet my new Twitter and Facebook friend at the Indians-Rockies game, the SAME day I was named the Season Ticket Holder Fan of the Game. Fan of the game meant I got a new Indians hat, I was up on the Jumbotron waving like a dork while they announced me and I was supposed to get some Indians extra bucks, which I never received :( Things just seemed to get better and better this week. Or did they? I should have known that there would probably be a slight snag somewhere along the way. Oh, I hit it! I met my new baseball friend but unfortunately did not get to spend as much time as first thought.

The game was good....meeting my new friend extraordinary....and I was doing what I live for --watching my boys out in the beautiful Cleveland summer enjoying my favorite sport!

Can't ask for much more! I've made a new friend (you can never have enough friends!) whose love of and passion for this great game parallels mine! Hopefully, my new found friend and I can talk baseball for a longtime to come....

Yes, my terrific vacation does keep rolling along..... :)

Jimmy, I have a message from Bob Costas!

You have got to be kidding me!

I must be the luckiest girl alive. My vacations always rule --totally epic. This one no exception! 2 of my dearest girlfriends and I hit the Indians' game....starting with a nice dinner up in the Terrace Club at Progressive Field! We had so much to catch up on and as we gabbed, a familiar man walked by. I quietly said, trying not to move, 'Is that who I think it is?' First of all, I have no idea why I was whispering in this paralyzed state. 2nd of all, my girlfriend said, 'don't make any sharp movements, yes it is.'

NBC Sports guru Bob Costas had just walked into the Terrace Club. I know a number of the staffers so we asked WHY he was in town? Apparently he has a group of friends who live in Cleveland who he visits a few times a year. When Costas realized there was a game going on, he thought it would be cool to have dinner at the ballpark and take in the game. And, I'm sure no one says NO to Bob Costas!

We still gabbed and caught up. I had my back to the man so my other 2 friends were on 'Bob Costas Watch!' Finally, he rose and was exiting the TC. My friend nicely asked if he'd mind taking a picture with us. Costas, quite gracious and soft spoken agreed. This was probably my one and only chance of ever seeing and speaking with this sports broadcasting icon. So, I put the usual 'shy Danielle' away for the next few minutes. I mustered up enough gumption to introduce myself and tell him where I work. You see, believe it or not, Bob Costas and I have a mutual friend. I know it's very hard to believe. But we do. The 1st words out of his mouth were asking about our mutual friend. I gave Bob the update on our friend, who is currently in the hospital....he was so kind and asked me to relay get well wishes to our friend.

Don't get me wrong. Meeting Bob Costas was quite the thrill. And I have a picture to prove it! But the bigger thrill for me was texting my friend with Costas get well message as soon as Mr. Costas walked out of view.

My friend was shocked. Not so much at the greeting but that we had actually run into Bob Costas at the Indians' game and had the chance and guts to speak with him. And my pal was very thankful for the text and well wishes.

The rest of the night & game with my 2 friends absolutely tremendous --making many new memories!

And friends, yes, I am batting 1.000 on this magical vacation so far. Let's keep it going....

Always have a deck of UNO cards in the loge

Day two of vacation and the task at hand was to top day one. I never say never but I knew it was going to be nearly impossible! No, not impossible. We had a fighting chance as my family had the opportunity to enjoy the Indians' game from a loge. I've been quite lucky and blessed through the years to have sporadic opportunities to enjoy my favorite sport, my all-time favorite team from the confines of a loge, or even one time, from the field boxes. Now that was a tremendous experience for Mom, me and our family!

And, sure enough! We topped day #1 of vacation! First, just having the entire family together (except my nephew, but he has enjoyed a loge before!) was quite an experience! We all like baseball. The kids used to go to the games more with Mom and I when they were younger, but I know deep down inside they will always cherish this game, the Cleveland Indians' memories we made through the years and have a special place in their hearts for our Tribe!

It was just a beautiful day --well, until the rain delay! More to come on that!

The Pittsburgh Pirates were in town, a national league treat we don't see very often. And honestly, whenever my family gets together, there is an abundance of laughing, everyone talking at once, and feasting on delicious food!

So, the game was cruising along.....and then the clouds opened and we were in the midst of about an hour rain delay. Now, let's get this straight. We are in a loge. We did not have to scramble up the stairs to dry land. We had sufficient quantities of foodstuffs. We were surrounded by family and friends. The Indians were playing other baseball games on the huge scoreboard. And, most importantly, Sara brought -- The UNO cards! For the next hour or so, an entertaining display of who possessed the best UNO skills and ruled the roost!

In the midst of our UNO marathon, every so often, a radar check on everyone's smart phones. Yes. When the smart phone showed a clearing, our faithful grounds crew scampered out and started removing the tarp to loud cheers!

Our boys were playing baseball in no time....

Boy, did we get our money's worth! Not only did we sit through a rain delay, extra innings my friends! But wait, there's soooo much more.

With 2 on in the 11th inning, rookie Cord Phelps (who I'd just met the day before at batting practice) steps up to the plate and hits a walk-off homerun. His 1st homer to win the game! The Indians beat the Pirates 5-2 in 11 innings.

Yes, day #2 certainly topped vacation day #1. Can I keep the streak alive?

Batting practice from the field, really?

How does this happen to me? There are so many parallels in my life yet the experiences are miles apart. 1 year ago on day #1 of my vacation, I had a friend in from out of town. He 'pooped' out early & I was determined not to let day #1 of my vacation fizzle out. I called another buddy of mine, who unfortunately has since moved to Chicago. He invited me to a party and day #1 of vacation 1 year ago ruled. I kept thinking 'how in the world will I continue to top the 1st days of my vacation?'

Fast forward to 1 year later, today. The out of this world experiences so new, fresh and different from a year ago, but the sentiment remains: "What is going on and how in the world will I ever top the 'awesomeness' of the start of this vacation?"

On day #1 I traveled to my college alma mater and shared lunch with so many outstanding people I'd not seen in months and even years. Not one second of the experience bad. I love the trek to my alma mater driving the open roads--so close to the city yet far enough away to be considered 'God's country.' A beautiful day with the sun's rays dancing on the roadway. Once I get to a certain point, I'm able to pick up HOT 101 out of Youngstown and jam the entire way to the chosen land! All the memories come streaming back each inch, each landmark, each milemarker I pass. Our meeting place chock full of memories including the world famous Freddy burger, which is a given if ever in G-Ville! I so did not want to leave these peeps. Normally, I'd dance the night away with all of them. Believe it or not, I had to tear myself away from this part of my memory making day to head to yet another unbelieveable once in a lifetime adventure.

When it rains, it pours. Everything stacks up on the same day or weekend.

My peaceful ride back to the city kept my dream weekend flowing along....again jamming to HOT 101 (until my border where it just became a fuzzy static jumble).

Next stop: Cleveland Indians batting practice -- from the field! Are you kidding me?

I was given a wonderful opportunity for myself and 2 friends to watch batting practice from the field --Indians batting practice! I met my 2 pals Meghan and Loren at the media gate where about 20 other folks were given the same opportunity! We waited. The wait seemed so much longer than it really was anticipating what was about to happen. Yes, we were escorted down to the field right behind home plate to watch my boys take their swings and field their positions. Absolutely ridiculous. I had to keep pinching myself.

Now, doing what I do for a living, we all know that you can not go on the grass. That is a no-no. The Cleveland Indians' grounds crew takes great pride in their masterpiece. When the PR women gave us two rules, of course one of them was 'do not step on the grass!' I just busted up laughing and gave my friends the long history of how long we've been told 'not to step on the grass!' The other rule was 'do not distract the ballplayers.' Ha! I think the ballplayers should be given a set of rules as well. Many of them were happy to have fans down there to flex their muscles to --fans who were beaming from cheek to cheek watching their heroes. They'd give us glances, smiles, as we had to keep a heads up for the periodic balls that would come rolling or flying our way from the players.

Honestly, this swirling dream simply too good to be true. We all received batting practice t-shirts, and were able to get our pictures with 2 of my fave players: Cord Phelps and Jack Hannahan and the skipper, Manny Acta. Then my friends and I, of course, got a picture of the three of us as proof to our whereabouts Saturday afternoon! All the heavy hitters were out there with us (except Pronk). My jaw was touching the field (but not the grass) as my eyes wandered from player to player to player and we just took it all in.

Trevor Crowe, currently on the DL, looks like he's coming along. He had family or friends down there. It was kind of funny. The people he was with wanted him to sign their jersey in Silver. It had to be in Silver. So of course, the PR woman being prepared tossed him a Silver pen. While he signed, his family asked my friend to hold their designer purse and they made sure they joked "don't steal anything!" This kind of stuff just doesn't happen in my everyday real life.

I recently made a very nice new friend via social media. While we were there, he texted me asking if I was heading to the game. I texted him, "are you kidding, I am already here just waiting to watch batting practice from the field.' I was beaming! The entire experience from start to finish simply perfect. Batting practice to the game to a post game concert with performances by Donnie Iris and the Cruisers (in honor of the Pittsburgh Pirates) and then Cleveland's hometown favorite Michael Stanley and the Resonators (in honor of my Cleveland Indians).

At the end of the night, it was hard for me to come back down to earth after a magical day.

And again, I asked myself, 'How in the world will I be able to top any other days of my vacation?'

Is his keyboard stuck?

There are so many mysteries still lurking about today: The mystery surrounding God, Heaven, Angels, etc. being the biggest. Does the Loch Ness Monster exist? Did Marilyn Monroe really kill herself or have a little help? Why do the New York Yankees never get a bad call from the umps?

I'm going to let the experts debate all of the above through the end of time, which is yet another mystery!

I just want to know, "Is his keyboard stuck?"

Mind you, "his" is interchangeable -- a revolving door -- plethora of names ...until the end of time!

I will never understand boys. Yes, I am 'Danielle a day late and a dollar short." I'm the most organized, hip, on top of things person, unless it comes to men. When I was younger I was the 'studier' while all my girlfriends were going out on dates every night. When I was in college I was a great 'buddy' though that was not my goal! Then life and work hit.... and the 'wrong' men!

Life is too short to date a person you can't stand. I believe I am a pretty good judge of character. I am usually spot on when it comes to a first meeting. If I'm not only physically attracted to but blown away by the gentleman's many attributes including: humor, kindness, love of baseball, music variety, chivalry, intelligence, zest for life, spontaneity, equal time for fun and work, blah blah blah, then he does not get a second meeting (usually).

If God continues putting this person into my life, which has happened time and time again, I DO listen to God and keep an open mind.

When God mysteriously placed someone into my life last month out of the blue, after no contact with him for years, I thought, hmmmm? But I was quick to say 'whoa nelly' and step back. This 'friendship' appeared to be online and texting. We were supposed to get together twice to no avail.

I'm all for the mantra you can never have enough friends. And I'm even cool with keeping in touch via email, facebook, or texting. But I really thought something would come of this. I'd met the kid back in the 90's. Why was he resurfacing?

Another mystery is why boys start the whole messaging, emailing, texting 'balls to the wall' and then cool off, slow down, stop. Yes, they meet 'new' email friends. They meet new 'real' friends. They can't multi-task. They lose interest. They move on. But I'll still never get it, especially when THEY initiate the friendship or begin a conversation.

My 'May' friend was texting me at all hours of the day, waking me up at 630am in the morning with 'Morning Sunshine!' and would not stop all day long. I must admit, I loved the attention. I really did. To have a hot guy telling you you are on his mind throughout the day...and out of the blue getting a 'pick me up' in the midst of a rough day, it was tremendous! I came back from FLA and all of a sudden, the keyboards on his computer and cell phone went dead.

Is his keyboard stuck?

Oh, I take that back for the moment. I did get an actual email he sent that said "We are great, wonderful, everything is fine." And then the power company must have turned off his electricity moments after he hit 'enter.'

Am I that boring, unattractive, or disenchanting that he keeps hitting the 'zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz' button?

Is this a sign that I should run far and fast because he's the kind of guy who only knows how to hit the 'iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii' button?

For the record, I am disappointed with my 'May friend.' Don't worry boys, I never kiss and tell in my blog posts, or even trash guys. But I really believe this is an issue that many women deal with and honestly, it's a true mystery to me. I've been enamored with my 'May friend' for years....really thought we could at least have a cool friendship, if nothing else.

But, honestly, I'm sooooo over it. This not only happened with my 'May friend' but happens with my pal I've known for 14 years who I keep in touch with, and another life long friend I still keep in touch with... My friends who matter know at times this behavior gets under my skin, and they really don't have an answer for me. But again, with my friends who matter, we actually talk, see each other, and I love them immensely so I'll let the stuck keyboard every once in a while slide with them! Men are just hot and cold. Katy Perry was onto something!

Thank goodness I DO believe in the mystery of God. I DO believe that one day God will either give the great guys I know 'in person' who tease me all the time the guts to maybe ask me out, if that's in the cards. Or he'll send a new angel into my life to show me that there are still working keyboards out there that actually spell out 'WE.'

ps Why the Yankees never get a bad call will ALWAYS be a mystery :)

Euphoria

I would have died for my Mother. I would have endured all the pain and suffering she had the last years of her life in a heartbeat if I could have switched places with her. I hope with the way Mom raised me & my home training I would do the same for any family member of mine, and I hope good friend...or really anyone who needed my help.

Well, today, I realized I think I really do know what loving someone feels like (besides a family member).

I have a dear friend who had a bone marrow transplant today. He and his family ARE family to me. For the first time in a long time I realize how important someone is to me, how much I love them, and can not even imagine them not being around.

When word started trickling back that my friend made it through his operation with flying colors and was feeling strong, I could have soared or leapt over the tallest downtown Cleveland skyscrapers. Nothing could have snuffed out my happiness, yet I did not believe that happiness could become euphoria. Think again.

I can not even believe I was able to contain myself for the rest of my shift, the rest of the day. My cell phone text jingle went off. Having absolutely no clue who was texting me, I took a glance.

My eyes opened up as big as shiny silver wheels on a spiffy souped up sports car as I read the text from my friend, who had just endured surgery. "Thanks Daniella....everything's going well...it was an incredible day."

I burst into tears of joy, could not sit down for the rest of my shift and just raised my eyes up to Heaven thanking God that he'd given me the gift of not only friends, but love. Some never really experience the love of others or loving someone else let alone being surrounded their whole lives by family and friends.

I've got it all!

Friends fuel our gas tank (the heart)

When I make a friend, I plan on having them for life. Oh, I understand that God puts people into our lives and we in others' lives for specific reasons and once that task is complete, maybe we drift apart. But honestly, I don't go into a friendship thinking it will end one day.

Some people attack a marriage saying, "If it does not work out I'll just get divorced." WRONG!

And that's the way I address every friend I make. Yes, I'm still trying to figure out why there are some former co-workers I keep in touch with and others not. It's quite the mystery to me.

But those people I may not talk to on a regular basis are still part of my history, my life, and helped form me in some way, leaving me tremendous memories forever and only making me a stronger person from their finite stint.

So, the last few weeks have been chock full of fantastic friends who have helped me make new memories. My first stop down memory lane was Reddstone for the 50th birthday of a former co-worker. I was just touched that he invited me to share in his big day. Again, I was going alone and a bit uncomfortable to dive in to this endeavor solo, but my love, respect and admiration for Kenny outweighed my fear. And am I glad I took the leap of faith. I had the absolute best time I have had in a while. Not only did I get to see a friend I've known for at least 25 years, I saw dozens of other friends, former co-workers, and new friends. I ran into the son of a man who hired me not once but twice. I am secretly stalking Doug on Facebook (ha ha). He knows it! Just kidding everyone! I've known this family nearly my entire life ... my niece used to babysit for Doug and his sister. They truly are a part of my history, a very happy part of it! Had I not gone to this shindig, I would have really missed out on a slice of my past building up an even stronger future.

Oh, yes, I am truly blessed by those I've had in my life. And gladly I can say every day I am surrounded by so much love and laughter. We laughed at old stories, reminisced on the good, the bad, and the ugly (which all looks good now). Another person at the party also tried hiring me many times. He said, "Danielle, you were smart. You'd always get a free lunch out of me and then say something like, 'I really love what I'm doing and where I am doing it!'" He's right!

Where else could I have had a Birthday Guinness ice cream cake? It was GOOD!

And if the entire evening did not bring a permanent smile to my face, the very cute guys who hooted, whistled and hollared when I left just left me floating on cloud 9. I felt pretty and apparently others thought the same -- not the usual guys who come onto me, but really, really cute guys!

Next stop down memory lane -- a sports luncheon with Manny Acta and the boys at Executive Caterers at Landerhaven. My co-worker Dave Chudowsky was emcee. How could I miss it? I really hate these things because I wind up sitting with people I don't know having to make small talk, which I lack. As soon as I walked in, I saw current co-workers, former co-workers, the PR guy for Landerhaven, who is my buddy, and felt like a queen! Ironically, my friend Mike sat me at a table right next to a woman I have known for at least 20 years. My heart jumped with joy, I could not contain the smile on my face, and again, was so happy I chose to attend this event rather than let fear keep me away.

And my final stop down memory lane this week believe it or not took me some place I'd never been in Cleveland -- Whiskey Island. Wow! I love it there! A jam packed day of Belmont racing, singing Mass for my Uncle Bill, dining with the family, and then meeting probably one of my best friends in the whole world for a cocktail or two. Well, 8 hours later, I had shared so many new memories with old and new friends alike. I'd met Katie's friends and mixed with them swimmingly well....we had a blast at Cropicana on Whiskey Island, met The Naked Cowboy (I had no idea who he was), heard a band I used to listen to often at a friend's bar, and then moved onto yet two other familiar stomping grounds surrounded by old friends!

I can not even tell you the magical week it's been....and the fantastic places I frequented is a small reason for the magical haze....but the friends fueling my gas tank (my heart) closed the deal and brought it all home sweet home!

Always nice to be back in the CLE

No matter where I've been, and I adore traveling, I get a chill and tear in my eye when I touch back down in my hometown, the CLE!

After a fantastic jaunt to Tampa, Florida, I really could not wait to get home...and ironically when I touched down on Memorial Day it was much HOTTER here in CLE than I had left it in TPA! Nice!

There are so many wonderful skyline vantage points in CLE but one that's amazing is traveling the 490 bridge with the steel mill flame on the right and a delicious skyline to my left of the city, the ballpark, skyscrapers, and the city I adore and will for the rest of my life.

When I arrived home, it was soooo nice to still have a day of vacation where I could celebrate Memorial Day with my family and then my first day back at work, we had a baby shower for a co-worker so it seemed like a "play day!" When I walked into work and saw Brandon's lovely family including his week old baby, my heart melted right there. That warm and fuzzy moment would pull me through to the end of the week!

Life is good!