Casey Blog

Chris Continues to Rise

Each year, the Social Security Administration releases a list of the most popular baby names in America. I'm happy to report that since I began paying attention to the trend for my own name, Christopher, back in 2005, it's dropping trend as reversed. In 2004, Christopher was #10. In 2005, it had risen to #9. In 2006, it jumped to #7. And now I'm happy to tell you that for the year 2007, Christopher was the #6 most popular name for boys. To all of my fellow new Christophers out there, I bid you a fond welcome to the world. We're a good bunch of guys, and we're on our way to claim our rightful place in the #1 spot.

Category: Diversions
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Game Ball

While digging among our sports gear to find my daughter a frisbee, I found a baseball that took me back in time, 31 years and 5 days, to a Thursday night little league game, when I was 11, at which it was given to me.

I was no stand-out as a little leaguer. I had my moments in the outfield, catching a pop-up here and there. But my greatest defensive contribution was probably my effective chatter (hey-batta-batta, schWING!), while on offense my Eddie Gaedel size strike zone put me on base with a walk much more often than my bat ever did.

But on this particular Thursday night, I had a fine sports moment. My team, the Orioles, had a one run lead going into the final inning. There were two outs and the Phillies had a runner on third. The batter hit a fast grounder that might have been an easy game-ender, had it not got past our first basemen. But it did, and it instead rolled to me in right field (the traditional position for the most skilled little leaguers, naturally).

It would have been understandable to hear a few sighs from our meager crowd of parents, looking at the prospect of extra innings should the runner on third score and tie the game (were there more runners on base? I don't remember, let's say there were and two runs would have meant a loss). The play was at home, and I made the throw to our catcher 'Tank', and it somehow got there in time and on target. The runner was out at home, game over, Orioles win 11-10.

In the dugout, the coach asked the team, "Who gets the game ball?", to which they responded in unison, "Casey!". In recent years I've re-discovered a love of baseball that I haven't had since those days as a little leaguer. From my five or six years of little league baseball, there are only a few such memories. This was one of the best.

Category: Guide to Life , Sports
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Work Day Memorial Jog

It had been a little over four hours since Colleen and I had said our farewells at the bus stop this morning, but it felt like an eternity. But her class had a field trip to the FDR Memorial and she asked if I would come meet them. What Dad could refuse? So I jogged/walked (let's call them intervals) the couple of miles from my office building, around the tidal basin, past the Jefferson Memorial, and to the FDR Memorial. I didn't see her right away, and walked the whole memorial without finding her, but then I spotted my girl walking with friends on their way to eat their lunches. Our fortuitous reunion at the FDR Memorial got me through the day.

I took some pictures on the way (a good excuse to stop and catch some badly needed breath). On the return trip, I was able to make a quick, but long awaited visit to the World War II Memorial.

Category: Diversions
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Greetings from Nationals Park, take 3

It's our third Nats game this week, but more importantly our second Cubs game of the season. We're hoping to see the Cubs take the series in today's rubber game. Stay tuned.

Update: DAMN! Cubs lost, 2-0. It was a sad game, but still a good day out at the ballpark.

Category: Sports
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Greetings from Nationals Park, again!

We're here with Jay and Carolyn, and the Cubs are up 5-0 in the top of the 2nd. We're hoping the predicted thunderstorms don't arrive. Thanks TJ for the tickets!

Update: The Cubs won, 7-0, and the rain started coming down hard only after the game was over. Thank you weather gods, for allowing the 'W' flag to fly at Nationals Park for the first time.

Category: Sports
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