Softball in the Common

P200507232701
Originally uploaded by radioflyer7.

Ahh, playing softball in the Boston Common! What can be more fun on a summer day against the backdrop of beautiful Boston?!

On this day, our church softball team had a guest appearance by Tom Magliozzi (back row, second from left) of Car Talk. Tom seems like a fun guy in person, too, making funny faces as he pitched the entire game, and swtich-hit on every other pitch.

Summer Breeze at the PawSox

In honor of Felix's birthday, the boys went down to a PawSox game on a beautiful summer night. It's a friendly and relaxing setting, great for laid-back almost-fans like us. We were "almost-fans" because besides the three prospects the RedSox were currently considering, we had no idea who was who. These pitchers were certainly throwing as hard as they could (97 mph!) with few sinkers and other more technical pitches.

The best thing about this place, in my opinion, is that instead of the unruly major league-style cursing, you hear all around you fathers explaining baseball to their wide-eyed children waiting to catch a fly ball in their little mittens. Life is great at the minor-league game.

Ball game parking, free.
A seat behind the first base line, $9.
A ball park hotdog, $2.50.
A great minor-league baseball outing with guys, priceless.

Top 10 Ways to Embarrass Yourself At Blue Ginger

A few nights ago, Dee and I had the fortunate to dine at Blue Ginger. The executive chef there, Ming Tsai, has a PBS cooking show "Simply Ming" and a reality show "Cooking Under Fire." Ming was also voted People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People some years ago. Regardless, we had such exquisit and delicious food and a fun time that Dee decided to publish "Top 10 Ways to Embarrass Yourself At Blue Ginger." (Ming, if you are reading this, we really love you!)

TOP 10 WAYS TO EMBARRASS YOURSELF AT BLUE GINGER
10. Show up sporting the same T-shirt and shorts you wore all day while working around the house (and doing light carpentry work in 90 degree weather).
9. While waiting to be seated, order a Bud Light as your aperitif.
8. Upon being seated among all the other finely dressed patrons, loudly ask the Maitre 'D where the "potty room" is because you have to "tinkle" to make room for dinner.
7. Open up your menu and promptly ask your waiter, "How do you pronounce this? What's that? What's that? Is foie gras really grass?"
6. Ask if your meal comes with fries or if you have to pay extra for them.
5. Grab Ming Tsai's white chef coat as he walks by and gush your praises for him "You are the greatest! And your show "Yan Can Cook" is my favorite show of all!"
4. As you get served your meal, don't hide your disappointment in the quantity and be sure to ask "Is this all I get?"
3. When your waiter asks if everything is alright, tell him everything is just perfect . . . but don't be shy to ask for a bottle of ketchup to "add a little zing" to your meal.
2. Halfway through your duck entree, you realize that the "super tender and oh-so-tasty" meat is really beef--and it took you half your meal to realize this.

AND THE #1 WAY TO EMBARRASS YOURSELF
1. Just as you inform your waiter that he has made a mistake in your order (and you're two bites from finishing it), you realize that what you're eating REALLY IS duck!

Black Hawk Up (a blog I came across)

I came across this blog entry today. It's a fun read especially after having re-watched Black Hawk Down this past week... I also poked around Google and found this nice picture.

Defense Tech: Black Hawk Up

Photo courtesy of army.mil

Four Cousins - 33 years later

In the year of 1972, four sisters gave births to four girls (from left to right): Gina, Eileen, Jamie, and Joyce. Thirty three years later in a rare opportunity, here is the re-enactment. Place the mouse over the picture to see.

Blogging? Why?

Can a guy get some privacy, please?
Originally uploaded by radioflyer7.

I was just surfing, killing time, by hitting the "Next Blog" button on this page. Wow, lots of people have something to say. Or at least want to have something to say. But like me, there is nothing that interesting most of the time. So why blog? Beats me. When you do have something you want people to hear, you want an audience. But if you don't maintain an audience, you won't have one. So it comes down to an art of just saying something. Just like talk show hosts, politicians, and pastors even at times. Does this, in any way, reflect some sort of social/psychological condition of the heart? Okay now, I'd better stop before I make my head dizzy talking like that...

Not that I am sheesh'ing you away, but why are you reading my post?! Post a comment and help enlighten me here...

A Wedding & Family Reunion

Hee, hee, hee, am I ever ready for this... =)
Originally uploaded by radioflyer7.

Just got back from LA for my dear sister Eileen's wedding. As many aunts and uncles are retired now and looking for an excuse to travel, this wedding also turned out to be a major family reunion.

The last time we had a family reunion of this magnitude was 7 years ago. We talked of organizing such events more frequently but always ended up getting too busy and distracted by our regular life. Perhaps we'll do better with the next reunion?

Eileen's and Pierson's wedding was a beautiful one. Too bad I was busy doing stuff at the wedding or taking care of my two cute little children, I didn't get to take as many pictures as I would have hoped (imagine that!).

Speaking of pictures, at a family gathering, everyone went a bit berzerk making circles on the floor. Pierson, welcome to the family. Hopefully in time you'll find that we are really not that crazy. [LOL]