ceremonial pitch - Indianapolis Indians Game

I got to throw out the first pitch at the Indianapolis Indians game! And it made it to the plate! To see it in all of it's ungraceful glory, click here: First pitch

twenty-third best day of my life.

Actually, I'm not sure where yesterday ranked, but it was pretty darn good.

Started the morning off with a visit to Robert Egger and D.C. Central Kitchen. Second Helpings is based on D.C. Central Kitchen, so I loved getting to poke around and see how they do things. I got some great ideas. 

I also got to see Robert Egger is his element. I love his office, it looks an awful lot like mine - except his is tidy. You can read my previous posts on Mr. Egger here and here and see our feet here. I'm such a big fan of his that I get all stammery and blushy around him. 

I have a whole bookcase full of Harry Truman books and Truman paper dolls and other goofy stuff. It was fun to see old 'Give 'um Hell Harry' above the Iggy Pop poster. 

On the flight back to Indianapolis we circled around the city. This photograph shows our old football stadium (RCA Dome), the new almost-finished-one (Lucas Old Stadium) to the right and Victory Field. The baseball stadium is in the bottom, center of the photograph. Since I could see that the lit score board from the sky, it was a sure sign that I should go to the afternoon game. So I did. I had an idea that Dad would be there and he was. I bought a big ole tub of popcorn and plopped down next to him. Dad's crowd yelled Nora and then three guys behind me also yelled Nora. 

I was so excited! One of my favorite musicians, Steve Poltz  (from San Diego) was sitting behind us! I'd missed Steve's show the night before (thanks for the during-the-show text updates Heck of a Gal and B.I.G) and I never miss his shows. Steve is quirky and fun and I'm always in a better mood at the end of the gig- which I cannot say about all of the concerts I cover. He had a long career with his band The Rugburns, but is best known for co-writing the song You Were Meant for Me, with then-girlfriend Jewel. The song holds the record for the longest chart run. 

For once, I got the chance to entertain Steve and his tour manager. I took them up to the Public Announcer's booth and we got to see the view from the press box. We watched the last inning sitting right behind home plate. 

And, as if that wasn't a big enough day...I went to the Ryan Bingham late-night show. The talented twang-rocker is only 26. The whole band was great and I made myself stay until the end, just to prove that I could last as long as the kids - of course I wasn't drinking shots and PBR's and smoking....and I bet they still felt way better than I did this morning!

And there you have it: A day in the life of Nora. 

from earned runs to the emergency room

I only worked half of a day on Wednesday so I could go to the first afternoon Indianapolis Indians game of the season. I blithely said to a friend "baseball, sunshine, popcorn and a beer and everything will be okay." And it was for a few short hours.

My feet at Victory Field.

The Indians day games are always a blast. Our seats are great, close to first base and right in front of the opposing teams pitcher warm up spot. The ball park is beautiful and the weather was gorgeous.

JR, Dad and several Second Helpings volunteers were there. I got there after the game started and my brother let me "buy in" to the little, um game they were playing. I won $20 in the first two minutes I was there. And the next time the um, tokens came to me I won again.

I decided to take my money and run (actually I sent the beer guy down with some pre-paid beers). I talked my way through security and up to the media suite. My friend Bruce Schumaker is the PA announcer. He has the best seat in the house!

The game went in in to extra innings, and the Indians lost in a heart breaker. Overall the Tribe looks great- 11 wins and only 3 losses.

Our group walked over to Friday's to wait out the traffic. I sent sister Annie a text asking what she was doing that evening. She's in town, from Phoenix, for Mr. Herr's funeral. She was at MedCheck with extremely high blood pressure. They sent her right to St. Vincent Hospital. The ultimate story is that she is okay...except for the high blood pressure stuff.

It was scary, but she flew through everything, including a lumbar puncture like a champ. I'm typically not squeamish- blood and guts don't bother me unless it my little sister. I had to step out of the room for the blood tests and lumbar puncture.

The ER staff did a great job with her care and eight hours later I was tucking her in to bed at Mom's house. I'll gladly skip baseball games forever to have Annie healthy.

so, as i was drinking moonshine with the third base coach of the giants...

...I handed him $21 for the three CDs he'd just given me so I could write about it tonight. And when I say that I drank moonshine, I mean that I put my lips on the water bottle of Uncle Max's Kentucky moonshine until they burned - I couldn't bring myself to actually take a swig.

Tim Flannery is a singer/songwriter and baseball guy. He was with the Padres for 25 years as a player, coach, manager and announcer. He's now the third base coach for the Giants, and chasing the dream of a World Series ring. He spends the off season playing his music.

I really enjoyed talking to Tim before the show. Baseball and music are two of my favorite things, so I was a little star-struck.

Tim's songs are rooted in bluegrass and Gospel and are heartbreakingly beautiful. The harmonies with his brother, Tom were amazing (and that was before the moonshine). I'm a real sucker for songs about family and the land, Tim's music is right up my alley.

(Tim Flannery)

(Tim and Tom and Uncle Max's "water")

The brothers were touring with Steve Poltz . Steve played for years in the punk-pop-folk band The Rugburns. He's been touring for a couple of years as a solo act. If you've seen the new Jeep sandbox commercial, you've heard Steve's music. He co-wrote the longest running Billboard hit "You Were Meant For Me" with then girlfriend Jewel. I'm fascinated by his early life. He trick-or-treated at Liberace’s house and was Bob Hope’s favorite altar boy. He's very clever and charming. Its not often (okay never) that a touring musician greets you with a big hug. Steve is also poster child for ADD. He jumps around even more than I do. Between my lack of focus when taking photographs and his constant motion it is hard to get a good picture.

(Steve Poltz)

(Steve and Nora)

st. hedwig

I thought I should show you more of this beautiful historic church than the confession box bathroom.

The church was founded in 1877, the current church was built in 1883 and is the oldest church building in the city of South Bend.


There was a huge influx of Polish immigrants to South Bend at the turn of the 19th century. The immigrants formed the Polish American Parish -- a combination of the European village parish, the emerging American territorial parish and a community center. Over the next 25 years three more Polish Catholic churches were built in South Bend. The churches became the hub of family life for the Polish people of the city. They believed passionately in education. In fact a couple of the churches sprung up because they did not want their children crossing so many dangerous railroad tracks. The churches took care of their parishioners from birth to death. An elementary school started in 1877 and a secondary school that started in 1923. The parish took total care of the immigrants needs -- spiritual, educational and social. They helped improve neighborhoods and provided a sense of belong in the brutal manufacturing world that most of the parishioners worked in.



The elementary school closed in the 1960s, right before Ron started school. Ron was able to attend the school at a sister parish, Saint Adalbert. South Bend is down to one Polish church, the first one, Saint Hedwig.

The priest who said the funeral mass was amazing and like most priests, is pulled in several directions. He is also the parish priest for the church across the street, Saint Patrick. Father Chrobot has his PhD and teaches sociology at Notre Dame. His sermon was lovely/ Before Mass started he gave us the history of the beautiful church and of the Polish people in South Bend. We got to hear songs in English, Polish and Latin.

I adore my brother-in-law Ron Trojanowski (you didn't think his last name would be Smith, did you?). He and my sister Beth have been married for seven years (maybe, don't hold me to that) and dated for ten years before that. In all of that time, I never had the pleasure of meeting his father. His reputation as a baseball fan is legendary. Ron is named for the Cubs player Ron Santo. Ron inherited his dad's love of the Cubs and named his dog Santo. There were photographs of Mr. Trojanowski with Ron Santo and Ernie Banks. I was happy to hear stories about Ron's dad. I looked down and Ron was wearing red socks, his dad's favorite color.



And, just because I cannot help myself -- you know that there were two funerals in South Bend yesterday.
Notre Dame 3
Georgia Tech 33

Pray for me.

i like boys

I’ve never been a goal setter, which might explain why I’m single, 46 and just now buying my first house.
One thing that I’ve always had in the back of my mind was to be a “writer” -- whatever that is. The fact that I now get to write for two publications just blows my mind.

I write a regular column, “Buzzing Around Town” for the Broad Ripple Gazette about music. I have been doing this for about a year and a half and I love every second of it. The column is more observational than critical, so I get to be my usual goofy self. Some of my blog posts have make it in to the column. The BRG is a community, family newspaper. BRG often “scoops” the bigger papers on community issues.

I’ve been writing music previews for NUVO for six months. NUVO a weekly arts, entertainment and social justice paper. They are more provocative. The pieces I write for them are third person profiles of upcoming music. My niche for NUVO is singer/songwriters, folk musicians and under-the-radar sorts of stuff. I’ve always been a fan of NUVO and am honored to write for them – and not just ‘cause they pay me. Leslie Benson is the new music editor and she has done a tremendous job of expanding the music coverage. She will send me an e-mail asking if I want to write something and include the deadline and any information that she has. If the musician has mailed a promo pack to the NUVO office she’ll forward it to me.

I’ve been super busy at work. Leslie e-mailed me last week to see if I wanted to write about Fr*dr*ck *ord (I don’t want to make his name Google-able). Without reading the bio she sent me, I told her I’ve love to. I clicked on the name of the musician’s publicist to set up a phone interview. I told the publicist my phone number and a good time to reach me. I didn’t think about it again until about 10 minutes before I expected the call.
I clicked on FF’s Website and just about fainted.
His first love is music (electronica /dance), but his career is made on g*y p*rn. Holy Crap!
I ran and put on another layer of clothes.
I had my legs crossed, eyes closed and I blushed throughout the whole conversation.

I often think that people must wonder about my sexual orientation. After all, I’ve never been married and am fairly capable. A good number of the women musicians I write about are l**b**ns. I was joking with my friends that the FF piece would really make people wonder.

I went to the Indianapolis Indians day game yesterday. My brother and some of his friends joined me at the Red Key. I grabbed a NUVO to see how the piece turned out. Beer came out of my nose when I saw it. It has a rainbow banner over it.

No wonder I never get asked out.

auntie nora -- updated

It has been a long, slightly overwhelming week -- capped off by this gorgeous-weather day of work followed by more work.

I just came home with really sore feet and an equally worn out disposition.

I felt instantly better when I listened to this message:

"This is Molly Spitznogle, 5**-9****, Auntie Norie can you come to the baseball game with me tomorrow?
I understand if you can't. I miss you."

She sounded so grown up! She's lost her little girl lisp.
The typical message would include several "Mom!'s" and a recorded tussle with her little brother.

I would throw myself under a train for my sweet almost six year-old niece.
This will be easy.
I'll see you at the game, June Bug!


Update:

The game was a blast, despite the 3-8 defeat.

Victory Field is in downtown Indianapolis and is only 10 years old.
When the Indianapolis Indians moved from the old historic Busch Stadium I was prepared not to like the new stadium, but it it perfect.

I usually make it to at least a dozen games a summer.
This is the first year I've missed opening day since I've been back in Indy.
I hate to admit it, but I wussed out. It was a cold windy and rainy day.
Today was warm and sunny.


I took Molly and John to the media room to meet my friend Bruce Schumaker, the public address announcer.
The kids got a bird's eye view of the stadium.


Molly and John got to 'run the bases' after the game. Molly is in the pink hat and John, in the red hat is playing "Shoeless Joe."