How I Spent my Friday

Despite the fact that my boys lost their home opener, I was one happy girl on Friday. The weather was perfect, the beer was cold, the friends and family were many. I don't understand people who don't enjoy baseball.

Hardcover Happiness

The first time I read the book was in high school. I'll the the first to admit that though I was in AP English, I rarely read a book cover to cover. Most of the selections were rather dull and tedious to my teenage brain so more often than not, I would read a few chapters, decide the book sucked and then did one of the following to get through the test or report: a) picked up the Cliff Notes, b) discussed with a friend who had read the whole thing or c) took a guess on how it ended and just winged it. Sadly, these approaches served me well and I always had an A or B and even managed to get college credit using these techniques. (Sidebar: My memoirs will be titled "Acheiving Success Through Total Mediocrity") Anywho, back to the book...

So I read it in high school and for once, I read the entire book. And then I read it again. All before the damn thing was even due for class. Never before had a book had quite the impact that this book had on me. I laughed, I cried, I thought about God, I thought about death and I thought about friendship. I wanted to name my son after the main character. Throughout the years I've reread this book a dozen times. Each time I love it a little more.

When I moved back to Denver from Omaha in 1999 I lost my original copy and decided to get a hardcover. I really wanted a 1st edition and began searching for one. I found a few copies but my budget in 1999 was roughly 11 cents as I was broke so I couldn't afford any of the copies I found. For years I would look in every used book store I went into but never could find a decent 1st edition. There's a used book store in the Milwaukee airport and they have my name on file in case one came in. There are two used book stores in my neighborhood who also have my name and number. I've checked bookstores in Boston, Dallas, San Diego, New Jersey, Arizona, Tallahassee to name a few and never found what I wanted. Sure, there were a few copies around but usually they were in pretty bad shape or the bookstore wanted a stupid amount of money for a beat up copy.

So last weekend I was having brunch with my friend in Highlands. Afterwards we walked around some of the shops near the restaurant. As we walked by a used book store my friend asked if I wanted to check for my book. I agreed but had already resigned myself to the fact that they wouldn't have it because, for the love of everything that is good, no one ever had my book. So, I walked up to the lady who worked there and asked her if they had a hardcover copy. She walked back with me and we looked. No luck. She told me she would go check the books that they had just received. Nothing. Then she said she would check the section signed the author. Nada. I thanked her and was getting ready to leave when she grabbed my sleeve and said there was one more place to check. I followed her to a book shelf off in the far corner of the store. The little bronze plate on the top read "First Editions". I have no idea why but the second I saw that bronze plate, I knew it was there. Sure enough a few seconds later she pulled an immaculate 1st edition, FIRST PRINT copy of the book off the shelf. She smiled broadly as she handed me the copy and said, "It's in really good shape." And in additional to being in really good shape, it was also very reasonably priced. So I skipped up to the register and happily handed over some cash and thanked the woman a million times for helping me find it.

It's been home for a week and I can't seem to bring myself to put it on a book shelf so it's just been sitting on the dining room table. I walk by it several times a day and every single time I just grin ear to ear. Sometimes I pick it up and run my hand over the cover or smell it (What? I like the smell of books.) I just like knowing that it's all mine.

Happiest Place on Earth

In my nine illustrious years in the workforce, I have yet to work on Opening Day. As soon as the schedule comes out, I block that day on my calendar for vacation. This year was no different as I headed to Coors Field with a ton of my friends. We hit several parties in LoDo prior to the game, drank lots of cold beer, snacked on roasted peanuts, and actually managed to get a little sunburned during the game.

The view from our seats looking west. Bet your ballpark doesn't have that kind of view.

The Rockies ended up losing to the Diamondbacks, but overall it was one hell of a way to spend a Friday.

Full house at Coors Field

I already have tickets to four more games in April and May. If summers past are any indicator, I will be at Coors Field quite a bit this summer. It's never really mattered to me if I'm sitting in seats behind the dugout or out in the Rockpile, I just love being there.

I like the way the grass looks. I love the smell of a Rockie Dog. Nothing is better than the sound of a bat making contact with the ball. I love the warm, dry air that, thanks to the mountains, almost always has a light breeze to go with it. I love how, despite what a fantastic player he is, Tulo is still humble and having so much damn fun playing the game. I like the look of the hand laid brick of the ballpark. I love the row of purple seats that goes around the entire ballpark to mark 5, 280 feet above sea level - mile high. I like the fact that our mascot is a dinosaur because they found so many dinosaur bones during construction of Coors Field. I love jumping up for and/or ducking from a foul ball. I like night games after work when you meet up with friends you haven't seen in a while because everyone spent the winter hibernating.

If you're not a baseball fan, you probably don't get it but trust me - it's all good stuff.

Tastes Like Chicken

And all this time I thought love was a bit more complex...

...but you have to respect the simple wisdom of a fortune cookie.

For Kelsey

Dear Kelsey,
I remember Dad putting you into my arms for the first time. You were so small and had lots of brown hair. It was love at first sight. However, as an only child for the first 12 years of my life, I was used to being the center of attention. You changed all of that.

You were a gorgeous baby but more than that, you were so good. You were such a sweet kid, always smiling and laughing. This made you even more precious in the eyes of the family and truth be told, I kind of resented you. I figured if you were going to be adorable with all the batting of the big green eyes and cooing, then I would just have to find other ways to get attention. I was entering Dante's Fourth Canto of Hell - also known as adolescence (please note my bangs up there) - so my days of being adorable were drawing to a close. Frankly, I wanted to get rid of you. Instead, I decided I would do everything else really well in order to get some of that attention that I so richly deserved.

My good grades, the athletics, the extracurricular activities - all because I had to find some way to conquer the preciousness you oozed 24-7. All of these things led me to getting into a good college so I suppose I should thank you. Had you not come along, I could be a worthless bum, living in a van down by the river.

You were five years old when I left for college. The morning I left, you wrapped yourself around my waist crying and saying, "Please don't go! I'll be a good girl!" By the age of five you lost some of the adorableness and started being a pain in the ass - beating up Karlie, getting into my room, telling guys at Gart Bros. that I thought they were hot, etc, etc. You thought I was leaving because you had been rotten all summer. You were heartbroken and the first few times I called home you just cried on the phone.

You had quite an evolution while I was away at school and I felt like you had grown up so much every time I saw you. You learned how to tie your shoes; how to read; how to make cinnamon toast; how to french braid Karlie's hair and much more all while I was away. I felt like I had missed so much and you and Karlie were a huge reason for my decision to move home.

In the eight years that I've been home I've watched you grow and change so much. When I got home you're walls were covered with pictures of horses and you still played with dolls.

You still thought I was "the coolest person in the whole, wide world". My opinion on clothes, music, movies and boys was the only one you cared about. That didn't last long.

I was also taller than you back then.

That didn't last too long either.

I remember the first time you told me you couldn't do a girl's night because you "had other plans"; you were 14. We often had to reschedule plans but it was always due to my schedule, not yours. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little hurt. It was then I realized that my days of being the person you wanted to spend all of your time with were numbered.

Your four years of high school seemed to have gone by in a blur. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was listening to your tales of freshman woe? There were all those phone calls about locker combinations, mean girls and cute baseball players. There were lessons in proper make-up application. There were all the times you begged me to take you driving after Sunday dinners. There were birthday cakes and Christmas cookies. There was prom dress shopping and lunches at Fazolis because of our intense love of the bread sticks. There were late night phone calls and text messages when John was being a jackass. There were fights and stupid arguments. There were fits of laughter that made us cry and/or fart. But I'm not pointing any fingers...

I was thinking about all of those things as I drove across town this afternoon to say goodbye before you leave for college tomorrow. I know I was the one who encouraged you to go to school out of state but as I stood there crying this afternoon I was kicking my own ass for that move. Because suddenly, the thought of you being a 10 hour drive away is a bit heartbreaking. I feel like karma is rearing her ugly head for wanting to get rid of you all those years ago. I wanted to cling to your waist and beg you to stay the same way you had done before I left for school. Leaving is hard but being left is awful.

Despite the tears, I am so excited for you. You are about to have the time of your life. I'd be lying if I said there would be no hard times, but you'll be fine. And for those big bumps in the road, I am just a phone call or plane ride away. Honestly Kels, I'm not worried because I know that there are wonderful things in store for you. I know that there is an amazing life out there just waiting for you to create it.

Love you tons,

Kendra

One of Those Days

Some days just suck, right? You know how sometimes it just feels like the universe is conspiring against you? Some days it just feels like everything's awful. Some days it seems like everyone sucks. I hate those days.

Thankfully, my day has been the exact opposite of that. My day has been fantastic! Let's review the awesomeness, shall we?

1)I had a phone call today which is going to lead to some big changes in my life. I want to tell you guys everything but I don't want to jinx it so I'm not going to put it all out there until it's all done. I'll just say that I'm completely thrilled about what's on the horizon.

2) My cowlick was cooperative this morning. This seems minor to those lucky bastards who are cowlick-free but those who live in my world know how glorious a good cowlick day can be.

3) I was in line at Starbucks this morning behind a woman who ordered coffee for most of the free world. I'm not exaggerating when I say she walked out with four coffee caddies. Anyway, the guy in line behind me struck up a conversation with me while we waited. Next thing you know, he asked for my number. In the 10 minutes we chatted he seemed funny, easy going and totally normal (famous last words, I know). We're supposed to have drinks soon.

4) My birthday is 9 days away but I'm starting the celebration tonight. For those of you who have been reading for a while, you know I enjoy my birthday to no end and usually celebrate for as long as my friends and family will allow. I was a little freaked about turning 31 a few months ago but now I look at it like I have all of my birthdays - a reason to party. And as I told my friend Molly earlier in the year when she was dreading her birthday - it sure as hell beats the alternative. So tonight includes a concert that I have been waiting for all summer. Pics to follow, knowing me.

5) Smokin' hot outfit for tonight.

Ok, I should go get ready but just had to share the happy; those near-perfect days are few and far between.



***Update: Karen's connections took care of us once again and we were so close to the stage for the Michael Buble show. See...

I realize I cut his head off but I was a little taken aback by just how close he was.

Big hugs and kisses to Karen for not only securing awesome seats but also vodka tonics for the show. She is the best. Made for a very happy (albeit, early) birthday girl.