Observations from Tennessee

It's been a while since I posted and I haven't even thought a ton about it. But two weeks in Tennessee are always good for a few thoughts:

- I felt like the trip to Tennessee went pretty well. Ten hours and forty-five minutes from Joplin to Cleveland, TN with stops is good, probably the most efficiently I'd ever done it.
- But I still can't figure out what happened on the way home. I figured with a pregnant wife in tow we'd be somewhere over 11 hours even if all went according to schedule. However, somehow we came in under 10 hours and 30 minutes - including stops and 20 minutes at a dead-stop on I-24 because of an accident. My wife is pretty awesome. She made a move in traffic at one point that was highly impressive. And the fact that we didn't have to stop so she could pee for the last 4.5 hours of the trip is unbelievable to me.
- Hands are surfaces that can be effectively sanitized by spraying them with an antibacterial solution - regardless of whether that particular solution was originally designed with hands in mind. I'm just saying.
- There is something about Japanese food in Tennessee (which is strange), but the best I've ever had is there and I found a new favorite place to get it. If only there were carrots.
- Anything that might look like a fight club to someone who you wake up in the middle of the night probably isn't a great idea. I'm just saying.
- Even when you push 2 twin beds together it's still not quite the same as sleeping in the same bed with your wife.
- File this one away for future reference. Atlanta is only a 2 hour drive from Lee University. If there are flight delays it might be best to just rent a car and drive. Once you get delayed the first time the likelihood that you will leave when they say you will goes down exponentially.
- Brusters refused to serve us at 9:45 (they were closing at 10) because everything was already cleaned up. That didn't go over well when Eric returned a few days later and mentioned it to the manager. Next thing we know, we've got more buy 1 get 1 free coupons than we know what to do with. The Chick-Fil-A that was 2-doors down was more than happy to have our business that night.
- Boo-yah is a quickly overused phrase, but "fail" never gets old. The only question with "fail" is who will come up with the most appropriate title for a particular "fail".
- The special sauce and/or the flan will change your life and the server will ask.
- Not all barber shops are exactly the same. Right, Brad?

Father's Day Gift

On Friday evening my dad and I made a trip to Springfield to watch a baseball game. Seems simple enough - and it was...and that was kind of the point.

I suspect that I'm not the only adult son who has struggled to figure out what to buy for his dad on Father's Day. Dad's tend to fall into a couple of categories (and I'm sure I will too someday). There are those who don't really need or want much - either because they have everything or just don't have interests and hobbies outside their work and family. Then there are those whose interests and hobbies are too expensive for most people to meaningfully gift-give related thereto.

My dad is more in the former category. He has the things he needs and isn't someone who wants a lot of things - something I respect about him - so when birthdays, Christmas, and Father's Day roll around knowing how to honor him in meaningful ways can be a challenge.

It's easy to just say that a dad is hard to buy for and that ends up coming across negatively toward the person. I don't think it's that simple. I think it is difficult because often we as their children don't fully grasp what dad really enjoys and wants - a lot of times he wants to spend time with his kids (especially the adult ones who are off living their own lives now).

So back to our simple journey to Springfield....

For this to make sense you need some background. Baseball has been an integral part of my life and that of my family as far back as I can remember. Whether it was me playing or us watching at all levels of play - including a lot of Braves games on TBS - baseball is kind of part of the fabric of our family, something we all get, something we hold in common and can enjoy together (every family needs a few of those things).

Here's the list of major league parks dad and I (and in many cases my mom and sister) have been in together:
- Kauffmann (KC)
- Old Busch (STL)
- Wrigley (CHC)
- Skydome (TOR)
- Old Yankees (NYY)
- Fenway (BOS)
- Heinz (PIT)
- Camden (BAL)
- Turner (ATL)
- Arlington (TEX)

Add to that a few of minor league parks - Bricktown, Drillers, and now Hammons.

There are only a couple of parks I've been to without dad - Coors, Anaheim (whatever that one is called), and a minor league park in Johnson City, TN.

Before the game we made a quick stop at the Chipotle up the street from Hammons Field - nothing like a huge burrito before a game. I think dad had only been to a Chipotle one other time. I was pretty sure he'd like it because he would appreciate the freshness and simplicity of the approach, while enjoying the ingredients (unless you're a vegetarian who doesn't like rice, beans, steak, chicken or pork, salsa, cheese, etc. all wrapped in a massive tortilla?).

Friday turned out to be a great evening, cool enough to enjoy sitting outside at a great ballpark. I'll give it to the folks at Hammons, they know how to entertain between innings. People sometimes complain about baseball being slow. Those of us who love the game would argue that it's deliberate and the complainers don't understand what's really going on. The game (which the Cardinals double-A affiliate won 2-1) moved quickly, had some good pitching, a few good hits and plays in the field.

In addition to getting to see a good game (and this is one of the great things about watching baseball) we were able to sit and talk about all sorts of stuff. And I think that's the key, it gave us time to spend together that we don't normally get. It is my theory that more often than we realize, time and no agenda is what our dads really want.

When it was over we were treated to a very nice fireworks show (it was July 3rd).

I'm pretty sure it was the best Father's Day gift I have managed in several years. And opens some options for me going forward. There are all sorts of events and experiences I could take dad to - just takes a little creativity.