Saturday, May 23, 2009

Take Me Out To The Ballgame...!

Welcome to the Tucson Toros inaugural season! For a while, Tucson has been home to the Sidewinders - a minor league affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. But the Sidewinders moved to Reno, leaving Hi Corbett Field vacant. Enter the Toros. If you cared, you could read all about the storied history of the Tucson Toros on wikipedia. But you don't, so let's get back to the game.

Of course, nothing completes a game quite like a ballpark dog.

I was a bit unsure what to wear to the game. I don't have any Toros gear, but their colors are red, black, and gold, so I figured a Cardinals shirt would work. I guessed right. I didn't see a single Toros shirt in the stands. People generally wore whatever baseball apparel they had - regardless of the team. It seemed to me, though, that I saw more Cardinals shirts and hats than any other club. It made my heart proud.
I promise, the stands filled up a bit more before the game. The crowd was a whopping 3,116!
It took some doing, but he finally got his hat back from his sister.
Getting the kids to look at the camera was like pulling teeth. They kept watching Tuffy the Toro. He was their favorite part of the game. About every 5 minutes, Boofus would ask where Tuffy was. Chubbles kept us up to date on his whereabouts: "Duddy dow dere!"
Tuffy Update: I got the kids to leave their mom alone this morning by telling them that I had Tuffy on the computer. This post was actually delayed an hour because I kept getting interrupted. "See Duddy!!!!!"
And after all that fun, there was a baseball game too! The Toros took on the Outlaws of Chico, California. The Toros starting pitcher struggled early, giving up 5 runs in the first three innings. Relief arrived in the fourth inning and the Outlaws were shut out for the rest of the game. The Outlaws' starter took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, but the Toros scattered four runs over the last four innings, including a run in the ninth, to get the crowd pumped...before the game ended with a double play. Ah well.
It was Fireworks Friday, so we enjoyed some of those after the game.
Then they let the kids run the bases after the fireworks. Here's Boofus rounding third. She's looking, and I think she's gonna make a break for home.

We really did have a blast and I , at least, am looking forward to the next time we can make it to a game. Come on down to Tucson this summer, and you can come with.

Friday, May 8, 2009

I love Jets



Among the many things I wanted to be when I grew up, (astronaut, garbage man - I mean sanitation engineer, army sniper...) I wanted to fly fighter jets. Jets are just so cool!


I didn't become a fighter pilot, (or an astronaut, or a sniper) I'm an electrical engineer. I design electronics that go into missiles. On a scale of separation, that's actually a lot closer to fighter jets than most people... but I still sit in a cubical.

When I came down to interview with the company I work for, they put all of us hopefuls on a bus to tour the plantsite - which happens to be right next to the airport that is home to the state air national guard. On our way, four F-16s in succession flew over us to land. It was the coolest thing I saw during the whole trip.


I see similar sights a couple of times a week. The building I work in faces the runway at about a 30 degree angle so I can see the jets if they are taking off or landing as I arrive or leave. I never get tired of it.

Picture from http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2078/2496587496_0de872625b.jpg?v=0 This picture is actually taken at my airport. I work in the building in the background.

Last night I had to work late. When I came out of my building, a flight of four F-16s was taking off... at night... with afterburners.



Picture from http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2059/2048963560_f4ae2b58f1.jpg?v=0

I still want to be a fighter pilot when I grow up.

Many thanks to the photographers who took these pictures and posted them on flickr.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Some Stately Humor

I've had this picture rattling around in my head for a while. I've giggled at it myself a few times and finally got it down on paper so I could share it.