Friday, October 22, 2010

Right said, SAID!

I've lived in Raleigh, North Carolina now for over 13 years. I met my wife here. My kids were born here. My mortgage lives here. I can give you at least three different routes to take to get to the same place across town. They all vary with traffic.
I'm coming to terms with the notion that this is now my home. When I moved here, a whole 'nother Millenium ago, I had no intentions of staying for long. If you were one of the few who knew me then, I probably owe you an apology for something or other.


I wanted to work on a cruise ship. I was already good at waiting tables. I could see a bigger portion of the world. The tragedy of my own, personal Greek play----chronic seasickness.


I didn't know where I wanted to go, but I did know I didn't want to stay. Time has a way of changing you without you knowing you've changed.


So that's what that is.


I still don't see myself staying here forever, just for the foreseeable future. This is home (note the lowercase "h"). But it will never be Home.


cue dramatic music---the kind that gives you chills


We are fortunate---you, and me, and all those that share this time and space. We are fortunate indeed. The era in which we exist, will be noted by future generations. Your lineage, your decendents...They will proudly puff out their chests and say with no uncertainty, "My Great-Great-Grandfather was there when the greatest Philadelphia Phillies team every assembled dominated the baseball world." And then they'll say, "He used to watch it on this thing called 'HD'".


And then your descendent will be ambushed by the opposite sex and be made a Senator for life.


Because of the recent and current success of the Phillies, Philadelphia has been at the forefront of my brain...a lot. I've even started saying things about the opposing team that one might deem hurtful...a common trait of the Philly Fan.

I can't help it. I'm acting upon a base natural instinct. Just as the Canadian geese take flight to the south at a precise moment every year, I am inescapably drawn to my Home.



There are many, many tremendous reasons why I should feel proud of my Philadelphia heritage. The innovators of our country gathered, there specifically, to create the nation and the lives we are afforded today. Ben Franklin, Independence Hall, The Liberty Bell...all that stuff is great. And of course there's Rocky and the Art Museum, and Hall and Oates, too.


But the thing that ultimately ties me to my Home is the Philadelphia Phillies baseball club.


Right now I could bore you to death with the details of my long relationship with the Fightin' Phils. But I won't. You're probably already sick of hearing about it.


Nevertheless, allow me to make one point about my Phillie fandom. It is a disease, it is a drug, it is a virus that infects you and lays dormant for years, until the next pennant run rouses it back to life. It is euphoric, but at the same time it can leave you with no hope. I must stress, though, that when it's good, it's great.


And while I was only briefly exposed, I can only imagine what it would be like to be as high on Fightin' Phils Fever as this guy apparently is:




http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=a9020be1-ad8e-4f7b-9082-941321f36a2a

I'm not sure how to embed the clip directly to the post--please take a minute and watch....did you do it? OK


Wow. This guy is so jacked up on Phillies fever, it's about to burst out of his eyes. Literally.




This faithful Philly fan has been waiting all night for the team to return from San Francisco following a clutch Game 5 (middle-of-the-work-week) victory. And his enthusiasm has not waned one iota!. Talk about Philly Pride.


I LOVE being a fan of this team! Miss you, Home...SAID!

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