A nice little half day of work

Here are some pics from the Twins game Beno and I attended last Wednesday afternoon. We sat in the middle of the first row of section 117, which are very nice seats.

The pictures will help give you an idea of how close we were to the action as well. Unfortunately, the lighting in the dome is not that good so action shots didn't turn out too well.

Mauer didn't play so there are no pictures of him. I focused on Morneau (Gina's favorite), Nathan (my favorite) and Liriano. The game was great and it was nice to hang out with Ben for an afternoon.

Oddly, the most interesting part of the game came when I got home though. There was a voicemail for me from a friend of mine that I played college ball with at NDSU. He lives in Texas now and I happened to randomly run into him at the Twins/Rockies series at Coors Field in May. It was cool, as I hadn't seen him for about a decade. We exchanged numbers that day but hadn't spoken with each other since.

His voicemail talked about the Twins and how I needed to get Liriano going (who had to pitch out of jams most of the game). He also let me know that he noticed that I was playing hookie from work. I was confused how he knew and called him back because the game was not broadcast on FSN like it usually is.

He was watching the mlb.tv broadcast which was using the radio announcers with different cameras angles then you normally see on TV. In the seventh inning, Morneau made a catch against the wall about ten feet from us and he saw me at that point.
Small world I tell ya.

Come on baby, lets see what we're made of

Before I start this post, I just want to say that I recognize that this topic is a bigger deal to some then it is to others and there is, by no means, a right or wrong opinion on it. 

It just so happens that it was/is very important to me...

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Picking a song that represents you and your soon to be spouse for the first dance of your wedding is a very difficult decision.  Not only do you want it to represent your current relationship but it also needs to be flexible enough to also do so in the future as well.

Since the night of Gina and I's wedding when we danced to "Sorry Signs on Cash Machines" by Mason Jennings over five years ago, it has been my favorite song. 

(Side note: Other songs we considered for our first dance were Ben Folds' "The Luckiest" and Ben Lee's "Birthday Song.")

We both love Mason and I've always associated him to us for a number of reasons (going to his concerts together, the night I proposed, his MN connections, etc.).  In regards to "Sorry Signs" itself, I love the story and I have always felt that it has represented the two of us so well.  In fact, I think it's become even more fitting as time has gone on. 

To me, the song is so much bigger then just saying love conquers all. 

It's about re-committing to each other every day and appreciating the fact that there is no one else you would rather make your way through the ups and downs of life with.  It's about recognizing that it is hard to maintain a successful marriage without constant vigilance and sacrafice.  It's about understanding that it is impossible to keep from getting complacent with each other without continuously challenging one another to be a better people.

Seven years ago today Gina and I went out on our first date.  It's hard to believe it's been that long.  The events of that night are worth a post of its own so I will spare the details here other then to just say that when the date ended we both felt an uncharacteristic calmness, sensing that it just might be the last first date we'd ever be on.  How it can take a lifetime to get to know someone yet in a matter of hours two people can independently come to that conclusion is truly amazing.

It's been an interesting ride filled with just about everything.  Nearly every day, on some level, we experience the joys of life, the sadness of death, and much of what lies in between.

What I do know is that I'm fortunate enough to be with the person that I most what to spend my life with and any time that I hear "Sorry Signs" it helps to ground me, it helps me appreciate what I have and helps remind me that life is what you make of it.

It's pretty cool that a song is capable of that.

"Sorry Signs On Cash Machines"

Oh, my heart is a thoroughbred
I can't sleep in my bed
Everything is burning up inside me

I need something I can feel
Cigarettes and a driving wheel and
Oh, my god, when you cross your legs beside me

I know true love don't love like anybody else
I know your heart don't beat like anybody else

When it all comes down to kerosene
And sorry signs on cash machines
And it don't look like anything you've dreamed of

I won't let you give it up
With sorry sighs and forced bad luck
Come on baby, let's see what we're made of

I know true love don't love like anybody else
I know your heart don't beat like anybody else

And all these burning battlefields are now behind us
Life has brought us here together to remind us
That love will rise above it all and just keep growing
Life keeps flowing, and every moment starts right here with us

I know true love don't love like anybody else
I know your heart don't beat like anybody else