OK, so now your Center City Correspondent is officially annoyed. I try not to kvetch in these pages, but every once in a while I feel like I’ve been handed lemons and all I can make is piles of lemons. On a beautiful sun-kissed day, the Phils played the Cubs in an afternoon game, and I had to sit and watch it at home. They left it late, scoring the winning run in the eighth, and then holding on for the win, just my kind of game. When I started working at the Phillies, this was just the type of game and weather I envisioned. Being cooped up here on the third floor is not a lot of fun, but I have to be patient until the surgery next week. That drumming noise you hear are my fingers on the desk.
So not much to report from Center City, except that my son is leaving Florida and returning to Philadelphia. This news is making Mrs. CCC ecstatic. I guess he wants to get his life back on track and this is the best place to do it, around his family and friends who can lend him support and guidance. He should be back around the 1st of June, so if anybody knows of any job openings for a young, industrious guy, let me know. Where he gets a job will determine where he lives. If he’s learned nothing else from his old man, at least he’s learned that.
Be careful out there. Maybe that should be my new motto. Go Phillies!!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Life lessons
As some of you may know, your Center City Correspondent has been laid low by his own stupidity. I was at the ballpark before a game the other evening, clearing my section before the fans arrived, and I hopped over the seats in row 3 and landed in the ER at Hahnemann. So now I’m on the DL, hobbling around on crutches, and waiting to see an orthopedist to find out what needs to be done to get me back on my feet and back on the job. In the past, an injury like this required arthroscopic surgery, but that was 20 years ago. I just hope there’s something still in there that can be fixed and I don’t need a whole new knee! And the Phillies are playing so well on this home stand, and I’m missing them. So when I go back to work, no gymnastics for me. I’m going to act my age. And a huge tip of the cap to Mrs. CCC – she has been so helpful through all this, ferrying me around, fetching and carrying for me. I’m certainly a lucky guy to have someone as sweet as her by my side, not only through these trying times, but every day of the year.
So now I get to sit around the house and catch up on my reading. It’s not often that your CCC cries, you know, it’s not a manly thing to do. But a book I’m reading caused tears to well up and roll down my cheeks this morning. It’s entitled “Think No Evil” by Jonas Beiler. It tells the story of the ten Amish schoolgirls who were shot by a neighbor back in October, 2006, five of whom died. For some reason, this shooting affected me more than all the other violence that has occurred in recent times. How could anyone single out the Amish to exact any violence or vengeance on? They lead such simple, Christian lives, who would target them? Mr. Beiler does not answer these unanswerable questions, but rather, he focuses on the part of the story that is equally inexplicable. That is, the forgiveness shown by the Amish community and the families of the dead girls towards the shooter. In our modern society, vengeance and hatred and retribution are the normal responses to such a shooting. But the Amish profess to be forgiving people, and they demonstrated it for the whole world by forgiving the shooter and his family, even attending his funeral and offering their condolences and forgiveness to his widow and children. How many of us could do that under similar circumstances? Forgiveness, not retribution, is bred in them from an early age, and to not forgive would mean that they are not Amish. I admire them for their simplicity, their Christianity and now for their compassion towards others and their capacity for forgiveness. We could all take a lesson from them, anytime hatred or anger invade our lives. Remember the little girls from Nickel Mines and the shining example that their families and relatives have shown us.
That’s all for now. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there. Where would any of us be without you? God bless you all and Go Phils!!
So now I get to sit around the house and catch up on my reading. It’s not often that your CCC cries, you know, it’s not a manly thing to do. But a book I’m reading caused tears to well up and roll down my cheeks this morning. It’s entitled “Think No Evil” by Jonas Beiler. It tells the story of the ten Amish schoolgirls who were shot by a neighbor back in October, 2006, five of whom died. For some reason, this shooting affected me more than all the other violence that has occurred in recent times. How could anyone single out the Amish to exact any violence or vengeance on? They lead such simple, Christian lives, who would target them? Mr. Beiler does not answer these unanswerable questions, but rather, he focuses on the part of the story that is equally inexplicable. That is, the forgiveness shown by the Amish community and the families of the dead girls towards the shooter. In our modern society, vengeance and hatred and retribution are the normal responses to such a shooting. But the Amish profess to be forgiving people, and they demonstrated it for the whole world by forgiving the shooter and his family, even attending his funeral and offering their condolences and forgiveness to his widow and children. How many of us could do that under similar circumstances? Forgiveness, not retribution, is bred in them from an early age, and to not forgive would mean that they are not Amish. I admire them for their simplicity, their Christianity and now for their compassion towards others and their capacity for forgiveness. We could all take a lesson from them, anytime hatred or anger invade our lives. Remember the little girls from Nickel Mines and the shining example that their families and relatives have shown us.
That’s all for now. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there. Where would any of us be without you? God bless you all and Go Phils!!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
He's everywhere!!
I was out for another walk on Wednesday. I headed for Boathouse Row, bypassing the Art Museum. So who did I bump into? That's right. Another Phillie Phanatic! Mrs. CCC might be right; we might be hallucinating. This one was pretty tame compared to some others we saw. But there were two interesting aspects of this new one: the first was the detailed skyline on the front and back of his shirt. The second thing was the name of this one: High Hopes. This was the signature song of Harry Kalas, long-time beloved announcer for the Phillies who died last year. The Phillies have adopted it as their victory song. We sing it at the end of every home win. It's worth waiting around for. Here's a few pictures of this one.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Strolling around town
Your Center City Correspondent wants you to know that that he survived the first week on the job as an usher for the Phillies as well as the first week of Mrs. CCC’s unemployment. She was laid off from her job after nearly 13 years. So now we get to spend more time together than ever before. Wish us luck.
As part of my regimen to stay in shape to walk up and down the steps at Citizens Bank Park, I take regular strolls around town. Most of the time I head towards the Art Museum so I get to walk up and down the Rocky steps. The view from the top of the steps is towards Center City with the tall buildings on the right and the Swann Fountain and City Hall directly down the Parkway. For out-of-towners, I’m sure that is a nice picture. But for my money, the better view is around the west side of the museum. On that side you can see the Water Works with its ornate buildings, the Schuylkill River, the dam, Boathouse Row, Lemon Hill, and on nice days, the Zoo balloon. For me, the west view is for Philadelphians, and the east side is for tourists. If you ever get a chance, take in a sunset from the Water Works; occasionally they rival anything seen in Florida or Hawaii, and they are a lot closer to home.
A long-awaited event happened the other day in the neighborhood. The statue of Joan of Arc was returned to its spot at 25th and Pennsylvania Avenue, right across from the Art Museum. She had been removed last fall to repair the pedestal she sat on, and while it was down, they refurbished and re-gilded her. She looks gorgeous, probably better than when she was first installed. The Philadelphia Public Arts Commission is owed a big thank you from the neighborhood, Joan really classes up the area. The statue is a replica of the original which stands in front of the Hotel Regina in Paris, right across from the Louvre. So if you’re ever heading out of town on the Parkway and the Kelly Drive, tip your cap to Joan. She’s hard to miss.
On another stroll into town, Mrs. CCC and I bumped into another Public Arts exhibit. This one is a bit more sublime than Joan of Arc. 15 artists from around the city were commissioned to decorate statues of the Philly Phanatic. I’ve seen three of them, the original at the ballpark, Spaceman Phanatic in an orange spacesuit in front of the library, and Cosmic Phanatic with galaxies and (baseball) stars all over him in Rittenhouse Square. The Phanatic is a local treasure and the artists spent time and effort to recreate him in their vision. I can’t wait for the exhibit to be over and they bring all 15 to the park; it will freak him out. It freaked Mrs. CCC, she thought she was hallucinating, seeing him all over town in different colors. She's going to cut down on the margaritas.
All for now. Enjoy your weekend and Go Phils!!
As part of my regimen to stay in shape to walk up and down the steps at Citizens Bank Park, I take regular strolls around town. Most of the time I head towards the Art Museum so I get to walk up and down the Rocky steps. The view from the top of the steps is towards Center City with the tall buildings on the right and the Swann Fountain and City Hall directly down the Parkway. For out-of-towners, I’m sure that is a nice picture. But for my money, the better view is around the west side of the museum. On that side you can see the Water Works with its ornate buildings, the Schuylkill River, the dam, Boathouse Row, Lemon Hill, and on nice days, the Zoo balloon. For me, the west view is for Philadelphians, and the east side is for tourists. If you ever get a chance, take in a sunset from the Water Works; occasionally they rival anything seen in Florida or Hawaii, and they are a lot closer to home.
A long-awaited event happened the other day in the neighborhood. The statue of Joan of Arc was returned to its spot at 25th and Pennsylvania Avenue, right across from the Art Museum. She had been removed last fall to repair the pedestal she sat on, and while it was down, they refurbished and re-gilded her. She looks gorgeous, probably better than when she was first installed. The Philadelphia Public Arts Commission is owed a big thank you from the neighborhood, Joan really classes up the area. The statue is a replica of the original which stands in front of the Hotel Regina in Paris, right across from the Louvre. So if you’re ever heading out of town on the Parkway and the Kelly Drive, tip your cap to Joan. She’s hard to miss.
On another stroll into town, Mrs. CCC and I bumped into another Public Arts exhibit. This one is a bit more sublime than Joan of Arc. 15 artists from around the city were commissioned to decorate statues of the Philly Phanatic. I’ve seen three of them, the original at the ballpark, Spaceman Phanatic in an orange spacesuit in front of the library, and Cosmic Phanatic with galaxies and (baseball) stars all over him in Rittenhouse Square. The Phanatic is a local treasure and the artists spent time and effort to recreate him in their vision. I can’t wait for the exhibit to be over and they bring all 15 to the park; it will freak him out. It freaked Mrs. CCC, she thought she was hallucinating, seeing him all over town in different colors. She's going to cut down on the margaritas.
All for now. Enjoy your weekend and Go Phils!!
Friday, April 16, 2010
South Philly summer
Your Center City Correspondent has been spending a lot of time in South Philadelphia lately. In addition to working at the Phillies games, I worked a Philadelphia Union soccer game at the Linc. They won 3-2 over DC United. Unfortunately I didn’t see much of the game, I was taking tickets at the gate. The crowd was delayed getting into the stadium because Joe Biden was attending the game and every fan had to be searched by the Secret Service before entering. That is an arduous, time-consuming process which always is a drag for the fans. After Biden left, the Secret Service stopped too and the fans got in much quicker, but had missed most of the first half. There were about 30,000 people there and they saw a decent game, and they cheered enthusiastically. I hope the team performs up to the level of the fans’ enthusiasm and support. If they do, they will do well.
As part of my time at the Phillies, I’m keeping a journal, just to keep track of my feelings as the season progresses. I don’t know what format it will take, whether it will be part of CCC or if I’ll start a new one. Here’s an excerpt from what I have so far:
The deep green of the grass shimmers in the light. The contrast between the brown infield and the grass magnifies the richness of the green. The magic that is the sight of a baseball field is something you never overcome. The wizard that creates that magic is never exposed, the curtain is never pulled back. No matter how old you are, or how many times you go to a ballpark, the sight still stirs your soul, a mixture of envy and awe. You impulsively hurry the last few steps to catch a sight of the field. No matter what activity is happening on the field, your eyes and psyche are drawn to the grass, and when you see that, no matter what is happening in your life, the ballpark is the same as when you were a kid, and that gives you a comfortable feeling. As the light fades from the sky, it is replaced with the metallic light from the overhead standards but the green remains the same; magic.
All for now. The Phils wrap up their homestand this weekend against the Marlins with their new acquisition, Roy Halladay on the mound. Should be a good one. Bon giorno, South Philly.
As part of my time at the Phillies, I’m keeping a journal, just to keep track of my feelings as the season progresses. I don’t know what format it will take, whether it will be part of CCC or if I’ll start a new one. Here’s an excerpt from what I have so far:
The deep green of the grass shimmers in the light. The contrast between the brown infield and the grass magnifies the richness of the green. The magic that is the sight of a baseball field is something you never overcome. The wizard that creates that magic is never exposed, the curtain is never pulled back. No matter how old you are, or how many times you go to a ballpark, the sight still stirs your soul, a mixture of envy and awe. You impulsively hurry the last few steps to catch a sight of the field. No matter what activity is happening on the field, your eyes and psyche are drawn to the grass, and when you see that, no matter what is happening in your life, the ballpark is the same as when you were a kid, and that gives you a comfortable feeling. As the light fades from the sky, it is replaced with the metallic light from the overhead standards but the green remains the same; magic.
All for now. The Phils wrap up their homestand this weekend against the Marlins with their new acquisition, Roy Halladay on the mound. Should be a good one. Bon giorno, South Philly.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Baseball fever strikes
Your Center City Correspondent has been away for a while. Mrs. CCC and I spent six days in Florida recently. We took in a few spring training games and visited our son in Naples, FL. He joined us in Sarasota, Clearwater and Fort Myers where we saw the Orioles, Phillies, and Red Sox play. Then we took in the delights of Naples with the restaurants, shopping, beaches, and sunsets. It wasn’t exactly beach weather, cool and breezy and the water could turn your ankles blue in a minute. But oh my, the sunsets were gorgeous; beautiful yellows and pinks and purples. But a word of caution if you go to Naples during the season – beware of the drivers. They will stop whenever they want to, turn from any lane they are in, and just make a nuisance of themselves. It’s like they think they are the only ones on the road. And you have to drive everywhere which makes me crazy. Naples is a big place, and everything is spread out. I could not wait to get back to Center City so I could walk anywhere I wanted. It’s been a week since we returned, and I’ve yet to drive the car. But if you’re a baseball fan, you owe it to yourself to go to spring training. It’s delightful and you’re surrounded by fans – who else would spend hundreds of dollars and travel over 1,000 miles to see an exhibition game?
And speaking of baseball, as some of you know, I start a new adventure tonight. I signed up to be an usher at Citizens Bank Park. They had over 1200 applicants and they chose 90 people, so I’m glad I’m one of them. I guess my experience at the Linc helped me. We get to work all the games, and Mrs. CC is a bit miffed because she won’t be able to share my company at the games. So, if you have an extra ticket for a game, give her a call, she’d love to go with you. She doesn’t eat or drink much and she stays in her seat and watches the game. She’s a big Victorino fan. Stayed tuned for my ruminations about CBP.
Happy Easter to all. It should be a glorious weekend so go out and find some easter eggs.
And speaking of baseball, as some of you know, I start a new adventure tonight. I signed up to be an usher at Citizens Bank Park. They had over 1200 applicants and they chose 90 people, so I’m glad I’m one of them. I guess my experience at the Linc helped me. We get to work all the games, and Mrs. CC is a bit miffed because she won’t be able to share my company at the games. So, if you have an extra ticket for a game, give her a call, she’d love to go with you. She doesn’t eat or drink much and she stays in her seat and watches the game. She’s a big Victorino fan. Stayed tuned for my ruminations about CBP.
Happy Easter to all. It should be a glorious weekend so go out and find some easter eggs.
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