I spent a few days this week in New York City, which of course involved my usual trip to the Strand. I have been shopping at the Strand since 2002, and it always brings me joy even though their renovations over the past decade have taken away some of the store’s character. But I wasContinue reading “Books Acquired Recently: Strand Edition”
Tag Archives: baseball
Thoughts on Narrative in Everyday Life
I was especially excited to watch the Mets game last night because Zack Wheeler was pitching, and I was thinking about the high hopes that I have for both he and Matt Harvey. Specifically, I was thinking, “Well, Harvey is clearly Tom Seaver, and maybe Wheeler can be Jerry Koosman.” I know that I amContinue reading “Thoughts on Narrative in Everyday Life”
The Comfort of Baseball
Last night I watched the Mets-Atlanta game, and the Mets lost in excruciating fashion, with Bobby Parnell giving up two runs in the top of the ninth to blow a 1-0 lead and Jason Heyward making a fantastic diving catch on Justin Turner’s drive into the left-centerfield gap in the bottom of the ninth forContinue reading “The Comfort of Baseball”
Books Acquired Recently
The Mennonite Encyclopedia, Volume II: D-H. Scottdale: Herald, 1956. The Mennonite Encyclopedia, Volume III: I-N. Scottdale: Herald, 1957. I bought Volumes I, IV, and V of The Mennonite Encyclopedia over a decade ago at a conference at a steep discount ($15.00 apiece when they are normally $85.00) because they each had a few damaged pages.Continue reading “Books Acquired Recently”
Visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame
Today I visited the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York for the first time since my eighth birthday. I don’t remember much about the museum itself from that visit, only that I had a milkshake for the first time ever. I loved them immediately and actually had three that day–two chocolate andContinue reading “Visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame”
Taking Myself Out to the Ball Game
Last night I went to my first Utica Brewers game. The Brewers, who are not, to the best of my knowledge, affiliated with the Milwaukee Brewers even though their primary logo uses one of Milwaukee’s script logos, play in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, a wood bat collegiate summer league. I always enjoy goingContinue reading “Taking Myself Out to the Ball Game”
Random Friday Thoughts
I taught my final class of the school year on Wednesday, and for the past two days have just been relaxing and letting my mind wander. It hasn’t hit me on a visceral level yet that I don’t have to teach another class until late August, but my brain is already going on all sortsContinue reading “Random Friday Thoughts”
Thinking About Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry
I am hoping to visit New York City sometime this summer, and go to a Mets game. Last night I dreamt that I bought tickets to this game, and that Dwight Gooden would be pitching. I thought to myself, “How impressive that Gooden pitched the first game I ever attended, and he’ll be pitching thisContinue reading “Thinking About Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry”
Books Acquired Recently: Massachusetts Writers Edition
Espada, Martín. The Trouble Ball. 2011. New York: Norton, 2012. Espada gave a reading at my college this past Thursday, and I also had the privilege of having him speak in one of my classes. He is everything a writer should be: passionate, activist, happy to talk about his work, non-elitist. His poems are funContinue reading “Books Acquired Recently: Massachusetts Writers Edition”
Brief Thoughts on the Baseball Hall of Fame
The Baseball Hall of Fame announced today that no new members were elected from the players’ ballot. Jonah Keri has an excellent column here about why this result is ridiculous, but not catastrophic. As a Mets fan, I was all ready to write an outraged post if Mike Piazza didn’t get elected, but since noContinue reading “Brief Thoughts on the Baseball Hall of Fame”
Daniel Shank Cruz 