The Agony and the Ecstasy

broderic on October 6, 2014

Watching a day game is a perfect way to spend a day while skipping work. Watching the Orioles get an early lead is also a perfect way to spend a day skipping work. Watching that lead evaporate in 10 pitches not so much. Slipping slowly into despair? Not a great substitution for work. Sudden joy and elation? Beats work anytime!

For game 2 of the ALDS between the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers, I took my nephew. It’s his first postseason game — my second! I dragged him out of school around 10 AM to catch this game at noon. Orioles don’t do day games very well, but they’re gonna need to in order to make it through the next round. They’ll be getting nothing but day games until the ALCS, so its sink or swim in the daylight.

The atmosphere in the morning is different than the night before. It was like everyone was still hung over and the coffee hasn’t kicked in yet. Uggh. We all feel like we need a pick-me-up. Hopefully, the Orioles don’t and won’t.

On mound is Wei-Yin Chen, the only lefty started Buck Showalter will throw against Detroit. This is a team that mashes lefties. Chen cruised the first time through their lineup. He was staked to a 2 run lead by a Nick Markakis homerun, which barely cleared the fence. The second time through the Detroit lineup, Chen only threw 10 pitches and put the Orioles in the hole 5-2. He gave up doubles, a three run homerun, and a solo shot. It was a blitz, and he was yanked for the young Kevin Gausmann.

All through that brutal half inning, there was a Detroit fan sitting a few rows back cheering. He clapped for the double. He clapped for the three run homerun. He cheered for the solo shot. He was starting to become annoying.

This year was a good for me in attending Orioles games. The first game of the package, the third game of the season, the Orioles lost, but if you told me that they would sweep the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, I would’ve told you they wouldn’t. And they didn’t. Yet, since then, I have gone to nothing but wins. The closest loss was a 2-1 win versus Toronto in which the Orioles won in extra innings despite Tommy going boom and blowing a save.

While the Tigers beat out 5 runs, I felt my personal winning streak slip away. I fell into despair. The three beers didn’t help. As the game continued, the Orioles would get men on base and fail to produce runs. The Detroit fan would cheer the failure, and I would slide deeper into my despair. My nephew would encourage me with signs for getting to the Detroit bullpen, but I don’t think that would happen. Even when they took out their Cy Young winner in the fifth Detroit still threw a good pitcher for a couple of innings shutting out the Orioles.

Finally, at the depths of my despair, the eighth inning rolled around and the Orioles got to their bullpen. Adam Jones who isn’t doing well was hit by a pitch causing their bullpen to be called in to get the final 5 outs of the game.

Jones moved to third on a Nelson Cruz single then scored on a Steve Pearce single.

JJ Hardy walked to load the bases.

While all this transpired, the crowd was sensing something special. They got loud. I was busy yelling into my neighbors ear, that Buck should put Delmon Young in for the ineffective Caleb Joseph. Buck is smarter than me. He brought him to pinch hit for the ineffective Ryan Flaherty.

I am a Flaherty fan, and I approved.

In comes Young. First pitch swinging. Bases clearing double. Orioles take the lead. The crowd goes wild.

It was amazing. From the pits of despair to elation! Yet, I could not comprehend what I saw. It was the most amazing thing to have witnessed. I was in a daze. It would take me another day to crawl out of the pit of despair, but the Orioles had taken the lead.

The eventually closed out the game for a win. Camden Yards was really, really loud.

We await the final game of the series.

Filipino Pastries

broderic on March 24, 2011

Red Ribbon Bakery

Once again I have to ask, why are all our vacations all about the eating? Here’s a shot of the cakes you can find at Red Ribbon Bakery, a Filipino bake shop. They also serve palabok, dinuguan, and empanada. After airplane food, after fish and chips, we end up here — my mom, Tita Mina, and Tito Rudy — looking for food. Again.

We got some to go.

Now, I’ve got a few enseymada and taisan to eat. I should get coffee with these pastries. I should’ve gotten some pan de sal, also.

Hawaii Vacation 2010: Surfing is the only life, the only way for me

broderic on February 24, 2011

Hawaii 2010/Bob's Slice of Heaven/Paddle Out

We’re onto the last days of the Hawaiian Vacation and here’s the first one of someone surfing. This shot is just off of Cousin Bob’s old, new house. It’s right off the breaks in front of Diamond Head.

I took one look at this sight and I wanted to jump right in. It looks like a mellow break. I mean, these surfers you see in this photo are Japanese tourists learning to surf. I guess the break is mellow. I wanted to get out there, too.

Man, I think I’m gonna get a surfboard this summer.

Hawaii Vacation 2010: Waikiki Walk Around

broderic on February 20, 2011

Hawaii 2010/Waikiki

Friday night and we go to town.

My nephew, mom, aunt and I spend it wandering around Waikiki. We had planned to walk to Ala Moana several blocks away, but decide against it as the road got dark and the ladies didn’t feel like making the trek.

We get some Starbuck’s and join the crowd of tourists as they wander around the main drag. We don’t get close to the beach, but we do get close to the real Hawaii.

We stop into 88 tees. I’m looking for something cool, but the place is a mad house. Japanese tourists up the wazoo fill the isles and I worry that I can’t buy anything because I can’t speak japanese. Yet, I don’t find anything because the shelves are messy and I don’t like any of the hipster tees they sell. The nephew finds some hipster vintage football tees, but for thirty dollars, it ain’t worth it.

Behind 88 tees, you can find the seedy side of town — the porn video palaces. The nephew finds one of their pamphlets. Hoy!

We’re lost for a bit before we wander into the Waikiki duty free mall. Again, nothing but Japanese. Up a few floors, we shop like the Japanese tourists, but don’t buy anything as this mall is the fancy pants stores. I watch the cute girls go by.

Then we wait. In the cool night, we wait to get picked up to go back west. The cousin comes by later than expected. Our one night in Town is done.

More fun photos to look at on my flickr Hawaii Vacation 2010 Set.

Hawaii Vacation 2010: Sunset

broderic on February 9, 2011

Hawaii 2010/Sunset Beach

Been trying to figure out what to blog about to keep up the string of blog posts for the year 2011. I’ll hit up the ol’ reliable: the Hawaiian Vacation of 2010.

Just looking at these pictures makes me want to go surfing. Face up to the challenge that being in the water with the pounding surf and fellow surfers. I feel like doing it. I feel like heading to the closest break and diving in with a new board. Going this summer. All summer long.

Playing a ukulele. Playing surf guitar. Riding the bike to the beach. All summer long.

Hawaii Vacation 2010: North Shore Grinds

broderic on February 7, 2011

Hawaii 2010/North Shore Bound

We went to the North Shore not to see the waves, but to get some grinds, food. We definitely had to get some shave ice at Matsumoto’s. It’s a serious foody place. Then we got some more eats at the various other places along the strip. Finally, ending up at the shrimp trucks that seem to have really pricey plate lunch.

All we seem to have done is eat.

Hawaii Vacation 2010: Obligatory water picture

broderic on February 6, 2011

Hawaii 2010/Lagoon 3

CapitolSwell in ankle deep water. It was cooler out of the water than it was in it because of the trade winds. That’s why we soaked ourselves beneath the waves hours every day.

I’m slowly getting through posting pictures from the Hawaii set. This is a picture taken on Thanksgiving. How can you beat swimming in the Pacific? It’s better than eating turkey. Of course, we still did that that day.

Hawaii Vacation 2010: The Yogurt Incident

broderic on January 31, 2011

Hawaii 2010/Eats Around Town/Before the Yogurt Incident

After writing up the story about Korean grilles and nudie bars, I had to come back to another tale that will be told about this vacation: the yogurt incident. The accompanying picture is minutes before it happened and is part of the incriminating evidence. If you have been reading my Hawaii posts you’ll find this one out of order. Sorry about that, but this story has to be told.

We had to get out of Ko Olina and experience the real Hawaii. We leave the place and go one exit down H1 for something to eat. The Seed, Capitol Swell and I head for ramen. My brother and his family go for kind grinds. We hang out for a bit before we go back.

Capitol Swell initiates the Yogurt Incident. He goes into this “make your own yogurt sundae” place and comes out with a gigantic cup of yogurt. It looks good and I go in for some. I’m quickly followed by my nephew who decides to make his own gigantic yogurt sundae. I take the smaller cup, but pay for both.

At this “make your own yogurt sundae” joint, you are charged by the weight of the sundae. It costs me $13 for the two. You can guess which sundae contributed the most to this bill.

We sit down and eat. Moments later the nephew is done. “The cold hurts my teeth.” He’s only a couple scoops in and he doesn’t want it anymore. That makes me angry. And I berate him about it until he runs away.

He comes back saddened and tries to eat more. His mom packs it up and takes it with us. It remained in the freezer until we left Ko Olina. It was there for the maids to eat or throw away.

Dude still owes me yogurt.