My Day Trip to see the Cubbies

Here before you lies a quick How-To travel guide for Chicago. Specifically how to attend a Chicago Cubs game on a day trip, as trial-tested by myself and fellow voyager Marcus Stone.


1. Start by finding tickets on StubHub.com. It's crucial to wait as long as you can before purchasing your tickets, because as the game day grows closer, people who are trying to sell their tickets through the website will drop prices. They'd rather sell them cheap than not at all. As you will soon see our $65 tickets were quite the deal.

2. As we traveled and listened to song, we were greeted by toll roads. These are likely unavoidable if your coming from Michigan and don't want to add hours to your drive by back-roading past these traps. *Also, never use large U.S. currency at the toll booths, or else you will receive back $17-worth of Sacajawea coins. Lesson learned.

3. Driving into Chicago really wasn't so bad. We first thought to park far away and L-train it up, but this would have been silly. Instead we followed signs up through the city on Highway 41, hugging the massive Lake Michigan. We followed signs to Cubs parking and ended up parking in Northern Lincoln Park (aka Waveland Park). $10 or less depending on duration. We parked right beside the tennis courts on the right of the maps below and walked a 10-minute stretch to Wrigleyville!


4. We were in sun the whole drive in, but as we approached the city, you could see it was engulfed in lake fog, which was quite eerie really. It kind of looked like smoke, which again felt funny. Once we had settled the parking, we relieved ourselves at the Waveland Golf Club and then went to visit the Lake. Here Marcus sits on the large steps down to the Lake while he downloads a weather app to see if the fog/rain-threat will break by game time. It has no indication, so I brought my shell to the park just in case.

5. Make sure to leave early enough (we left the Mitten around 6am) to spend some time in Wrigleyville. Tons of vendors outside the stadium and plenty of good eats! We stopped at The Cubby Bear and got an authentic Chi-Dog! Add a side of garlic fries and you can't go wrong. Here is my dog before I got a hold of it.

6. After lunch, we each got an item of Cubs gear to further validate our day trip, then it was time to enter one of baseball's oldest and most-beloved parks: Wrigley Field. It was in these seats ($65 each mind you) we watched the Cubs defeat the World Champion San Francisco Giants, 11-4. For the baseball die hards it was Dempster vs. Bumgarner. Highlights here.

7. We had two foul ball chances but Marcus was boxing me in our aisle and we left empty-handed. Also notice in the photo above, outside the stadium there are buildings with seats on top of them. These are not official Wrigley Field seats, but they sell just as well. They exists outside of left field too. You can also see the iconic ivy wasn't quite green yet. It was May 11.

8. The sun came out prior to the game, which was really pleasant, but quickly returned behind the clouds to make things chilly. It rained just a touch in the 6th inning or so, but not enough to disturb anyone. I'm glad I brought my shell. We left the park, but not before the Cubs rose their winning flag and introduced me to a really silly sing-a-long called Go, Cubs, Go. After quickly learning the chorus, which repeats itself several times at the end for slow learners, we left Wrigley and stopped to eat at Yak-Zies where I got pizza. It was ok. Then we returned to our car to drive out of the Windy City to our resting destination of the Red Roof Inn in Mickawash, Indiana. It was there we prepared for the next day, when we would see this.

Making the Big Time

I'm excited to announce that one of my photos has received national exposure on ESPN.com! ESPN have truly established themselves as the nation's leader in sports coverage and getting to be a very small part of it is pretty cool.

To see the photo click here, you'll want photo No. 11 in the gallery.

To read the article about crazy minor league promotions, click here.
Our promotion is at the very bottom.

When Snow Tries to Ruin Baseball

What happens when it snows less than two weeks before baseball's Opening Day?


Well, after a few choice words from the grounds crew staff, they get to work with snow blowers and other heavy machinery usually reserved for construction sites.


The most important part of the baseball diamond is the infield (the part covered with dirt). So much time is put into the maintenance of the dirt. On really hot days, the crew actually waters the dirt, like one would their yard, so that it doesn't get too dry. I imagine infields without such treatment would look like little league fields, if you can remember those days, where you're really playing on a layer of dust rather than dirt.

In the piture here, you can see the dozer in the back, shoveling snow in bulk. They also had one of those machines with the hanging claw thing that scoops (actually how it's referred to). And once all of the snow was taken away, the guys got to work on the infield.

All the snow was taken to the far part of the back parking lot and left there. Mounds and mounds of snow. Like this but much more.

To the grounds crew's credit, the field looked great on Opening Day (April 7). An impressive turn around from above.

Last Day for Snow-Fall in 2010: March 20
Last Day for Snow-Fall in 2011: April 12

Lenten Discovery

On Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, I was asked by a coworker what I'd be giving up for Lent. I informed her that I was not planning on making a 40-day sacrifice. She asked why, and I wasn't entirely sure, though I had my inklings.

Whatever the case, she got me thinking. All throughout my youth as a Methodist, I was encouraged to give something up for the season, but as soon as I went to college and got involved with the non-denominational churches, these outward displays of sacrifice were less emphasized.

I did some research, mostly Scripture reading, and here are my conclusions on how Christians are instructed to practice Lent. Three quick points.

1. Jesus says 'No one comes to the Father except through me.' (John 14.6) This is the very foundation of the Gospel. One must repent and believe in Jesus. That's all it takes to have salvation and be justified. Notice he says nothing about works. This is again reinforced by Paul in Galatians 2.15-16.

2. So now that we have determined through Scripture that a Lenten promise does not add to one's justification, why should we go forth and do it? For additional rewards! (but again, not to earn our salvation; for that is accomplished in Christ). In Matt. 6.1-16, Jesus gives strong warnings on how to practice righteousness. He instructs how one should observe these practices to receive rewards without being hypocritical.

3. What kind of rewards? Proverbs 28.20a says 'A faithful man will abound with blessings.' The Westminster Catechism says the "chief end of man is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever." Therefore by faithfully participating in some form of Lenten sacrifice, if one is truly penitent, he can probably expect a greater enjoyment in God and his characteristics. Plus God loves those who pursue righteousness (Proverbs 15.9). Do it to please him.

So while the Lenten promise is a great thing to take on (as it gives us a way to find greater joy in God), it's important not to create a works-buy-my-righteousness mentality (aka Legalism) in the process, but to remember that "it is by grace that we have been saved through faith. A gift from God. Not the result of works, so that no man can boast." (Ephesians 2.8-9).

As it turns out, the idea of observing Lent is a great practice once you understand how to observe it (#2) and why to observe it (#3). I've also found a list of ideas that are probably more challenging and more rewarding than giving up a certain food item. Take a look.

In this brief study, God completely allowed me to see Lent in a different light. I was too concerned with it being a legalistic trap for Christians (which it definitely can be), that I couldn't see the great spiritual growth opportunities it provides.

Praise God for his constant teachings and grace in my life! And praise God for Christ's once-and-for-all salvation! Have a great Lent season everyone!

I Can Cook!

Well, kind of.

One year ago, during my celebration of Super Bowl XLIV, my good friend Wesley Groth exposed my then 24-year-old taste buds to a new dish. The appetizer of peculiar color consisted of avocados, tomatoes, onions, garlic, cayenne, salt, cilantro and probably something else.

It was none other than guacamole!

So this year, 2011, for Super Bowl XLV, I decided to test my skills in the kitchen and whip up a dish of my own. While listening to Panda Bear's 'Person Pitch' on my iPod, I sliced and diced. I imagine the whole process took a lot longer than it was supposed to, but I wanted to do it right.

Eventually I was finished, with no cuts on my fingers and a duller knife. I then took it to the Super Bowl party. All those who tried it said it was very good, and I must say I was pretty pleased with the taste as well. I could have stood to eat more, but I let the others have at it, knowing that in two weekends, I could make a whole bowl to myself for the Daytona 500 after church.

So the next week I did it again. This batch (pictured above) turned out more green, which is a plus, but I only had one tomato when it calls for two. Thus the batch was pretty oniony and had too much cilantro in it. So my first take was a lot better tasting.

I'm guacamolied out at the moment, so maybe I'll hold off and make it for our family Christmas or Thanksgiving. Would it fit next to turkey dressing?

Snow Big Deal

Here I am in Michigan and it's January!


But why am I still here?

Well, for those who I've left hanging since my last post in July, I have good news to report. By the wonderful grace of God, the Great Lakes Loons have hired me as more than an intern! That's right, I am now the Communications Manager for the team, radio station and Michigan Baseball Foundation. Hurray!

I was officially hired on in September for my first full-time job in sports! How fun! I'm already looking forward to next season, when the cold and giant snow piles go away.