The Crosstown Classic...Cubs-Sox Rivalry

The Crosstown Classic is always a cause for commotion in Chicagoland for 2 weekends each summer. This year, I was fortunate enough to attend the season finale at the Cell (except for maybe the World Series...we are keeping our fingers crosses!). It was my sister and my Father’s Day gift to our Dad. He is a major Sox fan (hence why we went to The Cell instead of Wrigley) and my sister and I are obviously Cubs fans. I will keep this short because Lord knows enough people have written enough on the Cub-Sox rivalry over the years, but let me say this…it was not at all what I had expected.

As season ticket holders, my sister and I have always avoided Cub-Sox weekends…not just because we could sell the tickets for boocu bucks, but because we didn’t want to subject ourselves to the craziness and pandemonium that causes otherwise normal baseball fans to turn psychotic. You all have heard the stories…fist fights, heckling, people getting thrown out of the game, and let’s not forget the AJ Pierzinski-Michael Barrett brouhaha of last year that eventually got my fake boyfriend Barrett shipped to San Diego. I have just tried to avoid that at all costs. That is not the reason why I go to Cubs games. I go for the game, for the friends and friendly conversation, and for the general atmosphere that is Wrigley Field.

The finale was a Sunday night ESPN game of the week game. My dad, mom and sister and I braved the rain (and I the fatigue after an 8 hour road trip home from Nashville) to attend. We had awesome seats—4 rows from the field just past first base. I could have had a conversation with Fukudome if I wanted to…well if he spoke English that is. I will say that the fans were a bit more riled up than at any normal Cubs game. There were some trash talking signs (my favorite being “Everyone has a bad century, right???”) being touted in the crowd; but other than that, I did not hear or see any of the inappropriate language or behavior that is normally associated with these games. This was somewhat shocking seeing as how the crowd was pretty much evenly divided between Cubs and Sox fans. Both sides were courteous and respectful to each other. In fact, we met the Sox season ticket holders who were sitting in front of us. Both were young guys, probably a little older than I who I had initially judged to be frat boy hecklers; however after initiating conversation, found them to be quite friendly and respectful. We both talked about our teams and complimented the others’. It was nice. It all made for quite a pleasant atmosphere.

I should mention that I did see 4 people get escorted out of the park. All were ejected for reasons undisclosed, and all were, I’m sad to admit it, Cubs fans. Lou Pinella was also ejected from the game…my first ejection in all the years I’ve been going to Cubs games. Oh yah, and after suffering my first Cubs loss of the season in my games attended (I'm 9-1 this year as of this post), the Sox fans did get out their brooms…it was definitely a Sox sweep after the Cubs has swept the weekend before. I couldn’t complain though. My dad was absolutely glowing.

My Cross-town Classic experience was a good one. I have a new-found respect for some Sox fans (at least the non-middle school student trash-talking ones). The atmosphere at The Cell was not as “Cell-like” as I had previously thought…and can I say they have an exceptional menu of food and beverage items!!! But don’t worry, friends, I still bleed Cubbie Blue!

Sorry…it has been a while since I posted…but I have a lot on my mind so check back soon as I will be posting on multiple subjects in the next few days…

Nashville is a strange little town. I drove there to meet the Haiti team and participate in a car wash to raise money for our trip…The car wash was cancelled due to rain (which never came) so I spent the weekend sight seeing and hanging out with some of the coolest and nicest people I’ve ever met in my entire life!

To my surprise, most people who live in Nashville aren’t actually from there. They are all transplants into the creative little community of artists and musicians that is Nashville. Everyone seems to be Christian too. I don’t think I met a non-Christian person while I was there. It is such juxtaposition from Chicago. I live in a very creative community here—artists, actors, musicians—but very very few of them have any spiritual beliefs let alone a personal relationship with Christ. I like it here, but I kind of liked it there better.

It is true what they say about Southern hospitality. Everyone is just sooooo incredibly nice in the South. I was welcomed into not only my friend’s home for the weekend, but also at her friends’ party. Conversation was natural. All of these people seemed to take an eager interest in me—where I’m from, what I do—it was all kind of strange. Even when walking down the streets, strangers would look at you and say hello. It is a far cry from Chicago where everyone has tunnel vision, eyes focused straight ahead, not daring to say a word, even if they accidentally bumped into you to say "excuse me." Crazy.

I loved the downtown area. Between the symphony hall, the Ryne Auditorium, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Batman building and the river, the architecture and scenery really is beautiful. Belmont and Vanderbilt’s campuses are beautiful, too. The smaller neighborhoods surrounding downtown have their own little character, some bohemian, some more upscale. On every downtown street corener, there is a musician playing an instrument trying to get discovered. There are so many places to go see live music too. I LOOOVVVVEEE live music! So many big-name Christian and Country artists live around the city…Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Keith Urban and my boys Wertz and Barnes from previous blogs; but Christine tells me it is not “cool” to be a fan there. This might be a problem for me. For example, if Keith Urban and his wife Nicole Kidman walked into my Starbucks (as happened the Thursday before I arrive to Christine’s friend) it would be so uncool of me to do anything other than ignore them. Bummer. Other than this minor detail, Nashville might just be the city for me. Apparently, publishing is a bigger industry in Nashville than the music business. Hard to believe, I know. And I hear that Vanderbilt has an exceptional English/Creative Writing Doctoral Program. Is this God gently moving me in a new direction??? Hmmmm…new life plan???

This post does not do this city justice...but I will be back within the next few weeks to fall in love with it all over again...and I will definitely do it justice in future posts thereafter...

Nashville...Music City, USA!

Sorry…it has been a while since I posted…but I have a lot on my mind so check back soon as I will be posting on multiple subjects in the next few days…

Nashville is a strange little town. I drove there to meet the Haiti team and participate in a car wash to raise money for our trip…The car wash was cancelled due to rain (which never came) so I spent the weekend sight seeing and hanging out with some of the coolest and nicest people I’ve ever met in my entire life!

To my surprise, most people who live in Nashville aren’t actually from there. They are all transplants into the creative little community of artists and musicians that is Nashville. Everyone seems to be Christian too. I don’t think I met a non-Christian person while I was there. It is such juxtaposition from Chicago. I live in a very creative community here—artists, actors, musicians—but very very few of them have any spiritual beliefs let alone a personal relationship with Christ. I like it here, but I kind of liked it there better.

It is true what they say about Southern hospitality. Everyone is just sooooo incredible nice in the South. I was welcomed into not only my friend Christine's home (thanks again hun for the best weekend ever!!!) for the weekend, but also at her friends’ party. Conversation was natural. All of these people seemed to take an eager interest in me—where I’m from, what I do—it was all kind of strange. Even when walking down the streets, strangers would look at you and say hello. It is a far cry from Chicago where everyone has tunnel vision, eyes focused straight ahead, not daring to say a word, even if they accidentally bumped into you to say excuse me. Crazy.

I loved the downtown area. Between the symphony hall, the Ryne Auditorium, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Batman building and the river, the architecture and scenery really is beautiful. Belmont and Vanderbilt’s campuses are beautiful, too. The smaller neighborhoods surrounding downtown have their own little character, some bohemian, some more upscale. Downtown, there really is a musician on every street corner playing an instrument trying to get discovered. There are so many places to go see live music too. I LOOOVVVVEEE live music! So many big-name Christian and Country artists live around the city…Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Keith Urban and my boys Wertz and Barnes from previous blogs; but Christine tells me it is not “cool” to be a fan there. This might be a problem for me. For example, if Keith Urban and his wife Nicole Kidman walked into my Starbucks (as happened the Thursday before I arrive to Christine’s friend) it would be so uncool of me to do anything other but ignore them. Bummer. Other than this minor detail, Nashville might just be the city for me. Apparently Publishing is a bigger industry in Nashville than the music business. Hard to believe, I know. And I hear that Vanderbilt has an exceptional English/Creative Writing Doctoral Program. Hmmmm…new life plan???