An Open Letter to Luis Gonzalez

Guys, I'm getting a little ahead of myself here, but I just can't help it.

If you follow me on Instagram (which if you aren't, why the heck not? @MissRiss0409) you know I was just in Dallas doing a little vacationing with some girlfriends. Since this is my first post back in blogland, I should be telling you all about my trip from the beginning...

But I'm going to go a little out of order here, because I'm having some regrets and want to get a few things off my chest.

My girlfriends and I were fortunate enough to find tickets last minute to the ASU vs. Notre Dame game in Dallas (I'll tell you all about it later), but before the game even started the most amazing thing happened.

We met Luis Gonzalez.

If you're not from AZ, or don't follow baseball (which if you aren't, why the heck not?) you may not be familiar with Luis Gonzalez.

He's ONLY the guy who won the World Series for the Diamondbacks in 2001 with a hit off of Mariano Rivera, the best closer of all time, in the bottom of the 9th inning, in Game 7.

In other words, he's kind of a big deal.

His number is retired in Chase Field

And we met him.

And we freaked out.

Or at least I did.

After we asked to take a picture with him, all I could get out was 

"Thank you! Thanks so much! Thank you!"

And that was it.

So, all that to say, I'm regretting I didn't say more to him. 

So, here, I've penned an open letter to Luis Gonzalez with what I really meant to say to him.

You know, beyond "omg thanks so much!" 

Dearest Gonzo (he doesn't know it yet, but we're totally on a nick-name basis),

I was a freshman in high school when I watched you from my living room, win the World Series for the state of Arizona and the Diamondbacks.

I laid there, on my living room floor (cause duh, too tense to sit in your chair right?) with my fingers and toes crossed...but only my right fingers and right toes cause everyone knows if you cross your left limbs it's bad luck...praying that somehow, some way, you guys would make it happen. And you sir, were that person.

I also just wanted you to be aware that I faithfully combed the sports section of the Arizona Republic on the reg, so that I could cut out pictures of you and the rest of the Dbacks and make collages to hang in my locker at school. 

They were pretty BA collages. 

Just sayin. 

If I knew you were gonna be at the football game I would've brought one to show you my artistic capabilities. I mean, I didn't win the World Series for anyone, but I made a pretty mean collage of newspaper clippings.

So really, I just want to tell you that you're the shiz. And also tall. You're really tall in person. But mostly you're the shiz. 

I was totally prepared to tweet you all of this, but I can't find you on Twitter. And I wasn't really sure if "fan mail" was still a thing. On second thought, that's probably why you don't have a twitter...to avoid creepy fan-girls like me. But have no fear, I'll just tweet the crap out of all the Dbacks personnel I follow and hopefully someone will give you the message. The message that you're the shiz and I was totally star-struck to have met you and I wish I would've told you all of this in person. It's probably better that it worked out this way; you would've been embarrassed if I word-vomited all of this non-sense right there at Cowboys Stadium with your posse in tow...I would've been emarrassed...so really, it's a win-win that we go this route. 

With any luck, maybe someone with the Dbacks will tweet me back or read this blog. I used to judge the desperate teenagers who used social media to get a reaction out of celebs, but after meeting you I had an epiphany...I'm not above using social media to beg for attention. So that's what I'm gonna do. Cause I want you to read this. Or Derrick Hall. Is he still your boss?

Lastly....were you rooting for Notre Dame or ASU?? I mean, I know you said your brother played for Notre Dame (I think?) but c'mon, you have to root for the hometown team right?? Either way, we can still be friends. 

I lied. 

One more thing.

My friend Sarah told you to make something happen with our pitching for next year and you suggested she be our GM...you may wanna take her up on that offer. She's pretty good. Talk to Towers would ya?

On that note, Gonzo...you're the man.

Sincerely,  

Don't forget us, K?

Progress Report: Baseball and My Husband

One of the goals on my 30 Before 30 list (check it out here) includes, 

"Make Nate like baseball."

I decided it was time to take a stab at it.

In the past, I don't usually have the baseball games on TV cause, well, Nate isn't really down for that.
But I decided to change that this season, so I've had the games on TV in the evenings.
On top of that, I even dragged him to a game 4th of July weekend (check that out here).

Whether he's just humoring me, or is generally interested, we'll never know, but he's been surprisingly attentive and has even been asking questions about the game...really important questions. Things like, "Can the pitcher talk s**t to the batter? You know like, 'here's one for your mother!! Stuff like that?"
No, Nate.
Just no.

So, with all that being said, I decided to test his new-found knowledge with a pop quiz.
I know what you're thinking, but don't worry...I went easy on him and gave him multiple choice.

The bad news is he got the most important question wrong.
The good news is he got everything else right.
The other good news is he knows the truth about my boyfriend (see #5).

I'm thinking I should've changed the goal to "Make Nate like learn baseball."
It would've been a much easier task.

H54F

Oh boy it's finally Friday.

I've been daydreaming about Friday since Tuesday...when I got back from vacation.

Cause we all know sometimes we need a vacation from vacation.

Hashtag firstworldproblems.

And since I've been making an effort to catch things up on this blog (check out parts  one and two here and here) this week's H54F might include a few things from last week.

Hashtag sorrynotsorry

1.) Dbacks game with Julie

I went to the Dbacks game last week with my friend Julie from grad school, which made it my second baseball game in four days.

And I'm not even made about it.

2.) Tyler Skaggs

So Tyler Skaggs is a starting pitcher for the Diamondbacks...

...and I just so happen to post the above picture of Julie and I at the game on Instagram...

...and when I checked my Insta the next morning...

Tyler Skaggs totally "liked my photo"

Whaaaaat??

I won't lie, I was kind of freaking out a little bit.

Julie and I were blowin' up our Gchat at work the next day, Googling the crap out of him.

The dude just turned 22.

Whaaat?? 

That's OK though, the cougar look could look good on me.

He's also 6 foot 5.

Whaaat?

I told Julie since I already have a husband, she and Tyler should totally get married, since they both like baseball and they're both really tall.

We're gonna work on making that happen.

3.) Gift card to Francesca's

I entered my very first giveaway ever over at Kasey's blog a couple weeks ago, and I totally won!

And it totally arrived in the mail last week!

I love Francesca's, and you should love it too, so if you haven't shopped there yet..do it now.

And if you haven't checked out Kasey's blog...do it now.

You'll love that too.

4.) Diploma finally arrived!

Now when I say I have my Master's degree, I actually have my Master's degree.

It's crazy to think you pay all that money...scratch that...you get into all that debt and all it boils down to is a piece of paper.

A really expensive piece of paper.

I don't care though.

I feel smart.

5.) Redondo Beach 

My cousin tied the knot in Redondo Beach last weekend and it was a freakin' blast.

The wedding was amazing, and we made a mini-vacation out of the trip!

Can't wait to get it all up on the blog...so stay tuned for that.

Happy Friday everyone!

Mid-Summer Catch-up: 4th of July Weekend Cont.

I'm trying to catch you all up on the fun things going on around here that I haven't quite had the time to get up on the Blogsy...until now, of course.

Check out part one here.

And while you're at it, go check out Rachel's blog over at Rachel's Country Roots where she was kind enough to let me take over her blog for the day.

Love that Rachel. 

Friday I took the day off of work so I could enjoy a four day weekend (4th of July was on a Thursday if you remember...I know, it seems like a long time ago by now). 

I started the day with my mom and sister and we went to go see The Heat.

So. Freaking. Funny.

If you haven't seen it yet, go do it.

Now.

I'll wait here...

Friday night the Diamondbacks were back in town for the 4th of July weekend and were giving out free t-shirts to the first 15,000 fans, AND had a fireworks show after the game.

I just felt like I needed to be at Chase Field for all of this fun.

 AND I needed to be one of those 15,000 fans.

I like free stuff.

I like free stuff even more when it's a combination of my favorite baseball team (i.e. the Dbacks) and my favorite country (i.e. the USA).

Nate and I waited in a line that snaked around a few blocks in 110 degree heat, and it took foreverrrrr, 

but dang it we got a t-shirt.

And I was happy happy happy.

And sweaty sweaty sweaty.

When we got inside I put my new shirt on and was ready for some baseball.

Nate made an attempt to use the restroom and asked me to hold his t-shirt, and I was like

"Aren't you gonna put this on?"

He rolled his eyes at me, but bless his heart he took it and put it on.

He hates red.

He wore red too, the day before for the 4th.

He looked at me and goes,

"I've worn red two days in a row now thanks to you."

You're welcome Nathan.

Before the game, they had a beautiful tribute to the 19 firefighters who lost their lives fighting the Yarnell fire in Prescott, Arizona earlier this month; it included bagpipes, a 19 second moment of silence, and each firefighter's picture recognized on the jumbo-tron.

The Diamondbacks organization has done such an amazing job honoring those 19 lives that were lost. It is truly touching, and makes me proud to be a Dbacks fan.

19 seats reserved for each life lost. 

After the game they turned off all the lights in the stadium, opened the roof, and let the fireworks fly!

It was pretty cool, I have to say.

Oh, and I also got to say haaaaayy to my favorite 1st Baseman:

The first time he came up to bat Nate goes,

"Here comes your boyfriend."

You're right Nate.

Here comes my boyfriend

Glad we got that cleared up.

So after Friday comes Saturday and Sunday, which pretty much looked about the same:

dogs, pool, Sonic...more dogs, more pool, more Sonic (duh?)

...and I'm not even mad about it.

Next up: my cousin's wedding in CA! 

...although that might have to wait until next week considering I haven't even gone 

through my pictures yet.

It's gonna be a doozy.

A good one though.

A good doozy.

Slowly but surely, we're catching up people!

Baseball Tunes

Now that Spring Training has officially ensued, I've got baseball on the brain.

Baseball, and Paul Goldschmidt.

Cause who wouldn't have this face on the brain?

Anyway, I was browsing the Twitter last week and the Arizona Diamondbacks had a contest of sorts going on where if you did A, B, and C (I don't remember what they were), you could chose the 

walk-up song for one of the players for the home opener. 

 For those of you unfamiliar, when a player is up to bat and his name is announced, a brief snippet of a song plays while they approach the plate.

This is their walk-up song.

The player chooses their song and it can be anything from a personal favorite, something to pump them up, or maybe even something to send a message.

So I got to thinking:

If I were a major league baseball player, what would my walk-up song be?

My initial thought is maybe something Kelly Clarkson-esque. 

You know, like something very girl power, maybe a little 

"Miss Independent"  

All the opposing pitchers would see me coming and be like, "Mmm hmm there she be. Miss on her own, miss almost grown..."

Secondly, I was thinking (for obvious reasons) a little George Thorogood

"Bad to the Bone"

Cause lez be honest, I'm pretty bad to the bone.

I also entertained the idea of a little Trace Adkins

"Swing"

Cause the song sounds pretty sweet and would probably get fans pumped up for
my .657 batting average. 

Plus it has baseball metaphors and stuff. 

But then I thought, nah, baseball metaphors are too obvious at a baseball game.

I thought maybe a little Miley Cyrus

"Party in the USA"

might be appropriate since after all, baseball is America's past time right?
"I'm noddin' mah head like yeaahh, swingin' my bat like yeaahh"

RIP Miley Cyrus's hair. 

A little Spice Girls

"Wannabe"

also crossed my mind for the simple fact that it's a pure classic.

And plus, after every time I hit a home run I would love to be able to look at the pitcher and be like,

"Zig-a-zig ahhhh" as I round the bases.

Lastly, I was thinking about a little Will Smith

"Getin' Jiggy Wit it"

...cause I like gettin' jiggy wit it.

Na na na na nananaaaa

It's a good thing you can change your walk-up song throughout the duration of baseball season. Cause I feel like there would be too many good ones to pick from, i.e. all the ones listed above. 

Plus more. 

Like maybe, Lincoln Park or something. Paul Goldschmidt walked on to Lincoln Park last year.

Just sayin.