Houston, we have a problem. Really, thats why I get woken up?

As a kid when ever there was a technical problem in our house my dad would announce "Houston , we have a problem". And like the crew from Apollo 13 we all would scramble to fix what ever it was that was broken.

I am learning to ask David his "status" before coming over so I can prepare myself for what ever catastrophe might be coming our way. Lately we have been prone to dealing with several. But I knew that today was looking up when today's problem sounded a little something like this:

To be Read like a Melodrama

 I was awaken by David today in an urgent tone.

 "Christina I have a problem."

"Oh crap." I thought to my self.

 As I braced myself for who ever died, what family member was ill or what financial crisis needed to be solved, David looked up from the computer and exclaimed:

"I can't find the north pole on Google Earth! Its gone!  I thought there were TWO poles. Please tell me that there is a north and south pole."

It took me a few seconds to realize this was not the catastrophe I was expecting. At which point I said.

"David why did you wake me up about the north pole? I know it exists , Santa Claus came and visited me as a kid,"

 And with that went back to sleep for the last 20 minutes until my alarm went off.

After making my self a cup of coffee , I realized that David was still staring blankly at the computer screen which showed the top of the world. Sure enough there was no North Pole. Was the world really coming to and end?
                                              The plot Thickens...

As many of you know my Mr Mike the science teacher knows all kinds of random pieces of information about things such as the north pole. Surely Mr. Mike would know the answer. So I posed the question to him.

His response: " I think it is a conspiracy. The Grinch stole the north pole so Santa wouldn't have any place to live."

Now that's helpful, Thanks Mr. Mike. David was not impressed by Dads scientific answer, and was becoming visibly upset that there was a potential that the north pole was truly missing.

Enter the Heroine...

Have no fear, Super Social Worker to the rescue.

When I got home I googled "where is the north pole ?"and to my amazement the true answer is : the location of the true north pole MOVES!!!!

According to wikapedia (we can have a talk about reliable information later) ... The Earths North Magnetic Pole is the point where the Earth's magnetic field points vertically downwards. It moves over time due to the magnetic changes in the Earth's core. In 2009 the Canadian Geological Survey believed that the true north pole was located
82°42′ 114°24′W / 82.7°N 114.4°W and was moving towards Russia between 34 and 37 miles a year.

The big finish

So now I can breathe a sigh of relief, the world is not coming to and end, the North Pole is NOT missing despite not showing up on Google Earth, and I can go to bed knowing that Santa Claus will come next year for all the good kids and dogs out there. I've decided that Google should come out with "Google ICE" so David can track the North Pole.

The Moral to the story:

Really if that's the biggest problem that happened today, life must be looking up. :)

Insert Cyber Applause Here..

Ode to an electric screw driver. OR The key to a successful marriage.

The Electric Screw driver, the key to a successful marriage?

Who knew that the key to a successful marriage could be bought a home depot for 19.99. In my case, its an electric screw driver. At first purchasing an electric screw driver so I can put together a piece of furniture I bought at Ikea was not a big deal. Until I realized the true potential of a woman and a small power tool. Not only did the screw driver help me assemble my table so I can eat dinner tonight, but it made me realize how lately I 've really had a screw loose and a screw driver is just the thing to put me back together. Whether a screw loose is a metaphor in life, or truly a screw loose remains to be seen. But one thing remains for sure. We all need to ask for a little help these days. Life isn't supposed to be simple, in fact true adulthood so far has been easy. But having the tools in life to put your self back together everyday is so important.

Potter helping to hold the directions.

 I realized as I was reading the directions that support from friends, and family, getting the giggles and sharing in joys and small victories such as being empowered by a screw driver to put something together by my self is a big deal.  I plan on taking this small victory and applying it to bigger tasks at hand.  Plus I gave the screw driver to David, in case my own screw is loose again , he can put the pieces back together.

The note that David came home too...

The Two Stooges go to Opening Night.

To say that what ever we do is graceful, and all lovie dovie all the time would be a lie. In fact I would have to say that last nights attempt to leave for the ball park to go to opening night was more like watching the two stooges. I am of course Curly (yes I know he's the bald one) but I'm also roundish in the face and have pretty darn curly hair, and David is Moe.

In our attempt to leave, we had to unlock the gate,  the security screen and the front door 3 times because we forgot things such as car keys, the cooler of food and yeah, the dog got out. I checked that we had in fact brought two tickets for opening night probably 3 times, the first time I realized the game was an hour earlier than expected. (who starts a game at 6:05 instead of 7:05), the second time to make sure I had the right tickets (as they came in a set with another pair for a game later this April), and the third time at the rate we were going to make sure there were 2 tickets not one , and I put them in an envelope because as a mail carrier David is less likely to toss the envelope some where I can't find it.

We then went around the two cars out front making sure to get all items needed, only to drop my cell phone twice in which case the battery flew out both times once onto the street and the other back in the car. Needless to say David drove to the City.

I am happy to announce that these antics were the only mishaps for the entire night. And based on our track record since getting married, that's pretty darn good. From there it was smooth sailing to our favorite parking garage that is NOT on the ATT website, which happens to be right across the street from the park. We then walked through our favorite entrance in the Giants Dugout Store and greeted "grouchy Judy" our long time attendant in section 101 for I have found that if you say hello and talk shop, she won't ask to see your ticket when I am coming back down with 4 things of food and soda in my hand. 

Note: Sect 118 has THE best 10-12 inch polish sausage for 8 bucks (regular dogs are 6.50) it comes  with real roll and grilled onions prepared right next to the sausage. Definitely worth wondering over for.

I pulled out my camera which I got many years ago to take some snaps of the players warming up. I got this camera specifically to take pictures of ball players. The zoom is amazing. Its not so great for shots of the two of us together as it zooms too much.But, the shots I got of Barry Zito pitching were from the first base side across the entire field to the home teams pull pen, are pretty impressive. The key is to hold still... (insert snicker here). Which is something I am not go at, but thanks to the miracle of digital photography I could snap several pictures and then got one that was "golden".

The game started, we laughed, and cheered and watched the game. It got cold, then colder which is to be expected in April. We ate good food, we watched the people around us pretend they could catch balls lobbed into the stands by ballplayers and were privy to a close 3-3 tie going into late into the game. So with my husband David and 41,672 of my closest friends we watch the Giants pull out a walk off win in the bottom of the ninth. The Giants "Torture" couldn't be so sweet.

A quick trip through the dugout store produced giants baseball salt and pepper shakers, a new sweatshirt for me and a lanyard for the two of us so ticket loosing in massive pockets is no longer an issue. Then it was smooth sailing home again (much quicker to Hercules than all the way to Sonoma). A perfect ending to a Two Stooges beginning.

The Dawn of a New Era, or Error....

I only find it fitting that I start a blog on the dawn of a new year. A new year starts in April you might ask? Yes indeed, for baseball fans like me, Giants Opening Day is the beginning of a new year. A fresh start, undefeated, my national personal holiday of which I have taken the day off every year since I was in 4th grade. So get your favorite hot beverage, sit down to your computer and enjoy the peek into the life of the Dugout Diva.

I plan on exploring not only topics of baseball, but that of real life (not the things posted on Facebook), of learning to cook gourmet meals in a kitchen with a hot plate, an oven that doesn't hold a 9x13 pan or a standard cookie sheet. I want to share what its like to be a person with a disability who has to climb mount Everest every morning before putting my feet on the floor and yet once the climb occurs, I seem to be able to almost function as a productive member of society. Its not easy, my husband will be the first one to tell you that. It is my hope that I can share some of the memorable things that happen in our lives together as so many are not able to spend time with him, to get to know him like I have. I want to share endearing stories, keep a collection of quotes and be able to laugh about the things that keep me going.

Yes Giants baseball opening day is the best day to start a new era of writing for me.
 Happy New Year to us all. And to all a good night. Cheers!