Friday Rooftoppin’
Guests Speakers
I would like to introduce two of the latest guests at the Mize Hotel in San Francisco… William Griggs and John Michael Capps earned some face-time on kinda local after their recent visit to the city on the bay. Enjoy.
Introduction
First things first, I must communicate how honored I am to have the opportunity to write a guest piece for KindaLocal. I have been following KindaLocal since its creation and feel a special connection to not only the author, but the content and the loyal community that comment so frequently too.
Thank you Hunter for all you do to enrich the lives of your readers. You are truly an inspiration.
The Heart
A wise man once said, “Freethinkers are those who are willing to use their minds without prejudice and without fearing to understand things that clash with their own customs, privileges, or beliefs. This state of mind is not common, but it is essential for right thinking;”
Please take a moment to ponder what the quote means and how it can be applied to your own life.
The truth is this quote really has nothing to do with what I’m about to say, but I did think that inserting this quote would provide John Michael & I some much credibility in the intelligence department.
Anyways, our 10 day journey to San Francisco was chalked full of physically and intellectually stimulating activities. I won’t bore you with our itinerary, but would like to share eight interesting facts I learned about Hunter during my stay in San Francisco.
8 Facts You May Not Know About Hunter Mize
7. Hunter Mize hates Hollywood Disco…
6. Hunter Mize wants to play the stock market because sports betting is too risky…
5. Hunter Mize puts Kobayashi to shame with his speed eating…
4. Hunter Mize is still fluent in CPA sarcasm…
3. Hunter Mize thinks he can escape from Alcatraz in under 20 minutes…
2. Hunter Mize tosses money like he’s Pacman Jones…
1. Hunter Mize talks more about his bike than he rides it…
Bonus: Hunter Mize will be in Nashville in the month of March!!!
- Bill Griggs (twitter.com/billgriggs)
First I want to say thanks to Hunter for allowing me to get kindalocalized and also to all of the loyal readers of kindalocal out there for reading this far down on my post. Proceed with caution.
Well me and Griggs journey started in Chicago together and then somehow we wound up in San Francisco…a perfect place for me and Griggs to wind up. Our days were filled with sightseeing, bikng in the rain, walking, riding trolleys, drinking wine, eating crappy Indian food, shopping, and of course gazing at Hunter Mize. Really it was not about what I did though but more about who me and Griggs came to see. Even with a busy work schedule, Hunter reaffirmed to me why he such a stud and such a hot commodity in the bay area. To go along with his boyish good looks and charisma he is also a kind and loyal friend and for that I am very appreciative of. If you have read this far (which I am not sure why you wouldn’t have) and you want to hear about what we actually did in San Fran then too bad. This post isn’t for you. You can call me if you want details on that. This trip was about Hunter and the gloriousness of him. If he wasn’t so awesome I would not have gone to San Fran in the first place. Short, sweet and to the point.
One Love,
John Michael Capps
Hello Visitor
Weekend? Busy!
I gotta get better about bloggin. These weeks go by so fast, and each weeknight I either stay at work late, have something to do, or I just sloth out on the couch all night. When that happens, my brain turns to standby.
Yesterday’s lunch was a great experience. It was the annual front office and players luncheon. All the staff gathered in our Field Club Lounge and grubbed off of a delicious buffet. We took our seats and there was a reserved seat at each table. All the players and coaches entered the Lounge and one sat at each table. I sat with Jeremy Affeldt, a relief pitcher with the Giants. He was hilarious and really fun to get to know. The team owner and president spoke, as well as some players. Very cool. After the lunch, I went and spoke to Matt Cain, one of the best pitchers in baseball, who happens to be from Memphis, Houston High School.
Anyways, the weekend came fast this week, but it’s not really a normal weekend because the Giants FanFest was today. It started off strange, I would say bad, but that’s a lame way to look at it. I have realized lately that not much really ever bothers me too much. I think that is good most of the time, maybe not sometimes. I had to be there at 8:00. Earlier than normal. It is a Saturday, busses don’t run as often. I missed the bus that I needed to catch, so set a record for my earliest taxi ride of my life at 7:30. Nothing like paying $10 to go to work on a Saturday. None of that sentence sounds good.
FanFest is the first day single-game tickets go on sale for the 2010 season. 20,000ish fans come down to the ballpark, line up blocks around the stadium, and wait to see players and buy merchandise and tickets. These fans are nuts. I have never seen such a passionate crowd in baseball before. I’m talking orange pants (beautiful), Giants shoes, and kids in full team apparel (they will outgrow that in 3 months, but who cares? let’s buy it). These fans will buy anything that has to do with the Giants. I joked to a co-worker that I wanted to see if I could sell the toilet paper out of the Giants clubhouse. Guarantee I could get someone to pay at least $10 for a roll. People want any and everything free.
It was a really neat experience, as it was the first time I felt the vibe and energy of working for a professional organization. So far, I have been in my office, in an empty stadium. It’s hard to realize there is a team that plays there, and that 40,000 fans come to every game. Today, I got to feel and sense that.
The sun came out during the middle of FanFest, and it was one of the most beautiful days I have seen since arriving here. I went home, found a queen bed on craiglist. He was charging for it, but I helped him move some stuff in his house, so he gave it to me for free, and loaded it in his truck and dropped it off with me.
I watched the end of the Vols game. Domination. V, B. Gabe met me at my place and we went for a bike ride. We went straight down the hill to the Wharf. Everywhere you turn, there is a beautiful view of something, its really not fair. Riding along the Marina Green is too pretty, and finally I made it all the way to the Golden Gate. He showed me some roads and trails that were incredible. Unashamed, I stopped a couple times to take a pictures. Yes I live in this ridiculous place, but I can still enjoy and share it, and for sure not take it for granted… thinking back to my post about being a local. We made it around to the west side of the city, and saw a minute of the sunset, pretty cool site. It was windy, excuse my squints. TraditionalState, sorry my hat is backwards.
Weekend! Busy?
So right as I get comfortable living life at a slower pace, someone stepped on the gas. I was so familiar with having stuff to do all the time in Nashville, people to see, places to go. As I have been settling in in SF, the one thing that has been probably the most different would be simply having less friends and people I love around me, creating less things for me to do.
At first, I decided that I would just understand that was the situation, and get use to it. That was a good couple weeks, as I had plenty of time to read, think, and do things I wouldn’t as much in Cashville. Obviously, I longed for some friends like the ones I have back home, but where do I find those?
As I am leaving work Friday, part of me was saying ‘Just go home and relax, its been a long week’, while another was saying, ‘Go do something, put yourself out there’. I got a text from a new friend from CG, saying he was hanging out in his neighborhood with some friends, and he invited me to come. I was excited that someone reached out to me, rather than me trying to cling on to other people’s already established group of friends. It was a great night, I met some cool people, including a couple guys who are already some good friends. It is amazing what God can randomly put in your life.
Saturday, I slept in a little. I looked out the window and saw the first blue sky I can remember since moving here. Saturday, blue skies, 60 degrees, what can I do? So many options here, but it would be fun to have someone to enjoy it with. As all my Nash friends were sledding and playing in all that snow, I wanted to play too. Again, another friend from this CG gave me a ring and just wanted to meet up and throw frisbee. Something that simple, but having someone to do it with, makes it so good. We met at Marina Green, a nice little park on the northern most part of the city, with some just real tough views of Alcatraz, Sausalito and the big red bridge.
All of a sudden, I began to realize I had stuff to do. Almost too much. Most of me is thankful and knows God is taking care of me by putting people in my path, but then part of me says, ‘Geeze, I would love some down time.’ I stopped for a second and asked myself if I could ever be satisfied. I always seem to want some of what I don’t have at that point in time. Crazy how fast that happened.
After hustling home, Amy and Piotrek arrived to pick me up. Amy dropped Pito and myself off at the University of San Francisco for the USF vs #8 Gonzaga game. A huge mismatch, but I wanted to see Gonzaga up-close and personal, thought that would be neat. Winds up, For Piotrek’s first NCAA basketball game, USF pulls the upset and wins in overtime. That place went nuts, so like any normal fan with no allegance to either team would do, I said to Piotrek, ‘Let’s storm the court with them’. Duh. Why wouldn’t we?
Some say we look alike? I’ll take it. Sorry Pito.
On top of all these events, I got to go to IKEA for the first time in my life Sunday. I went with my two friends from Friday night, and was too overwhelmed with that store. I got a couple things for my room, and actually just finished hanging some shelves and pictures. This place is starting to come around…
Back on the Horse/Bike
So I would have written this last night if I had the strength, or if I didn’t have someone looking out for me, making me go to bed on time. Thank you. I had community group last night in the Marina (an area down by the water on the north side of San Francisco, only about a mile away from me), and after the first full day with no rain since my smooth first bike ride, I decided to muster up some courage and take a ride on two wheels.
The route to get there isn’t flat. I have to go down Union to Polk street, which is one of the more steep streets I have seen in the city thus far. I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t completely trust my bike at this point. We had a rough first hangout, and he needs to earn his respect from me. I began to imagine my breaks failing as I was creeping down this 89 degree angle of a hill. I was riding so slow, with both hands on the breaks, cars would honk and passerby’s would laugh. Glad I could brighten their evenings.
I made it to the bottom of the hill, and from there it was a great ride. Flat, easy, and fun like it use to be, before wrecking was part of the experience. I was so proud as I arrived. Several in the group knew about the cable car track experience, so I bragged that I can actually ride a bike and not end up on my palms.
So my mood was better as I saddled up to ride home. For the first several streets, I was the man. San Francisco got me once, but I was in charge now. Hyde Street came-a-callin again. As I approached it, I was trying to gain enough speed to carry me up the hill a little bit. I peddled so hard that I began to hear Hambone’s voice talking to me. I began to question how in-shape I was before I realized I had somehow called Hambone in my pocket and managed to turn it on speaker phone. I would say I made it up half-way, who’s counting? ok maybe a little less… I hopped off my bike, played it cool, and acted like I had a phone call. That seemed to work, except I couldn’t really speak. I walked my bike up to flatter ground, and rode into the finish line at my address.
I really felt dizzy and out of shape for the first time in a while. I’m not so invincible anymore. It’s a sad day. As I got a glass of water and began walking back to the sofa, I realized I had spilled half of it, making a nice little water trail in the hallway. I was worn out. I guess I will trade being absolutely exhausted for wrecking though?
Dash (no, not Kim and Khloe’s store)
Today started after sleeping through my alarm and waking up at 9:47, when I was suppose to leave my apartment at 10ish for church. I hate that feeling of being groggy for church, so I tried to wake up at 9. My body said no sir. To get to church, I have to catch a bus down the hill, then it connects to another. I timed the first one up well, however the second bus was ready to leave me before I got to the stop. I saw it catch a red light, so I sprinted up the hill to beat it there. Up the hill I realized that it skipped that intersection and picked up at the next. Luckily, the bus caught another red light, I dashed again and made it on time to get on the 3-Line. I sat down and found myself half awake, sweaty and cotton-mouthed. Great way to start the morning.
Little did I know that the sermon would be themed by a man covered with leprosy dashing to Jesus for healing. A leper in this day was considered much more than a sick person. They were outcasts, not allowed in the cities, and for sure were not to be touched. They were a symbol of the world’s brokenness. As people of the city scattered as far away from this man as they could, he ran to Jesus, and said to him “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.” Jesus could have easily cleansed him without doing anything, without saying anything, and for sure without touching the man! The man was immediately cleansed as Jesus reached to touch him.
This can be seen from two different points of view.
The symbolism of the most high, most perfect man to walk the earth, reaching out and actually touching a man who was known as the lowest of the lowest humans alive was an incredible message to me showing however successful I become, there will never be anyone too low to show love to. It bothers me so much to see people put themselves above the homeless and the needy in today’s society. It is our privilege as followers of Jesus to love and reach out to these people.
From the leper’s point of view, we can see that Jesus wants us to come to him dirty. He does not want us to put on a clean face, or try to clean up our act before we face him. He wants to see us vulnerable, surrendering and honest. Jesus shows he can clean the man who is viewed as the most filthy man in the city, proving that his cleanliness becomes our cleanliness the moment we dash to him.