What a glorious month of futbol that was. First, I really want to thank our sponsor:

I want to thank each of you gentlemen for participating in our little challenge. I want to congratulate Kyle Buffolino for taking his South Korea squad to the elimination round. After paypal fees Kyle was awarded $93.00.

After completely rigging the drawing and getting Spain, I have taken the crown. After a very long game, with struggling offenses, Andrés Iniesta put a strong right foot on a ball to beat the Dutch in the 118th minute. The San Francisco Italian Athletic Club went nuts and celebrated the Spanish victory. See you fools in 4 years in Brazil.

Being stuck in an office all day, sometimes I forget that I am at, what some consider, “America’s best baseball stadium”. There have been hard long days and weeks during these first 3 months before the season, and I have begun to forget what I am part of. For the first couple days of January, I was wide-eyed and excited to be walking into AT&T Park for work, but by mid-January that excitement had worn off. I had grown into a routine of walking in this brick building, could have been an ordinary office for all I knew…

All of a sudden, as spring training was coming to a close, the team that I had been talking to people about for the past three months came back to town. The Giants played the last 3 of their last 4 spring training games right here in San Francisco. It was strange though, I didn’t get too excited. We were playing the A’s on Thursday and Friday and I think I am older than most all of their players, and none of them have the star power that wows you. I stayed for an inning or two of those games, but that excitement wasn’t felt.

Today, on Easter Sunday (Happy Easter, He is risen.), I had to go in to work during part of the last pre-season game. I didn’t even think twice about who we were playing, but then I glanced on the field as the players were warming up. Ichiro and Ken Griffey Jr. jogged in front of me, and then I felt what all kids, boys, and men feel when they see their heros live in person. I have seen a lot of players throughout my years, but I had never seen either of these guys. Pretty special players.

Ichiro, for those who don’t know, is one of the best international baseball players ever, and for sure the best Japanese player ever. He owns the single season record for most hits in Major League Baseball. He is second place behind Pete Rose for most hits in a career. Ken Griffey Jr.’s name speaks for itself, as even Bouldin probably knows who he is. I may have impersonated him more than anyone as I grew up wanting to play center field like Griffey. He is also 5th on the all time home run list, no biggie.

I needed to see these guys today. I needed a boost of excitement as I grind out these days on the phone. I had forgotten that I am part of a Major League Baseball team. Today, I stopped and thought about how blessed I was to be in this situation. I also realized that I still get giddy around these incredible athletes.

Opening Day is tomorrow, in Houston, and it brings a refreshing excitement to this job that was much needed.

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…