Giants and A’s, A’s and Giants

Yeah, so, we went to the A’s game today.

It was their Autism Awareness game, and they opened their new sensory room. It’s for autistic people, people with sensory processing disorders, Down syndrome, PTSD and dementia.

Ballparks can be loud and overwhelming. This is a nice quiet suite with noise-canceling headphones, fidget toys and bean bag chairs. It’s got a beautiful view of the ballpark.

At first, we were the only ones in the new room, but as the game progressed more and more people stopped by. Eventually, there were about 7 kids in the room. So, it was 15 people who were really happy and grateful to be there.

And after the game, we get to do one of Calvin’s favorite things: ride BART.

Long-time readers of this blog know that I’ve always been a San Francisco Giants fan with the Oakland A’s as my second, and for my mighty, mighty good man David it is the reverse. We love baseball. We root for the Bay Area teams, except for the 49ers, because football – meh. But other people love the 49ers and good for them.

Anyway, I have been so impressed with the Oakland A’s. They are doing so much to appeal to families and, well, people who just love baseball. I can’t say for sure what goes through the SF Giants leadership’s mind, but it appears that they are mainly interested in people with money. They’ve got the Gotham Club and the Cloud Club – both of them cater to folks with money. Regular ticket prices are pretty high, too, which makes them not ideal for families or people with a limited amount of disposable income. Not to mention, this happened, this happened again – oh! – and this happened, and, well, that makes me not want to give them my hard-earned money right now.

At the A’s, we were able to afford their All Access Pass, which gives us seats to 10 games BUT we can go to every home game and sit in the Treehouse (which is rad, and Calvin loves it). Plus, we get 50 percent off beer concessions and $10 parking. I know, RIGHT?!

So, yeah, I know what you’re thinking, “Check out the fair weather Giants fans.” First of all, RUDE. Second, that’s not true. I still root for the Giants. But, I think the San Francisco Giants are the fair weather fans. They left me. They appear to be more interested in tech money than fans like me. What sucks for the Giants is that all the big tech money is going to move on to that shiny new Chase Center soon, and then the Giants will be all, “Take me back, baby. It will be different this time.” And honestly, I don’t know if it will work … it might, though. Once they dump their racist co-owner, I’ll consider it.

Maybe part of my issue isn’t just the Giants, but San Francisco, too. San Francisco was the city that everyone moved to when you didn’t fit in anywhere else. Freaks and outcasts welcome. It’s one of the amazing things about this city. I think it is still that, but it’s also about tech and money. San Francisco always has an ebb and flow when it comes to tech money, and right now it’s really flowing and it’s drowning out a lot of cool people and businesses. It’s frustrating, but I also know that’s part of living in a big city like San Francisco.

Let me put it another way: Right now, it feels like tech bros are the new jocks, and the rest of us are nerds getting dumped in trash cans.

I’m just ranting. I apologize, my friends … My point is … what was my point? Oh yeah! Baseball.

The A’s are doing so much to cater to families and attract younger fans. I feel like they are cultivating the next generation of fans.

We have taken Calvin to many games throughout the years, but after this most recent trip to the ballpark, he asked if we could go to another game sometime soon, and that was a first. It made me want to cry, and it made me an A’s fan.

It’s business time

Yeah, so, I’m going to Confab, a content strategy conference in Minneapolis next week.

In preparation for it, I decided to print some business cards for myself. I wanted a business card that truly reflected my personality and showcased the aspect of content strategy that is really important to me: the fun part.

What do you think?

Please ignore my awful, chipped nail polish. I know, I know.

So many podcasts: Pet Sematary, Fletch, Devil Wears Prada and Revenge of the Nerds

Yeah, so, I’ve got a couple of podcasts to share with you.

Pet Sematary (2019) vs. Pet Sematary (1989) – I’m so dedicated to Dorking Out that I sat through two versions of “Pet Sematary,” but apparently I’m not dedicated enough to sit through “Pet Sematary 2.”

Fletch – Former co-host Chris Smith returns to talk about “Fletch” and update us on his documentary series, “Three Days In Paradise.”

The Devil Wears Prada – I’m probably two or three stomach flus away from my goal weight. Margo and I had so much fun talking about this one and Margo has some great stories.

Oh, and Margo and I were invited to go on my favorite podcast F This Movie to talk about “Revenge of the Nerds.” NBD!

Also, Margo and I have an exciting announcement soon, so stay tuned!

You’re invited to a measles party!

Yeah, so, there ain’t no party like a measles party cuz a measles party results fever, sore throat, rashes and death.

Seriously?! The ignorance of anti-vaxxers boggles my mind.

I have a lot of thoughts and feelings about this, and they all involve a lot of swearing and yelling, so I’m going to let Scientific American take it from here …

 

I’ve got butterflies

Yeah, so, every year my mighty, mighty good boy Calvin’s school has a fundraising event. This year it was a masquerade ball.

It’s tough to wear a mask when you were glasses. I entertained the idea of buying a mask that clips on to my glasses, but I didn’t want to ruin my precious glasses. I settled for a mask on a stick. I didn’t feel that was festive enough. So then I got it into my head that I should put something on my head. I bought this headband adorned in colorful butterflies on Etsy.

I knew that everyone would be all mardi gras, so I decided to do my own thing, which turned out to be butterflies. I have no explanation for why I choose butterflies other than I think the headband is really pretty.

Also, look at my mighty, mighty good man David … isn’t he so creepy dreamy?

It’s not a difference of opinion. They are wrong.

Yeah, so, stop treating racism, sexism, homophobia, anti-vaccination and climate change denial as a difference of opinion. It’s not a difference of opinion. They are wrong.

The media, in its quest to appear impartial, gives racists, bigots, anti-vaxxers and climate change deniers a platform to promote their lies. The media is both-sides-ing this country to death.

I like “Grease 2” more than “Grease,” but you like “Grease” more than “Grease 2.” That’s a difference of opinion. Denying that science is a thing and claiming that vaccines cause autism or that climate change is a hoax is not a difference of opinion. That’s wrong.

I’m over it, my friends. You say this bullshit to me, I’m not going to pretend that we have a difference of opinion. I will tell you that you’re wrong.

That is all.

By Grabthar’s Hammer, you should listen to this podcast

Yeah, so, Margo and I never give, never surrender and talk about 1999’s “Galaxy Quest” on this week’s Dorking Out. This is one of her favorite comedies, and it was super fun to revisit it.

You can listen to it riiiight here or on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and Stitcher.

Your assignment if you choose to accept it: Next week’s episode is 1992’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” RIP Luke Perry.

Think pink (cupcakes)

Yeah, so, my mighty, mighty good boy Calvin has been really into “Pinkalicious & Peterrific” lately. He really loves an episode in which Pinkalicious and her mother bake pink cupcakes, and she eats so many of them she turns pink.

For weeks, he has been talking about pink cupcakes.

“We will make pink cupcakes sometime, Mommy?”

“I want pink cupcakes.”

“We will make pink cupcakes later?”

This weekend, we finally made it happen. I think he’s just a little bit proud of them.

And yes, before you ask, they’re vegan. I used boxed cupcake mix with egg replacer, and you’d never know the difference.

Now I have to hide the cupcakes, because he will wake up in the middle of the night and eat them.

For our Oscar party, my friends John and Chris brought over “hostless” cupcakes, and they were awesome! We had a few leftover, and we had them sitting on the counter. The next morning, Calvin came into our room.

Him: “Guess what I did?”

David: “Umm, what?”

Him: “I ate a cupcake in the dark last night.”

Me: “Umm, what?”

Him: “I got up in the night and ate a cupcake.”

He did. He got up in the middle night and ate a cupcake. Then he went to the bathroom to wash the chocolate off his face and hands. And he would’ve gotten away with it, if he hadn’t told on himself … and we didn’t notice all the chocolate crumbs on the bathroom the next morning.

 

Everything I do, I do it for you

Yeah, so, I love Kevin Costner. I do. I don’t know why, but I’ve got a real soft spot for him.

I was a big fan of “Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves” when I saw it in 1991. So, when a listener requested that Margo and I watch it for Dorking Out, I was pretty excited. I thought it would be a really fun rewatch. Alan Rickman is really great in it, but it wasn’t a fun rewatch. However, it was super fun to talk about it with Margo.

You can listen to it riiiight here or on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify and Stitcher.

And, if you want to do something really awesome for me, you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Apparently, reviews really matter to Apple, and all our reviews are from when Smith was still on the show. Please, and thank you!

Alexa, write this blog post for me

Yeah, so, we have an Alexa in our house, but we don’t really use her that often.

She tells us when packages arrive, and occasionally I ask her to play music for me. I assume the rest of the time she’s monitoring our every word and reporting back to Amazon and/or the government. I don’t care because whoever is listening is bored AF.

“Ugh. They’re debating about what kind of delivery to get AGAIN. You ordered Chinese food the other day, assholes! What’s the debate about? You know you’re going to get Indian food. Just stop talking about it and order it already. … Here we go. She’s talking about her Weight Watchers Points again. For fuck’s sake! You’re going to eat the Indian food anyway, fatty! Oh good, now she’s lying to herself about how she’s going to yoga later tonight. Yeah, sure you are, honey. Go put on your eatin’ pants and slippers. You’re not going back out tonight.”

So, yeah, the other thing I’m using Alexa for is parenting.

It’s been raining like a lot in San Francisco, and every morning I get into this debate with my mighty, mighty good boy Calvin about wearing his raincoat.

Him: “It’s not going to rain.”
Me: “It is!”
Him: “No, it’s not. It’s not going to rain. I don’t need to wear that coat. I want my sweatshirt.”

Repeat five days a week for the entire winter season.

So, last week I got the brilliant idea to get Alexa to back me up.

Me: “It is going to rain. Ask Alexa! She will tell you.”
Him: “Alexa, is it going to rain today?”
Alexa: “The temperature is 45 degrees with showers expected today.”
Me: “See!”
Him: “I need my raincoat.”

Ta-dah! Calvin will listen to Alexa, but not me.

Now I’m going to get Alexa to start suggesting that he eat vegetables and pick up his dirty clothes. Pretty soon I won’t have to parent at all! Then I’ll spend even more time debating our delivery food options with David.