"Time you enjoyed wasting is not wasted time." --T. S. Eliot

 

My Hobbies

I suppose my favorite hobby is hiking through the woods. I find it fascinating and never tire of it. I suppose this has always been so, for I grew up in the swamps of central Florida. We even had a small alligator one hundred yards from our back door. From as young as I can remember my brother and I would go tromping through the swamps. There is no telling how many snakes we scared the #@%^^@ out of. We surely weren't cognizant of any.

 

That's me and my dog, Shy.

 

In this picture is Shy, my dog, and me!

Here is my wife Melissa, she's taken to hiking and to Shy, as well.
I think I'm beginning to figure things out now...Melissa and I are just Shy's pets!

 

I like to do other things, but I usually don't. I love baseball and back in the days when they played because they loved the game, it was much more enjoyable. I mean, when I was growing up in the 70s a player (without steroids) was considered quite a hitter if they made 200 hits in a season. But, when you figure it today, a player making $5,000,000 per year is getting paid $25,000 per hit if he gets 200 hits. Sheesh!!!! Or, if you think that is being too critical, how about that same player simply playing all 163 games in a season...that comes out to about $30,674.85 per game! No wonder you and I have to take out a small loan to be able to attend a game. 

 

 

 

 

I sure like the spirit of a baseball crowd...but I really find that if I am interested in the game, I can see it so much better on television. We do have a fine minor league club here in Greenville, called the "Drive" (apparently named in relationship to the local BMW plant?) The best thing about baseball farm clubs is that they play because they love the game!

Actually, I like to read a lot...not that I do. Don't tell anyone but I sort of enjoy reading Biology textbooks. Always something new to learn.

Let's see...Did I mention my dog? Well, there are other things that I have done and would like to do again. I use to scuba dive, ride motocross dirt bikes, and well, play baseball. My first year playing organized baseball I batted .750! Not bad for a rookie southpaw. I pitched and played first, and have spent a season or two in the outfield. Once while playing American Legion ball we played an exhibition game with a semi-pro team (name evades me). I went 1 for 3 getting a hit off the starting pitcher whom was called up to the Texas Rangers the next month (I could kick myself for not learning that guy's name!). It was around the time of David Clyde, but I really doubt it was him (I know, I know, you never heard of him!) Maybe I could help coach a little league ball team...or, possibly in my dreams Coach Jim Schmidtz might let me do a little teaching and coaching at first base! LOL

 

 
Whatever happened to the true-blue superstars? By the way, Al, I'm still waiting on you to have dinner with me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My wife and I all dressed up at a fancy restaurant!