32 down, a lifetime to go. (Target Field)

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "jaded" as

1
:  fatigued by overwork
2
:  made dull, apathetic, or cynical by experience or by having or seeing too much of something

whereas Urban Dictionary goes a little more in depth.

"The end result of having a steady flow of negative experiences, disappointment, and unfulfillment fed into a person where they get to the point where their anger circuits just sort of burn out and they accept disillusionment."

Fatigued, apathetic, cynical, disillusioned, no matter how you define it, sometimes it's hard to make those transitions in life that are necessary from time to time. Now a lot of you may be reading this and shouting inside your head (or out loud) that I have an awful lot of gumption to complain about being jaded from having seen so many wonderful sights in my lifetime, and you're probably right. But I think that in today's world where almost any form of entertainment or sensation is available at the touch of a button, a lot of people are wondering where to get that next fix from, as evidenced by that Merriam-Webster entry being in the top 1% of lookups.

I feel like life goes in phases. I've always loved travel, and I've been fortunate enough to be able to make my dreams come true multiple times now. I should be proud of that, because a lot of people's dream destinations stay just that for their whole lives. I started this journey eight years ago, with a harebrained idea that hey, I love baseball and I love travel, let's see all the ballparks! It has basically ruled my travel plans since then. The trips designed themselves, it was just a matter of taking the time off of work and booking a couple of things. Now that my dream is complete, I find myself in a similar situation as I was eight years ago.

When I was in school, I was entranced by the pictures of "Guernica" that were in my textbooks. The raw emotion and power that were in even the small prints spoke to me, and I told myself, one day I will see that in person. Sure enough, shortly before I started this blog I was fortunate enough to go to Spain and one of my first stops was the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. As I came around the corner to the room in which it was displayed, the power and emotion radiating off the wall literally knocked me back. It is the only time I can remember that I was moved to tears by a sight. It wasn't just the painting, it was the feeling of having accomplished my dream. That's the feeling that I've been craving since then. I was able to replicate it a few weeks back by visiting Target Field, my final ballpark, but as any junkie will tell you, the first high is always the one you remember and you spend the rest of your life trying to replicate it.

So, I've completed this phase. I've made the turn for home, and now it's time to rest the bones a bit, but the next dream is always a moment away. Except that right now, I don't have any more dreams. Dreams can be a dangerous thing, as they can distract from what the goal really should be, but they're all we have as humans. Without hopes and dreams, there is only darkness and death, and I'm not dead yet.

The next phase will start soon. What it will look like or what it will be, I have no idea. I have been to a couple dozen national parks, and I have about 12 or 13 states left to visit. I enjoy going to parks and hiking, but I can't say it's a dream of mine to visit them all. I also badly want to go back to Europe soon. This blog will keep going. I'll post about some trips I've done in the past, and trips upcoming in the future. I need to rest up some and dream of my next journey. Whatever it is, I'll embark on it with my head held high and you all will be along for the ride.

31 down, 1 to go. (SunTrust Park)

From one of the oldest and crappiest stadiums in the majors to the newest, SunTrust Park. I attended the second game ever in the ballpark, the Braves against the Padres. Still one to go, since this one is brand spanking new.

Because I went so early in the season, the ballpark village planned was not quite filled out yet. About half of the stores were leased and the apartments were not finished yet. There were still parties out on the lawn and plenty of restaurants open though. The vibe was still buzzing, and it's going to be even better once all of the stores are filled out and the apartments are leased. Also, if you get to try the Hopsecutioner Ale, don't give it a pass.

The ballpark itself is really nice, but nothing staggering about it. I think the designers of the next wave of ballparks realize that they can't beat San Francisco, or Pittsburgh, or Baltimore, so the thought is to combine something fresh and modern with a surrounding village that ensures more money comes in and the surrounding area stays hopping well into the night. The ballpark, even though it is in Cobb County, was not too hard to get to (at least from where I was) and parking was easy off of the highway. The hall of fame also had some interesting items and a great tribute to Hank Aaron.

It remains to be seen how the ballpark village concept plays out here and in other possible areas such as Dallas and Oakland, but it isn't off to a bad start. Anything extra that can keep the younger generation coming can't hurt.

30 down, 1 to go. (Oakland Coliseum)

First a little housekeeping. I got tangled up on the count, then looked back and saw that I didn't count Marlins Park as a ballpark down. So, I'm switching up the rules and counting that one retroactively and then adding in this Oakland report. So at the time that I took in an Oakland game, that was my 30th ballpark down and I had one left to go at that time because Atlanta wasn't open yet.

Whew!

I flew out to Oakland to take in a game a little while back. Yes, the stadium is crap, but it's Oakland's piece of crap. The city takes great pride in its team and I can't wait for the fans to get the stadium that they and the team deserve. Hopefully now that the Raiders are in don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out mode, this year is the rumor when the new ballpark plans will come out.

The stadium really befits everything that the city is about. It's down and out, but it's theirs, and it's kept up as much as a 50 year old concrete bowl can be. The ambiance is one of the best in the majors, and it's a great feel to take in a game.

Descanza en paz, Jose.

I just wanted to say some words on the tragic loss that happened this morning. I just found out about it so I haven't truly wrapped by brain around it yet, but this is a horrible tragedy. Condolences to Jose's family and girlfriend whose pregnancy was just announced on Instagram last week.

Jose was the most exciting pitcher in baseball and one of the most exciting sports figures and people around. Jose's family has lost a son, father, and Cubans everywhere have lost a role model and the human race today is a little poorer without his joy, enthusiasm, and personality for the game and for life.

28 down, 2 to go. (Globe Life Park in Arlington)

At least for now, 2 to go! The numbering is getting a little confusing with the new Atlanta(ish) ballpark opening next year, and the just-announced new Rangers ballpark. I went to the old Rangers ballpark a few weeks ago, to wrap up my Arizona-Texas trip. It was a pretty neat experience, I'll let the pictures tell the story. I went at a nice time of year so I didn't have to battle the heat that brought on the idea of the new retractable roof ballpark in the first place. Of course by 2021 or so when that's finished, we'll be playing in climate controlled pods and taking the hyperloop to games, provided it's not 150 degrees out.

Just Minnesota and Oakland to go! I used to worry about what I would do when this journey is complete. But between Atlanta, Texas, and possible new ballparks in Tampa and Oakland if they ever get their act together, I can tell that there will always be new and exciting things to do in this great country of ours.

27 down, 3 to go. (Minute Maid Park)

Deep in the heart of Texas!

The retractable roof was open on my visit to Houston, and the weather was beautiful. The park seems small on the outside but is spacious on the inside. The train did get moving once, but the home team went down to defeat. I guess those oranges will never arrive at their destination...

26 down, 4 to go. (Chase Field)

Hello all!

Back and better than ever. Not too long ago I took a trip through Arizona and Texas to catch some games. Phoenix is a good place to see a game, the Diamondbacks were playing the Cubs though and there were more Cubs fans than D-Backs fans. I didn't splurge on the $30 D-Bat, the gargantuan corn dog, because I value my aorta and my wallet, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't tempted. Personal note of advice as well, if you go hiking in Arizona, wear sunscreen.

25 down, 5 to go. (Wrigley Field)

Back again! I'm not sure if this will be it for this year or not, I may try to make a quick jaunt somewhere over Labor Day. If not, either way, only 5 to go...it has gone so fast. I still have a little ways to go but the end is definitely in sight. I'm not sure how to feel or how to react now that I'm getting so close. I use travel as a way to give my mind something to look forward to, something to plan for, a purpose. I think I'll celebrate for sure, but also panic a bit. I love going to National Parks and just exploring this great land of ours, so who knows, maybe in a couple of years this will transition to a general travel blog. Maybe I'll post about some National Parks and some European destinations that I've been to in the offseason. Either way, I have at least two years until this journey draws to a close, because of the new Atlanta ballpark opening in 2017.

Back to the focus of this post, which is the timeless and inimitable Wrigley Field. Someone made the comment before I went that the new scoreboard in left ruined the place, and this was my first time so I couldn't make the comparison directly, but it was awesome with the scoreboard. I think the scoreboard fits in nicely, and hey, we don't live in 1920 anymore. At Fenway no one gripes about the Monster seats anymore, and in a couple of years no one will care about the scoreboard anymore (except maybe the rooftop owners but that's all about money). It's a nice mix of the modern and historic, and it blends in nicely. While taking in a game here you think about all of the people who have streamed in the gates over the years to take in a Cubs game who hoped to see that W flag raised at the end of the game, more often that not left disappointed, but nevertheless came back again and again. That's fandom for you. On this day, July 4th, my beloved Marlins went down to defeat (as has happened often this season), but I thoroughly enjoyed the game and the fireworks nonetheless.

Back again soon! Take care all.

24 down, 6 to go. (Great American Ball Park).

I checked this park out with a co-worker, so I got a little bit of the native stories which was cool. The smokestacks are a nice touch. This was another game that was repeatedly delayed due to rain, so props to the big man in the sky for getting the game in for me.
The Reds Hall of Fame is a can't miss, it's the best in the Major Leagues that I've been to so far. Only drawback to this park: it is located in Ohio. Couldn't help but get that one in as a Hurricanes fan :)
The All-Star Game had a great host also, you could tell the city was genuinely excited about hosting the game, they had a building lighting ceremony that we went to which was chintzy but cool. Also cool is the Roebling Bridge located just next to the park, and the Underground Railroad Museum near by.

23 down, 7 to go. (Busch Stadium).

Well I failed miserably in my quest to post over the off-season, but here I am, back again by popular demand! *Crickets*

:) This summer I went on a really cool and relaxing Midwest ballpark tour. My first stop was St. Louis. I had never been, and I was surprised by what a cool, laid back city it was. I was worried about the weather forecasts the whole time I was there, and there were multiple delays with sideways rain, but they ultimately got the whole game in, because they knew I was there to watch, of course.

While you're in the ballpark, you really feel like you're in the middle of Cardinals nation. You're surrounded by red seats, Big Mac Land, and the Gateway Arch just down the road. This may be flyover land to a lot of people, but to these people, it's home. Just standing outside the park before the gates opened, you could look around and see the passion these people have for baseball. It is truly infectious and I'm glad I stopped by.