Top Ten Books

A thing going around Facebook right now asks you to post your top ten books, or at least the top ten books that come to mind immediately. My brain "immediately" listed about 40 books, so I pared the list down to just the ones that influenced my reading habits, and sometimes made changes in my life. It was very difficult to cut out the Harry Potter books, To Kill a Mockingbird, Brideshead Revisited, The Handmaid's Tale, a lot of mystery and sci-fi books (a LOT), St. Dale (hilarious), the Tom Clancy and James Clavell books, as well as Into Thin Air and The Art of Racing in the Rain, but...

Well... I guess I just added them! LOL

So what are your favorites?

 Gigs's Top Ten

1. Black Beauty
2. N or M?
3. Exodus
4. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
5. Pride & Prejudice
6. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
7. Ender's Game
8. Mists of Avalon
9. Little Dorrit
10. The Girl with the Crooked Nose

1. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
I remember reading this about a  thousand times in elementary school. In 5th grade, I was like a lot of little girls and absolutely enthralled by horses. I watched horses in the movies and on TV (specifically, the Chinese-dubbed version of Bonanza -- which was hilarious), I read about them, and I played with my plastic Palomino at my friend Sandy Phillips's house. And then my school did some sort of library incentive thing which gave us credit for reading -- you could check out the same book, but only if you read something else in between the check-outs. So, I read Black Beauty every other check-out. For about the entire year! I re-read it again recently and it still holds up! I also read the Narnian chronicles and probably a lot of Enid Blyton, but what I remember most was the beautiful, sad, yet uplifting autobiography of a horse called Beauty.

2. N or M?, Agatha Christie
It's all my Dad's fault. Growing up, my Dad had several book shelves stacked with mystery novels -- Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Dorothy L. Sayers, and many more. "N or M" was the first Agatha Christie I ever read and I fell in love with Tommy and Tuppence Beresford. I didn't know it at the time, but Tommy & Tuppence had already been chronicled as youths in several short stories in "Partners in Crime." I loved the relationship between the two of them as well as the intricacy and believability of the crime (and solution). It was exciting and scary and just wonderfully written.

I think this book is what made me start my "thing" of having to read everything by a new-to-me author in chronological order. I went back and pulled out my Dad's copy of "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" and worked my way through everything she had written. It took a few years and I had to take some side-trips into other authors' realms as well as "working" trips for school, but I eventually caught up. I kept deferring "Curtain" until I had definitely read everything else she had written, because she had said before her death (in 1976) that it was Poirot's last case. There were two books published after Curtain but they were Miss Marple cases, and I just thought it all had to end on a Poirot case.

But this was the book that started it all: my slavish affection for mystery novels, especially of the "cozy" variety, my love of historical fiction, and my tendency to read everything by one author all the way through, chronologically. It also started a respect for women authors. It was very difficult to be a woman author in those days, and the ones who made it were so very clever!

3. Exodus, Leon Uris
I read this during the summer between 10th and 11th grades, when I was 15. I had just spent 10th grade in a suburb of Atlanta and was finally back in Hong Kong, spending my summer working as a "kitchen assistant" for the Laan Tau Mountain Camp. I was completely entranced by the thrilling adventures of Ari Ben Canaan as he helped found the state of Israel. I think I had already seen the movie by then, but if not, I definitely knew that the gorgeous, blue-eyed Paul Newman played Ari in the movie. I could barely put the book down!

One week during the summer, they let a bunch of us kids stay together in Cabin #9, "chaperoned" by the two 19-year-olds, Rodney Ingram and Jo Daley. I was sleeping on the bed/couch in the living room, so my things were stuffed into one of the cubbies nearby. At one point, I was reading my book and someone (probably Rodney) stole it from my hands. A laughing race around the cabin ensued, with me yelling, "Give me back my BOOOOOK!" in the thickest Southern accent possible. That became a laughing refrain for the rest of the summer!

Reading Exodus led me to read more books by Uris (of course), which led to my great affection for historical novels. It's a little sad and funny how much "history" I have learned by reading fiction! Part of it though is that I get curious about how much is true and how much is fiction, so I look it up. Curiousity is really good for becoming a "Queen of Useless Knowledge" ya know?

4. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Robert Heinlein
My final year of high school, I had signed up for 1.5 years of English credits (only needed one) because I signed up for Expository Writing and Advanced Placement (AP) English. This was really good for me because AP required a lot of reading, followed by discussions and writing. I wasn't a very good writer at the time, so I took Expository Writing to learn how to write a paragraph, and much much more. Mrs. Chern was the wonderful teacher of both classes, so when we had the parent-teacher conference early in the year, she addressed my performance in both classes and suggested that I drop AP. Why? Because I couldn't write my way out of a paper bag!

So I dropped AP English and was left having to find another English class to get the extra semester of credit. I had a choice between Russian History and Literature (Yeah, right! NOT) or Science Fiction. The SciFi class was already full and I really didn't have any interest in SciFi, but at least it wasn't Russian! I batted my eyes at Mr. Grzskowiak and he let me join the class. And BOY was it fun! This was the first book I read for that class and I had to write a report on it. I hadn't actually finished the book when I turned in my paper, but I got an "A" on it anyway. When Mr. G asked why I didn't include what happened to Mike at the end of the book, I schooled my features into a blank and said, "I thought about it, but I didn't think it affected my point." He let it go, but inside I was REELING! WHAT happened to Mike?!? Talk about the worst way to get a spoiler!

5. Pride & Prejudice, Jane Austen
By the time I got to college, I had already established a deep love of reading so I was slightly surprised to realize that there were a LOT of classic books still out there to be read. The first book we read in English 101 was Pride & Prejudice. I laughed at the first line and just fell in love with the wonderful story, the beautiful writing, and the crackling wit. When we discussed it in class, I think I was the only one who "got" it -- I was definitely the only one who liked it. I couldn't believe that anyone who read it could NOT like it!

And then, a few years down the line, they came out with that WONDERFUL mini-series of it with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy... *THUD*

6. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
I think it was my second attempt at a Junior year in college when I watched the wonderful TV series "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" on PBS. I was dating Dave Morton, and I know Megan was living at McGill, so it must have been her Senior year. A bun of us McGillites sat in the lounge and laughed uproariously at the silliness and absurdity of the show, but it was the follow-up that cracked me up the most. After the show, Dave, Megan, Rick(?) and I went over to the "Good Woman" - the bar in the basement of the Towers (dorm), and we ordered carafes of Long Island Teas... beause that was the "closest Earth equivalent to a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster"! I think it was after the fifth (litre) carafe that the four of us decided to form the "Society for the Mass Consumption of Pan-Galactic Gargle Blasters". With MUCH laughter and silliness, we hammered out by-laws, qualification standards, and everything.

Over the next few weeks, we gathered more members (who had to drink a litre of Long Island Tea each to qualify) and even grander intentions. We ended up with a page in the Vanderbilt yearbook as a "club or association", with a photo taken at the bar of The Good Woman of a bunch of drunk idiots grinning like loons.

So yeah, this book had some influence on me. I've since read all of the other books in the increasingly misnamed trilogy, plus all the Dirk Gently books. I've seen the movie (eh), listened to the radio play (great book on tape to drive to!) and mourned Douglas Adam's passing in 2001. When I turned 42, I celebrated because it meant I now knew everything. Life, the Universe, and Everything. I love dolphins because I figured it is good to suck up to our lords and masters (you're welcome for the fish!). And I've always wanted to be able to write a sentence as well-structured and beautiful as "The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't." And "“The Guide says there is an art to flying", said Ford, "or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” "

Also, "Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job." WHICH IS SO TRUE!!!

7. Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
I read this after I had dropped out of college (finally), lived in Atlanta for a few years and then ran away screaming to the DC area. I had already gotten completely into a sci-fi/fantasy bent, but I had never heard of this guy. I think one of the guys at the bookstore recommended it, so I tried it out. And was BLOWN away!

The book is set in a future with population control and a history of a brutal war against aliens, and where children are sent to Battle School at the age of six so they can be trained to fight the possibly-returning aliens. It qualifies as sci-fi, but it is also a brilliant discourse on the philosophical and ethical conundrums of war, peace, government, and just life in general. It's clever in that it uses the main character and his siblings as stand-ins for good vs. evil, and shows the yin/yang of the ideas. The book is just outstanding, so I (as usual) went looking for anything else the author had written... and was very disappointed. His Ender sequels were good, but not nearly as brilliant as the original. And his Alvin books were basically a fictionalization of the Mormon creation story... so yeah, not that interested!

He returned to form with the Shadow books (Ender's Shadow), which were again great, but for different reasons (maybe because Bean was always such a fantastic, complicated character). And then they recently released the Ender's Game movie, which had so much hype -- partly because of the book, but also because of  Card's insatiable need to preach. The movie wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't good. It became just a sci-fi movie vs. a sci-fi movei and philosophical treatise.

8. Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley
My sister, Karen, "lent" this to me several years ago because she knew how fascinated I am by the Arthurian legend and she absolutely loved this book. I devoured it, then turned around and read it again! It's a brilliantly different take on the story we all know and love, just by looking at it all from Morgaine's point of view. Maybe she's not such a villian! Maybe it was all fate, and no one could change it, no matter how hard they tried. And maybe, just maybe, it's all true. It's really long, but I think I read it about five or six times in the first three years I had it. So much so, in fact, that I sent my sister a new copy of it because they one she gave me was so dog-eared and torn! Yes, I love this book.

I've also read the sequels and some of MZB's other books, and found she likes to write somewhat feminist fantasy fiction - feminist in that they generally involve strong women who can deal for themselves. She edited a short-story series called "Sword & Sorceress" which was fun and introduced me to a lot of other great fantasy writers, but I never really got into her Darkover series.

Still, this book has had a serious impact on my life!  (Thanks Karen!)

9. Little Dorrit, Charles Dickens
I remember in 1990 when I worked at the Erol's Video Store, there was a huge package of the Little Dorrit mini-series VHS tapes that was really awkward to shelve because it was so big. It was about six hours long, so everyone was a little afraid of it. At that time, I had decided I didn't like Charles Dickens because all I had really read was "A Christmas Carol" and well, frankly, I was sick of it! So, I didn't watch it.

Fast-forward a few years and I'm in college (again), taking a course called "Literature in Movies and Television" in which we read a book and discuss it, then watch a video of it/discuss, then discuss/compare both. GREAT CLASS, with my favorite teacher at UMUC. And one week, he assigned Little Dorrit. I groaned heavily and then procrastinated as much as possible (of course), untilI realized I had two days until we were discussing it and it was about 900 pages long! ACK!

So, on Saturday I turned off the TV, unplugged the phone and computer, closed the curtains and locked the doors, and laid down on the love seat to read. My cat Jamocha jumped up onto my stomach to sleep because I was still for so long. I finished reading after about eight hours of pure delight. It was interesting that I basically caged myself in my apartment to read it because the general gist of the story is imprisonment, both physically and metaphorically. Well-written and extremely descriptive and it made me think, "who is this guy? and why haven't I read more of his works???"

The class discussion made me love the book even more and the bits and pieces of scenes we watched (from that huge long mini-series) were excellent accompaniament to the themes we discussed.

I went on to read everything I could find by Dickens, and now I'm a HUGE fan! All because of that ridiculously long book and mini-series I refused to watch!

10. The Girl With The Crooked Nose, Ted Botha
This book is non-fiction, and I'm not really sure how I came across it. One of my friends had recommended that I read "The Great Influenza", a well-written, compelling book about one of the worst pandemics in modern history. After that, I went on a bit of a binge of reading non-fiction, and ended up with this true story about "Frank Bender, a gifted, self-taught artist who can bring back the dead and the vanished through a unique, macabre sculpting talent." (from Goodreads.com)

So why this book vs. The Great Influenza? Well, it's absolutely fascinating, and it combined my love of a good mystery with art and my "helping people" gene. The work he does is stunning, and he basically started a whole new forensic field that seems commonplace now. I'm not sure why it touched me so much, but it did. I had moments of absolute horror while reading it, as well as times when I cried my eyes out. It's just that good.

Goooooood morning!

I woke up at 5:30am today, and tossed and turned as I tried to go back to sleep.

Last night’s Supernatural episode was great, Dean is such a tortured character, and that was probably what Jared meant in that interview that “Dean gets some action” this season. Apparently, Jensen didn’t remember because HE didn’t get the action, the teenage Dean did. Man, I love those guys. I finally got caught up and now I love watching the earlier shows because they are such BABIES then! Can’t believe I waited eight years to get into the show And interesting twist on the Walking Dead with the Governor being almost, kinda, possibly likable. I liked that he turned down the corner of the picture to show that he is no longer that guy. He’s got his Penny substitute and even HE got some action (poor Dean!)! But no Daryl and Carol. I hear that there’s going to be another Governor only episode and then just one more before the “mid-season” break. That sucks. I don’t know about that “Almost Human” show yet. Have to watch it again I think. No Daryl for another episode? I really REALLY want to see the reaction to Rick kicking Carol out of the prison. Oh man, I’ve got to finish that template at work today. And get the timeline for that other project. I hope Calypso is OK, at least he has pooped for the last two days and he’s beginning to eat his old dry food again. And how am I going to follow-up on that other project? I wonder what our 2014 schedule will be… I wonder if I can get a refund on all of that special food he won’t touch? It’s so expensive, but probably not. And I really have to run a couple of times this week so that I’ll be ready for the Turkey Trot next week. And I get to see Kingsley and Annie! And the fam! I need to call Mom & Dad. I need to make that squash and parsnips recipe to see if I like it so I can take it to Cathy’s. I need to figure out how I can pay her back and pay for car repairs. Or just leave them until next month. I really liked Thor, and I love those guys too. Talk about bromances! Ooo, I think Supernatural should do a take on “Some Like It Hot” – that would be hilarious! Castiel would be the guy at the end, “nobody’s perfect!” hahahaha! “Cause it’s a bittersweet symphony meow meow meow…” Tonight is Montana’s last night, I’ve got to text Eddie and Sharon. I have too many TV shows now dang, what time is it? The alarm is probably about to go off...

5:36am.

*sigh*

It's that time of the decade again...

It's been 10 years, so it's time for me to run another marathon!

I did my first marathon in 2003 because my doctor told me to get some exercise. I had just turned 40 and thought it would be pretty cool to be "that old" and do a marathon. And then I ended up pairing with a 65-year-old man* for training. Took the wind right out of my sails, I tell you what! ;-)

But, we spent six months training together every Sunday (almost), and we got healthier and faster, but we were still training at a very slow pace, 17 min/mile. When we ran the race in Baltimore, they let us start 30 minutes before the rest of the race because they knew we, and several other charity runners (meaning we were raising money for charity, NOT that they were letting us run as a charity thing!), were so slow we might not make it the whole way before they had to roll the streets back up. We made it to the half-marathon mark (13.1 miles) with less than a 14 minute mile, which was fantastic, and we felt great! But miles 17 & 18 were straight uphill, and my running partner's knee started bothering him, so we ended up walking a lot and it slowed us down.

But, we kept going... Step, step, jogjog, step... aaaand repeat! When we ran through Camden Yards on Eutaw Street, we were thrilled to see REAL bathrooms and to realize that we had made it to 26 miles! We only had .2 miles left! So we dowsed ourselves in the sinks and I finger-combed my hair (he didn't have any), then we joyously jogged the last .2 miles to the finish line! AND WE DID IT! It took us 7 hours and 26 minutes, but... WE FINISHED!

And I made myself a promise: I would keep training and get faster, so that I could do another marathon when I turned 50. My dream was the Marine Corps Marathon, which I wasn't able to do in 2003 because I was too slow.

So guess what? 

I turned 50 in March, and now I am participating in the 2013 Marine Corps Marathon. Yay!

The MCM sold out of registrations in record time again this year, so I've decided to raise funds and awareness for Fisher House Foundationin exchange for a bib and a lot of good feeling. I've always been a fan of Fisher House because they provide "a home away from home," a warm and welcoming place where families can stay and support their loved ones at no cost while the patient receives specialized medical care at a military or VA medical center. These homes allow families to be together to focus on what's most important - the healing process.

SO - please go make a contribution to Fisher House through my donation page to support me and to  say "thanks" and provide support to the members of our military and their families.  If you would like to donate by check, please contact me directly through Facebook messaging or in a comment below. 

Thank you for your support!

http://www.teamfisherhouse.org/goto/DRSmith

Donate with Confidence - Fisher House has received a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator 9 years in a row!

*p.s. My running partner for the Baltimore Marathon turned out to be Nora Roberts' brother. Now, isn't that weird?

My Baseball Journey

As you know, I grew up in Hong Kong. That means, among other things, that I did not grow up with baseball as a ubiquitous part of my life like most American kids. My parents are from Georgia so I did grow up hearing about baseball – it was “Braves, Braves, Braves” all the time which led to me really detesting the Braves – but baseball was just not something that I cared about.

I came back to the States permanently when I went to college, and I think the first baseball game I went to was a Nashville Sounds game. It was raining like crazy, so about seven of us huddled together under a tarp behind home plate with the beer guy on one side and the hot dog guy on the other. We drank a “perfect game” (a beer an inning) so I don’t remember much else, but I did learn that actually GOING to a baseball game could be a lot of fun! So, I went to a few more baseball games over the years, and enjoyed actually being there even if I didn’t really understand what was going on. But watching baseball on TV? Um, no. Boooooring!

Fast forward a few years (decades), the Nationals moved to DC and I named myself a Nationals fan because I'm a DC girl, but especially when I found out they were in the same division as the Braves. Yay! I can cheer against the Braves!

My Nationals started off well, but then seemed to live in the “cellar” (the bottom of the ranks) for the next few years.  I went to the very first game the Nationals played in DC, at RFK Stadium, with M & G, M’s parents, CaptAnne, and another great friend, Snuggie. It was the last pre-season game and Mayor Anthony Williams threw out the first ball, instead of the first “real” game with G.W. Bush throwing out the first ball, but I thought it was better and more important anyway, because it was the FIRST GAME IN DC!!!  It was a cold, rainy day in April, so I bought a hooded sweatshirt. I got back to the seat and explained that I had to get one with a hood to keep my head warm, and Snuggie goggled at me and said, “You do realize you are also wearing a zip hoodie and a windbreaker – both of which have hoods!” *facepalm* Doh!

Anyway – over the years, I went to a couple of games here and there, usually with people who wanted to see the other team, but we had fun! I still didn’t "get" the game, but I enjoyed having a beer and a hot dog, and sitting in the sun and cheering on a team. The Nationals moved from RFK to the brand new Nationals Park in the Navy Yard. I had been to Camden Yards in Baltimore, so I knew how gorgeous a baseball park could be, but I really liked this one! 

The first time I went to the new park was when my company gave us a half-day off and tickets to an afternoon game. We were sitting in the nosebleed seats, but you could see everything and it all seemed so close! I walked all the way around the stadium… er, park, and thought it was great. And the VIEW! You could see all the way to the Capitol! Well, wait, except for that building being built DIRECTLY in the way. OH well, best laid plans and all that, I guess.

Back in 2008, I was officially a “Nats fan” but I really wasn’t making much of an effort to go to games, and I still really hated watching them on TV. Then I met a guy nicknamed “Red Sox Mike” because he always wears a Red Sox hat. We became fast friends and trivia partners, but he could not understand how I could not love baseball.

So I gave him a challenge: explain to me how watching baseball is better than watching grass grow.  And he did a dang good job!

The Red Sox were in the playoffs that year, so we sat at the bar and he told me about the different pitches and why a batter would swing or not and how baseball is the only game that gives the defense the ball – and of course, the infield fly rule. I learned a lot – and suddenly it all made sense! It was more interesting and enjoyable because I knew what they were doing! And I loved how you didn’t have to be a ginormous freak of nature to be a great player. Dustin Pedroia, for example. He is a little guy but is SUCH a big hitter. That was the year he was named MVP and he became my new favorite player. 

Exactly how Dustin Pedroia seems! (From Brent Mayne's blog, see link above)

(The next year, I saw a show about Dusty being MVP and they had all of these life-size cut-outs of previous MVPs and the camera panned their faces - left, left, left and… down to Pedroia. It was hilarious!)

So, armed with my new knowledge, I started making an effort to support my Nats a little more. Sadly, Mike moved back to New Hampshire shortly after our lessons so he has not been able to enjoy my new-found baseball fan-itude, but the last few seasons I’ve gotten the five-game package: four reserved games and then vouchers for another game, and the price is about 70% of the single-game ticket price. I started sitting in the “Outfield Reserved” which was fun, but I switched this year to the Center Field seats under the Red Porch because I wanted to be able to watch the President’s Race. (I can hear true baseball fans groaning because I obviously don’t know anything about watching baseball!) But those seats are awesome! You can see everything, you’re sitting right behind Bryce Harper (this year), and they have seat service! Also, the bathroom at the restaurant is much nicer than the other ones in the park. (Priorities!) 

The view from Section 100

Boys

The Nationals had been building up a team of young up-and-comers, and this year those players showed why Davey Johnson should get coach of the year. We had Strasburg, the pitching phenom, and Jayson Werth, the former Phillies guy with a big contract and bigger beard, who took Bryce Harper, the young brash Mormon boy, and showed him how to play in “The Bigs.” Something just clicked this year, and the Nationals ended up with the best record in the MLB! 

I had gotten my five-game package deal again, and started off with the last pre-season game against the Red Sox with my friend, Richard, who is another huge Red Sox fan but also a Nationals fan. We both showed up with Red Sox t-shirts and Nationals hats. It was a great game, and I honestly can’t remember who won! Didn’t matter, it was pre-season and it was just a fun game. 

In addition, I got tickets for the Phillies game in May which was billed as the “Take Back the Park” game because Phillies fans had dominated our park in previous seasons. The tickets were half-price so I got four of them after checking with everybody that they could come.  But, a few weeks before the game, two of my friends had to back out. We were still going to go, but then my other friend backed out. I had some other friends, but then they backed out too! My Orioles fan friend R said she’d go with me, but then… My friend Binky texted me the night before that she had free tickets to the Capitals (hockey) playoff game at the same time! So, after all that frustration, *I* backed out! LOL  (Caps AND Nationals won, btw, and metro was a NIGHTMARE!)

I took R to the Orioles game, Kay to the Yankees game, and my sister, CSC, to the Braves game. And then another Braves game. And the San Francisco Giants “throw-back” game. And then there was that day when I had had the worst week ever – and it was only Wednesday! So I went to the last Braves game at the park by myself. And had a GREAT TIME!  Even funnier was that I started watching every game on TV. I even started watching the Orioles with R! It was a great summer and I loved being able to spend so much time with my sister.

(Yes, when my sister and I have “girls’ day out” it’s generally to a sporting event. Although one time we did spend the morning at the cherry blossoms in the Tidal Basin… before going to a baseball game.)

Of course, you can't see the Red Sox t-shirt I have on...

And the Nationals started doing the highly improbable – they started leading the league! They had never had a winning season in the six years leading up to 2012, although they came REAL close in 2011, and suddenly, they made it to the Playoffs! They clinched the division! Wooohoooo! 

As the season was wrapping up, I remembered that I still had those vouchers. You had to actually go to the Box Office to redeem them, so I had completely forgotten about them – even though I had gone to many more games than my initial four games. So, it’s the week before the last three games of the season, at home, and I asked my boss if I could take a half-day on Wednesday. No questions, he just said “Sure!” So, I took my voucher in and got a ticket to the last game of the season. I had already tried to get post-season tickets with no luck, so I figured that would just have to be my last game. 

And WHAT a game! Teddy finally won the President’s Race, and then Ryan Zimmerman dinged one out of the park (at my command), followed by Michael Morse batting in Adam La Roche. Then Harper came in to pinch-run for Zim after the seventh inning stretch when Morse was back up to bat so the entire park was singing “Take On Me” at the top of their lungs. The crowd went nuts! It was kind of a continual standing ovation through the rest of the game, which we won of course. The game ended at around 4pm, but people didn’t start leaving the park until almost 5pm. The team came out and cheered at the crowd and the crowd cheered back. It was a mutual love-fest, and it was such a blast!

Teddy wins!

BTW, when I had changed into my Nationals shirt at the office, my boss looked at me and said, “You’re going to the game?!? I thought you had a doctor’s appointment!” I thought, “Yes, Dr. Werth, Dr. Harper, and Dr. Zimmerman!”  Just what the doctor ordered! ;-)

As NL East division champions, the Nats got a few days off, and then had to play away against whichever team won the wildcard game. The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Braves (yay!) in the wildcard game, so the Nats went to St. Louis for two days. They lost the first game, then won the second game and came back to play in DC. 

I had purchased the five-game package so I must have been considered an “insider” to the Nats, because I got the special super-secret password to try to order tickets online in advance. When the Nats came back to DC, they started pre-selling tickets for the Championship series (assuming the Nats won the divisional series). By the time I got through there weren’t any seats left for that, but when you cancelled the search, it went to a page that allowed you to buy standing-room only tickets to the NLDS. So I bought standing-room only tickets to games four and five of the series. When the Nats lost game three (by being pummeled severely about the face and neck), I was distraught, but hopeful that they would come back and win game four and force the fifth game.

And they did!

It was a taut, tense game but Jayson Werth’s walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth was a thing of beauty! I went by myself again and was standing behind Section 135 with a dad and his son, chatting with the person standing at the top of the aisle with a paddle to stop people from going in when the ball is in play. We had some outstanding pitching and we were tied going into the ninth inning. Someone got up and left after Drew Storen had struck out the Cards, so the paddle guy offered me their seat. I declined, saying, “Thanks, but … we only need one, right?”  After 13 pitches, I heard that distinctive pock! of bat hitting ball at just that right place, and it was…. OUTTA HERE! We just needed the one! I hugged the dad and son, the paddle guy, the four people standing next to us, and I high-fived half the stadium, screaming like a banshee all the while. And I was definitely NOT alone!

I took the metro back to Cleveland Park and the elevator doors were shutting to go up to street level when I heard a shout. I opened the doors again and my friend Connie burst in. As soon as the doors shut again, we screamed, hugged, and jumped up and down yelling “We won, we won, we won!” I’d love to see the face of the guy reviewing that security footage! Hahaha!

Jayson Werth

Obviously, Connie had been at the game as well, so we continued to Atomic and proceeded to rehash the whole thing, while watching the Orioles dismantle the Yankees (and the VP candidates debate). I cheered along with my Orioles friends and we all talked about the possibility of an Orioles/Nationals World Series. It was actually possible! All we had to do is win Game 5 of our respective serieseseses and then win the Championship series too! Nooooo problem! :-)

But wait. The Yankees and the Cardinals had something to say about that… and sadly, our season is over. (As is the Orioles’.)  But what a season! Somewhat appropriately, I went to the last game with Richard, but this time we both wore Nationals gear from head to toe. We had standing-room only tickets but he had some friends who had two seats available so we were able to sit in the second tier for the last half of the game. It was a great game until the top of the ninth inning. The score was 7-5 Nationals, two outs and two strikes. All we need was one strike and we were going to the Championship series. But sadly, this time we couldn’t get it done. Somehow, the Cards pulled out four runs before the end of their at-bat and then our bats stayed still.

The metro ride home was subdued, except for the obnoxious kid behind us who had to hear his own voice bemoaning his fate that made him a Nationals fan and doom doom doom (I hate people who think it’s all about them… when it’s obviously all about me!). Richard kept looking forward 115 days to when pitchers and catchers sign-in for training in 2013. And I just stayed quiet. Which is very unusual for me. (HA!)

And I started thinking about my baseball journey. Just a few years ago, I couldn’t have cared less about baseball. I thought that watching baseball on TV was worse than watching grass grow (second only to golf – which literally IS watching grass grow!), but I would cheer for the Nationals because a) they’re my hometown team and b) they are in the same division as the Braves.  I knew it was fun to go to the games, but I didn’t usually pay attention to the actual game going on.

And now?  Now, I’m a baseball fan. I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Nationals fan, because now I "get" it!  Thanks guys! I can not WAIT until next year!

Edited 10/02/14 to correct the picture link...