Summer Starting Point

While summer is not officially here, with school having let out and children are home, parents are making vaction plans, the feeling and the mood are one of summer. So today, I will embark on a challenge. My goal is simple, follow the peformance of the Philadelphia Phillies, their players and their competitors until school resumes on August 23rd.

Many would say such an endeavor is not that challenging, as one would say with most if not all potential endeavors. Knowing myself, stopping each day to write and reflect on my favorite team's performance, is a true challenge.

Following baseball has been one of my most favorite activities growing up. Studying the box scores, checking the standings, reading the game summaries, watching the highlights, dreaming of going to a game, all made up my thoughts and actions.

Now that I am a husband, father, teacher, and other priorities have snuck into the time I used to dedicate for baseball. Mind you, I still make some time for the sport, but it is not nearly as much as when I was younger. What are we supposed to do with our 24 hours? How much of it is suposed to be spent on pleasure and how much of it should be dedicated to work and family. Many moments of my life have been spent pondering what that balance looks like.

I truly admire those individuals who can spend so much time in the pursuit of leisure or who use their time to spend on matters important to them, but maybe not important to the family or the society.

Ok, enough. The challenge. As I write this, the Phillies are standing atop the National League East with a 40-26 record; where the lead the Atlanta Braves by 2.5 games and the Florida Marlins by 7.5. Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels will be throwing tonight, while the Marlins send Chris Volstad to the mound.

Very simply the question is this: what will the next 70 days be like? My goal is to keep track the best I can of their progress; the plot lines, the main characters; the minor characters who play new and important roles.

The obvious goal is for the two us, the Phillies and this enduring and endearing fan, to bat better than .500 and take control of our own destinies.