One of the baseball diamonds at Big League Dreams.
Today I went to see Sandi's grand kids play ball at the new, controversial, sports park, here in Redding.
"The Redding Big League Dreams sports park is a world-class facility featuring 3/4-scale exact replicas of three major-league stadiums: Boston's Fenway Park, Chicago's Wrigley Field, and New York's Yankee Stadium."
Big League Dreams is a combination privatized/city supported endeavor that, despite the ranting of the misinformed, is making a profit. The same people that rail against Turtle Bay, (Museum, arboretum, and the Sundial Bridge), Stillwater Business Park, palm trees on Hilltop Drive, have the mistaken impression that the Big League Dreams facility is a drain on city money. The comments after the, (on line), local news stories, are such great entertainment that I happily post my 2 cents worth on occasion.
There are several, well groomed, picturesque playing fields and plenty of parking. Come early if you don't want a long walk.
Is that a star, or a daisy?
For $2, you get a neat hand stamp when you go in the gate.
I wasn't sure if I was going to see football, baseball, soccer, hockey, sand court volleyball, or what?
It's Soccer
The view is spectacular for us seated soccer spectators.
Austin, #6
Austin was playing today.
Austin's Fan Club
Amber-Mom, Jordan-brother, and Sandi-Grandmother.
When I was growing up in the 50's, we were told, soccer was not an American sport. We were an arrogant, and ignorant nation. We were told we were better than people in other countries, and like good obedient children, we believed it. We were told to disregard other cultures because they were primitive and old fashioned. We were the shining example of the future of mankind. We were the super race that Hitler foolishly tried to make in Germany. "Ha, ha, ha. Those Bavarian buffoons!"
My P.E. teacher in Junior High, would tell us; "Soccer is for sissy's. We play football, here in the U.S.A." This is the same guy, with the spitball on his lip, that had a special paddle with holes drilled in it for those of us that misbehaved. No one thought it weird, at the time, that he would watch us taking showers, but I am guessing that sort of thing doesn't go on in schools these days.
You can view larger versions of these, and other photographs from this event, HERE.
My Sanyo Camera
Tricky movie-in-movie, image from River video.
I was just looking for a picture of my Sanyo camera, and I realized they are in my other computer iPhoto application. (The image above, is a screen shot from an old video that is on this computer.) I have had the Sanyo longer than I have had this MacBook. Oh well, the object here, is to write about this amazingly versatile and durable 10 megapixel camera. I didn't really want it when I got it! I wanted an exchange for the panasonic Lumix that went bad while I could still return it to Wal Mart. I wanted another one of those, but they were all gone. I chose the Sanyo because it was the same price and I could exchange straight across. This Sanyo has consistently brought home the images I have sought to capture, and I am glad I have it.
However, like most point-and-shoot, digital cameras, there is a lag between pushing the button and the shutter actually taking the picture. I can generally work around this, but today was the first time I tried to follow the action in a game on the playing field. The ball would be kicked and away before the shutter clicked the picture. I attempted to anticipate and click in advance of the moment, but the players were not so predictable. If I were to take pictures at a lot of sporting events, I would seek out a digital camera that doesn't have shutter lag. Otherwise, I am perfectly happy with the cameras I have. I am lucky to have the stuff I've got, and I thank God everyday.
Thank You Fa Lettin Me Be Mice Elf Again
Sly and the Family Stone
Thankful
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