My Thoughts on Not Going Back to School

It's been starting to hit me lately. For the first time in nearly 20 years, I will not be starting another year of school in the coming weeks. I guess it's something that I've known to be true, but haven't exactly been prepared for. I was taken aback the other day when I asked a friend (a rising senior at Trinity) to grab a drink and he said it would have to be in the coming week, or else he'd back at school. When he told me that, I realized that I would not be joining him.

It's hard to think about the fact that I'm going to be slaving away in a cubicle for the indefinite future. It's harder to reflect on my years at school, be it at Trinity as a Bantam, or Framingham as a Flyer, and not think of how much I took for granted. I don't mean just the social situations; but I got an incredible education, and for the first 18 years of my life, it was free! That's a luxury not everybody in the world is blessed with.

I certainly don't wish I could go back. I was ready to grow up, and that's what I've done. I have an apartment now, and bills to pay. I consider myself lucky to have such a good job. But it doesn't mean I don't wish I could thank a few people for their influence on me through my times at school.

Like Ms. Molliver, my sage teacher, who challenged me in many ways. Or Ms. Purcell who taught me some behavioral lessons. Sometimes I wonder what Mr. G, my 7th grade math teacher is up to. Although I'd be perfectly content with never seeing stupid Madame LePain again.

It's nice thinking about my days in the Framingham Public School system. Maybe some day I'll have kids who I can tell stories to about my days going to Mrs. Davis, the school nurse, or about me getting in trouble for yelling obscene things on a school trip at the age of 10. But until that day comes, all I can do is remember those days and remind myself that I've been lucky. And hopefully, the luck doesn't run out.

Baseball Special: Nationals Park

Last Saturday we made our sixth trip, as we drove south along the east coast to our nation's capital: where we watched the Nationals take on the Pirates. Let me preface this entry by discussing how the drive down was possibly the most miserable experience of my life. Getting over the GW Bridge was a nightmare and it did not improve much from there. Originally, the GPS said we'd get there in around 6 hours. It took us ten.

Nonetheless, arriving in DC was pretty cool. I'd never been so in the brief period of time prior to the game, Chris and I walked around and saw the Washington Monument before heading to the park. It was a beautiful evening so walking around the city was really pleasant.

The park itself was really cool. Very modern, with tons of family friendly activities. During one of the half innings, they hold a presidential race, where people wearing president-mascot costumes race around the perimeter of the field. Teddy Roosevelt won in a stunning comeback victory over Abe.

The food was awesome too! We both got chili and I got a sandwich and it was really good. Ice cream topped off our night later. The atmosphere was really cool too. Our seats were awesome and it was a really intimate park. A little too intimate.... This woman sitting next to me felt the need to talk to me about how small Ian Desmond's butt was. Contrary to popular belief, I really didn't care.

Finally, the game. One of the most exciting games I've ever been to live. It had great pitching, some great fielding and timely hitting. Leading 3-0 in the bottom of the 8th, the Pirates gave up a run before allowing Adam LaRoche to tie the game with a two-run blast. I did not know if it could be topped until Wilson Ramos hit a walk off single, driving in Harper, in the 9th. It was the first time I've ever seen a walk-off live.

After the game, there was a free Martina McBride concert, so my dad and I stayed for a few songs. It was a really fun experience... And the drive home was not too bad.

Baseball Special: Yankee Stadium

When my dad and I first planned out this 15 year adventure, I don't think we planned on hitting Yankee Stadium so early on. But at the beginning of the season, when the captain, Derek Jeter, announced his retirement, we acknowledged the fact that we had to see him in his final season. So today, August 9th, 2014, we went to Yankee Stadium to see the Yanks take on the Indians.

Parts of the game were cool, and parts were dull. Starting with the park itself, it was a Goliath of a park. Monstrous in size and grandeur, I was amazed at the immensity of the place. That being said, it did not really promote an intimate environment. My father and I agreed, that it felt like the crowd was there to say they went to Yankee Stadium, not to watch and enjoy a baseball game on a beautiful day. My dad described the park as a place just like New York: unnecessarily loud and obnoxious.

Okay enough of the negativity, I had a blast. The game was a really good one. Corey Kluber pitched unbelievably and the Indians won 3-0. Brandon McCarthy threw a good game for NY, but it wasn't good enough. We were hoping to see a pitcher battle, and we got what we asked for.

Prior to the game, there was a pretty cool induction ceremony of Paul O'Neill into the Yankees Monument Park. It was pretty cool to see so many legends there to support him. Joe Torre, Mariano Rivera, and Jorge Posada were among them. Not that I'm a die hard O'Neill fan, but I always liked him and it was cool seeing the ceremony.

I don't think anything was cooler than seeing Jeter though. There are so few people who are above their respective sports, but he is one of them. Nobody commands respect as universally as #2. Knowing that this was probably the last time I'd ever see him play was kind of emotional. However, in his third at bat, Jeter hit an infield single. That single moved Jeter passed Honus Wagner into 6th place on the all time hits list. Being able to say that I saw that is pretty cool.

5 parks down, 25 to go. Next week we'll be in D.C.

My Thoughts on Universal Healthcare

So for those of you who read the news (and don't solely rely on my incredible blog to stay updated on current events) I'm sure you've read about the lawsuit being filed against President Obama. Speaker Boehner is suing BO for not doing his duty by upholding his law, The Affordable Care Act. When I first heard about this, I burst out laughing. The idea of republican house members being up in arms about the inability to execute a law that they didn't want to begin with astounds me. That's not the point of this post though, I'm more concerned with why I think universal health care is beneficial to the economy, and to society as a whole.

I do not consider myself an expert on anything, but I certainly do have some supporting claims to my argument. First of all, I want to address the unemployment rate. Unemployment has been a huge issue in the US since the Great Recession, and with structural unemployment hovering around 6%, it's hard to imagine us reaching pre-recession levels. But consider this: a husband and father of two is looking for work. He needs to support his family, but doesn't have an education so finding a solid high-paying job is difficult. He turns down jobs over and over again because they do not provide him with healthcare, which he needs in order to provide for his family. Then, health care becomes free. Our protagonist signs up online and now his family is covered. The next day, he accepts a job without worrying about his family's coverage.

Next, let's consider economic growth. My thesis was about growth, and one thing that I learned is that personal consumption accounts for over 70% of GDP. Now you take a family that is not financially affluent, and make them pay for health care, they are now unable to allocate that money towards consumption. If the health care is provided for them, they are far more likely to consume with their extra disposable income, and can therefore help contribute more to growth.

My finally economic analysis pertains to production. I mentioned earlier that unemployment could decrease, but along with that comes an increase in production. If the less wealthy now can obtain healthcare free of charge, they are far more likely to work harder. They will see an increase in their take home income, and as a result feel the need to compensate through productivity. I realize this one is a stretch, but I think you'd be surprised to find out what seemingly trivial things can affect a person's productivity.

So why is none of this happening yet? Well, as mentioned, the law has not been executed very well. However, that is not to blame on the present. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe over 30 states refused to set up the portals for Obamacare, leaving it up to the federal government to do it for them. In addition, many people are so intent on hating the president that they refuse to give a law like this the time of day. Hopefully one day it will change, but until then, I'm glad to see the government wasting my money to sue each other over something that is really, pretty meaningless. Sweet.

My Thoughts on the MLB All Star Game

I've watched this game ever since I was a kid. I remember when Cal Ripken hit a home run in his first at bat in '01 and went on to win the MVP. I remember the year that they had to call it a tie because they went into so many extra innings that there were no more players to come in. I remember Pedro's ridiculous two innings in Boston in '99. I still watch it every year, and can not fathom missing it.

This game is more than just a showcase of talent. Obviously, yes, this is the only all star game with late season implications. But it's so much more than that. Home field advantage in the World Series probably doesn't matter to Chris Sale, who plays for the beleaguered White Sox. But for the past three years he comes in and throws shut down innings. I'm sure Jeter is hoping home field will be relevant in the next few months, but I doubt that's the only reason this was so emotional.

This game is about pride. It means the world to these players to be elected for this game. To be able to say that you are among the best in the world at a sport you've been playing since you were a toddler has got to be an incredible feeling. Hell, I remember being chosen for my little league all star game and it was worth me skipping a family vacation to play in it.

Baseball players take pride in their sport, and their talent. More so than most athletes. It's not the fact that they get to show off what they can do, I believe playing here has to be humbling for them. To be chosen to compete in the same game that Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, and Bob Gibson played in reminds the athletes why they play this game to begin with: the money is great, but to be remembered in history I'm sure is much more satisfying.

My Thoughts on Road Trips

Tomorrow is the last leg of my two month vacation. Two months of traveling, seeing the globe. I've seen more aspects of he world through that time then I ever had in my life. This road trip that I've been on was one of the most enlightening experiences of my life. I left Minnesota a few days ago after visiting with Emily and her family. Since then, I've been driving back home. I had never driven this long before, but tacking 3000 miles onto my car has really helped put some perspective on the rest of the country.

The variations in different regions of the nation really make themselves clear when you're spending 6-8 hours on the open road. For example, when I stopped in rural Ohio for the World Cup game on Thursday, I was shocked about how tight knit the community was. And likewise, visitng Bard College in Red Hook, NY was a new way to meet some very interesting young adults, in addition to catching up with one of my oldest friends.

I think the coolest part of driving alone is all the reflecting I was able to accomplish on my trip. Especially on my drive yesterday, through northern Pennsylvania, I spent a lot of time thinking about my life up to this point, and on my life going forward. For me, time alone is nice. It provides piece of mind for me to sit by myself and let my mind run like my corolla, endlessly galloping down the open road.

Driving is relaxing. When it's beautiful out, and I have new, exciting scenery to see, it provides a bliss that I would have never known until this trip. I can't wait to do it again, no matter when it ends up being.

My Thoughts on Father's Day

I'm aware that it's been awhile since I've blessed the internet with my horribly articulated opinions. I'm aware that, since I am no longer posting these to Facebook, my readership will remain practically zero. But I've decided that I'd like to pick up this blog again, if only as a personal journal of sorts, although, slightly less private than most.

Today was Father's Day. I'm sure many people are aware of that, but for me, it was a tough one. For the first time in my life, I did not have the privilege of spending the day with my dad. As I'm sure I've alluded to, if not outright said,  my dad and I are very close. He is the single largest male influence on my life in so many more ways than he could possibly imagine. I told him earlier that I hope to someday be a fraction of the man that he is, and I don't know if he understands how literally I mean that. The selfless way that he goes about his day-to-day life is something that I continually strive to accomplish.

For years now, he has worked tirelessly to provide for my family. He and my mother have made quite the dynamic duo in terms of raising my sisters and I. The other day I was having a conversation and this is what he said to me, "I work hard every day. I've gone to work for 30-something years now, never complaining, and always with you and your sisters in mind. I have driven you guys all over for social gatherings and sporting events, I provide pretty much anything you guys ask for, and what do I get as a reward? The opportunity.. To pooperscoop"

Well dad, I hate to tell you this, you drew the short end of the straw. While I know that sometimes it may suck to imagine a life like that, I can't imagine what my life would be like if you had done otherwise. Everything I ever accomplish can be directly credited to you and mom, and I like to think that you two will one day share in whatever those accomplishments may be. Although there is only one day where society dictates I acknowledge your brilliant parenting, I'd like for you to know, that I remind myself every day how lucky I am to have a father like you.

For me, my personal thoughts on Father's Day consist of this: to serve as a reminder that few, if any, people in the history of the world, are as lucky as I consider myself.

I love you, dad.